Created in 2022 but canceled last year, the Maryland Cycling Classic Return to the international calendar this Saturday, September 6 for its 3rd edition! The only professional race disputed on American soil this season, this classic offered a hilly journey of 172 km around Baltimore, with a demanding and spectacular urban circuit to travel six times and comprising two key difficulties: the Roland Park coast (1km to 4.7%) and the passage on the Orleans Street Viaduct. A layout using offensives that offered a lively and unbridled race, a group of 18 runners playing victory in the last circuit lap. And at the end of multiple twists and turns, seven beefy arrived at the sprint for the win … and the fastest of them is French and is called Sandy Dujardin (TotaalEnergies)!
Dujardin resists McNulty and rules Abrahamsen and Mayrhofer
Often placed but rarely winning, like his 2nd place on the Polynormande In August, the Punker Ardéchois signed the greatest victory of his career at 28, he who had so far raised his arms only on a stage of Rwanda Tour in 2022. And this success is more than deserved in view of its perfect management of the final in the last round: the only runner to have been able to follow the sharp attack on Brandon McNulty (which ran for the occasion with the jersey of the USA team) 16 terminals from the goal, the cyclo-cross specialist did not panic when returned Jonas Abrahamsen (Uno-X Mobility) et Mauro Schmid (Jayco alula) at first, then Marius Mayrhofer, Lawrence Warbasse (Tudor Pro Cycling) et Anders Halland Johannessen (UNO-X Mobility) Then. Confident, Dujardin Waited for the sprint and makes his speed to align to align Jonas Abrahamsen et Marius Mayrhoferyet known for their speed in this kind of configuration.
Note that the title holder Mattias Skjelmose (Lidl-Trek) was forced to abandon after a fall at the start of the race, another this season for him. For his part, the one who had mounted on the podium of the first two editions and was still part of the favorites of the day, Neilson Powless (EF Education-Easypost) was the victim of a puncture in the worst moment in the final, losing any chance of victory following this mechanical incident.
