1595 Tour de Valland

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1595 Tour de Valland

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Stage 1 - L'Evantois | ITT - 6 km

The 1595 Tour de Valland started this year in the Laurintian Kingdom, where it will continue for three days. The first stage was an individual time-trial stage, which took place in the urban streets of L'Evantois. The stage was relatively short -only six kilometres- and although the stage include a 400 m. hill, time-trial specialists were expected favourites to win the stage and took the red jersey as the first leader of the general classification.

24-year old Zechariah Ussishkin (Abbott Cycling) surprised the main favourites winning the stage, becoming the first Eretzoran rider to win a stage in the Tour de Valland. Andris Ozols (KyrzAir) and Svarna Hira Sabanis came afterwards, three seconds behind Ussishkin, which obviously became also the first Eretzoran to wear the general classification, points classification, and youth classification in the Tour de Valland history.

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Stage 2 - L'Evantois-Nassoville | Flat stage - 198 km

The second stage, also in Laurentian territory, was a flat stage favourable to sprinters - in case that there was not a successful breakaway. That was certainly the case, as teams as NDM Cycling, Iskra Team, Yetech-Druzhberg and Dido-GDC worked hard to neutralize any attempt, and the winner of the stage was decided in a mass sprint.

Adwestene sprinter Kiel Albert Fyfe (Dido-GDC) defeated the young Ostlander Johannes Rapp (Scholden-Gulcron) and Nylander Michael Ahlgren (Anzcelll) to win the stage.

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Stage 3 - Vastière-Merletour | Flat stage - 208 km

The next stage, the last one in Laurentian territory, followed a similar script, and it was decided in a mass sprint - although much more chaotic. The veteran Oslanburgan Sven-Ole Wieth, the 1594 World Champion, this season in the NDM team, defeated Vallish sprinter Christophe Villiers (Anzcell) in a close sprint to win his 45th stage in a Grand Tour. Strathaen Aonghus Tadg (United Strathae) and Florinthian Quentin Symonds (Dido-GDC) were third and  fourth respectively.

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Stage 4 - Gironde-Ayménoye | Hilly stage - 197 km


Ussishkin had not problems to keep the red jersey, but it was soon obvious that it was going to be harder on stage 4, as the peloton seemed unable to control the race, as riders had to ride through several small hills through the day.

A large breakaway was formed, with almost twenty riders of diverse characteristics. Although the peloton worked hard to reduce the gap - which reached up to four minutes only fifty km. to the finish- they seemed to give up in the last ten kilometres. This cheered the breakaway up, and after many attacks the group was reduced to nine riders in the last four kms.

Ferenz Racz (Anzcell) and Morten Holm (Luft Wurberg) attempted to leave behind their rivals, but they would be caught in the final kilometre. As Holm did not even try to follow them, the group was reduced to five riders. Despite the last attempt by Nylander Jacob Schuyler (BataVelo) in a last attack, the victory was to be decided in a small sprint.

Galeaen Melker Rausing (Yetech-Druzhberg) proved to be the fastest of all them, winning easily his first stage in the Tour de Valland. Mordvanian Marcus Gucevicius (Iskra) and Adwestene Gerry Howes-Heeley (KyrzAir) came second and third respectively. The peloton arrived about one minute after Rausing crossed the finish, so Jacob Schuyler became the new leader of the general classification, followed by Keszarian Ferench Racz. Gehennan Max Pappenheim (Dido-GDC, who finished fourth, was now leading the youth classification, as Ussishkin was not even able to finish in the main peloton, along about another thirty riders.

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Stage 5 - Patenaude-Saint Villeneuve | Flat stage - 215 km


Stage 5 was rather comfortable for the peloton and, predictably, it was decided in a mass sprint. The veteran Oslanburgan sprinter Sven-Ole Wieth was again the fastest, defeating Sequoian Martin de Gasparette (Le Cycle Super) and Mordvanian Miroslav Gradishar (Iskra Team).

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Stage 6 - Saint Villeneuve-Benoît-Bonhomme | Flat stage - 197 km


A similar script followed the next day, with Adwestene sprinter Varchar Mellent (Yetech-Druzhberg) defeating Nylander Chester Stenbeck (Anzcell Cycling) and his countryman Kiel Albert Fyfe (Dido-GDC) in a close sprint.

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Stage 7 - Lévêque-Annions | Flat stage - 208 km


The peloton took it easy for a third day. This time, the victory at the sprint was for Florinthian sprinter Quentin Simonds (Florinthus), who defeated the winner of the previous day and the local sprinter Antoine Duchesnay.

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Stage 8 - Saint Pierre-La Planche de Colline Vert | Hilly stage - 199 km


The peloton had more problems to control the next stage, which included several hills - although they were not certainly hard enough for create real differences in the general classification. Despite numerous attemps to form a succesful breakaway, the stage was decided again at the sprint - although in a considerably reduced peloton compared with the previous days.

The stage was for Ceribian Sergo Gvarjaladze (Bagdati Team) who defeated Kiel Albert Fyfe and Kyrzbekistani Ilsat Alimur (KyrzAir).

One day more, Nylander Jacob Schuyler (BataVelo) continued leading the general classification.

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Stage 9 - Lathaire-Belmontuy | Hilly stage - 158 km


The peloton already broke up in two during the first twenty kilometres of the stages, and the main teams proved unable to control. After leaving Mersault, a group of twenty-two riders was formed - more a portion of the peloton than a real breakaway. In the following descend, they were able to create a wide enough distance from the rest of the peloton - although in the final kilometres that distance would decrease from 2 minutes to thirty eight seconds.

An attack by Jose Cardoso (AHN-Bank of Florinthus) in the final two kilometres could only be followed by Goldecian Daniel Upton Steele (Vançotte) and Quentin Symonds (Dido-GDC). The Florinthian sprinter would defeat easily in the sprint to the Castlian climber to win his second stage this Tour de Valland. Steele finished third a few seconds behind both.

Adwestene Gerry Bowes-Heeley (KyrzAir), who finished sixth, became the new leader of the general classification, with forty seconds ahead of Nylander Jacob Schuyler, who had worn the red jersey for most of the first week.

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Stage 10 - Le Fabvre- Rochellotte | ITT - 42 km


The stage 10th, a 42-km individual time-trial stage, was won by Mordvanian Zdenko Hrovat (Nenergo Cycling). The best of the favourites was Adwestene Eden Grace Weatherhead, who finished sixth at 19 seconds behind Hrovat's time.

Gerry Bowes-Heeley could only keep the red jersey but increased his lead to one minutes and twenty-seven seconds ahead Keszarian Ferenc Racz (Anzcell), who was now second in the general classification.

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Stage 11 - Comtois-Ronvaux sur Granger | Mountain stage - 195 km


The first high mountain ony arrived at stage 11th, at the equator race. Vançotte and KyrzAir worked together to harden the stage, and before the last climb, the main group was already reduced to eleven riders, while three riders -Strathaen Sechnall MacCeallaigh, Dyrheimer Roman Herzogenrath, and Svarnan Dheeraj Devarukhkar- remained ahead from the breakaway.

But before anyone was able to react, Eden Grace Weatherhead (Scholden-Gulcron) attacked without opposition, aimed to prove to be the strongest climber in the high mountain again. Weatherhead would be able to reach MacCeallaigh and Herzogenrath in the last kms, and despite his fatigue, easily defeated both to win the stage and take the red jersey.

Ceribian Irakli Kapanadze (BataVelo) came forty seconds later, while the rest of favourites lost more than a minute -including 1594 Tour de Valland winner, Kyrzbekistani Almas Cingur (KyrzAir), who crossed the finish one minute and forty-five seconds after Weatherhead.

Mordvanians Walentyn Lauterpacht (Mordvelo) and Marcus Gucevicius (Iskra Team) followed Weatherhead in the general classification, one-minute and seven and one-minute and twenty-seven, respectively.

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Stage 12 - La Paget-Les Molins | Mountain stage - 148 km


A shorter but more demanding high mountain stage followed, and Weatherhead's exhibition attempt the previous day seemed to be proved fatal. Unable to follow the main group in the last climb, the Adwestene climber would end losing almost three minutes to his main rivals.

Goldecian Spencer Grant (Abbott Cycling) won the stage, defeating Roman Herzogenrath (Télecon Team) who was again in the breakaway. The main favourites arrived forty seconds later, and Mordvanian Marcus Gucevicius climbed to the top position in the general classification. The young Mandavine rider Max Rémy (Abbott Cycling) was now second at one minute and three seconds. Herzogenrath completed the virtual podium at two minutes and five seconds, while Weatherhead fell to the sixth place in the general classification.

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Stage 13 - Charlineroux-Saint Rémy | Flat stage - 226 km

The peloton had some calm the following two days. First, with one rest day, and the second day with the stage 13th, with ended without incidents in a mass sprint. Nylander sprinter Chester Stenbeck (Anzcell Cycling) defeated Varchar Mellent (Yetech-Druzhberg) and Sequoian Martin de Gasparette (Le Cycle Super) in a close sprint.

Although Mellent could not win the stage for merely a few centrimetres, he was able to take the point classification jersey for first time this Tour de Valland. There were not important changes in the general classification.

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Stage 14 - Ville de la Côme-Courtemanche | Mountain stage - 191 km

High mountain returned the next day. An early breakaway was formed, in which two Ceribians, Irakli Kapanadze (Batavelo) and Shalva Jughasvili (Magram), were the last survivors. Meanwhile, back in the main group, Eden Weatherhead left behind his main rivals, only the young Roman Herzogenrath (Télecon) being the only one able to follow him.

The stage was for Jughasvili, while Herzogenrath came thirty seconds later, who was able to leave Weatherhead behind in the last kilometre although by merely eight seconds. The main group, reduced to eight riders, including the leader, Almas Cingur, and other favourites, lost more than one minute.

As consequence, Gucevicius saw reduced his lead to 50 seconds over Herzogenrath, who also consolidated his lead in the mountain classification, and Mandavaninian Max Rémy, who completed the podium at 53 seconds. Meanwhile, Weatherhead reduced his distance with Gucevicius to one minute and fifty two seconds, with still two mountain stages to arrive.

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Stage 15 - Sauveterre-Brisbois | Flat stage - 159km

Before the expected and decisive two last days of high mountain, the peloton arrived to Brisbois. The stage was calm and did not bring further changes in the general classification. The stage, decided in a mass sprint, brought some joy to the local fans, as sprinter Antoine Duchesnay (NDM Cycling) was the first Vallish rider to win a stage in the Tour de Valland, in which local riders were having a rather anecdotical and disappointing results. It was the first Tour de Valland stage for Duchesnay, who defeated Adwestene champion Kiel Albert Fyfe (Dido-GDC) and Mordvanian Rein Warma (Iskra Team).

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Stage 16 - Brisbois-La Fontaine | Mountain stage - 197 km

The longest mountain stage this 1595 Tour de Valland was expected to bring action and changes in the general classification, although the next stage was generally considered more demanding and decisive. Certainly, the stage did not disappoint the fans, although it became chaotic for both the riders and the viewers.

An early breakaway of about twenty riders was formed, which included Shalva Jughasvili -once again in a successful breakaway-, and other riders such as Goldecian Inderjeet Sessions (KyrzAir), Mordvanian Zeljko Bratansek (Mordvelo), Batavian Jaap Frisch (BataVelo), Nerysian Godomar Guur (MTS-Biassoni) as well as his veteran but inconsistent Nentsian teammate, Ryhor Martsinkyevich, between others. Behind, KyrzAir and Télecon impose a high pace in the main groups, that many riders struggle to follow.

The breakaway was reduce to five riders in the final climb -the mentioned Frisch, Jughasvili, Bratansek, and Sessions, as well as Svarnan climber Rahul Bhattacharya-, which was reduced to four in the final kilometres, as Sessions was not able to follow the pace of his companions of breakaway. Bratansek proved to be faster than his rivals in the final metres, to win his second stage in the Tour de Valland, following other high mountain stage the Mordvanian climber won in 1594. Bhattacharya was second, the best individual result for Baagh Cycling Team in their first Tour de Valland, while Frisch was third and Jughasvili was fourth.

In the main group, only the Mandavinian Max Rémy was surprisingly able to follow a last attack by Kyrzbekistani climber Almas Cingur (KyrzAir). It was not a good day for Gucevicius, as the Mordvanian rider lost three minutes to Cingur and Rémy, while other favourites had an even worse day, such as Roman Herzogenrath (Télecon Team), who lost almost five minutes.

The chaotic stage gave the red jersey to the young Mandivinian all-round, who nobody expected to do so well that far in the Tour. He had one minute and one second ahead of Shalva Jughasvili, that after making in the breakaway in the last three mountain stages was able to directly jump into the podium. Gucevicius fell to the third place, but almost two minutes behind Rémy, while Cingur was now fourth at two minutes and twenty-eight seconds. Meanwhile Weatherhead was fifth at three minutes and forty-three seconds, while Herzogenrath fell to the sixth place while keeping the mountain classification jersey.

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Stage 17 - La Fontaine-Bagnéres-de-Cigalle | Mountain stage - 144 km

The last high mountain stage, while the shortest mountain stage this Tour de Valland, was expected to create big differences, and it certainly did.

The final breakaway included some experienced riders -such as Eskkyan Amaury Servan, Vallish Romain Guimard or Adwestene Hubert Salika- as well as others that had been active in the previous days -including the winner of the previous stage, Mordvanian climber Zeljko Bratansek. Meanwhile, in the main group, it was clear that for some riders -such as the young Roman Herzogenrath and Mordvanian Marcus Gucevicius- the Tour was being too long, and the dropped sooner than expected for the main group.

In the final climb, the breakaway was reduced to five riders -with Castlian Francisco Antunez (Nenergo) and Goldecian Caleb Foster (Ogo Cycling), along the already mentioned Bratansek, Amaury Servan, and Romain Guimard. In the main group, following attacks by Weatherhead and Cingur, the young leader Max Rémy dropped from the main group, while Ceribian Shalva Jughasvili and Nerysian Godomar Guur tried to follow them at a close distance.

Caleb Foster gave Goldecia the only stage win this Tour de Valland after his final attack could not be followed by his rivals. Ten seconds behind, Servan and Antunez crossed the line. Behind, Guur was able to connect with Cingur and Weatherhead, leaving behind Jughasvili, who would end losing more than two minutes to the three riders.

In the final kilometre, Guur and Cingur left Weatherhead behind, although by merely five seconds. Max Rémy would lose more than three minutes, allowing to Almas Cingur (KyrzAir) to lead the classification with only the final time-trial stage to come. Ceribian Shalva Jughasvili (Magram) was second at only twenty-six seconds, while Rémy was third at forty-nine seconds. Weatherhead was forth at one minute and twenty-seconds, while Nerysian Godomar Guur (MTS-Biassoni) climbed to the fifth place after a great final week, but without real changes to fight to the podium, as he wasn't exactly a specialist against the clock, at two minutes and seven seconds.

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Stage 18 - Béringer-Monetteville | Flat stage - 223 km

After the second rest day, the peloton take it easy on the stage 18th, which was decided again in a mass sprint, despite the efforts of an important group of riders and teams, which looked for -without success- for their last change for a stage win.

Nylander sprinter Chester Stenbeck (Anzcell) was the faster rider in the final metres, winning the second stage this Tour de Valland, after defeating Johannes Rapp (Scholden-Gulcron) and Melker Rausing. Adwestene sprinter Kiel Albert Fyfe took the Points classification from his compatriot, with only the final stage to decide the green jersey.

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Stage 19 - Bonnêchene-Amarante | ITT - 54 km

Stage 19, a 54-km individual time trial, decided the winner and the podium of the 1595 Tour de Valland, with four riders -Cingur, Jughasvili, Max Rémy, and Weatherhead- with real options for the victory.

The stage was won by Ceribian Zurab Dvali (Bagdati), with Mordvanian Anton Lencek (Iskra Team) ending only seven seconds behind. The fastest of the favourite was Eden Weatherhead with difference, in an impressive time, barely only sixteen seconds behind the stage winner.

While Almus Cingur did a good time despite not being a specialist, in probably the best individual time-trial in his career, it was not enough, and after losing one minute and thirty-three seconds to Weatherhead, he lost the red jersey by merely thirteen seconds.

Shalva Jughasvili did an individual time-trial certainly worse than expected, but enough to save the podium comfortably enough. Max Rémy were not able to improve Jughasvili's time, and fell from the podium. However, the Mandavinian rider confirmed his victory in the Youth classification, with his main rival, Dyrheimer Roman Herzegonrath falling even from the top ten.

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Stage 20 - Cousineau-Lauren | Flat stage - 120 km

The traditional final stage served for the coronation of Adwestene Eden Grace Weatherhead (Scholden-Gulcron) as the "King of the Tour de Valland", as he won his fifth Tour de Valland, a feat that nobody had achieved before.

Only the stage win and the Points classification were left to be decided, with Fyfe having merely a lead of 15 points to his countryman and former teammate Varchar Mellent. The expected mass sprint was chaotic but exciting, with Mellent imposing his strength to win his second individual stage -the fourth in his career. Fyfe was second, although without threatening Mellent's victory in the final metres, but he could not avoid to lost the green jersey. Sequoian sprinter Martin de Gasparette (Le Cycle Super) finished third while Ceribian Sergo Gvarjaladze (Bagdati) ended fourth in the stage. Fyfe sportingly congratulated Mellent seconds after crossing the finish, in a certainly historical Tour de Valland for the Kvaennan nation.

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Final standings

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