Bicycle Racing News and Opinion,
Tuesday, June 18, 2024
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2023 Tour de France | 2024 Giro d'Italia
There is a brief moment when all there is in a man's mind and soul and spirit is reflected through his eyes, his hands, his attitude. This is the moment to record. - photographer Yousuf Karsh
David L. Stanley's masterful telling of his bout with skin cancer Melanoma: It Started with a Freckle is available in print, Kindle eBook and audiobook versions. To get your copy, just click on the Amazon link on the right.
Upcoming racing:
- 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 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
- May 29: Circuit Franco-Belge
- May 4 - 26: Giro d'Italia
- May 23 - 26: Tour of Norway
- May 26: Rund um Köln
The team sent me this update:
In January, Uno-X Mobility was thrilled to receive another invitation to the Tour de France. Today, we proudly present the riders of the Norwegian-Danish team who will participate in the world's largest annual sporting event. When the cycling race kicks off in Florence, Italy, on June 29, we aim to secure a stage victory in this year's race.
The team has delivered a series of strong results so far this season, and Magnus Cort's recent stage victory in the Critérium du Dauphiné was an impressive achievement. This was the team's first World Tour victory, and racing in the yellow leader's jersey added an extra dimension to the event. As we shift our focus to this year's major highlight, the Tour de France, we are confident in our strong team.
"The team was well noticed during last year's Tour de France, achieving 11 top-ten finishes. We have now assembled a team that we believe can take another step up from last year," says General Manager of Uno-X Mobility, Thor Hushovd.
Several Qualified Riders
A number of riders have shown great riding strength and delivered good results this season. The team has also strengthened its position as the third-best Pro Team in the world. Some riders have been a given for a while, while others have earned their place on the team in the past few weeks.
"Our focus in the team selection has been to find a good combination of lead-out skills, climbing skills, and general riding strength. The riders we have selected complement each other very well, and I am confident that we will make our mark on several stages throughout the race," says Hushovd.
Alexander Kristoff wins stage four of this year's Tour of Norway.
Alexander Kristoff delivers again with a series of victories, approaching his one-hundredth professional career win. His convincing performances prove that he is still a force to be reckoned with.
"We will continue to build the team around the biggest Norwegian and Danish profiles, and it is therefore really nice that we have both Magnus Cort and Alexander Kristoff on this year's team," says Hushovd.
Several riders in top form
Among the more obvious selections is Jonas Abrahamsen. He has taken major steps this season, and the victory in Brussels Cycling Classic at the beginning of June was a remarkable performance.
Søren Wærenskjold impressed again in Paris-Roubaix in April, and he has since shown steadily improving form. His overall victory in the Baloise Belgium Tour last weekend is a very good indication of this.
Injuries have created uncertainty
The team's leader in the mountains during last year's race, Tobias Halland Johannessen, has had a challenging build-up to this year's Tour. The rider from Drøbak, Norway, had a bad crash at the start of the season and had to spend many weeks in alternative training. He made a strong comeback in La Flèche Wallonne and Liège–Bastogne–Liège, but another crash in the latter race caused new injury issues. Halland Johannessen is now back in good form and is a rider who can make a significant impact, especially in the latter part of the Tour de France.
The young talent Johannes Kulset (20) is among the greatest climbing talents Norway has seen. Kulset delivers impressive numbers, and despite his young age, he has been one of the team's best climbers over time. During the team's altitude training camp in Sierra Nevada, the rider from Oslo suffered a bad crash, casting doubt on his ability to return in time for this year's major highlight. However, Kulset has impressively fought his way back, and he is a rider we look forward to following on this year's mountain stages.
Strong riding skills and experience complete the team
Rasmus Fossum Tiller has again proven himself as one of the team's strongest riders throughout the spring season. Tiller will play an important role in the lead-out on flat stages, while there are also stages that suit him well. The ninth stage with 14 gravel sectors is an example of this.
Odd Christian Eiking came to Uno-X Mobility late before this season. With his many years of experience as a professional rider and good climbing skills, he will be an important contributor to the team.
Three reserves have been selected in addition to the mentioned riders. The reserves are listed in no particular order and will be evaluated based on the rider to be replaced.
Positive and proactive team owner
Uno-X Mobility Cycling is part of Reitan Retail, in which Ole Robert Reitan is CEO and co-owner. This year, he is even more closely involved in the cycling initiative, as chairman of the operating company behind the team.
"The sporting results in the spring season show that Uno-X Mobility belongs on the biggest stage in cycling. We are ready to show the world what we are made of, and I am really looking forward to following this year's Tour de France," he says.
Reitan emphasizes that the cycling initiative is an integral part of the business strategy at Reitan Retail.
"The cycling initiative is a symbol of the transformation we are undergoing, towards a forward-looking player that facilitates more sustainable choices – at home, on the go, and along the road. Just as we have shifted gears and are fully committed to electrification of both the passenger car market and the heavy-duty vehicle market, the cycling team has also taken a new sporting step. The goal is undoubtedly that we will stand on the top of the podium in at least one stage of the Tour de France this year," he says.
Uno-X Mobility in Tour de France 2024
- Magnus Cort (DEN)
- Alexander Kristoff (NOR)
- Søren Wærenskjold (NOR)
- Jonas Abrahamsen (NOR)
- Tobias Halland Johannessen (NOR)
- Johannes Kulset (NOR)
- Rasmus Fossum Tiller (NOR)
- Odd Christian Eiking (NOR)
Reserves
- Markus Hoelgaard (NOR)
- Anders Skaarseth (NOR)
- Andreas Leknessund (NOR)
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Here’s the team’s news:
This week brings the National Championships, which will see dozens of Soudal Quick-Step riders in action starting from Wednesday.
Kasper Asgreen, who recently finished top ten overall at the Belgium Tour, will try to defend his ITT title in Herning and add a fifth gold medal to his palmares, which would see him become only the second Danish rider in history to achieve this feat. Victorious in the opening Tour de Suisse time trial, Yves Lampaert will also hope for a good outing in Belgium, although a third title won’t be an easy task for the winner of 2017 and 2021, who crashed on the penultimate stage of the Tour de Suisse and suffered some abrasions and a contusion to his left hip.
Kasper Asgreen racing in this year's Paris-Roubaix. Sirotti photo
In the Czech Republic, Josef Cerny will be at the start for the first time since 2022, and the 31-year-old will be among the favourites, hoping to win the race held this season in Jevíčko for the fourth time in his career. Finally, neo-pro Pepijn Reinderink is set to compete in the Netherlands, where a 36.9km course around Steenbergen awaits.
“Our team has an incredible tradition and palmares at the Nationals and we aim to be among the protagonists also this year. We’re looking forward to the many races scheduled this week and we hope for some good results, starting with the individual time trial, where we have guys capable of fighting for medals”, said Soudal Quick-Step sports director Tom Steels.
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Here’s the team’s update:
Dario Belletta, who is recovering from a jaw fracture, will also race for Team Visma | Lease a Bike Development next season. The 20-year-old Italian extended his contract by one year.
Next year, Belletta will enter his third year with Team Visma | Lease a Bike Development. During his first year and a half with the team, he showed himself to be a true all-rounder. As a first-year under-23 rider, he placed third in both the road race and the time trial at the Italian championships. Additionally, he has already shown his potential in professional races at the .1 level.
“Dario has had quite a bit of bad luck in his first year and a half, but we still have great confidence in him,” said head of development Robbert de Groot. “Because of this bad luck, his development has been somewhat delayed, but we believe that this means he still has a lot of room for progress. We look forward to working with him for a longer period.”
“I am very happy to stay with the team longer, that is what I wanted,” says Belletta himself. “In the past year and a half, I have already learned a lot about training, nutrition, and race tactics. I am convinced that I will become a better rider here. I am looking forward to finishing this season well and preparing for 2025.”
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Here’s the team’s news
Weeks before her first race day with EF Education-Cannondale, Magdeleine Vallieres already knew that she wanted to extend her contract with the team.
“Right from when I arrived at the first training camp last December, I knew,” Magdeleine said. “I knew before we even got started that I wanted to sign for longer. At the training camp, I just thought, ‘My god, I really like it here. It feels like home.’ I told my agent I needed to stay because I just really like it. And it turns out the team is happy to keep me so it’s worked out for everyone.”
Magdeleine Vallieres racing in what looks like Italy's Trofeo Palma Femina
Before joining EF Education-Cannondale, Magdeleine had been labeled a domestique. Now that she has been given different roles and opportunities, the 22-year-old is discovering her abilities are far wider than she imagined.
“I’ve gotten opportunities which I didn’t have in the past. I think I’ve been growing a lot quicker as a result. I’ve learned so much from not being in the same role all the time, to do more than just be a domestique and work only at the beginning of a race. Now sometimes I get the opportunity to have a more of a free role. This has all helped me to learn a lot about me and this also gives me more confidence in myself,” she said.
In January, the rider from Quebec earned her first professional win in just her second race day of the season, soloing to victory at Trofeo Palma Femina. The result didn’t surprise general manager Esra Tromp, who knew from the beginning she wanted Magdeleine to experiment with different roles.
“From the beginning, we thought Magdeleine is such a versatile rider,” Esra said. “She is much stronger than other people realize. We’ve had her trying different roles in addition to the domestique role that she already has experience with. A rider with her physical capabilities could grow into a leader, a captain, or a super domestique. She has the personality to do it. You can see that she has sparkles and wants to go for the win, whether it’s for her or her teammates. That’s why we’ve given her some of the different roles to challenge her so she can continue to develop and become a stronger racer.”
Continuing to grow and learn are Magdeleine’s primary goals. With EF Education-Cannondale, she has a host of mentors who are always ready to guide her and offer input.
“I feel like we’re all learning a lot and we’re all helping each other grow,” she said. “Every time we have a question, we just discuss it. Everyone has different input and different perspectives so you end up learning a bit from everyone. I’ve also been learning from Carmen [Small] and Daniel [Foder], our sport directors. I’ve worked with Daniel before and every time I go to a race with him, I learn something new. And with Carmen, she really takes the time to help me see what I did well or what I did poorly or how I can improve.”
Magdeleine said that wanting to extend her contract was not just about her race results and future potential. The team’s inclusive and supportive culture, along with the relationships she’s formed with her new teammates, are equally important to her.
“Of course it’s very professional and serious,” Magdeleine said. “But I like that we can also have fun. And when you finish a race, you can just laugh and joke and enjoy the time and have a good conversation. It kind of de-stresses you. It’s a bonus that by extending my contract, I get to keep doing hotel reviews on RaceTV. I’ve never been so happy.”
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