Bicycle Racing News and Opinion,
Wednesday, January 14, 2026
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2025 Tour de France | 2025 Giro d'Italia
I spent a lot of money on booze, birds and fast cars. The rest I just squandered. - George Best
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:
- January 17 - 25: Tour Down Under
- January 25: Classica Comunitat Valenciana 1969-GP Valencia
- January 28 - February 1: Challenge Ciclista Mallorca
- February 1: Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race
Latest completed racing:
- January 1: GP Sven Nys
- December 30: Superprestige Diegem
- December 29: Trofee Loenhout-Azencross
- December 26: World Cup Gavere
- December 23: Superprestige Heusden-Zolder
- December 14: World Cup Namur
- November 16: Trofee Hamme-Flandriencross
- November 1: Trofee Oudenaarde-Koppenbergcross
- October 26: Superprestige Overijse-Vlaamse Druivencross
- October 14 - 19: Tour of Guangxi
- October 14 - 19: Tour of Holland
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Vingegaard’s Team Visma | Lease a Bike posted this:
With the overall victory of the Vuelta a España secured, Jonas Vingegaard will take a new path towards the Tour de France in 2026. The Danish leader of Team Visma | Lease a Bike is set to make his debut at the Giro d’Italia, where he hopes to complete a unique trilogy of Grand Tour victories. In conversation with Vingegaard, we look ahead to the upcoming cycling season.
The 29-year-old Vingegaard has never before lined up at the start of the Giro d’Italia. That will change in a few months. His overall win in the Vuelta a España has reignited the dream of achieving a rare Grand Tour trilogy. “Of course that played a role in my decision”, Vingegaard explains. “I have already won in France and Spain. Now I want to do the same in Italy.”
Jonas Vingegaard racing in stage 20 of the 2025 Vuelta a España. Sirotti photo
The Dane can look back on a strong season. He triumphed in the Vuelta a España and finished second in the Tour de France. “It was a good year, but not exceptional”, he says candidly. “I have already won the Tour twice. For me, a truly successful season still depends on winning the Tour. Celebrating another victory in Paris is something I continue to dream about.”
Before Vingegaard arrives in Barcelona in early July, where the Tour de France will start with a team time trial, an attractive spring program awaits. The Dane opens his season in the Middle East with the UAE Tour and works his way up to the Giro d'Italia via the Tour of Catalonia.
Pink dream
“I have been thinking about riding the Giro for a while now”, Vingegaard tells. “It’s one of the biggest races on the calendar, and it’s also one I have never done before. I really want to experience it, and now feels like the perfect moment. Winning the Vuelta last fall only gives me more motivation to go all-in for victory in Italy as well. I would love to add the pink jersey to my collection."
For Vingegaard, this represents a different approach to the Tour de France, the main goal for both Team Visma | Lease a Bike and its leader this summer. “Over the past five years, my build-up to the Tour has been largely the same. This time we have chosen something new. The organization has designed a great course for the Giro. Perhaps not as demanding as in recent years, which makes combining the Giro and the Tour a favorable option for us.”
Successful in France
With two overall victories and three second-place finishes, Vingegaard has been consistently successful in his five Tour de France appearances. “Winning it for a third time would be incredible. Of course it will be difficult, though it may be more exciting than the past two editions”, the Dane says, referring to the course.
This year, the decisive moments of the Tour are expected to come in the final week. “That’s different from recent years. The time gaps might be smaller as a result. Still, we will need to be sharp right away for the team time trial in Barcelona. That’s a discipline we invest a lot of time in as a team, and it will be a special way to start the race.”
“As for what comes after the Tour, that really depends on how I’m feeling”, Vingegaard concludes. “The focus is fully on the Giro first and then the Tour. Those are my main goals. And for those, I’m extremely motivated.”
Jonas Vingegaard's program:
UAE Tour
Volta a Catalunya
Giro d'Italia
Tour de France
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Here’s the team’s news:
All eyes will be on Adelaide next week when the Santos Tour Down Under gets underway, and for NSN Cycling Team, the opening race of the season will be a special one. The first race as NSN Cycling Team, which marks a return to the WorldTour, and for Simon Clarke, the start of his retirement tour on home soil.
As always, the Tour Down Under is as close as it gets to a home race for the team’s Aussies and Kiwis – Simon Clarke, Nick Schultz, Brady Gilmore, Corbin Strong, and George Bennett. This year, they’re joined by the British duo and race debutants Ethan Vernon and Jake Stewart, who has spent the last month enjoying the Australian summer.
Simon Clarke finishing stage 12 of the 2024 Giro d'Italia. Sirotti photo
“We are looking forward to starting the new season once again at the Tour Down Under, in what looks to be one of the toughest editions of the race,” explains Head Sports Director Sam Bewley. “There is something for everyone this year, and we hope to be able to play our own cards across most stages, which is where we will primarily focus our objectives.
“We have a good group to support Ethan Vernon in the bunch sprints and Corbin Strong on the more reduced days. We have had success in this race in the past, and we hope to again this year.”
For just the second time in the race’s history, racing gets underway with a short and sharp prologue in the heart of the city on Tuesday 20 January, and will return to Stirling for the final stage. For Vernon, the six-day race provides multiple opportunities to score his first win of the season.
“I’m really excited to be kicking off the 2026 season in Australia,” says Vernon. “Especially to start with a three-kilometer prologue and three sprint stages, which have been a big motivation to get back to shape over the winter. We come with a strong team for lead outs and stages, so hopefully we can leave with a stage victory, and personally, I’m hoping to start the season off with a win.”
While Clarke will officially celebrate his retirement at the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race on Sunday 1 February, the Tour Down Under will mark the final stage race of his impressive 17-year career and his 15th participation at the race.
“Firstly, I need to say a big thank you to the team for the chance to finish my career at my home races,” adds Clarke. “It’s not easy to make it happen, and not many people get the privilege to finish in their home country, so I’m very grateful.
“I’m really looking forward to the last Tour Down Under as much as I looked forward to my first one. It’s a super challenging course this year, but we’ve got a good team this year, and we hope for another good race in Adelaide.”
NSN Cycling Team at the Santos Tour Down Under (January 20-25):
Riders: George Bennett (NZL), Simon Clarke (AUS), Brady Gilmore (AUS), Nick Schultz (AUS), Jake Stewart (GBR), Corbin Strong (NZL), Ethan Vernon (GBR)
Sports Directors: Sam Bewley (NZL), Patrick McCarty (USA)
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The team sent me this:
Lotto-Intermarché officially kicked off its 2026 season with its team presentation in Temse, Belgium. Team leaders Arnaud De Lie, Lennert Van Eetvelt and Jarno Widar are already looking ahead from a sporting perspective: “Winning some nice races, contesting stage victories in a Grand Tour, but above all racing attractively, that’s what we want to do.”
Access roads leading to the Service Course in Temse were lined with barriers, the mixed and feed zones clearly marked, and the stage set to present all the riders: Lotto-Intermarché is ready to race, that much is clear. Yesterday in Temse, together with the press, partners and staff, the team looked ahead to the upcoming season. “Everything that’s behind us was nice, but now we’re starting again with a clean slate,” says Jarno Widar. The young talent of Lotto-Intermarché begins his season in Portugal with the Figueira Classic and the Volta ao Algarve. He then builds up via the Basque Country towards the Ardennes classics. The Vuelta a España will be his first Grand Tour, with San Sebastián and Burgos serving as preparation. “People around me expect a lot, but I try to shut that out. I used to struggle with that, but now I’m much better at simply focusing on myself. I have goals in mind, but I don’t want to say them out loud. Above all, I want to become the best version of myself this season, just do my best, and avoid crashes.”
At the team presentation.
No risks
Arnaud De Lie also looked ahead in Temse. He prepared for his season in Portugal over the past few weeks, although things did not go entirely smoothly. De Lie injured his ankle after a misstep on the stairs and was forced to stay off the bike for a week. “That’s not the perfect preparation I had in mind,” he explains. “But it’s getting better all the time. Last week I spent 17 hours on the bike. Training sessions of three to four hours are going well. It’s under control and everything is being closely monitored by the team and my coach.”
For De Lie, the Clásica de Almería and the Volta ao Algarve are scheduled as his season openers. “Although I’ll only race for sure once that ankle feels completely right. I don’t want to jeopardize my classics by starting too early. I’m not willing to take that risk.” His spring classics campaign includes Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, Kuurne–Brussels–Kuurne, Tirreno–Adriatico, GP de Denain, Gent–Wevelgem, Dwars door Vlaanderen, the Tour of Flanders and Paris–Roubaix. Via Copenhagen, the Tour de Suisse and the Belgian Championships, he heads toward the Tour de France. “The autumn will again be important as well, with the World Championships in Canada. I’ve only ridden one World Championship in my career so far. The course is extremely tough, although I always perform well in Canada. We’ll see, that’s still a long way off.”
Reset
The third leader of Lotto-Intermarché, Lennert Van Eetvelt, is mainly hoping to erase his unlucky 2025 season. That could already happen next week at the Tour Down Under. “I’m happy to be able to start the season early,” says Van Eetvelt. “It’s been a very long time since I last raced. After the Tour last season, I didn’t get to race anymore (Van Eetvelt crashed at the Belgian Championships, started the Tour, and then crashed again, ed.). Just being healthy on the start line is already a big thing. Since September, I’ve had a very good training period, it felt like a reset. I had time to try different training methods, to train a bit more off the bike, to ride without expectations. I think it also helped me mentally.”
Next season, Van Eetvelt is set for the Giro–Tour double. “I’m not focusing on the general classification, but above all I want to show myself. It’s not an easy combination, but I do believe it’s possible.” The fact that Jarno Widar is another rider in the pro team focusing on stage races is seen as an advantage by Van Eetvelt: “Jarno and I get along well. We don’t race many events together, and I really wouldn’t mind if there were more. We have the same mentality. I see him a bit as a younger version of myself. He’s very eager, and together that can only make us better.”
Sporting manager Kurt Van de Wouwer already looks on with great pride at the team that has been built over the past weeks from Intermarché-Wanty and Lotto Cycling Team. “I believe we’ve grown in depth. The new team has three clear leaders in Lennert Van Eetvelt, Arnaud De Lie and Jarno Widar, but there are also many strong riders around them. I’m thinking of Jenno Berckmoes, Georg Zimmermann, Huub Artz, Steffen De Schuyteneer… That can help spread the pressure. We must not forget that De Lie and Van Eetvelt did not have smooth seasons last year- although Arnaud still ended up winning seven races. The biggest mistake would be to put pressure on Arnaud for the spring. Of course, we would rather not have had that ankle issue, but he will be at the right level in time. We want Jarno Widar to get a taste of the Vuelta, and he can also learn a lot in the Ardennes classics. This will be a season to gain experience. If good results come with that, all the better. When will 2026 be a successful season for Lotto-Intermarché? If we show ourselves. Winning a semi-classic, hopefully. And competing for stage wins in a Grand Tour, gladly. But above all, racing attractively: that’s what I want to see from all our riders this coming spring.”
Finally, Lotto-Intermarché also presented its sports directors, not only for the men’s team but also for the women’s team- which will become a ProTeam this season- and for the development team Lotto–Groupe Wanty. The group of sports directors leading Lotto-Intermarché includes several familiar faces who will remain active within the team in 2026. Mario Aerts, Pieter Vanspeybroeck, Wesley Van Speybroeck, Steven De Neef and Bart Wellens will continue their collaboration with Lotto-Intermarché. They will be joined by Maxime Bouet, Adrien Petit and Zico Waeytens. With the women’s team, Grace Verbeke remains sports director, assisted by Dirk Aernouts and Zico Waeytens. The development team will be led by Wesley Van Speybroeck and Alfdan De Decker.
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