EUROTRASH Monday: Road, Time Trail, Gravel And All The News

The road season is finished you say? Well, there is still a lot of it going on. Reports, results and video from the Veneto Classic, Chrono des Nations, Japan Cup and Serenissima Gravel. Patrick Lefevere: ‘INEOS Grenadiers was late again’ – TOP STORY. Other news: Mark Cavendish to B&B Hotels, Canada’s Dylan Bibic wins Worlds scratch race, Evenepoel and Kopecky win Kristallen Fiets, Zdenek Stybar second in his comeback cross, Mathieu van der Poel talks of mental fatigue, Juan Ayuso to the Vuelta, Tom Dumoulin to work with Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert, Drone Hopper-Androni Giocattoli stepping down a level, Samuele Battistella to stay with Astana Qazaqstan, Bahrain Victorious, Trek-Segafredo, Arkéa-Samsic and UAE Team Emirates contracts. Rider news: Michael Valgren on his comeback, no contract for Alessandro De Marchi and Mark Donovan takes a step down. Team news: Leopard and Riwal teams to merge and Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl auctions S-Works frame to support the farmers. Race news: 2023 Giro d’Italia route announcement today. Plus Davide Rebellin and Philip Gilbert’s last races. Monday EUROTRASH coffee time.

TOP STORY: Patrick Lefevere on Evenepoel: “INEOS Grenadiers was Late Again”
The rumours between INEOS Grenadiers and Remco Evenepoel are now behind us, but Patrick Lefevere has made himself heard again as it seems that there was an offer from the British team.

In an interview with Cyclingnews, Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl manager Lefevere commented on INEOS Grenadiers fishing. “It’s an easy tactic for them to come over and say, ‘You’re on two, we can pay you six’. But it doesn’t work that way,” Lefevere said. “It’s normal, they’ve been chasing Remco for years.”

“They were late when he was junior, now they are late again,” the Belgian manager continued. “Do I look stupid? People sometimes think I’m stupid, but when I submit a five-year contract, it’s all there, for every scenario. All I have to do is pay it.”

It is not yet known which Grand Tour Evenepoel will ride in 2023. “Next year the team will be strong, for 2024 I know that I will have to look for some new riders,” Lefevere referred to the fact that many contracts will expire by then.

“I think it’s actually easier to win the Tour de France than the Vuelta a España. There is more control by other teams, who keep an eye on each other. You just have to follow them and then beat them.”

Patrick Lefevere: “INEOS Grenadiers was late again”

 

Veneto Classic 2022
Marc Hirschi (UAE-Emirates) won the Veneto Classic. The Swiss rider crossed the line solo in Bassano del Grappa after dropping his fellow escapees on the final climb. His teammate Davide Formolo was second and Nicola Conci (Alpecin-Deceuninck) took third place.

The riders had a hilly race to Bassano del Grappa and a total of 191 kilometres. After 100 kilometres, the peloton had three climbs of La Rosina (2.7km at 5.9%). The final was then on the cobbled climb of La Tisa (300m at 12.3%), which was climbed twice. The killer of the day was the Diesel Farm climb (1.3km at 9.6%) at 10 kilometres from the finish, after that there was also a ramp of 500 meters at 11.4% at 9 kilometres out.

From the start, a leading group of five quickly emerged with Italians Ricardo Tosin (General Store-Essegibi-F.Lli Curia), Matto Zurlo (Zalf Euromobil Fior), Michael Belleri (Biesse-Carrera), Norwegian Jonas Abrahamsen (Uno-X) and the Swiss rider Nils Brun (Tudor). The lead of the five quickly increased to more than 4 minutes. In the peloton, it was mainly UAE Team Emirates who led for home rider Matteo Trentin. When the leading group, from which Tosin had meanwhile been dropped, started La Tisa, the lead was only 1 minute. On the climb, Davide Formolo for UAE Team Emirates lifted the pace, decimating the lead of the break, where Abrahamsen couldn’t hang on, and the lead was only 20 seconds at the top. At 37 kilometres the remaining escapees were also caught by the peloton, which was still led by UAE Team Emirates. Thirty-three kilometres from the finish, Miguel Ángel Lopéz crashed out of the race. On the second passage of La Tisa, a group escaped the peloton. Just when the pursuers made the connection again, Formolo decided to make his move. He was joined by his teammate Marc Hirschi, Florian Vermeersch (Lotto Soudal), Rémy Rochas (Cofidis), Christian Scaroni (Astana Qazaqstan) and Stefano Oldani (Alpecin-Deceuninck).

The leading group started the last climb of La Tisa with a lead of about 15 seconds. Trentin attacked from the group behind and managed to join the leading group on the descent, but another group of riders joined, including Diego Ulissi. This group started the unpaved stretches of the Diesel Farm with just over 10 kilometres to go. Here Nicola Conci of Alpecin-Deceuninck made a gap off the front. The Italian was joined by Formolo and Hirschi. The Swiss rider then took the lead on the tricky descent, which was also unpaved, where he managed to force a gap on his fellow escapees. His lead quickly increased to 15 seconds. On the last uphill stretch about 5 kilometres from the finish, Formolo also left Conci behind. Formolo then gave chase on his teammate. Hirschi managed to hold on for the solo win. Formolo completed the one-two for UAE Team Emirates. Conci managed to stay ahead of the pursuers to finished third.

Race winner, Marc Hirschi (UAE Team Emirates): “The Veneto Classic is a good race and it suits me. It’s always small climbs, and I like it. I like Italy. We are almost an Italian team, so I’m happy to win. I reconned the gravel climb and descent in training, and even though this year was slightly different from last, it was a similar kind of race. For our team the best option was to attack and we played our cards right. We planned to start the racing on the first cobbled climb. On gravel you have to start at the front because it’s really hard to overtake. It’s about power but it’s also about technique. I just knew I wanted to be close the front. I have done some cyclocross in the past, although I’m no specialist. We attacked early on the climb, then on the gravel we came together and full gas to the top, everywhere with two guys. I had reconned the gravel descent in training, so I tried to force a mistake from the others. I just rode on instinct. I went full gas, I knew Davide [Formolo] was alone but I didn’t know what was going on behind. I got some time gaps but they were hard to understand so I just went full gas. (After taking 4 wins this season): It’s difficult to compare [this season with 2020]. My season has been better than I could have expected after the hip operation on January. It was a short season for me, although I had good preparation and I was able to do a lot of kilometres in training. I caught Covid-19 in the Tour de Suisse. I hoped I’d be in the Tour team, but I was told I was not 3 or 4 days before it started. I understood, although I was really sad because I’d spent 4 weeks in altitude camp. Then Trentin got Covid-19. They took me, but I was not good enough. I kept hoping I’d get better after the next stage or the rest day. It was important for the team because we didn’t have a lot of guys. I had a knee injury from a crash, then after the Tour I took a break for a month, then built up again, and now I came into the end of season races fresh physically and mentally. Overall I’m really happy, and I hope I can carry this form into the new season.”

2nd, Davide Formolo (UAE Team Emirates): “I was following Conci, then I saw Conci didn’t have the power. I could see Marc ahead of me but I didn’t want him to wait for me because I was going to finish second anyway. The Tisa is pure emotion. I like cyclocross. I’ve done Strade Bianchi twice, and the first time I was second. I like riding on gravel although on today’s descent, a bit less. On some curves you risk finishing the race.”

3rd, Nicola Conci (Alpecin-Deceuninck): “When I attacked [on the climb to Diesel Farm] I didn’t think much about the finish. I felt I could ride at a good rhythm on the climb, but Marc passed me on the descent and did one or two curves better than me. I didn’t want to take risks because you can gain a few metres on every curve, but you can also
finish your race. After the descent, I didn’t have the legs to get back to Marc, then Davide
obviously saw I didn’t have the legs, and attacked me. I can’t have any regrets after this
season. I had iliac artery trouble when I was at Trek and I decided to have the operation last season. This year I felt like a neo pro again, but [after a spell with Gazprom] I found an excellent team [in Alpecin-Deceuninck] and I am looking forward to next season with
optimism.”

Veneto Classic Result:
1. Marc Hirschi (Sui) UAE Team Emirates in 4:39:54
2. Davide Formolo (Ita) UAE Team Emirates at 0:10
3. Nicola Conci (Ita) Alpecin-Deceuninck at 0:29
4. Stefano Oldani (Ita) Alpecin-Deceuninck at 0:33
5. Matteo Trentin (Ita) UAE Team Emirates
6. Mathias Vacek (CZ) Trek-Segafredo
7. Francesco Busatto (Ita) General Store-Essegibi-F.Lli Curia
8. Rémy Rochas (Fra) Cofidis
9. Andreas Kron (Den) Lotto Soudal at 0:39
10. Diego Ulissi (Ita) UAE Team Emirates at 0:42.

Veneto’22:

 

Chrono des Nations – Men 2022
Stefan Küng (Groupama-FDJ) won the 2022 Chrono des Nations. The Swiss rider was just over 2 seconds faster than World champion Tobias Foss over the 45 kilometre course. At the World Time Trial Championships last month, the roles were reversed. Then Foss won by 3 seconds ahead of the Küng. Italian Matteo Sobrero (BikeExchange-Jayco) was third at 11 seconds.

Küng and Foss were pre-race favourites, and they lived up to that status. Foss set the fastest time at the first intermediate point after 10.5 kilometres with 12:45. Stefan Küng was at 6 seconds. The Swiss rider had to make up time on the World champion. European champion Stefan Bissegger seemed unlikely to win. He was 20 seconds slower than Foss at the first intermediate point. Sobrero was also outside the top 10 at the first intermediate point.

At the second time point after 35 kilometres, Foss’ lead was only 2 seconds. At the finish, the Swiss rider had turned his deficit into a 2 second lead, winning the Chrono des Nations and keeping Tobias Foss from his first rainbow jersey victory. Sobero managed to make up a lot of time and took third place.

2nd, Tobias Foss (Jumbo-Visma): “It was a nice fight. It’s a pity that I lost by two seconds, but all in all I can certainly be satisfied with this. After the Tour of Lombardy I was a bit sick, so I didn’t have the best legs today. Nevertheless, I gave it my all and I’m happy that I was able to perform the time trial in a good way. It’s still unreal that I can ride in this jersey. Normally I ride my races in yellow-black and now my outfit suddenly looked very different. Although it was not a memorable time trial, I enjoyed it immensely. Now it’s time for vacation.”

Chrono des Nations – Men Result:
1. Stefan Küng (Sui) Groupama-FDJ in 53:29
2. Tobias Foss (Nor) Jumbo-Visma at 0:02
3. Matteo Sobrero (Ita) BikeExchange-Jayco at 0:11
4. Martin Toft Madsen (Den) BHS-PL Beton Bornholm at 0:33
5. Bruno Armirail (Fra) Groupama-FDJ at 0:50
6. Pierre Latour (Fra) TotalEnergies at 0:56
7. Stefan Bissegger (Sui) EF Education-EasyPost at 1:04
8. Frederik Muff (Den) Team ColoQuick at 1:18
9. Anthony Delaplace (Fra) Team Arkéa Samsic at 1:36
10. Stéphane Rossetto (Fra) St Michel-Auber93 at 1:48.

Chrono des Nations’22:

 

Chrono des Nations – Women 2022
Ellen van Dijk has won her first time trial since her World title win in Wollongong. The Trek-Segafredo specialist was in a class of her own in the Chrono des Nations on the 27.2 kilometre course in France.

At the beginning of this month, 35-year-old Van Dijk decided to end her season in Chrono des Nations, so that she could ride this year in her rainbow jersey. All eyes were on her, in the absence of her biggest competitor Marlen Reusser. At the intermediate point after 10.5 kilometres she had a lead of 13 seconds on Anna Kiesenhofer and 18 seconds on Christina Schweinberger.

In the second part of the test, Van Dijk went faster. With a finishing time of 35:54, she had Valeriya Kononenko from Ukraine at 1:06. Third place went to Amber Neben, who lost 1:18 to the winner. Schweinberger finished in fourth place and Loes Adegeest was fifth.

Race winner, Ellen van Dijk (Trek-Segafredo): “I always enjoy participating in this race and I am happy that I was able to win here. The organisers have put a lot of effort into this race and it is on par with the men’s edition. I appreciate that a lot. I also like these kind of one-day races that only consist of a time trial, especially because I like time trial so much. I say it more often, but events like this should be held more in my opinion. I feel very happy when I look back on last season. Breaking the World hour record was already a dream that became reality this year, but also defending my World title in the time trial I never dared dream, because from experience I know how difficult it is. It was eight years between my first and second World title. It’s amazing how great the last two years have been, and that shows how well everything is going with the team and how good the relationship is with my trainer Josu Larratabel. Everything came together and I am already looking forward to next year.”

Chrono des Nations – Women Result:
1. Ellen van Dijk (Ned) Trek-Segafredo in 35:54
2. Valeriya Kononenko (Ukr) Ukraine at 1:06
3. Amber Neben (USA) United States at 1:18
4. Christina Schweinberger (Aust) Plantur-Pura at 1:37
5. Loes Adegeest (Ned) IBCT at 1:46
6. Élena Hartmann (Sui) VC Horgen at 1:51
7. Coralie Demay (Fra) St Michel-Auber93 at 1:55
8. Dana Rožlapa (Lat) Keukens Redant Cycling Team at 2:11
9. Julie Van de Velde (Bel) Plantur-Pura at 2:12
10. Marie Le Net (Fra) FDJ-SUEZ-Futuroscope at 2:18.

Chrono des Nations’22 women’s podium:

 

Japan Cup 2022
Neilson Powless won the 29th edition of the Japan Cup. The 26-year-old American beat his Italian teammate Andrea Piccolo, who finished second to complete the EF Education-EasyPost party. Benjamin Dyball was third.

The Japan Cup took place in Utsunomiya, about 100 kilometres from Tokyo. The race was held at the Utsunomiya City Forest Park Circuit. The 10.3-kilometre circuit had the Mt. Kogashiyama as a decider. A sprint from a small group was probable, but a solo rider could also win.

It was soon clear that the race would not end in a sprint. The fast pace split the race quite quickly. EF Education-EasyPost turned out to have the best riders in the final: the American team could claim victory with either Powless and Piccolo. Powless attacked at the right moment and rode away from the other attackers. The American all-rounder managed to build a nice lead and this turned out to be the winning move. Powless brought his solo to a good end, adding a second professional victory to his palmarès. Last year he took his first victory with the professionals in the Clásica San Sebastián. Piccolo crossed the line in second place, giving EF Education-EasyPost a 1-2.

33-year-old Australian Benjamin Dyball, one of the stars in the Asian circuit for years, was third on the podium. The ex-rider of Delko Marseille and NTT Pro Cycling beat the Austrian Hermann Pernsteiner in the sprint for third place. With his victory, Powless follows in the footsteps of Claudio Chiappucci, Mauro Gianetti, Gilberto Simoni, Damiano Cunego, Richardo Riccò, Daniel Martin, Ivan Basso and Bauke Mollema, who have all won the Japan Cup.

Race winner, Neilson Powless (EF Education-EasyPost): “I think a tough race suited us well. We have riders with really good depth. We came here with some strong one-day riders. James Shaw is a really strong one-day rider. He and Andrea Piccolo showed their strength today. First and second is a perfect race for us. As a bike rider, you really just want to win a bike race. So I’m just so happy that I could do it in Japan, at the last race of the year. I made a lot of progress this year but I was always missing a win. I was really happy with the way I developed and the improvements I made, but as a bike rider, you really just want to win a bike race. So I’m just so happy that I could do it in Japan, at the last race of the year.”

Japan Cup Result:
1. Neilson Powless (USA) EF Education-EasyPost in 3:37:49
2. Andrea Piccolo (Ita) EF Education-EasyPost at 0:12
3. Benjamin Dyball (Aus) Team UKYO at 0:13
4. Hermann Pernsteiner (Aust) Bahrain-Victorious
5. Maxim Van Gils (Bel) Lotto Soudal at 0:17
6. Guillaume Martin (Fra) Cofidis
7. Giulio Ciccone (Ita) Trek-Segafredo at 0:32
8. Thomas Lebas Kinan (Fra) Cycling Team at 0:34
9. Tim Wellens (Bel) Lotto Soudal at 1:32
10. Gotzon Martín (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi.

Japan Cup’22:

 

Serenissima Gravel 2022
Robin Froidevaux won the Serenissima Gravel on Friday. The Tudor team rider broke away from a leading group in the final of the Italian race. Emils Liepins and Gianni Vermeersch were second and third on the podium. Mathieu van der Poel was also part of the leading group, but was held up by a crash.

Last year, Kazakh Alexey Lutsenko won the Serenissima Gravel. This year there were a lot of famous names at the start such as Mathieu van der Poel, new Gravel World champion Gianni Vermeersch, Miguel Angel López, Florian Vermeersch, Filippo Fiorelli and Davide Cimolai. The gravel race started in Porto Barricata and after 195.9 kilometres it finished in Piazzola sul Brenta.

After 70 kilometres there was a large leading group. Van der Poel, López and Vermeersch were present. Ludovic Robeet (Bingoal Pauwels Sauces WB) briefly escaped with some companions, but was soon caught again. The leading group thinned out as the race progressed, so that they started the last 50 kilometres with about 15 riders. The peloton was at more than 4 minutes and wouldn’t see the front again.

The final of the Serenissima Gravel was three circuits of 11 kilometres each. Before starting the first of those three laps, Van der Poel set a solid pace in the leading group, but it was not possible to get away. The Dutchman was held up by a crash, after he had attacked again. At the start of the last lap, Van der Poel was able to rejoin the leading group, but it had been a tough chase.

Ten riders started the final of the Italian race. It was 23-year-old Robin Froidevaux who was the first to make a gap. The Swiss road champion, who rides for Tudor, was 25 seconds ahead of the chasing group 4 kilometres from the finish. The young Froidevaux held out in the final kilometres and rode to victory. Emils Liepins took second place and World gravel champion Vermeersch was third.

Race winner, Robin Froidevaux (Tudor Pro Cycling Team): “I’m not too much of a gravel specialist, and even MTB I’m not so good technically but I took the opportunity and went on the attack, because I knew that if I stayed in the group, it would be hard technically against the best in the last lap, and it worked. I didn’t believe it until the last kilometre. I feel really happy. I had injury in my fingers two and a half months ago. I had to rest for a month then start training again, so I’m fresher that the other riders because I didn’t have a mid-season.”

Serenissima Gravel Result:
1. Robin Froideveaux (Sui) Tudor in 4:45:14
2. Emīls Liepinš (Lat) Trek-Segafredo at 0:13
3. Gianni Vermeersch (Bel) Alpecin-Deceuninck
4. Florian Vermeersch (Bel) Lotto Soudal
5. Martin Urianstad (Nor) Uno-X
6. Miguel Angel López (Col) Astana Qazaqstan at 0:14
7. Samuele Zoccarto (Ita) Bardiani-CSF-Faizanè at 0:16
8. Mathieu van der Poel (Ned) Alpecin-Deceuninck at 0:19
9. Umberto Marengo (Ita) Drone Hopper-Androni Giocattoli at 0:23
10. Matteo Zurlo (Ita) Zalf Euromobil Fior at 0:24.

Serenissima Gravel:

 

As Rumoured for a long time, Mark Cavendish Looks to Have a Contract with B&B Hotels
Much has already been said and written about the future of B&B Hotels-KTM, which it is said will have a significantly higher budget from 2023 than it does today. Big names have been mentioned in connection with Jérôme Pineau’s French team, but now it sound like he has attracted one top rider: Mark Cavendish.

The British sprinter didn’t get a contract extension with Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl, but still wants to do everything he can to break the record of 34 stage victories in the Tour de France. The 37-year-old sprinter equaled Eddy Merckx last year. Cav won four stages in that Tour and put himself equal to the legendary Belgian. This year Patrick Lefevere chose Fabio Jakobsen as his sprinter in the French Grand Tour.

After the announcement that he couldn’t stay with Quick-Step, the Briton went looking for a new team. He sought help from the Dutch management agency SEG Cycling. They would have contributed to a contract with B&B Hotels-KTM. SEG Cycling also represents Cees Bol (DSM) and Nick Schultz (BikeExchange-Jayco), who will also transfer to the French team next year.

WielerFlits understands that last week various riders tried on the team clothing for next year and that Cavendish was present. VeloNews also reports that the team have registered for a ProTeam license next year. That may seem trivial, but there were also opinions that Pineau would face financial problems. For the time being, it seems that he is embarking on a new project with the city of Paris, with a view to the 2024 Olympic Games in that same city. Where Carrefour was previously mentioned as a sponsor, sources now inform WielerFlits that Amazon France is stepping on board. In any case, it looks like Pineau is working on a team event or press conference on Wednesday, October 26. Not entirely coincidentally, the Tour de France route for 2023 will be announced a day later in Paris, which means that a lot of press will already be present in the French capital. It seems that Cavendish, Bol, Sinkeldam, Schultz, Williams and Maximiliano Richeze will also be presented.

The Argentinian, Richeze, who is 39 years old said goodbye to the professional peloton in June, but the sprint lead-out man would restart his career at the express request of Cavendish. According to radio peloton, Stephen Williams is also in the picture with the French team, also from the same Dutch management stable. The British climber was with Bahrain Victorious in recent years.

B&B for Cavendish:

 

Bibic becomes 1st Canadian to Win Gold in Men’s Scratch Race at Track Cycling World Championships
19-year-old won last year’s men’s points race at junior world championships

The Canadian Press reported on Thursday that Canada’s Dylan Bibic won the men’s scratch race at the 2022 UCI Track Cycling World Championships on Thursday in Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, France.

The 19-year-old from Mississauga, Ont., became the first Canadian to win gold in the event, which is a 15-kilometre mass start, featuring breakaways that can eliminate lapped riders. The race demands a combination of endurance and sprinting abilities. Defending champion Donavan Grondin of France was in good position to win again with a couple laps to go. Mitchell, Bibic named Canadian cyclists of the year by Canadian Cyclist magazine
Belgium’s Tuur Dens accelerated to take the lead until Bibic’s timed attack to win by a full bike length.

“I believe in my sprint as it’s comparable to sprinters, so I can rely on it,” Bibic told the UCI in a post-race interview. “I’ve done a lot of team-pursuit practice and riding behind the moto. I’m now looking forward to the Omnium and Madison, which I want to place well in ahead of the Olympics, and then the UCI Track Champions League.”

Bibic won gold in his world championship debut. He won last year’s men’s points race at the junior world championships in Cairo, Egypt. The Velodrome National de St-Quentin-en-Yvelines is the Olympic venue for the 2024 Summer Games in Paris. Nineteen Canadians, led by Olympic sprint champion Kelsey Mitchell, are competing at the world championship until Sunday. Four Canadians will also compete in the UCI Para-Cycling Track World Championships there Oct. 20-23.

Dylan Bibic of Canada celebrates winning the gold medal in the men’s Scratch race at the 2022 UCI Track Cycling World Championships in Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, France, on Thursday:

 

Remco Evenepoel and Lotte Kopecky Win Kristallen Fiets
Remco Evenepoel and Lotte Kopecky have won the Kristallen Fiets. The Kristallen Fiets is an annual prize awarded to the best Belgian cyclists. Kopecky received the trophy last year, Wout van Aert was the men’s winner.

This year it was Evenepoel who won the Kristallen Fiets. The young Belgian already won the Best Promising rider prize in 2018, but took home the main prize this year. Evenepoel won Liège-Bastogne-Liège, the final classification of the Vuelta a España and the World championships this year.

Among the women, Kopecky was the winner again. The SD Worx rider won both the Strade Bianche and the Tour of Flanders in the spring by beating the World champion to be Annemiek van Vleuten. Kopecky was also second in the World championships.

In addition to the Kristallen Fiets, trophies were also awarded for Best Promising rider, Best Manager/Coach and Best domestique (Crystal Sweat Drop). Sven Vanthourenhout was voted Coach of the Year. The national coach delivered the World champion with Remco Evenepoel in Wollongong. And of course that deserved the highest accolade. Alec Segaert was again the best Promising rider.

Tiesj Benoot has won the Crystal Sweat Drop. The Jumbo-Visma rider played an important role in Wout van Aert’s successful spring. He was also crucial for the team in the Tour. He beat teammate Nathan Van Hooydonck and Pieter Serry for the trophy.

Remco Evenepoel with the Kristallen Fiets trophy:

 

Zdenek Stybar Celebrates Cross Comeback with Second Place
Zdenek Stybar finished second in the Grand Prix Dohnany 1, his first cross since January 2021. The Czech was beaten Ward Huybs in the Slovak C2 cyclocross. For the 20-year-old Belgian it was his first victory as a professional.

The last time Stybar came into action in cyclo-cross was the World championships in Ostend, on January 31, 2021. After a season without any cross, he was at the start in Dohnany. There Huybs was the first to cross the line after more than an hour. Stybar followed seventeen seconds behind the Baloise Trek Lions rider, Seppe Rombouts was third at one minute and eighteen seconds. On Sunday, in the Grand Prix Dohnany 2, Stybar gets another chance at success. Stybar will be racing more cyclo-cross this season. Czech national coach Petr Kloucek said that Styby wants to participate in the 2024 cyclo-cross World Championships in Tabor, where he became World champion in 2010.

Styby Back to cross:

 

Van der Poel Speaks About Mental Fatigue
Mathieu van der Poel rode the Giro del Veneto on Wednesday, but had to deal with equipment problems at a decisive moment in the race and gave up not much later. Van der Poel also rode the Serenissima Gravel on Friday. “I will be happy when I can take a short break after Friday.” the Dutchman told the press

Van der Poel has had an eventful season, with some peaks but also deep troughs. The Alpecin-Deceuninck rider no longer feels fresh. “This season, the mental fatigue is greater than the physical fatigue,” he said before the start of the Giro del Veneto. “There’s not really much left in the tank. The gravel World championship was something I really wanted to do because it was a little bit special, but after that there were two more races. I will be happy when I can take a short break after Friday.”

Why did Van der Poel participate in the Giro del Veneto? “I was here for a week anyway. Sometimes it’s hard to keep training, so I’d rather ride a race to keep busy. Otherwise I’d just be in that hotel room all day. I thought: let’s contest that race.”

After Friday’s Serenissima Gravel he will then slow down a bit and then work towards the cross season, although he does not yet know his final program. “I will decide after my break when I will start my cyclo-cross season. I think it will be sometime at the end of November, but I’m not sure yet.”

One thing is certain: the Dutchman will stick to one Grand Tour next year. “This season it was a bit special because I was able to take the pink jersey in the Giro d’Italia. But normally I’m going to do ten to fifteen crosses in the winter, then prepare for spring, take a rest and then go to the Tour de France.”

Van der Poel ends his season in the Serenissima Gravel:

 

Ayuso Will Go for the Vuelta Again in 2023
In the 2022 Vuelta a España, Juan Ayuso finished in third place on the final overall. For the 2023 edition, the 20-year-old Spaniard has big ambitions. “This year I finished third, why shouldn’t I dream of victory?” Ayuso said in conversation with El País.

“After you come third, all you can think about is trying to win,” continued Ayuso, who also sees the Vuelta a España next year as his big goal. “I want to try again in the Vuelta. In 2024 I will start to change as far as the Grand Tours are concerned.”

The Vuelta a España 2022 was Ayuso’s first stage race with more than ten stages. “From ten days to 21 is twice as much, but I recovered very well and was at my best in the third week. There I came closest to Enric Mas and Remco Evenepoel. That gives a lot of confidence for next year. It’s the litmus test for big tour riders.”

Ayuso doesn’t only want to perform in Grand Tours, he also wants to show himself in the one-day races. Pogačar is a source of inspiration. “He is the example to follow. I know I can do well in the one-days and that’s why I want to test myself in the Ardennes next year.”

Ayuso’s final program for 2023 is not yet known, but he does know that he will ride more WorldTour races. “I don’t know which one week races will be my goals, but I will decide that with the team. It will be a lot of races until May, then some rest and then build up to the Vuelta.”

Juan Ayuso, 3rd in la Vuelta’22:

 

Aike Visbeek is Still Thinking About Tom Dumoulin in a New Role
Aike Visbeek would be only too happy to welcome Tom Dumoulin to the staff of Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert. The Dutch sports director made it clear in an interview with VeloNews that he is still in contact with Dumoulin, but that the ex-pro is taking time to think.

“Tom and I are still in touch. We know each other well though, so that’s normal. He is now looking at what he wants to do,” says Visbeek. “He knows we are interested in his knowledge. I think Tom is a good fit for us, as he would suit several teams.”

“In our team, the people are passionate and bursting with energy. You want to see that from Tom if he would like to join our team. The fire has to start again.” According to Visbeek, Dumoulin is in no hurry. “In the end he has to make his own choices. He takes the time to think. It is important for him to keep his distance for a while, but the door remains open.”

Visbeek also said that the team thought of Tim Merlier and Mark Cavendish for Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert. However, both transfers fell through. “We wanted a new sprinter. The conversations with Merlier led to little. Cavendish was another possibility, but at the time we were still talking to Alexander Kristoff. When he decided to leave, Cavendish was no longer in the market.”

Dumoulin might still work with Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert:

 

Savio does not rule out stepping back: “We are prepared to race as a Continental team for a year”
It has been known for some time that Drone Hopper-Androni Giocattoli is in financial difficulties because main sponsor Drone Hopper cannot provide the financial guarantees. At the moment, Gianni Savio has still not found an alternative sponsor. A temporary step down to the continental level could be a solution, the Italian thinks.

At the end of September, Savio told La Gazzetta dello Sport that it is not yet certain about Drone Hopper-Androni Giocattoli will still exist in 2023. “There are delays in funding. We would like to continue, but to do this we need guarantees.” In the meantime, Savio has continued to look for a new sponsor with more financial resources than Drone Hopper. But although there are contacts, the search has not yet yielded anything concrete.

That is why Savio and his team are considering taking a step down from ProContinental level to Continental level. “We are prepared to ride as a Continental team for a year,” he told CyclingNews. “That would mean that the team would be reduced in size and maybe made up of young riders. But it should be a real project, not just an old-fashioned Continental team with riders plucked from here and there.”

As Drone Hopper-Androni Giocattoli as a ProTeam does not have the certainty that it will ride the Giro d’Italia does not make finding a sponsor any easier, says Savio. “Recently I spoke with a director of an important foreign company, and he asked me if I was sure that we would ride the Giro. I said, ‘I’m not even sure if we’ll have a team…’”

‘Swiss Tony’ in trouble again:

 

Samuele Battistella – Two More Years with Astana Qazaqstan
Samuele Battistella will stay with Astana Qazaqstan for two more years. The Italian, whose contract expires at the end of this year, is said to have a new deal with the Kazakh squad until the end of 2024.

The 23 year-old Battistella did not win this season, but did have some good results. Despite knee problems and concussion due to a crash in the Amstel Gold Race, he finished 7th in the Tour de La Provence and 3rd in the Tour of Hungary. Battistella also took 3rd place in the Italian Championships, 7th place in the Tour of Poland and two 2nd places in stages of the Vuelta a España.

Battistella will start his third season with Astana Qazaqstan in 2023. He turned pro with NTT Pro Cycling in 2020, after winning the U23 World championships in 2019.

Samuele Battistella to stay with Astana:

 

Bahrain Victorious Extends Contract Yukiya Arashiro
Bahrain Victorious has extended Yukiya Arashiro’s contract for another year. The 38-year-old Japanese rider has been with the Bahrain team for seven years.

Arashiro switched from Europcar to Lampre-Merida in 2016. The team changed to Bahrain-Merida and then Bahrain Victorious and he rode the Tour twice, the Vuelta three times and the Giro twice.

Arashiro has mainly been riding for others. In the past seven years, Arashiro had two victories in the Japanese championship, a stage win in the Tour of Taiwan and a stage win in the Tour of Japan.

 

Natnael Tesfatsion Joins Trek-Segafredo
Natnael Tesfatsion will be wearing a Trek-Segafredo jersey for the next two seasons. The Eritrean comes from the Italian Drone Hopper-Androni Giocattoli team. “It is a very big challenge, but I am very happy and excited to take on it.”

The 23-year-old Tesfatsion came into the spotlight this season by winning the queen stage in the Adriatica Ionica Race. He also showed himself in the Giro d’Italia with two top-10 places. “Joining Trek-Segafredo is the greatest opportunity I’ve had in my life so far,” Tesfatsion said in a press release. “It’s a big challenge, but I’m very happy and excited to take it on. I really feel that my dream has come true. I’m sure I can make a lot of progress at Trek-Segafredo over the next two years. I am motivated to thank the team for their trust, but also to make my country proud.”

General manager Luca Guercilena is looking forward to working with the young Tesfatsion: “He has proven to be a solid rider who is ready to step up to the next level. We have been following him for two years and in that time he has shown himself on both short and long climbs. On top of that, he also has a pretty good sprint. He is a complete rider and has a lot of potential.”

Natnael Tesfatsion moving up:

 

Sjoerd Bax Announced for UAE Team Emirates
Dutch rider joins on 2-year contract.

UAE Team Emirates continue to strengthen their squad for the future with the signing of Sjoerd Bax who will join the team starting from 2023 for two seasons. The 26-year old from Gorinchem comes across from Deceuninck-Alpecin having had a breakthrough season claiming his first professional victory last month at the Coppa Agostoni. Bax becomes the first Dutchman to join the Emirati squad and will link-up with his new teammates this week at the forthcoming team camp planned in the UAE.

Sjoerd Bax: “I’m of course very happy to join UAE Team Emirates and curious how much I can improve with the support from one of the best teams in the world and riding alongside the best teammates.”

Mauro Gianetti (Team Principal & CEO): “Bax has shown a steady progression over the past years with a particularly good 2022 campaign behind him, and we hope he can continue to show more of what he has to offer with us over the coming seasons.”

Sjoerd Bax to UAE:

 

Chun Kai Feng Leaves Bahrain Victorious
Chun Kai Feng will not be racing for Bahrain Victorious in 2023, the Middle East team announced via social media. The 33-year-old Taiwanese rider is going to Utsunomiya Blitzen, a Japanese continental team.

Feng joined the then Bahrain Merida team in 2017, the two years before that he raced for Lampre-Merida. While with Bahrain, he won both the Taiwanese Time Trial Championships (2019) and the Taiwanese Road Championships (2021). In addition, in 2019 he finished third in the Asian Championship and in 2020 he took fourth place in the final classification of the Tour of Taiwan (2020).

This year, Feng only contested a few races for Bahrain Victorious. He will be at the start of the Japan Cup this Sunday.

Chun Kai Feng:

 

Bahrain Victorious are Pleased to Announce the Signing of Sergio Tu for Two Years
The 25-year-old Taiwanese rider is debuting in the WorldTour after a 6-season effort in Europe. He proved to be one of the best time trialists in Asia after taking silver in U23 Asian Championship in 2019 and national champion in 2020 and 2021.

Sergio Tu on his move to Bahrain Victorious: “After lots of years, trying to achieve different things in Europe as an Asian rider I am super grateful to join the team in 2023 till 2024. This year I have learned and gained a lot of experience in Cycling Team Friuli and I hope the spirit and mindset continue with me to become a better person and a rider. Taking the step to become a professional rider at the WorldTour level is seriously a dream come true for me. I hope it brings value to myself and both to the team. I hope to influence more people or young riders at home to never stop pursuing their dreams.”

 

Michael Valgren Continues to Work on his Comeback
Michael Valgren is still recovering after his crash in La Route d’Occitanie. The Danish classics specialist of EF Education-EasyPost, who suffered a dislocated hip, broken pelvis and knee injury, wants to return to the peloton at any cost. “I love my profession and do everything I can to be able to practice it again,” he says on the team’s site.

“I really don’t want to end my career with an injury,” continued Valgren, who has a contract with EF Education-EasyPost until the end of 2023. “I want to stop when I don’t want to race anymore, but at the moment I’m really not ready for that. I love my life. Not riding a bike, not being a cyclist, that’s something I don’t want to think about right now.”

The former winner of the Amstel Gold Race and the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad has been unable to ride for months. It was especially hard for him at the beginning. “I went from twenty-five to thirty hours of training a week to no stimulation of the heart-lung system at all. And that for months. That was difficult, because you get a lot of energy from training.”

“I was still doing exercises, but physio exercises are more about pushing through the pain. That’s not a nice feeling. I try to get through it as best I can, but I don’t get a kick out of it. I miss sweating a lot and getting my heart rate up.”

Valgren is now regularly on the indoor trainer, but the rides are still short: three times a quarter of an hour a day. For the rest, the Dane does a lot of exercises to strengthen his knee and pelvis, and he is often at the physiotherapist. Lately, the 30-year-old rider has been seeing progress. “I am finally on the right track. I have much more mobility in my knee and can finally do a full pedal revolution again. So things are going in the right direction.”

When he will be ‘back to full power’, Valgren does not know yet. “But I’m in good hands and I work very hard every day. So sooner or later I will return.”

Michael Valgren want’s to be back:

 

Arkéa-Samsic Announces the Arrival of Jenthe Biermans
Jenthe Biermans will race Arkéa-Samsic next season. The Belgian comes from the Israel-Premier Tech team. “Biermans is able to quickly become an important rider in our team,” said general manager Emmanuel Hubert.

The 26-year-old Biermans spent three years in the service of the Israeli team. The rider from Geel had his best result last year, when he finished 5th in Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne. “I am a rider for the classics, but on the other hand I also have the ability to work for a sprinter. In smaller races I can also go for my own success,” Biermans said on the Arkéa-Samsic team website.

“Both sportingly and structurally, Arkéa-Samsic continues to make progress year after year. Next year we will move on to the WorldTour, that is important. I already know Amaury Capiot and Hugo Hofstetter from the team, we get along well.”

General manager Hubert is also happy with the new Belgian addition: “He is the type of rider we were looking for. Biermnas has talent for the Flemish classics, but can also contribute to the jumping preparations. He should be able to quickly become an important rider in our team.”

Jenthe Biermans to Arkéa:

 

Alessandro De Marchi still without a contract for 2023
Alessandro De Marchi still doesn’t have a team for 2023. The 36-year-old Italian finished 5th in the Giro del Veneto on Wednesday. “I’m on hold,” he said.

“There are opportunities to remain a professional, but nothing has really become concrete yet. Hopefully everything will fall into place and I’ll find something.” The Italian had a disappointing 2022 due to covid and two other illnesses. A year earlier, the Israel-Premier Tech rider won Tre Valli Varesine and rode in the pink jersey for a few days in the Giro d’Italia. Both by attacking early. “My racing style is not the most practical. Maybe that’s why it’s so hard to find a new contract. Some races I ride all day in the early break and I get caught. Usually I’m even happier than in races in which I have to wait.”

Alessandro De Marchi still hoping:

 

Scratch World Champion Donavan Grondin Extends at Arkéa-Samsic
Donavan Grondin will also ride for Arkéa-Samsic in 2023. The 22-year-old, who rides both road and track, has extended his contract with the French team. It is not clear for how long the two parties have been linked.

“The fact that I can extend my contract with Arkéa-Samsic makes me very happy,” Grondin said in a press release. “It is also a sign of Emmanuel Hubert’s (Arkéa-Samsic team manager) confidence in me. This also means that I have to repay his confidence with results in the race as I continue my progress.”

Grondin became a professional with Arkéa-Samsic in 2020. That season didn’t go as he had hoped. “I also struggled a bit with the track/road combination, which may have affected my results and road training. However, now I have found a good balance in that, after asking the coach of the team to add more basic road training to my schedule. I think I can now continue to grow as a rider.”

On the road, the Frenchman took 7th place in the Grand Prix Jean-Pierre Monseré this season. He was also 2nd and 3rd in a stage of Le Tour de Bretagne Cycliste (2.2). On the track, Grondin won the European champion in the omnium. Last year, at the World track championships in Roubaix, he took gold in the scratch race.

Donavan Grondin:

 

Mark Donovan Takes a Step Down from DSM
Mark Donovan will not be riding for Team DSM next year. The 23 year-old Briton has been with team manager Iwan Spekenbrink since 2020. Rumour is that Donovan is heading to Doug Ryder’s team.

Donovan switched to the pros three years ago with a good palmarès. As a junior and U23, he was an excellent climber. In 2018 he was 4th in the Giro d’Italia U23, 7th in the Tour Alsace, 11th in the Tour de l’Avenir and he won a tough mountain stage in the Giro Valle d’Aosta. Donovan rode the Vuelta a España in 2020 in his first professional year for Team DSM, but was unable to really break through in the following years. The young Briton had to deal with personal suffering last year: his mother died a month before the start of the Tour de France.

This year, Donovan finished 16th in the Tour des Alpes Maritimes et du Var and 19th in the Baloise Belgium Tour. In the Arctic Race of Norway he was 21st and Tour de La Provence, 22nd.

It has been rumoured for some time that Doug Ryder, former general manager of Dimension Data and NextHash, is busy behind the scenes with an upgrade to his Qhubeka team. The South African team would again become a ProTeam. Ryder is said to have already attracted four WorldTour riders with Donovan, Gianluca Brambilla, Matteo Moschetti and Damien Howson.

There are also the staff of the new team, which is reportedly sponsored for five years by a Swiss multinational. Serge Pauwels, Gabriel Missaglia and Alex Sans Vega would become sports director of the team.

Vincenzo Nibali will an advisor, according to Tuttobiciweb. The Shark of Messina, who has now finished his cycling career, is an ambassador for the Italian sports brand Q36.5, which would also be a team sponsor. The team, which is said to be riding Scott’s bikes, must register with the UCI before October 17th at the latest. A bank guarantee must be issued a week before.

Mark Donovan:

 

Merger of Leopard and Riwal Teams
According to the Danish newspaper Ekstra Bladet, Leopard and Riwal, two continental teams, are going to merge. The new merger team would still come be at continental level in 2023, but would aspire to ProTeam status by 2024.

Riwal’s team manager Mogens Tveskov is not yet ready to confirm the news to Ekstra Bladet, but admits that his team is working on an international collaboration. “I can confirm that what I’m working on will make today’s Riwal bigger. But it also extends beyond national borders. We hope that this will be a stepping stone, so that in the long run a Danish team can compete at one of the higher levels in cycling.”

The ambition is to get Riwal back to the ProContinental level, as in 2019 and 2020. “We want to push ourselves up again and be the Danish flagship, making it possible for Danish talents to ride with a Danish team for a little longer. The team can then be a springboard to the WorldTour. It will be an international team, with the Danes in the majority, as it always has been. But there will also be some experienced men and some foreign riders who will ring a bell.”

Riwal getting bigger

 

Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl Auctions a Special S-Works Roubaix Frame to Support the Farmers
Ever aware of the climate change, Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl Team has been committed to protecting the planet and our natural environment in collaboration with CO2logic, a South Pole Company. Within the #ItStartsWithUs initiative, the team started several projects the last years. Getting the support of sponsor Specialized, the team launches an auction of a special Roubaix frame.

The profits will go directly to Soil Capital, a Belgian organisation supporting farmers to reduce land disturbance, to decrease the use of synthetic fertilisers and to maintain biodiversity in the ecosystem. “Cycling and regenerative agriculture both offer inspiring and very concrete solutions to tackle today’s environmental challenges, particularly felt this year. All of these actions contribute to the return of carbon and life to the soil, to more abundant and healthy food, and to the health of the countryside through which the riders pass”, added Chuck de Liedekerke, CEO of Soil Capital.

The unique Roubaix frame is completely in line with the sustainability terms, referring to the Ventoux forest. It is left raw carbon and instead of paint, the texture and colour is drawn on by hand with charcoal. The same material that the forest was once pillaged for. The texture represents the fur of the wolves that have been fighting for survival in this territory, wolves representing also the second skin of the Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl Team, The Wolfpack.

The splashes of colour disrupt the dark raw pigments on the frame to symbolise brightness you find in new life. The manifesto of the team’s sustainability project can also be found in the concept, mirrored in chrome forcing the person looking at the frame to look at themselves, and remember that they too play a role in the fight to save our planet.

This design is only done on this one special Roubaix frame (56cm) and it can be yours!

Check out further details on the auction, here!

 

2023 Giro d’Italia Presentation: Where to Follow the Event
The route of the 106th edition of the Giro d’Italia, taking place from 6 to 28 May 2023, will be presented on Monday 17 October from 5.30 pm at the Giorgio Gaber Teatro Lirico in Milan.

The presentation can be followed live on the Corsa Rosa channels: on the giroditalia.it website, with comments in Italian and English. It will also be available via the official Corsa Rosa Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, DailyMotion, TikTok and Instagram accounts, as well as on Corriere.it and Gazzetta.it.

In Italy, the presentation will be broadcast on Rai Sport from 5.15pm, whilst internationally, it will be broadcast by SRG Swiss TV, VTM Belgium, VRT Belgium, Eurosport.com, GCN Racing’s Youtube channel in addition to Discovery subscribers platforms Eurosport Player, Discovery+ and GCN+ worldwide, except in Italy where we will behind a paywall.

The event will be presented by Cristina Fantoni and Paolo Kessisoglu, with participation from many well-known faces from sport, entertainment, institutions and companies, all of whom are part of the great Giro d’Italia family.

The 2022 winner of the Giro d’Italia, Jay Hindley, will be on stage alongside fellow podium winners, Arnaud Démare, the winner of the Maglia Ciclamino and Koen Bouwman, the winner of the Maglia Azzurra. Vincenzo Nibali and Alberto Contador will also appear onstage together with Urbano Cairo, the President of RCS Mediagroup, Paolo Bellino, the CEO of RCS Sport and the Director of the Giro d’Italia Mauro Vegni.

During the presentation there will be a roundtable discussion with the directors of Corriere della Sera, Luciano Fontana, of La Gazzetta dello Sport, Stefano Barigelli and of the Spanish newspaper Marca, Juan Ignacio Gallardo.

Giro’23 presentation on Monday:

 

Davide Rebellin’s Last Race
He continued until the bitter end, but Davide Rebellin said goodbye as a professional cyclist on Sunday at the age of 51. The Italian put on a jersey number one more time for the Veneto Classic, before ending a thirty-year professional career.

Rebellin started his professional career thirty years ago, in 1992, with GB-MG Maglificio. Rebellin rode in the peloton that year with the likes of Claudio Chiappucci, Miguel Induraín, Laurent Fignon, Stephen Roche and Sean Kelly. He was already a pro in 1992, when riders such as Wout van Aert, Mathieu van der Poel and Tadej Pogačar were not yet born. In his first professional year, the classic specialist finished ninth in the Tour of Lombardy, behind world top riders such as Tony Rominger, Claudio Chiappucci and Rolf Sørensen.

Rebellin won several great classics in his career. He was victorious in the Clásica San Sebastián, the Zurich Championship and the Amstel Gold Race and he won the Flèche Wallonne and Liège-Bastogne-Liège three times. He had his miracle year in 2004, with a win in the Amstel Gold Race, Flèche Wallonne and Liège-Bastogne-Liège. He also won Tirreno-Adriatico (2001), the Giro dell’Emilia (2006 and 2014) and Paris-Nice (2008).

In 2009, Rebellin was banned for two years because of a positive doping test for CERA, a form of EPO, during the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. The Italian had to hand back his silver medal from the road race and after his suspension never worked for a top team again, although he raced for the Polish CCC Polsat for a few years. Rebellin has since raced for smaller continental teams in recent years.

Last year Rebellin raced for Work Service Marchiol Vega. He didn’t do that badly with a few top placings in smaller races. After a broken leg in the Memorial Marco Pantani, however, there was doubt whether Rebellin could return to the peloton at all, but the fifty-year-old made his comeback for the modest Italian formation after a long rehabilitation.

“I didn’t want to end my career with a double leg fracture,” he told Marca earlier this year. “I really wanted to compete, give the maximum and get good results. I am also not only a cyclist, but also the father of my teammates. I want to help them and pass on my experience.” With top 20 finishes in the Giro dell’Appennino and the Adriatica Ionica Race, Rebellin was still very competitive even in his fifties. In the Veneto Classic, Rebellin will complete his last race.

Davide Rebellin’s Top Palmarès:
Liège-Bastogne-Liège (2004)
Flèche Wallonne (2004, 2007 and 2009)
Amstel Gold Race (2004)
Clásica San Sebastián (1997)
Championship of Zurich (1997)
Giro dell’Emilia (2006 and 2014)
Tre Valli Varesine (1998 and 2011)
Giro del Veneto (1998, 1999 and 2000)
Paris-Nice (2008)
Tirreno-Adriatico (2001)
Stage Giro d’Italia (1996).

Rebellin had his last race on Sunday:

 

Merci Phil: Relive Philippe Gilbert’s Final Racing Weekend
Philippe Gilbert said goodbye to professional bike racing last weekend in Paris-Tours. A Lotto Soudal camera team documented every minute during the final weekend of racing by the former world champion. He looked back on his career one final time, together with his teammates, competitors and staff members of the team. Watch the mini-documentary down below.

 

---

The PEZ INSTAGRAM
See our Instagram page for a quick fix on your phone: https://www.instagram.com/pezcyclingnews

---

The PEZ NEWSWIRE!
Don’t forget to check the “NEWSWIRE” section, you can find it on the homepage, just above the PEZ Shop section. The bits of news that missed the EuroTrash deadline are in there, plus any news as-it-happens will be added there too.

---

Any comments drop me a line, at: [email protected] or Twitter. And check the PezCyclingNews Twitter and Facebook Page. And say hi on Zwift when you pass me.