EUROTRASH Thursday: Motion From Pologne & Burgos Plus all of the Different Biking Information

The Tour de France is behind us, but no dip on the race front with the Tour de Pologne and the Vuelta a Burgos – All the reports, results and video. No Worlds TT for Wout van Aert – TOP STORY. Lefevere Sees a ‘Remco Evenepoel 2.0’, Lots of rider news from: Filippo Ganna, Sebastián Henao, Stefan Küng, Alexander Kristoff, Anthony Turgis, Letizia Paternoster, Robbe Ghys, Mike Teunissen, Leo Hayter, Eddie Dunbar, Rui Costa, David Dekker, Chris Harper, Jensen Plowright, Lennard Hofstede, Laurens Sweeck and Sam Bewley. Team news: AG2R Citroën, Astana Qazaqstan and Qhubeka. To finish ‘Part 2 – Back to Business at the Tour’ video by BikeExchange-Jayco. Coffee time Thursday.

TOP STORY: No World Time Trial Championship for Van Aert
Wout van Aert will definitely not participate in the World Time Trial Championship in Wollongong on September 18. The Belgium national team coach, Sven Vanthourenhout told Het Laatste Nieuws. “A mental issue”.

In May this year, Van Aert announced that he did not want to participate in the World Time Trial World Championship, but he only wanted to make the final decision after the Tour de France. Now it is for sure. “On the one hand it is a shame, because with Van Aert at the start you have a great chance of a medal, but on the other hand I understand the decision,” says Vanthourenhout, who was informed by Jumbo-Visma last week. “Such a time trial is a heavy burden, and I understand that Wout wanted to make choices.”

Van Aert, who won the last TT stage of the Tour de France, has set his sights on the road race in Wollongong and a participation in the time trial would not be conducive to his performance. “It’s a mental issue. When Wout starts in the time trial, he takes a lot of pressure on his shoulders, because for a rider like him only the very highest is good enough. For someone else, a silver medal can be fantastic, but not for him.”

In 2021, Van Aert was second in the World Time Trial Championships. “Last year, Wout walked around with a heavy feeling for a few days after the time trial — that silver played in his head. It could be another such scenario in Australia. That would be at the expense of his road race.”

However, Vanthourenhout has other contenders for the time trial. “Remco (Evenepoel) may always have the ambition to win a medal. Especially on this course. There will be a lot of tempo changes and rhythm changes. Remco prefers that to those long straights.” Yves Lampaert, Victor Campenaerts and Ilan Van Wilder are also eligible for the selection, with Lampaert being the best placed.

As far as the road race is concerned, Van Aert and Evenepoel are the leaders of the team, says Vanthourenhout. “I want to give them both a personal helper. For Wout this is in principle Tiesj Benoot. For Remco that could be Yves. If he is in the selection, he can ride the time trial.” Jasper Stuyven is certain of his place in the team for the road race. The final selection will probably be announced at the end of August

No Worlds’22 TT for Van Aert:

Tour de Pologne 2022
Starting in Kraśnik and finishing in Przemyśl, the 237.9km Stage 3 proved to be as hard-fought as promised, with numerous attacks. On his 25th birthday, Sergio Higuita was not intimidated by the challenging Przemysl climb and, with a little more than 200 metres remaining to the finish line, he attacked, leaving Pello Bilbao (Bahrain Victorious) and Quinten Hermans (Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert) respectively in second and third place.

The final 50km included three climbs – one Cat.3 and two Cat.2 and the gruelling and iconic Przemyśl finish, first introduced in 2021 and won by the then overall winner, Joao Almeida. After a series of attacks in the run-up to the three mountain climbs, won one after the other by Michel Hessmann (TJV), the peloton came back together and caught the day’s break including Matthias Brandle (IPT), Hessmann, Michel (TJV), Edward Theuns (TFS), and Piotr Brożyna (POL) who reached a maximum advantage of 6:30 during the stage.

The result was decided in the last 1,700 metres, when the peloton turned left and faced the climb. Teunissen tried to take off from the bottom of the climb, but INEOS Grenadiers set a high pace and kept the Dutch rider under control. Once the Jumbo Visma rider was caught, the top riders began to move up on the steepest sections of the climb, with gradients of 13-15%. A selected group tackled the 90-degree turn with 200 metres to go, when Higuita opened the sprint ahead of Pello Bilbao and Quentin Hermans. The General Classification inevitably underwent a shake-up and now sees the stage winner wearing the ENERGA yellow jersey followed by Pello Bilbao, 2nd at 4 seconds, and Quinten Hermans, 3rd at 6.

Stage winner and overall leader, Sergio Higuita (Col) BORA-hansgrohe): “What a nice victory, really a great birthday present! The last climb was very hard and super steep. I train on similar climbs in Colombia and ascents like that suit me quite a lot. When I started the climb, I made sure to save a bit of energy for the final 200 metres so I could still have the kick I needed at the end. I waited and waited and then sprinted to the line with 200m to go. After the line, I was completely empty. Thanks to my teammates for their amazing support today, they really protected me well and I’m very grateful for that.”

2nd on the stage and overall, Pello Bilbao (Bahrain-Victorious): “We are showing we are in good shape, with a good attitude, and the team is working really well every day. Our goal was to fight on every single stage of the Tour of Poland, and to fight for the overall, but now we just need to hit the target! I’m happy because I can see that the work I’ve done in the past few weeks preparing for this race is working; I’m quite explosive, I feel fresh, so that’s really good news, and I’m pleased to feel these legs and this punch.”

3rd on the stage and overall, Quinten Hermans (Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux): “This climb is brutal, somewhat reminiscent of the Muur de Huy. Last year I attacked at the beginning of the climb but it didn’t work out, so this year I changed tactics. I knew it was important to give everything in the final part before the bend to then have a chance of victory. I came close and if there is a chance I will try again. It’s a good year for me and for the team. We already won a stage here yesterday. We will try again in the next few days.”

KOM, Michel Hessmann (Jumbo-Visma): “Today I was the last rider to bridge the breakaway. At the beginning we didn’t overdo it and we arrived near the climbs with a good lead on the bunch. I saw that I was strong on the climbs and tried to take the KOM jersey. I gave it my all and it was a good day. The Przemysl climb impressed me with its gradient. It’s a nice ascent, an iconic finish, although honestly I had little time to enjoy the scenery.”

Tour de Pologne Stage 3 Result:
1. Sergio Higuita (Col) BORA-hansgrohe in 5:25:46
2. Pello Bilbao (Spa) Bahrain-Victorious
3. Quinten Hermans (Bel) Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux
4. Matteo Sobrero (Ita) BikeExchange-Jayco
5. Quentin Pacher (Fra) Groupama-FDJ
6. Mauro Schmid (Sui) Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl
7. Felix Gall (Aust) AG2R Citroën
8. Stephen Williams (GB) Bahrain-Victorious
9. Lucas Hamilton (Aus) BikeExchange – Jayco
10. Diego Ulissi (Ita) UAE Team Emirates.

Tour de Pologne Overall After Stage 3:
1. Sergio Higuita (Col) BORA-hansgrohe in 15:31:00
2. Pello Bilbao (Spa) Bahrain-Victorious at 0:04
3. Quinten Hermans (Bel) Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux at 0:06
4. Ethan Hayter (GB) INEOS Grenadiers at 0:10
5. Diego Ulissi (Ita) UAE Team Emirates
6. Matteo Sobrero (Ita) BikeExchange-Jayco
7. Richard Carapaz (Ecu) INEOS Grenadiers
8. Mauro Schmid (Sui) Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl
9. Quentin Pacher (Fra) Groupama-FDJ
10. Lucas Hamilton (Aus) BikeExchange-Jayco.

Pologne’22 stage 3:

The 179.4-kilometre Stage 4, from Lesko to Sanok, ended with Pascal Ackermann (UAE Team Emirates) skilfully winning on a race particularly suited to puncheurs, finishing ahead of Jordi Meeus (BORA-hansgrohe) and Jonathan Milan (Bahrain Victorious).

It was a relatively quiet first part of the stage, featured by a few attacks and counter attacks to form the day’s break including Nans Peters (ACT), Mads Schmidt (LPT) Kamil Małecki (LTS), Rui Oliveira, (UAD), Andreas Skaarseth (UXT). While the breakaway maintained a gap of just over 1 minute from the peloton, Remi Cavagna (QST) and Mike Teunissen (TJV) launched themselves in pursuit of the leaders without success. With about 5 km to go, as INEOS Grenadiers pulled ahead and bridged the gap, the breakaway was caught. Shortly afterwards, at the 3km sign, Zdeneck Stybar (QST) launched an attack worthy of a classics specialist. While the Czech maintained his lead, a crash in the bunch involved overall leader Sergio Higuita (BOH). With just 200 metres to go, the attempt by the Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl rider came to an end when Pascal Ackermann launched his sprint to cross the finish line first.

Stage winner, Pascal Ackermann (UAE Team Emirates): “It’s amazing after the injury I had and I finally feel back and have power in the legs again so it’s really important for the next races and the rest of the season. The stage was really amazing, we had many climbs but they were not too steep so perfect for myself. I said to myself let’s try today and go and get the victory. I had a brilliant lead-out from Molano and I must thank the team for believing in me today.”

Overall leader, Sergio Higuita (BORA-hansgrohe): “A rider in front of me crashed and everyone had to brake quickly. I also had to brake in that moment and lost control of the bike, and I hit the deck. It’s super bad luck, and it’s never nice to crash, especially in the leader’s jersey. But I was able to get back on the bike and finish the stage, and I’m still in the yellow jersey. Now I’ve just got to focus on recovery ahead of tomorrow’s stage and see how it goes.”

2nd on the stage, Jordi Meeus (BORA-hansgrohe): “After the crash, the race was super fast to the finale. It was quite a chaotic sprint, and also quite a hard one with the ramp up to the finish. I felt good when I launched my sprint, and was able to overtake quite a few riders on the finishing straight. In the end, I managed to take second behind Ackermann. Of course I would have preferred to take the win, but there can only be one winner.”

3rd on the stage, Jonathan Milan (Bahrain-Victorious): “My feelings are so nice right now, and the team did such a fantastic job again. Stevie in the last kilometre, but everyone, really. We had a great place in the group the whole time right until the end, when maybe I missed the positioning slightly. It was no surprise to see Ackermann at the front on the last corner; he was the strongest. I went full gas and I gave my best … it’s just experience and I will get better in these situations. I will grow up with this 3rd place; next time when I’m in a situation like that maybe I’ll know better how to move and where to go, but I’m pretty happy.”

KOM, Kamil Małecki (Lotto Soudal): “I am happy with my race and especially with this jersey, which is a real reward for the day spent in the breakaway. I had already tried the breakaway in the first stage but without harvesting much. For me this is an important moment, as I come from two difficult years and racing in Poland in front of my home crowd is the best. Now I will try to defend the jersey. I think the KOM classification will only be decided on the last stage with the last three mountain stages. I will do my best to defend the lead.”

Tour de Pologne Stage 4 Result:
1. Pascal Ackermann (Ger) UAE Team Emirates in 4:21:46
2. Jordi Meeus (Bel) BORA-hansgrohe
3. Jonathan Milan (Ita) Bahrain-Victorious
4. Quinten Hermans (Bel) Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux
5. Olav Kooij (Ned) Jumbo-Visma
6. Christian Scaroni (Ita) Astana Qazaqstan
7. Diego Ulissi (Ita) UAE Team Emirates
8. Quentin Pacher (Fra) Groupama-FDJ
9. Stanisław Aniołkowski (Pol) Poland
10. Nikias Arndt (Ger) DSM.

Tour de Pologne Overall After Stage 4:
1. Sergio Higuita (Col) BORA-hansgrohe in 19:52:46
2. Pello Bilbao (Spa) Bahrain-Victorious at 0:04
3. Quinten Hermans (Bel) Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux at 0:06
4. Diego Ulissi (Ita) UAE Team Emirates at 0:10
5. Matteo Sobrero (Ita) BikeExchange-Jayco
6. Richard Carapaz (Ecu) INEOS Grenadiers
7. Mauro Schmid (Sui) Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl
8. Ethan Hayter (GB) INEOS Grenadiers
9. Quentin Pacher (Fra) Groupama-FDJ
10. Felix Gall (Aust) AG2R Citroën.

Pologne’22 stage 4:

The Fifth Stage of the Tour de Pologne ended with an eventful finale and a mighty Phil Bauhaus (Bahrain Victorious) dominating the sprint at the end of the 178.1 km stage, ridden at an average speed of 41.691kph, from Łańcut to Rzeszów. Bauhaus beat Arnaud Démare (Groupama-FDJ) and Niklas Arndt (DSM). The lead-out from Jonathan Milan, who finished on the podium at the end of the second and fourth stages, allowed the German to finish the job done by BahrainVictorious and relive the emotions experienced in the previous edition of the Tour de Pologne, when he won the first stage and took the leader jersey in Chełm.

A crash, less than 1 kilometre from the finish inevitably disrupted the plans of several teams. It was a nervous finalé in which the peloton had to work tirelessly to catch the two men left from an eight-man break which had formed after numerous attacks and counter-attacks: Yevgeniy Fedorov (AST), Shane Archibold (BOH), Boy van Poppel (IWG), Mads Wurtz Schmidt (IPT), Mateusz Grabis (POL), Jakub Murias (POL), Sean Quinn (EFE) and Michal Schlegel (CJR) made up the escape. In the last part of the race Sean Quinn (EFE) and Mads Wurtz Schmidt (IPT) distanced their breakaway companions, creating a gap that forced the peloton to increase the pace until less than 3km from the finish, where the teams prepared for the final sprint.

The first KOM of the day placed in Dynów (Cat.3 – km 114) was won by Jakub Murias (POL) while the second in Rzeszów (Cat.3 – km 147,7) went to Mads Wurtz Schmidt (IPT). Sean Quinn (EFE) got the intermediate sprint in Dynów – (km 111,7).

Stage winner, Phil Bauhaus (Bahrain-Victorious): “I had Jonny for the final lead-out and I’m super happy I could finish it off. He’s proved these last few days (and this year on the track) that he’s super strong, and he left me in 1st position in the last 150m, and I’m super happy I could win. In a bunch sprint, it’s not always about having the best legs; it’s also about the team, tactics, and timing. I was 2nd on day 1, and I’ve proved this year I’m one of the best sprinters in the world, so the team and I have always been confident that I can win a lot of races at WorldTour level. It was just a matter of time before I won again. Now we hope our GC guys can do a good time trial tomorrow, and then on the last day, we expect another bunch sprint. My legs are good, I’m in great condition & I’m in one of the best teams in the world; we’ve proved that together as a team, we can win a lot of races, so I’ll hope to get another result in Krakow.”

Overall leader, Sergio Higuita (BORA-hansgrohe): “I recovered well after my crash yesterday and under the circumstances I was feeling pretty good today. So we’re on a good path here in Poland. I’m looking forward to the time trial tomorrow with confidence.”

8th on the stage, Ryan Mullen (BORA-hansgrohe): “The plan was to ride for Sam today. Ahead of the finale, we were in a perfect position, but some riders in front of us hit the deck, which caused a big crash in the field. Somehow I managed to avoid the crash, using up one of my nine lives so to speak, and then tried to ride for the best result under the circumstances. But it’s a shame that we weren’t able to contest the sprint with Sam in the end. On the other hand, we did manage to defend the yellow jersey, which is definitely a success with two stages ahead of us.”

Tour de Pologne Stage 5 Result:
1. Phil Bauhaus (Ger) Bahrain-Victorious in 4:16:19
2. Arnaud Démare (Fra) Groupama-FDJ
3. Nikias Arndt (Ger) DSM
4. Max Kanter (Ger) Movistar
5. Edward Theuns (Bel) Trek-Segafredo
6. Jonathan Milan (Ita) Bahrain-Victorious
7. Hugo Page (Fra) Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux
8. Ryan Mullen (Ire) BORA-hansgrohe
9. Jacopo Guarnieri (Ita) Groupama-FDJ
10. Patryk Stosz (Pol) Poland.

Tour de Pologne Overall After Stage 5:
1. Sergio Higuita (Col) BORA-hansgrohe in 24:09:05
2. Pello Bilbao (Spa) Bahrain-Victorious at 0:04
3. Quinten Hermans (Bel) Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux at 0:06
4. Diego Ulissi (Ita) UAE Team Emirates at 0:10
5. Matteo Sobrero (Ita) BikeExchange-Jayco
6. Richard Carapaz (Ecu) INEOS Grenadiers
7. Ethan Hayter (GB) INEOS Grenadiers
8. Quentin Pacher (Fra) Groupama-FDJ
9. Lucas Hamilton (Aus) BikeExchange-Jayco
10. Steff Cras (Bel) Lotto Soudal.

Poland’22 stage 5:

Vuelta a Burgos 2022
Santiago Buitrago won the first stage of the Vuelta a Burgos. Bahrain’s Colombian was the best on the uphill finish in Burgos. Ruben Guerreiro and Tao Geoghegan Hart joined him on the podium. Buitrago is also the overall leader.

The first stage of the Vuelta a Burgos was the shortest at 157 kilometres. After almost 20 kilometres of racing, the break of the day formed after several attacks were made. Mikel Azparren (Euskaltel-Euskadi), Jesus Ezquerra (Burgos-BH) and Diego Pablo Sevilla (EOLO-Kometa) joined forces. The trio soon had a 5 minute lead.

Their lead extended to a good 8 minutes. On the Altotero, a cat.1 climb, Ezquerra took the KOM points. Miguel Ángel López suddenly attacked, the Colombian Astana Qazaqstan rider is riding on his first race since his short suspension, but his attempt failed. Thanks to this unexpected move, the peloton gained momentum, which took 3 minutes from the break’s lead. With 50 kilometres to go the peloton crept closer and closer to the escapees, the three Spanish leaders had just a 2 minute lead at that point. At 16 kilometres from the finish they were caught by the chasing peloton. João Almeida, one of the contenders for the overall victory, had a puncture, but the Portuguese UAE Team Emirates rider was able to return quickly. In the peloton Robert Gesink took the lead in the final, the Dutchman from Jumbo-Visma also closed the last gap to the front riders. With 15 kilometres left, the peloton crossed the finish line for the first time at Alto del Castello. Wout Poels, among others, tried to escape, but after attacks from different riders, no one got away.

It was UAE Team Emirates who stepped up the pace towards the climb, to avoid possible attacks. However, BORA-hansgrohe and Jumbo-Visma took the initiative in the last kilometre and put the pressure on. It was Santiago Buitrago, who won a stage in the Giro d’Italia earlier this year, who had the most explosive legs on the final climb. The 22 year-old jumped away 500 metres from the finish and held everyone off. Ruben Guerreiro came the closest in second place. Tao Geoghegan Hart, Jai Hindley and Vincenzo Nibali, three Giro winners, rounded out the top 5. Thanks to Buitrago’s victory, he is also the first leader in the general classification of the Vuelta a Burgos.

Stage winner and overall leader, Santiago Buitrago (Bahrain-Victorious): “I’m really happy to win today. Last year I tried on this stage, but I have more experience and timed my attack well. I felt good and had great support from the team, and Yuki helped bring me to the front in a great position to attack. Now we go day by day and focus on the GC. We have a strong team here with Mikel and Gino, and we will look to keep the leader jersey.”

Vuelta a Burgos Stage 1 Result:
1. Santiago Buitrago (Col) Bahrain-Victorious in 3:43:31
2. Ruben Guerreiro (Por) EF Education-EasyPost at 0:03
3. Tao Geoghegan Hart (GB) INEOS Grenadiers
4. Jai Hindley (Aus) BORA-hansgrohe
5. Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Astana Qazaqstan at 0:05
6. Wilco Kelderman (Ned) BORA-hansgrohe
7. Iván García Cortina (Spa) Movistar
8. Ilan Van Wilder (Bel) Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl
9. Pavel Sivakov (Fra) INEOS Grenadiers
10. Damien Touzé (Fra) AG2R Citroën.

Vuelta a Burgos Overall After Stage 1:
1. Santiago Buitrago (Col) Bahrain-Victorious in 3:43:31
2. Ruben Guerreiro (Por) EF Education-EasyPost at 0:03
3. Tao Geoghegan Hart (GB) INEOS Grenadiers
4. Jai Hindley (Aus) BORA-hansgrohe
5. Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Astana Qazaqstan at 0:05
6. Wilco Kelderman (Ned) BORA-hansgrohe
7. Iván García Cortina (Spa) Movistar
8. Ilan Van Wilder (Bel) Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl
9. Pavel Sivakov (Fra) INEOS Grenadiers
10. Damien Touzé (Fra) AG2R Citroën.

Burgos’22 stage 1:

Timo Roosen was the winner of Stage 2 of the Vuelta a Burgos. After 158 kilometres everyone was ready for a bunch sprint, but gallop was marred by the hard crash of David Dekker on a speed bump. As a result, the entire peloton was eliminated for the stage win, except for Dekker’s three teammates. Roosen crossed the line first, ahead of Edoardo Affini and Chris Harper.

Just like yesterday: Mikel Azparren (Euskaltel-Euskadi), Jesus Ezquerra (Burgos-BH) and Diego Pablo Sevilla (EOLO-Kometa) escaped from the peloton and had a lead of 5 minutes. It was Sevilla who took the mountain jersey on the opening stage, after Azparren was unable to sprint due to mechanical problems. Today, the Euskaltel-Euskadi rider was eager to take the jersey. He won the first mountain sprint of the day, broke away from Ezquerra and Sevilla for a 3 minute lead and also took the most mountain points on the second and third climbs of the day.

Joan Bou, Azparren’s teammate, took some mountain points ahead of Sevilla, who had been caught early by the peloton. Azparren managed to take the KOM jersey at the end of the day. He also found himself riding solo with 60 kilometres to go. At the top of the final categorised climb of the day, Azparren had 4 minutes, but the sprinter’s teams that went to work. The wind on the open plains of the Burgos region also caused some problems, but echelons didn’t form. Azparren was caught 40 kilometres from the finish, after which a compact peloton headed for the finish in Villadiego.

Ten kilometres before the finish, there was a climb of 1.6 kilometres at 5%. Vincenzo Nibali, attacked on the climb, after which Fausto Masnada and Jannik Steimle joined him. However, they were caught, after which Tao Geoghegan Hart made an attempt. The Briton was caught by the peloton, where Trek-Segafredo, UAE Team Emirates and Jumbo-Visma were on the front. Jumbo-Visma took the lead in the last slightly downhill 800 meters, but their sprinter, David Dekker crashed. He lost control when he hit a speed bump and took much of the peloton with him. Three of his teammates stayed upright to sprint for the stage win. Timo Roosen crossed the finish line first, ahead of Edoardo Affini and Chris Harper. Dekker was badly battered from the crash 500 meters out. The other riders who were held up by the crash were all given the same time as Roosen.

Stage winner, Timo Roosen (Jumbo-Visma): “It was very hectic. It went very fast in that last part towards the last straight line and the last bend was 250 metres from the finish. As a team we took the head and Edoardo Affini went full throttle from the last kilometre board. But suddenly there was a speed bump, out of nowhere. I hardly noticed it because of the high speed. I heard something, but didn’t know what was happening. I also saw someone sitting on my wheel and thought it was David. But it wasn’t until after the finish that I heard that he had fallen. From the last corner I went full throttle and I didn’t see anyone coming up. That way I was able to win. It’s nice to have on my record and we want to fight here as a team every day for a stage win, but I would rather have won in a different way. Because of such a big crash… That’s not the nicest way to win a stage of course.”

Vuelta a Burgos Stage 2 Result:
1. Timo Roosen (Ned) Jumbo-Visma in 3:48:43
2. Edoardo Affini (Ita) Jumbo-Visma
3. Chris Harper (Aus) Jumbo-Visma
4. Jon Aberasturi (Spa) Trek-Segafredo at 0:05
5. Carlos Rodríguez (Spa) INEOS Grenadiers at 0:07
6. Ruben Guerreiro (Por) EF Education-EasyPost
7. Fernando Gaviria (Col) UAE Team Emirates
8. Lilian Calmejane (Fra) AG2R Citroën at 0:11
9. Bastien Tronchon (Fra) AG2R Citroën
10. Rudy Barbier (Fra) Israel-Premier Tech at 0:15.

Vuelta a Burgos Overall After Stage 2:
1. Santiago Buitrago (Col) Bahrain-Victorious in 7:32:14
2. Ruben Guerreiro (Por) EF Education-EasyPost at 0:03
3. Jai Hindley (Aus) BORA-hansgrohe
4. Tao Geoghegan Hart (GB) INEOS Grenadiers
5. Rui Costa (Por) UAE Team Emirates at 0:05
6. Pavel Sivakov (Fra) INEOS Grenadiers
7. Jetse Bol (Ned) Burgos-BH
8. Esteban Chaves (Col) EF Education-EasyPost
9. Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Astana Qazaqstan
10. Laurens De Plus (Bel) INEOS Grenadiers.

Burgos’22 stage 2:

Lefevere Sees a ‘Remco Evenepoel 2.0’
In just over two weeks, the 2022 Vuelta a España will start in Utrecht. In the run-up to the Spanish Grand Tour, many eyes are on Remco Evenepoel, who has made the last tour of the season a main goal. Patrick Lefevere doesn’t want to put too much pressure on his team, but sees a different Evenepoel, he revealed in conversation with Het Nieuwsblad.

22-year-old Evenepoel hopes to play a starring role in Spain and seems to be perfectly on schedule. The Belgian won the Clásica San Sebastián last Saturday, after a solo of more than 40 kilometres. Lefevere sees a completely different Evenepoel than a year ago. “Actually, it is pointless to compare the Remco of the Giro with the Remco that will soon be riding the Vuelta.”

“He has become a completely different rider. Remco is a better athlete in every way, but that does not mean that he will ride the Vuelta to win it. Above all, we want him to grow as a rider. He will start fresh and the past has proven that he races better. We aim to win a stage with him and then we’ll see how far he gets in the standings. That’s all you need to look for behind our ambitions,” Lefevere tried to dampen expectations.

Evenepoel’s first Grand Tour, the 2021 Giro d’Italia, turned out to be a disappointment, but according to Koen Pelgrim – one of the trainers of Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl – the world now looks completely different. “The starting situation is completely different. Last year the preparation time was very short. He had a long rehab and we had about three months to get him ready. This year he was able to experience a flawless winter and then an almost complete cycling year.”

Evenepoel has a much broader training base. “Thanks to such a broader base, he should be able to recover faster from efforts, perform more stably and maintain his condition for three weeks. This year we had the time to build up step by step,” said Pelgrim. “There was also room for short rest periods after Liège-Bastogne-Liège and after the Belgian champs. Last year he was at the start in Turin with doubts. That will not be the case now.”

Pilgrim sees that Evenepoel is still making strides as a cyclist. “Doing more descents has only increased his confidence. By using him in the sprint train, he has also learned to find his way in the peloton even better. He can now save energy much more easily by being in the right position and you will no longer see him fling his powers for one second of time. That it will be his second Grand Tour is also something that should give him more peace of mind. He now knows what is coming his way.”

Last Saturday, Evenepoel looked ahead to the upcoming Vuelta a España with WielerFlits. The young Belgian spoke of a ‘great adventure’. “I’m already going to the Vuelta with a completely different approach than to last year’s Giro d’Italia. I have raced a lot at the beginning of the year and after that my calendar was still quite empty. But I feel the training is paying off and the form is improving by the week.”

“I also still feel fresh, despite training weeks of more than thirty hours. That freshness is the most important in my eyes. I’ve mastered the rhythm and feel of climbing now, I’m used to that effort. The Vuelta is going to be a great adventure, in which I hope for the best. But to work towards my big dream that I hope to achieve one day – standing on the final podium of a Grand Tour – you have to discover yourself and push your limits.”

Evenepoel looking forward to la Vuelta

Filippo Ganna Pens Four-Year Contract Extension with INEOS Grenadiers
The INEOS Grenadiers are excited to confirm that Filippo Ganna has signed a new long-term contract with the team.

The double world time trial champion has signed a four-year extension until the end of 2027, with both rider and team committed to chasing more success and ambitious goals together.

Ganna has developed into the world’s best time trialist since signing with the team in 2019. 21 victories and an Olympic Gold medal later, the Italian is ready to commit the next phase of his career to the team.

Filippo Ganna said, “It’s exciting being a part of this team, not least the way we approach goals and the amount of effort that’s put into our development and equipment. Everything is based around the objective of making us go faster. Whether it’s with the Performance Team, working with our partners or learning from the wider experience within INEOS Sport. When there’s that much dedication from everyone around you, it just makes you want to go out there and give it your all. There is still plenty to focus on for the rest of this season and going into next year, and having that level of support behind me is so important. I’m looking forward to spending more of my career with this Team.”

Not only has the 26 year old excelled on the time trial bike, but he’s also demonstrated impressive climbing skills, as evidenced by an amazing solo breakaway stage victory at the 2020 Giro d’Italia.

Deputy Team Principal Rod Ellingworth is excited to watch Ganna develop further over the next few years: “Filippo is one of those bike riders whose ability to generate power through the pedals is just incredible. You can never tire of watching him execute a time trial or being on the front of the bunch single handedly ripping a race apart. To have a talent like Filippo in the team is a huge bonus to us from an equipment development point of view too. From working with him in wind tunnels, to seeing him ride on the track, it’s in part due to him that our equipment is at the level it currently is. I’m looking forward to seeing what we can achieve together over the coming years.”

Sebastián Henao Takes a Break Due to Health Problems
Sebastián Henao will not race for the time being. The 28-year-old Colombian has put his cycling career on hold indefinitely due to health problems. His team Astana Qazaqstan reported on social media.

It is not clear what health problems are involved in the message from the Kazakh team. “Astana Qazaqstan hereby communicates that their rider, Sebastián Henao, has made the decision to take a break from his cycling career due to some health problems. Astana Qazaqstan respects the decision and wishes the rider all the best.”

The last race Henao raced was the Adriatica Ionica Race, in early June. After two days of racing he abandoned. Henao joined Astana from INEOS Grenadiers last winter. In 2014, he turned pro with the team, which was then called Team Sky.

Sebastián Henao:

Stefan Küng to Stay with Groupama-FDJ
Team DSM had set its sights on signing Stefan Küng, but the Swiss rider now seems to be remaining with his current team Groupama-FDJ. A major setback for Team DSM. With Küng, they hoped to replace Classics leader Søren Kragh Andersen. They now assume that the 28-year-old time trial specialist will stay with his current French team.

According to Velonews, Küng was looking for a three-year contract with a salary of 1.2 to 1.5 million per season. Although he still had a contract with Groupama-FDJ until the end of 2023, he was able to look for a new team due to a clause.

Reports appeared in other media about interest from teams such as UAE Team Emirates, BORA-hansgrohe and Trek-Segafredo, but independent sources confirmed to WielerFlits during the Tour de France that DSM was in pole position for the Swiss’s signature. Although it has not yet been confirmed, Küng now appears to be staying with Groupama-FDJ. His current contract also includes a clause that could keep him on board if the team offers the same or better terms than the best offer.

No move for Küng:

Uno-X Confirms the Signing of Alexander Kristoff
Alexander Kristoff will race for Uno-X for the next few years. The transfer had been in the air for some time and on Monday the Norwegian team announced the deal. Kristoff, 35, leaves Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert and signs with Uno-X for three years.

The experienced Kristoff had already had an offer from Uno-X in his pocket for some time and last month you could read in Norwegian and Danish media that the deal was as good as done. Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert, Kristoff’s current team, also tried to keep the experienced rider longer. However, the winner of Milan-San Remo (2014) and the Tour of Flanders (2015) opts for a new – three-year deal – with the team from his home country of Norway.

Kristoff has shown several times this season that he is not finished yet. The strong sprinter won the Clásica de Almería, Scheldeprijs and a stage in the Tour of Norway this year. He also collected several podium places and was sprinting in the Tour de France. In the French Grand Tour he couldn’t give the team a stage victory, but he did finish third on the Champs-Élysées.

“I hope I can continue to perform in the coming years. That is the ambition, although it does not get any easier with the years. But I think that the team also realises that they also generate more PR with me. I also hope to pass on my experience to the younger riders in the team. I’ve never signed a three-year contract before. Intermarché did not want to go that far either. It is a sign of confidence that they want to give an old man a three-year contract!” Kristoff told TV 2 Sport.

His future employer Uno-X has been racing for a ProTeam license for several seasons and has been working hard in recent years with promising youngsters such as the brothers Tobias and Anders Halland Johannessen, Anthon Charmig, Rasmus Tiller and Torstein Træen. With Kristoff as the leader, figurehead, road captain and mentor, Uno-X hopes to take the extra step and receive even more invitations to major competitions.

Kristoff – Still got it:

Anthony Turgis to Stay with TotalEnergies for 3 More Years
Anthony Turgis will race for TotalEnergies until the end of 2025. The Frenchman, who’s contract ran out this year, has signed for three more with his current team. TotalEnergies announced in a press release.

“I’m happy to be able to extend the adventure with the team, because I feel good here,” said 28-year-old Turgis on the team website. “I am very well surrounded here by the management, the staff and my teammates. We can continue to work as a family. I want to continue my progression with the team by performing in the Flemish classics, Milan-Sanremo and the Tour de France.”

Turgis joined TotalEnergies in 2019, which was then Total Direct Energie. He previously raced for Cofidis. In recent years he has collected several places of honour in major races. Turgis finished 4th in the Tour of Flanders in 2020, 2nd in Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne the following year and was on the podium of Milan-Sanremo this season in 2nd place. He was also runner-up in the French national championship at the end of June.

Three more years for Anthony Turgis:

Lorena Wiebes Signs a 3-year Contract with Team SD Worx
Lorena Wiebes will be joining Team SD Worx next season. The 23-year old sprint star has signed a three year contract (2023-2025) with the Dutch team. Due to a clause in her contract with her current team, Team DSM, she could leave earlier if she received an improved offer from another team. Team DSM and Team SD Worx reached an agreement on the transfer after joint consultation.

With 17 victories so far this season, Wiebes is currently the most successful cyclist in the women’s peloton. “Lorena is a pure sprint star. When it comes to pure speed, she is by far the best,” says Team SD Worx sports manager Danny Stam.

“The large number of victories this season says something about her qualities,” continues Stam. “Although we mainly focus on the tougher races and as a team like to make the race, it is also nice when you have a big chance in the sprint. With Demi Vollering, Lotte Kopecky and Lorena Wiebes we have three world-class riders for the coming years who each excel in their own field.”

Team manager Erwin Janssen of Team SD Worx stresses that the team’s objective for the coming years is to remain number one in the UCI ranking of women’s teams. Janssen: “In the flat sprints our current team lacks speed. We want to compete for victory in all areas. We now have three world-class riders complemented by experienced riders and some of the biggest talents in the peloton. Financially, the three top riders are on the same level in our team. Vollering, Kopecky and Wiebes have all consciously chosen the sporting line we have set out with our team.”

Danny Stam saw Kopecky take an important step in tougher races last year, with her victories in the Tour of Flanders and the Strade Bianche highlighting her progression. Stam: “With Wiebes we go for the real bunch sprints, while Kopecky is played off in the somewhat tougher races. I also see in Wiebes the talent to develop further. The strength of our team has always been that we have several top riders at the start. In addition, there are more and more races on the calendar in women’s cycling. That also means that we will be riding a double programme more often and will have to invest in that.”

Lorena Wiebes sees many opportunities in the coming years in the colours of Team SD Worx. “For years I have dreamed of being part of the world’s best UCI women’s team with several world-class riders who I can pull myself up by,” Wiebes says. “In principle I would have liked to stay with my current team but I got an offer from Team SD Worx with a lot of opportunities. I look back with pride on an instructive and very successful time with Team DSM. I will try to make it a successful remaining term of this season.”

Lorena Wiebes:

Fast finishing Italian Letizia Paternoster joins Team BikeExchange-Jayco through to 2024
Italian sprinter Letizia Paternoster will join Team BikeExchange-Jayco from next season on a two-year contract, lifting the team’s sprint group with her experience and incredible turn of speed.

The former European U23 Road Race Champion has an impressive list of palmarès despite her young age, with accomplished titles on the road but also on the track, where she is a multiple World and European Champion.

With an Australian heritage (Australian father), GreenEDGE Cycling is excited to secure Paternoster’s signature and believe that the 23-year-old will bring great strength and depth to the squad, after already spending three years at WorldTour level.

With commitment to building a bright future, after Team Owner Gerry Ryan confirmed his continued backing of the organisation through to 2025, Team BikeExchange-Jayco believe that the Italian will bolster the squad, giving more options to challenge for victories in the fast finishes and Spring Classics.

Brent Copeland – General Manager: “There is no doubting it that Letizia is a huge talent, and it is hard to believe her age with the number of results she has already achieved. It is always exciting signing a rider like this that has so much experience but also so much potential still to give. We feel that Letizia will fit in very well in the women’s squad and it is exciting for us to be bringing on such a fast finisher that will give the team many more options to challenge for top results across the women’s WorldTour calendar.”

Letizia Paternoster: “I am very happy and excited about beginning the new season with GreenEDGE Cycling, I can’t wait to get started. I am extremely motivated to do well and with this new experience I am sure we will achieve great results. From what I have seen and what I heard; I am confident that I will find my place with Team BikeExchange-Jayco. I look forward to meeting all my new teammates and building a strong relationship with all of them and I hope we will achieve important results together. I just need to hold on with my excitement and grit a bit longer before the new season will begin.”

Letizia Paternoster
Date of Birth: 22nd July 1999 (23)
Nationality: Italy
Joins GreenEDGE Cycling: 2023 & 2024

Top Results:
1st Santos Tour Down Under – Stage 1 (2019)
1st European Road Race Championships (2019)
1st Festival Elsy Jacobs – Overall (2018)
2nd Ceratizit Challenge – Stage 2 (2019)
2nd Santos Tour Down Under – Stage 4 (2019)
3rd Simac Ladies Tour – Stage 1 (2019)
3rd Baloise Ladies Tour – Stage 1 (2019)
3rd Gent-Wevelgem (2019)
1st Cali Track World Cup – 3km Pursuit (2022)
1st Track World Championships – Elimination Race (2022).

Jacopo Guarnieri On his Way to Lotto Dstny?
It has been rumoured for a while that Caleb Ewan is not satisfied with his sprint train at Lotto Soudal. The message has been understood by team manager John Lelangue. Various sources have informed WielerFlits that Lotto Dstny – as the team will be next year – has attracted help for Ewan’s sprint train: Jacopo Guarnieri.

Roger Kluge and Jasper De Buyst have been part of the core of the Ewan lead-out for years. Last winter, the young Jarrad Drizners (Hagens Berman Axeon) and Michael Schwarzmann and Rüdiger Selig (both from BORA-hansgrohe) were added. Initially, the collaboration went well. Until the Giro d’Italia, the Australian took at least one victory in every stage race, but in Italy that suddenly stopped.

None of his own core of lead-out men went with Ewan to the Tour de France, partly due to injuries to De Buyst and Drizners. Coincidence or not: the Australian was not involved in any bunch sprint, while Lotto Soudal had fully bet on her only leader. The result was a disappointing Tour. To further strengthen Ewan’s core, the Belgian team has now signed Guarnieri.

The Italian is celebrating his 35th birthday this month; he has been a pro since 2008 with successively Liquigas, Astana, Katusha and Groupama-FDJ. There he has been one of the regular lead-outs for Arnaud Démare since 2017. He worked successfully with the Frenchman, including in the last Giro d’Italia. Démare won three stages in the Italian tour and also won the points classification in Verona.

Guarnieri is the second rider to leave Démare. Earlier it was announced that Ramon Sinkeldam is moving to the new project around B&B Hotels-KTM. Marc Madiot choose to rejuvenate the sprint train around his French sprinter. This would include a role for the Dutchman Bram Welten, as well as for Miles Scotson and Lewis Askey.

At Lotto Dstny they have already strengthened themselves for next year with Dutch champion Pascal Eenkhoorn, Arjen Livyns and Mathijs Paasschens.

Guarnieri to Lotto Dstny?

Robbe Ghys Close to Transfer to DSM
Robbe Ghys is on his way to DSM, according to Het Nieuwsblad. Ghys, who currently races for Sport Vlaanderen-Baloise, would be a sprint lead-out man in Iwan Spekenbrink’s team.

Alpecin-Deceuninck and Israel-Premier Tech were also interested in Ghys, but the interest from DSM was more serious. Ghys will play an important role in the team as the lead-out of the fast-men Sam Welsford and Alberto Dainese. Ghys took a stage victory in the Baloise Belgium Tour last year, where he finished 11th in the final overall this year. During the last Gent-Wevelgem he also showed that he can handle the Classics: he finished 15th in the race won by Biniam Girmay.

Robbe Ghys:

Mike Teunissen Reinforces Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux
Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux is pleased with the arrival of Mike Teunissen in the team from 2023. The 29 year old Dutchman will reinforce the line ups in the classics of the Belgian World Team after among others six years with Jumbo-Visma.

Mike Teunissen had the honour of wearing the yellow jersey in the Tour de France 2019 thanks to his sprint victory in the opening stage in Brussels. He wore the yellow kit until Binche, thanks to another resounding win in the team time trial the next day.

A couple of months before this unforgettable Grand Départ, Teunissen showed his fast legs and qualities of a classics rider by winning the Dunkirk Four Day following victories in the queen stage and the bunch sprint on the final day. He then went on to add the ZLM Tour to his palmarès thanks to three podiums in the prologue, in a mini Amstel Gold Race stage and in a bunch sprint.

The U23 Cyclocross World and European champion in 2012-2013 collected good results in most of the important spring classics such as Dwars door Vlaanderen (2nd in 2018), Paris-Roubaix (11th in 2018) or Omloop het Nieuwsblad (6th in 2020).

The model teammate often contributed to the success of his leaders the last couple of years. For example, this spring he finished twelfth in the E3 Classic alongside Van Aert and Laporte. A couple of days ago he finished fourth in the opening stage of the Tour de Pologne after an exemplary lead out for Olav Kooij.

In the next two seasons, Mike Teunissen will combine his personal ambitions in one day races and short stage races with a role alongside Biniam Girmay.

Mike Teunissen: “Just like the rest of the world, I noticed the continuous progression of Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux. When the management of the team showed great confidence in my capabilities, I didn’t have to weigh my options for my future any time longer. The complete package is appealing. The structure and management is good and I was offered an attractive role for the spring classics. I want to shine in the finals and create opportunities for the team in the shadow of Biniam Girmay, who has already proven that he can win the most important races. Next to the classics, I’m also looking forward to support Girmay in the sprint. My transfer to Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux will be special, because I’m leaving a Dutch environment for the first time. Within Jumbo-Visma I raced alongside guys like Wout Van Aert and Dylan Groenewegen, witnessing how the team grew to one of the world’s best structures. This experience will probably be valuable in my new team Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux. However, the main change for me is that I will get the opportunity again to show my value in a prominent role. My most recent victories are my Tour de France stage wins. Wearing the yellow jersey in Brussels and in Binche was an absolute high in my career and I can’t wait to experience similar moments again. I’m convinced that I can make steps in my new environment, for example by learning from my future teammates. I can’t wait to meet everyone. In the peloton it is widely known in the peloton that the good atmosphere is an asset of Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux, so I’m confident that I’ll feel at home quickly!”

Aike Visbeek (Performance Manager): “I’m very happy with the addition of Mike Teunissen to our team. His choice for our team confirms our ambition for the classics and what we showed with Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux this season. Mike will add a lot of quality to our rosters, creating more tactical possibilities in the finals. He is a nice guy to work with and will definitely form a good combination with Biniam Girmay and Adrien Petit in our team for the classics. Since his U23 victories in Paris-Roubaix and Paris-Tours he continued showing that he’s made for the classics. His excellent race intelligence and positioning capabilities are also strong skills in a lead out role. His profile matches the one of our sprinter Biniam Girmay, as he can survive in hard races. Recently, I witnessed how he sprinted to second place in a hilly stage in the Tour of Norway. Mike also won several short stage races and is able to perform well in time trials. His arrival will reinforce our team on different terrains. I’m convinced that this transfer will lead to nice successes for Mike and that it will also be fruitful for Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux!”

INEOS Grenadiers Confirm Signing of Baby Giro Winner Leo Hayter
Exciting British rider Leo Hayter is the latest young talent to join the INEOS Grenadiers.

Twenty-year-old Hayter will join the team as a stagiaire later this season before officially turning pro in 2023, having signed a three-year contract with the team.

Joining his brother Ethan at the Grenadiers, Hayter’s arrival reinforces the team’s commitment to developing the sport’s strongest group of young riders.

Rod Ellingworth, Deputy Team Principal said, “We’ve increased our focus over the last few years on identifying exciting young talent, and our commitment to developing them into world class bike racers. Leo is one of those highly talented young riders who’s already impressed with his performances at the under-23 Giro. I’m looking forward to him coming on board and seeing him evolve as a rider over the next few years.”

The Londoner won two stages on his way to a dominant overall victory in the recent Giro d’Italia Giovani Under-23, in addition to winning the 2021 Liege-Bastogne-Liege U23. Hayter’s rapidly growing palmarès also includes a pair of British under-23 time trial titles, showcasing the breadth of his talent.

Leo Hayter said, “I’m super proud and excited to be joining the INEOS Grenadiers this coming year, moving up to the highest level of the sport in a British team I’ve been inspired by since I started competing. Having participated in some training camps with the team, I already feel really at home here, and now can’t wait to get started.”

Leo Hayter to INEOS:

Team BikeExchange-Jayco Add Climbing Talent with the Signing of Eddie Dunbar Through to 2025
Team BikeExchange-Jayco is delighted to announce the signing of talented Irish climber Eddie Dunbar on a three-year deal. The 25-year-old has enjoyed a breakout season in 2022, with overall victories in Coppi e Bartali and the Tour de Hongrie and with this, GreenEDGE Cycling is thrilled to secure the signature of the highly rated Irishman through to 2025.

Despite his young age, Dunbar has more than four years of experience at WorldTour level, and the Australian outfit believe the best is yet to come from the man from Banteer, a raw and gifted climber, who brings a fresh and attacking approach to racing.

With team leader Simon Yates re-signing for two more seasons, Team BikeExchange-Jayco is keen to continue building a strong and experienced group for targeting general classification success, with Dunbar set to be a key component of the team’s future.

Brent Copeland – General Manager: “It is really exciting for us to be bringing on such a talented, young but experienced rider on to the team and this year, Eddie has had a really strong season. We have watched him step up a level and we believe he will fit into our team very well and play a huge role in strengthening our squad in stage races. Eddie looks like a real racer, and this is something special that we wanted to bring to the team. He really gets stuck in to racing and we are looking forward to seeing what results he can achieve with us over the next three seasons as we assist with his development.”

Eddie Dunbar: “I am very excited about spending the next three years with Team BikeExchange-Jayco. I am really looking forward to getting some more opportunities to compete in some bigger races and to continue to develop as a rider. I have high hopes to add to an already great and successful team, as shown with their performances this year, with stage wins in both the Giro d’Italia and the Tour de France. I can’t wait to see what’s in store for me.”

Eddie Dunbar
Date of Birth: 1st September 1996 (25)
Nationality: Ireland
Joins GreenEDGE Cycling: 2023 to 2025

Top Results:
1st Tour de Hongrie – Overall (2022)
1st Coppi e Bartali – Overall (2022)
1st Tour de Suisse – Youth Classification (2021)
2nd Irish Road Race Championships (2019)
2nd Irish Time Trial Championships (2019)
3rd Giro d’Italia – Stage 12 (2019)
3rd Tour de Yorkshire – Overall (2019).

Eddie Dunbar to BikeExchange:

Former World Champion Rui Costa Joins Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux
Rui Costa will become the first Portuguese rider to defend the colours of Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux starting from 2023. The World Champion of Firenze 2013 races on the highest level for thirteen years already and will join a Belgian team for the first time in his career, after concluding six years with UAE Team Emirates.

The world title is one of the 27 professional victories of the 35 year old rider, which he often obtained solo or in a tough duel. It was in this way that he became a Tour de France stage winner in Superbesse at the age of 24, before adding two more wins in the Alps two years later. In addition to ten Tour de France participations, the triple stage winner also finished the Vuelta and the Giro twice, fishing close to more Grand Tour stage wins with multiple second places.

The palmarès of the double Portuguese road race and time trial champion is richly filled with performances in difficult one week stage races. Costa won the Tour de Suisse three times in a row (2012-2014) and almost added a sixth stage win last season. He won the Abu Dhabi Tour (2017), finished on the podium of the Tour de Romandie (2012, 2013, 2014, 2019) and the Criterium du Dauphiné (2015) and finished fourth in Paris-Nice (2015). This spring, he challenged overall winner Jan Hirt in de Tour of Oman (3rd) after finishing third in the Saudi Tour.

Rui Costa, who discovered all Monuments and climbed on the podium of Il Lombardia (3rd in 2014) and Liège-Bastogne-Liège (3rd in 2016, 4th in 2015), signed a contract of one season with Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux.

Rui Costa: “I’m very happy to receive the chance to contribute to the success of Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux next season. This new environment will offer me fresh opportunities and believes in my value as an athlete. Loyalty, trust and respect are values to which both Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux and I attach a lot of importance. I want to show fighting spirit to achieve collective goals and I dream about the possibility to conquer new victories. Riders like Rein Taaramäe or my former teammates Alexander Kristoff and Louis Meintjes are great examples, riders who converted their rich experience and great potential into fantastic results within Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux. Riders from the team also told me about their ‘super fast’ Cube Bikes. Material is one of the most important factors to be able to perform and when I think about my future bike, I feel like a kid receiving new toys. I really want to thank the team for the belief in me, I’m convinced that we will have a good time together!”

Aike Visbeek (Performance Manager): “We learned this season that the presence of experience and great champions in our rosters can be a decisive element in achieving success. So we are pleased that Rui Costa will play this important role as a captain in the difficult races and Ardennes classics. He built a large palmarès by combining talent, hard work and race intelligence. This experience and decision-making skills are very precious to enable guys like Lorenzo Rota and Georg Zimmermann to make the next step in their careers. Rui is motivated to pass on his experience or to play an important role in Grand Tours alongside riders like Louis Meintjes or Biniam Girmay. Moreover, he has a clear personal ambition and in our team we want to offer him this balance by giving him a prominent position in stage races or hard one day races which suit him. We’re looking forward to see him shine from the start of the season, just like he did this spring with GC podiums in the Saudi Tour and the Tour of Oman. Rui makes a very motivated impression and showed a particular interest in our team, convincing us that he was the rider we were looking for!”

David Dekker and Chris Harper leave Jumbo-Visma
After this season, Jumbo-Visma will have to do without David Dekker and Chris Harper. According to WielerFlits, both had indicated that they would like to stay with the team, but they could improve themselves sportingly and/or financially elsewhere. They then decided to leave. It is not yet possible to say with certainty where their future lies.

According to VeloNews, the Australian climber can count on the interest of BikeExchange-Jayco. The Dutch team took him in 2020 from Bridgelane, for which he had impressed on the Continental circuit. He did not show up at Jumbo-Visma in the covid year 2020. That seemed to be the case at the beginning of 2021, after he finished fourth in the UAE Tour after Tadej Pogačar, Adam Yates and João Almeida. This year Harper was supposed to ride the Giro d’Italia, but contracted covid just before the start.

The Dutch sprinter started with the yellow and black team. The son of former top rider Erik Dekker showed only a few flashes of his talent in two years, but mainly had to deal with a lot of bad luck and injuries. He would have been given the opportunity at Jumbo-Visma to develop himself calmly in somewhat smaller races, but Dekker opted for a different route. There is interest for him from BORA-hansgrohe, EF Education-EasyPost and especially WorldTour newcomer Arkéa Samsic.

The flip side of the Dutch team’s success is that all their riders are also interesting for other teams. Although Jumbo-Visma’s budget has increased significantly in recent years, they cannot continue to hand out improved contracts to every rider.

Chris Harper has had bad luck:

Jensen Plowright Gets Contract with Alpecin-Deceuninck Until the End of 2025
Alpecin-Deceuninck has presented four riders on social media who will join the team from 2023. In addition to three well-known names – Søren Kragh Andersen, Kaden Groves and Quinten Hermans – Jensen Plowright will also join the Belgian team. The 22 year-old Australian currently rides for Equipe continental Groupama-FDJ.

Plowright is one of the great talents in the U23 circuit. This season he won the Coast Challenge and a stage in the Le Triptyque des Monts et Châteaux. In that first race he was the fastest of a large group, in the second race he was the best of a leading group of thirteen. Plowright also collected several places of honour in races such as the Tour de Normandie and Le Tour de Bretagne Cycliste in recent months.

The signing of Classics specialist Søren Kragh Andersen (DSM), strong sprinter Kaden Groves (BikeExchange-Jayco) and puncheur Quinten Hermans (Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert) were already known. Kragh Andersen can race alongside Mathieu van der Poel in the Flemish spring, Groves must replace the departing Tim Merlier and Hermans can ensure success in more difficult terrain.

Jensen Plowright:

Lennard Hofstede Waiting for Jumbo-Visma
Lennard Hofstede is the only rider at Jumbo-Visma who still has an expiring contract. The 27-year-old Dutchman may be able to stay, but according to sources, that decision will only be made after some time. Due to a triple ankle fracture and a broken pelvis in the GP de Denain, the all-rounder has not been in action much this season.

The rider and the team are on speaking terms again. Last winter, the two sides were opposed. Hofstede did not want to be vaccinated against the covid virus, while the team was extremely careful. The rider was not welcome by the team and missed all training camps last winter. When Hofstede was allowed back again, he ride the GP de Denain.

Then things went very wrong. He suffered several fractures and only made his comeback at the end of June at the National Championships. In the meantime he also rode the Sibiu Cycling Tour and started last Saturday in the Clásica San Sebastián. Because Hofstede has not yet been able to show himself this year, a contract with another team seems difficult. Jumbo-Visma underlines that the situation of last winter does not play a factor in whether or not his contract is extended. The team will soon start working on the race programs for 2023. Based on this, the team determines whether Hofstede is needed to complete the calendar.

Hofstede, Jumbo or not?

Laurens Sweeck Joins Forces with Crelan
According to sources, Laurens Sweeck will soon be working with Crelan. The Belgian bank and insurer is increasing its budget in cyclo-cross in order to create a more competitive men’s team.

Crelan has been a sponsor of cycling and cyclo-cross for many years. Sven Nys, among others, raced his last years as a cross rider in the Crelan jersey, then the bank was linked to Wout van Aert. Last season Crelan – with IKO as co-sponsor – as the most important partner on the jersey of multiple Belgian and World champion Sanne Cant. Now the budget will be raised again to give the modest men’s team more help.

The name of Laurens Sweeck seems to fit into those plans. Several sources confirmed this to WielerFlits. Sweeck is at the end of his contract with Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal and both parties previously indicated that they would not renew their agreement. Whether Sweeck completely cancels his contract with Jurgen Mettepenningen – which runs until the end of December 2022 – or makes the switch to Crelan earlier is not yet decided.

The fact is that cyclo-cross gets an extra team. The original goal was to accommodate the foursome of Quinten Hermans, Corné Van Kessel, Joran Wyseure and Emiel Verstrynge, but when this plan went awry and Hermans chose Alpecin-Deceuninck afterwards, Sweeck came into view as a replacement for the Limburger, together with the youngsters, Wyseure and Verstrynge. Sanne Cant in turn gets Marion Norbert Riberolle at her side on the women’s team. Sweeck raced for Crelan from 2014 to the spring of 2018.

Laurens Sweeck to race for Crelan:

Sam Bewley to Retire at the End of this Season
Sam Bewley is in his final months as a cyclist. The 35-year-old New Zealander, who has been riding for BikeExchange-Jayco since 2012, made the announcement via social media. “Been a bloody good time,” Bewley summed up his career.

In his farewell post on social media, Bewley thanked BikeExchange team owner Gerry Ryan, his closest friends, parents and partner and pro cyclist Hannah Barnes, who currently rides for Norwegian formation Uno-X. “I am looking forward to supporting her now for the full 100%. I’ve really enjoyed my career and I owe so much to this sport, but now it’s time to put my helmet and numbers aside.”

Bewley started his professional career in 2010 with the American RadioShack team and in his first professional year he was a teammate of Lance Armstrong, Andreas Klöden, Chris Horner, Levi Leipheimer, Ben Hermans and Daryl Impey. After just over two seasons with Radioshack, he switched to Orica GreenEDGE, which is now BikeExchange-Jayco, in May 2012.

New Zealander Bewley grew into a valued worker with Gerry Ryan’s team and was important to leaders such as Esteban Chaves, Michael Matthews and the brothers Simon and Adam Yates. There was no personal success: Bewley was unable to take a professional victory in all those years.

Sam Bewley:

Alex Baudin Will Join the Ranks of the AG2R CITROËN TEAM From 1 January 2023 Through 2024

Alex Baudin: “This is the culmination of a huge amount of work over many years. Going professional with the AG2R CITROËN TEAM is the realisation of a childhood dream. I was born in Savoie, I spent my junior years at Chambéry Cyclisme Compétition and the beginning of my U23 years at Chambéry Cyclisme Formation. I couldn’t imagine any other route than this. Now, this is just the beginning. I want to integrate into the group and help the team as soon as possible. I already know many of the riders in the squad, that will help me. I can’t wait to discover professional racing even though I have already had a glimpse of it over the past two years with the French team and Swiss Racing Academy. I will apply myself to finish my 2022 season as strongly as possible before starting the adventure with the AG2R CITROËN TEAM in January 2023.”

Vincent Lavenu: “Alex is a rider we know well because he did part of his training in the colours of AG2R CITROËN U23 TEAM (2020-2021). He has a lot of talent and has obtained very good results, in particular by winning two stages of the Tour du Pays de Vaud (one in 2018 and one in 2019), which is part of the Junior Nations Cup. This year, in the colours of Swiss Racing Academy (then Tudor Pro Cycling Team), he has continued to progress and has the talent to join our team. He is a climber-puncher who fully fits into our philosophy.”

In brief:
Born 25 May 2021 (21 years old)
Lives in Chambéry (Savoie)
Winner of a stage and 2nd in the general classification of the Tour de Bretagne (2.2) in 2022
Winner of a stage of the Tour du Val d’Aoste (2.2 U23) in 2022
Winner of a stage of the Tour du Pays de Vaud (Coupe des Nations juniors) in 2018 and in 2019.

The number: 1
Alex Baudin is the first recruit for the AG2R CITROËN TEAM for the 2023 season. He is the twenty-sixth rider from the AG2R CITROËN U23 TEAM to join the AG2R CITROËN TEAM. The first rider was Blaise Sonnery in 2007.

The news: Dorian Godon extends for a year
Initially signed with the AG2R CITROËN TEAM until 2024, Dorian Godon is extending his contract for an additional year until the end of 2025. He has been part of the team since 2019.

“I am very happy that the team has confidence in me for another year, especially after this injury-plagued season. Having a contract through 2025 guarantees my peace of mind for the future. I thank Vincent Lavenu and all the staff for this. I feel very good with the team. I can’t wait to race again at my highest level on the bike, from the end of the 2022 season,” Dorian Godon said.

Alex Baudin:

Astana Qazaqstan Team Announces Two Stagieires
From August 1st, Astana Qazaqstan Team invites two young riders as the trainees until the end of 2022 season.

A promising rider from Kazakhstan Igor Chzhan moves to Astana Qazaqstan Team as a trainee. The 22-year-old rider is the Asian Road Race Champion, who won the title in Dushanbe, Tajikistan back in March. This season Chzhan also won the Turkish one-day race Grand Prix Velo Alanya (1.2) and was second in the individual time trial of the Kazakhstan National Championships.

“We are following Igor Chzhan for a few years already and in the last two seasons this rider demonstrates a good progress and stability in the races. I think it is the right time to provide him a chance to try himself at the WorldTour level and to see him in some races as a rider of Astana Qazaqstan Team,” – said Alexandr Vinokurov.

Also, another young rider Gleb Syritsa is going to join Astana Qazaqstan Team as a trainee.

This season the 22-year-old rider has scored a number of victories in the national calendar of Spain, among them – Circuito del Guadiana and Trofeo Guerrita Memorial San Juan Romero y Diego Sanchez. In 2021 Syritsa won the Italian one-day race Circuito del Porto – Trofeo Arvedi (1.2).

“Also, we bring Gleb Syritsa as another trainee in our team. This young rider has an impressive physique and in the current season he looks really strong in the Spanish national calendar. So, it is a good opportunity to check him on another level,” – added Alexandr Vinokurov.

Doug Ryder Workin On a ProTeam
Doug Ryder, former general manager of Dimension Data and NextHash teams, is said to be working on an upgrade for his squad, VeloNews reports. Qhubeka is currently racing as a Continental team, but Ryder would like to turn it back into a ProTeam with a new sponsor.

In 2021, Qhubeka NextHash lost its WorldTour license after the team struggled with a lack of financial support. The South African was unable to find a new title sponsor, meaning the team became a Continental team and all the big names left. Giacomolo Nizzolo, Domenico Pozzovivo and Victor Campenaerts, among others, had to leave.

Ryder didn’t give up, though. In 2022, his team was still in the pack, as Team Qhubeka. Another step up, from a Continental team to a ProTeam, and there seems to be talk about a possible sponsor, Ryder himself denies it. “I have no comment, I need more time,” he added.

What next for Qhubeka?

ℕ ℍ ℍ – PART 2 – Back to business at the Tour
Episode 2 – Arrivée

“I think I did the perfect race; I can only have regrets if I do something wrong.” – Michael Matthews.

“You are doing this! Go, just go, you have to go.” – Mat Hayman.

“I’ve never seen any team that I have worked with work so well together, and the bonding from the first to the last day has been pretty special.” – Gerry Ryan.

In this second episode of ‘Part 2 – Back to Business at the Tour,’ we go behind the scenes with the team as they head into the final two weeks of the Tour de France. It is a race like no other, the whole world is watching, and the stakes are high.

We explore the dynamics of handling the highs of a victory to bouncing back and staying motivated after near misses, and how Groenewegen and Matthews managed sharing responsibility, racing together as two leaders for the first time ever and at the world’s biggest race.

With a Tour de France debutant almost taking an unbelievable win, which made it a third second-place finish for the team in just a few days, the tension and emotions were at an all-time high. Was this it now – near misses would be the story of the Tour for the Australian outfit?

‘Bling’ had pressure building, internally and externally, he hadn’t won a Tour de France stage in five years, and everybody was watching. Groenewegen had taken his win already, ‘Schultzie’ had come close. After a second-place finish in 2021 and now two more near-misses with two painful second places, with the commitment, the suffering, and the sacrifice – losing simply wasn’t an option anymore.

We look into how the rider from Canberra put on that outstanding show on stage 14, what were his motivations, what was he thinking when the dream was nearly over with three kilometres to go?

Sit back and enjoy ‘Episode 2 – Arrivée’ and feel all the emotions of the team through this magical rollercoaster event.

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