A very busy and varied week this time around.
And hey, fortunately not all full of doom and gloom in the cycling retail business for a change. There’s even some positive news… or a positive forecast (cough: guess) at least.
If you want to see last week’s edition, you can click here.
If not, then let’s dive right on in.
Tour de France 2024 Official Team List Revealed
X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, was the place to launch the official 2024 Tour de France team list this week.
The invited teams are Total Energies, and Uno-X Mobility, who we talked a bit about last week.
Giro d’Italia Team List (Also) Announced
The 107th Giro d’Italia gears up with RCS Sport announcing the participating teams.
This years Giro runs from 4th to the 26th May.
Here’s the list:
18 UCI WorldTeams, 4 UCI ProTeams (22 teams of 8 riders each).
18 UCI WorldTeams
- ALPECIN-DECEUNINCK
- ARKEA-B&B HOTELS
- ASTANA QAZAQSTAN TEAM
- BAHRAIN VICTORIOUS
- BORA – HANSGROHE
- COFIDIS
- DECATHLON AG2R LA MONDIALE TEAM
- EF EDUCATION – EASYPOST
- GROUPAMA-FDJ
- INEOS GRENADIERS
- INTERMARCHÉ – WANTY
- LIDL-TREK
- MOVISTAR TEAM
- SOUDAL QUICK-STEP
- TEAM DSM-FIRMENICH POSTNL
- TEAM JAYCO ALULA
- TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE
- UAE TEAM EMIRATES
Qualified by ranking position
- ISRAEL – PREMIER TECH
Wild Cards
- TEAM POLTI KOMETA
- TUDOR PRO CYCLING TEAM
- VF GROUP-BARDIANI CSF- FAIZANE’
There are other events to look at over on the official Giro d’Italia page.
Lanterne Rouge’s 2024 Men’s Pro Cycling Calendar
The 2024 men’s cycling calendar is packed with changes due to the Olympic Games, causing delays and a dense schedule towards the year’s end.
This article delves into the altered calendar, introducing new races and the return of some after a hiatus, complete with a downloadable, high-resolution calendar for us to keep track.
Despite the exciting additions, like the Ruta de la Cerámica and the Muur Classic Geraardsbergen, the calendar faces the absence of seven races, including the La Tropicale Amissa Bongo, due to various reasons from political upheavals to organisational issues.
Easily the most comprehensive and in-depth calendar I have seen for 2024, as you would expect from Lanterne Rouge.
No Tour de France Départ for Ireland
Ireland’s aspiration to host the start of the Tour de France in either 2026 or 2027, a plan that would have brought the prestigious cycling event to Irish shores for the first time since 1998, has been shelved due to funding constraints.
This decision follows a joint initial bid by the Irish Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sports and Media, Catherine Martin, and Northern Ireland’s Economy Minister, Gordon Lyons.
Despite initial enthusiasm, the Department for the Economy confirmed the halt of progress on the bid, citing financial uncertainties in the coming years. The Department hasn’t completely ruled out future opportunities to host the event, acknowledging the experience gained in this initial process as valuable for any future bids.
You can read more about the 2024 Tour de France over here.
Or check out the rest of this story on Cycling Weekly.
Eddy’s Back
The rather descriptively named Belgian Cycling Factory debuted the Eddy Merckx bicycle line at this week’s Velofollies trade fair, presenting a limited edition “Retrosonic” model as a nod to the 1980s Panasonic cycling team.
Aesthetic customisations will be offered at no extra cost, and the line will expand with an e-bike and another performance model, aligning with the sponsorship of UCI ProTour Team Flanders – Baloise.
Being a trade show release, their consumer facing website hasn’t been updated yet. But depending on when you’re reading, it might be worth a click to see for yourself.
This one via Bicycle Retailer.
BH Aerolight by Raisa Álava
A new one on me this week, with the Velofollies 2024 bike show held in Belgium revealing another assortment of more consumer focused tech.
Topping the bill, from Bike Radar’s point of view, was the Van Rysel ultra-endurance concept bike.
However, for me, the two bikes that caught my attention were the one above – purely for its unusual paint job. That’s the BH Aerolight, painted by Raisa Álava, who also did the artwork for the 2023 Tour de France Grand Départ.
The other one to catch my eye was the Barbie Bike. But you’ll have to click through to see that.
Tour de France Femmes Fuels Women’s Cycling Surge
Demi Vollering’s triumph in the 2023 Tour de France Femmes heralds a new era in women’s cycling, with increased sponsorship and visibility.
The ‘Tour de France effect’ is visibly elevating the sport, with teams like SD Worx and others receiving heightened interest and investment from sponsors.
This surge in support and viewership, with millions tuning in, is really positive to see. As a father to two young girls, anything that can bring equality to sporting events is massive in my eyes. There’s a reason the female cyclist is racing ahead of the man in the recently updated site logo (up at the top of this site!)
Read in full at Escape Collective.
Alaphilippe’s Crossroads
Julian Alaphilippe is on his contract year with Soudal Quick-Step, and his focus appears to be on the Classics and the Giro d’Italia.
With injury, illness, and – by his standards – under performance, the press have somewhat written him off. But with a decent result (6th) at the recent Tour Down Under, he is off to a strong start.
Maybe that will be enough to get his own team boss off his back?
An interesting read for an in-depth look into the current state of one of cycling’s modern greats.
Read in full at Cycling Weekly.
SweetSpot Hits Sour Note
Former Tour of Britain organiser SweetSpot faces a bleak future as it enters liquidation amidst legal disputes totalling nearly £1 million.
After losing the race licence last autumn and facing unresolved claims, the company’s CEO announced a “voluntary liquidation” to address creditor concerns.
SweetSpot’s struggles escalated after failing to pay a £700,000 race licence fee to British Cycling, endangering not only the Tour of Britain but also the Women’s Tour and the Tour Series.
Postponed events and sponsorship challenges have compounded the firm’s woes, with potential legal action from the Isle of Wight Council over unrecovered fees adding to their troubles.
Of course, Brexit was mentioned.
This came up a couple more times:
- Loss of Women’s Tour would be hammer blow for peloton
- Lizzie Deignan says uncertainty around Women’s Tour future is ‘frustrating’ after promoter enters liquidation
Finally, Some Positive Bike Industry’s News!
Hefty discounts on bikes are fuelling industry growth, with a report by market research firm Mintel predicting almost £1 billion in UK bike sales for 2024.
After a 2023 slump, sales are predicted to surge by 12%, thanks to eased living costs and retailer discounts.
During the pandemic, high demand led to stockpiles, prompting brands like Sigma Sports, Halfords, and Decathlon to offer significant price cuts.
Mintel foresees a bright future, expecting sales to hit £1.5 billion by 2028.
I love a touch of optimism, thanks Cycling Weekly!
Cycling Uncommon in England Says Survey
A perhaps not so startling revelation from government statistics: 70% of people in England don’t cycle weekly, citing safety as a major concern.
I can’t say I would have been surprised if that figure said 70% of people in England don’t cycle yearly.
The survey also sheds light on bicycle ownership, showing a direct link between income and access to bikes. High-income households are more likely to own bicycles, while only a quarter of lower-income households have access to one.
Perhaps not the most surprising study outcome overall.
Brailsford’s Farewell
Sir Dave Brailsford has bid adieu to his role as team principal of the Ineos Grenadiers, marking an end to a transformative era in British cycling.
His departure from the team he co-founded in 2009, which saw remarkable successes and controversies, coincides with his new focus on Manchester United.
This shift comes after Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s acquisition of a significant stake in the football club.
The end of Brailsford’s tenure signifies the final severance of the original Team Sky managerial team, with key figures like Rod Ellingworth and Fran Millar having departed earlier. Under Brailsford’s leadership, Team Sky, later Ineos Grenadiers, clinched seven Tour de France victories in eight years.
Brailsford will maintain his involvement in cycling through his position as Ineos director of sport, overseeing a range of sporting ventures.
This one comes via The Telegraph.
A Peek at the 2024 WorldTour Bikes
The 2024 WorldTour showcases a diverse array of team bikes, each flaunting new brands, some saucy paint jobs, and the wallet draining cutting-edge tech.
Big news in the drivetrain domain: Campagnolo bows out from the top tier, while SRAM accelerates with Bora-Hansgrohe. Shimano, however, still leads the pack, equipping 14 of the 18 teams.
We’ve covered a few of these in isolation over the last few weeks, but it’s nice to see every bike in one big list.
GCN’s Tour Down Under Tech Review
GCN had lucky presenter Alex on his jollys working hard reviewing all the latest bike tech at the 2024 Tour Down Under.
There’s an absolute ton of cool new stuff to see, including the stunning Wilier Filante SLR (at about 8 and a half minutes in).
One to queue up and watch on an indoor training ride.
There’s an accompanying article (with even more shots and details) over on GCN.
Iván García Cortina’s Canyon Aeroad CFR
Following on from the post above, GCN also had a more in-depth look at Movistar’s Iván García Cortina’s Canyon Aeroad CFR.
That was quite a mouthful. Fortunately I didn’t have to say it. Just write it.
Truly a sexy bike… but with the winds we’ve been whacked with where I live, I do wonder if those wheels wouldn’t see me side swept off the road and into the bushes.
That said, I could never hope to afford such a stunner.
See all the saucy snaps at GCN.
Come At Me, Bro
James Moncrieff, a former bodybuilder turned Wattbike record holder, has issued a challenge to beat his 200m sprint record of 8.88 seconds, surpassing Sir Chris Hoy’s previous best. Moncrieff, who hit an eye watering 2,364 watts, has already called upon elite athletes like rugby squads and track sprinters to attempt breaking his record.
Training at Loughborough University, he prepared intensively, even stabilising the bike with sandbags during his record-setting attempt. I wonder if that’s what people are on about on Zwift when they discuss sandbagging?
Moncrieff’s journey to this achievement began after switching from powerlifting and bodybuilding to cycling, due to running injuries.
He quickly excelled at Wattbike, initially reaching up to 1,900 watts, and eventually surpassed Hoy’s unofficial 9.3 seconds record, even adopting Hoy’s method of using trainers with straps.
Although not officially recognised by Guinness, Moncrieff’s time is the fastest known for the Wattbike 200m. I hear the Giant is currently looking to fill his off-season from Gladiators…
This one via Cycling Weekly.
Zoe Bäckstedt’s New Wings
Zoe Bäckstedt, a star in cyclo-cross, mountain biking, track, and road cycling, has recently announced an exciting sponsorship deal with Red Bull.
Joining the ranks of other renowned athletes like Tom Pidcock and Wout van Aert, Bäckstedt becomes an official Red Bull athlete under the Canyon-SRAM banner.
This announcement was made on Instagram, where she showcased a new Red Bull helmet and other branded goodies.
Wahoo Kickr… Run?
Wahoo has announced their latest venture – the Kickr Run treadmill.
Expanding their Kickr range, the Kickr Run aims to transform indoor running, mirroring the success of their cycling products.
It boasts impressive features like hands-free pace changes, a unique surface mimicking outdoor running, and an “innovative lateral tilting capability provides a dynamic running experience to simulate the road”.
Indeed.
Now that they have played kiss and make up with Zwift there is also touted integration with that and their own Wahoo SYSTM. In fact, their marketing gumph uses Zwift imagery over Wahoo SYSTM… take from that what you will.
Set to hit the US market in Summer 2024 and globally in 2025, the price remains under wraps. Being Wahoo, I would guess… pricey.
Valtteri’s Bike-as
A couple of weeks back we saw how mustachio’d F1 superstar Valtteri Botas has eyes on the UCI Gravel World Championships this year.
In hype for this, Botas was seen wearing very little at this week’s RADL GRVL event in Adelaide, Australia.
Well… at least it’s warm down under.
People Unhappy With Muc-ky Video
Road.cc brought this one to my attention.
Muc Off have been known to play up to their name before.
This one caused a bit of a stir with those who like to have their say. I’m keeping schtum, but you can read more here.
Bike Video Of The Week: China’s Ride Share Graveyard
This video is about a month old now, as far as I am aware. But it made the front page of Reddit – and so onto my radar – earlier this week.
Amazingly, or perhaps not where China is concerned – this is just one of these such bike grave yards.
Here are a couple more threads with pictures from others:
- [Xiamen, China] Thousands of unused bikes from a failed bike-sharing program
- Hundreds of thousands of bicycles in China have been discarded in the fight for dominance over the bike-sharing market, generating huge graveyards sites across the country
The gist of this is that it’s impractical to recycle them, from a human ‘man hours’ perspective. Far easier to chuck them in the landfill.
Jeepers creepers. We are doomed.
Until next week!
The secret is to buy second hand. I got my Wilier for less than a quarter of its original retail sticker price. It’s a few years old but bikes are like cars. They lose a fortune just riding them out of the bike shop.