Bicycle Racing News and Opinion,
Saturday, February 18, 2023

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2022 Tour de France | 2022 Giro d'Italia

It's a poor sort of memory that only works backwards. - Lewis Carroll

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Les Woodland's book Paris-Roubaix: The Inside Story - All the bumps of cycling's cobbled classic is available in print, Kindle eBook & audiobook versions. To get your copy, just click on the Amazon link on the right.

Current racing:

• Feb 15 - 19: Vuelta Ciclista Andalucia - Ruta del Sol
• Feb 15 - 19: Volta ao Algarve
• Feb 17 - 19: Tour des Alpes Maritimes et du Var

Upcoming racing

• Feb 20 - 26: UAE Tour

Latest completed racing:

• Feb 11 - 15: Tour of Oman
• Feb 13: Clásica Jaén
• Feb 12: Clasica de Almeria
• Feb 11: Vuelta a la Region de Murcia
• Feb 10: Muscat Classic
• Feb 9 - 12: Tour de la Provence Race cancelled
• Feb 1- 5: Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana
• Feb 1 - 5: Etoile de Bessèges

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Vuelta Ciclista Andalucia-Ruta del Sol stage three reports

We posted the report from stage winner Tim Wellens' UAE Team Emirates with the results.

Here's the short report from Team Astana Qazaqstan:

Italian rider of Astana Qazaqstan Team Samuele Battistella brings the team another podium. He finished 3rd at the third stage of Vuelta a Andalucia after spending all day in the breakaway and attacking from the front group at the last kilometers.

Tim Wellens wins stage three. Sirotti photo

– Today was almost flat stage and the plan of the team was to go to the breakaway and I managed to join it. I spent all the race to try to do my best at the final climb. I attacked at 3 km to go to anticipate the final kilometers, but the chasers catch me at the bottom of the last climb, so I went full gas till the finish line. I think it is good result, even because I was sick last week, I had a flu and I didn’t know my condition until the end. So, I’m really happy about today’s performance and happy to bring another podium to the team, – commented Samuele Battistella

Volta ao Algarve stage three team reports

We posted the report from winner Magnus Cort's Team EF Education-EasyPost with the results.

Here's the report from third-place Jordi Meeus' Team Bora-hansgrohe:

After an early break was caught with 30km to go some brilliant bike racing started when Magnus Cort and Filippo Ganna attacked after the last intermediate sprint. Six riders went clear from the bunch where BORA – hansgrohe was pushing hard with the other sprinter teams to pull back the strong leading group. After an amazing fight, just before the final corner Jordi Meeus was on the wheel of the group but it was Magnus Cort who survived in front after launching his sprint right after the turn. Ganna came in second with Jordi in third place.

Magnus Cort wins again in Portugal. Getty Images

“Well, we have to admit that we have not been in a good enough position at the intermediate sprint when there was that split. But we had a clear plan for the sprint, and I think the boys where simply focus too much already on the finale. Anyway, they did an amazing job chasing the group down. To catch a group like this is almost impossible, so well done there. And also in the sprint Jordi was the fastest. He just couldn’t catch Cort and Ganna anymore. That’s a pity, but that’s bike racing. Exciting for the fans, a little frustrating today for us. But the performance was there, so now all eyes on tomorrow.” – Jens Zemke, Sports Director

“From the intermediate sprint onward, it was a crazy fast race. We went never below 60km/h but still the gap didn’t come down. Three teams were full on chasing and our boys did an amazing job to finally close the gap. Marco just bridged across with me before the final corner. But there I lost momentum because we just caught the group in the turn. I had to accelerate again then, and in the end, I couldn’t make it anymore. That’s frustrating to be honest, to be always up there but never pull off a win. But I have to say Magnus deserved this one and at least I can be happy with my shape.” – Jordi Meeus

Here's the Algarve report from Tobias Foss' Team Jumbo-Visma:

Tobias Foss has finished eighth in the third stage of the Volta ao Algarve. The stage, marked as an excellent opportunity for the sprinters, had a treacherous finale. Foss was at the forefront when an elite group escaped at an intermediate sprint. Despite his alert riding, Foss lost two places in the general classification due to bonus seconds.

Tobias Foss racing in the 2022 Giro d'Italia. Sirotti photo

An intermediate sprint caused tension among the favorites twenty kilometers from the finish line. GC leader Magnus Cort made up six seconds and eventually had five other riders on his wheel. Foss was also alert and joined in. In no time, the sextet had built up a slight lead of half a minute.

This drove the teams that had missed the battle to the limit. The peloton managed to get together in the final kilometre. Cort and Foss were the first to start their sprint. For a long time, the Norwegian was in a promising position for a podium finish but was overtaken by some fast men just before the finish line, while the Dane cleverly stayed out of danger.

"A long day with a treacherous end", Foss described the third stage of the Portuguese stage race. "With twenty kilometres to go, we knew there was a chance to get some bonus seconds. As a team, we were well prepared. A lot of other guys had the same plans. We went off with a strong group. It looked good for a long time, but the peloton caught us in the last kilometre. I was still on Cort's wheel at the start of the sprint. But I was surprised that he started the sprint so early. He beat me and the others on value. Nevertheless, I had a good day. The shape is good, and the legs are strong. That's promising for the next two stages."

And here’s the Algarve report from Ilan Van Wilder’s Team Soudal Quick-Step:

The longest stage of the Portuguese race travelled from Faro to Tavira and had mass gallop written all over it, but the script was flipped in the last 25 kilometers to go, when six riders battled out for the bonifications at the last intermediate sprint of the day and kept on going. The small gap which they had as they exited Villa Real San Antonio ballooned to a full 25 seconds, applying some considerable pressure on the stretched out bunch.

Here's the stage three profile.

Kasper Asgreen, Rémi Cavagna and Casper Pedersen joined forces at the front and rode as is there was no tomorrow, taking back time as the kilometers clicked away, but despite their gargantuesque effort which brought the group within reach of the attackers, the victory went to Magnus Cort (EF Education-EasyPost), who thus extended his lead in the general classification.

But the huge work of the Soudal Quick-Step boys was not for nothing, as the large deficit to the breakaway was erased, which allowed Ilan Van Wilder – who came home with the peloton – to retain his place on the overall podium of the race ahead of the steep summit finish of Alto do Malhão.

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