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Monday, September 16, 2024
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2024 Tour de France | 2024 Giro d'Italia
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Les Woodland's book Paris-Roubaix: The Inside Story - All the bumps of cycling's cobbled classic is available in print, Kindle eBook & audiobook versions. To get your copy, just click on the Amazon link on the right.
Upcoming racing:
- September 18 - 22: Tour de Luxembourg
- September 18: GP de Wallonie
- September 20: Kampioenschap van Vlaamnderen
- September 21: Super 8 Classic
- September 22 - 29: World Road Cycling Championships
- October 12: Il Lombardia
Latest completed racing:
- September 15: Grand Prix Cycliste de Montréal
- September 15: Trofeo Matteotti
- September 14: Memorial Marco Pantani
- September 13: Grand Prix Cycliste de Québec
- September 12: Coppa Sabatini
- September 11: Giro della Toscana
- September 8: GP Industria & Artigianato di Larciano
- 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's the report from Merlier's Team Soudal Quick-Step:
Tim Merlier wrote history, becoming the first Belgian male rider to win European gold on the road, at the end of a frantic race that came down to a bunch sprint in Hasselt. It was the 14th victory of the season for Merlier – the most successful sprinter of the year – who will now get to wear the distinctive jersey over the next twelve months.
Tim Merlier is European Road Champion. Getty Sport Photo
Running over a 222.9km course which featured some cobblestone stretches and small climbs, Sunday’s race around Limburg was one of the fastest in history at the European Championships, the winner clocking a 48.25km/h average speed. A wave of attacks that came right from the start tried to put pressure on the peloton and prevent the day from coming down to a bunch sprint, forcing the fast men’s teams to work hard in order to control the gap.
The race came back together, but only for a short moment, as more riders decided to attack and split the peloton, going all-in instead of waiting for a sprint finish. Behind, Belgium, Germany and Italy joined hands and drove the chase, overhauling this group inside 30 kilometers to go. On the last lap, Kasper Asgreen tried his chance and remained at the front until the closing six kilometers, but he too was caught by the chasers, who were led by Italy under the flamme rouge.
Bert Van Lerberghe did a stellar job for Tim Merlier, keeping his calm as things became hectic and navigating through the packed bunch with the latter glued to his wheel. It looked as if it was all over for Merlier, who faced a small chain problem with just 300 meters remaining, but the 31-year-old somehow managed to overcome this problem and launched a ferocious sprint on the outside, surging past all the other riders on his way to a historic triumph.
“When I had that chain problem, I thought it was over, but I continued, found a gap and came out of the peloton at the right moment. I asked to be in this race because I believed I could win it. I did it and I’m incredibly proud! Bert was amazing today, he brought me in a perfect position and I gave everything on the finishing straight. This title means a lot to me. After being Belgian Champion twice, it’s a dream come true to become European Champion now in my home country and in front of my family. I can’t wait to wear this beautiful jersey”, said an ecstatic Tim, the third rider in the history of Soudal Quick-Step – after Elia Viviani in 2019 and Fabio Jakobsen in 2022 – to become European Champion on the road.
Results:
1. Tim Merlier (Belgium) 4hr 37min 10sec
2. Olav Kooij (Netherlands) s.t.
3. Madis Mihkels (Estonia) s.t.
4. Jasper Philipsen (Belgium) s.t.
5. Alexander Kristoff (Norway) s.t.
6. Mads Pedersen (Denmark) s.t.
7. Pavel Bittner (Czech Republic) s.t.
8. Stanislow Aniolkowski (Poland) s.t.
9. Christophe Laporte (France) s.t.
10. Alex Kirsch (Luxembourg) s.t.
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Here’s the Euro road champs report from Olav Kooij’s Team Visma | Lease a Bike:
Olav Kooij took a medal at the European Championships for the second year in a row. In Hasselt, the 22-year-old Dutchman was narrowly beaten by Tim Merlier in the bunch sprint.
The peloton left Heusden-Zolder for 220 kilometers towards Hasselt, where several flat local laps awaited. Kooij, Mick van Dijke, Edoardo Affini and defending champion Christophe Laporte were the four Team Visma | Lease a Bike riders at the start. The championship had a fast opening phase. A nervous peloton gave a few early breakaway riders little room, after which everything came back together.
Just over 50 kilometers from the finish line, Laporte reacted to an acceleration by shadow favorites Mads Pedersen and Mathieu van der Poel. Together with three others, they formed the leading group. The six didn't get much of an advantage. In the peloton, the Italian selection took control, serving sprinter Jonathan Milan. Among others, an impressive Affini brought the peloton back. The expected bunch sprint awaited.
In that sprint, Kooij had to launch his acceleration early. The young Dutchman seemed to overtake Merlier, but he ended up a few centimeters from victory. Last year, Kooij finished third at the European Championships. Today he had to settle for the silver medal. Defending champion Laporte finished ninth.
Olav Kooij wins the seventh stage of the 2024 Tour of Poland.
“Shortly after the finish, disappointment prevails", Kooij reacted afterwards. “We rode a fine race. We were always where we needed to be. Whenever there was an attack, we reacted quickly. Only we prepared the sprint a little different, so unfortunately I was a little too far to start the sprint. I had very good legs, but sadly I fell just short of grabbing the title.”
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And here's the European Championships report from team Israel-Premier Tech:
The impressive performances of Israeli riders Oded Kogut and Itamar Einhorn at the European Championships ended with a feeling of missed opportunity. The historic result they had dreamed of was within reach but slipped away in the final meters of the race.
Late on in the 223-kilometer race in Belgium, the two Israelis found themselves in a rare position: two sprinters heading towards a flat finish, tailor-made for their abilities.
The fact that they were in such a strong position was a direct result of their high-quality performance throughout the race. For the first time ever, the Israeli national team started the race with four riders, all of whom managed to survive the early challenges as the peloton reached the cobblestone sections.
However, when Guy Sagiv and Rotem Tene (due to a flat tire) dropped out, it was up to the sprinting duo from team Israel- Premier Tech to keep pace with the increasingly intense race. Kogut, in particular, delivered an aggressive ride, actively shutting down breakaway attempts led by world champion Mathieu van der Poel from the Netherlands.
As the peloton approached the finish line, the two Israelis positioned themselves near the front, giving them a real shot at achieving a historic top-10 finish. Einhorn seemed to be in the best spot with just one kilometer to go, but 600 meters from the line, his path was blocked by several riders, and the frustration was visible as he slammed his handlebars in disappointment.
Itamar Einhorn wins the 2022 Israeli Road Championships.
Kogut finished in 21st place, with Einhorn just two spots behind him. It was a respectable result in such a prestigious race, but given their strong performance, it was clear that they had missed out on an even better finish.
Both crossed the finish line with the same time as the new European champion, Belgian rider Tim Merlier.
After the race, their reactions were a mix of pride, frustration, and relief, especially as they narrowly avoided a crash in the race’s final moments.
Einhorn commented: “After 223 kilometers at an average speed of 47 km/h, it all ended with me getting ‘cut off’ during the sprint, and to top it off, my chain fell off…”
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