Bicycle Racing News and Opinion,
Thursday, January 30, 2020
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2019 Tour de France | 2019 Giro d'Italia
The purpose of separation of church and state is to keep forever from these shores the ceaseless strife that has soaked the soil of Europe with blood for centuries. - James Madison
Current racing:
- Jan 26 Feb 2: Vuelta a San Juan
- Jan 30-Feb 2: Challenge Illes Balears
Upcoming racing:
- 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 three team reports
We posted the report from stage winner Remco Evenepoel's Deceuninck-Quick Step team with the results.
Here's the report from Team Movistar:
An exceptional performance over the 15km time trial course from Ullum to Punta Negra, with the climb of the Peri Lago just before the end and strong gusts of wind for the late starters, gave Tuesday’s stage three victory and GC lead in the 2020 Vuelta a San Juan to Belgian prodigy Remco Evenepoel (DQT). The European time trial champion put 32″ on his nearest rival, second-placed Filippo Ganna (ITA), into a test where the Movistar Team’s main specialists, Nelson Oliveira and Eduardo Sepúlveda, performed quite on par with their expectations.
Remco Evenepoel currently leads the Vuelta a San Juan
Leaving aside the tremendous exhibition by the day’s winner, the Portuguese rouleur rode strongly and even slightly improved through today’s course, taking a brief lead at the finish with his 20’41” -ultimately 1’25” behind Evenepoel-, which was good for 4th in the day. Just few seconds off the top-ten was Sepúlveda (21’12”), who struggled a bit “with the pace that you’re always lacking in these early-season races. Still, I did feel pretty much OK, maybe a bit behind what I’d like, but still alright. Tomorrow’s stage should be nervous, just like the opening sprints. Two years ago there were crosswinds at this very stage and the stage turned into mayhem – we’ve got to remain fully focused.”
Sepúlveda was mentioning stage four of the race, the last one before the rest day in the Vuelta a San Juan, including three consecutive ascents in the Ischigualasto park halfway through the course. The summit is more than 80km from the finish, which could help the sprinters stay or bridge back and contest the win again in Villa San Agustín on Wednesday.
Brandon McNulty's UAE-Team Emirates posted this update:
Brandon McNulty made a strong showing in his first TT in UAE colours with a solid 5th place on stage 3 of the Vuelta a San Juan.
Tom Bohli set the early mark to beat with a time of 21:43, though Remco Evenepoel (Deceuninck Quick Step) would eventually take over the leaders chair with a clear winning time of 19.16 over the 15.2km course. McNulty came close to going inside the twenty minute barrier and was just 1” off 4th place. He currently sits in 5th position overall heading into stage 4.
Overnight race leader Fernando Gaviria started the TT as last rider off, as stormy weather wreaked havoc for those setting off later.
Tomorrow’s stage 4 goes from San José de Jáchal to Villa San Agustín (185.8k) and features a Cat.1 climb around the halfway mark. Though it will no doubt act as a springboard for attacks, the flat run-in to the line should ensure a sprint finish.
NTT Pro Cycling releases lineups for Race Torquay & Cadel Evans Road Race
Here's the team's news:
NTT Pro Cycling’s campaign in the land down under continues this week, with two one-day races coming up on the calendar. Tomorrow, we will take on the inaugural Race Torquay UCI 1.1 event and on Sunday, it is a return to the UCI World Tour for the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race (CEGORR).
NTT Pro Cycling will lineup at both Australian one-day events with the same team that battled it out over at the Santos Tour Down Under last week.
Race Torquay is a circuit race around Torquay, were riders will take on 10 laps of a 13.3km circuit. CEGORR will take place over it usual scenic route, including the Great Ocean Road, before a punchy finale in down town Geelong.
The expectation is that the sprinters could be in business at both events, though whether that is from a big bunch or reduced group remains to be seen.
Giacomo Nizzolo winning stage 5 of this year's Tour Down Under. Sirotti photo
Giacomo Nizzolo who picked up our first victory of the year, winning stage 5 of the Santos Tour Down Under last week, will lead our charge. Ryan Gibbons, who sprinted to 4th place at last years edition of the CEGORR, has been recovering well from his stage 2 Tour Down Under crash and will be looking to go well at both events.
Completing our team will be Danilo Wyss, Rasmus Tiller, Samuele Battistella, Dylan Sunderland and Stefan de Bod.
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