Bicycle Racing News and Opinion,
Friday, October 3, 2025
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2024 Tour de France | 2024 Giro d'Italia
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Current racing:
- September 28 - October 5: Tour de Langkawi
- October 3: Mûnsterland Giro
Upcoming racing:
- October 4: Giro dell'Emilia
- October 5: Coppa Agostoni
- October 6: Coppa Bernocchi
- October 7: Binche-Chimay-Binche
- October 7: Tre Valli Varesine
- October 9: Gran Piemonte
- October 11: Il Lombardia
- October 12: Paris-Tours
Latest completed racing:
- September 21 - 28: World Cycling Championships
- September 17 - 21: Tour de Luxembourg
- September 20: Super 8 Classic
- September 19: Kampioenschap van Vlaanderen
- September 17: GP de Wallonie
- August 23 - September 14: Vuelta a España
- September 14: Grand Prix Cycliste de Montréal
- September 14: GP de Fourmies
- September 14: Trofeo Matteotti
The Fanta-Cycling web site posted this:
Team Israel-Premier Tech has decided to withdraw from several major Italian cycling races scheduled for next week, due to growing security concerns surrounding the pro-Palestinian protests spreading across Italy.
The team confirmed: "For security reasons, Israel-Premier Tech will not participate in the Coppa Bernocchi, Tre Valli Varesine, and Gran Piemonte next week."
The decision comes after hundreds of people signed a petition against the team's participation in the Tre Valli Varesine during a demonstration in Varese. Italian unions have also called a national strike for Friday, including school and university workers.
This follows the team's recent exclusion from the Giro dell'Emilia, where organizers removed Israel-Premier Tech from the starting roster for public safety reasons after pressure from local authorities.
You can read the entire story here.
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Here’s the team’s news:
The Italian autumn block of races kicks off on Saturday, October 4th, with the Giro dell’Emilia, a one-day race renowned for its demanding and iconic San Luca circuit, where the world’s strongest riders have thrilled fans with memorable attacks across more than a hundred editions.
The last to shine was Tadej Pogačar, who claimed victory in a rain-soaked edition, the first to win in the rainbow jersey. His name joined a prestigious roll of honour that in recent years also saw a hat-trick for Primož Roglič. Bahrain Victorious have also tasted success here, thanks to Giovanni Visconti’s win in 2017 ahead of teammate Vincenzo Nibali, in the team’s debut season.
Giovanni Visconti winning the 2017 Giro dell'Emilia. Sirotti photo
After returning to the Giro dell’Emilia last season following a four-year absence, Bahrain Victorious are looking forward to lining up again at the start for this 108th edition with a strong selection, as Sports Director Roman Kreuziger explains:
“We have a really nice lineup, with three cards to play: Afonso Eulálio, Lenny Martinez and Antonio Tiberi.
Regarding Eulálio, I’d say he’s the big surprise of this autumn. Not only for his outstanding performance at the World Championships in Rwanda, where he showed his potential with a top-ten finish among the world’s best, but also with the progression he displayed starting from Plouay, then in Great Britain, and Canada where he showed excellent condition.
Lenny is returning after a long break without racing, so it’s difficult to predict, but his numbers show he’s in good shape physically and fresh mentally. He likes Italian races and this one suits him particularly well.
Antonio came out of La Vuelta in good form and is very motivated for this last part of the season. This race may not suit him perfectly, but it’s important he stays focused as we prepare for our big goal next week: Il Lombardia, where I’m sure he’ll perform well.
So, we have three strong riders, and on paper Eulálio looks our best card for this type of race, but of course, much depends on how the race develops in the finale.”
Alongside them, the team will count on Pello Bilbao as road captain. “Pello is coming back from injury, so we don’t expect him in the finale, but he’ll play a key role in the early part of the race and in guiding the team,” continues Kreuziger. “He might also join some early moves, as could Torstein Træen, who is back on the road after La Vuelta. and some issues he had but he seems on track again. Nicolò Buratti and Robert Stannard will provide support in the first part of the race, protecting the leaders and positioning them well before the smaller roads at km 143 and the first approach to San Luca.”
If the San Luca circuit and its finish at the Sanctuary of “Madonna di San Luca” on the Colle della Guardia overlooking Bologna are a permanent feature of the race, the start town changes often, though the race’s characteristics remain the same: a flat opening before a hilly route through the Apennines, then onto the 39 km circuit (four laps of 9.2 km, preceded by the first ascent to San Luca).
This year the peloton faces a 199 km course starting in Mirandola (province of Modena). The first 68 km are completely flat before the terrain turns hillier, with four climbs on the menu — San Lorenzo in Collina (max 12%), Mongardino (max 10%), Minzuno (max 12%), and Monte Calvo (max 10%). Though not particularly long or difficult, they are challenging preludes to the decisive final circuit.
After 160 km, the peloton will pass under the Arco del Meloncello, marking the start of the first of five ascents of San Luca, climbing alongside the famous “Portico di San Luca,” the world’s longest portico (almost 4 km), featured in major races such as the Giro d’Italia time trial in 2019 and the Tour de France in 2024. The 2 km climb averages 10.5% with ramps up to 18% at the “curva delle Orfanelle,” and has always proved decisive.
“Of course, San Luca is the core of the race, where we expect very aggressive racing,” Kreuziger concludes. “But before that there are key technical points where we must stay attentive — like the descent at km 109, which often causes splits, or positioning well at km 143. And we must be at the front entering the San Luca circuit at km 160.
Giro dell’Emilia is the first of our five Italian races, with largely the same group heading to Tre Valli and Il Lombardia. So beyond the result, it’s really important for us to race smart and keep building momentum for the last Monument of the season.”
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Team Visma | Lease a Bike posted this:
Team Visma | Lease a Bike lines up with several strong squads for the Italian fall classics, which for many riders mark the final outings of the season. Ben Tulett and sports director Marc Reef look ahead to Giro dell’Emilia, Coppa Bernocchi, and Tre Valli Varesine.
Double-digit gradients. Passionate tifosi. October sunshine or pouring rain. More than a hundred years of history. These are the hallmarks of the Italian fall classics, which reach their climax over the coming week.
For Ben Tulett, it’s a chance to wrap up a big year in style. The young Brit arrives straight from a successful Vuelta a España, but after nearly three weeks of both rest and quality training sessions, he is ready to spearhead the team in Italy. A team that also counts the likes of Cian Uijtdebroeks and Bart Lemmen.
Ben Tulett after stage five of the 2025 Coppi-Bartali race. Sirotti photo
”After the Vuelta, I had some rest days to absorb everything and detox both mentally and physically. I’m feeling good now, and everything has gone smoothly leading up to this Italian block. The races here are very honest, and it’s some of the most aggressive racing you’ll see the entire year. I’m motivated to finish the season on a high,” Tulett says.
Giro dell'Emilia
First on the program is Saturday’s Giro dell’Emilia. With five laps on the brutal San Luca climb leading to the basilica atop Bologna, a worthy winner is always crowned here. However, the steep gradients don’t scare Tulett. Back in spring, he finished second in Milano–Torino, where the Superga climb features similar severity.
”Giro dell’Emilia should suit my characteristics. It’s a really special finale on the San Luca, very demanding. I’m going into the race with positive intentions, and of course it’s nice to have the opportunity to race for a result myself, but we also have a strong squad there.”
Coppa Bernocchi
After Giro dell’Emilia, the races continue in quick succession. Coppa Bernocchi and Tre Valli Varesine may not have as recognisable finales, but their challenging circuits earlier in the route usually open the race from far out. In 2023, Team Visma | Lease a Bike won Bernocchi with Wout van Aert. This year, the goal is the same with Matthew Brennan, sports director Marc Reef explains.
”Coppa Bernocchi suits Matthew really well. There are some hard hills on the laps in the middle of the race, and then a flatter run in to the finish line. He only just turned 20, and it’s been a long season for him, but he’s feeling good.”
Tre Valli Varesine
Coppa Bernocchi will be Matthew Brennan’s final race of the year. The day after, the climbers take the front seat once again in Varese, where riders like Fausto Coppi, Eddy Merckx, Primoz Roglic and Tadej Pogacar are on the list of winners.
”We’re bringing a really strong team to Tre Valli Varesine. The attacks usually start quite early, and we want to be there and race aggressively. Ben will be the protected guy again, but Sepp Kuss is also flying in from America. He has been doing some good training since the Vuelta, so we’re hoping he can do well in these races too. His skills as a one-day rider are sometimes overlooked.”
Mentality is key
Beyond the tough courses and the offensive tactics many teams bring to these late-season races, there’s another decisive factor this time of year: mental fatigue. Many riders have been racing without longer breaks since January or February, and with a holiday just around the corner, it can be a challenge to get mentally prepared for the grueling Italian classics. But it can also be an advantage, says Marc Reef.
”The mental aspect plays a huge role at this stage of the season. If you’re ready to train hard and suffer, possibly even in bad weather conditions, you’ve already made a big difference. It’s been a long season, and many riders are tired, but we have some guys here who really want to finish the season on a high and go into the winter with a good feeling.”
Ben Tulett sure is aiming to put a fine bow on the best season of his career so far. Already in February and March he claimed podiums in the Drôme Classic and Milano–Torino, as well as a stage win and overall victory in Settimana Coppi e Bartali, before climbing with the best in both Criterium du Dauphiné and Vuelta a España.
”I definitely feel like I’ve taken a step this year. It’s evident in the results and performances too, and I think we can be happy with that too. It also shows that the structure of the team works really well for me, so that gives me a lot of confidence for the future,” Tulett concludes.
For now, the races in Italy are the main goal. You can follow Tulett, Uijtdebroeks, Brennan, Kuss and the rest of our riders in the liveblogs on the website.
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The team posted this:
Auke De Buysser, the exciting junior prospect, will join EF Education-Oatly as the team bolsters its roster with developing talent.
Auke is the junior road champion of Belgium. In just 28 race days this season, she earned five wins and five more podiums.
“I’m very happy and very excited to race with EF Education-Oatly,” Auke said. “I never expected this. I thought maybe I would be on a small team and get better and then maybe a few years later, a team would recognize me. It’s turning out a bit differently.”
Auke De Buysser
At 18 years old, Auke’s development is just beginning. She’s earned promising results in both sprint finishes and classics, including top 10 placings in the junior editions of Gent-Wevelgem and the Tour of Flanders this year.
“I’m a sprinter for now and maybe also a classics rider but I don’t know it yet. I'd like to become a classics rider. Those races are really nice with some cobbles and small hills. That suits me, I think. I’m a sprinter but I have the power to get over the punchy climbs,” she said.
For Esra Tromp, general manager of EF Education-Oatly, it was an easy decision to sign Auke.
“Auke joined our Mallorca camp at the start of the season and it was clear right away that she was a great fit on and off the bike,” Esra said. “There’s no telling what kind of a rider Auke will become. She’s been remarkably consistent in her two years as a junior which tells me that she knows tactics and is a smart racer. When you couple her ability to read a race with her raw power, it makes Auke a really exciting rider to watch.”
Auke credits her older brother with getting her interested in cycling a decade ago.
“It was fun,” Auke said about her first races. “I was beating the boys but I never thought that I should become a racer. I made a lot of friends. Everyone was really friendly.”
Auke’s love of cycling grew all the more when she took up track racing.
“My dad showed me the track and I immediately wanted to race on it because it was in the winter and if I took up track, it meant I didn't need to train or ride outside. It was more fun than riding outside in the Belgian winter. It’s very cold!” she laughed.
Her road skills transferred seamlessly to the track where she is the current Belgian junior national champion in the omnium, elimination, points race, Madison, and 1000 meters, and won silver in the scratch race at the junior world championship. Now that Auke is joining EF Education-Oatly, she is planning to focus on the road and wind down her track racing.
For 2026, Auke’s goals are equally modest and ambitious.
“I want to learn step by step. I won’t start with too many big races, probably mostly UCI 1.1 races so I can grow a bit and try my sprint. It would be nice to have that winning feeling again. My goal is just to learn and do my best helping the team. I think the team believes in me. That’s everything I need.”
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