Schlagwort-Archive: ASO

TOUR DE FRANCE FEMMES AVEC ZWIFT Episode 1+2

Etappenrennen, Frauenradsport, Tour de France, Vorschau, , , ,

Episode 1/5 : Chloé Dygert: „The Tour is such a huge goal!“

IN THE PELOTON ….

From the 24th to the 31st July, we will be looking at a handful of favourites for the Maillot Jaune on the Super Planche-des-Belles-Filles. Nevertheless there are many riders amongst the 144 taking to the start-line that will be looking for their moment in the sun on this historic first edition. Let’s meet 5 champions with an ambition to shine.

One of the best track riders in recent years with seven World Champion titles and two Olympic medals, USA’s Chloé Dygert also aims to make the most of her raw power on the road. It started off in impressive fashion with the 2019 World Championships on the road, where she took the rainbow jersey in the time-trial and finished 4th of the road race. Since then, the 25-year-old star has suffered serious misfortunes with a crash in the roadside barriers at the 2020 Worlds and the Epstein-Barr virus earlier this season. Dygert says she’s been used to setbacks since she was a kid, and she’s always come back stronger. She’s now in her „last bit of rehab work“ as she aims to chase the Maillot Jaune next month with Canyon//Sram Racing.

Chloé Dygert stormed to the podiums as soon as she appeared on the international scene as a junior. A former basketball player, upset by injuries, she won the world championships in the United States in Richmond… in the time trial and in the road race. Her collection of titles and rainbow jerseys rapidly grew as she joined the Elite ranks, first on the track. In 2016, she became a world champion in the team pursuit in London. Among the many feats of her career on the track, Chloé Dygert broke the world record of the individual pursuit for the first time in 2018 at the world championships in Apeldoorn in the Netherlands. She has since improved it twice at the 2020 Worlds.

Almost three months after being diagnosed with Epstein-Barr virus, how are you?
Every day is a new day. Sometimes I’ll have really good days, and other days feel like I took three steps back. It’s been a very frustrating process but I’m just trusting those around me as we’re doing everything we can with the team, USA Cycling and my doctors. I’m in Indiana right now and tomorrow [on June14th] I fly back to Colorado Springs to do my last bit of rehab work. I’m just taking it day by day and hoping I can overcome this soon because I still have a lot of things that I want to do this season. I planned at the beginning of the year to do Nationals, Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift and the Worlds. So those are still on my list to accomplish. It’s just a matter of if my body can get there in time.

How do you hang on when you can’t be a rider?
I go back to my faith and I think of this being just God’s plan. And as much as I don’t agree with it all the time, I know that in the end I’m doing what I’m supposed to be doing in his terms. I remember the first injury that I had when I was a little girl, it was a back injury. I’m very used to setbacks. It is frustrating, especially when I’m having to sit out for such a long period of time but I do think it’s an advantage to have been able to mentally overcome these physical setbacks. I struggle with it, every day, it’s not easy. But it also makes it easier when things go wrong on race days. Like, in the 2019 World Championships, when the time-trial was delayed because of the weather conditions, I remember it being such a huge deal for all the girls. For me, yes, it might have been a little bit frustrating, but I didn’t want it to affect me, because everybody is in the same boat. It’s just something that we have to adapt to and we have to overcome.

“I hope there’s gonna be time trials in the next years,
that it will just grow and become the all-time
best women’s event cycling can have.”

How did road racing enter your horizon?
I was bribed! I started mountain biking. And I was told: “If you do the Junior Nationals on the road, you can use your brother’s wheels on your mountain bike”. I was like: “Yeah! Ok, I’ll go.” That’s how I got into road, and then I went to the junior Worlds in 2015, the year before the Rio Olympics. USA Cycling had access to all my data and everything, and with that, I was put in touch with Andy Sparks at the time, the coach on the track, and he invited me out for a camp, just to see where I’d fit in and how I would perform. It got me to Rio and now I’m a dual discipline athlete.

Were you also following the sport as a fan?
I was more interested in doing things rather than watching them! In America, when you think of cycling, when you don’t know anything about it, you think of the Tour de France! So the fact that now we have a Women’s Tour de France is a huge accomplishment.

So have you been talking about the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift with your father?
Of course! I’ve been talking about it with everybody! It’s such a huge goal! It’s a goal for all these women to be part of the first ever Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift. It’s a huge step forward for all of us and I hope this is just the benchmark, the starting ground to what it’s gonna become. I hope there’s gonna be time trials in the next years, that it will just grow and become the all-time best women’s event cycling can have.

The eight stages will bring different types of challenges. How do you approach them?
We have a super strong team, so if I’m there I’m gonna do what’s good for me but also for the team. If that means I work for the team the whole time, that’s what I’m gonna do. This is such a huge opportunity. Being on the top step, it doesn’t matter if it’s me or someone else wearing our colours. It would be such an honour to be part of it and help us go for that Maillot Jaune.

How do your abilities on the track translate on the road?
I do enjoy being in a peloton and I always set my standards high. Everybody makes it sound that it’s such a hard thing, being in the peloton. I actually was told that I probably wouldn’t make it in the front group in my first European race, and that was the World Championships in Yorkshire. Lizzie Deignan said, and it stuck with me: “You either have that instinct or you don’t.” I think I have been blessed with… I know in my head where I should go. Sometimes it doesn’t always work, but at least I know. I can’t wait to race more because I do have the confidence in my performance, I do have the confidence in my training, I know I have the strength to accomplish the goals that I want to accomplish. It’s about getting the experience, the time on the bike, with the team, and really learning how to work as a team and focusing on that dynamic to pull together the win.

Chloé’s power extends to the road with a bang in 2019. At the world championships in Yorkshire, she won the time trial ahead of Anna van der Breggen and Annemiek van Vleuten. In the road race, she finished just off the podium (4th). Chloé’s winning streak came to a halt at the Imola Worlds in 2020, when a violent crash prevented her from completing her race towards another rainbow jersey. The consequences of her injuries then disrupted her 2021 season. After a long period of interruption, the American rider was able to resume competition at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021. She left with 7th place in the individual time trial… and also a bronze medal on the track.

Chloé Dygert (Canyon//Sram Racing)
Born on January 1, 1997 in Brownsburg (Indiana, United States of America)
Teams: Twenty16-Ridebiker (2015-2016), Twenty20 Pro Cycling (2017-2020), Canyon//Sram Racing (2021-2022)

Major results :
• 2015: junior World champion in the road race and the ITT
• 2016: World champion in the team pursuit, silver medalist in the team pursuit at the Olympic Games
• 2017: World champion in the individual and team pursuits, Pan American champion in the ITT
• 2018: World champion in the individual and team pursuits
• 2019: World champion in the ITT, Pan American champion in the ITT, winner of Joe Martin Stage Race
• 2020: World champion in the individual and team pursuits
• 2021: USA champion in the ITT, bronze medalist in the team pursuit at the Olympic Games

Distinctive sign: with 1m75 and 67 kg, Chloé Dygert is easily noticed, even when she does not wear a rainbow jersey. “I will never climb better than girls who are 50 pounds lighter than me but I do everything to be the best rider possible.”

Juliette Labous: „I feel the pressure mounting“ (2/5)

As one of France’s promising up-and-coming cyclists since the junior category, Juliette Labous has been rising a little higher each year in the hierarchy of the best female climbers. At 23 years of age, she carries on her shoulders the greatest French hopes for a good result in the general classification, provided she is chosen by her DSM team, which is not in doubt. She feels ready to aim for the Top 5 in this first Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift, a year after she finished seventh in the Giro Rosa. The Bisonta native has just gotten a boost of confidence after winning her first World Tour race, the Tour of Burgos, in mid-May, just before her training stage in Tignes (25 May to 15 June).

BMX, mountain biking, cyclocross… Juliette Labous experimented on all types of terrain before becoming a professional on a road bike. In the youth categories, she was even one of the winners.
It was in the mud of the French championships in Pont-Château that Juliette Labous won her first tricolour jersey, then in the junior category. Still, in the junior category, it was then on a global scale that Juliette Labous made her mark, with a bronze medal in the time trial at the 2016 Doha Worlds.
You were born in Besançon and have always lived in the area, but Labous is a Breton surname (pronounce the S), and it was in Finistère, in Kerlouan, that your brother taught you how to ride a bicycle on the paved terrace of a gîte.
Yes, I must have been three years old. I remember falling into a flower pot! There were a few falls, but then it was all over, and I’ve never stopped since. Every summer, we spent a week in Finistère. My paternal grandfather is from there. But otherwise, I’m franc-comtoise!

You have a sister, ten years older, and a brother, five years older. It was thanks to him that you developed a passion for cycling.
Yes, Quentin made me want to do it. I followed him everywhere. He was my role model! Quentin started with BMX, and I followed him. It was the same for mountain biking and then for the road. Our parents supported us but never pushed us. One day they brought in trucks to lay down soil to turn our garden into a mini-BMX track!

Your brother stopped his studies at 18 to give himself a chance to go pro.
Yes, school no longer suited him. It was now or never, but it didn’t work out, but it could have.

By achieving this yourself, do you feel fulfilling a dream for two?
A little bit. Yes and no. My brother taught me a lot and always gave me the right advice. He wasn’t lucky enough to meet the right people and for everything to go smoothly, which was my case.

You were trained at the Besançon hopefuls centre, under the supervision of Matthieu Nadal, before joining the professional ranks as soon as you left the juniors with your current team. Was this the very first team to contact you?
Yes, they did after the Richmond Worlds, when I was a J1. The team’s sporting director had contacted me on Facebook. I didn’t know at first if it was real! He arranged for me to do training camps at the beginning of J2, and our relationship developed naturally. They took youngsters to the „Talent Days“ scouting camp every year. It went well, and I won a stage at Albstadt in the Nations Cup. After that, they said to me: „You are welcome in the team!” FDJ contacted me, but it was practically a done deal with Liv-Plantur (the former name of Sunweb and Team DSM). I wanted to join them because they were a foreign team, and I wanted to experience the Dutch cycling culture. It was a dream; there was little question about it.

At the time, Marianne Vos was a particular inspiration to you.
Yes, because she won everything! Women’s cycling didn’t get much media coverage in those days. In the few races we saw, it was her or Pauline Ferrand-Prévot. Julie Bresset also inspired me with her Olympic title in London (in mountain biking). I had my idols in BMX when I was younger, like Laetitia le Corguillé. I took a photo with her when I was very young. I ran into Laetitia again two years ago during a seminar in Dijon. She and I took another picture together and had a good laugh. I learned that she had named her daughter Juliette!

As a child, could you identify with the male riders watching the Tour?
No, not really. I liked watching, but as there were no girls, I couldn’t say I wanted to do it. It was like becoming a professional; the idea didn’t come until later. But I went to see the Tour when it passed by my place. It happened two or three times. I remember the time trial in Besançon in 2012. We went to ride the day before to try to see the pros! It left an impression on me. There is another thing too: during a training camp with the Franche-Comté committee, Sandrine Guironnet took us to see the Route de France in Arc-et-Senans… I recently spoke to Evita Muzic about it because she was there too. Watching all those female teams motivated me. I had the impression that they were pros, even if, at the time, this was not the case.

You will be the best French chance for the general classification, to aim for a top 5. How do you feel about the pressure you’ll be under with a month left to go before the race?
I can feel it starting to mount. I am hearing more about it from the general public to those around me, but I think I’m ready for it. I was the only representative at the Olympics last year, where I was already feeling the pressure. Generally speaking, it’s not something that holds me back. It doesn’t scare me too much.

Have you talked with Romain Bardet about this? He has been in this role for a long time and has also ridden for Team DSM since last year?
No, but there would indeed be something to talk about! We talk sometimes. It was complicated last year because of Covid and the bubbles to be respected. At the last meeting with the men’s team, we had a good chat with all the French riders, including the newcomers, Romain Combaud and Léa Curinier.

Do you have any idea what your friends and family have in store for you for the two stages in the Vosges? La Planche des Belles Filles is only 100 kilometres from Besançon.
No, but I think there will be a lot of people! It’s going to be something special.

Do you have a fan club?
No, not officially!
But you can count on the support of your parents. Your brother told us that they have said they only want to follow a few stages. But he thinks they are lying and will, in fact, do the whole thing!
It’s not impossible! I don’t think they will be there in Paris, it’s a bit difficult, even if only logistically. I believe they will be too eager to come after watching a stage or two on TV. They have already deviated from their initial plan! At first, they were only talking about the last three stages. They are starting to say they could come and help the team on the white paths of the fourth stage!

Juliette Labous‘ climbing skills coexist perfectly with her riding abilities. For example, she beat Audrey Cordon-Ragot and Aude Biannic in the French time trial championships in 2020. In 2021, Juliette Labous confirmed her ability to compete with the best in the time trial: 9th at the Olympic Games in Tokyo, then 6th at the World Championships in Bruges. The Flèche Wallonne is one of Juliette Labous‘ favourite events. In 2021, she finished 6th at the top of the Mur de Huy.

Juliette Labous (Team DSM)
Born 4 November 1998 at Besançon (France)
Teams: Sunweb (2017 to 2020), Team DSM (2021-2022)

Major results :
• 2014: French Cadette Road Champion
• 2015: French junior Time Trial champion, 4th in the European Junior Championship, French Junior Cyclo-Cross Champion.
• 2016: French Junior Time Trial and Road Race Champion, 3rd in the European and World Time Trial Championships.
• 2017: 4th overall Tour de Feminin
• 2018: French U23 Time Trial champion, 7th overall Tour de Yorkshire
• 2019: 1st Young Rider Classification Giro Rosa (11th overall), 3rd Overall Tour de Bretagne
• 2020: French Elite and U23 Time Trial Champion, 6th in the European Time Trial Championship, 8th in Liège-Bastogne-Liège Femmes
• 2021: 2nd overall Women’s Tour, 6th Flèche Wallonne Femmes and World Time Trial Championship, 7th overall Giro Rosa, 9th in the Tokyo Olympic Games Time Trial
• 2022: 1st overall Vuelta a Burgos, 5th overall Flèche Brabançonne, 11th overall Trofeo Binda and Amstel Gold Race, 12th overall Liège-Bastogne-Liège Femmes

Particular sign: Gifted at school, little Juliette Labous skipped a grade (CE1) and dreamed of becoming an astrophysicist. She had a map of the constellations projected onto her bedroom ceiling, and during clear nights, she observed the stars through a telescope.

Next episodes:
• Paula Patiño (COL / Movistar Team Women)
• Marta Cavalli (ITA / FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope)
• Ashleigh Moolman Pasio (ZAF / Teams SD Worx)

Marcel Kittel fährt die Plan International Challenge in Thüringen

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Marcel Kittel steigt für den guten Zweck auf das Rad. Zusammen mit Hobbyradsportler*innen fährt er eine komplette Etappe der Deutschland Tour, um Spenden für die Ukraine-Nothilfe zu sammeln. Wer zusammen mit dem Sprintstar den Thüringen-Auftakt der Plan International Challenge erleben möchte, muss bereits jetzt schnell sein. Die wenigen Startplätze gibt es auf challenge.deutschland-tour.com.

Am 24. August startet die Deutschland Tour mit einem Prolog in Weimar. Noch bevor die Radsport-Profis um den Tagessieg fahren, dürfen die Teilnehmenden der Plan International Challenge ganz exklusiv auf die Strecke. Gemütliches Einrollen unter Zuschauerjubel oder Tempojagd auf kurzen 2,7 Kilometern, um die eigene Zeit mit den Profis zu vergleichen? Beides ist auf abgesperrter Strecke für die Hobbyradsportler*innen möglich.
Am Tag darauf führt die Deutschland Tour-Etappe das Charity-Peloton von Weimar nach Meiningen. Diese Fahrt durch das südliche Thüringen lässt sich Marcel Kittel nicht entgehen. Der gebürtige Arnstädter führt eine kleine Gruppe begeisterter Radsportler*innen durch sein ehemaliges Trainingsgebiet. Am 25. August verlassen sie Weimar vor den Deutschland Tour-Profis und folgen der Original-Strecke über den Rennsteig bis zum Ziel in Meiningen.

Die Plan International Challenge ist ein exklusives Erlebnis: Hobbyradsportler*innen fahren mit Prominenten eine Deutschland Tour-Etappe und sammeln Spenden. Sie unterstützen die Ukraine-Nothilfe des Kinderhilfswerks Plan International, die sich unter anderem für dringende Hilfsmaßnahmen zum Schutz geflüchteter Kinder und ihrer psychosozialen Betreuung im Grenzgebiet von Polen, Moldau und Rumänien einsetzt.
Nur noch wenige Plätze sind für die Spendenaktion in Thüringen verfügbar. Wer mitfahren möchte, bucht die Teilnahme auf challenge.deutschland-tour.com. Für Strecken-Verpflegung, Support durch ein Begleitfahrzeug und professionelle Rundum-Betreuung ist gesorgt. Auch nach der Zieldurchfahrt in Meiningen geht der Radsport-Tag weiter. Direkt am Zielstrich ist ein Bereich für alle Teilnehmenden reserviert, um gemeinsam mit Marcel Kittel die Ankunft der Deutschland Tour-Profis hautnah zu verfolgen.

„Als zweifacher Familienvater hat mich die Situation der Kinder und Familien in der Ukraine natürlich sehr betroffen gemacht. Daher freue ich mich nun umso mehr, gemeinsam mit den Fans der Deutschland Tour für die Ukraine-Nothilfe zu fahren – und das in meiner wunderschönen Thüringer Heimat“, sagt Marcel Kittel zu seinem Engagement.

Photo by Plomi

Hobbyradsportler*innen, die noch höher als auf den Rennsteig klettern möchten, wählen den 27. August für ihre Plan International Challenge. Dann geht es von Freiburg über den Kaiserstuhl zum Schauinsland. Dort begleiten unter anderem Rodel-Olympiasieger Felix Loch und der mehrfache Tour de France-Teilnehmer Johannes Fröhlinger die Spendenfahrer*innen.

Kostenlos die Jedermann Tour in Stuttgart und der Region Stuttgart testen

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Am 3. Juli findet ein Streckentest der Jedermann Tour statt. Acht Wochen vor dem großen Rennen durch Stuttgart und die Region Stuttgart können Interessierte den Kurs vorab erkunden. Am 28. August werden 3.000 Hobbyradsportler*innen in der Landeshauptstadt erwartet, die den Finaltag der Deutschland Tour einläuten.

Der Streckentest der Jedermann Tour ist ein kostenloses Sportangebot, das im Rahmen der Kampagne „Stuttgart bewegt sich“ vom Amt für Sport und Bewegung der Landeshauptstadt Stuttgart veranstaltet wird. Begleitet von Nadine Berneis, ehemalige Miss Germany aus Stuttgart und Botschafterin der Jedermann Tour, erkunden aktive Radsportler*innen bei einer entspannten Sonntagsausfahrt die kurze Runde des Jedermann-Rennens.

Den Namen „Weinbergrunde“ trägt der Kurs zurecht. Auf 57 Kilometern geht es aus der Stuttgarter City nach Stuttgart-Obertürkheim und weiter durch die Weinberge bis zum Rotenberg. Vom Höhepunkt der Runde führt die Abfahrt nach Kernen im Remstal und Fellbach. Weiter geht es Richtung Neckar, der in Remseck am Neckar, überquert wird. Von Stuttgart-Münster führt die Strecke hinauf zum Killesberg, um von dort die Abfahrt zum Finale im Stuttgarter Zentrum richtig genießen zu können.

Wer bei der Generalprobe dabei sein möchte, meldet sich auf www.stuttgart-bewegt-sich.de an. Die Gruppenausfahrt findet auf öffentlichen Straßen selbstverantwortlich statt. Treffpunkt für alle Interessierten ist am 3. Juli um 10:45 Uhr der Österreichische Platz unter der Paulinenbrücke in Stuttgart.

Dege, Miss Germany 2019 Nadine Berneis and Andre Greipel
Photo by Plomi

Criterium Dauphine Etappe 8

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Saint-Alban-Leysse – Plateau de Solaison – 139 Km

1 VINGEGAARD Jonas DEN JUMBO – VISMA 03:49:20
2 ROGLIČ Primož SLO JUMBO – VISMA 00:00
3 O’CONNOR Ben AUS AG2R CITROEN TEAM 00:15
4 CHAVES Jhoan Esteban COL EF EDUCATION – EASYPOST 0,353
5 ALMEIDA GUERREIRO Ruben Antonio POR EF EDUCATION – EASYPOST 00:53
6 CARUSO Damiano ITA BAHRAIN VICTORIOUS 00:55
7 MEINTJES Louis RSA INTERMARCHE – WANTY – GOBERT MATER. 00:55
8 HAIG Jack AUS BAHRAIN VICTORIOUS 00:55
9 KRUIJSWIJK Steven NED JUMBO – VISMA 01:20
10 JOHANNESSEN Tobias Halland NOR UNO-X PRO CYCLING TEAM 01:40
11 MCNULTY Brandon USA UAE TEAM EMIRATES 01:45
12 BENNETT George NZL UAE TEAM EMIRATES 02:01
13 GEOGHEGAN HART Tao GBR INEOS GRENADIERS 02:08
14 KONRAD Patrick AUT BORA – HANSGROHE 03:03
15 BARGUIL Warren FRA TEAM ARKEA – SAMSIC 03:03

Endstand:

1 ROGLIČ Primož SLO JUMBO – VISMA 29:11:22
2 VINGEGAARD Jonas DEN JUMBO – VISMA 00:40
3 O’CONNOR Ben AUS AG2R CITROEN TEAM 01:41
4 CARUSO Damiano ITA BAHRAIN VICTORIOUS 02:33
5 HAIG Jack AUS BAHRAIN VICTORIOUS 03:13
6 MEINTJES Louis RSA INTERMARCHE – WANTY – GOBERT MATER. 03:17
7 CHAVES Jhoan Esteban COL EF EDUCATION – EASYPOST 03:18
8 GEOGHEGAN HART Tao GBR INEOS GRENADIERS 03:44
9 ALMEIDA GUERREIRO Ruben Antonio POR EF EDUCATION – EASYPOST 03:48
10 JOHANNESSEN Tobias Halland NOR UNO-X PRO CYCLING TEAM 03:51
11 MCNULTY Brandon USA UAE TEAM EMIRATES 04:57
12 KONRAD Patrick AUT BORA – HANSGROHE 05:37
13 JORGENSON Matteo USA MOVISTAR TEAM 07:06
14 CRAS Steff BEL LOTTO SOUDAL 07:10
15 HAYTER Ethan GBR INEOS GRENADIERS 08:06

Patrick Konrad beendet das Critérium du Dauphiné auf Platz zwölf der Gesamtwertung

Der letzte Tagesabschnitt des Critérium du Dauphiné führte über bergige 138,8km von Saint-Alban-Leysse zum Plateau de Solaison. Mit dem ersten Anstieg direkt nach dem Start, dem Col de la Colombière und einer schweren Bergankunft ein weiterer Tag für die Kletterer. Matteo Fabbro schaffte auch heute wieder den Sprung in die Ausreißergruppe des Tages, fiel aber am Anstieg zum Col de la Colombière zurück in das Hauptfeld. Der letzte Berg hinauf zum Ziel war zugleich der schwerste des Tages. Mit einem beherzten Kampf in der Gruppe der Favoriten konnte sich Patrick Konrad noch um einen Rang in der Gesamtwertung verbessern und die Rundfahrt auf Platz zwölf abschließen.

Reaktionen im Ziel

„Auch wenn ich hier bei der Dauphiné Rundfahrt kein Top-Ergebnis erreichen konnte bin ich mit meiner Leistung zufrieden. Die letzten Monate waren nicht einfach für mich und in Anbetracht dessen war die Dauphiné ein wichtiger Schritt sowie ein wichtiger Baustein in meinem Formaufbau. Jetzt geht es mit vollem Fokus auf die nächsten Ziele in ein Höhentrainigslager.“ Patrick Konrad

„Matteo Fabbro hat sich auch heute wieder stark präsentiert und den Sprung in die hart umkämpfte Spitzengruppe geschafft. Mit Patrick Konrad sind wir mit Top-10 Ambitionen in den letzten Tag gegangen, am Ende hat es leider nicht ganz gereicht. Auch wenn wir uns etwas mehr erhofft haben von dieser Rundfahrt, die Leistung von Patrick ist nach seinen gesundheitlichen Problemen in den letzten Monaten definitiv ein Schritt in die richtige Richtung und stimmt uns mit Blick auf die kommenden Ziele auf jeden Fall positiv. “ Christian Pömer, Sportlicher Leiter

Roglic and Vingegaard share glory

Jonas Vingegaard has powered to an impressive stage win at the Plateau de Solaison ahead of Primoz Roglic, who sealed his overall victory at the final summit of the 74th Critérium du Dauphiné.
The Jumbo-Visma collective had already taken a significant advantage ahead of the final stage, with the Slovenian leader wearing the yellow and blue jersey ahead of his Danish lieutenant.
They put even more emphasis to their domination with the support of the whole black and yellow train and especially Steven Kruijswijk, who smashed the GC group to pieces on the final ascent. Ben O’Connor (AG2R Citroën) was the last rival to resist, but he couldn’t keep up with Vingegaard’s decisive acceleration 5km away from the finish.
The Australian climber rounds out the podium of the stage and the overall standings.

The final summit of the Critérium du Dauphiné is almost in sight, as the 134-rider peloton (1 non-starter: Enric Mas) roll from Saint-Alban-Leysse towards Plateau de Solaison. They immediately face the climb to Col de Plainpalais (cat.1, summit at km 8.8), where a major battle for the breakaway unfolds.

15 riders at the front
After many attacks and counter-attacks, Pierre Rolland (B&B Hotels-KTM) goes first over the top with the polka-dot jersey on his shoulders and 13 companions by his side : Eddie Dunbar, Laurens De Plus (Ineos Grenadiers), Matteo Fabbro (Bora-Hansgrohe), Bruno Armirail, Michael Storer (Groupama-FDJ), George Bennett (UAE Team Emirates), Antonio Tiberi, Kenny Elissonde, Antwan Tolhoek (Trek-Segafredo), Simon Geschke (Cofidis), Alexis Vuillermoz (TotalEnergies), Jan Hirt (Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux) et Franck Bonnamour (B&B Hotels-KTM).
Gorka Izagirre (Movistar) makes it 15 riders at the front as he bridges the gap towards the second ascent of the day, Col de Leschaux (cat.3, km 30.8), also summited first by Rolland. Primoz Roglic’s Jumbo-Visma control the gap between 2’ and 2’30’’ on the valley leading to the final challenges of the Critérium du Dauphiné 2022.

Attackers try to fend off Jumbo-Visma
The gap is down to 1’35’’ at the bottom of the climb to the Col de la Colombière (cat.1, km 100.5). Armirail and Storer immediately accelerate and only three riders follow the Groupama-FDJ duo at the front: Dunbar, Bennett and Elissonde. The gap increases to 2’15’’ with 6km to go to the summit, but Jumbo-Visma also pick up the pace. They trail by 2’ when Armirail steps aside with 3km to go to the summit.

De Plus and Hirt join the front of the race in the last km of ascent. The gap to the bunch is down to 1’35’’ again when they dive into the downhill towards the final climb of the day.

Kruijswijk, Vingegaard, Roglic: collective dominance
Wout van Aert (Jumbo-Visma) drives the bunch on the downhill and the valley. At the bottom of the climb to Plateau de Solaison, the gap is down to 1’05’’. Steven Kruijswijk sets a brutal pace in the bunch. Bennett is the last attacker to be caught, 6.5km away from the finish. By that time, only six riders remain at the front: Kruijswijk, Vingegaard and Roglic for Jumbo-Visma, Ben O’Connor (AG2R Citroën), Esteban Chaves (EF Education-EasyPost) and Jack Haig (Bahrain Victorious).
Kruijswijk keeps pushing until Vingegaard accelerates with 5.3km to go. O’Connor tries to resist but he can’t keep up with the Jumbo-Visma duo, who collaborate at the front and share the prizes at the summit: the stage win for Vingegaard and the overall victory for Roglic. O’Connor finishes with a gap of 15’’.

Vingegaard: “Very happy and proud”
„It was quite incredible. We had planned to attack and that [Primoz Roglic] should follow me because we wanted to see if we could drop everyone. We succeeded with that so I think we can be very happy and proud of what we did. In the Ardennes classic, I didn’t have the best period but now I’m back at a really high level adnn for sure I’m really happy about it. It’s one of the biggest races in the world. To win a stage and to be second overall is great for me. To be honest, it would be hard to be 1-2 in the Tour because there will be many GC contenders. But we aim to at least have one of us win the Tour.“
@ASO

Criterium Dauphine Etappe 7

Ergebnisse, Etappenrennen, Teamnews, , , , , , ,

Saint-Chaffrey – Vaujany – 135 Km

1 VERONA Carlos ESP MOVISTAR TEAM 03:53:35
2 ROGLIČ Primož SLO JUMBO – VISMA 00:13
3 VINGEGAARD Jonas DEN JUMBO – VISMA 00:25
4 O’CONNOR Ben AUS AG2R CITROEN TEAM 00:27
5 JOHANNESSEN Tobias Halland NOR UNO-X PRO CYCLING TEAM 00:39
6 CHAVES Jhoan Esteban COL EF EDUCATION – EASYPOST 00:40
7 GAUDU David FRA GROUPAMA – FDJ 00:40
8 MEINTJES Louis RSA INTERMARCHE – WANTY – GOBERT MATER. 00:40
9 GEOGHEGAN HART Tao GBR INEOS GRENADIERS 00:48
10 HAIG Jack AUS BAHRAIN VICTORIOUS 00:56
11 CARUSO Damiano ITA BAHRAIN VICTORIOUS 00:56
12 ALMEIDA GUERREIRO Ruben Antonio POR EF EDUCATION – EASYPOST 01:13
13 KONRAD Patrick AUT BORA – HANSGROHE 01:19
14 JORGENSON Matteo USA MOVISTAR TEAM 01:19
15 VERMAERKE Kevin USA TEAM DSM 01:26

Gesamt:

1 ROGLIČ Primož SLO JUMBO – VISMA 25:22:08
2 VINGEGAARD Jonas DEN JUMBO – VISMA 00:44
3 O’CONNOR Ben AUS AG2R CITROEN TEAM 01:24
4 GEOGHEGAN HART Tao GBR INEOS GRENADIERS 01:30
5 CARUSO Damiano ITA BAHRAIN VICTORIOUS 01:32
6 GAUDU David FRA GROUPAMA – FDJ 01:40
7 JOHANNESSEN Tobias Halland NOR UNO-X PRO CYCLING TEAM 02:05
8 JORGENSON Matteo USA MOVISTAR TEAM 02:06
9 HAIG Jack AUS BAHRAIN VICTORIOUS 02:12
10 MEINTJES Louis RSA INTERMARCHE – WANTY – GOBERT MATER. 02:16
11 CATTANEO Mattia ITA QUICK-STEP ALPHA VINYL TEAM 02:17
12 CHAVES Jhoan Esteban COL EF EDUCATION – EASYPOST 02:19
13 KONRAD Patrick AUT BORA – HANSGROHE 02:28
14 HAYTER Ethan GBR INEOS GRENADIERS 02:43
15 ALMEIDA GUERREIRO Ruben Antonio POR EF EDUCATION – EASYPOST 02:49

Critérium du Dauphiné: BORA – hansgrohe im Finale der siebten Etappe geschlagen

Auf der siebten Etappe des Critérium du Dauphiné wartete die Königsetappe der Rundfahrt auf die Fahrer. Auf nur 134,8km galt es den Col du Galibier, den Col de la Croix de Fer und einen 5,7km langen Schlussanstieg nach Vaujany zu bewältigen. Matteo Fabbro war Teil einer großen Spitzengruppe, die in der Abfahrt vom Col du Galibier zustande kam und im Anstieg zum Col de la Croix de Fer wieder auseinander fiel. Zu Beginn des finalen Anstiegs nach Vaujany waren Wilco Kelderman und Patrick Konrad noch in der Gruppe um die Favoriten für die Gesamtwertung vertreten bevor dann zuerst Wilco und später Patrick die Tempoverschärfungen nicht mehr mitgehen konnten. Der Sieg ging an C. Verona, Patrick Konrad kam auf Platz 13 über die Ziellinie und behält ebendiesen auch in der Gesamtwertung.

Reaktionen im Ziel

„Bereits am Croix de Fer wurde das Finale eingeleitet, das Tempo war extrem hoch, um die Spitzengruppe einzuholen und das Feld zu dezimieren. Am letzten Anstieg wäre ich gerne eine Gruppe weiter vorne dabei gewesen, aber morgen kommt noch ein schwerer Tag und die Top-10 sind auf jeden Fall in Reichweite.“ Patrick Konrad

„Wir wollten heute um jeden Preis mit Matteo Fabbro in der Spitzengruppe vertreten sein. Matteo hat dies perfekt umgesetzt und bei schwierigen Windverhältnissen am Col du Galibier den Sprung in die Gruppe des Tages geschafft. Am nächsten langen Anstieg hinauf zum Croix de Fer konnte er nach dem Kraftakt vom Galibier der Spitzengruppe nicht mehr folgen. Beim großen Showdown am letzten Anstieg hatten dann leider weder Wilco Kelderman noch Patrick Konrad die Beine, um ein Spitzenergebnis auf dieser Etappe einzufahren. Vor der letzten Etappe sind die Top-10 der Gesamtwertung für Patrick noch in Reichweite, insgesamt aber hätten wir uns für heute und auch für Gesamtwertung etwas mehr erhofft.“ Christian Pömer, Sportlicher Leiter

Verona wins, Roglic dominates

The first Alpine stage of the Critérium du Dauphiné 2022 has brought an all-out battle in the mountains until Carlos Verona (Movistar) took the win in Vaujany and Primoz Roglic (Jumbo-Visma) powered to the yellow and blue jersey. The Spanish climber was the strongest from an impressive group that went away on the first ascent of the day, the mighty Col du Galibier. He maintained a gap of 13’’ to Roglic, who finished 2nd of the stage ahead of his teammate Jonas Vingegaard. Wout van Aert was dropped on the climb to Col de la Croix-de-Fer but Jumbo-Visma still smashed the final ascent of the day and they dominate the overall standings ahead of the final stage: Roglic is the new leader, 44’’ ahead of Vingegaard. Ben O’Connor (AG2R Citroën) is their first chaser, with a gap of 1’24’’.

The race sets off into the Alps with 138 riders (3 non-starters: Meeus, Froome, Groenewegen) and countless candidates for the breakaway. With an uphill start leading to the Col du Galibier (HC ascent, summit at km 26.5), attacks fly left and right, with Pierre Rolland (B&B Hotels-KTM) among the most active riders to defend his polka-dot jersey.

A massive breakaway
The French climber is the first over the top, alongside Matteo Fabbro (Bora-Hansgrohe). Chasers are all over the road, and 16 of them bridge the gap on the downhill towards Saint-Michel-de-Maurienne: Andrey Amador (Ineos Grenadiers), Luis Leon Sanchez (Bahrain Victorious), Gregor Muhlberger, Carlos Verona (Movistar), Bruno Armirail (Groupama-FDJ), Omer Goldstein (Israel Premier Tech), Dries Devenyns (Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl), Andres Ardila (UAE Team Emirates), Kenny Elissonde, Toms Skujins, Jasper Stuyven (Trek-Segafredo), Victor Lafay (Cofidis), Simon Guglielmi (Arkea-Samsic), Laurens Huys (Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux), Mark Donovan, Kevin Vermaerke (Team DSM).
Jumbo-Visma drive the bunch and the gap increases to 2’30’’ on the valley leading to the second HC-climb of the day, towards the Col de La-Croix-de-Fer. Mark Donovan attacks on the first slopes. Into the last 50km of the stage, he has a 30’’ lead to his chasers, and the peloton trail by 3’30’’. Luis Leon Sanchez leads the virtual standings as he was trailing by 2’47’’ on GC at the start of the day.

Van Aert is dropped as the pressure increases on La-Croix-de-Fer
Halfway through the 29km ascent, the gap between Donovan and his chasers is up to 1’05’’ and the peloton trail by 4’05’’. Jasper Stuyven drives the chase behind Donovan and Uno-X up the pace in the bunch. Donovan is caught with 7km of ascent remaining, and the gap to the bunch is down to 2’50’’.
Five riders emerge at the front on the final kilometres of ascent: Rolland, who takes the 15 KOM points at the summit, Muhlberger, Verona, Lafay and Elissonde. In the bunch, Groupama-FDJ and then Bahrain Victorious increase the pressure and Wout van Aert is dropped inside the last 3km. Cattaneo also struggles, and Primoz Roglic is the virtual leader as he summits with a gap of 1’50’’ to the front of the race.

Vingegaard prepares Roglic’s assault
Verona and Elissonde accelerate on the downhill, while stragglers return to the chase group. At the bottom of the final ascent to Vaujany (5.7km at 7.2%), Guglielmi, Vermaerke, Skujins and Muhlberger are 25’’ behind the lead duo. The peloton trail by 1’30’’.
Verona immediately attacks and drops Elissonde. In the GC group, Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo-Visma) sets a brutal pace for Primoz Roglic, who attacks in the final 2km of ascent. Verona can feel the pressure behind him, but the Spaniard maintains a gap of 13’’ on the line. Vingegaard finishes 3rd (+25’’), ahead of Ben O’Connor (AG2R Citroën, +27’’) and Tobias Halland Johannessen (Uno-X, +39’’).
@ASO

Criterium Dauphine Etappe 6

Ergebnisse, Etappenrennen, Teamnews, , , , ,

Rives – Gap – 196 Km

1 FERRON Valentin FRA TOTALENERGIES 04:22:17
2 ROLLAND Pierre FRA B&B HOTELS – KTM 00:03
3 BARGUIL Warren FRA TEAM ARKÉA SAMSIC 00:03
4 BAGIOLI Andrea ITA QUICK-STEP ALPHA VINYL TEAM 00:03
5 BOUCHARD Geoffrey FRA AG2R CITROËN TEAM 00:03
6 LAFAY Victor FRA COFIDIS 00:03
7 MOLANO Juan Sebastián COL UAE TEAM EMIRATES 00:32 DSQ wegen Faustschlag
8 BOASSON HAGEN Edvald NOR TOTALENERGIES 00:32
9 GROENEWEGEN Dylan NED TEAM BIKEEXCHANGE – JAYCO 00:32
10 LOUVEL Matis FRA TEAM ARKÉA SAMSIC 00:32

Gesamt:

1 VAN AERT Wout BEL JUMBO-VISMA 21:27:20
2 CATTANEO Mattia ITA QUICK-STEP ALPHA VINYL TEAM 01:03
3 ROGLIČ Primož SLO JUMBO-VISMA 01:06
4 HAYTER Ethan GBR INEOS GRENADIERS 01:32
5 VINGEGAARD Jonas DEN JUMBO-VISMA 01:36
6 CARUSO Damiano ITA BAHRAIN – VICTORIOUS 01:49
7 GEOGHEGAN HART Tao GBR INEOS GRENADIERS 01:55
8 JORGENSON Matteo USA MOVISTAR TEAM 02:00
9 O’CONNOR Ben AUS AG2R CITROËN TEAM 02:10
10 KELDERMAN Wilco NED BORA – HANSGROHE 02:12

Critérium du Dauphiné: Ausreißersieg in Gap, Jordi Meeus auf Platz zehn

Auf der sechsten Etappe des Critérium du Dauphiné stand mit 196,5 Kilometern zwischen Rives und Gap der längste Tagesabschnitt der Rundfahrt auf dem Programm. Eine hügelige, mit zwei Bergwertungen der zweiten Kategorie aber durchaus anspruchsvolle Etappe. Die sechsköpfige Ausreißergruppe des Tages konnte sich zum zweiten Mal während dieser Woche durchsetzen und den Sieg unter sich ausmachen. V. Ferron war am Ende der Schnellste, Jordi Meeus kam im Sprint des Hauptfeldes auf Platz zehn. Die verbleibenden und für die Gesamtwertung entscheidenden Etappen führen das Peloton ab morgen ins Hochgebirge. Für BORA – hansgrohe liegen Wilco Kelderman und Patrick Konrad auf den Rängen zehn und 13 weiterhin in aussichtsreicher Position.

Reaktionen im Ziel
„Ziel für heute war ganz klar einen Fahrer in der Spitzengruppe zu platzieren, leider ist uns dies nicht gelungen. Plan B war der Sprint für Jordi Meeus, als aber absehbar war, dass die Spitzengruppe durchkommen würde haben wir unsere Bemühungen in der Nachführarbeit eingestellt. Mit Hinblick auf die bevorstehenden zwei schweren Tage in den Bergen sind wir heute insgesamt relativ ressourcenschonend durchgekommen und gehen jetzt mit unseren beiden Fahrern für die Gesamtwertung zuversichtlich in das Finale der Rundfahrt.“ Christian Pömer, Sportlicher Leiter

Ferron outwits companions for first World Tour win

Valentin Ferron outwitted his breakaway companions in the Gap finale of the 196.5-km 6th stage of the Criterium du Dauphiné on Friday, surging under the red flame to clinch his first World Tour victory. Emulating Total Energies team-mate Alexis Vuillermoz a few days earlier, the 24-year-old Frenchman won ahead of compatriot Pierre Rolland, who strengthened his KOM lead, and a third Frenchman, Warren Barguil.
It was the third French victory in this Dauphiné, two other stages having crowned Wout VanAert, who retained his yellow jersey ahead of a mountainous final weekend.

Seven in the lead
The start was given at 11:34 to 146 riders. The peloton left Rives without white jersey contender Juan Ayuso (UAE Team Emirates), who felt unwell and unfit to start. The peloton was jittery from the gun as break attempts multiplied and a group of three finally broke clear: Andrea Bagioli (Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl), Jasper Stuyven (Trek-Segafredo) and Lukasz Owsian (Arkea Samsic). But the trio was reined in at kilometre 36. The first climb of the day, Cote de Ste Eulalie en Royans (4th cat.), was an opportunity for former race leader Alexis Vuillermoz to surge with Kevin Geniets, Mikkel Honoré and Samuele Battistella but they were quickly reeled in. As Michal Kwiatkowski (Ineos Grenadiers) called it quits, the break of the day took shape in the second climb, the 3rd category Cote des Grands-Goulets, where KOM leader Pierre Rolland led the way, followed by six other riders. The seven escapees were Geoffrey Bouchard (AG2R-Citroen), Bruno Armirail (Groupama-FDJ), Andrea Bagioli (Quick Step-Alpha Vinyl), Victor Lafay (Cofidis), Valentin Ferron (Total Energies), Warren Barguil (Arkea Samsic) and Pierre Rolland (B&B Hotels) and the pack seemed content to let them go as the gap steadily increased.

Rolland strengthens KOM lead
While the lead settled at around four minutes – reaching a maximum of 4:25 –, Pierre Rolland kept collecting points for his polka-dot jersey by finishing first in the second category climbs of the day, Col de Rousset (km 74.3) and Col de Cabre (Km 138.7). The Frenchman picked 12 points to take his overall tally to 29. In this last climb, Armirail lost ground and was dropped by his former breakaway companions. The sprint of the day went to Warren Barguil, who collected ten seconds and three points ahead of Ferron and Bouchard. Dylan Groenewegen also struggled in the final ascent of the fat but still had plenty of time to close the gap until the eponymous finish town.

Jumbo secure the jersey
Jumbo-Visma passed the baton to Trek-Segafredo to lead the bunch but no team seemed really determined to chase behind the break and the lead was still of three minutes with 30 km to go. Wout Van Aert’s team-mates looked content with maintaining a small enough gap not to lose the yellow jersey – Bagioli lying 3:02 at the start –, leaving the six escapees to battle it out for the stage laurels. The gap was down to one minute with 5 km to go, when Bouchard attacked to try to part with his companions. But the six kept working together until the red flame. It was then that Ferron, who had only won a stage in the Tour du Rwanda before this, decided to go for it. He took the five others off their guard and Rolland and Barguil were left to settle for a podium place.

Valentin Ferron : « A reward for a lot of work »
„It’s huge. It’s the result of a lot of work. Every day you hope to win but you have to enjoy a World Tour victory because there won’t be a lot in a career. It’s an achievement, a great satisfaction in a sports career. It was a great breakaway group, with strong guys in the front. I was not the fastest so when I saw that there was a lull I decide to surge and go for it and it worked. It’s great. It’s a special feeling to win here. We’ll celebrate tonight and maybe it will sink in then. This year, you can tell that the dynamics are good in the team, everybody is involved and it’s fine. A lot of riders have already won a race this season.“
@ASO

Criterium Dauphine – BEN O’CONNOR: “I AM JUST MATURING”

Etappenrennen, Vorschau, , , ,

The Australian rider has made a great start as leader of the AG2R Citroën Team in 2021, finishing his first Tour de France just off the podium after winning the Tignes stage. Consistently well placed since the beginning of the year, Ben O’Connor will be competing in the Critérium du Dauphiné with the highest of ambitions… and why not that of succeeding fellow Aussie Richie Porte.


Photo by Plomi

Ben O’Connor, you have had a very successful start to the season with honourable finishes in all the stage races you have completed. What have you changed to become so consistent?
I am rather pleased with how I have been riding so far, but it could have been even better. For example, I was fifth in the Tour de Romandie but I felt that I could have finished on the podium and why not win if everything had gone better.
However, you can’t say that I have changed much about how I ride or my training. I’m just maturing, I’m still developing physically and my level is rising naturally. I am 26 years old and the years of hard work are starting to pay off. My body is adapting to the demands of these races and is responding better and better to very ambitious goals. I am also becoming more confident. I used to hope to become a general classification rider. Now I am a general classification rider.

Among the highlights of your 2022 season so far, there was that prestigious stage win in the Tour of Catalonia.
On Paris-Nice, I was both very proud and very disappointed. I had to pull out of the race because I got sick but there is no doubt that the form was there. So, when I arrived at the Volta a Catalunya, I wanted to get some revenge. And when I won the La Molina stage, I got the validation I was waiting for and that all the work I put in over the winter paid off. In terms of confidence, of course, it is one of the important days of this year.

„The days when climbers were inevitably bad on flat roads are over; I can also do well in time trials“

The Critérium du Dauphiné is a new opportunity to continue your progression. Have you drawn up a strategy?
The time has come to go for a podium in a major World Tour event. It would be my first and I know that it is now possible for me to win these types of races. I have some ideas in mind but, for example, I am not sure that it is necessary to push on the Sancy stage. Clearly it is a challenge but the last climb is not steep enough to make a big difference. On the other hand, the time trial will be crucial. I haven’t done many this year and I am eager to see where I stand in this respect. I believe that the days when climbers were inevitably bad on flat roads are over. I can also do well in time trials.

After your unanimously acclaimed performance in the 2021 Tour de France, you still said that you were „still far from the riding level of the best, I can’t even begin to think about it“. In hindsight, do you still feel the same way?
My Tour adventure last year was extraordinary and I couldn’t even begin to imagine what happened. To win a stage and finish fourth overall in Paris is something huge. And I did it! But of course, you always want to do better. That’s why you become an athlete and why you have to invest so much in this job. So I have changed my view compared to last year and I feel capable of aiming for the top this summer. It was also encouraging to see my friend Jai Hindley win the Giro. He is also from Perth and we have known each other for a long time. When I saw him win, I told myself I too can do it.
@ASO

Criterium Dauphine Etappe 5

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Thizy-les-Bourgs – Chaintré – 162 Km

1 VAN AERT Wout BEL JUMBO-VISMA 03:38:35
2 MEEUS Jordi BEL BORA – HANSGROHE 00:00
3 HAYTER Ethan GBR INEOS GRENADIERS 00:00
4 BOASSON HAGEN Edvald NOR TOTALENERGIES 00:00
5 PAGE Hugo FRA INTERMARCHÉ – WANTY – GOBERT MATÉRIAUX 00:00
6 STUYVEN Jasper BEL TREK – SEGAFREDO 00:00
7 BAGIOLI Andrea ITA QUICK-STEP ALPHA VINYL TEAM 00:00
8 BAKELANTS Jan BEL INTERMARCHÉ – WANTY – GOBERT MATÉRIAUX 00:00
9 LOUVEL Matis FRA TEAM ARKÉA SAMSIC 00:00
10 MOLANO Juan Sebastián COL UAE TEAM EMIRATES 00:00
11 SCHÖNBERGER Sebastian AUT B&B HOTELS – KTM 00:00
12 VENTURINI Clément FRA AG2R CITROËN TEAM 00:00
13 CLARKE Simon AUS ISRAEL – PREMIER TECH 00:00
14 LAPORTE Christophe FRA JUMBO-VISMA 00:00
15 THOMAS Benjamin FRA COFIDIS 00:00
16 MOZZATO Luca ITA B&B HOTELS – KTM 00:00
17 POLITT Nils GER BORA – HANSGROHE 00:00

Gesamt:

1 VAN AERT Wout BEL JUMBO-VISMA 17:04:31
2 CATTANEO Mattia ITA QUICK-STEP ALPHA VINYL TEAM 01:03
3 ROGLIČ Primož SLO JUMBO-VISMA 01:06
4 HAYTER Ethan GBR INEOS GRENADIERS 01:32
5 VINGEGAARD Jonas DEN JUMBO-VISMA 01:36
6 CARUSO Damiano ITA BAHRAIN – VICTORIOUS 01:49
7 GEOGHEGAN HART Tao GBR INEOS GRENADIERS 01:55
8 AYUSO Juan ESP UAE TEAM EMIRATES 01:58
9 JORGENSON Matteo USA MOVISTAR TEAM 02:00
10 O’CONNOR Ben AUS AG2R CITROËN TEAM 02:10
11 KELDERMAN Wilco NED BORA – HANSGROHE 02:12
12 GAUDU David FRA GROUPAMA – FDJ 02:13
13 MAS Enric ESP MOVISTAR TEAM 02:17
14 KONRAD Patrick AUT BORA – HANSGROHE 02:22
15 TEUNS Dylan BEL BAHRAIN – VICTORIOUS 02:25

Jordi Meeus sprintet in einem extrem knappen Finale zu Platz zwei auf der fünften Etappe des Critérium du Dauphiné

Die fünfte, 162,3km lange Etappe des Critérium du Dauphiné von Thizy-les-Bourgs nach Chaintré war topographisch die leichteste der Rundfahrt. Für die endschnellen Fahrer die vielleicht letzte Chance auf einen Massensprint bevor es auf den verbleibenden Etappen in deutlich bergigeres Terrain geht. Eine frühe Ausreißergruppe wurde erst auf dem letzten Kilometer vom heranrasenden Feld gestellt. Nach einer starken Teamleistung und perfekter Vorarbeit von Nils Politt konnte Jordi Meeus in einem extrem knappen Finale zu Platz zwei sprinten. Nur wenige Zentimeter trennten den Belgier dabei vom anvisierten Etappensieg, der heute an seinen Landsmann W. Van Aert ging.

Reaktionen im Ziel
„Für mich galt es zuerst die kurzen und steilen Anstiege vor dem Finale zu überleben, um dann im Sprint dabei zu sein. Vielen Dank an die Jungs, die heute eine super Arbeit geleistet haben und speziell an Nils Politt, der mich den Sprint perfekt vorbereitet hat. Ich bin längere Zeit keinen Sprint mehr gefahren und auch wenn das Ziel heute klar der Etappensieg war bin ich mit Platz zwei sehr zufrieden und glücklich.“ Jordi Meeus

„Das war knapp heute! Das Rennen ist grundsätzlich so verlaufen wie wir es erwartet hatten. Zu Beginn der Etappe gab es einen harten Kampf um die Spitzengruppe, die uns heute trotz intensiver Bemühungen aus taktischen Gründen verwehrt geblieben ist. Im Folgenden galt es speziell an den letzten Anstiegen die Sprinterteams unter Druck zu setzen, um so die Chancen für Jordi Meeus zu erhöhen. Knapp war es zuerst für die Fluchtgruppe, die erst auf dem letzten Kilometer gestellt werden konnte, noch knapper war es dann für Jordi Meeus, dem nur wenige Zentimeter zum anvisierten Etappensieg gefehlt haben. Trotz der hauchdünnen Entscheidung freuen wir uns sehr über diesen zweiten Platz heute.“ Christian Pömer, Sportlicher Leiter

Van Aert bounces back to victory in a thriller

„I love to win“, Wout van Aert (Jumbo-Visma) claimed on Wednesday, and so he did on Thursday, in Chaintré, after a thrilling finale to cap off stage 5 of the Critérium du Dauphiné, covered at blazing speeds.
The Belgian star, narrowly beaten on the past three days, outsprinted Jordi Meeus (Bora-Hansgrohe) with a minimal margin after the attackers were caught inside the last 100 metres! Ethan Hayter (Ineos Grenadiers) rounded out the podium. The 10 bonus seconds see Van Aert increase his lead in the overall standings ahead of the final three stages.

The start from Thizy-les-Bourgs sees 148 riders set off towards Chaintré, with 162.5 rolling kilometres on the menu. Attackers are inspired and the battle for the breakaway is a very intense one, with 46.2km covered in the first hour!

3+2=5 riders at the front
After many attempts, the first ascent of the day, Col des Escorbans (cat.3, summit at km 27.9), serves as a springboard for three riders to launch themselves at the front of the race: Fabien Doubey (TotalEnergies), followed by Jan Bakelants (Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux) and Benjamin Thomas (Cofidis).
Two more attackers set off in pursuit, the polka-dot jersey Pierre Rolland (B&B Hotels-KTM) and Benjamin Thomas (Cofidis). They bridge the gap to the leaders at the bottom of the 2nd ascent of the day, Côte de Dun (cat.2, km 52.3). Jumbo-Visma control the gap under 3 minutes.

Full-on battle between the bunch and the break
Rolland takes the 5 KOM points at the summit and then drops back to the peloton while Dylan Groenewegen’s BikeExchange-Jayco start pulling behind the four attackers remaining at the front. They bring the gap down to 1’15’’ with 70km to go.
The attackers accelerate cover 47.1km in the third hour and their lead is back up to 2 minute with 30km to go. Filippo Ganna (Ineos Grenadiers) sets the pace in the bunch as they face the penultimate climb of the day, Col du Bois Clair (cat.4). The Italian star cuts the gap down to 1’25’’ at the summit (km 138.2).

A thrilling finale
Ineos Grenadiers maintain a hard pace on the final ascent, Côte de Vergisson (cat.4, km 149.6). Groenewegen is dropped in the last km of ascent. At the summit, the peloton trail by 35’’. And the Dutch sprinter is 35’’ further behind.
Thomas, Doubey, Bakelants and Schönberger are still 10’’ ahead as they enter the last kilometre. Even Primoz Roglic has to take a turn at the front of the bunch. The attackers are eventually caught inside the last 100 metres, when Wout van Aert (Jumbo-Visma) powers to victory just ahead of Jordi Meeus (Bora-Hansgrohe).

Van Aert: „If even GC guys with 60kg pull…“
„Until the last kilometre, I was focused on catching the break and then I quickly shifted to trying to do a good sprint. Luckily Christophe [Laporte] did a master pull in the end and before I asked the boys to do everything they could. If even GC guys with 60kg pull in the front, you know you have to finish it off. It’s huge to win again on the Dauphiné. Today it was really hard again to catch the break. I needed all my teammates to bridge the gap and it worked out in the end. I’m really proud of my teammates.“
@ASO

Criterium Dauphine Etappe 4 – ITT

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Montbrison – La Bâtie d’Urfé ITT – 32 Km

1 GANNA Filippo ITA INEOS GRENADIERS 00:35:32
2 VAN AERT Wout BEL JUMBO-VISMA 00:02
3 HAYTER Ethan GBR INEOS GRENADIERS 00:17
4 CATTANEO Mattia ITA QUICK-STEP ALPHA VINYL TEAM 00:39
5 ROGLIČ Primož SLO JUMBO-VISMA 00:42
6 DURBRIDGE Luke AUS TEAM BIKEEXCHANGE – JAYCO 00:53
7 VINGEGAARD Jonas DEN JUMBO-VISMA 01:12
8 CARUSO Damiano ITA BAHRAIN – VICTORIOUS 01:25
9 GEOGHEGAN HART Tao GBR INEOS GRENADIERS 01:31
10 AYUSO Juan ESP UAE TEAM EMIRATES 01:34
11 JORGENSON Matteo USA MOVISTAR TEAM 01:36
12 STEIMLE Jannik GER QUICK-STEP ALPHA VINYL TEAM 01:40
13 KWIATKOWSKI Michał POL INEOS GRENADIERS 01:41
14 O’CONNOR Ben AUS AG2R CITROËN TEAM 01:46
15 KELDERMAN Wilco NED BORA – HANSGROHE 01:48

Gesamt:

1 VAN AERT Wout BEL JUMBO-VISMA 13:26:06
2 CATTANEO Mattia ITA QUICK-STEP ALPHA VINYL TEAM 00:53
3 ROGLIČ Primož SLO JUMBO-VISMA 00:56
4 VINGEGAARD Jonas DEN JUMBO-VISMA 01:26
5 HAYTER Ethan GBR INEOS GRENADIERS 01:26
6 CARUSO Damiano ITA BAHRAIN – VICTORIOUS 01:39
7 GEOGHEGAN HART Tao GBR INEOS GRENADIERS 01:45
8 AYUSO Juan ESP UAE TEAM EMIRATES 01:48
9 JORGENSON Matteo USA MOVISTAR TEAM 01:50
10 O’CONNOR Ben AUS AG2R CITROËN TEAM 02:00
11 KELDERMAN Wilco NED BORA – HANSGROHE 02:02
12 GAUDU David FRA GROUPAMA – FDJ 02:03
13 MAS Enric ESP MOVISTAR TEAM 02:07
14 KONRAD Patrick AUT BORA – HANSGROHE 02:12
15 TEUNS Dylan BEL BAHRAIN – VICTORIOUS 02:15

BORA – hansgrohe blickt mit der Doppelspitze Kelderman/Konrad zuversichtlich auf die zweite Hälfte der Rundfahrt

Auf der vierten Etappe des Critérium du Dauphiné stand heute ein 31,9km langes und größtenteils flaches Einzelzeitfahren auf dem Programm. Sowohl Wilco Kelderman als auch Patrick Konrad konnten beim Sieg von F. Ganna eine solide Leistung abrufen und mit den Rängen elf und 14 in der Gesamtwertung eine gute Ausgangslage für die kommenden Tage in den Bergen.

Reaktionen im Ziel
„Es war ein langes, schweres und vor allem ziemlich flaches Zeitfahren heute. Mir fehlen noch ein wenig die Kilometer auf dem Zeitfahrrad in dieser Saison, aber insgesamt bin ich zufrieden mit meiner Leistung. In der Gesamtwertung habe ich vor den schweren Bergetappen auf jeden Fall eine Ausgangsposition, mit der noch viel möglich ist.“ Wilco Kelderman

„Ein Zeitfahren, das auf die Spezialisten der Disziplin maßgeschneidert war. Wilco Kelderman, der vom Giro gekommen ist und Patrick Konrad, der direkt aus dem Höhentrainingslager angereist ist, haben beide eine ansprechende Leistung gezeigt und im Kampf um die Gesamtwertung nur wenig Zeit eingebüßt. Mit dieser Doppelspitze gehen wir jetzt in die zweite, schwere Hälfte der Rundfahrt und blicken zuversichtlich auf die kommenden vier Etappen.“ Christian Pömer, Sportlicher Leiter

La Bâtie d’Urfé, Wednesday, June 8th 2022 – Filippo Ganna (Ineos Grenadiers) asserted his dominance on stage 4 of the Critérium du Dauphiné, taking victory at La Bâtie d’Urfé 2“ ahead of Wout van Aert (Jumbo-Visma). The ITT World Champion made the most of the 31.9km long opportunity laid out for him on stage 4 of the Critérium du Dauphiné 2022 with an impressive speed of almost 54km/h. Already 2nd on day 3 and winner of stage 1, Van Aert dominates the overall standings ahead of Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl Team’s Mattia Cattaneo (+53’’) and his two Jumbo-Visma companions Primoz Roglic (+56’’) and Jonas Vingegaard (+1’26’’) ahead of the main mountainous challenges. This is Ganna’s fourth victory this season in a time-trial, less than four weeks ahead of the opening TT of the Tour de France.

Criterium Dauphine Etappe 3

Ergebnisse, Etappenrennen, , , , ,

Saint-Paulien – Chastreix-Sancy – 164 Km

1 GAUDU David FRA GROUPAMA – FDJ 04:09:38
2 VAN AERT Wout BEL JUMBO-VISMA 00:00
3 LAFAY Victor FRA COFIDIS 00:00
4 GUERREIRO Ruben POR EF EDUCATION-EASYPOST 00:00
5 GENIETS Kevin LUX GROUPAMA – FDJ 00:00
6 SCHULTZ Nick AUS TEAM BIKEEXCHANGE – JAYCO 00:00
7 CARUSO Damiano ITA BAHRAIN – VICTORIOUS 00:00
8 TEUNS Dylan BEL BAHRAIN – VICTORIOUS 00:00
9 JORGENSON Matteo USA MOVISTAR TEAM 00:00
10 MCNULTY Brandon USA UAE TEAM EMIRATES 00:00

Gesamt:

1 VAN AERT Wout BEL JUMBO-VISMA 12:50:32
2 GAUDU David FRA GROUPAMA – FDJ 00:06
3 LAFAY Victor FRA COFIDIS 00:12
4 KONRAD Patrick AUT BORA – HANSGROHE 00:16
5 JORGENSON Matteo USA MOVISTAR TEAM 00:16
6 GUERREIRO Ruben POR EF EDUCATION-EASYPOST 00:16
7 CHAVES Esteban COL EF EDUCATION-EASYPOST 00:16
8 ROGLIČ Primož SLO JUMBO-VISMA 00:16
9 CRAS Steff BEL LOTTO SOUDAL 00:16
10 O’CONNOR Ben AUS AG2R CITROËN TEAM 00:16
11 MCNULTY Brandon USA UAE TEAM EMIRATES 00:16
12 JOHANNESSEN Tobias Halland NOR UNO-X PRO CYCLING TEAM 00:16
13 AYUSO Juan ESP UAE TEAM EMIRATES 00:16
14 DUNBAR Eddie IRL INEOS GRENADIERS 00:16
15 CATTANEO Mattia ITA QUICK-STEP ALPHA VINYL TEAM 00:16

Patrick Konrad rückt nach der ersten Bergprüfung beim Critérium du Dauphiné auf Rang vier der Gesamtwertung vor

Der dritte Tagesabschnitt des Critérium du Dauphiné führte über 169km von Saint-Paulien nach Chastreix-Sancy und versprach mit einer 6,2km langen Bergankunft ein erster Test im Kampf um die Gesamtwertung zu sein. Eine frühe Ausreißergruppe wurde am Beginn des letzten Anstiegs vom Hauptfeld gestellt. Trotz einiger Attacken kam eine Gruppe von knapp 30 Fahrer geschlossen zum Ziel und die Etappe wurde letztlich im Sprint entschieden. Den Sieg am Fuße der Skistation von Chastreix holte sich D. Gaudu. Patrick Konrad und Wilco Kelderman kamen beide mit der ersten Gruppe über die Ziellinie, waren aber im Sprint um den Tagessieg etwas blockiert und nicht ideal positioniert. In der Gesamtwertung verbesserte sich Patrick Konrad um 15 Positionen und liegt vor dem morgigen Zeitfahren auf Rang vier.

Reaktionen im Ziel
„Es war ein hektischer und nervöser Tag mit viel Wind und engen, kurvigen Straßen. Am letzten Anstieg habe ich mich gut gefühlt, war aber im Finale etwas eingeklemmt und nicht gut genug positioniert, um noch um den Etappensieg zu sprinten. In der Gesamtwertung konnte ich mich auf Platz vier verbessern, womit ich auf jeden Fall zufrieden bin heute. Weiter geht es morgen mit dem Zeitfahren, voller Fokus auf den Kampf gegen die Uhr!“ Patrick Konrad

„Aufgrund des Rückenwindes am letzten Anstieg war es unser primäres Ziel heute unsere beiden Fahrer für das Gesamtklassement bestmöglich positioniert in den Berg zu eskortieren. Die Mannschaft hat Patrick und Wilco super unterstützt und beide sind mit der ersten Gruppe im Ziel angekommen. Patrick konnte sich auf Rang vier der Gesamtwertung verbessern, womit wir auf jeden Fall zufrieden und zuversichtlich auf die kommen Etappen blicken können. Für morgen gilt es unsere gute Ausgangslage im Gesamtklassement zu konsolidieren, bevor dann am Wochenende die schweren Bergetappen in den Alpen auf uns warten.“ Christian Pömer, Sportlicher Leiter

Wout van Aert and Jumbo-Visma thought they had done everything right to claim victory at the Chastreix-Sancy ski resort, as the Belgian star raised his arms to celebrate success atop the final climb… only to see David Gaudu (Groupama-FDJ) jump ahead of him right on the finish line of stage 3 of the Critérium du Dauphiné 2022! The French climber bounces back to victory after his Spring ambitions were affected by crashes and illness.

Second ahead of Victor Lafay (Cofidis), Van Aert claims back the yellow and blue jersey he had lost on stage 2 to Alexis Vuillermoz (TotalEnergies), who couldn’t keep up in the final 2.5km of ascent. His teammates and Van Aert’s had done most of the work to reel in a strong team attack by Pierre Rolland’s B&B Hotels-KTM.

The 148 riders who finished stage 2 in Brives-Charensac are back in action for the start from Saint)Paulien at midday. Four attackers get on the move from the start: Omer Goldstein (Israel Premier Tech), Jonas Wilsly (Uno-X), Thomas Champion (Cofidis) and Sebastian Schönberger (B&B Hotels-KTM). Alexis Vuillermoz’s TotalEnergies quickly react and the gap is only up to 2’30’’ when Goldstein drops back to the bunch, after 20km of racing.
B&B Hotels-KTM give a new life to the battle for the breakaway with a team attack on the first ascent of the day, the cat-3 Côte de Saint-Vert. Pierre Rolland, leader of the KOM standings, attacks with Alexis Gougeard and Miguel Heidemann. At the summit (km 44.7), the trio trail by 3’, and the peloton are 1’30’’ further behind.

B&B Hotels-KTM vs TotalEnergies and Jumbo-Visma
An intense chase ensues, until Rolland, Gougeard and Heidemann join the front of the race at km 64. Behind them, the peloton also ride at a high pace, and the gap is stable around 2’30’’ on the valley leading to the final uphill challenges of the day.
As the race enters the last 50km and the road rises, Heidemann, Gougeard and Champion are dropped one by one. Schönberger sets the pace and Rolland goes first atop the cat-4 Côte de Besse-en-Chandesse (km 136.4).
Jumbo-Visma up the ante inside the last 30km, and the gap drops down to 1’15’’ into the last 20km. With 10km to go, the attackers only lead by 35’’. They are caught on the first slopes of the final ascent of the day, the climb to Chastreix-Sancy. Wilsly is the last attacker to be reeled in, inside the last 5km.

Gaudu edges Van Aert despite Roglic and Vingegaard’s work

Tsgabu Grmay (BikeExchange-Jayco) accelerates with 3.5km to go, Rémi Cavagna (Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl) immediately counter-attacks, and Ben O’Connor (AG2R-Citroën) also has a go 1.5km away from the finish, but Jonas Vingegaard and Primoz Roglic control every move to try and lead Van Aert to a second stage win in three days, while Alexis Vuillermoz (TotalEnergies) can’t keep up with the high pace and is dropped with 2.5km to go.
The Belgian seems to be in a prime position to sprint to victory, despite struggling a bit around the 1km to go mark. He powers ahead of everyone, but he raises his arms just before the line… By his right side, Gaudu makes the most of the situation to take his first Critérium du Dauphiné stage win, ahead of Van Aert and Victor Lafay.

David Gaudu: “I told myself I was gonna get Van Aert”
„I was a bit far behind for the final stretch, I thought I couldn’t do it. Then Kevin Geniets arrived and I followed his wheel. I felt I had strength, I saw Van Aert was going well but I told myself I was gonna get him. And I did it. I’m moved because I had been waiting for a victory like that since the start of the year. I’ve left the doubts behind me, after all the struggles at the beginning of the year. The legs felt good on the climb, that’s good for what’s coming next, especially this week-end.“
@ASO

CRITÉRIUM DU DAUPHINÉ 2022

Etappenrennen, Vorschau, ,

Key points:
 Among the riders of the 74th edition of the Critérium du Dauphiné, which will start in Ardèche on 5 June and finish on 12 June on the Plateau de Solaison in Haute-Savoie, the yellow and black jerseys of Jumbo-Visma are the most likely favourites. The Dutch team has a similar line-up to the one that dominated Paris-Nice with Primož Roglič and Wout van Aert, but with the addition of Denmark’s Jonas Vingegaard.
 Facing this armada, the Ineos Grenadiers will not be left behind with Tao Geoghegan Hart as the leader. The competition could also come from American Brandon McNulty, Australian Ben O’Connor or Frenchmen David Gaudu and Warren Barguil.

With July approaching, yellow is the fashionable colour. This year, the tendency should not be an exception, and the colour will be the most observed when the peloton sets off, as the Jumbo-Visma team has chosen to go to the Critérium du Dauphiné to try to show its strength. With Primož Roglič and Jonas Vingegaard as leaders, the two runners-up to Tadej Pogačar in the Tour de France in 2020 and 2021, it is clear the yellow and black team has more than its fair share of the pre-race favourites. The rest of the line-up indicates that the Jumbo-Visma riders certainly will have the opportunity to excel every day by establishing a hold on the race as they did a few months earlier on Paris-Nice. The stages in the Ardèche could be suitable for Wout van Aert or Christophe Laporte, whereas the time trial in La Bâtie d’Urfé could be a good opportunity for Rohan Dennis to star. In the mountains, the big names will also be able to count on the support of lieutenants like Tiesj Benoot and Steven Kruijswijk. The list is impressive, but the future is never so easy to read in the entry lists, and the potential rivals of the „Primož gang“ will also have their say throughout the week.

The most logical choice to compete with them is Ineos Grenadiers, the British team that has won seven of the last eleven editions of the Dauphiné, including last year with Richie Porte. The role assigned to the Australian in 2021 will this time go to Tao Geoghegan Hart, who has not had the opportunity to take on the leadership role for his team since winning the Giro in October 2020. On a different note, his teammates Filippo Ganna and Ethan Hayter are also expected to impress. The anticipated match could be troubled by several riders, who at times have performed well during the season. For example, this is the case for the winner of the Tour of Sicily, Damiano Caruso and his teammate at Bahrain Victorious Jack Haig, 6th on Paris-Nice; or Brandon McNulty, twice winner at the beginning of the season on the roads of Ardèche. A rider like Wilco Kelderman (4th in 2021) should not be excluded from the list of contenders, as the valiant Dutchman plans to ride the Giro d’Italia and the Dauphiné in a row. Among the French teams, AG2R Citroën Team is counting on Australian Ben O’Connor for the Alps challenge. The Dauphiné could also be a chance for David Gaudu, who won a stage on the Tour of Algarve, but was then troubled by crashes and physical problems, to get back to serious business, while Warren Barguil has honed his calves by winning on the roads of the Tirreno-Adriatico and the GP Indurain.

22 teams, the leading riders (as of 25/05)

Australia
Team BikeExchange-Jayco : Groenewegen (Ned)

Bahrain
Bahrain Victorious : Haig (Aus), Caruso (Ita), Teuns (Bel)

Belgium
Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl Team : Cavagna (Fra), Bagioli (Ita)
Lotto Soudal : Barbero (Esp), Van Gils (Bel)
Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux : Meintjes (Rsa), Bakelants (Bel)

France
AG2R Citroën Team : O’Connor (Aus), Paret-Peintre (Fra), Van Avermaet (Bel)
Groupama-FDJ : Gaudu, Madouas (Fra), Storer (Aus)
Cofidis : Lafay (Fra), Geschke (Ger)
Team Arkea-Samsic : Barguil, Louvel (Fra)
TotalEnergies : Latour, Vuillermoz (Fra), Boasson Hagen (Nor)
B&B Hotels-KTM : Bonnamour, Koretzky, Rolland (Fra), Mozzato (Ita)

Germany
BORA-hansgrohe : Kelderman (Ned), Konrad (Aut), Politt (Ger)

Great Britain
Ineos Grenadiers : Geoghegan Hart, Hayter (Gbr), Ganna (Ita), Kwiatkowski (Pol)

Israel
Israel-Premier Tech: Froome (Gbr)

Kazakhstan
Astana-Qazaqstan Team : Battistella (Ita)

Netherlands
Team DSM : Combaud (Fra)
Jumbo-Visma : Roglic (Slo), Vingegaard (Den), Van Aert (Bel), Laporte (Fra), Dennis (Aus)

Norway
Uno-X Pro Cycling Team : T.Johannessen (Nor)

Spain
Movistar Team : Mas, Rodriguez (Esp)

United Arab Emirates
UAE Team Emirates : McNulty (Usa), Bennett (Nzl)

United States
EF Education-Easypost : Almeida (Por), Chaves (Col), Padun (Ukr)
Trek-Segafredo : Stuyven (Bel), Elissonde, Gallopin (Fra)

© A.S.O.