Étoile de Bessèges 2025 February 5th - 9th

[Samamba]

Cofidis guys getting beaten by the riders they ditch, it never gets old.

 

[search]

There were still a few descents left on the route to zap him of energy.

yesterday Latour lost like 20 positions in a wet roundabout alone

 

[Samu Cuenca]

It's always great to watch a Champion in his prime.

 

[Samamba]

It's always great to watch a Champion in his prime.

I don't hate Cofidis but how bad of a look is it that their ex riders do better in a conti team. Last year Delettre, now Champion.

 

[Rob5091]

Vauquelin gets the win and Arkea will be grateful for all the UCI points it can get. Chapeau to those brave souls who stood by the road to cheer on the riders.

 

[RJH]

According to PCS, they just rode across *that* bridge in today's stage, 37 km in.

Incredible… Seems to be the bridge Ferron was hanging from. Correct?

 

[Salvarani]

I don't hate Cofidis but how bad of a look is it that their ex riders do better in a conti team. Last year Delettre, now Champion.

He strike me as someone who has done a lot of work for the team and other riders. Has not had a protected role.

Now he will be getting more opportunities to show his ability and that he is capable to get results for himself on the French calendar.

It is also pretty difficult to value the performance here and how it will translate throughout the year at this stage of the season. given the circumstances in this race as well.

 

[Rob5091]

Incredible… Seems to be the bridge Ferron was hanging from. Correct?

Apparently so.

 

[RJH]

Apparently so.

That’s really unbelievable. Never two without three, so what will happen next on this bridge?…

 

[Armchair Cyclist]

That’s really unbelievable. Never two without three, so what will happen next on this bridge?…

I don't think anything remarkable happened on it today. One of the photos yesterday showed a bridge and I wondered whether it was the same one, but apparently not.

So it's one without two at the moment.

 

[Rob5091]

Yeah, the bridge where the crash happened in 2023, was on the route on Saturday and of course with a lot less riders to squeeze over it there was no incidents.
Sunday's final stage ITT seems to be the exact same course as last year, so a time of 15 minutes will be a winner.

 

[Rob5091]

Today's (Sunday's) final stage - map and finale up to L'Hermitage. Can team St Michel pull off something? (Who are St Michel? info/Wiki at HERE )

 

[Alexandre B.]

Today's (Sunday's) final stage - map and finale up to L'Hermitage. Can team St Michel pull off something? (Who are St Michel? info/Wiki at HERE )

They - the structure Auber93 - won a stage in the Tour de France 1996.

 

[Tricycle Rider]

Today's (Sunday's) final stage - map and finale up to L'Hermitage. Can team St Michel pull off something? (Who are St Michel? info/Wiki at HERE )

Interesting about St.Michel, I thought because their logo includes a chicken they'd be a meat factory but instead they make biscuits. So we've got the sausage team (Wagner Bazin) and the biscuit team (St. Michel) in this race - sounds like a very edible peloton and I like it! Also, both teams' jerseys are highly visible and distinguishable, so bonus points for that.

 

[search]

Interesting about St.Michel, I thought because their logo includes a chicken they'd be a meat factory but instead they make biscuits. So we've got the sausage team (Wagner Bazin) and the biscuit team (St. Michel) in this race - sounds like a very edible peloton and I like it! Also, both teams' jerseys are highly visible and distinguishable, so bonus points for that.

and as Lidl and Intermarché aren not around (anymore), you probably can buy them at Super U, CIC U Nantes' 2nd name sponsor.

 

[search]

Benjamin Thomas is a DNS by the way, so unless Cavagna found some time trial shape, there's unlikely to be anyone left to challenge Vauquelin today

https://twitter.com/x/status/1888534860085530961

View: https://x.com/TeamCOFIDIS/status/1888534860085530961

 

[Tricycle Rider]

Cripez, I thought even lowly Tiz had given up on streaming this race, but a last minute link did pop up so I'll get to see the TT. (I'll probably have the Tiz link all to myself because I'm not sure anyone else will be watching. )

 

[Tricycle Rider]

and as Lidl and Intermarché aren not around (anymore), you probably can buy them at Super U, CIC U Nantes' 2nd name sponsor.

Good call about Lidl and Intermarché! Lidl I'm familiar with but Intermarché I had to google because we don't have their stores in the States. And Super U I wasn't familiar with either so also had to google -always love to learn new stuff!

 

[Tricycle Rider]

Oliver Knight is in the hot seat for now, but there are still 21 riders left to go.

 

[Tricycle Rider]

De Lie on the road now

 

[Tricycle Rider]

A sunny but not too warm a day in this part of France today, evidently it's only 9C. There is a decent amount of fans though who are all bundled up, so yay to the few and the proud who had shown up for what's left of this race.

 

[Samamba]

Impressive ride from 19y old Decomble, still a devo rider.

 

[Salvarani]

Impressive ride from 19y old Decomble, still a devo rider.

Yup and it seems to be his specialty. Won the NC U23 ITT last year.

 

[Tricycle Rider]

Cavagna in the hot seat and only 5 riders left to start...

Champion just started - go, go biscuit team!

 

[Tricycle Rider]

Last rider Vauquelin's turn now and that'll be that.