Etoile de Besseges

Forced to end his 2021 season early due to illness, Alberto Bettiol and the EF Education team were on-song at the Étoile de Bessèges.

Close to the best climbers — but not yet one of them at the French stage race — Thibaut Pinot and his team are taking a long-term perspective.

After four Giros and two Vueltas, Ag2r’s American hopes to complete the grand tour set this summer.

French teams are likely to get the two Tour wildcard picks, but Uno-X isn’t giving up all hope yet.

Olympic champ Richard Carapaz did not start due to injuries sustained in crash Friday while Thomas wins his first race with Cofidis.

Already third in two stages this week, Uno-X’s Tobias Johannessen’s 'queen' stage win gives him a final shot at Bessèges GC.

Overnight race-leader Thomas hangs on to GC lead after suffering on tough summit finish.

TotalEnergies already look like a team revitalized at the Étoile de Bessèges as they await Peter Sagan’s debut.

The winner of last year’s Tour de l’Avenir, Uno-X’s Tobias Johannessen makes waves with consecutive third-places at Bessèges.

Olympic and world champion set for debuts at Paris-Nice and the Tour de France as he targets Paris-Roubaix and the Hour Record.

Olympic champion Richard Carapaz is being assessed by Ineos’ medical staff after sliding off the road on stage 3 of 2022 Étoile de Bessèges.

Cofidis rider Thomas takes over race lead from Trek-Segafredo's Mads Pedersen.

South African had “to learn to walk again” after sprint crash at Ruta del Sol in May 2021.

The French sprinter edges out Mads Pedersen in elbow-to-elbow battle at the Étoile de Bessèges 18 months after his last victory.

Mads Pedersen finished second, retains overall race lead.

Multi-talented American Magnus Sheffield is putting his focus on experience as he aims for a debut at Paris-Roubaix and October’s track worlds in Paris.

After a hugely impressive 2021 season with Alpecin-Fenix, 20-year-old Ben Tulett has his sights set on racing the Giro in his first year with Ineos Grenadiers.

The Trek-Segafredo rider sprinted to stage win in blustery conditions that shattered the main bunch.

French stage racing season kicks off at the five-day event where Ineos Grenadiers, EF Education and Groupama-FDJ bring strong teams.

Your quick guide of riders, routes and talking points ahead of a blockbuster bout of men's and women's racing.

Here's all you need to know about the men's and women's races that will get the season rolling in the coming weeks.

Is Filippo Ganna the future for Ineos Grenadiers? Who's in form ahead of the classics? And who the heck is Jake Stewart?

Time trial champion blitzes short final stage to make it two wins in two days.

Ganna surprises the sprinters with blistering late surge, Tim Wellens retains GC lead with one stage remaining.

With the win, the Lotto Soudal rider assumes the lead of the general classification.

Christophe Laporte of Cofidis adds two seconds to his general classification lead.

Multiple crashes complicated the final 5 kilometers of the race which saw top teams take to the start.

Etoile de Bessèges this week to play host to three grand tour greats with career-defining questions to answer.

Mads Pedersen and Bauke Mollema also lead Trek-Segafredo at Bessèges debut in France.

The peloton stops to protest freezing cold, windy weather in French stage race, but organizers insist that the race continue

1. Anthony ROUX, FDJ, in 14:45 2. Jérémy ROY, FDJ, at :3 3. Lieuwe WESTRA, VACANSOLEIL-DCM, at :23 4. Arthur VICHOT, FDJ, at :28 5. Pierrick FEDRIGO, FDJ, at :30

1. Samuel DUMOULIN, AG2R LA MONDIALE, in 1:31:03 2. Bryan COQUARD, TEAM EUROPCAR, at 0 3. Mathieu DRUJON, BIGMAT-AUBER 93, at 0 4. Cyrille PATOUX, ROUBAIX LILLE METROPOLE, at 0 5. Jure KOCJAN, EUSKALTEL EUSKADI, at 0

Hivert uses the final time trial to vault out of second place and into the final leader's jersey

One stage remains — a short individual time trial through the streets of Ales

1. Bryan COQUARD, TEAM EUROPCAR, in 3:53:36 2. Frederique ROBERT, LOTTO-BELISOL, at 0 3. Samuel DUMOULIN, AG2R LA MONDIALE, at 0 4. Mathieu DRUJON, BIGMAT-AUBER 93, at 0 5. Bert DE BACKER, ARGOS-SHIMANO, at 0

1. Jerome COUSIN, TEAM EUROPCAR, in 3:40:02 2. Anthony ROUX, FDJ, at 0 3. Arthur VICHOT, FDJ, at 0 4. Romain BARDET, AG2R LA MONDIALE, at 0 5. Björn LEUKEMANS, VACANSOLEIL-DCM, at 0

The Europcar rider out-kicks a pair of FDJs to win the stage and take the overall lead

1. Bryan COQUARD, TEAM EUROPCAR, in 3:45:18 2. Michael VAN STAEYEN, TOPSPORT VLAANDEREN-BALOISE, at 0 3. Baptiste PLACKAERT, CRELAN-EUPHONY, at 0 4. Stefan VAN DIJK, ACCENT JOBS-WANTY, at 0 5. Cyrille PATOUX, ROUBAIX LILLE METROPOLE, at 0

Stage 2 ends in a bunch sprint, with Coquard pipping race leader Van Staeyen

1. Michael VAN STAEYEN, TOPSPORT VLAANDEREN-BALOISE, in 3:24:23 2. Frederique ROBERT, LOTTO-BELISOL, at 0 3. Justin JULES, LA POMME MARSEILLE, at 0 4. Kris BOECKMANS, VACANSOLEIL-DCM, at 0 5. Benjamin GIRAUD, LA POMME MARSEILLE, at 0

Belgian takes sprint ahead of Robert, Jules to open racing on the continent for 2013

Startlist for the UCI 2.1 Étoile de Bessèges

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1. Pierre ROLLAND , (FRA) Euc, in 3:55:54 2. Franck VERMEULEN , (FRA) Vru, +0 3. Nacer BOUHANNI , (FRA) Fdj, +7

1. Marcel KITTEL , (GER) Pro, in 5:03:38 2. Nacer BOUHANNI , (FRA) Fdj, +2 3. Bobbie TRAKSEL , (NED) Lan, +9

1. Marcel KITTEL , (GER) Pro, in 1:33:29 2. Kris BOECKMANS , (BEL) Vcd, +0 3. Nacer BOUHANNI , (FRA) Fdj, +0

The big German sprinter ace got it right in the weather-shortened stage to Saint-Ambroix

1. Nacer BOUHANNI , (FRA) Fdj, in 3:30:25 2. Marcel KITTEL , (GER) Pro, + 0 3. Bobbie TRAKSEL , (NED) Lan, + 0

Stage 5

• 1. Saïd Haddou (Fra), 3:06:46
• 2. Sven Jodts (Bel), Topsport Vlaanderen-Mercator, s.t.
• 3. Anthony Ravard (Fra), Ag2r La Mondiale, s.t.
• 4. Marco Marcato (Ita), s.t.
• 5. Samuel Dumoulin (Fra), Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne, s.t.

Final overall

• 1. Anthony Ravard (Fra), Ag2r La Mondiale, 17:46:10
• 2. Marco Marcato (Ita), at 0:07
• 3. Johnny Hoogerland (Ned), at 0:07
• 4. Pierrick Fedrigo (Fra), Française des Jeux, at 0:15
• 5. Jerome Coppel (Fra), Saur-Sojasun, at 0:19

Anthony Ravard (AG2R-La Mondiale) claimed overall victory in the Etoile de Bessèges on Sunday.

Stage 4

• 1. Stéphane Poulhies (Fra) Saur-Sojasun, 3:36:41
• 2. Marco Marcato (Ita), s.t.
• 3. Justin Jules (Fra), s.t.
• 4. Yauheni Hutarovich (Blr) Française des Jeux, s.t.
• 5. Benjamin Giraud (Fra), s.t.

Overall standings

• 1. Anthony Ravard (Fra) Ag2r La Mondiale, 14:39:31
• 2. Johnny Hoogerland (Ned), s.t.
• 3. Marco Marcato (Ita), at 0:02
• 4. Pierrick Fedrigo (Fra) Française des Jeux, at 0:08
• 5. Cyril Gautier (Fra), at 0:13

Anthony Ravard (Ag2r-La Mondiale) retakes the lead in the l'Etoile de Bessèges as

Stage 3

• 1. Samuel Dumoulin (Fra), Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne, 3:27:20
• 2. Johnny Hoogerland (Ned), at 0:00
• 3. Marco Marcato (Ita), at 0:00
• 4. Cyril Gautier (Fra), at 0:00
• 5. Steven Tronet (Fra), Roubaix Lille Metropole, at 0:00

Overall standings

• 1. Johnny Hoogerland (Ned), 11:02:50
• 2. Anthony Ravard (Fra), Ag2r La Mondiale, at 0:01
• 3. Marco Marcato (Ita), at 0:08
• 4. Pierrick Fedrigo (Fra), Française des Jeux, at 0:10
• 5. Cyril Gautier (Fra), at 0:13

Samuel Dumoulin (Cofidis) sprinted to victory in Friday’s third stage at the Étoile de Bessèges in southern France.

Stage:

• 1. Lloyd MONDORY, (FRA) Ag2r La Mondiale, in 4:03:38
• 2. Anthony RAVARD, (FRA) Ag2r La Mondiale, at 0
• 3. Aldo Ino ILESIC, (SLO) Team Type 1, at 0
• 4. Stéphane POULHIES, (FRA) Saur-Sojasun, at 0
• 5. Marco MARCATO, (ITA), at 0

• 1. Anthony RAVARD, (FRA) Ag2r La Mondiale, in 7:35:49
• 2. Lloyd MONDORY, (FRA) Ag2r La Mondiale, at 2
• 3. Yauheni HUTAROVICH, (BLR) Française des Jeux, at 2
• 4. Björn LEUKEMANS, (BEL), at 8
• 5. Aldo Ino ILESIC, (SLO) Team Type 1, at 8

French rider Lloyd Mondory delivered the first win of the season for Ag2r-La Mondiale after taking the flowers in Thursday’s second stage at the Étoile de Bessèges in southern France.

• 1. Yauheni HUTAROVICH, (BLR) Française des Jeux, at 3:32:23
• 2. Anthony RAVARD, (FRA) Ag2r La Mondiale, at 0
• 3. Björn LEUKEMANS, (BEL), at s.t.
• 4. Cédric PINEAU, (FRA) Française des Jeux, at 0
• 5. Saïd HADDOU, (FRA), at s.t.

The five-day “star” of Bessèges dates back to the early 1970s and has since grown into France’s first stage race of the year.

Yauheni Hutarovich (FDJ) won the opening stage of the five-day Étoile de Bessèges in Tuesday’s 150km run from Beaucaire to Bellegarde in southern France.

Samuel Dumoulin overcomes relegation in Stage 4 to take the overall at the Etoile de Bessèges.

French rider Arnaud Molmy pulled the double Saturday, winning the fourth stage at the l’Etoile de Bessèges and moving into the overall lead in what proved to be a controversial finale.

Samuel Dumoulin (Cofidis) notched a victory in Friday’s third stage at the l’Etoile de Bessèges. Dumoulin out-kicked Borut Bozic (Vacansoleil) to end his two-day winning streak at the five-day French race. Bozic, winner of the opening two stages, came through second and retained the overall lead.