The peloton is deep in the Ardennes Classics with Liège-Bastogne-Liège on Sunday. We have all the news from the men’s and women’s Flèche Wallonne and also the first three stages of the Tour of the Alps with video, results and rider thoughts.
UCI boss David Lappartient thinks there shouldn’t be prize money at the Olympic Games – TOP STORY.
Rider news: Eddy Merckx had emergency surgery at the end of March, Demi Vollering close to moving to FDJ-SUEZ, Jonas Vingegaard released from hospital after 12 days, Wout van Aert spotted on Zwift, Warren Barguil rode Amstel Gold Race with a broken rib, concussion for Finlay Pickering in the Tour of the Alps, Oscar Onley breaks collarbone for the third time in eight months and Anna Shackley is forced to quit top-level sport.
Team news: UAE Team Emirates, Soudal Quick-Step and dsm-firmenich PostNL riders for Liège-Bastogne-Liège, Gerben Thijssen shifts focus towards the Tour de France, Joe Blackmore signs two-year contract with IPT and Édouard Claisse pledges his future to the structure of Intermarché-Wanty.
Race news: Czeslaw Lang announces stage cities for Tour de Pologne Women, 2024 USA Cycling Professional Road National Championships come to Charleston, 2024 USA Cycling Collegiate Road National Championships come to Albuquerque and The National Cycling League to focus on 2025 and pause the 2024 season.
*** Read the ‘PEZ 2024 Liège-Bastogne-Liège Preview’ HERE. ***
A big EUROTRASH coffee time.
TOP STORY: UCI boss Lappartient Thinks there Shouldn’t be Prize Money at the Olympic Games
UCI president David Lappartient has intervened in a discussion about prize money for winners of some Olympic medals. WielerFlits report that according to the cycling boss, this novelty, which will be introduced by the World athletics association during the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, goes against the Olympic idea.
The reason for the discussion is the choice of World Athletics, the International Athletics Union, to hand out prize money to the winners of gold medals. That amounts to 46 thousand euros per gold medal and a total of 2.2 million euros. That is a reward in addition to the possible reward from a national Olympic committee.
But there is no prize money from the IOC (International Olympic Committee). The Olympic idea ‘Participating is more important than winning’ still applies. The IOC does provide a payment and financial contribution to international sports associations and Olympic committees.
The UCI will not provide any prize money for winners of cycling events in Paris for the time being, as can be concluded from Lappartient’s fierce reaction. “The Olympic idea is to share revenues, to ensure that more and more athletes worldwide can participate in sports. So not to give all the money to the top players, but to distribute it. If we only focus on the top athletes with money, many opportunities for other athletes disappear,” he said at a press moment at the lighting of the Olympic flame in Greece.
World Athletics boss Sebastien Coe thinks differently. “We have to start somewhere to ensure that some of the revenue generated by our athletes at the Games goes directly back to those who make the Games a global spectacle,” he said in a statement. “And we can make it easier for athletes in this way, perhaps allowing them to stay in the sport longer and giving them financial help to train in an advanced way.”
David Lappartient doesn’t believe in Olympic prize money:
Flèche Wallonne 2024
Stephen Williams took the victory in the 2024 Flèche Wallonne, making history by becoming the first British winner of the race, with a brilliantly timed jump on the fourth climb of the Mur de Huy. After a race which saw sunshine, torrential rain and even snow, Kevin Vauquelin (Arkéa-B&B Hotels) and Maxim Van Gils (Lotto Dstny) were also on the podium, after crossing the finish line in second and third places, closely behind the victorious Williams.
174 riders took the start of the 88th edition of the Flèche Wallonne, as Charleroi hosted the start of the race for the 30th time. The 2024 midweek Ardennes classic marked the 40th finish of La Flèche Wallonne at the top of the Mur de Huy, with the peloton taking on the brutal climb of the famous Chemin des Chapelles four times for the first time ever. Ben Hermans (Cofidis) was unable to take the start, in what would have been his 12th participation in Flèche Wallonne, having achieved his best result of 14th on his debut in 2009.
At 11km Igor Chzhan (Astana) and Johan Meens (Bingoal WB) joined the four riders already off the front, Lilian Calmejane (Intermarché-Wanty), Alan Jousseaume (TotalEnergies), James Whelan (Q.365) and Txomin Juaristi (Euskaltel-Euskadi), who had been the first attacker in the first kilometre. Aaron Van der Beken (Bingoal WB) tried to go with Meens in the chase to the front group but had to drop back. Juaristi was also the first rider to reach the summit of Côte d’Yvoir at 42.7km and the six man break established an advantage of 4:30 over the peloton after 50km of racing.
The break was drenched by torrential rain as they rode to Huy for the first time and there was even some snow. Whelan struggled for several minutes to get his jacket on correctly, but finally managed to do so before the Mur de Huy, although he briefly lost some ground on the other five in the break. As the peloton reached the top of the Mur de Huy for the first of four climbs of this famous ascent, they reduced the gap to the breakaway to 2 minutes. That first ascent of the Mur saw a group of several riders dropped by the peloton, including Aleksandr Vlasov (BORA-hansgrohe) and Mauri Vansevenant (Soudal Quick-Step). After the first Mur de Huy climb Jousseaume was back in the peloton after more than 100km in the breakaway, whilst Dylan Teuns (IPT), the winner of the 2022 edition, was dropped by the peloton with 75km to go.
A reduced break of Calmejane, Meens and Juaristi were caught by the bunch, before the riders tackled the Mur de Huy for the second time. This time it was the big favourites who lost contact with the main peloton: Marc Hirschi, Tom Pidcock, Mattias Skjelmose and David Gaudu were dropped by the group. Valentin Madouas, who took the lead at the Mur summit (135.3km), was one of the most aggressive, but Soren Kragh Andersen (Alpecin-Deceuninck) launched a solo attack 60km from the finish. With 46km of racing to go there were only around 30 riders left in the peloton and they were 1:00 behind the solo race leader Kragh Andersen. Meanwhile Markus Hoelgaard (Uno-X Mobility) took a 20 second lead on the bunch trying to chase down Kragh Andersen, but his attempt didn’t last long.
On the penultimate climb of the Mur, Kragh Andersen crossed the summit 1:00 ahead of Santiago Buitrago (Bahrain-Victorious) and Richard Carapaz (EF Education-EasyPost), 1:05 ahead of the peloton led by Kevin Vauquelin (Arkéa-B&B Hotels). IPT’s Stephen Williams went on the offensive with 28km to go, chasing Kragh Andersen, then a quartet composed of Maxim Van Gils (Lotto Dstny), Vauquelin, Buitrago and Carapaz joined Williams in the chase. Those five chasers were caught by the peloton 17km from the finish. Kragh Andersen was in turn caught by the peloton on the final Côte d’Ereffe climb with just under 15km to go, having spent 46km solo at the front of the race. Williams timed a late attack perfectly and shot across the finish line at the top one of the hardest climbs in pro cycling after 198.6km of racing. His historic performance, got the better of a strong group of 31 riders who battled it out on the Mur de Huy. Vauquelin was close to the victory, but Williams was just too strong for him in the final metres, with Van Gils in third, followed over the line by Benoit Cosnefroy in fourth and Buitrago in fifth.
# You can see more photos in the full PEZ ‘Race Report’ HERE. #
Race winner, Stephen Williams (Israel-Premier Tech): “There was a bit of a block on the road, everyone was kind of waiting, I just saw the 300 and I thought if I can get a jump here and put 5” or 10” on the group, you know, seeing the line in front of you, it would give me a good chance to hold on. I was looking around a bit because the legs were empty, they were coming close, so I’m really happy to hold on and win. I’m exhausted. I’m lost for words, quite emotional really. It’s a really hard sport, so to win bike races is hard, especially here in these Classics. It’s wonderful to be the first British winner of this race. I’ve been watching this race for a number of years and I know the class and the prestige of this race. To come to the Ardennes and win La Flèche is really special.”
2nd, Kevin Vauquelin (Arkéa-B&B Hotels): “It’s a nice 2nd place. I just waited a little too long to accelerate in the finale. I also messed up a bit with my gears, my fingers were a bit cold. But for the rest of the race, I think I managed it well, I had to respond to the attacks on the penultimate climb of the Mur de Huy. There were 4 or 5 of us breaking away on the climb at that time, we tried it, but behind the group was organised enough to catch us up and then we were able to get back to Kragh Andersen. On the final climb, I stayed on Benoit Cosnefroy’s wheel, I knew it was a safe bet. Maybe I waited a little too long. The conditions were special, but mentally I had already prepared myself for it, I knew that we would be cold in the rain. In any case, we had to take a step forward, that’s what I expected from my recent progress. It’s encouraging, that’s what I wanted. It’s true that the level of the French riders is increasing. And we all want to win races, we push ourselves to the top. It’s a good trend, we have to take advantage of it, it’s good for us.”
3rd, Maxim Van Gils (Lotto Dstny): “I really had to push myself for that final on the Mur de Huy, it was horribly cold. I was shivering on my bike and could barely stand on the pedals. I knew I had to keep an eye on Stephen Williams, but he was behind me and suddenly came from the left, which surprised me a bit. Maybe I didn’t deliver my best performance on the Mur de Huy, but I think that applied to everyone. I gave it my all and I’m pretty satisfied with that. This is my favourite week of spring classics. The Amstel last weekend wasn’t good, we know that. But as a team, we felt good. Fortunately, we remained motivated to give it our all here in La Flèche Wallonne, and we succeeded. I think this makes up for a lot, we can be satisfied.”
Flèche Wallonne Result:
1. Stephen Williams (GB) Israel-Premier Tech in 4:40:24
2. Kévin Vauquelin (Fra) Arkéa-B&B Hotels
3. Maxim Van Gils (Bel) Lotto Dstny at 0:03
4. Benoît Cosnefroy (Fra) Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale
5. Santiago Buitrago (Col) Bahrain-Victorious
6. Tobias Halland Johannessen (Nor) Uno-X Mobility at 0:10
7. Romain Grégoire (Fra) Groupama-FDJ
8. Dorian Godon (Fra) Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale
9. Tiesj Benoot (Bel) Visma | Lease a Bike
10. Guillaume Martin (Fra) Cofidis.
Flèche’24 last K:
Flèche Wallonne Women 2024
Few victories are as exciting and as meaningful as the one Katarzyna Niewiadoma (Canyon//SRAM) scored on Wednesday in the 27th edition of La Flèche Wallonne Femmes. The Polish rider defeated 2023 winner Demi Vollering (SD Worx-ProTime) and Italian national champion Elisa Longo Borghini (Lidl-Trek) on the final climb of the Mur de Huy to finally net her first win after a 1770-day drought. It has taken her 53 top-5 placings, including a 2nd place on the 2021 edition of this very race, to finally raise her arms in victory again. ‘Kasia’ exploded in tears after the finish line, leaving an emotional lesson: she who perseveres, succeeds.
139 riders started the 27th edition of La Flèche Wallonne Femmes from Huy’s Grand-Place, taking on a 146-kilometre course to finish on top of the iconic Mur de Huy. A rain shower turned into a snow fall as temperatures froze down to 5ºC, creating some hard weather conditions that would prove impactful in the unfolding of the race. Arkéa-Samsic’s Maaike Coljé was the first to abandon following a crash in the neutral zone. No break went clear as the Côte de Gives (7,1km with 2,1km at 5,5%) and Côte de Courrière (37,6km with 1,4km at 7,1%) were ridden and left behind, creating some damage as pre-race favourites like Mavi García (Liv-AlUla-Jayco) struggled to keep up with the pace.
Sara Martín (Movistar), Julie Van de Velde (AG Insurance-Soudal Team) and Elena Hartmann (Roland) attacked and went clear at kilometre 40, clocking a 1:40 advantage on the pack at the top of the Côte d’Evrehailles (53,4km). The weather got better, from rainy and cold to just cloudy, as 89 kilometres into the race their gap topped at 4:25, with Visma | Lease a Bike at the helm in the bunch. It was in the Côte d’Ereffe (101,4km with 2,1km at 5%) that the peloton woke up. FDJ-SUEZ’s Grace Brown and Fenix-Deceuninck’s Pauline Rooijakkers took off and crested the climb 3:35 behind the front trio, with the peloton 10 seconds further back.
The first climb to the Mur de Huy (114,3km with 1,3km at 9,6%) proved too demanding for Hartmann, who left Van de Velde and Martín alone at the head of the race. Across the summit, they had 2:09 on Brown and Rooijakkers and 2:32 on a 50-strong peloton led by SD Worx-ProTime. The chasing duo were reeled in with 17 kilometres to go by a peloton that was just 1:20 behind the head of the race at that point following a co-ordinated effort by Canyon//SRAM and the SD Worx-ProTime. Several attacks happened up the Côte d’Ereffe (133,1km with 2,1km at 5%) as the front duo was swept up and a 50-strong group was left at the head of the race. Riejanne Markus (Visma | Lease a Bike) put in a solo attack with 5 kilometres to go that stuck until the foot of the Mur de Huy. She was caught with 700 metres to go by Demi Vollering (SD Worx-ProTime), who marshalled the main group until Niewiadoma’s final, winning acceleration 200 metres from the finish line.
Race winner, Katarzyna Niewiadoma (Canyon//SRAM): “This victory means a lot to me. I really hope that with this victory I have inspired a lot of people who are pursuing their dreams to keep going. I’ve failed a lot of times, with many near-misses, and never stopped believing. Reward is always there, waiting for us. The race was super brutal. As we started, it started raining so hard and temperatures became very low. I knew it was my day, I just felt it, and the weather conditions got on my side because I always benefit from hard races like this. As a team, we always keep a positive atmosphere even when shaking from the cold. My teammates were amazing, taking care of me and bringing me to the front every time I needed it. I was happy to see Demi [Vollering] taking the responsibility to pace the climb. I knew that last year she cracked me, but I was well prepared to counter and cope better with her rhythm as I simulated this kind of racing in training, with the help of my coach. That helped me being confident into the final. Then of course you never know what can happen on the race – but I woke up believing that this was the day. To be honest, I had planned not to celebrate even if was clear with 100 meters to go after what happened to Lorena Wiebes at Amstel Gold Race. I didn’t want to waste any energy looking around. I just wanted to give my best. Liège-Bastogne-Liège? As of now, I just want to enjoy what just happened. After five years without winning a road race, this victory is everything there is my mind now.”
2nd, Demi Vollering (SD Worx-Protime): “I tried find my own rhythm in the final climb to the Mur de Huy, as I did last year. I wanted to ride at the front for as long as possible and as hard as possible. My goal was to be in first position from the bottom to the top, yet Kasia had the power to come around me and win. I was hoping her legs would explode and I could come back, but she did hold on. It was nice to see her win – she is a very strong rider who is always up there. I am happy about my shape. I can still improve, of course, but keeping in mind that the biggest goals are a little bit further in the season. For the moment, I’m content because in Amstel I felt much better than in the previous race, and today I felt better than in Amstel. Hope this continues like this! As for Liège-Bastogne-Liège Femmes, it is a very different race compared to today’s – here, the Mur de Huy never lies.”
3rd, Elisa Longo Borghini (Ita) Lidl-Trek): “Our leader today was Gaia Realini, but she was struggling due to the cold weather and she eventually told me to take my chance. It was a very hard day because of the tough weather conditions. I was very lucky to have teammates to take care of me by providing me with warm clothes and warm tea. I am happy with today’s result. It adds up with the great season I’ve had so far. ‘Kasia’ Niewiadoma launched her move in the perfect spot. If you look back at the last editions of La Flèche Wallonne, both men’s and women’s, the differences were set with 150 meters to go – more or less where she attacked. Kasia is a fair rider, someone who I respect a lot. I believe she deserves the win. As for me, I held on until I could and then basically died slowly for 150 meters. I’m very happy with the change of schedule of La Flèche Wallonne Femmes. For me personally, this one is much better than the ones we had before. With the previous timing, we the riders were lucky enough to get up at 5AM… But the staffers, they had to go to bed very late and then wake up very early in order to prepare for the race. This new schedule is better for our performance.”
Flèche Wallonne Women Result:
1. Katarzyna Niewiadoma (Pol) Canyon//SRAM in 3:55:29
2. Demi Vollering (Ned) SD Worx-Protime at 0:02
3. Elisa Longo Borghini (Ita) Lidl-Trek at 0:04
4. Évita Muzic (Fra) FDJ-SUEZ at 0:07
5. Ashleigh Moolman (SA) AG Insurance-Soudal at 0:11
6. Pauliena Rooijakkers (Ned) Fenix-Deceuninck at 0:15
7. Juliette Labous (Fra) dsm-firmenich PostNL at 0:19
8. Fem van Empel (Ned) Visma | Lease a Bike at 0:24
9. Marta Cavalli (Ita) FDJ-SUEZ at 0:27
10. Ane Santesteban (Spa) Laboral Kutxa-Fundación Euskadi.
Flèche’24:
Tour of the Alps 2024
Tobias Foss took his first victory in INEOS Grenadiers kit. The 26-year-old Norwegian beat Chris Harper and Esteban Chaves in Stage 1 of the Tour of the Alps on Monday. His win was in a sprint from an elite group. Foss is also the first overall leader.
The first stage of the Tour of the Alps was 133 kilometres with three categorised climbs. The first climb, the Andalo (15.5km at 5.1%), came soon after the start. Then there was a flatter section to two climbs of the Penon (4.4 km at 9.4%). From the top of the last climb there were 14 kilometres to the finish. Seven riders went for the early break: Nicklas Amdi Pedersen (TDT-Unibet), Asier Etxeberria (Euskaltel-Euskadi), Mattia Bais & Andrea Garosio (Polti-Kometa), Kyrylo Tsarenko (Corratec-Vini Fantini), Simon Pellaud (Tudor) and Masaki Yamamoto (JCL Team UKYO). They managed to take a 4 minute lead. Decathlon AG2R made sure that the seven escapees didn’t have too much of a lead. TDT-Unibet lost their climber Kevin Inkelaar, who had returned after a long period of injury, he abandoned after 40 kilometres. On the climb of the Andalo, Pedersen was dropped. On the descent, Bais, Garosio and Pellaud made a small gap, but once down, Exteberria, Yamamoto and Tsarenko managed to reconnect. The six pushed on to the climb of Penon.
On the steep sections (10%) of this 4 kilometre climb, the leading group split due to Garosio and Bais. The two Polti Kometa Italians were the strongest climbers and dropped their fellow escapees and crossed the summit together. Bais was the first to reach the top, as he was on the first climb of the day and so took the KOM jersey. There was no attacks in the peloton, due to the speed set by Decathlon AG2R for Ben O’Connor. The peloton thinned out and the lead was also getting smaller. Bais and Garosio tried their hardest to hold off the peloton for as long as possible, but they were caught at the start of the last climb.
Decathlon AG2R continued its hard work, although Valentin Paret-Peintre’s pace was not too high. Just before the top: Hugh Carthy and Antonio Tiberi attacked, but didn’t get away. On the fast descent of the Penon, there was a group of 40 riders in the lead and Romain Bardet attacked. The Frenchman is an excellent descender and stretched the group of favourites out and caused splits. With his descending, Bardet had an elite group of six riders with him, including Tiberi, Geraint Thomas, Esteban Chaves, Chris Harper and Amanuel Ghebreigzabhier. Four riders managed to join this group: Wout Poels, O’Connor, Tobias Foss and Juan Pedro López. They started the last 8 kilometres with eleven leaders. In the second group, Movistar tried to close the gap, as the Spanish team had missed the move and were unable to close the gap.
In the last kilometres the co-operation in this front group fell apart. INEOS Grenadiers, with Thomas and Foss, didn’t want to work and Esteban Chaves also stopped coming to the front. They started to look at each other. Foss tried to surprise the others several times, but his attacks were all closed down. The attempts of Chaves were the same. The Colombian did managed to get away with three other riders: Harper, O’Connor and Foss. The others had lost out. The four would battle it out for victory in a sprint. Chaves was the first to go, but the Colombian was passed by Foss. The Norwegian won the sprint with a good gap. Harper had to settle for second, Chaves and O’Connor finished third and fourth. The sprint for fifth was won by López. This was the first win for Foss with INEOS Grenadiers and he will be in the leader’s jersey at the start of stage 2.
Stage winner and overall leader, Tobias Foss (INEOS Grenadiers): “It was a good and tough ending, also a bit tactical. We have played well with Thomas, I thank him for giving me carte blanche and the sports directors for believing in me. Behind us we also had Ganna, who could come back, so we acted a little on the throw-in. Tomorrow is another difficult day, although the climbs are a little easier. We could go all out with Ganna, or maybe I’ll sprint again, we’ll see. The difference between Visma and Ineos is more cultural, then each has its pros and cons. Here I think I can find a little more space and the team continually shows me the great confidence they have in me. It’s true, it may not be the best moment in the team’s history, but Pidcock won the Amstel Gold Race yesterday and we want to try to do very well here, so we are still very ambitious even at the highest level. Personally, I have never considered myself a pure time trialist, although I know that I have achieved the best results there. I’m working on becoming a stage racer and maybe even a Grand Tour rider, and here’s hoping I get there. At the Tour de Romandie I caught covid and I felt terrible, I couldn’t recover. When I came back I couldn’t continue, I did it for a few weeks, but I stopped again. I arrived at the end of August exhausted and finished the season. I took three weeks of complete rest and it helped. Now I’m finally fine. The reason for this growth? First of all, I think Norway is a very scientifically advanced country, so from a training point of view it is at the forefront. The University of Lillehammer, for example, collaborates with several WorldTour teams on research and innovation. And we are also good “soldiers”, very disciplined, we do whatever they tell us. One-X I think is the emblem of this progression and we really hope to continue down this path.”
2nd on the stage and overall, Chris Harper (Jayco AlUla): “It was a bit of a cat and mouse game throughout the final. Some teams had several riders ahead of them, so I tried to stay calm and not expend too much energy while trying to get ahead. I think everyone who was considered a favourite at the beginning of the week was in the front group. Obviously, there are still many difficult stages left, so there will still be a big fight for the general classification. We’ll see in the next few days, but I feel good. We have a solid team here and I am sure we will continue to have many opportunities throughout the week.”
9th on the stage and overall, Romain Bardet (dsm-firmenich PostNL): “It’s good to race in Italy again and I think it was a good first stage for us. The boys rode well during the stage and we went all out on the last climb. My teammates positioned me well for the climb and the descent, and I was able to lead the pack on the latter. The finish was very tactical and I was on the verge of getting into the leading group. It’s still a good stage for the next few days.”
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KOM, Mattia Bais (Polti Kometa): “The objective was to escape and also get the mountain jersey. We have been able to do it, with the great help of Garosio. It has been a great stage because Fabbro and Piga have also been able to finish close to the best. Now it’s time to work to try to wear this jersey until the final stage.”
Tour of the Alps Stage 1 Result:
1. Tobias Foss (Nor) INEOS Grenadiers in 3:17:06
2. Chris Harper (Aus) Jayco AlUla
3. Esteban Chaves (Col) EF Education-EasyPost
4. Ben O’Connor (Aus) Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale
5. Juan Pedro López (Spa) Lidl-Trek at 0:03
6. Geraint Thomas (GB) INEOS Grenadiers
7. Antonio Tiberi (Ita) Bahrain-Victorious
8. Amanuel Ghebreigzabhier (Eri) Lidl-Trek
9. Romain Bardet (Fra) dsm-firmenich PostNL
10. Valentin Paret-Peintre (Fra) Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale.
Tour of the Alps Overall After Stage 1:
1. Tobias Foss (Nor) INEOS Grenadiers in 3:16:56
2. Chris Harper (Aus) Jayco AlUla at 0:04
3. Esteban Chaves (Col) EF Education-EasyPost at 0:06
4. Ben O’Connor (Aus) Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale at 0:10
5. Juan Pedro López (Spa) Lidl-Trek at 0:13
6. Geraint Thomas (GB) INEOS Grenadiers
7. Antonio Tiberi (Ita) Bahrain-Victorious
8. Amanuel Ghebreigzabhier (Eri) Lidl-Trek
9. Romain Bardet (Fra) dsm-firmenich PostNL
10. Valentin Paret-Peintre (Fra) Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale.
Alps’24 stage 1:
The 37-year-old Italian, Alessandro De Marchi, was the strongest rider from an early break on Stage 2 of the Tour of the Alps. De Marchi soloed to victory after attacking on the final climb. Tobias Foss still leads the general classification.
The 189 kilometre second stage of the Tour of the Alps was from Salurn to Stans. The riders had two categorised climbs: the Brenner (13.4km at 3.0%) and the steep climb to Gnadenwald (4.6km at 7.4%) near the finish. Could the sprinters handle the last climb or would the break go all the way?
Six riders attacked early. Lukas Pöstlberger (Austrian national team), Patrick Gamper (BORA-hansgrohe), Atsushi Oka & Yuma Koishi (JCL Team UKYO), Simon Pellaud (Tudor) and Alessandro De Marchi (Jayco AlUla). INEOS Grenadiers were working for overall leader, Tobias Foss. The British team kept the difference to within 5 minutes. On the climb of the Brenner, Oka was dropped and the remaining five riders started the last 70 kilometres. It was then too fast for Koishi and Pöstlberger, leaving just three riders: De Marchi, Gamper and Pellaud. Next was the 4.5 kilometre climb to Gnadenwald, with gradients of up to 10%. Gamper attacked before the climb, but was caught and dropped on the first ramps of the climb.
On the steepest parts of the climb, De Marchi dropped the other, Pellaud was the last to let go. At the top, the difference between the two men had grown to 1 minute. De Marchi looked to have the stage victory in the bag. The peloton was also not chasing and was at about 3 minutes. De Marchi still had 13 kilometres to go on his own. He had no problems and held off Pellaud and Gamper, who had got together. Gamper sprinted to second place, while the Pellaud crossed the line in third. Gregor Mühlberger won the sprint from the peloton for fourth place. Tobias Foss finished in the peloton to keep the leader’s jersey.
Stage winner, Alessandro De Marchi (Jayco AlUla): “It took a lot [of courage], but I was confident. Two years ago I found a new, nice, super environment here at Team Jayco AlUla and in the end I knew it was just about the right moment, the right time. Already last year in the Giro we were there to play, and this year again, we are there, and with a bit of luck and a bit of courage, sometimes it happens. When you are almost 38, in this era of cycling a win like this is one of the most important after so many years, and I repeat, at this age, in this cycling, it means a lot.”
Tour of the Alps Stage 2 Result:
1. Alessandro De Marchi (Ita) Jayco AlUla in 4:47:37
2. Patrick Gamper (Aust) BORA-hansgrohe at 1:20
3. Simon Pellaud (Sui) Tudor at 1:24
4. Gregor Mühlberger (Aust) Movistar at 1:47
5. Joan Bou (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi
6. Fabio Felline (Ita) Lidl-Trek
7. Antonio Tiberi (Ita) Bahrain-Victorious
8. Wout Poels (Ned) Bahrain-Victorious
9. Tom Donnenwirth (Fra) Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale
10. Romain Bardet (Fra) dsm-firmenich PostNL.
Tour of the Alps Overall After Stage 2:
1. Tobias Foss (Nor) INEOS Grenadiers in 8:06:20
2. Chris Harper (Aus) Jayco AlUla at 0:04
3. Esteban Chaves (Col) EF Education-EasyPost at 0:06
4. Ben O’Connor (Aus) Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale at 0:10
5. Antonio Tiberi (Ita) Bahrain-Victorious at 0:13
6. Wout Poels (Ned) Bahrain-Victorious
7. Romain Bardet (Fra) dsm-firmenich PostNL
8. Geraint Thomas (GB) INEOS Grenadiers
9. Amanuel Ghebreigzabhier (Eri) Lidl-Trek
10. Valentin Paret-Peintre (Fra) Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale.
Alps’24 stage 2:
Juan Pedro López (Lidl-Trek) won a soaking wet mountain Stage 3 of the Tour of the Alps on Wednesday. In a short but vicious stage around Schwaz, Austria, the weather conditions made the stage extra difficult. López broke away 25 kilometres before the finish with Giulio Pellizzari, who he then dropped on the final climb and then soloed to victory and the leader’s jersey. Pellizzari finished second, followed by the rest of the favourites group.
The 124 kilometre third stage of the Tour of the Alps started and finished in Schwaz, Austria. From a relatively flat run-up with two intermediate sprints, the riders arrived at a local circuit with climbs of the Weerberg (3.2km at 9.5%) and the Pillberg (3.2km at 9.9%).
Both had to be completed twice in the final and the stage took on the character of an Ardennes classic. Filippo Ganna put in an early attack. The Italian of INEOS Grenadiers managed to build a good lead on the peloton. Kyrylo Tsarenko counter-attacked, but the Ukrainian of Team Corratec-Vini Fantini was unable to close the gap on his own and was caught by the peloton. Ganna just carried on riding off the front. The Italian held up well in very wet and cold conditions of about 4ºC. With 50 kilometres to go, his lead was still more than 3 minutes on the peloton, where the men of dsm-firmenich PostNL and Decathlon AG2R set the pace. Ganna started the first climb of the day 10 kilometres later, the difficult Weerberg, with ramps well above 10%. On this climb the Italian’s lead got smaller and smaller, also because DSM-firmenich PostNL wanted to make an initial selection in the peloton. Ganna was the first to the top on the first passage of the Weerberg, but his lead had now shrunk to 45 seconds. On the steeper Pillberg (average 10%), the INEOS Grenadiers rider was caught and the GC men could get ready for the battle. Romain Bardet attacked early, but he didn’t get far away and sat up.
Next it was Giulio Pellizzari turn. The 20-year-old Italian climber of VF Group-Bardiani CSF-Faizanè was joined by the Spaniard Juan Pedro López (Lidl-Trek) and these two gain a nice lead. At the top of the Pillberg the difference had already increased to 20 seconds. In the group of favourites, which was now only about 20 riders, there was no co-operation. At the top of the last Weerberg, López and Pellizzari’s lead had increased to 40 seconds, after which we had to wait for Pillberg’s final climb. Wout Poels put in his first attack, but overall leader Tobas Foss kept the pace high and left the rest behind. Among them Bardet, Ben O’Connor, Poels, Antonio Tiberi, Iván Ramiro Sosa, Michael Storer and the Paret-Peintre brothers. At the front, López tried to pull away from Pellizzari 2 kilometres from the top. This worked and the Lidl-Trek climber started the final descent to Schwaz with a 20 second lead over the Italian. The favourites group followed at 30 seconds. López had had no problems on the wet descent to take his first professional victory. The Spaniard also took the leader’s jersey from Foss, who sprinted to third place behind.
Stage winner and overall leader, Juan Pedro López (Lidl-Trek): “It was one of the toughest days of my life as a cyclist. At the beginning, I felt my hands and legs were blocked, then on the final climbs, I had good sensations and I tried to go. It doesn’t rain very often where I live, and when it happens I usually don’t go out training: I tried not to think about it, and focus on my position on the climbs and descents. At the first pass over Pillberg, I saw Bardet attack, but he wasn’t gaining ground. Instead, Pellizzari’s moved seemed more effective, and I tried to follow him. We worked well together, and I congratulate him: he was very good. Once I crossed the finish line, the emotions overwhelmed me. I thought about the work and the effort made to achieve a result like this. Also, I come from a difficult season, where I was not able to reward my team’s trust due to physical problems. Thanks to the team’s help and a psychologist, I got out of it: today I am happy again.”
Tour of the Alps Stage 3 Result:
1. Juan Pedro López (Spa) Lidl-Trek in 3:16:11
2. Giulio Pellizzari (Ita) VF Group-Bardiani CSF-Faizanè at 0:22
3. Tobias Foss (Nor) INEOS Grenadiers at 0:38
4. Romain Bardet (Fra) dsm-firmenich PostNL
5. Aurélien Paret-Peintre (Fra) Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale
6. Antonio Tiberi (Ita) Bahrain-Victorious
7. Wout Poels (Ned) Bahrain-Victorious
8. Ben O’Connor (Aus) Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale
9. Valentin Paret-Peintre (Fra) Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale
10. Iván Ramiro Sosa (Col) Movistar.
Tour of the Alps Overall After Stage 3:
1. Juan Pedro López (Spa) Lidl-Trek in 11:22:34
2. Tobias Foss (Nor) INEOS Grenadiers at 0:31
3. Ben O’Connor (Aus) Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale at 0:45
4. Antonio Tiberi (Ita) Bahrain-Victorious at 0:48
5. Romain Bardet (Fra) dsm-firmenich PostNL
6. Wout Poels (Ned) Bahrain-Victorious
7. Valentin Paret-Peintre (Fra) Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale
8. Giulio Pellizzari (Ita) VF Group-Bardiani CSF-Faizanè at 0:57
9. Aurélien Paret-Peintre (Fra) Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale at 1:19
10. Iván Ramiro Sosa (Col) Movistar.
Alps’24 stage 3:
Eddy Merckx had Emergency Surgery at the End of March
He returned home after a few days in hospital, the Flemish newspaper Het Laatse Nieuws reported.
The legendary Belgian cyclist Eddy Merckx, 78, had to undergo an emergency intestinal operation at the end of March but his life was not in danger. Merckx lost a lot of weight after surgery, in which a significant part of his intestine had to be removed after doctors found intestinal malrotation. The five-time Tour de France champion went to the emergency room of a hospital on the outskirts of Brussels on the night of March 26 to 27, and there he was operated on at 3:00 a.m. CET that same morning, in a surgery that was performed without complications.
Merckx woke up with severe abdominal pain and he himself explained to the newspaper that he suffered a lot that night, so his wife decided to take him to the emergency room. After spending a few days in the hospital, the former cyclist was able to return home, and now he is fine, resting and recovering from the surgery. Eddy Merckx is considered one of the best cyclists in history, and in his record he has five Tours of France, five Giros d’Italia and one Tour of Spain, in addition to three World road Championships.
Demi Vollering Close to Moving to FDJ-SUEZ
Demi Vollering is close to a multi-year agreement with FDJ-SUEZ. Bicycle brand Specialized is also joining the French women’s team. The American brand is said to pay a large part of the salary of the winner of the Tour de France Femmes. The Algemeen Dagblad was the first to report the news.
In the run-up to Dwars door Vlaanderen, it was announced that Vollering would leave Team SD Worx-Protime at the end of this season. The Dutch champion is not saying about her future at the moment, but there are rumours about which team she will be with in 2025. UAE Team ADQ, Lidl-Trek and Visma | Lease a Bike have been mentioned, but GCN previously reported that FDJ-SUEZ was one of the main candidates for Vollering’s signature.
Specialized has been a personal sponsor of Vollering for some time and also uses the number 1 on the UCI ranking, like Remco Evenepoel, as one of their figureheads. With the arrival of Vollering, Specialized would join FDJ-SUEZ. The brand will not sponsor the men’s Groupama-FDJ team. Specialized will also stay with Team SD Worx-Protime until 2028. That contract was extended last autumn.
The biggest names in the current team are Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig, Marta Cavalli and Grace Brown. All three have expiring contracts. Évita Muzic, also one of the top riders in the French team, still has a contract until the end of 2027.
Vollering to FDJ-SUEZ?
Jonas Vingegaard Released from Hospital After 12 Days
Jonas Vingegaard is out of the Txagorritxu Hospital in the Basque capital of Vitoria-Gasteiz. The two-time Tour winner was released from hospital on Tuesday morning, his team Visma | Lease a Bike announced on social media.
“Hello all. It is time to leave the hospital,” Vingegaard wrote. “I would like to thank the medical staff of the hospital for the excellent care. And I would also like to thank everyone for the moral support. I have received a lot of messages, gifts and drawings. It’s really heartwarming! It is now time to make a full recovery. Thumbs’ up!”
Two weeks ago, Vingegaard was one of the riders involved in a big crash in the fourth stage of the Itzulia Basque Country. He was taken to hospital after the crash and examinations revealed that the Dane had broken his collarbone and several ribs. Later, he was also diagnosed with a lung contusion and a collapsed lung. His collarbone was operated on five days later.
Vingegaard will continue to recover at home. It is unclear how long his rehabilitation will take, and whether he will be fit in time for the Tour de France, starting on June 29, in Florence, Italy. The Dane had hoped to win the Tour de France for a third consecutive time this season, after victories in 2023 and 2022.
Vingegaard going home:
Wout van Aert Spotted on Zwift
It looks like Wout van Aert has started training on the bike, at home. The Visma | Lease a Bike Belgian, crashed at hight speed in the Dwars door Vlaanderen, has been spotted several times recently on Zwift.
Several rides have appeared on his Zwift account in recent days, but Van Aert hasn’t put these rides on his Strava. The last Zwift ride that the Belgian made public is from February 22. On his Zwift account, you can see that Van Aert rode several times since then. In the past 30 days he has ridden 142 virtual kilometres in 4 hours and 23 minutes.
Van Aert announced last week that he ‘cannot train at all at the moment’, but now appears to be taking serious steps in his rehabilitation process. A first participation in the Giro d’Italia is too early and it is still unknown when he will return to competition.
He broke his collarbone, sternum and several ribs, which meant Van Aert couldn’t start in his two main goals of the spring: the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix. “I am very disappointed that I also have to miss my second major goal (the Giro, ed.) of this season. But right now I have to put my health first. I have to give my body time to recover.”
Secret training for Wout?
Warren Barguil Rode Amstel Gold Race with a Broken Rib
For dsm-firmenich PostNL, the 58th Amstel Gold Race was not great. The Dutch team saw Oscar Onley abandon with a broken collarbone and the other leader, Warren Barguil, also didn’t finish.
The French climber: Barguil raced on Sunday with a broken rib. The 32-year-old Barguil suffered a broken rib in a crash in the final stage of the Tour of the Basque Country, just over a week ago. Barguil didn’t want to miss the Dutch race on Sunday, perhaps against his better judgment. “I couldn’t force anything and I am very disappointed, since I was on an altitude training camp for three weeks,” he said on Strava.
Starting in Flèche Wallonne (April 17) and Liège-Bastogne-Liège (April 21) doesn’t seem possible for the dsm-firmenich PostNL team. Barguil has had several top-10 finishes in the Ardennes Classics in the past. Last year he was tenth in the Flèche Wallonne.
Broken rib for Barguil:
Concussion for Finlay Pickering in the Tour of the Alps
In the final of stage 1 of the Tour of the Alps, Finlay Pickering ended up on the road on the last descent of the day.
The 21-year-old British rider, who rides for Bahrain Victorious, was not able to continue and had to abandon. His team announced via social media that the young rider is suffering from concussion. “He is currently undergoing further medical examinations.”
Pickering is in his first season as a professional, after competing for the Continental Trinity Racing team last year. The youngster had already raced the Tour of Antalya earlier this season. The Tour of the Alps was his third race of 2024, but his race turned out to be short-lived.
Finlay Pickering crashed out of the Tour of the Alps:
Oscar Onley Breaks Collarbone for Third Time in Eight Months: “How Many fckn Times?”
Oscar Onley broke his collarbone in a fall in the Amstel Gold Race. It is the third time in eight months that the rider of dsm-firmenich PostNL has suffered this specific injury. “How many fckn times?”, the 21-year-old Brit asks herself on Instagram.
About eight months ago, on August 26, 2023, Onley broke his collarbone in the second stage of the Vuelta a España. He recovered quickly and rode several more races in the autumn, including the Tour of Lombardy and Tour of Guangxi. He started the current season in Australia, where he won a stage in the Tour Down Under. However, a week after that victory he crashed in the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race. The verdict: a broken collarbone.
At the end of March, just two months after his crash in Australia, Onley made his return in the GP Miguel Indurain. He immediately proved his form by finishing third in this Spanish one-day event. He then rode the Tour of the Basque Country, but things went wrong again in the Amstel Gold Race. He fell again and again suffered a broken collarbone. It is not yet known how long Onley will be out of action this time.
Another broken collarbone for Onley:
Anna Shackley is Forced to Quit Top-Level Sport
Anna Shackley is to quit top-level sport based on the results of several medical tests. She was diagnosed with cardiac arrhythmia in January. Following this, she underwent a heart screening in Maxima Medisch Centrum in Veldhoven in collaboration with the SD Worx-Protime’s medical team. Here, several irregularities were found. That was the reason to immediately take her off the bike and do more extensive tests and procedures at the hospital in Barcelona near her hometown. All this time, Shackley (22) did not train or compete in races.
The latest result of all the tests and procedures has led to the conclusion that the heart problem is not compatible with a top-level sports career. “We are very sorry to see Anna’s cycling career end like this,” indicated sports manager Danny Stam. “She was one of the bigger talents in the women’s peloton. We saw in recent years that she was making good progress and we believed she could grow to the world top. It is especially unfortunate for her that she is now forced to stop. On the other hand, we are also happy that we were able to prevent any more dangerous complications. We hope Anna can return to her ‘normal’ life and we will work with the team to see how we can help.”
We hope you will grant Anna Shackley some rest over the coming period so that she can cope with this setback.
Pogačar Returns to Action in Liège
UAE Team Emirates continue their spring racing campaign with two important World Tour races scheduled, starting with the Flèche Wallonne on Wednesday followed by the oldest Monument of the calendar known as ‘La Doyenne’, Liege-Bastogne-Liege on Sunday (21 April).
The team for Liege will be lead by Tadej Pogačar who comes into the race after a blistering start to the season with victories already in Strade Bianche and the Volta Catalunya. The Emirati squad will also look to the good form of Amstel Gold Race runner-up Marc Hirschi and the experience of veteran riders like Diego Ulissi.
Pogačar: “Liege is one of my favourite races and also one of the hardest, so it’s always nice to go back there. Since Catalunya I’ve spent some time at altitude with some teammates and we’ve been building up well together towards the Giro. For these Ardennes races we have a very dynamic team. The form is good and I think I can do well but on a whole the team is very strong and we’ll have options which is always an advantage.I’m excited to pin on a race number again on Sunday.”
Sports Manager Matxin Fernandez (Spa) alongside Sports Directors Andrej Hauptman (Slo) and Tomas Gil (Ven).
Liège-Bastogne-Liège [1.UWT] – 21-Apr-2024
Joao Almeida (Por)
Sjoerd Bax (Ned)
Finn Fisher Black (NZ)
Marc Hirschi (Swi)
Domen Novak (Slo)
Tadej Pogačar (Slo)
Diego Ulissi (Ita).
Soudal Quick-Step to Liège–Bastogne–Liège
Our squad is ready for one of the season’s most prestigious one-day races
Sunday brings the fourth and final Monument of the spring, the 254.5km Liège–Bastogne–Liège – one of the climbers’ best opportunities to add a major one-day race to their palmares. The route will be an up-and-down one the entire day, with the riders having to tackle eleven ascents before the final flat kilometers taking them to the center of Liège, where the 110th edition will conclude.
Côte de la Redoute (1.6km, 9.4%), Côte des Forges (1.3km, 7.8%) and Côte de la Roche-aux-Faucons (1.3km, 11%) – the last of these coming just 13 kilometers from the line – will be the hills where the race promises to get tougher, paving the way for the big and potentially decisive moves of the day.
Soudal Quick-Step – a three-time winner of “La Doyenne” – comes to the start of the oldest Monument in the world with James Knox, Fausto Masnada, making his first outing since Tirreno-Adriatico, Pieter Serry, Mauri Vansevenant and Louis Vervaeke, who will be joined by neo-pros Gil Gelders and William Junior Lecerf, the latter a stage winner at the Tour du Rwanda and runner-up at the AlUla Tour this year.
“We are without our two leaders for this race, but we have confidence in this young and motivated group. We come to the start with a plan and we are ready to go out there and fight for a good result. The weather won’t be kind on Sunday and could end up playing a big role, but we are determined to give our best before concluding our spring classics campaign”, said sports director Klaas Lodewyck.
21.04 Liège-Bastogne-Liège (BEL) 1.UWT
Riders:
Gil Gelders (BEL)
James Knox (GBR)
William Junior Lecerf (BEL)
Fausto Masnada (ITA)
Pieter Serry (BEL)
Mauri Vansevenant (BEL)
Louis Vervaeke (BEL).
Sports Director: Klaas Lodewyck (BEL) and Geert Van Bondt (BEL).
Mauri Vansevenant to Liège:
Liège-Bastogne-Liège – APR 21
Phil West – Team dsm-firmenich PostNL coach: “La Doyenne, the Queen of the Classics, and perhaps the toughest of all to round out the Ardennes campaign awaits us on Sunday. We will aim to ride a proactive race, ideally so that we can have numbers late into the day and with Romain [Bardet] and Kevin we then have options to tackle the race on several fronts together. As ever, with modern racing we can expect the final to open early so it will be important for us to invest energy in those moments so we come into the finish in a good way, and can play our chances. In a race like this we will need to be really sharp as a team and back each other up so we can go for the best result that’s possible on the day.”
Line-up:
Romain Bardet (FRA)
Romain Combaud (FRA)
Matt Dinham (AUS)
Enzo Leijnse (NED)
Chris Hamilton (AUS)
Martijn Tusveld (NED)
Kevin Vermaerke (USA)
Liège-Bastogne-Liège Femmes – APR 21
Kelvin Dekker – Team dsm-firmenich PostNL coach: “Liège-Bastogne-Liège marks the end of our classics campaign and we want to finish on a high. We go into the race with Juliette as our finisher, but the challenging parcours offers a lot of opportunities for us to influence the race with our strong line-up, so we will be alert for any promising early moves. We look forward to taking on the final spring classic and we will do our best as a team to make sure we are present in the race until the end.”
Line-up:
Francesca Barale (ITA)
Juliette Labous (FRA)
Josie Nelson (GBR)
Eglantine Rayer (FRA)
Elise Uijen (NED)
Nienke Vinke (NED).
Kevin Vermaerke to Liège:
The New General Manager – Thor Hushovd
In the world of cycling, few names resonate as deeply as Thor Hushovd’s.
Growing up in Grimstad, Norway, Hushovd’s childhood was filled with various sports, from athletics and football to cross-country skiing. Yet, something about cycling caught his interest after his older brother introduced him to the sport. It wasn’t just about how fast you could go from A to B. It was the action and tactics. What started as a borrowed bike and weekend family outings soon became a lifelong passion for Hushovd. The rest is history for the most-decorated cyclist in Norway.
“I’ve always had a winner’s mentality and competitive instinct, and haven’t been scared to set high goals and share them. Sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn’t, but I think it’s important to aim high.”
Upon retiring in 2014, he dreamed of elevating and establishing a Norwegian cycling team at a top level amongst the elite, to compete in races such as the Tour de France, Giro d’Italia, and Vuelta a Espana.
“When this opportunity presented itself, it was easy for me to say yes. Challenging, but extremely exciting. The team enjoys a high international standing today, earning great respect within the community and among the world’s best cyclists, recognising the team as a well-organised, healthy, and robust organisation. At the same time, I aim to lift the team to the top level so that we can compete in the biggest cycling races and be part of the big arenas.”
Hushovd is currently spending time getting to know the people behind the team while continuously looking at ways to keep building on the team’s strong foundation. With an eye towards the future, he seeks to create an environment for aspiring young cyclists, where they can thrive on the international stage and inspire a new wave of Norwegian and Danish riders to embark on this journey.
“Uno-X Mobility is still a “small” team compared to the World Tour teams in cycling. Of course, it’s more exciting for young riders when they get a call from a bigger team to choose them. But we are a team with a strong foundation and identity, and we want to be a place where the next generation of Norwegian and Danish riders feel at home and can develop.”
As he enters this new chapter, he feels a sense of pride and humility. Still, nonetheless, he is filled with excitement as he embarks on this journey, where he aspires to cultivate a sense of national pride and unity through cycling. For him, Uno-X Mobility Cycling is more than just building a successful cycling team. It’s also about fostering a united feeling, where every Norwegian and Dane feels a part of our journey, with the team representing this spirit on the roads, competing shoulder to shoulder next to the world’s best.
“I vividly remember racing in the Tour de France, where my fellow riders asked me if there were any Norwegians left in Norway. It felt like the entire country had come out to cheer, watch, and be a part of the excitement that the Tour de France and cycling brings. That’s the feeling I’m trying to recreate.”
Hushovd to manage Uno-X Mobility:
Gerben Thijssen Shifts Focus Towards the Tour de France
Gerben Thijssen resumed training less than two weeks after his crash in the Scheldeprijs on Wednesday 3rd of April, during which he sustained partially ruptured ligaments on the outside of his ankle.
The 25 year old Belgian rider, winner of the Trofeo Palma and the first stage of the Volta ao Algarve this season, prepares his return into competition and will start his second part of the season on the occasion of the Elfstedenronde on 5th of May. Due to a disturbed preparation, Gerben Thijssen will not participate in the Tour of Italy and shift focus towards his first participation in the Tour de France, which starts in Florence on 29th of June.
Gerben Thijssen: “Despite the pain the first days after the crash, the injury turned out to be less serious than we feared and I could recover fairly quickly. My feeling on the bike is improving day by day, but I still need to be careful with certain movements such as walking. Not participating in the Giro d’Italia is obviously a disappointment as I was very much looking forward to my debut in this grand tour, but it was the best decision for the rest of my season. My new programme offers me enough time to recover. And it also brings renewed motivation as plenty of sprint opportunities await me in May and in June, in races in which I have been successful in the past such as the Ronde van Limburg. Also, making my debut in the Tour de France is the realisation of a childhood dream. It is a reward for my efforts and for the ones who have supported me in my development, en incredible motivating factor.”
Aike Visbeek (Performance Manager): “Due to his ankle injury, the preparation of Gerben Thijssen towards the Tour of Italy was disturbed and shortened. The medical staff and performance team analysed the situation in consultation with Gerben and considered an alternative programme. We unanimously decided to not take any risks and to offer him a new programme to prepare him in an optimal way for his first participation in the Tour de France. Gerben will line up with ambition for the Belgian classics in May, the Belgium Tour and Belgian championship in June.”
Gerald Ackerl (Head Doctor): “There is positive news about the recovery of Gerben Thijssen, less than two weeks after his crash in the Scheldeprijs. Thanks to a period of necessary rest, the partially ruptured ligaments of his ankle healed well. Gerben was relatively quickly pain-free, so he could resume training and already made progression in his build-up.”
Gerben Thijssen to the Tour:
British Sensation Joe Blackmore Signs Two-Year Contract with Israel – Premier Tech
The future is bright for Joe Blackmore.
It may not have been a name that many had heard in the cycling world prior to the 2024 season but it didn’t take long for that to change.
Having burst onto the road racing scene in 2024, after just four races on the road in 2023, the 21-year-old Brit has done nothing but impress in his first four months with Israel – Premier Tech Academy. So, it will come as no surprise that he’s already landed a pro contract, joining IPT’s ProTeam on a two-year deal for the 2025 and 2026 seasons.
Blackmore added the Liège – Bastogne – Liège U23 win to his palmarès on Saturday, the latest result on a long list that includes his General Classification victories at the Tour du Rwanda, Tour de Taiwan, and Circuit des Ardennes and three stage wins. But this is just the beginning.
“I’ve really enjoyed my first few months with the team and the race calendar I have,” says Blackmore. “I didn’t expect to win so much already. I knew that my winter without cyclocross allowed me to train more so I expected to be a bit stronger than last year, a bit closer to the front, but I didn’t expect to win all these races. I guess once you start winning, you’re on a roll.”
Despite the unsurprising interest from other teams, Blackmore looked no further than Israel – Premier Tech.
“Israel – Premier Tech seems like a really good team, and everyone is caring and supportive. I’ve raced up with the ProTeam a bit already, and I really like the environment and the opportunities I have been given so I was motivated to stay. As for my objectives, I really want to go for the win in every race that suits me, and I have my eye on the mountain bike and road World Championships this year. I’m not a pure climber, I’m not a pure sprinter so I think one week stage races and punchy one-day races are particularly suited to me and eventually, I’ll see how I go at the Grand Tours.”
Blackmore’s background as a mountain bike and cyclocross rider first caught the attention of IPT Academy’s newly appointed Manager Tim Elverson, who encouraged the Brit to spend more time on the road.
“I first saw Joe back in the 21/22 cyclocross season and I could see something in him so started to keep an eye on him,” explains Elverson. “I’ve rolled the dice before bringing riders from cyclocross over to the road, so I started working with him from September last year. He came to Israel – Premier Tech Academy and embraced the learning curve and has really settled into the family environment we have built, which I believe has allowed him to grow quickly. With the opportunities IPT can offer and the WorldTour structure we have, the progress he can make is limitless.”
While Blackmore is still finding his way on the road, Elverson believes his versatility holds the key to his future as a pro rider.
“Obviously, Joe is very much on the up and it is still unclear exactly what type of racer he will become but my feeling is he is particularly suited to short stage races and the Ardennes Classics. Although, with the way he handles the bike and his love of a hard race, I think there are few Monuments that may suit him. Joe is a calculated racer and with the experience we have in this team, the only sure thing is there will be many wins to come.”
Blackmore’s promotion from the Academy to the ProTeam sees him join a long list of riders who have made the jump within the IPT structure, a testament to the team’s recruitment strategy says IPT owner Sylvan Adams.
“Joe has been a very quick learner since making the switch to road racing,” says Adams. “And as he’s shown, he is a smart, fearless competitor, and a real winner. Joe’s remarkable results and his new contract are an additional validation of our recruitment strategy, with seven riders promoted over the last three seasons. Signing Joe to IPT was the easiest decision we’ve made this year. I’m excited to see his development next season when he will be up against the best. He’s got a great future ahead.” IPT General Manager Kjell Carlström echoes Adams’ words, highlighting the team’s successful start to 2024.
Édouard Claisse Pledges his Future to the Structure of Intermarché-Wanty
Intermarché-Wanty continues its investment in the talents of tomorrow with the arrival of the young Walloon rider Édouard Claisse. The 16 year old junior from Vaudignies, in the province of Hainaut, tied his future to the structure of Jean-François Bourlart.
With the Norwegian rider Felix Ørn-Kristoff, Édouard Claisse is the second junior to benefit from the support of Intermarché-Wanty in sight of his passage in the U23 category in 2026 with the Continental Development team Wanty-ReUz-Technord under the direction of Kévin Van Melsen.
Édouard Claisse is one of the most promising Belgian cycling talents of his generation. During seasons 2022 and 2023, he cumulated 40 victories on all terrains with his Cube Litening C:68X, among which two stages and the overall classification of the prestigious Tour de l’Ain and a stage in the Triptyque Ardennais.
Stepping up to the junior category in 2024, he immediately won two races after his participation in the winter training camp of Wanty-ReUz-Technord in Alicante in February. He also finished next to the podium in international competitions, with fourth places in the Gran Premi Les Franqueses in Espagne and in the Tour du Bocage et de l’Ernée in France.
Édouard Claisse: “Pursuing my development with the structure of Intermarché-Wanty was a logical choice for me. Because they support me for quite a long time already, both with equipment and with a daily follow up through my trainer Christophe Prémont and others. In addition to this bond of trust, I have a quite strong sense of belonging to the team. I’m born in Ath, just like the project of Jean-François Bourlart, so it makes me proud to represent the colours of my local team. I’ve always been welcomed with open arms, both by the staff and the pro riders I admire. I spent quite some time talking to Gerben Thijssen during the winter training camp of the World Team and learned a lot. For the time trial discipline I like to address my questions to Rune Herregodts. Recently I received advice from sports director Dimitri Claeys to prepare for the gravel roads during the four day stage race Eroica, my first experience with the Belgian national team starting this Thursday. This year, my main goals are the Classique des Alpes and the Tour du Valromey, two prestigious races in my category in which I hope to finish in the top 10 to return with more experience in my second season as a junior. I want to pursue my development step by step, hoping to realise my dream of participating in the Tour de France with Intermarché-Wanty.”
Kévin Van Melsen (Sports Director): “We launched our Continental Development Team Wanty-ReUz-Technord with the aim of developing young talents and enabling them to become professional cyclists. As the first Walloon World Team, Intermarché-Wanty attaches a lot of importance to the development of Belgian talents – Walloon riders in particular – in its philosophy. So I am proud that a highly coveted talent such as Édouard has chosen to follow in the footsteps of William Graff, Sacha Prestianni or encore Tim Rex, who made remarkable progression since their arrival. This shows the quality of our development structure and it is a reward for the confidence we put in Édouard from a young age and for the good contacts we maintained with his family. He’s a rider with plenty of different qualities, who really impressed me during our winter training camps. But if I need to pick one aspect, it would be his maturity in his race vision. At his age, it is rather exceptional to know exactly how to manage a race to win. He learns very fast and has a nice margin for progression. Our intention is to give him the necessary time to develop himself. I can’t wait to welcome in our colours from 2026.”
Aike Visbeek (Performance Manager): “We follow the evolution of Édouard Claisse for a long time already. This young Walloon talent from the province of Hainaut, where the heart of our structure is situated, has a profile that perfectly matches our development philosophy. That’s why we started supporting him in his development last season, step by step. Édouard is followed on a daily basis by our trainer Christophe Prémont and benefits from material support. In February he participated to the training camp of Wanty-ReUz-Technord in Alicante. He is regularly present at team training sessions or races. In this way, he can familiarise with our organisation and pursue his learning process in a family-type and professional setting. We’re happy that the development structure we’ve built continues attracting promising talents in the junior category in Wallonia, in addition to international talents such as Simone Gualdi and Felix Ørn-Kristoff.”
Christophe Prémont (Trainer): “Édouard Claisse is one of the most promising talents of his generation.In the junior category he is competitive on all terrains. In the U17 category he won both in the mountains of the Tour de l’Ain and in the flat Belgian races. His results speak for themselves, however, I attach more importance to the linear progression I notice since we started working together one and a half year ago. And especially, there’s still a lot of room for progression. For now, we focus on the basics, learning how to manage the training load and how to eat well, before searching for marginal gains. Édouard shows eagerness to learn and keeps both feet on the ground, he knows how to surround him with good people. The past year we built a relationship of trust. Within the structure of Intermarché-Wanty, we have long term plans for his development as a cyclist, to reach his maximal potential, step by step and in a serene way.”
Czeslaw Lang Announces Stage Cities for Tour de Pologne Women
The Lublin voivodeship has been awarded the race, scheduled for the end of June 2024.
“We have very ambitious plans for the Tour de Pologne Women given the rapid development of women’s cycling. Today, I can announce that the three stages of the race will be held in the Lublin region, an area that distinguished itself years ago during the Tour de Pologne UCI WorldTour,” announces General Director Czesław Lang, adding: “Therefore, we are confident that the routes we have prepared will be of a very high standard. I’m glad to have a main sponsor like ORLEN, which supports cycling.”
The Tour de Pologne Women, scheduled for the last weekend of June 2024, will therefore be held entirely in the Lublin voivodeship, which has already hosted the Tour de Pologne UCI WorldTour in 2021 and 2022. On this occasion, the cities of Lublin, Zamość, Kraśnik, Kazimierz Dolny and Chełm were involved. The enthusiasm of the local community, excellent roads and picturesque views prompted Czeslaw Lang to repeat the success and return to the region with another international event.
“In 2022, during the Tour de Pologne budget conference, I announced that we would like to return to this beautiful region with another race. I am happy to announce that we will do this with the Tour de Pologne Women. We will start with an individual time trial in Lublin. The second stage will be between Krasnystaw and Kraśnik, while the third stage will see the peloton set off from the Arche Hotel in Nałęczów towards Kazimierz Dolny. There we will find out the winner of the general classification, sponsored by ORLEN,” announces Czeslaw Lang, vice-Olympic champion and organiser of the event.
In addition to the routes, the event’s main sponsor, a long-time supporter of Polish cycling, both professional and amateur, has also been confirmed: ORLEN. The brand will thus be at the side of women’s cycling and the athletes will compete for the coveted yellow jersey in the ORLEN general classification.
“ORLEN is the biggest and most active sports sponsor in Poland. Our activities in this area result in a positive perception of our brand in the country and increased recognition abroad. Supporting popular sports and athletes makes it easier to reach existing customers and attract new ones. Cycling could not be left out of our broad portfolio of projects. Now we are going to support the Tour de Pologne Women, which is returning to the calendar of the country’s most important sporting events, which is very interesting from the point of view of popularising the discipline among women,’ says Agata Pniewska, ORLEN’s Executive Director for Sponsorship.
The first edition of the Tour de Pologne Women took place in 2016. It was won by Olympic mountain bike champion Jolanda Neff, who proved that she could also be competitive on the road. The best Polish woman that year was Paulina Brzeźna-Bentkowska, who finished a strong fourth.
2nd Tour de Pologne Women: 28-30.06.2024
STAGE 1 – Lublin
STAGE 2 – Krasnystaw – Kraśnik, Kraśnik District
STAGE 3 – Arche Nałęczów – Kazimierz Dolny
2024 USA Cycling Professional Road National Championships Come to Charleston, West Virginia on May 14-19, 2024
The public is invited to downtown Charleston, May 14-19 for Pro Road Nationals, where the winner of the Elite Men’s and Elite Women’s Time Trial events will automatically qualify for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
The 2024 USA Cycling Professional Road National Championships will take place May 14-19, 2024 on the roads of downtown Charleston. This is the event’s inaugural year in Charleston and will continue each year through 2028.
Occurring just two months prior to the Summer Olympic Games, this year’s event is expected to draw top-tier riders, including Olympians, World Tour professionals, and rising stars. The winner of the Elite Men’s and Elite Women’s Time Trial events at the 2024 Professional Road National Championships will automatically qualify for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
The Professional Road National Championships will continue to feature the professional Road Race, Time Trial and Criterium, with the addition of the Under-23 and Junior 17-18 age categories in an effort to elevate the UCI categories on the national stage, creating one world-class cycling event.
Daily Awards & Race Schedule:
Spectators can expect six full days of best-in-class racing. The marquee events include:
Tuesday: Junior Time Trial
Wednesday: Elite Time Trial (Olympic qualifying event), U-23 Time Trial
Thursday: Criterium
Friday: Criterium
Saturday: Road Race
Sunday: Road Race
For a full schedule, click here.
General Information:
Spectators are encouraged to attend. The Expo area will be located at City Center at Slack Plaza Thursday-Sunday. Additional spectator information can be found here: https://charlestonwv.com/usa-cycling/.
USA Champs come to Charleston:
2024 USA Cycling Collegiate Road National Championships Come to Albuquerque on May 3-5, 2024
The public is invited to Balloon Fiesta Park on Sunday, May 5, 2024 for Criterium Day of the Collegiate Road National Championships.
The 2024 USA Cycling Collegiate Road National Championships will take place May 3-5, 2024 in Albuquerque, N.M. Returning for its second year in Albuquerque, this year’s national championship will feature sixteen championship races where Varsity and Club collegiate athletes will be crowned. Spectators are encouraged to attend the criterium race on May 5, 2024, which will be co-located with the Rio Grande Valley Celtic Festival at Balloon Fiesta Park.
Daily Awards & Race Schedule:
The marquee events include:
Friday: Team Time Trial, Individual Time Trial
Saturday: Road Race
Sunday: Criterium
Awards will be held on Saturday, May 4th at East Mountain High School Soccer Field and on Sunday, May 5th at Balloon Fiesta Park.
For a full schedule, click here.
General Information:
Spectators are encouraged to attend Sunday’s criterium at Balloon Fiesta Park, which will be co-located with the Rio Grande Valley Celtic Festival. Tickets can be purchased online by clicking here. Tickets will also be available for purchase at the entrance for $20.
(Athletes, their families, and coaches will be able to attend the criterium using the Collegiate Road National Championships wristband that will be provided onsite and handed out during the athlete meeting.)
Parking will be available at Balloon Fiesta Park’s east parking lot located at 5500 Balloon Fiesta Parkway NE.
The 2024 USA Cycling Collegiate Road National Championships will take place in Albuquerque:
The National Cycling League to Focus on 2025 and Pause the 2024 Season
National Cycling League (NCL) announces it will pause operations for the 2024 season effective immediately as it looks to restructure and rebuild for the 2025 season. While NCL will not field events or teams in 2024, the executive team and board of directors will focus on coming back stronger in 2025 by restructuring its business model within the current economic challenges facing the domestic and global cycling industry.
“Pausing our 2024 plans affects many teams and riders, and we are working with everyone individually to help them through 2024 and to position everyone for success in 2025,” said Reed McCalvin, VP of Operations and Teams.
NCL had planned to field three full co-ed teams – Miami Nights, Denver Disruptors, and Atlanta Rise – for the 2024 season. These teams were going to battle for the 2024 NCL Cup, as well as challenge the best teams and riders in the U.S. with a full domestic race calendar. Riders and staff have been notified and will be assisted through their transitions.
In 2023, its inaugural season, NCL hosted three successful criterium races in Miami Beach, Denver, and Atlanta. Those events will not take place in 2024.
“One of the goals for the National Cycling League has been to build on the current domestic cycling scene,” said Andrea Pagnanelli, NCL CEO. ”For us to reach this goal in this market, we felt that pausing our 2024 plans to adjust our model will allow us to come back even stronger in the future.”
- Visit nclracing.com for more information.
NCL 2023 Highlights – Round 1, Miami Beach:
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