Jeune et opportuniste. La 𝑠𝑞𝑢𝑎𝑑𝑟𝑎 ARKEA-B&B HOTELS pour notre 2ème participation au Giro ! 🇮🇹 Le briefing 👇 arkea-bbhotels.com/didier-rous-un…
Arkéa-B&B Hotels opts for a bunch of stage hunters, but also includes Dekker and Biermans in their lineup for the Giro
CyclingWednesday, 01 May 2024 at 09:19
Arkéa-B&B Hotels unveiled their selection for the Giro d'Italia (May 4-26) on Tuesday morning. While big names like Arnaud Démare, Vincenzo Albanese, or Kévin Vauquelin are absent, the team does feature Jenthe Biermans, a Belgian, and David Dekker, a Dutchman.
Starting with the swift David Dekker, the 26-year-old Dutchman nearly clinched his first professional victory at his second Giro last year but ultimately had to concede the win to Jonathan Milan after a chaotic finale. This season, the fast Dutchman has already secured two podium finishes at the GP Jean-Pierre Monséré and the Region Pays de la Loire Tour. According to team director Didier Rous, Dekker is the designated sprinter and should be aiming for a stage win. The competition is tough, but he will have several opportunities. His experience with this race and its suitability for him are advantages that David needs to capitalize on.
When the road starts to climb in the more treacherous sprint stages and Dekker falls back, Jenthe Biermans will be pushed forward. In all other situations, he is considered the road captain by the team management, but "indeed, there will also be opportunities for him when certain stages of this Giro are contested by smaller groups. He is a fast rider who reads the race well and often knows how to get the best out of it, and above all, he knows how to win. A valuable asset." The 30-year-old Belgian has already demonstrated his ability to win this season with a victory at the Route Adelie de Vitré.
Last year, Dekker narrowly missed out on the second stage to Jonathan Milan.
The French 'diamond' could also cause surprises
Lastly, Ewen Costiou is spotlighted. The 21-year-old Frenchman is making his debut in a grand tour and has already made his mark this season with a win at the Region Pays de la Loire Tour, where he also finished second in the GC. Additionally, he finished in the top twenty at Paris-Nice and was active in Paris-Camembert, the Tour des Alpes Maritimes, and the Tour of Provence, securing several top finishes.
"Ewen is primarily here to learn, explore, and successfully get through the three weeks," starts team director Laurent Pichon. "But we can also expect some surprises from him, just as we have since the start of 2024. The Arkéa-B&B Hotels team participating in this Giro d'Italia is young, but the Giro offers great opportunities for attackers and riders who thrive in fast races. Ewen fits into that category. Our team might just spring some surprises."
Selection Arkéa-B&B Hotels Giro d'Italia 2024
Louis Barré
Alan Riou
Alessandro Verre
Ewen Costiou
David Dekker
Michel Ries
Donovan Grondin
Jenthe Biermans
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Latest Comments
- Well explained, thanks for the clarity! Daniel DantasDanieldantas20-12-2024
- This is the kind of 'news' that belongs in a cheap tabloid. No matter how boring the offseason gets, nobody wants to read this.
santiagobenites19-12-2024 - I wish we could have seen him try. He'd absolutely get dropped before Pogi overtakes his domestiquesVeganpotter10-12-2024
- Talk is cheap! Next year barring crashes with a healthy team... all well be on track! Some need to talk to make a headline!mootman27-11-2024
- I do not see this event listed on HBO Max Sports Online? Can anyone confirm? Thanks!
MrYuck23-11-2024 - It seemed that he was focusing forward at the time of the crash, after seeing a quick video snippet. But one thing I think he should focus on more intently is breaking a bad habit he has, right now. And that is his constant looking over his shoulders. He does that so much, that I am very sure it is not good for him. Simply watch videos of the greats of CX and you will see very little of that constant looking over their shoulders. That is a behavior that betrays a bit of insecurity on his part. He shouldn't be so concerned, incessantly, about what is over his shoulder. He needn't worry they didn't all disappear. He neds to keep his focus more ahead of himself, and he needs to pay a bit more attention to himself, in a confident manner. It is very frustrating to watch, because it is apparent that he has a lot of potential, and is in much better shape thwan many of his competitors, but the mental game needs to be sharpened more, because that part of strategy plays a huge part in the final results
reemmo022-11-2024 - hahahaha love this shit! I didnt even watched the race, but reading all the gossip articles of how stupid this is!Zatoichi19-11-2024
- Van Aert is really handsome. He can influence me all day! Ditto for Philipsen. Why do you think many of us love cycling?: to see heroic attempts at climbing mountains at high altitudes or to watch speedsters sprint for the finish line or to watch a human being ride at break neck speed down a tricky descent? No, it's all about their lean physiques and muscular legs. (apologies for objectifying these dedicated and amazing athletes).BarwonHeadsUp25-10-2024
- It is unfortunate that the author can't feel the joy that Pogacar brings to the sport and his fans who are legion and I for one feel lucky to have watched such a memorable performance and historic season From the Strada until yesterday with multiple wins in stages in both tours and beyond dominance in the World's. He is proud to wear the Rainbow stripes, shows his leadership to protect his fellows and is as courteous and sportsman-like as the sport allows. He goes early to not have to respond to each attack as all the rest would make him do it. Any racer who could would do the same. Don't "grow tired" of greatness as it is always fleeting.ccrider13-10-2024
- What load of rubbish. Pog is likely a once in a generation cyclist, the like of which hasn't been seen since 'the Cannibal '. How many people were complaining that Merckx was making racing predictable? I remember this year's World RR as one of the most exciting I've watched. Mainly BECAUSE Pog was the favourite and launched what everyone thought (Pog included) was a suicidal attack with 80km to go. For the next 2 hours, I was on the edge of my seat thinking "this is too much, even for Pog". Maybe Zonnefeld prefers the snooze-fest that is a bunch sprint? Like most people I know, I can't watch two hours of the bunch riding very fast... I wait for the final 5km and watch just the sprint. In any event, most races are won from a sprint or lone break. What difference does it make who makes the lone break? Ultimately, the other contenders will have to figure out a way to beat Pog. Even if that means collaboration between teams. It's going to be an exciting few seasons, until the next Pog arrives on the scene. If this is boring, heaven knows what exciting looks like!Michael513-10-2024