Bicycle Racing News and Opinion,
Wednesday, December 22, 2021
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2021 Tour de France | 2021 Giro d'Italia
Common sense is genius dressed in its working clothes. - Ralph Waldo Emerson
Bill and Carol McGann's book The Story of the Tour de France, 2019: A Year of New Faces is available as an audiobook here. For the Kindle eBook version just click on the Amazon link on the right.
Upcoming racing:
- 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 19: Namur Cyclocross
- Dec 11: Ethiascross-Essen
- 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
Here’s the team’s announcement:
With new deals for Jonathan Castroviejo, Salvatore Puccio, Brandon Rivera, Ben Swift and Cameron Wurf, alongside the renewal for Geraint Thomas, the 31-man squad is now finalized for the upcoming season
Jonathan Castroviejo, who enjoyed another stellar 2021 racing two Grand Tours, has re-signed for two years. He said: “I am really happy to be staying with this great team, I feel at home here and consider it the best place for me to be, it really fits my mentality. I have a lot of friends, and enjoy being a part of such a great atmosphere. I like the way we work together, and I hope to keep helping my teammates secure big victories and grow our palmares even further over the coming seasons.”
Jonathan Castroviejo finishes stage 18 of the 2021 Tour de France. Sirotti photo
Salvatore Puccio, whose new two-year deal will take his time with the team beyond 10 years, said: “This team means so much to me. I feel as though I get stronger every year here and I cannot imagine myself on another team. I feel part of a family and I always have done, since the moment I became a Team Sky rider. I’ve been a part of so many special memories for the fans of our team and it’s been an incredible time. I always strive to be at my absolute best to help our leaders make history and I can’t wait to continue this journey.”
British national road race champion Ben Swift said: “This team has always been home to me. I’ve spent so much of my career here and I feel like I keep growing. I keep developing, keep learning, and that’s something this team is incredibly good at. We never sit on our laurels. Now I’m really excited by this young group of riders coming through and I want to help them progress, while getting the best out of myself, doing the best for the team, and helping push these young guys on. It’s very exciting.”
Colombian climber Brandon Rivera has renewed with the team, taking him to three years as a Grenadier: “I feel really content and motivated here in this team, and I want to thank the team for the opportunity, and the confidence that they have in me to continue with them, and to keep progressing. The team provides an organised structure for us riders, along with a sense of calm and great support across so many areas.”
Cameron Wurf will continue to race for the team alongside his Ironman career, as he targets KONA in October. The Australian said: “Ironman is a very individual sport but I never feel like that now, with the team behind me - even though I’m out there on my own. I love the fact that I can go and do that and then come back to help the team in a role I really love. It’s so fulfilling to be able to play the role of domestique and help our guys win. It motivates me to go and win myself in Ironman and the guys really make me feel special. They seem to genuinely admire what I do and that pushes me to do even more. It’s a great environment to be around and I want to be here as long as I’m making a meaningful contribution. This year I’ll hopefully take another step forward in my contribution to the team.”
INEOS Grenadiers roster for 2022:
Andrey Amador
Egan Bernal
Richard Carapaz
Jonathan Castroviejo
Laurens De Plus
Eddie Dunbar
Omar Fraile
Filippo Ganna
Tao Geoghegan Hart
Ethan Hayter
Kim Heiduk
Michal Kwiatkowski
Daniel Martinez
Jhonatan Narvaez
Tom Pidcock
Luke Plapp
Richie Porte
Salvatore Puccio
Brandon Rivera
Carlos Rodriguez
Luke Rowe
Magnus Sheffield
Pavel Sivakov
Ben Swift
Geraint Thomas
Ben Tulett
Ben Turner
Dylan van Baarle
Elia Viviani
Cameron Wurf
Adam Yates
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Here’s the announcement from Vall’s Bahrain Victorious team:
Rafael Valls has decided to retire from cycling this year, after 11 seasons in the WorldTour. Valls was an integral member of the Bahrain Victorious Giro team, which secured two stage wins and 2nd in GC with Caruso.
Rafael Valls racing in the 2015 Tour de France. Sirotti photo
Valls commented on his decision:
“I’ve decided to stop racing from next season. In the summer, following the Giro, I had agreed to continue in 2022. However, after consideration over the past few weeks, I’ve decided to stop. I always want to compete at my best and perform at my highest level. But, after suffering several crashes over the years, I’ve got to be honest, and I don’t think I’m in the mindset to compete at that level.
“Now I will take time away from cycling and focus on me and my family. I will always be grateful to the management and staff at Team Bahrain Victorious, who have been very supportive over the last two seasons.”
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The team posted this:
Having retired from his role as Sports Director after the 2021 Paris-Roubaix, Allan Peiper will turn his focus on his ongoing health battles. It had been hoped that Peiper would continue his work with the team in an advisory role though the 61-year old has decided to now focus on home life after a wonderful 3 years with the squad.
Peiper: “The treatment for cancer which I have undergone in the last six years have taken a huge toll on me mentally and physically. So much so that I don’t feel at this time that I can do the job like I want.
"The last three years with UAE Team Emirates have been a wonderful experience. The team took me in knowing I had been sick and yet offered me every opportunity, immense support and understanding for which I am utterly grateful.”
Peiper joined the Emirati squad in 2019 and has formed an important role in the teams many successes including two Tour de France victories.
Team Principal and CEO Mauro Gianetti expressed his gratitude to Peiper:
“Though he is stepping back, Allan will always be a member of our team. In these three years we have all learned a lot from him. His professionalism, commitment and knowledge have been invaluable to the team and we are all very grateful and thankful for what he has done.
"We wish him the very best and are all supporting him in his latest fight, that we know he will tackle with the same drive and determination as he always does. Allan’s place in the team will remain for good, and the door is open to him as soon as his health improves.”
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Van Moer’s Lotto-Soudal team posted this:
The 23-year-old Belgian looks back on the season.
Lotto Soudal rider Brent Van Moer experienced many great moments in his second full season as a pro, but also had to deal with a share of bad luck. The 23-year-old Belgian looks back on the past year.
“It has been a very nice year”, Brent Van Moer begins. “When I look back on it, that second place in the penultimate stage of Tirreno-Adriatico was actually the start of a successful season. Of course, it was a pity to come so close to my first pro victory there, but competing for the win at WorldTour level really gave me an incredible kick and provided me with the necessary confidence for the rest of the season.”
“At Tirreno-Adriatico, I was supposed to ride at the service of Caleb Ewan, but because Caleb abandoned the race, I got the chance to show myself in breakaways. And that worked out pretty well. Missing out on my first pro victory by an inch felt like a disappointment, but I wanted to carry the feeling of going for the win through the rest of the season. Partly due to bad luck, the Classics unfortunately didn’t bring what I expected of them. After a long period of rest and a good altitude camp, I returned to competition at the Ronde van Limburg, and I guess everyone remembers what happened there… After the race, I was really disappointed, but soon that feeling was replaced by confidence, because I really felt great that day. That gave me a boost towards the Critérium du Dauphiné, but I really hadn’t expected to compete for a stage win there. I mainly went there to get better and possibly earn a selection for the Tour de France.”
Brent Van Moer wins the first stage of the 2021 Dauphiné. Sirotti photo
“However, I was fully motivated to start stage one of the Dauphiné. Fifteen minutes before the start, I was already all set and ready to go; my teammates even made fun of me. But I guess I surprised them, because all the pieces of the puzzle fell into place that day. During the final straight, I did think of what happened at the Ronde van Limburg, maybe that gave me the extra bit to prove myself. That first professional victory was just magical. The yellow jersey and the little lion on top of that just made it that extra bit special. It has without a doubt been the highlight of my season.”
“At the Dauphiné, I showed that I can hold my own uphill, but of course it was always a bit of wait and see for a selection for the Tour de France. When I heard that I had been selected, it felt like a dream come true. My first Tour really was unforgettable, the double ascent of the Mont Ventoux gave me goosebumps, all the way from the foot to the summit. I am really grateful to the team that I got the chance to go. I really showed myself, I almost won a stage and finished the Tour with very good sensations.”
“My race schedule for the rest of the season looked really nice, but unfortunately that was all wiped out by a crash during training. Unfortunately, bad luck is sometimes part of a cyclist’s life, you just have to accept it. I am just happy that the fracture healed well and that I could still do some races before the end of the season. That way, I could go into the winter with a good feeling.
“Many considered 2021 as my breakthrough year. That means that I’ve shown myself and that people will take me into account. Of course, this brings additional expectations for next year. I’ve gained a lot of confidence and I definitely want to show something in the Classics next year. Of course, I hope for an amazing result like the one at the Dauphiné, but I don’t dare to pick a specific race. With a strong team for the Classics, everyone is looking forward to next season and Florian’s podium place at Paris-Roubaix really have us an extra boost. Also, Victor Campenaerts is a rider who has an attractive style of racing. I am convinced that we can show some great things next season”, Brent Van Moer concludes his review of last season.
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