Bicycle Racing News and Opinion,
Tuesday, April 15, 2025
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2024 Tour de France | 2024 Giro d'Italia
One never notices what has been done; one can only see what remains to be done. - Marie Curie
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Current racing:
- April 15 - 18: Giro d'Abruzzo
Upcoming racing:
- April 18: De Brabantse Pijl
- April 20: Amstel Gold Race
- April 20: Tour du Doubs
- April 21 - 25: Tour of the Alps
- April 23: La Flèche Wallonne
Latest completed racing:
- April 12-13: Paris-Roubaix
- April 7 - 12: Vuelta Ciclista al Pais Vasco
- April 8 - 11: Region Pays de la Loire Tour
- April 9: Scheldeprijs
- April 6: Ronde van Vlaanderen
- April 5: GP Miguel Indurain
- April 5: Volta NXT Classic
- 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
Ayco Bastiaens’ Team Soudal Quick-Step posted this:
Ayco Bastiaens suffered a broken left collarbone after crashing in the first part of Sunday’s Paris-Roubaix.
The 28-year-old Belgian, who was riding his second Monument of the season after Milano-Sanremo, was immediately taken to the hospital, where the scans revealed the fracture. He will undergo surgery on Monday, at the hospital in Herentals.
Ayco Bastiaens Getty Sport photo
Everybody at Soudal Quick-Step wishes Ayco a speedy recovery.
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Zingle's Team Visma | Lease a Bike posted this news:
Team Visma | Lease a Bike rider Axel Zingle will not be starting in Flèche Brabançonne, Amstel Gold Race, and Liège-Bastogne-Liège. The Frenchman crashed in the fifth stage of Itzulia Basque Country, where he suffered from a dislocated shoulder. Due to this injury, Axel is out of competition for several weeks.
Axel Zingle winning the 2023 Classic Loire Atlantique
Axel Zingle: "Of course it’s difficult not to be able to take part in the Flèche Brabançonne, Amstel Gold Race, and Liège–Bastogne–Liège. These races were really a main goal for me. My shoulder is still too fragile to race, so the focus is now on rehabilitation. Fortunately, I can tell that I’m recovering well, but these races are just coming too soon."
It is currently unclear when Axel will return to racing.
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Here's the news from Team Israel-Premier Tech:
Abruzzo is one of Italy’s most enchanting regions, offering a mix of golden beaches and vineyards nestled on eye-catching ridges — in short, a perfect tourist destination.
But it’s hard to believe that any of this beauty will register with our seven riders as they line up Tuesday morning for the Giro d’Abruzzo. Over four demanding days, they’ll face a brutally tough climbing challenge — with over 10,000 meters of elevation gain. Three of the four stages finish uphill or on a rising slope, and tired legs or an off day could quickly mean an early exit.
“Abruzzo is going to be a tough test for everyone — even the experienced riders, and certainly for the younger guys in the squad, some of whom are getting their first taste of pro racing,” says Sports Director Lahav Davidzon.
The team’s strategy is clear: it’s all for George Bennett. The seasoned New Zealander delivered an impressive ride at this race a year ago, finishing third overall, and he’ll be aiming to match — or even improve on — that performance.
Sam Bennett winning stage three of the 2025 Tour of Provence.
“I’m expecting a good race with such a young squad,” Bennett says, noting that aside from his IPT teammate Stevie Williams, the rest of the roster is made up of Academy riders. “Hopefully, with their help, I can achieve an even better result than in 2024 — and use this race as preparation for the Ardennes.”
Two of the riders, Finlay Tarling from the UK and Roei Edinger from Tel Adashim, Israel, are just 18 years old. For the talented Israeli, it’s set to be his very first professional race — and there’s no doubt he’s being thrown straight into the deep end. “This is a very tough challenge for him,” says Davidzon. “But we believe he has what it takes.”
Edinger adds: “To be honest, I don’t really know what to expect — I’m coming from the junior level, and the racing there is a completely different story. But I feel ready, physically and mentally, and I believe I can prove I belong here.”
Meanwhile, Williams — without question Israel – Premier Tech’s standout rider of 2024 — arrives in Abruzzo after a pause in racing due to injury. He’ll be aiming to restart his season here.
“I’ve been dealing with a bit of a knee injury in the last weeks so I’ve been focused on my recovery and I’m looking forward to returning to the start line,” Williams says. “I’m using Abruzzo as a kind of reset button for the season. If everything goes well here, I hope to be back at the Ardennes before gradually building back to peak form for the summer and the Tour de France.”
Israel – Premier Tech at Il Giro d’Abruzzo (Tuesday April 15 – Friday April 18)
Riders: George Bennett (NZL), Roei Edinger (ISR), Imry Faingezicht (ISR), Moritz Kretschy (GER), Fin Tarling (GBR), Kiaan Watts (NZL), Stevie Williams (GBR)
Sports Directors: Ruben Plaza (ESP), Lahav Davidzon (ISR)
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And here's the Giro d'Abruzzo preview from Team Polti-VisitMalta:
The Italian calendar continues for Team Polti VisitMalta, which faces four hard and demanding stages in Abruzzo in order to continue polishing its form for the Giro d’Italia.
From Tuesday, the peloton will compete in a route that will have its most easiest day precisely in the first stage near Pescara. The rest of the days increase in difficulty, with the up and down of the second stage on the road to Penne, the queen stage with 160 kilometres and the ascent to Roccaraso (17 kilometres of ascent) on the third day, or the final day which will be the longest with 164 kilometres on a hilly terrain on the road to Isola del Gran Sasso.
Polti VisitMalta will start the race with Ludovico Crescioli, Davide De Cassan, Alex Martin, Gabriele Raccagni, Fernando Tercero, Alessandro Tonelli and Samuele Zoccarato. Cyclists for the hardest stages and also to be protagonists in the rest of the days, through breakaways or winning moves.
Alessandro Tonelli (shown at the 2022 Giro d'Italia) will start the 2025 Giro d'Abruzzo. Sirotti photo
Davide De Cassan: ‘We are prepared and motivated to do well in the four days, I think that because of the characteristics of each day is a real opportunity to do well, so we face the race with that ambition’.
Stefano Zanatta: “There will be four days with a lot of elevation gain, the easiest day is the first one in which a sprint can take place, while the queen stage will be the third day with the top finish at Roccaraso. I think we have a complete team to do well, with climbers like Tercero or Álex Martín and riders who will also fight like Tonelli and De Cassan. The level of the rivals will be high, but I’m sure we can get a good result”.
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