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Bicycle Racing News and Opinion,
Thursday, August 25, 2022

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2021 Tour de France | 2022 Giro d'Italia

Gratitude is the fairest blossom which springs from the soul. - Henry Ward Beecher

Les Woodland's book Dirty Feet: How the Great Unwashed Created the Tour de France is available in print, Kindle eBook & audiobook versions. To get your copy, just click on the Amazon link on the right.

Current racing:

• Aug 19 - Sept 11: La Vuelta a España
• Aug 23 - 26: Tour Poitou-Charantes en Nouvelle Aquitaine

Upcoming racing:

• Aug 28: Bretagne Classic Ouest-France

Latest completed racing:

• Aug 21: BEMER Cyclassics Hamburg
• Aug 16 - 20: PostNord Danmark Rundt
• Aug 16 - 19: Tour du Limousin
• Aug 11 - 14: Arctic Race of Norway
• Aug 14: La Polynormande
• Aug 9 - 11: Tour de l'Ain
• Aug 2 - 6: Vuelta a Burgos
• July 30 - Aug 5: Tour of Poland
• July 31: Circuito de Getxo
• July 30: Clasica San Sebastián

We posted the race organizer's report with the results.

Here's the report from stage winner Marc Soler's UAE Team Emirates:

It was a day to remember for Marc Soler, who conquers the fifth stage of the Vuelta a Espana after 187.2 km from Irún to Bilbao.

Marc Soler wins stage five. Sirotti photo

The Catalan was not among the first riders to go on the attack, closing a gap of 1’45” solo, and marking himself as one of the strongest riders on the climbs.

Of the 18 men in the break, they slowly dropped one by one over the last 30km , before Soler made his move on the second ascent of El Vivero climb.

Soler, at first in difficulty just a few kilometers from the second brow of the Alto del Vivero, regained his strength and overtook all his rivals, reaching the GPM first with about ten seconds of advantage.

In the descent, the Spanish rider did not extend his margin, but he still managed to maintain a minimum advantage over the men in pursuit, thus being able to cross the finish line first and raise his hands to the sky.

Soler: “There was a great battle to go on the break, initially I didn’t succeed. Matxin told me that on the uphill I would have the chance to get up to the leaders, I did it and in the final I went for the win , I’m very happy. On the last climb I tried a move and went all the way to the finish “.

Tomorrow the sixth stage for climbers is scheduled, with 181.2 km starting from Bilbao and arriving in Ascensión al Pico Jano.

Here's the report from new GC leader Rudy Molard's Team Groupama-FDJ:

Four years and a few setbacks later, Rudy Molard is back in red! After having worn it for four days in 2018, the Groupama-FDJ rider took the leader’s jersey again in the Vuelta a Espana on Wednesday. After entering the rightbreakaway with his teammate Jake Stewart, the 32-year-old puncher perfectly managed the final towards Bilbao to take the lead in the general classification.

Rudy Molard just after the stage. Sirotti photo

Fourth in this fifth stage, Rudy Molard has a two-second gap on his first contender, while the main favorites are four minutes behind prior to the first summit finish on Thursday. The very satisfying start to the Vuelta continues.

“I have been thinking about it since yesterday. I was not far in the general classification. I told my teammates that it was possible to take the red jersey today”. When he showed up inIrún on Wednesday morning, for the start of the Vuelta’s fifth stage, Rudy Molard had an idea in mind. An idea that was shared by the whole team. “We weren’t sure of anything, but we knew that it was one of the possible scenarios”, said Philippe Mauduit. “We were mainly looking to put Rudy or Seb up front, with a rider who could help them throughout the day. Jake was among the riders who could achieve this mission. He also had this nice sprint which, depending on the race’s scenario, could allow him to play something in the final”.

That was the theoretical plan. On the field, it proved way much harder since the fight for the breakaway lasted almost two hours. “At some point, I stopped looking at how many kilometres we had done”, even said Philippe. “Last time I checked, we had done seventy kilometres and the break was not made yet. To be in the front, you really had to want it, and Rudy was really motivated because he knew that if the break was gone and Jumbo gave them space, he had a good shot at getting that jersey”.

The good move eventually formed just before the first climb of the day, approaching the halfway point. Up front, Rudy Molard then found himself with sixteen men, including his teammate Jake Stewart. “I was really motivated to take the break with Rudy or Seb because we knew we had a good opportunity to take the red jersey”, said the Briton. “Once we were in front, the plan was to commit100% for Rudy”.

Although the gap initially stabilized around three minutes, it eventually went over the five-minute mark with sixty kilometres to go, as the breakaway headed towards the first ascent of the decisive Alto del Vivero (4.6km at 7.9%). “Wehad to race to try to win, and not forget that there was also the possibility of getting the jersey”, Philippe said about his riders’ approach. “After checking who was in the break, we knew that 3-4 riders could go for the red jersey, and Rudy was in the best position of them all. We also knew that the closer we got to the final, the more we had to control Fred Wright, who also really wanted to wear this jersey”.

In the penultimate climb, the first attacks occured in the front, butthe breakaway got back together before crossing the finish line for the first time in Bilbao. Still up there, Jake Stewartfirst tried to bring some calm in the front group, before attacking himself a few moments later to help his teammate. “About twenty kilometres from the finish, before the last climb, I went solo so Rudy could just have a free ride behind”,explained the Briton. “I also wanted to take a step ahead to try to get over the climb in the first group. “Jake was sostrong today”, added Rudy. “He pulled for me, and when it got messy at the end with those many attacks, he took hischance. He was really strong.” The English puncher-sprinter took a forty-second lead at the bottom of the last climb and held off his chasers for a long time. However, Marc Soler produced a sharp acceleration two kilometres from the summitand caught him a kilometre further.

Rudy Molard did not follow this attack, as he was entirely focused on his opponent for the red jersey. “From the bottomof the final climb to the finish, Rudy did not leave Wright alone, but it was the only way for him to be sure to wear the jersey tonight”, explained Philippe. “We knew that Wright was faster than Rudy in the sprint, but Rudy is a better climber, so he absolutely had to get the bonus seconds at the top of the climb. We had to take everything we could.”

On the bonus sprint located just before the downhill, the rider from Groupama-FDJ took second place, and therefore gained two seconds, bringing his lead over the man from Bahrain-Victorious to six seconds. There was then a last descent to handle before two flat kilometres. After fighting hard at the top of the climb, Jake Stewart managed to get back to the Molard group. “I came back in the descent, but then I cramped from both legs in the small kick six kilometres from the finish”, added Jake. “From there, it was finished for me.”For his teammate, however, nothing was done yet. “I had to follow Wright, but I knew he was also fast in the sprint, so I had some doubt in the final”, continued Rudy. “When Arndt and Impey came from the back it was better for me, but I was under stress until the end. Having Soler in front was also a good thing for me, and I was also hoping that Jake would come back for the sprint because he is going very fast. He could even have won”.

Eventually, Soler kept a few seconds entering the last kilometres, and Rudy Molard perfectly kept Fred Wright under control, which slowed down the chasing group. In the sprint, the British rider was beaten by Daryl Impey for second place, and only took four bonus seconds. That was enough for Rudy Molard to get back in red, four years later! “I did it again, it’s a big day for me”, he said with enthusiasm. “It’s amazing, it means a lot.” This joy also had some background. “It was very hard to leave the race last year”, recalled Rudy. “I suffered from a pneumothorax; it was quite serious. I spent almost a week in the hospital, I had to do nine weeks without sport. It was really long. I had real doubts about coming backto the best level, I really struggled over the winter, but I committed and always believed I could make it. I unfortunately got a severe Covid at the end of January and it was hard to recover. I only resumed racing at the end of March, and now, I am the leader of a Grand Tour… You always need to believe!”

“For Rudy, it’s really the exit of the tunnel”, confirmed Philippe. “It is just a fair reward for everything he’s done to prepare for this Vuelta”. Twelfth in the Clasica San Sebastian and third in the Tour de l’Ainrecently, the Frenchman had already given positive signs. “I knew I was in good shape, and I prepared well for this Vuelta, but I hadn’t thought of taking the leader’s jersey,” added Rudy. “It’s a nice surprise. I really came to go for the stage wins, but the opportunity arose, we took it and it’s great for the team”.

Rudy Molard in red next to Tour de France boss Christian Prudhomme. Sirotti photo

Thanks to the fourth place of the day, the Groupama-FDJ also makes it five top-10 in five stages on this Vuelta 2022. “We have the red jersey, we’re first in the team ranking, we could not have started better“, added the new leader. “It’s important to keep this momentum, but we’ll need to get that win,” saidPhilippe with a smile. “That is still the goal. That being said, taking the leader’s jersey on a Grand Tour is no small achievement. Few riders can experience that, so if you have the opportunity to wear it for a day or more, it’s something that leaves a mark on your career as a rider, especially if you’re a domestique for most of the season. Jake also put on a great performance. He did not miss much to be able to go for the stage win. For a rookie, this is not nothing. Before that, he also did his part in the breakaway supporting Rudy”.

“We had a plan and we executed it well,” said the British rider. “I’m super happy for Rudy. It was a very nice day up front and I’m very happy to have been able to do this in my first Grand Tour. It’s a good experience and I’ll take a lot of lessons from today.” He will also, from Thursday, defend a leader’s jersey on a Grand Tour. Rudy Molard will approach the first mountain stage with a lead of two seconds over Wright and about four minutes over Primoz Roglic, the first GC contender. “We will try to keep it as much as possible”, he promised. “Against the pure climbers, I have no illusions, but we will fight”. “Tomorrow, there will be a fight for the stage and another fight for the red jersey”, concluded Philippe. “If the leaders really battle, everything can be turned upside down. Anyway, we’ll enjoy this beautiful day together and the goal will be to have the best possible day for the team. We also came there to win stages. There is an opportunity tomorrow, and if we can seize it, we will try to do it”.

Here’s the report from Primoz Roglic’s Team Jumbo-Visma:

Primoz Roglic has relinquished his red leader's jersey in the Vuelta a España. In the stage to Bilbao, Team Jumbo-Visma allowed a large breakaway group to grab enough time to compete for the leader’s jersey. Frenchman Rudy Molard is the new leader in the general classification. Marc Soler won the stage.

Primoz Roglic started stage five in red. Sirotti photo

With losing the red jersey, Roglic relieves not only his teammates of work for the next few days but also himself. “It brings a lot of extra obligations. I know that from my own experience”, teammate Robert Gesink said after the finish. “To wear the leader’s jersey is an honour. However, you won’t have much time to celebrate because of your podium duties and interviews with the media. The Vuelta lasts three weeks. It’s important to have the red jersey on the last day.”

Gesink praised the breakaway riders. “Congratulations to them. They rode away with a big group. There was a lot of anticipation because it took eighty kilometres before a good group got away. I think everyone knew what was at stake today. The breakaway group established a comfortable lead and battled for the race win and the lead in the overall classification. We controlled the race. In this regard, our group is more than capable. We can save energy in the coming days because we no longer have the leader’s jersey. Even though we have to stay sharp to control the classification.”

Controlling the race is something the team has mastered. “We’ve made a mental list of riders we’d rather not let get away. With Edoardo Affini, Mike Teunissen and Rohan Dennis, we can control the race very well. If a rider we don’t want to see ahead escapes, we immediately send someone after him to try to close the gap. When one rider attacks, another follows close behind with enough speed to counter the next attack. When this goes smoothly, it’s a pleasant way of working together. And it’s going well because we came here with a well-oiled machine. We’ve learned that in the past few years. The peloton only stops when it stops. You shouldn’t want to force that. You have to have strong legs, but more than anything else, teamwork is crucial.”

And here's the report from points classification leader Sam Bennett's Team Bora-hansgrohe:

With another day in the Basque Country, today's stage between Irún and Bilbao featured five short yet at times quite tough climbs, with two ascents of the Alto del Vivero, one coming 14km from the finish. It took 75 km for a large group to go clear from the peloton, with the field, led by Jumbo - Visma and BORA - hansgrohe, showing no great interest in catching the leaders. Marc Soler was able to take the day's victory after attacking from the break on the last climb. The group of favorites, including Jai Hindley, Sergio Higuita and Wilco Kelderman, reached the finish about five minutes later, while Sam Bennett retains the green jersey after today's stage.

Sam Bennett remains in green. Sirotti photo

"After riding very offensively yesterday, our objective today was to bring Sam to the finish as best as possible and also to make sure that our GC riders didn't lose any time to the competition in the overall standings. Otherwise, we had a relatively relaxed day and rode in a generally energy-saving way." - Jens Zemke, Sports Director

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