Cyclingflash
The Rockets strike again! Clément Venturini claims La Roue Tourangelle

The Rockets strike again! Clément Venturini claims La Roue Tourangelle

The success continues for the Unibet Rose Rockets! After three Flemish wins for Dylan Groenewegen, Clément Venturini took victory on Sunday at La Roue Tourangelle. The Frenchman proved to be the fastest from a breakaway that escaped in the finale.

Everything unfolded in the shadow of In Flanders Fields, but there was also racing in France today, specifically in the Centre-Val de Loire region. In the 24th edition of the one-day race La Roue Tourangelle, they were searching for a successor to Erlend Blikra. The Norwegian did not start to defend his title, but the organizers could still boast the presence of some big names.

In-form rider Dylan Groenewegen was the most eye-catching name: the Dutch sprinter of Unibet Rose Rockets, after three consecutive wins on Belgian soil, was chasing his first victory of the season in France. However, he first had to deal with a tricky and certainly not flat course, as well as strong contenders like Bryan Coquard and Milan Menten.

Then there were also six attackers who made a brave attempt to stay ahead of the peloton. This breakaway group—including Belgian Kenny Molly, Frenchman Théo Delacroix, and Dutch rider Joeri Schaper—rode up front for a long time on Sunday.

Breakaway with Venturini pulls away, Frenchman seals the win
Towards the finale, however, their escape would end when a new breakaway formed on the Côte de l'Epan, 16 kilometers from the finish. Venturini, representing the Rockets, was part of this group, along with riders such as Mathis Le Berre, Aubin Sparfel, Bryan Coquard, Stan Van Tricht, and Martin Marcellusi.

In the last kilometers, this breakaway managed to hold off the peloton, after which Venturini sealed the victory in a sprint, giving Unibet Rose Rockets their fifth win of the season. Marcellusi and Matys Grisel joined Venturini on the podium after the race.