Bicycle Racing News and Opinion,
Wednesday, January 29, 2020
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2019 Tour de France | 2019 Giro d'Italia
A person often meets his destiny on the road he took to avoid it. - Jean de La Fontaine
Current racing:
- Jan 26 Feb 2: Vuelta a San Juan
Upcoming racing:
- Jan 30-Feb 2: Challenge Illes Balears
- Feb 2: Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race
- Feb 2: GP la Marseillaise
- Feb 22: GP Leuven
Latest completed racing:
- Jan 19-26: Schwalbe Classic & Tour Down Under
- Jan 20-26: La Tropicale Amissa Bongo
- Jan 1: GP Sven Nys
- Dec 29: Superprestige Diegen
- Dec 27: Azencross
- Dec 26: World Cup Heusden-Zolder
Vuelta a San Juan stage two team reports
We posted the report from winner Fernando Gaviria's UAE Team Emirates with the race results.
Here's the update from Peter Sagan's Bora-hansgrohe team:
Flat stages make for fast-paced racing, and this was the case on today’s 168.7km stage, starting in Pocito before making its way back and taking in two laps of a short street circuit.
The break wasted no time in making their escape, building up a lead of more than 2:30 that held until the peloton started upping the pace to bring this group of eight under control with less than 50km to go.
As the break made their way round the finishing circuit, attacks saw this group splinter and the peloton swallow up the remnants, and with the sprinters once again determined to take the stage, the final two members of the escape were passed with a little less than 15km left, with BORA-hansgrohe’s Pawel Poljanski leading the charge here. Taking over from Pawel in the final kilometres were Daniel Oss, Maciej Bodnar and Oscar Gatto, keeping Peter Sagan safe.
On the wide, straight road, the sprint started early, but Peter was blocked in and only found clean air in the closing metres, taking fifth on the line after pushing his way through the field.
Fernando Gaviria takes the stage.
From the finish line:
"It was a bunch sprint after another stage in hot weather. The team did a very good job from start to finish in controlling and setting up the lead-out but, unfortunately, I found myself a bit boxed in at the final stretch and I was unable to squeeze in and go for the win. The feelings were good but I still need some more time to get the optimal legs. I'm happy to be racing at the Vuelta a San Juan, the crowds are fantastic." – Peter Sagan
"Our focus today was the bunch sprint, and our aim was to have Peter do a good sprint. We controlled the race, we kept the eight-man break under short leash and with 20km to go, they were brought in. There were some crashes but our riders were able to avoid them, so that was good. In the final kilometres we set the lead-out for Peter with Pawel, Daniel and Oscar and in the end, Peter took fifth." – Jan Valach
Deceuninck-Quick Step's Julian Alaphilippe abandons:
Here's the short post the team put on Facebook: "Sadly, due to stomach problems, Julian Alaphilippe is forced to abandon Vuelta a San Juan and won't be at the start of the today’s TT. We wish him a speedy recovery!"
Mitchelton-Scott women look towards Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race
Here's the team's post:
Mitchelton-SCOTT women will continue their Australian season at Race Torquay and Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race on Victoria’s surf coast this week.
Australian champion Amanda Spratt will headline a number of options Sunday’s main race, whilst new recruit Jessica Roberts will also have an immediate opportunity to feature when she debuts the yellow and black colours at Race Torquay on Thursday.
In 2020, the women’s Cadel Road Race officially joins the UCI Women’s WorldTour, making it the first women’s race to achieve top status in Australia.
Amanda Spratt having a good day at this year's Tour Down Under.
Mitchelton-SCOTT at Cadel Road Race:
Jessica Allen (AUS, 26)
Grace Brown (AUS, 27)
Lucy Kennedy (AUS, 31)
Jessica Roberts (GBR, 20)
Amanda Spratt (AUS, 32)
Georgia Williams (NZL, 26)
Race Torquay:
Previously held on the Melbourne F1 circuit, the opening circuit race has moved to Torquay. The new-look 13km course, which riders will complete eight times, features two short climbs.
Cadel Road Race:
The 121km ‘Classics’ style course offers the peloton a bit of everything. Starting on open roads that are often subject to windy conditions, the second half of racing is more undulating before the final climb up Challambra Crescent provides the last opportunity for climbers to have an impact on racing.
Amanda Spratt:
“I’m feeling motivated coming into Cadel Road Race. It will be my last race of the Aussie summer and it’s also the first time the Women’s WorldTour has come to Australia so it would be amazing if our team could win on home soil.
“Tour Down Under and the nationals showed me that my form is good but, more importantly, also the form of my teammates is good and so I would be really happy to be able to support a teammate to victory. That gives me a lot of motivation.”
Alejandro Gonzalez – Sport Director:
“We are approaching the Torquay race with a really open strategy and without a clear leader. This obviously gives riders the opportunity to show up and take their chance, this also includes our new rider Jess Roberts. If everything sticks together she could have a crack in the final.
“In the road race a hard race would usually suits us, but this race is traditionally won in the last part of the race, and is how it should be again this year. Spratt has shown good form and will be our leader, but we have a strong group and numbers will play an important role here.”
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