In the middle of an international peloton, it was Englishman Alex Haynes who outwitted former French track champion Aurelian Costeplain at the finish line of the Dordogne Bastide.
The Vélo-Club monpaziérois was a complete success on Thursday evening in the new edition of the night by presenting 60 runners, including many foreigners. Competed in front of the largest audience, the event benefited from a better temperature and better atmosphere after two editions under sanitary rules. In the plan, 65 laps around the Bastide in a circuit of 1,300 km or 84,500 km.
The rhythm is intense in the first kilometer, which causes the first elimination on the back. The Japanese who had arrived from Tokyo the day before were fighting behind. The front is animated by the teams N1 Occitane and Blagnac. We see the Colombian team and the riders of the Spanish team Smart Tri led by Jonas Wingegaard’s neighbor Dane Albrechtsson and New Zealander Ari Scott.
A big fight often planned by Noa Knecht (Bourg-en-Bresse), Samuel Baslier (VC Corbas), Loïc Desriac (Vietnam Cycling) or Damien Lapouges (CC Périgueux). The latter tries harder but is quickly caught by the peloton and forced to retire with a broken wheel.
With 20 rounds to go, the suspense is at its peak. The peloton is still tied together, big bonuses are flowing, which spells doom for many riders who are irretrievably behind.
This was the moment when France’s former multiple champion Aurelian chose to launch a violent attack on Casteplane. He is joined by Leo Bendery (GSC Blagnac VS31) along with his English teammate Alex Hynes. 30 seconds ahead with 10 laps to go, then 45… The leading three benefited from the work of their team-mates from Blacknock and Oxidane. The Colombians and Smart Dry are doing everything to make a comeback with Belgium’s Julien Hagen and vice-champion Nouvelle-Aquitaine’s Clement Le Botes (Ocean Top 16) but it’s too late. Good shot gone.
By far the fastest of the three, Casteplane was captured by the British in a row, much to the delight of the stalwart tourist colony.
The last foreigner to win at Monpazier was Poland’s Marek Lesniewki in 2001. Dimitri Ruffin of Vélo-Club du Brulhois finished 7th in this prestigious race.
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