Étoile de Bessèges 2024 (February 1-4)

[Devil's Elbow]

With a day’s delay, time to get the show on the road.

Startlist

Schedule
(broadcast only on L’Équipe)

Date	Stage	Start	Broadcast starts	ETA
Thursday, February 1	2	12:05	14:00	15:48 - 16:10
Friday, February 2	3	12:05	14:00	15:49 - 16:12
Saturday, February 3	4	12:23	14:00	15:49 - 16:09
Sunday, February 4	5	13:15	14:00	16:15

The route

Stage 2: Marguerittes - Rousson, 163.6k

Same HTF as in 2022, when Coquard beat Pedersen and THJ.

Spoiler: Climbs

Col de la Baraque (split into two profiles):

Côte du Pradel:

Plateau du Castellas (HTF):

Stage 3: Bessèges - Bessèges, 161.1k

The queen stage. It’s a new take on the classic route - I’m not the biggest fan because it’s overreliant on easy sides of climbs. However, with the second half constantly up and down, it’s still a hard day.

Spoiler: Climbs

Col de Trélis:

Col des Brousses (1st passage):

Col du Grand Châtaignier:

Col des Brousses (2nd passage):

Côte de Long:

Annoyingly I don’t have a profile of Col de la Banlève, the uncategorised climb after it. Up next is Col de Portes:

Before a third and final ascent of Col des Brousses.

Stage 4: Méjannes-le-Clap - Méjannes-le-Clap, 158.5k

First finish here since 2016, which was another Coquard-won stage, but this time it’s almost an HTF with the final KOM inside the final kilometre.

Spoiler: Climbs

Côte de Saint-Laurent-la-Vernède:

Côte de Méjannes-le-Clap (twice):

Côte de Tharaux (the final climb):

Stage 5: Alès - Alès (Site de l’Ermitage), 10.65k (ITT)

The classic finale. Also the first pro TT of the year (not counting NCs).

Spoiler: Climb

Site de l’Ermitage:

 

[Samamba]

Stage 3: Bessèges - Bessèges, 161.1k

The queen stage. It’s a new take on the classic route - I’m not the biggest fan because it’s overreliant on easy sides of climbs. However, with the second half constantly up and down, it’s still a hard day.

Spoiler: Climbs

Col de Trélis:

Col des Brousses (1st passage):

Col du Grand Châtaignier:

Col des Brousses (2nd passage):

Côte de Long:

Annoyingly I don’t have a profile of Col de la Banlève, the uncategorised climb after it. Up next is Col de Portes:

Before a third and final ascent of Col des Brousses.

When the hardest climb of the day is the only not categorized...

In all seriousness, i think Healy will try this stage for sure, but those climbs really don't seem hard enough to make a difference here. I feel like it will be all about the TT this year as the HTF on stage 4 is just a bunch sprint uphill probably too.

 

[Devil's Elbow]

Race underway with an early break of three conti riders up the road, probably time to sticky this one.

 

[scribers]

This is just a good looking race. Nice to see the promise of spring around the corner

 

[yaco]

These roads are sketchy and under-developed - Lets hope everyone gets around safely.

 

[Potomac]

peloton better get to steppin'

 

[Potomac]

too many ef riders in that crash

 

[Berniece]

That must have hurt, to crash horizontally into a wall

 

[Devil's Elbow]

Laurance showing what he can do when team issues don't destroy his season prep.

 

[Berniece]

Thought he started too early, but was able to hold off Pedersen which is a pretty amazing performance on such a finish

 

[Potomac]

That must have hurt, to crash horizontally into a wal

The camera didn't linger, no idea who it was.

Im disappointed in EF today

 

[Samamba]

Impressive from Laurence.

 

[Devil's Elbow]

Lots of 3- and 4-second gaps in the top-10, so even aside from the crash today very much mattered for the GC.

 

[Kazistuta]

Wow, that bodes well for Laurance to defeat Mads Pedersen on a finish like this.

 

[Anderis]

too many ef riders in that crash

I saw the result on PCS and wondered why there weren't any EF riders in the top11 despite the fact that they've sent such a strong squad to this race.

Now everything is clear. Typical EF fan experience.

EDIT: now I see Bissegger and Healy in top20 so not as bad as I feared after reading your post.

 

[Samamba]

Lots of 3- and 4-second gaps in the top-10, so even aside from the crash today very much mattered for the GC.

I think it will be all about the TT nonetheless. Pedersen vs. Vauquelin is my guess.
They'll have to make it really hard tomorrow to get any significant difference before it I fear, with an expected headwind (I think) on Saturdays finishing climb (and the fact that it isn't steep at all).

 

[yaco]

What a waste it was for Laurance to be on the Alpecin Development team in 2023 as well as denying a young rider an opportunity.

 

[tobydawq]

The camera didn't linger, no idea who it was.

Im disappointed in EF today

All EF crashed 9 kilometres before the line. But I guess it was disappointing that they were positioned so badly at that moment.

Bettiol did a hell of en effort to get back to the peloton as he was held up quite a while. And it was on Bissegger's bike.

 

[Samamba]

All EF crashed 9 kilometres before the line. But I guess it was disappointing that they were positioned so badly at that moment.

Bettiol did a hell of en effort to get back to the peloton as he was held up quite a while. And it was on Bissegger's bike.

Yeah kinda their own fault when you're that far back, but like you said Bettiol actually did really good given the circumstances. He still in it, which is good.

Segaert was also involved in that crash and lost time due to it, so he will probably be too far back before the TT.

 

[RedheadDane]

What a waste it was for Laurance to be on the Alpecin Development team in 2023 as well as denying a young rider an opportunity.

Didn't he get caught up in the B&B demise? So Alpecin simply might not have had more spots on the WT.

 

[Berniece]

Didn't he get caught up in the B&B demise? So Alpecin simply might not have had more spots on the WT.

Also could've been in agreement with each other. I don't know the details, I don't know if he already wanted to go pro last year.

 

[johnymax]

The most important question...
Is Laurance a wheelsucker?

 

[Anderis]

All EF crashed 9 kilometres before the line.

Segaert was also involved in that crash and lost time due to it, so he will probably be too far back before the TT.

Why is it always the riders from my favourite team and the riders I've picked in various games that are involved in crashes. It feels like 80% of all meaningful crashes are one of those.

 

[Devil's Elbow]

Dangerous break up the road, gap at almost 3 minutes now.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1753383291758006469

 

[Samamba]

Dangerous break up the road, gap at almost 3 minutes now.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1753383291758006469

5 minutes a while back, that's a big advantage for that group. There will be some guys like Healy trying to bridge later I think.