European Cycling Championships 2023: 18-year-old Dane becomes U23 European champion, two Germans in the top 10

Pedersen is part of the strong young male riders from Denmark, who are picking up numerous medals at the European Cycling Championships. After Albert Philipsen, who has already won the junior time trial, as well as silver and bronze in the U23 time trial by Carl-Frederik Bevort and Gustav Wang, he is already the fourth young rider from the country of Tour de France winner Jonas Vingegaard to travel home decorated.

>> Overview of all competitions at the 2023 European Cycling Championships

Pedersen (Team ColoQuick) pulled away right at the start of the 136.5 kilometre race with the Spanish Tour de l'Avenir stage winner Ivan Romeo (Movistar) and the Pole Mateusz Gajdulewicz to build up a four-minute cushion. The trio had this maximum lead when they turned onto the 13.7 kilometre long circuit around the VAM mountain, which had to be cycled five times.

While it had been completely flat from the start in Hoogeveen, the mountain with its up to 15 per cent gradient now got in the way once per lap. While Pedersen and Romeo were able to shake off the Pole, the peloton constantly reduced its gap - at least until the 100-kilometre mark. There, the gap stagnated at one and a half minutes until the last lap, so it was foreseeable that the winner would be one of the breakaway riders.

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And so Pedersen broke away on the first of two climbs, the cobbled section, on the last lap and rode towards the finish as a soloist. The chasing group then closed in on the escapees, but the 20-year-old Romeo was able to save silver. Teutenberg (Leopard - TOGT) and Henri Uhlig (Alpecin - Deceuninck Devo) were well placed in the finale and were able to keep up in the final uphill sprint. Teutenberg finished 6th and Uhlig 10th, with bronze going to France's Paul Magnier, who is also only 19.

European Cycling Championships 2023: Results road race U23 men

1. Henrik Pedersen (Denmark) 3:00:12
2. Ivan Romeo (Spain) +0:25
3. Paul Magnier (France) +0:37
4. Madis Mihkels (Estand) +0:38
5. Matyas Kopecky (Czech Republic) +0:38
6. Tim Torn Teutenberg (Germany) +0:38
7. Francesco Busatto (Italy) +0:38
8. Fabio Christen (Switzerland) +0:38
9. Davide de Pretto (Italy) +0:40
10. Henri Uhlig (Germany) +0:40

First gold for the Netherlands

Ilse Pluimers secured the first gold for the hosts in the U23 women's race. On the 108 kilometres between Coevorden and the VAM mountain, which had to be crossed on five laps, the 21-year-old won ahead of Anna Shackley (Great Britain) and Linda Zanetti (Switzerland). The best German, Linda Riedmann, finished 33 seconds behind the winner in the peloton in 22nd place, while Antonia Niedermaier, who had already won silver in the time trial, crossed the line two riders later.

Zoe Backstedt (Great Britain), who had secured gold in the battle against the clock ahead of Niedermaier and was also considered the favourite in the road race, attacked on the fourth ascent of the mountain, but was then placed again. And so they went into the absolute final together. In the uphill sprint, the main group, which had shrunk to 30 riders, was first stretched out and then completely split up. Pluimers had the best legs.

European Cycling Championships 2023: Results road race U23 women

1. Ilse Pluimers (Netherlands) 2:46:33
2. Anna Shackley (Great Britain) +0:01
3. Linda Zanetti (Switzerland) +0:01
4. Gaia Masetti (Italy) +0:05
5. Marie Schreiber (Luxembourg) +0:13
6. Julia Kopecky (Czech Republic) +0:14
7. Noemi Rüegg (Switzerland) +0:22
8. Fem van Empel (Netherlands) +0:22
9. Eleonora Gasparrini (Italy) +0:24
10. Dominika Wlodarczyk (Poland) +0:25