EUROTRASH Monday: World Champion’s Winning Weekend!

De Ronde van Vlaanderen didn’t disappoint with attacks galore in the men’s race and the honours going to Tadej Pogačar and Lotte Kopecky winning a final sprint in the women’s event. A good weekend for the World champions. We also have the Gran Premio Miguel Indurain – All the weekend’s videos, reports, results and what the rider’s thought.

TOP STORY:

• Adrie van der Poel: “There’s nothing you can do about a good Tadej Pogačar in Roubaix”

Rider news:

• Tour de Romandie announces participation of Remco Evenepoel
• Tom Boonen knows why Wout van Aert didn’t win the sprint in Dwars door Vlaanderen
• Wout van Aert Goes for a Training Ride with Treats: “Can Make up for a Lot”
• Biniam Girmay will discover Paris-Roubaix: “An honour”
• Omar Fraile to retire at the end of the season
• Paul Magnier extends with Soudal Quick-Step

Team news:

• Lotto should merge with Flanders-Baloise
• Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team to ride La Vuelta a España
• Lotto Cycling Team marks 40 years of racing history with a special edition jersey
• Team Visma | Lease a Bike presents new jersey ‘The Wingbeat’ ahead of the Tour of Flanders
• Bahrain Victorious to Itzulia – Basque Country

Race news:

• Tro Bro Leon: Unusual Beginners Madouas and Mohorič
• Maryland Cycling Classic announces initial men’s teams for 2025
• La Vuelta 25: Teams selection

Flemish coffee time.

 

TOP STORY: Adrie van der Poel: “There’s Nothing you Can do About a Good Tadej Pogačar in Roubaix”
Adrie van der Poel watched a dominant Tadej Pogačar storm to victory in the Tour of Flanders on Sunday. According to Mathieu van der Poel’s father, that means ‘absolutely nothing’ for next week in Paris-Roubaix, but a little later he said: “There’s nothing you can do about a good Pogačar in Roubaix.”

“He’s well prepared,” he says. “He’s technical and strong, so you’ll have a few good teams behind him. With the predicted weather (sunny), his weight won’t be a disadvantage compared to the rest. If rain and cold had been predicted, I would have said straight away: that’s to his disadvantage.”

Adrie also had a lot to say about the Tour of Flanders to WielerFlits. “The best rider won. Maybe Matje could have joined if he hadn’t crashed. Every crash has an effect on the body and Matje really had to be 110% to win, so he really could have missed that crash.”

“Matje was simply the second best today,” he concludes. “I don’t think he will have any trouble being satisfied with this in the end.”

Mathieu van der Poel started the Tour of Flanders as the top favourite, but returned home on Sunday with a third place. Nevertheless, the Dutchman is happy with his race, he said after the finish. “I was on the limit very early on. After that I did everything I could.”

Van der Poel was happy with third:

 

Ronde van Vlaanderen 2025
World champion Tadej Pogačar won a very exciting 2025 Tour of Flanders. The UAE Emirates-XRG leader attacked several times, but managed to take a gap on the last time up the Oude Kwaremont. Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck) couldn’t answer Pogačar’s move. Wout van Aert (Visma | Lease a Bike) and Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek) were also in the final battle; Pedersen sprinted to second place, Van der Poel was third and Van Aert fourth.

The Tour of Flanders started in Brugge this year. The run-up to the finale has been adjusted slightly, but the finale itself is unchanged. In the first hundred kilometres of the race, the riders will pass through Beernem, Aalter and Zulte, and other towns/villages. After 109 kilometres, the riders will hit the first obstacle, the cobblestones of Doorn, then there is the first of three climbs of the Oude Kwaremont. The second climb is the Eikenberg, which was not part of the route in 2024, when the start was in Antwerp. There is also a change compared to 2023, the last time the Tour of Flanders started in Bruges. After the Eikenberg, Wolvenberg and Holleweg, the Karel Martelstraat replaces the cobbles of Kerkgate. The finale of the Tour of Flanders stays the same. Starting with the cobbles of Jagerij, the climb of the Molenberg, the Paddestraat, the Berendries and finally the Valkenberg, all within thirty kilometres. The summit of the Valkenberg is just under 90 kilometres from the finish, after 180 kilometres. An attack on the Berg Ten Houte or the Hotond, the next hills on the course is possible, but very early. After the Hotond, the route goes to the Oude Kwaremont for the second time and then the Paterberg. The first passage of the Paterberg always provides action, as the Koppenberg is coming up. The very tough Koppenberg is where the favourites will show their hand. The Steenbeekdries and Taaienberg come very soon. Then the Hotond, which it is about ten kilometres before the last passage of the Oude Kwaremont. That last passage of the Oude Kwaremont comes 16.7 kilometres from the finish. This is where a leading group of top men will put the pressure on for the penultimate time. 13.2 kilometres from the finish the Paterberg comes again, it is less than 400 metres long, but made for the puncheurs. After the top of the Paterberg, there are 13 flat kilometres to Oudenaarde.

After the start in Brugge, it took a while before the ‘break of the day’ formed. For more than 40 kilometres, there was a lot of attacking, but the right group couldn’t get away. The strong wind from the northeast and the control of the big teams were the main reasons. It was only when passing through Aalter that a group of eight managed to take the lead. Elmar Reinders (Jayco AlUla), Timo Roosen & Sean Flynn (Picnic-PostNL), Victor Vercouillie (Flanders-Baloise), Alessandro Romele (XDS Astana), Rory Townsend (Q36.5), Marco Haller (Tudor) and Connor Swift (INEOS Grenadiers) made up the break, but they never had a lead of over 5 minutes. For a while, Jens Reynders (Wagner Bazin WB) and Max Walker (EF Education-EasyPost) tried to join them but were stuck between break and bunch. In the peloton, Mikkel Bjerg and Silvan Dillier were at the front for Tadej Pogačar and Mathieu van der Poel. The World champion stopped for a ‘nature break’, after which Arkéa-B&B Hotels attacked. This move was not appreciated by the other teams. On the Oude Kwaremont for the first time, just over 140 kilometres from the finish, the peloton started to get nervous. Things were the same on the run-up to the first time up the Eikenberg. There were several crashes and in a second crash Mathieu van der Poel was involved. He fell, but was able to continue on a new bike, but had lost a minute. With a lot of help from his teammates, Van der Poel managed to rejoin the peloton at the top of the Eikenberg. Tim Wellens, Jhonatan Narvaez, Jenno Berckmoes and John Degenkolb were also in the same crash.

Van der Poel then stayed near the front. Stefan Küng and Tiesj Benoot jumped away to join Vito Braet and Davide Ballerini with 110 kilometres to go, while behind them a group formed with Quinten Hermans, Daan Hoole, Matteo Trentin and Filippo Ganna. They joined the Benoot group before the Berendries and then caught the last of the early escapees. The difference to the peloton was almost 1 minute. UAE Emirates-XRG had to do the chase work. Bjerg and Morgado worked hard, but the peloton lost some time. In the leading group, Ganna and Trentin had teammates, while back in the peloton other teammates tried to slow the chase. The gap grew to around 1:30, but in the run-up to the Oude Kwaremont for the second time at 55km from the finish, that lead was cut drastically. On the Oude Kwaremont, Pogačar put in an early attack. Wout van Aert, Matteo Jorgenson and Mads Pedersen reacted, while Van der Poel was further back and had to close the gap. Led by the World champion, these five pushed on, until Pogačar looked at the others. This allowed the peloton to come back. On the Paterberg, Van der Poel and Pogačar rode away together, but Pedersen, Van Aert, Jorgenson and Stuyven were able to get to their wheel. They were still 30 seconds behind the leading group with Ganna and Benoot. At the Koppenberg, Pogačar hammered up with Van der Poel on his wheel. Pedersen couldn’t keep up, Van Aert and Jorgenson had already been dropped. The two top favourites pushed on and caught Ganna, Trentin, Küng, Benoot and Ballerini. The pace dropped a bit, which allowed Van Aert and the others to return. There were now 13 riders at the front, including three from Visma | Lease a Bike and Lidl-Trek.

On the Steenbeekdries, Pogačar jumped again, but Van der Poel and Van Aert didn’t let him go. On the Taaienberg, the Slovenian again put in a move, but again Van der Poel and Pedersen were on him, but were struggling. The Visma trio had no answer and had to chase with Küng and Stuyven. They joined just before the Oude Kruisberg, where Pogačar attacked again. Once again, Van der Poel was the one who could follow. Pedersen, Van Aert and Stuyven followed, with the group of Jorgenson, Benoot and Küng behind them. Twenty-four kilometres from the finish, with only the Oude Kwaremont and the Paterberg to go, Pedersen and Van Aert joined up again. Those last two climbs had to be where the attacks would come. Just before the Kwaremont, Van Aert accelerated, but Pogačar pulled him back. The World champion gradually rode away from Van der Poel, for whom things were suddenly going wrong. After a series of unsuccessful attacks, this attack was successful for Pogačar. He left the others in his dust. Behind him, Van Aert kept the pace high, with Van der Poel and Pedersen on his wheel. At the top, the gap was 12 seconds. Pogačar still had 17 kilometres to go, with the Paterberg and a headwind to Oudenaarde. There was no co-operation in the Van der Poel group, which meant that the gap increased to 28 seconds. At the top of the Paterberg, it was 24 seconds and it was important for the chasers to work well if they wanted to have any chance. The four were hanging on at 30 seconds. In the last 10 kilometres it was clear that the winner was at the front. Tadej Pogačar was ow going for the win and forced the rest to the limit, that last attack on the Oude Kwaremont proved to be too much. Pogačar only rode further away to his second victory in the Tour of Flanders, after his previous victory in 2023. In the sprint for the podium, Pedersen came out on top with a long sprint. Behind him it was Van der Poel who only just held Van Aert off. Stuyven and Benoot were fifth and sixth.

# See the full ‘PEZ Race Report’ HERE for more photos. #

Race winner, Tadej Pogačar (UAE Emirates XRG): “The goal was to win and in the end, it is hard to make it happen. We did it. I could not be more proud of the team and how we raced today, even though we had some bad luck. I am just so happy to win this race in this jersey. The plan was to go from the Oude Kwaremont and we followed the plan, even though we had some crashes in the team. We made it, we stuck to the plan and we finished it off. Florian [Vermeersch] somehow chased back the whole race [after his crash] and made it just in time to lead out on the Kwaremont, so chapeau to him. We were unlucky to lose Tim and Jhony with crashes but we never gave up, all of the riders kept coming back. Mikkel [Bjerg], António [Morgado] – everybody – all of my teammates went over themselves to do the plan and even with setbacks they did it perfectly.”

2nd, Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek): “It was a really good race. As a team we raced really well and we optimised all our chances to win the race, I am proud of the race I did today and how I was able to follow on the climbs but, in the end, Tadej is just so strong so all in all, I am super happy with the team, how we ride, and my own performance. We are fighting all day to try to win the race, everyone was going all out even before he [Tadej] made his move and we were just beaten by a better guy and we have no regrets. We have to accept that he is the best cyclist ever and he is beating us fair and square. Chapeau to him, he is doing so much for cycling and making the image of cycling, crazy big. It’s a pain in the ass to be racing against these guys [Pogi & MVDP] but it’s also nice to be a part of racing like this with these guys. It was pretty ideal to be with me and Jasper in this group and to be able to play like that. Jasper knows that I would like to do a sprint like this from high speed so, with 1km to go there was a bit of hesitating and slowing down but then with 500m to go, Jasper started to speed up and then with 250m to go I saw the moment to start the sprint and it was enough. Thanks to him for making the perfect lead out in the end, and in general, thanks to the whole team for the work today. With 8km headwind, and four guys in the group [behind Pogi], I hoped we would be able to catch him back in the headwind. It’s what I said at the start, you never know and this is not over before you pass the finish line. Next weekend, fits me better without so much climbing and so far it has been a pretty good Classics campaign and I would love to finish it off with a victory at Roubaix. Of all the Monuments, it’s the one that I believe fits me the best but again, there’s some pretty strong guys there again and it will be the same guys fighting for the win so, nothing is given and we keep fighting until Sunday.”

3rd, Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck): “I went a little off-track. I crashed, which didn’t affect me too much, but it’s not ideal in a race either. I was able to continue and keep fighting, but I was on the limit for a long time. I’m happy with third place after everything that happened.”

4th, Wout van Aert (Visma | Lease a Bike): “I’m happy with how we raced today. In the end I just missed out on the podium, but I think it was a fair sprint. Fourth place was the best possible result today. I managed to get back into the race and wanted to try something heading into the final climb of the Oude Kwaremont. It was a battle at times to stay with Tadej, Mads and Mathieu, but I think I gave it everything I had. With Tiesj and Matteo up front, we had all our cards on the table. That was the plan. At one point the three of us were in a chasing group together, and we could work really well to bridge the gap. I think we didn’t put a foot wrong as a team. There’s no shame in finishing fourth today. Of course, it would’ve been nicer to be on the podium, but I’m at peace with it. All the hard work of the past weeks has paid off — I showed a good level today. That gives me confidence heading into next week.”

5th, Jasper Stuyven (Lidl-Trek): “I had said I was up for trying to jump away at the end, but with the headwind, I just couldn’t get away from the other three. So I decided to keep the pace high — that would suit Mads better in a sprint against Mathieu for the podium. But I think the strongest rider was at the front. We fought hard, and I felt like everyone had a rough patch on the various climbs, but it’s hard to analyse everything right now. After the Paterberg, I definitely wanted to do most of the work. I think I can head into next week with confidence.”

8th, Filippo Ganna (INEOS Grenadiers): “Our leader today was Magnus Sheffield. For us, the goal was to get ahead of the big favourites and get to the front before the Quaremont. Unfortunately, we spent a lot of effort in that attempt, and Magnus crashed on the cobblestones. Now we hope to recover well for next week. Our goal was to stay at the front and try to save ourselves to get to the front as fresh as possible, but my legs didn’t perform as I wanted, and I struggled a lot today.”

9th, Ivan García Cortina (Movistar): “Finally a top-10 finish. I’m super happy with the result, something I’ve been looking for a while. I was almost always on the wheel and waited for the sprint. On the climbs, I found myself the strongest in the group behind me. Ganna started the sprint, and I stayed behind him to get this position. Ganna crashed, and he tried to help me too, then he started off, and I stayed behind him until the finish. Very happy.”

Ronde van Vlaanderen Result:
1. Tadej Pogačar (Slo) UAE Emirates XRG in 5:58:41
2. Mads Pedersen (Den) Lidl-Trek at 1:01
3. Mathieu van der Poel (Ned) Alpecin-Deceuninck
4. Wout van Aert (Bel) Visma | Lease a Bike
5. Jasper Stuyven (Bel) Lidl-Trek at 1:04
6. Tiesj Benoot (Bel) Visma | Lease a Bike at 1:53
7. Stefan Küng (Sui) Groupama-FDJ
8. Filippo Ganna (Ita) INEOS Grenadiers at 2:19
9. Ivan Garcia Cortina (Spa) Movistar
10. Davide Ballerini (Ita) XDS Astana.

Flanders’25:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3I3YLLzmVh0

 

Ronde van Vlaanderen – Women 2025
Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx-Protime) is the winner of the women’s 2025 Tour of Flanders. After a race of 170 kilometres, the World champion was the best of a leading group of four at the finish line in Oudenaarde. The leading group had ridden away on the last climb of the Oude Kwaremont. This is Kopecky’s third De Ronde win, making her the record holder. Pauline Ferrand-Prévot (Visma | Lease a Bike) and Liane Lippert (Movistar) were second and third.

The women’s Tour of Flanders was 168.9 kilometres, with an identical finale to that of the men. All the action would come in the last 50 kilometres, with the Koppenberg, three cobbled sections, the Taaienberg, the Oude Kruisberg/Hotond, the Oude Kwaremont and the Paterberg coming one after the other. There were 13 flat kilometres to the finish in Oudenaarde.

There were some crashes early in the race, Puck Pieterse was the biggest name involved, but she was able to continue. In the midst of this chaos, a group of seven escaped: Britt de Grave (DD Group), Nicole Steigenga (AG Insurance-Soudal), Franziska Brauße (Ceratizit), Romy Kasper (Human Powered Health), April Tacey (Coop-Repsol), Alison Avoine (St Michel) and Aoife O’Brien (DAS Hutchinson). They built up a lead of 7 minutes. In the peloton, there was a crash by one of the race favourites, Elisa Longo Borghini. She tried to get going again, but had to give up shortly afterwards. She was an important rider for the UAE Team ADQ team. At the start of the final, Nicole Steigenga appeared to be the best of the early break. She survived the Koppenberg solo, but was caught just before the Taaienberg.

In the peloton, Marianne Vos had some bad luck, she was distanced after the Koppenberg, but she returned when the pace eased off. A large peloton started the last 40 kilometres. Mischa Bredewold and Lauretta Hanson attacked and took almost 30 seconds, but that disappeared on the Oude Kruisberg. Liane Lippert rode after the duo, but an elite group including Lotte Kopecky, Puck Pieterse and Pauline Ferrand-Prévot was not far behind. Lorena Wiebes and Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig, and others, were dropped from the large group of favourites. That wasn’t the end of it because of the attacking of Lidl-Trek and Canyon-SRAM. SD Worx-Protime still had Bredewold and Anna van der Breggen for Kopecky, so the race stayed together for a long time. It all came down to the last time on the Oude Kwaremont and Paterberg. It was Ferrand-Prévot who shook things up. She was followed by Lippert and Kopecky, after which splits started to appear. Only Kasia Niewiadoma was able to make the jump, so there were four leaders at the top. Behind them it was too fast for Van der Breggen and a battered Pieterse, but they were still able to stay with a group with Bredewold, Ellen van Dijk, Anna Henderson, Marlen Reusser, Letizia Borghesi, Elise Chabbey and Kimberly Le Court.

On the Paterberg for the last time, the race was very competitive, but no one could make a gap. Kopecky, Ferrand-Prévot, Lippert and Niewiadoma were together on the road to Oudenaarde. Behind; the co-operation was not great, which gave the foursome at the front a lead of more than 20 seconds. All eyes were on Kopecky. Niewiadoma, Lippert and Ferrand-Prévot worked with the World champion. The lead increased to over 40 seconds, which meant that the winner would be from this group. In the last kilometre, Kopecky was forced to take the lead, after which she simply responded to an attack from Niewiadoma. It came down to a 200-metre sprint, which was won by Kopecky with a clear lead, ahead of Ferrand-Prévot and Lippert. She is the fourth World champion to win the Tour of Flanders for women, after Judith Arndt (2005), Marianne Vos (2013) and Lizzie Deignan (2016). Niewiadoma was fourth and Kimberley Le Court de Billot (AG Insurance-Soudal) brought in the bunch in fifth place at 1:13.

# See the full ‘PEZ Race Report’ HERE for more photos. #

Race winner, Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx-Protime): “This is a victory I’ll remember for a long time. The closer we got to the Tour of Flanders, the more I dreamed of winning it as world champion. I’m already cherishing that photo in the white shorts. Was I nervous for the sprint? I had confidence in my finish. I knew Liane Lippert was fast, but I couldn’t really judge Pauline Ferrand-Prévot. I did expect a late attack from Kasia Niewiadoma, but that never came. So I believed in my sprint and went all in. Was I surprised no one tried to go solo on or after the Paterberg? Yes and no. The wind wasn’t favourable. You can try to attack, but with three strong riders chasing and working together, that’s not the smartest move. I felt good on the climbs, but going into a sprint like that is always tense. Mischa Bredewold’s attack after the Taaienberg came at the perfect moment. It put Anna van der Breggen and me in the perfect position. That was also when I realised I had good legs. Anna told me, ‘You’re the strongest in this group,’ and that gave me confidence. After that, it was all about surviving the Kwaremont and then the Paterberg. All three of my Flanders wins were different. The first I partly owe to Chantal [van den Broek-Blaak]; that one was, in a way, the easiest. The second I won solo, which was tough. And now this one, completely different again. But winning in this jersey makes it extra special. After we crested the Kwaremont, I thought: this is fine for me. I expected a late attack from Niewiadoma, but it didn’t happen. It turned into a really nice finale.”

2nd, Pauline Ferrand-Prévot (Visma | Lease a Bike): “I can be satisfied with this second place. We rode a good race as a team. Unfortunately, Marianne faced a mechanical problem on the Koppenberg, so we lost her. On the hills that followed, I tried to drop the others, but I wasn’t strong enough to make the difference. When we got to the last kilometre, I told myself: anything can happen after a 170-kilometre race. Because there was a strong headwind, I wanted to wait as long as possible to start the sprint. I did, but Lotte was simply too strong. I wasn’t initially going to ride the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix at all, but I feel good and feel I can help the team. With Marianne, I think we have a good chance of winning.”

3rd, Liane Lippert (Movistar): “As we expected, it was a super-fast and tough race. The team did a great job, and I’m very proud of the girls. I believed in my abilities in the final sprint, and it’s a result Movistar deserved. Marlen worked for me and gave me the confidence I needed. I’m very happy!”

4th, Katarzyna Niewiadoma (Canyon//SRAM Racing zondacrypto): “In some ways, all the bad luck and the things I had to deal with are now behind me, so it feels like a fresh, nice start for what’s next. Of course, fourth place isn’t what a rider dreams of or fights for, but I’m also realistic. I know the girls ahead of me are just much faster – really good sprinters. Preferably, I would have arrived solo or in an even smaller group over the Paterberg, but everyone was still riding incredibly well despite being really tired at that point. We were all fighting with our hearts, doing our best in positioning and being in the front, making the race hard, and following attacks. I feel like we checked all the boxes – everyone did a great job, not only the riders but all the staff as well. As I said previously, maybe this is a fresh start for what’s coming this year. Before now, there were always small things missing, but today, the pieces finally came together and worked out almost perfectly. The race played out just as we expected – nervy and chaotic. From the start, everyone was fighting for position, and the wind blowing from different sides was also making it very stressful for everyone. Of course, everyone wants to be at the front to stay out of trouble – and then there are crashes and chases. Up to the four hour mark, it was just chaos. With the dry conditions this year, it was all more about strength and less about luck. As we could see in the last two editions, when it rained, a lot of riders would have to walk up or get off their bikes on the Koppenberg, so of course you lose a lot of time. Therefore, the Koppenberg in wet weather was often where the big splits happened – but this year, you could see bigger groups making it all the way to the Kwaremont.”

10th, Marlen Reusser (Movistar): “I’m definitely very happy. Obviously, we wanted to win, and Liane was very strong today. It’s a shame not to take the top step, but a third place finish is great. I’m very proud of the whole team!”

Ronde van Vlaanderen – Women Result:
1. Lotte Kopecky (Bel) SD Worx-Protime in 4:24:34
2. Pauline Ferrand-Prévot (Fra) Visma | Lease a Bike
3. Liane Lippert (Ger) Movistar
4. Katarzyna Niewiadoma (Pol) Canyon//SRAM Racing zondacrypto at 0:01
5. Kimberley Le Court de Billot (Maur) AG Insurance-Soudal at 1:13
6. Letizia Borghesi (Ita) EF Education-Oatly
7. Elise Chabbey (Sui) FDJ-SUEZ
8. Ellen van Dijk (Ned) Lidl-Trek
9. Puck Pieterse (Ned) Fenix-Deceuninck
10. Marlen Reusser (Sui) Movistar.

Flanders’25:

 

Gran Premio Miguel Indurain 2025
Thibau Nys (Lidl-Trek) is back in the peloton and a winner. The Belgian won his first road race of 2025, the GP Miguel Indurain. Nys rode away from the competition on the last climb and then solo to victory. Alex Molenaar (Caja Rural-Seguros RGA) finished in second place, ahead of Andrea Bagioli, who took third for Lidl-Trek.

The Gran Premio Miguel Indurain is a race for puncheurs and hardly ever disappoints. Thibau Nys returned to the road peloton and promised to deliver the action. Nys was not the only big name at the start, there was also Maxim Van Gils, Isaac Del Toro, last year’s winner Brandon Mcnulty, Roger Adrià, Marc Hirschi, Oscar Onley and Alex Aranburu. This year’s route is challenging, with steep climbs in the final.

The break of the day formed early. Spaniards Jesús Herrada (Cofidis), Xabier Isasa (Euskaltel-Euskadi) and Paul Llaneras (Iles Balears Arabay) were joined by Italian Edoardo Zamperini (Arkéa-B&B Hotels), Dane Anthon Charmig (XDS Astana), British rider Harrison Wood (Anicolor/Tien 21), Frenchman Alan Jousseaume (TotalEnergies) and Jambaljamts Sainbayar (Burgos Burpellet BH) from Mongolia. The break was not considered a threat by the peloton and so the lead quickly increased to 7 minutes. Under the pressure of Lidl-Trek, Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe, Jayco AlUla and Equipo Kern Pharma, the difference was reduced considerably coming into the final. At the start of the last 70 kilometres, the lead of the seven escapees (Llaneras had been dropped) came down to 4 minutes. There was a crash in the peloton involving one of the favourites. Isaac Del Toro hit the road, but the Mexican was able to continue and rejoin the peloton. The lead started to disappear.

Herrada, Charmig and Jousseaume, were the last survivors of the break and did their utmost to stay out of the peloton’s grasp for as long as possible, but it was bound to happen. After the escapees were caught, the favourites prepared for finale. Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe increase the pace, hoping to cause a split. It was UAE Emirates XRG that the final really got things going. After an uphill acceleration by Marc Soler, Alex Aranburu continued on the descent. The Spanish champion didn’t get away, but Felix Großschartner, Matteo Vercher and Dutchmen Bauke Mollema and Alex Molenaar did build up a nice lead. The difference increased to 15 seconds. There was still a climb with 2 kilometres to go. On the steep slopes of the Alto Ibarra, Vercher threw his cards on the table. The Frenchman rode away from his three competitors, but Thibau Nys came flying past just before the top. The Belgian made use of his explosiveness and rode away from the competition on his way to victory. The 22-year-old Belgian scored on his return to the road. Molenaar finished in second place behind Nys. The Dutchman, on a Spanish team, sprinted past Andrea Bagioli, who took the third podium place for Lidl-Trek.

Race winner, Thibau Nys (Lidl-Trek): “I dreamed about this last night. I knew that my form was good and that the course was made for me. My legs felt good, but it is always a question mark how that will translate during the first race of the season. We did well with the team. We were in the right places at the right times, and in the final, we executed it perfectly, with Bauke Mollema in the leading group. On the final climb, I could do my thing. I knew that I could win if I reached the top with 5 seconds. This is actually all towards the Ardennes classics. To be able to taste a victory at least once, that is great.”

Gran Premio Miguel Indurain 2025
1. Thibau Nys (Ned) Lidl-Trek in 4:59:54
2. Alex Molenaar (Ned) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA at 0:03
3. Andrea Bagioli (Ita) Lidl-Trek
4. Guillermo Thomas Silva Coussan (Uru) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA at 0:07
5. Alex Aranburu (Spa) Deba Cofidis
6. Marc Hirschi (Sui) Tudor
7. Felix Grossschartner (Aust) UAE Emirates XRG at 0:09
8. Simone Velasco (Ita) XDS Astana
9. Alex Baudin (Fra) EF Education-EasyPost
10. Miquel Delgado Pau (Spa) Equipo Kern Pharma.

GP Indurain’25

 

Tour de Romandie Announces Participation of Remco Evenepoel
Remco Evenepoel’s comeback is coming. The Belgian Soudal Quick-Step rider should make his comeback in the Brabantse Pijl in two weeks, to then contest the Amstel Gold Race and the Ardennes classics. The organisers of the Tour de Romandie announced his participation on Thursday.

The Tour de Romandie starts this year on April 29 and will end on May 4. The race organisers statement on their Facebook page, reads: “The double Olympic champion of Paris 2024 will be there in Romandie. The full starting list will be announced on April 23 at a press conference.”

Evenepoel previously stated in an interview with WielerFlits that the Tour de Romandie is an option. “We might add the Tour de Romandie after the four hilly classics, to get a few more racing days under our belts. After that, we want to copy last year’s preparation for the Tour de France. I have no doubt that if I follow this path, I will start the Tour in very good shape.”

Evenepoel’s rehabilitation has a long one. The 25-year-old collided with a post office van door in early December last year, suffered multiple broken bones, and was unable to ride his bike for a very long time. His first outdoor bike ride was not until 2 February, but things are going well now.

If all goes well, Evenepoel will make his comeback in the Brabantse Pijl. This will be followed by the Amstel Gold Race, Flèche Wallonne, Liège-Bastogne-Liège and now probably the Tour de Romandie. After a short rest, he will then start preparing for his main goal of 2025: The Tour de France.

Evenepoel’s planned return:

 

Tom Boonen Knows Why Wout van Aert Didn’t Win the Sprint in Dwars door Vlaanderen
They couldn’t lose, but… Three Visma | Lease a Bike riders were beaten in the final of Dwars door Vlaanderen by EF lone rider Neilson Powless. Wout van Aert in particular received a lot of criticism after the race. How did Tom Boonen view the situation in the sprint in Waregem?

In the podcast Wielerclub Wattage, Boonen first talked about Wednesday’s race. The former rider was on the edge of his seat all afternoon. “I saw an incredibly beautiful race, and also a real team for the first time this spring,” referring to Visma | Lease a Bike. “I’ve seen many numbers of individuals or strong riders who rode together. But such a real team effort, it’s been a long time since I’ve seen that, it was a real example of racing insight. They used the wind and the course, by also letting the gap go with the last rider (Dylan van Baarle). That was great to see.”

Boonen saw Visma | Lease a Bike excel for the first time this spring. “I am very happy to see that those guys are back on track. I hope they can continue this in the coming two weeks. The outcome? That is a bummer, but that is part of it. I hope they will have forgotten it again tomorrow. It was a beautiful race and losing in a sprint is always possible. I have experienced it myself,” he refers to the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad. “That is just sour.”

The sprint defeat in Waregem did hit Van Aert hard, who was extremely hard on himself in the interview afterwards. “Because he took his responsibility,” Boonen explains. “He often doesn’t do that and I think it’s great that he did that now. Look guys, today is for me. I need this. Then of course you want to finish it. I think they just have to place this and remember it. That should work out. That’s long gone by now. He can do a lot more good with this.”

But why did he lose the sprint to the much slower, on paper, Neilson Powless? “Too nervous, I think. It was the first time in a long time that he was in this situation again. The kilometres that precede that. Two men riding in front of you, but one rider on your wheel. That’s chasing. I think he just went for it, saw that pink shadow coming and then completely blocked.”

Afterwards, the main players admitted that they made a mistake by completely betting on a sprint with Van Aert. However, Boonen does understand why Visma | Lease a Bike fully played its card in the final. “The moment he asks that and you say no and then attack, you are actually undermining the leader. There was really no other solution.”

Boonen know exactly how it feels:

 

Wout van Aert Goes for a Training Ride with Treats: “Can Make up for a Lot”
Wout van Aert was furious with himself on Wednesday after he failed to give Visma | Lease a Bike the victory in Dwars door Vlaanderen. But a day later he sounded a lot more positive. Thanks to ‘a flat white and peanut butter brownie’.

On Thursday morning, Van Aert loosened his legs, together with Edoardo Affini and Tiesj Benoot and other team members. They cycled almost 60 kilometres. There was also time for a coffee stop, according to Van Aert’s post on Strava. “Things don’t always go the way you want them to…”, wrote the 30-year-old Belgian. “But a flat white and peanut butter brownie can make up for a lot.”

After Dwars door Vlaanderen, Van Aert accused himself of selfishness. Visma | Lease a Bike was in a leading group of four with three men, but instead of playing to their advantage, they decided on Van Aert’s initiative to play their card in the sprint. That went wrong: Neilson Powless, put the Dutch team in their place and to his own surprise came out the victor.

“If you don’t win with three men in a group of four, you always make a mistake. I said I wanted to go for the sprint, so now I have to take responsibility and be hard on myself,” said Van Aert in the interview after the finish. “It’s not the team management’s fault. I was so convinced of my sprint that they went along with my story. I was too selfish. After all the criticism and bad luck of the past few months, I thought about myself. It’s a huge mistake. This is not who I am and I’m very disappointed in myself.”

A nice bike ride to clear the head:

 

Biniam Girmay Will Discover Paris-Roubaix: “An Honour”
Biniam Girmay will participate in Paris-Roubaix for the first time in his career on Sunday 13th of April 2025. The green jersey winner of the last Tour de France, who just turned 25, is preparing to discover his third Monument.

With four participations in Milan-Sanremo, the Eritrean rider started the Tour of Flanders on Sunday 6th of April, before continuing with Paris-Roubaix.

Already in 2019, Biniam Girmay discovered the mythical cobblestones of the Hell of the North by participating in the U23 version in the shirt of the UCI World Cycling Centre, finishing 48th in the edition won by Tom Pidcock.

On Thursday 10th and Friday 11th of April, Girmay and his six teammates of the selection directed by Aike Visbeek, Bart Wellens, and Franky Van Haesebroucke will carry out a final course recon.

Biniam Girmay: “It is with great pride that I will be at the start of Paris-Roubaix for the first time in my career. Along with the Tour de France and Milano-San Remo, it is the most broadcasted race in Eritrea and the one I dreamed of as a young boy. Six years ago, I participated in the U23 version, and I remember how gruelling it was, with the punctures, the crashes, and of course, its cobbled sectors. It was a long road of survival filled with obstacles to reach the finish line. The Hell of the North cannot be compared to any other competition, not even the classics in Flanders. On television, you can’t really grasp what it feels like to ride on the mythical cobbled sectors. I always wanted to be there, it has always been my wish to participate in Paris-Roubaix. With Intermarché-Wanty, we waited for the right moment to make my debut, and this spring, all the circumstances are right: my form is good, the race fits into the continuity of my program, and the weather conditions are optimal. I want to perform well, and for that, be constantly attentive to positioning and develop good sensations on the cobblestones. It is an experience that will also be beneficial for my future. Paris-Roubaix is always an important event for Intermarché-Wanty, with superb results in recent years. I will be part of a solid team, directed by staff members who leave no detail to chance.”

Bini on the Roubaix cobbles in 2025:

 

Omar Fraile to Retire at the End of the Season
Omar Fraile announced on his social media channels his decision to retire from professional cycling at the end of the current season. Fraile rode for Caja Rural-Seguros RGA, Team Dimension Data, Astana and finally, INEOS Grenadiers. He is happy to end his career with the British formation.

Fraile, who would like to retire after the 2025 Vuelta a España, has eight professional victories in his palmarès. His biggest victory came in 2018 when he won a Tour stage, finishing in Mende. He also won a stage in the Vuelta a España, his local race, the Tour of the Basque Country and the Tour de Romandie and in 2021 he was Spanish road champion. He also won the mountain classification in the Vuelta twice in 2015 and 2016.

Omar Fraile: “It’s time to say ‘agur’ to my life as a professional cyclist. I’ve been a pro for 14 years, including 10 in the World Tour. I take sweet memories and many wonderful people from this time, and I will always remember those dearly. This decision comes at the best moment of my life, especially family-wise thanks to my wife Nerea and my two sons, Peio and Xabi. They’ve rendered this decision a bit easier.”

“In the last few years it has gotten more and more difficult to leave my home behind and travel. Especially since December, when the birth of my second son Peio made it even harder. Cycling has changed a lot in these last few years. We spend a lot of time out of home. This sport is getting more and more demanding, as training and nutrition have got more and more specific. All this has added up to make things too complicated for me.”

“I started racing as a MTB rider. I learnt how to ride my bike when I was three, as I was a pretty active kid. My father has always had bikes at home, and speed has always been a passion for me. I first began racing at eight years old, and racing has kept me excited until today. I dreamt of being a professional bike rider, and I was struggling to make it on the MTB. At that point, Xabier Artetxe set up an U23 team, Seguros Bilbao, that was of great help for my transition to become a road cyclist. Amongst the key people in my transition I want to highlight Iker Camaño, who became a great friend and was very instrumental to help me adapt to road cycling and learn the job of a pro rider.”

“I managed to turn pro in 2012. Over the last 14 years, I’ve raced for Orbea, Caja Rural, Dimension Data and Astana. 2015 was my best season, with my first pro victories at Giro dell’Appenino and 4 Days of Dunkirk. That same year my dream of racing a Grand Tour came true, and I managed to win the Mountains classification at La Vuelta, as I did the following season. Later on, I managed to win stages at the Giro d’Italia and the Tour de France.”

“In the last few seasons I made another dream come true by joining the best team in the world, Ineos Grenadiers. It is a superlative team on which I felt welcome from the very first pedal stroke. I learnt a lot from my teammates – for example, a new role as a domestique. Retiring while racing for the best team in the world it’s a great privilege, and another dream of mine.”

“In this final season as a pro. I will give my 100% in every race I take part in, and I hope to bid farewell in the Vuelta a España as the race is very special for me because it would enable me to say goodbye to all the Basque fans whose support has been super important throughout my career.”

Omar Fraile to end his career:

 

Paul Magnier Extends with Soudal Quick-Step
One of the most talented young riders in the World Tour, the Frenchman stays through 2027

Soudal Quick-Step has decided to prolong the deal of Paul Magnier, a decision made after Paul’s excellent start to the season, which has seen him rack up a string of impressive results. A pro since 2024, when he scored five wins in our jersey, the soon-to-be 21-year-old has had a remarkable first months this season, taking the opening stage of Etoile de Bessèges and a total of five podiums, including a runner-up place in the prestigious Omloop Het Nieuwsblad.

“I’m proud and happy that I will continue with Soudal Quick-Step! I feel good here and I want to continue to progress. It was an easy decision when it came to signing a new agreement, as this is more than a team. I like that everybody is so friendly here, as this helps for the overall team spirit, not just in a race, but also outside of one. I have a lot of beautiful memories with the team, maybe the best of which is the Tour of Britain, where I got three wins with the support of a fantastic squad.”

The progress made by the Frenchman in just a year since joining the Wolfpack was so impressive that it has led not just to this well-deserved contract extension, but also to a Monument debut, Paul being slated to start this weekend’s 268km Ronde van Vlaanderen.

“I’m excited for Sunday. It will be my first Monument, and it’s really special to make my debut in a race like this as De Ronde. I look forward to it. From the moment the team contacted me I began dreaming of doing the cobbled Classics. I love these races, the mentality you need to win a race like this, and the fact they are so action-packed. It’s pure cycling”, added Paul.

Our team’s delight at agreeing a new contract with Magnier was expressed by Soudal Quick-Step CEO Jurgen Foré, who said: “It’s a landmark moment for us to be able to announce that Paul will stay with us for two more years. I have personally expressed my belief our best policy going forwards is to invest in young riders, and in the future for our team, and Paul is one of the very best young riders around. He has already had a magnificent start to his career, and he exudes the enthusiasm to constantly learn and soak up all the wisdom and information from those more experienced around him. We believe that he will grow into one of the pillars on which the team’s future success is built around.”

Paul Magnier to stay with Soudal Quick-Step:

 

Lotto Should Merge with Flanders-Baloise
In the Vive Le Vélo broadcast on Thursday evening, Sporza analyst and former rider José De Cauwer came up with an idea: “Lotto should actually merge with Flanders-Baloise.”

De Cauwer came up with the idea when he was asked about his vision of the current Lotto team. It has not had a great start to the season and still has to rely on that one victory by Arnaud De Lie in the Etoile de Bessèges. The Belgian champion subsequently lost his form and now misses the monuments. “We have to look at Arnaud himself for that, but even more at the management”, says De Cauwer, who worked for the youth team of the then Silence-Lotto until 2008. “They made a big mistake. They let him go too much. What they did is not guidance. You have to be strict and correct and anoint where necessary, but this was simply wrong.”

De Cauwer also misses charisma in the team of Kurt Van de Wouwer and CEO Stéphane Heulot. “Of course they don’t have 40 million. They have to make do with what they have, they can’t do it like UAE Emirates. But it has to be different and better. With more grit and charisma. They still have a top youth department. Jarno Widar didn’t stay for nothing. They have to build on that well.” And so De Cauwer makes the link with that other ProTeam, Flanders-Baloise, which, like Lotto, is financed by government money. “They should actually merge. One ProTeam, with a training team underneath, riders for the track, cyclo-cross riders, gravel riders. Then you have enough money and a good structure. Everything costs less. You can do more with less money.”

De Cauwer emphasises that he does not want to shortchange the Flanders-Baloise training project. “I am not against them, it is a fantastic system. But the cycling world has changed a lot in recent years. Juniors sign up early with the best training teams, and if they merge with Lotto, such a training team can be part of the triangle.”

Not going well for Lotto:

 

Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team to Ride La Vuelta a España
After being awarded a wildcard for the Giro d’Italia earlier this week, the Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team received an invitation to La Vuelta a España today. We announced that this year was going to be lit and we are happy to live up to our promises.

Doug Ryder, General Manager of the Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team, was nearly speechless with excitement. “I’m absolutely thrilled about this invitation. La Vuelta has been a key goal for us this year. With a strong group of Spanish riders and staff, the energy within our team is electric. Although this will be our first time competing in La Vuelta as a team, 15 of our 25 riders have experience in the race, with some securing stage podiums, victories, and even wearing the iconic red leader’s jersey. It is a tough undulating and mountainous race which suits us. There is also an individual and a team time trial to tackle. I have no doubt that we will make an impact from the opening stage in Piemonte, Italy, all the way to the grand finale in Madrid.”

Together 15 of our riders amass a total of 36 Vuelta starts dating all the way back to 2013. Tom Pidcock raced the Vuelta a España in 2021, aged 22 and being one of the youngest on the start line. His best result was a fourth place on stage 14 but now four years later, the Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team leader has big ambitions for his second Grand Tour of the season.

Tom Pidcock said: “It’s very exciting that we’ve received an invitation to ride La Vuelta! I haven’t checked all the stages yet, but I do know there is one stage finish in Andorra. That’s where I live, so it’s definitely something to look forward to. This year’s edition also features the iconic climbs of Angliru and Bola del Mundo. I did my first Grand Tour four years ago in Spain and have great memories of it. Back then, everything was new, but this year, I go in with a lot more experience and higher expectations—especially with the Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team by my side.”

In just three seasons, Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team has risen to race the world’s biggest events. From our first WorldTour start at Strade Bianche in March 2023 to receiving two GrandTour wildcard entries in one season, our journey is built on performance and the long-term support of our partners. Securing an invitation to La Vuelta a España is another defining moment in our growth, and we are ready to showcase our team’s relentless spirit on cycling’s grandest stage. We’re not just here to race—we’re here to light up the show.

Q36.5 to La Vuelta’25:

 

Lotto Cycling Team Marks 40 Years of Racing History with a Special Edition Jersey
A tribute to the past, a statement for the future, worn by the next generation: Lotto Cycling Team is celebrating 40 years of the National Lottery in the peloton with a unique cycling jersey, unveiled during the Tour of Flanders.

The salmon pink of Predictor-Lotto, the fluorescent colours of Lotto-Super Club. The blocks of Lotto-Caloi, the flame of Lotto-Adecco, and the iconic stars of the very first Lotto-Eddy Merckx jersey from 1985. It all comes together this Sunday at the Tour of Flanders. Lotto Cycling Team and the National Lottery have stitched 40 years of racing history into a single, unique piece—to celebrate the Lottery’s 40th anniversary in the peloton.

In 2025, Lotto Cycling Team will mark four decades of partnership between the National Lottery and the team—an achievement unmatched by any other cycling team in the world. What began in 1985 as a bold move by the National Lottery to promote the Lotto brand has grown into a household name in the peloton, and that legacy lives on through the next generations. Lotto has played a pivotal role in shaping professional cycling, from the development of young cycling talent to fuelling Belgian cycling culture to contributing to legendary victories.

“Lotto and cycling are inextricably linked. For forty years now, the National Lottery has been investing in the future of Belgian cycling. We are a sponsor, but more than that a steadfast partner in the development of young talent and a bridge builder by bringing the sport close to Belgian cycling fans. History and future come together in this one unique Jersey” continues Jannie Haek, CEO of the National Lottery.
“The legacy of 40 years of Lotto, carried by the riders who will shape the future of the sport. It couldn’t be more symbolic. Moreover, it’s a tribute to all the riders, staff, and supporters who have been part of the great Lotto family over the past 40 years.”

“We are incredibly proud that the team will take the start of Flanders’ Finest wearing this jersey, this tribute. We will do everything we can to honour it in the best way possible,” adds the team. Both the men’s and women’s teams will wear the jersey during the Tour of Flanders, and the women will also compete in it at the Vuelta, which begins in early May.

The anniversary jersey will be available for purchase starting today via the official Lotto Cycling Team webshop for 74,95 euros.

 

Team Visma | Lease a Bike Presents New Jersey ‘The Wingbeat’ Ahead of the Tour of Flanders
Team Visma | Lease a Bike has unveiled its new jersey, The Wingbeat, ahead of the Tour of Flanders. The entire men’s and women’s teams, including Wout van Aert, Matteo Jorgenson, Marianne Vos, and Pauline Ferrand-Prévot, will wear this special jersey during this monumental race.

The kit marks a new chapter in the team’s 2025 campaign: The Power of the Beehive. The Wingbeat symbolises the first movements of a swarm of bees in spring. It reflects how the team functions and has prepared for the first major goals of the year, where every rider and staff member knows their role, every movement is deliberate, and every action contributes to their collective ambitions.

Jasper Saeijs, Chief Business Officer: “Over the past years, it has become a familiar moment for cycling fans: during the Tour de France, we appear in a redesigned jersey. In 2025, we are building on that tradition with multiple releases throughout the season, each with its own story but always recognisable as our team. We remain true to our strong visual identity, our signature colours, and a nod to our nickname in the peloton. The Tour of Flanders is the perfect moment to introduce the first special kit. Under the overarching theme The Power of the Beehive, The Wingbeat symbolises our collective dedication and the meticulous preparation for our goals this year.”

The new kit features fresh visual elements while staying true to the team’s identity. It is available in limited quantities for fans through the team’s webshop.

 

Bahrain Victorious to Itzulia – Basque Country
This year’s Vuelta al País Vasco runs from the 7th to the 12th of April, and promises six intense days packed with excitement. In this edition of the Tour of the Basque Country, the cyclists will cover 992.5 kilometres split between six stages. The route starts with an individual time trial, and includes 26 mountain passes: three Category 1, seven Category 2, and sixteen Category 3.

The Team Bahrain Victorious line-up comprises Pello Bilbao, Santiago Buitrago, Jack Haig, Finlay Pickering, Mathijs Paasschens, Robert Stannard and Max van der Meulen.

The opening test against the clock is 16.5 km, starting and finishing at the Buesa Arena stadium in Vitoria-Gasteiz. The first half of the stage includes several steep climbs, including the road to the village of Arzubiaga, which will determine the first wearer of the mountain jersey. We are not expecting big differences between the favourites.

The longest day this year is almost 200 km. Stage 2 traverses Navarre, from Iruña to Lodosa. The stage will include constant climbs and descents, but just one Category 3 pass.

The third stage (along with the sixth) could be decisive. After two relatively straightforward profiles, a tough, shorter day awaits involving 7 mountain passes with continuous climbs and descents. The mountain passes are not too hard in and of themselves, 5 of which are Category 3, but they will certainly take their toll on the cyclists’ legs over the final kilometres.

On stage 4 the cyclists will once again encounter 7 mountain passes, including the Category 1 Izua. It’s a climb that will undoubtedly decide who wins the stage and may even make a difference in the general classification. The climb will not follow the main road nor the Krabelin to Arrate ascent but depart from the Matsaria industrial estate on a very narrow road between farmhouses, with gradients up to 20%.

The fifth stage arrives in the town of Pello Bilbao, Gernika. The Bahrain Victorious rider has been involved in its design. After the start, the route will head towards Amurrio and then back to Urduña, before leaving for Gernika. Along the way, the riders will have to overcome 4 mountain passes and position themselves well in sections of the last part of the route if they want to clinch the stage.

Eibar will once again host the final stage, with both the start and finish lines located in Plaza Unzaga. With 7 mountain passes, 3 of which are Category 3, over the more than 150 km route. Undoubtedly a very lively stage will decide who wins this year’s Itzulia.

Sports director Neil Stephens said: ”We are going to Itzulia this year with really high expectations. Pello is in great shape, he has had a fantastic year so far and we are hoping to continue this year throughout the Basque Country. We are aiming for at least one stage win this year. Gernika is a high point for Pello, but there are also one or two other stages that we will be aiming for us as well. GC is also an important part for us here in the Basque Country and a top-five result would be great I think it is a realistic goal as well. Santiago has been training well. He is coming off an injury from Paris-Nice and we are confident that he is in great shape but going out to another level and going out to race fitness is another thing. We know he has worked hard but we are not exactly sure if he will get back the level on this race. Jack, coming off the illness, has been working solidly, more with Finlay and even more with Lenny in other races, but he is in great shape as a solid strong worker in the mountains as well. The rest of the support team are Mathijs, Finlay, Robert and Max. Such a good young team, such a good energetic team and willing to support Pello in his goals.

The day-by-day summary: We start the race with a time trial. It’s strange for the Tour de Basque Country, a non-technical time trial. We are just going to be fast, and one for the time trial specialists. We hope to be at the same time with the GC riders on that stage with Pello and to go on from there. The first road stage, stage 2 is flat. Generally should be a sprint but we are going into some open, windy areas in Navarra. I would say we have to be attentive to that. Stage 3, is one of the objective days. It has got some high climbs, and technical descent as well, but we have to be smart the way we do it because it has got some flat areas and so it is not about going hard and rough from the start, we have to be careful where we spend our energy. Stage 4 into Markina. It is a really extremely hard stage finish. It is quite tricky throughout the day as well, but the stage finish and climbing, topping at 11 km to go is going to be quite tricky. Stage 5 into Gernika. One of if not the biggest stage for us to go for. I know that Pello has had a lot to do with the design of the stage. It is really not only a hard stage, but it is also a really picturesque stage into the area around where Pello was brought up and lives at the moment. Then from then on to the ‘Queen Stage’ into Eibar where the race could turn on its head. We could be not after GC and come on that stage or we could be the way around so really we will cross that bridge when it comes to it. We are really looking forward to a good solid race. One good thing is that the sun is out in the Basque Country today and we hope to have that sort of weather throughout next week as well.”

Pello Bilbao said: “Itzulia is in the end for me the most special race of the season. I am always super excited before starting Itzulia and even maybe for the rest of the riders in the peloton is not the same. For me, it is my favourite race no doubt and this edition, especially with a stage here in my town. It is going to be even more. I am looking forward to it and I could even take part in advising a bit in the parcours of the stage in my town and I hope everything goes all right and I hope that we will have a great week of cycling here. This year I really like the parcours, I think it suits me really well with the long ITT and then with mountain top finishes. It is going to be everything kind of like small classics and I think we have a pretty strong team with maybe even Santi, that can be ready for the overall, we don’t know, maybe he needs to give him some more time to recover from the crash in Paris Nice, but hopefully he is also ready for the action. I am super excited and everything is ready, I can’t ask for more. The last week has been great. I could do some nice training in the last few days, so everything is on the line.”

 

Tro Bro Leon: Unusual Beginners Madouas and Mohorič

Key points:

• The route of the 42nd edition of the Tro Bro Leon, to be held on 11 May, was unveiled at the Récré des 3 Curés leisure park, near Brest. Traditionally drawn with a start and finish in the commune of Lannilis over a total distance of 203.5 kilometres, the 2025 course includes 29 ribinou, or 34.3 kilometres of gravelled roads.
• Among the most highly awaited contenders, local rider Valentin Madouas who is the silver medallist for Olympic road racing, will be competing for the first time in an event where he knows all the ins and outs. He will have to contend with former winners Arnaud De Lie, Hugo Hofstetter and Adrien Petit, as well as experts such as former world champion of gravel Matej Mohorič and Anthony Turgis, who took advantage of the white paths to win stage 9 of the 2024 Tour de France around Troyes.

Jean-Paul Mellouët, the founder of the Tro Bro Leon, has never laid out the same route twice since 1984, and it’s the case again this year with the inception of a new ribin, known as the Leuré Braz, on May 11. Although it is only 700 metres long and classified as two stars compared with four for the most difficult gravelled sectors, it may well inspire Valentin Madouas, as it is located between the villages of Tréflez and Plouider, where his parents got married, 86 kilometres from the finish in the Breton town of Lannilis. At the age of 28, the Olympic silver medallist and local boy will finally take part in the race of his heart for the first time, thirteen years after finishing tenth in the opening race, the Trophée Madiot for u17 riders, which continues to use the Meshuel ribin on the final circuit.

Tro Bro Leon 2025 will be broadcast on TV from the moment the riders approach the Côte des Légendes and its famous Meneham rock, a favourite spot for photographers, located less than 80 kilometres from the finish. A little further on, the strategic sector around Plouguerneau has been revised from last year in order to minimise punctures, but that actually didn’t prevent Arnaud De Lie from getting back into the front group and taking what he considers to be one of his finest victories, along with the pig as the winner’s trophy that went to his family farm in Lescheret, in the Belgian province of Luxembourg. In addition to De Lie, Clément Venturini, Riley Sheehan, Jonas Abrahamsen, Morne van Nierkerk, Luca Mozzato and Tom Van Asbroeck, all of whom finished in the top 10 last year, are back in the running. Two other former winners are again candidates: Adrien Petit (2014) and Hugo Hofstetter (2022).

The line-up is on the up this year with the participation, for the first time, of the Bahrain Victorious, XDS Astana and Movistar teams, the former announcing the presence of Matej Mohoric, three-time Tour de France stage winner and victor of the 2022 Milan-San Remo. “Of the 22 teams selected, 13 will also be taking part in the Tour de France,” pointed out the event’s technical director Cédric Coutouly. Exactly twenty years after his second place in the Tro Bro Leon behind Tristan Valentin, who has also successfully moved to the organisation of cycling events after his own sporting career, he is taking up one of Mellouët’s tried and tested recipes: the two passages in front of the castle of Keroüartz and on its four-star ribin, 42 and 8 kilometres from the finish.

Overall, there are 34.3km of ribinou along the route, including a curiosity in the first part of the race: the Roudoulevry gravelled sector (nbr 27), which the Tro Bro Leon has not visited since it was converted into a bike path. “It’s quite a long one (2.2km) and it should take a lot of energy out that might be missing in the finale,” Coutouly predicted. It won’t come as a surprise to Madouas, who lives a ten-minute cycle ride away, and Mohoric should enjoy discovering this unconventional terrain for a bike race.

22 Teams – Key Riders:

Bahrain
Bahrain Victorious: Mohoric (SLO), Wright (GBR)

Belgium
Intermarché-Wanty: Page (FRA), Petit (FRA), Artz (NED)
Lotto: De Lie (BEL), Segaert (BEL), Van Moer (BEL)
Wagner-Bazin-WB: Desal (BEL), Barbier (FRA)

France
Arkéa-B&B Hotels: Mozzato (ITA), Venturini (FRA), Biermans (BEL)
Cofidis: Renard (FRA), Touzé (FRA), A. De Gendt (BEL)
Décathlon-AG2R La Mondiale: Cosnefroy (FRA), R. Pedersen (DEN), Chamberlain (AUS)
Groupama-FDJ: Madouas (FRA), Le Gac (FRA), Le Huitouze (FRA)
TotalEnergies: Turgis (FRA), Brunel (FRA), Dauphin (FRA)
Unibet Tietema Rockets: Kubis (SVK), Loockx (BEL)
Van Rysel-Roubaix: Morin (FRA), Planckaert (BEL)
Nice Métropole Côte d’Azur: Hanninen (FIN), Girard (FRA), Mifsud (MLT)
CIC-U-Nantes: Augé (FRA), Guégan (FRA), Mariault (FRA)
St-Michel-Preference Home-Auber 93: Champion (FRA), Riou (FRA), Van Niekerk (RSA)

Israel
Israel Premier Tech: Hofstetter (FRA), Sheehan (USA), Van Asbroeck (BEL)

Kazakhstan
XDS Astana: Ballerini (ITA), Teunissen (BEL), Bol (NED)

Norway
Uno-X Mobility: Abrahamsen (NOR), Dversnes (NOR), Tiller (NOR)

Spain
Movistar: Canal (SPA), Garcia Cortina (SPA)
Kern Pharma: Galvan (SPA), Soto (SPA), Miquel (SPA)
Burgos-Burpellet BH: Alleno (FRA), Jackson (NZL)
Euskaltel-Euskadi: Hennequin (FRA), Dekker (NED), Martin-Sanz (SPA)

Switzerland
Tudor Pro Cycling: Haller (AUT), Froidevaux (SUI).

 

Maryland Cycling Classic Announces Initial Men’s Teams for 2025
World’s No. 2-ranked Lidl-Trek, EF Education-EasyPost and Jayco-AlUla Highlight Initial Teams for 2025 Maryland Cycling Classic

Highlighted by the world’s No. 2-ranked Lidl-Trek (USA) and World Tour teams EF Education-EasyPost (USA), and Team Jayco-AlUla (Australia), the Maryland Cycling Classic, America’s biggest and highest-ranked professional cycling road race, announced a list of seven initial teams for the men’s race. The 2025 Maryland Cycling Classic will be held in Baltimore, Md. on Sept. 6, 2025, and for the first time will feature both men’s and women’s races.

Rounding out the list of initial men’s teams competing in the UCI Pro Series-sanctioned race are Colombia’s top team Team Medellin-EPM, Canada’s Hustle Pro Cycling, American continental team Project Echelon Racing, and Team USA, which will be made up of a composite of top young American talent.

“The Maryland Cycling Classic is an event we look forward to each year and are eager to head to Baltimore once again this year after the event was cancelled in 2024,” said Steven de Jongh, head sports director for Lidl-Trek. “As an American team, the Maryland Cycling Classic is an important race for us. In fact, it’s the only chance we have to race in the United States. Every edition provides exciting racing, and we have great memories of Mattias Skjelmose winning in 2023. Hopefully we will see a Lidl-Trek rider on the top step of the podium once more this year!”

Lidl-Trek has entered the 2025 season on fire following a string early-season wins and podium performances. In 2023, then Danish national-champion Mattias Skjelmuse of Lidl-Trek broke away on the final circuit to win the Maryland Cycling Classic in front of 80,000 spectators and a world-wide broadcast audience. Teammate and Latvian star Toms Skjuins has finished in the top five twice and was awarded the 2023 Maryland Cycling Classic Most Inspirational Rider jersey. EF Education-EasyPost’s American star Neilson Powless recently recorded a historic win at Dwars door Vlaanderen semi classic and has finished on the podium in both the 2022 and 2023 Maryland Cycling Classic races, while Team Jayco-AlUla has featured heavy in past races with riders like Michael Matthews, a former green jersey winner as the top sprinter in the Tour de France. Project Echelon Racing is the team of Maryland native Scott McGill, and in 2023 Team USA featured a young Matteo Jorgenson, who recently repeated as the winner of the prestigious Paris-Nice race. Team Medellin-EPM veteran star Oscar Sevilla, then 46 years old, finished runner-up for the 2023 Maryland Cycling Classic’s King of the Mountain title.

“It’s great to welcome back some of the world’s top men’s cycling teams to the Maryland Cycling Classic, including the top U.S. squads,” said Steve Brunner, the executive director for the race. “Our goal remains to field a high-level field and showcase professional cycling to American spectators and a global television audience. This is a rare opportunity to see some of the world’s stars race on American soil. We are currently in negotiations with other top-level teams for the race.”

A total of 16 teams of seven riders are expected for the men’s race. The initial list of women’s teams is expected to be announced in the coming weeks by the Maryland Cycling Classic.

The Maryland Cycling Classic is America’s biggest and highest-ranked men’s and women’s road race. It is owned and operated by the Sport & Entertainment Corporation of Maryland and chartered as a 501(c)-(3) non-profit organisation and located at 351 Camden Yards, Baltimore, Md. The Maryland Cycling Classic was contested by men’s teams in 2022 and 2023 and was postponed due to the Key Bridge collapse in 2024. The 2025 event returns to Baltimore on Sept. 6, 2025, with both a men’s and women’s race along with community and festival events between Sept. 2-7.

 

La Vuelta 25: Teams Selection
The organisers of La Vuelta have chosen the teams that will take part in the 80th edition of the Spanish Grand Tour. La Vuelta 25 will start on Saturday the 23th of August and finish on Sunday the 14th of September.

In accordance with UCI rules, the following 18 UCI WorldTeams are automatically invited to the race:
ALPECIN-DECEUNINCK (BEL)
ARKEA-B&B HOTELS (FRA)
BAHRAIN VICTORIOUS (BRN)
COFIDIS (FRA)
DECATHLON AG2R LA MONDIALE TEAM (FRA)
EF EDUCATION – EASYPOST (USA)
GROUPAMA-FDJ (FRA)
INEOS GRENADIERS (GBR)
INTERMARCHÉ – WANTY (BEL)
LIDL-TREK (USA)
MOVISTAR TEAM (ESP)
RED BULL – BORA – HANSGROHE (GER)
SOUDAL QUICK-STEP (BEL)
TEAM JAYCO ALULA (AUS)
TEAM PICNIC POSTNL (NED)
TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE (NED)
UAE TEAM EMIRATES XRG (UAE)
XDS ASTANA TEAM (KAZ)

LOTTO DSTNY (BEL) and ISRAEL PREMIER TECH (ISR), leaders in the 2024 classification of UCI ProTeams will take part by right in La Vuelta 25.
In addition to these 20 teams, the organisers have awarded the following wildcards:
BURGOS-BURPELLET-BH (ESP)
CAJA RURAL-SEGUROS RGA (ESP)
Q36.5 PRO CYCLING TEAM (SUI)

 

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