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Saturday August 22, 2026

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Tour of Flanders, the Inside Story

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.

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Julian Alaphilippe Announces His Immediate Retirement

Here’s the news from Alaphilippe’s Tudor Pro Cycling Team:

Double world champion and one of the most beloved riders of his generation, Julian Alaphilippe, announced today that he will bring his professional career to an end.

His palmarès includes two consecutive road world titles (Imola 2020, Leuven 2021), Milan-Sanremo (2019), Strade Bianche (2019), three editions of La Flèche Wallonne (2018, 2019, 2021) and the Clásica San Sebastián (2018), as well as stage victories in all three Grand Tours: Tour de France, Giro d’Italia and Vuelta a España. His 2019 Tour de France, during which he wore the yellow jersey for fourteen days, captivated fans far beyond the borders of France.

Julian Alaphilippe wins the 2019 Milan-Sanremo. Sirotti photo

“I gave everything I had, and cycling gave me everything in return,” said Alaphilippe. “That’s why I can say it with a smile: I’m stopping. Not with sadness, but with immense gratitude. To all the fans who carried me up every climb: thank you. Thank you for everything.”

Julian Alaphilippe is not available for interviews or further questions. He wishes to dedicate the coming weeks to rest and his family. No further statement will be made.

Farewell Interview:

Julian, why now?
Because it’s the right time. I’ve always raced on instinct, attacking when my legs were burning, not when the numbers told me to. I made this decision in the same way. I woke up one morning at a training camp and I felt it: this is my final year. Without sadness.

What is the first word that comes to mind when you look back?
Gratitude. Truly. I’m a kid from Saint-Amand-Montrond who started out in cyclo-cross and playing the drums at musette dances with my father. If you had told that kid one day that he would wear the yellow jersey for fourteen days and become a two-time world champion, he would never have believed you. None of this was something I was owed. It was a gift. A gift from many people.

2019. The whole of France came to a standstill.
That year was bigger than me. Milan-Sanremo, Strade Bianche, and then that Tour… When I took the yellow jersey in Épernay, I thought: two days, three maybe. It lasted fourteen. The statistics will say that I lost that Tour; in reality, it remains one of my greatest memories.

And yet, is Imola 2020 still your greatest day?
The most personal one. I crossed the finish line and pointed to the sky, to my father. And Leuven, a year later, was the celebration that Imola couldn’t be because of Covid. That wall of people in Belgium… Belgium became my second home. Thank you.

There were deep valleys too. Liège 2022, and the criticism that followed.
A punctured lung, broken ribs, a shoulder blade. And then two years during which everyone had an opinion about my results. Sometimes that hurt more than the crash. But do you know what I remember from that period? The people who stayed. The teammates who kept riding for me, the fans who still cheered when I came over the summit in fiftieth position. Being supported when you win is easy. Being supported when you lose, that is something rare.

Then came that Giro stage in 2024. That stage was an important moment for me. I spent 150 kilometres in the breakaway and finished alone in Fano. It wasn’t my answer to the critics, but to myself — proof that the flame was still burning.

And then came two years at Tudor Pro Cycling.
Over these last two years at Tudor, I’ve had the opportunity to give something back: helping younger riders read the race and passing on everything I’ve been lucky enough to learn over 16 years. To be listened to and respected by the younger generation is a privilege. I’m also very grateful to Tudor Pro Cycling for the support and trust they have given me over the past few months.

Any regrets?
(laughs) Liège 2020, celebrating too early, with my arms in the air. It cost me a Monument. But that’s also who I am: I raced with my heart on my sleeve, with the mistakes that come with it. I’d rather lose ten times while attacking than win once because the team car dictated how I should race.

What will you miss the most?
I can already say one thing: not having to leave home 250 days a year is not something I will miss. Finally being able to fully enjoy time with my son is what I’m looking forward to most. But of course, I will miss the taste of the effort. The moments of camaraderie with the guys, at training camps and in races, the team life - that, I will definitely miss.

What would you like to say to the fans?
That this farewell is as much theirs as it is mine. To everyone who stood at the side of a cobbled sector, a mountain pass or a village road, in France, Belgium, Italy, everywhere: you carried me through my career. I hope I gave something back - some thrills, a reason to shout, a smile, a memory shared with your father or your daughter by the roadside. Thank you for everything. Truly, for everything.

One final word?
Just this: I’m going to stop talking for a while too. I won’t give any more interviews and I won’t answer any further questions about this decision. Everything I wanted to say is here. I need some peace and quiet, and more than anything, time with my family. That’s where I want to be now. Thank you for respecting that.

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The Story of the Tour de France, vol.2 South Salem Cycleworks frames Melanoma: It Started With a Freckle The Story of the Giro d’Italia, vol.2 Shade Vise sunglass holder Paris-Roubaix: The Inside Store Advertise with us!


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The Story of the Tour de France, vol.1 South Salem Cycleworks frames Melanoma: It Started With a Freckle

Tour du Limousin stage four reports

We posted the report from stage winner Noa Isidore’s Team Decathlon CMA CGM with the results.

Here's the report from GC winner Ewen Costiou's Team Groupama-FDJ United:

After a final battle in the streets of Limoges, and despite two minor scares, Ewen Costiou confirmed his overall victory in the Tour du Limousin-Périgord – Nouvelle-Aquitaine this Friday. Once again superbly supported by his teammates, the young Breton crossed the finish line six seconds behind the stage winner, within the main peloton, allowing him to retain the title he won last year. He now has four victories in 2026 and is turning his attention to WorldTour-level goals.

Ewen Costiou wins stage two.

At the start in Nantiat on Friday morning, 180 kilometres stood between Ewen Costiou and a second consecutive overall victory in the Tour du Limousin-Périgord – Nouvelle-Aquitaine. Having held onto the yellow jersey since his solo victory on the second stage, the Brest native was facing a punchy final round featuring around 2,500 metres of elevation gain. In Limoges, three laps of a demanding circuit represented the final difficulties standing between him and the title. Before that, his teammates had perfectly controlled the early stages of the race.

“Yesterday, we went all-in on controlling the breakaway and making sure certain teams couldn’t get riders into it,” explained Yvon Caër. “As a result, they were less aggressive today, and we were able to control the breakaway quite easily. The best-placed rider on GC was seven minutes behind, so we didn’t need to react beyond a certain gap. We also knew that teams targeting the stage win would take over the chase, and that’s exactly what happened. We were in a very comfortable position for about four-fifths of the race.”

At the first passage across the finish line, 37 kilometres from the end, the breakaway had an advantage of just one minute. “Our goal was then to keep the pace high on the circuit to prevent attacks,” Yvon added. “Tom, Josh and Rémi were tasked with driving the pace, which they did, although Ewen’s puncture disrupted our plans a little.”

With just over 30 kilometres to go, the race leader was indeed forced to stop and change bikes. “It was handled without panic, particularly thanks to Tom and Maxime,” Yvon explained. “It was a slightly stressful moment, but when I saw the way the guys were bringing me back, I wasn’t too worried,” Ewen confirmed. “After that, we managed things really well.”

Back in the bunch after five minutes of chasing, the Breton remained near the front and Maxime Decomble, in particular, did an excellent job of covering the attacks during the final lap around Limoges. “He was simply at the level we expected from him,” Yvon said. “His start to the season has been very demanding in terms of his schedule, with almost exclusively WorldTour races. He struggled a little when he returned at the Polynormande, but he has been very strong over the last two days. That’s a very good sign for the upcoming races.”

Eventually, a split caused by a rider at the start of the final kilometre allowed a handful of riders to gain a slight gap for the final sprint, which was won by Noa Isidore. There was no reason to worry the yellow jersey, however, as Ewen was safely in the peloton, just six seconds behind. “We had a bit of a margin, so it had no consequences,” Yvon said. “Our sole objective today was to keep the jersey, and we achieved it perfectly, with a team that was 100% committed and a really positive mentality.”

Ewen Costiou was therefore able to enjoy his second consecutive overall victory in the Tour du Limousin, while also claiming his fourth win of the season and his second stage-race victory. “I’m absolutely delighted, and I really want to thank the team,” he said in his first statement. “All week, I’ve had a fantastic team around me, with riders performing at a very high level. I never panicked thanks to them, even today when I punctured as we entered the circuit.”

“This overall victory is a reward for Ewen’s excellent form and the collective work over the last few days,” Yvon concluded. “We also made the right decision to be aggressive from the second stage onwards, and we can see that this is where the differences were made. Ewen will now turn his attention to a WorldTour schedule. He now has four wins this year, and this victory will give him confidence to perform at the next level. He is capable of doing it. More generally, we’ll once again have a strong team for the Tour Poitou-Charentes next week. We need to keep moving in this direction and take every opportunity that comes our way. Winning often leads to more winning. The team has been in a very good rhythm for the last few days, and we need to maintain that momentum to achieve a strong finish to the season.”


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The Story of the Giro d’Italia, vol.1 Shade Vise sunglass holder Paris-Roubaix: The Inside Store

Renewi Tour stage three reports

We posted the report from stage winner & new GC leader Jenno Berckmoes' Team Lotto-Intermarché with the results.

Here's the report from Filippo Fiorelli's Team Visma | Lease a Bike:

Team Visma | Lease a Bike once again showed an attacking spirit in the queen stage of the Renewi Tour. In the 182-kilometer stage from Celles to Geraardsbergen, the riders faced a tough parcours featuring a succession of climbs in the Flemish Ardennes. Filippo Fiorelli eventually sprinted to an eighth place, while Pietro Mattio claimed the young rider jersey. Jenno Berckmoes won the stage in Geraardsbergen.

It was not an easy day for Team Visma | Lease a Bike. Loe van Belle and Owain Doull were among those involved in a crash and were forced to abandon the race. Timo Kielich was also not feeling at his best and decided to stop. “We certainly didn’t have the best day, with the number of crashes we were involved in,” Head of Racing Marc Reef explained afterwards. “It was another chaotic day with many crashes. Unfortunately, some of our riders were involved and had to abandon the race early.”

There were also positives for Team Visma | Lease a Bike. Pietro Mattio managed to make a strong comeback after his crash and, as a result, claimed the young rider jersey in the Renewi Tour.

Jenno Berckmoes wins stage three.

“There are certainly also positives to take away from today,” Marc Reef reflected. “Menno and Niklas showed themselves well and went on the attack several times, so we were certainly in a good position in the race.” Team Visma | Lease a Bike deliberately opted for an attacking approach. Menno Huising and Niklas Behrens repeatedly showed themselves at the front and tried to put the team in a strong position through their aggressive racing. Behrens had already gone on the attack in the early stages of the second stage of this Renewi Tour and once again made his mark on the race in the queen stage.

Meanwhile, Filippo Fiorelli continued to fight for a strong result in the background. The Italian managed to stay well positioned in the finale and eventually sprinted to a strong eighth place. “After several setbacks, the guys kept fighting. In the final lap, we tried to position Filippo as well as possible, and he managed to sprint to eighth place. So that is certainly a good result,” Marc Reef concluded.


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Jordan Jegat joins Lidl-Trek through 2029

Here’s the team’s news:

Hailing from Brittany, France, Jordan Jegat marks Lidl-Trek’s first recruit for the 2027 season. Jegat has raced his way up the ranks of French cycling, most recently at TotalEnergies, improving year on year, and now steps up to the WorldTour with the German team.

Jordan Jegat (second from left) is seventh in stage twenty of the the 2025 Tour de France. Sirotti photo.

Jegat opened the 2026 season with a maiden professional victory at the Classic Grand Besançon Doubs, a strong response after a difficult winter. At the Tour de France, he backed it up with a top-10 finish, matching his success in 2025. On both occasions, strong, consistent climbing and well-timed breakaway riding made the result possible. Jegat’s proven GC credentials bring a big boost to Lidl-Trek’s Grand Tour ambitions.

Motivated for the move to Lidl-Trek, Jegat is keen to keep improving as he targets more success, for himself and the team.

“I’m really excited and proud to join the team,” said Jordan Jegat. “I hope to keep improving, keep learning and reach my full potential over the coming years. I’m happy to join Julien Bernard again – he’s a great friend and played an important role in making this transfer happen.

“I won my first race this year, and I want to win again. I’m looking forward to discovering the Vuelta and the Giro, and to confirming my place at WorldTour level. I want to keep progressing and aim for even better results. Of course, the Tour de France will always be the race I love the most. I’m looking forward to helping the team achieve the best possible results. Can’t wait for what’s next!”

“Jordan has demonstrated a lot of qualities that have impressed us – consistency across three weeks, strong climbing and a smart racing instinct,” said Andy Schleck, Lidl-Trek CEO. “He also has a mature, positive outlook and the right mindset for our team.

“His two top-10 results in the Tour de France confirm his ability, but we think we can unlock even more from him at Lidl-Trek. We’re looking forward to working with him.”