Olav Kooij, last winner of the Circuit de la Sarthe

the dutch Olav Kooij (Jumbo Visma) has been proclaimed the final winner of 68th edition of the Circuit de la Sarthe after a dispute in the fourth and final stage, starting and ending at La Chapelle-Saint-Aubin with a route of 136.4 km, a day shortened by a storm of wind and rain that had a chaotic end in talon. The Danish leader was trapped in one of them mad petersen.

Olav Kooija young sprinter born 20 years ago in Numansdorp, won his second stage and the final yellow jersey at La Sarthe after accelerating the Belgian to a sprint between the two Xander Meurisse (Alpecin-Fenix), while the Italian Elijah Viviani (Ineos Grenadiers) took third place entering the finish line seconds behind the leading duo.

The leader of the general classification, mad petersen (Trek-Segafredo), had all the options to pick up the general, but he fell and could not resist to defend his yellow jersey.

Kooij He replaced Frenchman Alexis Gougeard, winner of the last edition held in 2019, on the list of winners.

The last stage had to be shortened by 43 km due to wind and rain, so only 136 km were traveled. A group of 9 runners developed the day break despite bad conditions. The leader’s Trek team then tried to control the breakaway, being interested in a sprint that didn’t change the general.

Eventually the peloton overruled the top 9 men and the sprinter teams went to the floor, along with Mark Cavendish’s Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl.

Then came the accidents. Two many waterfalls ruined the peloton. Xandro Meurisse (Alpecin-Fenix) and Olav Kooij (Jumbo-Visma) came out unscathed. Between the two the Dutchman won, signing the double and final victory. Pedersen mourned his fall a well -missed opportunity.