Minor races 2018 (contains spoilers)

[brommers]

Good to see Dan McLay win a stage of the Circuit Cycliste Sarthe - Pays de la Loire yesterday. Hadn't been having a great season up 'til then.

 

[brommers]

16 year old Lewis Askey won the Paris-Roubaix junior race.

 

[brommers]

Pfeiffer Georgi won a stage and the GC in the Healthy Ageing Tour Junior Women (2.Ncup)

 

[roadrash]

Tim wellens wins La Flèche Brabanconne and dedicates the win to Michael goolaerts

 

[BalkanExpress]

Eurosport France went from Amstel to the end of Tro Bro Leon, In Finistere Brittany, It is part of the Coupe De France so all the French teams Present plus a sprinkling of Belg pro Conti teams.

Proper tough racing: 200+ km, 30 sections of “ribin” or Farm track and it has started to pee down, the front group of 16 has been knocking lumps off each other for 40km and is now down to 7, with Norwegian Champion Rasmus Fossim Tiller off the front with 12 km to go.

The washing up can wait

 

[BalkanExpress]

Commentary just said that the best placed Breton wins a piglet

 

[BalkanExpress]

Laporte of Cofides takes it!

Lots of fun!

 

[Pro Tour Punditry]

Commentary just said that the best placed Breton wins a piglet

 

[BalkanExpress]

I watched that, and thoroughly enjoyed it.

Popping out to Brittany and riding the route of Tro Bro Leon is something that a pal of mine and I have had on our "probably never do more than idly think about" list for a while. I'd never seen it filmed before. Looks great.

I have just seen on their website there is a retro ride the day before

 

[brommers]

I don't know if anyone has been watching the Tour of Croatia, but I worked out that the climb to the finish today was about 30km at 6% - unless my calculations are awry.

 

[mjr]

https://www.procyclingstats.com/race/tour-of-croatia/2018/stages/all-stage-profiles agrees with you, rounded off, @brommers!

 

[smutchin]

Everyone's third* favourite unrepentant doper Davide Rebellin, 97, was in action at the Tour International de la Wilaya d'Oran this week, where he took a stage win and finished second overall. He's riding for an outfit called Natura4Ever-Sovac this year. Some of his team-mates are literally young enough to be his son.


*after Vino and Valverde, obvs

 

[smutchin]

One of the favourites in the race was a lad from our club, Ollie Robinson, who has been making a bit of a name for himself lately - came 3rd in the nationals a couple of months ago and has since won two junior races in Belgium. He's stepping up to U23 next season, which will be a real test of his potential.

Ollie was in a kermesse in Belgium at the weekend and pipped Sep Vanmarcke to second place in a photo finish. Must be such a thrill for a young rider, racing against someone of his calibre. He still turns out for the club 10 every Wednesday evening too. Good kid.

 

[rich p]

Ollie was in a kermesse in Belgium at the weekend and pipped Sep Vanmarcke to second place in a photo finish. Must be such a thrill for a young rider, racing against someone of his calibre. He still turns out for the club 10 every Wednesday evening too. Good kid.

Blimey, that's a great scalp.

 

[smutchin]

Blimey, that's a great scalp.

As it was only a kermesse, you have to wonder how seriously Sep was taking it, but even so, that's a great experience for a young rider.

Aside from that, he's mostly been riding as Tom Pidcock's domestique in regional races this season. No idea how far he's capable of going but he seems to be enjoying it so far and is really throwing himself into it, though he's not even full time yet. It's been interesting following his progress.