A week before the “big boys”, the U23 riders took part in their own edition of Liège-Bastogne-Liège on Saturday. In this reference event, “La Conti” Groupama-FDJ did not go unnoticed since Brieuc Rolland found himself in front in the final when the fight between the favourites was on. On the offensive as the finish approached, the Breton eventually grabbed fifth place on the line, a major result to add to his record. Thibaud Gruel took fourteenth place.
From Bastogne to Blegny, over 175 kilometres, almost all the iconic climbs of Liège-Bastogne-Liège were on the menu for the U23 riders on Saturday. The Wanne-Stockeu-Haute Levée sequence or the Côte de la Redoute were indeed standing on their way, for a total elevation gain of almost 3000 metres. Before getting to the hardest part of the race, around halfway point, it was first a fight for the breakaway. Jens Verbrugghe got involved, but four other riders ultimately hit the front after around thirty kilometres. They even managed to reach the famous “sequence” with a five-minute lead, but this is also where the peloton got lively. “There was a big selection from the back,” Jérôme said. “The bunch was almost reduced by half.” After the Haute Levée climb, a group tried to get away from the peloton and Maxime Decomble followed the move. This group, however, was unable to make a proper gap and a peloton of around sixty riders eventually tackled the Côte de la Redoute (1.5 km at 9.3%), almost 40 kilometres from the finish.
“It’s a great reward for the work done”, Brieuc Rolland
The men previously in the lead were caught and another race started. “We said at the briefing that there would be opportunities for Brieuc just after la Redoute, because there would be no complete teams, no control and that it was likely that the breakaway would go at that point”, Jérôme said. “He read the race quite well. It went on a small climb, and it was obviously a group of strong men because we were in the hardest part of the race.” “Everything went very well up to the côte de la Redoute,” Brieuc added. “We were always very well positioned with Thibaud and Maxime. It went on the following climb, I first went with three riders including two Visma-Lease a Bike and Joseph Blackmore, then we were joined by six other riders.” Ten men therefore made up the leading group which clearly went clear from the rest of the peloton. “Then, it was mainly a series of attacks, especially from Jorgen Nordhagen,” said Jérôme. “A group of seven men still came back together with ten kilometres to go, then Tijmen Graat attacked, and Brieuc joined him.” “I was focused on winning the race and I had good legs,” added the young man. “I tried to anticipate in the last kilometres so as not to finish in a sprint, but it didn’t work.”
The duo did take a hundred metres lead, but the rest of the group bridged across before the last climb, that of Bolland (500m at 9.5%). “Blackmore attacked as expected and went solo,” said Jérôme. Behind the winner of the Tour of Rwanda, the Tour of Taiwan and the Circuit des Ardennes, his competitors competed for the remaining spots and Brieuc Rolland snatched fifth place, fifteen seconds behind. “It’s a very good performance because he was in a group of favourites,” added Jérôme. “There is nothing to be ashamed of, it was hard to do better. This is very good for Brieuc, it comes as a confirmation after his good start to the season with eighth place in Rwanda and a great last stage on the Circuit des Ardennes. When the race is hard, he’s up ther”. “I raced to win, I can’t have any regrets,” said Brieuc. “It came down to legs, I’m where I belong. We obviously came to win with the team, but I think we can be satisfied with a top-5, and for me, it’s a great reward for the work done in recent weeks and months”. As for Thibaud Gruel, he obtained fourteenth place, 1’42 behind the winner, while “La Conti” will return to Flemish territory next weekend for the U23 Gent-Wevelgem.
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