Bicycle Racing News and Opinion,
Saturday, August 5, 2023
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2022 Tour de France | 2023 Giro d'Italia
Philosophy is like trying to open a safe with a combination lock: each little adjustment of the dials seems to achieve nothing, only when everything is in place does the door open. - Ludwig Wittgenstein
James Witherell's book Bicycle History: A Chronological History of People, Races and Technology is available in both print and Kindle eBook formats. To get your copy just click on the Amazon link on the right.
Current racing:
- August 5 - 13: World Road Championships
Upcoming racing:
- August 9 - 20: Volta a Portugal
- August 13: La Polynormande
- August 15 - 18: Tour du Limousin
- August 15 - 19: Tour of Denmark
- August 15 - 19: Vuelta a Burgos
- August 17 - 20: Arctic Race of Norway
- August 19: Bemer Cyclassics
- August 22 - 25: Tour Poitou-Charentes en Nouvelle Aquitaine
- August 23 - 26: Renewi Tour
- August 26 - Sept 17: Vuelta a España
Latest completed racing:
- July 29 - August 4: Tour of Poland
- July 31 - August 2: Tour de l'Ain
- July 30: Circuito de Getxo
- July 29: Clásica de San Sebastián
- July 26 - 27: Vuelta a Castilla y Leon
- July 22 - 26: Tour de Wallonie
- July 1 - 23: Tour de France
- July 2 - 6: Österreich Rundfahrt-Tour of Austria
- January - June 26: National Championships
- June 11 - 18: Tour de Suisse
We posted the report from stage winner Time Merlier's Team Soudal Quick-Step with the results.
Here’s the Tour of Poland report from GC third-place Michal Kwiatkowski’s Team INEOS Grenadiers:
Michał Kwiatkowski secured third overall at the Tour de Pologne, battling back from late drama as the final stage came down to a bunch sprint.
Despite being caught up in a crash with 7.6 kilometres to go, the Grenadier was quickly back on his bike, crossing the line safely in the bunch to secure a fourth GC podium in his home race.
Michael Kwiatkowski winning stage 13 of the 2023 Tour de france. Sirotti photo
The week was one of consistency for the Pole, finishing in the top 10 four times across the stages to finish just 17 seconds behind eventual winner Matej Mohorič (Bahrain – Victorious).
Pavel Sivakov also delivered a strong showing, placing 14th overall.
The performance was also notable for a great team effort across the week. Kim Heiduk and Salvatore Puccio did invaluable work in the flatter parts of the race, before Laurens De Plus, Thymen Arensman, and Geraint Thomas set ferocious tempos on many of the climbs that littered the route.
Tim Merlier (Soudal - Quickstep) claimed a second stage victory of the race in the final bunch kick, edging out Arvid De Kleijn (Tudor Pro Cycling) at the line.
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Here’s the Tour of Poland stage seven report from fifth-place Paul Penhoët’s Team Groupama-FDJ:
On Friday, Paul Penhoët finally had the opportunity to do a proper sprint on the Tour of Poland. In Krakow, he therefore claimed fifth place on the last stage and therefore on the last bunch sprint, won by Tim Merlier. Doing so, he scored his seventeenth top-10 in 2023 while Lenny Martinez retained twelfth place on GC. Matej Mohoric won the race overall.
Despite an expected bunch sprint in Krakow on Friday, the final winner of the 80th Tour de Pologne was not yet known this morning in Zabrze, as Matej Mohoric and Joao Almeida were separated by less than a second at the top of the general classification. This situation therefore led to a more frenetic race than anticipated over the 166 kilometres on the menu.
“UAE Team Emirates decided to go for the bonus sprint,” explained Frédéric Guesdon. “We only partly expected it, because it was still located after sixty-six kilometres, and on paper, Mohoric seemed much faster than Almeida. So we weren’t sure, but we decided to be careful. In the end, UAE pulled immediately, and we understood that the first part of the stage would be blocked. Actually, it didn’t bother us since we wanted a sprint at the finish. We also had to be attentive after the bonus sprint. We couldn’t let 7-8 riders go away, because on just 100k, it could have been difficult to catch them. Many teams were interested in the final sprint, and only three riders eventually broke away”.
Dorian Godon (AG2R-Citroën), Christian Scaroni (Astana) and Marci Budzinski (Poland) therefore led the way for the last two hours of racing, but never enjoyed a bigger advantage than 1’30. The peloton therefore easily picked them up fifteen kilometres from the finish, starting the first of three laps on the Krakow local circuit.
The fight for positions started immediately, and the Groupama-FDJ team gathered around Paul Penhoët. “Clément and Lorenzo were in charge of helping Lewis, Bram and Paul on the first laps of the circuit”, explained Frédéric. Starting the last one, the young French sprinter and his lead-out man were right up there, on the first part of the bunch. “The final circuit was quite tortuous, but I always stayed with Bram”, explained Paul. “With 1.5 km to go, Lewis came back up and helped us to get back in front. Bram found himself at the front of the peloton a little before the flamme rouge, but he managed to hold on until the last 500-600 meters. Then, some riders came in overspeed from behind, I managed to get on the wheels but that already forced me to do a strong effort”.
Thanks to the good work of his teammates, the Groupama-FDJ rider was still able to enter the final sprint in the first ten positions. “They first launched on the right and maybe I should have gone on the left,” said Paul. “That being said, as we agreed with Bram, the important thing was to sprint and not be frustrated. I was able to do so, and even if we were hoping for a better result, it’s the first sprint I was able to deliver since the start of the Tour de Pologne”.
In the closing metres, Paul Penhoët could not challenge Tim Merlier for victory, but he still grabbed a solid fifth place on the line. “The first thing he said to me at the finish was: at least I was able to sprint”, confirmed Frédéric. “He was relieved, and he came away with a nice fifth place. He’ll probably have some regrets about the other bunch sprints, but that’s how it is. You need to see the positive, and he hasn’t done many sprints at this level since the start of his career either”.
The Frenchman scored his third top-5 at WorldTour level after the first two on the Tour Down Under at the start of the season. Lenny Martinez meanwhile secured his twelfth place overall at the end of this final day. “We came here for a top-10, and he’s not far, just six seconds away”, recalled Frédéric. “This Tour de Pologne was perhaps a little less difficult than usual, which put him at a slight disadvantage, but he and the others are right on track. The week’s record is still positive because they are preparing for the Vuelta, they are at a good level, and they have three weeks left to improve. They need to keep going this way”.
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Here’s the post from Foss’ Team Jumbo-Visma:
Tobias Foss wore the rainbow jersey for the last time at the Tour de Pologne - for now. The 24-year-old Norwegian describes his year as world champion as a rollercoaster ride. "It has been a life-changing experience for my family and me", he says.
A top-five finish seemed realistic when he was preparing for the time trial in Wollongong last year. "But whoever can ride in the top five can also finish on the podium. And whoever's on the podium might as well win", Foss says almost a year after his spectacular victory in Australia. It turned out to be the ride of his life. "I had cracked the code of a good time trial for a while. I had a good base level all season and always finished in the top ten. Anything is possible when you have a great day at a World Cup, as I did. I am very grateful that I was able to do that."
Tobias Foss racing at the 2022 Giro d'Italia, before he won his rainbow jersey. Sirotti photo
Foss describes the year that followed as surreal and a rollercoaster. "I enjoyed it immensely and am very grateful that I could experience it. It was a life-changing experience for me and my family. The first time I could put the jersey on in training was extraordinary. And then the bike itself... Cervélo has done something incredible. I'm sure this bike will be one of my career's most special tangible memories."
The only blemish on this extraordinary year? "That I was not able to win a race in the rainbow jersey", Foss says. "I reached my level in the time trials I rode. At the Tour de Romandie, I was second in the prologue. I rode a decent time trial in the Tour of Algarve and the Tour de Pologne. But it was not an easy season. After contracting covid in Romandie, I could not train for a month. I also missed the Giro d'Italia. It really wasn't an easy time. Luckily I had Robert Gesink around me, who was in the same situation. That made it a bit more bearable."
From June, the world time trial champion was able to build up to the final part of the season, which started in Poland. "It's good to have the Tour de Pologne in my legs. There is enough time to recover before the World Championship." A World Championship in which he will focus exclusively on the time trial on August 11. "I'm confident about my form: I will be there. The course is hilly and not too technical. The long distance suits me. Even if it's not any more on my special rainbow bike, I'm looking forward to it."
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Here’s the team’s announcement:
UAE Team Emirates continue to strengthen their squad for the future with the signing of Filippo Baroncini who will join the team starting from 2024 for two seasons.
The 22-year old from Massa Lombarda comes across from Lidl-Trek having first burst onto the scene after winning the Under 23 World Road Race Championship title back in 2021.
The 2021 U23 World Road Championships podium, from left: Biniam Girmay, Filippo Baroncini & Olav Kooij. Sirotti pohoto
Baroncini: “UAE Team Emirates has always been a team that I have observed with a lot of admiration. From the outside they always seem really determined and united so to be part of that group is something that always interested me.
"I would like to thank Matxin and Mauro for the strong interest and desire they had in me, since I was under 23.
"UAE are the first team in the world in the UCI ranking and to be so it requires having a winning mentality and big ambitions and characteristics that reflect me as a rider, so I will do my best to reciprocate their trust and make the step in my career I am looking for.”
Mauro Gianetti (Team Principal & CEO): “Baroncini has shown a steady progression over the past years and as a former world champion we can see immediately the kind of talent he has. We hope he can continue to show more of what he has to offer with us over the coming seasons.”
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