Bicycle Racing News and Opinion,
Thursday, March 20, 2025

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2024 Tour de France | 2024 Giro d'Italia

Never lose an opportunity of seeing anything beautiful, for beauty is God's handwriting. - Ralph Waldo Emerson

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Bill and Carol McGann's book The Story of the Tour de France, Vol 2: 1976 - 2018 is available in print, Kindle eBook & Audiobook versions. To get your copy, just click on the Amazon link on the right.

Current racing:

• March 20: GP de Denain

Upcoming racing:

• March 21: Bredene Koksijde Classic
• March 22: Milano-Sanremo
• March 24 - 30: Volta Ciclista a Catalunya
• March 25 - 29: Settimana Internazionale Coppi e Bartali

Latest completed racing:

• March 19: Danilith Nokere Koerse
• March 19: Milano-Torino
• March 9 - 16: Paris-Nice
• March 10 - 16: Tirreno-Adriatico
• March 8: Strade Bianche
• March 5: Trofeo Laigueglia
• March 4: Le Samyn Classic
• February 26 - March 2: O Gran Camiño
• March 2: Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne
• March 2: Faun Drôme Classic

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Danilith Nokere Koerse reports

We posted the rpeort from winner Nils Eekhoff's Team Picnic-PostNL with the results.

Here's the report from second-place Matteo Moschetti's Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team:

Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team started the 188,2-kilometer long race with Moschetti, Nicoló Parisini, Giacomo Nizzolo, Emīls Liepiņš, Kamil Małecki, David González and Rory Townsend. After an early breakaway of four riders went up the road, the peloton faced many of the bergs and cobbles that make racing in Flanders so special.

The last rider of the breakaway was caught at only ten kilometers from the line but even before that moment many riders attacked in the final hour of racing to avoid a sprint. However, Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team kept their radar focus on the bunch sprint that would eventually come in Nokere to play their cards with Moschetti who already won two races this year.

With help of his teammates Matteo Moschetti moved up to the front of the peloton on the last cobbled sector and held his position in the hectic final five kilometers. The new race finish with a final kilometer on the Waregemsestraat in Nokere has an average gradient of 4%. It’s a challenging sprint but Moschetti held his ground to finish in second place behind race winner Nils Eekhoff.

Nils Eekhoff wins the Danilith Nokere Koerse.

Matteo Moschetti said directly after the finish: “The team got me in the right position after the last cobbled sector. When Nils Eekhoff launched the sprint I was on his wheel and that’s where I wanted to be. It was a really hard sprint to be honest. He launched the sprint early so I waited and waited to try and save a bit and then pass him in the final but it was really full gas. As a rider you always want to win but sometimes second place isn’t too bad either.”

The Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team continues racing Belgium and France with GP Denain and Bredene-Koksijde Classic coming up on Thursday and Friday. Jannik Steimle starts GP Denain with bib number one after having won this mini-Paris-Roubaix in 2024.

Here's the Nokere Koerse report from Team Lotto:

Milan Menten managed to sprint to a well-deserved fifth place today in Nokere Koerse after strong work from the team. "I am very happy with my fifth place and the work that the team did today", he says.

The winding course of the 2025 Nokere Koerse.

All riders signed present today and collectively rode a strong race. “Every rider was present today during the moments that we expected them to be there”, says Wesley Van Speybroeck. In the end, Milan Menten managed to sprint to a fifth place.

“At about 300 metres from the finish line, I got the front of the peloton and felt the pace slowing down a bit. In the end, I unfortunately started my sprint a bit too early. But in general, I am very happy with my fifth place and the work that the team did today”, he reflects.

Here's the Nokere Koerse report from Luke Lamperti's Team Soudal Quick-Step:

Luke Lamperti impressed Wednesday afternoon at the 79th edition of Nokere Koerse, becoming the first ever US rider to finish in the top three there, an achievement made even more remarkable by the fact it was his maiden outing of the year.

Sporting a special Soudal Quick-Step jersey highlighting Ekopak’s incredible work in reducing and optimising water consumption, Lamperti was attentive the entire race and in a good position thanks to the solid work of his teammates, which allowed him to start the last climb close to the front of the peloton after the late attacks were brought back.

It was all about timing on the uphill finish in Nokere, and the 22-year-old American patiently waited for the last 150 meters to start his sprint and produce a strong effort to take third behind Nils Eekhoof (Team Picnic PostNL), a result that brought him a lot of satisfaction: “I am quite happy, to be honest, because you never know how things go on your first race of the season and how the form is. Today things were hectic, there was a lot of nervousness in the peloton, but the team did a great job and thanks to them I could do my sprint and get this podium. It’s a nice way to start my season and it gives me a lot of confidence.”

Milano-Torino reports

We posted the Milano-Torino race report from winner Isaac del Toro's UAE Team Emirates with the results.

Here's the report from second-place Ben Tulett's Team Visma | Lease a Bike:Ben Tulett delivered an outstanding performance in the 106th edition of Milan-Turin. The 23-year-old Brit climbed the slopes of the Superga with the best and rewarded himself with a second-place finish in the world’s oldest classic. Isaac del Toro took the victory.

After a three-year absence, the Colle di Superga returned to the route of the Italian one-day race this year. Following a relatively flat opening phase, the peloton awaited the first ascent of the iconic hill, which featured an average gradient of 9 percent. Once on the climb, a fresh-looking Tulett—who recently finished third in the Faun Drôme Classic—watched as the peloton thinned out significantly.

On the second and final ascent, the young Brit positioned himself well at the front again. He followed Adam Yates’ wheel and responded quickly to an attack by Del Toro, who was joined by Tulett and Tobias Johannessen. The trio built a comfortable lead and sprinted for victory. Tulett launched his sprint from a distance but was overtaken by Del Toro in the final meters.

Isaac del Toro beats Ben Tulett to the line. Sirotti photo

"I can be satisfied with this result, but when you come so close to victory, it’s also a bit disappointing," Tulett said. "The pace on the final climb was consistently high. I tried to follow Adam as best as I could, and when Isaac attacked, I reacted. In hindsight, I started my sprint a bit too early, but that was a split-second decision. In the end, Isaac was simply too strong."

According to Tulett, the race had two distinct phases. “It started off very calmly, and the tension built up toward the first passage of the Superga. The finale was high intense. Fortunately, we were alert at the right moments and positioned ourselves well. I think we executed that well. I’m happy to have secured a podium finish for the team in this tough edition of Milano-Torino. We need to carry this momentum into the upcoming races."

Here's the Milano-Torino report from Team Picnic-PostNL:

One of the oldest races on the calendar, Milano – Torino, saw the peloton return to route they last did in 2021 with two ascents of the Superga climb and its steep gradients. Team Picnic PostNL rode well together throughout the day on the flat approach; keeping each other safe and saving energy.

After being well positioned by the team, Juan Martinez and Kevin Vermaerke climbed strongly to make it over the climb in the reduced peloton of around 30 riders. From there, a fast descent followed before an infernal pace was set on the last ascent. Both Martinez and Vermaerke gave it their all but had to let go of the wheels of the leaders, riding it to the finish line as best as they could.

The peloton on the Superga Climb late in Milano-Torino. Sirotti photo

Team Picnic PostNL coach Phil West expressed: “We made a plan where everyone had a role to play in what was a flat first 140 kilometres before a difficult climbing circuit to finish. We showed some nice teamwork during the day and were able to bring Kevin and Juan to the first time up the Superga in a good way. Both of them then were in the selection of around 25 riders going over the climb the first time. From there, they came onto the climb the last time and at that point a super strong pace was set. The guys then just dug in and did their best they could on the climb. Overall we can be happy with the teamwork and the effort from the guys today.”

And here's the Milano-Torino report from Team Polti-VisitMalta:

Today at Milano-Torino, Team Polti VisitMalta was in the breakaway with Mattia Bais, who attacked once again after his move at Trofeo Laigueglia earlier this month. Later, Germán Gómez secured 23rd place at the Superga finish line.

The rider from Trentino broke away on the flat roads of Lombardy and Piedmont alongside four other riders and was caught after 130 kilometers at the top of the first ascent near the Basilica. At that point, he helped Gomez stay in the main group during the following (and decisive) repetition of the tough climb. The young Colombian held on impressively, finishing 1’17” behind the winner, Del Toro.

The race about to start. Sirotti photo

Bais: “On the first uphill there were just two of us attackers left at the front, I managed to hold on until the summit but with the headwind and UAE’s brutal acceleration there wasn’t much to do. I’m happy to have given my all and to keep leading the climbers’ classification in the Coppa Italia delle Regioni.”

Sports Director Giovanni Ellena: “We had a great presence in the race, executing our plan to be part of the break with Mattia and to stay with the best in the finale with Germán. A good sign ahead of our upcoming races in an increasingly packed calendar.”

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