Valentin Madouas and Rémy Rochas enter the top 20 after a wild race

# Madouas and Rochas Shine in Eventful Coppa Agostoni Finish

In a thrilling display of cycling prowess, Valentin Madouas and Rémy Rochas achieved commendable finishes at the Coppa Agostoni, landing in the top 20 after a race filled with strategic maneuvers and aggressive tactics.

This Sunday, the race unfolded uniquely, allowing a robust early breakaway to contest the finish. Rémy Rochas made critical decisions, joining the right move after forty kilometers; however, he couldn’t follow the decisive attack from British rider Adam Yates, who ultimately won the race solo. Madouas and Rochas crossed the line in 17th and 20th positions, respectively, as the peloton condensed into a reduced bunch nearing the end of the grueling event.

The race was notably challenging, with “a very hilly day” confronting the riders, punctuated by a demanding circuit including the notorious muro di Sirtori (1.5 km at 5.7%), Colle Brianza (3.6 km at 6.4%), and Lissolo climb (2 km at 6.7%). Team director Yvon Caër remarked on the relentless terrain, stating, “On the circuit, it was up and down all the time.” He noted that UAE Team Emirates chose an aggressive approach, allowing Rémy to follow their early push effectively.

Rochas proved to be an asset to his team as he connected with a breakaway composed of six riders, which expanded to seventeen by the end of the first lap. “Rémy was designated to follow the first attacks,” Caër explained, elaborating on the challenges faced by Lorenzo, his teammate. Although Lorenzo attempted to bridge to the leaders, he fell just shy of making the connection.

Halfway through the race, fierce competition unfolded as the peloton, with the help of teams like Q36.5, sought to reel in the frontrunners, struggling to keep the gap within two minutes. As the race neared its climax, Valentin Madouas made a bold move during one of the final climbs, showing unique potential in the fast-paced environment. Unfortunately, he was unable to close the gap, “falling short, for barely twenty seconds,” according to his director.

The race reached a boiling point as Yates and Carlos Canal broke free from the remaining breakaway, while Rochas maintained strong positioning in a chase group that lacked cohesiveness in the closing flat stretch towards Lissone. “Once Yates and Canal went away, things settled down and the pace wasn’t really high behind,” noted Caër, which unexpectedly allowed Madouas to rejoin the dwindling chase.

Ultimately, Madouas and Rochas finished over two minutes behind the winner. “Rémy and Valentin fought for third place,” Yvon stated, “Unfortunately, Valentin (17th) wasn’t able to manage his sprint as he would have liked.” Caër also highlighted Rochas’s performance, expressing belief that he “deserved better,” given his efforts throughout the tough race.

While the day may not have yielded the results the team hoped for in terms of positioning, the efforts of Madouas and Rochas underscored their development as promising talents in the competitive cycling arena. Caër concluded, “It was a hard race, and the only regret is that there weren’t more of us in this group of seventeen.” Additionally, Guillaume’s return to racing earned praise, as he regained his footing amidst the rigors of competition.