As ever, a very full EUROTRASH Thursday: Race action from the Telenet Superprestige Jaarmarktcros in Niel with the all important video, reports, results and ‘what the rider’s think’.
TOP STORY:
- Tadej Pogačar looks back on winning the World championships
Rider news:
- Nairo Quintana to race in the WorldTour in 2025
- Mathieu van der Poel ran a half marathon for fun? “I’m going to regret this tomorrow”
- Unemployed Colombian, Jesús David Peña, not happy with his agent
- Serge Pauwels is the new Belgian national coach
- Joxean ‘Matxin’ Fernández to stay with UAE Team Emirates for the next four years
- Will we see Jonathan Milan in the Tour big sprint battles in the 2025
- British Champion, Pfeiffer Georgi, back on the bike after her big crash in Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift
- William Junior Lecerf: “I’m even more motivated to do another good season”
- 48-year-old Oscar Sevilla wins 25 years after his first professional victory
- Alex Dowsett to work with Astana Qazaqstan
Team news:
- Major changes at Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe towards 2025
- Manuel Peñalver, two more years of speed for Team Polti Kometa
- Two-year renewal with Team Polti Kometa for the pianist Pietrobon
- Michael Schwarzmann continues with IPT in 2025
- INEOS Grenadiers launches development partnership with Lotto Kern-Haus PSD Bank
- Astana Qazaqstan Team is reinforcing its Performance Group
Race news:
- Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana in jeopardy due to recent floods
- 2025 O Gran Camiño will start in Portugal
- Giro to decides on location of Grande Partenza in mid-December
And the sad passing of seven-time World champion Michael Hübner.
TOP STORY: Tadej Pogačar Looks Back on Winning the World Championships
The 2024 cycling season was the year of one man: Tadej Pogačar. The Slovenian won a lot and often with a show of strength. From the Giro d’Italia and the Tour de France to Liège-Bastogne-Liège and the World championship. He won the rainbow jersey by attacking with around 100 kilometres to go. In the podcast Inside The Ride, the Slovenian looked back on his winning ride.
The all-rounder surprised everyone with his early attack in Zurich, but Pogačar held the peloton off all the way to the finish line. It mostly looked easy for the UAE Team Emirates rider, but Pogačar said that with two laps to go on the finishing circuit he was already quite tired.
“I was worried two laps before the end. I reached the top of the last climb when the car pulled up next to me. I asked: ‘How many laps left? Is it one or two?’ I really hoped he would say I only had one lap to go. By then I was already a bit cross-eyed and had lost count.”
The final kilometres did not go entirely well. Despite that, the Slovenian remained confident. “I knew that if I had a reasonable lead on the final climb, I would have a good chance. But at the start everyone thought: ‘Nobody wants to do a Jan Christen’.” Pogačar’s Swiss teammate had seen his attack fail in the U23 race. The Slovenian didn’t want a similar fate.
The multiple winner took the first World title of his career. In Il Lombardia he showed off his rainbow jersey in a perfect manner and was the strongest in the last Monument of the year. Pogačar rode in white shorts to go with his rainbow jersey. Will we see that again? “I rode two races in the World champion jersey. In the Giro dell’Emilia I rode with the black shorts because of the rain. In Lombardy the weather was good, so I rode in white. But I only think if I’m really thin, it looks good. White makes you a bit fatter, haha.”
Black or white shorts?
Telenet Superprestige Jaarmarktcross – Niel Men 2024
Laurens Sweeck took his second win of the 2024/25 cross season and his first in almost two years of a series competition. The leader of Crelan-Corendon soloed to victory in the Superprestige in Niel. Felipe Orts (Ridley Racing) carried on his good form from the European Championships, to finish second and Niels Vandeputte (Alpecin-Deceuninck Development Team) was third and is the new leader of the Superprestige.
The Jaarmarktcross in Niel is always held on the 11th of November, a Belgian national holiday, this year it was a Monday. The course this year was the same as last year. The toughest part is at the end of the lap. The Muur van Niel, a 500-metre section through the forest, which was only added to the course in 2021. There are also some technical zones on the circuit, especially in the early part with a washboard, sharp bends and a 60-metre sandpit. The new European champion, Thibau Nys, was not in Niel. The Baloise Trek Lions leader usually only rides one race per weekend this season and he had already raced in the X2O Trophy in Lokeren on Sunday, which he won. The Jaarmarktcross still had top cross riders Eli Iserbyt, Lars van der Haar, Toon Aerts, Felipe Orts and Superprestige leaders Joran Wyseure and Niels Vandeputte.
It was Laurens Sweeck who had the fastest start. The Crelan-Corendon rider clearly had plans and went ‘full gas’. The first chasers; Vandeputte, Iserbyt, Orts and Emiel Verstrynge had to pull out all the stops to follow Sweeck. Van der Haar and Aerts both didn’t have the best of starts and were forced to chase. Sweeck didn’t look back and continued to put up very consistent lap times. Vandeputte went in pursuit, hoping to cross, but failed to close the gap. After a while, the Alpecin-Deceuninck rider was joined by Iserbyt, while Orts and Vanthourenhout were also still in the battle, although they lost more and more time to Sweeck.
The Crelan-Corendon rider extended his lead to 20 seconds, partly due to his strong rides in the sand. Sweeck was still not safe for the win as Iserbyt was not going to give up. The Belgian champion only got going in the final laps and managed to shake off Vandeputte and Orts and started his chase to leader Sweeck. His lead of just over 20 seconds had shrunk. Iserbyt came within 15 seconds in the penultimate lap, but Sweeck kept on pushing and wasn’t going to be caught. At the start of the final lap, the difference was 14 seconds, this was enough for Sweeck to stay out of Iserbyt’s grasp. The 30-year-old rider soloed through the pouring rain to his second victory of the season, after the Exact Cross of Essen last month. Felipe Orts was the next to finish, taking second place after a very strong final lap. Vandeputte came in third and is the new leader of the Superprestige. Iserbyt missed out on the podium with in fourth place and Lars van der Haar finished fifth to limit the damage.
Race winner, Laurens Sweeck (Crelan-Corendon): “I didn’t expect that right away. In the beginning I didn’t really put pressure on, I just tried to find a good rhythm, tackle the obstacles well and get into a flow. That actually worked out pretty quickly. No, I didn’t doubt when it started to rain, but you do start to get tired and then it becomes treacherous. The mistakes crept in. It was good that it was only in the last lap. I think I made pretty good turns in the sandpit. It’s usually a good period in the season for me. Yesterday (in Lokeren) I really suffered. Today too of course, but it went a bit better. I didn’t expect to be in the lead here from start to finish. It is difficult to ride in a group on this course, but this is a bit unexpected.”
2nd, Felipe Orts (Ridley Racing Team): “I am very satisfied with my race and the result I achieved. At the end of the cross I still had some energy left for the final, with Niels Vandeputte and Eli Iserbyt. It was difficult in the finale, but luckily I still managed to come second. I had divided my race well. The circuit was tough. Anyone who went into the red quite early here was disappointed. I just have a good feeling on a muddy circuit. The mud doesn’t bother me. I also don’t mind riding in the rain. That’s all part of cyclo-cross.”
Telenet Superprestige Jaarmarktcross – Niel Men Result:
1. Laurens Sweeck (Bel) Crelan-Corendon in 57:56
2. Felipe Orts Lloret (Spa) Ridley Racing Team at 0:08
3. Niels Vandeputte (Bel) Alpecin-Deceuninck Development Team at 0:16
4. Eli Iserbyt (Bel) Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal at 0:27
5. Lars van der Haar (Ned) Baloise Trek Lions at 0:48
6. Michael Vanthourenhout (Bel) Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal at 1:02
7. Toon Aerts (Bel) Deschacht-Hens-FSP at 1:19
8. Gerben Kuypers (Bel) Charles Liégeois Roastery CX at 1:40
9. Toon Vandebosch (Bel) Crelan-Corendon at 1:51
10. Emiel Verstrynge (Bel) Crelan-Corendon at 1:59.
Jaarmarktcross’24
Telenet Superprestige Jaarmarktcross – Niel Women 2024
Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado took her fourth victory of the cyclocross season. The Dutch rider of Fenix-Deceuninck was in a class of her own in Niel on Monday. Alvarado rode away from her opponents in the first lap and soloed to victory on the muddy course. Lucinda Brand finished second and Marion Norbert Riberolle was third.
The course of the woman’s Jaarmarktcross in Niel was the same as the men’s, see above. Fem van Empel has started her rest period after the European Championship, so it was up to the other riders to keep the action going. Lucinda Brand, who was the best in the X2O Trophy of Lokeren on Sunday and Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado were the top favourites. The others riders to look out for were Italian champion Sara Casasola, Inge van der Heijden, Laura Verdonschot and Marion Norbert Riberolle. Due to the rain, the course in Niel was muddy and heavy, unlike the first races of the season. Van der Heijden was not deterred and was the first to hit the off-road after a good start, the other top riders were not far behind. Alvarado decided to put the pressure on after only half a lap. The Dutch rider immediately made a big gap on the first chasers.
Brand saw the danger and started to chase, but after 1 lap she was 10 seconds behind. The Dutch champion had to watch as Alvarado rode further and further away. The Alpecin-Deceuninck rider was unstoppable and doubled her lead in the second lap. Brand had a small lead over Van der Heijden, Aniek van Alphen and Casasola, who were trying to catch her. But there was no stopping Alvarado, who managed to extend her lead over Brand and Casasola, who had climbed to third place in the next laps. The victory would be for Alvarado, but the battle for the podium was very interesting. Brand was joined by Casasola in the penultimate lap and Marion Norbert-Riberolle also had a chance. Alvarado also remained faultless in the fifth and final lap and soloed to her fourth victory of the season, after previous victories in Ardooie, Ruddervoorde and on the Heerderstrand. Alvarado had a good day with a view to the final victory in the Superprestige. She is again in the leader of the series. In the battle for second place, Brand came out on top. Casasola seemed to be on her way to third place, but was overtaken by Norbert Riberolle in the finishing straight.
Race winner, Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado (Fenix-Deceuninck): “It’s a tough course, but it suits me. I like riding here, but it’s hard to ride on the wheel. Of course, you have to ride in the tracks. When you’re on the wheel, you can’t see the tracks very well. On this lap, you’ll eventually end up in your place. If you’re racing at the front here, you’ll benefit from that. I was unlucky yesterday and that’s a shame, when you see what kind of race I’m still riding. It could have been a lot more. That was a bummer and today I was extra keen to go for it from the start. I can definitely be satisfied. I’m riding well, my form is good. I’ve already achieved some great victories and podium places. I hope I can continue on the right track.”
2nd, Lucinda Brand (Baloise Trek Lions): “I gave it my all. I knew this morning that it would be difficult to win. I just didn’t have my day. Yesterday during the race (in Lokeren), I already had some back pain. That doesn’t help with recovery. This morning it shot again, that doesn’t help at all. All things considered, with a course that I don’t find very easy, I knew it would be very difficult against Ceylin. She also rode very well yesterday. It is what it is. I’m definitely doing a good job. I think I limited the damage very well. I can look back on a very good weekend. Of course you always want to ride well in the upcoming World Cup, especially because of the points that are involved. I wouldn’t say that the World Cup ranking is an immediate goal. After the foreign World Cups, we’ll have to see how things are going. At the moment we are working hard to make sure that we are really fit during the Christmas period. It is important to get through that period with many races, well”
Telenet Superprestige Jaarmarktcross – Niel Women Result:
1. Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado (Ned) Fenix-Deceuninck in 42:28
2. Lucinda Brand (Ned) Baloise Trek Lions at 0:21
3. Marion Norbert Riberolle (Bel) Crelan-Corendon at 0:24
4. Sara Casasola (Ita) Crelan-Corendon at 0:26
5. Annemarie Worst (Ned) Cyclocross Reds at 1:13
6. Laura Verdonschot (Bel) De Ceuster-Bouwpunt at 1:29
7. Inge van der Heijden (Ned) Crelan-Corendon at 1:37
8. Leonie Bentveld (Ned) Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal at 1:38
9. Aniek van Alphen (Ned) Cyclocross Reds at 1:47
10. Denise Betsema (Ned) Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal at 2:09.
Jaarmarktcross’24
Nairo Quintana to Race in the WorldTour in 2025
We will see Nairo Quintana in the WorldTour in 2025. According to the Spanish sports-paper AS, the Colombian climber will extend his contract with Movistar for one year, next year 2025.
The signature and official confirmation of the contract extension are expected today (Thursday). AS reports that both parties always intended for Quintana to race for Movistar in 2025. Quintana’s father was recently in hospital after a traffic accident has caused some delay. The climber is also working on preparations for his own Gran Fondo in Mexico. For Quintana, 2025 will be his tenth season with Movistar. He previously raced for the Spanish team from 2012 to 2019. In 2014 he won the Giro d’Italia and in 2016 the Vuelta a España and stood on the podium of the Tour de France three times. After three years with Arkéa-Samsic he was forced to retire after testing positive for Tramadol, which also resulted in a disqualification from the 2022 Tour.
Movistar re-signed Quintana for a comeback in 2024, which didn’t really set the cycling World on fire. In the Giro d’Italia he came close to a stage win, but Tadej Pogačar passed him for the stage win in Livigno. His last professional victory was in the Tour des Alpes Maritimes et du Var, he won the final stage and the general classification in February 2022.
Quintana with Movistar in 2025:
Mathieu van der Poel Ran a Half Marathon Distance for Fun? “I’m Going to Regret this Tomorrow”>
Mathieu van der Poel isn’t only on the golf course during the off-season in Spain. According to his friend Freddy Ovett’s Strava, the Dutch multi-champion has been doing a lot of running. Around the Spanish town of Jávea, he is said to have recorded a top time on the half marathon course on Tuesday. MVDP recorded a time of 1 hour and 22 minutes.
Ovett shared his half marathon performance with his followers on Strava, with the title ‘Matje sending it’ above it. The Australian seems to have taken on the challenge together with Van der Poel. The Dutchman endorse this himself by reacting to the message with a wink. ‘I’m probably going to regret this tomorrow’, is the Dutchman’s reaction. ‘You regret all the good things in life the morning after,’ Ovett said in response to Van der Poel.
A few weeks ago, the two were out with their running shoes on. Ovett also announced via Strava that he had run a lap with his friend. It turned out to be training for this half marathon. Van der Poel’s holiday will probably result in a top time for the half marathon, in which he ran 21.1 kilometres at an average kilometre pace of 3 minutes and 52 seconds. Van der Poel has not posted anything on Strava since 7 January 2023. So for the time being it is still guesswork whether he actually participated.
For Ovett, Mathieu van der Poel’s pace may have felt like a nice and relaxed rhythm. The Australian often takes part in competitions and performs quite well. In Valencia, Ovett ran the half marathon in 1 hour, 8 minutes and 48 seconds. That’s an average pace of 3 minutes and 16 seconds.
Unemployed Colombian, Jesús David Peña, Not Happy with his Agent
Jesús David Peña raced for Jayco AlUla for the past three seasons, but was recently told that there was no place for him on the Australian team. The 24-year-old Colombian has had no other offers, so far. His agent, the well-known Giuseppe Acquadro, has apparently done nothing.
Giuseppe Acquadro is one of the most influential cycling agents at the moment. The Italian has many riders on his books, has managed to get contracts for many young talents with Movistar for years and has strong ties with INEOS Grenadiers and Astana Qazaqstan, but is also known for his sometimes unorthodox working method. In the past there was a lot of fuss about the transfers of his clients Iván Sosa, Richard Carapaz and Andrey Amador.
Acquadro is the agent for Jesús David Peña, but the Colombian is not satisfied with his manager’s working methods, to say the least. According to Peña, he didn’t hear from Acquardo after it became clear that a longer stay with Jayco AlUla was not an option. “I think that’s very bad of my agent. He has not looked for a new team,” the rider told ADN Cycling.
“I was told by teams that they were interested, but only if I had asked before. He (Acquadro) didn’t do that. He previously did this with Diego Andres Camargo (ex-rider of EF Education-EasyPost) and several other riders. He didn’t answer my phone calls and messages anymore. He tried to wash his hands in innocence and said he was talking, but then I found out that this was not the case.”
Peña now hopes, without the help of an agent, to find a new team. “But it’s all very complex. The teams are already full for 2025. Teams lose their interest anyway with a lack of results. Since my manager doesn’t let any more hear from himself, I decided to enlist the help of friends and acquaintances. But they told me it was too late. I would like to continue racing in Europe, but it looks pretty gloomy at the moment.”
No team in 2025 for Jesús David Peña:
Serge Pauwels is the New Belgian National Coach
Serge Pauwels is the new national Belgian coach. The 40-year-old former rider takes over from Sven Vanthourenhout, who left Belgian Cycling after the 2024 World championships. Pauwels already aspired to the position of national coach, after having been Vanthourenhout’s right-hand man and national coach of the juniors in recent years.
On Wednesday, the choice of Pauwels was announced and explained by Belgian Cycling. The Antwerp native will start working as national coach of the elite and U23 men. 2012 World champion, Philippe Gilbert had also expressed his ambitions to take on the role of national coach after Vanthourenhout’s departure.
During the European championships in Belgium, Pauwels had already had discussions with the Belgian cycling association about his interest in the position. “I think it makes sense that they want to talk to me first, in a sense. I’ve been able to express my own ambition,” he said in September. “I’ve been able to run with Sven for four years now and I’ve seen a lot of young riders pass by. A lot of guys are already top pros. I’d love to do it.”
Serge Pauwels is the new Belgian national coach:
Joxean ‘Matxin’ Fernández to Stay with UAE Team Emirates for the Next Four Years
Joxean Fernández will be a manager for UAE Team Emirates for four more years. The 53-year-old Spaniard is seen as one of the men behind the Emirates team of Tadej Pogačar. Fernández now has a contract until the end of 2028.
Fernández, also known as ‘Matxín’, was a scout for Quick-Step. He was also behind the Saunier Duval-Prodir team at the beginning of 2000, before which he had worked with Patrick Lefevere at Mapei. At the end of 2017, he joined UAE Team Emirates, where he has been sporting director. This was after he became famous for ‘finding’ Óscar Freire, who went onto be World champion three times and take many wins.
One of the first things Fernández did when he started working for the Emirates team was signing Tadej Pogačar. That turned out to be his best move. He is still on the look-out for top talent and is negotiating contracts. He has also worked as a DS in recent years, but decided to stop because of his other work. “I really feel part of this project. It also feels more like a family than a working environment. I feel valued and that is important. Many of the people in this project are important and I have blind faith in Mauro Gianetti. And he in me,” Fernández said in an interview with the Spanish sports-paper AS.
“I signed as team manager and as head of the board,” he continued. “Actually, I am more of a manager, because I no longer take care of the cars, the clothing… I will still conduct the contract negotiations, sign riders and put together the race programs. I will also do this with our Gen Z training team.”
Fernández, together with general manager Mauro Gianetti, is at the heart of UAE Team Emirates’ successes. Thanks to Fernández’s presence and the big money of the oil sheiks, the team is rich with young talent and also established top riders. The team was built around Tadej Pogačar, but UAE Team Emirates managed to win with 20 different riders last season. The Emirates team set a new record. The Mapei Quick-Step team won with 19 riders in the 2000 season, their successors and the various incarnations of the Quick-Step team have won with 18 different riders in 2002, 2014, 2016 and 2021, as have CSC in 2006 and Team Columbia in 2008. UAE Team Emirates won 81 times in 2024.
Four more successful years for Matxin:
Will we See Jonathan Milan in the Tour Big Sprint Battles in the 2025
Will Jonathan Milan be at the start of the Tour de France next year for the first time? Lidl-Trek is thinking of taking the fast Italian to the Tour de France in 2025. Luca Guercilena, the Lidl-Trek team manager, spoke about it in a recent interview.
The Tour de France 2025 promises to be very tough with mountain stages to Hautacam, Col de la Loze and La Plagne, but the sprinters also have their chances of stage success. In the opening stage, the first yellow jersey is up for grabs for a fast-finisher. There are also other stages that will probably end in a bunch sprint. Jasper Philipsen has suggested that there are “seven or eight chances” for the sprinters.
Next year’s Tour de France also seems right for Jonathan Milan. The 24-year-old Italian has not yet ridden the French Grand Tour, but that could change next year. Lidl-Trek is seriously considering taking the ‘new’ sprint sensation to the La Grande Boucle, if the team is able to accommodate Milan and Mads Pedersen, who is always part of the team at the Tour.
Milan has been developing rapidly as a sprinter in recent years. After his first sprint victory in 2022, he now has sixteen professional victories in his palmarès. Last season he took eleven victories including: Three stages and the points classification in the Giro d’Italia and he won three stages in the Deutschland Tour, two in the Renewi Tour and two in Tirreno-Adriatico.
Milan to the Tour?
British Champion Back on the Bike After her Big Crash in Tour de France Femmes
Good news from the dsm-firmenich PostNL women’s team: Pfeiffer Georgi is back on the bike after a long rehabilitation. The 24-year-old British rider was one of the biggest victims of a crash on the fifth stage of the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift this summer, Demi Vollering was also involved. Three months later, Georgi can now start preparing for next season.
Pfeiffer Georgi was very badly injured on the stage to Amnéville and her cries of pain could be heard on the live TV broadcast. The British champion had to abandon. The team initially reported that the damage wasn’t that bad. However, further tests showed that the initial diagnosis had been too positive. Georgi broke her right hand and suffered multiple fractures in her neck.
Almost three months later, the British dsm-firmenich PostNL rider is back on the bike. In 2025, Georgi will aim to improve on her successful past season. In 2024 she had top-5 places in Paris-Roubaix, the Amstel Gold Race and the Olympic road race and she won the UK national road title.
Pfeiffer Georgi training again:
William Junior Lecerf: “I’m Even More Motivated to do Another Good Season”
The 22-year-old Belgian climber talked about his first year in the pro ranks and the hopes he has for 2025.
“I signed a contract for one year with the Soudal Quick-Step Devo team that was linked with a three-year deal with the World Tour. That first year in the under 23 ranks was really good for me: I had good results and I was quite confident and felt ready to go to the World Tour squad. I already knew quite a lot of the people, so it was easier to adapt to the move and it didn’t feel like a really big change. It was still a challenge, and I am really happy with this first season, and now I’m even more motivated to do another good season in 2025, that can be even better than this year. I just enjoyed it and did my best, and it worked out really well. I didn’t have a lot of bad luck, so that also helps. But I didn’t feel any pressure and I just had fun with the team. If you feel good, then I think the results will come. Of course, I worked hard for it but if you feel good, I think it’s already a big advantage.”
A strong start
“My first race of the year was at the Saudi Tour. In my opinion it was my best race until now. I trained hard the whole winter to be in shape for the first race, and I really wanted to prove something, I surprised myself because I hoped to do top 10 or something like that, but to be able to almost win the whole thing was quite a good performance. The final of the last stage was on a brutal climb to Skyviews of Harrat Uwayrid: only two or three kilometres long, but like it’s just a wall with a 15% average. But that was really to my advantage because I’m one of the lightest riders in the peloton. I perform well on the steeper climbs, but I don’t really know yet what my favourites are. In the Vuelta I also did some good performances on more long climbs, so I still really don’t know what I’m the best at, but I think I need to discover this with the trainers of the team and the staff, and we will see in the next two years, I think. Normally you don’t expect my type of rider from northern Belgium but from last year and the year before I have stayed a lot in Spain to train the hills. If you have to stay in Belgium it’s not ideal for my type of rider, so I’m working on it and I try to take another step forward and stay in Tenerife and train a lot of altitude meters. I think it’s necessary if you want to be a good climber. If you just stay in Belgium and train on the flat then of course you can ride and do good results, but if I really want to get the most out of myself, I think I have to train here and do a lot of climbing meters.”
Back to Rwanda and the World Tour debut
“It was important for me to join the Devo Team again in Rwanda. I rode the race in 2023 and I wanted to come back to try to win a stage there. The year before I was always close but finished second, third or fourth, so I wanted to return and win. I also really enjoyed my time in the Devo team with Kevin Hulsmans. We really have a good relationship, so it’s nice to also do some races again with him. We always have great times together and in Rwanda it was also like that. My first World Tour race was at the Volta a Catalunya. I finished 12th in the first stage in an uphill finish. It was quite nice, but then I suffered on the longer climbs, and I was a little bit less good. It was also my first race at this level, so I couldn’t be disappointed – I was not the last rider! And it was a good experience and a nice race, which I’m going to do I think a lot in the future, so it was important for me to discover it this year, and now I know how it is and I can look forward to the next years Also, it was nice that for the first time I helped the team to reach a goal and we finished second with Mikel, behind Pogačar, which almost felt like a victory for us! I was able to help Mikel in the last stages, on the uphill parts, so he was happy for me and that was also important. I enjoyed helping the other riders of the team because for me it was one of the best team performances that I was involved in this year.”
“I didn’t expect at the beginning of the season to be racing big classics like Liège–Bastogne–Liège and Lombardia, so it was nice that I could already get the chance to be at the start. I think they are the two Monuments that suit me the most. Unfortunately, at Liège I crashed, and with the poor weather, it was quite disappointing, but it was still a nice experience. And then, Lombardia is always a nice race. I really looked forward to it because I won the U23 event last year, and now to be at the start with Remco was special. I stayed with the team for a long time, as we always spend one week or two weeks in Italy and it always makes for a nice group feeling. And then to be at the start with Remco, it was something special. I was a little bit disappointed because I had already made it into the breakaway, which was strong and went quite far into the race and I would have really enjoyed being part of it, but I had a flat tire just as it was forming. That was quite a little bit disappointing, but I still could help a little bit for Remco, and I was happy to be part of the team.”
Racing the Vuelta
“At the beginning of the season, I always said I would really like to be at the start of a Grand Tour, but the team couldn’t give me a guarantee. So, I was really motivated to do my best and to prove to them that I was ready and that I was at the right level. I was happy to get chosen for La Vuelta because I think it’s the one that suits me the most. Of course, at the start I was doubting how it would be and how it would turn out because I never rode a Grand Tour. I’m still young so we don’t know how the body reacts, but I was really surprised that it went so well – better than even I expected. I only had two or three days where I had bad legs and suffered a little bit, but I think it’s normal. I had some good stages. I tried two times to be in the break, but when I was in it went to the finish. There were only five, so it was already like a top five spot guaranteed, but then in the final was a little bit difficult to play because Van Aert was also in and then you know, it will become difficult against him.”
“Most of this year I was delighted to be there to help the team. On stage 20, the penultimate stage, I was really happy, because it was after three weeks and then I could still pull until the bottom of the last climb, when there were only 20 riders left. I was really surprised that I made it there and I just gave everything for the team. The biggest thing I have learnt this year is that my body reacts well in Grand Tours. I think it’s important for the future because I still felt quite good in the second and third week. It is important that my body is not tired and empty after one week. It was important that I made some results already because I also want to continue, to go for the win in the races where I think it’s possible and then build from there. And in the bigger races, to help the team with Remco to win as much as possible.”
William Junior Lecerf more motivated:
48-Year-Old Oscar Sevilla Wins 25 Years After his First Professional Victory
The 48-year-old Oscar Sevilla won the opening stage of the Vuelta a Ecuador. In one of his last races of the 2024 season, the Spaniard won a two-man sprint. This win comes a quarter of a century after his first UCI victory in the Tour de Romandie in 1999.
Sevilla maybe 48 years-old, but he wants to continue for an extra year in 2025. The Colombian based Sevilla started his professional career 26 years ago in 1998, when Sevilla made his debut for the Kelme-Costa Blanca team and became one of the best climbers in the peloton. In 2001, he was second in the Vuelta a España and seventh in the Tour de France, and also won the white young rider’s jersey.
Sevilla’s career suffered a major setback in 2006, when he was suspended for his involvement in the Spanish doping case ‘Operación Puerto’, with doctor Eufemiano Fuentes at the centre of the scandal. Sevilla returned to the peloton after his suspension, but never got another chance with a top team. The Spaniard then raced for many, mostly Continental, teams, but he was still very successful. In 2023 in the Vuelta Bantrab, Tour of the Gila, Tour de Panamá and the Clásico RCN. His biggest victory that year was the final victory in the Tour of Hainan (2.Pro).
Still going strong 25 years later:
Alex Dowsett to Work with Astana Qazaqstan
Alex Dowsett has signed with Astana Qazaqstan for next year, not as a rider, but as a Performance Engineer. With the 36-year-old Briton, who ended his career as a professional cyclist at the end of 2022, the Kazakh team hopes to further develop in the field of aerodynamics and marginal gains, among other things.
Dowsett was part of the peloton from 2011 to 2022. He started his career with Sky (2011-2012) and then also rode for Movistar (2013-2017), Katusha-Alpecin (2018-2019) and Israel-Premier Tech (2020-2022). The British rider was mainly known as a time trial specialist. He was a six-time national champion against the clock and also won the Chrono des Nations and two stages in the Giro d’Italia.
Dowsett also had several World hour record attempts during his career. The former cyclist was seen as an expert in aerodynamics and marginal gains during his career and was involved with Astana Qazaqstan this year as a kind of advisor. From next year, Dowsett will work full-time for the team of manager Alexander Vinokourov. The Kazakh WorldTour team has created a new role of Performance Engineer especially for Dowsett on the recommendation of Mark Cavendish.
Alex Dowsett to Astana:
Major Changes at Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe for 2025
Halfway through 2024, Red Bull joined BORA-hansgrohe as the main sponsor. The new Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe team subsequently won the Vuelta a España with Primoz Roglič, but expects even greater successes in the future. From 2025 onwards, they will reap the rewards of all the investments, says Head of Performance Dan Lorang to Velo.
“Last year, Red Bull was on the shirt, but that was it,” said Lorang. “During this winter, we will really become Red Bull in terms of structure and resources. Next year will be the ‘real’ start of Red Bull with us.”
There will be many changes for 2025. “And there will be many more opportunities,” said Lorang. “We will have many more people working for us. There will be new opportunities to improve performance and more access to facilities. This can be a game changer for us. After the winter we will be even better prepared. We have the basis to say that we can fight for the podium of the Tour de France. We will really be ready to win the biggest races.”
The Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe team has already been strengthened with Jan Tratnik, Oier Lazkano and brothers Mick and Tim van Dijke. But it is not only riders who are joining the German team. “We have also attracted some of the best people in their field, like Dan Bigham. Now we have more people for certain specific tasks, things that we could not fully work on before. What I used to do on my own, is now done by three people,” said Lorang. “Throughout the organisation, people can focus more on their primary task. All those tasks can be done better, more effectively and with better information.”
In addition, Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe will be able to make better use of the Athlete Performance Centre. “It’s time to make use of it. Having these facilities and having access to Red Bull’s specialisation in so many different fields… It opens doors.”
More Success for Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe with more staff:
Manuel Peñalver: Two More Years of Speed for Team Polti Kometa
12 top-10, five podiums and even a second place by photo finish at the Tour of Langkawi, at the end of the season. This 2024, Manuel Peñalver’s debut for Team Polti Kometa, has confirmed the quality and speed of the sprinter who will continue in 2025 and 2026 adding successes for the Italian team.
“I am very happy with my 2024 season, I only missed the victory,” explains the cyclist from Alicante, who in every opportunity has been able to fight for great results. The podiums in the Giro d’Abruzzo, the Tour of Turkey or the Tour of Taiwan, together with places of honour in races such as Poitou Charentes or Boucles de la Mayenne, present a rider who has also been able to work for his team-mate Giovanni Lonardi in the search for success throughout the season.
“I want to be grateful for the opportunity to keep the confidence of the team for two more years, looking for the great results to become victories, to take a step forward and to continue progressing to add as much as possible to the team,” adds Peñalver.
Jesús Hernández, sports director: “Peñalver is a pure sprinter who has given us many places of honour. We have a lot of confidence in him to continue adding results, he is very brave and professional, he is the sprinter that any team needs and we are lucky to be able to continue counting on him for two more seasons.”
Two-Year Renewal with Team Polti Kometa for the Pianist Pietrobon
Ivan Basso saw his potential, bringing him into the U23 ranks of the Fundación Contador in 2022, and after an outstanding season he promoted him to the professional roster. Now, after two seasons with the ProTeam, Andrea Pietrobon is ready for two more, as he has extended his contract with Polti Kometa through 2025 and 2026.
Always prepared to support, pull and dive into the action when the opportunity arises, as well as to entertain those around him with his charismatic personality and piano skills, the 1999-born cyclist from the Cadore made a mark this year by winning the breakaway classification in his first Giro d’Italia. He also reached the podium in Lucca, nearly snatching victory in the corsa rosa’s fifth stage: “This team has given me the chance to do the work I dreamed of as a kid,” he says, “and I’m very happy that they’ve renewed their confidence in me. I know next two years will be crucial, as I’ll no longer be a youngster. I want to put my growing experience and athletic endurance to use to achieve even better results!”
Stefano Zanatta: “Pietrobon has followed a well-timed growth path that we all agreed upon. He’s shown strong values in every sense, can push himself beyond his limits and is strong in both character and physique. He has the right level of boldness and can rise to the occasion in any situation, providing valuable support to both his teammates and us as sporting directors. He could become one of the most representative members of our team, alongside men like Maestri and Sevilla.”
Michael Schwarzmann Continues with IPT in 2025
Michael Schwarzmann will stay on with Israel – Premier Tech in 2025, as the team and the 33-year-old German have agreed on a one-year contract extension.
“I really like the atmosphere in this team,” Schwarzmann explains. “This year, we showed that everybody works really well together, riders and staff, and I hope that we can continue on this path next year and do even better.”
The 2024 season was Schwarzmann’s first year with IPT, joining as a key lead-out rider for his countryman and top sprinter Pascal Ackermann. After fine-tuning the lead-outs throughout the season, Schwarzmann believes next year will be even better.
He adds: “This year, most of us were racing together for the first time. We all learned a lot, and I think this will be an advantage for us next year. We have a good mix of young and talented riders as well as more experienced guys, and I’m eager to help the team reach its goals.”
IPT’s General Manager, Kjell Carlström, is pleased to see Schwarzmann continuing with the team, highlighting his great spirit and dedication to the team’s success.
“Michael is a valued member of our IPT family,” says Carlström. “He comes to races and camps with a great attitude and really adds a lot to the good atmosphere of the team, on and off the bike. Michael is a loyal teammate and fully dedicated to the team’s goals. He’s also a key member of our lead-out train, adding strength and experience to the hectic sprint finals.”
Team owner Sylvan Adams, too, is happy that Schwarzmann will stay within the IPT ranks next year. “Schwarzie has been a reliable rider since he joined our team last year. He’s done everything that the performance group has asked of him, and more. Moreover, he fits right in and adds to the team chemistry. I’m very pleased that he will continue with IPT.”
Schwarzmann’s contract extension completes IPT’s 2025 roster with the German filling the team’s 30th spot.
Israel – Premier Tech in 2025:
Pascal Ackermann (GER), George Bennett (NZL), Joseph Blackmore (GBR), Guillaume Boivin (CAN), Simon Clarke (AUS), Pier-André Côté (CAN), Itamar Einhorn (ISR), Marco Frigo (ITA), Chris Froome (GBR), Jakob Fuglsang (DEN), Derek Gee (CAN), Jan Hirt (CZE), Hugo Hofstetter (FRA), Hugo Houle (CAN), Oded Kogut (ISR), Matîs Louvel (FRA), Alexey Lutsenko (KAZ), Krists Neilands (LAT), Riley Pickrell (CAN), Nadav Raisberg (ISR), Matthew Riccitello (USA), Nick Schultz (AUS), Michael Schwarzmann (GER), Riley Sheehan (USA), Jake Stewart (GBR), Corbin Strong (NZL), Tom Van Asbroeck (BEL), Ethan Vernon (GBR), Stephen Williams (GBR), Michael Woods (CAN).
Michael Schwarzmann will stay with Israel – Premier Tech:
INEOS Grenadiers Launches Development Partnership with Lotto Kern-Haus PSD Bank
The INEOS Grenadiers are pleased to announce that the team will join forces with the highly respected German Continental outfit Lotto Kern-Haus PSD Bank as an official development partner in 2025.
This new partnership will supplement the team’s existing internal ‘Ascent’ development programme which has already identified young talent and provided bespoke development support to riders including Josh Tarling, AJ August and Michael Leonard.
The 2025 season will see the Grenadiers expand the Ascent programme, and this partnership will be an important part of the work to develop and prepare young riders for racing at WorldTour level.
INEOS Grenadiers’ Performance Director, Scott Drawer, said: “Lotto Kern-Haus PSD Bank provides an outstanding competitive environment which will give our youngest riders valuable racing experience. Key riders will be selected and placed with the Lotto Kern-Haus PSD Bank team while still being coached and supported by INEOS Grenadiers staff. We see this as a ‘finishing school’ for young talent before their transition to the WorldTour, akin to that of a loan club in professional football. The management and staff at Lotto Kern-Haus PSD Bank have really impressed us and we trust that this is going to be a fruitful and key partnership for the future.”
Torsten Schmidt, Head of Sport, Lotto Kern-Haus PSD Bank, said: “One of the best jobs in cycling is to help and support young cyclists at the start of their careers. In my past as a Sport Director in the WorldTour, I have managed to do this several times and I still have a strong connection with many of these athletes. The trust in our partnership is also reinforced by the meetings we have held so far, where I have been pleased to see that everyone involved shares the same perspective and motivation.”
Florian Monreal, Owner, Lotto Kern-Haus PSD Bank, said: “It is a very important step for the team to have a development partnership with a WorldTour team like the INEOS Grenadiers. They are one of the world’s best teams and it is an honour and recognition for the very good work we have been doing over the years. Thanks to our network and various collaborations, we always have very good talent in the team and the racing calendar is at an absolutely top level. Working with young, motivated riders in the most important U23 races is a lot of fun and it’s always great to see these talents then move on to the WorldTour.”
Astana Qazaqstan Team is Reinforcing its Performance Group
Ahead of the upcoming 2025 season, Astana Qazaqstan Team is making a strong push to enhance rider’s performance, bringing in several specialists to bolster the Performance Group. In the new season, the team will include Alex Dowsett, Helmut Dollinger, Manuel Crespo, and Morgan Saussine.
Former British track world hour record holder Alex Dowsett will join the team as a Performance Engineer.
“Alex, a former professional cyclist and track world hour record holder, will focus on optimising rider positioning on the bike, testing technical equipment, and preparing for time trials. Given recent project developments, including in the technical domain, I believe Alex is an invaluable addition, bringing deep expertise in biomechanics and aerodynamics. He understands speed and high-performance cycling”, said Alexandr Vinokurov, General Manager of Astana Qazaqstan Team.
Helmut Dollinger, a well-regarded coach within the professional peloton, has coached numerous high-level riders. As part of Astana Qazaqstan Team, he will strengthen the coaching staff, working alongside other specialists to improve rider performance.
Professor Manuel Crespo will join as the new Strength and Conditioning Coach.
“This was a position we were missing in our group, so we sought an expert in this area. I’m pleased Manuel is joining our project. He will be responsible not only for the physical preparation of our athletes but will also work on injury prevention”, – commented Alexandr Vinokurov.
Morgan Saussine, a Sports Data Scientist, will be Astana Qazaqstan Team’s new data analyst. Morgan already collaborated with the team in 2024, assisting in the so-called “Project 35”. In the upcoming season, Morgan will leverage training and race data daily, building operational models for the Performance Group to maximise rider performance at the highest level.
More backroom staff for Astana:
Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana in Jeopardy Due to Recent Floods
It is uncertain whether the Tour of Valencia can go ahead in 2025. The stage race was scheduled for 5th to 9th February, but the 76th edition of the event is now in jeopardy. This is due to the devastating floods that hit the region at the end of October.
The Valencia area was hit by a serious natural disaster on 29 October, where many people lost their lives, also many houses and cars were damage or completely destroyed. This warehouse of the Tour of Valencia in Massanassa, which was completely flooded. Approximately 95% of the materials from the race were lost. The upcoming edition is therefore in jeopardy, said race director Ángel Casero to the EFE news agency.
“We’re going to clean everything up, throw away all the broken stuff and, when we’re done with that, we’ll take stock and note the losses,” says former cyclist Casero, who won the Vuelta a España in 2001. “We were planning to present the route in December, but that’s not going to be possible. There are also places we were going to that have been affected. We have to wait until the end of November to see what the situation is in those places, what the subsidies are like for next year and what’s going to happen.”
At this time of year, Casero wanted to visit the start and finish towns to see what needed to be done, but that is now not possible. “We’re just shovelling mud and throwing things away. The problem is that it never ends: no matter how much you clean, all the streets are muddy and everything just flows back in.”
“The only function we have now is to leave everything more or less clean, organised and in good condition. Then we will see what material we still have, assess its economic value, discuss the insurance issue and see if we have time to reproduce what was lost.”
Last year, the Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana was won by Brandon McNulty, here with race organiser Angel Cassero:
2025 O Gran Camiño Will Start in Portugal
The 2025 O Gran Camiño (UCI 2.1) stage race will start in Portugal. The first stage of the Galician race will take place in nearby Portugal, the organisers announced.
In addition to the choice of a ‘Gran Salida’ in neighbouring Portugal, it was also announced that O Gran Camiño has expanded from four to five stages. The O Gran Camiño will now run from February 26th to the 2nd of March. The opening stage will start in Portugal and four provinces within Galicia will also be visited. The full stage details will be announced at a later date.
“The tour becomes international by crossing the border, which strengthens the ties with the neighbouring country and the Portuguese Camiños,” the race organisers wrote in a press release. “We also want to enjoy the country that has traditionally been the place where many Galician cyclists are welcomed.”
Jonas Vingegaard won the last two editions and Alejandro Valverde won in 2021. The regional government, the Xunta de Galicia, are more involved as it wants to promote the race “to sell the excellence of the region of Galicia.”
2025 O Gran Camiño to start in Portugal:
Giro Will Decide on Location of Grande Partenza in Mid-December
The route presentation of the 2025 Giro d’Italia will take place on January 13, 2025, according to the Spanish sports-paper AS. Due to financial and logistical setbacks, the organisers still have to decide whether the Grande Partenza can go ahead as planned in Albania. According to AS, the decision will be made in mid-December.
The presentation of the Giro route was originally scheduled to take place on Tuesday, November 12, but RCS announced at the end of October that the event would not go ahead. No reason was given for the cancellation. Cicloweb also wrote that there was still uncertainty about the Grande Partenza in Albania due to political tensions. Now AS writes that a number of ‘financial and logistical setbacks’ between the Giro organisers RCS and the Albanian government were the reason for postponing the route presentation. Both parties still want to continue with each other and are still negotiating. Edi Rama, the Prime Minister of Albania, confirmed this to RAI.
A possible replacement for Albania to host the Grande Partenza is Sicily, Cicloweb also reported. RCS will make a final decision on the starting location in mid-December. The route presentation will have to take place a month later, on Monday 13 January 2025. The Giro organisation wants to convince Tadej Pogačar, Jonas Vingegaard, Primoz Roglič and Remco Evenepoel to participate in their race, but for them it may be an obstacle that they can only study the route almost four months before the planned start date of 9th May.
Meanwhile, the Giro d’Italia is also struggling with another problem. The agreement with ENEL, the main sponsor of the race in recent years, expires at the end of this year. RCS is currently busy trying to extend the contract. If that doesn’t work, it will create a gap in the budget of around seven million euros.
Where will the 2025 Giro start?
The Sad Passing of Seven-Time World Champion Michael Hübner
Former track World champion, Michael Hübner has passed away. The German died in his hometown of Chemnitz, the Association of German Cyclists (BDR) announced. The cause of death is unknown. Michael Hübner was 65 years old.
Michael Hübner was a big name in German track cycling. In his glory years, the German excelled in several disciplines and won a number of titles. He won three World titles in the Keirin (1990-1992), two titles in the sprint (1990, 1992) and one title in the team sprint (1995). He also won a World title as an amateur sprinter (1986). In the last year of his career, he won World championship silver and the German championship title in the team sprint together with his good friend Jens Fiedler.
Hübner ended his career in 1997. Until 2022, the man from Chemnitz was sporting director of the track cycling team Theed Projekt Cycling (formerly Team Natural Gas), which included famous names such as Maximilian Levy, Lea Sophie Friedrich and Kristina Vogel. The latter praised Hübner in an interview with Bild. “This shocks us all. You are speechless. You don’t even know what to say. He is a sprint legend. He, Lutz Heßlich and Jens Fiedler were the ones who made sprinting great in Germany.”
Rest in peace great champion – Michael Hübner:
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