Bicycle Racing News and Opinion,
Tuesday, October 17, 2023
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2023 Tour de France | 2023 Giro d'Italia
I know nothing, except the fact of my ignorance. - Diogenes
Bill & Carol McGann’s book The Story of the Tour de France, 2022: The Fastest Tour Ever is available in both Kindle eBook & 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:
Latest completed racing:
- Oct 15: Japan Cup
- Oct 15: Chrono des Nations
- Oct 15: Veneto Classic
- 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 third-place Tobias Lund Andresen's Team dsm-firmenich with the results.
Here's the report from stage winner Sebastian Molano's UAE Team Emirates:
Less than 24 hours since Formolo and Hirschi pulled off a magnificent 1-2 display at the Veneto Classic in Italy, the flying Sebastian Molano repeated victory thousands of kilometres away in China on stage 5 of the Tour of Guangxi.
Sebastian Molano wins stage five.
The Colombian fastman squeezed through the narrowest of gaps in the last 100m to overtake his rival Olav Kooij (Jumbo Visma) to take an impressive win on the road from Liuzhou to Guilin (209.6km).
Molano: ” The first days didn’t go my way but today I had the perfect sprint. I found the moment and the space to move up nicely. Here the sprints are a bit different because the roads are so wide and less technical so it can be more erratic and less controlled. Today the race was a bit harder than other days and we arrived a bit fatigued which suited me better and we could finish it off. It’s the perfect way to round-off the season.”
Tim Wellens moved up a place to 4th after his strong climbing display yesterday as the racing concludes tomorrow with a final stage based in Guilin (168.3km).
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And here's the report from second-place Olav Kooij's Team Jumbo-Visma:
Olav Kooij has sprinted to second place in the fifth stage of the Gree-Tour of Guangxi. The sprinter of Jumbo-Visma looked on course for victory for a long time, but was overtaken by Juan Sebastián Molano just before the finish. Milan Vader kept his red leader's jersey.
Milan Vader remains the GC leader.
From Liuzhou, the peloton set off on the longest stage of the Chinese stage race. Maarten Wynants' men had to be on their guard from the start. "It was very tough right from the start. After many attacks, the breakaway only appeared after sixty kilometres. At that point, the average speed was over 52 kilometres per hour. Mick van Dijke then took control of the peloton and did an excellent job", the sports director said.
After two climbs in the final part of the stage, the breakaway was caught, and there was another mass sprint for the day's victory in China. "Tim van Dijke positioned Olav perfectly, and he started his sprint confidently after the last few days", said Wynants, referring to Kooij's stage win on day three. "Today, it was a sprint with a lot of headwind. Unfortunately, Molano just managed to get behind Olav and pass him."
Tomorrow's final stage of the Gree Tour of Guangxi will be similar to today's. Vader will go into the final day as leader of the general classification. Wynants: "The plans for tomorrow are clear: we want to win the general classification of the Gree-Tour of Guangxi. Milan had a good day today, and we are one step closer to winning the general classification."
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Here’s the team’s update:
Experienced Italian Alessandro De Marchi will continue with Team Jayco AlUla in 2024 after signing a new one-year deal.
The 37-year-old was a late addition to the team for the 2023 season but has more than proved his worth with a series of strong and impressive performances, particularly at the Giro d’Italia, where he went agonisingly close to victory on a number of occasions with incredibly gutsy breakaway rides.
Alessandro De Marchi finishes third in stage 10 of the 2023 Giro d'Italia. Sirotti photo
De Marchi’s professional attitude and wealth of knowledge; that comes with years of racing at the highest level, has been a welcomed addition to a youthful squad and with this, Team Jayco AlUla is pleased to see the 37-year-old’s high ambition to continue his decorated career with the Australian team.
With no less than 17 Grand Tour starts to his name, De Marchi brings great experience which has been a huge asset to the team in all areas and particularly assisting the new generation of riders.
Brent Copeland (General Manager):
“We have been very pleased with Alessandro, even though we were criticised when we signed him because of his age, he’s been a true professional and he showed that at the Giro d’Italia as well as other races.
He’s a really good example for the younger riders, he has a lot to give, and we are pleased to keep him onboard. We think Alessandro is a big asset for the young riders and for the team itself.”
Alessandro De Marchi:
“I am very happy with the reality I encountered here. Despite my very late arrival in the team, I immediately felt that I was appreciated and valued for my qualities. This was a fundamental factor in feeling like I was in a new start, a new chapter.
"The most natural continuation of this feeling is the renewal for another season. I look to next season with great optimism, confident that I will be placed in an excellent working environment and aware that I will have everyone’s support to continue to improve.“
Alessandro De Marchi
Date of birth: 19th May 1986 (37)
Nationality: Italian
Top Results:
3rd Giro d’Italia – Stage 10 (2023)
1st Tre Valli Varesine (2021)
1st Giro dell’Emilia (2018)
3x 1st Vuelta a España Stage (2018/15/14)
1st Criterium du Dauphine – Stage 8 (2013)
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Here's the team's update:
Marc Lamberts will join the coaching staff at BORA - hansgrohe from 2024 onwards. In recent years, the experienced performance coach has worked at Jumbo-Visma, where he coached Primož Roglič, among others. In addition to Roglič, Lamberts will also work with other riders from BORA - hansgrohe.
Marc Lamberts: "After eight years at Jumbo-Visma, and after writing history by winning all three Grand Tours this year, I felt as if I had reached my finish line. So, I’m very happy to start over again. I'm eager to begin a new challenge and am looking forward to this opportunity at BORA - hansgrohe!"
Dan Lorang, Head of Performance at BORA - hansgrohe: "I'm always looking to get the best people on board to make the team successful. Marc brings decades of experience in high performance sports and coaching into the team and has worked for one of the most successful teams in recent years. His multidisciplinary approach is something that I really like, and I believe that over the upcoming years, he can help lift us to become a leading GC team in the WorldTour. I am looking forward to working with Marc and to seeing how he will help experienced riders as well as young talents to get the best out of themselves. With his personality, he is the perfect fit to complete our coaching group."
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