Mathieu van der Poel lost a cyclocross race after 408 days of racing, not to worry, he won the next day. Results and video from the Hotondcross and Druivencross. The Vuelta goes to Portugal – Top Story. All the other cycling news: Mitchelton-Scott gets their WorldTour license, Peter Sagan to ride Het Nieuwsblad, Alejandro Valverde season, Tadej Pogacar to ride the Giro, Greg Van Avermaet to the Olympics, no Kuurne for Jumbo-Visma, TDU riders, AG2r-La Mondiale and Astana presentations, more race, team and rider news, doping problem for Caja Rural-Seguros RGA and Deceuninck – Quick-Step new kit. A full EUROTRASH Monday!
TOP STORY: Vuelta in Portugal in 2020?
The Vuelta a España will visit Portugal next year, reports the Portuguese sports newspaper A Bola. Race director Javier Guillén wants to finish the eighteenth stage in Grande Porto, while stage 19 would starts from Viseu.
According to A Bola, the eighteenth stage of the Tour of Spain 2020 will start from the Galician Mos, before heading towards Grande Porto, not far from the famous port city of Porto. The next day the riders would be on the start line in Viseu, a city that often has a stage finish of the Volta a Portugal. The finish would be on Spanish soil in Ciudad Rodrigo. Two days later, the Vuelta would end with the traditional sprint stage in Madrid. The Portuguese authorities have not confirmed the news. The course will be presented next Tuesday in Madrid, but according to the latest rumours, the riders will be going over the Col du Tourmalet and the Alto de el Angliru. There would also be an individual time trial with a finish on the steep Mirador de Ézaro.
Vlaamse Druivencross – Overijse 2019
One day after his first defeat in 408 days, Mathieu Van der Poel (Corendon-Circus) took the win in Overijse on Sunday. The world champion rode away for Tom Pidcock (Trinity) and Quinten Hermans (Telenet-Baloise) just before the halfway point.
After Saturday’s hard race in Ronse, it was climbing again on and around the Tenotsberg in Overijse on Sunday. Quinten Hermans and the British champion Tom Pidcock were fresh due to not riding on Saturday. The pair did not hesitate to take matters into their own hands, and we soon saw the difference from the tired men who had raced the day before. Ronse winner Toon Aerts was overtaken by a large number of second-line riders in the opening part of the race.
The work of Hermans and Pidcock was joined by Van der Poel and Eli Iserbyt, who usually performs less well in the second race of a week-end. At the end of the second lap, a dog that broke loose appeared in the finish zone. The dog scared the riders, but barely bothered the leaders.
The four seemed to making the race between them, until we saw Toon Aerts find his second breath. Aerts sprinted towards the leading quartet, but this was not to Van der Poel’s liking. He clearly did not want to have the Belgian champion with him, like the day before and put in a hard lap after 20 minutes of the race. The World champion looked a lot fresher and more explosive than on Saturday and closed on Hermans and Pidcock.
Van der Poel pushed on in the following laps, mainly on the Tenotsberg just after the finish. He put 5 seconds into Hermans and Pidcock each lap. Pidcock, in particular, continued to put on the pressure, but never made it difficult for Van der Poel in the last quarter of the race. A day after his first defeat in 408 days of cross racing, the World suddenly looked a lot brighter for Van der Poel.
Race winner, Mathieu van der Poel (Corendon-Circus): “It was much better today than yesterday, Yesterday it was more stomping and walking. It was difficult to get into the rhythm. I also had some more problems with my back than today. But I am especially happy to be on the highest podium step again today.” And the dog? “I have never experienced that before. Fortunately we saw him coming from far, so we could anticipate. It was a beautiful dog too.”
Vlaamse Druivencross – Overijse Result:
1. Mathieu van der Poel (Ned) Corendon-Circus in 1:00:54
2. Tom Pidcock (GB) Trinity at 0:14
3. Quinten Hermans (Bel) Telenet-Baloise at 0:27
4. Toon Aerts (Bel) Telenet-Baloise qt 1:10
5. Tim Merlier (Bel) Creafin-Fristads at 1:43
6. Eli Iserbyt (Bel) Pauwels Sauces-Bingoal at 2:14
7. Wietse Bosmans (Bel) Sport IT-Isorex at 2:36
8. Daan Soete (Bel) Pauwels Sauces-Bingoal at 2:55
9. Marcel Meisen (Ger) Corendon Circus at 3:24
10. Tom Meeusen (Bel) Corendon Circus at 3:33.
Lost video from Druivencross’19 due to copyrights, hope to get it soon:
DVV Trofee Ronde-Kluisbergen – Hotondcross 2019
Toon Aerts (Telenet Baloise Lions) took a great win in the Hotondcross in Ronse on Saturday. The Belgian champion dominated the race and put an end to the victory run of the World champion, Mathieu van der Poel (Corendon-Circus), which had lasted more than 408 days. The last time Van der Poel was beaten in a cross race was the Koppenbergcross in 2018.
The Hotondcross in Ronse has always been a tough day, but in wet conditions, the course takes no prisoners. The slow mud sections and off-bike bits give a cyclocross course like we rarely see today. Very heavy and that suited Toon Aerts.
A good opening from Van der Poel’s German teammate Marcel Meisen, saw him escape, but the fast starter wouldn’t play a significant role in the rest of the race. Eli Iserbyt (Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal) and Toon Aerts took turns on the front and were careful on the flanks of the Hotondberg. But they did not succeed, at first, in distancing themselves from Van der Poel, who was just back from a two-week training camp in Spain.
On the second lap of the race was Aerts’ time, not that the Belgian champion attacked, he just kept his own constant pace, which was too high for Iserbyt and Van der Poel. In no time, Aerts took a lead of about 25 seconds. A little before halfway it looked like Van der Poel had found his ‘second wind’, when he brought the difference back to 15 seconds. The revival was short-lived as Aerts moved towards half a minute, and then closer a full minute.
Aerts simply had a lot more power than his opponents and nothing went wrong in the technical sections. Van der Poel eventually had to let Iserbyt go and never really got into his rhythm again. So after 408 days his winning run came to an end and Aerts had a day to be proud of.
Race winner, Toon Aerts (Telenet Baloise Lions): “It’s a big lead at the end, I did not expect that. I was able to extend the lead very well, but in the end he stagnated. If you have the right technique, the course is less difficult if you take the right tracks. That worked out well. I like to do a course like this. The Koppenbergcross was the low point of the first part of the season for me. After Zonhoven, I am rectifying it again today. I now stand first or second in every ranking, so it is not all that bad. I went through the pits on the last round and asked for the tires to be a bit harder, so that I could sprint for seconds at the end. This race belongs to the classics, even though it may not be so old. This race appeals to the imagination. that’s why I like to add it to my palmarès.”
3rd, Mathieu van der Poel (Corendon-Circus): “I wasn’t good enough. I always go for the win, but you can’t win them all. Toon Aerts was very strong today. He always shows very well on this kind of courses. Normally I have to compete with him in good times, but after a training camp it’s always a matter of waiting. It wasn’t that bad either, I have come back worse from a camp, but sometimes better. If you start the difficult parts with less concentration, you will make more mistakes. I knew very quickly that I would not close the gap anymore. I knew it had to stop at one point. It was a very long run of wins. I don’t know if a new run will ever be that long. The training camp was very hard, so maybe it will be for next week.”
DVV Trofee Ronde-Kluisbergen – Hotondcross Result:
1. Toon Aerts (Bel) Telenet Baloise Lions in 55:54
2. Eli Iserbyt (Bel) Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal at 1:30
3. Mathieu Van Der Poel (Ned) Corendon-Circus at 2:14
4. Michael Vanthourenhout (Bel) Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal at 2:18
5. Tim Merlier (Bel) Creafin-Fristads at 2:28
6. Lars Van Der Haar (Ned) Telenet Baloise Lions at 2:32
7. Marcel Meisen (Ger) Corendon-Circus at 3:06
8. Corne Van Kessel (Ned) Telenet Baloise Lions at 3:16
9. Thijs Aerts (Bel) Telenet Baloise Lions at 4:14
10. Jim Aernouts (Bel) Telenet Baloise Lions at 4:38.
Mitchelton-Scott Gets a WorldTour License
The riders of Mitchelton-Scott will be relieved as the UCI has announced in a press release that the men’s and women’s teams have received a WorldTour license for the coming season.
Last Tuesday, the international cycling union published a list of teams that are assured of a place in the WorldTour in the coming three seasons. Of the nineteen formations that had submitted an application, eighteen teams were sure of a license. However, the UCI still had to make a judgment about the fate of Mitchelton-Scott.
However, the Australian team did not worry about the future. It turned out that some of the required papers were not submitted on time, which meant that the international cycling union needed more time to approve the complete files. It now appears that the documentation supplied indeed meets all the criteria.
Peter Sagan to Start 2020 in Omloop Het Nieuwsblad
Peter Sagan has promised his participation in the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, reported the newspaper, Het Nieuwsblad, for which the race is named. The last time that the leader of BORA-hansgrohe started in the opening classic was in 2017, when Sagan was second behind Greg Van Avermaet.
The last two years, Sagan chose to start his season in the Tour Down Under. Partly due to a subsequent training camp, it was decided to skip the Flemish opening weekend in the busy spring period. In 2019, he also combined the Australian WorldTour race with the Vuelta a San Juan.
Next year the triple world champion will skip the Tour Down Under. Sagan will ride the Vuelta a San Juan in Argentina at the end of January, but that is no obstacle to race in the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad on the 29th of February. For the Slovak, it will be his fourth participation in “the Omloop”. In 2010 he was 66th and in 2016 and 2017 he finished second. It is not known whether Sagan will start Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne, the race he won in 2017.
Alejandro Valverde: “Don’t know if I will finish the Tour”
Alejandro Valverde will be at the start of the Tour de France again next year, but his main goal is a few weeks later at the Tokyo Olympics. “It’s a treacherous combination, but it’s the right decision. I just don’t know if I will finish the Tour,” Valverde told El Periódico del Mediterráneo.
The Movistar leader is not the only rider who chooses the Tour-Olympic Games combination. Michael Woods also opts for the French Tour in the run-up to the Olympic road race. “I am convinced that the Olympic champion will ride the Tour,” said the Canadian. But not everyone agrees with Woods: Vincenzo Nibali, for example, prefers the Giro d’Italia.
The 39-year-old Valverde opts for the Tour de France, but the question is whether the Spaniard will also make it to Paris. “It is a difficult decision, since there is little time (six days) between the two races. Moreover, there is a time difference of nine hours. I will probably give up early in the Tour, but I will only make a decision during the race,” said Valverde.
Valverde participated in the Olympic Games in Athens, Beijing, London and Rio de Janeiro, but he never managed to win an Olympic medal. The experienced rider will get one more chance at a medal next summer. “A gold medal would really be the icing on the cake. My goal is also to become an Olympic champion, it only provides extra motivation.”
Valverde will focus on the Olympic Games in 2020, but he traditionally starts his season on Mallorca with some Spanish one-day races. The world champion of Innsbruck then participates in the Tours of Valencia and Murcia, then the Ruta del Sol or the UAE Tour, the Tour of Catalonia and the Ardennes classics. Valverde is also considering racing in the Route d’Occitanie.
Alejandro Valverde’s 2020 Program:
Challenge Mallorca
Volta a Valencian
Vuelta a Murcia
Ruta del Sol or UAE Tour
Volta a Catalunya
Amstel Gold Race
Fléche Wallonne
Liège-Bastogne-Liège
Tour de France
Olympic Games
Vuelta a España
World Championships.
The 2018 world champ looks at 2020:
Tadej Pogacar is Thinking of the Giro d’Italia
According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, Tadej Pogačar will make his debut in the Giro d’Italia in 2020. The Italian sports newspaper writes that the Slovenian prodigy will probably focus on the first Grand Tour of the season.
A month ago, Mauro Gianetti team manager of UAE Team Emirates, announced that no decision had yet been made between the Giro, Tour de France and Vuelta a España. “We haven’t decided anything about next season, but he certainly likes the Tour’s route and we might see him at the start of the Vuelta a España.”
But now the 21-year-old Pogačar seems to opt for the Giro d’Italia. Should the Slovenian climber indeed start in the Italian tour, he will possibly have to compete against two-time winner Vincenzo Nibali, Romain Bardet, Jakob Fuglsang and Wilco Kelderman. Pogačar and UAE Team Emirates will soon make a decision at their Spanish training camp. Young Pogačar made a big impression this year by winning the Volta ao Algarve, the Tour of California and three stages in the Vuelta a España. He also finished third in the Spanish Grand Tour, behind final winner and fellow countryman Primož Roglič and the then World champion Alejandro Valverde.
Rik Verbrugghe: “Greg Van Avermaet is certainly sure of Tokyo”
The Belgian national team coach Rik Verbrugghe has the difficult task of putting together a definitive selection for the Olympic road race from Tokyo. The former rider can only select five riders for the Games, but has a choice of several candidates. “Greg Van Avermaet is normally there,” he said to Het Nieuwsblad.
Verbrugghe may only select five riders for the Olympic road race, but two places have already been taken in advance. These are the riders who will also take on the individual time trial: Remco Evenepoel and an as yet unknown rider. With Wout van Aert, Victor Campenaerts, Thomas De Gendt and Laurens De Plus there are several candidates for the second place.
This means that Verbrugghe can only select three other riders for the road race. “But Van Avermaet is normally there. There is never absolute certainty, but he proved in Rio that he can perform on a tough course. In addition, the road race is held just six days after the end of the Tour. Greg is a rider who always comes out of the Tour in super form.”
“He was second in the Clásica San Sebastián this year, less than one week after the Tour. That is a form meter after all,” said Verbrugghe, who in that case still has two places left. This gives the selector a luxury problem, since riders like Tijs Benoot, Dylan Teuns, Tim Wellens and Ben Hermans also want to go to the Games.
“I am not surprised by the interest. Every ambitious athlete wants to go to the Games once. I saw this coming.” Verbrugghe will consult with all candidates in the coming period. “I’m in Spain next week, since quite a few teams are doing training camps there. In January I will visit Lotto Soudal in Mallorca again. And at least I have contact with the other riders by telephone.” Interested riders have until the Giro d’Italia to ride into the spotlight. “A final decision will be taken after the Giro. That will be around June 1.”
Olympic champion – Greg Van Avermaet:
Jumbo-Visma To Miss Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne
Jumbo-Visma will not ride Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne next year, the race organisers announced during the course presentation. The Dutch formation is the only team from the WorldTour that will not appear at the start of the spring classic on March the 1st.
In 2018 Dylan Groenewegen won in Kuurne for LottoNL-Jumbo. Last season, the sprinter was also the fastest of the peloton, but three riders had already crossed the line ahead of the peloton. Bob Jungels won solo, ahead of Owain Doull and Niki Terpstra.
As a WorldTour team, Jumbo-Visma must appear on 29th February, at the start of Omloop Het Nieuwsblad. Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne is part of the new ProSeries category.
“Apparently the competition does not fit in the Jumbo-Visma program. We will see if the team will come after all,” according to the organisation. In addition to the eighteen WorldTour teams, the organisation has already given ‘wildcards’ to Total Direct Energie, Circus-Wanty Gobert and Sport Vlaanderen-Baloise. Four other invitations will be announced later.
Mollema, Pedersen and Porte to Ride the Tour
Trek-Segafredo has presented the main goals of their team leaders for 2020. Bauke Mollema already revealed that he and Richie Porte are going for the GC in the Tour de France. World champion Mads Pedersen will also be present in France, but not Vincenzo Nibali.
In 2020, Nibali will focus on the Giro d’Italia and the Vuelta a España. In the Spanish Grand Tour he will be joined by Lombardy winner Mollema. The Italian and the Dutchman will also start their season together in the Volta ao Algarve (19-23 February).
The Danish world champion Mads Pedersen, 2020 will start in January as he will show his rainbow jersey in the Tour Down Under, where Richie Porte will also be at the start. The Australian has also made a main goal of Paris-Nice later in the season.
Main goals for the Trek-Segafredo 2020 leaders:
Bauke Mollema: Volta ao Algarve, Ardennes classics, Tour de France, Vuelta a España
Vincenzo Nibali: Volta ao Algarve, Tirreno-Adriatico, Milan-Sanremo, Liège-Bastogne-Liège, Giro d’Italia, Vuelta a España
Mads Pedersen: Tour Down Under, Cobbled classics, Tour de France
Richie Porte: Tour Down Under, Paris-Nice, Tour de France
Mollema on the attack in Lombardia:
Bouhanni Wanted to Take Boom to Arkéa-Samsic
Nacer Bouhanni fought for Lars Boom to join him in Arkéa-Samsic. According to the 33-year-old Boom after he announced that he would stop as a road cyclist. However, the transfer was thwarted by the French team.
Boom’s management approached several professional teams, but only Arkéa-Samsic seemed to be getting serious. “That ended in nothing, because the manager of the team didn’t see anything in me. Then hey,” Boom told De Telegraaf. He refers to team boss Emmanuel Hubert who did not follow the advice of Bouhanni, the new sprinter for the ProContinental team.
Lars Boom announced that he will end his career as a road cyclist after this season, the ending of his Roompot-Charles team played a big part. “By stopping my current team, there was an opportunity to shift my focus to a passion that I have cherished for some time. Those are gravel and beach races, as well as MTB marathons.”
Lars Boom on the Roubaix road during the Tour’14:
John Lelangue Talks Lotto Soudal
Lotto Soudal has a lot of personnel changes for the coming season: The team says goodbye to more than ten staff members, others take on a different role in the team. “I want the best people in the right place,” says team manager John Lelangue.
Lotto Soudal is saying goodbye to more than ten employees this winter, some were sacked and some decided to stop. Earlier it was announced that Marc Sergeant and Herman Frison will play a lesser role and DS Bart Leysen will leave for Corendon-Circus. “I didn’t do a big cleanup, as some would like to believe,” responded team manager John Lelangue in an interview in Het Laatste Nieuws. Last year, the formation found the successor for general manager Paul De Geyter in Lelangue.
“I also read that I only work with people I have known for years,” he continued. “This is not about personal preferences. I had never worked with anyone before joining the team a year ago. No mechanic, no masseur, no bus driver, no sports director. I want the best people in the right place.”
For him it is not the interests of individuals that count, but the interests of the team. “We are heading with a vision and everyone must work together to support it. Being subjective or having team spirit is subjective. We must be ambitious, though. We are not going to win the Tour or the Vuelta. But at the end of every race we must have achieved a good result or played a role in the final. I don’t want an early escape to get on TV.”
Last season, Lelangue saw his team race to 23 wins. There were six stage wins in the Grand Tours: Caleb Ewan won five times in the Giro d’Italia and the Tour de France and Thomas De Gendt also took his stage win in France. In the fall, Ewan again achieved success in the Brussels Cycling Classic, while Jelle Wallays picked up the win in Paris-Tours. For the coming year, the team attracted Philippe Gilbert and John Degenkolb, among others.
Lelangue already spoke with Degenkolb (Trek-Segafredo) in May. “We had a gentlemen’s agreement in June. He can mean something in the classics, he can function in the sprint train and he can run a sprint if he needs to. I was already talking to Philippe Gilbert in June. When I learned that he was free, and that there was a possibility that he would leave Deceuninck – Quick-Step, I pushed on.”
On the other hand there is the farewell of Tiesj Benoot and Victor Campenaerts, while Ilan Van Wilder opted for Team Sunweb. “Victor was on my priority list. I have made three contract proposals. He said no twice and the third time, shortly before the Belgian Championship, he asked if he could stay under the conditions of my first proposal. I said it was too late. Unfortunately. I couldn’t wait for the decision of one rider to make my team.”
According to Lelangue, Benoot was allowed to stay. “But maybe it’s better for him to leave. That does not mean that he will not return later. The door remains open.” The Belgian is disappointed with Van Wilder’s departure. “I presented our plans that we had with him in 2020 and 2021. He was allowed to take it easy. Forty races per year, no more. Financially I was willing to give what he asked.”
Top man at Lotto Soudal – John Lelangue:
Deceuninck – Quick-Step team up with Napoleon Sports and Casino
From 2020, Napoleon Sports and Casino will be a partner of the Deceuninck – Quick-Step cycling team.
The logo of Belgium’s No. 1 company in casino games and sports betting will appear on the jersey of Deceuninck – Quick-Step. “The Wolfpack” got 68 wins in 2019 and finished top of the team rankings of the UCI World Tour for the second consecutive year.
Napoleon Sports and Casino is the leading Belgian online betting platform, operating from Erembodegem (Aalst). It is fully licensed through the Belgian Commission and provides customers a safe environment to play.
“We are delighted with this partnership. It was written in the stars that we, both being ambitious Belgian organisations, would join forces”, Deceuninck – Quick-Step CEO Patrick Lefevere said.
“We share an indescribable big passion for sports. We both aim for results, without losing track of the thrill factor in everything we do to entertain people. Just like the Wolfpack, our customers enjoy the thrill and the feeling of winning”, Napoleon Sports and Casino CEO online Francesco Postiglione reacted.
“We welcome Napoleon Sports and Casino to our family and are grateful for their support”, Patrick Lefevere said. “Their support will strengthen our position and help us develop our team even further.”
Napoleon Sports and Casino is already active as a sponsor in Belgian football, supporting Cercle Brugge and KAA Gent. It also has a long-lasting partnership with Tom Boonen, the former cycling champion who excels in racing now.
“Those partnerships prove that sports is our passion. And for our Belgian audience, crazy about cycling, sponsoring the Deceuninck – Quick-Step team is a great next step for us. It shows our commitment to Belgian sports”, said Francesco Postiglione.
“As an official sponsor of a World Tour-team, all cycling odds will be removed from our platform from 1/1/2020. This is in accordance with the UCI regulations. We do everything we can to provide the fans of casino games and sports betting a safe environment to play, with respect for the integrity of sport.”
No more cycling odds on Napoleon-platform:
Tirreno-Adriatico 2020: Mountain Stage, but No Team Time Trial
Tirreno-Adriatico has included a mountain stage in the 2020 route. The Italian spring stage race goes to Sassotetto on the fourth stage. Last year the race didn’t include the mountains, making it primarily a race for the ‘Classic’ riders. The team time trial has been canceled for 2020.
The opening stage in recent years has been a team time trial with the start and finish in Lido di Camaiore. That city is still the host of the first stage next year, but it will be a normal stage of 134 kilometres, made for the sprinters. The second stage to Follinica is also for the fast finishers. The third and longest stage to Sacrofano has many climbs, but the decision will probably be made in the final kilometre as the finalé climbs at 6 and 7%.
The Queen Stage is on the fourth day. The 204 kilometre stage has six climbs, four categorised, with a tough final climb to Sassotetto. The average ramp is between 6 and 7%, but also has peaks above 10% at an altitude of 1,362 metres. In 2018, Mikel Landa won the previous mountain stage to Sassotetto. In 2009 the victory went to Egoi Martinez.
The 5th stage of the 2020 Tirreno-Adriatico has many short, steep climbs in the 181 kilometres. At the finish the peloton has three local laps of 25 kilometres around Loreto. In addition to the climb to Loreto (10%), the riders also climb to Recanati three times. Stage 6 before the final time trial is a sprint stage to Senigallia. San Benedetto del Tronto will host the traditional individual time.
Tirreno-Adriatico 2020 Route:
March 11, stage 1: Lido di Camaiore – Lido di Camaiore (134 km)
March 12, stage 2: Camaiore – Follinica (198 km)
March 13, stage 3: Follonica – Sacrofano (233 km)
March 14, stage 4: Terni – Sassotetto (204 km)
March 15, stage 5: Pieve Torina – Loreto (181 km)
March 16, stage 6: Castelfidardo – Senigallia (178 km)
March 17, stage 7: San Benedetto del Tronto – San Benedetto del Tronto (10.1 km, ITT)
E3 BinckBank Classic New Route
The E3 BinckBank Classic has revealed a new course for 2020 via YouTube. The initial phase of the WorldTour race has been slightly changed with the addition of the Kanarieberg. The start is in Harelbeke, after which the route goes via Waregem and Oudenaarde to the Katteberg, the first climb of the day. The riders will race via Zottegem and Geraardsbergen to La Houppe and the Kanarieberg (1050 metres at 7.7%), the only newcomer. After Ronse follows a whole series of climbs, where the Karnemelkbeekstraat has been renamed the E3 Col. The finish is also in Harelbeke. The E3 BinckBank Classic will be held on Friday, March 27, 2020.
Last year Zdeněk Štybar won the E3 BinckBank Classic for the first time. In Harelbeke the Czech was the fastest in a sprint from five. Wout van Aert finished in second place, Greg Van Avermaet was third.
E3 BinckBank Classic Climbs 2020
1. Katteberg
2. La Houppe
3. Kanarieberg
4. Hogerlucht
5. Knokteberg
6. Hotondberg
7. Kortekeer
8. Taaienberg
9. Berg ten Stene
10. Boigneberg
11. Stationsberg
12. Kapelberg
13. Paterberg
14. Oude Kwaremont
15. Karnemelkbeekstraat
16. Tiegemberg.
2020 AIRace at work, June 14th-18th the official dates
With six months to the start, the Adriatica Ionica Race aims for a spectacular third edition on the National Championships’ eve. “It will be a race like no other” the OC President Moreno Argentin says.
The third edition of the Adriatica Ionica Race will be held from 14th to the 18th of June 2020. Following the acclaim received by fans and media after the first two editions, the stage race shaped by former World Champion Moreno Argentin will again take place in five competition days. From the Adriatic Sea to the Dolomites of Veneto, from the gravel roads to the côtes of the Collio area, the race will revive the same technical format as this year.
Connections between peoples and territories, tourism promotion and historical heritage will once again be the mantra of the event. After all, the AIRace ambitious project aims to unite the territories of the Serenissima, the historical Republic of Venice, enhancing the cross-border collaboration of the Adriatic Ionian Euro-region.
“We strive for distinguishing ourselves as a race different from any other more and more. We are now back to the month of June, ahead of the Tour de France, although the UCI calendar is always complicated, we’ll be competing with several other events,” the OC President Moreno Argentin explained.
The Adriatica Ionica Race 2020 will be held during a big week also in Italy as the Italian TT National Championships is scheduled the day after the AIRace conclusion (June 19th), followed by the road race on June 21st.
Many young talents arose in the first two editions of Adriatica Ionica Race:from the Colombian Ivan Ramiro Sosa to the Ukrainian Mark Padun, 2018 and 2019 edition’s winners respectively, to the other Colombian Alvaro Hodeg and the Belgian “golden boy” Remco Evenepoel. “Giving so many young champions the opportunity to reach the limelight is another of our goals: we hope that even in 2020 some rising star will unfold on our roads,” Argentin confirmed.
Remco Evenepoel celebrating on Cormons’ finish line at 2019 Adriatica Ionica Race:
ŠKODA to Power the 2020 Women’s Tour and Tour of Britain
ŚKODA has today announced an extension to its partnership with the Women’s Tour and Tour of Britain races through 2020 as part of its continued push for gender equality in cycling.
As the Official Car Partner, as well as the Queen and King of the Mountains jersey sponsor, of Britain’s leading professional cycling races, ŠKODA will play a key role in delivering the world’s most watched standalone women’s cycle race*.
ŠKODA’s partnership with SweetSpot, the organisers of both the Women’s Tour and Tour of Britain, dates back to 2011. More recently, the iconic and innovative car manufacturer launched its #ThisIsOurTime campaign to champion the achievements and ambitions of women in cycling.
Lisa Kirkbright from ŠKODA UK commented: “We are delighted to continue our sponsorship of these high-profile British cycling events. During the 2020 cycling season we will carry on our commitment to champion gender equality in the sport through the sponsorship of the Women’s Tour and the continuation of the #ThisIsOurTime campaign.”
Hugh Roberts, MD of SweetSpot Group, added: “As our longest-running jersey partner, we look forward to celebrating the 10th year of ŠKODA’s involvement with Britain’s leading cycle races in 2020. Given ŠKODA’s leading role in the sport, in particular the #ThisIsOurTime campaign, it is fitting that they want to continue their association with the Women’s Tour. Following last month’s announcement detailing our 10-year partnership extension with British Cycling, this is the latest piece of excellent news showing the confidence in SweetSpot’s world-leading events by a global brand.”
Kasia Niewiadoma
The 2019 Women’s Tour Queen of the Mountains title was won by Polish rider Kasia Niewiadoma (Canyon//SRAM Racing). Home rider Jacob Scott (SwiftCarbon Pro Cycling) triumphed in the competition at September’s Tour of Britain.
Earlier this month race organisers announced that they are looking for a new title partner for the Women’s Tour and Tour of Britain in 2020 onwards following the conclusion of the three-year partnership with OVO Energy.
OVO Tour of Britain lead car:
King of Willunga and Reigning UCI World Champion Both Confirmed to ride the 2020 Santos Tour Down Under
Trek-Segafredo have confirmed that Richie Porte and Mads Pedersen will line up for the USA-registered team at the 2020 Santos Tour Down Under, starting their UCI WorldTour season at Australia’s Greatest Cycling Race.
Mike Turtur, Race Director, Santos Tour Down Under said that it is pleasing to have Richie Porte, a stalwart of the race, confirmed to ride again next year. “We are so happy with the news that Australian Richie Porte, King of Willunga Hill for the last six years straight, is returning to the event in 2020. Richie is a great guy with a competitive history at the Santos Tour Down Under and we expect him to put out impressive performances again next year,” he said.
In a huge coup for the event, reigning World Road Champion, Mads Pedersen, will also be lining up for Trek-Segafredo at the Santos Tour Down Under in 2020. “What an honour it is for us to host the current World Champion and have the rainbow jersey riding in South Australia. Mads is a world-class rider and we can’t wait to see what he will do in the opening WorldTour event next year,” said Turtur.
Richie Porte on the attack on Willunga in 2018:
Back-to-Back and Defending Champion Impey Returns to the 2020 Santos Tour Down Under
Mitchelton-SCOTT will again contest the 2020 Santos Tour Down Under with South African Daryl Impey in the lead, aiming for his third-straight general classification victory at the event.
The team has today confirmed that Impey will line up for the Australian team in January, commencing with the Schwalbe Classic, a prelude to the men’s race on Sunday 19 January 2020.
Mike Turtur, Race Director, Santos Tour Down Under said it is exciting for the race to have Daryl defending his back-to-back titles, offering motivation for the peloton to break his history-making run. “After winning the GC title in 2018 and 2019, Daryl will be sure to have a huge target on his back. The 2020 Santos Tour Down Under will no doubt be a big challenge for him aiming for three in a row, but Daryl was the first rider in event history to win the race two years running and I am sure he’ll be up for the fight,” said Turtur.
Daryl Impey said he believes that defending a title is hard, but it will all come down to who has the best legs in January. “I think my chances are as good as all the other favourites and it’s about making certain stages count to put myself in a position to win it. All I can do is work as hard, if not harder, than previous years…earlier this year I went in giving my best and the same will happen next year too,” he said. Mitchelton-SCOTT will confirm their full line-up closer to the event.
Teams and Riders Confirmed So Far:
UniSA-Australia (men’s) have confirmed their full line up.
UniSA-Australia (women’s) have confirmed their full line up.
Trek-Segafredo (men’s) have confirmed Richie Porte and Mads Pedersen.
Daryl Impey leading the TDU’18:
Astana Pro Team Presents its Roster for the 2020 Season
On Saturday, 14th December, the official team presentation of the UCI WorldTour Astana Pro Team was held in Calpe, Spain. Surrounded by the team’s sponsors and international media 27 of the 28 riders from the new roster were presented as Artyom Zakharov these days is taking part in the UCI Track World Cup in Brisbane, Australia.
Alexander Aranburu (ESP), Zhandos Bizhigitov (KAZ), Manuele Boaro (ITA), Hernando Bohorquez (COL), Rodrigo Contreras (COL), Laurens De Vreese (BEL), Fabio Felline (ITA), Daniil Fominykh (KAZ), Omar Fraile (ESP), Jakob Fuglsang (DEN), Yevgeniy Gidich (KAZ), Jonas Gregaard Wilsly (DEN), Dmitriy Gruzdev (KAZ), Hugo Houle (CAN), Ion Izagirre (ESP), Gorka Izagirre (ESP), Miguel Angel Lopez (COL), Alexey Lutsenko (KAZ), Davide Martinelli (ITA), Merhawi Kudus (ERI), Yuriy Natarov (KAZ), Vadim Pronskiy (KAZ), Oscar Rodriguez (ESP), Luis Leon Sanchez (ESP), Nikita Stalnov (KAZ), Harold Tejada (COL), Aleksandr Vlasov (RUS) and Artyom Zakharov (KAZ) will represent the Kazakh team throughout the 2020 cycling season.
“Today we are starting our 15th season. A long way has been done so far and we have achieved many big goals. But I am sure, that many great and amazing things are still lying further ahead. We are starting the new season completely ready and high motivated for something more. I would like to congratulate all Astana Pro Team on a very beautiful and successful season we had in 2019 and I’d like to wish the guys to reach even bigger successes in the upcoming year. I thank all our sponsors for staying next to us in the new season and for supporting our ambitious sports project,” said Alexandr Vinokurov, General Manager of Astana Pro Team.
After the audience had seen the highlights from the last 14 years of the team, Alexandr Vinokurov was proud to announce the resigning of longtime partner Premier Tech for another three years. With more visibility, Premier Tech will be seen on the newly designed jersey by Giordana next to the main team sponsor Samruk-Kazyna.
Another special feature of the jersey will be found on the back. 2020 will be the team’s 15th season in the highest level of pro cycling. Therefore, the designer honoured the biggest wins in the team’s history, the Olympics, Giro d’Italia, Tour de France and Vuelta a España on the backside of the jersey.
The new bike, the Wilier 0 SLR, the first ultra-lightweight racing bike with disc brakes and fully integrated cables in the colours of the Kazakh team was presented in a spectacular way to the guests at the presentation.
To celebrate and round off a successful evening, sponsor Vini Fantini produced a special bottle of wine to celebrate the upcoming 15th season of Astana Pro Team.
During the Media Day just after the official part of the team’s presentation, the Astana leaders shared their main goals in the 2020 season. Jakob Fuglsang will take the leading role in the team at the Giro d’Italia, while Miguel Angel Lopez is going to debut at the Tour de France. The national champion of Kazakhstan Alexey Lutsenko will aim the Tour de Flanders and the Ardennes classics before joining Miguel Angel Lopez at the Tour de France. Next to that, Lutsenko will participate in the Olympic Games.
“I am really happy to say that I am going to take part in the next Tour de France. It will be my debut in this amazing race, and I am excited to lead the team in France. It will be a big challenge for me, but I will do my best to come there in top form and to perform as well as possible. Also, I am sure, I will have a strong and motivated team next to me. Of course, there is still a long way until the start of the Tour, and I will have other big goals before it. I am really motivated to start this season in a good way and to get some nice results before the Tour de France,” said Miguel Angel Lopez.
“This year I am planning to do the Giro d’Italia and it will be a great moment for me to come back to the Italian Grand tour again. This is one of the most beautiful races in the calendar and I have some great memories back in 2016 when we won it together with the team. Actually, it is going to be my first time as the team’s leader in this race and it is a big honour and at the same time a big challenge for me. Also, after the Giro I plan to help Miguel Angel Lopez at the Tour de France before another big goal of 2020 – the Olympic Games in Tokyo,” said Jakob Fuglsang.
“This season I would like to do the Ardennes classics because these races suit me really well, but just before it, I am planning to ride the Tour of Flanders as I love this race so much. At the Tour de France, I am going to help Miguel Angel Lopez, but also, I will be aiming to try to win a stage. And, of course, my main goal of the season – the Olympic Games in Tokyo. I want to be there in top shape to try to give my all for a good result,” said Alexey Lutsenko.
Astana 2020:
Official presentation of the AG2R LA MONDIALE professional cycling team 2020
Officially presented today in Paris, the AG2R LA MONDIALE cycling team looks back on its rider recruitments, the teams results from the 2019 season, their partnerships, and the goals for the coming 2020 season.
Recruited riders
The AG2R LA MONDIALE team has been reinforced with the arrival of four riders with different profiles that range between wide experience and youthful investments in the future. These recruits, in the wake of a successful 2019 season, should make it possible to take new aim at the spring classics with the hope of winning one of the Monuments of cycling, before turning the attention to success at the stage races.
Having won two races on French soil in 2019, and possessing a nice turn of speed and undeniable punch, the Italian Andrea Vendrame enters the UCI WorldTour with the intention to shine. He will be an important asset for one day racing as well as at stage races. A professional since 2017, Lawrence Naesen joins his brother Oliver on the team. He too dreams of the cobbled classics and will reinforce the group for the Flandrian classics. Twenty-five-year-old talent Harry Tanfield will bring his expertise in time trials and will also complete the squad for the Flandrian classics. Having taken 4th at the Tour de l’Avenir, Clément Champoussin will join the professional team on April 1, 2020. The climbing abilities of the young rider from Chambéry Cyclisme Formation will be an undeniable asset during the most difficult events.
The AG2R LA MONDIALE team has 11 riders from Chambéry Cyclisme Formation, which comprises more than 1/3 of the squad (38%).
The 2019 season:
Punctuated by an aggressive temperament throughout the year as well as two podiums at the UCI WorldTour Classics, the 2019 season was highlighted with 14 victories, including:
• A stage victory at the Giro d’Italia for Nans Peters.
• The King of the Mountains jerseys at the Tour de France and Vuelta a España for Romain Bardet and Geoffrey Bouchard, respectively.
• Five victories for Benoît Cosnefroy including the overall classification of the Tour du Limousin
Team spirit and combativeness were the guiding principles of the 2019 season.
Vincent Lavenu, General Manager: “The 2019 season has allowed Oliver Naesen to get even closer to the best classics racers. He showed exemplary consistency and mental strength. He is capable of taking a very big victory, and we will support him in order to achieve this common goal. The 2019 season also saw the emergence of alumni of the Chambéry Cyclisme Formation with Benoît Cosnefroy and his five victories, as well as Nans Peters who put on a display of a great athletic performance on the roads of the Giro d’Italia to win his first professional victory. And Geoffrey Bouchard, in his first year as a professional, was the revelation at the Vuelta a España finishing with the King of the Mountains jersey. He is in fact the first rider from our team to have stood on the final podium at the finish of the Vuelta.
Of course, I am also thinking of the courage and self-sacrifice shown by Romain Bardet, the King of the Mountains at the Tour de France. This jersey crowns our consistency at the Grande Boucle, but it especially illustrates Romain’s strength of character. It’s a strength that enabled him to get up when others would have given up, and which, I am sure, will guarantee him great success ahead. I note finally, the tremendous solidarity of the entire team throughout the season, which make these individual performances collective victories.While we are entering the 29th season of our history, there are still many beautiful pages to write. The new recruits for the 2020 season will allow us to work in continuity with a harmonious and hard-working group.
This continued progress through the seasons is only possible with the faithful and fraternal support of a partner like AG2R LA MONDIALE, which will be our sponsor for the 24th season. We work together daily with the common belief that the greatest success are at hand. Over the years, we have built a mature, strong, and united group. We are ready to take up new challenges at the classics, but also at the Grand Tours with our leaders, Romain Bardet who will race the Giro d’Italia for the first time, and Pierre Latour who will be our leader at the Tour de France. The AG2R LA MONDIALE team has all the resources to take control of tomorrow!”
André Renaudin, AG2R LA MONDIALE, Managing Director: “As the seasons go by, I can’t help but be bewitched by Vincent Lavenu and his team’s combativity and desire to permanently better themselves. They show great traits of solidarity and faultless tenacity to put together some great performances, whatever difficulties they may face. For all the employees and directors of the Group, they represent an embodiment of the values which drive us and which we hold so dear.”
José Messer, AG2R LA MONDIALE, Director of Sponsoring: “After a 2019 season that once again buzzed with emotion, we can’t wait for the beginning of the 2020 season so as to accompany and support our riders during the upcoming pro cycle races. I wish them all the best, hoping that they will bring our colours further victories!”
Partners for the coming season
The team benefits from long-term support, and more specifically the partnership with AG2R LA MONDIALE, which was initiated 23 years ago. Riders will wear EKOÏ helmets for the 9th year, and Bollé sunglasses for the 6th season in a row. The collaboration with the Mavic brand of wheels will be in its 4th year, while the partnership with Rosti for the cycling clothing, in place since the 2018 season, has been extended until 2021. Levi’s equips the coaching staff and riders with daily casual clothing for the for the 3rd year.
The AG2R LA MONDIALE team begins its second season collaborating with the brand Eddy Merckx Bikes.
The 2020 season in preview:
2 years of partnership with Eddy Merckx Bikes.
3 years of partnership with Levi’s for everyday clothes.
8 nations represented in the team with France, Belgium, Italy, Luxembourg, Switzerland, United States, Finland, and for the first time Great Britain.
9 Grand Tour stage winners with Romain Bardet, Tony Gallopin, Alexandre Geniez, Mathias Frank, Alexis Vuillermoz, Pierre Latour, Silvan Dillier, Alexis Gougeard, and Nans Peters.
14 year age difference between Clément Champoussin and Stijn Vandenbergh, 22 and 36 in 2020.
23 years of partnership with AG2R LA MONDIALE.
29th season for the team, created in 1992.
28.51 years: the average age in the team.
38% of the team, 11 riders, from Chambéry Cyclisme Formation: Romain Bardet, François Bidard, Clément Chevrier, Benoît Cosnefroy, Clément Champoussin, Silvan Dillier, Axel Domont, Ben Gastauer, Pierre Latour, Nans Peters, and Aurélien Paret-Painter.
87 days of racing for Tony Gallopin in 2019.
478 victories since the creation of the team in 1992.
2020 Team (29 Riders):
Romain BARDET (FRA) – François BIDARD (FRA) – Geoffrey BOUCHARD (FRA) – Clément CHAMPOUSSIN (FRA) beginning 1 April 2020 – Mikaël CHÉREL (FRA) – Clément CHEVRIER (FRA) – Benoît COSNEFROY (FRA) – Silvan DILLIER (SUI) – Axel DOMONT (FRA) – Julien DUVAL (FRA) – Mathias FRANK (SUI) – Tony GALLOPIN (FRA) – Ben GASTAUER (LUX) – Alexandre GENIEZ (FRA) – Dorian GODON (FRA) – Alexis GOUGEARD (FRA) – Jaakko HÄNNINEN (FIN) – Quentin JAUREGUI (FRA) – Pierre LATOUR (FRA) – Lawrence NAESEN (BEL) – Oliver NAESEN (BEL) – Aurélien PARET-PEINTRE (FRA) – Nans PETERS (FRA) – Harry TANFIELD (GB) – Stijn VANDENBERGH (BEL) – Andrea VENDRAME (ITA) – Clément VENTURINI (FRA) – Alexis VUILLERMOZ (FRA) – Lawrence WARBASSE (USA).
Albert Torres and Sebastián Mora Join Movistar Team
Duo of track specialists to don the Telefónica-backed squad’s jersey for 2020, on their way to the Olympic dream in Tokyo, where they will be a big medal hope for Spain.
The Movistar Team confirmed on Thursday the addition of two world-class track specialists to its men’s roster for 2020. Albert Torres (Ciudadela de Menorca, ESP; 1990) and Sebastián Mora (Villarreal, ESP; 1988) will wear the Telefónica-backed squad’s jersey on the road, combining their calendar with track appearances as they both aim for medals in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics this summer.
The announcement was made at a special presentation in Madrid’s headquarters of the Spanish Sports Council (CSD), an event attended by the President of the biggest sports authority in the country, María José Rienda; the President of the Royal Spanish Cycling Federation, José Luis López Cerrón; Rafael Fernández de Alarcón, Telefónica’s Director of Brand, Partnerships and Media; and the General Manager of the Telefónica-backed squad, Eusebio Unzué, alongside the two signings.
Both riders have enjoyed a long career on the track and the road. Mora, joining the WorldTour from Caja Rural-Seguros RGA, has no less than five gold medals in World and European Championships to his name. He put on the rainbow bands in 2016 (London), winning the Scratch race, and has four European titles, two at that same event – Grenchen (SUI), in 2015, and Apeldoorn (NED), last October – and another two at the Madison (2015 + 2016), alongside his future team-mate with the Blues.
Torres, who became Spanish under-23 road race champion in Albacete, in 2010, has taken to the podium up to eleven times in Worlds and European Champs, including five medals: those with Mora in the Madison; two European jerseys in the Omnium – Saint-Quentin, in 2016, and Berlin, in 2017 – and a World title in en Cali (2014), alongside David Muntaner in the Madison.
Two great rouleurs – and, in Albert’s case, a very decent sprinter – Torres and Mora will bring their unquestionable talent on the road to the Movistar Team as well as fulfilling their track schedule, with Tokyo as main goal. This autumn, and other than Mora’s European title at the Scratch, they both stepped onto the podium (3rd) at the World Cup events in Minsk (BLR) and Glasgow (GBR), with Mora also reaching top-3 results at the Scratch and the Points Race.
Albert Torres and Sebastián Mora:
Florian Vermeersch and Viktor Verschaeve to Sign with Lotto Soudal
WorldTour Team Lotto Soudal has reached an agreement with two young Belgian riders, Florian Vermeersch and Viktor Verschaeve. Both U23 riders currently ride for the Lotto Soudal development team. Vermeersch will join the WorldTour team on June 1st 2020, Verschaeve will do the same on January 1st 2021. Both riders signed a contract until the end of 2022.
National U23 champion Florian Vermeersch (20) was extremely delighted with the agreement. “This is a perfect way to join the WorldTour team. I will still be able to show my champion’s jersey in the first months of the season. On the other hand, I can prepare my step to the highest level in a non-rushed way. I am convinced that this will boost my development as a rider. Now, at our training camp in Mallorca, I ride together with champions like Philippe Gilbert, Caleb Ewan, John Degenkolb and Tim Wellens. I knew those guys only from tv. Now we live together. I learn already so many things from them. I had always dreamt of becoming a pro rider. A dream has come true.”
“Florian is strong, is a big talent with a huge potential”, says General Manager John Lelangue. “2019 was just his first year as real road cyclist. Earlier he was a successful cyclocross rider (and multiple national champion). Last season we could see already the potential of some other cyclocross riders… Florian convinced us, not only with his national road title, but in many other races, including the Tour de Moselle, where he won three of the four stages and the GC. He can start with us in a slow, smooth way, most likely in the Baloise Belgium Tour. Later he can do some other small stage races. Our young talents, formed by Kurt Van de Wouwer, will get the chance to grow, without any rush.”
Viktor Verschaeve (21) is such another talent. In 2019 Verschaeve finished second in Liège-Bastogne-Liège U23 as well as top ten in Giro d’Italia and Ronde de l’Isard.
“Yes, with just 60 kg, I am more a climber, let’s say a puncher-climber”, explains Viktor Verschaeve. “No search for a team, 2020 can and will be a year without stress, but a year with a lot of ambition. In Mallorca, together with the pro riders, I am impressed already every day. Everything is here so professional. Nutrition, the bikes, specific trainings, so many details. I cannot wait to start the season.”
Florian Vermeersch and Viktor Verschaeve:
Caja Rural-Seguros RGA Possible Suspension
Caja Rural-Seguros RGA risks a suspension of 15 to 45 days due to a second positive doping test within one year. Portuguese rider, Domingos Gonçalves, has been suspended due to fluctuations in his blood passport.
The fluctuations date from the 2016-2018 period, which means that Caja Rural-Seguros RGA have to accountable, since the deviations in the biological passport of Spanish cyclist, Jaime Roson were found in January 2017, when Roson was still riding for the Spanish team.
Such deviations are also referred to as Adverse Analytical Findings. This is reported by a WADA-accredited laboratory, in which the presence of a prohibited substance, its metabolites (chemical that occurs during metabolism), markers or evidence of the use of a prohibited method is identified. Roson was suspended for four years in February.
The UCI now invokes article 7.12.1 of the doping regulations, since it concerns two doping cases within a period of twelve months. The 30-year-old Gonçalves – the twin brother of Nippo Delko Provence rider José Gonçalves – has already been suspended by the UCI. The matter is now before the disciplinary committee of the international cycling union, which will come to a final decision.
Domingos Gonçalves:
Deceuninck – Quick-Step Unveil 2020 Jersey
Remco Evenepoel modelled the kit our team will use in its 18th season.
December isn’t just the month of gifts, fairy lights and Christmas, but also the moment when our 28 riders get to discover the kit that they will sport for the next 12 months in some of the world’s biggest races. Just like the wolf changes his coat but not his character, so the “Wolfpack” have a new livery in 2020, while continuing to be driven by the same mentality which has made Deceuninck – Quick-Step the most successful team of the century, with over 700 UCI victories.
The new kit, designed and manufactured by leading sportswear brand and long-time partner Vermarc, who’s been at our side since 2003, consists of the team’s traditional blue and white colours – with the latter more prominent next season – while also incorporating the Wolfpack logo in an artistic way on the front.
One of the squad’s top performers in 2019 – winner of five races, including the European ITT Championships and Clasica San Sebastian – Remco Evenepoel is excited about the new kit: “It’s very different to what the team had in the past years, but it’s really nice. When I first saw it, I just knew it was going to be a cool kit. The white and blue combination is beautiful and I’m sure it will stand out from the peloton. The wolf on the chest is also great and the sponsors fit in perfectly. I can’t wait to wear it in my first race and I’m sure also our fans will love it. A big thanks to Vermarc and the team for creating such an amazing and elegant kit!”
As well as the regular kit – which will be available in January on our webshop – several riders will go into the new season wearing the National Champion colours: Kasper Asgreen (ITT), Sam Bennett, Ian Garrison (ITT), Fabio Jakobsen, Bob Jungels and Michael Mørkøv.
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