In some ways, the Groupama-FDJ cycling team relived the scenario of the first stage of the Renewi Tour this Thursday, on stage 2. After missing the first echelon with sixty kilometres to go, the French squad managed to rectify the situation but couldn’t take part in the bunch sprint, as Paul Penhoët found himself boxed in like the day before. However, Valentin Madouas was able to take two bonus seconds during the “green kilometre,” ahead of a decisive stage tomorrow around the Muur of Geraardsbergen.
Second day of racing in the Renewi Tour, but still no hills on the program for the riders, who entered Belgian soil this Thursday. On the other hand, between Blankenberge and Ardooie, the weather was expected to be a major factor over the 172 kilometres. “A small breakaway formed, but it was relatively insignificant as the peloton immediately rode very fast,” explained Thierry Bricaud. “There was a lot of wind, everyone was nervous, everyone knew there was going to be echelons, and that’s what happened. It was tense throughout the entire on-line course, for almost a hundred kilometres. We managed to get through it without any real consequences, then we started the finishing circuit. The peloton stayed together for almost two laps, then we got caught out by an echelon.” With sixty kilometres to go, a group of around forty riders managed to go clear, and the Groupama-FDJ cycling team was therefore forced to chase. “We couldn’t hesitate,” added Thierry. “It was a difficult situation. If we wanted to stay in contention for the general classification and bring Paul in the sprint, we had to come back, so we put everyone to work.”
“The boys lost each other,” Thierry Bricaud
A real fight took place between the two groups, the gap reached forty seconds at best, and stabilized around that mark for nearly twenty kilometres. However, the peloton’s constant and organized chase led to a general regrouping with thirty-five kilometres to go. The tension didn’t disappear, however, as new attempts of echelons occurred, and Lewis Askey as well as Clément Russo were able to follow one of them with just over twenty kilometres to go. Yet, everything was back to normal before the famous green kilometre and the three bonus sprints. “The guys put themselves back on track, and Valentin was able to gain two seconds,” Thierry said. “That moves him back in the overall standings, which is very good for tomorrow.” Final moves were made in the final fifteen kilometres, but it was an almost complete peloton that headed towards another bunch sprint. “Unfortunately, the boys lost each other in the last two kilometres,” Thierry said. “Paul was on Clément’s wheel, as expected, but it was very hectic, they lost each other, and it was all over from then on.”
Blocked and unable to sprint, the young Frenchman had to settle for seventeenth place. As for Valentin Madouas, he’s eleventh overall ahead of a typical “Flemish” stage tomorrow, around the Muur. “The overall standings will start to settle,” Thierry concluded. “Valentin and Lewis should have their say on a terrain that suits them, and then the race will decide.
