A breakaway developed at km 2 (there was a bit of fighting this time), with Alrahbi (🇴🇲 Oman selection), Goszczurny (🇵🇱 Visma), Gelders (🇧🇪 Soudal-QS), Marsman (🇳🇱 Alpecin) and the lone escapee from the Muscat Classic 2 days earlier: Veistroffer (🇫🇷 Lotto-Intermarché).

190 km to go: good luck!

Before the first climb (Fanja), the gap was 4 minutes. On top, the order was 1. Goszczurny 2. Veistroffer 3. Marsman, just 3 yards ahead of the other two. In the descent after the top, Gelders stopped on the side of the road. And the Oman fellow was dropped. Gelders didn't finish the stage (why? the heat perhaps).

In the peloton, Jayco followed by UAE were leading during the climb.

So, only 3 men left in the breakaway and 100 km to go (with only 3 minutes left)...

A few miles later, Goszczurny obediently follows the instruction on the official race sign, telling to make 3/4 turn of the roundabout by the right in order to go left. The others two disobey the sign, and cut by going directly left. The Polish rider is thus dropped, but they immediately wait for him.

75 km to go, only 1mn45 left. 60 km, 1mn30.

The Intermediate Sprint 50 km from the goal is gifted to Goszczurny by the other two. Strangely, soon after, the gap is announced as 3mn45 again!

Then comes the main climb (almost 4 km at 9% on a freaking highway). The 3 men manage to stay together, Goszczurny gets those points too. Behind, Jayco, Cofidis and Astana lead the peloton in the beggining of the climb, a few riders are dropped, then it is back to Jayco and UAE leading.

After the downhill, with 33 km to go, the gap is 2 mn. About the same 25 km from the line. Several teams like Total, Jayco and Tudor accelerate the chase, the peloton is basically in single file. 20 km to go, still a bit more than 1mn30 to catch.

1mn15 at 15 km. The last climb is as steep as the previous one, but much shorter, and on a normal road. However, it is followed by an uphill false flat.

In the peloton, Double (Jayco) attempts an attack. He doesn't manage to create any gap. The front of the peloton is disorganised.

1 minute at the top (14 km to go). After leaving the Mountain points to Goszczurny gain, Veistroffer uses the false flats to attack.

The final mile is another climb, 5-6% only this time.

One Uno-X leads the chase. Replaced by UAE (Yates)when he drops.

Veistroffer reaches the last 2 km with a gap of around 40 seconds. Goszczurny and Marsman are caught by the peloton.

Baptiste Veistroffer (🇫🇷 Lotto-Intermarché)manages to stay about 15 seconds ahead of the sprinters!!! Mulubhran (🇪🇷 Astana) winning the peloton's sprint.

190 km of breakaway today, after 150 km solo two days ago...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SYgpe4NQFgw

[–] Deschanel2017@lemmings.world 2 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (1 children)

Stage 3

I just saw the very beginning.

Veistroffer did it again! I saw the Uno-X leading the peloton immediately reaching for his radio, and imagined what he said: "Hey Boss! The leader of the race attacked at km 0. There was no such plan in our morning briefing. What do I do?" 😆

His little group was chased and caught after perhaps 4 or 5 km. Then 1 km farther he tried again, without success. Another 2 km, one more try. And one more at km 10, with a Total; and when they're caught, he tries again, and this time a large group breaks away.

edit:

So, Veistroffer didn't feel it was a true breakaway, there were too many people in it polluting his clean air. After 10 km in this large group, he attacked again, 4 guys and then 2 more followed him, and the real breakaway was formed.

These breakaways are not a stroll in the park like they often are for most of the distance: here, the guys are pushing pushing pushing for hours. Pacher (🇫🇷 FDJ) was dropped 40 km from the line; he wasn't attacked, it was on the flat, he just couldn't relay nor even keep a wheel to stay in the line any more.

The breakaway was caught in the beginning of the final climb. They could have been lucky and benefitted from the mass crash in the peloton a few miles earlier, but that crash happened in a roundabout, and a small half of the bunch had chosen to ride on the right of the roundabout and was unaffected as the crash happened on the left side of the roundabout.

Anyway, that was an extra 180 km spent in a breakaway for Veistroffer. The battle with Vercouillie is intense 😀

[–] Deschanel2017@lemmings.world 1 points 1 week ago

Stage 4 (10/2/2026)

Damien Touzé (🇫🇷 Cofidis) crashed on that day. I didn't see it. However, he suffered internal injuries, and as a result he won't ride again this year, and this may also be the end of his pro carrier. 😨