Bicycle Racing News and Opinion,
Saturday, August 3, 2024
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2024 Tour de France | 2024 Giro d'Italia
Life is a song - sing it. Life is a game - play it. Life is a challenge - meet it. Life is a dream - realize it. Life is a sacrifice - offer it. Life is love - enjoy it. - Sai Baba
Les Woodland's book Dirty Feet: How the Great Unwashed Created the Tour de France is available in print, Kindle eBook & audiobook versions. To get your copy, just click on the Amazon link on the right.
Current racing:
- July 27 - August 4: Olympic cycling
Upcoming racing:
- August 4 - 8: Arctic Race of Norway
- August 5 - 9: Vuelta a Burgos
- August 10: Clasica San Sebastian
- August 11: La Polynormande
- August 12 - 18: Tour of Poland
- August 13 - 16: Tour du Limousin
- August 14 - 18: PostNord Denmark Rundt
- August 17 - Sept 8: Vuelta a España
Latest completed racing:
- July 22 - 26: Tour de Wallonie
- July 23: Vuelta a Castilla y Leon
- June 29 - July 21: Tour de France
- June 9 - 26: Many National Championships
- June 15 - 18: La Route d'Occitanie Cancelled because security forces busy with Olympics
- June 9 - 16: Tour de Suisse
- June 12 - 16: Baloise Belgium Tour
The team sent me this news:
The Brit Simon Yates will be riding for Team Visma | Lease a Bike starting in 2025. The experienced climber has signed a contract until the end of 2026. Team Visma | Lease a Bike sees him as a significant reinforcement for their general classification squad in Grand Tours and one-week stage races.
Yates has been competing at the highest level for some time and has repeatedly proven to be one of the best climbers in the peloton. His achievements include the overall victory in the Vuelta a España and Tirreno-Adriatico, as well as stage wins in all three Grand Tours.
Simon Yates after winning the 2018 Vuelta a España. Sirotti photo
"We are very pleased to have convinced someone with such a track record to choose our team," said sports director Grischa Niermann, who will be a part of the sports management of Team Visma | Lease a Bike starting next season. "He is an excellent climber and a significant boost for our general classification squad. Simon will have the opportunity to go for his own results with us, but he will also be a valuable asset for the team in the mountains. We believe that with our way of working, he can reach an even higher level."
Yates himself is equally excited about joining Team Visma | Lease a Bike: "This is a team I have admired for a long time and I couldn't pass up the opportunity to join. I’ve enjoyed much success in my career up to now and I look forward to continuing working hard and contributing to the success of the team."
For the 31-year-old Brit, it will be the first time he is part of another team in the WorldTour. "Despite the great time I have had with my current team, I felt it was time to change teams to keep improving myself and get the most out of myself. I look forward to meeting all my new teammates and staff and hit the ground running in 2025."
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The team sent me this:
The INEOS Grenadiers are delighted to announce that Bob Jungels, one of the pro peloton’s most experienced riders, will join the team on a two-year contract.
A 2022 Tour de France and 2017 Giro d’Italia stage winner, Bob is also a former winner of Liege-Bastogne-Liege and Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne.
The 31-year-old, who turned pro in 2013, is also a six-time national road race champion of Luxembourg, as well as being crowned the national time trial champion on eight occasions.
Bob Jungels picks up his bike before the start of the 2024 Milano-Torino. Sirotti photo
Scott Drawer, Performance Director, said: "Bob’s palmares is very impressive and the talent and experience that he’s going to bring to our team is going to be invaluable.
"We’ve got a significant number of highly talented younger riders who look up to the experience we have within our rider group, and Bob will form an important part of that mentoring culture.
"We saw his prowess at the recent Tour de France and we’re confident that he’s going to thrive in our environment through individualised coaching, science, technology and medical support.
"He’s a very popular guy and in all our discussions he’s been very impressive. His approach to the sport, and what he believes he’ll bring to the team, align perfectly with our goals for the future and what we want to achieve together."
Bob Jungels, said: "I'm thrilled to be joining the INEOS Grenadiers. This is a team that I've always admired, and this opportunity has come along at the perfect time.
"I truly believe that within this environment I’ll be able to take my performance to the next level, while at the same time sharing my experience within the group.
"The Team’s ambition, approach and attention to detail is impressive, and I truly believe that the future here is very bright. I’m really looking forward to being a part of that."
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The team sent me this announcement:
Second in a stage at the Giro d'Italia, second in the fight for the Giro maglia azzura, third in the Tour of Slovenia, top 10 in the Tour of the Alps and the Tour of Austria - Giulio Pellizzari is having a sensational season. From 2025, the youngster will move to the WorldTour and ride in the Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe jersey.
Giulio Pellizzari finishes second in the bad weather-shortened stage 16 of the 2024 Giro d'Italia. Sirotti photo
Giulio Pellizzari is only 20 years old and is considered one of Italy's greatest climbing talents. Finishing second in last year's Tour de l'Avenir, he showed his ability in one of the most important talent races. His Grand Tour debut followed this year - as the youngest rider in the peloton! And what a debut it was at the Giro d'Italia: the stage finish on Monte Pana, where he finished second between Tadej Pogačar and Dani Martínez, winning the Cima Coppi prize in a photo finish or his attacks on Monte Grappa are unforgettable.
Giulio Pellizzari: "I am very happy to be part of the new Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe project. I can't wait to start working with the new team and achieve great goals together."
Ralph Denk, CEO Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe: "Identifying and developing talent is at the forefront of our vision, and our 2025 transfers demonstrate this. Despite his young age, Giulio has already shown his climbing potential in big races. We want to build on this with our performance structure and take the next step in his development as a top rider."
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Here’s the team’s news release:
Florian Vermeersch has put pen to paper on a deal which will see him in the colours of UAE Team Emirates next season, with the new contract running until the end of 2026.
The 25-year old rouleur is a former Paris-Roubaix podium finisher and took silver in the UCI World gravel championships in 2023, proving his pedigree on the rougher terrain as the Emirati squad looks to bolster reinforcements for the Spring Classics.
The 2021 Paris-Roubaix podium, from left: Florian Vermeersch (2nd), Sonny Colbrelli (1st) & Mathieu van der Poel (3rd). Sirotti photo
Florian Vermeersch: “I’m very happy and honored to join the team next year. It’s a pleasure to be part of the best team in the pro peloton. From my side I would say it’s a bit of a dream come true. I’m also happy and very relieved that despite my big crash and injury at the start of the year the team gave me the full confidence and believed in my strengths. I’m looking forward to meeting all the riders and staff and hopefully we can have an awesome few years together and share some nice moments.”
Mauro Gianetti (CEO & Team Principal): “We are very pleased to welcome Florian into the team. He has proven pedigree as a very strong rider and will bolster our classics team as well as our stage racing squad. We hope for many good years working together.”
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