Bicycle Racing News and Opinion,
Saturday, December 14, 2024
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2024 Tour de France | 2024 Giro d'Italia
When the missionaries came to Africa they had the Bible and we had the land. They said 'Let us pray.' We closed our eyes. When we opened them we had the Bible and they had the land. - Desmond Tutu
Plato's dialogue Crito is available both in audiobook and Kindle eBook versions. To get your copy, just click on the Amazon link on the right.
Upcoming racing:
- December 15: Namur Cyclocross-Citadelcross
Latest completed racing:
- November 17: Flandriencross
- November 3: European Cyclocross Championships
- November 1: X20 Trofee Oudenaarde-Koppenbergcross
- October 27: Superprestige Overijse-Vlaamse Druivencross
- October 15 - 20: Tour of Guangxi
- October 20: Japan Cup Road Race
- October 20: Veneto Classic
- October 16: Giro del Veneto
- October 13: Chrono des Nations
Here’s the team’s announcement:
XDS, a leading bicycle brand in the Chinese market, is excited to announce its major investment in the prestigious UCI WorldTeam Astana. This historic move makes XDS solidifying the brand’s ambitions to expand its footprint in the global cycling community. As part of this agreement, the team will be rebranded as the XDS Astana Team, marking a new era for both the team and the brand.
XDS’ Investment in the Astana Team
In a landmark investment, XDS has secured major strategic partner of the Astana team, one of the most storied names in professional cycling. Founded in 2006, the Astana team has achieved remarkable success, including multiple Grand Tour victories, podium finishes in iconic races such as the Tour de France, Giro d’Italia, and Vuelta a España, and nurturing some of cycling’s most celebrated athletes, such as Alberto Contador, Vincenzo Nibali and Mark Cavendish. The team has a legacy of excellence in world-class cycling competitions.
Now under XDS’s investment, the Astana team will benefit from the brand’s advanced engineering capabilities, cutting-edge bicycle technology, and strong financial backing. This investment represents a significant step for XDS as it positions itself as a key player in the international cycling arena, helping propel the team to even greater success in the years ahead.
Rebranding to XDS Astana Team
Following the investment, the Astana team will officially be rebranded as the XDS Astana Team. This strategic name change signals a new chapter in the team’s history, with XDS becoming a general partner in the team’s operations and ambitions. The new XDS Astana Team will continue to compete at the highest level of professional cycling, representing the Chinese innovation and manufacture in the international cycling community.
XDS, a leader in high-performance bicycles, has already made significant strides in China and will leverage its strong presence in Asia and Europe and growing global recognition to boost the visibility of the newly rebranded XDS Astana Team.
XDS’s Premium brand X-LAB to Equip the Team
In line with the rebranding, the XDS Astana Team will now race with bicycles and equipment from XDS’s premium brand, X-LAB. X-LAB is known for its precision engineering and cutting-edge technology, offering products that blend performance with innovation. From lightweight carbon frames to highly responsive components, X-LAB products are designed for the highest levels of competition, enabling athletes to reach their full potential.
XDS’s commitment to excellence in bike design and engineering will undoubtedly enhance the performance of the XDS Astana Team, ensuring that the riders have every possible advantage in their pursuit of victory on the world’s biggest stages.
Global Expansion Strategy
The major investment of the Astana team is not only a major step for XDS in the world of professional cycling but also an integral part of the company’s broader strategy to expand into international markets. XDS has long been a leader in China’s bicycle market, and now, with the XDS Astana Team, the company is ready to take its next big leap.
This investment will also help the brand expand its reach into Europe and other key markets, strengthening its presence in the competitive cycling world and creating new opportunities for growth. The partnership with the XDS Astana Team is a powerful statement of XDS’s ambition to become a global leader in the cycling industry.
About XDS and X-LAB
XDS is a premier Chinese brand specializing in the design, manufacture, and development of high-performance bicycles. Founded in 1995, the company has become one of China’s most recognized bicycle manufacturers, known for its innovative designs and commitment to quality. XDS has made a name for itself in both the road and mountain bike segments, offering a wide range of products that cater to competitive cyclists, enthusiasts, and everyday riders.
X-LAB, the premium brand from XDS, represents XDS’s commitment to top-tier performance, offering state-of-the-art technology and design for elite athletes and cycling professionals. By the investment in the Astana team, XDS is taking the next step in its evolution as a global player in the cycling world.
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Here’s the update from the team:
With 2025 just around the corner Team Picnic PostNL are delighted to reveal a new and updated technical set-up for the upcoming season as they welcome back some familiar faces and create some new and exciting partnerships.
Collaboration and Innovation
One of the key pillars of Team Picnic PostNL is their Keep Challenging approach; working together with others, bringing each other up and utilising each other’s strengths to push forward.
Team Picnic PostNL are renowned for pushing the boundaries of possibilities in terms of technical innovations, with the co-creation of their personalised up4® sports nutrition range, their custom high performance athletic race wear with Nalini and their DRIIVE race eyewear together with Nexeye noted as their proudest achievements to date.
New bike partner Lapierre to build base for the future
Lapierre, a part of the Accell Group (Accell) is named as their new bike partner; a company with a long and rich history in professional cycling, having been a part of wins at the highest level of the sport such as all three Grand Tours in both the Men and Women pelotons, plus World, Olympic and European time trial titles.
The team will race on Lapierre bikes.
Lapierre has recently invested heavily in innovation – with the creation of the Accell Commando Engineering Team (ACET) – which also gives chance to integrate the expertise of Team Picnic PostNL’s Science group to further accelerate development of their bikes on both a short- and long-term basis. Lapierre’s return to the highest level of world cycling demonstrates Accell’s strategy and investment in positioning its Lapierre brand as a benchmark in top-level, high-performance sport and innovation.
For the 2025 season, the professional riders of Team Picnic PostNL competing at UCI World Tour level for men and women, as well as the development team at UCI Continental level, will ride the brand new Xelius DRS performance bike for all road events, and the Aerostorm DRS for time trials.
CEO of Accell Group, Tjeerd Jegen said: “We’re confident that this partnership will lead to extraordinary success both on and off the road, advancing our brand in the competitive world of professional cycling and inspiring cyclists everywhere. This is how we move the company forward and bring great innovation to life. We look forward to achieving new milestones together.”
Team Picnic PostNL CEO Iwan Spekenbrink said: “We are delighted to partner with Accell and Lapierre and are impressed by their recent development to become future proof in what has been a challenging cycling manufacturing industry for the last years. We share a mindset regarding our commitments to technology, innovation and performance. Our R&D experts are looking forward to working closely with their engineering and technical specialists to integrate input and feedback in the development of the next generation of our road bikes, which we will already see out on the road mid-next year.”
Welcoming new technical partners on board
Following suit, 2025 will see a revamp of Team Picnic PostNL’s technical set-up as they welcome on board multiple new partners to further accelerate their equipment set-up.
Ursus is also welcomed as the team’s road racing wheel partner creating an optimised set-up for road racing. . The teams’ riders will be comfortable and fast on Prologo saddles, and the team welcomes back a familiar face, Lazer, as their helmet partner. XLC, part of Accell Group, will be the partners for travel and bike accessories.
The team’s long-standing partner Shimano continue as the team’s group set, component and race shoes partner, while the team can take advantage of Vittoria’s best-in-class tyres and the premium DRIIVE race eyewear.
With these updates, Team Picnic PostNL is excited for what the future brings in the coming years as they look to help push innovation and be a front-runner in the sport in terms of technical set-up.
Team Picnic PostNL Head of Science, Narelle Neumann said: “Professional cycling demands continual improvements in materials to optimise aerodynamics, weight, handling and comfort to perform at the highest levels and in all conditions. Through these new partnerships we are able to develop and realise a long-term technical roadmap. Projects already underway involving innovative topics, underpinned by wind tunnel testing and incorporating the highest quality materials will allow continual innovation in all aspects of bike materials on an accelerated basis. This will ensure we will maintain our position as a frontrunner on the technical aspect of cycling.”
Technical set-up for 2025:
Lapierre: bike
Shimano: groupset, components & race shoes
Lazer: helmet
DRIIVE: race eyewear
Nalini: race clothing
Ursus: road racing wheels
Vittoria: tyres
ELITE: bottles, bottle cages & trainers
Prologo: saddles & handlebar tape
Wahoo: bike computer, heart rate monitors & watches
XLC: travel gear & bike accessories
Lezyne: training lights
SENA: communication system
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Here’s the team’s post:
Remco Evenepoel:
“Taking a stage victory at the Tour, and especially early in the race, made my participation there memorable long before reaching Nice. I enjoyed every single meter of the individual time trial: the only thing I had in mind that day was the win, and getting it was an incredible feeling, because it made me a stage winner in all the Grand Tours. It was a truly special day in my career.
Remco Evenepoel on his way to winning 2024 Tour de France stage seven. Sirotti photo
“After the crash in the Basque Country, I worked hard to get to my best possible level in time for the Tour de France, which at that moment was just three months away. It wasn’t an easy season, with that crash that forced me to miss important racing days, and the subsequent recovery, but with the support of the team and my family, I managed to be ready in time for July. The fact that I finished on the Tour de France podium at my first appearance, after three long and demanding weeks, was a great achievement.
“I took a victory in France, I also took the prestigious white jersey, and became the youngest Belgian in more than five decades to be in the top three at the Grande Boucle, so I think there are plenty of reasons to be proud of what I achieved last summer. The level of the GC riders was an incredible one, and I did my best every single time, leaving everything out there on what was a hard and demanding race, that’s why being on the podium in Nice was so emotional.
“It’s a result that wouldn’t have been possible without those around me, who support me and believe in me all the time, and something that gives me the confidence and motivation that I can return at the start and fight for the yellow jersey one day.”
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Here’s the team’s announcement:
For the first time, Specialized will be the race apparel partner of a team on the men's UCI WorldTour. From 2025 onward, Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe will be fully decked out in Specialized gear, from helmets to shoes.
Specialized is known as the most innovative brand in cycling – from the Tarmac SL8 and Body Geometry equipment to the fastest wheels, tires, and helmets in the world. They have now brought that same obsession for performance to Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe’s race day apparel. Utilizing kinetic paneling, ultra-low weight, and exclusive aero fabrics, no material has tested faster in their famous WinTunnel. The two-tone blocked style follows the kinetic pattern cut of the jersey. A fresh white has been added, extending across the jersey from the back to the aero fabrics of the shoulders and arms. In the front, the white contrasts with the team's familiar dark blue, where the three name sponsors, Red Bull, BORA, and hansgrohe, are displayed. The new light-colored back ensures more cooling in hot weather, making this a classic clear design with unparalleled performance.
The 2025 jersey
Thomas Perren, Apparel Design Leader
“The full product range, consisting of 50 new items, has been built from the ground up in collaboration with Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe. This has allowed us to focus in on very specific requirements for both racing and training needs of the riders. We have built a full, holistic performance apparel package for all weather racing conditions utilizing Kinetic pattern cutting to build new product blocks, chamois development with the Body Geometry Team, brand new material and trim development, and validating and testing all of our kit in the WinTunnel. These product combinations are optimized to perform at the highest standards for any eventuality, incorporating aerodynamics, thermal regulation and moisture management. The final look of the design is intended to pull focus to some of these product design and development highlights, whilst also allowing the three name sponsors, Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe to stand highlighted on the kit.”
From 2025 onwards, the team will be riding in full Specialized kit, from the distinctive design of the Red Bull athletes' helmets to the white S-Works Torch shoes. Koo will be added as eyewear partner and Roeckl Sports supplying the gloves. In addition to the UCI WorldTeam, the Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe Rookies will also be sporting the new look. The riders could not be happier to wear the new apparel and receive more benefit from Specialized innovation.
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