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Sunday, December 7, 2025
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2024 Tour de France | 2024 Giro d'Italia
The person who talks most of his own virtue is often the least virtuous. - Jawaharlal Nehru
Les Woodland's book Tour of Flanders: The Inside Story - The rocky roads of the Ronde van Vlaanderen is available in print, Kindle eBook and audiobook versions. To get your copy, just click on the Amazon link on the right.
Upcoming racing:
- December 14: World Cup Namur
- December 23: Superprestige Heusden-Zolder
- December 26: World Cup Gavere
- December 29: Trofee Loenhout-Azencross
- December 30: Superprestige Diegem
- January 1: GP Sven Nys
Latest completed racing:
- November 16: Trofee Hamme-Flandriencross
- November 1: Trofee Oudenaarde-Koppenbergcross
- October 26: Superprestige Overijse-Vlaamse Druivencross
- October 14 - 19: Tour of Guangxi
- October 14 - 19: Tour of Holland
- October 19: Veneto Classic
- October 19: Japan Cup
- October 19: Chrono des Nations
- October 15: Giro del Veneto
- October 12: Paris-Tours
Here’s the team’s announcement:
After hanging up his race bike at the end of the season, Alessandro De Marchi will remain with Team Jayco AlUla as a sport director from 2026.
The 39-year-old Italian spent more than a decade racing at the top of cycling, becoming one of the most well-respected riders in the peloton. During his time as a professional, De Marchi racked up three Grand Tour stage victories, as well as claiming stage wins at top races such the Critérium du Dauphiné and Tour of the Alps, and at one-day races Giro dell’Emilia and Tre Valli Varesine.
Alessabdro De Marchi in pink before the start of stage 5 of the 2021 Giro d'Italia. Sirotti photo
After an 18-year career, and three seasons spent with GreenEDGE Cycling, De Marchi called time on his impressive career this year. He joins a strong line-up of sport directors at Team Jayco AlUla, where his recent experience in the peloton will be invaluable.
Alessandro De Marchi:
“I’ve been waiting a long time for this new position. I’m happy to finally take this step, and above all, I’m happy because I can begin this new journey in an organization I know, one that recognizes me, and one that has always valued me for who I am. I know I’ll be starting from scratch, I’ll begin to reconstruct myself in this new role, which I’d like to interpret a bit like I did as a rider: with passion and determination for a job I love. I’m also very intrigued to see and work on the process from a new perspective; it’s stimulating to think about how I can contribute now.”
Gene Bates – Team Jayco AlUla Sporting Manager:
“It is fantastic to have Alessandro staying with Team Jayco AlUla for the next phase of his cycling career. During his time in the peloton, Alessandro developed a reputation as an intelligent rider, and he is well respected within the bunch. The transition from rider to staff member can be a challenging one but one we believe he will flourish in and GreenEDGE Cycling will be a very good place for him to learn.”
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Paquot’s Team Inermarché-Wanty posted this:
Originally from Rocourt, the Walloon rider made his mark at Bingoal-Pauwels Sauces WB, achieving podium finishes at the 2021 Tour du Doubs and in a stage of the Tour du Limousin, before joining the World Tour at the age of 23. Thanks to his character, dedication, and generosity, he became known as a reliable and exemplary teammate who always gave his all for the team. Versatile and tactically astute, he contributed to the team’s success in every situation: controlling breakaways, protecting leaders from the wind, or guiding the sprint train. He played a key role in victories such as those of Biniam Girmay in Australia, Mike Teunissen in Norway, and Hugo Page’s first professional win at the Tour du Limousin.
Tom Paquot represented Intermarché-Wanty across the four corners of the globe, always bringing a contagious enthusiasm that made him a valued and motivating presence both on and off the bike. During his six-year professional career, Paquot rode in seven Monuments, across four different classics, and made his Grand Tour debut in 2024 at the Vuelta a España.
Tom Paquot on the Oude Kwaremont climb in the 2021 Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne race. Sirotti photo
"On a summer day back in 2011, I asked my parents for a bike, not knowing it would change my life. The child I was had no idea of the road ahead. No idea of the miles, the pain, the joy and all the moments that would shape me. I was never a prodigy. Never a natural champion. But I kept moving forward, with work, patience and a will that never gave up. I experienced victories, and many defeats. Every step shaped me. Every fall taught me how to stand back up. I want to say thank you to those who supported me, to those who celebrated my successes and especially to those who lifted me up when I was down."
"In 2018, I decided to give myself a real chance to see how far this journey could take me if I gave it everything I had. I went through rain, storms rainbows and bright, sunny days. All those seasons forged me more than any result. In 2021, ten years after my first pedal strokes, my passion became my job. My childhood dream became reality. I traveled the world, met incredible people, discovered new cultures and I lived every moment to the fullest. I am grateful for all messages and support in my sunny days and in the ones where everything felt like it was falling apart."
"Starting next year, there will be no more numbers pinned to my back. A chapter ends, and even if it tightens the chest a little, it’s time to turn the page. My story as a professional cyclist ends here. In a world that sometimes forgets athletes are human too, I’m proud I stayed true to myself. Proud that I kept my values and that I could share emotions in a time where everyone constantly compares themselves to others. I have no professional victory, but I earned something far greater: my family’s pride and the smiles of my teammates, in both good moments and bad ones. Never forget to look at life on the bright side is a message that helped me see clearly, progress, perform and stay happy. I will never be far from a bike, I owe it too much."
"Thank you, from the bottom of my heart." - Tom Paquot
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Here's the news from Alpecin-Deceuninck:
Alpecin-Deceuninck is proud to announce that Premier Tech will join the team as co-title partner from 2026 onward. The Canadian multinational has signed a six-year agreement (three years fixed with an option for three more) and will stand alongside Alpecin, title sponsor since 2020, and Canyon, bike partner since 2018.
The arrival of Premier Tech further strengthens the foundations on which the organisation has been built in recent years. Together with our existing partners, they will support the continued growth of both our men’s and women’s programmes, ensuring stability, ambition, and long-term development at every level.
Jasper Philipsen on the podium after stage 19 of the 2025 Vuelta a España. Sirotti photo
Team managers Philip and Christoph Roodhooft emphasise the significance of this expanded support structure:
“We are truly pleased to welcome Premier Tech as our co-title partner. This new partnership is a powerful sign of confidence in our project and in the way we operate, and it helps prepare us for the future. This commitment gives our organisation the continuity and stability needed to keep building in a sustainable way, across all parts of our structure, and for both our men’s and women’s teams.”
“With Premier Tech joining Alpecin at the top of our partner pyramid, we can invest with a long-term vision, strengthen our performance pathways, and accelerate the growth we have been pursuing in recent seasons. This collaboration allows us to look ahead with real ambition, knowing we have strong and like-minded partners who believe in the future we are shaping together. We will continue chasing victories at the highest level, across disciplines, with both women and men. At the same time, we will keep developing and reinforcing the backbone of our organisation, as we know this is the best guarantee for future success.”
"We are pleased that they will continue to be part of our structure as we move into the future. The partnership has also led to a strong personal relationship with Francis Van Eeckhout and his family. With Deceuninck staying onboard, we hope to live more memorable moments together.”
“This partnership reaffirms our ambition to be at the highest level of the sport and confirms our long-term commitment to cycling. We are joining forces with one of the most successful teams, with renowned athletes such as Mathieu van der Poel, Jasper Philipsen and Kaden Groves from the men’s team, as well as Puck Pieterse and Charlotte Kool from the women’s team. The team’s diversity, experience and depth will allow us to accelerate building bridges across all levels of the sport while sparking new talent,” says Jean Bélanger, President and Chief Executive Officer of Premier Tech.
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Here’s the sponsorship announcement from Premier Tech:
Premier Tech is deepening its commitment to cycling by becoming co-title sponsor of the Belgian teams Alpecin – Premier Tech and FENIX – Premier Tech as of the 2026 season.
Through this partnership with Wielerteam Ciclismo Mundial BV, Premier Tech continues its presence at the men’s WorldTour level with Alpecin – Premier Tech, and will now also support a women’s WorldTour program FENIX – Premier Tech.
Premier Tech becomes one of the main partners of Wielerteam Ciclismo Mundial BV and its multidisciplinary ecosystem, with athletes competing in multiple event categories: road cycling, cyclo-cross, gravel, mountain biking and track cycling.
“This partnership reaffirms our ambition to be at the highest level of the sport and confirms our long-term commitment to cycling. We are joining forces with one of the most successful teams, with renowned athletes such as Mathieu van der Poel, Jasper Philipsen, Kaden Groves from the men’s team, as well as Puck Pieterse and Charlotte Kool from the women’s team. The team’s diversity, experience and depth will allow us to accelerate how we build bridges across all levels of the sport while sparking new talent,” says Jean Bélanger, president and chief executive officer of Premier Tech.
Mathieu van der Poel finishes stage 7 of the 2025 Tour de France. Sirotti photo
Team managers Philip and Christoph Roodhooft emphasize the significance of this expanded support structure: “We are truly pleased to welcome Premier Tech as our co-title partner. This new partnership is a powerful sign of confidence in our project and in the way we operate, and it helps prepare us for the future. This commitment gives our organization the continuity and stability needed to keep building in a sustainable way, across all parts of our structure, and for both our men’s and women’s teams. With Premier Tech joining Alpecin at the top of our partner pyramid, we can invest with a long-term vision, strengthen our performance pathways, and accelerate the growth we have been pursuing in recent seasons. This collaboration allows us to look ahead with real ambition, knowing we have strong and like-minded partners who believe in the future we are shaping together. We will continue chasing victories at the highest level, across disciplines, with both women and men. At the same time, we will keep developing and reinforcing the backbone of our organization, as we know this is the best guarantee for future success.”
Back to news and opinion index page for links to archived stories | Commentary