Bicycle Racing News and Opinion,
Thursday, September 26, 2024
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2024 Tour de France | 2024 Giro d'Italia
We could have saved the Earth but we were too damned cheap. - Kurt Vonnegut
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Current racing:
- September 22 - 29: World Road Cycling Championships
Upcoming racing:
- Sept 29 - Oct 6: Le Tour de Langkawi
- October 12: Il Lombardia
Latest completed racing:
- September 18 - 22: Tour de Luxembourg
- September 21: Super 8 Classic
- September 20: Kampioenschap van Vlaanderen
- 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
We posted the report from the UCI with the results.
Here's the report from Team Jayco AlUla:
GreenEDGE Cycling duo Michael Matthews and Ruby Roseman-Gannon powered to gold in the Mixed Relay World Championships as Australia took a thrilling victory in Zurich.
The six-rider team claimed the win by less than a second ahead of Germany in a nail-biting finale to the 53.7km relay race. Matthews, alongside future teammate Ben O’Connor, had earlier helped the team set the fastest time in the opening leg before handing over to Roseman-Gannon and the women for their turn on the challenging and twisting course.
The Australian women finish off the team time trial. Sirotti photo
A strong performance saw Germany edge their way back into contention as the gap between the two teams continued to fall throughout the final leg. However, a final surge from former GreenEDGE Cycling rider and recently crowned Word Time Trial Champion Grace Brown in last kilometre was enough to secure a gripping win by the narrowest of margins.
The gold medal is the second medal for Matthews in the Mixed Relay event after taking the bronze medal on home soil back in 2022, while the victory is the first visit to the podium at a World Championships for Roseman-Gannon.
Michael Matthews:
“It was a hard one! I think Jay [Vine] put me to the sword straight away on that first climb, I think we average 650 watts from bottom to top, so it was a hard day. There wasn’t much recovery out there, so we really had to try and stick together as a team as much as possible and just keep that speed as high as possible.
"I think we came through with the fastest time and we were quite confident from there, we knew we had a really good and strong women’s team to finish it off. I won this event when it was trade teams, but this is the first time I’ve had this experience to win this event now. We came in confident, let’s say, but you never know until you cross the finish line.
"To win this, here now, I think we’re still in a bit of shock at the moment, but once it sinks in that we’re world champions in the mixed relay we can enjoy it much more.”
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Here’s the team’s news:
Valentin Paret-Peintre will join Soudal Quick-Step at the beginning of next season after agreeing on a two-year contract with our team. A strong climber, the 23-year-old from Annemasse has turned pro in 2022, and has since racked up a series of noteworthy results.
Most recently, Valentin impressed at this year’s Giro d’Italia, taking a remarkable solo victory from a large breakaway group on the summit finish of Bocca della Selva, in the southern Apennines. It was his maiden pro win, and it came after some solid outings in the first months of the season, such as an eighth place at the Tour Down Under and fourth overall in the Tour of the Alps.
Valentin Paret-Peintre wins stage 5 of the 2024 Tour of the Alps.
“I’m very happy to join the team for the next two years. I’ve always admired this team and watched it write history in some of the biggest races in the world. I remember Tom Boonen winning Paris-Roubaix numerous times in this jersey or Philippe Gilbert taking those memorable victories in Roubaix and De Ronde. It’s a legendary team with a lot of history and tradition and I’m proud that I will be part of it in the next two seasons.”
“My goal is to continue to develop and gain experience in stage races, especially from someone like Mikel Landa. I’m also ready to help whenever I will be needed on the climbs. I would like to be one of the strongest guys in the mountains for my team in a race like the Tour de France, which I would like to discover, but I’m also aiming for a top ten in week-long stage races”, an excited Valentin said.
Soudal Quick-Step CEO Patrick Lefevere was equally delighted with this move: “We’ve been following Valentin for some time and we were impressed by his work ethic, continuous improvement and results, such as his spectacular Giro d’Italia stage victory. We are happy he has decided to join us. Valentin is a strong addition to our climbers’ contingent and we are confident he will fit right in and grow in our team.”
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Here’s the team’s announcement:
Lidl-Trek is pleased to announce a trio of contract extensions for Lauretta Hanson (through 2026) Amanda Spratt (2026), and Ilaria Sanguineti (2025).
Lauretta Hanson, who has been with the Team since its inception in 2019, has evolved into one of the peloton’s top domestiques. Over the last six years, the Australian rider has demonstrated exceptional growth, becoming an indispensable asset to the Team. Known for her strength in the grueling northern classics, Hanson’s relentless work ethic and selfless dedication have seen her thrive across all terrains throughout the season.
Lauretta Hanson: “Extending with Lidl-Trek is an easy decision and one that I’m super happy with. I’ve been a part of this team since the beginning and it’s an environment where I feel valued, but also constantly challenged and inspired to be the best I can be. In 2019, we were a new team and everyone was growing and developing together. Now, 6 years on, we are one of the best teams in the world. I feel incredibly proud to have been a part of that journey, and excited to be continuing it into the future. I think the next couple of years will see some big changes, but I’m excited for that and ready to ride this next chapter with Lidl-Trek.”
A seasoned climber with a wealth of experience, Amanda Spratt has embraced her role as both a mentor to Lidl-Trek’s emerging GC riders and a contender in her own right. Spratty has made a significant impact over the past two seasons, not only through her leadership but also by battling at the front of the pack in key races. After two successful years racing in the iconic red, yellow, and blue of Lidl-Trek, Spratty is excited to continue her journey with the Team, helping to push its ambitious goals even further.
Amanda Spratt winning stage 2 of the 2020 Tour Down Under.
Amanda Spratt: “It was an easy decision to renew with Lidl-Trek and to remain part of this family for another two years. Lidl-Trek was a team that I had admired long before joining in 2023 and I continue to be constantly inspired and motivated by the people around me, especially my teammates. Lidl-Trek is going from strength to strength and I think it’s a really exciting moment for us. Personally, I am as ambitious as ever for the 2025 and 2026 seasons whether that’s racing for my own results or working for my teammates, I think we can continue to set big goals and achieve them together. The beauty of cycling is that when a teammate wins, it feels just as good as when you win yourself and this team spirit is one of my favourite things about racing, and racing for Lidl-Trek.
Ilaria ‘Yaya’ Sanguineti has cemented her reputation as one of the top lead-out riders in the peloton, playing a pivotal role in delivering multiple victories for Elisa Balsamo, and more. Known for her ability to stay calm under pressure, Sanguineti expertly navigates the chaos of the peloton. She continues to be a driving force behind Balsamo’s success, with many more wins on the horizon.
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Ilaria Sanguineti: “This reconfirmation is a great honour for me. Lidl-Trek is a dream team, a unique group, a second family for me. I am very, very happy. Our group has been renewed a lot for the future. We have several new riders coming in and, already this year, we have included a large group of young riders. Numbers in hand, I will be one of the most experienced and I want to contribute from this point of view as well. I believe, however, that the winning formula is interchange: I have several years of professionalism behind me, I’ve done a lot of apprenticeship, but that doesn’t mean you stop learning also from the new generation.
"I see this as an exciting challenge and prospective. However, the first goal is to redeem a 2024 that did not go as I wanted. Needless to say, I was not able to give the team everything I wanted. Now that I have recovered my health and condition, I aim to finish the season with bold performances. Then, head straight to 2025. The spirit and passion will always be the same, but I hope to add important experiences and results. Being a team player who leads by example for the team and the group, inside and outside of racing, would be an important reward. The trust the team has given me with the contract renewal is the strongest push to bring out the best in myself and grow further.”
Lidl-Trek Sports Director Ina-Yoko Teutenberg commented, “We are incredibly fortunate to have riders like Spratty, Lauretta, and Yaya in the Team. Spratty’s leadership and climbing expertise, Lauretta’s strength across all terrains, and Yaya’s exceptional lead-out skills have been crucial to our success. Each of these riders brings something unique to the team, and they give their all to the task. With their support, our leaders are able to perform at the highest level.
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