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Sunday, October 5, 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 5: Coppa Agostoni

Upcoming racing:

• 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:

• October 4: Giro dell'Emilia
• October 3: Mûnsterland Giro
• 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

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Giro dell'Emilia reports

We posted the from second-place Tom Pidcock's Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team with the results.

Here's the report from winner Isaac del Toro's UAE Team Emirates-XRG:

UAE Team Emirates–XRG continued their run of remarkable successes today, as Isaac Del Toro stormed to victory at the Giro dell’Emilia.

In the 199.2 km Giro dell’Emilia, Del Toro outmatched his rivals in a thrilling finale atop San Luca, out-sprinting Tom Pidcock (Team Q.36.5) in a head-to-head finish to take yet another Italian classic. The race’s multiple ascents and punishing circuits threw everything at the riders—but Del Toro timed his effort perfectly, closed a late gap, and showed his strength when it mattered most. This marks his 14th victory of the year and cements his reputation as one of the season’s most formidable one-day riders. Today also marks the longest race he has won as a professional rider.

Isaac del Toro solos across the line. Sirotti photo

Jay Vine set the tone early on the opening ascent, before Rafał Majka took over to whittle the peloton down to just 30 riders. On the third climb, Majka and Vine controlled proceedings, paving the way for a sharp attack from Adam Yates 1.1km from the summit. Cian Uijtdebroeks crested the top shortly after as Yates’s move formed an elite lead group of 11 riders, including Del Toro and Vine, with Vine returning to the front to maintain a strong tempo for the team.

The fireworks continued on the fourth ascent as Vine again pushed from the base, prompting an attack from Uijtdebroeks, with only Martínez able to respond. Del Toro played a key role in the chase alongside Pidcock, while Roglič and Storer hung on in the select group. With 7.1km to go, the front group regrouped before the final climb delivered the decisive moves. Pidcock launched his attack at 1.8km to go, with Yates leading the response for UAE Team Emirates-XRG. Martínez countered with Del Toro glued to his wheel, and inside the final kilometre, Del Toro closed down Pidcock’s advantage to contest the finish, with the pair battling it out over the final 400 metres.

Isaac Del Toro: “I was well protected the whole day and the team did amazing work for me on each lap. I was able to save energy and focus on the last climb where in the end it was decided. I had the strength to close the last attack and win the race. I wasn’t sure I had it until about 50m to go and it’s a great feeling.”

Here's the Giro dell'Emilia report from third-place Lenny Martinez's Team Bahrain Victorious:

Bahrain Victorious were in the mix with Lenny Martinez on one of the most iconic race finishes in Italy — and arguably beyond — atop San Luca in Bologna, as the French rider climbed onto the podium of the Giro dell’Emilia. Martinez finished 3rd behind winner Isaac Del Toro (UAE Team Emirates) and Thomas Pidcock (Q36.5) in second place.

Lenny Martinez finishes third in the Giro dell'Emilia. Sirotti photo

Returning to competition after a long break (his last race was San Sebastian at the start of August), Lenny was one of our leaders for this 108th edition of one of the Autumn Italian classics. Setting out this year from Mirandola (province of Modena) and finishing, as tradition dictates, at the Sanctuary of Madonna di San Luca, with an average gradient of 10.5%, but with sections up to 18%. The 199 km race featured five exhausting ascents of the iconic and brutal 2 km ramp.

With the day’s breakaway caught by the peloton approaching the start of the final circuit, the race unfolded as expected with relentless attacks on San Luca. On the penultimate ascent, after an earlier move, Cian Uijtdebroeks (Visma | Lease a Bike) attacked, prompting an immediate reaction from Martinez, who jumped onto his wheel. The two gained a small gap before being reeled back on the final lap.
The race was ultimately decided by Pidcock’s acceleration at the foot of the final climb to San Luca. Del Toro — among the pre-race favourites but relatively quiet until then — managed to close the gap to the Briton 700 metres from the finish, just after the Orfanelle bend. Behind them, an ever-combative Lenny Martinez tried to bridge across, after having responded tirelessly to repeated attacks over the five ascents to the Sanctuary.

In the end, victory was a duel between Pidcock and Del Toro, with the latter powering to the win. Bahrain Victorious’ Martinez took third place, five seconds behind, finishing ahead of Egan Bernal (Ineos Grenadiers) in 4th and Primož Roglič (Red Bull–Bora–Hansgrohe) in 5th.

Sports Director Roman Kreuziger expressed his satisfaction with the team’s result in the opening race of the Italian campaign:

“I’m very happy because the goal, in our performance plan, was a top 8. After reviewing the start list, we told the guys we’d be happy with a top 5, and we actually made the podium, so we can’t complain. Maybe second place was possible, but we’re satisfied — the guys worked really well.

"Considering that Lenny came from a long block without racing, he maybe could have been more tactical, avoiding chasing every attack, but the podium is well deserved in such a strong field. It’s a big confidence boost for the next races here in Italy.

"Our guys committed fully and did really well between kilometres 105 and 143, with Nicolò Buratti and Robert Stannard doing an excellent job, and later Pello Bilbao positioning the leaders perfectly before the first ascent of San Luca.
After the first passage we had three riders — Afonso, Lenny, and Antonio — but later the climb didn’t suit Antonio perfectly. Still, he finished the race, which is an important sign ahead of the next races. Afonso stayed with the front group a bit longer but then paid for the travel from Worlds and the logistical issues we faced with his bikes and luggage, so mentally he wasn’t as fresh as usual.”

After today’s performance, Lenny Martinez looks ahead confidently to the next Italian races:

“I was returning to racing, so I’m really happy to come back with a good result. The team did an excellent job all day long. It’s nice to race with my teammates again, and I’m glad to give the team a podium today. I’d say we’ve made a good start to the Italian campaign.”

Fourth-place Egan Bernal's Team INEOS Grenadiers posted this report:

Egan Bernal produced a strong and gutsy ride to claim fourth place at the Giro dell’Emilia.

The Colombian champion dug deep during the Italian one-day showpiece, growing stronger as the laps of the San Luca finishing circuit wore on.

Bernal crossed the line on the wheel of third placed Lenny Martinez (Bahrain – Victorious), five seconds behind winner Isaac Del Toro (UAE Emirates – XRG) and runner-up Tom Pidcock (Q36.5 Cycling).

The Giro dell'Emilia start line with race boss Adriano Amici. Sirotti photo

Bernal was joined in a dwindling lead group by Thymen Arensman as the undulating laps were ticked off, however the Dutchman would be distanced with around 20km to go. Bernal held on well, weathering the storm of a number of accelerations before finishing strongly.

After the race Bernal said: “I’m happy, I lacked a bit of strength, but it’s beautiful to be up there with these great riders. I think any result like this at the end of the season is good.

“Today has been raced hard and fast, especially the first part with those flat and broken roads. You can struggle to pick up the pace there with that 'washing machine' effect.

“It’s a very beautiful race, one of my favourites, and I’m happy with the result.”

Here's the Giro dell'Emilia report from Rudy Molard's Team Groupama-FDJ:

On the heights of Bologna, and at the foot of the Basilica of San Luca, Rudy Molard delivered a top-level performance on Saturday in the Giro dell’Emilia. Thanks to the day’s good shape, the French rider was even able to tackle the last of the five climbs of San Luca in the lead. Although the favorites caught him on the steepest slopes, the Groupama-FDJ rider still secured a very solid twelfth place against a WorldTour-type of field.

Across the 200 kilometres planned on the Giro dell’Emilia, no less than 3,000 meters of elevation gain were to be climbed this Saturday towards Bologna, where five ascents of the famous San Luca hill (2.1 km at 9.4%) were on the menu. From the halfway point, the peloton got over the first climbs of the day, a handful of minutes behind a five-rider breakaway perfectly controlled by the leaders’ teams. As for the Groupama-FDJ cycling team, it was all around Rudy Molard.

The peloton climbing in Bologna. Sirotti photo

“We trusted him because he knows these races well and he came out of the Vuelta in good shape,” explained Yvon Caër. “We know that these courses suit him perfectly when he’s in condition. It was also a discovery for Clément and Brieuc, also returning to competition after their first Grand Tour.” Before getting to the finishing circuit, the breakaway was able to cross Monte Calvo in the lead but was caught a few minutes later. “There were a few climbs before reaching San Luca, but nothing major,” Yvon explained. “The goal was to come fresh for the final, and we knew it would come down to the legs. It went very fast from the first ascent, and after the second, there were only about thirty riders left. The selection happened quickly due to the fast pace of UAE Team Emirates.”

After two of the five climbs, Clément Braz Afonso and Rudy Molard were still in the leading peloton. On the third time up San Luca, the bunch continued to break up, but Rudy Molard managed to hold on in a group of barely thirteen riders! Then, a few minutes later, on the penultimate climb, the favorites began to attack each other. “It was a constant fight, it never really eased down,” Yvon added. “The five climbs were done at a very sustained pace.”

After he was distanced at one point following the accelerations of Pidcock, Del Toro & co., Rudy Molard was able to make the junction on the final descent of the day. In this transition section, he twice tried to anticipate his rivals, but it was finally a few hundred metres before the final ascent of San Luca that he was able to slightly break away. “He rode smart all day to keep up with the best, and in the end, he had absolutely nothing to lose, so he tried to surprise the group of favorites to tackle the final climb with a small gap,” Yvon explained. “It didn’t work, but there are no regrets.” The French rider did get the opportunity to lead the way on this final climb, but Tom Pidcock and the top guns were quick to catch up.

From then on, the experienced puncher fought hard all the way to the summit, where he crossed the line in twelfth place, twenty-four seconds behind the winner Del Toro. “I’m happy with my performance,” he assured. “I was still with the best until the end. I’m glad I was able to keep up with them given the pace on the climb on each lap. I think I left a little too much energy in my attempt at the bottom of the final climb, but I had nothing to lose. Without that, the top 10 was possible, but I preferred to try rather than stay in the wheels. There are no regrets; it’s a good start to our Italian week.”

“Rudy lived up to our expectations and rode a very good race,” Yvon emphasized. “It’s a good result, in a ProSeries race, but with a WorldTour level. Generally, when he performs well in the Giro dell’Emilia, he also performs well in Il Lombardia. That’s a good sign moving forward! Tomorrow, fresh riders will join us for the Coppa Agostoni and we’ll be able to adopt a different racing dynamic.”

Here's the Giro dell'Emilia report from Team Visma | Lease a Bike:

Ben Tulett and Cian Uijtdebroeks were active in the finale of the Italian autumn classic Giro dell’Emilia. In the closing kilometres, the two Team Visma | Lease a Bike riders had no response to the acceleration of Tom Pidcock and eventual winner Isaac Del Toro. Tulett finished sixth, with teammate Uijtdebroeks crossing the line in eighth place.

Tom Pidcock leads the front group late in the race. Sirotti photo

The peloton rolled out from Mirandola for a race of just under 200 kilometres. Along the way, several classified climbs awaited, but the main challenge came in the finishing town of San Luca. There, the riders faced five local laps, each including the steep San Luca climb as the decisive obstacle. After the start, five riders formed the early breakaway.

Before entering the local laps, the breakaway was reeled in by the peloton, where the Team Visma | Lease a Bike riders were well positioned near the front. On the first of five ascents of the San Luca, the peloton was already significantly reduced. Tulett, Uijtdebroeks and young Jørgen Nordhagen reached the top comfortably among the leaders. What followed was a true battle. Uijtdebroeks tried to go clear a few times himself, but the 22-year-old Belgian’s attacks were neutralised by the other favourites.

On the final ascent of the San Luca, Pidcock launched a powerful attack. Only Del Toro managed to close the gap to the Briton, before the Mexican went on to take the victory. Shortly afterwards, Tulett and Uijtdebroeks fought their way to sixth and eighth place respectively.

“The guys delivered a strong team performance today,” said sports director Marc Reef afterwards. “The first key moment came on the opening ascent of the San Luca, where we had Ben, Jørgen and Tijmen (Graat) well positioned. Cian also moved up quickly, so we had four riders in front. In the finale, Cian made several good attacks, but unfortunately he didn’t get space. In the end, both Ben and Cian gave it their all to finish in the top ten, and we’re pleased with that. They showed that their form is good, especially with the upcoming races in mind.”

And here's the Giro dell'Emilia report from Team Soudal Quick-Step:

Saturday afternoon came with one of the most prestigious Italian semi-classics of the season, the Giro dell’Emilia, which once again culminated on the steep and punishing slopes of San Luca, an emblematic climb emblematic not just for the world of cycling, but also for Bologna, the city that is home to the oldest university in continuous operation in the world, founded in 1088, at a time that no European country had an organized legal system.

The first part of the race belonged to a breakaway of just five riders, who despite their best efforts couldn’t take their maximum gap over the three-minute mark. As soon as the 199km race approached the circuit built around the San Luca hill, the peloton moved into a different speed and caught the attackers, before setting a hard tempo that whittled down the group to around a dozen riders for the last two ascents of the race.

As it’s usually the case, everything was decided in the final two kilometers, where two riders accelerated and built a small gap that they managed to keep until the end, where Isaac del Toro (UAE Team Emirates) took the victory. Soudal Quick-Step’s best-placed rider at this 108th edition of the Giro dell’Emilia was Mikel Landa, who concluded a strong 13th in what was just his second appearance of the season in a one-day race.

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