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Wednesday, July 24, 2024
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2024 Tour de France | 2024 Giro d'Italia
If the rate of expansion one second after the Big Bang had been smaller by even one part in a hundred thousand million million, it would have recollapsed before it reached its present size. On the other hand, if it had been greater by a part in a million, the universe would have expanded too rapidly for stars and planets to form. - Stephen Hawking
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.
Current racing:
July 22 - 26: Tour de Wallonie
Upcoming racing:
- July 27 - August 11: Olympic cycling
- July 29: Clasica San Sebastian
- July 29 - August 4: Tour of Poland
Latest completed racing:
- 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
- June 2 - 9: Critérium du Dauphiné
- June 5 - 9: ZLM Tour
- June 7: GP Canton Aargau
- June 2: Brussels Cycling Classic
Here's the team's post:
Eritrean sprinter Biniam Girmay, who made history at the Tour de France as a three-time stage winner and the first African cyclist to win the points classification, has extended his contract with Intermarché-Wanty until 2028.
Since joining Jean-François Bourlart’s team in the summer of 2021, Biniam Girmay has continuously made his mark on the cycling world, first by becoming the U23 World Championship runner-up in Leuven at the end of 2021, then by winning Gent-Wevelgem in the spring of 2022 and subsequently a stage of the Giro d’Italia the same year.
Last Sunday, he won the points classification of the Tour de France after wearing the green jersey for sixteen days. Victorious in Turin, Colombey-les-deux-Églises, and Villeneuve-sur-Lot, he gave Intermarché-Wanty their first victories on the Grand Boucle and allowed the Belgian team to complete the Grand Tour trilogy.
Biniam Girmay winning 2024 Tour de France stage 8. ASO photo.
Biniam Girmay:
“Intermarché-Wanty is like a family to me. The results achieved during this Tour de France have confirmed that Intermarché-Wanty is the perfect team to achieve my goals, with a highly developed Performance structure but while always maintaining a family atmosphere. In all circumstances, the team has supported and trusted me, even in the most difficult moments. Intermarché-Wanty remains my favorite team, so extending the adventure for two more years is simply an obvious choice. I am convinced that we can still achieve great things together, and I am already looking towards the next goals, starting with the Olympic Games! I am really glad to continue this story with my beloved team”
Jean-François Bourlart (CEO):
“In 2021, we began a fantastic journey with Biniam Girmay. We’ve built on this over the past four years, culminating in this Tour de France that propelled both Biniam and our Intermarché-Wanty team to the pinnacle of world cycling. It was therefore a no-brainer to continue writing this story for another four years, with many more exciting moments to come, I’m sure. This also marks another step forward in the development of our team, which continues to grow year after year.”
Aike Visbeek (Performance Manager):
“The trust betweeen Biniam Girmay and the team is mutual, as this extension clearly shows. Biniam still has a lot of room for growth, so we are delighted that he will continue the adventure with the team. The results during the Tour prove that our approach is working, and now we want to continue on this path and build further together. Our next goal is to win a Monument, and we will be doing everything we can to achieve this in the coming years.”
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We posted the report from from stage winner Corbin Strong's Team Israel-Premier Tech with the results.
Here's the report from Team Visma | Lease a Bike:
Mick van Dijke and Per Strand Hagenes again showed their attacking intentions in the second stage of the Tour de Wallonie. Both riders from Team Visma | Lease a Bike rode with the best on the steep final climb, but could not break away. In the final sprint, Van Dijke missed the punch to compete for the stage win.
In the second stage from Saint-Ghislain to Ouffet, the peloton had to face a lot of altimeters. After the three escapees were caught, the peloton prepared for the Cote de Géromont, a short but steep climb at twelve kilometres from the finish line. Van Dijke made a strong impression and Per Strand Hagenes also showed his attacking skills.
However, both riders from Team Visma | Lease a Bike did not get any space and helped each other in the final as the reduced bunch sprint approached. Hagenes put Van Dijke into a good position, but the Dutchman missed the punch and was not able to contest the sprint.
Corbin Strong wins Tour de Wallonie stage two.
"It was a very fast race. Partly due to the tailwind, the average was almost 47 kilometres per hour. That does say enough about the level in the peloton,” sports director Maarten Wynants said. "Our goal was to race from the last climb. First it was Mick who got away with a small group and then Per tried several times. Unfortunately they didn't stay clear."
"In the final of the race, Julien, Jesse and Per did a good job for Mick, but he no longer had the legs to get a good result. He had not recovered in time from the effort he put in on the climb. That's unfortunate, but you never know beforehand how things will turn out. The boys showed themselves and that is a good sign for the coming stages."
Tomorrow is the queen stage of the five-day stage race. Wynants hopes Van Dijke and Hagenes can play a significant role in the finale, which is reminiscent of Liège-Bastogne-Liège. "This stage may not suit us as much on paper, but if you see how Per and Mick attacked today, I think they should be able to keep up for a long time. If the favourites start looking at each other, we will have to take advantage."
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And here's the Tour de Wallonie stage two report from third-place Paul Penhoët's Team Groupama-FDJ:
As in the opening stage on Monday, Paul Penhoët placed third on Tuesday in stage two of the Tour de Wallonie. On the other hand, he did it after a more selective final and within a peloton of around fifty riders. He now sits in third place overall and is first in the best young rider classification and in the points classification. On Wednesday, the GC contenders should battle on towards La-Roche-en-Ardenne.
Corbin Strong was first across the line.
From Saint-Ghislain in the Province of Hainaut, the Tour de Wallonie headed east this Tuesday to reach Ouffet, in the Province of Liège. Nearly 190 kilometres made up this second stage, a bit bumpy in the final. A first crossing of the finish line was planned with about thirty kilometres to go, before the decisive climb of Géromont (1.4 km at 8%) then a final, four-kilometre climb averaging 4%. Unlike the previous day, and while a breakaway including Baptiste Veistroffer, Cole Kessler, Johan Jacob and Pascal Eenkhoorn established itself right the start, the Groupama-FDJ cycling team let other squads take their responsibilities this Tuesday. “There was a lot of wind at the start of the race, so it was very nervous for some forty kilometers,” still said Jussi Veikkanen. The leading group was also reduced to three men before the halfway point, and the pack constantly kept things under control. At the first time on the finish line, the gap was only two minutes, and it was closed quite quickly as the leading trio was caught at the bottom of the Géromont climb, fourteen kilometres from the finish.
A few accelerations occurred from then on, but Lewis Askey and Rudy Molard followed them perfectly and came over the summit in a slightly detached group of eight riders. “On paper, we thought the final was going to be harder,” explained Jussi Veikkanen. “In the end, around fifty riders got back together before the last hill. The good thing is that we had four guys since Paul also managed to get back.”
“It wasn’t really the goal for me to be there in the final, because we had three very good cards with Rudy, Sam and Lewis,” said Paul. “For me, the goal was rather to stay calm while waiting for the last two stages which could really suit me. In the end, I felt pretty good during the stage and on the steep, penultimate climb. I had decided to follow the leader of the race, Jordi Meeus. We were five seconds behind the leading group at the top of the climb, and I didn’t put any effort in his wheel, I felt really good on the climb, so I thought I could keep on going.” The small peloton then tackled the final climb while a group including Sam Watson was caught on the first slopes.
Then, nothing happened. “We were aggressive at first with Lewis, Rudy and Sam who launched or followed attacks, but ultimately there was a front wind on the last climb, which prevented the moves,” added Jussi. “There were a few attempts at the bottom, but we quickly realized that it was going to be hard. Corbin Strong also had a few teammates left and they took control.” The Israel-Premier Tech team therefore prepared the sprint, while the road became flatter again 1500 metres from the line. “We faltered a bit in the sprint,” confessed Jussi. “Sam said he felt good, and Paul was unsure of his legs as he had been distanced previously. They lost each other, and Paul saw an opening in front of him, so he slipped into it.” “I told myself that it could still work, but then I was a little boxed into the barriers with 500 metres to go,” testified the young man. “It’s my fault too. I should have positioned myself better.” Slightly behind when opening his sprint, the Groupama-FDJ rider was unable to catch Corbin Strong and Emilien Jeannière but took third place. “We would have preferred to win, obviously,” Jussi said. “If we had communicated better together in the final, we could have tried to put Paul in a better position for the sprint. But it’s always easy to say afterwards. We’ll keep in mind that the team was strong with four riders at the front.” “The feeling is obviously a little mixed, but it remains quite positive regarding my physical form,” said Paul Penhoët.
Wednesday, the queen stage of the Tour de Wallonie will be on the menu with 3,500 metres of elevation gain. A stage which looks a little like an Ardennes Classic. “We have three riders who are doing really well, so everyone has to make the most of their qualities and use them as best as possible so that we get a result,” concluded Jussi.
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Here’s the teams news post:
Jordi Meeus will continue to sprint in the Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe jersey in the coming seasons. The 26-year-old is the last rider to win on the famous Champs Elysées. Exactly one year ago, he celebrated his biggest career victory to date, winning the prestigious final stage of the Tour de France.
Jordi Meeeus (right) wins the final stage, beating Jasper Philipsen (throwing his bike). ASO photo
July 23, 2023 is a special day in the team's history. Although it was the team's 11th Tour stage win, the team had never before celebrated on the magnificent boulevard of Paris. After 3405 kilometers, it came down to a few centimeters: Jordi Meeus won and stood on the podium in Paris.
Just in time for the anniversary, the Belgian showed his top speed. Yesterday he won the opening stage of the Tour de Wallonie, his second victory of the season after winning a stage at the Tour of Norway. In the spring, Jordi Meeus impressed with a third place at Ghent-Wevelgem and a Top 10 result at Paris-Roubaix.
Jordi Meeus
"I'm really happy to stay with the team. I've become a professional cyclist here and I've felt at home from the beginning. I've learned a lot from the team and my teammates, and I've always felt super good here. The team was already one of the biggest when I first signed, and with Red Bull now on board, the project can now grow even further."
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