Bicycle Racing News and Opinion,
Wednesday, September 16, 2026
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No one should be ashamed to admit he is wrong, which is but saying, in other words, that he is wiser today than he was yesterday. - Alexander Pope
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:
- September 15 - 18: Giro d'Abruzzo
- September 16: GP de Wallonie
- September 16 - 20: Tour de Luxembourg
Upcoming racing:
- September 18: Kampioenschap van Vlaanderen
Latest completed racing:
- August 22 - Sept 13: Vuelta a España
- September 13: GP de Montréal
- September 13: GP de Fourmies
- September 13: Trofeo Matteotti
- September 12: Memorial Marco Pantani
- September 11: GP de Québec
- September 10: Coppa Sabatini
- September 9: Giro della Toscana
- September 2 - 6: Tour of Britain
- September 2 - 6: ZLM Tour
- September 6: GP Industria & Artigianato di Larciano
- August 30: Bretagne Classic Ouest-France
We posted the stage one race report from winner Alessandro Fancellu's Team MBH Bank CSB Telecom Fort with the results.
Here's the report from stage one third-place Diego Ulissi's Team XDS Astana:
XDS Astana Team rider Diego Ulissi claimed third place on the opening stage of Il Giro d'Abruzzo, racing alongside the XDS Astana Development Team.
The 155-kilometre stage started in Cupello and finished in Casalincontrada with an uphill finale. Several attacks came in the closing kilometres as the fight for the stage victory intensified, with Ulissi staying among the strongest riders and eventually crossing the finish line in third place.
Alessandro Fancellu wins the first stage
"Today I took third place on a short, hard and explosive uphill finish. Ineos and Tudor controlled the race throughout the day, while we always stayed in a good position. We entered the decisive climb in a good position and gave it everything we had. We will keep trying over the next few days and hopefully improve", — said Diego Ulissi.
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Here's the Abruzzo race report from fourth-place Kevin Vauquelin's Team Netcompany INEOS:
Kevin Vauquelin claimed fourth place on the tough uphill finish to the opening stage of Il Giro d'Abruzzo.
The Frenchman was led into the climb by his Netcompany INEOS teammates, with the team working hard to pull back a late two-man breakaway on the run into Controguerra.
The peloton races through the hills of Abruzzo.
Peter Øxenberg drove into the foot of the climb, before Vauquelin and Dorian Godon took it up as the contenders went toe to toe. Vauquelin crossed the line two seconds behind stage victor Alessandro Fancellu (MBH Bank CSB Telecom Fort). Despite the steep gradients, Godon held on well to finish 12th.
The team got through a lot of work on the day, with Racing Academy members Mattie Dodd and Milkias Maekele helping set the tempo on the front to manage the gap to the early break, alongside Bob Jungels and Ben Swift.
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Here’s the team’s update:
One of the two stage races where our team will be in action this week, the Tour de Luxembourg kicks off Wednesday afternoon. The five-day event has a demanding parcours that won’t give a moment of respite. And the reason for that is that the four road stages are all up and down the entire time, featuring short but steep climbs that can easily whittle down the peloton before the business end of the route, where an uphill finish will make the fight for victory even more exciting to watch.
In addition to that, an individual time trial scheduled on the penultimate day promises to have a significant impact on the general classification, as the 20.4km undulating route around Ettelbruck can create substantial gaps between the yellow jersey contenders and completely reshuffle the standings.
Soudal Quick-Step will be at the start with a balanced team capable of going for a good result in the five stages of the race, but also of being in the mix in the GC fight. Gil Gelders, Andrea Raccagni, Pepijn Reinderink - who won the KOM jersey here two years ago - Jasper Stuyven, third overall at the Tour of Britain at the beginning of the month, Dylan van Baarle, and Gauthier Servranckx, coming from our Devo squad, will be the six riders for this 86th edition.
Pepijn Reinderink racing in the 2024 Tour of Luxembourg, the year he won the KOM classification.
“The season is nearing its conclusion, but we have the same determination to fight for a stage win and be up there in the general classification. It will be a hard race, with lots of challenges, but we are ready to give our best in order to achieve the goals we have”, said sports director Wilfried Peeters.
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Here’s the team’s announcement:
Another strong climbing duo is joining the Lidl-Trek roster: Giro d’Italia runner-up and Vuelta a Espana podium finisher Felix Gall, as well as his Austrian compatriot Gregor Mühlberger, are coming on board together.
28-year-old Gall has signed a three-year contract through 2029, whilst Mühlberger, four years his senior, has signed for two years through 2028.
Felix Gall signs autographs before the start of 2026 Vuelta stage six. Sirotti photo
Both riders, who are not only teammates but also close friends, will bring a wealth of experience to the Team and are particularly strong in the mountains at Grand Tours – fitting for their Austrian roots.
Together, they have taken another step forward in the still ongoing 2026 season with Gall finishing both the Giro and the Vuelta on the podium while Mühlberger, a loyal domestique in Italy – who also finished 15th overall himself – winning the Lidl Tour of Austria in dominant fashion.
“Gregor will bring a wealth of experience to the Team over the next two years, but just as importantly, he brings the qualities every team values: loyalty, commitment and a willingness to give everything for those around him. He is the kind of teammate who will put himself on the line for his leader without hesitation, while still having the ability to seize his own opportunities. As we saw at this year’s Lidl Tour of Austria, when that moment comes, Gregor is more than capable of delivering an outstanding result himself as well,” CEO Andy Schleck commented on the arrival of Mühlberger and added in regards to Gall:
Felix has truly grown into his role as a GC leader, and it has been exciting to watch him take another step forward each season. Since his breakthrough Tour de France in 2023, he has continued to develop his consistency, confidence and ability to perform at the highest level across three demanding weeks. In 2026, Felix has shown that he belongs among the very best, establishing himself as a genuine Grand Tour podium contender. But we believe there is still so much more to come. Together at Lidl-Trek, we have the ambition to keep pushing the limits of what we can achieve, and we're incredibly excited to see how far we can go together over the next three years.
Gall was already one of the biggest talents in cycling as a teenager, becoming world junior road race champion in Richmond, USA, in 2015. Since then, he has developed as a rider in a healthy and consistent manner – spending five years at the teams now known as Picnic-PostNL and Decathlon–CMA CGM – to reach his current level and now join Lidl-Trek with big ambitions.
With Lidl-Trek a new chapter in my career as professional cyclist begins. After wonderful years and the success that came with them, it is now time for me to take the next logical step. Lidl-Trek's high standards across all aspects of modern cycling align perfectly with my own goal of continuing to develop in the best possible way. I am highly motivated and inspired as I look forward to this journey together.
Mühlberger is similarly excited, having moved to Decathlon-CMA CGM for the 2026 season to join his friend after five years at both Red Bull – BORA – hansgrohe and Movistar Team, and is now coming to Lidl-Trek with him.
A small dream is coming true. The opportunity to ride for Lidl-Trek is a great message, a major milestone and another valuable chapter in my journey through professional cycling, which now spans more than ten years. I am thrilled and hope to make a significant contribution to the team in the coming years. For me, what matters is supporting team leaders at the highest level while also having the chance to race for my own results - I look forward to everything that lies ahead.