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Monday, January 20, 2025
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2024 Tour de France | 2024 Giro d'Italia
In the depth of winter I finally learned that there was in me an invincible summer. - Albert Camus
Bill McGann’s book Why Your Bike Is Made in Asia: My career in bicycles as I watched two continents squander an industry is available in print, Kindle eBook & Audiobook versions. To get your copy, just click on the Amazon link on the right.
Current racing:
- January 17 - 26: Tour Down Under
Upcoming racing:
- 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
We posted the report from stage winner Chloé Dygert's Team Canyon-SRAM zondacrypto with the results.
Here's the race organizer's stage 3 report:
Switzerland’s Noemi Rüegg held on to the Santos Tour Down Under leader’s jersey to take 2025 general classification honours in a huge Stirling stage on Sunday.
The pocket dynamo claimed the ochre jersey after a brilliant Health Partners Stage 2 win on Saturday and refused to let the golden opportunity slip.
Rüegg rode a near-perfect race.
Stage three starts.
The reigning road champion battled hard to stay out of danger during a hot stage and became the first Swiss woman to claim the Santos Tour Down Under’s major prize.
Rüegg finished Hyundai Stage 3 Stirling to Stirling race in third place behind the stage winner: US star Chloe Dygert of Canyon-Sram zondacrypto.
Liv-AlUla-Jayco’s Dutch sensation Silke Smulders was runner-up.
“It’s amazing. I’m super happy and in disbelief and it takes a few days to really sink in what I have achieved here,’’ Rüegg said. “I have been working really hard for this for two or three years and it’s so nice and it pays off now.”
With Rüegg spending more time in South Australia before returning to centre stage for next Sunday’s Schwalbe Women’s One-Day Classic road race, Dygert, 29, said her team had targeted a stage win and GC.
And the 2024 US Olympic team pursuit gold medallist was content with one of the two major prizes.
“It was a huge team effort today and we’re really happy,’’ Dygert said. “The most frustrating part for me was how many people (riders) were still there right at the end (of the race). I was surprised.
“I’m really happy to hold on to the end.”
The race took shape early, with Rüegg upstaging plenty of favourites over the course of three stages.
She looked out for threats and wasn’t fazed when Australia’s Ella Simpson (St Michel -Preference Home -Auber93WE) soloed to the front to open a 1 min 12 sec gap with 60km before the Stirling finish line.
But Simpson, 22, was a definitive threat to the order of the general classification after finishing second at the national road race titles in WA eight days ago.
Simpson started Hyundai Stage 3 1min 51sec behind Rüegg.
The Swiss national champion was well protected by her team EF Education-Oatly, keen to stave off rivals from taking control of the race as the main peloton was approaching the uphill Stirling finish line for a second time with an impressive 37km/h average speed despite the 33C heat.
Simpson surged 2min 06 sec ahead of the chasing group with just 44km before the finish as Rüegg’s team continued to control the race.
Simpson’s brave solo attack ended about 30km from Stirling when the main peloton swallowed the Australian.
Lidl-Trek’s Australian Amanda Spratt – a three-time Santos Tour Down Under winner – launched her third attack of the stage in a bid to unsettle rivals before Italy’s Erica Magnaldi (UAE Team ADQ) decided to solo ahead.
That forced a response from Australia’s Ella Wylie (Liv AlUla Jayco) who worked hard to pull in the peloton.
Hyundai Stage 3 Winner: Chloe Dygert (Canyon-Sram zondacrypto)
Santos Ochre General Classification: Noemi Rüegg (EF Education-Oatly)
Ziptrak Sprint classifications winner: Noemi Rüegg (EF Education-Oatly)
efex Queen of the Mountain winner: Alyssa Polites (ARA Australian Cycling Team)
Zwift Young Rider: Eleonora Ciabocco (Picnic PostNL)
Yamaha Most Competitive Rider: Ella Simpson (St Michel-Preference Home – Auber93)
Wilson Parking Team: UAE Team ADQ
Best South Australian Rider: Amber Pate (Liv-AlUla-Jayco)
Here's the report from GC winner Noemi Rüegg's Team EF Education-Oatly:
The Swiss champion once again demonstrated her strength, shutting down key moves when it mattered most and still finding the energy to sprint for the stage—securing the title in the points classification as the final cherry on top. This victory marks the first overall WorldTour title for the young EF Education–Oatly squad.
Noemi Rüegg wins stage two.
“It feels amazing,” said Noemi. “I’m still in disbelief. It will take a few days to really sink in what I achieved here. I’ve been working so hard for this over the last few years so it’s just so nice that it actually pays off now.”
Throughout the week, the team rode with purpose, showcasing impressive cohesion so early in the season. On stage 1, when Noemi suffered a mechanical with just three kilometers remaining, the team immediately rallied around her. Henrietta Christie executed a lightning-fast bike change, and the team worked together to guide Noemi back to the pack, allowing her to sprint to a strong sixth-place finish.
Stage 2 was another standout display of teamwork. The squad delivered Noemi to the base of Willunga Hill with a perfectly executed lead-out. Kim Cadzow then took over, helping Noemi cover attacks and maintain a strong tempo before the Swiss champ capped it off with a magnificent ride up South Australia’s most iconic climb.
Stage 3 was always going to be a hard one to control, with its lumpy profile, scorching temperatures, and narrow time gaps on GC inviting aggressive racing from multiple teams. Despite the chaos, EF Education–Oatly controlled the race brilliantly from the start. Sarah Roy stepped up in the closing stages, providing critical support to Noemi.
From start to finish, the team was there when it mattered most and Noemi knows that it wouldn’t have been possible without them.
“If you know you are not alone and have a strong team behind you, you know that we can always find a solution,” said Noemi. “It calms you down and gives you a lot of motivation. I was honestly really nervous at the start. [...] I knew it was going to be a tough day and the course made it hard to control with all the attacks. We didn’t want it to get out of hand so we were nervous but I also had a lot of trust and belief in the team. They did an amazing job. I can only say thank you to everyone.”
“They didn’t make it easy for us for sure,” said Noemi about stage 3. “They tried a lot of moves especially in the last two laps. The first three laps were actually quite ok. I was expecting it to be harder. I was honestly just super nervous all day. I really wanted to bring it home. The team did amazing again so I could save all my energy in the beginning. I was just focusing in the last two laps on following all the moves and I could keep it until the end. I’m super happy.”
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Here's the Tour Down Under report from second-place Silke Smulders' Team Liv AlUla Jayco:
Dutch talent Silke Smulders stormed to second place on the third and final stage of the Santos Tour Down Under today, to secure a stunning second place on the overall general classification.
The result makes it the Liv AlUla Jayco rider’s first UCI WorldTour overall podium finish after displaying fine form and class, riding with the best on the iconic Willunga climb yesterday.
Silke Smulders on the podium after stage three. Photo: Sprint Cycling
After taking confidence from her stage two performance, the 23-year-old flew the flag highly for the Australian registered team at its home race, with the full Liv AlUla Jayco squad going all in to support her for the final showdown around Stirling.
With soaring 37-degree temperatures, it was no easy feat to claw back the 15 seconds that sat between Smulders and the overall race leader. As the riders tackled five undulating laps, the Dutch star continued to ride with maturity, keeping her powder dry ahead of the grand finale.
With seven kilometres remaining the bunch was intact until New Zealand champion Ella Wyllie turned on the pressure. Attacking solo and leading the race into the final three kilometers, causing panic in the bunch and teams to chase hard behind.
Once Wyllie was caught, the pace was on, yet a late surge from Chloe Dygert saw her steal the stage win. Behind, Smulders found her fine early season form once again and barreled up the grueling final drag to her second stage placing in two days, to confirm her well-deserved overall podium spot.
Silke Smulders – 2nd
“This is my first ever WorldTour overall podium and today and yesterday were my first ever WorldTour stage placings so I just can’t believe it. I am very happy.
It has been a real honor here to be the leader as this race is one of the most important races of the year for us as a team, it is our home race. To finish it off and be on the podium and have two close second place finishes, I am very proud.
I really went full for this race. I trained really hard and really wanted to be good here but still, it is the first race of the season, I have come from Europe and so it is always unknown. I am happy the team really believed in me. I never could have dreamed of this result, so I am very happy.”
Gene Bates – Sport Director
“We are very satisfied with the result, Silke rode incredibly well, and it is great confirmation of where she is at. We walk away happy with lot of positives from the past three days. It is a great feeling to be starting the new WorldTour season on the podium overall and after two great stages and close second place finishes. We’re very motivated now for the next races.”
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Here's the Tour Down Under report from Team Picnic-PostNL:
The last of three days of racing at the Tour Down Under saw the women’s peloton take on a hilly circuit around Stirling. With constantly rolling roads and little time to recover, it was set to be a tough and attritional day in the saddle. Team Picnic PostNL headed into the stage looking to defend the white jersey of best young rider, which was on the shoulders of Eleonora Ciabocco, and go for the best stage result possible in the finale.
It was a hard afternoon of action where the peloton thinned down over the laps but the team was always attentive at the head of the group, following the dangerous attacks. Coming onto the final lap some strong positioning work by Rachele Barbieri and Becky Storrie saw Ciabocco and Josie Nelson well to the fore as the road ramped up for one last time towards the line. Ciabocco did one last pull in the last kilometres to put Nelson in the wheel of the race leader, before the young Brit gave everything she had in the uphill sprint; crossing the finish with a solid tenth place on the day.
Ciabocco crossed the line in a group behind but had more than enough time, and in fact even extended her lead, to win the youth classification at the Tour Down Under with Team Picnic PostNL.
After the finish Nelson said: “It was a really fast and technical race today with a lot of climbing but we rode together all the time as a team. We covered a lot of the attacks and then on the final lap we focused on saving ourselves for the finish. The girls were fantastic today, always keeping me safe in the front and I finished it off with a top ten in the sprint.”
Youth classification winner Ciabocco continued: “I think today wasn’t my best day. I really suffered from the beginning. Last year it was hard with just two laps on this course so today was even harder with the extra laps. Josie is really strong on circuits like this, so we tried our best to go for the stage result with her in the final. I’m really happy to be able to have won the white jersey with the team at the Tour Down Under; it’s the first one that I have ever won and a nice start to the season.”
Team Picnic PostNL coach Matt Winston concluded: “Over the last three days we did things well but we also saw bits that we could work on and we saw improvements on that today which was really nice. On the first day we just missed being together and looking for each other, and yesterday we missed a bit on the first time up Willunga but we corrected it for the second time which was nice. Today we showed some good teamwork; we really fought for each other and battled for each other. I think we can sign off from the race that things went in a good way today. We made steps throughout the course of the three days which is always what we look to do and want to achieve. It’s nice to finish with two top tens in the race and the win the white jersey with Eleonora.”
Here's the Tour Down Under stage three report from fourth-place Ruth Edwards' Team Human Powered Health:
Ruth Edwards wrapped up the Tour Down Under on a high note, climbing into the top ten of the general classification with a strong fourth-place finish in the race finale.
Ruth Edwards riding stage three.
“I was feeling super strong today,” the 31-year-old said afterward. “I wanted to be a bit more active than I was but I also know that you have to be patient to get that result. I love attacking so it’s always good to be part of the race. I felt good today.”
Battling her way to the front on the finishing climb, Edwards guided her way through a reduced group, chasing the back wheel of stage winner Chloé Dygert (CANYON//SRAM zondacrypto) and second place Silke Smulders (Liv AlUla Jayco). Ultimately, She was edged off the stage podium by overall winner Noemi Rüegg (EF Education-Oatly).
“The run-in was fast and it’s a long sprint,” Edwards explained. “I didn’t feel like I had too big of a kick today but I did my best to hold on and finish just off the podium.”
Edwards was present at the pointy end of racing throughout the final stage, putting in an effort on the penultimate lap to put pressure on Rüegg.
“It was all about taking my opportunity when the opportunity presented itself,” she said.
Edwards was backed up on the road by Barbara Malcotti in the closing stages and Katia Ragusa, Silvia Zanardi and Kathrin Schweinberger earlier in the day.
“Barbara was very helpful and everyone has been all week,” she said. “It’s been fun racing with Kathrin as the new rider but sadly we were missing Marit who was sick at the start.”
The team now heads to two one-day races before racing back in the Women’s World Tour at the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race on February 1.
“Coming to Australia, Cadel’s has always been a highlight race of my trip,” said Edwards. “I have had a second and a fourth there in the past and I’d love to better that. It suits me well and I’m feeling really quite strong so I’m hoping to land on that top step later in the trip.”
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Van Empel’s Team Visma | Lease a Bike posted this report:
Fem van Empel has won the World Cup in Benidorm for the third consecutive year. The 22-year-old world champion outsprinted Lucinda Brand after an exciting final. Marianne Vos crowned a strong performance with fourth place.
Fem van Empel wins again.
On the fast course in Benidorm, a large group stayed together for a long time. Van Empel and Vos were represented at the front on behalf of Team Visma | Lease a Bike and made a strong impression. At the sound of the bell, ten riders could still hope for victory, but after a tempo acceleration by Brand, most of them, including Vos, had to leave a small gap.
Van Empel stayed in Brand's wheel and crossed her on the bars. In the sprint that followed, the youngster did not relinquish her lead. "I knew it had to happen on the last bar passage. I went over it full throttle and actually had the sprint done before I got on the asphalt", Van Empel said.
The reigning world champion took her third victory in a row in Benidorm and her tenth of the season. "The way I won today is special and shows my fighting spirit. From the start, I was very focused. I was at the front two positions and was in control the whole time. I am very happy with how I rode today."
Vos also expressed satisfaction with her fourth-place finish. "It actually went well. From the start I had to accelerate to join the leading group. That took a lot of power, after which I needed some time to catch my breath. Fortunately, I got through and was able to ride along nicely. I did everything I could to get a place on the podium, but unfortunately I had to let Marie go just ahead. Nevertheless, I am satisfied with the race."
Behind the strong debutant Viktória Chladoňová, who crossed the line in tenth place, Imogen Wolff experienced a tough race. "It wasn't my best day on the bike. Technically it felt good, but I simply didn't have the legs. Hopefully I can recover over the next few days and get in better shape towards the World Championships."
Women's race results:
- Fem van Empel (Visma | Lease a Bike) 47min 54sec
- Lucinda Brand (Baloise Glowi Lions) s.t.
- Marie Schreiber (SD Worx) @ 2sec
- Marianne Vos (Visma | Lease a Bike)@ 4sec
Men's race results:
- Thibau Nys (Baloise Glowi Lions) 56min 31sec
- Eli Iserbyt (Pauwels Sauze-Cibel Clementines) @ 3sec
- Lars Van Der Haar (Baloise Glowi Lions) @ 4sec
- Wout van Aert (Visma | Lease a Bike) @ 6sec
Here’s the news from Narváez’s UAE Team Emirates:
Having formed a strong connection with UAE Team Emirates-XRG teammates, the Ecuadorian aims for a strong start to the season
Just hours out from the start of the 2025 road season, a sense of calm surrounds Jhonatan Narváez as he goes about his day-to-day business in South Australia.
Overcoming jet lag, conducting media duties and preparing his body for the rigours of a WorldTour stage race are all among his priorities in the week before the Santos Tour Down Under. Between attending pre-race interviews and banking important kilometres in the legs, Narváez has spent the past few days becoming accustomed to his new teammates and a new home in UAE Team Emirates-XRG.
The 27-year-old is one of four new riders joining the team’s seven-rider strong lineup for the curtain raiser, but with his graceful wire-framed glasses and a gentle smile, Narváez has not let his new surroundings dim his sense of leadership as one of the team’s protected riders.
Jhonatan Narváez wins 2024 Giro d'Italia stage one. Sirotti photo
In a quiet but assured manner, the Ecuadorian national champion has quickly become a figurehead within the UAE Team Emirates-XRG squad in Australia.
Often looked to for advice on training routes and best practices, Narváez has even been on hand to remind his new teammates of their dress code for everything from evening meals to official rider headshots. The winter signing from Ineos Grenadiers appears a man with maturity beyond his years, something that Narváez pins down to having learned from some of the best riders of the last decade.
“I think it was part of the school of Ineos,” says Narváez. “With many things, they had a certain way of doing things and I learned to be disciplined as both a rider and as a person. This pattern has followed me throughout my career and made me the rider I am now.
“When I joined Quick-Step, they were the best Classics team of their generation and when I joined Team Sky, it was a time when they had Chris Froome and Egan Bernal. It has always been my way to watch these guys and learn the positive traits that can make me a more professional rider.”
Having spent six years with Ineos Grenadiers, where he achieved the best results of his career to date, Narváez put pen to paper on a deal which will see him ride for UAE Team Emirates-XRG for the next two seasons. It is a move which marks a special moment in the Ecuadorian’s career, as he joins the No.1 ranked UCI WorldTeam from both 2023 and 2024.
“It feels really nice because it is the best team in the world and when you have this offer, you don’t think too much” admits Narváez. “If they are the best team in the world for two years, it means the team is certainly doing something right.”
Born and raised in El Playón de San Francisco in the north of Ecuador, Narváez has been riding for almost as long as he can remember. As a child, the family home was a haven to those on two wheels, with his father a keen amateur and his older brother a racer in his own right until the age of 18. Between watching his older sibling compete across Ecuador and viewing the likes of Alberto Contador on the racing footage broadcast from Europe, Narváez fell in love with the sport.
By the age of 16, Narváez had won the Vuelta del Futuro ahead of fellow future WorldTour pros Bernal and Brandon Rivera, with multiple Pan-American junior titles awaiting him over the coming couple of years.
Though a string of notable riders emanated from his corner of South America, even the talented youngster could not have dreamt of one day joining the best team in the world.
“If I look 10 years ago when I was a kid, I just said that my dream was to ride in the WorldTour, but now that I am riding for the best team in the world, I am proud of what I am doing. Of course, victories will hopefully come in the future, but for now, I am just so happy to be part of the team,” he says in earnes
Already part of a tight-knit squad in Australia which includes former Santos Tour Down Under champion Jay Vine, three-time Vuelta a España stage winner Marc Soler and Olympic champion on the track, Rui Oliveira, Narváez is ready to make his WorldTour debut for UAE Team Emirates-XRG alongside fellow new signings Pablo Torres, Rune Herregodts and Julius Johansen. For the seven riders, the six-day stage race offers the perfect opportunity to hit the ground running in 2025.
Beginning with a flat stage to Gumeracha on Tuesday, the 2025 Tour Down Under appears to be a race that should offer many opportunities to a rider in Narváez’s ilk. A more than capable climber with a lightning-fast sprint to match, Narváez provides UAE Team Emirates-XRG with a handy option to race aggressively alongside Vine’s ambitions in the overall classification.
“If you think about a guy like me, with my characteristics, it is a positive and a negative because many races in the calendar suit me. Racing as a favourite is so hard, but I will try to achieve many victories throughout the year.”
Despite the weight of expectation often falling on his shoulders, Narváez is not one to shy away from the challenge.
“I think responsibility is part of the sport,” he notes. “You are training hard in order to have nice victories and I think it is part of the sport to manage the pressure in a good way – because it can be bad sometimes. These days, I think I can manage it well.”
Those who have been tracking Narváez’s progress over the years will by now have become accustomed to his ability to step up to the mark on the big occasion. One victory, in particular, stands out among the 11 he has taken as a professional.
“Of course, it was the best victory of my career,” smiles Narváez at the mention of his stage 1 win at last year’s Giro d’Italia. Taken on the banks of the Po River in Turin, Narváez’s victory that day was achieved ahead of his now-teammate Tadej Pogačar in third place. The pair had broken free of the pack on the final climb of the day and using his fast finish to his advantage, the Ecuadorian pipped Max Schachmann to the line and the overall lead of the race.
“To beat Tadej and take the maglia rosa that day was really amazing for both me and my career,” Narváez remembers. “It was painful to stay on Tadej’s wheel because he attacked many times, but I know that if I pass the climbs, I can have a chance in the sprint finishes. It was like this in the Giro. I was on the limit on the climb, I recovered on the downhill and then I had the chance to beat him in the sprint, so it was an incredible day.”
Not content to hang his hat on past victories, however, the 27-year-old is keen to leave his mark as a UAE Team Emirates-XRG rider in Australia.
“It has been a long time since that victory in the Giro, so now I have new goals and new objectives with the team.”
Beginning the race as an important teammate to team leader Vine, Narváez sees the Tour Down Under as a chance to get to grips with his new equipment whilst racing hard to give the team an option when the road dictates.
“It is going to be my first race with the team. I am trying new equipment, a new bike, new glasses and more, but I know I have been training well, I know we have a good team and we must play our cards with this team. I am really hoping to support Jay, as this route really suits him as a favourite, and if the road presents us with an opportunity for me, I’ll be ready to take my chance.”
Later in the season, Narváez will hope to produce the goods for UAE Team Emirates-XRG in the one-day Classics, before helping his rival-turned-teammate Pogačar chase a second consecutive Tour de France title in July. Named in the team’s provisional lineup for the biggest event of the summer, Narváez is full of excitement for what would be his debut in the race won twice by his childhood hero, Contador.
For the moment, though, all eyes are on South Australia, where the Ecuadorian champion will take to the start of the Tour Down Under on Tuesday. Under the warmth of an Australian summer, Narváez has already found his spark for what lies ahead for him and his UAE Team Emirates-XRG teammates.
“It is exciting to come here with my new team and already I have a good feeling because they have made me feel part of the family,” he concludes.
“This is one of my favourite races on the calendar. I am just really looking forward to racing alongside my new teammates for the first time over the next week.”
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