Bicycle Racing News and Opinion,
Wednesday, September 4, 2024
Back to news and opinion index page for links to archived stories | Commentary | Our YouTube page
2024 Tour de France | 2024 Giro d'Italia
The greater danger for most of us lies not in setting our aim too high and falling short; but in setting our aim too low, and achieving our mark. - Michelangelo
Bill & Carol McGann's book The Story of the Tour de France, Vol 1: 1903 - 1975 is available in print, Kindle eBook & audiobook versions. To get your copy, just click on the Amazon link on the right.
Current racing:
- August 17 - Sept 8: Vuelta a España
- September 3 - 8: Tour of Britain
Upcoming racing:
- September 8: Grand Prix Cycliste de Quebec
Latest completed racing:
- August 28 - September 1: Renewi Tour
- August 25: Bretagne Classic Ouest-France
- August 20 - 23: Tour du Poitou-Charentes en Nouvelle Aquitaine
- August 12 - 18: Tour of Poland
- August 14 - 18: PostNord Denmark Rundt
- August 13 - 16: Tour du Limousin
- August 11: La Polynormande
- August 10: Clasica San Sebastian
- August 5 - 9: Vuelta a Burgos
- August 4 - 7: Arctic Race of Norway
- July 27 - August 4: Olympic cycling
We posted the report from the race organizer with the results.
Here's the report from stage winner Marc Soler's UAE team Emirates:
Marc Soler showed grit and determination to take home the victory on a memorable stage 16 of the Vuelta España from Luanco to Lagos de Covadonga (181.5km).
With three third places to his name already in this Vuelta the Catalan rider was finally rewarded for his combativity, attacking his remaining breakaway rivals Max Poole (DSM Firmenich) and Filippo Zana (Jayco AlUla) inside the last -5km to take a solo victory, the third Vuelta win of his career.
Marc Soler wins stage 16.
Jay Vine and Isaac Del Toro also animated the break and worked hard to maintain a sizeable gap of over 6 minutes heading into the base of the final climb. Vine also now moves into the lead of the mountains classification after the unfortunate withdrawal of Wout Van Aert (Visma LAB). UAE Team Emirates continue to lead the teams classification heading into stage 17 from Arnuero to Santander (141.5km).
Soler: “I feel really happy with this win. It feels like all the effort I’ve made in this Vuelta has been rewarded. I was on the limit for the whole climb but I also saw the others were weakening a bit and I kept my rhythm. Max Poole was the man to beat and I saw a lull in one section and I just went for it and it paid off. I dedicate the win to my wife and kids.”
Here's the Vuelta stage 16 report from second-place Filippo Zana's Team Jayco AlUla:
Filippo Zana battled to a hard-earned second-place finish for Team Jayco AlUla atop the brutal Lagos de Covadonga climb on stage 16 of the Vuelta a España.
The 25-year-old Italian, who helped his teammate Eddie Dunbar to a stage win in the second week of racing, came close to his own success as he finished just 18 seconds off the day’s winner Marc Soler.
Filippo Zana on the final climb to stage 16's finish. Sirotti photo
Zana was one of 15 riders to jump clear of the peloton after around 30 kilometres of racing, joined by his teammate Felix Engelhardt. The German put in a big effort for Zana on the front of the leading group, helping to manage several attacks that came out of it.
Unfortunately, Engelhardt was dropped by the breakaway when his rear wheel slipped out on a technical and wet descent. Despite the crash, he was able to get back on his bike and keep riding with the peloton behind until the final climb.
At the head of the race, Zana remained firm as attacks whittled down the breakaway group. He was able to match most of the stinging accelerations and was only distanced by Soler inside the final five kilometres.
Today’s super second place adds to the squad’s consistency after Mauro Schmid’s stunning ride to second on stage 13, following a fourth place a day earlier, and Dunbar’s emotional win on stage 11.
Filippo Zana:
“It was so hard. At the start [of the stage], I crashed and I have a little pain in my knee but I’m ok. I fought to get into the breakaway and me and Felix got in there. On the final climb, I tried to stay with Soler and Poole and I was going full gas. It is a very good second place and we will see how the other stages are.”
Content continues below the ads
Here's the Vuelta report from 3rd-place Max Poole's Team dsm-firmenich PostNL:
With the final rest day behind them, Team dsm-firmenich PostNL were back in action at the Vuelta a España for yet another mountain stage and a famous finish atop Lagos de Covadonga with its steep ramps and often mythical misty conditions. Another potentially good day for the breakaway, the team set out with the aim of trying to make the move with Max Poole and ideally have numbers in there.
Some strong team riding saw just that happen with Poole and Martijn Tusveld infiltrating the break of the day. With no GC threat in the group of 18, the gap was allowed to grow out to over ten minutes at one point with 50 kilometres remaining, so it was clear those out front would fight it out for the stage win. Tusveld and Poole kept the pace going in the break with the Dutchman doing one last turn on the front as they hit the lower slopes of the climb. With over ten kilometres to go attacks flew in the break and things whittled down quickly to just four riders with Poole one of them. The young Brit rode strongly and several times tried to break the elastic and snap clear of Zana and Soler, but he was unable to shake them. A stinging attack from Soler saw him get a gap as they approached three kilometres to go, while Poole and Zana fought hard behind. Giving everything he had, Poole crossed the finish line in third place after another strong showing; his third stage podium of the Vuelta so far.
Max Poole riding to third place in stage 16. Sirotti photo
Poole said: “It was again quite a fight to get in the break but the guys did a really good job and I managed to get in there with Martijn, who did a really nice ride all day to help me. Then once we got the gap, we knew it would all come down to the hard last climb. I felt strong and tried to do what I felt was best in the moment but in the end I cracked a bit towards the top when Soler put in that last attack. It’s nice to be in the mix again in week three and hopefully we will get another few chances to go for it from the break here.”
Team dsm-firmenich PostNL coach Phil West continued: “It’s another day where we in the bike race. We wanted to make sure we were in the right breakaway combination so we could have the chance to go for the stage with Max. Again with some good teamwork we were able to do that and we had support in the break with Martijn which was good. After that it was about coming into the final as efficiently as possible so that we had enough energy to be able to race it out later in the stage. We wanted to be patient and wait until the climb took its toll and then be able to go for it in the deep final. I think in general we did a good job but Max exposed himself a little too much too early and when Soler attacked for one last time, Max just couldn’t follow and he had to ride it at his own pace to the finish. We can be satisfied with another stage podium, although of course we always hope for more in a situation like this, but there are more mountain opportunities to come in the race where we can try it again.”
Wout van Aert's Team Visma | Lease a Bike posted this sad news:
Wout van Aert has abandoned the Vuelta a España after a crash. The 29-year-old Belgian, who was part of the leading group, crashed during a tricky descent. He was taken to hospital, where he is being examined. Sepp Kuss finished seventeenth and is coming closer to the top ten in the general classification.
The sixteenth stage offered another chance for the breakaway riders. An eager Van Aert was again part of the day's breakaway. The leader in the points and KOM classification had sixteen fellow escapees with him. Van Aert reached the top of the first climb of the day first. He was also the first rider to reach the top of the second climb of the day, the Collada Llomena.
Meanwhile, light rain caused a wet road. On the descent, things went wrong for Van Aert. Following the lead of another rider, the Belgian slid down in a bend, then hit the rock face. After trying to continue his way, he appeared to be in too much pain. The triple stage winner was taken by ambulance to hospital for further examination. More to follow.
Wout van Aert being examined after his crash.
Sports director Grischa Niermann: “Wout was taken to hospital by ambulance. There he will undergo examinations. Of course we are so sad seeing him leave the Vuelta in this manner. Luck has not been on our side this season. We all feel for him.”
The race continued. On the final climb to Lagos de Covadonga, Kuss again made a good impression. The 29-year-old American finished seventeenth, close to the other general classification competitors. He moves a little closer to a place in the top ten in the general classification again.
Content continues below the ads
David Gaudu's Team Groupama-FDJ posted this Vuelta report:
Where his former teammate Thibaut Pinot took the win back in 2018, David Gaudu achieved a brilliant performance on Tuesday at the Lagos de Covadonga, for the opening of the Vuelta a España’s last week. In the final of stage 16, the Frenchman held his own against the three main favorites for a long time. He ultimately lost only six seconds at the summit on Primoz Roglic & co, but further progressed overall as he now sits in 6th. He’s right on track for the final straight.
The third week of the Vuelta a España began on Tuesday as the second ended on Sunday: with a summit finish. Two days after the ascent of the frightening Cuitu Negru, the riders had to tackle the famous climb to the Lagos de Covadonga right after the rest day. The twelve-kilometre climb averaging 7% came after 170 kilometres of racing and two other classified and rather demanding climbs: the Mirador del Fito (7km at 8%) and the Collada Llomena (7.5 km at 9.5%).
As in recent days, the breakaway once again had the opportunity to go and fight for the stage victory, since none of its sixteen members, including Wout van Aert, Marc Soler, Max Poole or Filippo Zana, was a danger for the general classification. As for Groupama-FDJ, they focused their attention on David Gaudu. “We quickly understood that it would be difficult for us to fight for the stage today, especially because we lost Rémy,” explained Thierry. “We hoped that the rest day would help him get back in shape, but there was no miracle. For his health, we decided to make him stop.” Two races within one therefore took shape, and the action actually happened first within the bunch.
In the Collada Llomena, sixty kilometres from the finish, Movistar tried to light up the race. “We knew that the race would probably get harder on this climb”, said Thierry. “David was very attentive, he followed easily, and that gave him confidence for the rest of the day.” “It was a really difficult day, we went up the penultimate climb very fast, but I felt really good, so I was able to manage it well”, said the team leader. Among the very best when the group of favourites exploded, David Gaudu was not in trouble, and the peloton then partially got back together towards the final climb. The breakaway approached it with a lead of more than five minutes, allowing Marc Soler to race towards victory, while the peloton gradually lost riders from the back.
The first attacks came eight kilometres from the summit, and the red jersey group exploded 1,500 metres further on. “On the last climb, I went full throttle,” said David. “I saw that the group of favourites was getting smaller and smaller, and I felt that I still had the legs to follow the day’s three strongest. Today, I didn’t hesitate.” Quite quickly, the Groupama-FDJ climber indeed broke away with Primoz Roglic, Enric Mas and Richard Carapaz. “He knows his opponents very well and he knows himself,” Thierry added. “He was also in a good day, so he didn’t think too much.”
The day's tough, final challenge, the Lagos de Covadonga ascent.
For about ten minutes, David Gaudu stood up to the three podium contenders. He even made a few accelerations, before losing a few metres two kilometres from the line. However, he never cracked. At the top, he eventually obtained thirteenth place, only six seconds behind Roglic, Mas and Carapaz. “It was a bit harder for him at the top, but looking at his final climb, it’s a great day for him,” Thierry said. “It keeps on reassuring him and it keeps him in the mix for the general classification. It’s of course positive in terms of results because he gained a position (he is now 6th, editor’s note), but apart from that, we haven’t seen him at this level for almost two years. He is getting his confidence back. There was still a small mental barrier and a bit of apprehension. In the end, he is not far from the very top level”. “I had been looking for such feelings on a climb for a very long time”, confirmed David. “It was really enjoyable to be with the three other leaders. I ride my bike for these kinds of moments, that’s what drives me and what I had missed hugely. I am really super happy to have been able to achieve this today. Now, there are two hard stages left and we must not rest on our laurels because the gaps are very tight”.
Now sixth overall 3’48 behind Ben O’Connor, still in the red jersey for five seconds, the Breton is 1’30 from fifth place, but his three closest chasers are less than forty seconds behind. While waiting for the general classification to clear up on Friday, the peloton will head towards Santander tomorrow. “We had a little doubt about a possible sprint, but with Wout van Aert’s abandon today, we know that Visma-Lease a Bike will not be controlling,” concluded Thierry. “Tomorrow, there is a good chance that the breakaway will go all the way. It’s up to us to be very careful to try to be in the running because there is a stage victory to go for.”
Here’s the Vuelta report from Mattias Skjelmose’s Team Lidl-Trek:
La Vuelta resumed with a bang after the rest day, plunging the peloton into another grueling mountain showdown at the infamous Lagos de Covadonga. Mattias Skjelmose, who has been riding high after a strong second week, began the day ranked 9th overall, trailing the leader in the young rider classification by just 18 seconds.
The final ascent was animated by an early attack from Mikel Landa, who launched a bold move midway up the final climb. As reactions and counter-attacks rippled through the GC contenders, Skjelmose once again demonstrated his maturity and confidence. He stayed composed, riding his own pace up the brutal ramps, a strategy that paid off.
Mattias Skjelmose climbing in stage 13. Sirotti photo
Skjelmose crossed the line just seven seconds behind the leading GC trio of Mas, Carapaz, and Roglič. In doing so, he gained four crucial seconds on Carlos Rodríguez, leapfrogging past the incumbent White Jersey holder, Florian Lipowitz, and closing the gap to just seven seconds in the best young rider classification.
With two more summit finishes ahead and a final test against the clock in Madrid, the race for the White Jersey is far from over, and Skjelmose’s prospects continue to look promising.
Finish line reaction from Skjelmose: “ I wasn’t feeling super good today, so I was a little bit worried. I think I managed well, I really took care of myself, paced myself even more than I normally do, and I think it worked out great at the end. Today it was even more important because I didn’t have a great feeling like some of the other days, so I took extra care. I know myself really well and today I went by feeling instead of looking at the power meter and I think that helped me out in the end.”
Content continues below the ads
And here’s the Vuelta report from Carlos Rodriguez’s Team INEOS Grenadiers:
Carlos Rodriguez produced a spirited display on stage 16 of the Vuelta to move up to sixth on GC and back into the White Jersey for best young rider.
A large break would get away early on in the day, and ultimately contest for the win. However, the slopes of Covadogna were fierce enough to produce a GC battle some five minutes down the road.
Carlos Rodriguez after stage 11. Sirotti photo
Although Carlos was distanced from the favourites fairly early on the climb, the Grenadier showed great panache to continue the fight. The Spaniard judged his effort well to come home just 11 seconds behind the first of the GC men, moving himself up to sixth overall, and regaining the White Jersey.
We posted the report from stage winner Paul Magnier's Team Soudal Quick-Step with the results.
Here's the report from second-place Ethan Vernon's Team Israel-Premier Tech:
Less than a month after winning a silver medal at the Olympic Games, Ethan Vernon marked his return to road racing by finishing second in stage 1 of the Tour of Britain.
After a thrilling and combative final 35 kilometers of racing, Vernon was guided to the final 200 meters by teammate and fellow Brit Jake Stewart, but was overhauled by Paul Magnier (SOQ) in sight of the line.
Paul Magnier wins stage 1. Ethan Vernon's should can be seen just behind Magnier
“I’m a bit fed up with seconds at the moment,” Vernon joked afterwards. “The boys did a great job, they delivered me exactly where I needed to be. I just think I lack a bit of racing in the last few months, that’s why the sprint didn’t go to plan. I hesitated too long, but I felt cramp coming on so I had to leave it later than I planned. But, hopefully, with a few more days’ racing we can go one step higher this week.”
Although the stage culminated in the much-anticipated sprint, the action leading up to the finish was centered around the race’s GC favorites. Stevie Williams covered a multi-team move on the penultimate climb of Scott’s View, before Nick Schultz, Joe Blackmore, and Stewart also outlined their form by following accelerations from the likes of Remco Evenepoel, Julian Alaphilippe, and Tom Pidcock.
Despite this being his first road race since the Giro d’Italia in May, Vernon was able to keep in contact with the front group, even as the pace increased.
He adds: “I could see guys like Remco and Julian going off, and I could see teammates like Joe and Stevie covering the moves, so there was no stress from me about that. I managed to get myself over the climbs in the front group, so I’m pretty happy with the form.”
Stewart finished ninth to cap a solid day’s work for IPT, with Williams and Blackmore expected to feature heavily during Wednesday’s undulating second stage from Darlington to Redcar.
Back to news and opinion index page for links to archived stories | Commentary