©YP Médias

Giro d’Italia: Van der Poel starts on the right foot

Winner of the first stage on Friday, Mathieu Van der Poel will start the fourth stage with the leader’s pink jersey on his shoulders this Tuesday in Avola, Sicily. He is currently 11 seconds ahead of Simon Yates (Team BikeExchange-Jayco) and 16 in front of Tom Dumoulin (Jumbo-Visma).

Stages won by: Mathieu Van der Poel (Alpecin-Fenix), Simon Yates (Team BikeExchange-Jayco), Mark Cavendish (Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl Team).

*****

Carpathian Couriers Race in Memory of Waclaw Felczak: Miholjevic, a precocious talent

Fourth in the time trial won by the Italian Martinelli on Tuesday, the Croatian Fran Miholjevic won the overall of the Slovakian event, reserved for U23 riders. At 19, the rider of the Cycling Team Friuli ASD has already shown excellent potential.

The results: 1. Fran Miholjevic (Cycling Team Friuli ASD), 2. Francis Juneau (Premier Tech U23 Cycling), 3. Alexander Hajek (Austria)…

Stages won by: Nicolo Buratti (Cycling Team Friuli ASD), Fran Miholjevic (Cycling Team Friuli ASD), Mika Heming (ATT Investments), Alessio Martinelli (Bardiani-Faizanè)

*****

Quatre jours de Dunkerque Grand Prix des Hauts de France: Gilbert returns to winning ways

Belgian Philippe Gilbert won the Four Days of Dunkirk Grand Prix des Hauts de France on Sunday. Having won the third stage, the Lotto-Soudal rider waited until the fifth day of the race to take the overall leader’s jersey. On Sunday, he was content to manage the last stage won by his compatriot Gerben Thijssen (Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux): “I had not won a stage race since the Trois Jours de la Panne in 2017. The joy is different, because you never really know if you won with the bonuses. No victory is to be denigrated, they are all beautiful, there is a story behind each victory,” declared the winner.

The results: 1. Philippe Gilbert (Lotto Soudal), 2. Oliver Naesen (AG2R Citroën Team), 3. Jake Stewart (Groupama-FDJ)…

Stages won by: Arvid De Kleijn (Human Powered Health), Jason Tesson (Saint-Michel-Auber 93), Philippe Gilbert (Lotto Soudal), Lionel Taminiaux (Alpecin-Fenix), Gianni Vermeersch (Alpecin-Fenix), Gerben Thijssen (Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux).

*****

Bretagne Ladies Tour Ceratizit: Guazzini the strongest

Seventh in the fifth and final stage on Saturday, Italian Vittoria Guazzini (FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope) won the general classification of the Tour de Bretagne. Aged 21, she took the leader’s jersey on Thursday in the time trial, where she finished second behind the young Alena Ivanchenko (UAE Team ADQ). Winner of the first two stages, Marta Bastianelli demonstrated her qualities as a sprinter.

The results: 1. Vittoria Guazzini (FDJ Nouvelle Aquitaine Futuroscope), 2. Cedrine Kerbaol (Cofidis Women Team), 3. Ally Wollaston (AG Insurance-NXTG Team)… 

Stages won by: Marta Bastianelli (UAE Team ADQ), Marta Bastianelli (UAE Team ADQ), Alena Ivanchenko (UAE Team ADQ), Martina Alzini (Cofidis Women Team), Marta Lach (Ceratizit-WNT Pro Cycling).

*****

Vuelta ciclista andalucia « ruta del sol »: Sierra above the rest

Winner of the first two stages, the Cuban Arlenis Sierra (Movistar Team) perfectly managed the third and last stage (taking 2nd behind her teammate Jelena Eric) to win the first edition of the Tour of Andalusia at the age of 29.

The results: 1. Arlenis Sierra (Movistar Team), 2. Mavi Garcia (UAE Team ADQ), 3. Ricarda Bauernfeind (Canyon//SRAM Generation)…

Stages won by : Arlenis Sierra (Movistar Team), Arlenis Sierra (Movistar Team), Jelena Eric (Movistar Team). 

*****

Races to come: 

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

Grand Prix du Morbihan 56 14/05 www.gpmo.bzh

Tro-Bro Léon 15/06 www.trobroleon.com

©Tour de Romandie

Tour de Romandie : Vlasov does the double

By winning the time trial on Sunday, the final stage of the 75th Tour de Romandie, Aleksandr Vlasov (Bora-Hansgrohe) won the general classification and thus succeeded Geraint Thomas (Ineos Grenadiers) on the roll call of winners. “Now I know I’m a very strong rider, my next big goal is the Tour de France. So now I’m going to have a little rest and then I’m going to start my preparation for the Grand Tours. Winning now is perfect for your confidence,” confided the Russian, winner of his first WorldTour race.

Sixth in the time trial, Frenchman Thibaut Pinot (Groupama-FDJ) further confirmed his return to form.

The results: 1. Aleksandr Vlasov (Bora-Hansgrohe), 2. Gino Mäder (Bahrain Victorious), 3. Simon Geschke (Cofidis)…

Stages won by: Ethan Hayter (Ineos Grenadiers), Dylan Teuns (Bahrain Victorious), Ethan Hayter (Ineos Grenadiers), Patrick Bevin (Israël Premier Tech), Sergio Higuita (Bora-Hansgrohe), Aleksandr Vlasov (Bora-Hansgrohe).

*****

Tour de Bretagne: Le Bon at a good moment

Is there anyone happier than a Breton rider who wins the Tour de Bretagne? By winning on Sunday, at his home in Lannion, Johan Le Bon (Dinan Sport Cycling) posted one of the greatest victories of his career: “My house is 200 meters from here, so there is nothing better than winning. The night before my first win, my kids saw the big stuffed animal and my little girl said she wanted one too. I told her I was going to try, so I’m happy because I now have two stuffed animals to take home and a beautiful green jersey […] Having taken the overall and two stages, this is my best Tour de Bretagne, you can’t ask for anything more.”

The results: 1. Johan Le Bon (Dinan Sport Cycling), 2. Alex Baudin (Tudor Pro Cycling Team), 3. Mathis Le Berre (Côtes d’Armor-Marie Morin-U)…

Stages won by: Mickaël Guichard (WB Fybiola Morbihan), Johan Le Bon (Dinan Sport Cycling), Alex Baudin (Tudor Pro Cycling Team), Casper Van Uder (Development Team DSM), Ewen Gastiou (Côtes d’Armor-Marie Morin U), Johan Le Bon (Dinan Sport Cycling).  

*****

Vuelta Asturias Julio Alvarez Mendo: Sosa takes over from Quintana

Despite two stage wins in the event, the Briton Simon Yates (Team BikeExchange-Jayco) handed victory to Ivan Sosa (Movistar Team) in the 65th edition of the Vuelta Asturias. Winner of the queen stage the day before, the Colombian succeeds his compatriot Nairo Quintana (Team Arkéa-Samsic): “The team has helped me a lot over the past three days, especially today (ed: meaning Sunday). It’s a victory that fills us with joy and confidence for the Giro d’Italia, where we hope to shine,” concluded the winner. 

The results: 1. Ivan Ramiro Sosa (Movistar Team), 2. Lorenzo Fortunato (EOLO-Kometa), 3. Nicolas Edet (Team Arkéa Samsic)…

Stages won by: Simon Yates (Team BikeExchange-Jayco), Ivan Ramiro Sosa (Movistar Team), Simon Yates (Team BikeExchange-Jayco).

*****

Carpathian Couriers Race in Memory of Waclaw Felczak: Miholjevic takes the reins

Fran Miholjevic (CTF Friuli ASD), won the first stage of the Carpathian Race on Sunday. At 19, the Croatian won in the sprint ahead of Martin Marcellusi (Bardiani-CSF-Faizanè) and Francis Juneau (Premier Tech U23 Cycling Project). Winner of the prologue on Saturday, the Italian Nicolo Buratti (Cycling Team Friuli ASD) lost the leader’s jersey to Miholjevic. The race continues until Tuesday.

Stages won by: Nicolo Buratti (Cycling Team Friuli ASD), Fran Miholjevic (Cycling Team Friuli ASD).

*****

Eschborn-Frankfurt: Bennett back to winning ways

Sam Bennett (Bora-Hansgrohe) won Eschborn-Frankfurt on Sunday after a bunch sprint. The Irishman posted his first victory of the season and returned to his winning ways after a series of difficult months.

The results: 1. Sam Bennett (Bora-hansgrohe), 2. Fernando Gaviria (UAE Team Emirates), 3. Alexander Kristoff (Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux)…

*****

Races to come: 

Carpathian Couriers Race in Memory of Waclaw Felczak 29/04-3/05 

Quatre jours de Dunkerque Grand Prix des Hauts de France 3-8/05  www.4joursdedunkerque.org

Bretagne ladies Tour Ceratizit 3-7/05 www.tbf.bzh

Vuelta Ciclista Andalucia « ruta del sol » elite women 3/5-05 www.vueltaandaluciawomen.es

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

©ASO / Gautier Demouveaux

Liège-Bastogne-Liège: Evenepoel takes his first Monument

Eleven years after Philippe Gilbert, a Belgian won Liège-Bastogne-Liège on Sunday. Remco Evenepoel has indeed realized a dream by winning his first Monument. It was a victory built by increasing his advantage after his vicious attack on the Côte de la Redoute. No one was able to follow the 22-year-old rider, who ended as the winner of the Doyenne with a little less than a minute’s lead: “It’s my favorite race, it’s a dream come true,” he explained. “I am coming out of a difficult year and with this victory, I show that I have returned to the level of the very best.”

World Champion Julian Alaphilippe’s race ended when he was involved in a mass pile up 62 kilometers from the finish and suffered from pains in his back and shoulder blade.

The results: 1. Remco Evenepoel (Quick Step Alpha Vinyl Team), 2. Quinten Hermans (Intermarché Wanty Gobert Matériaux), 3. Wout Van Aert (Jumbo-Visma)…

*****

Tour of the Alps: Bardet and Pinot, back to the fore

He had not won a stage race since the Tour de l’Ain in 2013. By winning the 45th edition of the Tour des Alpes on Friday, Romain Bardet (Team DSM) put an end to nearly nine years of scarcity. “It’s a very good week. It’s true that it was my return to competition, it went very well,” commented the 31-year-old rider, second in the 2016 Tour de France. “My sensations are good and there is a victory at the end, it’s magnificent!”

Second on Thursday, Thibaut Pinot won the last stage by taking the stage into Lienz in Austria. He also signals his return to form.

The results: 1. Romain Bardet (Team DSM), 2. Michaël Storer (Groupama-FDJ), 3. Thymen Arensman (Team DSM)…

Stages won by: Geoffrey Bouchard (AG2R Citroën Team), Pello Bilbao (Bahrain Victorious), Lennard Kamna (Bora-hansgrohe), Angel Miguel Lopez (Astana Qazaqstan Team), Thibaut Pinot (Groupama FDJ). 

*****

La Flèche Wallonne féminine : Cavalli wanted more

Winner of the Amstel Gold Race ten days earlier, the Italian Marta Cavalli won the 25th edition of the Flèche Wallonne on Wednesday. A member of the FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope team, she beat Annemiek van Vleuten (Movistar) to the top of the mur de Huy. The 24-year-old Italian savored this new success: “It was not easy because it is very steep. The first part, I stayed in the wheel of Annemiek. I waited for the last few meters, because that’s where you can make a difference.”

The results: 1. Marta Cavalli (FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope), Annemiek Van Vleuten (Movistar Team), 3. Demi Vollering (Team SD Worx)…

*****

La Flèche Wallonne: Teuns deprives Valverde of a sixth success

Alejandro Valverde thought that he may well, at almost 42 years old, have a sixth success at Flèche Wallonne on Wednesday. But Dylan Teuns deprived him of this happiness by winning for the first time in a major one-day race. The 30-year-old Belgian overtook the Spaniard some 200 meters from the top of the mur de Huy. “It’s incredible. I have always dreamed of a victory in a classic and it finally happens. I have always believed in my abilities,” commented the 30-year-old Belgian. “I was in the perfect position at the foot of the Mur. I knew more or less where Valverde planned to accelerate, he always does it in the same place. It was also a perfect place for me and I attacked there.”

Winner in 2021, World Champion Julian Alaphilippe took fourth.

The results: 1. Dylan Teuns (Bahrain Victorious), 2. Alejandro Valverde (Movistar Team), 3. Aleksandr Vlasov (Bora-hansgrohe)…

*****

Rutlan Melton Cicle Classic : Crockett opens his tally this season

English rider Finn Crockett (Ribble Weldtite Pro Cycling) won the 16th edition of the Rutland-Melton Cicle Classic on Sunday. In Melton, at the end of a 180 kilometer race, the 22-year-old rider won the sprint ahead of the Czech Tomas Kopecky (ABLOC CT) and his compatriot Jacob Scott (WiV SunGod).

The results: 1. Finn Crockett (Ribble Weldtite Pro Cycling), 2. Tomas Kopecky (ABLOC CT), 3. Jacob Scott (WiV SunGod)…

*****

Liège-Bastogne-Liège féminine: Van Vleuten does it again in Liège

Three years after her first victory, Annemiek van Vleuten (Team Movistar) won her second Liège-Bastogne-Liège on Sunday. Her attack on the côte de la Roche-aux-Faucons proved decisive. It is the fifth Dutch victory in six editions of the Belgian race. The Italian Marta Cavalli (FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope), in search of a hat-trick, finished in sixth place.

The results: 1. Annemiek van Vleuten (Movistar Team), 2. Grace Brown (FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope), 3. Demi Vollering (Team SD Worx)…

*****

Races to come:

Tour de Bretagne 25/04-1/05

Tour de Romandie 26/04-1/05 www.tourderomandie.ch

Vuelta Asturias Julio Alvarez Mendo 29/04-1/05 www.lavueltaasturias.com

Carpathian Couriers Race in Memory of Waclaw Felczak 29/04-3/05 

Eschborn Frankfurt 1/05 www.eschborn-frankfurt.de/en/home/

©ASO / Pauline Ballet

Paris-Roubaix femmes: Longo Borghini at home on the cobbles

Italian champion Elisa Longo Borghini won the women’s Paris-Roubaix on Saturday by slipping away from the peloton 34 kilometers from the finish. Third in the first edition last October, Longo Borghini savored her victory: “I’ve really scored an extraordinary result that I want to share with my family and my partner (rider Jacopo Mosca). I didn’t want to participate, but the team insisted that I be here. They told me: ‘You should race because you can win’. And I did, thanks also to a perfect team performance. It’s really an extraordinary moment,” said the 30-year-old Italian.

Elisa Balsamo (Trek-Segafredo) was disqualified for a sticky bottle while Marianne Vos (Jumbo-Visma) tested positive for Covid on the morning of the race.

The results: 1. Elisa Longo Borghini (Trek-Segafredo), 2. Lotte Kopecky (Team SD Worx), 3.  Lucinda Brand (Trek-Segafredo)…

*****

Giro di Sicilia – Tour of Sicily: Caruso wins on home soil

By winning Friday, the fourth and final stage at the top of Etna, Damiano Caruso won the Tour of Sicily. During the ascent to the volcano, he dropped his main competitors, including Vincenzo Nibali (Astana Qazaqstan Team) who faded a kilometer and a half from the summit: “I had never raced in Sicily and to do it now with the jersey of the national team, it’s very special,” Caruso explained.

The results: 1. Damiano Caruso (Italy), 2. Jefferson Alexander Cepeda (Drone Hopper-Androni Giocattoli), 3. Louis Meintjes (Intermarché–Wanty–Gobert Matériaux)…

Stages won by: Mattéo Malucelli (Italy), Damiano Caruso (Italy), Fran Miholjevic (Cycling Team Friuli ASD), Damiano Caruso (Italy).

*****

Paris – Camembert: Delaplace uses his experience 

The Norman Anthony Delaplace, 32, won the 83rd edition of Paris-Camembert on Tuesday in his home territory. Shortly before the flamme rouge, the Team Arkéa-Samsic rider broke away from a group of four riders. He won by four seconds ahead of Valentin Ferron (Team TotalEnergies). Thibault Ferasse (B&B Hotels-KTM) completed the podium. 

The results: 1. Anthony Delaplace (Team Arkéa-Samsic), 2. Valentin Ferron (TotalEnergies), 3. Thibault Ferasse (B&B Hotels-KTM)…

*****

De Brabantse Pijl – La Flèche Brabançonne:  Sheffield goes solo

Magnus Sheffield (Ineos Grenadiers) won Wednesday in Overijse. The 20-year-old American broke away from his opponents three kilometers from the finish. He won with a 37-second lead over Benoît Cosnefroy (AG2R Citroën Team). Second in the Amstel Gold Race three days before, the French rider confirmed his strength.

The results: 1. Magnus Sheffield (Ineos Grenadiers), 2. Benoît Cosnefroy (AG2R Citroën Team), 3. Warren Barguil (Team Arkéa Samsic)…

*****

Classic Grand Besançon Doubs: Cofidis doubles up

The double Spanish champion Jesus Herrada won at the Montfaucon belvedere on Friday by launching a winning attack in the final ascent of the cote de la Malate. His teammate Victor Lafay took second and provided a nice double for the Cofidis team.

The results: 1. Jesus Herrada (Cofidis), 2. Victor Lafay (Cofidis), 3. Alexis Vuillermoz (TotalEnergies)…

*****

Tour du Jura: O’Connor deprives Herrada of a double

Winner the day before the Classic Grand Besançon Doubs, the Spaniard Jesus Herrada could have scored a second victory on Saturday but his breakaway companion Ben O’Connor deprived him of this pleasure. In the uphill sprint at Nozeroy, it was the Australian from the AG2R Citroën Team who took the victory.

The results: 1. Ben O’Connor (AG2R Citroën Team), 2. Jesus Herrada (Cofidis), 3. Axel Zingle (Cofidis)…

*****

Belgrade Banjaluka: Kaczmarek the strongest 

Jakub Kaczmarek (HRE Mazowsze Serce Polski) won the 2022 edition of Belgrade Banjaluka on Sunday at the end of the fifth and final stage. Even if the Belgian Andreas Goeman (Tarteletto-Isorex) won the victory in Banjaluka, Kaczmarek managed to dispossess Lennert Teugels (Tarteletto-Isorex) of the leader’s jersey.

The results: 1. Jakub Kaczmarek (HRE Mazowsze Serce Polski), 2. Gianni Marchand (Tarteletto-Isorex), 3. Lennert Teugels (Tarteletto-Isorex)…

Stages won by: HRE Mazowsze Serce Polski, Felippo Fortin (Maloja Pushbikers), Jakub Kaczmarek (HRE Mazonsze Serce Polski), Lennert Teugels (Tarteletto-Isorex), Andreas Goeman (Tarteletto-Isorex).

***** 

Paris-Roubaix: Van Baarle takes his Monument

Dylan van Baarle (Ineos Grenadiers) won the 119th edition of Paris – Roubaix on Sunday. Second in the Tour of Flanders two weeks earlier, he earned himself the first Monument of his career. The Dutchman won alone on the Roubaix velodrome after making the difference in the sequence of the Camphin-en-Pévèle and Carrefour de l’Arbre sectors. The Dutchman was more than a minute ahead of favorite Wout Van Aert (Team Jumbo-Visma) and Stefan Küng (Groupama-FDJ): “It’s incredible. I couldn’t believe it when I entered the (Roubaix) velodrome. Winning a Monument was a goal. After second place in the Tour of Flanders, it’s incredible,” commented the winner of the day.

Less dashing than usual, Mathieu Van der Poel took 9th place.

The results: 1. Dylan van Baarle (Ineos Grenadiers), 2. Wout van Aert (Jumbo-Visma), 3. Stefan Küng (Groupama-FDJ)…

*****

Races to come:

Tour of the Alps 18-22/04 https://www.tourofthealps.eu/en/

La Flèche Wallonne féminine 20/04 www.la-fleche-wallonne-femmes.be

La Flèche Wallonne 20/04 www.la-fleche-wallonne.be

Klasika Primavera de Amorebieta 24/04

Liège-Bastogne-Liège féminine 24/04 www.liege-bastogne-liege-femmes.be

Liège-Bastogne-Liège 24/04 www.liege-bastogne-liege.be

Rutlan Melton Cicle Classic 24/04 www.cicleclassic.co.uk

©Amstel Gold Race

Amstel Gold Race: Kwiatkowski seven years later

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

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

The results: 

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

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

*****

Itzulia Basque Country: Martinez affirms his ambitions

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

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

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

*****

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

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

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

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

*****

Scheldeprijs: Kristoff does it again at Schoten

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

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

*****

The races to come:

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

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

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

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

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

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

Tour du Jura 16/04 www.tourdujura.com

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

©AlpecinFenix

Ronde van Vlaaderen: Van der Poel thwarts Pogacar

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

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

The results: 

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

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

*****

Dwars door Vlaaderen: Van der Poel gaining momentum

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

The results:

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

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

*****

La route Adélie de Vitré: First victory for Zingle

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

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

*****

Gran Premio Miguel Indurain: Barguil spirals upwards

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

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

*****

Volta Limburg Classic: Make it three for De Lie

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

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

*****

The races to come:

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

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

Scheldeprijs 6/04 www.scheldeprijs.be

Amstel Gold Race 10/04 www.amstel.nl