Bicycle Racing News and Opinion,
Friday, September 19, 2025
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2024 Tour de France | 2024 Giro d'Italia
It was not pre-arranged. It just happened that the driver made a demand and I just didn't feel like obeying his demand. I was quite tired after spending a full day working. - Rosa Parks
Les Woodland's book Tour of Flanders: The Inside Story - The rocky roads of the Ronde van Vlaanderen is available in print, Kindle eBook and audiobook versions. To get your copy, just click on the Amazon link on the right.
Current racing:
- September 17 - 21: Tour de Luxembourg
- September 19: Kampioenschap van Vlaanderen
Upcoming racing:
- September 20: Super 8 Classic
Latest completed racing:
- 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
- September 13: Memorial Marco Pantani
- September 12: Grand Prix Cycliste de Québec
- September 2 - 7: Tour of Britain
- 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
We posted the race organizer's report with the results.
Here's the report from third-place Tom Donnenwirth's Team Groupama-FDJ:
The strong start to the Tour de Luxembourg continues for Groupama-FDJ. Following Romain Grégoire’s win yesterday, it was Tom Donnenwirth who stood out on Thursday in the bunch sprint that concluded the second stage. In Mamer, the French puncher claimed a fine third place, while his young teammate retained the lead on the eve of the queen stage.
Mathieu Kockelmann (in Team Luxembourg red jersey) wins the stage.
On paper, this was clearly the “easiest” stage of the week. Despite tallying nearly 2,000 meters of elevation gain, the second stage of the Tour de Luxembourg was surely made for the sprinters this Thursday. However, to bring a bunch finish after the 168 kilometers of racing, it was necessary to control a breakaway of seven riders that formed early on. Initially, the Groupama-FDJ cycling team took responsibility, since Romain Grégoire started with the yellow jersey.
“There were two riders within thirty seconds in GC in this group, but the goal was also to gamble a bit and force the sprinters’ teams to come and pull,” explained Benoît Vaugrenard. “Eddy controlled very well and worked hard all day. EF Education-EasyPost and Alpecin-Deceuninck came later to take turns in preparation for the sprint.” Although the breakaway got a maximum lead of nearly five minutes, it was, however, quite logically, caught with five kilometres to go. The bunch prepared for the expected bunch sprint, in a nervous way, and Groupama-FDJ got organized around Tom Donnenwirth.
“Initially, the goal was to save the teammates for tomorrow’s stage,” explained Benoît. “That being said, we were waiting to see what the final circuit and the finish were like, and if it would suit Romain or Tom. We needed to wait until the first crossing of the line to decide who would sprint, and they decided among themselves that it would be Tom.” “I felt pretty good, so the guys supported me,” added the Frenchman. “They really did a great job, especially Romain, who made a big effort at three kilometers with his yellow jersey, then Lorenzo, who led me very well in the final, as usual. It was still quite technical, with two roundabouts that really stretched the peloton out, but we were ideally positioned.”
Thanks to his teammates, Tom Donnenwirth approached the final 500 meters in a very good way. “I took the wheel of Marijn van den Berg because he was the one with the fastest sprint,” he said. “I waited until the last moment, I went for it with 100 meters to go, but two riders came back with much more speed from behind.” Nevertheless, Tom secured a very solid third place in this bunch sprint. “I’m not the one with the biggest legs, but it’s always nice to get a first podium finish in a bunch sprint,” he said. Since Marijn van den Berg didn’t take any bonus seconds, Romain Grégoire eventually retained the leader’s yellow jersey.
“I wouldn’t have been mad if I’d lost it, because we wouldn’t have had to control the race tomorrow, but a leader’s jersey is still something special, so I’m enjoying it anyway,” said the Frenchman. “There is a very nice stage tomorrow, but before thinking about the overall, we will think about the stage, and we will ride it like a one-day race. We will take stock tomorrow evening.” Heading towards Vianden Castle on Friday, the Niklosbierg climb (2.8 km at 9.3%) will have to be covered three times in the last sixty kilometers before a final, uphill kilometer averaging 8%.
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Team Soudal Quick-Step posted this Tour de Luxembourg report:
Pepijn Reinderink scored his second consecutive top ten finish at the Tour de Luxembourg after a solid effort of Casper Pedersen, who positioned him in the finale despite a late crash that ended up splitting the peloton inside 500 meters to go.
Racing by vineyards midway into stage two.
Luckily, our riders avoided this incident and Pepijn could sprint again, just like he did on Wednesday, taking ninth in Mamer, the place where Nicolas Frantz – a double winner of the Tour de France and silver medalist at the World Championships in the ‘20s – was born in the 19th century. Ninth on the stage won by Mathieu Kuckelamnn (Luxembourg National Team), Soudal Quick-Step’s 23-year-old moved up three positions in the general classification, where he is now seventh, just four seconds off the podium.
On Friday, after three ascents of the punishing Niklosbierg – whose double-digit gradients and cobbled section are sure to create some gaps – the race arrives in Vianden, where the winner will be crowned after a punchy finish on the Gran Rue.
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Here's the team's announcement:
Team Jayco AlUla have signed experienced Belgian Amaury Capiot on a two-year deal as the Australian outfit continues to bolster its Classics group.
The 32-year-old is a seasoned campaigner with more than 10 years of racing in the pro peloton under his belt. Armed with a fast finish, Capiot is a threat in the tough one-day races in his native Flanders.
The GreenEDGE Cycling management team has focused on building a strong group for the one-day classics heading into 2026 and they see Capiot and his experience as a key component moving forward.
2024 Tour of Oman stage 4: Amaury Capiot is the winner.
Amaury Capiot:
“I am really motivated for 2026, and I look forward to riding in the colours of Team Jayco Alula. My role will change from race to race but the main goal will always be the same, winning as many races as possible with the team. Hopefully, I can add my part to the success of the team and help us achieve a lot of victories together. Motivation is not just about working hard; it’s about lifting one another up so together we can cross the line first.”
Brent Copeland (General Manager):
“As we look to build our Classics group for 2026 and beyond, we were looking for riders with experience and with Amaury we have that. He has been in the professional peloton for a long time and has been racing the Belgian classics for more than 10 years.
"Experience and knowledge are something you need for the tough one-day races, so adding somebody like Amaury to the squad alongside our younger riders makes sense and we’re happy to welcome him into the team.”
Amaury Capiot
New Contract: 2026 & 2027
Nationality: Belgian
Age: 32
Key results
1st Grand Prix Cycliste de Marseille (2022)
1st Tour of Oman, stage 4 (2024)
1st Boucles de la Mayenne, stage 3 (2022)
3rd Overall Tour de Wallonie (2020)
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The team sent me this schedule:
Kampioenschap van Vlaanderen - SEPT 19
Roy Curvers - Team Picnic PostNL coach:
"We’re kicking off the Belgian autumn race weekend with Kampioenschap van Vlaanderen in Koolskamp. The race is known for its open roads, where the wind in September can always play a decisive role. It will be up to us to stay sharp, anticipate dangerous breakaways, and be present in the key moments. At the same time, we bring a few fast riders who can target a result if the race ultimately comes back together for a bunch sprint."
Line-up:
Dillon Corkery (IRL)
Enzo Leijnse (NLD)
Niklas Märkl (DEU)
Tim Naberman (NLD)
Christiaan van Rees (NLD)
Pavel Sumpik (CZE)
Casper van Uden (NLD)
Casper van Uden (shown winning 2025 Giro d'Italia stage four) will be racing in the Kampioenschap van Vlaanderen
Super 8 Classic - SEPT 20
Roy Curvers - Team Picnic PostNL coach:
"Super 8 Classic is the most traditional type of classics race that we take on this weekend, starting in the heart of the Flemish Ardennes and featuring some of the short, punchy climbs that this region is so well known for, before finishing in Haacht. We bring a squad built for this kind of racing, with classics specialists like John, Nils, Sean and Pavel, all capable of handling the hills well. Our strength will lie in numbers, making sure we’re present in the key moves throughout the day. From there, we can rely on the fast legs of any of them to finish it off when the race comes down to the line."
Line-up:
Pavel Bittner (CZE)
Jacob Bush (GBR)
John Degenkolb (DEU)
Nils Eekhoff (NLD)
Sean Flynn (GBR)
Enzo Leijnse (NLD)
Tim Naberman (NLD)
Gooikse Pijl - SEPT 21
Bennie Lambregts - Team Picnic PostNL coach:
"Gooikse Pijl is a typical circuit race, which in nine out of ten editions ends in a bunch sprint. Our goal is clear: we’ll line up to sprint with our fast finisher Pavel. We bring a mixed squad to the start, with four riders from our Men's Program and three riders from our Development Program. This blend of experience and young talent gives us the perfect balance to work together towards our goal: delivering Pavel in the best possible position to fight for the victory."
Line-up:
Pavel Bittner (CZE)
Dillon Corkery (IRL)
Johan Dorussen (NLD)
Niklas Märkl (DEU)
Xander Scheldeman (BEL)
Casper van Uden (NLD)
Thom van der Werff (NLD)
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