Étoile de Bessèges 2025 February 5th - 9th

[Berniece]

Source? Because that doesn't really make sense when Soudal are sending him to quite a few spring classics.

It was in the physical edition of Het Nieuwsblad a few days ago.

Toptalent van Soudal Quick-Step luistert niet naar Tim Merlier: "Kan verkeerd uitpakken"

Vorig jaar schitterde Paul Magnier enkele keren bij Soudal Quick-Step. Dit jaar wordt hij onder meer kopman in Milaan-Sanremo en mag hij debuteren in de Giro, maar kwam hij ook bewust enkele kilo's bij.

www.wielerkrant.be

 

[Samamba]

Drop him in the wheel of Pedersen and don’t move? I don’t have personal experience riding a race so not sure how difficult that is

Lol obviously that's hard otherwise everyone would just be sitting in favorites wheel every sprint. De Lie and holding wheels is a bad combination anyways. The run in to the last hill is insanely fast and chaotic.

 

[RedheadDane]

Break:

1	137	VERCOUILLIE Victor
2	166	VAN PETEGEM Axandre
3	175	GUILLON Célestin
4	197	MARIAULT Axel

Peloton at 5:30

 

[Berniece]

Lol obviously that's hard otherwise everyone would just be sitting in favorites wheel every sprint. De Lie and holding wheels is a bad combination anyways. The run in to the last hill is insanely fast and chaotic.

They don't have the riders to just do the same as they did in 2023?

 

[Samamba]

They don't have the riders to just do the same as they did in 2023?

No, he had a way better team around him + less competition + echelons making the race hard + De Lie himself in better form.

Obviously not saying there's 0 chance, but it won't be as easy as in 2023. Echelons would probably be his best shot. But I'm not confident at all seeing the team around him and knowing De Lie himself is just bad when it gets chaotic in a leadout.

 

[E_F_]

No, I meant Paul Magnier. The kid that won 5 races, and finished 9 times in the top 3 in his pro debut year.

I was only joking...

 

[Potomac]

I was only joking...

We need a rider named Magnus Magnier

 

[Potomac]

EF with only six riders for the race?

 

[Samamba]

Why is that neutral car just casually trying to ride over Vercouille?

 

[Potomac]

is there no camera at the finish line?

 

[Samamba]

is there no camera at the finish line?

They didnt go past the finish line. Commentators also don't seem to realize that the climb they just did is not the final climb.

 

[Samamba]

Not enough wind for echelons sadly

 

[Potomac]

They didnt go past the finish line. Commentators also don't seem to realize that the climb they just did is not the final climb.

I'm confused then as well.

I mean more than normally.

 

[Tim Cahill]

Great to see Paul Magnier near the front, looking prominent after his well-publicised weight gain during the off season.

 

[Samamba]

I'm confused then as well.

I mean more than normally.

The climb they just did has the same name cause it's the same hill but via a different road and they didn't go past the finish line. The final version of that climb will be a more straightforward run in, wide road then a sharp left and then it gets gradually smaller. Over the top only like 200m of flat.

 

[Devil's Elbow]

They didnt go past the finish line. Commentators also don't seem to realize that the climb they just did is not the final climb.

This is, what, the fourth year using this finish rather than the climb they just went up? Ignorance is bliss, I guess...

 

[Samamba]

This is, what, the fourth year using this finish rather than the climb they just went up? Ignorance is bliss, I guess...

Yeah it's the same parcours as always and they still don't realize it, while at least José Been (i really can't listen to her) has been doing commentary for this race for the past few years. Last year this stage was cancelled tho.

 

[RedheadDane]

So... if the trio somehow managed to stay away, and Belmans wins, will that mean Alpecin is out of the "Last WT team to get a win" competition?
Not like that'll be relevant.

 

[RedheadDane]

Danish commentators speculating that Mads P might be sick...

 

[Tim Cahill]

Unibet look impressive but they hit the front far too early

 

[Berniece]

De Lie very well positioned at the moment

 

[Tim Cahill]

De Lie looks good

Edit: looked like he unclipped there?

 

[Berniece]

Wow, nice one from Magnier. Those extra kilo's didn't held him back

 

[Devil's Elbow]

Looks like the kilograms aren't weighing down Magnier, that was pretty impressive from a bad position.

 

[E_F_]

Danish commentators speculating that Mads P might be sick...

Let's hope so...