In EUROTRASH Thursday we catch up with the latest stages of the Tour de France and the Women’s Giro d’Italia – Video, race reports, results and rider quotes.
Marcel Kittel on the first Tour sprints: “Lead-outs are less important”
Tour de France news: Jonas Vingegaard on his defensive tactics, Primoz Roglič survived the gravel stage, Lidl-Trek loses Tim Declercq, Wout Poels can’t wait for the mountains, Aleksandr Vlasov abandons the Tour, Evenepoel’s wife expresses frustration over crowds at Tour podium ceremony and Victor Campenaerts gave another rider a taste of his own medicine.
Rider news: Equipment failure caused André Drege’s fatal crash in the Tour of Austria, lead-out man Michael Mørkøv announces his retirement and Cofidis re-signs Ion Izagirre.
Team news: Jonathan Castroviejo extends deal with INEOS Grenadiers, revelation Bart Lemmen extends contract with Team Visma | Lease a Bike by two years, Stevie Williams signs on with Israel – Premier Tech until 2028, Connor Swift extends deal with INEOS Grenadiers and Primoz Roglič and Urška Žigart not in the Slovenian Olympic squad.
Race news: 2025 Santos Tour Down Under men’s and women’s stage details.
Coffee or something stronger?
TOP STORY: Marcel Kittel On the First Tour Sprints: “Lead-Outs are Less Important”
Jasper Philipsen was the big winner in the Tour sprints last year, this year there are several fast men fighting it out in the first week of the Tour. What does Marcel Kittel think about the bunch sprints in this Tour de France? “The difference is not that big,” he said before the start of the tenth stage at Sporza.
The 36-year-old Kittel is at the Tour de France as an analyst for NOS and spoke about the past bunch sprints before the start of the tenth stage to Saint-Amand-Montrond. “Lead-outs are less important, because the sprinters are almost at the same level. The difference is not that big. That’s just great for us, because it always makes for exciting sprints. You don’t know who will win in the end. We also saw sporting history in the sprints, first with Biniam Girmay and then with Mark Cavendish. Very special moments.”
Jasper Philipsen was the big winner in the 2023 Tour, but until stage 10 the Belgian couldn’t get his first Tour’24 sprint victory. “I think he climbs a little too well and therefore misses that last 2% of speed,” Kittel believes. “That can happen. It happened to me in 2016 too. I felt physically great, but I missed something in the sprint. A sprinter lives on self-confidence and Jasper still has to build that up here.”
Kittel retired five years ago. How does he view cycling now? “It’s fantastic to be in the Tour again, to experience the atmosphere and to see my old teammates again. But I’m certainly not jealous of the riders. I am now a fan of the sport and understand it better now than when I was a rider. An incredible number of things have also changed.”
Marcel back at the Tour:
Tour de France 2024
A perfect finish by Jasper Philipsen gave the Alpecin-Deceuninck rider and the winner of the 2023 green jersey a bunch sprint win in Saint-Amand-Montrond on Stage 10. Philipsen was led-out by his World champion teammate, Mathieu van der Poel, who put him in a great position to beat Biniam Girmay (Intermarche-Wanty) and Pascal Ackermann (Israel-Premier Tech), for his first victory at this year’s Tour. On a relatively relaxed stage for the GC riders the threats of crosswinds didn’t materialise and there were no changes on the GC.
Following the withdrawal of Aleksandr Vlasov (Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe), due to an ankle fracture sustained in a crash on Stage 9, 172 riders were on the start line in Orleans, ready to do battle over the 187.3km route to Saint-Amand-Montrond. There was to rush for the break at the start of the stage as the peloton rode at a moderate 37.2kph average speed in the first hour of racing.
A brief excursion for two teams with intermediate sprint interests saw Intermarche-Wanty’s Kobe Goossens and Lotto Dstny’s Harm Vanhoucke and Maxim Van Gils break clear. Van Gils soon sat up, but Goossens reached the point of the intermediate sprint first, followed by Vanhoucke. When the peloton arrived the bunch sprint was therefore for third place, which was taken by Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Deceuninck) for 15 points, two more than green jersey Biniam Girmay (Intermarche-Wanty), who followed Philipsen over the line.
The approach to and passage through Issoudun (125.3km) the peloton was nervous due to the possibility of echelons, but the expected crosswinds were not fierce enough to disrupt the GC and sprinter’s teams. So there was going to be a bunch sprint in Saint-Amand-Montrond, with Philipsen being too hot for his rivals and taking the victory with a lot of help from Van der Poel.
# You can see more photos in the full ‘PEZ Stage Report HERE’. #
Stage winner, Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Deceuninck): “I think we can speak of relief. Last week wasn’t great for us. Maybe we didn’t approach the Tour in our best condition, but we’re improving and we can finally show what we came for. Today we knew that the last corner could be tricky and we took it well. I was launched perfectly. I’m happy with the way we’re starting this second week. We are already on the tenth stage and we had done five sprints without winning, it was too many. But the whole team continued to believe in it and they deserve this victory. For the green jersey, Biniam Girmay started very strong. He is a lot of points ahead. Before thinking about the points classification, we first wanted a stage victory. Now that we have it, we will see what is still possible for the green jersey.”
Overall leader, Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates): “It is never easy to get on the bike and race after the rest day. Luckily it was an easy stage, especially in the first part. We didn’t ride the whole time at the front because we found it a bit unnecessary. It’s good to be at the front when things are tricky, but otherwise you can get in stressful situations that can result in crashes for no reason. We all knew there was a point on which there could be crosswinds, and therefore all teams tried to hit the front at the same time. Then the wind was not strong enough, so there weren’t any splits. It’s better this way. Echelons are fun to watch on TV, yet they are the worst if you are caught on the wrong side of them. Today there was nothing to do GC-wise, yet tomorrow’s stage comes with a question mark. It is long and hard. I haven’t done any recon of the course, yet I remember the Pas de Peyrol from a 2020 stage on which I fought with Primoz [Roglič] to the line and it was one of the hardest finishes I’ve ever done.”
2nd on the stage and green jersey, Biniam Girmay (Intermarché-Wanty): “I’m not disappointed with this second place, on the contrary. It was a very fast sprint, and everyone was fresh. For someone of my profile to come second at this kind of finish almost feels like a victory. I’m so happy to have been so close, because I’m not conceding too many points. From now on, for the stages to come, there won’t be any more completely flat sprints. So that bodes well for the green jersey. Am I in the best shape of my career? I don’t think so, I’m still young, so I think that’s still to come. But I’m definitely in the best form on flat sprints like today. The team and I have put a lot of emphasis on sprints. I’m so proud to see that this hard work is bringing so much success.”
2nd overall and best young rider, Remco Evenepoel (Soudal Quick-Step): “It was almost like a second day off. I was a little nervous because of the risk of echelons in the cross winds, but my team remained vigilant all day. In the end, there were no gaps to deal with, nor any crashes, so everything went well. We can expect a great fight tomorrow for the breakaway. We know it’s not an easy route, it goes up and down all the time. We can expect that there will be two races, one for the breakaway and one for the general classification. I think Romain Bardet will be extremely motivated to try to win, I hope for him that he will at least manage to get a position at the front to try his luck.”
KOM, Jonas Abrahamsen (Uno-X Mobility): “My intention was for me to help the lead-out of my team by pulling with 3 kilometres to go, as we were supporting Alexander Kristoff for the stage win. I’m happy I could do it as planned. I will try to keep the jersey, but it will be really difficult for me tomorrow, with a lot of climbs but I will try. Then it would be possible to keep it for some more days, so I will try all that I can to keep the jersey for as long as possible. My first priority is to get in the breakaway and then I will see if I am there. I’ll be lucky to have the jersey after tomorrow, but I feel so lucky to have had this jersey since the first day, it’s a very big thing for me.”
Winner of the combativity prize, Kobe Goossens (Intermarché-Wanty): “It’s always a source of pride to be on the podium at the Tour de France. In the earpiece, I was encouraged to continue my offensive to take maximum points in the intermediate sprint. Every point saved for Biniam brings him a little closer to the green jersey. That’s our top priority. My attention is already focused on tomorrow, which is a stage where I can make a name for myself. I’ve had a difficult period with injuries, but now I’m getting in better shape day by day and I’m getting stronger. I’m happy to be at the Tour. The atmosphere in the team is magnificent, and we’re achieving great things with Biniam during the most beautiful cycling race in the world.”
Tour de France Stage 10 Result:
1. Jasper Philipsen (Bel) Alpecin-Deceuninck in 4:20:06
2. Biniam Girmay Hailu (Eri) Intermarché-Wanty
3. Pascal Ackermann (Ger) Israel-Premier Tech
4. Wout Van Aert (Bel) Visma | Lease a Bike
5. Fernando Gaviria Rendon (Col) Movistar
6. Sam Bennett (Irl) Decathlon-AG2R La Mondiale
7. John Degenkolb (Ger) dsm-firmenich-PostNL
8. Phil Bauhaus (Ger) Bahrain Victorious
9. Dylan Groenewegen (Ned) Jayco AlUla
10. Axel Zingle (Fra) Cofidis.
Tour de France Overall After Stage 10:
1. Tadej Pogačar (Slo) UAE Team Emirates at 40:02:48
2. Remco Evenepoel (Bel) Soudal Quick-Step at 0:33
3. Jonas Vingegaard (Den) Visma | Lease a Bike at 1:15
4. Primož Roglič (Slo) Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe at 1:36
5. Juan Ayuso Pesquera (Spa) UAE Team Emirates at 2:16
6. João Almeida (Por) UAE Team Emirates at 2:17
7. Carlos Rodriguez Cano (Col) INEOS Grenadiers at 2:31
8. Mikel Landa Meana (Spa) Soudal Quick-Step at 3:35
9. Derek Gee (Can) Israel-Premier Tech at 4:02
10. Matteo Jorgenson (USA) Visma | Lease a Bike at 4:03.
Tour’24 stage 10:
Stage 11 was won by Jonas Vingegaard (Visma | Lease a Bike) after a superb ride in the Massif Central, as he just beat his great rival Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates) to the finish line at Le Lioran. Pogačar took the race to Vingegaard with an attack on the Puy Mary-Pas de Peyrol, with the Dane able to respond to and match the Slovenian, eventually just beating the yellow jersey in a thrilling conclusion to the stage. They were followed over the line 25 seconds later by Remco Evenepoel (Soudal Quick-Step) in third place, whilst Primoz Roglič (Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe) recovered from a late crash to finish fourth, 55 seconds behind the leading pair. Roglič was given the same time as Evenepoel. The result means Pogačar remains in control in the GC, now 1:06 ahead of Evenepoel, with Vingegaard third at 1:14 and Roglič fourth at 2:15.
Following the withdrawal before the stage due to illness of Tim Declercq (Lidl-Trek), there were 171 riders on the start line in Evaux-les-Bains, with the peloton ready for a challenging 211km route across the rugged Massif Central and 4,350 metres of climbing ahead of them. Anticipating that a strong breakaway could prosper and potentially win the stage, the first 2 hours of the stage produced a relentless series of attacks and were completed at a remarkable average speed of 47.1kph on the hilly parcours. This high pace claimed two victims; Ion Izagirre and Alexis Renard. Both Cofidis riders had already been affected by illness and injury respectively, meaning they were dropped and ended up abandoning.
As the battle to establish a break raged on, Anthony Turgis (TotalEnergies) was first in the intermediate sprint at Bourg-Lastic (IS, 65km). It was not until 76km that the determined Richard Carapaz (EF Education-EasyPost) and Matteo Vercher (TotalEnergies) managed to escape the peloton. By the time they reached the top of the Côte de Mouilloux (Cat.4, 79.8km) Oscar Onley (dsm-firmenich-PostNL), Ben Healy (EF Education-EasyPost), Paul Lapeira (Decathlon-Ag2r La Mondiale) and Oier Lazkano (Movistar) had joined them. Lazkano topped the Mouilloux first and the peloton were still only 12 seconds behind the leading six riders, with UAE Team Emirates, Visma | Lease to Bike and INEOS Grenadiers controlling things. The main group would relax on the Côte de Larodde (Cat.3, 89.7km), where five men set out on a quest to join the riders at the head of the race: those five being Bruno Armirail (Decathlon-Ag2r La Mondiale), Julien Bernard (Lidl-Trek), Romain Gregoire (Groupama-FDJ), Guillaume Martin and Axel Zingle (Cofidis). Carapaz was first on the Larodde summit, where the five pursuers would arrive 40 seconds later and the peloton were 1:30 adrift of the front men. Although Zingle sat up, the other four counter-attackers managed to join up with the six in front, to make it a consolidated break of 10 after 101km of the stage.
A maximum gap of 2:30 between the leaders and the bunch was recorded at 111km, which was the moment chosen by the UAE Team Emirates to control the break. The threat became clear on the approach to the climb of the Col de Néronne, with the selection already becoming very severe within the peloton, which left the likes of Romain Bardet and Geraint Thomas behind. At the head of the race, Lazkano was responsible for reducing the competition around him and was only accompanied by Healy when he reached the summit of the Col de Néronne.
Starting the ascent to Puy Mary-Pas de Peyrol, a Lazkano-Carapaz-Healy trio came back together, but with hope fading and their lead reduced to 30 seconds. Irish rider Healy was the last to hold out, but he was caught 1km from the summit by a main group reduced to 10 riders. Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates) went on the offensive 600 metres from the summit, 32 kilometres from the finish line. He created a gap of 5 seconds on Jonas Vingegaard (Visma | Lease a Bike) at the top, which he expanded to 30 seconds on the descent, but he was unable to defend the lead on the climb to the Col de Pertus. 100 metres from the top, the yellow jersey was joined by his Danish rival, whom he beat to the summit to take the 8 seconds bonus. Remco Evenepoel and Primoz Roglič were 45 seconds behind by that point. On the final climb Pogačar and Vingegaard climbed together, with Vingegaard ultimately able to finish the job at the finish in Le Lioran.
# You can see more photos in the full ‘PEZ Stage Report HERE’. #
Stage winner and 3rd overall, Jonas Vingegaard (Visma | Lease a Bike): “This is an emotional win for me. This win means a lot to me. Everything I went through in the past few months is now coming back. The period after my crash in Itzulia Basque Country was tough. It’s a victory for my family. They have always been by my side. I couldn’t follow Pogacar’s attack on the Puy Mary, although I certainly didn’t have a big gap up top. I that I just had to keep fighting and find my own pace. On the descent, he managed to gain some time, so I wasn’t expecting to be able to come back. It ended up being a narrow sprint, but I immediately felt the victory was mine. Three months ago I could not have imagined this.”
Overall leader and 2nd on the stage, Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates): “It has been a very good day. My team did a super job. I felt good in the Puy Mary and tried to pull a long-range attack. I was feeling pretty good on the descent, too, until my bike slipped and went sideways. I lost a bit of confidence there and I feel I spent too much energy on the following kilometres on the way to the Col de Pertus. Jonas did a great effort there to bridge back with me, proving that he is in top shape. I waited a bit as I wanted to sprint and secure the bonus seconds at the summit. Afterwards, I knew the last climb was not hard enough to launch a new attack, so I waited for the final sprint. Chapeau to Jonas for the victory, we can see we’re pretty well matched, I need to keep this gap I have which is pretty solid. Let’s wait for the Pyrenees.”
3rd on the stage and 2nd overall, Remco Evenepoel (Soudal Quick-Step): “Everybody knows the first two guys are on another level, so I’m satisfied with today. It was very fast and explosive from the start, a relentless stage from kilometre zero all the way until the finish. Maybe I wasn’t quite at my best, because I struggled a bit when the attacks came with 30 kilometres to go, but I didn’t panic and just rode my own rhythm. It was hard out there, but I continued pushing and believing, trying my best to make up ground. I didn’t lose too much time today, so I need to be content with how things turned out. I also took time on the other guys and increased my margin in the general classification while retaining second place, so I can say it was a good stage. We need to remain focused, continue to do our best and build on these very good results.”
Green jersey, Biniam Girmay (Intermarché-Wanty): “Today the pace was crazy to be honest. Even to stay in the peloton was unbelievably hard, so today to be honest I really feel my legs. I was just trying to hang on and stay as long as possible, it was a super crazy pace. Before the intermediate sprint we were still together and I said ‘Ok, I need to sprint now’ but my legs were already burning. So I’m super happy that the break went. Today I think was the toughest day that we had in the last 10 days. For me to be honest climbing is not a big problem. I always chose the best possible gruppetto. Here today there were already quite a lot of guys dropped and they (the team) said it’s not the best to drop now. I just kept going and I dropped on the start of the first hard climb. Then I just rode my bike so easily and saved the watts.”
Tour de France Stage 11 Result:
1. Jonas Vingegaard (Den) Visma | Lease a Bike in 4:58:00
2. Tadej Pogačar (Slo) UAE Team Emirates
3. Remco Evenepoel (Bel) Soudal Quick-Step at 0:25
4. Primož Roglič (Slo) Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe
5. Giulio Ciccone (Ita) Lidl-Trek at 1:47
6. João Almeida (Por) UAE Team Emirates at 1:49
7. Adam Yates (GB) UAE Team Emirates
8. Mikel Landa Meana (Spa) Soudal Quick-Step
9. Carlos Rodriguez Cano (Spa) INEOS Grenadiers at 1:55
10. Felix Gall (Aust) Decathlon-AG2R La Mondiale at 2:38.
Tour de France Overall After Stage 11:
1. Tadej Pogačar (Slo) UAE Team Emirates in 45:00:34
2. Remco Evenepoel (Bel) Soudal Quick-Step at 1:06
3. Jonas Vingegaard (Den) Visma | Lease a Bike at 1:14
4. Primož Roglič (Slo) Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe at 2:15
5. João Almeida (Por) UAE Team Emirates at 4:20
6. Carlos Rodriguez Cano (Spa) INEOS Grenadiers at 4:40
7. Mikel Landa Meana (Spa) Soudal Quick-Step at 5:38
8. Adam Yates (GB) UAE Team Emirates at 6:59
9. Juan Ayuso Pesquera (Spa) UAE Team Emirates at 7:09
10. Giulio Ciccone (Ita) Lidl-Trek at 7:36.
Tour’24 stage 11:
Women’s Giro d’Italia 2024
The first road stage of the Woman’s Giro d’Italia was won by Chiara Consonni. The Italian beat World champion Lotte Kopecky and Italian champion Elisa Balsamo in a sprint in the finish town of Volta Mantovana. Early escapee Vitória Magalhães looked to be on her way to victory, but she was caught within sight of the harbour and the finish of Stage 2.
On Sunday in Brescia, Elisa Longo Borghini won the first pink jersey in the opening time trial, making a wish come true. The first stage-in-line from Sirmione to Volta Mantovana of 110 kilometres and a sprinter’s stage. In the Po Valley there is always a chance of echelons and in the final there was some climbing in the Morenian hills. The top of the last climb in Cavriana (1.2km at 5%) was 10 kilometres from the finish.
There wasn’t much enthusiasm for an early break, but two riders jumped away. Brazil’s Ana Vitória Magalhães (Bepink-Bongioanni) and Alessia Missiaggia (Top Girls Fassa Bortolo) from Italy, built a nice lead. The two were not seen as a threat, although the lead of Magalhães and Missiaggia, with fifty kilometres to go, was 6 minutes. In the run-up to the hilly finale, the peloton made no attempt to reduce the gap, but there was a counter-attack from two riders from the Isolmant-Premac-Vittoria team. Valeria Curnis and Beatrice Rossato tried to cross to the two early escapees, but were pulled back after a chase.
Meanwhile, the two leaders had started the climb to Cavriana for the first time and this turned out to be the perfect moment for Magalhães to go solo. The Brazilian rode away from her escape companion and started a brave solo. Twenty kilometres from the finish, the peloton was still at 3:30. The 23-year-old rider was still faced with a solo of 20 kilometres on undulating roads. No teams appeared to be willing to increase the pace. This only played into the hands of Magalhães, who started the second passage in Cavriana with a 2 minute lead. In the run-up to the climb there was an acceleration in the peloton. SD Worx-Protime took action in the service of Lotte Kopecky. The Dutch team wanted to put the World champion in position for the sprint. Due to the high pace, the peloton thinned out considerably and the lead of Magalhães was disappearing.
The lead was coming down as the stage came to its end, but it still looked possible in the last kilometres. With 5 kilometres to go, her lead was still 30 seconds, but this turned out not to be enough. Just under 2 kilometres from the finish, poor Magalhães was caught. The sprinter’s teams were ready. Anouska Koster took the opportunity to attack. The former Dutch champion, who races for Uno-X Mobility, made a nice break and started the last K with a small lead. This turned out to be insufficient and so the final was for the sprinters. Kopecky came out early and seemed on her way to a stage win, but was stopped by Chiara Consonni on the sloping finish line. The Italian of UAE Team ADQ managed to time her sprint slightly better and crossed the line first. Kopecky had to settle for second place, Elisa Balsamo finished third.
Stage winner, Chiara Consonni (UAE Team ADQ): “It’s a very important victory, both for the quality of the riders I left behind and for the development of the stage. We knew it was a route suitable for breakaways, and the peloton let it go, so much so that the riders in the lead gained up to over 6′. The team did a great job to catch up with the escapees and I want to thank all my teammates. I have a big goal, the track race in Paris, and this victory will motivate me even more.”
Maglia Rosa and 9th on the stage, Elisa Longo Borghini (Lidl-Trek): “Wearing the Maglia Rosa in the race is special. A lot of riders came to congratulate me, and on the road I saw a lot of posters with my name. At one point I was afraid I was going to lose it because the breakaway had taken so much advantage, but things came back to normality in the finale. Tomorrow will be an important day, although I don’t think the climb will make too much of a difference between the GC riders.”
2nd on the stage and 4th overall, Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx-Protime): “My values in the sprint were good, it’s a pity it was just not enough for the win. We rode a good race as a team. Thanks to the work of my teammates, I was able to sprint for the win. So I would have liked to have won for them. I ride a very strong sprint, which shows my values. Of course I’m disappointed that it wasn’t enough for the win. But I think I can be satisfied with my form. There are still several nice stages to come where Team SD Worx-Protime has a chance of winning.”
Women’s Giro d’Italia Stage 2 Result:
1. Chiara Consonni (Ita) UAE Team ADQ in 2:41:58
2. Lotte Kopecky (Bel) SD Worx-Protime
3. Elisa Balsamo (Ita) Lidl-Trek
4. Arlenis Sierra Canadilla (Cub) Movistar
5. Mylene De Zoete (Ned) Ceratizit-WNT
6. Kimberley Le Court de Billot (Maur) AG Insurance-Soudal Quick-Step
7. Silvia Zanardi (Ita) Human Powered Health
8. Letizia Borghesi (Ita) EF Education-Cannondale
9. Elisa Longo Borghini (Ita) Lidl-Trek
10. Kathrin Schweinberger (Aust) Ceratizit-WNT.
Women’s Giro d’Italia Overall After Stage 2:
1. Elisa Longo Borghini (Ita) Lidl-Trek in 3:02:35
2. Grace Brown (Aus) FDJ-SUEZ at 0:01
3. Brodie Chapman (Aus) Lidl-Trek at 0:13
4. Lotte Kopecky (Bel) SD Worx-Protime at 0:19
5. Juliette Labous (Fra) dsm-firmenich-PostNL at 0:29
6. Ruth Edwards-Winder (USA) Human Powered Health at 0:30
7. Cedrine Kerbaol (Fra) Ceratizit-WNT at 0:38
8. Loes Adegeest (Ned) FDJ-SUEZ
9. Katrine Aalerud (Nor) Uno-X Mobility at 0:45
10. Franziska Koch (Ger) dsm firmenich-PostNL at 0:47.
Women’s Giro’24 stage 2:
Stage 3 of the Woman’s Giro d’Italia was won by Niamh Fisher-Black. The New Zealander of SD Worx-Protime rode away from Mavi García on the final climb to Toana and crossed the line solo, just ahead of her teammate Lotte Kopecky, who was 6 seconds behind.
The first uphill finish in the Women’s Giro d’Italia was on Tuesday. From Sabbioneta, the race crossed the Po Valley, but after about 80 kilometres, it followed the Secchia River at Sassuolo. The stage ended more than 20 kilometres upstream at the second serious selection of this Giro. The climb to Toano (12.4km at 4.8%) can be divided into three quite uneven parts. Starting from the foot with 9.2km at an average of 5.4%, with a ramp of more than 7%. The riders were then given some respite until they entered the finish in the village of Toano, where there was a tough climb. The road continued to climb on the Via Matilda di Canossa, to the official finish line.
In a nervous opening section, the peloton split into two pieces due to the high pace, but the dropped riders managed to rejoin. Two riders hoped to start the final climb with a lead. Australian Sarah Roy (Cofidis) and Italian Elena Pirrone (Roland) took a lead of about 2 minutes.
In the run-up to the final climb, the lead of the two had disappeared. There was then a battle for position and this led to a crash, Evy Kuijpers and Mijntje Geurts were the main victims. The peloton was not waiting: the battle to get to the final climb had started. Just before the climb, Pirrone was caught and then Roy not much later. In the first kilometres of the climb the peloton had already thinned out and the non-climbers had been distanced. Canyon//SRAM took over from SD Worx-Protime, the German team were working for climbers Neve Bradbury and Antonia Niedermaier and so they increased the pace. Led by Elise Chabbey, the group of favourites was reduced to about 30 riders with 10 kilometres to go. It was too fast for Fem van Empel, Sanne Cant and Grace Brown, who was 2nd overall. World champion Lotte Kopecky was holding on, but would she be able to sprint for the win?
Mavi García lifted the speed even higher on the last, really difficult sections. The experienced Spanish climber managed to thin out the group of favourites even further to just 11 riders, but was unable to make a gap. The Liv AlUla Jayco rider didn’t give up and decided to try again. This time with success, because García got away from the others. Only one rider could go with García; Niamh Fisher-Black. The New Zealand rider was allowed to attack by her teammate Kopecky. Fisher-Black rode away from García on the last steep part of the climb and maintained her effort to the finish line. Kopecky won the sprint for second place. Kopecky beat Juliette Labous and Elisa Longo Borghini in the last hundred meters. Longo Borghini crossed the finish line on the wheel of Kopecky and Labous and is still in the overall lead.
stage winner, Niamh Fisher-Black (SD Worx-Protime): “It’s the most beautiful victory of my career! I arrived at the Giro in good shape, but surely a result like this also gives a positive boost to morale. In the finale, Lotte and I studied our opponents and decided it was my turn to anticipate. I seized the right moment and it went well. The Maglia Azzurra is a nice goal, but it is not my main objective. I like to aim high.”
2nd on the stage and overall, Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx-Protime): “I am very happy with this win by Niamh Fisher-Black! Everyone has told Niamh many times that she has to believe in herself and take her chances. She has done that today. I myself was in an ideal position. It was nice to see her pull away from Mavi Garcia and win. Today was a super day, for the whole team. Yesterday we just missed out, today it worked out for our team. Niamh is a strong climber and this is a great reward for her. That I take over the points jersey with my second place is a nice bonus. It is not a goal in itself. I’m not going to waste energy gathering points at the intermediate sprints. But if I can earn points at the finish and still have the jersey in my possession for the last two days, it might become a goal.”
Maglia Rosa, Elisa Longo Borghini (Lidl-Trek): “The stage went as I expected. It wasn’t an insane climb but the heat made it very tough. I was afraid of this stage because in stage races I always suffer on the third day but today everything went smoothly. Lotte Kopecky is going strong on all terrain but both Gaia Realini and I are doing very well and remain confident.”
9th on the stage and 4th overall, Antonia Niedermaier (Canyon//SRAM): “The beginning of the stage was relatively easy, but it was clear that it was all about the final climb. We had a good position at the start of the climb thanks to our teammates. Soraya and Elise’s pace was strong, putting Neve and myself in a good position. We wanted the stage win, but we’re still happy with today’s stage. I’m happy to move up to fourth place in the overall. The strong time trial gives me an advantage to play with. We have another day in the white jersey and our team wants to keep it and keep moving up in the GC.”
7th on the stage and 10th overall, Neve Bradbury (Canyon//SRAM): “We planned to make a hard pace on the final climb, and we did that. Unfortunately, we lost Alice (Towers) to a crash just at the bottom of the climb, but Soraya and Elise did massive pulls to shred the peloton. Our group became smaller again when Mavi Garcia took up the pace until it flattened. We missed the attacks, and I tried to go myself at about 1km to go, but then I felt a bit cooked on the last steep part. We’re pretty pleased with today and look forward to stage four.”
Women’s Giro d’Italia Stage 3 Result:
1. Niamh Fisher-Black (NZ) SD Worx-Protime in 2:49:19
2. Lotte Kopecky (Bel) SD Worx-Protime at 0:06
3. Juliette Labous (Fra) dsm-firmenich-PostNL
4. Elisa Longo Borghini (Ita) Lidl-Trek
5. Pauliena Rooijakkers (Ned) Fenix-Deceuninck at 0:10
6. Margarita Victoria Garcia (Spa) Liv AlUla Jayco at 0:12
7. Neve Bradbury (Aus) Canyon//SRAM at 0:14
8. Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig (Den) FDJ-SUEZ
9. Antonia Niedermaier (Ger) Canyon//SRAM at 0:17
10. Kimberley Le Court de Billot (Maur) AG Insurance-Soudal Quick-Step at 0:24.
Women’s Giro d’Italia Overall After Stage 3:
1. Elisa Longo Borghini (Ita) Lidl-Trek in 5:52:00
2. Lotte Kopecky (Bel) SD Worx-Protime at 0:13
3. Juliette Labous (Fra) dsm-firmenich-PostNL at 0:25
4. Antonia Niedermaier (Ger) Canyon//SRAM at 59
5. Niamh Fisher-Black (NZ) SD Worx-Protime at 1:00
6. Margarita Victoria Garcia (Spa) Liv AlUla Jayco at 1:26
7. Pauliena Rooijakkers (Ned) Fenix-Deceuninck at 1:27
8. Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig (Den) FDJ-SUEZ at 1:30
9. Kimberley Le Court de Billot (Maur) AG Insurance-Soudal Quick-Step at 1:31
10. Neve Bradbury (Aus) Canyon//SRAM at 1:55.
Women’s Giro’24 stage 3:
Clara Emond won the Fourth Stage of the Women’s Giro d’Italia on Wednesday. The Canadian cyclist of EF Education-Cannondale was in the break of the day and held up well in the dangerous final to Urbino against an elite group that had formed in the middle of the stage. Soraya Paladin (Canyon//SRAM) came second and Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig (FDJ-SUEZ) was third. The pink jersey remains with Elisa Longo Borghini.
After a flat opening section, there was a difficult second part of the fourth stage. The final started with a climb to San Marino (5.4km at 6.9%), followed by the second big climb of the day: Monte Osteriaccia (8km at 4.2%). The final climb from Ponte in Foglia was 11.5km at about 3% towards Urbino. This was followed by a castle wall of 470 metres on cobbles at 8.4%, with a maximum of 14%.
The break of the day was given more than 3 minutes, after which a dangerous group of chasers emerged in the tricky middle phase of the stage. Elena Cecchini, Justine Ghekiere, Elise Chabbey, Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig, Sanne Cant, Femke de Vries and Anouska Koster, and others, joined that group of 15 riders. Later, Kim Le Court also joined that elite group.
At the bottom of the final climb towards Urbino, Clara Emond was the only early escapee out front. She had 3 minutes on the peloton, while Chabbey and Erica Magnaldi had broken away from the fragmented group. Le Court was best placed in the chasing group. The final climb was not super tough, so Emond held up well. However, she still had to survive the wall in the last kilometre, which she managed, allowing her to celebrate a great victory. In the group of pursuers, Paladin turned out to be the best of the rest, placing her second, ahead of Ludwig. In the peloton, Lotte Kopecky tried on the final wall, but pink jersey Elisa Longo Borghini countered the attack and eventually managed to stay ahead of Kopecky at the finish. The leader’s jersey remains on the shoulders of the Lidl-Trek Italian.
Stage winner, Clara Emond (EF Education-Cannondale): “Today, the goal was to be super aggressive and bounce back from the last stages. We didn’t have the beginning of the tour we wanted, so we took a chance at the beginning, kept attacking, and at some point it went. I knew on the climb that if I would gain a small advantage there, I could hold on, but I thought the others would catch me. They never did. I really started to believe in it on the last climb. It feels really special to have my first win here at the Giro. It’s my first win, ever, so it feels super good,” Clara said. “I am really happy that I was able to show what I can do. For sure, this will give me confidence. I started cycling later than other riders and I was always lacking that confidence, so I think this is going to help me build confidence in myself and in my team as well.”
Maglia Rosa and 8th on the stage, Elisa Longo Borghini (Lidl-Trek): “It was a stage where I thought the breakaway might did it. I’m happy for Clara, it’s always nice to see when courage is rewarded. In the finale Lotte and I battled it out, almost like a rematch of the Strade Bianche, and I’m happy to have finished ahead of her. It doesn’t mean anything for the general classification but it gives morale.”
2nd on the stage, Soraya Paladin (Canyon//SRAM): “Chapeau to the winner because she was strong today. We tried to manage the situation with some GC riders in our group because of Antonia’s fourth place. Elise’s attack over the QOM was good, but that didn’t work out even though she chased hard. When my group came back to Elise’s, we waited for the final 1km to attack. I’m disappointed to get second. We’re strong, and we’re looking forward to the next stages.”
6th on the stage, Giada Borghesi (Human Powered Health): “I’m very excited because getting a sixth place at a stage of the Giro is something really satisfying. Especially this being my first Giro. I felt good and seeing myself in front of so many athletes who I usually watched on television was special. I’m happy to have got this result in the colours of Human Powered Health. I’m getting on really well with the team and I’m honoured to be part of it every day.”
6th overall, Antonia Niedermaier (Canyon//SRAM): “Everyone felt the heat today. The big breakaway at the end, with Soraya and Elise, was a good position for us. Soraya getting second place shows how strong she is and how well our team is racing. Neve and I have a good time on GC, and we’re still both first and second in the white jersey, so it’s been a good day for us.”
Women’s Giro d’Italia Stage 4 Result:
1. Clara Emond (Can) EF Education-Cannondale in 3:35:45
2. Soraya Paladin (Ita) Canyon//SRAM at 0:17
3. Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig (Den) FDJ-SUEZ at 20
4. Elise Chabbey (Sui) Canyon//SRAM at 0:26
5. Kimberley Le Court de Billot (Maur) AG Insurance-Soudal Quick-Step at 0:28
6. Giada Borghesi (Ita) Human Powered Health at 0:35
7. Jelena Eric (Serb) Movistar at 0:41
8. Elisa Longo Borghini (Ita) Lidl-Trek at 1:08
9. Lotte Kopecky (Bel) SD Worx-Protime
10. Mie Ottestad (Nor) Uno-X Mobility Women at 1:12.
Women’s Giro d’Italia Overall After Stage 4:
1. Elisa Longo Borghini (Ita) Lidl-Trek at 9:28:53
2. Lotte Kopecky (Bel) SD Worx-Protime at 0:13
3. Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig (Den) FDJ-SUEZ at 0:38
4. Juliette Labous (Fra) dsm-firmenich-PostNL at 0:49
5. Kimberley Le Court de Billot (Maur) AG Insurance-Soudal Quick-Step at 0:51
6. Antonia Niedermaier (Ger) Canyon//SRAM at 1:06
7. Niamh Fisher-Black (NZ) SD Worx-Protime at 1:07
8. Margarita Victoria Garcia (Spa) Liv AlUla Jayco at 1:33
9. Katrine Aalerud (Nor) Uno-X Mobility Women at 1:34
10. Pauliena Rooijakkers (Ned) Fenix-Deceuninck.
Women’s Giro’24 stage 4:
Jonas Vingegaard on his Defensive Tactics
Before the start of the Tour de France, there were some doubts about the form of Jonas Vingegaard, but the Dane managed to hold his own in the first week. After nine days he is third overall. “I feel very good,” Vingegaard said to Het Nieuwsblad on the first rest day.
“I feel that I am growing,” said Vingegaard, who crashed heavily in the Tour of the Basque Country and didn’t ride any preparatory races in the run-up to the Tour de France. “I’m getting better and better. I am at a high level, much higher than I ever expected with just a month and a half of preparation.”
It was a ‘relatively easy opening week’, according to the two-time Tour winner. Nevertheless, he is at 1:15 to yellow jersey wearer Tadej Pogačar. What is the maximum amount he can lose to his major competitor before the tough final week? “I can’t put a number on that. Last year I took seven minutes in two days. Now we don’t know how I will react in the third week. We’ll see it day by day. Of course, the closer I am, the better. But I trusted our plan last year. That worked. I also trust the plan this year.”
Part of that plan was also not to waste unnecessary energy in Sunday’s gravel stage. While Tadej Pogačar and Remco Evenepoel chose to attack, Vingegaard took a defensive approach. He jumped with his rivals, but didn’t work. Evenepoel afterwards stated that sometimes you have to dare to race with ‘balls’. “If I ride with them for seventy kilometres and then get dropped in the last kilometres – which is what happened – then my Tour could be over,” Vingegaard responded. “So it was not a lack of balls, but just smart racing.”
In addition to Evenepoel, Pogačar believes that the Dane only pays attention to him, while there are more competitors. “I certainly don’t only see Pogačar as an opponent. The entire top ten is an opponent. Yesterday we didn’t want to waste any time. Maybe other people don’t understand our tactics, but that’s their problem.”
Vingegaard wasn’t going to waste energy:
Primoz Roglič Survived the Gravel Stage
Primoz Roglič came under pressure a few times during the gravel stage 9 of the Tour de France. Yet the Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe leader didn’t lose any time. “They are riding very strong, but I will certainly still get opportunities,” he said to FloBikes.
Roglič thinks his experience helped him in the gravel stage. He fell behind a few times, but always came back. “Of course my experience helps. At my age you are too old to be nervous,” the 34-year-old rider smiled. “I mean, you have to stay calm. And everyone did a great job. The stage is now behind us, we now have to look ahead to the next stages.”
The Slovenian has not often experienced such races. “I once started cycling on the road. Now we sometimes do cobblestones, sometimes even gravel. New experiences keep emerging. It’s fun to be part of that.”
Roglič is currently fourth overall. His deficit to Tadej Pogačar is 1:36. “I am certainly happy and proud with where I am,” he looks back on the first week. “I gave everything I had. The guys in front of me are just stronger right now. But there are still two weeks to come, right? I just have to stay healthy. Then there will certainly be opportunities.”
Lidl-Trek Loses Tim Declercq
A setback for Lidl-Trek in the Tour de France. After the earlier retirement of leader Mads Pedersen, Tim Declercq now also has to go home. The Belgian is ill, the American team reported on social media.
“Tim Declercq will unfortunately not start the eleventh stage of the Tour de France due to illness. He hadn’t been feeling well for a few days. After yesterday’s stage (to Saint-Amand-Montrond, ed.) it was decided that it is in his interest to go home now and recover. Get well soon, Tim!,” Lidl-Trek wrote on ‘X’ (Twitter).
Declercq’s retirement is the second for the team. Last Saturday, an injured Mads Pedersen had to leave the Tour after his crash in the sprint in Saint-Vulbas. Lidl-Trek is the first team with more than one abandonment. Giulio Ciccone, Carlos Verona, Jasper Stuyven, Toms Skujiņš, Ryan Gibbons and Julien Bernard are still in the race.
Tim Declercq is only the fifth to abandon the 2024 Tour de France, after Michele Gazzoli (Astana Qazaqstan), Casper Pedersen (Soudal Quick-Step), Mads Pedersen and Aleksandr Vlasov (Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe).
Tim Declercq out of the Tour’24:
Wout Poels Can’t Wait for the Mountains
Wout Poels has been quiet in the first week of the Tour: “I feel good, but it’s a bit of a wait for the mountains,” he told WielerFlits.
“The first two days were really difficult, but I still have to rely on the high mountains a bit. So I’m looking forward to that,” said Poels, who was able to use the first week to improve his form a bit. “I was able to help the team, get some water bottles and things like that. That all went well, but I am a bit longing for the real mountains.”
“The stage over the Galibier was really tough, a real mountain stage. But it’s a bit of a strange build-up this year. But that also has something,” said Poels. “Hopefully we can have a nice break a few times next week. I often find that the last week and a half of those Grand Tours are my best, so I’m looking forward to that. What did I think of the gravel stage? That steep climb was an unfortunate moment in the race. It split there, but that was more because people were standing still, not because they were dropped.”
Before the stage around Troyes, Poels thought that a gravel stage belonged in the Tour. “But in retrospect, not really,” he laughed. “All that chaos, all those dirty clothes. And you’re gambling a bit with all those classification riders who have worked towards this for so long. But on the other hand, oh well.”
Poels looking forward to the mountains:
Aleksandr Vlasov Abandons the Tour
There has been major setback for Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe and leader Primoz Roglic. The Slovenian can no longer count on his most important domestique in the mountains, Aleksandr Vlasov. The Russian climber crashed on Sunday in the gravel stage 9 and suffered a broken ankle.
The ninth stage of the Tour de France was the ‘controversial’ gravel stage, but Vlasov didn’t crash on any of the ‘white roads’ sections. It ‘just happened’ on an asphalt road. Vlasov was on the left of the group, touched another rider and crashed at high speed, ending up in the ditch. The 28-year-old rider was in pain, but did remount.
Vlasov, with blood on his neck, elbow and side, was able to return to the group with yellow jersey, Tadej Pogačar and his leader Primoz Roglič and lost no time on the other GC riders. The Russian seemed to be unscathed, but he was seen holding his ankle towards the end of the stage. After the finish he had further medical examinations, which revealed that he had suffered a fracture to his ankle.
Continuing the Tour was not an option for Vlasov and so Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe loses a second leader and the most important helper for Roglič. After the gravel stage, Vlasov was 11th over all at 4:36 behind the yellow jersey, Pogačar.
Vlasov is only the fourth rider to drop out of this year’s Tour de France, after Michele Gazzoli (Astana Qazaqstan), Casper Pedersen (Soudal Quick-Step) and Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek). That is the lowest number on the first rest day of the Tour in a long time.
Vlasov out of the 2024 Tour:
Evenepoel’s Wife Expresses Frustration Over Crowds at Tour Podium Ceremony
Oumi Rayane, the wife of Remco Evenepoel, has expressed her frustrations about the podium ceremonies during the Tour de France. When Evenepoel won the first individual time trial last week, she wanted to see her husband on the podium. But she got stuck in the crowd.
“Go to the Tour de France they said. It would be fun they said,” Oumi wrote on Instagram. Her video showed how she made her way to the podium, through the tightly packed audience. “I wanted to catch a glimpse of my husband because I knew he would be looking for me. But I was so scared, I started crying and turned around because I couldn’t go any further.”
“I just want to show you a little bit of what it’s really like. Because a lot of people think that it is only fun and games to visit the race. Of course, there are a lot of worse things happening in the world right now. But if you no longer see me at races, this is why.”
“I’m tired of being pushed around by the public,” Oumi continues. “These ‘coups’ (blows or kicks in French) get when I try to pass. Having to jump over beams to see my husband on the podium after his first stage victory in the Tour. Feeling like I’m doing something criminal.”
Ultimately, Oumi was able to see stage winner Evenepoel. “My poor husband didn’t want to leave without seeing me, so he stopped in a parking lot heading to his next place of residence. I’m grateful that I was able to talk to him for two more minutes, but he shouldn’t worry about this,” she concludes.
Oumi not coming to races anymore:
Victor Campenaerts Gave Another Rider a Taste of his Own Medicine
Sunday was not the day of Victor Campenaerts and Brent Van Moer. The two Lotto Dstny riders didn’t play a significant role in the gravel stage, but they did have a story to tell, which they did in a video.
Campenaerts and Van Moer ended up in a chasing group 130 kilometres from the finish, after many riders had to stop on one of the gravel climbs. They thought the race was over for them, but they were lucky that a GC leader had also fallen behind. This rider’s team then did everything they could to bring their leader back to the front.
Campenaerts wanted to help, but that was not appreciated by everyone. When there was a gap at the front and Campenaerts didn’t close it, one of the riders of the GC rider’s team shouted: “Hold the wheel, d*ckhead”. Campenaerts then decided not to do anymore work. Together with Van Moer, he sat on the wheel of the GC team for an hour. “The d*ckhead stopped spinning,” Campi laughs in the video.
On one of the slopes, the team leader tried to make the jump to the main group. Campenaerts and Van Moer were ‘to the death’ in the wheel, according to Van Moer. At that moment the rider who had been cursing was dropped. “So what does Campi say?” Van Moer suggests. Campenaerts: “Hold the wheel, d*ckhead!”
The rider in question couldn’t laugh about it. “It was firmly below the belt, but I couldn’t pass it up,” Campenaerts laughs. “It was not meant in a bad way towards that rider, certainly not, but in the heat of battle things happen. Even in the grupetto.”
Campenaerts on Instagram:
Equipment Failure Caused André Drege’s Fatal Crash in the Tour of Austria
André Drege, who died on Saturday during the Tour of Austria, had equipment problems prior to his crash on the descent of the Großglockner. Jaka Primožič spoke about the incident in a statement to the Austrian police. Primožič was the only witness to the accident, the Slovenian riding behind Drege on the descent.
Drege was in the lead group in the Tour of Austria on Saturday and crossed the highest climb of the day, the Hochtor, with a lead. He crashed on the descent of the famous Großglockner climb and suffered fatal injuries. Medical assistance couldn’t save the life of 25-year-old rider.
Primožič, also 25, races for Team Hrinkow Advarics and witnessed the incident. “As the only witness, I cannot describe in words how devastated I am,” he wrote on his Instagram. “This should never have happened. A crash that was no one’s fault.”
In a witness statement to the Austrian police, Primožič provided more information about the accident. “Jaka saw that there were problems with the rear wheel of Drege’s bicycle,” Andreas Lidner of the Austrian police told Norwegian VG.
“Then something white came out of the tyre,” Lidner may be referring to the sealant inside tubeless tyre that blocks any holes when you have a puncture. Drege then crashed, Primožič told the police. The speed at the time was between 80 and 100 kilometres per hour, according to the witness. Lindner: “Everything happened within seconds.”
A terrible accident:
Lead-Out Man Michael Mørkøv Announces his Retirement
Michael Mørkøv will retire as a professional cyclist at the end of this season, the 39-year-old Dane announced via Astana Qazaqstan’s social media. Mørkøv, who was also very successful on the track, was known for years as the best lead-out man in the peloton.
From 2005 to 2008, Mørkøv rode at Continental level, but in 2009 he turned professional with Saxo Bank. Until 2015 he rode for this team, which was called Tinkoff-Saxo. Mørkøv then moved to Katusha. However, he had his best years at Quick-Step Floors. As a sprint lead-out, he helped with major victories by Elia Viviani, Fabio Jakobsen and Mark Cavendish, and others. Cavendish brought him to Astana Qazaqstan at the beginning of 2024. With success, because Mørkøv helped Cavendish to his 35th stage victory in the Tour de France last week.
Mørkøv himself achieved five victories. He became Danish road champion three times (2013, 2018 and 2019), won the final stage of the Tour of Denmark once and has a stage in the Vuelta a España in his palmarès. In 2013 in the Vuelta stage to Cáceres, Tony Martin led for most of the stage, but was passed due to a big effort from Fabian Cancellara. Mørkøv took full advantage and the win.
“I am very proud of what I have achieved with my talent, because I was never the most talented rider when I was young,” Mørkøv says in the video message. “But I always worked hard and achieved everything I could have achieved.”
“My family is very happy with the decision. Only my son thinks it’s a bit of a shame, because he likes having a cool father and he’s afraid that his father won’t be so cool if he’s no longer a cyclist. I also have to thank my wife a thousand times.”
Mørkøv is currently racing in the Tour de France and he also has plans for the rest of the year. “There are still big goals to achieve. In this Tour de France, at the Olympic Games, during the World Track Championships in Ballerup in October.”
Mõrkøv and his good friend Ed Hood:
Cofidis Re-signs Ion Izagirre
Cofidis has announced that Ion Izagirre has re-signed with the French team. The Basque rider has extended for one season until the end of 2025.
The 35-year-old Izagirre has been with Cofidis since 2022. He previously rode for Astana-Premier Tech, Bahrain Merida and Movistar. He won a stage in the Tour de France in 2016 and again in 2023. Izagirre also won the Gran Premio Miguel Indurain for the French team last year. In 2022 he was the best in the final stage of the Tour of the Basque Country.
“I am very happy to continue with the team,” said Izagirre, who is currently in the Tour de France. “I am happy with this team. People have confidence in me and I always enjoy wearing this jersey. My dream is to win again in the Tour de France and let Cofidis shine. We will do everything we can to achieve that in the coming days.”
Ion Izagirre to stay with Cofidis:
Jonathan Castroviejo Extends Deal with INEOS Grenadiers
The INEOS Grenadiers are delighted to confirm that Jonathan Castroviejo has signed a one-year contract extension to ride for the team until the end of 2025.
The 37-year-old will continue to race as a Grenadier for an eighth season, having established himself as a crucial asset on the road and having played a key role in multiple successes of the team. A seasoned professional known for his time-trialling prowess and reliable support in the mountains, he has been a mainstay of the team since joining in 2018.
Castroviejo commented: “I’m super happy to have signed again with the team. It’s been something that we’ve been working on this year and it feels good to have everything sorted and to have clarity for next season. I wanted to stay with the team and it makes me happy to know I’ll be here for another year. It’s an environment where I feel happy, valued and where we always work well together. Every year, the level of racing gets higher which means you always need to improve and it’s good to be able to do that here. This team is full of young talent and riders that have a bright future in cycling, and it’s rewarding to be here helping and advising them where I can. It feels like the team is going in a good direction and it’s nice to be a part of the mindset of getting back to winning the Tour again.”
INEOS Grenadiers’ Performance Director, Scott Drawer said: “Year after year, you can always rely on Castro to turn up to the biggest races in top shape and ready to get out there and give everything to support his teammates. He is somebody who embodies the spirit and values of being a Grenadier and his experience and leadership are invaluable within our rider group. We have an exciting mix of young talent and experience and we need riders like Castro to not only deliver in the biggest races but also to transfer their knowledge and skills to the younger riders in our group.”
Revelation Bart Lemmen Extends Contract with Team Visma | Lease a Bike by Two Years
Team Visma | Lease a Bike has extended Bart Lemmen’s contract by two years. The 28-year-old ex-military member, currently debuting in the Tour de France, is now secured with the Dutch WorldTour team until the end of 2027.
With a fifth place in the Tour Down Under, a tenth place in the UAE Tour, and a second place in the Tour of Norway, Bart Lemmen is one of the revelations of the 2024 cycling season. He is only in his second season as a professional cyclist and his first at the WorldTour. Thanks to his strong performances, Lemmen is currently making his debut in the Tour de France. This Tour debut illustrates the impressive rise of the Dutchman, who was working for the air force just three years ago.
“Bart has made a meteoric development,” confirms sportive director Merijn Zeeman. “He only turned professional two years ago and now he’s already riding in the Tour. We were impressed by his abilities last year, and this year he has stepped up even more. We believe he can continue to develop, which is why we are happy to extend his contract. He is an excellent climber and has already achieved great results this year in the Tour Down Under, UAE Tour, and Tour of Norway. He is also proving his worth in the Tour by skillfully supporting Jonas Vingegaard.”
Zeeman praises not only Lemmen’s physical capabilities: “His personality and maturity are also very strong. He is self-aware, attentive to everything needed to improve, and is a true team player.”
Bart Lemmen himself is very pleased with the confidence shown by this early contract extension. “I feel at home in this team. I have only been a professional rider for two years and I am continuing to develop. I have learned a lot this year. It is incredibly insightful to work with riders like Jonas Vingegaard, Matteo Jorgenson, Sepp Kuss, and Wout van Aert. I feel the trust from the team and that means a lot to me. I am very happy to be able to extend my contract by another two years.”
Two more years for Bart Lemmen:
Stevie Williams Signs on with Israel – Premier Tech Until 2028
Stevie Williams is set to stay at Israel – Premier Tech having signed a new deal which will see the Welshman with the team until 2028, joining Derek Gee as the team’s longest contracted rider to date.
From being left without a contract at the end of 2022 and given a lifeline with IPT for the 2023 season to repaying the opportunity given by winning the Tour Down Under and La Flèche Wallonne this year, scoring IPT’s first ever WorldTour stage race and one day race victory respectively, Williams has proved he is well and truly at home.
Now, in the middle of his most successful season to date, Williams didn’t hesitate when it came to deciding on his future. “I feel like I have found my place on a team where I can get the best out of myself on the bike,” says Williams. “As we have seen with the way I have been racing, especially from last year’s Giro d’Italia onwards, I’ve taken a real step up. It has been rewarded with some nice results and even though I am fairly new on the team, it feels like I have been here for ten years not one year. I’m 28 years old now and the next four years are probably in that window when I become my best and keep improving, so to have this offer from the team gave me huge confidence and I didn’t hesitate to extend with IPT. I am so happy in the team, and I see the way I have stepped up in just one year here so I can’t wait for the next four.”
Williams is currently making his debut at the Tour de France and will make his Olympic debut next month in Paris, a testament to how far he has come in the last few years says General Manager Kjell Carlström. “It has been a real pleasure to watch the way Stevie has developed with us over the past year and a half,” explains Carlström. “He faced a lot of adversity in the early years of his career and now, he has finally reached a point where he is able to realise his potential. I think a lot of that has come from finding the right environment and culture with us at Israel – Premier Tech. Stevie has delivered his best career results with us, results that have also contributed to the team’s history. He is an amazing bike rider and I think the best is yet to come.”
Prior to the 28-year-old’s breakthrough year in 2024, Williams overcame a lingering knee injury to claim his first WorldTour win at the Tour de Suisse in 2022, before kickstarting his winning ways with IPT with a stage and the General Classification at the 2023 Arctic Race of Norway.
IPT owner Sylvan Adams admits that extending a lifeline to Williams at the end of 2022 was one of the best decisions the team has made. “A couple of years ago, we kind of saved Stevie’s career, or at the very least, a year of his career, when we signed him at the last minute, together with his teammate, Nick Schultz, following the folded B&B Hotels team debacle,” Adams explains. “Stevie immediately showed us that he is a talented rider, and we have now renewed his contract for the second time. Stevie is a winner, an instinctive rider who understands bike racing. His big wins this year have elevated our team. Stevie is part of Israel – Premier Tech’s DNA, and well loved by his teammates. I’m so proud of how he’s flourished because we gave him opportunities that he didn’t get earlier in his career, and of course, our full team support. Stevie will be representing Great Britain at the Olympics in Paris, which is additional validation of his remarkable success. I also hope to see him do something special at the Tour in the next two weeks. Congratulations, Stevie, you’ve earned all of this. Much more to come.”
Connor Swift Extends Deal with INEOS Grenadiers
Connor Swift, the 2018 British national road race champion, has agreed a two-year contract extension with the team until the end of 2026.
The three-times Tour de France finisher joined the team in 2023 and has quickly proved himself to be a highly-valued, trusted and loyal Grenadier.
Most recently, Connor played a star supporting role at the Giro d’Italia where Geraint Thomas finished third overall. His versatility and strong performances in both one-day classics and stage races means that Swift has quickly become an integral part of the team.
Swift said: “I feel like I have settled into the team nicely over the last couple years and I always wanted to stay here. I enjoy being part of a team that always strives to win every race and has that all-in approach every time we line up. My goals for the next two seasons are to have strong and successful Spring Classics campaigns, be part of the Team’s Tour de France squad, and look to get that stripey nationals jersey back on my shoulders again. They are goals that I know will push and drive me, and if there’s one thing I’ve learnt from being with my Grenadier teammates, it’s never give up and always believe in yourself. I’m looking forward to seeing what the next two seasons hold.”
INEOS Grenadiers Performance Director, Scott Drawer, said: “Connor’s proved himself to be an exceptional team player and really grown in his time with the team. He’s taken his skills and stepped up a level at this year’s Giro d’Italia helping the team fight for the GC. His versatility also means that under the right circumstances he can also challenge for his own opportunities which is exciting. We believe that Connor is just coming into his prime as a bike rider and that’s really exciting for us, as well as for him. We are ambitious for the coming years and building for success and Connor is going to play an integral part as part of that process.”
Primoz Roglič and Urška Žigart Not in the Slovenian Olympic Squad
Primoz Roglič will not defend his Olympic time trial title in Paris. The Slovenian won Olympic gold in Tokyo three years ago, but is now not part of the Slovenian selection for the upcoming Olympic Games.
At the previous Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan, the riders had a very difficult time trial of 44.2 kilometres, with climbing. This was perfect for Primoz Roglič. The Slovenian won the gold medal by a wide margin. Tom Dumoulin finished second within a minute, Rohan Dennis took the bronze.
The time trial course in Paris will be almost flat, tailored to time trial specialists such as Filippo Ganna and Joshua Tarling. Roglič has chosen not to defend his Olympic title. Jan Tratnik will be the Slovenian time rider.
The Visma | Lease a Bike rider, Tratnik, will also in the road race, working for Tadej Pogačar, who is one of the big favourites for Olympic gold in Paris. In addition to Tratnik, Matej Mohorič and Luka Mezgec will start.
For the women: Eugenia Bujak and Urška Pintar are going to Paris. Bujak will be the road race, Pintar in the road race and the time trial. Urška Žigart is not going. This was to the disappointment of Žigart’s fiancée, Tadej Pogačar. “Wow, I’m really devastated. Urška is a two-time national champion and Slovenia’s best WorldTour rider, but has not been selected for the Games. I have no words for it,” he said via Instagram.
No Žigart in Paris:
2024 Santos Tour Down Under Stage Details
Watch the PEZ YOUTUBE Channel here
Follow PEZ INSTAGRAM here
The PEZ NEWSWIRE!
Don’t forget to check the “NEWSWIRE” section, you can find it on the homepage, just above the PEZ Shop section. The bits of news that missed the EuroTrash deadline are in there, plus any news as-it-happens will be added there too.
Any comments drop me a line, at: [email protected] or Twitter. And check the PezCyclingNews Twitter and Facebook Page. And say hi on Zwift when you pass me.
Like PEZ? Why not subscribe to our weekly newsletter to receive updates and reminders on what’s cool in road cycling?
