Ewen Costiou battles in the Alpes-Maritimes
# Ewen Costiou Shines at Tour of Alpes-Maritimes Despite Challenges
Two weeks following his impressive double win at the Étoile de Bessèges, Ewen Costiou demonstrated his mettle once again this Sunday at the Tour of the Alpes-Maritimes. In a grueling race characterized by early attacks, the young Breton managed to stay with the peloton’s top climbers for a significant portion of the event before ultimately falling back to a chasing group. He pushed himself to the limits on the daunting uphill finish in Biot, ultimately securing a commendable sixth place.
The day’s race presented a formidable challenge, featuring close to 3,000 meters of climbing in the scenic hills surrounding Nice. The action kicked off in Villefranche-sur-Mer, where participants faced the Col d’Èze right from the start. Benoît Vaugrenard, a key figure in Costiou’s team, noted, “Some riders were told to try and go for the breakaway. Nine men eventually went away, without any dangerous teams, but that didn’t really suit us since we had no one up front.” Vaugrenard expressed the regret of not having a rider in the leading group and attempted to recalibrate the race dynamics after about forty kilometers when Guillaume took a solo dive before linking up briefly with the frontrunners from Astana. However, their effort was thwarted by Bahrain Victorious, and the pack reformed.
Following this, the race transitioned into its pivotal phase, particularly at the long burst to Gourdon, a 12 km ascent averaging 4.5% gradient. “The favorites went with Lenny [Martinez], Marco Brenner, Aurélien Paret-Peintre, and Ewen,” Benoît recounted. “It was really well done from Ewen, who had to follow Lenny. They managed to get through the toughest section, but unfortunately Lenny kept launching repeated accelerations, and Ewen and Paret-Peintre were dropped.”
While this moment marked a key turning point, Costiou then found himself in a ten-man chasing group. Benoît remarked, “I’m sure Guillaume belonged in that group; he was very close to making it at the top. He showed good form today, but it’s a shame, because we shouldn’t have sent him up in Châteauneuf.” Despite being isolated, Costiou’s effort remained commendable.
In the final 25 kilometers leading to Biot, teams with multiple riders in the chasing group began to take the reins, narrowing the gap to around fifteen seconds as they approached the decisive climb (1.5 km at 5.5%). “Then it just came down to the legs, and Ewen had already spent a lot of energy,” Benoît added. Though missed opportunities in the fight for victory loomed, Costiou’s diligence paid off as he crossed the finish line just nine seconds behind Paul Lapeira.
Reflecting on the day’s outcome, Benoît summarized, “The result is mixed because we’re not here to finish sixth, but the race doesn’t lie, and we were a bit short physically. We’ll need to step it up for next weekend, which will be very important, whether it’s in Belgium or at the Drôme-Ardèche races.” As the team prepares for what’s next, Costiou’s tenacity and spirit continue to shine through amidst the challenges he faces on the road.
