The Tour de France build up starts with the Critérium du Dauphiné with the big three: Tadej Pogačar, Jonas Vingegaard and Rmco Evenepoel, plus Mathiew van der Poel. We also have all the videos, race reports, results and rider quotes from the Tour of Britain Women, Brussels Cycling Classic and the Heylen Vastgoed Heistse Pijl in a packed EUROTRASH Monday.
TOP STORY:
- The Cycling World Bids Farewell to Ludo Dierckxsens
Rider news:
- Isaac Del Toro’s father criticises Mexican cycling association: “Never received any help”
- Remco Evenepoel wants Mathieu van der Poel as a teammate
- Out of respect for Remco, Tadej Pogačar changes jersey for TT training
- Fabio Jakobsen will also miss the Vuelta a España
- Matys Grisel signs pro contract for three seasons with Lotto
Team news:
- Dave Brailsford to prepare Geraint Thomas for a role within INEOS’ management
- Le Dévoluy becomes the official base camp of the Roland Pro Cycling Team: a structuring and ambitious partnership
- Team Picnic PostNL’s John Degenkolb and Fabio Jakobsen set to miss Tour de France
- Soudal Quick-Step to Antwerp Port Epic
Race news:
- Israel-Premier Tech, TotalEnergies, Tudor and UNO-X Mobility added to Maryland Cycling Classic line-up
- Lidl Deutschland Tour 2025: A Battle of OF Giants on German Roads
- The Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift 2026 Grand Départ: Say “cheese” in Switzerland
Plus:
- Egan Bernal’s Giro journey video
Monday EUROTRASH coffee time.
TOP STORY: The Cycling World Bids Farewell to Ludo Dierckxsens
The cycling world said a final farewell to Ludo Dierckxsens on Saturday in Westerlo. The former professional cyclist passed away last week at the age of 60 during the 1,000 kilometres for Kom op tegen Kanker, charity ride. Numerous cycling celebrities came to pay their respects to the eternal optimist with the broad smile.
“To us, you were a loving husband, a super dad, a friend you could always count on,” Sporza quoted his wife Carine. His son Mauro added: “The bike was your life. We often said jokingly: if there are no two wheels under it, it is not interesting for dad.”
The sudden death hit colleagues hard. “It was quite a shock when I heard it last week. Incomprehensible. Ludo was a true optimist, always in a good mood,” said Erwin Vervecken. Fons De Wolf was emotional: “He will be greatly missed.” Paul Herygers called him “a golden guest” and found the loss “incomprehensible.”
Good friend Koen Buyse said during the service: “Ludo, you made me a better person. Hundreds of photos in my library and not one where you are not smiling.” José De Cauwer emphasised: “His smile was very characteristic. But behind that smile there was also a lot of seriousness.”
Dierckxsens was a professional cyclist between 1994 and 2005 and was Belgian champion in 1999. He also won a stage in the Tour de France that year, plus races such as Izegem Koers and GP Denain.
The ceremony was concluded with his sons symbolically hanging up his bike, accompanied by “Don’t stop me now” by Queen, his theme song. Tom Van Damme, chairman of the cycling association said: “Ludo had an enormous love for cycling. That is how we will remember him.”
RIP Ludo Dierckxsens – The biggest smile in the peloton:
Critérium du Dauphiné 2025
Stage 1 of the Critérium du Dauphiné already delivered a thrilling chapter into the royal rumble anticipated this week with the likes of Tadej Pogačar, Jonas Vingegaard, Remco Evenepoel and Mathieu van der Poel battling it out. The four superstars took the first four positions in Montluçon after a thrilling finale. Vingegaard put the hammer down with just over 5 kilometres to go and his three major rivals followed his move, alongside Santiago Buitrago. The Colombian climber was swallowed by the bunch in the sprint but the other four managed to get the better of the field, with Pogačar flying past Van der Poel with only 25 metres to go. Vingegaard finished 2nd in between the winner of the Tour of Flanders and the conqueror of Paris-Roubaix. Five years after his first participation, Pogačar takes his first stage win in the Dauphiné, and his tenth success as the reigning UCI World Champion.
Domérat and Montluçon are only separated by a handful of kilometres but a 195.8-km stage 1 of the Critérium du Dauphiné lies ahead of the peloton as they set off from the former in the morning. The opening 132-km loop will be followed by 2 laps on the final circuit (31.8km) around Montluçon. And many riders aye glory on this first day of action. Two French riders attack as soon as the flag drops: Paul Ourselin (Cofidis) and Pierre Thierry (Arkea-B&B Hotel)s. They rapidly open a gap of 3:55 (at 12km) before Jonathan Milan’s Lidl-Trek and Pascal Ackermann’s Israel-Premier Tech put men at the front of the bunch to control the day.
As the attackers make their way back to Montluçon, they face the first categorised climbs of the day. Ourselin goes first atop the Côte de Sainte-Thérence (107.5km), Côte d’Argenty (114km), Côte de Buffon (125.5km) and Côte de Domérat (140km) to all but secure the polka-dot jersey. He is then dropped while Thierry keeps going at the front. EF Education-EasyPost up the ante on the second ascent of the Côte de Buffon and Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) already accelerates with almost 40 km to go. Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike) is right on his wheel and the big guns look at each other. Fred Wright (Bahrain Victorious) seizes the opportunity to bridge the 10-second gap to Thierry. The two men work together to push their lead to 45 seconds into the final lap (31.8km). Thierry holds on to go first atop the Côte de Domérat, before Wright goes solo into the last 25km.
The Londoner is caught on the last ascent of the Côte de Buffon (0.6km at 8.6%, to be summited with 6.7km to go), marked by strong attacks from Axel Laurance (INEOS Grenadiers) and Lukas Nerurkar (EF Education-EasyPost). Attacks keep flying over the top until Vingegaard puts the hammer down with 5.6km to go. Pogačar and Van der Poel immediately follow the Danish climber. Evenepoel and Buitrago rapidly bridge the gap. And the five men fly towards the finish line, with the peloton right in their wake. Sprinters get back to them inside the last kilometre… But Van der Poel has already opened his sprint. Only Pogačar and Vingegaard manage to get past him, inside the last 30 metres, while Evenepoel finishes 4th ahead of Jake Stewart (Israel-Premier Tech).
Stage winner, points and overall leader, Tadej Pogačar (UAE Emirates XRG): “I was not expecting to win. I was prepared to go to the bus after the finish, take a shower and enjoy the rest of the day… I don’t mind being here! I hadn’t won in the Dauphiné yet so it’s a nice feeling and I’m super happy to take the win in such a race, especially in that kind of way. It makes a special victory for everyone. I can already be happy with my Dauphiné but I want to see how the legs will be in the TT and on the mountains. I followed the moves on the steep part of the climb and then Visma were really going for the stage win, trying to attack with everybody. Fortunately, I had good legs so I could follow. Jonas [Vingegaard] put the cherry on the top with his attack. It was a painful one. Then, I could recover on the downhill to the finish. And from 2 kilometres to go, I started thinking of the sprint. I knew Mathieu Van der Poel was the fastest but after such a finale you can’t discard anyone. We have to see how we defend the jersey in the coming days. We’ll rapidly be at the ITT and we’ve seen how strong Remco [Evenepoel] and Jonas are. The main ambition is to have the jersey next Sunday.”
2nd on the stage and overall, Jonas Vingegaard; “I’m happy with how it went and that I could make the difference. It’s the first time I’ve come second in a bunch sprint though, haha! No, I’m happy. Tadej was faster than me, so I want to congratulate him. I was the one who was the least active, because I thought I would lose anyway, but now I’m losing four seconds to Pogačar. That’s not ideal, but I thought I would have no bonus seconds. So six seconds is really good.”
3rd on the stage and overall, Mathieu van der Poel: “That climb was harder than I thought, especially with the wind up there. It kept going for quite a long time. I’m glad that I can ride to the finish line with those riders today. Losing is always a bit of a bummer, but I try to take the positives with me. I was really at my limit. I noticed that I wasn’t recovering as well from the efforts as I’m used to. I saw the peloton coming, so I had to start from far away. I didn’t have the legs to hold on, but I’m happy with this final. Normally my legs recover a bit faster. Of course I would have liked to win, but I think I can be mostly satisfied. I would have signed for this in advance. I’m really happy with what I had in my legs today. I was able to train well, but it’s just the toughness that’s missing.”
Best young rider, 4th on the stage and 5th overall,Remco Evenepoel (Soudal Quick-Step): “It’s a bit of a surprise, I didn’t expect to be racing for victory on this stage. When Jonas Vingegaard attacked, it wasn’t in a place where he’s used to. So I had to work hard to bridge the gap, but I had the legs to do it. You always have to be ready to react to any situation, and I’m happy to have been able to respond to this move. I felt good on this stage, my legs are good, even though I didn’t manage to take any bonifications. In the finale, there was a headwind, and I think that in other conditions, Mathieu Van der Poel would have won easily.”
KOM, Paul Ourselin (Cofidis): “When we spoke to the team this morning, I was named to try and get into the breakaway. The idea was to get the week off to a good start. Lidl-Trek and Israel-Premier Tech quickly controlled the gap, so it was hard to aim for anything else than the polka dot jersey. There was a great battle in the first three KOM summits, we really gave it our all. It really means something to wear this jersey in a race like the Dauphiné, especially as it escaped me on stage 1 of Paris-Nice two years ago. I know it’s difficult to think about winning it, given what’s in store for us next weekend. So we’re going to work with the team to see what strategy we adopt, but I haven’t made all these efforts for nothing.”
Combative rider, Pierre Thierry (Arkéa-B&B Hotels): “The team’s objective was to be on the move. I went for the first attack and the two of us set off with Paul Ourselin. After that, we managed the gap to the peloton. I wanted to take the polka dot jersey but he was faster than me in the sprints we did together. I managed to take two points after that. And when I was caught by Fred Wright, that also gave me a boost and allowed me to push myself further. It was a great day. I’m discovering the Dauphiné and I think this is the best way to do it! On the last summit, my legs were exploding and I didn’t have much energy left after riding at the front all day. I gave it my best shot and I’m happy with my day. I’m in the running for the mountain classification, so we’ll see how we work on that with the team.”
Critérium du Dauphiné Stage 1 Result:
1. Tadej Pogačar (Slo) UAE Emirates XRG in 4:40:12
2. Jonas Vingegaard (Den) Visma | Lease a Bike
3. Mathieu van der Poel (Ned) Alpecin-Deceuninck
4. Remco Evenepoel (Bel) Soudal Quick-Step
5. Jake Stewart (GB) Israel-Premier Tech
6. Hugo Page (Fra) Intermarché-Wanty
7. Bastien Tronchon (Fra) Decathlon-AG2R La Mondiale
8. Clement Venturini (Fra) Arkéa-B&B Hotels
9. Benjamin Thomas (Fra) Cofidis
10. Paul Penhoët (Fra) Groupama-FDJ.
Critérium du Dauphiné Overall After Stage 1:
1. Tadej Pogačar (Slo) UAE Emirates XRG in 4:40:02
2. Jonas Vingegaard (Den) Visma | Lease a Bike at 0:04
3. Mathieu van der Poel (Ned) Alpecin-Deceuninck at 0:06
4. Nils Politt (Ger) UAE Emirates XRG at 0:09
5. Remco Evenepoel (Bel) Soudal Quick-Step at 0:10
6. Jake Stewart (GB) Israel-Premier Tech
7. Hugo Page (Fra) Intermarché-Wanty
8. Bastien Tronchon (Fra) Decathlon-AG2R La Mondiale
9. Clement Venturini (Fra) Arkéa-B&B Hotels
10. Benjamin Thomas (Fra) Cofidis.
Dauphiné’25 stage 1:
Tour of Britain Women 2025
Kimberley Le Court-Pienaar (AG Insurance-Soudal) produced a stunning display to secure stage victory and the overall race lead on a windy Stage One of the Lloyds Tour of Britain Women from Dalby Forest to Redcar. Along with Olympic and U.S. national champion Kristen Faulkner (EF Education-Oatly), Le Court-Pienaar broke away on the second climb of the day, with the pair managing to hold off the chasing peloton, and the Mauritian national champion proving a level above the rest to seal the win and the race lead, as Lorena Wiebes (SD Worx-Protime) led in the bunch.
After a gentle start to the race and stage, rolling out from the scenic Dalby Forest, the peloton remained together until just 500 metres before the first Queen of the Mountain point at the top of the second category climb at Blakey Ridge, where attacks began to fly. Anouska Koster (Uno-X Mobility) duly won the sprint to claim the full six points, just ahead of Dominika Wlodarczyk (UAE Team ADQ). The riders quickly reunited across the North York Moors National Park and along a swift descent to the foot of the next categorised climb, Langburn’s Bank.
As the riders began the second category test, it was here that Le Court-Pienaar launched her decisive attack, with only Faulker and Britain’s Anna Henderson (Lidl-Trek) able to follow the Mauritian national champion. Henderson could not cope with the pace, and was quickly dropped, leaving just the pair to summit the climb, with Le Court-Pienaar taking full points. Le Court-Pienaar and Faulkner decided to work together over the top of the climb to maintain their advantage over the peloton, which had splintered behind them, as an elite chase group formed to hunt down the two escapees, limiting the gap to just 33 seconds. At the intermediate sprint at Newton-under-Roseberry, the gap remained above 20 seconds, as Le Court-Pienaar crossed the line first once again to take not only the 10 points but also three bonus seconds. Faulkner earned two extra seconds and Karlijn Swinkels (UAE Team ADQ) swept up the last remaining bonus second from the chasing group.
Over the next 15 kilometres as the race approached the breezy North Sea coastline at Redcar, Movistar Team and FDJ – Suez shared chasing duties as they worked towards a sprint finish. The two teams did make some progress, but simply could not erase enough of the breakaway’s advantage, which stood at just 13 seconds in the final kilometre. Le Court-Pienaar launched her sprint with 300 metres to go and produced a powerful display to take the victory, sealing not only the stage but also the green jersey for the overall race lead. Faulkner could not match the Mauritian, settling for second place, with European champion and pre-race favourite Wiebes sprinting to third from the chasing group, just five seconds behind the leading duo on the line. Her performance on the stage means Le Court-Pienaar will wear the Lloyds green jersey as race leader, where her lead is five seconds, and also now tops the red jersey competition as the leader of the points competition, as well as the blue jersey as ‘Queen of the Mountains’ – earned by virtue of her stage victory having tied on points with Koster. Cat Ferguson (Movistar Team) will wear the white jersey as the best placed young rider, where she is sixth on general classification.
Stage winner and overall leader, Kimberley Le Court-Pienaar (AG Insurance-Soudal): “Today we had a clear plan and executed it exactly as we wanted. I’m really happy that the legs reacted and I was able to pull it off for the team. Tomorrow is a stage that suits me a bit more, I’m going into it with a bit more confidence. We’ll have to see, hopefully I’ll have a good night’s sleep.”
5th on the stage, 6th overall and best young rider, Cat Ferguson (Movistar): “It was really fun out there, really nice to hear British voices shouting everyone on and it was definitely one of my favourite races this year. I think it went as I expected – I thought it would definitely come down to a sprint, so for the two to come away was a surprise. They were too strong and credits to them for staying away.”
Tour of Britain Women Stage 1 Result:
1. Kimberley Le Court de Billot (Maur) AG Insurance-Soudal in 1:59:18
2. Kristen Faulkner (USA) EF Education-Oatly
3. Lorena Wiebes (Ned) SD Worx-Protime at 0:05
4. Linda Zanetti (Sui) Uno-X Mobility
5. Cat Ferguson (GB) Movistar
6. Millie Couzens (USA) Great Britain
7. Megan Jastrab (USA) Team Picnic PostNL
8. Ally Wollaston (NZ) FDJ-SUEZ
9. Quinty Ton (Ned) Liv AlUla Jayco
10. Sarah Van Dam (Can) Ceratizit.
Tour of Britain Women Overall After Stage 1:
1. Kimberley Le Court de Billot (Maur) AG Insurance-Soudal in 1:59:05
2. Kristen Faulkner (USA) EF Education-Oatly at 0:05
3. Lorena Wiebes (Ned) SD Worx-Protime at 0:14
4. Karlijn Swinkels (Ned) UAE Team ADQ at 0:17
5. Linda Zanetti (Sui) Uno-X Mobility at 0:18
6. Cat Ferguson (GB) Movistar
7. Millie Couzens (GB) Great Britain
8. Megan Jastrab (USA) Team Picnic PostNL
9. Ally Wollaston (NZ) FDJ-SUEZ
10. Quinty Ton (Ned) Liv AlUla Jayco.
Britain Women’25 stage 1:
Mara Roldan (Team Picnic PostNL) secured her first UCI Women’s WorldTour victory in emphatic fashion at the Lloyds Tour of Britain Women after conquering the iconic Saltburn Bank in a solo attack on Stage 2. Stage One runner up, Olympic and USA national champion Kristen Faulkner (EF Education-Oatly), finished in the lead chasing group and now tops the General Classification table, four seconds ahead of Riejanne Markus (Lidl-Trek). Faulkner topples stages one winner Kimberley Le Court-Pienaar, who was dropped from the peloton on the first finishing circuit.
A rainy scene greeted the riders at the start of the second stage outside the National Museum of the Royal Navy in Hartlepool, ready for a 114.3km test to Saltburn, where a tough final circuit would see the peloton take on Saltburn Bank twice, including within the final kilometre. The difficult conditions saw race leader Kimberley Le Court-Pienaar (AG Insurance-Soudal) involved in an early crash, but the Mauritian national champion was quickly back on her bike without any major issues. Soon afterwards, Tiffany Keep (DAS – Hutchinson) launched an attack, joined by Madelaine Leech (Handsling Alba Development Road Team) and Lucy Gadd (Smurfit Westrock Cycling Team) to form the all-British breakaway of the day. Up the hill through Redmarshall, with approximately 90km to go, the breakaway had already opened up a lead of over 90 seconds, as the trio powered away from the peloton. At its peak, the gap widened to three minutes with just 10km from the first sprint, but the chasing pack picked up the pace.
Gadd hit the front with 1km to the intermediate sprint but Keep timed her attack to perfection and eased to the ten bonus points with Gadd settling for second. Leech struggled to stay in touch with the pair after the sprint concluded and was caught by the peloton with just over 35km to go. As the leaders approached the first Queen of the Mountain climb, the gap to the peloton had come down to just over a minute. Keep rode away to take maximum points while Gadd was caught by the chasing pack before the summit and Anouska Koster (Uno-X Mobility) took second. With less than 30km to the finish, the race came back together as Keep was swallowed up by the peloton. As a number of riders from Lidl – Trek hit the front and tried to draw the peloton out with an injection of pace, several riders including GBCT’s Anna Morris and European Champion and pre-race favourite Lorena Wiebes (TSD Worx-Protime), hit the deck. As several riders were held up by the crash, Anna Henderson (Lidl-Trek) took the opportunity to launch an attack before being caught moments later. As they hit Saltburn Bank, the peloton had several fractures as they powered into the second intermediate sprint. Cat Ferguson (Movistar Team) was on the wheel of Kristen Faulkner who was vying for the bonus points alongside Henderson. As they came across the finish line on the first lap, the race leader Kim Le Court was nearly a minute behind the front group, as Faulkner took maximum points ahead of Ferguson, Karlijn Swinkels (UAE Team ADQ), Henderson and Mara Roldan (Team Picnic PostNL).
With 15km to go and the second Queen of the Mountain nearing an end, Team Picnic PostNL riders were in a great position and it was the Canadian Roldan who took the 10 points. With Faulkner taking eight points, she tops the Queen of the Mountain leaderboard at the end of Stage Two. 21-year-old Roldan kept going and opened up a gap to the first chase group. Former Dutch champion Riejanne Markus counter-attacked and closed the gap, but Roldan reached the final ascent of Saltburn Bank alone and ground up the steep ascent to claim her maiden UCI Women’s WorldTour victory, with Markus 12 seconds behind. Ally Wollaston (FDJ-Suez) led home the chasing bunch 18 seconds back, with Faulkner finishing in this group to ensure she will be not only be the new leader of the race, but also the leader of the Points and Queen of the Mountains competitions. Cat Ferguson retains her white jersey as best young rider while moving up to fourth in the General Classification.
Stage winner, Mara Roldan (Team Picnic PostNL): “It’s my first WorldTour win so that’s a really special feeling. It’s a little bit surreal, I didn’t know I had the win in me, but I was hopeful and I was going to give it everything no matter what. We definitely had a plan and I’m very happy it paid off. It was amazing work from the team to set me up for the final climb.”
5th on the stage, 4th overall and best young rider, Cat Ferguson (Movistar): “The stage went very similar to yesterday, the sprint being similar too. I’d still like to win a race in Britain, it’s a big goal of mine. I’m really happy with where I am, if you told me I was fourth on GC after stage two I’d be so happy, but I’m still hunting for the podium and a stage.”
Tour of Britain Women Stage 2 Result:
1. Mara Roldan (Can) Team Picnic PostNL in 2:57:38
2. Riejanne Markus (Ned) Lidl-Trek at 0:12
3. Ally Wollaston (NZ) FDJ-SUEZ at 0:18
4. Megan Jastrab (USA) Team Picnic PostNL
5. Cat Ferguson (GB) Movistar
6. Karlijn Swinkels (Ned) UAE Team ADQ
7. Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig (Den) Canyon//SRAM zondacrypto
8. Sarah Van Dam (Can) Ceratizit
9. Kristen Faulkner (USA) EF Education-Oatly
10. Quinty Ton (Ned) Liv AlUla Jayco at 0:22.
Tour of Britain Women Overall After Stage 2:
1. Kristen Faulkner (USA) EF Education-Oatly in 4:57:03
2. Riejanne Markus (Ned) Lidl-Trek at 0:04
3. Ally Wollaston (NZ) FDJ-SUEZ at 0:12
4. Cat Ferguson (GB) Movistar at 0:14
5. Karlijn Swinkels (Ned) UAE Team ADQ
6. Megan Jastrab (USA) Team Picnic PostNL at 0:16
7. Sarah Van Dam (Can) Ceratizit
8. Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig (Den) Canyon//SRAM zondacrypto
9. Quinty Ton (Ned) Liv AlUla Jayco at 0:20
10. Anna Henderson (GB) Lidl-Trek.
Britain Women’25 stage 2:
Cat Ferguson (Movistar Team) secured her first UCI WorldTour victory in Kelso in the Lloyds Tour of Britain Women Stage 3, after a dramatic few hours in the rain-soaked Scottish Borders. Ferguson out-sprinted fellow Brit Josie Nelson (Team Picnic PostNL) and Ally Wollaston (FDJ-Suez), as a five rider group contested the finish on The Square in Kelso, amidst another torrential downpour. In the quest for the green jersey, Ferguson’s win secured top spot in the general classification heading into the final day in Glasgow, with a three second lead over Wollaston, and a further nine seconds back to Karlijn Swinkels (UAE Team ADQ). Overnight leader Kristen Faulkner (EF Education-Oatly) was twice caught up in crashes, losing 3 minutes 17 seconds to fall to 16th overall.
After a start in dry conditions, rain swept in and a treacherous day on the roads around the Scottish Borders meant that the Queen of the Mountain jersey switched hands several times throughout a stage, being ultimately won by Dominika Wlodarczyk (UAE Team ADQ), with no classified climbs on the final stage circuit in Glasgow. The first of five Queen of the Mountain climbs was the picturesque Scott’s View early on in the stage, with the 2.3km climb the first opportunity for FDJ – SUEZ to attack, led by Marie Le Net. Wlodarczyk stuck to her back wheel, edging Le Net out to take maximum points before the pair were engulfed by the peloton.
Double Olympic champion Faulkner, wearing the Lloyds green jersey, was forced into a bike change at the conclusion of the first categorised climb, as the peloton split in two amidst the FDJ-SUEZ pressure. It was the start of what became a challenging afternoon for the American, who was involved in several crashes as the weather deteriorated and constantly had to fight to get back on terms with the stage leaders, eventually coming home 24th after a valiant chase. FDJ-SUEZ and Lidl-Trek further split the peloton as Amber Kraak (FDJ-SUEZ) took the second Queen of the Mountains climb at Dingleton, above Melrose, and launched a solo attack. Behind her, stage two victor Mara Roldan (Team Picnic PostNL) and eventual stage three combativity winner, Lizzie Deignan (Lidl-Trek) respectively worked hard at the front of the peloton to chase her down.
Wlodarczyk successfully attacked the third Queen of the Mountain climb up Dunion Hill, but with Roldan also picking up points, the Canadian held her spot at the top of the leaderboard. The constant on and off showers left the roads slick even when rain wasn’t falling, and on an innocuous corner on the run back towards the sprint in Kelso, several riders in the reduced lead group were involved in a crash including race leader Faulkner, yesterday’s stage winner Roldan, and European champion Lorena Wiebes along with several of her Team SD Worx-Protime team mates. As a result of the crash, Roldan was forced to abandon the race and relinquish her Queen of the Mountains lead.
With the crash reducing the front group still further, Wollaston took the sprint, held on the finish line in Kelso, closely followed by Ferguson, and Wollaston’s FDJ SUEZ teammate Célia Gery. Six riders, including Ferguson and Wollaston managed to open up a small gap after cresting the final Queen of the Mountains climb at Dingleton, with less than 25km to go. It was reduced to five after Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig (Canyon//SRAM Zondacrypto), who had initiated the attack, became the latest rider to have bad luck befall them, as the Dane required a bike change. Behind several chase groups were formed, with Faulkner working hard in the third group on the road as she saw her hopes of Lloyds Tour of Britain Women victory be washed away in the Scottish rain. As the breakaway entered the final kilometre and swept over the River Tweed into Kelso, Ferguson and Nelson led the sprint over the cobbles, to a roar of delight from the Borders crowd, celebrating the first Scottish stage of the Lloyds Tour of Britain Women, and one that will live long in the memory for both Ferguson and Faulkner, though for vastly different reasons.
Stage winner and overall leader, Cat Ferguson (Movistar): “I am so over the moon. This is one of the races I was so excited to do this season, and I really wanted to come here in good form and show Britain how good I can be, and I think I have proved that today. I am a little bit nervous [on going into the final stage as leader]. I really want to hold onto that position. It isn’t a position I thought I would be in, so we have to look to make a good plan to hold onto it for tomorrow.”
Tour of Britain Women Stage 3 Result:
1. Cat Ferguson (GB) Movistar in 3:42:37
2. Josie Nelson (GB) Team Picnic PostNL
3. Ally Wollaston (NZ) FDJ-SUEZ
4. Karlijn Swinkels (Ned) UAE Team ADQ
5. Eleonora Camilla Gasparrini (Ita) UAE Team ADQ at 0:03
6. Millie Couzens (GB) Great Britain at 0:38
7. Quinty Ton (Ned) Liv AlUla Jayco
8. Imogen Wolff (GB) Visma | Lease a Bike
9. Sarah Van Dam (Can) Ceratizit
10. Charlotte Kool (Ned) Team Picnic PostNL.
Tour of Britain Women Overall After Stage 3:
1. Cat Ferguson (GB) Movistar in 8:39:42
2. Ally Wollaston (NZ) FDJ-SUEZ at 0:03
3. Karlijn Swinkels (Ned) UAE Team ADQ at 0.12
4. Riejanne Markus (Ned) Lidl-Trek at 40
5. Sarah Van Dam (Can) Ceratizit at 0:52
6. Megan Jastrab (USA) Team Picnic PostNL
7. Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig (Den) Canyon//SRAM zondacrypto
8. Quinty Ton (Ned) Liv AlUla Jayco at 0:56
9. Anna Henderson (GB) Lidl-Trek
10. Millie Couzens (GB) Great Britain at 0:59.
Britain Women’25 stage 3:
Ally Wollaston (FDJ-Suez) sealed the Lloyds Tour of Britain Women title by the narrowest of margins ahead of Cat Ferguson (Movistar), after a blockbuster final Stage 4 on the streets of Glasgow, as European champion Lorena Wiebes (SDWorx-Protime) secured the final stage victory with a powerful sprint. Just three seconds separated race leader Ferguson from Wollaston before the start, and the General Classification battle came down to the final corner of the last stage of the four-day race, with nothing separating the two riders in terms of timings. Over the course of the three intermediate sprints, Wollaston had clawed back her deficit by crossing the line first each time ahead of her rival, meaning the New Zealander’s third place stage finish, and subsequent four bonus seconds saw her claim the Lloyds green jersey and the overall race win, her biggest win to date. Wiebes reversed her fortunes after a difficult week, leading the bunch through the final corner with no one able to power past the European champion as she claimed her ninth victory of the season, and extended her winning record in Britain, to now seven stages of the national tour.
After some genteel opening laps around the Glasgow city centre circuit, the first move of the race saw Anna Morris (Great Britain Cycling Team) break off the front of the peloton halfway through the third lap, the Individual Pursuit World Champion using her track talents to make some headway against the bunch, but her attempts were short lived and she was caught by the end of the lap. At the first intermediate sprint at the end of lap four, Ferguson was the first to begin her sprint but she was passed by Wollaston, who claimed the three bonus seconds, with Ferguson settling for two to leave her advantage at just two seconds.
This pattern continued over the following two intermediate sprints on laps six and eight, with Wollaston victorious in both, leaving her level on time with Ferguson, who had to endure a bike change and chase back to the peloton on lap seven. A thrilling finale was set for the final lap, where bonus seconds of ten, six and four were available for the first three riders across the line respectively, however it was Wiebes who was untouchable for the stage win with a powerful kick out of the final corner, followed by Charlotte Kool (Team Picnic PostNL) with Wollaston earning a vital third place, claiming the final bonus seconds as Ferguson, finishing seventh, missed out on any bonuses.
Ferguson can be consoled by securing victory in the points and young rider classifications, as well as the combativity award for the final stage, with Wollaston’s FDJ-SUEZ team taking the team classification. Previous green jersey wearer Kristen Faulkner (EF Education – Oatley) was awarded the overall combativity title for the race, in recognition to her attacking racing over the first three stages, though small consolation after befalling misfortune on more than one occasion in Saturday’s stage that ruined her bid for the overall victory. No Queen of the Mountains points available on the final stage meant that Dominika Wlodarczyk (UAE Team ADQ) could not lose her lead in that classification, earning her a place on the final podium in the blue jersey.
Stage winner, Lorena Wiebes (SD Worx-Protime): “It was a tough race – with a city centre, all the time you have to push the power. The team did a really good job to keep me safe in the front. For me, it was perfect towards the finish as I could do the sprint as I wanted to. The team did a really good job. I am really happy that we could finish this week in a good way for the team.”
Final overall winner and 3rd on the stage, Ally Wollaston (FDJ-SUEZ): “I am feeling very overwhelmed, it is so exciting and it really couldn’t have gone any better for me today. I was lucky that there were a lot of seconds up for grabs. The plan was to get as many seconds as I could, and unfortunately Cat [Ferguson] was on my wheel for every single one, so it really came down to the last sprint. The team were so amazing today, I really couldn’t have done it without them today. I’m just so grateful for the work that they did. I couldn’t be happier in this team, so I am very grateful for the support I have got over the last four days. Mum and Dad will be a bit shocked I imagine. I called them last night and said that the plan was to go for all three bonus sprints, and I said Cat will probably be thinking the same thing! I think they will be super proud back home.”
Points classification winner, 7th on the stage and 2nd overall, Cat Ferguson (Movistar): “I headed into the final sprint and I was in an ok position but I got a bit chopped up on some corners before, and really that was it, Ally went away and I knew that was it. Of course I am gutted but she was the strongest today. I am still happy with second place. If you had told me at the beginning of the week I would have been second, I would have been over the moon, so I can’t be too disappointed. It has been a really good and memorable week with all the amazing crowds and my family here. so thank you to the team and everyone for your support.”
Tour of Britain Women Stage 4 Result:
1. Lorena Wiebes (Ned) SD Worx-Protime in 1:57:13
2. Charlotte Kool (Ned) Team Picnic PostNL
3. Ally Wollaston (NZ) FDJ-SUEZ
4. Chiara Consonni (Ita) Canyon//SRAM zondacrypto
5. Babette Van Der Wolf (Ned) EF Education-Oatly
6. Anna Henderson (GB) Lidl-Trek
7. Cat Ferguson (GB) Movistar
8. Célia Gery (Fra) FDJ-SUEZ
9. Linda Zanetti (Sui) Uno-X Mobility
10. Nienke Veenhoven (Ned) Visma | Lease a Bike.
Tour of Britain Women Final Overall Result:
1. Ally Wollaston (NZ) FDJ-SUEZ in 10:36:45
2. Cat Ferguson (GB) Movistar at 0:04
3. Karlijn Swinkels (Ned) UAE Team ADQ at 0:22
4. Riejanne Markus (Ned) Lidl-Trek at 50
5. Sarah Van Dam (Can) Ceratizit at 1:01
6. Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig (Den) Canyon//SRAM zondacrypto ay 1:02
7. Megan Jastrab (USA) Team Picnic PostNL
8. Anna Henderson (GB) Lidl-Trek at 1:06
9. Quinty Ton (Ned) Liv AlUla Jayco
10. Millie Couzens (GB) Great Britain at 1:09.
Britain Women’25 stage 4:
Brussels Cycling Classic 2025
Tim Merlier took the spoils in his first race with the team since mid-April, becoming the first Belgian rider since Tom Boonen in 2016 with multiple victories at the Brussels Cycling Classic, which on Sunday ran its 105th edition.
The course featured ten climbs, including multiple ascents of the Muur-Kapelmuur and Bosberg, as well as a tricky 2.2km cobblestone stretch not that far from home, but none of these could prevent the race from coming down to a showdown between the peloton’s fast men.
The best sprinter of the season, with seven wins to his name before this prestigious one-day race, the 32-year-old Belgian could count again on the support of his Soudal Quick-Step teammates, and in the mass gallop was in a league of his own, putting several bike lengths into the other riders on the podium after another exceptional turn of legs in the final 200 meters.
Race winner, Tim Merlier (Soudal Quick-Step): “I knew there was some headwind there, so I just waited for the right moment to open my sprint. I have recently returned from altitude, and you never know how things are after coming back from this type of camp, but I felt good. The team did a perfect job today, on the hardest part of the race, but also as the peloton ramped up the pace in the final kilometres, where they kept me in a good position. It was my first race with the guys in almost two months, but it turned out to be a great day for us and I’m happy. It’s incredible that we are now just one win away from Soudal Quick-Step’s 1000th all-time victory. We are all motivated and we hope to celebrate this amazing achievement soon.”
Brussels Cycling Classic Result:
1. Tim Merlier (Bel) Soudal Quick-Step in 4:44:43
2. Alexis Renard (Fra) Cofidis
3. Arnaud De Lie (Bel) Lotto
4. Milan Menten (Bel) Lotto
5. Sandy Dujardin (Fra) TotalEnergies
6. Pavel Bittner (CZ) Team Picnic PostNL
7. Ethan Vernon (GB) Israel-Premier Tech
8. Alexander Kristoff (Nor) Uno-X Mobility
9. Simon Dehairs (Bel) Alpecin-Deceuninck
10. Thibaud Gruel (Fra) Groupama-FDJ.
Brussels’25:
Heylen Vastgoed Heistse Pijl 2025
Paul Magnier won the Heistse Pijl, his first appearance since the Giro d’Italia, and in the process became the first Frenchman to put his name on the roll of honour of the race created in 1947.
Held over a 189.5km course between Vosselaar and Heist-op-den-Berg, the 55th edition of Heistse Pijl, consisted of a pan-flat first part followed by a second one comprising five laps of a circuit that featured a short climb which only spiced up things. On the penultimate lap, after the original breakaway had been caught, Magnier was involved in a crash but with the help of his Soudal Quick-Step teammates, he made it back in the bunch just in time for the last hill.
Guided by an amazing Bert Van Lerberghe, who did a tremendous job in the final kilometres, Paul crested the climb in the top five positions and remained the whole time well placed at the front of the reduced group, thus avoiding another crash that took place just a few kilometres from home. On the last straight, after a flawless lead-out of Van Lerberghe, the Frenchman unleashed his sprint and gave absolutely no chance to the other riders, taking a clear victory – his seventh in the Soudal Quick-Step jersey.
Race winner, Paul Magnier (Soudal Quick-Step): “It’s a beautiful win that gives me great pleasure, because it came after a fantastic team effort. The entire squad did a great job, and Bert was incredible in the final kilometres, making sure the whole time that I was where I needed to be, from the last climb to the closing kilometre of the race. In the sprint, I just did my best, and I’m happy that I could bring the victory home. It’s a perfect way to start the month and I hope more wins will follow soon for our team.”
Heylen Vastgoed Heistse Pijl Result:
1. Paul Magnier (Fra) Soudal Quick-Step in 4:03:35
2. Tobias Lund Andresen (Den) Team Picnic PostNL
3. Simon Dehairs (Bel) Alpecin-Deceuninck
4. Alexander Kristoff (Nor) Uno-X Mobility
5. Matteo Malucelli (Ita) XDS Astana
6. Stanislaw Aniolkowski (Pol) Cofidis
7. Jon Aberasturi Izaga (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi
8. Arnaud Démare (Fra) Arkéa-B&B Hotels
9. Tom Crabbe (Bel) Team Flanders-Baloise
10. Tim van Dijke (Ned) Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe.
Heistse’25:
Isaac Del Toro’s Father Criticises the Mexican Cycling Association: “Never Received Any Help”
It has been obvious for a while that Isaac Del Toro is very talented. But the Mexican has had a lot of obstacles on his way to the top. His father, José spoke about his son in an interview with Katy Lopez. He also spoke about the Mexican cycling association, which according to Del Toro senior has contributed nothing to his son’s development.
“People don’t know that he had osteoporosis (bone loss) for years and a cleft in his jaw,” said José. “He needed medication, supplements that were very difficult to pay for, because the body of a top athlete is not only powered by beans. We had to spend a lot of money.”
The Mexican cycling association is now making a show of his son, said Del Toro senior, but he finds that ‘scandalous’. According to him, they were never there for his son during the difficult times. “Isaac always dreamt of representing his country and I am proud of him, but it hurts to hear this. They always talk about the millions that are invested, but I don’t know any rider who got his travel money back, or his starting fee, or even his meals. I have had such a hard time with my children and have never received any help.”
José gives the example of the 2022 Cyclocross World Championships. He had to pay for Isaac’s clothing himself and when he received the package, it turned out to be kit for women. Isaac ended up racing in a borrowed clothing.
José’s criticism doesn’t come out of the blue. The Mexican Cycling Federation (FMC) was suspended by the UCI in 2021 for serious irregularities in its governance, including problems with electoral processes, internal conflicts and non-compliance with international regulations. Since then, the registrations of Mexican riders for international competitions have been coordinated through the Mexican Olympic Committee.
José added: “I know I’m nobody, and that this won’t change anything. But when I hear what is being said now, I feel enormous frustration. Thousands of memories bubble up, and the biggest pain I have is for the young riders, Isaac’s teammates, who have already stopped. Because honestly, continuing in this sport is almost impossible.”
Del Toro has had a difficult journey to the WorldTour:
Remco Evenepoel Wants Mathieu van der Poel as a Teammate
Remco Evenepoel reflected on his career with TNT Sports Cycling before the Critérium du Dauphiné. The Soudal Quick-Step was asked six questions. The most striking answer was that Evenepoel would choose Mathieu van der Poel as a teammate if he had his way.
Evenepoel doesn’t name Van der Poel as the strongest opponent he has ever had, that is Tadej Pogačar. The Olympic champion was also allowed to name the best teammate he has ever ridden with:Mikel Landa is No. 1. That choice will mainly be because of the 2024 Tour de France, where Landa finished in fifth place and he was worth his weight in gold for Evenepoel’s podium place. That Tour also had his toughest day on the bike: The stage to Plateau de Beille, where he finished third, 3 minutes down on Pogačar.
Remco would like to race with Mathieu:
Out of Respect for Remco, Tadej Pogačar Changes Jersey for Time Trail Training
Tadej Pogačar was on route reconnaissance of the Critérium du Dauphiné last week. The World ‘road’ champion was wearing his rainbow jersey during the first part of his training, but when he switched from his road bike to his time trial bike all the rainbow band disappeared.
Pogačar isn’t the time trial World champion, and he insists on not offending the title holder in that discipline, Remco Evenepoel, so the Slovenian put on a black jersey on over his World road champion’s jersey. His Belgian UAE Emirates XRG teammate Rune Herregodts spoke about earlier this year in an interview with Het Nieuwsblad. “During training we sometimes switch from a regular bike to a time trial bike. When we do that, Tadej insists on taking a regular jersey with him. He doesn’t want to sit on his time trial bike with his rainbow jersey. Out of respect for Remco.”
Two champs:
Fabio Jakobsen Will Also Miss the Vuelta a España
Fabio Jakobsen spoke to the NOS about missing the Tour de France. The Dutchman is disappointed, but calls it ‘the most sensible choice.’ Jakobsen also says that he will not be at the start of the Vuelta a España.
“It’s a shame, because you dream of the Tour. I had partly seen it coming, but today it was dealt a blow. I think it is the most sensible choice with a view to the future, but it does hurt a bit.”
Although the Picnic PostNL sprinter underwent surgery seven weeks ago for a pinched pelvic artery and the Tour doesn’t start for another four weeks, Jakobsen needs more time. “The surgery was successful, but you lose eight weeks of fitness. You have to build that up again. Then the conclusion is that the Tour comes too early.”
The Dutchman does look ahead to his next goals, as there are still a number of big races to come in the autumn. “I dreamed of the Vuelta, but they advised me against it. After that, there is the Tour of the Netherlands and the Tour of Guangxi in China. I want to compete for the win again in September or October, and in August I hope to ride some competitive kilometres.” Jakobsen is looking forward to the coming months with confidence. “The worst is now behind us and everything is going in a straight line upwards.”
Jakobsen looking forward to the end of the season:
Matys Grisel Signs Pro Contract for Three Seasons with Lotto Cycling Team
Matys Grisel (19) will be a professional rider for the Lotto Cycling Team for the next three seasons. Grisel has already been riding with the team’s development squad since last year and is now moving up. “I’m a classics-type rider, and Lotto is a perfect fit for me,” he said.
This season, he’s already had a taste of a few professional races- Matys Grisel has lined up at Danilith Nokere Koerse, Tro Bro Léon, and the 4 Jours de Dunkerque and next year he’ll become a full-fledged pro. Grisel has signed with the Lotto Cycling Team through 2028. The Frenchman finished third at Brussels-Opwijk this season, won the overall classification at the Tour de Namur last year, claimed a stage win at the Tour de Bretagne, and came second in the U23 edition of Omloop Het Nieuwsblad 2024.
Matys Grisel: “I’m incredibly happy to stay with Lotto for the next three years. After two years with the development team, this opportunity is a real sign of trust in me. A Belgian team, to me, stands for a classics team, and that’s exactly the type of rider I am. So you could say Lotto suits me perfectly. I dream of Paris-Roubaix, I love cobblestones, but my first year as a pro will mainly be about learning a lot in various races. I already can’t wait to start my first full professional season. I’ve already done a few races with the pros, and the atmosphere is really great.”
Stéphane Heulot, CEO of Lotto Cycling Team: “Matys Grisel has already become a key part of our team in just two years. Last season, he showed impressive results, including a win and three podium finishes at the Tour de Namur and a stage win at the Tour de Bretagne. Matys has already proven that he can hold his own in the pro peloton. He recently finished fifth in the second stage of the 4 Jours de Dunkerque. Of course, he still has a lot to learn and experience to gain, but he’ll definitely get that chance with us.”
Matys Grisel turns pro:
Dave Brailsford to Prepare Geraint Thomas for a Role Within INEOS’ Management
Dave Brailsford will largely focus on his role as Director of Sport at INEOS, according to the British media. The 61-year-old has been closely involved with football club Manchester United since the beginning of 2024, but is taking a significant step back.
Because Jim Ratcliffe, the wealthy owner of INEOS, bought a large part of the shares of football giant Manchester United, Brailsford was given the task of reviewing all of the football club’s activities. He no longer saw time to work with the WorldTeam and also decided to put his activities for INEOS Sport on the back burner.
Things are now changing. As Director of Sport at INEOS, Brailsford will have an important task, preparing Geraint Thomas for a leading role within the management of INEOS Grenadiers, the cycling team. The 39-year-old Thomas is currently still a rider, but is in his final months as a professional and will remain involved with INEOS Grenadiers. According to TNT Sports, the 2018 Tour winner will take on a ‘prominent leadership role’ within the management. Brailsford will be tasked with familiarising Thomas with the team in the coming months and preparing him for his new role.
Brailsford was at the start of Team Sky, now INEOS Grenadiers, which was founded in 2009 and grew into one of the best and richest cycling teams in the world. Under his leadership, the team won the Tour de France several times with Chris Froome, Bradley Wiggins, Geraint Thomas and Egan Bernal. In recent years, Brailsford’s role in the cycling team has become smaller. On paper, he was still the Team Principle, but at the end of 2021 he was also given a leading role within INEOS Sport, the umbrella body that manages the clubs and organisations sponsored by INEOS. The British chemical company is also involved in Formula 1, football and sailing, among other things.
Brailsford and Thomas:
Le Dévoluy Becomes the Official Base Camp of the Roland Pro Cycling Team: A Structuring and Ambitious Partnership
The official announcement of the partnership between the municipality of Le Dévoluy and the Roland Pro Cycling Team (UCI World Tour) took place this Wednesday, June 4, at the heart of the Dévoluy performance centre. This represents a significant step in the sports development strategy of the Hautes-Alpes region.
The presentation, attended by local elected officials, representatives of the local economy, journalists, and French team skier Cyprien Sarrazin, marked an unprecedented collaboration between a mountain region and a high-level team. A strong choice, just a few weeks before the Women’s Tour de Suisse and in a season where the Roland team is racking up performances on the international circuit.
“Le Dévoluy wants to be a part of the French cycling scene”
In her speech, Alexandra Butel, Mayor of Le Dévoluy, highlighted the strategic significance of this partnership:
“With this partnership alongside Team Roland, we are taking a new step forward. We are asserting a strong position: Le Dévoluy wants to be a part of the French cycling scene. Not just as a training ground or a place of passage… but as a partner, a structuring, and driving force. This collaboration will certainly give us visibility. But what we are aiming for is a lasting, sincere reputation, built on shared values: high standards, team spirit, training, and transmission.”
A Sporting and Human Anchor
The Roland team’s general manager, Ruben Contreras, spoke alongside Marc-André Cornu, president of Roland, the team’s main sponsor, to reiterate the importance of this strategic choice:
“For a professional cycling team, choosing a base camp is never a trivial matter. You need a location that allows you to work in the best possible conditions, offering varied and selective routes, but also a setting conducive to concentration, team spirit, and well-being. Le Dévoluy combines all these elements: magnificent landscapes, an ideal altitude for endurance training, quiet but demanding roads, a preserved region, and a truly welcoming culture.”
“Through this partnership, Le Dévoluy will shine on the roads of Europe, and we, in return, will benefit from valuable human and logistical support in an exceptional setting. It’s a win-win partnership, driven by a true shared ambition, which now makes us a Franco-Swiss team.”
A Local Impact Ahead
Beyond visibility issues, this collaboration between the community and the Roland team is part of a shared desire to teach, train, and raise awareness about cycling among local youth. Several concrete initiatives will be implemented this season: introductions, meetings with athletes, visits to schools, etc.
This partnership illustrates the ability of sport to unite, develop the attractiveness of a region, and create a lasting dynamic combining performance, commitment, and the promotion of local heritage.
John Degenkolb and Fabio Jakobsen set to miss Tour de France
Team Picnic PostNL are set to miss two of their valuable riders for their Tour de France campaign, as both John Degenkolb and Fabio Jakobsen remain sidelined due to their current health condition.
John Degenkolb’s cobbled campaign came to an end after a very hard crash in the Tour of Flanders where he fractured his collarbone, elbow and wrist. The seriousness of the injuries became more apparent on further investigations, and Degenkolb underwent a successful surgery, but his recovery period was pushed backwards compared to what was initially predicted immediately after the Tour of Flanders.
For Jakobsen, he was diagnosed with flow limitation in the iliac artery in both of his legs and had surgery at the start of April. Since then, he has continued his recovery journey in a good way, starting with indoor training and recently returning to some steady and easier rides outdoors again.
However, for both riders, the upcoming Tour de France comes too early in their rehabilitation process.
Team Picnic PostNL doctor Camiel Aldershof explains further: “The injuries John sustained were more serious than we thought from those very first scans and analysis after Flanders. He has had extensive surgery and has been able to ride indoors on the trainer in a controlled environment. However, he still needs follow-up surgery to remove some of the material that is in place to speed up his recovery, but the timing of this means that he will not be ready to race at the beginning of July. From there, he can ride indoors again and once things are healed, we can then focus on riding outside and building up his training level and intensities.”
“On the other hand, Fabio had a successful operation and good rehabilitation so far. Firstly, after the needed time off the bike to fully recovery from the operation, he was able to start riding indoors at low intensity for 30 minutes per day and we’ve steadily built that up. Recently, he’s been able to return to training outside a bit which is great, but still at a lower intensity than is required to build up the base again for a three-week Grand Tour.”
Team Picnic PostNL head coach Rudi Kemna added: “At the start of the year both John and Fabio were on our long list for the Tour de France, but for both the race comes too early. Now our priority is to get them both back to full health and have a good training block where they can return to their high level, before we then look to a race program for the second half of the season.”
Team Picnic PostNL will announce their final selection for the Tour de France in the week before the race.
No Tour de France for John Degenkolb:
Soudal Quick-Step to Antwerp Port Epic
Tim Merlier will lead the line for our squad on Monday
08-Jun-2025: Antwerp Port Epic once again promises to be a spectacular and attritional race, thanks to its numerous cobblestone sectors and dirt farm tracks that come in quick succession from the moment the peloton will leave behind Schengen Square and take on this demanding 182.2km route.
Our team, who recently won Heistse Pijl, will be present at the start of the Belgian one-day race for the first time, determined to play a prominent role and be in the mix for a strong result. European Champion Tim Merlier – the most successful sprinter of the season so far – headlines Soudal Quick-Step’s seven-man team for Monday, when he’ll be joined by Gil Gelders, Antoine Huby, Yves Lampaert – who recently finished runner-up at Gullegem Koerse – Luke Lamperti, Martin Svrcek and Dries Van Gestel.
“The cobbles, the dirt paths and the narrow roads will all make for a hard race which requires skill, resilience and raw power. We’re coming at the start with a highly motivated team, built for this challenge. Riders like Tim and Yves bring a lot of strength and experience, but also the other guys have what it takes to be involved in the important moves of the day. We aren’t afraid of taking on a tough race, on the contrary, we go there with a lot of determination to show what we are capable of and fight for a good result”, said sports director Kevin Hulsmans.
09.06 Antwerp Port Epic (BEL) 1.1
Riders:
Gil Gelders (BEL)
Antoine Huby (FRA)
Yves Lampaert (BEL)
Luke Lamperti (USA)
Tim Merlier (BEL)
Martin Svrcek (SVK)
Dries Van Gestel (BEL).
Sports Directors: Kevin Hulsmans (BEL) and Wilfried Peeters (BEL).
The next win for Tim Merlier?
Israel-Premier Tech, Team TotalEnergies, Tudor Pro Cycling Team, and UNO-X Mobility Added to Maryland Cycling Classic Line-Up
Fifteen Men’s Teams Confirmed For 2025 Maryland Cycling Classic
Four teams scheduled to participate in this year’s Tour de France: Israel-Premier Tech (ISR), Team TotalEnergies (FRA), Tudor Pro Cycling Team (SUI), and UNO-X Mobility (NOR), have officially been added to the men’s team line-up for the Maryland Cycling Classic, America’s biggest and highest-ranked professional cycling road race. The 2025 Maryland Cycling Classic will be held in Baltimore on Sept. 6, and for the first time will feature both men’s and women’s races.
The four teams plus the initially announced No. 2 world-ranked Lidl-Trek (USA), EF Education-EasyPost (USA) and Jayco-AlUla (AUS), make seven Tour de France teams participating in America’s top race.
In addition, Pro Series teams and Team Solution Tech-Vini Fantini (ITA), Novo Nordisk (USA), Continental Teams Team Skyline (USA), and Team Petrolike (MEX) have been added. Other teams previously announced were Project Echelon (USA), Hustle Pro Cycling (CAN), Team Medellin (COL), and Team USA.
Israel-Premier Tech won the Maryland Cycling Classic in 2022 behind the legs of Sep Vanmarcke and placed Hugo Houle 3rd in 2023. It will mark historic first-time appearances in the United States for Tudor Pro Cycling, owned by Swiss cycling legend Fabian Cancellera, Norway’s UNO-X Mobility and France’s Team TotalEnergies.
“We’ve been working diligently to secure a great men’s field for the 2025 Maryland Cycling Classic,” said Bobby Julich, the event’s men’s competition manager. “With seven Tour de France teams in the race, three of which will compete for the first time on American soil, it will be a fantastic way American fans hungry for world-class cycling to witness many of the world’s top riders and teams.”
Added MCC race director Jim Birrell: “These additional seven teams are great additions for the event after a one-year hiatus. The men’s field will be exceptional this year. It features a diverse group of acclaimed riders and world ranked teams from various countries, which over the years, has been a signature for American races.”
The 15 announced teams hail from 10 different countries. Additional details, including the course, will be announced in the coming weeks.
2025 Maryland Cycling Classic Men’s Teams:
EF Education-EasyPost (USA)
Hustle Pro Cycling (CAN)
Israel-Premier Tech (ISR)
Jayco-AlUla (AUS)
Lidl-Trek (USA)
Novo Nordisk (USA)
Project Echelon (USA)
Team Medellin (COL)
Team Petrolike (MEX)
Team Skyline (USA)
Team TotalEnergies (FRA)
Team Solution Tech – Vini Fantini (ITA)
Tudor Pro Cycling Team (SUI)
Team USA
UNO-X Mobility (NOR).
Lidl Deutschland Tour 2025: A Battle of OF Giants on German Roads
Key Points:
- The Lidl Deutschland Tour 2025 will once again bring together numerous top-tier teams from the international cycling scene.
- Eleven UCI WorldTour teams and five UCI ProSeries squads have confirmed their participation.
- They will lead the peloton as it races from Essen to Magdeburg from August 20 to 24, covering 741 kilometres in pursuit of stage victories and the overall title.
Lidl-Trek dominated last year’s edition—winning all five stages and taking the overall victory. The American team now returns to Germany with the goal of defending its title and continuing its impressive streak.
World-Class to Start in Essen
The competition is fierce: among others, UAE Team Emirates – XRG, the number one in the world rankings, will be at the start. Also lining up are Red Bull – BORA – hansgrohe, INEOS Grenadiers, and Soudal Quick-Step – the overall winners in 2021, 2022, and 2023. Riders from Germany’s sole WorldTour team will be highly motivated, with their sights set on victory after Danny van Poppel’s back-to-back podium finishes in 2023 (3rd) and 2024 (2nd).
Other teams that have already celebrated stage wins at the Lidl Deutschland Tour include Bahrain Victorious, Intermarché-Wanty, and Movistar. The lineup of elite squads is rounded out by big names like Alpecin-Deceuninck, Picnic PostNL, and Visma-Lease a Bike.
Proteams Bringing Tour de France Form
It’s not just the UCI WorldTour teams making headlines—five UCI ProTeams will also come with strong ambitions. Four of them (Israel-Premier Tech, TotalEnergies, Tudor Pro Cycling Team, and Uno-X Mobility) lined up at the Tour de France just weeks before the Lidl Deutschland Tour and now aim to carry that form into Germany. They’ll be joined by Switzerland’s Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team, participating in the race for the third year in a row.
In the coming weeks, two of Germany’s up-and-coming national teams will be selected. They’ll receive wildcard entries, offering them the chance to compete against the world’s best at Germany’s most prestigious stage race.
Teams at the Lidl Deutschland Tour 2025 (as of June 5, 2025)
UCI WorldTour:
Alpecin-Deceuninck
Bahrain Victorious
Ineos Grenadiers
Intermarché-Wanty
Lidl-Trek
Movistar Team
Red Bull – BORA – hansgrohe
Soudal Quick-Step
Team Picnic PostNL
Team Visma | Lease a Bike
UAE Team Emirates – XRG.
UCI ProTeams:
Israel-Premier Tech
Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team
TotalEnergies
Tudor Pro Cycling Team
Uno-X Mobility.
UCI Continental Teams:
Yet to be announced.
The Stages:
Prologue – Wednesday, August 20: Essen – 3 km
Stage 1 – Thursday, August 21: Essen – Herford – 197 km
Stage 2 – Friday, August 22: Herford – Arnsberg – 189 km
Stage 3 – Saturday, August 23: Arnsberg – Kassel – 184 km
Stage 4 – Sunday, August 24: Halle (Saale) – Magdeburg – 168 km.
The Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift 2026 Grand Départ: Say “Cheese” in Switzerland
Key points:
- The Grand Départ of the fifth edition of the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift will be held in Switzerland, beginning with the opening stage, a loop around Lausanne on Saturday, 1 August. Stage 2 will take the field from Aigle to Geneva.
- It will be the second Grand Départ of the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift beyond French borders, following the start of the 2024 edition in Rotterdam. The event will take place between August 1st and 9, 2026, with 9 stages on the schedule.
A new chapter begins. Back in the sepia-tinted days of 1913, Geneva became the second foreign city to host the Tour de France, as Metz, which had set the scene for stage finishes in 1907 and 1910, was German territory at the time. The Belgian Marcel Buysse came out on top in the first of ten finishes in the city, including one in 1951 that went to the Swiss champion Hugo Koblet, who stormed to victory in the yellow jersey. Lausanne had to wait until 1948 to host the Grande Boucle, but the Olympic city has featured in the race six times, most recently when Wout van Aert triumphed in 2022. While the green jersey sprinted to glory, another decisive moment was playing out behind the scenes, with Lausanne filing its application to welcome the start of the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift, which was evolving into its current form. The dream will come true in summer 2026, when the fifth edition gets under way.
Switzerland will provide the backdrop for three stages. The profile of the loop around Lausanne, which has a puncheuse-friendly sting in its tail, should draw out the main contenders. The terrain is a natural fit for Marlen Reuser and Elise Chabbey, the two most prominent women on the Swiss cycling scene, unless Noémie Rüegg, the current wearer of the red jersey with a white cross, beats them to the punch on home soil. At any rate, they would do well to seize the opportunity, as the following stage, a 150 km trip from Aigle, UCI headquarters, to Geneva, has “sprint finish” written all over it. Last but not least, the pack will roll out from Geneva and set course for the French border and a destination to be announced at a later date.
The three days of the 2026 Grand Départ:
- Saturday, August 1st, Stage 1: Lausanne > Lausanne, finishing at Place Saint-François.
- Sunday, August 2nd, Stage 2: Aigle > Geneva, passing near the headquarters of the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) and the World Cycling Centre (WCC).
- Monday, August 3rd, Stage 3: Start from Geneva.
Giro d’Italia 2025: Bernal’s Giro Journey
The Giro d’Italia might be over for 2025, but you can still relive the highs and lows of the Grand Tour through our latest Off-Script. Watch Egan Bernal find joy in the pain as he returns to Grand Tour form, three years after his life-threatening crash.
Watch the PEZ YOUTUBE Channel here
Follow PEZ INSTAGRAM here
The PEZ NEWSWIRE!
Don’t forget to check the “NEWSWIRE” section, you can find it on the homepage, just above the PEZ Shop section. The bits of news that missed the EuroTrash deadline are in there, plus any news as-it-happens will be added there too.
The post EUROTRASH Monday: The Big Three (4) Come Out Punching! appeared first on PezCycling News.
