Etoile de Bessèges 2024: Samuel Leroux, the nice surprise

Samuel Leroux, le premier surpris, par sa victoire à Méjannes-le-Clap. Midi Libre – Alexis BETHUNE

Dans l’échappée, le Français a résisté au retour du peloton pour s'imposer lors de la 4e étape à Méjannes-le-Clap, samedi 3 février. Pedersen reste leader.

''Fuck, finally! It’s not true… After years of work." These are the first words of Samuel Leroux, sobs in his voice and tears in the corners of his eyes just after his victory during the 4th stage of the Étoile de Bessèges in Méjannes-le-Clap. Surprised by the image of his gesture with both hands on his helmet as he crossed the line in the lead.

The French runner could be because how can you think when you have escaped with big names like the Swiss Stefan Bisseger (EF Education), the Belgian Dries De Bondt (Décathlon-AG2R), the Norwegian Jonas Iversby Hvideberg (Uno-X) and the other Frenchman Léo Danès (CIC U Nantes-Atlantique) who can be imposed ?

#cyclisme #etoiledeBesseges2024 Victoire de Samuel Le Roux pic.twitter.com/WKhxBmVcvo

— Midi Libre Sports (@MidiLibreSports) February 3, 2024

How can we think that we can get ahead of a peloton when we have spent more than 100 km in the lead and the lead has never exceeded 3 minutes of lead ? How can we think that we can win when on the last climb less than a kilometer from the finish we are left behind by riders like De Bondt and Hvideberg ? How can we think that we can win when the peloton comes back to level in the final straight ?

And yet Samuel Leroux did it by managing his effort well and pulling a huge gear to cut the line in front of everyone. The greatest victory in the career of this 29-year-old rider who has always played in his region of birth and in Continental level teams (3rd Division).

Pedersen untouchable in the final time trial ?

A success which recalls the origins of the Étoile de Bessèges when the race was of less interest to the big teams in the peloton. But they are now on the roads of Gard and it is still the Dane Mads Pedersen who occupies first place in the ranking, he nevertheless finished in 9th place in the sprint.

The former world champion who is still 6 seconds ahead of Frenchman Axel Laurance is in a good position to win the event, this Sunday, February 4, in Alès on a time trial that he won last year. Vauquelin (Arkea) and Geniets (Groupama-FDJ) at 12 and 16 seconds seem too far away to make up their gap.