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Wednesday, March 20, 2024
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2023 Tour de France | 2023 Giro d'Italia
True terror is to wake up one morning and discover that your high school class is running the country. - Kurt Vonnegut
Bill and Carol McGann's book The Story of the Giro d'Italia, A Year-by-Year History of the Tour of Italy, Vol 1: 1909 - 1970 is available in print, Kindle eBook & audiobook versions. To get your copy, just click on the Amazon link on the right.
Current racing:
- March 18 - 25: Volta a Catalunya
- March 19 - 23: Settimana Internazionale Coppi e Bartali
- March 20: Classic Brugge - De Panne
Upcoming racing:
- March 22: E3 Saxo Bank Classic
- March 24: Ghent - Wevelgem
- March 24: La Roue Tourangelle
- March 27: Dwars door Vlaanderen
- March 27: Paris-Camemnert Lepetit
Latest completed racing:
- March 16: Milano - Sanremo
- March 16: Classic Loire Atlantique
- March 15: Brendene Koksijde Classic
- March 14: GP de Denain
- March 13: Danilith Nokere Koerse
- March 13: Milano-Torino
- March 3 - 10: Paris-Nice
- March 4 - 10: Tirreno-Adriatico
- March 2: Strade Bianche
We posted the report from stage winner Tadej Pogacar's UAE Team Emirates with the results.
Here's the report from second-place Mikel Landa's Team Soudal Quick-Step:
Mikel Landa produced a huge ride in terrible weather conditions at the Volta a Catalunya, finishing runner-up on the first mountain top finish of the week and putting himself in contention for a place on the overall podium of the competition, one of the oldest on the calendar.
Tadej Pogacar left everyone behind to win the stage and take over the GC lead.
The rain battered the peloton Tuesday afternoon, especially on Vallter 2000, a draining 11.4km climb averaging 7.2%, which made its sixth appearance in the last twelve editions. This, and the temperatures stuck below five degrees Celsius on the first-category ascent, made it a gruelling day in the saddle for the riders and opened some big gaps between the general classification favourites.
With two-time Tour de France winner Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) in a league of his own and alone at the front after attacking with seven kilometers to go, the most exciting narrative of the stage was the fight for the podium places, a contest between the eight riders making up the group behind. Mikel Landa led the chase for a brief moment before deciding to launch a powerful acceleration that caused some significant damage.
Initially, a handful of his companions could follow, but when the experienced Basque went for the second, and then for the third time, only Aleksandr Vlasov (Bora-hansgrohe) could hang onto his wheel. Despite the gradient stiffening towards the top, the tenacious Landa continued to attack, to dig in and dig deep in order to maintain a high tempo and increase the advantage over the chasers, and after all this incredible effort, still had something left lift himself from the saddle and ride the Russian off his wheel in sight of line to take a spectacular second place – his 27th top three finish in a World Tour race.
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Here's the report from fifth-place Lenny Martinez's Team Groupama-FDJ:
The GC fight started already this Tuesday on the Volta a Catalunya, with a second stage which took the riders to the summit of Vallter 2000. Lenny Martinez was highly expected for this first test, and he definitely lived up to the expectations. While Tadej Pogacar proved to be the strongest overall, the young French climber fought with the other main favourites and took a very nice fifth place at the finish. He now sits in the same position overall and will wear the best young rider’s jersey on Wednesday.
A cold, wet Lenny Martinez finishes the stage.
After an intense opening stage, it was already time to hit the mountains this Tuesday on the Volta a Catalunya. On the 186 kilometres making of the second stage, the peloton was heading towards the well-known climb of Vallter 2000 (11.5 km at 7.5%), in what was supposed to be a straightforward day. Over the first, flat hundred kilometres, a breakaway of six men including Jimmy Janssens, Kevin Colleoni, Samuel Fernandez, Alex Jaime, Jambaljamts Sainbayar and Xabier Isasa managed to take a maximum gap of six minutes.
The first and penultimate climb of the day’s route came with about sixty kilometres to go, the attackers still had a three-minute gap, but the weather got worse very quickly. The early sun was followed by a few drops then by proper showers. “The weather conditions in the final, with the cold and the rain, made the race harder,” said Thierry Bricaud. “Apart from that, the stage went as expected with UAE Team Emirates controlling the whole day then making it hard on the final climb.”
Following the fight for position approaching the climb of Vallter 2000, a crash in the middle of the pack forced Rémy Rochas and Lenny Martinez to make an effort on the first slopes to get back to the front. Tadej Pogacar’s teammates continued to pace up, then the Slovenian went on his own almost seven kilometres from the finish. Behind him a group of eight riders quickly established, with Lenny Martinez.
“I didn’t feel that good at the start, but it went quite well on the climb eventually,” said the young Frenchman. “My legs kind of came back as soon as it started to rain. When Pogacar went, I took my own pace. First, I had to close a gap, then I tried to attack several times, but we had more or less the same level.” The chasing group was still reduced to six units, Lenny Martinez proved to be among the most active, and even got a small gap at one point with Mikel Landa and Aleksandr Vlasov. “I tried to work with them, but it was more to gain time on GC,” he added. “Landa was strong as well, and when he attacked towards the end, I couldn’t follow. I hung on, and it was then full-gas to the finish.”
The Groupama-FDJ climber was distanced by the Spaniard and the Russian with around two kilometres to go and ultimately reached the summit in fifth position, 1’43 behind Pogacar. “I have never been so cold as I was at the summit,” he said shortly after reaching the finish line at 2,146 metres of altitude. “I was frozen. I couldn’t move my hands anymore. I changed gears without willing to. It made the effort even harder, but fifth at the finish isn’t bad. It’s a good day”. “Lenny was with the best for a very long time,” added Thierry. “He’s missing a little something, but he didn’t have amazing legs. He limited his losses extremely well and this proves once again that he’s riding at an excellent level. The place at the finish is not that important. Above all, he finished with the best climbers, and that gives him a lot of possibilities for the rest of the Volta a Catalunya. It can be interesting”.
Now fifth overall, 2’01 behind the Slovenian leader, and also the best young rider, Lenny Martinez will already have to defend his position on Wednesday in a day tallying almost 4000 metres of elevation gain and with another top finish at Port Ainé (18km at 6.7%).
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Here’s the Catalonia report from Team Visma | Lease a Bike:
Team Visma | Lease a Bike was unable to play an important role in the second stage of the Volta Ciclista a Catalunya. In tough conditions due to rain and cold, leader Sepp Kuss came in twelfth place after the long climb towards Vallter 2000.
Sepp Kuss heading to the start of 2023 Vuelta a España stage 20. Sirotti photo
On the way to the high mountains, six riders went on the attack. Team Visma | Lease a Bike rode in the front rows of the bunch throughout the stage and brought leaders Kuss and Uijtdebroeks into good position before the final climb. After a battle on the flanks of the Pyrenees giant, Tadej Pogacar emerged as the winner, crossing the finish line solo.
The weather conditions changed midway through the stage and made the race extra tough. Starting in brilliant weather, ending in fog and heavy rain. According to sports director Marc Reef, that certainly played a prominent role. "It rained really hard and the temperature dropped quite a lot," Reef said.
Kuss confirmed his sports director’s words, "It was a tough day and you definitely feel that in your legs. I don't think anyone was very fresh at the end," the American said afterwards. "It was maybe not our best day, but there is still a lot to come. Above all, we have to look forward, if you ask me."
Uijtdebroeks experienced the heavy stage as follows: ,"Actually, I felt myself more than good," explained the young Belgian. ,"Thanks in part to the team, we were able to start at the front of the final climb. When Pogacar attacked I had to pass, but in a group behind I was able to keep up. However, I got colder and colder and everything cramped up in the last kilometers. I couldn't put much power and then it was a matter of dragging to the top."
Reef: "I think Sepp and Cian did everything they could to ride a good result. They fought and for now we have to be satisfied with that. Sepp is ninth in the general classification, forty seconds off the podium. That still offers perspective."
Reef expects another chance for the general classification riders towards Port Ainé tomorrow, when the peloton will contest another mountain stage. "Another tough day is coming up with hopefully some better weather conditions. Then we will go for it again." Uijtdebroeks is also looking forward again. "I hope to find those good legs again. There are still plenty of chances and opportunities coming up for the team."
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Powless’ Team EF Education-EasyPost sent me this news:
Neilson Powless expects to return to full training soon after abandoning stage six of Tirreno-Adriatico due to knee pain.
The American experienced pain around his right knee cap when he left the Italian stage race. The pain came from a combination of factors, likely including the cold weather and a crash at O Gran Camiño. Neilson took a few days off of training before he and the team’s medical staff were satisfied he was ready to resume light training. He continues to do targeted mobility work around his lower back, hips, and feet.
Neilson Powless racing in the 2023 Clasica San Sebastian. Sirotti photo
Matt Rabin, head of athlete care and team chiropractor, has been in contact with Neilson daily.
“The pain came on quite aggressively,” Rabin said. “We’ve been working on putting him right. He had something similar in his left knee last year, which is why he was so mindful about leaving the race because he didn’t want to aggravate it.”
“This happens in any given year, of course,” said team CEO Jonathan Vaughters. “One rider is having problems and another one of your really talented riders is on top of his game. Right now, Neilson is having problems and Alberto is on top of his game. Last year, it was the exact opposite. Of course I would love it if both of them were on top of their games at the same time, but that’s not the case. The priority is to let Neilson rest up and make sure his injury is completely healed and that he is completely healthy and ready to go. And that’s when he’ll come back to racing.”
Neilson has made sure to take advantage of the time on his hands when he wasn’t training.
“It’s been so nice to have Frances and Charlotte,” he said of his wife and infant daughter, respectively. “Being able to spend extra time with him has helped me handle the situation. Normally, this would probably be the most intense training and racing period of the year apart from the Tour de France. My family has been supporting me really well.”
Though he misses racing, he also recognizes that resting his knee has been helpful.
“It was definitely hard to just watch Milano-Sanremo. I was screaming for Bettiol and, at the same time, I just wanted to be there so badly. But I know we’ve made the right decision with me not racing there. It’s quite a few hands on deck at the team to get me healthy and that’s made me feel like I’ve been getting well looked after. I have a lot of good people taking care of me and looking out for me, so I’m confident we’ve been making the right calls so far,” Neilson said.
Now that the irritation has died down, Neilson has done a few days of training at around ninety percent of his usual intensity and has been pain-free.
“I’m really happy that he’s making progress,” Rabin said. “We expect he will resume his normal training on Tuesday. He’s on the right path.”
The team has yet to determine when Neilson will return to racing.
“So long as I can do a full week’s training or so without any problems, then we’ll start to decide on a return race,” Neilson said. “I’m just itching for it but I have a lot of people looking out for me and I appreciate that.”
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