Only eight days left before the big start of the Route d’Occitanie 2022, Thursday June 16 in Séméac, near Tarbes (Hautes-Pyrénées). After the Giro d’Italia, and before the Tour de France, the different teams have chosen their riders for the Occitan event.
As he had announced, Nairo Quintana will be there. For the Colombian climber, it will be the last preparation race before the Tour de France. Nairo Quintana has already won the Route d’Occitanie twice, in 2012 and 2016. This year, he will be supported in particular by Nicolas Edet, within the Arkéa-Samsic team, to try to win a new edition.
But Quintana will have to come up against defending champion Antonio Pedrero. The Spaniard, who overthrew the 2021 edition at Mourtis, will try to keep his crown, as leader of the Movistar team.
Sivakov, Carr and Calmejane to wear the Occitan colors
Among the other suitors are Pavel Sivakov, the Franco-Russian of Ineos-Grenadiers. The Commingeois, who grew up in Soueich, will be the leader of his team. He is coming out of a very convincing Tour of Italy, where he put himself at the service of Richard Carapaz, who wore the pink jersey before collapsing in the penultimate stage.
There will also be Simon Carr (EF Education – Easy Post) the Briton from Limoux. As for Lilian Calmejane, the Tarnais of AG2R Citroën, he will wear bib 81…
Démare and Viviani among the sprinters
Among the sprinters, Arnaud Démare is present, as almost every year. The leader of Groupama-FDJ arrives in full force, after winning the points classification of the Tour of Italy. He will be supported by the indestructible Béarnais Mathieu Ladagnous.
Main opponent: Elia Viviani, the sprinter of Ineos Grenadiers. Nicolo Bonifazio should defend the chances of Total Energies.