Ah, the famous coast of Malate and some of its passages at 17% tilt! For generations, all cyclists from Besançon or even from Franche-Comté have had their legs stung and throbbing. Long ascent of 3.8km (at 9.3% on average), the Malate is the “queen” of all the many very steep bumps in Besançon and its surroundings.
And this coast of Malate will be climbed for the very first time in an official race on the occasion of the Classic Grand Besançon Doubs 2022, this April 15! And even rather twice than once!
Malate twice on the 2022 peloton menu
The ascent of the Malate coast is scheduled twice in the end of the course of this 2nd edition, unveiled by its organizers this Tuesday afternoon. History ofalso attract as many “puncher-climbers” as possible from the world peloton, between the Amstel Gold Race (April 10) and Paris-Roubaix (April 17)…
In addition to Haut-Saônois Thibaut Pinot (Groupama-FDJ) already announced at the start, as during the 1st edition in September 2021 – won by the surprising Eritrean Biniam Girmay Hailu – where another cador of planetary cycling, the Colombian Nairo Quintana, was also here !
New arrival at the Belvédère de Montfaucon, departure in Besançon always
The riders of this 2nd Classic Grand Besançon Doubs 2022 will start from downtown bisontine (Human Rights Esplanade), always for the fictitious departure. But the finishing line (in Marchaux in 2021) will be drawn, after about 180 km, on the heights of the Franche-Comté capital: at Belvedere of Montfaucon, the traditional terminus of the Malate coast. The peloton will also be entitled to two other new climbs this year: the coast of Amagney and that of Abbans-Dessus, in the course – “still to be refined, in places” – which will still cross more than half of the 68 municipalities of Grand Besançon.
The organizers of the Classic Grand Besançon Doubs are also those of the Tour du Jura, whose2022 edition will take place the next day (Saturday April 16) Between Champagnole and nozeroy, on a route of approximately 160 km.