© 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

© ASO / Pauline Ballet

At the end of a thrilling edition that will go down in history, Jonas Vingegaard won the Tour de France 2023. Long harassed by Tadej Pogacar, who ultimately took 2nd in Paris, the Dane won a second consecutive Grande Boucle.

The constant thread of this 110th edition remained the thrilling and exhilarating tug of war between the two men who remained in an epic fight separated by just a matter of seconds. It was extremely close until the leader of the Jumbo-Visma imposed his law in the third week, first during the time trial in Combloux, then on the Col de la Loze.

This Tour de France has been marked by a very high sporting level with 17 different stage winners, which was the most since 2019. From the revelation Felix Gall, winner in Courchevel, to the domination of Jasper Philipsen in the bunch sprints, and especially the farewell tour of Thibaut Pinot, who exited the race through the front door by being at the head of the race during the 20th stage which took place on his training routes, this 110th edition offered a succession of images that will long be remembered.

The results : 1. Vingegaard (Jumbo-Visma) ; 2. Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) ; 3. A. Yates (UAE Team Emirates)… 

Stages won by: A. Yates (UAE Team Emirates), Lafay (Cofidis), Philipsen (Alpecin-Deceuninck), Philipsen (Alpecin-Deceuninck), Hindley (Bora-Hansgrohe), Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates), Philipsen (Alpecin-Deceuninck), Pedersen (Lidl-Trek), Woods (Israel-Premier Tech), Bilbao (Bahrain-Victorious), Philipsen (Alpecin-Deceuninck), Izagirre (Cofidis), Kwiatkowski (INEOS Grenadier), Rodriguez (INEOS Grenadier), Poels (Bahrain-Victorious), Vingegaard (Jumbo-Visma), Gall (AG2R Citroën Team), Asgreen (Soudal-Quick Step), Mohoric (Bahrain-Victorious), Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates), Meeus (Bora-Hansgrohe). 

*****

Upcoming races:

July, 23-30 : Tour de France femmes avec Zwift, https://www.letourfemmes.fr/fr

July, 26-27 : Vuelta a Castilla y Leon, https://www.vueltacastillayleon.es/

July, 27-30 : Sazka Tour, https://www.czechtour.com/

July 29 – August 4 : Tour de Pologne, https://www.tourdepologne.pl/en/

July 29 : Classica San Sebastian, https://klasikoa.eus/en/

July 30 : Circuito de Getxo, http://www.puntagalea.com/puntagalea/