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Strong Giro della Valle d'Aosta earns Niels Driesen fourth place overall

Niels Driesen concluded the Giro della Valle d'Aosta-Mont Blanc with third place in the final stage to Breuil-Cervinia and fourth place in the general classification of one of the toughest U23 stage races on the international calendar. A few days after claiming victory in Stage 2, the Belgian capped off an impressive four days in the high mountains.
Race 20 July 2026
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Despite the strong result, Driesen started the race with some doubts. He had been struggling with back problems in recent weeks, making his preparation far from ideal. "That's exactly why I never expected to go home with a stage win and fourth place overall at the start of the week. I'm really happy with how everything went," Driesen reflected.

In the final mountain stage to Breuil-Cervinia, Driesen was once again part of the favourites' group battling for the podium. He eventually sprinted convincingly to third place, securing fourth place in the overall standings. "Today I actually felt the strongest I did all week," said Driesen. "I was able to win the sprint for third place quite comfortably. Of course, it's a bit of a shame that there were still two riders ahead."

Following his stage victory and overall win at the Tour de l'Isard earlier this season, Driesen once again confirmed his climbing abilities with his performances in the Giro della Valle d'Aosta. "I'm going home very satisfied with a stage win and fourth place overall. It gives me a lot of confidence heading into my next goals."