Bicycle Racing News and Opinion,
Monday, January 6, 2025
Back to news and opinion index page for links to archived stories | Commentary | Our YouTube page
2024 Tour de France | 2024 Giro d'Italia
The highest activity a human being can attain is learning for understanding, because to understand is to be free. - Baruch Spinoza
Les Woodland's book The Olympics' 50 Craziest Stories: A Five Ring Circus is available in print, Kindle eBook & audiobook versions. To get your copy, just click on the Amazon link on the right.
Upcoming racing:
- January 18 - 26: Tour Down Under
- January 25 - February 2: Challenge Vuelta a Mallorca
- January 25: Ruta de la Cerámica - Gran Premio Castellón
- January 26: Classica Comunitat a Valenciana 1969
- February 2: GP La Marseillaise
Latest completed racing:
- January 3: X20 Trofee Koksijde-Vlaamse Druivenveldrit Cross
- January 1: GP Sven Nys Cross
- December 30: Diegem Cyclocross
- December 26: Gavere Cyclocross
- December 27: Exact Cross Loenhout-Azencross
- December 15: Namur Cyclocross-Citadelcross
- November 17: Flandriencross
- November 3: European Cyclocross Championships
- November 1: X20 Trofee Oudenaarde-Koppenbergcross
Men's race
Cycling is very glamorous. Here's race winner Wout van Aert enjoying another solo win.
Here's the report from winner Wout van Aert's Team Visma | Lease a Bike:
Wout van Aert has won the World Cup race in Dendermonde after an impressive solo. The 30-year-old Belgian proved too strong for the competition on the tough course. It was Van Aert's second win in as many days.
The day after his victory in Gullegem, Van Aert lined up for the World Cup race in Dendermonde. On the muddy course, a sharp Van Aert, who had won this race twice before, immediately managed to move up a few positions in the opening phase.
In the third of eight laps, the Belgian took control at the front. Van Aert increased the tempo halfway through the race. Quickly he extended his lead to more than a minute. Fellow Belgians Emiel Verstrynge and Joran Wyseure joined him on the podium.
“I didn't expect I could achieve this”, Van Aert said. “It means a lot that I managed to win twice this weekend. I surprised myself. It's already a huge boost towards the upcoming road season. In terms of feeling, I'm right on track.”
“At the finish line I had a big lead, but it wasn't easy. After the start I decided not to take any unnecessary risks. On this course, you have time to pass others. The key was to find my rhythm as quickly as possible and avoid making mistakes. It got tough in the final laps, but the gap was enough in the end. I am very grateful for the many fans along the course. The atmosphere was incredible. The support from the fans really means a lot to me.”
Van Aert will now head to Spain, where the team training camp will take place. The next cyclocross race for the Belgian will be the World Cup race in Benidorm on 19 January.
Results:
- Wout van Aert (Visma | Lease a Bike) 1hr 2min 49sec
- Emiel Verstrynge (Crelan Corendon) @ 1min 20sec
- Joran Wuseure (Crelan-Corendon) @ 1min 41sec
- Toon Aerts (Deschacht-Hens-FSP) @ 1min 52sec
- Michael Vanthourenhout (Pauwels Sauzen-Cibel Clementines) @ 2min 24sec
- Pim Ronhaar (Baloise Glowi Lions) @ 2min 43sec
- Kevin Kuhn (Charles Liégeois Roastery) @ 2min 49sec
- Thibau Nys (Baloise Glowi Lions) @ 3min 14sec
- Cameron Mason (Seven Racing) @ 3min 15sec
- Mees Hendrikx (Heizomat Radteam-Herrmann) @ 3min 35sec
Content continues below the ads
Women's race:
Lucinda Brand on her way to winning the race.
Here's the report from third place Fem Van Empel's Team Visma | Lease a Bike:
Fem van Empel finished third in the Dendermonde World Cup race. The 22-year-old world champion of Team Visma | Lease a Bike Women was battling for second place, but two punctures in the final got in the way. The win was for Lucinda Brand.
The fierce weather conditions in Dendermonde made for a real battle of attrition in the mud. Van Empel had a good start, but a difficult opening lap. Nevertheless, the Dutch rider gradually made her way to the top three. On the penultimate lap, she managed to join Pieterse, who was riding in second place at the time. Meanwhile, Brand was riding comfortably in the lead.
Van Empel and Pieterse then seemed set to battle for second place, but entering the final lap, the world champion suffered two punctures. Van Empel eventually finished third.
“I had a good start”, Van Empel said afterwards. “I dived into the field first, but then I dropped off a bit. I didn't feel quite fresh, but I did not panic. I focused on my own race. It's a pity that I punctured just as I made the connection with Pieterse. A little later I had another puncture. That was annoying, but I don't know if there was much more in it for me today.”
Results:
- Lucinda Brand (Baloise Glowi Lions) 55min 8sec
- Puck Pieterse (Fenix-Deceuninck) @ 30sec
- Fem Van Empel (Visma | Lease a Bike) @ 41sec
- Manon Bakker (Crelan Corendon) @ 1min 26sec
- Zoe Backstedt (Canyon-SRAM) @ 1min 49sec
- Inge Van Der Heijden (Crelan-Corendon) @ 2min 26sec
- Leoni Bentveld (Pauwels Sauzen-Cibel Clementines) @ 2min 36sec
- Marion Norbert Riberrolle (Crelan-Corendon) @ 3min 11sec
- Sanne Cant (Crelan-Corendon) @ 3min 11sec
- Denise Betsema (Pauwels Sauzen-Cibel Clementines) @ 3min 13sec
Content continues below the ads
Here’s the team’s second installment:
Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe will start the new year with 29 riders and a new jersey design. The fresh look will make its racing debut at the Australian Championships. On 12 January, Jai Hindley and Sam Welsford will be the first riders to race in the 2025 kit. This marks the start of the ‘Down Under’ block of races, which runs until early February and will dominate the first few weeks of the new season: Down Under Classic, Santos Tour Down Under, Surf Coast Classic and the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race. Ahead of the races, we take a look at the nine new additions to the Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe team. In the second of three parts:
Giulio Pelizzari, Laurence Pithie & Jan Tratnik
Giulio Pellizzari
Giulio made his breakthrough in the junior scene two years ago at the Tour de l'Avenir. Finishing second overall, he showed that he was one of the best climbers of his age group. He proved it again last year on the biggest stage - the Giro d'Italia. Giulio made his grand tour debut as the youngest of 176 riders. It was an impressive one. The stage to Monte Pana and his attacks on Monte Grappa are unforgettable. As a reward, he wore the best climber's maglia azzura on the final stage to the Italian capital.
Now the 21-year-old from Camerino in the Marche region is about to embark on his first season on the WorldTour. It should be the next step in the development of his talent. His first days of racing will be at the Mallorca Challenge, before Giulio takes on his first WorldTour stage race of the season at the UAE Tour. A challenging schedule of stage races will follow to help him learn: Catalonia, Basque Country, Romandie and the Tour de Suisse will make up the first half of the season.
Content continues below the ads
Laurence Pithie
Laurence is one of the new riders who are putting the focus back on one-day racing with Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe. The 22-year-old is the second new New Zealander to join the team, alongside Finn Fisher-Black. As a classics specialist, the European spring is his domain, but the road there begins in the New Zealand summer. Laurence is spending New Year's at home with his family to prepare for the upcoming race block "Down Under". He starts the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race in early February as the defending champion - seven weeks later he makes his first appearance in Europe at Milan-San Remo. He made his Monument debut here a year ago, and now it's on to the classics in the north, with Flanders and Roubaix as highlights. He celebrated the conclusion of the Queen of the Classics in 2024 with a 7th place finish - more than the result, the race itself showed just how great his talent and passion for the classics are.
Jan Tratnik
Jan adds his experience to the many young talents that have joined the team this season. Being an experienced rouleur, he will combine his strength in the classics with his role as a team player for the GC leaders at Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe. He will ride Primož Roglič's program and prepare for the Giro d'Italia in Algarve and Catalonia. It was the Giro, where he entered the prestigious list of Grand Tour stage winners five years ago. That Italy is his favorite country for grand tours was also evident last year when he fought for another stage win with a long solo attack at the climb to Bocca della Selva. Now he is accompanying his compatriot and friend Primož Roglič on his Giro comeback. Between Algarve and Catalonia, Jan still has the opportunity to show his one-day strength at the Opening Weekend and Strade Bianche.
Back to news and opinion index page for links to archived stories | Commentary