In an assertive display, Lore De Schepper from AG Insurance – Soudal U23, commanded the roads of Chambéry to clinch a solo victory at the 21st Grand Prix de Chambéry. The young rider dominated the challenging 112-kilometre course that traversed the streets of Chambéry le Vieux, Landiers-zone, Voglans, Sonnaz, and circled back to Chambéry le Vieux.
From the outset, the race pace was conservative, but it wasn’t long before De Schepper found her moment to break away. “At the start, it was quite slow; we were still a large group. One girl attacked alone for two laps, and then on the first major climb, three people attacked and I went with them,” De Schepper explained. The initial lone front-runner, Maria Yapura Plaza from Grand Est-Komugi, quickly became De Schepper’s target. She caught and decisively overtook Yapura with less than 40 kilometres to the finish, not looking back from there. “I kept riding without seeing the peloton and managed to reach the finish alone without being caught,” she recounted.
De Schepper’s performance was particularly notable for her unexpected solo effort, which she hadn’t initially planned. “I thought a small group might come back to me, I wasn’t expecting a solo raid, but it’s cool,” she smiled, reflecting on her surprising yet successful strategy.
The climactic moments of the race saw De Schepper excel on the penultimate climb, realising that her lead might just hold. “I thought if I survived the second-last climb, I would be capable of staying in front and that’s exactly what I managed to do,” she said. Despite a minor gear issue in the final 400 metres that left her unable to shift to her biggest gear, De Schepper’s lead was enough to keep her ahead of the chasing pack.
Securing her position as a climber, De Schepper commented on her affinity for hilly courses, which suit her riding style more than the flat terrains. “I think I’m more of a climber. I’ve never done really long climbs in a race but smaller climbs suit me well, not exactly like the Classics but something in between. I think on harder races I should perform well and on flatter races, I should probably help the team,” she elaborated, setting her sights on her next challenge at the Gracia Orlova race.
2024 Grand Prix de Chambéry result
Results powered by FirstCycling.com
Main photo credit: Thierry Guillot
