CYCLING – FOLLOWING a very successful Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana, winning two stages and the overall classification, Bahrain Victorious return to action this week at the Tour de la Provence, which runs from tomorrow to Sunday.
Bahrain have only competed once in the event, in 2021, when Phil Bauhaus won the final stage into Salon-de-Provence.
The race will start in the city of Marseille, and tackle three stages on the way to a finale in Arles. Traditionally suited to sprinters and classics riders, this year is no exception. With that in mind, Victorious’ GC leader in the South of France will be Matevž Govekar. The Slovenian finished 2024 in style, winning stages at the Tours of Britain and Guangxi, having also taken the Girona leg of the UCI gravel World Championships. Govekar carried his good form into the new year, with victory in the Al Salam Championship in January.
By his side will be his compatriot Matej Mohoric, returning to Provence for the first time since 2017, when he was runner-up in the youth classification. The third member of a headlining triumvirate is former British champion Fred Wright, who was part of Bahrain’s team four years ago.
Riders will cover 169km from Marseille tomorrow on the opening stage, which also promises to be the hardest. The road goes up from kilometre zero, and the rollercoaster-like profile includes 2,600 metres of climbing spread across three second category ascents. After 35 hilly kilometres is the Col de l’Espigoulier (11.1km at 5.2 per cent). 30km after cresting that first test comes the Côte de Mazaugues (5.1km at 5.3pc). The final third of the route contains the Col de Belcodène (3.3km at 5.6pc), before several small climbs and plenty of descending into the small finish town of Saint-Victoret.
Day two is less demanding, and – on paper at least – appears likely to end in a sprint of some kind. However, anyone hoping to fight for the stage will first need to get over 2400 vertical metres in the 167km from Forcalquier to Manosque. After the ‘flamme rouge’, the final kilometre is a strength-sapping 4pc drag to the line.
The race concludes with a very flat 190km between Rognac and Arles, which will almost inevitably be decided by a pure sprint. The lack of climbing doesn’t necessarily mean that the day will be devoid of action however, as the proximity of the course to the sea could well result in wind and echelons.
Supporting the trio of Govekar, Mohoric and Wright will be four talented young riders: Oliver Stockwell, Roman Ermakov, Nicolò Buratti, and Alessandro Borgo, making the step up from Bahrain Victorious’ Development Team. Their role is simply to help and protect the leaders, as well as use the time to learn from their more experienced teammates.
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