©Buchli Fotografie / Sam Buchli

Tour de Suisse: Thomas (Ineos Grenadiers) building up

Geraint Thomas (Ineos Grenadiers) won the 85th edition of the Tour de Suisse after finishing second in the time trial on Sunday. In this final stage the leader of the general classification Sergio Higuita (Bora-hansghore) gave up the jersey which he had snagged the stage before. “It’s good to get the victory, I’ve had a complicated time since the Tour de France 2021, it’s been a dark time in my career,” recalled Geraint Thomas. “Coming back this year, I’m trying to enjoy and build something with the team. This victory is great, especially since it was unexpected because I was not the designated leader at the start. To be honest, I’m a bit disappointed not to win the stage. For the Tour, I don’t know at all. Basically, it doesn’t matter, I will be happy to contribute to the success of the team, though I would like to play my card too,” concluded the winner of the Tour de France 2018.

The results: 1. Geraint Thomas (Ineos Grenadiers), 2. Sergio Higuita (Bora-hansgrohe), 3. Jakos Fuglsang (Israel-Premier Tech)…

Stages won by:  Stephen Williams (Bahrain-Victorious), Andreas Leknessund (Team DSM), Peter Sagan (TotalEnergie), Daryl Impey (Israël Premier Tech), Aleksandr Vlasov (Bora-hansgrohe), Nico Denz (Team DSM), Thibaut Pinot (Groupama-FDJ), Remco Evenepoel (Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl Team).

***** 

Mont Ventoux Dénivelé Challenges: Guerreiro (EF Education-EasyPost) tames Bald Mountain

Ruben Guerreiro won the fourth edition of the Mont Ventoux Dénivelé Challenges on Tuesday, an event marked by the double ascent of the Géant de Provence (a first time from Sault, a second time from Bédoin, for 4,500 m of elevation gain in total). The Portuguese of the EF-Education EasyPost team put in a decisive acceleration more than eleven kilometers from the summit, on the harshest slopes of the bald mountain.

The results: 1. Ruben Guerreiro (EF Education-EasyPost), 2. Esteban Chaves (EF Education-EasyPost), 3. Michael Storer (Groupama-FDJ)…

*****

Baloise Belgium Tour: Mauro Schmid (Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl) holds on

Mauro Schmid (Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl) won the Baloise Belgium Tour on Sunday following Fabio Jakobsen‘s victory in the fifth and final stage. Placed on the same time as Tim Wellens (Lotto Soudal) at the start of the stage, the Swiss rider had to win at least as many bonus seconds as his opponent during the golden kilometer, and he managed it after a stormy fight between the two teams: “My team did a perfect job for me. I made a mistake in the first sprint because I let a gap form to Tim Wellens’ Lotto Soudal. I don’t know, I couldn’t really concentrate on that golden kilometer,” commented Schmid.  

The results: 1. Mauro Schmid (Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl Team), 2. Tim Wellens (Lotto Soudal), 3. Quinten Hermans (Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux)…

Stages won by: Mads Pedersen (Trek-Segafredo), Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Fenix), Yves Lampaert (Quick-Step Alpha Vynil Team), Quinten Hermans (Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux), Fabio Jakobsen (Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl Team).

*****

La Route d’Occitanie La Dépêche du midi: Michael Woods (Israel-Premier Tech) against the wind

Canadian Michael Woods (Israel-Premier Tech), winner of the Saturday stage, took the overall of the 46th edition of the Route d’Occitanie-La Dépêche du Midi. On Sunday, he faced the competition and withstood the gusty wind, which caused several echelons. “This is the first stage race that I have won in my career,” commented the 35-year-old rider, winner of two stages in the Vuelta (2018 and 2020). “I’m really happy with this result and very satisfied with the teamwork. I always felt protected. I’m really happy and I can’t wait to be in the Tour de France now!”

The results: 1. Michael Woods (Israel-Premier Tech), 2. Carlos Rodriguez (Ineos Grenadiers), 3. Jesus Herrada (Cofidis)… 

Stages won by: Arnaud Démare (Groupama-FDJ), Roger Adria (Equipo Kern Pharma), Michael Woods (Israel-Premier Tech), Niccolo Bonifazio (TotalEnergies)

***** 

The races to come:

National Championships

©Yves Perret / www.ypmedias.com

Critérium du Dauphiné: Roglic and Jumbo-Visma without rivals

Unsurprisingly, Primoz Roglic (Jumbo-Visma) won the 74th edition of the Critérium du Dauphiné on Sunday. A race perfectly mastered by the Jumbo-Visma team, especially since the team was able to take three stage victories (with Van Aert and Vingegaard). The 32-year-old Slovenian Roglic took the leader’s jersey from his teammate Wout Van Aert (Jumbo-Visma) on Saturday before finishing the job at the end of the climb on the plateau de Solaison: “Everything was under control. It was a tough day with a fast start. The others were all there but all jumped away one by one and everyone joined in the work. It’s a great day for the team,” commented the man who became the second Slovenian to win this race, twelve years after Janez Brajkovic.

The results: 1. Primoz Roglic (Jumbo-Visma), 2. Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo-Visma), 3. Ben O’Connor (AG2R Citroën Team)…

Stages won by: Wout Van Aert (Jumbo-Visma), Alexis Vuillermoz (TotalEnergies), David Gaudu (Groupama-FDJ), Filippo Ganna (Ineos Grenadiers), Wout Van Aert (Jumbo-Visma), Valentin Ferron (TotalEnergies), Carlos Verona (Movistar Team), Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo-Visma).

*****

The Women’s Tour: Longo Borghini (Trek-Segafredo) by a second

A single second. This is what separated Elisa Longo Borghini (Trek-Segafredo) from Grace Brown (FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope) at the end of the sixth and final stage of the Women’s Tour on Saturday. The Italian champion did indeed manage to dethrone the leader of the general classification by finishing in third place in the last stage. “It’s a big relief to win this race because it’s been a strange spring for me. Now I am back to my usual level. It’s good to win an overall classification, it hasn’t happened to me often in my career. It’s only the third stage race I’ve won,” said the Italian.

The results: 1. Elisa Longo Borghini (Trek-Segafredo), Grace Brown (FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope), Katarzyna Niewiadoma (Canyon/SRAM Racing)… 

Stages won by: Clara Copponi (FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope), Lorena Wiebes (Team DSM), Lorena Wiebes (Team DSM), Grace Brown (FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope), Elisa Longo Borghini (Trek-Segafredo), Lorena Wiebes (Team DSM).

*****

ZLM Tour: Olav Kooij (Jumbo-Visma) no gifts

This is called dominating from start to finish. The Dutch rider from the Jumbo-Visma team did not leave it to anyone to believe in victory. Winner of the first two stages, he took the leader’s jersey on the first day of the race and took it to Rijsbergen. The 20-year-old rider, already an impressive winner of the Circuit de la Sarthe-Pays de la Loire in April, even gave himself the luxury of winning the last stage. He could have ended with an even more impressive record if he had not been beaten in a photo finish during the fourth stage…

With three distinctive jerseys (general, points and best young rider), he dominated the race.

The results: 1. Olav Kooij (Jumbo-Visma), 2. Jakub Mareczko (Alpecin-Fenix), 3. Aaron Van Poucke (Sport Vlaanderen-Baloise)…

Stages won by: Olav Kooij (Jumbo-Visma), Olav Kooij (Jumbo-Visma), Jakub Mareczko (Alpecin-Fenix), Timothy Dupont (Bingoal Pauwels Sauces WB), Olav Kooij (Jumbo-Visma).

*****

Adriatica Ionica Race: Zana (Bardiani-CSF-Faizanè) the strongest

The Adriatica Ionica Race ended on Wednesday as it started. With a sprint victory for Christian Scaroni (Italy). But after five days of racing, it was Filippo Zana (Bardiani-CSF-Faizanè) who won the overall. The 23-year-old rider and winner of the Tour of the Czech Republic in 2021, took the leader’s blue jersey at the end of the second stage.

The results: 1. Filippo Zana (Bardiani-CSF-Faizané), 2. Natnael Tesfatsion (Drone Hopper – Androni Giocattoli), 3. Vadim Pronskiy (Astana Qazaqstan Team)… 

Stages won by: Christian Scaroni (Italy), Natnael Tesfatsion (Drone Hopper – Androni Giocattoli), Giovanni Carboni (Italy), Riccardo Lucca (Work Service Vitacare Vega), Christian Scaroni (Italy).

*****

Tour de Suisse: Williams (Bahrain Victorious) the first leader

Stephen Williams (Bahrain Victorious) won the sprint during the first stage of the Tour de Suisse. The 26-year-old Briton beat a group of fifteen riders and as a result posted his first victory in the WorldTour. Having taken 43rd in the 2021 edition, Williams started the Swiss event perfectly. Thibaut Pinot (Groupama-FDJ) suffered during this inaugural stage and has already conceded 51 seconds to the other favorites.

First stage: 1. Stephen Williams (Bahrain-Victorious), 2. Maximillian Schachmann (Bora-hansgrohe), 3. Andreas Kron (Lotto-Soudal)…

*****

Races to come : 

Tour de Suisse 12-19/06 www.tourdesuisse.ch

Mont Ventoux Dénivelé Challenges 14/06 http://www.denivelechallenges.com

Baloise Belgium Tour 15-19/06 www.sport.be/baloisebelgiumtour/2022/nl/

La Route d’Occitanie La Dépêche du midi 16-19/06 www.laroutedoccitanie.fr

©A.S.O. / Aurélien Vialatte

Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré: a winning return for Van Aert

Wout Van Aert (Jumbo-Visma) won the first stage of the Critérium du Dauphiné on Sunday. The Belgian champion sprinted ahead of Ethan Hayter (Ineos Grenadiers) and took advantage of his hard work in recent weeks in training to take a victory. This win puts his team, which has ambitions for this race, in an ideal position: “It was quite difficult to get ahead of someone like Ethan Hayter. I am very happy with this victory. I felt good on the climbs, partly thanks to the great work of the team. I hope I can keep the leader’s jersey for a few more days and then hand it over to Primoz Roglic. The next stages suit me well, so we’ll see how far I can go.”

Provisional general classification: 1. Wout Van Aert (Jumbo-Visma), 2. Ethan Hayter (Ineos Grenadiers), 3. Sean Quinn (EF Education-EastPost)…

Stages won by: Wout Van Aert (Jumbo-Visma)

*****

Course de la Paix Grand Prix Jeseniky: Van Eetvelt meets expectations

Winner of the second stage on Saturday, the Belgian Lennert Van Eetvelt managed the last day of racing well on Sunday to win the U23 Course de la Paix. Second in Flèche Ardennaise and the U23 Liège Bastogne Liège this year, Lennert Van Eetvelt, 20, confirms the ambitions that Lotto Soudal Team has in him for next season.

Samuel Watson won the final stage during which the sprinters were able to settle their last score.

The results: 1. Lennert Van Eetvelt (Belgium), 2. Rudy Porter (Australia), 3. Mathias Vacek (Czech Republic)… 

Stages won by: Mathias Vacek (Czech Republic), Sebastian Kolze Changizi (Denmark), Lennert Van Eetvelt (Belgium), Samuel Watson (Great Britain).

*****

Giro dell’Appennino: Meintjes seven years later

Louis Meintjes won solo on Thursday in Genoa on the Giro dell’Appennino. The South African climber from the Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux team had not had a victory for seven years since he took a stage and the overall at the Settimana Internazionale Coppi e Bartali. Everything seems to be working for the Belgian team, which has been accumulating victories for the past several weeks.

The results:  1. Louis Meintjes (Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux), 2. Natnaël Tesfatsion (Drone Hopper-Androni Giocattoli), 3. Georg Zimmermann (Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux)…

*****

Brussels Cycling Classic: Van der Hoorn clips Willems

Taco van der Hoorn (Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux) won the 102nd edition of the Brussels Cycling Classic on Sunday. He took the victory just meters ahead of Thimo Willems (Minerva Cycling) who had started the sprint from a far way out. Too far, no doubt. This is the first victory this season for the man who was born 28 years ago in Rotterdam and who won a stage of the Giro in 2021. Tobias Bayer (Alpecin-Fenix) completed the podium.

The results: 1. Taco Van der Hoorn (Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux), 2. Thimo Willems (Minerva Cycling), 3. Tobias Bayer (Alpecin-Fenix)… 

*****

Races to come: 

Critérium du Dauphiné 5-12/06 www.criterium-du-dauphine.fr/en/

The Women’s Tour 6-11/06 www.womenstour.co.uk

ZLM Tour 8-12/06 www.zlmtour.nl

Tour de Suisse 12-19/06 www.tourdesuisse.ch

©Giro d’Italia

Giro d’Italia: Hindley makes history

Australian Jai Hindley (Bora-hansgrohe) showed patience to win the Giro on Sunday. It was only the day before that he dispossessed Richard Carapaz (Ineos Grenadiers) of the pink jersey, after a masterstroke in the ascent of Fedaia. On Sunday, with a lead of 1’25” over the Ecuadorian, he managed his efforts perfectly in the final time trial won by Matteo Sobrero (BikeExchange), currently the Italian time trial champion. At 26, Hindley, who had not been able to wear the leader’s jersey for more than a day in the 2020 Giro, has now posted the most beautiful victory of his career: “It’s an incredible feeling, such a great emotion today (Sunday) at this time trial,” he explained on arrival in Verona. “I remembered the one in 2020, it had been very hard to live with but I felt good this time. I didn’t think of my competitors, I first tried to keep my pace, and to keep this gap until the finish where I gave everything. I’m proud to be the first Australian to win the Giro.”

The final results: 1. Jai Hindley (Bora-hansgrohe), 2. Richard Carapaz (Ineos Grenadiers), 3. Mikel Landa (Bahrain-Victorious)…

Stages won by: Mathieu Van der Poel (Alpecin-Fenix), Simon Yates (Team BikeExchange-Jayco), Mark Cavendish (Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl Team), Lennard Kamna (Bora-hansgrohe), Arnaud Démare (Groupama-FDJ), Arnaud Démare (Groupama-FDJ), Koen Bouwnan (Jumbo-Visma), Thomas De Gendt (Lotto Soudal), Jai Hindley (Bora-hansgrohe), Biniam Girmay (Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux), Alberto Dainese (Team DSM), Stefano Oldani (Alpecin-Fenix), Arnaud Démare (Groupama-FDJ), Simon Yates (Team BikeExchange-Jayco), Giulio Ciccone (Trek-Segafredo), Jan Hirt (Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux), Santiago Buitrago (Bahrain-Victorious), Koen Bouwman (Jumbo-Visma), Dries De Bondt (Alpecin-Fenix), Alessandro Covi (UAE Team Emirates), Matteo Sobrero (Team BikeExchange-Jayco).

*****

Tour of Norway: Evenepoel is back

Winner of three of the six stages, Remco Evenepoel (Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl Team) was also the logical winner of the Tour of Norway on Sunday. Jay Vine (Alpecin-Fenix) and Luke Plapp (Ineos Grenadiers), who were hot on his heels in the general classification, were unable to challenge him for victory on Sunday: “Overall, it’s a very good week for the team,” commented the 22-year-old Belgian. “It was my first race after Liège-Bastogne-Liège (he won on April 24), so I didn’t really know how I was going to start out feeling, but I’m back at a high level. It’s encouraging for the future, as I head towards the second part of my season and towards my goal which is the Vuelta a España”.

The results: 1. Remco Evenepoel (Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl Team), 2. Jay Vine (Alpecin-Fenix), 3. Luke Plapp (Ineos Grenadiers)…

Stages won by: Remco Evenepoel (Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl Team), Ethan Hayter (Ineos Grenados), Remco Evenepoel (Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl Team), Marco Haller (Bora-hansgrohe), Remco Evenepoel (Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl Team), Alexander Kristoff (Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux).

*****

Circuit de Wallonie: Pasqualon makes experience speak

The Italian from the Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux team Andrea Pasqualon beat Axel Zingle (Cofidis) by a whisker to win the Circuit de Wallonie on Thursday. The Frenchman thought he had the victory when he launched his attack in the last kilometer but was joined by Pasqualon a few meters from the finish line. At 34, the man who took 8th place in the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad at the end of February has shown that he still has his best legs.

The results: 1. Andrea Pasqualon (Intermarché-Wanty- Gobert Matériaux), 2. Axel Zingle (Cofidis), 3. Philippe Gilbert (Lotto Soudal)…

*****

Races to come: 

Course de la Paix Grand Prix Jeseniky 2-5/06 www.jesenickacyklisticka.cz

Giro dell’Appennin 2/05 www.uspontedecimo.it

Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré 5-12/06 www.criterium-du-dauphine.fr/fr/

Brussels Cycling Classic 5-06 www.brusselscyclingclassic.be/fr/

©Team DSM

Vuelta a Burgos Feminas: Labous takes her biggest victory

Juliette Labous (Team DSM) won the Vuelta a Burgos Feminas on Sunday after finishing second in the fourth and final stage, the finish of which was at Lagunas de Neila (125 km). Aged 23, she consequently posted the best victory of her career. Twelfth in Liège-Bastogne-Liège in April, she perfectly managed her race to overtake her compatriot Evita Muzic (FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope) in the overall standings. “It was a very tough race, my teammates worked very well. The breakaway got away without any of us being represented, but my teammates did what was necessary to bring it back. I followed Demi Vollering and Niamh Fisher-Black (Team SD Worx), and they tried one by one to drop me. I didn’t manage to follow Vollering at the end but I fought for the general classification, I’m very happy. I thank the whole team, we deserve it,” commented Labous. 

The results: 1. Juliette Labous (Team DSM), 2. Evita Muzic (FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope), 3. Demi Vollering (Team SD Worx)… 

Stages won by: Lotte Kopecky (Team SD Worx), Matilde Vitillo (Bepink), Mavi Garcia (UAE Team ADQ), Demi Vollering (Team SD Worx).

*****

Giro d’Italia: Carapaz dethrones Lopez

Juan Pedro Lopez‘s (Trek-Segafredo) pink jersey did not survive the hotly contested 14th stage on Saturday. After ten days of racing the Italian roads with the leader’s jersey on his shoulders, the Spaniard relinquished his property to Colombian Richard Carapaz (Ineos Grenadiers), who took third in the stage won by Simon Yates (Team BikeExchange-Jayco). Biniam Girmay (Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux) injured an eye during the post-stage podium presentation on Tuesday after his first stage victory in a Grand Tour and was forced to retire the next day. And Frenchman Arnaud Démare (Groupama-FDJ) already has three stage wins to date.

Provisional classification: 1. Richard Carapaz (Ineos Grenadiers), 2. Jai Hindley (Bora-Hansgrohe), 3. Joao Almeida (UAE Team Emirates)… 

Stages won by: Mathieu Van der Poel (Alpecin-Fenix), Simon Yates (Team BikeExchange-Jayco), Mark Cavendish (Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl Team), Lennard Kamna (Bora-Hansgrohe), Arnaud Démare (Groupama-FDJ), Arnaud Démare (Groupama-FDJ), Koen Bouwnan (Jumbo-Visma), Thomas De Gendt (Lotto Soudal), Jai Hindley (Bora-Hansgrohe), Biniam Girmay (Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux), Alberto Dainese (Team DSM), Stefano Oldani (Alpecin-Fenix), Arnaud Démare (Groupama-FDJ), Simon Yates (Team BikeExchange-Jayco), Giulio Ciccone (Trek-Segafredo)

*****

Grand Prix Herning: Stokbro the strongest

Danish rider Andreas Stokbro, who was racing in the colors of his national team, won the sprint in the Grand Prix Herning on Saturday. Aged 25, he also won a stage of the Tour du Loir-et-Cher in April. He finished ahead of his compatriot Mads Rahbek (BHS-PL Beton Bornholm) and the 2019 world champion, Mads Pedersen (Denmark).

The results: 1. Andreas Stokbro (Denmark), 2. Mads Rahbek (BHS-PL Beton Bornholm), 3. Mads Pedersen (Denmark)…

*****

Veenndaal-Veenndaal Classic: Groenewegen at home

Dutch sprinter Dylan Groenewegen (Team BikeExchange-Jayco) won his fourth Veenndaal-Veenndaal Classic on Saturday after his successes in 2015, 2016 and 2018. “I am delighted with this result, the team is also happy, everything went as planned. We are on the right track,” said the winner.

The results: 1. Dylan Groenewegen (Team BikeExchange-Jayco), 2. Gerben Thijssen (Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux), 3. Arnaud De Lie (Lotto Soudal)…  

*****

Rund um Köln: Politt in control

Nils Politt (Bora-Hansgrohe) emerged victorious in the three-way battle fought out on Sunday during the Rund um Köln. He had slipped away from the rest of the peloton 50 kilometers from the finish in the company of Danny Van Poppel (Bora-Hansgrohe) and Nikias Arndt (Team DSM). The 28-year-old German, a native of Cologne and winner of a stage at the Tour de France in 2021, made a decisive effort four kilometers from the flamme rouge to win by 13 seconds ahead of Danny Van Poppel for a double podium from Bora-Hansgrohe.

The results: 1. Nils Politt (Bora-Hansgrohe), 2. Danny Van Poppel (Bora-Hansgrohe), 3. Nikias Arndt (Team DSM)…

*****

The races to come: 

Giro d’Italia du 6-29/05 http://www.giroditalia.it

Tour of Norway 24-29/05 https://www.tourofnorway.no/gb/

Circuit de Wallonie 26/05 https://lecircuitdewallonie.be

©Giro d’Italia

Giro d’Italia: Lopez likes the taste

Even though Jai Hindley (Bora-Hansgrohe) won Sunday’s 9th stage of the Giro, the Spaniard Juan Pedro Lopez (Trek-Segafredo) still succeeded in retaining the pink jersey as the leader of the race. Eight riders are within thirty seconds of each other helping the Italian event remain full of suspense after the first week. Aged 24, Lopez took advantage of his second place in the fourth stage at the top of Etna to ensconce himself at the top of the general classification, and he does not seem in a hurry to give up his property: “The team’s plan has not changed: we have a leader for the general classification to protect, and that is Giulio Ciccone (Trek-Segafredo), and at the same time we will try to keep the jersey as long as possible,” he explained at the end of last week.

Provisional GC: 1. Juan Pedro Lopez (Trek-Segafredo), 2. Joao Almeida (UAE Team Emirates), 3. Romain Bardet (Team DSM)…

Stages won by: Mathieu Van der Poel (Alpecin-Fenix), Simon Yates (Team BikeExchange-Jayco), Mark Cavendish (Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl Team), Lennard Kamna (Bora-hansgrohe), Arnaud Démare (Groupama-FDJ), Arnaud Démare (Groupama-FDJ), Thomas De Gendt (Lotto Soudal), Jai Hindley (Bora-Hansgrohe).

*****

Grand Prix du Morbihan: Simon triples up

Julien Simon (Team TotalEnergies) won the Grand Prix du Morbihan on Saturday for the third time in his career. The 36-year-old rider had already won in 2012 and 2014. Although he has now become the most successful cyclist ever in this event, Julien Simon nevertheless had gone more than three years without winning a race: “It feels good. Since I arrived at TotalEnergies, I have not necessarily been successful. I felt my form had been coming back since the Four Days of Dunkirk (May 3 to 8, 8th). I felt good in the final; I sensed a moment of hesitation as the finish approached. It’s great to win in front of my family, I’m really very happy,” said the native of Rennes. 

The results: 1. Julien Simon (TotalEnergies), 2. Alexander Kristoff (Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux), 3. Jake Stewart (Groupama-FDJ)…

*****

Tro-Bro Léon: Happy and optimistic Hofstetter

Hugo Hofstetter (Arkéa-Samsic) won the 38th edition of the Tro Bro Léon on Sunday. The Frenchman hadn’t raised his arms in victory for two years since his success at Le Samyn. “It’s so good! I knew I was capable of it. You know, I really wasn’t thinking about that. If I was 60th in all the races, people would ask me why I’m not working. But really, I’m on the podium every weekend, and people ask me why I don’t win. So here it is, now it’s done, I’m really happy for the team especially. I was sure of my strength; I knew it was only a matter of time. Sometimes there are things that just happen or not, it’s that simple.”

The results: 1. Hugo Hofstetter (Team Arkéa Samsic), 2. Luca Mozzato (B&B Hotels-KTM), Connor Swift (Team Arkéa Samsic)…

*****

Races to come:

Giro d’Italia 6-29/05 www.giroditalia.it

Vuelta a Burgos Feminas 19-22/05 www.vueltaburgos.com/feminas/

Grand Prix Herning 21/05

Veenndaal- Veenndaal classic 21/05 www.veenendaal-veenendaal.nl

Run um Köln 22/05 www.rundumkoeln.de