The queen stage of the Renewi Tour lived up to the expectations this Friday on the cobbled ramps of the “Muur”. While Johan Jacobs once again made a strong impression in the day’s breakaway, Mathieu van der Poel won the fight between the favorites, while Valentin Madouas fought hard to finish at the front of the peloton in 18th place. The former French champion entered the top 10 overall (9th) ahead of a crucial weekend.
A taste of spring Classics in the middle of summer. On Friday, the Renewi Tour held its traditional “Flemish” stage between Aalter and the city of Geraardsbergen, whose “Muur” had to be covered entirely twice, while the finish line was located about halfway up the slope. A dozen additional climbs featured on the day’s route, including the Berg ten Houte and the Bosberg. On the other hand, the first seventy completely flat kilometres proved ideal for a breakaway to develop, and Johan Jacobs entered it less than a week after his great performance at the ADAC Cyclassics in Hamburg. “We knew the breakaway could get a nice lead before the climbs, we wanted to take advantage of it, and Johan did extremely well,” confirmed Thierry Bricaud. At the front, the Swiss rider was joined by ten other riders, and was able to benefit from a maximum lead of around four minutes. However, the race quickly opened up within the peloton. After about 80 kilometres, Mathieu van der Poel launched the fight and the pace never eased off from then on.
“We’re not at our best, but we’re still alive,” Thierry Bricaud
Following a frantic pursuit, the Dutchman was caught as he approached the first time up the “Muur”, but the peloton exploded right after, and around ten riders managed to escape. “We knew the race was going to open up in that first ascent,” said Thierry. “We approached it a bit far back and we found ourselves one step behind until the end. It’s a shame. We may have lacked a little something in terms of commitment and risk-taking, even though everyone in the bunch obviously had the same goal at that point.” While the first group of favorites joined the breakaway, including Johan Jacobs, with fifty kilometers to go, Valentin Madouas found himself, along with Lewis Askey – and then Paul Penhoët – in a small chasing pack, twenty seconds or so behind Mathieu van der Poel and co. Shortly before the second time up the Muur, located about thirty-five kilometres from the finish, the gap yet reduced to just ten seconds. “It was very close, but they were really at their limit in the back, it was hard,” added Thierry.Therefore, when the favorites put in another effort on the “Muur,” the decision was made definitively. Mathieu van der Poel, Arnaud De Lie, and Tim Wellens hit the front together, while Johan Jacobs, despite his day in the break, found the strength to join a second chasing group. The leading trio was never caught, but the Swiss rider from Groupama-FDJ, despite a strong fight until the final ten kilometres, was unable to hold off an organized peloton in the final. In Geraardsbergen, van der Poel claimed victory, while Valentin Madouas fought hard forty-two seconds later to avoid the splits in the peloton. The Frenchman placed 18th on the day and was rewarded for his efforts by entering the top 10 overall (9th). “Like the first two days, we’re not at our best, but we’re still alive,” concluded Thierry. “There are two stages left that won’t be easy. There’s going to be a fight for the overall and there are still seconds to be gained. The race isn’t over.”
