Published on : 06/22/2022
At the end of this week, the riders of the northern team are engaged in their respective national championships. There will be 37 riders (8 women, 29 men) representing Cofidis in their respective countries, in France, Belgium, Italy, Germany, Portugal, Switzerland and the Netherlands. All of them have only one goal: to do their colours proud.
It is a key event of the season. Races, always very competitive, with a particularly exciting objective: to win the national champion's tunic. In France, the championships will take place in Cholet this year and the Cofidis team has plenty of reasons to shine.
In the time trial on Thursday, the hopes will be in the hands of Benjamin Thomas, the reigning French champion in this exercise. On Saturday, the women's team will try to do well for their first participation in the championships with Cofidis. The next day, it will be the men's turn: 14 Cofidis riders will be on the starting line. The course is not very steep and seems to be suitable for sprinters. Bryan Coquard, winner three times this season, will certainly be one of the favourites. He will be supported by all his team-mates, as well as the young Axel Zingle, winner of the Route Adélie, who could also do well.
Spain, Belgium and Italy to shine
At the same time, the team will keep an eye on the Spanish championships in Mallorca. While Ion Izagirre will be challenging for the title in the time trial on Wednesday, he will also be present for the road race (186.1km) with Ruben Fernandez and the Herrada brothers. Once again, Cofidis is not short of arguments and knows the way to victory: Ion Izagirre won it in 2014 and Jesús Herrada in 2013 and again in 2017.
Cofidis will also be present in Belgium with three riders (Piet Allegaert, Kenneth Vanbilsen and Jelle Wallays), in Italy with the two sprinters Simone Consonni and Davide Cimolai and in Germany with Simon Geschke. So many opportunities to shine, to give everything and to hope that Cofidis can wear national jerseys throughout the year.
THE COMPLETE PROGRAMME OF THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS
French Championship, in Cholet
⏱ Thursday, women's time trial (25.3 km): S. Levenez, C. Kerbaol
⏱ Thursday, men's time trial (44.4 km): B. Thomas, A. Perez
? Saturday, road race (women): V. Berteau, V. Fortin, C. Kerbaol, S. Levenez, O. Onesti
? Sunday, road race (men): F. Bidard, T. Champion, B. Coquard, A. Delettre, E. Finé, V. Lafay, G. Martin, A. Perez, P-L. Périchon, A. Renard, R. Rochas, B. Thomas, H. Toumire, A. Zingle
Spanish Championship, Majorca
⏱ Friday, time trial (38.5 km): I. Izagirre
? Sunday, road race (186.1 km): R. Fernandez, Jo. Herrada, J. Herrada, I. Izagirre
Italian Championship
? Sunday, men's road race: D. Cimolai, S. Consonni, M. Alzini
? Sunday, women's road race: M. Alzini
Belgian Championship
? Sunday, men's road race: P. Allegaert, K. Vanbilsen, J. Wallays
? Sunday, women's road race: A. Castrique
German Championships
⏱ Friday, time trial: M. Walscheild
? Sunday, men's road race: S. Geschke, M. Walscheild
? Sunday, women's road race: C. Koppenburg
But also...
A. Carvalho (Portugal), W. Kreder (Netherlands), T. Bohli (Switzerland)