Bicycle Racing News and Opinion,
Tuesday, September 29, 2026
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Ending a sentence with a preposition is something up with which I will not put. - Winston Churchill
Bill & Carol McGann's book The Story of the Tour de France, 2021: The Little Cannibal Dominates is available in both Kindle eBook & audiobook versions. To get your copy, just click on the Amazon link on the right.
Current racing:
- Sept 27 - Oct 4: Le Tour de Langkawi
Upcoming racing:
- Oct 3: Giro dell'Emilia
- Oct 3: Sparkassen Münsterland Giro
- Oct 4: Coppa Agostoni
Latest completed racing:
- September 20 - 27: World Road Championships
- September 16 - 20: Tour de Luxembourg
- September 19: Flandrian 0.0 Classic
- September 18: Kampioenschap van Vlaanderen
- September 15 - 18: Giro d'Abruzzo
- September 16: GP de Wallonie
- August 22 - Sept 13: Vuelta a España
- September 13: GP de Montréal
- September 13: GP de Fourmies
- September 13: Trofeo Matteotti
- September 12: Memorial Marco Pantani
- September 11: GP de Québec
- September 10: Coppa Sabatini
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Here’s the team’s announcement:
Lidl-Trek is excited to welcome Jordi Meeus to the Team, with the Belgian sprinter set to join from the 2027 season on a contract through 2028.
At 27, Meeus has already built an impressive palmarès and established himself as one of the most accomplished fast men of his generation. His combination of raw speed, strength and an instinct for finding the right position in hectic finales has made him a regular contender whenever the fastest riders in the peloton go head-to-head.
The highlight of Meeus’ career so far came on the biggest possible stage. In 2023, he took his first Tour de France victory on the Champs-Élysées in Paris, edging out the world’s best sprinters to claim a memorable win on the race’s iconic final day. Since then, he has continued to add victories and podiums at the highest level, such as a win this year in Ename Samyn Classic, proving that his success in Paris was no one-off.
Jordi Meeus wins 2023 Tour de France stage 21. Sirotti photo
"I’m really looking forward to racing in the Lidl-Trek colours. I’ve always admired the team, especially growing up as a kid watching the races. There were always big names in the team: the Schleck brothers, Cancellara, Stijn Devolder – I remember when he became Belgian champion in the Trek colours. I’m really looking forward to racing in this jersey and joining the team. I’m looking forward to changing to a new environment." - Jordi Meeus
Bringing Meeus into the Lidl-Trek roster adds both a proven winner and experienced lead-out rider. His strengths extend beyond pure sprinting, too, with the Belgian possessing the power and resilience required to remain competitive in demanding one-day races and the Classics.
“I know quite some riders in the team, for example Kämna, Konrad and Sobrero, who were all teammates in the last years, and I’m looking forward to racing with them again. There will be some familiar faces and also lots of new people I will meet, which is nice,” Meeus said.
For Meeus, the move represents an opportunity to enter a new environment and continue his development alongside a new group of riders and staff. With Lidl-Trek’s ambitions across both the Classics and sprinting calendar, he will have the chance to play a crucial role in some of the biggest races of the season.
"My ambitions are to win a lot of races with the team. I will help Jonny in the lead outs, I will try to bring him as best as possible to the sprints. I also have my own ambitions with some Classics and other sprint races when I have my chances. I look forward to a slightly different role than I’m used to, but I’m really looking forward to stepping into the sprint train and growing as a rider. I’m not the youngest anymore, but I think I still have some improvements to make and I think this team is definitely the right environment." - Jordi Meeus
The Team is excited to look towards a new chapter with Meeus, with CEO Andy Schleck commenting:
“Jordi’s positioning and ability to remain composed in the chaos of a bunch sprint have helped him make a name for himself in the peloton and we believe Jordi is going to be an important addition to our sprint group and Classics squad over the next two years.
He is a versatile rider with sharp instincts and a palmarès that features some impressive victories, including his memorable win on the Champs-Élysées. We are looking forward to seeing what he can help us achieve when racing in Lidl-Trek colours.”
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The team sent me this schedule:
Münsterland Giro - OCT 03
Roy Curvers - Team Picnic PostNL coach:
"We’re looking forward to lining up at Münsterland Giro, where we want to be active throughout the race and anticipate the key moves. At the same time, the race is likely to come down to a bunch sprint, giving us another clear option for the finale. Pavel will be our finisher, and we will look to support him and position him well in the closing kilometres, just like we did last weekend to great success at Paris-Chauny, so the confidence is high. The goal will be to stay attentive throughout the day, work well together as a team and be ready for both scenarios as the race unfolds."
Line-up:Julius van den Berg (NLD)
Pavel Bittner (CZE)
Milan de Ceuster (BEL)
Nils Eekhoff (NLD)
Timo de Jong (NLD)
Tim Naberman (NLD)
Mees Vlot (NLD)
Pavel Bittner on the podium after winning 2024 Vuelta a España stage five. Sirotti photo
Binche - Chimay - Binche - OCT 06
Roy Curvers - Team Picnic PostNL coach:
"Binche - Chimay - Binche offers a challenging and often unpredictable parcours, with the October weather potentially adding another factor to the race. The cobbled climbs and uphill finish make positioning particularly important, while the race can open up at several points throughout the day. We’ll need to stay attentive and anticipate the dangerous moves, while also keeping Frits well supported and positioned for the finale. If the race comes together, the course should offer him a good opportunity to fight for a strong result."
Line-up:
Frits Biesterbos (NLD)
Nils Eekhoff (NLD)
Sean Flynn (GBR)
Lennes Jacobs (NLD)
Timo de Jong (NLD)
Timo Roosen (NLD)
Thom van der Werff (NLD)
Binche - Chimay - Binche pour Dames - OCT 06
Callum Ferguson - Team Picnic PostNL coach:
"We want to build on the strong team performances we have put together in recent weeks and carry that momentum into Binche - Chimay - Binche. The goal will be to race aggressively again, particularly in the final laps, where we want to be present in the important moves and use our strength as a team. At the same time, we have Mia as an option for the sprint, and she is increasingly finding her place in these bunch finishes. We want to keep developing that combination of aggressive racing and our sprint approach, while giving ourselves as many options as possible for the finale."
Line-up:
Robyn Clay (GBR)
Lucie Fityus (AUS)
Pfeiffer Georgi (GBR)
Mia Griffin (IRL)
Daniela Hezinová (CZE)
Audrey De Keersmaeker (BEL)
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Here’s the team’s announcement:
Team Visma | Lease a Bike is strengthening its coaching staff with the arrival of Mike Schuch. The young Dutch coach will primarily be responsible for the junior team JEGG-SKIL-DJR, where he will focus on the development of the team’s young talents and their progression within the Team Visma | Lease a Bike development program.
With his background as a rider and his ambition to grow as a coach, Schuch will focus on race coaching and the development of JEGG-SKIL-DJR’s young talents. Working closely with the riders and staff, he will further develop his coaching expertise while helping the riders progress and take the next steps in their careers.
Mike Schuch
The collaboration with JEGG-SKIL-DJR is an important part of Team Visma | Lease a Bike’s long-term approach to talent development. By working with riders from the junior level, the team aims to provide young talents with the guidance and environment they need to progress towards the Development Team and, ultimately, the WorldTour Team.
“Mike is a highly energetic and talented coach who has shown that he is ready to take responsibility within our junior team”, says Head of Development Robbert de Groot. “I have known Mike since his days as a rider, and we have seen his ambition to develop himself into a top-level coach. We are therefore delighted to give him the opportunity to take the next steps in his development with Team Visma | Lease a Bike. We are confident that this environment will provide him with the experience and support he needs to continue growing as a coach.”
For Schuch, the opportunity represents an important step in his own development as a coach: “It is a dream come true to be able to turn my passion into my profession and dedicate myself fully to junior cycling. The progressive and innovative vision of Team Visma | Lease a Bike aligns closely with my own approach to coaching. My ambition is to work together with the team to build and further develop a strong junior squad, with the goal of bringing them to the top of junior cycling. At the same time, I want to support young riders as much as possible in their development, helping them ultimately make the step up to the Development Team and, eventually, the WorldTour Team. There is an incredible amount of talent within the team, and I am really looking forward to contributing to the development of these riders as a coach.”