cycling: Mollema swaps helmet for beret

Cycling: The Dutchman Bauke Mollema (Trek-Segafredo) finally won the Clasica San Sebastian yesterday, Saturday. For the past four years, he has always finished in the top nine, but has never progressed beyond second place. He relegated Frenchman Tony Gallopin (Lotto Soudal) to second place and Spaniard Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) to third.

Elimination race around San Sebastian

Between the Olympic Games in Rio and the Tour de France, the WorldTour classic Clasica San Sebastian was on the program this year. Traditionally, the starters of the large loop in France are among the favorites at this race. In the end, the first five places should be occupied by them. But before that, as every year, a breakaway group formed. Moreno Moser (Cannondale), Przemyslaw Niemiec (Lampre-Merida), Pirmin Lang (IAM), Janse Van Rensburg (Dimension Data), Jamie Roson (Caja Rural) and Loic Chetout (Cofidis) were able to compete on the 220 km long route with at times get a lead of more than five minutes. However, the Movistar, Katusha, Orica-BikeExchange and Cannondale teams in particular ensured a merger well before the finish line. The Orica-BikeExchange team brought about a first large selection of the field of favorites, because with the two Yates brothers they had hot candidates for victory in their own ranks. Finally was Adam Yates Not only did he manage to win last year, he also proved his good form with fourth place in this year's Tour de France.

Mollema benefits from Spanish disunity

Around ten kilometers from the finish, the group of favorites was finally blown up by attacks from Rigoberto Uran (Cannondale) and Adam Yates. The elimination race was at its peak. Purito was there too. Joaquim Rodriguez (Katusha) competed here for the twelfth time, but just as he never won a Grand Tour, he also failed to win at the end of his career. Although he broke away shortly before the finish, the group around Mollema, Valverde and Gallopin reunited. So these four riders found themselves at the front of the race. The already distanced Yates brothers and the other drivers should no longer play a role. But then the tactics began. Rodriguez saw no reason to put himself in the wind and waste energy on his companions, since it was they who ultimately robbed him of the win. Mollema took advantage of the moment and attacked. The Dutchman was able to gain a lead of more than ten seconds, but with three kilometers to go the gap was only four seconds. The catch seemed to be a done deal, but again the two Spaniards Rodriguez and Valverde looked at each other, so that at some point Gallopin didn't want to drive with full commitment anymore. Mollema increased his lead a bit and in the end saved a narrow lead over the finish line. Gallopin won the sprint for second place ahead of Valverde. Rodriguez was left with only the thankless fourth place. Bauke Mollema, on the other hand, was beaming from ear to ear. After dropping out of the top ten from second place overall at the Tour de France about a week ago, he crowned the month of July with his first win at a WorldTour classic.

Clasica San Sebastian – The result