Bicycle Racing News and Opinion,
Thursday, March 14, 2024
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2023 Tour de France | 2023 Giro d'Italia
When all is said and done, more is said than done. - Lou Holtz
Les Woodland's book Paris-Roubaix: The Inside Story - All the bumps of cycling's cobbled classic is available in print, Kindle eBook & audiobook versions. To get your copy, just click on the Amazon link on the right.
Current racing:
- March 14: GP de Denain
Upcoming racing:
- March 15: Brendene Koksijde Classic
- March 16: Milano - Sanremo
- March 16: Classic Loire Atlantique
Latest completed racing:
- March 13: Danilith Nokere Koerse
- March 13: Milano-Torino
- March 3 - 10: Paris-Nice
- March 4 - 10: Tirreno-Adriatico
- March 2: Strade Bianche
- February 28: Trofeo Laigueglia
- February 27: Le Samyn
- February 19 - 25: UAE Tour
- February 22 - 25: O Gran Camiño
We posted the report from winner Tim Merlier's Team Soudal Quick-Step with the results.
Here's the report from second-place Fabio Jakobsen's Team dsm-firmenich-PostNL:
After some strong teamwork throughout the day, Fabio Jakobsen sprinted to second place at Nokere Koerse with Pavel Bittner making it a double top ten for Team dsm-firmenich PostNL with a tenth place at the line.
Tim Merlier won the race.
Midweek Belgian racing returned for our Men’s program this week as they took on Nokere Koerse on Wednesday. Always an intriguing race, the day is often decided in a reduced bunch sprint on the Nokereberg but in the past groups have gone clear on the lap circuit to fight it out for the win. As a result, the team set out with the goal of protecting sprint finisher Jakobsen for the finale but also making sure they were present in any dangerous attacks. Getting through the day well, the race really came alive when the original breakaway was caught with 40 kilometres to go. Bittner and Nils Eekhoff rotated well together to be present in the multitude of counter attacks while the rest of the team kept Jakobsen safe.
Despite the numerous attacks, the race all came back together in the finale after Eekhoff’s brilliant turn to help shut down late-attacker Wellens. Behind, Bittner then brought Jakobsen forward and dropped him off in a good while in the top five positions as they charged towards the line. Eventual winner Merlier got the jump on the group on the left side of the road, while Jakobsen was on the right, but the Dutch fast-man fought all the way to the line and overcame all other competitors apart from Merlier to take a strong second place on the day.
Reflecting on the race Jakobsen said: “It was a good race and a good final. The guys rode really well all day and it was nice to be up there with Nils and Pavel in the final; they were really strong and positioned me well for the finish. Tim went at a perfect moment and from then the win was gone. Of course I wanted to get that first win with the team but this is a good result in this field, so I’m happy with the second place. It’s a nice result and it’s good for morale and atmosphere in the team – it gives us something to build on.”
Team dsm-firmenich PostNL coach Roy Curvers added: “I think we rode an attentive race today, which was the plan to avoid ending up behind the facts. Through that we could keep Fabio fresh with some support for the deep final where the boys managed to get him in a great position to start the sprint from. Unfortunately, Merlier managed to come from behind with more speed but the way we were competitive for the win today makes us even more motivated for the next ones.”
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Here's the Nokere Koerse report from Team Groupama-FDJ:
Before the proper cobbled Classics’ campaign starts in a bit more than a week, the bunch returned to the Flemish roads on Wednesday for the Nokere Koerse. On the traditional circuit of the Belgian race, Stefan Küng couldn’t prevent the bunch sprint despite a few attacks in the final. Tim Merlier eventually took victory for the third year in a row while Lewis Askey had to settle for thirteenth place after being caught behind a crash in the last kilometre. Another opportunity looms on Thursday at the Grand Prix de Denain.
Eleven “bergs”, including the usual Nokereberg, and twenty-six cobbled sectors. This was the day’s menu for the riders lining up on the Nokere Koerse, not far from the French border. Despite the few obstacles, many high-level sprinters took the start with the hope to fight for victory. The Groupama-FDJ cycling team had two cards for the day’s race. “We decided to go with Lewis for the sprint, and with Stefan for the moves in the final,” explained Frédéric Guesdon. “The rest of the team was there to support them, including Titouan Fontaine, who usually rides for “La Conti”.”
In a quite classic first part of the race, where a six-man breakaway went from the start, the French squad remained rather discreet. On the other hand, they showed up at the front as soon as they entered the first lap of the 31-km final circuit, which had to be done three times. “Titouan and all the others did their job one after the other to position Stefan and Lewis at important times,” added Frédéric. “We decided to race in front. It was better to work at the head of the peloton than to endure the accelerations and splits in the back. It’s always better for learning and morals to ride in the front.”
Lewis Askey racing in 2022. He was 13th in this year's Nokere Koerse
This also allows to always be close to the action, as it happened seventy kilometres from the finish. “UAE Team Emirates and Tim Wellens made a big push in the first lap,” said Frédéric. “Stefan was there, but it didn’t last long. Before every climb or tricky place, the bunch accelerated, and the breakaway was caught in this way.” On the other hand, the numerous attacks never managed to develop, and no move could take a proper gap. Lewis Askey made an attempt shortly before the last lap, Stefan Küng often followed his main contenders, but the bunch always responded. “On each lap, there was a ten-kilometre section with cobblestones, small roads and a hill,” explained Frédéric. “All this led to some fighting, but then it would stop because of a wide road and a slight front wind. We thought it could possibly break apart on the last lap, but it didn’t. The non-sprinters, like Wellens or Stefan, tried but too many teams wanted a sprint, and that blocked the race a bit for the attackers. The elimination just came from behind.”
In the last ten kilometers, nearly sixty riders were still in contention for the final battle. Wellens made a last attack four kilometres from the finish but it did come back all together. Before the sprint on the cobbles of the Nokereberg (400m at 4%), Lewis Askey tried to make his way through on the tricky, descending false-flat approach. A crash shortly after entering the last kilometre, however, forced him to brake, and he had to let go ten men or so. “He was caught behind, but he was probably a little too far away since the favorites got through it,” confided Frédéric. “It’s not a surprise sprint either because the favorites are in the first places.” Tim Merlier beat Fabio Jakobsen and Jasper Philipsen in the end, while the Englishman from Groupama-FDJ had to settle for thirteenth place, three positions ahead of Stefan Küng (16th). “We didn’t get the result we were hoping for, but it was a good day,” concluded Frédéric. “It was also a return to racing for Marc and Stefan in particular. We will continue tomorrow with the Grand Prix de Denain, a race that also suits us and we’ll try to get the best possible result.”
“It was a good race in Belgium, with a lot of cobblestones, and so it was a good opportunity for the youngsters to get some habits on these roads,” added Stefan. “Tomorrow will be a good test ahead of Paris-Roubaix. These two races also help me personally to improve my physical condition for the Belgian Classics.” On Thursday, twelve cobbled sectors (22.6 km) are planned in the last 80 kilometres of the French race.
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We posted the report from winner Alberto Bettiol's EF Education-EasyPost team with the results.
Here's the report from UAE Team Emirates:
UAE Team Emirates ran agonisingly close to victory at Milano-Torino, with three riders in the top-4 in the oldest classic on the professional calendar.
The race was won by Alberto Bettiol (EF Education Easypost) who attacked on the penultimate climb of the day to Prascorsano with 30km to go and managed to hold off the chasing group.
Next to cross the line was young Jan Christen, the 19 year old taking his best result so far in the senior ranks in 2nd spot. Christen broke away in the last 3km just failing to close the gap to Bettiol as the line approached too soon.
Jan Christen finishes second. Sirotti photo
His compatriot Marc Hirschi rounded out the podium in 3rd spot with Diego Ulissi taking 4th just behind.
Christen: "We tried to make the race in the last two climbs hard. Me, Marc and Diego were the last guys left while Bora had five guys so we looked to them a bit to chase. Bettiol was flying and I think he was the strongest today.In the end I attacked and tried to close the gap but couldn’t so well done to him. I’m enjoying the experience of this first year and learning from the other guys. I’m getting closer to my first pro win so looking forward to the races ahead."
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Here's the team's update:
The first Monument of the season is scheduled this Saturday, and just like last year it won’t start from Lombardy’s capital. Pavia, lying some 40 kilometers from Milano, is where the riders will gather early in the morning to kick off what will be a 288km journey to the sunny Ligurian coast.
This long procession will come to life inside the last 30 kilometers, when those wanting to drop the sprinters will have a first opportunity of doing so on the slopes of the Cipressa. From its top only 12 kilometers remain until the Poggio, the legendary climb of Milano-Sanremo, where some of the race’s most unforgettable moments were written. And if a small group is still together after the 3.6km hill, there’s always the technical descent left where some of the riders can try to make the difference before the iconic finish on the Via Roma.
Winner of the event in 2019, Julian Alaphilippe will be at the start of the Italian Monument for the seventh time in his career, together with a strong Soudal Quick-Step squad that is set to include also Kasper Asgreen, Mattia Cattaneo, Josef Cerny, Gianni Moscon, Casper Pedersen and Luke Lamperti, the young American neo-pro who gets to make his debut in a Monument after a very impressive start to the season.
Julian Alaphilippe winning the 2019 Milano-Sanremo. Sirotti photo
“We will start Milano-Sanremo with a lot of motivation. We know we aren’t the main favourites, but this doesn’t mean we won’t try to do our best to get a good result. The race is six kilometers shorter than last year, but that doesn’t change anything and the action should once again kick off in the final hour of the race. The riders we have at the start are determined to give their all out there and we’ll just have to be confident and wait to see how things will pan out after seven hours”, said sports director Davide Bramati.
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