© Tour de Romandie

Tour de Bretagne: Pellaud’s revenge

Not selected for the Tour de Romandie with his Tudor racing team, Simon Pellaud took sweet revenge at the Tour de Bretagne. By taking the overall victory, the 30-year-old Swiss climber earned himself the second stage race win of his career.

He is also the first Swiss rider to win this event, beating Frenchman Nolann Mahoudo and American Luke Lamperti. “I’m really proud to win here,” Pellaud admitted. “The Tour de Bretagne is the largest class 2 on the European calendar. In 2019 I was called the terror of class 2, because I won several. I don’t really have the engine to play for WorldTour wins, so I typically just help the team. To come back to Class 2 and win here is great.” 

The results: 1. Pellaud (Tudor Pro Cycling Team) ; 2. Mahoudo (CIC U Nantes Atlantique) ; 3. Lamperti (Trinity Racing)…

Stages won by: Lamperti (Trinity Racing) ; Barbier (St Michel-Mavic-Auber93) ; Kristensen (Leopard TOGT Pro Cycling) ; Mahoudo (CIC U Nantes Atlantique) ; Mareczko (Alpecin-Deceuninck) ; Van Sintmaartensdijk (CVircus-ReUz-Technord).

***** 

Tour de Romandie: Adam Yates takes the opportunity

Briton Adam Yates won the 76th Tour de Romandie, a victory forged during the penultimate stage at high altitude. At 30, the UAE rouleur-climber pinned the French-speaking event to his list of wins, after the Volta Ciclista a Catalunya 2021 and the UAE Tour. He has also earned himself top-10 finishes in the three grand tours. He took the yellow jersey on Saturday by winning the queen stage between Sion and Thyon 2000. “We controlled the race perfectly today. Thanks to the guys,” Yates said. He will now take a break before preparing for the Tour de France, where he will be one of the mountain lieutenants for Tadej Pogacar, whom he considers “the best rider in the world.”

The results: 1. A. Yates (UAE Team Emirates) ; 2. Jorgenson (Movistar Team) ; 3. Caruso (Bahrain-Victorious)…

Stages won by: Cerny (Soudal-Quick Step) ; Vernon (Soudal-Quick Step) ; E. Hayter (INEOS Grenadiers) ; Ayuso (UAE Team Emirates) ; A. Yates (UAE Team Emirates) ; Gaviria (Movistar Team).

***** 

Vuelta Asturias Julio Alvarez Mendo: Fortunato takes a brilliant win

At the top of the general classification after winning the queen stage on the penultimate day, Lorenzo Fortunato (EOLO-Kometa Cycling Team) won the overall at the Vuelta Asturias. The Italian climber as a result put his name on the list of winners of the Spanish event, a year after taking second place behind Ivan Sosa. “I am very happy to have been able to take the victory in the general classification. The team worked very well, so there were no setbacks, and then I defended the jersey when the favorites attacked on the last climb. I am very happy. Now I’m looking forward to the Giro d’Italia, where I’m sure we’ll do very well,” Fortunato said at the finish.

The results: 1. Fortunato (EOLO – Kometa) ; 2. Rubio (Movistar Team) ; 3. Sosa (Movistar Team)…

Stages won by: Howson (Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team) ; Fortunato (EOLO – Kometa) ; Sanchez (Burgos-BH)

***** 

Eschborn – Frankfurt: Andersen back to winning ways

Soren Kragh Andersen (Alpecin-Deceuninck) won the 60th edition of the German classic, Eschborn-Frankfurt. Escaping on the ascent of Mammolshain with ten other riders under the impetus of Marc Hirschi (UAE Team Emirates), Kragh Andersen won in the sprint ahead of his breakaway companions Patrick Konrad (Bora-Hansgrohe) in 2nd place, and Alessandro Fedeli (Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team), who completed the podium. Behind, Arnaud De Lie (Lotto Dstny) took the sprint out of the peloton, finishing in 11th place. At 28, Kragh Andersen posted his ninth professional victory, the first since October 2020. “I suffered seriously on the second time over the Feldberg, but I did not give up and in the end the race went perfectly,” Kragh Andersen explained. “This win means a lot to me. It’s been a long time since I won. So it’s a beautiful day.”

The results: 1. Kragh Andersen (Alpecin-Deceuninck) ; 2. Konrad (Bora-Hansgrohe) ; 3. Fedeli (Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team)…

**** 

Upcoming races: 

28 April – 2 May: Carpathian Couriers Race in memory of Wacław Felczak, https://www.facebook.com/KarpackiWyscigKurierow/

1 – 8 May: La Vuelta Femenina, https://www.lavueltafemenina.es/en

6 – 28 May: Giro d’Italia, https://www.giroditalia.it/fr/

6 May: Grand Prix du Morbihan, https://www.gpmo.bzh/

7 May: Tro Bro Léon, https://www.trobroleon.com/

© ASO / Maxime Delobel

Tour of the Alps: Geoghegan Hart from start to finish

In the green leader’s jersey after his victory on the first stage in Alpbach, then after increasing his lead on the second day by winning the stage into Ritten, Tao Geoghegan Hart had a peaceful week at the Tour of the Alps. The INEOS Grenadiers climber took advantage of the work of his team to out-class the competition and win the second stage race of his career after the Giro in 2020. It’s a good omen ahead of the Giro d’Italia, which will start in 15 days (May 6-28). “The team again put in an incredible performance. I am very happy. I didn’t come here to prove anything; I wanted to win the race,” Geoghegan Hart said. “We are very happy. It’s a great race, in a very beautiful region. It was really a great week.”

The results : 1. Geoghegan Hart (INEOS Grenadiers) ; 2. Carthy (EF Education-Easy Post) ; 3. Haig (Bahrain-Victorious)…

Stages won by: : Geoghegan Hart (INEOS Grenadiers) ; Geoghegan Hart (INEOS Grenadiers) ; Kämna (Bora-Hansgrohe) ; Mülberger (Movistar).

***** 

La Flèche Wallonne men’s: Pogacar, of course

He was the big favorite, he did not fail. Tadej Pogacar won his first Flèche Wallonne, at the top of the Mur de Huy. Already the winner of the Amstel Gold Race four days earlier, the Slovenian, once again was untouchable, and added another glorious line to his record. He made his move after an attack from Romain Bardet (9th), one of the three French in the Top 10 with Victor Lafay (6th) and Warren Barguil (10th). 

Pogacar then hammered the pedals with all his power in the final part of the incredibly steep wall (1.3 km at 9.6% on average) to finish ahead of the Dane Mattias Skjelmose and the Spaniard Mikel Landa.

This victory reinforces the incredible start to the season native Pogacar, from Komenda, has had. Before triumphing in Huy, the double winner of the Tour de France (2020 and 2021) notably won the Vuelta a Andalucia Ruta Ciclista Del Sol, Paris-Nice, the Tour of Flanders and the Amstel Gold Race. He now has twelve successes in eighteen days of competition in 2023, a phenomenal ratio. 

“I’m happy to be in such great shape, I’m making the most of these moments. Every race is different. Winning never gets boring,” he smiled.

The results : 1. Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) ; 2. Skjelmose (Trek-Segafredo) ; 3. Landa (Bahrain-Victorious)…

*****

La Flèche Wallonne women’s: Vollering, the other cannibal

It’s not just Tadej Pogacar who put the competition to the sword in the classics campaign. The impressive Demi Vollering won at the top of the Mur de Huy to conquer the Flèche Wallonne. The SD Worx cyclist took the lead on the last climb of the day, never letting go and posting her fourth victory of the season. After the Strade Bianche, A Travers la Flandre, the Amstel Gold Race and now the Flèche Wallonne, she also posted two second places in the Tour of Flanders and the Flèche Brabançonne. The 26-year-old Dutch rider proved to be among the strongest in all of these classics.

“I didn’t feel very good on the road,” she admitted after the finish. “I was so stressed, because I’ve already finished third in the Flèche Wallonne twice. I feared it would happen again today, but my teammates believed in me. It was very important. They helped me focus during the race, to keep faith and to keep a cool head. I can’t praise our teamwork enough.”

The results: 1. Vollering (SD Worx) ; 2. Lippert (Movistar) ; 3. Realini (Trek-Segafredo)…

***** 

Liège-Bastogne-Liège men’s: Evenepoel laughs, Pogacar cries

Remco Evenepoel won solo and without a rival in his second Liège-Bastogne-Liège on Sunday following the abandonment of Tadej Pogacar, the victim of a crash where he fractured his left wrist with just over two months to go to the Tour de France.

The long-awaited duel between the two phenomena was as a result brutally aborted when the Slovenian hit the deck at high speed after only 85 kilometers of racing. The Dane Mikkel Honoré, who suffered a double puncture just in front of Pogacar on a slight descent, crashed first, taking down Pogacar.

Transported to the hospital, Pogacar, who was aiming for the hat-trick in the Ardennes classics, was operated on in the wake of a fractured left scaphoid.

With the Slovenian out of the race, Evenepoel had the field free to crush the competition. And he made the difference exactly in the same place as last year, in the last part of the Côte de la Redoute, about thirty kilometers from the finish.

The world champion placed an attack that only Tom Pidcock could briefly follow. But the Briton quickly paid for his effort, victim of a hunger knock. The world champion then flew away alone. “It’s wonderful to do two out of two. Winning this great race with this beautiful jersey is just magical,” he said.

The results: 1. Evenepoel (Soudal-Quick Step) ; 2. Pidcock (INEOS Grenadiers) ; 3. Buitrago (Bahrain-Victorious)…

*****

Liège-Bastogne-Liège women’s: Vollering scores the Ardennes hat-trick!

By beating the Italian Elisa Longo Borghini (Trek-Segafredo) in the sprint, the Dutch Demi Vollering (SD Worx) achieved the feat of winning Liège-Bastogne-Liège after winning the Amstel Gold Race and the Flèche Walloon. The huge favorite, the Dutch champion definitely built her victory in the climb of the côte de la Roche-aux-Faucons, 12 kilometers from the finish in Liège, after placing a powerful attack after which only the Italian of the Trek-Segafredo team could answer. 

In a final two-up sprint, Vollering left no opening for her Italian rival and won for the second time in her career in Liège, achieving a historic hat-trick in the Ardennes classics, which only had happened once before with her compatriot Anna van der Breggen. 

“It’s incredible, I can’t believe it,” Vollering said, visibly moved. “I’m so grateful for my teammates and I’m super proud. I am very happy with this victory. I really wanted to win today, so I could do the treble. It’s not every year that we have the opportunity to do this. I think this victory in Liège is the best of the three. Why? Because it was also the most difficult. On the one hand, I wanted to achieve the hat-trick so badly and on the other hand, almost everyone was marking me in the race.”

The results: 1. Vollering (SD Worx) ; 2. Longo Borghini (Trek-Segafredo) ; 3. Reusser (SD Worx)…

***** 

Rutland-Melton CiCLE Classic: Lamperti shines in the rain

A daunting edition. The Rutland-Melton CiCLE Classic, already renowned for its challenging course, was made even more complicated by wet conditions and mud on some sections. At the end of the 183.5 kilometer race, it was the young American Luke Lamperti (Trinity Racing) who won the sprint among the few survivors. The recent Circuit des Ardennes stage winner finished ahead of Belgian Tijl De Decker (Lotto Dstny Development Team) and Briton James Mckay (Cycling Sheffield).

The results:  1. Lamperti (Trinity Racing) ; 2. De Decker (Lotto Dstny Development) ; 3. Mckay (Cycling Sheffield)… 

***** 

Races to come :

25 April – 1st May : Tour de Bretagne, https://www.tourdebretagne.bzh/

25 – 30 April : Tour de Romandie, https://www.tourderomandie.ch/

28 April  – 2nd May : Carpathian Couriers Race in memory of Wacław Felczak, https://www.facebook.com/KarpackiWyscigKurierow/

28 – 30 April : Vuelta Asturias Julio Alvarez Mendo, https://lavueltina.com/

© Amstel Gold Race

Amstel Gold Race Ladies Edition: Vollering and another SD Worx Masterclass

The SD Worx team once again beat the competition in the Amstel Gold Race Ladies Edition, won by Demi Vollering. Second of the last two editions, the Dutchwoman was finally able to win at home by exploiting superb teamwork executed masterfully and magnified by the second place of her teammate Lotte Kopecky.

The SD Worx duo ideally placed themselves when approaching the Cauberg, the last of the 21 difficulties of the day, thanks to great teamwork, in particular with the help of Lorena Wiebes, to soften up the opposition.

Vollering then took advantage of the hesitation in the group of favorites to attack 1600m from the finish. A choice that paid dividends for the 26-year-old racer, who arrived solo to achieve a second prestigious victory this season after her win, again ahead of Kopecky, at Strade Bianche.

Vollering and Kopecky’s spring results are stunning. Kopecky picked up three victories in seven races (Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, Nokere Koerse, Tour of Flanders) and two second places (Strade Bianche and Amstel Gold Race), in addition to a seventh place in an unlucky Paris-Roubaix.

Demi Vollering has meanwhile obtained three victories in six races (Strade Bianche, A Travers la Flandre, Amstel Gold Race) as well as two second places (Tour of Flanders, Flèche Brabançonne).

The results: 1. Vollering (SD Worx) ; 2. Kopecky (SD Worx) ; 3. Van Anrooij (Trek-Segafredo)…

*****

Amstel Gold Race: Pogacar, again and always

The big favorite, Tadej Pogacar did not fail to impress and won the Amstel Gold Race, bossing the whole peloton. Two weeks after his triumph in the Tour of Flanders, the Slovenian added a new prestigious race to his record, winning the race in grand style solo. The insatiable rider from UAE Emirates covered the last 28 kilometers alone to win with a 38” lead over the surprising Ben Healy (EF Education-EasyPost), who already took second in the Flèche Brabançonne four days earlier, and more than two minutes ahead of Tom Pidcock (INEOS Grenadiers). Just another impressive demonstration to post the 11th victory of his season.

“It’s incredible to win here,” Pogacar explained at the finish. “I didn’t think I would attack so early, 90 kilometers from the finish, but once at the front, I gave it my all until the end, I was exhausted. When I attacked for the first time, it was not planned. I managed to get into the leading group, it was a great situation because I just had to control. As I didn’t know this race very well, I exchanged messages with Mathieu van der Poel, who advised me to attack in the Keutenberg. It was a climb that suited me perfectly. I will thank him for the advice.”

Pogacar also becomes the fourth rider to do the Tour of Flanders-Amstel double after Eddy Merckx (1975), Jan Raas (1979) and Philippe Gilbert (2017). His performance sends a warning message to his opponents ahead of Flèche Wallonne on Wednesday and Liège-Bastogne-Liège on Sunday.

The results: 1. Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) ; 2. Healy (EF Education-Easy Post) ; 3. Pidcock (INEOS Grenadiers)…

*****

Giro di Sicilia: Lutsenko finally kicks off Astana’s season

The Kazakh Alexey Lutsenko has opened his win tally this season by taking the victory at the Giro di Sicilia. The Astana Qazaqstan Team rider up-ended the scenario of this 5th edition by distancing all his opponents in the 4th and last stage between Barcellona Pozzo di Gotto and Giarre (216 km), which he won solo.

Only in 4^th place at the start of the final day, Lutsenko escaped 25 km from the finish and crossed the line 40 seconds ahead of South African Louis Meintjes and 1 minute 13 over Italian Vincenzo Albanese. They ended by being the two men who also accompanied him on the podium of the final general classification.

New Zealander Finn Fisher-Black, who had been the leader since his victory in the first stage, was distanced and finished 4th.

“It’s been over a year since I won a race. It’s great to do it just before the Ardennes classics,” the 30-year-old Lutsenko was happy to report.

The results: 1. Lutsenko (Astana Qazaqstan Team) ; 2. Meintjes (Intermarché-Circus-Wanty) ; 3. Albanese (EOLO-Kometa)…

Stages won by: Fisher-Black (UAE Team Emirates) ; Bonifazio (Intermarché-Circus-Wanty) ; Suter (Tudor Pro Cycling Team) ; Lutsenko (Astana Qazaqstan Team).

***** 

Paris-Camembert: Ferron as the boss

Valentin Ferron (TotalEnergies) won Paris-Camembert, the seventh round of the Coupe de France. At the end of the 209 kilometer race, the Frenchman dominated the two-man sprint ahead of the young Ewen Costiou (Arkéa-Samsic). This was his first victory of the season after a string of runner-up spots since the start of the year. Fredrik Dversnes (Uno-X) finished third, 15 seconds behind the leading duo.

“It’s a race that I really like, it suits me very well. This year, I have a win unlike last year; it feels very good. I’m happy to raise my arms, to get my first victory of the year,” Ferron admitted. “I work for that in training. It will take the pressure off me, and for the team too. This is a very good result. The form has been good since the Route Adélie, I had a good performance at the Tour des Pays de la Loire, it’s good to get things done.”

The results: 1. Ferron (TotalEnergies) ; 2. Costiou (Team Arkéa-Samsic) ; 3. Dversnes (Uno-X Pro Cycling Team)…

***** 

De Brabantse Pijl – La Flèche Brabançonne: Godon, a victory that feels good

Dorian Godon posted “the greatest success of (his) career” by winning De Brabantse Pijl after winning a two-man sprint against his breakaway companion, the Irishman Ben Healy, at Overijse in the Brussels suburbs. 

His teammate Benoît Cosnefroy completed the triumph of the Savoy-based team by taking third place ahead of his two compatriots Rémi Cavagna and Axel Zingle.

At 26, Godon was part of a six-man breakaway initiated by former French champion Remi Cavagna 38 kilometers from the line. The latter was unable to follow Godon and Healy when they accelerated on the penultimate climb of the day, at 18 km from the finish.

“I didn’t have very good feelings when the breakaway of six took shape but I gradually found my legs. And in a two-man sprint, I was not going to let go: we have so few opportunities to play for the win,” commented Godon after his seventh success among the professionals. “The team was pretty unhappy during the cobbled classics. Then here, we get first and third with Benoît, who has arrived in very good shape for the Ardennes. It really feels good. This is my greatest victory. When you look at the past winners, there are a lot of big names.”

The results: 1. Godon (AG2R Citroën Team) ; 2. Healy (EF Education-Easy Post) ; 3. Cosnefroy (AG2R Citroën Team)

***** 

Classic Grand Besançon Doubs: Lafay, a star (almost) at home

For the kick-off of the Franche-Comté triptych, Victor Lafay showed his power to win the Classic Grand Besançon Doubs. The victory came very close to home for the Cofidis puncher, whose uncle lives in Montfaucon, the new finishing town for the event.

Lafay maneuvered himself perfectly on the second ascent of the Côte de la Malate by responding to the attacks of the young French climber Lenny Martinez (Groupama-FDJ). Even though Guillaume Martin (Cofidis), Roger Adrio (Equipo Ken Pharma) and Thibaut Pinot (Groupama-FDJ) managed to rejoin them for a short time, the two men broke away again in the last kilometer before Lafay, the faster sprinter, won. 

“It was important to put this win on my record, and it’s done so I’m super happy,” Lafay said. “It’s always good to get the first win of the season, I hope there will be more to come.”

The results: .1 Lafay (Cofidis) ; 2. Martinez (Groupama-FDJ) ; 3. Adria (Equipo Kern Pharma)…

***** 

Tour du Jura : Vauquelin confirms his talent

A professional for only a year, Kevin Vauquelin never ceases to amaze. The Arkéa-Samsic rider distinguished himself in the Tour du Jura by winning solo after managing to make the difference two kilometers from the finish to win ahead of Thibaut Pinot (Groupama-FDJ) and Guillaume Martin (Cofidis).

In dantesque conditions, between gusts of wind and incessant rain, Vauquelin took advantage of the steepest gradients on Mont Poupet to pick up the third success of his season, after winning the overall and a stage of the Tour du Var et des Alpes Maritimes.

“The start was a bit complicated,” Vauquelin admitted. “It was hard. The speed was pretty insane. Finally, at the end, I felt that I was really good. My teammate Alessandro Verre did a great job breaking away. That allowed me to be well placed behind without having to work. However, when I felt it was time, I made my own move. The tactic was perfect. We are a strong and united team. It’s all teamwork. Andrii (Ponomar) rode well from the start and then we were always one step ahead. We were very attentive. I am happy to finish off all our hard work”, he explained.

The results: 1. Vauquelin (Arkéa-Samsic) ; 2. Pinot (Groupama-FDJ) ; 3. Martin (Cofidis)… 

***** 

Tour du Doubs: Herrada surprises Pinot

Jesus Herrada (Cofidis) won the Tour du Doubs, triumphing at the top of Larmont (Doubs), the new finish line for this 38th edition, which was raced in appalling conditions. The 32-year-old Spanish climber, already the winner of a stage in the Tour of Oman this season, separated himself from the group of favorites 400 meters from the finish to hold a tiny margin over his pursuers. This is the 20th victory of his career.

Thibaut Pinot (Groupama-FDJ) and Nans Peters (AG2R Citroën Team) completed the podium.

“I am happy to take the win here. I looked at the map of the final on my computer and I had spotted that there was a false flat finish,” Herrada explained. “So, I decided to start my sprint from a long way out, 400 meters from the line. I won the Classic Grand Besançon Doubs last year already, I’m happy to do it again here on the Tour du Doubs. This is my second victory of the season and the second for my Cofidis team this weekend. The Larmont climb was rolling. With Guillaume Martin, we had decided that he would repeat his attacks and if that didn’t work, I would play my card in the sprint. It worked. This gives me confidence for the Ardennes classics next week.”

The results: 1. Herrada (Cofidis) ; 2. Pinot (Groupama-FDJ) ; 3. Peters (AG2R Citroën Team)… 

***** 

Races to come :

17 – 21 April: Tour of the Alps, https://www.tourofthealps.eu/

19 April: La Flèche Wallonne hommes, https://www.la-fleche-wallonne.be/fr

19 April: La Flèche Wallonne dames, https://www.la-fleche-wallonne.be/fr

23 April: Liège-Bastogne-Liège hommes, https://www.liege-bastogne-liege.be/fr

23 April: Liège-Bastogne-Liège dames, https://www.liege-bastogne-liege.be/fr

23 April: Rutlan Melton Cicle Classic, http://cicleclassic.co.uk/

© ASO / Pauline Ballet

Paris-Roubaix: van der Poel, the hero of a record-breaking edition

Mathieu van der Poel won his first Paris-Roubaix, the fourth Monument of his career, at the end of a 120th edition, which was also marked by the bad luck of Wout van Aert. Van Aert punctured at the worst time, at the exit of the Carrefour de l’Arbre, after the two men had just made the difference to separate themselves from their companions.

Van der Poel, aggressive since the start of the day and who had just involuntarily been the cause of German John Degenkolb’s crash, immediately jumped at the chance to fly away to victory. His first Hell of the North victory, which he was able to savor for a long time on the Roubaix velodrome, came at the end of the fastest edition in history (46.841 km / h), raced under a spring sun.

“It’s extraordinary, especially to enter the velodrome alone. We go first and second with Jasper. We are really going to celebrate it tonight because it may never happen again,” van der Poel, the grandson of Raymond Poulidor, happily explained. 

The results : 1. Van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck) ; 2. Philipsen (Alpecin-Deceuninck) ; 3. Van Aert (Jumbo-Visma)…

***** 

Paris-Roubaix femmes: the Jackson surprise

Canadian Alison Jackson achieved the greatest success of her career at the age of 34 by winning the 3rd edition of Paris-Roubaix femmes ahead of Italian Katia Ragusa and Belgian Marthe Truyen. 

Very active in a breakaway of about twenty riders, to whom the favorites of this race gave too much leeway, Jackson eliminated her opponents over the ensuing kilometers.

The rider from the EF Education-TIBCO-SVB team constantly fueled this offensive while behind, the big favorite of the day Lotte Kopecky struggled to get back up to the lead of the race. The Belgian, the winner of the Tour of Flanders last week, was the first of the favorites to put in a major attack 50km from the finish. 

Present in a group of about fifteen riders, the Kopecky was caught up in a crash 37 km from the finish, which ended her dreams of success.

“When we did the reconnaissance of the course this week and went around the velodrome, I dreamed of this victory,” Jackson explained. “Most of the time when you do that, it remains a dream. It is unreal that it has become a reality. I have no words.”

The results: 1. Jackson (EF Education-TIBCO-SVB) ; 2. Ragusa (Liv Racing TeqFind) ; 3. Truyen (Fenix-Deceuninck)…

***** 

Itzulia Basque Country: Vingegaard puts on a show

Jonas Vingegaard dispelled the doubts. Beaten by Tadej Pogacar and David Gaudu at Paris-Nice, the Dane offered a demonstration on the roads of Itzulia Basque Country. The winner of three stages plus the general classification, the leader of the Jumbo-Visma team was dominant. And the final gap, just over a minute on Mikel Landa, does not say everything about his advantage, especially during the sixth stage where he won with a solo effort of 28 kilometers to seal his success.

“I have to thank my teammates first of all, they were fantastic,” Vingegaard said. “We did a perfect job all week. I had the legs and I felt good. I don’t know if I was the best, but I was able to breakaway and I’m super happy to win a week-long WorldTour stage race for the first time in my career.”

The results: 1. Vingegaard (Jumbo-Visma) ; 2. Landa (Bahrain-Victorious) ; 3. I. Izagirre (Cofidis)…

Stages won by: Hayter (INEOS Grenadiers) ; Schelling (Bora- Hansgrohe) ; Vingegaard (Jumbo-Visma) ; Vingegaard (Jumbo-Visma) ; Higuita (Bora-Hansgrohe) ; Vingegaard (Jumbo-Visma).

***** 

Région Pays de la Loire Tour: Kamp reverses the situation

Alexander Kamp (Tudor Pro Cycling Team) upset the general classification of the Région Pays de la Loire Tour on the last day. Second in the last stage at Le Mans, the Dane won the first edition of the event, beating the odds.

The Danish champion took advantage of his attacking temperament to earn himself the greatest success of his career. “From time to time, the impossible becomes possible. Above all, it was necessary to monitor the various attacks,” Kamp explained. “I am happy with this victory. There were bonus seconds available at the start of the stage, which caused me to lose even more time in the overall standings. It’s one thing to plan, it’s another to execute. It wasn’t easy, but sometimes you need luck and I got it in the end.”

Kamp won ahead of Fredrik Dversnes (Uno-X Pro Cycling Team) and Valentin Ferron (TotalEnergies). Note that this first edition was also marked by the domination of Bryan Coquard in the bunch sprints, victorious in two stages.

The results: 1. Kamp (Tudor Pro Cycling Team) ; 2. Dversenes (Uno-X Pro Cycling Team) ; 3. Ferron (TotalEnergies)… 

Stages won by: Coquard (Cofidis) ; Blikra (Uno-X Pro Cycling Team) ; Coquard (Cofidis) ; Dversenes (Uno-X Pro Cycling Team).

***** 

Scheldeprijs: Philipsen can thank van der Poel

Skillfully helped in the final by his teammate Mathieu van der Poel, the Belgian Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Deceuninck) won the Scheldeprijs sprint, ahead of the Australian Sam Welsford (DSM) and the Briton Mark Cavendish (Astana). This is the fourth victory of his season. “It’s never easy to win, but the team made it as easy as possible. It is very nice to see that we have taken the initiative. I thought it was really ambitious, but we managed to reach the finish line in the lead. It’s one of the biggest races of the year for a sprinter, so this victory is important, and I place it high among all my successes,” Philipsen explained.

The results: 1. Philipsen (Alpecin-Deceuninck) ; 2. Welsford (Team DSM) ; 3. Cavendish (Astana Qazaqstan Team)…

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Races to come:

April 11-14 : Giro di Sicilia, https://ilgirodisicilia.it/en/

April 11 avril : Paris-Camembert, https://paris-camembert.fr/

April 12 : La Flèche Brabançonne, https://www.debrabantsepijl.be/fr

April 14 : Classic Grand Besançon Doubs, https://www.classicgrandbesancondoubs.com/

April 15 : Tour du Jura, https://www.tourdujura.com/

April 16 : Amstel Gold Race, https://www.amstel.nl/agecheck?redirect=%2Famstelgoldrace

April 16 : Tour du Doubs, https://www.facebook.com/tourdudoubs/