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Saturday, January 31, 2026
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2025 Tour de France | 2025 Giro d'Italia
If you wish to forget anything on the spot, make a note that this thing is to be remembered. - Edgar Allan Poe
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:
- January 28 - February 1: Challenge Ciclista Mallorca
- January 31-February 1: Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race
Upcoming racing:
- February 1: GP Cycliste de Marseille - La Marseilaise
- February 4 - 8: Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana
- February 4 - 8: Etoile de Bessèges
Latest completed racing:
- January 29: Surf Coast Classic Race cancelled
- January 17 - 25: Tour Down Under
- January 25: Classica Comunitat Valenciana 1969-GP Valencia
- 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
We posted the report from race winner Remco Evenepoel's Team Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe with the results.
Here's the report from third-place Christian Scaroni's XDS Astana team:
XDS Astana Team rider Christian Scaroni claimed third place at the Spanish one-day race Trofeo Serra Tramuntana, which is part of the Challenge Mallorca series.
In the fight for the podium, Scaroni attacked on the final climb of the day together with two other riders. In the sprint to the finish, the XDS Astana Team rider crossed the line second, behind Antonio Morgado. The race was won by Remco Evenepoel, who launched a solo attack with 50 km to go.
Remco Evenepoel takes a solo win in the race.
“Today the team rode a great race, and I want to thank my teammates for their support throughout the whole day. We all performed at a very high level. The race was extremely tough. The climb where Evenepoel attacked was very demanding – I lost a few positions and couldn’t respond immediately when he went clear. Later, I tried to close the gap and came close, but Remco was very strong. In the finale, we did everything possible to fight for the podium, and I think third place today is a solid result. The final climb wasn’t very selective; I tried to attack several times, but it was difficult to gain an advantage. At one point, four of us went clear, with Clément Champoussin next to me, but after another acceleration he dropped back, and we continued as a group of three. At the finish, I tried to pass Morgado, but the sprint was very fast and technical, and I just missed out. Still, I’m satisfied with how this race went,” – said Christian Scaroni.
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Here’s the team’s post:
Liv AlUla Jayco will look to end the Australian summer of racing on a high at Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race.
After a strong showing at the Tour Down Under last week, the squad head into the one-day race with Ruby Roseman-Gannon and Ella Wyllie in form, with latter taking a top-10 overall in Adelaide.
The team are also boosted by the return of Georgia Baker, who was forced to abandon the TDU after stage one and Amber Pate, who missed the race after a training ride crash.
Georgia Baker at the 2021 Tour Down Under.
Australian champion Mackenzie Coupland will get another taste of WorldTour racing while the experienced Josie Talbot rounds out the squad.
Liv AlUla Jayco:
Georgia Baker (AUS)
Mackenzie Coupland (AUS)
Amber Pate (AUS)
Ruby Roseman-Gannon (AUS)
Josie Talbot (AUS)
Ella Wyllie (NZL)
Ella Wyllie: “Our team is super excited for the final race of the Aussie summer and it’s great to have a full squad again with Georgia and Amber back with us. Cadel’s promises to be an exciting one with aggressive racing as usual. Personally, I can’t wait for the Challambra climb!”
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Here's the team's post:
Additional investment builds on EF’s existing commitment and will go towards building Tour de France Femmes winning squad and long-term talent development on men’s and U23 squads
EF (Education First) is launching an unprecedented and unique opportunity, opening the first naming rights for EF Pro Cycling to an additional partner ready to shape the next era of professional cycling together with EF.
EF Education-EasyPost before the start of stage one of the 2025 Giro d'Italia. Sirotti photo
EF will remain the team’s owner and long-term anchor partner at an unchanged level of investment. The opening of a title partner position is designed to add resources on top of EF’s existing commitment, enabling the team to compete with the largest budgets in the sport and accelerate its ambitions. This opportunity gives a partner the chance to help build the team of the future alongside EF, while gaining visibility in front of millions of fans worldwide.
EF’s long-term vision is focused on three clear outcomes:
- Win the Tour de France Femmes within the next three years
- Continue building the world’s leading development pathway in professional cycling
- Win both the men’s and women’s Tours de France within the next decade with riders developed through the EF Pro Cycling system
“It’s rare in professional sport, and nearly unheard of in cycling, for an owner and anchor partner to commit long-term at EF’s current level and still invite an additional title partner to invest purely to make the team stronger,” says team CEO Jonathan Vaughters. “We owe a great deal to EF. They recognize the incredible opportunity we have to keep building something truly special.”
Founded in 2003 on the belief that fans deserved a team they could trust, the team has won monuments, Olympic medals, world championships, and a grand tour while also broadening the horizons of the sport with victories at gravel events like Unbound. EF acquired the team in 2017, recognizing the parallels between cycling’s global spirit and the company’s mission of opening the world through education and cultural exchange.
“Our sport has changed dramatically over the past two decades,” says Vaughters. "WorldTour budgets have risen at an unprecedented pace, and we see this as an opportunity to partner with a brand that shares our vision of winning at the highest level while staying true to who we are."
The team will keep building around key riders such as Ben Healy, Magdeleine Vallieres, Kristen Faulkner, Richard Carapaz and Neilson Powless – who have all signed long-term contract extensions with the team – while also developing the exciting young talents already proving themselves on the world stage.
“This is a unique opportunity for an organization to partner with a global team and organization such as EF. Together, we can build a team that extends far beyond traditional sponsorship, creating lasting value and impact for years to come,” says EF Education First Global Chief of Staff and EF Pro Cycling President Maria Norrman.
On-bike success has always been the foundation of EF Pro Cycling, complemented by one of the strongest and most engaged digital platforms in professional cycling. Since 2017, the team has consistently ranked among the top teams in the sport for social media impressions and engagement, while delivering one of the strongest returns on investment for a title partner across professional sports, according to Nielsen Analytics.
Just as importantly, EF Pro Cycling is defined by the longevity and consistency of its partnerships with brands such as EasyPost, Cannondale, Wahoo and POC. These long-term partners have helped build EF Pro Cycling into what it is today, remaining committed far longer than is typical in professional sport. This reflects a shared belief in the team’s values, spirit, and long-term vision.
“Title sponsorship amplifies the reach to the cycling audience, and EF Pro Cycling is well positioned to benefit from the trends and growth in the cycling audience and viewership,” says Nielsen Sports Commercial Director and Head of Cycling Jerome Bouchat. “This team cultivates its own image to stand out and understands that to attract brands, it must be as visible as possible and offer powerful storytelling.”
Join us and enter the next chapter of our 23-year history as we build the world’s best team.
Interested in partnering with us? Email: hello@efprocycling.com
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Piganzoli’s Team Visma | Lease a Bike posted this:
New year, new cycling season, new team. In our Get to Know-series, you get to know our new riders a bit better. Today we Get to Know: Davide Piganzoli.
Davide was born and raised in Morbegno, a small town in the Lombardy region. At the age of eight, he received his first bicycle from his father, himself a cycling enthusiast. Davide fell in love instantly and wanted nothing more than to spend the entire day on his bike. A few years later, during a school activity, he discovered road cycling and was immediately hooked. “After just a few pedal strokes, I told my parents that this was what I wanted to do for the rest of my life.”
Davide Piganzoli before the start of stage five of the 2025 Giro d'Italia. Sirotti photo
His parents agreed: Davide joined the cycling club in Morbegno and soon after made the move to a larger club in Treviglio. It was clear to everyone that Davide possessed a great deal of talent. Grand Tour winners and Team Polti VisitMalta owners Ivan Basso and Alberto Contador also recognized his potential and, at the age of eighteen, convinced him to join their development team.
Under the guidance of Basso and Contador, he has grown over the past few years into a strong climber. He stood on the podium of the Tour de l’Avenir and consistently performed at a high level as both an U23 rider and a neo-professional in almost every race he entered. In 2024, the Italian enjoyed the highlight of his career so far by winning the third stage and the overall classification of the Tour of Antalya. He also finished thirteenth and fourteenth in his first two participations in the Giro d’Italia.
“The stage win in the Tour of Antalya is still the most beautiful moment of my career,” Davide says. "I was the first atop the difficult final climb and claimed my first professional victory. That was an amazing feeling. Another moment I look back on with pride is my third place at the 2024 Giro dell’Emilia. Sharing the podium there with Tadej Pogačar and Tom Pidcock was a big moment for me."
After four successful years with Team Polti, Davide will be racing for Team Visma | Lease a Bike in the coming seasons, wearing the team’s yellow and black colors. A transfer that, according to him, comes at exactly the right time. "I’m very happy to be joining this team. The project really appeals to me, everything is well organized and all the equipment is top quality. I’m convinced that I can continue to develop here both as a rider and as a person", he explains.
He will be joined by several fellow Italians, including Edoardo Affini, Pietro Mattio, and Filippo Fiorelli. According to the 23-year-old climber, Affini gave him the final push to make the move. "I wanted to know what the team was like from the inside, so I called Edo to ask him about it. He told me that Team Visma | Lease a Bike is one big family. That really appealed to me."
At his new team, Davide aims to further improve his climbing and time-trial abilities with the goal of eventually becoming a successful GC rider. Next season, he will gain experience at the Giro d’Italia as a domestique for Jonas Vingegaard. "The fact that I get to ride the Giro in my very first year with the team and support Jonas is really special. I will do everything I can to help him there as best as possible."
Get to know Davide even better
What is your favorite race to ride?
"Il Lombardia is my dream race. It's close to my home and I love riding there. The Giro comes in second place."
How would you describe yourself?
"I'm a cheerful guy who's always up for a bit of fun."
What is your favorite pastime?
"I love coffee. I want to open a coffee shop in Livigno or Bormio, especially for cyclists. Another hobby I have is cooking. I enjoy being in the kitchen and cooking."
What is your favorite dish?
"Pizza prosciutto."
What kind of music do you like to listen to?
"I don't have a favorite artist, but I mainly listen to Latin music. Italian or Spanish, I like both."
What is your favorite holiday destination?
"I would love to visit Miami one day."
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