1599 Tour de Valland

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1599 Tour de Valland

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Stage 1 | Flat stage - 188 km

Vallish sprinter Antoine Duchesnay (NDM) defeated Nylander Michael Ahlgren (Anzcell) and Derryl Benjaminson (Le Cycle Super) in the mass sprint to win the stage and become the first leader in the general classification in the 1599 Tour de Valland.

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Stage 2 | Flat stage - 183 km

In the second stage, a breakaway of more than twenty riders surprised the peloton. Severyan Ilya Levchuk (MTS-Biassoni) surprised his rivals in the last kilometre to win the stage and take the red jersey.

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Stage 3 | Flat stage - 224 km

The sprinters team worked hard to avoid any successful breakaway the following stage. Antoine Duchesnay (NDM) was again the fastest rider in the mass sprint, this time defeating Sequoian Martin de Gasparatte (Le Cycle Super) and Goldecian Adi Shulman (Ogo Cycling).

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Stage 4 | Flat stage - 238 km

The fourth stage, the longest stage this Tour de Valland, proved more difficult to control and a successful breakaway was formed.

Mordvanian Gaston Martel (Iskra) defeated Lomarran Dominic Genosoto (NDM) in the final metres to win the stage, in one of the best start of the Tour for Vallish riders with three individual stages in the first four days.

Dominic Genosoto, who was also involved in the breakaway of the second stage, was the new leader of the general classification, seven seconds ahead of Vallish Jérémy Firmin
(Télecon) and thirty seconds ahead of Ceribian Sergo Gvarjaladze (Bagdati).

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Stage 5 | Hilly stage - 216 km

Adwestene Douglas Painswick (Dido-GDC) won the 5th stage, a 216-km hilly stage in central Valland which finished in a 203-m hill. Kyrzbekistani Damir Zagipur (KyrzAir) and Jorgen Exner (Scholden-Gulcron) crossed the line four seconds after Painswick, which surprised both the peloton and the main favourites.

Douglas Painswick also took the red jersey, with ten seconds over Ceribian Tengiz Dzanashvili (Scholden-Gulcron) in the general classification.

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Stage 6 | Flat stage - 191 km

Mordvanian sprinter Miroslav Gradishar (Iskra Team) defeated Sequoian Martin de Gasparette (Le Cycle Super) and Nylander Michael Ahlgren (Anzcell) in a mass sprint the following day.

There were no important changes in the general classification and Painswick continued as leader of the general classification another day.

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Stage 7 | Hilly stage - 163 km

The seventh stage, althogh which a more chaotic final kilometres, was also decided in mass sprint. Mordvanian Miroslav Gradishar (Iskra) won his second stage, this time defeating Vallish Christophe Villiers (Anzcell) and Lomarran Ferdinando Farso-Carino (NDM).

A group of riders, including several favourites to the general classification and the red jersey Painswick lost contact with the peloton and would end losing more than thirty seconds. As a consequence, Tengiz Dzanashvili (Scholden-Gulcron) was the new leader in the general classification.

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Stage 8 | Mountain stage - 184 km

The high mountain arrived on stage 8th. Dyrheimer climber Roman Herzogenrath (Télecon) proved to the stronges rider, only Nerysian Munderic Aidas (Nenergo) and Svarnan Rahul Bhattacharya (Baagh) were able to following him, arriving six seconds after the Dyrheimer rider crossed the finish.

The rest of main favourites crossed the line between thiry seconds and two minutes after Herzogenrath, who took the red jersey.

Kyrzbekistani climber Damir Zagipur (KyrzAir) was second at one minute and twenty-seconds, and Ceribian Shalva Jughasvili was third at one minute and forty-eight seconds. Nerysian Mundereic Aidas climbed to the fourth position at one minute and forty-nine seconds.

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Stage 9 | Mountain stage - 185 km

In the next stage, Roman Herzogenrath (Télecon) confirmed to be the strongest rider in the high mountain. Only Goldecian Spencer Grant (Ogo Cycling) and Tuathal Seoras (Velomax) were able to follow him. In the final metres, Grant defeated Herzogenrath to win the stage.

Herzogenrath increased his lead in the general classification to two minutes and eighteen seconds to Seoras, who climbed to the second position, and two minutes and fifty-seven seconds to Jevgenijs Kalnins (Magram). Damir Zagipur (KyrzAir) fell to the fourth position at three minutes and seven seconds but kept the Youth classification jersey.

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Stage 10 | Hilly stage - 198 km

The tenth stage was a stage perfect for a breakaway, and the peloton did not seem interested to avoid it at first.

Oslanburgan Kjeld Povlsen (Luft Wurberg) defeated to the other last two survivors from the breakaway, Ceribian Zurab Dvali (Bagdati) and Vallish Alain Gasquet (NDM) to win the stage.

Behind, Télecon team surprised the main group with a tactical move that surprised many favourite riders. As a consequence, Roman Herzogenrath increased his lead in the general classification to three minutes and fourteen seconds.

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Stage 11 | Flat stage - 163 km

The peloton had a calmer day the next stage, which was predictably decided in a mass sprint. Vallish sprinter Antoine Duchesnay (NDM) defeated his countryman Christophe Villiers (Anzcell) to win his third stage this Tour de Valland and consolidate his lead in the Points classification.

There were no important changes in the general classification between the main favourites.

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Stage 12 | Mountain stage - 178 km

In the last mountain stage before the first individual time-trial, Jevgenijs Kalnins (Magram) and Damir Zagipur (KyrzAir) surprised with a far away attack.

The Videjszeme champion showed why he had won the Tour of West Brigidna, and left behind Zagipur and a group of riders from the earlier breakaway in the final climb to win the stage.

Forty seconds later, Spencer Grant (Ogo Cycling) crossed the finish, followed by Ceribian Irakli Kapanadze (BataVelo), and a few seconds later, Damir Zagipur, who suffered the effort in the last climb.

The main group, led by Télecon Team, arrived about two minutes after Kalnins. Herzogenrath continued as leader of the general classification, but his lead was decreased to one minute and forty-five seconds ahead of Kalnins, who proved that the Tour was still alive.

Zagipur was third at three minutes and seventeen seconds, consolidating his lead in the Youth classification as well.

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Stage 13 | ITT - 38 km

Jevgenijs Kalnins (Magram) probably paid the efforts of the mountain stage the day before, and lost nearby minutes to Roman Herzogenrath (Télecon), who felt more than expected in the longest individual time-trial stage of this Tour.

Herzogenrath also increased his lead in the general classification by thirty-four seconds to Damir Zagipur (KyrzAir).

The stage was won by Cóemgein McAlister (Ogo Cycling).

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Stage 14 | Flat stage - 209 km

The peloton had a calm day the following day, which was decided in a mass sprint, after NDM and Anzcell team worked hard to avoid any successful breakaway.

Michael Ahlgren (Anzcell) gave his first individual stage to the Nylander team, after defeating Ferdinando Farso-Carino (NDM) and Quentin Symonds (Dido-GDC) in a close sprint.

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Stage 15 | Mountain stage - 160 km

1598 Tour de Valland winner Pharnavaz Undiladze (Bagdati), who had failed to show at least the same performance he did the last season until that day, surprised with a far away attack which was joined by Goldecian Caleb Foster (Ogo Cycling) and Lomarran climber Tomasso Zavala (Yetech-Druzhberg).

Foster was the strongest rider in the final metres, easily defeating Zavala and Undiladze.

Three minutes and thirty-seven seconds behind Herzogenrath in the general classification, Jevgenijs Kalnins (Magram) seemed a distant threat for the final victory in Lauren. However, the Seljis climber was decided to demonstrate that he was able to repeat the same performance in the Vallish mountains than he did in the last Tour of West Brigidna again. His attack found cooperation by riders from Nenergo and BataVelo, notably Nerysians Muneric Aidas and Jarik Nytar. Télecon opted to protect their leader, probably considering that they had a change to reduce any loss in the final 11-km descend.

Herzogenrath saw reduced his lead in the general classification to two minutes and five seconds over Kalnins, hoping that such distance would be predictably be enough for the two last high mountain stages along the final ITT.

The winner of the stage, Goldecian Caleb Foster climbed to the third position in the podium at four minutes forty-eight seconds, while Undiladze was fourth at five minutes and four seconds. Kyrzbekistani climber Damir Zagipur (KyrzAir) was fourth at five minutes and thirty-three seconds, seeing relatively intact his chances to the podium while at the same time the Youth jersey seemed threatened with Lomarran Silvestro Riviera (Mordvelo) climbing at the seventh position at seven minutes and forty-nine seconds.

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Stage 16 | Flat stage - 209 km

Sprinters had their last chance before Lauren one day before the final rest day, and they decided not to miss it.

Nylander Michael Ahlgren (Anzcell) was the strongest sprinter in the final metres for a second day, defeating Sequoian Martin de Gasparette (Le Cycle Super) and Florinthian Quentin Symonds (Dido-GDC).

The peloton had an easy day, and there were no changes in the general classification for the top 10.

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Stage 17 | Mountain stage - 185 km

A long breakaway was formed, with already more than sixteen riders at the beginning of the last climb. Svarnan climber Rahul Bhattacharya (Baagh Cycling), Kyrzbekistani champion Almas Cingur (KyrzAir), Vallish Sylvestre Richelieu (Télecon), and Goldecian Jack Marshall (Ogo Cycling) proved the strongest riders of the breakaway.

A last attack by Cingur in the final kilometre, left behind Bhattacharya, who had wasted too much energy in the last climb. However, the young Richelieu would defeat on the final metres to the Kyrzbek climber and Marshall to win his first stage in the Tour de Valland.

Behind, Roman Herzogenrath suffered again the pace imposed by Magram and Bagdati teams in the last climb and the attacks by Ceribian Pharnavaz Undiladze and Kyrzbekistani Damir Zagipur (KyrzAir), and would end losing a minute and eight seconds to Kalnins, who as a consequence was behind only fifty-seven seconds in the general classification before the last ITT and the final high mountain stage.

Damir Zagipur climbed to the third position at three minutes and seventeen seconds, while 1598 winner Undiladze was fourth at three minutes and fifty-six seconds.

The winner of the stage, Richelieu, climbed to the fifth place at four minutes and seventeen seconds, only one minute behind Zagipur in the Youth classification, although previsibly he was expected to work for Herzogenrath in the final mountain stage.

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Stage 18 | ITT - 17 km

The final individual time-trial -which was twenty kilometres shorter than the first one, and included climbed a five-kilometre hill and its descend- did not bring important differences between leader Herzogenrath and Kalnins, as the Dyrheimer rider improved only two seconds to the Seljis climber in the finish.

Sylvestre Richelieu (Télecon) was the fastest of the riders of the general classification, as he climbed to the third position, two minutes and forty-four second behind Herzogenrath, increasing speculations that -if possible- Télecon Team may try to defend both the red jersey and Richelieu's virtual place in the podium. He also took the Youth classification jersey, after overcoming Zagipur in the general classification.

That seemed unlikely, however, as Ceribian Pharnavaz Undiladze (Bagdati) did a better ITT than expected, and improving Herzogenrath's time in more than a minute and he was fourth in the general classification at two minutes and forty-eight seconds, that is, only four seconds behind Richelieu.

Damir Zagipur (KyrzAir) was fifth, despite unexpectedly improving both Herzogenrath and Kalnins time in the stage, at three minutes in the general classification.

Mordvanian Maksymilian Zakrzewsky (Mordvelo) was sixth at three minutes and thirty-one seconds in the general classification.

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Stage 19 | Mountain stage - 146 km


In the final high mountain stage, Télecon Team tried to control the race from the start, avoiding any succesful breakaway.

Adwestene champion Eden Grace Weatherhead (Scholden-Gulcron) was the first to launch a consistent attack at the beginning of the last climb. Télecon team did not react, with Soyabarian Ulrick Vandenhof imposing a high pace.

Several kilometres later, the leader Roman Herzogenrath (Télecon) surprised many, not only resisting the first attacks by Undiladze and Kalnins, but launching his own attack immediately afterwards, going alone without opposition.

The Dyrheim climber would catch Weatherhead in the final kilometres, who could follow his pace. Herzogenrath would easily defeat Weatherhead to win his second individual stage this Tour de Valland, his sixth since 1593.

Kalnins had not his best day, and he would end losing almost two minutes to Herzogenrath. Still, he was able to save his second place in the general classification, at two minutes and forty-one seconds.

Kyrzbekistani climber Damir Zagipur (KyrzAir) was one the best in the main group, arriving to finish forty-six seconds after Herzogenrath, which gave him the third position in the general classification at three minutes and fifty-four seconds.

Undiladze arrived fifty second after Zagipur, losing his place in the podium, finishing fourth in the general classification at four minutes and thrity-two seconds.

Richelieu, who worked for Herzogenrath shortly before the 1599 winner decided to continue alone, would lose, completely exhausted, more than five minutes, losing all options to the podium and the Youth classification, ending ninth in the general classification in his second Tour de Valland.

Nerysian Munderic Aidas (Nenergo), who arrived in Kalnins' group, finished fifth in the general classification at six minutes and six seconds.

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Stage 20 | Flat stage - 113 km

Mordvanian sprinter Miroslav Gradishar (Iskra Team) won his third stage in Lauren, which also gave him the Points classification, as Ahlgren could only finished eight.

Florinthian sprinter Quentin Symonds (Dido-GDC) was second while Galeaen Melker Rausing (Yetech-Druzhberg) finished third in a close sprint.

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