Bicycle Racing News and Opinion,
Tuesday, July 31, 2018
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2018 Tour de France | 2018 Giro d'Italia
The time to repair the roof is when the sun is shining. - John F. Kennedy
Current racing:
- July 28 - August 1: Tour de Wallonie
- July 31: Circuito de Getxo
Upcoming racing:
- August 1 - 12: Volta a Portugal
- August 4: Clasica San Sebastian
- August 4 - 10: Tour of Poland
Latest completed racing:
- July 7 - 29: Tour de France
- July 29: Prudential RideLondon-Surrey Classic
- July 26: GP Pino Cerami
- July 7 - 14: Tour of Austria
- National championship week
- June 19: Halle Ingooigem
- June 9 - 17: Tour de Suisse
- June 14 - 17: Route d'Occitanie (was Route du Sud)
Team Quick Step-Floors reports on the Tour de Wallonie
Here's the team's stage three news:
Stage 3 of the Tour de Wallonie started from Binche, where one month ago Yves Lampaert soloed to a beautiful victory at the National Championships, and took the riders to La Roche-en-Ardenne, over an appetizing course stacked with six categorized climbs which made an important selection before the last two hurdles of the day, Côte de Samrée (8.9km, 3.8%) and Côte du Pied Mont (2.6km, 6.3%).
It was there that a strong Quick-Step Floors delegation containing Pieter Serry and neo-pros James Knox and Jhonatan Narvaez put down the hammer and strung out the favourites' top, which was reduced to a handful of riders. Serry tested the water on two occasions, but each time his opponents reacted, just as it happened later, when Tiago Machado (Katusha-Alpecin) and Aleksandr Riabushenko (UAE Team Emirates) accelerated over the top of the last ascent.
Odd Christain Eiking take Tour de Wallonie stage three. Sirotti photo
This cat and mouse game was speculated by Odd Christian Eiking (Wanty-Groupe Gobert), who went clear on the descent and built a gap which couldn't be closed by the chasers, who were left fighting for the minor placings. Narvaez and Serry both finished in the top 10, the latter cementing his second position in the general classification – where his Ecuadorian teammate lies in sixth, same time as Knox, who is tenth – with just two stages left on the menu.
Team Sunweb's upcoming racing
The team sent me this update:
TOUR OF DENMARK (2.HC)
Team Sunweb coach Morten Bennekou (DEN): "This is the first race for our stagiaires Max and Nils, and the first time Cees will wear the team's colours. For their development it's very good that we offer our young talents the opportunity to race on the WorldTour level, whilst allowing them to get some experience from the older guys. With three fast stages, our plan is to launch the younger guys like Max in the sprint. He has had good preparations over the past few months and using the experience of guys like Tom and Roy, we hope to go for a good result here. It's also the first race again for Lennard, we're happy to have him back and we will give him some time to gain rhythm."
RACE: Tour of Denmark (2.HC)
DATE: 01-05/08/2018
COACH: Morten Bennekou (DEN)
LINE-UP
Cees Bol (NED)
Roy Curvers (NED)
Nils Eekhoff (NED)
Lennard Kämna (GER)
Max Kanter (GER)
Tom Stamsnijder (NED)
TOUR ALSACE (UCI 2.2)
Team Sunweb coach Koen de Haan (NED): "At Tour Alsace Joris makes his comeback after undergoing surgery earlier this year. Over the last few weeks he has done a good block of training and raced some crits, so all signs are pointing to a good first race back with the Development Program. With some hard mountain stages in the race, Marc will be our GC leader. After his European title U23 he went to the team camp in Düren with the other riders in the line-up. They prepared the race together as team and will execute this plan during the five stages in Alsace. The race starts on Wednesday with a short team time trial and we're really looking forward to getting underway with it all."
RACE: Tour Alsace (UCI 2.2)
DATE: 01-05/08/2018
COACH: Koen de Haan (NED)
LINE-UP
Leon Heinschke (GER)
Marc Hirschi (SWI)
Niklas Märkl (GER)
Jarno Mobach (NED)
Joris Nieuwenhuis (NED)
Florian Stork (GER)
CLASICA SAN SEBASTIAN (WT)
Team Sunweb coach Luke Roberts (AUS): "CSS is a hilly race, with a technical descent into San Sebastian for the finish. Our goal is to go for a result with Michael, and we've got some strong legs coming out of the Tour de France with Laurens, Simon and Chad to support him on the tougher parts of the race. We've also got Aussie duo Jai and Chris, alongside Martijn who will also play a vital role in a solid result. Michael is back in good shape after abandoning the Tour with sickness, so we line up with confidence that we can take a nice result."
RACE: Clasica San Sebastian (WT)
DATE: 04/08/2018
COACH: Luke Roberts (AUS)
LINE-UP
Laurens ten Dam (NED)
Simon Geschke (GER)
Chad Haga (USA)
Chris Hamilton (AUS)
Jai Hindley (AUS)
Michael Matthews (AUS)
Martijn Tusveld (NED)
Simon Geschke will be at the Clasica San Sebastian. Sirotti photo
TOUR DE POLOGNE (WT)
Team Sunweb coach Aike Visbeek (NED): "We go to Poland with a GC goal with Sam and stage results with Phil. The parcours are challenging but the course suits us with the line up that we have. We can ride offensively and make sure that we get Sam into the best GC position for the last two stages, where the overall result will really be decided. It's most of our riders first race back after a summer break so it will be interesting to see how it goes. Everyone is feeling motivated for a good race."
RACE: Tour de Pologne (WT)
DATE: 04-10/08/2018
COACH: Aike Visbeek (NED)
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