Young fan who 'led' Tour of Britain breakaway presented as Jumbo-Visma's additional rider ahead of final stage
The youngster went viral after his racing exploits during stage seven
A young fan who kept the Tour of Britain stage seven breakaway at bay was presented as Jumbo-Visma's fifth rider on the final day of action.
Xander Graham rode ahead of the six escapees during Saturday's stage to Edinburgh for around 50 seconds, and when the break pulled alongside him, the youngster was awarded a bottle from Jumbo-Visma's Pascal Eenkhoorn.
It was a moment captured on live television, and the images that accompanied it went viral during and after the stage, many fans pointing out that the UCI's early-season and since changed ban on gifting bottles to spectators contradicted the spirit of the sport.
Overnight, race organisers managed to track down the identity of the child, and he was made guest of Eisberg Wine, meeting several of the peloton's stars at the stage start in Stonehaven.
The real race we're here for!Nicely done, @PascalEenkhoorn 🙌 📺 Watch stage seven live on ITV4#TourOfBritain 🔵⚪🔵 pic.twitter.com/C4G646nZ5ISeptember 11, 2021
After a fist bump with Mark Cavendish, Graham was then presented with a signed Jumbo-Visma jersey, before meeting Eenkhoorn, the Dutchman himself having received much praise for his generous actions.
During the team presentations, Graham joined Jumbo-Visma's remaining four riders on the podium, sharing the stage alongside Eenkhoorn, Wout van Aert, George Bennett and Gijs Leemreize.
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It was just one of two acts of generosity from the Dutch team in Scotland with race winner Van Aert also gifting Cavendish's young son Casper a signed jersey which ws greeted with an emotional hug.
cThe racing went well for Van Aert, too, the Belgian champion sprinting to his fourth win in eight days to steal the overall title from Briton Ethan Hayter.
It looked as if veteran racer André Greipel would take the honours in Aberdeen but he was outdone by Van Aert's rapid turn of speed in the final hundred metres, with Cavendish coming through for third, his best individual result of the race.
Julian Alaphilippe from Deceuninck - Quick-Step finished third on GC.
I mean what a Sunday for Casper. X pic.twitter.com/RPW0jorN0kSeptember 12, 2021
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A freelance sports journalist and podcaster, you'll mostly find Chris's byline attached to news scoops, profile interviews and long reads across a variety of different publications. He has been writing regularly for Cycling Weekly since 2013. In 2024 he released a seven-part podcast documentary, Ghost in the Machine, about motor doping in cycling.
Previously a ski, hiking and cycling guide in the Canadian Rockies and Spanish Pyrenees, he almost certainly holds the record for the most number of interviews conducted from snowy mountains. He lives in Valencia, Spain.
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