Bicycle Racing News and Opinion,
Friday, August 4, 2023
Back to news and opinion index page for links to archived stories | Commentary | Our YouTube page
2022 Tour de France | 2023 Giro d'Italia
I believe in censorship. I made a fortune out of it. - Mae West
Bill & Carol McGann's book The Story of the Tour de France, 2021: The Little Cannibal Dominates is available in both Kindle eBook & audiobook versions. To get your copy, just click on the Amazon link on the right.
Current racing:
- July 29 - August 4: Tour of Poland
Upcoming racing:
- August 5 - 13: World Road Championships
- August 9 - 20: Volta a Portugal
- August 26 - Sept 17: Vuelta a España
Latest completed racing:
- July 31 - August 2: Tour de l'Ain
- July 30: Circuito de Getxo
- July 29: Clásica de San Sebastián
- July 26 - 27: Vuelta a Castilla y Leon
- July 22 - 26: Tour de Wallonie
- July 1 - 23: Tour de France
- July 2 - 6: Österreich Rundfahrt-Tour of Austria
- January - June 26: National Championships
- June 11 - 18: Tour de Suisse
We posted the report from third-place Geraint Thomas' Team Ineos Grenadiers with the results.
Here's the report from stage winner Mattia Cattaneo's Team Soudal Quick-Step:
Mattia Cattaneo became the latest Soudal Quick-Step member to win a race this season thanks to a flying ride in the Katowice individual time trial, held over a mainly flat 16.6km course. A three-time medallist in the discipline at the National Championships, Cattaneo rode a perfect race Thursday afternoon, when after a strong start he went fastest through the race’s only checkpoint.
Facing a strong field which included many specialists, including the reigning World Champion, Mattia continued to put in a fantastic display of power, keeping an average speed well over 51km/h that saw him improve the best time at the finish by 14 seconds. Despite a strong tailwind for the final riders at the start, nobody could get close to the result of the 32-year-old, who with a time of 19:10 became the first Italian to win a time trial at the Tour de Pologne since the race became part of the World Tour.
Mattia Cattaneo on his way to winning the stage.
The victory catapulted Cattaneo to fifth on the general classification, after starting out the day in 18th, just behind his teammate Ilan Van Wilder, another Soudal Quick-Step rider to produce a strong time trial in Katowice that helped the young Belgian move up to fourth ahead of the last stage.
“I worked hard in this discipline, improved a lot in the last couple of months, and to be rewarded with my first victory in a World Tour race means a lot to me, especially when I look over the classification and all the strong guys I beat. It’s also a result that boosts my confidence ahead of the World Championships, where I will try to go for a good result. I was relaxed at the start of the day, the parcours suited me, and as I like this type of effort, I gave everything out there. The fact that I made it into the top five overall after this win is a bonus, a really nice one.”
“Today I was also motivated by the fact that the last 500 meters of the ITT were the same as those of the stage in which Fabio crashed three years ago. That left me with a strange feeling at the end of the recon, but at the same time made me want to do my best, and I’m satisfied with the outcome”, Mattia – who recently extended his contract with Soudal Quick-Step until 2025 – explained after the stage.
Content continues below the ads
Here's the stage six report from second-place Joao Almeida's UAE Team Emirates:
Joao Almeida put in a fast performance against the clock to take 2nd place in the individual time-trial today on stage 6 of the Tour de Pologne in Katowice (16.6km).
The 24 year old put in a time of 19:23 with an average speed of 51.3kmph, just 12 seconds shy of stage winner Mattia Cattaneo (Soudal-Quick Step). Fisher-Black, Wellens and McNulty all entered the top-10 on the stage to underscore the time trialling pedigree within the team.
Joao Almeida after winning stage 16 of the 2023 Giro d'Italia. Sirotti photo
Almeida now sits 2nd in the GC on the same time as Matej Mohoric (Bahrain-Victorious) heading into the final stage tomorrow from Zabrze to Kraków (166.6km). UAE Team Emirates also lead the teams classification overall.
Almeida: “I did the best I could in the TT, for sure it’s a bit frustrating to lose by such a small margin but I did all I could but Mohoric was better so chapeau to him. I can look back and ask myself if I could have gained the extra second here or there but in the end it doesn’t matter, I’m pleased enough with the result and for sure it’s always better to be 2nd than 3rd.”
Content continues below the ads
Here’s the report from Tobias Foss’s Team Jumbo-Visma:
World time trial champion Tobias Foss has finished ninth in the sixth stage of the Tour de Pologne. It was a dress rehearsal for the 26-year-old Norwegian ahead of the world time trial championships in Glasgow on 11 August.
Foss made a promising start to his race against the clock. The Norwegian gained a handful of seconds on the number one rider at the first checkpoint and maintained his pace to the line. With a time of 19:31, he finished in ninth place.
Tobias Foss racing at the 2022 World Championships. Sirotti photo
"I can definitely be happy with that", Foss said. "This is my first race since suffering from COVID in May. I'm still not feeling 100 percent and finding it hard to recover between race days. I didn't have the best legs today, but luckily I could keep going until the end. The top ten was a realistic result for now."
Foss said he enjoyed wearing the rainbow jersey for almost an entire season. "It's been a great year. I've had many experiences and emotions that wouldn't have been possible without the jersey. It's a shame I didn't win in it, but maybe we can save that for next time."
As always, he was modest about his chances of extending his world title. "In any case, the course length suits me, and I'm motivated. Last year I was able to surprise everyone."
Sam Oomen, Team Jumbo-Visma's highest-placed rider in the general classification, suffered too much from injuries sustained in a crash on stage four. He dropped to 26th place in the general classification. Olav Kooij and Mick van Dijke did not start in the time trial. The young Dutchmen withdrew from the last two stages of the Tour de Pologne in preparation for the World Cup.
Content continues below the ads
Here’s the team’s announcement:
Lotto Dstny will be adding three new riders to the ProTeam next year. Jenno Berckmoes (22), Lionel Taminiaux (27) and Henri Vandenabeele (23) will ride in Lotto Dstny outfit in the upcoming seasons as the three Belgians each signed a two-year agreement.
“We are happy that these three talented Belgians are joining our Lotto Dstny project. With these riders, we are strengthening the team on different terrains. Vandenabeele is a promising climber, Berckmoes is someone for the hilly races and Taminiaux proved himself as an allrounder with a fast sprint. They are team players but also able to go for own results. They perfectly fit into our plans for the future”, says CEO Stéphane Heulot.
The young Belgian Henri Vandenabeele (23) is a familiar face at Lotto Dstny as he was already part of the Development Team in 2019 and 2020. During that time, Vandenabeele showed his climbing legs with amongst others a second place at the Giro U23 and Ronde de l’Isard.
“I got warm memories of my time in the Development Team and it’s really nice to be racing for the ProTeam the next two seasons”, says Vandenabeele. “I kept following Lotto Dstny and you just feel the team has taken some nice steps while they continue to invest in the future. To see the evolution of a rider like Maxim Van Gils – who’s been my teammate for two years – really motivates me.”
“After a season with quite some bad luck, mainly due to illness, I needed a fresh start. I am happy to be granted the opportunity by Lotto Dstny but I’m also grateful to Team DSM-firmenich for the past years. At the moment, the focus is on getting healthy again and gradually growing towards my normal level. I remain ambitious and want to show myself in races with lots of climbing but I am also looking forward to discover some of the Classics.”
Jenno Berckmoes (22) steps up from Team Flanders-Baloise. The rider from Sint-Lievens-Houtem turned pro last year, got a taste of the races he’s been dreaming of and looks forward to the next step in his career.
“I’ve been pro for almost two years now and I already learned a lot during that period. I feel ready for the next step and I think Lotto Dstny is a logical choice”, explains Berckmoes. “It’s a Belgian team with lots of ambition, that’s crystal clear. I immediately felt the connection and I am really excited about the plans the team has in store for me.”
“I would describe myself as a puncheur and I’m dreaming of races like Brabantse Pijl, Amstel Gold Race and Liège-Bastogne-Liège. I look forward to assisting guys like Andreas Kron and Maxim Van Gils, who were up there at the very front during the Ardennes Classics. In the future, I’d also like to show myself in these races.”
Lionel Taminiaux (27) will exchange Alpecin-Deceuninck for Lotto Dstny next year. The 27-year-old Belgian is at his best during hilly one-day Classics. His strong sprint already delivered him three victories and places of honour in amongst others Circuit de Wallonie, Bredene Koksijde Classic and Binche-Chimay-Binche.
Lionel Taminiaux wins the 2019 Roue Tourangelle.
“I am someone who likes to race offensively and doesn’t want to wait for a bunch sprint, that is why Lotto Dstny is a perfect match”, says Taminiaux. “I was looking for that next step in my career and I immediately got a good feeling about the team when speaking to the management. I feel that I’ve not yet been able to fully discover my potential and I hope to realize this within Lotto Dstny.”
“My role in the team will be twofold. As a Belgian, I want to further discover the Classics and see how far I can go. I’m not talking about Monuments but races like Nokere Koerse, GP Samyn should suit me well. I really admire the evolution of a rider like Milan Menten for example (who won GP Samyn this year). I will also put myself at the service of the team, possibly as a lead-out. I know Arnaud De Lie quite well and I look forward to be racing together with him”, concludes Taminiaux.
Back to news and opinion index page for links to archived stories | Commentary