Bicycle Racing News and Opinion,
Wednesday, October 16, 2019
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2018 Tour de France | 2018 Giro d'Italia
Rule-following, legal precedence, and political consistency are not more important than right, justice and plain common-sense. - W. E. B. Du Bois
Upcoming racing:
- Oct 17 - 22: Tour of Guangxi
- Oct 20: Japan Cup
- Oct 20: Chrono des Nations
Latest completed racing:
- Oct 13: Paris-Tours
- Oct 12: Il Lombardia
- Oct 10: Paris-Bourges
- Oct 10: Gran Piemonte
- Oct 9: Milano-Torino
- Oct 8: Binche-Chimay-Binche
- Oct 8: Tre Valli Varesine
- Oct 6: GP Bruno Beghelli
- Oct 5: Tour de l'Eurométropole
- Oct 5: Giro d'Emilia
- Oct 3: Sparkassen Münsterland Giro
- Sept 22 - 29: UCI World Road Championships, Yorkshire
- Sept 22: Trofeo Matteotti
2020 Tour de France Route
We posted the just-revealed 2020 Tour de France route here and team reactions to it here.
Adam Hansen signs on for another year at Lotto-Soudal
The team sent me this release:
Lotto Soudal is pleased to announce that Adam Hansen signed a one-year contract extension, which sees the 38-year-old Australian stay at the team till the end of 2020. As such, Hansen will continue to share his broad experience with the team in what will be his tenth season in Lotto Soudal colours. The Grand Tour record man is of course happy to stay at Lotto Soudal for one more year and discusses his role and ambitions for the 2020 season.
Adam Hansen at the 2017 Vuelta. Sirotti photo
Adam Hansen: “Has it been ten years already? Really, it doesn’t feel like that at all but I guess time flies when you’re having fun. I like how John Lelangue has evolved the team in its new direction, things are coming to a turning point for far greater success.”
“My role within the team has changed a lot over the past nine years. It has varied from helping out in the sprint, to protecting a general classification rider during the stage. My main role for next season will be just to always be there for the team when needed. I like to be an example to the younger riders. I aim to show a different perspective and I like to tell them to never give up because you never know in modern cycling.”
“Next year, I would love to do the Giro d’Italia again, and maybe even come back to the Tour de France as well. But I have to speak with John about that and see what his vision for the team in 2020 will be. Next week, I will be at the start of the Tour of Guangxi and I really like it. We race so much in Europe and it is nice to have a radical change of racing in a different country.”
Matteo Fabbro joins Bora-hansgrohe
The team sent me this release:
The 24-year-old Italian climbing specialist has signed a one-year contract with the team from Raubling. Fabbro, who has proven his talent in the past, will add greater consistency to his performances while at BORA – hansgrohe to support the team, particularly in the high mountains.
“I have to say that I’m extremely happy and thankful that Ralph Denk has given me this opportunity. The team operates in a very professional manner and the equipment is really state of the art. Although so many well-known riders are under contract at BORA – hansgrohe and there are accordingly expectations of high standards, I have the impression that everyone also knows how to enjoy racing. That’s something which I really like. I definitely want to further develop at BORA – hansgrohe and take the next step in fulfilling my potential and talent, with the support of the team. I’m going to give it my all and hope that this is the beginning of a long and successful partnership. I would also like to thank Katusha for making my transition into the professional ranks possible, and I’ll always be grateful for that.” – Matteo Fabbro
“We believe that Matteo has great potential. Over the past few years, he has unfortunately not always been able to completely fulfil this, however we will do everything together to add consistency to his performances. I think that he fits well in our team, and we have proven on several occasions that we are able to develop riders. Matteo is a true mountain specialist, and we will use this talent accordingly. He will be a valuable rider, particularly for our stage race squad.” – Ralph Denk, Team Manager
Team Jumbo-Visma and sports director Nico Verhoeven part ways
The team sent me this:
After years of successful cooperation, Nico Verhoeven will leave the support staff of Team Jumbo-Visma after this season. Since the end of the nineties, Verhoeven has been team leader at Team Jumbo-Visma and its predecessors.
The specific qualities of the 58-year-old former professional cyclist are less evident in the evolving profile of Team Jumbo-Visma. It has been decided that the end of this memorable season is the best time to part ways.
Team Jumbo-Visma has achieved more than fifty wins this year, including four stage victories in the Tour de France and the general classification in the Vuelta a España. In recent years, Verhoeven has been one of the founders of these successes.
Gracie Elvin re-ups with Mitchelton-Scott
The team sent me this:
Australian Gracie Elvin will race for Mitchelton-SCOTT for an eighth consecutive season after penning a new one-year deal to stay with the squad in 2020.
Elvin joined the outfit back in 2013 and has gone on to be one of the most experienced team players in the peloton. The 30-year-old has racked up a number of race victories since joining the team as well as playing a key role in Annemiek van Vleuten’s Giro Rosa triumph in 2017.
Gracie Elvin
2019 has been a difficult season for the former double national champion, but Elvin is keen to continue to challenge herself as she heads into 2020 in a new-look team for next year.
Gracie Elvin:
“I’m really happy, I’ve been with this team since 2013 and I’ve always felt really happy with this team, I‘ve always had great opportunities. I feel like I’ve achieved a lot but also feel like I’ve got a lot more left in me.”
“It’s still such a great environment to be in as a person and as a rider, so I’m happy to stay with the team and continue with some of the girls I’ve been racing with for a long time and see some new faces as well.”
“I’m always trying to look for ways to challenge myself, so I’m going to pick a few challenges for next year, I’m not sure quite what they are yet. I’ve always got a love for the classics, I think that part of me won’t change, so I’m looking forward to going back to Belgium again.”
“I think it’s really important for our team to have that European flavour, that’s been part of our success from the beginning. I think it’s great that we keep adding new blood, different perspectives, different ages, different experience levels and it keeps everyone on their toes a bit.”
“You don’t need to be the same to be successful, it’s important to evolve and keep changing, personally and as a team.”
Martin Vestby (Sports Director):
“Gracie has had quite a challenging year and hasn’t really been herself. We know when Gracie is good she can win races, but also she’s capable of being the best domestique in the world, so we still believe in her and in her potential.”
“We believe that she can get back to that level, she still deserves a place in this team and in the peloton.”
Gracie Elvin
Date of Birth: 21 October 1988 (30)
Nationality: Australian
Turned Pro: 2012
Joined Mitchelton-SCOTT: 2013
2019 Season Highlights:
3rd Emakumeen Bira – Stage 1
4th La Classique Morbihan
New Owner for Fuji, Breezer and Tuesday Distributor BikeCo
Bike Europe sent me this news:
PHILADELPHIA, USA – The ownership of Fuji, Breezer and Tuesday distributor BikeCo LLC has changed again within one year. Tiger Capital Group has sold its stake in BikeCo to joint venture partner Advanced Holdings Co. Ltd. Last year Tiger Capital Group was still co-leading the acquisition of the wholesale bicycle operations of Advanced Sports Enterprises (ASE) in the bankruptcy court which was concluded last February.
BikeCo President Frank Zimmer stated that, “Tiger helped preserve our company while instituting key efficiencies to strengthen our business during a very difficult time for our company. The Tiger team, with Ryan Davis as our interim CEO, used their industry contacts and business acumen to implement cost-cutting measures, while protecting the company’s vision. We now have a stronger balance sheet and a clear path for future success.”
In November 2018 the company’s subsidiary Advanced Sports Enterprises (ASE) applied for Chapter 11.
ASE handled the distribution of the brands Breezer, Fuji, Kestrel, SE Bikes, Tuesday Cycles as well as the P&A brand Oval Concepts) as well as the operation of the American retail chain Performance Bicycle (PB). The Chapter 11 only concerned ASE’s business in the United States. Advanced Sports Europe and Advanced Sports Asia continued to operate normally.
Zimmer is part of the existing management team retained by BikeCo to preside over the manufacturing, marketing and distribution of the Fuji, Breezer, Tuesday, and SE bicycle brands to a dealer network of approximately 700 independent bike shops throughout the United States. The business today employs more than 40 people, the vast majority of whom are located at its 70,000-square-foot warehouse and headquarters in Philadelphia, USA.
You can read the entire story here.
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