EUROTRASH News Round Up Monday!
The two big cyclocross champions of the weekend: One expected the other a surprise – Belgium and Holland reports and video. ‘Superman’ misses the old way of racing – Top Story. Plus more championships form France and Australia. Other cycling news: Riders for the Tour Down Under, Carapaz and Bernal for Colombia, Cavendish, Viviani and Jungles early season, Evenepoel to the Giro, Campenaerts on Riis, operation for Vos, Utah stage towns and loads of team news form NTT, Gazprom-RusVelo, EF Education First, UAE Team Emirates and Deceuninck – Quick-Step. It’s all go!
Miguel Ángel López: “I Miss Cycling of Ten Years Ago”
Astana’s Miguel Ángel López misses how cycling was ten years ago, when riders were still “listening to their feelings instead of wattages.” The Colombian climber said in an interview with Ciclored. “I don’t look at the numbers on my bike computer,” the Astana rider pointed to his style.
The López philosophy is simple. “I attack when I have my legs, with no regret later. I’d rather try something with the risk of failing, than not doing anything, and later getting disappointed due to the missed opportunity. You will not attack if you only look at your cycling computer. It is not about wattages, since you depend on the race situation.”
“Riders are now mainly focused on their SRM and Garmin, which makes it more difficult to take the initiative.” The Colombian remembers his childhood with nostalgia. “I miss cycling of ten or twelve years ago when the riders were still brave. The cycling sport then had something magical.”
Superman Lopez on the attack in the Vuelta:
Dutch National Cyclocross Championships 2020
Mathieu van der Poel is Dutch national cyclocross champion for another year. The 24-year-old World champion was once again the strongest in the title fight in Rucphen on Sunday and won the champion’s jersey for the sixth consecutive year. Lars van der Haar (Telenet Baloise Lions) and Joris Nieuwenhuis (Sunweb) took the silver and bronze medals.
Van der Poel took the initiative with a fast start. On a course with many twists and turns, initially only Lars van der Haar was able to follow the World champion’s pace. Brother David saw his chances of a medal go up in smoke due to a fall in the first lap.
Van der Poel already had a small lead on the first pass through the finish line, although Van der Haar still had him in sight. Behind him, Corné van Kessel (Tormans-Wanty Gobert) and Joris Nieuwenhuis had to chase. Gradually, Van der Poel took more distance from his chasers, allowing him to ride to a new title without much problem. Behind; Nieuwenhuis distanced himself from Van Kessel in the battle for bronze.
Van der Poel was the first to cross the finish line for his sixth title, getting a bit closer to the record of Hennie Stamsnijder, who won the Dutch cyclocross championships nine times. With six titles, Mathieu now has just as many as his father Adrie. Like the last two editions, Lars van der Haar took silver and Joris Nieuwenhuis was third, one place better than last year.
2020 Dutch champion, Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Fenix): “If nobody expects you to lose, you still have to live up to it. Then it is nice that it works. It was a little too much twisting and turning today. But there was a lot of people again, so that made it pleasant. When I had more than 30 seconds ahead, you knew that something had to go wrong to lose the title. Hopefully not. I will be racing in Zonnebeke and Hoogerheide, before the World Championships.”
2nd, Lars van der Haar (Telenet Baloise Lions): “I did have fun. In itself I am satisfied with my second place. It was the highest attainable today. After that fall I knew it would be very difficult. From then on Mathieu was no longer under pressure and you know that he will no longer make mistakes. From then on I raced for second place. It all depends on the weather conditions. If it is one big mess there, it will be a difficult day for me. If all goes well, I hope to get a top podium place or top five out of it.”
3rd, Joris Nieuwenhuis (Sunweb): “I didn’t pay much attention to Corné and rode at my own pace. In the last few weeks I have noticed that things are getting better every week. I have focused on this throughout the year. I wanted to be good this time and am happy that it finally paid off. Hopefully I can extend this to the World Champs.”
Dutch National Cyclocross Championships Result:
1. Mathieu van der Poel (Ned) Alpecin-Fenix
2. Lars van der Haar (Ned) Telenet Baloise Lions
3. Joris Nieuwenhuis (Ned) Sunweb
4. Corné van Kessel (Ned) Tormans-Wanty Gobert
5. Stan Godrie (Ned)
6. Maik van der Heijden (Ned)
7. David van der Poel (Ned) Alpecin-Fenix
8. Gosse van der Meer (Ned)
9. Kelvin Bakx (Ned)
10. Koen van Dijke (Ned)
Dutch champs finish:
Belgian National Cyclocross Championships 2020
Laurens Sweeck won the Belgian cyclocross championship in Antwerp on Sunday. The 26-year-old ran away with the title in a championship dominated by his Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal team. He attacked on the third lap and soloed to the title. Eli Iserbyt (Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal) and Toon Aerts (Telenet Baloise Lions) took silver and bronze.
From the start line, outgoing champion Toon Aerts and Tim Merlier (Creafin-Fristads) were the fast men. The two, however, failed to stay away and after regrouping, six riders managed to join. Eli Iserbyt took the initiative as Toon Aerts kept an eye on him, after which the two took a small lead. Through the finish area there was leading group of six, with three men from Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal. It wasn’t long before Wout van Aert (Jumbo-Visma) and Gianni Vermeersch (Creafin-Fristads) rejoined the leaders.
A trio consisting of Sweeck, Merlier and Vanthourenhout (Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal) then escaped. Soon Sweeck attacked on his own, after which Vanthourenhout sat up. Sweeck rode to a lead of more than 20 seconds, and after a fall by Toon Aerts behind, he managed to expand his lead.
Sweeck also crashed on a muddy section, but his lead was never threatened. Sweeck started the final lap with a big lead, and his teammates got involved in the battle for the other medals. Eli Iserbyt escaped for the silver as Michael Vanthourenhout failed to make a clean sweep finishing 7th. The bronze went to last year’s champion, Toon Aerts, just ahead of Tim Merlier. Wout van Aert won the sprint for 5th.
After two silver medals in Lille 2016 and Koksijde 2018, Sweeck was finally able to take the pro cross jersey home. With this victory, Sweeck has now won the Belgian title in every category.
2020 Belgian national champion, Laurens Sweeck (Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal): “Despite my bad start, I felt really good from the start. I did not panic and I tried to calmly start the first lap. I have raced my own course and that turned out to be the best. I was able to move up relatively easily and connect again with the front. That is proof that we are all on the same line, whatever everyone says. I am enormously grateful to my team mates.”
3rd, Toon Aerts (Telenet Baloise Lions): “I was in a lot of pain. Not so much about my ribs, but also about giving up. I now notice that I miss some race rhythm. I was very motivated. It was a pleasure to be able to cycle between the public after three weeks. I had the opening to move straight to the front. But it was very hard to constantly lead the way. From the time Laurens left, I had run out of my best power. It’s great that you can race so far away from the opposition. It is a tailor-made course for him, but you still have to do it. Chapeau for Laurens. If you see him racing, I can be very satisfied with a podium place. With the form that I showed today and the courses that we will get in the coming weeks, I hope to take a victory.”
5th, Wout Van Aert (Jumbo-Visma): “It was difficult today. Sweeck had team mates behind him, but was above all the strongest man. I was badly gone. I had intended to keep quiet the first half. That was my only chance to have something left in the final. I still had a little bit left, but that was for a place of honour. The cross remains a fun game. It is surprising how difficult it is every time.”
Belgian National Cyclocross Championships Result:
1. Laurens Sweeck (Bel) Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal in 1:01:45
2. Eli Iserbyt (Bel) Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal at 0:30
3. Toon Aerts (Bel) Telenet Baloise Lions at 0:35
4. Tim Merlier (Bel) Creafin-Fristads at 0:37
5. Wout Van Aert (Bel) Jumbo-Visma at 0:48
6. Gianni Vermeersch (Bel) Creafin-Fristads
7. Michael Vanthourenhout (Bel) Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal at 1:19
8. Thijs Aerts (Bel) Telenet Baloise Lions at 1:41
9. Jens Adams (Bel) Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal at 1:47
10. Tom Meeusen (Bel) Group Hens-Maes Containers at 1:56.
2020 Belgian cross champs:
French National Cyclocross Championships 2020
After 2017 and 2019, Clément Venturini has now won his third Elite French Cyclocross Championship title, which is his second while racing in the colours of AG2R-La Mondiale.
Clément Venturini (AG2R-La Mondiale): “I wanted to give everything on this course, to deliver a complete race from start to finish. I was able to establish a fairly fast pace from the start, and I saw that I was gaining time in each lap, but none of it was easy. This is my third elite title, and they all have a very special value. It’s always a source of pride and an honour to put on this jersey. I’m racing less cross in the winter, but I really wanted to win today. The Flamanville race, a must on the French calendar, is very pleasant and I’m lucky to have won here every time I have come. Now time to focus on the road season, where I really want to raise my arms in victory, unlike last season.”
Clément Venturini will be attending the team training camp from January 16th to 24th in Altea (Spain). His return to racing on the road is scheduled for February 2nd at the Grand Prix de la Marseillaise. He will then continue with l’Etoile de Bessèges.
Australian National Road Championship 2020
Cameron Meyer is the Australian road champion for the next 12 months. The 32 year-old rider of the Mitchelton-Scott team finished solo in Buninyong at the end of the 185 kilometre race, ahead of his younger teammate Lucas Hamilton and Marcus Culey.
There was several local circuit, with climbs of Mount Buninyong (3 km at 5.1%) every lap, with the final climb just over 10 kilometres from the finish.
Jai Hindley, Lucas Hamilton and Mark O’Brien were the first to make a break. They rode ahead of the peloton for a while, but were swallowed up by another chasing group at eleven laps. At that point O’Brien made another move. The 32-year-old rider took a 40 seconds from the others, but was soon caught again by Nick Schultz and Marcus Culey, who went into the lead to build up a 2 minutes gap.
With two laps to go, the two attackers were joined by a few chasers: Cameron Meyer, Miles Scotson, Chris Harper, last year’s champion Freiberg, Hamilton, Culey, Hindley, TT champ Luke Durbridge, Nathan Haas and Jay McCarthy were able to connect. This strong lead group stayed away until the finish.
Rapid riders like Freiberg and McCarthy were hoping for a sprint in Buninyong, but Meyer had other plans. The Mitchelton-Scott rider – who has been particularly successful on the track in recent years – who was beaten in the Australian championship last year, timed his attack to perfection. A very happy Meyer crossed the line first, ahead of Hamilton and Culey.
2020 Australian national champion, Cameron Meyer (Mitchelton-Scott): “I feel so much emotion now, I finally succeeded after twelve years! I have to thank my family, since they always support me.”
Australian National Road Championship Result:
1. Cameron Meyer (Aus) Mitchelton-Scott in 4:48:16
2. Lucas Hamilton (Aus) Mitchelton-Scott at 0:56
3. Marcus Culey Team Sapura Cycling on 1:07
4. Luke Durbridge (Aus) Mitchelton-Scott at 1:10
5. Jay McCarthy (Aus) Bora-Hansgrohe.
Ineos team for the Tour Down Under
Rohan Dennis will lead Team INEOS in his first appearance for the British team at the 2020 Santos Tour Down Under. The Australian rider won the overall General Classification at the event in 2015, riding then for BMC Racing Team. He has also won the University of South Australia Young Riders Jersey twice (2015, 2012) and Subaru King of the Mountain once (2012).
Ineos TDU Line-Up:
Rohan DENNIS (AUS)
Owain DOULL (GBR)
Christopher LAWLESS (GBR)
Luke ROWE (GBR)
Pavel SIVAKOV (POL)
Ian STANNARD (GBR)
Dylan VAN BAARLE (NED).
Rohan Dennis with Ineos in Australia:
Trek-Segafredo Squads of the 2020 Santos Tour Down Under
Trek-Segafredo has confirmed their experienced line up that will contest the 2020 Santos Tour Down Under in Adelaide, kicking off with the Schwalbe Classic on Sunday 19 January 2020 in the CBD. Previously announced Richie Porte, the King of Willunga, and Mads Pedersen, the World Champion, will head up the seven-man squad that also features experienced Tour Down Under campaigners Kenny Elissonde, Kiel Reijnen and Koen de Kort.
Trek-Segafredo TDU Line-Up:
Richie PORTE (AUS)
Mads PEDERSEN (DEN)
Kenny ELISSONDE (FRA)
Michel RIES (LUX)
Juan Pedro LOPEZ (ESP)
Kiel REIJNEN (USA)
Koen DE KORT (NED).
Richie Porte, stage winner in the TDU’19:
Trek-Segafredo – Women’s Tour Down Under
Trek-Segafredo’s Santos Women’s Tour Down Under team will be led by Lotta Hentalla (nee Lepisto), six-time Finnish Road Champion, who returns to the event for the second time and will ride alongside Ruth Winder, US Road Champion when the Women’s Tour Down Under commences on Thursday 16 January 2020.
Trek-Segafredo TDU Line-Up:
Lotta HENTALLA (FIN)
Anna PLICHTA (POL)
Abi VAN TWISK (GBR)
Tayler WILES (USA)
Ruth WINDER (USA)
Trixi WORRACK (GER).
Trixi Worrack:
Carapaz and Bernal for the Tour Colombia
Team Ineos has ambitions for the Tour Colombia 2.1, with a selection that will be led by the winners of the Giro d’Italia and Tour de France. Earlier it was announced that Egan Bernal will start in his home round, but the British team is also counting on newcomer Richard Carapaz.
It is not the first time the Ecuadorian has ridden the Colombian stage race. The climber finished 9th last year in the final GC, then with Movistar. The Ineos team will also take Iván Sosa, Sebastián Henao, Jhonatan Narvaez and Brandon Rivera.
Carapaz starts its season in Colombia, but it is still unclear which other races he will ride in 2020. He has said that he wanted to defend his Giro title. “The ambition is to be at the start,” said Carapaz, who also want to ride the Tokyo Olympic Games.
Last year, Miguel Ángel López won the Tour Colombia, but the Astana team decided not to ride this season. Other top riders on the Tour Colombia are: Fernando Gaviria, Julian Alaphilippe and Fabio Aru.
Team Ineos for Tour Colombia 2.1:
Egan Bernal, Richard Carapaz, Sebastián Henao, Jhonatan Narvaez, Brandon Rivera and Iván Sosa.
Giro winner Carapaz:
Cavendish to Ride Milan-San Remo
Mark Cavendish and his new Bahrain-McLaren team have released his race calendar up to Milan-San Remo. The Bahrain McLaren sprinter will start his season in the Middle East and will then prepare for La Primavera in the Tirreno-Adriatico. He may also ride a few Flemish spring classics.
Cavendish will start his season with the new Tour of Saudi Arabia. After that, the Tour of Oman and the UAE Tour are on the scheduled. The Tirreno-Adriatico stage race be the final build up for Cavendish for Milan-San Remo, the monument that he already won in 2009. According to Bahrain-McLaren team management, the 2009 San Remo winner will go to Belgium for some Flemish races.
Mark Cavendish 2020 early season schedule:
Tour of Saudi Arabia (4-8 February)
Tour of Oman (11-16 February)
UAE Tour (23-29 February)
Tirreno-Adriatico (11-17 March)
Milan-San Remo (March 21).
2009 Milan-San Remo:
Elia Viviani to Combine Giro and Tour in 2020
Elia Viviani has included the Giro d’Italia in his race program for this year. Earlier, the European champion hinted that he would pass on the Italian Grand Tour. He will also ride the Tour de France in the run-up to the Olympic Games.
Viviani said in November that he would not contest the Giro in 2020. His first goals would be Milan-San Remo and the spring classics, after which he would not ride the Italian stage race and save himself for the Olympic Games in Tokyo. He had already announce his participation in the Tour. The programs announced by his new team, Cofidis, now show that Viviani will be at the start of the Giro.
Viviani will start his season in Australia with the Tour Down Under. He then works towards Milan-San Remo via the Tour of Oman and Tirreno-Adriatico. In Belgium he will start in Bruges-De Panne, Gent-Wevelgem, Dwars door Vlaanderen and the Tour of Flanders. He closes his classic spring with the German one-day Eschborn-Frankfurt. Between the Giro and the Tour he will ride the Tour of Switzerland.
At the Olympic Games the Italian will ride the omnium, the team pursuit and the madison race.
Elia Viviani’s possible 2020 schedule:
Tour Down Under (January 21 to January 26)
Race Torquay (January 30)
Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race (2 February)
Tour of Oman (11 February-16 February)
Tirreno-Adriatico (11 March to 17 March)
Milan-San Remo (March 21)
Driedaagse Brugge-De Panne (25 March)
Gent-Wevelgem (March 29)
Dwars door Vlaanderen (1 April)
Ronde van Vlaanderen (5 April)
Eschborn-Frankfurt (1 May)
Giro d’Italia (9 May-31 May)
Tour of Switzerland (7 June to 14 June)
Tour de France (27 June-19 July)
Olympic Games (July 24-August 9).
Euro champ – Elia Viviani:
Remco Evenepoel to Race Giro d’Italia
The prodigious Belgian will make his Grand Tour debut in May, at the 103rd edition of the Corsa Rosa.
One of the standout riders of 2019, a year which saw him make the leap from the juniors to World Tour and turn heads in every single race he did, Remco Evenepoel will be handed his Grand Tour debut four months from now, when the Giro d’Italia will roll out from Budapest, host of the 14th foreign start in the history of the event.
Winner of five races in his first season with Deceuninck – Quick-Step – including the Tour of Belgium, Clasica San Sebastian and the European ITT Championships – the soon to be 20-year-old Evenepoel will be one of the youngest riders at the start, but the Belgian is unfazed by this, instead already drawing encouragement from his impending Grand Tour debut.
“I am really looking forward to being present in my first three-week race, the Giro d’Italia, a huge and prestigious event that captures one’s imagination. I am happy that the team have put their faith in me and gave me this amazing opportunity.”
“It will be quite a big experience to see how I will feel and cope with the three weeks of demanding racing and the hurdles lying ahead, but at the same time, I’m very excited to just discover the Giro. The plan is to take it day by day, see how things will go, give my best every time and enjoy it while continuing to learn”, said Remco, who will get his season underway in two weeks’ time, at the Vuelta a San Juan.
Taking place between 9-31 May, the Giro d’Italia will feature three individual time trials and a string of iconic climbs, including Etna, Monte Bondone, Madonna di Campiglio, Passo dello Stelvio, Colle dell’Agnelo, Montgenèvre, Col d’Izoard, and Sestriere.
Remco Evenepoel:
Campenaerts on Riis: “I have a very good feeling about this”
Victor Campenaerts is looking forward to working with his new team manager Bjarne Riis. On Wednesday it was announced that the Danish former cyclist will join NTT, the new Campenaerts team. Riis is not an undisputed figure, Campenaerts knows. “But I now look primarily at his qualities as a manager,” he told Het Laatste Nieuws.
Riis used EPO during the Tour de France he won in 1996 and later became discredited as a manager. The Dane has taken a step back in recent years, but from this year he is back in the spotlight of professional cycling. His company takes a minority interest in NTT (successor to Dimension Data) and Riis becomes team boss.
“He will not have been the best in his time, but I now look primarily at his qualities as a manager. Lars Bak assured me he is the best that is currently around,” says Campenaerts, who talked about Riis with Bak last year at Lotto Soudal. “Lars said ‘No a bad word’. I recently informed myself further. And I have to admit: nothing but positive.”
“I cannot imagine that Douglas Ryder (the founder and team manager of NTT) made an overnight decision in one of the numerous preliminary conversations with Riis,” said the world hour record holder. “If there had been a suspicion that his image could be unfavourable for the team, the deal would never have been achieved. If you see what Bjarne has achieved as a team manager: that person really knows how to tackle things.”
Riis told Campenaerts “I can help you become the best time trial rider in the world.” “I’m wondering what he can teach me,” said Campenaerts. “Perhaps there is a Kevin De Weert 2.0 in him. I have a very good feeling about this and look forward to working together.”
Campenaerts – In Worlds TT action:
Bob Jungels to Ride Strade Bianche and Paris-Roubaix
Bob Jungels will be at the start of Strade Bianche and Paris-Roubaix this season. The Luxembourg champion will focus on the spring Classics again in 2020, as he said at the Deceuninck – Quick-Step team presentation. “I surprised myself during the spring.”
The 27-year-old all-rounder refers to his victory in Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne, third place in the E3 BinckBank Classic and fifth place in Dwars door Vlaanderen. This year, Jungels is focusing entirely on the Tour of Flanders. “That is my big goal in 2020, but I will also participate in Paris-Roubaix and Strade Bianche.”
Jungels already has experience with riding on the cobbles of northern France, as he already managed to win Paris-Roubaix as a promise. “And I also rode the race in my first professional year. I am happy to return now. ”The Luxemburger had a successful spring last season, but also learned something with a view to 2020.
Jungels will not ride the Giro d’Italia, as he had a disappointing Italian campaign last season. “I had just raced and trained too much, leaving me completely empty in the Giro. I still rode the race, out of respect for the team, but that was not smart. After all, I never got back to the top after the Giro.” Jungels hopes to ride the Tour de France next summer. “But I am definitely not going for a general classification, I hope to win a stage.”
Bob Jungels’ 2020 early schedule:
Omloop Het Nieuwsblad (29 February)
Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne (1 March)
Strade Bianche (7 March)
Tirreno-Adriatico (11-17 March)
E3 BinckBank Classic (March 27)
Tour of Flanders (5 April)
Paris-Roubaix (12 April)
Tour de France (27 June-19 July) if selected.
Jungels solo in Kuurne:
Marianne Vos’ Cross Season Ends Sooner than Expected
Marianne Vos finished 5th on Sunday in the Dutch cyclocross Championship in Rucphen. It was her last appearance in the field this winter. Next week, our rider will be medically treated for a groin disorder.
“The complaints have been around for some time. A recent check-up revealed the cause: a nod in the artery. In consultation with the CCC-Liv medical team, I decided to have surgery performed as quickly as possible. Racing in the Dutch championship wouldn’t physically do any harm. I wanted to prepare myself at rest to be as fit as possible and to go to the limit one more time today.”
The operation on the artery in the groin will take place next Thursday. “If everything goes according to plan, I can burden my body again six weeks after the procedure. In cooperation with the team, I am working on a recovery process in order to achieve my goals during the road season. However, a successful operation has top priority at the moment.”
Vos at the Cross:
Nine Host Venues Selected for 2020 Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah
Only UCI ProSeries Stage Race in North America Features Overall Start at Herriman City on Aug. 3 and Overall Finish at Park City on Aug. 9
Nine venues and communities will host the Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah men’s professional cycling stage race on Aug. 3-9. The seven days of competition will start in Herriman City at the Zions Bank Real Academy and finish on historic Main Street in Park City.
The Tour of Utah stage race will visit communities along the Wasatch Front from Ogden to Payson, tackle the mountain elevations around Snowbird Resort, Canyons Village at Park City Mountain, and Woodward Park City, and ride a stage from dōTERRA headquarters in Pleasant Grove to Provo.
Now recognised as the only multi-day race in North America on the UCI ProSeries, the Tour of Utah strengthens this exclusive division of international racing by ensuring an optimal fit with the UCI WorldTour schedule. The Tour of Utah has been designated among the best HC (hors category) and Class 1 road races around the globe.
“Our designation as a UCI ProSeries race by the international cycling federation is new, but the Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah remains a crowd favourite and one of the most successful races in North America,” said John Kimball, managing director of the Tour of Utah. “We are fortunate to have welcoming host venues that roll out the red carpet, picturesque courses that show beauty and brawn, and a very supportive cycling community that enjoys watching great athletes. We look forward to bringing the Tour of Utah to the state and the world in August.”
Here is the lineup of Tour of Utah host venues for the seven race stages:
Stage 1: Monday, Aug. 3 Herriman City
Stage 2: Tuesday, Aug. 4 dōTERRA to Provo
Stage 3: Wednesday, Aug. 5 Payson
Stage 4: Thursday, Aug. 6 Woodward Park City to Snowbird Resort
Stage 5: Friday, Aug. 7 Ogden
Stage 6: Saturday, Aug. 8 Canyons Village at Park City Mountain
Stage 7: Sunday, Aug. 9 Park City.
The 2020 Tour of Utah host venue video and additional information on the race is available at www.tourofutah.com. Details regarding each stage route, such as race mileage, courses, elevation gain, and start/finish times as well as KUTV2 Lifestyle Expo and local spectator festivities, will be announced in the late spring.
The Tour of Utah changes its geographical configuration each year to introduce the sport of cycling to new communities across the state, as well as present diverse courses for the professional athletes.
For the first time, Herriman City in southwest Salt Lake County will be a Tour of Utah host for the Team Presentation on Saturday, Aug. 1, as well as the overall start for the weeklong competition. Stage 1 presented by Zions Bank will begin on Monday, Aug. 3 at the Zions Bank Real Academy, the home training facility of Major League Soccer’s Real Salt Lake and United Soccer League Championship title holder Real Monarchs.
The Tour makes its inaugural appearance at the corporate headquarters of dōTERRA for the start of Stage 2 presented by dōTERRA on Tuesday, Aug. 4. The finish line will be in Provo, which previously hosted a Tour stage in 2011.
Stage 3 presented by Monster Hydro takes place with the start/finish in Payson on Wednesday, Aug. 5 and imposing Mount Nebo, the highest mountain in the Wasatch Range, as a backdrop.
The mountains will be featured in Stage 4 on Thursday, Aug. 6 between two ski resorts, both owned by adventure lifestyle company POWDR. First-time host Woodward Park City, a new action sports and ski resort with indoor and outdoor facilities, will serve as the start. Snowbird Resort, which has hosted more times than any other place at 13, will mark the finish line after a gruelling six-mile climb in Little Cottonwood Canyon.
A circuit race will be held for the first time in downtown Ogden for Stage 5 presented by America First Credit Union on Friday, Aug. 7. This is the eighth time Ogden has been designated as an official host city, previously serving as a stage finish in 2015.
Racing will conclude with two days in Park City. Canyons Village at Park City Mountain, a four-season resort, returns for the start and finish of Stage 6 presented by University of Utah Health on Saturday, Aug. 8. The start/finish for the grand finale returns to Park City on Sunday, Aug. 9 with Stage 7 presented by the Utah Sports Commission. It is the 11th year Park City has served as a host city, and the eighth time it has hosted the overall finish of the Tour of Utah.
Now in its 16th year, the week-long Tour of Utah has earned the reputation as “America’s Toughest Stage Race.” The 2019 event crowned Belgian Ben Hermans of the Israel Cycling Academy as its champion, and EF Education First captured the team title after covering 477 miles of racing and 37,882 feet of elevation gain.
The Tour of Utah has begun extending invitations to UCI WorldTeams, UCI Pro Continental and UCI Continental squads and will announce a field of 16 men’s teams in early spring. Past General Classification champions have included Sepp Kuss (2018), Rob Britton (2017), Lachlan Morton (2016) and Joe Dombrowski (2015) along with stage winners such as Tejay van Garderen, Cadel Evans, Chris Horner, Travis McCabe, Brent Bookwalter, Marco Canola, Giulio Ciccone, Rob Carpenter and Levi Leipheimer through the years.
The Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah is free to all spectators, making professional cycling one of the most unique professional sports in the world today. In 2019, the race attracted 400,000 spectators during race week, featured 21 hours of national television coverage and reached more than 400 million homes via broadcast around the world.
Tour of Utah 2020 Host Community Announcement:
Carbel Completes 2020 Roster While Foder Signs on as Sports Director
We are delighted to confirm the signing of Michael Carbel for 2020 who becomes our 29th and final addition ahead of the racing season.
While at the same time, we also look forward to welcoming former rider Daniel Holm Foder as a Sports Director who takes a position under the leadership of Lars Michaelsen. They were both previously involved with Danish UCI Continental outfit Team Waoo.
For Carbel, the 24-year-old Dane’s ability as a fast-finisher will look to add to the sprinting depth already in our squad as he looks to develop alongside the likes of Giacomo Nizzolo, Ryan Gibbons, Max Walscheid and Reinardt Janse van Rensburg.
The Danish Road Race Championships is in particular an event that he’s excelled at over the years, making his mark early by claiming second spot as an 18-year-old in 2014, a year after claiming the junior title. He’s added to that over time with three other top-10 finishes, including finishing twice on the podium.
The young man, who’s also ridden for Fortuneo-Samsic, claimed victory on stage three of the Flèche du Sud to go with second on stage four and finishing third on the overall points classification in 2019.
In 2017, while riding for Team Virtu Cycling, Carbel claimed the Danish under-23 title which he followed up by a hugely impressive third spot at the World Championships in Bergen.
In 2016 two top-10 stage finishes at the tough Tour l’Avenir was punctuated by a 4th place finish in the mountains classification of the Tour of Denmark.
Foder also joins from Team Waoo and so has immediate insight into the likes of Carbel, along with the rest of the Danish contingent within the group.
As a rider, the 36-year-old took a career-high sixth place in the 2014 Danish Road Race Championships in a career that spanned over a decade and concluded while at Team Trefor. The 2014 Nationals interestingly saw Carbel finish second, behind another of our current riders Michael Valgren.
After completing his career as a rider he’s spent three seasons as a director and trainer during which time he’s overseen a number of victories at a national level.
Michael Carbel: “I’m over the moon to be joining the team! It’s a dream coming true finally to be on the WorldTour level. No doubt It’ll be hard, but I’m looking forward to be a part of NTT Pro Cycling. The training camp in Denia will be the first time seeing everyone at the team, and I look forward to be meeting everyone and then getting the season underway.”
Daniel Holm Foder: “I’m excited to join NTT Pro Cycling and the opportunity to work at the highest level of the sport. I will be joining a strong group of riders with great potential to go with a very experienced group of sports directors, so it’s going to be a great professional challenge for me. That said, I’m confident that I will be able to bring my own expertise into the environment and contribute towards the future success of the team.”
Douglas Ryder, Team Principal: “It is wonderful to complete our roster of riders and sports directors with Michael and Daniel. Both stepping up into the world tour with different roles in NTT Pro Cycling is as exciting for them as it is for us. We believe in diversity, hard work and creating opportunities and we look forward to the impact they can make as we move forward together this season.”
Michael Carbel:
New Season, New Story of Team Gazprom-RusVelo
The team presentation of the Russian UCI ProTeam Gazprom — RusVelo took place today in Lonato del Garda, Italy.
The event was visited by 150 guests among which were the legend of the cycling world and founder of Colnago – Ernesto Colnago and other world-known representatives of the cycling industry.
In the season 2020 the athletes will be proudly competing in Biemme sportswear, which is an Italian manufacturer of technical clothing for cycling and a new partner of the Russian squad. In between competitions the riders and the team representatives will be wearing Acerbis free-time apparel, which became the Gazprom — RusVelo partner in 2020.
The General Manager Renat Khamidulin shared his thoughts about the upcoming season: “With such a great squad and board of Sports Directors we are certainly sure to decently start the season. The team presentation is always such an event, where you gather so many team friends and partners who are strongly involved in the cycling sport, which is there life passion. With no doubt, we are grateful to our title sponsor Gazprom and our technical partners to their continues support. We look forward to the start of the upcoming season and our further successes under the Russian flag”.
Team roster for 2020 includes:
Igor Boev, Marco Canola, Nikolay Cherkasov, Sergey Chernetskiy, Damiano Cima, Imerio Cima, Vladislav Kulikov, Stepan Kurianov, Anton Kuzmin, Vyacheslav Kuznetsov, Denis Nekrasov, Artem Nych, Petr Rikunov, Ivan Rovny, Alexey Rybalkin, Christian Scaroni, Evgeny Shalunov, Dmitry Strakhov, Simone Velasco.
Sports Directors: Michele Devoti, Alexey Markov, Denis Menchov, Dmitry Konyshev, Evgeny Petrov, Evgeny Popov, Alexander Serov.
30 riders and 52,000 EF colleagues. Our strongest team yet. We enter 2020 with our deepest squad to date
This season, EF Pro Cycling welcomes new faces Magnus Cort Neilson, Jens Keukeleire, Neilson Powless, Jonas Rutsch, Ruben Guerreiro and Kristoffer Halvorsen to the ranks. Our 30 riders from 17 countries are backed by 52,000 pink-clad EF colleagues around the world — and a giant crocodile named Argyle.
EF Pro Cycling is set for another year of taking the path less travelled, racing from the ruler-straight gravel roads of the US to twisting trails in South Africa and to the top of the Alps and Dolomites. Our squad will race, wander, make new friends, and play plenty more games of UNO around the dinner table. We’ll go firmly outside our comfort zones to see the world and make new connections.
EF Education First came into the peloton in 2018 and immediately disrupted cycling’s status quo — something that continues into 2020 as the team will add new races (and continents) to its calendar. This season, the program will see the team take to start lines on nearly all the world’s continents. From the plains of Africa to the hills of Kansas to the jungles of Brazil, the infamous cobblestones of Belgium and the Alps of France, the team will chart a new course. On gravel, road, and mountain bikes, we’ll wander the world and connect with new people and communities.
The team also celebrates its 10th anniversary of being in the WorldTour in 2020. We go into a decade at the top level with gratitude for the support over the last 10 years and with our renegade spirit intact. The world of cycling is changing. Expect to see pink leading the charge.
Hear from the team:
“You’ll find us at the intersection of sport, culture and exploration — where effort, community, and hard-earned fun meet. We’re on a mission to explore the world and welcome all to join us, from our alternative program to the WorldTour. From Japan to Kansas there will be hardcore racing to laughs by the fire. We know there will be tough moments along the way, that’s cycling (and life). But, you can count on us to ride each race with purpose and personality, to reciprocate the love we feel from our fans and fellow EF teammates around the world.”
–Mary Wittenberg, EF Pro Cycling president
“The core culture of the team has always been to disrupt, right from its inception, it’s what we’ve always been about, it was our founding principle. Different teams have different founding principles, but on this team from square one it was about doing things in a different way. We wanted to engage new audiences and new fans in an authentic and transparent way, whether it be through our stance on anti-doping or all the behind the scenes documentary content that we brought to people during 2019. The last ten years have always been about living up to that founding principle and continuously doing so. For 2020 what I would like to see more than anything else is a continuation of the up and coming talents that we’ve brought onto the team, that they continue to move forward and step into the key positions on the team.”
–Jonathan Vaughters, EF Pro Cycling CEO
“We are a team of 30 cyclists, from 17 countries, which means we get to learn a lot about different cultures. That’s what we do as cyclists, we keep exploring and learning, and I’m looking forward to doing more of that in 2020. I’m also looking forward to being back on the bike and to enjoy racing again, to be more confident and I hope to be fine for the Tour de France and look forward to getting out there racing with the team again.”
–Rigoberto Uran, EF Pro Cycling rider
“I always knew we were going to have fun doing the alternative program, like that wasn’t really a question. But I really hoped that a lot of people would get behind it, and in my head I thought cycling was looking for that different narrative at that top level but to see that transpire, yeah I guess it was surprising to see the level of people who connected with us when it was all about trying to have fun.”
–Lachlan Morton, EF Pro Cycling rider
“Last year there were so many favourite moments, but one of them was when I signed the contract with EF. It was something that I’d always dreamed of, being in a World Tour team. To then be part of a team where we’re encouraged to learn about different cultures, to understand how other people are because of their origin, that’s a great way to explore the world. When I think of EF, I think that it is a huge family that joins together many nationalities, uniting the world.”
–Sergio Higuita, EF Pro Cycling rider
“I honestly think it went better than we ever imagined it would, and a lot of that was due to our partners and EF doing an awesome job promoting the whole thing. But we also got a little lucky, I mean it’s pretty damn hard to win a bike race and straight after Kanza I won nationals and straight after Leadville Lachlan won a stage of Utah, which reconfirmed that we are still both top level WorldTour road racers, not just a sideshow act.”
–Alex Howes, EF Pro Cycling rider
“It feels really special, an honour to be a part of the team, I think that cycling is not going to be what it is now in 20 years, it’s going to be completely different. In order for the sport to be relevant and popular and appeal to the masses it’s going to have to change significantly, because I truly think the sport is going towards more open races, more alternative races and to be on a team that embraces that is really special. I think in 20 years when you look back there’ll be a few key teams who really effected change and I think our team is going to be that team.”
–Mike Woods, EF Pro Cycling rider
“I think we are a different team from all the others, first because of the colour, because of the style that we have, the attitude, the approach to the fans, how we use our social media. The fact that we’re part of a company that helps people to learn English and other languages all over the world, this makes me really proud to be a part of it. I think this year what will be important for me is how I approach races, the confidence that I have in myself. It’s going to be more about the mental side of things than physical, because I’ve shown everyone that when I feel good, I can be at the front of the race and also win.”
–Alberto Bettiol, EF Pro Cycling rider
USA champion Alex Howes:
UAE Team Emirates announces partnership with adidas
For 2020 UAE Team Emirates and adidas Colombia will join forces as part of a two-year deal with the brand.
The iconic sportswear manufacturer will become the team’s official supplier for casual clothing and footwear for all riders and staff.
Team principal, Mauro Gianetti, said having a brand like adidas on board will help the team in achieving its goal of rising to the very top of world cycling. “We are delighted to announce the partnership with a global and important brand like adidas, who are coming on board with one of the biggest teams in cycling. It’s not a secret that we are aiming to improve every year and moving forward with an iconic brand like adidas makes our path easier. I hope that these 2 years will be full of success and that we can have a bright future together”.
Juan Motta, Brand Activation Director adidas Colombia, added that the deal was important and in keeping with the mission of the company. “At adidas we are happy to start 2020 with this new sponsorship announcement bringing adidas and UAE Team Emirates together on a two-year deal. Through sport we have the power to change lives and bringing UAE Team Emirates to our family is part of living up to our mission.”
Fresh Food for Two More Years: Lidl and Deceuninck – Quick-Step Extend their Partnership
Lidl and the Deceuninck – Quick Step Pro Cycling Team continue their agreement for another two years.
Lidl has been Fresh Food Partner of Deceuninck – Quick Step since 2015 and is proud to continue supplying the Team with fresh food during the competitions. This underlines Lidl’s commitment to a balanced diet and active lifestyle.
Furthermore, Lidl equips the Deceuninck – Quick-Step Pro Cycling Team and the cyclists, coaches and support staff with crivit PRO leisure wear. “We are happy to continue the partnership with Deceuninck – Quick-Step as the Official Fresh Food and Leisure Wear Partner. At Lidl we emphasise the significance of a healthy and balanced nutrition in combination with an active lifestyle – for a world-class and elite cycling team as well as for all of our consumers”, said a spokesperson of Lidl.
Equally delighted with the deal was Deceuninck – Quick-Step CEO Patrick Lefevere: “We are very grateful for Lidl’s support. Keeping a team such as ours, with so many moving parts, running smoothly is difficult. Their help in being able to offer our riders a healthy lifestyle is imperative in helping them to become some of the world’s best athletes. We all know the importance of fresh produce to a healthy lifestyle and having Lidl’s stores at our disposal, almost wherever we race in the world, is a great advantage for us.”
Zdeněk Štybar:
Deceuninck – Quick-Step’s 2020 Season Starts in Calpe
UCI World Team Classification leaders have high hopes ahead of the 18th year in the peloton
11-Jan-2020: Sponsors, partners and dozens of journalists and photographers, numbers over 100 in total, attended the Deceuninck – Quick-Step team presentation on Friday afternoon at the Suitopia – Sol y Mar Suites Hotel in Calpe, where CEO Patrick Lefevere began by announcing a two-year extension of the contract with Lidl. Fresh Food Partner of the team since 2015, Lidl will continue to supply the squad with fresh food during the races, as well as equipping the riders and staff with Crivit PRO leisure wear.
“A new season kicks off soon and we want again to be among the best in the world and continue winning. We are very grateful for Lidl’s support. Their help in being able to offer our riders a healthy lifestyle is imperative in helping them to become some of the world’s best athletes. We all know the importance of fresh produce to a healthy lifestyle and having Lidl’s stores at our disposal, almost wherever we race in the world, is a great advantage for us”, said Patrick Lefevere, who also talked of the squad’s Sustainability Project, which will see Deceuninck – Quick-Step embark on an ambitious round of cultural and behavioural changes and thus become the world’s first carbon neutral cycling team.
“Our goal is to reduce our carbon footprint and we are ready to make a series of changes for that to happen. I think it’s an extraordinary idea and we are prepared to work together with CO2logic and our sponsors and partners in order to bring to life the two carbon offset schemes mentioned in our manifesto, in Uganda and on Mont Ventoux, and to get everyone involved in this; from riders and staff to fans and all those at the races.”
The best rider of 2019, recipient of the Velo d’Or and International Flandrien trophies and named France’s best sportsman by both L’Equipe and Eurosport, Julian Alaphilippe was one of the most in-demand riders of the Wolfpack at the team presentation, where he outlined his goals for his seventh season with Deceuninck – Quick-Step.
“Last year was an amazing one and I know it will be difficult to repeat it, but I will do my best. I will start once again in South America, with Argentina and Colombia, followed by an altitude training camp before returning to Europe for Paris-Nice. I am very motivated for that race, just as I’m when it comes to my debut in Ronde van Vlaanderen, where I’ll go after racing Dwars door Vlaanderen. But I want to give my all also in the Ardennes Classics, which are again a major goal, before the second part of the season, when I’ll do the Nationals, the Tour de France, the Olympics, the Worlds, and Lombardia, a race where I’m eager to return after three years.”
Another rider who found himself in the spotlight Friday evening was Remco Evenepoel, who only hours before the start of the team presentation confirmed his participation in the Giro d’Italia. The Belgian, who will soon turn 20, enjoyed a stellar neo-pro season and will look to build on that as he gets a taste of Grand Tour racing in May.
“It wasn’t easy to find my place in pro cycling last year, but eventually things fell into place and I could show what I was capable of, taking five wins, of which San Sebastian and the European ITT Championships were the most important. I’m now ready for another strong year, where I have my eyes on several big races: Liège–Bastogne–Liège, the Giro, the Olympics, the Worlds and Il Lombardia. I’m not saying I’m going there to win, but to learn, to discover them, to help the squad, and if possible, to get some good results.”
The team, who will race on Specialized bikes equipped with disc brakes during the entire 2020 season, is one of the youngest on the World Tour and comprises 28 riders representing 14 nationalities: Julian Alaphilippe, João Almeida, Shane Archbold, Kasper Asgreen, Andrea Bagioli, Davide Ballerini, Sam Bennett, Mattia Cattaneo, Rémi Cavagna, Tim Declercq, Dries Devenyns, Remco Evenepoel, Ian Garrison, Alvaro Hodeg, Mikkel Honoré, Fabio Jakobsen, Bob Jungels, Iljo Keisse, James Knox, Yves Lampaert, Michael Mørkøv, Florian Sénéchal, Pieter Serry, Stijn Steels, Jannik Steimle, Zdenek Stybar, Bert Van Lerberghe and Mauri Vansevenant (who’ll join the squad on August 1st).
The Deceuninck – Quick-Step 2020 Presentation:
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