© Unipublic

Vuelta a Espana: Kuss, allowed to dream 

After ten days of racing, the Vuelta a Espana enjoyed its first rest day on Monday with Sepp Kuss in red. A perfect teammate, top-20 in the last two Grand Tours, tireless lieutenant, the American in the Jumbo-Visma is currently riding at the peak of his career. The 28-year-old climber has reached a new level on Spanish roads. For the first time in his life, Kuss is leading a Grand Tour and wearing the red jersey. A fantastic climber who usually is confined to a role of luxury domestique, has Kuss changed his status enough to claim a final podium place? 

On paper, the American is 2’22” ahead of Remco Evenepoel, the first of the favorites, in the general classification. This is a cushion that could give him room to suffer a few bad moments without losing too much in the classification standings. Is it not possible to believe that he will stay with his teammates Roglic and Vingegaard on the most difficult climbs as he was able to do on the Tour de France? He may have to take a new step by then, especially mentally since he is not used to these responsibilities, but all dreams are allowed.

Stages won by: Team dsm-firmenich ; Kron (Lotto-Dstny) ; Evenepoel (Soudal-Quick Step) ; Groves (Alpecin-Deceuninck) ; Groves (Alpecin-Deceuninck) ; Kuss (Jumbo-Visma) ; Soupe (TotalEnergies) ; Roglic (Jumbo-Visma) ; Kamna (Bora-Hansgrohe)…

***** 

Classic Lorient Agglomération – Trophée CERATIZIT: Bredewold shows her power

The Dutch rider Mischa Bredewold (Team SD Worx, 23 years old) won in Plouay for the Classic Lorient Agglomeration – Ceratizit Trophy. It was a sprint victory where she beat the Polish Marta Lach (CERATIZIT-WNT Pro Cycling) and the Italian Sofia Bertizzolo (UAE Team ADQ). “I am very happy to win. We came here with a solid team and we controlled the whole race,” she explained. “When there were attacks, we were always able to cover. So we didn’t have to waste a lot of energy. I felt super strong today, the sprint was very chaotic, but that suits me very well.” 

Two French women made it into the top 10 of the event. Juliette Labous (Team dsm-firmenich) took fifth place in the race while her Norman teammate Eglantine Rayer scored a fine 8th place at just 19 years old.

The day was marked by an early breakaway of three competitors which fell apart over the kilometers after a determined resistance until the arrival on the final circuit. The last survivor of the breakaway, Norwegian champion Susanne Andersen (Uno-X Pro Cycling Team) was caught only ten kilometers from the finish. 

The results : 1. Bredewold (Team SD Worx) ; 2. Lach (CERATIZIT-WNT Pro Cycling) ; 3. Bertizzolo (UAE Team ADQ)…

***** 

Bretagne Classic – Ouest-France: Madouas, a first win as French champion

Valentin Madouas raised his arms for the first time wearing the French champion jersey during the Bretagne Classic – Ouest France in Plouay, at his home in Brittany. The Groupama-FDJ rider won ahead of Mathieu Burgaudeau (TotalEnergies) and the Austrian Felix Grossschartner (UAE Team Emirates). His teammate Stefan Küng finished just off the podium.

At 27, Madouas now has won his first WorldTour classic after finishing second in the Strade Bianche and fifth in Liège-Bastogne-Liège this year and third in the Tour of Flanders in 2022. “I don’t really know what to say, frankly, I am really moved. Winning at Plouay here with this jersey is really extraordinary, I’m enjoying it to the fullest, it was a dream to win at Plouay in my career, and to do it wearing the French champion’s jersey, what more could you ask for?“ he said.

The results: 1. Madouas (Groupama-FDJ) ; 2. Burgaudeau (TotalEnergies) ; 3. Grossschartner (UAE Team Emirates)…

***** 

Upcoming races:

Until 17 September: Vuelta Ciclista a Espana, https://www.lavuelta.es/fr/

5 – 11 September: Tour Cycliste Féminin International de l’Ardèche, https://tcfia.com/

5 – 10 September: Simac Ladies Tour, https://simacladiestour.nl/

8 September: Grand Prix Cycliste de Québec, https://gpcqm.ca/

10 September: Grand Prix Cycliste de Montréal, https://gpcqm.ca/

10 September: GP de Fourmies / La Voix du Nord, https://www.lavoixdunord.fr/tags/grand-prix-de-fourmies

© Tour de l’Avenir

Tour de l’Avenir: Del Toro turns everything upside down

By taking second place in the last stage of the Tour de l’Avenir behind the Italian Giulio Pellizzari, the Mexican Isaac Del Toro turned the GC on its head. As a result, he took over the yellow jersey which had been the property of the American Matthew Riccitello.

At the start of the last day of the Tour de l’Avenir, 54 seconds separated them. It seemed a comfortable lead for the American Matthew Riccitello, who took the yellow jersey at the finish of the sixth stage at the top of the Col de la Loze (Friday), which was won by Isaac Del Toro. But the 19-year-old Mexican’s performance that day had already given a glimpse of what he was capable of doing.

For the eighth and final stage, the young talents set off from Val-Cenis and arrived at the summit in Sainte Foy Tarentaise after having climbed Col de la Madeleine, Col de l’Iseran and climb of Villaret, for a total of more than 2 600 meters of climbing.

A course which was perfect for the qualities of Del Toro, who attacked about 50 km from the finish, and took second place, just behind Giulio Pellizzari, successfully overthrowing the general classification to win the yellow jersey at the last moment. The Italian took advantage of Riccitello’s collapse (finally 5th overall), and finished in 2nd place overall.

The results: 1. Del Toro (Mexique) ; 2. Pellizzari (Italie) ; 3. Piganzoli (Italie)…

Stages won by: Foldager (Danemark) ; Pickrell (Canada) ; Danemark ; Christen (Suisse) ; Romeo (Espagne) ; Del Toro (Mexique) ; Riccitello (Etats-Unis) ; Ryan (Irlande) ; Pellizzari (Italie).

***** 

Tour of Scandinavia: Van Vleuten enjoys her final races

‘I can go home with a smile’, Movistar veteran bids farewell to Scandinavia with the overall title.

After donning the yellow jersey on the 4th stage at the end of the time trial in Herning, Annemiek van Vleuten (Movistar) had to battle hard on the 5th stage from Middelfart to Haderslev before being able to celebrate her victory in the general classification of the Tour of Scandinavia, only two seconds ahead of Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig (FDJ-SUEZ).

After the Tour of Scandinavia, Van Vleuten only has the Simac Ladies Tour left on her calendar, from September 5 to 10, to end her 16-year professional cycling career.

The 40-year-old star said it wasn’t just the overall victory that made her happy, but rather the ability to compete at the highest level until the end. “It’s good for me still to be fighting for the win in my last races. That’s why I love cycling, not just to win, but also because I’m always in good shape, I’m in front and I have good legs. Then I can say goodbye to sport with a smile,” she said after receiving the yellow jersey and a large trophy with a spinning wheel and a piece of Norwegian granite for the overall winner. 

The results: 1. Van Vleuten (Movistar) ; 2. Ludwig (FDJ-SUEZ) ; 3. Kraak (Jumbo-Visma)…

Stages won by: Wiebes (SD-Worx) ; Ludwig (FDJ-SUEZ) ; Wiebes (SD-Worx) ; Brown (FDJ-SUEZ) ; Ludwig (FDJ-SUEZ). 

***** 

Tour Poitou-Charentes en Nouvelle Aquitaine : Wærenskjold in complete control

A first general classification win for Søren Wærenskjold. The Norwegian from Uno-X won the Tour Poitou-Charentes en Nouvelle Aquitaine. The Uno-X rider calmly won the event after four full days of racing and with a small gap of 6 seconds ahead of Bruno Armirail (Groupama-FDJ).

He was an exceptional sprinter on the first day, a strong rouleur around La Roche-Posay during Thursday’s time trial, and finally, a fine tactician to control the ambitions of the Groupama-FDJ team during the last stage, Wærenskjold showed off all his qualities.

The results: 1. Wærenskjold (Uno-X) ; 2. Armirail (Groupama-FDJ) ; 3. Maestri (EOLO-Kometa)…

Stages won by: Wærenskjold (Uno-X) ; Penhoët (Groupama-FDJ) ; 3. Rivi (EOLO-Kometa) ; Armirail (Groupama-FDJ) ; Sarreau (AG2R Citroën).

***** 

Renewi Tour: Wellens pursues his love

Between the Renewi Tour and Tim Wellens, there’s a real love story! Always very successful in this event, the Belgian took the record for number of overall victories this Sunday, when he took his third success in the general classification (following wins in 2014 and 2015), separating him from the Spaniard José Ivan Gutierrez and the Norwegian Edvald Boasson Hagen. Second in the time trial and the stage arriving at Grammont, the Belgian from the UAE Team Emirates was the most consistent during this week of racing, 23 seconds ahead of his compatriots Florian Vermeersch (Lotto Dstny) and Yves Lampaert (Soudal Quick-Step).

“We came here with the ambition to win the race, and it worked out perfectly in the end. I knew the time trial and the next day’s stage in Geraardsbergen would be decisive, so I really focused on those. My teammates helped me perfectly,” he explained. “It’s a WorldTour race, so it’s a very important victory for me and also for the team. I’m in good shape and I can’t wait to tackle my last goals of the season.”

The results: 1. Wellens (UAE Team Emirates) ; 2. Vermeersch (Lotto-Dstny) ; 3. Lampaert (Soudal-Quick Step)…

Stages won by: Philipsen (Alpecin-Deceuninck) ; Tarling (INEOS Grenadiers) ; Teunissen (Intermarché-Circus-Wanty) ; Welsford (Team dsm – firmenich) ; Mohoric (Bahrain-Victorious).

***** 

Deutschland Tour: Van Wilder shines

With the foundation of his final victory having been laid on Thursday during the 2^nd stage which he won, Ilan Van Wilder took the overall classification at the Tour of Germany, displaying unfailing calmness. “It’s a great feeling to win, in the same week, my first professional victory and my first overall victory. We can all be proud of what we have achieved here,” explained the Belgian from the Soudal-Quick Step. “After winning the stage on day two, my teammates did a great job helping me defend the jersey, and I want to thank them for that.”

The results: 1. Van Wilder (Soudal-Quick Step) ; 2. Grossschartner (UAE Team Emirates) ; 3. Van Poppel (BORA-Hansgrohe)…

Stages won by: Vernon (Soudal-Quick Step) ; Van Wilder (Soudal-Quick Step) ; Mühlberger (Movistar) ; Mihkels (Intermarché-Circus-Wanty) ; De Kleijn (Tudor Pro Cycling Team.

*****

Upcoming races:

Until 17 September : Vuelta a Espana, https://www.lavuelta.es/fr/

2 September : Classic Lorient Agglomération – Trophée CERATIZIT, http://www.grandprix-plouay.com/4-jours-cic-plouay/grand-prix-lorient-agglomeration.php

3 September : Bretagne Classic, http://www.grandprix-plouay.com/4-jours-cic-plouay/grand-prix-bretagne-classic.php

3 September : Tour of Leuven – Memorial Jef Scherens, https://tourofleuven.be/fr/

© Vuelta a Burgos

Tour du Limousin – Périgord – Nouvelle Aquitaine: Grégoire confirms his promise

At only 20 years old, Romain Grégoire continues his impressive rise. Already the winner of the Four Days of Dunkirk in May, the Groupama-FDJ rider now has won a second stage race this season at the Tour du Limousin-Périgord-Nouvelle Aquitaine. Thanks in particular to his victories in the 1st and 3rd stages, Grégoire won the overall standings with a 38-second lead over Benoît Cosnefroy (AG2R-Citroën). His Australian teammate Michael Storer completed the podium (56”).

“Winning here is great for me! I did not expect it when I came here,” Grégoire admitted. “It’s already my second victory in a stage race; I keep surprising myself month after month and that’s really great. The objective now will be to win in the WorldTour. For the moment I do not necessarily feel ready; it will still take a little work. I am not putting pressure on myself. I came into this final stage with a lot of confidence thanks to the work of the whole team, and the day went perfectly.”

The results: 1. Grégoire (Groupama-FDJ) ; 2. Cosnefroy (AG2R Citroën) ; 3. Storer (Groupama-FDJ)…

Stages won by: Grégoire (Groupama-FDJ) ; Mozzato (Arkéa-Samsic) ; Grégiore (Groupama-FDJ) ; Page (Intermarché-Circus-Wanty).

*****

PostNord Danmark Rundt – Tour of Denmark: Pedersen the star at home

Dane Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek) won the PostNord Danmark Rundt – Tour of Denmark on home soil after dominating the fifth and final stage, a 16.1 km time trial in Helsingor.

Pedersen, 27, won ahead of Norwegian Soren Waerenskjold, second and winner of the first stage, and ahead of his compatriot Magnus Cort Nielsen. With that victory, he had the advantage needed to steal the overall leader’s blue jersey from his teammate Mattias Skjelmose who came into the day in the lead.

Skjelmose took 5th in the time trial but was only four seconds ahead of Pedersen going into the final stage. He ended up finishing in second place, 41 seconds behind his compatriot, while Magnus Cort Nielsen completed this 100% Danish podium.

Mads Pedersen also won the jersey for the points classification. The Tour of Denmark was raced over five stages and ended on the north of the island of Seeland. This is Pedersen’s second victory in Denmark after winning the race in 2017.

The results: 1. Pedersen (Lidl-Trek) ; 2. Skjelmose (Lidl-Trek) ; 3. Cort (EF Education-Easy Post)…

Stages won by: Wærenskjold (Uno-X Pro Cycling Team) ; Jakobsen (Soudal-Quick Step) ; Skjelmose (Lidl-Trek) ; Jakobsen (Soudal-Quick Step) ; Pedersen (Lidl-Trek).

*****

Vuelta a Burgos: A winning return for Roglic

Primoz Roglic won the 45th edition of the Vuelta a Burgos at the end of the fifth and final stage which he also won in front of his main two rivals overall.

The Slovenian from the Jumbo-Visma team, 33, has won all the races in which he has participated this season, all stage races, starting with Tirreno-Adriatico, the Volta Ciclista a Catalunya, the Giro d’Italia, and now the Vuelta a Burgos, adding to his record a 76th and 77th career victory.

The difference was made on the last climb of the day, the Lagunas de Neila (seven kilometers at 8.5% average), with the stage ending at the summit.

After having his team set a furious tempo, Adam Yates (UAE Team Emirates) attacked 2.5 kilometers from the finish, though both Roglic and the Russian Aleksandr Vlasov (Bora Hansgrohe) were able to follow well. The three favorites failed to make a difference in the last meters and Roglic took advantage by using his burst of speed to beat his rivals in the sprint, which he had already done on the third stage on Thursday.

Overall, Roglic finished ahead of Vlasov (39 seconds) and Yates (42 seconds). He succeeds the previous winner of the race, the Frenchman Pavel Sivakov, and makes an appointment for the Vuelta a Espana (August 26 – September 17) where he will be one of the great favorites.

The results: 1. Roglic (Jumbo-Visma) ; 2. Vlasov (Bora-Hansgrohe) ; 3. A. Yates (UAE Team Emirates)…

Stages won by: Molano (UAE Team Emirates) ; Jumbo-Visma ; Roglic (Jumbo-Visma) ; Lazkano (Movistar) ; Roglic (Jumbo-Visma).

*****

Arctic Race of Norway: Williams wins by the wire

Stephen Williams (Israel-Premier Tech) won the Arctic Race of Norway 2023 with barely a second separating him from Christian Scaroni (Astana Qazaqstan Team), a minimal gap identical to that which had allowed Alexey Lutsenko to win the final victory in 2019, ahead of Warren Barguil. Kevin Vermaerke (Team dsm-firmenich) completed the final podium, thanks to the bonus seconds gained at the start of this last stage, which ended in the breathtaking setting of the North Cape, one of the northernmost places in Europe.

The results: 1. Williams (Israël-PremierTech) ; 2. Scaroni (Astana Qazaqstan Team) ; 3. Vermaerke (Team dsm – firmenich)…

Stages won by: Dainese (Team dsm – firmenich) ; Gazzoli (Astana Qazaqstan) ; Williams (Israel-PremierTech) ; Champoussin (Arkéa-Samsic).

*****

Bemer Cyclassics Hamburg: Pedersen wins again

What a week for Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek)! Winner of the PostNord Danmark Rundt – Tour of Denmark on Saturday, the 2019 World Champion won the Cyclassics Hamburg the next day. Doing all the work himself in the last kilometer, the Dane caught the trio of escapees made up by Brandon McNulty (UAE Team Emirates), Yves Lampaert (Soudal Quick-Step) and Nils Politt (Bora -hansgrohe), before holding off the peloton to take an impressive win in front of Danny Van Poppel (Bora – hansgrohe). Frenchman Arnaud Démare (Team Arkéa Samsic) took 4th place.

The results: 1. Pedersen (Lidl-Trek) ; 2. Van Poppel (Bora-Hansgrohe) ; 3. Viviani (INEOS Grenadiers)…

*****

Upcoming races:

Until 27 August : Tour de l’Avenir, https://tourdelavenir.com

22-27 August: Tour of Scandinavia, https://www.battleofthenorth.eu/

22-25 August: Tour Poitou-Charentes en Nouvelle Aquitaine, https://www.tour-poitou-charentes.com/

23-27 August: Renewi Tour, https://renewitour.com/fr/

23-27 August: Deutschland Tour, https://www.deutschland-tour.com/de/home

26 August – 17 September: Vuelta Ciclista a Espana, https://www.lavuelta.es/es

©UCI 

Women’s road race: Lotte Kopecky continues her dream season

After recently taking second in the Tour de France femmes avec Zwift, Lotte Kopecky continued her dream summer. The Belgian won the road race of the World Championships on the Glasgow circuit. She managed to escape an elite leading group along with the Dane Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig six kilometers from the finish. She then attacked on a steep climb a few moments later to go solo to the line. It was a huge performance from Kopecky, who started the day as the outstanding favorite after having taken 2nd in last year’s worlds road race. 

Before taking the victory, Kopecky had been put under pressure by the Dutch duo, Demi Vollering and defending champion Annemiek van Vleuten. With 35 kilometers to go, the latter accelerated to force Kopecky to ride, which had the effect of reducing the main group to seven riders, all of whom were chasing the Swiss Elise Chabbey who had broken away earlier. 

Victim of a mechanical problem at the start of the last lap, “AVV” was ultimately unable to play for the win. Teammate Demi Vollering pulled away to clinch second place, beating Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig in the sprint.

“This title means a lot to me, it’s a dream come true to wear the rainbow jersey,” Kopecky said with tears in her eyes. “After my two world titles on the track, I thought it would be almost impossible to win today. I thought it would be impossible to become world champion three times in seven days. It’s incredible.”

Like Remco Evenepoel in the men’s time trial (read below), Lotte Kopecky broke a curse by becoming the first Belgian world champion on the road for 50 years. And she is only the fourth Belgian women’s world champion after Nicole Vandenbroeck (1973), Marie-Rose Gaillard (1962) and Yvonne Reynders, winner four times (1959, 1961, 1963, 1966). The SD-Worx rider also won her seventh career rainbow jersey (six track titles).

***** 

Men’s time trial: Evenepoel reconnects with the rainbow

After winning the title in the road race last year, Remco Evenepoel (23) won the individual time trial of the World Championships around Stirling, north-east of Glasgow (Scotland) on Friday. Silver medalist in 2019 and bronze in 2021 and 2022, he is the first Belgian to win the title in the individual time trial.

“It’s very special, especially since I’m the first Belgian rider to win this title. From the first intermediate, I knew it would be a fierce battle with Ganna because I was already a little over my limit. But I had to take risks and keep this rhythm, even if I risked exploding, otherwise it would be lost in advance. Luckily, I had a great day, and I didn’t blow. My preparation for this championship was very hard, it required a lot of effort. I put in a lot of work during my altitude training camp. All that work paid off, so I’m happy. It was a fantastic day!”

Close to winning a third world title in the time trial after his victories in 2020 and 2021, the Italian Filippo Ganna had to settle for second place (+ 12 seconds). At only 19 years old, the British rider Joshua Tarling completed the podium (+ 48 seconds).

Having taken the silver medal in 2020 and 2021, Wout van Aert was among the favorites, especially following his second place in the road race last Sunday. Only 6th in the first intermediate time check, while the other title contenders had not yet passed that check point, he finished strong in the 800m cobbled climb concluding the course to clinch 5th place, more than 1’30” behind his compatriot.

The Swiss Stefan Küng, crowned world champion in the team time trial in the mixed relay on Tuesday, was also disappointed by finishing in 12th place (+ 2’17”), just behind the Norwegian title holder Tobias Foss (+ 2’04”). Frenchmen Bruno Armirail and Rémi Cavagna ranked 21st and 26th respectively.

***** 

Women’s time trial: Dygert’s revenge

It is difficult to find a more challenging route than that Chloé Dygert has had to travel in recent years. Since her first world title in 2019, Dygert has faced numerous major setbacks before finding success again at the foot of Sterling Castle, a 15th century building where several kings and queens of Scotland were born and died.

“A long Way of the Cross”, summed up the champion from Indiana who, at the start of the year, was not even certain she’d be racing again.

The misfortunes of Chloé Dygert, 26, began at the Imola Worlds in 2020 where she was defending her title in the time trial. She had the best split time when she slid around a corner and vaulted onto the other side of the safety rail. The images of this terrifying crash and the gaping wound in her left leg were broadcast around the world. After an emergency operation at the hospital in Bologna, she still had to have two more surgeries and her left leg is now three centimeters shorter, she explained on Thursday.

But her troubles were not over yet. In 2022, she was struck by the Epstein-Barr virus, before being operated on, this time on the heart, to treat tachycardia. “After the operation, I was sick for four weeks and when I started training again, I crashed almost immediately. I was only able to train seriously in March,” she explained in a hoarse voice.

Even in Scotland, not everything has gone smoothly for the eight-time world track champion who “caught a virus” in the velodrome this week in Glasgow. “I have been sick for five days. If the race had taken place yesterday, I would not have been able to start,” she said. “We made the decision to race only this morning.”

On the bumpy Scottish course, the American “gave everything” to stay five seconds ahead of Australian Grace Brown. She now succeeds Dutchwoman Ellen van Dijk, double defending champion who is pregnant and was absent this year. The Swiss Marlen Reusser, who came in as the main candidate for gold, stepped off her bike after about twenty kilometers citing mental exhaustion.

*****

Upcoming races:

15-18 August: Tour du Limousin – Nouvelle Aquitaine, http://www.tourdulimousin.com

15-19 August: PostNord Danmark Rundt – Tour of Denmark, http://www.postnorddanmarkrundt.dk

15-19 August: Vuelta a Burgos, www.vueltaburgos.com/es/

17-20 August: Arctic Race of Norway, https://www.arctic-race-of-norway.com/fr

19-27 August: Tour de l’Avenir, https://tourdelavenir.com

20 August: Bemer Cyclassics Hamburg, http://www.cyclassics-hamburg.de