For many followers, The return to Spain 2023 was difficult to watch. This for several reasons. Whether in terms of watts or the domination of the Jumbo Visma team, this Tour of Spain was out of the ordinary. While the Dutch team was dominant throughout the event, enthusiasts were once again surprised by their level. So that cycling remains a celebration and great stories continue to be shown, Cycling Times has made a selection of the great stories from this Tour of Spain.
Young people who confirm
With the arrival of the new generation of Grand Tour riders, the results of races are often known before they are run themselves. Which loses a certain type of appeal for fans of the Little Queen. Many find that the romanticism so attached to cycling has lost its luster. Featured athletes convey less emotion than before. The pouts become stoic and each pedal stroke, every calorie ingested is measured. Fans of this sport are no longer the same as before. Those who prefer good stories to prize lists feel bad in this changing cycling.
Pre-pandemic cycling enthusiasts, in the hope that the flame of their passion warms their hearts, count on the unexpected and credibility for it to grow. The breath of youth, they hope so, will be the wind that will carry cycling towards a romantic era, where passion will burn intensely, warming the hearts of all lovers of this sport.
Young runners with human abilities showed themselves. lenny martinez, young crack of Burgundian origin, opened the door to hopes that a Frenchman could win the general classification of a Grand Tour in the coming years. His frail size and his grimacing pout at maximum effort make him an endearing runner.. A sort of David against Goliath, a Lenny facing the Mountain, who fights against gravity and against adversaries. Many saw in him great mental strength throughout this Vuelta. He doesn't give up when the gargantuan Sepp Kuss drops him in the race for the Red Jersey and stage victory. It is by gritting his teeth and counting on a chivalrous Romain Bardet that he will win the leadership position.. The youngest rider in the Tour of Spain wore the jersey of the greatest.
Coming from the country where the cobbled mountains are kings, Cian Uijtdebroeks behaved like a lion. It was by clenching his fangs and maintaining an uninhibited attitude that he was able to achieve a significant 8th place in the final General Ranking.. It was with impressive regularity that the Belgian fought in his first Grand Tour. He is one of the riders who can bring a ray of sunshine to cycling even though the Flanders sun is often overcast...
Geoffrey Soup
Cycling, this sport where no wall separates shadow from light. It is at 35 years, on Friday September 1st that Geoffrey Soupe crossed the limit separating these two worlds. One belonging to a small part of the peloton. Where leaders and a few exceptions spend the majority of their time. The other world being that of shadow. This place where teammates, for many, resident for a long time. That day, the Indian has gone out of business.
It was in thirteen seconds that his mark on the history of cycling was capsized. Time to veer left and try everything. As the saying goes, "nothing ventured, nothing gained". The only way to win for a rider of his stature was to take a risk. Is it better to have a tiny chance of winning or to guarantee a top 15 ? The choice was quickly made for Geoffrey Soupe. Like what, sacrifices sometimes pay off ! A career to regularly give of yourself to help your leaders, such is the life of a team member. When we have this role, it is by bringing happiness to others that we are happy. But victory is even more beautiful when it is rare.
Bardet reinvents itself
Romain Bardet had a season 2023 quite special. The year started with plots. This year's goal was to focus on the Tour de France after the terrible disappointment of the Giro 2022. The story happened as in 2020. Bardet falls on the roads of the Grande Boucle and is forced to leave the race following a concussion.
The Vuelta was then a way for Auvergne to forget the mixed start to the season. Quickly sidelined in the General Ranking, Romain Bardet was able to bounce back by aiming for stage victories : back off to better blow up.
Finally, Romain Bardet was able to win 4 top 10 dont 3 top 3 by applying this strategy.
Even if plans don't always work out as expected, cycling, notably the Grand Tours, learn to question your goals and bounce back.
The beautiful stories told are those that have had the greatest impact on French supporters. Other moments left their mark on this Vuelta. We can cite the good form of the Spaniards, the crazy series of Alpecin on the Grand Tours or even Cofidis which raises its arms at the Giro, the Tour and the Vuelta. And you, what will you remember from this Vuelta 2023 ?
