The 118th edition of Paris-Tours which took place on Sunday once again produced epic images and a rather disjointed scenario as all Cycling fans love. Since the introduction in 2018 of the vine paths in the finale, the classic of dead leaves has regained a little of its soul of yesteryear. It is the symbol of this road cycling which is increasingly intruding on the side roads in recent years, on the borders of Gravel, a new cycling movement set to gain momentum.
Gravel fans must not have really known where to turn this weekend. Between the world championships of the discipline in Flemish Brabant won by Mathieu Van Der Poel and the 118th edition of Paris-Tours, an autumn meeting transfigured since the appearance in 2018 in the finale of its course of around ten kilometers particularly gravelly vineyard paths, they had plenty to do.
It must be said that Gravel, a discipline popularized in the 1990s in the United States located on the borders of road cycling, cyclo-cross and mountain biking, has more and more fans. And if he had had the choice, Christophe Laporte, winner yesterday of Paris-Tours, would have lined up in Belgium for the world championships. “I had thought about it because I like this discipline,” he confirms, “but the team (Visma Lease a Bike) needed to race here too. Gravel is becoming fashionable and it’s nice. Personally I like it because I like it when it’s a little chaotic.”
“Always a great race here, it’s good that the escapees are reaching the end”
No matter, the Varois still had his dose of sensations in Indre. Because if the Classic of Dead Leaves remains a race on the road calendar, it has, like more and more other moments of the season, swapped part of its tarmac clothes for less academic paths, gravel paths, translate “gravel” in French. Yesterday, these “gravels” were also generously sprinkled with rain, making the scenario as uncertain as the epic and muddy race.
Because after a first attack from Dane Mads Pedersen 70 kilometers from the finish, it was ultimately Christophe Laporte’s coup 40 kilometers further that ended up making the difference. Each time these two big arms came out near these famous vineyard paths transformed into slush baths. It was ultimately the Frenchman who won after a breakaway in the company of Matias Vacek, dashing like last year the ambitions of the sprinters who came in large numbers. “It was a lot of work on placement and it was still done on the leg. The strongest were in front, recognized Anthony Turgis at the finish, finally 10th. With the paths, it’s always a great race here, and it’s good that it’s fumbles that reach the end.”
78% of fans approve of gravel games at the Tour de France
And the Ile-de-France resident knows what he’s talking about, having won this summer on the Chemins Blancs stage in Troyes, one of the most memorable days of the last Tour de France. There’s nothing better to combat boredom and random scenarios than these kinds of days on the bike. “The spectators like it, smiles Christophe Laporte. It’s not always logical, but people like to watch this kind of race on TV, that’s why we see a little more of it.” Confirmation from the public who after the white paths stage on the Tour had 78% answered yes to the following question on the specialized site Pro Cycling Stats: “Do gravel-type stages have their place on the Tour de France ?” A survey of more than 10,000 participants all the same.
A veritable machine that washes away the ambitions of the less comfortable riders as soon as the asphalt slips away from under the tires to give way to more hazardous terrain, the Gravel games often give rise to days that are anything but monotonous, as in the past only the Grand -Annual mass in Paris Roubaix knew how to provide it. Between Paris-Tours, certain stages on the Grand Tours or even the Strade Bianche, the organizers have proof that this pioneering cycling, a return to the earth and instinct, has everything to please. To the riders including many of them yesterday who ventured to the Gravel World Championships (Van Der Poel, Del Toro, Mohoric, Benoot, Merlier). “Days like that, yes but not all the time,” said Anthony Turgis at the end of Avenue de Grammont in Tours, his face stained with mud and a smile despite everything.
