Lesser known races 2025 edition

[Netserk]

Great finish!

 

[RedheadDane]

It's a "Young Favourite Just stealing Candy from Kids" kinda day.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Very nice long sprint by De Lie.

 

[Samamba]

No surprise, but damn that sprint was long.

Now that the organizers finally have De Lie on their start list, please make this race different next year.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Namur:

1	De Lie Arnaud	Lotto	200	125	4:30:22
2	Jeannière Emilien	Team TotalEnergies	150	85	,,
3	Girmay Biniam	Intermarché - Wanty	125	60	,,
4	Adrià Roger	Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe	100	50	,,
5	Trentin Matteo	Tudor Pro Cycling Team	85	45	,,
6	Kielich Timo	Alpecin - Deceuninck	70	40	,,
7	Fedorov Yevgeniy	XDS Astana Team	60	35	,,
8	Tesfatsion Natnael	Movistar Team	50	30	,,
9	Aranburu Alex	Cofidis	40	26	,,
10	Naesen Oliver	Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale Team	35	22	,,

 

[Dazed and Confused]

In Lux, 10km to go. All together.

Little kicker coming up:

 

[Samamba]

Super strong sprint from Jeannière (how many 2nd and 3rd places did he have this year without a win?) actually, he was always on a gap and still closes down De Lie almost

 

[postmanhat]

Speaking of citadels, am visiting Luxembourg City for the first time, for tomorrow's stage. Have already seen a couple of riders stopping their recce to take some photos on Pont De Chateau. The views on either side are astonishing. Including Pablo Torres, who unfortunately, now seems to sporting the ubiquitous UAE moustache.

Looks like this bridge is the approach to the final 100 metres, which is reasonably steep, but a good surface. Will probably be between the first few who make the left turn on to it, as there isn't that much space.

 

[RedheadDane]

Gregoire wins.
His head covered about twice as much distance as the rest of his body.

 

[Samamba]

De Lie might have been beaten by Gregoire for longest uphill sprint of the week. What was that lmao, impressive

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Its a day of very long uphill sprints. Solid win by Gregoire.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

1	Grégoire Romain	Groupama - FDJ	20	30	10″	3:40:45
2	van den Berg Marijn	EF Education - EasyPost	15	18	6″	,,
3	Hirschi Marc	Tudor Pro Cycling Team	10	12	4″	,,
4	Vendrame Andrea	Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale Team	5	7		,,
5	Del Grosso Tibor	Alpecin - Deceuninck	3	4		,,
6	Kragh Andersen Søren	Lidl - Trek		3		,,
7	Ballabio Giacomo	Hrinkow Advarics		2		,,
8	Narváez Jhonatan	UAE Team Emirates - XRG		1		,,
9	Burgaudeau Mathieu	Team TotalEnergies				,,
10	Skujiņš Toms	Lidl - Trek				,,

 

[KZD]

Huge sprint from De Lie and Jeannière once again showing some strong sprint legs, he has been a good surprise in these last races.

 

[tobydawq]

Ballabio beating Narváez, UAE washed.

 

[Didinho]

Magnier again. Perfect timing from Quickstep and “disrupting” the last corner with a leadout man behind him.

 

[Berniece]

Magnier again. Perfect timing from Quickstep and “disrupting” the last corner with a leadout man behind him.

I never like such disruptions, takes away the chances of other riders to have a fair battle of strengths

 

[Netserk]

I never like such disruptions, takes away the chances of other riders to have a fair battle of strengths

Others are allowed to race them for the corner and get there first.

 

[Berniece]

Others are allowed to race them for the corner and get there first.

I'm aware, but I find it ethically not okay to deliberately trying to position yourself in the way of other riders so they can't ride their sprint. Just like I also don't like it when in the spring classics on small narrow roads they go extremely slowly uphill, use their team to block the whole road, and then accelerate just to drop riders at the back.

 

[Netserk]

If you widened Molenberg to thrice the width, the climb would be ruined. Obstruction is the point, it adds true flavour to the cobbled classics.

 

[Berniece]

If you widened Molenberg to thrice the width, the climb would be ruined. Obstruction is the point, it adds true flavour to the cobbled classics.

There is a difference between riders fighting for position and doing everything in their might to get over a hill, and they might not be good enough and obstruct others.

AND

A team going as slow as possible, blocking the road on purpose.

If you don't see that difference, then the discussion over. We'll agree to disagree.

 

[Samamba]

If you widened Molenberg to thrice the width, the climb would be ruined. Obstruction is the point, it adds true flavour to the cobbled classics.

No idea what the Molenberg has to do with this discussion. That's natural obstruction, not riders obstructing on purpose (which is btw against the rules technically).

 

[Netserk]

I don't believe everyone does everything in their might to get to the top of Molenberg. I think most are happy to take it as easy as possible and hinder those behind them, if they don't lose contact with the group they are in.

From that, it's mostly differences of degree. As long as you don't (recklessly) endanger those behind you, you own them absolutely no space.

 

[Netserk]

No idea what the Molenberg has to do with this discussion. That's natural obstruction, not riders obstructing on purpose (which is btw against the rules technically).

You don't think many riders get in position in order to obstruct others on Molenberg?

 

[Samamba]

You don't think many riders get in position in order to obstruct others on Molenberg?

No, riders just have to stop at the foot of the climb cause riders are coming from a wide rode and are getting funneled into a really small one. I just don't get the example. Obviously not comparable to purposely blocking the road as a team which is what Berniece said (and which is against UCI rules and punishable). Now of course i'm not discussing the sprint tactics, it's probably more of a grey zone, but technically you also obstruct a rider to prevent or delay his movement.

 

[Netserk]

As I recall it, usually several teams get in position such that they have a helper in front of their captains and then a tail of helpers after the captains whose effect is to further clog the road, not to help the captains on the climb.