The Tour de France hits the tough final stages – All the news, views, results, reports and video from La grande boucle.
Mathieu van der Poel believes that Evenepoel can still close the gap with Pogačar and Vingegaard – TOP STORY.
Tour de France news: UAE Team Emirates tightens health measures, Yates and Wellens separated from the start, Egan Bernal also not feeling well, Maxim Van Gils has to abandon due to covid, Alpecin-Deceuninck launches new #MerciPoupou shirt and 2024 charity campaign and the UCI to continue testing the 3 kilometre rule and limiting ‘earphones’.
Rider news: Urška Žigart on non-selection for the Olympics: “National coach pays less attention to my role in the race”, Josh Tarling commits to new multi-year deal with the INEOS Grenadiers, Groupama-FDJ top talent Romain Grégoire extends until the end of 2027, Davide Ballerini extends contract with Astana Qazaqstan and Cofidis retains two key riders.
Team news: XDS company invests in Astana Qazaqstan team, Ridley returns to the professional peloton, UCI starts proceedings against Belgian team manager after allegations of inappropriate behaviour and dsm-firmenich PostNL to the Baloise Ladies Tour.
Race news: Discover Cycling Canada’s 2025 Canadian Championships calendar and UCI and MyWhoosh announce public qualifiers for the 2024 UCI Cycling Esports World Championships.
Only four Tour days left… Big coffee time.
TOP STORY: Mathieu van der Poel Believes that Evenepoel Can Still Close the Gap with Pogacar and Vingegaard
Remco Evenepoel has exceeded the expectations of many in his first Tour de France. The Belgian is third overall after two weeks and has a comfortable lead over the fourth placed rider. However, the difference in level with Tadej Pogačar and Jonas Vingegaard, is quite large. Can that gap still be bridged in the future? Mathieu van der Poel thinks so.
Van der Poel was interviewed on Monday during the cycling program Vive le Vélo and spoke of an ‘exceptional performance’ by Evenepoel. When asked whether Evenepoel can ever really compete with Pogačar and Vingegaard, the World champion replied: “It will be very difficult, but I believe in it. What he is doing now is extremely punishing. And he has his time trial as a weapon. I think it should be possible.”
Van der Poel himself has not yet been able to excel this Tour. That also has to do with the course, which offers few opportunities for classic types like him. “I can’t change much about it myself. I had already said before that there are few opportunities for types like me. Then it gets difficult. Too few opportunities? Everyone has their own opinion, but it’s a shame. If things continue to evolve like this, there is little point for types like me to come to a Grand Tour. It’s a shame. Like on Sunday, there is not much you can do other than finish within time.”
Van der Poel is now mainly concerned with the Olympic Games. On August 3rd he will go for gold in Paris, just as he won gold at the World Championships in Glasgow a year ago. “I opted for a similar schedule. I feel better now than I did last year at this time. In 2023 I was a bit sick. I feel quite okay, but that is certainly not a certainty in the same form. We are candidates with a few men. It may be a bit comparable to Glasgow, but the Olympic course will be a little less controlled with fewer teammates.”
Van der Poel going for Olympic gold:
Tour de France 2024
Stage 16 of the 2024 Tour de France was won by Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Deceuninck) in Nîmes. He outpacing his rivals to the line with a powerful acceleration, perfectly set up by his World Champion teammate Mathieu van der Poel. A crash involving the green jersey, Biniam Girmay (Intermarché-Wanty), with 1.5km to go unfortunately meant he couldn’t contest the final sprint. An exciting bunch sprint resulted in Philipsen crossing the line ahead of Phil Bauhaus (Bahrain Victorious) and Alexander Kristoff (Uno-X Mobility) for his third win of this year’s Tour. Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates) celebrated his 100th day of Tour de France racing by securing the yellow jersey for the 35th time in his career, with no changes at the top of the GC on the first day back on the road after Monday’s rest day. Behind Pogacar in the overall standings, Jonas Vingegaard (Visma | Lease a Bike) and Remco Evenepoel (Soudal Quick-Step) remain at 3:09 and 5:19.
Following the news yesterday that Maxim Van Gils (Lotto Dstny) and then this morning Chris Harper (Jayco AlUla) had withdrawn from the Tour due to Covid-19 symptoms, there were 150 riders at the start line for stage 16. Stefan Kung (Groupama-FDJ) then Sandy Dujardin (TotalEnergies) attacked the peloton in the first kilometre, but sat up when they realised that there were no further volunteers to accompany them in the breakaway. The race progressed at a moderate pace during the first hour with 37.9 kilometres covered, before the average speed significantly increased in the second hour of racing, 44.8 km were covered. At the Matelettes intermediate sprint (96.1km) Bryan Coquard (Cofidis) got to the line first, while Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Deceuninck) was second, with Biniam Girmay (Intermarché-Wanty) fourth.
After the intermediate sprint Thomas Gachignard (TotalEnergies) went solo, leaving the peloton and building a 2:20 advantage by the time he reached the top of the only categorised climb of the stage, the Côte de Fambetou (Cat.4, 112.6km). The peloton didn’t look overly concerned about Gachignard’s efforts at any point with Jayco-AlUla collaborating with Alpecin-Deceuninck at the front of the bunch to offset any potential threat from the relatively light crosswinds. 25 kilometres from the finish line a peloton led by Groupama-FDJ calmly caught the solo attacker, who was the most combative rider of the stage. Nîmes has hosted several bunch sprint finishes in the past and that was the case again as the peloton flew through the city streets towards the final straight. An unfortunate crash for green jersey Girmay at a roundabout inside the final 2km sadly denied him of the chance to participate in the final sprint which was ultimately won by Philipsen ahead of Bauhaus and Kristoff.
# You can see more photos in the full ‘PEZ Stage Report’ HERE. #
Stage winner, Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Deceuninck): “I’m really happy, definitely, after such a team effort. It’s always nice when you can win together with your teammates as we did today. I haven’t seen Bini’s crash. I was with my teammates, focusing on our own lead-out. I hope everybody is ok. I was feeling good. I had a good rest day and I feel my shape has been improving over this Tour de France. I was confident that we could win today if we lined everything up ahead of the sprint. Every stage win is really hard to get at this level. Taking three is a very good job. We can be proud. Green jersey? Everything is possible, but it’s really hard as Bini is climbing really well. I hope he is fine after the crash, because he doesn’t deserve to lose the Points classification like this, because of a crash. I will try whatever I can, knowing that there are very hard stages yet to come. We will go day by day, while also enjoying every victory.”
Overall leader and KOM, Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates): “I’m happy today’s stage wasn’t as windy as expected. There were some crucial moments on which we had to hit the front, but otherwise it was an easy stage and I’m happy it’s already done. The Tour de France sprint stages are quite unique, in the sense that there is always a little bit of danger to avoid, as well as tricky sections on which you have to be very focused in order to stay out of trouble. I’m happy that the sprint stages are over, even though there are some tough stages to come. Tomorrow’s, for example, will be windy at the beginning and has some mountains at the finish. Anyway, I think the next two stages are due to be breakaway days. The final three stages will be the real showdown between the GC guys.”
Points leader, Biniam Girmay (Intermarché-Wanty): “It was a very nervous finish, as it was the last chance for the sprinters to get a stage win and there were a lot of traffic circles in the last ten kilometres. The team battled to stay ahead, the road narrowed before the last kilometre and I touched another rider’s handlebars. I braked hard but it was impossible to avoid the crash. Fortunately, I was able to get back on the bike and finish the stage. I got stitches in my knee and elbow. I consider myself lucky. Mentally I’m not down, far from it, actually. I’m going to fight to the end in Nice.”
Best young rider and 3rd overall, Remco Evenepoel (Soudal Quick-Step): “Today the wind was strong at the start of the stage, then it weakened over the kilometres and at the end it almost became a day of rest. I stayed with Yves Lampaert, who fulfilled his mission perfectly by positioning me at the front of the peloton and keeping me safe from any problems. This was the job to do today. I think that tomorrow and the day after tomorrow will be days for breakaways, so it will be calmer for us. Then I will have to prioritise looking at those behind me in the general classification to keep my place on the podium, but I have a good margin on them. So I think I’ll ride more defensively, and we’ll see if it’s possible to do something else. If the Tour could stop today, I would say ok.”
2nd on the stage, Phil Bauhaus (Bahrain Victorious): “It makes it for me always easier, to follow wheels if there are corners or roundabouts. Also our leader is technically good like Matej, I think everyone knows he’s good, and Nikias also. And so it makes it easier for us with our small lead-out, so I am more than happy to give them finally a nice result. This year I’m happy. Last year on that sprint I think I maybe could’ve done better (stage 3, 2023) and today this year, I mean first I need to say Philipsen was much faster, and also if you see my results, they were good but not like last year so I think maybe you need to go one step back and be happy with the podium.”
Most aggressive rider, Thomas Gachignard (TotalEnergies): “It’s nice to be a bit of a protagonist up front. I was sick at the start of the Tour, and I had difficulty recovering. The objective today was to protect Anthony for a sprint, and also to be present after the intermediate sprint. I attacked and created a gap in front of the peloton. No one followed me and I quickly dug in. I knew it was complicated, as the race was going so fast. I didn’t believe in victory. We already knew before the start that it was 95% likely for a sprint. Still, I had to try and show the jersey and to gain a little confidence in myself. There will be two stages suitable for the breakaway tomorrow and the day after tomorrow and we will do everything possible to show that we have our place at this Tour de France. The goal is not to miss any breakaways between here and Nice. Our Tour is already successful with Anthony’s victory in the first week. Everything that happens from here is a bonus.”
Tour de France Stage 16 Result:
1. Jasper Philipsen (Bel) Alpecin-Deceuninck in 4:11:27
2. Phil Bauhaus (Ger) Bahrain Victorious
3. Alexander Kristoff (Nor) Uno-X Mobility
4. Sam Bennett (Irl) Decathlon-AG2R La Mondiale
5. Wout Van Aert (Bel) Visma | Lease a Bike
6. Pascal Ackermann (Ger) Israel-Premier Tech
7. Bryan Coquard (Fra) Cofidis
8. Søren Wærenskjold (Nor) Uno-X Mobility
9. Ryan Gibbons (SA) Lidl-Trek
10. Danny van Poppel (Ned) Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe.
Tour de France Overall After Stage 16:
1. Tadej Pogačar (Slo) UAE Team Emirates in 67:35:56
2. Jonas Vingegaard (Den) Visma | Lease a Bike at 3:34
3. Remco Evenepoel (Bel) Soudal Quick-Step at 5:44
4. João Almeida (Por) UAE Team Emirates at 11:19
5. Carlos Rodriguez Cano (Spa) INEOS Grenadiers at 11:45
6. Mikel Landa Meana (Spa) Soudal Quick-Step at 11:46
7. Adam Yates (GB) UAE Team Emirates at 14:03
8. Derek Gee (Can) Israel-Premier Tech at 16:12
9. Giulio Ciccone (Ita) Lidl-Trek at 16:13
10. Santiago Buitrago Sanchez (Col) Bahrain Victorious at 16:57.
Tour’24 stage 16:
The victory on Stage 17 of the 2024 Tour de France went to Richard Carapaz at the SuperDevoluy finish, with the EF Education-EasyPost rider escaping his rivals on the final climb. Securing his first ever Tour de France stage win, Carapaz launched an attack on the penultimate climb, to reach Simon Yates (Jayco AlUla) and then overtake him 1.8km from the Col du Noyer summit, going on to reach the finish at SuperDevoluy, 37 seconds ahead of the Briton and 57 seconds ahead of Enric Mas (Movistar), who was third. The GC favourites also tested each other on the final two climbs, with Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates) also attacking on the Col du Noyer, before Jonas Vingegaard (Visma | Lease a Bike) and Remco Evenepoel (Soudal Quick-Step) responded. Evenepoel then launched an attack on the final climb to SuperDevoluy earning him 10 seconds on Pogačar and 12 seconds over Vingegaard at the finish line. Pogačar remains in yellow, now leading second placed Vingegaard by 3:11 and Evenepoel by 5:09.
Of the riders who had finished Stage 16, Phil Bauhaus (Bahrain Victorious) and Elmar Reinders (Jayco AlUla) were non-starters. In Reinders’ case because he had travelled home for the birth of his first child, there were now 148 riders on the start line in Saint-Paul-Trois-Châteaux. Early in the stage that number decreased, following the abandons of Sam Bennett (Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale), Fernando Gaviria (Movistar) and Alexey Lutsenko (Astana Qazaqstan ) who were unable to hold the pace, as the bunch covered 49 km in the first hour of racing whilst also encountering crosswinds. Lutsenko was suffering from knee pain and was in tears as he climbed off.
The break didn’t form immediately and the Visma | Lease a Bike riders attempted an attack at 9km. Three UAE riders, Yates, Soler and Sivakov temporarily found themselves in a second group, but the peloton regrouped at 17km. Following this came a rapid succession of attacks and counter-attacks, with Wout van Aert (Visma | Lease a Bike), Tobias Halland Johannessen (Uno-X Mobility), Jarrad Drizners (Lotto-Dstny) and Harold Tejada (Astana) going clear between 30km and 36km before they were reeled in. At 57km, it was Magnus Cort (Uno-X Mobility) who initiated an attack which saw Tiesj Benoot (Visma | Lease a Bike), Bob Jungels (Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe) and Romain Gregoire (Groupama-FDJ) follow him to form a strong four-man break. The chase was incessant behind them and caused significant splits and then regroupings in the peloton, with crosswinds also having an obvious impact on the main group.
At the intermediate sprint in Veynes (114.8km), it was Cort who was first, whilst the peloton were 45 seconds behind the break four, led by the green jersey Biniam Girmay (Intermarché-Wanty). Soon after that, at around 120km, a group of 47 riders counter-attacked out of the peloton, which gave them the go-ahead. At the foot of Col Bayard (Cat.2, 145.7km), the leading quartet had a 1:45 advantage over their pursuers and 4:50 over the GC group controlled by UAE Team Emirates. By the summit of that climb, which Cort was first to the top of, the leading quartet had a 30 seconds advantage over the chasing pair of Guillaume Martin (Cofidis) and Valentin Madouas (Groupama-FDJ), who had left the other riders from the large counter-attack group. That group trailed the break by 1 minute at the top of the Col Bayard, whilst the relaxed peloton in which the GC riders were present was at 6:40 off the lead of the race.
Martin and Madouas made it to the front at the foot of the Col du Noyer (Cat.1, 166.3km), where the chasing group was 40 seconds from the head of the race. Simon Yates then attacked from that chasing group, the British Jayco-AlUla rider soon caught and overtook the leading six. Richard Carapaz (EF Education-EasyPost) was also in hot pursuit and he then caught Yates on the penultimate climb of the stage, the pair briefly climbed together, before Carapaz attacked and went solo 1.8km from the Col du Noyer summit. The Ecuadorian Olympic champion would not look back from there, relentlessly pedalling to a memorable victory at SuperDevoluy.
# You can see more photos in the full ‘PEZ Stage Report’ HERE. #
Stage winner, Richard Carapaz (EF Education-EasyPost): “This victory means everything! I’ve been trying to get it since the start of the Tour, that was the goal. In the general classification we are very far away, but the hope remained of winning a stage. It was a very difficult day, with a lot of attacks, but in the end, a large group formed, I was able to come out at the right time and I managed to get this result which I will remember forever. I really made the most of the moment. I knew the final well having studied it with my sports director. I had won stages in the Giro and the Vuelta but the Tour de France is the race with all the best riders in the world. Each team comes with its best set-up and its best squad. The Tour is the best race. I am also happy for all the people who follow me. I’m proud to be here and represent all of America in the best possible way.”
Overall leader and KOM, Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates): “It’s one less day to go, and it has been a very good one indeed. It was a very fast stage – and it felt like a junior race for 120km! It turned out to be a very hard day, one of those on which you spend a lot of energy. Visma-Lease a Bike did a great race today, as they were very aggressive. I don’t know exactly if they wanted to trouble me, or stress us. Sometimes I don’t know the reason why I attack – even me, I don’t know anymore! I guess I was just enjoying the climb, as it was steep and super nice, and I felt like attacking to test my legs into this third week and see if I could get a gap or something. In the end, it was Remco who put in a super good attack and broke away. Without the Visma guys, he would have put even more time on Jonas and me.”
2nd on the stage, Simon Yates (Jayco AlUla): “Another second place stage finish for me. I did my best, but I was running out of legs in the end. Chapeau to Richie, he did a great ride, but that’s all I could do today in the final. I followed Romain Bardet [on the Col du Noyer] at the bottom, I don’t know if he was trying to launch someone else and then I saw I had a gap, so I decided to go full gas. I saw I had the gap and I preferred to be alone rather than someone catch me, so I tried to keep Richie and Stevie Williams away and maybe I paid for that a little bit in the end, but I didn’t really want them to catch me. I don’t know what the GC guys want to do in the next mountain stages, but if there’s a chance I’ll try again.”
2nd overall, Jonas Vingegaard (Visma | Lease a Bike): “Based on how UAE raced, I didn’t expect it, but when Lidl-Trek moved on, I already thought that it would be a possibility and he did attack. If another team makes the race hard, you have to expect him to go too. I actually expected Tadej to close the gap, but fortunately I had teammates with me. I have to thank them very much today. Yes. I still feel like I’m improving. Today may not have been my best day, but sometimes you have a bad day. If this was my bad day, I’m happy.”
3rd overall, Remco Evenepoel (Soudal Quick-Step): “I had done the reconnaissance for this stage so I knew the final well and that helped me. The start of the stage was very difficult, it took more than two hours to form a breakaway. Then I thought we were going to finish quite quietly, but Lidl-Trek launched an attack, then it was Tadej so there was a confrontation again. I was with Jonas and he did his best to come back, we were able to catch up on the descent with Christophe Laporte. At that moment, I felt like I had good legs and I was confident. So in the car they told me that I could try something. There was Jan Hirt at the front. I asked him to wait for me and then drop me off at the last kilometre and he did it perfectly. I took back 10” from Tadej and Jonas but that wasn’t the goal. I remain focused on my place on the podium, I’m good where I am but it allowed me to gain a little time on those behind me. I know that Tadej is defending his first place, but I am five minutes from him so I benefit from a little freedom and I took advantage of it.”
Points leader, Biniam Girmay (Intermarché-Wanty): “What I’m happiest about today is feeling good the day after my crash. Yesterday, I reassured my team-mates that the crash and the lost points were not catastrophic. Mentally and physically, I feel very strong. That’s the most important thing. From now on, the battle for the green jersey is more psychological. I’m happy to have taken points and increased my lead, and to have demonstrated my strength of character. The closer we get to Nice, the stronger I feel, with the finish almost in sight. That’s a huge motivating factor.”
Tour de France Stage 17 Result:
1. Richard Carapaz (Ecu) EF Education-EasyPost in 4:06:13
2. Simon Yates (GB) Jayco AlUla at 0:37
3. Enric Mas Nicolau (Spa) Movistar at 0:57
4. Laurens De Plus (Bel) INEOS Grenadiers at 1:44
5. Oscar Onley (GB) dsm-firmenich-PostNL
6. Guillaume Martin (Fra) Cofidis at 2:36
7. Magnus Cort Nielsen (Den) Uno-X Mobility at 2:38
8. Wout Poels (Ned) Bahrain Victorious at 2:39
9. Jordan Jegat (Fra) TotalEnergies
10. Alex Aranburu Deba (Spa) Movistar.
Tour de France Overall After Stage 17:
1. Tadej Pogačar (Slo) UAE Team Emirates in 70:21:27
2. Jonas Vingegaard (Den) Visma | Lease a Bike at 3:11
3. Remco Evenepoel (Bel) Soudal Quick-Step at 5:09
4. João Almeida (Por) UAE Team Emirates at 12:57
5. Mikel Landa Meana (Spa) Soudal Quick-Step at 13:24
6. Carlos Rodriguez Cano (Spa) INEOS Grenadiers at 13:30
7. Adam Yates (GB) UAE Team Emirates at 15:41
8. Giulio Ciccone (Ita) Lidl-Trek at 17:51
9. Derek Gee (Can) Israel-Premier Tech at 18:15
10. Santiago Buitrago Sanchez (Col) Bahrain Victorious at 18:35.
Tour’24 stage 17:
UAE Team Emirates Tightens Health Measures – Yates and Wellens Separated From the Start
UAE Team Emirates is erring on the side of caution in the final week of the Tour de France. To prevent yellow jersey wearer, Tadej Pogačar or his teammates from becoming ill, the team has tightened health measures, which was reported by AS.
Adam Yates and Tim Wellens, were taken to the start separately from the rest of the team. Earlier in this Tour, UAE also put Juan Ayuso inside a different car. He later turned out to have covid symptoms and left the race. It is not known whether Yates and Wellens also have health problems.
Wellens kept separate:
Egan Bernal Also Not Feeling Well
INEOS Grenadiers is not having the best of Tours. Leader, Carlos Rodríguez could still take a top 5 place on GC, but the team is struggling with an outbreak of covid. Tom Pidcock and Geraint Thomas have the virus, but Egan Bernal has also not felt good in recent days.
The Colombian has had a cold for a few days and feels flu-like, Het Nieuwsblad reports. This is an explanation for his poor performance in Sunday’s Pyrenees stage to Plateau de Beille. The 2019 Tour winner ran into problems very early in the stage, managed to return, but had to let go on the Col d’Agnes and eventually crossed the line more than 40 minutes after stage winner Tadej Pogačar.
The 27-year-old climber was 13th overall before the start of the second stage in the Pyrenees, but has now dropped to 21st, almost an hour behind the yellow jersey. Bernal doesn’t plan to give up for the time being, but his INEOS Grenadiers team had to say goodbye to Tom Pidcock earlier in the Tour. The British rider suffered from covid symptoms and left the race. Geraint Thomas has also tested positive for the virus, but because the 2018 Tour winner only has mild symptoms, he is still in the peloton.
Bernal still in the Tour:
Maxim Van Gils has to Abandon Due to Covid
Maxim Van Gils was not at the start of the 16th stage of the Tour de France on Tuesday. The Belgian tested positive for the corona virus on the rest day and has to leave, his Lotto Dstny team announced via social media.
“Maxim Van Gils unfortunately has to leave the Tour de France after testing positive for corona,” the Belgian team wrote on ‘X’. “He woke up this morning with very mild complaints. We wish him a speedy recovery!” Van Gils is the first Lotto Dstny rider to retire in the 111th Tour de France. The 24-year-old Belgian puncheur joins Michael Mørkøv, Juan Ayuso and Tom Pidcock.
Van Gils started well in his second Tour de France. In the opening stage to Rimini he crossed the finish line fifth. He did not really distinguish himself in the subsequent stages, although he was part of the attack in the gravel stage around Troyes. After fifteen stages he was 51st overall, more than 2 hours behind Tadej Pogačar.
In the stage finishing in Pau, Van Gils was controversial after he came into contact with Amaury Capiot in full sprint preparation, who crashed hard and had to leave the Tour the next day. The crash kept people busy for a while. After criticism from the sprint leader of Arkéa-B&B Hotels towards Van Gils, the Lotto Dstny driver decided to lash out at his compatriot.
Van Gils was identified by the competition jury as the main culprit for the crash in the final to Pau and was fined 1,500 Swiss Francs and a deduction of 60 UCI points.
Maxim Van Gils out of the Tour:
Alpecin-Deceuninck Launches New #MerciPoupou Shirt and 2024 Charity Campaign
Started in 2021 and having already raised more than €300,000, Alpecin-Deceuninck is launching a new ‘Merci Poupou campaign’ in 2024. On the occasion of the second rest day in the Tour de France, the six Alpecin-Deceuninck riders will again ride in a ‘Merci Poupou’ jersey, with an additional limited-edition jersey and special bike for Mathieu van der Poel.
The ‘Merci Poupou’ team jersey is inspired by the yellow and purple jersey of Mercier (Poulidor’s former team) and was first worn during the Tour start in 2021. This year, the jersey will have a denim look. For Mathieu van der Poel, there is another limited edition: since Van der Poel is the reigning world champion, it was an ideal opportunity to rework his rainbow jersey into the Poupou colours. Van der Poel’s jersey also features a unique image of Raymond Poulidor and MVDP himself.
Only 50 (numbered) copies of the jersey were produced, with 1/50 intended for Mathieu van der Poel and 2/50 – along with the Merci Poupou Denim jerseys of the other riders – will be auctioned. The number 50 refers to the number of Tour de France participations by Raymond Poulidor: 14 as a rider, 36 as a TDF representative of the Tour caravan. A special ‘Merci Poupou’ pair of glasses, in collaboration with Oakley, will also be worn today and auctioned afterwards.
Proceeds will again be donated to several various organisations that provide opportunities for children and young adults to exercise (in the broadest sense), rehabilitate from accidents, and support charities such as ‘Kom op Tegen Kanker’.
In addition to the jersey, there is once again a customised Merci Poupou Canyon bike, which Mathieu van der Poel will ride during the rest day. This bike, like last year, will be donated to Vive le Vélo for the famous text message campaign, giving everyone a chance to win the bike. Proceeds will go to ‘Kom op Tegen Kanker’.
Finally, there are some additional actions:
Copies 41/50 to 50/50 of the unique jersey of Mathieu van der Poel will be donated to organisations and charities, which can then set up their own fundraising campaigns.
Replicas of the Merci Poupou jerseys will be sold through KALAS, and there is also a Merci Poupou casual t-shirt. Proceeds from these will also go to Merci Poupou.
All information about Merci Poupou, the 2024 actions, and organisations/charities supported in the past can be found at www.mercipoupou.com.
About Merci Poupou
In 2021, Mathieu van der Poel embarked on his first Tour de France, fully stepping into the footsteps of his grandfather, Poulidor. Unfortunately, Poulidor, who participated in the Tour a remarkable 50 times (14 times as a rider, 36 times as part of the Tour de France caravan), had passed away and could not witness his grandson’s debut.
To honour this symbolic moment and the legacy of the iconic Poulidor, the Merci Poupou project was established. In 2021, Mathieu van der Poel and his teammates sowed up on the starting podium wearing purple and yellow Alpecin-Fenix jerseys inspired by ‘Mercier,’ the team Poulidor raced for. These special edition jerseys were sold, with the proceeds going to various organisations and charities.
Merci Poupou has since become the charitable arm of Alpecin-Deceuninck, making annual contributions to various causes through different initiatives. Merci Poupou symbolises how sport unites people across generations, how grandparents pass on their love for sport to their grandchildren, and how lifelong memories are created. Merci Poupou aims to inspire the next generation to embrace cycling and sports in general, encouraging them to stay active.
Over the years, the funds raised have been donated to various organisations that provide opportunities for children and young adults to engage in sports (in the widest sense), recover from injuries and accidents, and support causes like Kom op Tegen Kanker.
The UCI to Continue Tests with the 3 Kilometre Rule and Limiting Earphones
The UCI will continue testing some safety measures introduced during the Tour de France. Some new measures are also being tested, as the international cycling association announced in June. More information has now emerged.
During the Tour de France, experiments are currently being conducted with stretching the three-kilometre rule. In many stages, GC riders can relax from 3 kilometres before the finish, but in several Tour stages the ‘safe zone’ is stretched to 4 and 5 kilometres. After ‘positive feedback from stakeholders’, this will also happen in two stages of the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift and four stages of the Vuelta a España, the UCI said in a press release. It is not yet known which stages.
Extending the three-kilometre rule is just one of the measures being tested following recommendations from SafeR (a project that should ensure that the risk of serious crashes is drastically reduced). From August 1, two more measures will be experimented with.
Firstly, the use of earphones, with which riders can communicate with the team management, will be limited during some races. This concerns the Tour of Poland (12-18 August) and the Vuelta a Burgos (5-9 August). The press release does not specify exactly what this restriction entails, but the UCI previously mentioned it as a possible solution to have only two riders per team wear earphones.
In addition, as previously announced, the UCI will work with yellow cards. From August 1 to December 31, 2024 there will be a test phase with these yellow cards. These may be handed out by commissaires for an infringement that could pose a risk to the safety of the race. From January 1, 2025, yellow cards will be part of strict regulations. Riders who receive two or more yellow cards can expect a suspension.
The 3 kilometre rule to be extended:
Zigart on non-selection for the Olympics: “National Coach Pays Less Attention to my Role in the Race”
Urška Žigart’s non-selection for the Paris Olympic Games caused quite a stir. Fiancée Tadej Pogačar and manager Alex Carera felt the need to respond, but now Žigart has also spoken on the subject.
The 27-year-old rider, who finished 12th in the Woman’s Giro d’Italia last Sunday, was informed before the Tour of Switzerland. “I received a text message from national coach Gorazd Penko before the race with the message and his reasons. He told me that he had already decided it last year,” Žigart told the Slovenian website 24Ur.
The Slovenian national coach prefers Urska Pintar and Eugenia Bujak, who can now prepare for the Olympic Games. “I don’t have to prove myself to anyone. The national coach looks at my results in one-day races and much less at my role during the race. I often ride for others. That was also the case in Liège-Bastogne-Liège, where I finished 32nd. I think he was looking for a reason not to select me.”
Žigart gave vent to her frustrations on social media, but is now backtracking on her words. “It wasn’t my intention to create drama. Problems arise in every sport and they often arise around selection procedures. And especially with the Olympic Games. I will loudly encourage every Slovenian who takes action in Paris.”
Žigart’s fiancée, Tadej Pogačar, also spoke out on social media: “I have no words”. Žigart commented: “But I didn’t want to allow anything. Tadej also has a team around him for his social media. When he asked me if he could post something, I immediately said no. I let him know it was my fight.”
No Olympics for Urška Žigart:
Josh Tarling commits to new multi-year deal with the INEOS Grenadiers
Josh Tarling, one of cycling’s most promising talents, has committed to race as a Grenadier until the end of 2027.
The 20-year-old Welshman turned pro with the team in 2023 and has since become European and British time trial Champion, along with winning the bronze medal at the World Championships in Stirling. The 2024 season saw him take the opening stage of O Gran Camiño, a second place in the time trial at the Critérium du Dauphiné and finish sixth at Dwars door Vlaanderen. In June, he won the British National Time Trial Championship for the second year running after becoming the youngest ever winner in 2023.
Josh Tarling said: “I am now two seasons into my pro career, and I am loving every minute of it. Obviously, there is still loads to learn and improve upon over the coming years, but I am glad to be doing that as a Grenadier surrounded by riders like G, Pippo and Egan. It really makes you feel like you’re learning from the best. I’m looking forward to supporting the Team where I can, whilst also targeting some big wins together. We have a dynamic, world-class group of riders with a lot to prove and that just fuels me to keep working hard and explore my limits across time trials, the Classics, and hopefully soon Grand Tours.”
Scott Drawer, Performance Director, said: “Josh is an incredible athlete and one of the most promising young talents in cycling. A big career lies ahead of him, and we are 100% committed to giving him the support he needs to live up to the expectations he has for himself and fulfil his potential. This contract is the perfect example of the team’s commitment to identifying and nurturing young talent. Josh joined the team at just eighteen and we have done all we can to ensure he had a holistic plan to develop at the right pace, doing the right things at the right time. Our young riders have the very best resources and tech available and input from some of the most experienced support staff in the sport. One of the amazing things about this team is the breadth we have in our rider group, from multiple Grand Tour winners like Egan and G, and time trial specialists like Ganna, through to some of the future stars of the sport like Josh. It is invaluable for our younger riders to be able to learn from the experience, professionalism, race craft and know-how of our leaders while they in turn bring energy and new ideas into the group. Josh obviously has a big goal for the Olympics this summer and we will then support him to kick on and continue to build on the success of his first two seasons as a pro. I know he will play a big part in helping the team achieve the clear ambitions we have for the coming years.”
John Allert, INEOS Grenadiers CEO, added: “We’re delighted to continue working with Josh. He’s everything that the INEOS Grenadiers is about – ambition, grit, a great team-mate and a hard worker. The sky’s the limit for Josh, and together we’re working super hard to see what is achievable.”
Groupama-FDJ Top Talent Romain Grégoire Extends Until the End of 2027
Groupama-FDJ has lost two top talents: Lenny Martinez and Laurence Pithie, but Romain Grégoire will continue to ride for Marc Madiot in the coming years. The 21-year-old Frenchman has extended his contract until the end of 2027.
Romain Grégoire is thought of as one of the French talents of the moment, and the young rider has already shown great things with the pros. In his first year as a professional, in 2023, he took five victories. The climbing specialist won a stage and the final classification in the Four Days of Dunkirk and was also successful in the Tour du Limousin, with two stage victories and an overall victory.
This year, Grégoire was a winner in the Tour of the Basque Country. On the fifth stage, finishing in Amorebieta-Etxano, he beat Orluis Aular and Maximilian Schachmann in a sprint. This year he also finished second in the Trofeo Laigueglia, seventh in the Flèche Wallonne and twelfth in the Amstel Gold Race. Grégoire is currently riding his first Tour de France.
The fact that the Groupama-FDJ team has managed to retain a top talent like Grégoire for longer is a big boost. Especially after the loss of Lenny Martinez and Laurence Pithie. Visma | Lease a Bike, INEOS Grenadiers and Bahrain Victorious want Martinez, while Pithie is likely to go to Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe next year.
Groupama-FDJ resign Romain Grégoire:
Davide Ballerini Extends Contract with Astana Qazaqstan
Italian rider Davide Ballerini (29) has extended his contract with the WorldTour Astana Qazaqstan Team. According to the new agreement, Ballerini will continue racing with the team for the next two seasons (2025 and 2026).
“The start of the season was not the best for me due to a knee injury, but with the support of the team, I managed to fully recover and return to a high level of my form. Unfortunately, I had to miss the entire classics season, but now everything is going well. I rode the Giro d’Italia, and now I’m here at the Tour de France. There are many goals ahead that I would like to achieve both this year and in the future. I believe that together with Astana Qazaqstan Team I can achieve them all. Therefore, I am very happy to extend my contract with the team where I truly feel at home,” said Davide Ballerini.
“We know really well Davide’s qualities as a rider; he is a true professional. Despite missing the first few months of the season, since April Davide has been showing an impressive level. He had a great Giro, and now he is performing very well at the Tour de France, providing incredible support to Mark Cavendish. Of course, he is one of our key riders for the classics, and we believe he will excel next season. We have some serious goals, and riders like Davide Ballerini should be the foundation of the team not only for the classics but also for the Grand Tours,” said Alexandr Vinokurov, General Manager of Astana Qazaqstan Team.
Two more years for Davide Ballerini with Astana Qazaqstan:
Cofidis Retain Two Key Riders
Milan Fretin and Stanisław Aniołkowski will race for Cofidis for the next three years. The 23-year-old Fretin has extended his expiring contract for another three seasons until the end of 2027. Aniołkowski, who is four years older, will also remain on board for at least another three years.
Fretin is currently in his first season with the French team, after switching from Team Flanders-Baloise at the end of last year. The Belgian has already had twelve top 10 finishes this season. He finished fourth in the Heistse Pijl and the Surf Coast Classic and fifth in the Circuit de Wallonie, but his best result came in the Four Days of Dunkirk, where he took his first professional victory in a sprint.
“I feel like I’ve taken a big step forward this season. The victory in the Four Days of Dunkirk gave me a lot of confidence,” Fretin said in a press release from the team. “My goal is to win as many races as possible. In every race I ride for victory. My dream is to one day win a stage in a Grand Tour. I feel very good within this team, there is a good atmosphere.”
The 27-year-old Aniołkowski has had nine top-10 finishes in 2024. In the Giro d’Italia he finished in the top ten five times. In the 13th stage to Cento, the Pole finished second, beaten by Jonathan Milan.
“This is the first time in my career that I have signed such a long-term contract with a team,” Aniołkowski said. “I will do everything I can to meet the team’s expectations. I feel very comfortable within this team. I have an excellent bond with my teammates and I want to keep pushing my limits. My dream? Participate in the Tour de France and win a stage!”
Three more years for Milan Fretin:
XDS Company Invests in Astana Qazaqstan Team
The large Chinese company XDS has decided to invest in professional cycling.
The company’s management held negotiations with the Kazakh WorldTour team Astana Qazaqstan Team during the most prestigious Grand Tour, the Tour de France. As a result, mutual understanding was reached, and a decision to cooperate was made. The draft agreement provides for long-term investment for a period of at least five years and financing at the level of leading WorldTour teams.
“Since 2022, we started seeking for the opportunity to get involved in the WorldTour. It was very lucky that we met Astana Qazaqstan Team this year in the Shanghai show. During discussions we were sure that Astana was the team we wanted. For the following seasons, XDS will be the strongest backup for the team. We will make sure the team has very enough budget and the best technical support,” said Yancong Tan, CEO of XDS.
“We have been diligently searching for an investor capable of taking the team to a new level of development. We are pleased that the management of XDS fully shares our goals and future vision for the project. During the negotiations, we discussed many topics, and our views on the development of the team completely coincided. XDS is ready for long-term investment, which, among other things, will include technical partnership with a new bicycle brand. We understand that the team and the entire project as a whole will face some significant changes, but we are ready for this. I am very happy to be part of this project and look to the future with great enthusiasm,” said Alexandr Vinokurov, General Manager of Astana Qazaqstan Team.
A happy Vino:
Ridley Returns to the Professional Peloton
Uno-X Mobility will use Ridley bikes from 2025. The Belgian family business was a bike supplier to Lotto Dstny until last year, but then disappeared from the professional peloton. So now they will return. Uno-X Mobility and Ridley have entered into a partnership for ten years and have the ambition to win the Tour together within that period.
Both the Uno-X Mobility men’s and women’s teams will ride Ridley next year. Ridley’s arrival also means that the Norwegian team is saying goodbye to Dare. Dare is a Norwegian brand and has been a sponsor of Uno-X Mobility since 2018, which was then called Uno-X Norwegian Development and competed at Continental level.
“I am very happy with the collaboration with Ridley,” said Thor Hushovd, team manager of Uno-X Mobility, in a press release. “From my time in the peloton, I remember Ridley leading in speed. Performance and optimisation of aerodynamics are our main priorities, and we are both very committed to this long-term partnership.”
In the past, Ridley was not only a sponsor of Lotto Dstny and its predecessors. Katusha and Vacansoleil-DCM have also ridden on their bikes.
Ridley back in the pro peloton:
UCI Starts Proceedings Against Belgian Team Manager after Allegations of Inappropriate Behaviour
The UCI ethics committee has started proceedings against Gert Vervoort. The team manager of the continental women’s team Proximus-Cyclis has been accused of inappropriate behaviour.
Vervoort has been provisionally suspended by the ethics committee of the international cycling union. The UCI mentions in a press release about ‘allegations of inappropriate behaviour of a psychological and sexual nature.’ The UCI will not comment further or elaborate on the investigation.
Based on information provided by several riders, the UCI has decided to impose a provisional suspension on the Belgian in accordance with article 34.2.2 of the UCI code of ethics. This provisional suspension applies from Tuesday 16th July, 2024 and for a period of three months while the investigation continues.
Vervoort suspended:
Baloise Ladies Tour – JUL 17 – 21
Albert Timmer – Team dsm-firmenich PostNL coach: “We look forward to getting back into action with our sprint group after a few weeks break from racing. We head to the Baloise Ladies Tour to go for stage results with Charlotte as our finisher on the sprint stages. We have a strong team to support her in the best way possible throughout the stages and bring her into the perfect spot to sprint for the win. This will be a nice opportunity to work on some more details in the lead-out and hopefully bring home some nice results. We also look forward welcoming Silje into the team, who will make her debut and wear our team colours for the first time, and she can add her qualities to our sprint group.”
Line-up:
Silje Bader (NED)
Rachele Barbieri (ITA)
Pfeiffer Georgi (GBR)
Megan Jastrab (USA)
Charlotte Kool (NED)
Eglantine Rayer (FRA).
Pfeiffer Georgi to the Baloise Ladies Tour:
Discover Cycling Canada’s 2025 Canadian Championships Calendar
Cycling Canada is pleased to announce the complete schedule of Canadian Championships to be held across the country for all disciplines in 2025.
“Each year, the Canadian Championships bring together the country’s best athletes in their respective disciplines to give them the opportunity to wear the maple leaf as their ultimate prize,” mentioned Josh Peacock, Cycling Canada’s Director of Marketing and Events. “We’re thrilled to once again travel the country with our 2025 Canadian Championships event calendar, showcasing not only Canada’s best athletes, but providing a platform to inspire the next generation with events held in some of Canada’s most iconic settings.”
Track
The Vélodrome Sylvan Adams – Centre Multisports Desjardins in Bromont, QC, will start the year off right by hosting the first-ever Canadian Masters, Elite and Para Track Championships from January 9 to 12. Junior and U17 athletes will be welcomed in Milton, ON from April 4 to 6.
E-Sports
In February, athletes from across the country will be able to compete for the maple leaf jersey in the comfort of their own homes at the Canadian e-Sports Championships, once again on the Zwift platform. The event takes place on February 8 and 9.
Road
Junior, elite and para athletes will be able to show their prowess on the roads of St-Georges-de-Beauce, QC, from June 27 to 30, at the event organised by the Grand Prix Cycliste de Beauce, while masters athletes will be in action from August 15 to 17, once again in the Greater Victoria region, in BC, by organiser Wheelhouse Cycling Society.
Gravel
The Gravel Championships will be back for a third consecutive year, presented on June 15 by Deadgoat Racing, this time once again on the Ghost of the Gravel course in the majestic landscapes of Alberta’s Water Valley.
Mountain Bike
After two years of competition in eastern Canada, XCO and XCC racers will head west to Langford, BC, in the newly inaugurated trails of the Jordie Lunn Memorial Park to compete for the podium July 18-20, courtesy of Wheelhouse Cycling Society.
Downhill athletes will compete in Sun Peaks, BC, August 2-3, by organiser Sun Peaks Resort and SE Racing. Meanwhile, XCM athletes will once again hit the trails in Thunder Bay, ON, on August 23, thanks to the Blacksheep Mountain Bike Club.
BMX
As the summer season draws to a close, attention will turn to the BMX Racing athletes who will compete on August 23 and 24 in St. Albert, AB, organised by the St. Albert BMX Association, on the brand-new world-class Supercross track. National athletes will get their first taste of the new track at the Canada Cup later this summer.
As autumn approaches, the Centre National de Cyclisme in Bromont, QC, will welcome BMX Freestyle athletes on October 18 to its brand-new Acrobatic Zone, inaugurated last March.
Cyclo-Cross
Cyclo-cross fans will be invited to attend festivities in November in Lévis, QC, organised by CX418, to see the country’s best athletes in action. The official date of the event will be confirmed in the fall of 2024.
Cycling Canada is still seeking applicants for the hosting of the 2025 UCI Canadian Enduro MTB Championships. If you are interested in submitting a bid for the event, please contact [email protected]
UCI and MyWhoosh Announce Public Qualifiers for the 2024 UCI Cycling Esports World Championships
As the 2024 UCI Cycling Esports World Championships approach, the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) and MyWhoosh have unveiled the process and key dates for the public qualifiers, offering a chance for all aspiring athletes to compete on the global stage.
National Federations are currently conducting their qualifiers and this initial phase will be followed by the highly anticipated public qualifiers, ensuring everyone has a chance to participate and represent their country.
Public Qualifiers: Process and Rules
The public qualifiers will be held from early August on the MyWhoosh platform and are open to all users having undergone MyWhoosh’s verification process, ensuring a fair and transparent competition.
They will be two-stage events, held on three different dates to accommodate riders from various time zones, and designed to provide a fair and inclusive selection process. The top riders from these qualifiers will secure a spot in the semi-finals.
The 2024 UCI Cycling Esports World Championships will be raced in a custom virtual world, utilising a points-based scoring system to ensure that athletes of all specialties have an opportunity to win.
The slots for the semi-finals are made up from National Federation allocations and the MyWhoosh public qualifiers. The National Federations qualification round will conclude on August 1, and the available number of slots for public qualifiers will be announced by MyWhoosh before August 2. After all rounds are completed, the best riders will be qualified for the semi-finals on September 6.
Riders gaining selection from the MyWhoosh public qualifiers will be added to their respective National Federation’s teams.
Specifics of Public Qualifiers Starting August 3:
The public qualifiers provide riders who were not selected by their National Federations the opportunity to qualify for the semi-finals. Three public qualifiers are available to the riders, with men and women from each qualifier advancing to the semi-finals. Riders can try their chances at all three occasions, but once qualified they cannot enter any more qualifiers.
Public Qualifiers Schedule (Men and Women):
More information on the format and race stages can be found in the Technical Guide published here.
Semi-Finals and Live Final
Following the qualifiers, 150 men and 150 women will be selected for the semi-finals on September 6. The top 20 riders of each gender will then advance to the live finals on October 26 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. To ensure the highest standards of competition, MyWhoosh has partnered with Elite, which will provide equipment that will be verified by the UCI and MyWhoosh at Elite headquarters.
As the exclusive platform and organiser of the UCI Cycling Esports World Championships from 2024 to 2026, MyWhoosh is dedicated to creating a more inclusive platform for competitors globally. MyWhoosh is responsible for organising all stages of the UCI Cycling Esports World Championships, developing courses, creating technical guides, and hosting the live finals in Abu Dhabi.
By providing more slots for public qualifiers and ensuring rigorous verification, MyWhoosh aims to democratise access to the UCI Cycling Esports World Championships, allowing riders from all backgrounds and regions to compete at the highest level.
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