Bicycle Racing News and Opinion,
Thursday, September 12, 2024
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2024 Tour de France | 2024 Giro d'Italia
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Les Woodland's book Cycling's 50 Triumphs and Tragedies: The rise and fall of bicycle racing's champions is available in print, Kindle eBook & audiobook versions. To get your copy, just click on the Amazon link on the right.
Current racing:
- September 12: Coppa Sabatini
Upcoming racing:
- September 13: Grand Prix Cycliste de Québec
- September 14: Memorial Marco Pantani
- September 15: Grand Prix Cycliste de Montréal
- October 12: Il Lombardia
Latest completed racing:
- September 11: Giro della Toscana
- September 8: GP de Formies
- August 17 - Sept 8: Vuelta a España
- September 3 - 8: Tour of Britain
- September 8: Bemer Cyclassics
- September 8: Grand Prix Cycliste de Quebec
- 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
Here are the top five:
- Edoardo Affini (Italy) 35min 15sec. 31.2 kms @ 53.265 km/hr
- Stefan Küng (Switzerland) @ 10sec
- Mattia Cattaneo (Italy) @ 20sec
- Daan Hoole (Netherlands) @ 27sec
- Thymen Arensman (Netherlands) @ 54sec
Here's the report from winner Edoardo Affini's Team Visma | Lease a Bike:
Edoardo Affini is the new European Time Trial Champion. The Italian surprised in Hasselt, Belgium, by staying ahead of favorites like Stefan Küng and Victor Campenaerts. This is Affini's first victory in over five years.
During the 31-kilometer time trial, a thrilling duel unfolded with Swiss rider Küng, who ultimately took silver, nine seconds behind the Italian from Team Visma | Lease a Bike. Affini's compatriot Mattia Cattaneo took bronze.
Despite being with Team Visma | Lease a Bike, Affini had not yet secured an individual victory, but he has now broken that streak with a magnificent European title, allowing him to wear the European jersey for his time trials over the coming year.
Edoardo Affini in red after stage 3 of the 2022 Vuelta a España. Sirotti photo
“I simply don’t know how to put this wonderful victory into words,” Affini beams with happiness. “It feels amazing. I have been waiting for a win for a long time. Often I was close. My last win was in my first year as a professional cyclist. It’s extra sweet to achieve such a great victory now. Honestly, I started today without pressure and expectations. The past few weeks have been very tough in the Vuelta a España. I reached Madrid on sheer willpower. I wanted to support my teammates as much as possible. That was my motivation in what was personally the toughest grand tour I’ve ever done.”
In Spain, the Italian mainly sacrificed himself for the team but also tried for a good result in the two time trials. “In the first time trial, I was close, but I didn’t feel good about the time trial from last Sunday. I felt I lacked the strength to achieve a good result. So I didn’t have high expectations coming here. I took it a bit easier the last few days. Mathieu Heijboer gave me confidence and made me believe in my own abilities. That applies not only to today but also to the past years. I gave everything I had today and felt very good along the way. I’m crying tears of joy now. This gives so much confidence, also looking towards the future. My whole family was here, both my Italian and Dutch family. It’s indescribable to achieve such a beautiful victory in front of their eyes. I’m going to enjoy this,” says the visibly emotional Affini, who will also compete in the Mixed Relay on Thursday.
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Third-place Mattia Cattaneo's Team Soudal Quick-Step posted this report:
Mattia Cattaneo took his first individual medal at an international competition, confirming the strong form he showcased at the season’s last Grand Tour, the Vuelta a España. One of the two Italians at the start of the European ITT Championships, the 33-year-old from Bergamo found his rhythm immediately after the start of the 31.2km time trial, which helped him come through the first checkpoint with one of the fastest times.
The experienced Mattia – who concluded La Vuelta by taking an impressive third place in the Madrid time trial – continued to put together a really nice ITT, and by the time he reached the finish line in Hasselt, he recorded a solid time of 35:35 thanks to a 52.77km/h average speed. This effort helped Cattaneo make his way onto the final podium in the Belgian province of Limburg, behind countryman Edoardo Affini and Switzerland’s Stefan Küng – a well-deserved result for the Italian, who once again proved his prowess against the clock.
Mattia Cattaneo time trialing in the 2021 Tour of Luxembourg. Sirotti photo
“You can never be too sure of your level after a hard Grand Tour, but I gave everything I had despite this flat parcours, which didn’t really suit me. I am happy I could produce such a good time trial that netted me this beautiful bronze medal. Being on the podium with Edoardo and listening to the Italian anthem was a really special moment”, said a smiling Mattia, the eighth different Soudal Quick-Step rider to take a medal at the European Championships.
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And here's the Euro Time Trial Championships report from sixth-place Victor Campenaerts' Team Lotto Dstny:
“I would have liked to keep up the statistics. I’ve never been to a European time trial championship without standing on the podium,” Victor Campenaerts remarked last Sunday after the final time trial of the Vuelta. Following gold in Herning 2017 and Glasgow 2018, silver in Plumelec 2016, and bronze in Plouay 2020, Campenaerts hoped to add another medal to his collection in Limburg. Unfortunately, this was not to be, but Lotto Dstny’s time trial specialist still reflects positively on his European individual time trial. “I rode a time trial with decent wattages, comparable to those from three days ago in the Vuelta, maybe even a bit better. It was already very good then, but not exceptional… and you need an exceptional day to stand on the podium at a championship.”
Victor Campenaerts racing to a bronze medal in the 2020 World Championshps. Sirotti photo
“I also notice, perhaps due to age, that I can no longer take corners as confidently as others do. Additionally, I didn’t expect that rain. I felt good and didn’t feel like I was fading towards the end, but I think especially Stefan Küng and Edoardo Affini—who are taller—benefit more from the perfectly flat course today. Of course, you have to work with the course you’re given at a championship. Now, I mainly want to rest and prepare for the World Championships in Zurich, which is coming up soon.”
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Here's the team's announcement:
Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe has secured another young talent and is getting a boost from the Basque Country. Oier Lazkano will ride for the German WorldTeam from 2025.
Oier Lazkano is a puncheur with amazing strength and great potential. At just 23 years old, he stood on a WorldTour podium for the first time last spring. His powerful attack, which earned him 2nd place at Dwars door Vlaanderen, caused quite a stir at the time. This was followed by the Spanish national road title - and this spring he has continued in spectacular fashion.
Oier Lazkano checking out the cobbles before the 2024 Paris-Roubaix. Sirotti photo
Winning the gravel classic Clásica Jaén and finishing on the podium in Kuurne were particularly notable at the start of the year. The young Basque then showed a different side at the Critérium du Dauphiné, with top placings in the time trial and a mountaintop finish to secure his first top-10 in a WorldTour stage race.
Oier Lazkano:
“I’m very excited to join Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe. I think it will be a big step forward in my career. I am very grateful to the team for their confidence in me, working with the biggest names in the sport is an amazing opportunity.”
Ralph Denk:
"Oier is still young, but has already made a name for himself with his pure power. His style stands out in modern cycling: attack instinctively and pull through powerfully. It sometimes seems old school, but it is successful and inspires me. We can make good
use of this power in the classics, and with Oier we now have even more options for the stage races."
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