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Friday, September 20, 2024

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2024 Tour de France | 2024 Giro d'Italia

There is pleasure in the pathless woods, there is rapture in the lonely shore, there is society where none intrudes, by the deep sea, and music in its roar; I love not Man the less, but Nature more. - Lord Byron

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Bill & Carol McGann's book The Story of the Tour de France, 2021: The Little Cannibal Dominates is available in both Kindle eBook & audiobook versions. To get your copy, just click on the Amazon link on the right.

Current racing:

• September 18 - 22: Tour de Luxembourg
• September 20: Kampioenschap van Vlaanderen

Upcoming racing:

• September 21: Super 8 Classic
• September 22 - 29: World Road Cycling Championships
• October 12: Il Lombardia

Latest completed racing:

• September 18: GP de Wallonie
• 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

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Tour de Luxembourg stage two reports

We posted the organizer's report with the results.

Here's the report from Christophe Laporte's Team Visma | Lease a Bike:

Christophe Laporte just missed out on a podium spot in the second stage of the Skoda Tour de Luxembourg. The 31-year-old Frenchman got boxed in the narrow finishing street and had to settle for fourth place. In the general classification, Laporte retained his second place.

The day before the queen stage, the peloton was presented with a relatively easy 155 km stage. Two riders formed the breakaway, but thanks in part to Tosh Van der Sande, the duo's adventure came to an end early. On the local circuit in Schifflange everything stayed together, after which a bunch sprint had to decide who would take the stage win.

Mads Pedersen wins 2024 Tour de Luxembourg stage two.

Mads Pedersen proved to be the fastest, Laporte sprinted to fourth place. "To be honest, we had hoped for more today", sports director Maarten Wynants said. "Yesterday Christophe was already very close with a second place and today the finish seemed to suit him even better. He chose the right wheel, but unfortunately couldn't ride the sprint he wanted."

According to Wynants, this is explainable. "It was a hectic final. There was a descent in the last four kilometres and there was a crash. Because we don't have a lead-out man with us, we knew Christophe had to find his own way in the last kilometre. Then you need a bit of luck. Unfortunately that luck was missing today."

Tomorrow is the queen stage. According to Wynants, Team Visma | Lease a Bike will once again compete for the stage win. "It's hard to say whether Christophe can survive the course. Fortunately, with Bart Lemmen and Wilco Kelderman, we have two other guys who are super strong too. If it turns out to be too difficult for Christophe, we can count on them."

Here's the Luxembourg Tour report from young rider classification leader Pepijn Reinderink's Team Soudal Quick-Step:

Pepijn Reinderink was a man on a mission Thursday afternoon, when we attacked from the peloton as soon as the peloton rolled out of the neutral zone for the 155km stage two to Schifflange. Just like on the previous day, he zipped away and established a breakaway, this time together with Alexandre Kees (Luxembourg National Team), putting three minutes into the chasers.

Pepijn Reinderink in the young rider's black jersey. Photo: Luc Claessen/Getty Images

The 22-year-old claimed maximum points on the two ranked climbs of the day – Côte de Zittig and Montée de Steinsel – thus extending his lead at the top of the classification. After cresting the last of hills, Reinderink returned to the peloton, which was once again aiming for a bunch sprint. Inside the final 15 kilometers, Soudal Quick-Steo’s neo-pro gave it another go, together with Victor Vercouillie (Flanders-Baloise) – one last roll of the dice which helped him stay up the road until the final four kilometers, when they were pegged back.

The stage eventually came down to a mass gallop, won by Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek), while Pepijn made sure of remaining the custodian of the black jersey going into the third stage of the race, which will be packed with eight classified ascents.

And here's the Tour de Luxembourg stage two report from Laurence Pithie's Team Groupama-FDJ:

Heading towards Schifflange on Thursday, the short climb located five kilometres from the finish did not prevent a bunch sprint at the end of the second stage of the Tour de Luxembourg. Despite having shown good legs and kept a good position in the final, Laurence Pithie was boxed in as the sprint approached and then had to settle for eighth place while Mads Pedersen claimed victory. A very hilly final could suit Groupama-FDJ on Friday.

Laurence Pithie after stage 2 of the 2024 Paris-Nice. Sirotti photo

The second stage of the Tour de Luxembourg was both the shortest – apart from the time trial – but also the least difficult of the week on paper. On the finishing, eleven-kilometre circuit in Schifflange, which had to be completed three times, only a short 900-metre climb averaging 7% was to be tackled. “It was the stage with the smallest elevation gain, and even if it’s always difficult in Luxembourg, there was nothing hard enough to open up the race and create real gaps,” explained Benoît Vaugrenard. “We knew that the sprint was almost inevitable today.”

The day therefore unfolded in line with expectations. “It was quite a classic stage, with two breakaway riders and a peloton chasing behind, even if we had to be careful with the wind, which was relatively strong today,” added the Groupama-FDJ sports director. At the front of the race, Alexandre Kess (Philippe Wagner/Bazin) and Pepijn Reinderink (Soudal Quick-Step) did not worry the pack at all, and Kess even found himself alone at the front around the halfway point after his companion decided to wait for the peloton.

The leading man finally tackled the finishing circuit with a small gap, but he was caught before the first time on the line. Then, a handful of attacks came from the peloton, without really jeopardizing the anticipated bunch finish. Back on the attack, Reinderink tackled the final climb of the day with a lead of around ten seconds, but the peloton closed him down quite fast. Juan Ayuso then tried to get away as they approached the summit, four kilometres from the finish, but he wasn’t able to go clear, while David Gaudu, Kevin Geniets and Laurence Pithie remained very attentive at the front of the peloton. It all came back together on the descent and the final sprint did indeed take place. “Laurence got over the last climb pretty well, he was feeling better than yesterday, unfortunately he got a bit boxed in as he entered the last kilometre,” said Benoît. “What’s more, it was a sprint slightly downhill, so we knew it was mainly about positioning. It’s a shame because I think it was possible to do better than eighth.”

Too far back when the sprint started, the New Zealander had to settle for a top-10 finish while Mads Pedersen got the win. All his teammates also finished in the peloton. “We avoided the crashes in the final, that’s a good thing, and we’re now looking forward to the hard stages,” concluded Benoît. “Tomorrow really is the hardest stage, with 3,600 metres of elevation gain. In the final, there will be two laps of a circuit including lots of hills. The GC will be partly decided there.”

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