EUROTRASH News Round Up Thursday!

Loads of news in today’s EUROTRASH. Iljo Keisse dissapointed with the 2021 Gent ‘6 Days’ – TOP STORY. Mathieu van der Poel cross calendar, racing restarts in Australia, Egan Bernal to ride the Tour de France, new investigation into the death of Marco Pantani, Peter Sagan apologises for injuring policeman, Filippo Ganna happy with 2021, Christophe Laporte wants a Classic, another year for Óscar Sevilla, Iván Romeo: Valverde fan, awards for Tom Dumoulin, Jonas Vingegaard and Rein Taaramäe. UCI cyclo-cross rider ranking, Omar Fraile and Gorka Izagirre riding cross. Contract news from Kaden Groves, Jasper De Buyst, Georgia Williams, Raymond Kreder, Joost Brinkman, Tim Naberman, Martijn Tusveld, Sam Welsford and Urška Žigart. Team news: TotalEnergies team complete and Astana Qazaqstan development team roster. Race news: 6 Days of Rotterdam canceled, equal prize money for Nokere Koerse, U23 Tour of Flanders not on the calendar, Tour of the Alps joins the AIOCC, La Tropicale Amissa Bongo postponed and the Giro d’Italia display in Dubai. Plus many thanks from the Paul Sherwen Project. Big coffee Thursday.

TOP STORY: Iljo Keisse Dissapointed with the 2021 Gent ‘6 Days’
Iljo Keisse has been at the top of the podium seven times of the Gent ‘6 Days’, but this edition turned out to be a disappointment. Together with Mark Cavendish, Deceuninck – Quick-Step teammate, the local Gent 38 year-old had to settle for fourth place.

It was a six-day event for Keisse to quickly forget, he told Sporza afterwards. Keisse had to conclude that his partner Cavendish had not come to the Kuipke in top form. “I will be 39 years old next month. Ten years ago I would have been able to cope with that perfectly, not anymore. I had said when composing the teams that I needed a strong size to do what I want to do and to do what the public wants me to do.”

Keisse would have loved to have come in at full throttle and have wanted to entertain the audience. “But that’s not possible if I have to think for two and take into account the fact that my teammate may be slightly less with every effort.” Adding: “I certainly don’t want to detract from Cavendish’s performance. He gave 100 percent from day one. It’s a shame that he dropped out because of that fall.”

Keisse realises that his years are beginning to show. “This is my home race. This is why I started racing. I want to be good here. Year after year I try to be my best here, but year after year it gets harder. And Cavendish’s goal is the Tour. He really likes this and is very happy to be here, but he doesn’t prepare for it like he does at the Tour. While for me this is the only week where I can drive for myself and show myself.”

2022 will be the last season as a professional rider for Keisse, which he announced last summer with his contract extension. The Gent Six Days will be his farewell race next year. “It’s going to be incredibly difficult, I already know that. The older I get, the more emotional I am. I’ve already ridden with training in my eyes more this week than with a smile on my face. It will peak.”

Not the best Gent 6 for Cavendish and Keisse:

Mark Cavendish update:
Following his crash at the Gent Six Day, Mark Cavendish was taken to the Gent University Hospital where he was kept overnight.

Examinations showed that Mark has suffered two broken ribs on this left side and has a small pneumothorax, both of which have been treated with medication and he has been kept in the hospital for observation. It is expected that Mark will be discharged either later today or tomorrow morning, and will then undergo a period of recuperation.

His partner Peta gave an update on the British sprinter’s situation in the evening: “Thank you for all the messages. Mark spends the night in intensive care after his accident. Hopefully he will be home with us soon. Thanks also to the medical team that helped us on the track and other riders who let the kids sit in their cabins and the Deceuninck-Quick-Step staff who jumped into action to help.”

Cavendish looked okay at first, but was eventually taken to hospital:

 

Mathieu van der Poel Makes his Cross Comeback in the Rucphen World Cup
Mathieu van der Poel will also be seen in three rounds of the X²O Badkamers Trophy. The organisers of the series announced through a press release that the reigning World champion will participate in the crosses in Loenhout, Herentals and Hamme. Participation in the Diegem Superprestige has also been confirmed.

On Tuesday it was announced that Van der Poel will return to cross on Saturday December 18 for the Rucphen World Cup. The World champion will have a double weekend as he will ride the World Cup cross in Namur. The Alpecin-Fenix ​​rider opts for a program with the necessary World Cups to collect as many UCI points as possible in the run-up to the World championships in Fayetteville, America.

Van der Poel can get a good starting position for the most important cross of the season. The UCI has almost set the ranking to zero at the start of the season. Only the points obtained at the World championships in Ostend have remained. The 26-year-old Dutchman took the World title there, which is good for 400 UCI points. Because Van der Poel has not yet raced a cross this winter, that is his total. He is 21st in the UCI Ranking, two places lower than brother David.

Van der Poel has now also added some X2O Badkamer Trophy races to his program. The first X2O cross is in Loenhout on Thursday 30 December. A week later, on Wednesday 5 January, the cross in Herentals will be his ultimate preparation race for the Dutch championship that will take place in Zaltbommel the following weekend. On Saturday 22 January, the weekend before the World Championships in Fayetteville, Van der Poel will also compete in the Flandriencross in Hamme.

Mathieu van der Poel Cyclo-Cross Program:
18-12-’21: Rucphen World Cup
19-12-’21: Namur World Cup
26-12-’21: World Cup Dendermonde
29-12-’21: Superprestige Diegem
30-12-’21: X²O Badkamers Trophy Loenhout
02-01-’22: Hulst World Cup
05-01-’22: X²O Badkamer Trophy Herentals
09-01-’22: Dutch Championships cyclo-cross in Zaltbommel
22-01-’22: X²O Badkamer Trophy Hamme
23-01-’22: World Cup Hoogerheide
30-01-’22: Cyclocross World Championships in Fayetteville.

Back to cross for MvdP:

 

Australian Cycling Year Resumes in December
The National Road Series was suspended for months due to various lockdowns and travel restrictions due to the corona virus. There was hardly any competitive racing during that period. Last May, the Grafton to Inverell race was the final race in the National Road Series. “Six events have been postponed or canceled this year and the riders have missed many races. But 2022 looks set to be a great year for the National Road Series,” said Adam Power of AusCycling National Cycling Federation.

The next race on the program is the Cycle Sunshine Coast from December 17-19, in the middle of the Australian summer. “This race not only gives the riders a nice end to 2021, but it also ensures that there is a high level of racing in the run-up to the national championships in January,” said Power. Those championships are scheduled between January 12-16.

A week later, the Santos Festival of Cycling (January 23-26 for women, January 26-29 for men) is on the calendar. This stage race is the replacement for the Tour Down Under for the second year in a row.

Santos Festival of Cycling in January:

 

Egan Bernal Confirms Tour de France Ride
Egan Bernal will make his appearance again next year in the Tour de France. The Colombian, winner of the French tour in 2019, said in conversation with Mundociclistico. “It’s time to get back there,” Bernal said.

For a long time it was unclear whether Bernal would participate in the Tour again in 2022, or whether he would focus again on the Giro d’Italia. However, the INEOS Grenadiers rider now has a clear message: next season the focus will be on the Tour de France again. Bernal was the first Colombian Tour de France winner two years ago. In 2020 he was also at the start of the Tour, but did not make it to Paris due to back problems.

“The answer is yes,” Bernal responded when asked whether he will participate in the Tour next year. “It is clear that from now on we will fully focus on the Tour. We finish our preparation with the Tour in mind. It’s time to pick up where we started in 2019 and then deviate from it for a while.”

Bernal is feeling physically well after a tough season. “I think I have fully recovered from my back problems, but we are monitoring it closely and working on it through physical therapy. I hope to find the right condition again soon. I will fly to Spain at the beginning of December for a meeting with the team. Then we will determine the program for next season.”

Back to the Tour for Bernal:

 

New Investigation Opened into the Death of Marco Pantani
An investigation has been opened in Italy into the death of Marco Pantani on February 14, 2004. The public prosecutor of Rimini, where Pantani died, has opened a case against an unknown person. Pantani’s mother contributed to the investigation.

The Italian newspaper Il Resto del Carlino said that the public prosecutor had a long talk last week with Tonina Pantani, the mother of the former cyclist who died at the age of 34. She handed over a 51-page document to the investigators and is assisted by lawyers Fiorenzo and Alberto Alessi. The lawyers find it essential to investigate the last 72 hours in the life of Marco Pantani.

“I was and remain convinced that the whole truth about Marco’s death has not yet come out,” Tonani Pantani told the newspaper. “About what happened at the hotel in the hours and days before his death. I’ve fought a lot, but in the past I’ve also entrusted myself to lawyers who probably didn’t advise me well. I hope this tragedy comes to an end. We’re not out for revenge. We want the truth and justice.”

The public prosecutor is said to be reluctant, because it is not the first investigation into the death of Il Pirata. In 2016 an investigating judge ruled that Pantani had not been murdered, but that he had died of an overdose of antidepressants and cocaine. “The theory that he was murdered is based purely on fantasy,” the report said.

A year later, in 2017, the Italian Court of Cassation rejected a family claim that Pantani had been the victim of a crime.

Marco Pantani:

 

Peter Sagan Apologises for Injuring Officer
Peter Sagan was fined €5,000 last spring for injuring a police officer in Monaco, according to French newspaper Nice-Matin.

Sagan was on his way home with his brother after a night out on Sunday, April 25. However, their car was pulled over by the police for violating the curfew. When a drunken Sagan was asked to get out, he went a bit crazy. The Slovak is said to have raged ‘like crazy’, injuring a police officers right hand. According to Nice-Matin, the three-time world champion resisted because he was afraid he would be vaccinated. He is said to have not remembered the incident afterwards and apologised. The events earned him a hefty fine of €5,000 euros for his misconduct, €100 euros for violating the curfew and €1,500 to the civil court.

Peter Sagan has also apologised on social media: “In response to the news about the evening of April 25, I would like to take this opportunity to offer my sincere apologies. It was a bad experience that made me think. I have learned valuable lessons from that. I’m sorry this incident happened, and it won’t happen again.”

Sagan in trouble:

 

Filippo Ganna Happy with 2021
Filippo Ganna has had many successes in the past two seasons. The INEOS Grenadiers rider realises that it will be a difficult task to match his performances, but he is willing to give it a try.

“After a super 2020, 2021 was the icing on the cake,” Ganna told TuttoBICI. The 25-year-old rider will be honoured by the cycling magazine on Friday for his performance on the road last season. Ganna impressed early in the season by winning the fourth stage of the Etoile de Bessèges from an early breakaway. He then won the final time trial, and two weeks later the time trial in the UAE Tour. In May he won both time trials in the Giro d’Italia and so was unbeaten in the stages against the clock in La Corsa Rosa for two editions.

In the second half of the season, Ganna went to Tokyo for the Olympics. He finished fifth in the time trial, but then he helped the Italian team to the gold medal in the team pursuit. Later in the season, he was part of the Italian squad that won the European Mixed Relay championship and kept his World time trial title. At the track World championship in Roubaix, he and the team also took the World championship title in the team pursuit.

“It will be hard to repeat, expectations are high,” Ganna continued. “But we will do our best to maintain the high level.” The Italian will go on a training camp with the national team to the Canary Islands and then go with Ineos to Palma de Mallorca for more training.

Top year for Ganna:

 

Laporte Still Wants to Win the Tour of Flanders or Paris-Roubaix
Christophe Laporte will not ride for Cofidis next year, for the first time since his professional debut in 2014. He starts a new adventure with Jumbo-Visma in 2022. He has been looking ahead with Velo-Club.net.

28-year-old Laporte, who has signed with Jumbo-Visma for two years, will strengthen the Dutch team for the spring Classics. The Frenchman will have to assist Wout van Aert as long as possible in the Classics. However, Laporte will also have his chances for personal success throughout the season. “In the classics we work with a clear leader, but Wout will not contest all spring races either.”

“Jumbo-Visma had to strengthen the classic core, in order to have more options during races. It is logical that Wout will be the leader in certain races, but these are unpredictable races, those classics. So there will certainly be opportunities and then I can also benefit from the work of the team. I hope to win another big race in the future. I have wanted that for a while now.”

Laporte refers to the two most important cobblestone Classics. “I dream of winning the Tour of Flanders or Paris-Roubaix, but I’m not at the level at the moment to win such races. It’s still a goal though, but I’m focusing on a WorldTour-level win first. What else is on my wish list? Above all, I want to continue to enjoy the sport and win races, on an individual basis or as a team. But the most important thing is to have fun.”

The Frenchman has yet to map out his final program towards the most important spring Classics, but will start his season in the Volta ao Algarve or the Tour of Valencia. Also a participation in Paris-Nice seems certain.

Classicsman – Christophe Laporte:

 

Óscar Sevilla: “I Don’t Want to Leave Valverde Alone”
Óscar Sevilla reacts with a smile when asked about his contract extension with Colombian Team Medellín. “I don’t want to leave Alejandro Valverde alone,” jokes the 45-year-old Spaniard, who, like 41-year-old Valverde, will continue for another year.

“We are similar when it comes to cycling. We feel the same passion and love for cycling, and we really enjoy what we do,” said Sevilla. “Alejandro doesn’t surprise me anymore. He has great qualities and he has shown throughout his career that he can win all kinds of competitions. Passion and enthusiasm during training are the key. And it’s hard to leave cycling when you enjoy it.”

“But I keep going because of my love for cycling, the desire to train and race, and even the challenge to keep winning,” he told EFE. “I’ve decided to continue for another year because I’m still excited and hoping to win. Why not? I can also contribute to the youngsters, which is also an important reason for me.”

According to Sevilla, Valverde plays an important role in Spanish cycling. “He only races to win and he is an example for that, but he is on his way to the exit,” said the former rider. “Mikel Landa still has a few words to say. Enric Mas has already done well, but everyone expects him to win, but that is not easy. And you have to rely on young riders, like Juan Ayuso and Carlos Rodríguez. I think there will be a generation that will make us dream in three or four years.”

In recent years, Sevilla has seen that cycling has changed. “It’s exciting, fun and with a lot of young riders already competing in the big races. And they don’t wait as long as they used to. We’ve seen many attacks far from the finish, in a sport that has just turned towards technology and control. The improvisation of the riders is sometimes still lacking. But there is no doubt a lot of talent.”

Another year for Óscar Sevilla:

 

Iván Romeo: “I have been a big fan of Alejandro Valverde since childhood”
Iván Romeo, Spanish junior time trial and road champion, will ride next season with Hagens Berman Axeon. For the 18-year-old rider it was a conscious choice to choose the team of Axel Merckx.

“My manager suggested the option of this squad and I decided to accept the offer,” Romeo, who finished his stint as a junior at the MMR Cycling Academy, told EFE. “Although there are teams in Spain, I have decided to go there because I think it is the right team to develop young talents,” he explained.

The program of the young Spanish rider will mainly focus on Belgian and Dutch races. “Riding for this team means a lot to me. The structure of the squad is great. The first thing I have to do is adapt to the pro peloton and learn from my teammates. Of course I want to get great results, I will try, but I know it will be difficult. I want to gain experience and develop myself.”

The fact that João Almeida, sixth in the Giro d’Italia last season, and Tao Geoghegan Hart, who won the pink jersey in 2020, also have their roots at Hagens Berman Axeon, appeals to Romeo. “It tells me I’m in the right place, looking for my development and experience. The team has a good team philosophy and that is motivating. I look forward to continuing to improve myself.”

Romeo doesn’t know whether he is more of a time trialist or a climber. “That remains to be seen, at such a young age it is hard to say. We have to wait. I can defend myself in a time trial and in the mountains we will see how I do. I would like to see myself in the Grand Tours.” He admires his countryman Alejandro Valverde. “I have been a big fan of Alejandro since childhood. He is a reference point. I’ll see if I can race with him.”

Romeo does have a good relationship with Juan Ayuso, who turned pro at UAE Team Emirates last season. “He’s a good friend and a short-term reference. I’ve been racing with him for a long time. He’s a crack, he has a huge talent. Besides, he loves what he does. We are similar in that respect. With Carlos Rodríguez, Juan Ayuso, Javier Romo, Raúl García, Oier Lazkano and Marc Brustenga we have a good generation.”

Axel Merckx, team manager at Hagens Berman Axeon, is enthusiastic about his new addition for next season. “Iván is a very promising rider, the first Spaniard we have in our team. His two national championships last season show that he is capable of anything. He has huge potential and a great future. I hope he can become a super athlete. We are very happy to have him with us.”

Iván Romeo:

 

Tom Dumoulin Seventh Time Limburg Cyclist of the Year
Tom Dumoulin has been named Limburg cyclist of the year by the Club24. The rider from Maastricht won the silver Olympic medal in the time trial this year, and also Dutch TT champion. He was ahead of Mike Teunissen and Milan Vader in the election. Just like the record holders Frans Maassen and Bart Brentjens, Dumoulin has now been named Limburg’s best cyclist seven times.

Among the women, Sabrina Stultiens received more votes than Pien Limpens and Sophie van Bersword. De Meijelse finished fourth in the Classica San Sebastian and sixth in the Dutch Championships on the Vamberg. For the second time in a row, Stultiens has now been named best cyclist in Limburg. Scarlett Souren was chosen Rider of the Future ahead of Lars Rouffaer and Luuk Herben. The junior from Meerssen won several races and was third at the National Time Trial championships and sixth at the National Championships on the road.

Tom Dumoulin top Limburger:

 

Jonas Vingegaard Nominated for Danish athlete of the Year
Jonas Vingegaard, second in the 2021 Tour de France, has been nominated in his home country of Denmark for the title ‘Danish athlete of the year’. Vingegaard is part of a shortlist of ten athletes/teams.

Vingegaard is not the only cyclist to be considered for the prize. The Danish track pursuit team of Lasse Norman Hansen, Niklas Larsen, Frederik Rodenberg Madsen, Rasmus Lund Pedersen and Julius Johansen has also been nominated after winning a silver medal at the Tokyo Olympics. The track duo of Amalie Dideriksen and Julie Leth, silver in the Olympic madison are also possibles.

The other nominees are Viktor Axelsen (badminton), the Danish national football team, Tobias Thorning Jørgensen (paralympic rider), Emma Aastrand Jørgensen (sprint canoeist), the male handball team, Anne-Marie Rindom (sailing) and Jesper Hansen (clay pigeon shooting). The five final nominees will be announced shortly.

Last year the title ‘Danish athlete of the year’ went to the Danish pursuit team and in 2019 Mads Pedersen won after he became World road champion in Harrogate, UK.

Jonas Vingegaard:

 

Rein Taaramäe Voted Estonian Cyclist of the Year
Rein Taaramäe has been voted Estonian cyclist of the year. The 34-year-old Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert rider was awarded the prize last weekend, the Belgian team announced.

Taaramäe won a stage in the Vuelta a España in 2021 for the second time in his career. He was the best in the third stage to Picón Blanco and also grabbed the red leader’s jersey in the Spanish tour, but lost the jersey two days later. In addition he won the national time trial championship and finished third overall in the Tour of the Czech Republic.

Rein Taaramäe in Vuelta red:

 

UCI Cyclo-Cross Ranking
Last weekend’s cyclocross races have caused few changes in the top of the UCI cyclocross ranking. Eli Iserbyt, who returned with a 100% score from Merksplas and Koksijde, and Lucinda Brand remained in the lead.

In the men’s top-8, only Quinten Hermans, the new number three, and European champion Lars van der Haar, now fourth, changed places. Hermans gained a lot of points last weekend by finishing second in Merksplas and fourth in Koksijde. Van der Haar finished fifth in both crosses. Just outside the top-10, Kerry Werner made a nice jump after good performances in two C2 races in North Carolina. The American cyclo-cross rider is now thirteenth.

For the women, the top-8 order remained the same as a week ago, with European and world champion Lucinda Brand at the top. Shirin van Anrooij entered the top 10 after her fourth place in the Duinencross of Koksijde and is now ninth. Dutch champion Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado is now also in the top ten after finishing fifth in Merksplas and Koksijde. Hélène Clauzel and Marianne Vos fall outside the top-10 on the new position.

UCI cyclocross ranking men (after 23 November 2021):
1. Eli Iserbyt – 1946 points
2. Toon Aerts – 1596 points
3. Quinten Hermans – 1420 points
4. Lars van der Haar – 1392 points
5. Michael Vanthourenhout – 1145 points
6. Laurens Sweeck – 1047 points
7. Vincent Baestaens – 805 points
8. Daan Soete – 722 points
9. Corné van Kessel – 719 points
10. Ryan Kamp – 666 points.
21. Mathieu van der Poel – 400 points
30. Wout van Aert – 360 points
37. Tom Pidcock – 280 points.

UCI women’s cyclocross ranking (after update 23 November 2021):
1. Lucinda Brand – 1910 points
2. Denise Betsema – 1775 points
3. Annemarie Worst – 1254 points
4. Clara Honsinger – 1056 points
5. Puck Pieterse – 987 points
6. Yara Kastelijn – 973 points
7. Blanka Kata Vas – 860 points
8. Fem van Empel – 814 points
9. Shirin van Anrooij – 773 points
10. Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado – 724 points.

Good lead for Eli Iserbyt:

 

Omar Fraile and Gorka Izagirre Racing in Spanish Cyclo-Cross
Omar Fraile and Gorka Izagirre showed themselves last weekend in the cyclo-cross of the Basque Lezama. Both Astana Premier Tech riders are filling in their winter with a few cross races at national level. Izagirre finished eleventh on Sunday.

The win in Lezama went to Aitor Hernández, who was a professional with Euskaltel-Euskadi from 2006 to 2010. Behind him were professional cyclists such as Garikoitz Bravo (9th, Euskaltel-Euskadi), Gorka Izagirre (11th, Astana), Peio Goikoetxea (15th, Euskaltel-Euskadi) and Iñigo Elosegui (36th, Movistar). Omar Fraile didn’t finish.

The cyclo-cross in the Basque Country was not the only cross in Spain this weekend. On Sunday there was also a UCI C2 cross in Alcobendas, where Ismael Esteban and Lydia Pinto took the win.

Spanish road champ, Omar Fraile trying a bit of cyclo-cross:

 

Groves to Continue to Grow with GreenEDGE Cycling as he Signs on for 2022
After joining Team BikeExchange in October 2019, Kaden Groves quickly settled into the professional peloton and immediately began winning races. The 22-year-old claimed back-to-back Australian criterium championship titles, getting the 2020 and 2021 seasons off to flying starts, before picking up a selection of podium placings in sprint finishes over in Europe.

Team BikeExchange has enjoyed assisting the young Australian with his development, seeing him go from strength to strength and able to snatch his first European victory recently in September, winning the lung-busting 1.6km prologue at the UCI 2.2 Tour of Slovakia.

However, the Australian sprinter achieved less than he hoped for in 2021, suffering multiple setbacks due to injuries, but displayed great resilience and determination, an important trait which Team BikeExchange is pleased to be able to continue working with, as Groves re-signs for 2022.

Brent Copeland, General Manager on Groves: “We had no doubts in signing Kaden for another season. He has demonstrated throughout the year that he can compete in every sprint finish that he is in. He has been missing that last centimetre to achieve what he deserved during this season, but he is young, and we are sure there is a lot of room for improvement, and we will help him on his route to become one of the best sprinters in the peloton. We really count on him and his continuous development.”

Kaden Groves: “I’m really excited to extend my contract for one more season with Team BikeExchange, I’m motivated to start next year with the momentum I have from these last few races where I have had a victory and been close to some wins. This year has been particularly tough for me for many different reasons and I’m keen to put it behind me. The team has had my back and supported me the whole way through my injuries and especially my coach Ben Day and teammates, so I never wanted to leave.”

Kaden Groves:
Date of Birth: 23rd December 1998 (22)
Nationality: Australian
Joined GreenEDGE Cycling: 2019 (October)
New Contract: 2022

Top Results:
2021 1st Tour of Slovakia – Prologue
2021 1st Australian Criterium Championships
2020 1st Herald Sun Tour Stage 3 & 5
2020 1st Australian Criterium Championships.

 

Jasper De Buyst Extends Contract Until the End of 2024
Lotto Soudal rider Jasper De Buyst, still under contract until the end of 2022, has signed a new agreement which will see him stay at the team until the end of 2024. That way De Buyst, who celebrates his 28th birthday today, will be part of the team for ten seasons. In recent years, the Belgian has played a crucial part in the sprint train as lead-out of Caleb Ewan, but in the past Jasper also took home some nice victories himself like Binche-Chimay-Binche and a stage victory at the Tour of Denmark and Tour de Wallonie. Last weekend, De Buyst and teammate Roger Kluge finished runner-up at the Lotto Six Days Flanders-Gent.

“This contract extension is a sign of mutual trust and respect and of course I am very happy with that”, said Jasper De Buyst. “At the end of this new contract, I will have been riding at the team for ten seasons, which is rather an exception in cycling. I think this says a lot about our nice collaboration during the past seven years. Lotto Soudal has become a real home and even though I am still 28, it feels like I am already part of the most experienced riders within the team.”

Also Lotto Soudal’s General Manager John Lelangue, is happy that Jasper De Buyst is staying at the team for at least three more seasons. “Like in 2019, we extend Jasper his contract for the same length of time as Caleb Ewan’s. Jasper has been part of Lotto Soudal for seven years now and it was a priority to keep him on board. As one of the main guys in Caleb’s sprint train, Jasper has contributed to many victories and I am sure there are many more to follow in the coming years. In addition, we have signed some reinforcements for the sprint train with the likes of Jarrad Drizners, Michael Schwarzmann and Rüdiger Selig. We’ve done this to give riders like Jasper De Buyst a bit more freedom and a chance to pursue their own results as well. Jasper has already won some nice races in the past and also in one-day races such as the spring Classics, he is a real asset to the team.”

Jasper De Buyst already looks ahead to the next few years at Lotto Soudal. “Of course, I will still give my all at the service of our sprinters the coming years. I’ve put aside my personal ambitions for several years now so it will be something of a test to try and go for some own results. In any case, it would be nice to be able to do a bit of both. Of course, I would like to win a few more races. Besides, at 28 I’m already considered as a road captain within the team, so I definitely feel like passing on my experience to the younger generation”, concludes Jasper De Buyst.

Jasper De Buyst:

 

New Zealand Champion Williams Signs on for Her Sixth Season with Team BikeExchange
Multiple New Zealand Champion Georgia Williams has signed on for the 2022 season with Team BikeExchange, her sixth year with the Australian outfit.

The versatile rider is a Commonwealth Games Road Race silver medallist and brings an abundance of strength and experience to the squad, an important ingredient for the team during the lengthy WorldTour season.

After set-backs over the past couple of seasons with various injuries and illnesses, Team BikeExchange are confident that Williams can make it back to her best level and enjoy an uninterrupted season.

Brent Copeland, General Manager on Williams: “Next year will be the sixth season for Georgia, she is one of the veterans of the women’s team now and we really count on her support on and off the bike. With all the changes we are going through next season, with many new riders joining Team BikeExchange, she will play an important role in showing the spirit of the team and way we work. We have confidence that we can truly rely on Georgia in many races throughout the year, it is great she will continue with us for 2022.”

Georgia Williams: “I’m just as excited for this next season with the team as I was in my first, and I’m motivated to make the next one my best yet. I was happy with the first half of my season this year but then I had some bad luck during the last few months. I am hoping to come back stronger and looking forward to my pre-season build. It’s exciting to be racing with new riders in 2022 which will mean slightly different race tactics for us and I think they will all be a great addition to the team and will lift us up to another level.”

Georgia Williams
Date of birth: 25th August 1993 (28)
Nationality: New Zealander
Joined Team BikeExchange: 2017
New Contract: 2022

Top Results:
1st 2018 & 2021 New Zealand Road Race Champion
1st 2018, 2018 & 2021 New Zealand Time Trial Champion
2nd 2018 Commonwealth Games Road Race
3rd 2018 Women’s Herald Sun Tour – stage 2 TT
4th 2018 Emakumeen Bira – Overall
4th 2018 Tour de Guangxi
5th 2018 Women Herald Sun Tour – Overall.

 

Raymond Kreder to Stay with Team UKYO
Raymond Kreder will ride for the Japanese Team UKYO in 2022. The 31-year-old Dutchman, who has raced for Garmin Sharp and Roompot-Nederlandse Loterij in the past, has been racing for the continental team since 2018.

Kreder announced via Instagram that he has extended his contract. The experienced Dutchman hopes to be able to travel to Japan again next year, to race as much as possible for his team. Kreder has been unable to race in Asia for two years since the outbreak of the corona pandemic. Kreder had to ride the smaller races and criteriums in the Netherlands this year.

Pre-corona Kreder was very successful for his Japanese team. In 2018 he won three races and the points jersey in the Tour of Hainan and in 2019 he was crowned the overall winner of the Tour de Tochigi. That year he also won a stage in the Tour of Japan, a stage in the Tour of Korea and was successful in the Tour de Hokkaido. Kreder’s honours list also includes victories in the Tour de l’Ain, Tour of Norway and Garmin Velothon Berlin.

Raymond Kreder:

 

New recruits, Extensions and Promotions for Team DSM with Joost Brinkman, Tim Naberman, Martijn Tusveld and Sam Welsford
Team DSM further strengthen across the board in two of their program’s with today’s announcement. Development Team DSM recruit Joost Brinkman as of next year, and after three great seasons in the Development program, Tim Naberman is now the twelfth rider to be promoted to the Men’s program. He will be joined by the experienced Martijn Tusveld who extends with the team, alongside new Australian rider Sam Welsford. Tusveld is contracted for 2022, with Brinkman, Naberman and Welsford all to wear the team’s jersey through 2023.

Joost Brinkman (NED)
A multi-discipline cyclist in his formative and junior years, Brinkman has competed on the road, cyclocross and mountain bike to multiple successes and strong results. A gold medallist in the Dutch junior mountain bike championships, Brinkman also has impressive results in cyclocross including a fifth place over the sand at Zonhoven as a first-year junior. 2021 has seen Brinkman focus more on the road where he’s taken several strong top tens; with a ninth and fifth place on GC at Ronde des Vallées Juniors and Course de la Paix Juniors respectively; finishing second on stage two in the latter. The powerfully built Dutchman’s season highlight came at the GP Bob Jungels where over the punchy and challenging course, he sprinted to an excellent win.

Brinkman said: “I want to join Team DSM to have a head start in my cycling career as an U23 rider. I’ve had a pretty good season as a junior and really wanted a team that could help me develop in all the segments of the sport; both physically and mentally. Team DSM really gave me a great vibe as a very professional team with a strong Development program. I think it’s a great place to get the most out of myself as a rider. I had great fun meeting both staff and riders at team meeting and I’m already really looking forward to the first races with this amazing group next year.”

Team DSM head of coaching Rudi Kemna added: “Joost is a powerful and strong rider, who’s shown some great results in different disciplines as he’s progressed through the ranks and into the juniors. With his cyclocross and mountain bike background his handling and skill on the bike is at a good level and that’s something valuable. Despite this experience, we will give Joost the chance to develop in a complete way and not focus on only one discipline and with our team of experts and specialists, combined with his ambitious attitude, we feel that he is in the right place to do just that.”

Tim Naberman (NED)
After three good years with Development Team DSM, Naberman continues his journey with the team in 2022 as he makes the step up to the Men’s program. A strong rouleur and baroudeur, Naberman’s great attitude sees him fit in with the team well, often selflessly working on the front of the peloton to help the team’s finishers or going on the attack in breakaway days. Learning a lot from his time riding alongside the Men’s program riders already in tough Pro level races, Naberman aims to use that experience going forward with the team in the coming years.

Naberman expressed: “I am super happy to extend my contract with Team DSM and make the step up to the Men’s program – it’s a dream come true. I really like working with the team and the atmosphere we have here; I feel that we can be honest to each other and are treated equally. This makes it a pleasure to work with the team and makes me really feel at home. Coming into this season we made the plan to focus more on captainship, something that I really like and get a lot of pleasure from. My goal is to become a rider who is important in the difficult moments, in and outside of the races. This is something I want to keep on developing during my next years with the team. I want to make the next step in my development and be a rider that they can really count on – on and off the bike.”

Team DSM head of coaching Rudi Kemna continued: “Tim continues to make steps with the team each year. He’s vocal within the group at a race, both on and off the bike, and he can read race situations well which alongside his character makes him a good captain. We want to build on the foundations we’ve made with Tim and push his development to the next level as he makes the step up to the WorldTour with our Men’s program.”

Martijn Tusveld (NED)
Joining Team DSM in 2018, Tusveld has spent four good years with the team so far where his all-round capabilities have shown through; both in support of the team’s finishers or when he’s been the rider to go for a result. Strong-willed and determined, Tusveld fought back after a tough crash in Paris-Nice 2019, before going on to help the team claim a top ten finish in the Vuelta that year alongside a solid tenth on GC himself at the Tour of Guangxi. 2020 saw Tusveld’s development continue where he played an important part in the team’s double GC podium finish at the Giro d’Italia, and that trajectory continued in 2021 with more strong rides in support at the Vuelta a España, plus the KOM jersey win at Tour des Alpes Maritimes et du Var.

Tusveld said: “I had some really good, open discussions with the team this year about my role and how we work together, so I am confident that we’re in a really good place to move forward together. Every single person in the team knows what to do and what their role is, so everything works smoothly both in and outside of the races. Personally, I just want to keep racing a lot and try to develop further as one of the more experienced riders within the team, so that I can help the younger talents in their development too.”

Team DSM coach Rudi Kemna added: “Martijn has been with us now for four years and he’s developed into a strong all-rounder, making step-by-step progressions. We had some open and honest discussions earlier in the year about how we are working together and made a good plan with each other going forward. I think Martijn showed that with his strong showing at the Vuelta, we’re continuing to make those steps. He also has a resilient character and is someone that gives his all, which is something that we really appreciate as a team. We’re looking forward to carrying on working with Martijn and help him develop even further as an athlete and person.”

Sam Welsford (AUS)
Combining track and road in recent years, 25-year-old Welsford has tasted success in both disciplines throughout his career so far. The 2020 Australian criterium champion has taken several wins and strong results while racing Down Under, alongside other great results in kermesses during his brief stints racing in Europe. It is on the boards where Welsford has been the most prodigious though, adorning the rainbow bands after success in the men’s team pursuit at the 2016, 2017 and 2019 track world championships: with the Australian also winning the scratch race in 2019 too. Looking ahead to his first season with Team DSM, Welsford will switch his focus fully to road racing.

Welsford said: “I’m really happy to be joining Team DSM for 2022. Team DSM is a team that are known for developing riders to a really high level and I can’t wait to work with all the driven staff and riders. Next year will be about learning the ins and out of the WorldTour sprints but hopefully I can learn quickly and help the team to achieve some nice results along the way.”

Team DSM head of coaching Rudi Kemna continued: “Sam has spent a lot of time racing on the track and he brings that power and experience with him as he makes the switch to full-time road racing with us. Motivated and driven, we think Sam will fit in well with our way of working and we’re looking forward to working closely with him and our team of experts as we aim to help him make the next step and bring him to the next level. Combining the disciplines in the past, Sam has built up some really good skills with positioning and tactics and he’ll bring that added value to our sprint group within the team as we aim for more success next season.”

 

Žigart Keen to Build on debut Team BikeExchange Campaign With New Deal
Former Slovenian time trial champion Urška Žigart has signed on for another season with Team BikeExchange after a successful debut season in 2021.

The 24-year-old soloed to victory on stage four of the Vuelta Comunitat Valenciana Feminas in May, her debut victory for the team, and has continued to develop as a WorldTour rider in her first season as part of the Australian outfit.

2022 will provide another opportunity for the Slovenian rider to build on her climbing talents in the biggest races on the calendar.

Brent Copeland, General Manager on Žigart: “We are happy to have Urška with us for the upcoming season, we have believed in her since we first signed her, and she has proven to everyone that we made the right choice. She achieved a great victory at this year’s Vuelta Comunitat Valenciana Feminas and she has been racing at high level throughout the entire season in WorldTour races and honestly, I feel she can still improve a lot. With her determination, hard work and love for our sport, I don’t think we will be disappointed by her.”

Urška Žigart: “I’m very proud and happy to renew my contract with Team BikeExchange for another year. It’s been a year full of new experiences, which I’ll never forget, especially my first international win in Valenciana. Coming here to Team BikeExchange was like coming into the wild, because I didn’t know anybody, how the team worked or how I’d fit in, but I was pleasantly surprised by everything. I’ve learned so much this year, on and off the bike. It helped me improve in so many aspects and I’m looking forward to keeping on working and carrying the momentum into next year.

Everybody in the team helps me to bring out the best in myself and helps me with my weaknesses and I feel like I’ve found my place here. I love how encouraging everybody is, hardworking and professional, but also family-like and we all just enjoy what we do. Next year, there are quite a lot of changes coming, both new people and new sponsors who are bringing some freshness into the team. I can’t wait for 2022 and to see what we can achieve.”

Urška Žigart
Date of Birth: 4th December 1996 (24)
Nationality: Slovenian
Joined GreenEDGE Cycling: 2021
New Contract: 2022

Top Results:
1st 2021 Vuelta Comunitat Valenciana Feminas – Stage 4
1st 2020 Slovenia Time Trial Championships

 

2022 TotalEnergies Team is Complete
That TotalEnergies strengthened their team with Juraj Sagan and extended Niki Terpstra’s contract has been known for a while, but has now been officially confirmed by the team. The ProTeam is now ready for next season and will start the new year with 26 riders.

According to sports director Benoît Genauzeau, Team TotalEnergies will have a “balanced group that must be able to show itself in different races” in 2022. “It is true that the classic squad with Peter Sagan and Anthony Turgis has a very interesting line-up. Our leaders get the chance to be surrounded by very valuable teammates. After the traditional end-of-year conversation, we have laid the foundations for next season with the riders. Niccolò Bonifazio faces a big task in the sprints. Pierre Latour is expected in stage races.”

Genauzeau is also looking forward to the achievements of his own youth. “It is time for riders like Mathieu Burgaudeau, Valentin Ferron and Fabien Grellier to stand up. They showed us at the end of 2021 that we could count on them. We also plan to start next season with Sandy Dujardin and Alan Jousseaume, who recently signed their first contracts as pros.”

Will we see a rejuvenated Niki Terpstra?

 

Astana Qazaqstan Development Team Presents its 2022 Roster
The UCI Continental Astana Qazaqstan Development Team, the development project of the UCI WorldTour Astana Qazaqstan Team, is happy to present its roster for the debut cycling season of 2022.

Ten riders, five from Kazakhstan and five from Italy, Ecuador, Colombia, France and Latvia, will complete the team line-up in the upcoming season.

“I think that we have managed to gather an optimal and well-balanced roster of young riders, most of whom already have important experience in junior and U23 races on the highest level. Half of the team are talented Kazakh guys who have achieved high results both at the national level and in Asia and Europe. These riders will get our priority. However, positioning this team as the main tactical reserve for Astana Qazaqstan Team, our WorldTour team, we are obliged to think more broadly, looking for young and promising riders not only in Kazakhstan, but also around the world. So, we are pursuing two goals at once: to create a strong and competitive team that will be able to fight for the high results in prestigious European races, and to reveal the potential of young riders who will have a chance to move forward to the WorldTour level, becoming a part of the main Kazakh cycling team. I welcome all the guys to our development project and hope that the debut season will be a successful one,” said Alexandr Vinokurov, General Manager of Astana Qazaqstan Team.

Team roster:
Daniil Pronskiy, Kazakhstan, 21 years old. Junior Kazakhstan road race champion (2018), Junior Asian ITT champion (2018), winner of Grand Prix Velo Alanya (2020), third at Belgrade Banjaluka (2020).

Orken Slamzhanov, Kazakhstan, 20 years old. Third in the road race of the Junior Asian Cycling Championships (2019), third in the road race of the U23 Kazakhstan National Championships (2021).

Nicolas Vinokurov, Kazakhstan, 19 years old. Second in the road race of the Junior Kazakhstan National Championships (2019), 8th in the road race of the U23 Kazakhstan National Championships (2021), winner of Tour de la Region Sud PACA Junior (2020), second at Tour du Gevaudan Occitanie (2020), second at Vuelta a Talavera Junior (2020).

Alexander Vinokurov jr., Kazakhstan, 19 years old. 7th at Vuelta a Talavera Junior (2020), 10th in the individual time trial of the U23 Kazakhstan National Championships (2021).

Andrey Remkhe, Kazakhstan, 18 years old. Junior Kazakhstan ITT champion (2021), second in the road race of the Junior Kazakhstan National Championships (2021), winner of Kayseri Junior Race and Velo Erciyes Junior Race (2021).

Harold Martin Lopez, Ecuador, 20 years old. U23 Ecuador ITT champion (2021), second in the road race of the U23 Ecuador National Championships (2021), stage winner at Vuelta Ciclista Internacional a Costa Rica (2019), stages winner at Vuelta a Guatemala (2020), third at Vuelta al Ecuador (2020).

Juan Carlos Lopez, Colombia, 20 years old. 8th at Vuelta a Colombia U23 (2021), 5th at Vuelta del Porvenir (2019).

Gianmarco Garofoli, Italy, 19 years old. Second at Giro Ciclistico della Valle d’Aosta – Mont Blanc (2021), Junior Italian road race champion (2019), winner of Trofeo Buffoni (2019).

Pablo Sanchez, France, 19 years old. Third at GP de la Saint-Romain (2021), third at Vuelta a la Subbetica (2020), third at Tour du Gevaudan Occitanie (2020).

Matiss Kalverss, Latvia, 18 years old. Junior Latvian road race and ITT champion (2021).

From February 1st Italian cyclo-cross specialist Davide Toneatti will also join the team.

Davide Toneatti, Italy, 20 years old. Second (2020) and third (2021) at the U23 Italian cyclo-cross Championships, winner of Brugherio cyclo-cross race (2021).

 

Six Days of Rotterdam is Canceled Again this Year
For the second year in a row, the Wooning Zesdaagse van Rotterdam, which was to be run from December 7-12, 2021 in the Ahoy stadium, has been canceled. The current corona measures in the Netherlands make it impossible to organise a sports event with the public.

According to the current corona measures, which have been announced to reduce the high number of corona infections and to prevent further overload in the hospitals, no spectators are allowed to be present at sports events. Officially, those rules apply until Saturday 4 December, but an extension of those measures is taken into account. In that case, the Wooning Zesdaagse would have to do without an audience.

“After the announced measures, we re-examined all possible scenarios. Due to the current measures, we are just not allowed to organise the event and how that will be after December 4 is still highly uncertain. That is why we had to decide to cancel the event. The construction of the event will start in a week and a half, we can’t wait any longer. Visitors, partners and sponsors then remain in uncertainty for too long,” explained Erika Bronkhorst, Manager Events Rotterdam Ahoy.

Preparations for the Wooning Six Days were already in full swing. Bronkhorst: “This feels like a slap in the face, because until two weeks ago there was no question of canceling the event. We went for it and we’re really looking forward to it. A nice edition was planned. Unfortunately, a full and responsible edition of the Wooning Six Days cannot take place this year. But we are now looking ahead to 2022, where we will continue these ambitions.”

The last edition of the Six Days of Rotterdam was won in early 2020 by Wim Stroetinga and Yoeri Havik. Last winter (2020-2021), the organisers had been given a different place on the calendar, at the end of November, but that edition was also canceled due to the corona crisis. Tickets for the Wooning Zesdaagse 2021 that have already been purchased will remain valid for the same days in 2022. The Wooning Six Days will then take place from Tuesday 6 to Sunday 11 December.

The cancellation of the Wooning Zesdaagse means bad news for the European champions Yoeri Havik and Jan-Willem van Schip, who had already been announced. For Kenny De Ketele his career is now officially over. The Belgian, who won the Six Days of Gent last weekend, should have ended his career in Rotterdam as a partner of Niki Terpstra.

Yoeri Havik and Wim Stroetinga in the Zesdaagse van Rotterdam 2020:

 

Nokere Koerse: Equal Prize Money for Men and Women
The organisers of the Danilith Nokere Koerse has decided to equal the prize money for men and women. For the women, this means more than a tripling of prize money. This makes Nokere Koerse also the one-day race with the largest prize pool in worldwide women’s cycling.

Chairman Robrecht Bothuyne wants to make a statement. “For our men’s race, the UCI sets a prize pool of 18,800 euros. That is 3.5 times more than for women (5,130 euros). However, women’s cycling is becoming increasingly important. The gap with the men when it comes to prize money must therefore disappear. Together with the municipality of Kruisem, of which the arrival place Nokere is a sub-municipality, we are now increasing the prize money for the women to the level of the men.”

“In addition, there is also our Pur Natur mountain prize of 1,500 euros, which has been the same for men and women for several years now. In this way we arrive at a prize pool of a total of 20,300 euros per game”, says Bothuyne. “This makes Danilith Nokere Koerse the one-day race with the highest prize money in women’s cycling. We also link our candidacy for the Women’s WorldTour to this.”

Gil Steyvers, the race director of Nokere Koerse for women, adds. “As a Women’s ProSeries competition, we already pay a decent starting fee to the participating teams. It is a multiple of what teams get in lower categorised competitions and is also close to the starting money for the men’s teams. Now we are going one step further in closing the financial gap by rewarding women equally for their achievements.”

“We hope that the top teams and top riders will appreciate this and will also be at the start in Deinze on March 16. In this way we also want to strengthen our candidacy for the UCI Women’s WorldTour. We are convinced that our competition there can be of added value in sporting terms, in terms of appearance and therefore also financially. So we hope that the UCI will approve our candidacy for 2023.”

The next edition of Danilith Nokere Koerse, with start in Deinze and finish on Nokereberg, will take place for both men and women on Wednesday, March 16, 2022.

Amy Pieters (SD Worx) winner of the Danilith Nokere Koerse 2021:

 

Tour of Flanders for U23 Not on the Calendar
The Tour of Flanders for U23 is no longer on the race calendar, so writes DirectVélo and has been confirmed by organiser, Flanders Classics. Due to the disappearance of the one-day race, the Dane Andreas Stokbro will be the last winner after his victory in 2019. The race has been canceled for the past two seasons due to the corona pandemic.

The Tour of Flanders for U23 has been held since 1996, as the successor to the Tour of Flanders for amateurs, and was usually on the calendar a week after the professional race. The U23 version had already dropped one category from the UCI Nations Cup U23 competition to 1.2U but has now completely ceased to exist, due to the date, the difficulties with the city of Oudenaarde (start and finish) and the fact that young riders now skip the U23 category.

“The date is bad,” said race director Wim Van Herreweghe of Flanders Classics to DirectVélo. “It falls simultaneously with Paris-Roubaix. And it is difficult for the city of Oudenaarde to organise two major events in two weeks. We are aware that more and more juniors are skipping the U23 category. We do, however, hold the Cat Race in the Nations Cup U23 competition and Omloop Het Nieuwsblad in the U23 Road Series.”

No Flanders for the U23s:

 

Tour of the Alps Joins the AIOCC Family
The international association of cycling organisers has welcomed the Italian UCI Pro Series stage race as a new member at the General Assembly held in Paris.

The AIOCC General Assembly took place on November 19th in Paris, with the attendance of 85 cycling events’ organisers and 8 more following the discussions by video conference. Represented by the General Manager Maurizio Evangelista at the assembly, the Tour of the Alps (UCI Pro Series stage race) powered by GS Alto Garda has officially joined the cycling organisers’ international family as a new member.

A new Board of Directors was elected which appointed Christian Prudhomme to chair it for the next four years. After the last two seasons marked by the Covid-19 pandemic and the many difficulties encountered by the organisers, the participants were able to discuss the main subjects introduced by the AIOCC such as safety, respect for the environment, and women’s cycling development.

“I am proud of the confidence placed in me once again by the members of AIOCC, which is the voice of the organisers. We will continue with strength and conviction to do the work that we have carried out for several years to better explain the job of the organisers, which is varied and not limited to the sporting aspect,” AIOCC President Christian Prudhomme argued. “I strongly believe in the cycling pyramid. You need a wide base. We have the will with the new Board of Directors to do more for the races of the other members to support them, encourage them, and answer their questions.”

Tour of the Alps part of AIOCC:

 

La Tropicale Amissa Bongo Postponed Again Due to Covid
La Tropicale Amissa Bongo (Tour of Gabon), has been canceled on its scheduled dates in January. The organisers of the stage race announced on its website.

Due to tightened corona measures by the Gabonese government, the organisers were forced to cancel the stage race. The tour was on the UCI calendar for January 17-23. As soon as the health situation allows, the organisers will look at new dates for the event.

Also last season, La Tropicale Amissa Bongo was initially postponed, but in the end, the tour was not run. Jordan Levasseur was the last winner in 2020.

La Tropicale Amissa Bongo 2019 stage 3 – Biniyam Ghirmay:

 

The Giro d’Italia Trofeo Senza Fine and 3 Historic Maglie Rosa on Display at the Italy Pavilion of EXPO 2020 Dubai
On Tuesday, at the Italy Pavilion of Expo 2020 Dubai, the Trofeo Senza Fine of the 100th edition of the Giro d’Italia was exhibited together with three historic Maglie Rosa: those of Fiorenzi Magni (1955), Eddy Merckx (1968) and Francesco Moser (1984), belonging to the Giro d’Italia collection of the Ghisallo Museum.

The exhibition inside the Italy Pavilion of Expo 2020 Dubai coincides with the ‘Italian Sports Day’ exhibition set up for the day dedicated to the world of sport.

 

Many Thanks From the Paul Sherwen Project

Dear Friends,
I use the word friend in the widest possible way. So many people, most of whom I have never met, have come together to express their love and appreciation for a man who touched them. Maybe it was a brief experience at a cycling race where Paul, along with Phil, was always available for a selfie; perhaps it was a once-a-year, summer ritual that pulled you in front of the television with family or friends to watch the Tour de France. No matter how you met Paul, we’re happy he touched your heart.

As many of us resume gathering with family and friends this Thanksgiving and Holiday Season to appreciate what is good and whole in our lives, I would like to express gratefulness from myself and Paul’s children and the group of loving volunteers at the Paul Sherwen Project for your contribution to a wonderful endeavour taking place many miles from your home.

In the land called Karamoja, one of the most unique places on earth, a humble school is being built that is bringing hope to the lives of young women and their families by instructing them in the simple tasks of tailoring, hairdressing, and housekeeping. These modest skills will change lives. Your contribution will ensure this.

With gratitude and thanksgiving,

Katherine Love Sherwen

I believe in Paul

My $5,000 donation is a matching challenge and depends on you this Giving Tuesday.

My friendship with Paul started in 1991 when I was filming a documentary about America’s most prominent professional cycling team, Motorola. Paul was the press officer for the team and granted us unlimited access to behind-the-scenes, which fans love. Over the next 25 years, Paul was my “talent” and commentator for the cycling videos I produced of the Spring Classics and the Tour de France.

It was a great gig and we became great friends, enjoying long days at the races interviewing cyclists and long, wonderful dinners laughing and talking over a few bottles of wine. Of course, Phil Liggett was there as well. These two guys were the maestros of world cycling and were, for the record, the greatest commentating team ever. But away from the commentary booth, they morphed into the comedy team of Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis, along with a giant dose of Monty Python.

I look back at these times and realise that they were some of the happiest moments of my life. Paul was an immensely gifted person, a loyal friend, a passionate cyclist and commentator, and a loving family man. Away from cycling, Paul was a successful entrepreneur involved in mining, energy, and logistics, always championing his beloved Uganda.

It was an honour to be his friend. Like thousands of others, I miss him very much. I have found a way to channel that feeling by supporting his legacy that lives on in the Paul Sherwen Project.

I believe in Paul and his good intentions to help skill the people of Karamoja. When you donate this Giving Tuesday, know that I will match it, dollar for dollar, up to $5,000. This is my challenge to you, let’s meet this goal and help complete the Matany Girls’ Vocational School that meant so much to Paul.

Hey Paul, I hope we meet again.

Your friend, Tim

Did you know that thousands of companies match donations made by their employees to organisations like ours? Please contact your HR Department to see if your company will match your past or upcoming gift to the Paul Sherwen Project! Or contact us at (email) if you need additional information. 

Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram or visit our website, www.paulsherwenproject.com

From the Desk of Florence Naduk
Founder & Head of Matany Girls’ Vocational School
From the bottom of my heart and on behalf of the Board of Matany Girls’ Vocational School (MGVS), I would like to sincerely extend our heartfelt gratitude to you, the donors as well as the leadership of the Paul Sherwen Project, for your grace in taking up the mantel to help us construct our workshop building. When my friend, the late Paul Sherwen, visited the initial building stages of the Matany Girls’ Vocational School in 2018 he saw the need to support my plans for a school where girls from very poor, weak, and vulnerable backgrounds could learn hands-on skills here in their unique and traditional home area of Karamoja.

In 2020, we opened up to our first session with 15 girls from the mineral rich area of Uganda where children, particularly young girls, were being forced to work in the mines. MGVS would be their alternative to a better life. In the middle of our second session, the catastrophe of covid almost disrupted our plans but after a plea to the District Official we were given approval to keep the girls at school to continue their education. A most joyous occasion!

 

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