VN news ticker: Arnaud Démare wins Paris-Tours, Nairo Quintana dances in chameleon costume on Colombian TV

Arnaud Démare wins Paris-Tours

Arnaud Démare (Groupama-FDJ) won the 115^th  edition of Paris-Tours on Sunday ahead of Franck Bonnamour (B&B Hotels p/b KTM) and Jasper Stuyven(Trek-Segafredo).

The pace was relentless from the start, with a hard battle through the wind, and the attackers lit fireworks on the vineyard trails leading to Tours. Démare, after a strong attack on the final climb of the day, produced a massive effort to bridge the gap to a lead group of group, and dominated the four-man sprint.

He is the first French winner of Paris-Tours since 2006, when Frédéric Guesdon claimed victory. 

The win was good for Démare’s ninth victory in 2021, who came into the season with a string of wins in the spring, but did not win a stage at either the Tour de France or Vuelta a España.

Evie Richards pulls brakes on cyclocross season due to fatigue

Cross-country mountain bike world champion Evie Richards has pressed pause on her cyclocross ambitions for the fall.

The multi-discipline ace explained on Instagram that a long block of mountain bike racing had begun to bite, forcing her to abandon her planned starts at the US-based cyclocross World Cups this week.

“Unfortunately I didn’t make it to the start line of the CX this weekend. I got sick after the final [MTB] World Cup and just couldn’t recover mentally or physically,” she wrote. “Sometimes it’s hard to know when to stop, but this time I didn’t have much choice, my body and brain told me I have reached the limit and put the brakes on. I’m sorry to my Trek family but I know Jolanda Neff is putting on a show.”

After racing to seventh at the Toyko Olympics this summer, the 24- year-old won the MTB rainbow jersey late August. She then stormed through the close of the cross country World Cup season, winning in both Lenzerheide and Snowshoe in recent months.

It now seems Richards may not race again until the new year as she focuses on 2022.

Nairo Quintana appears on Colombian television show in chameleon costume

If you thought Nairo Quintana was all about high mountains and straight faces, you’re wrong.

The Colombian ace appeared in a chameleon outfit while singing and dancing to the song “The Rhythm of the Night” on his country’s version of “The Masked Singer” television show Saturday night. Quintana had raced to 11th at Il Lombardia just hours before the pre-recorded show was aired.

“I sweated more here than on my bike,” Quintana said after he removed his mask on the show.

The typically demure Quintana didn’t shy away from the surprised adulation of his home fans Saturday, retweeting a handful of messages that had been sent his way on Twitter.

“I loved this new side of Nairo, hahaha beautiful my Nairo,” read one.

“I love divine Nairo trying to dance beautiful,” said another.

Get your meme machines ready, this one’s a keeper.