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 this week …
Sunday, November 24, 2024
- Cyclocross World Cup gets underway more or less as last season ended
- The wait is almost over for Mathieu van der Poel’s cyclocross schedule
- Andrey Amador quietly confirms his retirement
- UAE Team Emirates sports director spills the beans on Pogačar’s goals for 2025
- Quick Hits
Cyclocross World Cup gets underway more or less as last season ended
24 hours after both took wins in Kortrijk, Fem van Empel and Eli Iserbyt doubled up in the first round of the UCI World Cup in a blustery Antwerp. In the elite women’s race, a watchful Van Empel took advantage of issues for her main rivals by attacking in the opening laps and soloing all the way to the finish for her third-consecutive win in Antwerp. In doing so she starts this World Cup as the last ended – she took victory in the last two rounds in Benidorm and Hoogerheide in January, but an incomplete World Cup programme meant she wasn’t in the picture for the overall, taken by Alvarado.
Eli Iserbyt, on the other hand, was able to hold onto his well-padded overall lead last season despite the top of the results sheets in the second half being dominated by Tom Pidcock (Namur), Wout van Aert (Benidorm) and Mathieu van der Poel who won five out of the six rounds he started. The Belgian national champion set about doing the same for this season with an emphatic win in Antwerp ahead of Laurens Sweeck and Michael Vanthourenhout. Iserbyt is the first male rider not named Van der Poel or Van Aert (once) to win at Antwerp in a decade.
This World Cup series starts later and is two rounds shorter than in previous seasons, and skips the US for the first time since 2015, in an attempt to prevent similar drama to last year when big-name riders were opting to skip rounds of the marquee series, drawing frustration from UCI president David Lappartient.
The wait is almost over for Mathieu van der Poel’s cyclocross schedule
In very off-season news, Christoph Roodhooft of Alpecin-Deceuninck has announced when there’s likely to be an announcement as to Mathieu van der Poel’s long-awaited winter racing schedule. While Thibau Nys, Lars van der Haar and latterly Eli Iserbyt have been making their marks on the early-season races, their exploits are still overshadowed by some who are desperate to learn when world champion Van der Poel and Wout van Aert especially are likely to race, if at all, this cyclocross season.
While Camp Van Aert has remained shtum on the subject – he has recently been seen training with Fem van Empel who paused her own CX campaign to head out on a training camp with their shared team Visma-Lease a Bike – Roodhooft told Sporza that it won’t be long now, “Let’s say: the programme will be announced next week.”
Tom Pidcock is another of the so-called ‘Big Three’ multi-hyphenate pros who has yet to indicate any intention to race this year, but we’re still a few weeks off when he’d typically rejoin the field after a road season; last year he made his debut in mid-December with second and first place at X2O Herentals and the Namur World Cup round.
Andrey Amador quietly confirms his retirement
Costa Rican pro Andrey Amador has announced that he will not return to the professional peloton six months after a traffic collision while training left him with numerous fractures in his leg and foot. The 38-year-old still had a year left on his contract with EF Education-EasyPost, but having been unable to fully recover from his injuries, he’s been forced to bring the date forward. This means that the Tour de Romandie was his last race, 15 years after turning pro with Caisse d’Epargne, which would become Team Movistar, the team with which Amador enjoyed most personal success before becoming a sought-after climbing domestique for Ineos Grenadiers and finally EF.
UAE Team Emirates sports director spills the beans on Pogačar’s goals for 2025
There are no surprises here at all, but in an interview with inBici, UAE sports director Fabio Baldato has indicated what we can expect from Tadej Pogačar in 2025. It’s going to be hard to better this season as far as results go, but there are still a few big wins missing from the Slovenian’s palmarès, including Milan-Sanremo and the Vuelta a España, and its these two races that Baldato pointed to specifically. That means a return to the Giro is unlikely while Pogačar aims to peak for the Classics and the summer double-header of French and Spanish Grand Tours. [inBici.]
Quick Hits
Intermarché-Wanty looks set to say goodbye to their distinctive blue and yellow livery, with riders expected to “discover new colours” at an upcoming December training camp … Not long after confirming a contract extension with Movistar, Nairo Quintana has revealed he expects to miss the Tour de France in favour of the Giro-Vuelta double in 2025 … Criterium season continued stuttering onwards in Monaco this weekend as Tadej Pogačar “won” the BeKING criterium (organised by former UAE teammate Matteo Trentin) ahead of Mads Pedersen and Michael Matthews.
Saturday, November 23, 2024
- Life Time offers more opportunities to enter Unbound Gravel with five qualifying events in 2025
- Van Empel and Iserbyt beat the cold to double up in Kortrijk
- Hagens Berman Jayco adds world-beating track talent to 2025 roster
- The Lotto-Kern Haus x Ineos Grenadiers development partnership signs its first British talent
- Matthew Richardson flies on his debut in British colours
- Quick Hits
Life Time offers more opportunities to enter Unbound Gravel with five qualifying events in 2025
In the wake of the announcement of Unbound Gravel’s 2025 lottery winners this week, event organiser Life Time has revealed the five races that will serve as qualifying events for the marquee gravel race in the “capital of gravel riding” that is Emporia, Kansas. There will be around 50 entries available at each of the following events, allocated based on category and a random draw, with winners of each guaranteeing a start at the next Unbound event, or one year deferred. With Unbound 2025 taking place May 29th-June 1st, all but Sea Otter will mean qualification for 2026 (and beyond).
April 11th — Sea Otter Classic – Monterey, California
July 12th — Crusher in the Tushar – Beaver, Utah
August 10th — Heathland Gravel – Maasmechelen, Belgium (the only non-Life Time event, organised by Flanders Classics)
September 27th — Rad Dirt Fest – Trinidad, Colorado
October 18th — Big Sugar Gravel – Bentonville, Arkansas
This is an increase in qualifying opportunities from 2024, when only Heathland Gravel – still the only qualifying event outside the US – and Life Time’s Rad Dirt Fest offered chances for Unbound entry.
Van Empel and Iserbyt beat the cold to double up in Kortrijk
Both Fem van Empel and Eli Iserbyt soloed to title defences at Exact Cross Kortrijk – or ‘Urban Cross’ – weathering the competition and the biting wind that swept across West Flanders. In Van Empel’s first race post-training camp, the world champion broke clear of her rivals in the first lap, saying at the finish that she was hoping to “keep myself warm” by going hard early. Her lead stretched to 47 seconds before Marion Norbert Riberolle crossed the line second, having distanced teammate Inge van der Heijden, with whom she’d ridden much of the race in a committed two-rider chase. Belgian national champion Sanne Cant then finished just off the podium to put three Crelan-Corendon riders in the top four.
Later, Iserbyt wrestled off his demons to take his second win of a turbulent season, and his third of six editions of ‘Urban Cross’. It was a determined solo display for the Belgian national champion who hit the deck a few laps before his decisive move. He established a gap of up to half a minute as teammate Michael Vanthourenhout appeared to put the brakes on in the chase group – incurring the wrath of Alpecin-Deceuninck team boss Christoph Roodhoft – eventually book-ending the podium with Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal riders, with Niels Vandeputte (Alpecin-Deceuninck) finishing second on an all-Belgian podium.
Hagens Berman Jayco adds world-beating track talent to 2025 roster
One of the world’s foremost development squads, Hagens Berman Jayco has announced the addition of 18-year-old track talents Wil Holmes and Rubén Sánchez, completing the squad’s 2025 lineup.
Australian Holmes holds the junior world record in individual pursuit (3km) and Spaniard Sánchez is a former Elimination world champion who has what new team boss Axel Merckx considers a burgeoning pure-sprint capacity. They join incumbent riders Ben Wiggins, Adam Rafferty, Gonçalo Tavares and Samuele Privitera who have all recorded attention-grabbing performances at national and international level this past season.
Recent graduates from Axel Merckx’s talent factory include Artem Schmidt and Alastair MacKellar who head off to Ineos Grenadiers and EF Education-EasyPost respectively, both of whom will hope to follow in the large footprints of alumni such as Taylor Phinney, George Bennett, Jasper Stuyven, Tao Geoghegan Hart, Neilson Powless, Jasper Philipsen, João Almeida, Jarrad Drizners … the list goes on (and on and on).
The Lotto-Kern Haus x Ineos Grenadiers development partnership signs its first British talent
Though the Lotto-Kern Haus pedigree is most certainly German, the recent announcement of a new partnership with the Ineos Grenadiers – still stubbornly British – means that this winter is likely to see a significant shakeup in the team’s DNA. That’s not to suggest that Brits will flood the roster, but nevertheless, it’s no surprise at all that the third new signing is the team’s first ever British rider in Liverpool-born Scottish all-rounder Joseph Cosgrove. So far there are only seven riders confirmed for 2025, and with Ineos Grenadiers now keeping a close eye, this is one to watch.
Matthew Richardson flies on his debut in British colours
Though not yet technically allowed to race for his new nation, former Australian track sprint superstar Matthew Richardson wore the GB colours for the first time this weekend as the Track Champions League got underway with round one at the Saint-Quéntin-en-Yvélines Olympic velodrome in Paris. Richardson is able to race the TCL because each competing rider races for their own personal sponsors, albeit still distinguished via national livery as they compete for the leaders’ jerseys in Sprint or Endurance categories. That means that three months after last meeting at the Olympics, Richardson is able to rekindle his thrilling rivalry with Dutch powerhouse Harrie Lavreysen – who has, it’s worth noting, continued to race in the interim while Richardson was limited to training.
The Dutch sprinter has been the man to beat for the past few years, with only Richardson ever really coming close – and even then, it was nearly always by a narrow margin – but with his new kit and equipment, and the realisation of a childhood dream in moving to the country of his birth, Richardson stunned his arch-rival on Saturday night with a dominant victory in the sprint. Lavreysen was soundly beaten, the 27-year-old even soft-pedalling over the finish line as he got a taste of his own medicine.
Richardson went on to double up with Keirin victory at the end of the evening, meaning the newly British sprinter takes the lead in the Sprint classification.
Quick Hits
Tim Merlier (Soudal-QuickStep) is set to race a limited cyclocross programme in the fan-favourite ‘Kerstperiode’: Exact Cross Loenhout (27th December), World Cup Besançon (29th December) and Superprestige Gullegem (4th January) … Katie Archibald and Dylan Bibic got their Track Champions League campaigns off to a perfect start with narrow victories in the Scratch races in Paris, and Archibald later backed it up with a win in the Elimination … The action-packed opening round of the TCL culminated in a visit to the leaders’ podium for Endurance riders Katie Archibald and Dylan Bibic, and sprinters Emma Finucane and Matthew Richardson.
Friday, November 22, 2024
- Boulder, Colorado gets punk’d by tactical urbanism sign stunt
- Christian Prudhomme thinks racing is (literally) too fast
- Enve releases $1200 SES Aero Pro handlebar
- Pogačar might race Paris-Roubaix* (*Someday)
- Quick Hits
Tactical urbanist punks Boulder with profane speed limit signs
Road users in Boulder, Colorado were treated to an unofficial safety campaign this week after a tactical urbanist clandestinely placed 14 “speed limit” signs on area roads telling drivers to slow the fuck down. Literally: the signs – which were professionally made and printed on metal like official signs – included phrases like “Put your damn phone down,” “Don’t kill any kids today,” and the above “Slow the fuck down.”
City authorities set about removing the signs after they were spotted, but the activist who placed them smartly used fasteners with a special bolt head, slowing down the process. Reactions were mixed, with posts on social media in favor, while others noted that studies have showed even official Department of Transportation campaigns that use clever language can themselves distract drivers and reduce safety. Placing the signs is technically a crime, but as of yet police have no leads. [Colorado Public Radio]
Christian Prudhomme: ‘The riders are going too fast!’
In remarks at Friday’s annual general meeting of the association of race organizers (AIOCC), Tour de France director (and AIOCC president) Christian Prudhomme said that events like the awful Itzulia crash last April that caused serious injury to multiple riders must be addressed, saying “It is absolutely necessary to reduce speed by appropriate measures: the riders are going too fast!”
Prudhomme’s comments held no specifics about how, exactly, race organizers could reduce speeds in the pack. But he called safety a “cardinal priority” to address and noted that the increased speeds also raise risks for crashes with caravan vehicles. “We already said it here last year: our car and motorbike drivers no longer have a safety margin! Imagine the consequences if one of our drivers, subjected to too much pressure, lost control on a descent from a pass or when racing through a built-up area,” he said.
Prudhomme also notably mentioned the UCI’s budget cap proposal, marking Tour organizer ASO’s first comments on the matter. “The overwhelming financial superiority of some teams compared to the others does not lead us towards an ever more attractive cycling spectacle,” he said. Alex Hunt has more on the budget cap news. [AIOCC]
Enve releases $1,200 SES Aero Pro handlebar
We’ve known it’s been coming for a while, and finally, Enve has officially released the one-piece handlebar we’ve seen Tadej Pogacar use for over a season.
The SES Aero Pro one-piece handlebar/stem is as its name describes. Based on Enve’s In-Route internal cable system, the bar is also compatible – via a top headset cap conversion kit – with bikes from Colnago (naturally) and Specialized’s Tarmac SL7 and SL8. The flared bar comes in three widths: 37/40, 39/42 and 41/44 cm, and six stem lengths from 90-140 mm. An integrated computer mount is included, and the bar can be used with Enve’s Aero clip-on extensions. Expect to pay US$1,200 for this USA-made bar and stem combo. [Enve]
Pogačar (warily) eyes Paris-Roubaix
Keeping with our Tadej Pogačar theme, while the UAE Team Emirates captain has won three Tours de France and doubtless wants more, the Slovenian has always had broader designs for his career, with wins in three of the one-day Monuments already. While he’s had a crack at Milan-San Remo as a fourth, he’s yet to take on the final one: Paris-Roubaix.
But, in an interview with Slovenia’s RTV, he said it might be in his plans. “Paris-Roubaix? Not yet. But you never know. If the form is good for such a competition, my program can also be adjusted during the season,” Pogačar said. While already a Tour of Flanders winner, he said the two races are not directly comparable. “If you climb on cobblestones, it’s different,” he said. “To win Roubaix, I also have to gain some kilos. It’s going to be difficult. At the moment I think I am still too light.” He added that it’s not likely he’ll race the Hell of the North in 2025, saying that he may target the Vuelta a España first. [RTV]
Quick Hits
Luke Plapp will try for an unprecedented fourth-straight Australian national road title in January. Ruby Roseman-Gannon will also defend her title on the new course in Perth … The US National Highway Transportation Administration will (finally) start rating car safety to include impacts on people outside the vehicle … The 2025 Tour of the Alps route is out, with 14,700 meters of climbing across 739 km in five stages. That is not a misprint on the elevation gain … Look Cycle has acquired British parts and accessories brand Pembree, known for its flat pedals for gravity racing … Chris Froome and Alberto Contador will headline a virtual ride event on BKOOL on Monday at 18:30 CET, which is open to the public.
Thursday, November 21, 2024
- Jorgensen ‘can be on the podium’ of a Grand Tour,’ and competition in the team only helps
- Argonaut adds Supernaut RM3 and GR3 to permanent lineup
- Creditors are now claiming almost £2 million against the estate of Bradley Wiggins
- Movistar secures Sánchez and four other youngsters longterm
- Agent: Teams ‘constantly’ check in on the chances of Pogačar leaving UAE
Jorgensen ‘can be on the podium’ of a Grand Tour,’ and competition in the team only helps
Matteo Jorgenson has the potential to deliver a Grand Tour podium, according to his sports director Frans Maassen, and the American himself pointed to intra-team competition at Visma-Lease a Bike as an asset in his development, as Cyclingnews reports.
“If you want leadership, which I think some riders do, some riders don’t, but I think if you do, and I did, then I needed to prove to the team that I was ready for that and capable of that,” Jorgenson said. “It only helped me to have other guys fighting for the same opportunity. So really, it just keeps you motivated and keeps you sharp.”
Jorgenson had shown flashes of potential at Movistar but it was after his move to Visma that he really took a step up, winning Paris-Nice and landing a top 10 at the Tour de France this year, among other results in both stage races and Classics.
“I think it’s possible one year he can be on the podium of a Grand Tour, I would say,” Maassen said. “It’s not impossible that he can reach that, but we have to see that in the next years. He’s very good on many terrains so he can also win Classics, we’ll just have to see.” [Cyclingnews]
Argonaut adds Supernaut RM3 and GR3 to permanent lineup
Oregon-based bike manufacturer Argonaut has made its Supernaut RM3 road and GR3 gravel bikes a permanent addition to its bike range. Initially launched as a limited edition in 2023, the Supernaut will see 30 production slots available in 2025.
The Supernaut is offered in 13 sizes and the frame features Argonaut’s advanced high-pressure silicone moulding process. Each bike is hand-built in Bend, Oregon. The RM3 road bike is priced at $16,500, while the GR3 gravel bike costs $15,900. Both models include premium components such as Argonaut’s carbon wheels, SRAM or Shimano groupsets, and Enve cockpit. [Argonaut Bikes]
Creditors are now claiming almost £2 million against the estate of Bradley Wiggins
As Cycling Weekly reports, the amount that creditors are claiming against Bradley Wiggins’s estate has doubled since he declared bankruptcy earlier this year. Initially, the company handling the liquidation of his company Wiggins Rights Limited put the claims at just under £1 million, but a revision now puts them at just under £2 million.
“Ultimately, the debt from Wiggins Rights will be part of the bankruptcy which is being conducted by the trustee, and any assets or otherwise will be offset against any debt,” his lawyer said. “Ultimately, it will be up to the trustee to decide what is owed and what isn’t owed.” [Cycling Weekly]
Movistar secures Sánchez and four other youngsters longterm
Longterm deals are becoming more and more common in pro cycling, but Movistar’s decision to sign five riders through 2028 is still remarkable, and a sign of the confidence the Spanish squad has in their future.
Pelayo Sánchez, who enjoyed a breakthrough Giro d’Italia this season, is the headliner of the quintet, with Jon Barrenetxea, Carlos Canal, Iván Romeo, and Javier Romo also now signed through the next four years.
Agent: Teams ‘constantly’ check in on the chances of Pogačar leaving UAE
Tadej Pogačar’s new contract with UAE Team Emirates makes him the most highly paid cyclist ever, and it also includes a massive buyout clause. According to Pogačar’s agent Alex Carera, other teams do, at least, reach out about the possibility of poaching him from UAE, although that seems rather unlikely to happen now.
“Many teams constantly want to know how the situation is in case we leave UAE,” Carera told Marca. “They don’t ask once, they ask many times each year.” [Marca]
Wednesday, November 20, 2024
- Colnago celebrates its birthday with the ‘Steelnovo’
- Roglic has the ‘charisma of a champion’
- DT Swiss releases a dynamo-equipped hub
- Cavalli signs with DSM
- Prudhomme prefers today’s racing to the Sky years
Colnago celebrates its birthday with the ‘Steelnovo’
Colnago is turning 70 and has a new, limited-edition steel frame to celebrate. Colnago unveiled the Steelnovo to celebrate the brand’s 70th anniversary in a limited run of just 70 units.
It features custom Columbus tubing and 3D-printed head tube lugs, seat tube-top tube, and seat stay lugs, rear dropouts, and a custom seat post clamp for reduced weight and increased precision. The Steelnovo also combines that classic lugged construction with modern touches: It has 35 mm tire clearance, disc brakes, electronic drivetrain compatibility, and … internal brake hose routing.
Each bike comes with a custom Campagnolo Super Record Wireless groupset, featuring Italian flag and gold details and costs a whooping €17,500. Happy Birthday, Colnago!
Roglic has the ‘charisma of a champion’
Primož Roglič rode through ups and downs in his first season at Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe, winning the Critérium du Dauphiné but abandoning the Tour de France after a crash and then bouncing back to win the Vuelta a España. Through it all, he apparently earned the respect of multiple teammates. Both Matteo Sobrero and Roger Adrià spoke up for their GC leader in separate interviews this week.
“I felt very good with him right away, we have an excellent relationship,” Sobrero told Bici.pro. “He is a different leader from those I have had previously, he really has the charisma of a champion.”
Adrià, for his part, refuted any notion that Roglič is losing steam at this point in his career. As he told Marca, “I think that winning the Dauphiné and the Vuelta a España in the season, if that is considered a decline … In the Vuelta a España, he did his best numbers, he was flying there, so I think that for the future he is going to be super competitive like he is now.”
DT Swiss releases a dynamo-equipped hub
DT Swiss has partnered with Shutter Precision (SP-Dynamo) to develop its first dynamo-equipped hub, the 350 SP PL-7. Specifically designed to endure off-road conditions, rough terrain, and heavy loads, the hub is intended for bike packing, commuting, and gravel use and it is available exclusively as a 12mm thru-axle, 24-spoke Center Lock disc option.
DT will offer the hub in two wheelsets: the GR 1600 Spline Dyn and the G 1800 Spline Dyn, both featuring tubeless-ready aluminium rims, a 25mm rim depth, and a 24mm inner rim width. The GR 1600 is priced at €320.90 / $442.90, while the G 1800 is offered at €248.90 / $342.90. Alternatively, the standalone 350 SP PL-7 hub is available for €174.90 / $236.90.
These hubs deliver a standard output of 6V, 3W, and are StVZO compliant, ensuring they meet German road traffic regulations for visibility and safety. With a claimed efficiency of 72% at 15 km/h, the hub adds only 1 watt of drag at 30 km/h with the light off, the drag increases to 7 watts with the light on. The hubs also support standard dynamo lamps and USB converters for powering lighting systems and devices.
Cavalli signs with DSM
After a season derailed by injuries – and getting hit by a driver – Marta Cavalli is hoping to bounce back with a new team. The 26-year-old Italian is leaving FDJ-Suez to join DSM-Firmenich-PostNL on a three-year deal.
“From our first talks the team has really trusted in me and believe that I can get back to where I was as a rider, and that was something important to me,” Cavalli said via a team statement.
Prudhomme prefers today’s racing to the Sky years
Tour de France director Christian Prudhomme has told Midi Libre that he enjoys the contemporary style of racing more than that of the past decade, when the race was won seven times by riders on past iterations of the team now called the Ineos Grenadiers.
“I wasn’t a fan of the Sky era, where it was completely locked down, they attacked 800 meters from the finish,” Prudhomme said. “Now, they attack from afar, they make or break. We had an absolutely fantastic Tour two years ago, we had an exceptional half of the Tour last year.” [Midi Libre]
Tuesday, November 19, 2024
- Pinarello launches new F1 performance bike with mechanical groupset and sub $4k price tag
- Van Gils ‘has terminated his contract with Lotto Dstny’
- Merida revenue rebounds but profits remain low
- Campagnolo looks set to return to the WorldTour in 2025
- Quick Hits
Pinarello launches new F1 performance bike with mechanical groupset and sub-$4k price tag
Pinarello has introduced a new, more affordable F1 model to its F-Series range making it available to “wider audiences.” The new F1 model is priced at $3,500 and is the most affordable in the F-series the Italian brand first launched in 2023.
The F1 is built with Toray T600 carbon fiber, which means it’s heavier than the existing, higher-tier F5, F7, and F9 models. It still maintains Pinarello’s signature engineering features, including full cable integration, an aerodynamic Onda fork, and a compact rear triangle with clearance for tires up to 30mm.
The F1 also marks the first and only bike in the F lineup with a mechanical groupset. The new model comes with a Shimano 105 drivetrain and rolls on budget-oriented WH RS-171 wheels. It’s available in nine sizes and two colors: formula red and formula blue.
Van Gils ‘has terminated his contract with Lotto Dstny’
Het Laatste Nieuws reports that Belgian all-rounder Maxim Van Gils “has terminated his contract with Lotto Dstny” despite having signed an extension with the team earlier this year. Van Gils was one of Lotto’s top riders in 2024 and seemed destined to be a team leader in hilly Classics for years to come, but he has apparently decided unilaterally that he wants out.
As HLN points out, European employment law will allow Van Gils to leave the team if he wants, although Lotto would be entitled to compensation for the broken contract. Where the promising 24-year-old is headed next remains unclear. [HLN]
Merida revenue rebounds but profits remain low
Taiwan’s second-largest bicycle manufacturer Merida has reported a revenue increase of 5.8% in the first nine months of the 2024 financial year, reaching NT$23.8 billion (US$735 million). But while the company’s revenue recovered, profits lagged behind, standing at NT$1.83 billion (US$56 million), a 15% decrease compared to the same period last year.
Campagnolo looks set to return to the WorldTour in 2025
Historically dominant in professional cycling, Campagnolo has lost ground to Shimano and SRAM in recent years, but as Ronan Mc Laughlin reports here at Escape Collective, that could be set to change. After a significant stretch of not being associated with any top-division teams, the Italian brand seems set to return to the WorldTour with Cofidis. [Escape Collective]
Quick Hits
Annemiek van Vleuten is writing a book … Nuno Ribeiro, banned former manager of W52-FC Porto, says team owner Quintanilha masterminded the team’s doping program … Cyclocross viewership is growing (with Van der Poel and Van Aert conspicuously absent).
Monday, November 18, 2024
- Tour climbs that have challenged Pogačar before are just ‘fuel to the fire’
- VanMoof re-starts e-bike sales in the UK
- Pedersen will ride the same spring program next year
- Rowe reflects on decision to move on from Ineos
- Tarling will likely race the Giro next year
Tour climbs that have challenged Pogačar before are just ‘fuel to the fire’
Tadej Pogačar weighed in on the route of the 2025 Tour de France in an interview with Slovenian outlet Siol.net last week, specifically addressing the fact that the race will visit a handful of climbs where he has struggled in the past.
His conclusion: Tour organizers may be trying to challenge him. Pogačar is unfazed.
“Maybe the organizers have really included those three climbs where I didn’t shine in the previous performances [Col de la Loze, Mont Ventoux and Hautacam] and they want to test me a bit again,” he said, “but this is just adding fuel to the fire.” [Siol.net]
VanMoof re-starts e-bike sales in the UK
E-bike brand VanMoof – which declared bankruptcy in July 2023 – has re-started sales and service for its new S5 and A5 models in a select, eight-dealer network in the UK. The one-time bike industry darling turned heads with its unusual designs and raised almost US$200 million in venture capital before a spectacular fall and bankruptcy, after which it was acquired by micromobility brand Lavoie, a subsidiary of McLaren Applied.
The company’s focus on total design integration meant that parts and service for the 200,000 bikes it had sold was non-existent after its failure, but part of its revival is to re-start service on the S3 and X3 models from its original incarnation. The company has previously re-started sales in the Netherlands, its home market, and Germany. No plans have yet been announced for further expansion.
Pedersen will ride the same spring program next year
After an up-and-down Classics campaign in 2024 that saw him win Gent-Wevelgem only to crash days later at Dwars door Vlaanderen, Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek) is going to run it back in the early goings of 2024. As his coach Mattias Reck told Ekstra Bladet, “We are not going to do anything differently. It fits so well, so we’re going to copy-paste what we’ve done so far leading up to Paris-Roubaix.”
Apparently, Pedersen will ride “two stage races in February. It will probably be in France, just like this year, when he raced in Bessèges and Provence.” He will then race Paris-Nice ahead of his major targets in the Classics. Beyond the cobbled one-days, his Grand Tour plans are less certain. [Ekstra Bladet]
Rowe reflects on decision to move on from Ineos
Luke Rowe, who has called it a racing career and will leave the Ineos Grenadiers for a sports director role at Decathlon-Ag2r la Mondiale, spoke about his decision in an interview at Rouleur Live over the weekend.
“I found I perform best on the bike when I’m uncomfortable,” he said. “If you get too comfortable, you can go on a hamster wheel and go through the motions a bit, which I kind of fear for myself. If I stayed at Ineos, I would just become too comfortable.”
Tarling will likely race the Giro next year
Veteran journalist Ciro Scognamiglio wrote on X on Monday that Josh Tarling (Ineos Grenadiers “is likely” to make his Giro d’Italia debut in 2025. The 20-year-old Welshman made his first ever Grand Tour start at the Vuelta a España this year, though he abandoned the race before the first rest day after a crash. [X]
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