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Monday, January 27, 2025
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2024 Tour de France | 2024 Giro d'Italia
If you want to make God laugh, tell him about your plans. - Woody Allen
Bill & Carol McGann’s book The Story of the 2024 Tour de France: The Happy Warrior Triumphs is available both in print and Kindle eBook versions. To get your copy, just click on the link on the right.
Upcoming racing:
- January 29 - February 2: Challenge Vuelta a Mallorca
- February 2: GP La Marseillaise
Latest completed racing:
- January 17 - 26: Tour Down Under
- January 26: Classica Comunitat a Valenciana 1969
- January 25: Ruta de la Cerámica - Gran Premio Castellón
- January 3: X20 Trofee Koksijde-Vlaamse Druivenveldrit Cross
- January 1: GP Sven Nys Cross
- December 30: Diegem Cyclocross
- December 26: Gavere Cyclocross
- December 27: Exact Cross Loenhout-Azencross
- December 15: Namur Cyclocross-Citadelcross
- November 17: Flandriencross
- November 3: European Cyclocross Championships
- November 1: X20 Trofee Oudenaarde-Koppenbergcross
We posted the report from stage winner Sam Welsford's Team Red Bull-Bora-hansgrohe with the results.
Here's the report from the race organizer:
Jhonatan Narváez was crowned 2025 Santos Tour Down Under champion after a cautious last day in the saddle today. The UAE Team Emirates-XRG gun said it was the biggest UCI WorldTour win of his career.
2025 Tour Down Under winner Jhonatan Narvaez. Sirotti photo
Narváez becomes the first Ecuadorian to claim the coveted stage race.
He held a nine-second advantage over Spanish young gun Javier Romo Oliver at the start of the stage following a brilliant win at the Willunga Hill summit on Saturday. Narváez maintained the gap, praising his team for a good day’s work.
“It wasn’t easy, it was a bit dangerous and we ended up winning the race,” Narváez said. “It’s one of the nicest races on the calendar.”
With Narváez containing his delight, Australia’s sprint king Sam Welsford moved closer towards Santos Tour Down Under legend status after claiming Schwalbe Stage 6 on the streets of Adelaide on Sunday.
Welsford, 29, (Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe) earned his third Santos Tour Down Under stage win to back up the three victories he had in South Australia last year.
“I didn’t think three (stage wins) was possible going into this race; I knew it was going to be a hard tour and challenging stages,” Welsford said. “The team really believed in me and backed me in stages. We knew this last one was a good one for us, a big power circuit.
"The boys did an amazing job, (teammate) Danny Van Poppel dropped me off (as the leadout man) about 200 metres from the finish. I am really happy with this tour.”
Welsford finished ahead of Thursday’s stage winner: Bryan Coquard of Cofidis and Phil Bauhaus (Bahrain-Victorious).
The race
Sprint #1 — King William Road, Adelaide at Finish Arch Lap 4 18.0km. The peloton's average speed was clocked at 47km/h average before the first preme sprint of the afternoon.
Breakaway race leaders Casper Pedersen (Soudal-Quick Step) crossed the line first, followed by Australians Kelland O’Brien (Jayco AlUla) and Damien Howson who appeared to be having fun but at the same time red lining in the heat.
King of the Mountain — Montefiore Hill 3 4.0% 6.5% 567m Lap 8 36.0km. Howsen, Pedersen and O’Brien stayed out in front to catch more bonuses.
Although it’s not a taxing KOM, Santos Tour Down Under legend Andre Greipel described it as difficult because of the lack of recovery time before the finish line.
The two-time Santos Tour Down Under champion and Germany’s national road cycling coach should know as he has claimed wins on the same circuit several times.
Sprint #2 — King William Road, Adelaide at Finish Arch Lap 12 54.0km. The leading trio traded places for the second preme sprint of the afternoon. Howsen took the maximum bonus ahead of Pedersen and O’Brien. The trio at that point has a lead of 38 seconds.
King of the Mountain — Montefiore Hill 3 4.0% 6.5% 567m Lap 16 72.0km. Nothing changed with Howsen still taking maximum points ahead of Pedersen and O’Brien. The trio had a 24-second gap with 18 km before the line.
Questions were asked to whether they were strong enough to finish with a breakaway or if was it a plan for their respective team members to barnstorm home.
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Here’s the Tour Down Under stage six report from third-place Phil Bauhaus' Team Bahrain Victorious:
The final stage of the 25th Tour Down Under delivered high-speed action on a 90km circuit through the heart of Adelaide, clocking an impressive average speed of 47.689 km/h. Team Bahrain Victorious, led by Phil Bauhaus, worked tirelessly to improve on his second-place finish from Stage 4. The team controlled the breakaways and set the stage for a sprinters finale.
In the closing moments, Bauhaus positioned himself brilliantly with the help of his teammates. Riding in the slipstream of Rui Oliveira (UAE Team Emirates), Bauhaus moved ahead of the Portuguese rider in the sprint finish. However, it was Sam Welsford (Red Bull – BORA – hansgrohe) and Bryan Coquard (Cofidis) who narrowly edged ahead to claim the top two spots, leaving Bauhaus with a hard-fought third-place podium finish.
It was Sam Welsford who won the stage. Sirotti photo
Phil Bauhaus: “It was a fast and nervous day. I think it was all under control the whole day. The speed went up lap by lap, we had the last 5 laps super fast. The team, especially Mathijs (Paasschens), Robert (Stannard), and Nikias (Arndt) worked really well, so we were always around the Top 20 positions in the last 5 laps.”
“It went faster and faster, and also in the last laps there were a few crashes. Luckily, we could avoid them. In the last kilometer, I was on my own. Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe again did a super strong lead-out. For me, everything was about trying to get on the wheels. I was in the last 5th position around the last 2 corners with 300m to go, and then I could still gain 2 places to finish third. I think this was also the maximum possible today, so I am quite happy with 3rd place.”
“I think we did really well day by day. We found each other better. We had a really great time, I think, in Australia. The younger guys did really well; they have learned a lot in this race. They really gave us good support, which was really nice to see. I think they all have a good future ahead if they keep going like this over the next few years. In the next months, they will also get their chances to make results. I hope I could make them better bike riders.”
Neil Stephens, Sports Director: “The Tour Down Under 2025 has been about much more than just the race itself. From a results perspective and what we’ve achieved in Adelaide, Australia, it’s been a great showing. With four new riders joining the team and one more just six months ago, our goal was to create a cohesive team, build strong bonds, and aim for the best results possible.”
“The team has done really well in achieving that. The results this week reflect their hard work—being involved in all the stage finishes, securing two podiums, and finishing 15th in the GC all demonstrate their commitment.”
“Not only have the riders performed well, but the support staff also played a crucial role in building what we believe is a truly champion team. Before leaving Europe, I wasn’t sure what to expect, but after spending 10 days of training around Adelaide, I got to see the true character of these riders. Their willingness to learn, take advice, and work as a unit has made my job much easier.”
“Riders like Afonso Eulálio have shown great potential. Achieving 15th in the GC is a reminder of what can be accomplished with hard work. It’s not a given, but with dedication, both he and the team can achieve even greater things. I’m excited to see what the future holds for them as they continue to grow and develop.”
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Here's the report from Team Groupama-FDJ:
The final moments of the Groupama-FDJ cycling team on the Tour Down Under were not the happiest ones. In the final, very short stage this Sunday, Lewis Askey and Rémy Rochas crashed shortly before the bunch sprint which was won by Sam Welsford. The two men were able to get back up, the Frenchman then secured his twelfth place overall, while Matt Walls took ninth place on the day. Two one-day races will conclude the Australian stay next week.
The final stage gets started. Sirotti photo
Eight days after the criterium, the riders were back this Sunday in the streets of Adelaide to complete the 2025 edition of the Tour Down Under. Although it was not an exhibition in any way, the day’s menu barely featured ninety kilometres, with a 4,500-metre circuit to be repeated twenty times.
“It’s the usual circuit, which we were already doing fifteen years ago,” explained Jussi Veikkanen. “It’s a beautiful city circuit with lots of spectators.” The peloton set off at 1:30 pm local time for less than two hours of racing, and it didn’t take long to see the usual scenario set up, with a trio made up of Damien Howson, Casper Pedersen and Kelland O’Brien in the lead. However, the gap never reached the one-minute bar, as the peloton remained in control in anticipation of the sprint. “The breakaway never had too much of a lead, but it still held up quite well despite the bonus seconds that were available,” explained Jussi.
The last man to surrender, Pedersen was caught just two and a half kilometres from the finish as the Groupama-FDJ riders moved back up into the pack thanks to Sven-Erik Bystrom and Clément Davy. Shortly before the flamme rouge, Lewis Askey was about to take the lead in the peloton in order to position his fellow-countryman Matt Walls, but the young Briton slipped and ended up on the ground, as did Rémy Rochas a few positions behind him. “The guys were very well placed when it all happened,” said Jussi. “Luckily Matt wasn’t caught in the crash, but Lewis was supposed to lead him out from that point on. They were ready for the fight, but Matt lost his lead-out man.”
The team’s sprinter therefore managed it on his own in the last kilometre but was unable to sneak into the first positions before the last corner. “The peloton was quite stretched out, so the riders more or less stayed in the position they had before the turn,” added Jussi.
The stage ended with another victory for Sam Welsford while Matt Walls scored his third top-10 of the week (9th). “The balance could have been very satisfying if Rémy had been able to really make the most of his form yesterday,” said Jussi. “It could have been a very good Tour Down Under for us, but that’s how it is. The positive thing is that the group has a very homogeneous condition. The guys are ready, they were there every day. We just need to adjust two or three things, but it’s going in the right direction.”
Despite the crash and a few bruises, Rémy Rochas and Lewis Askey were able to reach the finish this Sunday, the Frenchman therefore secured his twelfth place overall, and the two men remain under observation. On Monday, the group will fly to Melbourne, ahead of the Surf Coast Classic on Thursday and the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race on Sunday.
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Here's the Tour Down Under report from Magnus Sheffield's Team INEOS Grenadiers:
Magnus Sheffield stayed out of trouble amid a hectic finale to secure seventh place overall at the Tour Down Under.
The INEOS Grenadiers were able to rally around the American to keep him well positioned across the 20-lap stage on the streets of Adelaide.
Sheffield would avoid a late crash and cross the line in 16th place, doing enough to retain his overnight position and kick off the season with a WorldTour top 10.
Racing in Adelaide in stage 6. Sirotti photo.
Sam Watson was piloted into a great position to contest the sprint on the final lap, but was left with nowhere to go with a crash directly in front of him. Happily the Brit emerged relatively unscathed, with a bruise to the knee and some minor skin loss.
Following victory 24 hours earlier atop Willunga Hill, the overall win went to Jhonatan Narvaez (Team UAE Emirates – XRG), by a margin of nine seconds. Sam Welsford (Red Bull – BORA – Hansgrohe) secured the sprint and a third stage win of the event.
A three-man breakaway of Kelland O’Brien (Jayco AlUla), Casper Pedersen (Soudal – Quick-Step) and Damien Howson (Australia) pushed out on front early on, and in doing so soaked up the mid-stage bonus seconds.
Lucas Hamilton and Connor Swift hit the front late on to set the pace, with Michal Kwiatkowski leading the peloton over the line at the bell with an impressive display on the run-in.
And here's the Tour Down Under stage 6 report from Team Soudal Quick-Step:
The 25th edition of Australia’s oldest and most important World Tour race came to a conclusion on the streets of Adelaide, where a short, criterium-like stage awaited the riders. With the general classification pretty much set in stone following the Willunga Hill finish, the only thing in play was the stage victory.
The peloton had to cover 20 laps of a local circuit, for a total of 90 kilometers, and the race got off to a fast start, a three-man group quickly putting some daylight between them and the bunch. Soudal Quick-Step’s Casper Pedersen was there and delivered an impressive effort, helping the move increase their lead to 50 seconds.
The peloton heads to a corner in the sixth and final stage. Sirotti photo
Two laps from the finish, the powerful Dane dropped his companions and continued by himself in Adelaide, leaving everything out there and making the peloton work hard in order to bring him back with just two kilometers to go. This immense ride resulted in Casper making a visit to the podium after the race, to receive the prize for the most combative rider of the stage.
“We knew the chances of staying away weren’t that big, but I wanted to give it a try because you never know what can happen or how the peloton plays a stage like this. I’m in a good shape for this month of the season, I felt good out there and I am delighted with my effort and with getting on the podium at the end of the stage”, Casper said at the finish.
A crash in the final tricky corner of the day left a small group in contention going into the final kilometer, and Andrea Raccagni – who turned 21 on Sunday – managed to produce a strong sprint and score his first top ten at World Tour level, as Sam Welsford (Red Bull-Bora-hansgrohe) took the win. Nothing changed on the general classification, which meant that Junior Lecerf finished 20th overall, a good start to the season for the young Belgian.
With the Tour Down Under now done and dusted, the Soudal Quick-Step boys will switch their attention to the two one-day races scheduled in Australia next week, Surf Coast Classic and Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race, the season’s second World Tour appointment.
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