After winning the elite Tour du Pays Roannais race last weekend, Artus Jaladeau continued his winning streak on Sunday 9 July by winning one of the most difficult and noted amateur gran fondo events anywhere in the world – L’Etape du Tour.

“I have no words. Winning this [14th] stage of the Tour de France is very special. It is one of the biggest cyclos in the world and I am obviously very happy to win it,” Jaladeau commented afterwards.

The 23 year-old Frenchman, racing for OFC Team Legend Wheels, finished the mountainous 157km Tour de France route in 4:31:28. Dimitri Bussard of Switzerland was next at 4:32:54, almost one-and-a-half minutes down. The French Damien Jeanjean took third place in 4:34:04. 2022 L’Etape du Tour Champion and UCI Gran Fondo World Champion Stefan Kirchmair finished a distant 19th, over sixteen minutes behind Jaladeau.

For the women, the 36 year-old Czech superstar Martina Sablikova, three-time Olympic champion and eleven-time world speed skating champion, did the whole race in the lead and won by over twelve minutes in 5:19:39. Oceane Mahe was next at 5:32:03, followed by Camille Udny in 5:39:14.

“It was a really very difficult day with the heat and relief, but I love this region and the public was great with me by encouraging me in all the climbs,” Sablikova said.

Racing from Annemasse to Morzine in the French Alps, over 12,000 amateur cyclists participated in L’Etape du Tour on a very hot summer day, with temperatures reaching 32C on the 157km course with over 4100m of vertical ascent.

Photo Credit: Facebook/letapedutour

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