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Bicycle Racing News and Opinion,
Wednesday, December 8, 2021

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2021 Tour de France | 2021 Giro d'Italia

Work like you don't need the money. Love like you've never been hurt. Dance like nobody's watching. - Satchel Paige

Plato's Phaedo is available as an audiobook here.

Upcoming racing:

• Dec 11: Ethiascross-Essen
• Dec 19: Namur Cyclocross
• Dec 27: Heusden Zolder Cyclocross
• Dec 29: Diegemcross
• Dec 30: Azencross
• Jan 1, 2022: GP Sven Nys Cross
• Jan 16 - 23, 2022: Le Tour de Langkawi
• Jan 22, 2022: Flandriencross
• Jan 26 - 29, 2022: Challenge Illes Balears
• Jan 30 - Feb 6, 2022: Vuelta a San Juan
• Feb 12, 2022: Gavere Cyclocross
  

Latest completed racing:

• Dec 5: Scheldecross Antwerp - Cancelled because of Covid-19
• Nov 13: GP Leuven
• Nov 7: Elite Men European Cyclocross Championships
• Nov 6: Elite Women European Cyclocross Championships
• Nov 1: Koppenberg Cyclocross
• Oct 31: Vlaamse Druivenveldrit Overijse Cross
• Oct 24: Ronde van Drenthe
• Oct 23: Ruddervoorde Cyclocross

Here’s the team’s announcement:

Deceuninck – Quick-Step can announce that Mark Cavendish will stay with the team for one more season. After rejoining them at the start of 2021 in what turned out to be a history-making season, Mark is now in his second spell with the Wolfpack, a period that has so far seen him win for the first time in three years, take the Tour de France by storm in winning four stages and the Green Jersey, and equalling the record for the most stage wins at the famous race.

Having previously ridden for the team from 2013 to 2015, the year kicked off for the man known to so many as simply ‘Cav’ when he won stage 2 of the Tour of Turkey, where he would go on to rack up three more victories. This was followed by a win on the final stage of the Belgium Tour, but his most noticeable victories came at the Tour de France, a race that he already had a historic relationship with.

Mark Cavendish winning 2021 Tour de France stage four. Sirotti photo

Coming into the 2021 edition, he had already won 30 stages at the world’s most famous race, and after his late call up to the team he came in with the eyes of the world looking on him curiously. Ever the showman, Cav would not disappoint, by taking an emotional victory on stage 4 in Fougères, which brought tears to the eyes of fans around the world. He would follow that up by taking three more stage victories, which made him the joint record holder for Tour de France stage victories, alongside the great Eddy Merckx, and the first rider to win at least four stages in six different editions of the race.

He also showed his grit and determination in the tough mountain stages to make it to Paris and secure the iconic green jersey for the second time in his career, setting a record for the most years between two points classification triumphs, with a 10-year difference.

Speaking of his new agreement, which will run to the end of 2022, Mark said: “I am incredibly proud and happy to have agreed a new deal with Deceuninck – Quick-Step. One year ago, when I came to the team, I did not hide my admiration for what this team does and how happy I was to be back here. I knew from my first time here that this squad has a unique family feeling, and it is a culture that remains to this day. The last 12 months have been phenomenal and the support that I have had from the team and the staff has made me very emotional at times. I am really looking forward to making some more special memories together over the next 12 months.”

This was echoed by Deceuninck – Quick-Step CEO Patrick Lefevere: “The whole world saw what he did this year. What they didn’t see though is the way that he speaks and leads within the team and encourages everyone – we have a very close group here and Mark always embodies that spirit, and while he may be the one that crosses the line with his hands in the air, he is the first to recognise the work that the team does as well, which means a lot to everyone. We are more than happy that we can continue the story with Mark for one more year.”

The team sent me this announcement:

Youfone embraces Team DSM’s distinguished performance approach, forward innovative thinking and built on beautiful human values at its heart: a new big partnership.

Team DSM and Youfone are delighted to announce their major and long-term strategic partnership, with the innovative collaboration and partnership fuelling Youfone’s international marketing strategy, boosting their ambitions to grow as a company.

Founded in 2008 and based in Rotterdam, Youfone is the largest independent operator in the Netherlands with over 450,000 customers, offering both mobile and fixed services. In 2017 Youfone launched its own TV-service with the latest technology standards while in January 2021, Youfone added a B2B business unit focusing on the partner channel. Over the years Youfone has won numerous awards, for things such as best customer service and best sim-only provider, while they’ve also won fastest growing company for three years in a row.

As partners Team DSM and Youfone will work on various strategic initiatives together, bringing fan engagement to the next level, supported by the latest technology and innovative promotional campaigns. Youfone will be prominent and proudly worn on the team’s kit as of next year. Furthermore, as a key partner of Team DSM, Youfone will enable the team to stay connected to each other with the best quality available to optimize telecommunication and cooperation with athletes, coaches, and experts around the world. Cycling is a pure team sport, where being able to perform truly together requires the best communications; and Youfone will be vital in helping the team do that.

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