The momentum keeps on going. After a great week on the Alpes Isère Tour, with two stage victories for Noah Hobbs, “La Conti” did it again on the first stage of the Ronde de l’Oise on Thursday. At La Neuville-en-Hez, it was this time up to Lewis Bower to show himself and to dominate the bunch sprint after 140 kilometres. This is his first win of the season, but also his first at this level. “La Conti” now tallies five victories in 2024.
The opening stage was quite short on Thursday on the Ronde de l’Oise. All the shorter as the 140 kilometres on the day’s menu were covered at full speed by a very nervous peloton. “It was a very fast race,” confirmed Alex Chouffe. “The average speed was 50km/h in the first hour, 49 in the second and it ended with 48.5 km/h for the whole stage.” No proper breakaway was therefore established throughout the day, with the exception of a lone man who got a one-minute gap at best, before being caught with one kilometre to go. “The sprint came after a straight line of three kilometres,” explained Alex. “We were all behind Lewis. His five teammates had to protect him all day to give him the chance to show himself, given that Noah is on the Peace Race. Ronan and Jens were there to position him in the last kilometre and Ben had to make the last effort. They worked very well.” In a perfection position for the bunch sprint, the young New Zealander took the slipstream of the Uno-X lead-out train and eventually overtook his rivals in the last metres to claim victory.
“It means a lot,” Lewis Bower
“He really deserves it,” Alex added. “I absolutely wanted us to be able to put him in good conditions in a bunch sprint because he’s often been Noah’s lead-out man in the last two years. I really wanted him to be able to show what he can do in a race of this level. He did it in a remarkable way and the whole team was in tune with the race tactics. We planned it, and we achieved it. When we have the opportunity to put a teammate in the spotlight, we shouldn’t hesitate because it can also click for him. It’s even more enjoyable because the momentum of the team is very good.” Winner of Paris-Chalette-Vierzon at the end of last season at amateur level, Lewis Bower took his first victory in a UCI event on Thursday. “I’m super happy with the win,” he said. “After helping others a lot this year, especially in the sprints, it means a lot to have my own opportunity and to make the most of it. We can be proud of the work of the team, we were all represented in the last thirty kilometres, we worked well together, and it worked out perfectly. There’s not much else to say.”
The 19-year-old Kiwi will start the second stage with the yellow jersey on his shoulders. “We will defend it but if we can make another rider win and take back the jersey, we will do it, because it is our role to give a chance to everyone,” concluded Alex. “Friday, there are 190 kilometres and 1900 metres of elevation gain. It will be challenging and tiring. It’s up to us to manage our strengths well if we want to keep the jersey.”
No comment