Bicycle Racing News and Opinion,
Wednesday, June 3, 2020
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2019 Tour de France | 2019 Giro d'Italia
He that would make his own liberty secure, must guard even his enemy from oppression; for if he violates this duty, he establishes a precedent that will reach to himself. - Thomas Paine
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Upcoming racing, according to UCI revised calendar:
- August 1: Strade Bianche
- August 5-9: Tour of Poland
- August 8: Milano-San Remo
- August 12-16: Critérium du Dauphiné
Latest completed racing:
- May 1-3:
Vuelta Asturias - May 1:
Rund um den Finanzplatz Eschborn-Frankfurt - April 22-26: Digital Swiss 5
Alexis Vuillermoz extends his contract with Ag2r La Mondiale for one season
The team sent me this release:
Alexis Vuillermoz (31) has signed up for another season with the Ag2r La Mondiale team. He has been a professional since 2013 and a member of our team since 2014.
Alexis Vuillermoz wins the 2019 Drome Classic.
ALEXIS VUILLERMOZ:
“I am touched by this sign of confidence that Vincent Lavenu and the staff of the Ag2r La Mondiale team have shown me. I am coming out of two complicated seasons. I fractured my kneecap in August and I haven’t raced since the Tour de France finished last July. I was looking forward to resuming the season in March at the Volta a Catalunya, but of course the pandemic prevented that. Despite everything, the team trusts me enough to sign me for an additional season and this illustrates their human dimension. I have been part of the team for six years; I have seen it grow and evolve so I am proud and happy to continue the adventure. I am pleased that we will be able to resume the season because we have sometimes wondered whether we would end up having a blank season. Taking part in the Tour de France in August would be a strong signal for our sport, but also for the entire country. I really hope I can take part. It’s the race that has made me dream since I was a little kid.”
VINCENT LAVENU:
“Alexis is a good guy and even if these past two seasons have been disrupted by injuries, we know we can count on his strength, his punch, and his panache. He has been wearing our colors since 2014 and is one of the riders who embodies the soul of the team. We are delighted to be able to continue our adventure with him.”
THE NUMBER: 9
Alexis Vuillermoz has taken 9 victories wearing the jersey of the Ag2r La Mondiale team, including the 8th stage of the Tour de France in 2015 at the top of the Mur de Bretagne.
Deceuninck-Quick Step to hold classics training camp in the Flemish Ardennes
Here's the team's news release:
This will be the first gathering of members of the team since before the start of the Coronavirus outbreak in Europe and will hopefully be part of the process that can see a return to racing in August.
The camp will be held on the week commencing 15th June and will consist of three days of training in Northern Belgium. Rather than a hotel, the use of a large house has sourced, meaning that those attending do not have to take any unnecessary health risks and contact to those outside of the team can be kept to be a minimum. The Deceuninck – Quick-Step medical team are also working on a plan to ensure that all of the riders and staff attending the team will be tested for Covid-19 either before they travel or immediately upon arrival, with stringent medical protocols and precautions being in place throughout the camp, to help minimise the chances of infection.
The Deceuninck-Quick step is headed to the Ardennes to get ready for the season's re-start. Sirotti photo
Speaking of the camp, team coach Koen Pilgrim said: “It is more a case of getting the group together, rather than having any hugely structured training sessions, as most of the guys have been following structured programs that the coaches have set for them for several weeks now. We will also be using it as an opportunity to recon the routes of some of the cobbled classics, like Flanders and Gent–Wevelgem. We would like to do Roubaix too, but we would have to cross the border, which may be complicated right now, but we will get in some good training anyway. More than anything it is about getting the group together and having some fun on the bikes after such a long time apart.”
The team will also be looking to hold an altitude training camp in June, with details still to be confirmed.
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