Bicycle Racing News and Opinion,
Thursday, June 24, 2021
Back to news and opinion index page for links to archived stories | Commentary | Our YouTube page
2020 Tour de France | 2021 Giro d'Italia
The audiobook version of The Story of the Tour de France, Volume 1 is available.
I have noticed even people who claim everything is predestined, and that we can do nothing to change it, look before they cross the road. - Stephen Hawking
Current racing:
- June 24: Giro dell'Appennino
Upcoming racing:
- June 26 - July 18: Tour de France
- July 27: GP di Lugano
Cancelled & postponed races:
- May 21 - 24:
Tour of Norway - May 22:
Veenendaal-Veenendaal Classic - June 6:
Rund um Köln - June 16:
Halle-Ingooigem - June 16 - July 1:
Tour of Austria/Osterreich Rundfahrt
Latest completed racing:
- National time trial and road race championships
- June 15: Paris- Camembert
- June 6 - 13: Tour de Suisse
- June 9 - 13: Baloise Belgium Tour
- June 10 - 13: La Route d'Occitanie
- May 30 - June 6: Critérium du Dauphiné
- June 4: GP Kanton Aargau
- May 8 - 30: Giro d'Italia
Maurits Lammertink in stable condition after accident
Here’s the update from Lammertink’s Intermaché-Wanty-Gobert team:
On Tuesday evening, Maurits Lammertink was struck by a scooter near his home while walking with his family. He suffers from a head trauma and underwent overnight a surgery for a brain hemorrhage. His condition is now stable and the injuries are not life-threatening anymore.
Lammertink (in orange jersey) winning stage four of the 2015 Limousin Tour.
Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux would like to thank the medical team, and wish Maurits the smoothest recovery possible.
We will keep you informed on the progress of Maurits' recovery process.
UAE Team Emirates riders for Giro dell’Appennino & GP Lugano
Here’s the team’s update:
As the team prepares for the start of the Tour de France this weekend, another block of riders will be pinning on their race numbers on in Italy and Switzerland with the Giro dell’Appennino (24 June) followed by the Gran Premio di Lugano (27 June).
The team features a number of strong, attacking riders and none more so than Diego Ulissi who will be keen to add to his first victory of the season, which he won on stage 4 at the recent Tour of Slovenia.
The veteran tasted previous success at the GP Lugano when he and Riabushenko claimed a 1-2 in the Swiss classic in 2019.
Ulissi & Riabushenko celebrate their 1-2 at the 2019 GP Lugano.
Alessandro Covi will head into Giro dell’Appennino hungry for success also, after his bright 2nd place debut at the race last year. The races will also mark the first outing of Juan Ayuso in the Emirati team colours.
The Team for Giro dell’Appennino will be overseen by Marco Marzano (Ita) while Rubens Bertogliati (Swi) will be in charge at GP Lugano.
Giro dell’Appennino [1.1] 24 Jun-2021
– Juan Ayuso (Spa)
– Valerio Conti (Ita)
– Alessandro Covi (Ita)
– Jan Polanc (Slo)
- Aleksandr Riabushenko (Blr)
- Matteo Trentin (Ita)
- Diego Ulissi (Ita)
Axion SWISS Bank Gran Premio Città di Lugano [1.1] 27 Jun-2021
– Juan Ayuso (Spa)
– Valerio Conti (Ita)
– Alessandro Covi (Ita)
– Jan Polanc (Slo)
- Aleksandr Riabushenko (Blr)
- Cristian Muñoz (Col)
- Diego Ulissi (Ita)
BORA-hansgrohe’s Tour de France kit highlights new product X BO and 120 years of Hansgrohe
The team sent me this release:
While BORA will be presenting a new product in the form of X BO in time for the start of the Tour, Hansgrohe is celebrating the company's 120th anniversary. Its founder - Hans Grohe – was always to be seen with a cheeky moustache, an inspiration for the whole team at the Tour de France.
Bora-hansgrohe kit for the 2021 Tour de France. Photo: Chiara Redaschi
"We are delighted that our team is supporting us and wearing our revolutionary new Flex oven, BORA X BO, on their jerseys throughout France and all the way to Paris. We are very proud of X BO, which brings a new comfort of cooking into the kitchen. We wish the team surrounding captains Peter Sagan and Wilco Kelderman all the best, and hope that they will be able to achieve sporting success with X BO. Our fingers are crossed." - Willi Bruckbauer, CEO BORA
"We are proud of the long history of our group of companies. As the hansgrohe brand, we are delighted to create a new arena for this special anniversary with the 120th anniversary jersey and related sponsorship activities. We will be cheering along at the Tour and wish the pros every success." - Marc André Palm, Head of Global Brand Marketing at hansgrohe
"I am very pleased that this year, our Tour de France Jersey has not only a new design, but also one with a story behind it. With Hansgrohe, we’re celebrating their 120th anniversary, and BORA is introducing a new product on the occasion of the start of the Tour. We’re looking forward to that almost as much as the opening stage.” – Ralph Denk, Team Manager
Introducing the Sportful BORA - hansgrohe Tour de France kit: much more than just a game. The brief from the Team was clear: let’s celebrate our friends at Hansgrohe and their 120th birthday. And we started to think.
The result? A retro looking jersey with our favorite color in the Sportful palette, inspired by chess.
Because the Tour de France - like chess - is much more than just a game.
Specialized renews contract with Deceuninck-Quick Step
Here’s the team’s release:
This six-year extension, until the end of 2027, will see our team ride Specialized helmets, shoes, and bikes in addition to Roval wheels and components.
The California based Specialized have been a huge part of our success in recent years, with Deceuninck – Quick-Step riding Specialized bikes to victory in some of the biggest and most famous races across the planet, including Julian Alaphilippe’s 2020 World Championships victory in Imola. Their drive for innovation has seen them work hard with both our athletes and staff to push the evolution of the bikes that they produce, which led to the development of their flagship Tarmac SL7, that carried Julian to his memorable triumph in Italy.
Julian Alaphilippe wins the 2020 Woorld Road Championships. Sirotti photo
Expressing his happiness at reaching a new agreement, Mike Sinyard – Founder and CEO of Specialized Bicycles – said: “For over a decade, Deceuninck – Quick-Step has been instrumental in the development of cutting-edge technology for our bikes and equipment, which has resulted in some of the most monumental victories for Specialized. We are honoured to continue the close partnership with Patrick and this special team, to drive the future of our sport.”
This was echoed by Deceuninck – Quick-Step CEO Patrick Lefevere: “We are delighted to extend our agreement with Specialized, who has been a vital part of what we have achieved in recent times. You only have to look at the record books to get a feel for their standing in the sport of professional cycling, and we have hugely enjoyed having them by our side.
In a sport as product orientated as cycling, it is perhaps too obvious to say that the equipment we provide our athletes must be of the highest quality and perfect for the purpose. That is where Specialized is impeccable as a partner – rather than tell us what they need, they interact with us, and we develop and evolve together. Their processes and communications, their enthusiasm, their drive for innovation, and their eye for details make them the perfect technical partner.
We are very much looking forward to developing our relationship even further and working together to achieve the goals that we have set ourselves for the coming years.”
Back to news and opinion index page for links to archived stories | Commentary