Swedes Off to a Strong Start at Tour de l’Avenir Despite Tough Conditions

The Swedish U23 national team has shown resilience in the early stages of the Tour de l’Avenir 2025, widely regarded as the toughest stage race in the world for young riders. After two demanding stages, Joel Mellby, Hugo Lennartsson, and Isak Magnusson remain the best-placed Swedes, holding their own in a stacked international field.

Stage 2: Heat and Attrition

Monday’s 137 km second stage from Saint-Symphorien-sur-Coise to Vitry-en-Charollais tested the peloton with 1,900 meters of climbing and searing heat above 30°C.

For Teodor De Luca, it was a day of misfortune, first hampered by mechanical issues and then by the brutal heat, forcing him to abandon. Ville Merlöv narrowly avoided elimination by finishing just inside the time cut, while Acke Dahlblom was unable to continue.

Meanwhile, Magnusson, Lennartsson, and Mellby showed grit, all finishing safely in the main group. Magnusson, in particular, placed high within the bunch, taking 37th place and emerging as the best Swede on the stage.

National coach Lucas Persson acknowledged both the positives and the missed opportunity:

“This is the world’s toughest stage race for U23 cyclists, so it’s good that they are there and are going through it. Unfortunately, none of them were there when a group of just over 15 riders broke away when the pace was at its hardest. That group held on all the way.”

Despite missing the decisive move, Persson remains optimistic:

“It would have been fun to get a result when the chance was there, but we’re taking steps forward and will look for results before the toughest mountain stages.”

After Stage 2, Magnusson sits 113th overall (+6:59), while Mellby (86th, +3:09) and Lennartsson (96th, +3:09) remain within striking distance.

Stage 1: A Hot, Demanding Opener

The opening road stage on Sunday, though considered one of the easier days on paper, proved punishing in the heat. With temperatures around 26°C, several riders struggled. Four of the Swedes were dropped with 50 km remaining, but Lennartsson and Mellby held on to the bunch until the finish.

Lennartsson even attempted a late attack but was reeled back in. He eventually finished 68th, with Mellby just behind in 71st, both on the same time as stage winner Noah Hobbs (Great Britain). Magnusson lost nearly four minutes, while Merlöv, Dahlblom, and De Luca all finished further back.

Persson summarized the day:

“You could say it was a tough start for the team, but we’ll take a new approach tomorrow.”

Prologue: A Climbing Test

The race began with a short but steep prologue on Saturday, a three-kilometer uphill effort. Time losses were capped at one minute, so most riders focused on conserving energy. Joel Mellby came closest to the limit but still kept his deficit to just eight seconds.

Heading into Stage 2, Mellby was 84th overall and 36th in the youth classification, with Lennartsson not far behind.

General Classification after Stage 2

1. Maxime Decomble (France) – 7:21:31

2. Simon Dalby (Denmark) +0:06

3. Jack Ward (Australia) +0:06
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4. Joel Mellby (Sweden) +3:09

5. Hugo Lennartsson (Sweden) +3:09

6. Isak Magnusson (Sweden) +6:59

7. Ville Merlöv (Sweden) +27:40

What’s Next

With the decisive mountain stages still to come, Sweden’s young riders are focusing on consistency and development. The trio of Magnusson, Mellby, and Lennartsson remain well-placed to gain valuable experience — and possibly chase a standout result as the race intensifies.