Bicycle Racing News and Opinion,
Saturday, April 5, 2025
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2024 Tour de France | 2024 Giro d'Italia
It suddenly struck me that that tiny pea, pretty and blue, was the Earth. I put up my thumb and shut one eye, and my thumb blotted out the planet Earth. I didn't feel like a giant. I felt very, very small. - Neil Armstrong
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Current racing:
- April 5: GP Miguel Indurain
- April 5: Volta NXT Classic
Upcoming racing:
- April 6: Ronde van Vlaanderen
- April 7 - 12: Vuelta Ciclista al Pais Vasco
- April 8 - 12: Region Pays de la Loire Tour
- April 9: Scheldeprijs
- April 13: Paris-Roubaix
Latest completed racing:
- April 4: Route Adélie de Vitre
- April 2: Dwars door Vlaanderen
- April 2: Paris - Camembert Lepetit
- March 24 - 30: Volta Ciclista a Catalunya
- March 30: Gent - Wevelgem
- March 30: La Roue Tourangelle
- March 25 - 29: Settimana Internazionale Coppi e Bartali
- March 28: E3 Saxo Bank Classic
- March 26: Classic Brugge-De Panne
- March 22: Milano-Sanremo
- March 21: Bredene Koksijde Classic
- March 20: GP de Denain
Here's the update from team Visma | Lease a bike:
The Tour of Flanders is one of the main objectives for Team Visma | Lease a Bike every year. With a strong collective, the Dutch WorldTeam is once again aiming for a top result this year. Wout van Aert, Matteo Jorgenson, and head of racing Grischa Niermann look ahead to the second Monument of 2025.
With a high-altitude training camp in March, Van Aert has once again specifically prepared for the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix. The Belgian is in good form and looks forward to one of the most important races of the year. "The Tour of Flanders is always a highlight of my season. The history, the course, the fans—Flanders remains incredibly special to race as a Belgian. This year, I’ve once again peaked towards the cobbled Monuments, and I believe we showed in Dwars door Vlaanderen last Wednesday—despite the disappointing outcome—that as a team, we are ready to fight."
Wout van Aert before the start of this year's Dwars door Vlaanderenn. Sirotti photo
The highly versatile rider from Belgium starts as one of the outsiders on Sunday. "For me, it’s new to go into the Tour of Flanders without the status of an absolute favorite. That doesn’t change the fact that both I and the rest of the team are extremely motivated to make it a great race on Sunday."
Alongside Van Aert, Jorgenson is one of Team Visma | Lease a Bike’s key riders. The American looks back on a remarkable 2024 edition, where he showed himself early in the race. "Because Wout crashed beforehand, we had to change our plans. I was racing for victory but blew up chasing Mathieu van der Poel. This year, I want to make it as far into the final as possible again. We’ll see what that brings. I’ve already had a long spring campaign, but I’m still highly motivated. I think with Wout, Tiesj Benoot, Dylan van Baarle, Per Strand Hagenes, and myself, we have multiple options to play a key role in this race."
Last Wednesday, Team Visma | Lease a Bike also used that strength in Dwars door Vlaanderen. Despite an impressive team performance, they were left disappointed. "Of course, Dwars door Vlaanderen was a big disappointment”, comments head of racing Grischa Niermann. “When you dominate a race like that, execute the plan almost perfectly, and arrive at the finish with three riders against just one competitor, you have to win. But after that disappointment, we’ve also taken the time to reflect on the positives. We executed our plan to take control of the race early and attack perfectly, imposing our will on the peloton. That’s what we stand for, and that’s what we should remember from Wednesday."
However, Niermann acknowledges that the Tour of Flanders is a different story. "The race and the competition in Flanders are much tougher. We don’t have the top favorite in our team, so we need to use our collective strength. We’re confident we can play our role. Everyone is in good shape—from Edoardo Affini and Tosh Van der Sande to Matteo and Wout. The Tour of Flanders is one of the most beautiful races of the year and always one of our main goals. Everyone is looking forward to making it a great race."
The Tour of Flanders course covers no less than 270 kilometers. This year, the race starts in Bruges and finishes, as always, in Oudenaarde. Van Aert, Jorgenson, Benoot, Van Baarle, Hagenes, Affini, and Van der Sande will have to tackle sixteen climbs and seven cobbled sectors on Sunday.
Here's the Tour of Flanders preview from Team Lotto:
The unique new jersey, unveiled yesterday to celebrate 40 years of Lotto in the peloton, is ready. The excitement for the Tour of Flanders is building. This morning, Lotto Cycling Team took one final recon ride over the cobbles and Flemish hills. Jenno Berckmoes and Arjen Livyns, feeling strong, look ahead: "We may not have a clear leader at the moment, but we have shown ourselves in every race so far."
That brand-new jersey, designed to celebrate 40 years of Lotto in the peloton, will stay in the wardrobe a little longer—until Sunday, when the real moment arrives. But for today’s recon ride, new bikes were unveiled. Bike manufacturer Orbea has showcased unique custom paintwork for "Flanders’ Finest," highlighting their personalized paint project, ‘MyO.’ A true gift for the Lotto Cycling Team riders and an extra boost for Sunday. Jenno Berckmoes and Arjen Livyns are heading into the race with plenty of motivation.
The new Lotto jersey.
"Our team is ready," says Jenno Berckmoes. "Of course, we’re missing our leader, Arnaud De Lie, but over the past few weeks, we’ve shown in almost every race that we can compete. We’ve already proven that we are strong as a team. I see no reason why we wouldn’t be there again on Sunday when the race opens up. At the very least, we’ll give it everything to try. There are two, maybe three, top favorites, but behind them, anything is possible. We’ll race with an open mind."
Arjen Livyns agrees: "An ideal scenario would be to reach the first climb of the Oude Kwaremont with a small group and a gap. If you’re left with ten riders ahead of the main peloton, opportunities open up. That’s a chance we can’t afford to miss. The legs on Sunday will decide who from our team has to go with the move, but we won’t give ourselves away too soon."
Lennert Van Eetvelt will also be at the start for the first time. The Lotto Cycling Team climber had already expressed his desire to race the Tour of Flanders back in December. He skipped this afternoon’s press conference as a precaution after feeling unwell when stepping off the team bus, but he expects that some extra rest will help him recover in time.
"We’re still assuming that plan A remains in place," says sports director Nikolas Maes. "Lennert at the start of the Tour of Flanders is no surprise to us. We believe in his abilities. He knows the course and has done extensive reconnaissance. Theoretically, he should be able to handle the Flanders route. If he can prove himself after the second ascent of the Kwaremont, survive the early positioning battles, and still be in contention by the Taaienberg, then we could see him achieving a strong result here."
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Team Bahrain Victorious posted this Flanders update:
Team Bahrain Victorious is ready for the 109th edition of the Ronde van Vlaanderen on Sunday, April 6—cycling’s second Monument of the season and one of the sport’s most prestigious crowns, renowned for its relentless cobbles, steep bergs, and electric atmosphere.
Starting in Bruges, the 269km route is the longest of the Belgian Classics. The race truly comes to life 128km in, when the peloton tackles the first of 16 climbs, beginning with the initial ascent of the Oude Kwaremont. From that point on, the intensity builds with every kilometer, as riders face a punishing series of bergs and cobbles. Among them is the infamous Koppenberg, with its brutal 22% gradients, which will be a key point—after causing chaos in last year’s edition when many riders were forced to dismount mid-climb. The final showdown features a second ascent of the Oude Kwaremont followed quickly by the decisive Paterberg, before the remaining contenders race into Oudenaarde for the finish after 17km of fast, exposed roads.
Fred Wright will lead the Bahrain Victorious squad, coming into the race in high spirits after a strong showing at Dwars door Vlaanderen. With his form peaking at the right time, Wright will be aiming for another top performance in one of the sport’s most iconic races.
Fred Wright racing in the 2023 Tour of Flanders. Sirotti photo
Matej Mohorič takes on the role of road captain, bringing tactical leadership and experience to the squad. He will guide the promising young duo of Roman Ermakov and Vlad Van Mechelen, both eager to make their mark in their Ronde debuts. For Van Mechelen, racing on home roads makes the experience even more special.
Kamil Gradek and Phil Bauhaus return to bolster the Spring Classics lineup, adding strength and stability across the demanding terrain, while Andrea Pasqualon completes the roster with his grit and veteran savvy.
Sports Director Michal Golas commented:
“Flanders is a race like no other – it’s brutal, beautiful, and full of history. We have a strong and balanced squad, mixing experience with youthful energy. Fred is in great shape, and with Matej guiding the team on the road, we’re aiming to be in the mix when it matters most.
There are some really strong guys we expect to be up there—like Mathieu and Tadej—but we know that if we get into the right moves, we can be there to fight for a good result. Fred has a history of following the right wheels and getting results, with two top-10 finishes in this race.”
Team Intermarché-Wanty posted this Tour of Flanders news:
This Sunday 6th of April, Intermarché-Wanty competes in the second Monument of the season with the Tour of Flanders, which returns to the Main Square of Bruges for the 109th edition featuring sixteen climbs and seven cobbled sectors in the Flemish Ardennes.
The 269 kilometer route initially follows flat roads until the first passage of the Old Kwaremont halfway through the race. There are several small changes compared to the previous editions, for example the return of the Eikenberg and the order of the initial difficulties, but the finale retains its traditional format, with the double sequence of the Old Kwaremont and Paterberg, with the Koppenberg, Steenbeekdries, Taaienberg, and Hotond in between. From the last passage of the Paterberg, there are still 13 kilometers to the finish in Oudenaarde.
Biniam Girmay leads in a group at the end of this year's Dwars door Vlaanderen. Sirotti photo
After their recent top 10 finish in Gent-Wevelgem, Biniam Girmay and Laurenz Rex will race their second Monument of the season, as does Jonas Rutsch. Roel van Sintmaartensdijk will make his Tour of Flanders debut, accompanied by Vito Braet and the experienced Adrien Petit and Gijs Van Hoecke, with 25 and 21 Monuments to their names, respectively, and under the direction of Aike Visbeek, Dimitri Claeys, and Pieter Vanspeybrouck.
“Returning to Bruges for the start of the Tour of Flanders brings back vivid memories of my debut two years ago. The team presentation on the Main Square was truly special, especially with the heartfelt birthday serenade and the message of my wife on the big screen. The incredible energy of the crowds in the Monuments gives you goosebumps. That’s why the Oude Kwaremont is my favorite climb in Flanders, with so many people cheering for us, no matter the weather circumstances. We’ve done it twice during our recon of the Tour of Flanders this Thursday. It was warm and sunny, we really enjoyed it. Today, Friday, is dedicated to complete rest and recovery because it has been a very intense week with the E3 Classic, Ghent-Wevelgem and Dwars door Vlaanderen. With Paris-Roubaix added to my schedule it will be the first time I will participate in three Monuments and I can’t wait to make them count with Intermarché-Wanty!” - Biniam Girmay
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And here's the Tour of Flanders news from Colby Simmons' Team EF Education -EasyPost:
On Sunday, Colby Simmons will race onto the WorldTour stage for the first time at the Tour of Flanders.
The American from Durango, Colorado just stepped up to our EF Education-EasyPost roster from EF Education-Aevolo and will ride his first race on the squad at the Ronde van Vlaanderen. Strong rides at the Tour of Rhodes, where he finished third on GC, and Coppi e Bartali, where he raced alongside his new WorldTour teammates, proved Colby’s strength and his skills. Now, he is ready to put them to the test in one of the sport’s toughest arenas. The Ronde van Vlaanderen is a huge race for Colby to make his WorldTour debut. He did a recon of the course today with his new teammates and is now buzzing for Sunday’s start in Brugge.
Colby Simmons
“It’s just crazy to be here,” Colby said. “Obviously, the morale is really high with how well Dwars went for Neilson. Everybody is super motivated. Just seeing the other teams, the fans on the side of the road, you can really tell that this is one of the biggest events of the year. I came here with my parents to watch my brother race junior Paris-Roubaix and we spectated Flanders. That was 2019 and Bettiol won for EF. From watching the race to actually being in the race, I can't even put it into words.”
Colby is an explosive rider, well suited to punchy climbs like the ones he is going to hit Sunday at De Ronde. With his peloton skills, climbing ability, and fast finish, he will be a strong addition to our squad. He had his best season yet in 2024, when he finished second on GC at the Tour Alsace and was the best young rider. His favorite race that he has done so far was Paris-Roubaix Espoirs. One of Colby’s boyhood dreams was to ride onto the velodrome at the finish of the pro race. He might just get his chance at Paris-Roubaix next week.
First, he is focused on Flanders and absorbing all of the experience that he can from new teammates like Neilson Powless.
“I can definitely learn quite a bit from him,” Colby says. “It is super sweet to have another American and be on an American team. The main thing he said is to just stay relaxed, because when you're on the cobbles, you feel the need to be super tense, but you really just want to roll your way through it. You want to finesse it in a way and not grab the handlebar super tight and just roll with it.”
Colby will take the same relaxed approach to the rest of the season. He wants to help his teammates out as best as he can and race his bike fast without letting the pressure get to him.
“I just want to do what I can for the guys and pedal hard,” Colby says. “Every race is an opportunity and I like to race my bike.”
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Here's the team's post:
Vitoria-Gasteiz, the city where Deportivo Alaves – Mikel Landa’s favourite football team – is based in, will host the start of the 64th edition of Itzulia Basque Country. An 18.7km individual time trial, the longest seen there since 2018, will be responsible for the first important gaps between the general classification contenders, who twenty-four hours later should enjoy a much calmer day on the roads between Pamplona and Lodosa.
The next four days will comprise more than two dozen climbs, some of which featuring nasty double-digit gradients, that will give the yellow jersey favourites plenty of opportunities to show their intentions. There won’t be any uphill finishes this year, but the proximity of the typical short but steep Basque Country ascents close to the line should be enough for those keen on attacking and making the difference.
Gianmarco Garofoli, British Champion Ethan Hayter, James Knox, Maximilian Schachmann, Paris-Nice top 10 finisher Ilan Van Wilder, Mauri Vansevenant and Tour of Oman stage winner Louis Vervaeke are the seven riders making up Soudal Quick-Step’s team for the first World Tour stage race of the month.
Ethan Hayter in 2023. Sirotti photo
“We have a strong squad, with two leaders, Max and Ilan, who are both very motivated. The first day ITT will be important for the general classification, as it can create some important gaps. From there, it’s the typical Basque Country parcours: short but steep climbs and narrow roads. All the boys are ready for next week, and we want to do a solid race and fight for a good result in the overall ranking of this hard and beautiful race”, said sports director Klaas Lodewyck.
Here’s the team’s news:
After being awarded a wildcard for the Giro d’Italia earlier this week, the Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team received an invitation to La Vuelta a España today. We announced that this year was going to be lit and we are happy to live up to our promises.
Doug Ryder, General Manager of the Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team, was nearly speechless with excitement.
“I’m absolutely thrilled about this invitation. La Vuelta has been a key goal for us this year. With a strong group of Spanish riders and staff, the energy within our team is electric.
Although this will be our first time competing in La Vuelta as a team, 15 of our 25 riders have experience in the race, with some securing stage podiums, victories, and even wearing the iconic red leader’s jersey. It is a tough undulating and mountainous race which suits us. There is also an individual and a team time trial to tackle. I have no doubt that we will make an impact from the opening stage in Piemonte, Italy, all the way to the grand finale in Madrid.”
Together 15 of our riders amass a total of 36 Vuelta starts dating all the way back to 2013. Tom Pidcock raced the Vuelta a España in 2021, aged 22 and being one of the youngest on the start line. His best result was a fourth place on stage 14 but now four years later, the Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team leader has big ambitions for his second Grand Tour of the season.
Tom Pidcock at the 2025 Milano-Sanremo rider presentation ceremony. Sirotti photo
Tom Pidcock said: “It’s very exciting that we’ve received an invitation to ride La Vuelta! I haven’t checked all the stages yet, but I do know there is one stage finish in Andorra. That’s where I live, so it’s definitely something to look forward to. This year’s edition also features the iconic climbs of Angliru and Bola del Mundo.
"I did my first Grand Tour four years ago in Spain and have great memories of it. Back then, everything was new, but this year, I go in with a lot more experience and higher expectations—especially with the Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team by my side.”
In just three seasons, Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team has risen to race the world’s biggest events. From our first WorldTour start at Strade Bianche in March 2023 to receiving two GrandTour wildcard entries in one season, our journey is built on performance and the long-term support of our partners.
Securing an invitation to La Vuelta a España is another defining moment in our growth, and we are ready to showcase our team’s relentless spirit on cycling’s grandest stage. We’re not just here to race—we’re here to light up the show.
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