Bicycle Racing News and Opinion,
Friday, June 7, 2024
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2023 Tour de France | 2024 Giro d'Italia
To be angry is to revenge the faults of others on ourselves. - Alexander Pope
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Current racing:
- June 2 - 9: Critérium du Dauphiné
- June 5 - 9: ZLM Tour
- June 7: GP Canton Aargau
Upcoming racing:
- June 9 - 16: Tour de Suisse
- June 12 - 16: Baloise Belgium Tour
- June 15 - 18: La Route d'Occitanie Cancelled because security forces busy with Olympics
- June 21 - 26: Many National Championships
- July 1 - 23: Tour de France
- July 27 - August 11: Olympic cycling
Latest completed racing:
- June 2: Brussels Cycling Classic
- May 29: Circuit Franco-Belge
- May 4 - 26: Giro d'Italia
- May 23 - 26: Tour of Norway
- May 26: Rund um Köln
- May 14 - 19: 4 Days of Dunkirk
- May 18: Veenendaal - Veenendaal Classic
- May 11: Tour du Finistère
- May 5: Tro-Bro Léon
- May 4: GP du Morbihan
- May 1: Rund um den Finanzplatz Eschborn-Frankfurt
We posted the report from the race organizer on the results page.
Here's the report from GC leader Remco Evenepoel's Team Soudal Quick-Step:
What should have been a pretty straightforward stage turned into one of the most horrible days of this cycling season, after dozens of riders hit the ground in a crash that took place 20 kilometers from home. Among the many involved in this incident there was also yellow jersey Remco Evenepoel, who fortunately got up from the ground and remounted his bike after being assessed by the Soudal Quick-Step medical staff.
Remco Evenepoel finishes the stage. Sirotti photo
Eventually, the organisers decided to neutralise the race and have the peloton ride to the finish in Saint-Priest at a slow pace. As a result, there was no winner at the end of the day and no times were taken in the general classification, which Evenepoel continues to lead following his stage four victory.
“Because of the rain, the roads became very slippery, and as we were on a descent, the crash happened. I don’t think anyone can be blamed for this. I was a bit unlucky, as I almost avoided the crash, but another bike got caught under my bike, and I ended up on the ground, on my right side again. Overall, I think I am ok, but I will know more tomorrow morning before the start of stage six”, Remco said at the finish.
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Here's the report from Dylan van Baarle's and Steven Kruijswijk's Team Visma | Lease a Bike:
With Dylan van Baarle and Steven Kruijswijk, Team Visma | Lease a Bike saw two riders crash out of the fifth stage in the Critérium du Dauphiné. The two riders from the Dutch WorldTour formation were involved in a big crash in the peloton at 20 kilometres from the finish line. The stage was eventually neutralised.
With 20 kilometres left in the stage, the race was rocked by a massive crash on the slippery descent of the Côte de Bel-Air. In the peloton, several dozen riders including Van Baarle and Kruijswijk, crashed hard. The Team Visma | Lease a Bike riders were both taken to hospital. Later, the race organisation wisely decided to neutralise the stage. The peloton eventually rode towards the finish in Saint-Priest, where no time calculations were taken.
The peloton finishes the stage. Sirotti photo
Sports director Grischa Niermann reacted afterwards. "There had already been some crashes, so it was clear that the roads were quite slippery. The road where the big crash happened did not form any danger, but it was very slippery. Half the peloton hit the ground, including Dylan and Steven. They were both heavily battered, which is another big upset for the team. In hospital their damage will be measured."
“We still have five riders in the race”, Niermann added. "Matteo Jorgenson, who is third in the general classification, can start the tough final weekend in a great position. We will definitely keep going for it. It's again a bitter pill to swallow, but we have to show resilience."
Tiesj Benoot was riding at the front of the peloton when the crash took place. "I was together with Matteo, Sepp Kuss and Bart Lemmen at the front of the peloton. Just behind us a rider went down, causing a domino effect in the group. It's terrible to lose both Dylan and Steven. We just finished an altitude training camp together in Sierra Nevada. It is enormously sour for them to have to leave the last preparation race for the Tour de France in this way”, the Belgian concluded.
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Here’s the team’s announcement:
Aleksandr Vlasov is already in his third season with BORA – hansgrohe. It has been a successful collaboration that has led to a 5th place in the Tour de France, victory at the Tour de Romandie and stage wins at the Tour de Suisse and Paris-Nice.
The 27-year-old has now extended his contract with BORA – hansgrohe and is aiming to build upon his previous successes.
Aleksandr Vlasov wins 2024 Paris-Nice stage 7. Sirotti photo
Aleksandr Vlasov:
“I am very happy with the extension of my contract. I have developed as a rider over the past few years. I feel very good at BORA – hansgrohe, it's a nice atmosphere combined with a professional work ethic. So, I'm happy to stay and continue to develop. The arrival of Red Bull is a very interesting project for me, and I appreciate that the team believes in me. I'm ready to give my best in the coming years.”
After Jai Hindley already extended his contract, BORA – hansgrohe also retains the second specialist for stage races and GCs within the team with Aleksandr Vlasov. Both are currently racing alongside Primož Roglič at the Critérium du Dauphiné. It is the dress rehearsal for the season highlight that begins in a few weeks - the Tour de France.
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Here's the team's news:
UAE Team Emirates will set their sights on the next challenges beginning in Switzerland tomorrow with the Grosser Preis des Kantons Aargau (7 June) followed by the Tour de Suisse (9-16 June).
The 8-stages of Tour de Suisse will tackle typical Swiss hilly terrain with UAE with plenty of capable winners in their ranks, among them Adam Yates and Joao Almeida.
Adam Yates winning stage 5 of this year's Tour of Oman.
Yates: “We’re just coming off a big block of training in Sierra Nevada and now this is the last race before the Tour de France. I’m feeling pretty good, it’s been an up and down season so far for me but hopefully after a good block of altitude training I can be back close to my best. I’m really excited and motivated for the big summer of racing to come, starting here in Tour de Suisse.
"It’s a tough race with a lot of hard mountain finishes so it should suit us well and we’ll be aiming to give the GC a good go.”
The team in Switzerland will be led by Sports Directors Fabrizio Guidi (Ita) and Simone Pedrazzini (Swi).
Tour de Suisse [2.UWT] – 09-Jun-2024 / 16-Jun-2024
- Joao Almeida (Por)
- Sjoerd Bax (Ned)
- Jan Christen (Swi)
- Marc Hirschi (Swi)
- Isaac Del Toro (Mex)
- Finn Fisher Black (NZ)
- Adam Yates (GB)
Grosser Preis des Kantons Aargau [1.1] – 07-Jun-2024
- Filippo Baroncini (Ita)
- Sjoerd Bax (Ned)
- Jan Christen (Swi)
- Marc Hirschi (Swi)
- Isaac Del Toro (Mex)
- Finn Fisher Black (NZ)
- Diego Ulissi (Ita)
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