Étoile de Bessèges 2025 February 5th - 9th

[Rob5091]

The breakaway is having a good go here but Arkea want Demare of course ...

 

[Tricycle Rider]

So besides all the roadside drama the weather looks pretty icky - the riders are all bundled up and wet because it's raining, and it's rather dark (motos have their headlights on)... please no more drama, only 23km to go!

 

[Samamba]

Vauiquelin makes the jump, with 3 cofidis riders and De Lie in his wheel.

 

[Rob5091]

Building up nicely to good old fashioned crescendo, I'd say!

 

[Samamba]

Teuns vs. Arkea.

 

[Berniece]

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

Maybe he worked on it, because he was well positioned the first stage

 

[Samamba]

Maybe he worked on it, because he was well positioned the first stage

That's true, he hold his position surprisingly well, but he did get help from Grignard, Drizners and Taminiaux there.

On the other hand, peloton is like 40 riders now, with Veistroffer still in it. If he can't position in that...

They have to catch Teuns first, he's strong.

 

[Tricycle Rider]

I already mentioned it earlier but I thank Cofidis for their yellow sleeves, now that it's dark and raining it's especially hard to tell the red jersey teams apart.

Go Teuns!

 

[Tricycle Rider]

Good effort but Teuns was caught, 4km to go and now some attacks!

 

[Samu Cuenca]

De Lie delivers.

 

[Rob5091]

Who needs teammates?! Chapeau De Lie! A fitting winner for a chaotic crazy day in France.

 

[RedheadDane]

Is De Lie just gonna go (almost) solo to races from now on?

 

[Tricycle Rider]

De Lie gets the win!

Well, this was a memorable race for all the wrong reasons, but at least no one crashed or was harmed by a car that I'm aware of.

 

[Samamba]

Chapeau. Pretty powerful sprint even if it only against Demare and Penhoet. I haven't seen De Lie sprint like this in a long time.

 

[pastronef]

Is De Lie just gonna go (almost) solo to races from now on?

ahah no. the rest of Lotto abandoned today, they left 1 man for him to help him. both won't start tomorrow

 

[Tim Cahill]

De Lie winning as the only guy left in his team in what appears to be some sort of wizard of oz level hurricane a fitting end to the race.

 

[armchairclimber]

So what the heck happens tomorrow?

 

[pastronef]

DE LIE
"There was a little dilemma. If everyone had stopped, the Etoile de Bességes would not have been able to continue. I didn't ask myself whether to continue or not: you respect the organizers. Without races we can't do our job."

 

[Tricycle Rider]

DE LIE
"There was a little dilemma. If everyone had stopped, the Etoile de Bességes would not have been able to continue. I didn't ask myself whether to continue or not: you respect the organizers. Without races we can't do our job."

Very mature and professional statement from the kid - respect!

 

[Salvarani]

DE LIE
"There was a little dilemma. If everyone had stopped, the Etoile de Bességes would not have been able to continue. I didn't ask myself whether to continue or not: you respect the organizers. Without races we can't do our job."

The truth

 

[Samamba]

DE LIE
"There was a little dilemma. If everyone had stopped, the Etoile de Bességes would not have been able to continue. I didn't ask myself whether to continue or not: you respect the organizers. Without races we can't do our job."

Bro made himself immortal with French audience and organizers.

 

[Ilmaestro99]

DE LIE
"There was a little dilemma. If everyone had stopped, the Etoile de Bességes would not have been able to continue. I didn't ask myself whether to continue or not: you respect the organizers. Without races we can't do our job."

Ok, I start to like this guy

 

[Tim Cahill]

Does De Lie post on here or something?

The doggy weather didn't bother De Lie today. “You just have to take the bad weather with you then. Just think of the snowy edition of Liège-Bastogne-Liège that Hinault won. Although, of course, this was not that extreme.”

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Does De Lie post on here or something?

Recognises that bike racing requires bike races to exist, check.
Recognises that road racing is an outdoor sport that requires roads, check.
Recognises that participating in an outdoor sport means you have to deal with weather, check.

Kid shows promise. One day he'll be in that "state of the forum" thread.

 

[Berniece]

DE LIE
"There was a little dilemma. If everyone had stopped, the Etoile de Bességes would not have been able to continue. I didn't ask myself whether to continue or not: you respect the organizers. Without races we can't do our job."

I think he mostly saw an opportunity since his whole team stopped. Not that that’s a bad thing btw, a statement was clearly made already so why not go for the easy win.

EDIT: I just read the whole interview, I was wrong, he did it mostly for the organisers. Comes of very sincere