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Tuesday, January 28, 2025
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2024 Tour de France | 2024 Giro d'Italia
If you want to make enemies, try to change something. - Woodrow Wilson
Bill and Carol McGann's book The Story of the Giro d'Italia, A Year-by-Year History of the Tour of Italy, Vol 1: 1909 - 1970 is available in print, Kindle eBook & audiobook versions. To get your copy, just click on the Amazon link on the right.
Current racing:
- January 28 - February 1: AlUla Tour
Upcoming racing:
- January 29 - February 2: Challenge Vuelta a Mallorca
- January 30: Surf Coast Classic
- February 2: Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race
- February 2: GP La Marseillaise
- February 5 - 9 Etoile de Bessèges/Tour du Gard
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
Yesterday's page was devoted to the Tour Down Under and there wasn't room or time for the Spanish single-day race. So here are the team reports for the Clàssica Comunitat Valenciana:
We posted the report from third-place Antonio Morgado's UAE Team Emirates with the results.
Here's the report from winner Marc Hirschi's Tudor Pro Cycling Team:
The 184km race through the Valencia region started with a three-man breakaway which animated the race until Col de Rates, where the high rhythm in the peloton closed the gap before the final 40 kilometers. Things really heated up on the Alto de Turrón Duro, a brutal climb averaging 9% over 3.5km. That’s where Marc joined a lead group of four, then three, fighting through attacks and holding off the chasers behind.
By the time they hit the descent and the flat run to the finish, it was all about strategy, and Hirschi absolutely nailed it. A late solo attack almost caught him off guard, but he chased it down, saved his energy, and then crushed the sprint to take the win.
After the race, Marc was excited about the win: “I felt good all day: the plan was to go solo on the final climb but the pace was so high already and my legs didn’t allow it, so I went with my own pace and caught them at the top. I knew I had a good sprint, so I stayed calm and worked with the guys until it was time. It worked out perfectly, and I’m really happy to take my first win in the Tudor jersey.”
Marc Hirschi enjoys his win. Photo: Sprint Cycling
The Spanish race was recently added to Marc’s program, as the route was revealed and couldn’t have suited him better: Marc had a recon of the finale with his teammates a couple of weeks ago during the Team Camp in the region.
“I trained well this winter but the first race is always special, you never really know where your stand. I now look forward to next week in Mallorca where we have a strong Team.”
This first win gives confidence to Marc and the whole Tudor Pro Cycling Team.
Team Groupama-FDJ posted this report:
A few days after the start of the season on the other side of the planet, the Groupama-FDJ cycling team also opened its European calendar this Sunday. Seven riders from the squad completed their training camp in Calpe by taking part, not far from there, in the Gran Premi València. After a hard final, Marc Hirschi took victory while Clément Braz-Afonso was the first rider from the team to reach the finish, in 22nd position.
Marc Hirschi can sit up and celebrate his win.
Complete change of scenery on the Gran Premi València. After several editions suitable to the sprinters, the Spanish race offered a much more selective course this year, with first the Coll de Rates (6.7 km at 5.2%) but more importantly the Alto de Turron Duro (3.5 km at 9%) as the key point of the day. This was therefore the menu for the seven Groupama-FDJ riders who returned to action this Sunday. “We had been training in Calpe since January 15th,” explained Yvon Caër. “We choose to end this training camp with a race, so that those who are going to the Grand Prix La Marseillaise and the Étoile de Bessèges could have a taste of competition beforehand”.
With only three men joining the day’s breakaway, the first half of the race proved quite calm. Things got serious as the riders approached the Coll de Rates, after one hundred and forty kilometres. “The main goal was to get back into the swing of things right away with a collective and determined attitude, which we achieved,” Yvon said. “Then we wanted to go for a result with Thibaud while giving Clément carte blanche. Cyril and Johan had to position the group, Valentin, Lorenzo and Paul had to go as far as possible.”
The climb of the Coll de Rates did not make any real selection, but Lorenzo Germani took advantage of the downhill to take the lead for a few minutes within a small group. However, the steep Alto de Turron Duro, twelve kilometres from the finish, was too much for the Groupama-FDJ men, who were unable to join in the battle for victory. After descending towards La Nucía, Clément Braz Afonso reached the line within a group battling for the top 20, thirty-six seconds behind the winner Marc Hirschi.
“We missed a little something physically, firstly because the final was very hard and because the riders were at the end of a big block of training, but we gave it our all with the legs of the day,” said Yvon. “They got the chance to make very significant efforts at the end of a very intense training camp. I am happy with the attitude, and despite a result that may seem disappointing on paper, I’m satisfied with today. I am convinced that for all these riders, the next sequence of racing will be very positive.”
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Here's the team's update:
The 2025 AlUla Tour in Saudi Arabia promises to be an unforgettable spectacle, featuring five diverse and challenging stages that highlight the region’s stunning landscapes and ambitious vision for cycling.
The race begins with a flat and fast Stage 1, perfectly suited for sprinters. Our sprint train will focus on delivering Bruttomesso to the front for a strong finish. Stage 2 unveils a new finale at Bir Jaydan Mountain Wirkah, a punchy stage featuring rolling terrain throughout and a decisive 2.9km climb to the finish. The climb averages a gradient of 9.2%, with sections reaching up to 15%. Rainer Kepplinger will lead our effort, with the team working to position him well in a reduced peloton for the final ascent.
Map of the first stage of the AlUla Tour.
Rainer Kepplinger and Alberto Bruttomesso will have the support and experience of Road Captain Andrea Pasqualon and the debutants Žak Eržen, Max Van Der Meulen, and Oliver Stockwell, all of whom are making the step up from the team’s development squad. Joining them is Nicolò Buratti, rounding out a lineup that balances youth and promise with seasoned leadership.
Stage 3 returns to sprinters’ territory, showcasing the ancient beauty of AlUla. Starting at Hegra, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the stage concludes 180km later at Tayma Fort, making it the longest stage of the race. Stage 4, the Queen Stage, features a gruelling climb to the Skyviews of Harrat Uwayrid. The ascent begins between 12km and 10km to go, averaging 17% in gradient and peaking at a punishing 22%. The final 10km flatten out, requiring climbers to summon all their remaining strength for a decisive sprint to the finish. This stage is expected to shape the General Classification (GC).
The final stage demands caution, as crosswinds could create dangerous echelons, particularly on the camel racing track where riders will complete two laps. These five stages will crown the “Desert King of AlUla,” and we are optimistic our riders will play a pivotal role in shaping the final GC standings.
New Sports Director Aart Vierhouten shared his thoughts:
“We are approaching the AlUla Tour with great ambitions. Our lineup combines youthful energy with experienced leadership, and everyone is eager to get the season underway. In previous years, this was primarily a sprinters’ race with one climb, but for the 2025 edition, the organisers have introduced another hilly finish. This adjustment provides us with an opportunity to aim for a top-5 GC result with Rainer Kepplinger leading the charge.
"For the sprint stages, our road captain Andrea Pasqualon will guide the team and position Alberto Bruttomesso for strong finishes. We’ve been refining our lead-out train during two training camps in Altea, focusing on sprint preparations for the season. Securing a stage win is a key objective for us.”
Our GC leader, Rainer Kepplinger, added:
“I’m really looking forward to racing again. The entire team has worked incredibly hard over the past few weeks at training camp to prepare for the season ahead. We have a young team for this race, and we’re highly motivated to bring plenty of energy to the competition. Of course, we’ll fight to achieve strong results.
"Personally, I’m especially excited about Stage 4, with its challenging final climb. I hope all the hard work we’ve put in over the last few weeks will pay off. I’m aiming for a good result, both for myself and for the team, and I’ll make sure we give it everything we’ve got.”
And here's the AlUla Tour preview from Team Jayco AlUla:
Multiple Grand Tour stage winners Eddie Dunbar and Dylan Groenewegen will headline a stacked Team Jayco AlUla squad ready to do battle on all fronts at the AlUla Tour.
The Australian outfit will line-up with a powerful sprint train in aid of their fast-finishing Dutchman, while Irishman Dunbar will aim for overall glory in the Saudi Arabian desert.
Dylan Groenewegen (shown at the 2024 Tour de France) will be at the AlUla Tour. Sirotti photo
2024 mountain bike world champion Alan Hatherly will make his exciting road race debut for the team, with the South African set to play an important team role over the course of the five-stage race.
Groenewegen will have the support of a strong sprint setup in the shape of fellow countryman Elmar Reinders, the experienced Luka Mezgec and the towering Max Walscheid.
Austrian Patrick Gamper will also make his debut in GreenEDGE colours, and the 27-year-old will have a vital job in aiding both the sprint train and teammate Dunbar on the crucial general classification days.
Team Jayco AlUla:
Eddie Dunbar (IRL)
Patrick Gamper (AUT)
Dylan Groenewegen (NED)
Alan Hatherly (RSA)
Luka Mezgec (SLO)
Elmar Reinders (NED)
Max Walscheid (GER)
Eddie Dunbar:
“I’m looking forward to the whole experience of racing the AlUla Tour. There’s a good few guys on the team who have been for last few years and from chatting to them, it’s sounds like a really good trip and it’s a good race as well, so I’m really looking forward to it looking forward to it.
"It’s a cool place to go racing, in the desert, it’s definitely an experience and obviously I’ve never been to Saudi Arabia either, so it’s going to be nice to experience a new country as well. Obviously AlUla is one of our main sponsors and that’s where we race, so it’s going to be cool to have a look around there as well.
"There’s a new GC day this year, so I’m happy about that and I’ve been training well so hopefully I can go there and put in a good performance and see what happens. From the guys who have raced it, they all say the climb on stage four is a horrible climb and it’s incredibly steep, it’s short, but very steep. But as I said, stage two is a tough stage as well, it’s a new stage this year so I’m really looking forward to that day.”
Andrew Smith (Sport Director):
“With Dylan we will be aiming for more stages wins and he has three opportunities that should be for him. The GC guys have two opportunities, and we’ve got Eddie who’s our GC goal. We bring in Alan Hatherly for his first race with the team, he knows that road racing is very different to mountain biking, but it’s a really good opportunity for him to get into supporting someone like Eddie and learning from him.
"I think the new stage on day two opens up the race quite a lot. We’ve got three laps with a climb of 2.9km at 9.2%, and then you’ve got bonuses on the penultimate time up there, so I think that really makes the race interesting and as we saw last year, bonus seconds really play role.”
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Here’s the team’s preview:
Mallorca has always been good for premieres: 15 years ago, Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe, then Team NetApp, celebrated its racing debut here. In 2010, the Trofeo Palma provided the perfect backdrop for the first race day in the team's history. Wednesday marks another milestone for the team on the Balearic Island. The riders of the Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe Rookies will wear a start number on their jerseys for the first time.
January 29 will be a very special race day for Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe. In just a few weeks, the German team has formed its own U23 squad, bridging the gap between juniors and professionals. The result is a team that is oriented towards the WorldTour in terms of equipment, training conditions and personnel. Eleven top young talents, including junior world champion Lorenzo Finn, want to take the next step in their careers and develop into WorldTour professionals. The anticipation for their first race day is accordingly high.
Lorenzo Finn (shown winning the U23 World Championships) will be racing in Mallorca. Sirotti photo
Ralph Denk: “Now the time has come: after weeks of preparation, we are finally racing. I am very proud that we have completed this huge project in such a short time. I would like to thank John Wakefield and his team. Hats off to them for mastering this ambitious challenge. The rookies are very important to us as a team because we believe in developing young talent. I was at our very first race day 15 years ago and I will of course be at the premiere of our rookies on Wednesday.”
The Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe Rookies extensively tested the roads of Mallorca during their pre-season preparations. In December they spent two weeks on the island together with the WorldTour pros. The riders also spent their training camp in Mallorca at the beginning of the year. All eleven rookies will get their chance in the five individual races of the Mallorca Challenge. They will compete in a daily changing line-up together with the WorldTour riders of Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe.
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Here’s the news from van Aert’s Team Visma | Lease a Bike:
We’re thrilled to announce that Wout van Aert will compete in the cyclo-cross World Championships this Sunday! Motivated by his passion for the sport, Wout expressed his strong desire to be on the start line. After careful discussions, we fully support his decision and can’t wait to watch him give it his all at the worlds.
Wout van Aert (shown winning the 2025 Dendermonde Cross Race) will try for the Rainbow Jersey.
Wout van Aert: “I’m feeling good, and my winter has gone well. The World Championships only recently came into my mind and after Maasmechelen the Belgian team coach, my coach at Team Visma | Lease a Bike and I decided to compete. I am excited to start in such a beautiful race, and I think that this extra boost is doing me good in the lead-up to bigger goals on the road. Obviously the preparation has been very different, but I’ll give it my best.”
Head of Performance Mathieu Heijboer: “Wout is a true cyclocross enthusiast. He indicated that he wanted to race. We discussed it, weighed everything together, and as a team, we fully support Wout.”
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