©Amstel Gold Race

Amstel Gold Race: Kwiatkowski seven years later

Benoît Cosnefroy believed, for a few minutes, to be the third Frenchman to win the Amstel Gold Race. But the photo-finish gave a different verdict and finally offered victory to Poland’s Michal Kwiatkowski, already a winner here in 2015. Like last year, the outcome of the Dutch classic was epic between the last two contenders for victory: “We took on the responsibility of taking control of the pursuit. Laurens De Plus led the chase all day, all the riders in our team were super motivated to do the job,” commented Kwiatkowski. “We accelerated at the Kruisberg, reduced the group, and then there was a final blow with Tom and me. The execution of the plan was perfect, as we had expected. In the end, we won the race, it was magnificent.” The top favorite, Mathieu Van der Poel (Alpecin-Fenix) could not do better than fourth.

The women’s event saw the victory of Marta Cavalli (FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope). The 24-year-old Italian broke away from a group of six riders and won ahead of Demi Vollering (Team SD Worx) and Liane Lippert (Team DSM). Annemiek van Vleuten (Movistar Team) remained at the foot of the podium.

The results: 

Men: 1. Michal Kwiatkowski (Ineos Grenadiers), 2. Benoit Cosnefroy (AG2R Citroën Team), 3. Tiesj Benoot (Jumbo-Visma)…

Women: 1. Marta Cavalli (FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope), 2. Demi Vollering (Team SD Worx), 3. Liane Lippert (Team DSM)… 

*****

Itzulia Basque Country: Martinez affirms his ambitions

Colombian climber Daniel Felipe Martinez succeeded by dispossessing Remco Evenepoel of the leader’s yellow jersey during the sixth and final stage on Saturday. Winner of the 2020 Critérium du Dauphiné and third at Paris-Nice recently, the 25-year-old rider from the Ineos Grenadiers team seems to have taken on a new status: “It was a very difficult stage from the start. It was only at the finish line that I considered myself the winner of the Itzulia Basque Country. The team was perfect at all times. When we were behind, Remco Evenepoel worked hard to get back to the riders who were at the front of the race. In the final, he lost ground, and that’s when I started to believe in the final victory,” concluded Martinez.

The results: 1. Daniel Felipe Martinez (Ineos Grenadiers), 2. Ion Izagirre (Cofidis), 3. Aleksandr Vlasov (Bora hansgrohe)… 

Stages won by: Primoz Roglic (Jumbo-Visma), Julian Alaphilippe (Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl Team), Dello Bilbao (Bahrain Victorius), Daniel Felipe Martinez (Ineos Grenadiers), Carlos Rodriguez (Ineos Grenadiers), Ion Izagirre (Cofidis).

*****

Circuit cycliste Sartre – Pays de la Loire: Kooij takes advantage of Pedersen’s crasah

It seemed that the final victory was promised to Mads Pedersen (Trek-Segafredo), leader of the general classification, but a big crash in the last kilometers sounded the death knell for the Dane’s ambitions. It was the winner of the fourth and final stage on Friday, the Dutchman Olav Kooij, 20, who would take the honors. Winner on Wednesday, during the 2nd stage, the rider from Jumbo-Visma was pleased with his current form: “The weather made the race very difficult. I crashed at the start of the stage; it was very slippery. In the finale, there was a new crash. I managed to get away without going down, and won the stage as well as the overall. I think sometimes you need a bit of luck,” concluded the winner, fifth in the Minerva Classic Brugge – De Panne three weeks earlier.

The results: 1. Olav Kooij (Jumbo-Visma), 2. Benoît Cosnefroy (AG2R Citroën Team), 3. Xandro Meurisse (Alpecin-Fenix)…

Stages won by:  Mads Pedersen (Trek-Segafredo), Olav Kooij (Jumbo Visma), Mads Pedersen (Trek-Segafredo), Olav Kooij (Jumbo-Visma). 

*****

Scheldeprijs: Kristoff does it again at Schoten

Alexander Kristoff (Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux) won the 110th edition of the Scheldeprijs on Wednesday. The Norwegian, already winner in 2015 at Schoten, managed to escape from the bulk of the peloton in the last kilometers to win 24 seconds ahead of Van Poppel and Sam Welsford. 

The results: 1. Alexander Kristoff (Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux), 2. Danny Van Poppel (Bora hansgrohe), 3. Sam Welsford (Team DSM)…

*****

The races to come:

Giro di Sicilia – Tour of Sicily 12-15/04 https://ilgirodisicilia.it/en/

Paris – Camembert 12/04 www.paris-camembert.fr

De Brabantse Pijl – La Flèche Brabançonne 13/04 www.debrabantsepijl.be/nl/dbp/elite-mannen

Belgrade Banjaluka 14-17/04 https://afsport.org/events/

Classic Grand Besançon Doubs 15/04 www.classicgrandbesancondoubs.com

Paris Roubaix femmes 16/04 www.paris-roubaix-femmes.fr/fr

Tour du Jura 16/04 www.tourdujura.com

Paris Roubaix 17/04 https://www.paris-roubaix.fr/fr/

©AlpecinFenix

Ronde van Vlaaderen: Van der Poel thwarts Pogacar

With Van Aert a non-participant due to the Covid, a Pogacar / Van der Poel duel was expected on Sunday in Antwerp. The two men lived up to expectations by dropping their breakaway companions 17 kilometers from the finish in Oudenaarde. But by playing poker too much between themselves in the final run up to the line, the two men were joined 300 meters from the finish by Madouas and Van Baarle. Though Van der Poel put down the rebellion, Pogacar was blocked in the sprint and pushed off the podium. The winner in 2020, Van der Poel savored his second victory at the Monument: “It’s a shame that Pogacar didn’t get on the podium. Maybe he was the strongest, he was very aggressive. Maybe I had the advantage of having already experienced this situation on the Tour of Flanders. I experienced this in my last two participations so I kind of knew what to do.”

In the women’s category, Belgian Champion Lotte Kopecky won the event for the first time.

The results: 

Men: 1. Mathieu Van der Poel (Alpecin-Fénix), 2. Dylan Van Baarle (Ineos Grenadiers), 3. Valentin Madouas (Groupama-FDJ)…

Women: 1. Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx), 2. Annemiek van Vleuten (Movistar), 3. Chantal van den Broeck-Blaak (Movistar)…

*****

Dwars door Vlaaderen: Van der Poel gaining momentum

The Dutchman from Alpecin-Fénix posted his second victory in the event on Wednesday after already winning at Waregem in 2019. At the end of a lively race from all sides, Van der Poel passed under the flame rouge along with his seven breakaway companions before winning the sprint: “I certainly didn’t feel like I was the strongest in the leading group. Certainly, Tom Pidcock and Tiesj Benoot made a good impression, but I was always there when needed. Maybe the team rode a little too early, because we lost riders quickly. But I’m glad I was able to finish it off. I think I did a perfect sprint.”

The results:

Men: 1. Mathieu van der Poel  (Alpecin-Fénix), 2. Tiesj Benoot (Jumbo-Vista), 3. Thomas Pidcock (Ineos Grenadiers)…

Women: 1. Chiara Consonni (Valcar – Travel & Service), 2. Julie De Wilde (Plantur-Pura), 3. Elise Chabbey (Canyon/SRAM Racing)…

*****

La route Adélie de Vitré: First victory for Zingle

At 23, Axel Zingle earned his first professional victory on Friday by winning the 26th edition of La route Adélie de Vitré. Seventh in Cholet-Pays de Loire ten days earlier, the native of Mulhouse was able to display the control to win in a race marked by difficult weather conditions. “I’m very happy, I was looking forward to this first victory among the pros,” said Axel Zingle. “I knew I had it in my legs, but I didn’t expect to win. It’s even more beautiful since we did such a great race as a team.” 

The results: 1. Axel Zingle (Cofidis), 2. Dorian Godon (AG2R Citroën), 3. Valentin Ferron (TotalEnergies)…

*****

Gran Premio Miguel Indurain: Barguil spirals upwards

On Saturday, a photo-finish was necessary to decide between Warren Barguil and Aleksandr Vlasov after a breathless sprint. Vlasov thought he had the victory when he raised his arms at the line. But in reality it was Barguil who won his second victory of the season: “I don’t win a lot and now I have already won twice this year after my victory over at Tirreno-Adriatico. I think it’s the positive spiral of the Arkéa-Samsic team (8th victory) that also gives us this confidence. I’m coming back to a good level, I’m making the right choices… It’s simply the right spiral!” Barguil said.

The results: 1. Warren Barguil (Team Arkéa-Samsic), 2. Aleksandr Vlasov (Bora-Hansgrohe), 3. Simon Clarke (Israël Premier tech)…

*****

Volta Limburg Classic: Make it three for De Lie

The 20-year-old Belgian Arnaud De Lie is definitely not suffering from any complexes in his first year as a professional. On the contrary, he posted his third victory of the season on Saturday in Limburg. In the final, the rider from the Lotto-Soudal U23 team intelligently out-maneuvered his five breakaway companions and thus confirmed his good condition at the moment.

The results: 1. Arnaud De Lie (Lotto-Soudal), 2. Stefano Oldani (Alpecin-Fénix), 3. Loïc Vliegen (Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux)…

*****

The races to come:

Itzulia Basque Country 4/04 www.itzulia.eus/en/itzulia/

Circuit cycliste Sartre – Pays de la Loire 5/04 www.sarthe.fr/circuit-cycliste-sarthe-pays-de-la-loire

Scheldeprijs 6/04 www.scheldeprijs.be

Amstel Gold Race 10/04 www.amstel.nl

©Gent-Wevelgem

Gent-Wevelgem in Flanders Fields: Biniam Girmay makes history

On Sunday, Biniam Girmay became the first rider from the African continent to win a classic in the WorldTour. Breaking away from the peloton about twenty kilometers from the finish along with Christophe Laporte (Team Jumbo-Visma), Jasper Stuyven (Trek-Segafredo) and Dries Van Gestel (Team TotalEnergies), the Eritrean showed authority during the final sprint, winning ahead of his breakaway companions, in particular Laporte who is very fit at the moment: “I came here at the last minute and I am writing history in cycling,” explained Binian Girmay. “This victory will change a lot of things for my future and that of African cyclists. In the sprint, I was up against strong riders, but I had confidence. Now I will go home and prepare for the Giro d’Italia.”

In the women’s race, Elisa Balsamo made it three for three. After the Alfredo Binda-Commune Trophy in Cittiglio on Sunday, March 20th, and the Exterioo Classic Bruges-La Panne last Wednesday, the Italian world champion won her third consecutive victory by beating Marianne Vos, winner in 2021, in a very close sprint.

The results: 

Men: 1. Biniam Girmay Hailu (Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux), 2. Christophe Laporte (Jumbo-Visma), 3. Dries Van Gestel (TotalEnergies)…

Women: 1. Elisa Balsamo (Trek-Segafredo), 2. Marianne Vos (Team Jumbo-Visma), 3. Maria Giulia Confalonieri (Ceratizit WNT Pro cycling)…

*****

Volta Ciclista a Catalunya: a first for Higuita

Colombian champion Sergio Higuita won the Volta Ciclista a Catalunya on Sunday at the end of the 7th and final stage: “This victory is very special for me because I have never won a WorldTour stage race,” explained the 24 year old rider. On Sunday, he was able to contain the attacks of his opponents, in particular those made by Carapez, who was on his heels in the general classification: “The team has done a great job all week and it’s fantastic to finish this race with the overall victory. I expected a lot of attacks, and the moves went as planned, but the team had things under control.”

The results: 1. Sergio Higuita (Bora Hansgrohe), 2. Richard Carapaz (Ineos Grenadiers), 3. Joäo Almeida (UAE Team Emirates)…

Stages won by:  Michaël Matthews (Team BikeExchange-Jayco), Kaden Groves (Team BikeExchange-Jayco), Ben O’Connor (AG2R Citroën Team), Joäo Almeida (UAE Team Emirates), Ethan Vernon (Quick-Step Alpha Vynil Team), Richard Carapaz (Ineos Grenadiers), Andrea Bagioli (Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl Team).

*****

Oxyclean Classic Bruges-La Panne: Merlier confirms his status

The Belgian Tim Merlier confirmed his current excellent form by winning the Classic Bruges-La Panne on Wednesday. After a hotly contested sprint, he won the photo-finish ahead of Dutchman Dylan Groenewegen: “Three victories, including two in the WorldTour, I’m very proud,” said Merlier. “The chaos before the sprint was indescribable. I was already happy to cross the finish line in one piece, but the fact that I won makes this moment doubly good.”

The results: 1. Tim Merlier (Alpecin-Fenix), 2. Dylan Groenewegen (Team BikeExchange-Jayco), 3. Nacer Bouhanni (Team Arkéa-Samsic)…

*****

E3 Saxo Bank Classic: Van Aert and Jumbo-Visma on display

The Jumbo-Visma once again struck a blow on Thursday in Harelbeke. Wout van Aert crushed the race and his companion Christophe Laporte finished in the same time as his leader. After the hat-trick during the first stage of Paris-Nice on March 6, the Dutch team made another strong impression just ten days before the Tour of Flanders: “We won, of course, but it was not easy. We are not invincible. We have to keep our focus, because to do otherwise would be the worst thing we could do,” said the winner of Omloop Het Nieuwsblad a month earlier. On a personal level, the Belgian can be satisfied with his form at the moment: “It means a lot to me to win in a great Flanders classic and I am very proud of it for my team.” 

The results: 1. Wout van Aert (Team Jumbo-Visma), 2. Christophe Laporte (Team Jumbo-Visma), 3. Stefan Küng (Groupama-FDJ)…

*****

La Roue tourangelle Centre Val de Loire, Trophée Harmonie Mutuelle: 70 wins and counting for Bouhanni 

Nacer Bouhanni posted the 70th victory of his career on Sunday by winning the 20th edition of the La Roue Tourangelle. The former double champion of France had not won since September 27, 2020.

The results: 1. Nacer Bouhanni (Team Arkéa-Samsic), 2. Bryan Coquard (Cofidis), 3. Sandy Dujardin (TotalEnergies)…

*****

The races to come:

Dwars door Vlaanderen 30/03 www.ddvl.eu

La Route Adélie de Vitré 1/04 www.routeadelievitre.com

Gran Premio Miguel Indurain 2/04

Volta Limburg Classic 2/04 www.voltalimburgclassic.nl/nl/

Ronde van Vlaanderen Tour des Flandres 3/04 www.flandersclassics.be/nl

©Milano-Sanremo

Milano-Sanremo: Mohoric surprises the favorites

Matej Mohoric (Bahrain Victorious) slipped away from the favorites (Van der Poel, Van Aert, Pogacar…) on the descent of the Poggio and earned himself the 113th edition of la Classicissima on Saturday. The Slovenian champion, double stage winner in the last Tour de France, managed to hold off the peloton to take the win on the Via Roma: “I can’t believe I held on until the finish. I think this is the biggest victory of my career! This was studied and prepared and the plan went 100% as we had hoped; that’s really rare in cycling,” declared the winner.

Results: 1. Matej Mohoric (Bahrain Victorious), 2. Anthony Turgis (TotalEnergies), 3. Mathieu Van der Poel (Alpecin-Fenix)… 

*****

Milano-Torino: Cavendish triples the bet

By winning on Wednesday ahead of Nacer Bouhanni (Arkéa-Samsic) and Alexander Kristoff (Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert), the Englishman Mark Cavendish posted his third success of the season. Peter Sagan (TotalEnergies) took 5th place.

Results: 1. Mark Cavendish (Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl Team), 2. Nacer Bouhanni (Team Arkéa-Samsic), 3. Alexander Kristoff (Intermarché – Wanty – Gobert Matériaux)…

*****

Danilith Nokere Koerse: Merlier makes his experience speak

Winner of a stage at Tirreno-Adriatico the previous week, Tim Merlier beat Maximilian Walscheid in the sprint on Wednesday. At 29, the Belgian posted the 20th victory of his career.

Results: 1. Tim Merlier (Alpecin-Fenix), 2. Maximilian Walscheid (Cofidis), 3. Arnaud De Lie (Lotto-Soudal)…

*****

Grand Prix de Denain Porte du Hainaut: Walscheid takes first

Second the day before at Nokere, the German Walscheid was the strongest on Thursday. He is starting the season in the best possible way with his new Cofidis team.

Results: 1. Maximilian Walscheid (Cofidis), 2. Dries de Bondt (Alpecin-Fenix), 3. Adrien Petit (Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux)… 

*****

Bredene Koksijde Classic: Ackermann does it again

Winner of the event in 2019, the German Pascal Ackermann did it again on Friday in Belgium. In a hotly contested sprint, he overtook Hugo Hofstetter and Tim Merlier, who had been the winner in 2021.

Results: 1. Pascal Ackermann (UAE Team Emirates), 2. Hugo Hofstetter (Team Arkéa Samsic), 3. Tim Merlier (Alpecin-Fenix)…

***** 

Cholet Pays de la Loire: Sarreau finds his form

After nearly two and a half years without a victory, Marc Sarreau returned to victory by winning the sprint on Sunday. He deprived Emmanuel Morin of a first success. Fifth in the Denain-Porte du Hainault Grand Prix, Sarreau confirms his return to the fore.

Results: 1. Marc Sarreau (AG2R Citroën Team), 2. Emmanuel Morin (Team U Nantes Atlantique), 3. Piet Allegaert (Cofidis)…

***** 

Grand Prix Criquielon: Coté hits the bullseye

Canadian Pier-André Coté earned his first victory of the season for his team Human Powered Health on Sunday. He sprinted ahead of two Belgian riders, Gelders and Willems.

Results: 1. Pier-André Coté (Human Powered Health), 2. Gil Gelders (Bingoal Pauwels Sauces WB Development Team), 3. Thimo Willems (Minerva Cycling)…

*****  

Trofeo Alfredo Binda Comune di Cittiglio: Balsamo holds court

The 2021 World Champion Elisa Balsamo, 24, sprinted to the 12th victory of her career on Sunday after an amazing display of teamwork. The podium is made up of an Italian trio.

Results: 1. Elisa Balsamo (Trek Segafredo), 2. Sofia Bertizzolo (UAE Team ADQ), 3. Soraya Paladin (Canyon/SRAM Racing)…

***** 

Races to come:

Tour of Hainan 20-27/03

Volta Ciclista a Catalunya 21-27/03 www.voltacatalunya.cat/ca

Oxyclean Classic Brugge-De Panne 2303 www.bruggedepanneclassic.be

E3 Saxo Bank Classic 25/03 www.e3saxobankclassic.be

Gent Wevelgem in Flanders Fields 27/03 www.gent-wevelgem.be

La Roue Tourangelle Centre Val de Loire 27/03 www.larouetourangelle.com

©ASO / Alex Broadway

Paris – Nice: Primoz Roglic finally wins

Despite three stage victories, Primoz Roglic allowed the 2021 edition of Paris-Nice to escape his grasp. This time, the Slovenian did not give anyone else the chance to win the 80th edition of the event. After beating the competition on the Col de Turini on Saturday, the Jumbo-Visma rider contained the attacks of his opponents in the last stage on Sunday, expertly assisted by his teammate Wout van Aert. In difficulty on the ascent of the Col d’Eze, the triple winner of the Vuelta a Espana managed to maintain his lead in the general classification and won an overall victory which was particularly close to his heart: “It always ends with a little suspense,” commented the winner by referring to his crash in 2021 on the ultimate day. “It was a super difficult last stage, but I must say that I am much happier than last year. Wout Van Aert can do it all. I was not strong enough to do it alone, I really suffered to fight on the last climb. Luckily, I knew Wout was having a great day.”

The results: 1. Primoz Roglic (Jumbo-Visma), 2. Simon Yates (Team BikeExchange-Jayco), 3. Daniel Martinez (Inoes Grenadiers)…

Stages won by: Christophe Laporte (Jumbo Visma), Fabio Jakobsen (Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl), Mads Pedersen (Trek-Segafredo), Wout van Aert (Jumbo-Visma), Brandon McNulty (UEA Team Emirates), Mathieu Burgaudeau (TotalEnergies), Primoz Roglic (Jumbo-Visma), Simon Yates (Team BikeExchange-Jayco).

******

Tirreno-Adriatico: Tadej Pogacar crushes the competition

Absolutely nothing can resist Tadej Pogacar at the start of this season. Already the winner of the UAE Tour at the end of February and of the Strade Bianche at the beginning of March, the double winner of the Tour de France has once again shown his dominance at the Tirreno-Adriatico. As he did in 2021, the Slovenian put his name on the Italian event and left his mark on the start of the year: “When you win, you can only be happy. I may look unbeatable but I’m not. So far, everything is going well. I look at each next race as a new challenge.”

The rider from the UAE Team Emirates will try to continue his domination this Saturday, March 19th, at Milano – Sanremo.
The rider who finished in second place at the last Tour de France, the Dane Jonas Vingegaard, also climbed onto the second step of the podium in this race.

The results: 1. Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates), 2. Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo-Visma), 3. Mikel Landa (Bahrain Victorious)…

Stages won by: Filippo Ganna (Ineos Grenadiers), Tim Merlier (Alpecin-Fenix), Caleb Ewan (Lotto Soudal), Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates), Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates), Phil Bauhaus (Bahrain Victorious).

******

Races to come:

Danilith Nokere Koerse 16/03 www.nokerekoerse.be

Milano-Torino 16/03 www.milanotorino.it

Grand Prix de Denain Porte du Hainaut 17/03 www.gpdenain.fr

Bredene Koksijde Classic 18/03 www.bredenekoksijdeclassic.be

Milano-Sanremo 19/03 www.milanosanremo.it

Tour of Hainan 20-27/03

Cholet Pays de la Loire 20/03 www.choletpaysdelaloire.fr

Grand Prix Criquielion 20/03 www.ententecyclisteacrenoise.be

Trofeo Alfredo Binda Comune di Cittiglio 20/03 www.cyclingsportpromotion.com