Cyclist Pier-André Côté fought again for the top 10 on the final stage of the Saudi Tour in the luxury and warmth of the Middle Eastern sun.
With the jersey of the Canadian champion on his shoulders, the athlete from Lévis has started the 2023 season well, immersed in the sublime setting of the Saudi Arabian desert.
Photo: AFP
The peloton passed ancient carved Nabatean tombs as it crossed the al-Hijr archaeological site during Friday’s final test.
Before crowning a winner, the 102 runners were able to discover the wonders of AlUla over 143 kilometers, with a push into the heart of the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Hegra site.
Unsurprisingly, the kingdom wants to smooth out its image. The Tour of Oman and the Tour of the United Arab Emirates follow in the Gulf.
“AlUla is a tourist village that we want to promote here. Say what we want about the political situation, but we were still able to see some very beautiful sights. The landscapes are breathtaking, sometimes surreal. The rock formations are impressive too,” explains Côté, well aware of the resources the organization puts into offering a perfect experience, far from European pressures.
“Organizing a bike race in the desert is a concept in itself,” said New Zealander Jack Bauer.
wind and sand
Photo: AFP
The cyclists had quite a race in the Saudi desert.
The Italian Simone Consonni (Cofidis) finally won the sprint ahead of Matteo Malucelli (Bingoal WB) and Pascal Ackermann (UAE Team Emirates). The general classification goes to the Portuguese Ruben Guerreiro (Movistar), who finished the race in the peloton.
The slightly lesser-known Guerreiro, 28, won for the first time after a stage race. Dylan Groenewegen (Jayco AlUla) wins the points classification as the winner of a stage in last year’s Tour de France.
Going into that fifth and final stage, the top three in the general classification were less than 10 seconds away.
With a slight difference of 60 degrees Celsius, Pier-André Côté did not have to fear frostbite when Le Journal contacted him on Friday evening.
Rather, the wind and the sand played a role in the race.
“I was in front every day. I’m making progress, even if I’m a little disappointed. I was almost always in the top 10. My goals are a bit later in the season but I have good legs. The first two days our sprinters crashed so the circumstances worked for me. With a better execution, I’m confident that I can aim for the podium,” explained the 25-year-old cyclist.
Near the top
With such a close finish, Côté climbed to eighth place overall before falling back slightly, losing just a minute on stage four.
He never finished below 11th on the other four days, which is encouraging for the future. Another Quebecer, Nickolas Zukowsky, turned 34.
Pier-André Côté, still a member of the Human Powered Health team, will soon travel to Belgium to open the pre-season classics. He plans to compete against Omloop, Samyn and possibly Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne before defending his title at the Criquielion Grand Prix, which he won in 2022.
among the elites
At the end of March he should also leave for Gent-Wevelgem.
In June, the cyclist will certainly want to defend his national title, which he won by beating Guillaume Boivin in the sprint.
Also at the 35th Tour de Beauce it is not impossible to see him. His dream of taking the last step to the World Tour is alive and well.
“I don’t want to set a deadline for my career. I just want to keep moving up and I still believe I can compete in the greatest races in the world,” concludes the Laval University actuarial graduate student.