Two years after taking up cycling seriously, Olivier Godfroid has claimed his second Gran Fondo Mont Ventoux Lapierre title after racing 122 kilometers with 3500 vertical meters to finish solo atop the mythical Mont Ventoux.

From a field of 4000 riders, the 27 year-old from Merksem, Belgium, fresh off of winning the epic Mallorca 312, rode everyone off his wheel – from the start in Vaison la Romaine.

While in 2021 he attacked 8 kilometers from the finish, this year he attacked 8 kilometers after the start, with only two riders able to stay with him. But soon he dropped his companions and found himself pedaling alone. “I wanted to continue on my own and I kept pedaling, but in the end no one came to me and I had enough lead to win.” he told Gazette Van Antwerpen.

Godfroid crossed the finish line under the iconic red and white Ventoux radio tower in 3:53:06, almost five minutes ahead of 23 year-old professional rider Arthur Blance (Swiss Racing Academy). Leo Maisonobe finished third, nine minutes down.

Not satisfied with two major wins this season, Godfroid has set a goal of winning the 2022 UCI Gran Fondo World Championships in September on a very mountainous course in Trento, Italy. In May he qualified for the world championships at UCI Gran Fondo Vosges and will continue his training at the 174 kilometer Marmotte Granfondo Alps in July, including the Tour de France worthy climbs of the Télégraphe, Gailibier and another epic finish up the 21 hairpin turns of Alpe d’Huez.

Complete Gran Fondo Mont Ventoux results HERE.

Photos: Gran Fondo Mont Ventoux