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A week to go till the Giro d’Italia, but we have a big sack of EUROTRASH. UCI budget cap for WorldTour balance – TOP STORY. Racing news from the Tour de Romandie with video. Rider news: Romain Bardet talks about the Liège crash, Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl medical up-date, Daniel Martínez sick in Liège, Liège injuries, Egan Bernal returns to Europe, Sonny Colbrelli back on the bike, Magnus Cort hopes to ride the Giro, Nairo Quintana not riding Asturias, Tom Pidcock on the Tour cobbles, Žiga Jerman stops and Thibau Nys to concentrate on cyclo-cross. Team news: John Lelangue on Lotto Soudal’s relegation, W52-FC Porto DS arrested, Jumbo-Visma Giro roster, DSM riders for Eschborn-Frankfurt and 4 Jours de Dunkerque, Fabian Cancellara launches Team Tudor and Lotto Soudal sign two new DS. Race news: Amstel Gold Race to finish in Valkenburg for five years, Maryland Cycling Classic route and Mt. Washington Hillclimb slots. Plus INEOS Grenadiers behind the scenes video from Roubaix. *** Stop the war in Ukraine. ***
TOP STORY: UCI Budget Cap for More WorldTour Balance
The dominance of some wealthy teams in the WorldTour is an increasing concern in cycling. The budgets of INEOS Grenadiers, UAE Team Emirates and Jumbo-Visma are much larger than the money available to the other WorldTour teams. The UCI recognises that this does not benefit the mutual competition in the WorldTour.
“The growing gap in budget differences between different WorldTour teams is indeed a topic on the table,” confirms UCI president David Lappartient said in an interview with WielerFlits.
A table published by Statista last year shows how big the financial gap is between the top teams in the WorldTour. INEOS Grenadiers has 50 million euros and UAE Team Emirates 35 million, while Jumbo-Visma has 27 million euros. At the bottom, Team BikeExchange (10 million euros), Astana Qazaqstan (12 million euros), EF Education-EasyPost (12 million euros) and Lotto Soudal (12 million euros) work with a fraction of the amount of the ‘big three’.
Lappartient emphasises that this issue is also discussed within the AIGCP (the association of men’s professional road cycling teams). “It is true that we are currently discussing with the AIGCP to get more balance among the WorldTour teams,” said Lappartient. “A budget ceiling or salary cap, these are things that are discussed. We are not yet ready to go into the details.”
“It’s more that we put the pain points on the table with the teams. We are now preparing a road map to jointly tackle these problems in the coming years. This is definitely an item on the agenda, because we don’t want all the good riders to be in a few teams. There must be a balanced battlefield.”
Although Lappartient also wants to congratulate the three top teams mentioned. “Yes, it’s great that they manage to get such a nice budget and be so successful.”
INEOS – Too much money?
Tour de Romandie 2022
Ethan Hayter won the Prologue of the Tour de Romandie on Tuesday. In Lausanne, the INEOS Grenadiers rider covered the 5.1 kilometre route in 5:52, almost 4 seconds faster than Rohan Dennis (Jumbo-Visma). Felix Großschartner finished third at 9 seconds.
Like the previous editions, the Tour de Romandie started with a prologue from the Stade de la Tuilière, home to FC Lausanne-Sport football club, the route looped round the city taking in the Pontaise velodrome and the regional airport. The finish is after 5.1 kilometres back at the stadium. The 20-year-old home rider Dario Lillo, was the first rider down the start ramp.
Lillo had the fastest time for a while, until Maximilian Schachmann set the next fastest time. The German all-rounder, who has been recovering from covid, finished with a time of 6:05 minutes and was the first to go faster than 50kph. In the first half hour, his time was equaled by Italian champion Matteo Sobrero. At the end of the first hour there was a new top time set by Felix Großschartner, who stopped the clock after 6:02. Großschartner led the race for a long time, until Ethan Hayter appeared. The INEOS Grenadiers rider was more than 9 seconds faster with 5:52. Rohan Dennis was the closest at 4 seconds. Hayter’s teammate, Geraint Thomas, the winner in Romandie last year, clocked a good time, but had to be satisfied with fourth in the same time as Großschartner.
The 23-year-old Hayter is in his third professional season and this is his first win at WorldTour level, although he has had successes in .1 races and ProSeries races. This season he won a stage and the points classification in the Settimana Internazionale Coppi e Bartali and was fourth in the Volta ao Algarve. The young British rider had great successes on the track during his career. In 2018 he was World champion in the team pursuit and three years later in the omnium. Thomas was the best of the GC riders with his fourth place and promising climber Juan Ayuso, fifth in the Tour of Catalonia, Brandon McNulty, second in the Volta ao Algarve, and Aleksandr Vlasov, third in the Tour of the Basque Country, were able to limit the damage. Sergio Higuita, the overall winner of the Tour of Catalonia, Thibaut Pinot, Steven Kruijswijk and Michael Woods all lost time on the first day.
Prologue winner and overall leader, Ethan Hayter (INEOS Grenadiers): “I’ve had few setbacks at the start of the year, so I’ve taken a bit of a break from racing and gone away and trained really hard. To come back like this is really nice. This TT suited me, I thought I’d give it a crack and it worked out well. It’s been a while since I’ve last been racing, so it was a shock to the system! I spent a lot of time at 600w on the uphill drags and I actually cornered quite fast too. I went out hard and pushed on a few of the corners, though I took the last one quite steady as I was hitting 70kph. G did a really good TT as well today and it’s looking good for the week ahead. We’d like to win as many stages as possible this week as well as the GC too.”
2nd, Rohan Dennis (Jumbo-Visma): “I have to be satisfied with my race, of course I would have preferred to win but I can’t blame myself and I gave everything. Today one rider was stronger. Hats off to Ethan. I didn’t take the last corners well. I gave everything in the first few kilometres. I was a little dizzy at the end of the prologue, but I think Ethan was hard to beat today. The form for the rest of this tour is definitely there.”
3rd, Felix Großschartner (BORA-hansgrohe): “I am very happy with my result in today’s prologue. I know that I am not necessarily a bad time trialist, but I am a little surprised that I was able to finish third in such a prologue. After my injuries in the first part of the season, this result is a nice confirmation of my form and I’m really looking forward to the next days here.”
4th, Geraint Thomas (INEOS Grenadiers): “It’s a funny feeling doing a prologue like that, especially after Liege on Sunday, I felt ok but I felt like I lacked that little bit at the end. I’m happy with it, I gave everything and it’s great that Ethan won. My shape is a lot better than a few months ago improving all the time. we’ll see how this week goes. I want to try and win the race again, but there’s a lot of strong guys here – we’ll see at the weekend. Form-wise, I’m still on the way up, but we’ll give it a good go and we’ve got other guys who can be in the mix on GC too.”
Tour de Romandie Stage 1 Prologue:
1. Ethan Hayter (GB) INEOS Grenadiers in 5:52
2. Rohan Dennis (Aus) Jumbo-Visma at 0:04
3. Felix Großschartner (Aust) BORA-hansgrohe at 0:10
4. Geraint Thomas (GB) INEOS Grenadiers
5. Maximilian Schachmann (Ger) BORA-hansgrohe at 0:13
6. Matteo Sobrero (Ita) BikeExchange-Jayco
7. Ethan Vernon (GB) Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl at 0:14
8. Georg Steinhauser (Ger) EF Education-EasyPost
9. Mauro Schmid (Swi) Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl
10. Juan Ayuso (Spa) UAE Team Emirates.
Tour de Romandie Overall After Prologue:
1. Ethan Hayter (GB) INEOS Grenadiers in 5:52
2. Rohan Dennis (Aust) Jumbo-Visma at 0:04
3. Felix Großschartner (Aus) BORA-hansgrohe at 0:10
4. Geraint Thomas (GB) INEOS Grenadiers
5. Maximilian Schachmann (Ger) BORA-hansgrohe at 0:13
6. Matteo Sobrero (Ita) BikeExchange-Jayco
7. Ethan Vernon (GB) Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl at 0:14
8. Georg Steinhauser (Ger) EF Education-EasyPost
9. Mauro Schmid (Swi) Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl
10. Juan Ayuso (Spa) UAE Team Emirates.
Romandie’22 prologue:
Stage 1 of the Tour de Romandie was won by Dylan Teuns on Wednesday. The Belgian of Bahrain Victorious was the winner after 178 kilometres with the difficult finish in Romont. He managed to beat Rohan Dennis who had attacked at the end. The Australian is the new overall leader.
The break of the day consisted of five men: Tim Naberman (DSM), Julius Johansen (Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert), Thomas Champion (Cofidis), Antoine Debons and Valère Thiébaud (Swiss National team). The Spaniard Carlos García of Equipo Kern Pharma counter-attacked, but was stuck in between. He never made it to the leading group and was caught by the peloton.
Laurens De Plus controlled the pack for INEOS Grenadiers. He allowed the difference to the leaders to fluctuate between 3 and 4 minutes. At the start of the last circuit around the Romont finish, the difference was reduced to 1 minute. The circuit was 46.5 kilometres long and had a categorised climb, the Massonnens (2.1km at 6.1%). Just before the Massonnens was another climb (2.6km at 5.3%), but it was not an official climb. The last kilometre to the finish-line in Romont had an average gradient of 7%. Champion and Debons held off the leaders the longest. They dropped the others 35 kilometres from the finish, but were caught not much later. INEOS Grenadiers carried on setting the pace, but GC leader Ethan Hayter was constantly at the back of the peloton. As the final approached, the pace increased and that also caused some nervousness, as many teams were looking for a place at the front. A big crash was the result at 14 kilometres from the finish, with Hayter as the biggest victim along with Steven Kruijswijk, Ion Izagirre and Rigoberto Urán.
A considerably thinned out peloton, including the virtual leader Rohan Dennis, went in the direction of the last ten kilometres. Rémi Cavagna tried to take advantage of that situation by attacking more than five kilometres from the finish. The French champion immediately opened a gap, but several teams did not let that happen and charged him two kilometres before the finish. It therefore had to happen in the ascending last kilometre. Juan Ayuso started with an early attack, followed by Rohan Dennis and Dylan Teuns. The Jumbo-Visma Australian from managed to catch Ayuso and rode away from them. He started the final straight with a good lead, but there was a steep finish. Dennis came to a near stop in the last 100 metres and was passed in the final 10 metres by Teuns, who took the stage win, but Dennis managed to take the overall lead. Marc Hirschi was third on the stage, ahead of Aleksandr Vlasov and Quinten Hermans.
Stage winner and 4th overall, Dylan Teuns (Bahrain Victorious): “At 450 meters from the finish I was already sprinting at full speed. When I looked at the profile, I knew this would be a finish that was made for me. My teammates said that too, because two or three years ago this finish was in the race. And when we crossed the finish line here (1st lap), I immediately believed in my chances. But you still have to wait until the last time. Rohan Dennis’ attack surprised me. He went from very far. I wanted to counter his attack, but he had a gap of several meters. As a result, I had to sprint early and went full throttle 450 meters before the finish. I was confident, but I also knew that timing would be very important. I initially wanted to be in the front for the last two corners, but then I was already chasing full force. I still had to close the gap in the last 100 metres. That was very tough. We have to see, and watch it day by day.”
Overall leader and 2nd on the stage, Rohan Dennis (Jumbo-Visma): “I gave everything, but in the last hundred meters I was empty. Initially I followed Brandon McNulty’s acceleration and despite it hurting I felt I could go a little faster. I hoped to be able to create a gap with that, so that I was sure that I would at least be on the podium. A few metres less and I would have won, but I am happy with the result. The team did a great job today.”
3rd on the stage, Marc Hirschi (UAE Team Emirates): “It was a hard day with a lot of up and down terrain. We took a good position in the last 30km with Fernando and Ivo and we arrived with Brandon myself and Ayuso at the base of the last climb. Brandon attacked from the bottom and then we followed any counter moves. I had good legs so was able to do a decent sprint but I couldn’t go any better than top-3 today. I’m happy enough with it and we have many guys in good shape here so it’s looking good for the next days.”
Tour de Romandie Stage 1 Result:
1. Dylan Teuns (Bel) Bahrain-Victorious in 4:23:58
2. Rohan Dennis (Aus) Jumbo-Visma
3. Marc Hirschi (Swi) UAE Team Emirates at 0:02
4. Aleksandr Vlasov (-) BORA-hansgrohe
5. Quinten Hermans (Bel) Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux
6. Ben O’Connor (Aus) AG2R Citroën at 0:04
7. Damiano Caruso (Ita) Bahrain-Victorious
8. Juan Ayuso (Spa) UAE Team Emirates
9. Steff Cras (Bel) Lotto Soudal
10. Mauro Schmid (Swi) Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl.
Tour de Romandie Overall After Stage 1:
1. Rohan Dennis (Aus) Jumbo-Visma in 4:29:48
2. Felix Großschartner (Aust) BORA-hansgrohe at 0:16
3. Geraint Thomas (GB) INEOS Grenadiers
4. Dylan Teuns (Bel) Bahrain-Victorious at 0:18
5. Mauro Schmid (Swi) Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl at 0:20
6. Juan Ayuso (Spa) UAE Team Emirates
7. Mikkel Frølich Honoré (Den) Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl
8. Patrick Bevin (NZ) Israel-Premier Tech at 0:22
9. Aleksandr Vlasov (-) BORA-hansgrohe at 0:23
10. Brandon McNulty (USA) UAE Team Emirates.
Romandie’22 stage 1:
Romain Bardet: “Mass Crash Makes me Think About our Responsibilities”
Romain Bardet has expressed his concerns about the common responsibilities of the riders in the peloton in a social media post. The French climber did this following the massive crash in Liège-Bastogne-Liège, 62 kilometres from the finish, in which World champion Julian Alaphilippe was injured, among others.
Bardet still finds it difficult to think about the crash a day after the race. “It is still difficult to put into words what happened yesterday, the devastation of faces and injured bodies after that fall. I think of Julian, but also all the other boys who were badly hit and who saw their lives go by, when at over 70 an hour the roar of the pack gave way to chaos, sound of creaking material and screaming.”
Although the 31-year-old French rider was also involved in the fall, he did not hesitate for a moment to help Julian Alaphilippe who was in great pain in a deep ditch. It gave the climber of Team DSM heartwarming reactions. “I’m very moved by all the reports, but I actually think anyone in that situation would have done the same – there’s no more competition when health is at stake.”
The massive crash has made the winner of the Tour of the Alps think. “Apart from the immediate consequences, this makes me think about our common responsibilities to prevent accidents like this, which could have ended tragically, about the respect we have to show each other, as riders. I’ve seen everything happen. I was just behind Tom Pidcock and Jérémy Cabot when they collided.”
“The responsibility you have when you take risks to get to the front can have serious consequences for the 100 guys behind you,” he continued. “I don’t blame anyone, let alone that I have a monopoly on the truth. It’s just that you put your heart and soul into a sport – a passion for racing that can turn tragic in a flash and hinder the beauty of the sport. I wish all affected riders a speedy recovery.”
Bardet went to help Alaphilippe:
Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl Medical Up-date
Following the crash at Liège–Bastogne–Liège, we have news on the condition of Julian Alaphilippe and Ilan Van Wilder.
Ilan underwent an operation to correct the damage sustained to his jaw, which was performed by Dr Pieter-Jan Van Bever. The doctors where happy with how the procedure went and he has returned home for a period of recuperation. Unfortunately, the nature of the injury and procedure means that he will be unable to take part in the forthcoming Giro d’Italia.
As previously reported, Julian sustained two broken ribs, a broken scapula and a hemo pneumothorax. The complexity of his condition means that a period of further observation will be required before a recovery pathway will be decided. He will remain in the hospital in Herentals for the time being. Everyone from Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl would like to thank the medical team at Herentals for the care shown to Ilan and Julian.
Julian’s cousin and trainer Franck Alaphilippe gave an interview to L’Équipe with an update from the hospital. “He was still in a lot of pain, but he wasn’t in a down mood at all.”
Franck Alaphilippe was very concerned when he saw the Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl World Champion lying in the ditch next to a tree on the TV footage. “But when I saw him (via a video connection) I was reassured again,” he said. “But he was also joking right away. The joker as I know him,” said Franck about his cousin. “Obviously he is seriously injured. The blow was very big. Fifty centimetres further on, I would have avoided that tree and jumped back on the bike,” he said. To put it in his words, “I had to hit this tree.”
The serious injuries have sidelined Alaphilippe for the time being. He was supposed to go on an altitude training camp in the Sierra Nevada, in the run-up to the Critérium du Dauphiné and the Tour de France, but that program has already been changed. The season of the World champion has not gone well. According to Franck, every rider has a bad year at some point. “Julian is right in the middle of that. He has always had difficult periods, but a dark period like never before.”
“Since the beginning of this year he has suffered from colds, bronchitis, he has had the flu and he has fallen three times, and in less than two months. But now that I’ve seen him, I have a feeling that this situation is going to make him stronger. This will give him more mental toughness and he will be even more determined than before. We can’t give a recovery date yet, but I’m very optimistic for the rest of the season.”
Alaphilippe out for a while:
Daniel Martínez Celebrated in Liège Despite Stomach Pain
Daniel Felipe Martínez achieved the best result of his career in one of the five monuments in Liège-Bastogne-Liège on Sunday. In the first group behind winner Remco Evenepoel, the Colombian narrowly missed a podium place to finish fourth. In the morning it didn’t look like he would ride such a good race.
“It was a tough day. In the morning I woke up a bit sick, I didn’t feel like myself and during the race I had a stomachache and I had to go to the team manager’s car a few times,” said the Colombian, winner of the Tour of the Basque Country and fifth in Flèche Wallonne. He was not the only one who was not feeling well, as Carlos Rodríguez and Omar Fraile also suffered from illness.
Despite the circumstances, and all the stress and crashes in the race, Martínez felt good on the countless climbs between Bastogne and Liège. “I managed to react to the attacks of my rivals. However, at La Redoute I had a mechanical problem and had to stop for a while, but Remco Evenepoel was already attacking and I had to wait for the other teams to check the situation. Remco, however, was very strong and remained clear.”
Sports director Gabriel Rasch would have preferred a few more men in the final. “We had some guys with a stomach problem that we weren’t 100% sure about. I think if we had more riders in the final maybe we could have done more but it is what it is. We were not far from the podium and Dani did a really good sprint. In the end we have to be happy with our performance.”
The Liège sprint for 2nd place:
Élie Gesbert, Jérémy Cabot and Dorian Godon suffer fractures in Liège-Bastogne-Liège
Liège-Bastogne-Liège did not leave the peloton unscathed. A massive fall and several minor falls resulted in various injuries. In addition to Julian Alaphilippe, who broke several ribs and his shoulder blade, and Ilan Van Wilder’s jaw fracture, there were many riders who left the race with injuries.
Arkéa Samsic’s Élie Gesbert had to abandon after the big crash. The French rider was taken to hospital and was found to have suffered a pelvic fracture. “A fracture of the right acetabulum was discovered in the hospital. As a result, I will be forced out for a few weeks,” he said via social media. His teammate Łukasz Owsian left the race after crashing into a road sign. The Polish rider had a dislocated left shoulder.
TotalEnergies will not have Jérémy Cabot for a few weeks. The French rider suffered a broken left collarbone and will need surgery. “I had fiery legs, was well placed and had a space in front of me, but I hit a wheel and smashed my collarbone in three pieces,” he wrote on social media. He is very grateful to one of his teammates. “Many thanks to Fabien Grellier for staying with me for a long time and for sacrificing his own race, when the shock left me unable to move.”
EF Education-EasyPost took eighth place with Neilson Powless in Liège-Bastogne-Liège, but otherwise it was a bad race for the American team. In the big crash 62 kilometres from the finish, the team lost five men in one go. Ruben Guerreiro injured his knee and Odd Christian Eiking sustained injuries to the elbow and wrist, both had x-rays. With Simon Carr, Ben Healy and Rigoberto Urán, the damage wasn’t as bad.
At AG2R Citroën, Dorian Godon will be sidelined for some time. The 25-year-old rider was also involved in the big crash and broke his left collarbone. He also suffered a fracture to his right wrist. Godon was having a solid season. This month he was second in La Route Adélie de Vitré, fifth in the Tour du Jura and fifteenth in the Brabantse Pijl.
The big Liège crash with 62 kilometres to go:
Egan Bernal Returns to Europe for Next Phase of Recovery
Egan Bernal will soon return to Europe to work on the next stage of his recovery after his serious training accident in January. The Colombian has recently been cycling in his native country, including a virtual bike ride with his fans and his first serious training runs out-doors.
Bernal announced his return to Europe in conversation with Bici.PRO. After crossing the Atlantic, he will take the next step in his training and continue his recovery after his accident under the care of the specialists in his team INEOS Grenadiers.
The winner of the 2019 Tour de France and the 2021 Giro d’Italia had asked his team if he could attend the presentation of his EB Project before his return, this is his own team with riders in the youth, juniors and U23 categories. “I was waiting for this project. They gave me permission and were patient.” At the moment, no date has been set for his return to the pack.
Egan Bernal back to Europe:
Sonny Colbrelli Medical Update
Following Colbrelli’s successful operation on March 31st, the Italian rider has continued to undergo further medical check at the Sports Cardiology Unit of the University of Padua.
The clinical examinations have shown further improvement of cardiovascular health clearing Colbrelli to start taking up leisure rides and light physical activity.
The priority remains to continually monitor his condition with a close follow up in the coming months to secure his safety and resumption of regular life activities.
Colbrelli can cycle again:
Cort Hopes to Return to Giro After a Collarbone Fracture
Magnus Cort is on the mend. The Dane hopes to resume the racing in the Giro d’Italia after his collarbone fracture. “It looks good for the Giro. The recovery is going well and I think I can start in good shape,” he said.
The EF rider had a scan of his hand and collarbone in Barcelona last week to be sure of his recovery. “I don’t have my full strength back yet, but it’s strong enough to pick up racing again. Over the past few weeks I have been training a lot in Andorra with Mikkel Bjerg, who is also returning from injury. When I start in the Giro, I won’t be 100% yet, but in the past I have shown that I can grow in a race.”
Cort can complete a trilogy in the Giro by winning a stage in all three Grand Tours. He won a stage in the Tour in 2018 and six stage wins in the Vuelta in 2016, 2020 and 2021, and now possibly in the Giro in 2022. “Hopefully the team selects me.”
Magnus Cort:
Nairo Quintana Not Riding Vuelta Asturias After Crash in Turkey
Nairo Quintana has removed the Vuelta Asturias from its program, according to the Colombian newspaper EFE. Quintana won the Spanish three-day race in 2021, but will not start this Friday. He is still recovering from injuries sustained in a crash in the Tour of Turkey.
The Colombian crashed during the second stage of the Turkish race and abandoned on day five with “severe abrasions to the back and the entire left side of his body.” On stage four, the Queen stage, the 32-year-old had finished fourth. Earlier this season, Quintana won the Tour de la Provence and the Tour des Alpes Maritimes et du Var, finished fifth in Paris-Nice and fourth in the Tour of Catalonia, giving his team Arkéa-Samsic some well needed UCI points.
This year’s Vuelta Asturias starts on Friday 29th April and finishes on Sunday 1st May. Last year Quintana won the final overall of the Vuelta Asturias and also took a stage. It is unknown when the Colombian will return to action. The Tour de France and the Vuelta a España are on his program for this season.
Quintana injured:
Tom Pidcock Explores Cobbles Stage of the Tour de France
The day after Liège-Bastogne-Liège, Tom Pidcock explored the cobbles stage of the Tour de France. The INEOS Grenadiers rider rode over the French cobbles together with teammate Michal Kwiatkowski. This was strange as it was the intention that the British super talent would participate in next week’s Giro d’Italia.
The 22-year-old rider from Leeds in England has already competed in many races this season. After a winter in cyclo-cross, where he took the World title, Pidcock soon got back to work on the road. The Briton rode almost all the spring classics, and according to his team, he would now work towards the Tour of Italy. The exploration of the cobbled stage of the Tour seems odd under the circumstances, although this says nothing about a possible participation. If Pidcock were to participate in the Tour de France, this would be his debut. Last year he ride the Vuelta a España, but he played no significant role.
In the first week of the Tour there is a stage from Lille to Wallers-Arenberg, with eleven cobblestone sections, almost 20 kilometres of cobbles. Five of those eleven sections have never been included in any race before, not even in Paris-Roubaix. There has been hints about a possible Tour participation by Pidcock since Egan Bernal’s training crash.
More cobbles for Pidcock:
Žiga Jerman – Friend of Tadej Pogačar Stops Racing
Žiga Jerman has retired form cycle racing. The 23-year-old Slovenian cyclist was a pro with Androni Giocattoli-Sidermec last year and rode for the small Ljubljana Gusto Santic in the first months of this year, previously he had ridden for the Groupana-FDJ continentale team for 2019 and 2020 and rode for the WorldTeam as a stagiere at the end of 2019.
Jerman had a promising future. As a 19-year-old rider he won the Gent-Wevelgem for U23s ahead of Jake Stewart, Andreas Kron, Jasper Philipsen and Marc Hirschi, but not much after that. “Everything that is beautiful comes to an end,” he said on his social media. “I want to thank everyone who was there for me through good times and bad. I feel really honoured. Cycling, thank you!”
Jerman is one of Tadej Pogačar’s best friends. The two riders were born in the same year and in the youth categories they rode for the same team. “Together with Matej Mercun, we rode for Pog for years and grew into best friends. After the season we always hang out together. We then go somewhere to play football or go on a mountain bike ride. Tadej is a very nice boy, someone you can trust blindly.”
Žiga Jerman retires:
Under 23 European Road Champion to Concentrate on Cyclo-Cross
The 2022 World road championships at the end of September will be without Belgian Thibau Nys, according to national coach Sven Vanthourenhout. Nys has already withdrawn from the U23 World championships, because he wants to focus on the cyclo-cross season.
Vanthourenhout informed Het Nieuwsblad that there is a good chance that Nys junior, the reigning European U23 champion, will miss Australia. “I had a conversation with him a few weeks ago in which he indicated that he wanted to complete a full cyclo-cross season one more time. Since the World Cup rounds in the United States are scheduled for a few weeks later, the combination became difficult to achieve,” said the national coach.
The first race on the calendar of the 2022-2023 cyclo-cross World Cup is scheduled for October 9 in Waterloo, USA. That is an important cross for Nys and his team Baloise Trek Lions, because it takes place at the headquarters of bike manufacturer Trek. A week later is the World Cup in Fayetteville.
The future of Thibau Nys already seems to be fixed. Trek-Segafredo will offer him an opportunity as an stagiere with the WorldTeam in autumn this year. There is a chance that the 19 year-old cross rider will then transfer to the WorldTeam in 2023, but first a full winter of cross.
European U23 road champion – Thibau Nys:
John Lelangue on Lotto Soudal’s Relegation Concerns
After the classic spring, Lotto Soudal is still has relegation worries, but team manager John Lelangue holds hopes of staying at the highest level. “The season is still long,” he told Sporza. According to him, it is not the intention that Lotto Soudal would now race defensively.
Lotto Soudal took 52 points on the UCI Team Ranking. The team is in twentieth place, well behind the ‘safe’ eighteenth place of Cofidis. Because of long-term injuries, which make it difficult for the team to continue to complete the planned program. Reinardt Janse van Rensburg and Carlos Barbero have joined the team, this is necessary, because in the battle for promotion and relegation, the team need as much help as they can get to gain UCI points.
“We know that a lot can change in just one or two good weeks,” Lelangue reacted to Lotto Soudal’s situation. “At the beginning of the season, the focus was on the competition from Cofidis and Arkéa-Samsic. Now we see other teams getting into trouble such as Israel-Premier Tech, Movistar or EF-EasyPost. However, they had started the season with a lead. But a lot can happen.”
In the spring, Lotto Soudal had problems partly due to illness and bad luck with leader Caleb Ewan, who missed Milan-San Remo, the Minerva Classic Brugge-De Panne and Gent-Wevelgem. The team’s chances had to mainly come from attacks. “We know that we often had to try before the real final, because you fall short against guns like Pogačar or Van Aert. But whether we should therefore play defensive catenaccio? No, we must continue to race with bravado. We are still racing to win, not to take points.”
Nevertheless, Lelangue is thinking of relegation from the WorldTour. “But there are examples of ProTeams that can ride all WorldTour races with wildcards, just look at Alpecin-Fenix,” he points out.
The CEO of Lotto Soudal is confident that his team will receive wildcards in that case. “Prestige of being the first, second, third or fourth Belgian team in the peloton doesn’t concern us. The goal of this team is to offer young Belgian talents opportunities and help them to grow. We have always done that.”
Lotto Soudal needs more wins:
W52-FC Porto Sports Directeur Arrested in Doping Case
A DS of the continental team W52-FC Porto, former professional cyclist Nuno Ribeiro, has been arrested during a doping investigation by the judicial police of Portugal, reported Marca.
The judicial police said in a statement that they had made two arrests as part of the operation ‘Prova Limpa’, which aims to ‘detect prohibited methods and illegal substances that can falsify the sporting truth in professional cycling events’. Although authorities have not released the identities of those arrested, local media suggest that one of them is Nuno Ribeiro, sports director of W52-FC Porto.
The continental team was at the start of the Grande Premio O Jogo on Saturday, a four-day national tour with a prologue and three road stages. The entire team did not start Sunday’s penultimate stage. According to the police, searches were carried out in various regions of the country, targeting managers, athletes and facilities of one of the participating teams.
Several substances and clinical instruments “used during the athletes’ training and influencing their athletic performance” were seized. The operation, involving 120 officers from different units of the judicial police, was carried out in collaboration with the Portuguese Anti-Doping Agency. The suspects are being brought to justice and the investigation continues.
Former professional cyclist Nuno Ribeiro:
Giro 2022: Sam Oomen Third Leader at Jumbo-Visma
In addition to Tom Dumoulin and Tobias Foss, Sam Oomen is to be a leader of Team Jumbo-Visma for the GC at the Giro d’Italia, sports director Merijn Zeeman told VeloNews. Initially, only Dumoulin, overall winner in 2017, and Foss, ninth last year, were designated as top men for the team.
For Oomen, who is in his second year at Jumbo-Visma, it will be his fourth participation in the Giro d’Italia. In 2018, the 26-year-old rider was part of the Team Sunweb squad that helped Dumoulin to second place. He himself finished ninth. In 2019, the Dutchman didn’t make it to the finish and in 2020 he finished 21st, while his teammates Jai Hindley and Wilco Kelderman finished on the podium.
Oomen is having a solid season. In February he started the new year with the Tour of Valencia. After three days, he was in eleventh place, until Jumbo-Visma withdrew from the race due to some positive corona tests. After that, Oomen also rode the diptych Ardèche-Drôme. In March he managed to work his way up to tenth place in the final classification of the Tour of Catalonia. Last weekend he was 32nd in Liège-Bastogne-Liège.
In the Giro, Oomen can now share the leadership with Foss and Dumoulin. For Dumoulin, it will be his first participation since the 2019 edition, when he had to stop after five stages. “Together with Foss and Oomen, he will be one of the GC riders for the team. He is in Tenerife with the team and things are going well. I’m actually confident that he will do well in the Giro,” said sports director Merijn Zeeman.
Zeeman does not want to put too much pressure on Dumoulin. “It’s always better to leave expectations at home. In the Netherlands everyone expects great things from him, but it is his first Grand Tour again (his first since the Vuelta a España 2020) and again for the first time that he is going for a classification. There are guys who have now proven that they are at a higher level, think of João Almeida. He is one step ahead of Tom, but I am curious what he can do.”
Since Dumoulin took some time away from cycling at the beginning of last season, he went alone in the Benelux Tour for a classification. He ended up ninth there. “It is also unknown to us how he will do in three weeks. We did it with him once last year but then he had a wrist injury. He’s a special one, that’s for sure. And that makes it all exciting to watch.”
Zeeman noted that Dumoulin did not have a good start to the season, despite a third place in the individual time trial of the UAE Tour. He then left the Tour of Catalonia early, was sixth in the Volta Limburg Classic and thirtieth in the Amstel Gold Race. “It actually started well with that time trial, but then he got some back problems and then he struggled with corona. He wished for a different start to the year, but he hasn’t always been a spring rider.”
Jumbo-Visma will start the Giro in an underdog role in May, Zeeman continues. “But that means we can gamble a bit and we’ll see how it goes after the first rest day. If one of the three leaders is really good, we’ll go for that one, but they will all start as GC riders and then we’ll see how they perform.” The Giro starts on Friday, May 6 in Budapest, Hungary, and runs until Sunday, May 29.
Sam Oomen to be a leader at the Giro:
Eschborn-Frankfurt – MAY 01
Rudi Kemna – Team DSM coach: “Next weekend we head to Germany for Frankfurt (add proper race name). For us it’s always an important, nice race on our calendar and after a solid classics period, we start with John as our finisher. He has some good support there in a well rounded team, who can compliment a combination of outcomes as we hunt for a good team result.”
Line-up:
Cees Bol (NED)
John Degenkolb (GER)
Nico Denz (GER)
Mark Donovan (GBR)
Leon Heinschke (GER)
Marius Mayrhofer (GER)
Frederik Rodenberg Madsen (DEN).
4 Jours de Dunkerque – MAY 03 – MAY 08
Roy Curvers – Team DSM coach: “We look forward to 4 Jours of Dunkerque which gives us six opportunities to go for stage results. We start with a young group of riders who find here a perfect race to take steps in their development. With a couple of stages most likely ending in a bunch sprint we aim to build further on the process we started in Turkey and set up a good lead out to put Sam as our finisher in a good position to conquer for stage wins. Whilst in the more demanding stages we want to race aggressive and hunt for attacks.”
Line-up:
Nils Eekhoff (NED)
Jonas Iversby Hvideberg (NOR)
Enzo Leijnse (NED)
Niklas Märkl (GER)
Max Poole (GBR)
Sam Welsford (AUS).
Degenkilb to Eschborn-Frankfurt:
Fabian Cancellara Launches New Swiss Professional Team Tudor
Partnering with cyclist Fabian Cancellara, winner of multiple Olympic and World Championships, Swiss watchmaker TUDOR brings its founding daring spirit to the professional cycling world, charting a course that will impact many aspects of this exciting global sport.
TUDOR is going pro! TUDOR and Swiss cycling legend Fabian Cancellara are joining forces to summit the top level of international cycling with a new team. TUDOR’s signature is #Borntodare, it tells the story of the watchmaking vision of the founder of the brand, Hans Wilsdorf, and how that vision was brought to life… daringly. The TUDOR Pro Cycling Team will embody this distinctly daring perspective, combining TUDOR’s no-compromise attitude and history of innovation with Cancellara’s unparalleled experience and vision. At the core of the vision is a human-centric approach to cycling, a sport known for its punishing physical and psychological challenges. TUDOR and Cancellara envision a team motivated by pushing themselves to be better every single day, facing their fears, and daring to go beyond perceived limits. Performance is the ultimate measure of success, but how you get to the finish line matters just as much as when you get there. Guided by Cancellara, The TUDOR Pro Cycling Team will develop a roster of skilled cyclists who embody these ideals, shared values, and team spirit, going well beyond the current field of known competitors.
The sleek black jerseys of The TUDOR Pro Cycling Team will be adorned with simple red TUDOR shields on front and back. The focus will be on the athletes, their pursuit of success, and the road that lies ahead of them. Likewise, the team’s equipment will be based on the expertise of Swiss cycling companies, including the team’s main technical partner, BMC premium bikes. There will be no mistaking who this team is and who they ride for.
As with all good things, it will take time for The TUDOR Pro Cycling Team to reach its full potential of capturing podiums in the world’s greatest cycling races. However, the journey begins with the very first TUDOR Pro Cycling Team taking their saddles for the Paris-Roubaix U23 race on May 15, 2022. The team will continue to compete in the UCI Continental class for the remainder of the 2022 season, setting the tone for what lies ahead.
From there, the team will apply and gear up for the 2023 UCI ProTeam season with the goal of qualifying for the world’s most famous and prestigious races by the 2024 season. The TUDOR Pro Cycling Team will also maintain a development structure for scouting and developing the next generation of cyclists.
It’s time to dare. It’s time to lead. It’s time to win. #BornToDare.
The Tudor Pro Cyclingteam Info:
Status: Swiss Licence, UCI Continental Level
Riders:
Alex Baudin (France, 22), Nils Brun (Switzerland, 22), Aloïs Charrin (France, 22), Filippo Colombo (Switzerland, 25), Robin Donzé (Switzerland, 20), Ruben Eggenberg (Switzerland, 22), Sean Flynn (Great Britain, 22), Robin Froidevaux (Switzerland, 24), Petr Kelemen (Czech Republic, 22), Jakob Klahre (Switzerland, 21), Lorenzo Rinaldi (Italy, 19), Arnaud Tendon (Switzerland, 20), Loris Trastour (France, 21), Alex Vogel (Switzerland, 23), Yannis Voisard (Switzerland, 24), Fabian Weiss (Switzerland, 20).
Staff:
General Manager: Thibault Hofer
Head of Sports: Sylvain Blanquefort
Head Trainer: Guillaume Bonnafond
Head Soigneur: Clément Ceyret
Head Mechanic: Simon Lepoittevin-Dubost
Service Course: Simon Meier
Team Doctor: Andreas Gösele
Governing Entity: Sette Sports, CEO Raphael Meyer
Sponsors & Partners:
Main Sponsor: TUDOR Watches
Patronage: Fabian Cancellara
Main Technical Partner: BMC Switzerland
Group sets & components: SRAM
Wheels: DT Swiss
Tires: Schwalbe
Nutrition: Eurosport Nutrition
Helmets: ABUS
Cycling Apparel: CUORE of Switzerland
Casual Wear: Strellson
Glasses: Ride 100%
Saddles & bar tape: Selle Italia
Turbos & computers: Wahoo
Training Software: TrainingPeaks
Bike Care: MucOff
Events: Chasing Cancellara
Medical Care & Follow up: Cross Klinik Basel.
Race Program, Main Upcoming Events 2022:
15.05 Paris Roubaix Espoirs / 11-18.06 Giro D’Italia Giovanni / 22-26.06 Swiss National Championships.
Lotto Soudal Signs South African Champion Janse van Rensburg and Experienced Barbero
Belgian WorldTour team Lotto Soudal will add Carlos Barbero and Reinardt Janse van Rensburg to the roster until the end of the year. The duo will give the team more depth and adds the necessary experience.
As from the first of May Janse van Rensburg and Barbero will be able to ride for Lotto Soudal. Both were without a team from the first of January, but never gave up on their chances of finding a WorldTour team. They kept training and living as pro cyclists for the entire time. Janse van Rensburg became national road champion of South Africa last February.
Janse van Rensburg: ‘I have always looked at this team full of admiration’
“I am very happy with this opportunity”, says Janse van Rensburg. “After last season I have prepared myself as I have always done, even though I did not have a team. Of course, sometimes it was difficult to keep making all the sacrifices without knowing if I would be able to race at the highest level. But luckily, all those sacrifices are rewarded now. I am very motivated to make something good out of this. A period like I have had just now, makes you value the life of a pro cyclist even more.”
The fast Janse van Rensburg is ready to make his contribution to Lotto Soudal right away. “I am physically and mentally completely race-ready and I am looking forward to competing again. Lotto Soudal is a team full of youngsters which I have always followed with great admiration. I hope to make my experience of good use with the younger riders, while also getting some results myself.”
Barbero: ‘I always kept believing’
Also Carlos Barbero never lost faith after his former team had to quit at the end of last year. During training, the Spaniard still gives it his all and is able to push the power numbers he was getting last year. “You have to keep believing”, says Barbero. “And so I have always done, even though it was difficult at times. I am ready to prove straight away that I am worth this opportunity. Both by sharing my experience as in getting my own results.”
Barbero is happy with the chance that Lotto Soudal offers him. “The history of this team is impressive. With Valls, Pujol and Reynes there even were some other Spaniards here as well. I am looking forward to being a part of this beautiful team myself.”
Lelangue: ‘Two experienced, motivated riders that are race-ready’
The duo adds depth and experience to the Lotto Soudal roster. “Just like every team this year, we have had a lot of sicknesses”, explains CEO John Lelangue. “Therefore, we were not able to get a complete squad at the start of every race. Also, with Kamil Małecki and Jarrad Drizners we have two riders who will be out with injuries for a long time. We had to reinforce our team to be able to do the racing program we have planned.”
With Janse van Rensburg and Barbero, Lelangue found the two ideal riders. “They are experienced, race-ready and very motivated. We will give them a chance until the end of the season and believe that they will fit in this team very well. They are grateful for the chance they are given and I am sure that they will prove their value for our young team.”
Amstel Gold Race Will Finish in Valkenburg for the Next Five Years
The Amstel Gold Race will finish in the municipality of Valkenburg aan de Geul for the next five years. The contract between the WorldTour race and the city in the South Limburg Heuvelland has been extended until 2027, reports 1Limburg.
The finish of the Amstel Gold Race has been in Valkenburg since 2003. First the finish was at the top of the Cauberg, later the line moved two kilometres after the top of the Cauberg at Vilt en Berg en Terblijt. The municipality pays €130,000 annually to the organisers, according to the new agreement. Until now, that was €100,000 per year. In previous years, the race arrived in Meerssen and Maastricht.
Maastricht has been the starting point since 1998, but the contract with that municipality has not yet been extended. However, the city and the race organisers are still discussing this.
The Amstel finish:
America’s Top Pro Cycling Race Maryland Cycling Classic Announces Course Route, Weekend Schedule of Events and Key Partners
The Diverse 120.4 Mile (193.7 km)-Course Features Rolling Pastoral Roads of Baltimore County and Circuits Through the Heart of Central Baltimore with a Harbor Front Finish.
The Maryland Cycling Classic supported by UnitedHealthcare, America’s top-ranked professional road cycling race, today announced its inaugural course, a diverse 120-mile (194 kilometre) route that features the rolling pastoral countryside of Baltimore County and the urban landscape and waterfront of central Baltimore.
The race will start at Kelly Benefits (Sparks, Md.) in Baltimore County and finish along East Pratt Street and Market Place in Baltimore’s famous Inner Harbor District. World-class athletes from 17 professional teams of seven riders each will race in the first-time event. The last world-class race to take place in Maryland was the 1996 Tour DuPont. For course circuit information click here.
“After a two-year delay due to the pandemic, we’re thrilled to announce the course for Maryland Cycling Classic, something everyone has been anxiously anticipating,” said Terry Hasseltine, the President of the Sport & Entertainment Corporation of Maryland, the event owners and producers. “A big thank you to the City of Baltimore and Mayor Brandon Scott’s administration and Baltimore County and the team under Johnny Olszewski. Without the great partnerships from the Baltimore County and the City of Baltimore, staging an event of this size and stature on public roads is not possible. The course will showcase the beautiful rural and urban landscapes of the greater Baltimore region with images of our beloved state being seen around the world.”
The course is a tale of two landscapes. Cyclists will traverse unrelenting rolling terrain with few level gradients to relax on a winding outer circuit that routes close to the Pennsylvania state line and features the historic Sagamore Farms. The upper course is defined by Prettyboy Reservoir with the course ascending and descending around the 80-square-mile body of water. The inner loop around the reservoir features lush, tree-covered roads with short punchy climbs but nothing overly long, an ideal mix for attacks and breakaway attempts.
After 75 miles, the riders will race south on Falls Road, the only straight section of the course, into the heart of central Baltimore for a multi-lap circuit finale. In a complete contrast to the roads of Baltimore County, the city circuit will feature 19 turns and a deceivingly tough elevation gain of 234-feet per lap. Positioning and bike handling skills will be at a premium. Once on the circuit, cyclists will navigate 4.5 circuits of 7.5 miles (12 km). Historic and modern Baltimore will be showcased to viewers and fans around the world as the circuits route through the skyscrapers of the Inner Harbor and Harbor East business districts, as well as the neighbourhoods of Little Italy, Fells Point, Old Town, Mount Vernon while circling the Greenmount West neighbourhood and diverse shops along Broadway. The final 3-kilometres (less than two miles) will feature a descent down St. Paul Street onto East Pratt for an expected flat, fast finish.
“We are extremely proud and appreciative of the public-private effort and collaboration of our partners. Throughout the planning process, we’ve been able to develop a very diverse and challenging course integrating legendary routes in Baltimore County with a ‘big city’ finish in downtown Baltimore,” said Chris Aronhalt, Owner/President of Medalist Sports. “This Labor Day weekend will provide spectators and viewers with the perfect opportunity to enjoy world-class cycling, community engagement and Maryland hospitality.”
Ben King, who lives in Charlottesville, Va., and is a top rider for one of America’s top professional teams and Human Powered Health, said: “The Maryland Cycling Classic will give riders and spectators alike a feel for rural and urban Maryland. I really like what they’ve done. The quiet country roads at the start are like those that I train on in central Virginia and will be relatable to local riders. I can guarantee the constant rolling terrain will be more punishing than it looks on paper. I expect the atmosphere in the city to rival that of any major race in the world. The East Coast has a great spectator fan base for pro cycling. The multiple finishing circuits in front of thousands and thousands of fans will for sure be an adrenaline boost. The people of Maryland and Baltimore should get ready for a great show.”
Event Chair John Kelly also introduced the initial roster of corporate partners, including presenting sponsor UnitedHealthcare, as well as DirectPay, Kelly Benefits, Thorne Nutrition, HarborEast and H&S Bakery, BGE, Athlos and DMC Sport. The event is supported by host partners of the City of Baltimore, Visit Baltimore, Baltimore County, and the State of Maryland. For sponsorship/partner info: [email protected] or [email protected]
The event is sanctioned as part of the prestigious UCI Pro Tour Series and USA Cycling. The event is managed and marketed by Medalist Sports, LLC of Peachtree City, Ga., and KOM Sports Marketing of Colorado Springs, Colo., professional road cycling leaders the past two decades.
Additional information: www.marylandcyclingclassic.us.
Mt. Washington Bicycle Hillclimb Adds More Participant Slots
Riders encouraged to sign up, waitlist to lift after May 1 to reach 500 riders
On May 1, the 49th annual Mt. Washington Auto Road Bicycle Hillclimb (MWARBH) will add 50 more slots to this year’s event, bringing the total number of race participants to 500.
Presented by Tin Mountain Conservation Center, the event is set for Saturday, Aug. 20, 2022. Bicycle riders ages 8-80 will gather at the base of the Auto Road to pedal one way, all uphill on the 7.6-mile road to the 6,288 ft. summit of Mt. Washington, the highest point in the Northeast.
When registration opened on March 1, there were a total of 450 spaces available, including 325 spaces for men, 100 for women and 25 for non-binary individuals. The men’s group filled quickly with an ever-growing waitlist.
“The goal is to accommodate as many riders as possible, safely,” said Lori Kinsey, executive director of Tin Mountain. “The response to this year’s event has been tremendous and we hate to turn eager riders away.”
“If you want to participate in this year’s MWARBH, hurry and register,” said Erin Holmes, MWARBH’s race director. “At the end of April, all category restrictions will be removed, and beginning on May 1, 2022, those on the waitlist will be moved into the race and additional spaces will become available until we reach 500 riders. The message for anyone on the waitlist today is to dust off your bike, start riding hills, and dial in your training!”
Holmes said they will continue to monitor the pandemic, as well as the waitlist, to determine if additional spaces can be added later on in May.
MWARBH will see the return of the awards ceremony and lunch in the base fields after all the riders make the journey down in their designated vehicles. Riders can also register to find a ride down the mountain, and drivers can register to bring participants down the auto road. Teams can sign up for a tent to serve as their home base for the event. For more information, see the event notes on bikereg.com and the MWARBH event website, www.mwarbh.org.
While a bucket list item for some and a one-and-done for others, for many, the iconic Hillclimb is an annual must-ride. Almost 100 people have ridden what’s been called the “toughest hillclimb in the U.S., if not the world” (Bicycling, 2019) at least 10 times and several have completed it over 30 times. Planning is already underway for next year’s 50th-anniversary milestone event.
The MWARBH is Tin Mountain’s largest fundraising event. All proceeds help fund environmental education programs to thousands of students in grades K-12, year-round community-wide nature programs and naturalist-led field trips, conservation research and summer camps.
Dylan van Baarle Makes History at Paris-Roubaix | INEOS Grenadiers Behind the Scenes | Off-Script
Get an exclusive look behind the scenes of an epic victory for the INEOS Grenadiers as Dylan van Baarle put in the performance of his career to win the team’s first Paris-Roubaix title.
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