Saturday’s Milano-Sanremo was a race to remember, we have the results, reports, rider’s thoughts and video from the men’s race and the Sanremo Donne, plus the Grand Prix de Denain – Porte du Hainaut and the Bredene Koksijde Classic in a ‘full gas’ EUROTRASH Monday.
TOP STORY:
- Van der Poel, Pogačar and Ganna beat the 30 year-old record on the Cipressa and the Dutchman takes his 7th Monument
Rider news:
- Isaac Del Toro fined and loses UCI points for ‘damaging the image of the sport’
- Jury issues yellow card to Maxim Van Gils in Milan-San Remo
- Philippe Gilbert harsh on Jonas Vingegaard
- Fem van Empel takes a break due to ‘mental challenges’
- Patrick Lefevere would have liked to have had Mathieu van der Poel in his team
Team news:
- Volta a Catalunya, Coppi e Bartali and Classic Brugge-De Panne UAE Emirates XRG squads announced
- Soudal Quick-Step to Settimana Internazionale Coppi e Bartali
- Bahrain Victorious Set for Volta a Catalunya
- Martin Svrcek medical update
- Family doctor with connections to a professional team is a suspect in investigation into possible doping practices
Race news:
- GO fit pedals with La Vuelta, becoming the sponsor of its grand departure in 2025
Plus:
- Q36.5 video: TOM – Team On Mission
Get the coffee!
TOP STORY: Van der Poel, Pogačar and Ganna beat the 30 year-old record on the Cipressa
It was considered impossible for a long time, but on Saturday the record time to climb the Cipressa, which had stood for thirty years, was beaten… well beaten. Mathieu van der Poel, Tadej Pogačar and Filippo Ganna recorded a time of 8 minutes and 45 seconds.
The previous best time was held by Alexandre Gotchenkov and Gabriele Colombo, who rode up the Cipressa in 1996 in a time of 9 minutes and 17 seconds. Marco Pantani did it three years later in 9 minutes and 28 seconds. Van der Poel, Pogačar and Ganna were a good half minute under the previous record time.
Mathieu van der Poel at the finish:
Mathieu van der Poel Joins Pogačar, Boonen and Cancellara on Seven Monument Wins
Mathieu van der Poel’s palmarès was already impressive, but now with a second victory in Milan-Sanremo on Saturday, the Dutchman won his seventh Monument of his career.
With his victory in La Primavera, Van der Poel is now in the top 10 of Monument winners. The 30-year-old joins Gino Bartali, Fabian Cancellara, Tom Boonen and the man he beat on Saturday, Tadej Pogačar.
If Van der Poel wins the Tour of Flanders in less than two weeks, the Alpecin-Deceuninck rider will be level with Rik Van Looy, who died at the end of last year. The Emperor of Herentals won eight monuments in the fifties and sixties: Paris-Roubaix three times, Tour of Flanders twice and Milan-San Remo, Liège-Bastogne-Liège and the Tour of Lombardy once each.
Costante Girardengo, Fausto Coppi and Sean Kelly are all on nine victories, which is a possibility for Van der Poel. Roger De Vlaeminck has eleven Monument victories and is in second place behind Eddy Merckx. The Cannibal won nineteen Monuments: Milan-Sanremo seven times, Tour of Flanders twice, Paris-Roubaix three times, Liège-Bastogne-Liège five times and the Tour of Lombardy twice.
Victories in the Monuments:
19 – Eddy Merckx
11 – Roger De Vlaeminck
9 – Costante Girardengo, Fausto Coppi and Sean Kelly
8 – Rik Van Looy
7 – Gino Bartali, Tom Boonen, Fabian Cancellara, Tadej Pogačar and Mathieu van der Poel
6 – Henri Pélissier, Alfredo Binda, Fred De Bruyne, Francesco Moser, Moreno Argentin and Johan Museeuw
5 – Gaetano Belloni, Rik Van Steenbergen, Bernard Hinault, Michele Bartoli, Paolo Bettini and Philippe Gilbert
4 – Gaston Rebry, Alfons Schepers, Louison Bobet, Germain Derycke, Felice Gimondi, Walter Godefroot, Hennie Kuiper, Jan Raas, Erik Zabel and Alejandro Valverde.
How many more Monuments can Van der Poel win?
Milano-Sanremo 2025
After nearly six and a half hours of racing, Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck) out-sprinted Filippo Ganna (INEOS Grenadiers) and Tadej Pogačar (UAE Emirates XRG) after an exciting finale. Michael Matthews (Jayco AlUla) won the bunch sprint for fourth place 43 seconds later.
The start, like last year, was in Pavia, a town south of Milan. On the 289-kilometre race there were the traditional climbs of the Passo del Turchino, the Tre Capi, the Cipressa (5.6km at 4.1%) and the Poggio di Sanremo (3.7km at 3.7%). The finish was on the Via Roma in San Remo.
La Classicissima Primavera started in horrible weather conditions, with the rain falling soon after the start. But there were still many who wanted to attack. Taco van der Hoorn tried, but he was not allowed to get away. Eight riders did manage to make the breach: Alessandro Verre & Mathis Le Berre (Arkea-B&B Hotels), Kristian Sbaragli, Tommaso Nencini & Mark Stewart (Toscana Factory Vini Fantini), Martin Marcellusi & Filippo Turconi (VF Group Bardiani-CSF Faizanè) and Baptiste Veistroffer (Lotto). The peloton was led for a long time by Silvan Dillier of Alpecin-Deceuninck. Mathieu van der Poel’s man single-handedly kept the gap to the leaders under 4 minutes. Once over the Passo del Turchino, Dillier asked for help, but never got it. The Swiss rider continued to push hard along the coast as the rain stopped. The lead of the eight escapees now went to over the 4 minute mark. With 60 kilometres to go, Dillier’s work was done for the day. On the way to the first Capo, the Capo Mele, other teams had to come to the front. UAE Emirates XRG for Tadej Pogačar and Geraint Thomas for Filippo Ganna. The pace increased and the gap to the leaders dropped. There was also a crash involving Laurence Pithie and Jasper Philipsen had to change a wheel after a puncture. Last year’s winner quickly returned.
At the Capo Berta, the last of the three Capi, the escapees had less than 2 minutes and split. Marcellusi came over the top alone. The VF Group Bardiani-CSF Faizanè rider held on for a while, but at the foot of the Cipressa his solo was over and the race proper could begin. On the first sections, Tim Wellens took the lead. The Belgian put the hammer down, with Mathieu van der Poel and Filippo Ganna on his wheel. Wellens’ leader Tadej Pogačar was a bit further, but he moved up on the wheel of Jonathan Narváez. The Ecuadorian took over the lead work from Wellens. A number of cracks had appeared in the peloton. Jasper Philipsen, last year’s winner, was one of the riders in trouble. Three kilometres from the top, Pogačar attacked. The peloton then split to pieces, but Filippo Ganna, Romain Grégoire and Mathieu van der Poel were able to follow. After another acceleration, Ganna left a gap and Grégoire was also having trouble. Van der Poel could follow. Ganna managed to came back to the two leaders and van der Poel took the lead. Pogačar took advantage of the situation and rode away from the Dutchman.
Van der Poel still had something left and pulled back to the World champion, which put Ganna in trouble again. Again the Italian managed to return for a second time. At the top of the Cipressa, the three were together, with a good 30 seconds on the first chasing group. Pogačar, Van der Poel and Ganna pushed on, on the descent and once at the bottom, the difference had increased to 50 seconds. The chasing group had expanded on the road between the Cipressa and Poggio. Lidl-Trek for Mads Pedersen and Jonathan Milan led the chase, but they couldn’t get any closer. At the start of the Poggio, the chase was still 45 seconds behind. It looked very like the race would be fought out between the three at the front. The battle broke out on the Poggio. As they started the climb, Pogačar attacked. Van der Poel was able to jump onto his wheel, Ganna lost ground again. The Italian didn’t give up and held them in sight, partly because Van der Poel didn’t take over from Pogačar. When Ganna almost caught them, Pogačar went again. This time Van der Poel was also having a hard time. The Dutchman lost a meter, but sprinted back to the rainbow wheel, just after a bend. He then took over at the front.
For Pogačar this was the sign to go again. Van der Poel was able to answer again. He held the wheel of Pogačar, who kept pushing hard. Not much further on and the next attack came from Van der Poel. But Pogačar wasn’t giving an inch. He held the Dutchman and the two riders came over the top together. Ganna wasn’t far behind, at only 10 seconds, so the race was still between these three. Ganna got closer on the descent, but Van der Poel and Pogačar still had a gap as they started the final kilometres. The two worked well together, but Ganna used his time trial power to reconnect just after the red flag of the final kilometre. Van der Poel took the lead as they were about to start the three-man sprint. The Alpecin-Deceuninck rider went for a long effort and immediately gained some space. Ganna tried to sprint to Van der Poel’s wheel, but he couldn’t close the gap. Pogačar could only hold onto the Italian. Van der Poel won Milano-Sanremo for the second time, after his first victory in 2023. Ganna was second, Pogačar third. After 43 seconds, Michael Matthews won the sprint from the peloton, ahead of Kaden Groves, to completed the top-5.
*** You can see loads more photos from Milano-Sanremo in the ‘PEZ Race Report’ HERE. ***
Milano-Sanremo winner, Mathieu Van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck): “I’m in one of the best shapes of my life. I already felt good at Tirreno Adriatico and I knew that with one week rest I’d be at my best. I was confident in following Pogačar on the Poggio. Cipressa was actually harder, from the moment Tim Wellens sped up. We knew that Tadej would try to drop us but I had good enough legs to follow him. When I saw some sunshine after the Turchino and felt a better temperature along the coast, I started feeling good, it’s also why we could make such an effort on the Cipressa but I was surprised we were just three at the front. To beat Pogačar is quite special. He did an amazing job. I knew from the winter that I’d sprint from 300 metres, that was a key point for winning today. I’m very happy to win Milano-Sanremo for the second time. Every Monument is special but with the way the race developed today, we can be proud of this performance. I was pretty emotional at the end because the race was so hard today. It’s hard to believe that I’ve won one more Monument.”
2nd, Filippo Ganna (INEOS Grenadiers): “I’m really happy for today. As a team, we have done an amazing job. I couldn’t do any more than following those two great cycling champions, both world champions. I tried to ride the Poggio at my pace, keep my numbers till the top and close my eyes in the downhill to come across the two riders in front of me. There was nothing more to do this year so I hope to come back next year.”
3rd, Tadej Pogačar (UAE Emirates XRG): “We stuck to the plan today and did a perfect job. The team was really amazing to set up the attack. I did my best and attacked hard on the Cipressa. It would have been really optimistic to go alone from there so I was glad to have two strong guys like Mathieu and Ganna. They were both really strong today and we had good collaboration. We all started sprinting with 300m to go. I think we all had the same idea with the tailwind and the slight downhill. Van Der Poel was the strongest so chapeau to him. It was a nice edition of the race, we gave it all. One year I hope I can pull it off. Today I need to be satisfied with third but we’ll be back next year for more.”
2024 Sanremo winner, Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Deceuninck): “I didn’t feel really good, no. But that’s normal after a crash, I think. I’m especially happy that Mathieu won. I have no idea how it all happened, but I’m proud and happy for the team. He’s the deserved winner: we all knew he was in good shape. That’s really cool (the team winning three years in a row). I don’t think many teams have done that before. Well, if we have a goal, we’ll go for it.”
Milano-Sanremo Result:
1. Mathieu van der Poel (Ned) Alpecin-Deceuninck in 6:22:53
2. Filippo Ganna (Ita) INEOS Grenadiers
3. Tadej Pogačar (Slo) UAE Emirates XRG
4. Michael Matthews (Aus) Jayco AlUla at 0:43
5. Kaden Groves (Aus) Alpecin-Deceuninck
6. Magnus Cort Nielsen (Den) Uno-X Mobility
7. Mads Pedersen (Den) Lidl-Trek
8. Olav Kooij (Ned) Visma | Lease a Bike
9. Matteo Trentin (Ita) Tudor
10. Alfred Wright (GB) Bahrain Victorious.
Sanremo’25:
Sanremo Donne 2025
Lorena Wiebes (SD Worx-Protime) won the women’s Milan-San Remo. The race ended in a sprint from a thinned peloton, after Lotte Kopecky pulled in the escaped Elisa Longo Borghini (UAE ADQ). Wiebes was then the fastest in the sprint, beating Marianne Vos (Visma | Lease a Bike) and Noemi Rüegg (EF Education-Oatly).
The women left Genoa for a 156 kilometre race over the Tre Capi, the Cipressa and the Poggio. The finish was the same as the men’s race, on the Via Roma in San Remo.
Saturday 22 March 2025 will go down in history as a very important day for women’s cycling; Milan-San Remo returned to the calendar after two decades. With Demi Vollering, Lotte Kopecky, Marianne Vos, Elisa Longo Borghini, Elisa Balsamo, Lorena Wiebes, Katarzyna Niewiadoma and Puck Pieterse, all the top riders were on the start line. The difficult final seemed scared the peloton, as there was hardly any attacks in the opening kilometres. The Dutch rider, Anne Knijnenburg was one of the only riders who tried. However, the VolkerWessels team rider wasn’t allowed much space by the peloton, and was quickly caught. Knijnenburg didn’t give up, because she tried again soon after. This time she was more successful and was joined by the Italian riders Laura Tomasi (Laboral Kutxa-Fundación Euskadi) and Virginia Bortoli (Top Girls Fassa Bortolo). But the lead of the trio was limited. Knijnenburg then dropped her fellow escapees. The 23-year-old rode away with 60 kilometres to go and extended her lead on the peloton. She started the first Capo, the Capo Mele, solo. Just before that Capo Mele, there was a crash in the peloton. One of favourites, Elisa Balsamo, was the biggest victim. The Italian was able to continue, but suffered a hard blow. Soon after the first Capo, Knijnenburg was caught by the peloton. The pace increased due to the work of Visma | Lease a Bike and Fenix-Deceuninck. The riders of FDJ-SUEZ and SD Worx-Protime also came to the front of the peloton. In the end, it was all about positioning, because nothing happened on the Tre Capi.
A fairly large peloton rode to the start of the Cipressa (5.6km at 4%). The nervousness in the peloton increased, which led to several crashes. In a short time, we saw Silke Smulders, Olivia Baril and Letizia Paternoster, and others, hit the tarmac. The peloton was getting smaller. SD Worx-Protime were the first to hit the Cipressa. World champion Kopecky started the climb in an ideal position. Longo Borghini and Vollering were also well up front and put one of their teammates on the front of the peloton. Gradually, a few riders were dropped from the peloton, but the pace was certainly not full on, yet. A fairly large group came over the top of the Cipressa. All the favourites were still in the peloton, which consisted of about 40 to 50 riders. On the descent of the Cipressa, there was a split, a group of 20 riders rode away from the peloton. Again, almost all the big names were there, only Vos had missed the move. This didn’t last long, and before the foot of the Poggio there was a merger. The surge to the Poggio was fast, but on the first sections there was no accelerations. Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig (CANYON//SRAM zondacrypto) started to set a fast pace for Kasia Niewiadoma. This wasn’t fast enough for Juliette Labous, who attacked 1 kilometre from the top. Niewiadoma jumped on her wheel and then came through hard. The Polish rider didn’t get away, after which Kimberley Le Court made her move. This led to some splits, but many riders were still able to follow, including sprinters Elisa Balsamo and Lorena Wiebes.
At the top, 15 riders were still together, including Demi Vollering. She was the first to plunge into the descent. She continued to lead the group until Puck Pieterse came past. The Fenix-Deceuninck leader used her technical skills to put the rest under pressure. Once down, several riders were on her wheel, including Elisa Longo Borghini. The Italian champion attacked after the descent. Longo Borghini took a nice gap, but in the chasing group Lotte Kopecky was pulling hard in front of Lorena Wiebes. The World champion brought the others closer, but Longo Borghini still had a small gap in the finishing straight. Eventually the group got back to her and the sprint could start. Marianne Vos started that sprint, while Wiebes had to come from further back. The European champion managed to pass Vos, to cross the finish line first, after all the chase work by Kopecky, to take a historic victory. Vos had to settle for second place, with Noemi Rüegg in third. Pauline Ferrand-Prévot finished fourth, but she received a yellow card and was declassified for deviated from her line in the sprint, hindering Noemi Rüegg. This put her in twelfth place. She was also fined 200 Swiss francs.
*** You can see loads more photos from Sanremo Donne in the ‘PEZ Race Report’ HERE. ***
Sanremo Donne winner, Lorena Wiebes (SD Worx-Protime): “In the first corner, there was already a crash. The roads were still wet at the beginning of the race, but team kept us out of danger, we rode together at the front. We got stuck behind one crash before the Cipressa. Blanka Vas brought me back. We felt the peloton was nervous. Everything is more hectic in the races this year compare to last year. The level of the whole peloton goes up. When I started, we were only a few strong riders, now there are many more riders fighting for positions. It also makes it for a more interesting racing with top riders in different teams, unlike before. It’s really nice and amazing that this race is back after such a long time. It was hard to say before how it would end, I’m happy with the way I overcame the Cipressa and the Poggio. I knew I had to be in a good position for the downhill. In the last two kilometres, I had to gamble on Lotte to close the gap, I know I can trust her, I’m grateful for that. We already showed in previous seasons that we are strong together, we pay each other back. Sanremo Women is very important for women cycling. It’s already one of the nicest races on the calendar. It can be considered the biggest victory of my career. I like Italy and most of the world’s top ten riders were here today.”
2nd, Marianne Vos (Visma | Lease a Bike): “It was hard to predict how the race would unfold. In the end I’m very happy with how we raced as a team and how I got to the final. In a sprint against Lorena Wiebes you know it’s going to be very hard but we tried and we can be satisfied with second. Sanremo Women is a beautiful race and I’m happy that we did it today and there are many more editions to come.”
3rd, Noemi Ruegg (EF Education-Oatly): “We had this goal as a team to make the podium but honestly I didn’t imagine myself standing there. I can’t believe it really happened. It’s insane. This third place feels like a win. It’s a Monument. It’s the first time we have it since a long time… It’s amazing. I expected the last two climbs to be harder. The tempo wasn’t very high on the Cipressa. They went hard towards the top of the Poggio but I managed to hold on really well. After the descent I only followed Lotte Kopecky. That was the best scenario for me. I started my sprint in good position. Winning the Tour Down Under in Australia put me on a very good shape for this.”
Sanremo Donne Result:
1. Lorena Wiebes (Ned) SD Worx-Protime in 3:43:32
2. Marianne Vos (Ned) Visma | Lease a Bike
3. Noemi Rüegg (Sui) EF Education-Oatly
4. Demi Vollering (Ned) FDJ-SUEZ
5. Kimberley Le Court de Billot (Maur) AG Insurance-Soudal
6. Chloe Dygert (USA) Canyon//SRAM zondacrypto
7. Elisa Balsamo (Ita) Lidl-Trek
8. Juliette Labous (Fra) FDJ-SUEZ
9. Lotte Kopecky (Bel) SD Worx-Protime
10. Puck Pieterse (Ned) Fenix-Deceuninck.
Sanremo’25:
Grand Prix de Denain – Porte du Hainaut 2025
Matthew Brennan won the GP de Denain on Thursday. The Visma | Lease a Bike rider was the best after an exciting race in Denain, finishing ahead of Gianni Vermeersch (Alpecin-Deceuninck), Dries De Bondt (Decathlon-AG2R La Mondiale), Florian Vermeersch (UAE Emirates XRG) and Brent Van Moer (Lotto).
The GP de Denain – Porte du Hainaut is thought of as a mini-Paris-Roubaix. It has tough cobbled sections: Jan Luc Derche and the secteur Alan Deloeuil in the finale, the Classics-men would be in their element, but there was a good chance of a bunch sprint. The recent editions have ended in a sprint from a large group, as the cobbles didn’t cause much of a split.
A break with Rory Townsend, Aaron Gate, Quentin Bezza and Kévin Avoine was off the front for a long time, but would be caught by the peloton at the start of the finale, as some teams were trying to force the pace. The Unibet Tietema Rockets were very keen again, as were Lotto team and Alpecin-Deceuninck. With 43 kilometres to go, they were the instigators of a big break. On the toughest sections, Gianni Vermeersch and Alec Segaert attacked and they were joined by Tibor Del Grosso, Axel Huens, Tomas Kopecky, Brent Van Moer, Matthew Brennan, Dries De Bondt, Florian Vermeersch and Dillon Corkery.
Del Grosso in particular made an impression on the cobbled sections and played an important role in the ten-man group staying away from a chase group, including Mikkel Bjerg, Jenthe Biermans, Joren Bloem, Andreas Stokbro, which increased to about 50 seconds. Bad luck for Del Grosso who punctured 18 kilometres from the finish and ending his race. Huens of Unibet Tietema Rockets also punctured. In the last 10 kilometres, the eight left in the break would fight for the victory. Brennan looked to be the fastest finisher, so the others attacked. Corkery, Kopecky, Segaert, De Bondt and Van Moer all tried to get away, but in the end there would be a sprint for the victory in Denain. Brennan won convincingly. The British Visma | Lease a Bike rider held off Vermeersch, De Bondt, the other Vermeersch and Van Moer. The brave Corkery was sixth ahead of Kopecky and Segaert. Arnaud De Lie (Lotto) won the bunch sprint for 9th place, 30 seconds later.
Race winner, Matthew Brennan (Visma | Lease a Bike): “I’m very happy with this. It was quite difficult to control, but once we got to the finish line, I knew I had the fastest sprint of the guys there. That gave me confidence heading into the final. The team did a great job today. They put me in a perfect position and I was also well positioned when going up the cobbled sections. Then it’s also easier to find your rhythm on those bad sections. I am very grateful to everyone for the work they did.”
9th, Arnaud De Lie (Lotto): “It wasn’t as bad as the other days. I was especially careful at the beginning of the race to avoid a crash. In the end I was able to participate in the bunch sprint where I was the fastest. That makes me feel better, but I have to admit that it’s still not great.”
Grand Prix de Denain – Porte du Hainaut Result:
1. Matthew Brennan (GB) Visma | Lease a Bike in 4:15:54
2. Gianni Vermeersch (Bel) Alpecin-Deceuninck
3. Dries De Bondt (Bel) Decathlon-AG2R La Mondiale
4. Florian Vermeersch (Bel) UAE Emirates XRG
5. Brent Van Moer (Bel) Lotto
6. Dillon Corkery (Irl) St Michel-Preference Home-Auber93
7. Tomas Kopecky (CZ) Unibet Tietema Rockets
8. Alec Segaert (Bel) Lotto
9. Arnaud De Lie (Bel) Lotto at 0:30
10. Lewis Askey (GB) Groupama-FDJ.
Denain’25:
Bredene Koksijde Classic 2025
Edward Theuns won the Bredene Koksijde Classic on Friday. The Gent rider of Lidl-Trek broke away in the hilly section with a group of fifteen riders and just held off the peloton. Luke Lamperti (Soudal Quick-Step) and Dutchman Nils Eekhoff (Picnic PostNL) were second and third.
The route of the Bredene Koksijde Classic climbs the Baneberg and the Kemmelberg twice, but those climbs are 100 kilometres before the finish. The main problem on the 200.9 kilometre long one-day race is the wind on the three circuits in and around Koksijde.
Early in the race, a break with Ceriel Desal & Jens Reynders (Wagner Bazin), Gianni Marchand (Tarteletto-Isorex) and the VolkerWessels trio of Joppe Heremans, Max Kroonen and Mats Omloop managed to escape. The six took over a minute, but it didn’t last long. In Middelkerke, the expected echelons formed, and the peloton split into three parts. The six were caught after 54 kilometres and the race headed towards the climbs. After the first climb of the Kemmelberg, Jakob Söderqvist tried to set up a new break and seven others joined him. But UAE Emirates-XRG, Lotto and Picnic PostNL had missed the move and had to chase. Florian Vermeersch counter-attacked on the second, and steeper, Kemmelberg.
Vermeersch tried to cross to the seven escapees with some other riders, but they had to close a gap of a minute. This eventually worked, so there were now 15 riders at the front. The leaders were: Luke Lamperti & Warre Vangheluwe (Soudal Quick-Step), Robbe Ghys (Alpecin-Deceuninck), Vito Braet (Intermarché-Wanty), Edward Theuns and Jakob Söderqvist (Lidl-Trek), Ethan Vernon (Israel-Premier Tech), Erik Resell (Uno-X Mobility), Aivaras Mikutis (Tudor), Tim Marsman (VolkerWessels), Aimé De Gendt (Cofidis), Florian Vermeersch (UAE Emirates XRG), Nils Eekhoff (Picnic PostNL), Alessandro Romele (XDS Astana) and Alec Segaert (Lotto). The peloton hadn’t given up. The large group was at 1 minute for a long time, with Q36.5 Pro Cycling, Arkéa-B&B Hotels and Wagner Bazin did everything they could to close the gap for their sprinters Matteo Moschetti, Luca Mozzato and Sasha Weemaes and Davide Persico. Jayco AlUla didn’t get involved, even though they had the one of the favourites, Dylan Groenewegen.
In the final, the lead dropped below 30 seconds, but the sprinter’s teams had already used up all their workers, so Tudor and Uno-X Mobility took the initiative. In the last 5 kilometres, the chasers came within 10 seconds of the leaders. Söderqvist and Vangheluwe in the leading group put the hammer down for Lamperti and Theuns, probably the two fastest men in the leading group. They couldn’t stop the peloton from making contact in the last bend. Theuns started his sprint very early. The Belgian took his own line, next the barriers. Lamperti and Eekhoff came close, but couldn’t take the win.
Edward Theuns (Lidl-Trek): “It’s unbelievable. I haven’t won since my son was born and he asks me a lot of times when I come back from the race ‘Daddy, did you win?’ and it hurts, I love to do the lead outs for Milan and that’s my place and he’s one of the best sprinters in the world, so it gives me a lot of satisfaction. But when your own son is saying ‘Why didn’t you win?’ it hurts a little bit. I told him last week it will come one day and today I had unbelievable legs, and I could win after a long time without a victory. It feels good. I really have to thank everybody who supported me, the whole team and especially my girlfriend and my son. They are the world to me, and they always support me. It’s not always easy to live together with a cyclist, but moments like these make it worth it.”
2nd, Luke Lamperti (Soudal Quick-Step): “Of course, I am a bit disappointed, but also happy. It’s good that I’m back racing, but you always want to win races, so it’s frustrating when you finish second. Warre did an amazing job in the front group and it’s also thanks to him that I was in a position to fight for victory. We can be happy with the way we raced as a team, and we can take a lot of confidence from this for the next races.”
3rd, Nils Eekhoff (Team Picnic PostNL): “From the start, we were sharp and ready to be at the front for the echelons. We made sure not to miss the split and fought for each other. Towards the hilly sector with the Kemmelberg, everything came back together, and Julius jumped into a good move. The second time up the Kemmelberg, I made it into the select group that bridged across to the breakaway. It was always touch and go whether it would all come back together, but I kept my head cool and focused on riding my own final. With no late attacks, it was all about being ready for the sprint. Edward Theuns went early and I thought there would be a moment to launch over him, but he was strong enough to hold on. I’m happy with my performance today, and it feels good to show that I’m really back racing at the front.”
Bredene Koksijde Classic Result:
1. Edward Theuns (Bel) Lidl-Trek in 4:15:50
2. Luke Lamperti (USA) Soudal Quick-Step
3. Nils Eekhoff (Ned) Team Picnic PostNL
4. Ethan Vernon (GB) Israel-Premier Tech
5. Vito Braet (Bel) Intermarché-Wanty
6. Florian Vermeersch (Bel) UAE Emirates XRG
7. Robbe Ghys (Bel) Alpecin-Deceuninck
8. Stian Edvardsen-Fredheim (Nor) Uno-X Mobility
9. Milan Fretin (Bel) Cofidis
10. Alessandro Romele (Ita) XDS Astana.
Koksijde’25:
Isaac Del Toro Fined and Loses UCI Points for: ‘Damaging the Image of the Sport’
Isaac Del Toro will have had some of the pleasure of his victory in Milan-Turin taken away. Del Toro has been fined 200 Swiss francs by the UCI for ‘damaging the image of the sport’. Del Toro crossed the finish line with an open shirt.
According to article 2.12.007-8.6 of the UCI regulations, Del Toro will also not receive any UCI points for his victory in the Italian semi-classic. His team UAE Emirates XRG will lose 200 UCI points. Del Toro didn’t cross the finish line with an open shirt on purpose. The Mexican said after the race that his zipper had broken during the race, so it was impossible to fasten his jersey.
An expensive broken zip:
Jury Issues Yellow Card to Maxim Van Gils in Milan-Sanremo
Maxim Van Gils had a bad surprise after Milan-San Remo on Saturday. The Belgian of the Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe team didn’t have a great race and then at the finish, he was also given a yellow card by the UCI race jury.
Van Gils was reprimanded by the Milan-Sanremo race jury after the finish for ‘throwing away a bidon in a dangerous manner.’ He also received a fine of 500 Swiss francs, lost 25 UCI points and also received a yellow card.
The only question is whether that yellow card was justified. UCI rules state that for a rider’s first violation of article 8.3, only has to pay a fine of 500 Swiss francs and lose 25 UCI points. According to the UCI regulations, a yellow card will only be issued in the event of a second offence.
Maxim Van Gils receives a yellow card for first offence:
Philippe Gilbert Harsh on Jonas Vingegaard
Philippe Gilbert has been very critical of Jonas Vingegaard’s attitude during the temporarily neutralised fourth stage in Paris-Nice in Dans le Peloton. According to the Belgian, Vingegaard should have taken the initiative to stop the race: “But he was completely absent.”
“Vingegaard tried to hide behind other people, as always. And at the very moment of neutralisation, he should have told the ASO that action had to be taken quickly and effectively in the interests of everyone, the teams and the organisers,” Gilbert commented.
According to Gilbert, there were no mitigating circumstances for the Danish leader of Visma | Lease a Bike. “Yes, maybe he was injured, but these are the moments when the peloton needs the leaders in cycling, but no, he was completely absent again. This shows his great lack of charisma. This often plays tricks on him, even in the last part of his races he has no charisma, and he can’t exert any influence against someone like Pogačar, who is overflowing with charisma.”
Vingegaard hiding:
Fem van Empel Takes a Break Due to ‘Mental Challenges’
Fem van Empel will not be racing for the time being. After several successful but also intensive years, the 22-year-old rider is struggling with ‘mental challenges’ and has decided, in consultation with the team, to take a break.
“I have been on an incredible journey in recent years,” Van Empel wrote on Instagram. “I have managed to win three world and European titles at the highest level. This has required a lot of dedication and daily commitment. I am currently dealing with a number of mental challenges,” the cyclocross and road cyclist continued. “After consultation with the team, we have decided that taking a break is the best step for my health and well-being. I will focus on my recovery, with the aim of coming back stronger.”
Van Empel can count on the unconditional support of her team during this process. “As a team, we fully support Fem in taking the time and space she needs. We will continue to support her in this process and wish her a speedy recovery,” said Visma | Lease a Bike. Van Empel has had a successful cyclocross season. She was European champion for the third time in a row in November last year in Pontevedra, Spain. She also managed to prolong her World title in Liévin, France.
After her World championships triumph, the Dutch rider decided to shift her focus to the road. She started her season in the Strade Bianche, but was unable to play a significant role. In her second and provisionally last road race of 2025, the Trofeo Alfredo Binda, she almost collided with a pedestrian on a descent. Van Empel escaped with a fright, but decided to stop to help other fallen riders.
Van Empel having a break:
Patrick Lefevere Would have Liked to have had Mathieu van der Poel in his Team
As team manager of Soudal Quick-Step, Patrick Lefevere worked with great champions such as Johan Museeuw, Tom Boonen and Remco Evenepoel. There is one rider he never worked with, but who he would have liked to have in his team: Mathieu van der Poel.
“If I have to choose a Dutchman, I would say Mathieu van der Poel,” the former CEO of Soudal Quick-Step said on the Speed On Wheels podcast. “His father Adrie rode in my team for three years. After his career for Rabobank, he rode around with the VIPS. Then you sometimes run into each other and ask how David and Mathieu are doing. David started racing then, but Adrie already said then: that little one is ten years old and can do anything with a bike. You’ll hear about that. But yes, due to circumstances… When he started racing, he already got equipment from the Roodhooft brothers and he never left.”
The now 30-year-old Van der Poel will end his career with Alpecin-Deceuninck, but is it financially possible to lure such a top rider away? “It’s true, those guys are now tied to their bike manufacturer with a contract,” Lefevere explained. “I think that the manufacturer at Alpecin-Deceuninck coughs up the most as a sponsor. They pay part of the contract of the riders. I find it annoying when a manufacturer does that, because then they have too much power over a rider. On the other hand, it does help of course,” said the former team manager.
Lefevere wished he could have worked with Mathieu van der Poel:
Volta a Catalunya, Coppi e Bartali and Classic Brugge-De Panne squads announced
Juan Ayuso looks to build on Tirreno-Adriatico victory as powerful squad heads to Catalunya, whilst riders confirmed for Coppi e Bartali and Brugge-De Panne.
UAE Team Emirates-XRG is well placed for the first WorldTour race of the season in Spain, with recent Tirreno-Adriatico winner Juan Ayuso part of a strong seven-man squad for the Volta a Catalunya. The week-long stage race will begin on the Mediterranean coast and conclude with the traditional city circuit in Barcelona, but not before a series of three summit finishes and tough mountain stages have produced what promises to be an exciting race.
This year’s Volta a Catalunya will be the 104th edition of this historic race, and UAE Team Emirates-XRG will hope to carry on in last year’s wheel tracks. In 2024, Tadej Pogačar dominated proceedings to claim four stage victories, the points, mountain and general classifications. This time around, the Emirati squad pack a host of talented climbers, with Pavel Sivakov, Marc Soler, Pablo Torres and Adam Yates joining Ayuso in Catalunya.
The dependable Julius Johansen and Domen Novak will support their ambitions, the latter of whom has ridden this race on four occasions. For Johansen and the neo-pro Torres, next week will provide their first taste of action at the Volta a Catalunya.
In their UAE Team Emirates-XRG teammates, the pair have plenty of experience to draw upon. Soler has finished in the top five on three occasions, with Ayuso fifth on his first participation in 2022, whilst Yates is a former winner of the overall. The British climber won the race in 2021 and finished second a year prior, with both outings yielding a memorable stage win.
Once more, the organisers of the Volta a Catalunya have put together a tough parcours that will pit the peloton’s best climbers against each other to decide the final podium.
Beginning in Sant Feliu de Guíxols, the first two stages are expected to suit the sprinters, before stage 3 delivers a whopping 5,086m of climbing that is enough to rival any Grand Tour mountain stage. The stage from Viladecans (The Style Outlets) to La Molina will feature the first summit finish of the race and a day later, the second summit finish will pay homage to a truly iconic feature of the Catalan landscape.
Finishing beside the Montserrat Monastery, stage 4 will mark the thousandth anniversary of the institute first founded by Oliba, Bishop of Vic and Abbot of Ripoll in 1025. Laurent Jalabert was the last winner on this mountain in 1995, and the return of the Volta a Catalunya this time around will no doubt draw a huge crowd. There will be no let-up on stage 5, either, where a flat route awaits but so might the potential for crosswinds between Paüls and Amposta.
Stage 6 will be another tough day in the saddle at a little under 4,000m of elevation gain and finishing atop the Queralt Monastery before the seventh and final stage will see the peloton race six laps of the now traditional Montjuïc circuit in Barcelona. Looking ahead to his second participation in the race, Ayuso is full of confidence after taking four victories in as many races thus far in 2025.
Ayuso: “It’s been the dream start to the season so far both for me personally and for the team as a collective. In Catalunya, we’ll be up against some very strong rivals. Tirreno-Adriatico was a big objective for me this season so for it to have gone the way it did is really positive and a confidence boost. But Catalunya is a different race and I’m under no illusions that we’ll need to be at our best as a team to go for a result there. It’s been a few years since I’ve been to the Volta so I’m excited to be heading back and racing on Catalan roads.”
Tuesday 25 March – Saturday 29 March: Settimana Internazionale Coppi e Bartali (2.1)
Across the continent in Italy, a seven-man UAE Team Emirates-XRG squad will take to the start of the Settimana Internazionale Coppi e Bartali on Tuesday, 25 March. Running through Saturday, the five-day stage race is often one of the most exciting races of the early season, with plenty of tricky stages on offer through the Emilia-Romagna region.
After playing a pivotal role in Isaac del Toro’s victory at Milano-Torino, Igor Arrieta, Vegard Stake Laengen and Alessandro Covi will all be in attendance, whilst Jay Vine will make his first outing of the season in Europe. The Australian climber will be part of the following UAE Team Emirates-XRG squad:
Igor Arrieta (Spa)
Alessandro Covi (Ita)
Vegard Stake Laengen (Nor)
Rafał Majka (Pol)
Ivo Oliveira (Por)
Enea Sambinello (Gen Z) (Ita)
Jay Vine (Aus).
UAE Team Emirates-XRG has raced the Coppi e Bartali three times in the past, finishing inside the top five overall on each occasion. Placing on the podium with Diego Ulissi last season, the Emirati squad also claimed victory on stage 2 through the Italian.
Wednesday 26 March: Classic Brugge-De Panne (1.UWT)
After Milano-San Remo takes place on Saturday, a series of five WorldTour one-day races will be held in Belgium, culminating with the historic Ronde van Vlaanderen, or Tour of Flanders. Beginning this series of back-to-back spring Classics, the Classic Brugge-De Panne will be held on Wednesday, 26 March, and see UAE Team Emirates-XRG go for broke with an aggressive lineup ready to race on the front foot.
Three animators of Danilith Nokere Koerse will all be there: Mikkel Bjerg, Florian Vermeersch and Sebastián Molano, as will Filippo Barconcini, Rune Herregodts, António Morgado and Rui Oliveira. The seven-strong squad will be on alert for the crosswinds that could flip the script on what usually ends in a bunch sprint to decide the winner.
Previously held as a three-day stage race, the Classic Brugge-De Panne became a one-day event in 2018 and has since suited the fast men. UAE Team Emirates-XRG placed second through Fernando Gaviria in 2019 but will have options to attack on all fronts this time around.
Beginning in Bruges, the 2025 edition stands at 196.3km in length and is pan-flat in its entirety. The peloton will race across the plains of De Moeren and take on three laps of a 43km-long circuit through Veurne, Adinkerke, De Panne and Koksijde. The winner will be crowned on the finishing straight in De Panne.
Soudal Quick-Step to Settimana Internazionale Coppi e Bartali
The five-day race takes place between 25-29 March
One of the first Italian stage races of the season, Settimana Internazionale Coppi e Bartali runs its 40th edition this spring, and for the fourth consecutive year, the team time trial will be absent. Instead, the course will be stacked with climbs that are sure to shape the overall standings after a relatively quiet opening day that the sprinters will target. A demanding uphill finish in Sogliano al Rubicone after an up-and-down stage, followed by three days tailored to the puncheurs and climbers, will bring plenty of spice to the fight for the general classification, which promises to be again a fierce one.
Soudal Quick-Step, who sits on a total of eight wins there in recent years, will take on this edition with a nice mix of WorldTour and Devo Team riders: Pascal Eenkhoorn, Thomas Pesenti, neo-pro Andrea Raccagni, Federico Savino, Gauthier Servranckx, O Gran Camiño best young rider Viktor Soenens and Mauri Vansevenant.
“We have a good team, capable of fighting for good results despite being a young one. There will be some opportunities next week and the guys are motivated to show themselves. For the Devo riders, it’s going to be an important opportunity to gain experience and discover how it is to race with the pros. We’ll see if we can be a factor also in the fight for the general classification, but we’ll know more about this after the Sogliano al Rubicone stage”, said Soudal Quick-Step sports director Dries Devenyns.
Viktor Soenens to Settimana Internazionale Coppi e Bartali:
Bahrain Victorious Set for Volta a Catalunya
Following the first Monument of the season, Milano-Sanremo, the WorldTour calendar continues with the seven-day stage race, Volta a Catalunya, taking place from Monday, March 24, to Sunday, March 30, in the Catalan region of southeastern Spain.
Bahrain Victorious, the best team in the 2024 edition, returns with high ambitions, led by Lenny Martinez. The young French talent, fresh off a stage victory at Paris-Nice, is no stranger to success in Catalunya. In his third participation, he aims to improve on his 7th-place GC finish and white jersey win from last year.
This time, Martinez races the Volta a Catalunya in a Bahrain Victorious jersey, eager to take another step forward. “It’s a race I really like. My teammates and I are highly motivated, and we’ll do our best to achieve a great result,” said Martinez.
TBV Sports Director Xavi Florencio backs his young leader: “We have a clear leader in Lenny Martinez. He showed great form at Paris-Nice, and hopefully, he has recovered well. In Catalunya, the entire team will support him as we aim for a strong result in the general classification. We will give our best, and in Barcelona, we’ll see if we’ve met our target.”
The 104th edition of Volta a Catalunya will once again present a varied and challenging parcour, featuring traditional key stages. The race begins with the opening stage in Sant Feliu de Guíxols, a fast circuit-style course that has often produced a tense battle for the first leader’s jersey. Stage 2 from Banyoles to Figueres offers a chance for the sprinters, while Stage 3, finishing at La Molina, is the first true mountain showdown. This Queen Stage, covering 218.5 km with more than 5,000 meters of climbing, will be crucial for the GC contenders.
The climbing challenges continue on Stage 4, which finishes atop Montserrat Millenari, followed by Stage 6 from Berga to Queralt, another decisive day for the overall standings, with steep climbs concentrated in the second half of the race. Meanwhile, Stage 5 from Paüls to Amposta should again favour the sprinters, though wind conditions could create unexpected challenges.
The grand finale takes place in Barcelona, where the short but intense Montjuïc stage will provide one last test for GC hopefuls. With six ascents of the iconic climb, the winner of Volta a Catalunya may not be decided until the final moments of the race.
“It’s a tough course with three uphill finishes and a high level of competition,” Florencio added. “As always, bonus seconds will play a key role. While three stages seem suited for sprinters, wind conditions could make them unpredictable. The final Montjuïc stage is short but demanding—until the very last finish line, the overall winner will remain uncertain.”
Bahrain Victorious brings a versatile and well-rounded squad to support Martinez. Matevž Govekar will target the sprint finishes, with Nicolò Buratti as his lead-out man. Fran Miholjević will serve as the team’s road captain, while Afonso Eulálio and Rainer Kepplinger will provide climbing support for Martinez in the key mountain stages. Finlay Pickering rounds out the lineup as an all-rounder, ready to join breakaways and assist throughout the week.
Martin Svrcek Medical Update
The young Slovak crashed in the final 30 kilometres of Milano-Sanremo.
Martin Svrcek has been taken to the hospital after crashing on the descent of the Cipressa during Saturday’s Milano-Sanremo.
Martin, who was making his Monument debut, remained conscious after the crash, but sustained multiple fractures including a fracture of the right collarbone, the right scapula and several ribs. Martin will remain in hospital in Sanremo under observation for a couple of days. More information will be released in the upcoming days.
Everybody at Soudal Quick-Step wishes Martin a speedy recovery.
Martin Svrcek crashed on the Cipressa:
Family doctor with connections to a professional team suspect in investigation into possible doping practices
Last Thursday, three house searches were carried out in Flanders as part of a judicial investigation. One of the house searches focused on a GP practice in Herentals of a family doctor who was previously associated with a professional team. The investigation focuses on malpractice, but also on possible doping practices.
The Antwerp public prosecutor’s office had previously launched an investigation after information about possible malpractice by the doctor in question. During the investigation, atypical prescribing behaviour by the GP was noticed and there may be a case of doping practices. During the house searches, the investigators of the Federal Judicial Police (FGP) Antwerp collected information that will be analysed in a subsequent phase. Sources have confided to WielerFlits that a GP who was previously associated with a professional team is involved in the investigation as a suspect.
GO fit Pedals with La Vuelta, Becoming the Sponsor of its Grand Departure in 2025
GO fit has become the official supplier of the first three stages of La Vuelta 25, coinciding with the race’s departure from Italy on its 90th anniversary. This morning, Javier Guillén, the Director of La Vuelta, and Mario Barbosa, the CEO and President of Go fit, signed a sponsorship agreement whereby both companies join forces at the historic moment in which La Vuelta will depart from Italy – specifically from Turin, the capital of the Piedmont Region.
This milestone coincides with GO fit’s strategic commitment to Italy, as reflected in the opening of its first centre in Turin this year. The company plans to open two centres per year in different Italian cities, involving an investment of approximately 20 million euros per centre and an average capacity of 12,000 users.
La Vuelta and GO fit share a common vision: to inspire people to adopt a healthier and more sustainable lifestyle through the promotion of sports in all of its modalities, and they do so in a setting that is truly iconic in the world of cycling – the Piedmont Region.
This sponsorship agreement reflects the importance of the biking world in Go fit centres, featuring state-of-the-art installations with specific high-end equipment and expert-guided programmes to ensure an optimum user experience.
Mario Barbosa, the CEO of GO fit, pointed out that: “Our collaboration with La Vuelta represents an important milestone for GO fit. Coordinating efforts with one of the most important and historic competitions for its first departure from Italy, just as we arrive in the country also, reflects our joint commitment to promote sports and wellbeing beyond our borders. The choice of Turin, a historic, innovative and sporting city, will allow both parties to boost our commitment to bring sports to all people and audiences, so as to inspire more and more citizens to adopt a healthy and active lifestyle.”
Javier Guillén, Director of La Vuelta, highlighted: “At La Vuelta we continue to work on growing as an international event. The Grand Departure from Piedmont is further proof of that and is, also, an opportunity to work with such companies as GO fit, who also have their sights set on expanding in new territories. This agreement stems from the values shared by La Vuelta and Go fit, namely the promotion of physical activity and a healthy lifestyle.”
TOM – Team On Mission Ep 1 : Why?
A new chapter begins. Go behind the scenes with Tom Pidcock and Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team in Episode One of our exclusive documentary series. From his first win to the battle on the white roads of Strade Bianche, see how Tom is shaping the team—and how the team is shaping him.
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