Tadej Pogačar to race with UAE Team Emirates until 2030 is the EUROTRASH TOP STORY today. We also have all the action from the Telenet Superprestige Vlaamse Druivencross Overijse and the Exact Cross Heerderstrand cyclocross and the UCI Cycling Esports World championships – Race video, results, reports and rider thoughts.
Rider news: Jonas Vingegaard is training again, new career for Wout ‘The Squirrel’ van Aert, Marta Cavalli leaves FDJ-SUEZ after four seasons, Florian Sénéchal considered quitting after disastrous season and cycling philosopher Guillaume Martin publishes new book.
Team news: Lucy Bénézet Minns to race with Lotto Dstny, Samuele Battistella signs with EF Education-EasyPost, 20 riders in the Bingoal-WB 2025 squad, Rein Taaramäe says goodbye: “This team brought me so much happiness”, Noemi Rüegg re-ups with EF-Oatly-Cannondale, Belgian talent Dries De Pooter extends his contract with Intermarché-Wanty and Guillaume Boivin to celebrate a decade with IPT in 2025.
Race news: EBU and A.S.O. reach a new Tour de France agreement until 2030 and FDJ extends its partnership with the Tour de France and Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift.
Plus: 13 new inductees into the British Cycling Hall of Fame.
TOP STORY: Tadej Pogačar to Race with UAE Team Emirates Until 2030
Slovenian superstar concludes historic 2024 season with 6-year contract extension
UAE Team Emirates, the newly crowned UCI World Tour Best Team for 2024, is delighted to announce that World Champion Tadej Pogačar has signed a contract extension with the team until 2030.
Tadej Pogačar joined UAE Team Emirates in 2019 and has enjoyed an incredible career to date. Since joining the team, Pogačar has accumulated 88 wins across General Classifications, Stage Racing and One-Day Classics – a remarkable testament to his talent and dedication across all racing formats.
Pogačar, who was recently named UCI World Tour Best Rider for the fourth consecutive season, had a 2024 season unlike any other. The superstar Slovenian secured victories at the Tour de France and Giro D’Italia, as well as notable one day victories at Strade Bianche, Liege-Baston-Liege and Il Lombardia to name a few, along with becoming UCI World Champion after a performance for the ages in Zurich.
Pogačar’s triple crown – Giro d’Italia, Tour de France, and World Championships – hasn’t been achieved by a rider since Stephen Roche in 1987, and his 25 victories in 58 days of racing set a single season record that’s never been seen in professional cycling.
Tadej Pogačar: “I am extremely proud to be extending my time here at UAE Team Emirates. This team has been my home now the last five years and I truly can’t imagine myself anywhere else. The best moments of my career have come at UAE Team Emirates and that is a testament to all of the staff, management, teammates, and partners who all allow me to perform at the highest level. I’m really excited for the future. This team gives me the best chance at fighting for wins and that is exactly what I aim to do.”
Mauro Gianetti, Team Principle and CEO of UAE Team Emirates: “It’s an incredible feeling to be able to announce this contract extension for Tadej Pogacar, the leader of our team and the best cyclist in the world. Tadej joined the team as an ambitious 20-year-old, and we have watched him blossom into a Giro d’Italia, Tour de France, and World Champion this season. His talent is clear for all to see, but he is also one of the hardest working and dedicated cyclists in the peloton. Tadej deserves all of his success and I’m delighted he is staying with us for many years to come.”
H.E Matar Suhail Al Yabhouni Al Dhaheri, President of UAE Team Emirates: “This is a special moment for the team and for cycling here in the UAE. Tadej is an incredible talent that represents the UAE so amazingly. He is a beacon of inspiration for the next generation, and is idolised and loved by so many. It has been a privilege watching him develop into the person he is today, and I couldn’t be prouder of what he’s accomplished for our team. As we continue to see our sport go from strength to strength across the region, there is no question that Tadej, alongside his teammates, are a massive reason for this. It’s a special day for cycling and we are so excited for the future.”
Tadej Pogačar to stay with UAE Team Emirates until 2030:
Telenet Superprestige Vlaamse Druivencross Overijse – Men 2024
Thibau Nys took his first cross victory of the season on Sunday. The Baloise Trek Lions rider won the Superprestige Overijse after a long battle with Belgian champion, Eli Iserbyt (Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal). Third place went to Lars van der Haar (Baloise Trek Lions).
Last year Eli Iserbyt won the Druivencross Overijse. The Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal rider was back and one of the main contenders for the victory, along with his teammate, Michael Vanthourenhout. As for the others, Thibau Nys, Lars van der Haar, Toon Aerts, Niels Vandeputte and Superprestige leader Joran Wyseure were the men to watch.
Laurens Sweeck had the best start. The winner of the Exact Cross Essen accelerated with David Haverdings on his wheel. The young Dutchman then took over and rode on the front for a while, until Vandeputte overtook him. All the favourites were still at the front, except Wyseure. He was already had a small gap. At the start of the second of eight laps, Nys took the lead. The Baloise Trek Lions rider gave a small kick uphill, but then didn’t push on. As a result, there was still a decent sized group at the start of lap three. That changed when Vanthourenhout and then Iserbyt attacked. The two Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal riders caused splits in the group. Nys was happy between the two teammates, but then had a chain problem.
At the start of the fourth lap, Iserbyt left a gap, allowing Vanthourenhout to get away. Jente Michels tried to close it down for his teammate Vandeputte. That didn’t work and Vanthourenhout rode further away from the chasers. That lasted until Nys took over the lead. The Baloise Trek Lions rider, who was clearly in better shape than in previous weeks, increased the pace in group two. Nys joined the European champion on the fifth lap, together with Iserbyt, Van der Haar, Michels, Vandeputte and Haverdings. The final started with seven riders, but Iserbyt attacked on lap 6 and only Nys could counter. The two escaped from the other five. They created a considerable lead, but they were not yet free. In the penultimate lap, the race was still close. Vandeputte and Van der Haar in particular were still dangerous.
Nys was putting Iserbyt under pressure, but he couldn’t get rid of the Belgian champion. The two started the final lap together, although the lead over Vandeputte and Van der Haar was small. In the second part of the lap, Iserbyt and Nys extended their lead. It was now a duel between the two and Nys seemed to have the upper hand. With a strong uphill acceleration he slowly rode away from his opponent. Nys started the last descent with a lead, where he always rode well. When he turned onto the final road section he already knew that the victory was his. Iserbyt had to settle for second place, Lars van der Haar took the third spot on the podium. Niels Vandeputte was fourth, ahead of Joran Wyseure. Vandeputte and Wyseure both now have 26 points in the Superprestige, but because Wyseure won in Ruddervoorde, the Crelan-Corendon rider remains the leader.
Race winner, Thibau Nys (Baloise Trek Lions): “I feel like I still have to wake up, because this feels like a dream. I don’t know if people realise how difficult the past two weeks have been. I’ve been looking forward to this cyclocross season all summer. And then you have to miss the last weeks of preparation due to illness… I didn’t even come close to my level. It’s very difficult to keep your confidence high when you never have a great feeling in training and racing. This was a mental game. That everyone has to stay calm and not question everything. I know what I’m doing and it’ll all be fine. I had thought about that before, but I didn’t know I’d be able to bring it out now. Both about myself and about the race. I could think clearly and see everything from above, while in the past races I was raking my wheels with my eyes wide open. I was in control now. I never panicked. I struggled with my chain once, but I felt that I still had a huge final shot in my legs. Is this the result of the investment to go to Spain for a while? No, this is the result of believing in it day in, day out and trying to turn that switch. That is not easy. I hope to continue that line, in the coming weeks, months and years. I hope to continue to give spectacle. It is still a matter of being careful for a little while. I hope that I have now quietly left. That does not mean that I will win again next week, but that I will face a consistent winter again. I would dream of that.”
2nd, Eli Iserbyt (Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal): “Thibau was better. I had a good pace, but I lacked some explosiveness in the last two laps. I tried, but I saw that Thibau was always tight on my wheel. He also climbed very well. In the end it was just about reaching the finish.”“It was just about the legs. Thibau was better. Racing is not that complicated. Tactically, I kept myself calm in the first part. It was a tough race with all the hills and climbs, but the fastest wins today. I just ran into a stronger opponent today. These are his courses. Just because he makes a mistake on another course, doesn’t mean the whole season is lost. I think he will find courses that suit him today and in the coming races. That is also the case on the Koppenberg. It is important for us to do just that little bit better.”
3rd, Lars van der Haar (Baloise Trek Lions): “I shouldn’t have been so far back, I don’t think I rode a good race. I think I was a lot better than I showed today. I was a bit too scared to do anything. My legs didn’t feel how I wanted them to feel. But when it was really hard, I felt that I could still go hard on the climbs. I could come back after mistakes. If I had raced more, maybe more would have been possible. But if you see what Thibau did today, it doesn’t matter to the team. Maybe a bad dress rehearsal is good for the Koppenberg. I think I just need to have a bit more confidence in myself. My legs are sometimes better than they feel. I made some mistakes here and there, like I said, but on those climbs I could still ride quite a bit forward. That made me realise that it might still be possible against Niels (Vandeputte), if I could ride away before the sprint. It’s a shame I couldn’t ride to Eli just yet”
Telenet Superprestige Vlaamse Druivencross Overijse – Men Result:
1. Thibau Nys (Bel) Baloise Trek Lions in 57:29
2. Eli Iserbyt (Bel) Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal at 0:02
3. Lars van der Haar (Ned) Baloise Trek Lions at 0:05
4. Niels Vandeputte (Bel) Alpecin-Deceuninck Development Team at 0:18
5. Joran Wyseure (Bel) Crelan-Corendon at 0:30
6. Michael Vanthourenhout (Bel) Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal at 0.32
7. Jente Michels (Bel) Alpecin-Deceuninck Development Team at 0:34
8. Lander Loockx (Bel) TDT-Unibet at 0:40
9. David Haverdings (Ned) Baloise Trek Lions at 0:41
10. Felipe Orts Lloret (Spa) Ridley Racing Team at 0:52.
Druivencross Overijse’24
Telenet Superprestige Vlaamse Druivencross Overijse – Women 2024
Lucinda Brand (Baloise Trek Lions) won the Superprestige Overijse. The Dutch rider went solo early in the Druivencross and, although it remained exciting for a long time, held her own against the pursuers. Fem van Empel (Visma | Lease a Bike) was second, Sara Casasola (Crelan-Corendon) third.
It promised to be an exciting cross in Overijse. Fem van Empel was at the start, but the World champion has not yet reached her top level yet this season. The competition was strong, with Lucinda Brand and Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado, who didn’t have a good start. Inge van der Heijden was the first off the road start section.
Halfway through the first of the 6 laps, Sara Casasola took the lead and Van Empel moved up to second place. Kata Blanka Vas and Hélène Clauzel were also in the first group of five. At the end of the opening lap, Brand had joined them, but at that moment Van Empel hit the front again. The World champion caused a gap with Casasola and Clauzel. Brand, Vas and Van der Heijden were at 6 seconds, Alvarado at 9. The groups of Van Empel and Brand came together on the second lap. Alvarado had to chase for a long time, but was eventually able to join. After 15 minutes of racing there were 7 riders at the front. This didn’t last long, because early in the third lap Brand was gone. Only Casasola followed, although Van Empel tried to jump across. Inge van der Heijden also tried to go, but she had a mechanical problem.
Van Empel was stuck at a few seconds behind Brand and Casasola. This was due to Brand, who kept pushing hard. The Dutch champion rode so hard that Casasola dropped at the start of lap four. The Italian was then joined by Van Empel. With 2 laps to go, they were 11 seconds behind Brand. Fouth placed Alvarado was already more than 30 seconds behind. Van Empel and Casasola got a little closer in the penultimate lap, partly due to a mistake by Brand, but she pulled away again. The victory was still not for sure, due to an acceleration by Van Empel, but the lead was still 10 seconds at the bell. Everything was still possible in the final lap. Van Empel dropped Casasola and came within 5 seconds of Brand. On a muddy climb, where she had already made the difference in previous rounds, Brand put more time on her pursuer. Eventually she crossed the line with a 9 second lead on Van Empel to win the Druivencross.
Race winner, Lucinda Brand (Baloise Trek Lions): “It’s great that I’m still able to achieve such a high level. I completely missed my pedal at the start. And the first part here is very short, so I was immediately too far back. Then we had to walk on the first climb. Of course, a gap immediately opened up. Luckily, I was at the front of the gap, so I could ride at my own pace. That was nice. I had secretly hoped that they would maintain a slightly higher pace at the front, because Alvarado had of course also been held up on that climb at the beginning. But that didn’t happen. And yes, for me a hard race is simply better. So yes, I thought: I’ll just see what happens when I ride hard uphill. It was the right attack right away. It was a nice point to keep checking how far ahead you were. I checked whether they had come a bit closer, which immediately made me lose my concentration. Luckily, I was able to catch myself and I was able to continue quickly. If you fall there, on that gravel, it’s still bad. That meant that after my acceleration I really had to keep up a good pace. I always find it difficult to compare years with each other. I’ve had a really good feeling on the bike before. I’m definitely approaching the best moment of my career. It’s great that I’m still able to reach such a high level.”
2nd, Fem van Empel (Visma | Lease a Bike): “Certainly, I just couldn’t close the gap easily. She attacked at a good moment and it became a bit quiet for us. That was a bit of a shame, but I have no excuses. I am satisfied with my own race. It was certainly a few percent better than the past few weeks, so I am very happy with that. The European Championship will mainly be a tactical race. I’m dividing my season very differently this time than last year. The preparation has been very different. The main goal is simply the World championships. If I am in top form now, then that may still be too early. But there are definitely more races coming up that I have also made an intermediate goal.”
3rd, Sara Casasola (Crelan-Corendon): “I am very happy with my race, I felt strong on the climbs. On the last lap I made too many mistakes and the candle went out a bit. But yes, I am still happy with my podium. It is my first podium in a Superprestige race, so I am very happy. I know the importance of this cross, it is a race with a lot of history and it is one of my favourite courses. So I really wanted to get a good result. I am very happy with how it went. This is very nice for the team and for me. They believed in me and I am happy that I can repay them with this result. After this I will focus more on the World Cups and the Superprestige classification of course.”
Telenet Superprestige Vlaamse Druivencross Overijse – Women Result:
1. Lucinda Brand (Ned) Baloise Trek Lions in 47:20
2. Fem Van Empel (Ned) Visma | Lease a Bike at 0:10
3. Sara Casasola (Ita) Crelan-Corendon at 0:35
4. Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado (Ned) Fenix-Deceuninck at 1:26
5. Kata Blanka Vas (Hun) SD Worx-Protime at 1:46
6. Hélène Clauzel (Fra) As Bike Racing at 2:11
7. Inge van der Heijden (Ned) Crelan-Corendon at 2:26
8. Fleur Moors (Bel) Baloise Trek Lions at 2:30
9. Amandine Fouquenet (Fra) Arkéa-B&B Hotels
10. Laura Verdonschot (Bel) De Ceuster-Bouwpunt at 2:35.
Druivencross Overijse’24
Exact Cross Heerderstrand – Men 2024
Eli Iserbyt won his first cyclocross after his suspension. The Belgian champion of Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal had to miss two races due to his stamping on Ryan Kamp’s bike, but he made his return in the Exact Cross Heerderstrand on Saturday. He rode solo to victory, ahead of Pim Ronhaar (Baloise Trek Lions) and Laurens Sweeck (Crelan-Corendon).
For the first time, the Cyclocross Heerderstrand was part of the Exact Cross series, but not all the top riders had come to the Veluwe. Eli Iserbyt was there after some uncertainty about his suspension, as were sand specialist Laurens Sweeck, Niels Vandeputte, Mees Hendrikx and Pim Ronhaar.
Spanish champion Felipe Orts was also there and at the first bend he wanted to be on inside, but he was too fast and came down and took Guus van den Eijnden with him. Belgian champion Iserbyt then took the lead, followed by Hendrikx, Corné van Kessel, Ronhaar, Tom Meeusen, Sweeck and Vandeputte. Iserbyt managed to get Hendrikx off his wheel, but still had Sweeck and Ronhaar with him on the third lap. It was the Crelan-Corendon rider who was able to join the Belgian champion first, although Ronhaar, who only started his season in Woerden last week, had to fight. In fourth place, Vandeputte also seemed to have a chance of a podium finish, but after the fifth lap of nine, that he had no chance.
Iserbyt widened the gap on Ronhaar and Sweeck with three laps to go. The Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal leader was now at ‘full gas’ and extended his lead to 15 seconds. Sweeck was good in the sand section, so Iserbyt couldn’t relax. Sweeck had maybe pushed too hard, because he lost all his strength and had no answer to an attack by Pim Ronhaar in the penultimate lap. At the start of the final lap we knew who would stand on the podium. Iserbyt went on to take revenge with a solo victory, ahead of a strong Ronhaar and a tired Sweeck. Vandeputte finished ahead of Orts to completed the top 5 on the Heerderstrand.
Race winner, Eli Iserbyt (Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal): “Nah, I don’t hold any grudge. I just had my mind set on it, even though it was very difficult. Sweeck and Ronhaar really fought, but I knew which sections were my thing. I tried to split it up afterwards, but it was an hour full throttle. I just had competition feelings. It was also a course that suited me, although the sand riding went a bit better in the second half. I am satisfied with my race, although I think I will feel it tomorrow. These were short stretches of beach, that is why it was important to slow down a bit and go through the sand fresh. In the end I only made one mistake. The fact that the sections were limited was to my advantage. It is the first race that I feel good this season. The first races did not go smoothly, but now it is super good. It is always good to win for the first time (in the season). Tomorrow I will give the best of myself again. It is important, because there are still 7 races and I still want to win the classification. It will be difficult, but if I do everything, it is still possible.”
2nd, Pim Ronhaar (Baloise Trek Lions): “I was a bit emotional. Last week we lost someone in the family, my uncle passed away. He was a big fan, so today I rode for him. The family is proud, I think. Eli is so strong on this circuit, he kept putting the pressure on, Sweeck and I were constantly hanging on the yo-yo. His attack in the penultimate lap was so strong (Sweek). That’s why I knew he was on the limit. I was able to return, took a breath and went full throttle on the attack. I immediately had a gap, then I knew he was giving up. In Woerden I collapsed a bit and technically it’s not super yet, but I was surprised that I was still able to ride a fast last lap.”
Exact Cross Heerderstrand – Men Result:
1. Eli Iserbyt (Bel) Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal in 56:50
2. Pim Ronhaar (Ned) Baloise Trek Lions at 0:25
3. Laurens Sweeck (Bel) Crelan-Corendon at 0:48
4. Niels Vandeputte (Bel) Alpecin-Deceuninck Development Team at 1:43
5. Felipe Orts Lloret (Spa) Ridley Racing Team at 1:52
6. Mees Hendrikx Heizomat (Ned) RadTeam p/b Hermann at 1:59
7. Corné Van Kessel (Ned) Deschacht-Hens-FSP at 2:07
8. Danny Van Lierop (Ned) at 2:10
9. Tom Meeusen (Bel) Cyclis-Van Den Plas Cycling Team at 2:19
10 Daan Soete (Bel) Ridley Racing Team at 2:36.
Heerderstrand’24:
Exact Cross Heerderstrand – Women 2024
Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado won the Exact Cross Heerderstrand on Saturday. The Fenix-Deceuninck rider put in an attack in the penultimate lap to beat Inge van der Heijden Crelan-Corendon) and Laura Verdonschot (De Ceuster-Bouwpunt).
The Cyclocross Heerderstrand was part of the Exact Cross series for the first time. Not all top riders had come to the Veluwe and so everyone was looking at Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado and sand specialist Laura Verdonschot. The best start went to Inge van der Heijden, she led a group that included Crelan-Corendon teammate (and home rider) Manon Bakker and Verdonschot. In the first lap, Alvarado had to close a gap, but she managed to catch Van der Heijden and Verdonschot after a bike change.
Bakker had lost touch with the front three on the third lap. The leaders didn’t give each other an inch on the fast course that consisted of a quarter of sand strips. Van der Heijden rode on the front for most of the race, but on the penultimate lap Alvarado attacked just before one of the sand sections. Verdonschot had put a foot down and so the top favourite had a small lead. Alvarado started the final lap of the Heerderstrand with a lead of 8 seconds. This lead kept increasing and Alvarado took her third victory of this winter after wins in Ardooie and Ruddervoorde. Behind, Van der Heijden finished in second place ahead of Verdonschot.
Race winner, Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado (Fenix-Deceuninck): “I didn’t have the best legs today, and when it took a long time at the beginning I thought it was going to be a tough story, but I didn’t give up. I also changed bikes, because my tires were a bit too smooth. After that I was confident that I was going to close the gap, and I’m glad I did. I could rest a bit on the wheel, because they slowed the pace down a bit. That wasn’t bad for me, because it allowed me to recover from a reasonable effort. After that I knew I had to choose my moment specifically. I had been on the wheel for a few laps and that’s how I decided where to go. I didn’t make my effort too long, and hoped they would crack. Luckily they did. It was also very warm, I didn’t expect it to be that warm.”
2nd, Inge van der Heijden (Crelan-Corendon): “I had a good start and tried to ride fast straight away. Especially in the sand passages it is more difficult from behind and that is why we managed to take the lead. The sand was difficult, but it was also difficult to drop each other. Only when Ceylin went I was not in a good position. She immediately had a gap and knew that I could not close it anymore. For me, second is the highest possible, especially considering Ceylin’s condition. I did everything I could, but Ceylin was the strongest.”
Exact Cross Heerderstrand – Women Result:
1. Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado (Ned) Fenix-Deceuninck in 43:17
2. Inge van der Heijden (Ned) Crelan-Corendon at 0:14
3. Laura Verdonschot (Bel) De Ceuster-Bouwpunt at 0:19
4. Manon Bakker (Ned) Crelan-Corendon at 57
5. Nette Coppens (Bel) at 3:05
6. Xaydee Van Sinaey (Bel) at 3:31
7. Jinse Peeters (Bel) at 3:39
8. Sanne Laurijssen (Bel) at 3:44
9. Puck Langenbarg (Ned) at 3:56
10. Mae Cabaca (Ned) at 4:03.
Heerderstrand’24:
Jason Osborne and Mary Kate McCarthy Crowned 2024 UCI Cycling Esports World Champions at Groundbreaking Abu Dhabi Final
The 2024 UCI Cycling Esports World Championships delivered an exhilarating finale today in Abu Dhabi, where Jason Osborne of Germany and Mary Kate McCarthy of New Zealand triumphed to become the UCI Cycling Esports World Champions.
Hosted live at the ADNEC Marina Hall along the city’s vibrant waterfront, this year’s UCI Cycling Esports World Championships marked a new era in virtual cycling.
Held for the first time before an in-person audience and streamed worldwide, the ADNEC Marina Hall, provided an impressive venue with a high-energy atmosphere and hosted prominent guests, including cycling icons Tadej Pogačar and Peter Sagan, UCI and IOC representatives. For the world of esports, this event brought cycling esports to a new level by bringing all athletes to one venue and competing shoulder to shoulder.
Mary Kate McCarthy (New Zealand) triumphed in the women’s final, showing exceptional resilience and strategy to claim the top spot with 180 points overall. A close second was Gabriela Guerra (Brazil) on 176 points, while Kathrin Fuhrer (Switzerland) took bronze with 165 points.
Jason Osborne (Germany) claimed victory in the men’s category with a dominant display across three gruelling races, accumulating 177 points to secure his rainbow jersey. Lionel Vujasin (Belgium), having led until the final stage, claimed sliver, while Kasper Borremans (Finland) took bronze.
Both UCI World Champions took home the top prize of US$15,000 each, part of the overall US$60,000 prize pool.
Men’s 2024 UCI Esports World Champion Jason Osborne said: “It was amazing racing today – brutally hard but I really enjoyed it. In the semi-final, I know it’s a tough competition when everyone’s together. So I didn’t really want to gamble on that today. In the last few races, I tried some different strategies – to break away and to go solo. And I knew if I wanted to have the best chance, this would be the way. And so I just tried the same today and it worked!”
Women’s 2024 UCI Esports World Champion Mary Kate McCarthy said: “I knew that I had to come from the back for the sprint because there was plenty of draft, and I think it was me and Lou Bates who drifted off the back and I just got her in the end. We don’t actually see each other when we are racing [usually], so there are a lot of mind games because you can’t see how others are feeling. You have to go off feel yourself. The mental game is everything in Esports. You have to push past what you think you can do and how far you can go.”
An Unforgettable Live Final in Abu Dhabi
The 2024 UCI Cycling Esports World Championships presented a challenging three-race format, with each race designed to test the riders’ all-around skills in sprinting, strategy, and endurance:
Race 1 – The Sprint: Riders raced against the clock, aiming to post the fastest 300-metre sprint time on a 1.7-kilometre circuit. McCarthy led from the gun in this stage, while in the men’s, US riders took a clean sweep of the top three positions.
Race 2 – The Strategist: Held over a challenging 9-kilometre circuit, this race was all about accumulating points at key intermediate sprints. McCarthy finished second to Gabriela Guerra (Brazil) but maintained her lead overall. In the men’s, Jason Osborne went solo and took the stage win in dramatic fashion, with Belgium’s Lionel Vujasin still maintaining the overall lead.
Race 3 – All Out: The final race unfolded on a 4-kilometre loop repeated four times, with double points available on the final lap. McCarthy saw off the challenge of Guerra in the women’s race, with Kathrin Fuhrer (Switzerland) in third. In the men’s race, Osborne again left the pack behind to triumph by a narrow margin over Vujasin. Third place went to Finland’s Kasper Borremans.
The winners’ strategy, stamina, and determination ultimately saw them crowned the 2024 UCI Cycling Esports World Champions.
Fair Play and Verified Technology
The event underscored UCI and MyWhoosh’s commitment to fairness and legitimacy in esports competition. Each athlete competed on the Elite Justo 2 trainers, verified with +/-1% power accuracy, to guarantee an equal playing field. By gathering all contestants in one location, UCI conducted extensive performance verification and anti-doping measures to uphold integrity throughout the competition.
A Global Pathway to the Abu Dhabi Stage
From March, athletes worldwide vied for a place in Abu Dhabi, with UCI’s new qualification pathway amplifying inclusivity and accessibility. Around 80% of starting spots were allocated to National Federations, with the remaining slots filled through MyWhoosh’s public qualifiers. Over 220 athletes competed in semi-final rounds, striving for top-20 finishes and additional wildcard entries in each category.
Prize Pool and Acknowledgments
With a US$60,000 prize pool, equal payouts across genders, and US$15,000 awarded to each UCI World Champion, the 2024 UCI Cycling Esports World Championships solidifies its role in championing equality within the sport.
MyWhoosh CEO and Managing Director Akhtar Saeed Hashmi said, “This year’s UCI Cycling Esports World Championships have been a remarkable showcase of athletic talent and innovation in the world of cycling esports. The live final here in Abu Dhabi has truly raised the bar, and we are thrilled to witness Mary Kate McCarthy and Jason Osborne claim their hard-earned titles.”
UCI President David Lappartient added: “This is the first time the UCI Cycling Esports World Championships have been held in Abu Dhabi, and what a spectacular event it was. Thank you to MyWhoosh for an excellent organisation and for delivering this new format, with all finalists racing together on stage, pushing each other to the maximum and taking the discipline of cycling esports to a whole new level. We already look forward to returning to Abu Dhabi for the next editions, and continue to work with MyWhoosh to further develop this fascinating and innovative discipline.”
Abu Dhabi’s hosting of the UCI Cycling Esports World Championships is just one of many elite cycling events coming to the UAE. The city is set to host the 2024 UCI Urban Cycling World Championships, the 2028 UCI Road World Championships, the 2028 UCI Gran Fondo World Championships, and the 2029 UCI Track World Championships, establishing its place as a premier global destination for cycling sports.
All six and a half hours of the 2024 UCI Cycling Esports World Championships:
Jonas Vingegaard is Training Again
Jonas Vingegaard has started training for 2024. The Danish GC rider ended his season in mid-August and so he is already working on the next season. According to Tim Heemskerk, Vingegaard’s trainer, this is a big advantage. “We have to accept that Tadej Pogacar has raised the bar even higher this year,” Heemskerk told Velo.
“It is a very big advantage that we can start early with Jonas. We need that if we want to close the gap with Pogačar,” Heemskerk said. “By starting the training so early, we can create a very good foundation. And we really needed that. Because Jonas lacked a few things due to that crash (Tour of the Basque Country).”
Heemskerk says that that crash caused a lot of problems. “Jonas spent twelve days in hospital without any activity and that caused him to lose a lot of muscle mass. That had an impact on the rest of the year. A body needs time to recover, but Jonas went straight from hospital to rehabilitation and to the Tour de France. That all took a lot of energy and he never fully recovered from that. Jonas needs time to get his body back into the balance it was in before that fall. We can’t sit back and say that Jonas would have beaten Pogacar without that fall. We have to accept that Pogacar has raised the bar even higher this year. We have to look at everything to beat him. We know that we have a big task ahead of us.”
Vingegaard never fully recovered for the Basque crash:
New Career for Wout ‘The Squirrel’ van Aert
Wout van Aert participated in The Masked Singer TV program. Last week WielerFlits wrote an article that caused many people to think that Van Aert was hiding in a squirrel suit in a one-off performance. The suspicions were justified, as he was unmasked on Friday.
With Song 2 by Blur, the squirrel was the star of the show and many people immediately knew it was Van Aert. there were a few tips; such as he had two young children and that he had more than a hundred wins in his career, but also his voice.
The squirrel, a special guest who only performed once and was not really in the game, showed his real identity. Van Aert took off his mask, with a huge smile. “I was looking forward to it, but I was also a bit scared,” Van Aert said on TV. “And that was actually exactly why I wanted to do it: something out of my comfort zone. It’s a once in a lifetime thing, right? Nobody knew about it except my wife. I knew I was going to be a squirrel, but when I saw the costume, I thought: ‘what the f*ck’”. I expected a cute bear, but not a latex superman suit.”
Wout ‘The Squirrel’ van Aert – Don’t give up the day job:
Marta Cavalli Leaves FDJ-SUEZ After Four Seasons
Marta Cavalli and FDJ-SUEZ will part ways at the end of the season. The 26-year-old Italian is looking for a new place after four seasons. Cavalli grew into one of the better climbers in the women’s peloton while with the French team, but has suffered a lot of physical misfortune in recent seasons. It is still unclear where she will go.
“We want to thank her from the bottom of our hearts for everything she has done for the team, her great performances and her professionalism. We wish Marta all the best for the rest of her career and a quick return to the highest level,” FDJ-SUEZ praises the departing Cavalli.
Cavalli made her breakthrough at the highest level two years ago. In the spring of 2022, to everyone’s surprise, after a clever attack in the final kilometres, she won the Amstel Gold Race. Then a few days later she won the Flèche Wallonne in impressive fashion.
That year, Cavalli also finished fourth in Itzulia Women, won the Mont Ventoux Dénivelé Challenge and finished second overall in the Giro d’Italia Donne, behind Annemiek van Vleuten. This seemed to be the start of a successful cycling career, but Cavalli had to deal with a lot of injuries and mental problems in the last two seasons.
The 2022 Tour de France proved to be a turning point in Cavalli’s career. She had a bad crash, resulting in multiple fractures. After this crash she was hit by the inattentive Nicole Frain and then had difficulty getting back on track. She continued to suffer from the aftermath of the crash, not so much physically, but mainly mentally. Cavalli struggled with ‘peloton anxiety’ for a while.
After a difficult start to the season, things started to look up for Cavalli in the last months of 2023. She won a few races at a lower level, but she crashed during a training ride near Benidorm in Spain at the beginning of this year and suffered a contusion to her pelvis. Cavalli was out of action for a while as a result, but was able to race again in March. In July, however, things went wrong again. Cavalli was hit by a car again while training, after which she was rushed to hospital. No fractures were found, but she has been struggling since then and has not been in action since. Her last race was La Vuelta Femenina (28 April-5 May), she had to retire early.
Marta Cavalli to leave FDJ-SUEZ:
Florian Sénéchal Considered Quitting after Disastrous Season
Florian Sénéchal was supposed to be the new leader of the Arkéa-B&B Hotels Classics team, but the Frenchman had a bad season, which was partly due to two crashes. Sénéchal was like a fish out of water. “I no longer knew how to race, how to ride a bike,” he told Le Télégramme.
The French team had high expectations of Sénéchal, especially for the spring Classics, but two crashes ruined his season. After his second crash, he had a hard time mentally: “From that moment on, I completely lost my self-confidence. I have never experienced anything like this since my debut as a pro. I have never been so low. I really hit rock bottom,” he reflected on his dark time. “Without the help of the people around me and the team, I would have gone under. Mentally, I just couldn’t do it anymore.”
The Classics-man considered leaving professional cycling. “I thought about ending my career. I was close to a burn-out. I was sensitive to everything and wanted to give it all up. I had lost my way.” Since then, things have been going a lot better for Sénéchal, who wants to get back to his old form again in 2025. “I’m looking for sporting revenge next year. I have no other choice. The counter is back to zero.”
Florian Sénéchal considered quitting:
Cycling Philosopher Guillaume Martin Publishes New Book
Guillaume Martin has been a professional rider for almost 10 years and in addition to being a cyclist, he also graduated as a philosopher and a writer. The 31-year-old Frenchman, who will be with Groupama-FDJ in 2024, has been writing a new book.
His latest book, ‘Les gens qui rêvent’ (‘People Who Dream’), is not really philosophical in nature, unlike his previous books. “It is more of a novel than a philosophical book. I tell about my journey as a young cyclist,” said Martin in an interview with Cyclism’Actu.
The climber previously wrote ‘Socrate à Vélo’ and ‘La Société du peloton’, which was partly written during the 2021 Tour de France, Martin investigates what the cycling peloton can teach us about that larger society.
He plays with questions such as: when do you choose yourself and when do you choose the group? When should you be selfish and when should you be altruistic? In doing so, he takes the reader on a personal journey through the social problems of our time and uses examples from sports to offer a different perspective.
Martin received the Prix Jacques de Fouchier for this literary work, a literary prize awarded by the Académie Française. The Prix Jacques de Fouchier is awarded to a work that is ‘remarkable for its subject, composition and style’ and is written by someone who is not a professional writer.
Guillaume Martin has a new book:
Lucy Bénézet Minns Signs with the Lotto Dstny Ladies
With the signing of Lucy Bénézet Minns, the Lotto Dstny Ladies Team is fully formed for 2025.
“I’m really excited for this new step”, Lucy Bénézet Minns (18) says. “It will be special to try out some bigger races. As I come from the juniors, I still need to learn and discover a lot. I became national road and time trial champion in Ireland, which was nice. I had a good end of the year with winning the points race on the Junior Track European Championships. I want to discover more about which type of rider I am and try out as many as courses as possible.”
“Probably I’ll keep combining track with road. Next year I’ll fully focus on cycling for one year, and then after that I’ll see if I will start my university studies History and Politics, maybe from remote.”
Sports Manager Kurt Van de Wouwer is happy that the Ladies Team for 2025 is formed: “Lucy showed her strong capabilities on the World Championships juniors. She still has to learn a lot, but we will guide her in that and she will get the chance to grow step by step here. This signing fits perfectly in our vision to give a chance to young talents.”
Lucy Bénézet Minns to Lotto:
Samuele Battistella Signs with EF Education-EasyPost
The Italian is a strong all-rounder with a fast finish
EF Education-EasyPost is proud to announce that Samuele Battistella will join the team beginning in 2025. The Italian shot to fame in 2019, winning the rainbow jersey in the U23 World Championships road race in Yorkshire, England and has raced in the WorldTour for the last five seasons. Hailing from Veneto, Italy but now residing in Monaco, the 25-year-old will strengthen the team in several areas and is looking to reignite his career in EF Education-EasyPost kit from the start of next year.
“I’ve seen this team race every year since I turned professional and they’ve always raced in the right way. They’re always attacking, never surrender and provide all their riders with opportunities. It always feels like there’s space for every rider on the team and that was very attractive to me. In modern-day cycling, it’s hard to find teams that will give you opportunities. EF Education-EasyPost is one of those teams,” an excited Samuele told us.
A former winner of the Veneto Classic one-day race, Battistella has raced in the WorldTour since 2020 and he felt ready for a new challenge. After talking to several riders already on the EF Education-EasyPost roster his mind was quickly set on joining the team. “I talked to a few friends before joining. Everyone I spoke to said the same thing, that EF Education-EasyPost is an amazing team and is super professional. Once I heard that I talked to my agent because I wanted to sign for this team immediately,” he said.
“From the outside, you can see that all the riders on EF Education-EasyPost race together and you can see that their preparation is really amazing. They put so much detail into the small things, and moving to this team will help me take the next step in my career,” Samuele said before elaborating on his hopes and goals. “The most important aim for me is to find myself next year. In the last few years, I lost myself a little bit and I want to get back to winning and racing at a high level. At the same time I want to improve and help the team and my new teammates as much as possible,” he said.
With one eye on races like the Ardennes Classics, and hopes of racing the Giro d’Italia next May, he is eager to get going in his new kit. Moreover, he’s been a huge fan of the team’s endeavours on social media, and the chance to enhance the message of our title sponsor was another major draw to the team.
“I’m not saying this just because I’m joining but to me, EF Education-EasyPost are one of the coolest-looking teams in the peloton,” Samuele said “Their social media, with the posts and the stories and reels, they’re always amazing. As sponsor, EF Education also has a great message for young people who are keen to learn languages, travel and see the world. Wearing that on my jersey is something I’ll be very proud to do.”
Battistella has racked up over a dozen top tens in the last two years, with high placings in races such as the Tour de Pologne, Itzulia Basque Country and Paris-Nice. The aim is to transfer those results into podiums and wins. “Of course on the racing side, I think I can do well in the Ardennes Classics. On the short climbs that are under 20 minutes, I can do well, and then I have a good sprint from a small group. I’m not the best on the climbs or in the sprints but I can do both well and I’m looking forward to reaching the next step in my career,” the Italian added.
The team has seen something special in Battistella. His consistency to race at a high level and across varying terrains instantly stood out, while his energy and enthusiasm to be part of our squad created the belief that he would instantly fit in with the rest of the roster. “Samuele is a rider we’ve been tracking for some time, and while he’s not scored a big win in the last few seasons, he’s certainly showed himself in a lot of races and been incredibly consistent,” EF Pro Cycling founder and CEO Jonathan Vaughters said. “Our team is constantly trying to progress and develop and Samuele is a rider we think can complement our squad in several different areas. A strong all-rounder with a fast finish, we genuinely believe that he can kick on and find that winning groove with us next season. As Samuele also points out, we’re one of the coolest-looking teams in the peloton and we’re hoping his Italian style will rub off on the rest of the team, too. Seriously though, there’s still a lot of untapped potential within Samuele, and we want to harness that and develop it with him,” Vaughters added.
Welcome to the team, Samuele!
Samuele Battistella to EF Education-EasyPost:
Twenty Riders in the Bingoal-WB 2025 Squad
The ProTeam Wagner-Bazin WB announces a squad of 20 riders for the 2025 season. The average age of the group, which combines experience, freshness and youth, is 25 years old. The project, born from the merger of two teams, is ambitious: it aims for high-level performance on all terrains as well as the training and development of riders at the start of their professional career, under the wing of the road captains.
The group and staff will meet on November 8th for a first gathering at our partner Volvo | D’Hondt cars in Zottegem.
Christopher Brandt: “We hope to have a very good 2025 season. The group of twenty riders that makes up the Wagner-Bazin WB team has all the skills: sprinters, punchers and climbers. This squad combines experienced riders with fairly young riders. We are indeed benefiting from a breath of fresh air with the arrival of all these young elements who come to us from our Development team or from the French amateur level where they have distinguished themselves. The primary goal will be to achieve great cohesion very quickly, because, in today’s cycling, you can’t achieve anything on your own, you have to perform as a team. We are very optimistic and very motivated. Development, performance and victory will be our guiding principles!”
Philip Wagner: “This squad, which we could be led to strengthen, is balanced and has all the qualities to shine on different terrains. We have enriched it with young riders with undeniable qualities, who will bring us their freshness and their desire. We are impatient for everyone to get to know each other and form a united team to which we will have transmitted our ambition and our taste for performance.”
Contracted riders:
Luca De Meester, Ceriel Desal, Louka Matthys, Johan Meens, Davide Persico, Tom Portsmouth, Marco Tizza, Jelle Vermoote, Giacomo Villa, Loïc Vliegen, Sasha Weemaes.
New contracts:
Pierre Barbier, Floris De Tier, Kenneth van Rooy.
Young riders (Dvlpt > Pro):
Michiel Lambrecht, Jens Reynders.
New riders:
Jocelyn Baguelin, Henri-François Haquin, Victor Papon, Leander van Hautegem.
Rein Taaramäe Says Goodbye: “This Team Brought me So Much Happiness”
After seventeen seasons on the highest level, Rein Taaramäe rode the last kilometres of his career in the World Tour in the Tour of Guangxi last week.
“Many years have passed since 2006, when I packed my suitcase to move to France to live and compete at the club level, without speaking a word of French or English” says the Estonian rider, who became a trainee with Team Cofidis during the summer of 2007, the start of a long career as a professional cyclist. “I have seen everything; I have participated in all the big races and won some of them. I have met champions, competed with them, and sometimes even beaten them”, he remembers.
Taaramäe amassed a rich palmarès, with two stage wins in the Vuelta, one in the Giro and nineteen other UCI victories including 10 national titles. “I could not have dreamed of a better career. I am thankful for all the experiences and opportunities I have had. It was a wonderful time in my life” is his conclusion.
With Intermarché-Wanty, he reached a new milestone in the Tour of Spain 2021, by wearing the leader’s jersey in a grand tour for the first time in his career at the age of 34. He thus added his name to the Belgian team’s history books as the first rider to wear the leader’s jersey in a race of three weeks.
The climber is proud of his stunt on top of the Picòn Blanco, ten years after his first stage win in the Vuelta in La Farrapona, but does not necessarily consider this highlight as his best memory with the Belgian team.
“I especially cherish my performances which have played a role in the success of others. Biniam Girmay’s stage win in the Giro d’Italia 2022 is perhaps the happiest moment of my career. We worked so hard with the team all day, pulling to reduce the peloton, with success. Just like we did on Green Mountain in the Tour of Oman a couple of months before to propel Jan Hirt to the victory. Those two successes created very nice emotions.”
After four seasons with Intermarché-Wanty, at the age of 37, Taaramäe begins a new challenge in the Asia Tour, with the Japanese team Kinan. “Every top athlete knows that at one point or another, they need to step back, retire, or find another way of life. For me, stopping cycling 100% is not an option because I feel young, healthy, and have a deep love for the sport! I like to say: I was born to be a cyclist.”
By taking on this Asian challenge, he follows in the footsteps of his compatriot Jaan Kirsipuu, multiple Tour de France stage winner. “Jaan was my childhood idol before becoming my mentor. I have dreamed of concluding my career the same way Jaan did, in the Asian Tour. I want to experience some Asian races and atmosphere, and I feel that now is the right time to pursue this new experience. I am 37 years old, and I believe I can enjoy racing for a few more years in a good Asian atmosphere, discovering new systems and places. Just thinking about it already excites me” Taaramäe explains.
In his career, the Estonian champion participated in twenty grand tours and fourteen monuments. All together, he raced 1269 days, the equivalent of three and a half years. He was active in 32 different countries, on six continents and symbolically raced his last kilometres on the highest level in China, on the Asian continent where he will soon start a new chapter.
“I really enjoyed the Tour of Guangxi. The event evolved a lot since my previous participation in 2019, with attractive parcours and thousands of enthusiastic fans. With Gijs Van Hoecke we nearly took a stage win and in almost every stage we finished in the top ten. I ended my period with Intermarché-Wanty like I started, in very nice circumstances and filled with positive emotions” he summarises. “I’m looking forward to be reunited with everyone one last time on the occasion of our annual gala with our sponsors. This team brought me so much luck.”
As has been the tradition for several years now, Rein Taaramäe will be returning home with well-packed suitcases. Thanks to the generosity of his teammates and staff, he collects used clothing and equipment to distribute to the inhabitants during his altitude training camps in Rwanda. “Thanks to our donations, Rwandan children are starting to cycle, joining the local club Rafiki Bike Cycling Team, which offers them a daily activity and enables them to build a social life,” he explains his motivation to contribute to the development of cycling in Rwanda.
“And you never know how far they will get,” he continues. “One of them, Kevin Nshutiraguma, won the national time trial title on a Cube bike while wearing the Intermarché-Wanty jersey, after which he represented Rwanda at the Junior World Championships in Zurich. With the UCI World Cycling Centre, he attended the sixth stage of the Tour de France in Dijon, where he was invited to join Biniam Girmay on the podium with the green jersey. For the children in Rwanda, it’s not just material; the small contribution we make can change their lives,” he concludes.
Noemi Rüegg Re-Ups with EF-Oatly-Cannondale
Swiss champion is excited to build on the lessons she’s learned with our team
After her stellar 2024 season, Noemi Rüegg confirmed that she will race in EF-Oatly-Cannondale colours in 2025 and beyond.
The 23-year-old Swiss champ and Olympian credits her 2024 success to the spirit that she and her teammates built at team camps and races right through the year and wants to keep their momentum rolling.
“The atmosphere in this team is really special and something I’ve never experienced in a team before,” Noemi says. “The riders and staff – everyone works so well together. It doesn’t feel like we are working colleagues. We are friends. I think that makes a huge difference, especially for me. I feel so welcomed in the team. The atmosphere is always good. It makes it a lot easier to perform when you are surrounded by good people.”
Noemi proved that this year. She started her season with a big win at the Trofeo Felanitx-Colònia de Sant Jordi in Mallorca and kept pushing hard to the end of the year. Her win at the Swiss road race championship and seventh place at her first Olympics are her proudest achievements, but it was the way that the team came together when the going got tough at the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift that really convinced her that this is the squad for her.
“We had some highs and lows, but we kept a good positive vibe and kept working together,” Noemi says. “Those moments when everything might not be going well, but you still have good people and a strong team around you make all the difference. This year, I got a lot of support from the team. They gave me the opportunity to race the finales and also to make a lot of mistakes. That’s also really important, because otherwise you don’t learn. The team gave me a lot of confidence and I think that’s what I needed. It means a lot when the team puts trust in me.”
Noemi is excited to put the lessons she learned this year into action when the racing season kicks off again next spring. She is still figuring out what kind of bike rider she could be. She has the kick to win bunch sprints and the staying power to get over hard climbs, as she proved at this year’s world championships in Zurich.
“Noemi is a really strong classics rider with a good sprint who can survive a lot of climbs,” says EF-Oatly-Cannondale general manager Esra Tromp. “She is also a really good teammate who is happy to work for others. She made a big step coming to this team this year and got opportunities to be the leader. I’m really happy that we can continue working together to help her step even more into a leadership role in the future.”
The most important thing Noemi has learned is to keep dreaming big, never limit herself, and brush off the pressure.
“I don’t doubt too much and am willing to just try now,” she says. “If it works, it works. And if it doesn’t work, then you learn from it. It is important to have fun with racing. I think that’s the most important thing. You don’t want to focus too much on the performance or put pressure on yourself. We ride our bikes because we love it. If you have fun, the performance will come automatically. I’m quite a punchy rider, so I like the classics, especially the races in Flanders with explosive climbs. I really want to do well there, but also in races like Liège. After the Liège Tour stage, I fell in love with that course. I see myself doing well in those kinds of races, Amstel as well. I want to win classics.”
Next year is going to be fun. Here’s to a very successful future with EF-Oatly-Cannondale, Noemi!
Noemi Rüegg to stay with EF-Oatly-Cannondale:
Belgian Talent Dries De Pooter Extends his Contract Until 2026
Young Belgian talent Dries De Pooter, who made his entry in the professional peloton with Intermarché-Wanty, will continue his career with the team of Jean-François Bourlart for at least two more seasons.
Having joined the Belgian team as a trainee in the 2021 and 2022 seasons, Dries De Pooter signed his first professional contract to become a member of the World Team in 2023 at just 19 years old. Since then, the young talent has proven himself as a valuable teammate, regularly lining up for World Tour events, even competing and finishing his first Grand Tour in the Giro d’Italia 2024.
At the beginning of the season, he secured his first top results with Intermarché-Wanty, finishing fourth and eighth in sprint finishes in the Tour of Oman. The young neo pro with aggressive racing style and a member of the classics team alongside Biniam Girmay and Laurenz Rex has already participated twice in the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix, always playing a valuable support role for his leaders.
Dries De Pooter: “A couple of years ago I have chosen to link my future to Intermarché-Wanty because I was convinced that a professional environment with a family atmosphere was the best setting for me to develop myself and perform at my best. Ultimately, this proved to be the case, so I can’t imagine pursuing my career anywhere else. Like the team, I grow year after year at the highest level while having fun. The goal is to continue my progression, especially in the classics, those races that once inspired me to start cycling. I also want to improve in my role in the sprint trains. I’m still young and aware that I can develop on several levels. The sports direction knows about these needs, and with the Intermarché-Wanty structure, all the necessary expertise is available to meet them.”
Aike Visbeek (Performance Manager): “Since his first months as a trainee with our team in the summer of 2021 we’ve seen Dries De Pooter grow together with our team, a progression that fills us with pride. A significant milestone in his development was his participation in the Giro d’Italia this year, the first Grand Tour of his career. He gained valuable experience and increased his physical capabilities. That’s why we’re convinced he’s ready to reach a higher level in 2025. He’ll often receive an important role in our sprint trains this coming season. He’s a great support in both the Flemish classics and races of the Ardennes type, his versatility is his greatest asset.”
Two more years for Dries De Pooter:
Guillaume Boivin to Celebrate a Decade with IPT in 2025
Israel – Premier Tech veteran, Guillaume Boivin, will continue with the team in 2025 adding another year to his soon decade-long stint with IPT.
“I’m super happy to stay with the team for next year,” Boivin explains. “I have been here since 2016, so it feels like I’m staying at home for one more year.”
The 35-year-old Canadian allrounder has three wins to his name with IPT, while being instrumental as a teammate in some of the team’s biggest results over the years.
Boivin started out this year’s season being a part of Stevie Williams’ overall victory at the Tour Down Under and he’s looking forward to supporting his teammates to more success on the road next year.
“The team is getting stronger every year and it’s so much fun to go to the races with big objectives. I’m looking forward to helping our leaders get more wins for IPT in 2025!”
Boivin’s development and the team’s growth have gone hand in hand explains IPT General Manager Kjell Carlström. “Guillaume Boivin joined us in the team’s second year when we were a Continental Team starting out,” says Carlström. “As a team, we have come a long way since then and so has Guillaume, developing into one of the team’s most valuable support riders. Every team needs riders like Guillaume so we are happy to see him round out a decade with us next year.”
For IPT owner Sylvan Adams, Boivin’s decade-long career with IPT is a testament to the environment and family spirit within the team. “I am pleased that Guillaume is returning for another season in 2025. Guillaume is currently IPT’s second most tenured rider, after Israeli Guy Sagiv. He is truly part of our DNA.”
Guillaume Boivin with IPT for ten years:
EBU and A.S.O. Reach a New Tour de France Agreement Until 2030
The races include:
Men’s : Tour de France, La Vuelta, Paris-Roubaix, Liège-Bastogne-Liège, La Flèche Wallonne, Paris-Nice, Criterium du Dauphiné, Cyclassics Hamburg, Eschborn Frankfurt, Clasica San Sebastian, Paris-Tours, Tro Bro Leon, and Volta Catalunya.
Women’s: Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift, La Vuelta Femenina by Carrefour.es, Paris-Roubaix Femmes avec Zwift, Liège-Bastogne-Liège Femmes and La Flèche Wallonne Femmes.
Whole or part of the package of races will be broadcast free-to-air by EBU Members in the following territories: Belgium, Czechia, Denmark, Hungary, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Switzerland.
Eurosport/Warner Bros Discovery will also continue, thanks to a sub-license from the EBU, to broadcast the Tour de France, La Vuelta and the other 16 races in the package throughout Europe.*
*Excluding France (except for La Vuelta, Volta Catalunya, Clasica San Sebastian, Cyclassics Hamburg and Eschborn-Frankfurt)
Glen Killane, EBU Executive Director of Sport: “This agreement is a major win for cycling fans across Europe, giving them access to the sport they love. Thanks to the continued trust of A.S.O., our Members, together with Eurosport/WBD, can ensure more fans experience the excitement of these events, wherever they are, and stay connected to the heart of the sport.”
Frédéric Sanz, EBU Head of Summer Sports and Cycling: “Reaching a new long term agreement with A.S.O. and Unipublic is hugely significant. We can continue contributing to the popularity of cycling, guaranteeing broad access in Europe to the most prestigious events in the sport. Including the women’s events in this agreement also reflects how we’re prioritising the accessibility and coverage of women’s sport and contributing to the growth and development of women athletes on a global scale.”
Yann Le Moënner, A.S.O. Managing Director: “We are delighted to reach a new agreement with the EBU for all of our men’s and women’s cycling events until 2030. This agreement will enable the general public and sports fans to follow the most important international cycling events on major European free-to-air broadcasters as well as on Eurosport/WBD channels. These partners, who have been committed to promoting and broadcasting cycling for many years, will continue to showcase our events across Europe. Furthermore, this five-year agreement will shine a powerful spotlight on women’s cycling, which will continue to grow in popularity in the coming years. Finally, the extensive reach of the digital platforms of EBU Members and Eurosport/WBD will bring our whole range of content to an ever-wider fan base.”
Key points:
Cycling fans across Europe will continue to enjoy the Tour de France, La Vuelta and other major races after the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), Amaury Sport Organisation (A.S.O.) and Unipublic reached a new media rights agreement through 2030.
The agreement covers men’s and women’s events, reaffirming the EBU’s commitment to promoting the development and visibility of women’s cycling, while offering the broadest range of sports rights to EBU Member broadcasters and their audiences.
ASO races on TV… in Europe:
FDJ Extends its Partnership with the Tour de France and Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift
FDJ’s love for cycling runs deep. Every major event is an opportunity for the company to rally its partner retailers and FDJ outlets, which are decked out in the colours of the cycling teams backed by FDJ as a title sponsor, helping to drum up local excitement for these premier races in both men’s and women’s cycling. FDJ also joins the celebration with activities within the publicity caravan and in stage towns and cities, sparking joy and bringing good vibes to the thousands of spectators who line the roads every day.
Since 2008, the Tour de France, together with the FDJFoundation has opened its doors to young people supported by Secours Populaire through the “Les Oubliés du Sport” initiative. Aimed at children who rarely get the chance to go on holiday, this programme offers them an unforgettable day at the Grande Boucle, filled with a wide range of activities, the buzz of the publicity caravan and the thrill of watching the race from up close.
It is part of the Riding into the Future programme, the banner under which the Tour de France promotes cycling as a means of transport and inspires all those who can to bring cycling into their everyday lives.
FDJ has actively supported women’s cycling through the Vélo pour toutes initiative since the very first edition of the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift. This joint programme with the FFC gives women the opportunity to learn how to ride safely by giving them the chance to take part in mass recreational rides on the routes of Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift stages.
Key points:
The FDJ Group, a long-standing supporter of elite sport, has renewed its partnership with three premier events of men’s and women’s cycling —the Tour de France, Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift and Paris–Roubaix Femmes avec Zwift— through 2027.
The company brings activities to the publicity caravan of the Tour de France (a partner since 2017), Paris–Roubaix Femmes avec Zwift (since 2021) and Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift, where it has served as a founding partner since 2022.
FDJ teams up with Secours Populaire Français on the Les Oubliés du Sport initiative, taking its commitment beyond sport by giving young people the chance to discover the Tour de France and Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift.
13 New Inductees into the British Cycling Hall of Fame
British Cycling can today announce 13 new inductees into its prestigious Hall of Fame with multiple Olympic and Paralympic medallists, and volunteers with years of service, set to receive their accolade at the 2024 British Cycling Awards this evening (Saturday October 26). We will be collaborating with Rouleur magazine on extended profile articles with the Hall of Fame inductees which will be published in the coming months. Keep an eye on both the British Cycling and Rouleur channels for more information.
Dame Laura Kenny, Sir Jason Kenny and Sir Bradley Wiggins are three of the inductees whose achievements in the sport will be celebrated on Saturday evening. Olympic champions Ed Clancy, Dani Rowe and Jo Rowsell, multiple world champion Shanaze Reade and three-time Paralympic champion Aileen McGlynn are also inducted. Key figures in the sport including Carole Gosling, Carole Leigh, Mike Jardine and Tracy Moseley will also be honoured, while Richard Moore will posthumously receive a place in the Hall of Fame which now has 82 members. Launched in 2009, the Hall of Fame recognises extraordinary achievement and exemplary service within the British cycling community, with induction reserved for those who have made a marked impact on the history and growth of our sport.
The 2024 Hall of Fame Inductees:
Ed Clancy OBE
Clancy holds a superb resume in the sport, most notably being a three-time Olympic team pursuit champion (2008, 2012 and 2016), and six-time world champion. With over 16 international medals for the Great Britain Cycling Team in his collection over a stellar career, and a silver medal for England at the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games, Clancy is one of the country’s most successful endurance riders. Since retiring from the sport, the Yorkshireman has taken an active role in the sport and wider advocacy in a number of positions. He is currently the South Yorkshire Active Travel Commissioner, and also leads British Cycling’s Elite Road Racing Taskforce. Clancy continues to be an ambassador for British Cycling and supports the Great Britain Cycling Team’s research and innovation work.
Carole Gosling
Gosling has played an instrumental role in the UK’s BMX racing scene over many years. She played a leading role in organising the first BMX Racing World Championships to take place in the UK in Slough back in 1986. The Briton was a leading figure in supporting the integration of BMX into the UCI and went on to hold the role of UCI Secretary for BMX at the London 2012 Olympic Games. Among her many roles in the sport, Gosling has also been a team manager and commissaire during her career.
Carole Leigh
One of our leading officials in the sport, Leigh has held some of the most prestigious roles in cycling over several years. She was Technical Officer at London 2012 and has operated as a judge and timekeeper at international and domestic events. Not only has Leigh played a key role in the smooth running of events as an official, but she has been an organiser of national-level events throughout her time in the sport. Leigh has been a British Cycling member since 1973 and was awarded the Gold Badge of Honour – an honour bestowed on members of the British Cycling Federation for services to the organisation – in 2001. She is currently the north-west regional Board member and also is a part of the Track Commission.
Mike Jardine
Following many years of dedicated service to the sport, Jardine retired as an event organiser this year. He is the long-standing organiser of the UCI Downhill World Cup at Fort William, a venue from which he also organised the world championships back in 2007. The successes of the world cup event in Scotland has helped to raise the profile of UK downhill mountain biking in the international calendar, establishing the Scottish round as an essential stop on the fixture list.
Dame Laura Kenny
Kenny is officially Britain’s most successful female Olympian after a staggering career saw her win five Olympic titles across three Games – from London to Tokyo – including double gold at her debut Games in London 2012 which catapulted her into stardom. Kenny is a seven-time world champion and 14-time European champion on the track, adding to her golden collection. She received a Damehood in the 2022 New Year Honours after winning her last major title at the 2022 Commonwealth Games with gold in the scratch race.
Sir Jason Kenny
Kenny enjoyed one of the most remarkable careers of any British sportsman, and he put himself at the top of the list as Britain’s most successful Olympian of all time when he won his seventh gold medal at the Tokyo Olympic Games. His golden medal tally in the sprint disciplines spanned four Games from Beijing 2008 through to Tokyo 2020. His superb career was rewarded in the 2022 New Year Honours List when he received a knighthood. Kenny is continuing his career in cycling in his current role as lead coach for the Great Britain Cycling Team podium men’s sprint team.
Aileen McGlynn
McGlynn enjoyed a stellar career in para-cycling, becoming one of the leading names in the sport following her gold medal triumph in the tandem 1km time-trial back in 2004 at the Athens Paralympic Games. She followed that with double gold in Beijing, before a silver and bronze in London, the final two of her seven Paralympic medals. The four-time world champion – who competed in the visually impaired classes – also secured medal winning moments for her native Scotland, which she achieved at two Commonwealth Games on home soil in Glasgow 2014, and also at Birmingham 2022: the latter at the age of 49. McGlynn was awarded an MBE in 2006 before being promoted to an OBE in the 2009 New Year Honours.
Richard Moore
Founder of The Cycling Podcast, one of the sport’s most popular podcasts, Moore is posthumously inducted into the British Cycling Hall of Fame following his passing in March 2022 at just 48 years old. During his cycling career, he represented Scotland at the 1998 Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur, competing in the road race and the time-trial. After his pro-cycling career, Moore became one of the most established cycling journalists in the country, contributing to many UK titles. He was also a published author. Moore, alongside fellow journalists and friends Daniel Freibe and Lionel Birnie, created The Cycling Podcast in 2013 which went on to gain huge listenership and win many awards.
Tracy Moseley
Moseley has enjoyed a stellar career in the sport, both on the bike and off it. She became the mountain bike downhill world champion in 2010, the crowning glory of her competitive career. In the last few years, she has played a key role as a board member for the highly successful 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships in Glasgow. She continues to be an active participant in the sport, racing at a national level and representing GB in e-MTB events in recent years.
Shanaze Reade
A four-time world champion in BMX racing and two-time world champion on the track, Reade had a staggering career over multiple disciplines in the sport. In 2008, she impressively won world titles in both BMX racing and the track team sprint at the world championships hosted in Manchester. Reade – a two-time Olympian – was one of the leading names in the sport of BMX as it broke into the international spotlight with its inclusion at the Olympic Games in 2008. Since retiring, Reade has held an active travel advocate role in the West Midlands and has been a coach to a number of professional riders.
Joanna Rowsell
Rowsell was one of the most successful British riders of the 2010s as she earned global title after global title. Back-to-back Olympic team pursuit gold medals were the crowning glory to her stellar career. The first of those titles was won alongside two other inductees for 2024, Laura Kenny and Dani Rowe. During her career, she was a five-time world champion, a four-time European gold medallist, and secured a Commonwealth title for England in 2014. In 2013, after her first Olympic gold at the home Games, she was awarded an MBE. Following her retirement from the sport, Rowsell has become a renowned commentator for Eurosport and has a full-time role working for Women in Sport. She has been an ambassador for Alopecia UK since 2014, using her profile to bring awareness.
Dani Rowe MBE
Rowe is another household name after a stunning cycling career which brought medal success on the track and the road. Rowe’s finest moment was at the London 2012 Olympic Games when she won team pursuit gold alongside Laura Kenny and Joanna Rowsell in one of the most memorable performances of the whole Games. She is a three-time world champion in the team pursuit and also won bronze in the scratch race back in 2011. Two European track titles also sit in her collection, as does a Commonwealth Games bronze medal from the road race in 2018 when she proudly represented Wales. King now works as a commentator and pundit, and for her family coaching company.
Sir Bradley Wiggins
Wiggins – who was knighted in 2013 – is one of cycling’s most celebrated riders in history after an incomparable career in the sport. The longevity of his cycling success was outstanding, winning his first senior medal at the Commonwealth Games in 1998 (silver; team pursuit), right through to Olympic team pursuit gold in 2016. His career CV reads as follows; five-time Olympic champion, eight-time world champion, and amongst those fine performances, he became the first ever British winner of the Tour de France in 2012, the year in which he also became Olympic time-trial champion. He has achieved stage wins at some of the most prestigious cycling races in the calendar including the Tour de France, Giro d’Italia, Critérium du Dauphiné and Tour of Britain, and also held the UCI Hour record for several years.
The 13 new additions join the existing members of the Hall of Fame:
Reg Harris OBE, Arthur Campbell MBE, Benny Foster OBE, Beryl Burton OBE, Bill Bradley, Brian Cossavella, Chas Messenger, Eddie Soens, Jason McRoy, Tom Simpson, Alan Rushton, Barry Hoban, Brian Annable, Brian Robinson, Caroline Boyle (nee Alexander), Chris Boardman MBE, Colin Sturgess, Craig Maclean MBE, Dale Holmes, Dave Hemsley, David Baker, Dot Tilbury MBE, Eileen Gray CBE, George Miller, Gerry McDaid, Graeme Obree, Graham Webb, Hugh Porter MBE, Ian Emmerson OBE, Jason Queally MBE, John and Doreen Mallinson, John Rawnsley, Keith Butler, Les West, Malcolm Elliott, Mandy Bishop (nee Jones), Pat Adams, Paul Manning MBE, Peter Keen OBE, Peter King CBE, Phil Liggett MBE, Robert Millar, Sean Yates, Sid Barras, Stan Kite, Stuart Benstead, Tim Gould, Tony Doyle MBE, Tony Yorke OBE, Yvonne McGregor MBE, Victoria Pendleton CBE, Rob Hayles, Roger Hammond, Norman Sheil, Nicole Cooke MBE, Sir Chris Hoy, Brian Cookson OBE, Mick Bennett, Harold Nelson BEM, Bill Owen, John Barclay, Sir Dave Brailsford, Eileen Sheriden, Keith Lambert, Maurice Burton, Emma Pooley, Rebecca Romero MBE and Paul Sherwen.
Bradley Wiggins to join the British Cycling ‘Hall of Fame’:
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