Tour de l’Avenir: Joe Blackmore and Marion Bunel crowned winners of premier U23 race

Joseph Blackmore and Marion Bunel have underlined their status as two of the hottest prospects in cycling after being crowned champions of the Tour de l’Avenir, the world’s premier U23 race, on Saturday. 

Both the men’s and women’s editions of the French race culminated in spectacular fashion over the Italian border atop the Colle delle Finestre, scene of Chris Froome’s stunning long-range raid at the 2018 Giro d’Italia, and the mighty, partially-gravelled mountain (18.2km at 9%) didn’t disappoint.