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Bicycle Racing News and Opinion,
Saturday, December 16, 2023

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2023 Tour de France | 2023 Giro d'Italia

It is forbidden to kill; therefore all murderers are punished unless they kill in large numbers and to the sound of trumpets. - Voltaire

Plato's dialogue Crito is available both in audiobook and Kindle eBook 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 posted this announcement:

With fresh light green accents, BORA - hansgrohe will stand out in the peloton with Sportful in the coming season. The highly visible colour provides a strong contrast to the familiar dark green base tone. From head to toe, the new colour appears several times throughout the racewear and creates a perfect match. With this design, Sportful makes its comeback as an outfitter for the German UCI WorldTeam.

The 2024 Bora-hansgrohe kit. Photo: Team Bora-hansgrohe

In terms of equipment, BORA - hansgrohe has opted for the Bomber Jersey and the LTD bib shorts from the Italian brand, as well as the entire Sportful Fiandre line, which guarantees maximum protection in all weather conditions. These are established and WorldTour-proven product lines that have been further optimized by Sportful and the BORA - hansgrohe Performance Team.

WorldTour pros, U19 talents and all fans who ride will be more visible with the new collection. However, they can also enjoy aerodynamics that can be race-deciding, as well as features which make long hours on the bike more comfortable.

The new collection is now available in the Online Shop on bora-hansgrohe.com and sportful.com. Jerseys, shorts, vests and jackets for various weather conditions, as well as socks and accessories in the team look are also available.

Here’s the team’s news:

The new attire will have floral patterns and shades of blue that highlight our environmental effort.

Incorporating the famous blue that is synonymous with the Belgian team, the outfit has white detailing, and features the red stripe of our co-title sponsor, Soudal. However, it is the details that make the new jersey unique, with a floral finish on the sleeves of the jersey highlighting the team’s environmental campaign.

The 2024 Soudal Quick-Step kit. Photo: Wout Beel

The 2024 final design is the work of designer Stijn Dossche, who collaborated with our partners at Castelli to make this beautiful kit a reality. Speaking of the design process, Gent based Dossche said: “I was given the brief that we wanted to keep the team’s identity, while underlining their environmental effort.

I was grateful that apart from that I was given free reign to be creative and have some fun with the design, which I hope comes across. I have also tried to add some different shades of blue, which refer to the sky and the seas, and the movement in the floral patterns, which show the team’s movement through the natural surroundings in which cycling takes place, and the shapes are to capture the movement of the sport. I think it is really important to protect this environment.”

Equally delighted was Steve Smith, Castelli Brand Manager, who said: “We have been eagerly anticipating the outcome of our work with Soudal Quick-Step and with Stijn, and we are delighted with the final look. The process has allowed Stijn to be beautifully creative, and we have added our technical expertise to turn it on to a kit that allows the team’s riders to take on all of the challenges that cycling presents, and to help them perform at their best in the world’s biggest races.”

Two-time World Champion Julian Alaphilippe, who presented the new kit in a video that has become viral, added: “I love the new jersey. It has a different look than in the previous years, while retaining the elements that are part of our identity. I can’t wait to sport it for the first time in a competition in a couple of weeks’ time, at the Tour Down Under, and then in the Spring Classics, which I am so fond of.” 

Here’s the team's news:

INEOS Grenadiers has chosen Prologo as the exclusive supplier of the saddles which will be used by the team's athletes to tackle upcoming races in all disciplines: from road, to track, to the cycle cross and cross country World Cups, while also supporting the two reigning world champions Pauline Ferrand-Prévot and Tom Pidcock.

Saddles have certainly changed over the years. INEOS photo

The new partnership comes from Prologo and INEOS Grenadiers' shared dedication to the uncompromising pursuit of the highest performance through innovation and continuous improvement. A key aspect to being able to compete at the highest level in all the most important events of the season, to which are also added this year the Olympic Games in Paris, where Pidcock and Ganna will have to defend the Gold medals won in Tokyo.

This new partnership consolidates Prologo's presence in both road cycling, bringing to seven the number of WorldTour teams supported in 2024, and MTB competitions at the highest level.

"Prologo is excited to join forces with INEOS Grenadiers, a team that embodies the highest standards of professionalism and success in road cycling and beyond. It is a pleasure to be able to collaborate again with the team, after the great milestones already achieved together in the years 2010 and 2011 during the Sky team collaboration.” said Salvatore Truglio, Brand Manager of Prologo.

"The passion for innovation and performance, which we share with the INEOS Grenadiers team, is combined with the determination and attention to details of its champions, creating a unique synergy that will lead to great results and the creation of new, increasingly high- performance products in the different disciplines, to meet the needs of both professionals and all cyclists."
Carsten Jeppesen, INEOS Grenadiers Director of Technical Partners and Logistics, said, "We are excited to welcome Prologo as our exclusive technical partner for saddles. Prologo’s experience in designing and manufacturing saddles for professional road and cross-country teams aligns perfectly with our vision of success through innovation. We are confident that this partnership will bring tangible benefits to our team and contribute to our ongoing pursuit of excellence in road and off-road racing.”

The partnership between Prologo and INEOS Grenadiers is set to strengthen over the next three seasons, with both parties committed to pushing the boundaries of technology and performance to the highest levels, with the common goal of constantly improving products and contributing to the team's success in international events at the highest level.

The team sent me this news:

31-year-old Dutch domestique Elmar Reinders has put pen to paper, signing a contract extension with Team Jayco AlUla to see him through to the end of 2025, after enjoying a successful first year with the Australian outfit.

Elmar Reinders. Jayco-AlUla photo

Having only stepped up into the WorldTour peloton in August 2022 despite having a lengthy career at continental level, Reinders quickly showed his worth, with a solid start to the 2023 season assisting fellow Dutchman Dylan Groenewegen to a stage victory in Reinders’ debut race, the Saudi Tour.

The 1.9meter tall powerhouse continued to assist the sprinters in fast finishes and established himself as a trusted lead-out man which ultimately earned him a sought-after spot in his first ever Grand Tour – the Tour de France.

With his commitment and selfless nature as a loyal teammate, the squad is delighted to see Reinders extend for another year, as Team Jayco AlUla strengthens and adds depth for the 2024 season.

Brent Copeland – Team Jayco AlUla General Manager:
“We knew Elmar could be a huge asset to the team and particularly to Dylan in sprint finishes. At first it was a bit unknown how he would make the transition up to WorldTour level as an older rider, but Elmar quickly displayed his talents and has proven himself time and time again, showing that the WorldTour peloton is where he belongs. He works hard to assist his teammates in all races and as the team’s sprint group is strengthening further next year, we are very pleased that Elmar will continue to play a big role in that area for the next two seasons. He has a lot to give.”

Elmar Reinders:
“I am really happy to stay with the team for another two years and that they have confidence in me. For myself, this year I did better than expected and was really happy to make the Tour de France selection. That was the most beautiful adventure of the season because I had never raced more than one week before, so it was a totally new experience to race a three-week Grand Tour and to do it at the Tour de France was very special. This first year with the team has given me a lot of hunger for more and I am really motivated to give everything for the team to get some victories the next two years.”

Date of birth: 14th March 1992
Nationality: Netherlands
GreenEDGE Contract: 2024 & 2025

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