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Wednesday, August 17, 2022
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2021 Tour de France | 2022 Giro d'Italia
I should not regret a fair and full trial of the entire abolition of capital punishment. - James Madison
Bill and Carol McGann's book The Story of the Giro d'Italia, A Year-by-Year History of the Tour of Italy, Vol 2: 1971 - 2011 is available in print, Kindle eBook and audiobook versions. To get your copy, just click on the Amazon link on the right.
Current racing:
- Aug 16 - 19: Tour du Limousin
- Aug 16 - 20: PostNord Danmark Rundt
Upcoming racing:
- Aug 19 - Sept 11: La Vuelta a España
Latest completed racing:
- Aug 11 - 14: Arctic Race of Norway
- Aug 14: La Polynormande
- Aug 9 - 11: Tour de l'Ain
- Aug 2 - 6: Vuelta a Burgos
- July 30 - Aug 5: Tour of Poland
- July 31: Circuito de Getxo
- July 30: Clasica San Sebastián
- July 23 - 27: Tour de Wallonie
- July 27 - 28: Vuelta a Castilla y Leon
- July 1 - July 24: Tour de France
The team sent me this:
Michał Kwiatkowski will be lining up at the Tour of Denmark today in the knowledge that he’ll be extending his contract with the INEOS Grenadiers until 2025.
The Pole has signed a new deal which at its conclusion, will mark a successful decade of racing with the team, which Deputy Team Principal, Rod Ellingworth reflects on:
“Kwiato is a bike racer to the very core, and an integral part of this team, his ability to read a race is second to none, as is his dedication to being one of the best teammates you could ask for. That’s why it’s always an absolute joy to see him take victories of his own, as he did at the Amstel Gold Race this year. I’m very happy that he will remain with us until 2025.”
‘Kwiato’ has been responsible for a number of firsts for the team over the years and continued that trend in 2022, clinching a memorable first victory at Amstel Gold for the Grenadiers.
Michał Kwiatkowski (right) just beats Benoit Cosnefroy to win the 2022 Amstel Gold Race.
That list also includes Milan-San Remo, Tirreno-Adriatico and two wins at Strade Bianche, in addition to taking a win on home soil at the Tour de Pologne, and a memorable Tour de France stage win in 2020.
Currently in his 12th year in the WorldTour, Kwiatkowski is as hungry as ever, whether that’s adding more victories to his glittering palmares, or playing a key support role in stage races and Grand Tours.
Kwiatkowski said: “I’m really happy to be able to extend my contract with the team until 2025, to spend ten years with one team shows I’ve found a team I can call home. It’s an environment which encourages learning and development; a Team that really invests a lot into its riders. I’ve seen myself grow as a rider over the years, taking some memorable wins of my own along the way, as well as playing a part in some of the biggest wins in bike racing. I’m looking forward to more of this over the next three years.”
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Here’s the team’s update:
Cedric Beullens, Steff Cras, Jarrad Drizners, Thomas De Gendt, Maxim Van Gils, Filippo Conca, Kamil Małecki and Harry Sweeny are the riders that will represent Lotto Soudal at the 2022 Vuelta a España. The balanced Belgian team targets stage victories.
Thomas De Gendt (shown at the 2022 Giro d'Italia) is scheduled to ride the Vuelta. Sirotti photo
"I think we have a strong and balanced team for this final grand tour of the season", says sports director Kurt Van de Wouwer. "We do not have a clear team leader and that offers opportunities to everyone in the team. With Thomas De Gendt we have someone who has seen and experienced it all. In 2017 he won a stage in the Vuelta and in this year's Giro he has shown that he is still up to it. He will guide our young riders throughout their first grand tour. We have three grand tour debutants in this Vuelta: Cedric Beullens, Jarrad Drizners and Filippo Conca."
"Harry Sweeny has shown his good form in the Tour de l'Ain", continues Van de Wouwer. "Filippo Conca, Kamil Małecki and Jarrad Drizners have also proven to be ready. Cedric Beullens could already get his opportunity during the opening weekend in The Netherlands, should there be enough wind. Maxim Van Gils will try to go for breakaways in the more difficult stages later on. And Steff Cras was 20th in last year's GC. He will target the GC also this year and will try and fight for a good spot the entire Vuelta."
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The team sent me this announcement:
An Australian trio of Luke Durbridge, Lucas Hamilton and Callum Scotson have confirmed their commitment to Team BikeExchange-Jayco, signing new two-year contracts to see them through to 2024, as three important and core members of the squad.
Luke Durbridge racing in the 3 Days of De Panne in 2012. Sirotti photo
Durbridge, one of the inaugural riders on the team, having joined the Australian outfit in its first season back in 2012, will see his new contract take his tenure with GreenEDGE Cycling to 13 seasons. ‘Durbo’ has been one of the squad’s key domestiques over the years, with no less than eight Tour de France appearances, confirming his selfless and hardworking nature and his consistency as a rider to deliver over a variety of terrain.
Hamilton, a 26-year-old talented climber, has gone from strength to strength over the past five years since turning professional with Team BikeExchange-Jacyo back in 2017, and has displayed his climbing pedigree on multiple occasions at the biggest races on the calendar. A rider with a lot of potential to succeed himself, but also as a hardworking teammate, Lucas will continue to be a big part of the squad’s future, as it looks to target more success in Grand Tours and hilly stage races across the calendar.
Finally, Scotson, one of the team's crucial members of the ‘engine room’, has continued to be a key foundation of many successful team line-ups as a powerhouse on the flat, assisting with sprint finishes and also a strong climber in his own right. As he begins his fifth season with GreenEDGE Cycling, the squad is confident that there is still a lot more to unleash within Scotson and value him as an important member for the future seasons.
Brent Copeland – General Manager:
“Re-signing these three Australian riders, Durbridge, Hamilton and Scotson was very important for us as an organisation as they have all proven to be key members of the team, on and off the bike, as hardworking teammates but also for achieving results in their own right. These three riders all have very different strengths and are very versatile riders that are very much valued on this team.
"Durbridge is one of the original riders to join GreenEDGE Cycling, he has been here from the start, and he knows the ins and outs of the organisation and has developed so much over the years, becoming one of the more experienced riders on the team. Hamilton and Scotson are still both young and we believe they both have a lot more left to give. As we look to the future, as GreenEDGE Cycling begins its 12th season in the WorldTour, we are very happy to continue to work with these three Australian riders that keep our culture and hardworking ethic very much alive.”
Luke Durbridge:
“This team is like home for me, I have been here since the start in 2012 and it is really special to continue for two more years. I thoroughly enjoy working with all the staff and riders in the team through all the highs and the lows, and the team has been supporting me every season. Team BikeExchange-Jayco is changing and continuing to get stronger with the likes of Groenewegen joining and boosting the sprint team even more and I am looking forward to continuing to be a part of the team’s success in the sprints, time trials and Grand Tours. We have big ambitions for the next two years.”
Lucas Hamilton:
“I am really happy to be re-signing for the next two years with Team BikeExchange-Jayco, I have been with this team since I was an under 23 rider and I would really like to try and keep progressing in the general classification realm at Grand Tours. It hasn’t always been smooth sailing but in the next couple years in this team, with its support, I am really excited to see what we can do together. I love the people in this team, and I am happy to be able to stay and continue working with them into the future.”
Callum Scotson:
“I’m very happy to stay, over the last four years the team has had a lot of belief in me and supported me to keep improving. Recently I’ve been happy with my ability to support the team in the big races, like at the Giro d’Italia earlier this year, so over the next two years I aim to continue that. If I can find some personal success along the way, then that would be really nice too.”
Luke Durbridge
Date of Birth: 9th April 1991 (31)
Nationality: Australian
Joined GreenEDGE Cycling: 2012
New Contract: 2023 & 2024
Top Results:
4x 1st Australian time trial championships (2012, 13, 19, 20)
1st Criterium du Dauphine stage (2012)
2nd Driedaagse De Panne Overall (2014)
2nd Giro d’Italia stage (2015)
4th Dwaars Door Vlaanderen (2017)
5th Eneco Tour Overall (2012)
6th Benelux Tour (2021)
Lucas Hamilton
Date of Birth: 12th February 1996 (26)
Nationality: Australian
Joined GreenEDGE Cycling: 2017
New Contract: 2023 & 2024
Top Results:
1st Coppi e Bartali (2019)
1st Tirreno Adriatico stage (2020)
2nd Czech Cycling Tour Overall (2019)
4th Paris-Nice Overall (2021)
4th Giro d’Italia stage (2019)
Callum Scotson
Date of Birth: 10th August 1996 (26)
Nationality: Australian
Joined GreenEDGE Cycling: 2019
New Contract: 2023 & 2024
Top Results:
3rd Hammer Stavanger stage (2019)
6th Australian time trial championships (2019)
7th Vuelta Asturias stage (2022)
7th CRO Race stage (2020)
8th Santos Tour Down Under stage (2017)
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The team sent me this:
La Vuelta Ciclista a España: AUG 19 - SEP 11
Matt Winston - Team DSM coach:
"This year's Vuelta parcours offers the peloton a bit of everything; with a team time trial, individual time trial, sprint stages, big days in the mountains and several break opportunities. We're looking forward to getting the race underway in the Netherlands before the return to Spain after the opening three days. We have a really motivated group of guys in the squad that includes a nice mix of youth and experience; with Marco, Jonas and Henri making their Grand Tour debuts. As for our goals throughout the race, we will look to hold Thymen in the GC and not lose any time early in the race, while also looking to ride aggressively with the team as we hunt for stage success too."
Nikias Arndt will be at the Vuelta. Here is is winning 2019 Vuelta stage 8. Sirotti photo
Line-up:
Thymen Arensman (NED)
Nikias Arndt (GER)
Marco Brenner (GER)
John Degenkolb (GER)
Mark Donovan (GBR)
Jonas Iversby Hvideberg (NOR)
Joris Nieuwenhuis (NED)
Henri Vandenabeele (BEL)
Bemer Cyclassics: AUG 21
Luke Roberts - Team DSM coach:
"After a two year absence we are happy to see the Bemer Cyclassics Hamburg return to the calendar. It's a race that is traditionally one for the fast men however they first need to survive the laps over the steep Waseberg climb, where the fight for position going onto it is crucial. We go into the race with a well balanced line-up and multiple options for the fast final, where we will look to play our cards in search of a nice result."
Line-up:
Pavel Bittner (CZE)
Cees Bol (NED)
Romain Combaud (FRA)
Alberto Dainese (ITA)
Nico Denz (GER)
Nils Eekhoff (NED)
Martijn Tusveld (NED)
MerXem Classic: AUG 21
Pim Ligthart - Team DSM coach:
"We're looking forward to taking part in the MerXem classic with the race now back on the calendar, and it's an event we podiumed in the last edition in 2019. The riders will complete several laps of a local circuit, which includes a short cobbled section, and we expect it to be a fast race throughout. We take a strong team that can be sharp on any dangerous breakaways and make sure that we're on the front foot, while we also have Megan, who took some nice results in Scandinavia recently, as our finisher if the race comes down to a sprint finale."
Line-up:
Francesca Barale (ITA)
Léa Curinier (FRA)
Pfeiffer Georgi (GBR)
Megan Jastrab (USA)
Leah Kirchmann (CAN)
Esmée Peperkamp (NED)
Elise Uijen (NED)
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