Apotheosis, Sunday, on the majestic Tour du Cap, where 145 cyclists rode alongside the rainbow jersey, in a very friendly atmosphere. Refreshments as important as the lap times …
“Eh, you come to ride on Sunday with the world champion ?”
In the midst of a happy group of friends accustomed to bothering their hubs on a regular course, the sentence could seem trivial, even usual, so much the macagna is recurrent in the group.
But on Sunday, to change their very classic 70 km round trip, coffee included, between Bastia and Machining, Corsicom, an event subsidiary of Sporting, offered the 100 km around the Cape, after the event which took place the day before at Place Saint-Nicolas.
A breathtaking cyclo, with three times on the program, a multitude of refreshments on the course and a brunch on arrival at the VIP stand, all in the company of the recent World champion on the road, Julian Alaphilippe, and his companion Marion Rousse.
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If the life of a plumitif can sometimes be thankless, this time the organization hands us a helmet and invites us to ride the BM 1200 of the Bastia rider Fanfan Monti, who has swallowed a mile – he was even a double French motorcycle champion. -, history of experiencing the cyclo from the inside.
Furiani, the temple of football, therefore welcomed the departure of fans of the little queen … And many of them used, sometimes even abuse, the World champion, surely also champion of availability. “Stay on the large plateau and take advantage of the supplies”, Alaphilippe is already joking.
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“You will see, today, it will go straight from the first few meters”, Fanfan Monti announces. Well seen ! From the first hectometers, a “black hare” sets off like a dancer, chased by the white hare, the island icon Guillaume Peretti. Annoyed by forgetting the invitation card, Alaphilippe turns on the “flashing light”, loads Rossetto on the luggage rack and fires a mine. Like the one a month ago in Leuven, Belgium, when he regained his jersey. “It’s funny to be caught on a motorcycle by a bike on Suerta at 40 km / h uphill …”, loose Fanfan, he who usually rolls at 140 in the race.
Rossetto won Ricci, Vaireaux and the young Monti not far away
The Ajaccian Golden Wheel motorcycle openers keep overtaking, stopping traffic, so that cyclists can ride safely. Stomach already on the small plateau, the runners take advantage of the Ravito de Patrimonio. Coffee, banana and dried fruits on the menu. In all relaxation, Julian lends himself to selfies … “This one, I send it to my wife. She doesn’t believe me when I tell her that I ride with the World champion ”, jokes a runner from Corten.
The majestic west coast of Cap Corse, with the Mediterranean on the left, the Agriate desert as a backdrop, gives an additional dimension to the event. We have already been sailing for two hours and have taken the lead just in front of the breakaways, where Alaphilippe lets roll in order to enjoy the scenery. “You live where others come on vacation”, he lets go of Guillaume Peretti, after the arrival of Erbalunga.
Approaching the Saint Lucia pass, hands are waving in front of the BM, flags are waving, arms are stretched out … Alaphilippe is expected. “I have donuts and charcut”, laughs the champion at the product stand nustrali.
Axel Narbone, the islander licensed at VC Aix, farts a time in this time, just to recall that he was “2e cat ”, but to collapse in the next, hinting that the night was short in the company of his pro buddies. Julien Ricci, always consistent, accumulates points, while Joan Monti displays his fine dispositions.
The descent from the pass to Luri is swallowed up at unrecognizable speeds on a bicycle and the return to the coast still allows the puncher of the Quick-Step to turn on the reactors on the Pietracorbara side, to reduce them a little before the finish. from Erbalunga. “Where have you guys been?” Did you take the coffee break? “, s’amuse Julian Alaphilippe. He, who knew very little about Corsica, took very little time to be adopted, and especially to use another sport: the macagna.
A last stop in Lavasina for a new ravito and the first go to the Place Saint-Nicolas where … a brunch awaits them. “The sea, the mountains, things turn around all the time, there isn’t a meter flat … It’s really nice, a great outing”, appreciates Alaphilippe. As for the sporting record of the VIP-XXL weekend: in this period of end of competition for the pros, island cyclists were able to ride alongside a World champion, a winner of a stage of the Vuelta ( Clément Champoussin), an Olympic medalist (Muriel Huertis) and a European disabled sports champion (Mickael Carlier). The whole in the greatest relaxation and in a bath of conviviality which shaped this first edition. They can say later: ” I was there. ” Some may even add: “I beat the world champion. “
Ranking: 1. T. Donnenwirth 36’47 (1st 20-29 years), 2. J. Ricci 37’57, 3. W. Juillaguet 37’59, 4. E. Vairreaux 38’13, 5. G. Vitali 38.33 (electric, 1st 50-59 years), 6. J. Monti 39’27 (1st -20 years), 7. S. Rossetto 39’59.9 (1st 30-39 years), 8. G. Peretti 40’24,3, 9. A. Leclerc 41’06 (1st 40-49 years), 10. L. Perfetti 41’13, 11. S. Costa 41’13,9, 12. R. Demasi 41 ‘ 23, 13. M. Carlier 41,24, 14. A. Muselli 41’50, 15. S. Fontanabona 42’46, 16. A. Narbonne-Zuccarelli 42’51, 17. M. Simon 43’50, 18 J. Alaphilippe 43’52, 19. F. Manzeaud 44’32, 20. S. Sauli 44’42.
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