Another jam-packed EUROTRASH Thursday with all the latest race news from the Ename Samyn Classic, where Mathieu van der Poel took his first win of the season, Le Samyn Classic des Dames and the Trofeo Laigueglia with all the video, reports, results and what the rider think.
TOP STORY:
- Mathieu van der Poel preparing for the Classics
Rider news:
- Mathieu van der Poel headlines in the international sports newspapers after Le Samyn win
- Pavel Bittner received medical advice to quit
- Matteo Jorgenson sees room for improvement at Visma | Lease a Bike
- Remco Evenepoel going on altitude training camp with Soudal Quick-Step Giro team
- Bauke Mollema working towards the Giro d’Italia
- Alexandre Vinokourov junior breaks his femur in collision with a car
- Wout Poels was very ill after Tour of Oman
- Neilson Powless rolls into his spring campaign full of optimism
- Ayuso laughs at Pogačar comparison after 40-kilometre solo
- Dylan van Baarle is back in time for the big goals in the spring
Team news:
- Soudal Quick-Step’s Viktor Soenens wins best young rider jersey in Galicia
- Intermarché-Wanty fighting a tough budget battle
- Pogačar returns hoping to defend title at Strade Bianche
- Soudal Quick-Step to Strade Bianche
- The next races for Team Picnic PostNL
- Giovanni Visconti welcomed into the role of talent scout at GreenEDGE Cycling
Race news:
- Strade Bianche and Strade Bianche Women Elite entry lists announced
- Sanremo Women: The return of the Classicissima for women
- UCI hands out yellow card after leading group goes the wrong way in the Ardèche Classic
Thursday EUROTRASH coffee time.
TOP STORY: Mathieu van der Poel Preparing for the Classics
Mathieu van der Poel is back and won his first race of the season on Tuesday: the Ename Samyn Classic. He beat 20-year-old Paul Magnier of Soudal Quick-Step, who was also second in the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad. The young Frenchman was very happy to be on the podium with his idol; Mathieu van der Poel.
After the finish line, Magnier was seen congratulating Van der Poel on his victory and he didn’t hide his admiration. “I’ll send him a message later”, Van der Poel smiled. “Paul is still very young. The wattages he sent me were scary. Tim Merlier said that he had often lost in the sprint. Sprinting against someone new is quite exciting. Paul is young and he is just starting out, but everyone already knows him.”
Van der Poel started in Le Samyn unexpectedly after Lars Boven had to drop out. “Last week, they asked at the table in Spain if anyone wanted to ride Le Samyn, and I put my hand up,” Van der Poel said of his decision to race. “They thought it was a joke at first, but I was serious. For my form, it is most profitable to start racing now. I think the team agreed with that. I just felt good and really wanted to race. But we still have a plan in mind to go at altitude. That is why it is difficult to include Strade Bianche.”
The Omloop Het Nieuwsblad was also not on his schedule. “The team had the plan to leave and go to altitude after the Cyclocross World Championships in Liévin and then do the Opening Weekend. But I didn’t really like that myself. If everything goes well, it is not that difficult. But suppose the World Championship is disappointing and you have to leave immediately, then it can still be bad for your morale. Many people underestimate it, but you work towards a World Championship for a long time. It is a first real peak, because you don’t want to leave anything to chance.”
He had a hard time when he was watching the final of the Omloop on his couch at home. “I have never ridden that classic, but I think it is a race that must suit me very well. I have ridden in Kuurne once before (12th in 2021), but that is a different story. The Omloop Het Nieuwsblad is a difficult race every year. But that is the thing about making choices. Maybe I will participate one day.”
Van der Poel will also not ride Strade Bianche, the Italian gravel classic, he is now going to an altitude training camp to prepare for Tirreno-Adriatico next Monday. This week he should put the finishing touches on his basic condition, with which he will soon compete with World champion Tadej Pogačar from Milan-San Remo to Paris-Roubaix. “I have had some good training weeks and felt ready to start. I am very happy with where I am. After all, I have ridden against a number of strong names. It is not a monument, but I am happy with every race I win, and so also with this one,” he said. “Tirreno-Adriatico is another race that I like to ride and in the past it has proven to be the right approach for me.”
Van der poel happy with his win and Magnier happy to be on the same podium:
Ename Samyn Classic 2025
Mathieu van der Poel started his road season with a victory in the Ename Samyn Classic on Tuesday. The Alpecin-Deceuninck rider won the race with a strong final sprint. The young Soudal Quick-Step rider, Paul Magnier was second and Emilien Jeannière (TotalEnergies), finished third.
After the Flemish Opening Weekend, there was more racing in Belgium on Tuesday. The Walloon season opener, the Ename Samyn Classic, is full of cobbled sections and is usually a spectacular race. Plus there was the lsat minute participation of Mathieu van der Poel. The Alpecin-Deceuninck rider was meant to start his road season in Tirreno-Adriatico, but decided to start early in Le Samyn.
It didn’t take long for the ‘break of the day’ to form. Joren Bloem, Hidde van Veenendaal, Stijn Daemen, Guillaume Visser, Gotzon Martín, Sebastian Grindley, Silas Köch and Belgian Löic Vliegen. The eight were allowed to go by the peloton and took a maximum 3 minute lead. The peloton had no intention of giving the escapees any more time. At the start of the last 100 kilometres, the nervousness increased as the speed lifted before the important cobbled sections. With 70 kilometres to go, Alpecin-Deceuninck took control of the race, this was a prelude for some action from their leader. Van der Poel took over from his teammate Timo Kielich and put the hammer down. The Dutchman got away and pushed on for a while, but he was reeled in.
In the next part of the race, Van der Poel made another move, but along with other attack, he was chased down. With all this action, the escapees had been swallowed up before the last 40 kilometres. A group of nine riders managed to get away: Taco van der Hoorn, Samuel Gaze, Lewis Askey, Martin Svrček, Cédric Beullens, Thomas Gachignard, Axel Huens, Noah Vandenbranden and Killian Théot managed to build a lead of 30 seconds. Uno-X Mobility saw the danger and started to chase. The new break held out well and the difference fluctuated around that half minute. The leading group worked well together, but not for long. Just after the start of the last lap, the cooperation at the front fell apart. The lead quickly came down to 15 seconds and the race was still full on with 25 kilometres to go.
Just before the Côte de la Roquette, Lotto’s Arnaud De Lie had a mechanical problem at a bad time and had to change bikes and had to chase. The peloton didn’t wait for the Belgian champion and the speed was high before the important cobbles. This the end for the break and they were caught. Everyone was waiting for an attack on the cobbles of the Côte des Nonettes, the penultimate obstacle before the finish in Dour. Alpecin-Deceuninck was the first onto this section, but an attack from Van der Poel didn’t happen. His teammate Kielich took advantage and jumped on an attack from Luca Van Boven and Alec Segaert. Kielich was allowed to ride his own race, but the three Belgians couldn’t hold off the peloton. Soudal Quick-Step wanted a sprint for Paul Magnier and took control. This closed the gap on the three leaders, just before the last cobbles of the day, the 500 metres of the Rue de Belle Vue. No one attacked and so there would be a sprint finish. Van der Poel position himself well in the last kilometre and was the first to jump. With an impressive display of power he rode Paul Magnier and Emilien Jeannière off his wheel for his first road win of the season.
Race winner, Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck): “I am very happy with this. I had good legs, but it was difficult to make a difference here. Many riders were also looking at me. With fifty kilometres to go I said to my teammates: I am going for the sprint today. On such a finish, after a difficult final, I am capable of winning. I started the sprint with confidence and managed to win. The team managed to keep me well in front all day. I am very happy with this victory.”
2nd, Paul Magnier (Soudal-Quick-Step): “This is really a dream come true, because I am one of Mathieu’s biggest fans. So I am very happy with this result. It has always been a dream to race against him. Mathieu showed an acceleration in the sprint. An acceleration that we no longer had.”
Ename Samyn Classic Result:
1. Mathieu van der Poel (Ned) Alpecin-Deceuninck in 4:19:58
2. Paul Magnier (Fra) Soudal Quick-Step
3. Emilien Jeannière (Fra) TotalEnergies
4. Jenthe Biermans (Bel) Arkéa-B&B Hotels
5. Lewis Askey (GB) Groupama-FDJ
6. Stian Edvardsen-Fredheim (Nor) Uno-X Mobility
7. Hugo Hofstetter (Fra) Israel-Premier Tech
8. Alessandro Romele (Ita) XDS Astana
9. Amaury Capiot (Bel) Arkéa-B&B Hotels
10. Lukas Kubis (Slov) Unibet Tietema Rockets.
Samyn’25
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mWy3Nlw-1Kc
Le Samyn Classic des Dames 2025
Lorena Wiebes won the women’s Le Samyn Classic on Tuesday. The SD Worx-Protime rider started the race as the top favourite and proved to be much too strong for the competition in the final sprint. Linda Zanetti came second, Lara Gillespie crossed the finish line in third place.
In the run-up to Le Samyn, there was a lot of attention for the surprising season debut of Mathieu van der Poel in the men’s race. But several top riders were also at the start in the women’s race. For example, Omloop van het Hageland winner Femke Gerritse was there, as were European champion Lorena Wiebes and Charlotte Kool. Did we get a sprint between the latter two in the Walloon opening classic? Or did we get fireworks on the course spiced with cobblestones and short climbs?
In any case, not in the initial phase. The riders kept remarkably quiet in the first part of the race: the peloton remained closed and there was no early breakaway. Halfway through the 122 kilometre race we did see an attempt to break away, but Deborah Veerman (VELOPRO-Alphamotorhomes) and Cleo Kiekens (DD Group) did not hold out for long. So we started the last forty kilometres with a complete peloton. There were then some skirmishes on and after the Côte de la Roquette, but that did not immediately lead to a separation. On the following Côte des Nonettes more fractures already appeared after an acceleration by the women of Liv AlUla Jayco. The riders of the Australian team had clear plans, because Ruby Roseman-Gannon soon rode away from the thinned out peloton. She created a nice gap, but SD Worx-Protime smelled the danger. They reacted quickly and closed the gap. So we had a regrouping before the start of the 26 kilometre long final lap.
In the first part of that final lap the peloton also stayed together. The pace was high on the Côte de la Roquette, but no one really threw a spanner in the works. Shortly afterwards, there was an attack, by Cofidis rider Eugenia Bujak. The Slovakian rode ahead of the pack for a while, but after the Côte des Nonettes she was caught by the scruff of the neck. This happened seven kilometres from the finish. Was this the prelude to a sprint with a still fairly large group? Several riders tried to get away, but they couldn’t get away. In short, it seemed like a hopeless mission for the attackers, although the cobblestones of the Rue de Belle Vue – 2.5 kilometres from the finish – still presented themselves. Did we see an all-or-nothing attack here? It was Paternoster who managed to shake the tree once more on the last cobblestone section, but this didn’t do much. A sprint seemed inevitable and many eyes were focused on Wiebes. The top favourite had to do it almost alone in the final, but it turned out to be a piece of cake for her to finish it. With her first attempt she rode the competition out of the wheel and Wiebes then finished it off with childlike ease. She stayed ahead of Linda Zanetti and Lara Gillespie by a large margin. Charlotte Kool was not involved in the final sprint and even finished outside the top 10. For the still only 25-year-old Wiebes, it is already the 97th victory of her professional career.
Race winner, Lorena Wiebes (SD Worx-Protime): “It’s great to win in a sprint. It’s great to finish it off in this race. It’s a fun race. I enjoyed it. The course of the race was quite chaotic, which is always the case on Belgian roads. We always started in a good position on a cobblestone section. The team did very well. Unfortunately, we lost Elena (Cecchini) due to a crash. We went to the final with one rider less, but my teammates always managed to set me off well. I also tried to pull through on the cobblestones once, as I had good legs. I had good legs today. I felt ready for the sprint. I also like it when the finish is a bit uphill.”
Le Samyn Classic des Dames Result:
1. Lorena Wiebes (Bel) SD Worx-Protime in 3:10:35
2. Linda Zanetti (Sui) Uno-X Mobility Women
3. Lara Gillespie (Irl) UAE Team ADQ
4. Gladys Verhulst-Wild (Fra) AG Insurance-Soudal
5. Georgia Baker (Aus) Liv AlUla Jayco
6. Christina Schweinberger (Aust) Fenix-Deceuninck
7. Marjolein Van ‘t Geloof (Ned) Arkéa-B&B Hotels Women
8. Amber Kraak (Ned) FDJ-SUEZ
9. Letizia Paternoster (Ita) Liv AlUla Jayco
10. Anneke Dijkstra (Ned) VolkerWessels Women’s Pro Cycling Team.
Samyn’25
Trofeo Laigueglia 2025
Juan Ayuso (UAE Emirates-XRG) won the 62nd Trofeo Laigueglia on Wednesday. The Spaniard sprinted to victory after an exciting finale. This was Ayuso’s second victory of the week, following his win in theFaun Drome Classic on Sunday. Christian Scaroni (XDS Astana) was second and Michael Storer (Tudor) third.
The Italian road season started on Wednesday with the hilly Trofeo Laigueglia. The course was the much the same as last year. The route was 190.7 kilometres in total, with more than 3,000 metres of climbing and was divided into three parts. The focus was on the last 45 kilometres, with four laps including the Colla Micheri (2km at 8.4%) and the Capo Mele (1.7km at 3.7%). Eight climbs in just over 40 kilometres.
Nine riders escaped early: Victor Guernalec (Arkéa-B&B Hotels), Kevin Colleoni (Intermarché-Wanty), Asbjørn Hellemose (Jayco AlUla), Matteo Badilatti (Q36.5), Mattia Bais (Polti VisitMalta), Odd Christian Eiking (Unibet Tietema Rockets), Alex Tolio (VF Group-Bardiani CSF-Faizanè), Johan Meens (Wagner Bazin WB) and Lorenzo Nespoli (MBH Bank Ballan CSB). UAE Emirates XRG and INEOS Grenadiers kept the gap to the leading group within limits. The lead of the nine riders never exceeded 4 minutes. With 40 kilometres to go, the start of the finale, the lead was only 1 minute. This was the signal for Eiking to make a move. With his acceleration, the Norwegian managed to thin out the leading group to only Badilatti and Bais. Due to the work of UAE Emirates XRG for top favourite Juan Ayuso, the peloton were catching the escape. With 25 kilometres to go, the last escapees were caught. In the thinned out peloton, there had been a lot of attacks. Many riders tried, but couldn’t get away and so it had to happen on the Colla Micheri. On the 2 kilometre climb, Neilson Powless put the hammer down, but Antonio Morgado managed to neutralise his attack for Ayuso. Then it was up to the UAE leader to do his thing.
Ayuso’s attack was not long in coming. The Spaniard, the winner of the Faun Drome Classic last Sunday, rode away from an elite group, but was joined by Powless and Christian Scaroni. Ayuso then dropped Powless with another attack. Scaroni gritted his teeth and managed to follow. On the flatter section after the Colla Micheri, Powless and Michael Storer returned, so four leaders started the last lap. The cooperation in the front group was not good and so the gap on the six riders chasing was not that big. At the foot of the Colla Micheri, the return of Ewen Costiou, Michal Kwiatkowski, Louis Barré, Davide De Pretto, Alberto Bettiol and Alessandro Pinarello seemed a matter of time, but at that moment Ayuso attacked once more. Again Scaroni was the only rider who could follow. The two pushed hard on the steepest sections of the Colla Micheri, but they couldn’t drop each other.
Ayuso and Scaroni started the descent of the Colla Micheri together, but again Powless managed to cross on the descent. On the Capo Mele, even Storer got back. Scaroni wanted to force a decision with an all-or-nothing attack on the Capo Mele. Ayuso was alert and put in a counter-attack, but Scaroni wasn’t going to let go. Powless couldn’t hold on again, but managed to returned. Then Storer also clawed his way back. The Australian tried to sneak away, but Ayuso was not surprised. In the sprint, the Spaniard was unbeatable. Ayuso started early and won by several bike lengths. Scaroni crossed the line in second place, ahead of Storer and Powless. After them, Giovanni Carboni gave Unibet Tietema Rockets a fifth place.
Race winner, Juan Ayuso (UAE Emirates-XRG): “I was already third (2024) and second (2022) in this race, but the victory was still missing. Now it’s finally here. I’m happy that I was able to complete the work of my teammates today. We worked hard all day and set the pace on the climbs. I always had a teammate with me to support me. I was quite confident that it would end well. I just wanted to avoid a scenario where more riders could return. Then you have to keep an eye on even more people and parry attacks. You never know. So I aimed for a sprint with a small group. I was quite confident in my sprint. A great race (Tirreno-Adriatico 10-16 March). I was already second last year and won a stage. I hope to do even better this year.”
2nd, Christian Scaroni (XDS Astana): “I knew I needed to stay close to Ayuso and respond to his attacks. I also tried to break away from him because I knew it would be very difficult to beat him in a sprint. In the final two laps, we were basically exchanging attacks and trying to get away. But in the end, it all came down to a small group sprint. I’m feeling strong right now, and I’m looking forward to the upcoming Strade Bianche. It will definitely be an incredibly tough race, but we will do our best to show our maximum.”
3rd, Michael Storer (Tudor): “The race was very fast all day, but the decisive moments came on the finishing circuit. The whole team put in a really good effort to look after me as much as possible and place me to the front so I had the best chance possible for the finish. I fought hard to close the gap, and unfortunately I was missing a few centimetres in the sprint for second place. I can still be happy with my 3rd place in a hard race.”
KOM, Mattia Bais (Polti VisitMalta): “I tried it from a distance with a group of quite a high level, with strong riders and that we could make our way. But the bunch didn’t let us take advantage. Even so, on the final circuit I tried to give it my all with a move to stand out on the penultimate lap. But they neutralised me and I couldn’t stay in front, so we’ll keep trying!”
Trofeo Laigueglia Result:
1. Juan Ayuso Pesquera (Spa) UAE Emirates XRG in 4:46:34
2. Christian Scaroni (Ita) XDS Astana
3. Michael Storer (Aus) Tudor
4. Neilson Powless (USA) EF Education-EasyPost
5. Giovanni Carboni (Ita) Unibet Tietema Rockets at 0:03
6. Magnus Sheffield (USA) INEOS Grenadiers at 0:13
7. Alberto Bettiol (Ita) XDS Astana at 0:23
8. Louis Barré (Fra) Intermarché-Wanty
9. Mattéo Vercher (Fra) TotalEnergies
10. Simone Gualdi (Ita) Intermarché-Wanty.
Trofeo Laigueglia’25:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QfW1OUXJbas
Mathieu van der Poel Headlines in the International Sports Newspapers after Le Samyn Win
Mathieu van der Poel won the Walloon cobbled race, the Ename Samyn Classic, with ease on Tuesday. The leader of the Alpecin-Deceuninck team tested his legs a number of times, and in the final sprint he was by far the fastest. The sports press around Europe have been singing the praises of the Netherlands rider.
In Italy, La Gazzetta dello Sport is impressed by Van der Poel: Starts with a bang and dominates Le Samyn, La Gazzetta headlines. “You can’t say that Mathieu van der Poel missed his anticipated start of the season… He was supposed to make his debut in Tirreno-Adriatico next Monday, but started in Le Samyn instead. To triumph there after 199 kilometres with a powerful sprint.”
In Spain, there is more attention for Van der Poel. The well-known sports newspaper, Marca, writes that the Dutchman is “back in cannibal mode” and the headline reads: Mathieu van der Poel shows who is boss on his return and wins Le Samyn. “Once again, Mathieu van der Poel shows why he is one of the biggest stars in world cycling. With his characteristic power, the former world champion dominated the race and finished it off with a masterful final sprint.”
At the French sports paper, L’Equipe, is a bit more moderate after the victory of Raymond Poulidor’s grandson. “I was really looking forward to racing again”, Mathieu van der Poel enjoys his first season victory in Le Samyn, it says above the article. The French call him impatient and further state: “Tadej Pogačar, Jonas Vingegaard and Van der Poel immediately wave the bouquet in their first race. Without the unfortunate Remco Evenepoel, these ‘madmen’ will be fighting each other in the coming weeks and no one wants to find themselves among the shards.”
The two largest newspapers in Belgium can do nothing but praise. With A finger in the air decided: why Mathieu Van der Poel took his first victory of the season in Le Samyn, Het Laatste Nieuws points to a quote from Mathieu himself. The team management asked before the weekend in Spain who wanted to go to Le Samyn as a replacement. “I also raised my finger. (grins) A joke, they thought. But I was deadly serious,” according to MvdP. Het Nieuwsblad then headlines with “Immediately on target: Mathieu van der Poel sprints to unstoppable victory in Ename Samyn Classic.”
Mathieu hit the headlines:
Pavel Bittner Received Medical Advice to Quit
This is an important month for Pavel Bittner. The 22-year-old Czech, Picnic PostNL rider will be going for glory in a few semi-classics. He already finished 8th in Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne. But when he was a junior, a doctor advised him to stop cycling. In the Alpecin Barbershop with WielerFlits, he thanked his parents, because they looked for another solution.
Bittner was impressive in his two seasons as a junior. He also showed promising performances in the first year and a half as an U23. Picnic PostNL then made him a professional, halfway through 2023. His eyes were opened. “I saw what the old school Czechs did in training. Going out on an empty stomach and not eating enough, for example. In that way, you can really dig your own grave as a rider. Especially if you have to train really hard. Then it comes back to some guys like a boomerang. That’s not the way it is anymore. Cycling has evolved a lot since then.”
But Bittner nearly wasn’t a bike rider at all. “A few years ago, I think I was still a junior, I had some health problems,” said the young Czech. “It had nothing to do with my immunity or anything. But I did go to a doctor. He wasn’t really into sports. I was advised to stop cycling. That was a tough message of course. Luckily I found another doctor and he told me that racing was fine with what I had. That we would find a way together to get through it.”
Bittner learned to put his health first, but also that you should always explore your options. “Mentally, that period was difficult, because this is the sport I love. If someone then says that you can’t ride a bike anymore… In the end, my parents helped me with that. They have been doing that from day one and they are still my biggest fans. In addition, I now read a lot of books about mental preparation and talk a lot with other people. Cycling is already very difficult, so you have to use every little help.”
Pavel Bittner glad he didn’t quit:
Matteo Jorgenson Sees Room for Improvement at Visma | Lease a Bike
Visma | Lease a Bike certainly didn’t come away from the Opening Weekend with good results. For the first time in five years, they left Flanders empty-handed after the Omloop and Kuurne.
Matteo Jorgenson is not worried. The American, who did make a good impression in the Flemish opening classics, took stock after Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne. “As always, I am happy that I got through the opening weekend unscathed,” the American told Sporza in the press zone. “I felt good and strong. I feel a lot of confidence towards Paris-Nice, but as a team we can still improve for the upcoming classics. On which points do we need to improve? I don’t have to say that publicly. We already discussed it on Saturday and we will do that again in the debriefing on Sunday. It just doesn’t fit together yet,” he stated.
He did point out that: “We have newcomers that we have to integrate and that’s not easy. We’re also unlucky this year because of Christophe Laporte’s illness and Dylan van Baarle’s broken collarbone. We’re missing part of the heart of our team, but I expect a good season. We didn’t win and we can build up this spring. That’s better than starting with a bang and then fading away.”
Matteo Jorgenson not worried about improvement at Visma:
Remco Evenepoel Going On an Altitude Training Camp with Soudal Quick-Step Giro Team
Remco Evenepoel continues to take steps in his recovery. For example, he will go on altitude training with the Giro core of Soudal Quick-Step at the end of March, beginning of April. This is reported by Het Laatste Nieuws.
Evenepoel’s rehabilitation is a long one. The Belgian rider collided with a car at the beginning of December, suffered multiple broken bones, after which he was not allowed to cycle for a very long time. His first outdoor bike ride did not take place until February 2, but things have been going fast in recent weeks. The duration and intensity of his training are being increased more and more. For example, last week he joined his teammates for a reconnaissance of the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad course.
So the next important step seems to be waiting at the end of March, beginning of April. The intention is that he will then travel to the Sierra Nevada for an altitude training. There he will accompany Mikkel Landa and Valentin Paret-Peintre, among others. While they prepare for the Giro d’Italia, Evenepoel has his sights set on the Ardennes classics first.
The double Olympic champion will make his comeback in the Brabantse Pijl – if all goes well. The Amstel Gold Race, Waalse Pijl, Liège-Bastogne-Liège and possibly the Tour de Romandie will follow. After a short rest, Evenepoel will then start preparing for his main goal of 2025: the Tour de France.
Serious training for Remco:
Bauke Mollema Working Towards the Giro d’Italia
It looks like Bauke Mollema will be riding the Giro d’Italia for the seventh time this year. The Dutch climber’s schedule is working towards the Italian Grand Tour in May. He has never won a stage in the Giro, but with Lidl-Trek he also wants to work for the team. He told WielerFlits: “It is really my goal to be 100% in the Giro. The start of the season feels like a while ago,” laughed Mollema at the Ardèche and the Drôme Classic. “I have been busy for a while since Down Under. I started well there and had a nice trip. I also rode the Tour de La Provence, which was great to ride around with Mads Pedersen and win. Things are going well, I had a good winter and didn’t encounter anything.”
The 38-year-old Mollema knows that his role within Lidl-Trek has changed in recent years. “I mainly ride in the service of the team. In the Ardèche and Drôme Classic I did my work for Mattias Skjelmose, Andrea Bagioli and Tao Geoghegan Hart. Nowadays we have a very strong selection in all areas, so I hope I can support those men. In Strade Bianche my role will be the same.”
Last year Mollema didn’t ride a Grand Tour, but he did say that he would like to ride the Giro d’Italia. It is the only Grand Tour he has not yet won a stage. In the meantime: “Nothing is certain, until two weeks in advance,” he said. “At the moment I have a good chance and that is also my goal, to be at the start there as well as possible. I want to support Giulio Ciccone in the mountains and also Pedersen who is going there with our sprint train, so that is what I am looking at at the moment. After Strade Bianche I want to do an altitude training camp and then via the Tour of the Basque Country to another altitude training camp to prepare myself for the Giro. Then I also want to take part in the Amstel Gold Race.”
Mollema wants to reach top form in the Giro d’Italia. “Yes, but nowadays you have to be in good shape in every race, but it is really my goal to be 100% in the Giro. Those altitude training camps have to contribute to that.”
Bauke Mollema wants to ride the Giro d’Italia in 2025:
Alexandre Vinokourov Junior Breaks his Femur in Collision with a Car
Alexandr Vinokourov junior was involved in an accident in Greece. The 22-year-old son of the XDS Astana team boss hit a car that unexpectedly came round the corner. Examinations in the hospital showed that he suffered a fracture to his femur.
It was a fracture was diagnosed in the right femoral neck. This is the piece of bone that connects the femur to the hip joint. The fracture is of such a nature that Vinokourov Jr. will have to undergo surgery in Greece, where he was with the devo team to prepare for a number of races. XDS Astana reports that their rider is in a stable condition and that they will provide all the necessary support that is needed. They will soon transport him to France for the next phase of his recovery.
Young Alexandre Vinokourov out with a fractured right femur:
Wout Poels was Very Ill After Tour of Oman
Wout Poels was supposed to travel to France after the Tour of Oman for the Faun-Ardèche Classic and the Faun Drome Classic, but the Dutchman couldn’t compete at all last weekend. It turns out that he was struck by illness.
In the podcast In Koers, in which he discusses the latest developments in cycling with his good friend and Visma | Lease a Bike rider Dylan van Baarle and AD journalist Marijn Abbenhuijs. “I wanted to continue racing, but after the Tour of Oman I became very ill. I had the flu, with a fever. I woke up after the last ride shivering from the cold, which is never a good sign,” said the XDS Astana rider. “It was quite a long journey from Oman. So I didn’t get home until 00:30 and haven’t touched my bike for a week since then. I only had a fever and was actually in pretty bad shape. That’s why we had to change my program a bit. That was a bit of a downer. When I got sick, after four or five days without a bike it was clear that we’d better skip the French races for a while.”
The 37-year-old Poels was in a bad state. “That you wake up like that in the morning and your muscles and lower back hurt. I was just coughing. It was terrible. I said to my wife: if you ever have to give birth, you should just think about this moment, how hard it is for me,” he makes fun of the whole situation. At one point I thought: if this is my time, then so be it. I’ve had a good life. I felt that bad. Unbearable. You have a thermometer in your ear all day long and when it was at 38.6… I was going completely crazy. It kept going on and on, but the doctor said the flu can last at least a week. Then you hope it will be over a bit quicker, but I really didn’t touch the bike for seven days.”
Wout Poels feeling better:
Neilson Powless rolls into his spring campaign full of optimism
After Trofeo Laigueglia and Paris-Nice, Neilson will head to Milano-Sanremo, the Flemish cobbles, and the Ardennes
Neilson Powless is excited about his spring campaign.
Neilson has put the bout of pneumonia that kept him out of action at the start of the season behind him, and after his strong performance at the Volta ao Algarve, where he finished sixth overall and seventh in the uphill time trial, he is riding well. He is now resting up at home with his daughter and wife, before heading to Trofeo Laigueglia and Paris-Nice, where he wants to compete with the best on GC and go for a stage win, while building his form for his main goals for the spring.
Paris-Nice, the iconic eight-day stage race from the heart of France to his European hometown on the Riviera, will be his final test before the spring classics. Neilson will then focus on a full slate of classic one-day races in March and April, with Milano-Sanremo, Dwars door Vlaanderen and De Ronde on the books, before he goes for victory in the Ardennes.
Neilson Powless’ spring schedule:
Trofeo Laigueglia
Paris-Nice
Milano-Sanremo
Dwars door Vlaanderen
Ronde van Vlaanderen
Amstel Gold Race
Flèche Wallonne
Liège-Bastogne-Liège
Neilson Powless excited about the spring:
Ayuso Laughs at Pogačar Comparison after 40 Kilometre Solo
The Drôme Classic ended on Sunday with a spectacular solo victory by Juan Ayuso. The leader of UAE Emirates-XRG attacked 40 kilometres from the finish in Étoile-sur-Rhône and no one saw him until the line. The other podium riders, Mattias Skjelmose and Ben Tulett, were also in good spirits, especially with an eye to the future. Ayuso also had a laugh when we compared his attack with Tadej Pogačar.
“Maybe you can call it that”, said the Spanish climber after the Drôme Classic. “It was a long attack, because I started it long before the finish. It was really tough all day, but I’m glad I finished it.” In the run-up to Tirreno-Adriatico, Ayuso’s first GC goal before the Giro d’Italia later this spring, he wanted to take a win. That had to happen this weekend in the South of France, or next Wednesday in the Trofeo Laigueglia. “This is definitely good for my confidence, especially on a day like today. With this, I can go to Tirreno with the goal of winning.”
“I’m still upset about yesterday,” he said, referring to the incident in the final of the Ardèche Classic where he took a wrong turn at the last roundabout. “Losing under those circumstances is not easy to accept, but that’s how it went. Today we flew into it again and I’m glad I was able to win for the team.”
Ayuso was wearing a face mask during the interview. “Before this weekend I was sick for a week, so I think I lost some form. But after these two races I have to get back to that top form.”
Solo Ayuso… not Pogačar:
Dylan van Baarle is Back in Time for the Big Goals in the Spring
Dylan van Baarle will only ride the big classics for Visma | Lease a Bike this year. A crash and broken collarbone in the Tour Down Under disrupted his preparation for the spring Classics, but he returned to racing last weekend. “Luckily I’m back with the E3 Prize,” he said during the weekend of the Drôme Classic.
“Start quietly? It’s still a race and you have a number on your back, so there are always risks. But if you compare the Opening Weekend with this one, it’s a bit less nervous. After this, I’m going to Tirreno-Adriatico to gain some toughness. I’m very curious about that,” he told WielerFlits.
According to Van Baarle, the broken collarbone has fully healed. “The training went well and I haven’t had any problems since I started cycling on the road again. That’s all good,” he says. After the unprecedented bad luck year of 2024, his own crash was an early blow in the new season. “Here we go again, I thought when I was lying on the ground in Australia. Unfortunately, that’s part of it, and then it’s important to keep your head cool and work back towards a comeback. How difficult that can be sometimes. After Tirreno I’m going to the E3 Saxo Classic, Dwars door Vlaanderen, Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix, that’s the classic program. I’ve had a good winter and of course I’m at the start with the team with ambitions to make something beautiful of it.”
Team manager Maarten Wynants supervised Van Baarle’s comeback last weekend in the South of France. “He needs to get into racing rhythm, that’s the most important thing for him. Riding a few races without problems and getting through that well, then he can build up further,” the Belgian team manager explained. “It was a conscious decision to let him start here in France, to let him get into that rhythm a bit more relaxed. In terms of condition, he is fine, we have no doubt about that, but he needs that rhythm. In the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, all eyes would be on him as a former winner.”
Dylan van Baarle back for the Classics:
Viktor Soenens wins best young rider jersey in Galicia
Two Soudal Quick-Step riders in the top ten overall and a classification victory for our team after five days of racing
Viktor Soenens concluded the fourth O Gran Camiño as one of the race’s breakthrough riders, after finishing eighth on the general classification of this hard edition that came to an end in the beautiful city of Santiago de Compostela.
A member of the Soudal Quick-Step Devo Team, which in the past two years has racked close to 50 victories, Viktor came to the start on Wednesday without any expectations, but ended up turning heads with these results and his combative way of racing, which propelled him to a top ten on the toughest stage of the week, a result followed by another strong outing and multiple valiant attacks just twenty-four hours later, during Sunday’s stage.
At just 19 years of age, the Belgian was the youngest rider to finish in the first ten on the overall standings of O Gran Camiño, which meant the white jersey – that he proudly displayed on the white gravel roads that spiced up the final day of the competition – remained firmly on his shoulders after the fifth stage, which teammate Thomas Pesenti concluded in tenth place.
“I’m delighted with this result, because it’s a dream come true to achieve this in my first pro race from a field comprising so many strong riders. I wanted to keep the jersey, so I did my best again today with the support of a great team to whom I want to say a big thank you. It was great to race with the Soudal Quick-Step squad this week, and I’m glad I could repay them for all their hard work with these results. I will now continue to work hard for the next goals and hopefully this is only the beginning of a strong season”, said a happy Viktor, who was joined on the general classification top ten by Mauri Vansevenant.
Viktor Soenens best young rider in O Gran Camiño:
Intermarché-Wanty Fighting a Tough Budget Battle
The Intermarché-Wanty team has been successful over the years, but financially isn’t doing so well. The modest Belgian team has to compete with teams with much more financial resources and it is becoming an increasing challenge. The team of Biniam Girmay and Louis Meintjes, has an estimated budget of round 12 to 18 million euros, according to Het Nieuwsblad. With that budget, Intermarché-Wanty does not come close to the other teams in the WorldTour, 32 million euros is said to be an average budget.
The team’s budget grew by 2 million euros compared to last year, but this still means that it is fighting an unequal financial battle. “We do feel that the budgets in the WorldTour are increasing more and more. And of course everything starts with the quality of the riders and the staff with which you can support them,” said team manager Dimitri Claeys. “Extra money would certainly be welcome to continue fighting against teams where it is two or three times.”
How does sports manager Aike Visbeek view the precarious financial situation of his team? “The budgets play a role of course, but I would say not at this point in the season. The Tour de Suisse, Dauphiné, the final classification of the Giro and the Tour, we lack expensive climbers for that. But that is only forty percent of the calendar. The other sixty percent we can serve well with the riders we have. Of course the budget is a limitation, but let’s be honest: in 2024 we were even further away from the average budget and then we won three stages and green in the Tour. We won European titles among the juniors and U23,” the Dutchman remains optimistic.
There is more and more money in the WorldTour. This is evident from figures from the UCI, which La Gazzetta dello Sport was able to see at the end of last year. The budgets of the eighteen top teams in professional cycling have increased significantly in recent years and rose explosively last winter in particular. The teams also have more to spend in the Women’s WorldTour and at ProContinental level.
In 2021, the total budget of the WorldTour teams amounted to 379 million euros, La Gazzetta quotes. At that time, that amount was still divided among nineteen teams. The following year, Qhubeka-ASSOS stopped and the WorldTour consisted of eighteen teams, but nevertheless the total budget grew to 430 million. In 2023 it was 473 million and in 2024 it grew to 499 million.
This year, the 500 million mark is being broken, and with a large margin. The WorldTour teams together have 570 million at their disposal this year. This is an increase of almost fifty percent compared to 2021. The average budget of the eighteen WorldTour teams is now almost 32 million euros. Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe and UAE Emirates both have €50 million.
Intermarché-Wanty fighting a lack of budget:
Pogačar returns hoping to defend title at Strade Bianche
World Champions leads squad on the ‘Sterrato’
UAE Team Emirates-XRG will aim to add to their 13 victories so far this season as Tadej Pogačar leads the charge on the white Tuscan roads of Siena at Strade Bianche (8 March) in Italy.
Pogačar holds two previous victories at Strade Bianche to his name already from 2022 and 2024, and will be hoping to repeat his UAE Tour winning form on the streets of Siena when the race arrives to the Piazza del Campo on Sunday afternoon.
Pogačar: “Strade is a race where I have some great memories. My track record there is pretty good and I hope to be up at the pointy end of the action again on Saturday. We can expect some strong rivals – the startlist is always on a high level for these big races and it should make things exciting both for us and for the fans. It was good to get the season started in UAE, winning made it even better obviously. The team is on a good wave at the moment with many wins already and we’ll hope to continue that over the next races.”
The team will be guided by Sports Manager Matxin Fernandez (Spa) and the Sports Director pairing of Andrej Hauptman (Slo) and Manuele Mori (Ita).
Strade Bianche [1.UWT] – 08-Mar-2025
Filippo Baroncini (Ita)
Isaac Del Toro (Mex)
Felix Grossschartner (Aus)
Domen Novak (Slo)
Tadej Pogačar (Slo)
Florian Vermeersch (Bel)
Tim Wellens (Bel)
Soudal Quick-Step to Strade Bianche
Mikel Landa starts his season on Tuscany’s white roads
For the second consecutive year, Strade Bianche will go over the 200km barrier, which has shown last season that it can make the race more attritional, easily altering the dynamic of the Italian classic and how it is raced. In total, 16 white roads sectors will be on the menu of Saturday’s 213km-long race that once again gets underway from Siena’s Fortezza Medicea, and takes the peloton over the gravel road segments of Monte Sante Marie, Colle Pinzuto, and Le Toffe, to name just a few, old acquaintances that are expected to play an important role in the outcome.
The big news is that the organisers have decided to increase the number of gravel kilometers the peloton will tackle on the second weekend of March, meaning that this year the riders will face a total of 81.7 kilometers of white roads. Once the dust has settled on all these sectors, one more obstacle will remain in the way of those hoping to take the glory: the steep climb on Via Santa Caterina – with its 16% maximum gradients coming just 500 meters from the finish in the beautiful Piazza del Campo.
Strade Bianche will mark Mikel Landa’s first outing of the season in what will be the Basque’s debut at the prestigious Italian race that our team has won on three occasions, and Mikel is looking forward to it: “It’s a new race for me and I’m excited, because I have always loved watching it on TV. I know it will be completely different to be there on the course, in the thick of the action, and really nervous, but I will try to do my best as I get my season underway and just enjoy this experience.”
Landa, a top ten finisher last year at both Le Tour and La Vuelta, will be joined by Mattia Cattaneo, Gianmarco Garofoli, Pepijn Reinderink, Pieter Serry, Mauri Vansevenant – who recently concluded ninth overall at O Gran Camiño – and Louis Vervaeke, the winner of the Tour of Oman’s second stage.
“It’s one of the most beautiful, but also one of the hardest races of the season, and we are motivated to give our best and leave everything out there. It won’t be easy and we don’t start as the favourites, but we have a solid team that comes to the start after some strong outings last week, so we are confident in our chances of being involved in the fight for a nice result”, said Soudal Quick-Step sports director Davide Bramati.
08.03 – Strade Bianche (ITA) 1.UWT
Riders:
Mattia Cattaneo (ITA)
Gianmarco Garofoli (ITA)
Mikel Landa (ESP)
Pepijn Reinderink (NED)
Pieter Serry (BEL)
Mauri Vansevenant (BEL)
Louis Vervaeke (BEL).
Sports Directors: Davide Bramati (ITA), Klaas Lodewyck (BEL) and Wilfried Peeters (BEL).
Mikel Landa’s first Strade Bianche:
The Next Races for Team Picnic PostNL
Strade Bianche – MAR 08
Matt Winston – Team Picnic PostNL coach: “Strade Bianche is a race like no other—dusty, relentless, and unpredictable. The white roads of Tuscany will wear the peloton down, and we know the race will break apart gradually. Our focus is to anticipate the key moments with Max and Frank, making sure we’re in the front when the race really opens up. If we’re there in the deep final, we give ourselves the best chance for a good result.”
Line-up:
Frank van den Broek (NLD)
Romain Combaud (FRA)
Robbe Dhondt (BEL)
Chris Hamilton (AUS)
Bjoern Koerdt (GBR)
Max Poole (GBR)
Kevin Vermaerke (USA).
Strade Bianche Donne – MAR 08
Callum Ferguson – Team Picnic PostNL coach: “The first Italian classic of our three-race block, Strade Bianche always delivers an unpredictable and exciting race. We have a strong group here, with different options to play—whether that means being active in the breaks or waiting to see how the final unfolds. That flexibility gives us opportunities, and with good teamwork, both approaches can put us in a strong position.”
Line-up:
Francesca Barale (ITA)
Marta Cavalli (ITA)
Eleonora Ciabocco (ITA)
Nienke Vinke (NLD)
Josie Nelson (GBR)
Elise Uijen (NLD)
Grand Prix Criquielion – MAR 08
Roy Curvers – Team Picnic PostNL coach: “The Belgian one-day racing season continues with the GP Criquielion, a race that has all the ingredients of a true Flemish classic: narrow roads, cobblestones, and short, punchy climbs. The wind could add an extra challenge, but history tells us that this race often ends in a sprint. We’re bringing a well-balanced squad, capable of racing aggressively in tough conditions while also having the firepower to set up a sprint if that’s what happens. Pavel came close last year with a strong second place, and this time, we’re aiming for one step higher!”
Line-up:
Pavel Bittner (CZE)
Patrick Eddy (AUS)
Alex Edmondson (AUS)
Tim Naberman (NLD)
Timo Roosen (NLD)
Mees Vlot (NLD)
Oliver Peace (GBR).
Dorpenomloop Rucphen – MAR 09
Bennie Lambregts – Team Picnic PostNL coach: “We line up at the Dorpenomloop Rucphen with last year’s winner, Johan Dorussen—a great challenge for our team as we aim to repeat that success. This race is always shaped by the conditions; whether the wind plays a role or not, we’re prepared for both scenarios. It’s a classic Dutch race, and we take on this challenge with confidence, ready to make an impact once again.”
Line-up:
Vincent Bodet (FRA)
Johan Dorussen (NLD)
Ryan Gal (NLD)
Ko Molenaar (NLD)
Christiaan van Rees (NLD)
Matteo Vanhuffel (BEL)
Jurgen Zomermaand (NLD).
Grote Prijs Jean – Pierre Monseré – MAR 09
Roy Curvers – Team Picnic PostNL coach: “Grote Prijs Jean – Pierre Monseré is another typical Flemish one-day race, featuring technical roads, sharp climbs, and the ever-present risk of crosswinds. While breakaways can play a role, the race has a history of favouring the fast men in the final. We’re coming in with a strong and adaptable squad, ready to take on different scenarios. If the race turns into a battle of attrition, we have riders who can go on the attack. If it all comes down to a sprint, we’ll focus on positioning our fast finisher Pavel in the best possible way to contest the sprint.”
Line-up:
Pavel Bittner (CZE)
Patrick Eddy (AUS)
Alex Edmondson (AUS)
Tim Naberman (NLD)
Timo Roosen (NLD)
Mees Vlot (NLD)
Oliver Peace (GBR).
Paris-Nice – MAR 09 – MAR 16
Rudi Kemna – Team Picnic PostNL coach: “Paris-Nice, the ‘Race to the Sun,’ is always an early-season highlight, balancing sprints, punchy finishes, and a tough final weekend in the mountains. It’s a race that rewards both strength and strategy. If Romain has fully recovered from his crash, then in his last appearance at the race we will target a GC result with him as our finisher, but we will approach and assess things day-by-day. We have a strong team built around this goal to provide support on the varied terrain at the race. We will also look for stage success with Fabio and Tobias, while Warren could be a card that we play to target a breakaway in the hills; but we will see how things progress with Romain and our GC ambitions – where if things go smoothly and Romain has recovered, then we hope top fight for a strong result come the end of the week.”
Line-up:
Tobias Lund Andresen (DNK)
Romain Bardet (FRA)
Warren Barguil (FRA)
John Degenkolb (DEU)
Sean Flynn (GBR)
Fabio Jakobsen (NLD)
Julius van den Berg (NLD).
Tirreno-Adriatico – MAR 10 – MAR 16
Matt Winston – Team Picnic PostNL coach: “We’re looking forward to one of the first WorldTour stage races in Europe this season, and we’re bringing a strong team to Tirreno-Adriatico. Our GC ambitions lie with Max, who will aim for a strong opening time trial before shifting focus to the tougher stages later in the week, supported by Chris and Gijs on the hilly terrain. In the sprints, our focus is on Casper, with Bram and Niklas guiding him in the final part of the lead-out. Stages two and seven offer the main sprint opportunities, and we’re ready to make the most of them.”
Line-up:
Chris Hamilton (AUS)
Gijs Leemreize (NLD)
Enzo Leijnse (NLD)
Niklas Märkl (DEU)
Max Poole (GBR)
Casper van Uden (NLD)
Bram Welten (NLD).
Fabio Jakobsen to ride Paris-Nice:
Giovanni Visconti Welcomed into the Role of Talent Scout at GreenEDGE Cycling
GreenEDGE Cycling is pleased to welcome Giovanni Visconti in a new and exciting role as a talent scout, starting with immediate effect.
The Italian former professional rider has a wealth of experience in the field and will enhance the team’s important “Pathway Project”, working closely alongside Alex Miles (Lead Data Scientist), and two other new recruits for 2025, Fabio Baronti and Christian Schrot amongst others.
The team’s “Pathway Project”, overviewed by Matthew White, has been growing over the past years, with GreenEDGE Cycling well invested in the development of finding and nurturing young talent.
The addition of Visconti will boost the project, with the 42-year-old three-time Italian champion bringing a new direction and approach to assist with the search for new and exciting talent, as the team look ahead to building its foundations for the next generations.
Giovanni Visconti: “I am truly proud to become part of the great GreenEDGE Cycling family. I will work within the “Pathway Project” to verify on the field the indications that come from the management, the coaches and the data scientist. Our goal is to know the young talent not only from a sporting point of view, but also from a personal, family one, also taking into consideration the environment from which they come from. For this reason, one of the characteristics of my work as a talent scout will be continuity; a constant monitoring of the athlete that will allow us to know the rider more deeply.”
Brent Copeland – General Manager: “We’re very pleased to have Giovanni join our team. We have built a strong working group focussed on the development pathway and we’re confident that Giovanni will bring a fresh new approach and perspective to boost this working group even further. As a former rider himself, he knows the ins-and-outs of cycling and how challenging the pathway to the top can be. We want to ensure young talented riders get the opportunities they deserve and aren’t left on the sideways. It is a very exciting project and we’re looking forward to start working with Giovanni.”
Strade Bianche and Strade Bianche Women Elite Entry Lists Announced
On Saturday, March 8, Europe’s most southern northern classic returns to kick off the Italian season of major cycling events organized by RCS Sports & Events. In the men’s race, Tadej Pogačar and Michał Kwiatkowski will be at the start, both aiming at their third victory. Among the announced former winners of the women’s race are Elizabeth Deignan, Elisa Longo Borghini, Anna van der Breggen, and Demi Vollering. The teams presentation will take place on Friday, March 7.
The countdown is on for “Europe’s most southern northern classic”, which is set to take place on Saturday, featuring a star-studded line-up in both the men’s and women’s races. The event will be preceded by the teams presentation on Friday, March 7, starting at 4:00 PM at the Fortezza Medicea.
Tadej Pogačar is chasing his third victory—a feat achieved only by Fabian Cancellara
STRADE BIANCHE CRÉDIT AGRICOLE
The number 1 bib will be worn by the most eagerly awaited rider: world champion Tadej Pogačar, winner of the 2024 and 2022 editions. The Slovenian, who kicked off his 2025 season with a victory at the UAE Tour, is closing in on 100 career wins. Alongside Michał Kwiatkowski, Pogačar is hunting for his third Strade Bianche title, which would earn him a commemorative milestone—a feat only accomplished by Fabian Cancellara so far.
Among his top rivals will be Tom Pidcock, winner in 2023 and early-season standout with four victories in his new adventure with Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team, and Maxim Van Gils, third in 2024 and recent stage winner at the Vuelta a Andalucía. Other contenders to watch include Valentin Madouas, Marc Hirschi, Mathias Vacek, Ben Healy, Attila Valter, Davide Formolo, and Lennert Van Eetvelt.
Demi Vollering’s triumph in 2023
Strade Bianche Women Elite Crédit Agricole
A strong line-up of former winners will headline the women’s race, which gets underway at 9:40 AM. With the absence of defending champion Lotte Kopecky, the start list includes past champions Elizabeth Deignan (2016), Elisa Longo Borghini (2017), Anna van der Breggen (2018), and Demi Vollering (2023).
The list of riders who have previously reached the podium includes 2024 Tour de France Femmes champion Katarzyna Niewiadoma, Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio, Mavi García, and Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig.
Among the most eagerly awaited riders are Pauline Ferrand-Prévot, returning to the Strade Bianche Women Elite for the first time since 2018, and Kristen Faulkner, the reigning Olympic road race champion from Paris 2024.
Strade Bianche Crédit Agricole, The Route
The course is twisty and undulating, with no extended climbs but with quite a few punchy bits, especially on the unpaved sections of the route. There are roughly 82 km of gravel roads, across 16 sectors, 13 of which are shared with the Women Elite course.
The race starts near the Stadium/Fortezza Medicea in Siena. The first undulating kilometers on tarmac lead to the 4.4 km-long gravel sector 1, which is perfectly straight and slightly downhill.
Sector 2 (4.8 km) is just a few kilometers away; this will be the first tricky bit of the race, with a short descent followed by a long climb featuring sections over 10%. Upon reaching Radi, the route takes in the third gravel sector (4.4 km long; namely the second part of the first gravel road stretch of the race’s first edition) shortly followed by sector 4 – named “La Piana” – one of the race’s classic gravel sectors (6.4 km in length, and featured in the course ever since the first edition) with no significant gradient, leading to Buonconvento.
The Montalcino climb, the second ascent of the day (4 km at 5%), is just a few kilometers away. Sectors 5 (11.9 km) and 6 (8 km) begin just past Torrenieri, with only 1 km of tarmac in between. Both are hard, hilly and very punchy, with many challenging bends, climbs and descents.
After the second pass through Buonconvento, riders will face the new Serravalle sector (9.3 km), which ends just before the start of the next sector, San Martino in Grania (9.4 km), set amidst the Crete Senesi. This gravel sector is long and features a series of gentle undulations in its first part, and ending with a twisting climb that leads back to paved roads.
Sector 9 begins in Ponte del Garbo (Asciano). At 11.5 km, it’s the hardest of the race, mostly uphill and marked by major slopes, especially near Monte Sante Marie, with steep gradients on both climbs and descents over short distances.
Past Castelnuovo Berardenga there’s a very short, flat unpaved section (300 m) followed by the eleventh dirt road sector, after Monteaperti. At only 600 m in length, it greets the riders with double-digit gradients. The route goes back on tarmac in Vico d’Arbia where the 30 km circuit begins.
Past Pieve a Bozzone, sector 11 (2.4 km) comes next, on the climb toward Colle Pinzuto, with gradients peaking as high as 15%. After a few kilometers, the route features the twelfth sector, Le Tolfe, (1.1 km), marked by a fast-running descent followed by a very punchy climb (with a maximum gradient of 18%). Shortly after Le Tolfe, upon the first passage, the route takes a first-ever ride on the Strada del Castagno (13th sector, 700 m), which leads to some challenging passes on tarmac all the way to Pontignano, Ponte a Bozzone and San Giovanni a Cerreto, where we enter the 14th sector (Montechiaro 3.3 km), which was covered in the first editions of the race. The circuit ends at the end of this sector, in Vico d’Arbia.
The sectors of Colle Pinzuto (15th) and Le Tolfe (16th) will be repeated before the route turns towards Siena with a little over 10 km left to the finish.
Final kilometers
The demanding final kilometers approach the city of Siena along wide and straight roads, connected by sweeping curves, initially downhill, and further on slightly uphill. With 2 km to go to the finish, the route takes the Via Esterna di Fontebranda; here the gradient touches 9%. The stone pavement begins 900 m before the finish line, just past the Fontebranda Gate. The gradient is over 10% until 500 m from the finish, reaching its steepest gradient of 16% along Via Santa Caterina. A sharp right-hand turn leads to Via delle Terme, and then to Via Banchi di Sotto. Starting 300 m to the finish onwards, the road is a slight, continuous ascent. With 150 m to go, a right turn leads into Via Rinaldini. The route enters the Piazza del Campo just 70 m from the finish line. The final 30 m descend at a gradient of 7% to the finish line, which is on level road.
Strade Bianche Women Elite Crédit Agricole, The Route
The course is twisty and undulating, with no extended climbs but with quite a few punchy bits, especially on the unpaved sections. There are more than 50 km of gravel roads across thirteen sectors (all shared with the Men’s course).
The race starts near the Stadium/Fortezza Medicea in Siena. The first undulating kilometers on tarmac lead to the 4.4 km-long gravel sector 1, which is perfectly straight and slightly downhill.
Sector 2 (4.8 km) is just a few kilometres away; this will be the first tricky bit of the race, with a short descent followed by a long climb featuring sections over 10%. Upon reaching Radi, the route takes in the third gravel sector (4.4 km), shortly followed by sector 4 – named “La Piana” – which leads to Ponte d’Arbia, where, after a few hundred meters on the “Cassia,” riders will tackle the new Serravalle sector (9.3 km). This sector ends just before the start of the next one, San Martino in Grania (9.5 km), set amidst the Crete Senesi. It’s a long sector marked by a sequence of gentle undulations in its first part, and ending with a twisting climb that leads back to paved road. The sixth dirt road sector, Monteaperti, is only 800 m in length, but it greets the riders with double-digit gradients.
Final kilometers
The final kilometers are the same as the men’s course.
Sanremo Women: The Return of the Classicissima for Women
The 2025 edition of the race, making its return to the calendar after a 20-year absence, was officially presented today in Genoa. The race will cover 156 km, starting from the Ligurian capital and finishing on Via Roma, crossing three provinces: Genoa, Savona, and Imperia. RTL 102.5 is the official radio partner of the event.
The Sanremo Women presented by Crédit Agricole was unveiled today at Palazzo Regione Liguria in Genoa, marking the highly anticipated return of the women’s edition of the Classicissima after two decades. On Saturday, March 22, the same day as the men’s race, Ligurian roads – in the year it holds the title of European Region of Sport – will welcome the world’s best female cyclists for an event of great significance, as confirmed by its immediate inclusion in the UCI Women’s WorldTour calendar. Among the top riders already confirmed are World Champion Lotte Kopecky, Italian Champion Elisa Longo Borghini, and 2023 Strade Bianche Women Elite & Tour de France Femmes winner Demi Vollering.
The Route of Sanremo Women Presented by Crédit Agricole
The route of the Sanremo Women starts in Genova, crosses the area of the Porto Antico (the old harbour), runs around the Polcevera stream and reaches Sestri Ponente, where it enters the Statale Aurelia. After a few kilometres, in Voltri, the race merges with the men’s course, following it all the way to the finish, along the route that has connected Milan to Sanremo for over 110 years. The route continues westwards, by the sea, following the Statale Aurelia through Varazze, Savona, Albenga and Imperia. In San Lorenzo al Mare, past the classic sequence of the Capi (Mele, Cervo and Berta), the peloton will negotiate the two climbs that have entered the race route in recent decades: the Cipressa (1982) and the Poggio di Sanremo (1961). The Cipressa is 5.6 km long with a gradient of 4.1%. The highly testing descent leads back down to SS 1 Aurelia.
Final kilometres
The ascent of Poggio di Sanremo begins with 9 km remaining to the finish (3.7 km, average gradient less than 4%, maximum 8% in the segment before getting to the top of the climb). The road is slightly narrower, with 4 hairpin turns in the first 2 km. The descent is testing, on asphalt switchback roads, narrow at points and with twists and turns as far as the junction with SS 1 Aurelia. The final part of the descent enters urban Sanremo. The last 2 km are on long, straight urban roads. There is a left-hand bend on a roundabout 850 m from the finish line. The last bend, leading into the tarmac home straight on the Via Roma, is 750 m from the finish line.
From left to right Mauro Vegni, Giusy Virelli, Simona Ferro and Alessandra Bianchi
Mauro Vegni, Director of Cycling Area at RCS Sport: “Liguria once again proves to be a key region for world-class cycling, and the connection with Genoa takes on even greater significance following last year’s Giro d’Italia stage start. The race’s passage through three Ligurian provinces highlights the extraordinary ability of this territory to host international events, showcasing its beauty and deep-rooted cycling tradition. We are proud to help bring such a prestigious classic back to the calendar, offering the world’s best female athletes a unique setting and a technical challenge worthy of its rich history”.
Giusy Virelli, Director of Sanremo Women: “The return of Sanremo Women is an important milestone for women’s cycling, which continues to grow and claim the recognition it deserves—both within the sport and across the broader Italian sporting movement. This race is not only a high-level sporting event but also a decisive step in acknowledging the significance and value of women’s cycling on a global scale. Seeing the best riders in the world compete on the same roads that have shaped the history of Milano-Sanremo sends a powerful message: the future of cycling is increasingly inclusive and thrilling. Our mission will be to elevate this event’s visibility and prestige on the world stage”.
Simona Ferro, Regional Councillor for Sport and Equal Opportunities, Liguria Region: “Milano-Sanremo is finally doubling up, and fittingly so, in the year when Liguria has been named the European Region of Sport. This historic comeback has been long-awaited by the local area and by fans of this extraordinary discipline. Sanremo Women will allow us to promote sports, enhance the natural beauty of our region, and convey an important message on equal opportunities. In 2025 and beyond, Liguria aims to become a region increasingly tailored to athletes, ensuring that both male and female champions in cycling—and all sports—have the same opportunities to challenge themselves and achieve great milestones”.
Alessandra Bianchi, Councillor for Sport and Tourism, City of Genoa: “With Sanremo Women, we are ready to celebrate a new addition to our city’s sporting calendar—a ‘first time’ that both confirms and strengthens Genoa’s great cycling tradition. At the same time, it underscores how our city is solidifying its role as an ideal stage for major national and international sporting events. The athletes competing in this special edition of the Classicissima will be accompanied by an extraordinary backdrop that, I am certain, will provide them with unforgettable emotions and showcase our beautiful Genoa to the world”.
Alessandro Mager, Mayor of Sanremo, and Alessandro Sindoni, Councillor for Tourism, City of Sanremo: “It is truly a pleasure to take part in the press conference for the presentation of Sanremo Women, an event that further enhances the international visibility that the men’s Classicissima has provided our city for many years. Our roads have witnessed some of the most unforgettable moments in cycling history, thanks to the achievements of legendary champions, past and present, whose names are now etched in the race’s prestigious roll of honor. This is an unmissable event for cycling enthusiasts and beyond, as spectators will once again gather along the route—particularly on the Poggio and in the final stretch on Via Roma—to witness history in the making”.
The Teams for the Sanremo Women Presented by Crédit Agricole
15 UCI Women’s WorldTeams
AG INSURANCE – SOUDAL TEAM
CANYON//SRAM ZONDACRYPTO
CERATIZIT PRO CYCLING TEAM
FDJ-SUEZ
FENIX-DECEUNINCK
HUMAN POWERED HEALTH
LIDL – TREK
LIV-ALULA-JAYCO
MOVISTAR TEAM
ROLAND
TEAM PICNIC POSTNL
TEAM SD WORX – PROTIME
TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE
UAE TEAM ADQ
UNO-X MOBILITY.
4 UCI Women’s ProTeams
COFIDIS WOMEN TEAM
EF EDUCATION – OATLY
LABORAL KUTXA – FUNDACION EUSKADI
VOLKERWESSELS CYCLING TEAM.
5 UCI Women’s Continental Teams
AROMITALIA 3T VAIANO
BEPINK – IMATRA – BONGIOANNI
ISOLMANT – PREMAC – VITTORIA
TEAM MENDELSPECK E-WORK
TOP GIRLS FASSA BORTOLO.
UCI Hands Out Yellow Card after Leading Group Goes the Wrong Way in the Ardèche Classic
In the finale of the Ardèche Classic on Saturday, part of the leading group went the wrong direction, which meant that Marc Hirschi, Enric Mas and Mattias Skjelmose and the others, were unable to compete for victory. After the race, the UCI punished one person involved with a yellow card: the motorcyclist who was riding in front of the leading group.
This involved motorcyclist Christophe Conreau, who was behind the wheel of the TV motorbike that was riding just ahead of the leaders. A group of eleven riders seemed to be sprinting for victory in the Ardèche Classic, but at the last roundabout, a number of them turned right instead of straight on. Others were confused and fell, after which Romain Grégoire eventually managed to win. He did ride straight on and crossed the finish line solo.
Afterwards, there was much discussion about who was ‘guilty’ of this special situation. Podium customers Grégoire and Lorenzo Fortunato pointed to the riders, who had already done that part of the course twice, and the organisers partly took the blame. After the race, the UCI decided to warn someone else in the race with a yellow card, the driver of the TV motorcycle. The judgment was that the motorcycle was riding too close to the riders in the last kilometre. The fact that a number of riders then followed the motorcycle in the diversion, on the roundabout to the right, for motorcycles and support vehicles, was a consequence of that too short distance in the middle of the final.
Another yellow card was given in the Ardèche Classic to a helper from Arkéa-B&B Hotels, who was handing out food and drinks outside the designated supply zone. Since this season, this is only allowed in predetermined zones.
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