Promising younger French skilled Lenny Martinez (Groupama-FDJ) has received a six-rider uphill dash to clinch the reduced-length CIC – Mont Ventoux one-day race.
Martínez outsprinted Michael Woods (Israel-Premier Tech) after the 2 dived into the ultimate right-hand bend and ramp to the end simply forward of the rest of the breakaway. Simon Carr (EF-Training EasyPost) claimed third.
The race was lowered to only one ascent of the Ventoux, slightly than the deliberate two, due to unhealthy climate, and was lower to only 98.3km in size in consequence.
Aged simply 19, Martinez has claimed the primary win of his professional profession on the CIC – Mont Ventoux. Israel-Premier Tech managed the ultimate breakaway group with Domenico Pozzovivo working for teammate Woods, however Martinez was the quickest on the summit with an acceleration within the last metres.
The way it unfolded
With the race getting underway on the much-shortened route, an assault simply earlier than the primary problem of the day, the Col de la Madeleine, as 5 riders went clear.
The transfer contained Pablo Castrillo (Kern Pharma), Valentin Retailleau (AG2R-Citroën), José María García (Electro-Hiper-Europa), Asier Etxebarria (Euskatel-Euskadi) and Léo Danès (CIC-U Nantes Atlantique). The quintet opened up a niche on the for much longer, harder Col de la Gabelle that adopted, and by its foot, roughly on the midway level, had a margin of two:24 over the peloton.
In the meantime, Chris Froome (Israel-Premier Tech) had some mechanical difficulties, lastly combating his manner again in the direction of the peloton with the help of teammate Steve Williams.
On the climb previous the Ventoux, the Rocher du Cire, García was dropped from the break, however even because the 4 approached the foot of the ultimate climb, the hole was shrinking quickly as first Groupama-FDJ after which Movistar drove behind.
After only a kilometre of the 24 on the Ventoux, the break’s hole had shrunk to beneath a minute and because the peloton shrank to round 50 riders on its incessantly rising center part, solely Castrillo remained out entrance.
With 5km to go on the steepest a part of the ascent, Castrillo was lastly reeled in, sparking assaults within the much-reduced peloton. Cristian Rodríguez (Arkéa-Samsic) lastly labored his manner clear with Lenny Martinez, Michael Woods, and Ivan Sosa (Movistar), and the 5 had been joined by Carr shortly afterwards.
With Sosa struggling within the final 2km, and Woods repeatedly testing the break, the 5 had a niche of only a few seconds on a gaggle of six chasers as they headed previous the Tom Simpson Memorial.
Domenico Pozzovivo was in a position to bridge the hole, head to the entrance, and make sure that the group remained fractionally forward of the closest pursuers earlier than dropping away late on. When the leaders reached the ultimate nook main as much as the statement tower and end, Martinez and Woods pushed on to achieve just a few metres margin.
It briefly regarded as if Woods would take Israel-Premier Tech’s second win of the season. However as a substitute, Martinez romped previous within the last metres to take a notable first victory for the younger Frenchman on one among his nation’s most prestigious and dauntingly tough climbs.
Outcomes
Outcomes powered by FirstCycling
