The UEC Road European Championships were held a week after the Rwanda Road World Championships, sparking some logistical challenges for riders and teams but creating an extra week of entertaining national team riding.
The winners were largely as expected, but the racing was still great to watch, with displays of superiority by Tadej Pogačar, Demi Vollering, Remco Evenepoel, Marlen Reusser, along with Jarno Widar in the under-23 men’s road race and Paula Ostiz in the junior women’s road race.
Allez the French crowds but not the French hooligans
The European Championships were organised by Guillaume Delpech, his team of expert volunteers, the UEC and race experts Golazo, creating a unique and friendly atmosphere.
As L’Equipe explained, Delpech created a race to remember his father. It evolved into the Faun-Ardèche Classic and Faun Drôme Classic races, and is now part of the European Championships.
The French cycling fans turned out as always, with thousands of people packing the two climbs of the road racing circuits on the weekend. They filled the roadside and applauded the riders like on a Tour de France mountain finish.
Sadly, the behaviour of a few went too far, with some touching Tadej Pogačar when on the attack and even stickering him in some. French crowds love cycling, but in recent years, a new ‘hooligan’ generation has emerged. Let’s hope they learn to respect the riders.
Tadej Pogačar’s physical and mental dominance
Tadej Pogačar again did what Tadej Pogačar always does and dominated the men’s road race with another solo attack.
This time, he went solo with 75km to go. He had planned to wait, but when Belgium and France distanced his Slovenian teammates, he knew he had to draw out and attack his rivals to avoid a later tactical battle.
It was a simple tactic but Pogačar again pulled it off, out riding Evenepoel and the group of four chasers that rode against each, already defeated and…
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