Bicycle Racing News and Opinion,
Wednesday, December 13, 2023
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2023 Tour de France | 2023 Giro d'Italia
I believe a leaf of grass is no less than the journey-work of the stars. - Walt Whitman
Les Woodland's book Cycling Heroes: The Golden Years is available in the print, 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
Here’s the team’s news post
Intermarché extends its commitment in the Walloon structure and stays first title partner of the World Team, which will colour the international peloton in 2024 under the name Intermarché-Wanty.
The large retail chain of the group Les Mousquetaires [Ed: owner of Intermarché], which cumulates 1800 French and 160 Belgian supermarkets, joined the project of Jean-François Bourlart at the end of 2020 to accompany the structure in its transition to the World Tour, the highest level of international cycling.
Rein Taaramae at the 2023 Vuelta a España teams presentation ceremony. Sirotti photo
Since then, 53 victories have been achieved and several important milestones reached, until climbing to the first position in the UCI World Ranking in January 2023: six Grand Tour stage wins, a historical victory in Ghent-Wevelgem or a seventh place in the final classification of the Tour de France.
By extending its investment in cycling, a sport which brings the most important heroes and their fans closely together, Intermarché reinforces its commitment to proximity, a value shared by all partners of the structure of Intermarché-Wanty and its business club named Want You Club.
For season 2024, in the naming of the Walloon World Team Intermarché is associated once again with group Wanty, from Binche, an international company with expertise in all sectors of construction, demolition and road works, which also becomes title partner of Continental Development Team Wanty-ReUz-Technord.
“Intermarché is proud to pursue its partnership with cycling team Intermarché-Wanty for season 2024. Cycling is one of the most popular sports in France and in Belgium. We share numerous common values such as teamspirit, to surpass oneself, proximity, … A cycling team is also, like our companies, a collective, with individuals who perform better when they are united, who are more creative and motivated when showing solidarity. We’re ready to take on new challenges with them in the upcoming season, hoping for numerous victories in the prestigious and mythical races of the World Tour!”
“We’re pleased to announce the extension of our partnership with Intermarché as title partner of our World Team, Intermarché-Wanty. In the skin of Tom Thumb, driven by the motto “all together”, we managed to pursue our respective growth the last couple of years. Together we reached new heights by embracing the values of living together and by focusing on what’s essential. We share the same ambition of incremental growth. Recently, this has resulted in the doubling of the number of Intermarché supermarkets in Belgium, and on our side in the expansion of our structure with a Continental Development Team. I’m convinced that this extended partnership will enable us to reinforce our position in the World Tour. We’ve got nice seasons and many unforgettable moments to experience together.” - Jean-François Bourlart (CEO Continuum Sports)
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Here’s the team’s update
Lidl-Trek’s first winter training camp is now underway, which means the start of the season is not far around the corner. After the traditional debut for Lidl-Trek’s men’s and women’s squads at the Tour Down Under, the next races on the calendar are Etoile de Bessèges, where Mads Pedersen will start his season, and Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana, which will feature new arrival Jonathan Milan. Tao Geoghegan Hart will have to wait a little longer before racing in the Lidl-Trek colours, with his debut planned for the Volta ao Algarve. Meanwhile, the Lidl-Trek women will return to the UAE Tour, with Elisa Longo Borghini and Gaia Realini looking to replicate their 2023 success.
Mads Pedersen after winning the 2023 Hamburg Cyclassics. Sirotti photo
As always, Lidl-Trek looks towards the Spring Classics with high ambition. The men’s classics squad will be bolstered by Milan, who is due to ride an extensive cobbled campaign, starting with the Opening Weekend. Aside from the addition of Milan, Lidl-Trek’s spring line-up remains fairly true to form, with Pedersen and Stuyven in action for the men, whilst Lizzie Deignan, Elisa Longo Borghini and Elisa Balsamo will show their collective force on the cobbles. They will be reunited with powerhouse Ellen van Dijk, who will return to the peloton after giving birth last year.
In 2024, Lidl-Trek will be fighting for success at all three Grand Tours. Starting with the Giro d’Italia, where Giulio Ciccone aims to show his best alongside Andrea Bagioli, Jonathan Milan and Jasper Stuyven, who is racing the Giro for the first time since 2017. At the Tour de France, Tao Geoghegan Hart will be given a leadership role and will be joined by Mads Pedersen, who also seeks to emulate his 2022 success with stage wins at the Tour de France as well as the Vuelta a España. Pedersen will be joined in Spain by fellow Dane Mattias Skjelmose, who takes aim at the General Classification.
There will be just as much ambition amongst the Lidl-Trek women, with Deignan, Longo Borghini and Realini all expected to ride the Vuelta Feminina, Giro d’Italia Women and Tour de France Femmes, whilst Elisa Balsamo is due to join them at the Giro and Tour.
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The team sent me this:
Team Jayco AlUla, to be known as Liv AlUla Jayco in 2024, is pleased to confirm its full women’s team line-up for the squads ‘home race’ – the Santos Tour Down Under from 12th – 14th January.
As the curtain raiser on the 2024 UCI Women’s WorldTour calendar, the three-day event is an important one for the Australian registered team, and after picking up a phenomenal stage win in 2023, Alex Manly returns to her hometown of Adelaide looking for more success.
Alexandra Manly wins stage two of the 2023 Tour Down Under. Sirotti photo
For 2024 the squad will have multiple cards to play as Ruby Roseman-Gannon makes her appearance once again after finishing agonisingly close to the podium in 2023 with fourth place overall. The only non-Australian in the team line-up, 21-year-old New Zealander Ella Wyllie, is set to make her debut for Liv AlUla Jayco at the event and will provide the squad with a strong option for the general classification, as she returns with confidence after finishing runner-up in the Young Riders classification and eighth place overall in this year’s edition.
Commonwealth Games gold medallist Georgia Baker adds an important string to the team’s bow, and after enjoying their first full season’s as WorldTour professionals over in Europe, Georgie Howe and Australian criterium champion Amber Pate know what it takes, and will provide the team with crucial support and options to attack, as they round out the stellar six-rider squad.
Liv AlUla Jayco Line-up for the 2024 Santos Tour Down Under:
Georgia Baker (AUS)
Georgie Howe (AUS)
Alex Manly (AUS)
Amber Pate (AUS)
Ruby Roseman-Gannon (AUS)
Ella Wyllie (NZL)
Alex Manly – 2023 Santos Tour Down Under stage two winner:
“I always love racing back on home soil, and to get to race around all my favourite training roads is an absolute pleasure. It was one of my career highlights to win a stage and wear the Ochre jersey this year. It was a goosebump moment for me and the team. I am so excited to get back out there with the girls again.”
Megan Chard – Sport Director:
“As everyone knows, the Santos Tour Down Under is a very important race for our team and every time we take that start line, staff, riders and supporters are filled with pride. Our team has been successful in the event over the years and we have put in a lot of preparation this winter, from our planning to really dialling in our team culture and we are confident that this will be reflected on the team’s performance.
"Our goal is to start the season on a high and carry that momentum through the whole year. Our line-up is very strong and very well balanced with five Australian riders and one New Zealander. The riders are training hard for the event, we have riders suited to the different terrain and types of stages and we hope we can put on a great show and come away with more victories in Adelaide.”
Santos Tour Down Under Race Director Stuart O’Grady OAM:
“Alexandra Manly’s win into Uraidla was a great highlight of the event with a former South Aussie managing to overcome the best riders in the world on a very challenging stage. I’m sure many are excited to see her and her teammates return in exactly one month’s time. As the first race of the UCI Women’s WorldTour, I expect the team are extremely excited and determined to get off to a successful start in 2024, especially in front of their home crowd. Their strong talented line-up suggests a multi pronged attack with the ambition of winning at the Santos Tour Down Under.”
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