©ASO / Alex Broadway

Le Samyn: Trentin, the sharp thirty-something

The Italian Mattéo Trentin (UAE Team Emirates), 32, won the 54th edition of the Samyn on Tuesday March 1. He sprinted among a group of eight riders on arrival in Dour: “It was a very tough race,” explains Trentin, who had just posted a second place in the Vuelta Ciclista a la Region de Murcia a fortnight earlier. “As a team, we decided to go into the breakaways because Fabio Jakobsen, currently the best sprinter in the world, was in this race. So I knew that my best chance was to integrate into a small group, and everything worked perfectly. I think I did a smart sprint.”

Among the ladies, the Norwegian Emma Norsgaard won.

The results: 

Men: 1. Mattéo Trentin (UAE Team Emirates), 2. Hugo Hofstetter (Team Arkéa Samsic), 3. Dries De Bondt (Alpecin-Fenix)…

Women: 1. Emma Norsgaard (Movistar Team), 2. Chiara Consonni (Valcar- Travel & Services), 3. Vittoria Guazzini (FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope)

*****

Strade Bianche: Pogacar (re)dials his number

Just a week after his second success in the UAE Tour, Tadej Pogacar crushed the competition on Saturday in the Strade Bianche. The two-time winner of the Tour de France broke away solo from the peloton 50 kilometers from the finish and no one was able to challenge his supremacy: “It’s an incredible victory” said the 23-year-old Slovenian. “I attacked early and only knew in the last five kilometers that I could go all the way. Even on the final climb I was still looking behind to see if anyone was coming back, so I’m super happy to have won.” The always impressive Alejandro Valverde took second place, with Kasper Asgreen completing the podium.

Among the women, Annemiek van Vleuten, the rider in the best form at the start of the season after her victories at the Nieuwsblad and in the Tour de la Comunidad Valenciana, was ultimately overtaken by the Belgian Lotte Kopecky in the final sprint.

The results: 

Men: 1. Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates), 2. Alejandro Valverde (Movistar), 3. Kasper Asgreen (Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl)…

Women: 1. Lotte Kopecky (Team SD Worx), 2. Annemiek van Vleuten (Movistar Team), 3. Ashleigh Moolman (Team SD Worx)… 

*****

Paris – Nice: Laporte opens the door

Christophe Laporte won the first stage of the 80th edition of Paris-Nice on Sunday. While the 29-year-old rider posted the first victory of his career in a WorldTour event, the first in France in 2022, the Jumbo-Visma team took the opportunity to achieve a resounding hat-trick. Indeed, Primoz Roglic and Wout van Aert finished second and third, respectively, at the end of a lively stage. Laporte announces his arrival in the Dutch team in the most beautiful way: “It was not planned, we said to ourselves that if we were well placed, I was going to attack on this hill, but when Nathan Van Hooydonck moved to let me accelerate, Wout was on my wheel and Primoz was there too. It’s incredible as a final, and I really thank the team because it’s a great gift,” said the winner of the day.

Stage 1: 1. Christophe Laporte (Jumbo-Visma), 2. Primoz Roglic (Jumbo-Visma), 3. Wout van Aert (Jumbo-Visma)…

***** 

Races to come:

Paris-Nice 6-13/03 https://www.paris-nice.fr/en/ 

Tirreno – Adriatico 7/13-03 www.tirrenoadriatico.it

©UAE Tour

UAE Tour: Pogacar without a rival

The double reigning champion of the Tour de France did not miss his first target of the season. Following his victory in 2021, the Slovenian has put his name at the top of the list for the event for the second consecutive time. Even though he already had the leader’s jersey on his shoulders before the last stage, Pogacar wanted to mark his territory: “I’m super happy to win a victory at Jebel Hafeet for the third time. It suits me well. Winning the UAE Tour was a very big goal for the team. I am super proud and very happy.”

The winner of two stages, Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Fenix) won the green jersey in the points classification.

The results: 1. Tajed Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates), 2. Adam Yates (Ineos Grenadiers), 3. Pello Bilbao (Bahrain Victorious)

Stages won by: Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Fenix), Mark Cavendish (Quick-Step Alpha Vynil Team), Stefan Bessigger (EF Education-Easypost), Tajed Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates), Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Fenix), Mathias Vacek (Gazprom-Rusvelo), Tajed Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates).

*****

Tour du Rwanda : Tesfatsion held firm

Eritrean rider Natnaël Tesfatsion (Drone Hopper-Androni Giocattoli) won the Tour of Rwanda on Sunday, repeating his 2020 performance. He took the overall leader’s jersey at the end of the 6th stage on Friday and managed to keep it as his property until the end: “I had already won two years ago thanks to a breakaway,” declared Natnaël Tesfatsion, “This time, I had to be more calculating. It was very strategic against very strong opponents like Budiak and Ewart. But I felt good all week.”

Alexandre Geniez (TotalEnergies) was on the podium three times during the event (two wins and a third place).

The results: 1. Natnaël Tesfatsion (Drone Hopper-Androni Giocattoli), 2. Anatoliy Budiak (Terengganu Polygon Cycling), 3. Jesse Ewart (Bike Aid)…

Stages won by: Alexandre Geniez (TotalEnergies), Sandy Dujardin (TotalEnergies), Jhonatan Restropo (Drone Hopper-Androni Giocattoli), Kent Main (ProTouch), Alexandre Geniez (TotalEnergies), Anatoli Budiar (Terengganu-Polygon Cycling), Alan Boileau (B&B Hotels-KTM), Moise Mugisha (ProTouch).  

*****

Omloop Het Nieuwsblad Elite: Van Aert already finds his legs

The Belgian champion won the first Belgian classic on Saturday. At the end of a perfectly managed race, Wout Van Aert focused his effort on the van Geraardsbergen wall to win alone ahead of the European champion Colbrelli who overtook Van Avermaet in the sprint. “I didn’t expect to be so strong so soon,” commented the winner of the day.

The results: Wout Van Aert (Jumbo-Visma), 2. Sonny Colbrelli (Bahrain-Victorious), 3. Greg Van Avermaet (AG2R Citroën)…

*****

Faun-Ardèche Classic: NcNulty goes solo

At the end of a lively race from start to finish, it was the American Brandon McNulty who won alone on Saturday in the streets of Guilherand-Granges. The rider of the UAE Emirates Team, sixth in the road race at the Beijing Olympics in 2021, achieved a real success by flying up the ascent of Saint-Romain-de-Lerps, ahead of Mauri Vansevenant and Sepp Kuss. “There was an excellent field even if not everyone was in top form. But it’s a very satisfying victory for me,” commented the 23-year-old winner.

The results: 1. Brandon McNulty (UAE Emirates Team), 2. Mauri Vansevenant (Quick Step-Alpha Vinyl), 3. Sepp Kuss (Jumbo-Visma)…

*****

Faun-Drôme Classic : Vingegaard resists the French chase

A good weekend for the Dutch team Jumbo-Visma. The day after Van Aert’s victory over the Het Nieuwsblad, his teammate Vingegaard raised his arms in victory at the Faun-Drôme Classic on Sunday. Jonas Vingegaard, second in the Tour de France 2021, managed to stave off the comeback in the final of the Frenchmen Martin and Cosnefroy: “This race had a particular importance because it is good to have a strong start to the season,” declared the Dane. “These are complicated roads. Not really uphill but it’s still a toboggan ride. I like this kind of route just as much as the big climbs.” The double world champion Alaphilippe took 5th place.

The results: 1. Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo-Visma), 2. Guillaume Martin (Cofidis), 3. Benoît Cosnefroy (AG2R Citroën Team)…

*****

Kuurne-Bruxelles-Kuurne: Insatiable Jakobsen

Not content with having taken the green jerseys at the Volta a la Communitat Valenciana and the Volta Algarve, Fabio Jakobsen ended the month of February with another success on Sunday. The Dutch sprinter once again demonstrated his current form by beating Ewan and Hofstetter. “It’s already my fifth victory of the season, it’s not too bad for a sprinter. It was getting tight with the breakaway, but I knew I had to stay calm, patient and just sprint. I’m in a special period for me, I had a good winter and when you’re in good shape you have to take advantage of it,” said Jakobsen after his victory.

The results: 1. Fabio Jakobsen (Quick Step-Vinyl Team), 2. Caleb Ewan (Lotto Soudal), 3. Hugo Hofstetter (Team Arkéa Samsic)… 

***** 

Races to come:

Le Samyn 1/03 www.lesamyn.be

Strade Bianche 6/03 www.strade-bianche.it

Paris-Nice 6-13/03 https://www.paris-nice.fr/en/ 

©Setmana Ciclista Valenciana

Setmana Ciclista Valenciana: van Vleuten doubles her bet

As in 2021, Annemiek van Vleuten won the Setmana Ciclista Valenciana after a hard-fought event. “If you realize that only four and a half months ago I crashed so badly in Roubaix and left my crutches behind only in mid-December, to be able to do this…it’s so nice to start the season this way. It takes the pressure off the shoulders as well as for the team. We worked well during these four days and learned some lessons that we can make use of at the Giro and the Tour de France,” commented the 39-year-old Dutchwoman.

The results: 1. Annemiek van Vleuten (Movistar Team Women), 2. Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig (FDJ Nouvelle Aquitaine Futuroscope), 3. Marta Cavalli (FDJ Nouvelle Aquitaine Futuroscope)…

Stages won by: Elisa Balsamo (Trek-Segafredo Women), Ellen van Dijk (Trek-Segafredo Women), Annemiek van Vleuten (Movistar Team Women), Marta Bastianelli (UAE Team ADQ).

*****

Tour of Oman: Hirt signals his return

It has been six years since the Czech Jan Hirt was able to raise his arms in victory. Now the winner of the 5th stage on Monday, February 14, at the top of Jabal Al Akhadhar, the rider from the Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux team ultimately took the overall victory at the Tour of Oman on Tuesday, thus succeeding Kazahk Alexey Lutsenko (Astana), winner of the last two editions in 2018 and 2019. “This victory in the final classification is a magnificent bonus. I am in the form of my life, and I rediscovered the love of cycling within the Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux team. I needed time to regain all my abilities and adapt after the difficult period linked to the pandemic,” said Jan Hirt 

The results: 1. Jan Hirt (Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux), 2. Fausto Masnada (Quick-Step Alpha Vynil), 3. Rui Costa (UEA Team Emirates)

Stages won by: Fernando Gaviria (UAE Team Emirates), Mark Cavendish (Quick-Step Alpha Vynil), Anthon Charmig (Uno-X Pro Cycling), Fausto Masnada (Quick-Step Alpha Vynil), Jan Hirt (Intermarché -Wanty-Gobert Matériaux), Fernando Gaviria (UAE Team Emirates).

*****

 Tour des Alpes-Maritimes et du Var: Quintana sees double

A week after winning the Tour de la Provence, Colombian Nairo Quintana won the Tour des Alpes-Maritimes et du Var on Sunday. He is certainly leaving his mark on the start of the season. Finishing off his solo attack in the third and last stage, he won at Blausasc and dispossessed Tim Wellens of the leader’s jersey in the general classification. “It is a joy to win the Tour de la Provence and the Tour des Alpes-Maritimes et du Var in quick succession. I am in good shape. I was able to work well. The team did a great job. We are very happy. Hard work pays off. I knew the roads well, I was confident. Now we are going to work towards Paris-Nice. I have to stay in good shape,” commented the Colombian.

The results: 1. Nairo Quintana (Arkéa Samsic), 2. Tim Wellens (Lotto-Soudal), 3. Guillaume Martin (Cofidis)…

Stages won by: Caleb Ewan (Lotto-Soudal), Tim Wellens (Lotto-Soudal), Nairo Quintana (Arkéa Samsic) 

*****

UAE Tour: Philipsen impressive

Ahead of a fine group of specialist sprinters, Jasper Philipsen won the first stage of the UAE Tour on Sunday:

“It’s a special feeling, when you look at the startlist, with all these sprinters, this is probably the highest level for the sprint that we’ve seen since the start of the season. We can therefore be very proud and try to continue our momentum for the next races,” commented Philipsen, who will also start this Monday with the leader’s jersey for the second stage, which is also promised to the sprinters.

Stage one: 1. Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Fenix), 2. Sam Bennett (Bora Hansgrohe), 3. Elia Viviani (Ineos Greandiers)… 

*****

Tour du Rwanda: Geniez in the floods

It was in dantesque conditions that the Frenchman Alexandre Geniez won on Sunday during the prologue of the Tour du Rwanda. In the streets of Kigali, the TotalEnergies rider was ahead of Restrepo by 6 seconds and his own teammate Sandy Dujardin by 7.

Stage one: 1. Alexandre Geniez (TotalEnergies), 2. Jhonatan Restrepo (Drone Hopper-Androni), 3. Sandy Dujardin (TotalEnergies)…

*****

Races to come:

Tour du Rwanda 20-26/02 www.tourdurwanda.rw

UAE Tour 20-26/02 www.theuaetour.com/ar/

Omloop Het Nieuwsblad Elite 26/02  https://www.omloophetnieuwsblad.be/nl/ohn/elite-mannen 

Faun-Ardèche Classic 26/02 www.boucles-drome-ardeche.fr

Faun-Drôme Classic 27/02 www.boucles-drome-ardeche.fr

Kuurne-Bruxelles-Kuurne 27/02 www.kuurne-brussel-kuurne.be

©Tour de la Provence

Tour de la Provence : Quintana tames the Montagne de Lure

The Colombian Nairo Quintana won his second Tour de la Provence on Sunday after his success in 2020. Though he was 32 seconds behind the current race leader, the Italian Filippo Ganna (Ineos-Grenadiers), ” El Condor” built his overall victory on the final ascent of the Montagne de Lure by dropping Julian Alaphilippe some three kilometers from the finish line. “I decided to attack because I knew that Julian Alaphilippe would have been faster than me in the sprint if we had arrived together. So I attacked several times with the aim of finishing alone, and it worked. The team worked really well and then it was my responsibility to attack,” said the Colombian.

The results: 1. Nairo Quintana (Arkéa-Samsic), 2. Julian Alaphilippe (Quick-Step Alpha Vynil), 3. Mattias Skjelmose Jesen (Trek-Segafredo)…

Stages won by: Filippo Ganna (Ineos Grenadiers), Elia Viviani (Ineos Grenadiers), Bryan Coquard (Cofidis), Nairo Quintana (Arkéa-Samsic)

*****

Tour of Oman: Masnada takes the lead after the 4th stage

The fifth stage of the Tour of Oman will see the climbers battle it out on Monday with the finish at the top of the famous Green Mountain, an ascent of nearly 6 kilometers at more than 10% average gradient. The battle promises to be fierce with riders like Jan Hirt and Rein Taaramäe (Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux), Elie Gesbert (Arkéa-Samsic), Rui Costa (UAE Team Emirates), and Anthon Charmig (Uno-X). Winner of the fourth stage on Sunday, Fausto Masnada (Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl) will try to keep his leader’s jersey in the general classification: “I have worked hard all winter, so to be rewarded with a victory so early in the season is incredible,” confided the Italian. “Having the red jersey on my shoulders now is a big bonus. On Monday we will try to do our best to defend this leader’s jersey.” 

The sixth and final stage will take place on Tuesday.

The current standings: 1. Fausto Masnada (Quick-Step Alpha Vynil), 2. Anthon Charmig (Uno-X Pro Cycling), 3. Jan Hirt (Intermarché Wanty-Gobert Matériaux)…

Stages won by: Fernando Gaviria (UAE Team Emirates), Mark Cavendish (Quick-Step Alpha Vynil), Anthon Charmig (Uno-X Pro Cycling), Fausto Masnada (Quick-Step Alpha Vynil)

*****

Vuelta Ciclista a la Region de Murcia Costa Calida: Alessandro Covi solo

The 42nd edition of the event saw the solo victory of Italian Alessandro Covi. At 23, the UAE Team Emirates rider earned his first professional victory in style. His teammate Matteo Trentin led the chasing group home ahead of Frenchman Matis Louvel (Arkéa-Samsic). “The last five kilometers were really very difficult but having the victory in sight made me go even faster. I really went for it. Mattéo (Trentin) finished second and Brandon (McNulty) rode a very good race, and so did all our teammates,” the winner enthused. Antonio Soto (Euskaltel Euskadi), the winner in 2021, suffered a mechanical incident in the final.

The results: 1. Alessandro Covi (UAE Team Emirates), 2. Mattéo Trentin (UAE Team Emirates), 3. Matis Louvel (Arkéa-Samsic)…

*****

Clasica de Almeria: Kristoff pips Bouhanni

Nacer Bouhanni (Arkéa-Samsic) came close to winning on his first outing this season. But the Clasica de Almeria in the end smiled this Sunday on the Norwegian Alexander Kristoff (Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux), winner for the first time in his new team colors. Victorious in 2021, Giacomo Nizzolo (Israel-Premier Tech) completed the podium.

The results: 1. Alexander Kristoff (Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux), 2. Nacer Bouhanni (Arkéa-Samsic), 3. Giacomo Nizzolo (Israel-Premier Tech)…

*****

Races to come:

Tour of Oman 10-15/02 www.tour-of-oman.com

Setmana Ciclista Valenciana 17-20/02 www.ccescapada.com

53e Tour des Alpes-Maritimes et du Var 18-20/02 www.tour06-83.com

Tour du Rwanda 20-27/02 www.tourdurwanda.rw

UAE Tour 20-26/02 www.theuaetour.com

©ASO – Pauline Ballet

Saudi Tour: First for the Belgian Van Gils

Aged 22, Belgian Maxim Van Gils, from the Lotto-Soudal team, won the Saudi Tour at the end of the fifth stage on Saturday. He overtook the Colombian Buitrago in the general classification. Van Gils had laid the foundation for his victory on Friday by winning the queen stage: “It’s so special. This is my first professional victory,” said the Antwerp resident, 7th in the Tour de Wallonie in 2021 for his first year as a professional.

Dutchman Groenewegen was full of confidence in Saudi Arabia where he won two stages.

The results: 1.  Maxim Van Gils (Lotto-Soudal), 2. Santiago Buitrago (Bahrain Victorious), 3. Rui Costa (UAE Team Emirates)

Stages won by: Cadel Ewan (LTS), Santiago Buitrago (Bahrain Victorious), Dylan Groenewegen (BikeExchange-Jayco), Maxim Van Gils (Lotto-Soudal), Dylan Groenewegen (BikeExchange-Jayco).

*****

Vuelta a la Comunitat Valenciana: The Russian Vlasov well in control

Russian Aleksandr Vlasov won the 73rd edition of the Vuelta a la Comunitat Valenciana on Sunday.

By overhauling Evenepoel to take the leader’s jersey during Friday’s queen stage after a tour de force performance, Vlasov has arrived in the best way possible for the Bora-Hansgrohe team: “I am very happy to win the overall victory, we have had five perfect days,” the Vyborg native commented. “I’m happy with my form and I think we have a good base to build on for the next goals.”

By winning two stages, the Dutchman Fabio Jakobsen also confirmed his good condition at the start of the season.

The results: 1. Aleksandr Vlasov (Bora-Hansgrohe), 2. Remco Evenepoel (QuickStep-Alpha Vinyl), 3. Carlos Rodriguez (Ineos Grenadiers).

Stages won by: Remco Evenepoel (QuickStep- Alpha Vinyl), Fabio Jakobsen (QuickStep-Alpha Vinyl), Aleksandr Vlasov (Bora-Hansgrohe), Matteo Moschetti (Trek-Segafredo), Fabio Jakobsen (QuickStep-Alpha Vinyl).     

****

Volta Ciclista a la Comunitat Valenciana féminas: Italian double in Valencia

At 36, the 2007 road world champion Marta Bastianelli won the women’s race in Valencia on Sunday. She had already tasted victory in this race in 2020. This time, she took the measure of her compatriot Ilaria Sanguineti in the final sprint. Barbara Guarischi took third place before being relegated due to the jury deeming her sprint as irregular. In the end, the Austrian Kathrin Schweinberger completed the podium.

The results: 1. Marta Bastianelli (UAE Team ADQ), 2. Ilaria Sanguineti (Valcar Travel & Service), 3. Kathrin Schweinberger (Ceratizit -WNT).

****

Races to come: 

Tour de Provence 8-13/02 www.tourdelaprovence.fr

Tour of Oman 10-15/02 www.tour-of-oman.com

Vuelta Ciclista a la Region de Murcia Costa Calida (Esp) 12/02 www.vueltamucia.es

Clasica de Almeria (Esp) 13/02 www.clasicadealmeria.net