Welcome to Daily News, your roundup of news items from across the world of cycling. We keep this post updated throughout the week so that you can stay informed on all things bike racing, tech, industry, culture, advocacy, and more.
Here is what is making the headlines at the start of this week – and then we’ll be taking a little break for the holidays. The Daily News will return in the new year. See you in 2025!
Monday, December 23, 2024
- The Giro will start in Albania
- Boonen talks Armstrong, Cancellara, and more in podcast appearance
- Vos will make ‘cross return in Besançon
- Niermann: Zeeman’s position ‘almost impossible to replace’
- Van der Poel and Alvarado stay on a roll in Mol
The Giro will start in Albania
Giro d’Italia organizers have unveiled the first few stages of next year’s race, which will indeed start in Albania after a few months of uncertainty. Durrës will host the 2025 Grande Partenza, and the opening stage will have a “medium-mountain” parcours, with three categorized climbs along the way to the finish in Tiranë.
A short individual time trial will follow, also in Tiranë, with a small climb in the middle of the 13.7 km route. The Giro’s Albanian sojourn will close out with an up-and-down stage 3 that starts and finishes in Vlorë, with a second-category ascent in the final third of the stage.
“We believe these opening stages will challenge the general classification contenders and that, thanks to the time trial in Tirana – a technical and scenic route through the heart of the Albanian capital – we might see the first time gaps among the big names,” said race director Mauro Vegni.
The rest of the Giro route will be revealed on January 13.
Boonen talks Armstrong, Cancellara, and more in podcast appearance
Tom Boonen touched on a number of different subjects in an appearance on Het Nieuwsblad‘s “Stamcafé Koers” podcast, reflecting on an apparent rift between himself and Lance Armstrong that led to six years of not speaking to each other.
He was also asked about allegations of “mechanical doping” by Fabian Cancellara at the 2010 Tour of Flanders and the Belgian decided to hint at an opinion without actually committing to saying anything, offering, “I have my thoughts about it, but I’ll keep them to myself.” [Het Nieuwsblad]
Vos will make ‘cross return in Besançon
Eight-time cyclocross world champion Marianne Vos will return to the discipline this coming weekend in France at the Besançon World Cup round.
The 37-year-old Dutchwoman, whose most recent racing appearance saw her take the gravel world title in Belgium, has not raced cyclocross in nearly two years, last making a ‘cross start at the Benidorm World Cup race in January of 2023.
Niermann: Zeeman’s position ‘almost impossible to replace’
Visma-Lease a Bike head of racing Grischa Niermann has reflected on the challenges of replacing outgoing sportive director Merijn Zeeman in an interview with Wieler Revue. After a long stint as a key member of Visma management, Zeeman decided to leave cycling to take up a post as general director of the AZ Alkmaar football (soccer) club.
“I thought it was a shame, but I also understood him,” Niermann said. “I knew that it was a big dream of his to work in football one day. Due to the growth of Team Visma-Lease a Bike, he had a position that was almost impossible to replace, because it is not without reason that we are going to fill his position with several people.” [Wieler Revue]
Van der Poel and Alvarado stay on a roll in Mol
A day after he got his cyclocross campaign underway with a win at Zonhoven, Mathieu van der Poel won again on Monday in tricky conditions at Superprestige Mol. Laurens Sweeck took second ahead of Michael Vanthourenhout.
The women’s side saw the Zonhoven winner triumph again as well, as Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado stormed to a clear win ahead of Lucinda Brand (who lost in time in a crash) and Inge van der Heijden.
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