Vuelta CV Feminas. Aurela Nerlo in the spotlight

Feb 10, 2025, 03:06 AM

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Photo credit : Marco Barrais

As expected, the Vuelta CV Feminas ended in a sprint. Poland's Aurela Nerlo came out on top (13th), just ahead her team-mates Fiona Mangan (18th) and Marie-Morgane Le Deunff (20th).

A flat course. No difficulties listed. 104 km. And a bunch sprint. An obvious choice. Although Aurela Nerlo was at the front of the race with 50 km to go in the company of Sigrid Ytterhus Haugset (Team Coop - Repsol), the Polish rider once again came to the fore in the very last seconds. A very nice surprise."We weren't expecting her at the finish", commented Franck Renimel."I was feeling really good after all the effort I'd put in before and decided to sprint", says Aurela Nerlo."A crazy race."

"We should finished in the top 10"

A remarkable performance from the 26-year-old cyclist... in partial contrast to her partners."We got lost with Fiona Mangan and Marie-Morgane Le Deunff. They couldn't sprint. We should finished in the top 10. It was possible", says the WOS coach."We had a few cards to play. Unfortunately, the result wasn't what we'd hoped for, but we're continuing to improve", added Fiona Mangan. Aurela Nerlo agrees:"In the last four kilometres, we were together with Marie-Morgane Le Deunff, Fiona Mangan and Kiara Lylyk. When I realised that I was guiding Marie-Morgane Le Deunff, the UAE cyclists had gone to the left and she followed them."

Kiara Lylyk : a jewel to be polished

Indeed, seeing Aurela Nerlo cross the line first in the team was far from expected."Above all, we were counting on Kiara Lylyk. A finish like today requires a big effort in the final, with a very fast intensity."Franck Renimel doesn't hide his words : the 20-year-old Canadian was the sprinter announced for the French team."The video analysis and debriefing will provide us with additional information."The former Seychelles national coach admits to"inexperience". "That's not a critical. She's going to learn over the coming weeks and months about placement", he concedes."I hope that this race will allow us to learn lessons and progress."

Ranking:

Aurela Nerlo: 13th

Fiona Mangan: 18th

Marie-Morgane Le Deunff: 20th

Kiara Lylyk: 28th

Marine Allione: 74th

Florence Normand : 79th