Bicycle Racing News and Opinion,
Tuesday, December 30, 2025
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2024 Tour de France | 2024 Giro d'Italia
The only things worth learning are the things you learn after you know it all. - Harry S Truman
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Current racing:
- December 30: Superprestige Diegem
Upcoming racing:
- January 1: GP Sven Nys
- January 17 - 25: Tour Down Under
- January 25: Classica Comunitat Valenciana 1969-GP Valencia
- January 28 - February 1: Challenge Ciclista Mallorca
- February 1: Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race
Latest completed racing:
- December 29: Trofee Loenhout-Azencross
- December 26: World Cup Gavere
- December 23: Superprestige Heusden-Zolder
- December 14: World Cup Namur
- 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
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Here’s the team’s news:
EF Education-EasyPost is proud to announce that Archie Ryan has agreed to extend his contract with the team.
Archie joined EF Education-EasyPost as a fresh-faced 21-year-old back in 2024, and after two years, the still fresh-faced rider has inked a new deal that will see him race in our colors for the coming seasons.
Archie Ryan winning the stage 4 of the 2024 Settimana Coppi e Bartali. Sirotti photo
“EF Education-EasyPost believed in me right from the very start. When I came to the team, I’d had a long period of injury, and the team gave me the opportunity to turn things around and grow. Ever since then, I’ve felt right at home,” Archie said after signing his contract extension.
“This is a team where I can develop, but the main reason I decided to re-sign with the team is the people. It feels like we have a really special group at EF Education-EasyPost, from the staff, all the way through to the riders. I want to stay here for at least a few more years,” Archie added.
Since joining the team, Archie has settled into life at EF Education-EasyPost and become a regular presence within the squad, thanks to his positive attitude and eagerness to light up races with his attacking style. It wasn’t long before he secured his first victory for the team, claiming a stage at Settimana Internazionale Coppi e Bartali in Italy. This season, the Irish rider achieved several notable top-ten finishes and made his grand tour debut at the Vuelta a España. For Archie, the decision to extend his contract with the team came down to two key factors: the environment within the team and where he felt his development would be best supported.
“I think that it’s a happy accident that some of my best friends before I joined the team are here. It works really well. In my first year with the team, it felt like I had one of my best mates with me at every race I went to, and as I got to know everyone else, that feeling hasn’t changed. They’re a great group of people, and when I look at other teams, I just know that I fit with this team the best,” he said.
“Development for me is about becoming more consistent and adapting to the WorldTour. I’ve not quite got into the swing of that yet, but I want to win bike races and get my hands in the air as much as possible. That’s why I ride a bike, so I want to build on my results in one-day races and stage races. This is the team that can help me do that,” Archie added.
For Archie, having the support and trust of his teammates is crucial, and he also draws significant inspiration from fellow EF Education-EasyPost rider, teammate, and friend Ben Healy.
“I think for anyone, Ben is a huge inspiration. As a friend, it’s special to see a rider like him develop over the last few years. It’s no surprise, for the people who know him, but he’s shown a pathway that inspires us to follow. That’s certainly the dream. It’s not an easy task or a certainty, but we want to try and follow in his footsteps,” Archie said.
For EF Pro Cycling CEO, Jonathan Vaughters, retaining Archie on a long-term deal ensures that the rider has the best possible environment for the coming years, and there’s hope that the 23-year-old can continue his progression and follow in Healy’s wake.
“When we brought him onto the team, Archie had some chronic injuries that held him back from turning pro elsewhere, but once he joined the team, he very quickly repaid our faith in him by demonstrating that he could race at the highest level,” Jonathan said.
“Extending his contract gives him more time to prove that he can win races in the WorldTour. He has very specific abilities as a rider, and one of these days, in one of these races that has a really explosive uphill finish, he’s going to pull something special off. We all believe in him.”
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Here's the team's post:
Complete results are here.
Wout van Aert endured a day of bad luck during the X2O Trophy cyclo-cross race in Loenhout. The 31-year-old Belgian was riding a strong race but suffered punctures at two crucial moments.
One day after the World Cup race in Dendermonde, the riders lined up again for a fast contest in Loenhout. Van Aert has already won this race four times in the past. The Belgian rider from Team Visma | Lease a Bike was sharp from the start and immediately featured in a large leading group.
In the third lap, Van Aert put in a powerful acceleration. Only Mathieu van der Poel was able to follow his pace. The pair quickly created a gap on the front, but halfway through the race Van Aert was struck by a puncture. He was soon caught by the chasers. In that group, Van Aert once again proved to be the strongest, but misfortune continued to follow him. Just as he forced another split, the three-time world champion suffered a second puncture. In the end, Van Aert finished outside the top ten.
Mathieu van der Poel wins the 2025 Loenhout-Azencross.
“I felt good and that’s why I decided to take the initiative early on. Mathieu and I were able to build up a lead quickly. He put me under pressure a few times, but I was determined to turn it into a duel today. In the end, the setbacks proved decisive. I punctured twice at very bad moments, far from the pit area. That’s disappointing, but the support from the fans along the course kept me motivated.”
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Here’s the team’s news release:
After four years alongside Team Polti VisitMalta (and Bustese Olonia, the youth squad with which the structure led by Ivan Basso and the Contador brothers has a close collaboration) Chiaravalli Group S.p.A. confirms and strengthens its partnership for 2026.
The brand of the company based in Cavaria con Premezzo (near Varese) an excellence active in industrial mechanics, special machining and components for the Motorcycle and Food sectors — will not only be present on digital channels and team vehicles, but will also feature prominently on the collar of the Polti VisitMalta jerseys. A synergy between two organisations from the same territory, steadily growing through mutual trust and a shared value-driven vision.
Ivan Basso, Polti VisitMalta’s Team Principal: “This partnership is entering its fifth season and is taking a major step forward with its presence on the jersey. It represents the evolution of a long-term shared project between a company and a team that truly believe in the development pathway of cycling. We have riders in our roster who had Chiaravalli Group S.p.A. as a sponsor during their Junior years and who now have it alongside them as professionals. I find this meaningful and truly special.”
Andrea Chiaravalli, CEO of Chiaravalli Group S.p.A.: “It’s a pleasure to renew and relaunch this partnership for another year. The personal relationship with Ivan has allowed us to connect with a unique organisation, investing in young talent and in our territory through a solid, forward-looking project. After seeing so many people — as riders or in other roles — successfully reach the Professional ranks following their journey with Bustese Olonia, being featured on the Polti VisitMalta jersey represents for us the closing of a circle, rewarding commitment, dedication and passion — in sport, in business and in life.”
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