EUROTRASH Monday: Cross, Oz & the Tour in Slovenia - PezCycling News (2025)

Wout van Aert lost out on Sunday to the young European and Belgian champion, Thibau Nys in the UCI World Cup Cyclocross in Benidorm, plus the woman’s Santos Tour Down Under and the Villawood Men’s Classic in Australia – All with video, results, reports and ride quotes.

TOP STORY:

  • Will the 2029 Tour start in Slovenia? Pogačar and Roglič’s home Country

Rider news:

  • Amy Pieters and SD Worx-Protime reach settlement in contract lawsuit
  • Sepp Kuss wants to become the ‘best version’ of himself again in his beloved role
  • Biniam Girmay ‘hates’ the Poggio, but makes Milan-San Remo his main goal
  • Richard Carapaz to ride two Grand Tours in 2025
  • Mads Pedersen to ride two Grand Tours in 2025
  • Jonathan Milan to make his Tour de France debut in 2025
  • Tao Geoghegan Hart wants to do things differently in 2025
  • Patrick Lefevere: “Sven Vanthourenhout has overdone it a bit”
  • Lance Armstrong struggled with alcohol addiction

Team news:

  • INEOS Grenadiers close to deal with a new main sponsor
  • UCI suspends Belgian team DS for sexual abuse, team manager also punished
  • Intermarché-Wanty: “Keep growing to win a Monument”

EUROTRASH coffee time!

EUROTRASH Monday: Cross, Oz & the Tour in Slovenia - PezCycling News (1)
TOP STORY: Will the 2029 Tour Start in Slovenia? Pogačar and Roglič’s Home Country
It looks possible that the Tour de France might start in Slovenian in 2029. The country of Tour, Giro and Vuelta winners, is in talks with the Tour de France organisation to host the Tour Grand Départ in 2029.

“Yes, we are working on it,” said Rok Lozej, chairman of the Slovenian cycling committee, in an interview with Tuttobiciweb. “Ideally, we will organise the start of the 2029 Tour de France. Of course, that will cost a lot of money, but not as much as people think.”

The Slovenian cycling committee wants to honour Ottavio Bottecchia, a former winner of the Tour de France with a Tour start. Bottecchia, who died in 1927, won the Tour in 1924 and 1925, the first Italian to do so and he lived in the border area with Slovenia.

“If the Tour were to start in Slovenia, we could agree with our (Italian) neighbour to have one stage partly pass over these roads, as a tribute to this great Venetian champion,” Lozej stated.

If the Tour does start in Slovenia in 2029, Tadej Pogačar would probably be at the start in his home country. The three-time Tour winner will be 30 by then, and has a contract with UAE Team Emirates XRG until the end of 2030. Primoz Roglič will be 40 in 2029, he could possibly still be racing then.

Will Pogačar and Roglič race on home roads in 2029?
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UCI World Cup Cyclocross – Benidorm Men 2025
Thibau Nys (Baloise Glowi Lions) won the 2025 Benidorm World Cup cyclocross. After a fast cross on the Spanish coast, where the differences were small throughout the race, the European champion was the first to cross the finish line. He made the difference on the road section and beat Eli Iserbyt (Sauzen-Cibel Clementines) and Lars van der Haar (Baloise Glowi Lions). Wout van Aert (Visma | Lease a Bike) fought his way to the leading group in the early part of the race, but just missed out on a podium place in the final lap.

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On Mathieu van der Poel’s birthday, everyone was looking at Wout van Aert for the win because the World champion was road training and not in benidorm. It wasn’t going to be easy for the Visma | Lease a Bike rider, because with European and Belgian champion Thibau Nys and the others cross specialist were in Benidorm..

The best start came from Niels Vandeputte, ahead of home rider Felipe Orts and Eli Iserbyt. Van Aert had to catch up, because he, like Joris Nieuwenhuis, had to start further back. He used the road sections to move up to the top 20. Because it was a high-speed cross, the differences were small. Iserbyt had taken the lead, ahead of teammate and World Cup leader Michael Vanthourenhout, Orts and a strong Lars van der Haar. It proved difficult to make any real differences. However, Van Aert was able to fight his way into the top 10 in the third lap of eight, into a large leading group. Halfway through the race, European champion Thibau Nys put the pressure on, which made Van Aert suffer in seventh place. Vanthourenhout took over and tried to play a tactical game with Iserbyt, but Nys reacted. On the sixth lap, Emiel Verstrynge surprisingly took the lead, but it was again the two Pauwels Sauzen-Cibel riders that took control. Nieuwenhuis had managed to join the back of the group.

Van der Haar and Iserbyt then created a gap, because the pace had eased a little. At the start of the penultimate lap, the difference was 7 seconds. The reaction to their attack came from Van Aert, who caught the leaders on the uphill road section. A leading group of eight riders started the last lap together. With Iserbyt in the lead, the race started the finale. Together with Nys, Iserbyt rode away for a while, because their teammates had left a gap. That was the sign for Van Aert to pull hard again on the road. He joined Iserbyt, but he had just been dropped by Nys. The European champion started the technical descent on the gravel. Van Aert did everything he could to get closer, but he couldn’t catch him. Iserbyt tried, but had to settle for second place. Behind him, Van der Haar took third place, ahead of a tired Van Aert.

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Race winner, Thibau Nys (Baloise Glowi Lions): “Finally everything fell into place. It was great. I had the right legs at the right time. Wout van Aert missed his start, because he had to start from a far back row. And at the front it never stopped, which made it difficult for him to come back and I think we took advantage of that at the final. Everyone knows that you have to go full throttle on the last climb. That kind of effort suits me well. If I’m in the right place, on a course like this, I can finish it off. I wanted to give Eli a small gap, so that he would start the attack. Then I went when I had to go. And I was able to continue until the end. I rate this victory highly. Of course, when you’ve already won two championships, that’s difficult. But it’s a very nice victory, which I will always remember. I know that this is a race that I can handle very well in terms of effort. It’s a bit of a combination of the European Championships and Beringen, those types of races. That suits me. But when Wout is in a race, people are always looking at him. Everyone thinks: he’s going to come, he’s going to come. But at some point you have to start riding your own race. When we were in the last pits, it clicked for me mentally: now I have to continue. Because I’m not going to keep taking him into account. It’s starting to become a Classic (Benidorm). It’s only been a cross here for three years, but it has something. That doesn’t mean that I’m a 100% fan of the course, but I am a 100% fan of this race, at this location, on this date. This is a keeper. If you can win it, that’s great.”

2nd, Eli Iserbyt Pauwels (Sauzen-Cibel Clementines): “I felt pretty good. In the beginning I kept the pace high, so that Michael was also in a good position. Today was a very important day for his World Cup ranking. I think I was a bit better than I expected, although I knew that this was a course for me. It’s a shame that I came second, but on the last climb Thibau was simply a bit stronger. I really had a week without much training. I mainly recovered. My body has regained some strength after the last races. The sun also helps with that. I also did a lot of exercises for my core. That worked out really well. I felt very strong today. I saw Wout passing, but I thought: I have to be in front of him for the descent and the beams. That was a good tactic to come second.”

3rd, Lars van der Haar (Baloise Glowi Lions): “I have never done so well here. I did not expect to ride on the podium on such a fast circuit”“But I felt very good during the Christmas period. It just never really came out then. I did come out of the Christmas period better than last year, so maybe that made the difference. Because I knew that I could not beat Eli in the final lap, because of the barriers. We rode together at the front, but I knew that I should not continue with him. So I focused on Thibau in the final laps. That worked out well. I was very happy that I could still pull off a podium myself. Yes, but he did something too (Van Aert). He just had to come just a little too late. He could not come earlier, which allowed us (Van der Haar and Vanthourenhout) to hold him back a little. Then he had to ride the entire path. That way we were able to beat him again towards the finish.”

4th, Wout van Aert (Visma | Lease a Bike): “I didn’t feel very fresh. It also took a long time to get into the leading group after a bad start. Then I already felt that it wasn’t my day. In the last laps I had to gamble on an acceleration, but Thibau was faster in the last lap. I wanted to save myself in the final, but I had to close a gap in the penultimate lap on Iserbyt and Van der Haar. After that I didn’t have a clear plan anymore. After that I saw Thibau riding away, that was exceptionally strong. It was a super fast race and I didn’t really feel great. I never really got into the race. I trained hard, but everyone comes here with their own preparation. One day is different from the other. It certainly wasn’t bad, but I didn’t have the legs to make the difference. From the moment I got to the front I knew I had to keep an eye on him (Nys), hats off to him. I expect I’ll be fresher next week and hope to finish Maasmechelen with a better feeling.”

UCI World Cup Cyclocross – Benidorm Men Result:
1. Thibau Nys (Bel) Baloise Glowi Lions in 56:31
2. Eli Iserbyt (Bel) Pauwels Sauzen-Cibel Clementines at 0:03
3. Lars van der Haar (Ned) Baloise Glowi Lions at 0:04
4. Wout van Aert (Bel) Visma | Lease a Bike at 0:06
5. Michael Vanthourenhout (Bel) Pauwels Sauzen-Cibel Clementines at 0:10
6. Felipe Orts Lloret (Spa) Ridley Racing Team at 0:12
7. Niels Vandeputte (Bel) Alpecin-Deceuninck Development Team at 0:15
8. Joris Nieuwenhuis (Ned) Ridley Racing Team at 0:18
9. Emiel Verstrynge (Bel) Crelan-Corendon at 0.23
10. Joshua Dubau (Fra) Van Rysel CX Racing Team at 0:25.

Benidorm’25:

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UCI World Cup Cyclocross – Benidorm Women 2025
Fem van Empel (Visma | Lease a Bike) won the women’s World Cup cross in Benidorm on Sunday. After an exciting race, where it was close fought, she got the better of Lucinda Brand (Lidl-Trek) in a sprint. Marie Schreiber (SD Worx-Protime) finished third, keeping Marianne Vos (Visma | Lease a Bike) off the podium.

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Puck Pieterse was not at the start in Benidorm because she had not fully recovered from illness. The fans would be looking at Fem van Empel, World Cup leader Lucinda Brand, Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado and Marianne Vos for the win.

At the start, it was Marie Schreiber who, with Van Empel, was the first to go off-road. Brand had a disappointing start and had to fight back from eleventh position, while Vos had to come from the behind due to a bad starting position. Van Empel had taken the lead to keep the pace high. It was difficult to make a difference, which caused a large leading group in the second lap. Brand took the lead for a while, but Van Empel took over command again. Blanka Vas and the French women; Célia Gery and Amandine Fouquenet surprisingly held the wheel of the World champion. In a technical section, Brand tangled with some fans and once again had to chase Van Empel, who attacked the long, uphill road section.

The race stalled and everything came back together, after which Brand took the initiative. Only Alvarado, Van Empel and Vas were able to follow her. On the climb, Brand put even more pressure on and dropped Alvarado. She fell back into a group with Vos, Zoe Bäckstedt and Inge van der Heijden, who were already more than 15 seconds behind. Alvarado didn’t give up and got the leading group back in sight at the start of the final lap, but Brand accelerated again and this increased the gap. In the last two laps it seemed to be a three-way battle for victory between Brand, Van Empel and Vas. But on the road climb and on the gravel descent the pursuers were able to return, because the pace had slowed down again at the front. Ten riders started the final lap together. Once again it was Brand who took the lead on the long road climb, but Van Empel, Schreiber, Vas and Vos jumped onto her wheel in the fast final. The winner would come from this group of five. On the beams Van Empel passed Brand, after which the World champion threw down a powerful sprint. In the decisive bends she held off Brand, after which the Visma | Lease a Bike rider held her own in the sprint. In the battle for the last podium place Schreiber was better than Vos and Vas.

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Race winner, Fem van Empel (Visma | Lease a Bike): “Last year, the final was really about the last corner, that shows that it is exciting here every year. I am always happy to race here. The crowd is great and there are a lot of children along the side. I think I was in control the entire race. My start was focused and I always rode in first or second position. Lucinda kept the door closed the whole time, but at the beams was one of the last opportunities to find a gap. I went full throttle over the beams and had already ridden my sprint before the asphalt. The way I win is special, that shows my fighting spirit. I am happy with my season and this victory.”

2nd, Lucinda Brand (Baloise Glowi Lions): “This is my first time on the podium, so that’s not bad. It was close. Fem could just run a bit faster over the beams. After that it was just really hard to pass her. The last few sections were really short. You keep getting into a position where you think: I can pass her. But then there’s another corner. You know that here. It’s just really hard here in the beginning. Everyone just wants to move up positions. I didn’t want to take too many risks, but then you fall back again. That’s how it went the whole time. At some point I was done with that, so I just kept going. It’s definitely looking good in the rankings. That’s a good thing.”

3rd, Marie Schreiber (SD Worx-Protime): “I am satisfied with this podium finish. It’s incredible. This was a crazy race. It was so tactical. Positioning was important and it was important to use forces wisely. I started strong and then tactically tried to wait a bit and be at the front at the important passages. Two laps from the end, I thought my chance for the podium was gone. I cracked a bit. But suddenly, on the last lap, I was at the front again. I was maybe a bit lucky that they slowed down a bit at the front, but that’s part of racing. So I went full steam ahead on the climb. My idea was: no matter what happens next, ‘just go’. I tried to take my road experience to this fast circuit and make the right choices. On the last lap, I did the right thing. Everything I learned from my teammates at Team SD Worx-Protime over the past two years, I tried to apply. So I am happy to leave Benidorm with a podium finish. This was an important result for the U23 World Cup standings. The last two World Cup crosses I suffered the consequences of an illness, so I lost important points. Six points difference is still quite a gap, but I will go full steam ahead in the last two crosses.”

4th, Marianne Vos (Visma | Lease a Bike): “I am happy with the feeling in this cross. It was a beautiful cross, in a beautiful setting. Despite the fact that it seems like a group, it is full throttle all the time. You have to sprint all the time and be careful in the corners. It is very intensive. You have to recover in a corner every now and then, but then you also have to pay attention. It was difficult to move up. You really have to fight to get to the front. That is also cross, that is part of it I think most of them have trained on the road, you can benefit from that. But you also have to be able to deliver the power. I am happy with the feeling in this cross. Fourth, that does not say everything. There is no cross to compare, but I am happy with the feeling. Where do I stand then? Wow, you can see that Fem has it under control and that Lucinda is in good shape. And Puck Pieterse is not there, but they have been calling the shots for a while. Behind that, things are close together, perhaps on a good day you can do well.”

UCI World Cup Cyclocross – Benidorm Women Result:
1. Fem van Empel (Ned) Visma | Lease a Bike Women in 47:54
2. Lucinda Brand (Ned) Lidl-Trek
3. Marie Schreiber (Lux) SD Worx-Protime at 0:02
4. Marianne Vos (Ned) Visma | Lease a Bike at 0:04
5. Kata Blanka Vas (Hun) SD Worx-Protime at 0:13
6. Zoe Backstedt (GB) Canyon//SRAM at 0:17
7. Sara Casasola (Ita) Crelan-Corendon at 0:18
8. Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado (Ned) Fenix-Deceuninck at 0:22
9. Inge van der Heijden (Ned) Crelan-Corendon at 0:29
10. Viktória Chladoňová (Slo) Visma | Lease a Bike at 0:34.

Benidorm’25:

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Santos Tour Down Under – Women 2025
It was Daniek Hengeveld’s moment of truth when she bravely rode solo to claim her most important UCI Women’s WorldTour victory at Aldinga on Friday. Hengeveld, 22, claimed the 101.9-kilometre Ziptrak Women’s Stage 1 from Brighton to Aldinga after an unexpected solo to the end stunned the peloton about 50km from the finish. The Dutch rider admitted doubt had consumed her thoughts as to whether she would return to bike racing after a horrendous crash at the Tour of Britain last June. Hengeveld broke her jaw, her collarbone and fractured several ribs in the crash. She said nerves had set in before making her debut for new Ceratizit-WNT team who joined her at the podium to celebrate the shock win on Friday.

“This is so different because it’s my first race after my crash last year on a new team and I lost a little bit of confidence after last year,” Hengeveld said. “I was finally racing like I was 18 and I thought this is why I race. I struggled a lot, especially with the mental part of it. I could train and enjoy it. It was hard to see if I actually still like to ride my bike and how it is to ride with a team that believes in me. It’s nice. It’s a good feeling.”

Hengeveld claimed the stage win and holds a 43-second gap over last year’s Ziptrak Stage 1 winner: New Zealand’s Ally Wallston (FDJ-Suez). Human Powered Health’s Kathrin Schweinberger was on the podium 45 seconds behind Hengeveld. Hengeveld admitted she could struggle to tackle Willunga Hill twice in Saturday’s Health Partners Stage 2, but remained optimistic that her team would stay aggressive in a bid to cause further shocks during the opening Women’s WorldTour race of the year. “They will help me, I will help them,” Hengeveld said. “I’m not a typical climber so we will see if I can stay in the lead; otherwise I’ll give it to one of my teammates. We just want to be aggressive again and hopefully it works out. I did Willunga Hill a few times in my training… I will see. I just want to race like a family. It’s a small team; I really enjoy the time with them and have fun and get wins.”

Hengeveld takes control of the Santos Ochre Leader’s jersey and the Ziptrak points classification. She is flanked by ARA Australian Cycling Team’s Alyssa Polites who will wear the efex Queen of the Mountain jersey and lead the Zwift Young Rider classification. “It’s definitely boosted my confidence,” Polites said. “It’s come at a good time and I’m enjoying the experience on home roads. I had a bit of a crack and it’s OK.”

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TDU Ziptrak Women’s Stage 1 Result:
1. Daniek Hengeveld (Ned) Ceratizit Pro Cycling Team in 2:45:06
2. Ally Wollaston (NZ) FDJ-SUEZ at 0:36
3. Kathrin Schweinberger (Aust) Human Powered Health
4. Sarah Van Dam (can) Ceratizit Pro Cycling Team
5. Rachele Barbieri (Ita) Team Picnic PostNL
6. Noemi Rüegg (Sui) EF Education-Oatly
7. Maike van der Duin (Ned) Canyon//Sram ZondaCrypto Generation
8. Clara Copponi (Fra) Lidl-Trek
9. India Grangier (Fra) Team Coop-Repsol
10. Lucie Fityus (Aus) St Michel-Preference Home-Auber93.

Tour Down Under Overall After Stage 1:
1. Daniek Hengeveld (Ned) Ceratizit Pro Cycling Team in 2:44:53
2. Ally Wollaston (NZ) FDJ-SUEZ at 0.43
3. Kathrin Schweinberger (Aust) Human Powered Health at 0:45
4. Karlijn Swinkels (Ned) UAE Team ADQ
5. Alyssa Polites (Aus) Australia at 0:46
6. Noemi Rüegg (Sui) EF Education-Oatly at 0:48
7. Dominika Wlodarczyk (Pol) UAE Team ADQ
8. Sarah Van Dam (Can) Ceratizit Pro Cycling Team at 0:49
9. Rachele Barbieri (Ita) Team Picnic PostNL
10. Maike van der Duin (Ned) Canyon//Sram ZondaCrypto Generation.

TDU stage 1:

Switzerland’s Noemi Ruegg created Santos Tour Down history after winning the Health Partners Stage 2 Unley to Willunga on Saturday. The 23-year-old reigning Swiss road champion became the first female from her native country to take out a stage and stay atop of the general classification, after now retired compatriot Martin Elmiger was the first to claim a stage of the Santos Tour Down Under 18 years ago. “It feels good, in Switzerland cycling isn’t really big yet on the road,” Ruegg said. “It’s really nice to take this step and prove we can do it as well. It’s such a small country, we have a really strong national (cycling) team.”

Ruegg’s EF Education-Oatly team used all of their tactical nous to lead the climbing specialist to the top of the Willunga Hill summit in a stunning finish where she dropped her serious rivals. “I still can’t believe what happened today,” Ruegg said revealing she left Switzerland’s freezing temperatures seven days ago. “I’m also a bit surprised as back in Switzerland it’s cold, I didn’t spend weeks in Spain (to get adjusted to the heat) but I also think this preparation is good. I trained a lot in the cold, and I also asked for some heat training. I always stayed healthy and had some good rides.”

Poland’s UAE Team ADQ climber Dominika Włodarczyk claimed the efex Queen of the Mountain after a hard day in the saddle. The reigning national road Polish champion was ecstatic with the rewarding accolade in the heat in her second Santos Tour Down Under appearance. “I was here in Adelaide a week earlier it was a good time to adapt and the change of the time zone and I really, really like Adelaide,” she said. “I remember from last year I felt amazing. But I’m not really a rider who likes this type of conditions.”

Shock Ziptrak stage 1 winner Daniek Hengeveld, who was wearing the Santos ochre’s leader’s jersey, was under pressure as soon as the start gun fired on King William Road, Unley to signal the Health Partners women’s stage 2 was on. With several riders wearing ice packs on their way to signing on, 79 riders started the race but France’s Eglantine Rayer (FDJ-SUEZ), Canada’s Mara Roldan (Team Picnic Post NL) and Netherlands Teuntje Beekhus (Uno – X Mobility) did not start. With temperatures reaching 35C, Hengeveld at about 25km before the finish had lost contact with the leaders but still managed to keep the Ziptrak sprint jersey. Just 3.8km from the historic debut King William Road, Unley women’s start was the first challenge of the day. Poland’s UAE Team ADQ climber Dominika Włodarczyk picked up maximum points over efex Queen of the Mountain leader Alyssa Polites (ARA Australia) who earned six points while Lidl-Trek’s Clara Coppini earned four points. At that early stage of the race Polites was still the leader. Lidl-Trek’s Niamh Fisher-Black benefitted from the power of her team after she was rewarded for working hard put pressure on a docile peloton.

Fisher-Black seeing off Lidl-Trek teammate Amanda Spratt’s second efex Queen of the Mountain atop Willunga Hill appeared to be calculated. Belgium’s Julie Van De Velde (AG Insurance – Soudal) earned six points with Ruegg (EF Education – Oatly) coming in third before the grande finale at the same place. New Zealand’s Ally Wollaston (FDJ-SUEZ) was at the front of the race before Lidl-Trek’s Niamh Fisher-Black worked hard to pull in the peloton to race off from the front. Lidl-Trek’s Australian Amanda Spratt had her time in pole position of the reduced peloton just before the second efex Queen of the Mountain at the top of Willunga Hill in what appeared to be a battle of attrition.

Fisher-Black was on Spratt’s wheel just before the before the Kiwi claimed maximum QOM points over the three-time Santos Tour Down Under champion. The tactical battle was on full display as favourites started working the peloton hard. With under 3km before the finish, Australia’s Neve Bradbury who talked down her chances of being in good form after skipping last weekend’s national titles was on the wheel of Fisher-Black at the bottom of the Willunga Hill.

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TDU Health Partners Stage 2 Result:
1. Noemi Rüegg (Sui) EF Education-Oatly in 3:10:03
2. Silke Smulders (Ned) Liv AlUla Jayco at 0:10
3. Mie Ottestad (Nor) Uno-X Mobility at 0.26
4. Neve Bradbury (Aus) Canyon//Sram ZondaCrypto Generation
5. Dominika Wlodarczyk (Pol) UAE Team ADQ
6. Justine Ghekiere (Bel) AG Insurance-Soudal
7. Elise Chabbey (Sui) FDJ-SUEZ
8. Amanda Spratt (Aus) Lidl-Trek at 0.29
9. Niamh Fisher-Black (NZ) Lidl-Trek at 0:35
10. Julie Van De Velde (Bel) AG Insurance-Soudal at 0:39.

Tour Down Under Overall After Stage 2:
1. Noemi Rüegg (Sui) EF Education-Oatly in 5:55:34
2. Silke Smulders (Ned) Liv AlUla Jayco at 0:15
3. Mie Ottestad (Nor) Uno-X Mobility at 0.33
4. Dominika Wlodarczyk (Pol) UAE Team ADQ at 0:36
5. Justine Ghekiere (Bel) AG Insurance-Soudal at 0:37
6. Neve Bradbury (Aus) Canyon//SRAM ZondaCrypto Generation
7. Elise Chabbey (Sui) FDJ-SUEZ
8. Amanda Spratt (Aus) Lidl-Trek at 40
9. Niamh Fisher-Black (NZ) Lidl-Trek at 46
10. Julie Van De Velde (Bel) AG Insurance-Soudal at 0:50.

TDU stage 2:

Switzerland’s Noemi Rüegg held on to the Santos Tour Down Under leader’s jersey to take 2025 general classification honours in a huge Stirling stage on Sunday. The pocket dynamo claimed the ochre jersey after a brilliant Health Partners Stage 2 win on Saturday and refused to let the golden opportunity slip. Rüegg rode a near-perfect race. The reigning road champion battled hard to stay out of danger during a hot stage and became the first Swiss woman to claim the Santos Tour Down Under’s major prize. Rüegg finished Hyundai Stage 3 Stirling to Stirling race in third place behind the stage winner: US star Chloe Dygert of Canyon//SRAM ZondaCrypto. Liv-AlUla-Jayco’s Dutch sensation Silke Smulders was runner-up.

“It’s amazing. I’m super happy and in disbelief and it takes a few days to really sink in what I have achieved here,” Rüegg said. “I have been working really hard for this for two or three years and it’s so nice and it pays off now.”

With Rüegg spending more time in South Australia before returning to centre stage for next Sunday’s Schwalbe Women’s One-Day Classic road race, Dygert, 29, said her team had targeted a stage win and GC. And the 2024 US Olympic team pursuit gold medallist was content with one of the two major prizes. “It was a huge team effort today and we’re really happy,” Dygert said. “The most frustrating part for me was how many people (riders) were still there right at the end (of the race). I was surprised. I’m really happy to hold on to the end.”

The race took shape early, with Rüegg upstaging plenty of favourites over the course of three stages. She looked out for threats and wasn’t fazed when Australia’s Ella Simpson (St Michel -Preference Home-Auber93WE) soloed to the front to open a 1 min 12 sec gap with 60km before the Stirling finish line. But Simpson, 22, was a definitive threat to the order of the general classification after finishing second at the national road race titles in WA eight days ago. Simpson started Hyundai Stage 3 1min 51sec behind Rüegg. The Swiss national champion was well protected by her team EF Education-Oatly, keen to stave off rivals from taking control of the race as the main peloton was approaching the uphill Stirling finish line for a second time with an impressive 37km/h average speed despite the 33ªC heat. Simpson surged 2:06 ahead of the chasing group with just 44km before the finish as Rüegg’s team continued to control the race. Simpson’s brave solo attack ended about 30km from Stirling when the main peloton swallowed the Australian. Lidl-Trek’s Australian Amanda Spratt – a three-time Santos Tour Down Under winner – launched her third attack of the stage in a bid to unsettle rivals before Italy’s Erica Magnaldi (UAE Team ADQ) decided to solo ahead. That forced a response from Australia’s Ella Wylie (Liv AlUla Jayco) who worked hard to pull in the peloton.

All the Jerseys
Hyundai Stage 3 Winner: Chloe Dygert (Canyon//SRAM ZondaCrypto)
Santos Ochre General Classification: Noemi Rüegg (EF Education-Oatly)
Ziptrak Sprint classifications winner: Noemi Rüegg (EF Education-Oatly)
efex Queen of the Mountain winner: Alyssa Polites (ARA Australian Cycling Team)
Zwift Young Rider: Eleonora Ciabocco (Picnic PostNL)
Yamaha Most Competitive Rider: Ella Simpson (St Michel-Preference Home – Auber93)
Wilson Parking Team: UAE Team ADQ
Best South Australian Rider: Amber Pate (Liv-AlUla-Jayco)

TDU Hyundai Stage 3 Result:
1. Chloe Dygert (USA) Canyon//SRAM ZondaCrypto Generation in 2:53:29
2. Silke Smulders (Ned) Liv AlUla Jayco at 0:01
3. Noemi Rüegg (Sui) EF Education-Oatly
4. Ruth Edwards-Winder (USA) Human Powered Health
5. Sarah Van Dam (Can) Ceratizit Pro Cycling Team
6. Elise Chabbey (Sui) FDJ-SUEZ
7. Alexandra Manly (Aus) AG Insurance-Soudal
8. Dominika Wlodarczyk (Pol) UAE Team ADQ
9. Justine Ghekiere (Bel) AG Insurance-Soudal Team
10. Josie Nelson (GB) Team Picnic PostNL.

Tour Down Under Final Overall Result:
1. Noemi Rüegg (Sui) EF Education-Oatly in 8:49:00
2. Silke Smulders (Ned) Liv AlUla Jayco at 0:13
3. Mie Ottestad (Nor) Uno-X Mobility Women at 0:37
4. Dominika Wlodarczyk (Pol) UAE Team ADQ at 40
5. Elise Chabbey (Sui) FDJ-SUEZ
6. Justine Ghekiere (Bel) AG Insurance-Soudal at 0:41
7. Amanda Spratt (Aus) Lidl-Trek at 0:49
8. Neve Bradbury (Aus) Canyon//SRAM ZondaCrypto Generation at 0:56
9. Ruth Edwards-Winder (USA) Human Powered Health at 0:59
10. Alice Towers (GB) Canyon//SRAM ZondaCrypto Generation at 1:02.

TDU’24 stage 3:

EUROTRASH Monday: Cross, Oz & the Tour in Slovenia - PezCycling News (12)
Villawood Men’s Classic 2025
Sam Welsford won the Villawood Men’s Classic. The Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe rider won the Australian criterium ahead of Henri Uhlig and Matthew Brennan. Welsford won the Australian criterium championship a few days before.

The Villawood Men’s Classic is a warm-up for the Santos Tour Down Under, the first WorldTour race of the season. The same peloton is at the start of the criterium, so the riders can see who has the good form. Jay Vine, Oscar Onley and Jordan Labrosse took advantage of that opportunity and attacked. The trio held a very fast pace, because the peloton had a lot of trouble catching them. They eventually pulled them back, so there would be a sprint for the win. There was a big crash on the last corner. Sam Welsford came through that last corner unscathed to cross the finish line first. Henri Uhlig of Alpecin-Deceuninck and Matthew Brennan of Visma | Lease a Bike were second and third.

EUROTRASH Monday: Cross, Oz & the Tour in Slovenia - PezCycling News (13)

Race winner, Sam Welsford (Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe): “Around that last corner I was pretty close to the barriers. I kind of checked and saw that it was strung out and I had about a metre before the barrier, and I thought I’m just going to work as hard as I could. I knew with the downhill (finish) it would be hard to overtake and the rest is history. I didn’t hear anything (the crash), I came under (teammate) Danny van Poppel but I had a good run from him. He said ‘go’, it’s a super fast corner and I hope everyone is alright. I’m really happy how it kicked off but the real stuff starts on Tuesday when all eyes will be on us.”

3rd, Matthew Brennan (Visma | Lease a Bike): “It was quite chaotic. A lot of people were keen it was the first race of the season and my team did a lot of work to keep me out of trouble and keep me safe.”

Villawood Men’s Classic Result:
1. Sam Welsford (Aus) Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe in 1:04:07
2. Henri Uhlig (Ger) Alpecin-Deceuninck
3. Matthew Brennan (GB) Visma | Lease a Bike
4. Cameron Scott (Aus) CCACHE x BODYWRAP
5. Samuel Watson (GB) INEOS Grenadiers
6. Tim Torn Teutenberg (Ger) Lidl-Trek
7. Rui Filipe Oliveira Alves (Por) UAE Emirates XRG
8. Robert Stannard (Aus) Bahrain Victorious
9. Carlos Canal Blanco (Spa) Movistar
10. Matt Walls (GB) Groupama-FDJ.

Villawood’25:

EUROTRASH Monday: Cross, Oz & the Tour in Slovenia - PezCycling News (14)
Amy Pieters and SD Worx-Protime Reach Settlement in Contract Lawsuit
Amy Pieters and the SD Worx-Protime have reached a settlement over the dispute between the two parties. The former cyclist, who crashed more than three years ago, wanted to have her contract confirmed through a procedure that it is an employment contract for an indefinite period and that the team would pay her outstanding wages.

Pieters crashed at a training camp in Calpe in December 2021. She lost consciousness, suffered severe brain damage and was in a coma for almost three months, after which a long rehabilitation process followed, she still struggles with disabilities.

Pieters rode for Boels Dolmans, Team SD Worx and the current Team SD Worx-Protime, from 2017. The employment contract ended on 1 January 2023. Since then, the multiple World and European champion has had no income. Through a procedure at the subdistrict court, she wanted to confirm that her agreement with Team SD Worx is considered an employment contract for an indefinite period. Pieters decided to take her former team to court, but a settlement has now been reached. “Amy Pieters (her administrator) and SD Worx-Protime had a business difference of opinion about the settlement of the contract, after Amy had a bad fall in 2021 and could no longer be active as a cyclist. This difference of opinion ultimately led to legal proceedings,” the team reported on Thursday, January 16.

“Although both parties found this very unpleasant, the personal relationship between Amy and Team SD Worx-Protime was never put under pressure. There was, and is, great respect for each other. The parties are therefore pleased to report that an amicable solution has now been reached for the dispute, which means that the ongoing procedures can be ended. Both parties are satisfied with the future of the negotiations and the settlement reached and see this as an opportunity to close an unpleasant period. Pieters wishes Team SD Worx-Protime every success in the coming seasons. Team SD Worx-Protime in turn hopes that Amy will continue to recover. Neither party will make any further substantive statements about the details of the agreement.”

Amy Pieters and SD Worx-Protime reach settlement:
EUROTRASH Monday: Cross, Oz & the Tour in Slovenia - PezCycling News (15)

EUROTRASH Monday: Cross, Oz & the Tour in Slovenia - PezCycling News (16)
Sepp Kuss Wants to Become the ‘Best Version’ of Himself Again in his Beloved Role
2024 was not Sepp Kuss’ year. The Visma | Lease a Bike climber never came close to the level he reached when he won the Vuelta a España in 2023. The American hopes to become his old self again next season. He will be at the start of the Tour de France to help Jonas Vingegaard.

“That is a role that I really love,” Kuss said at the Visma | Lease a Bike media day. “It is a role that is easier than that of a leader in a Grand Tour and it is a role that I can perform quite well. I am not concerned with being a leader in a Grand Tour, nor am I looking at the opposite. It is simply a matter of showing the best version of myself, helping as best I can and then seeing what comes of it.”

Kuss’ had big ambitions for 2024, but that didn’t work out: “It is difficult to say whether the pressure had an effect, but it was something completely new, something completely different. It is easy to say that it does not affect you, but it does.” Kuss wants to return to his old level in 2025. “I want to build a better base than I had in 2024, because that was what I missed at the beginning of the year. It was not my best season.”

Kuss will be at the start of the Tour de France again in 2025. Last year he was forced to abandon due to illness, after he had been a ‘co-leader’ alongside Jonas Vingegaard, but in 2025 he will be there to help the Dane. “I believe Jonas can win the Tour again. He can draw a lot of confidence from last year’s Tour, when he started with a far from ideal preparation, but still delivered fantastic performances.” Kuss no longer wants team leadership, but that does not mean that personal success is out of the question. “If an opportunity comes, I will take it, just like in the past. And when I performed well in the past, it was never when I knew in advance that I was the one who had to perform.”

Sepp Kuss’ 2025 race programme:
17.02: Clásica Jaén
19.02: Volta ao Algarve em Bicicleta
24.03: Volta Ciclista a Catalunya
07.04: Itzulia Basque Country
05.07: Tour de France
23.08: Vuelta a España

The Sepp Kuss interview:

EUROTRASH Monday: Cross, Oz & the Tour in Slovenia - PezCycling News (17)
Biniam Girmay ‘Hates’ the Poggio, but Makes Milano-Sanremo His Main Goal
At the Intermarché-Wanty media day in Albir last Friday, the gathered press met a confident and self-assured Biniam Garmay. His stage wins and the green jersey has changed the Eritrean and his English is now so good that he makes jokes with the journalists.

This is his sixth professional season and he is not a new boy on the block anymore. Surprisingly the first African World Championships in Rwanda are not at the top of his list. “I have felt in recent years that I can do more in Milan-Sanremo than in the other monuments”, said Girmay. “That is the reality for my type of rider. That’s why we’ve approached the preparation differently this year, with more focus on Sanremo. In the past editions, I never had much competition in my legs for that Classic, or at least not enough. This year, with the Tour of the Algarve and Tirreno-Adriatico, two tough stage races will be added. It’s impossible to simulate such efforts in training.”

Girmay has a love-hate relationship with the Italian Monument. “I especially hate the Poggio, because I’ve had to let go three times in the last hundred meters. That was very frustrating, always with the top in sight. But on the other hand, that’s exactly why I’m confident that I can do better. I have to use all my experience from the previous editions. Even Tadej Pogačar has already said that Milan-San Remo is the most difficult classic to win. But it’s also simple: if you have the legs, that finale has few secrets. You have to have eaten well in those first 280 kilometres, be careful with every pedal stroke and save watts. If you reach the top of the Poggio one second too late, the race is over. But it can go either way. That’s what makes that race so beautiful.”

The Eritrean doesn’t want to base his entire spring on one day. “I’m also really looking forward to the Flemish classics. Everything I do for San Remo can also help me in the E3 Saxo Classic, Gent-Wevelgem and the Tour of Flanders. I’ve been dreaming for a long time of competing against the big boys in those races and finding myself again like in 2022.” Girmay won Gent-Wevelgem in 2022, but he missed Flanders and Roubaix due to a visa problem. “I’m sure I can do better in those races.”

The cold and wet conditions in the spring Classics don’t suit Girmay: “But I don’t want to use that as an excuse anymore. Of course, the first time I came here to ride it was very difficult for me. I couldn’t develop half of my power in bad weather. But last year it went much better and it wasn’t really a problem anymore. Nobody likes cold and rain, do they? I hate it, actually. But I’ve adapted to it better and better. I’ve simply gained more experience. I know my body better and better and I know what I have to do to be in the most important races, how I have to prepare. The balance between training at altitude at home with my family in Eritrea and then returning to Europe is also better. I’m also getting better at choosing the right nutrition. All of that together ensures that I perform better and better. Apart from that, my body hasn’t changed much.”

Mentally, Girmay has changed since last year. According to Girmay, his three stage victories in the Tour de France have something to do with that. “I dare say that I am starting the season with a different mindset. When you win races at the highest level, that gives you confidence. When you are new to the peloton, you never know whether you will ever be able to win in monuments or in grand tours. And even after my first stage victory in the Tour, I still doubted whether it was not a coincidence. After that, I became more and more confident that I can really show good things. I have to take that with me into this season. I have more confidence and ambition that I can really deliver something to the team. I not only have more confidence in myself, but also in my teammates and staff members. In the four years that I have been with the team, we have learned a lot every year, we do our best every year to do better and to make fewer mistakes. We take a few steps forward every year, and that will also be the case this year.”

Due to visa regulations, Girmay has to commute between home and Europe throughout the season, although he is looking for a house in Spain. At the moment he can only stay in Europe for a maximum of three months at a time, and only came to the Intermarché-Wanty training camp two day’s before, which means that he can stay until the day after Paris-Roubaix. “On the other hand, the commuting is not that difficult. The flight to Eritrea is only six hours and the time difference is only one hour. For example, to prepare for the Tour, I am ideally located there. Close to my family, and I don’t have to book an altitude training camp because I am at high altitude there. That is a big advantage. When I was there last year preparing for the Tour, I came back with my best form ever. We are going to try to repeat that trajectory exactly this year.”

Biniam Girmay has no illusions about the World championship in Africa this autumn. “The World Championship in Rwanda has 5,500 vertical metres. Doesn’t that say enough?” The Eritrean joked, it’s not a major goal for the year. The winner of the green jersey is the biggest cycling star in Africa, but he isn’t thinking of winning. “My first reaction when I saw the course? That will be a day of gruppetto! We have to stay realistic. In terms of sport, I can’t really do anything there.” Girmay has other things on his mind. “It is still a long way off. My main goals for this year are Milan-Sanremo, the Flemish Classics and the Tour de France. Only after that can I start thinking about the World championship. I have to focus on my goals with the team first, and only then can we talk about the World championship.”

Girmay realises that the championships are very special. “It shouldn’t be about whether I’m there or not, but about African cycling in general. For us, it’s a great honour that such a big event is being held on African soil. Everyone is waiting for that. It would be a great honour to be there and show the beautiful colours of my national team, that’s for sure. I’ve already ridden that lap in Kigali. I know myself and I know my potential. I don’t know what else you would expect from me? If I compete there until the last lap, then I can also win a queen stage in the Tour. You can’t expect that from me.”

Will his home fans understand that Girmay might not be fighting for a win in the World championships? “Certainly. I come from a country where they know a lot about cycling. They understand very well where I can win and where not, so the expectations are not very high.”

Biniam Girmay’s 2025 race schedule:
30.01: Trofeo Felanitx-Ses Salines
01.02: Trofeo Andratx – Pollença
02.02: Trofeo Palma
19.02: Volta ao Algarve em Bicicleta
01.03: Omloop Het Nieuwsblad Elite
02.03: Kuurne – Brussels – Kuurne
10.03: Tirreno-Adriatico
22.03: Milano-Sanremo
28.03: E3 Saxo Classic
30.03: Gent-Wevelgem in Flanders Fields
06.04: Tour of Flanders
05.07: Tour de France.

A happy Biniam Girmay looking forward to Sanremo:
EUROTRASH Monday: Cross, Oz & the Tour in Slovenia - PezCycling News (18)

EUROTRASH Monday: Cross, Oz & the Tour in Slovenia - PezCycling News (19)
Richard Carapaz to Ride Two Grand Tours in 2025
Richard Carapaz has now confirmed that he will start the Giro d’Italia and the Tour de France this year. The EF Education-EasyPost rider will aim for stage victories in the Tour.

Carapaz will miss the Ecuadorian championships, he said in a press conference. He thinks that the federation announced the courses too late. Carapaz also had a clash with the national cycling association last year, because they did not select him for the Olympic Games in Paris as the reigning Olympic champion. Jhonatan Narváez was the countries only rider.

Carapaz will ride the Tour of Catalonia and Liège-Bastogne-Liège in the spring. After that, he will focus on the Giro, which he has ridden three times before. In his debut in 2018, he won a stage and finished fourth overall. A year later, he won the Tour and in 2022 he finished second, behind Jai Hindley.

Carapaz missed the Giro the past two years. In 2023, he aimed for the Tour de France, but had to abandon after a crash in the opening stage. Last year, he won a stage and the KOM in the Tour de France. The EF Education-EasyPost rider then also rode the Vuelta a España, where he finished fourth overall. The Vuelta is not on Carapaz’s program this year, but he will ride the Tour again. “We are going to take it more relaxed and hunt for stage wins,” he told Marca.

In the autumn, Carapaz also wants to go to the World championships in Rwanda. After his absence from last year’s Games, he is asking the Ecuadorian cycling federation to adjust the selection method for these world championships. “They have now had enough time to think about this and to bring a serious team (to the Worlds). We have almost a full team with five or six riders. The only thing we ask is that they plan it well and seriously.”

Richard Carapaz’s 2025 race programme:
05.02: Etoile de Bessèges – Tour du Gard
08.03: Strade Bianche
10.03: Tirreno-Adriatico
24.03: Volta Ciclista a Catalunya
27.04: Liège-Bastogne-Liège
09.05: Giro d’Italia
05.07: Tour de France.

Giro and Tour for Carapaz in 2025:
EUROTRASH Monday: Cross, Oz & the Tour in Slovenia - PezCycling News (20)

EUROTRASH Monday: Cross, Oz & the Tour in Slovenia - PezCycling News (21)
Mads Pedersen to Ride Two Grand Tours in 2025
Mads Pedersen will ride two Grand Tours in 2025. The former World champion will be at the start of the Giro d’Italia and the Vuelta a España. The Tour de France is not on his schedule for the first time since 2019.

Lidl-Trek announced: “After the Classics, Pedersen will focus on the Giro and the Vuelta this year. We can’t wait.” Pedersen has ridden the Giro three times and the Vuelta once. This will be the first time since 2019 that Pedersen has not ridden the Tour. That was the year he won the World championship in Harrogate.

Mads Pedersen’s 2025 Race Schedule:
05.02: Etoile de Bessèges – Tour du Gard
14.02: Tour de la Provence
06.04: Tour of Flanders
13.04: Paris-Roubaix
09.05: Giro d’Italia
23.08: Vuelta a España.

Giro and Vuelta for Mads Pedersen:
EUROTRASH Monday: Cross, Oz & the Tour in Slovenia - PezCycling News (22)

EUROTRASH Monday: Cross, Oz & the Tour in Slovenia - PezCycling News (23)
Jonathan Milan to Make his Tour de France Debut in 2025
Jonathan Milan will be at the start of the Tour de France this summer, his team announced. It will be the Italian sprinter’s first participation in the French GT.

The 24-year-old Milan has ridden two Grand Tours in his career so far. In both 2023 and 2024, he started the Giro d’Italia. Both times, he won the points jersey in his home Tour and won a total of four stages: one in 2023 and three in 2024. The fast Italian is preferred by Lidl-Trek over Mads Pedersen. The latter has been at the start of the Tour for the past five years, but will be sent to the Giro and Vuelta in 2025. Although the Dane would have preferred to ride the Tour de France, he understands the decision of the team management.

“The Tour’s course suits him like a glove. And he is one of the best sprinters in the world, perhaps the very best,” said Pedersen. “The chance of success in the Tour is therefore probably greater with him than with me, which makes it the right decision.” Milan is the first name Lidl-Trek has on paper for the Tour de France. The rest of the Tour team has not yet been announced.

Milan to the Tour:
EUROTRASH Monday: Cross, Oz & the Tour in Slovenia - PezCycling News (24)

EUROTRASH Monday: Cross, Oz & the Tour in Slovenia - PezCycling News (25)
Tao Geoghegan Hart Wants to do Things Differently in 2025
Tao Geoghegan Hart is going to do things differently in 2025. The British rider broke his hip in 2023, which wasn’t good for his 2024 season. As a result, he was unable to meet the expectations of the Lidl-Trek team. This year, he will take a different approach.

In an online press conference, Hart told the media that he has not set any major goals for the upcoming season. “I want to focus on the first part of the season first and foremost. At this time of year, you read everywhere that riders announce their big goals, but the reality for me is that I don’t have them. I think it makes no sense for me to look at those big goals now. I did try to do that last year after my comeback,” Hart explained. “With the team, we were already talking about the Tour before I could ride my bike again. That was very motivating at the time, but now it feels more logical to approach it differently. I want to focus on getting back to 100% and really feeling that the page has been turned.”

The Lidl-Trek rider wants to learn to win again. “When I was a much younger rider, one of the managers in my previous team said that there are actually three types of riders: riders who win races, riders who learn to win races and riders who help others to win races. This is the period in my career where I really want to be a rider who wins. It would be great to get a few victories. But it’s easier said than done. I think it would also be really nice to fight for the GC. To feel that it’s possible. I think that’s the most important thing. I would like to be here again next year and see that the team recognises me as someone who contributes to races, who leads the team, who does that both off the bike and on it. That’s important to me.”

Tao Geoghegan Hart to have a different 2025 season:
EUROTRASH Monday: Cross, Oz & the Tour in Slovenia - PezCycling News (26)

EUROTRASH Monday: Cross, Oz & the Tour in Slovenia - PezCycling News (27)
Patrick Lefevere: “Sven Vanthourenhout has Overdone it a Bit”
Sven Vanthourenhout has not found a new team for 2025, yet. The former Belgian national coach has spoken to various teams in recent months, but no agreement has been reached. The talks with Soudal Quick-Step also eventually stalled. Patrick Lefevere and Jurgen Foré, the former and current CEO of the Belgian team, have spoke about the negotiations.

Het Laatste Nieuws asked why Soudal Quick-Step chose Frederik Broché as a new coach for the team instead of Sven Vanthourenhout. “There is no comparison possible there, is there?”, according to Lefevere. “Broché is a trainer, Vanthourenhout is a type of team DS. There was never any question of choosing.”

But Vanthourenhout is considered a confidant of Remco Evenepoel, the top rider with Soudal Quick-Step. In that sense, he would be a logical addition to the team. “How many (confidants) does he have? You can’t sit behind him in the car with five of them? His father mentioned that once, but that was never a point of discussion. I have always been against a ‘team-within-the-team’. Even though we have actually come that far, but oh well.”

According to Foré, there was never any discussion with Evenepoel about a possible arrival of Vanthourenhout. The new CEO also explained that Vanthourenhout wanted a role that simply wasn’t there. “If there had been room, I might have seen Vanthourenhout as team DS. But not above that, as he wanted. That is a difficult position. It doesn’t exist. And I don’t immediately see the added value either. Much respect for Sven…”

Lefevere adds: “…but I think he overdid it a bit. Sven saw himself as a kind of co-ordinator. But based on what? He has never done a Grand Tour. Should he tell people who have been here for so long how to do it? Of course, he has made a fantastic journey with the cycling federation. But it is also an extra salary and the money is not inexhaustible. Plus: it became a lot for Koen Pelgrim (trainer). So we thought it was a good idea to put someone next to him.”

No job for Sven Vanthourenhout with Soudal Quick-Step:
EUROTRASH Monday: Cross, Oz & the Tour in Slovenia - PezCycling News (28)

EUROTRASH Monday: Cross, Oz & the Tour in Slovenia - PezCycling News (29)
Lance Armstrong Struggled with Alcohol Addiction
Lance Armstrong, who is now 53-years-old, has admitted that he struggled with an alcohol problem, but decided to do something about it exactly one year ago. “It’s the best decision I ever made,” he said on social media.

“This artwork says it all,” Armstrong refers to a painting with the text ‘That was then, this is now’. “It’s a work of art that I’ve often drawn inspiration from over the past ten years, because my life has been – let’s say – interesting. But today, on this exact date on the calendar, is different and the inspiration is also different. Completely different. Today, one year ago, I came to the realisation that my relationship with alcohol was no longer in my best interest. And also not in the best interest of my family, friends, my team and community. I believe that everything in life should be seen as a pump or a drain. A benefit or a burden. A positive or a negative point. Alcohol was a burden, it became something negative. That was my decision and today I feel it was the best decision I ever made.”

“Six months ago I already mentioned that I heard ‘a voice inside’, which I finally listened to. A year after this trip I still hear that voice, only now it says: ‘Hey Lance, I’m really proud of you’. That makes my day every time. Finally, I want to thank my beautiful wife Anna Hansen for her incredible support over the past twelve months. Darling, you are my rock and I love you immensely.”

Armstrong’s rival, Jan Ullrich, also struggled with alcohol and drug addiction for years, partly thanks to the help of Armstrong, the German successfully fought his addictions.

Armstrong and Ullrich had similar problems:
EUROTRASH Monday: Cross, Oz & the Tour in Slovenia - PezCycling News (30)

EUROTRASH Monday: Cross, Oz & the Tour in Slovenia - PezCycling News (31)
INEOS Grenadiers Close to Deal with a New Main Sponsor
Everything seemed to be going wrong with the INEOS Grenadiers team in 2024, but maybe now things are improving. The British team is said to be close to an agreement with a new sponsor. According to Ciro Scognamiglio of La Gazzetta dello Sport.

“Sources confirm to us that INEOS Grenadiers is likely to conclude a deal with a new major sponsor for the team,” wrote Scognamiglio, who does not yet know the name of the new sponsor. “This sponsor could also become part of the team name in the second half of 2025 or in 2026.”

The team will continue to be INEOS Grenadiers for the time being, but it has undergone many changes over the winter. Tom Pidcock left, as did team manager Steve Cummings and performance engineer Dan Bigham.

New sponsor for INEOS Grenadiers?
EUROTRASH Monday: Cross, Oz & the Tour in Slovenia - PezCycling News (32)

EUROTRASH Monday: Cross, Oz & the Tour in Slovenia - PezCycling News (33)
UCI Suspends Belgian Team DS for Sexual Abuse – Team Manager also Punished
The UCI has suspended a Belgian team directeur sportif for inappropriate behaviour. It concerns Geert Vervoort, who was a DS with Proximus-Alphamotorhomes-Doltcini. The team manager, Eddy Van Bunder, is also being punished by the UCI. The team is now known as Velopro-Alphamotorhomes, but the team was Proximus-Alphamotorhomes-Doltcini when the offences occurred.

Vervoort was accused by several riders of inappropriate behaviour, of both a psychological and sexual nature. The UCI started a procedure against Vervoort a few months ago, after which his team followed the International Cycling Union and suspended the Belgian team leader. A verdict has now been made in the case. Vervoort has been found guilty of violations relating to the protection of physical and mental integrity, sexual harassment and sexual abuse. He was guilty of ‘inappropriate behaviour with riders, involving unnecessary physical contact of a sexual nature, abusing his position of authority over them’. Vervoort has been given a five-year suspension for these offences.

Eddy Van Bunder, the team manager of Proximus-Alphamotorhomes-Doltcini, is also being punished by the UCI. “Van Bunder failed to take appropriate measures following complaints about inappropriate behaviour by Mr Vervoort”, the UCI explains about the suspension. “He also failed to report this to the UCI Commission, despite his role within the team and the duty he has to ensure the protection of team members.” Van Bunder is suspended for three years and must pay a fine of 5,000 Swiss francs. Half of his suspension will be suspended on condition that the team manager of the Belgian team takes part in a training programme on the subject.

Bans for Vervoort and Van Bunder:
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EUROTRASH Monday: Cross, Oz & the Tour in Slovenia - PezCycling News (35)
Intermarché-Wanty: “Keep growing to win a Monument”
During the official presentation held in Albir (Alicante) this Friday, on January 17th, the Walloon structure unveiled its ambitions for the 2025 season in presence of the press and its partners, and presented the rosters of the three teams that comprise it: Intermarché-Wanty World Team, Wanty-NIPPO-ReUz Continental Development team, and Charles Liégeois Roastery CX cyclocross team.

Biniam Girmay: “I had an incredible 2024, of course with the Tour de France and its finale in Nice which will forever be etched in my memory. But also because I started the season well in Australia, then with the podium at Tirreno-Adriatico, I was competitive in the classics and in the Giro, on home soil by winning the Circuit Franco-Belge, all of this before the Tour. We planned the season very well, being flexible with setbacks and returns to Eritrea which allow me to be in top form, both physically and mentally.”

“This is one of the reasons why I chose to continue my career with Intermarché-Wanty on the long term: we have built a relationship of trust, we are progressing together, I feel at home. I know I can count on the support of my team in good times and difficult periods. With our resources, we work very intelligently, professionally and in a structured way, and are capable of winning the biggest cycling races.”

“In 2025, I want to be in top form for the classics, and then return to the Tour de France to win. I dream of reaching the podium of Milan-San Remo. It’s a classic that suits me. Together with my sprint train Hugo Page, Laurenz Rex, but also Jonas Rutsch, Roel van Sintmaartensdijk and Vito Braet, we have built a solid group with which I will often race. I am convinced that we will accomplish new feats together in the years to come.”

EUROTRASH Monday: Cross, Oz & the Tour in Slovenia - PezCycling News (36)

Gerben Thijssen: “I approach this new season with renewed confidence. The experience of the Tour de France has made me stronger, both physically and mentally. It’s an honour for me to count on a sprint train composed of a great talent like Huub Artz, as well as the experienced Adrien Petit and Gijs Van Hoecke. I’m eager to be at the startline of the Giro d’Italia, where I have a sense of unfinished business because my ankle injury prevented me from participating last year. I want to win, to do better than 2024. With Gijs, we came here to Spain ahead of the training camp to further strengthen our teamwork in the lead-up to this season. His advice and experience with champions like Greg Van Avermaet are invaluable.”

Laurenz Rex: “My ambition is to continue to grow, to pursue my development step by step with Intermarché-Wanty. My first professional victory at Le Samyn in 2024 motivates me to keep going this season and win again. My program for 2025 is similar to last year’s, focused around Paris-Roubaix and my second participation in the Tour de France. It’s my dream to participate in the biggest races and I thank the team for the confidence they show in me by including me on the Tour again. In addition to the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix, I will compete in the third Monument of my career with my debut at Milan-San Remo. We have forged a young and talented group for the classics; together we are growing and having a lot of fun. We motivate each other to bring out the best in ourselves; we sacrifice ourselves for each other, as we demonstrated on the Tour around Biniam Girmay. He has reached a new level, capable of playing leading roles in Grand Tours and Monuments, but also in particular races like the Grand Prix de Denain, where I wouldn’t hesitate to support him.”

Huub Artz: “I am one of the six new arrivals at Intermarché-Wanty, but I’m feeling at home for a long time already, as I was often involved with the World Team when I was with Wanty-NIPPO-ReUz last year. I expect to feel this step up in races, with a much higher pace in World Tour events. My program will be busy, with several World Tour stage races like the UAE Tour, interspersed with classics. I demonstrated last year in races like the Volta Limburg Classic, Le Samyn and the Tour of Oman that I was able to race for the victory. With my victories at the European Championships U23, Ghent-Wevelgem U23, and the Giro Next Gen, I have won on different courses and in different scenarios. I am therefore quite versatile. It is still difficult to assess my specialty, but I think my profile is well suited to the classics. I also like to race on instinct. Thanks to the combination of power and my focus on aerodynamics, I think I can shine more in one-day races. Also, I will have an important role in Gerben Thijssen’s sprint train. A responsibility that suits me well because it requires a big engine, explosiveness, and a good ability to position myself.”

Jean-François Bourlart: “2024 will remain an exceptional season for Intermarché-Wanty, with the highlight being the first victory in our history on the Tour de France, followed by two other stage wins and the green jersey. This historic feat is just another step in the development of our project. The evolution of our structure follows continuous progress each year, thanks to the dedication of all the staff, the support of our partners, and the collaboration between our three teams. We intend to continue this progress in 2025 with the ambition of winning a Monument.”

“The solidity of our project rests on the support of our sponsors. For 2025, our family of technical partners is expanding with CEMA, Hutchinson, and O’Neills Sportswear. Charles Liégeois Roastery provides enthusiastic support to our cyclocross team led by Bart Wellens, around which a real craze has developed. Also, we are happy to welcome NIPPO Corporation, a Japanese construction group with a long history in cycling, which comes to strengthen our Continental Development team. Finally, we are very pleased to be able to count on renewed and strengthened support from Intermarché for the years to come, which will soon be the subject of an announcement in Paris.”

Aike Visbeek (Performance Manager): “The common thread since our arrival in the World Tour has been the development of talent combined with the pursuit of success. We have instilled a culture of performance within our structure, offering young riders the time and confidence to develop, seeking to improve all aspects of nutrition, equipment, and coaching. The success of our World Team and our young riders from Wanty-NIPPO-ReUz, such as Huub Artz’s European Championship title, is the result of a clear strategy and plan, established over several years.”

“It is also the result of collective work, with the mechanics and soigneurs who go above and beyond every day for quality service; it’s the mastery of details with measuring the exact dose of rice cake, the correct choice of tire pressure… Our structure has established a solid backbone, with a performance team that brings together various specialisations: Pieter Vanspeybrouck to analyse sprints, Dimitri Claeys responsible for talent development and focused on the classics, Bart Wellens with his cyclocross expertise for off-road competitions and tire choice analysis, and Sébastien Demarbaix specialising in hilly events and Steven De Neef who will lead our team in our season start in Australia from tomorrow.”

“We also have a coaching team led by former Dwars door Vlaanderen winner Frederik Veuchelen, in charge, for example, of Biniam Girmay’s daily training schedules, whom he accompanies in Italy before Milan-San Remo. Alongside him, we have Adriaan Helmantel, who brings his time trial expertise, backed by three world titles with the Dutch national team in this discipline. Finally, Christophe Prémont is the head coach of Wanty-NIPPO-ReUz with a focus on young talents; he brings his valuable scientific perspective in connection with UCLouvain.”

“Our dream of victory on the Tour de France has become a reality, but we intend to take another step in 2025. We always want to be competitive in the classics, aim for podiums, and be competitive in the Monuments. I am convinced that we can aspire to play leading roles in Paris-Roubaix. We have regularly shone there in the past, placing a rider in the top 10 four times in the last four editions.”

“For the Grand Tours, our primary goal is to perform well in the Giro d’Italia, with Louis Meintjes, Kobe Goossens and Simone Petilli as spearheads in the mountains to target the general classification, Gerben Thijssen and his lead-out man Gijs Van Hoecke for the sprints, as well as the young Francesco Busatto for the more undulating stages. Then, we will return to the Tour de France with the objective of winning a stage with Biniam Girmay, surrounded by his loyal sprint train composed of Hugo Page and Laurenz Rex among others, and accompanied by the climbers Kobe Goossens and Georg Zimmermann.”

Mikey Van Kruiningen (Head of Equipment): “Every day throughout the season, we work behind the scenes to improve our equipment, seeking the best configuration for our riders on their increasingly aerodynamic yet reliable CUBE bikes. It is the result of many years of work and fruitful collaborations with our technical partners that today culminates in a competitive CUBE bike, capable of rivaling the best teams. Our constant pursuit of progress in terms of equipment is reflected again this year with a new partnership with HUTCHINSON tires, the addition of SHIMANO pedals, but also in time trialing with the range of NEWMEN wheels developed specifically for this discipline.”

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EUROTRASH Monday: Cross, Oz & the Tour in Slovenia - PezCycling News (2025)

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