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Friday, October 13, 2023
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2023 Tour de France | 2023 Giro d'Italia
You make 'em, I amuse 'em. - Dr. Seuss
Les Woodland's book Tour of Flanders: The Inside Story - The rocky roads of the Ronde van Vlaanderen is available in print, Kindle eBook and audiobook versions. To get your copy, just click on the Amazon link on the right.
Current racing:
- Oct 12 - 17: Tour of Guangxi
Upcoming racing
- Oct 15: Japan Cup
- Oct 15: Chrono des Nations
- Oct 15: Veneto Classic
Latest completed racing:
- Oct 11: Giro del Veneto
- Oct 8: Paris-Tours
- Oct 7: Il Lombardia
- Oct 5: Gran Piemonte
- Oct 5: Paris-Gien-Bourges
- Oct 3: Tre Valli Varesine
- Oct 3: Binche-Chimay-Binche
- Oct 3: Múnsterland Giro
- Oct 2: Coppa Bernocchi
We posted the report from stage winner Elia Viviani's Team INEOS Grenadiers with the results.
Here's the report from second-place Jonathan Milan's Team Bahrain Victorious:
The first stage Tour of Guangxi turned out to be the battle of the strong Italian duo Jonathan Milan and Elia Viviani (IGD). It was Viviani who managed to edge his lead with 50 meters to go. Milan is now 2nd in the general classification, 4 seconds behind his compatriot and leading the best young rider classification.
The giant rush to the line.
“It was a really nice day I think. We did not have really big pace during the race, and in the end the race was really good and really big. The guys did a really amazing job, bringing me in the crucial position, top 10 in the last corner and we rode perfectly. I started early because the guy in front of me stopped. I started almost 280 meters to go with my sprint, which was a bit too long. In the end Elia Viviani won. I could have started later, but this was what I could do today.”
“Of course we are looking for something more, but now we have this white jersey as the best young rider. I have to say thanks to my teammates. They did a perfect job supporting me during the day. Tomorrow we will see. It will be another day and we will recover as much as possible. Tomorrow we will do full gas again!”
Gorazd Štangelj, head of sports director, commented: “Actually what we thought was kind of sprint from behind because of wide road, some headwind and slightly uphill. But Jonathan was in position where he couldn’t wait no more because they were coming from behind, so Jonathan preferred to start early. He was just a bit too short but at the end of the day okay, we were second, but we understood he has good legs and team did great job. We are close and we have plenty of occasions to be better.”
Stage 2 riders are traveling from Beihai to Qinzhou. The race covers 149.6 kilometers with only 619 meters of elevation, which again will favour our Italian sprinter.
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Here’s the Tour of Guangxi report from third-place Sam Bennett’s Team Bora–hansgrohe:
The opening stage of the six-day Tour of Guangxi (2nd UWT) in southern China was held on a 135.6km long circuit in the town of Beihai. With only a third category climb, wide roads and a flat finish, it was a day for the sprinters. Frederik Wandahl was able to secure the mountain jersey from the day's breakaway. In the final bunch sprint, Sam Bennett crossed the finish line in third place, with the victory going to Elia Viviani.
Elia Viviani takes the stage.
“After a tough couple of weeks with sickness and so much missed training, I’m quite happy to be back on the podium here. Due to the wide roads and headwinds, we gambled a bit in the finale and had to come late. The boys did a perfect job moving up in the last 2.5km. 300m from the finish line, I was held up a tiny bit but we surfed our way through and I came out with good speed in the end. Kicking off a race with a podium is always nice!” Sam Bennett
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And here’s the report from fifth-place Olav Kooij’s Team Jumbo-Visma:
Olav Kooij has finished fifth in the first stage of the Gree-Tour of Guangxi. The young Dutchman of Team Jumbo-Visma just missed out on a podium place in the bunch sprint, which was won by Elia Viviani.
The first stage of the Chinese stage race, with the start and finish in Beihai, started quietly. After a few kilometres, the traditional early breakaway appeared. Four riders opened up a gap of over a minute and a half but were caught fifteen kilometres from the finish. In the final, Team Jumbo-Visma rode up front, putting Kooij in a good position. The young sprinter was in the lead but missed out on a podium place.
"It was hot, 33 degrees", sports director Maarten Wynants said about the first stage. "All the riders had to get used to it. We let the other teams control the race until the final when we jumped in. The Van Dijke brothers set up the sprint for Olav. Unfortunately, he soon realised he didn't have the legs to win."
"Tomorrow we have another chance", Wynants said, looking ahead. "It will be a similar stage to today. The aim is to put Olav in a good position for the finale and get him back in contention for the stage win."
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Here’s the update from Evenepoel’s Team Sudal Quick-Step:
World Champion, European Champion and National Champion – Remco Evenepoel has built himself a superb palmares in the time trials since turning pro in 2019, and this is without adding the numerous victories he took in the discipline in various stage races, such as the Giro d’Italia or Vuelta a España.
Remco Evenepoel riding to a rainbow jersey at the 2023 World Time Trial Championships.
Now, the 23-year-old – who was recently named Belgium’s best male rider at the Kristallen Fiets Gala – will bring his season to an end in a race against the clock, the Chrono des Nations, which will take place on Sunday, in Les Herbiers. Remco will be the last rider to leave the start house and tackle the 45.4km course, where also French Champion Rémi Cavagna will be in action in what will be his last outing for the Wolfpack.
“Chrono des Nations will be a long race, but a beautiful way to end the season for our two guys there, Remco and Rémi. They are both motivated and determined to give everything, one as World Champion and the other as French Champion. We are looking forward to Sunday, when they will go for a good result in what will be the team’s final race of what has been another incredible year”, said Soudal Quick-Step sports director Klaas Lodewyck.
Here’s the team’s announcement:
Sprint star Dylan Groenewegen has committed his future Team Jayco AlUla by putting pen to paper on a new contract that will take the Dutchman through to the end of 2025.
The 30-year-old joined the Australian outfit on a three year deal at the start of 2022 and after consistently delivering top results, the management team is delighted to keep the multiple Tour de France stage winner for a further year.
Groenewegen has racked up 13 impressive victories since switching to Team Jayco AlUla last season, including a Tour de France stage win, three stage wins at the Saudi Tour, plus a further 14 podium placings. The Australian outfit believe there is a still more to come with Groenewegen as the team significantly strengthens its sprint group for the 2024 season and beyond.
Dylan Groenewegen wins stage three of the 2022 Tour de france. Sirotti photo
Brent Copeland – Team Jayco AlUla General Manager:
“We are delighted to have Dylan commit to our team for another year. He is one of the leaders of this team and it is important to keep hold of leaders like himself as we continue to strengthen in every department.
"Everybody knows Dylan is one of the fastest riders in the world and we are fully committed to giving him everything he needs to win at the highest level. We have all learnt a lot in the last two years since Dylan joined us and with this we have grown as an organisation. We have really looked into adding power to the sprint group for next season to assist Dylan further, and we are confident Dylan will enjoy a lot more success with us over the next two years.”
Dylan Groenewegen:
“I’m really happy to sign this new contract with Team Jayco AlUla until 2025. Since joining the team, I have felt at home, and I believe this is the best place to be for my career and also to keep winning races.
We have already achieved a lot of special victories together in the last two seasons and the goal for me and the team is to achieve more. Winning at the Tour de France is the biggest goal and we managed this in my first year, we went close again this year, so this makes me more motivated for the next two years.”
Dylan Groenewegen:
Date of birth: 21st June 1993 (30)
Nationality: Netherlands
Contract Extension to end of 2025
Top Results with Team Jayco AlUla:
1st Tour de France – Stage 3 (2022)
1st UAE Tour – Stage 5 (2023)
3x 1st Saudi Tour – Stage 1 (2023) Stage 3 & 5 (2022)
2x 1st Tour de Hongrie – Stage 1 (2023) Stage 4 (2022)
2x 1st Tour of Slovenia – Stage 1 & 2 (2023) Stage 2 (2022)
2x 2nd Tour de France – Stage 11 (2023) Stage 21 (2022)
2x 1st Saudi Tour – Points Classification (2022 & 2023)
1st Veenendaal-Veenendaal (2022 & 2023)
1st Artic Race of Norway – Stage 2 (2022)
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