Bicycle Racing News and Opinion,
Thursday, November 14, 2024
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2024 Tour de France | 2024 Giro d'Italia
How far you go in life depends on your being tender with the young, compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving and tolerant of the weak and strong. Because someday in your life you will have been all of these. - George Washington Carver
Les Woodland's book Cycling Heroes: The Golden Years is available in the print, Kindle eBook & audiobook versions. To get your copy, just click on the Amazon link on the right.
Upcoming racing:
- November 17: Flandriencross
- December 15: Namur
Latest completed racing:
- November 3: European Cyclocross Championships
- November 1: X20 Trofee Oudenaarde-Koppenbergcross
- October 27: Superprestige Overijse-Vlaamse Druivencross
- October 15 - 20: Tour of Guangxi
- October 20: Japan Cup Road Race
- October 20: Veneto Classic
- October 16: Giro del Veneto
- October 13: Chrono des Nations
Lecerf’s Team Soudal Quick-Step posted this:
The 22-year-old Belgian climber talked about his first year in the pro ranks and the hopes he has for 2025.
“I signed a contract for one year with the Soudal Quick-Step Devo team that was linked with a three-year deal with the World Tour.
"That first year in the under 23 ranks was really good for me: I had good results and I was quite confident and felt ready to go to the World Tour squad. I already knew quite a lot of the people, so it was easier to adapt to the move and it didn’t feel like a really big change. It was still a challenge, and I am really happy with this first season, and now I’m even more motivated to do another good season in 2025, that can be even better than this year.
Junior Lecerf finishing stage seven of the 2024 Tour de Suisse. Sirotti photo
"I just enjoyed it and did my best, and it worked out really well. I didn’t have a lot of bad luck, so that also helps. But I didn't feel any pressure and I just had fun with the team. If you feel good, then I think the results will come. Of course, I worked hard for it but if you feel good, I think it’s already a big advantage.”
A strong start
“My first race of the year was at the Saudi Tour. In my opinion it was my best race until now. I trained hard the whole winter to be in shape for the first race, and I really wanted to prove something, I surprised myself because I hoped to do top 10 or something like that, but to be able to almost win the whole thing was quite a good performance.
"The final of the last stage was on a brutal climb to Skyviews of Harrat Uwayrid: only two or three kilometres long, but like it’s just a wall with a 15% average. But that was really to my advantage because I’m one of the lightest riders in the peloton. I perform well on the steeper climbs, but I don’t really know yet what my favourites are. In the Vuelta I also did some good performances on more long climbs, so I still really don’t know what I’m the best at, but I think I need to discover this with the trainers of the team and the staff, and we will see in the next two years, I think.
"Normally you don’t expect my type of rider from northern Belgium but from last year and the year before I have stayed a lot in Spain to train the hills. If you have to stay in Belgium it’s not ideal for my type of rider, so I’m working on it and I try to take another step forward and stay in Tenerife and train a lot of altitude meters. I think it’s necessary if you want to be a good climber. If you just stay in Belgium and train on the flat then of course you can ride and do good results, but if I really want to get the most out of myself, I think I have to train here and do a lot of climbing meters.”
Back to Rwanda and the World Tour debut
“It was important for me to join the Devo Team again in Rwanda. I rode the race in 2023 and I wanted to come back to try to win a stage there. The year before I was always close but finished second, third or fourth, so I wanted to return and win. I also really enjoyed my time in the Devo team with Kevin Hulsmans. We really have a good relationship, so it’s nice to also do some races again with him. We always have great times together and in Rwanda it was also like that.
"My first World Tour race was at the Volta a Catalunya. I finished 12th in the first stage in an uphill finish. It was quite nice, but then I suffered on the longer climbs, and I was a little bit less good. It was also my first race at this level, so I couldn’t be disappointed – I was not the last rider! And it was a good experience and a nice race, which I’m going to do I think a lot in the future, so it was important for me to discover it this year, and now I know how it is and I can look forward to the next years
"Also, it was nice that for the first time I helped the team to reach a goal and we finished second with Mikel, behind Pogacar, which almost felt like a victory for us! I was able to help Mikel in the last stages, on the uphill parts, so he was happy for me and that was also important. I enjoyed helping the other riders of the team because for me it was one of the best team performances that I was involved in this year.
"I didn’t expect at the beginning of the season to be racing big classics like Liège–Bastogne–Liège and Lombardia, so it was nice that I could already get the chance to be at the start. I think they are the two Monuments that suit me the most. Unfortunately, at Liège I crashed, and with the poor weather, it was quite disappointing, but it was still a nice experience.
"And then, Lombardia is always a nice race. I really looked forward to it because I won the U23 event last year, and now to be at the start with Remco was special. I stayed with the team for a long time, as we always spend one week or two weeks in Italy and it always makes for a nice group feeling. And then to be at the start with Remco, it was something special. I was a little bit disappointed because I had already made it into the breakaway, which was strong and went quite far into the race and I would have really enjoyed being part of it, but I had a flat tire just as it was forming. That was quite a little bit disappointing, but I still could help a little bit for Remco, and I was happy to be part of the team.”
Racing the Vuelta
“At the beginning of the season, I always said I would really like to be at the start of a Grand Tour, but the team couldn’t give me a guarantee. So, I was really motivated to do my best and to prove to them that I was ready and that I was at the right level. I was happy to get chosen for La Vuelta because I think it’s the one that suits me the most. Of course, at the start I was doubting how it would be and how it would turn out because I never rode a Grand Tour. I’m still young so we don’t know how the body reacts, but I was really surprised that it went so well – better than even I expected. I only had two or three days where I had bad legs and suffered a little bit, but I think it’s normal.
"I had some good stages. I tried two times to be in the break, but when I was in it went to the finish. There were only five, so it was already like a top five spot guaranteed, but then in the final was a little bit difficult to play because Van Aert was also in and then you know, it will become difficult against him.
"Most of this year I was delighted to be there to help the team. On stage 20, the penultimate stage, I was really happy, because it was after three weeks and then I could still pull until the bottom of the last climb, when there were only 20 riders left. I was really surprised that I made it there and I just gave everything for the team.
"The biggest thing I have learnt this year is that my body reacts well in Grand Tours. I think it’s important for the future because I still felt quite good in the second and third week. It is important that my body is not tired and empty after one week. It was important that I made some results already because I also want to continue, to go for the win in the races where I think it’s possible and then build from there. And in the bigger races, to help the team with Remco to win as much as possible.”
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Team INEOS Grenadiers sent me this:
The INEOS Grenadiers are pleased to announce that the team will join forces with the highly respected German Continental outfit Lotto Kern-Haus PSD Bank as an official development partner in 2025.
This new partnership will supplement the team’s existing internal ‘Ascent’ development programme which has already identified young talent and provided bespoke development support to riders including Josh Tarling, AJ August and Michael Leonard.
Josh Tarling at the 2024 World Championships. Sorotti photo
The 2025 season will see the Grenadiers expand the Ascent programme, and this partnership will be an important part of the work to develop and prepare young riders for racing at WorldTour level.
INEOS Grenadiers’ Performance Director, Scott Drawer, said: “Lotto Kern-Haus PSD Bank provides an outstanding competitive environment which will give our youngest riders valuable racing experience.
“Key riders will be selected and placed with the Lotto Kern-Haus team while still being coached and supported by INEOS Grenadiers staff. We see this as a ‘finishing school’ for young talent before their transition to the WorldTour, akin to that of a loan club in professional football.
“The management and staff at Lotto Kern-Haus have really impressed us and we trust that this is going to be a fruitful and key partnership for the future.
Torsten Schmidt, Head of Sport, Lotto Kern-Haus PSD Bank, said: “One of the best jobs in cycling is to help and support young cyclists at the start of their careers.
“In my past as a Sport Director in the WorldTour, I have managed to do this several times and I still have a strong connection with many of these athletes.
“The trust in our partnership is also reinforced by the meetings we have held so far, where I have been pleased to see that everyone involved shares the same perspective and motivation.”
Florian Monreal, Owner, Lotto Kern-Haus PSD Bank, said: “It is a very important step for the team to have a development partnership with a World Tour team like the INEOS Grenadiers.
“They are one of the world's best WorldTour teams and it is an honour and recognition for the very good work we have been doing over the years.
“Thanks to our network and various collaborations, we always have very good talent in the team and the racing calendar is at an absolutely top level.
“Working with young, motivated riders in the most important U23 races is a lot of fun and it's always great to see these talents then move on to the WorldTour.”
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Here’s the team’s news:
Ahead of the upcoming 2025 season, Astana Qazaqstan Team is making a strong push to enhance rider’s performance, bringing in several specialists to bolster the Performance Group. In the new season, the team will include Alex Dowsett, Helmut Dollinger, Manuel Crespo, and Morgan Saussine.
Former British track world hour record holder Alex Dowsett will join the team as a Performance Engineer.
“Alex, a former professional cyclist and track world hour record holder, will focus on optimizing rider positioning on the bike, testing technical equipment, and preparing for time trials. Given recent project developments, including in the technical domain, I believe Alex is an invaluable addition, bringing deep expertise in biomechanics and aerodynamics. He understands speed and high-performance cycling”, – said Alexandr Vinokurov, General Manager of Astana Qazaqstan Team.
Helmut Dollinger, a well-regarded coach within the professional peloton, has coached numerous high-level riders. As part of Astana Qazaqstan Team, he will strengthen the coaching staff, working alongside other specialists to improve rider performance.
Alex Dowsett winning 2020 Giro d'Italia stage 8. Sirotti photo
Professor Manuel Crespo will join as the new Strength and Conditioning Coach.
“This was a position we were missing in our group, so we sought an expert in this area. I’m pleased Manuel is joining our project. He will be responsible not only for the physical preparation of our athletes but will also work on injury prevention”, – commented Alexandr Vinokurov.
Morgan Saussine, a Sports Data Scientist, will be Astana Qazaqstan Team’s new data analyst. Morgan already collaborated with the team in 2024, assisting in the so-called “Project 35”. In the upcoming season, Morgan will leverage training and race data daily, building operational models for the Performance Group to maximize rider performance at the highest level.
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Here’s the team’s announcement:
12 top-10, five podiums and even a second place by photo finish at the Tour of Langkawi, at the end of the season. This 2024, Manuel Peñalver’s debut for Team Polti Kometa, has confirmed the quality and speed of the sprinter who will continue in 2025 and 2026 adding successes for the Italian team.
Manuel Peñalver
‘I am very happy with my 2024 season, I only missed the victory’, explains the cyclist from Alicante, who in every opportunity has been able to fight for great results. The podiums in the Giro d’Abruzzo, the Tour of Turkey or the Tour of Taiwan, together with places of honour in races such as Poitou Charentes or Boucles de la Mayenne, present a rider who has also been able to work for his team-mate Giovanni Lonardi in the search for success throughout the season.
‘I want to be grateful for the opportunity to keep the confidence of the team for two more years, looking for the great results to become victories, to take a step forward and to continue progressing to add as much as possible to the team’, adds Peñalver.
Jesús Hernández, sports director: ‘Peñalver is a pure sprinter who has given us many places of honour. We have a lot of confidence in him to continue adding results, he is very brave and professional, he is the sprinter that any team needs and we are lucky to be able to continue counting on him for two more seasons’.
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