Archiv für den Monat: September 2021

Paris – Roubaix 2021 mit Wettervorhersage

Eintagsrennen, Frühjahrskassiker, Strassenrennen, Vorschau, Weltcup und Klassiker, ,

Wettervorhersage von Plomi:

Am Wochenende herrscht unbeständiges Wetter in Roubaix mit Temperaturen um 15°, Niederschläge werden vor allem Samstag Nachmittag und Sonntag Vormittag erwartet, die Strecke wird aufgeweicht und anspruchsvoll sein.
Sonntag Nachmittag besteht die Aussicht auf trockenes Wetter.
Rennentscheidend kann der starke Wind werden, der SA und So mit Windstärke 4 bis 5 (ca. 50km/h) aus Südwest wehen wird.
Bis zum Wald von Arenberg wird das Fahrerfeld den Rückenwind genießen können, mit der Ausfahrt aus dem Wald beginnt eine Gegenwind bzw. anschließend Seitenwindpassage bis zum Abschnitt 17.
Zwischen den Abschnitten 17 und 15 herrscht dann wieder Schiebewind.
Zwischen den Abschnitten 15 und 11 und 5 und 3 kann der böige Seitenwind rennentscheidend werden.

Key points:
 The world’s best cobble-gobblers are returning to Paris–Roubaix, which will start in front of the Château de Compiègne on Sunday 3 October.
 The majority of them already clashed in the World Championships, held in Belgium one week earlier. It will be a chance for Wout van Aert to make amends after finding himself off the pace in his first two experiences in the Queen of Classics (13th in 2018 and 22nd in 2019). He will also be facing his nemesis, Mathieu van der Poel.

When the winner lifts the cobble trophy on the lawn in Roubaix Velodrome next Sunday, will it feel heavier than its predecessors, as if it had been fattened by the 903-day wait since the 2019 edition? One thing is for sure: after seeing their hopes dashed twice, the cobble-gobblers are raring to go and tackle the event that will wrap up the season for many among them. The unusual 2021 calendar makes Paris–Roubaix the ideal race to exact revenge after the World Championships, where several movers and shakers of the peloton came up empty-handed last Sunday. One of them, Wout van Aert, will be wearing the favourite’s tag again, both at the start in Compiègne and, especially, when the peloton hits the Trouée d’Arenberg, where things started to go south for him in the previous edition. The rainy weather forecast for the weekend will make the cobblestones even more slippery. Will this play into the hands of the three-time world cyclo-cross champion or will it inject even more uncertainty into the challenge of an amazing power rider who sometimes seems short on good luck? His opponents, particularly those who already flexed their muscles in Leuven, will be ready to pounce if he runs into trouble or has to throw in the towel. The finale of the fight for the rainbow jersey revealed Dylan van Baarle’s form, which could promote him to top dog in Ineos Grenadiers, as well as an impressive Jasper Stuyven, who already knows what it feels like to finish in the top 5 in Roubaix (fourth in 2017 and fifth in 2018) and is eager to move up the ladder.
Zdeněk Štybar, who also shone on the other side of the border on Sunday, only needs to go one better after finishing second in 2015 and 2017, while his teammate Florian Sénéchal appears to be in the shape of his life… as does Sonny Colbrelli, who followed up his win in the European Championships with victory in the Memorial Marco Pantani. While Mathieu van der Poel faded a bit on the Belgian roads (eighth), his debut on the cobblestones of Paris–Roubaix could turn out to be the performance of the late season. However, it would be unwise to rule out podium regulars such as Peter Sagan and Alexander Kristoff, who are used to pulling rabbits out of their hats. Finally, the memory of their Roubaix glory days could turbocharge the ambitions of riders such as Philippe Gilbert, Greg van Avermaet, John Degenkolb and Niki Terpstra.
25 teams, main contenders

Australia
Team BikeExchange: Durbridge and Stannard (AUS)

Bahrain
Bahrain–Merida: Colbrelli (ITA), Bauhaus (GER) and Haussler (AUS)

Belgium
Deceuninck–Quick-Step: Lampaert (BEL), Štybar (CZE), Asgreen (DEN) and Sénéchal (FRA)
Lotto–Soudal: Gilbert (BEL) and Degenkolb (GER)
Alpecin–Fenix: Van der Poel (NED), Philipsen, Merlier (BEL) and Dillier (SUI)
Intermarché–Wanty Gobert: Planckaert (Bel) and Van der Hoorn (NED)
Bingoal Pauwels Sauces WB: Dupont (BEL) and Aniołkowski (POL)

France
AG2R Citroën Team: Van Avermaet, O. Naessen (BEL) and Schär (SUI)
Cofidis: Laporte (Fra) and Drucker (BEL)
Team TotalEnergies: Petit, A. Turgis (FRA), Boasson Hagen (NOR) and Terpstra (NED)
Groupama–FDJ: Démare, Le Gac (FRA) and Küng (SUI)
Delko: Šiškevičius (LTU) and Barbier (FRA)
Arkéa–Samsic: C. Swift, McLay (GBR) and Russo (FRA)
B&B Hotels p/b KTM: De Backer and Debusschere (BEL)

Germany
Bora–Hansgrohe: P. Sagan (SVK), Politt (GER) and Oss (ITA)
Team DSM: Kragh Andersen (DEN), Bol and Eekhoff (NED)

Israel
Israel Start-Up Nation: Vanmarcke (BEL) and Schmidt (DEN)

Kazakhstan
Astana–Premier Tech: Houle (CAN) and Gruzdev (KAZ)

Netherlands
Jumbo–Visma: Van Aert (BEL), Groenewegen and Teunissen (NED)

South Africa
Qhubeka NextHash: Campenaerts (BEL), Nizzolo (ITA) and Walscheid (GER)

Spain
Movistar Team: García Cortina and Erviti (ESP)

United Arab Emirates
UAE Team Emirates: Kristoff (NOR), Gaviria (COL), Bjerg (DEN) and Trentin (ITA)

United Kingdom
Ineos Grenadiers: Van Baarle (NED), Kwiatkowski (POL) and Moscon (ITA)

United States
EF Education First: Bisseger (SUI), Keukeleire (BEL), Langeveld (NED) and Docker (AUS)
Trek–Segafredo: Stuyven (BEL), M. Pedersen (DEN) and Theuns (BEL)

When the „Roubaisiennes“ take the stage

Eintagsrennen, Frauenradsport, Frühjahrskassiker, Vorschau, Weltcup und Klassiker, , ,

Lisa Brennauer: “I’m extra-motivated for this first”


Photo by Plomi

Aware of the magnitude of the occasion, the riders in the women’s peloton are gearing up for the first edition of Paris-Roubaix Femmes, scheduled for Saturday 2 October, after their debut on the cobblestones of northern France was frustrated in October 2020 and again last spring. The world of cycling is awash with questions about the favourites to win the inaugural edition, wondering what it takes to shine in this race and whether the decisive attributes are exactly the same as in the men’s competition. Five of these favourites, particularly excited about this momentous event, tell us more about their relationship with the Queen of Classics as the countdown to their initiation on the cobblestones ticks away. The powerful Lisa Brennauer hails from Bavaria, like her friend John Degenkolb (winner of Paris-Roubaix in 2015) and the trailblazer Josef Fischer, first winner of the Hell of the North, in 1896. She can only dream of making history!

Lisa Brennauer (Ceratizit-WNT Pro Cycling Team)
Kempten (Bavaria, Germany), 8 June 1988
Teams: Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung (2009), Team Hitec Products UCK (20110-2011), Specialized-lulumon / Velocio-Sram Pro Cycling (2012-2015), Canyon-Sram (2016-2017), Wiggle High5 (2018), Ceratizit-WNT Pro Cycling Team (since 2019)
Major results:
2013: ITT German champion, TTT world champion
2014: ITT and TTT world champion, silver medallist in the road race, German champion
2015: TTT world champion, winner of the Holland Ladies Tour and the Women’s Tour
2017: winner of the Thüringen Rundfahrt der Frauen
2018: ITT German champion, winner of the Thüringen Rundfahrt der Frauen
2019: German champion, winner of the Madrid Challenge by La Vuelta, winner of the Festival Elsy Jacobs
2020: German champion, TTT European champion, winner of the Madrid Challenge by La Vuelta
2021: German champion, ITT German champion, TTT World champion
An anecdote: Lisa Brennauer has never ridden in Roubaix but she’ll discover both the outdoor and the covered velodrome this October. After the Hell of the North, she’ll return for the UCI Track World Championships, held in the Jean Stablinski velodrome at the end of the month.

A DREAM IS BORN
Paris-Roubaix is coming, and Lisa Brennauer can already feel “goosebumps” as she thinks of “riding the last cobbles in Roubaix, the ‘nice’ ones, and going into the entrance of the velodrome. Iconic is really a word that fits this race well.” The passionate German champion is already familiar with the Hell of the North and its folklore: “It’s a brutal race that we’ve all followed many many times on television, and now we finally can take on this challenge ourselves. So I think it’s a cool step for women’s cycling and I’m excited to be part of it. I like the style of the race. I think it’s also something that suits me as a rider. So I’m extra motivated for this first edition.”

CUT OUT FOR THE COBBLESTONES?
There are many requirements to do well on the cobbles, especially on the way to Roubaix. “You need a lot of power, first of all, and of course you need to be able to ride over the cobbles”, Brennauer begins with. “But I also think you need a team, and you need to have the ability to never give up.” The German rider relies on her teammates to put her in the best position to show her abilities, and she notably counts on Maria Giulia Confalonieri: “She has been riding super well in last week’s World Championships.” Brennauer’s stellar TT record shows she has the power and resilience. With several podium finishes in cobble classics such as the Ronde van Vlaanderen and Gent-Wevelgem, she’s already proved her abilities perfectly fit hard racing in difficult conditions: “I really think it’s a race that suits me.”

PREPARING FOR THE BIG SHAKE
Straight off the world championships, Brennauer went to Roubaix for another recon of the cobbles. “I came pretty early, already last year when we were allowed to travel again. We had perfect Roubaix weather then – it rained”, she describes with a laugh. “I had two days there to ride on the circuit, test the equipment, and I had another two days after the Worlds. I think I know the good way to go, the lines to choose or, at least, the ones not to, to try and make it over the cobbles as smooth as possible.” Hailing from Bavaria, Brennauer has also spoken with John Degenkolb, winner of the 2015 Paris-Roubaix: “We’ve known each other from races since we’re under 15, so his victory is my favourite Roubaix moment. His main advice was to always be in the front and to never give up until you really are at the finish, because everything can happen in this race.”

THE IDEAL SCENARIO
“I think a lot of people see me as a rider who often waits for the finish because I’m quite fast, but I don’t think this is how you will win Roubaix in the end”, Brennauer warns. “Of course, it would be best to arrive alone, or in a very very small breakaway group to be able to win this race, and, yes, it’s a scenario I hope I will be able to create.” To do so, she aims to “save as much energy as possible in this first part of the race, to then be able to be in an attack or launch an attack in the finale. This is where I see myself.” It could lead her to a second victory on French roads, 8 years after she took her first pro win during the Tour Languedoc Roussillon. Raising her arms in Roubaix this Saturday would make for a major landmark in her career and in cycling history.

7th Cro Race – Etappe 2

Ergebnisse, Etappenrennen, , ,

2. Etappe , 187.0 km
1. Kooij, Olav (Jumbo-Visma) 4:22:07
2. Einhorn, Itamar (Israel Start-Up Nation) 0:00
3. Groves, Kaden (Team Bikeexchange) 0:00
4. Aberasturi Izaga, Jon (Caja Rural-Seguros RGA) 0:00
5. Auer, Daniel (WSA KTM Graz) 0:00
6. Marchiori, Leonardo (Androni Giocattoli – Sidermec) 0:00
7. Menten, Milan (Bingoal WB) 0:00
8. Angulo Sampedro, Antonio (Euskaltel – Euskadi) 0:00
9. Martin Sanz, Gotzon (Euskaltel – Euskadi) 0:00
10. Halvorsen, Kristoffer (Uno – X Pro Cycling Team) 0:00

Sizilien – Rundfahrt Etappe 2

Ergebnisse, Etappenrennen, Strassenrennen, , ,

Sebastian Molano (UAE) wiederholt seinen Sieg vom Vortag auf der 2. Etappe der Sizilien Rundfahrt.

2. Etappe , 173.0 km
1. Molano Benavides, Juan Sebastian (UAE Team Emirates) 4:25:41
2. Moschetti, Matteo (Trek – Segafredo) 0:00
3. Mareczko, Jakub (Vini Zabu) 0:00
4. Onesti, Emanuele (Giotti Victoria Savini Due) 0:00
5. Belletti, Manuel (Eolo-Kometa Cycling Team) 0:00
6. Carollo, Francesco (Mg.K Vis Vpm) 0:00
7. Zambelli, Samuele (Iseo – Rime – Carnovali) 0:00
8. Nesi, Nicolas (D’Amico um Tools) 0:00
9. Goldshtein, Omer (Israel Start-Up Nation) 0:00
10. Bais, Mattia (Androni Giocattoli – Sidermec) 0:00


Photo by Plomi

Eurométropole Tour 178km

Eintagsrennen, Ergebnisse, Teamnews, , , , ,

1. Fabio Jakobsen (NED, Deceuninck-QuickStep) 4:08:32
2. Jordi Meeus (BEL, Bora-Hansgrohe) 0:00
3. Mads Pedersen (DEN, Trek-Segafredo) 0:00
4. Danny van Poppel (NED, Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux) 0:00
5. Hugo Hofstetter (FRA, Israel Start-up Nation) 0:00
6. Nacer Bouhanni (FRA, Team Arkea-Samsic) 0:00
7. Kenneth Van Rooy (BEL, Sport Vlaanderen-Baloise) 0:00
8. Luca Mozzato (ITA, B&B Hotels p/b KTM) 0:00
9. Reinardt Janse Van Rensburg (RSA, Qhubeka NextHash) 0:00
10. Samuel Leroux (FRA, Xelliss-Roubaix Lille Metropole) 0:00

Jordi Meeus sprintet auf starken zweiten Platz bei der Eurométropole Tour

Das Eintagesrennen Eurométropole Tour, führte über 177km von La Louvière nach Tournai im wallonischen Teil Belgiens. Die Zielgeraden auf den fünf Runden wiesen zwar jeweils einen scharfen Anstieg auf, aber ein Sprint war am Ende zu erwarten. Eine siebenköpfige Ausreißergruppe konnte sich schon früh absetzen, aber das Feld ließ die Gruppe nicht aus den Augen und mit 60 km bis zu Ziel war die Spitzengruppe wieder eingefangen. Danach fiel das Feld etwas auseinander und eine Gruppe von 29 Fahrern, unter ihnen auch Jordi Meeus, konnte sich lösen. Auf den letzten Kilometern allerdings gesellten sich mehrere Fahrer zu dieser Gruppe und das Rennen wurde in einem Sprint-Showdown entschieden. Nach einer starken Leistung auf der Zielgeraden belegte Jordi den zweiten Platz hinter F. Jakobsen.

Reaktionen im Ziel
„Das Team hat mich die ganze Zeit gut unterstützt, und als das Rennen explodierte, gelang es mir in die erste Gruppe zu kommen. Auf der letzten Runde konnten einige Fahrer die Lücke zu uns schließen, darunter auch einige sehr gute Sprinter. Max hat es auch geschafft und hat mich in eine gute Position für den Sprint gebracht. Am Ende wurde ich Zweiter. Nicht schlecht, aber auch kein super Ergebnis. Ich hatte das Gefühl, dass heute mehr möglich gewesen wäre. Aber jetzt geht es zum nächsten Rennen.“ – Jordi Meeus
„Das war ein ziemlich gutes Rennen für uns. Der Sieg wäre möglich gewesen, denn das war ein sehr knapper Zielsprint. Wir wollten von Anfang an für Jordi fahren und mit ihm dann zum Sprint zu kommen. Aber wir wollten auch in allen wichtigen Gruppen vertreten sein. Dann war Jordi selber in der Führungsgruppe und am Ende gelang es auch Max in diese Gruppe zu kommen und ihm dort zu helfen. Die anderen haben auch eine starke Leistung geliefert, aber wir hatten ein bisschen Pech mit Rudi, der nach 12km gestürzt war und das Rennen leider aufgeben musste. Aber im Großen und Ganzen ist der zweite Platz ein sehr starkes Resultat für Jordi und das Team, und der Sieg kommt sicherlich noch.“ – Steffen Radochla, Sportlicher Leiter

Paris-Roubaix Femmes

Eintagsrennen, Frauenradsport, Frühjahrskassiker, Vorschau, Weltcup und Klassiker, ,

Key points:
 132 female pioneers are expected at the start of the first edition of Paris-Roubaix Femmes on Saturday in Denain (13:35) for a 116.4-kilometre race to the Roubaix velodrome, which they will reach if they can withstand the 29.2 kilometres of cobbles that await them.
 One week after the World Championships, the medallists from Leuven will battle on the formidable sectors of Mons-en-Pévèle and Carrefour de l’Arbre. But Italy’s Elisa Balsamo, The Netherlands‘ Marianne Vos and Poland’s Kasia Niewiadoma will have several rivals on these unexplored territories.

It’s all about making history. The first edition of Paris-Roubaix Femmes automatically implies the beginning of a winner’s list on which each of the riders’ entered dreams of writing her name. However, this part of the prestige is only possible for select members of the peloton: the champions who know best how to prepare for the big races. The recent World Championships in Flanders provided insight on an elite group of riders that is capable of starring on the neighbouring roads. One week later, the three medallists in Leuven will have their chance to raise a cobblestone on the Roubaix velodrome, starting with world champion Elisa Balsamo, who will debut her beautiful rainbow jersey in the mud or the dust, depending on the weather. To make it shine at the end of the 116.4 km course, she will have to dominate again Marianne Vos, who will use all her talent as seven times cyclo-cross world champion to fly over the cobblestones and to get an umpteenth triumph. Kasia Niewiadomia, who accompanied them on the world podium and has also been in the top three of the Strade Bianche four times, will also be one of the primary contenders for the title.
The list of favourites doesn’t end with last weekend’s heroines. There are several in the Trek-Segafredo squad, which includes time trial world champion Ellen van Dijk, who will wear her star-studded European champion jersey for the first time; Liz Deignan, winner of the 2020 Liège-Bastogne-Liège, 2016 Tour of Flanders and 2016 Strade Bianche and Elisa Longo Borghini, who has won and placed in the biggest races on the calendar. As the Paris-Roubaix course is all-new for the ladies, it will be useful to observe whether the qualities of the rollers will pay off as much as for the men. In this case, Lisa Brennauer (5th) in the world championship time trial), Marlen Reusser (2nd) or the young Dane Emma Norsgaard, should also be watched closely.

22 teams, the leading riders

Australia
Team BikeExchange: Spratt, Roy (Aus)

Belgium
Lotto-Soudal Ladies: Vandenbulcke (Bel)
Doltcini-Van Eyck-Proximus Continental Team: K.Schweinberger (Aut)

France
FDJ Nouvelle Aquitaine Futuroscope: Uttrup-Ludwig (Den)
Arkéa Pro Cycling Team: Verhulst (Fra)
Stade Rochelais Charente-Maritime Women Cycling: Rüegg (Swi)

Germany
Canyon//Sram Racing: Niewiadoma (Pol)
Team DSM: Wiebes (Ned)
Ceratizit-WNT Pro Cycling: Brennauer, Teutenberg (Ger)

Great Britain
Drops-Le Col s/b Tempur: Van’t Geloof (Ned)

Italy
Alé BTC Ljubljana: Reusser (Swi), Guderzo (Ita), Bujak (Slo)
Bepink: Drummond (Nzl)
Valcar-Travel & Service: Balsamo, Consonni (Ita)

The Netherlands
Liv Racing: Kopecky (Bel), Jackson (Can)
SD Worx: Van den Broeck-Blaak, Pieters (Ned)
Jumbo-Visma Women Cycling Team: Vos, Van den Bos (Ned)
NXTG Racing: Kool (Ned)
Parkhotel Valkenburg: Van der Hulst (Ned)

Norway
Team Coop-Hitec Products: Kröger (Ger)

Spain
Movistar Team Women: Van Vleuten (Ned), Norsgaard (Den)

United States
Trek-Segafredo: Deignan (Gbr), Cordon-Ragot (Fra), Longo Borghini (Ita), Van Dijk (Ned)
Team Tibco-SVB: Stephens (Usa), Kessler (Ned)

@A.S.O. 2021 Paris-Roubaix Femmes map

2022 PARIS–ROUBAIX AND 2022 AMSTEL GOLD RACE RESCHEDULED

Eintagsrennen, Frühjahrskassiker, Vorschau, Weltcup und Klassiker, , ,

The organisers of Paris–Roubaix and the Amstel Gold Race have decided to switch the slots of their races on the calendar to deal with the fact that the first round of the French presidential election is due to take place on Sunday 10 April 2022. Paris–Roubaix will be held on Sunday 17 April and the Amstel Gold Race on Sunday 10 April 2022. „This solution was made possible by the cooperation and willingness to compromise of Amstel Gold Race director Leo van Vliet and the Union Cycliste Internationale. In the name of the thousands of fans who love the Queen of Classics, ASO wishes to thank them warmly for agreeing to this change in the calendar“, said Christian Prudhomme, head of the ASO Cycling Division.
Amstel Gold Race director Leo van Vliet added: „When Christian Prudhomme told me that Paris–Roubaix, originally scheduled for 10 April 2022, would no longer be able to go ahead on that date because the French presidential election is due to be held that same day, and he asked me to switch places with the Amstel Gold Race, which was pencilled in for 17 April, I understood his problem straight away. Who am I to look the other way when the biggest cycling organisation asks me to lend it a hand? Of course, I first had to check whether it could be done from the organisational point of view. After the competent authorities, including our partner municipalities, Maastricht and Valkenburg, also pledged their support, I came to an agreement with Christian Prudhomme at the World Championships in Leuven last weekend. We also reached a deal with the UCI. As a result, the Amstel Gold Race will be held a week earlier next year, on 10 April, followed by Paris–Roubaix on 17 April, which falls on Easter Sunday.“

Paris-Roubaix cobblestones: general inspection

Eintagsrennen, Frühjahrskassiker, Vorschau, Weltcup und Klassiker, ,

Key points:

 The riders of edition 118 will battle on the cobblestones for 55 km, over the total distance of 257.7km, with 30 sectors to be tackled on the final 160 km.
 The first edition of Paris-Roubaix Femmes, which takes place the day before, on Saturday 2 October, features 29.2 km of cobblestones, with the last 85 km being the same for both races. With just a few days to go before the big showdown, everything is in place.
Based on the latest inspection of the course, carried out on 28 September by Paris-Roubaix race director Thierry Gouvenou and race director of Paris-Roubaix Femmes, Franck Perque, the organisers have assigned a difficulty rating to each of the cobbled sectors of the race, assessed according to their length, the irregularity of the cobbles, the general condition of the section and its location. The sectors rated five stars remain the Trouée d’Arenberg, Mons-en-Pévèle and the Carrefour de l’Arbre.

This year, the minor modifications concern the attack phase of the cobbles, with the Troisvilles sector retaining its entire length (2200 m). A little further on, the peloton will regroup at the hamlet of Buat sector (# 24), where the difficulty of the slope is added to that of the cobbles. In total, the cobbled kilometres for the men’s race is exactly 55 kilometres.

For their baptism of the cobbled roads, the female riders take on a more manageable 29,2 kilometres, with 17 sectors on the programme. The two courses converge with 85 kilometres to go, while the women will have started from Denain and ridden 33.9 kilometres. They will begin with the four-star 3,7 km long sector from Hornaing to Wandignies. For them too, the demanding route to the velodrome passes through the sectors of Mons-en-Pévèle and the Carrefour de l’Arbre!

The 30 cobbled sectors of Paris–Roubaix

30 : Troisvilles to Inchy (km 96,3 – 2,2 km) ***
29 : Viesly to Quiévy (km 102,8 – 1,8 km) ***
28 : Quiévy to Saint-Python (km 105,4 – 3,7 km) ****
27 : Saint-Python (km 110,1 – 1,5 km) **
26 : Haussy to Saint-Martin-sur-Écaillon (km 116,6 – 0,8 km) **
25 : Saint-Martin-sur-Ecaillon to Vertain (km 120,9 – 2,3 km) ***
24 : Capelle to Ruesnes (km 127,3 – 1,7 km) ***
23 : Artres to Quérénaing (km 136,3 – 1,3 km) **
22 : Quérénaing to Maing (km 138,1 – 2,5 km) ***
21 : Maing to Monchaux-sur-Ecaillon (km 141,2 – 1,6 km) ***
20 : Haveluy to Wallers (km 154,2 – 2,5 km) ****
19 : Trouée d’Arenberg (km 162,4 – 2,3 km) *****
18 : Wallers to Hélesmes (km 168,4 – 1,6 km) ***
17 : Hornaing to Wandignies (km 175,2 – 3,7 km) ****
16 : Warlaing to Brillon (km 182,7 – 2,4 km) ***
15 : Tilloy to Sars-et-Rosières (km 186,2 – 2,4 km) ****
14 : Beuvry-la-Forêt to Orchies (km 192,5 – 1,4 km) ***
13 : Orchies (km 197,5 – 1,7 km) ***
12 : Auchy-lez-Orchies to Bersée (km 203,6 – 2,7 km) ****
11 : Mons-en-Pévèle (km 209,1 – 3 km) *****
10 : Mérignies to Avelin (km 215,1 – 0,7 km) **
9 : Pont-Thibault to Ennevelin (km 218,5 – 1,4 km) ***
8 : Templeuve – L’Epinette (km 223,9 – 0,2 km) *
8 : Templeuve – Moulin-de-Vertain (km 224,4 – 0,5 km) **
7 : Cysoing to Bourghelles (km 230,8 – 1,3 km) ***
6 : Bourghelles to Wannehain (km 233,3 – 1,1 km) ***
5 : Camphin-en-Pévèle (km 237,8 – 1,8 km) ****
4 : Carrefour de l’Arbre (km 240,5 – 2,1 km) *****
3 : Gruson (km 242,8 – 1,1 km) **
2 : Willems to Hem (km 249,5 – 1,4 km) ***
1 : Roubaix – Espace Charles Crupelandt (km 256,3 – 0,3 km) *

Paris-Roubaix Challenge
Saturday 2nd of October – 24 hours before the elite race and a few hours before Paris-Roubaix Femmes, a peloton of amateur riders will measure themselves on this legendary spring classic and its fabled cobblestone sectors. Three distances are on offer to cyclists, in order to accommodate all the preparation levels: 70, 107 and 145 kms. Every rider will find an appropriate legend.
Information and registration on: parisroubaixchallenge.com and timeto.com

@A.S.O.

When the „Roubaisiennes“ take the stage (IV/V)

Eintagsrennen, Frauenradsport, Frühjahrskassiker, Vorschau, , ,

Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig: „Here we are!“

Aware of the magnitude of the occasion, the riders in the women’s peloton are gearing up for the first edition of Paris-Roubaix Femmes, scheduled for Saturday 2 October, after their debut on the cobblestones of northern France was frustrated in October 2020 and again last spring. The world of cycling is awash with questions about the favourites to win the inaugural edition, wondering what it takes to shine in this race and whether the decisive attributes are exactly the same as in the men’s competition. Five of these favourites, particularly excited about this momentous event, tell us more about their relationship with the Queen of Classics as the countdown to their initiation on the cobblestones ticks away. For the Dane Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig, racing in the Hell of the North will be a childhood dream come true.

Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig (FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope)
Frederiksberg (Denmark), 23 August 1995
Teams: Rytger (2014–2015), BMS BIRN (2016), Cervélo–Bigla (2017–2019) and FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope (since 2020)
Major results:
2012: silver medallist in the World Junior Time Trial Championships
2016: silver medallist in the European U23 Road Race Championships
2017: winner of the UCI World Tour youth classification, third in the Trofeo Alfredo Binda, ninth in Strade Bianche and tenth in the World Championships
2018: fourth in La Course by Le Tour de France, sixth in the Giro d’Italia and seventh in the Trofeo Alfredo Binda
2019: third in the Tour of Flanders, third in La Course by Le Tour de France, third in the Trofeo Alfredo Binda, fifth in Strade Bianche and winner of the Grand Prix de Plumelec-Morbihan
2020: second in the Flèche Wallonne, fourth in the Giro d’Italia, eighth in the World Championships and winner of the Giro dell’Emilia
2021: second in La Course by Le Tour de France, third in the Trofeo Alfredo Binda, fifth in Strade Bianche and winner of stage 3 of the Vuelta a Burgos
An anecdote: a total extrovert who basks in the media glow, she might well have become an actor if she had not been a cyclist. „Once I’m done with cycling, perhaps. Who knows?“

A DREAM IS BORN
At the tender age of 10, Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig already used to put Paris-Roubaix at the top of her list of races to watch on television. „The hype was real. The approach to the Trouée d’Arenberg is something I’ll never forget. It was so brutal, so epic, that I would just go crazy when the peloton got there.“ She eventually came to the Arenberg Forest at the dawn of her pro career, six years ago, just for the fun of racing up and down those same cobblestones that she had dreamed about time and again. „It was really special. I thought to myself: ‚Oh, my God, I’ve seen this on television so many times before‘! And now my turn had come. I remember thinking: ’some day, maybe, there’ll be a Paris-Roubaix for me too“. And here we are!“

CUT OUT FOR THE COBBLESTONES?
While Paris–Roubaix is a race like no other, strong performances in the Tour of Flanders and Strade Bianche are a reliable indicator of a rider’s ability to do well here. This suits Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig, who finished third in De Ronde in 2019 and fifth in the Tuscan race on two occasions (2019 and 2021). However, the 26-year-old climber concedes that a small rider like her (52 kg) seems a bit out of place in the Hell of the North. „There’s no denying that the men who do well in Roubaix are big and strong and crank out some serious wattage. True, I’m nothing like that! But I hope I’ll still be able to produce enough watts and, even more importantly, to be astute enough. In a race like this, you need to stay at the front and be well positioned at the entrance to each sector.“ Since there has never been a Paris-Roubaix Femmes before, the type of riders who will have an edge over the others is still shrouded in uncertainty. „It’s our very first time, so we have no clue how this is going to play out! Thin cyclist, big cyclist, power riders, climbers… Everyone thinks they have a shot at winning, and this is what makes the inaugural edition so special.“

PREPARING FOR THE BIG SHAKE
Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig is gripped by a mix of fear and excitement at the prospect of tackling the cobblestones. „A bit of both! The Roubaix cobblestones are completely different from the ones in Flanders. I’ve seen pictures of riders who finished with their hands covered in blisters. I can’t imagine how much that must hurt, so I expect to suffer a lot. But I can’t wait to start!“ The FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope leader was unable to take part in her team’s training camp in the cobbled sectors last year. „I haven’t done any recon this year either. But after the road race of the Worlds (Saturday 25 September), I’ll spend the whole week in the area. I’ll take the opportunity to recon every sector, prepare as well as I can and find the right tyre pressure for the big day.“ In order to gear up for the event and get an idea of the nuances of the cobblestones, she admits that she turned to the „Danish Mafia“, the community of Danish riders, including former world champion Mads Pedersen, who just like her lives in Girona, Spain.

THE IDEAL SCENARIO
Scandinavians love it when the weather can change at the drop of a hat, and Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig is no exception. However, she is crossing her fingers for sunny skies on 2 October. „The course is tough enough as it is. If you add rain into the mix… I want to see a battle in which the best riders go head to head, not one in which the winner is simply the one who manages to stay on her bike.“ She hopes that the race will be decided by a long-range attack. „But I think many others would agree. Everyone will be ready to fight and vying for the leading places in the approach to the sectors. I think it’s going to be really tough… But this is how I want cycling to be. To be honest, I have no idea what to expect! A top 10 finish, a podium place… More than anything else, I hope to be able to cross the finish line knowing I’ve got nothing left in the tank. Whoever wins this Paris-Roubaix will go down in history. Everyone’s dreaming of being that person.“

Sizilien-Rundfahrt – Etappe 1

Ergebnisse, Etappenrennen, , ,

Avola-Licata 179km


Molano und Richeze bei Eschborn – Frankfurt
Photo by Plomi

1 MOLANO Juan Sebastián
UAE-Team Emirates 14 20 4:37:21
2 ALBANESE Vincenzo
EOLO-Kometa 5 12 ,,
3 RICHEZE Maximiliano
UAE-Team Emirates 3 7 ,,
4 MOSCHETTI Matteo
Trek – Segafredo 5 ,,
5 FIORELLI Filippo
Bardiani-CSF-Faizanè 4 ,,
6 MARECZKO Jakub
Vini Zabù 3 ,,
7 GUARDINI Andrea
Giotti Victoria – Savini Due 2 ,,
8 BELLETTI Manuel
EOLO-Kometa 1 ,,
9 DI FELICE Francesco
Mg.k Vis VPM ,,
10 RESTREPO Jhonatan
Androni Giocattoli – Sidermec

7th Cro Race – Etappe 1

Ergebnisse, Etappenrennen, , ,

Etappe 1 Osijek-Varaždin 237km


Photo by Plomi

1 BAUHAUS Phil
Bahrain – Victorious 14 20 5:52:06
2 KOOIJ Olav
Team Jumbo-Visma 5 12 ,,
3 HALVORSEN Kristoffer
Uno-X Pro Cycling Team 3 7 ,,
4 ANGULO Antonio
Euskaltel – Euskadi 5 ,,
5 VAN DIJKE Mick
Team Jumbo-Visma 4 ,,
6 EINHORN Itamar
Israel Start-Up Nation 3 ,,
7 ASCHENBRENNER Michel
P&S Metalltechnik 2 ,,
8 MARTÍN Gotzon
Euskaltel – Euskadi 1 ,,
9 MENTEN Milan
Bingoal Pauwels Sauces WB
10 PER David
Adria Mobil