In a festive atmosphere in every municipality that the athletes passed on to the 5th and final PPC Tour of Hellas 2025 and the impressive turnout of the world at the fascinating end at Syntagma Square, XDS Astana was the team that had the group’s triumphant teammate, 25 Kazakhstan.
Lopez was the one with the best of five or in accuracy in the four recorded days of the round, as the third suburb was interrupted and canceled due to adverse weather conditions.
In the last submarine, from the Marathon to the Constitution, which was flooded with thousands of people, in the 4th year of the revival of the round, XDS Astana attempted to protect Lopez’s lead and neutralize – unsuccessfully as it turned out – the threat of the winner of the fourth. Diego Ulisi, in terms of third place. The second place was “guaranteed” by Anton Siffer of Bike Aid.
The other World Tour team of this year’s round Jayco Alula, like all the rest, had as their main goal in this last part of the fight in Attica, to claim the victory in the District in front of the unknown soldier’s monument and the Greek Parliament.
The Australian team struggled hard to put Dylan Knevegen in the final sprint position, but the Dutch champion was defeated again – as in Agrinio – in the last meters by Matteo Mosquetti of Q36.5, who became the best team!
The only jersey that changed its holder in the last scene was that of the sprinting of the sprints, won by XDS Astana’s Diego Ulisi. The Unibet Tietema Rockets of Giovanni Carboni maintained the Mountains and Thomas Printal of Elkov-Kasper of the best young cyclist.
It was a very beautiful finale in a cycling round that every year gets better and this year had a very high -level spectacle and intense competition.
Present were in the Constitution were Deputy Minister of Sports Yiannis Broutsis, EEA President Isidoros Kouvelos, UK Ambassador to Athens, Matthew Lodz, Ambassador of France to Athens Lorandes Auer, President Organization.
“We must be very proud that Greece has managed to make a very important international cycling round with our ultimate goal of emerging in one of the most important in the world,” Mr Vroutsis said, congratulating all participants.
The statement by Mrs Auer, the ambassador of France, is typical that Greece is trying to reach the levels of the renowned round of France!
The match
At the beginning of the neapstone in Neo Voutza, it was clear that the strong teams’ intention with the powerful sprinters controlling the pace.
The first sprint of line came very early, at the 10th kilometer in Artemis. The XDS Astana wanted to bring Diego Ulisi in the front to get the three points and the corresponding seconds in order to spend the Unibet Tietema Rockets. Despite the presence of Gleb Shiritsa, also of the XDS Astana, in the sprint, the Frenchman managed to get a third behind the Russian and took a point and at the same time a second, which temporarily brought him to the same place of the virtual rankings as Ulisi.
Shortly thereafter, the first group of the detached ones formed, which would claim the points in the first mild (category 4) ascension sprint in Keratea (35.4 km). The maximum of the points was taken by George Radklif (Xspeed United Continental) and the two and one, Markhotel Valkenburg (Parkhotel Valkenburg). The Mazowsze Serce Polski, the fourth of the group, was left with empty hands.
Duba, Helta and Stewart formed the triads in the trinity that won the points (3-2-1) and Radclifis, Herta and Walter Kaltsoni (Q36.5). In this development, Jovani Carboni of Unibet Tietema Rockets first emerged as the mountain ranking.
Radcliff arrived at the Constitution by about 40 ” from Peloton and a little in front of the second round of the Sirkoui to win the third sprint from Mer and Ulisi, who continued to fight their own battle for the third place.
Prior to the third passage from the Constitution and two left, the Emilian villa of the Greek national team headed and raised the crowded public. The role of the villa in the penultimate turn was played by Cypriot Andreas Miltiadis and as soon as the bell sounded the big battle between Jayco Alula began, with the spearhead of Dylan Khrounevegen, Q36.5 with Matteo Mosquet and XDS.
The Dutch champion began the final sprint first, but Mosquetti proved stronger and closed the round of Greece in the same way that he started him; his second victory in the seal. Khrounevegen went second to the finish line and Siritsa third. Lopez finished 22nd in the large groups in the mass sprint and became the winner of the PPC Tour of Hellas 2025.
Nikiforos Arvanitou and George Bouglas, ninth and tenth respectively, finished high and last.
Statements
Nikiforos Arvanitou: “After yesterday, today was a difficult day. The dump was beautiful, we saw the Athenian Riviera, the places we train the Athenians. We had high expectations in this downturn, it was a finish sprint in the Constitution. We wanted the top ten and we did it.
In the end the sprint was very fast, it was uphill and I think we did very well. We could believe and better, but we are satisfied. ”
Thomas Printal: “I’m very happy to be here, defending this beautiful jersey after a year. I want to thank my team. The kids did a great job on every dump. I want to thank all of my team’s staff. They did a great job. ”
Giovanni Carbone: “I feel good. In the end, it was a sunny day today and we enjoyed the nightmare. Yesterday, it was a very difficult race, one of the hardest races I have fought, and I think we did the best we could with the first place in the mountain rankings. ”
Mateo Mosquet: “I’m very pleased. I am glad to have a second victory this week and especially in this last last year. I really liked this year’s PPC Tour of Hellas, though we were unlucky over time in two sides. Today the weather was good, the nightmare with the coastline, and the finish in such a beautiful city was perfect. ”
Vassilis Anastopoulos (Head of Performance of the XDS Astana Team): “It was a goal since the beginning of the season, when we got the invitation, to come to fight in PPC Tour of Hellas. We had put as a priority to bring two very good athletes, two good uphill and we did. Not only to win the blue jersey, but also the points and the fourth in the overall rankings, so we are definitely happy.
It was a very good event with a very good night for all terrains. We saw sprinters who were uphill and uphill and cyclists for the general. Unfortunately, the weather was not our ally in the third stage, but I think everything went well and we were offered a spectacle.
It is a special feeling to win the round of Greece both as an athlete (in 2003) and as a coach. We saw it this morning when we looked at the statistics. It’s very special and of course only happy I can be. ”
Diego Ulizi: “I am very happy to have won the score of points. I am also very happy for Harold (Martin Lopez). For me of course it wasn’t a super appearance today, but I did better than the beginning of the week. Today I tried to climb the podium. My sprint was not very good, but in general I am satisfied with the jersey and appearance of my team. ”
Martin Lopez: “Very good look for my team. We all stayed together. For me it was a very special victory, my first as a professional. I am very happy and I want to enjoy the moment. As far as the last scene is concerned, it was technical and hidden dangers. We were aiming for the overall classification and we all worked together to take the right place in the front group. We managed to win the general jersey, so everything went well. “
I am currently a news writer for News Bulletin247 where I mostly cover sports news. I have always been interested in writing and it is something I am very passionate about. In my spare time, I enjoy reading and spending time with my family and friends.
