EUROTRASH Thursday: Evenepoel Angry and Classics Catch-Up

A slightly slimmer than normal EUROTRASH Thursday due to the lack of internet and power in Spain on Monday and Tuesday. The spring Classics are over, but we have the videos, results, reports and rider views from the first two stages of the Tour de Romandie.

TOP STORY:

• Remco Evenepoel angry after ‘disrespectful’ statements about wife’s family – Considering legal action

Rider news:

• Jonas Vingegaard reconnoitres important Pyrenees climbs
• Tadej Pogačar found the Classics tough: “I don’t think I can do this every spring”
• Mikel Landa and Soudal Quick-Step in talks to extend contract
• Tadej Pogačar’s successful Classics worries Alberto Contador
• The cobbled climb of Montmartre in final stage of Tour de France? Remco Evenepoel hopes not
• Tadej Pogačar now holds both KOM’s on Côte de la Redoute
• Puck Pieterse might start her mountain bike campaign in the same race as Mathieu van der Poel
• Kim Le Court responds to critics with her victory in Liège
• Lotte Kopecky had a difficult run-up to spring due to knee injury

Team news:

• National coach Serge Pauwels is certain: “Thibau Nys can win all cycling monuments”
• Paul Manning joins USA Cycling as women’s track endurance coach
• A bold new addition to CANYON//SRAM zondacrypto Generation
• Bahrain Victorious Head to Germany’s Biggest Race: Eschborn-Frankfurt
• Soudal Quick-Step to Eschborn-Frankfurt
• Jens Zemke – 40x Eschborn-Frankfurt
• Next races for Team Picnic PostNL

Race news:

• Red Bull KM “Gives Extra Wiiings” to the Giro d’Italia
• Giro d’Italia: Final stage in Rome honours Pope Francis during jubilee year
• Record field as teams announced for Lloyds Tour of Britain Women

Coffee!

TOP STORY: Remco Evenepoel Angry after ‘Disrespectful’ Statements about Wife’s Family – Considering Legal Action
Remco Evenepoel is annoyed with Ruben Van Gucht and vented his anger on Instagram. In the TV program De Afspraak on Monday, the Sporza journalist, Van Gucht said that he had heard a rumour that the double Olympic champion, financially takes care of the family of his wife Oumi Rayane. According to Evenepoel, this is ‘complete nonsense’.

Evenepoel recently said that he drew a lot of strength from Islam and Van Gucht started talking about the Moroccan in-laws of Evenepoel. “The fact is that in the last years of his career he has really involved his wife’s family in his victories and his performances,” said the TV presenter. “I hear that he is also trying to ensure that. Is that necessary? Is that not necessary? That is what he has to decide for himself. I don’t think many of his colleagues do it that way.” Van Gucht then emphasised that he had only heard the story. “I hear that. So people can indeed say tomorrow that it is empty rumours. I am now telling a rumour that I hear in the belly of the cycling world.”

Soon after, Evenepoel responded on Instagram. “I feel obliged to respond to the absurd and disrespectful statements that Ruben VG made about my private life. He claimed that I would take care of my wife’s family,” the Belgian began. “Let me be very clear: this is complete nonsense. My wife comes from a wealthy family. With parents who built a wonderful life for their children through hard work and entrepreneurship. Oumi was my neighbour. Her parents live just 200 meters from mine in Schepdaal. Everyone who lives there knows that they live in a beautiful villa. A huge house.”

Evenepoel emphasises that he has always been welcomed with open arms by the Rayane family since he was seventeen. “We have known each other since our youth. Long before there was any talk of money, fame or anything else. Her parents do not owe their prosperity to anyone. Certainly not to me. And then you, Ruben, come and tell me that I would take care of them? Let me explain something to you: if anyone has helped, it is more likely to be our (in-laws) who have always done everything to support us and make us stronger. I don’t know where you get your stories from, Ruben. Or is it hard for you to believe that a Moroccan family has simply worked hard and is well-off? That says more about your limited worldview than about reality.”

“The real truth is simple: love, respect and hard work have brought us where we are now. Not prejudices. Not gossip. And certainly not people who prefer to call themselves journalists, but prefer to spread nonsense. Maybe you should worry more about your own family, Ruben… Because we hear things too.”

Evenepoel Family Considering Legal Action after Racist Remarks
Remco Evenepoel’s family is considering taking legal action after the racist remarks on social media towards Evenepoel and his wife Oumi Rayane, according to Het Nieuwsblad. The statements by sports journalist Ruben Van Gucht added fuel to the fire.

In the group ‘Remco Evenepoel “De ket van Schepdaal”‘ on Facebook, with more than 25,000 members, tensions rose considerably after Liège-Bastogne-Liège, after Evenepoel’s less than good day in the Ardennes classic, the reactions flooded in. Among the expressions of support there were also racist remarks, often linked to statements Evenepoel made about his wife’s religion. A moderator reported that a racist message had been reported, after which the family announced that they would take action. “The legal department has been called in. It has to stop!”, responded his father Patrick Evenepoel. That was before sports presenter and commentator Ruben Van Gucht made some statements about Evenepoel’s in-laws in the Canvas programme ‘De Afspraak’.

“It doesn’t stop,” father Patrick said in an interview with Het Nieuwsblad. “And then Ruben Van Gucht adds another scoop. We don’t really follow it ourselves, but people who know us well forward those things. People can be bad, especially on social media. It’s about all kinds of things and probably also about Oumi. But nobody should interfere with what they do between the two of them, right?”

“Of course those statements affect us. It’s no longer about the athlete, but about our child. We can’t let those reactions go on like that anymore. The right people will deal with it. And not just for us, but for everyone who has to experience such things. At the moment, no complaints have been filed.”

The Dilbreek police emphasise that racism, hate speech and discrimination are punishable under Belgian law. “An investigation can then be started,” Het Nieuwsblad quotes commissioner Koen Luppens. “There are several cases in the Criminal Code that criminalise hate speech, incitement and discrimination. Defamation and slander are also in the Criminal Code. And then there is the Anti-Discrimination Code. Punishments range from fines to prison sentences. In addition, victims can file a civil lawsuit for damages.”

VRT Investigates Statements by Ruben Van Gucht
The VRT will issue a statement later today on the situation, following statements made by the cycling presenter and journalist in the TV programme De Afspraak. The public broadcaster is “working hard to gather all the information about the row”, according to Het Nieuwsblad.

Van Gucht is getting a lot of flak on social media. Under his latest Instagram post, which has nothing to do with the row, people accuse him of spreading lies and racism. “Gossip based on possible racist intentions… nice answer from Remco”, is one of the reactions. “Remco put you in your place. And you don’t deserve better than that!”, someone else wrote. The journalist is refraining from commenting for the time being. He did send an audio message to Evenepoel, according to the VRT.

Remco Evenepoel Didn’t Respond to Audio Message from Ruben Van Gucht: “He Doesn’t Deserve That”
Before the start of the second stage of the Tour de Romandie, Evenepoel spoke about Van Gucht’s statements and all the commotion that has arisen. “I think it was clear what my position was,” he told VTM. “He sent an audio message, but without an apology in any case.”

“That was a bit strange, but we will see what comes of it. The position of me and my family was clear. Now I have to continue racing here and everyone else has to do their own thing. Hopefully not much more attention will be paid to it. The evening itself, things were a bit topsy-turvy in my head, I will say, but after a short conversation with Klaas Lodewyck (team manager) I was able to put it aside and focus on the prologue and the coming days here. Did I respond to his audio message? No, he doesn’t deserve it.”

Remco not happy with rumours:

Tour de Romandie 2025
Top favourites; Remco Evenepoel and Stefan Küng didn’t win the Prologue of the Tour de Romandie on Tuesday, it was Samuel Watson. The 23-year-old British rider of the INEOS Grenadiers team beat Küng and Evenepoel in the streets of Saint-Imier. Ivo Emanuel Oliveira (UAE Emirates XRG) was second and Ivan Romeo (Movistar) was third.

The Tour de Romandie started, as in previous years, with a short individual time trial. This year it was a 3 kilometre race in Saint-Imier, a town of only 5,000 inhabitants at the foot of the Jura mountains. The time trial route was practically flat, but there were some tight bends and a few small ramps.

Lennert Van Eetvelt was the first rider off the starting ramp at 15:13. The Belgian Lotto team’s GC leader had a final time of 4:46, but hadn’t ridden for the stage win. Iván Romeo was going for the win. The Spaniard is the current U23 World time trial champion, he beat Van Eetvelt’s time by 10 seconds. Romeo watched from the ‘hot seat’ as one top rider after another couldn’t beat his time. Bauke Mollema finished 6 seconds behind, Aleksandr Vlasov was only 4 seconds short and João Almeida finished 3 seconds behind Romeo. Maikel Zijlaard lived up to his name as a prologue specialist. After his surprising victory in last year’s prologue, the Tudor rider now finished in provisional second place, just 26 hundredths of a second behind the Movistar rider. Romeo could breathe a sigh of relief, but that didn’t last long. Visma | Lease a Bike’s Matthew Brennan was slower than the Spaniard, but it was Ivo Oliveira who managed to beat Romeo’s time.

The Portuguese UAE Emirates XRG rider, who earlier this month won two stages in the Giro d’Abruzzo, was almost 3 seconds faster than Romeo at the finish line and set a new top time. Next everyone was waiting for Remco Evenepoel to finish. The reigning World TT champion shot out of the starting blocks, but couldn’t match Oliveira’s time. The Soudal Quick-Step leader did come close to Oliveira’s tome, but was 4 seconds adrift. Stefan Küng finished the prologue just a little faster than Evenepoel, but was also 4 seconds down on Oliveira. With the top men finished, it looked like the victory would go to the UAE rider.

But Samuel Watson was still to finish. The 23-year-old British INEOS Grenadiers rider, who has been a prologue and short time trial specialist in the past, set a new top time. The time difference was very small: Watson was only 28 hundredths of a second faster than Oliveira to take the win and the overall lead, with a time of 4:33.30. This was only his second professional victory of his career and his first WorldTour win, he won a stage in the Tour de Wallonie last year. Oliveira and Romeo finished second and third, Zijlaard was fifth, Küng sixth and Evenepoel eighth.

Stage winner and overall leader, Sam Watson (INEOS Grenadiers): “I did not expect it to be honest. I was out training in Andorra yesterday and I got a call from the team saying to get to the airport as soon as I could because I’m racing Romandie tomorrow. Here I am with a victory! It’s so special. All I felt was pain. I crossed the line and I didn’t know I was leading until the first interview, so it’s quite a nice surprise. It’s not really set in yet. To say I’ve won my first WorldTour race with INEOS Grenadiers, my first win with them, is a dream. It definitely gives me some confidence going into the next stages. I was at the end of quite a hard three day block so today fills me with confidence. On paper, this race suits me.”

2nd on the stage an overall, Ivo Emanuel Oliveira (UAE Emirates XRG): “I can definitely be proud. It was a long wait in the hot seat and obviously it is a hard pill to swallow because 0.002 seconds is nothing. It is like throwing the bike at the line, it is the blink of an eye. Losing my first WorldTour victory like this leaves me with no words. But obviously I am proud of how I rode, because I had no mistakes, I did a great ride and I prepared super well for this prologue with the team. In the end, there was one rider stronger than me and even if it was by this margin, he was stronger than me. So kudos to him and I will keep working for my first WorldTour victory. Once I finished the ride, I said I had no regrets. I did everything super good and everything went smoothly. If you see the top 15, we have four riders in there. That is amazing. The team is super strong, we have a super strong team and I think we can make a super GC here by the end of the week.”

6th on the stage and overall, Stefan Küng (Groupama-FDJ): “I’m not really satisfied. I wanted to win; I felt good on this circuit. I’m not very happy. What was missing? It’s hard to say; it’s such a specific effort that you almost never make during the season. I wanted to attack. I couldn’t say what I missed in terms of victory. I enjoyed the race, but I would have preferred to be first and take the win.”

Tour de Romandie Prologue Result:
1. Samuel Watson (GB) INEOS Grenadiers in 4:33
2. Ivo Emanuel Oliveira Alves (Por) UAE Emirates XRG
3. Ivan Romeo Abad (Spa) Movistar at 0:03
4. Stefan Bissegger (Sui) Decathlon-AG2R La Mondiale
5. Maikel Zijlaard (Ned) Tudor
6. Stefan Küng (Sui) Groupama-FDJ at 0:04
7. Thibault Guernalec (Fra) Arkéa-B&B Hotels
8. Remco Evenepoel (Bel) Soudal Quick-Step
9. Jay Vine (Aus) UAE Emirates XRG at 0:05
10. Jan Christen (Sui) UAE Emirates XRG.

Tour de Romandie Overall After Prologue:
1. Samuel Watson (GB) INEOS Grenadiers in 4:33
2. Ivo Emanuel Oliveira Alves (Por) UAE Emirates XRG
3. Ivan Romeo Abad (Spa) Movistar at 0:03
4. Stefan Bissegger (Sui) Decathlon-AG2R La Mondiale
5. Maikel Zijlaard (Ned) Tudor
6. Stefan Küng (Sui) Groupama-FDJ at 0:04
7. Thibault Guernalec (Fra) Arkéa-B&B Hotels
8. Remco Evenepoel (Bel) Soudal Quick-Step
9. Jay Vine (Aus) UAE Emirates XRG at 0:05
10. Jan Christen (Sui) UAE Emirates XRG.

Romandie’25 stage 1:

Stage 1 of the Tour de Romandie was easily won by Matthew Brennan (Visma | Lease a Bike) on Wednesday. The promising young British rider started a long sprint and held off Aurélien Paret-Peintre (Decathlon-AG2R La Mondiale) and Artem Shmidt (INEOS Grenadiers). He is also the new overall leader of the Swiss stage race.

The first road stage was for the sprinters, although it did have 3,000 metres of climbing over four categorised climbs, the last 80 kilometres were flatter, with no big climbs, but still a few uphills. Not much happened during the stage until the build-up for the sprint. Ben Zwiehoff and Gerben Kuypers made a brave attempt to stay away from the peloton with a maximum lead of 5 minutes, but they were caught with 25 kilometres to go.

In the end the stage would end in a bunch sprint. INEOS Grenadiers and Soudal Quick-Step took control, but they could do nothing about Brennan. The young Briton was well positioned all the time and started the sprint with 200 metres to go and no one could come close to him. Brennan finished within 10 seconds of Watson in the prologue on Tuesday, he took the overall leader on the GC.

Stage winner and overall leader, Matthew Brennan (Visma | Lease a Bike): “It’s very special to win here. We came here with the goal of winning a stage, so to have already succeeded makes me and everyone involved with the team very happy,” the winner stammered afterwards. “Once we survived the last climb, I knew there was a chance we could sprint for the win. The guys did a great job and made sure I stayed out of trouble all day. I’m incredibly grateful to them. Things are going really well so far. It would be nice if we can get another stage win this week. I’m looking forward to the next few days and hope to be able to support Jørgen as best I can in the mountains.”

4th on the stage, Huub Artz (Intermarché-Wanty): “This Tour de Romandie is my first race since my crash in Brugge-De Panne. It was important to survive the climbs today to be able to go for a result, and I’m happy that I managed to do it. In the final it was key to be in front for the descent, because the speed was so high that it was impossible to make up positions. Also the final kilometre was very intense, à bloc, I didn’t even manage to sprint out of the saddle. I just missed out on the podium, nonetheless I am very happy with the result. I’ve been training really hard the past two weeks without knowing what my level was compared to my competitors. It is a really nice feeling to surprise myself with this result in my first World Tour stage race.”

6th on the stage, Oscar Onley (Team Picnic PostNL): “We took control of the stage to prepare for Bittner’s launch, but unfortunately he suffered a puncture and had to push too hard to get back to the group. The team did a good job positioning Pavel and me at the finish. The descent was a bit chaotic, and I gave my best in the sprint.”

Tour de Romandie Stage 1 Result:
1. Matthew Brennan (GB) Visma | Lease a Bike in 4:42:32
2. Aurélien Paret-Peintre (Fra) Decathlon-AG2R La Mondiale
3. Artem Shmidt (USA) INEOS Grenadiers
4. Huub Artz (Ned) Intermarché-Wanty
5. Clement Venturini (Fra) Arkéa-B&B Hotels
6. Oscar Onley (GB) Team Picnic PostNL
7. Clément Champoussin (Fra) XDS Astana
8. Milan Menten (Bel) Lotto
9. Ramses Debruyne (Bel) Alpecin-Deceuninck
10. Ben Swift (GB) INEOS Grenadiers.

Tour de Romandie Overall After Stage 1:
1. Matthew Brennan (GB) Visma | Lease a Bike in 4:47:02
2. Samuel Watson (GB) INEOS Grenadiers at 0:03
3. Ivo Emanuel Oliveira Alves (Por) UAE Emirates XRG
4. Artem Shmidt (USA) INEOS Grenadiers at 0:05
5. Ivan Romeo Abad (Spa) Movistar at 0:06
6. Stefan Küng (Sui) Groupama-FDJ at 0:07
7. Thibault Guernalec (Fra) Arkéa-B&B Hotels
8. Aurélien Paret-Peintre (Fra) Decathlon-AG2R La Mondiale
9. Remco Evenepoel (Bel) Soudal Quick-Step
10. Jay Vine (Aus) UAE Emirates XRG at 0:08.

Romandie’25 stage 1:

Jonas Vingegaard Reconnoitres Important Pyrenees Climbs
Jonas Vingegaard will not return to the peloton for another five weeks, but the Dane is not taking it easy. The 28-year-old has started his preparation for the Tour de France, his big goal of 2025, including checking-out the important climbs.

Jonas Vingegaard has had a difficult time recently, but is now completely fit again and has started his preparation for the Tour de France. He will not add any extra races in the run-up to the Tour. His originally planned race programme remains unchanged.

Vingegaard will soon go to the Sierra Nevada to train at altitude with his Visma | Lease a Bike teammates, but he was still in the south of France on Tuesday. The two-time Tour winner was spotted on the climb to Hautacam and the Col de Peyresourde. These climbs could play a key role in the Tour de France in July. After his training camp in the Sierra Nevada, the Critérium du Dauphiné (8-15 June) is on the schedule. After this race, an altitude training camp in Tignes will follow as a final preparation for the Tour de France (5-27 July).

Vingegaard is no longer suffering from the after-effects of his concussion in Paris-Nice. “I no longer have any problems or other physical discomfort. I am now training again without any problems and will soon be leaving for an altitude training camp. I am really looking forward to racing again. I have not raced much in the past year, so I am really looking forward to starting again.”

Vingegaard is training for the Tour:

Tadej Pogačar Found the Classics Tough: “I Don’t Think I Can do this Every Spring”
With his third victory in Liège-Bastogne-Liège, Tadej Pogačar finished off his spring campaign on Sunday. The Slovenian was involved in all the action in every race he started. But it wasn’t always easy, he admitted in a press conference after ‘La Doyenne’.

“The Classics campaign was tough. I’m not going to lie about that,” said Pogačar, who won four of the seven one-day races he took part in, including Strade Bianche, the Tour of Flanders, the Flèche Wallonne and Liège-Bastogne-Liège. He finished third in Milan-Sanremo, second in Paris-Roubaix and the Amstel Gold Race. “There were some ups and downs, but luckily Belgium gave us good weather. That made it easier to stay here for a long time. Every race I did and got closer to Liège, it got better for me. I’m very happy and as a team we can be proud of what we showed this spring.”

Thanks to his victories in the Tour of Flanders and Liège-Bastogne-Liège, something only Eddy Merckx could do in the same year, Pogačar now has nine Monuments in his palmarès, putting him on par with Sean Kelly and Fausto Coppi. But the UAE Emirates XRG rider is not concerned that he is writing history. “I get that question a lot, but I’m not here to write a book,” laughed the World champion. “I just enjoy racing, and in all modesty, I’m happy that I’m so good at it. I just try to enjoy it and not think about other things.”

Asked about a highlight of his miraculous spring, Pogačar replied that the victories were of course the most important. But he also found his second place in Paris-Roubaix special. “I never expected that I would be able to do that, but I have experienced a lot of special things this spring. It was the perfect Classics period. I am very happy.”

Is it possible for Pogacar to ride such a full and intensive spring program every year in the coming years? “It depends on which major tours you ride. If you do the Giro, it is more difficult to complete such a spring program. If I were to go to the Giro now, I might go home after one week. You always look in December at what your program will be: where you can rest, where you can go on vacation, so that you don’t burn yourself out. It will be difficult for me to do what I did this spring again. I don’t think I can do this every spring.”

Now that the classics period is over, Pogacar is focusing on the Tour de France. But first he is taking a break. “I’m going to reset myself for a while, after which I’ll prepare for the summer.”

Pogačar didn’t expect his Paris-Roubaix:

Mikel Landa and Soudal Quick-Step in Talks to Extend Contract
Mikel Landa maybe racing for Soudal Quick-Step in 2026. His contract with the Belgian team expires at the end of 2025, but the 35-year-old Spaniard will extend his contract, according to La Gazzetta dello Sport.

Landa is currently in his second season with the Belgian team. In his career, he has also ridden for Bahrain Victorious, Movistar, Team Sky, Astana and his first team; Euskaltel-Euskadi. The climber is at the moment the right-hand man for team leader Remco Evenepoel in stage races, Landa is also allowed to go for his own chances when possible. Last year he was second in the Tour of Catalonia, fifth in the Tour de France (while working for Evenepoel) and eighth in the Vuelta a España.

This year the Basque rider was seventh in Tirreno-Adriatico and fourth in the Tour of Catalonia. Landa is currently preparing for the Giro d’Italia, where he will be the leader for the GC. He will also ride the Tour de France again in the summer, working for Evenepoel.

More time with Soudal Quick-Step for Landa?

Tadej PogaČar’s Successful Classics Worries Alberto Contador
With his third victory in Liège-Bastogne-Liège, Tadej Pogačar closed his very successful spring last Sunday. The Slovenian was at the front in every race he started. Alberto Contador admires the Slovenian’s performance, but he is also concerned about the Tour de France.

Contador believes that Pogacar’s team, UAE Emirates XRG, should tell the World champion to ease off a bit. The Slovenian is known for his attacking racing and in the past Classics, he has never held back from a long solo, but according to Contador, this also has a downside. “I think he will also hear it from people within the team: ‘hey Tadej, you don’t have to attack every time with seventy or eighty kilometres to go’,” Contador said on EuroSport last Sunday, after Pogačar’s dominant victory in Liège-Bastogne-Liège. “The message will be: ‘we are now going to save energy and race economically’.”

“I am certain that his current competition programme, with its focus on the very demanding and tough classic races, is not the best preparation for the upcoming Tour de France,” the two-time Tour winner believes. “Let’s see how he feels later, whether there is still any fatigue. As a team, I would be concerned about his efforts.”

Contador thinks Pogačar should slow down:

The Cobbled Climb of Montmartre in Final Stage of Tour de France? Remco Evenepoel Hopes Not
The final stage of the 2025 Tour de France will go over the cobbled climb to Montmartre three times, Le Parisien reported earlier this month. You would think this would suit Remco Evenepoel, he soloed over this climb to Olympic gold in 2024. But the Belgian is critical of ASO’s plan. “That will only cause extra stress,” he told Sporza.

“I would not be happy if we were also presented with that climb in the final stage of the Tour,” Evenepoel continued. “Don’t make it too complex and just stick to that usual circuit. I think there will be enough battle for positioning in the first week of the Tour. With Montmartre added, that would mean that we have to do the same on the last day. We will already be tired enough by then.” Evenepoel would also find it a shame for the sprinters if the Butte Montmartre has to be climbed. “They get a great chance to sprint for a stage win on the Champs-Elysées every year. That chance is then somewhat taken away from them by having to make an effort of three minutes three times.” The Soudal Quick-Step leader points out that the cobbled climb towards the Sacré-Cœur will be too tough for many fast-finishers. The climb is one kilometre long and has an average gradient of 6.5%, “Montmartre is an unnecessary obstacle in my opinion. It would be great if ASO would abandon that plan.”

Remco doesn’t want the Montmartre climb in the Tour:

Tadej Pogačar Now Holds Both KOMs on Côte de la Redoute
Tadej Pogačar won Liège-Bastogne-Liège for the third time on Sunday. The Slovenian attacked on the Côte de la Redoute, where he left everyone behind. It earned him his second Strava KOM on the infamous climb.

The Côte de la Redoute is an extremely steep climb and has two almost identical segments to the top. On one of the two segments, top talent Jarno Widar was the record holder after 21 April 2024. However, the young Belgian was still a junior at the time, he is now with Lotto’s devo team, lost this KOM after Liège-Bastogne-Liège 2025.

Pogačar flew up La Redoute on Sunday without getting out of the saddle, he reached the top at an average speed of 22.8 kilometres per hour. The World champion took 3 minutes and 58 seconds to ride the segment of La Redoute (1.51km at 10.5%) and was 3 seconds faster than Widar.

Strava section for Pogačar:

Puck Pieterse Might Start Mountain biking in the Same Race as Mathieu van der Poel
Puck Pieterse had a successful spring with her win in Flèche Wallonne, second place in Liège-Bastogne-Liège and third in the Amstel Gold Race, plus being in the top-ten of every race this season. She will now take a week off. But after that, she turns her focus to mountain biking. The MTB World champion made the announcement in a press conference after Liège.

“I will first have a week off,” said Pieterse. “After that, I will start my mountain bike campaign. I will definitely ride the World Cup cross-country in the Czech Nove Mesto (23-25 ​​May). I may also ride in Heubach the week before (17-18 May), but we will have to wait and see how I feel.”

The mountain bike race in the German Heubach is better known as Bike the Rock. The organisers previously announced the participation of Mathieu van der Poel. Bike the Rock is not part of the World Cup, but it is part of the MTB Bundesliga in Germany.

Pieterse to start mountain biking in May:

Kim Le Court Responds to Critics with Her Victory in Liège
Kim Le Court closed a strong spring with a historic victory in Liège-Bastogne-Liège on Sunday. A great moment for herself and for her home country of Mauritius. “It is the first time that I heard our national anthem on such a big stage”, said the AG Insurance-Soudal rider at the race press conference. “It was super special that they had the national anthem, because nobody knows my flag and country”, laughed Le Court. “I hope that from today people know better where I come from. And that I don’t try to be someone else.”

Le Court was referring to the criticism she received due to her national championship jersey. Her white jersey features the flag of Mauritius, which makes it look very similar to the rainbow jersey of World champion Lotte Kopecky. “I am myself, I am from Mauritius and I try to be unique. Hopefully today is a statement: Mauritius is a country, this is not a fake jersey. I am proud of where I am from. It is a very small island and I am very happy to show it to the world.”

Although she is proud of her jersey, she would like the design to be a bit different. “So that I would not get such negative comments. People reacted very badly on social media,” she explained. “But it is not my choice that the flag of my country looks like this. The UCI also approved the jersey. This is just how the flag is. Lotte and I are also friends. She does not mind and does not complain about it, so that is the most important thing.”

Le Court had her sights set on Liège-Bastogne-Liège for a long time. “Since the Tour de France Femmes last year, I felt really good in the stage to Liège. Today was my debut here, but my team and I thought I could do well. I had some problems during the race, I had trouble breathing, but my teammates kept motivating me. I’m glad I pulled myself together in the final, as I always do.”

It wasn’t only in Liège, but also in all of the spring races. She was third in the UAE Tour, fifth in Milan-Sanremo and the Tour of Flanders and sixth in the Flèche Wallonne. “I was always close this spring. I often came fifth or sixth. That was frustrating. There was always a gap between me and the top three, but today I closed that gap.”

Le Court is proud of her jersey:

Lotte Kopecky had a Difficult Run-up to Spring Due to Knee Injury
After finishing fifth in Liège-Bastogne-Liège, Lotte Kopecky spoke about her preparation: “Given the way my winter went, I have to be very happy with my victory in the Tour of Flanders and spring.” Her SD Worx-Protime team released a statement to clarify the situation.

It turns out that Kopecky was struggling with knee problems after a nasty crash in the penultimate stage of last year’s Simac Ladies Tour. “When training resumed, the knee problems started to flare up. It took a while before the correct diagnosis could be made. The world champion was therefore unable to train optimally and had an on and off bike story last winter. As a result, the preparation did not go as it should have, but fortunately Lotte was able to stick to her planned competition program with the start in Milan-San Remo. The knee problems have been off the table since the start of the season. Kopecky will not start in the Luxembourg Festival Elsy Jacobs competition this weekend, where she was previously scheduled.”

The team mainly wants to focus on the good performances of the 29-year-old rider. “Lotte had a great spring campaign. She played an important role in the victories of teammate Lorena Wiebes in Milan-Sanremo and Gent-Wevelgem and for the fourth consecutive year she was able to win a Monument with the Tour of Flanders.”

Kopecky herself is also satisfied with her spring campaign. “Despite not being in top form this spring, I am very happy with the win in the Tour of Flanders. I am perhaps even more pleased with the positive trend I have noticed in myself in recent weeks. Now I am taking a week of relative rest to recover from the spring. And then I will resume my preparation. I am super motivated for the busy summer that awaits me towards the Tour de France Femmes.”

Kopecky happy with her spring:

Belgian National Coach Serge Pauwels Thinks: “Thibau Nys Can Win All Cycling Monuments”
With a twelfth place in the Amstel Gold Race, eighth in the Flèche Wallonne and in Liège-Bastogne-Liège, Thibau Nys can look back on a successful first Ardennes spring. National coach Serge Pauwels is impressed by the 22-year-old and sets the bar very high for Nys.

“I think he is capable of winning all cycling monuments”, the former rider said in the podcast Wuyts & De Vlaeminck by het Laatste Nieuws. “I am also thinking of Paris-Roubaix, the Tour of Flanders in the long term. Even the Tour of Lombardy. With what I have seen of him now, I think that everything is within his capabilities. Thibau has so many technical qualities, which is also an advantage for him. If he can finish so high in the Walloon Classics, he can also do so in the Tour of Flanders.”

Michel Wuyts is also impressed by Lidl-Trek rider. “He has discovered another race that he can win in the long term. Although I am not basing my opinion on that fifth place, but on the ease with which he went on La Redoute. He is only 22 years old, so you can build on that. However, he will still have to keep up with the Pogačar generation for a while.”

Thibau Nys can win the Monuments:

Paul Manning Joins USA Cycling as Women’s Track Endurance Coach

As a decorated athlete and coach, Manning joins the USA Cycling Track Team as they set their sights on the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.

USA Cycling is excited to welcome Paul Manning as the new Women’s Track Endurance Coach. A decorated Olympian and highly respected coach, Manning brings a wealth of experience and a winning mindset that will help elevate the women’s track program following the retirement of former coach Gary Sutton.

Manning won three Olympic medals – one of each colour – while racing for Great Britain’s Men’s Team Pursuit squad across three Olympic Games. After retiring in 2008, he joined the British Cycling coaching staff and led the Women’s Team Pursuit squad to gold at the London 2012 Olympic Games, earning ‘High Performance Coach of the Year’ honours at the UK Coaching Awards. Most recently, he coached with Cycling New Zealand, guiding their Women’s Team Pursuit to the gold medal final at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, where they finished just 0.6 seconds behind Team USA.

With multiple world and Olympic titles under his belt as both an athlete and a coach, Manning knows what it takes to compete at the highest level. He’ll now lead USA Cycling’s Women’s Track Endurance program with a focus on key international competitions, including the World Championships and the upcoming Olympic Games in Los Angeles.

“We’re thrilled to have Paul on board,” said Craig Griffin, USA Cycling’s Director of Track. “He’s not only a world-class coach but also someone who understands athlete development and how to build a strong, positive team culture. We can’t wait to see the impact he’ll have.”

In his new role, Manning will work closely with athletes and staff to help shape the future of the USA Cycling track program, marking a major step in the organisation’s ongoing investment in athlete support and long-term success.

“I’m really looking forward to this new chapter with USA Cycling in Colorado Springs,” said Manning. “The U.S. has incredible talent on the track, and I’m excited to be part of helping these riders achieve their goals.”

Visit USACycling.org for more information on the athletes, events, and membership programs, and follow @USACycling across all channels for the latest on Team USA.

For more information, contact Angelina Palermo at apalermo@usacycling.org

New USA women’s track endurance coach Paul Manning:

A Bold New Addition to CANYON//SRAM zondacrypto Generation
CANYON//SRAM Zondacrypto Generation is proud to introduce Italian off-road rising star Valentina Corvi as the newest addition to its roster. The 20-year-old will join the team in 2025 as she broadens her cycling repertoire to include road racing.

Valentina is already part of Canyon’s elite off-road division, racing for Canyon CLLCTV MTB in both cyclocross and mountain bike, and has shown rapid and impressive development. She is the reigning Italian U23 National Champion in both cross-country MTB and cyclocross, and placed fourth in the U23 cross-country event at the 2024 UCI MTB World Championships.

Now in her second year out of the junior categories, Valentina has started the 2025 season in strong form, claiming two victories at UCI Continental MTB Series events. Most recently, she achieved career-best results at the UCI MTB World Cup rounds in Araxá, Brazil, where she secured three podium finishes across the U23 short track and cross-country events. She is thrilled to now be incorporating road racing into her season.

“For me, it is a great satisfaction to be joining CANYON//SRAM Zondacrypto Generation – it is one of the most prestigious teams, and being part of it is like a dream come true. My experience on the road is very limited, and I’ve only did a few races when I was younger, but I will definitely try to learn a lot, and I will do my best. I have always been attracted to this new world, and so, this year, having had the opportunity, I decided to include it in my seasonal programme alongside mountain biking, which remains my main discipline.”

She is unsure how her CX and MTB skills will assist her transition to road racing, but doesn’t have to look far for inspiration, as an increasing number of athletes are balancing similar pursuits.

“I think they are two completely different things, but in some ways, they can help each other. Surely, the technical skills I’ve gained from MTB will help me manage the bike on the road, while road racing will benefit me and complete my athletic preparation. I think they are quite complementary. The athlete of reference for me is definitely Puck Pieterse, who excels in both MTB and on the road!”

One of the key differences between MTB/CX and road racing is the strategic approach – an area that Valentina is both curious about and eager to develop.

“What I love about road racing is the tactics and reading of the race. Everything is very unpredictable, and you need to think a lot. The teamwork, too, and sharing victories and/or defeats with your teammates is something very beautiful and new to me, since in MTB, everything is more individual.”

CANYON//SRAM zondacrypto Head of Sport, Adam Szabó, describes how the signing of Valentina materialised, and shares his early impressions of the young Italian’s showing.

“Valentina was with us at the Portugal training camp in December because she is also part of Canyon CLLCTV MTB, and we’ve actually been wanting to establish a deeper connection between the mountain bike team and our road team. It’s a good match because Valentina and her coach also want to explore some road racing. We’re also keen to see her racing on the road, since we’ve already had a good experience with her in Portugal, where we saw her riding and producing good numbers in the training sessions.”

“She excels in climbing, so she will naturally be a climber from the outset, but I’m looking forward to seeing her abilities in the bunch as well. We’ll likely work to develop those skills with the aim of making her a truly multidisciplinary rider in the future.”

CANYON//SRAM Zondacrypto Generation Sports Director, Gosia Jasinska, is equally excited about the prospect of having a fresh face join the Generation squad.

“It’s always good to have a new person on the team because she can bring new experiences from mountain biking, give us fresh energy, and help create new plans. The girls already know her from Portugal, so it’s not like she’s completely new to the team. They’ve gotten to know each other, and I think her acclimatisation will be fast. She’s a very nice person, and I think she’ll be a good team player. I think we’ll be able to try out some good moves with her in the first races. These events will be more of a classics style, and might not be 100% suited to her, because we know she’ll be very strong in the climbs, but I think it’s a good opportunity for her to show her potential on the road.”

When Valentina isn’t racing for Canyon CLLCTV MTB, or from now representing CANYON//SRAM Zondacrypto Generation, she enjoys unwinding with friends and family, embracing the moments of downtime between her intense and diverse training and racing schedule.

Valentina Corvi:

Bahrain Victorious Head to Germany’s Biggest Race: Eschborn-Frankfurt
May 1st, International Workers’ Day, has also – since 1968 – marked a fixture in the cycling calendar: the German one-day Classic Eschborn-Frankfurt. The race has been held annually since 1962, but the first six had no fixed date.

The parcours is a challenging 198.7km through the Taunus hills, surrounding one of Europe’s major financial hubs.

Over the past few years, the route of “Der Radklassiker” has been revised, tipping the advantage to Ardennes classic specialists.

Bahrain Victorious come to the 62nd edition of the race with a well-balanced and motivated lineup tailored to the demands of the route. Matej Mohorič, returning after his crash at Paris-Roubaix, and Edoardo Zambanini, fresh from a strong Ardennes campaign, will lead the team. Also back in action, having completed all the concussion protocols, is Torstein Træen. The Norwegian rejoins the peloton for the first time since a crash on Stage 7 of the UAE Tour in February forced him off the bike until now.

Sports Director Aart Vierhouten shared his thoughts ahead of the race: “We’re heading to Frankfurt with a strong team and a clear goal to go for a good result. Zambanini and Mohorič are our main leaders. Both are excellent riders capable of performing well in the finale. They’ll be supported by Andrea Pasqualon, Roman Ermakov, Robert Stannard, Sergio Tu, and Torstein Træen, who is excited to be racing again. We’re happy to have him back with us.”

“It’s a demanding course: two ascents of the 12km Feldberg, and three climbs of the Mammolshainer Stich, which has gradients of up to 16% over 300–400 meters. It’s not long, but it’s always a decisive part of the race. The last time up comes just 30km from the finish. I believe Matej and Edoardo will be there in that key moment. They’ll get the best result possible. I’m confident we’ll be in the mix at the front.”

Bahrain Victorious head to the start-line ready to take on the punchy terrain and fierce competition, aiming for a strong performance at Germany’s most prestigious one-day race.

Soudal Quick-Step to Eschborn-Frankfurt
Our team hopes to be among the protagonists Thursday afternoon

The first of Germany’s two races on the World Tour calendar, Eschborn-Frankfurt holds its 62nd edition on the first day of May, a bit shorter than the previous one, but retaining the same ingredients.

Almost 200 kilometres in length, the race passes through the Taunus Hills west of Frankfurt, with the peloton set to take several times on the climbs of Grosser Feldberg and Mammolshain. The latter is the most important hurdle of the day, as it features three times on the course and has been decisive in the past. Averaging 8.3% over just 2.3 kilometres, the Mammolshain will be crested the last time with 35 kilometres to go, thus giving a chance to the attackers to drop the sprinters in the hope they can hold off the chasers on the flat roads taking to Frankfurt.

Soudal Quick-Step will go to the start of Eschborn-Frankfurt with a versatile seven-man team comprising Mattia Cattaneo, Gil Gelders, Antoine Huby – who returns from injury in what will be his first outing for the Wolfpack since the beginning of February – Omloop Het Nieuwsblad runner-up Paul Magnier, neo-pro Andrea Raccagni, home favourite Maximilian Schachmann and Jordi Warlop.

“It’s the last important one-day race of the spring, and not an easy one, with a total of five climbs. This means a small group has a chance of making it, but on the other hand, we could also have a reduced bunch sprint. Our team for Thursday is a strong one, capable of being present in such a group, but ready also to support Paul in case of a sprint. This makes us confident we can get a good result”, said sports director Wilfried Peeters.

01.05 – Eschborn-Frankfurt (GER) 1.UWT
Riders:
Mattia Cattaneo (ITA)
Gil Gelders (BEL)
Antoine Huby (FRA)
Paul Magnier (FRA)
Andrea Raccagni (ITA)
Maximilian Schachmann (GER)
Jordi Warlop (BEL).
Sports Director: Wilfried Peeters (BEL).

Cattaneo to ride the Eschborn-Frankfurt:

Jens Zemke – 40x Eschborn-Frankfurt
On the 1st of May it’s time for another World Tour race on the calendar for the Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team. Matteo Badilatti, Sjoerd Bax, Gianluca Brambilla, Fabio Christen, David de la Cruz, Harm Vanhoucke and David González represent the team led by sports director Jens Zemke.

He has special memories of this race. “I have to start at the beginning,” he says. “This is the race that got me into cycling in the first place. It was Rundum Den Henninger Turm back then and it’s my home race. We always watched as a family and when I was ten years old I took part for the first time. I did every year until I ended my career as a pro at 35. Then I became a sports director and did another 15 editions. I have done this race on the 1st of May for forty years now.”

The race did change from a pure sprinter’s race to a race with more meters of elevation and different race scenarios. The finish is in Frankfurt where large crowds come to watch on their day off.

“The formula of the race was the same for many years,” Jens explains. “A breakaway and then a sprint. This race is broadcasted from start to finish so it was a bit uneventful. They added in many more of the beautiful Taunus mountains and moved the last climb closer to the finish. Now you see more riders from the Ardennes Classics coming over or riders with the final prep before the Giro. It’s possible to win solo or with a small group. Someone like Fabio Christen has the sprint after a hard race like this.”

Zemke knows the race is a hard one with 13 World Tour teams lining up but he hopes for a good showing and a good result for the Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team.

“It will be hard to win in this field but as always we are doing our best. I wake up with goosebumps on May 1. I never managed to win it as a rider but as a DS we did win it three times. This is one of the biggest one-day sports events in Germany and I am confident I can bring my passion for Eschborn-Frankfurt across to our riders. It’s a special day.”

Brambilla to Eschborn-Frankfurt:

Next Races for Team Picnic PostNL

Eschborn-Frankfurt – MAY 01
Melvin Rulliere – Team Picnic PostNL coach: “Eschborn-Frankfurt offers a challenging and unpredictable parcours that always creates an exciting race dynamic. The course is demanding enough to encourage aggressive racing, but with the final climbs coming quite far from the finish line, there’s always the question: will it come back together for a sprint, or will a reduced group of puncheurs fight for the victory? Our ambition is clear: we want to race for the win. If the race comes back together, Tobias will be our finisher for the sprint. Whether the race opens up early or stays controlled until the final circuits, we’re ready to seize our opportunities and aim for the best possible result.”

Line-up:
Tobias Lund Andresen (DNK)
Warren Barguil (FRA)
Robbe Dhondt (BEL)
Nils Eekhoff (NLD)
Sean Flynn (GBR)
Enzo Leijnse (NLD)
Kevin Vermaerke (USA).

Internationale Beloftenklassieker – MAY 03
Melvin Rulliere – Team Picnic PostNL coach: “Internationale Beloftenklassieker presents a new format this year, with a single road race featuring flat terrain, exposed sections prone to wind, and challenging cobbled sectors. It promises to be a selective race where positioning and teamwork will be crucial. We’ll line up with a team made up of riders who are looking to regain race rhythm after injuries. However, we also have a strong finisher in Christiaan, who has all the qualities needed to excel on a course like this. We’re aiming to support Christiaan as best as possible and race smartly as a team to give ourselves the best shot at a strong result.”

Line-up:
Angus Stoneham (GBR)
Christiaan van Rees (NLD)
Xander Scheldeman (BEL).

Vuelta España Femenina – MAY 04 – MAY 10
Albert Timmer – Team Picnic PostNL coach: “La Vuelta marks the first Grand Tour of the season and offers a wide range of opportunities across its varied stages. We’re lining up with a strong squad that can be active every day. Nienke will have the freedom to see how far she can go in the general classification, while Megan will be our finisher for the faster finishes. Overall, we aim to race aggressively, be present in all types of scenarios, and seize every opportunity that comes our way.”

Line-up:
Eleonora Ciabocco (ITA)
Pfeiffer Georgi (GBR)
Megan Jastrab (USA)
Franziska Koch (DEU)
Josie Nelson (GBR)
Mara Roldan (CAN)
Nienke Vinke (NLD).

Red Bull KM “Gives Extra Wiiings” to the Giro d’Italia
The fight for the Maglia Rosa will be even more thrilling this year. The 2025 Giro d’Italia is introducing a groundbreaking new feature that’s set to make a real impact on the overall standings: the Red Bull KM.

19 of the 21 stages of this year’s edition, scheduled from May 9 to June 1, will feature a Red Bull branded kilometre, which will serve as the “gateway” to the only intermediate sprint that counts toward the general classification: the first three riders to cross the exit gate of the kilometre will earn time bonuses of 6, 4, and 2 seconds, respectively. Since the Red Bull KM will be the only intermediate point of the race awarding bonus seconds for the overall standings—alongside the stage finish, where the winner gets a 10 seconds bonus—it will ignite fierce battles within the peloton.

The fight for bonus seconds will be crucial from the very first stages in Albania when the standings are still tight. Featured in every sprint stage, the Red Bull KM will intensify the battle for the lead all the way to the grand finale in Rome. Just few seconds can overturn the predictions and change everything – like in 1948, when the winner of Il Giro d’Italia claimed victory by just an eleven-seconds margin.

The Red Bull KM will motivate even more the teams to focus their strategies on breakaways and fight for the time bonuses. At the same time, attackers and the main group will have an additional incentive to deliver excitement for fans watching the toughest race in the world, held in the most beautiful country. And for the grand finale in Rome, in the Eternal City, where the best will lift the Trofeo Senza Fine, Red Bull will surprise the entire group with an incredible surprise.

The Red Bull KM Stage by Stage
ST1 SAUK -48 km to the finish
ST3 HIMARE -72
ST4 OSTUNI -105
ST5 BERNALDA -51
ST6 BRUSCIANO -52
ST7 TAGLIACOZZO CENTRO -13
ST8 CASTEL SANTA MARIA -20
ST9 COLLE PINZUTO -14
ST11 VILLA MINOZZO -24
ST12 BRESCELLO -33
ST13 ARCUGNANO -10
ST14 MANZANO -62
ST15 ENEGO -33
ST16 BRENTONICO -10
ST17 LE PRESE -25
ST18 SIRTORI -57
ST19 SAINT-VINCENT -37
ST20 BERGERIE LE CASETTE -32 (-4.3 km to the GPM Colle delle Finestre)
ST21 ROMA via di San Gregorio -25

Giro d’Italia: Final Stage in Rome Honours Pope Francis During Jubilee Year
Rome to Host the Grand Finale with a Historic Passage through Vatican City and Finish at Circus Maximus

The final stage of the Giro d’Italia, scheduled for Sunday, June 1, will feature a historic passage through Vatican City, exiting via Porta del Perugino in front of Santa Marta during the neutralised transfer. The official start will take place at the Baths of Caracalla, with the finish line set in front of the Circus Maximus after 143 kilometres, including eight laps of a city-center circuit. This passage, strongly desired by Pope Francis during the Jubilee Year, marks a historic moment for the Corsa Rosa. For the seventh time—and for the third consecutive edition—the Giro will conclude in the Italian capital. Numerous side events are also planned for June 1. At the presentation, held at the Campidoglio, speakers included: the Mayor of Rome, Roberto Gualtieri; President of RCS MediaGroup, Urbano Cairo; Bishop Paul Tighe, Secretary of the Dicastery for Culture and Education; Rome’s Councillor for Major Events, Sport, Tourism and Fashion, Alessandro Onorato; CEO of RCS Sports & Events, Paolo Bellino; Director of the Giro d’Italia, Mauro Vegni; Director of La Gazzetta dello Sport, Stefano Barigelli; and Vincenzo Nibali, two-time Giro d’Italia winner (2013 and 2016), alongside many other institutional representatives, media, and Giro partners.

Roberto Gualtieri, Mayor of Rome: “We are happy and proud to welcome the Giro d’Italia to Rome for the third consecutive year—the spectacular pink finale that cycling enthusiasts simply cannot do without. This presence is renewed this year with an exciting symbolic start from Vatican City: a tribute to Pope Francis, his persona, and his message of hope in the Jubilee year. It will be an unforgettable eve of Republic Day, a day that will blend sporting passion with universal values, on a route that touches the heart of “La Grande Bellezza,” culminating at the Circus Maximus. The Giro d’Italia will deliver a spectacular finale to the world, and Rome will once again be by its side, creating another unforgettable postcard moment”.

Urbano Cairo, President of RCS MediaGroup: “It is an honour to celebrate the Grand Finale of the Giro in the heart of Rome, paying tribute to Pope Francis and his message of hope. In such an important year—the Jubilee Year—having the support and thought of Pope Francis brings even greater meaning to our event. It will be an unforgettable stage, where sport and culture will blend in a setting like no other in the world. June 1 will surely be a day to remember”.

Alessandro Onorato, Councillor for Major Events, Sport, Tourism and Fashion of Rome: “Three years ago, we brought the Giro d’Italia finale to Rome and can proudly say it was a winning bet: now we aim to make it a tradition for the capital. We’re thrilled because it’s a major event that involves the whole city—not just the centre but beautiful areas like Ostia as well—generating an estimated economic impact between €100 and €200 million, according to a Banca Ifis study. It will be a grand social and sporting celebration, a unique spectacle with free participation: in the previous two editions, more than 1.5 million residents and tourists attended. It will also be an extraordinary opportunity for tourism promotion, with breathtaking images broadcast in over 200 countries and viewed by more than 700 million spectators worldwide. This year, it’s especially meaningful to include a symbolic passage through the Vatican, as a tribute to Pope Francis”.

Bishop Paul Tighe, Secretary of the Dicastery for Culture and Education: “I would like to publicly thank our late Pope Francis for embracing this initiative. I also thank all those involved—the Governorate of Vatican City State, the Giro d’Italia organisers, the City of Rome, and Athletica Vaticana, along with the Dicastery for Culture and Education—for designing this moment together. The passage through the Vatican Gardens will not be a ‘tourist ride’ but a ‘symbolic journey,’ traveling the Marian Way, where images of the Virgin Mary from all over the world are present. Thus, this passage through the Vatican will feel like a small tour of the world. Another reason for this symbolic passage is to celebrate the Jubilee of Hope”.

Paolo Bellino, CEO of RCS Sports & Events: “Bringing the Giro d’Italia finale to the unique setting of Rome for the third consecutive year is a source of great pride for us. This year, with the symbolic start in Vatican City, made possible thanks to Pope Francis’ sensitivity, we add an even more special element to an event that grows in visibility and prestige every year. Rome will offer riders and spectators a magnificent backdrop, with a route that highlights the city’s historic beauty and the emotions of sport. It will be a truly extraordinary celebration of passion and participation”.

Mauro Vegni, Director of the Giro d’Italia: “Rome will once again offer a spectacular finale for the Giro d’Italia, crossing iconic landmarks known worldwide. The start from Vatican City, strongly desired by Pope Francis during the Jubilee Year, adds a special emotional value to this stage, merging sport with spirituality. The city circuit, featuring historic and evocative sites like Circus Maximus, Ostia, and the Imperial Forums, will provide riders and spectators with a stunning setting to celebrate the end of the Corsa Rosa. It will be a memorable day, paying tribute to Rome and the message of hope shared by Pope Francis”.

Vincenzo Nibali: “Rome is a city that always offers unique emotions, and it’s wonderful that the Giro d’Italia will once again conclude here. In past years, we’ve seen an incredible turnout of spectators, and for me, there’s some regret at never having had the chance to race on these streets. This year, the passage through Vatican City will also be a special experience for the riders”.

Stefano Barigelli, Director of La Gazzetta dello Sport: “The Giro and La Gazzetta have been together since the very beginning. Choosing to end the most beautiful race in the world in Rome is the natural culmination of a journey that symbolically connects the entire country”.

The Giro d’Italia and Rome
50th Giro stage finish in Rome.
Giro d’Italia finishes in the capital for the 7th time, and for the first time, three years consecutively:

1911: Naples–Rome, finish at Campo di Centocelle
1950: Naples–Rome, finish at Passeggiata Archeologica
2009: Time trial at the Imperial Forums
2018: Circuit of the Imperial Forums
2023: Rome EUR – Rome Viale dei Fori Imperiali, won by Mark Cavendish
2024: Rome EUR – Rome Via di San Gregorio.

The Giro d’Italia and Vatican City
1974: Giro starts from Vatican City.
2000: The prologue finish line named “Piazza San Pietro”.

The Route of the Final Stage
The final stage features an approach from the start outside Vatican City (Porta del Perugino) to the first pass over the finish line, reaching the coast in Ostia, and going back to the start area, followed by a closing circuit within the Capital. The riders will race 8 loops of a 9.5 km circuit on the streets of Rome (wide, with some traffic dividers). Short undulations are interspersed with long straight sections, connected by sometimes tricky bends. The road surface is mostly tarmac, with some short stretches over road pavers (“sanpietrini”).

The final stage of the 2025 Giro:

Record Field as Teams Announced for Lloyds Tour of Britain Women
Eighteen teams will take to the start line of the Lloyds Tour of Britain Women this June, as the largest field in the event’s history has today been announced.

Twelve UCI Women’s WorldTour teams headline the entry for the UCI Women’s WorldTour event, which gets underway from Dalby Forest in North Yorkshire on Thursday 5 June and will comprise a 108-rider field.

Defending champions and the world’s number one ranked squad Team SD Worx – Protime, who won the 2024 race with Lotte Kopecky, headline the entry list, alongside the Team Picnic PostNL team of British champion Pfeiffer Georgi, and the Lidl – Trek team of last year’s runner up Anna Henderson and former winner Lizzie Deignan.

In total thirteen of the world’s top fifteen ranked teams, according to the latest UCI world rankings (22nd April) will be participating, and racing through communities across the Tees Valley and North Yorkshire, the Scottish Borders, and Glasgow.

Home interest for fans will be provided by all five British registered UCI Continental teams, CJ O’Shea Racing; DAS – Hutchinson; Handsling Alba Development Road Team; Hess Cycling Team; and the Smurfit Westrock Cycling Team.

The EF Education – Oatly squad and AG Insurance – Soudal Team both make their debuts in the race, while for Team SD Worx – Protime and Liv AlUla Jayco they will continue their record of having competed in every edition of the race since 2014.

In total teams from ten different countries will take part in the Lloyds Tour of Britain Women. The full list of teams is:

UCI Women’s WorldTeams: AG Insurance – Soudal Team (Belgium); Canyon//SRAM zondacrypto (Germany); CERATIZIT Pro Cycling Team (Germany); FDJ – SUEZ (France); Lidl-Trek (USA); Liv AlUla Jayco (Australia); Movistar Team (Spain); Team Picnic PostNL (Netherlands); Team SD Worx – Protime (Netherlands); Team Visma | Lease a Bike (Netherlands); UAE Team ADQ (UAE); and Uno-X Mobility (Norway)

UCI Women’s ProTeams: EF Education – Oatly (USA);

UCI Continental Teams: CJ O’Shea Racing (Great Britain); DAS – Hutchinson (Great Britain); Handsling Alba Development Road Team (Great Britain); Hess Cycling Team (Great Britain); and Smurfit Westrock Cycling Team (Great Britain)

Commenting on the line-up of teams, Jonathan Day, Managing Director of British Cycling Events, said; “This year’s incredible line-up of teams is testament to the hard work that has gone in to the Lloyds Tour of Britain Women over the past 18 months and shows the huge support that the race has from UCI teams outside of the UK. We are thrilled to have such a great line-up of UCI Women’s WorldTour teams coming to the event, showing the appeal of racing in Britain in front of the amazing crowds we attract, while at the same time it will be fantastic to once again see all our British registered women’s UCI Continental teams racing in a prestigious event on home roads.”

Speaking about their upcoming participation in the Lloyds Tour of Britain Women, 2024 final stage winner Ruby Roseman-Gannon, of the Liv AlUla Jayco team, said; “I’m really looking forward to returning to the Lloyds Tour of Britain Women this season. It was one of my favourite races last year, particularly because I won stage four – my first WorldTour win. It is one of the most well-respected races on the calendar due to its long-term support of women’s cycling and our team has attended every edition since its inception in 2014. I’m super excited for this year’s edition because I think it really suits our team attributes, the racing is exciting, and the roadside support is really impressive.”

Lizzie Holden of UAE Team ADQ, who hails from the Isle of Man, and has ridden the race on three previous occasions, said; “The Lloyds Tour of Britain Women is one of the races I look forward to the most. I haven’t raced at the Tour since 2022, so I’m looking forward to returning with UAE Team ADQ. It’s a chance to race in front of some of the most passionate crowds on almost “home” roads. British races are notoriously hard, with leg sapping road surfaces, undulating terrain and potentially terrible weather conditions, which is a perfect recipe for aggressive and exciting racing. I really enjoy this style of racing and I know as a team, we will show up with purpose, race aggressively and put on an amazing show for all the fans. We want to leave our mark and inspire the current and next generation of British cyclists.”

Her Welsh UAE Team ADQ teammate Elynor Bäckstedt, who has raced in the past two editions, added; “I am super excited to be back racing in the UK. It is always one of the nicest races of the year, because my family can come and watch and the crowds are amazing. The UK crowds are incredible, seeing all the kids come out from schools to watch are so special. For us as a team it’ll be super important, the course is varied so there is an opportunity for everyone and it will be a great race for us to do and showcase to the world what the UK has to offer.”

Lining up for their second Lloyds Tour of Britain Women, and providing the chance to race on home roads in Scotland, will be the Handsling Alba Development Road Team, with Team Manager Bob Lyons commenting;

The Lloyds Tour of Britain Women gets underway in the Tees Valley and North Yorkshire on Thursday 5 June, with a stage between Dalby Forest and Redcar across the North York Moors National Park, before the second stage from Hartlepool ends with an uphill finish at Saltburn-by-the-Sea.

The race concludes with a pair of stages in Scotland, the first in the Scottish Borders, starting and finishing in Kelso, before the final stage in Glasgow on Sunday 8 June.

Further announcements, including the detailed routes for the four stages, and the identities of competing riders in the Lloyds Tour of Britain Women, will be announced in the coming weeks in the build-up to the event.

Stages:
Stage one: Thursday 5 June – Dalby Forest to Redcar
Stage two: Friday 6 June – Hartlepool to Saltburn-by-the-Sea
Stage three: Saturday 7 June – The Scottish Borders Stage, Kelso to Kelso
Stage four: Sunday 8 June – The Glasgow Stage.

Teams
UCI Women’s WorldTeams:
AG Insurance – Soudal Team (Belgium)
Canyon//SRAM zondacrypto (Germany)
CERATIZIT Pro Cycling Team (Germany)
FDJ – SUEZ (France)
Lidl-Trek (USA)
Liv AlUla Jayco (Australia)
Movistar Team (Spain)
Team Picnic PostNL (Netherlands)
Team SD Worx Protime (Netherlands)
Team Visma | Lease a Bike (Netherlands)
UAE Team ADQ (UAE)
Uno-X Mobility (Norway).

UCI Women’s ProTeams:
EF Education – Oatly (USA)

UCI Continental Teams:
CJ O’Shea Racing (Great Britain)
DAS – Hutchinson (Great Britain)
Handsling Alba Development Road Team (Great Britain)
Hess Cycling Team (Great Britain)
Smurfit Westrock Cycling Team (Great Britain).

Tour of Britain Women:

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