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Bicycle Racing News and Opinion,
Friday, February 2, 2024

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2023 Tour de France | 2023 Giro d'Italia

Dissents speak to a future age. - Ruth Bader Ginsburg

Bill and Carol McGann's book The Story of the Giro d'Italia, A Year-by-Year History of the Tour of Italy, Vol 2: 1971 - 2011 is available in print, Kindle eBook and audiobook versions. To get your copy, just click on the Amazon link on the right.

Current racing:

• Jan 30-Feb 3: AlUla Tour (formerly Saudi Tour)
• Jan 31 - Feb 4: Etoile de Besseges
• Jan 31 - Feb 4: Volta a La Comunitat Valenciana

Upcoming racing:

• Feb 8 - 11: Tour de la Provence

Latest completed racing:

• Jan 24-28: Challenge Vuelta Ciclista a Mallorca
• Jan 28: GP d'Ouverture-La Marseillaise
• Jan 28: Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race
• Jan 12-21: Santos Tour Down Under
• Jan 20: Clasica Comunitat Valenciana
• Jan 1: GP Sven Nys
• Dec 29: Exact Cross Loenhout-Azencross
• Dec 28: Superprestige Diegem

We posted the race organizer's report with the results.

Here’s the report from stage winner Tim Merlier's Team Soudal Quick-Step:

Tim Merlier came out on top at the AlUla Tour after an exciting and action-packed stage 3, battered by crosswinds and broken into echelons inside the final hour, once a left-hand turn opened the way to pure chaos on the road.

Tim Merlier wins stage three. Photo: Getty Sport

Racing in the wind is a Soudal Quick-Step specialty, and our team rode flawlessly when the peloton got split in the last 30 kilometers of the stage that concluded on the Camel Cup Track. Five of the team’s riders made the cut, and those numbers helped the leading group’s buffer reach almost a minute in the blink of an eye, as well keeping things together in the hectic closing kilometers, when it poured with attacks.

After neo-pro Warre Vangheluwe shut down all those dangerous moves and Bert Van Lerberghe did a sensational job in bringing Merlier at the front of the group, no one could match the two-time Belgian Champion’s acceleration when he went with 250 meters to go, capturing his 12th victory in the Soudal Quick-Step jersey.

“It was a typical Belgian day with the echelons and the low temperatures, but thanks to the echelons it became warmer out there. I was very motivated at the start of the stage because today is my son’s birthday, and I wanted this win for him”, Merlier explained. “It was crazy fast on those open roads, and then in the sprint, which was slightly uphill, everything needed to be in the right place, but with the help of the team who did an extraordinary job, I nailed it. Winning early in the season is always good for the confidence, and I’m delighted I could do that in just my third day of racing this year.”

Here’s an update on the AlUla Tour from Team Bora-hansgrohe:

After three out of five stages, BORA-hansgrohe rider Matteo Sobrero is ranked third in the overall standings of the Saudi Arabian stage race. Sports Director Rolf Aldag sees his team "absolutely on track."

So far, BORA-hansgrohe has yet to win a stage at the AlUla Tour in Saudi Arabia. However, the third day once again demonstrated that the German WorldTour squad is among the strongest teams in the race. After Matteo Sobrero sprinted to three bonus seconds on the first day, he achieved the same feat today. The reward: after three out of five stages, the Italian is now ranked third in the overall standings – just 10 seconds behind the leading Dutchman, Casper van Uden.

Matteo Sobrero in the climber's jersey after the 2nd stage of the 2023 Vuelta a España. Sirotti photo

"Therefore, we can be very happy with our performance so far. Against the pure sprinter teams, we are absolutely on track. At the same time, Matteo is now in a promising position in the general classification. That is very important since we will probably see a battle of seconds in the end," said Sports Director Rolf Aldag at the finish of the third stage. Aldag also praised the harmony and unity within the team. "After very last-minute sickness-related dropouts, we're starting here with five instead of seven riders. But our guys are doing very well – and Matteo's ranking proves we're competitive."

Aldag is particularly pleased with Matteo Sobrero's performance. The Italian is riding his very first race for BORA - hansgrohe – and immediately presents himself as a leader. "Sometimes it feels like he's been with us for three years – so well has he integrated," the sports director said, expecting two tough stages in the coming days. “Tomorrow, we need to be careful that we stay at the front during the uphill sprint finish. On the last day, it's all about the general classification. Here, we need to put Matteo in a good position.”

We posted the report from second-place Giovanni Lonardi's Team Polti-Kometa with the results.

Here's the report from stage winner Matej Mojoric's Team Bahrain Victorious:

Bahrain Victorious marked the first victory of the 2024 season as Slovenian champion Matej Mohorič showcased his prowess with a commanding solo win on stage 2 of the Volta a La Comunitat Valenciana (Canals-Mancomunitat De La Valldigna, 162.7 km). Mohorič strategically utilized the final technical descent, accelerating with power and leveraging his exceptional downhill skills to maintain a crucial advantage over his rivals.

Matej Mohoric wins stage two.

“I knew I was the favorite for the day, and that didn’t intimidate me,” Mohorič stated. “We studied this final during the training camp and agreed it suited me very well. I was focused on today’s stage to go for the win.”

The day posed challenges for Bahrain Victorious as we were reduced to five riders due to Kamil Gradek and Yukiya Arashiro’s absence, both sidelined by a stomach bug and an allergic reaction after an insect bite, respectively.

Despite the setbacks, other teams contributed to closing the gap to the breakaway. The remaining teammates played a pivotal role in supporting Mohorič during the climb and positioning him perfectly for the decisive descent.

Following the third-category pass of Pla de Corrals, Mohorič demonstrated his intent, launching a decisive attack. While a few riders attempted to respond, the Slovenian accelerated once again on the fast and technical descent, ending just 1.7 km from the finish line and securing victory.

Mohorič’s triumph also earned him the points jersey, and Santiago Buitrago claimed the lead in the best young rider classification. With these achievements, Bahrain Victorious currently holds the position of the best team after two stages.

Sports Director Roman Kreuziger commented on the challenging morning due to missing riders, praising the team’s resilience: “We stay grounded and continue working because the race is demanding, and as we witnessed last year, situations can change rapidly, even in the final short stages,” Kreuziger concluded.

And here's the Volta Valenciana stage two report from the race organizer:

Simat de la Valldigna. 1 February 2024. The second stage of the 75th VCV – Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana Gran Premi Banc Sabadell has made it clear that, if not the best, Matej Mohoric is one of the best ‘bajadores’ of the international peloton. The Slovenian rider from Bahrain has given a real exhibition in the descent of Pla de Corrals and, passing through the town of Barx, has launched an attack impossible to counteract by anyone among all the members of the peloton. A well-deserved prize after a first failed attempt in stage 1, which leaves him second overall and Bahrain leader of the team classification.

The morning started with the usual signing control, which took place in the Plaça Pont del Riu in Canals. Hundreds of people, including many children, came to see their cycling idols up close. Yesterday’s protagonists, Alessandro Tonelli, Oier Lazkano or Gorka Sorarrain have been the ones who have received more support among the fans, who have also given special affection to the four Valencian cyclists in the race.

Once the signature control had been completed, the race got underway. The ribbon-cutting ceremony for this second stage was attended by the mayor of Canals, Nacho Mira; the president of the Valencia Provincial Council, Vicente Mompó; the director general of sports of the Generalitat Valenciana, Luis Cervera; the sub-delegate of the Government in Valencia, José Rodríguez Jurado; the deputy mayor of Canals, Vicente Tafaner; the deputy general manager and eastern territorial director of Banco Sabadell, Fernando Canós; and the general manager of the 75 VCV, Ángel Casero.

Knowing what happened on stage 1, the peloton took good note and never let the time with the breakaway of the day exceed 3 minutes. Txomin Juaristi (EUS), Eugenio Sánchez (EKP), Sinuhé Fernández (BBH), Joan Meens (BWB), José María García (IBA) and Gorka Sorarrain (CJR) made up the day’s breakaway. The latter, wearing the leader of the mountains jersey, managed to score points in the first two climbs of the day, the Alto de Benigànim and La Drova, and finally dropped before reaching the last climb of the day, the Alto de Pla de Corrals.

This Friday, the third stage of this 75th VCV – Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana, between San Vicente del Raspeig and Orihuela; the only one of the five stages of this edition of the VCV that will presumably have a sprint finish. Italian Jonathan Milan will be the big favourite to win.

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