Filippo Ganna wins final time-trial in Etoile de Bessèges and Thomas wins the General Classification
Cycling
The time-trial world champion didn't disappoint and fulfilled the expectations put on him by winning his first race of the season, whilst Benjamin Thomas managed to retain his leadership to take the overall win.
The 11 kilometer time-trial is a tradition sight at the race and once again it provided for a lot of spectacle so as to close a tight GC battle. With a tough hilltop finish to it the GC riders were also evident to be in the first places, which was the case.
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Magnus Cort Nielsen and Alex Kirsch were between the early leaders but Filippo Ganna took the start early on and upon grabbing the lead he never again let go. Mads Pedersen and Benjamin Thomas wrapped up the Top 3.
The latter also successfully defended his lead of the race, putting time on Alberto Bettiol and Tobias Johannessen who wrapped up the podium.

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A founding contributor to CyclingUpToDate since its launch in January 2022, Ruben Silva has played a central role in shaping the site’s editorial direction and long-term growth. Before joining the project, he built his experience through independent blogging at Echelons Hub and by producing race previews for Ciclismo Internacional, developing a strong analytical voice rooted in daily engagement with professional cycling.
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- I would love to have his inconsistency. How many wins this year? 2 TdF stages, a WC, a Euro championship, San Sebastian, multiple wins early year. Monument podiums. I'd take it. I don't think he has a chance in the TdF, but he is still amazing.mij04-11-2026
- He's not going to win the TdF. Maybe if they make every single stage a TT he could win. But I still believe Tadej would just sharpen his TT skills and win.mij04-11-2026
- You beat me to it. Should he make a full recovery (likely) and go light early in the year. One, two, three. Don't ask me, I don't give a damn. Should he be on a Feel-Like-He's-Fixin'-to-Die High.Yepperoni04-11-2026
- The deciding factor may be the (TBD) number of (any type of) kilometers without Pogacar.Yepperoni04-11-2026
- Unexplained chronic fatigue is an all too common bitch. The hard to find definitive answer may lie buried in gut mechanisms. A mystery of the deep.Yepperoni04-11-2026
- It's weird to say Evenepoel would be making a "serious mistake by adding the 2027 Giro d'Italia to his calendar, warning that such a decision could even be interpreted as a lack of confidence in his ability to win the Tour de France." It may well be a mistake but with so many commentators (of all sorts) continuously claiming almost everything Remco does as being a mistake, almost nobody should care what the pundits and the disparagers should say. His team may not want him to do the Giro, and that matters. But it's possibly or probably up to Remco to decide and it may not have to be decided on until a month or so ahead of the race. Yes , Remco is inconsistent much like the majority of the best riders but he's enjoying a period of not having been recently injured (or sick). Whatever he does he need not be concerned with critics who will second guess any perceived failure no matter what. I suspect he will have enough other races on his schedule so he won't be considering it. But the worst reason to not race it is because of what some will say - humorous that be.Yepperoni04-11-2026
- I'll say clean sweep all grand tourZamorano04-11-2026
- And the place he calls home is in Slovenia with his parents.RidesHills04-11-2026
- I think Tadej will be working on his new C7 TT position for the Tour de France :-)frieders304-11-2026
- Every great cyclist has at least two Giro/Tour doubles, and in modern cycling or what we call modern cycling, Miguel Indurain is the only guy to do it twice. I think Tadej should go for it and commit if he is putting up good numbers somewhere around January/February.awp04-11-2026
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🏅🇮🇹Filippo Ganna (@INEOSGrenadiers) se lleva la victoria en la Etapa 5 de la Etoile de Bességes 2022 🏆🇫🇷Benjamin Thomas (@TeamCOFIDIS) se proclama Campeón de la Etoile de Bességes 2022 🇫🇷 #EDB2022 #EtoiledeBesseges #Noticiclismo #Ciclismo
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