Bicycle Racing News and Opinion,
Friday, December 8, 2023
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2023 Tour de France | 2023 Giro d'Italia
A great many people think they are thinking when they are merely rearranging their prejudices. - William James
Bill & Carol McGann’s book The Story of the Tour de France, 2022: The Fastest Tour Ever is available in both Kindle eBook & audiobook versions. To get your copy, just click on the Amazon link on the right.
Upcoming racing:
- Dec 17: World Cup Namur Cyclocross
- Dec 26: World Cup Gaver Cyclocross
- Dec 27: Superprestige Heusden Zolder
- Dec 28: Superprestige Diegem
- Dec 29: Exact Cross Loenhout-Azencross
- Jan 12-21: Santos Tour Down Under
- Jan 20: Clasica Comunitat Valenciana
- Jan 24-28: Challenge Illes Balears-Volta Ciclista a Mallorca
- Jan 28: GP d'Ouverture-La Marseillaise
- Jan 28: Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race
- Jan 30 - Feb 3: Saudi Tour
Latest completed racing:
- Nov 5: European Cyclocross Championships
- Nov 1: Trofee Oudenaarde-Koppenbergcross
- Oct 28: Superprestige Ruddervoorde
- Oct 22: Superprestige Overijse-Vlaanse Druivencross
- Oct 12 - 17: Tour of Guangxi
- Oct 15: Japan Cup
- Oct 15: Veneto Classic
The team sent me this:
The team is currently in Mallorca, Spain, attending its annual pre-season training camp with all staff, riders and partners and has confirmed a number of new appointments to strengthen the team ahead of the 2024 season.
John Allert has been appointed the team’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO) with immediate effect. Allert has worked with the team since 2022, most recently as Managing Director. He will have responsibility for the day-to-day running of the INEOS Grenadiers, reporting to Sir Dave Brailsford and Jean-Claude Blanc at INEOS Sport.
"It is a privilege to lead this team going forward. I’m humbled by the talent of our rider group, my team-mates, the calibre of our partners, and the opportunity to work hard together and write a new chapter of success for the INEOS Grenadiers. This team has created an incredible and successful legacy, but our ambitions for the future are greater than ever. The strengthening of our performance team is perfectly aligned with these ambitions."
In addition to Allert’s appointment, the team’s performance team will be bolstered by the appointment of Dr. Scott Drawer as Performance Director. Drawer, who has previously worked for the team, has a breadth of experience across elite sporting organisations including England Rugby and UK Sport as well as time with Team GB, where he led research and innovation across five Olympic cycles.
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Drawer’s most recent position was Head of Sport at the internationally renowned Millfield School, which has produced hundreds of Olympians and professional athletes: “When the opportunity came to return to this team, I jumped at the chance. The INEOS Grenadiers are entering an exciting phase, they have some big goals for the future and I can’t wait to be a part of it. This is a performance-led team with innovation at its heart, and I am looking forward to working with a group that’s so focused on excellence and competing to win.”
Two other changes within the performance group see the appointment of Steve Cummings as the Director of Racing and the addition of Imanol Erviti as a Sport Director (DS).
Following Steve’s successful career on the bike, he joined the team as a Sport Director and led the team at the last two editions of the Tour de France. Cummings said: “The focus, goal and vision of the team is very clear and I’m proud to lead us into battle at the world’s biggest races. We’re absolutely focussed on getting back to the top step of the podium.
"We have an impressive depth of experience combined with an exciting mix of young talented riders in this team, all complemented by a world class group of staff. We will give absolutely everything to achieve our goals and I can’t wait to start the new season."
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Here’s the team’s announcement:
The 21-year-old Belgian climber talked about his solid season in the U23 ranks and turning pro with Soudal Quick-Step next year.
“Last season was a great one. I started with the Soudal Quick-Step Devo Team in the Tour du Rwanda, which ended up being an amazing experience. I had never been to Rwanda before last January, but I loved it there, and the fans were phenomenal, coming in huge numbers on each stage, be it at the start, finish or along the way. I will never forget that race and I hope to be back there in the near future. It was crazy to wear the yellow jersey for two days, and that achievement, together with my third place overall, gave me a lot of confidence for the season.
William Junior Lecerf. Photo: Tim De Waele/Getty Images
"From that moment one, I was in the mix in pretty much every race I did until the end of the year. I finished top ten at both Liège-Bastogne-Liège, where I was one of the strongest, only to be caught in the final meters, and Flèche Ardennaise, the latter being the hardest one-day race in Belgium. I also took my first win of the year in the Herbeaumont hill race, which was another great moment. The only thing I was a bit disappointed with was the Girobio outcome, where I had hoped to do better than eighth, but in the end, it wasn’t a bad result.
"What made me very happy was winning that time trial in Belgium, in September. At the start of the year, I wouldn’t have dreamed about such a result, but that victory confirmed my progress in the discipline, which acted as a big morale-boost after all the training I had done to improve.”
“I got to do a couple of races with the Soudal Quick-Step team last year, and that experience helped me a lot. My first outing with the squad was at Coppi e Bartali, where it was crazy to win the opening stage with Rémi Cavagna and then the general classification with Mauro Schmid. It was another week that I will always remember, not just because of those wins, but also because of the great atmosphere in the team.
"In the final part of the season, I got to do Tre Valli Varesini and Gran Piemonte, and we won them both with Ilan and Andrea, respectively. For me, it was unbelievable to be part of the roster several times last season and see the team win all these races I competed in. As I said, I learned a lot from riding with the pros last season and I believe that helped me when I got my biggest victory to date, the Piccolo Giro di Lombardia, after a great day of racing.”
“The fact that just two months ago I shared the stage with Remco at the Kristallen Fiets Gala, where we both were awarded a trophy, was more than a dream, was a confirmation of the fact I am in the right place and on the right track. Belgium is cycling-obsessed, so to take that award was incredible.
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"I can’t wait to turn pro with Soudal Quick-Step in a couple of weeks! I already know some of the riders and the staff from the races I’ve done, and I feel I can make a lot of significant improvement here. I will look to progress and help the team whenever they will need me. It’s special to be part of Soudal Quick-Step, an organisation with such a rich history, and I hope to contribute to the team’s amazing palmares in the years to come.”
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