© Tour de Pologne

Tour de Pologne: Almeida opens his international tally

At 23, Joao Almeida has up till now had just one victory in his national time trial championship. The rider from Deceuninck Quick Step had made his name last year by wearing the pink Giro jersey for fourteen days (finishing 4th overall). But in a week on the Tour de Pologne, Almeida reminded everyone that he is a rider of the future by taking two victories in the 2nd and 4th stages on the way to winning the general classification: “It is what I work for. Winning a stage race is a dream come true,” the Portuguese rider explained.

The results: 1. Joao Almeida (Deceuninck – Quick Step) ; 2. Matej Mohoric (Bahrain Victorious) ; 3. Michal Kwiatkowski (Ineos Grenadiers)

Stages won by:  Phil Bauhaus (Bahrain Victorious) ; Joao Almeida and Rémi Cavagna (Deceuninck – Quick Step) ; Fernando Gaviria (UAE Team Emirates) ; Nikias Arndt (Team DSM) ; Julius Van Den Berg (EF Education Nippo)

*****

PostNord Danmark Rundt – Tour of Denmark: The return of Evenepoel

At 21 years old and with seven stage races on his palmarès, Remco Evenepoel proved once again at the Tour of Denmark that he is not an ordinary rider. Already the winner of the third stage, the Belgian did it again by winning on the last day in the 10.8 km time trial around Frederiksberg. “On the last day, I didn’t want to take any chances to secure the overall. Winning this time is just the icing on the cake,” said the Belgian rider.

The results: 1. Remco Evenepoel (Deceuninck Quick Step) ; 2. Mads Pedersen (Trek Segafredo) ; 3. Mike Teunissen (Team Jumbo Visma) 

Stage won by: Dylan Groenewegen (Team Jumbo Visma) ; Mads Pedersen (Trek Segafredo); Remco Evenepoel (Deceuninck Quick Step); Colin Joyce (Rally Cycling) 

*****

Tour de l’Avenir: Mick Van Dijke at the controls

After three days and thanks to the team time trial, the Netherlands team with Mick Van Dijke leads the overall standings of the Tour de l’Avenir. The rider who will join the Jumbo Visma team next year is ahead of three of his teammates. Before the Dutch takeover, the Norwegian Søren Wærenskjold won the prologue and the first road stage.

The results: 1. Mick Van Dijke (Pays-Bas) ; 2. Casper Van Uden (Pays-Bas) ; 3. Marijn Van Den Berg (Pays-Bas)

Stages won by: Søren Wærenskjold (Norvège) ; Pays-Bas

*****

Vuelta ciclista a Espana: Roglic begins as leader

The reigning two-time winner of the Spanish tour, Primoz Roglic assumed his status as Olympic Time Trial Champion by winning on streets of Burgos right from the start. The next day, the first road stage was won by Jasper Philipsen, which did not change the overall situation. But this success allows his team Alpecin Fenix to post a nice hat-trick after stage victories in the Giro, the Tour and now the Vuelta. A fantastic performance for their first year in the three-week races.

The results: 1. Primoz Roglic (Jumbo Visma) ; 2. Alex Aranburu (Astana Premier Tech); 3. Michael Matthews  (Team BikeExchange) 

Stages won by: Primoz Roglic (Jumbo Visma) ; Jasper Philipsen (Team Alpecin Fenix) 

*****

Races to come:

Tour de l’Avenir (Fra), 13-22/08, www.tourdelavenir.com

Tour du Limousin – Nouvelle Aquitaine, 17-20/08, www.tourdulimousin.com/

Vuelta ciclista a Espana, 14/08- 05/09, www.lavuelta.com

Tour of Norway (Nor), 19-22/08, www.tourofnorway.no/gb