Étoile de Bessèges 2025 February 5th - 9th

[Samamba]

Yeah lol, De Lie is still in the race, but without teammates?

EDIT: one teammate, not surprisingly the Frenchman, Veistroffer.

 

[RedheadDane]

Also think I just spotted a lone Uno-X rider.

 

[Ilmaestro99]

This is surely going to be a massive blow for the race, attracted perhaps the best field it has ever had this year, doubt many teams will return in 2026

 

[ingsve]

Also think I just spotted a lone Uno-X rider.

Couldn't see any orange helmets in the peloton when it sweeped over.

 

[Tim Cahill]

Don't know much about De Lie's personality but he does strike me as a bit of a character, no shrinking violet by any stretch.

 

[GenericBoonenFan]

This is surely going to be a massive blow for the race, attracted perhaps the best field it has ever had this year, doubt many teams will return in 2026

All the French will, part of the Coupe de France no?

 

[Samamba]

Don't know much about De Lie's personality but he does strike me as a bit of a character, no shrinking violet by any stretch.

I wouldn't be surprised if he got paid to start here tbh. He has a really good bond with this race.

OR he thinks he really needs the extra kilometers. He missed a lot the past few weeks. That's also possible.

And maybe there's actually more Lotto's somewhere hidden in the peloton, hard to see with the rain jackets.

 

[search]

According to Rolland commentating on lEquipe, the car was stopped by the police when the breakaway went past, but didn't wait for the peloton before it got going again. So it's a rolling road closure indeed, and one of the usual problem that comes with it.

Normally there's police ahead of the breakaway and another car/moto with the peloton, but at this point the breakaway hadn't fully established yet, so there was probably no one in between yet.

 

[Rob5091]

All the French will, part of the Coupe de France no?

Yep.

 

[Rob5091]

Looks like an easy win for De Lie now that everyone else has gone home. Seems a bit of an over reaction to me.

 

[Samamba]

Looks like an easy win for De Lie now that everyone else has gone home. Seems a bit of an over reaction to me.

He has 1 teammate, he wouldn't even able to position himself with 6 teammates.

 

[Rob5091]

He has 1 teammate, he wouldn't even able to position himself with 6 teammates.

Arnaud does n't need teammates to win, he does n't even need both legs!

 

[Devil's Elbow]

Very serious team right there...

https://twitter.com/x/status/1887863791230013563

 

[pastronef]

Jose Been translating Direct Velo tweet, Tietema's DS's not understanding the re-start announcements in French and missing the start

 

[Tricycle Rider]

Just tuned in and am catching up - oh my, such drama!

Regarding drivers on the road during a small race - don't people communicate about the upcoming event via a local newspaper, social media, or even smoke signals in that region? I would think everyone who's aware of the race would be spreading the news so drivers would know to stay off the road till the peloton passes. Crikes, the noise helis make you'd think the drivers would at least get a clue...

I don't know what's left of this race, evidently a handful of riders and 44km left to go?

 

[yaco]

So Unibet missed the restart because the announcement was made in French. The race is becoming a farce of epic proportions.

 

[Lexman]

So Unibet missed the restart because the announcement was made in French. The race is becoming a farce of epic proportions.

lol they are french team but don't understand word of french bunch of clowns, besides they have french riders so they must have understood no?

 

[Coffeeplanter]

> Switches from Dutch to French license
> Nobody understands or speaks French

Roflmao.

 

[Rob5091]

So Unibet missed the restart because the announcement was made in French. The race is becoming a farce of epic proportions.

Can n't blame the organizers for that mess up!

 

[Tim Cahill]

Unibet should have their Roubaix wildcard stripped for this nonsense and it should be given to a serious cycling outfit like Terengganu, Medellin or whoever Paco Mancebo is riding for nowadays.

 

[Tricycle Rider]

Jose Been translating Direct Velo tweet, Tietema's DS's not understanding the re-start announcements in French and missing the start

This race really delivers! 🤣

 

[Armchair Cyclist]

Did they not notice c90 guys hop onto their bikes, and a few dozen cars rolling away?


So are they now way behind th epeloton, racing to beat the time limit?

 

[pastronef]

Tietema's announced they decided not to restart for safety reasons. probably after reading DirectVelo's tweet and listening to Eurosport

 

[Tricycle Rider]

Unibet should have their Roubaix wildcard stripped for this nonsense and it should be given to a serious cycling outfit like Terengganu, Medellin or whoever Paco Mancebo is riding for nowadays.

Mancebo's heydays with Rock Racing (lol!) were before I started following cycling so I had to google him, he's still riding at 48 for a team called Matrix Powertag - chapeau!

 

[Samamba]

How does Arkea miss this...