Bicycle Racing News and Opinion,
Monday, March 30, 2026
Back to news and opinion index page for links to archived stories | Commentary | Our YouTube page
Fortune sides with him who dares. - Virgil
Les Woodland's book Paris-Roubaix: The Inside Story - All the bumps of cycling's cobbled classic is available in print, Kindle eBook & audiobook versions. To get your copy, just click on the Amazon link on the right.
Upcoming racing:
- March 31: Paris-Camembert
- April 1: Dwars door Vlaanderen
- April 3: Classic Adélie de Vitré
- April 4: GP Miguel Indurain
Latest completed racing:
- March 23 - 29: Volta a Catalunya
- March 25 - 29: Settimana Internazionale Coppi e Bartali
- March 29: Gent-Wevelgem
- March 29: La Roue Tourangelle
- March 28: Classic Loire Atlantique
- March 27: E3 Saxo Classic
- March 25: Ronde Van Brugge - Tour of Bruges
- March 21: Milano-Sanremo
- March 20: Bredene Koksijde Classic
We posted the report from the race organizer with the results.
Here's the report from GC winner Jonas Vingegaard's Team Visma | Lease a Bike:
Jonas Vingegaard has capped off a successful week in Catalonia with the overall victory in the Volta a Catalunya. After two consecutive stage wins, the Team Visma | Lease a Bike leader managed to maintain his lead in the general classification. With the overall victory in the Catalan stage race, Vingegaard adds a missing trophy to his palmares.
Jonas Vingegaard wins 2026 Tour of Catalonia stage six.
Vingegaard took the lead in the general classification on Friday by impressively winning the first mountain top finish. A day later, he once again demonstrated his class by finishing solo in Queralt. With a lead of 1 minute and 22 seconds over his closest rival, Lenny Martinez, the overall victory was all but assured.
The final stage of the Catalan stage race took place, as is tradition, in Barcelona, where the riders had to conquer Montjuïc seven times on a local circuit. On this short but steep climb, Vingegaard was repeatedly tested, but the Dane proved unbeatable and fended off all attacks. In the sprint from a depleted peloton, Brady Gilmore sprinted to victory.
Vingegaard crossed the line in the same time, securing the overall victory in the Volta a Catalunya. "It’s been a really great week. We came here with the ambition to win stages and the general classification, and we’ve succeeded. I’m absolutely delighted with that", Vingegaard said.
"The Red Bull – Bora – Hansgrohe riders really put the team and me under pressure today. Their high pace left me isolated in the final stretch, and I had to defend myself as best I could. Fortunately, my legs felt strong and I was able to fend off the attacks. Towards the end, I wasn’t so much focused on the stage win anymore, but was thinking only of securing the overall victory."
Following his victory in Paris-Nice, Vingegaard has secured his second stage race win of the season. "It means a lot to start the season in this way. It gives me a huge boost of confidence and motivation for everything that lies ahead. My next race is the Giro, and I certainly hope to be in an even better shape there."
Here's the Volta a Catalunya stage seven report from stage winner Brady Gilmore's NSN Cycling Team:
Winning your first WorldTour race will always be a special moment for any rider, but Brady Gilmore could not have picked a better day to take his maiden victory at the top level of professional cycling.
The Australian neo-pro sprinted to an unforgettable win on the final day of the Volta a Catalunya on Sunday in Barcelona, the home city of the team’s title sponsor, and with NSN co-founder Andrés Iniesta watching just a few hundred meters behind in the team car.
Brady Gilmore wins stage seven.
Gilmore says: “Such an awesome day – It’s so, so awesome to win with Andrés in the car, you know, having him in the bus this morning and showing him the race plan and how we’re going to do it. Then to go out there and execute it as we did – I’m just lost for words, to be honest.
“I can’t thank the boys enough for putting me in the position to do this. It’s my first WorldTour win – it has been a really hard week but we never give up, and I found something special in the legs for today.”
The race finished its traditional ending around Montjuïc, with seven ascents of the punchy Alt del Castell de Montjuïc featuring in the final 50 kilometers.
Despite a flurry of attacks from the GC contenders earlier on in the stage, Gilmore was able to stay in touch with the peloton and got himself in a 34-man group that formed in the closing kilometers.
Gilmore positioned himself perfectly on the fast descent into the finish line and, after coming out of the slipstream of Dorian Godon (IGD), he hit the front with 25 meters remaining and held on to take the team’s second victory of this year’s race.
“It’s a super hard climb, but it’s more one for the punchy riders,” Gilmore adds. “I had a good feeling in the legs from the beginning of the stage. I fought until the end, and I never gave up.
“I thought that if there could be a small group over the top and I could be there, I’d have a chance. From watching the previous years, I knew when exactly to open my sprint up. I’ve been thinking about winning here every day, and to finally win a WorldTour race, it feels amazing.
“The first day was probably more suited to me, but it was my first time being a leader for the WorldTour team, and I probably got too excited and used too much energy. I applied everything I learned from that into today and executed it perfectly.”
Reflecting on a special day for the team, DS Oscar Guerrero says: “If you dreamed, it would still not happen like this. We knew we would have an opportunity today, which is why we rode to chase down the breakaway on the way to the circuit.
“From there, it was all about waiting – we rode smartly, we knew how the other teams were trying to race, and I never saw the chance of one guy soloing off the climb and going to the finish. The only message to Brady coming into the final was telling him to take the wheel of Godon and nothing more. We told Brady that he would take him to 150 meters to go.
“The week was incredible. First, the way that we rode – taking responsibility on five of the seven days, believing that we have an option to win, and of course, taking two stages. We know that our guys tried their best all week, and we cannot ask for any more than that. I never dreamed that we would win twice here this week before the race.
“Of course, today was extra special, having Andrés here with us. When people noticed that he was in the car with us, the reception was crazy. So many people were shouting for him. He was super emotional at the end – I told him that he needs to come in the team car at more races!”
Having enjoyed a front-row seat at today’s race, the enjoyment Iniesta took from watching the team’s sixth victory of 2026 was evident for all to see.
He says: “Amazing! Being able to enjoy Brady’s victory in Barcelona from inside the NSN team car has been an incredible experience. I’m very happy for the team’s success at the race.”
Content continues below the ads
And here's the Tour of Catalonia report from GC third-place Florian Lipowitz's Team Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe:
On the final day of the 105th edition of the race in Barcelona, the 25-year-old Florian Lipowitz defended his third place in the overall standings. Remco Evenepoel also rode to third place in the day's results and finished the tour in fifth place. Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe also won the team classification.
On the 95-kilometre final stage through the Catalan metropolis with seven laps over the city's local mountain, Montjuic, the two wingmen tried everything again to leave Catalonia with a stage win. From the third lap onwards, Lipowitz and Evenpoel took it in turns to go on the offensive, underlining their good teamwork and the harmony that had been evident all week.
Remco Evenepoel wins a stage four intermediate sprint ahead of Tom Pidcock.
Florian Lipowitz: "It was another very tough leg at the end. We tried to win it with Remco, but made the race very difficult early on. In the end, we just missed out on victory today despite a good performance. But looking at the week as a whole, we can be really satisfied and proud of what we showed here as a whole team."
Just how good the team really was was shown in the end by the clear win in the team classification. Like at Tirreno-Adriatico before it, this is a first in the history of Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe, which once again shows that the team has a different mentality at the start, as it did throughout the spring.
DS Patxi Vila: "The team has improved a lot in every respect over the course of the week. We’ve seen how things can come together in just a few days. I was really pleased with that, and with the Tour in mind, it’s one of the most important lessons we’ve learnt from this Volta Catalunya. The teamwork between Remco and Lipo was excellent."
We posted the report from third-place Christophe Laporte's Team Visma | Lease a Bike with the results.
Here's the race report from Jasper Stuyven's Team Soudal Quick-Step:
Jasper Stuyven was Soudal Quick-Step’s top finisher in Sunday’s In Flanders Fields - From Middelkerke to Wevelgem, just like in Milano-Sanremo and E3 Saxo Classic. The Belgian was one of the first big names to make a move on one of the first important parts of the race, the always tricky plugstreets.
With more than 80 kilometers to go, Stuyven put down the hammer and stretched out the peloton, in an attempt to open a gap and shake things up a bit, and even after the others responded, he tried again and made a selection just as the bunch was preparing for the hilly section of the race.
Sadly, luck wasn’t on our team’s side at this 88th edition, as Laurenz Rex had to abandon after being involved in a crash in the first part of the day, while Paul Magnier needed a bike change with more than 70 kilometers to go, and later, on the final ascent of the Kemmelberg, he had to let go of any hopes of victory after his chain dropped.
Jasper Philipsen wins the race.
Despite these setbacks, the 21-year-old Frenchman found a silver lining at the end of the race: “It wasn’t my day. I had a flat tire on the plugstreets and had to take Bert’s bike, then I needed to get my second bike and lost a lot of energy there. I still made it back ahead of the final time up the Kemmelberg and was in a good position, but my chain dropped just at the top and in that moment my race was over. It’s a pity, because I felt good and the team did an excellent job, but it is as it is. I hope luck will be on my side on Wednesday, when I’ll take on Dwars door Vlaanderen with a lot of confidence knowing that I had strong legs here.”
Even in these circumstances, the Wolfpack remained prominent, and Stuyven sprinted to tenth place in Wevelgem, after the last attackers of the day were brought back by the reduced bunch with just one kilometer to go.
“Unfortunately, we lost Laurenz, and then had more bad luck on the Kemmelberg. It became complicated to be present in the finale with more riders, but the guys kept fighting and put me in a good position. I missed something on the climbs, but I feel that I keep getting better with every race. A bunch sprint isn’t my strongest point, but I think I made the best out of it and I take a lot of confidence from this weekend”, said Jasper after notching up his 24th top-ten finish in a cobbled Classic and his first in the Soudal Quick-Step jersey.
Content continues below the ads
Here's the In Flanders Fields report from Team Picnic-PostNL:
Team Picnic PostNL lined up for the newly named In Flanders Fields, tackling a demanding 241-kilometre route from Middelkerke to Wevelgem. Early in the race, an eight-rider breakaway formed, with Frits Biesterbos representing Team Picnic PostNL at the front. While echelons didn’t materialise in the famous Moeren-section, crosswinds soon after split the peloton before things came back together on the first climbs of the day.
Over the first passage of the Kemmelberg, the gap to the break was reduced to under half a minute. On the second ascent, several pre-race favourites attacked and bridged across, forming a new nine-rider lead group with Biesterbos still present. With 45 kilometres remaining, the group held a narrow 31-second advantage over a reduced bunch.
The race exploded again on the final ascent of the Kemmelberg via the steep Ossuaire side, where Mathieu van der Poel and Wout van Aert went clear. Biesterbos had to let go but continued to collaborate with the riders he had spent the day in the break with. Their effort lasted until 21 kilometres from the finish, when they were finally caught.
John Degenkolb (shown checking out the 2025 Tour of Flanders course) was fourteenth in Wevelgem. Sirotti photo
Behind, John Degenkolb remained in the chasing bunch, around 40 seconds behind the leaders at 15 kilometres to go. Biesterbos’ day at the front came to an end shortly after due to a mechanical. The final attackers were only caught under the red kite, setting up a sprint finish in Wevelgem. Jasper Philipsen powered to the victory, while Degenkolb led Team Picnic PostNL across the line in 14th after a long and aggressive day of racing.
And here's the In Flanders Fields report from Team Groupama-FDJ:
As on Friday, Groupama-FDJ United left the second race of the Belgian Holy Week somewhat frustrated this Sunday. At “In Flanders Fields – From Middelkerke to Wevelgem”, Thibaud Gruel first showed very encouraging signs as he faced the top riders on the Kemmelberg, before the race was decided in a reduced bunch sprint. Axel Huens then gave it his all, but his bid for a top-10 finish was hampered by a dropped chain in the final kilometre, forcing him to settle for twelfth place.
Despite a different name, the route was a familiar one for the riders this Sunday at In Flanders Fields – From Middelkerke to Wevelgem, previously known as Gent-Wevelgem. As last year, three ascents of the Kemmelberg were on the menu, with the final one coming just thirty-five kilometres from the finish. Nearly 130 kilometres had to be covered before reaching the climbs, and the race proved also eventful during this opening phase.
“We took the race the right way by making sure to stay in the front positions, as there were quite a few exposed sections from the new start in Middelkerke,” explained William Green. “Johan did a really great job early on. Then, in De Moeren, echelons formed, a group of around forty riders went clear, and we had five riders in it. That confirmed our strong start.” “Having five guys up there at that point says a lot,” added Axel Huens, who was briefly caught out alongside Thibaud Gruel. “It shows how present we were as a team.” A head-to-head battle between the two pelotons lasted for nearly forty kilometres before things eventually came back together just before the first ascent of the Kemmelberg, a little over 90 kilometres from the finish.
Thibaud Gruel
“Then, as we came towards the gravel sectors (Ploegsteert), Thibaud did a super job,” William continued. “He was full of confidence and was right there at the front.” The young Frenchman, attentive and proactive in positioning, did it again a few minutes later just before tackling the second ascent of the Kemmelberg. He reached the bottom in the top eight positions and tried to follow the attacks of Wout van Aert and Mathieu van der Poel.
“He was really close to following them,” William pointed out. “He was just missing a little something, but it is definitely promising and it was a clear improvement compared to E3.” The Groupama-FDJ United puncheur came over the climb in fourth position of the peloton, but unfortunately too far behind a leading trio that had already gone clear. A chasing pack of around fifty riders then regrouped, including Thibaud Gruel and Axel Huens. “Thibaud was really strong on the climbs,” Axel added. “As for me, I was struggling a bit at first, but I felt better as the kilometres went by. We both made it over the final Kemmel, and we quickly understood it would come down to a sprint.”
In the final thirty kilometres, the peloton gradually closed the gap to van der Poel and van Aert, but the catch was only made with two kilometres to go, setting up a sprint of around thirty-five riders for the win. “The goal was for Thibaud and Axel to take their chance, because we know these sprints are not easy to manage, with fatigue and everyone wanting to be part of it,” explained William. “The idea was for each of us to follow a sprinter’s wheel, ideally on opposite sides of the road, and I was personally confident,” said Axel. The northern Frenchman found an opening more easily than his teammate, but due to an incident in the final kilometre, he could do no better than twelfth place at the line.
“I’m completely gutted because I dropped my chain with 500 metres to go,” he said. “I’m even more frustrated because I managed to put a strong acceleration after. I’m hugely frustrated. You could say twelfth isn’t so bad considering where I come from, but that’s not something to settle for. When you have the legs to finish top 10 or top 5 in a race like this, you have to take your chance. I’m really gutted…” “Honestly, he could have been close to the top five,” William confirmed. “As for Thibaud, he still lacks a bit of aggressiveness in the sprint, and that’s something he needs to keep working on.”
Despite real promise, it was therefore another frustrating outcome for the Classics group. “Sadly, we’re just outside the top 10 again, but we’re consistent, we keep fighting, and we’ll keep making sure to be there at Dwars door Vlaanderen,” William concluded. “Overall, it’s a pretty good day, but frustrating at the end,” Axel said. “Personally, I’ve really taken a big step forward compared to last year, and I’m in good physical shape, including on the climbs. I always hoped to become a strong Classics rider, and I think I now have the level required. Now I need to confirm it with some results. I still have three great races before the break, and I’ll go all in with confidence given the form I’ve shown recently.”
Content continues below the ads
We posted the report from second-place Martin Marcellusi's Team Bardiani-CSF 7 Saber with the results.
Here's the report from third-place Matys Grisel's Team Lotto-Intermarché:
Matys Grisel is in great form, as after his victory in the Tour de Taiwan, he sprinted to a strong third place in La Roue Tourangelle. “I think I had the legs to win, but of course I’m very happy with this podium finish.”
He had already claimed victory in Le Tour des 100 Communes at U23 level, secured the overall win in the Tour de Taiwan among the pros, and added a series of top-10 finishes along the way. Today, Matys Grisel added another impressive result with third place in La Roue Tourangelle Centre-Val de Loire.
Clément Venturini wins the 2026 La Roue Tourangelle
“My legs were really good today,” he said. “Maybe good enough to win, but that’s how it goes… I was able to stay with the right group throughout the race and the team did a fantastic job positioning me well towards the foot of the climbs. In the final, I tried to race smart and let other teams do the work. In the end, we went to a sprint with around fifteen riders. In the last corner I was a bit poorly positioned. I could still move up, but not enough to win, unfortunately. Of course I’m a bit disappointed, but at the same time happy to take another step forward and secure this podium. And I’m very grateful to the team for their work and the trust they’ve given me.”