Faun Drome Classic 2024

February 25, 2024 The break of Antoine Hue of CIC U Nantes Atlantique, Noah Detalle of Bingoal WB and Alexander Konijn riding for Nice Métropole Côte d'Azur were caught with 55KM to go by UAE who controlled the race up to this point. Mattias Skjelmose of Lidl-Trek was the first to attack on an uphill with 39KM remaining. Juan Ayuso of UAE followed and a group of six nearly formed but Ayuso went again leaving just Skjelmose as company. On the decent, Maxim Van Gils was able to get across, leaving three other chasing between the front group and the peloton. Ayuso stopped riding in the front because teammate Marc Hirschi was coming across with Bastien Tronchon of Decathlon-AG2R and Warren Barguil of DSM-Firminich. The six had over a minute on the peloton with 20KM to go and only a few short steep climbs before the finish. Skjelmose was dropped with 13KM to go when Tronchon accelerated but he fought hard and closed a ten second gap to make it six at the front again. UAE played the numbers game and sent Hirschi solo with less than 5KM remaining. The gap was too large and the other resigned to fighting for podium spots. On the final uphill to the line, Ayuso got away to make it 1-2 for UAE. Van Gils was next, finishing third.