As we get excited about the 2025 Giro d’Italia, we have a very full EUROTRASH bag this Thursday with Giro team announcements and the latest news for Italy, well the Grande Partenza in Albania. Plus three stages of the La Vuelta Femenina by Carrefour.es with videos, reports, results and the rider quotes.
# Read the ‘PEZ Giro d’Italia Route Preview’ HERE. #
# And the ‘PEZ Rider Preview’ HERE. #
TOP STORY:
- Caleb Ewan retires as a professional cyclist effective immediately
Rider news:
- Mikel Landa stays with Soudal Quick-Step
- Stefan Küng leaves Groupama-FDJ for Tudor after seven years
- Jan Maas gets contract extension with Cofidis
- Liane Lippert extends her contract with Movistar Team until 2028
- Gerben Thijssen extends and aims for a prestigious success on the Giro
- Jan Ullrich starts podcast with Rick Zabel
- Mathieu van der Poel shares holiday snaps
- UCI confirms four-year ban for Miguel Ángel López, who has opened a hotel
Team news:
- A New Chapter at the Giro: Primož Roglič leads Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe
- UAE Team Emirates-XRG unveil squad for Giro D’Italia
- Intermarché-Wanty with several strings to their bow
- Soudal Quick-Step to the Giro d’Italia
- Romain Bardet’s final Grand Tour: Team Picnic PostNL confirm their 2025 Giro d’Italia roster
- Movistar Team announces lineup for the Giro d’Italia
- Bahrain Victorious ready for Giro 2025 historic start in Albania
- Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team announces Giro d’Italia line-up
- Team Polti VisitMalta for the Giro d’Italia – 21 stages, 21 challenges!
- Derek Gee leads IPT in the Giro d’Italia
- Belgian uncertainty about World championships in Rwanda
Race news:
- Critérium du Dauphiné to soar to new heights with the Bird Park
- Tro Bro Leon: Valentin Madouas: “Everyone’s been talking to me about this race ever since I became a rider”
- Spectator falls into peloton and causes crash in la Vuelta Feminina
EUROTRASH cappuccino time!
TOP STORY: Caleb Ewan Retires as a Professional Cyclist with Immediate Effect
Caleb Ewan has ended his professional career with immediate effect. The 30-year-old Australian was making a comeback this season with INEOS Grenadiers, but he is now stopping, as of now. The sprinter announced his retirement via Instagram. “What used to be the whole world to me, is no longer that,” he wrote.
Ewan’s resignation
Ewan turned pro at the end of 2014 with Orica GreenEDGE, the predecessor of the current Jayco AlUla. He took his first major successes for this team, including a stage in the Vuelta a España, a stage in the Giro d’Italia and several stages in his home race, the Tour Down Under. After more than four years, Ewan moved to Lotto Soudal.
With the Belgian team, four more victories in the Giro d’Italia followed and a total of five stage victories in the Tour de France. In addition, Ewan finished second in Milan-Sanremo twice: in 2018 and 2021. However, from 2022, things started to go wrong for the sprinter, who rode for his old team Jayco AlUla in 2024. He had a few smaller victories, but he was no longer able to reach his old level. In consultation with the team, he decided to break his contract last winter. At that time, there was speculation about the end of Ewan’s career, but at the end of January he signed a one-year contract with INEOS Grenadiers. In his first races for the British team, he looked like his old self. In the Settimana Internazionale Coppi e Bartali, his first race for his new team, he sprinted to victory and in the Tour of the Basque Country he also won. The next day, Ewan didn’t start and didn’t race again. So he ended his professional career with a victory.
Caleb Ewan’s last win:
La Vuelta Femenina by Carrefour.es 2025
Marianne Vos (Visma | Lease a Bike) finally took her first victory of the season. The Dutch rider was by far the fastest on Stage 2 of La Vuelta Femenina on Monday. The 37-year-old Vos beat Letizia Paternoster (Liv AlUla Jayco) and Letizia Borghesi (EF Education-Oatly) after a perfect lead-out. Paternoster took the overall lead.
After the chaotic stage 1 team time trial in La Vuelta Femenina, where several teams started the time trial in Barcelona with missing riders, because there were problems with the bike control, Monday brought the first road stage. The stage from Molins de Rei to Sant Boi de Llobregat was 99 kilometres. The distance between the two suburbs of Barcelona is around 10 kilometres, but La Vuelta found a much longer route. The first climb came very soon after the start and was 10 kilometres long at an average of 4.1%, but apart from the Alt de la Creu d’Aragall, there were no other climbs. A bunch sprint was expected.
Many riders wanted to be in the early break, but it wasn’t going to be easy. Elena Cecchini was off the front for a while, but the Italian was soon pulled in by the peloton. No one else managed to escape, although the nervousness increased in the peloton in the run-up to the intermediate sprint in Vilafranca del Penedès. Marianne Vos was positioned well and won the sprint. Vos took 5 bonus seconds and the most points. After the sprint, the peloton slowed down and Lea Lin Teutenberg chose to attack. Her escape attempt didn’t last long. There was then a long and dull run-up to the final sprint. Due to the rain in the final 20 kilometres, the roads were slippery and it was important for the riders to be careful.
At 15 kilometres from the finish, there was a crash on a round-about. Anna van der Breggen was the main victim, but she was back on her bike immediately and didn’t look to be injured. Her teammate Mikayla Harvey and several riders from CANYON//SRAM zondacrypto, including leader Neve Bradbury, were also involved in the crash. These riders were able to continue, but had to chase. The peloton had lifted the pace in the final kilometres. The sprint trains of Visma | Lease a Bike, SD Worx-Protime and EF Education-Oatly pulled the peloton into the final kilometre. Vos had a very good lead-out in the final kilometre and was the first to take the last bend at 150 metres from the finish line. This was the perfect place for her to launch her sprint. With a powerful jump, she immediately had a big gap and easily dealt with her closest rival, Letizia Paternoster, who finished second, took the overall lead. Letizia Borghes was third. Vos took her first victory of the season and the 256th victory of her career.
Stage winner and points leader, Marianne Vos (Visma | Lease a Bike): “It’s really good to win – especially, when all the team put their effort in as they have done all season. After what happened yesterday, we wanted to put all our energy into today’s stage. We just all committed to it. I’m happy I could finish it off. We head into the next stages with a good motivation to keep the momentum going. We were prepared for a sprint, but we knew we had to be attentive and careful with the descents. The most important thing today was to stay at the front in order to be safe and out of trouble. The whole team paid a lot of attention to it, and I’m thankful to them. Roads were slippery, indeed. Pauline Ferrand-Prévot and Imogen Wolff were with me the whole time. It is amazing that I just had to follow their wheels to be able to get through the last few corners at the front. They kept me in such a good position!”
Overall leader and 2nd on the stage, Letizia Paternoster (Liv AlUla Jayco): “Being in the leader jersey feels amazing. I’m a little bit emotional. I’m happy for me and for the team, because all the people I have around really deserve this. I finally feel really good, mentally and physically, and that’s the best thing that can happen. It was not in the plan to participate in La Vuelta Femenina, but then in the Ardennes my team and I decided that it was a good idea to come here. I said before the start that I wanted to enjoy the race and do my best from the team time trial, on which I could be a good support for our GC riders. I felt really good after yesterday’s stage. I wanted to try and win it because I saw the final and I felt it could really suit me. It was a hard stage. I tried to attack on the descent, as it was quite technical and I like riding downhill. The final was tricky and dangerous, as it was really wet. Marianne Vos was better than me in the last corner and it was impossible to net the victory. This second place was the most that I could achieve today. But afterwards they told me I was in the Red Jersey, and it was a big emotion for me.”
QOM, Ane Santesteban (Laboral Kutxa-Fundación Euskadi): “We started the stage with two clear goals. One was getting the QOM jersey, and the other was featuring in the sprint with Laura Tomasi or Arianna Fidanza. And both missions were accomplished! Now I know I have two more stages in this polka dot jersey, and that’s very rewarding. We will go day by day, enjoying our time on the race. These last few weeks have been rough both for me and for my team. Things were not going our way, and this is why I was looking forward to attaining today’s goals. We all needed it – we had to give our 110% for this prize! The staff, too, is working quite hard to grant us the best possible conditions on which to do our job. We all deserve this.”
Combativity prize, Elena Cecchini (SD Worx-Protime): “Why did I attack? Well, it wasn’t on the plan. I was hoping that somebody would jump on my wheel. Then I found myself alone in the lead, and I decided it was too long before the finish to keep going. It’s nice to race like this every now and then – I had fun. It has been a strange, stressful day because of the rain.”
La Vuelta Femenina by Carrefour.es Stage 2 Result:
1. Marianne Vos (Ned) Visma | Lease a Bike in 2:35:13
2. Letizia Paternoster (Ita) Liv AlUla Jayco
3. Letizia Borghesi (Ita) EF Education-Oatly
4. Anna Henderson (GB) Lidl-Trek
5. Monica Trinca Colonel (Ita) Liv AlUla Jayco
6. Ally Wollaston (NZ) FDJ-SUEZ
7. Franziska Koch (Ger) Team Picnic PostNL
8. Katarzyna Niewiadoma (Pol) Canyon//SRAM zondacrypto
9. Cedrine Kerbaol (Fra) EF Education-Oatly
10 Laura Tomasi (Ita) Laboral Kutxa-Fundacion Euskadi.
La Vuelta Femenina by Carrefour.es Overall After Stage 2:
1. Letizia Paternoster (Ita) Liv AlUla Jayco in 2:44:40
2. Femke Gerritse (Ned) SD Worx-Protime at 0:02
3. Anna Henderson (GB) Lidl-Trek at 0:03
4. Niamh Fisher-Black (NZ) Lidl-Trek
5. Riejanne Markus (Ned) Lidl-Trek
6. Shirin van Anrooij (Ned) Lidl-Trek
7. Monica Trinca Colonel (Ita) Liv AlUla Jayco at 0:06
8. Anna van der Breggen (Ned) SD Worx-Protime
9. Mischa Bredewold (Ned) SD Worx-Protime
10. Margarita Victoria Garcia (Spa) Liv AlUla Jayco.
La Vuelta’25 stage 2:
Femke Gerritse did the double in La Vuelta Femenina. The SD Worx-Protime rider was the fastest in the sprint after a nervous Third Stage. Gerritse beat stage 2 winner, Marianne Vos (Visma | Lease a Bike) and also took the red leader’s jersey from Letizia Paternoster )Liv AlUla Jayco).
The stage looked to be made for the fast-finishers, or a split, as there was a fear of echelons. The open landscape at the foot of the Pyrenees with the right wind direction and speed, could cause echelons and splits. At 80 kilometres from the finish, echelons were expected. The finish was in Huesca.
Five riders managed to get away in a break. Maaike Coljé (Arkéa-B&B Hotels) was joined by Marion Borras (Cofidis), Magdalene Lind (Team Coop-Repsol), Marina Garau (BePink-Imatra-Bongioanni) and Ariana Gilabert (Eneicat-CMTeam). Lea Lin Teutenberg tried to cross, but was stuck between break and bunch. The five increased their lead to around 3 minutes. The lead was nearly gone with 50 kilometres to go. The pace in the peloton increased considerably. In the open Spanish plains, the wind was not favourable for echelons and so there wasn’t any more attacks. Just before the intermediate sprint in Tramaced, about 30 kilometres from the finish, the last escapees were caught. The speed was high in the peloton coming to the intermediate sprint. Vos was again near the front, but she didn’t manage to take the full points. The Visma | Lease a Bike rider was beaten by Femke Gerritse, this put the SD Worx-Protime rider in the virtual red leader’s jersey.
After the intermediate sprint, the peloton was restless, because the wind suddenly started to blow and the fear of echelons came back. Visma | Lease a Bike and SD Worx-Protime took the opportunity to increase the pace, but this didn’t cause any problems. After another acceleration, it was all hands on deck. Most of the top riders were alert, but Pauliena Rooijakkers, Riejanne Markus, Ellen van Dijk and Shirin van Anrooij missed the move. In the first echelon of about sixty riders, it eased off again and this gave most of the dropped riders the chance to return. SD Worx-Protime was clearly not satisfied with the situation and gave it another go, but this attempt was also short-lived and so the stage would end in a sprint.
In the run-up to the sprint, 2 kilometres from the finish, there was a big crash in the peloton. The riders who were in front of the chaos were racing hard towards the final kilometre. SD Worx-Protime took control coming to the sprint and Gerritse had a dream lead-out, particularly from Mischa Bredewold and was able to finish off the work of her teammates. Gerritse was the first to start the sprint, but was worried by Vos. The points leader back to her, but was unable to pass Gerritse. For the 23-year-old Gerritse, who won the Fenix Omloop van het Hageland earlier this year. it is her first victory at WorldTour level. Gerritse also took the overall lead in Huesca. Marianne Vos is now second overall at 12 seconds. Paternoster dropped to third place on the same time as Vos.
Stage winner and overall leader, Femke Gerritse (SD Worx-Protime): “I really didn’t expect this today! I took the bonus seconds at the intermediate sprint and I felt ‘ok, my sprint is good’. Beating Marianne [Vos] there gave me and my team a lot of confidence. Then the final was chaotic, but I just stayed calm. I felt someone coming, I think it was Vos, but I could keep the first place all the way to the finish line. It’s really incredible. It was a really chaotic stage, because the first part was really twisty and turning, up-and-down, and also wet. Then there was the wind, which was hard enough, but more of a headwind than a crosswind. In the end, I had the perfect lead-out, and I’m really grateful to my team. We took the lead with two kilometres to go, and Anna [van der Breggen] and Mischa [Bredewold] were so amazing! It’s my first WorldTour win and my first Grand Tour stage win. I don’t even know what to say, it’s just so crazy! Before the stage, we knew that both Mischa Bredewold and I are really good sprinters. Not top sprinters like Lorena Wiebes or Elisa Balsamo, but they are not here. We really saw some chances, and we really believed that we could beat Marianne if we followed our plan. It worked out perfectly.”
Points leader, 2nd on the stage and overall, Marianne Vos (Visma | Lease a Bike): “We knew it was going to be a bit of an hectic stage yet again today. It was dry and there were some occasional sections of crosswinds, but never enough to produce real echelons. We still had to be attentive the whole time to be at the front with the team. That was the biggest task of the day, and we undertook it as a team. We tried to spur some action ahead of the sprint, but it wasn’t enough to create a real split. I took second place in both the intermediate sprint and the finish. I was hoping for more, but Femke [Gerritse] was the fastest today. I’m not surprised with her performance – I already knew she is really fast. I think there are a lot of possibilities tomorrow. There is a possibility for a break to go, there is a possibility for GC riders to make splits, and there’s also a possibility for a smaller group going to the finish. Anyway, given the profile of the stage, we know that the final will be pretty hard.”
Combativity prize, Maaike Coljé (Arkéa-B&B Hotels): “I like the wind, but our leaders less so! So our first goal as a team was protecting them. I was given a joker role and could play my chances, so when I saw an opportunity to be in the breakaway I immediately jumped on it. The cooperation at the front was quite good, although some riders were a bit weaker than the others and that made things hard sometimes. Anyway, we kept taking turns, without giving up until getting caught. This Combativity award is just great. I always try to show myself in the break, but I also work a lot for my teammates and that is not always seen. To get a personal reward for once is nice. I love working for my teammates – I find it’s the most rewarding thing in pro cycling. But sometimes it’s nice to stand on the podium yourself! Every place we pass, I have a memory from my time racing in Spain with Massi-Tactic. It’s like a constant flashback. Those were my first years as a pro and I keep fond memories from them. I really like Spain and love racing here.”
La Vuelta Femenina by Carrefour.es Stage 3 Result:
1. Femke Gerritse (Ned) SD Worx-Protime in 3:23:24
2. Marianne Vos (Ned) Visma | Lease a Bike
3. Linda Zanetti (Ita) Uno-X Mobility
4. Mischa Bredewold (Ned) SD Worx-Protime
5. Megan Jastrab (USA) Team Picnic PostNL
6. Vittoria Guazzini (Ita) FDJ-SUEZ
7. Letizia Paternoster (Ita) Liv AlUla Jayco
8. Katarzyna Niewiadoma (Pol) Canyon//SRAM zondacrypto
9. Cat Ferguson (GB) Movistar
10. Agnieszka Skalniak-Sojka (Pol) Canyon//SRAM zondacrypto.
La Vuelta Femenina by Carrefour.es Overall After Stage 3:
1. Femke Gerritse (Ned) SD Worx-Protime in 6:07:50
2. Marianne Vos (Ned) Visma | Lease a Bike at 0:12
3. Letizia Paternoster (Ita) Liv AlUla Jayco
4. Anna Henderson (GB) Lidl-Trek at 0:17
5. Riejanne Markus (Ned) Lidl-Trek
6. Niamh Fisher-Black (NZ) Lidl-Trek
7. Shirin van Anrooij (Ned) Lidl-Trek
8. Monica Trinca Colonel (Ita) Liv AlUla Jayco at 0:20
9. Mischa Bredewold (Ned) SD Worx-Protime
10. Anna van der Breggen (Ned) SD Worx-Protime.
La Vuelta’25 stage 3:
Anna van der Breggen won Stage 4 of La Vuelta España Femenina on Wednesday. The SD Worx-Protime rider sneaked away on the descent of El Buste to take her first victory since her return to racing. Marianne Vos (Visma | Lease a Bike) took second place at 12 seconds, beating Demi Vollering (FDJ-SUEZ). Femke Gerritse (SD Worx-Protime) remains the overall leader.
The first mountains came on the fourth Vuelta stage. In the 111 kilometre stage, there was the Alto del Moncayo (5.3km at 5.7%) halfway through the stage and the Puerto de El Buste (4.5km at 5.6%) 13 kilometres from the finish. There was a possibility of a battle between the GC riders or a group sprint for the victory in Borja.
In the first 30 kilometres, no one managed to escape. With 85 kilometres to go, Maureen Arens, Linda Laporta, Amalie Dideriksen and Aniek van Alpen form a break, with Justine Ghekeire joining later. However, this escape wouldn’t last long. Ghekeire then decided to keep a low profile in the group on the climb up the Alto del Moncayo. When it came to the sprint for the 10 mountain points at the summit of the climb, the Belgian was jumped for them. This virtually put the Belgian in the QOM jersey.
On the final climb, FDJ-Suez and Movistar made the race harder. Mareille Meijering and Evita Muzic put in some small attacks, but it was Liane Lippert who put in a big move. Lippert had all the GC riders with her, as leader, Femke Gerritse had to let go. At the top, Muzic took the points and passed Ghekiere in the mountain classification. On the descent towards Borja, Cedrine Kerbaol attacked, next it was Anna van der Breggen who made her move. The Dutch SD Worx-Protime rider created a gap and looked to be on her way to victory. Behind, Gerritse rejoined the chasers and Muzic tried to close the gap to Van der Breggen ahead of Demi Vollering. This didn’t work. At the finish, Van der Breggen was able to take her first victory in four years. Twelve seconds later, a small group led by Vos and Vollering came in. Gerritse remains the overall leader in the race, because she took 6 bonus seconds during the stage.
Stage winner and 2nd overall, Anna van der Breggen (SD Worx-Protime): “Of course it feels really good, but I didn’t expect this at all. That wasn’t the plan either, but the pace was low on the descent so I decided to go for it. I didn’t expect to solo to victory afterwards. Yes, we knew it could be tough on the last climb, but we hoped to stay with Mischa Bredewold, Femke Gerritse and me. Only in the last metres there was only a small group left on the climb. Well, it’s going really well. But if we’re honest, tomorrow will be a really tough fight. Today there was already a small group left. These are great days to start the Vuelta with, with Gerritse also gaining the confidence that she can beat Marianne Vos.”
Overall leader and 7th on the stage, Femke Gerritse (SD Worx-Protime): “The last climb was ridden at a pretty hard pace, and I got dropped just near the summit. Luckily, I had a great teammate in Mischa [Bredewold] to help me bridge back with the front group. I was so on the limit… As for the finish, I just didn’t have any energy left to sprint. Wearing La Roja is very special. I don’t notice it during the race, but I do on the podium! It’s so nice that Anna [van der Breggen] can win – it’s her first victory after her comeback. She also took a lot of seconds today, and that’s really nice. I’m so surprised she won today, in a downhill finish. It’s just super cool.”
Points leader, 2nd on the stage and 3rd overall, Marianne Vos (Visma | Lease a Bike): “Every team was ready for the fight coming into the last climb. I am pretty happy I made it to the summit inside the front group. Then of course Anna van der Breggen made a great attack. Once she had some meters and with the power she has it was difficult to catch her back. From then on, I focused on trying to score the best possible result. It’s fantastic to have Anna back in the bunch. A rider like her is a fantastic addition for the racing itself. I am not surprised to see her win again, and it’s so good.”
QOM, Évita Muzic (FDJ-Suez): “It was a quite hard stage, the first one with some climbs. We really wanted to be the first ones at the top of the last climb to do the downhill, and then things became a bit chaotic, with a lot of attacks. I was already trying to follow attacks on the climb, so it was hard for me. We really tried to bring Anna (van der Breggen) back, but it was difficult to do it on a downhill like this and nobody wanted to work with us. That’s a bit bad, but we will come back. Now come three really hard stages that suit our team. The mountain jersey didn’t really come by chance, because it was hard to be the first one on the last climb! (laughs) But yeah, I had some points, so we were thinking that, if I was there, I could grab it. It was the goal to be the first at the top of the last climb, so I did my best. Then, I tried to push a bit on the downhill, but it isn’t really my best terrain. But we tried, and we will come back. It’s not the end of La Vuelta Femenina.”
Most aggressive rider, India Grangier (Team Coop-Repsol): “I’m super happy, because it’s the first Combativity award of my whole career. It’s quite new, but quite fun! Of course, this is important for the team. We wanted to be aggressive today and get on the break. We were in almost every group today, so we’re happy we got this prize. The race was very locked from the beginning. Many teams tried to break away, and everyone wanted to go in, so it became hard to go. In the end, no one managed to go clear. But that’s the game, and we will try our luck again over the next few days. Actually, we can’t forecast the breakaway days, you can’t see it coming. It’s a matter of chance. The bunch may not chase on a particular stage – so every day is a breakaway day!”
La Vuelta Femenina by Carrefour.es Stage 4 Result:
1. Anna van der Breggen (Ned) SD Worx-Protime in 2:49:55
2. Marianne Vos (Ned) Visma | Lease a Bike at 0:12
3. Demi Vollering (Ned) FDJ-SUEZ
4. Monica Trinca Colonel (Ita) Liv AlUla Jayco
5. Cedrine Kerbaol (Fra) EF Education-Oatly
6. Liane Lippert (Ger) Movistar
7. Femke Gerritse (Ned) SD Worx-Protime
8. Marlen Reusser (Sui) Movistar
9. Katarzyna Niewiadoma (Pol) Canyon//SRAM zondacrypto
10. Riejanne Markus (Ned) Lidl-Trek.
La Vuelta Femenina by Carrefour.es Overall After Stage 4:
1. Femke Gerritse (Ned) SD Worx-Protime in 8:57:50
2. Anna van der Breggen (Ned) SD Worx-Protime at 0:05
3. Marianne Vos (Ned) Visma | Lease a Bike at 0:11
4. Demi Vollering (Ned) FDJ-SUEZ at 0:22
5. Riejanne Markus (Ned) Lidl-Trek at 24
6. Niamh Fisher-Black (NZ) Lidl-Trek
7. Monica Trinca Colonel (Ita) Liv AlUla Jayco at 0:27
8. Mischa Bredewold (Ned) SD Worx-Protime
9. Margarita Victoria Garcia (Spa) Liv AlUla Jayco
10. Evita Muzic (Fra) FDJ-SUEZ at 0:30.
La Vuelta’25 stage 4:
Mikel Landa stays with Soudal Quick-Step
The Basque will be a member of the Wolfpack until the end of 2026.
Having joined Soudal Quick-Step ahead of the 2024 season, Mikel Landa brought a wealth of experience to the team, but also climbing prowess, which he has shown on numerous occasions. In the 16 months spent in our jersey, the 35-year-old from Murgia has racked up numerous impressive results: from finishing runner-up at the Volta a Catalunya to his maiden Critérium du Dauphiné top ten and from a remarkable fifth at the Tour de France while in the service of Remco Evenepoel to a solid eighth on the roads of the Vuelta a España.
A multiple Grand Tour stage winner, Landa has most recently finished fourth overall in Catalunya, his last race before an altitude training camp in Sierra Nevada, from where he travelled to Albania. The Balkan country hosts the start of the Giro d’Italia, and Mikel is ready to lead Soudal Quick-Step there, after inking a deal that will keep him with the team through 2026.
“I’m really happy to continue with the Wolfpack. I feel one of them and really at home here after one season and a half and I’m looking forward to fighting for new goals. I already have many beautiful memories, from my first outing for the team, when I helped Remco win Algarve to finishing runner-up in Catalunya and then supporting Remco at the Tour de France, where he concluded on the podium after a great team effort.”
“Looking ahead, I would like to be on the podium of the Giro d’Italia! That’s my dream and I will fight for it! It’s been three years since my previous Giro presence and I’m excited to be going there again. I have a love-hate relationship with the race, with many beautiful moments and also some difficult ones, but this doesn’t stop me from dreaming that I can do something nice there. After the Giro, I will then go with a lot of motivation to the Tour, hoping that my experience and effort can help Remco be again on the podium”, Landa said after extending his deal with Soudal Quick-Step.
Landa with Soudal Quick-Step until the end of 2026
Stefan Küng Leaves Groupama-FDJ for Tudor After Seven Years
Stefan Küng will leave Groupama-FDJ at the end of this season. The Swiss rider has signed a contract with his home Swiss team: Tudor Pro Cycling, HLN reports.
Küng has been riding for Groupama-FDJ since 2019, after four years with BMC Racing. With the French team he won 22 races, most of which were time trials. He won the European TT championships twice and won the final time trial of the Vuelta a España last year. Küng has also numerous places of honour in the spring Classics.
After seven years with Groupama-FDJ, Küng moves on. It looks like he is taking a step back, because Tudor is a ProTeam, but the Swiss team has big plans for the future and has signed several top riders. Marc Hirschi and Julian Alaphilippe have been with Fabian Cancellara’s team since the start of this year.
Küng to Tudor:
Jan Maas Gets Contract Extension with Cofidis
Cofidis has extended the contracts of Ludovic Robeet, Paul Ourselin and Jan Maas early.
Dutchman Jan Maas didn’t know what he was going to do at the end of 2024, when he was told that his contract with Jayco AlUla would not be extended. Now he has certainty of his future until 2027. “I feel a lot of satisfaction and joy,” he said in a press release. “I am happy that my feeling with the team matches what the team feels with me. It is nice to see that the team recognises my value and contribution.”
“I know that I am not a rider who wins a lot of races or scores a lot of points, but I know that the staff mainly looks at what I do in the race and what I mean to others. My goal is to do everything so that a rider from the team wins. If I succeed, I will be just as happy as if I won myself,” said Maas. “This team feels like a family to me.”
The 31-year-old Ourselin, whose contract has also been extended by two years, has also only been with the team since 2025. Robeet has been riding for Cofidis since 2024.
Longer contract for Jan Maas:
Liane Lippert Extends her Contract with Movistar Team until 2028
With this new agreement, the rider from Friedrichshafen will complete six seasons with the Telefonica squad
The German cyclist joined the ranks of the team led by Sebastián Unzué in 2023 and, after nearly three seasons, has claimed a stage victory in the Tour de France and another in the Giro d’Italia. She has also been crowned German national champion and stood on the top step of the podium in a stage of the Tour de Romandie and in the Tre Valli Varesine classic.
Liane Lippert has become one of Movistar Team’s leaders, and this season she already boasts a podium finish in the Tour of Flanders and a top-five result in La Flèche Wallonne.
Liane Lippert: “Renewing with Movistar Team feels very natural because it means staying at home. I’ve always felt very comfortable in this team — it’s like a family. I’m really happy with the way we’re working and improving, so I’m more motivated than ever to stay here for the coming years. My main goals for the next seasons will be to help the team achieve victories and good results, while continuing to enjoy racing and stay aggressive on the bike.”
Liane Lippert to stay with Movistar:
Gerben Thijssen Extends and Aims for a Prestigious Success In the Giro
Ahead of his first participation in the Giro d’Italia, the 26-year-old Belgian sprinter Gerben Thijssen has extended his contract with Intermarché-Wanty until the end of 2027.
Since joining in 2022, Gerben Thijssen has come into his own with Intermarché-Wanty on the international sprint scene, securing his first professional victory at the 2022 Four Days of Dunkirk. This marked the beginning of a series of nine successes, including his first World Tour win at the Tour of Poland, as well as victories in classics such as the Bredene-Koksijde Classic, Ronde van Limburg, Gooikse Pijl, and Omloop van het Houtland, beating top sprinters like Tim Merlier, Jasper Philipsen, Caleb Ewan, and Dylan Groenewegen.
His development continued with his first participation in a Monument race at Paris-Roubaix 2023, which he finished, and his debut in the Tour de France last summer. At the start of 2024, he reached a new personal milestone by winning a points classification for the first time at the Tour of the Algarve, thanks in particular to his victory on the opening stage. His growing number of top placings each year reflect his consistency in mass sprints, with 24 top-ten finishes in 2024. Thanks to this contract extension, the Walloon World Team can continue to rely on its Belgian finisher for at least two more seasons.
Gerben Thijssen: “The trust that Intermarché-Wanty shows in me, from my teammates, the staff, and the management, is an important factor in my sporting development, and that’s what makes this contract extension so valuable. We form a great group of friends, and the professional approach of the Performance Team allows me to continue to progress. Last winter, I made concrete progress in the area of nutrition thanks to the advice of Astrid Roekens and Jemme Terryn, and my training was optimised by Adriaan Helmantel. The investment put in place to allow each rider to excel is palpable in all areas. A perfect example is the targeted preparation for the Giro, with a high-altitude training camp for the climbers and specific sprint training on the coast for Gijs Van Hoecke and myself. Coming out of a consistent 2024 season, where I often came close to victory, I have continued to work hard to get closer to the best sprinters. I hope to be rewarded for my efforts at the Giro, to be able to achieve my ambition with a prestigious victory to start a new chapter in my career.”
Aike Visbeek (Performance Manager): “Gerben Thijssen is a rider who focuses on all aspects of his performance with great discipline and hard work: nutrition, training, and muscle strengthening. His confidence in the approach of our Performance Team is essential to his progress. He took advantage of the winter to gain physical strength. It’s a shame that the spring hasn’t yet yielded the expected results, with bad luck playing a major role in important races like Bruges-La Panne and the Scheldeprijs. However, with the experience gained in recent years, including his first Tour de France, it’s only a matter of time before his hard work translates into new results. We clearly see the physical progress he has made and therefore continue to invest in him with confidence. With his nine victories in less than four seasons, he has become an important pillar at Intermarché-Wanty, and we believe he still has a lot to offer. We look forward to seeing what he can show at the Giro d’Italia and in the second part of the season.”
Jan Ullrich Starts Podcast with Rick Zabel
Jan Ullrich and Rick Zabel are going to make a cycling podcast together. The first episode of Ullrich and Rick will be available from 8 May via all podcast apps.
Ullrich and Zabel announced their new podcast on Instagram on Monday. The two listed well-known names from the cycling world that they have in the contact list on their phone. Lance Armstrong, Tadej Pogačar, Mads Pedersen, Chloe Dygert, Julian Alaphilippe and Filippo Ganna were among those mentioned. “We have enough contacts. I propose that we make a podcast together,” said Zabel and Ullrich agreed.
Ullrich has had some difficult years, but the 1997 Tour winner is now enthusiastically working on all kinds of projects again. He opened his own cycling museum in Germany last year and is organising a cycling festival later this month with Lance Armstrong as one of the guests. And now there is a podcast together with Rick Zabel, the son of Ullrich’s former teammate Erik Zabel. The 31-year-old Rick was a professional cyclist until 2024. He rode for Rabobank Continental, BMC, Katusha and Israel-Premier Tech.
Ullrich podcast with Rick Zabel:
Mathieu van der Poel Shares Holiday Snaps
Mathieu van der Poel will soon be back in action, but the Dutchman has been able to enjoy a less stressful period in recent weeks. After his exceptionally successful Classics campaign, there was time for other activities, as can be seen on a post on Instagram.
The Alpecin-Deceuninck rider gave an insight into his private life on social media: he shared his holiday photos from April. Van der Poel has been on holiday with his girlfriend, Roxanne Bertels, and he was also on the golf course, there are also a few photos of him on his bike.
Van der Poel is now back in Spain, near Calpe, where he is preparing for his return to racing. The 30-year-old rider will race again on Sunday 18th May. The organisers of Bike the Rock, a mountain bike race in Heubach, Germany, has announced his participation. According to the race organisers, the winner of Milan-Sanremo and Paris-Roubaix will make his comeback in their mountain bike race. Bike the Rock is not part of the UCI World Cup, but it is part of the MTB Bundesliga in Germany. Van der Poel rode his last mountain bike race in 2023.
This year, the Dutchman intends to ride the World Championship again, which is in September in Switzerland. In the summer, Van der Poel will also be seen in the Tour de France. Nothing is yet known about the rest of his season:.
Mid-season holiday for Van der Poel:
UCI Confirms Four-Year Ban for Miguel Ángel López, Who has Opened a Hotel
It very unlikely that Miguel Ángel López will return to professional cycling. The sports tribunal CAS and the UCI have confirmed the Colombian’s suspension. López has now opened a hotel in Colombia.
López was found guilty of possession and use of the banned substance menotropin during the Giro d’Italia in 2022. The suspension means that López will not be allowed to return to racing until 24 July 2027. Although López appealed the suspension, the Colombian claimed he was using the drug for fertility treatment, the CAS ruled that the Colombian’s real intention was to increase his testosterone levels. Lopez suffered swelling to his legs just before the Giro, which his doctor attributed to the use of menotropin.
As a result of the suspension, all of López’s results after the 2022 Giro are void until his provisional suspension in July 2023. Amongst other things, this means that Filippo Ganna is the official winner of the 2023 Vuelta San Juan.
López’s hotel in Colombia, which opened this year:
A New Chapter at the Giro: Primož Roglič Leads Red Bull – BORA – hansgrohe
Red Bull – BORA – hansgrohe shares a special bond with the Giro d’Italia – and this year, the team is ready to write a new chapter in its Grand Tour story. Led by Primož Roglič, the squad enters the Italian race with ambitions.
The Giro is more than just a race – it’s a cornerstone of the team’s identity. It was the very first Grand Tour for the squad, the place where they wore a Grand Tour leader’s jersey for the first time, and where they’ve claimed more stage victories than in any other major tour. In 2022, Jai Hindley took the overall win; in 2024, Dani Martínez stood on the final podium. Across the last eight Giro appearances, the team has never left without at least a stage win or a top-three GC finish – a trend they aim to continue in 2025.
Starting this Friday, Primož Roglič will lead the team – returning to the Giro and to terrain that suits him well. He is backed by a strong and well-balanced lineup: Giovanni Aleotti, Jai Hindley and Dani Martínez form the backbone for the high mountains. Aleotti, racing his fifth consecutive Giro – instrumental in both Hindley’s victory and Martínez’s podium finish.
Joining this trio of climbers is a rising star: Giulio Pellizzari returns to his home Grand Tour. At just 21 years old, he is the youngest member of the team, but already well known to fans. Last year, he captured hearts across Italy with his attacking style. Earlier this season, he rode alongside Roglič in Catalunya – and this second Grand Tour marks another important step in his talent development.
For the flatter and rolling terrain, the team relies on experience and versatility: Alongside Gianni Moscon, Giro stage winners Nico Denz and Jan Tratnik will take on key duties. For Denz, it’s the third Grand Tour in a row alongside Roglič – after the Tour and the Vuelta, now the Giro completes the hat trick. Tratnik takes on a central leadership role as the team’s road captain.
Rolf Aldag, Chief of Sports at Red Bull – BORA – hansgrohe: “Our ambition for the Giro is clear: we want to play a role in the general classification and deliver exciting racing for the fans. We know how tough this Giro will be, and we’re also aware that all eyes will be on Primož. That’s why we’re heading to the start in Albania with a strong, well-balanced team. Primož is in great shape, and the group around him is well-rehearsed and gives us real tactical depth.”
Red Bull – BORA – hansgrohe x Giro d’Italia 2025
Giovanni Aleotti, Nico Denz, Jai Hindley, Dani Martínez, Gianni Moscon, Giulio Pellizzari, Primož Roglič, Jan Tratnik
UAE Team Emirates-XRG Unveil Squad for Giro D’Italia
Ayuso and Yates spearhead line-up for the Corsa Rosa
UAE Team Emirates-XRG will head to the 108th Giro d’Italia sporting a team full of talent, led by the two-pronged attack of Adam Yates and Juan Ayuso in the mountains. Both riders have enjoyed fine seasons to date and will look to continue the Emirati squad’s magnificent record in the Corsa Rosa.
Last year, it was Tadej Pogačar who took UAE Team Emirates-XRG’s first Giro d’Italia title, building on João Almeida’s terrific third-place finish in 2023. The former claimed six remarkable stage victories on his way to sealing the maglia rosa, whilst Almeida became the latest in a list of riders to take stages for UAE Team Emirates-XRG a year prior.
Since Jan Polanc took the Emirati outfit’s first-ever Grand Tour stage win in 2017, the Slovenian’s success has been replicated by Fernando Gaviria (2019), Diego Ulissi (twice, 2020), Joe Dombrowski (2021), and Alessandro Covi (2022).
Aiming for more success this time out, Yates and Ayuso will be joined by a mighty stable of teammates, including former Giro stage winner Brandon McNulty. The American will be ably assisted by Igor Arrieta, Filippo Baroncini, Isaac del Toro, Rafał Majka, and Jay Vine. For Arrieta, this Giro will present his debut at a Grand Tour, whilst Ayuso, Baroncini and Del Toro will all be making their first appearances at the first Grand Tour of the season.
For Ayuso, the race presents a natural next step in his fledgling career. The Spaniard won the ‘Baby Giro’ back in 2021, where he was supported by Baroncini, and has twice finished inside the top four at the Vuelta a España. Now 22 years of age, Ayuso has enjoyed his best start to a season to date, with victories at the Faun Drôme Classic, Trofeo Laigueglia, Tirreno-Adriatico, and on stage 3 of the Volta a Catalunya.
As he prepares for his maiden tilt at the Giro d’Italia, the Spaniard is excited by the prospect.
Ayuso: “I’m really excited to start my first Giro D’Italia. It’s extra special because it’s a new race for me and having raced for an Italian team (Colpak) before I turned professional and winning the Baby Giro in 2021 I feel I have a special connection with Italy.
It’s been a great start to the year, with some special victories both for me personally and for the team. The goal is to keep that run and that spirit going for the Giro D’Italia. I think we have the strongest team in the race and I feel that is our biggest strength. We have strong rivals in the GC, with Roglič in particular, but we are ready for the challenge.”
For Yates, a return to the Corsa Rosa has been a long time in the making, with the British climber finishing ninth overall as a young rider some eight years ago. That year, the runner-up in the youth classification finished ed inside the top 10 across seven stages, and the now-32-year-old is looking forward to making his return.
Yates: “The Giro is one of the biggest races on the calendar and I can’t wait to get stuck-in. I’ve had a solid preparation period with the team at altitude, and I feel ready to take on the challenge. We’re coming in with big goals, and personally, I’m motivated to race hard and go for a good result. Between myself and Juan I think we should be able to have a good crack on the the GC and try to defend the title, and I’m looking forward to getting started in what I hope will be a very competitive three weeks.“
The full UAE Team Emirates-XRG squad for the Cosa Rosa is as follows:
– Igor Arrieta (Spa)
– Juan Ayuso (Spa)
– Filippo Baroncini (Ita)
– Isaac del Toro (Mex)
– Rafał Majka (Pol)
– Brandon McNulty (USA)
– Jay Vine (Aus)
– Adam Yates (GB).
The eight-strong team will be led by Sports Directors Fabio Baldato (Ita), Fabrizio Guidi (Ita), and Manuele Mori (Ita).
Before home roads welcome the trio in Italy, however, this year’s Giro d’Italia will host its Grande Partenza in Albania for the first time in history. The first three stages of the 108th Giro will take place in the Balkans, including an important 13.7km individual time trial on stage 2. Through the majority of the first week, hostilities will cease between the general classification contenders, before stage 9 presents an ode to Strade Bianche.
Finishing within the Piazza del Campo in Siena, made famous by the fan-favourite race, stage 9 features five sectors of the infamous white gravel roads inside the final 70km.
The following day, another test against the clock awaits, with stage 10 taking the shape of a 28.6km time trial.
As is traditional in the Giro, the final week of racing will prove the most difficult and ultimately decide the overall winner. After the Monte Grappa takes the Giro to searing heights at the end of the second week, stages 16 and 17 will not be for the faint-hearted, as the third week gets
underway with a bang.
On the penultimate day, the route is scheduled to include the Colle Delle Finestre, before heading to Sestrière for the finale of stage 20. Of course, the final stage will take in the usual lap of Rome and allow the hardy sprinters one more time for shine, whilst the winner of the Maglia Rosa will be crowned to much aplomb.
With big ambitions, a team raring to go and 37 victories already in the bank for 2025, UAE Team Emirates-XRG head to Italy full of confidence for the first Grand Tour of the campaign.
Intermarché-Wanty with Several Strings to Their Bow
On Friday 9th of May, Intermarché-Wanty begins the fifth Tour of Italy in its history with an exceptional Grande Partenza in Durrës, Albania. On their route towards the capital Rome on 1st of June, the selection directed by Dimitri Claeys and Bart Wellens will face a 21-stage course divided into two individual time trials, six flat stages, eight hilly stages, and five mountain stages, including three summit finishes.
The three-day Grande Partenza in Albania promises to be intense, with 1900 and 3000 meters of elevation gain to conquer during the first stage towards Tirana and the third stage around Vlorë respectively. The individual time trial on the second day in the streets of the capital is 13.7 kilometres long and includes a categorised climb.
After a transfer day to Italy on Monday 12th of May, the first bunch sprint is expected in Lecce for the fourth stage. The Giro then passes through the finishes in Matera and Naples before the first uphill finish on the seventh day, on the steep slopes of Tagliacozzo (12 km at 5.6%). A second day through the Abruzzo region, the home region of Italian wine partner Vini Fantini, brings the riders closer to Tuscany, where a spectacular gravel stage with five “sterrati” sectors is on the menu on Sunday 18th of May. A route with 20 kilometres of unpaved roads leads the peloton over the same finale as the Strade Bianche towards the Piazza del Campo in Siena.
Following the second rest day on Monday 19th of May, a flat 28 kilometre individual time trial between Lucca and Pisa opens the second week. Immediately, another mountain stage looms with a finish in Castelnovo ne’ Monti. Three transition stages then lead the peloton to the first confrontation with the Alps, the fifteenth stage to Asiago featuring the climb of the mythical Monte Grappa (25km at 5.7%).
True to its reputation, the Giro offers a demanding third week with no fewer than four high mountain stages, including two summit finishes. The sixteenth stage ends with a long climb to the summit of San Valentino di Brentonico (18km at 6.2%). The next day, the Passo del Mortirolo (12.7% at 7.6%) appears on the course en route to the finish in Bormio. The queen stage of this edition arrives on the penultimate day, with the ascent of the Colle delle Finestre (18.4 km at 9.2%), the Cima Coppi with a summit at 2178 meters and partially unpaved roads, followed by an uphill finish in Sestriere. Traditionally, the Giro concludes with a criterium through the historic streets of the capital Rome.
South African Louis Meintjes is preparing for his nineteenth Grand Tour, bolstered by five top 10 finishes in general classifications, including a noteworthy seventh place in the Tour de France. This is the third time he’s competing in the Giro, but the very first time in the Intermarché-Wanty jersey.
Belgian sprinter Gerben Thijssen is making his Giro debut, surrounded by experienced riders to guide him, including Gijs Van Hoecke and Dion Smith, as well as Taco van der Hoorn, who returns to the race for the first time since his brilliant victory in the 2021 edition following a formidable breakaway to Canale.
An Italian trio completes the selection with Francesco Busatto, from Bassano del Grappa, starting his first Grand Tour, in addition to the Lombardy climbers Simone Petilli and Kevin Colleoni, who will be competing on home soil during the eighteenth stage.
Roster:
Francesco Busatto
Kevin Colleoni
Louis Meintjes
Simone Petilli
Dion Smith
Gerben Thijssen
Taco van der Hoorn
Gijs Van Hoecke.
Sports Directors: Dimitri Claeys, Bart Wellens.
Soudal Quick-Step to the Giro d’Italia
Mikel Landa will lead our squad between 9 May-1 June, at the Corsa Rosa
The Giro d’Italia is more than just the first Grand Tour of the season, it’s a three-week epic journey that can be rewarding and ecstatic, but also cruel and merciless. The Giro is pure poetry, it’s love for coffee, culture and mythology, it’s the race of the memorable duels between Coppi and Bartali, and also one of the Wolfpack’s happy hunting grounds.
In 20 participations, the Wolfpack has racked up a total of 33 stages and nine distinctive jerseys, in addition to multiple other classifications and a runner-up spot in the overall standings. This year, as Albania prepares to become the 12th different country to host the Grande Partenza, Soudal Quick-Step will be at the start with the ambition of being again among the protagonists, regardless of the terrain and the conditions, and leave its mark on the Corsa Rosa.
The experienced Mikel Landa, one of this century’s finest climbers, is ready to lead the team at the 108th edition of the event which he has twice finished third overall, in addition to winning three stages and the famed KOM jersey. The Basque, top ten this season in Tirreno-Adriatico and Volta a Catalunya, shared his excitement at the thought of being back at the race he loves so much.
“I am content with the first months of the season, it’s been a good start to the year for me and now I can’t wait to be with the guys at the Giro d’Italia. I had a solid altitude training camp in Sierra Nevada, continued to prepare also after coming home and I am happy to be back at the start of the race that has made me the rider that I am today. I expect a hard Giro, with a demanding final week, but I am ready to fight for a stage victory and a good general classification there”, said Mikel.
Joining Landa on the Soudal Quick-Step roster will be Mattia Cattaneo, Josef Cerny, Gianmarco Garofoli, British Champion Ethan Hayter, James Knox, Luke Lamperti, and Paul Magnier – one of the most promising young riders in the World Tour, who’ll make his Grand Tour debut. The race, which starts from Durres and concludes in Rome, takes in 37 kilometres of individual time trial, 30 kilometres of gravel roads, and around a dozen mountain stages, featuring climbs such as Passo del Tonale, Mortirolo, Colle delle Finestre or Sestriere.
“There are a lot of demanding stages, especially those in the final week, where everything can happen, which means we need to be attentive the entire time. We have a good and motivated team for this first Grand Tour of the year. Mikel will lead the squad’s GC ambitions, while Paul will try to be involved in the bunch sprints. We know it’s going to be a hard race, but we are ready to do our best”, said Soudal Quick-Step sports director Davide Bramati.
09.05–01.06 Giro d’Italia (ITA) 2.UWT
Riders:
Mattia Cattaneo (ITA)
Josef Cerny (CZE)
Gianmarco Garofoli (ITA)
Ethan Hayter (GBR)
James Knox (GBR)
Luke Lamperti (USA)
Mikel Landa (ESP)
Paul Magnier (FRA).
Sports Director: Davide Bramati (ITA), Iljo Keisse (BEL), Geert Van Bondt (BEL).
Landa to lead Soudal Quick-Step in the Giro:
Romain Bardet’s Final Grand Tour: Team Picnic PostNL Confirm their 2025 Giro d’Italia Roster
The battles over the cobbles and climbs in the classics have come and gone, the bunch has duked it out in the early-season stage races and now one of the toughest tests in cycling awaits the peloton – the Giro d’Italia
First through, a Grande Partenza in Albania awaits with the start of the race sure to be met with excitement and intrigue by local and global fans alike. One thing is for definite, Team Picnic PostNL will be line-up with a motivated squad that is ready to compete over different terrain as they hunt for stage results in the sprints and go for it in the mountains; in what will be Romain Bardet’s swansong Grand Tour.
Matt Winston – Team Picnic PostNL coach: “We can expect another challenging three-week route, starting from the first few stages in Albania before we head back across to Italy. We have a squad that has shown in recent races that they are building nicely, with morale and confidence within the group high. We’ll look to go for the sprint stages with Casper as our finisher, with the guys gelling together more and making final preparations throughout the recent week in Türkiye. Like last year, we will aim to ride the best GC possible as a team with Romain as our finisher there, and it will be a special moment for him on his last Grand Tour, while Max will also head into the race to test himself over three-weeks. We will also look for our opportunities to fight for stage wins and top results on the hilly and mountainous terrain too. Throughout the whole race we need to work together well as a team, commit to each other and our goals every day, and by doing so I am confident we can come across the line in Rome and reflect on a good Giro campaign.”
Line-up
Romain Bardet (FRA)
Alex Edmondson (AUS)
Chris Hamilton (AUS)
Gijs Leemreize (NLD)
Niklas Märkl (DEU)
Max Poole (GBR)
Casper van Uden (NLD)
Bram Welten (NLD)
Movistar Team Announces Lineup for the Giro d’Italia
Einer Rubio, Nairo Quintana, Jefferson Cepeda, Jon Barrenetxea, Davide Formolo, Orluis Aular, Albert Torres and Lorenzo Milesi will set off next Friday from Durrës (Albania)
Later this week, the 108th edition of the Giro d’Italia will begin, with a route that starts in Albania and finishes on the first day of June in Rome. From Durrës to the Italian capital, riders will cover a total of 3,443 km.
After the first three stages in the Western Balkans, the race will move to Italy to continue from the Apulia region.
Movistar Team is fielding a squad for the Giro d’Italia aiming for a strong overall classification with team leader Einer Rubio, supported by an ambitious group of riders also looking for stage victories.
Rubio will be taking part in his fifth Giro d’Italia and, after finishing 7th in the 2024 general classification, he hopes to once again be among the race’s strongest contenders. Supporting him will be a group of experienced riders in the corsa rosa, including legend Nairo Quintana, Davide Formolo, and Albert Torres.
Rounding out the lineup are the capable Jefferson Cepeda, Jon Barrenetxea, Orluis Aular and Lorenzo Milesi. The first three will be making their Giro debuts, while Milesi returns for his second appearance. All of them are ready to make their mark across the 21 stages and seize the opportunities that arise.
Bahrain Victorious Ready for Giro 2025 Historic Start in Albania
For professional cycling fans, the start of May means but one thing: the first ‘Grand Tour’ of the season, The Giro d’Italia. Friday sees the start of the 108th edition of the event dubbed ‘the world’s toughest race, in the world’s most beautiful place’.
Since the team’s inception in 2017, Bahrain Victorious have enjoyed considerable success at The Giro, winning eight stages in eight participations. In addition, the team has been on the GC podium four times, won the points classification in 2023, and the youth classification 12 months ago, making La Corsa Rosa comfortably our most successful of the three Grand Tours.
In 2024 it was Antonio Tiberi, making his debut on home roads, who took the white jersey for the best young rider. The 23 year old held the jersey from stage 11 until Rome with a combination of tenacity and audacity, and it will be Tiberi who leads Bahrain over the upcoming three weeks. As he was last year, Gorazd Štangelj is lead Sports Director, and is very clear about the team’s focus: “We have one clear objective: Antonio for the GC to try to make it onto the podium. He is the one and only leader of the team, and if everything goes as we would like or as we are planning, then yes, full focus on this. Antonio’s biggest, let’s say, challenge are the two time trials where we would like to gain some time. Then it’s the last few days, especially stages 19 & 20, where we expect the biggest battle. Probably he will be mostly on here his own against other GC riders to show the quality.”
Tiberi himself seems undaunted by the responsibility on his young shoulders, and is excited to start his home Grand Tour for a second time in the coming days. “I’m definitely very, very happy to participate in the Giro d’Italia again and I can’t wait to start. These days I’ve been working really well, and the legs seem good, so let’s go! Damiano [Caruso] and I work well together, so let’s see how the sensations are in the race. I can’t wait to leave and try to do my best.”
This year the ‘Grande Partenza’ will take place outside Italian territory for a 15th time, dating back to 1965 when the 81 starters set out from San Marino. In 2025, the host nation will be Albania, where the riders will contest three stages. The first and third – both 160km – have been classified as ‘Medium Mountain’ stages, with some climbing, but where almost anything is possible. That could be early skirmishes in the GC, breakaways seizing the day, or sprinters’ teams trying to take control. Sandwiched between them is a 13.7km individual time trial in the capital city of Tirana. It is mostly flat but does have a short climb (1.4km, 5% average gradient) in the middle.
It is the first of two tests against the clock, the second of which comes in Tuscany on stage 10. Once again it is relatively flat with a short incline midway through the 28.6km between Lucca and Pisa. Although neither ITT appears challenging or long enough to make a significant impression on the overall standings, Štangelj believes they could still be important. “Every stage can be GC stage. There are two time trials where we hope to gain some time on other GC contenders, and plenty of stages where our objective is just not to lose time. The biggest aim is actually before we even get to the start … to arrive healthy and stay healthy! That’s our biggest objective at the moment, and then yes, gain time on GC contenders during the time trials. The race itself is quite traditional I would say. It’s always chaotic at the beginning, especially with the start in Albania – we don’t know what is coming. It’s too early panic but to approach it with some caution is probably not a bad thing. When we arrive we will go to see stage 1, or at least the closing parts, and the time trial. Stage 3 is a bit more complicated to get to know the roads, so we will rely more on streetview etc.”
The Albanian portion of Giro 108 concludes in the coastal town of Vlorë, from where it’s a relatively short boat trip to the ‘heel’ of Italy, venue for stages 4 & 5, before stage 6 sees a finish in Naples for the fourth consecutive year. All three are classed as ‘low difficulty’, but each has its own nuances. The first day on the mainland should be one for the pure sprinters; 189km from Alberobello to Lecce. That is followed by a shorter but hillier route from Ceglie Messapica. The last third of the 145km is almost all uphill, and ends with a rise to the hilltop city of Matera. Thursday’s arrival in Naples means a switch to the western coast, and at 227km, is the longest of the 21 stages. The road from Potenza includes over 2500m of elevation gain, but all in the first 150km. After that it’s a pan flat run to the capital of Campania.
The Giro usually features a wide variety of stage profiles, and 2025 is no exception, with the toughest mountains concentrated in the third week. But the first time the climbers will get to test their legs comes on stage 7, which contains three categorised climbs before a summit finish at Tagliacozzo (12.6km, 5.4%). The climb has never featured in the race before, and gets progressively steeper as it unfolds.
In the high mountains Tiberi will have the support of three expert climbers: Damiano Caruso who was runner up here in 2021, brings a wealth of experience and has shown impressive form in recent weeks. He is joined by another Italian, 24 year old Italian Edoardo Zambanini, on the start-list for the third consecutive year, and double stage winner in 2019, Pello Bilbao. Štangelj says that every rider has a clearly defined role.
We have a really balanced team, with mountain support, mid mountain support; we are covered everywhere. We also have riders who we can count on when we need someone in the breakaway or even winning from a breakaway.
Damiano is road captain, and the shadow of Antonio during all the race. He also has some personal objectives to join some breaks and try for a stage win. If there is going to be the space for it, we hope for it. So this is his goal.
Pello’s role is similar to Damiano, he will shadow Antonio as mountain support for him, and he will also have the chances to fight for the stage win. Especially the gravel one where he’s normally good on Strade Bianche and he points out this stage that he will like a lot.
The stage to which he refers is on Sunday, and could be one of this year’s pivotal race days. The road from Gubbio to Siena includes 28.9km of the white roads that give ‘Strade Bianche’ its name. It’s a surface on which Bilbao loves to ride, having finished top ten on all four occasions he has started at the Italian spring classic. There are five gravel sectors, four of which were part of the 2024 Strade Bianche route. The same is true of the closing kilometres, including the explosive final climb up the renowned Via Santa Caterina in Siena.
The previous day the peloton will have completed 197km in the Appenines, starting from Giulianova and ending in Castelraimondo. a finish previously seen in Tirreno-Adriatico. It is an archetypal Giro stage with plenty of climbs throughout, offering hope to breakaway specialists and tempting the GC contenders into action. But we expect many in the peloton to keep their powder dry for those crucial gravel tracks to come before the first rest day.
Both stages 8 and 9 are ‘medium mountains’, and Štangelj introduces two members of the team who were selected for those days: “Edoardo is mid-mountain support, and one of the fastest riders we have in the team. He also showed us a few stages where he would like to have the freedom to play his cards and again, hopefully we can give him this. Fran Miholjevic will be flat and mid mountain support and he’s really a master of positioning people at the crucial time, crosswinds and so on. Antonio and other guys really trust him and he’s good at moving in the peloton. So we are very happy to have such a support rider on the team roster, and Fran hopefully can have some personal team chances and cards to play too.”
After the Tuscan Time Trial that opens week two, the fight for the pink jersey and the ‘Trofeo Senza Fine’ continues its journey north, with an unpredictable 11th stage from Viareggio to Castelnuovo Ne Monti. Halfway through the 186km comes the first category ‘San Pellegrino in Alpe’ which is over 14 kilometres long at 8%. Last raced 25 years ago in the Giro, it has gradients hitting 20% and is one of this year’s most punishing climbs.
Thursday is an opportunity for the sprinters. The 172km from Modena to Viadana does have three categorised hills, but the last 80km are completely flat. With a clear GC target, these stages are not a goal for the Bahrain team, but should the occasion present itself, Štangelj says they will be ready.
We have Matevž Govekar here as support on the flat. He’s the fastest rider in the team, but as all the focus is on GC with Antonio, we will see how many chances Matevž can have for himself. Stage 14 to Nova Goritza, finishes close to his home, so if everything else is in place, he can go for the stage result.
The most experienced rider in the team after Damiano is Andrea Pasqualon. He’s here as pure flat support and I expect a lot from him at the beginning of every stage, especially when it’s windy or when positioning will be required to save energy. And if the situation comes where Matevz can have a possibility, Andrea will be his lead out man.
Stage 13 is 180 fairly straightforward kilometres from Rovigo to Vicenza. The bunch will have to go over the famous Monte Berico, before completing two laps of a 20.3km circuit which includes a second pass of Monte Berico, before an uphill final kilometre averaging 7%. The weekend starts with another flat stage, through the ‘Veneto Plain’ from Treviso. The last 46km are across the border in Slovenia, with three small climbs before a predicted bunch sprint in Nova Gorica.
With 14 stages completed, riders will be looking forward to another rest day, but the route designers are making them earn it. On Sunday they will have to take on their second day in the ‘high mountains’. It’s a 214km ride from Fiume Veneto, with the arduous Monte Grappa taking prominence. A total of nearly 4,000 vertical metres makes this a bona fide test for the climbers, with the finish in Asiago a copy of 2017’s penultimate stage, which saw a thrilling GC battle. The Giro directors will be hoping for the same again.
The blend of experience and youth that has characterised the Bahrain team this season is epitomised by the final member of the line up for this year’s Giro. 23 year old Afonso Eulálio from Portugal is in his first season on the World Tour, but has already ridden five stage races, as well as Strade Bianche. He is a rider with great potential, and Štangelj believes he will not only learn a great deal on his first grand tour, but can also be a valuable asset over the next three weeks.
“The youngest and the least experienced, Afonso, at his first grand tour in his life. We actually don’t know how far we can go with his boy, but he looks good, so far. We trust him and we decided to give him the opportunity on a Grand Tour. Sometimes he shows great condition and the next day he does less than expected, but if he will be at least a few of stages where we would like to have him, then, this is good for the team and good for him to grow up and it’s also investment in his future.”
The total distance of the 2025 Giro is 3443.3km, split into 21 stages. Six are designated as ‘low difficulty’, eight medium, and five in the high mountains, four of which come in the last seven days. The final week in Italy is always fiendishly hard, and will be once again, as the peloton will face the steep slopes of mythical climbs such as Passo Mortirolo and Colle delle Finestre.
Štangelj rode the Giro himself ten times between 1999 & 2011, and understands what lies in wait in week three. “The last week is the brutal one – that’s when we’ll see if the jersey is on the right rider’s shoulders or if it will change hands. That’s where the winner of the race will be decided. I would say especially stages 19 & 20 look particularly tough, and as long as the weather doesn’t make it necessary to change the planned route we can look forward to a big fight there.”
The closing week starts with a vicious 16th stage. Five significant climbs and a summit finish at San Valentino, 17 kilometers long at 6.5% will reveal who has recovered well from two weeks of hard racing, and who has enough left to fight for glory in Rome. It’s a day for the pure climbers, and will carry a lot of weight in the final reckoning for the fabled ‘Maglia Rosa’.
Wednesday’s 155km route from San Michele All-Adige to Bormio has two big name headliners: the Passo del Tonale (15.1km, 6.1%) and the Mortirolo (12km, 7.6%). The last 33.5km is on rolling roads to the arrival in Bormio.
Following that savage start to the final week, stage 18 gives the climbers something of an easier day in the saddle, as the sprinters have another chance to shine. A flat start in Morbegno opens the 144km route to Cesano Maderno. There will be a big fight to get in a strong breakaway, and whether they make it will most likely be determined on the two laps of a 12.5km finishing circuit.
Stages 19 & 20 could well be where this year’s Giro champion is decided. Friday’s high mountains in the Val d’Aosta will present 4,950 metres of elevation gain across 166km. There are five major climbs between Biella and Champoluc: The Croce Serra (3rd cat, 9.1km, 3.8%) comes almost immediately, before the Col Tzecore (1st cat, 16km, 7.7%, max 15%), the Col Saint-Pantaléon (1st cat, 16.5km, 7.2%, max 12%), the Col de Joux (1st cat, 15.1km, 6.9%, max 12%), and finally Antagnod (2nd cat, 8.7km, 5%).
With so much uphill comes plenty of downhill, so skilful descending will also be crucial on a day requiring endurance, persistence and top condition.
The culmination of a three-week battle to decide who will be crowned the champion of the 2025 Giro d’Italia comes on Saturday, which many see as the ‘Queen Stage’, and which echoes the 19th stage from the 2018 edition. That day seven years ago saw a now- legendary 80km solo attack from Chris Froome which turned the race on its head. This time around it’s the Colle del Lys (2nd cat, 13.6km, 4.2%), followed by the ridiculously tough Colle delle Finestre (HC, 18km, 9%) which is a full hour’s effort peaking at over 2000m, almost half of which is on a loose gravel road surface. The day ends with the small matter of a summit finish in Sestriere (3rd cat, 17km, 5-6%).
After the gargantuan efforts of the 20 previous race days, the entire race caravan travels 780km to Rome for the traditional grand finale. Stage 21 is 141km starting on the Tyrrhenian coast at Lido di Ostia and closing with eight laps of the 9.5km city circuit.
Bahrain Victorious are full of confidence following an excellent set of recent results in Romandie, Paris-Nice, Tour of the Alps & Tirreno-Adriatico. With an impressive Giro record, and a singular objective to support our leader Antonio Tiberi, the team is looking forward to achieving the best possible results in Italy between Friday 9th May and Sunday 1st June.
The final word goes to our leader for this month in Italy, Antonio Tiberi, who has high, but realistic, hopes for these three weeks riding in front of his home fans whose support he values so much: “I will try every way possible to get to Rome on the highest step of the podium I can, but it’s a more realistic goal would be just to make the podium. And I would be extremely satisfied and proud if I could entered to be able to get to Rome on the podium, and and I will do everything, and give everything, to do that”
Forza Ragazzi!
Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team Announces Giro d’Italia Line-Up
Tom Pidcock leads the team at the Giro d’Italia Grande Partenza in Albania on Friday May 9. Joining him are Xabier Mikel Azparren (ESP), Nick Zukowsky (CAN), Matteo Moschetti (ITA), Damien Howson (AUS), Mark Donovan (GBR), Milan Vader (NED) and Emīls Liepiņš (LAT). The sports directors are Gabriele Missaglia, Daniele Nieri, Kurt Bogaerts and Jens Zemke.
“This is our first Grand Tour and it’s really something special,” says general manager Doug Ryder. “Our Italian title partner Q36.5 has an extreme vision of the future of cycling clothing. To be able to represent this brand in Italy’s greatest race is a privilege.”
“We have prepared this race well, with the utmost precision, so our eight riders can perform to the best of their ability supported by a dedicated group of staff working together with such unity. I’m incredibly proud to see this team come together in the fight for results.”
Team leader Tom Pidcock wants to continue on his good form from the Ardennes Classics. “This is my first Giro d’Italia and I am excited,” said Tom Pidcock. “Racing in Italy is always special, and I’ve got a lot of great memories from racing there. It’s a fantastic opportunity for us as a team and we have a responsibility to show we are worthy of that opportunity. I believe the whole team is going with a mission to show ourselves as Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team. For me personally I come with high ambitions and with the form I’ve carried from the Ardennes I know the legs will be there. Of course, there are many opportunities, but we are going to plan well and pick our moments”
Sports director Gabriele Missaglia is passionate about racing and even more about racing in Italy. He approaches the Giro d’Italia as 21 opportunities to get a good result. “We are proud to be in the race. My last Giro d’Italia was in 2021 with Team Qhubeka and we won three stages,” says Gabriele Missaglia. “Our ambition this year is not to start with one goal like the general classification. We look at the race day by day. We hope to win stages with Tom or with Matteo. For Matteo there are five or six sprint opportunities. For Tom, who is our team leader, this is a perfect course with several opportunities for his type of rider. The Giro d’Italia is an open race this year so all our riders will have opportunities in a breakaway situation. I look forward to racing as a team.”
Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team to Giro d’Italia
Riders:
Tom Pidcock, Xabier Mikel Azparren, Nick Zukowsky, Matteo Moschetti, Damien Howson, Mark Donovan, Milan Vader and Emīls Liepiņš.
Sports directors:
Gabriele Missaglia, Daniele Nieri, Kurt Bogaerts and Jens Zemke.
Mechanics:
Luca Catabiani, Edgar Coso Ferrer, Andrei Kunitski, Joaquin Sobrino and Jurgen Landrie
Soigneurs: Xenia De Roose, Ton de Vaan, Gunther Landrie, Leonardo Moggio, Albert Poblet and Marco Morais
Communications staff:
Karselle Moodley and Adam Nunn
Coaching staff:
Carles Tur
Medical staff:
Madlaine Müller, Christian Wegmann and Caroline Heinen-Vees
Nutritionists and chef:
Peter Neirinckx, Adam Pluscinskí and Mateusz Gawelczyk
Bus driver:
Michał Giemza.
Tom Pidcock to lead Q36.5 in the Giro:
Team Polti VisitMalta for the Giro d’Italia – 21 Stages, 21 Challenges!
Team Polti VisitMalta is ready to back up the trust placed in them by the Giro d’Italia organisers and the public with both attitude and performance. The 108th edition of the corsa rosa will kick off this Friday in Albania and finish in Rome on the first day of next month. In total, it will cover nearly 3500 kilometres and over 52,000 meters of elevation gain, spread across 21 stages with three rest Mondays. Right from the start there’s a tempting chance to wear the pink jersey, with hilly routes and ITT on offer, before tackling Italy from south to north in a delicious mix of stages suited to attackers, sprinters and climbers. All leading up to the brutally tough third week, which will climax on the Colle delle Finestre on Saturday the 31st, before the grand finale in the capital.
For Polti VisitMalta, this is the flagship event of the entire calendar — the race everyone works towards and dreams of. In its previous guise, the ProTeam led by Ivan Basso and the Contador brothers secured two victories: on the Zoncolan in its debut participation in 2021 and on the Gran Sasso in 2023. For 2025 the lineup led by Stefano Zanatta, Giovanni Ellena, Jesús Hernández and Orlando Maini is 7/8 identical to last year’s. The only new face is one of the latest signings, a rider who has already ridden the Giro five times: Alessandro Tonelli. Alongside him are the talented GC rider Davide Piganzoli, sprinter Giovanni Lonardi, roster captain Mirco Maestri, breakaway artist Andrea Pietrobon, the selfless (and only non-Italian) Fran Muñoz, and the Bais brothers, Mattia and Davide, known for their long-range attacks and climbing reliability.
Piganzoli: “We’ve prepared well, with strong work both at altitude and in the lead-up races. I’m really excited to be here again — especially since stage 18 starts in my hometown, Morbegno. My goal is to improve on my 13th place overall in 2024, but I also don’t want to wait around too much — I’ll take my chances when they come!”
Maestri: “This will be my eighth Giro (the fourth in a row with this team) but I’m approaching it like my first — with the gritty joy of honoring the corsa rosa. What’s changed, for the better, is my experience, which I put at the service of a solid squad that has what it takes to win at least one stage. At the Tour of the Alps and the Tour of Turkey we showed we’re in good shape, and now more than ever it’s time to believe in ourselves and show what we’re worth on the road.”
Sports Director Stefano Zanatta: “We’re approaching the most important moment of the season with maximum ambition, ready to show our identity and represent our sponsors in the best possible way. The trend is positive — as shown by Piganzoli’s two top-10 finishes at the Tour of the Alps, Lonardi’s results in Turkey, Davide Bais’s second place in Reggio Calabria, Mattia’s frequent attacks and the team unity in every situation. We know we can play a leading role, we’ll tackle all 21 stages as if they were 21 classics.”
Derek Gee Leads IPT in the Giro d’Italia
Derek Gee will return to the Giro d’Italia after his breakthrough performance in 2023, this time leading a strong IPT team in pursuit of both daily and overall success.
“The Giro definitely has a special place in my heart. This is where I had my first big results. The crowds were amazing, and I’m super motivated for this whole race. To come back to the Giro is really special to me,” Gee says.
Unlike the daily stage hunting that saw Gee become a fan favourite in 2023, this time the focus will be on finishing as high as possible in the general classification.
“It was pretty special to be hunting for stages two years ago, but this time I’ll have a different and more ambitious goal – thinking of the GC. I don’t want to put a specific number on what my expectations are for the general classification, I just want to continue building on what we’ve already achieved this season. Then, hopefully, in Rome, we can look back and have a good number on the board. I really just want to do the best race I can.”
Derek Gee during one of this iconic Giro d’Italia breakaways in 2023.
To support Gee, IPT will line up with the following riders at the Grande Partenza in Albania on May 9: Corbin Strong, Hugo Houle, Jakob Fuglsang, Jan Hirt, Marco Frigo, Nick Schultz, and Simon Clarke – a versatile group also capable of aiming for stage glory.
Sports director Sam Bewley explains: “It’s no secret that we are going to the Giro d’Italia to ride the GC with Derek. We believe that with his abilities and physical capacities, we can do a really good GC with him. Of course, we want to win stages at the Giro too, and we’ve got a number of guys capable of doing that. There should be plenty of opportunities for breakaways to succeed this year, and we’ve got some really good guys to be part of that. Furthermore, there are a lot of punchy, uphill finishes this year that really suit Corbin. Overall, we’ve got a well-rounded group, with the main objective being the GC while also trying to pick up a few stage wins along the way.”
Last year, Gee changed his focus midway through the season to test himself in the general classification at the Critérium du Dauphiné. He surprised many by finishing on the overall podium in third place before going to the Tour de France and take ninth place in the GC. This year, the 27-year-old Canadian has already tasted stage race success in form of his overall victory in Gran Camiño and third place in Tour of the Alps. Now, it’s time for the big test in the Giro d’Italia.
Derek Gee celebrating his stage victory before winning O Gran Camiño overall.
As this will be the first time Gee targets the GC at a Grand Tour from the start of the season, Bewley highlights the importance of having an experienced group of riders around the Canadian team leader. “We felt that it was really important to surround Derek with experienced guys, and we’ve got quite a lot of depth when it comes to experience in our group, with the likes of Simon Clarke, Jakob Fuglsang, Jan Hirt, Nick Schultz, and Hugo Houle. All of these guys have a history of riding in support of leaders at Grand Tours or riding GC themselves, so we felt it was important to have them here. They have been racing together a lot throughout the season already, really connecting as a group, and they have all prepared really well for this Giro. We are ready.”
Gee, too, points to the strong and experienced group around him as a key factor in having a good race. “I think the team has been great all year. The core group of us has raced together at every race, and it has just been incredible. We have such good chemistry as a team, and hopefully, we can translate that into getting some good results. I’m really looking forward to this Giro!”
Marco Frigo, Hugo Houle, Simon Clarke & Jakob Fuglsang supporting Derek Gee during O Gran Camiño this year.
IPT at the Giro d’Italia (Friday May 9 – Sunday June 1)
Riders:
Derek Gee (CAN), Corbin Strong (NZL), Hugo Houle (CAN), Jakob Fuglsang (DEN), Jan Hirt (CZE), Marco Frigo (ITA), Nick Schultz (AUS) and Simon Clarke (AUS)
Sports Directors:
Sam Bewley (NZL), Daryl Impey (RSA), Pat McCarty (USA).
Belgian Uncertainty about World Championships in Rwanda
Belgian national coach, Serge Pauwels, has high ambitions with Remco Evenepoel and Wout van Aert in the 2025 World championships. But WielerFlits asked how the Belgian team were doing logistically for the World championships in Rwanda?
Pauwels travelled to the African country in early March, where the World championships will take place later this year for the first time. “I was there mainly to explore the courses”, said Pauwels. “There has already been a visit on behalf of Belgian Cycling by Sven Vanthourenhout (Pauwels’ predecessor) and two years ago by Frederik Broché (former technical director), but no final decision had been made about the hotel at that time. That was a reason to travel again.”
“But we also had to make arrangements about the vehicles we are going to rent. You need about seven of them, including two minibuses to transport the equipment and the riders. That sounds simple, but Rwanda is not the country where you can just go to any company that will arrange everything. It is all a bit more complex there.”
The same can be said of the circumstances and political situation that will be encounter in Rwanda. At the border with the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), barely 160 kilometres from where the World championships will take place, there is a military and humanitarian crisis raging, largely fuelled by the government of Rwanda. Even the Belgian Minister of Sport has previously expressed her concerns, but the UCI does not yet appear to have a plan B ready.
That is why certain decisions cannot yet be made, Pauwels believes. The size of the selections, mainly in the youth categories, is one of them. “There are quite a few issues at stake these days,” Pauwels explained. “The relations between Belgium and Rwanda, for example. The political ties between the two countries were severed a few weeks ago, and all aid from Belgium to Rwanda is prohibited.”
“These are factors that are making us look a bit today: how will that evolve? What impact could that possibly have on us and our participation?”, confirms Pauwels. “And do we have to adapt? Initially, the position was to go with a full delegation, but we may have to adjust if there is a lot of pressure attached to that. If things start to move there, we will have to change our position.”
According to the national coach, there is only one factor that is really important. “You want to be able to guarantee everyone’s safety. That is paramount, but we have to see how everything evolves. That is still guesswork.”
What is happening with the Worlds in Rwanda?
Critérium du Dauphiné to Soar to New Heights with the Bird Park
Key points:
- The Bird Park located in Villards-les-Dombes (Ain), is joining the Critérium du Dauphiné as the partner of the best young rider classification for the next three years.
- The partnership is founded on the connection between sport and nature, with a shared commitment to preserving and enhancing local territories.
- An editorial feature titled “One Day, One Stage, One Bird” aims to raise public awareness of the rich birdlife found across the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region.
The Bird Park: An Iconic Tourist Destination
The Bird Park is the largest bird-focused wildlife park in Europe. Located in the heart of the Dombes region for 55 years, it offers a unique concept that brings together the Dombes Reserve and the Bird Park, home to bird species from every continent. The Parc also plays a vital role in the conservation of species that are endangered in the wild, making a substantial contribution to European breeding programmes through its specialised reproduction centre dedicated to European species. With more than 300,000 visitors a year, the Bird Park is the leading tourism driver for the Ain department.
The Bird Park, A Committed Partner in the Peloton
After hosting the Critérium du Dauphiné four times (2011, 2013, 2015, and 2017), the Bird Park joins the best young rider classification and will appear on the white jersey, which rewards the best rider aged 25 or under. This jersey was won by American Matteo Jorgenson in the previous edition.
“One Day, One Stage, One Bird”
Becoming the partner of the best young rider classification is a natural fit for the Bird Park. Education and awareness-raising are central to its identity, reflected in a range of innovative play-and-learn initiatives, which will be extended during the race through the editorial feature “One Day, One Stage, One Bird”, shining a light on an emblematic bird species of each area that hosts a stage of the race. Shared on social media, this content aims to raise public awareness of the diversity of birdlife in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region. The partnership will be further enhanced through a combined television and digital sponsorship campaign on France TV, boosting the visibility of the Bird Park during coverage of the event.
Christian Prudhomme, Director of Cycling, ASO: “Tony Martin in 2013, Nacer Bouhanni in 2015 at the Critérium du Dauphiné and Mark Cavendish during the 2016 Tour de France are some of the prestigious names who have claimed victory at the Bird Park, a long-standing and committed supporter of cycling. Welcoming it as the sponsor of the best young rider classification at the Critérium du Dauphiné is therefore a natural step, one that will also help to raise awareness around bird conservation among race spectators and viewers.”
Emmanuel Visentin, Director of the Bird Park: “This partnership between the Bird Park and the Critérium du Dauphiné feels like a natural progression. It reflects a long-standing relationship, as the Bird Park has built strong synergies over the years with organisers of cycling events that pass through the Ain department. Reaching a shared audience and benefiting from unparalleled exposure are not the sole motivations behind this collaboration. This is a partnership that goes beyond traditional sports sponsorship and is rooted in a common set of values: a deep regional connection, showcasing landscapes and biodiversity awareness. For one week, we invite the public to join the Critérium du Dauphiné and the Bird Park — a chance to reconnect with nature.”
Valentin Madouas: “Everyone’s Been Talking to me About this Race ever Since I Became a Rider”
Valentin Madouas will receive a late baptism of fire when the 41st edition of Tro Bro Leon gets under way on Sunday. The 28-year-old from the Finistère department has watched it “somewhere between 15 and 20 times” from the roadside since he was a little boy, but he has never before lined up for his “home race”, an unpredictable event that the Groupama–FDJ rider has come to “love”. At long last, an overhauled schedule will allow the Olympic silver medallist to take the start in Lannilis. He is determined to finish the day with one arm wrapped around a pig and the other one around a bouquet.
You are set to discover the Tro Bro Leon at 28, in your ninth season as a pro. We find it hard not to say, “About time!”. Do you feel the same way?
Yes and no! I wanted to ride it, of course. But it was part of the game, so to speak, because there were always big races that clashed with it. Earlier, it was up against the Amstel. Later on, I rode the Giro. After that, it fell right when I returned to competition during the build-up to the Tour, and I saw no point in coming if I wasn’t in decent shape. I wasn’t going to show up just to be an also-ran.
How come you can ride it this year?
We tweaked my race calendar a bit. I started the classics a bit later and tried to push back my peak. Apart from that, switching out the Dauphiné for the Tour de Suisse means I can stop right after Tro Bro. It gave me an extra week to play with, so it slotted in nicely.
At any rate, there was no way you were going to eventually retire without entering this race…
Definitely! It’s my “home race”, after all.
You are probably the active rider with the most appearances at the race… as a roadside spectator.
Certainly! I’ve been going to the race since I was a kid. It’s kind of the local fixture. The tracks are what I really like about it. It’s a proper race, not just a sprint finish. The landscapes are breathtaking. It also shines a light on the beauty of northern Finistère. And the tracks make it a bit… You never quite know how it’s going to play out. I’ve seen some absolutely wild turnarounds here. It’s always a cracking race to watch. I love it!
How many times have you watched it from the roadside?
Pfff… No idea. I’m 28, right? Somewhere between 15 and 20 times, I guess. As a kid, I used to go there all the time. After my dad retired in 2001, we went to watch nearly every edition because the company he used to work for, Trecobat, a builder of detached houses, is one of the race sponsors. It has its headquarters in Lannilis, right by the start. My dad was a sales rep there before becoming head of sales, so he was often at the race for work and he even commented it on TV. So yeah, I’ve been there loads of times!
It is not entirely true to say that you will be pinning on your first race number on the ribinoù, as in 2012 you already raced Tro Bro Cadets, the U17 event that serves as the warm-up act for the pro race. What sticks out from that experience?
It was great! I’m glad I did it. But I set the bar too high for myself. I was really keen to get a result, not least because it was part of the Madiot Trophy. My result [tenth] was nothing to write home about, but it was a race we were all buzzing for. At the U17 level, you rarely get to race with the full pro setup around you. It was quite funny!
Are we right to assume that your goal this year is to take the win and the pig that comes with it?
Not mine, my girlfriend’s!
Really?
Yes. In fact, she’s right behind me [this is a phone interview]. She just loves piglets. You know, we bought a seaside holiday house in Le Conquet. We’re renovating it and it should be finished by summer. I told her the pig would be there for the housewarming! She has no intention of slaughtering it, but I told her a pig is for a pig roast! It’s meant for a proper celebration [his girlfriend is not happy]. It’ll make a fond memory!
How would you describe your relationship with Tro Bro Leon? Is it the race closest to your heart?
I guess you could say that. I haven’t given it a lot of thought, to be honest… These are our quintessential roads. When you go out gravel riding around here, you realise just how many tracks there are. On a 60-kilometre loop, you can spend 50 on ribinoù. They’re a defining characteristic of our lands. It’s a real classic. It reminds me of the Belgian classics. Some people call it Brittany’s answer to Paris–Roubaix and I tend to agree. Sectors come thick and fast, like in Roubaix, even though the distance isn’t quite the same. The course doesn’t go out of its way to tackle climbs, it’s not brutally hard. But it does grind you down. You need to stay focused from start to finish and know exactly where to put your wheels to avoid the stones because you can throw the whole race away on something stupid like that.
You could almost say that nearly every ribin has a story tied to you. The Leuré Braz track, for example, ends in Plouider, where your parents got married.
It’s pretty funny, I know all the early race sectors inside out. One of them, the third one, finishes right next to my house. I live in Gouesnou, just by the airport. I know the ones in the finale really well too. But saying the course tells the story of my life… That might be a bit of a stretch! Still, they’re places I know like the back of my hand.
Your club, Team Oxygène Ploudal-Portsall, is even planning to set up a Madouas Corner… That gives you a good idea of what to expect on Sunday!
Everyone’s been talking to me about this race ever since I became a rider. I know everyone’s going to have their eyes on me. It’s funny, really. The club said they wanted to do a little something. They’re planning to gather just after the last ribin, about 2 or 3 kilometres from the finish. They’ve spoken to the local farmers to clear a space and create some positive vibes. Of course, it’s to cheer me on. But it’s also about being together. When you’re in a cycling club and you’re volunteering, you deal with a lot of hassle and not many moments to just celebrate. You’ve got to make the most of these moments. I don’t want to know too much in advance either! I’ll be over the moon if they have a great time and, if I’m up there, it’ll make it all the more special!
Last year, you were the rider featured on the official race poster, painted by Jean-Paul Mellouet. That must have meant a lot to you.
Absolutely! Every rider dreams of ending up on one of Jean-Paul’s posters! The poster is always incredibly beautiful.
You have just come off a somewhat frustrating classics campaign. Your last win dates back nearly two years. It was also in your home region, at the Bretagne Classic. We can imagine that you are especially fired up to get back to winning ways, and even more so on home soil.
Yes, definitely, that’s the goal! That’s why I’m here: to try and win. As a team, we’re approaching it the same way we did in the Franche-Comté races, where Guillaume Martin-Guyonnet claimed two victories. The aim is to bag as many victories as we can from these four races, whoever gets them [the Boucles de l’Aulne, Tour du Finistère, Classique de Morbihan and Tro Bro Leon, in a sequence from Thursday to Sunday]. I’ll only be riding the first one, in Châteaulin, and then Tro Bro. I’m feeling good, in great shape. Now I just need to make it happen!
Valentin Madouas to ride the Tro Bro Leon ‘about time’:
Spectator Falls into the Peloton and Causes Crash in la Vuelta Feminina
Bizarre images during the third stage of the Vuelta Feminina. The riders were riding through the neutralised zone of the third stage, in the centre of a Spanish village. Suddenly, a spectator falls and ends up in the peloton. This leads to a crash for Aniek van Alphen.
The spectator in question is standing on a platform watching the approaching peloton, until she suddenly falls. She falls from the platform and ends up in the peloton. She comes into full contact with Van Alphen, who also hits the ground. Fortunately, Van Alphen was able to continue.
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