More than 4,300 metres of positive vertical drop for one of the toughest races of the season: in Savoie, a high mountain classic
Tour de Savoie Mont Blanc / Maurienne Classic
6 August: La-Tour-En-Maurienne – Saint-Julien- Mont-Denis (139 km)
This is one of the most demanding races of the season in the U23 category – no doubt about it! A race for climbers where the slightest extra effort will pay off. The Tour de Savoie Mont Blanc, hitherto a stage race, will this year mutate into a one-day event that will henceforth be known as the Maurienne Classic. Beyond the change of nomenclature, an impressive route.
The U23 team of the Contador Foundation comes with six riders who defend themselves very well when the road looks to the sky. David Domínguez, Ramón Fernández, Arnau Gilabert, Antonio González, Fernando Tercero and Davide Piganzoli will compete for EOLO-KOMETA Cycling Team U23 in the first French experience of the structure this season.
The scenery is impressive: in a first draft, more than 4.600 metres of accumulated vertical drop in 165 kilometres. In the final route, more than 4.300 in 139 kilometres. A different kind of race that is destined to make a personal name for itself on the international scene.
“I went through a bad patch, between a bout of gastroenteritis and then, when I finally got my head out of the water, I had to take the COVID. It was a real blow, in the middle of the season, and with all the big objectives at stake… But it’s important to get back on your feet and keep going, because the world goes on and nobody and nothing waits. We went to the Vuelta a Madrid with a view to getting into the rhythm of competition and the final balance was good. Although without the best sensations, I went from less to more. Now I am doing a block of training with longer climbs, out of my comfort zone, with a view to this race, very hard and that theoretically can be very good for us. If we recover well, we’re going to try to do well and, on a personal level, I’m really looking forward to it and we’ll see if we can do well. I want to be seen, the season is not over yet”, adds Barcelona’s Arnau Gilabert.
