Bicycle Racing News and Opinion,
Saturday, March 30, 2024
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2023 Tour de France | 2023 Giro d'Italia
I should not regret a fair and full trial of the entire abolition of capital punishment. - James Madison
Bill & Carol McGann’s book The Story of the 2023 Tour de France, 2023: The Viking Again Conquers the Tour is available in both Kindle eBook & audiobook versions. To get your copy, just click on the Amazon link on the right.
Current racing:
- March 30: Gran Premio Miguel Indurain
- March 30: Volta Limburg Classic
Upcoming racing:
- March 31: Ronde van Vlaanderen (Tour of Flanders)
- April 1 - 6: Tour of the Basque Country/Vuelta Ciclista al Pais Vasco
- April 2 - 5: Region Pays de la Loire Tour
- April 3: Scheldeprijs
- April 7: Paris-Roubaix
Latest completed racing:
- March 29: Route Adélie de Vitré
- March 27: Dwars door Vlaanderen
- March 27: Paris-Camembert Lepetit
- March 18 - 24: Volta a Catalunya
- March 24: Ghent - Wevelgem
- March 24: La Roue Tourangelle
- March 19 - 23: Settimana Internazionale Coppi e Bartali
- March 22: E3 Saxo Bank Classic
- March 20: Classic Brugge - De Panne
- March 16: Milano - Sanremo
- March 16: Classic Loire Atlantique
- March 15: Brendene Koksijde Classic
- March 14: GP de Denain
Here’s the team’s post:
One of the few Danish riders to win a Monument, the 29-year-old from Kolding remains confident in Soudal Quick-Step’s chances of getting a good result at the 108th edition of Ronde van Vlaanderen.
“Going into De Ronde, it’s pretty clear for everyone that we are in a different situation than in the past. We would have preferred to be in the position we were a couple of years ago, but we aren’t and that’s a fact. Despite this, we’ll try to do the best we can, to prepare as well as possible and focus on our race. Being frustrated by the fact we aren’t the same team anymore or sitting in a corner crying won’t help us.
Kasper Asgreen winning the 2021 Tour of Flanders. Sirotti photo
"We have to work hard to return to the level we had in the past, but it’s obvious that for Sunday afternoon we’ll need to adapt and bring something different. As we aren’t the team that has to control the race anymore and dictate how it unfolds, we’ll try to be in a position where we can do something interesting with a solid result in mind. Following Wednesday’s Dwars door Vlaanderen things have changed and it’s very likely we will see a different race than we were used to, with a completely new dynamic.
"We’ll have to anticipate, but that’s not a secret. Flanders is a race with many crucial points and we need to find the one that suits us and works to our advantage. For some, this moment can be the Oude Kwaremont, because it’s the longest climb of the race and the best place to attack for that reason, as many are already suffering there and near the top you can make the difference if you have the power, even if it’s not that steep.
"But there are also other important points on the parcours, and as I said, we have a strategy which we want to stick to and hopefully this will help us get a good result.
"One thing that it’s already clear is that we are all very motivated and keen on giving our best. We come to the start with a good team and we have to race as one and believe in ourselves, because as everyone knows, the Wolfpack never gives up. It’s a Monument, and one of the hardest races of the season for that matter, and anything can happen.”
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Here’s the team’s post:
Matej Mohorič and Fred Wright will lead TBV at the season’s second Monument this weekend. Matej’s unfortunate series of results at “De Ronde” is due to change, while Fred will look to add another top 10 result to those he achieved in 2022 & ’23. They will be supported by Andrea Pasqualon, Dušan Rajović, Kamil Gradek, Fran Miholjević, and Matevž Govekar. The latter two are making their De Ronde van Vlaanderen debuts, while the first three raced for us here last year.
Matej Mohoric takes a solo win in stage two of the Tour of Valencia. Race organizer's photo
We’ve got a glimpse of how cycling-mad this country is in the past two weeks, but that madness will culminate this Sunday from Antwerpen to Oudenaarde on the 271 km course. Cobblestones, climbs and small roads define this race, and ultimately will decide the winner.
The first cobbled sector comes after 104 km, while the first climb is the famous Oude Kwaremont, which will be scaled twice more, the last time with just under 20 km to the finish. The final ascent is the Paterberg, shorter but steeper than the Kwaremont with gradients peaking at 20%. It features twice during the day – after 219 km, and with 13 km to go. Those two ‘bergs’ played a decisive role last week at the E3 Saxo Classic and have iconic status for making or breaking De Ronde in the 10 years since they became the centerpiece of the event. In total, there are 7 cobbled sections and 17 climbs (which are also mostly cobbled). It’s hard to predict where the race will break, but multiple attacks are almost guaranteed, and for certain the finale will see a handful of riders sprinting their heavy legs for one of the biggest prizes of the cycling season.
In the absence of Tadej Pogacar and recently injured Wout Van Aert, two-time winner Mathieu van der Poel is the clear favourite, while Matej and Fred are two of about a dozen riders that can challenge him. That group of potential contenders includes two-time World Champion Julian Alapphilippe, Wednesday’s winner of Dwars door Vlaanderen Matteo Jorgenson, another former Flanders winner Alberto Bettiol, and local favourite Tiesj Benoot, to name but a few.
Our co-leader Fred Wright is excited about taking to the Flanders startling for a fifth time: “I’m really looking forward to Flanders on Sunday. It’s maybe my favourite race of the whole year. Both Matej and I are in great shape and I think we can play to each other’s strengths in the final to get something special from the day. Things haven’t quite fallen into place for us so far this classics block but we are ready to show what we can do on Sunday.”
Sports Director Michał Gołaś also has a positive outlook: “The last couple of races here in Belgium did not go as planned. I think we still have big ambitions and I hope that on Sunday in Flanders all the pieces of the puzzle will come together and finally we get the result we aim for. Also, the whole group still believes we can deliver nice results by having Matej and Fred in the final. We need to ride aggressively and from the other side also pretty smart, to be in the moves when the race starts to get harder. We also need to anticipate and follow bigger moves by the major teams. I think the boys had a good week, we already did recon a couple of times and we know the key moments of the race. We’ll talk about specific roles at the meeting, but we know where the race will get to its crucial phase; we need to stick to our plan and not to look at the others. I believe that we can deliver a great result.”
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Skjelmose's Team Lidl-Trek posted this:
After a solid start to the season, crowned with a stage victory at Paris-Nice, Mattias Skjelmose is ready to get back into the game in the Spanish race (April 1st until the 6th) with his eyes fixed on his big target of Spring: the Ardennes Classics.
Mattias Skjelmose wins stage six of this year's Paris-Nice. ASO photo
Spring is coming into full swing. Mattias, how are you?
The weeks after Paris-Nice gave me the chance to take a breath, to take stock with my coach and nutritionist before some more altitude training in view of this upcoming block of races. I had only one night in my own bad, but these are the sacrifices needed to prepare for the big goals I am pursuing. I am super motivated. I see Itzulia Basque Country as the ideal approach to the most important events of my Spring season, the Ardennes Classics. It is an exciting prospect, and I am going to Spain to do an all-in performance.
After Paris-Nice, you’ll face another challenge with some of the best GC riders. How do you see yourself against this competition?
I’m happy about it. When I race, I always want to prove myself and doing it by comparing myself with the best, it’s just added value. It’s a stimulus and helps me to understand where I am. I’ll compete with many riders similar to me, both in terms of characteristics and ambitions. We’ll be looking for a great performance to win here and to approach the Ardennes races with morale and the right form. I expect a hectic challenge.
What did you learn from last year’s experience?
2023 was my first experience at Itzulia Basque Country and it was very useful for my growth, although it ended with a bittersweet feeling. I was third in GC before the final stage and then, a single bad day, ruined my ambitions for a podium finish. I struggled a lot that day, I suffered, but it helped me. I had one, single crack, caused more by my state of mind than by my legs. It was hard but useful, because I dealt with it, I gained confidence and then I went to the Ardennes with new motivation. At the end, some great results came in Belgium.
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Itzulia Basque Country is well known for its hectic stages. How do you see this year course?
Compared to the last editions, it looks a bit easier on paper, but in the Basque Country there are no easy days and I’ve no doubts that also this year we’ll have an exciting and spectacular race. The presence of an ITT is me really nice. TT races are a specialty in which I know I can perform well and for which I have worked hard over the winter. It’s definitely a nice course but to get the most of the six days of racing, we will need to race smart.
Now Spain, but soon you’ll be in Belgium again…
Yes, the Ardennes Classics are my big goal, Liège-Bastogne-Liège in particular. It’s the only monument together with Il Lombardia for riders with my characteristics. An exciting period is coming for me, these are great races! Last year, I collected very good result in the three races, the podium at Flèche Wallonne above all. I am really looking forward for these races again. The first part of the season went by super-fast, between training camps and races. It’s the first time I’ve approached the season in this way, but I think the choice has paid off so far. Now, there is one more step to take and I feel ready for it.
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