Boucles de la Mayenne 2023 – Stage 1 [FULL STAGE]

May 26, 2023

Boucles de la Mayenne 2023 – Stage 1 – Saint-Mars-sur-Colmont – Lassay-les-Châteaux : 185,2 km

The Boucles de la Mayenne is a multi-day stage race held in the Pays de la Loire region of Western France. Since its first edition in 1975 several notable riders have etched their names onto its winners list. In more recent years the race has been shortened to four days. The prologue was also ditched, with the 2021 edition the first in a long time to get rid of the race against the clock. This year’s event will follow a similar hilly route to that of the 2022 and 2021 editions, though we will see the return of the traditional prologue after a two-year absence.

Oier Lazkano (Movistar) claimed the lead of the Boucles de la Mayenne after riding away from his breakaway companions to win stage 2.

The Spaniard was part of a five-man escape that gained enough time to stay away. Lazkano left his companions behind on the final lap to solo to victory. Célestin Guillon (Van Rysel-Roubaix Lille Métropole) stayed clear for second along with Jacob Hindsgaul (Uno-X), who finished third.

Maël Guégan (CIC U Nantes Atlantique) and Thomas Devaux (St Michel-Mavic-Auber93), who also were in the day’s breakaway, were dropped and caught by the peloton before the finish.

Arnaud Démare (Groupama-FDJ) led the bunch sprint to the line in fourth.

Earlier in the stage, prologue winner Ivo Oliveira (UAE Team Emirates) came under attack by challengers Benoît Cosnefroy and Axel Zingle, but he matched his rivals. The five-man move went clear afterward, gaining almost five minutes

Lazkano finished with 41 seconds over the Oliveira group to take the race lead by 42 seconds over the Portuguese rider. Hindsgaul is third at 43 seconds with Zingle and Cosnefroy at 44 and 45 seconds, respectively.

Results :