1601 Tour de Valland

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1601 Tour de Valland

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Stage 1 | Flat stage - 201 km

The 1601 Tour de Valland started with a 201-km flat stage. Despite attempts to form a breakaway, the winner was decided in a mass sprint.

Antoine Duchesnay (NDM) defeated Mordvanian Miroslav Gradishar (Iskra Team) and Ostlander Johannes Rapp (Scholden-Gulcron) to win the stage and be the first leader of the general classification.

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Stage 2 | Flat stage - 183 km

The sprinters had another chance the next stage. Florinthian Quentin Symonds (Dido-GDC) defeated Galeaen Melker Rausing (Yetech-Druzhberg) and Lomarran Cesar Spinoza (Vançotte) to win the stage.

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Stage 3 | TTT - 36 km

First real differences in the general classification arrived at the third stage, with a 36-km team time-trial.

Télecon Team won the stage, improving the time of teams KyrzAir and Magram Team in twenty-eight seconds. As a consequence, Philippe Jaeggy became the new leader of the general classification, taking the Youth classification as well. One of the most adversely affected were 1601 Tour of West Brigidnan champion Godomar Guur, as his team MTS-Biassoni lost more than one minute to Télecon Team, which included favourites Sylvestre Richelieu and Roman Herzogenrath.

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Stage 4 | Flat stage - 195 km

Calm returned at stage 4th, with a 195 km stage which was decided in another mass sprint.

Ostlander Johannes Rapp (Scholden-Gulcron) defeated Lomarran Ferdinando Farso-Carino (NDM) and Sequoian Martin de Gasparette (Yetech-Druzhberg) to win the stage and green jersey as leader of the Points classification. There were no important changes in the general classification.

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Stage 5 | Hilly stage - 205 km

Florinthian Quentin Symonds (Dido-GDC) won his second stage this Tour after defeating Vallish sprinters Antoine Duchesnay (NDM) and Richard Deiss (Vançotte).

The Young Vallish rider Philippe Jaeggy continued as leader of the general classification another day.

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Stage 6 | Hilly stage - 181 km

The sixth stage, which finished in the northwestern town of Mântres, brought some changes in the general classification, as the peloton ended divided in several groups. In a main group with a very reduced number of sprinters, Ostlander Johannes Rapp (Scholden-Gulcron) won easily his second individual stage this Tour. Karjelinnian Frans Järvinen (Mordvelo) was second, followed by Pierre Dubreuilh (Vançotte), but several metres behind Rapp.

Johannes Rapp became the next leader of the general classification, as well as consolidating his lead in the Points classification. Ceribian Malkhaz Lomidze (Bagdati) was second now, thirty-one seconds behind the Ostlander sprinter.

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Stage 7 | Flat stage - 231 km

The peloton had a calmer day the next day, which was decided in a mass sprint. Sequoian Dieudonné Saint-Blanc (NDM) defeated Vienlander Johann Dor (Dido-GDC) and Kyrzbekistani Ilsat Alimur (Vançotte) to win the stage.

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Stage 8 | Flat stage - 181 km

Teams such as NDM, Iskra Team, and Yetech-Druzhberg worked hard to avoid any successful breakaway, so the stage was decided in another mass sprint.

Derryl Benjaminson gave the third stage to Dido-GDC, after easily defeating Ferdinando Farso-Carino (NDM) and Martin de Gasparette (Yetech-Druzhberg), in a chaotic finish as several sprinters were affected in a minor crash in the last kilometre.

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Stage 9 | Hilly stage - 157 kms

Christophe Villiers (Anzcell Cycling) gave the second Vallish stage win of the Tour after defeating Sequoian Dieudonné Saint-Blanc (NDM) and Nylander Derryl Benjaminson (Dido-GDC) in the mass sprint.

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Stage 10 | Mountain stage - 159 kms

After the first rest day, high mountain arrived to the Tour de Valland.

Saratovian Arnošt Klement (Soyuz-Kuprin) won the stage. Kyrzbekistani climber Damir Zagipur was the new leader of the general classification, with fifty-three seconds ahead of Saratovian Péťa Vacek (Soyuz-Kuprin) and fifty-eight seconds ahead of Vojta Chvátal.

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Stage 11 | Mountain stage - 109 kms

The 11th stage, a short but tough mountain stage, was won by Svarnan Amrit Mallaya (Baagh Cycling) who surprised his rivals in the breakaway with an attack in the last two kilometres.

Lomarran climber Tomasso Zavala (Velomax), who finished fourth in the stage, climbed to the second position in the general classification, only sixteen seconds behind Damir Zagipur, who continued leading the general classification another day. Ceribian Irakli Maisuradze (Magram) was third at eighteen seconds, while his countrymen and 1598 Tour de Valland winner Pharnavaz Undiladze (Bagdati) was fourth at fifty-seven seconds.

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Stage 12 | Mountain stage - 176 kms

Nerysian Godomar Guur (MTS-Biassoni), the recent Tour of West Brigidna winner, won the 12th stage, after defeating his rivals in the breakaway, Lomarran Silvestro Riviera (NDM) and 38-year old and 5-time Tour de Valland winner Adwestene Eden Grace Weatherhead (Scholden-Gulcron) in the final metres.

Lomarran Tomasso Zavala (Velomax) one of the most active and aggressive riders in the main group, along Ceribian Pharnavaz Undiladze and Saratovian Arnošt Klement, became the new leader of the general classification - as Kyrzbekistani would end losing four minutes, even dropping from the top 10 in the general classification.

Undiladze (Bagdati) was second at forty-five seconds, while Soyabarian Ulrick Vandenhof (Scholden-Gulcron), last season Tour de Valland winner, was third at one-minute and fourteen seconds. Saratovian Arnoŝt Klement (Soyuz-Kuprin) was fourth at one minute and twenty-three seconds, while his teammate remained fifth at one minuted and fifty-eight seconds.

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Stage 13 | Flat stage - 170 kms

The peloton had a calmer day the following stage, which was decided in a mass sprint. Sequoian sprinter Dieudonné Saint-Blanc (NDM) won his second stage this Tour, after defeating Vallish Richard Deiss (Vançotte) and Soybarian Bering Vandenstroom (Luxomatic).

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Stage 14 | Hilly stage - 188 kms

Mordvanian Rein Warma (Iskra Team) defeated Oslanburgan Johannes Rapp (Scholden-Gulcron) and Nylander Michael Ahlgren (Anzcell) in a close sprint in a reduced peloton.

Although his team struggled to avoid to reduce any loses, Lomarran Tomasso Zavala was able to finish in the main group and continued another day as leader of the general classification.

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Stage 15 | Hilly stage - 182 kms

The 15th stage was expected to be a transition stage. However, Velomax team, which already struggled to avoid any losses for their leader the day before, saw themselves surprises, after Bagdati and BataVelo were successful to move early the race.

A reduced group of twenty-nine riders came first, which the rest of the peloton followed divided in several groups. Mordvanian Zdenek Hrovat (Anzcell) and Oslanburgan Kjeld Povlsen (Luft Wurberg) tried to surprise with a combined attack in the last two kilometres. However, they were not able to leave behind Valentin Zeman (Soyuz-Kuprin), Johannes Rapp (Scholden-Gulcron), Nylander Jacob Schuyler (BataVelo), and Ceribian Malkhaz Lomidze (Bagdati). Rapp easily won them in the sprint, winning his third stage this Tour, and consolidating his lead in the Points classification.

Tomasso Zavala could not avoid to lose the red jersey to Ceribian Pharnavaz Undiladze (Bagdati), who led now the general classification by merely fifteen seconds. Soyabarian Ulrick Vandenhof (Scholden-Gulcron) was third at one minute and twenty-nine seconds, while Saratovian Arnošt Klement fell to the fourth place, only nine seconds behind Vandenhof.

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Stage 16 | Mountain stage - 218 kms

After the second and last rest day, high mountain returned on the 16th stage, the second largest in this Tour de Valland.

The stage was won by Silvestro Riviera (NDM), who defeated Godomar Guur (MTS-Biassoni), in the final metres.

Undiladze consolidated his lead in the general classification, finishing third. Max Pappenheim (AHN Team), Jevgenijs Kalnins (Magram), Damir Zagipur (KyrzAir), and Roman Herzogenrath (Télecon) arrived a few seconds later. Lomarran Tomasso Zavala (Velomax) had not his best day, and losing more than four minutes, seemed to lose all his options for the general classification.

Still another mountain stage and the final individual time-trial, but Undiladze seemed to have a safer advantage in the general classification, as he had two minutes and thirty-eight seconds ahead of Jevgenijs Kalnins, as the Videjszeme champion climbed to the second place. Saratovian Arnošt Klement (Soyuz-Kuprin) recovered his place in the podium, and he was third at three minutes and twenty-seconds.

Ulrick Vandenhof also suffered more than expected, and after losing about three minutes, he was fourth at four minutes and thirty-one seconds. Kyrzbekistani Damir Zagipur (KyrzAir) climbed to the seventh place, taking the Youth classification jersey as well.

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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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