As the curtain falls on the last European race of the season and the cyclocross riders get in their stride, we have all the video, reports, results and rider views from the Veneto Classic, Japan Cup, Telenet Superprestige Ruddervoorde Cross and Robotland Essen Cyclo-Cross.
Terrible news from Chris Hoy – TOP STORY.
Rider news: Eli Iserbyt suspended for three races by the UCI and given a bigger fine, new twist in Tom Pidcock ‘possible’ transfer, Alexey Lutsenko on leaving Astana, Philippe Gilbert to work as an analyst for Belgian television and Mathieu van der Poel and Alpecin-Deceuninck raised €149,000 for ‘Stand Up to Cancer’.
Team news: Visma | Lease a Bike welcomes Dan McLay, Gianni Moscon joins Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe, Lilian Calmejane announces the end of his career, Astana Qazaqstan missed the UCI licence deadline, Tour de Tietema-Unibet switches to a French license, Pozzato and Cassani’s team plans not yet on hold, Aintila and Martins join CANYON//SRAM Racing in 2025, Tom Van Asbroeck to stay with IPT, Logan Currie signs for one more year with Lotto Dstny, Max Walker joins EF Education-EasyPost after a rapid rise and Lars Craps signs a two-year deal with Lotto Dstny.
Race news: Serenissima Gravel stopped after one lap due to bad weather and the Saitama edition 10.
Plus the sad news of the passing of Belgian legend Emile Daems at 86-years-old.
TOP STORY: Terminally Ill Chris Hoy Has Only a Few Years Left to Live
Six-time Olympic gold medalist, Chris Hoy has terminal cancer. According to doctors, the British track star has only a few years left to live. The 48-year-old track legend spoke about it in an interview with The Sunday Times.
Hoy has been told by doctors that he has about two to four years to live. He announced earlier this year that he had been diagnosed with cancer, he initially wanted to keep the news private, but decided to share it with the outside world in February. It was unclear for a long time what type of cancer it was, but Hoy has now said that he has been diagnosed with prostate cancer. The cancer has spread to his bones and tumours have been discovered in his shoulder, pelvis, hip, spine and ribs.
“As unnatural as it may feel, this is nature,” Hoy said in the interview with The Sunday Times. “We are all born and we all die. I consider myself lucky that there is a medicine that allows me to postpone death for as long as possible. For me, the biggest part of the fight against cancer is not physical. It is something mental.”
Hoy is considered one of the greatest track cyclists of all time. In his career, he was World champion eleven times and won six Olympic gold medals. In 2013, he decided to retire from cycling. In recent years, Hoy has mainly worked in the media, as an analyst and as the presenter of his own podcast.
Hoy also said in the interview that his wife, Sarra, has a ‘very active and aggressive’ form of multiple sclerosis (MS). This is a disease of the central nervous system and an autoimmune disease, which can cause neurological disorders such as loss of strength. The course of the disease can vary greatly, as can the symptoms. The couple have two children, their son was born premature at 29 weeks.
Terribly sad news – Chris Hoy:
Veneto Classic 2024
The last European road race of the 2024 season was won by Magnus Cort. The Norwegian of Uno-X Mobility crossed the finish line first after 190 kilometres. Cort was in the early break and was the only rider to stay out front in the tough final around Bassano del Grappa. Romain Grégoire was second at 17 seconds and Xandro Meurisse was third at 20 seconds.
The Veneto Classic was fought over 191.7 kilometres with 2,000 metres of climbing, which was mostly in the final circuit around Bassano del Grappa. In the last 65 kilometres, there was the cobbled climb of La Tisa (300 meters at 11%) to be climbed four times, then the unpaved Diesel Farm (1.2km at 11%) and the Contra Soarda (400 meters at 10.3%), from there it was 4 kilometres to the finish.
There were six riders in the ‘break of the day’. Anders Foldrager (Jayco AlUla), Tobias Bayer (Alpecin-Deceuninck), Magnus Cort (Uno-X Mobility), Alexis Gougeard (Cofidis), Kyrylo Tsarenko (Corratec-Vini Fantini) and Riccardo Biondani (General Store-Essegibi-F.Lli Curia), they took more than 3 minutes on a UAE Team Emirates led peloton, with some help from Groupama-FDJ and Polti Kometa. Foldrager, Bayer and Cort held on at the front the longest, but they were losing their lead on the La Tisa circuit. 40 kilometres from the finish, the favourites came into action with an attack by Marc Hirschi. He caused a big split in the peloton, but that was 2 minutes behind the three escapees. With one more climb of La Tisa to go, at more than 20 kilometres from the finish, a group with Filippo Baroncini, Davide De Pretto, Lorenzo Rota, Simone Gualdi and George Bennett broken away, but the differences were still small. Foldrager, Bayer and Cort held their lead over La Tisa and they started the Diesel Farm and Contra Soarda with more than a 30 second lead.
A large group was not far behind, including Hirschi, Baroncini, Rota, Bennett, Xandro Meurisse, Romain Grégoire, Filippo Zana, Corbin Strong and Giulio Pellizzari. On the unpaved Diesel Farm, which is private property of the boss of Diesel clothing, Cort dropped the others in the break. The Hirschi group was building up speed behind, but due to the heavy rain in the past week, many of the unpaved sections were very muddy. Cort came solo over the top, still half a minute on Hirschi, Zana, Grégoire, Pellizzari, Bayer and Meurisse, with only the short Contra Soarda (400 metres at 10.3%) still to go, Cort was no longer in danger, although Grégoire had set off after the Norwegian. The Frenchman came within 15 seconds of Cort, but that was it. The victory in Bassano del Grappa went to Cort, ahead of Grégoire and Meurisse.
Race winner, Magnus Cort “I don’t know if this was my best year, but it was definitely one of my best years,” “This is the perfect way to end the season. For me it’s a great victory and it’s only the second time I’ve won a one-day race,” he recalls. “This was a really spectacular race, even if it’s not a top-level race, but it looks like it. It was a crazy race and I’m happy and proud of how I won.” “I knew I could make a difference on the circuit. We could go far as a breakaway because La Tisa was a really tough climb where the course was hard to control. A lot of riders had to put their feet on the ground, so there was probably a lot of chaos.” “That’s why I went in the breakaway, because I knew it would be hard to chase” “I was surprised that I still had energy. After the Tour I felt I was still good and had good results, but after that I struggled. But I like racing like this. […] Next year I hope to be able to fight for great victories like this again.”
Veneto Classic 2024
1. Magnus Cort Nielsen (Den) Uno-X Mobility in 4:24:02
2. Romain Gregoire (Fra) Groupama-FDJ at 0:17
3. Xandro Meurisse (Bel) Alpecin-Deceuninck at 0:19
4. Marc Hirschi (Sui) UAE Team Emirates at 0:20
5. Filippo Zana (Ita) Jayco AlUla at 0:21
6. Giulio Pellizzari (Ita) VF Group-Bardiani CSF-Faizanè at 0:23
7. Filippo Baroncini (Ita) UAE Team Emirates at 0:39
8. Francesco Busatto (Ita) Intermarché-Wanty at 0:41
9. Georg Zimmermann (Ger) Intermarché-Wanty at 0:49
10. Davide De Pretto (Ita) Jayco AlUla at 0:54.
Veneto Classic’24
Japan Cup Road Race 2024
Neilson Powless won the Japan Cup for the second time. The American of EF Education-EasyPost beat his fellow attackers Ilan Van Wilder and Matej Mohorič in a sprint after 144 kilometres.
This year, the Japan Cup was held entirely in Utsunomiya, just east of the city centre, in the Utsunomiya City Forest Park Circuit with the climb of Mt. Kogashiyama. This climb was used in the 1990 World championships and would be the main obstacle in the Japan Cup. The circuit, of 10.3 kilometres, starts and finishes halfway up Mt. Kogashiyama. The riders has to climb right form the start line. There were 5 kilometres of climbing at around 3% and 1 kilometre at 7%. Once at the top of Mt. Kogashiyama, there was a descent of 4 kilometres. Then 2 flat kilometres were followed by 3 kilometres of climbing to the finish. Like previous tears, it was going to be a real elimination race.
The race was split, leaving just 5 riders out front in the final kilometres. Soudal Quick-Step was well represented in the leading group, with Mauri Vansevenant and Ilan Van Wilder. The two Belgians were up against the Slovenian Matej Mohorič, Canadian Michael Woods and American Neilson Powless. Powless was the big favourite for the victory before the start and lived up to his role at the finish. In the final sprint, the EF Education-EasyPost rider was too fast for the others.
Powless beat Van Wilder into second place and Mohorič was third. Woods was fourth and Vansevenant fifth. With his victory in the Japan Cup, Powless has had a very good end of season. in the Coppa Bernocchi he was in contention for the win and in the Gran Piemonte he won solo. He was also eighth in Il Lombardia.
Race winner, Neilson Powless (EF Education-EasyPost): “I’m really happy. This is my second win at the Japan Cup. This time, it was a lot more tactical, because there were five of us coming to the finish line. I was pretty confident in my sprint, but in the end it was tricky. Quick-Step had two riders. When Vansevant attacked, I knew it was the perfect moment to use him and jump in his draft. I tried to wait and wait until I closed again and caught him and then really opened my sprint with about 300 meters to go. It was really far out, but I still felt good. My wife is here. My daughter is here. It is just so special to do this in front of family.”
2nd, Ilan Van Wilder (Soudal Quick-Step): “We were extremely motivated before this race, because we wanted to finish the season on a high note. That’s why we went early on the attack and tried to be present in all the important moves and shape the race. Eventually, a group got away, and being there together with Mauri was a great situation for us. We did our best to increase the gap on the chasers, as we were confident in our chances of getting a good result at the end of the day. I suffered a bit on the penultimate climb, but managed to come back on the descent, and then, on the final ascent, me and Mauri tried to put pressure on the others. Looking back, I think we did our best and don’t have any regrets. It’s been a long season and a hard race, but I am delighted with the fact I finished in the top three, especially as it gave me great pleasure to do it in front of these amazing fans.”
3rd, Matej Mohorič (Bahrain Victorious): “I was feeling pretty good today. It was a super hard race from the start, with plenty of attacks and very aggressive racing, without a moment to relax, especially with it being a relatively short race. When Woods (IPT) made his move two-thirds into the race, it was just down to the five of us. We came together into the sprint, with a lot of attacks in the last 2 km. I tried to play my cards right, but I lacked a bit of speed to go with Powless, who proved to be the strongest and deservedly won. Still, I am happy with my performance. The season is finished now, but I can take this good result into the off-season and prepare well for 2025.”
Japan Cup Road Race Result:
1. Neilson Powless (USA) EF Education-EasyPost in 3:33:30
2. Ilan Van Wilder (Bel) Soudal Quick-Step
3. Matej Mohorič (Slo) Bahrain Victorious
4. Michael Woods (Can) Israel-Premier Tech
5. Mauri Vansevenant (Bel) Soudal Quick-Step at 0:14
6. Julien Bernard (Fra) Lidl-Trek at 4:16
7. Axel Zingle (Fra) Cofidis at 4:26
8. Toms Skujins (Lit) Lidl-Trek at 4:35
9. Lukas Nerurkar (GB) EF Education-EasyPost
10. Edoardo Zambanini (Ita) Bahrain Victorious.
Japan Cup’24:
Telenet Superprestige – Men Ruddervoorde 2024
Joran Wyseure won the first round of the Telenet Superprestige series 2024/25 in Ruddervoorde on Sunday. This was the Crelan-Corendon rider’s first major cyclo-cross victory. After a strong final lap, he beat Niels Vandeputte (Alpecin-Deceuninck) and European champion, Michael Vanthourenhout (Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal).
Eli Iserbyt was one of the top favourites for the win in Ruddervoorde, but the Belgian champion had been given a three race suspension after stamping on Ryan Kamp’s rear wheel in Beringen. The favourites were now Lars van der Haar, Michael Vanthourenhout, Toon Aerts and Thibau Nys.
In the first lap, the gaps were still small. Toon Aerts had a bad start due to a crash by Ryan Kamp. The Dutchman’s foot came off his pedal and he hit the ground hard and had to abandon. Joran Wyseure was the leader at the end of the first lap. He was at the front of a group with Niels Vandeputte, Kevin Kuhn and European champion Michael Vanthourenhout. There was a larger group behind with Nys and Van der Haar. Wyseure and Vanthourenhout didn’t slow, but Vandeputte, Nys and Gerben Kuypers managed to join them. The pace slowed down a little and Van der Haar, Felipe Orts and others, also caught them. The battle was open again at the halfway point of the race, but Nys junior was no longer there.
It would be a fight between Van der Haar, Vanthourenhout, Kuypers, Vandeputte and Wyseure, because Orts had a mechanical. Kuypers forced another split. with three laps to go, he ripped the group apart. Van der Haar was under pressure and lost his place due to a mistake on the beams, but was able to return because the others slowed. It was now a tactical game in the finale. Wyseure managed to get away and take a solo lead. He lost some time due to a slip, but he held the others off. Vandeputte got very close to Wyseure with his final sprint, but it was too late.
Race winner, Joran Wyseure (Crelan-Corendon): “This is unbelievable. I was good last week in Beringen and had a fantastic start today. Halfway through I had less feeling, but when it came to a standstill at the front I knew: Now I’m playing all or nothing. And it was all, luckily! That’s not really something I’m good at, usually I’m a bit nervous in that situation. I knew that we were five away. As the end approached I thought more about the podium, and when I had 12 seconds I knew it was going to be difficult to be caught. I’m really happy. Wow! I didn’t want to let it come to a standstill too much, otherwise others would come back from behind. I then rode away and immediately had a nice gap. I then chose my own pace and my own line. I did make a slip, but luckily I was able to continue straight away. It’s unbelievable. To win close to home is fantastic.”
Telenet Superprestige Ruddervoorde – Men Result:
1. Joran Wyseure (Bel) Crelan-Corendon in 57:19
2. Niels Vandeputte (Bel) Alpecin-Deceuninck Development Team at 0:02
3. Michael Vanthourenhout (Bel) Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal at 0:10
4. Lars van der Haar (Ned) Baloise Trek Lions at 0:12
5. Gerben Kuypers (Bel) Intermarché-Wanty at 0:23
6. Jente Michels (Ned) Alpecin-Deceuninck Development Team at 0:36
7. Felipe Orts Lloret (Spa) Ridley Racing Team at 0:44
8. Kevin Kuhn (Sui) Charles Liégeois Roastery CX at 0:51
9. David Haverdings (Ned) Baloise Trek Lions at 0:57
10. Toon Aerts (Bel) Deschacht-Hens-Maes at 1:02.
Telenet Superprestige Ruddervoorde – Women 2024
Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado won the Superprestige Ruddervoorde cyclocross after an exciting battle. The Fenix-Deceuninck rider beat World champion Fem van Empel (Visma | Lease a Bike) and Dutch champion Lucinda Brand (Lidl-Trek). She is the first leader in the Telenet Superprestige series 2024/25 for women.
Everyone was looking at World champion Fem van Empel before the first race of the Superprestige series, but in the first lap it was Lucinda Brand who took the lead. She had a gap on a group with Van Empel, Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado and Sara Casasola. The race came back together in the third lap. Van Empel accelerated, but couldn’t get away, which allowed Inge van der Heijden and Laura Verdonschot to rejoin. Brand put the pressure on and Van der Heiden and Verdonschot were dropped again on the fifth lap of six, as Brand managed to created a gap. The Dutch champion opened it further going through the sand.
Brand started the final lap solo, although Alvarado wasn’t far behind. Van Empel and Casasola had to close a gap of 8 seconds, which was difficult because Alvarado and Brand pushing each other to more effort. Alvarado put Brand under a lot of pressure, but Van Empel managed to catch them. The Superprestige in Ruddervoorde was now a three-way battle, which was won by Alvarado. Brand looked like she would be second, but didn’t sprint at the finish and was passed by Van Empel.
Race winner, Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado (Fenix-Deceuninck): “Mud, wet, dry, fast, that doesn’t matter to me. In the beginning it was hard to get to the front and that’s when a tactical game started. The technical parts caused gaps to appear and I had to close a few gaps. Then I thought that might cost me the podium, but Lucinda’s acceleration came in handy. It was driven apart and I knew it was all or nothing. That turned out to be the case in the end. I was really cursing, that fall was bad timing, but I was able to hold everyone up and then ride away again. It was all or nothing until the finish and that worked out well.”
2nd, Fem van Empel (Visma | Lease a Bike): “It wasn’t my day, I had little concentration. That’s part of it and is something to work on for the upcoming races. I did ride a good final lap, I showed that I don’t give up easily. It can always happen. I’m only human and I can’t win everything. I’m focusing more on a bit more work this period, so maybe I’m a bit less fresh. But that doesn’t change the fact that Ceylin deserved to win today. So I’m not disappointed.”
3rd, Lucinda Brand (Lidl-Trek): “I looked back and it looked like she wasn’t sprinting at full speed anymore, but that’s the stupidest mistake you can make. Fem is absolutely right, if she sees that I don’t do that. Even in my old age I can still learn…”
Telenet Superprestige Ruddervoorde – Women Result:
1. Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado (Ned) Fenix-Deceuninck
2. Fem Van Empel (Ned) Visma | Lease a Bike
3. Lucinda Brand (Ned) Lidl-Trek
4. Sara Casasola (Ita) Hess Cycling Team
5. Laura Verdonschot (Bel) De Ceuster-Bonache
6. Inge van der Heijden (Ned) Fenix-Deceuninck
7. Leonie Bentveld (Ned) AG Insurance-Soudal Quick-Step
8. Aniek van Alphen (Ned) Fenix-Deceuninck
9. Alicia Franck (Bel) De Ceuster-Bonache
10. Marion Norbert Riberolle (Bel) Crelan-Corendon.
Exact Cross Robotland Cyclo-Cross – Essen 2024
Laurens Sweeck (Crelan-Corendon) started his cyclocross season very well on Saturday by winning the Exact Cross Essen. He beat Niels Vandeputte on the line. Jens Adams finished third.
With Eli Iserbyt suspended for three races, the win was expected from Laurens Sweeck or Toon Aerts.
It was Kamp who had the best start. The Dutchman was the first off the starting road section. But it was Thijs Aerts who soon took over and a little later it was Lander Loockx who was in the lead. A large group stayed together, until a crash by Thomas Mein at the front led to some gaps. Many riders were able to come back, but it was the end of any hopes of a win for Kamp and some others. Thijs Aerts had been in the lead, but his brother, Toon Aerts, took over in the third of eleven laps. His high pace caused more splits in the group and there were now 7 seven riders left off the front: Aerts, Sweeck, Loockx, Niels Vandeputte, Toon Vandebosch, Corné van Kessel and Jens Adams. The race wasn’t over and on the fourth lap a group managed return. At the halfway point there was still had a large group at the front. Sweeck and Adams took turns to forced the pace, but they didn’t put anyone into trouble. At the start of the seventh lap there were gaps. It was again the same riders at the front: Sweeck, Adams, Vandeputte, Vandebosch, Loockx, Van Kessel and Toon Aerts. Although, Toon lost contact after a chain problem and was at about 20 seconds and had to chase.
Vandeputte was pushing hard in the leading group. He got away with Sweeck, Loockx and Adams, after which Van Kessel and Vandebosch managed to join them. At the end of the eighth lap, Ward Huybs and Toon Aerts also fought back. Eight men started the final, where there were several attack attempts. Loockx put pressure on for a while, Huybs tried to surprise and Sweeck also put in an attack, but the 8 started the final lap together. Sweeck fought hard for his leading position, but when he got off the bike at the beams, Vandeputte jumped them. The Alpecin-Deceuninck rider took the lead, but Sweeck was still on his wheel. The two rode away from the pursuers. Vandeputte held the lead until the last corner, but he slipped and then couldn’t get back into his pedal properly. Sweeck took advantage. The Crelan-Corendon rider passed Vandeputte in the last metres to start his season with a victory. The unlucky Vandeputte was second, Jens Adams finished third.
Race winner, Laurens Sweeck (Crelan-Corendon): “I didn’t expect to be able to win here right away, because the rest already have some competition in their legs and I had to go through the race anyway. I couldn’t start better than this. I think I was a little lucky that Niels stopped in that last corner, because in principle you certainly can’t put Niels back there anymore as he’s fast. It was a bit nervous. On the longer sections at the beginning of the circuit, the wind played a role. It was always a bit of chasing towards the beams and the grove from behind. I was able to keep myself in a good position the whole race. I think it’s just a bit tricky, only such a mud cross often creeps a bit more into the muscles. From such a fast cross you usually recover a bit faster. This is a very important victory for me, because it had been a long time since I won again.”
2nd, Niels Vandeputte (Bel): “Really a shame. It’s just a bummer. I had it under control the whole race, I never had the feeling: it’s going too fast for me. I knew I wanted to do it in the last lap and I did. But yes, I made a small mistake in the last corner. I moved away for a while and had to move my right foot. When I wanted to put it back on, I pulled my left foot out of my pedal. Normally you just win here, if you get through the last corner first. I can’t help but be disappointed. I came here to win and I think I could have won too. Anyway, this is part of it. Fortunately, there will be a new chance tomorrow (Ruddervoorde). I might have been able to rectify my first small mistake, but because I pulled my other foot off the pedal, it was too late. Too bad. I still started as hard as I could, but Sweeck came from behind with more speed. There was little to do about that. For the competition, it may therefore have been a bit more nerve-wracking. I had already realised quite early in the race where I wanted to do it, after those beams. That worked too. So I was able to carry out the plan I had in my head, but I made another mistake at the end. That was really a shame of course. In the end, I can be satisfied with my race and second place, but I was very close to winning.”
3rd, Jens Adams (Bel): “It’s not that far from home and I always like to ride here. It was completely different today than in the past two years. It was a very difficult course, I thought. It was very close because there was a lot of wind. It was difficult to separate the group. I have tried a few times to drive the race, but the rest raced fairly passively. Then it was important to race a good last lap. That in itself worked out well. I tried to race offensively, so I had my place from the front. So yes, the attack is always the best defence. I can live with this third place. It’s my fourth cross of the season and my third podium place, so I’m very happy.”
Robotland Cyclo-Cross – Essen Result:
1. Laurens Sweeck (Bel) Crelan-Corendon in 1:01:59
2. Niels Vandeputte (Bel)
3. Jens Adams (Bel) at 0:04
4. Lander Loockx (Bel)
5. Toon Aerts (Bel) Deschacht-Hens-FSP at 0:08
6. Toon Vandebosch (Bel) Crelan-Corendon at 0:11
7. Ward Huybs (Bel) Baloise Trek Lions at 0:12
8. Corné Van Kessel (Ned) Deschacht-Hens-FSP at 0:25
9. Thijs Aerts (Bel) Charles Liégeois Roastery CX at 0:50
10. Lucas Janssen (Ned) at 0:58.
Essen’24:
Eli Iserbyt Suspended for Three Races by the UCI and Given a Bigger Fine
Eli Iserbyt has eventually been suspended for three races by the UCI. The Belgian champion received the suspension after the incident with Ryan Kamp in Beringen. Iserbyt will not start in Essen and Ruddervoorde this weekend and will not return until Overijse.
Lars van der Haar won last weekend in the first Belgian cross of the season, but after the race everyone was talking of the incident between Iserbyt and Ryan Kamp. The Belgian crashed with Kamp and took out his frustration by stamping on Kamp’s wheel. After the Belgian was disqualified, he immediately expressed regret, but Iserbyt received a lot of criticism.
Iserbyt was fined 100 Swiss francs and it looked like that was the end of the story, but now the UCI has decided to impose an extra penalty. Iserbyt will be suspended for three races and will miss the Exact Cross in Essen, the Telenet Superprestige in Ruddervoorde and the race in the Dutch Heerde. There will also be an additional fine of 2,500 Swiss francs.
The team manager of Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal, Jurgen Mettepenningen was ‘somewhat disappointed’ in the additional penalty. “Eli has already publicly apologised, as well as to Kamp himself”, he wrote in a team press release. “I had hoped that his punishment with a disqualification and fine was already behind him. This additional sanction will affect the ranking of the Superprestige. In addition, Eli also misses out on start money and this is also a shame for the organisers of these three races. The UCI could have solved this otherwise,” Mettepenningen concluded.
What does Ryan Kamp, the victim of Iserbyt’s action, think about the suspension? “It happened,” said the Dutchman after the Exact Cross Essen on Saturday. “I can make a fuss about it for a whole week, but the season is still long, so I prefer to focus on that. Iserbyt called on Saturday evening and apologised. I don’t know why, I wouldn’t accept it. For me it was over then.” Kamp does not think it is up to him to say whether the suspension is justified or not. “The UCI made that choice. But for me it would have been fine without the suspension.”
It was a stupid reaction:
New Twist in Tom Pidcock’s ‘Possible’ Transfer
It seemed increasingly likely that Tom Pidcock would leave INEOS Grenadiers at the end of this season, but it looks like the expected transfer to Q36.5 Pro Cycling will not go ahead, as INEOS Grenadiers has withdrawn from the negotiations.
Pidcock was on the verge of leaving INEOS Grenadiers for the Swiss Q36.5 Pro Cycling team and INEOS Grenadiers was willing to pay part of his salary. This seems to have fallen through after negotiations between the rider and the INEOS team over his departure terms have collapsed. INEOS Grenadiers is said to have withdrawn from negotiations with Q36.5 Pro Cycling.
It looks like Pidcock will still be with INEOS Grenadiers next year, but things have not been good between the rider and the team for some time. This was very obvious before Il Lombardia where the British team removed Pidcock’s name from the start-list the evening before the race, despite his good form. Pidcock was less than pleased and showed his displeasure on social media.
The 25-year-old Pidcock has a contract with INEOS Grenadiers until the end of 2027. He has been racing for the British WorldTeam since 2021 and has been a winner on the road, mountain bike and cyclocross. He defended his Olympic mountain bike title in Paris and won the Amstel Gold Race.
Will he stay or will he go?
Alexey Lutsenko on Leaving Astana
Alexey Lutsenko will not be with the Astana team next season after twelve years and one year with the development team. Lutsenko has a two-year contract with ProTeam Israel-Premier Tech. In a video interview with WielerFlits at the Tour of Guangxi, the Dutch website asked him if he was sad to be leaving his ‘home’ team? “It is okay. I have already spent 12 years in the team, you know. I need new motivation to keep going for good results. Astana has become my second family. But it is time for a change. It is not that special in my eyes. You have to dare to change something sometimes. Only then will you make a difference.”
Lutsenko turned pro Alexandre Vinokourov was still a rider, but how did Vinokourov take the news? “Vino definitely understood me. When I first spoke to him about a possible departure from the team, he was fine. It was completely okay. Transfers are normal in cycling life. That’s part of it.” After team boss Vinokourov, Lutsenko is the best Kazakh cyclist with top results, including 7th and 8th overall in the Tour de France. “I joined Astana as a regular rider, but I’ve won 42 victories in their jersey. I’ve won a stage in the Tour, the Vuelta and Paris-Nice. Astana did everything for me and I always gave myself 100 %.”
Astana Qazaqstan is currently at the bottom of the WorldTour rankings, but Lutsenko sees young Kasakh riders who could eventually take over his role. “There are a lot of young Kazakh riders. I’m thinking especially of Yevgeniy Fedorov. We all remember his World Championship victory in Australia (U23 in 2023). I see a great future for Fedo in the Classics. He already showed that in the most recent Paris-Roubaix. He finished 12th in a very big race for real men. Gleb Brussenskiy is also good, there are quite a few riders with a future with the team.”
Lutsenko can’t say much about his own plans with Israel-Premier Tech, because the team meetings are not until December. “But my feeling at the moment is that the one-day classics like Liège-Bastogne-Liège and the Amstel Gold Race, as well as week-long stage races, are my best chance. I don’t have that as much in the Grand Tours. I was already eighth in Liège. But if you have a big and strong team around you, it is possible to achieve a good result there.”
Lutsenko off to IPT in 2025:
Philippe Gilbert to Work as an Analyst for Belgian Television
Philippe Gilbert will be an analyst and commentator with Belgian RTL Sports TV station. The former Belgian champion will comment on the various races on the channel. The announcement comes at the same time as Gilbert is one of the main candidates to succeed Sven Vanthourenhout as national coach of Belgium.
From 2025, Philippe Gilbert will commentating at races such as the Brabantse Pijl, the Amstel Gold Race or the Tour of Switzerland. After his racing career, he was working as an analyst at Eurosport, now the Belgian chose to work for Belgian television. In view of his ambitions to become national coach, it is not clear whether the Belgian federation will allow him to have both positions . Gilbert would like to combine his work for television and for the Belgian team.
Gilbert himself can’t wait to share his vision and view of the races with the viewers. “I am very proud to join the RTL sports team. It is a great opportunity for me to share my expertise and my passion with the viewers”, said Gilbert. “I am happy that cycling occupies an important place within the sports programs of RTL Sports. Commenting on the Flanders Classics promises to be a great moment. Not only because of the skill of the riders, but also because it is the essence of cycling: the audience, the cobblestones, beautiful races, always full of strong emotions and exceptional moments.”
TV work for Gilbert and Belgian national coach?
Mathieu van der Poel and Alpecin-Deceuninck Raised €149,000 for ‘Stand Up to Cancer’
Alpecin-Deceuninck donated a special bike of Mathieu van der Poel’s to Vive le Vélo during the last Tour de France. Viewers of the cycling program could then participate in an SMS campaign, the proceeds of which went to ‘Kom op tegen Kanker’ (Stand Up to Cancer). The charity will receive €149,000, the Alpecin-Deceuninck team announced.
The SMS campaign was part of the larger ‘Merci Poupou’ project of Alpecin-Deceuninck. The team also launched a new version of the ‘Merci Poupou’ cycling kit, a tribute to Mathieu van der Poel’s grandfather Raymond Poulidor. The riders wore the clothing during the second rest day of the Tour. For Mathieu van der Poel, then World champion, there was also a ‘rainbow jersey’ in the Poupou colours: purple and yellow. Van der Poel also wore special ‘Merci Poupou’ glasses. All these items were then auctioned for various charities.
The money went to organisations that offer opportunities for children and young adults to exercise, but there were also other charities such as ‘Kom op tegen Kanker’. For this charity in particular, Van der Poel’s bike was donated to Vive le Vélo, who organised the SMS campaign and so everyone had a chance to win the bike. This campaign raised €149,000 for ‘Kom op tegen Kanker’.
Special MvdP bike for charity:
Visma | Lease a Bike Welcomes Dan McLay
Team Visma | Lease a Bike is excited to announce the signing of Dan McLay, on a one-year contract. 32-year-old Dan McLay brings a lot of experience to the team, having competed at the highest level of professional cycling in the past ten years. Among other achievements, he has races like the Tour de l’Eurometropole and GP de Denain to his name. His expertise will be invaluable as he collaborates with sprinter Olav Kooij, helping to maximise sprint opportunities and contribute to the team’s overall strategy.
Grischa Niermann on behalf of the sportive management of Team Visma | Lease a Bike: “We are happy to welcome Dan to the team. His experience and skills align perfectly with our goals, and we are confident that he will make a significant impact. He is a very experienced lead-out, and that’s exactly what we were looking for. In particular, he has executed some impressive lead-outs for Demare in the Tour, and we hope that he can do the same for Olav Kooij in our team next season.”
Dan McLay: “I am looking forward to joining the team. Team Visma | Lease a Bike has a great track record in developing riders and despite being on the older end of the development curve I still think there is room to improve. My ambitions are to do the best job possible for the team and specifically in the lead-out for Olav.”
Dan McLay to Visma | Lease a Bike:
Gianni Moscon Joins Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe
Gianni Moscon will ride for Red Bull – BORA – hansgrohe from the upcoming season. The 30-year-old will primarily support the team’s classics squad, which has recently been bolstered by several young talents.
Red Bull – BORA – hansgrohe has undergone a generational change in the current transfer window. Six of the current eight new riders are under the age of 25. In addition, the team is focusing on selective reinforcement with experienced riders. Gianni Moscon is approaching his tenth WorldTour season and brings the experience of more than 30 monuments and grand tours to his new team.
Gianni Moscon: “I’m incredibly excited to join Red Bull – BORA – hansgrohe and start this new chapter in my cycling career. From the moment I met Ralph, it was clear that we were on the same page. The trust that Ralph and the team have in me makes me motivated and determined to do my best. This is a great opportunity, and I can’t wait to get started.”
Ralph Denk, CEO Red Bull – BORA – hansgrohe: “When I think of Gianni’s potential, I think of Roubaix 2021: an impressive solo that was only stopped by a puncture. We hope to bring him back to that level in a new environment and with our expanded performance structure. But with his experience, we are also looking beyond the classics. At the Tour de France this summer, we saw how well he fulfilled his role as road captain.”
Gianni Moscon moves to Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe:
Lilian Calmejane Announces the End of his Career: “Thank You to Jean-François Bourlart”
Frenchman Lilian Calmejane is currently racing the last kilometres of his career in the Tour of Guangxi. After nine seasons in the peloton, seven under the French flag and two in the colours of Intermarché-Wanty, the Tour and Vuelta stage winner will end his career at the end of the 2024 season, aged 32.
Lilian Calmejane made an interesting entry in the pro peloton by winning a stage from the breakaway in the Tour of Spain 2016 on the final climb towards San Andrés de Teixido. He repeated this stunt the next season in the Tour de France on the Station des Rousses, a couple of months after winning the polkadot jersey in Paris-Nice. This year at the Giro, he tried relentlessly to complete the trilogy in his last Grand Tour.
His attacking temperament enabled him to wear the blue kit of best climber for seven days, a jersey in which he has regularly shone throughout his career, in the Tour de France and also on the final podium of Paris-Nice in 2017. The 2017 season will last in his memories for a long time, accounting for seven of his twelve pro victories, including stage and final classification wins in the Etoile de Bessèges, the Settimana Coppi e Bartali and the Circuit de la Sarthe.
The rider from Albi also has three French classics to his name: the Drome Classic (2018), Paris-Camembert (2018) and the Faun-Ardèche Classic (2019), all of them were won with a solo. In total, he has participated in ten different Monuments, completed four times the Tour de France, as well as two times the Giro d’Italia and Vuelta a España.
With Intermarché-Wanty the past two years, he has embodied the attacking style of racing of the team, right from his debut in support of two-time winner Kobe Goossens on Majorca. He made podium appearances by winning the combativity prize in Paris-Nice (2023) and the mountain classification in the Tour de l’Ain (2023), while supporting his leaders Rui Costa, Biniam Girmay and Louis Meintjes in the most prestigious races.
Lilian Calmejane: “As a kid, I never imagined becoming a professional cyclist, let alone win stages in the grand tours, the Tour de France in particular. My dreams were realised very early on in my career and that certainly did me a disservice in terms of motivating me to build a bigger palmarès. But I’m very proud of what I’ve been able to achieve and of the resilience I’ve shown, in particular over the last four seasons. After a decade in the professional peloton, it’s time for me, as a competitive person at heart, to turn to new challenges in sports. I’ve always seen this job as a unique opportunity to combine pleasure and work. For some years now, I’ve been feeling a little cramped and less fulfilled. I’m no longer satisfied with my results and performances. I’ve seized my chance on many occasions, and what transcends me most about top-level sports is being able to win races.”
“I am authentic and uncompromising. I hope that you too, just like me, will treasure the happy memories of my honourable performances as a baroudeur or with panache. This chapter has been written thanks to the many people who have pushed me to achieve my goals, or even more, supported me in the many moments of doubt that I have been through during my career. Thank you to my employers, Jean René Bernaudeau, Vincent Lavenu and especially Jean-François Bourlart for these two wonderful years with Intermarché-Wanty. With this last team, where a family atmosphere reigns and which operates on a human scale, I rediscovered my appetite for the top level. I was warmly welcomed, and I felt a great desire to work together and share good times. I particularly remember my debut on Majorca, the Tour de France 2023 and the Giro 2024. I also enjoyed watching a boy like Biniam Girmay achieve big things which mean a lot to African cycling. I was reunited with old friends like Adrien Petit, Rein Taaramäe and Niccolò Bonifazio. I’m happy and relieved to close this chapter and I can’t wait to start the next one. I am very hungry for more and I intend to pursue my dreams, accompanied by my dearest and the people I love.”
Lilian Calmejane to retire:
Astana Qazaqstan Missed the UCI Licence Deadline
The UCI announced on Friday which teams have applied for a license for 2025. One notable absentee was the Astana Qazaqstan team. However, team manager Alexander Vinokourov told Velo that this was no cause for concern.
“During the process of submitting the necessary documents for our WorldTour license, the UCI had a question regarding our bank guarantee. Clarification was requested, which the team also provided,” said Vinokourov. “Unfortunately, this took some extra time and that is why we are currently missing from the list of teams that have applied for a license published by the UCI.”
Vinokourov also stated that the last wrinkles are now being ironed out. “The entire process at the UCI is in accordance with the rules that are currently in force. We are not experiencing any problems.”
All teams were given until October 15 to submit their applications. The UCI is now processing those applications. They check whether the teams have submitted the necessary documents and whether they comply with the UCI regulations. Specifically, this concerns fifteen WorldTeams and eight ProTeams for the women, and eighteen WorldTeams and seventeen ProTeams for the men.
Ceratizit-WNT (WWT) is missing from the women’s list. “We know that we are not on the list,” the German team stated on social media. “However, this is purely an administrative problem. We are trying to resolve this as quickly as possible together with the UCI.”
Vinokourov not worried about WorldTour license:
Tour de Tietema-Unibet Switches to a French License
Tour de Tietema-Unibet, the team of Bas Tietema, Josse Wester and Devin van der Wiel will have a French license in 2025. The team’s name will also change to Unibet Tietema Rockets. Unibet will become the team’s first name sponsor and will commit to the project for several years. The gambling company is part of the Kindred Group, which was acquired by Française des Jeux (FDJ) in 2024.
“Unibet Tietema Rockets will become the first team in professional cycling with a franchise name,” the team stated in a press release release. “This development is a major step in the team’s ambition towards its first Tour de France.”
Unibet Tietema Rockets wants to ride the Tour de France in 2026. “To achieve this, we need to develop the level of our riders, attract more international partners and tell our story in the best possible way,” said owner Bas Tietema. “Our goal is to be the most followable team in the world for cycling fans. With the new Rocket identity, we are taking a huge step towards creating a sustainable organisation and hopefully we can accelerate our growth as a team.”
Neil Banburry, of the Kindred Group, says he is very proud of the steps the team has taken. “The team has enormous potential and has already proven that they can develop quickly. From the beginning, their ambition, entrepreneurial spirit and the way they present themselves has been something that has inspired us and refreshed the sport. We can’t wait to see the Rockets in action and grow to a new level.”
Tour de Tietema-Unibet step up:
Pozzato and Cassani’s Team Plans Not Yet on Hold
Filippo Pozzato still has plans to set up his own cycling team. Last year, the former cyclist announced that he was working with former national coach Davide Cassani to set up an Italian professional team, but that has not yet gotten off the ground. Despite the difficult search for sponsors, Pozzato does not want to put the plan on hold.
“For two or three years now, I have been asking around at large companies to help set up a new team, but that is not easy,” said Pozzato. “Cycling at the highest level is currently very expensive. Then you ask for a budget of 30 or 40 million euros, which can give you certainty for a period of five or six years. But that is too much money for those companies.”
The former Italian champion and Classics specialist says he regularly talks with potential sponsors. “I have now sat down with a company six or seven times. Then they are enthusiastic, but in the end he still chooses to make a big investment in another sport, but it is not impossible, we will continue to go for it.”
Pozzato has already forgotten about a new team for 2025, but that does not mean that he and Cassani are not working for 2026. “If we want to do that, you have to work on the structure of a new team next May. After that it really won’t work anymore,” the Italian sets himself a deadline.
“The big problem within cycling in Italy is and remains the political games within the federation. The mentality is also one of the problems,” he says. “It is not international and not modern oriented. The approach is really Italian, and I don’t like that in cycling teams. It is still the same as it was 20 years ago. That is one of the five biggest problems why we don’t have an Italian team in the WorldTour, besides the financial problems due to bigger budgets.”
Pozzato still working on a team:
Aintila and Martins Join CANYON//SRAM Racing in 2025
CANYON//SRAM Racing is delighted to announce two new riders to its 2025 roster. Finnish talent Wilma Aintila and Portuguese trailblazer Maria Martins will join the World Tour Team through to the end of 2026.
Wilma Aintila is an emerging Finnish cyclist who is steadily building a reputation as a versatile rider capable of performing in a variety of terrains. With two seasons of racing in the elite category, Aintila has gained valuable experience and consistently improved her results. This year, she won the U23 ITT title at the national championships, was second in the national road race and finished fifth in the youth classification at the Baloise Ladies Tour—an imposing palmarès at just twenty years of age.
Martins has built a career across road and track disciplines. She is particularly known for her success in track cycling, where she has become a key figure for Portugal. Martins was the first track cyclist to represent Portugal at the Olympics, having competed at Tokyo 2020 and again at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. She has gained international recognition by winning bronze in the scratch race at the 2020 UCI Track Cycling World Championships, the first-ever women’s World Championships track medal for Portugal, and gold in the scratch race at the 2023 European Championships.
Martins has showcased her versatility on the road with strong performances in one-day races. In 2023, she was the first Portuguese woman to sign for a Women’s World Tour Team, and has a national road title and fifth at the Brugge – De Panne spring classic to her career results. Her ability to perform well in road and track disciplines makes her a well-rounded and dynamic rider with a promising future.
Wilma Aintila: “I’m super excited to join CANYON//SRAM Racing! It feels like the perfect next step in my journey to becoming a professional athlete, and honestly, a dream come true. I can’t wait to be a part of the team, smash our team goals, and keep growing as an athlete along the way. I’m excited about the chance to join CANYON//SRAM Racing because I can bring my strengths to help the team. I’m a positive person who values good team spirit. I always want things done to the highest standard without compromise. I bring strength as a powerful rider, which will make a real impact. I’m looking forward to the spring classics, and one day, I aim to be on the podium for a spring classic. The World Tour Team environment and the resources of CANYON//SRAM Racing will greatly impact my further growth as a rider. To reach the top, everything in the background must be in place, and CANYON//SRAM provides the perfect setup. I immediately felt a strong sense of trust when speaking with the team. Plus, with the support of a great team of professionals—from physiotherapists to nutritionists, mechanics, and team management—I’m confident that I’ll have everything I need to achieve great results. There’s still so much I want to achieve in my career, but so far, I’m proud of how I’ve been able to help my team perform well in big races. Another highlight has been competing in individual time trials at major championships—I look back on it with pride and excitement!”
Maria Martins: “It’s a big and important step in my career as a cyclist joining CANYON//SRAM Racing, especially after a year away from road racing to focus on the Paris 2024 Olympics. Being part of a World Tour Team at the biggest cycling races will be special. I believe I can help the team achieve its goals throughout the season. For the next season, I’m looking forward to growing as an athlete, developing my weak points, exploring my strong ones, and using them to get my first professional victory. I see myself performing in the sprint and fast races during the classics and other races where I can contribute my abilities to the team’s success.”
“CANYON//SRAM Racing has always represented professionalism, unity, and a unique atmosphere that shows the essence of the team. I identify myself with its values, and having the team’s resources and support, I am confident I can grow physically and mentally as an athlete and use them to achieve the goals set out by the team. I believe I bring strength to the sprint lead-out train and the classics team. One of the moments that shaped me as a cyclist was the qualification process for the Tokyo Olympic Games and the omnium race itself. I also raced in the first three editions of Paris Roubaix, particularly the first one, where arriving at the velodrome after the chaos and suffering during the race was incredible. Both of these moments showed me to trust the process and to believe that all the hard work and dedication always pays off, teaching me to enjoy the journey until the finish line.”
Maria Martins to Canyon//SRAM:
Tom Van Asbroeck to Stay with IPT Through 2026
Israel – Premier Tech is excited to announce that Tom Van Asbroeck has extended his contract with the team for an additional two years, committing his future to IPT through the end of 2026.
The 34-year-old Belgian Classics specialist and fast-man has been with the team since 2019. This year, Van Asbroeck has had one of his best seasons with his victory on the final stage of Tour de la Provence and numerous podiums and top-10 results throughout the year.
“This year has been really good for me,” explains Van Asbroeck. “I started off in the best possible way, with a victory in my first race of the season, and after that, I maintained a very consistent high level, thanks to the professional guidance of the team. There is just such a great atmosphere here and the team really feels like a family”.
IPT General Manager Kjell Carlström acknowledges Van Asbroeck’s development into a core member of the team over the past six years “Tom has a great team spirit, and he really contributes to the team atmosphere,” says Carlström. “His dedication to the team and his willingness to work for his teammates, when not going for a personal result, are two of the main reasons we have decided to extend his contract for the next two years.”
Team owner, Sylvan Adams, too, is happy to see Van Asbroeck continue with IPT for the next two years. Adams adds: “Tom has been a supremely positive member of IPT since he signed with us in 2019. Tom’s versatility includes being a key member of our sprint lead-out train, or a sprinter in his own right.”
After six years with IPT, Van Asbroeck has also witnessed the team’s progress over the years, highlighting its commitment to constant improvement. “The team is really evolving to a higher level. The research and development throughout the season have helped me perform at my best, and I’m confident that this will only keep on improving. I expect that both my personal and the team’s results will reflect this in the upcoming seasons”.
Logan Currie Signs for One More Year with Lotto Dstny
Logan Currie (23) extends his stay with Lotto Dstny. The New Zealand time trial talent has signed on for one more year. “I am very happy with this opportunity,” he said.
Last week, he finished third in the youth classification of the Tour of Taihu Lake, he took fifth place in the mountain classification of the Arctic Race of Norway a few weeks ago, and has been shining all season in the New Zealand national time trial jersey. Logan Currie achieved several good results in his first season with Lotto Dstny and now adds another year to that.
Logan Currie: “I had an awesome time last season. I got to ride the Strade Bianche—my favourite race—where the team also delivered a great performance, and I personally won the national time trial championship for New Zealand. I enjoyed it from start to finish and am very grateful for the chance to stay another year with Lotto Dstny. It’s about time I learn Dutch (laughs), but I feel very good as a New Zealander in a Belgian team. I hope to take new steps next season. Riding a Grand Tour would be amazing, but I also want to perform well again in the national championships.”
“We are very happy to have Logan Currie on our team for another year,” added Lotto Dstny CEO Stéphane Heulot. “Currie is well-liked in the group, always ready for the team, and we believe he can continue to grow in the professional peloton next season.”
Logan Currie to stay with Lotto Dstny:
Max Walker Joins EF Education-EasyPost After Rapid Rise
“We firmly believe that Max has the staying power to make a difference.” – Jonathan Vaughters
This time last year Max Walker was at a crossroads. He had just graduated from the well-respected school of Trinity Racing and its development program but the 23-year-old found that opportunities were few and far between when it came to pro contract offers. Eventually, Walker took a slot at Saint Piran – the UK domestic team that brought us Jack Rootkin-Gray – before signing a one-year deal with a development team for the rest of 2024. A year after finding himself in a tough spot, the 23-year-old from the Isle of Man has just signed with EF Education-EasyPost. It’s been an incredible rise for the softly-spoken British rider but after such a dogged and determined start to his pro racing career, he’s raring to go in 2025. Second in the British national time trial championships this summer, and third in the corresponding road race a few days later, Walker is a rising talent in the sport and one that will add considerable fuel to the fire inside the EF Education-EasyPost engine room.
Having already spent time with the team at a training camp at the start of the year, Walker is already well-versed in EF Pro Cycling culture. At the January camp in Mallorca, Spain, he roomed with Ben Healy and struck up an instant bond with the riders and staff on the team.
“I’m super happy to be joining EF Education-EasyPost. The training camp was a great experience, with a lot of good riding and loads of fun. I’ve got former teammates on the squad and the support that I had at the camp was top-notch. I couldn’t have asked for anything more,” Walker said.
Although Walker didn’t join the team immediately, he used the 2024 campaign to bolster his experience and develop his all-round racing skills. He raced the Volta ao Algarve in February, rubbing shoulders with WorldTour riders in his first pro-level stage race, before going on to win two stages in the Tour of Japan, a stage victory in the Sibiu Cycling Tour, and secure two podium places in the British nationals.
“At the end of last year, I didn’t have a team and then by February of this year, I was racing against some of the best riders in the world. I felt like I was being thrown into the deep end but it was a really cool experience. This year I was probably in my best form during June and July and that’s when I enjoyed my best results of the season with the Tour of Japan and then the national championships. That’s when I was offered a contract by EF Education-EasyPost. This wasn’t a hard decision because I’ve wanted to join the team for the last two years,” Walker added.
Walker’s eclectic race calendar in 2024 took him from the cobbles of Belgium to several stage races across Europe and Asia. Next season will provide the young rider with the opportunity and space to develop into an established WorldTour pro, and while it’s too early to determine his complete skillset, there are certainly areas in which he can continue to excel and evolve.
“I can do a bit of everything but the team sees me as a rider who can perform in the spring classics, and I hope I can make the next step and do a grand tour in 2025,” he said. “Of course, I also want to concentrate on my time trial, too. I’ve had good results this year and that’s based on only getting a TT bike at the start of this season and having it at home for about a fortnight. If I can focus on that more in the future, I can get a lot better. I want to build on my experience year-on-year and I know that the team will be patient. Knowing that I have the support of the team is a big step.”
Walker is set to move home in the off-season and build his new base alongside several teammates in either Girona or Andorra. It’s another journey for the British rider but this time it’s one that will help build continuity and stability as he looks to flourish within the team.
“We’ve known about Max’s abilities for some time, having seen him develop as a U23 rider at Trinity Racing and then move to Astana’s development team this year. Many riders would have found that transition both daunting and a huge leap but Max’s results and drive have really stood out this year and impressed us,” said EF Pro Cycling founder and CEO Jonathan Vaughters.
“Obviously Max is naturally talented against the clock, and with more time in the wind tunnel and working on his all-around time trialing, he can become a real asset to the team. It’s still early in Max’s career, but the signs point to a rider who has perhaps been overlooked by some of the other teams out there. It’s a marathon, not a sprint with some of these young athletes coming through, and we firmly believe that Max has the staying power to make a difference.”
Max Walker to EF Education-EasyPost:
Lars Craps Signs a Two-Year Deal with Lotto Dstny
The 23-year-old Belgian rider, who is suited for the harder and hilly courses, will ride with Lotto Dstny from next year onwards.
“I’m super excited to take this new step in my cycling career”, says a happy Lars Craps. “Lotto Dstny has become one of the most attractive teams in the bunch over the past years and to now become part of this team on a young age makes me proud. I feel like I broke through this year, in my first pro season. I rode a top five in the last stage of the Tour of Norway and in the classics and climbing courses I could compete against the better riders. I’m satisfied about my season, it also shows why I take on this new challenge.”
“I have a big engine and the longer races suit me, I felt quite fresh in the finals and that’s why I handled my first pro year well. I enjoyed it and I’m also very happy with the support and chance I got of Team Flanders – Baloise. I still need to find out where my speciality lays, but I want to focus on the climbing and smaller stage races, without losing sight of the classics as I also really like to ride those.”
Stéphane Heulot, CEO of Lotto Dstny, is very glad to welcome a new young talent in the team: “Lars showed himself in the finals of several races on high level. In his first year as a pro he rode a lot of different races to gain experience, from classics to stage races. It’s clear he is a rider with several strengths, who can work in function of the team but can also get his own chance whenever the opportunity is there. We are very happy having Lars in the team from next year and we will help him as much as possible to develop further.”
Lars Craps signs with Lotto Dstny:
Serenissima Gravel Stopped After One Lap Due to Weather
The Serenissima Gravel was stopped after just one lap. The Italian gravel race was hit by severe weather conditions in previous days, making the course unrideable.
A lot of professional riders were at the start of the Serenissima Gravel on Friday. Former World champion Gianni Vermeersch, Xandro Meurisse, Kaden Groves, Davide Toneatti, Vincenzo Albanese and Amaury Capiot were there to race over a route of 150 kilometres. It had rained very hard in the Veneto region in recent days, making the course flooded in places. The Serenissima Gravel, which was won by Florian Vermeersch last year, was stopped after a lap.
Serenissima Gravel cancelled:
Saitama Edition 10
Key points:
The 10th edition of the Saitama Criterium will be held on 2 November. The past and present stars have answered the call, particularly the very best sprinters in the 2024 peloton. The Tour de France green jersey victor Biniam Girmay will line up against rival Jasper Philipsen and the greatest stage winner in history, Mark Cavendish.
Following his final Tour de France, Romain Bardet, its first leader, has chosen Saitama to conclude his last complete season in the international peloton. Chris Froome and Primoz Roglič will also participate.
Six of the nine former winners of the event have answered the call: Chris Froome (2013), John Degenkolb (2015), Mark Cavendish (2017), Yukiya Arashiro (2019), Jasper Philipsen (2022), and finally the 2014 winner and ambassador of the Tour de France J:COM Saitama Criterium, Marcel Kittel.
The Tour de France J:COM Saitama Criterium peloton always features a concentration of champions who excelled on the roads of the Tour de France a few months earlier. This year, the winners of ten stages meet up in the neighbouring city of Tokyo. In order of appearance on the 2024 list of winners, Romain Bardet had the privilege of wearing the Yellow Jersey when he won the stage in Rimini. He will be back in Japan in a familiar setting, as he rode in the first-ever Criterium in 2013, the year of his first Grande Boucle, finishing 15th and highest-placed French rider. Biniam Girmay offered Eritrea a first-ever stage victory on the third Italian stage of the 2024 Tour de France before taking his tally to three victories and the green jersey, awarded for the first time to an African rider.
The sprinter from Intermarché-Wanty has circled Saitama in his calendar but could find some resistance if the race ends in a hard-fought battle. Girmay will cross paths with Mark Cavendish, who scored his record 35th victory on stage 5 in Saint-Vulbas. The British rider won the 2017 edition of the Saitama Criterium. Still, as he did this summer, he will have to contend with Jasper Philipsen, winner of three more stages in the Tour, and who has also featured prominently in the Japanese record books since his success in 2022. Anthony Turgis, who outdistanced all his rivals on the gravel sections leading to Troyes, will undoubtedly need to change tactics to try and win on the Saitama city circuit. The equation will be just as complex for Belgium’s Victor Campenaerts, the 2023 Tour’s super combative rider whose perseverance paid off in Barcelonnette.
As the Saitama Criterium is a crossroads for generations of champions, the entry list also includes some familiar faces, starting with four-time Tour de France winner Chris Froome. While they may not have left their mark on the Tour to the same extent, several other riders have created memorable moments in the race. Such is the case of Primoz Roglič, who consoled himself for his withdrawal from stage 13 by winning the Vuelta for the 4th time. The successes of John Degenkolb (2015), Ben O’Connor (2021) and Pello Bilbao (2023) complete the panorama: in total, the riders in the peloton have won 60 Tour de France stages.
Main riders:
Romain Bardet, John Degenkolb (Team dsm-firmenich PostNL); Yukiya Arashiro, Pello Bilbao (Team Bahrain Victorious); Biniam Girmay (Intermarché-Wanty); Mark Cavendish (Astana Qazaqstan Team); Primoz Roglič (Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe); Anthony Turgis (Team TotalEnergies); Chris Froome, Ben O’Connor, Victor Campenaerts (TdF Legends)
Tadej Pogačar – 2023 winner:
Belgian Cycling Legend Emile Daems Passed Away at 86-Years-Old
Emile Daems died last Thursday. The Belgian was a top rider in the 1960s, with four stage victories in the Tour de France and a win in Paris-Roubaix. He was 86 years old.
Daems turned pro in the summer of 1959 with the French Peugeot-BP-Dunlop. A few months later he switched to the Italian Philco. In that year, 1960, he won two stage victories in the Giro d’Italia and also won the Tour of Lombardy. Daems ended his first full season as a pro with six victories.
Many more victories followed, with Daems winning 22 times as a professional cyclist. In addition to his stage victories in the Tour and the Giro, his victory in Paris-Roubaix and the Tour of Lombardy, Daems also won Milan-Sanremo. In 1966 he retired as a professional with the Belgian Solo-Superia team. After his career, Daems opened a restaurant in Genval, a small municipality in the province of Walloon Brabant.
RIP Emile Daems – Paris Roubaix 1963:
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