© Donostia San Sebastian Klasikoa Women

Donostia San Sebastian Klasikoa Women: Make it 80 for Van Vleuten!

Olympic silver medalist in the road race (and winner of the ITT), Annemiek Van Vlenten (Movistar) proved that she has recovered perfectly well from the time difference with Japan. The Dutch rider who is current European Champion clinched her 80th UCI victory by winning on the boulevards of San Sebastian: “This is more than an individual victory, this is a victory for the entire Movistar team. After Tokyo, I was so tired and jet lagged that I couldn’t get much sleep in the past two days. But with such work from my team, I had to finish it off well.”

The American Ruth Winder and the Italian Tatiana Guderzo completed the podium.

The results: 1. Annemiek Van Vleuten (Movistar); 2. Ruth Winder (Trek Segafredo); 3. Tatiana Guderzo (ALE BTC Ljubljana) 

*****

Donostia San Sebastian Klasikoa Men: Powless surprises the favorites

A professional since 2016, Neilson Powless will remember July 31st for a long time. The 24-year-old rider surprised all the favorites to win the Classica San Sebastien, a classic on the UCI WorldTour calendar! Powless, who completed his second Tour de France two weeks earlier, dominated a group of five riders to achieve his goal. The double Tour stage winner Matej Mohoric took second, ahead of the Danish rider Honoré. “I’m so happy to get this victory today. My sports director (Juanma Garate) is Basque and every time I race here the atmosphere is just amazing.”

The results: 1. Neilson Powless (EF Education Nippo) ; 2.Matej Mohoric (Bahrain Victorious); 3.Mikel Frolich Honoré (Deceuninck Quick Step)

*****

Vuelta a Castilla y Leon: Louvel takes his first pro win

At 22, Frenchman Mathis Louvel posted his first professional victory by winning solo in the Vuelta a Castilla y Leon. With a lead of 44 seconds ahead of Odani, Louvel, who has been a professional rider for a year, even had the time to savor his success: “It was a great day. I had the legs and the luck! My sporting director said to me: Come on, it’s your day, you’re going to go get your first professional victory.”

The results: 1. Mathis Louvel (Arkea Samsic); 2. Stefano Odani (Lotto Soudal); 3. Mauricio Moreira (Efapel) 

*****

Circuito de Getxo – Memorial Hermanos Otxoa: Nizzolo is the fastest 

Winner of the Clasica de Almeria this season and a stage at the Giro d´Italia, Giaccomo Nizzolo added a third victory this season by winning at the Circuito de Getxo. The European Champion racing for the Qhubeka NextHash team was very fast in the sprint, and beat two fellow breakaway riders Aleotti and Buitrago. “I finished second here last year. This time my winning it is a great satisfaction. The race was very hard to control, so thank you to those who contributed to this victory,” Nizzolo said.

The results: 1. Giacomo Nizzoli (Team Qhubeka NextHash) ; 2. Giovanni Aleotti (Bora Hansgrohe) ; 3. Santiago Buitrago (Bahrain – Victorious)

*****

The races to come

@ A.S.0 / Charly Lopez

*****

The races to come

@ www.ypmedias.com

La course By Le Tour: Vollering gets another big win

It’s breakthrough season for Demi Vollering! Already the winner of Liège-Bastogne-Liège in April, the Dutchwoman of the SD Worx team is settling in among the world elite. At 24, she won La Course By Le Tour for the first time which was raced over the roads of Brittany. She will be a serious contender at the next Giro d’Italia Internazionale Femminile.

The results: 1. Demi Vollering (Team SD Worx); 2. Cécilie Ludwig Uttrup (FDJ Nouvelle Aquitaine); 3. Marianne Vos (Team Jumbo Visma Women) 

*****

Axion SWISS Bank Gran Premio Città di Lugano: Moscon trakes the win

A two-time winner at the start of the season at the Tour of the Alps, Gianni Moscon proved he is back in top form by winning in Lugano. The Italian rider, who also raced the Giro d’Italia where his teammate Bernal won, took the 11th victory of his career, beating his compatriot Valerio Conti and the Belgian Ben Hermans.

The results: 1. Gianni Moscon (Ineos Grenadiers); 2. Valerio Conti (UAE Team Emirates); 3. Ben Hermans (Israël Start Up Nation)

*****

Giro dell’Appennino (Ita): Hermans gets his win

More than two years after his last victory, Ben Hermans (Israël Start Up Nation) found his way back to victory by winning the Giro dell’Appennino. The 35-year-old Belgian, who now has 16 wins in his career, won solo on Italian roads. Valerio Conti (UAE Team Emirates) and Enrico Battaglin (Bardiani-CSF-Faizanè) completed the podium.

The results: 1. Ben Hermans (Israël Start Up Nation); 2. Valerio Conti (UAE Team Emirates); 3. Enrico Battaglin (Bardiani-CSF-Faizanè)

*****

The races to come

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Paris-Camembert, a hilly classic on the French calendar, usually takes place in the spring. But for two seasons, the organizers have done everything to adapt to the current health crisis. After the 2020 edition was held in September, the event was run this year at the end of June. But Dorian Godon does not care about the vagaries of the calendar. After his victory last year in Normandy, the slender rider from the AG2R CITROËN TEAM added a second success in the land of cheese: “We had a great day with the whole team. Geoffrey’s (Bouchard) podium crowns the collective work.” The 25-year-old rider now has four victories among professionals: two at the prologue of the Boucles de la Mayenne and now two wins at the Paris-Camembert. A clear pattern for his palmarès!

The results: 1. Dorian Godon (AG2R CITROËN TEAM) ; Pierre-Luc Périchon (Cofidis, Solution Crédits) ; 3. Geoffrey Bouchard (AG2R CITROËN TEAM)

*****

The races to come

@ Yves Perret / www.ypmedias.com

Mont Ventoux Dénivelé Challenges: Miguel Angel Lopez flies up Ventoux

For its third edition, the French event offered a double ascent of Ventoux. The first ascent was done via its “easier” side from the town of Sault before facing the mythical slopes on the side of Bedoin. And just a few days before the start of the Tour de France (which will take a very similar route during the 11th stage on July 7), Miguel Angel Lopez showed he has sparkling form. The Colombian attacked about ten kilometers from the finish, and no one was able to keep his pace. He won at an altitude of 1909 meters with 2’26” ahead of Oscar Rodriguez. “The whole team worked really well today. I’m happy to get a victory on such an important summit. In July, I hope my body will remember this day.”

The results: 1. Miguel Angel Lopez (Team Movistar); 2. Oscar Rodriguez (Astana Premier Tech); 3. Enric Mas (Team Movistar)

*****

Tour de Suisse: Carapaz enhances his palmarès 

The Ineos Grenadiers team continues its raid on UCI WorldTour stage races this season. After winning the Tour de Romandie (Geraint Thomas) and the Critérium du Dauphiné (Richie Porte), Richard Carapaz added a stone to the building by winning the difficult Tour de Suisse for the first time in his career. “The race was lively until the end, I did not have a huge lead over Uran. We had to be vigilant. It is a difficult race, magnificent, and I am happy to win the general classification. The form is good a few weeks before the start of the Tour de France,” commented the Ecuadorian, already the winner of the Giro d’Italia in 2019.The results: 1. Richard Carapaz (Ineos Grenadiers); 2. Rigoberto Uran (EF Education – Nippo); 3. Jakob Fuglsang (Astana Premier Tech)

Stages won by Stefan Küng (Groupama FDJ); Mathieu Van Der Poel (Alpecin Fenix); Stefan Bissegger and Rigoberto Uran (EF Education-Nippo); Richard Carapaz (Ineos Grenadiers); Andreas Kron (Lotto Soudal); Gino Mäder (Bahrain Victorious)

***** 

Baloise Belgium Tour: the return of Evenepoel 

After abandoning the Giro d’Italia, which was his first Grand Tour, Remco Evenepoel has not been slow in his return to competition. At 21, he posted his second victory at the Baloise Belgium Tour and his 16th professional success. “I know where I’m coming from after my very big crash last year at Il Lombardia. And winning the Belgium Tour again is a very special feeling.”

The results: 1. Remco Evenepoel (Deceuninck – Quick Step); 2. Yves Lampaert (Deceuninck Quick Step); 3. Gianni Marchand (Tarteletto – Isorex); 
Stages won by: Robbe Ghys (Sport Vlaanderen – Baloise); Remco Evenepoel and Mark Cavendish (Deceuninck Quick Step); Caleb Ewan (Lotto Soudal)

*****

La route d’Occitanie – La Dépêche du Midi: First wins for Pedrero

The last stage race before the Tour de France, the Route d’Occitanie found itself a fine winner with Antonio Pedrero. The Spaniard from Team Movistar won the third stage which included the ascent of the Tourmalet. Well supported by his team the next day, he secured the overall victory and at the same time won the first two races of his career at 29 years old.

The results: 1. Antonio Pedrero (Team Movistar); 2. Jesus Herrada (Cofidis, Solutions Credits); 3. Oscar Rodriguez (Astana Premier Tech)
Stages won by: Andrea Vendrame (AG2R CITROËN TEAM); Arnaud Demare (Groupama FDJ); Antonio Pedrero (Team Movistar); Magnus Cort Nielsen (EF Education – Nippo)

*****

The races to come

@ Yves Perret / www.ypmedias.com

Critérium du Dauphiné: Porte at last!

Having already taken 2nd in 2013 and 2017, Richie Porte won his first Critérium du Dauphiné at the age of 36! Despite support from a very strong Ineos Grenadiers team, the Australian had to fight until the last kilometers to ensure that he could lift his first trophy in the resort town of Les Gets. Third in the Tour de France last year, this win completes an incredible collection of victories in the Santos Tour Down Under, Volta Ciclista Catalunya, Tour de Suisse, Paris-Nice and the Tour de Romandie. “After two podiums in this race, this victory is the reward for a lot of sacrifices. I am so happy.”

The results: 1. Richie Porte (Ineos Grenadiers) ; 2. Alexey Lutsenko (Astana Premier Tech) ; 3. Geraint Thomas (Ineos Grenadiers) 

Stages won by: Brent Van Moer (Lotto Soudal) ; Lukas Postlberger (Bora Hansgrohe) ;  Alexey Lutsenko (Astana Premier Tech) ; Geraint Thomas (Ineos Grenadiers)  ; Alejandro Valverde (Movistar), Mark Padun and Sony Colbrelli (Bahrain Victorious)

*****

Tour de Suisse (Switzerland): King Kung opens it up

European time trial champion Stefan Kung of Switzerland claimed a prestigious victory in the opening time trial of the Tour de Suisse. The Groupama FDJ rider has not won a UCI WorldTour race since his victory in Bellinzona on stage 9 of the Tour de Suisse 2018 ! The winner of the Paris-Nice time trial this season, Stefan Bissegger (EF Education- Nippo) took second place, just ahead of Mattia Cattaneo (Deceuninck Quick Step).

The results: 1. Stefan Kung (Groupama FDJ) ; 2. Stefan Bissegger (EF Education- Nippo) ; 3. Mattia Cattaneo (Deceuninck Quick Step).

***** 

Course de la Paix Grand Prix Jeseníky: Zana takes it

At 22, Filippo Zana won the greatest victory of his career by winning the Peace Race. The 22-year-old Italian rider, having recently raced the Giro d’Italia with his team Bardiani CSF – Faizanè, took advantage of his good form after three weeks of racing to win this Coupe des Nations race for U23 cyclists.

The results: 1. Filippo Zana (Italy) ; 2. Kristjan Hocevar ; 3. Toon Clynhens (Belgium)

Stages won by: Soren Werenskjold (Norway) Pavel Bittner (Czech Republic) ; Filippo Zana (Italy) ; Axel Laurence (France) 

*****

The races to come

Tour de Suisse (Switzerland), 6-13/05, www.tourdesuisse.ch

Mont Ventoux Dénivelé Challenge (France), 8/06, www.denivelechallenges.com

Baloise Belgium Tour (Belgium), 9-13/06, www.sport.be/baloisebelgiumtour/2021/nl/

La Route d’Occitanie – La Dépêche du Midi (France), 9-13/06, www.laroutedoccitanie.fr