In today’s EUROTRASH we catch up with all the talk from Sunday’s action-packed Paris-Roubaix and all the other news from the peloton. Plus the Ronde van Limburg with video, report and result.
TOP STORY:
- The man who threw a bidon at Mathieu van der Poel reports to Belgian police
Rider news:
- Flemish Cycling fan took pictures of the water bottle thrower: “I felt something was going to happen”
- Press Release – Statement Alpecin-Deceuninck Cycling Team
- Is Wout van Aert too friendly?
- Silvan Dillier crashes into a Visma | Lease a Bike mechanic in Paris-Roubaix
- Confused Alexander Kristoff rode the wrong direction after landing on his head
- Paris-Roubaix was hell for robbed and battered Stuyven family: “Disappointed in this world”
- Christophe Laporte training again after missing the spring
- Rohan Dennis shows ‘no remorse’ according to Melissa Hoskins’ relatives
- Mathieu van der Poel wants to ride another stage race in preparation for the Tour de France
Team news:
- Paris-Roubaix victory should help Alpecin-Deceuninck find new second name sponsor
- Soudal Quick-Step to Brabantse Pijl
- The next races for Team Picnic PostNL
Race news:
- The ‘Hell of the North’ claims many victims: broken bones and other injuries
Coffee and cobbles!
TOP STORY: The Man Who Threw a Bidon at Mathieu van der Poel Reports to Belgian Police
The person who threw a water bottle at Mathieu van der Poel’s head during Paris-Roubaix on Sunday has reported to the Belgian police. The man is Flemish, according to Het Nieuwsblad.
Witnesses spoke of a group of French speakers who had been drinking heavily as the perpetrators, it now appears that the bottle thrower is Flemish. “The man reported to the Mira police zone (Anzegem, Avelgem, Spiere-Helkijn, Waregem and Zwevegem),” the spokesperson for the West Flanders public prosecutor’s office confirmed to Het Nieuwsblad.
The perpetrator has since been questioned by the police and a report is being drawn up. He is said to regret his action, which he did on ‘impulse’, a source told the Flemish newspaper. The perpetrator travelled to Paris-Roubaix with the ‘Matej Matjes’, a Flemish fan club of Slovenian rider, Matej Mohorič. The organisers of the fan club emphasises that the perpetrator is not a member of the club. The club does not want to comment officially, but does say that the man is no longer welcome at future activities. They distance themselves from his actions.
After the finish of Paris-Roubaix, Van der Poel himself spoke of an ‘attempted manslaughter’ and does not want to leave it at that. “We cannot let that pass. It was also a full bidon and I was also in a lot of pain. If that hits my nose, my nose is broken,” the leader of Alpecin-Deceuninck reacted fiercely to Sporza. “Hopefully we can identify him. I think there should be a trial for this, because this is attempted manslaughter. It was right in my face.” If it were up to Van der Poel, the thrower of the bidon would be prosecuted. “With pleasure! If the UCI doesn’t do it, I think we’ll do it with the team.”
This doesn’t belong in cycling
Ronde van Limburg 2025
Milan Fretin won the Tour of Limburg on Wednesday, in Tongeren, the Cofidis rider sprinted to victory. Simon Dehairs (Alpecin-Deceuninck) and Milan Menten (Lotto) were second and third.
At the instigation of Flanders Classics, the week before the Ardennes Classics has been turned upside down. On the Wednesday before the Amstel Gold Race, usually the Brabantse Pijl was run, but this year it was the Tour of Limburg. The route of the Belgian professional race has changed considerably. Where the organisers were close to the 200 kilometre limit last year, they have now planned for a race of just 176 kilometres. The final consisted of three laps of 38.2 kilometres, which was used in the Limburg loop of the 2024 European Championships, with climbs of the Kolmontberg (1.5km at 3.1%), Zammelenberg (800 metres at 4.3%) and Op de Kriezel (1.7km at 3%).
In the early part of the race, there was an early break including Bram Dissel, Jonathan Vervenne, Adam Toupalik, Filippo Ridolfo, Michiel van Vliet and Stian Rosenlund, they took a lead of more than 3 minutes. Of these, Toupalik, Vervenne and Rosenlund were the strongest: they would stay ahead until deep into the final. At 68 kilometres from the finish, there was an attack by Jakob Söderqvist, Victor Hannes, Timo Kielich and Andreas Stokbro. Tibor Del Grosso also attacked with 55 kilometres to go. However, these attackers didn’t succeed in closing the gap to the leaders. Alpecin rider, Henri Uhlig, aslo did not succeed. The German attacked from the peloton with 30 kilometres to go and got within a 12 seconds, but was still caught, after which the early escapees, Rosenlund, Vervenne and Toupalik took more time.
With 16 kilometres to go, their escape came to an end on the cobbles of the Manhoven, when Del Grosso attacked again. The Dutchman was on his own, and after a brief moment of doubt, decided to continue. The peloton didn’t react immediately and Del Grosso had a 15 second lead. On the climb of the Op de Kriezel, Biniam Girmay, Gianni Marchand, Guillermo Silva and Jonas Rickaert joined Del Grosso, after which the five started the last 10 kilometres with a lead of almost 10 seconds. But, it wouldn’t be enough, which resulted in a bunch sprint in Tongeren. The sprint was particularly chaotic, because in the last kilometre several riders ended up behind the barriers, next to the public. Despite the chaos, the race did have a deserved winner in Fretin. The Belgian started a long sprint and held everyone else off.
Race winner, Milan Fretin (Cofidis): “I had to change bikes in the final because I had a flat tyre at a bad moment. Luckily I had Stan (Stanislas Aniolkowski) with me who could drop off his bike. He wasn’t feeling so good today. Otherwise he would have sprinted today. I saved my energy the whole race. I felt really strong and because it was my home race, I felt extra motivated. Well, I was fourth or fifth all the time. That was frustrating, but I was really motivated to get on the podium today. Now I win, that’s really great.”
Ronde van Limburg Result:
1. Milan Fretin (Bel) Cofidis in 3:57:50
2. Simon Dehairs (Bel) Alpecin-Deceuninck
3. Milan Menten (Bel) Lotto
4. Pierre Barbier (Fra) Wagner Bazin WB
5. Matteo Moschetti (Ita) Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team
6. Florian Dauphin (Fra) TotalEnergies
7. Eduard Prades Reverte (Spa) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA
8. Jordi Warlop (Bel) Soudal Quick-Step Devo Team
9. Tim Torn Teutenberg (Ger) Lidl-Trek
10. Timothy Dupont (Bel) Tarteletto-Isorex.
Limbourg’25:
Flemish Cycling fan Took Pictures of Bidon Thrower: “I Felt Something was Going to Happen”
During his solo in Paris-Roubaix, there was an unpleasant moment for Mathieu van der Poel on Sunday, as he had a water bottle thrown in his face from the crowd. Flemish cycling fan Fred De Keyser (62) experienced it up close and told his story to Het Nieuwsblad.
“It happened right in front of me, I felt something was going to happen,” said De Keyser, who was standing on the other side of the cobbles from where the water bottle was thrown. “I had been standing there for a while. About half an hour before Van der Poel passed, a group of ten to fifteen people came to stand on the other side of the section. They were making a lot of noise. A group of French speakers. They seemed drunk. I knew something was going to happen, I had a bad feeling.”
Because De Keyser didn’t like what was happening, he took some pictures of the group of people. He has provided the images to Alpecin-Deceuninck, Van der Poel’s team.
The local gendarmerie in Templeuve-en-Pévèl, has already informed Het Nieuwsblad that legal action against the person who threw the water bottle is certainly possible. “If Monsieur Van der Poel wants someone to be prosecuted, he can personally file a complaint, and it will be reviewed here. The race management can also file a complaint. Ultimately, it will be a judge who decides whether an investigation should be conducted.”
Van der Poel still won:
Press Release – Statement Alpecin-Deceuninck Cycling Team
During Paris-Roubaix, a spectator deliberately threw a bottle toward Mathieu van der Poel. A dangerous and unacceptable incident. We are relieved that Mathieu remained unharmed and confirm that, as a team, we will be filing an official complaint against the perpetrator to formally denounce this behaviour.
However, this issue goes beyond that single act. Too often, we observe that such misconduct is either caused by or accompanied by excessive alcohol consumption. What occurred on Sunday represents an escalation of earlier incidents, with Mathieu van der Poel not being the sole target. We have also noted that during other races – both in CX and on the road – the misbehaviour of a few individuals can have far-reaching consequences. It jeopardises the safety of our riders, overshadows the enjoyment and reputation of genuine cycling enthusiasts, and diverts attention from the sporting achievements.
We will continue to monitor the legal process internally so that this misconduct does not receive more attention than it warrants. At the same time, we are calling for dialogue and cooperation among all involved parties – riders, teams, federations, organisers, and government authorities – to implement measures that prevent individuals with bad intentions from infiltrating cycling events and to take proactive steps at known critical points.
Pogačar Wants to Return to Paris-Roubaix Next Year
Tadej Pogačar made his debut in Paris-Roubaix on Sunday with a second place, but he wants more. The Slovenian plans to return to the ‘Hell of the North’ next year and will go for the win again, the World champion said in the press conference after the race.
“I think it was a great race for our team today with someone in second and fifth place,” Pogačar and teammate Florian Vermeersch. “It is good to have two riders in the top five. I think we can come back next year with a strong team that is motivated to fight for the win.”
A decisive moment came with 39 kilometres to go, when Pogačar missed a bend and lost contact with eventual winner Mathieu van der Poel. “When you’re riding flat out and there are bikes in front of you that you don’t see making a bend, you think there’s no bend, but I should have known that bend, so there’s no excuse.” Van der Poel created a gap after Pogačar’s mistake and then continued to widen the gap. “He’s a great champion, one of the best riders in the world. Racing against him is a great honour. I always say: if I were a kid racing now, Van der Poel would be my idol. So racing against him gives me extra motivation. But don’t be too eager, as far as our duels are concerned. Enjoy what we have. There will be other races: he goes to certain races, I go to others. There we will meet other competitors. I can enjoy that too.”
Before the duel between Pogačar and Van der Poel, it could have been a three-way battle. Van der Poel still had teammate Jasper Philipsen with him, which could have been a tricky situation for Pogačar. “The podium seemed certain, but I thought: riding to the velodrome with two of the fastest riders in the world is not a good idea. So I tried something. Jasper had to let go, but Mathieu was too strong.”
Pogačar thinks that Paris-Roubaix was the toughest race of his life in terms of power output. “And then there is also the impact of the cobblestones on your body, but I do think I have gained some experience, so the next time I come here it might not be so extreme,” said Pogačar, who did not think about the Tour de France for ‘a single moment’ during the race. “Let’s just enjoy today. I had a kind of fun. You never really have fun when you’re racing flat out for five hours, but it was great.”
Roubaix 2026 for Tadej?
Is Wout van Aert Too Friendly?
Wout van Aert was still in contention for a podium spot in the final of Paris-Roubaix on Sunday, but the Visma | Lease a Bike rider was never in contention for victory. The Belgian lost contact in Arnberg. He said he didn’t have good legs on this cobbled section, but according to former rider and team DS, Marc Sergaent, there was more to it.
The 65-year-old Sergaent is no longer involved in cycle sport, but he still follows the races closely as a columnist for Het Nieuwsblad. He watched Paris-Roubaix attentively on Sunday and saw Van Aert suffer on the stones of Arnberg. “He lost his race on a section of barely five kilometres. Namely: in and just after the forest of Wallers. First through his own ‘fault’”, is the former rider’s opinion.
“Van Aert himself claimed that his legs were not good enough in the Forest. But look at the images and you will notice that there is something else going on. Van Aert starts in a good position. But when Pogačar takes the lead, you see him fighting with Pedersen for Pogačar’s wheel at a certain point. That is where it goes wrong. Is he too friendly? Is it the fear after all those crashes that makes him hit the brakes more often than before?”
“You see Van Aert holding his legs still for two seconds. And that is definitely not something you should do”, says Sergaent. “Giving in to the competition at that point is fatal. Van Aert loses momentum there and also his speed. Especially if he does it again shortly afterwards. Holding his legs still again, losing momentum again, placing again and losing time. If he doesn’t do that, he may have to let Van der Poel and Pogačar go in the Forest, but then he may be able to return afterwards. That is not possible now. And that was Van der Poel’s great merit.”
“In the entire peloton, the focus is already on the Forest (Wallers) for hours in advance. Result: after the Forest, it often goes quiet for a while. But Van der Poel now shifted his focus to the section just after the Forest. He immediately gives it a few cookies and decides the race there, not so much on the cobblestones but on the asphalt. A great move.”
The friendly Van Aert:
Silvan Dillier Crashes into a Visma | Lease a Bike Mechanic
Despite the victory of his teammate Mathieu van der Poel, Silvan Dillier will not look back on the 122nd edition of Paris-Roubaix with much pleasure. The Swiss rider crashed hard on the 26th cobbled sector, after a very unfortunate collision with a Visma | Lease a Bike mechanic.
On the Vertain à Saint-Martin-sur-Écaillon, the 26th cobbled section of the day, the Visma | Lease a Bike mechanic had to help Edoardo Affini, who had to stop on the section. The Italian rider was struggling with mechanical problems and was waiting for a bike. His mechanic brought him the replacement bike, after which Affini was able to continue. The mechanic then took Affini’s broken bike to the team car to put on the roof-rack, but Silvan Dillier was approaching at full speed.
This led to an unavoidable collision. The mechanic escaped unhurt, but Dillier suffered a serious hand injury and had to abandon the race. The mechanic of Visma | Lease a Bike has since apologised for the incident. “It is very unfortunate that this happened in the hectic Paris-Roubaix”, Het Laatste Nieuws quotes the Dutch team. “Safety in the peloton is always a priority for us. We hope that Dillier recovers quickly.”
Not the best way to end Paris-Roubaix:
Confused Alexander Kristoff Rode the Wrong Direction after Landing on his Head
Alexander Kristoff was one of the many riders who crashed in Paris-Roubaix on Sunday. The 37-year-old Norwegian got back on his bike, but rode in the wrong direction, opposite the race direction. Kristoff landed on his head in the crash and ‘may have a small concussion’, he wrote on Uno-X Mobility’s social media.
“I fell on my head,” said Kristoff. “Then I started riding in the wrong direction. I was a bit mixed up and may have had a small concussion. I didn’t know which direction to ride in. At one point I came across other riders. Then I thought: I have to turn around.”
The former winner of Milan-Sanremo and the Tour of Flanders, continued cycling for a while, but got off in the first supply zone. “I had to stop. I didn’t have much strength in my leg either, because my knee had been hit. But then I was already cycling at a big disadvantage.”
Kristoff, who finished fourth in Gent-Wevelgem this year, recently announced that he plans to stop as a pro after the current season. “It was probably my last Monument and therefore also my last Roubaix. It’s a shame to finish the race in the car. Will I continue for another year? I don’t really feel like riding here again,” he concluded with a laugh.
Concussed Kristoff:
Paris-Roubaix was Hell for Robbed and Battered Stuyven Family: “Disappointed in this World”
The weekend of Paris-Roubaix turned into a nightmare for Jasper Stuyven and his wife Elke Bleyaert. While Stuyven could quickly forget his chances of a top result in Roubaix due to a crash, Bleyaert was robbed of her bike and laptop.
Bleyaert participated in the tourist version of Paris-Roubaix on Saturday with some girlfriends. Afterwards, they were invited to watch the women’s race together with other cycling fans, but criminals broke into their cars. There were several valuables stolen. “Some assholes broke into our cars and stole our bikes,” Bleyaert wrote on Instagram on Monday. “They also took my suitcase, my backpack and bag with cycling clothes… everything. My heart was broken. I was so disappointed in this world. In my backpack was my laptop and hard drive… These two together are literally my whole world. I work from everywhere. And all my work from the last three years was in here.”
Bleyaert explains that the parking lot for guests was full on Saturday morning. “We had no choice but to park our cars in a street near the parking lot. We covered everything as best we could: I put a blanket over my bike, suitcase and backpack and even threw some random coats on top of it, so it looked like it was a mess in the car.”
After they discovered that they had been robbed, Bleyaert and her friends went to the police station. But she soon realised that she would never see her stuff again. She finds it especially frustrating that the police could not do anything, despite the fact that she was able to locate her laptop via her iPhone: the laptop was only one kilometre away from the station. “It doesn’t count as ‘proof’ that they stole our stuff,” Bleyaert summarised the police’s argument. “They said they would keep an eye on the house/street in question, but two days later we still have no news.”
A day after the break-in, Stuyven crashed in Paris-Roubaix, before the finale had started. “He never had the chance to prove himself on the cobbles. While I just knew that this could have been a great day for him. Because of the way he rode during the spring classics, I knew he would do well in Roubaix. But the universe clearly had other plans for us this weekend.”
A bad weekend for the Stuyvens:
Christophe Laporte Training Again After Missing the Spring
Christophe Laporte can now resume training, he announced on Instagram. The Frenchman who races for Visma | Lease a Bike wasn’t on any start lines this spring after a cytomegalovirus infection.
Laporte was supposed to go on an altitude training camp before the Opening Weekend, but didn’t feel well at the end of January. That continued and he was forced to cancel the Omloop het Nieuwsblad and Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne. The former European champion also had to cancel his planned comeback in Milan-Sanremo. He turned out to have the cytomegalovirus and decided to cancel his entire spring at the end of March.
The cytomegalovirus belongs to the group of herpes viruses and usually does not cause any symptoms. However, people with reduced resistance may experience symptoms, including fever, sore throat, sometimes slightly swollen glands and fatigue. Laporte now seems to be on the mend and is back on the bike. “Slowly, but finally I’m back on the bike,” the Frenchman wrote with a photo on a training ride. It is not yet clear when he will race again.
Rohan Dennis Shows ‘No Remorse’ According to Melissa Hoskins’ Relatives
A new hearing took place in Adelaide on Monday in the case against Rohan Dennis over the death of his wife Melissa Hoskins, who was run over and killed. Relatives were given the opportunity to make statements. The judge will deliver a verdict on May 14.
32-year-old Melissa Hoskins, who was also a racing cyclist, was hit by a pick-up truck a few metres from her family home on Saturday, December 30, 2023. She was then taken to Royal Adelaide Hospital in critical condition, where she passed away due to her injuries. Dennis was behind the wheel of the vehicle and was arrested that same day.
The Australian is not held responsible for Hoskins’ death, but has pleaded guilty to one of the charges, ‘creating a likelihood of harm’. Dennis, the World time trial champion in 2018 and 2019, faces a possible seven years in prison and a five year driving ban. Before sentencing, relatives were given the chance to air their thoughts. Amanda Hoskins, Melissa’s mother, said she believed it was a “tragic accident” but also pointed to Dennis’ responsibility. “Your temperament is your weakness and that needs to be pointed out,” she told the former ridder.
Jessica, Melissa’s sister, said she still has nightmares about the night police informed her of her sister’s death. “Neither myself nor my family or friends have received any apology from Rohan for his actions that night. He has shown no remorse. Rohan’s behaviour since that night suggests he sees himself as a victim of the situation. To see him behave in this way fills me with sadness and anger. The lack of empathy and insight into his actions… I find it very difficult to process.”
Jane Abbey KC, Dennis’ lawyer, argued that her client presents himself as a “very stoic man”. “He says this is important for his children. But when the public is not watching, he is not stoic at all. He experiences deep, deep grief.”
About the incident itself, Abbey said that CCTV footage shows that “a lot happened” in less than three seconds. “He (Dennis) described to the police that he heard a noise and that the noise seemed to be his wife jumping on the car. Shortly after that noise, also taking into account the reaction time, the brake lights went red.” The two were said to have been arguing before the accident, but according to Abbey it was an everyday argument about kitchen cupboards, something that “spouses always disagree about.”
Abbey has asked the judge for a suspended sentence for Dennis. The verdict will be delivered on May 14.
Mathieu van der Poel Wants to Ride Another Stage Race in Preparation for the Tour de France
Mathieu van der Poel rounded up his spring on Sunday with his third victory in Paris-Roubaix. After a rest period, the Dutchman will shift his focus to the Tour de France. In the run-up to La Grande Boucle, he wants to ride another stage race, he told NOS.
“I hope to do a stage race again before the Tour this year. Hopefully I will go to the Tour at the top level,” said Van der Poel, who has not yet said which race he has in mind. The Critérium du Dauphiné (8-15 June), Tour of Switzerland (15-22 June) or Baloise Belgium Tour (18-22 June) are the most likely options. In 2021, when Van der Poel was supposed to win the Tour stage to Mûr-de-Bretagne, he first rode the Tour of Switzerland. In 2023, he opted for the Baloise Belgium Tour.
In 2024, Van der Poel also rode the Tour de France, but he didn’t start any races between Liège-Bastogne-Liège and the Grand Départ in Tuscany. In the three weeks that followed, the then World champion didn’t reach his best level. “It was not really a nice time,” he said about it later in the year to Marca. “I know that I am better in one-day races and that is where my focus lies.”
Nevertheless, Van der Poel will be at the start of the Tour de France again this summer. The Tour offers more opportunities for Classic riders, like him in 2025. The first real mountain stage is not until the twelfth stage. There are opportunities for Van der Poel in the second, fourth, sixth, seventh and eleventh stages. The three-week tour then has a number of hilly stages that are tailor-made for the Dutchman. There are also a few opportunities in the last week.
Van der Poel back to the Tour:
Roubaix Victory Should Help Alpecin-Deceuninck Find New Second Name Sponsor
Mathieu van der Poel gave his Alpecin-Deceuninck team another Monument victory on Sunday. A good time for a big success, because team managers Philip and Christoph Roodhooft are still looking for a new name sponsor, to replace Deceuninck, who will leave at the end of 2025. A victory for Van der Poel in Roubaix should help.
“That should be it,” Philip Roodhooft said on Eurosport on Sunday. “But for the time being – to be honest – there has been no contact that will lead to a signature. But we are working on it. We are not panicking, but we see it as a concern that we will try to resolve as soon as possible.”
Deceuninck is not stopping completely: it is phasing out its sponsorship of Alpecin-Deceuninck and Fenix-Deceuninck, but will remain less involved with the team. “The successful collaboration has delivered the desired results for the company in terms of brand awareness. In consultation with the team management, we have come to the conclusion that we can continue to strengthen each other in another form of collaboration,” said Francis Van Eeckhout, the executive chairman of Deceuninck, recently in a press release.
The West Flemish company Deceuninck, which produces PVC windows and doors, joined the Roodhooft brothers’ teams at the beginning of 2022. Before that, it had been the first name sponsor of Patrick Lefevere’s Quick-Step team for three years.
Roodhooft still looking for a sponsor:
Soudal Quick-Step to Brabantse Pijl
Remco Evenepoel makes his return to competition on home soil
Remco Evenepoel is ready to pin on a number for the first time this season for Friday’s edition of Brabantse Pijl, the appetiser before the start of the Ardennes Classics. The double Olympic Champion, who completed an altitude training camp in Sierra Nevada with some of his teammates, has competed in the Belgian one-day race only once before, in 2022, when he finished in the top ten after a strong ride.
“I am counting the days until I can race with the guys again for the first time in more than six months. It’s been a long time since my previous outing with the team, but I am happy to be so close to my return. I’ve worked hard all these months, I’ve been on a solid training camp in Spain, and I feel good and motivated for Brabantse. I’m not going there with any specific goals, as the most important thing will be to get the race rhythm back after all this time”, Remco said.
Joining Evenepoel on the Soudal Quick-Step line-up for the 65th edition of Brabantse Pijl will be Pascal Eenkhoorn, Gil Gelders, British Champion Ethan Hayter, Thomas Pesenti – who comes from the Devo Team – Pepijn Reinderink and Pieter Serry, a podium finisher here in 2012.
Running between Beersel and Overijse, over a 162.6km course comprising a total of 21 climbs – some of them featuring cobbles – the race is set to be a demanding one, without a single moment of respite for the riders. The last difficulty of the day will once again be the famous S-Bocht Overijse, coming just before the finish, a hill which averages 4.2% over 1300 meters.
“It’s not a World Tour event, but that doesn’t mean Brabantse Pijl is an easy race. On the contrary, it’s one of the hardest one-day races of the spring, with countless climbs and narrow roads that should make for an action-packed and really tense day. We have a strong team for Friday and we hope to be in the mix and get a good result at the end of the day”, said Soudal Quick-Step sports director Dries Devenyns.
Remco back in the peloton:
The Next Races for Team Picnic PostNL
De Brabantse Pijl – APR 18
Albert Timmer – Team Picnic PostNL coach: “Brabantse Pijl is a demanding race that bridges the gap between the cobbled classics and the Ardennes. It’s a course that rewards sharp positioning and consistent focus throughout the day. For us, it’s a valuable opportunity to keep building our foundations as a group, especially in terms of race positioning and reading the race. With Francesca and Josie, we have two riders who can be up there in the final. They’ll have the freedom to race on instinct and take their opportunities.”
Line-up:
Francesca Barale (ITA)
Ella Heremans (BEL)
Juliana Londoño (COL)
Josie Nelson (GBR)
Esmée Peperkamp (NLD)
Becky Storrie (GBR).
Liège-Bastogne-Liège U23 – APR 19
Bennie Lambregts – Team Picnic PostNL coach: “Liège-Bastogne-Liège U23 is a key race on the calendar for our Development program, and a great test against some of the best young climbers in the world. It’s a long, selective race, full of tough climbs. Our riders know what to expect after a good recon earlier this week, and the motivation within the group is high. We’re looking forward to showing strong teamwork and racing with purpose. It’s a great opportunity to gain experience, and we’re ready to fight for our plan.”
Line-up:
Vincent Bodet (FRA)
Jacob Bush (GBR)
Ko Molenaar (NLD)
Oliver Peace (GBR)
Pavel Sumpik (CZE)
Thom van der Werff (NLD).
Amstel Gold Race Ladies Edition – APR 20
Callum Ferguson – Team Picnic PostNL coach: “Amstel Gold Race is always unpredictable, but we’re lining up with a really strong squad. Marta knows what it takes to win here, and Pfeiffer has been showing solid form week after week. We’ll be aggressive in the pre-final with riders like Francesca, but ultimately we’re aiming to deliver our two finishers Marta and Pfeiffer in the best position for the final. The team is confident and committed and we’re ready for a big day on home roads near our Keep Challenging Center.”
Line-up:
Francesca Barale (ITA)
Marta Cavalli (ITA)
Pfeiffer Georgi (GBR)
Megan Jastrab (USA)
Josie Nelson (GBR)
Mara Roldan (CAN).
Amstel Gold Race – APR 20
Roy Curvers – Team Picnic PostNL coach: “Amstel Gold Race is the only Dutch race on the WorldTour calendar, and that makes it a special one for us. We’ll be proud to wear our Team Picnic PostNL colours on home soil, and we’re motivated to race aggressively and make our presence felt. It’s a great chance to show who we are as a team: ambitious, attacking, and ready to animate the race.”
Line-up:
Warren Barguil (FRA)
Frank van den Broek (NLD)
Romain Combaud
Sean Flynn (GBR)
Enzo Leijnse (NLD)
Kevin Vermaerke (USA)
Timo Roosen (NLD).
Monts et Château Classic – APR 20
Rudi Kemna – Team Picnic PostNL coach: “Monts et Château Classic is a great opportunity for our Development program, and we’re proud to be lining up alongside Dutch Food Valley Cycling Team. It’s a dynamic race over rolling terrain, where early moves can stick and the finale is often unpredictable. We want to race attentively, take initiative where we can, and show our jersey in the right moments. It’s an important experience for our young riders, and we’re looking forward to the challenge.”
Line-up:
Xander Scheldeman (BEL)
Angus Stoneham (GBR)
Thom van der Werff (NLD).
Tour of the Alps – APR 21 – APR 25
Matt Winston – Team Picnic PostNL coach: “We head into Tour of the Alps with a strong and motivated team, blending youth and experience. It’s a great opportunity for three riders from our Development program to support our Men’s program, as we take the final steps toward the Giro with some of the riders here. Coming off a productive altitude camp, we’re aiming to be competitive in the GC over five demanding days. Romain and Max will be our two finishers, looking for chances to fight for stage results and a strong GC come the end of the week.”
Line-up:
Romain Bardet (FRA)
Robbe Dhondt (BEL)
Ryan Gal (NLD)
Chris Hamilton (AUS)
Max Poole (GBR)
Matteo Vanhuffel (BEL)
Jurgen Zomermaand (NLD).
Warren Barguil to Liège:
The ‘Hell of the North’ Claims Many Victims: Broken Bones and Other Injuries
Paris-Roubaix always has many crashes and falls and this year was no different. Julius van den Berg, Ayco Bastiaens and Edward Theuns, and others, suffered serious injuries.
Julius van den Berg of the Picnic PostNL team broke his right collarbone. Ayco Bastiaens of Soudal Quick-Step had to abandon with a fracture of his left collarbone. He underwent surgery in Herentals on Monday, his team announced. Manlio Moro (Movistar) also broke his left collarbone. His countryman and teammate Albert Torres was also in bad shape after a fall, but according to Movistar he okay, but injured his elbow.
Edward Theuns (Lidl-Trek) was taken to the hospital in Valenciennes with a brace round his neck. It is not yet clear what injury the Belgian suffered exactly. His teammate Mathias Vacek fell on his head and underwent a concussion protocol, but still finished the race.
Silvan Dillier (see above story), teammate of winner Mathieu van der Poel, broke his right hand. Pogačar’s teammate, Nils Politt suffered a number of abrasions. The same applies to Matej Mohorič, who fell before the first cobbled section. The Slovenian is also struggling with bruises on his thigh and pelvis. Examination in the hospital didn’t reveal any fractures. This was also the case with Davide Ballerini, who broke his wrist in several places. The Italian of the Astana team has since undergone surgery.
Alec Segaert (Lotto), Niklas Behrens (Visma | Lease a Bike), Colby Simmons (EF Education-EasyPost), Miles Scotson (Arkéa-B&B Hotels), Lukas Kubis and Abram Stockman (Unibet Tietema Rockets) are also known to have crashed during the race, but they all managed finish. Alexander Kristoff couldn’t make it to Roubaix after his crash. It is still unclear what damage the Norwegian sustained (see above).
Stefan Küng also fell hard on one of the cobblestone sections, after which he was run over. The Swiss rider remained on his stomach for a while, but then managed to get back up. He did so with bloody on his face. The leader of Groupama-FDJ, who was fifth in Paris-Roubaix last year, finished 43rd.
Edward Theuns (Lidl-Trek) was taken to hospital with a neck-brace:
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The post EUROTRASH Thursday: Roubaix Round-Up appeared first on PezCycling News.
