Bicycle Racing News and Opinion,
Monday, December 30, 2024
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2024 Tour de France | 2024 Giro d'Italia
Failures, repeated failures, are finger posts on the road to achievement. One fails forward toward success. - C. S. Lewis
Bill and Carol McGann's book The Story of the Tour de France, 2019: A Year of New Faces is available in both Kindle eBook and audiobook versions. To get your copy, just click on the Amazon link on the right.
Current racing:
- December 30: Diegem Cyclocross
Upcoming racing:
- January 1: GP Sven Nys Cross
- January 18 - 26: Tour Down Under
Latest completed racing:
- December 26: Gavere Cyclocross
- December 27: Exact Cross Loenhout-Azencross
- December 15: Namur Cyclocross-Citadelcross
- 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
Here's the report on the men's race from the UCI:
Mathieu van der Poel reaffirmed his dominance in cyclocross today with a convincing victory in the UCI World Cup race in Besançon. The world champion secured his win with an impressive display of power and skill, solidifying his status as the man to beat.
Mathieu van der Poel leaving everyone behind. Photo: Photopressbe
From the start, Van der Poel took the initiative, with Toon Aerts as his main challenger. Aerts managed to stay on the Dutchman's wheel for the first fifteen minutes but ultimately had to concede to Van der Poel’s superiority. Through his technical prowess and flawless lines, Van der Poel steadily built a comfortable lead without needing a decisive attack.
Behind the untouchable Van der Poel, an exciting battle for the remaining podium places unfolded. Toon Aerts secured second place, while Niels Vandeputte delivered a strong performance to finish third. Notably, Eli Iserbyt overcame a poor start and previous physical issues, putting on an impressive comeback to cross the line in fourth place.
Results:
21.45 kilometers raced at an average speed of 19.810 km/hr
- Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck) 1hr 4min 57sec
- Toon Aerts (Deschacht-Hens-FSP) @ 20sec
- Niels Vandeputte (Alkpecin Deceuiinck Development Team) @ 36sec
- Eli Iserbyt (Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal) @ 49sec
- Joran Wyseure (Crelan Corendon) @ 58sec
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And here's the Women's Besançon Cross Race report:
From start to finish, Fem van Empel rode at her own pace, remaining untouchable for her competitors. With her technical finesse and impressive endurance, she quickly built a significant lead. The technical French course seemed tailor-made for Van Empel's abilities.
World Champion Fem van Empel can sit up and enjoy her win.
Behind her, an intense battle for the remaining podium spots unfolded. Lucinda Brand and Kata Blanka Vas engaged in an exciting race but couldn’t close the gap to the leader. Brand eventually secured second place, 37 seconds behind Van Empel, while Vas rounded out the podium.
Marianne Vos, making her return to cyclo-cross, once again showcased her remarkable skills. In a duel with Zoë Backstedt, she ultimately finished fifth, with Backstedt claiming an impressive fourth place.
Results:
15.25 kilometers raced at an average speed of 17.345 km/hr
- Fem van Empel (Visma | Lease a Bike) 52min 45sec
- Lucinda Brand (Baloise Trek Lions) @ 37sec
- Blanka Vas (SD Worx-Protime) @ 1min 2sec
- Zoe Backstedt (Canyon-SRAM Racing) @ 1min 51sec
- Marianne Vos (Visma | Lease a Bike) @ 1min 53sec
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Here's the Besançon Cross Race report from Fem van Empel's Team Visma | Lease a Bike:
Fem van Empel secured another cyclocross victory in Besançon, France. The world champion dominated the World Cup race from the start, while Marianne Vos marked her return to cyclocross with an impressive fifth place.
Van Empel started strong on the challenging French course, taking the lead in the first lap and never looking back. The slippery and demanding terrain played to her strengths as she maintained control throughout the race.
Afterwards, Van Empel was visibly pleased with her performance. “It was a fun race with an amazing crowd. The course was very slippery, so riding solo was no problem—in fact, it worked to my advantage. My start was perfect, I think, and from there, I kept my own pace to the finish. That proved enough for the win. I made very few mistakes today, and I think it’s fair to say that I’m in good shape”, the world champion reflected with satisfaction.
Marianne Vos finishing fifth.
Her teammate, eight-time cyclocross world champion Marianne Vos, was also content with her first race of the season, finishing fifth. “I’m a pretty happy person right now. It was definitely a tough race, but I’m pleased that I was able to move up through the pack. I didn’t have much energy left at the end, but I kept fighting all the way to the line. I was completely empty at the finish, but I’m very satisfied with my comeback.”
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Here’s the team’s update:
Triple Australian road race champion Luke Plapp and Swiss champion Mauro Schmid will lead a strong and well-rounded Team Jayco AlUla line-up at the 2025 Santos Tour Down Under, ready to kick-off the squad’s 14th professional season in the UCI WorldTour ranks on a high.
Luke Plapp after stage four of the 2024 Paris-Nice. Sirotti photo
With a vibrant new look and new colours for 2025 through a partnership with Melbourne based cycling apparel brand, MAAP, Team Jayco AlUla are set to stand out from the crowd and are ready to make their mark at the ‘home race’ once again, having won the event overall five times.
Plapp, who was in stellar form at the 2024 event, having doubled up at the Australian championships the week prior, was unfortunately forced to abandon the race after stage three due to a high-speed crash.
Hoping for better luck in 2025, the rider from Melbourne will line-up alongside a squad built from mostly Australian riders that features two inaugural GreenEDGE Cycling members, Michael Hepburn and Luke Durbridge, local Adelaide hero Chris Harper and Olympic track champion Kelland O’Brien.
Coming in from across the water will be New Zealander Campbell Stewart and looking for a strong overall showing alongside Plapp will be Schmid.
Team Jayco AlUla at Santos Tour Down Under 2025:
Luke Durbridge (AUS)
Chris Harper (AUS)
Michael Hepburn (AUS)
Kelland O’Brien (AUS)
Luke Plapp (AUS)
Mauro Schmid (SWI)
Campbell Stewart (NZL)
Luke Plapp:
“Last year was a dream start to the season for me winning the national championships and then being able to wear the green and gold jersey at the Santos Tour Down Under in Adelaide, there’s no greater privilege for a rider. I’ll be hoping to defend my national road race title in Perth the week before, so that could be the perfect lead into the TDU.
Last TDU didn’t quite go to plan, after I had to abandon due to a nasty crash. We’ve got a great team and I’m ready for a much better race this time around.”
Mathew Hayman – Sport Director:
“Luke Plapp comes back after his crash in this year in January at TDU, and he’ll be leading the team. We also have Mauro Schmid coming out to Australia as well, he’s done well on the GC in the past. Campbell Stewart will be an option for the bunch sprints but it’s quite a demanding course this year.
We have the finish in Willunga that we know. We go down to Victor Harbour with a climb towards the finish. We’re out at Uraidla again which is a hard circuit, so I think with the level that the WorldTour is at in January, Tour down Under has met the level with a harder and harder course each year. We know it’s still very hard to make a difference in this race and we know the race is often won on bonus seconds or splits and moves so we will definitely be fighting for the overall with Luke Plapp and Mauro Schmid.”
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