Bicycle Racing News and Opinion,
Saturday, October 12, 2024
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2024 Tour de France | 2024 Giro d'Italia
In the sweetness of friendship let there be laughter, and sharing of pleasures. For in the dew of little things the heart finds its morning and is refreshed. - Khalil Gibran
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Current racing:
October 12: Il Lombardia
Upcoming racing:
- October 13: Chrono des Nations
- October 15 - 20: Tour of Guangxi
- October 16: Giro del Veneto
- October 20: Japan Cup Road Race
Latest completed racing:
- October 10: Gran Piemonte
- October 8: Tre Valli Varesine
- October 7: Coppa Bernocchi
- Sept 29 - Oct 6: Le Tour de Langkawi
- October 6: Paris-Tours
- October 6: Coppa Agostoni-Giro delle Brianze
- October 5: Giro dell'Emilia
- October 3: Sparkassen Münsterland Giro
- October 1: Binche-Chimay-Binche
- September 22 - 29: World Road Cycling Championships
- September 18 - 22: Tour de Luxembourg
Here's the news from Simon Yates' Team Jayco AlUla:
Simon Yates will spearhead Team Jayco AlUla’s ambitions for Il Lombardia, the final Monument of the season, on Saturday.
The 32-year-old is aiming to improve on his fifth place from 2023 and he arrives at the race with some confidence after a strong outing at the recent Giro dell’Emilia, where he finished in the top five.
Simon Yates before the start of stage 12 of the 2024 Tour de France. Sirotti photo
The team that will race on the roads of Lombardy is a good mix of highly experienced riders and young stars ready to play their cards. Supporting Yates on the many climbs distributed along the route, will be double Vuelta a España stage winner Eddie Dunbar.
Adding to the climbing firepower will be Filippo Zana and the young Colombian Jesús David Peña. The team is completed by two very experienced riders in Alessandro De Marchi and Chris Juul-Jensen, plus the talent of 22-year-old neo-pro Davide De Pretto.
Known as the race of the falling leaves due to its autumn location on the calendar, Il Lombardia takes the riders from Bergamo to Como over 252km. It packs in six climbs across the route, including the iconic Madonna del Ghisallo and the Colma di Sormano, a 13km ascent that hits gradients of 13%.
Team Jayco AlUla for Il Lombardia 2024:
Alessandro De Marchi (ITA)
Davide De Pretto (ITA)
Edward Dunbar (IRL)
Chris Juul-Jensen (DEN)
Jesús David Peña (COL)
Simon Yates (GBR)
Filippo Zana (ITA)
Simon Yates:
“I expect a very hard-fought race that could heat up even far out from the finish line. Last Thursday, we did a recon of the final 90km of the race and the climb up from Lake Como is really challenging and represents, for those who have the strength, a good springboard towards Como. The Giro dell’Emilia gave me good feelings and I know my condition is good for this final part of the season. The competition is really strong, but I hope I can do better than last year’s result.”
Valerio Piva – Sport Director:
“On this new route, the 13km long Colma di Sormano climb will almost certainly be the key point of this edition. There will be just over 30km to the finish line after that and those who are not in front will have a hard time catching up. Our tactic will be very simple: the team will ride around our leader Simon Yates. Last Saturday, with his fifth place at the Giro dell’Emilia, he showed he is in good condition, and I am convinced that we will see him in the top positions at the finish line in Como too.”
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Here's the Il Lombardia preview from Lennert Van Eetvelt's Team Lotto Dstny:
The very last monument of the season is just around the corner. Il Lombardia, La classica delle foglie morte, heralds the end of the cycling year. Lennert Van Eetvelt is eager to give it a last shot. "I’m probably the freshest I’ve been all season at the start," Van Eetvelt laughs.
Lennert Van Eetvelt finishing stage 14 of the 2024 Vuelta a España. Sirotti photo
He was forced to leave the Vuelta early due to health problems, but after a period of rest and recovery, Lennert Van Eetvelt is ready to finally wrap up his season. A season that had its highs and lows. There were high points in the UAE Tour, where he took a surprisingly strong victory. In the Strade Bianche too, where he made a strong finish together with Maxim Van Gils. Ultimately, also in the early stages of the Vuelta, where he secured an impressive second place in stage four and managed to stay in the top ten of the overall standings for almost the entire first week. But there were also setbacks. Van Eetvelt was out for weeks after Strade due to a knee injury and even had to undergo surgery. And that promising start to the Vuelta? He had to pull out after stage eleven. "I was able to resume fairly quickly after the Vuelta, but then I relapsed a few times. It wasn’t easy. We’re not exactly sure what was wrong. I had problems with my lungs and likely a series of viral infections one after the other."
After more than a month without competition, Lennert Van Eetvelt is now ready to return just in time. Next week, he will be at the start of the Gree-Tour of Guangxi in China, but first, there is the Tour of Lombardy. Maxim Van Gils will not be at the start in Bergamo tomorrow. He fell ill after the World Championships in Zurich and wasn’t able to recover in time for the final monument. That means the team can fully focus on Van Eetvelt. "I feel good. In the end, that period after the Vuelta did me well. Lombardia will be one of the races where I feel the freshest at the start (laughs). That’s usually not the case at the end of the season."
"Of course, Tadej Pogacar is once again the top favourite. But that shouldn’t stop us from racing. We can’t just submit to his supremacy, can we? If we all start with the mindset that we can’t follow him, we might as well know in advance who’s going to win. That would be a shame. On Friday, I scouted the last 75 kilometers of the race. I’m determined to finish the season on a positive note."
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And here's the Il Lombardia preview from Team Baharin Victorious:
Bahrain Victorious is set to conclude a week of intense Italian racing with the final Monument of the year, Il Lombardia, on October 12.
The 118th edition of this historic race features a revamped course, stretching 255 km with an elevation gain of 4,547 meters. As tradition dictates, the starting and finishing cities alternate, and for 2024, the route will run from Bergamo to Como.
After departing from Bergamo, riders will immediately face a series of tough climbs in Val Seriana, including the Forcellino di Bianzano and the Selvino climb, which replaces the Passo di Ganda (due to landslides caused by recent heavy rains). This will be followed by the Colle di Berbenno and Valpiana ascents. The peloton will have a brief respite as they approach Lake Como, but after passing Lecco, they’ll encounter the Onno climb and the famous Ghisallo ascent, albeit from the easier side.
The challenges continue with the day’s toughest climb, Colma di Sormano (with gradients reaching 11%), followed by the final ascent of San Fermo della Battaglia (max. 10% gradient). The race will finish in Viale Felice Cavallotti in Como, rather than the traditional lakeside location, due to the risk of flooding.
TBV Sports Director Roman Kreuziger outlines the team’s objectives: “Although it’s the last Monument of the season, our approach will be as focused and committed as if it were the first. It’s crucial that we maintain 100% concentration and effort right until the end of the season. As I’ve emphasized throughout this week, a happy and motivated rider can make all the difference.”
Kreuziger acknowledged a setback: “Unfortunately, a few of our riders, including key members like Antonio Tiberi and Damiano Caruso, have been affected by a stomach bug in recent days. It’s not the ideal preparation for such a demanding race, and this will impact our strategy. However, we are prepared to adapt based on how the race unfolds and how the riders feel on the day.”
Wout Poels on the podium of the 2023 Vuelta a España after stage 20. Sirotti photo
Despite this, Kreuziger remains optimistic: “The rest of the squad is in good form and ready to fight. Santiago Buitrago’s climbing prowess, Wout Poels’ experience, Matej Mohorič’s tactical intelligence, Edoardo Zambanini’s sprinting speed, and Andrea Pasqualon’s crucial support role will all be key to achieving a strong result.”
With a versatile and determined team, Bahrain Victorious is aiming to finish the season on a high note in this prestigious and challenging race, before heading to next week’s races in Asia.
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Here’s the team’s news:
Itamar Einhorn, who delivered the first six victories by an Israeli cyclist in the professional ranks, will continue in Israel – Premier Tech colors next season.
Einhorn has signed a contract for his seventh season as a professional rider with the team, which aims in 2025 to build on its momentum from this year, its best season in its history, and secure its return to the WorldTour.
Itamar Einhorn wins the 2022 Israeli road championships
The 27-year-old sprinter from Modi’in has undoubtedly played a role in the team’s impressive success this season, with four victories – two at the Tour of Rwanda and two at the Tour of Taiwan. Einhorn is also the rider who made headlines back in 2021 with a huge victory over former World Champion Peter Sagan at the Tour of Slovakia, marking the first-ever win by an Israeli rider in professional cycling.
Einhorn has also achieved numerous victories while representing Israel’s national team, and this year became the first male Israeli in 64 years to finish the Olympic road race at the Paris Olympics. Now, Einhorn is looking forward to the next opportunity to take his career to even greater heights.
“This will be my seventh year as a pro, and my ninth within the team’s structure, and I’m looking forward to continuing to break glass ceilings, as I have done so far,” explains Einhorm. “I still have many goals to achieve, including racing another Grand Tour and winning in Pro and WorldTour races. My personal progression is continuing, and I believe this is all within reach.”
Einhorn expressed gratitude to the team for their trust and said he hopes to get more opportunities to lead the team as a sprinter in key races: “I am very eager to succeed, and I hope the team continues to give me opportunities so I can achieve things we once thought were far from possible,” he says.
IPT General Manager, Kjell Carlström, adds: “Itamar has proven that he can win consistently at the professional level, and he gains more experience with each year. I expect to see him continue on this path, and I am confident he will be a valuable member of the team in 2025.”
For IPT owner Sylvan Adams, Einhorn’s success is a testament to the the pathway the team provides for young Israeli talent.
“I am very proud of the progress of our Israeli riders,” says Adams. “Just this week, Oded Kogut secured a great victory for us at the Cro Tour marking the team’s 150th win in its history. Young Israeli talents are rising and developing within our ‘Academy’ team, and they will make their way to the top squad. Itamar was the one who achieved the first Israeli victory, and since then, he has continued to win. Best of luck, Itamar, in the upcoming season. I am confident this is just the beginning for you and the entire team!”
The team posted this:
Koen Bouwman will line up in China next Tuesday for his final race with Team Visma | Lease a Bike. The 30-year-old Dutchman, who has been riding for the team since 2015, hopes to showcase his abilities one last time. Bouwman and sports director Frans Maassen look ahead to the final WorldTour stage race of the year.
Bouwman, who achieved his biggest successes in 2022 by winning two stages and the mountains classification in the Giro d’Italia, looks back fondly on his time with the black-and-yellow squad. “It was a truly fantastic time. Over the past ten years, I’ve had the privilege of working with amazing people from whom I’ve learned a lot, which has helped me grow tremendously as a person. I was never the most talented rider, but by working hard together with the team, I reached a solid level and was able to achieve some great victories.”
Koen Bouwman in 2015 before the start of Milano-Torino. Sirotti photo
“I have so many wonderful memories,” Bouwman continues. “I’ve gone on so many incredible trips and always worked with a great group of people. I’m leaving a very warm environment, which made the decision to move on difficult. The team’s structure is unique, and I’ve really enjoyed it, which has led to many beautiful moments over the past few years.”
Maassen also looks back with great pleasure on Bouwman’s time with the team. “I’m going to miss Koen a lot. He’s always been a tremendous team player and often thought of the team’s interests, otherwise, he probably could have won even more. Koen is a really great guy and also just a strong rider. He has shown some special things and was an important part of building this team.”
“We’re missing our leader Olav, but we’ll do everything we can to win a stage,” the team director continues regarding the team’s goal. “It looks like we’re going to have four sprint stages, and we’ll be without our sprinter Olav Kooij, but our goal remains a stage win. Additionally, we’re aiming for a good overall result with Milan Vader, and I hope the guys who are leaving can finish their last race in a good way – I really wish that for them.”
Despite a challenging preparation, Bouwman is looking forward to his final race with the black-and-yellow team. “Due to my crash at the Bemer Cyclassics, September was a tough month, and I couldn’t train much. Thankfully, I’m feeling better now, and I’m really excited to give my all one last time for the team and the guys I’m starting with.”
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