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Thursday, July 31, 2025
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2024 Tour de France | 2024 Giro d'Italia
Absurdity, n.: A statement or belief manifestly inconsistent with one's own opinion. - Ambrose Bierce
Bill & Carol McGann’s book The Story of the 2024 Tour de France: The Happy Warrior Triumphs is available print, Kindle eBook and audiobook versions. To get your copy, just click on the link on the right.
Upcoming racing:
- August 2: San Sebastian Classic
- August 4 - 10: Tour of Poland
Latest completed racing:
- July 26 - July 30: Tour de Wallonie
- July 27: Vuelta a Castilla y Leon
- July 5 - 27: Tour de France
- 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
Here’s the team’s news:
Ayco Bastiaens became the latest rider to sign a new agreement with Soudal Quick-Step, which will see him continue to sport our colours until 2027. Ayco joined the team ahead of the 2024 season, and has since competed in more than 30 races, always visible at the front of the peloton for hours and hours on the flat, chasing down the breakaways and playing an important role in many of the victories racked up by our squad at the UAE Tour, Paris-Nice, or the Belgian one-day races.
Ayco Bastiaens
“I’m happy to stay with the team for the next two years. I’m a domestique and I like doing this job for the team, helping to control the breakaways for my leaders. I showed in the past my strength in this role and I want to keep doing this with the same passion and determination as we continue to hunt for victories. I have a lot of beautiful memories from my time with the Wolfpack so far and I hope to add to these in the next two seasons”, Ayco explained.
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Soudal Quick-Step CEO Jurgen Foré added: “Our squad wouldn’t be as successful as it is without selfless riders who work hard for the main goals, and Ayco is such a rider. He is an amazing team player, appreciated by his teammates for his dedication, determination and strong effort he puts in every single time he pins on a number. That’s why we are delighted he will remain a member of Soudal Quick-Step for the next two years.”
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Here’s the team’s news:
Sven Vanthourenhout is joining the team of Sports Directors at Red Bull – BORA – hansgrohe with immediate effect. The 44-year-old most recently served as national coach for Belgium.
He will begin his role with the development squad: Vanthourenhout will make his debut with the Red Bull – BORA – hansgrohe Rookies in the U23 category. At the Tour Alsace, which starts on Wednesday, he will get to know the team on site and assist Cesare Benedetti.
Sven Vanthourenhout
"I’ve always been passionate about working with purpose and ambition, and I’m eager to contribute to Red Bull – BORA – hansgrohe’s ongoing journey." - Sven Vanthourenhout
In the remaining weeks of the current season, Sven Vanthourenhout will focus on races at the U23 level - an intentional first step to gain insight into the team’s structure and culture. Starting next season, he will take on the role as Sports Director at WorldTour races.
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Here’s the team’s news:
Steven Kruijswijk has extended his contract with Team Visma | Lease a Bike for another year. The 38-year-old Dutchman plays an important role as a culture bearer within the team, but also proved during the Giro d’Italia won by Simon Yates that he remains a valuable athlete on the road.
Kruijswijk has spent his entire career riding for the Dutch WorldTeam. He progressed through the Rabobank Continental Team and went on to become one of the best Grand Tour riders of his generation. In addition to a stage win in the Tour de Suisse and overall victory in the Arctic Race of Norway, Kruijswijk particularly stood out with a third-place finish in the 2019 Tour de France, a fourth place in the 2018 Vuelta a España, and a fourth place in the 2016 Giro d’Italia, where he also wore the pink jersey for six days.
Steven Kruijswijk before the start of the 2024 Tour of Lombardy. Sirotti photo
“I still really enjoy it and feel physically great again,” Kruijswijk said about extending his stay with the team and in the peloton. “This past Giro reaffirmed for me and the team that I’m still a valuable asset. That feeling was decisive for me. I also try to share my experience as much as possible with the younger riders on the team. In that way, I hope to continue contributing to the team’s future successes.”
Head of Racing Grischa Niermann echoed Kruijswijk’s sentiments: “It’s important that we’re able to keep someone who has been with this team for so long. Steven has taken on just about every role here and experienced all kinds of situations. That makes him extremely valuable to the entire team, and especially to our young talents. On top of that, Steven showed again during the last Giro that he’s still more than capable when it comes to performance on the bike.”
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