#Breiner Henrik Pedersen and Ilse Pluimers Crowned Under 23 European Champions at EUROROAD23
Breiner Henrik Pedersen from Denmark and Ilse Pluimers from the Netherlands emerged as the new European champions in the Under 23 category at the Road European Championships taking place in the province of Drenthe. The races, held today, showcased the talent and determination of the young cyclists.
The men’s race kicked off in high gear, with a fast start from Hoogeveen. Ivan Romeo from Spain, Breiner Henrik Pedersen from Denmark, and Mateusz Gajdulewicz from Poland formed a formidable trio at the front. They quickly broke away from the peloton, creating a lead of over four minutes.
As the race progressed and the final 13.7-kilometer circuit on the Col du Vam approached, the peloton started closing in on the leaders. Gajdulewicz increased the pace on the third lap, setting the stage for an intense battle to the finish. In the end, it was Pedersen who claimed the European title, overtaking Romeo on the last climb. Romeo finished second, closely followed by the rest of the field led by Paul Magnier from France.
In the afternoon, it was the women’s turn to take on the challenging course starting from Coevorden. The race intensified in the final three laps of the Col du Vam circuit. Maike van der Duin from the Netherlands and Zoe Backstedt from Great Britain, who had already won the Time-Trial title earlier in the week, showcased their strength on the road. However, it was Ilse Pluimers and Anna Shackely from the Netherlands and Great Britain, respectively, who dominated the climb and sprinted to the finish line. Pluimers claimed the victory, with Shackely closely following in second and Lisa Zanetti from Switzerland securing the third spot on the podium.
Tomorrow, the European titles will be awarded in the Road races for the Junior Men and Elite Women at the challenging Col du Vam. The competition promises to be fierce as young talent from around Europe battle for glory on the road.
