Bicycle Racing News and Opinion,
Tuesday, February 15, 2022
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2021 Tour de France | 2021 Giro d'Italia
Failure is instructive. The person who really thinks learns quite as much from his failures as from his successes. - John Dewey
Les Woodland's book Sticky Buns Across America: Back-roads biking from sea to shining sea is available as an audiobook here. For the print and Kindle eBook versions, just click on the Amazon link on the right.
Current racing:
- Feb 10 - 15: Tour of Oman
Upcoming racing:
- Feb 16 - 20: Vuelta Cicista Andalucia - Ruta del Sol
- Feb 16- 20: Volta ao Algarve
- Feb 18 - 20: Tour des Alpes
Latest completed racing:
- Feb 14: Clásica Jaén Paraíso Interior
- Feb 13: Clasica de Almeria
- Feb 12, 2022: Gavere Cyclocross
- Feb 12: Vuelta de Murcia
- Feb 10 - 13: Tour de la Provence
- Feb 2 - 6: Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana
- Feb 2 - 6: Etoile de Bessèges
- Feb 1 -5: Saudi Tour
- Jan 26 - 30, 2022: Challenge Illes Balears
- Jan 30: GP Cycliste la Marseillaise
- Jan 23 - 29 Santos Festival of Cycling
We posted the organizer’s report with the results.
Here's the report from stage winner Jan Hirt's Team Intermarché-Wanty Gobert:
One day after the fantastic victory in the Clasica de Almeria, Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert repeated its performance in the queen stage of the Tour of Oman (2.Pro, 10-15/02) this Monday. After a collective demonstration, Czech climber Jan Hirt was the best on top of the Jabal Al Akhdar (6km at 10%) and managed to reverse the order in the general classification by distancing race leader Masnada.
Jan Hirt wins stage five. Photo: ASO/Pauline Ballet
Kévin Van Melsen and Julius Johansen immediately showed the intention of the team directed by Valerio Piva by controlling the gap to the early breakaway of seven riders. Even though there were no obstacles on the way towards the final climb, the battle started 50 before the finish with crosswinds. The riders of the Belgian World Team were attentive and were not surprised by the acceleration in the peloton, which closed the gap to the early breakaway.
But the peace returned and the split in the peloton was made undone with 30 kilometer to go. The teammates of Jan Hirt took command of the bunch at the foot of the Jabal Al Akhdar. Tom Devriendt set the example in the beginning of the climb for neopro Hugo Page, who determined the rhythm the next 3 kilometer. With only fifteen riders remaining in the first group, Rein Taaramäe, the ninth rider in the provisional classification, then sacrificed for Hirt who attacked two kilometer before the top.
The Czech climber reached the finish solo, 39 seconds ahead of the first chaser and almost 2 minutes ahead of Masnada. In this way, Hirt became the new owner of the leader’s jersey in the Tour of Oman with one day to go and with an advantage of exactly one minute. Taaramäe finished sixth in the stage and is now eighth in the provisional general classification.
On Tuesday, the final stage connects Al Mouj Muscat and Matrah Cornice in 132 kilometer. After a first race half without any difficulties, the peloton has to cover two short climbs of around 1 kilometer before reaching the three local laps around the finish.
“From the beginning of this stage race I felt that I was one of the strongest climbers, so that’s why the stage win was our goal today. The whole team was very focused and motivated too succeed. No words can repay their sacrifices, they all contributed to make this victory possible. Without support of other teams, Kévin Van Melsen worked hard behind the early breakaway. The others protected me in the crosswinds and then set a high pace on the final climb to create my dream scenario. It was a perfect day. The leader’s jersey was the cherry on the cake, because I didn’t really expect to close the 1 minute gap with Masnada on this 6 kilometer climb. I’m feeling confident ahead of the final stage, surrounded by a strong team.” - Jan Hirt
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Here's the Tour of Oman stage 5 report from former GC leader Fausto Masnada's Quick step-Alpha Vinyl team:
One of the earliest summit finishes of the season, and one of the most brutal climbs in the sport, Jabal Al Akhdhar created some significant gaps – as expected – and reshuffled the general classification, which at the start of the day was led by Fausto Masnada following his impressive solo victory in Muscat.
Fausto Masnada wins stage four.
But the stage was an eventful one long before the riders arrived at the front of the ascent, as the crosswinds made an appearance with more than 60 kilometers to go, spreading chaos in the bunch. Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl was well-represented in the first echelon, both Masnada and Mark Cavendish being there, but soon a crash happened and the green jersey wearer hit the ground. Fortunately, the Manxman remounted quickly and joined the chasing group, which ten kilometers later managed to bridge across.
Our team led the peloton until the foot of the Green Mountain, making sure the GC leader was at all times sheltered and in a good position. Averaging a gruesome 10.5% over just 5.7 kilometers, this ferociously steep climb soon made a big selection, only a dozen riders remaining in the front group with three kilometers to go. Masnada was there together with Mauro Schmid, but with a little over two kilometers remaining he began to struggle and lost contact with the group from where Jan Hirt (Intermarche-Wanty Gobert) emerged to take the victory and the leader’s jersey.
The Italian didn’t despair and gave his best to reduce the gap without going into red, and paced by Mauro, who came back strongly from behind to lend him a hand of the savage gradients, finished just outside the top 10 and held onto his spot on the podium, where he now sits second with one day to go. At the same time, the green jersey remained in the team, and Mark Cavendish has a fair chance of winning it on the final stage, where the sprinters will be again in the spotlight.
”As is normal with the chaos of echelons forming I had a touch of wheels and unfortunately I came down quite heavily. I am lucky that my injuries seem to not be too bad and I was able to get on my bike, with just some bruising and external abrasions. I hope that the other riders involved are also ok and I would also like to thank the race doctor for looking after me”, said Mark.
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We posted the report from winner Alexey Lutsenko's Team Astana Qazaqstan with the results.
Here's the report from Lennard Kämna's Team Bora-hansgrohe:
After Murcia and Almeria, the Clásica Jaén was on the schedule for BORA - hansgrohe today. The one-day race through the mountains of Andalusia set the scene for a hard day's work for the pros. They faced 196 kilometres in total, 40 of them on gravel roads, and more than 3000 meters of climbing. In a tough race, Lennard Kämna put in a strong performance and was always at the top end of the bunch. No one was able to follow the decisive attack of the winner A. Lutsenko. Lennard took fourth in the final fight amongst the chasing group. Jai Hindley in sixth and Emanuel Buchmann in 15th completed a strong team result.
Alexey Lutsenko was first across the line.
“That was a super cool race today. With a great team spirit we were able to shape the race and launch some attacks. I’m really happy with my race today and also with my shape at the moment. For me it was the first hard race and I think we have a great base to build on.” - Lennard Kämna
“What a tough race! We’ve had only had five riders today but our goals was to be in front with Emanuel Buchmann, Jai Hindley and Lennard Kämna. Lennard showed a strong performance, was able to attack and made it to the first group. It’s a really strong result for him and I’m more than happy with his race and his shape. The team did a really good job today and worked hard for the result. We’re looking forward to the Ruta del Sol now.” - Christian Pömer, Sports Director
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Caleb Ewan’s Team Lotto Soudal sent me this:
Caleb Ewan adds the classic Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne to his race program. The Australian sprinter of Lotto Soudal will also be at the starting line of the French stagerace Tour des Alpes Maritimes et du Var, a week before.
“With Caleb Ewan in the team, we have multiple scenarios for the final in Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne”, says general manager John Lelangue. “If it comes down to a sprint, we will have one of the favourites with him. At the same time, we have other riders who can attack on the cobbles or hills.”
Caleb Ewan had raced the UAE Tour in 2021. Here he is winning stage seven. Sirotti photo.
Originally, Caleb Ewan had planned to ride the UAE Tour, but due to a small illness, he has to drop that race. “I am feeling very well right now, but it is better not to return immediately with a seven day stage race”, adds Caleb Ewan. After Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne he will start at Tirreno-Adriatico and Milan-Sanremo.
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