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Friday, March 8, 2024
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2023 Tour de France | 2023 Giro d'Italia
Silence is one of the great arts of conversation. - Cicero
Plato's dialogue Apology is available in both Kindle eBook & audiobook versions. To get your copy, just click on the Amazon link on the right.
Current racing:
- March 3 - 10: Paris-Nice
- March 4 - 10: Tirreno-Adriatico
Upcoming racing:
- March 13: Danilith Nokere Koerse
- March 13: Milano-Torino
- March 14: GP de Denain
- March 15: Brendene Koksijde Classic
- March 16: Milano - Sanremo
- March 16: Classic Loire Atlantique
Latest completed racing:
- March 2: Strade Bianche
- February 28: Trofeo Laigueglia
- February 27: Le Samyn
- February 19 - 25: UAE Tour
- February 22 - 25: O Gran Camiño
- February 25: Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne
- February 25: Faun-Drôme Classic
Here's the race organizer's announcement:
Due to the unfavourable weather conditions in the Alpes-Maritimes department and according to the weather forecast for the weekend, and in order to ensure the safety of the riders, the Paris-Nice organising teams, in agreement with the city of Nice, the Nice Côte d'Azur Metropole, the Alpes-Maritimes Prefecture and after consulting the panel of commissaires of the International Cycling Union (UCI), the representatives of the teams and riders (AIGCP, CPA), have decided to modify the route of stage 7.
The finish will take place at the summit of the Madone d'Utelle, which offers an ascent of 15.3 km at an average of 5.7 pc, with some sections at 8 pc.
The Madone d'Utelle has already hosted Paris-Nice, in 2016. Ilnur Zakarin had raised his arms in front of Geraint Thomas and Alberto Contador.
Starting from Nice, the riders will have a hard day ahead of them with a 104-km stage and 2,000 metres of elevation. The first 89 kilometres of the initial stage have been retained. At Saint-Jean La Rivière, the riders will find themselves at the foot of the final climb, which promises a spectacular final battle between the favourites for the general classification.
We posted the race organizer's report with the results.
Here's the report from stage winner Olav Kooij's Team Visma | Lease a Bike:
Olav Kooij sprinted to his second stage victory in Paris-Nice. After a mighty final sprint in the last few hundred meters, the rider from Team Visma | Lease a Bike was able to celebrate another victory in Sisteron.
Olav Kooij can sit up and enjoy his win. ASO photo
The Dutchman indicated after the fifth stage of the French stage race that it had been a big fight throughout the entire stage. "It was a hard race, especially because there was a strong breakaway. In addition, we had headwind the whole day," Kooij said. "My teammates worked very hard in the chase and dropped me off well in the final. I'm grateful to them for that."
The middle part of the stage included four third-category climbs. The peloton did not take it easy in that part of the race, partly by the work of the riders of Team Visma | Lease a Bike. Among others Mick van Dijke and Koen Bouwman went hard at the front of the peloton to reel the breakaway group of eight back in.
In the twisty and fast final there was a short climb, where several riders chose to attack. Still, the strong sprinters battled for the day's victory, which went to Kooij.
"We already won the first stage, so it's great to win again now. We had planned to go for a sprint today. It's very nice that it all came together. In the second stage the sprint did not go as planned for us, so I'm happy that I was able to finish it of again in this stage. This win feels very good."
For Kooij, it is his fourth win of the season, having previously won a sprint in the UAE Tour and the Spanish one-day race Clasica de Almeria. "For me, this edition of Paris-Nice is already more than successful, but we have other goals. In the upcoming, more difficult stages we aim for a good result with Matteo Jorgensen and Wilco Kelderman."
With Kooij's new victory, Team Visma | Lease a Bike's number of victories rises to eleven.
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Here are both the Paris-Nice & Tirreno-Adriatico reports from Team Israel-Premier Tech:
Two third-placed finishes within one hour: IPT delivered its best results to date at this week’s Tirreno – Adriatico and Paris – Nice in a 45-minute period on Thursday, as Corbin Strong’s result in Giulianova was matched across the French border by Pascal Ackermann in Sisteron.
Having already posted top threes in a Tour Down Under stage and the Surf Coast Classic this season, this was arguably Strong’s most impressive performance of 2024 given his result came in an uphill sprint against a stacked field on the day the race arrived at the Adriatic coast.
The battle between the sprinters wasn’t the only one on the cards with the peloton put to work to catch the breakaway, which didn’t happen until the final kilometer in what was a thrilling finish.
Having crossed the finish line once before tackling a lap of the finishing circuit, the riders had a chance to see the steep and technical finish straight, something that the Kiwi rider said proved crucial.
“I’m really happy with the result, especially after the crash yesterday and the disappointment of coming down so close to the finish,” explained Strong. “So it’s nice to bounce back and have a result to show for it today. I really like to see the finish before the sprint so I really took it in the first lap and realized there was quite a bit of time from the last corner to the finish.
“So, like yesterday, you could be pretty patient for the final sprint. I think I timed it well. I opened my sprint first but unfortunately, [Jonathan] Milan and [Jasper] Philipsen were just a bit better today. But we can be happy with today and look forward to the next stages.”
Over in France, Ackermann also capitalized on an all-round team performance to record his best result since joining the team at the start of the season.
The IPT sprint train mobilized five kilometers from the finish line, with Guillaume Boivin, Hugo Hofstetter, Hugo Houle, Jakob Fuglsang, and Rick Zabel all playing a part in assisting Ackermann. Boivin, in particular, produced a two-kilometer turn that prevented any opportunistic attacks.
An early break in the the fifth stage of Paris-Nice. ASO photo
Ackermann smartly positioned himself in the wheel on Mads Pedersen (LTK), however stage winner Olav Kooij (TVL) took full advantage of the slipstream to pass both of them in the final 50 meters.
“I was here to win a stage and today was the first day I could sprint,” says Ackermann, who was cheered on by his team-mates in Italy, who watched on from the team bus.
“I was really happy with the performance of the team, they did a great job all day. I think we have to find out how we fit together and today was a really good example of that – especially in the last three kilometers, where we made it really hard.
“The shape we have on the climbs is really good, so I think there’s more coming in the next weeks.
“In the end, it was really close for the victory. My legs were a bit empty in the end but that’s normal after a super hard stage like today. I’m really happy to come close again to the victory.”
As the race heads south towards Nice, today’s stage was likely the sprinters’ last chance for glory in this year’s Race to the Sun. However, having added to IPT’s solid week in Italy after Ethan Vernon finished fourth in the opening time trial before sprinting to a top 10 on stage 2, Sunday’s final stage at Tirreno represents another opportunity for the team’s fast finishers.
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We posted the race organizer's report with the results.
Here's the report from stage winner Jonathan Milan's Team Lidl-Trek:
Superb victory for the Italian, who crowns an excellent performance by the entire team: “Rewarding the work of my teammates is the most beautiful feeling for me.”
Mission accomplished! With a pure power sprint, Jonathan Milan won the fourth stage of Tirreno-Adriatico. Desire for a stage win drove the entire Lidl-Trek team who, from the morning, worked hard with the sole aim of putting Milan in the perfect condition to sprint.
The head-to-head on the final straight with Philipsen (Alpecin) was the climax of a tough day through the Apennines, which led the race from the Tyrrhenian Sea towards the Adriatic Sea. The stage was animated by a breakaway that gave the peloton a lot of trouble until the very last meters, when the last survivor Abrahamsen (Uno-X) was caught by the sprinters in mid-flight.
But Lidl-Trek’s desire to bring the stage home with Milan was strong, as was Johnny’s conviction that he had more in his legs than a second place. The final result therefore rewarded the collective effort and highlighted the rider’s extraordinary (and still not fully realized) potential.
The hope now is that this is only the second victory (after the one at the Volta Valenciana) of a successful chapter with Lidl-Trek.
Jonathan Milan will start stage five in the GC leader's blue jersey. Sirotti photo
Johnny's reaction:
"I had a lot of confidence in my chances for today’s stage, but above all it was the confidence that the team gave me that was the biggest boost to win. I want to thank them one by one, because today everyone was dedicated to my cause, everyone made themselves available to do the job. I gave my all, but without their support I would not have made it so well. This is not my victory, but 100 per cent our victory. Finishing off their teamwork is my job and it’s the thing that motivates me the most. Rewarding the work that others do for me is an incredible feeling of satisfaction, the most beautiful for me.
"Today’s finale was difficult, hard and super stressful. The victory was kind of a relief. It was something we wanted to take home since the beginning of the race, the reason I came to Tirreno. The results of the past few days were the springboard to tackle today’s stage with great conviction. My teammates put me in the perfect position, we wanted and deserved the victory.
"It was a tough stage, not just the finale, which was covered at a super strong pace. That was the decisive moment, but we got there after a strong effort. The last kilometer was very hectic… Abrahmsen made our life hard. I had my eyes on Girmay and Philipsen. I was in a perfect position, I only had to put my best power on the asphalt.
"I feel that I am still at the beginning of my journey. I have a team that believes in me so much, that supports me. The sprints go well for me, I know I can defend myself in short time trials and the Classics are my dream... where I can go, I still don't know and honestly I don't think much about it. My goal now is to grow, to work. Every race is a chance to learn. And sometimes you need to make mistakes to understand how to improve. Together with the team, we've started on a path together, we must persevere in this direction to refine the mechanics within the teammates, with my lead out. I am convinced we can achieve a lot of great things in the future."
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Here's the report from Team Groupama-FDJ:
For the third day in a row, the sprinters fought for victory in Tirreno-Adriatico. The Norwegian Jonas Abrahamsen almost made it from the breakaway, but Jonathan Milan ultimately took the win in Giulianova, on the Adriatic coast. This fourth stage did not create real gaps in the general classification, but Romain Grégoire is now twenty-six seconds behind the new leader, also the day’s winner. The Frenchman remains sixth before two decisive stages for the overall.
On Thursday, and after four days of racing, the Tirreno-Adriatico bunch was set to reach the Adriatic coast. This again resulted in a long stage, featuring more than 200 kilometers, between Arrone and Giulianova, in Abruzzo. A proper climb was also on the day’s menu, but its location, more than 130 kilometres from the finish, did not seem ideal for an aggressive race to happen. The breakaway was even able to establish itself from the start, with Lorenzo Quartucci (Team Corratec-Vini Fantini), Davide Bais, Mirco Maestri (Polti Kometa), Alex Tolio (VF Group-Bardiani CSF-Faizanè), Jonas Abrahamsen (Uno-X Mobility) and Alexander Kamp (Tudor) in there.
A few teams did try to get rid of the pure sprinters on the day’s only classified climb, but the peloton then came back together on the descent. From then on, a more usual scenario took over, and the break was able to enjoy a six-minute lead before the teams interested in stage victory organized. “All the sprinters hoped it would end with a bunch sprint today, so this race pattern took place,” indicated Yvon Caër.
Forty kilometres from the finish, the gap with the leaders was reduced to two minutes, but the fight proved harder from there on. At the first time on the finish line at Giulianova, Maestri, Kamp, Abrahamsen still had one minute, and even managed to get over an unclassified hill, with ten kilometres to go, with a 30-second margin.
“There was a lot of tension, especially in the final which was quite technical and descending,” said Yvon. “Everyone was fighting for position, whether for the sprint or to avoid splits. It was stressful. Romain discovers what it’s like to stay in the front at WorldTour level when there is a lot of rubbing shoulders. Once again, Clément, Olivier, Cyril did a very good job.” The breakaway trio got to the last, slightly uphill 1600 metres with a very small lead. Kamp and Maestri surrendered, but Abrahamsen kept on going and took advantage of a slight “looking at each other” phase in the bunch entering the last kilometre. The Norwegian tackled the final straight in the lead, but the best sprinters still managed to catch him just before the line, and Jonathan Milan took it all. “Fabian was well positioned at the bottom of the final climb, but he probably lacked a bit of strength to be able to keep up with the best,” added Yvon.
Jonathan Milan wins a close one. RCS Sport photo
The Swiss rider eventually took eighteenth place on the line, a few ranks ahead of Romain Grégoire (24th), still sixth overall. “Tomorrow, another race begins,” Yvon concluded. “Romain should have more opportunities to show himself. These profiles suit him.” On Friday, the peloton will have to cover the San Giacomo climb (12 km at 6%), whose summit will be reached twenty-four kilometres from the finish.
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