23 Sep 2022

Time of Ronde de l’Isard: the last stage race of the Structure 23 this season, a tribute to the Pyrenees.

45º Ronde de l’Isard
From 28 September to 2 October

The route, nihil novum sub sole, is extremely tough. And the weather at the start of autumn in this corner of the French Pyrenees will also play its part. It’s the custom, it’s the norm. It is the weather and the route that characterises a Ronde de l’Isard that is always demanding. A benchmark race in the U23 calendar where cold, rainy and misty days are not uncommon. Dreams of professionalism in autumn cycling. Five days, in short, the kind of days that build up a passion.

The U23 team of the Foundation returns to the French Ronde de l’Isard, the race in which Fernando Tercero was one of the main protagonists in the fight for the final overall, a classification in which he finally finished second. The rider from La Mancha faces his last race of the season leading a team with great climbing skills. David Domínguez, Ramón Fernández, Arnau Gilabert, Antonio González and Pablo Uría complete a ‘sextet’ that will be led by Rafa Díaz Justo.

Those climbing skills will be very relevant for the French race. They always are, but in this 2022 edition the organisation proposes up to four mountain stages, three of them with a mountain finish. The first section will be the most favourable for sprinters and fast men and the first sector of the second day will be a team time trial. The second sector of the first day will reach the ski resort of Gavarnie, with four very hard final kilometres with constant gradients of around 9%, after passing the mythical, historic and referential Col du Tourmalet (2,115 metres). Guzet Neige, Goulier Neige and the traditional stage to Saint Girons before the chained Col de Lers-Col d’Agnes and Col du Latrape will be the stage for the difficulty of the next three stages.

Stages
Stage 1 (28 September): Castelsarrasin – Saverdun (157,1 km).

Stage 2, sector 1 (29 September): Bagnères de Bigorre (22,4 km TTT).