At the second edition of the Andorra MoraBanc Clàssica on Sunday, Guillaume Martin-Guyonnet secured another solid result, one week after finishing tenth overall at the Tour Auvergne – Rhône-Alpes. After 125 kilometres of racing and 4,000 metres of climbing, the climber from Normandy claimed twelfth place at the summit of Coll de la Botella, where Tom Pidcock took victory.
Four categorized climbs awaited the peloton this Sunday in the Principality of Andorra. In one of the few mountainous one-day races on the calendar, the riders were set to finish atop Coll de la Botella (11.5 km at 7%), but first had to tackle the Port d’Envalira (30.5 km at 4.5%) early in the race. “We knew the course was extremely demanding, especially with the first forty kilometers and the uphill start that took us to nearly 2,400 meters above sea level,” explained Philippe Mauduit. “We tried to get into the breakaway, the riders were active, but it went clear on a counterattack and we missed it. We knew the breakaway had almost no chance of surviving on such a course, but it could still have been useful for some of our riders to be there and put in extra effort. In any case, they were involved in the action, and that was the most important thing.” A group of around fifteen riders eventually formed the breakaway, but it was tightly controlled by the peloton throughout the day. After the first three climbs and the gravel sector in Pardines, only a handful of fugitives remained at the front before a group of around forty riders made contact during the final descent. Ahead of the last climb, Julien Bernard launched an attack, while the decisive selection then took shape from the back on Coll de la Botella.
“They fought until they had nothing left in the tank” – Philippe Mauduit
Guillaume Martin-Guyonnet held his own until the final five kilometres of the climb. “He rode a strong final ascent,” said Philippe. “Against riders of world-class level, the time gaps were not that significant. He climbed very consistently and was still able to make efforts near the top, which is also a positive sign.” At the summit, the Normandy rider secured twelfth place, just a few seconds behind the top ten. “It should also be noted that when riders were six or seven minutes behind the race leaders, they were stopped by the police because of traffic regulations,” Philippe added. “That explains why there were not many riders officially classified at the finish, although many still crossed the line because they saw it as an opportunity to enjoy a good day in the mountains. We knew this race would be hard, especially against teams lining up fresh riders, but it was a good opportunity coming straight after La Route d’Occitanie, which was held nearby. It could be important preparation for the national championships, the Tour, or simply a chance for our young riders to gain experience, as they do not often get the opportunity to race with so much elevation gain. The riders were disciplined, committed, and everyone did what was required. They fought until they had nothing left in the tank.”
