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Wednesday, January 31, 2024
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2023 Tour de France | 2023 Giro d'Italia
There is only one boss. The customer. And he can fire everybody in the company from the chairman on down, simply by spending his money somewhere else. - Sam Walton
Bill and Carol McGann's book The Story of the Tour de France, 2019: A Year of New Faces is available in both Kindle eBook and audiobook versions. To get your copy, just click on the Amazon link on the right.
Current racing:
- Jan 30-Feb 3: AlUla Tour (formerly Saudi Tour)
- Jan 31 - Feb 4: Etoile de Besseges
- Jan 31 - Feb 4: Volta a La Comunitat Valenciana
Upcoming racing:
- Feb 8 - 11: Tour de la Provence
Latest completed racing:
- Jan 24-28: Challenge Vuelta Ciclista a Mallorca
- Jan 28: GP d'Ouverture-La Marseillaise
- Jan 28: Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race
- Jan 12-21: Santos Tour Down Under
- Jan 20: Clasica Comunitat Valenciana
- Jan 1: GP Sven Nys
- Dec 29: Exact Cross Loenhout-Azencross
- Dec 28: Superprestige Diegem
We posted the race organizer's report with the results.
Here's the report from stage one winner Casper van Uden's Team dsm-firmenich-PostNL:
A day destined to end in a sprint finish, Team dsm-firmenich PostNL rode brilliantly throughout, positioning fast finisher Casper van Uden for the finale who duly sprinted to the victory.
Casper van Uden takes stage one. Photo: Charly Lopez
From the flag drop Team dsm-firmenich PostNL set out with intent for the day, aiming to put into practice their hard work from over the winter, and set up a sprint in the finale with finisher Casper van Uden. Always under control, the peloton were able to bring back the breakaway heading into the finale where the team’s sprint train came forward en masse. Working superbly as a group, they took control at the front of the bunch and ensured that Van Uden was always safe and in position for the finale. After being dropped off in a great spot, Van Uden produced a devastating kick, opening up his sprint from afar and holding onto the line for a fantastic victory. It marks Team dsm-firmenich PostNL’s second win of the season already and Van Uden’s first professional win of his career so far, as the team moves into the race lead ahead of tomorrow’s second stage.
Speaking after the stage an elated Van Uden said: “All the boys did a really good job today. We had our own plan. I think it’s really nice that we were able to follow our own plan and focus on ourselves, the guys did a super job at that. Everyone around the race, those back at HQ, all did a super job, so I’m really happy to give back the win to everyone and to thank them all for believing in me.”
Team dsm-firmenich PostNL coach Roy Curvers: “As Hannibal from the A-team would say, I love it when a plan comes together. That’s how today went for us. We had a plan that we spoke about in the meeting last night and everyone was really committed to it. It was great to see the guys put that into practice out on the road and do a super job. Everyone was fully dedicated and believed in today and we executed it fantastically with Casper finishing it off in the sprint.”
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Here's the AlUla Tour report from second-place Dylan Groenewegen's Team Jayco AlUla:
Team Jayco AlUla sprinter Dylan Groenewegen came close to adding another stage win at the AlUla Tour to his list of palmares, finishing the opening stage with a tight photo finish sprint and second place.
The 149.1km stage from the Al Manshiray Train Station was animated by an early breakaway before coming back together in time for a bunch sprint. A crash inside 1.5kilometres saw Alessandro De Marchi go down and Groenewegen unclip his pedal, consequently losing some positions and his lead-out train.
The peloton racing in the desert. Photo: Charly Lopez/Pauline Ballet
The three-time AlUla Tour stage winner fought back, and despite being boxed in as the finish line drew closer, the rider from Amsterdam managed to find some air and sneak through a gap in the closing meters before lunging to the line and to a photo finish.
Groenewegen waited patiently but was denied the win by inches and with plenty more sprint opportunities to come, the Team Jayco AlUla rider remains confident and with extra fire in his belly to take that elusive victory.
Dylan Groenewegen:
“The team did a good job, but I almost crashed with 1.2km to go so I lost my pedal and a lot of positions and then I was a bit too far back in the U-turn. After this I was too far in the left corner, and I moved to bit then I started sprinting and, in the end, it is second so that’s not enough. Hopefully it won’t be like that the next time, I think I speed is ok so I am looking forward to the next chance.”
Tristan Hoffman – Sport Director:
“I think Dylan was the fastest but not the winner so he came in a little bit too late. He was boxed in in the last few 100 meters and the moment that it opened up he could get out, he was like a rocket, but the finish came just a little bit too early. Tomorrow will be a little bit different because in the final we do a four-kilometer climb and then it’s a little bit flatter than the last kilometer. It will depend on the wind and the race situation, maybe Dylan feels good and hangs in there and has a possibility, but I think tomorrow it’s a more open race.”
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Team Soudal Quick-Step posted this AlUla Tour report:
Soudal Quick-Step returned to the desert for the fourth edition of the rebranded Alula Tour, which got underway with a pan-flat stage around the Al Manshiya Train Station. For the sprinters’ teams targeting the victory at the end of the day it was pretty straightforward, with five men going clear early and being kept in check the entire time.
One of those who worked hard at the front of the peloton was also new Soudal Quick-Step rider Ayco Bastiaens, the 27-year-old Belgian spending large chunks of time at the front of the chasing group until the final 15 kilometers, when the last member of the breakaway was reeled in and the bunch was again as one.
The finale was a hectic one, with a crash at seven kilometers to go that forced Tim Merlier to take Bert Van Lerberghe’s bike and lose precious positions, and the presence of a very sharp hairpin just before the flamme rouge, which made everyone nervous and fragmented the lead-out trains.
As a result, it was every man for himself on the run-in to the line, but despite coming from a long way back and being without his trusted lead-out man, Tim Merlier clinched a solid third place in his first day of racing this season, as Casper Van Uden (DSM Firmenich-PostNL) took the win. It was the Belgian’s 16th top-three finish since joining the team at the start of last year and a confirmation he’ll be among the contenders for a stage victory in Saudi Arabia.
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Here’s the team’s announcement:
Lidl-Trek are pleased to announce that Eritrean climber Amanuel Ghebreigzabhier has signed a one-year contract renewal, bringing its men’s 2024 roster to a total of 29 riders. Ghebreigzabhier, a veteran of seven Grand Tours, counts a palmarès of four victories, including the African Continental title and three Eritrean national titles. His strength lies in the mountains, and will continue to offer support to Lidl-Trek’s GC leaders when the road turns uphill.
Lidl-Trek rider Amanuel Ghebreigzabhier climbing in stage six of the 2023 Tirreno-Adriatico. Sirotti photo
Speaking of his contract extension, Amanuel Ghebreigzabhier said: “I am obviously very happy to have the opportunity to continue my experience at Lidl-Trek for the fourth year. Over the years, I have always felt very well and comfortable in this group, with my teammates and staff. For me, the priority was to continue my career with this Team and I am very happy that, in the end, the call came.”
“If I look back, I think my experience with the Team has been a crescendo. The first year was good, but I knew I could give more. 2022 started well, then came the crash at the Volta a Catalunya and the long recovery. It wasn’t easy, but I think last year I was finally able to return to a good level. I lacked a bit of consistency, but the overall performance was good. I always put myself at the Team’s disposal and I think this helped to earn the trust for this new season.
“The opportunity to wear the Lidl-Trek jersey again is a great motivation for me. I feel good and the desire to leave my mark is strong. I will use the experience I have gained over the years to bring out the best of myself, to show my talent and prove that I can be an important part of this Team.”
Lidl-Trek General Manager Luca Guercilena added: “Amanuel is a late but worthy addition to our 2024 roster. He has proven his dedication to the Team during his time here, so when we decided to add another climbing domestique for this season, Amanuel was the natural choice. We hope to see him make the most of this opportunity to make the Team and his Eritrean fans proud.”
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