The third stage of the Tour des Alpes-Maritimes et du Var has delivered its verdict. Italian Gianluca Brambilla (Trek-Segafredo) wins this event.
The third stage of this Tour des Alpes-Maritimes et du Var was certainly the most spectacular on paper. The organizers had devised a loop around Blausasc (134.7 km). Numerous climbs were scheduled, including the famous Col de la Madone. The favorites were set to compete for the victory.
A Fast Start to the Stage
The start of the race is particularly lively. Many riders try to break away, to no avail. Indeed, the team Israel Start-Up Nation controls the race for their leader, Canadian Michael Woods. It is not until the first climb of the day, the Col de Saint-Roch, that the situation becomes clearer.
Following the work of Frenchman Valentin Madouas (Groupama-FDJ), numerous riders manage to escape. About twenty are at the front. Among them are Rudy Molard (Groupama-FDJ), Tao Geoghegan Hart (INEOS-Grenadiers), David De La Cruz (UAE Team Emirates), and Gianluca Brambilla (Trek-Segafredo).
During the ascent of the Col de Saint-Roch, David De La Cruz decides to accelerate. The Spaniard isolates himself at the front of the race. He reaches the summit with a 15-second lead over his pursuers and a 1 minute 20-second lead over the peloton. The Spaniard continues his effort in the descent. He attacks the second climb of the day, the Col de Braus, alone at the front.
The Peloton Does Not Return
Unfortunately for him, David De La Cruz suffers a mechanical incident during the ascent. The Spaniard is eventually caught by the pursuers. At the summit of the Col de Braus, 11 riders are in the lead. Among them are notably three riders from the Groupama-FDJ team: Valentin Madouas, Rudy Molard, and Bruno Armirail.
The 11 leaders widen the gap over the peloton, still led by the Israel Start-Up Nation team. The breakaway thus has a 3-minute 20-second lead over the peloton 50 kilometers from the finish. The gap eventually stabilizes at 2 minutes 30 seconds at the foot of the Col de la Madone. The pace is strong at the front of the race. Bruno Armirail pushes hard for his teammates.
Many riders are dropped. The situation becomes clearer in the final kilometers of the climb. Valentin Madouas and Gianluca Brambilla are the last two representatives of the breakaway. At the summit, they have a 55-second lead over a peloton of a small ten elements, from which many riders have been dropped, like Geraint Thomas (INEOS-Grenadiers).
Brambilla Takes Off
Everything is decided in the last climb of the day, the Col du Pelletier, an unclassified climb. Gianluca Brambilla eventually drops Valentin Madouas. The Italian still has a 45-second lead over the peloton 10 kilometers from the finish. However, the peloton does not ride fast enough to reduce the gap to the leader.
Indeed, Michael Woods no longer has any teammates. No one takes on the pursuit responsibility. This benefits Gianluca Brambilla. Alone at the front, the Italian does not hesitate. He resists the return of his adversaries and thus secures a prestigious victory. The 33-year-old rider finally crosses the finish line in Blausasc with a lead of about ten seconds over his competitors.
Thanks to this magnificent solo performance, Gianluca Brambilla wins the Tour des Alpes-Maritimes et du Var. The Italian wins with authority and succeeds Colombian Nairo Quintana (Team Arkéa-Samsic) in the rankings. This event was a great success with suspense, good riders, spectacle, and strong performances from French riders!
Rankings and Reactions:
Third stage ranking:
1. Gianluca Brambilla (Trek-Segafredo) in 3h43’32”
2. Tao Geoghegan Hart (INEOS-Grenadiers) at 13″
3. Ben O’Connor (AG2R Citroën Team) at 13″
4. Rudy Molard (Groupama-FDJ) at 13″
5. Valentin Madouas (Groupama-FDJ) at 13″
6. Jakob Fuglsang (Astana-Premier Tech) at 18″
7. David Gaudu (Groupama-FDJ) at 18″
8. Bauke Mollema (Trek-Segafredo) at 18″
9. Nairo Quintana (Team Arkéa-Samsic) at 18″
10. Michael Woods (Israel Start-Up Nation) at 18″
General classification:
1. Gianluca Brambilla (Trek-Segafredo) in 12h51′
2. Michael Woods (Israel Start-Up Nation) at 5″
3. Bauke Mollema (Trek-Segafredo) at 6″
4. Rudy Molard (Groupama-FDJ) at 9″
5. David Gaudu (Groupama-FDJ) at 11″
6. Ben O’Connor (AG2R Citroën Team) at 11″
7. Valentin Madouas (Groupama-FDJ) at 13″
8. Jakob Fuglsang (Astana-Premier Tech) at 18″
9. Nairo Quintana (Team Arkéa-Samsic) at 18″
10. Tao Geoghegan Hart (INEOS-Grenadiers) at 26″
Reactions:
Gianluca Brambilla (Trek-Segafredo): “It had been a long time since I had won, since 2016. I want to thank the people on the team who supported me recently, especially when things didn’t go as planned. I want to thank John Burke (CEO of Trek-Segafredo) and Luca Guercilena (general manager) who, over the past year, have always believed in me. Even when it was tough, I always gave 100% and did my work 100%. I think it was a way to repay them. I know that my role in the team is to be a teammate; this victory doesn’t change that. Today, it was an opportunity for me and for the team, and we did a perfect job. It was a really hard day. I managed to be in the first breakaway. I played my card well, I was smart, and of course Groupama-FDJ, with three really strong riders, did most of the work. I had a problem with my radio, I was without radio, so I had no information in the final about the gaps. Then Gregory Rast (the sports director) came to me in the car and said: ‘You have to give it all; you have to drop everyone if you want to win.’ I was thinking about the stage and not the general. In the final, I was really suffering. I knew that they were pushing very hard behind to catch me. In the end, it worked for the victory.”
Rudy Molard (Groupama-FDJ): “It was a nice day, really intense. Our goal was to shake up the race. From the first climb, I attacked. I led the summit, which allowed me to be in the breakaway. Then, Valentin Madouas and Bruno Armirail joined. Bruno did a big job for us until the Col de la Madone. We really gave it our all, no regrets. It’s a shame that Valentin fell in the finale because, without that fall, I think the overall was achievable. It comes down to 10 seconds, and I think we lost 10 seconds in his fall, so without it, we could have won the event. I’m satisfied with my day and my performance level. I’m better than at the same time last year. The whole team is there to weigh in on the race. Even Thibaut Pinot, for a return, was happy. For us, the day is good, even if we are not rewarded in the end. It’s a bit of a shame, but we raced offensively. We don’t have too many regrets. Even if, in the standings, we’re 4-5-7, it can be frustrating, but we gave it our all and did our best.”
