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Monday, February 10, 2025
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2024 Tour de France | 2024 Giro d'Italia
It is forbidden to kill; therefore all murderers are punished unless they kill in large numbers and to the sound of trumpets. - Voltaire
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Current Racing:
- February 8 - 12: Tour of Oman
Upcoming racing:
- February 14 - 16: Tour de la Provence
- February 15: Vuelta Ciclista a la Region de Murcia
- February 16: Clásica de Almeria
Latest completed racing:
- February 5 - 9 Etoile de Bessèges/Tour du Gard
- February 5 - 9: Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana
- February 7: Muscat Classic
- February 1 & 2: Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race
- February 2: GP La Marseillaise
- January 29 - February 2: Challenge Vuelta a Mallorca
- January 28 - February 1: AlUla Tour
- January 30: Surf Coast Classic
- January 17 - 26: Tour Down Under
- January 26: Classica Comunitat a Valenciana 1969
- January 25: Ruta de la Cerámica - Gran Premio Castellón
We posted the race organizer's report with the results.
Here's the report from stage winner Louis Vervaeke's Team Soudal Quick-Step:
Louis Vervaeke claimed an incredible victory Sunday afternoon in Oman, moving into the red jersey after more than 120 kilometers at the front. It was a huge display of guts, determination and strength from Louis, who delivered Soudal Quick-Step’s fourth win since the start of the season and our 80th in the Middle East.
One of the most hard-working guys in the peloton and a rider who has always put himself in the service of his leaders – memorable remaining his contribution to Remco Evenepoel’s overall success at the 2022 La Vuelta – Louis saw an opportunity on stage 2 of the Tour of Oman and seized it with both hands after a fantastic display on the roads to Yitti Hills.
Louis Vervaeke wins stage two of the Tour of Oman. Photo: Getty Sport.
The victory he got was made more impressive by the fact it came after an unusual scenario, which saw him attack from the peloton with more than 140 kilometers to go – at a moment the original breakaway was already five minutes clear – and together with one other rider, bridging across to the leading group some 105 kilometers from the finish. The seven at the front worked well together and maintained their gap intact despite some strong headwind well inside the last two hours of the race, when the alarm sounded off in the bunch.
A wild chase ensued, as the pre-stage favourites began seeing the stage win go away, and the joint effort of some of the GC teams significantly reduced the leaders’ advantage to just two minutes for the last twenty kilometers, which included three climbs. On the penultimate of these, Vervaeke accelerated and dropped his companions, carrying a 1:40 gap on the descent. Behind him, the peloton continued to push hard, but so did Louis, who entered the closing kilometer with a ten-second margin over the chasers.
On the long finishing straight, despite the bunch rapidly closing in, the Belgian had plenty of time to sit up and celebrate his first victory in the pro ranks, leading home a superb 1-2 of Soudal Quick-Step, after Valentin Paret-Peintre outsprinted the others in the final 100 meters.
“It’s such a beautiful day for me, it feels incredible to take my first win as a pro. I came close several times in the past, and to finally pull it off makes me very proud. In the final ten kilometers of the stage I was empty, but I kept thinking of my family and immediately found the power to press on and give my best until the end. That’s why I pointed to the tattoo on my right arm when crossing the line, because being a rider means making a lot of sacrifices, both yourself and your family.”
“At the front we worked well together and I want to give a shout-out to Mikel Azparren, he was really strong and put in a solid effort as we joined the breakaway. It’s great to get a 1-2 with the team, especially as we came here to win a stage and we’re now delighted to have it. From tomorrow, we’ll focus on the general classification with Valentin and Mauri”, said an elated Louis, who is joined on the overall podium of the race by his French teammate, currently sitting just six seconds behind after the longest stage of the Tour of Oman.
Here's the Tour of Oman report from third-place Sean Flynn's Team Picnic PostNL:
Following on from a podium result on the opening stage in the sprint with Pavel Bittner, Team Picnic PostNL once again set out with the goal of going for the stage result and keeping GC finishers Warren Barguil and Kevin Vermaerke safe throughout the day. It was a steady start to racing with a break going clear early on but halfway into the stage attacks peppered the front of the peloton and counter attacking groups bridged to those ahead. The pace then went out of the peloton for a bit and the break increased their advantage once more.
Coming into the main climbs in the closing 30 kilometres, Team Picnic PostNL showed some good teamwork and positioned Barguil, Vermaerke and Sean Flynn. Due to the large gap for the break, a strong tempo was set at the head of the bunch and the group began to thin down as they took on the final ascent. Barguil, Flynn and Vermaerke all made it over within the peloton and looked to set things up for the sprint but lone-leader Vervaeke just held on for the win. Flynn showed a good turn of speed to take a fine third place on the day from the sprint in the peloton; his first Pro level podium. Unfortunately, a touch of wheels in front of him saw Vermaerke crash in the finale but thankfully he was able to finish the stage okay.
Picnic-PostNL riders at the second stage of the Tour of Oman.
Flynn expressed: “I’m happy to come away with a third place on the stage after good work from the whole team to put me, Kevin and Warren in position for the final climbs. I was a bit worried coming into the final after I had a flat tyre before the longest climb of the stage but I stayed calm and trusted the team and hard work I’ve put in over the winter to pull me through it. In the final, I learnt the lessons from Muscat classic on Friday and managed to put together a decent finish today.”
Team Picnic PostNL coach Phil West added: “It was a pretty strange day actually. We set out to go for the stage result, and again like in Muscat Classic, we had a few options on a difficult finish like this where it could come to a select group sprint. The boys did a really good job. A break was away and some teams were then keen to attack all of the time, and in the end the peloton let groups of ones and two go, and that’s how they won the stage. The teamwork from the guys was really good and we had Sean, Warren and Kevin there in the final. The lone leader just managed to hold on at the finish and Sean did a really good sprint to get third on the day. Kevin unfortunately went down in the final but thankfully he seems okay on first inspection with only some scrapes and bruises, but we will see how he gets tomorrow. Overall though, the teamwork has been on a really high level and we’re still in the game on the GC, so we can be happy with how things went.”
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We posted the race organizer's report with the results.
Here's the update from stage winner Jonathan Milan's Team Lidl-Trek:
Pressure? What pressure! Jonathan Milan and Lidl-Trek came into Stage 5 as pre-race favorites and they didn't disappoint.
Even when crosswinds threatened to cause chaos, Lidl-Trek kept calm and in control ensuring they could deliver Jonathan Milan into the perfect position to power towards his first individual victory of 2025.
Race reaction from Jonathan Milan:
"It was a pretty tough stage and super fast with the wind and, at one point, it was getting nervous in the bunch with echelons starting to form but, we were in the front and ready for it. The Team put me in the best spot to sprint and I just did my best so, I have to thank the guys for this. The wind made the day a little more special. It makes everything more nervous and a bit dangerous but it's part of the sport.
Jonathan Milan wins stage five.
"It's super important [to start the season like this]. It was a goal for the season and I always like to come here as my first race. Yesterday I was already feeling super good and so, I was really looking forward to today. I have to say we had a pretty nice week here together and I was happy I could finish off all the hard of the guys today with another victory for us. We came to this race focused and with a GC goal with Vacek but, unfortunately he had a crash two days ago and today, he had to stop racing. Now, I am going to enjoy some rest and get ready for UAE Tour next week.
Here's the Valenciana report from GC winner Santiago Buitrago's Team Bahrain Victorious:
Santiago Buitrago capped off a brilliant week for Bahrain Victorious in the South of Spain, successfully defending the leader’s jersey on the final stage of the Volta a La Comunitat Valenciana (Alfafar-Valencia, 104.2km) to claim overall victory. The Colombian finished 18 seconds ahead of Joao Almeida (UAE Team Emirates), with teammate Pello Bilbao securing third place in the General Classification (+39”).
With two riders on the final podium after a hectic 5th stage, Bahrain Victorious concluded the five-day race on a high note: two stage wins, two second-place finishes, the points classification (defended by Buitrago), and the best team classification.
Winner Santiago Buitrago.
“It’s a fantastic feeling. I was already super happy after yesterday’s result and to wear the leader’s jersey this morning, but you never know until the very end,” Buitrago said. “I have to give a huge thank you to my teammates. Today could have been tricky, but they worked exceptionally well to keep everything under control. I share this GC victory with them. Starting the season with such a result is incredible.”
Bahrain Victorious’ Sports Director, Roman Kreuziger, echoed the sentiment: “We couldn’t have asked for more. We set out to win a stage and took two. We aimed for a top-three GC finish, and we secured two spots on the podium—including the overall victory. Plus, we won the team classification. It’s something to be very proud of.”
The final stage, starting in Alfafar—a town heavily affected by the recent DANA storm—was suited to sprinters and was won by Jonathan Milan (Lidl-Trek). However, the technical course and strong winds added an extra challenge for the peloton.
“We had to stay alert, but the team executed the plan perfectly, just as they did throughout the week,” Kreuziger added. “The riders showed great form, and this victory is crucial for building confidence ahead of the next races. We’ll stay grounded, but with this group, we know we can achieve even more.”
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And here's the final Volta a Valenciana report from Team INEOS Grenadiers:
Thymen Arensman and Carlos Rodriguez secured fourth and sixth places overall respectively on the final day of Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana.
As expected stage five ended in a bunch kick into Valencia, locking in the general classification following a competitive week of racing.
Arensman and Rodriguez were kept safe and in a great position throughout the finale, with exposed roads often providing the threat of windy gusts and splits.
In the end the sprint was won by Jonathan Milan (Lidl Trek), with the overall win going to Santiago Buitrago (Bahrain - Victorious). Arensman and Rodriguez finished 42 and 54 seconds back respectively, and will look to carry momentum from these strong finishes into their upcoming races.
Carlos Rodriguez takes home the white jersey.
Sixth place also ensured that Rodriguez was able to clinch the white Young Rider jersey.
GC second-place Joao Almeida's UAE team Emriates posted this Valenciana report:
Finishing safely inside the peloton on the fifth and final stage of the 2025 Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana, UAE Team Emirates-XRG placed second and fifth overall through João Almeida and Brandon McNulty, respectively. The results mark a strong week of racing for the team, which included a day in the leader’s yellow jersey on stage 4 through Almeida.
The final GC podium, from left: Joao Almeida (2nd), Santiago Buitrago (1st) & Pello Bilbao (3rd)
The Portuguese climber enjoyed a fine start to the season in Spain, finishing third on each of the opening three stages, handing him the lead of the race on the penultimate day. With seventh place across the line in Portell de Morella, the 26-year-old ceded the jersey to eventual stage and race winner Santiago Buitrago (Bahrain Victorious), but the Portuguese is looking in good shape ahead of races on home roads over the weeks to come.
Almeida: “I think it was a very positive result and I’m happy with this week. Our team did a good job – we fought for the win and we weren’t too far away from it. Yesterday I wasn’t feeling 100% but that’s how cycling goes – sometimes you are the hammer, sometimes you are the nail.
"Overall I’m pretty happy with the first race of the season, I think second place is not bad at all. I go now to Figueira and Algarve for the next goals so I’m going there with confidence and eyes on the prize.”
Playing a supporting role for Almeida when the going got tough this past week, McNulty can be proud of his own efforts to maintain a top standing in the general classification. Also making his first appearance of the season, McNulty honoured the race as the defending champion and more than played his part as Almeida stepped into the yellow jersey following stage 3. In the climbing department, the American was ably supported by Pavel Sivakov and Felix Grossschartner, both of whom tracked attacks and devoted their efforts to the team throughout the race.
Meanwhile, the engine room was cooking on gas through Ivo Oliveira, Filippo Baroncini and Julius Johansen. All three riders were pivotal to the team’s third-place finish on the opening stage, a lengthy team time trial which saw UAE Team Emirates-XRG battle against a stiff headwind to finish on the day’s podium. Riding hard each and every day, the three riders would leave everything on the road on behalf of the team’s leaders.
Just a matter of months on from the devastating floods that swept across this region in October, it was a pleasure simply to race this event and honour those who were affected by the tragedy. Ahead of stages 3 and 5, UAE Team Emirates-XRG joined the peloton in paying tribute to those who had fallen victim, and we place our thanks to those who made this race happen.
On the final stage, the peloton wore green armbands in a show of support for the Spanish Association Against Cancer. Marking the International Day of the Fight Against Cancer, the #TodosContraElCancer campaign hopes to see survival rates against cancer rise to 70% in Spain by 2030.
As for the racing itself, a six-rider breakaway sought their fortune up the road, but with a complete lack of climbing throughout the parcours, any hopes of avoiding a bunch sprint were far-fetched. Leaving the start town of Alfafar, the peloton would venture south to Favara, before returning north along the Mediterranean coast to the centre of Valencia. Crosswinds could not be discounted and in turn, the UAE Team Emirates-XRG engine room continued their important work to position the team wisely through the finale.
Not content to end the week with energy in reserve the team pushed to split the bunch in the final 30km of stage 5, as wind swept along the coastline on the narrow roads around the outskirts of Valencia, but race leader Buitrago was attentive to the moves.
Across the line beside the city marina, it was Jonathan Milan (Lidl-Trek) who took the sprint, with the riders of UAE Team Emirates-XRG finishing in the pack to close the curtain on this year’s Volta Valenciana.
And here's the report from third-place Giovanni Lonardi's Team Polti-VisitMalta:
First sprint of the year, first podium for Giovanni Lonardi, who finished 3rd behind Milan and Stewart in the only stage suited for pure sprinters at the Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana!
This result in the final race day is both an individual boost and a demonstration of team strength. Despite being reduced to five riders due to Samuele Zoccarato’s withdrawal (struggling with stomach issues throughout the week) Team Polti VisitMalta protected Davide Piganzoli’s 14th place in the GC from the crosswinds of Albufera Natural Park — despite a puncture suffered by Davide Bais — and then guided their sprinter into the regional capital. Mirco Maestri and the excellent Fran Muñoz led him up to the final kilometer. Notably, captain Maestri never stopped pushing and came close to a top-10 finish.
Lonardi himself recounted what happened: “After the great work from my teammates, I positioned myself at the back of the Lidl-Trek train and tried to stay as sheltered as possible. Beating Milan was impossible, but maybe I could have finished second instead of third if I had taken less wind. In any case, it was the first opportunity of 2025 and it went quite well!”
Sports director Stefano Zanatta: “The wind made for a tense day, but Polti VisitMalta worked perfectly together and controlled the situation. Seeing our efforts rewarded with a third place, at the end of a week where we performed well on a demanding course, is truly satisfying.”
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We posted the report from winner Kévin Vauquelin's Team Arkea-B&B Hotels with the results.
Here's the report from second-place Rémi Cavagna's Team Groupama-FDJ:
The 2025 Etoile de Bessèges ended this Sunday with the usual time trial finishing uphill, and Rémi Cavagna as well as Kevin Geniets secured their first podium of the season. The French TT specialist took second place on the stage, after being in the hot-seat for some time, while the Luxembourger secured the final podium in third position. Maxime Decomble also stood out by setting the fifth time of the day. A great way to end an eventful week.
Rémi Cavagna riding to second in the final stage. Sirotti photo
There were no surprises for the riders still in the running on the Etoile de Bessèges this Sunday. Just like the previous years, the time trial up the L’Hermitage climb, on the heights of Alès, served as the closing stage with 10,6 kilometres including the last 1,800 metres at 7%. “The weather conditions were also quite good, it was nothing like the last few days,” added Frédéric Guesdon. “It didn’t rain, the temperatures were very nice, and there wasn’t too much wind either.” Olivier Le Gac was the first Groupama-FDJ’s rider to tackle the course, shortly after 2 p.m.
Starting around fifteen minutes later, Maxime Decomble made a bit of an impression by setting the best time in 15’32. However, he was only able to enjoy it for ten minutes, until his teammate Rémi Cavagna joined the line and beat him by six seconds. “After a blank year in 2024, I was keen to get back to my level in this discipline”, explained the “TGV of Clermont-Ferrand”. “It was a first test today, and let’s say that it was rather conclusive. Apart from the result, I wanted to have fun and feel good on the bike, and it’s on the right track”.
Kévin Vauquelin on his way to winning the stage. Sirotti photo
Rémi Cavagna actually remained on the “hot seat” until the race leader himself, Kévin Vauquelin, reached the finish. Beaten by eighteen seconds, the French rouleur had to settle for second place on the day. “I lost a bit of time in the technical parts at the start of the course”, he said. “I like it more when it’s straight and rolling. The final was also a bit steep for me and my 78 kilos. I obviously lost a few seconds on the climb compared to Vauquelin, but it still shows that I did a decent time. It’s not exceptional, but it’s a first step.” “As a pure time trial specialist, Rémi obviously wanted to do well today, and he was fighting for the stage win,” added Frédéric. “He gave it his all, but he was unfortunately beaten by a Vauquelin in top form. We’re always disappointed to come second, but we couldn’t have done better.” Maxime Decomble, 19, also managed to hold his place in the day’s top-5. “It’s not bad at all,” claimed Frédéric. “He’s still young, so achieving such a performance on this kind of time trial is definitely promising”.
As for Kevin Geniets, he took eighth place in the stage, which proved enough to keep his third place overall. “It was a special edition of the Étoile de Bessèges, but I focused on doing the best possible time trial today,” said the Luxembourger. “The feelings were good, and I’m quite satisfied with my performance. It was a good week personally, but I hope to keep getting results in the upcoming races.” “The balance of this Étoile de Bessèges is positive,” added Frédéric. “The boys are in the mix, all seven riders are ready for the upcoming races. Despite the particular circumstances, they did their job 100% and it was important to race so as not to fall behind schedule. I hope it will pay off for them. We finished on a good note, both in terms of the weather and the results. The season is on, and we now hope to get a victory soon.” “We did a good job this week,” Rémi concluded. “We didn’t win a stage, which is a bit disappointing, but we were up there, present every day, and we enjoyed it.”
The newcomer will now head to the Tour of Algarve while Kevin Geniets will line up for the Classic Var and the Tour des Alpes Maritimes in two weeks.
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