A race full EUROTRASH Monday with video, reports, results and what the rider’s think: All the news from Setmana Ciclista Volta Femenina de la Comunitat Valenciana, Tour de la Provence, Vuelta a la Región de Murcia – Costa Cálida, Figueira Champions Classic and the Clasica de Almeria.
TOP STORY:
- Tadej Pogačar – Breaking records and re-writing history
Rider news:
- Wout van Aert: “I have to be at least equal to Tadej Pogačar and Mathieu van der Poel to win”
- Kaden Groves to ride the Giro and Tour for Alpecin-Deceuninck
- Former professional, Peter Zijerveld, saved a car driver from the river
- Robert Gesink to publish book about his cycling career
- Jakub Mareczko finds a new team
Team news:
- Jayco AlUla’s soigneur survived a heart attack during Tour de France
- Greg Van Avermaet sets up gravel team
- Soudal Quick-Step to the UAE Tour
Race news:
- Netflix cancels Tour de France series after three seasons
- Vuelta boss not saying much about the ‘wildcard’ situation
Plus Caleb Ewan’s first video interview with INEOS Grenadiers.
TOP STORY: Tadej Pogačar Interview – Breaking Records and Re-Writing History
World Champion on record-breaking 2024 season and what’s ahead in 2025 in exclusive Q&A
Tadej – your 2024 season was absolutely remarkable. Now that you’ve had time to reflect over the off-season, how would you describe last year as a whole?
“It was an incredible season, one I will always cherish. From the very start, I felt strong, and everything seemed to click into place. When I look back now it feels like it was almost perfect, beyond what I could have imagined. I feel grateful for my team, my family, the supporters, and everyone who helped me along the way.”
You kicked off 2024 in style with a statement win at Strade Bianche and a podium at Milan-Sanremo. How confident were you heading into those races, and did you tweak anything in your preparation to hit the ground running?
“I was feeling really good at the start of the season. Training had gone well, and I was confident in my form. Strade Bianche is one of my favourite races, and to win it in such a way, with that solo attack, was a dream. Milan-Sanremo is always a tricky race, but I was happy with my podium finish there.”
Your Giro d’Italia debut in 2024 was nothing short of extraordinary—six stage wins, 20 days in pink, and a winning margin of over nine minutes. Did you ever envision such a dominant performance in your first Giro?
“I came into the Giro wanting to win. From the first stages, I felt amazing, and my team was incredible in supporting me. I just took it day by day, attacking when I felt good and defending when necessary. To win six stages and spend almost the entire race in pink was something really special.”
After a dominant Giro, you set your sights on the legendary Giro-Tour double—something no rider had achieved in 37 years. How critical was your recovery in the weeks between, and what did you focus on to be ready for another three-week battle?
“Recovery was everything. The Giro-Tour double is one of the hardest things to do in cycling, and I knew I had to be smart about how I approached it. After the Giro, I focused a lot on rest and then gradually built back up. We were really careful in managing my training, making sure I didn’t overdo it.”
The team came together for a pre-Tour training camp at Isola 2000. How valuable was that time in fine-tuning preparations, and was there a moment during the camp when you sensed something special was on the horizon?
“That camp was a very good one and we had some great times at Isola. It gave us time to focus and do some good training but also to spend time together post-training in the house and really build the team spirit. We knew we had a big challenge ahead with the Tour, and everyone was motivated. I definitely felt strong in training, but you never know until the race starts. That said, there was a sense among us that something special could happen.”
With six stage wins and a commanding victory over Jonas Vingegaard, you delivered one of the most dominant Tour de France performances in recent history to claim your third Yellow Jersey. What was going through your mind as you crossed the finish line in Nice?
“It was pure happiness and relief. Winning the Tour once is amazing, but winning it for the third time, and in the way we did, was unreal. The battle with Jonas was intense, and I knew I had to be at my best every single day to beat him. He is a very strong rival. Crossing that finish line in Nice, with my teammates around me, was an unforgettable moment.”
You’ve never hidden your ambition to win the World Championships, but launching an attack from 100km out caught everyone by surprise. Take us back to that moment—what made you go all-in, and what was it like holding on for the final 100km?
“The World Championships was one of my biggest goals, and I knew I had to take a risk to win it. The course suited long-range attacks, and when I saw the opportunity, I just went for it. It wasn’t really the plan to do it. It was a gamble, but I felt strong and had confidence in my legs. The last 100km were brutal, but I kept pushing, knowing that this was my chance to finally wear the rainbow jersey.”
With your World Championship win, you became just the seventh rider to complete cycling’s Triple Crown. Has that sunk in yet? And as a kid riding in Slovenia, did you ever dream of this level of success so soon?
“The Triple Crown is something only a few riders have ever achieved, and to be part of that is an honour. As a kid, I dreamed of being a professional, but I never imagined things would happen this fast. It’s been an amazing journey, and I’m just enjoying every moment of it.”
You’re set to kick off your 2025 season at the UAE Tour, leading the team at your home race for the first time since 2022. How special is it to be back?
“I’m really excited! The UAE Tour is special to me and to the team. It’s always a great way to start the season, and I’m looking forward to racing in front of the amazing fans there. The support we get is incredible, and I can’t wait to be back. It’s been a couple of years that I’ve been away from the race and I’m eager to get back to it.”
You’ve had great success on the iconic Jebel Hafeet during your two UAE Tour victories. Is that stage on your radar again this year, or are there other stages you’re targeting?
“Jebel Hafeet is always a key stage, and I would love to win there again. It suits my style of racing, and I have great memories from previous victories. But I’m also looking at other opportunities throughout the race. The time trial on stage 2 will be an important stage and set the tone a bit for the GC. Then you need to survive Jebel Jais also which usually sees a small group finish. We have a strong team, and we want to race aggressively from the start.”
Looking beyond the UAE Tour, what are your goals and ambitions for the rest of the 2025 season?
“Aside from UAE Tour my main goals will be the Spring Classics, the Tour de France, and defending my World Championship title. There are also some races I haven’t won yet or even raced yet that I’d love to try add to my palmarès. We’ll take it one race at a time, but I’m motivated for another big year.”
Another record breaking season for Tadej Pogačar?
Setmana Ciclista Volta Femenina de la Comunitat Valenciana 2025
Demi Vollering won the opening Stage 1 of the women’s Tour of Valencia by half a minute. The FDJ-SUEZ rider finished solo in Gandia. Anna van der Breggen (SD Worx-Protime) made a successful comeback after three and a half years, to finish third, just behind Marlen Reusser (Movistar).
The Setmana Ciclista Femenina de la Comunitat Valenciana, started on Thursday with a tough hilly stage from Alzira to Gandia. In the finale of the stage there was the climb of the Alto de Barx (4.6km at 5.7%), which was the most important obstacle of the day.
Demi Vollering was riding her first race for FDJ-Suez and Anna van der Breggen made her comeback with SD Worx-Protime. On the Alto de Barx it was Vollering who attacked early and she initially had Van der Breggen sitting on her wheel. Van der Breggen looked strong on her comeback and was even able to lead for a while, but had to let go after an acceleration from Vollering.
After that, the stage was over and Vollering got further and further away from Van der Breggen, who had been joined by Reusser. At the finish the difference between Vollering and the chasing Reusser and Van der Breggen was half a minute. The peloton finished 1:30 behind, so it looks like one of the three top riders will win the final overall on Sunday..
Stage winner and overall leader, Demi Vollering (FDJ-Suez): “I am really happy. I had a good feeling the past few weeks and after the work of the girls I just had to finish it off today. The girls did a really strong job. You saw that everyone believed in the plan we had made 100% and that everyone stuck to it. I am very happy with this team, I get a lot of confidence from everyone here. Confidence that I sometimes lost last year. This is already a good sign for the coming season”
3rd, Anna van der Breggen (SD Worx-Protime): “I didn’t really know what to expect. I didn’t think I would be able to keep up on a climb for so long. So that in itself is a good result. Especially when you see which riders were not with us and taking into account the amount of energy I wasted in the beginning to ride back in the peloton. I also didn’t expect it to explode like that at all today. So I’m definitely very happy with how it went. I definitely get a lot of confidence out of this. In the past it was also the case that every year I had to get used to it a bit during the first race, but now of course I had that a lot more. Also because we are riding here with a group of girls who were all struggling a bit to position themselves well in the peloton. We had to test how we got to the front together. That eventually went better and better. It was nice to see that we made progress in that right away. But that took energy. So I didn’t expect to get this far right away on my return. I know I can still make a lot of steps in terms of intensity. Also in the pursuit with Marlen Reusser I noticed that I still need just a bit more time to be able to do such intensity more often. I could not really recover anymore in between in the last part. I was happy to be on the road with Marlen. She rode nicely in between. I didn’t really expect us to come back, although I think Marlen still fully believed in it. In any case, we rode as hard as we could together. Third on my return is a nice result anyway. Tomorrow I expect somewhat the same scenario. It will be a tough stage. Friday’s course is tougher than the first stage. So if this already exploded today, I expect it again tomorrow. Only tomorrow, from the last mountain, it’s a bit further to the finish. So it’s far to ride alone to the line. But if you see that the differences were quite big today anyway, I think it will be the same tomorrow.”
33rd on the stage, Francesca Barale (Team Picnic-PostNL): “I think it was a good day overall, nothing much happened. The important thing was the last climb, and everyone was looking forward to it, also because for many people it was the first race of the season. We tried to stay together. It was a good first race with a mixed group, so we had to get used to it a bit. We tried to position ourselves for the last climb, and then Eleonora and I tried to survive. She managed to stay in the second group and get a good place in the top ten. I think it’s a good start and we can continue to move forward from there. We can still look for opportunities later in this race.”
Setmana Ciclista Volta Femenina de la Comunitat Valenciana Stage 1 Result:
1. Demi Vollering (Ned) FDJ-SUEZ in 2:52:23
2. Marlen Reusser (Sui) Movistar at 0:29
3. Anna van der Breggen (Ned) SD Worx-Protime at 0:31
4. Elisa Balsamo (Ita) Lidl-Trek at 1:30
5. Liane Lippert (Ger) Movistar
6. Caroline Andersson (Swe) Liv AlUla Jayco
7. Agnieszka Skalniak-Sojka (Pol) Canyon//SRAM Racing zondacrypto
8. Eleonora Ciabocco (Ita) Team Picnic PostNL
9. Thalita de Jong (Ned) Human Powered Health
10. Paula Blasi Cairol (Spa) UAE Team ADQ.
Setmana Ciclista Volta Femenina de la Comunitat Valenciana Overall After Stage 1:
1. Demi Vollering (Ned) FDJ-SUEZ in 2:52:23
2. Marlen Reusser (Sui) Movistar at 0:30
3. Anna van der Breggen (Ned) SD Worx-Protime at 0:30
4. Liane Lippert (Ger) Movistar 1:29
5. Elisa Balsamo (Ita) Lidl-Trek at 1:31
6. Caroline Andersson (Swe) Liv AlUla Jayco
7. Agnieszka Skalniak-Sojka (Pol) Canyon//SRAM Racing zondacrypto
8. Eleonora Ciabocco (Ita) Team Picnic PostNL
9. Thalita de Jong (Ned) Human Powered Health
10. Paula Blasi Cairol (Spa) UAE Team ADQ.
Setmana Valenciana stage 1:
The Second Stage of the Setmana Ciclista Valenciana was won by Mischa Bredewold (SD Worx-Protime). Brodie Chapman (UAE Team ADQ) rode solo off the front for most of the day. Bredewold sprinted to her first victory of the season in the streets of Nules. The Dutch rider beat Elisa Balsamo (Lidl-Trek) and Liane Lippert (Movistar) in the sprint.
The first stage of the 2025 Setmana Ciclista Valenciana, saw Demi Vollering take her first victory for her new team, FDJ-SUEZ, but also saw a first clash with her former team leader, Anna van der Breggen, who returned to action as a professional cyclist on Thursday, for the first time in over three years. Van der Breggen finishing third on her comeback. The leader of SD Worx-Protime was the only one able to follow Vollering, but just before the top of the last climb she had to let her go. The second stage of the Setmana Ciclista Valencia, from Benicàssim to Nules was maybe even harder. The final took place on flat roads, but the riders had quite a lot of climbing before that, with the Coll de les Coronetes (8.4km at 4.4%) and Alto Salt del Cavall (5.3km at 3.7%).
There was a long wait for the break of the day. There were some attacks in the first 60 kilometres, but the peloton pulled them añl back. Two riders finally managed to break away. Brodie Chapman (UAE Team ADQ) attacked and the experienced Australian was joined by Eva van Agt (Visma | Lease a Bike), the granddaughter of the deceased Dries van Agt, Prime Minister of the Netherlands from 19 December 1977 until 4 November 1982. The peloton, led by FDJ-SUEZ, the team of overall leader Vollering, didn’t chase too hard. So, Chapman and Van Agt increased their lead to around 2 minutes. They still had that gap at the foot of the Coll de les Coronetes. On the climb, Chapman had the strongest legs and dropped Van Agt to go solo. It was a losing battle for Chapman, as the peloton was chasing her down.
At the start of the last 50 kilometres, her lead had shrunk to 30 seconds. The sprinter’s teams then left her stranded out front for a long time, but with 4 kilometres to go, Chapman was caught, there would now be a sprint in the streets of Nules. No team was able to take control in the final kilometres, which resulted in a rather chaotic and confusing sprint. Liane Lippert benefited from this. The German started a long and created a small gap, she looked to have the victory, but the Movistar rider was passed by Mischa Bredewold. The former European champion of SD Worx-Protime timed her sprint perfectly and beat the top favourite Elisa Balsamo and Lippert. Demi Vollering was also involved in the sprint and finished fourth and is still the overall leader..
Stage winner, Mischa Bredewold (SD Worx-Protime): “I was confident of victory at first, but then my team DS said something in my ear and I started to have doubts. After that, it was a bit of a wait and see, but I could still cheer. I already had this in mind. These types of finishes suit me well. We discussed this with the team. If the stage would end in a sprint, I would be allowed to take my chance. I am incredibly proud of the girls. We are riding together for the first time in this tour, but they really managed to set me off for the sprint in a great way. In the run-up to the sprint, I decided to follow Balsamo, as she was the favourite for today, but I saw that she was being closed in. I then had to switch quickly and choose a different route. The wind was against me and so it was important to keep calm. I saw FDJ-SUEZ coming with Demi (Vollering) and I was able to hook up in time. Liane (Lippert) then started her sprint and she turned out to be a good target. Tomorrow? It could also end up in a sprint. The final has similarities, but it will depend on the course of the race. We will see”
22nd on the stage, Femke De Vries (Visma | Lease a Bike): “We rode well as a team today. I felt very strong on the climbs, just like yesterday. In the final part of the stage, Rosita and Maud did a great job and I was able to finish at the front of the pack. We got through the day well. I had two good first days in Spain and I feel good. I had a strong winter. In the first race of the year, it is always good to see that you can be with the favourites. Maybe this weekend I can move up a few places in the general classification.”
6th overall, Brodie Chapman (UAE Team ADQ): “It was a fantastic day for me. I tried my best to get to the finish, but in the end the pack was too big. I am still very happy. The team’s goal was to be aggressive and we achieved that. I enjoyed it surrounded by beautiful scenery.”
Setmana Ciclista Volta Femenina de la Comunitat Valenciana Stage 2 Result:
1. Mischa Bredewold (Ned) SD Worx-Protime 3:31:45
2. Elisa Balsamo (Ita) Lidl-Trek
3. Liane Lippert (Ger) Movistar
4. Demi Vollering (Ned) FDJ-SUEZ
5. Catalina Anais Soto Campos (Chi) Laboral Kutxa-Fundacion Euskadi
6. Agnieszka Skalniak-Sojka (Pol) Canyon//SRAM Racing zondacrypto
7. Eleonora Ciabocco (Ita) Team Picnic PostNL
8. Eleonora Camilla Gasparrini (Ita) UAE Team ADQ
9. Caroline Andersson (Swe) Liv AlUla Jayco
10. Mereia Benito Pellicer (Spa) AG Insurance-Soudal.
Setmana Ciclista Volta Femenina de la Comunitat Valenciana Overall After Stage 2:
1. Demi Vollering (Ned) FDJ-SUEZ in 6:23:57
2. Marlen Reusser (Sui) Movistar at 0:34
3. Anna van der Breggen (Ned) SD Worx-Protime at 0:37
4. Liane Lippert (Ger) Movistar at 1:34
5. Elisa Balsamo (Ita) Lidl-Trek at 1:35
6. Brodie Chapman (Aus) UAE Team ADQ at 1:38
7. Agnieszka Skalniak-Sójka (Pol) Canyon//SRAM zondacrypto at 1:41
8. Eleonora Ciabocco (Ita) Team Picnic PostNL at 1:41
9. Caroline Andersson (Swe) Liv AlUla Jayco at 1:41
10. Thalita de Jong (Ned) Human Powered Health at 1:41.
Setmana Valenciana stage 2:
Elisa Balsamo won Stage 3 of the Tour of Valencia. The Italian Lidl-Trek rider was the fastest in the sprint of a thinned out peloton in Valencia after 118 kilometres. Ingvild Gaskjenn (Uno-X Mobility) finished second and Agnieszka Skalniak-Sojka (Canyon//SRAM Racing zondacrypto) was third. The leader’s jersey stayed with Demi Vollering (FDJ-SUEZ).
After the Dutch successes in the first two stages, Demi Vollering won the opening stage and Mischa Bredewold took the victory on stage two, the third stage of 118 kilometres finished in Valencia on Saturday and gave the tough sprinters a chance. The third stage was similar to Friday’s, after the climb of the Port de l’Oronet (5.6km at 4.9%) after around 30 kilometres, the final was mostly downhill.
After a quiet early part of the stage, Emily Watts (St Michel-Preference Home-Auber93) attack with 90 kilometres to go. The Australian was joined 30 kilometres later by Colombian champion Juliana Londoño. The Picnic PostNL rider was keen to show off her new national champs jersey. The two had 1 minute on the peloton for a long time, as several counter-attacks failed behind them. With the only categorised climb of the day in sight, the leaders saw their lead quickly pulled back. Watts had to let go at the start of the Port de l’Oronet. Nikola Nosková of Cofidis crossed to the front of the race. Five more riders joined them, including overall leader Vollering, but the Cat. 2 climb was not difficult enough to make a difference.
The thinned out peloton regrouped at the top, but there were gaps on the descent. A leading group o three consisting of Amber Kraak (FDJ-SUEZ), Mireia Benito (AG Insurance-Soudal) and Maeva Squiban (UAE Team ADQ) escaped from the thinned out peloton, but the three didn’t get far. In the chase, Elisa Balsamo’s Lidl-Trek teammates rode on the front to pull the race back for a sprint. This turned out to be more difficult than expected, because Kraak, Benito and Squiban held them at between 10 and 15 seconds. In the last 5 kilometres, SD Worx-Protime and Liv AlUla Jayco also helped and the three were caught 1.5 kilometres from the finish. Balsamo waited for her moment in the sprint, after which she convincingly took the victory. Vollering remained the overall leader of the race. The Dutch rider will start the final stage to Alicante on Sunday with a good lead of 34 seconds on Marlen Reusser and 37 seconds on Anna van der Breggen. The final stage does have a fair amount of climbing, but is not hard enough to make up such a big differences.
Stage winner and 4th overall, Elisa Balsamo (Lidl-Trek): “We knew it was going to be a tough stage again, like every stage here, so first of all we needed to survive the climbs, but then me, Anna and Spratty were in the front group. The girls did a great job trying to close the gap to the breakaway. Then, in the end, I was just trying to jump on the wheel. I was a bit scared of getting stuck again like yesterday, but I did a good sprint, so I’m really happy. The biggest goal was the win, but getting a jersey is always nice.”
3rd on the stage and 6th overall, Agnieszka Skalniak-Sojka (Canyon//SRAM Racing zondacrypto): “Our plan for today was to make sure we were always in contention for the stage win. We wanted to have an eye on the breakaway and which teams were in it. We knew that we had Kasia and Cecilie who could go with any action on the climb. The climb was super fast and at a hard pace, but I was feeling good. I had a lot of support from the car, and my teammates and I could stay in the main group. Coming into the final, Kasia and Cecilie brought me into a perfect position for the sprint. I’m happy to get third place today. Being in the top three gives me a lot of confidence for the next opportunity to contest a sprint finish.”
Setmana Ciclista Volta Femenina de la Comunitat Valenciana Stage 3 Result:
1. Elisa Balsamo (Ita) Lidl-Trek in 2:54:34
2. Ingvild Gaskjenn (Nor) Uno-X Mobility
3. Agnieszka Skalniak-Sojka (Pol) Canyon//SRAM Racing zondacrypto
4. Eleonora Camilla Gasparrini (Ita) UAE Team ADQ
5. Liane Lippert (Ger) Movistar
6. Mischa Bredewold (Ned) SD Worx-Protime
7. Arianna Fidanza (Ita) Laboral Kutxa-Fundacion Euskadi
8. Thalita de Jong (Ned) Human Powered Health
9. Elise Chabbey (Sui) FDJ-SUEZ
10. Nadia Quagliotto (Ita) Cofidis.
Setmana Ciclista Volta Femenina de la Comunitat Valenciana Overall After Stage 3:
1. Demi Vollering (Ned) FDJ-SUEZ in 9:18:31
2. Marlen Reusser (Sui) Movistar at 0:34
3. Anna van der Breggen (Ned) SD Worx-Protime at0:37
4. Elisa Balsamo (Ita) Lidl-Trek at 1:25
5. Liane Lippert (Ger) Movistar at 1:32
6. Agnieszka Skalniak-Sojka (Pol) Canyon//SRAM Racing zondacrypto at 1:36
7. Brodie Chapman (Aus) UAE Team ADQ at 1:38
8. Caroline Andersson (Swe) Liv AlUla Jayco at 1:41
9. Thalita de Jong (Ned) Human Powered Health
10. Eleonora Ciabocco (Ita) Team Picnic PostNL.
Setmana Valenciana stage 3:
Demi Vollering (FDJ-SUEZ) won the Tour of Valencia final overall. Vollering’s leader’s jersey was in no danger in the final Stage 4 to Alicante. The stage victory went to Elisa Balsamo (Lidl-Trek), after the peloton caught a strong leading group in the final meters. Agnieszka Skalniak-Sojka (Canyon//SRAM Racing zondacrypto) was second in the bunch sprint and Liane Lippert (Movistar) was third. Behind Vollering on the overall was Marlen Reusser (Movistar), who was second and Anna van der Breggen (SD Worx-Protime) third.
The fourth stage in the Tour of Valencia had a similar profile to the previous stages, as halfway through the stage there was some climbing, but the last hour of was mostly flat or downhill.
A leading group of nine riders took their chance on the Alto de Collao, 68 kilometres from the finish. Top names; Bredewold, Spratt, De Schepper, Buijsman and Katrine Aalerud were in the group. At one point, the nine had a lead 2:30 on the peloton and looked to have the stage win in Alicante. But, their lead disappeared in the last kilometres. In the final 10 kilometres, the peloton closed a gap of 1 minute, so there would be a bunch sprint. Like the previous stage on Saturday, it was Balsamo who was the fastest and so she took her second victory of the season. Demi Vollering crossed the finish line in the peloton to take the overall win. Marlen Reusser and Anna van der Breggen joined her on the final overall podium.
Stage winner and 4th overall, Elisa Balsamo (Lidl-Trek): “Honestly, on the climbs it was not my best day today. I was really suffering but the team did another great job and were able to bring me back. Everyone was still believing in me for the sprint. We were coming closer and closer to the breakaway, but the break for us was ok because we had Spratty in there covering any moves. When we saw they only had 10 seconds the girls did a really good lead-out and I could sprint. It was a really hard one because my legs were really pain but I was able to hold on for the win!”
Final overall winner, Demi Vollering (FDJ-SUEZ): “This is very good, I am very happy with this. I managed to win my first race with the team, that is great. I was happy with that breakaway, I really hoped they would stay away. That the peloton then comes back, I really think it is a shame for Nina. But Lidl-Trek worked hard for it in the peloton. We rode very strongly as a team today. The girls are always around me. That is nice”
2nd on the stage and 6th overall, Agnieszka Skalniak-Sojka (Canyon//SRAM Racing zondacrypto): “For the sprint, I knew Elisa Balsamo would go, so I stayed on her wheel. It was super close. But I’m also happy with my second place and my shape right now. I didn’t expect this at this time of year! Our DS (Adam Szabó) decided to work with Visma when the time gap wasn’t coming down, and Justyna was part of that effort. Then, as we got closer to the finish and the gap remained big, we also put Cecilie and Kasia to work while I focused on positioning. They did an amazing job, and I’m so grateful for all of them. The stage was super hard, and their support was incredible.”
Setmana Ciclista Volta Femenina de la Comunitat Valenciana Stage 4 Result:
1. Elisa Balsamo (Ita) Lidl-Trek in 3:33:55
2. Agnieszka Skalniak-Sojka (Pol) Canyon//SRAM Racing zondacrypto
3. Liane Lippert (Ger) Movistar
4. Thalita de Jong (Ned) Human Powered Health
5. Mischa Bredewold (Ned) SD Worx-Protime
6. Marlen Reusser (Sui) Movistar
7. Ingvild Gaskjenn (Nor) Uno-X Mobility
8. Monica Trinca Colonel (Ita) Liv AlUla Jayco
9. Elise Chabbey (Sui) FDJ-SUEZ
10. Anna van der Breggen (Ned) SD Worx-Protime.
Setmana Ciclista Volta Femenina de la Comunitat Valenciana Final Overall Result:
1. Demi Vollering (Ned) FDJ-SUEZ in 12.52.26
2. Marlen Reusser (Sui) Movistar at 0:34
3. Anna van der Breggen (Ned) SD Worx-Protime at 0:37
4. Elisa Balsamo (Ita) Lidl-Trek at 1:15
5. liane Lippert (Ger) Movistar at 1:28
6. Agnieszka Skalniak-Sójka (Pol) Canyon//SRAM zondacrypto at 1:30
7. Femke de Vries (Ned) Visma | Lease a Bike at 1:38
8. Brodie Chapman (Aus) UAE Team ADQ at 1:38
9. Katrine Aalerud Nor) Uno-X Mobility at 1:39
10. Thakita de Jong (Ned) Human Powered Health 1:41.
Setmana Valenciana stage 4:
Tour de la Provence 2025
Sam Bennett (Decathlon-AG2R La Mondiale) won Stage 1 of the Tour de la Provence on Friday. The Irishman had the fastest sprint after a tough opening stage. Bennett beat Lukáš Kubiš (Unibet Tietema Rockets) and Alexis Renard (Cofidis).
The 2025 edition of the Tour de la Provence started in Marseille, in the south of France. Last year Mads Pedersen won the prologue, two stages and the final overall. Could he dominate again this year?
The opening stage could be the hardest stage of the Tour de la Provence. After the start in Marseille, there were 170 kilometres, with three categorised climbs. The climbs were not at the end of the race, but in the finale it was not flat. The sprinters might survive, but it would be a hard job. The break of the day got together early; Victor Guernalec (Arkéa-B&B Hotels), Antoine Hue (CIC-U-Nantes), Maximilien Juillard (Van Rysel Roubaix) and Baptiste Vadic (TotalEnergies) had a lead of under 2 minutes, but 15 riders crossed to the leaders.
Five Lidl-Trek riders were in the front group, with Mads Pedersen, Bauke Mollema, Toms Skujiņš, Alex Kirsch and Julien Bernard. Matej Mohorič & Niccolò Buratti (Bahrain Victorious), Darren Rafferty & Jefferson Alexander Cepeda (EF Education-EasyPost), Alexis Renard & Valentin Ferron (Cofidis), Ewen Costiou &Raul García Pierna (Arkéa-B&B Hotels), Jake Stewart (Israel-Premier Tech), Fabien Grellier and Lucas Boniface (TotalEnergies). The lead of increased to 2 minutes. There was still a long way to the finish, so there was a regrouping. The dropped riders also had the chance to rejoin. After this merger, peace returned to the peloton, although Lidl-Trek and EF Education-EasyPost, the teams of Pedersen and Marijn van den Berg, had no intention of slowing down the pace. These two teams did all work at the front. TotalEnergies had other plans and tried to force something uphill with Mathieu Burgaudeau. He attacked several times on the Col de Belcodène, the last categorised climb of the day. Burgaudeau couldn’t get away.
Mattéo Vercher did managed and build up a nice lead. The peloton had a tight grip and left the Frenchman out front. When Vercher was caught, this the start of many attacks from other riders. An attack by Mohorič and Pedersen was quickly shut down, but Samuel Leroux, a new rider with TotalEnergies managed to break away. Leroux’s attack looked doomed, but the Frenchman managed to hold out. With 10 kilometres to go, his lead was 40 seconds. It was all hands on deck in the peloton as Lidl-Trek and EF Education-EasyPost took control, but Leroux surprisingly held on for a long time.
Leroux’s lead shrink in the final kilometres, but the difference was still 20 seconds with 5 kilometres to go. This was not enough to stay out of the clutches of the sprinter’s teams, but Leroux didn’t give up. The exhausted Leroux was caught in the last kilometre. Pedersen and Van den Berg were dropped off by their teammates, but took the lead too early. Bennett was able to take advantage and started his sprint at the right moment to take his first victory of the season. Lukáš Kubiš gave Unibet Tietema Rockets a second place in the sprint, Alexis Renard was third. Pedersen and Van den Berg finished in fifth and sixth places.
Stage winner and overall leader, Sam Bennett (Decathlon-AG2R La Mondiale): “I’m glad to share this win with the team. We came here trying to secure our first win of the season. We knew it was going to be a tough fight, but we managed to get through the first climb, and the team did a fantastic job. The race was challenging with strong winds, which worked to our advantage, especially since it was mostly headwind on the climb. My teammates were outstanding, and I want to thank them for their incredible support. I’m glad I could give them this victory.”
4th on the stage and 9th overall, Clément Russo (Groupama-FDJ): “This start to the race is not exactly what we had planned. The goal was already to reach the front part, then wait for Paul to come back, hoping that things would calm down a bit. Unfortunately, we quickly realised that this was not going to happen. So we adapted the strategy and alternated with Thibaud for the general classification and me for the sprint. Olivier put me in a position much further up the track on a somewhat technical descent, and then Thibaud did the same as we approached the final kilometre. I arrived well positioned, in the slipstream, with a lot of speed, and I was close to achieving a great result.”
Break rider, Samuel Leroux (TotalEnergies): “I gave it my all and I have no regrets. I love these challenging races, they never let me down! I started with 19km to go, after the bonus sprint, so I didn’t need much to make it to the end. The whole team did a great job today. “We attacked in turns: Baptiste this morning, then Mattéo, Fabien, Mathieu and I. This shows our solidarity and our attacking spirit, which will inevitably pay off in the end. We will do it again tomorrow and on Sunday.”
Tour de la Provence Stage 1 Result:
1. Sam Bennett (Irl) Decathlon-AG2R La Mondiale in 4:12:30
2. Lukas Kubis (Slov) Unibet Tietema Rockets
3. Alexis Renard (Fra) Cofidis
4. Clement Russo (Fra) Groupama-FDJ
5. Mads Pedersen (Den) Lidl-Trek
6. Marijn van den Berg (Ned) EF Education-EasyPost
7. Jake Stewart (GB) Israel-Premier Tech
8. Thibaud Gruel (Fra) Groupama-FDJ
9. Mathieu Burgaudeau (Fra) TotalEnergies
10. Alfred Wright (GB) Bahrain Victorious.
Tour de la Provence Overall After Stage 1:
1. Sam Bennett (Irl) Decathlon-AG2R La Mondiale in 5:12:45
2. Lukas Kubis (Slov) Unibet Tietema Rockets at 0:04
3. Alexis Renard (Fra) Cofidis at 0:06
4. Alfred Wright (GB) Bahrain Victorious at 0:07
5. Mads Pedersen (Den) Lidl-Trek at 0:08
6. Raul Garcia Pierna Arkéa-B&B Hotels
7. Thibaud Gruel (Fra) Groupama-FDJ at 0:09
8. Sander De Pestel (Bel) Decathlon-AG2R La Mondiale
9. Clement Russo (Fra) Groupama-FDJ at 10
10. Marijn van den Berg (Ned) EF Education-EasyPost.
Provence’25 stage 1:
Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek) was the winner of the Second Stage of the Tour de La Provence on Saturday. After a difficult stage of over 167 kilometres, he was first on the uphill finish in Manosque after a sprint against Matej Mohorič (Bahrain Victorious). Pedersen attacked early in the final and took a stage win and the leader’s jersey. Fred Wright (Bahrain Victorious) was third at 15 seconds.
The second day of the Tour de La Provence was similar to the first stage, won by Sam Bennett. The riders started in Forcalquier and finished in Manosque. The finish was a lot tougher than stage 1, as the last kilometre had an average gradient of almost 4%. Before that finish, there were also difficult climbs perfect for attacks; the Col de l’Aire dei Masco (6.5km at 4.8%), 30 kilometres from the finish.
Four riders broke away: Daniel Årnes (Van Rysel-Roubaix), Matis Louvel (Israel-Premier Tech), Mattéo Vercher (TotalEnergies) and Damien Girard (Nice Métropole Côte d’Azur). The maximum lead was 4 minutes, but that slowly came down due to the work of Lidl-Trek, Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale, EF Education-EasyPost, Bahrain Victorious and Unibet Tietema Rockets. In the run-up to the Col de l’Aire dei Masco, the peloton split. It was Vercher who held off the peloton the longest, with Arkéa-B&B Hotels doing everything they could to thin out the group. In the end, it was Lidl-Trek that pulled the group apart. Mads Pedersen then attacked with Sander De Pestel (Decathlon AG2R) and Jefferson Cepeda (EF Education). Not far behind was a group including Toms Skujins, Matej Mohorič, Fred Wright and Lukas Kubis. With a lead of around 15 seconds, the three started the descent. It was mainly Pedersen who set the pace, because the others had teammates behind. The group with Skujins and Mohorič joined the leaders with 19 kilometres to go. There were still a few more hills and the uphill final to go.
Bahrain Victorious and Lidl-Trek had more than one rider in the leading group and so they played on that. Mohorič attacked and was accompanied by Pedersen. Their attack proved to be the decisive one, because their teammates slowed the chase. The thinned out peloton caught the group with Skujins and Kubis, which was already 45 seconds behind Mohorič and Pedersen. The Dane and the Slovenian worked well together and would move to the top of the GC. The battle for the stage victory looked to be Pedersen’s, due to his sprint, but Mohorič sat on his wheel. Pedersen jumped hard and won by 3 seconds. Fifteen seconds later, Fred Wright won the sprint of the peloton, ahead of Dorian Godon and Marijn van den Berg. Pedersen also moved into the overall lead with one stage to go.
Stage winner and overall leader, Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek): “I felt pretty good. I know I’m in good shape and I have a good feeling today. I knew that this stage and that climb 20 kilometres from the finish would suit me. The plan was to pull hard there and stay with a small group. That plan worked and now we are very happy, because this is what we wanted. We wanted to at least win a stage, but I was only sure that we were riding for the win with a few kilometres to go. Especially when you have a strong group behind you, you are never sure until the finish. Only in the last kilometre I was sure that we were going to sprint for the win.”
Tour de la Provence Stage 2 Result:
1. Mads Pedersen (Den) Lidl-Trek in 3:53:53
2. Matej Mohorič (Slo) Bahrain Victorious at 0:03
3. Alfred Wright (GB) Bahrain Victorious at 0:15
4. Dorian Godon (Fra) Decathlon-AG2R La Mondiale
5. Marijn van den Berg (Ned) EF Education-EasyPost
6. Paul Penhoët (Fra) Groupama-FDJ
7. Alex Kirsch (Lux) Lidl-Trek
8. Thibaud Gruel (Fra) Groupama-FDJ
9. Bauke Mollema (Ned) Lidl-Trek
10. Raul Garcia Pierna (Spa) Arkéa-B&B Hotels.
Tour de la Provence Overall After Stage 2:
1. Mads Pedersen (Den) Lidl-Trek in 8:06:07
2. Matej Mohorič (Slo) Bahrain Victorious at 0:13
3. Alfred Wright (GB) Bahrain Victorious at 0:24
4. Lukas Kubis (Slov) Unibet Tietema Rockets at 0:25
5. Sander De Pestel (Bel) Decathlon-AG2R La Mondiale at 0:28
6. Raul Garcia Pierna (Spa) Arkéa-B&B Hotels at 0:29
7. Thibaud Gruel (Fra) Groupama-FDJ at 0:30
8. Marijn van den Berg (Ned) EF Education-EasyPost at 0:31
9. Dorian Godon (Fra) Decathlon-AG2R La Mondiale
10. Jake Stewart (GB) Israel-Premier Tech.
Provence’25 stage 2:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BRoiWHYbj4Q
Sam Bennett won the final Stage 3 of the Tour de La Provence. The Decathlon-AG2R La Mondiale rider was the fastest, beating Marijn van den Berg (EF Education-EasyPost) and Alexander Konijn (Nice Métropole Côte d’Azur) in Arles. Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek) was the overall winner of the three-day tour.
The final day of the Tour de La Provence was the flattest of the race. There was a 1 kilometre climb on the route, but most of the time the peloton would be at sea level. Ackermann and Bennett were expected to be up there in the sprint.
Lidl-Trek and Israel Premier-Tech ensured that a leading group of Ceriel Desal, Daniel Arnes, Damien Girard, Samuel Leroux and Raúl García Pierna were kept close. The lead of the break never got bigger than 2 minutes, but the escapees held out for a long time. It was only in the last kilometre they were caught by the peloton.
The sprinter’s teams only had 800 metres to get their sprinter in a good position for the final kick, which resulted in a chaotic final kilometre. With 150 metres to go, Bennett found the space to launch his sprint. In the wake of the Irishman, Pascal Ackermann and others crashed hard, which meant that the battle for the stage victory was between Bennett and Van den Berg. Bennett was a little faster than the Dutchman to take his second stage victory. Konijn from the Continental Nice Métropole Côte d’Azur team finished in third place. Pedersen finished in ninth place and confirmed his overall win. This the second year in a row that the Dane was the overall winner of the Tour de La Provence.
Stage winner, Sam Bennett (Decathlon-AG2R La Mondiale): “A beautiful victory after a hard day of racing. It was a hard day of racing. The group at the front had a large advantage and the riders in the breakaway were trying to move up in the general classification. Moreover, the wind was strong, making it difficult to catch them. My teammates did a great job controlling the race and bringing me back to the front of the peloton at the most crucial moment. The last three kilometres required a huge effort. Finally, in the sprint, I came back from the rear with speed to take the win. I am happy with what we did this weekend.”
Overall winner, Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek): “It was a fast day in the peloton. There was a very strong breakaway that got away quite late in the race and it was difficult to catch them. But with our team and other teams, we managed to catch them. In the end, we got the sprint we wanted, even if we didn’t get the result we were hoping for. We’re still in the general classification, which is good. There are still two months to go, so I have work to do. I’m not in top form yet, but I still have time to hone my skills.”
Tour de la Provence Stage 3 Result:
1. Sam Bennett (Irl) Decathlon-AG2R La Mondiale in 3:54:59
2. Marijn van den Berg (Ned) EF Education-EasyPost
3. Alexander Konijn (Ned) Nice Métropole Côte d’Azur
4. Lukas Kubis (Slov) Unibet Tietema Rockets
5. Paul Penhoët (Fra) Groupama-FDJ
6. Matyas Kopecky (CZ) Team Novo Nordisk
7. Valentin Tabellion (Fra) Van Rysel-Roubaix
8. Alessandro Borgo (Ita) Bahrain Victorious
9. Mads Pedersen (Den) Lidl-Trek
10. Stanislaw Aniolkowski (Pol) Cofidis.
Tour de la Provence Final Overall Result:
1. Mads Pedersen (Den) Lidl-Trek in 12:01:06
2. Matej Mohorič (Slo) Bahrain Victorious at 0:13
3. Marijn van den Berg (Ned) EF Education – EasyPost at 23
4. Alfred Wright (GB) Bahrain Victorious
5. Lukas Kubis (Slov) Unibet Tietema Rockets at 0:25
6. Raul Garcia Pierna (Spa) Arkéa-B&B Hotels at 0:26
7. Jake Stewart (GB) Israel-Premier Tech at 0:28
8. Sander De Pestel (Bel) Decathlon-AG2R La Mondiale
9. Thibaud Gruel (Fra) Groupama-FDJ at 0:30
10. Dorian Godon (Fra) Decathlon-AG2R La Mondiale at 0:31.
Provence’25 stage 3:
Vuelta a la Región de Murcia – Costa Cálida 2025
Fabio Christen (Q36.5) won Saturday’s 2025 Vuelta a Murcia. The Swiss rider beat Aurélien Paret-Peintre (Decathlon-AG2R La Mondiale) and Christian Scaroni (XDS Astana) from an escape group.
The Vuelta a Murcia was run over 200 kilometres with three climbs; the long Alto Collado Bermejo (7.3km at 6.9%) at halfway being the hardest, 80 kilometres rom the finish. In the final, there was a circuit of 25 kilometres including the Alto Cresta del Gallo (4.3km at 6.6%), 10 kilometres from the finish.
UAE Emirates XRG started with several big names: Brandon McNulty, Tim Wellens, Jhonatan Narváez and Isaac Del Toro and so this was the team to beat. Other favourites were Christian Scaroni, Aurélien Paret-Peintre and Clément Champoussin. A group of five escaped after 20 kilometres. Ibai Azanza (Equipo Kern Pharma) tried to cross, but ended up stuck between break and bunch. On the Alto Collado Bermejo (7.3km at 6.9%) the leading group split and José Luis Faura (Burgos Burpellet BH) and José María García (Illes Balears Arabay) held out the longest. Just before the top the favourites made their move. Del Toro and Wellens attacked and took a small lead over an elite group including Paret-Peintre, Champoussin, Scaroni, Lorenzo Fortunato and Nairo Quintana. On the descent, several groups came together, so that the big favourites were together with 60 kilometres to go. As more and more riders joined, the peloton was nearly as big as before. Four riders were still off the front: UAE’s Wellens was with Clément Berthet (Decathlon AG2R), Simone Velasco (XDS Astana) and Eric Fagúndez (Burgos Burpellet BH). They took a lead of more than 1 minute, but that gap was reduced by Movistar.
At the foot of the Alto Cresta del Gallo (4.3km at 6.6%), the lead was only 20 seconds, so Wellens jumped away from the leading group to go solo. From the thinned out peloton, only Scaroni was able to cross on the steep climb, but the group was not far behind. With a lead of just over 10 seconds, Wellens and Scaroni started the descent and flat final kilometres to Murcia. Wellens had Del Toro, McNulty and Adrià Pericas as teammates behind him, while Scaroni had Champoussin and Fortunato. Paret-Peintre, Quintana, Fabio Christen and Jordan Labrosse were also still in that group, which eventually caught the leaders. Over the next kilometres there were many attacks. Labrosse rode hard for a sprint for Paret-Peintre. But in the sprint, Christen started from a long way out and surprised the others. The 22-year-old Swiss of Q36.5 is the older brother of Jan Christen of UAE Emirates XRG. Paret-Peintre finished second, just ahead of Scaroni.
Race winner, Fabio Christen (Q36.5): “First, I have to thank the team for getting me in the right position before the climb. They were amazing, from then it was about the legs. It was not easy with three guys of UAE and three from Astana in the group, but I know I have a strong sprint. I also knew I had to be in every move because I was alone. I was confident and I had the legs, so I didn’t want to wait. I went for the surprise by going early. It was a long sprint, and the finish line came just in time. The first win is always the most difficult one to get. I was already close on Mallorca but lacked a bit of luck, so I am really happy to have it now.”
2nd, Aurélien Paret-Peintre (Decathlon-AG2R La Mondiale): “It was a great race. There was a lot of pace and adversity on the final climb. Clément rode very well in the breakaway and the team put me in a good position on the last climb. After that, I knew I was one of the fastest in the sprint and Jordan did a great job at the end to allow me to challenge him, but I didn’t manage to launch myself at the right moment and ended up in second place. The victory was very close and it’s only my first race of the season, so it’s encouraging.”
3rd, Christian Scaroni (XDS Astana): “The last 100 kilometres were very intense; everyone gave their all. We were always at the front, trying to control the race. On the main climb of the day, UAE Team increased the pace, but we stayed in the leading positions. Then, a breakaway formed with Simone Velasco, which was a good situation for us. However, the break was caught, and new attacks started. I attacked on the final climb and gained a small advantage, but I was caught on the descent. In the sprint, I did my best, but a faster rider won today. Still, I think we can be happy with our podium finish and the way our team raced today. We were very active, trying to attack in the last ten kilometres because we knew there were faster sprinters. Well, we couldn’t win, but we put on a great race and earned important points for the team, which is also very valuable.”
35th, José Luis Faura (Burgos Burpellet BH): “I arrived from Oman in great physical condition and with the confidence of the team and I wanted to take advantage of it. I knew that the Collado Bermejo mountain pass was going to be key. I felt good and I was able to get into the breakaway. I was lucky to be able to be in the breakaway with Murcia native José María García. For both of us it was something very special, a dream day. I saw that I could get the Marco Pantani Summit prize, although it was a bit difficult when Wellens and Del Toro caught me. I was already a bit tired towards the finish, but I did my best. I am very happy with my performance and that of the team. We were very combative, both me and Eric in the very dangerous break that occurred near the finish. Then Clément and José Manuel came in very well positioned, showing that we are a team that knows how to rise to the occasion.”
Vuelta a la Región de Murcia – Costa Cálida Result:
1. Fabio Christen (Sui) Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team in 4:50:03
2. Aurélien Paret-Peintre (Fra) Decathlon-AG2R La Mondiale
3. Christian Scaroni (Ita) XDS Astana
4. Clément Champoussin (Fra) XDS Astana Team
5. Lorenzo Fortunato (Ita) XDS Astana
6. Nairo Quintana Rojas (Col) Movistar
7. Isaac Del Toro Romero (Mex) UAE Emirates XRG
8. Tim Wellens (Bel) UAE Emirates XRG at 0:02
9. Adria Pericas Capdevila (Spa) UAE Emirates XRG at 0:05
10. Jordan Labrosse (Fra) Decathlon-AG2R La Mondiale at 0:10.
Murcia’25:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=spF3Yncfy_4
Figueira Champions Classic – Figueira Casino 2025
The Figueira Champions Classic was won by Antonio Morgado. The UAE Emirates-XRG rider crossed the finish line solo in Figueira da Foz. Paul Magnier (Soudal Quick-Step) won the sprint for second place at 5 seconds. Mathias Vacek (Lidl-Trek) was third.
In the past, the Volta ao Algarve was the first event of the Portuguese cycling season, but that was before the Figueira Champions Classic. The race is now part of the ProSeries and has a tough course with three hilly circuits of 30 kilometres in the final. The decisive climbs are the Rua Parque Forestal (2.1km at 8%) and the short Enforca Cães (900 meters at 7.3%).
A leading group of nine escaped early. The peloton let the leading group take 4 minutes. When they started the penultimate lap, the leading group was caught and the favourites attacked. Fifty kilometres from the finish there were attacks from Julian Alaphilippe, Joao Almeida, Dylan Teuns and Ilan Van Wilder, but all without success. Filippo Ganna later managed to take a gap of 40 seconds and had a chance of victory.
In the last lap the peloton lifted the speed and with 21 kilometres to go Ganna was caught by Morgado, who had attacked from the group of favourites and went on a solo. The Portuguese rider started the last 10 kilometres with a lead of 38 seconds. Morgado soloed to victory, his second of the season. The peloton, led by Paul Magnier and Mathias Vacek were 5 seconds too late to catch the Portuguese rider.
Race winner, Tomás António Morgado (UAE Emirates XRG): “This win feels really special for me. I’ve been training well and my sensations are very good on the bike so I knew if all went well that I would have a chance today. I felt good during the race and our team was strong. From last year I knew the critical moment would probably be on the steep climb where I attacked so I saw my moment to move and I took it. For me I’m so happy and proud to win here in Portugal. Like the Belgians want to win in Belgium and the French want to win in France… I’m no different. This is the only professional Classic we have here in Portugal and to win it is a big deal for me.”
Figueira Champions Classic – Figueira Casino Result:
1. Tomás António Morgado (Por) UAE Emirates XRG in 4:35:47
2. Paul Magnier (Fra) Soudal Quick-Step at 0:05
3. Mathias Vacek (CZ) Lidl-Trek
4. Samuel Watson (GB) INEOS Grenadiers
5. Rui Alberto Costa Da Faria (Por) EF Education-EasyPost
6. Biniam Girmay Hailu (Eri) Intermarché-Wanty
7. Quinten Hermans (Bel) Alpecin-Deceuninck
8. Julian Alaphilippe (Fra) Tudor
9. Ruben Guerreiro (Por) Movistar
10. Lorenzo Rota (Ita) Intermarché-Wanty.
Figueira’25:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kf1_rFAxqwM
Clasica de Almeria 2025
The Clásica de Almería was won by Milan Fretin on Sunday The Belgian Cofidis rider was the fastest at the finish in a bunch sprint in Roquetas de Mar. Max Kanter (XDS Astana) and Emilien Jeannière (TotalEnergies) finished second and third behind Fretin.
The Clásica de Almería traditionally ends in a bunch sprint and it wasn’t expected to be any different this year. An early break with Victor Vercouillie, Ibai Azanza, Edgar Curto, Joan Gamundi and Joan Riera rode was caught 18 kilometres from the finish, due to the work by Lotto and Tudor. The finale to Roquetas de Mar was nervous. In the wide finishing straight it was Kanter who started the sprint first, but the German couldn’t compete with Fretin’s jump. The Belgian took his first victory in his first race of the season. For Cofidis, Fretin’s victory gives the team 200 much needed UCI points in the battle against relegation.
Race winner, Milan Fretin (Cofidis): “The plan was to work for myself, even though Coquard was also in the race. The team did an incredible job, and I have been training very hard all winter, so I am very satisfied with this victory. Winning in the first race of the year gives us a lot of confidence for the season.”
5th, Giovanni Lonardi (Polti VisitMalta): “Our lead-out train was at the front for a long time, but it wasn’t easy to stay ahead until the final meters. In the last corner some riders overtook us, but in any case we’re happy to have stayed in the leading positions.”
Clasica de Almeria Result:
1. Milan Fretin (Bel) Cofidis in 4:25:47
2. Max Kanter (Ger) XDS Astana
3. Emilien Jeannière (Fra) TotalEnergies
4. Arnaud De Lie (Bel) Lotto
5. Giovanni Lonardi (Ita) Team Polti VisitMalta
6. Fabian Lienhard (Sui) Tudor
7. Alberto Dainese (Ita) Tudor
8. Manuel Penalver Aniorte (Spa) Team Polti VisitMalta
9. Iúri Leitão (Por) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA
10. Orluis Alberto Aular (Ven) Sanabria Movistar.
Almeria’25:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t3MTCFRmkgU
Wout van Aert: “I have to be at least equal to Tadej Pogačar and Mathieu van der Poel to win”
Wout van Aert extended his cyclocross season by a week, adding the cyclocross World championships to his program, but that spring remains the main goal. The 30-year-old Belgian of Visma | Lease a Bike sees a big challenge against Tadej Pogačar and Mathieu van der Poel.
After two serious injuries last year, Van Aert has no doubts about the road season, which kicks off with the Clásica Jaén. “Not really, no,” he recently said to Dutch website, WielerFlits. “I think I initially had a difficult winter, but after that I was able to work well. I also haven’t forgotten how I felt in the Vuelta a España. That knee injury was very annoying, but never of such a nature that I thought: ‘this is not going to be resolved’. In that respect, I was able to complete this winter with a certain confidence, that I can return to the level that I am used to.”
But Van Aert must have cursed when Pogačar revealed his programme for the Classics and said that he might also ride Paris-Roubaix, although that has since been rejected by his team. “I didn’t really curse, but I was mainly impressed by his programme. Where he still takes on a lot of hay. In many Classics there are still many strategies and everything is possible, of course also in the Tour of Flanders. But that is also the race that is decided by the legs. I see few possible scenarios where you beat Mathieu and Pogačar, while you yourself are less strong. In my case, I would have to be at least their equal to have a chance.”
Wout van Aert has to be at least equal to Pogačar and Van der Poel:
Kaden Groves to Ride the Giro and Tour for Alpecin-Deceuninck
Kaden Groves will ride two Grand Tours this year for Alpecin-Deceuninck. The Australian sprinter will get his sprint win chances in the Giro d’Italia and will ride in the lead-out for Jasper Philipsen and Mathieu van der Poel in the Tour de France. “Being part of their success is a big dream come true,” Groves told Sporza.
For the 26-year-old Groves, it will be his debut in the Tour de France. “If I come out of the Giro healthy and well, that is,” he said. Groves can win stages in Grand Tours, he has already won a stage in the Giro (2023) and seven stage victories in the Vuelta a España (2022, 2023 and 2024). “In the Tour I will of course support Jasper and Mathieu. Jasper’s track record there is more than fantastic. But I also dream of one day competing for stage wins in the Tour. And maybe this year an opportunity will arise,” said Groves, who extended his contract by two years last year despite interest from Astana. “Because I can still learn a lot from Mathieu and Jasper. I also get a nice program here with the necessary support.”
In the spring Classics, Groves will also be in action, including in the Monuments alongside Van der Poel and Philipsen. “As a versatile rider I can support them in the monuments, but I will also get opportunities myself. In Dwars door Vlaanderen they will not be there and I will start as the team leader. That race should suit me.”
Two Grand Tours and the Classics for Kaden Groves:
Former Professional Peter Zijerveld Saved a Car Driver from the River
While on a training ride last Wednesday, Peter Zijerveld saved a woman from a sinking car. The former professional cyclist was riding along the Kromme Mijdrecht near Zevenhoven, when someone pointed to the water. He didn’t hesitate and dived into the water. According to Zijerveld, the victim was conscious when she got into the ambulance.
When he saw a passer-by signalling towards the river, the 69-year-old Zijerveld jumped off his bike. He took off his helmet and shoes and left his mobile phone, and jumped into the water without hesitation. By opening the tailgate, he managed to pull the woman out by her hood. According to Zijerveld, the woman was responsive when she got into the ambulance.
No thank you is needed according to the former professional who finished 15th overall in the 1981 Vuelta a España. “You just do this,” Zijerveld told the Algemeen Dagblad. The two women who also dived into the water to help deserve just as much respect, according to him.
Zijerveld, who was once European triathlon champion, is still a very active athlete. He regularly alternates running, cycling and swimming training. “Because I notice that I still have this in me. It feels like a great sporting achievement to me.”
In addition to being a former professional cyclist and triathlete, Zijerveld was also the national coach for the youth categories of the KNWU for many years. The North Hollander was employed by the national association until 2020, but during the World Championships in Wollongong he made a one-off appearance. Because national coach Loes Gunnewijk did not have time, Zijerveld assisted the junior women during their competition. He happened to be in Australia for a family visit.
Peter Zijerveld – A hero:
Robert Gesink to Publish a Book on his Cycling Career
Robert Gesink stopped being a professional cyclist at the end of last year. However, the former Dutch rider is not sitting back, because this summer he will be working with Thomas Olsthoorn to write a book about his career. Gesink said in an interview with WielerFlits.
With his professional career behind him, Gesink is looking for new challenges and activities. He is an ambassador for the bicycle brand Cervélo. In addition, he will be making a special bike ride this summer as part of a book about his career, which Thomas Olsthoorn will be writing.
To do this, he will cycle from his home in Andorra to the Col d’Aubisque, where he won a Vuelta stage in 2016. “I am looking forward to that, it will be a great adventure. I don’t know if the author had considered that it is still almost 400 kilometres from Andorra, but we are going to cycle to the Aubisque and back. I came up with a round trip of 800 kilometres with 20,000 metres of elevation, so I think it will be a multi-day event,” he explained.
That trip is to form the basis for the book about Gesink’s career. “We are going to collect stories while cycling. I hope to be able to do that together with a few friends and one or two campers who will follow us. And then in the evening, as in the gravel spirit, we will have a beer and a barbecue. Then we will see the next day whether we can still make progress,” he said with a smile.
Robert Gesink to work on a book about his cycling career:
Jakub Mareczko Finds a New Team
Jakub Mareczko will race this year. The 30-year-old Italian has signed with a new team at the last minute, but is taking a step back. The sprinter will be riding for the Continental Mazowsze Serce Polski team in 2025.
Mareczko has been looking for a new team for months, after his contract with Team Corratec-Vini Fantini, despite three victories, was not extended. Mazowsze Serce Polski hopes to have found a finisher in the experienced Italian.
The former rider of Wilier Triestina-Selle Italia, CCC, Alpecin-Deceuninck and Team Corratec has fifty professional victories in his palmarès. He achieved his victories mainly in Asian races. He won eighteen stages in the Tour of Taihu Lake and stage wins in the Tour of Hainan, Tour de Langkawi and the Tour of Qinghai Lake. Mareczko was also successful in the Tour of Turkey and also victories in Europe, with stage wins in the Settimana Internazionale Coppi e Bartali, Tour of Hungary and the ZLM Tour.
Mareczko is the only foreign rider in the completely Polish Mazowsze Serce Polski team. Łukasz Owsian will join him, the 34-year-old rider rode for Arkéa-B&B Hotels for the past five seasons.
Jakub Mareczko will race in 2025:
Jayco AlUla’s Soigneur Survived a Heart Attack During the Tour de France
During the opening weekend of the 2022 Tour de France, Masanori Miyajima, a Japanese masseur for the then BikeExchange-Jayco team, suffered a heart attack. Miyajima was taken to the nearest hospital on the advice of the team doctor after he experienced a strange feeling in his chest. The team announced this for the first time on their website in a portrait of the employee.
Before the start of the 2022 Tour de France prologue in Copenhagen, the masseur had a strange feeling around his chest. Miyajima asked his colleague if he could take a short break. That was no problem, but according to his colleague soigneur it was important to tell the team doctor about it as well.
The doctor heard about it and performed several tests. “You need to go to the hospital”, he told Miyajima. In order to lose little time, the team doctor took him to the nearest hospital as quickly as possible. You can read the full story HERE.
Masanori Miyajima back on the job:
Greg Van Avermaet Sets Up Gravel Team
Greg Van Avermaet retired as a professional road cyclist a couple of years ago, but the 39-year-old Belgian has not stopped racing. The Rio de Janeiro Olympic Champion is now a gravel rider and has now set up his own gravel team. With his GVA Gold Gravel team, Van Avermaet says he is ready to conquer the gravel world. The team is made up of three riders at the moment. Van Avermaet is joined by Julian Siemoens and former professional footballer Jelle van Damme, who played for Standard Luik, RSC Anderlecht and Ajax.
“We have three riders who have an incredible punch”, Van Avermaet wrote on Instagram. “A collective of riders that is ready to shake the gravel world”, he said with ambition. The three riders are sponsored by BMC, Van Avermaet rode BMC bikes for most of his professional career.
Van Avermaet ended his career as a road cyclist at the end of 2023 and decided to focus on gravel racing. The winner of Paris-Roubaix, Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and Gent-Wevelgem, finished fifth in the Belgian Gravel championship last year, seventh in UNBOUND and came sixteenth in the European Gravel championship.
GVA Gravel team:
Soudal Quick-Step to the UAE Tour
The European Champion will lead our seven-man team next week
Tim Merlier is back at the start of the World Tour race where last year he wrote history by becoming the first rider to score three stage victories at a single edition, in addition to this string of successes taking home also the coveted points jersey.
The sprinters will get a total of four opportunities, and the European Champion will hope to be again in the mix for a stage win. Joining the 32-year-old – winner of two stages last month at the AlUla Tour – on the Soudal Quick-Step roster for the Middle Eastern race are Ayco Bastiaens, Josef Cerny, Pascal Eenkhoorn, Junior Lecerf, Casper Pedersen and his trusted lead-out man Bert Van Lerberghe.
Once again, Jebel Jais and Jebel Hafeet will be the two climbs that those going for the general classification will have to tame on their way to a good result, while the 12.2km individual time trial held on the Al Hudayriyat Island is expected to have a minor role in the final outcome. On the other hand, crosswinds could play an important part in the way the standings will look like at the end of the race, as has been the case several times in the past, including at the 2023 edition won by Remco Evenepoel.
“Many of the stages are similar to those of last year and with the team that we have we look forward to this race. We rely on a very strong lead-out train and a sprinter who is in good form as shown by his outing in Saudi Arabia, so we travel to the Emirates with plenty of confidence and motivation. For the general classification, we’ll see what Junior can do on the two summit finishes. It’s a race where we had many great results in the past and we will do our best to be again up there”, said Soudal Quick-Step sports director Geert Van Bondt.
17.02–23.02 UAE Tour (UAE) 2.UWT
Riders:
Ayco Bastiaens (BEL)
Josef Cerny (CZE)
Pascal Eenkhoorn (NED)
Junior Lecerf (BEL)
Tim Merlier (BEL)
Casper Phillip Pedersen (DEN)
Bert Van Lerberghe (BEL).
Sports Director: Klaas Lodewyck (BEL) and Geert Van Bondt (BEL).
Tim Merlier to the UAE Tour:
Netflix Cancels Tour de France Series after Three Seasons
After three seasons of ‘Tour de France: Unchained’, the series looks to be finishing. The French newspaper Le Parisien previously wrote that there would probably not be a fourth season. A member of a team management told the newspaper that they had not been approached by the series maker, which was the case in previous years. It also seems unlikely that they want to film the Tour de France Femmes, either.
The editing of a third season is in progress at the moment, but the project will most likely stop after its release. In the Netflix series, various teams were closely followed during the Tour de France in recent years. Various experts in the sport provided explanations between the images, which created multiple storylines and made the episodes accessible to people who were new to cycling.
“Normally, we would have been approached by Netflix at the end of January for recordings in the spring with some of our riders,” someone from a French team told the newspaper. They haven’t had a phone call this year. Another person involved also suspects that Netflix will stop at three seasons. “It’s difficult to renew the series every year. Cycling is repetitive. And with a dominant Pogačar, it will be difficult to create an exciting storyline.” The viewing figures for the first two seasons were not disappointing. Cycling fans in particular are finding the series popular internationally. Within France, the episodes are watched less than hoped, while Netflix wanted to grow there. That could be another reason for stopping.
At the same time, there are rumours that Netflix did want to follow the Tour de France Femmes. Netflix is said not to be the only streaming service interested in the women’s Tour de France. It is not clear whether the women’s race will be a series or a documentary. The latter seems the most logical option, although it is said that Netflix is shifting the focus to other sports.
The first two seasons were met with considerable criticism. The focus was too much on the crashes and there was a lot of cutting and pasting, which meant that situations and storylines were shown in a different way than they had occurred. Wout van Aert, among others, spoke out about it.
No NetFlix Tour series:
Vuelta Boss Not Saying Much about the ‘Wildcard’ Situation
The Vuelta a España boss, Javier Guillén, has spoken very little about the distribution of wildcards for this year’s Grand Tours. The organisers of the Giro and the Vuelta have reportedly asked the UCI for an extra wildcard, in order to satisfy more teams. Guillén doesn’t want to talk about it much with the Spanish press.
A meeting of the AIOCC, the international association of cycling organisers, was held in Oviedo on Thursday. Guillén indicated that there are many options for the two wildcards that Vuelta organiser Unipublic is allowed to give away. Lotto and Israel-Premier Tech will automatically receive a wildcard based on their performances in 2024 and also want to ride, which means that only two wildcards are available.
“We will see who we give them to, but of course everyone has a chance and it must be said that the Spanish teams have a great chance”, said Guillén. He denies that the Tour of Spain would exclude the home teams. “Because we do not exclude anyone at la a Vuelta. Movistar is the only Spanish team that is guaranteed to start, because they have that right as a WorldTeam.”
In Spain, Equipo Kern Pharma, Caja Rural-Seguros RGA, Eusktaltel-Euskadi and Burgos Burpellet BH want an invitation, but there are more teams also hoping for a wildcard. “We have to take into account the presence of Spanish teams, but there are also internationally strong teams that would really like to come to La Vuelta”, Guillén told Relevo. He added that: “Everyone knows how that has been going for years, but it is also true that there is a lot of pressure. I do not yet know who will get the wildcards.”
Guillén not saying much about the Vuelta ‘wildcards’:
Caleb Ewan: The First Interview | INEOS Grenadiers
A brand new addition to the INEOS Grenadiers for 2025, Caleb Ewan talks us through his objectives for the season. With a new coach and a new approach, the Australian sprinter is raring to go as his training ramps up.
Caleb Ewan: The first interview:
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