1601 Tour de Valland

[Hadash]

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Stage 17 | Flat stage - 171 kms

Before the last two decisive stages -the last high mountain stage and the final individual time-trial stage- the peloton had a calm day. As expected -not without attempts to form a successful breakaway, with many riders from the teams which hadn't won a stage in this Tour so far- the stage was decided in a mass sprint.

Lomarran Cesar Spinoza (Vançotte) won the stage, after defeating his countryman Simone Di Muzio (Nenergo) and Nylander Michael Ahlgren (Anzcell) in a close sprint.

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Stage 18 | Mountain stage - 201 kms

A large breakaway was formed in the early kilometres, which included top riders such as Nerysian Jarik Nytar, Gehennan Max Pappenheim, Mordvanian Zeljko Bratansek, or Mandavines champion Max Rémy, even if they were not a direct threat to the general classification. As kilometres advanced, other riders joined, as Nerysian Godomar Guur, who was able to join the group after an attack from afar with the help of his teammates Yamaguchi Shoyo and Vasili Khlebnikov.

The leader, Ceribian Pharnavaz Undiladze, found himself isolated already before the last climb. After attacks by Vandenhof and Kalnins, Undiladze couldn't follow and started to lose time - even being left behind by riders such as the young Vallish climber Claude Bécaud (Vançotte), one of the surprises of the Tour.

Max Rémy (Ogo-Abbott) won the stage, easily defeating Nerysian Jarik Nytar (BataVelo) in the final metres. Soyabarian Ulrick Vandenhof arrived third, the first of the favourites from the main  group, while Kalnins (Magram) arrived fifteen seconds later. Undiladze would end losing almost three minutes, losing the red jersey by merely ten seconds.

Before the final individual time-trial, Kalnins was therefore leader of the general classification with ten seconds ahead of Undiladze, leaving the final victory on the air. Vandenhof recovered the third place in the podium, at one minute and thirty-six secons, while Godomar Guur (MTS-Biassoni), who -after finishing sixth in the stage and confirmed his virtual lead in the mountain classification- climbed to the fourth place at two minutes and eleven seconds. Another of the surprises of the Tour, Saratovian Arnošt Klement (Soyuz-Kuprin), arrived along Undiladze and fell to the sixth place in the general classification, losing all options to the podium.

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Stage 19 | ITT - 31 kms

The final individual time trial was not too long and most analysts considered it "not too technical", but considering the short distance between the first and second riders in the general classification -only ten seconds- as well as the only two minutes between the third and the sixth, it was expected to be one of the most exciting time trials in recent Tour de Valland history.

Neither Undiladze or Kalnins were exactly specialist against the clock, although in recent seasons Undiladze proved to be more competent in time-trials. In the first 10 kilometres, Undiladze improved Kalnins' time in four seconds, but from the half of the stage, Undiladze started to face problems to keep the pace. He would end losing fifty-one seconds to Kalnins, who probably did one of the best time-trial in his career, while Undiladze probably paid the efforts of the previous day.

The stage was won by Henri Marat (Vançotte), the third Vallish rider to win a stage (not counting Télecon Team win in a TTT in stage 4th) this Tour de Valland.

Another of the surprises was Godomar Guur (MTS-Biassoni) who improved Ulrick Vandenhof in almost a minute, leaving the Soyabarian champion without a place in the podium. At the same time, Péťa Vacek climbed to the sixth place, which would allow him to win the Youth classification, overcaming his own teammate by merely five seconds, and becoming the best result for a Saratovian rider in the Tour de Valland ever.

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Stage 20 | Flat stage - 116 kms

The peloton entered in Lauren led by Magram Team -in their first Tour de Valland win for the Ceribian team- and Jevgenijs Kalnins, who became the sixth rider to win the Tour de Valland in the last six years, something that hadn't happened since Adwestene Eden Weatherhead won his first Tour.

Nylander Michael Ahlgren (Anzcell) won the stage, after defeating Sequoian Martin de Gasparette (Yetech-Druzhberg) and Simone di Muzio (Nenergo) in the final sprint.

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General classification

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