Pro bike racing roundup: Hour Record, Omloop, Kuurne-Brussels

I want to experiment with writing pro race roundups if there’s interest. If you like this, comment below. Note there will be spoilers; I won’t delay spoilers by a week like in the video roundup.

The big weekend races I’m summarizing:

  • Evelyn Stevens’s world hour record
  • Womens Omloop Het Nieuwsblad
  • Mens Omloop Het Nieuwsblad
  • Kuurne – Brussels – Kuurne
  • Random news

Evelyn Stevens’s world hour record

Evie Stevens set the official hour record from the Olympic velodrome Colorado Springs. There’s a non-UCI record that is faster, but using the banned superman position. The track was concrete, which is unusual. Here’s a a great interview/analysis, and here’s a great gallery.

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Womens Omloop Het Nieuwsblad

World Champion Lizzie Armistead won the Omloop after going off the front. Good for Lizzie!

Mens Omloop Het Nieuwsblad

Saturday’s Omloop race was won by Belgian Greg Van Avermaet (BMC). He beat Peter Sagan and Luke Rowe in the final sprint; Sagan had led an acceleration partway through the race that caused everything to go weird in the middle of the race. Sagan was in the main peloton and just took off from the group. He quickly reached the lead group, which caused it to shatter (knowing the peloton would chase Sagan down). That turned into a breakaway group of eight (including Van Avermaet).

Kuurne – Brussels – Kuurne

Sunday’s race followed Saturday’s Omloop and had many of the same riders. Jasper Stuyven (Trek-Sagafredo) won the race. He went off the front after the last climb, staying in front with a 30-60 second lead for the last hour of the race.

A Lotto Soudal rider was also hit by a medical motorcycle(!), which didn’t even stay to attend to the crash. After so many neutral car and moto-caused crashes last year, it’s not a great sign to see it is still happening.

Random news

ASO will be promoting a Chilean wine in the Tour de France. It’s only on non-French stages, since they can’t legally advertise alcohol in France.

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Peter Koonce
Peter Koonce
7 years ago

I didn’t see this originally, is there a way to share this in another way other than on the side? I especially appreciate the links of course, at times these are hard to find.