Kevin Vauquelin, 21, made a name for himself in the professional peloton by winning the 55th Tour des Alpes-Maritimes et du Var on Sunday February 19. The Norman, a member of the Arkéa-Samsic team, finished third in the last stage (5”), won in Vence (Alpes-Maritimes), by another Frenchman, Aurélien Paret-Peintre (second overall, 7 ”). “Doing that, after a day under pressure, I don’t really realize. I managed to make the necessary efforts at the right time, ”reacted the native of Bayeux, now a resident of Cagnes-sur-Mer (Alpes-Maritimes).
Leaving Sunday February 19 from Villefranche-sur-Mer (Alpes-Maritimes), with 7 seconds of margin on his first pursuer, the rider knew how to keep the yellow jersey which he had put on on Friday, at the end of the first stage. . He won his first general classification two days after opening his counter of victories among the pros. A tour de force for the young cyclist, who turned professional last season. During this Tour of the Alpes-Maritimes and the Var, Vauquelin was opposed to some sure values ??of the peloton, in particular the French Romain Bardet, David Gaudu and Thibaut Pinot, the American Neilson Powless (3rd in the final classification) and the Luxembourger Kevin Geniets (4th).
Pogacar flies over the debates in Andalusia
The Tour des Alpes-Maritimes et du Var, without being one of the most prestigious events of the season, offers young riders a great springboard: “I wanted to at least win a stage. In the end, it went much better than expected. It was a preparation race for Paris-Nice. I can go there with ambition! “, abounded Kevin Vauquelin, at the microphone of Eurosport. Along the way, the Frenchman erased from the shelves the previous record for the earliness of the race, held until then by the Belgian Philippe Gilbert, winner in 2005.
Tadej Pogacar was not in the south of France but in Andalusia. After having made a successful comeback by winning the semi-classic in Jaen, he won the Tour of Andalusia on Sunday February 19. The Slovenian reached the fifty success mark on Saturday at just 24 years old. The double winner of the Tour de France flew over the debates by winning three of the five stages of the event. His team UAE Emirates reigned over the race by winning a fourth victory, thanks to Tim Wellens.