Archiv der Kategorie: Frühjahrskassiker

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.“

When the „Roubaisiennes“ take the stage

Eintagsrennen, Frauenradsport, Frühjahrskassiker, , ,

Elisa Longo Borghini : “I’m not afraid of the cobblestones”

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. Even though Elisa Longo Borghini is adamant that she’ll ride for her team-mate Ellen van Dijk, she’ll be one of the champions to follow because of her pedigree and her knowledge of the cobblestones.

Elisa Longho Borghini (Trek-Segafredo)
Ornavasso (Piemonte, Italy), 10 December 1989
Teams : Top Girls Fassa Bortolo (2011), Hitec Products (2012-2014), Wiggle Honda (2015), Wiggle High5 (2016-2018), Trek-Segafredo (2019-2021)
Major results :
2012 : 3rd of the World Championships, 3rd du GP de Plouay-Bretagne
2013 : winner of Trofeo Alfredo Binda, 2nd of the Flèche Wallonne Femmes
2014 : winner of the Tour de Bretagne, 2nd of the Grand Prix de Plumelec, 3rd of the Flèche Wallonne Femmes
2015 : winner of the Tour des Flandres, winner of the Route de France
2016 : winner of the Giro d’Emilia, 3rd of the Olympic Games in Rio
2017 : winner of the Strade Bianche, 2nd of the Giro Rosa, 3rd of La Course by le Tour de France, Italian champion
2019 : 5th of the World Championships
2020 : 3rd of the World Championships, 3rd of the Giro Rosa, 2nd of the Ceratizit Challenge by La Vuelta, Italian champion (road race + TT)
2021 : winner of the GP de Plouay, winner of the Trofeo Alfredo Binda, 2nd of the Strade Bianche, 3rd of the Olympic Games in Tokyo, 3rd of Liège-Bastogne-Liège Femmes, Italian champion (road race + TT)
An anecdote: An eight-time Italian champion (three for road racing and five for individual time trial), Elisa is the daughter Guidina Dal Sasso who claimed six national titles as an individual and five in the relay as a cross-country skier in the 80s.

A DREAM IS BORN
It’s not the first time for the name Longo Borghini to appear on a start list of Paris-Roubaix. Thanks to the inception of Paris-Roubaix Femmes, Elisa keeps following the path of Paolo who was a dedicated domestique in teams like Barloworld and Liquigas. “I got the passion for cycling because of my brother who is eleven years older than me”, she explained. “He took up cycling way before me and I’ve wanted to emulate him. Therefore, taking part in Paris-Roubaix after him is great! Since I have a strong passion for this sport, I’ve always followed this race – but all the other races as well, actually. My first big recollection of Paris-Roubaix is the entrance of Franco Ballerini on the velodrome for its last race ever (on 15 April 2001). When he unzipped his jersey to show his t-shirt “Merci Roubaix”, I was only 11 years old but I was particularly emotional about it.”
“2012 is the edition that stuck with me”, she continued. “Tom Boonen won an absolutely fascinating race that day. My brother rode Paris-Roubaix twice, in 2008 (80th) and 2014 (72nd) and I particularly remember the latter because I saw it on several cobbled sectors. I was watching everything attentively. So it wasn’t a new terrain for me when we went to recce the course of “our” Roubaix earlier this year. We also did two laps of the velodrome and it was moving.”

CUT OUT FOR THE COBBLESTONES?
The reigning Italian champion for road racing and individual time trial, Longo Borghini is currently third in the UCI world ranking behind the untouchable Dutch women Annemiek van Vleuten and Anna van der Breggen. She’s fourth of the 2021 UCI Women’s WorldTour of which she has won two legs: the Alfredo Binda Trophy in March and the GP Plouay in August. Third in the Olympic road race, she’s also a specialist of Strade Bianche as she came second this year of the race she once won in 2017 when she underlined the architectural and cultural environment of the event also held on gravel roads. However, that doesn’t necessarily make her one of the top favourites for Paris-Roubaix Femmes. “I don’t think the race suits me very well”, she said. “But I’m convinced that I can be a great help for my team Trek-Segafredo.”

PREPARING FOR THE BIG SHAKE
About the specificity of the Hell of the North, she’s categorical: “I’m obviously not afraid of the cobblestones”, she stated. “I’m a professional cyclist and I have to adjust myself to the races that are given to me. I know my job and I have to do it, end of the story. Our trainings on the cobbled sectors were also organised in order to test the equipment. We’ll use the bike Trek always provides for Paris-Roubaix: the Domane. I already have all the cobbled sectors in mind but we’ll recce them again in the lead up to the race. At the last minute, we’ll evaluate the situation to decide which wheels to use, which tyres, what to put on our hands and if we’re going to race with or without gloves. We’ll look into the last details.”

THE IDEAL SCENARIO
Talking about her role in the team Trek-Segafredo, she clarified: “I’ll race for what is our aim: to win the race with Ellen van Dijk.” The 34 year old Dutch rider has the experience required for this kind of event. Moreover, she’s the on-form champion of the moment as she recently took two major titles for herself: the European championship for road racing in Trento, Italy, on September 11, and the world championship for individual time trial in Brugge, Belgium, on September 20, getting her second rainbow jersey against the clock after the one of 2013. In both cases, she won alone as she crossed the line in Trentino 1’18’’ before Germany’s Liane Lippert. The ideal scenario for Trek-Segafredo would be a solo victory in Roubaix. Longo Borghini knows what it takes to make it happen. In 2014, she saw her brother escorting his leader Peter Sagan whereas in 2008 he was sharing this task at the service of Australia’s Baden Cooke with a debutant who didn’t manage to reach the velodrome: Chris Froome.

Paris–Roubaix Femmes Part 1

Eintagsrennen, Frühjahrskassiker, Vorschau, ,

When the „Roubaisiennes“ take the stage

Audrey Cordon-Ragot: „A race where cycling history is made“

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. French rider Audrey Cordon-Ragot has left nothing to chance in her endeavour to turn this historic occasion into a huge celebration.

Audrey Cordon-Ragot (Trek–Segafredo)
Pontivy (Morbihan, France), 22 September 1989
Teams: Vienne Futuroscope (2008–2013), Hitec Products (2014), Wiggle–Honda (2015), Wiggle High5 (2016–2018) and Trek–Segafredo (2019–2021)
Major results:
2012: winner of Cholet-Pays de Loire
2013: winner of the Tour de Bretagne
2014: stage winner in La Route de France and winner of the Grand Prix de Plumelec
2015: winner of Cholet-Pays de Loire and French time trial champion
2016: French time trial champion
2017: winner of the Chrono des Nations and French time trial champion
2018: sixth in the Amstel Gold Race, third in the Madrid Challenge by La Vuelta and French time trial champion
2019: winner of the Tour de Bretagne
2020: thirteenth in the World Championships, stage winner in the Tour de l’Ardèche and French road race champion
2021: French time trial champion
An anecdote: „Absolutely useless at mechanics“ by her own admission, the Breton married the former amateur rider Vincent Ragot, who works as a mechanic for B&B Hotels p/b KTM.

A DREAM IS BORN
Audrey Cordon-Ragot discovered the magic of Paris-Roubaix mainly on television. Back when she was a young teen who already stood out as one of the brightest riders of her generation, Tom Boonen and Fabian Cancellara’s duels and solo adventures kept her on the edge of her seat, and her passion for this extraordinary race has only grown since then. „Everyone who’s won here rates this victory a notch above their other ones. It has a legendary aura because it’s a race for warriors where cycling history is made. I also remember Peter Sagan beating Silvan Dillier and Philippe Gilbert snatching the win against astronomical odds. You get surprises on the podium all the time, even on the top step, such as that time when Mathew Hayman took the win from the early break“. For the Breton, this phenomenal atmosphere also has a lot to do with the place that has come to epitomise the Hell of the North: „I think of the velodrome as the beating heart of Paris-Roubaix… It’s just like a Roman arena. The crowd wants to see the wild animals, and it often comes down to a group of riders. Just going there as a spectator already packed quite an emotional punch.“

CUT OUT FOR THE COBBLESTONES?
Roubaix specialists come in all shapes and sizes, but Fabian Cancellara and, a few decades earlier, Francesco Moser showed that time trialists are a force to be reckoned with. This suits Audrey Cordon-Ragot to a tee: behind the 11 victories of Jeannie Longo, who was in a class of her own, she has racked up 5 national titles and an additional 6 podium finishes in the national time trial championships. It is now up to her to transpose these abilities to the cobblestones. „I’m exactly in the sweet spot between too light and too heavy! The proper technique involves staying on your saddle whenever possible and loosening up your whole body. I think I’m a cobble-gobbler. Positioning will also be key in the approach to the cobbled sectors, and I think my experience will help me here because I’ve learnt a lot when it comes to fighting for my place in the peloton“.

PREPARING FOR THE BIG SHAKE
In Paris-Roubaix, failing to plan is planning to fail. The men have set the example for a long time and are used to preparing for this race with fastidious care. Trek–Segafredo is a tad more passionate about the cobbled classics than other teams, leaving Audrey well placed to capitalise on the experience of her male colleagues: „I had a chat with John Degenkolb, as well as Mads Pedersen, who gave me tips such as not to wear gloves. At first, I thought he was making fun of me, but I heeded his advice anyway and ended up without a single blister.“ Recon is another important factor in the build-up to Paris-Roubaix. Here, too, she has dotted the i’s and crossed the t’s for this exceptional premiere. „Due to the succession of postponements, I’ve already got four recons under my belt and yet another one on my to-do list. We don’t use our Roubaix bicycles anywhere else, so you need to get a feel for the bicycle and, especially, carry out loads of tests to determine the right tyre pressure.“

THE IDEAL SCENARIO
Audrey Cordon-Ragot makes no secret of the fact that winning Paris-Roubaix would be a dream come true. However, there is more than one path that leads to success in the old André Pétrieux Velodrome. The first-timer is raring to go and has already sketched out her ideal scenario: „The perfect situation is one in which I launch an attack in the Carrefour de l’Arbre sector, go full gas in the final 15 kilometres and enter the velodrome on my own“, she reveals enthusiastically. „My kick is powerful enough to spring a surprise if it comes down to a sprint, but I’ll be facing much longer odds if I get to the finish in a small group.“ Depending on how events unfold and how she feels on the day of the race, Audrey is also ready to roll up her sleeves and work for her team, which boasts an enviable level of depth: „Trek–Segafredo has other cards to play, apart from myself, as we’re also bringing Elisa Longo Borghini, newly crowned European champion Ellen van Dijk and Liz Deignan to the race“.

Eschborn-Frankfurt 2021 – 188 Km

Eintagsrennen, Ergebnisse, Frühjahrskassiker, , , , , , ,


Photo by Plomi

Photo by HERBERT MOOS
Photo by HERBERT MOOS

1 PHILIPSEN Jasper BEL ALPECIN-FENIX 04:28:03
2 DEGENKOLB John GER LOTTO SOUDAL 00:00
3 KRISTOFF Alexander NOR UAE-TEAM EMIRATES 00:00
4 PASQUALON Andrea ITA INTERMARCHÉ – WANTY – GOBERT MATÉRIAUX 00:00
5 ACKERMANN Pascal GER BORA – HANSGROHE 00:00
6 GARCIA CORTINA Ivan ESP MOVISTAR TEAM 00:00
7 LAPORTE Christophe FRA COFIDIS, SOLUTIONS CRÉDITS 00:00
8 TEUNISSEN Mike NED TEAM JUMBO-VISMA 00:00
9 MATTHEWS Michael AUS TEAM BIKEEXCHANGE 00:00
10 WRIGHT Fred GBR BAHRAIN – VICTORIOUS 00:00
11 SKAARSETH Anders NOR UNO-X PRO CYCLING TEAM 00:00
12 BEULLENS Cedric BEL SPORT VLAANDEREN – BALOISE 00:00
13 SWIFT Connor GBR TEAM ARKÉA SAMSIC 00:00
14 VAN POUCKE Aaron BEL SPORT VLAANDEREN – BALOISE 00:00
15 CHEVALIER Maxime FRA B&B HOTELS P/B KTM 00:00

Premiere zum 60. – Jasper Philipsen gewinnt Jubiläumsausgabe von Eschborn-Frankfurt

Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Fenix) hat die 60. Austragung des Radklassikers Eschborn-Frankfurt gewonnen. Der 23-jährige Belgier verwies bei seinem Debüt in der Mainmetropole nach 187,4 Kilometern im Sprint Lokalmatador und Sieger von 2011, John Degenkolb (Lotto Soudal), sowie Rekordsieger Alexander Kristoff (UAE Team Emirates) auf die Plätze.


Alexander Kristoff (UAE) gibt wie immer alles im Taunus um dranzubleiben.
Photo by Plomi

Der Youngster sicherte sich seinen ersten Profisieg bei einem WorldTour-Klassiker und setzte das nächste Ausrufezeichen in seiner herausragenden Saison. Pascal Ackermann (Bora-hansgrohe), letzter Gewinner vor der Alten Oper, sprintete auf den 5. Rang.
Jasper Philipsen nach seinem Sieg: „Es war ein wirklich hartes Rennen. Vor ein paar Wochen habe ich beschlossen, dieses Rennen zu fahren, weil es normalerweise ein Sprint-Finish ist. Dann habe ich mir das Profil angesehen und dachte, es könnte vielleicht doch schwieriger sein als erwartet. Jetzt bin ich richtig stolz auf diesen Sieg.“
„Die Teamunterstützung war heute entscheidend, weil ich im Mittelteil wirklich zu kämpfen hatte. In den Anstiegen ist das Team einfach bei mir geblieben und das war wichtig. Ich habe weiter gepusht, weil ich wusste, dass die letzten 40 km flach waren. Da konnte ich mich erholen und meinen Sprint fahren“, so der 23-jährige Youngster weiter.


Photo by Plomi

Photo by HERBERT MOOS
Photo by HERBERT MOOS

Lokalmatador John Degenkolb sagte zu seinem zweiten Platz: „300 Meter vor dem Ziel habe ich gedacht alles oder nichts! Ich habe alles in die Waagschale geworfen. Am Ende ist es ein verdienter Sieg für Jasper, denn er hatte einen krassen Speed. Ich bin froh, dass es für den 2. Platz gereicht hat und kann mich jetzt auch darüber freuen. Ich bin stolz, dass ich dem Druck standgehalten habe und zeigen konnte, bei so einem großen Rennen um den Sieg mitzufahren. Jetzt steht noch einiges vor der Tür!“


Photo by Plomi

Attacken prägten den 60. Radklassiker
Bereits kurz nach dem scharfen Start in Eschborn begannen die Attacken und fünf Fahrer haben sich zu einer Spitzengruppe zusammengeschlossen. Mit Mathias Jorgensen (Movistar Team) und Luke Durbridge (Team BikeExchange) waren zwei WorldTour-Fahrer dabei. Dazu kamen Simone Velasco (Gazprom-RusVelo), Erik Resell (Uno-X Pro Cycling Team) und Boris Vallee (Bingoal Pauwels Sauces WB). Bis zum ersten Anstieg des Tages am Feldberg ließ das Feld mehr als sechs Minuten an Vorsprung zu.
Nach 100 Kilometern blieben nur noch die beiden WorldTour-Fahrer und Velasco als Trio an der Spitze – aber der Vorsprung sank nah an die Minutenmarke. Auch wenn die Favoriten des Rennens dichter kamen, hat sich die Zeit an der Spitze für den Profi der Gazprom-RusVelo-Mannschaft gelohnt: Der Italiener gewann die ersten sieben Bergwertungen des Radklassikers und konnte nach dem Rennen auf dem Podium die Bergpreistrophäe entgegennehmen.
Und es war diese vorletzte Passage des Mammolshainer Stich, die sich als Vorentscheidung des Rennens erwies. Tempoverschärfungen durch das Team BikeExchange haben dazu geführt, dass die Ausreißer gestellt wurden und sich das Peloton teilte. 16 Fahrer gingen zusammen zur letzten Überfahrt des Mammolshainer Berg – 40 Sekunden vor dem Feld.

Auf den letzten Rennkilometern, die in die Frankfurter Innenstadt führten, übernahm vor allem das UAE Team Emirates im Feld für Kristoff die Nachführarbeit. Rund 30 Kilometer vor dem Ziel war es um die Gruppe geschehen. Nur Georg Zimmermann (Intermarche – Wanty Gobert Matériaux), Gewinner des Nachwuchs-Trikots bei der Deutschland Tour und Cristian Scaroni (Gazprom-RusVelo) wehrten sich noch gegen ihre Einholung. Nach der Einfahrt in die Stadt beteiligte sich auch der deutsche Rennstall Bora-hansgrohe um Titelverteidiger Ackermann an der Spitze des Feldes. Das Spitzenduo hielt sich hartnäckig und konnte bei der ersten Zieldurchfahrt an der Alten Oper den Jubel der Zuschauer genießen. Neun Kilometer vor dem Ende wurden sie vom Feld der Sprinter geschluckt. Es war Degenkolb, der sich auf dem letzten Kilometer als Erster ein Herz fasste und den Sprint eröffnete. Doch auf den letzten Metern hatte der Oberurseler dem Sieger Philipsen nichts entgegenzusetzen.

Pascal Ackermann auf Rang fünf im Massensprint bei Eschborn-Frankfurt

Nachdem eine frühe Fluchtgruppe schon 60 km vor dem Ende gestellt wurde, setzte sich im hügeligen Teil des Rennens eine stark besetzte 16-Mann-Gruppe vom Feld ab. Matteo Fabbro kontrollierte das Geschehen an der Spitze, während dahinter im Feld der Rest des Teams für einen Massensprint arbeitete. Als die Zielrunde in Frankfurt erreicht war, war das Feld geschlossen und alles für einen Sprint vorbereitet. Pascal Ackermann hatte im Finale nur Nils Politt an seiner Seite, nachdem das Team bereits davor viel Arbeit hatte leisten müssen. Beim Sieg von J. Philipsen reichte es am Ende für Ackermann heute für Rang fünf.

Von der Ziellinie
„Eigentlich lief das Rennen heute gut für uns. Wir hatten Matteo in der großen Gruppe und das Rennen war hart. Da hatten viele Sprinter schon Probleme und ich habe mich gut gefühlt. Wir mussten dann aber viel investieren, um überhaupt für einen Sprint zu sorgen und diese Kräfte haben am Ende gefehlt. Ich habe versucht, mich vorne zu halten und an einem guten Hinterrad zu positionieren, war aber dann nach der letzten Kurve zu weiten hinten. Ich konnte auch gar nicht richtig losfahren, weil einfach kein Platz für mich war. Ich bin schon etwas enttäuscht, auch wenn wir uns als Team heute nichts vorwerfen können.“ – Pascal Ackermann

„Die Jungs sind heute ein starkes Rennen gefahren. Wir haben von Beginn an mit Emu im Feld gearbeitet, und als Matteo vorne in der Gruppe war, mussten wir viel investieren, um Matthews überhaupt wieder zurückzuholen. Dadurch war am Ende nur noch Nils bei Pascal für die Sprintvorbereitung, der hatte auf den letzten 1,5 km aber auch noch einen Reifenschaden. Pascal war somit auf sich alleine gestellt und war in der letzten Kurve etwas zu weit hinten, zudem war er im Sprint rechts blockiert. Da kann man nichts machen und muss mit dem fünften Platz leben. Wir hatten heute sicherlich ein besseres Ergebnis im Kopf, aber wie gesagt, eigentlich ist jeder stark gefahren.“ – Jens Zemke, sportlicher Leiter


Marco Brenner Team DSM sticky bottle 🙂
Photo by Plomi

ESCHBORN-FRANKFURT 2021

Eintagsrennen, Frühjahrskassiker, Jedermann-Rennen, Vorschau, , ,

Key points:
 It will be a high-profile anniversary. Big names have announced themselves for September 19th to celebrate the 60th edition of the German classic.
 For the first time, 13 teams from the WorldTour will start at Eschborn-Frankfurt and the start list promises a great race.

 The complete podium of the last edition will be there – a reunion of the still active winners: Pascal Ackermann (Bora-Hansgrohe, winner 2019), John Degenkolb (Lotto Soudal, winner 2011) and Alexander Kristoff (UAE-Team Emirates, winner 2014-2018).

In addition, the fans can look forward to Deutschland Tour winner Nils Politt (Bora-Hansgrohe). Besides Politt, two other stage winners of this year’s Tour de France will be taking part: Politt’s teammate Patrick Konrad as well as Dylan Teuns (Bahrain Victorious) and Bauke Mollema (Trek-Segafredo) want to shine at the WorldTour event.

The German classic unites Tour de France and classic stars
The list of illustrious names becomes even more extensive with the addition of many classic stars. With former Olympic champion Greg van Avermaet (AG2R Citroën Team) and former world champion Philippe Gilbert (Lotto Soudal), two more Paris-Roubaix winners will meet local hero John Degenkolb at his home race. With Vincenzo Nibali and Mads Pedersen, Trek-Segafredo will bring a Tour de France winner and the 2019 world champion to the Taunus hills. Among others, they will compete with Italian national champion Sonny Colbrelli (Bahrain Victorious), Grand Tours stage winner Michael Matthews (Team BikeExchange) and two-time stage winner of this year’s Vuelta a Espana Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Fenix).
For the German fans, many home stars will be lining-up: besides Ackermann and Politt, Phil Bauhaus (Bahrain Victorious), Emanuel Buchmann (Bora-Hansgrohe), Simon Geschke (Cofidis), André Greipel (Israel Start-Up Nation) and the winner of the white jersey of the Deutschland Tour Georg Zimmermann (Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux) have announced their participation.

Dress rehearsal for the World Championships
The impressive start list underlines the special date of this years‘ race, as it has been postponed from its traditional date on May 1 to September 19. Eschborn-Frankfurt will be a dress rehearsal for the World Championships, as the race takes place exactly one week before the UCI Road World Championships. Many riders use the Taunus for a last test before they head to Flanders or their preparation for the upcoming monuments, like Paris-Roubaix. On 187.4 kilometres they ride from the start in Eschborn first to the city centre of Frankfurt and on to the ascent of the Feldberg. Afterwards they the iconic Taunus circuit is on the program: four times over the Mammolshainer Stich, twice over the Ruppertshainer Anstieg and once over the Billtalhöhe. The pros already have more than 3,200 metres of altitude in their legs when they enter the finish lap and head for the win in front of the Alte Oper in the heart of Frankfurt.

6,000 participants in the ŠKODA Velotour
On September 19th, a double anniversary will be celebrated, because the ŠKODA Velotour also has an anniversary. For the 20th time, amateur cyclists will experience a true sportive classic. 6,000 participants are registered for the two routes. The ŠKODA Velotour Classic (100 kilometres) starts in the morning before the pros and includes all the legendary Taunus climbs. In the afternoon, the ŠKODA Velotour Skyline leads over 40 almost completely flat kilometres to the city of Frankfurt and back to Eschborn. This year, both distances will start with smaller starting blocks, which are sent into the race with a time lag. All participants either must be vaccinated, recovered, or tested.

2021 ardennes classics

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Key points:
 The men and women’s versions of the Flèche Wallonne and Liège–Bastogne–Liège have been scheduled for 21 and 25 April, respectively, after returning to their usual slots on the calendar.
 The Flèche Wallonne is bringing back the traditional start in Charleroi, with a course steeped in the history of the race all the way to the final climb up the Mur de Huy, while Liège–Bastogne–Liège will have an extra sting in the tail thanks to the addition of the new Côte de Desnié.
 The women’s two races have also been backloaded by the organisers. The men and women’s courses will converge in the final 90 kilometres in the Flèche Wallonne and the final 80 kilometres on the road to Liège.
 New partners are stepping up to the plate, including AG, Shimano and Decathlon, while Cofidis has renewed its commitment to the ardennes classics.

The newly crowned world champion was the only one left with a bitter taste in his mouth after the exceptional autumn editions of the classics, held at the tail end of the 2020 season. Marc Hirschi and Anna van der Breggen’s wins in the Flèche Wallonne, followed by Primož Roglič and Lizzie Deignan’s victories in Liège–Bastogne–Liège, were in line with the character of the Ardennes classics, coming at the end of gruelling races in which only the strongest and toughest riders stayed in contention until the finish. Six months later, it is time for the pretenders to the crown of the Flèche Wallonne to reset their clocks to the usual dates. The men will roll out of Charleroi, which hosted the start of the race from 1998 to 2012. The road to Huy will follow the traditional east-west trajectory and pit the peloton against the Côte d’Yvoir for the first time, but the Côte de Gives, another addition to the course, is where things will really get serious. Following two 32 km loops with a profile that looks like the serrated edge of a saw blade, the final showdown will take place on the unique Mur de Huy, the ultimate litmus test for punchers. The women’s race will merge onto the course of the men’s race for the final 90 kilometres. Will Anna van der Breggen, the undisputed master of the Chemin des Chapelles, with six victories to her name, be able to extend her dominance on this beefed-up course?

Liège–Bastogne–Liège moved its finish line back downtown in 2019. An audacious solo move earned Jakob Fuglsang the win that year, while last October it was a group of five attackers that vied for victory in a messy sprint. This time round, the home straight on Quai des Ardennes will come after almost 260 kilometres of racing on a course featuring the brand-new Côte de Desnié, a nasty climb (1.6 km at an average gradient of 8%) that comes shortly before the decisive Côte de la Redoute, the point where lactic acid starts to reach agonising levels. The riders will have to leave something in the tank if they want to use the Côte de la Roche-aux-Faucons as a springboard to try and win the Old Lady. The same holds true for the ladies, who will start this year’s edition in Liège and tackle another gruelling 141 km course: the fifth running of the women’s race will take the peloton to the Côte de Desnié, Col du Rosier and Côte des Forges for the first time.

Three new partners and a renewed commitment
• In 2021, the ardennes classics are delighted to welcome AG on board as the new „Major Partner“ of the four Belgian races. Cycling has been part of AG’s DNA for a long time. Through its partnerships, AG seeks to promote cycling as a sport and as part of everyday life. This partnership is a long-term commitment, running until the end of 2024.
• As announced a month ago, Shimano is now an „Official Partner“. The Japanese firm will leverage its experience and know-how in the field of neutral technical support.
• Decathlon is now an „Official Provider“. Its focus will be on young fans and bicycle safety.
• Finally, Cofidis, which has been at our side since 2012, is extending its commitment to the Ardennes classics as an „Official Partner“.

Amaury Sport Organisation is proud to have the support of all the partners of the ardennes classics and acknowledge their strong commitment.

Paris-Roubaix 2021 team selection

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The organisers of Paris-Roubaix have chosen the teams for the first edition, Sunday, April 11th.
In accordance with the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) regulations, the nine UCI Women’s WorldTeams automatically entered are:

Alé BTC Ljubljana (Ita)
Canyon / /SRAM Racing (Ger)
FDJ Nouvelle – Aquitaine Futuroscope (Fra)
Liv Racing (Ned)
Movistar Team Women (Esp)
Team BikeExchange (Aus)
Team DSM (Ger)
Team SD Worx (Ned)
Trek – Segafredo (Usa)

Furthermore, the six following UCI Women’s Continental teams will participate by right in Paris-Roubaix Femmes:

A.R. Monex Women’s Pro Cycling Team (Ita)
Ceratizit – WTN Pro Cycling Team (Ger)
Lotto Soudal Ladies (Bel)
Parkhotel Valkenburg (Ned)
Team Tibco – Silicon Valley Bank (Usa)
Valcar – Travel & Service (Ita)

The organisers have invited the following teams:

Arkéa Pro Cycling Team (Fra)
Ciclismo Mundial (Bel)
Cogeas Mettler Look Pro Cycling Team (Rus)
Doltcini – Van Eyck Sport – Proximus Continental Team (Bel)
Drops – Le Col supported by Tempur (Gbr)
Hitec Products (Nor)
Jumbo – Visma Women Team (Ned)
NXTG Racing (Ned)
Stade Rochelais Charente-Maritime Women Cycling (Fra)

2021 PARIS-ROUBAIX: TEAM SELECTION

The organisers of Paris-Roubaix have chosen the teams for the 118th edition, Sunday, April 11th.
In accordance with Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) rules, the nineteen UCI WorldTeams are invited:

AG2R Citroën Team (Fra)
Astana – Premier Tech (Kaz)
Bahrain Victorious (Brn)
Bora – Hansgrohe (Ger)
Cofidis (Fra)
Deceuninck – Quick-Step (Bel)
EF Education – NIPPO (Usa)
Groupama – FDJ (Fra)
Ineos Grenadiers (Gbr)
Intermarché – Wanty – Gobert Matériaux (Bel)
Israel Start-Up Nation (Isr)
Jumbo – Visma (Ned)
Lotto Soudal (Bel)
Movistar Team (Esp)
Team BikeExchange (Aus)
Team DSM (Ger)
Team Qhubeka Assos (Rsa)
Trek – Segafredo (Usa)
UAE Team Emirates (Uae)

Furthermore, the two highest ranked UCI ProTeams in 2020, Alpecin – Fenix (Bel) and Team Arkéa – Samsic (Fra), will participate by right in Paris-Roubaix.

The organisers have invited the following teams:

B&B Hotels p/b KTM (Fra)
Bingoal WB (Bel)
Delko (Fra)
Total Direct Energie (Fra)

©A.S.O.

More information about Paris-Roubaix Femmes on www.paris-roubaix-femmes.fr/en/
More information about Paris-Rouaix on www.paris-roubaix.fr/en/

GENT – WEVELGEM 2020

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Ieper – Wevelgem (232,5 km)
1 Mads Pedersen (Trek)
2 Florian Sénéchal (Deceuninck)
3 Matteo Trentin (CCC)
4 Alberto Bettiol (EF)
5 Stefan Küng (Groupama)
6 John Degenkolb (Lotto)
7 Yves Lampaert (Deceuninck)
8 Wout Van Aert (Jumbo)
9 Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin)
10 Dylan Teuns (Bahrain)
11 Kasper Asgreen (Deceuninck)
12 Luke Rowe (Ineos)

BORA – hansgrohe glücklos bei Gent-Wevelgem
Mit Gent-Wevelgem startet heute die verkürzte Saison der Kopfsteinpflaster-Klassiker. Die Strecke von Ieper nach Welgem führte über 233 Kilometer, wobei auch einige Hellingen zu bewältigen waren. In einer ersten, schnellen Rennstunde setzten sich zuerst sieben Fahrer vom Feld ab und konnten einen Vorsprung von bis zu acht Minuten herausfahren. Im Feld arbeiteten einige Teams, darunter auch BORA – hansgrohe für Pascal Ackermann, einen der Mitfavoriten. Regen und starker Wind machte das Rennen heute extrem schwer und hektisch. Immer wieder kam es zu Stürzen und Lukas Pöstlberger musste leider nach rund 100 km aufgeben. Auch Pascal Ackermann hatte heute kein Glück. Im ersten Anstieg zum Kemelberg hatte er einen Schaltungsdefekt und musste das Rad wechseln. Da die Begleitfahrzeuge am Kemelberg dem Feld aber nicht folgen dürfen, verlor Pascal wertvolle Zeit. Mit der Hilfe von M. Schwarzmann und A. Schillinger versuchte Ackermann noch einmal aufzuschließen, musste aber wenig später erneut das Rad wechseln und war damit aus dem Rennen. Bereits 70 Kilometer vor dem Ziel teilte sich das Feld mehrmals. Zuerst war Jempy Drucker Teil einer etwa 30 Mann Verfolgergruppe, die wenig später zur Spitze des Rennens aufschließen konnte. Nach einer neuerlichen Attacke teilte sich auch das Feld im zweiten Anstieg zum Kemelberg. Leider verpasste BORA – hansgrohe diese entscheidende Gruppe und als an der Spitze das Rennen zusammenlief, fand sich Jempy erneut in der ersten größeren Verfolgergruppe zusammen mit Marcus Burghardt wieder. Am Ende holte M. Pedersen den Sieg, während sich Jempy Drucker noch einmal mit einer Gruppe vom Feld absetzen konnte und das Rennen auf Rang XX beendete.
Reaktionen im Ziel
„Es war brutal heute da draußen. Das Rennen war extrem schnell, aber auch sehr gefährlich. Es gab unzählige Stürze und leider waren da auch ein paar unserer Jungs dabei. Ich habe mich eigentlich ganz gut gefühlt und wollte am Ende vorne dabei sein. Als sich das Feld zum ersten Mal geteilt hat, war ich vorne dabei. Aber danach, als Van Aert am Kemelberg attackierte, war ich nicht gut genug positioniert. Dann gab es keine Chance mehr zurückzukommen, da alle Teams Fahrer vorne hatten. Am Ende nicht das Ergebnis, das ich erhofft hatte, aber zumindest waren meine Beine gut. Das stimmt mich zuversichtlich.“ – Jempy Drucker

„Das ist heute nicht gelaufen, wie wir gehofft hatten. Unser Plan war mit Pascal im Finale noch dabei zu sein, doch das Rennen war heute durch den Wind extrem hart und hektisch. Wir hatten wirklich kein Glück, es gab immer wieder Stürze und Lukas musste leider aufgeben. Pascal hat zwei Mal das Rad wechseln müssen und war daher chancenlos. Wir haben dann versucht, mit Jempy auf Ergebnis zu fahren, allerdings hatte er nicht die nötige Position, um am Kemelberg die entscheidende Attacke mit zu gehen. Danach war das Rennen gelaufen und wir konnten nur noch um die Platzierungen fahren.“ – Steffen Radochla, sportlicher Leiter

Frauen: GENT – WEVELGEM 2020
1 Jolien D’Hoore (Boels)
2 Lotte Kopecky (Lotto)
3 Lisa Brennauer (Ceratizit)
4 Sarah Roy (Mitchelton)
5 Marta Cavalli (Valcar)
6 Lauren Stephens (Tibco)
7 Demi Vollering (Parkhotel)
8 Lizzie Deignan (Trek)
9 Amy Pieters (Boels)
10 Elisa Longo Borghini (Trek)

No Paris-Roubaix 2020

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At the request of the Préfet du Nord, Préfet des Hauts de France and following the Health Minister Olivier Véran’s announcement yesterday, that placed the Lille Metropolitan area on maximum alert, the 118th edition of Paris-Roubaix (UCI WorldTour) and the 1st edition of Paris-Roubaix Femmes (UCI Women’s WorldTour), originally scheduled to take place on the 25th October, will not be organised.
Paris-Roubaix, an incredibly popular event and one that is met with great enthusiasm every year, had already been postponed from its original 12th of April date following the containment measures put in place in spring to fight against the spread of COVID-19.
We would like to warmly thank the communities and event partners who supported us in this postponement as well as those who were, like us, delighted to see the Queen of the Classics even in the autumn.
We will see you on the cobblestones on the 11th April 2021 to celebrate one of the greatest monuments in world cycling.
@ASO

LIÈGE – BASTOGNE – LIÈGE 2020

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Liège – Liège (257,0 km / 4375 hm)
1 ROGLIČ Primož (SLO) JUMBO – VISMA 6:32:02
2 HIRSCHI Marc (SUI) TEAM SUNWEB 0:00:00
3 POGAČAR Tadej (SLO) UAE TEAM EMIRATES 0:00:00
4 MOHORIC Matej (SLO) BAHRAIN – MCLAREN 0:00:00
5 ALAPHILIPPE Julian (FRA) DECEUNINCK – QUICK – STEP 0:00:00
6 VAN DER POEL Mathieu (NED) ALPECIN – FENIX 0:00:14
7 WOODS Michael (CAN) EF PRO CYCLING 0:00:14
8 BENOOT Tiesj (BEL) TEAM SUNWEB 0:00:14
9 BARGUIL Warren (FRA) TEAM ARKEA – SAMSIC 0:00:14
10 KWIATKOWSKI Michal (POL) INEOS GRENADIERS 0:00:14
11 MARTIN Daniel (IRL) ISRAEL START – UP NATION 0:00:14
12 DUMOULIN Tom (NED) JUMBO – VISMA 0:00:14
13 MOLARD Rudy (FRA) GROUPAMA – FDJ 0:00:14
14 MARTIN Guillaume (FRA) COFIDIS 0:00:14
15 URAN Rigoberto (COL) EF PRO CYCLING 0:00:14
16 PORTE Richie (AUS) TREK – SEGAFREDO 0:00:14
17 IZAGIRRE INSAUSTI Gorka (ESP) ASTANA PRO TEAM 0:00:43
18 COSNEFROY Benoit (FRA) AG2R LA MONDIALE 0:00:58
19 FRAILE MATARRANZ Omar (ESP) ASTANA PRO TEAM 0:00:58
20 MARTINEZ POVEDA Daniel Felipe (COL) EF PRO CYCLING 0:00:58
21 KÄMNA Lennard (GER) BORA – HANSGROHE 0:00:58

After his crash Primosz Roglic (SLO) is chasing the front group with the help of his team mates, He made it back to the front group but was lacking power in the finale to keep up with the best. Very unlucky for him, he was a podium candidate.
Foto: Gerhard Plomitzer

October 4 th 2020 – 17:29
Primoz Roglic (Jumbo-Visma) won the 106th Liège-Bastogne-Liège with an exhibition of race craft and experience to make the most out of his legs and the circumstances in the final kilometres. Two weeks after a heart-breaking defeat on the Tour de France, the Slovenian got his payback from this amazing sport called cycling. Roglic went clear with Julian Alaphilippe (Deceuninck-Quick Step), Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates) and Marc Hirschi (Team Sunweb) with 14 kilometres to go, atop the Côte de la Roche-aux-Faucons. They reached together the final straight, where the wearer of the rainbow jersey put out an irregular sprint that got him relegated because it hindered the effort of Pogačar and Hirschi. Still, Roglic was quicker than Alaphilippe and crossed the finish line first as the French rider raised his arms.
175 riders took the start on the 106th edition of Liège-Bastogne-Liège at 10:24, ready to race over 258 kilometres from Liège to Bastogne and back. It was after nine kilometres that Iñigo Elosegui (Movistar Team), Kobe Goossens (Lotto-Soudal), Alexander Kamp (Trek-Segafredo), Michael Schär (CCC Team), Kenny Molly (Bingoal WB), Omer Goldstein (Israel Start-Up Nation), Valentin Ferron, Paul Ourselin (Total Direct Energie) and Gino Mäder (NTT Pro Cycling) went clear. Kamp punctured shortly afterwards and was caught by the peloton, from which Mathijs Paasschens (Bingoal WB) counter-attacked. The Dutch rider joined the frontrunners at the kilometre 40, establishing a nine-strong break. The biggest time gap was 5’45”, clocked atop the Côte de la Roche-en-Ardenne (km 76). Deceuninck-Quick Step, Team Sunweb and Ineos Grenadiers were the teams that devoted more effort to control their advantage.
Crashes before the clashes
The race changed significantly as the riders entered the last 100 kilometres. Crashes took it toll, forcing the withdrawal of pre-race favourites such as Greg van Avermaet (CCC Team) or Adam Yates (Mitchelton-Scott). A crash at the head of the bunch with 85 kilometres to go removed from contention Damiano Caruso (Bahrain-McLaren) and Michael Valgren (NTT Pro Cycling), affecting also Julian Alaphilippe (Deceuninck-Quick Step), Marc Hirschi (Team Sunweb) and Rui Costa (UAE Team Emirates), amongst many others. The pack was left pattern-less until everyone came back to its par and Trek-Segafredo took the reins. Meanwhile, at the front of the race, a series of attacks left Schär alone, as a sole frontrunner, with 64 kilometres to go. Mäder was the last man able to hold the Swiss’ wheel.
Deceuninck-Quick Step put the hammer down
Deceuninck-Quick Step hit the front of the pack again on the Col du Maquisard (km 210; -48km). The Belgian outfit brought back Schär at the Côte de la Redoute (km 222; -36km). By the summit of this iconic climb there were only 50 riders on the bunch, that was led by Dries Devenyns and Mauri Vansevenant into the Côte des Forges (km 234; -24km), where Michael Albasini (Mitchelton-Scott) launched an attack before taking a bow and bidding farewell on his last-ever professional race. Despite an attack by Luis León Sánchez (Astana Pro Team) and Rui Costa (UAE Team Emirates), it all came down to the Côte de la Roche-aux-Faucons (km 243,5; -14,5km).
An eventful outcome
Tom Dumoulin (Jumbo-Visma) upped the pace at the foot of the climb and Alaphilippe took the initiative to force a final selection including himself, Primoz Roglic (Jumbo-Visma), Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates) and Marc Hirschi (Team Sunweb). The four cooperated without hesitation, with a dozen riders chasing them around 20” behind. Matej Mohoric (UAE Team Emirates) attacked from the chase to join the quartet with 500 meters to go, launching the final sprint. Alaphilippe took off 200 meters from the finish and got a clear margin, but his irregular trajectory barred Hirschi and Pogačar from pulling off a clean sprint and he was therefore relegated to 5th place. The rainbow jersey raised his arms, but he was pipped on the finish line by Roglic, undisputed winner of the day.
@ASO

Keine Topplatzierung für BORA – hansgrohe bei Lüttich-Bastogne-Lüttich

Regnerisches Wetter und viel Wind warteten heute auf das Fahrerfeld bei Lüttich-Bastogne-Lüttich, dem ältesten der Klassiker im Radsport. Das Tempo im Feld war von Beginn an hoch und es dauerte eine Weile, bevor sich neun Fahrer absetzen konnten. Im Lauf der ersten Rennphase konnte diese Gruppe einen Vorsprung von bis zu fünf Minuten herausfahren, bevor ab Rennkilometer 120 das Tempo im Peloton erhöht wurde. Leider war Jay McCarthy in einen Sturz etwa 100 km vor dem Ziel verwickelt und musste das Rennen aufgeben. Auch Max Schachmann hatte heute einen schlechten Tag und fiel schon vor La Redoute zurück. Dadurch hatte BORA – hansgrohe rund 40 Kilometer vor dem Ziel nur noch Lennard Kämna und Ide Schelling in der Gruppe der Favoriten. Zu diesem Zeitpunkt wurde der letzte der Ausreißer gestellt und auch Ide konnte dem Tempo nicht mehr folgen. Im letzten Anstieg des Tages war Lennard zuerst in guter Position, konnte aber die entscheidende Attacke von Alaphilippe nicht mitgehen und war in der Folge in der zweiten Verfolgergruppe. Den Sieg holte sich am Ende P. Roglic, Kämna erreichte als 21. das Ziel.
Reaktionen im Ziel
„Das war mein erstes Lüttich und ich muss sagen, ich mag das Rennen. An der einen oder anderen Stelle habe ich sicher noch Fehler gemacht, aber ich bin zufrieden. Auf den Leib geschneidert ist mir das Profil nicht, aber es hat Spaß gemacht. Ich war am letzten Anstieg in guter Position, genau wo ich sein musste, aber hatte dann nicht mehr die Beine, um ganz vorne mitzufahren. Ich denke, ich kann mir heute nichts vorwerfen. Jetzt habe ich noch ein Rennen vor mir, dann ist diese spezielle Saison zu Ende.“ – Lennard Kämna

„Wir wollten heute eigentlich um den Sieg mitfahren, aber das hat nicht geklappt, wie wir uns das vorgenommen hatten. Mit Jay haben wir einen wichtigen Mann durch einen Sturz verloren. Dann hatte leider auch Max einen richtig schlechten Tag. Er hat schon früh gesagt, dass heute gar nichts geht, aber wir hatten gehofft, dass er sich vielleicht etwas freifahren kann. Dem war nicht so. Dadurch hatten wir im Finale nur noch Ide und Lennard vorne. Ide ist wieder sehr gut gefahren und hat Lennard unterstützt, wo er nur konnte. Lennard war dann im entscheidenden Moment an der richtigen Stelle, konnte aber die Attacke nicht mitgehen. Da kann man niemand einen Vorwurf machen. Mehr war heute leider nicht für uns drin.“ – Enrico Poitschke, sportlicher Leiter

LIÈGE-BASTOGNE-LIÈGE 2020: INFO WITH ONE DAY TO GO

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Key information:
 On the eve of Liège-Bastogne-Liège, all eyes are set on Julian Alaphilippe. The Frenchman is the main favourite for victory on his maiden race with the rainbow jersey – even more so after Alejandro Valverde’s last-minute withdrawal.
 There is a very long list of outsiders. Those who were up there already in Flèche Wallonne, such as Marc Hirschi, Benoît Cosnefroy, Michael Woods or Michal Kwiatkowski, are obvious names. And then there are those who have travelled to Belgium just for this event – such as Chris Froome, Primoz Roglic or Adam Yates.
 A surprise, late addition to a startlist already packed with talent is Mathieu Van der Poel. Right after winning the BinckBank Tour this very Saturday, the Alpecin-Fenix team confirmed the Dutch rider will take part in La Doyenne.
 The fourth edition of the Women’s Liège-Bastogne-Liège will be held hours before the men’s event, and pretty much on the same roads. Dutch duo Anna van der Breggen and Annemiek van Vleuten are the main favourites for victory on a race that will be broadcasted live across 190 countries.

WILL THE ROCHE-AUX-FAUCONS BE DECIDING AGAIN?
Last year, Liège-Bastogne-Liège went back to holding its finish line in the centre of the Ardennes city after 27 straight years ending with an uphill finish on its suburb Ans. Jakob Fuglsang took advantage of this set-up already in 2019, when he accelerated with 16 kilometres to go, up the Côte de la Roche-aux-Faucons, to later launch his winning attack at its small, follow-up hill, the Côte de Boncelles. “It’s the change we were hoping for,” says route designer Jean-Michel Monin. “In previous years, riders waited until the eleventh hour at the Côte de Saint-Nicolas, 5 kilometres from the finish, to try and break away. The Roche-aux-Faucons is the key climb now, and that forces the favourites to attack earlier and provides for a more exciting finale. This year we can picture an outcome similar to 2019, although I only see one guy capable of pulling out such exploit: that’s Julian Alaphilippe, and only if he is in the same shape he was in Imola. In any case, the 90 final kilometres are very demanding and we can expect a very reduced group to contend for victory in the closing stages of the race.”

ALAPHILIPPE’S RAINBOW SPELL TO BEGIN IN LIÈGE
Last Sunday, Julian Alaphilippe crowned himself UCI World Champion in Imola. Showcasing his recently attained rainbow jersey for the first time, the Deceuninck-Quick Step rider will try to finally net victory at Liège-Bastogne-Liège after placing 2nd in 2015 and 4th in 2018. Given his current shape and his knowledge of the event, he will be the man to watch – a favourite role reinforced by the last-minute absence of four-time winner Alejandro Valverde. “I’m very happy to honour the rainbow jersey by wearing it for the first time on a race such as La Doyenne,” said Alaphilippe on a virtual press conference. “It’s one of the races I’ve long dreamt of winning, and this is a new chance for it.” It’s not usual for the rainbow jersey to triumph in this race, though. Only 5 out of the 105 editions of Liège-Bastogne-Liège ended with the rainbow jersey raising his arms, with wins by: Ferdi Kübler, in 1952; Rick Van Looy, in 1961; Eddy Merckx, both in 1972 and 1975; and Moreno Argentin in 1987.

HIRSCHI FOR THE DOUBLE
Already victor at Wednesday’s Flèche Wallonne, Marc Hirschi is going to try and double-up his Ardennes Classic winning tally this Sunday at Liège-Bastogne-Liège. “We knew he had a big potential, but lately everything seems to be falling into place for him,” says his DS at Team Sunweb, Michiel Elijzen. “Tomorrow it will be a more difficult race to win, though, because there are way more cards and scenarios to play. It’s a longer, more challenging route, and the quality of the field is higher. The weather will play a part, too, as the headwind will make for a slow pace at the beginning, when heading south. Another big factor for the outcome is that no one will want to be a on a breakaway group with Julian Alaphilippe or Marc Hirschi. Deceuninck-Quick Step has multiple riders capable of winning, and we have a good back-up option in Tiesj Benoot. Anyways, it’s hard to predict how the race will pan out.”

BENOÎT COSNEFROY: “IT WILL BE ABOUT WHO PLAYS TACTICS BETTER”
After his aggressive performance in the Tour de France, the runner-up position at Flèche Wallonne went to confirm Benoît Cosnefroy’s prospects as one of the names to follow in professional cycling. Speaking to letour.fr ahead of Liège-Bastogne-Liège, the French rider explained: “I love the Classics. It’s the races that suit better my nature and my qualities as a rider. I knew I was capable of getting a result [atop the Mur de Huy], but I needed to actually deliver it.” Well aware of his potential, the AG2R La Mondiale rider will try to make the most out of it in La Doyenne. “I really like Liège because tactics and strategy are a bigger factor than in Flèche. The Roche-aux-Faucons definitely is the climax. I need to be amongst the top four or six riders at its summit. Right after comes the downhill and the flat terrain on the way to Liège, on which it will be about who plays tactics better. Although if Julian Alaphilippe puts the same attack he did last Sunday in Imola, it will be difficult to beat him…”

ROGLIC STARTS OVER
After the disappointing, heart-breaking ending of his Tour de France, Primoz Roglic has cleared his mind and is bound to start a campaign to defend his championship at La Vuelta. The first stop will be his maiden appearance at Liège-Bastogne-Liège. A stage-race man, Roglic found out the joy of one-day racing last autumn in Italy, where he won both the Giro dell’Emilia and the Tre Valle Varesine. His DS Franz Maassen considers we may see him shine tomorrow in Liège, along with his Team Jumbo Visma teammate Tom Dumoulin. “Primoz [Roglic] has the morale and the willingness to race a Monument. The length of the race may suit him. We are sure the Côte de la Redoute will be a key point, but the defining climb will be the Roche-aux-Faucons. Tom [Dumoulin] felt a bit tired at Flèche Wallonne, but it is entirely possible for him to surprise everybody tomorrow.”

POGACAR STILL IN THE MIX
UAE Team Emirates was one of the most relevant outfits at Wednesday’s Flèche Wallonne. “We did a great job, indeed – the best we could,” asserts DS Neil Stephens. In the final lap, both Sergio Henao and Rui Costa attacked to set-up a hard course in the benefit of their leader Tadej Pogacar, who could only deliver a 9th place atop the Mur de Huy. “We have to be realistic about Tadej,” Stephens explains. “The Tour de France was obviously very demanding for him, and he hasn’t recovered from it yet for a number of reason. Even if he wanted to perform in Flèche Wallonne and was in the right mindset to do so, he couldn’t do better than 9th. And it’s the same situation for tomorrow. Liège is one of the most beautiful Classics of the year. We have good cards to play, with several very good riders who are perfectly able to crack a top10 but for whom a victory is a tough ask. We expect the race to be decided at the Roche-aux-Faucons. The winner will go clear there – be it solo or in a group.”

FROOME + KWIATO = DOUBLE THREAT FROM INEOS GRENADIERS
It won’t be a first, because he has already participated six times in Liège with the 36th position achieved in 2013 as his best result – but it will be a last. Liège-Bastogne-Liège will be Chris Froome’s final one-day race with Ineos Grenadiers. The four-times winner of the Tour de France will play a domestique role, working for his teammate (and loyal domestique) Michal Kwiatkowski, who has stood twice at the podium of La Doyenne (3rd in both 2014 and 2017). But Ineos Greandiers’ DS, Brett Lancaster, doesn’t rule out the possibility of seeing Froome on a different note. “Chris [Froome] has worked very well over the last few weeks in Andorra and is in very good shape. He is set to work for Michal [Kwiatkowski], but he might be on the offensive if any dangerous break goes early. It’s true Michal is very focused on this Classics campaign. We’ve been discussing it for three months already and he is determined to race all the way to Paris-Roubaix.”

VAN DER BREGGEN AND VAN VLEUTEN SPEARHEAD WOMEN’S LIÈGE
Despite the long tradition of the men’s event, the Women’s Liège-Bastogne-Liège is still a relatively young race with only three editions on its record books. The two marquee names of the female peloton in this decade have so far been dominant in this Classic, with two victories under Anna van der Breggen’s name (2017 and 2018) and one under Annemiek van Vleuten’s (2019). Both Dutch cyclists will take part on this 2020 edition with their respective teams Boels Dolmans Cycling Team and Mitchelton Scott, spearheading a field with contenders such as Great Britain’s Lizzie Deignan (Trek Segafredo), Poland’s Kasia Niewiadoma (Canyon // SRAM Racing), Netherlands’ Marianne Vos (CCC Team) or Flèche Wallonne’s runner-ups to Van der Breggen, Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig (FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope) and Demi Völlering (Parkhotel Valkenburg). The 134-kilometre long route from Bastogne to Liège features five climbs, with the Côte de la Haute-Levée as main addition for this year, and the Côte de la Redoute and the Côte de la Roche-aux-Faucons as final challenges before the rolling run-in to Liège. As happened at last Wednesday’s Flèche Wallonne, the Women’s Liège Bastogne-Liège will be broadcasted live across 190 countries via 20 TV channels thanks to a 90-minute coverage provided by host broadcaster RTBF.
@ASO