©Setmana Ciclista Valenciana
Setmana Ciclista Valenciana: van Vleuten doubles her bet
As in 2021, Annemiek van Vleuten won the Setmana Ciclista Valenciana after a hard-fought event. “If you realize that only four and a half months ago I crashed so badly in Roubaix and left my crutches behind only in mid-December, to be able to do this…it’s so nice to start the season this way. It takes the pressure off the shoulders as well as for the team. We worked well during these four days and learned some lessons that we can make use of at the Giro and the Tour de France,” commented the 39-year-old Dutchwoman.
The results: 1. Annemiek van Vleuten (Movistar Team Women), 2. Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig (FDJ Nouvelle Aquitaine Futuroscope), 3. Marta Cavalli (FDJ Nouvelle Aquitaine Futuroscope)…
Stages won by: Elisa Balsamo (Trek-Segafredo Women), Ellen van Dijk (Trek-Segafredo Women), Annemiek van Vleuten (Movistar Team Women), Marta Bastianelli (UAE Team ADQ).
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Tour of Oman: Hirt signals his return
It has been six years since the Czech Jan Hirt was able to raise his arms in victory. Now the winner of the 5th stage on Monday, February 14, at the top of Jabal Al Akhadhar, the rider from the Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux team ultimately took the overall victory at the Tour of Oman on Tuesday, thus succeeding Kazahk Alexey Lutsenko (Astana), winner of the last two editions in 2018 and 2019. “This victory in the final classification is a magnificent bonus. I am in the form of my life, and I rediscovered the love of cycling within the Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux team. I needed time to regain all my abilities and adapt after the difficult period linked to the pandemic,” said Jan Hirt
The results: 1. Jan Hirt (Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux), 2. Fausto Masnada (Quick-Step Alpha Vynil), 3. Rui Costa (UEA Team Emirates)
Stages won by: Fernando Gaviria (UAE Team Emirates), Mark Cavendish (Quick-Step Alpha Vynil), Anthon Charmig (Uno-X Pro Cycling), Fausto Masnada (Quick-Step Alpha Vynil), Jan Hirt (Intermarché -Wanty-Gobert Matériaux), Fernando Gaviria (UAE Team Emirates).
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Tour des Alpes-Maritimes et du Var: Quintana sees double
A week after winning the Tour de la Provence, Colombian Nairo Quintana won the Tour des Alpes-Maritimes et du Var on Sunday. He is certainly leaving his mark on the start of the season. Finishing off his solo attack in the third and last stage, he won at Blausasc and dispossessed Tim Wellens of the leader’s jersey in the general classification. “It is a joy to win the Tour de la Provence and the Tour des Alpes-Maritimes et du Var in quick succession. I am in good shape. I was able to work well. The team did a great job. We are very happy. Hard work pays off. I knew the roads well, I was confident. Now we are going to work towards Paris-Nice. I have to stay in good shape,” commented the Colombian.
The results: 1. Nairo Quintana (Arkéa Samsic), 2. Tim Wellens (Lotto-Soudal), 3. Guillaume Martin (Cofidis)…
Stages won by: Caleb Ewan (Lotto-Soudal), Tim Wellens (Lotto-Soudal), Nairo Quintana (Arkéa Samsic)
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UAE Tour: Philipsen impressive
Ahead of a fine group of specialist sprinters, Jasper Philipsen won the first stage of the UAE Tour on Sunday:
“It’s a special feeling, when you look at the startlist, with all these sprinters, this is probably the highest level for the sprint that we’ve seen since the start of the season. We can therefore be very proud and try to continue our momentum for the next races,” commented Philipsen, who will also start this Monday with the leader’s jersey for the second stage, which is also promised to the sprinters.
Stage one: 1. Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Fenix), 2. Sam Bennett (Bora Hansgrohe), 3. Elia Viviani (Ineos Greandiers)…
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Tour du Rwanda: Geniez in the floods
It was in dantesque conditions that the Frenchman Alexandre Geniez won on Sunday during the prologue of the Tour du Rwanda. In the streets of Kigali, the TotalEnergies rider was ahead of Restrepo by 6 seconds and his own teammate Sandy Dujardin by 7.
Stage one: 1. Alexandre Geniez (TotalEnergies), 2. Jhonatan Restrepo (Drone Hopper-Androni), 3. Sandy Dujardin (TotalEnergies)…
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Races to come:
Tour du Rwanda 20-26/02 www.tourdurwanda.rw
UAE Tour 20-26/02 www.theuaetour.com/ar/
Omloop Het Nieuwsblad Elite 26/02 https://www.omloophetnieuwsblad.be/nl/ohn/elite-mannen
Faun-Ardèche Classic 26/02 www.boucles-drome-ardeche.fr
Faun-Drôme Classic 27/02 www.boucles-drome-ardeche.fr
Kuurne-Bruxelles-Kuurne 27/02 www.kuurne-brussel-kuurne.be