Bicycle Racing News and Opinion,
Monday, October 30, 2023
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2023 Tour de France | 2023 Giro d'Italia
Have a heart that never hardens, and a temper that never tires, and a touch that never hurts. - Charles Dickens
Les Woodland's book Cycling's 50 Triumphs and Tragedies: The rise and fall of bicycle racing's champions is available in print, Kindle eBook & audiobook versions. To get your copy, just click on the Amazon link on the right.
Upcoming racing:
Latest completed racing:
- Oct 28: Superprestige Ruddervoorde
- Oct 22: Superprestige Overijse-Vlaanse Druivencross
- Oct 12 - 17: Tour of Guangxi
- Oct 15: Japan Cup
- Oct 15: Chrono des Nations
- Oct 15: Veneto Classic
- Oct 11: Giro del Veneto
- Oct 8: Paris-Tours
Here’s the team’s announcement:
Movistar Team set to bring back to their roster in 2024 a symbol of their recent history and a reference of sports in Latin America, their paths back together after five years
A new hope for the man who changed the history of his sport in Colombia. Movistar Team confirms Saturday that Nairo Quintana (Cómbita, Boyacá, COL; 1990) will be a member of its professional roster in 2024.
Nairo Quintana on the Alpe d'Huez in the 2022 Tour de france. Sirotti photo
The squad managed by Eusebio Unzué open their doors to a legend of their organisation, one of the riders achieving the most resounding success for the Telefónica brand since it started backing Abarca Sports’ teams in 2011.
Quintana returns, five seasons later, to wear the Blue colours after his first spell from 2012 to 2019, years in which he turned into a beacon and representative for Latin America, well beyond cycling and sports in general.
Nairo Quintana:
“It’s super emotional for me to be back home. It’s been such a tough year. The sleepless nights, so many days of sacrifice, going on my bike and trying to keep pushing, under the rain or the scorching sun. But it was all worth it. I won’t waste this opportunity. I know the values of the team, the values of sport. I will give my everything do things right, and I want to help the team achieve the best results. I’m so incredibly thankful to the Movistar Team, Telefónica, the squad, the whole squad, for this great opportunity, which I’ve been waiting for for so long. With all my heart and my legs, I’ll do my best to make them, as well as the fans, happy and proud. I hope this era now starting will be a really successful one for the team.”
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Here's the post from van Empel's Team Jumbo-Visma:
Fem van Empel has won the World Cup field trial in Maasmechelen for the second year in a row. The 21-year-old World Champion of Team-Jumbo-Visma dominated the technical course from start to finish. The victory was the fifth of the season for the still unbeaten Van Empel.
Fem van Empel winning the World Cyclocross Championships ealier this year.
She put the pressure on her rivals from the start. On the first lap, only Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado could match Van Empel's pace. When Alvarado suffered a mechanical failure on the second lap, the reigning world champion was alone at the front. She systematically extended her lead to over a minute and rode to her second World Cup victory of the season.
"I didn't have the best feeling on the first lap, but I'm happy with the way I finished the race", Van Empel said. "I had a good start, but it wasn't until the second lap that I found my rhythm. After that, it was up to me to keep a high pace to keep the riders behind me at bay. It was not always easy to estimate my lead, but fortunately, the people on the side kept me informed about the time differences."
Van Empel has enjoyed a perfect start to the season. After four previous victories, she was also the strongest at her fifth cross. "Before the season started, I thought it would be crazy to do better than last year. But at the moment, I'm actually doing even better. I know there might come a time when things don't go so well. This is something special, so I'm enjoying every moment."
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Next Saturday, the European Championships will take place in Pontchâteau, France. Van Empel will be there as the defending champion. "A championship is always a special race. On a day like this, everything has to be perfect to win. It will also be important to stay fit next week. I'm looking forward to it, but first, I hope to get a good result at the Koppenbergcross on Wednesday", Van Empel concluded.
Women's race results:
- Fem van Empel 51min 46sec
- Ceylin Alvarado @ 1min 28sec
- Aniek Van Alphen @ 1min 42sec
- Inge Van Der Heijden @ 2min 0sec
- Marie Schreiber @ 2min 3sec
Men's race results:
- Lars Van Der Haar 1hr 2min 43sec
- Eli Iserbyt @ 21sec
- Laurens Sweeck @ 27sec
- Niels Vandeputte @ 30sec
- Felipe Orts Lloret @ 32sec
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