Bicycle Racing News and Opinion,
Thursday, October 15, 2026
Back to news and opinion index page for links to archived stories | Commentary | Our YouTube page
I believe in Liberty for all men: the space to stretch their arms and their souls, the right to breathe and the right to vote, the freedom to choose their friends, enjoy the sunshine, and ride on the railroads, uncursed by color; thinking, dreaming, working as they will in a kingdom of beauty and love. - W. E. B. Du Bois
Stoic philosopher Epictetus' Golden Sayings is available in both audiobook & Kindle eBook versions. To get your copy, just click on the Amazon link on the right.
Current racing:
- Oct 13 - 18: Tour of Guangxi
- Oct 13 - 18: Tour of Holland
Upcoming racing:
- Oct 18: Chrono des Nations
- Oct 18: Veneto Classic
- Oct 18: Japan Cup road Race
Latest completed racing:
- Oct 14: Giro del Veneto
- Oct 11: Paris-Tours
- Oct 10: Il Lombardia
- Oct 8: Gran Piemonte
- Oct 3 - 7: Elite European Road Championships
- Oct 6: Tre Valli Varesine
We posted the report from winner Alessandro Covi's Team Jayco AlUla with the results.
Here's the report from third-place Benoît Cosnefroy's UAE Team Emirates-XRG:
Benoît Cosnefroy began the final week of the season in great shape for UAE Team Emirates-XRG, with the Frenchman taking third place at the Giro del Veneto.
After an attritional afternoon in the saddle, Cosnefroy took his podium place in an uphill sprint to the line in Vicenze. There, it was the Emirati squad’s former rider, Alessandro Covi, who took a much-deserved victory for Jayco AlUla.
Alessandro Covi wins the Giro del Veneto. Photo: Ivan Benedetto/Sprint Cycling Agency
Behind the popular Italian, Anthon Charmig sneaked second place for Uno-X Mobility, leading home Cosnefroy in third. The UAE Team Emirates-XRG man produced a fast finish to repay his teammates’ work from earlier in the day, which saw the Emirati squad at the head of proceedings for most of the afternoon.
First up, it was Moritz Mauss and Filippo Baroncini who kept a seven-man breakaway on a tight leash. Their work brought the peloton to the foot of the climb to the Santuario di Monte Berico, which would be tackled five times in full as part of the Vicenze circuit. The sixth and final ascent would take the riders to the finish line, a kilometre into the climb.
On the climb itself, Jayco AlUla set the pace on the first ascent, but it was on the third of five full ascents that UAE Team Emirates-XRG demonstrated its strength.
Here, Pavel Sivakov set a fearsome tempo which immediately saw the peloton stretched out into one line. His efforts were backed up by António Morgado on the fourth ascent, before Sivakov returned to deliver a stinging lead-out for the world champion, Brandon McNulty, on the fifth and final full ascent.
Slingshotting from behind his French teammate, McNulty launched a bold and audacious attack 14km from the line, using the climb to his advantage. The man in the rainbow jersey led the front group over the crest of the climb, before continuing his assault on the plateau that followed. The hope was that McNulty could drag a small group clear and contest the finish on the final kick to the line.
As it was, the parcours was not quite difficult enough for such a move to stick, and heading towards the last 5km, the peloton had regrouped at the front of the race. In turn, McNulty’s selflessly changed tact to support Cosnefroy, acknowledging the Frenchman’s strength in such scenarios.
For Cosnefroy, the honour was great to have the reigning world champion offer a helping hand, and the 30-year-old immediately latched onto his wheel. Into the final kilometre, McNulty delivered a solid tempo to pilot the Frenchman into position. It was from the rainbow jersey’s wheel that Cosnefroy delivered his final sprint to the line.
In the end, Covi’s acceleration proved race-winning, but Cosnefroy could be proud of his efforts in landing a spot on the day’s podium.
Cosnefroy: “At the end, I am happy to close this race with a podium, but I would prefer the win. I think with a different strategy on the final climb from me, it could be possible to get the win. But no, I can be happy after the amazing ride from the team today. Every rider did their best and at the end, when you have the world champion for the final kilometre, it is a bit different and I could feel the power going into my legs.
“For me, it is a dream to have Brandon offering me his support in the rainbow jersey. We have one more chance on Sunday, for the last race in Europe, and we will try for the win.”
Content continues below the ads
We posted the race report from stage winner Frits Biesterbos' Team Picnic-PostNL with the results.
Here's the report from Afonso Eulálio's Team Bahrain Victorious:
With Javier Romo (MOV) and Jhonatan Narváez (UEX) on the attack, Afonso Eulálio recognised the danger and joined the battle among the GC contenders, claiming the maximum 10 points at the second-category climb.
Our Portuguese rider now leads the mountains classification, 4 points ahead of Rudy Porter (JAY) and 6 ahead of Rémy Rochas (GFC).
Frits Biesterbos narrowly wins stage two.
Afonso Eulálio: “It’s my first time in China, and I love it. Being on the podium feels really good, and seeing so many fans bringing photos for me to sign is amazing. It really motivates me.”
Looking ahead, Afonso remains ambitious about the general classification: “The GC is our main goal, and we’ll take it day by day to see what we can achieve.”
Lead Sports Director Aart Vierhouten: “We’re happy to have the jersey in a WorldTour race, and it’s a nice bonus for Afonso and the team. Pau was our fastest rider up front and did a great job in the intermediate sprint, taking two seconds with the help of Vlad Van Mechelen and Max van der Meulen.”
“It was important for us to get ahead of other GC contenders such as Tom Pidcock (PQT) at the intermediate sprint. Our focus now is on the stages ahead.”
Content continues below the ads
We posted the report from stage winner Tim Merlier's Team Soudal Quick-Step with the results.
Here's the report from Christophe Laporte's Team Visma | Lease a Bike:
Christophe Laporte finished fourth in the opening road stage of the Eneco Tour. The Frenchman from Team Visma | Lease a Bike mixed it up in the bunch sprint but, like the rest of the field, had no answer to a dominant Tim Merlier.
Following last night’s prologue, in which Laporte finished a solid third, Wednesday’s stage marked the first road race of the week. With the start and finish in Ede, the riders completed three laps of a local circuit. Three riders attacked shortly after the start. Team Visma | Lease a Bike remained alert near the front of the peloton throughout the afternoon, keeping the breakaway on a short leash.
As a result, all eyes turned to the expected bunch sprint in the final. Laporte had already indicated that he wanted to contest the sprint. Team Visma | Lease a Bike had things well organized on the left side of the peloton, with Edoardo Affini and Filippo Fiorelli bringing their teammate Laporte toward the front. However, the Frenchman was unable to challenge for the win, as Merlier powered to a dominant victory.
Tim Merlier wins stage one.
“We wanted to compete for the win, but we also knew we had two fast rivals in Merlier and Groenewegen”, sports director Maarten Wynants says after the stage. “Everyone, of course, wanted to be first into the final corner. I think we executed our plan really well, but Merlier was simply much faster than everyone else. It’s disappointing that Christophe just missed out on the bonus seconds.”
There’s hardly any change at the top of the general classification. Laporte remains third, with Affini in tenth. Tomorrow, the riders will take on a 13.6-kilometer individual time trial in Tilburg. In the days that follow, there will be stages in Limburg, Drenthe, and Gelderland.
Content continues below the ads
Here’s the team’s announcement:
Netcompany INEOS is delighted to announce the signings of rising British talent Joe Blackmore and experienced compatriot James Shaw, who will both join the team from 2027.
Blackmore, 23, has quickly established himself as one of Britain's brightest young talents, enjoying a breakthrough 2024 season that saw him win both the Tour de l’Avenir and Liège-Bastogne-Liège U23.
A versatile rider with strong climbing credentials, Blackmore has demonstrated his ability across demanding one-day races and stage races. Despite a 2026 season disrupted by injury, he is determined to build on his early achievements and take the next step in his career with Netcompany INEOS.
Shaw brings a wealth of experience and versatility to the squad, having built a career spanning nearly a decade at the professional level. A strong climber capable of performing across challenging stage races and one-day events, the 30-year-old has demonstrated considerable resilience and determination throughout his career.
James Shaw wins 2025 Vuelta a España stage six. Sirotti photo
Joe Blackmore said: “I’m extremely excited and grateful for the opportunity to spend the next three years of my career with Netcompany INEOS. It’s been a tough 2026 for me with injuries, but it’s made me even more motivated to reach my full potential.
“Joining a team that operates at the highest level gives me the perfect environment to keep developing. I can’t wait to get started and contribute to the team’s success.”
James Shaw said: “As a kid, this was the team that inspired me. I grew up looking up to riders like Geraint Thomas, so to now have the opportunity to pull on the jersey and become part of a team I've admired for so long is a dream come true.”
Geraint Thomas, Director of Racing, said: “Joe is a rider we’ve followed closely and someone we believe has significant potential. He has already shown what he is capable of across different types of racing, but importantly we believe there is still a lot more to come.
“Our focus will be on giving him the environment, support and time to continue that progression. We’re really looking forward to welcoming him to the team and seeing what we can achieve together.
“James is a real fighter. He’s shown significant mental toughness throughout his career and has worked incredibly hard to establish himself at the highest level.
“He’s got a diverse skill set and brings valuable experience to the team. He’s also someone who will contribute to the strong British culture we have within the squad, both on and off the bike.”