Bicycle Racing News and Opinion,
Friday, July 5, 2019
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2018 Tour de France | 2018 Giro d'Italia
The highest reward for a person's toil is not what they get for it, but what they become by it. - John Ruskin
Upcoming racing:
- July 6 - 28: Tour de France
- July 6 - 12: Tour of Austria
Latest completed racing:
- This week: National Championships
- June 26: Halle Ingooigem
- June 15 - 23: Tour de Suisse
- June 19 - 23: ZLM Toer
- June 20 - 23: La Route d'Occitanie
- June 9 - 16: Critérium du Dauphiné
- June 12 - 16: Baloise Belgium Tour
Tour de France teams presented in Brussels
The Tour de France presented the teams competing in the 106th edition of the great race. We've posted lots of pictures of the ceremony here.
We'll post the official start list with back numbers later Friday morning, Pacific time.
Here is a trio of photos from the presentation ceremony:
Here's Brussels' Grand Place. Sirotti photo
Eddy Merckx was there. Sirotti photo
Here's Michael Matthews and the Sunweb team. Sirotti photo
Lotto & Soudal extend sponsoring partnership through 2022
The team sent me this release:
More than a year and a half before the end of the current commitment, Lotto and Soudal have already decided to prolong its sponsoring partnership till the end of 2022. The continuation of this collaboration can safely be labeled as innovative. Through the increased financial input by Soudal, both partners become equal. In concrete terms, it means this equal partnership will immediately start at the Tour de France and will be expressed in changing shirts. In the Belgian races, the team will be at the start with a Lotto Soudal shirt, in all the non-Belgian races with a Soudal Lotto shirt, and this will apply to the WorldTour team, the Ladies team and the development team. The greater part of the races takes place abroad, but with a majority of Belgian male and female riders, the for both sponsors important Belgian anchorage will remain assured.
Lotto-Soudal riding the team time trial in the 2018 Tour de France. Sirotti photo
John Lelangue, general manager Lotto Soudal: “I am of course very pleased to be able to announce - two days before the Grand Départ of de Tour de France in Brussels - that both our name sponsors have extended their engagement till the end of 2022. As is natural in a good partnership, we carried out an evaluation at all levels and we discussed our ambitions the past few months, from which a new agreement emerged.”
“Soudal has decided to increase its investment and as such bringing it to the same level as Lotto. As of today, we thus have two equal name sponsors, which will be visible on our shirts. We keep riding with Lotto Soudal on our shirts during the Belgian races, but in the non-Belgian races – as of the start of the Tour – there will be Soudal Lotto on our shirts. This is innovative and inventive. Our official name remains Lotto Soudal. In addition, the team cars, team buses, merchandising and other carriers of visibility will carry the name Soudal Lotto.”
Jannie Haek: managing director Nationale Loterij: “Lotto and Soudal, that is a profitable collaboration, which is why we decided to continue to work together. Our project represents continuity. Lotto is the most popular game in Belgium, a typical broad Belgian brand, close to the people, among which many cycling fans. Lotto is historically ‘the pacemaker of the races’. Soudal is a Belgian company with international interests and worldwide ambition. The extension of the partnership is a win for all three parties: Lotto, Soudal and the team. We want to move up a gear from today.”
Vic Swerts: founder, owner and chairman of Soudal: “We want to create additional opportunities for the future. That is why we increased our input in the team. At the time, we did not enter the cycling project for the short term. The past years, we have come to understand that the partnership is profitable and that our international objectives match with the cycling sport and with the values of the team. That is why we will continue until 2022. But at Soudal, we always aim higher. We want to reflect ambition, always do better and further commit to an advanced professionalism.”
Mark Renshaw to retire
Here's the Team Dimension Data posting:
After 16 years, I’m proud to announce that 2019 will be my final year as a professional road cyclist. Looking back on my career it’s very gratifying to note the individual successes, as well as being a major component in victories for my team mates. Being a key part of these victories has certainly been a career highlight and motivated me to perfect the role of a lead out rider.
Mark Renshaw about to start stage 10 of the 2019 Giro. Sirotti photo
Looking back, I have had a very fulfilling career as a professional cyclist both on the track and road. During this time I have been particularly lucky to have had many family members and friends that have had to make great sacrifices for me to succeed. To them, I can’t thank you enough. Your support and encouragement has meant that I have always strived to perform at my highest level be it for my trade teams or representing my country.
I would like to thank all of the sponsors, staff and riders that have been a part of the professional teams I have ridden for: Fdjeux.com, Credit Agricole, HTC-Highroad, Rabobank, Omega Pharma-Quickstep and Team Dimension Data for Qhubeka. I have been extremely fortunate enough to work alongside some great people in each of these teams who have shaped me into the rider I am very proud to be today. The friendships that have been formed during this time will last a lifetime.
Some of my best memories were my first victory in the French Cup race, Tro-Bro Leon. It was a huge weight lifted off my shoulders at that moment in my career, while winning a stage and the general classification in the Tour of Qatar are memories that make me smile thinking back over my career. Other great memories were the moments I was riding for team mates and their success, finishing second on the Champs Elysees to my team mate Mark Cavendish in the 2009 Tour de France was unforgettable.
I’m not riding this year’s Tour de France but this was planned from early on in the year. It’s a race that has played a massive part in my career and in my eyes is the greatest sporting event in the world. I have been fortunate enough to be selected 10 times and have loved every moment of the Tour. I can’t wait to watch what promises to be an exciting race and am fully supporting Team Dimension Data as they continue to bring the Qhubeka story to the world stage.
I’m trusting 2020 and beyond will allow me to stay within the sport in some way but also provide an opportunity to chase some other passions that have had to be pushed aside, while also being able to relax with family and friends. I am most looking forward to being able to spend more time being a dad to Will, Olly and Maggie and giving my wife Kristina some extra support.
I am looking forward to enjoying the remaining races of 2019 with the goal of performing to my absolute maximum as we continue to chase good results for the Team Dimension Data. I know that we will share many laughs and enjoy the final few months of the season with my current team mates and staff.
I know it’s the right time to step away from racing, my body and mind won’t allow me to perform and compete to the level that’s required for a race like the Tour de France . I am very fortunate to be able to make the decision to finish this chapter of my life on my terms, and I’m hugely excited about my future ventures.
Mark
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