Bicycle Racing News and Opinion,
Sunday, April 14, 2024
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2023 Tour de France | 2023 Giro d'Italia
It is inaccurate to say that I hate everything. I am strongly in favor of common sense, common honesty, and common decency. This makes me forever ineligible for public office. - H. L. Mencken
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Current racing:
- April 14: Amstel Gold Race
- April 14: Tour du Doubs
Upcoming racing:
- April 15 - 19: Tour of the Alps
- April 17: La Flèche Wallone
- April 21: Liège-Bastogne-Liège
Latest completed racing:
- April 10: De Brabantse Pijl
- April 7: Paris-Roubaix
- April 6: Women's Paris-Roubaix
- April 1 - 6: Tour of the Basque Country/Vuelta Ciclista al Pais Vasco
- 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
Agence France-Presse posted this:
Belgium’s five-time Tour de France champion Eddy Merckx had a metre of intestine removed following an emergency operation in late March, reported Belgian newspaper Het Laatste Nieuws.
The 78-year-old, commonly considered the greatest cyclist of all time, was taken to hospital on March 26 by his wife after complaining of intestinal pain.
Diagnosed with a blocked intestine he was operated on, Merckx – nicknamed ‘The Cannibal’ – told the journal he had been in agony.
Eddy Merckx at the 2022 Tour de France. Sirotti photo
Eddy Merckx, who returned home to recuperate after several days in hospital, lost a lot of weight following the operation but his condition is not considered to be life-threatening.
Here’s the team’s update:
Israel-Premier Tech is lining up with a strong team for Sunday’s opening Ardennes Classics, Amstel Gold Race, led by in-shape Dylan Teuns.
“We are confident we can fight for a good result in Amstel Gold Race this year”, sports director Sam Bewley explains. “The whole team has been performing at a high level this season and the guys we have here have all shown great shape lately. Given his recent top performances, naturally, Dylan Teuns is our leader but we have a deep team with multiple cards to play.”
Dylan Teuns before the start of the 2022 Coppa Agostoni. Sirotti photo
Teuns will take on Amstel Gold Race after his impressive performances in the Spring Classics. First, he was just meters away from finishing second in Tour of Flanders, and earlier this week, the 32-year-old Belgian showed his strong legs once again, finishing on the podium in Brabantse Pijl. Now, he has got his eyes set on Sunday’s race.
“I feel really good at the moment and I’m happy to be back at the level I knew I had”, Teuns says. “I believe we have a strong team for Amstel Gold Race this year and it’s not just me who can make a result. Having multiple cards to play gives us more options in the race. Of course, I hope to be up there with the best, fighting for a top result. I’m ready for it.”
IPT at Amstel Gold Race:
Riders: Simon Clarke (AUS), Jakob Fuglsang (DEN), Krists Neilands (LAT), Jake Stewart (GBR), Corbin Strong (NZL), Dylan Teuns (BEL), Stevie Williams (GBR).
Sports directors: Sam Bewley & Daryl Impey.
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Here’s the team’s post:
Ben Healy’s life changed forever when he finished second at last year’s Amstel Gold Race.
Over the course of one very long afternoon, the 22-year-old rider, best known in the peloton for his DIY fashion sense, art-school friends, and for tinkering with his aero set up, became a global superstar. Later that week, he backed up his second-place at Amstel with a fourth at Liège-Bastogne-Liège and then went to his first ever grand tour and won a stage at the Giro. All in all, Ben won five races last year, including a stage at the Tour of Luxembourg and his country’s national championships.
Ben Healy wins 2023 Giro d'Italia stage eight. Sirotti photo
Now, he is back at Amstel. No one is going to tell him that he can’t go one better this year. The day before the Ardennes classics get underway, we sat down with Ben in the team hotel in Maastricht.
Welcome to the Netherlands, Ben. How does it feel to be back at the Amstel Gold Race?
I am super excited. After last year, this race means a lot to me. It is really cool to be back. We were doing our recon, and I was just remembering some of the memories from last year. I am excited to race again. I know I have done the work. We had a really great race last week at Pays de la Loire with Marijn. This past week, I have just taken it super easy to rest up and get ready for this. Hopefully the legs are going to be there on Sunday. I think it is going to be a hard race again, but that is something that suits me. I am looking forward to it.
How did your life change after last year’s result here?
I am still the same person. I am still doing the exact same thing. There is maybe a bit more responsibility for me in the team but that is something that I have always wanted. So it hasn’t changed much. I still live the same. I still work the same. Maybe just a few more people know my name now.
Is fame surreal sometimes?
100%. Riding around today, loads of people knew my name and had all these pictures for me to sign and stuff. It is really cool and a bit crazy at the same time.
How do you keep grounded?
That is a tricky one. I just do me, you know—nothing too crazy. I am not driving around in a Lamborghini or anything. I just keep doing what I need to do. I like to be outdoors, to be an active person, seeing friends and just doing some more normal things other than just riding my bike. I have a dog at home and spend a lot of time outdoors or in cafes with my friends, just mincing about really.
You have had to have a lot of belief in yourself to get to where you are now. From where does that confidence come?
I don’t know if it is self confidence or perseverance. I don’t think I really need to have a lot of self-confidence, because I love riding my bike. This is what I like doing. I enjoy working hard. I enjoy progression. I enjoy feeling that I am getting better every day and then you just come to the races and it is what it is, you know. If I wasn’t that good, then I think I would do the same. It is just a bonus that I get to race at a pretty high level and com
What do you like about the Ardennes classics?
I kind of had my breakout here last year and the parcours of these races really suit me. What you do well at is always a lot more fun, isn’t it?
What’s next after Amstel?
I do Liège and Fleche as well. I worked hard to be in my best shape for these races and made them a big goal this year. Hopefully I can race pretty well over the next week. Then, I’ll focus on making it to the Tour. I have got to get to the start line first. The Tour is the biggest race that there is, so to do my first Tour would be really good. After that there is the Olympics and the worlds as well, but I want to get to the Tour first.
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Here’s the news from UAE team Emirates:
Bjerg commits till 2027, Wellens extends deal through to 2025
UAE Team Emirates will count on the services of Mikkel Bjerg and Tim Wellens who have both extended their contracts with the Emirati outfit.
Mikkel Bjerg in Yellow after stage four of the 2023 Critérium du Dauphiné.
Mikkel Bjerg, 25, who joined the team at the beginning of 2020 has inked a three year deal which will keep him at the team until 2027.
Bjerg: “I’m super pleased to be committing long-term to UAE Team Emirates. The team has believed in me a lot since the start of my career and I feel like I have progressed and grown alongside the team which I am proud to be a part of. Having the long-term support and expertise from the best squad in the world I feel like I’m in the right place and want to continue growing alongside the team.”
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Here’s the team’s update:
Bahrain Victorious’ race-packed spring continues next week, as the Ardennes Classics unfold in Belgium, and the Tour of the Alps traverses the mountain roads across Austria and the autonomous Italian region of Trentino Südtirol/Alto Adige.
Formerly known as the Giro del Trentino, the race evolved into this Euro-regional event in 2017, now part of the UCI ProSeries. It is characterised by short, intense stages, and often chosen by riders as an ideal warm-up for the first Grand Tour of the season, the Giro d’Italia.
The 47th edition of the race will take place from Monday, April 15th to Friday, April 19th, starting from Neumarkt/Egna and finishing in Levico Terme, after five demanding days on challenging terrain.
Bahrain Victorious boasts a strong tradition here, securing either a stage victory or a podium spot every year since 2018. We’ve achieved three stage wins, and have stood on the final GC podium four times. In 2024, our aim is to continue this successful trend, aiming for a stage and vying for the general classification, where we’ve secured second place twice (in 2018 and 2021) and third place twice (in 2019 and 2023).
“An overall victory to complete our podium results at the Tour of the Alps would surpass our expectations,” says Bahrain Victorious Sports Director Franco Pellizotti, “but our riders will give their all to be competitive and achieve the best results possible both on stages and overall.”
“Our youngster Antonio Tiberi will lead the team, with veteran Wout Poels serving as co-leader and road captain,” Pellizotti adds. “Together, they will support each other in pursuit of victory and aim to race strategically for an excellent GC result. Coming off a period at altitude, their primary goal will be to regain their racing form. The Tour of the Alps will serve as a benchmark for them ahead of the Giro, providing an opportunity to test themselves and improve their shape.”
Antonio Tiberi finishes stage 16 of the 2023 Vuelta a España. Sirotti photo
While this edition of the Tour of the Alps doesn’t feature mountain-top finishes, tough climbs near the end could give rise to scenarios favouring either restricted bunch sprints, or breakaway victories. The opening two stages are the perfect examples: The opening day to Kurtinig/Cortina (133,3km) features a double passage of the 4.5km Penone climb with double digit gradients, 16.5km from the finish. Stage 2, the longest of the 2024 edition at 190.7km (Salurn/Salorno > Stans) is very similar to the previous day, and presents a variety of possible storylines. The challenging Gnadenwald ascent comes with 13km to go, and the last 500 metres are uphill to the line.
“We believe these profiles suit Poels well,” comments Pellizotti. “If he manages to stay at the front in the finale, arriving in small groups, we can take advantage of his sprint skills to beat our rivals. From stage 3, the focus will shift more to GC, as the climbing difficulties increase. The Queen stage will be the showdown, but the last day could also shake up the overall standings.”
Stage 3 starts and finishes in Schwaz, Tirol (Austria). It is 124.8 km long, with almost all elevation gained in the final 40 km, featuring a circuit to be repeated twice, which includes two steep climbs: Weerberg and Pillberg.
The ‘Queen stage’ comes on the penultimate day, and sees nearly 4,000 vertical meters and five significant climbs in the 141.3km from Leifers/Laives to Borgo Valsugana.
The final day, a 118.6km loop from and to Levico Terme, may favour courageous attackers, with the most challenging climb, Palù del Fersina (12.5 km at 6.2%), tackled twice on a circuit of about 25 km. The last 1.8 km is uphill in the town centre and promises a dramatic finale.
“In terms of breakaway opportunities, we will count on other athletes in our lineup, such as Finlay Pickering, (a pure climber who finished 4th in the white jersey ranking in this race last year), and Torstein Træen, who finished 2nd on a stage and 10th in the general classification in the last edition,” explains Pellizotti. “Torstein also won the mountain classification in 2022, and our squad is rounded out by Alberto Bruttomesso and Sergio Tu, both making their debut in this race. Their job is to support Antonio & Wout, especially in the flat parts and for positioning.”
Stage 1 of the Tour of the Alps is scheduled for Monday, April 15th, with the official start at 12:00 CET and the finish around 15:15 CET.
Meanwhile Wellens, 32, who has just finished off a successful classics campaign, will continue to wear the colours of the Emirati outfit for at least another season, penning a deal until the end of 2025.
Wellens: “I’m very pleased to be able to continue with UAE Team Emirates and grateful for the opportunity. I find a good balance between personal ambitions and helping my teammates depending on the race, and it’s a role I am enjoying a lot. I feel honoured to be surrounded by such good strong people, not only riders but also the best staff. I feel it’s like a family, with a really positive atmosphere at every race. I still have a lot of ambition to stay at the highest level for years to come and win many races with the team.”
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