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Saturday, May 10, 2025
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2024 Tour de France | 2024 Giro d'Italia
Only the guy who isn't rowing has time to rock the boat. - Jean-Paul Sartre
Les Woodland's book Paris-Roubaix: The Inside Story - All the bumps of cycling's cobbled classic is available in print, Kindle eBook & audiobook versions. To get your copy, just click on the Amazon link on the right.
Current racing:
- May 9 - June 1: Giro d'Italia
- May 10: GP du Morbihan
Upcoming racing:
- May 11: Tro-Bro Léon
- May 13 - 18: 4 Jours de Dunkerque
- May 17:
Veenendaal - VeenendaalCancelled - May 18: Rund um Köln
Latest completed racing:
- May 9: Tour du Finistère
- April 27 - May 4: Tour of Turkey
- April 29 - May 4: Tour de Romandie
- May 1: Rund um den Finanzplaz Eschborn-Frankfurt
- April 27: Liège-Bastogne-Liège
- April 24 - 27: Vuelta Asturias
- April 21 - 25: Tour of the Alps
- April 23: La Flèche Wallonne
- April 20: Amstel Gold Race
- April 20: Tour du Doubs
- April 15 - 18: Giro d'Abruzzo
- April 18: De Brabantse Pijl
We posted the report from stage winner Mads Pedersen's Team Lidl-Trek with the results.
Mikel Landa medical update from Team Soudal Quick-Step:
Mikel Landa abandoned the first Grand Tour of the year after a crash on the opening stage.
The Basque climber, who was present at the Giro d’Italia for the eighth time in his career, hit the ground in a corner with five kilometers to go, as the peloton was heading to Tirana, where the stage was supposed to conclude.
Mikel Landa at the teams presentation ceremony on Wendesday, the seventh. Sirotti photo
Mikel was immediately taken to the hospital, where examinations and a CT scan revealed that Mikel had suffered a stable fracture of the Th 11 vertebra. This will require Mikel to remain in a stable lying position for an extended period of time.
He will remain at the hospital overnight, before further assessment and a plan for this return home will be made.
Everybody at Soudal Quick-Step and the Wolfpack wishes Mikel a speedy recovery.
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Here's the Giro report from second-place Wout van Aert's Team Visma | Lease a Bike:
Wout van Aert remains in contention for the pink leader’s jersey after the opening stage of the Giro d’Italia. The 30-year-old Belgian was narrowly beaten in the sprint by Mads Pedersen after a tough finale.
The Grande Partenza of the 108th Giro d’Italia took place in Albania. The riders faced a 160-kilometer opening stage between Durrës and the capital, Tirana. Five riders formed the breakaway after the start, but Team Visma | Lease a Bike controlled the pace in the peloton, giving the escapees little breathing room.
With 40 kilometers to go, the breakaway was caught. The finale featured a double ascent of the Surrel climb, a seven-kilometer long hill. On the first ascent, the pace immediately increased, and several sprinters - including Olav Kooij - were dropped from the peloton.
The same scenario unfolded on the second ascent of the Surrel. Lidl-Trek upped the tempo, putting pressure on their rivals. Near the summit, Van Aert - who had fallen ill in the lead-up to the Giro and came in with limited preparation - appeared to struggle but managed to hang on. With help from teammate Wilco Kelderman, he regained his position at the front. A reduced peloton then made its way to the finish in Tirana, where Van Aert had to trail Pedersen in the sprint.
The close finish. Wout van Aert is on the right.
Van Aert was pleasantly surprised by his second-place finish. “I didn’t expect this result, especially after the last few days,” he commented afterward. “I told my teammates it was possible, even though I wasn’t sure myself. I didn’t feel great during the race. On the final climb, I was on my limit and had to give everything just to follow. That’s why I have to be pleased with second place. Unfortunately, I just missed out on overtaking Pedersen in the sprint, he was very strong again today.”
Tomorrow features a short individual time trial in Tirana. The race against the clock is 13.7 kilometers long and includes a short climb. Van Aert sees a new opportunity to aim for the pink jersey. “You don’t get many chances to wear the maglia rosa, so I’ll definitely go for it again. I’m in a great position heading into the time trial, so let’s see what’s possible tomorrow,” Van Aert concluded.
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Here's the Giro report from Best Young Rider Francesco Busatto's Team Intermarché-Wanty:
Intermarché-Wanty has started its fifth Giro d’Italia at full speed thanks to Francesco Busatto, who finished fourth in the opening stage in Albanian territory and is the first white jersey wearer of this edition.
Starting his national Tour, which is also his very first Grand Tour, the young 22-year-old Italian stayed determinedly at the front of the peloton, surviving the sustained pace set on the two ascents of Surrel, the main difficulty of the finale, to contest the sprint for victory.
His teammate Taco van der Hoorn, returning to the Giro for the first time since the 2021 edition, had joined the first breakaway of this Tour of Italy. However, this breakaway never gained a significant advantage, as the peloton was determined to have a mass sprint to decide the first pink jersey wearer.
At the end of the 160 kilometers of racing between Durrës and Tirana, Francesco Busatto arrived just off the podium, only beaten by Mads Pedersen, Wout van Aert, and Orluis Aular. He takes possession of the white jersey for the best young rider, a first for Intermarché-Wanty since Biniam Girmay in the 2022 edition.
Francesco Busatto will wear the white jersey in stage two. Sirotti photo
“I knew I was well prepared for my Giro debut, as I built a solid base in the altitude camp with the team. But this performance in my debut at this highest level of the sport is beyond what I imagined. It is really special. My teammates showed their belief in me by helping me all day. I reached the top of the last climb in the slipstream of Van Aert and as I knew he would be up there in the sprint, I focused on locking on his wheel as long as possible. I managed to do that until the last corner before giving it everything. To finish fourth in my debut, it’s just fantastic! Pulling on the best young rider’s jersey is an incredible feeling. It will be a real challenge to defend it in the time trial tomorrow as it’s not my forte. But you never know, maybe I can surprise myself with a good performance like I did today. I'll leave everything out on the road.” - Francesco Busatto
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Egan Bernal's Team INEOS Grenadiers posted this Giro report:
A punchy day in the saddle saw Egan Bernal have a solid start on the first day of the Giro d’Italia from Durres to Tirana.
Bernal was the top finisher for the Grenadiers, finishing 25th in the bunch sprint behind winner Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek), with Thymen Arensman and Josh Tarling battling hard to limit their losses, crossing the line one minute and 35 seconds back.
Egan Bernal at the teams presentation ceremony on Wednesday. Sirotti photo
A flat start to the 160-kilometre stage saw an early break head up the road, with Kim Heiduk, Ben Turner and Lucas Hamilton all taking strong turns at the front of the main peloton.
Hamilton and Jonathan Castroviejo were key in looking after Bernal and Arensman up the first categorised climb of the day, 13km up the Gracen, before Tarling and Brandon Rivera were strong climbing supports up the first ascent of the Surrel climb. Bernal continued to hold his position to roll in with a select group of 36 at the finish.
Tomorrow will see the riders tackle a 13.7 km time trial in Tirana.
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