Bicycle Racing News and Opinion,
Wednesday, March 26, 2025
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2024 Tour de France | 2024 Giro d'Italia
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Current racing:
- March 24 - 30: Volta Ciclista a Catalunya
- March 25 - 29: Settimana Internazionale Coppi e Bartali
- March 26: Classic Brugge-De Panne
Upcoming racing:
- March 28: E3 Saxo Bank Classic
- March 30: Gent - Wevelgem
- March 30: La Roue Tourangelle
- April 2: Dwars door Vlaanderen
- April 2: Paris - Camembert Lepetit
- April 4: Route Adélie de Vitre
- April 5: GP Miguel Indurain
- April 5: Volta Limburg Classic
- April 6: Ronde van Vlaanderen
Latest completed racing:
- March 22: Milano-Sanremo
- March 21: Bredene Koksijde Classic
- March 20: GP de Denain
- March 19: Danilith Nokere Koerse
- March 19: Milano-Torino
- March 9 - 16: Paris-Nice
- March 10 - 16: Tirreno-Adriatico
- March 8: Strade Bianche
- March 5: Trofeo Laigueglia
- March 4: Le Samyn Classic
We posted the report from fourth-place Junior Lecerf's Team Soudal Quick-Step with the results.
Here's the report from GC leader Matthew Brennan's Team Visma | Lease a Bike:
Matthew Brennan came within a whisker of winning the second stage of the Volta Ciclista a Catalunya. The young Brit from Team Visma | Lease a Bike narrowly missed out in the sprint finish to his compatriot Ethan Vernon but managed to retain his overall lead in the general classification.
On paper, the second stage of the Tour of Catalonia seemed like the easiest of the week, but the race organizers had included two tough climbs in the middle of the route to test the peloton.
With over 80 kilometers still to go after cresting the final climb, a sprint finish appeared inevitable—and that’s exactly what happened. Brennan positioned himself well in the run-up to the sprint, following the wheel of Kaden Groves. Vernon looked set to take a comfortable victory on the slightly uphill finishing straight, but Brennan came charging up fast and almost caught him. In the end, the young Brit had to settle for second place.
Ethan Vernon wins the Catalonia Tour's second stage.
“It was a chaotic finale today”, Brennan said. “But we still managed to position ourselves well. I was in the right wheel heading into the final few hundred meters. I got boxed in for a moment but found a gap. Unfortunately, I hit top speed just a fraction too late to take the win.”
Despite the near miss, Brennan remained positive. “It was amazing to ride in the leader’s jersey. I’m super grateful to the team for all the work they put in. I struggled a bit on the climb earlier in the stage, but having a great champion like Sepp Kuss pacing you up the mountain gives you such a huge mental boost. We came so close to winning for the second day in a row. We’ll take the positives from today into the next few stages”, the 19-year-old said, looking ahead to the coming days.
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We posted the report from stage winner Caleb Ewan's Team INEOS Grenadiers with the results.
Here's the report from Team Visma | Lease a Bike:
Team Visma | Lease a Bike successfully navigated the first stage of the Settimana Internazionale Coppi e Bartali without any issues. The 174-kilometer stage concluded as expected in a bunch sprint, with Caleb Ewan taking the victory.
Caleb Ewan wins Coppi-Bartali stage one.
The opening stage of the Italian five-day race unfolded as a typical sprinter’s stage. Five riders broke away early but never gained more than a three-minute advantage. Once the breakaway was reeled in with ten kilometers to go, the peloton prepared for a bunch sprint. Team Visma | Lease a Bike chose not to contest the final dash and instead ensured a safe finish.
"We got through the stage well", sports director Robert Wagner said. "On paper, this was the easiest stage of the week. With no major climbs, it was tailor-made for the sprinters. For us, the main goal was to start the race on the right foot and be ready for tomorrow. That’s when the real challenge begins."
Wagner refers to the stage to Sogliano, which features significant elevation gain. "That will be a day for the GC contenders. We came here with big ambitions and want to compete with the best. Ben is in good form, and we’ll see how Thomas and Jørgen are doing. Our goal is to be a factor in the overall classification."
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Here’s the team’s update:
Team Bahrain Victorious are set to take on the 49th edition of Classic Brugge-De Panne on Tuesday, 26th March, with Bauhaus leading the line-up in what is expected to be a fiercely contested sprint finish against a stacked field of fast men.
The one-day Belgian Classic covers 195 kilometres, starting in Bruges, where the peloton will ride 67km before entering the finishing circuit. Riders will then complete the 43km local lap three times, navigating the flat but often wind-exposed roads of West Flanders, a region known for unpredictable spring weather that can quickly shake up the race and catch riders off guard.
Phil Bauhaus will be looking for a good result and will be supported by a strong line-up featuring Arndt, who takes on the role of road captain, alongside Bruttomesso, Ermakov, Erzen, Skerl, and Van Mechelen.
Phil Bauhaus (shown at the 2024 Tirreno-Adriatico) will be racing the Classic Brugge-De Panne. Sirotti photo
Speaking ahead of the race, Sports Director Aart Vierhouten highlighted the importance of discipline and awareness:
“Depending on the weather, we need to be focussed. This is one of those races where you can lose focus and the result changes. If the weather comes into play, we need to pay close attention from kilometre one. However, the main focus is the final laps of the circuit and staying in a good position. We are hoping to get Phil battling in the final sprint for a good result.”
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Here's the team's post:
This Wednesday, March 26th, Intermarché-Wanty begins an intense phase of Flemish classics, starting with the 49th edition of the Classic Brugge-De Panne, a major event for the sprinters of the World Tour peloton since it became a one-day race in 2018.
The flat 195-kilometer course is almost identical to that of previous editions. After the start on the Main Square in Bruges, a 67-kilometer approach leads the riders directly to the coastal town of La Panne. In the local circuit of 43 kilometers to be covered three times, the peloton faces the passage through the open fields of the Moeren, about 10 kilometers from the finish in the Zeelaan.
The selection of seven riders directed by sprint coach Pieter Vanspeybrouck, Dimitri Claeys, and Franky Van Haesebroucke is led by Gerben Thijssen. Laurenz Rex and Taco van der Hoorn reinforce the train of the Belgian sprinter, composed of Huub Artz, Adrien Petit, Gijs Van Hoecke and Roel van Sintmaartensdijk. Huub Artz, who stepped up from Wanty-NIPPO-ReUz development team, is competing in his first World Tour race this Wednesday on the occasion of this Classic Brugge-De Panne.
Gerben Thijssen (shown at the 2024 Trofeo Palma) will lead Intermarché-Wanty at the Classic Brugge-De Panne
Huub Artz:
"I was eagerly awaiting my first World Tour race and I'm delighted that it's the Classic Brugge-De Panne. The atmosphere on the Main Square in Bruges at the start is the perfect setting. The race itself promises an intense experience, a tough fight for positions against the best sprinter teams in the world. It's for these races that we dream of becoming a pro. Together with the group around Gerben Thijssen, we have already achieved several good performances, but in a sprint at the highest level, it's often the details that make the difference in getting an excellent result. That's why it's essential that I gain experience in every race to be able to react well in all scenarios. The goal of our sprint train will be to bring Gerben into the best possible conditions in La Panne, so he can use all his speed."
"Personally, I felt very strong during our two winter training camps. After that, I was faced with illness in February and missed my planned World Tour debut at the UAE Tour. It took me time to recover, but fortunately, I could count on the team's support. My trainer Adriaan Helmantel helped me a lot to adapt my training programs and regain confidence. I have also built a strong relationship with our sports director Dimitri Claeys. Together, they devoted a lot of time to perfecting my position on the bike and my race preparation to be in the best condition at the start of the races. They even help me plan my move to a new house according to my training plans peak periods."
"Physically and mentally, I am progressing towards my first peak form of the season. The fact that my peak form is arriving a little later than expected due to circumstances allows me to have ambitions for the Classic Brugge-De Panne and Dwars door Vlaanderen, but also for the Volta NXT Classic. Last year, I discovered my abilities on hilly terrain during this competition in my home country. I hope to shine again this season and fight for victory."
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