In today’s road racing news, Lucy Kennedy runs up the wins at the Sun Tour, Julian Alaphilippe returns, Mads Pedersen re-ups with Trek and Groupama-FDJ recommits.
Back-to-Back Wins for Lucy Kennedy at the Sun Tour
Reigning champion Lucy Kennedy of the Mitchelton-SCOTT team has successfully defended her Lexus of Blackburn Herald Sun Tour title with an aggressive climb up Falls Creek this afternoon.
Despite being the heavily marked rider on a shortened final stage, Kennedy persisted with back-to-back attacks to eventually drop the yellow jersey and finish third on the stage.
The yellow jersey of Arlenis Sierra (Astana Women’s Team) was persistent, and with the 10-second bonus from yesterday’s stage win, Kennedy knew she had to find a way to drop the Cuban.
Eventually, with one final effort in the last 500m, the elastic snapped and Kennedy got the gap she needed from the sprinter.
“Arlenis was so strong today, she was just following my every move and I just had my DS in my ear telling me to keep on going and that she will eventually crack. She did, eventually, and then when I saw the two in front of me were split off yesterday, I thought I had (the title) there with a few hundred metres to go,”: said Kennedy. “There were about three or four in that final selection that didn’t lose any time yesterday and they were just watching me. I definitely felt like the marked rider today and I just had to trust in my strength and my climbing ability and know that I could hopefully crack them eventually.
“It’s really really satisfying (to go back-to-back). I wouldn’t say I was nervous, I was excited and really motivated and the team here were just amazing. Even though we didn’t have a full team, I really owe all of this to them.”
Alaphilippe and Jungels Headline Deceuninck – Quick-Step for Tour Colombia
After a bout of illness cut short his first outing of the season, the Vuelta a San Juan, Velo d’Or recipient Julian Alaphilippe is ready to return to action at Tour Colombia for Deceuninck – Quick-Step, taking place from February 11-16 and venturing into some of the country’s highest terrain. Joining him will be 2019 stage winners Alvaro Hodeg and Bob Jungels, together with Mikkel Honoré, neo-pro Jannik Steimle and Bert Van Lerberghe.
For the second year in a row, Tour Colombia will start with a team time trial, followed by two stages which should end up in a bunch sprint. A punchy finish on stage 4 will signal a change of terrain, which will become more and more demanding, taking the riders in the weekend on the rolling roads to Zipaquira, where the general classification will take shape, and Alto Verjon (18.1km, 5.1%), the tough summit finish that will crown the overall victor.
Mads Pedersen Extends With Trek-Segafredo (VN)
Mads Pedersen, the reigning road world champion, will stay with Trek-Segafredo through the 2022 season.
Pedersen said he believes he can continue to grow as a rider at Trek-Segafredo, which he joined in 2017, and the team confirmed a two-year contract extension for the Dane.
“I want to keep winning races,” Pedersen said. “I want to be more consistent and more on the top level in the classics, not just the big races but in all the races, instead of popping up occasionally. That’s my main goal right now and then, of course, to honor and show respect for the rainbow stripes.”
Groupama-FDJ Extends to 2024 (AFP)
Groupama and FDJ announced a four year extension of their joint commitment to support the cycling team of Marc Madiot.
“By renewing their support until 2024, these two large French companies show their full confidence in Marc Madiot to be a lasting player, along with his riders, among the best teams in the world and to win a great tour in the future “.
Madiot, his voice strangled by emotion to thank the two sponsors, insisted on this renewed loyalty which “has already enabled significant progress for our runners, even more for our leaders.”
The World Tour team, led by Thibaut Pinot, will focus on the Tour de France in 2020, while Arnaud Demare will aim for results at the Giro d’Italia and Vuelta a Espana.
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