We start this week with two deaths in the cycling world. Both stories got very little coverage outside of the cycling press, and even then not every site picked them up.
And of course there is plenty of Tour drama unfolding – overshadowing everything else.
It’s been a busy week so far for me, and that doesn’t show any signs of slowing. Normally I write this post on Thursday, and then add more over the next two days. I can’t believe it’s already Thursday, my todo list is growing not shrinking.
With that said, I will shut up and crack on.
As ever, you can read last week’s This Week In Cycling by clicking here. Otherwise, on we go!
Remembering André Drege
Whilst the Tour continues to grab all the headlines, we start this week with Cyclist.co.uk’s round-up of some of the other major news that went sadly rather unreported.
The past week in pro cycling saw the tragic death of 25-year-old André Drege at the Tour of Austria.
Read in full at Cyclist.co.uk.
Ukrainian Cyclist Andrii Kutsenko Killed In Action
Multi-time Ukrainian national track champion Andrii Kutsenko was killed in a military combat mission on July 3, 2024.
Kutsenko joined the Ukrainian Armed Forces in 2022 to fight against the Russian invasion.
He was 34 years old.
Kutsenko was honoured as a hero and defender of his nation in the funeral announcement.
He was part of the Ukrainian national track team for ten years and held two national track records.
Kutsenko lived in Italy but returned to Ukraine to volunteer for the military.
He served with the 47th Separate Mechanised Brigade for two years.
Read in full at Cycling Weekly.
Is The Comeback On For Jonas Vingegaard?
Amazing scenes.
Jonas Vingegaard outsprinted Tadej Pogačar to claim victory on stage 11 of the Tour de France.
Pogačar attacked with 31 kilometres to go, but Vingegaard caught him on the penultimate climb.
In a two-up sprint, Vingegaard took the win and ten bonus seconds, closing the gap in the general classification.
Remco Evenepoel finished third, while Primož Roglič crashed but still managed to take fourth.
Pogačar now leads Evenepoel by 1:06, with Vingegaard just 1:14 behind.
Vingegaard’s victory was an emotional comeback after a severe crash earlier in the year.
I believe Pog has never been beaten in a two-up sprint, so this was even more impressive.
Read in full at Cycling Weekly.
Mind Games: Pogačar vs. Vingegaard
Pogačar’s UAE-Team Emirates initially accepted Vingegaard’s underdog narrative, but after Stage 11, tensions have risen.
Remco Evenepoel’s comments spurred Pogačar’s team to challenge Vingegaard’s supposed weaknesses.
Despite Vingegaard’s recovery from a severe crash, he has matched or outperformed Pogačar in key stages.
Both cyclists have been playing mind games, but Vingegaard’s consistent messaging has given him a mental edge.
Pogačar, leading the race, is visibly uneasy as the Alpine stages, favouring Vingegaard, approach.
Read in full at Cycling Weekly.
Pogačar’s Lower Power Numbers Compared to Giro
Tadej Pogačar’s power numbers during the Tour de France have been lower than those at the Giro d’Italia.
Although Pogačar has had strong performances, they haven’t matched his earlier peaks.
In Stage 4, Pogačar’s attack on the Col du Galibier was shorter and less powerful than his Giro climbs.
Stages 5-8 saw records broken and fierce competition, but Pogačar’s power remained below previous highs.
Stage 9’s gravel chaos further highlighted the difference, despite Pogačar’s all-rounder capabilities.
An interesting analysis, perhaps suggesting Pog isn’t invincible?
Where Have All the TV Breakaways Gone?
The 2024 Tour de France has been notably lacking breakaways on flat transition stages.
Sprint teams and flatter terrain have made it difficult for riders to successfully break away.
Cédric Vasseur of Cofidis declared that ‘TV breakaways are dead,’ as teams focus more on winning than publicity.
There is hope for more exciting racing in the coming stages with better terrain for breakaways.
Tour de France Hits The Gravel
The Tour de France introduced its first-ever gravel stage (Stage 9), in an attempt to add more drama and difficulty to the race.
The 199km stage in Troyes saw Anthony Turgis take an unexpected victory, while the main contenders finished together, exhausted.
Riders described the gravel sections as brutal, with many having to dismount and walk up steep gradients.
Opinions were divided on whether gravel belongs in the Tour, with some finding it exciting and others questioning its place in a Grand Tour.
Read in full at Cycling Weekly.
Girmay Makes It Three
Biniam Girmay achieved his third stage win on Stage 12 of the Tour de France in Villeneuve-sur-Lot.
He outsprinted top competitors including Wout van Aert and Arnaud Démare.
Girmay’s impeccable timing and strategy led him to victory, solidifying his lead in the green jersey competition. However Jasper Phillipsen managed to cut his lead down to (approximately) 70 points in Friday’s Stage 13.
Roglič Abandons Tour de France
Primož Roglič has once again abandoned the Tour de France after crashing heavily on stage 12.
This marks the third time in four editions that the Slovenian rider has crashed out.
After being examined by doctors, his Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe team decided to pull him from the race.
The crash occurred 10km from the finish when an Astana Qazaqstan rider collided with a traffic island.
Roglič finished the stage with bloody road rash and torn clothes, dropping from fourth to sixth in the general classification.
This continues a frustrating trend for Roglič, who has faced misfortune in the Tour de France for the past four seasons.
Despite a promising start with his new team, his hopes of winning the race have been dashed once more.
Read in full at Cycling Weekly.
Frank’s Fast-Track
Eighteen months ago, Frank van den Broek was a club cyclist with no income from the sport.
Now, he’s making waves in the Tour de France.
His rapid rise saw him lead both the points and youth classifications.
He balanced university studies with cycling until his breakthrough win at the Tour de Namur in 2022.
In 2023, he joined the ABLOC CT UCI team and quickly moved up to the WorldTour squad.
His debut Tour de France has already been eventful, aiding a stage win and gaining recognition.
Read in full at Cycling Weekly.
Fred’s Day of Doom
Fred Wright, riding for Bahrain Victorious, had a disastrous day on stage 11 of the Tour de France, finishing outside the time limit.
Wright described it as the worst day of his life.
He struggled early on during the mountainous stage in the Massif Central and finished just eight minutes outside the time limit.
The stage was the fastest this millennium with over 4000m of elevation, compounded by hot weather.
Wright finished 1:01:50 behind stage winner Jonas Vingegaard.
Despite his efforts, he couldn’t keep up and was alone for much of the ride.
Wright had no regrets, saying he gave it his all but simply ran out of power.
Read in full at Cycling Weekly.
Canadian Lawyer Turns Giro d’Italia Stage Winner
Canadian rider Clara Emond clinched her first professional victory with a solo ride on stage four of the Giro d’Italia Women.
Emond spent 40km alone at the front, completing the 134km stage from Imola to Urbino.
She outpaced a strong chase group that included GC contenders Elisa Longo Borghini and Lotte Kopecky.
Emond’s win came after only starting her cycling career post-law school.
The stage saw hot and sunny conditions, with temperatures in the low thirties.
An early breakaway featured three riders from the host nation, but Emond eventually broke free.
A large group of strong riders pursued but couldn’t catch Emond, who won by 17 seconds.
GC favourite Elisa Longo Borghini retained the pink jersey, with Lotte Kopecky trailing by 13 seconds.
Read in full at Cycling Weekly.
Tour of Britain: From Scottish Highlands to Suffolk Shores
The 2024 Tour of Britain will see cyclists journey from Kelso in Scotland to Felixstowe in Suffolk over six stages.
This edition marks the shortest race since 2007, excluding the 2022 race cut short by the Queen’s passing.
The route includes notable stops in Sheffield, Northampton, and a to-be-confirmed stage.
This will be the first men’s race organised by British Cycling under new director Rod Ellingworth.
Expect a mix of cobbles, steep climbs, and windy conditions, but no time-trials or city-centre finishes.
Read in full at Cyclist.co.uk.
Simon Yates and Longo Borghini on the Move?
The 2025 pro cycling transfer market is buzzing with rumours about top riders switching teams.
Julian Alaphilippe, Jai Hindley, Simon Yates, and Stefan Küng are among the biggest names in the men’s market.
Here’s a snapshot of all the big rumours, and what is confirmed already:
- In the women’s peloton, Lotte Kopecky has extended her contract while Demi Vollering is negotiating new terms.
- Simon Yates is likely to leave Jayco AlUla, potentially joining Visma-Lease a Bike.
- Ben O’Connor is set to replace Yates at Jayco AlUla.
- Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe is eyeing Kaden Groves for their sprinting team.
- Lidl-Trek is looking to add stage-winning talents Søren Kragh Andersen and Lennard Kämna.
- Elisa Longo Borghini is expected to leave Lidl-Trek for UAE Team ADQ.
- Guillaume Martin and Valentin Paret-Peintre are also in the mix for new teams.
- Demi Vollering’s future is still undecided as she plans to leave SD Worx.
- Pauline Ferrand-Prévot is set to join Visma-Lease a Bike, ending her unique stint with Ineos.
Read in full at Cyclist.co.uk.
Jasper Philipsen’s Canyon Aeroad
Jasper Philipsen has been dominating the Tour de France with his speed, having secured seven stage wins over the past three years.
In 2023, he won the green points jersey and recently claimed victory on Stage 10 of the 2024 Tour.
Philipsen is riding an unreleased Canyon Aeroad with a custom chrome paint job, different from his teammates’ navy blue bikes.
The new bike features integrated handlebars with a negative slope, a 3D printed computer mount, and a bulkier head tube and forks.
He uses Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 groupsets, Dura-Ace C50 wheels, and Vittoria’s 28mm Corsa Pro tyres.
Read in full at Cyclist.co.uk.
Bespoke Bonanza Down Under: MADE Australia’s Bike Show Extravaganza 🚴♂️
MADE Australia hosted nearly 50 custom bike builders in Melbourne, showcasing the artistry of handcrafted bicycles.
The event marked the international handmade bike show’s first Australian edition, following its debut in Portland, Oregon, USA.
Industry veteran Billy Sinkford envisioned MADE to celebrate the craftsmanship of bike builders worldwide.
While smaller than its US counterpart, the Australian event attracted 1,000 visitors and featured stunning custom bikes.
Collaborating with FYXO and the Melburn Roobaix cycling event, the show highlighted the vibrant builder community.
Exhibitors included Wondercross, Prova Cycles, Palmer Bikes, Simpatico Bikes, Enve Composites, Curve Cycling, Wilde Bikes, Baum Cycles, Lost Workshop, and Woods Bicycle Company.
Read in full at Cycling Weekly.
Trek’s Direct-to-Door Delivery
Trek Bicycle has launched its Consumer Choice program, allowing direct-to-consumer bike sales.
Customers can now opt for home delivery with an additional cost of £50.
Trek will ship nearly fully assembled bikes along with tools and instructions.
The program offers 15% to 20% margins to the nearest Partner Level retailer.
CEO John Burke emphasised the importance of retailer relationships despite the online shift.
Premium home delivery is available for £100 plus £50 shipping, with retailers receiving a significant margin.
Read in full at BicycleRetailer.com.
Bike Video Of The Week
I do like Trace Velo videos. There’s something about Luke’s style that just works. Informative, funny, and in the case of this week’s video, controversial?
Well, maybe.
For me, GCN’s videos have always been on the lighthearted entertainment side of the scale. Their news website is sorely missed, but their YouTube output lives on, and I’m guessing that’s because they make a lot (a lot) of money from sponsored content.
Perhaps that means they say what they are told?
Well, I’ll let you watch and decide. Another banger of a video from Trace Velo all the same. It’s the bonus clip time, do-da-do-do, do-da-doo-doo-dooo.
Bike Of The Week
It’s not obvious to me if these six shots of Biniam Girmay‘s custom Cube Litening Aero C:68X were taken by Redditor /u/giuliomagnifico, or if they found the shots elsewhere and shared them to Reddit without attribution.
What we do know is that Girmay’s two (at the time of writing) historic Tour stage victories (and two second places) were achieved on the Cube Litening Aero C:68X, an advanced aero bike from the German brand Cube, thanks to their partnership with Intermarché-Wanty.
The bike features an aero frame with wider tube profiles, a larger head tube similar to the Specialized Tarmac SL8, and a bladed fork for enhanced airflow.
Its rear design includes a shaped seat tube, a D-shaped seat post, and an oversized bottom bracket.
The inky green frame, matching the green jersey, is complemented by Newmen Streem wheels with mismatched depths and Continental GP5000 TT tyres.
Equipped with a Shimano Dura-Ace 12-speed groupset, Girmay opted for a 56-44t chainring on flat stages, with a Prologo saddle and Bryton computer.
OK people, another very interesting week of racing awaits. Enjoy!