©Pool Luca Bettini

Coppa Bernocchi: Play it like Remco

Belgian Remco Evenepoel outclassed the competition at the Coppa Bernocchi. After a long solo raid, the rider from Deceuninck Quick Step not only managed to overtake riders on the final circuit, but he won with a huge margin of 1’49 ” over Alessandro Covi and his teammate Fausto Masnada. Badly injured last year following a crash at Il Lombardia, Evenepoel clinched his eighth win of the season in Italy.

The results: 1. Remco Evenepoel (Deceuninck Quick Step); 2. Alessandro Covi (UAE Team Emirates); 3. Fausto Masnada (Deceuninck Quick Step)

*****

100 Tre Valli Varesine: De Marchi is eternal

At 35, Alessandro De Marchi is enjoying a good season. Having led the Giro d’Italia for two days in May, the veteran Italian took the 6th victory of his career by winning the 100 Tre Valli Varesine. He had not won a race since 2018 when he took the Giro Dell’Emilia. This week in Varese, the rider from the Israel Start-Up Nation team beat Davide Formolo in the sprint. The two-time winner of the Tour, Tadej Pogacar completed the podium. 

The results: 1. Alessandro De Marchi (Israël Start-Up Nation); 2. Davide Formolo (UAE Team Emirates); 3. Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates)

*****

Milano-Torino: Roglic is the boss

A few days after the Giro Dell’Emilia, Primoz Roglic secured the 60th victory of his career, dominating Milano-Torino finishing at the top of the Superga, which overlooks the city of Turin. The three-time Vuelta winner broke away at the end of the race to finish handily ahead of Briton Adam Yates and Portuguese Joao Almeida.

The results: 1. Primoz Roglic (Team Jumbo Visma); 2. Adam Yates (Ineos Grenadiers); 3. Joao Almeida (Deceuninck Quick Step)

***** 

Gran Piemonte: Walls as the fastest

Already the winner of the last stage at the Tour of Norway in August, Briton Matthew Walls posted the second victory of his career by winning the classic Gran Piemonte. At 23, he put in a great performance, beating former European champion Giacomo Nizzolo and Dutchman Olav Kooij in the sprint.

The results: 1. Matthew Walls (Bora Hansgrohe); 2. Giacomo Nizzolo (Team Qhuebka NextHash); 3. Olav Kooij (Team Jumbo Visma)

*****

Paris-Bourges: Super strong Meeus

Winner of a stage at the Tour de Hongrie in May, the Belgian Jordi Meeus ended the season well. At 23, the rider from Bora Honsgrohe enjoyed the luxury of beating the triple French Champion, Arnaud Démare and the Italian Niccolo Bonifazio, two of the fastest riders in the peloton. 

The results: 1. Jordi Meeus (Bora Hansgrohe); 2. Arnaud Démare (Groupama FDJ); Niccolo Bonifazio (Team Total Energies)

*****

Il Lombardia: Pogacar extends his domination

What a season for Tadej Pogacar! After Liège-Bastogne-Liège in April, the Slovenian added a second Monument to his list by dominating Il Lombardia. This year, the young rider succeeded in winning the UAE Tour, Tirreno Adriatico, three stages of the Tour de France on his way to a second consecutive victory in the Tour de France, which is already not nothing!

“My form fluctuated over the second half of the season. But today I had really good legs! It’s amazing to win here, which is a race that I have dreamed of winning.” At 23, Pogacar seems to be making more cycling history every day.

The results: 1. Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) ; 2. Fausto Masnada (Deceuninck Quick-Step) ; 3. Adam Yates (Ineos Grenadiers)

*****

Paris-Tours Elite: Démare takes a breath

Arnaud Démare has said it often in the press: he was not as successful as he had hoped to be this year. But at the end of a breathless final, the Groupama FDJ rider picked up a fine victory on the Avenue de Grammont to win an exciting edition of Paris-Tours for the first time in his career. Having been forced to strike out a long way from the finish to hunt down the two remaining breakaway riders, he beat his compatriot Franck Bonnamour and the Belgian Jasper Stuyven, winner of Milan Sam-Remo, in a nail-biting sprint finish.

The results: 1. Arnaud Démare (Groupama FDJ) ; 2. Franck Bonnamour (B&B Hotels p/b KTM) ; 3. Jasper Stuyven (Trek Segafredo)

*****

Races to come

Grand Prix du Morbihan (Fra), 16/10, www.gpmo.bzh

Chrono des Nations (Fra), 17/10, www.chronodesnations.com

©A.S.O. / Pauline Ballet

Paris-Roubaix: Colbrelli out of hell

It’s been 20 years since rain really hit Paris-Roubaix. And since the race had to be moved to October, 903 days after its last edition, the skies opened up a torrent of wet weather. Paris-Roubaix in the rain was an Italian story. First Gianni Moscon seemed to be headed to victory in the final, when ultimately mechanical problems deprived him of the greatest success of his career. In a three-way sprint for the victory, Sonny Colbrelli was the fastest. The Bahrain Victorious rider is the first Italian to win since Andrea Tafi in 1999. At 22, Florian Vermeersch (2nd) should be looking to return to Roubaix to win, as should Mathieu Van der Poel (3rd).

The results: 1. Sonny Colbrelli (Bahrain Victorious) ; 2. Florian Vermeersch (Lotto Soudal); 3. Mathieu Van Der Poel (Alpecin Fenix)

*****

Paris-Roubaix Femmes: Deignan makes history

At 32 years old and racing the first Paris-Roubaix Femmes in history, Elizabeth Deignan put her name in the history books to become the first woman ever to lift the famous cobblestone in the velodrome. The Briton lit up the race 80 kilometers from the finish and was never seen again. Marianne Vos‘s attack less than 20 kilometers from the finish was not enough to change anything. Deignan was very moved at the end: “I just wanted to be in a good position. But when I saw that no one was following, I pushed my effort and didn’t look back. I’m very proud, it’s a big day for women’s cycling.” The Trek Segafredo team succeeded in placing a second rider on the podium with Italian champion Elisa Longo Borghini finishing in 3rd.

The results: 1. Elizabeth Deignan (Trek Segafredo Women) ; 2. Marianne Vos (Jumbo Visma Women); 3. Elisa Longo Borghini (Trek Segafredo Women)

*****

Cro Race: Stephen Williams opens his palmarès

At 25, Stephen Williams succeeds Adam Yates as the winner at the Cro Race. The rider from Bahrain Victorious, who has been a professional since 2019, won the first two races of his career, winning first on stage 5 and then taking the overall general classification. Ahead of the end of the season, his team now has 30 victories. Overall, he finished ahead of the Norwegian Markus Hoelgaard (Uno-X Pro Cycling Team) and the Dutch Mick Van Dijke (Jumbo Visma).

The results: 1. Stephen Williams (Bahrain Victorious) ; 2. Markus Hoelgaard (Uno-X Pro Cycling Team); 3. Mick Van Dijke (Jumbo Visma)

Stages won by: Phil Bahaus and Stephen Williams (Bahrain Victorious) ; Olav Kooij and Tim Van Dijke (Jumbo Visma) ; Milan Menten (Bingoal Pauwels Sauces WB) 

***** 

Route Adélie de Vitré: De Kleijn in the storm

A round in the Coupe de France, the Route Adélie de Vitré was raced under appalling weather conditions. And at the end of the day, it was the Dutchman Arvid de Kleijn of the American Rally Cycling team who was the fastest. De Kleijn, also the winner this year of a stage at the Tour of Turkey, deprived Frenchman Emmanuel Morin of his first professional victory. Young Jason Tesson completes the podium. 

The results: 1. Arvid de Kleijn (Rally Cycling) ; 2. Emmanuel Morin (Cofidis, Solutions Crédits); 3. Jason Tesson (Saint Michel Auber 93) 

***** 

Giro Dell’Emilia Roglic ahead of the rest

Already a winner eleven times this season, Primoz Roglic added a twelfth victory by dominating the Giro Dell’Emilia, two years after his first victory at the Italian classic. The Olympic champion made the difference in the final climb and won with a three second advantage ahead of Portugal’s Joao Almeida (Deceuninck – Quick Step) and 5 seconds over Canada’s Michael Woods (Israel Start-Up Nation).

The results:  1. Primoz Roglic (Jumbo Visma) ; 2. Joao Almeida (Deceuninck – Quick Step); 3. Michael Woods (Israël Start-Up Nation)

*****

Races to come:

©Skoda Tour de Luxembourg

Skoda Tour de Luxembourg: Almeida masters it

Having won the Tour de Pologne in August, which was his first victory in a stage race, the Portuguese João Almeida did it again at the Skoda Tour de Luxembourg. Winner of the first stage around Luxembourg City, the Deceuninck Quick Step rider had to relinquish his leader’s jersey to Swiss Marc Hirschi the next day. But that was without counting on the 25 km time trial at Dudelange. Admittedly, Almeida (2nd) let the stage victory slip away by two seconds, but the essential result lay elsewhere: he was again the leader of the race. David Gaudu’s victory on the last day has no impact ultimately on the results. Almeida took the overall victory in Luxembourg, which was the sixth success of his season… and of his career.

The results: 1. João Almeida (Deceuninck Quick Step) ; 2. Marc Hirschi (UAE Team Emirates) ; 3. Mattia Cattaneo (Deceuninck Quick Step)
Stages won by : João Almeida and Mattia Cattaneo (Deceuninck Quick Step) ; Marc Hirschi (UAE Team Emirates) ; Sacha Modolo (Alpecin Fenix) ; David Gaudu (Groupama FDJ)

*****

Grand Prix de Wallonie: Laporte as a specialist

Christophe Laporte is in good shape. After his success during the first stage of the Tour du Limousin, the rider from Cofidis added the 21st victory to his palmarès by winning in the heart of the citadel of Namur: “The team did a great job, we were always represented at the front, and we managed the race as well as possible.” Riders from France in fact posted a double success on Belgian soil with the second place going to Warren Barguil.

The results: 1. Christophe Laporte (Cofidis) ; 2. Warren Barguil (Arkea Samsic) ; 3. Tosh Van Der Sande (Lotto Soudal)

*****

Eschborn-Frankfurt: Philipsen on the move

Winner of two stages in the recent Vuelta a Espana (which he abandoned after ten days), Jasper Philipsen is in good form at the end of the season. Two days after his victory over the Kampioenschap van Vlaanderen, the Belgian hung the German classic Eschborn-Frankfurt on his hunting board. And the 23-year-old Belgian talent even had the luxury of beating out two well-rounded sprinters, John Degenkolb and Alexander Kristoff.

The results: 1. Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin Fenix) ; 2. John Degenkolb (Lotto Soudal) ; 3. Alexander Kristoff (UAE Team Emirates)

*****

Grand Prix d’Isbergues Pas de Calais: Viviani extends

Elia Viviani loves the Coupe de France. After winning the GP Fourmies, the Italian from Cofidis once again raised his arms in victory at the Grand Prix d’Isbergues, another great event in northern France. The former Olympic track champion now has a whopping 85 wins in his career, but above all he takes the lead in the provisional classification of the Coupe de France. The end of the season promises to be exciting in France.

The results: 1. Elia Viviani (Cofidis, Solutions Crédits) ; 2. Tim Merlier (Alpecin Fenix) ; 3. Alberto Dainese (Team DSM)

*****

Races to come:

©Bruno Bade / LNC

Grand Prix de Fourmies La Voix du Nord: Viviani in position

After the Cholet Pays de Loire in March, Elia Viviani added another round of the Coupe de France to his tally by winning the Grand Prix of Fourmies La Voix du Nord. “The guys on the team put me in a perfect position to go into the sprint. My feelings are good. I took this win in front of top sprinters, so it’s nice!” With this win, the Italian sprinter, who has 84 victories on his palmarès, is getting close to leading the classification of the Coupe de France where he is currently in second place. 

The results: 1. Elia Viviani (Cofidis, Solutions Crédits) ; 2. Pascal Ackermann (Bora Hansgrohe) ; 3. Fernando Gaviria (UAE Team Emirates)

*****

Races to come:

©Photogomez Sport / La Vuelta

Vuelta ciclista a Espana: Roglic the Spaniard

First 2019, then 2020 and now 2021. The Slovenian dominated the Vuelta a Espana for the third consecutive season. A few weeks after having had to abandon the Tour de France, the leader of the Jumbo Visma team has cultivated the art of rebounding, which he obviously mastered well by winning four stages in the process. His success on the 17th stage at the Lagos de Covadonga will certainly go down in history after a 60 kilometer raid. “I am honored to win the Vuelta for the third year in a row,” said Roglic after his success on the boulevards of Santiago de Compostela. He is the first rider since Roberto Heras (2003-2005) to have taken a hat-trick in the Spanish Grand Tour.

The results: 1. Primoz Roglic (Jumbo Visma); 2.Enric Mas (Team Movistar); 3. Jack Haig (Bahrain Victorious)

Stages won by: Primoz Roglic (Jumbo Visma) ; Jasper Philipsen (Team Alpecin Fenix) ; Rein Taaramäe (Intermarché Wanty Gobert Matériaux); Magnus Cort (EF Education Nippo); Michael Storer et Romain Bardet (Team DSM); Fabio Jakobsen et Florian Sénéchal (Deceuninck Quick Step); Damiano Caruso (Bahrain Victorious); Rafal Majka (UAE Team Emirates); Miguel Angel Lopez (Team Movistar); Clément Champoussin (AG2R CITROËN TEAM)

*****

GP de Plouay – Lorient- Agglomération Trophée CERATIZIT: Longo Borghini goes solo

After her success at the Trofeo Alfredo Binda and in the Italian Championships (road and time trial), Elisa Longo Borghini demonstrated the full extent of her puncheur qualities by winning for the first time in the GP of Plouay. The Team Trek Segafredo cyclist is the first Italian since Luperini in 2008 to win in Brittany. Behind her, the French Gladys Verhulst took the sprint of the peloton and in the process earned her best performance in the UCI Women WorldTour.

The results: 1. Elisa Longo Borghini (Trek Segafredo) ; 2.Gladys Verhulst (Team Arkea) ; 3.Kristen Faulkner (Team TIBCO – SVB) 

*****

Benelux Tour: Colbrelli, a man for all terrains

Six years after winning the Tour du Limousin, Sonny Colbrelli has a second stage race on his record with the Benelux Tour, a UCI WorldTour event. The fast Italian from Bahrain Victorious notably built his success during the stage in the Ardennes which finished at Houffalize, usually located on the Liège Bastogne-Liège route. Second the next day at Geraardsbergen behind his teammate Mohoric, Colbrelli won a prestigious victory on Belgian soil. The two men from Bahrain Victorious even took the first two places in the general classification.

The results: 1.Sonny Colbrelli (Bahrain Victorious) ; 2. Matej Mohoric (Bahrain Victorious) ; 3. Victor Campenaerts (Team Qhubeka NextHash)

Stage won by : Tim Merlier (Alpecin Fenix) ; Stefan Biseger (EF Education Nippo) ; Taco Van Der Hoorn (Intermarché Wanty Gobert Matériaux) ; Caleb Ewan (Lotto Soudal) ; Sonny Colbrelli et Matej Mohoric (Bahrain Victorious)

*****

Tour of the Doubs: Godon takes it

The AG2R CITROËN TEAM had a prolific weekend with three wins in two days. After the successes of Benoît Cosnefroy the day before in the Jura and Clément Champoussin at the Vuelta a Espana, Dorian Godon came through to round off the good weekend for the French team. Already victorious this season at Paris – Camembert and with a stage win in the Tour du Limousin, Godon confirms his status upgrade and at the same time takes an option on the overall general classification of the Coupe de France.

The results: 1. Dorian Godon (AG2R CITROËN TEAM); 2. Biniam Ghirmay Hailu (Intermarché Wanty Gobert Matériaux); 3. Tom Paquot (Bingoal Pauwels Sauces WB)

*****

Ceratizit Challenge by la Vuelta: Calm like Van Vleuten

At 38, Annnemiek Van Vleuten is insatiable. The Olympic Time Trial Champion delivered an expert recital in Spain to win the Ceratizit Challenge by la Vuelta. After the victory of the Swiss Marlen Reusser, the Dutchwoman took over the lead the next day. And on the third stage, which finished in Pereiro de Aguia, she won with a lead of … 2’48’’ over Liane Lippert. Enormous! After 86 UCI victories, the first of which dates back to 2010, Van Vleuten is still hungry.

The results: 1. Annemiek Van Vleuten (Team Movistar) ; 2. Marlen Reusser (Alé BTC Ljubljana) ; 3. Elise Chabbey (Canyon Sram Racing) ; 

Stages won by: Marlen Reusser (Alé BTC Ljubljana) ; Annemiek Van Vleuten (Team Movistar) ; Lotte Kopecky (Liv Racing)

*****

Races to come:

©Yves Perret – YP Médias

Bretagne Classic-Ouest France Benoît Cosnefroy takes on Alaphilippe

“To win in front of Julian, with his World Champion jersey: I will frame the photo.” After his first UCI WorldTour victory, Benoît Cosnefroy still couldn’t believe it. The AG2R CITROËN TEAM rider achieved his greatest success by winning the Bretagne Classic, a first for him at the UCI WorldTour level. Isolated at the front of the race with Julian Alaphilippe and his teammate Mikkel Honoré, the former U23 World Champion (2017) maneuvered perfectly to raise his arms in victory after a very long straight to the finish line at Plouay. A first that should appeal to others.”

The results: 1. Benoît Cosnefroy (AG2R CITROËN TEAM) ; 2. Julian Alaphilippe (Deceuninck Quick-Step); 3. Mikkel Honoré (Deceuninck Quick-Step)

*****

Vuelta ciclista a Espana: Odd Christian Eiking earns the right to dream

When it comes to taking stock of the Vuelta, the finish of the tenth stage in Rincon de la Victoria will perhaps resonate in a particularly special way. This is where the Vuelta tipped over for the first time. Three days after his first success, 24-year-old Australian Michael Storer (Team DSM) showed that he has a bright future ahead of him. At the same time, Norwegian Odd Christian Eiking took the red leader’s jersey with a 58’ lead over Guillaume Martin and… 2’17’ ’over Primoz Roglic! After five days with the leader’s jersey on his back and ahead of the second day of rest, the Norwegian is still in charge. Perhaps his lead is just 1.36 over Roglic, but he can still allow himself to daydream for a few more days.

The results: 1. Odd Christian Eiking (Intermarché Wanty Gobert Matériaux) ; 2. Guilllaume Martin (Cofidis) ; 3. Primoz Roglic (Jumbo Visma)

Stages won by: Primoz Roglic (Jumbo Visma) ; Jasper Philipsen (Team Alpecin Fenix) ; Rein Taaramäe (Intermarché Wanty Gobert Matériaux) ; Magnus Cort (EF Education Nippo) ; Michael Storer and Romain Bardet (Team DSM) ; Fabio Jakobsen and Florian Sénéchal (Deceuninck Quick Step) ; Damiano Caruso (Bahrain Victorious) ; Rafal Majka (UAE Team Emirates)

*****

Tour Poitou-Charentes Nouvelle Aquitaine: Swift takes his wins abroad

Already winner of the Tro Bro Léon this season, the Briton Connor Swift added the Tour du Poitou-Charentes Nouvelle Aquitaine to his list, his first overall victory at a stage race. The rider from Arkea Samsic was able to avoid the pitfalls of the first three stages before taking 9th place in the time trial won by Ben Hermans, in a time that was sufficient to allow him to don the leader’s jersey of the event. And the final day, marked by the victory of Frenchman Clément Carisey, did not change the situation. At 25, the former champion of Great Britain (2018) proves that he knows how to win on the international stage.

The results: 1. Connor Swift (Arkea Samsic) ; 2. Bruno Armirail (Groupama FDJ) ; 3. Morten Hulgaard (Uno-X Pro Cycling Team)

Stages won by: Elia Viviani (Cofidis, Solutions Crédits) ; Jason Tesson (Saint Michel Auber 93) ; Ben Hermans (Israël Start-Up Nation) ; Clément Carisey (Team Delko)

*****

Simac Ladies Tour (Ned): Van den Broek-Blaak, five years later

When talking about the Simac Ladies Tour, how can we not mention the incredible Marianne Vos? The Dutchwoman may not have won the general classification, but at 34 she has added three more victories (the prologue and two stages) to her track record and now has 238 UCI career victories. Incredible. In the general standings, Chantal Van den Broek-Blaak of the Netherlands won the overall, five years after her first victory. The former world champion (2017) took control on the evening of the penultimate stage and handled the final day perfectly around Arnhem. Already a winner at Strade Bianche and Dwars door het Hageland at the start of the season, Van den Broek-Blaak will be one of the women to watch in the weeks to come.

The results: 1. Chantal Van den Broek-Blaak (SD Worx) ; 2. Marlen Reusser (Alé BTC Ljubljana) ; 3. Ellen Van Dijk (Trek Segafredo Women)

Stages won by: Marianne Vos (Team Jumbo Visma) ; Alison Jackson (Liv Racing) ; Marlen Reusser (Alé BTC Ljubljana) ; Lonneke Uneken (SD Worx)

*****

Brussels Cycling Classic: Evenepoel unstoppable

Remco Evenepoel had a prolific August with five victories. After taking the overall victory at the Tour of Denmark (including two stages), and then the Druivenkoers – Overijse, the 21-year-old Belgian prodigy has added the Brussels Cycling Classic to his scorecard. The Deceuninck Quick Step rider posted a performance that showed he knows the secret to winning his 21st race after three years in the professional peloton. He will certainly be one of the riders to watch for the latter part of the season.

The results: 1. Remco Evenepoel (Deceuninck Quick-Step) ; 2. Aimé De Gendt (Intermarché Wanty Gobert Matériaux) ; 3. Tosh Van Der Sande (Lotto Soudal)

*****

Deutschland Tour: Politt a prophet in his country

Winner of the 12th stage of the Tour de France this summer, the German Nils Politt added an impressive entry to his palmarès by winning his national tour. Having taken the third stage, the reliable rider from Bora Hansgrohe managed to stay 4’ ahead of his team-mate and compatriot Pascal Ackermann. A professional since 2015, Politt had only one success before this season (the 4th stage of the Tour of Germany). The 2021 season will be a highlight of his career.

The results: 1. Nils Politt (Bora Hansgrohe) ; 2. Pascal Ackermann (Bora Hansgrohe) ; 3. Alexander Kristoff (UAE Team Emirates) 

Stages won by: 1. Pascal Ackermann and Nils Politt (Bora Hansgrohe) ; Alexander Kristoff (UAE Team Emirates) 

*****

Races to come: