Published April 20, 2016 04:19AM
Photo gallery: 2016 Tro-Bro Leon
Todd Wells sports the leaders jersey in stage 2 of La Ruta de los Conquistadores, which he won. He went to Beijing in 2008. Wells earned his long team nomination for his seventh place at the 2011 world championships and 10th in the first 2011 World Cup. Photo: LeadAdventureMedia
There are many similarities between Paris-Roubaix and Tro-Bro Leon. Both are one-day races of over 200km, both are held in France in April and both feature unusually rough terrain for road bikes. But there are significant differences between the two as well. Where Paris-Roubaix is defined by its cobblestones, Tro-Bro Leon features a bevy of narrow, gravel farm roads. And where Paris-Roubaix is one of the biggest one-day races in the world, with 114 editions now complete, Tro-Bro Leon is a small UCI 1.1 event in ‘only’ its 33rd year.
But interest in Tro-Bro Leon is growing. Solid crowds turned out to see Danish rider Martin Mortensen lead a One Pro Cycling 1-2 on Sunday and as photographer Kristof Ramon demonstrates below, the combination of coastline and unusual roads makes Tro-Bro Leon an undeniably picturesque race.
[ct_super_feature_full_width_image_start]
[ct_super_feature_full_width_image_end]