Matt Taggert may have faced a frustrating period earlier this year when his planned racing season in France went up in smoke due to Covid19, but the Irish rider is more than making up for it now.
He took a very strong victory at the Tour du Jura Suisse, in Switzerland, at the weekend from a field that included many of the best elite teams in Europe, the Swiss national team and also young riders who have been signed by WorldTour teams for the remainder of the season.
Teggart, a seasoned campaigner who has represented Ireland at the road Europeans and worlds, was among a group of almost 20 riders that approached the finish together after the relentless pace on the lumpy course had decimated the peloton.
And in the final uphill sprint for the line the Irish rider, who has previously ridden for Le Col Wiggins and An Post Chainreaction, proved too strong for the opposition and took a brilliant win.
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He pulled clear of the others a little in that final sprint and beat French rider Alan Jousseaume (Vendée U) into 2nd place by one second. Teggart's team mate, Australian ride Harrison Bailey, rounded out the podium.
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Cyrille Thiery of the Swiss Racing Academy was 4th. He is a rider known to Irish cycling fans as he won the 2018 Rás Tailteann opening stage before leading the race all the way only to lose the yellow jersey on the final stage and finish 2nd overall.
Anthony Jullien of WorldTour team AG2R La Mondiale finished 5th behind Teggart in Switzerland and another Swiss Racing Academy rider, Lukas Rüegg, was in 6th place.
The victory for Teggart followed a very strong run of results in France since he turned there after his forced Covid19 lay-off from racing.
The 24-year-old, a Rás Tailteann stage winner and former race leader, was 6th in the Grand Prix d'Is-sur-Tille on August 9th before placing 7th on a stage of the Tour du Pays de Montbeliard, also on France, on August 29th.
More recently, on September 6th had placed 5th in the Tour du Pays de Gex-Valserine in France before stepping up for his victory in Switzerland on Saturday.
Tour du Jura Suisse (124km)
- Matthew Teggart A.C.Bisontine 2:59:06
- Alan Jousseaume Vendée U + 01
- Harrison Bailey A.C.Bisontine + 01
- Cyrille Thiery Swiss Racing Academy + 01
- Anthony Jullien AG2R La Mondiale + 01
- Lukas Rüegg Swiss Racing Academy + 01
- Clément Javouhey SCO Dijon + 01
- Yannis Voisard Swiss Racing Academy + 01
- Luca Schatti Swiss Racing Academy + 01
- Louis Pijourlet Vendée U + 06
- Henning Bommel Team Dauner D&DQ + 08
- Victor Bosoni SCO Dijon + 08
- Nils Brun SCO Dijon + 08
- Scott Quincey Akros - Excelsior + 08
- Jan Hugger Team Lotto - Kern Haus + 08
- Joris Delbove SCO Dijon + 16
- Thomas Devaux Akros - Excelsior + 21
- Valentin Retailleau Chambéry Cyclisme + 21
- Federico Fumagalli V.C.Mendrisio + 21
- Damian Lüscher Swiss Racing Academy + 56
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