Bicycle Racing News and Opinion,
Sunday, November 19, 2023
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2023 Tour de France | 2023 Giro d'Italia
A good upbringing means not that you won't spill sauce on the tablecloth, but that you won't notice it when someone else does. - Anton Chekhov
Stoic philosopher Epictetus' Golden Sayings is available in both audiobook & 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
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
This is not a race we cover, but here are the top placers of both the women's & men's races.
Women:
Ceylin Del Carmen Alvarado wins again.
| 1 | Ceylin Del Carmen Alvarado | Alpecin-Deceuninck | 41min 3sec |
| 2 | Lucinda Brand | Baloise Trek Lions | @ 26sec |
| 3 | Marion Norbert Riberolle | Crelan-Corendon | 1:11 |
| 4 | Annemarie Worst | Cyclocross Reds | 1:21 |
| 5 | Denise Betsema | Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal | 1:23 |
| 6 | Aniek Van Alphen | Cyclocross Reds | 1:29 |
| 7 | Manon Bakker | Crelan-Corendon | 1:35 |
| 8 | Inge Van Der Heijden | Crelan-Corendon | 1:45 |
| 9 | Sanne Cant | Crelan-Corendon | 1:50 |
| 10 | Alicia Franck | De Ceuster-Bonache | 2:27 |
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Men:
Winner Joris Nieuwenhuis is under that mud.
| 1 | Joris Nieuwenhuis | Baloise Trek Lions | 1hr 3min 19sec |
| 2 | Eli Iserbyt | Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal | @ 1min 36sec |
| 3 | Niels Vandeputte | Alpecin-Deceuninck | 1:46 |
| 4 | Felipe Orts Lloret | Teika-BH-Gsport | 1:58 |
| 5 | Gerben Kuypers | Circus-Reuz-Technord | 2:19 |
| 6 | Kevin Kuhn | Circus-Reuz-Technord | 2:32 |
| 7 | Jens Adams | Lotto-X-Oats | 2:44 |
| 8 | Laurens Sweeck | Crelan-Corendon | 2:53 |
| 9 | Lander Loockx | TBT-Unibet | 2:56 |
| 10 | Witse Meeussen | Crelan-Corendon | 2:57 |
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The team posted this:
RACE: Arctic Race of Norway, stages three and four
DATE: Saturday 19 and Sunday 20 August
Sometimes race photography, especially from early season races in Europe, struggles to convey what the conditions were really like for riders. The image of Stevie Williams celebrating his stage three success at the Arctic Race of Norway in mid-August leaves little to the imagination.
The Welshman’s face looks a little fatigued. A neckwarmer sits loosely under his chin, while his arms and hands are covered by clothing normally reserved for the winter months. Most of the riders he beat to claim his first victory for IPT on the island of Havøya sprinted for the line in their rain jackets, sacrificing any aero gains for that extra bit of warmth. On a deeply unpleasant day, Williams and his IPT teammates delivered a classy and arguably underrated performance.
He said: “The main thing was trying to stay warm and trying to make sure we did all the basics right.”
Stevie Williams wins 2023 Arctice Race of Norway stage three.
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Guy Sagiv kept the day’s breakaway in check to begin. Then, when rival teams wanted to split the race in crosswind-affected sections, Reto Hollenstein and Daryl Impey kept everything together. On the short but sharp climb up to the finish line at Havøysund, Marco Frigo set an unforgiving pace to weaken the opposition. Dylan Teuns attacked before Williams countered it beautifully.
“It was great teamwork today and I’m really happy to finish it off like that,” he said.
The second part of a job well done came the following day. Teuns – who placed fifth on stage three – remained active in the main group, covering surges and even rolling the dice for his chances, before sprinting to a solid eighth place on the line. Williams rode confidently and attentively, ensuring that Astana Qazaqstan Team’s Christian Scaroni didn’t overturn his one-second deficit on GC.
“Both Stevie and Dylan were good enough to win the race,” said sports director Steve Bauer. “It was a great ride, so congratulations to them and the whole team.”
Shortly after this victory, IPT announced that Williams will stay with the team through to the end of 2025.
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