Bicycle Racing News and Opinion,
Wednesday, October 22, 2025
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2024 Tour de France | 2024 Giro d'Italia
Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. - Martin Luther King, Jr.
Bill & Carol McGann's book The Story of the Tour de France, 2020: The Tour During Covid-19, Better Late Than Never is available in both Kindle eBook and Audiobook versions. To get your copy, just click on the Amazon link on the right.
Upcoming racing:
- October 26: Superprestige Overijse-Vlaamse Druivencross
Latest completed racing:
- 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
- October 11: Il Lombardia
- October 9: Gran Piemonte
- October 7: Binche-Chimay-Binche
- October 7: Tre Valli Varesine
Here’s the team’s announcement:
A pro since 2021, Laurenz Rex started cycling at the age of 8 and has since turned into one of the most promising Classics riders in the peloton. In the last three seasons, the 25-year-old has racked up a string of remarkable results in the one-day races, including a victory at Le Samyn and top ten placings in Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, Classic Brugge-De Panne, Gent-Wevelgem and Paris-Roubaix, twice. In addition to that, the Belgian has shown his quality on numerous occasions as a lead-out rider, making him a perfect fit into our squad.
Laurenz Rex wins 2024 Le Samyn.
“I’m glad that everything came together and I will ride for this team, which I have always admired since I was very young. I remember watching Tom Boonen attack on the Taaienberg – it’s one of the best memories I have since I was a kid. He’s someone I looked up to and I’m delighted I will get to ride in the same team as he did and for which he wrote history.
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“I know some of the guys on the team, and everyone here gave me a great welcome, making me feel immediately at home. It’s a dream come true to be here and I hope to make some important steps in my career as part of the Wolfpack. I want to help the team whenever they need me, become a better rider and reach my highest level, which I hope that one day will bring me close to a victory in Paris-Roubaix”, explained Laurenz at the team’s first reunion of the off-season.
“We’re delighted to have Laurenz join the squad. He’s a strong and ambitious rider, who’s already shown a lot of maturity and experience despite his young age. We know what he can do in the lead-out and when chasing his own results, and we’re confident he’ll bring real value – both in the Classics and as part of our stage racing setup”, said Soudal Quick-Step CEO Jurgen Foré.
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Here’s the team’s announcement
Bronze medalist of the U23 Road World Championships, Austrian rider Marco Schrettl, will make his UCI WorldTour debut with XDS Astana Team, where he will spend the next three seasons (2026, 2027, and 2028).
Schrettl had an impressive season at the U23 level: in addition to his bronze medal at the World Championships, the 22-year-old Austrian won the overall classification of the Orlen Nations Grand Prix, the Austrian U23 Road Race Championship and the Trofeo San Vendemiano one-day race. He also took podiums at Giro del Belvedere and G.P. Palio del Recioto.
Marco Schrettl. Photo: SprintCycling
“I’m really looking forward to my first professional season with XDS Astana Team. It’s amazing that such a legendary team is giving me the chance to make my childhood dream come true – to become a professional cyclist. I’m sure that XDS Astana Team is the best place for me to continue my development and learn from experienced professionals. In my first WorldTour season, I want to help the team achieve its goals. And, of course, I can’t wait to line up at the start wearing the XDS Astana Team jersey”, – said Marco Schrettl.
“Marco Schrettl is a talented young rider with great potential, which he showed at the World Championships in Rwanda, where he rode an excellent race. We’ve been following him throughout the season, which he completed at a very high level. The timing for his move to the WorldTour couldn’t be better. I believe that within XDS Astana Team, Marco will find everything he needs to continue his growth and take his first successful steps in the professional peloton”, – said Alexandr Vinokurov, General Manager of XDS Astana Team.
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Here’s the team’s post:
Liv AlUla Jayco have closed out a strong season of successes, hungry for more going into next year.
The Australian squad adopted a very aggressive approach to racing this season. Unafraid to take on the toughest of opponents at the biggest races, the attacking paid off with the team securing an emotional debut Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift stage win with Mavi García.
The Liv AlUla Jayco Women’s Continental Team also blossomed in 2025, securing a string of victories with a variety of riders.
García makes history, Trinca Colonel & Baker step up
Despite some frustration earlier in the season, García showed resilience and it paid off as she claimed a dramatic victory on stage two of the Tour de France Femmes. Attacking inside the final 10 kilometres, the 41-year-old made history as the oldest stage winner in the race’s history as she held off a determined chasing pack.
Monica Trinca Colonel stepped into the WorldTour this season, impressing on her Liv AlUla Jayco debut in the UAE Tour Women with fourth overall and backed it up with seventh overall at La Vuelta Femenina.
The 26-year-old Italian then claimed her first-ever professional win with a daring solo attack on the final stage of the Tour de l’Ardèche, taking the overall title along with it.
Georgia Baker added to the success by winning the opening stage of the Tour of Chongming Island in October, leaping into the overall lead on day one. Josie Talbot bookened the race with victories, sprinting to her first WorldTour win.
Georgia Baker winning stage 4 of the 2021 Tour Down Under.
Plenty of promise to build on
With a young squad that is growing in strength, there were many moments to celebrate that brought hope for the future.
Silke Smulders kicked things off with a strong run at the Tour Down Under, notching up two second place stage finishes on the way taking second overall – her first WorldTour podium finish, added to her debut professional win last season.
Letizia Paternoster spent a memorable day in red at the Vuelta Femenina after a strong performance in the opening team time trial put her within arm’s reach of the leader’s jersey.
Meanwhile, 23-year-old Ella Wyllie made a step forward in her development as a general classification rider. She rode to 12th overall at the Tour de France Femmes, as well as taking eighth at the Tour de l’Ardèche behind Trinca Colonel and eighth at the Tour de Romandie Féminin.
Liv AlUla Jayco Women’s Continental Team flourishes
In just its second season, the Liv AlUla Jayco Women’s Continental Team made a big step forward in 2025. The squad took seven wins this year starting off with a bang with Lucinda Stewart winning the Australian national road race championships – only her second race in team colours.
However, it was the second half of the season that proved most fruitful. New signing Erin Boothman stepped into a leader’s jersey in her second race with the team at the Giro Toscana Femminile in September after they won the team time trial. Emma Jeffers took it from her a day later with victory in the sprint on stage two.
Having already won at the Giro dell’Appennino Donne, Matilde Vitillo led a dominant team performance at the Giro Mediterraneo. The Italian won the overall classification, Jeffers took the points competition as well as a stage, while Stewart claimed victory in the youth classification, ensuring success in the overall team classification.
Monica Trinca Colonel:
“In general, it has been a positive first season in the WorldTour with Liv AlUla Jayco. I have improved a lot, even when I had some difficult moments during the season like, for example, before the Italian Championship at the start of the summer.
"The best moment of the season was for sure the stage and GC win at the Ardèche. It was a surprise, and it wasn’t expected at all. After the challenges that I had over the summer, it was nice to be able to take a big step forward like this. Another moment that I look back on fondly was the fourth place at the UAE Tour. It was the first race with the team, and it was a great result for me. Finishing second at the Italian road championships behind Elisa Longo Borghini was also special.”
Gene Bates – Team Manager & Head Sport Director:
“It’s been a few years away from the team for me, so coming back has been great. I would say that it has been a successful season, but it is leaving us feeling unsatisfied. We want more and we’re on a good trajectory to achieve more with this group. It’s still a young group of athletes but they are maturing quickly, both physically and in their approach to the sport. I think that we’ve had some good signs from the group this year and some pretty fantastic moments, such as Mavi’s win at the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift.
"There was a great step forward with Monica winning the Tour de l’Ardèche overall, Silke started the season very well in Australia with the Tour Down Under, and there were some great performances in between as well, which gives us a lot of hope and faith that we’re on the right track. We just need a little bit more consistency, luck, and hard work and we can turn it into something really special.”
Eric van den Boom – General Manager, Liv AlUla Jayco Women’s Continental Team:
“This year, we completed our second full season as the Continental Team. The group was virtually unchanged and eager to grow together to an even higher level. We got off to a flying start as a team. Lucinda Stewart, who had just joined the team, impressively grabbed victory in the Australian elite road cycling championship in January and she created a positive spirit within the team.
Compared to the previous season, we were more dominant in races. Our positioning was better, we were stronger tactically, and we were able to play a significant role in the finals. The philosophy behind the Continental Team has proven to be the right one. We wanted to create a breeding ground for young, talented riders and offer them a pathway to the highest level. After two seasons, we can see that talent development is beneficial, as Mackenzie Coupland, Noä Jansen and Matilde Vitillo will be part of our WorldTeam next season.”
Liv AlUla Jayco 2025 Race Podiums
1st Australian Criterium Championships – Amber Pate
1st Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift, stage 2 – Mavi García
1st Tour de l’Ardeche, stage 6 – Monica Trinca Colonel
1st Tour de l’Ardeche, overall classification – Monica Trinca Colonel
1st Tour of Chongming Island, stage 1 – Georgia Baker
1st Tour of Chongming Island, stage 3 – Georgia Baker
2nd Tour of Guangxi Women – Caroline Andersson
2nd Australian National Time Trial Championships – Amber Pate
2nd Santos Tour Down Under, stage 2 – Silke Smulders
2nd Santos Tour Down Under, stage 3 – Silke Smulders
2nd Santos Tour Down Under, overall classification – Silke Smulders
2nd Schwalbe Women’s One Day Classic – Georgia Baker
2nd New Zealand National Time Trial Championships – Ella Wyllie
2nd La Vuelta Femenina, stage 2 – Letizia Paternoster
2nd Italian National Road Race Championships – Monica Trinca Colonel
2nd Spanish National Road Race Championships – Mavi Garcia
3rd Surf Coast Classic – Georgia Baker
3rd La Vuelta Femenina, stage 1 – Team Time Trial
3rd Tour de l’Ardèche, stage 4 – Monica Trinca Colonel
3rd Tour de l’Ardèche, stage 5 – Monica Trinca Colonel
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