Bicycle Racing News and Opinion,
Thursday, September 18, 2025
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2024 Tour de France | 2024 Giro d'Italia
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Current racing:
- September 17 - 21: Tour de Luxembourg
Upcoming racing:
- September 19: Kampioenschap van Vlaanderen
- September 20: Super 8 Classic
Latest completed racing:
- September 17: GP de Wallonie
- August 23 - September 14: Vuelta a España
- September 14: Grand Prix Cycliste de Montréal
- September 14: GP de Fourmies
- September 14: Trofeo Matteotti
- September 13: Memorial Marco Pantani
- September 12: Grand Prix Cycliste de Québec
- September 2 - 7: Tour of Britain
- August 31: Bretagne Classic-Ouest France
- August 26 - 29: Tour Poitou Charentes en Nouvelle Aquitaine
- August 20 - 24: Renewi Tour
- August 19 - 22: Tour du Limousin
- August 17: Hamburg Cyclassics
- August 17: La Polynormande
- August 12 - 16: Tour of Denmark
- August 15: Circuit Franco-Belge
Here's the team's news:
Davide Piganzoli will race for Team Visma | Lease a Bike for the next three seasons. The 23-year-old Italian is considered a major talent in stage racing and hopes to further develop in that role with the Dutch WorldTeam.
Although only 23, Piganzoli is already in his third year as a professional rider. During that time, he has made a name for himself as a gifted general classification rider who excels in tough stage races. He has already ridden two editions of the Giro d’Italia, finishing 13th and 14th overall. He also claimed a stage win and the overall victory at the Tour of Antalya.
Davide Piganzoli at the 2025 Tirreno-Adriatico. Sirotti photo
“Davide is a rider in whom we see a lot of potential,” says Head of Racing Grischa Niermann. “He will initially strengthen our Grand Tour squad in a supporting role, but he will definitely have opportunities of his own as well. We want to grow with him to the next level as a GC rider, and we’re happy he chose us and our project.”
“This is a big step in my career,” adds Piganzoli. “I’m excited to race for a new team and to meet all the new teammates and staff. I was really drawn to the project at Team Visma | Lease a Bike because I believe I can truly continue developing here as a GC rider. There’s so much expertise in this team: experienced riders, top equipment, strong support staff, and more. Step by step, I want to keep growing as a general classification rider.”
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We posted the race organizer's Tour de Luxembourg report with the results.
Here’s the UAE Team Emirates-XRG post:
Jhonatan Narváez showed no signs of jetlag from his recent trip to Canada, with the Ecuadorian national champion at the pointy end of racing on stage 1 of the Skoda Tour de Luxembourg. Fresh from helping teammate Brandon McNulty to victory at the Grand Prix Cycliste de Montréal, Narváez rode to eighth place on the opening day.
Looking equally as fresh, McNulty remained with the GC favourites on the final climb of the day, as Richard Carapaz of EF Education-EasyPost looked to seize an opportunity. On the Côte de Stafelter, it was actually Pablo Torres of UAE Team Emirates-XRG who pushed the pace with an impressive turn of speed at the front, before Carapaz looked to counter.
As it was, the last climb was not tough enough to cause a split in the pack, resulting in an uphill sprint to the line in Luxembourg City to decide the day’s honours.
Romain Grégoire wins the first stage of the Tour of Luxemboourg.
Narváez looked to secure a top placing, but ultimately, the stage was won by Romain Grégoire of Groupama-FDJ. The Frenchman unleashed a vicious acceleration at the right moment, landing him the stage win and the leader’s jersey.
With Narváez in eighth, teammate McNulty crossed the line inside the top 20, with the American’s eyes on the harder tests to come later in the week.
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Here’s the team’s news:
Thomas Gloag joins the Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team for the next two seasons. The 24-year-old British rider has already been in the pro ranks for three years with Visma-Lease-a-Bike, raced a Grand Tours and Classics. At Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team Gloag will be reunited with some old friends.
“Fred Wright grew up a mile from me in London so it’s nice to be on the same team again, “ Thomas Gloag commented. “The last time was at VC Londres when we were kids. I also look forward to working with Kurt [Bogaerts] again. He has been a great influence in my first U23 year and we always stayed in touch. In that first U23 year with Trinity I also raced with Tom so it will be a reunion for all of us.”
The Trinity Team was the team where many young riders got their first taste at professional racing in a professional set-up. It resulted in many riders turning pro including Tom and Joey Pidcock and Gloag himself on the Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team next season.
Thomas Gloag wins the 2024 Czech Tour queen stage.
“It was so much fun being on a British team like Trinity. There was a lot of ambition. We raced the right way. I see that in Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team as well. It’s not only about the riders but also how you build that new team culture. I think many of the components are already there. It’s telling that so many young guys on the team have stepped up this year. It’s a good sign that people are getting better.”
Gloag has always been a great talent in the youth ranks and throughout his U23 years. He thrived in the mountainous stage races in this development category like Ronde de l’Isard, Giro Valle delle Aosta, Giro NextGen and Tour de l’Avenir. In 2022 he even won a stage in the Tour de l’Avenir and wore the yellow jersey. As a pro he came close to victory in 2023 in Volta Valenciana, but it was also that year he was hit by a car and fractured his knee cap.
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“My career has been ups-and-downs,” Gloag says. “I was a year out after that accident, and I have struggled with consistency ever since I turned pro. There were highs every year so far but also lows with more crashes and an elbow fracture. At Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team I am looking for that consistent development and growth.”
Gloag is a versatile rider with a lot of potential still untapped. You won’t find him in Paris-Roubaix for sure but in races where there are hills and mountains, he thrives. His only pro win to date was the queen stage in the Czech Tour, his first race back after almost a year away from the peloton.
“I like all kind of climbs really, whether it’s the shorter ones like Jebel Jais in UAE Tour or Willunga Hill, and the longer ones in Czech Tour for example. I am still figuring it all out,” he says honestly. “First goal will be the overall classification in the smaller stage races with those climbs and then hopefully with time a Grand Tour. I would lie if I would say that is not a long-term goal.”
From the Herne Hill Velodrome where he holds so many fond memories to being a professional rider seems like a big step but for Gloag the process is the same.
“It’s always important to have a goal in mind, whether you are young or more experienced. You have to keep progressing and have a clear direction in mind. Even when things are tough like a broken kneecap you must set small goals every time again before you hit the big ones. I hope that there is more I can get out of myself in this team. I have seen glimmers of what is possible. One of the reasons I joined Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team is that I think the team can help me become consistent in my development. I am one of the youngest next years, and there are many experienced riders and smart people I can learn from. I can’t wait to get started.”
General manager Doug Ryder is excited to add the young Brit to the Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team.
“Tom has always been an exciting rider, even from his early years, and we’ve already seen flashes of his talent in his professional career. Unfortunately, bad luck has held him back at key moments, but I am convinced that he has so much untapped potential that the cycling world has yet to see. What excites us is Tom’s hunger to maximise every single day he races, and his willingness to embrace the structure and support he needs to perform at the highest level.
Our team prides itself on developing riders with an integrated approach to talent development, and over the past three years we’ve helped athletes like Fabio Christen, Walter Calzoni and Marcel Camprubí grow into the next step of their careers. With Tom, we believe we have a diamond in the rough, someone who can thrive in one-week stage races and ultimately develop into a serious contender for Grand Tours. I am very excited to see what he can achieve with us and to give him the platform where his true capabilities can shine.”
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