Introducing the Classique des Alpes Juniors
A few weeks back, we introduced you to a fledgling British rider, who is aiming to make it to the WorldTour on the continent. Benjamin Peatfield rides for AG2r Citroën's Under-19s team, and has gone from living in Bolton, to living in Bordeaux and testing his talents against some of the best riders in his age group. Tomorrow, Benjamin and three of his teammates will be taking part in the Classique des Alpes Juniors. As such, we felt it would be nice to introduce yourselves to the race and what to look out for this weekend.
The Classique des Alpes, finally the first UCI U19 race
After the beginning of the season with a lot of cancellation and postponement, the Classique des Alpes Juniors will take place on Saturday, May 29th. The goal of the organizing committee is to enable as more riders as possible to participate. That's why we will take the start with a team composed of 4 riders of AG2R CITROËN U19 TEAM and 2 guest riders.
An international team
Maximilian Cushway (Véloce Vannetais), Benjamin Peatfield (The Green Jersey CC), Abel Odon Rosado Novillo (Gsport Bicicletas Sanchis) and Joe Kiely (Charleville Mézières) will take the start, with Robin Donzé, Swiss rider (Humard Vélo-Passion Chazal) and Viggo Moore (Lux Cycling Team), American rider living in Germany. Viggo was due to participate with his team but they can't travel from the United States. That's why we welcome them in AG2R CITROËN U19 TEAM in order to enable their participation to the Classique des Alpes Juniors.
10 other riders of the team.
The other riders can be selected with their regional committee, because the Classique des Alpes Juniors is the first cup of the French Juniors Cup. That's the case for 10 of them: Thomas Tachot with Auvergne-Rhône Alpes, Pierre Gautherat and Romain Grégoirewith Bourgogne Franche Comté, Léandre Lozouet with Normandie, Estevan Delaunay with Centre-Val de Loire, Noa Isidore and Léo Kraemer with Grand Est, Noah Detalleand Maxence Place with Team Wallonie and finally Tristan Poucet with Hauts de France.
David Giraud, AG2R Citroën sports director : "The Classique des Alpes Juniors is, with the National Championship, the most important one day race of the calendar for the majority of the riders. Concerning the team, we will be outsideron the race, we have good climbers but probably not the best one. We will have to attack, and to hope an unexpected scenario. Cian Uijtdebroeks (Auto Eider Bayern) and Lenny Martinez (Bourgogne Franche-Comté Committee) will be the favorite riders of the race. If we want to win, we must not be with them at the beginning of the Mont du Chat."
The route of the race
The start will be in Ruy-Montceau and the arrival at la Bridoire. The Classique des Alpes Juniors will have 22 teams this year on the start line. With 128,2km, the riders will have to climb 5 mountain pass :
Col du Mont Tournier, 10,3km at 5,5%
Côte de St Genix les Villages, 3,2km at 5,9%
Col de la Crusille, 3,5km at 5%
Mont du Chat, 9km at 7,8%
Col du Blanchet, 5,3km at 4,4%.
It's a mythical race where AG2R Citroën have already performed in the past. Just recently, the defending winner in 2019, Valentin Paret-Peintre, who finished also second in 2018. In 2016, Nicolas Malle won a few months before becoming European champion. Then, Simon Gugliemi finished second in 2015, as well as David Gaudu in 2014 and Nans Peters in 2012. Pierre-Henri Le Cuisinier finished 3rd in 2011.
How to follow the race ?
It will be possible to follow the race on the social media of AG2R CITROËN U19 TEAM. The French website Direct Vélo will make an entire writing direct. The organisation of the Classique des Alpes Juniors is going to show a video broadcast of the last 60 kilometers, on their Facebook Page, with Lilian Couillez and Florian Vachon, winner in 2002.