EUROTRASH Thursday: Sanremo Build-Up and Everything Else!

What do we know?

By Alastair Hamilton On Mar 16, 2023

The ‘training races’ are over and the first Monument is this Saturday – Milano-Sanremo. We have the team line-ups and all the talk from La Primavera. Plus race reports from the Danilith Nokere Koerse and Milano-Torino with video.

Christian Prudhomme wants Remco Evenepoel in the Tour – TOP STORY.

Rider news: Vincenzo Nibali talks Milan-Sanremo, no Tom Pidcock in Milano-Sanremo, Michael Matthews tests positive for covid, Jasper Philipsen thinking of winning in Sanremo, Arnaud De Lie talks about collaboration with Caleb Ewan, Julian Alaphilippe impressed by Wout van Aert, Juan Ayuso must be patient with his recovery, Egan Bernal back for the Volta a Catalunya, Remco Evenepoel takes Strava KOMs on Tenerife, Antonio Tiberi might lose place with Trek-Segafredo and Michal Kwiatkowski becomes a father.

Team news: The next races, including Milano-Sanremo, for Soudal Quick-Step, Bahrain Victorious, EF Education-EasyPost, UAE Team Emirates, AG2R Citroën, DSM and Canyon//SRAM and Silicon Valley Bank bankruptcy problems for women’s EF team.

Race news: Tour 2024 tough final weekend.

Thursday EUROTRASH coffee time.

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TOP STORY: Christian Prudhomme: “A Tour with Evenepoel Gets Even More Flavour”
Remco Evenepoel is expected to make his debut in the Tour de France in 2024. ASO presented the final stages in detail on Monday, with a mountain stage on the last Saturday and a final time trial to Nice. Surely this must have pleased Evenepoel.

Tour boss Christian Prudhomme spoke with Het Nieuwsblad and made no secret of his hope to have the reigning World champion at the start of the French Grand Tour in 2024. “We would be absolutely delighted if Remco Evenepoel starts the Tour in Florence next year. Of course, the Tour with Remco at the start would have even more flavour.”

“I also note that next year the current World champion will be the same age as Eddy Merckx in 1969. Eddy was also then 24 years old… (when he won his first Tour). We really hope that he starts in Florence. We would be very happy. We are waiting for him,” concluded Prudhomme.

With a mountain stage over four tough climbs and a time trial over La Turbie and the Col d’Èze, it promises to be a very tough final weekend. The Tour will end next year, for the first time since 1989, with a time trial. “Of course we hope for a repeat of the events of 1968 (between Herman Van Springel and Jan Janssen) or of 1989 (Laurent Fignon lost to LeMond by 8 seconds).” said Prudhomme. “Or maybe something similar will happen as in the 2020 Tour. Then Primož Roglič was ridden out of yellow by his younger compatriot Tadej Pogačar in a time trial on La Planche des Belles Filles.”

Evenepoel swapping red for yellow?

Danilith Nokere Koerse – Men 2023
Tim Merlier won the Danilith Nokere Koerse for the second year in a row on Wednesday. At the end of 195 kilometres of racing, the Belgian champion of Soudal Quick-Step was the fastest sprinter in a crash filled final.

Early in the race, Alberto Dainese, the Italian DSM sprinter, crashed and had to be taken to hospital. Soon after, a break of six formed. They were: Etienne van Empel (Corratec), Alex Colman (Team Flanders-Baloise), former winner Ludovic Robeet (Bingoal WB), Jonas Geens (Tarteletto-Isorex), Adam de Vos (Human Powered Health) and Rory Townsend (Bolton Equities Black Spoke). They were joined by Enekoitz Azparren (Euskaltel-Euskaltel).

The break had a lead of 2 minutes on the peloton, where DSM and Soudal Quick-Step were working. In the final, the riders had four local circuits of 28.1 kilometres, including the cobbles of the Lange Ast and the final climb to Nokereberg (350m at 5.7%). Alpecin-Deceuninck then joined in the pursuit of the leading group, where Colman had dropped out due to a mechanical and Van Empel, who couldn’t hang on, 45 kilometres from the finish. The peloton was close to the early escapees. Tom De Vriendt and then Sep Vanmarcke attacked. Vanmarcke pulled the peloton into a thin line, but couldn’t get away. Arjen Livyns did escape, but the peloton quickly pulled him back. A general regrouping followed, just before the last local circuit was started.

The race then split due to Lotto Dstny. It was Jasper De Buyst who took a 20 second lead. The sprinter’s teams regrouped and caught De Buyst on the Lange Ast. Shortly after that cobbled section there was no organisation and Sam Watson (Groupama-FDJ) took advantage and got away. The British rider got 20 seconds, but was caught by Florian Vermeersch at 5 kilometres from the finish. The Belgian took Vanmarcke and Laurance Pithie with him. Lindsay De Vylder was also present, but dropped out due to a puncture. The three took 7 seconds on a peloton that had thinned out considerably after a crash involving Campenaerts. In the peloton, co-operation was difficult to get going, because there were more crashes. Vermeersch, Vanmarcke and Pithie started the last kilometre with a 5 second lead, which was not enough to make it to the finish line. The sprinters came up at full speed. Tim Merlier was taken to the front by Bert Van Lerberghe and was the first to start Nokereberg. The Belgian champion kept up his effort to the finish line, ahead of Edward Theuns (Trek-Segafredo) and Milan Menten (Lotto Dstny).

Race winner, Tim Merlier (Soudal Quick-Step): “This is my home race, so to win it for the second time feels great and makes me very proud. The race, and especially the finale, was hectic, with a lot of attacks, but the team did a great job the entire day. Bert was so strong that he still had enough to launch me after closing out that last dangerous attack. It’s difficult even to describe the amazing work he did in the closing kilometres. All I can say is that I am happy I could finish it off.”

2nd, Edward Theuns (Trek-Segafredo): “I knew it was going to be difficult to beat Tim. I was a bit too big (geared) in the sprint. Shifting gears on cobblestones isn’t easy, so that wasn’t an option. Tim has a great power sprint, it’s very difficult to get past him. Of course I was hoping he would stop, but finishing second was the highest possible. I am happy that I was able to get close and reward the team with a second place.”

3rd, Milan Menten (Lotto Dstny): “I really need to thank our sports director Nikolas Maes for the race plan, which really was in my favour today. We wanted to put fatigue in the legs of the fast sprinters. That succeeded with first Victor Campenaerts, then Jasper De Buyst and in the final Florian Vermeersch. I still tried to slow things down for Florian, because I really wanted him to make it. When he got caught in the final metres, it was up to me to sprint. I started my season really well with the victory in Le Samyn. This gives confidence, both to myself and the team. We did another solid race as a team today. The atmosphere in the team is really good and everyone is on a good shape. This is only promising for the upcoming Classics.”

Danilith Nokere Koerse – Men Result:
1. Tim Merlier (Bel) Soudal Quick-Step in 4:19:14
2. Edward Theuns (Bel) Trek-Segafredo
3. Milan Menten (Bel) Lotto Dstny at 0:03
4. Timo Kielich (Bel) Alpecin-Deceuninck
5. Lewis Askey (GB) Groupama-FDJ
6. Sep Vanmarcke (Bel) Israel-Premier Tech
7. Louis Blouwe (Bel) Bingoal WB
8. Laurence Pithie NZ) Groupama-FDJ
9. Christophe Noppe (Bel) Cofidis
10. Sjoerd Bax (Ned) UAE Team Emirates at 0:07.

Nokere Koerse’23:

Danilith Nokere Koerse – Women 2023
The fourth edition of Nokere Koerse for women was won by Lotte Kopecky. The Belgian of SD Worx lost her brother Seppe on Saturday, but decided to start in the midweek Classic and turned her grief into an impressive victory.

The Nokere Koerse for women was a race of 129.1 kilometres with the Lange Ast (400m at 5.2%) and the Nokereberg on the menu. With Lorena Wiebes, Lotte Kopecky (despite the death of her brother), Elisa Balsamo, Marta Bastianelli and Arlenis Sierra, there were quite a few top riders on the start list.

Due to the high pace in the peloton, it was not possible to just jump away, so it was a long wait for an early break. Several riders tried to escape but it was Lotte Kopecky who succeeded. The SD Worx rider was clearly keen on a good performance, despite her personal loss, and attacked several times. Kopecky, winner of Omloop Het Nieuwsblad this season, was joined by the British rider Anna Henderson of Jumbo-Visma. These two managed to gain a maximum lead of 30 seconds, but their break was short-lived. With more than 40 kilometres to go, there was a regrouping. On the cobbles of the Lange Aststraat, there was again a lot of pace, leaving a front group of about 30 riders, including almost all the favourites. It was not easy to stay away on the local circuit around Nokere, but SD Worx’s race tactic of keeping the speed high worked well and the peloton was slowly thinned out. There were accelerations from Kristen Faulkner and Lorena Wiebes. These attack attempts were chased down.

Less than 30 kilometres from the finish, after the second passage over the Nokereberg, Daniek Hengeveld jumped away from the first group. The Dutch rider of DSM slid on a wet corner. The next rider to try was Aude Biannic. The Movistar rider managed to take a lead of 20 seconds, but couldn’t get away from the top riders. Biannic was joined by Eleonora Camilla Gasparrini and Kopecky (again) at the start of the last 10 kilometres. Kopecky immediately took the lead. In the peloton, Kopecky’s teammates held up the chase and so the difference to the three leaders fluctuated around 10 to 15 seconds. Italian champion Elisa Balsamo gave chase, but also crashed on a corner. Kopecky was still pushing hard and rode Gasparrini and Biannic off her wheel with just 6 kilometres to go. With an impressive display of power she made a big gap for a beautiful, successful and above all emotional solo victory in Nokereberg. Teammate Wiebes completed the day by winning the sprint for second place, Marta Bastianelli was third.

Race winner, Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx): “The choice to ride here was already made last week. I wanted to start today anyway (after the death of her brother Seppe on Saturday). It wasn’t an easy day, but there’s no point in hanging my head and sitting in the chair. I wanted to make the best of it and I succeeded quite well. It was the intention to race, I think we did. The season has started very well, so we are very happy with that. It is to be hoped that we can continue on this flow. What was she thinking about during the race? Not much. I wanted to make the best of it, and I succeeded. And with the legs I had, I think we raced with two.”

2nd, Lorena Wiebes (SD Worx): “We had agreed beforehand to race offensively. That was fun to do. Lotte was still ahead, so I started my sprint early. That was possible, I knew from last year. It’s nice to finish first and second. Everyone had the chance today. Our agreement was to race offensively and on the cobblestones we wanted to make it hard, Lotte did that very well. We wanted to keep the win in the team and we succeeded. It’s such a beautiful day.”

Danilith Nokere Koerse – Women Result:
1. Lotte Kopecky (Bel) SD Worx at 3:15:03
2. Lorena Wiebes (Ned) SD Worx at 0:28
3. Marta Bastianelli (Ita) UAE Team ADQ at 0:29
4. Elisa Balsamo (Ita) Trek-Segafredo
5. Arlenis Sierra (Cub) Movistar
6. Lotta Henttala (Fin) AG Insurance-Soudal Quick-Step
7. Julie De Wilde (Bel) Fenix-Deceuninck
8. Anna Henderson (GB) Jumbo-Visma
9. Marta Lach (Pol) CERATIZIT-WNT
10. Letizia Paternoster (Ita) Jayco AlUla.

Nokere Koerse’23:

Milano-Torino 2023
Arvid de Kleijn was surprisingly the winner of Milan-Turin 2023. After 192 kilometres there was a bunch sprint in Orbassano, the Dutch sprinter was faster than Movistar’s Fernando Gaviria and Casper van Uden of DSM.

The early break was made up of: Johan Meens (Bingoal WB), Stefan de Bod (EF Education-EasyPost), Alessio Nieri (Green Project-Bardiani CSF Faizanè), Alessandro Iacchi and Veljko Stojnic (both Corratec). The break’s maximum lead was 4 minutes, but it then fluctuated around 3 minutes for a long time.

Andrea Pietrobon (EOLO-Kometa) was also part of the leading group, but after a puncture he was caught by the peloton. The race was fast due to the good weather and a light tailwind. Sprinter’s teams; Arkéa-Samsic, Jayco AlUla, DSM, BORA-hansgrohe and Movistar were all leading the peloton. The gap to the leading group was small in the last hour of racing. At the front, Stojnic had been dropped on one of the few hills, leaving four escapees in the final. They tried to stay out of the hands of the peloton, but were caught 12 kilometres from the finish.

It was then up to the lead-out trains to position their sprinters for the gallop in Orbassano. There was nervousness in the peloton and then a crash 6 kilometres from the finish, this hindered favourite Dylan Groenewegen. The Dutchman was quickly brought back to the front, where Arvid de Kleijn’s Tudor train was leading. DSM were also at the front with Casper van Uden, but there was little organisation in the last kilometre. Tudor still had Maikel Zijlaard left for De Kleijn in his lead-out. He dropped his leader with a very long final effort, after which De Kleijn finished it off. Fernando Gaviria was coming up fast, but he couldn’t pass between the barrier and De Kleijn. The Colombian took second place. Van Uden finished third.

Race winner, Arvid de Kleijn (Tudor): “This is great. I felt great today and the team did a good job putting me in position. When I went through the corner 300 metres from the finish I knew I was going to win. I felt that. Everyone around me says I can do it, win. Then you believe in it yourself and I also have a good group around me. At the end I really felt it was possible. We are doing well as a team and showed a good lead-out today. That means we can show crazy things.”

2nd, Fernando Gaviria (Movistar): “I have nothing to say about his sprint. He beat me and that’s all I can say, congratulations to the Tudor rider. It was quite an entertaining sprint with lots of corners. Especially if you know that it took me two days to recover from the Tirreno, I felt pretty good. I would have liked to have felt a little better so that I could have done a better sprint. But in the end I’m glad I didn’t fall and I’m on the podium.”

3rd, Casper van Uden (DSM): “It went very well today. We took control as a team and wanted to ride our own race. We succeeded. In the final it became very hectic, but we came out early and were therefore able to choose our own side of the road. The guys kept me in front there. We lost each other for a moment, but we quickly found each other again in the run-up to the last corner. I got to the front early, but was able to give everything and race my own sprint after the last corner. That was enough for a third place. It’s nice to give something back to the team with this podium finish.”

Milano-Torino Result:
1. Arvid de Kleijn (Ned) Tudor in 3:59:02
2. Fernando Gaviria (Col) Movistar
3. Casper van Uden (Ned) DSM
4. Itamar Einhorn (Isr) Israel-Premier Tech
5. Matteo Moschetti (Ita) Q36.5
6. Nacer Bouhanni (Fra) Arkéa Samsic
7. Jordi Meeus (Bel) BORA-hansgrohe
8. Andrea Vendrame (Ita) AG2R Citroën
9. Jon Aberasturi (Spa) Trek-Segafredo
10. Dylan Groenewegen (Ned) Jayco AlUla.

Torino-23:

Vincenzo Nibali Talks Milano-Sanremo
Tadej Pogačar is a big favourite for Milan-Sanremo. But can the Slovenian drop riders like Wout van Aert and Mathieu van der Poel on the Poggio. Vincenzo Nibali, a former winner of ‘La Primavera’, thinks that Pogačar will use a different tactic.

Nibali looked ahead to Milan-Sanremo with the Italian sportspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport. The 38 year-old Italian expects a very active Pogačar. “Last year he tried to make a difference on the Poggio, but now he will focus on the Cipressa. Last year’s edition he had in mind. He will try to change something.”

“I therefore cannot rule out the possibility that he and his team will try a remote action on Saturday, on the Cipressa, in order to wear down Mathieu van der Poel and Wout van Aert. Van der Poel and Van Aert are the two rivals for Pogačar, who is the favourite,” Nibali believes.

“Van der Poel will be the most important man for Alpecin-Deceuninck, although they can also aim for Jasper Philipsen in a sprint. At Jumbo-Visma I expect that they will fully pull the Van Aert card. He can put in his attack on the hardest part of the Poggio, a section of 600 metres, but he can also wait for the sprint.”

Nibali betting on Pogačar:

No Tom Pidcock in Milano-Sanremo
The INEOS Grenadiers team will have to start Milano-Sanremo on Saturday without Tom Pidcock. The British rider crashed in the final stage of Tirreno-Adriatico on Sunday and is suffering from a mild concussion.

Pidcock crashed in the seventh and final stage of Tirreno-Adriatico on Sunday, with more than a hundred kilometres to go to the finish in San Benedetto del Tronto. The INEOS Grenadiers rider continued for a while, but had to abandon not much later. The damage seemed not to be too bad for Pidcock. His team said he had abrasions, but had escape serious injuries. It now appears that he is suffering from a mild concussion. The team does not want to take any risks, so Pidcock has to rest.

Pidcock has shown very good form in recent weeks. He won a stage in the Volta ao Algarve and Strade Bianche with a solo break. Pidcock was one of the favourites for Milan-San Remo.

Michael Matthews has Tested Positive for Covid before Milano-Sanremo
Michael Matthews has tested positive for covid in the run-up to Saturday’s Milano-San Remo. Matthews was a favourite and has been on the podium twice in the past. It is still unclear whether the Jayco AlUla rider will be at the start of La Primavera on Saturday.

Matthews posted a photo of a positive rapid test on Instagram on Monday morning. “Damn,” he wrote. Last Saturday, the 32 year-old Australian abandoned during the Queen stage of Paris-Nice. Earlier in the race, Matthews had told Cycling Pro Net that he was not completely satisfied with his form. “This year is very different from other years. Other years I stayed here, in Europe, to prepare in the cold for Paris-Nice, Milan-San Remo and the classics. Now I was racing in Australia. I’m not quite sure about the feeling, I’m not quite happy with where I am at the moment. Hopefully it will get better, not less.”

Matthews has ridden Milano-San Remo ten times and five times has finished in the top ten and on the podium twice. He finished third in 2015 and 2020. Last year he was fourth.

Michael Matthews maybe not going to Sanremo:

Philipsen Thinking of Winning Milano-Sanremo
With two stage victories in Tirreno-Adriatico, Jasper Philipsen heads to Milano-Sanremo with motivation. The fast Belgian is certainly not a big favourite to win in ‘La Primavera’, but secretly dreams of the victory. “Even if there is only a 1 percent chance, I have to go for it,” he said to Het Laatste Nieuws.

Alpecin-Deceuninck has not have a very good start to the season, but in Tirreno-Adriatico the team finally got a win. Thanks to Mathieu van der Poel’s strong lead-out, Jasper Philipsen won two stages. Now the Belgian is looking forward Saturday’s Milano-Sanremo. “It might be a bit naive. It’s 300 kilometres and it could all be for nothing, but I still have to take this opportunity. I have to hope for a very closed race, but many just want to make the race hard,” expects Philipsen. “It probably won’t be a sprint, but even if there’s only a 1% chance, I have to go for it. I have to believe in it.”

Philipsen will be taking it easy this week before the first Monument of the season. “It has been tough. It is time for recovery, to drink cappuccino and eat crostata.” On Wednesday Philipsen checked out the final of Milano-Sanremo, including the Cipressa and the Poggio. “About three or four times over the Poggio.”

Jasper Philipsen thinking of the Via Roma:

De Lie on Collaboration with Ewan
Lotto Dstny will be at the start of Milano-Sanremo on Saturday with two fast-finishers: The experienced Caleb Ewan and the young Arnaud De Lie, making his first appearance in the Italian spring Classic. De Lie doesn’t expect a scenario where there will be a choice between the two in the final. “I think there is little chance that the two of us will arrive on Via Roma in a group that will compete for the victory,” he told La Dèrnière Heure.

“We can both get to the foot of the Cipressa well and we can look further from there. Once at the top we will have an idea who is good and who is not,” said De Lie. “If we are both still there on top of the Poggio, it is up to the team DS to make a choice. We don’t have time to talk, but through communication they can tell us what to do. But I hope we’re both there, it’ll increase the chances of it staying together. We are also lucky that we are both very fast.”

De Lie will ride the 294 kilometres of Milan-Sanremo for the first time on Saturday. Is he afraid of the distance? “No, no, it’s only forty minutes more than Plouay and Gent-Wevelgem, races I’ve already done. I’m going to close my eyes and not think about those extra forty minutes,” he said. “We have a good team, with Pascal Eenkhoorn, Jacopo Guarnieri and Frederik Frison, for example. But it won’t be up to us to control the race. We have to use our riders to be well placed for the Capo Berta, the most difficult of the three Capi.”

It is important to start the Cipressa in a good position, said De Lie. “And hopefully, if I’m still there, on the Poggio. When you are at those points where you should be, all you need is good legs. Without good legs you cannot successfully cross the Cipressa and your chances of crossing the Poggio are even smaller.”

Attacking, as he did in the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, is not an option for De Lie in Milan-Sanremo. “You have to be much stronger than I am now. In other competitions, and even in the Omloop for example, I did it, but that race is different. I really want to get over the Poggio and then see how I feel. That very much depends on how the race goes.”

The weather forecast for Saturday is dry and sunny, but De Lie would prefer bad weather on the road to Sanremo. “It’s not what they would like in the team, but I prefer bad weather and even some rain. I ride much better in the rain. Yes, rain and snow on Saturday – that would be good for me.”

De Lie looking forward to his first Primavera:

Alaphilippe Impressed by Van Aert
Julian Alaphilippe didn’t have a great Strade Bianche, but the Frenchman had shown signs of improvement in Tirreno-Adriatico. The Soudal Quick-Step rider feels ready for Milan-San Remo, but according to Alaphilippe there is only one top favourite: Wout van Aert.

Alaphilippe said in conversation with Het Laatste Nieuws. “The dominance of Jumbo-Visma was clear and obvious. Primož Roglič was incredible, but on Saturday Wout impressed me the most. He really did something crazy. When he was leading, it was really incredible. He has to be in very good shape and is the favourite for all the races that are coming up. Cheers.”

Alaphilippe himself is also satisfied with his level of form. “I made a good effort during the Tirreno. Saturday was a very difficult day, and even though I wasn’t with the best riders in the final, I found it encouraging. I have a different mindset than twelve months ago. Last year I was never able to show myself the way I wanted to. I was not at my best in the tough races, I kept looking for a good feeling.”

“I have a very good feeling now. Of course I would have preferred to win a stage, but as I say: I have long missed the feeling that I was at my best in the most difficult races. This was the first time in a long time that I had come close to that level. Even without a stage win, it is a very positive story. There is still some work to be done towards the important races, but I am on the right track. Mentally that is good.”

The Frenchman hopes to be fighting for the victory in Milan-San Remo on Saturday, the race he won in 2019. “It is a Monument and always an important appointment. I want to be good there too. I’m not going to do too much in the next week. Quiet cycling, especially enjoying some time with my son. Of course I’m still training, but the work was done last week and now the recovery is central.”

Alaphilippe was looking better in Tirreno:

Juan Ayuso Must be Patient with his Recovery
UAE Team Emirates still has no idea how quickly Juan Ayuso can recover from his tendonitis. The team has already said he won’t start the Tour of Catalonia and the Tour of the Basque Country will also be difficult. Ayuso may return to racing at the end of April, but the team doesn’t want to put pressure on him.

“We have to do this step by step, with patience,” UAE Emirates team manager ‘Matxin’ Fernández told the Spanish newspaper, AS. “It is difficult to say anything about his return, but it could be as early as the end of April. Only we don’t put any pressure on him, because then he has to force things. That is not our intention.”

According to Matxin, Ayuso knows to take his time. “We are talking about a mentally mature rider, so we don’t need to calm him down. He knows this is for his own good,” said the manager. “He can see that the team is winning and that he has the level to win as well. That may be the hardest part, but he will return at the top level.”

There is a lot of support for the 20 year-old Ayuso. “It’s easy to be with him when things are going well, but you really have to be there in these moments,” said Matxin. “His big season goal is still the Vuelta a España. The fact that that is a long-term goal also ensures that he remains calm.”

When will we see Ayuso race in 2023?

Egan Bernal Changes Plans and Makes Comeback in Tour of Catalonia
Egan Bernal is part of the INEOS Grenadiers squad for the Volta a Catalunya (March 20-26). The British team announced the line-up on social media. This comes after the organisers of the Settimana Internazionale Coppi e Bartali (March 21-25) announced on Tuesday morning that Bernal would be racing in their race.

Bernal started the season with a 4th place on the Queen stage of the Vuelta a San Juan, but he also suffered a knee injury due a crash. The climber abandoned the Vuelta a San Juan early and also had to miss the Ruta del Sol and Paris-Nice. He will not now make a comeback in the Settimana Internazionale Coppi e Bartali, but in the Tour of Catalonia.

Bernal rode the Tour of Catalonia once before, in 2018. At the time, he did not finish the race due to a crash in the final of the final stage. In addition to Bernal, INEOS Grenadiers also brings Jonathan Castroviejo, Ethan Hayter, Luke Plapp, Salvatore Puccio, Ben Tulett and the other former Tour de France winner, Geraint Thomas to the Catalan race. Remco Evenepoel and Primoz Roglič are among other starters.

INEOS Grenadiers team for the Tour of Catalonia (March 20-26):
Egan Bernal (Col)
Jonathan Castroviejo (Spa)
Ethan Hayter (GB)
Luke Plapp (Aus)
Salvatore Puccio (Ita)
Geraint Thomas (GB)
Ben Tulett (GB)

Bernal back in Europe:

Remco Evenepoel Takes Several Strava KOMs on Tenerife
During his altitude training camp in Tenerife, Remco Evenepoel took several Strava KOMs on the Canary Island.

Evenepoel recorded the best time ever on the popular segment from Chio to Teide on Monday. The World champion took the KOM from Jonas Hjorth, who rode for Bahrain Cycling Academy last year. The Dane set the time of 58:21 for the 24.55 kilometres, Evenepoel did it in 56:25. Also in the top 10 are Chris Froome, Miguel Ángel López, Dylan van Baarle and Pavel Sivakov.

Earlier in the day, Evenepoel had also took a KOM from Romain Bardet. On the Taucho climb, the Belgian was a minute faster than the Frenchman: 19:16 compared to 20:16.

Evenepoel training hard:

Antonio Tiberi Might Lose Place with Trek-Segafredo
According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, Antonio Tiberi may not be racing again with the Trek-Segafredo team. The Italian sports newspaper suggests that the American team is considering an early termination of his contract. Tiberi was recently convicted of shooting a cat.

The 21 year-old Italian shot a cat with an air rifle in San Marino, where he lives. It was the cat of Federico Pedini Amati, the minister of tourism of San Marino. Tiberi had to pay a fine of €4,000 and was also suspended by his Trek-Segafredo team for at least three weeks. The promising young rider also apologised.

What will happen to Tiberi now is the question. The rider has a contract with Trek-Segafredo until the end of 2024, but according to La Gazzetta dello Sport, several scenarios are on the table. “Talks are currently underway and the possibility of an early termination of the contract is on the table,” the paper wrote.

La Gazzetta dello Sport points out that Tiberi doesn’t have to worry about his future as a cyclist, because there is interest from other teams, should he no longer be under contract with Trek-Segafredo. Tiberi, a former World junior time trial champion, finished 8th in the Tour Down Under this season and 7th in the UAE Tour.

Will Antonio Tiberi need a new team?

Michal Kwiatkowski Becomes a Father
Michal Kwiatkowski became father of a daughter on Tuesday. The INEOS Grenadiers rider announced the birth on social media.

Kwiatkowski announced the birth of daughter Alicja on Twitter, saying that the child and mother are doing well. Kwiatkowski was racing in Tirreno-Adriatico on Sunday, but was present at the birth of his child. The former World champion will have a few days to enjoy his new fatherhood, but he is expected to be at the start Milan-San Remo on Saturday, he won in 2017.

Alicja and father:

Soudal Quick-Step to Milano-Sanremo
Julian Alaphilippe will make his sixth appearance in “La Primavera”

The first Monument of the season is also the longest one-day race on the calendar, but the long procession to Sanremo is worth the wait, because once the peloton hits the small climbs on the Italian Riviera, we will be in for the most electrifying and unpredictable outcome in the sport.

A sprinters’ Monument until a few years ago, Milano-Sanremo has become the favourite playing ground of the attackers, who in recent seasons have made the difference either on the iconic Poggio or on the subsequent technical descent that ends with just two kilometres to go. But before that, it’s very likely to see a change of pace already on the first big climb of the last hour of racing, the Cipressa, which could prove out to be enough to shake off all the pure sprinters and leave a reduced peloton in contention by the time it will arrive at the foot of the last hill.

Julian Alaphilippe, the winner of the 2019 edition – when he emerged victorious on the Via Roma from a select group that he helped shape by accelerating on the Poggio – will lead the team Saturday, as he makes his 20th presence in a Monument. He will be joined at the start of the 294km-long race by 2021 De Ronde winner Kasper Asgreen, Davide Ballerini, Tim Declercq, Dries Devenyns, Yves Lampaert and French Champion Florian Sénéchal.

“We go to the start of Milano-Sanremo with a lot of grinta. Julian won this race a couple of years ago, he showed some nice things this season, and we know he will be one of the riders to watch, but given what we have seen in Paris-Nice and Tirreno-Adriatico, there will be a lot of favourites. The confidence is there, the guys are ready after a strong start to the season, now we just hope luck will be on our side, because we are very motivated to go for a good result,” said Soudal Quick-Step sports director Davide Bramati.

18.03 Milano-Sanremo (ITA) 1.UWT
Riders:
Julian Alaphilippe (FRA)
Kasper Asgreen (DEN)
Davide Ballerini (ITA)
Tim Declercq (BEL)
Dries Devenyns (BEL)
Yves Lampaert (BEL)
Florian Sénéchal (FRA).
Sports Director: Davide Bramati (ITA) & Wilfried Peeters (BEL).

Alaphilippe for Sanremo 2023?

Bahrain Victorious Back to Milano-Sanremo with the Defending Champion Matej Mohorič
Bahrain Victorious looks forward to returning to the first Classic Monument of the season, the Milano-Sanremo, where Matej Mohorič took a legendary victory with an impressive descent last year.

The defending champion will lead a lineup that best suits the different scenarios that unfold at this race, especially in the finale, with the undulating course featuring the sequence of the Capi (Mele, Cervo and Berta), the Cipressa and the Poggio, followed by a tricky downhill towards the picturesque town on the coast of Liguria, where the traditional flat finish in Via Roma awaits the riders.

The start has been moved from the centre of Milan to a nearby town, Abbiategrasso, with a change in the first 30km that won’t affect the soul of this 294km length Monumental race, whose 114th edition will take place on Saturday 18th March.

“Milan-Sanremo has always been the most unpredictable race and the most difficult to win.” TBV Sports Director Franco Pellizotti confirms, “We arrive as the winner of the last edition; therefore, the expectations are high. But every year, it’s a different story in this race, and everybody now knows what Matej is capable of. Although he feels even better than in 2022, it’s not taken for granted that he can repeat what he did to win the Sanremo, and with the same outcome. He’s a clever rider, and he does not necessarily have to wait for the Poggio descent to try to win again. I believe that his skills can let him win this Monument in different ways.”

“I am aware that confirming the success will be difficult, but yes, Sanremo is open to various outcomes, and I think I can still have a chance to win it again,” says the 2022 winner Matej Mohorič. “Probably, I will be more controlled by the rivals, but I guess I still have good cards in my pocket”.

The unpredictability makes La Classicissima fascinating and challenging to plan the strategies. Therefore, Bahrain Victorious will have several cards besides Mohorič, according to how the race unfolds. As Pellizotti explains: “We have a solid squad, including fast wheels and climbers. Some showed good shape at the stage races they participated in recently. I’m talking about a rider like Nikias Arndt can be our jolly, and the experienced Andrea Pasqualon as a sprinter, while Jonathan Milan suffered a bit at Paris-Nice, where he was forced to abandon. Therefore we will see how he will feel on Saturday to understand which kind of race to expect from him. He will surely support the team at best, as always, like Fred Wright, both appearing at the start for the second time. Then our lineup is made strong by two key riders that can try a late attack: Damiano Caruso and Pello Bilbao. Damiano is a race veteran, while Pello is debuting in this Monument. I’m curious and thrilled to see him in action”.

Mohorič again in 2023?

Milano-Sanremo: The Spring Classic – We’re Bringing Good Cards to the First Monument of the Year
The finale of Milano-Sanremo is often the most exciting hour of the cycling season. It kicks off after 242 kilometres of racing, 52 kilometres from the finish, on the Capo Mele, a short climb overlooking the Mediterranean. Then comes the Capo Cervo and Capo Berta, before the ascent of Cipressa and the final showdown on the slopes of Poggio. From the summit of the Poggio, there’s just a screaming fast descent to the finish line in the seaside resort of Sanremo.

But first, Italians have to say their long goodbye to winter. Their springtime classic will start Saturday morning in the outskirts of Milano. As the peloton traverses the length of the Po Valley, from the cold mist of Italy’s industrial north to the Riviera dei Fiori, their spirits will begin to rise. This will be the 114th edition of the race they call The Spring Classic.

Mikkel Honoré is married to an Italian woman and knows what Milano-Sanremo means to her country. “For the Italian people, Milano Sanremo is La Primavera, the spring classic,” he says. “It is something special: the opening of spring. You go from Milan, where it is usually cold and a bit rainy, you pass the Passo Turchino, and you drop down to Genoa, where it is warmer, near the Mediterranean sea, so it is like going from cold winter to summer. It reminds most Italian people that the seasons are turning.”

Alberto Bettiol, Stefan Bissegger, Magnus Cort, Mikkel Honoré, Neilson Powless, Jonas Rutsch, and Lukasz Wisniowski won’t waste a pedal stroke during the first half of this year’s race. They will eat and drink and stay out of the wind. Their Milano-Sanremo will only begin to bloom when they race out of the tunnel atop the Passo del Turchino and plunge down its switchbacks to the sea. At the top of that col, they will have raced 144 kilometres and have 150 kilometres left. Once they hit the coast, they will hardly have the chance to catch their breath, as the peloton stretches into a long line and swooshes through the cramped, colourful streets of dozens of seaside towns, rounding cliffside corners, up, down, heading west beside the Med.

“The intensity just builds up over hours,” says sports director Matti Breschel. “It’s almost like an Italian opera. You’ve got the violins playing at a slow pace, and then you add the bass and suddenly the drums kick in, and you’ve got the whole thing exploding, before the Cipressa. The finale is just iconic. But the start has always been special. It is an early start, and as soon as the Italian speaker starts to talk, the pigeons start to fly, and you feel the sun a little bit, even though it is a bit chilly.”

At 294 kilometres, the sheer length of Milano-Sanremo makes the finale all the more explosive. The Italian classic is the longest race that our riders do, by far, and that makes it unpredictable.

“Everybody’s abilities change the longer the race gets,” says Neilson Powless. “It is not as easy as just knowing what you can do for four minutes on the Poggio with fresh legs as hard as you can go. It is almost like you are racing with different people after seven hours in the saddle. It is really about who has been able to handle the fatigue throughout the day well, who has been able to fuel well, and who has a strong enough team there to still put them in position for the last hills.”

Mikkel Honoré knows how hard it can be to manage your effort almost 300 kilometres into a monument. “You can have the perfect preparation, perfect shape, and once you are there, even if you have done everything perfect, and correct, sometimes you can just go lights out and not have the legs and your body just won’t do what you want it to do,” he says. “You cannot miss even one or two percent when you start the climbs, but you can just have lights out after 300 kilometres.”

We’ll do everything we can to make sure that doesn’t happen. The whole team is committed to leading Neilson, Magnus, and Alberto into the final two climbs at the front of the peloton. The first decisive point is the Cipressa—5.6 kilometres long at 4.1%. Its summit is 21.5 kilometres from the finish. The race is rarely won there, but it is very often lost.

“It is all about positioning coming into the Cipressa,” Mikkel says. “The peloton is going to split and this year it is going to be even harder. It looks like we are going to have a tailwind, so there will be very, very fast climbing times, and I am sure that the climbers are going to make a very hard race to drop some of the fast guys. On the Cipressa, you need to start in a super good position and keep the wheels.”

Neilson Powless thinks that tailwind will be to his advantage. He, Alberto, and Magnus will aim to follow the best on the Cipressa to avoid the splits that are sure to open up on the climb and its descent. Then, they will go all in on the Poggio.

“This year, I am even more excited about it, because it looks like it will be a tailwind up both climbs, which will help the climbers,” Neilson says. “I think this is the best year to put in a bid for victory. I am hoping that I will be able to follow the best on the Poggio when the attacks go, and then we’ll also have Alberto Bettiol and Magnus there. They are faster at the finish than me, so if it is still a group and we are there they can have good trust in me to help with the sprint.”

Our riders will have to trust their instincts and communicate well. Because the finale is so dynamic, and sprinters and climbers and punchy riders are all raring to have a go, it is very hard to read the race and pick the right moment to attack. You have to have luck to cross the line first by the Casino Sanremo.

“It is something that is just there, but it is there in a split second and if you think about it, then the moment or the opportunity is gone,” says Matti Breschel. “Obviously, for sprinters it makes sense to wait, but only if you have teammates to pull the last three kilometres. And if you have the punch and you are in a good position, then there is no time to wait and you have to kind of seek your opportunity whenever the Poggio kicks in. There is a moment, just before the top. I think it is like one kilometre before the top. There it gets a little bit steeper. That is where the big guys will attack and there is a really good moment, but then, at the bottom of the descent of the Poggio, the big guys can sometimes take a deep breath and all look at each other and we’ve seen attacks coming from behind that have managed to stay away with a couple of seconds. With Neilson going so well, we have to take advantage of his good shape. I think he can do a really, really good race. Magnus is also riding well. I know it is a big dream for him to win this race one day and this year he had perfect preparation or at least the confirmation that the shape is there. And then we have Alberto. We have a super strong team, so there is no real excuse.”

See you in Sanremo!

Neilson Powless for Sanremo:

Pogačar Leads Strong Squad for Milano-San Remo
Robust line-up for ‘La Primavera’ as Belgian classics resume

With 15 victories on the board so far this season UAE Team Emirates are continuing their 2023 campaign full of confidence with the next batch of races about to get underway.

In Belgium the team takes on three semi-classics in the shape of Gran Prix de Denain (16 March) and the Bredene Koksijde Classic (17 March).

All eyes will be in Milan on Saturday (18 March) as the first of the five cycling Monuments of the year takes place with Milano-San Remo. ‘La Primavera’ is the longest road race of the professional calendar at 294km and the team brings a highly experienced squad led by recent Paris-Nice winner Tadej Pogačar.

Milano-Sanremo [1.UWT] – 18-Mar-2023
Alessandro Covi (Ita)
Davide Formolo (Ita)
Felix Grosschartner (Aus)
Domen Novak (Slo)
Tadej Pogačar (Slo)
Matteo Trentin (Ita)
Diego Ulissi (Ita)

The team will be Sports Manager Joxean Matxin Fernandez (Spa) and the Sports Directors duo of Andrej Hauptman (Slo) and Marco Marzano (Ita).

Pogačar: “Milano- San Remo is a beautiful race. I know the roads pretty well: I don’t live too far away and sometimes in training I can go to the Poggio and ride it. I’ve pictured many scenarios in my head of how the race can go. But it’s unpredictable and for sure one of the hardest races to win. After a great week at Paris-Nice I’m recovering a bit now and getting ready for the big weekend. We have a strong team and we’re riding well together so I think we’ll have a few different options maybe for the finale.”

In Belgium the teams will be lead by Sports Directors Fabio Baldato (Ita) and Marco Marcato (Ita).

Grand Prix de Denain – Porte du Hainaut [1.Pro] – 16-Mar-2023:
Mikkel Bjerg (Den)
Sjoerd Bax (Ned)
Ryan Gibbons (RSA)
Felix Gross (Ger)
Sebastian Molano (Col)
Ivo Oliveira (Por)
Michael Vink (NZ).

Bredene Koksijde Classic [1.Pro] – 17-Mar-2023
Pascal Ackermann (Ger)
Sjoerd Bax (Ned)
Ryan Gibbons (RSA)
Mikkel Bjerg (Den)
Vegard Stake Laengen (Nor)
Ivo Oliveira (Por)
Sebastian Molano (Col).

Milano – Sanremo (March 18)

Benoît Cosnefroy: “Milano – Sanremo is my first goal of the season. We get to the heart of the matter. My crash on the Poggio last year was my biggest frustration of 2022. I want to do better this year. It was my first participation in this monument. I could see that upon arriving at the seaside, the race became very nervous and that it took some luck to be in the top positions of the peloton at the foot of the Cipressa. I hope that the team will be up to it collectively to be there together. Then the race will decide but I hope it will be a high pace to the approach of the foot of Poggio with a small group. I feel good physically. All the lights are green for a great race.”

Didier Jannel: “We approach Milano – Sanremo with a solid team. Benoît (Cosnefroy) has already proven in the past that he can play against the best riders in the UCI WorldTour peloton on profiles he likes. And the Poggio climb suits him. Even if he will be at the start of the event for only the second time, he will be able to rely on experienced riders who know the final perfectly. Greg (Van Avermaet) will participate in the race for the sixteenth time. Oliver (Naesen) has already finished on the podium (2nd in 2019). Michael (Schär) and Andrea (Vendrame) are also experienced. As for Lawrence (Naesen) and Larry (Warbasse), they will be important in the team to protect our key players for many kilometres. With a race scenario that is often very open, where different rider types can succeed, which is also the charm of this first monument of the season, we must doubt ourselves and believe in a big result.”

The AG2R CITROËN TEAM has finished on the podium twice at Milano – San Remo. Alberto Elli took second place in 1997, as did Oliver Naesen in 2019.

The Next Races for Team DSM

Milano-San Remo – MAR 18
Luke Roberts – Team DSM coach: “The 2023 Milano Sanremo will roll out from a new starting area in Abbiategrasso, west of Milan, then link up with the traditional parcours, including the Passo del Turchino before taking on the Capi as the fight for position begins towards the final climbs of the Cipressa and Poggio. We have a mixed team including the experienced core of our classics group and some young guys taking on this race for the first time. Our goal is to be present with numbers in the final and then play our cards well to get the best possible result out of that.”

Line-up:
Pavel Bittner (CZE)
John Degenkolb (GER)
Matt Dinham (AUS)
Nils Eekhoff (NED)
Marius Mayrhofer (GER)
Florian Stork (GER)
Kevin Vermaerke (USA).

Trofeo Alfredo Binda – MAR 19
Kelvin Dekker – Team DSM coach: “The Trofeo Alfredo Binda is a race with a lot of climbs, mainly raced on a circuit, so everyone will know the climbs and how to tackle them the best in the end. We’ll have Juliette and Elise as our finishers. Elise has a strong sprint in a field like this, while we will look to Juliette when the races gets harder and harder as the laps progress. We have more scenarios where we can go for a result and as a team, we’ll do everything to make it go our way.”

Line-up:
Francesca Barale (ITA)
Eleonora Ciabocco (ITA)
Léa Curinier (FRA)
Juliette Labous (FRA)
Esmée Peperkamp (NED)
Elise Uijen (NED).

Volta Ciclista a Catalunya – MAR 20-26
Matt Winston – Team DSM coach: “We go to Volta Ciclista a Catalunya with a really nice mix of youth and experience. Our goal for the race will be a result in the GC with Romain as our finisher. He’s had a good start to the season with a solid result at Paris-Nice, getting stronger as the week progressed, so we’ll look to protect him and keep building on the steps we have made during the early part of the season.”

Line-up:
Romain Bardet (FRA)
Marco Brenner (GER)
Romain Combaud (FRA)
Chris Hamilton (AUS)
Lorenzo Milesi (ITA)
Oscar Onley (GBR)
Martijn Tusveld (NED).

Degenkolb to Sanremo:

Soudal Quick-Step to Volta a Catalunya
Remco Evenepoel will make his debut at the prestigious race next week

One month after his first victory in the World Champion jersey – the UAE Tour general classification – Remco Evenepoel is ready to pin on a number again and resume competition in just a couple of days, when he’ll line-up for the Volta a Catalunya (20-26 March), one of the oldest events in the world and the ninth World Tour stop of the season.

The 102nd edition of the race, which starts from Sant Feliu de Guixols, promises to be one of the hardest in history, as it features three summit finishes that will dominate the narrative of next week before the traditional showdown in Barcelona: Vallter, La Molina, and Mirador del Portell, arguably the hardest ascent of the week, averaging 9% over 8.4 kilometres, but featuring some excruciating 20% gradients that can put many of the riders in the red and widen the gaps between the contenders.

Evenepoel, who has eleven stage race successes to his name since turning pro in 2019, will lead Soudal Quick-Step at the Volta a Catalunya, where he will be supported by a strong squad consisting of Mattia Cattaneo, Jan Hirt, Fausto Masnada, as well as fellow countrymen Pieter Serry, Ilan Van Wilder and Louis Vervaeke.

“We have a solid, experienced and very confident team for what we hope will be a good test to find out where the guys are at the moment following their recent altitude training camp. The main goal is to get a stage victory there and fight for a good general classification. We hope to be in the thick of the action every time it matters, to have a strong outing and show the Wolfpack spirit and mentality”, said sports director Klaas Lodewyck.

20.03–26.03 Volta Ciclista a Catalunya (ESP) 2.UWT
Riders:
Mattia Cattaneo (ITA)
Remco Evenepoel (BEL)
Jan Hirt (CZE)
Fausto Masnada (ITA)
Pieter Serry (BEL)
Ilan Van Wilder (BEL)
Louis Vervaeke (BEL).
Sports Director: Klaas Lodewyck (BEL) & Geert Van Bondt (BEL).

The World champion goes to Catalunya:

CANYON//SRAM Racing’s roster for Trofeo Alfredo Binda – Comune di Cittiglio
Trofeo Alfredo Binda – Comune di Cittiglio is one of the longest-running women’s races on the calendar. Established in 1974 in the home town of Italian cyclist Alfredo Binda, the race is rich in history. The organisers also hold a women’s junior race in the morning, Piccolo Trofeo Binda, which has unearthed talents that have later become some of the top riders in the world, including several world champions.

CANYON//SRAM Racing’s roster for the Women’s World Tour race is Ricarda Bauernfeind, Elise Chabbey, Tiffany Cromwell, Kasia Niewiadoma, Soraya Paladin and Pauliena Rooijakkers.
The 2023 parcours changes from previous editions for the first half of the 139km race. The second half remains identical to 2022, with four local laps around Cittiglio, including the 2.7km long Orino climb.

Historically, Trofeo Binda is a race that many riders can win. Early solo attacks, such as Emma Pooley in 2011, late solo attacks included Kasia Niewiadoma in 2018, and there have been several editions where various-sized groups are sprinting for victory.

Soraya Paladin finished third last year in a sprint of 23 riders. She says, “I have always liked the course. It’s unpredictable, exciting to watch and should suit our team on Sunday.”

Tour de Normandie Feminin
Before Sunday’s Women’s World Tour race, CANYON//SRAM Racing are at the three-day Tour de Normandie Féminin. The team’s roster is Shari Bossuyt, Neve Bradbury, Alex Morrice, Sarah Roy, Agnieszka Skalniak-Sójka and Alice Towers.

The three stages are all undulating, and though the total elevation never reaches 1560m, the parcours allow opportunistic and aggressive racing.

The race can be followed on Twitter with #TDN2023. A broadcast is expected on the race website and France 3 Normandie.

Igartza Sari-Nagusia – GP Igartza
CANYON//SRAM Generation is back racing on the weekend with Igartza-Sari-Nagusia GP Igartza. The team’s roster for the second Spanish National Cup is Justyna Czapla, Agua Marina Espinola Salinas, Diane Ingabire, Valentine Nzayisenga and Daniela Schmisberger.

The team comes off the back of its first stage race of the season, where Espinola Salinas finished eleventh in the general classification, and Justyna Czapla was fifth in the youth classification at the 2.2 Vuelta Extremadura Fémeninas. The team aims to take the learnings into a new race weekend at the national cup level.

The 83km race starts at 10:30CET and has 1100m of elevation over the three-lap course. The race can be followed on Twitter with #CopaEspañaFemCofidis.

Silicon Valley Bank Bankrupt, Possible Consequences for EF Women’s Team
Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) has been declared bankrupt by the authorities in the US state of California after it failed to raise money through the issue of new shares. As a result, the bank will no longer able to meet its obligations. This may have consequences for the American women’s team EF Education-TIBCO SVB.

SVB had taken out loans when interest rates were low. However, interest rates have risen sharply in recent months, making it difficult for the bank to finance its loans. When SVB customers tried to withdraw their deposits, the Californian regulator decided to close the bank.

At the end of last year, SVB managed more than USD 175 billion in assets. This made it the sixteenth-largest bank in the United States. It is not yet know whether the bankruptcy will have consequences for the American women’s team, EF Education-TIBCO SVB. Silicon Valley Bank has long been a sponsor of the cycling team.

The team was initially known as TIBCO-SVB, but in 2022 EF Education First joined the team as title sponsor. The team was renamed EF Education-TIBCO-SVB and made the move to the Women’s WorldTour. Zoe Bäckstedt, Clara Honsinger, Veronica Ewers, Lauren Stephens, Lizzie Banks and Georgia Williams are all amongst the riders.

Will the closing of the SVB affect the team?

Tour 2024 Tough Final Weekend Mountain Stage and Time Trial on Col d’Èze
It was already known that the Tour de France will finish in Nice in 2024. ASO has now also presented the last two stages in detail. With a mountain stage over four serious climbs and a time trial over the climb to La Turbie and the Col d’Èze, it promises to be a very tough final weekend.

On the penultimate day of the Tour de France 2024, another very tough mountain stage will follow in the Nice area. The riders will cross the Col de Braus (10km at 6.6%), Col de Turini (20.7km at 5.7%) and Col de la Colmaine (7.5km at 7.1%) to the final climb: the Col de la Couillole (15.7km at 7.1%). The penultimate stage of Paris-Nice finished at the top of this climb on Saturday. Tadej Pogačar was the winner.

Tour’24 stage 20 profile

If the Tour is still close after the last mountain stage to the Col de la Couillole, the final time trial could decide the French Grand Tour. For the first time since 1989, the 2024 Tour de France will end with a time trial. The organisers will hope for the same grand finale as in 1989. Then Greg LeMond rode his great rival Laurent Fignon out of the yellow jersey by 8 seconds after a nail-biting apotheosis.

The organisers have designed a very difficult route from Monaco, which will welcome the Tour for a seventh time, towards Nice. The time trial is 35 kilometres long and crosses mountainous terrain. After a few flat kilometres, the climb to La Turbie (8.1km at 5.6%) is followed by the Col d’Èze (1.6km at 8.1%). After the climb there is a fast descent to the finish line.

Tour’24 stage 21 TT

Nice is the final destination of the 2024 Tour de France because of the Olympic Games in Paris from July 26 to August 11. The final stage of the 2024 Tour will take place on July 21, just five days before the opening ceremony of the Olympics. For that reason, Nice has been designated as an alternative finish city. For the first time since 1905, the Tour will not finish in Paris.

The start of the 111th Tour de France will be on June 29, 2024 in Piazzale Michelangelo in the historic centre of Florence. The Tour will also remain in Italy the following days, with stages to Bologna and Turin, crossed back into Franco on day four.

Will Pogačar be in Yellow in Nice in 2024?

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