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German supermarket chain Lidl has acquired a majority stake in Lidl-Trek. Negotiations that began this summer culminated with the signing of contracts on Friday, two years after Lidl came on board as a co-sponsor in 2023, which facilitated a significant budget increase that helped both men's and women's WorldTour squads progress to super-team status.
"The signing of this contract marks a monumental moment for Lidl-Trek," said Thomas Rohregger, Head of Brand Partnerships and Head of Cycling at Lidl, in the team's release. "We approached this project with immense respect for the legacy that Lidl-Trek has built, and we are now formally and jointly committing to the next chapter. The partnership is based on the strategic goal of transferring Lidl’s organizational excellence to Lidl-Trek and combining the expertise of both co-owners to achieve our ambitious goals. The combined resources and expertise are intended to accelerate the team’s performance development in the coming seasons."
US bike and equipment brand Trek still retains a significant stake in the organisation of which they took ownership in 2014 – formerly the Luxembourg-registered RadioShack-Leopard which had raced on Trek bikes since their inception as Leopard Trek in 2011.
Intermarché expected to stick around as sponsor of merged Lotto team after all
Amid the merger of Belgian teams Lotto and Intermarché-Wanty, the supermarket chain Intermarché was not expected to stay involved; the name was not included with 'Lotto Cycling Team' on the list of WorldTeam license applicants. However, according to HLN, all parties have reached an agreement, and 'Intermarché' is now expected to be included in the team name in 2026.
As Lotto is the 'paying agent' in the merger, all Intermarché-Wanty riders are free to shop around for an alternative team, though some of them will be invited to join the merged squad. The most high-profile of the currently untethered riders is Biniam Girmay, around whom plenty of rumours have circled, including one that suggested Intermarché would only enter an association with Lotto if Girmay was also involved. News of the Eritrean sprinter's future is yet to be confirmed, however.
Beers and Dubau-Prévot win Stage 1 at 2025 Gravel Burn
Gravel Burn is a new 7-day, 850-km gravel stage race in South Africa that kicked off on Sunday, October 26. Stage one – from Knysna to Avontuur – of the men’s pro category was won by Matt Beers (Specialized Off-Road – Toyota), while Axelle Dubau-Prévot (Numéro 31 par Café du Cycliste / Pinarello) took the top spot in the women’s race.
Beers, the hometown favorite, used his local knowledge to claim the win. In cold, wet, and muddy conditions, Beers out-sprinted Swiss rider Andri Frischknecht (Scott SRAM) and French rider Hugo Drechou (Numéro31.cc / Pinarello) in a tight finish. He made his winning move on the final climbs of Prince Alfred's Pass. In an equally exciting end to the women’s segment, Axelle Dubau-Prévot beat South African Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio (AG Insurance Soudal) right near the finish line. Hayley Preen, the current national gravel champion from South Africa, rounded out the podium in third place.
Escape staff and members are on the ground at Gravel Burn and will be reporting from the race throughout the week.
The Netherlands dominate 2025 Track Worlds
The Track World Championships culminated on Sunday after five days of intense racing in Santiago's Peñalolén velodrome in Chile. It was a competition dominated by the Netherlands, with Harrie Lavreysen taking four world titles to bring his personal career tally to 20: keirin, kilo, team and individual sprint, the latter facing off against sprint nemesis Matthew Richardson (formerly Australia, now GB). Lavreysen's teammate Hetty van der Wouw also scored the 500m TT and individual titles, as well as the team sprint – the Netherlands Sprint squad remains firmly on top of the world.
Lorena Wiebes was also having a stellar track Worlds at the end of a sensational road season, defending her Scratch world title on the first day, then dominating the Omnium to take gold ahead of Marion Borras (France) and Amalie Dideriksen (Denmark). Wiebes and teammate Lisa van Belle were then leading the Madison on Saturday until the pair crashed out, Weibes worryingly clutching her shoulder the moment she came to a stop trackside. However, it was later confirmed that neither rider had suffered significant injury.
Elsewhere, some of the particularly notable results include a Madison title for Britons Maddie Leach and Katie Archibald, a career-first gold medal for Ireland's Lara Gillespie in the Elimination, and in the Team Pursuit, wins for the men of Denmark and Italy's ever-reliable women's squad.
One of the stand-out stories of the Championships came in the men's Elimination in which the retiring Elia Viviani took only his third-ever World Championship gold ahead of Campbell Stewart (New Zealand).
Del Toro is a double national champion
Isaac Del Toro has capped off his extraordinary season with a trip home to Mexico, where he took elite national titles in both time trial and road races, soloing to victory in the latter after attacking the fourth and last time up the climb. This brings his tally up to 18 victories in 2025, however, as the UCI calendar ended on 19th October, they're officially his team's first wins of 2026.
"It was a joy to take this win. To share it with the people of my home city has been a pleasure," Del Toro said afterwards. "I think I recognised 98% of the crowd out there today, and it felt amazing."
The 2025 Mexican National Championship is the first to be certified by the UCI in several years, which means the 21-year-old will get to wear his national colours for the next 12 months.
"It’s been an amazing season, now it’s time for me to take a good break but I’m excited to wear the Mexican champion’s jersey in 2026."
Vingegaard: 'When the moment comes that I no longer feel like it, I'll stop.'
Jonas Vingegaard and his Tour de France rival Tadej Pogačar have both been subject of questions as to the longevity of their respective careers, not just as a result of the intensity of racing, but the pressure of the limelight which one or both of them have struggled with on occasion. Now, in a reflective conversation with Wieler Revue, Vingegaard has pondered his own future.
"Will I still be racing at 36?" Vingegaard said during an interview covering the Tour, his rivalry with Pogačar, balancing family life, and his thoughts on one-day racing. "That's still far away. I don't want to rule anything out, but I'll take it as it comes. When the moment comes that I no longer feel like it, I'll stop."
36 is still about seven years away for the Dane who turns 29 in December, and whose contract with Visma-Lease a Bike runs until the end of 2028. That's three more chances to add a third yellow jersey to his collection, and to collect any other titles he might desire.
Van Empel celebrates 50th CX win with DIY road sign
A rejuvenated Fem van Empel took her 50th career cyclocross win at Saturday's Exact Cross Heerderstrand, her second win in three appearances since starting her campaign with sixth at Superprestige Ruddervoorde last weekend. The world champion came prepared for this landmark achievement, with not one, but two pre-prepared road signs to highlight her 50th win.
"Reaching my 50th victory was definitely one of my goals for this winter, so it’s fantastic that it’s already happened today,” Van Empel said, refreshed and rejuvenated after her lengthy break from competition. “I had secretly thought about a possible celebration beforehand, and a sign with ‘50’ on it seemed quite fitting. I really enjoyed this one."
In the men's race, a resurgent Joris Nieuwenhuis got the better of early leader Pim Ronhaar and Belgian teenager Jordi Corsus, for his first win of the season. Nieuwenhuis's '24/25 season was significantly curtailed by illness, which kept him from the field until mid-January. With fourth, second and now first so far this campaign, things are looking up for the Ridley rider.
Heerderstrand elite women's top 5
Fem van Empel (Visma-Lease a Bike) 40:49
Aniek van Alphen (Seven Racing) +0:08
Leonie Bentveld (Pauwels Sauzen-Altez) +0:16
Inge van der Heijden (Crelan-Corendon) +0:40
Hélène Clauzel (UVCA Troyes) +0:41
Heerderstrand elite men's top 5
Joris Nieuwenhuis (Ridley Racing Team) 57:14
Pim Ronhaar (Baloise Glowi Lions) +0:09
Yordi Corsus (Pauwels Sauzen-Altez) +0:16
Laurens Sweeck (Crelan-Corendon) +0:32
Niels Vandeputte (Alpecin-Deceuninck) +0:33
Cosnefroy ends long-term relationship with AG2R to join UAE Team Emirates
Benoît Cosnefroy has signed a two-year contract with UAE Team Emirates-XRG, ending an 11-year affiliation with the French AG2R organisation, for which he's become something of a hilly classic poster boy.
"Thank you for this beautiful adventure," Cosnefroy wrote in an Instagram post confirming his departure from AG2R, paying tribute in particular to former team boss Vincent Lavenu who was ousted, having already been demoted, after the 2024 Tour. "My first thoughts are with you Vincent, you were the first to trust me in 2017. Thank you from the bottom of my heart, thanks to you I have built 9 years of my career, evolved to the best level, but also learned to handle more difficult moments."
Cosnefroy raced for AG2R's feeder team Chambéry Cyclisme Formation for two years before turning pro halfway through 2017 at the age of 21. He took his first win just six weeks into his pro career at the GP d'Isbergues, and went on to establish himself as one of his nation's foremost one-day racers with 21 victories to his name, including WorldTour races the Bretagne Classic and GP Québec.
After his best season to date in 2024, the now-30-year-old Breton only racked up 13 race days in 2025 due to a persistent knee injury, but he still managed to snag a win at the hard-fought Grand Prix du Morbihan in May. He now heads to UAE to add his talent to an already overflowing pool of hilly one-day specialists.
Continental rider Bonaldo dies at 25
Kevin Bonaldo of the SC Padovani Polo Cherry Bank Continental team, who collapsed after the Piccola Sanremo last month, died on Friday morning in the hospital in Vicenza, Italy.
"The SC Padovani Polo Cherry Bank [team] is heartbroken to announce that this morning, at the end of a month in which he bravely fought between life and death, Kevin Bonaldo has passed away," the team said in a statement.
According to L'Equipe, Bonaldo suffered a seizure and then a heart attack on September 21, after which he was placed in an induced coma. He passed away after just over a month in the hospital. [L'Equipe]
UAE renews with Wellens through 2027
UAE-Team Emirates-XRG announced three contract extensions on Friday, including a two-year deal for Belgian national champion Tim Wellens. The 34-year-old joined the squad in 2023 and has managed to secure plenty of his own results in that time – including the third and fourth Renewi Tour titles of his career – while also being a key part of Tadej Pogačar's support squad at the Tour de France the past two seasons.
UAE also renewed the contracts of Vegard Stake Laengen and Julius Johansen through next season.
FDJ-Suez boss: Cycling's 'economic situation is very bad'
FDJ-Suez team boss Stephen Delcourt touched on a variety of topics in an interview with Cyclism'Actu earlier this week, giving his assessment of his team's 2025 campaign and also of the wider picture in cycling generally.
"For the 2025 Tour, we had built a team around Demi Vollering, but we were beaten by a stronger team," he said. "Pauline [Ferrand-Prévot] is the most complete cyclist of all time. Afterwards, we have to work hard, analyze her weaknesses and prepare: maybe she won't be at the same level next year, but we will have to be at our best to claim victory in 2026."
They will attempt to do that under the limitations of a slightly smaller squad, whose roster is dropping down from 18 to 16 riders in what Delcourt describes as a tough climate for bike racing teams.
"We have a very solid group," Delcourt said. "But I also have to say: The economic situation is very bad. I've never had such easy agreements with new potential sponsors these days, but then securing them for us has never been so difficult. We have an economic crisis that means sponsorship isn't a priority for companies, and we understand that." [Cyclism'Actu]
The Mid South announces new format, with separate pro and amateur races
Known as the unofficial kickoff to North America's gravel racing season, The Mid South has expanded to offer both running and gravel races across professional and amateur categories. Citing enhanced safety around the race course, event organizers have implemented some significant changes for the 2026 event. Rather than pro and amateur races taking place at the same time, they will be split across the weekend.
The 100-mile professional race is scheduled to start at 1:00 pm on March 13, 2026, with a wave start from downtown Stillwater, OK. Amateur race categories, including a variety of distances, will then begin at 8:00 am Saturday, March 14th, as they have in the past.
Another change for 2026 is with the "Pro Double" category. Instead of holding the pro 50k run on Friday and the 100-mile ride on Saturday, those wanting to take on the double header will have to do it all in one day, with the run starting on Friday morning.
Registration for 2026 Mid South opens on November 1, 2025. Mid South
Alison Jackson leaves EF for Saint Michel team
Alison Jackson, arguably the face of the EF Education-Oatly team, is leaving after three seasons just as EF is set to step up to the WorldTour. The Canadian, who won the 2023 Paris-Roubaix Femmes avec Zwift and is widely followed on social media, will join the second-division Saint Michel-Preference Home-Auber 93 team on a two-year deal through the 2027 season.
The 36-year-old three-time Canadian national champion will join compatriots Clara Emond and Simone Boilard on the team. Jackson announced the move on Instagram to her 120,000 followers, writing that she wanted to target the Spring Classics and is "really looking forward to contributing to the building of a strong and respected team."
Evenepoel not a lock to race the 2026 Tour de France, says Red Bull director
With his impending move to Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe, Remco Evenepoel might be eagerly waiting for a chance to show the fruits of his new partnership at the Tour de France. But according to Red Bull director Zak Dempster, the team and its Belgian star haven't yet decided whether the Tour will be part of his 2026 program.
"We'll look at the course with the overall classification in mind," Dempster told Sporza, but added that the course offered opportunities for a number of Red Bull's riders. The team also has Florian Lipowitz, who was third overall in 2025 and won the Best Young Rider competition, and Guilio Pellizzari, a talented climber who was fifth at the Vuelta a España. "We're waiting for the course [unveilings] for the other Grand Tours before we decide the season schedule for our leaders," Dempster said.
Tailfin launches the SpeedPack range
Adding to its robust catalog of racks and bags, Tailfin have opened preorders for its newest rear axle-mounted aero-ish integrated rack/pack combo: the SpeedPack. The UK-based brand have teased this 10L pack for some time now, showing an early version back in April at Sea Otter Classic.
Claimed to be 100% waterproof, the pack features a minimalist design with a single main storage compartment and 3 liters of additional space in exterior mesh pockets. Recommended mounting is via Tailfin's proprietary axle ($40 extra), which attaches to either a carbon or alloy arch in the rear. Alternatively, it can mount to bike frames. For the seatpost clamp, Tailfin has introduced a new "FitLink" connector available in three lengths, said to be better compatible with a variety of post types, including droppers, thanks to +/-50 degrees of adjustable vertical alignment. Pricing for the system is £180/$250/€225 for the pack only; as an integrated system starting at £290/$400/€365 for the alloy version; and £340/$465/€425 for the carbon.
Poels signs with Unibet Tietema Rockets
The Unibet Tietema Rockets, next year to be known as the Unibet Rose Rockets, have signed Wout Poels for 2026, bringing another high-profile Dutchman to a squad that has already announced a deal with Dylan Groenewegen.
Poels, 38, may be a few years removed from his Monumental win at Liège-Bastogne-Liège, but he played his part in XDS-Astana's efforts to amass UCI points this season by winning a stage and the overall title at the Tour of Turkey, and will be among the best climbers in his new team.
Wiggins: 'The truth will come out'
Two weeks after an interview with The Sunday Times where he said that Sky "chucked [him] under a bus" when asked about doping allegations surrounding the team, Bradley Wiggins again offered a cryptic response when asked about the subject in an interview with BBC Radio 4.
"I was put in a position where I had to prove a negative,” he told Radio 4. “The story that ran after that was full of innuendo, supposition, and it grew. It was a sinister act, there was a lot going on behind the scenes and continues to this day. One thing I will say on that, I think the truth will come out at some point. As time passes, and maybe very soon, the truth around that time will eventually come out.” [Radio 4]
Movistar re-ups with Quintana
Movistar announced a slew of contract extensions across both its men's and women's teams on Wednesday, confirming that Nairo Quintana will ride on with the squad into 2026. Next year will mark the 35-year-old Colombian's 11th season with the team across his two separate stints there.
Joining two-time Tour de France runner-up Quintana with a one-year extension to the men's team is Alberto Torres, while Jorge Arcas and Nelson Oliveira have extended through 2027. Orluis Aular and Jefferson Cepeda, both of whom were apparently already under contract, have signed extensions through 2028.
On the women's side, the team has re-upped with Aude Biannic through 2027, with Sara Martín through 2028, and with Tota Magalhães, also already under contract for one year, through 2029.
'It was a pretty good year' – Vingegaard reflects on this season and looks ahead to 2026
Jonas Vingegaard has been reflecting on what has been "a pretty good year" in a conversation with L'Équipe.
"Not the best I've ever had, because I think my 2023 season was better," Vingegaard said, referencing 2023 when he won his second-consecutive Tour de France, and finished second on an all-Visma-Lease-a-Bike podium behind Sepp Kuss. "My goal was to win the Tour, so from that perspective, I didn't quite accomplish my mission, but I did win the Vuelta. I'd say a 7 out of 10, maybe even an 8."
Vingegaard was also asked if he sees a scenario in which he might skip the Tour, something Pogačar too has been rumoured to consider, especially after his comments on the stress of the 2025 edition, despite another dominant victory.
"I think that for me — and perhaps for Tadej as well — the Tour is so big that the teams with a contender for victory want them to start there, even if we wouldn't want to," Vingegaard went on. "We don't have a definitive plan for next year yet, but the Tour will definitely be part of it. We'll see if the Giro will be there too."
The three-time Grand Tour stage winner has yet to make his debut at the Giro d'Italia, but besides going after the trilogy, Vingegaard is also interested in pursuing more one-day racing – he followed up the Vuelta with a rare appearance at the European Championships, but was unable to make an impact.
"Cycling isn't just about stage races," he said. "There are also major one-day races, even for climbers like me: Liège-Bastogne-Liège, the world championships this year or next (in Canada), and the Tour of Lombardy."
Whyte Bikes sold to Irish private equity firm
Whyte Bikes has been acquired by Dublin-based Causeway Capital, with 100% of its ownership transferring over from Cairngorm Capital, which invested in the company in 2021. The British brand said the deal will speed up its expansion beyond the UK into continental Europe and other markets; the brand already has distribution in Germany, Italy, and New Zealand.
The existing management team remains in place, with CEO Nikki Hawyes – ex Cannondale – continuing to lead the company. For the financial year ending October 2023, Whyte reported a revenue of £15.8 million (US$21 million).
Jones and Gómez Villafañe secure Life Time Grand Prix series titles
Big Sugar Gravel closed the curtain on the Life Time Grand Prix Series on Saturday. Matthew Beers and Sofia Gómez Villafañe took the men's and women's victories, respectively, in Bentonville, Arkansas, where inclement weather led officials to shorten the races from 100 to 50 miles.
Villafañe's Big Sugar win was her second in a row in Bentonville after she won the Little Sugar MTB race last weekend. It also marks her third overall win in the series as she finished the year rather comfortably ahead of Cecily Decker in second with Melisa Rollins in third overall.
On the men's side, Unbound and Little Sugar winner Cameron Jones finished fifth at Big Sugar, good enough to secure the men's overall title in a remarkable turn of events given that the New Zealander was a wildcard entrant to the series.
It is also the first time in the four-year history of the series that Keegan Swenson has not won the overall title. Swenson opened the season with a win at Sea Otter and then took a fifth straight win at the Leadville Trail 100, but he finished fourth overall in the extremely tightly contested series standings, with Jones atop the leaderboard ahead of Simon Pellaud and Torbjorn Andre Roed.
Wout Poels reportedly in talks with Unibet Tietema Rockets for 2026
Wout Poels was among the big-name signings swept up by a determined XDS-Astana going into the winter of 2024 as the team scrambled for UCI points at the end of the 2023-25 promotion-relegation cycle. With that job done (by the summer, in fact), the team is saying goodbye to almost as many riders as were signed (14), including the 38-year-old Dutchman – who scored 394 UCI points, 16th in Astana's own rankings.
Though nothing is confirmed as yet, Daniel Benson has reported that Unibet Tietema Rockets is looking like a leading contender to sign the experienced climber.
The Dutch/French ProTeam led by the enthusiastic and media-savvy Bas Tietema has already made the exciting addition of Dylan Groenewegen (and lead-out man Elmar Reinders) from Jayco-AlUla as part of their drive towards future Tour de France participation. Tour and Vuelta stage-winner Poels could be part of that quest to draw Grand Tour wild cards and guide his young teammates through major stage races.
Ineos Grenadiers sign Norwegian climber Embret Svestad-Bårdseng from Arkéa-B&B Hotels
Ineos Grenadiers has been drip-feeding news of their 2026 roster in recent weeks, with the long-rumoured Kévin Vauquelin one of the most significant signings across the whole peloton. Now, joining the Tour de France revelation from the folding Arkéa-B&B Hotels squad, is Embret Svestad-Bårdseng.
The young Norwegian climber has raced for a series of teams since launching his career as a trainee for Continental Team Coop on 2021, and since leaving the Norwegian squad for Human Powered Health for 2023, he's become familiar with the scramble for a contract in the face of obscurity as first the American team, then Arkéa – he raced for the French team's Conti squad in 2024 before stepping up to WorldTour this season – announced their cessation.
But now Ineos has offered the 23-year-old a three-year contract, a statement of faith in Svestad-Bårdseng's talent. "This is a big and very exciting step in my career," he said in his new team's announcement. "I grew up watching this team dominate the Grand Tours in the mountains and always dreamed of one day being part of that. To now join the Grenadiers feels like that dream coming true."
Marc Madiot likens Paul Seixas to Bernard Hinault
Groupama-FDJ manager Marc Madiot has heaped praise on young Paul Seixas who rides for rival French WorldTeam Decathlon-AG2R, likening the 19-year-old to France's greatest ever cyclist.
"If you placed Bernard Hinault in today’s generation, he would have had the same abilities as Paul Seixas,” Madiot told CyclismActu.net. “That gives you an idea of his level. Riders today are better prepared, better trained, better educated. They’re ready to perform much younger."
It's praise of the highest order coming from Madiot whose career overlapped with the man who won the Tour de France five times, winning 28 stages along the way. Hinault was a rider known, even infamous, for his – sometimes literal – fighting spirit, and it's something Madiot sees in Seixas too.
"He has that attitude, that desire to win, that inner fire," Madiot went on. "That’s what sets champions apart. We don’t see that very often anymore."
The inaugural Andorra Cycling Masters took place on Sunday, bringing four of the sport's best male riders to Andorra for a unique exhibition event. Tadej Pogačar, Isaac Del Toro, Jonas Vingegaard and Primož Roglič made the trip; Remco Evenepoel was reportedly invited, but all parties couldn't make the dates work on this occasion.
The day began with a time trial up the hors-catégorie Coll de la Gallina, followed by 15 laps of an urban circuit adding up to 32 km. The hill climb was won by Roglič with a time of 25:39, with Pogačar 20 seconds slower up the 8.23 km incline. Del Toro finished 2:26 down, and Vingegaard trailed by 3:45... In the mini crit that followed, all four came to the line together, where Del Toro out-lunged Roglič for first, Pogačar was third and Vingegaard cared not one jot in fourth. That meant that Roglič won the whole event, earning a special jersey for his efforts.
Was the event a success? It's hard to say. The idea of a mano-a-mano showdownsans team support is a fun one, but based on the time gaps, it didn't exactly bring the drama, or perhaps even much enthusiasm from the riders.
Regardless of its reception, there's more to come as the organisers promised a documentary as part of the package, following all four participants – and their families, apparently – from the moment they arrived in Andorra for the event.
Laporte ends illness-marred season with Tour of Holland GC victory
The Tour of Holland wrapped up on Sunday with stage victory for Danny van Poppel, while Visma-Lease a Bike's Christophe Laporte wrapped up the overall.
This is the Frenchman's first win of 2025 after missing out on seven months of racing due to persistent cytomegalovirus, ruling him out of his favoured Spring Classics and a planned 11th appearance at the Tour de France. Having returned to competition at the ADAC Cyclassics in mid-August, Laporte came close to a comeback win at Binche-Chimay-Binche and Paris-Tours, then again on a couple of stages of the Tour of Holland, but he had to wait until after the final stage of the fledgling race to finally celebrate victory again.
"It's great to end the season with a victory. If you had told me this a few months ago, I wouldn't have believed it," Laporte said. "It has been a difficult season for me personally, but I am glad that I can end it this way."
Stage 5 results
Danny van Poppel (Red Bull-Bora Hansgrohe) 3:03:02
Huub Artz (Intermarché-Wanty) "
Alec Segaert (Lotto) "
Cameron Rogers (Lidl-Trek) "
Tim Merlier (Soudal-QuickStep) "
Final GC
Christophe Laporte (Visma-Lease a Bike) 9:30:36
Lukáš Kubiš (Unibet Tietema Rockets) +0:37
Jakob Söderqvist (Lidl-Trek) +1:05
Rayan Boulahoite (TotalEnergies) +1:25
Yves Lampaert (Soudal-QuickStep) +1:26
Magnier wins fifth stage of the week, Double wraps up Guangxi overall
Stage 6 of the Tour of Guangxi was another one for the peloton's fast men, historically favouring the likes of Olav Kooij, Fabio Jakobsen and Fernando Gaviria. After winning the first four stages without too much difficulty, Paul Magnier (Soudal-QuickStep) was the overwhelming favourite to sweep the flat finishes, and the young Frenchman delivered in Nanning to take his 19th win of 2025.
It wasn't a completely straightforward sprint stage, as second-overall Victor Lafay (Decathlon-AG2R) launched a dangerous attack on the last ascent of the circuit's steep climb about 20 km out. However, his threat to the stage and GC was neutralised with 12 km to go, setting up the anticipated bunch sprint where Magnier out-kicked Stanisław Aniołkowski (Cofidis) and Paul Penhoët (Groupama FDJ).
After taking victory on stage 5's summit finish, Paul Double successfully defended his 15-second overall lead from Lafay, claiming his first WorldTour GC victory, and his fifth win of a successful first year with Jayco-AlUla.
Stage 6 results
Paul Magnier (Soudal-QuickStep) 2:55:59
Stanisław Aniołkowski (Cofidis) "
Paul Penhoët (Groupama-FDJ) "
Jordi Meeus (Red Bull-Bora Hansgrohe) "
Ivo Oliveira (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) "
Final GC standings
Paul Double (Jayco-AlUla) 22:37:12
Victor Lafay (Decathlon-AG2R) +0:15
Jhonatan Narváez (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) +0:16
Mikkel Honoré (EF Education-EasyPost) +0:19
Jørgen Nordhagen (Visma-Lease a Bike) +0:23
Anna Henderson wins Tour of Guangxi in two-up sprint
Van Schip responds to latest DQ: 'Getting yelled at for doing something different is never fun'
A few days after being disqualified on the first road stage of the Tour of Holland, Jan-Willen van Schip has responded to the furore surrounding the incident, its circumstances, and his own future.
"Getting yelled at for doing something different is never fun," Van Schip wrote on Instagram. "Being rejected because you're chasing your dreams hurts. Being the outcast that tackles things differently leads to gigantic unnecessary friction."
The 31-year-old Dutchman, predominantly a track racer, was handed his latest DSQ not for his trademark wacky cockpit setup, but for a forward-tilting seatpost that the UCI deemed illegal. It came in spite of his team's assertions that they'd checked everything was in order beforehand, and for Van Schip – and Escape's Caley Fretz – it seems to be more an issue of tradition than regulation.
"The contrast of what you need to do to perform in cycling and what the cycling culture encourages you cannot be greater," he wrote on. "at university I'm blossoming, everyone asks questions, everyone constantly displays the behavior to learn, to be curious, to improve."
Next up for Van Schip is a return to the track, and perhaps a diversion into a new discipline for the Dutchman: "I want to try gravel, maybe Unbound, does anyone have a gravel bike/team on offer?"
Lafay '50/50' on idea of retirement
Victor Lafay had a few wonderful years near the top of the sport with stage wins at both the Giro d'Italia and Tour de France in 2021 and 2023 respectively. What appeared to be an upwards trajectory made him a big name on the transfer market in the same year of his win at the Tour, and a soon-to-be revamped Decathlon-AG2R gave him a home from 2024. However, his two-year contract is up at the end of this season, and after a couple of years of horrendous luck, he's spent much of 2025 pondering his future.
"Maybe it’s easier to stop when you’re on top form than when you’re struggling and already forgotten," Lafay told gathered mediaat the Tour of Guangxi. "It wouldn’t be bad to go out at the top. If I stop, it will be to do other sporting projects so it’s better if I’m not physically ruined.
"I wanted to take a decision before [coming here] but circumstances have meant it’s taken a bit of time. So I’m really at 50-50."
Just as he did last year, the Frenchman is ending 2025 at China's season-ending WorldTour race where, on stage 5, Lafay climbed to second behind new race leader Paul Double (Jayco-AlUla).
"It was a bit hard to manage, we wanted to play with our numbers, but we lost Aurelien Paret-Peintre just before the bottom of the climb, and he was the card we wanted to play, along with me," Lafay described the Queen Stage's finale, one he's familiar with having raced to 4th on the same finish in 2024. "The problem was that UAE maybe played a bit too much, attacking in all directions. It’s a bit of a shame because I think I had the legs to win.
"I had really put it in my head to give it everything from the left-hand corner. Last year, I saw it wasn’t that steep so I put it in the small ring in front and I anticipated, I did my effort, I tried everything in the last 300 metres. That effort lasted about a minute but [Double] already had too much of a lead. I got there for second, which is frustrating, but I still showed what I wanted to show. I wanted to win, but we’ll go again tomorrow."
Lafay, and many others in the Guangxi peloton, will wrap up 2025 uncertain of their futures on the familiar Nanning circuit on Sunday, where Paul Magnier (Soudal-QuickStep) is the hot favourite to take his fifth stage win of the six-day race.
