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Wednesday, July 23, 2025
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2024 Tour de France | 2024 Giro d'Italia
I have made this letter longer than usual, only because I have not had the time to make it shorter. - Blaise Pascal
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:
- July 5 - 27: Tour de France
Upcoming racing:
- August 2: San Sebastian Classic
Latest completed racing:
- June 21 - 29: Most national road championships
- June 24: Giro dell'Appennino
- June 15 - 22: Tour de Suisse
- June 18 - 22: Baloise Belgium Tour
- July 9 - 13: Tour of Austria
- June 8 - 15: Critérium du Dauphiné
- June 13: GP Kanton Aargau
- June 8: Brussels Cycling Classic
- May 9 - June 1: Giro d'Italia
We posted the race organizer's report with the results.
Here's the report from stage winner Valentin Paret-Peintre's Team Soudal Quick-Step:
Valentin Paret-Peintre took a victory for the history books on stage 16 of the Tour de France, a success built on determination, confidence, and the unique Wolfpack spirit – all key ingredients of a memorable and emotional day for Soudal Quick-Step and France, who had been waiting for this win since last summer.
"I don't realize what has happened. I believed in myself in the finale, pushed hard and continued to tell myself: ‘You have to do it, just give everything!’ I can’t tell you what this win means for me. I’ll need some time for everything to sink in”, said Valentin, the first Frenchman in 23 years to win on this mythical climb.
Valentin Paret-Peintre wins on Mont Ventoux. ASO photo
“The Giant of Provence”, a climb shrouded in mystery, which has been stirring people’s imagination long before the Renaissance – when Petrarch scaled it together with his brother just for the pleasure of doing so, a mark of the new humanistic spirit that was beginning to gain ground in the Western world – Mont Ventoux hosted a stage finish for the first time since 2013, and Valentin Paret-Peintre made sure of leaving an indelible mark on it.
A pure climber, the Frenchman was part of a large breakaway group that built a seven-minute maximum gap on the peloton, and even though the group splintered on the flat roads to Mont Ventoux, he and his Soudal Quick-Step teammates continued to stubbornly believe in their chances. Pascal Eenkhoorn set a big tempo before the climb to reduce the gap to the leaders, before Ilan Van Wilder took over as the road went up, paving the way for an attack of Valentin. The Tour of Oman runner-up attacked early, eager to make a selection and cut the margin of lone leader Enric Mas (Movistar).
The catch was made five kilometers from the finish, and the newly-formed front group continued working together, hoping to hold off the chasers and fight for victory. Despite starting the ascent with a five-minute advantage over the peloton, they had only one minute in hand going under the flamme rouge. That’s when Ilan Van Wilder came into the picture; the Belgian mounted a formidable comeback, à la Stephen Roche, joining the leaders with just 500 meters to go and immediately going to the front to set the tempo. It was a magnificent assist from Van Wilder, and at the same time, a remarkable display of the beautiful Wolfpack DNA, and Paret-Peintre made sure of capping it off with a monumental victory.
The Frenchman responded to an acceleration of Ben Healy (EF Education-EasyPost), drawing level with the Irishman on the final bend before passing him in sight of the line, which he crossed first, ecstatic but in disbelief, as he gained immortality.
“To tell the truth, this wasn’t the plan at the start of the day. I really thought that it was going to be a stage for the general classification contenders, but when I saw that a big group was on the move, I said that I had nothing to lose if I join them. I felt good, and having two teammates in that group was a big confidence-boost. I told them that I had strong legs and believed in my chances, and they did an incredible job. I am extremely grateful for this, I will never forget Ilan’s effort and pulls in the final kilometer. It’s hard for me to tell you how I managed to win this stage, but I did it and now I’m on cloud nine. This is a special day for myself, for my team, and for my country, and I can’t describe just how happy I am”, said Valentin, who was just one-year-old the last time a French rider won on the Mont Ventoux.
Ilan Van Wilder, the MVP of the day and fourth on the stage, couldn’t hide his emotions at the finish: “I’m so happy for Valentin and for the team. The last couple of days haven’t been easy for us, but we kept believing in ourselves, because we knew what we’re capable of. Valentin told us that he felt very good, so we decided to play this card. When I saw in the last few kilometers that I wasn’t very far from the leading group, I gave it my all to come back. I managed to bridge across inside the final kilometer and didn’t hesitate for a second when it came to pulling hard, because I knew that the yellow jersey was rapidly approaching. What we achieved today is amazing. It’s a day I will never forget!”
“We all know Valentin is a smart rider and a great climber with quite the punch, but to see him win on this iconic ascent it something unbelievable, that makes us very proud. It’s a triumph that wouldn’t have been possible without Ilan, who admirably fought his way back to the front at the right time and provided an incredible lead-out on the Mont Ventoux. It was a superb moment, one that shows why we are the Wolfpack. Winning four stages at the Tour de France is a huge achievement for our beautiful team, a performance which speaks volumes about how hard we work the entire time”, added Soudal Quick-Step CEO Jurgen Foré after our squad’s 55th Le Tour stage victory.
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Here's the stage 16 report from second-place Ben Healy's Team EF Education EasyPost:
After leaving the peloton behind him in the crosswinds on the run up to the climb, Ben attacked all the way up the Giant of Provence.
He rode into the final kilometer in a group of three and launched again, rounding the final corner before the summit tower in the lead, before getting pipped at the line.
Ben Healy leads near the Mont Ventoux summit. Sirotti photo
“I think I played it really nicely in the break and never really touched the wind once until Ventoux,” Ben said after congratulating the race winner. “I hit Ventoux and I wasn’t really sure how my legs were. I took it steady at the bottom and kind of went at a nice pace. It’s an hour-long climb. Then, I started to realize I was actually feeling really good today and we definitely could race for the win. I just did a little bit too little too late, I think, because this top section is a bit shallower and the headwind was just too hard to break Valentin today. I tried to get a jump on him in the finish, because I knew he was more explosive than me on a finish like this. I did my best but didn’t quite get him.”
Ben’s Mont Ventoux stunt gained him time on GC too. He is now ninth overall in the race for the yellow jersey, as the Tour de France heads for the Alps.
Sports director Tom Southam is proud of the way Ben attacked Mont Ventoux: “On paper we hadn't marked this down as a day where there would be an opportunity for us,” Tom said. “We went into the stage thinking it would be more for the heavyweight GC guys. But then this morning, late on, we got the feeling that it would be worth Ben being there if the breakaway group was big, and we could get there without much effort, because UAE might let the guys in the top ten on GC but far back on time go.
"So we were on the lookout for those opportunities. It popped up, obviously, and he slipped into a move really well without making a lot of effort. The race was on and on and on and we didn't know what was going to happen, but he was in the right spot. He did fantastic to stay cool when the other climbers from the group were up the road. He played that very well, waiting patiently. Obviously, he did a fantastic climb. Close to the end, he looked stronger at some points, but that’s not necessarily the winner.”
Not today. But Ben rode like a champion on Mont Ventoux.
Here's the Tour de France stage 16 report from GC leader Tadej Pogacar's UAE Team Emirates-XRG:
Tadej Pogačar remained solid in defence of his Yellow Jersey at the Tour de France, taking fifth place across the line at the top of Mont Ventoux. As the breakaway claimed the spoils on stage 16, the world champion got the better of Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike) in another entertaining contest, extending his lead of the race by a further two seconds.
Returning to the Giant of Provence for a first summit finish on its slopes since 2013, the Tour de France drew tens of thousands of supporters to the roadside, all of whom were delivered another epic showdown between Pogačar and Vingegaard. Both riders made attempts to put the other on the back foot, but in the end it was the UAE Team Emirates-XRG man who came out on top
Pogacar leads Vingegaard near the top of Mt. Ventoux. Sirotti photo.
Finishing one place ahead of Vingegaard, Pogačar attacked through the final hairpin and powered up the punishingly steep last 300m of road. As they approached the line, Vingegaard was forced to return to his saddle and inch his way towards the finish. Ultimately, Pogačar extended his lead by two seconds before the race heads to the Alps later this week.
Speaking to the media after stage 16, Pogačar reflected on another ding-dong encounter with the two-time Tour de France champion.
Pogačar: “Today, Jonas really tried and they worked very well as a team together. They really paced the climb super well, but luckily I didn’t have the same legs as 2021, so I’m happy with today. It was a good performance from my side, and I defended the Yellow Jersey as I decided this morning.
“There were some points, of course, where I was suffering. But I think today was just one climb, one effort, and it was more or less full gas from the bottom to the finish line. In the next days, I think it will be more and more tiring for the body.
“When [the break] went, at first it was a three-man breakaway and we already stopped. Then they started to attack again and it was a big breakaway. Marc and Pavel were inside, and we just let them go.
“If we had to ride the climb, we would ride with Adam [Yates] and Tim [Wellens], with Marc [Soler] and Pavel [Sivakov] in the breakaway. So when they went, we said the breakaway could increase the gap. But in the end, because of Visma, it was coming pretty close. We saw them at 800m to go, I knew that if there was one big effort from me or Jonas, maybe we could catch them, but I think they deserved the victory.
“I saw [stage winner, Valentin] Paret-Peintre, we were in the changing room together and he was super happy. He was calling a friend and it was nice to see.
“I think we will race until Paris and we will see who will be the winner. I think today was a proper hard day after the rest day. For me, it is one box ticked and going with good motivation to the next days.”
Earlier in the stage, it was Pogačar’s teammate Nils Politt who produced perhaps the performance of the day. The big German rouleur was relentless in ensuring that the eventual breakaway would be suited to Pogačar’s ambitions, before proceeding to drive the peloton for well over 100km to the base of Mont Ventoux in the village of Bédoin.
With UAE Team Emirates-XRG’s Pavel Sivakov and Marc Soler up the road, Politt and Pogačar watched a near 40-man breakaway go clear through the flatlands that preceded Mont Ventoux. The final climb would be the only bump of the day on Tuesday, but this did not stop the front group from breaking apart on the approach to the climb.
Indeed, as the break began the tough slopes of Ventoux, only Thymen Arensman (Ineos Grenadiers), Julian Alaphilippe (Tudor Pro Cycling) and Enric Mas (Movistar) were in the very first group on the road. As Sivakov and Soler rode at their own pace, the rest of the breakaway battled it out for the stage honours, with Valentin Paret-Peintre (Soudal Quick-Step) eventually getting the better of Ben Healy (EF Education-EasyPost) in a two-up sprint to the summit.
Five minutes further down the climb, Vingegaard and Visma-Lease a Bike began to mount their offensive whilst the breakaway went head-to-head. With Wout van Aert driving the pace from the foot of the climb, Sepp Kuss took over the work as the race entered the famed Communal Forest of Bédoin. Here, the Visma-Lease a Bike plans took a turn as Simon Yates lost contact, forcing Kuss into a longer stint at the front.
Undeterred, the American former Vuelta a España winner pressed on, setting up Vingegaard’s first attack with a little under 10km to ride. For the remainder of the stage, Pogačar showed not a jot of weakness, responding well to the Dane’s accelerations and standing up to the task when the Dutch squad used their satellite riders (Tiesj Benoot and Victor Campenearts) further up the climb.
On the barren slopes that led to the summit of Mont Ventoux, Pogačar made his own counterattack, but Vingegaard refused to be budged.
Save for a couple of seconds between the pair at the summit, not much could separate the two strongest riders in this race on Tuesday afternoon. Their battle looks set to rage on through the Alps in the final week of the race.
Up first, however, stage 17 looks set to suit a sprint finish, should the forces of Lidl-Trek and Soudal Quick-Step tee up an expected contest between Jonathan Milan and Tim Merlier, respectively.
As for Pogačar, the Slovenian’s fifth-place finish on stage 16 was enough to see him retake the King of the Mountains polka-dot jersey. That will be worn on behalf of the Yellow Jersey by the recently-deposed Lenny Martinez of Bahrain Victorious on Wednesday.
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Here's the report from GC second-place Jonas Vingegaard's Team Jumbo-Visma:
Jonas Vingegaard finished sixth in the 16th stage of the Tour de France. On the flanks of the Mont Ventoux, the 28-year-old Dane repeatedly put pressure on classification leader Tadej Pogačar. The numbers one and two in the general classification eventually crossed the finish line together.
Vingegaard attacks with 3.3 km to go.
The third week of the Tour got underway in Montpellier. After the start in the coastal city, an intense battle unfolded for a place in the breakaway. Following a fast opening hour, a group of over thirty riders, including Tiesj Benoot and Victor Campenaerts, managed to break away from the peloton. The leading group gradually thinned out as the stage progressed, with the iconic Mont Ventoux climb awaiting at the end.
Seven riders reached the foot of the Mont Ventoux. Ben Healy and Valentin Paret-Peintre engaged in a gripping duel on the legendary mountain, with the Frenchman ultimately taking the win. Meanwhile, Team Visma | Lease a Bike set a fierce pace in the peloton.
Vingegaard launched his attack with about eight kilometers to go. Only Pogačar was able to match the Dane’s acceleration. Vingegaard quickly caught early attacker Benoot, who provided valuable support for a few hundred meters. After Benoot’s effort, Vingegaard attacked again. Not long after, Campenaerts was also caught and briefly took the lead. In the final kilometers, Vingegaard made one last attempt, but Pogačar did not crack. The two riders finished close together.
“The team was fantastic today,” Vingegaard said afterward. “Everyone gave everything they had, and I want to thank them for that. I didn’t gain time today, but I take a lot of motivation from this performance. I felt really good again and I’m satisfied with the attacks I made. As I’ve said before: I’ll keep trying all the way to Paris.”
“We wanted to make it a real battle today, and I think we succeeded,” Head of Racing Grischa Niermann reflected. “The team rode very strongly, and Jonas looked impressive. Our plan was to send a few riders into the breakaway. Tiesj and Victor executed that perfectly. Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough to crack Pogačar, but I’m proud of how the guys fought. We’ll keep attacking in the upcoming Alpine stages as well.”
Julian Alaphilippe's Tudor Pro Cycling Team posted this report:
After the final rest day of the Tour de France, the peloton returned to racing on Tuesday for a grueling Stage 16 from Montpellier to Carcassonne, capped by a summit finish on the legendary Mont Ventoux. In a show of strength and resilience, Julian Alaphilippe powered to an 8th-place finish on the iconic climb, signaling promising form as the race enters its decisive final week.
Julian Alaphilippe finishing 8th. Sirotti photo
The 171.5-kilometer stage opened aggressively, with Tudor Pro Cycling taking initiative early. The team placed two riders - Marco Haller and Marc Hirschi - in the day’s first breakaway of three riders. The front group swelled to 34 riders, including teammates Julian Alaphilippe and Matteo Trentin, giving Tudor Pro Cycling a strong presence in the move.
As the stage wore on, the large break fractured under pressure. A smaller lead group emerged and started the final climb with a narrow advantage, setting the stage for a dramatic finale.
Although Julian couldn’t respond to the sharpest attacks on the climb, he rode a determined pace to secure 8th on the day, an encouraging sign after recent concerns about a shoulder injury.
"I’m happy with today’s stage" Julian said. "It didn’t necessarily go as planned, but I followed my instinct, knowing the final would be complicated for me. As a Team, we were well represented at the front with Marc, Marco, and Matteo whom I really want to thank. He did an incredible job helping the break start the Ventoux with a good advantage. After that, it became too difficult for me against the pure climbers."
Julian's performance, alongside Tudor’s aggressive racing bodes well for the remaining stages of the Tour de France.
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Here's the Tour de France report from Oscar Onley's Team Picnic-PostNL:
There was no easing into the final week of the Tour de France. Stage 16 immediately served up a mountain showdown with a summit finish on one of the most iconic climbs in cycling history: Mont Ventoux. The day began in Montpellier, where most of the peloton had spent their well-earned rest day. The opening 140 kilometres unfolded on flat terrain, setting the stage for a lot of attacks in the peloton. Team Picnic PostNL was also active, and eventually Pavel Bittner managed to get away with a large group of 34 riders. The breakaway was given plenty of freedom today, and stage winner Paret-Peintre made the most of it. Meanwhile, the battle between the GC riders erupted behind, turning the stage into a fight on two fronts.
Team Picnic PostNL rode attentively all day, staying near the front of the peloton to protect Oscar Onley. As the bunch reached the lower slopes of Mont Ventoux, the yellow jersey group quickly thinned out to just ten riders, with Onley holding his ground among the best. When Vingegaard launched his attack, that select group split further. Onley found himself in a chase group with Lipowitz and Roglič, but just before the summit, the pace proved a touch too high for the young Scot. He crossed the line in 14th place, just behind a mix of breakaway riders and GC contenders, after giving his all on the legendary final climb. As a result, Team Picnic PostNL and Onley remain in 4th place overall.
Oscar Onley racing in stage 14. Sirotti photo
After the stage, Team Picnic PostNL coach Matt Winston said: “It was a really good day. The guys did a fantastic job looking after Oscar, making sure he hit the climb well-hydrated and cool. Oscar put in a strong performance on the Ventoux, and I think we can be proud of both his effort and the team’s work overall. We’re still in a good position in the GC, with plenty left to fight for in this final week.”
And here's the Tour report from Thymen Arensman's Team INEOS Grenadiers:
Thymen Arensman put in yet another impressive breakaway performance at the Tour de France as stage 16 culminated in an ascent of the mighty Mont Ventoux.
The Dutchman worked hard to ride his way into the lead group and tackled the early slopes of the famous climb at the head of the race. Initially part of a 34-rider move, Thymen was instrumental in helping to split the break to build a buffer to the chasing peloton behind.
Beginning the 15.6-kilometre final climb with a gap of around 1:40 to the second breakaway group, Arensman's efforts eventually caught up with him and he would finish 12th.
Thymen Arensman winning stage 14. ASO photo
Carlos Rodriguez received strong support across the flat run towards Ventoux, and was part of a very select GC peloton. The Spaniard would eventually finish 15th on the day, 3:02 back on stage winner Valentin Paret-Peintre (Soudal - Quick-Step). Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates - XRG) led the yellow jersey battle home in fifth place, holding a lead of 4:15 with five days remaining.
Rodriguez dropped one place on the day and now holds 10th position on the general classification.
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