Bicycle Racing News and Opinion,
Tuesday, September 2, 2025
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2024 Tour de France | 2024 Giro d'Italia
I never did a day's work in my life. It was all fun. - Thomas A. Edison
Bill & Carol McGann’s book The Story of the Tour de France, 2022: The Fastest Tour Ever is available in both Kindle eBook & audiobook versions. To get your copy, just click on the Amazon link on the right.
Current racing:
- August 23 - September 14: Vuelta a España
- September 2 - 7: Tour of Britain
Upcoming racing:
- September 12: Grand Prix Cycliste de Québec
- September 14: Grand Prix Cycliste de Montréal
Latest completed racing:
- August 31: Bretagne Classic-Ouest France
- August 26 - 29: Tour Poitou Charentes en Nouvelle Aquitaine
- August 20 - 24: Renewi Tour
- August 19 - 22: Tour du Limousin
- August 17: Hamburg Cyclassics
- August 17: La Polynormande
- August 12 - 16: Tour of Denmark
- August 15: Circuit Franco-Belge
- August 4 - 10: Tour of Poland
- August 7 - 10: Arctic Race of Norway
Here's the team's announcement:
UAE Team Emirates – XRG and Spanish rider Juan Ayuso have mutually agreed to an early termination of his contract, which was originally set to run until 2028. Ayuso will now remain on the roster until the end of 2025 after a decision was made following differences in the vision of development plans and in the alignment with the team’s sporting philosophy.
Juan Ayuso in the Best Young Rider's white jersey after stage four of this year's Vuelta a Espana. Sirotti photo
Mauro Gianetti, CEO of UAE Team Emirates – XRG:
“Juan has been a valuable talent and we are grateful for what we have built together. At the same time, our sporting project has always been focused on continuity, group harmony, and building a winning team. We believe that, in the best interests of both parties, this decision is the most consistent with the values that define our organization. UAE Team Emirates – XRG will continue on its path of growth and development, confident that the team’s identity and strength remain our foundation. We wish Juan every success in the future.”
Juan Ayuso:
“I would like to thank the team for the support and opportunities they have given me over these years. I have had the chance to grow and to compete alongside the very best, and I know that what I have learned will always remain part of my professional background. I now feel it is time for me to take a different path, with the same enthusiasm and I wish UAE Team Emirates – XRG success for the future.”
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Here’s the team’s announcement:
Filippo Zana will compete for Soudal Quick-Step for the next two years after the former Italian Champion signed a contract with our team.
As a child, Filippo played football but then decided to join the cycling team of his Venetian town and eventually turned pro in 2020. Since then, he has built quite an impressive palmares, which features overall wins at the Tour of Slovenia and Adriatica Ionica Race, a mountain stage at his home Grand Tour and the National Championships.
Equally impressive were the top ten results he scored in the past couple of years in a wide range of races – from Grand Tour stages to Strade Bianche and from the Tour de Pologne to the Italian Autumn Classics, all showcasing the remarkable versatility that has brought him into the attention of The Wolfpack.
Filippo Zana winning stage 18 of the 2023 Giro d'Italia. Sirotti photo
“I see my move to Soudal Quick-Step as a fresh and beautiful challenge; one I’m really looking forward to. It’s a squad with an incredible history and it motivates me to be part of it for the next two years. I hope to grow and bring some nice victories, but I’m also determined to work together with my teammates for our goals and show why this team is one of the best in the world”, an excited Filippo said.
Soudal Quick-Step CEO Jurgen Foré said of Zana’s transfer to the team: “Filippo is someone who will strengthen our squad in stage races, but also in the hilly one-day races, where he has shown himself many times. From the talks that we had, we discovered he is very motivated to further develop and bring his contribution to the team’s success, and this makes us confident and excited for the next two seasons.”
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Here’s the team’s news:
With the team currently performing strongly at the Vuelta a España, Bahrain Victorious will compete at the Tour of Britain, which runs concurrently with the Spanish Grand Tour’s second week.
The 21st edition starts on Tuesday in Woodbridge, and comprises six stages, finishing in the Welsh capital, Cardiff, on Sunday. The route mainly favours the faster riders, with only the fifth stage providing a real test for the climbers. Sports Director Roman Kreuziger takes us through the parcours:
“The race is six stages long, and is a bit more on the south compared to last year. I would say the first three stages should be sprints. Then stage four finishes with a kick. The fifth stage, the Queen stage, is very solid, with a five kilometre climb at 8% that we do twice.
And then the last stage to Cardiff, that seems elevation-wise could be a sprint, but we have to be ready for everything because nine kilometres before the finish, there is another kick that really gives opportunities to many riders.
As usual the roads are pretty small, and there will be a different level in the bunch, but those guys who want to compete are very high level riders. So we have to be realistic with our goals.”
Four of our six-man line up featured here in 2024, including Matevž Govekar, who won the closing stage in Felixstowe. The 25 years old will be hoping to repeat that victory as early as the first two days, which are both flat. Providing a lead out for the Slovenian will be former British champion Fred Wright, who starts his home race for the first time. Also helping position Govekar in the crucial final phases will be youngster Žak Eržen and the more experienced Edoardo Zambanini, who was third on day three last year.
Matevž Govekar wins stage 6 of the 2024 Tour of Britain.
Leading Bahrain’s overall ambitions is Pello Bilbao, who enjoyed his debut at the race twelve months ago. Zambanini and Wright will support him when the road does turn uphill. The selection is completed by the Portuguese Afonso Eulálio, who will provide general support, as well as being another card to play should the opportunity arise.
Kreuziger gives more detail: “We have Pello as leader, and Edoardo who also did it last year. Then we have Afonso who is in great shape and we are really looking forward to having him there because the course suits him really well.
Then we have the winner of last year's last stage, Matevž, who is getting there step by step and I really hope that he can do an amazing finale to the season. Then Freddie, who will want to show himself on home landscape. He knows what we want to see there and he’s in amazing shape. Finally we have the young kid Žak who should be really important, especially in the first three days for Matevž.”
The opening two days take place close to the eastern coast of Britain, and feature almost no climbing at all. After 161 km from Woodbridge to Southwold, the peloton will face a 169 km loop around Stowmarket. The race then moves to central England with a slightly hillier 123 km from Milton Keynes to Ampthill, followed by the second hardest stage (187km between Atherstone and Burton Dassett). The race ends with a weekend in Wales.
Saturday’s start is in Pontypool, and will be a battle between climbers, GC contenders, and puncheurs. There are four categorised climbs on the 133 km to ‘The Tumble’, after which Sunday’s climax is also the shortest of the week, 112 km from Newport to Cardiff. The profile is certainly not flat, and how the stage will be won is difficult to predict.
Kreuziger believes the route is challenging, both technically and strategically: “Being just six riders, we have to be careful how we split the task and do the things properly. For me, the biggest thing is to have riders that are motivated. And then everything comes after that.
So the focus from day one to six will be on the challenges of the course: smaller roads, wind, the weather, and we have to be ready for everything. We want to be stage winners, but we have to be careful if we want to fight for the podium to take some intermediate sprints where there are also bonus seconds.
I think top three on GC with Pello is achievable. And with the sprinters a stage win is also possible. The combination of Pello and Zamba – who finished 7th last year – can do really well. So we want to have someone on the podium.”
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Here's the team's news:
How do you match or even come close to one of the most dominant stage race performances in IPT history?
That’s the task awaiting the six-rider squad who will race this year’s Tour of Britain, which starts in the eastern English county of Suffolk on Tuesday (September 2).
Stevie Williams won last year’s race, claiming two stages in the process, while Ethan Vernon took the points jersey, and IPT underlined its dominance by being crowned the team classification victors.
Stephen Williams wins stage two of the 2024 Tour of Britain.
Joe Blackmore, who contributed to the final award by finishing fifth overall 12 months ago, leads the team this time around. Recent Volta a Portugal stage winner Brady Gilmore, Hugo Hofstetter, Nick Schultz, stagiaire Zac Marriage, and Fin Tarling make up the roster
“I’m all set for this week and I’m really looking forward to it,” says Blackmore. “To go back after doing well last year, not just myself but Stevie and the whole team, is exciting.
“We have a different type of team this year, and the startlist is so strong, which will change how we race compared to last year.”
It’s a race of two halves: the first three stages into Southwold, Stowmarket, and Ampthill are sprinter-friendly. The GC battle begins at Burton Dassett Country Park on stage 4. The 12.5-kilometer circuit finishing circuit that is tackled three times previously featured in the 2019 race and saw Mathieu van der Poel take the victory (future IPT rider Simon Clarke finished third), indicating the type of rider it is suited to.
Stage 5 is the first of two stages taking place in Tarling’s home country of Wales, and features two ascents of the Tumble (5.5km, 7.3% average) near Abergavenny.
The GC battle could go down to the finish line in the Welsh capital Cardiff, as Caerphilly Mountain, one of the race’s signature climbs, falls inside the final 15 kilometers of a punchy 112-kilometer stage.
Blackmore adds: “I’m confident and I’m really looking forward to the last three stages. I want to see where I am and how I compare to guys who have been up there on GC at this year’s Tour de France. I’ve got that race in my legs and, together with my training since then, it has put me in a good place. I can’t wait to start!”
IPT at the Tour of Britain (Tuesday September 2 – Sunday September 7)
Riders: Joe Blackmore (GBR), Brady Gilmore (AUS), Hugo Hofstetter (FRA), Zac Marriage (AUS), Nick Schultz (AUS), Fin Tarling (GBR)
Sports Directors: Tim Elverson (GBR), Alex Cataford (CAN)
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