Bicycle Racing News and Opinion,
Tuesday, February 3, 2026
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2025 Tour de France | 2025 Giro d'Italia
Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It's not. - Dr. Seuss
Les Woodland's book Cycling Heroes: The Golden Years is available in the print, Kindle eBook & audiobook versions. To get your copy, just click on the Amazon link on the right.
Upcoming racing:
- February 4 - 8: Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana
- February 4 - 8: Etoile de Bessèges
- February 6: Muscat Classic
- February 7 - 11: Tour of Oman
Latest completed racing:
- January 28 - February 1: Challenge Ciclista Mallorca
- January 31-February 1: Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race
- February 1: GP Cycliste de Marseille - La Marseilaise
- January 29: Surf Coast Classic Race cancelled
- January 17 - 25: Tour Down Under
- January 25: Classica Comunitat Valenciana 1969-GP Valencia
- January 1: GP Sven Nys
- December 30: Superprestige Diegem
- December 29: Trofee Loenhout-Azencross
- December 26: World Cup Gavere
- December 23: Superprestige Heusden-Zolder
- December 14: World Cup Namur
Here’s the post from Clarke’s NSN Cycling Team:
It’s the end of an era: Simon Clarke’s distinguished pro career finished today following 16-and-a-half years in the peloton.
An Olympian, a two-time Vuelta stage winner and Giro d’Italia maglia rosa wearer, Clarkey will be remembered for many achievements but, above all, his historic Tour de France victory at Arenberg in 2022.
“A 20-year career goes extremely quickly and even when you do turn pro it’s easy to become complacent and not make the most of every season and every opportunity”, he says. ”Before you know it you’re 39, so yeah, make the most of every moment. “I just feel so fortunate to be able to finish on my terms, and in my own country, in front of my friends and family. There’s no better way I could have done it.”
Simon Clarke racing in the 2024 Liege-Bastogne-Liege. Sirotti photo
His love for the sport and eye for detail continue to this day, which is why this is a thank you and not a goodbye. From Monday, Clarkey will join our performance team, bringing his knowledge and insight to our backroom staff.
He adds: ”I’m really excited to be able to move to the other side of the fence and stay with this team.
”I think that we are still growing and I am keen to be a part of that and help guide the team in how we nurture the riders, and be a good teammate from the other side of the fence.”.
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Here's the team's update:
Bahrain Victorious line up to race the 2026 edition of the Volta Comunitat Valenciana, scheduled from 4 to 8 February, as the team continues its early season European programme. The team returns to the race following a successful 2025 edition, when Santiago Buitrago claimed overall victory.
Santiago Buitrago after winning the 2025 edtion of the Volta Comunitat Valenciana
This time Antonio Tiberi leads the seven rider line up with a focus on the general classification. Damiano Caruso will provide valuable experience as road captain, alongside Nikias Arndt, bringing leadership and structure across the flatter and transitional stages. Matevž Govekar will target sprint opportunities, while Alberto Bruttomesso and Mathijs Paasschens will play key supporting roles in positioning and race control.
Bálint Feldhoffer, the young Hungarian who stepped up from the development squad to race the Classica Morvedre and GP Castellón, is now making his first appearance with the WorldTour squad in a stage race.
The five day race covers 601.7 kilometres with approximately 7,720 metres of climbing and includes sprint stages, an individual time trial, a mountain stage and a mid mountain finale. Stage four, the queen stage, features more than 3,200 metres of elevation gain and is expected to be decisive for the general classification. Held early in the European calendar, the event provides a demanding test across varied terrain and consecutive days of racing.
The team will place particular emphasis on the individual time trial on stage two, which is expected to play an important role in shaping the general classification, while remaining attentive to opportunities across the later part of the race on stages three, four and five.
Antonio Tiberi said:
“My feeling ahead of Valenciana is quite good. After the first race of the season, where I finished third, I felt really strong, even better than I expected. Now I’m curious to see what I can do in the first stage race of the year.
"It will also be my first time racing the time trial bike this season, which is something I’m looking forward to, and it’s nice to start this race together with Damiano and the rest of the team in the new jersey. The sensations are good, the shape feels right, and I’m motivated to show myself during the week.”
Sports Director Roman Kreuziger added:
“This will be our first stage race of the season in Europe, and it’s good to return to roads we know well from training camp. Antonio showed in Morvedre that he is in good shape, and with the individual time trial on stage two he has a real opportunity to deliver a strong result in the general classification.
"Damiano will play a key role as road captain, supporting Antonio through the week. Nikias brings experience on the sprint stages and helps maintain structure, while stage four will be decisive. With five days of consecutive racing, consistency and recovery will be important. Our objective is to stay competitive throughout the race and target a top five result.”
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Here’s the team’s news:
Cycling fans will only have to wait a few more days to see Biniam Girmay lining up for the first time in NSN Cycling Team colours when he takes to the start line of the Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana on Wednesday, 4 February.
It will be the first time Biniam opens his season at the five-stage Spanish race, which this year provides a clear sprint opportunity on the opening day, and a possible sprint on the third stage after a climb in the final.
Binian Girmay before the start of stage two of the 2025 Tour de France. Sirotti photo
The 25-year-old Eritrean will be supported in the sprints by Guillaume Boivin, Tom Van Asbroeck, Matîs Louvel, and fellow new recruit Lewis Askey, while Riley Sheehan and Pau Martí have a free card to play in the General Classification.
For Sports Director Dimitri Claeys, the team’s sporting goals extend beyond the pursuit of stage wins.
“Of course, we are lining up at Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana with the objective of stage wins, and we have a strong sprint train around Biniam to try to achieve that goal,” says Claeys. “But, as it is Biniam’s first race with the team and with this lead-out group, one of our biggest goals is to really gain racing experience as a group, improve teamwork, integrate the new riders, and learn how best to race with each other.
“Focusing on these aspects will be crucial as the season continues, and we want to build that strong foundation already.
“In addition to the sprint stages, we have Riley Sheehan and Pau Martí, who is racing on his home roads, and these young guys will have free cards for the General Classification. They don’t have any pressure on them, which makes it a great opportunity to take a chance and go for their best result overall.”
Biniam arrives in Valencia off the back of a training camp in Mallorca and is eager to start his season.
“I had a super nice January camp in Mallorca with the guys and we were able to do some race simulations, which looked quite good,” explains Biniam.
“Of course, going into the first race, you never quite know how you are or how the other riders are going, but I am confident in my shape. I can still make some improvements, but I am where I want to be at this point in the season, and I’m super motivated ahead of my first race in the new team jersey.
“The first stage is definitely my main objective. Stage three will be tough and it depends on the way the GC guys are also racing it, but on a good day, I can survive the climb and be there for the sprint as it’s another good opportunity. We will take things day by day.”
NSN Cycling Team at Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana (4-8 February)
Riders: Lewis Askey (GBR), Guillaume Boivin (CAN), Biniam Girmay (ERT), Matîs Louvel (FRA), Pau Martí (ESP), Riley Sheehan (USA), Tom Van Asbroeck (BEL)
Sports Directors: Steve Bauer (CAN), Dimitri Claeys (BEL), René Andre (CZE)
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And here’s the Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana preview from team Soudal Quick-Step:
A menu without an uphill finish, but with a medium-length individual time trial and plenty of climbs means there will be lots of challenges at this year’s Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana, our team’s first European stage race of the season. Together with the stage against the clock, the many hills spread out over the five-day course should produce some exciting racing, as the GC favourites will have to make their move from the distance on some stages in order to force a selection and gain time.
Soudal Quick-Step’s squad for the 77th edition of the event will consist of Ayco Bastiaens, newcomer Steff Cras, Yves Lampaert, Dries Van Gestel, neo-pro Jonathan Vervenne, and Soudal Quick-Step Devo riders Jasper Schoofs and Viktor Soenens, the latter returning to a Spanish stage race for the first time since winning the white jersey at last year’s O Gran Camiño.
Yves Lampaert before the start of stage two of the 2024 Tour of Switzerland. Sirotti photo
“Valenciana is a nice and demanding race, which this year comes with an individual time trial, a stage with more than 3000 vertical meters on Saturday, and lots of up-and-down roads. We can go in the breakaways, but we will also try to get involved in the bunch sprints with Dries. For Steff, who starts the season, the penultimate stage can be a good test, while Jonathan – the reigning U23 European Champion – will see what he can do in Wednesday’s ITT. We know it’s not going to be easy, but as always, we are prepared to give our best there”, said sports director Tom Steels.
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