Search our site:

Sign up for our Email Newsletter

Bicycle Racing News and Opinion,

Tuesday, June 2, 2026

Back to news and opinion index page for links to archived stories | Commentary | Our YouTube page

An eye for an eye only ends up making the whole world blind. - Mahatma Gandhi

David L. Stanley's masterful telling of his bout with skin cancer Melanoma: It Started with a Freckle is available in print, Kindle eBook and audiobook versions. To get your copy, just click on the Amazon link on the right.

Current racing

• June 1 - 6: Ethias-Tour de Wallone

Upcoming racing:

• June 7: Brussels Cycling Classic
• June 7 - 14: Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
• June 10: Circuit Franco-Belge

Latest completed racing:

• May 8 - 31: Giro d'Italia
• May 28 - 31: Tour of Norway
• May 20 - 24: 4 Jours de Dunkerque
• May 23: Veenendaal - Veenendaal
• May 19: Classique Dunkerque
• May 17: Rund um Köln
• May 16: Tour du Finistère
• May 10: Tro-Bro Léon
• April 26 - May 3: Tour of Turkey
• April 28 - May 3: Tour de Romandie
• May 1: Eschborn-Frankfurt
• April 26: Giro dell'Appennino
• April 23 - 26: Vuelta Asturias
• April 26: Liège-Bastogne-Liège

We posted the report from second-place Anders Foldager's Team Jayco-AlUla with the results.

Here's the report from stage winner & GC leader Jordi Meeus' Team Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe:

Jordi Meeus has celebrated his second consecutive victory. Having won the final stage of the Four Days of Dunkirk at the end of May, he has now triumphed on his next race day as well. He won a tough sprint finish at the Tour de Wallonie in Belgium.

Shortly before the finish of the 180-kilometre Stage 1 between Manage and Lobbes, there was a two-kilometre climb before the home straight levelled out. Held in the perfect position by his team-mates, the 27-year-old overcame the challenge and still had the strength to sprint to victory. It was his third of the season and the 18th of his professional career.

Jordi Meeus (far right) wins stage one. Photo: Sprint Cycling

Jordi had already made a name for himself in Wallonia. Two years ago, he won the opening stage through the south of Belgium, which then, as now, earned him the overall lead in the race – a position he would like to defend tomorrow.

"I'm really happy with the win; the team did a brilliant job. It was a pretty tough final, but my legs felt good and my timing was spot on. The team always kept me in a good position, and we managed our pace well on the final climb too." — Jordi Meeus

"Our plan was actually to go for Jordi, so we took the responsibility and controlled the brake. Alex Hajek and Frederik Wandahl did an impressive Job today because they didn't get si much support during the race. Allt he others delivered a really good commitment supporting Jordi in the final. Laurence Pithie, who is also in really good shape, just followed the important Moves and he was in the front with a Group of seven, but we stick to the plan with Jordi, who took an impressive stage win. This is what I asked before the race and everybody delivered. I'm very proud of the Team." — Sven Vanthourenhout, Sports Director

Here's the Tour de Wallonie stage one report from Team Netcompany INEOS:

Kim Heiduk sprinted to third place on stage one of the Tour de Wallonie after an active finale from Netcompany INEOS.

Heiduk came to the fore the final time up the steep, cobbled Mur de Thuin climb, and briefly went away off the front in a small group.

The move was quickly shut down, with Ben Swift later hitting the front with eight kilometres to go to keep momentum high.

The team would place Heiduk and Axel Laurance in a strong position on the run-in, with strong riding from Oscar Rodriguez and Tobias Foss in the lead-out on the approach to Lobbes.

In the eventual sprint it was Jordi Meeus (Red Bull - Bora - Hansgrohe) who prevailed, taking the early race lead, with Anders Foldager (Jayco AlUla) and Heiduk rounding out the podium positions.

Apologies, there wasn't room to post this yesterday with the Giro d'Italia finishing.

Here's the team's post:

Here’s a non-confidential fact about professional cycling: behind every race start list, there is a long-term plan.

But then reality intervenes. Take the Tour of Wallonie, which starts tomorrow — on a Monday, a rarity in itself. A series of injuries reshuffled the team’s plans, and this time it was Riley Sheehan who got the call.

“You’re in.” And let us tell you: the always-smiling American from Boulder, Colorado, was delighted.

“When I heard the news, I was really excited,” said Sheehan. “This terrain is some of my favorite. I know this style of racing suits me, and I feel I can repay the trust the team has put in me and my teammates. We aim to fight for stage wins and be in the mix for the overall classification.”

Riley Sheehan wins the 2023 Paris-Tours. ASO photo

If that sounds ambitious, it is. The Tour of Wallonie is essentially five Belgian Classics rolled into one stage race. Every day features the short, punchy, and often brutal climbs that have made Belgian racing famous.

Last year, NSN Cycling Team came out on top as Corbin Strong won the opening stage, took control of the race, and ultimately secured both the overall victory and the points classification.

In a perfect scenario, the team hopes to repeat that success. This year’s squad is built around leaders Sheehan and Krists Neilands (pictured above), supported by the ever-reliable Belgian veteran Tom Van Asbroeck and exciting newcomer German Moritz Kretschy, who joined the WorldTour squad after his breakthrough victory at the Tour of Rwanda.

Sports Director Dror Pekatch describes the lineup as “an attack-mode team”.

“The riders are coming in with great form,” he said. “We have a very balanced squad with strong leaders and riders who are fully committed to supporting them. We expect to race aggressively.”

The first three stages are likely to suit selective sprint finishes, while the final two days feature the toughest terrain of the race. The objective is clear: be in the fight every single day.

For Sheehan, Wallonie comes at the perfect time. The American arrives with confidence after claiming victory two weeks ago at Circuit de Wallonie, just a few kilometers from where this race will unfold in the French speaking region of Belgium.

“Since that win, I’ve been riding the wave,” said Sheehan. “Hopefully I can keep it going here with the strong team we have around us.”

Kretschy adds: “I‘m really looking forward to racing again. I think Wallonie suits me a bit more than Dunkerque, so I hope I can get a chance to show my level and also to support the as good as I can.”

NSN Cycling Team at the Tour de Wallonie (Monday 1 – Friday 5 June)

Riders: Moritz Kretschy (GER), Alexey Lutsenko (KAZ), Zac Marriage (AUS), Krists Neilands (LAT), Riley Sheehan (USA), Tom Van Asbroeck (BEL), Jens Verbrugghe (BEL)

Sports Director: Dror Pekatch (ISR), Eric Van Lancker (BEL), Pat McCarty (USA)