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Tour de Valland 1592: Eden Grace Weatherhead wins his thrid Tour
By Richard W. Wallace
Published: Zechyr 25, 1592


Weatherhead conquested his third Tour de Valland in the final mountain stage.


Lauren, Valland - Adwestene Eden Grace Weatherhead (Tyrus-Empire) won his third Tour de Valland, in which he found in Kyrzbekistani Almas Cingur (KyrzAir) a tough contender.

The 1592 Tour de Valland started with a 11-km individual time-trial stage, won by Adwestene Art McLeod (Tyrus-Empire). On stage 2, a flat staged finished in a mass sprint, Frederik de Jong (Anzcell-RIFF) defeated the local sprinter Antoine Duchesnay (Vançotte) and Ander Vitecz (Druzhberg Cycling) to win his first stage this Tour de Valland. The next day, also finished in a mass sprint, was won by Florinthian James McCabe (Dido-Great Life), who defeated in a close sprint to Strathaen Aonghus Éamon Tadg (United Strathae) and Antoine Duchesnay (Vançotte).

Stage 4 was a 29-km team time-trial (TTT) won by Tyrus-Empire. As a consequence, Art McLeod increased his lead in the general classification. However, on stage 5, the strong winds would cause the peloton to break into different groups. Asham Borran (Druzhberg Cycling) would attack the main group, which lacked either many of the sprinters or their domestiques, four kilometres before the finish. Mordvanian Marcus Gucevicius (Vançotte) and Florinthian Ronald Frazer (Dido-Great Life) would be able to connecto with him. With the reduced main group closely behind, Gucevicius won the stage overcoming the two Florinthian riders in the final metres. The 22-year old Florinthian August Thackeray was the new leader of the general classification, in his debut in the Tour de Valland.

The sprinters had another change on stage 6, won by Oslanburgan Sven-Ole Wieth (Scholden-Gulcron). The 37-year old Oslanburgan sprinter defeated Frederik de Jong, James McCabe and Antoine Duchesnay in a close sprint.

The high mountain arrived on stage 7. The stage was early controlled by Tyrus-Empire team, which occasional collaboration from United Strathae and BataVelo team, and the main group was already reduced to nine riders in the last climb. A last attack by Kyrzbekistani climber Almas Cingur (KyrzAir) was only responded by Vallish Romain Poquelin (Télecon Team). Cingur left Poquelin behind in a last attack to win the stage, his second stage in a Tour de Valland -eight years after the first one. Strathaen Sechnall MacCeallaig (United Strathae) was the new leader of the general classification. Ceribian Shalva Jughasvili (Magram) was second at forty-one seconds, and Batavian Jaap Frisch (BataVelo) third at fifty-eight seconds. Poquelin, once again the best Vallish climber in the first mountain stage, was fourth at one minute and seventeen seconds.

Oslanburgan climber Jonathan Geissler (ZMG-Nissen) surprised many in the next stage with a faraway attack. He found cooperation in a few riders in the breakaway, which included riders such as Jan Daxenberger (Magram), Florinthian David Hayward (Télecon), or Oslanburgan Jorgen Exner (Luft Wurberg). In the last climb, the main group was already reduced to six riders, with Goldecian Jack Marshall and Caleb Foster (Goldecia), 1590 and 1591 champion Eden Grace Weatherhead (Tyrus-Empire), Kyrzbekistani Almas Cingur, Batavian Jaap Frisch and  Vallish climber Benoît Montfleury (Télecon), with the Goldecians particularly trying to reduce the gap. Hayward defeated Exner in the sprint to win the stage, while Weatherhead, Cingur, and Montfleury arrived more than a minute after Geissler crossed the finish. As consequence, Jonathan Geissler was the new leader of the general classification, as Sechnall MacCeallaig lost almost four minutes. Jaap Frisch (Batavelo) was second at forty-one seconds, while Hayward was third at forty-six seconds.

A large breakaway was formed on stage 9, with ZMG-Nissen easily controlling the race until the last climb. An attack by Almas Cingur was only responded by Jonathan Geissler, Eskkyan Amaury Servan (Nenergo), and Germain Guimard (Scholden-Gulcron), while Weatherhead remained with the rest of riders in the reduced main group. The 24-year old Goldecian Jack Marshall (Ogo Cycling) won the stage in an agonal end, as Cingur and Servan finished the stage only twenty seconds later. Geissler lost seven seconds to them, while Weatherhead lost another forty-nine seconds to Geissler, who saw his lead in the general classification considerably increased. Cingur was now second at one minute and twenty seconds, while Weatherhead was third at two minutes and thirty-six seconds.

There were no surprises in the next two stages, two flat stages decided in a mass sprint. Both were won by Frederik de Jong (Anzcell-RIFF) who showed again to be the fastest and stronghest sprinter in the peloton consolidating his lead in the Points classification. However, on stage 12, a long hilly stage, Batavian Jaap Frisch (BataVelo) surprised with an attack in the last hill, about eleven kilometres from the finish, followed by Almas Cingur and a few other riders, which surprisingly included sprinter Frederik de Jong. The Batavian sprinter easily outpaced his rivals in the sprint, winning his third stage in a row without opposition. Geissler saw his lead over Cingur reduced to only thirty-six seconds, while Lars Brunewald (NDM) took the third place at two minutes and twenty-one seconds. Weatherhead was fourth at two minutes and thirty-six seconds.

The peloton had some calm in the next stage, decided in a mass sprint. Adwestene sprinter Varchar Mellent (Tyrus-Empire) defeated Antoine Duchesnay (Vançotte) and Florinthian James McCabe (Dido-Great Life) in a close and chaotic sprint.

The high mountain retured on stage 14. The stage was won by Mordvanian Walentyn Lauterpacht (Mordvelo) who surprised with a faraway attack and defeated Florinthian Ronald Frazer (Dido-Great Life) to win the stage. Weatherhead and Geissler suffered in the last climb, as they were unable to follow the attacks by Almas Cingur, Alessio Gagliardi (BataVelo) and Caleb Foster (Ogo Cycling). Shalva Jughasvili (Magram), Sechnall MacCeallaig (United Strathae), and Aivars Helmanis (Bagdati) were able to follow them, improving their standing in the general classification. Geissler, suffered in the last kilometres and would end losing the general classification to Almas Cingur (KyrzAir) by merely one second. Walentyn Lauterpacht climbed to third position at two minutes and thirty-three seconds behind the new leader. Weatherhead was fourth, at two minutes and fifty-seven seconds, in what seemed complicated options for the final victory.

On stage 15, Cingur increased his lead over Geissler to thirty-six seconds, as the Oslanburgan climber again suffered in the last kilometres. Eskkyan Pierre Bonchamps (BataVelo) won the stage, while Weatherhead lost another seven seconds to Cingur, but improving one position in the general classification, at three minutes and four seconds.

Stage 16 turned to be an exciting and uncontrollable stage. KyrzAir team tried early to control the stage but turned apart after faraway attacks by Sechnall MacCeallaig, Alessio Gagliardi, and Eden Grace Weatherhead, leaving Almas Cingur with no teammates in the main group. Gagliardi won the stage, after defeating Strathaen Tuathal Seòras and Nerysian Wulf Käufer (Luft Wurberg). Cingur would end losing more than one minute and a half to Weatherhead, reducing considerably the differences in the general classification. Weatherhead was now second one minute and twenty-three seconds, while Sechnall MacCeallaigh climbed to the third position. On the other hand, Geissler arrived more than four minutes after Gagliardi losing almost all options to the victory.

Before the final rest day, another decisive stage awaited. Stage 17 was a 38-km time-trial stage, and although none of the riders in the top 4 were exactly time-trial specialist, it was expected to be a decisive stage before the final high mountain stage. Weatherhead proved to be a better time-trialist than Almas Cingur, reducing his gap in the general classification to twenty-four seconds. Sechnall MacCeallaigh (United Strathae), with an impressive performance, reduced his gap at thirty-one seconds. Geissler was able to keep the fourth place, was now at one minute and twenty-three seconds, leaving a pretty close general classification before the last mountain stage. The stage was won by Xavier de Molinari (NDM Cycling).

Stage 18 was a fast stage, although without changes in the general classification. The stage, decided in a mass sprint, was won by Florinthian Sav Jacobs (Dido-Great Life), who defeated Richard Deiss (Vançotte) and Filip Nauer (Druzhberg Cycling) in a close sprint.

A large breakaway was soon formed on stage 19, the final high mountain stage, which included riders such as Pierre Bonchamps (BataVelo) and Zachariah Nordfeldt (ZMG-Nissen). In the last climb, Weatherhead would finally be able to leave Cingur behind, after several long and constant attacks. Cingur would lose forty-eight seconds, as consequence losing the Tour in the last mountain stage by merely twenty-four seconds. Nordsfeldt won the stage -his second mountain stage in the Tour de Valland in three years- giving a small joy to ZMG-Nissen, as Geissler lost another thirty seconds to MacCeallaigh, and ending once again in the doors to the podium in the Tour de Valland. Nylander Lars Brunewald (NDM Cycling) kept the fifth place, ending at four minutes to Weatherhead, while 24-year old Tuathal Seòras (United Strathae) climbed to the sixth position and winning comfortably the Youth classification.

The final stage in Lauren was won by veteran Oslanburgan sprinter Sven-Ole Wieth (Scholden-Gulcron) who defeated Florinthian Sav Jacobs (Dido-Great Life), Keszarian Kárdas Nyíregyházi (NDM) and Kyrzbekistani Ilsat Alimur (KyrzAir) to win his 23th stage in the Tour de Valland. As usual, there was no change in the general classification, with Frederik de Jong (Anzcell-Cycling), despite not being able to fight for the stage, was able to win the Points classification for fourth time, becoming the third rider to win the Points classification for third time in a row.

Eden Grace Weatherhead (Tyrus-Empire), tired but visibly cheerful and jubilant, along Almas Cingur (KyrzAir) and Sechnall MacCeallaigh (United Strathae), could listen the Adwestene anthem for third time in Lauren, making history as he became the second rider to win the Tour de Valland three times in a row (after Hans Weltsch, who won the Tour de Valland in 1568, 1569, and 1570).

It was probably the most difficult victory for Weatherhead in Valland, as he did not win the Tour de Valland as clearly as the previous two seasons. "He knew it was not going to be easy", Weatherhead told the Vallish media in a rustic accent. Weatherhead became the sixth rider to win the Tour de Valland three times, and will try to engrave his name in the history of cycling joining Jacques Gaudin to win the Tour de Valland for fourth time in 1593.