Bicycle Racing News and Opinion,
Tuesday, January 25, 2022

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2021 Tour de France | 2021 Giro d'Italia

An eye for an eye only ends up making the whole world blind. - Mahatma Gandhi

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Bill & Carol McGann's book The Story of the Tour de France, 2021: The Little Cannibal Dominates is available as an audiobook here. For the Kindle eBook version, just click on the Amazon link on the right.

 

Current racing:

• Jan 23 - 29 Santos Festival of Cycling

Upcoming racing:

• Jan 26 - 29, 2022: Challenge Illes Balears
• Jan 30 - Feb 6, 2022: Vuelta a San Juan Cancelled
• Jan 31: GP Cycliste la Marseillaise
• Feb 1 -5: Saudi Tour
• Feb 2 - 6: Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana
• Feb 2 - 6: Etoile de Bessèges
• Feb 12, 2022: Gavere Cyclocross
  

Latest completed racing:

• Jan 22, 2022: Flandriencross
• Jan 1, 2022: GP Sven Nys Cross
• Dec 30: Azencross
• Dec 29: Diegemcross Cancelled
• Dec 27: Heusden Zolder Cyclocross
• Dec 19: Namur Cyclocross
• Dec 11: Ethiascross-Essen

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Egan Bernal in hospital after training accident

Colombian police said Egan Bernal crashed into a parked bus. A friend of Bernal’s said that as a result of the accident he suffered a fractured patella and femur. If that is true Bernal, winner of the 2019 Tour de France and 2021 Giro d'Italia, will not be racing for a long time. Healing the broken bones and returning to racing fitness will take months.

Egan Bernal in yellow in the 2019 Tour de France. Sirotti photo

Here’s all that Bernal’s INEOS Grenadiers team has said so far (morning, Pacific time):

Bernal, who is at a Team training camp near his hometown, was accompanied to hospital by Team medical staff and was conscious upon arrival. He is stable and undergoing further assessment.

The Team will provide an update on Egan's condition in due course.

Max Schachmann and Giovanni Aleotti miss season opener in Mallorca due to COVID-19 infection

The Bora-hansgrohe team sent me this:

After both Schachmann and Aleotti tested positive in routine rapid tests over the weekend, the team reacted in accordance with the requirements of the Spanish health authorities and took all necessary measures. The results have since been confirmed with PCR tests. Both are doing well, but will miss the season opener in Mallorca.

Max Schachmann riding in the 2021 Paris-Nice. Sirotti photo

UAE Team Emirates announces riders for season-starting Mallorca races

Here’s the team’s post:

UAE Team Emirates will kick-off their 2022 campaign on the sunny shores of Mallorca to take on five individual 1.1 ranked race days which forms the series of races known as the ‘Challenge Mallorca’.

The Spanish Island will host the Trofeo Calvia (26 Jan), Trofeo Alcudia-Port d’Alcudia (27 Jan) Trofeo Serra de Tramuntana (28 Jan), Trofeo Andratx – Mirador des Colomer (29 Jan) and the Trofeo Playa de Palma – Palma [1.1] (30 Jan) where the team will take approximately a dozen riders with 7 taking part in each event, allowing for rider changes throughout the week.

The team brings a mix of sprinters and climbers for versatility on all terrains across the five races.

The team will work under the direction of Team Manager Joxean Matxin Fernandez (Spa) who will be joined by Sports Directors Simone Pedrazzini (Swi) and John Wakefield (RSA).

Joxean Matxin Fernandez (Team Manager): “After a really nice training camp with the whole squad the team are ready and excited to kick things off for the first part of the season. The parcours of each of these races in Mallorca demand different qualities so we’ll have a very balanced team here. We’ll count on Ackermann and Molano for the sprints while on the climbs we have a talented block of guys who can be dangerous and look for opportunities. But the goal will be to animate each race and be leading from the front as always.”

Brandon McNulty will start his season at the Trofeo Calvia. Sirotti photo

Trofeo Calvia [1.1] – 26-Jan-2022
Camilo Ardila (Col)
Alessandro Covi (Ita)
Ryan Gibbons (RSA)
Vegard Stake Laengen (Nor)
Brandon McNulty (USA)
Ivo Oliveira (Por)
Joel Suter (Swi)

Trofeo Alcudia – Port D’ Alcudia [1.1] – 27-Jan-2022
Pascal Ackermann (Ger)
Alessandro Covi (Ita)
Ryan Gibbons (RSA)
Vegard Stake Laengen (Nor)
Juan Sebastian Molano (Col)
Ivo Oliveira (Por)
Joel Suter (Swi)

Trofeo Serra de Tramuntana [1.1] – 28-Jan-2022
Camilo Ardila (Col)
Alessandro Covi (Ita)
Ryan Gibbons (RSA)
Brandon McNulty (USA)
Jan Polanc (Slo)
Sebastian Molano (Col)
Ivo Oliveira (Por)

Trofeo Pollença – Port d’ Andratx [1.1] – 29-Jan-2022
& Trofeo Playa de Palma – Palma [1.1] – 30-Jan-2022
Pascal Ackermann (Ger)
Camilo Ardila (Col)
Ryan Gibbons (RSA)
Brandon McNulty (USA)
Sebastian Molano (Col)
Marc Soler (Spa)
Jan Polanc (Slo)

Michael Matthews begins 2022 season with his Team BikeExchange-Jayco at the Challenge Ciclista Mallorca

Here’s the team’s update:

Australian Michael Matthews will get his 2022 season underway this week, as he leads Team BikeExchange-Jayco at the Challenge Ciclista Mallorca, where the squad will kick-off European racing campaign.

Michael Matthews at last year's Paris-Nice.

This 31st edition of the event includes five one-day races that take place on the island of Mallorca, with the team able to rotate a nine-rider roster across the five-days of action.

With the mix of stages and terrain, Matthews will joined by climbers Kevin Colleoni, Tsgabu Grmay and Damien Howson, along with powerhouses Jack Bauer, Sam Bewley and Chris Juul-Jensen. Dion Smith and Alex Edmondson complete the squad and the pair will be key support for Matthews in the fast finishes.

Team BikeExchange at the 2022 Challenge Mallorca:
Jack Bauer (NZL)
Sam Bewley (NZL)
Kevin Colleoni (ITA)
Alex Edmondson (AUS)
Tsgabu Grmay (ETH)
Damien Howson (AUS)
Chris Juul-Jensen (DEN)
Michael Matthews (AUS)
Dion Smith (NZL)

Michael Matthews:
“I’m looking forward to going back to Mallorca after eight years since the last time that I competed there. I haven’t raced in January for about eight years, since the last time I was in the Balearics, so I’m very happy to be heading back, also with a new bike and new team colours. I think I’ve worked well over the winter and now I can’t wait to get the 2022 season underway and hopefully we have a good strong start.”

David McPartland (Sport Director):
“We come to Mallorca looking to open our 2022 account with a victory of course. As a secondary goal and seens as this is our first European race of the year, we are looking to really build our foundations for the season coming up.

"Being a series of five one-day races, we have the opportunity to rotate our roster each day. This gives us a lot of options and tactics to play with. All the boys have had good off-seasons and are motivated to start the year well, so it is great to be already racing in January.”

2022 Challenge Ciclista Mallorca Stage Details:
Wednesday, 26th January: Trofeo Calvia, Camp de Mar – Magaluf, 154 km
Thursday, 27th January: Trofeo Alcudia, Port d’Alcudia – Port d’Alcudia, 173 km
Friday, 28th January: Trofeo Serra Tramuntana, Lloseta – Lloseta, 158 km
Saturday, 29th January: Trofeo Pollença, Pollença – Port d’Andratx, 170 km
Sunday, 30th January: Trofeo Playa de Palma, S’Arenal – Palma, 169 km

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