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, March 30, 2025
- Kooij suffers a broken collarbone as bad luck swipes at Visma-Lease a Bike – again
- Arnaud De Lie’s troubles continue at Gent-Wevelgem, will not race Tour of Flanders
- Volta a Catalunya organiser is not happy
- Winner’s Circle: Pedersen and Wiebes take landmark victories at Gent-Wevelgem
Kooij suffers a broken collarbone as bad luck swipes at Visma-Lease a Bike – again
Olav Kooij started the more sprinter-friendly cobbled classic of Gent-Wevelgem as sprint leader for Visma-Lease a Bike, with Matteo Jorgenson also in the squad to respond as opportunities arose, but his race came to an end on the side a plugstreet – narrow gravel lane – with a suspected broken collarbone.
The young Dutchman had reacted fast alongside Jasper Philipsen when Mads Pedersen attacked the peloton just outside 70 km to go, and Kooij then moved up when Philipsen punctured out of contention. However, the next time TV coverage caught him, the 23-year-old was sitting hunched over on the grassy verge, his body language betraying the diagnosis that would be confirmed after the race.
With Wout van Aert yet to reach competitive form so far this season, on top of Jonas Vingegaard’s concerning concussion layoff, it’s another blow to the Visma-Lease a Bike squad that is still hoping to turn the tables on the disaster that was spring 2024 – and for Kooij who had been targeting a Giro start in six weeks.
Arnaud De Lie’s troubles continue at Gent-Wevelgem, will not race Tour of Flanders
Belgian national champion Arnaud De Lie had a great deal of expectation resting on his shoulders coming into this classics season – and the promise of a Tour de France debut to look forward to – but it’s been far from the spring he and his team had hoped for.
Struggles with form at Nokere Koerse and Bruges-De Panne prompted the 23-year-old to withdraw from E3 in order to rest before Gent-Wevelgem. However, after 150 km of racing on Sunday, De Lie was forced to abandon the WorldTour classic – something was clearly not right.
“He will take some time in the coming days for a reset and will therefore not start in Dwars Door Vlaanderen on Wednesday and the Tour of Flanders on Sunday,” his team shared on social media. “We hope he returns to his old self soon, wish him lots of courage, and look forward to having him back with us soon.”
De Lie was ruled out of a chunk of races around this time last year due to Lyme disease, which can return or cause chronic symptoms, but his team have indicated this is not the issue. [Sporza]
Volta a Catalunya organiser is not happy
The Volta a Catalunya finished this Sunday with its traditional laps of the Montjuïc Park in Barcelona, but one of the most dramatic stages of the race was the previous day’s stage 6, and all because of the rigmarole around the extreme weather, route amendments, neutralisation, de-neutralisation, more route amendments on the fly, all of which brought what was meant to be the Queen Stage down to a relatively flat 25 kilometres.
Race organiser Ruben Peris later took aim at the peloton for their ‘lack of respect’ for overturning what had been agreed and only racing one of the planned local laps.
“It's been an unpleasant day,” Peris told Cyclingnews at the finish in Berga. “That's because we'd agreed with the riders to do one thing and they did another. We agreed we'd do one lap neutralised as a recon., and another as a race. But halfway through the recon lap, we got told by some riders that it was now a question of finishing that first lap and the whole stage would be over … Some riders, not all, have not lived up to their responsibilities.”
Read more on the confusion of stage 6 here at Escape Collective.
Winner’s Circle: Pedersen and Wiebes take landmark victories at Gent-Wevelgem
Sunday’s main events were the men’s and women’s Gent-Wevelgem, where team strength defined both. In the men’s race, Lidl-Trek were in control from the start, and with 70 km to go, Mads Pedersen attacked from the peloton ultimately to bridge up to the remains of the breakaway. The Dane went solo 15 km later, and completed the remaining 56 km solo for a record-equalling third Gent-Wevelgem victory and the 50th pro win of his career.
Meanwhile, SD Worx-Protime were all over the women’s race. Several other teams attempted to break the SD Worx stranglehold, but with Lotte Kopecky and Lorena Wiebes both on flying form as they set the pace or followed moves, there was no stopping the Dutch superstar in the bunch sprint for victory. The European champion surged clear of the bunch in the gallop for the line to take a characteristically dominant victory, extending her extraordinary start to 2025 and bringing her palmarès up to 100 wins – and counting.
Earlier in the day, Primož Roglič raced aggressively to take the stage win and overall Volta a Catalunya victory after breaking overnight leader Juan Ayuso in the punchy finishing laps – read more on the outcome of a dramatic week of Catalan racing here at Escape Collective. And at the lumpy La Roue Tourangelle in France, Erlend Blikra (Uno-X Mobility) took the win ahead of WorldTour rivals Bryan Coquard (Cofidis) and Gerben Thijssen (Intermarché-Wanty).
Saturday, March 29, 2025
- Belgian police open an investigation after a spectator spat at Van der Poel during E3
- Extreme weather flattens Catalunya Queen Stage
- Merckx is on the mend after surgery to re-secure artificial hip
- Brennan leaves Volta a Catalunya to rest up for upcoming goals
- Winner’s Circle: Ben Tulett takes overall Coppi e Bartali victory as Jay Vine wins final stage
Belgian police open an investigation after a spectator spat at Van der Poel during E3
Mathieu van der Poel was on the attack when, with a little over 30 km left to race at the E3 Saxo Classic, the Milan-San Remo winner was spat at by a spectator as he accelerated up the Karnemelkbeekstraat.
It doesn’t look like Van der Poel was hit – and he was oblivious when asked about it in his winner's interview – but the deputy chief of the Ronse police force told Het Laatste Nieuws that the incident is being taken very seriously: “We want to send a clear message that we absolutely do not tolerate this kind of act. We call on supporters to show their love for cycling in a respectful and sporting manner during the upcoming races.”
Extreme weather flattens Catalunya Queen Stage
It was a confusing day at the Volta a Catalunya as extreme wind conditions led to multiple changes to the route, with first the removal of a single climb, then the complete overhaul of what was meant to be the Queen Stage, making it just two rolling laps local to the start town – and the first 70 km lap would be neutralised.
There was then a mid-circuit change as some of the riders called on the commissaires to let them race to the end of the first lap where they’d call it a day. After a fair amount of back and forth, that’s the solution that was agreed upon, and Quinn Simmons (Lidl-Trek) took a strange victory after just 25 km of racing.
Read more on this story here at Escape Collective.
Merckx is on the mend after surgery to re-secure artificial hip
Three months after undergoing a hip replacement following a bike crash in late 2024, cycling legend Eddy Merckx is relieved to finally be on the mend after a second surgery last weekend. The 79-year-old Belgian had been doing rehabilitation with sports physiotherapist Thijs Hertsen, whose past clients have included Remco Evenepoel and Wout van Aert, but persistent discomfort kept Merckx off the bike.
Eventually, a scan showed that the titanium prosthetic hip was loose, something Merckx’s doctor told him happened in only four of 10,000 cases. A four-hour surgery to secure the prosthesis yielded almost instant results, and Merckx is now looking forward to getting back on the bike.
Brennan leaves Volta a Catalunya to rest up for upcoming goals
The undisputed revelation of March, young Briton Matthew Brennan, was one of a handful of riders who opted not to start Saturday’s stage 6 of the Volta a Catalunya, with Visma-Lease a Bike stating that they’d “decided to give the 19-year-old rider some extra rest.”
A late addition to Visma-Lease a Bike’s lineup after the withdrawal of Jonas Vingegaard, Brennan left the WorldTour stage race with two brilliant stage wins, and will now rest and recover in preparation for his next races, where he will enjoy more opportunities and support after his recent successes.
Winner’s Circle: Ben Tulett takes overall Coppi e Bartali victory as Jay Vine wins final stage
The final stage of the Settimana Coppi e Bartali endured multiple splits in the bunch as they took on the relatively short hilly stage, and with such aggressive racing, there was never any chance for a breakaway to get established. Ultimately, Jay Vine (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) leapt clear of the reduced peloton about 15 km from the line and was able to maintain his half-minute lead to take a second stage win of the race. Race leader Ben Tulett then crossed the line in the same group as second-overall Mark Donovan (Q36.5) to successfully defend his 18-second lead and take his biggest result since signing with Visma-Lease a Bike over a year ago.
At the Volta a Catalunya, Quinn Simmons (Lidl-Trek) won a heavily curtailed stage 6 as the GC was neutralised before the final stage, leaving Juan Ayuso (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) still hanging onto a one-second lead over Primož Roglič (Red Bull-Bora Hansgrohe), with Enric Mas (Movistar) a further 20 seconds back in third. It’s finely poised before Sunday morning’s finale in Barcelona.
Friday, March 28, 2025
- Brennan's emergence has Visma rethinking the plan for his season
- Too much time away from home weighing De Lie down?
- 'Certainly possible' that Evenepoel will aim for Cobbled Classics one day
- Winner's Circle: Van der Poel dominates E3
Brennan's emergence has Visma rethinking the plan for his season
Matthew Brennan was only added to Visma-Lease a Bike's Volta a Catalunya roster as a replacement after a crash at Paris-Nice forced Jonas Vingegaard to change his own calendar, but the impressive display Brennan has put on this week has his team altering its own plan for where else to send him this year.
The 19-year-old Brit stormed to his second stage win in Catalunya on Friday, staying at the front as wind blew the peloton to pieces and then out-sprinting Tibor Del Grosso (Alpecin-Deceuninck) and Pavel Bittner (Picnic PostNL) to win stage 5.
"We will likely not race him in any more .2 races, only WorldTour and ProSeries races,” Visma development boss Robbert de Groot told Rouleur. “Catalunya wasn’t on his roster but because Jonas pulled out, we decided to test Matthew’s level there. And, well, the test has gone pretty well, so we said we can’t have a rider with a WorldTour victory and two second places in .2 races anymore. So he’ll do the Tour de Romandie, Tour of Norway, and National Championships before a summer break."
De Groot said that it is still a matter of "trial and error" determining how to facilitate Brennan's development, but also that Brennan is "extremely mature for his age." [Rouleur]
Too much time away from home weighing De Lie down?
Arnaud De Lie (Lotto) has had a frustrating start to his 2025 campaign, and Belgian media are left wondering about the cause. According to Dirk De Wolf on Sporza's Wielerclub Wattage, Lotto team boss Dirk Demol points to De Lie spending too much time away from home.
"Arnaud trained too much in Spain – two months – and less at home," De Wolf said. "De Lie likes to be with his cows too much. That is literally what Dirk Demol told me." [Wielerclub Wattage]
'Certainly possible' that Evenepoel will aim for Cobbled Classics one day
Soudal-Quick-Step sports director Iljo Keisse can see Remco Evenepoel tackling the Cobbled Classics at some point in the future. We won't see that happening in 2025 as Evenepoel continues to build towards his season debut after being doored in the offseason, but perhaps the Olympic champion will one day help Soudal find its way back into contention in the races that the team once dominated.
"With Remco we have someone in the team who fits in the list of super talents such as Pogačar, Van der Poel, Van Aert, Ganna, Pedersen, and Pidcock," Keisse told Wielerflits. "So it is certainly possible that we use him in the [Cobbled] Classics. But at the moment that is simply not an option, because he is still recovering from his injury. But in the long term it is certainly possible, why not? Now we are aiming for the Ardennes. Remco continues to make good progress in Spain and will join the Giro team on an altitude training camp." [Wielerflits]
Winner's Circle: Van der Poel dominates E3
Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck) crushed the field at the E3 Saxo Classic, soloing away from a select group of Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek), Filippo Ganna (Ineos Grenadiers), Casper Pedersen (Soudal-Quick-Step) and Aimé De Gendt (Cofidis) on the Oude Kwaremont with just under 40 km to go. He went on to win over a minute ahead of Pedersen with Ganna taking third over two minutes down.
Meanwhile, British riders continue to shine this week as Ben Tulett (Visma-Lease a Bike) won stage 4 of the Settimana Internazionale Coppi e Bartali. The 23-year-old attacked to win the hilly stage with Igor Arrieta (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) in second and Mark Donovan (Q36.5) in third. In the process, Tulett took the race lead as well.
And in the aforementioned stage 5 of the Volta a Catalunya, where Matthew Brennan proved fastest in the finale, Juan Ayuso (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) picked up bonus seconds to take the race lead back from Primož Roglič (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe), although only a single second separates them in the overall standings.
Thursday, March 27, 2025
- Cytomegalovirus keeps Laporte out of the Classics
- UCI Management Committee will decide on Grand Tour wildcards after approval from PCC
- Garmin Connect gets new paid subscription tier and more AI features
- Winner's Circle: Wiebes sprints to Brugge-De Panne title, Roglič strikes back
Cytomegalovirus keeps Laporte out of the Classics
Struggling with illness for months, Christophe Laporte has not raced since winning Paris-Tours last year, and he won't be starting his season in the near future either. He and his Visma-Lease a Bike team revealed on Thursday that he has been dealing with cytomegalovirus, one of many viruses (along with those that cause chickenpox and mononucleosis, for instance) in the herpesvirus family.
"Right before I was supposed to go on an altitude training camp at the end of January, I started feeling unwell. Tests showed that I have the cytomegalovirus," Laporte explained via a team statement. "Since then, I’ve been recovering and have to take things day by day. The frustrating part is that you can’t predict how long it will take. With a broken bone, you have an estimate of how long recovery will be before you can train again. With this virus, you can’t determine that in advance, which makes it mentally tough."
Laporte is trying to remain optimistic, taking confidence from the fact that his 2024 spring was also derailed by health issues.
"Last year, I missed most of the spring as well, but later on, I won an Olympic medal and took victory in Paris-Tours," he said. "That’s what I hold on to."
UCI will decide on Grand Tour wildcards after approval from PCC
The Professional Cycling Council (PCC) has approved a proposal to grant the Grand Tours an additional wildcard invitation. The fate of the measure now rests with the UCI Management Committee, which is set to vote on it on March 31.
The PCC also approved a measure to test gear ratio limitations, and that test could happen later this year if approved by the UCI Management Committee.
Garmin Connect gets new paid subscription tier and more AI features
Garmin has launched Connect+, a new paid premium tier for its Garmin Connect app, adding AI-powered insights, expert training guidance, and expanded tracking and social features.
The subscription includes personalized “Active Intelligence”, more advanced LiveTrack options, badge challenges, and additional content from Garmin’s run and cycling coaches. Existing Garmin Connect features remain free.
Connect+ is available with a 30-day free trial, then £6.99/month or £69.99/year.
Winner's Circle: Wiebes sprints to Brugge-De Panne title, Roglič strikes back
Five years after winning Brugge-De Panne when Jolien D'Hoore was relegated, Lorena Wiebes (SD Worx-ProTime) crossed the line first to win her second title on Thursday. The Dutchwoman took a clear victory in a sprint, besting Chiara Consonni (Canyon-SRAM) and Elisa Balsamo (Lidl-Trek).
Over at the Volta a Catalunya, Primož Roglič (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) bounced back from being pipped by Juan Ayuso (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) on stage 3 by pipping Ayuso to win stage 4. Enric Mas (Movistar) took third on the day three seconds later. Accounting for bonus seconds secured during the stage, Roglič now leads the general classification but Ayuso sits on the same time in second.
And at the Settimana Internazionale Coppi e Bartali, Jay Vine (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) soloed to victory in a lumpy third stage, with Magnus Sheffield (Ineos Grenadiers) leading Simone Velasco (XDS-Astana) and the rest of a chasing group over the line 25 seconds later.
Wednesday, March 26, 2025
- Molano survives to win Brugge-De Panne in a finale marred by four big crashes
- Groves is a yellow card away from a suspension
- Fox launches two more new suspension forks, the 36 and 36 SL
- Pogačar will race Paris-Roubaix
- Sidi Shoes reports double-digit revenue growth in 2024
- Winner's Circle: Double wins Coppi e Bartali stage 2
Molano survives to win Brugge-De Panne in a finale marred by four big crashes
Juan Sebastian Molano (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) took the first WorldTour one-day win of his career on Wednesday at the Classic Brugge-De Panne, where the peloton was battered by a whopping four crashes inside the last 6 km.
The race was building towards a sprint with the last survivor of the early breakaway in sight when the first of four pileups occurred, and things only got worse from there. A second crash took out another swath of riders shortly thereafter, followed by a smaller third crash and then a dramatic fourth crash near the front of bunch with about 1 km to go.
The falls took numerous favorites – including Tim Merlier (Soudal-Quick-Step) and Arnaud De Lie (Lotto) – out of contention, but Lidl-Trek's Jonathan Milan was still there when Molano made the savvy decision to launch from over 400 meters out. His rivals hesitated to join him in winding up to speed so far from the line, giving him the advantage he needed. When Milan did finally start his own sprint, he rapidly closed in on the Colombian, but Molano narrowly held on to take the victory, with Milan settling for second and Madis Mikhels (EF Education-EasyPost) taking third.
Groves is a yellow card away from a suspension
Kaden Groves (Alpecin-Deceuninck) earned his second yellow card in a month on Tuesday at the Volta a Catalunya, putting him one yellow card away from getting the first suspension under the UCI's new yellow card rules, implemented at the start of the season.
Groves picked up his first yellow card of the month for celebrating the victory of teammate Jasper Philipsen at Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne, and he received the second for shouldering another rider inside the final kilometers of stage 2 of the Volta a Catalunya. If he earns any more yellow cards between now and the end of the race, he will be suspended from racing for two weeks.
Fox launches two more new suspension forks, the 36 and 36 SL
Slightly outside our typical scope here at Escape Collective, Fox has just announced two more forks that round out its collection and build on the 34 SL that we covered last week.
Both the new 36 SL and 36 feature the same sort of generative designed arch and crown as the 34 SL for added torsional rigidity and weight savings, in addition to increased bushing overlap for reduced friction. They also have a new type of air spring called "Glidecore" that helps to isolate the air shaft to reportedly run more smoothly under side bending loads.
The 36 SL (US$700-$1150) covers the travel range from 120, 130, and 140 mm and weighs a claimed 1,755 g with a 140 mm Grip X damper. The more burly 36 (US$ 750-$1200) is available in 140, 150, and 160 mm travel and weighs a claimed 1920 g with a 160 mm Grip X damper. [Fox]
Pogačar will race Paris-Roubaix
It's official. UAE Team Emirates-XRG has confirmed that Tadej Pogačar will make his Paris-Roubaix debut in two and a half weeks. The three-time Tour de France winner is adjusting his Classics schedule to account for the change, dropping planned starts at E3 and Gent-Wevelgem as he adds Roubaix to his calendar.
You can read more about it here at Escape Collective.
Giant releases balance bike made from recycled carbon fiber
Giant has launched Pre rCarbon, a lightweight balance bike with a sustainability focus. The bike’s frame, fork, one-piece carbon cockpit, integrated saddle and seatpost, 12" carbon wheels, and 1.75" tires all incorporate recycled materials.
Giant says the proprietary rCarbon material used in the frame and fork cuts emissions by over 50% compared to conventional carbon production. The kid-sized saddle uses recycled foam material, the grips are made from repurposed polypropylene, and the tires feature Seawastex, a nylon derived from ocean plastics. The “kid-friendly” geometry is aimed at children between ages of 1.5 and 5.
The bike is conceptually similar to Specialized’s Hotwalk Carbon, but more focused on sustainability and at US$500 / AU$899, cheaper. [Giant]
Sidi Shoes reports double-digit revenue growth in 2024
Italian shoe brand Sidi reported a 33.1% year-on-year revenue increase in 2024, reaching €31.7 million (approximately US$34.5 million). The brand's net profit rose by €3.1 million, bringing the company back into the black with a profit of €0.4 million.
2024 marked the brand’s first new collection under new ownership by the Italmobiliare Group, which acquired Sidi in 2022 for €66 million.
Winner's Circle: Ayuso takes stage 3 and the lead in Catalunya
Juan Ayuso bested Primož Roglič to win stage 3 and take the overall lead at the Volta a Catalunya. An attacking trio of Marc Soler (UAE Team Emirates-XRG), Sepp Kuss (Visma-Lease a Bike), and Lorenzo Fortunato (XDS-Astana) was caught in the finale, setting up a sprint, where Ayuso narrowly pipped Roglič. Mikel Landa (Soudal-Quick-Step) took third on the day.
Over at the Settimana Internazionale Coppi e Bartali, Paul Double (Jayco-AlUla) ascended to the biggest win of his career on stage 2. The 28-year-old Brit attacked on the day's final climb and held off Jarno Widar (Lotto Development) and Diego Ulissi (XDS Astana) to take the stage victory and the race lead.
Tuesday, March 25, 2025
- Ewan wins in his first race day with Ineos
- Police raid houses in Herentals
- Geoghegan Hart pulls out of the Volta a Catalunya due to illness
- Winner's Circle: Vernon wins stage 2 of the Volta a Catalunya
Ewan wins in his first race day with Ineos
Caleb Ewan got his 2025 season underway in style on Tuesday, winning his first race in Ineos Grenadiers kit on the opening stage of the Settimana Internazionale Coppi e Bartali. The 30-year-old Australian was starting his season a bit later than usual after an offseason complicated by his departure from Jayco-AlUla, but he left little doubt about his form in the Italian stage race.
Stage 1 from Ferrara to Bondeno came down to a bunch kick, and Ewan stormed to a dominant victory by multiple bike lengths. Israel-Premier Tech's Oded Kogut took second with Jason Tesson (TotalEnergies) in third.
Police raid houses in Herentals
Belgian police raided three houses in Herentals earlier this month in connection with a medical malpractice investigation with a possible doping element as well.
Wielerflits reports that one of the houses searched belongs to a doctor formerly tied to a professional cycling team. At present, neither the identity of that team or the doctor have been made public. [Wielerflits]
Geoghegan Hart pulls out of the Volta a Catalunya due to illness
After injuries derailed his 2024 campaign, health woes continue to plague Tao Geoghegan Hart, who did not start stage 2 of the Volta a Catalunya "following digestive troubles during stage 1," as Lidl-Trek announced on X.
"Gutted to be out of Volta Catalunya before it had even really begun," Geoghegan Hart wrote on social media. "I spent much of the stage yesterday throwing up anything I tried to eat and after not being able to get any fuel in the tank since the finish yesterday, I won’t be lining up at the start today. It was a week I was super looking forward to and had trained all through the winter toward."
Winner's Circle: Vernon wins stage 2 of the Volta a Catalunya
Ethan Vernon (Israel-Premier Tech) pipped fellow Brit Matthew Brennan (Visma-Lease a Bike) to win stage 2 of the Volta a Catalunya.
The stage was decided in a fast finish in Figueres, where Vernon took a clear lead into the closing meters of the sprint but with a hard-charging Brennan surging up on his right. Vernon held on to win with Brennan settling for second and Kaden Groves (Alpecin-Deceuninck) in third. Brennan, who took stage 1, continues to lead the general classification.
Monday, March 24, 2025
- Track Champions League cancelled, WBD refocuses on rebranded Track World Cup
- Vingegaard suffered a concussion at Paris-Nice
- David Lappartient to stand down from the French Olympic Committee
- Winner's Circle: Brennan bests Alpecin duo to win Volta a Catalunya opener
Track Champions League cancelled, WBD refocuses on rebranded Track World Cup in 2026
The Track Champions League is no more. Four years after it was launched in conjunction with the UCI with a plan to run for at least eight years, Warner Bros. Discovery has called time on the series.
In a press release, the UCI said that WBD has decided to "redefine its involvement in the promotion of track cycling" and will be closely involved in updating the Track Nations Cup, which will now (again) be known as the Track World Cup.
Since 2021, the Track Champions League had given track racers a series of events to compete in across Europe, with season-long standings in men's and women's sprint and endurance categories. The series slowly grew, but troubles appeared this past season when it was scaled back to three venues and the series director announced his departure last month.
Starting in 2026, the revamped Track World Cup will feature three rounds of Olympic track cycling events and an elimination race. In the meantime, track fans will have to settle for far fewer international racing events: The round of the Track Nations Cup that took place in Konya, Turkey, earlier this month was the only event scheduled in the series this year.
Vingegaard suffered a concussion at Paris-Nice
Jonas Vingegaard has told Danish outlet BT that he suffered a concussion in his crash on stage 5 of Paris-Nice and thus spent a week off the bike.
"After the crash I was dizzy, and after the stage I got very nauseous and was incredibly tired, which continued for the next several days," he said.
"I'm happy to be back on the bike, even though it took a little longer than hoped, due to my concussion, which has required a lot of rest."
You can read more about it here at Escape Collective.
David Lappartient to stand down from the French Olympic Committee
In the wake of his failed campaign for IOC President, David Lappartient has revealed that he will not be seeking another term as president of the French Olympic Committee (CNOSF).
Lappartient was elected to the CNOSF in the lead-up to the Paris Olympics, and saw France awarded hosting rights for the 2030 Winter Olympics. But Lappartient has now acknowledged that the commitment required by the role – which he held simultaneously to his position as UCI President, among others – is no longer sustainable. “While it has been possible to combine these commitments over these two years at the cost of a very substantial personal investment, I do not believe that it is desirable, apart from the exceptional circumstances of the last two years,” he wrote in a letter to the leadership of the CNOSF.
Lappartient is eligible for a third term as UCI president from 2025-29, with an election due in September. Although he has not yet disclosed whether he will seek re-election, the fact that he's stepping back from CNOSF would appear to point in that direction.
Winner's Circle: Brennan bests Alpecin duo to win Volta a Catalunya opener
Despite the best efforts of an attacking Tibor Del Grosso and a lurking Kaden Groves (Alpecin-Deceuninck), Matthew Brennan (Visma-Lease a Bike) powered to victory on stage 1 of the Volta a Catalunya.
Del Grosso launched a solo attack inside the final 2 km of the lumpy, wet, and cold stage, and he held a few seconds' advantage into the final 500 meters. Brennan chased with Groves tucked into his wheel, ready for a sprint should the catch be made. As it turned out, Brennan closed down Del Grosso moments before the line, and despite Groves's best efforts, the Australian was unable to come around the 19-year-old Brit in the finale. Brennan took the victory – and the race lead – with Groves settling for second and Del Grosso in third.
Cycling Esports World Champion Kate McCarthy made the most of her wildcard entry, delivering a dominant performance to win two events and finish runner-up in the third stage to claim the overall Zwift Games 2025 Championship convincingly. On the men’s side, World Champion Jason Osborne powered to victory in the Epic Championship third stage, but it wasn’t enough to secure the overall title. That honor went to USA’s Neal Fryett, whose wins in the first two stages and successful tactics in the finale earned him the top spot by a narrow two-point margin.
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