Archiv der Kategorie: Weltcup und Klassiker

Brabantse Pijl – BEL – Women – 1.1 – 121,9 Km

Eintagsrennen, Ergebnisse, Frauenradsport, Weltcup und Klassiker, ,

1 BROWN Grace AUS MITCHELTON – SCOTT 03:03:38 39,83
2 LIPPERT Liane GER TEAM SUNWEB 00:47
3 MACKAIJ Floortje NED TEAM SUNWEB 00:51
4 KOPECKY Lotte BEL LOTTO SOUDAL LADIES 01:19
5 FAHLIN Emilia SWE FDJ NOUVELLE – AQUITAINE FUTUROSCOPE 01:19
6 LELEIVYTE Rasa LTU AROMITALIA – BASSO BIKES – VAIANO 01:19
7 CONFALONIERI Maria Giulia ITA CERATIZIT – WNT PRO CYCLING TEAM 01:19
8 RAGUSA Katia ITA ASTANA WOMEN’S TEAM 01:19
9 GARCIA CAÑELLAS Margarita Victo ESP ALE‘ BTC LJUBLJANA 01:19
10 STEPHENS Lauren USA TEAM TIBCO – SILICON VALLEY BANK 01:19


Foto: Gerhard Plomitzer

LIÈGE – BASTOGNE – LIÈGE 2020

Eintagsrennen, Ergebnisse, Frühjahrskassiker, Teamnews, Weltcup und Klassiker, , , ,

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 FEMMES 2020

Eintagsrennen, Ergebnisse, Frauenradsport, Weltcup und Klassiker, , ,

Bastogne – Liège (135,0 km / 2100 hm)
1 DEIGNAN Elizabeth (GBR) TREK – SEGAFREDO 3:29:48
2 BROWN Grace (AUS) MITCHELTON – SCOTT 0:00:09
3 VAN DIJK Ellen (NED) TREK – SEGAFREDO 0:02:19
4 VOS Marianne (NED) CCC – LIV 0:02:19
5 PIETERS Amy (NED) BOELS DOLMANS CYCLINGTEAM 0:02:19
6 BARNES Hannah (GBR) CANYON / /SRAM RACING 0:02:21
7 REUSSER Marlen (SUI) EQUIPE PAULE KA 0:02:21
8 LABOUS Juliette (FRA) TEAM SUNWEB 0:02:21
9 AALERUD Katrine (NOR) MOVISTAR TEAM WOMEN 0:02:26
10 LIPPERT Liane (GER) TEAM SUNWEB 0:03:27

October 4 th 2020 – 13:01

At the end of a tremendous show of courage in the difficult conditions of the rainy Ardennes, Lizzie Deignan claimed Liege-Bastogne-Liege for the first time of her career. The Brit powered away on the Cote de la Redoute never to be caught despite the strong counter-attack of Grace Brown. She wins this 4th edition of the race ahead of Brown and Ellen Van Dijk. Thanks to her success, the Trek-Segafredo rider takes command of the UCI Women’s World Tour again.
Five months after its initial date, the weather conditions were just as cold for the ladies of the 4th edition of Liège-Bastogne-Liège women. Cold temperatures and rain as the 136 riders took off on the 135-km course from Bastogne to Liège. In these difficult conditions and with a strong tailwind, the pack remained bunched.
Hard to take off and power away from a pack well under the control of teams Sunweb, Trek-Segafredo and Boels-Dolmans. A first decisive move eventually came on the first climb of the day, the Cote de Wanne (km 56.5) when seven riders pulled away: Peters (Boels-Dolmans Cycling Team), Labous (Team Sunweb), Barnes (Canyon Sram), Van Dijk (Trek Segafredo), Vos (CCC Liv), Reusser (Paule Ka) and Stephens (Team Tibco – Silicon Valley Bank).
On the following climb, while Stephens was dropped, two others very interesting riders joined the front group: Deignan (Trek Segafredo) and Aalerud (Movistar Team). The advantage of the front 8 reached 32” at the top of the Cote de la Haute Levée.
That gap carried on growing despite the efforts of teams Mitchelton-Scott and FDJ-Nouvelle Aquitaine Futuroscope at the front of the chasing bunch of around 40 riders. On the climb up the Côte de la Vecquée, Grace Brown (Mitchelton-Scott) managed to take off and eventually joined the escapees before the top where the gap had reached 1’20’’.
Among the seven former UCI road World champions present on the race, Lizzie Deignan was the first to give it a go as she powered away on the climb up the Côte de la Redoute. The Brit reached the summit with a 20” advantage over her former group and 1’30” over the pack.

Deignan saw her lead grow to 52” on her closest rivals and 2’20” on the pack with 20kms to go. On the final climb up La Roche aux Faucons, Grace Brown decided to take off on a counter-attack. At the summit, the Australian was only 35” adrift. While the pack of favourites including Van der Breggen and Van Vleuten failed to move any closer, a fantastic battle started between Deignan and Brown on the last 13kms to the finish in Liège.
With 5kms to go, Deignan could still enjoy a slim 10” lead over Brown. She eventually managed to remain clear all the way to the line, clinching Liège-Bastogne-Liège for the very first time. Deignan wins with a 9” advantage over Brown and 2’19” over third placed rider Ellen Van Dijk (Trek Segafredo). Deignan, thanks to her success, moves back into first position of the UCI Women’s World Tour.
@ASO

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

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

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

PARIS–ROUBAIX FEMMES: A RITE OF PASSAGE ON THE COBBLESTONES

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

PARIS–ROUBAIX FEMMES:
A RITE OF PASSAGE ON THE COBBLESTONES

Key points:
 The inaugural edition of the Women’s Paris–Roubaix will be held ahead of the men’s race on Sunday 25 October. The peloton will roll out from Denain at 9:10 am and tackle a 116 km course featuring 29,2 kilometres of cobblestones divided in 17 sectors.
 A provisional live broadcast of the Paris Roubaix Femmes on both general interest channels with large audiences and on sports-dedicated channels in almost 130 territories on 5 continents.
 24 teams representing the world cycling elite have been invited to be part of this momentous event.

Their time has come. The world’s top female cyclists have long watched their male counterparts do battle and get rattled on the cobbled sectors of Paris–Roubaix with a mix of jealousy and awe. Now, their first foray into the Hell of the North is approaching fast. The town of Denain, in the Nord department, will host the start of the race. The „fun“ starts after 20-odd kilometres, especially when the riders get to Hornaing, where the courses of the two races converge. At that point, 86 kilometres and two sectors with the maximum difficulty rating will stand between them and glory: Mons-en-Pévèle and the Carrefour de l’Arbre, which have witnessed numerous make-or-break moments for cobble-gobblers over the generations. This year, the ladies will also know how it feels to go head to head on such hellish terrain, which only makes the entrance to Roubaix Velodrome that much sweeter.

Committed Partners
Already a major partner in men’s racing, the Hauts-de-France region is, with its newest collaboration, showing how strongly committed it is to cycling, the cobbles and to the „Reine des Classiques“.
FDJ, who have just renewed their partnership with the „La Course By Le Tour de France avec FDJ“, reinforce their presence in women’s cycling by becoming the official partner of the new race. This partnership has been created as a part of the „Sport pour elles“ program, launched by FDJ in 2016. FDJ-Nouvelle-Aquitaine-Futuroscope cycling team of which it is the major partner will be at the start of this first Paris-Roubaix women.
Amaury Sport Organisation is glad to be able to count on all of the partners of the men’s event for their growing support for the first edition of Paris-Roubaix Women.

Teams selection
In accordance with the Union Cycliste International’s regulations, the eight women’s UCI World Teams automatically entered are:

ALE‘ BTC LJUBLJANA (ITA)
CANYON / /SRAM RACING (GER)
CCC – LIV (POL)
FDJ NOUVELLE – AQUITAINE FUTUROSCOPE (FRA)
MITCHELTON SCOTT (AUS)
MOVISTAR TEAM WOMEN (ESP)
TEAM SUNWEB (GER)
TREK – SEGAFREDO (USA)

As well as the eight teams already selected, the organisers have extended invitations to the following fifteen teams:

AROMITALIA – BASSO BIKES – VAIANO (ITA)
ASTANA WOMEN’S TEAM (KAZ)
BEPINK (ITA)
BOELS DOLMANS CYCLINGTEAM (NED)
CERATIZIT – WNT PRO CYCLING TEAM (GER)
CHARENTE – MARITIME WOMEN CYCLING (FRA)
COGEAS METTLER LOOK PRO CYCLING TEAM (RUS)
HITEC PRODUCTS – BIRK SPORT (NOR)
LOTTO SOUDAL LADIES (BEL)
PARKHOTEL VALKENBURG (NED)
PAULE KA (SUI)
RALLY CYCLING (USA)
TEAM ARKEA (FRA)
TEAM TIBCO – SILICON VALLEY BANK (USA)
VALCAR-TRAVEL & SERVICE (ITA)

RAINBOW ‘PREMIÈRE’ FOR ALAPHILIPPE IN LIÈGE

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

Key information:
 Julian Alaphilippe will first showcase his recently attained rainbow jersey this Sunday at Liège-Bastogne-Liège. The Deceuninck-Quick Step rider comes to La Doyenne in great shape and is an obvious favourite to finally get a victory he was already close to in 2015 (2nd) and 2018 (4th). Four-times winner Alejandro Valverde will be one of the most-renowned rivals for the Frenchman.
 Fresh off his impressive triumph in Flèche Wallonne, Team Sunweb’s Marc Hirschi will try to prolong his winning streak. His companions on Wednesday’s podium, Benoît Cosnefroy and Michael Woods, will also be present in Liège.

By raising his arms last Sunday in Imola, Julian Alaphilippe made history. ‘Loulou’ was the first Frenchman to pull on the rainbow jersey since Laurent Brochard did back in 1997. The Deceuninck-Quick Step cyclist is now poised to set another landmark victory for his country this weekend in Liège-Bastogne-Liège. The last Frenchman who managed to write his name in the ‘palmarès’ of La Doyenne was Bernard Hinault in 1980, only months before claiming the rainbow stripes himself in Sallanches.
But history doesn’t come easy. Alaphilippe will contend against a man who knows how to win this race, and has rightfully done so four times already. Former rainbow jersey himself, Alejandro Valverde comes to Liège after narrowly missing top10 in the Tour de France (12th) and delivering at 8th place in the 2020 Imola UCI Road World Championships.
Both Valverde and Alaphilippe were absent at Flèche Wallonne, leaving the path clear for new faces such as Marc Hirschi. His runner-up last Wednesday at the Mur de Huy, Benoît Cosnefroy, defined the Swiss cyclist as “one of strongest riders in the world at this moment.” His stage win at the Tour de France, on which he was awarded the most aggressive rider prize, combines with his bronze medal in Imola and his outstanding triumph this week to tout him as a potential contender at La Doyenne. Cosnefroy himself will be present in Liège too, as will the other man standing in the podium of Flèche Wallonne, Michael Woods, who has already come close to victory in this race (2nd in 2018).
As far as star riders are concerned, is hard to look past the podium of the Champs-Élysées. All the top3 riders of the Tour de France will race Liège-Bastogne-Liège: the Slovenians Tadej Pogacar and Primoz Roglic, and the Australian Richie Porte. Between those who shone in Huy, it’s pertinent to highlight Dan Martin (winner of La Doyenne in 2013, as well as 2nd in 2017), Warren Barguil (6th in 2018) and Michal Kwiatkowski (3rd both in 2014 and 2017).

25 teams, main contenders

Australia
Mitchelton-Scott: A.Yates (Uk), Albasini (Swi), Impey (Saf)

Bahrein
Bahrain-McLaren: Landa (Esp), Caruso (Ita), Poels (Ned), Teuns (Bel)

Belgium
Deceuninck-Quick Step: Alaphilippe, Cavagna (Fra), Jungels (Lux)
Lotto-Soudal: Wellens (Bel)
Circus-Wanty Gobert: Bakelants (Bel)
Sport Vlaanderen-Baloise: E.Planckaert (Bel)
Bingoal WB: Vanendert (Bel)
Alpecin-Fenix: Vakoc (Cze), Vervaeke (Bel)

France
AG2R La Mondiale: Cosnefroy, Vuillermoz (Fra)
Groupama-FDJ: Madouas, Molard (Fra)
Cofidis: G.Martin (Fra), Jes.Herrada (Esp)
Total Direct Energie: Simon, Hivert (Fra)
Team Arkea-Samsic: Barguil (Fra)

Germany
Bora-Hansgrohe: Kämna, Schachmann (Ger)
Team Sunweb : Hirschi (Swi), Benoot (Bel)

Kazakhstan
Astana Pro Team: Fraile, G.Izagirre (Esp)

Netherlands
Jumbo-Visma: Dumoulin (Ned) Roglic (Slo)

Poland
CCC Team: Van Avermaet (Bel), Geschke (Ger), De Marchi (Ita)

South Africa
NTT Pro Cycling Team: Gasparotto (Ita), Kreuziger (Cze)

Spain
Movistar Team: Valverde, Soler (Esp)

United Arab Emirates
UAE Team Emirates: Pogacar (Slo), Costa (Por), Henao (Col)

United Kingdom
Ineos Grenadiers: Kwiatkowski (Pol), Froome (UK)

United States of America
Trek-Segafredo: Porte (Aus), Skujins (Lat)
EF Pro Cycling: Woods (Can), Martinez, Uran (Col)

La Fleche Wallone 2020

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LA FLÈCHE WALLONNE FÉMININE 2020:
Huy – Mur de Huy (124,0 km/2185 hm)
1 VAN DER BREGGEN Anna (NED) BOELS DOLMANS CYCLINGTEAM 3:17:28
2 LUDWIG Cecilie Uttrup (DEN) FDJ NOUVELLE – AQUITAINE FUTUROSCOPE 0:00:02
3 VOLLERING Demi (NED) PARKHOTEL VALKENBURG 0:00:06
4 DEIGNAN Elizabeth (GBR) TREK – SEGAFREDO 0:00:11
5 LONGO BORGHINI Elisa (ITA) TREK – SEGAFREDO 0:00:11
6 MOOLMAN-PASIO Ashleigh (RSA) CCC – LIV 0:00:11
7 HARVEY Mikayla (NZL) EQUIPE PAULE KA 0:00:11
8 LIPPERT Liane (GER) TEAM SUNWEB 0:00:18
9 VOS Marianne (NED) CCC – LIV 0:00:22
10 NIEWIADOMA Katarzyna (POL) CANYON / /SRAM RACING 0:00:22

Huy, Wednesday September 30th 2020 – For the 6th time in a row, Anna van der Breggen conquered the Flèche Wallonne becoming the record holder of the event in front of Marianne Vos. The Dutch rider celebrated in style her World title conquered last saturday in Imola by clinching an impressive victory at the top of the Mur de Huy. Van der Breggen wins this 23rd edition of the race ahead of Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig and Demi Vollering. The Boels Dolmans Cycling Team leader also takes command of the UCI Women’s World Tour.

LA FLÈCHE WALLONNE 2020 (1.UWT): Marc Hirschi triumphiert auf der Mur de Huy

Herve – Mur de Huy (202,0 km / 2935 hm)
1 MARC HIRSCHI (TEAM SUNWEB) 04h 49′ 17“
2 BENOIT COSNEFROY (AG2R LA MONDIALE) + 00h 00′ 00“
3 MICHAEL WOODS (EF PRO CYCLING) + 00h 00′ 00“
4 WARREN BARGUIL (TEAM ARKEA – SAMSIC) + 00h 00′ 00“
5 DANIEL MARTIN (ISRAEL START-UP NATION) + 00h 00′ 00“
6 MICHAL KWIATKOWSKI (INEOS GRENADIERS) + 00h 00′ 00“
7 PATRICK KONRAD (BORA – HANSGROHE) + 00h 00′ 05“
8 RICHIE PORTE (TREK – SEGAFREDO) + 00h 00′ 05“
9 TADEJ POGACAR (UAE TEAM EMIRATES) + 00h 00′ 05“
10 SIMON GESCHKE (CCC TEAM) + 00h 00′ 10“
11 VALENTIN MADOUAS (GROUPAMA – FDJ) + 00h 00′ 10“
12 JELLE VANENDERT (BINGOAL WB) + 00h 00′ 10“
13 DANIEL FELIPE MARTINEZ (EF PRO CYCLING) + 00h 00′ 10“
14 RUDY MOLARD (GROUPAMA – FDJ) + 00h 00′ 10“
15 JESUS HERRADA (COFIDIS) + 00h 00′ 15“
16 WOUTER POELS (BAHRAIN – MCLAREN) + 00h 00′ 18“
17 KRISTS NEILANDS (ISRAEL START-UP NATION) + 00h 00′ 18“
18 NICHOLAS SCHULTZ (MITCHELTON – SCOTT) + 00h 00′ 18“
19 ANDREA BAGIOLI (DECEUNINCK – QUICK – STEP) + 00h 00′ 18“
20 HUGO HOULE (ASTANA PRO TEAM) + 00h 00′ 18“

Huy, Wednesday September 30th 2020 – Marc Hirschi (Team Sunweb) got today a ground-breaking victory in his maiden participation at the Flèche Wallonne. The Swiss rider overpowered Benoît Cosnefroy (AG2R La Mondiale) and Michael Woods (EF Pro Cycling) to become the third youngest winner in the race’s history and the second ever Swiss rider to triumph on this event, joining the legendary Ferdi Kübler, winner in 1951 and 1952. This edition of the Flèche Wallonne followed the race’s usual pattern, with a long breakaway starring most of the day and an uphill sprint in the Mur de Huy determining the outcome.

Patrick Konrad eröffnet mit Rang sieben beim Fleche Wallonne die Ardennen Klassiker für BORA – hansgrohe

Im Regen machte sich das Feld heute auf die 202 km von Herve nach Huy zum Ersten der Ardennen Klassiker 2020, dem Fleche Wallonne. Früh im Rennen setzte sich eine 4-Mann-Gruppe vom Feld ab, die einen Vorsprung von über sieben Minuten herausfahren konnte. Rund 70 km vor dem Ziel machte sich Ide Schelling gemeinsam mit A. De Marchi auf deren Verfolgung. Etwa 20 Kilometer später hatte das Duo um Schelling etwas mehr als zwei Minuten auf das Peloton herausgefahren, während der Abstand zur Spitze immer noch 2:30 betrug. Beim vorletzten Anstieg zur Mur de Huy verlor Ide den Anschluss an De Marchi und wurde wenig später vom Feld gestellt. Dennoch ein starker Auftritt den jungen BORA – hansgrohe Neo-Profis, während an der Spitze die Gruppe ebenfalls auseinanderfiel. Rund 15 km vor dem Ende versuchte R. Uran noch dem Feld zu enteilen, wo auch BORA – hansgrohe mit McCarthy, Kämna und Konrad aktiv wurde, am Ende erreichte die Gruppe der Favoriten aber geschlossen die Mur de Huy. M. Hirschi stellte sich auf den letzten 500m als der Stärkste im Feld heraus. Patrick Konrad erreichte als sehr guter Siebenter das Ziel und stellte damit sein Vorjahresergebnis ein.

Ergebnisse
01 M. Hirschi 4:49:17
02 B. Cosnefroy +0:00
03 M. Woods +0:00
…
07 P. Konrad +0:05

Reaktionen im Ziel
„Bei Tirreno-Adriatico war ich nach einer Erkrankung noch nicht richtig in Schuss, die letzten Wochen lief mein Training aber sehr gut. Dennoch wusste ich nicht so wirklich, wo ich im Moment stehe. Ich habe zuhause viel trainiert, auch im Regen, das war harte Arbeit. Während dem Rennen habe ich mich recht gut gefühlt, da war dann auch klar, dass wir im Finale auf mich fahren. Die Streckenänderung hat mir auch nicht ganz in die Karten gespielt, denn die Anfahrt zu Mur war etwas leichter als die letzten Jahre. Am Ende hatte ich eine sehr gute Position, aber nicht ganz die Beine, um um den Sieg zu kämpfen. Beim Antritt von Woods hat mir wohl auch noch ein bisschen Rennhärte gefehlt. Aber der 7. Platz ist in jedem Fall ein gutes Ergebnis, mit dem ich zufrieden bin. Es war mir wichtig, vor dem Giro noch meine Form zu testen. Nun kann ich mit Selbstvertrauen nach Italien anreisen.“ – Patrick Konrad

„Wir wollten mit Patrick auf das Finale warten und mit Lennard auf den letzten 30 km aktiv sein. Zuvor ist Ide noch in eine Verfolgergruppe gegangen, das war nicht geplant, aber sicher kein Nachteil. Nach der vorletzten Auffahrt zu Mur war Lennard immer vorne im Feld, aber es ging keine Gruppe. Uran hatte alleine keine Chance, da haben Jay und Lennard dann auf den letzten 10 km Patrick in Position gehalten. Der war am Ende vorne dabei und Rang sieben ist ein sehr gutes Ergebnis. Wir können also zufrieden sein und Patrick weiß nun auch, dass seine Form für den Giro stimmt.“ – André Schulze, sportlicher Leiter

Amstel Gold Race and Amstel Gold Race Ladies Edition 2020 cancelled

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Valkenburg, September 30, 2020 – The Amstel gold Race and Amstel Gold Race Ladies Edition will not be held on October 10. The three organizing municipalities and the South Limburg Safety Region have decided this due to the newly announced national measures, where it clearly states no public is allowed to attend sports matches.

„The past months have been very intensive. The COVID-19 pandemic caused the organization of the Amstel Gold Race to be very complex. We have worked hard to make the Amstel Gold Race Corona proof. In recent weeks it has become clear that a route through South Limburg, with passages in ten municipalities, was unfeasible. That is why we have shifted our focus and carefully worked on a new plan with a smaller circuit of 16.9 kilometres. The course and the area around the course would be closed to the public to prevent crowds and to guarantee a 1.5-meter distance. On Monday we were fully prepared to make this known to the world, but the new measures announced by the cabinet later that evening meant that the plans had to be revised again. With the condition „no public“ it became an almost impossible task. From Tuesday morning, we consulted with representatives of the Security Region and the municipalities. In their final deliberation, the mayors determined that they could not guarantee a public free race. To our regret, the security region came with a decision and needless to say we cannot do anything else but respect this decision However, we look forward to return next year with a fantastic race“, according to Leo van Vliet, race director of the Amstel Gold Race.

Jan Schrijen, mayor of the municipality of Valkenburg aan de Geul responds on behalf of the three organizing municipalities and states the following: „Until last Monday, we were 95% convinced that the Amstel Gold Race could continue with a closed course. Due to the new measure, sporting events can only take place without an audience. The three municipalities and the Safety Region have come to the conclusion that it is impossible to organize the Amstel Gold Race, even on a closed course, without spectators. Residents and holidaymakers staying in the area cannot be denied entry. And that means that there is no guarantee that the course will be public free.It is extremely unpleasant for the organization, which, together with the municipalities and the Safety Region, have done everything to ensure that the Amstel Gold Race proceeds safely.“

La Flèche Wallone 2020: Info with one day to go

Frühjahrskassiker, Strassenrennen, Vorschau, Weltcup und Klassiker, ,

Key information:
 We are set to live an extraordinary edition of the Flèche Wallonne tomorrow. For the first time ever, the race will be held in autumn… right after the Tour de France and the World Championships! The defending champion and new tenant of the rainbow jersey Julian Alaphilippe has chosen to skip the race in order to focus on Sunday’s Liège-Bastogne-Liège. Tour de France winner Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates) seems to be the wheel to follow, with another Grande Boucle podium man like Richie Porte (Trek-Segafredo) as a fellow favourite.
 Contention will be wide open, with a field full of outsiders for victory. Many riders come to Belgium after shining at both the Tour de France and the World Championships, such as Marc Hirschi, Michal Kwiatkowski, Mikel Landa or Tom Dumoulin. It will be an exciting race up the Mur de Huy… and an early breakaway can’t be ruled out either.

JEAN-MICHEL MONIN: “ALL GUNS BLAZING IN THE MUR DE HUY”
The 84th edition of the Flèche Wallonne is starting from Herve, a village 15 kilometres east from Liège. The peloton will then ride across the Wallonia countryside to later reach Huy, where it will enter a 32-kilometre circuit due to be ridden three times. The route around Huy has been slightly revamped to avoid the Côte de Cherave, unavailable due to construction works and replaced by the Côte du Chemin des Gueuses. This new climb, 1,8-kilometre long with an average gradient of 6,5%, will play the same role as the Côte de Cherave according to race director Jean-Michel Monin. “It’s a road we normally faced on the other sense, as a descent, but on this case it will challenge the bunch 10 kilometres before the finish atop the Mur de Huy. It isn’t a launching pad for attackers, but rather a spot to narrow down the peloton. Chemin des Guuses is a softer climb compared to Cherave, but it can still blow many cyclists away. The top favourites will anyway be contending in the Mur – all guns will be blazing there. As every year, the strongest rider will triumph on the finish line.”

MARC HIRSCHI, A DEBUTANT ON A MISSION
After being one of the stars of the recent Tour de France and with the bronze medal of the Imola 2020 UCI Road World Championships hanging around his neck, Swiss rider Marc Hirschi is one of the marquee names on the startlist of the Flèche Wallonne despite this being its maiden appearance on this race. “I think a top5 is a realistic goal for Marc [Hirschi], but if he is on a good day he can even deliver a podium performance,” says Team Sunweb’s DS Michiel Elijzen. “He is one of the best riders on the world on short, steep climbs like Huy.” The Dutch coach identifies “Tadej Pogačar or Michal Kwiatkowski” as the top contenders for victory. “Normally Flèche Wallonne ends in an uphill sprint with a reduced peloton, and I think that won’t change this year. The sole factor that could alter this is the weather, and it looks fine for tomorrow. Therefore, most teams will focus on giving their leader the best possible shot on the Mur de Huy – although I think we will see more attacks before the final climb than in previous years.”

BAHRAIN-MCLAREN EXPECTS “UNCERTAIN RACE”
One of the teams lining up a powerful squad on this Flèche Wallonne is Bahrain-McLaren. The British-based team comes with three riders fresh off the Tour de France such as Mikel Landa, Wout Poels and Matej Mohoric, and a former Flèche Wallonne podium finisher as Dylan Teuns to round up the outfit. “We don’t know yet how are we going to play the cards we have – it will depend on how the race unfolds,” says DS Xavier Florencio. “Mikel Landa is in good shape after being 4th in the Tour de France and contending in the Worlds. We are unsure of Dylan Teuns’ shape, although we know he had a good race at Tirreno-Adriatico and that Flèche Wallonne perfectly fits his abilities as a rider. We can’t foresee which team will control the race, and therefore expect the competition to be a bit different, more uncertain compared to previous editions. We don’t think the bunch will make to Huy in one piece.”

TEAM DUTY FOR TOM DUMOULIN
Over his nine years on the elite level of the sport, Tom Dumoulin has only taken part once in the Flèche Wallonne, placing 21st in 2014. This Wednesday, the winner of the 2017 Giro d’Italia will be on the start line of Herve on team duty with an eye on Liège-Bastogne-Liège, where he will race alongside Primoz Roglic. “We don’t know what role Tom Dumoulin can play tomorrow,” says his DS at Jumbo-Visma, Franz Maassen. “We have to see whether he is fully recovered from the Worlds, but normally this will only be a training race for him ahead of Sunday’s event.” The Dutch squad will back the chances of youngsters Lennard Hofstede and Jonas Vingegaard. “I think this Flèche Wallonne will be more or less ridden the same way it usually is, with a bunch getting to the foot of final climb and an uphill sprint for the win. Although many riders are tired after the Tour de France and the World Championships, this won’t affect how the race pans out.”
@ASO

No spectators at Amstel Gold Race and Amstel Gold Race Ladies Edition

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Tourversion Amstel Gold Race 2020 rescheduled to 2021

VALKENBURG, 19 August 2020 – The organisation of the Amstel Gold Race has decided to reschedule the Tourversion Amstel Gold Race, in which 15.000 participants start every year, to 17 April 2021. The elite edition of the Amstel Gold Race and the Amstel Gold Race Ladies Edition will be held on Saturday 10 October 2020 without spectators and the usual finish area. The organization asks everyone to watch the race from home and not to travel to Limburg.
A little less than two months beforethe Tourversion of the Amstel Gold Race we have to conclude that a cycling tour with 15.000 participants is not feasible. An additional reason to move the Tourversion to 2021 is that we want to fully focus on a safely organised Amstel Gold Race and Amstel Gold Race Ladies Edition on Saturday 10 October 2020. This will be an edition without spectators. Normally many participants of the Tourversion are staying in Zuid-Limburg for the entire weekend to watch the elite races as well. By postponing the tourversion, this will not be the case this year. Together with local governments we are working on measurements to keep the start- and finish location and the climbs free of spectators. We are working together with the NOS (the Dutch television broadcasting organisation) to extend the live coverage of the Amstel Gold Race on television, so people can enjoy the full race at home“, says Leo van Vliet, course director of the Amstel Gold Race.
The organisation is working closely with local governments and safety authorities. Van Vliet: „All parties are committed to continue organising the Amstel Gold Race. We closely follow all developments and learn from the international cycling races that are currently taking place in Europe.“

Tourversion for 15.000 cycling enthousiasts
The registered participants of the Amstel Gold Race Tourversion will receive a message from the organization. Participants will be given the possibility to transfer their ticket to 2021 or get a refund of the entry fee. The Tourversion 2021 is scheduled on Saturday 17 April.
Broadcast NOS
The NOS will broadcast a extra-long live coverage of The Amstel Gold Race and The Amstel Gold Race Ladies Edition on Saturday 10 October 2020 starting 12:10.

MILANO – SANREMO 2020

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Milano – Sanremo (305,0 km) -> Marschtabelle, Profil
1 Wout Van Aert (Bel) Team Jumbo – Visma 7:16:09
2 Julian Alaphilippe (Fra) Deceuninck – Quick Step 0:00:00
3 Michael Matthews (Aus) Team Sunweb 0:00:02
4 Peter Sagan (Svk) Bora – Hansgrohe 0:00:02
5 Giacomo Nizzolo (Ita) NTT Pro Cycling Team 0:00:02
6 Dion Smith (NZl) Mitchelton – Scott 0:00:02
7 Alex Aranburu Deba (Esp) Astana Pro Team 0:00:02
8 Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) CCC Team 0:00:02
9 Philippe Gilbert (Bel) Lotto Soudal 0:00:02
10 Matej Mohoric (Slo) Bahrain – McLaren 0:00:02
11 Andrea Vendrame (Ita) AG2R La Mondiale 0:00:02
12 Tadej Pogacar (Slo) UAE Team Emirates 0:00:02
13 Mathieu Van Der Poel (Ned) Alpecin – Fenix 0:00:02
14 Oliver Naesen (Bel) AG2R La Mondiale 0:00:02
15 Michal Kwiatkowski (Pol) Team Ineos 0:00:02
16 Davide Formolo (Ita) UAE Team Emirates 0:00:02
17 Matteo Jorgenson (USA) Movistar Team 0:00:02
18 Alberto Bettiol (Ita) EF Pro Cycling 0:00:02
19 Zdenek Štybar (Cze) Deceuninck – Quick Step 0:00:02
20 Tiesj Benoot (Bel) Team Sunweb 0:00:02

Foto: Gerhard Plomitzer

Einmal mehr knapp dran: Peter Sagan auf Rang vier bei Mailand – Sanremo
Mit einer geänderten Strecke und einer Rekordlänge von 305 Kilometern präsentierte sich heute Mailand – Sanremo dem Fahrerfeld. Cipressa und Poggio blieben auch weiterhin die Scharfrichter des Rennens, davor wurde aber länger im Hinterland gefahren. Direkt nach dem Start setzten sich sieben Fahrer vom Feld ab, die aber nie mehr als 5 Minuten Vorsprung herausfahren konnten. Rechtzeitig beim Eintreffen an der ligurischen Küste war das Feld wieder geschlossen und das Finale eröffnet. Schon an der Cipressa gab es die ersten Attacken, in der Abfahrt konnte sich dann Daniel Oss vom Feld absetzen. Oss blieb bis zum Poggio an der Spitze des Rennens, dort war das Feld abermals geschlossen. Wie im letzten Jahr setzte J. Alaphilippe in der Folge die entscheidende Attacke, diesmal konnte W. Van Aert ihm aber folgen. In der Gruppe dahinter positionierte sich Peter Sagan für den Sprint. Am Ende holte Van Aert den Sieg vor Alaphilippe, nur 2 Sekunden vor der ersten Verfolgergruppe, wo Peter Sagan den vierten Rang einfahren konnte.
Reaktionen im Ziel
„Das war das längste Mailand – Sanremo der Geschichte, aber es war weniger nervös. Es waren in Summe weniger Anstiege, das Rennen hat erst an der Cipressa so richtig begonnen. Was mich angeht, ich bin noch nicht in der Form wie in den letzten Jahren bei Sanremo, die auch nötig ist, um hier um den Sieg mitzufahren. Mir fehlte in diesem Jahr einfach noch ein bisschen, um am Poggio mit Alaphilippe oder Van Aert mitzugehen. Meine Beine waren aber schon viel besser als letzte Woche und ich denke, ich bin auf dem richtigen Weg. Für mich beginnt dieses Jahr so richtig mit der Tour, denke ich. Aber ich möchte mich in jedem Fall bei meinem Team bedanken, sie haben einmal mehr einen tollen Job gemacht.“ – Peter Sagan

„Das war heute ein extrem langes und hartes Rennen. Die Hitze hat auch noch das ihre beigetragen. Wir wollten bis an die Küste Kraft sparen, das ist uns sehr gut gelungen. In der Cipressa waren wir gut positioniert, dann war Daniel plötzlich alleine vorne. Das war nicht geplant, aber die Rennsituation hat sich so ergeben. Als er eingeholt wurde, hatten wir zwar noch einige Fahrer in der Gruppe, nach der Attacke von Alaphilippe war Peter aber isoliert. Dort hätte er Daniel gebraucht, vielleicht hätten wir die Lücke zur Spitze dann noch schließen können. Aber alle haben ihr Bestes gegeben. Peter war am Ende wieder einmal knapp dran, diesmal auf Rang vier. Das ist gut, aber wir wollten endlich gewinnen.“ – Enrico Poitschke, sportlicher Leiter