Bicycle Racing News and Opinion,
Saturday, April 6, 2024
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2023 Tour de France | 2023 Giro d'Italia
He who is cruel to animals becomes hard also in his dealings with men. We can judge the heart of a man by his treatment of animals. - Immanuel Kant
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:
- April 1 - 6: Tour of the Basque Country/Vuelta Ciclista al Pais Vasco
- April 6: Women's Paris-Roubaix
Upcoming racing:
- April 7: Paris-Roubaix
- April 10: De Brabantse Pijl
Latest completed racing:
- April 2 - 5: Region Pays de la Loire Tour
- April 3: Scheldeprijs
- March 31: Ronde van Vlaanderen (Tour of Flanders)
- March 30: Gran Premio Miguel Indurain
- March 30: Volta Limburg Classic
- March 29: Route Adélie de Vitré
- March 27: Dwars door Vlaanderen
- March 27: Paris-Camembert Lepetit
- March 18 - 24: Volta a Catalunya
- March 24: Ghent - Wevelgem
- March 24: La Roue Tourangelle
Here’s the news from Vingegaard’s Team Visma | Lease a Bike:
It was a nasty crash in the fourth stage of Itzulia Basque Country, but fortunately he is stable and conscious. Examinations at the hospital have revealed that he has a broken collarbone and several broken ribs. He remains in hospital as a precaution. Thank you for all your messages.
Jonas Vingegaard being ambulanced to the hospital after his crash.
Update Jonas (5 April, 11:00 CET): further examination in the hospital revealed that he also suffered a pulmonary contusion and pneumothorax [Ed: A pneumothorax occurs when air leaks into the space between your lung and chest wall].
He is stable and had a good night. He remains in hospital.
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Here’s the bad news new their Team Soudal Quick-Step:
During an accident on stage 5 of Itzulia Basque Country, Soudal Quick-Step riders Mikel Landa and Gil Gelders were involved in a crash, forcing both to leave the race. Gelders was given medical attention on the spot and was treated for abrasions.
Mikel, runner-up at the Volta a Catalunya last month, was taken to the local hospital where X-rays revealed that he has suffered a fracture to his clavicle. He will now undergo further investigation to determine the best path for his recovery.
We wish both riders well.
Mikel Landa before the start of 2023 Tour de france Stage 1. Sirotti photo
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We posted the race organizer’s report with the results.
Here’s the report from Team Bora-hansgrohe:
The first 80km of today's stage were relatively calm before becoming hillier. In the middle of the race, the Cat. 1 climb to Urkiola (5.5km / 9.4%) provided the first obstacle. In the finale, there were two final laps with a total of four more climbs before descending slightly towards the finish. With the withdrawal of Primož Roglič, who had to leave the race early as a result of a crash yesterday, the hopes of BORA - hansgrohe rested on Maximilian Schachmann. On the final climb, the German launched an attack, resulting in around only 25 riders remaining at the front of the field. Despite a strong sprint, he was overtaken by Romain Grégoire and Orluis Aular over the last meters. With this result, he moves up to second place overall, and ahead of the final stage, he now sits just behind Mattias Skjelmose, the current yellow jersey wearer.
Stage five: Romain Grégoire wins a close one.
"The stage today was really fast, and as a team, we showed a great performance. Matteo and Jai positioned me well on the final climb. I felt strong and tried to make a move at the top. The descent was a real challenge. In the last corner, I was in second position and had no choice but to give it my all. Although I did my best, my legs just weren't there in the end." - Maximilian Schachmann
"After the low point of our leader Primož Roglič's withdrawal yesterday, we wanted to seize the opportunity on today's stage to achieve a good result with Max. From previous years, we know that usually a group of 20 to 30 riders fight for the finish, so it could suit Max well. He was very close to victory, but missed it narrowly. Nevertheless, I think we can be really satisfied with this result. He also moves up to second place in the general classification. So, it was a good day, and I am proud of how the guys rode." - Patxi Vila, Sports Director
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Here’s the team’s update:
Israel – Premier Tech is set to line up at the third Monument of the season with two protected riders but their respective relationships with Paris – Roubaix paint two very different pictures.
On one hand, Belgian Tom Van Asbroeck has a wealth of experience behind him, racing to a memorable eighth place in the infamous 2021 edition, where those lucky enough to make it to the velodrome looked like they had gone to hell and back. On the other hand, American Riley Sheehan is set to make his debut. Racing Paris-Roubaix in his first year as a neo pro is impressive enough, before you even acknowledge it will already be Sheehan’s third Monument of the season and off the back of a standout 13th place in his Ronde van Vlaanderen debut last Sunday.
Tom Van Asbroeck after winning stage three of the 2024 Tour of Provence. Sirotti photo
“We have a strong team and two riders who deserve leadership in Tom Van Asbroeck and Riley Sheehan,” explains Sports Director Steve Bauer. “This is Tom’s kind of race and he has had a solid Classics season so far. We know he can do well here, as he has done in the past. Riley Sheehan was incredible in Ronde van Vlaanderen and is coming here in great shape. He knows how to fight on this kind of tough terrain and as we saw last week, he is a rider who refuses to give up. I’m excited to see what they can do on Sunday.”
In support of Van Asbroeck and Sheehan, the experience of Hugo Hofstetter, Guillaume Boivin, and Rick Zabel will be invaluable. Canadian Riley Pickrell and Israeli Nadav Raisberg complete the team, marking an important milestone at the beginning of their careers with both riders set to line up at their first Monument.
“Hugo Hofstetter and Guillaume Boivin are both capable of good results and with Rick Zabel, all three will be key teammates, alongside our young guys Nadav Raisberg and Riley Pickrell, who have had solid starts to their first pro year and will be in for a wild ride this Sunday,” adds Bauer.
“It can be crucial to have a man in the early breakaway, as we did last year, to give the team numbers in the finale so I expect it will be a big fight from start to finish. Like every year, it all comes down to good legs and a lot of good luck.”
Sheehan is looking forward to swapping the Belgian hills for the flat French cobbles, arriving in France hungrier than ever.
“I’m really excited,” Sheehan adds. “I feel super fortunate to be here, it’s a massive privilege. We had a good showing at the Tour of Flanders and as a team, we left hungry. My result in Flanders gives me some confidence but I am also hungry as well. All eyes are on the prize.
“I think it could be a race that is a bit more suited to me than Flanders. I am a bit sick of climbing up the cobbles so for now I think it’s a good change of stimulus but I probably can’t say I will really enjoy it.”
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