WorldTour rider Hugo Toumire has announced his retirement from professional cycling at the age of 24.

The Frenchman joined Cofidis as a trainee in 2021, and spent four seasons with the squad at cycling’s highest level, racing the Giro d’Italia in 2023.

In recent years, however, he has struggled for form, and this September underwent surgery to treat iliac artery endofibrosis, a condition that restricts blood flow to the legs.

Announcing his retirement on Instagram, Toumire wrote that he didn’t want “to delve into the many reasons that led me to this choice”.

“Rather [I want] to thank those who have been there for me through the good and difficult times,” he wrote.

“Cycling was a very nice adventure for 14 years, roaming the roads. I leave the sport enriched by these experiences, glad to have lived all of them... and today, simply happy to stop.”

He added: “From now on I want to find the joy in sport again, and try out new, slightly crazy challenges.”

The 24-year-old’s next undertaking, he revealed, will be trail running. “Again, thank you for everything and I’ll see you soon for new adventures,” he wrote.

Toumire emerged as a promising rider when, aged only 19, he placed fifth at the 2021 Tour de l’Avenir, competing against riders three years older than him. He joined Cofidis immediately afterwards, and has since raced some of the top WorldTour races, including: the Critérium du Dauphiné, Il Lombardia and the Giro d’Italia, in which he finished 82nd in 2023.

Toumire failed to finish nine of his 27 race days this past season. His last event was the French National Road Championships in June, which he did not complete.

Cofidis are set to be relegated from the WorldTour, subject to confirmation, after failing to gather enough UCI points to finish in the top-19 teams over the last three-year cycle. The team parted ways with its manager, Cédric Vasseur, in September this year, hiring Raphaël Jeune, the former sports marketing manager at bike brand Look, in his place.

Toumire is not the only Cofidis rider to retire this year. In June, 27-year-old Eddy Finé was forced to cut his career short on medical advice, having undergone three surgeries to treat iliac artery endofibrosis.

Thirty-four-year-old Anthony Perez, a six-time Tour de France starter, also announced his retirement after 10 years with the squad.

Less than two weeks after their bikes were stolen at the Tour de France, Cofidis have fallen victim to another theft, this time at the Baloise Ladies Tour.

The French team’s women’s squad had several bikes stolen at the race in the Netherlands, it was revealed on Wednesday.

Although Cofidis are yet to issue an official statement, team manager Arthur Quilliec said that Cofidis riders’ bikes had been stolen “again”.

“The police are still actively investigating,” Quilliec said, as reported in Dutch outlet NU. “I can confirm that we’ve had thieves come through and that several of our Look bikes have been stolen.”

The team manager was not willing to say how many bikes were missing, “in the interest of the investigation”.

The incident happened before the start of the Baloise Ladies Tour, which began in the Dutch village of Yerseke on Wednesday evening.

Cofidis were nonetheless able to line up for the opening stage, a prologue against the clock, which required them to use their time trial bikes. Great Britain’s Zoe Bäckstedt (Canyon-SRAM zondacrypto) won on the 3.1km course, and went into the race lead.

“We are working on a solution for tomorrow’s [Friday's] road stage,” Quilliec said. “The theft of these expensive bikes is becoming a real scourge. We have done everything we can to prevent this from happening.”

Eleven days ago, on the night of the 5-6 July, Cofidis’s men’s team had 11 team-issue Look bikes stolen from their equipment truck following stage one of the Tour de France in Lille.

Each of the bikes stolen was valued at around €13,000 (£11,200), but all have since been recovered; five were found abandoned in the area around the team’s hotel, while the remaining bikes were discovered in the town of Halluin, near the Belgian border.

Commenting on the return of the men’s team’s bikes, Cofidis manager Cédric Vasseur said: “I’d like to warmly congratulate the Tour de France organisers and the police who did everything possible to find them. A huge amount of investigative work has been carried out, which will enable us to continue the Tour de France with peace of mind.”

Cycling Weekly has contacted Cofidis regarding the bikes stolen at the Baloise Ladies Tour.

The six-stage race continues on Thursday with a 127.2km parcours to Knokke-Heist in Belgium.

French team Cofidis had 11 bikes stolen from their team truck after Saturday's first stage of the Tour de France.

During the night, the door of the team's equipment truck was forced open, and the Look bikes were taken, "despite the security measures put in place", the team wrote in a statement.

Each bike stolen is estimated to be worth around €13,000 (£11,200). All eight of the team's riders were able to start Sunday's second stage from Lauwin-Planque to Boulogne-sur-Mer.

Sharing news of the incident mid-stage, the team said it "strongly condemns this act of incivility and calls on the perpetrators to act with civility and responsibility".

Police officers visited Cofidis at their hotel on Sunday morning, the team added, and an investigation is now said to be underway.

Fortunately for Cofidis, the team's service course – equipment base – is located in the outskirts of Lille, the city where stage one took place.

All riders at the Tour generally have at least three bikes: their preferred one and two spares. Cofidis's proximity to their headquarters is likely to have allowed the team to pick up spare bikes.

In a statement shared with Cycling Weekly, Federico Musi, the CEO of Cofidis's bike supplier Look, said he had opened the company's factory to prepare replacements.

"The speed and expertise of our teams in Nevers mean that the 2025 Iconic Black Radial bikes will be ready and on the start line as early as tomorrow [Monday] morning," Musi said.

At last year's Tour, another French squad also fell victim to an overnight bike theft. TotalEnergies had 11 Enve bikes stolen from their team hotel in the middle of the race. The team's riders started the following stage on their spare bikes.

Until the theft, Saturday's opening day of the Tour had been a positive one for Cofidis, after breakaway rider Benjamin Thomas earned the polka dot jersey as the King of the Mountains.

The Frenchman was first to the top of two of the day's three climbs, crashing at the summit of the second and taking out another rider, Mattéo Vercher of TotalEnergies, on the cobbles.

"It was totally my fault, so I went to say sorry to him," Thomas explained.

The bike truck burglary took place later that night. Among the bikes stolen was a specially prepared one for Thomas to celebrate his new title as King of the Mountains.

The full statement from Cofidis read: "In the night from Saturday to Sunday, Team Cofidis was victim of a burglary. The door of the equipment truck was forced open and 11 Look Cycle bikes were taken despite the security measures put in place.

"Members of the police came to the hotel in the the morning to document the incident and begin their investigation. Team Cofidis strongly condemns this act of incivility and calls on the perpetrators to act with civility and responsibility."

French WorldTour pro Eddy Finé has retired from cycling at the age of 27 following medical advice.

The Cofidis rider, who turned pro in 2020, struggled throughout his career with iliac artery endofibrosis, an issue that restricts blood flow to the legs.

After undergoing three surgeries over the past six years, he has now been declared “unfit” for cycling, his team confirmed in a statement.

“In consultation with the team’s medical staff, Eddy Finé has taken the difficult decision to end his sporting career,” Cofidis wrote. “The rider suffers from an iliac artery problem, which is not compatible with elite-level sport.”

Iliac artery endofibrosis is an uncommon condition that disproportionately affects cyclists, due to repetitive movement of the hips. Its symptoms include narrowing, scarring or kinking of the arteries around the hip and groin area, which leads to interrupted blood flow and pain in the lower limbs.

Finé explained that, with repeated efforts on the bike, his iliac artery became “clogged” and residue built up.

“I had been suffering for a while, and we exhausted all the options. I no longer had the choice, I was forced to stop competing,” he said. “For sure, it’s painful. Nobody wants to end their career like this.”

The Frenchman first underwent surgery on the issue during his debut year as a pro, in 2020. He was operated on again in September 2024, but “the sensations didn’t come back”, he said.

Following a third unsuccessful surgery in April this year, the decision was made to end his career. “Unfortunately, all the treatments have failed,” explained Cofidis boss Cédric Vasseur, who said the team was “saddened” to see Finé forced to retire.

“We wish him all the best for the future,” Vasseur said.

Amid his health complications, Finé only started seven races this season, and failed to finish five of them.

He made his Grand Tour debut in 2021 at the Vuelta a España, the only three-week race he rode, and also competed in Paris-Roubaix twice in his career. He retires with no professional wins.

“I had been suffering for a while with this, racking up medical appointments and hospital visits,” Finé said. “It has been a difficult period of my life. There’s obviously a lot of frustration.

“I don’t know yet what the future holds, but I’ll continue to have a big passion for cycling – I’ve dedicated my whole life to it. Whatever happens, I’ll always follow the team’s results.”

This article initially appeared in the 19 June edition of Cycling Weekly magazine. You can set up your subscription now to ensure you don't miss an issue.

A Tour de France debut for Simon Carr hangs in the balance after he was struck by a vehicle during a training ride in Calpe, Spain in January which left him with a damaged patella.

The Hereford-born climber ultimately required knee surgery to correct the problem which derailed his start to life with Cofidis, the French WorldTour team he joined this year. Carr was told at a winter training camp that a first appearance at the Tour was on the cards, before the accident happened, leaving him injured and yet to compete this season.

"A car pulled out pretty much right in front of us and then immediately did a U-turn," Carr told Cycling Weekly, recalling the incident. "I basically just hit the car on the side when they turned, I couldn’t get around it in time."

"It wasn’t a really bad crash or anything like that," he added, "but it was enough for me to cut the ride short and go back to the hotel due to the pain. My knee was pretty sore, but nothing was broken, so I just thought it would be a few days with a sore knee and then I'd be back at it. I actually stayed in Spain to start the season and do a race the following weekend, but I was never able to ride without pain after that as I had a large swollen lump on my knee."

The 26-year-old's injuries were monitored internally by the Cofidis medical team before they realised the problem could be worse than they first feared. "I eventually went to see a specialist in Belgium and he diagnosed it as something called pre-patella friction syndrome," Carr explained. "Essentially it's where the fascia in front of the patella is damaged and I possibly had damage to my bursae. The specialist sent me away and said it should get better in about a month but to go back if not."

Carr was hopeful that minor treatment and physiotherapy would avoid an operation, but unfortunately his symptoms didn’t improve. "I ended up having knee surgery in April. I then had basically two and a half weeks where I was totally immobile before I then started to build some of the range of motion back, it was surprising how much motion you lose when you have your leg just straight for two and a bit weeks."

Now finally back in training, Carr is hopeful that a place at the Tour can be salvaged as he builds up his fitness to return to a competitive level.

"I'm still aiming to be at the Tour," he said. "I'll hopefully start racing again at Route d'Occitanie [18-21 June], that’ll be the big test. My goal is to still do the Tour but if I can’t then I’ll possibly aim for the Vuelta [a España] after an altitude camp. I’ll maybe do the Canadian races in Montréal and Québec, but I’m still really hoping I can do the Tour, that’s my goal now to try and make that."

Carr has an extra incentive to make the Tour, having grown up in the south of France, close to the Pyrenees. His family still lives in the region, which the race will visit in the second and final week as it heads for the mountains.

"I had been really looking forward to the Tour because the stage that finishes in Carcassonne actually finishes pretty much 50 metres from my brother's apartment," he said. "My brother will be able to see the race from about 100 metres away just standing on his terrace which is really cool for him."

Having never experienced a serious injury before, Carr said that his frustration was compounded by the fact the setback had been caused by a car driver, rather than his own mistake. "It was difficult as if I'd just gone off and broken my collarbone then I'd have been on the turbo two weeks later and racing again pretty quickly," he said. "Equally it's worth saying that this could have been so much worse, you never really know if you’ve been lucky or unlucky really, I guess.

"I think I've still got time to do some good preparation so I can get something out of the end of the season anyway, that’s the goal for me, but it’s definitely been a nightmare start to the year that’s for sure."

Harrison Wood says he was left feeling "confused" after leaving Cofidis and finding himself on the market for a new team.

The 24-year-old British professional, who was previously supported by The Rayner Foundation, recently completed a move to the Portugal-based UCI Continental team Sabgal-Anicolor after spending three years with Cofidis, a French WorldTour outfit. During that time he rode and completed the Giro d’Italia, Tour de Suisse and several of the biggest one-day races on the calendar.

"I have so much respect and a lot of love for the people at Cofidis with the team atmosphere and riders that we had," Wood told Cycling Weekly recently. "It was great for them to put me in some of these really big races but then I sort of think it almost backfired putting me in them as it meant I couldn’t ever do the slightly smaller races to try and make results and really show myself.

"It’s brilliant getting to do races like the Volta a Catalunya and the Giro but it almost backfired as it meant I couldn’t do smaller races and maybe realistically go for a top ten or things like that."

"That’s definitely one thing I’ve been struggling to understand with Cofidis," he added. "I ended up doing all these big races so the team must have had a lot of confidence to put me in these from the start and been happy with how I was going. So I guess that’s what I don’t understand as if they’d wanted me to do results then I should maybe have been doing the slightly smaller races. It left me a bit confused at the end."

Wood continued: "In the Giro I was sort of in and around it on a few occasions on some of the harder stages right up until the final climbs. I was able to be there to help guys like Simon Geschke in the GC and other things so I was really happy with that.

"Then in the Tour de Suisse it was similar, and I was only getting dropped with six or seven kilometres to go so it was clear that I’d made some good progress. So I think I’m a bit disappointed to not really have another chance as I felt like next year could be another big stepping stone and a bit of a breakthrough potentially."

Despite his initial disappointment at being let go, Wood explained that he is determined to use his frustration to fuel his performances going into a fresh campaign with his new team. Another French WorldTour team were briefly interested in his signature before he got a ride elsewhere, he also said.

His new team, Sabgal–Anicolor, is at Continental-level but Wood says that he can already see they will punch well above their weight.

He said: "I had the opportunity from Sabgal–Anicolor and thought actually I could benefit from being somewhere else where the team might help me in races a lot and I can repay the favour at other points and I can then get some results with the aim of moving back to the WorldTour at another point.

"If I'm honest the team we have got isn’t a Continental team roster, it's more like a Pro Continental squad. It’s the equipment that helps with that too, we’ve got Factor bikes, lightweight Princeton wheels, good kit, altitude training camps. So the team is like a higher level setup just with a Continental licence."

He will be joined at Sabgal by fellow Brit Mason Hollyman, who has signed from Israel-Premier Tech. It is also not the end of WorldTour dreams, with Julius Johansen joining UAE Team Emirates from the Portuguese team this winter.

Cofidis rider Wesley Kreder has decided to retire from professional cycling, aged 32, following a cardiac incident that left him hospitalised for over a week. 

The Dutchman experienced myocarditis - inflammation of the heart muscle - on the night of 28 August and woke up in hospital the next morning. He remained there under close medical watch until 6 September. 

Following the ordeal, Kreder said he was "so happy to be alive" and ended his season. He has now been forced to retire.

In a statement shared by Cofidis on Monday, Kreder said: “After my heart incident, I told myself I could return to the highest level and do races. But my doctor has informed me that the best, and wisest, solution is to stop. 

“I know the sacrifices you have to make and the physical shape necessary to compete at the highest level, and this is not compatible with what I experienced. The decision was not easy to make, but when I look at my children, my family, I know I’ve done what I had to do. 

The Dutchman added that he has enjoyed a “nice career”, and that he wants to “hold on to the positives”. He will now take some time to focus on his family life before looking into other career options. 

“I hope that, through my story, people will say that the best lesson is that life is too short not to love it. I will try to make the most of it, too," he said. 

Kreder joined Cofidis at the beginning of the 2022 season, having previously ridden for Intermarché-Circus-Wanty. A committed domestique, he has taken just two professional victories in his career, winning the Tour de Vendée in 2012, and a stage of the 2016 ZLM Tour in his native Netherlands. 

The Dutchman abandoned the Tour of Poland in August this year, although his team have said this was not related to heart issues.

Last month, Jumbo-Visma rider Nathan van Hooydonck retired from professional cycling due to a “heart muscle anomaly”, his team said. The 27-year-old suffered an episode that caused him to crash his car in mid-September. He was then put into an induced coma, and woke up without serious injury. 

Israel-Premier Tech’s Sep Vanmarcke also ended his career early this year after a cardiac scan revealed scar tissue on his heart. 

Kreder’s annoucement comes almost a year after Sonny Colbrelli, winner of Paris-Roubaix in 2021, retired following his collapse at the Volta a Catalunya. 

Cofidis rider Wesley Kreder is recovering from a heart attack that left him hospitalised for over a week.

The 32-year-old Dutchman experienced myocarditis - inflammation of the heart muscle - during the night of 28 August, and was rushed urgently to hospital, where he remained until 6 September. 

In a press release shared today by his team, Kreder said he is “so happy to be alive” following the ordeal.  

“I went to bed normally on 28 August and the next day, I woke up in hospital,” he said. “It was really strange to find myself there, wondering what had happened and why I had ended up there. 

“I stayed in the hospital for several days to undergo a number of tests and recover before returning home. Now, I feel good. It’s hard to think that I had a heart attack two weeks ago.” 

Kreder added that he has since been walking outside, but his focus is on resting and taking care of his children, aged six and 12. 

His physical condition is being monitored closely by the team’s medical staff and a cardiologist. 

“The doctors haven’t said that I can’t get back on my bike, and I hope to do so in around one or two weeks’ time,” the 32-year-old said. “Still, it’s too early to talk about the future. I would like to deeply thank my loved ones, especially my partner and my in-laws, who supported me through this ordeal and the medical teams who treated me. 

“Now is not the time to plan ahead but to recover well and enjoy. I am so happy to be alive.” 

Kreder joined Cofidis at the beginning of the 2022 season, having previously ridden for Intermarché-Circus-Wanty. A committed domestique, he has taken just two professional victories in his career, winning the Tour de Vendée in 2012, and a stage of the 2016 ZLM Tour in his native Netherlands. 

He abandoned the Tour of Poland in August this year, although his team have said this was not related to heart issues. 

“It has been decided, together with the staff, to end [Kreder’s] season so that he can recover,” the team wrote in a press release. “It is still too early to think about the next part of his sporting career.

"The whole Cofidis team warmly wishes him a speedy recovery and hopes to see him back on the roads soon." 

For 15 years Cofidis failed to win a single stage of the Tour de France, now at the halfway point of the 2023 edition they already have two victories and are the second most winningest team in the race.

After Victor Lafay’s win in San Sebastián on stage two, Ion Izagirre doubled up for the French team in Belleville-en-Beaujolais on stage 12, attacking on the final climb from the breakaway and winning by 58 seconds.

It took a decade-and-a-half to end the drought and then just 11 days for the second win. “Above all, when Victor won it was a relief for the team,” Izagirre said after his own triumph. “It was a relief for a small team to win in the Tour de France, and a relief for a French team after 15 years. With Victor’s win and mine today, we have removed a lot of weight.”

A similar barren run has also been ended at this Tour - that of Spain’s wait for a victory. Pello Bilbao’s win on stage 10 in Issoire was the country’s first in five years, and Izagirre’s made it two Spanish victors in three days. “We were too many years without a winner, the last one was Omar [Fraile in 2018] and now we are two,” Izagirre said. “Hopefully the party continues like this.”

The 2023 race started in Basque Country, and it was not lost on Izagirre that both he and Bilbao are from the northern Spanish region. 

“The people expected us to win at home, and us also,” the 34-year-old said, admitting that the parcours on stages one and two suited the many Basque riders on the startlist who also include Fraile and Mikel Landa. “It would have been better to win at home than here but those stages were all difficult and it wasn’t easy. Now we have won two stages in a few days and hopefully more come.”

For Cofidis, this will go down as a dream Tour. The hoodoo is ended and their status of the peloton’s laughing stock is no more.

“The goal is fulfilled but the Tour is not finished,” Izagirre said. “Our moral is sky-high and we will continue fighting, continue getting into breakaways and trying to win another stage. 

“This weekend [in the Alps] is hard and I’m not sure if the stages will be for the breakaway or the GC group, but we will try to recover our strength and continue fighting.”

It is all too easy to focus on the serial winners and the top of the rankings when looking back over a cycling season, your mind immediately casts back to moments like Tom Pidcock on Alpe d'Huez, or Elisa Longo Borghini on the cobbles of Roubaix.

As a result, one often ends up overlooking those who have had genuinely great years, possibly overachieved or reached their best, but just didn't pass the threshold of what we deem as the true elite.

For every Tadej Pogačar, there's a Simon Geschke.

The German rider, who is in the second year of his contract with Cofidis, is known largely for having a great beard, being a vegan, and liking rock music, but also had a stellar 2022.

He kicked it off slowly, being a loyal domestique to his starrier teammates like Ion Izagirre and Guillaume Martin, supporting the former to second at Itzulia Basque Country, before seizing his chance at the Tour de Romandie at the end of April, finishing third overall on general classification. His season almost got one step better at the Tour de France, where he was the man with the King of the Mountains jersey for the longest, and the final challenger to Jonas Vingegaard, the eventual winner.

"It was a very good year for me, especially the season up until the Tour," the 36-year-old modestly says. "There are always up and downs, but I was really happy with my shape from Pais Vasco to the Tour of Romandie, where I was supposed to be a helper but I could do a job there. At Romandie I got a result myself, which was really good for me and the team. 

"We were chasing WorldTour points all year, so that was good. At the Tour I was in the same shape again, and it was fantastic for me. I didn't win anything, but the Tour I rode was so good. I was disappointed to not win the mountains classification, but in the end I went home and I was satisfied with that."

One supposes this is the life of a professional rider, having to be satisfied with a near miss which could be the biggest event of a career. Still, the visibility in the polka dots was important for Geschke, as was the confidence he gained from the performance.

"I had been eyeing the mountains jersey for a long time because to be honest it is the most realistic goal, for me to do something at the Tour," he explains. "Sure, stage wins are a possibility out of breakaways, but this is the next goal. Things like that or the combativity award.

"I don't go in breakaways just for TV exposure, I wanted to do something at the biggest race in the world. Anything you can win there is a good thing. The mountains jersey would have been as good as a stage win. We wanted to keep the jersey as long as possible, but I wasn't expecting to keep it for that long. It worked out almost perfectly, but it wasn't enough."

Smaller teams risk being criticised by fans if they are not being aggressive enough, what purpose do they serve if not to animate the race with only slim hopes of success?  Geschke was a rebuttal to that critique at the Tour, trying to win a competition, putting himself up the road and challenging.

It doesn't hurt that ASO in an effort to spice up the KOM contest has made moves to enable Geschke to contest it.

"It used to be double points for mountain top finished, but they changed it," he explains. "They shifted the focus to the average climber again like me. I missed only one climb, and that's what decided it. 

"Next year maybe more guys will try, and I'm sure the Tour also wants the mountains jersey to have a higher value again. It was really exciting, at least that's what I heard. In other years it seemed like a last week thing, but maybe I inspired a few riders to go for it right from in the beginning."

As for Romandie, it was Geschke's highest profile general classification placing ever, all the more impressive given his age. It is seven years since he won a stage of the Tour de France while riding for Sunweb, probably the result of his career.

"Romandie doesn't happen very often," he admits. "I was third at Tour Down Under two years ago, but before that I don't know if I was ever top 10 in a WorldTour stage race, but I was never really a GC rider. Romandie, and also the TDU, I had a chance and I was in good shape. It can happen, when you are strong. I am not often the sole leader of a team, and in both races I was the plan B. 

"At Romandie, we went for Ion Izagirre because of the two time trials, but he crashed on the first day, and then we saw what was possible, and I came out third."

However, given the opportunity, he seized it.

"For me it was good, because I didn't have the pressure and I just tried to hang on." Geschke says. "The day before was quite a hard mountain stage and I finished top 10 so I was already happy. I wasn't there for a podium result, if I was I would have been more nervous. Even if you have a lot of experience you can get nervous. That week, I was already happy and then I went into the TT quite relaxed and finished second, which was a bigger surprise than the GC. 

"It gives me confidence for sure, but at Cofidis we still have guys like Guillaume Martin and Izagirre who are normally stronger than me when everything falls into place. This week it was the other way round, when we changed the plan."

It might not happen again, or it might not, but Geschke is a reminder that there is a vibrant life below the top, of riders achieving their best results and succeeding, even if they rarely get the column inches for it.

By the end of this season, Israel-Premier Tech and Lotto Soudal will have competed in over 100 events, 20% more than in a typical season. 

This program-stacking is highly unusual, but in 2022 it's not a total surprise. Both teams currently occupy the WorldTour’s two relegation places, and unless they pick up UCI points, they’ll lose their licences for the next three-year cycle. 

“If we had ridden more races in the last two years, I doubt that we would have been in the same situation,” Lotto Soudal team director Nikolas Maes tells Cycling Weekly. “The program we are doing is stuffed, it’s quite stuffed, and then you have the exceptional races that really take a lot of energy.”

By exceptional races, Maes is referring to the Japan Cup and the Tour de Langkawi, two events that require the team to send riders and resources to Asia to compete. 

For Lotto Soudal, these trips won’t be made in vain. As ProSeries races, each event offers 200 UCI points to the winner, and with the team currently 700 points adrift, any opportunity to add to their tally is to be seized. 

In fact, on 16 October, the team’s final day of the season, Lotto Soudal will field riders at four different races; Chrono des Nations, Veneto Classic and the two Asian ProSeries events.  

“For the riders, it’s like an extra mission,” Maes says. “They like the extra idea that there's not only the victory at stake in the race, but also the extra thing with the point system.”

In the latter half of this season, teams have been accused of sacrificing their chances of victory in favour of placing multiple riders in the top 10 for a more lucrative points haul. Maes believes this is not what the sport is about. 

“The basic idea of racing is to win the race,” the Lotto-Soudal team director says, “and if you’re second, you actually lose the race, in my opinion. So starting to preach to those guys to finish [with] five guys in the top 10, that’s really against the culture of cycling, I think, and I don’t want to speak these things to my riders.” 

Another team facing an uncertain future is Cofidis. The French team currently occupy 18th place in the team rankings, meaning they’d be the final team to secure their WorldTour licence if things stay as they are. Like Lotto Soudal, Cofidis are targeting a series of Belgian, Italian and French one-day races over the next month in a bid to score UCI points. 

“We’re gearing up to do 13 race days from now until Sunday,” Antoine Grenapin, a representative of Cofidis, told Cycling Weekly yesterday morning. “The whole team, staff and riders are fully mobilised to deal with this challenge.”

“We know that to keep our WorldTour status, we’ll need to go looking for big performances, victories, and everyone is aware of that in the team. Since the start of the season, we’ve known that we would have to fight in every race and that’s what everyone’s spirit is like.

“We’re really trying to give everything until the end of the season.”

For Israel-Premier Tech, the outlook is a bit more bleak. The team, managed by millionaire businessman Sylvan Adams, are currently bottom of the table, with only a slim chance of WorldTour survival. 

In a recent interview with Cyclingnews and Velonews, Adams said: “I am still hopeful that we will still end up on the right side of relegation, although it’s looking worse and worse.

The Israel-Premier Tech team manager went on to urge the UCI to cite “force majeure”, suggesting they make an exception due to the global pandemic and expand to 20 WorldTour teams for the next cycle. 

“If I lose, I am going to take them to court,” Adams said. “If I lose my sponsors and it costs me millions, somebody has to make me whole. If I show that they do not apply the rules consistently, I think I have a very good case.” 

The WorldTour relegation takes place in November, with points accumulated up to 18 October taken into account. Despite the impact of Covid-19 on the racing calendar, the UCI have said that no extenuating measures are currently planned. 

Maes says that this is something that his Lotto Soudal team will have to accept. 

“I don't 100% agree with the whole system and the way it's going because I think in the end the UCI should protect its teams,” Maes says. “But okay, at the end of the day, they decide how the system will go down, and we work with it.

“If we are not a WorldTour team [next season], the world doesn't end for us. And that's a whole different approach than saying it's do or die. That would create a lot more stress.”

Christophe Laporte (Jumbo-Visma) has spoken out against the cynicism and probing questions aimed at the Dutch team after their Tour de France success. 

Jumbo-Visma won six stages at the Tour de France 2022 as well as the yellow, green and polka-dot jerseys. Two of those stages came from overall winner Jonas Vingegaard who also took home the polka-dot jersey as the best climber at the race. Three came from the phenomenal Wout Van Aert, and Laporte himself took home his share of the spoils with an excellent stage win on the final road stage of this year's race. 

In an interview with L’Equipe, Laporte explained that cycling is struggling to rid itself of its murky past. 

Laporte said: “I know that some people don’t believe in our performance, in recent days there has been a lot of criticism, it’s always the same, the rider who wins the Tour, no one ever believes it. Cycling is struggling to wash its image, it’s unfortunate.” 

The 29-year-old French rider joined Jumbo-Visma from Cofidis in time for the 2022 season. Since then, Laporte has quickly become one of the  team's most valuable riders, regularly turning in outstanding performances. He was part of the Dutch team’s early-season success at Paris-Nice, winning the opening stage in a superb clean sweep of the podium. Primož Roglič won the race overall, but Laporte really cemented his selection for the Tour de France after that result. 

During his time at Cofidis, the Frenchman was threatening a big result and his consistent performances began turning heads at some of the sport's top teams. However Laporte feels that after eight years with Cofidis, some critics are quick to doubt his impressive 2022 form with his new team. 

Laporte added: “I hear what people say about me - Laporte, he was not advancing, and now he is winning at the Tour. Even those who follow cycling don’t try to understand. Realising that a team with such a budget, with riders of this level, and an organisation around which the level of requirement is 100 percent explains a lot of things.” 

Laporte’s teammates, Van Aert and Jonas Vingegaard, did not take kindly to the questions around trustworthiness aimed at them over the course of last weekend. Speaking at a press conference after the final time-trial in Rocamadour, the Danish rider defended his team and their record at the race insisting that Jumbo-Visma is “totally clean”. 

Meanwhile, Van Aert reacted in a more outspoken manner. When asked about the team’s record, the Belgian was reluctant to enter any conversation on doping.

“It’s such a s**t question, it comes back every year. Because we’re performing at this level, we have to defend ourselves, I don’t get it,” said Van Aert.

At some point in the race the Giro Donne is about survival for every rider, and having survived the opening three stages the race starts on Monday for Clara Koppenburg.

It’s not as if the opening three stages suited the German rider’s skills. A short, fast opening time trial and two flat sprinter’s days were always ones where one of the world’s best pure climbers needed to survive rather than make an impact.

Though rarely thought of as a GC favourite, Koppenburg’s form is on the way up and a top five finish in Italy is a distinct possibility,

Monday’s stage might start flat, but three three classified climbs and a late, uncategorised ascent of 2.8km at 7.1% average gradient, should give her the chance of redemption after losing time against the clock and when sent off course in the closing kilometres of Saturday’s third stage.

However, the Cofidis rider will need to conquer the nerves which have developed since a huge, career threatening crash during the penultimate stage of last year’s race. 

Kopppenburg was left with a broken pelvis, ribs and hip, among other injuries. But it also dented her confidence. So not only only are Monday’s hills an opportunity, they also provide a relief from the tension she experiences  in bustle of the peloton.

“I still struggle a lot with my head,” Koppenburg told CW while sheltering from the Italian sun in the shade of the Cofidis team bus. “I'm just really scared in the bunch or on the corners and on the descents, so I’m still trying to get more confidence back.

“I think some people can deal with it better, but for me it was the first big crash and the whole experience of not being able to move at all and spending two months in bed, all those things changed my mind a little bit. If I think back it's still like super emotional for me, but I just wanted to have this experience again, but I'm a little bit more like careful on the bike.”

Post recovery, 2022 has been good for the 26 year-old. After an expected slow start she has shown great form since the start of June, bagging six top 10 placings before heading to the Giro. Those include seventh in the general classification of the Tour de Suisse, where the time trial was her only weak link.

However, it was second place at Mont Ventoux Dénivelé Challenge which gave Koppenburg most satisfaction.

“I really wanted to do well there because I went to Mont Ventoux in October with my family for holidays,” she explains. “I was still walking on crutches, and I said, ‘Okay, I want to just ride up this climb.’ Then racing up and finishing second was like a personal victory, even if it was just second, but behind Marta Cavalli (FDJ-Nouvelle Aquitaine Futuroscope) I think it's no shame.

“Of course they were also races which suited,” she says of her series of good results. “It’s maybe not the biggest bunch or WorldTour level, but it's still good for the confidence because they don't come because of good luck. It was really pure performance.”

While Monday is the first chance or regaining the 1-41 deficit she has on race leader Elisa Balsamo (Trek-Segafredo), there are many chances in the ensuing six stages.

“It gets more interesting, but I think a lot of girls are looking more to the stage where we finish on top of the climb, [stage 6 to Passo del Maniva], but there are a few stages which have really steep and long climbs in the middle. So I think something can happen and we have to take every opportunity we can get.”

Jempy Drucker has announced his retirement from cycling after more than 16 years in the sport.

In an emotive post on social media, the Luxembourger said that he had been waiting for news on a new contract, but it has not happened and he has been forced to retire.

Drucker, who spent his final season with Cofidis, wrote: "The last few months have been full of waiting and hoping, but unfortunately, the decision was out of my hands and now there is no other option left for me. I have to say goodbye and end my cycling career. This. Is. It."

Across his career, the veteran domestique won a Vuelta a España stage and the RideLondon Surrey Classic, as well as two stages of the Tour de Luxembourg. 

Drucker's sole grand tour stage win came on stage 16 of the 2016 Vuelta, when he outsprinted Rudi Selig and Nikias Arndt in Peñíscola.

He only stepped up to the WorldTour aged 29 with BMC, who he spent four years with before moving to Bora-Hansgrohe and ultimately Cofidis.

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In a letter addressed to "Cycling", Drucker wrote: "I wish I could have finished in a better way, with a good season and a proper final race. But since the pandemic, you haven't always been kind to me...

"It's not easy for me to write this, but one of the many things I've learned from you over the years is that these difficult moments are often the motivation behind great. things. I would have liked to ride on, but I will always be grateful for the time I had and the happy memories that I take with me."

He thanked all the people that helped his career, and all the people he met on the way, but especially his supporters and his family.

"I wanted to thank you for all the people I met on my way," he said. "For all the ups and downs I had to go through during my career, which definitely built my character. But also, for all the emotions you gave me, emotions only sports can create! Cycling was a good school for life."

Giving an insight into what life as a professional cyclist really is like, he thanked his wife and children. "Thank you for putting up with a professional athlete, day in and day out," he wrote. 

"I don't think many people outside of sports understand just how much of your own life you had to put aside in order for me to succeed, but I will always be indebted to you for it. Thank you, I love you, and now it's my turn to start repaying you!"

The 35 year old concluded: "My final message goes to all the young kids out there, dreaming of a professional career: Go for it! Work hard, believe in yourself, and follow your dreams. I did it, and so can you..."

Among riders paying tribute to Drucker was former BMC teammate Greg van Avermaet, who tweeted "all the best, we will miss you in the peloton". Fellow Luxembourger Bob Jungels said: "We’ll miss you Jempy!"

Decathlon will return to the professional peloton as the official partner of Cofidis cycling team from the beginning of 2022.

The French sporting goods retailer's cycling brand, Van Rysel, has penned a two-year deal to be the official apparel partner for Cofidis, supplying the Cofidis men, women and Paralympic cycling teams.

Both Decathlon and Cofidis cycling team are based in Lille, helping the relationship to develop closely and produce the best quality activewear possible, they said.  

Over the past six months, Van Rysel has been designing and prototyping the textiles that will be incorporated into the cycling apparel for the Cofidis teams, while their proximity to one another made the partnership a natural fit, the team said. 

Vasseur Cedric, General Manager of the Cofidis Team, said: “We are very happy with this new partnership; all the riders and staff are ready to mobilise alongside the brand which has the will to be a major player in its market. This collaboration makes all the more sense since we are two French companies, from the same Hauts de France region.

“This geographic proximity is a major asset of this new partnership and will help bring our two entities closer together. Van Rysel has a strong ability to develop and design the best products to allow it to shine in the most prestigious competitions on the calendar. It is therefore a winning partnership on all fronts that will contribute to the expansion and future success of the Cofidis Team.”

Decathlon last participated in professional cycling 17-years-ago with Cofidis cycling team, but return for 2022 with their own kit brand Van Rysel. 

Pierron Nicolas, Van Rysel leader, said: “We were won over by the team’s, both cyclists and the support staff, willingness to invest in the co-creation of our future products. The aim of this partnership is to take another step forward in the excellence of our products, excellence that our customers will find in future Van Rysel product collections.”

Working with elite-level cyclists will also help develop better products for Decathlon's consumers too. Consequently, both parties will benefit each other over the contracted two-year period. 

“This partnership helps us to be in constant contact with the most demanding cyclists," said Guillaume Pichot, textile product manager at Van Rysel. "All this allows us to continuously improve the technicality of our equipment by providing cyclists with products benefiting from the latest technologies, as well as to our customers."

Belgian sprinter Timothy Dupont has claimed that the sprint and lead-out by Cofidis' Elia Viviani and Simone Consonni "wasn't clean" at a French stage race.

Viviani sprinted to his second win of the race, as he looked to be getting close to his top form again at the Tour Poitou-Charentes en Nouvelle Aquitaine.

Consonni did a strong lead-out, but he was a long way to the right on the road with Viviani and the rest sprinting over to the left. When Consonni was passed by his leader, he started to move dramatically to the left, blocking Dupont who had to brake so he avoided crashing.

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Speaking to DirectVelo after the stage, the Belgian said: "In my opinion, the sprint was irregular. I was on Viviani's wheel and when I tried to get out, Consonni moved over to the left. I was sandwiched,

"It wasn't clean. I'm disappointed because I was well placed, I had the strength. I don't know if I'd have managed to get past Viviani but I had to brake."

Below is the video posted by Cofidis of the finish where you can see the line deviation from Consonni.

This is the first race Viviani has competed in since taking a bronze medal in the Omnium at the Olympics and looks to have brought some good form out of the Games.

The former European road race champion voiced his praise for Consonni after his elongated lead-out. Consonni went on to sprint to the line to take third on the day.

Viviani told DirectVelo: "I told Simone [Consonni] to lead me out as if he had to go all the way to the line, because yesterday I was left too far out. Simone did a perfect job. When the train works, we're there and we win."

Viviani has struggled for wins since joining Cofidis, only taking three wins while wearing the colours of the French WorldTeam with two being at this race. 

He was confirmed by his team to be leaving as they replace to Italian with French sprinter Bryan Coquard, who steps up to WorldTour from B&B Hotels p/b KTM 

Christophe Laporte took stage one and the overall lead of the Étoile de Bessèges ahead of French rival, Nacer Bouhanni with Mads Pedersen taking third in a rapid finale that saw a large crash take several riders out of the challenge for the win.

Laporte (Cofidis) followed a late attack by Bouhanni (Arkéa-Samsic), pulling away from the rest of the peloton who could do nothing to pull back the French sprinters.

Mads Pedersen (Trek-Segafredo) closed out the podium spots, losing two seconds to the front two, with young British rider, Jake Stewart (Groupama-FDJ) getting a solid top-10 result in ninth.

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How it happened

The first stage of Étoile de Bessèges started in Bellegarde with the race taking in two circuits around the town before finishing back in Bellegarde after 143.55km.

The early break was made up of three riders, Alexandre Delette (Team Delko), Louis Louvet (St Michel-Auber93) and Tom Paquot (Bingoal-Wallonie Bruxelles) and they pulled out a maximum gap of just over four minutes.

The peloton was controlled largely by Ag2r-Citroën, who were working for Greg Van Avermaet and Oliver Naesen, with a bit of help from Bora-Hansgrohe who were working for Pascal Ackermann.

As the race went on other teams started to show interest at the front with Arkéa-Samsic and Total Direct Energie joining with 45km to go, dragging the gap down to just under a minute as they passed the finish line for the first time.

After that the pace was ramped up and up as more teams came through, Lotto-Soudal and Qhubeka-Assos both has short periods on the front before Ag2r-Citroën retook the lead with 25km to go.

As the peloton went into the final 20km teams started to go into colour order with Ineos Grenadiers appearing at the front for the first time, Geraint Thomas leading the way with Egan Bernal, Filippo Ganna and the rest of the team on his wheel.

The break managed to hold off the pack up until 10km to go as the Kern-Pharma team took over as they started working for Francisco Galván after his impressive fourth place at GP La Marseillaise. Total came up too as they looked to work for Chris Lawless and Edvald Boasson Hagen with 8km to go.

A big crash with 6km to go took out multiple big names with several Qhubeka-Assos riders and Felix Großschartner (Bora-Hansgrohe) hitting the deck with riders such as Bernal and last year's second overall, Alberto Bettiol (EF Education-Nippo), caught up behind it.

Intermarché-Wanty Gobert took over on the front with 2.5km to go as well as Cofidis, blocking Trek-Segafredo and Ineos out as the race took on multiple roundabouts.

The peloton hit the final climb with Lotto-Soudal and Trek-Segafredo drilling the pace for their riders, but it was Bouhanni  who put in a hard attack with Laporte going over the top of his bitter rival.

Laporte managed to hold off any resurgence by Bouhanni to take his first win of 2021, as former world champion, Pedersen, took third on the day.

Results

Étoile de Bessèges 2021 stage one: Bellegarde to Bellegarde (143.55km)

1. Christophe Laporte (FRA) Cofidis, in 3-14-32

2. Nacer Bouhanni (FRA) Arkéa-Samsic, at same time

3. Mads Pedersen (DEN) Trek-Segafredo, at 2 seconds

4. Giacomo Nizzolo (ITA) Qhubeka-Assos

5. Michał Kwiatkowski (POL) Ineos-Grenadiers

6. Jordi Meeus (BEL) Bora-Hansgrohe

7. Bryan Coquard (FRA) B&B Hotels-Vital Concept

8. John Degenkolb (GER) Lotto-Soudal

9. Jake Stewart (GBR) Groupama-FDJ

10. Danny van Poppel (NED) Intermarché-Wanty Gobert Matériaux, all at same time

General classification after stage one

1. Christophe Laporte (FRA) Cofidis, in 3-14-32

2. Nacer Bouhanni (FRA) Arkéa-Samsic

3. Mads Pedersen (DEN) Trek-Segafredo

4. Giacomo Nizzolo (ITA) Qhubeka-Assos

5. Michał Kwiatkowski (POL) Ineos-Grenadiers

6. Jordi Meeus (BEL) Bora-Hansgrohe

7. Bryan Coquard (FRA) B&B Hotels-Vital Concept

8. John Degenkolb (GER) Lotto-Soudal

9. Jake Stewart (GBR) Groupama-FDJ

10. Danny van Poppel (NED) Intermarché-Wanty Gobert Matériaux

Elia Viviani has reportedly left the Cofidis winter training camp due to heart concerns, according to Italian media. 

The sprinter had been training with his team-mates in Benidorm on Spain’s Mediterranean coast, when he noticed an anomaly in his heart-rate.

According to Ciro Scognamiglio of Italian sports newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport, Viviani left the camp and contacted a cardiologist, who referred him to a hospital in Ancona, Italy for testing.  

Cofidis has yet to confirm the reports publicly. 

Viviani’s compatriot Diego Ulissi has already been forced to take a break from racing due to heart concerns.   

The Italian had been strong throughout the 2020 season, winning two stages of the Giro d’italia and racking up a collection of victories. 

But while undergoing off-season health checks required by the UCI, UAE Team Emirates doctors discovered abnormalities during Ulissi's cardiac tests.

Dr Michele De Grandi said: “Diego underwent the normal health checks required by the UCI and the team. Subjectively he was fine and did not feel any disturbance, but the finding of an irregular heartbeat during a physical exertion, not previously present, gave us some doubt. Even with a normal ultrasound appearance, two new tests (Holter ECG 24 hours, which highlighted further arrhythmias, and a cardiac MRI scan) have drawn a conclusion of myocarditis.” 

Myocarditis is an inflammation of the heart muscle and is usually caused by a virus.  

Treatment can often involve medication, while people with myocarditis are often told to avoid exercise during recovery.

 Ulissi, 31, said he will take a break from racing that he hopes is temporary, but is not sure when he will be back to competition.  

Viviani, former European champion, is entering his second season with French WorldTour squad Cofidis after two seasons with Deceuninck - Quick-Step. 

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The 31-year-old is yet to cross the line first with his new team, but will be hoping to change that as he gets his season underway at the Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana on February 3.  

Cofidis have announced that they will be creating a women's team in 2022 to go with their men's WorldTour team and paracycling teams so that the company can show full representation of the Cofidis company.

Cofidis would be the eighth WorldTour team to start up a women's team along with Trek-Segafredo, Team BikeExchange, Movistar Team, Groupama-FDJ, Lotto-Soudal, and most recently, Jumbo-Visma.

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Speaking during the team's online presentation on Friday January 8, team president Thierry Vittu said: "I have the habit of saying that a sports team should be a representation of the Cofidis company.

"We have the men’s pro team and the paracycling section, and they reflect a good part of what the Cofidis company is, but it’s a group of 5,500 people in which the majority are women. So something is missing,

“We will have a women’s team as part of the Cofidis group from 2022. It won’t be this year because we need time to put it together and gather the resources, but in 2022 we will certainly have one.

The team will also be hoping that they can kickstart their winning ways again with the men's team in 2021 after failing to take any major victories in 2020.

Big-name signing, Elia Viviani, didn't manage to raise his arms in victory all year despite some close calls and podiums early in the season.

It was clear he was missing something in the sprints when he went to the Grand Tours with other sprinters having superb years. French champion Arnaud Démare (Groupama-FDJ) managed 14 wins in 2020 on his own with Caleb Ewan (Lotto-Soudal) and Sam Bennett (Deceuninck - Quick-Step) also performing well.

Meanwhile, their star climber, Guillaume Martin did manage some great performances as well as the mountains jersey at the Vuelta a España, but he too failed to take a win and also fell out of the GC contention at the Tour de France during the second week.

Jumbo-Visma are the latest WorldTour men's team to start up a women's squad, having started up a women's team for this year, making marquee signings such as Marianne Vos and Jip van den Bos. Now with Cofidis and others joining with more investment, it's a good sign for the progression of the women's side of the sport.

Guillaume Martin couldn’t say the whole peloton is clean after the Tour de France 2020.

The Cofidis rider, who ended the Tour as the best-placed French rider overall, said that every year the yellow jersey winner faces suspicion; “the price of the sport’s troubled past.” 

Martin said he tries not to be suspicious of his rivals for fear of getting discouraged, but he added he “wouldn’t put his hand in the fire” and say the whole is peloton is clean. 

The 27-year-old told French newspaper Le Parisien: "I can't allow myself to have doubts and say to myself 'I'm 11th but he’s suspicious or he’s suspicious', otherwise I’ll get too discouraged. 

“I’m not naive - I wouldn’t put my hand in the fire to say that the whole peloton is clean.”

Martin had ridden strongly in the opening two weeks of the Tour, finishing third on stage four to Orcières-Merlette and sitting third overall after stage 12.

But he began to struggle in the second half of the week, slipping outside the top-10 on the road to Puy Mary and finishing the race in 11th place by Paris. 

The Tour ended in remarkable fashion, with Tadej Pogačar stealing back two minutes on the final time trial to overtake Primož Roglič, who had been in control for much of the race.  

Martin said: “Every year the winner of the Tour is suspect - this is the price of the sport’s troubled past. One has to live with it.” 

The Tour was also hit by suspicion in the final week, as Arkéa-Samsic’s team hotel was raided and two staff members were taken into custody (they’ve since been released).

After the Tour finished in Paris, news emerged that environment and public health officers had reportedly confiscated injection equipment, while Nairo Quintana and his brother Dayer were voluntarily interviewed by police.

Quintana has denied any wrongdoing and said the substances found were vitamin supplements.  

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But Martin believes cycling can get past the doping accusations: “The Tour recovers from everything. It recovered from Covid-19 when we said it wouldn’t take place. 

“I believe in human optimism - even a new ‘dirty trick’ wouldn’t bring it down.” 

Anthony Perez has revealed the extent of his injuries after he crashed into his team car during stage three of the Tour de France 2020.

The Frenchman, who had ridden himself into the lead of the mountains classification during the day, was forced to abandon the race when he hit his Cofidis team car on a descent and was thrown into a cliff wall.

Perez, 29, suffered two fractured ribs, a collapsed lung, extensive bruising and needed stitches in his knee and back after the fall. 

He told French newspaper L’Equipe: “It happened too quickly I didn't have time to be afraid. I especially felt a great pain after the fall, I could not breathe and I understood immediately that it was not right. But I still tried to get back on the bike.” 

The crash happened after Perez had sat up from the day’s breakaway and rejoined the peloton.

After suffering a puncture, the rider was descending the Col de Lèque behind his team car when the convoy of cars came to a halt in front.

Perez didn’t have time to react and hit the Cofidis vehicle, which then sent him into the cliff wall nearby. 

But Perez said the team car also stopped him from falling into a ravine and suffering a worse crash. 

He added: “I am a fatalist. It happened to me what happened to me, so it is. I'll be home in two days and see my family again. Now we have to heal and then we'll be back on the bike in six weeks. There's no point looking behind. " 

Perez was riding his third Tour de France with Cofidis and formed part of an all-French three-rider breakaway on day three.  

>>> Who’s out of the Tour de France 2020 after stage three? 

After sweeping up the KoM points for the day, Perez opted to rejoin the bunch as Jerôme Cousin continued alone for another 100km. 

The stage was eventually won in fantastic fashion by Lotto-Soudal’s Caleb Ewan.  

Riders still quarantined in the UAE can now get back to training after they had bikes and turbo trainers delivered to their rooms.

There are currently three teams – Cofidis, Groupama-FDJ and Gazprom-RusVelo -being held in their Abu Dhabi hotel after the UAE Tour was abandoned because of a coronavirus.

Health authorities in the country say there are six new cases of the Covid-19 virus, apparently connected to two previous cases on the race.

On Wednesday evening, the UCI announced that the riders being held would be released by March 14 at the latest, meaning they will have been kept in their hotel rooms for more than two weeks.

Thanks to the race organiser RCS, the riders in the hotel have been given their bikes and turbo trainers so they can keep their fitness up while they’re under quarantine.

Cofidis rider Nathan Haas said on Instagram: “Never in my life have I been so happy to be doing an ergo. Finally moving my body after six days.

“Thanks to the crew here in Abu Dhabi who accessed me a trainer and bike earlier this morning. Then about half an hour after the bike arrived we got the news that our teams that the team bikes were going to be released from the paddock. So finally we have exercise.

“I think I can actually see the light now that I can use my body and keep my brain sane.”

Groupama-FDJ has been forced to announce it will not be able to race in the coming weeks because of the quarantine.

A statement from the team said: “Lacking sufficient numbers of available riders and staff, partly due to the quarantine period observed in the UAE, our team regrets to announce its inability to take part in upcoming Strade Bianche [since cancelled], GP Larciano and Tirreno-Adriatico.”

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According to the Abu Dhabi authorities and the UCI, six people still under quarantine have tested positive for Covid-19 and have been taken to hospital for monitoring.

Those who have been in contact with the patients are being kept in their rooms for more tests.

A statement from cycling’s international governing body said: “The UCI continues to closely follow the situation and is committed to ensuring that all those concerned can return home as soon as possible. It is also taking care that there is optimal communication with the concerned teams so that they are informed on a daily basis of the evolution of the situation.”

Riders are still being held in quarantine in their hotel rooms over concerns about coronavirus after the UAE Tour.

The final two stages of the Middle East WorldTour race were abandoned after two suspected cases of the Covid-19 virus were reported, with all riders, staff and media being tested for the illness.

A majority of the teams were allowed to leave the race by Sunday (March 1), but three teams are still being held in their hotel rooms on Tuesday.

The teams under quarantine, Cofidis, Groupama-FDJ and Gazprom-RusVelo, are behind held because were staying on the same floor as the two Italian staff members who were initially suspected to have virus.

In an interview with BBC Radio 5 Live , Australian Cofidis rider Nathan Haas said: “It’s a very surreal experience I have to admit. It’s also quite frustrating as there have been no positive cases. Everything has come back negative.

“Unfortunately for whatever reason we’re still locked up in quarantine."

Haas and his team-mates have been forced to find alternative ways of training, as they are unable to get out on their bikes and have no indoor trainers with them.

He has documented his new intensive workout regime in a YouTube video.

The situation began to unfold on after stage five of the race on Thursday, when authorities in the UAE announced that two Italian staff members from an unnamed team had tested positive for coronavirus.

All 600 riders, organisers, team staff, and media were put under quarantine and tested for the virus, but the situation descended into confusion after reports emerged that the two Italian staff members had actually tested negative for the virus.

>>> Cofidis sports director threatens to go on hunger strike if UAE Tour quarantine continues 

The three teams are still being kept in their hotel in Abu Dhabi and are unsure when they will be able to leave.

Haas added: “There’s actually security guards everywhere. All the doors are shut.

“This is the most critical time of the year coming up to the early-season Classics, which is really my bread and butter.

“It’s highly frustrating and from a professional perspective our team is really hurting because we’re being disadvantaged.”

FDJ sprinter Arnaud Démare shared his frustration on Instagram, saying he was struggling to keep up his morale, being unable to train with just 17 days until Milan-San Remo.

Luis Ángel Maté will return to racing at the Vuelta a España after a horrific crash at the Tour of Poland that left him needing 50 stitches in his head.

The Cofidis rider hit a pothole on the opening stage in Poland and went down hard, splitting his head open and being taken to hospital.

Maté suffered a severe blow to the head that caused a major haemorrhage and needed 50 stitches in his head to close the wound, saying after the fall that his helmet saved his life.

>>> Jumbo-Visma’s budget will increase to €20million as team chase Grand Tour success 

After the crash, Maté said: “At the end of the stage, I tried to go up Pippo (Filippo Fortin) to allow him to compete in the sprint. There was a hole on the road at the end of a bend, and I did not see it.

"Although I never lost consciousness, the fall was brutal. Fortunately Stéphane (Desbuisson, the team doctor) and Roberto (Damiani, sports director) stayed with us in the evening to support us. Thanks also to the fans who know how to support us in good times and bad times. I cannot wait to get back on a bike and resume the competition: it will be the best gift I could give them. "

He added: “The helmet saved my life. I lost a lot of blood and most likely I have to stay a couple of days under observation.”

“Now I’ll just focus on resting, recovering and riding my bike as soon as possible.”

>>> Giro d’Italia 2020 could feature gravel time trial on Mount Etna 

Maté had only spend four days back on the bike by August 16 and was unsure whether he would be included in the Vuelta squad, being bed-bound after the crash because of the amount of blood he lost and the antibiotics he was taking.

But Cofidis have confirmed that the 35-year-old will be riding his home Grand Tour.

Elia Viviani is on the move and will sign with Cofidis, the French outfit have confirmed.

The Italian sprint star is leaving Deceuninck – Quick-Step after two years and will take his compatriot and lead-out rider Fabio Sabatini with him.

Rumours of Viviani’s move have been circulating this summer, with Cofidis confirming the new signing on Monday (August 5).

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The 30-year-old said: “I am very excited about riding in my new colours. I was able to observe, by talking with [Cofidis general manager] Cédric Vasseur and [sports director] Roberto Damiani, how much the Cofidis team was committed to recruiting me and proposing an ambitious project for me

“I very much appreciate the desire to create a team around me and the confidence they have shown in me with the arrival of my friend Fabio. The Cofidis jersey is among the most historic in the peloton and I am proud to wear it.”

Viviani, winner of RideLondon-Surrey Classic,  has become an increasingly coveted rider since he left Team Sky at the end of 2017, taking his opportunity to command a full lead-out train at Quick-Step by winning three stages of the Vuelta a España last year and completing his collection of Grand Tour victories with a stage of the 2019 Tour. He also holds an Olympic gold medal from the 2016 games where he won the omnium on the track.

Viviani will take 34-year-old Sabitini with him to Cofidis, showing the confidence management have in building their team around the sprinter.

Rumours suggest that their current hope for the fast finishes, the volatile Nacer Bouhanni will switch to Arkea-Samsic for next season while Sam Bennett (Bora-Hansgrohe) is expected to replace Viviani at Quick-Step.

>>> Mikel Landa signs for Bahrain-Merida as team leader 

Sabatini said: “I am very happy to join Cofidis with Elia. It is one of the oldest sponsors in cycling and the team’s prospects for next year are very exciting.

“I have a lot of experience taking a sprinter to victory. With Elia, we have been team-mates since 2010 and we have a very good relationship.

“I am very happy to continue my career with him. We will do everything to win great victories in the new colours.”

Romain Bardet (Ag2r La Mondiale) missed out on victory in the inaugural Mont Ventoux Dénivelé Challenge, finishing second to Jesús Herrada (Cofidis) in a final dash to the finish line.

Overwhelming favourite of the race, Bardet attacked from a small group with 8.6km to go and only Spaniard Herrada could go with him.

>>> Tour de France 2019 start list: Provisional team squads containing Thomas, Cavendish, Nibali, Dumoulin and Sagan

From there on, the two rode almost side-by-side to the finish at the summit of the notorious Mont Ventoux, with Bardet attempting numerous attacks.

But the Frenchman could not shake an extremely poised Herrada, who eventually made an attack with 400m to go with Bardet unable to hold on to his wheel.

Herrada was able to cross the line with clear day light to take victory, with a forlorn looking Bardet rolling in for second place.

Rein Taaramäe (Total Direct Energie) arrived at the summit to take third place, at 1-12 down on Herrada.

How it happened

The first ever edition of the Mont Ventoux Dénivelé Challenge set off in sunny conditions on Monday from Vaison-la-Romaine for a 171km course to the summit of Mont Ventoux.

The peloton would face six categorised climbs before taking on Ventoux, a torturous 21.3km climb that features an average gradient of 7.4 per cent.

The race winner would almost certainly emerge on the climb, with Romain Bardet the outright favourite for victory, taking part in the race immediately after finishing the Critérium du Dauphiné on Sunday.

A breakaway of five men got up the road early on as the peloton settled in to take on the early climbs. Brice Feillu (Arkéa-Samsic), Angelo Tulik (Total Direct Energie), Rémy Rochas (Delko–Marseille Provence), Mario Gonzalez (Euskadi–Murias), and Alex Aranburu (Caja Rural) were the riders to escape, establishing a maximum gap of around three minutes.

They worked well together, still holding a steady gap of 1-55 in to the final 50km, with EF Education First and Cofidis doing much of the work on the front of the peloton.

The gap drastically reduced however into 20km to go, dropping down to around 35 seconds.

Feillu and Aranburu then went clear heading into the bottom of Mont Ventoux, holding on with 25 seconds in hand.

After hitting the final climb proper however, they were quickly caught by an Ag2r La Mondiale led peloton with Bardet poised for his expected attack.

By 10km to go the front group, led by Tony Gallopin and Bardet, only had a few riders in tow thanks to the attritional pace set, with Jesús Herrada and Rein Taaramäe the standout names to try and challenge the French team.

Bardet then made his attack with 8.6km to go, with Herrada the only rider able to respond. Taaramäe quickly dropped to around 30 seconds behind the pair, with riders now scattered down the mountain.

Things remained relatively calm up the bulk of the climb, with Bardet and Herrada sharing turns or riding side-by-side for the most part.

Bardet made a small dig with 2.6km to go, but Herrada was equal to it, looking extremely composed despite the climbing prowess his rival.

It was then a now seemingly desperate Bardet to go again with 1.8km remaining, clearly not content at a sprint finish to the summit. Herrada yet again held on and responded likewise when Bardet tried his final attack with 1.2km to go.

It was then Herrada's turn, making the decisive attack with 400m to go with Bardet quickly dropping the wheel and unable to claw back the space that had opened up.

The Cofidis man was able to cross the line with clear distance to Bardet to take victory, who had to settle for second at the first outing of the Mont Ventoux Dénivelé Challenge.

Results

Mont Ventoux Dénivelé Challenge 2019 (171km)

1. Jesús Herrada (Esp) Cofidis, Solutions Crédits, in 5-02-05

2. Romain Bardet (Fra) Ag2r La Mondiale, at 9 seconds

3. Rein Taaramäe (Est) Total Direct Energie, at 1-12

4. Julien El Fares (Fra) Delko Marseille Provence, at 1-38

5. Élie Gesbert (Fra) Arkéa-Samsic, at 2-24

6. Javier Moreno (Esp) Delko Marseille Provence, at 2-29

7. Pierpaolo Ficara (Ita) Amore & Vita-Prodir, at 2-40

8. Óscar Rodríguez (Esp) Euskadi Basque Country-Murias, at 2-43

9. Tony Gallopin (Fra) Ag2r La Mondiale, at 2-53

10. Darwin Atapuma (Col) Cofidis, Solutions Crédits, at 2-58

Alexandre Geniez (Ag2r La Mondiale) beat Dylan van Baarle (Team Sky) to victory in a breakaway sprint on stage 12 of the Vuelta a España 2018, while Simon Yates (Mitchelton-Scott) lost his overall lead to Jesus Herrada (Cofidis).

Geniez and Van Baarle battled it out in a sprint after five riders from the original 18-man breakaway of the day made it to the final kilometre together.

The Frenchman launched his sprint first ahead of Dylan Teuns (BMC), Victor Campenaerts (Lotto-Soudal) and Marc Padun (Bahrain-Merida), with Dutchman Van Baarle the only rider able to come close to him.

He was forced to check his speed close to the line, and Geniez was able to hold his speed and take victory on the stage; Ag2r's second victory of this Vuelta.

Herrada, who sat just 5-45 down in GC and had also been part of the day's main break, which got over 11 minutes advantage on the peloton, arrived a couple of minutes after Geniez to take the overall lead away from Simon Yates, who seemed content to let it go with three big mountain days to come.

The former Spanish champion now leads the general classification by 3-22 over second place Yates.

How it happened

Another up and down day greeted the Vuelta riders in the north of Spain, with 181.1km to race from Mondoñedo in Galicia.

Unlike stage 11, it only took around 10km for a breakaway to establish, and it looked like it could be a successful one with 18 riders getting away.

That group included: Alexandre Geniez (Ag2r La Mondiale), Vincenzo Nibali and Mark Padun (Bahrain-Merida), Dylan Teuns (BMC Racing), Davide Formolo (Bora-Hansgrohe), Victor Campenaerts and Thomas De Gendt (Lotto-Soudal), Dries Devenyns (Quick-Step Floors), Amanuel Gebregziabher (Dimenstion Data), Tiago Machado (Katusha-Alpecin), Dylan van Baarle (Team Sky), Gianluca Brambilla (Trek-Segafredo), Valerio Conti (UAE Team Emirates), Pablo Torres (Burgos-BH), Jonathan Lastra and Lluis Mas (Caja Rural-Seguros RGA), Jesus Herrada (Cofidis) and Mikel Bizkarra (Euskadi-Murias).

With Mitchelton-Scott controlling the front of the peloton, the breakers were allowed to establish a huge gap. Working together they'd accrued around 10 minutes with 70km remaining, stretching out to over 11 minutes with 50km to go. The put Spaniard Jesus Herrada in the virtual lead, sitting just 5-45 down in GC.

The pace in the break began to push higher and higher with Formolo one of the most active riders in pushing things on. That saw a number of attempted attacks by riders, including a Nibali attack with 34.4km to go. A number of riders like Mas, Campenaerts and Conti were struggling to hold on, while behind, Movistar took up the job of controlling the peloton with the gap out to 11-10.

With 23.1km Padun, Brambilla, Formolo, and Campenaerts were able to jump away from the main breakaway group, with no-one immediately chasing.

They quickly managed to establish a gap but were quickly bridged to by Teuns, Van Baarle, Devenyns and Geniez just 3km later.

With the riders behind leaning on Herrada to do the work as he chased the overall lead, that leading group of eight put over a minute into the chasing group, still with 11 minutes on the peloton.

The leading group split in two with 5.6km to go, with Brambilla, Van Baarle, Geniez and Devenyns losing contact on an unclassified climb. Van Baarle was able to then attack to bridge back over on a short descent.

The six leaders remained together almost through to the flamme rouge, when a short kick up saw Teuns, Campenaerts, Padun and Geniez get away, but they couldn't stop Van Baarle getting back into the fold once again.

The Dutchman was the only rider who could then challenge Geniez when he launched his sprint 200 hundred metres or so from the line, but he couldn't do anything to stop the Frenchman from holding his speed to take victory.

Herrada arrived at the finish 2-30 down on Geniez, and takes over the general classification lead by 3-22 over Simon Yates and another second over Alejandro Valverde (Movistar).

The Vuelta a España continues on Friday with a category one summit finish to stage 13, over 174.8km.

Results

Vuelta a España 2018, stage 12: Mondoñedo to Faro de Estaca de Bares. Mañón (181.1k)

1 Alexandre Geniez (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale, in 4-22-59

2 Dylan van Baarle (Ned) Team Sky

3 Mark Padun (Ukr) Bahrain-Merida

4 Dylan Teuns (Bel) BMC Racing Team, all same time

5 Victor Campenaerts (Bel) Lotto Soudal, at 2s

6 Davide Formolo (Ita) Bora-Hansgrohe, at 5s

7 Gianluca Brambilla (Ita) Trek-Segafredo, at 24s

8 Dries Devenyns (Bel) Quick-Step Floors, at 48s

9 Thomas De Gendt (Bel) Lotto Soudal, at 2-27

10 Valerio Conti (Ita) UAE Team Emirates, at 2-29

Others

16. Jesus Herrada (Esp) Cofidis, at 2-32

22. Simon Yates (GBr) Mitchelton-Scott, at 11-39

Overall classification after stage 12

1 Jesus Herrada (Esp) Cofidis

1 Simon Yates (GBr) Mitchelton-Scott, at 3-22

2 Alejandro Valverde (Esp) Movistar Team, at 3-23

3 Nairo Quintana (Col) Movistar Team, at 3-36

4 Ion Izagirre (Esp) Bahrain-Merida, at 3-39

5 Tony Gallopin (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale, at 3-46

6 Emanuel Buchmann (Ger) Bora-Hansgrohe, at same time

7 Miguel Angel Lopez (Col) Astana Pro Team, at 3-49

8 Rigoberto Uran (Col) EF Education First-Drapac, at 3-54

9 Steven Kruijswijk (Ned) LottoNL-Jumbo, at 4-05

Nacer Bouhanni's fractious 2018 season at Cofidis seems to have continued to deteriorate after the French sprinter was reportedly involved in a "violent altercation" with one of the team's sports directors after a recent race.

French sports newspaper L'Equipe reports that Bouhanni and sports director Roberto Damiani were involved in an altercation on the team bus in front of other riders after the recent Eschborn-Frankfurt one-day WorldTour race, which Bouhanni failed to finish.

The incident apparently took place as Bouhanni voiced his anger over Damiani's decision not to make the team wait after Bouhanni was dropped, and is the latest in an ongoing conflict between the rider and the team hierarchy since Cédric Vasseur took over from Yves Sanquer as Cofidis' general manager at the end of 2017.

In March Bouhanni hit out at the team's decision not to pick him for Milan-San Remo, before the team withdrew him from the Volta a Catalunya after one stage due to "illness". Vasseur then said that he "wouldn't enter Bouhanni in a sportive" in a stinging attack on the former boxer's form, training and attitude at the start of April.

Watch: Tour de France 2018 route guide

Bouhanni is currently racing in the Four Days of Dunkirk where he placed ninth in the opening stage on Tuesday, but sports director Alain Deloeuil says that the 27-year-old still needs to produce a victory if he is to reclaim the faith of the team, staff, and his fellow riders, and to earn selection for the Tour de France.

"I think that he is aware that he has not proved anything this year, that he does not have the credit yet. I also hope that he does not rot the team atmosphere," Deloeuil said.

"He is part of the team like the others and he has a course of action to follow. I hope he is able to take a win this week. If this is not the case, I do not see how we could count on him for the Tour de France.

"This week is going to be crucial for him and he will have to confirm his form at the Tour of Belgium and the Tour of Luxembourg, because it seems unlikely that he will be at the start of the Critérium du Dauphiné."

Nacer Bouhanni has expressed his disappointment at the decision of the Cofidis team management to withdraw him from Saturday's Milan-San Remo as he recovered from bronchitis.

Bouhanni had been forced to abandon Paris-Nice ahead of stage six as he suffered from illness, but with the team hopeful that he would recover in time to contest Milan-San Remo, the first Monument of the cycling year, which takes place on Saturday, March 17.

However despite Bouhanni returning to training, the Cofidis management decided that their star sprinter would not find a space the line-up for Milan-San Remo, something that disappointed Bouhanni.

>>> Who are the bookies' favourites to win Milan-San Remo?

"Of course [I'm disappointed not to be selected]," Bouhanni told French website cyclismactu.net. "I'm disappointed because I trained for five months for this race. The management of Cofidis told me this Monday and I still went to train.

"It is not me who has forfeited Milan-San Remo. It is a decision of the management of the Cofidis team, a decision that I can only accept and respect even if it is hard for me.

"I was well and I had even the green light of the doctor of the Cofidis team. I got the green light to ride a bike on Saturday morning. After resting on Friday and Saturday, I resumed training on Sunday with 90 minutes of riding and on Monday I did three hours."

>>> Milan-San Remo: how the last 15 editions have been won

Despite being unhappy about the selection decision, Bouhanni says that he will continue to act as a professional and prepare properly for upcoming races, including the Volta a Catalunya which starts two days after Milan-San Remo.

With Bouhanni absent the Cofidis team will be led by Christope Laporte, who took two top 10s in stages of Paris-Nice, who will be supported by Guillaume Bonnafond, Bert Van Lerberghe, Cyril Lemoine, Daniel Teklehaimanot, Anthony Turgis, and Loïc Chetout.

Daniel Teklehaimanot has finally landed a contract for the 2018 season, with French team Cofidis announcing his signing on Friday.

The 29-year-old Eritrean climber was left stranded without a ride at the end of 2017 when his contract with Dimension Data ended. While other riders attended their new team training camps, Teklehaimanot was still hunting for a squad.

Teklehaimanot rose to fame with the MTN-Qhubeka/Dimension Data squad, where he won the mountains classification at the prestigious Critérium du Dauphiné stage race in 2015 before going on to spend time in the polka-dot jersey of best climber at that year's Tour de France – his Tour debut.

The following year, he again won the mountains classification at the Dauphiné but did not make such an impact on the Tour. Nevertheless, he attracted huge support from Eritrean fans, who cheered on their star in great numbers.

In 2017, Teklehaimanot started the Giro d'Italia for the first time and wore the mountain classification leader's jersey after stages two and three.

UCI Professional Continental team Cofidis is not going to waste any time in starting Teklehaimanot, as he will replace an ill Geoffrey Soupe in the squad's line-up for the Dubai Tour, starting on February 6.

>>> Marcel Kittel and Mark Cavendish headline strong 2018 Dubai Tour start list

After announcing the signing on Twitter, Cofidis general manager Cedric Vasseur said: "We have just recruited a WorldTour rider, I am sure his qualities as a climber and attacker will allow the team to gain a new level."

Tour de France organiser ASO confirmed in early January that Cofidis had been handed wildcard spots in its three big stage races: the Tour itself, the Dauphiné and Paris-Nice. Plenty of opportunities for Teklehaimanot.

Nacer Bouhanni (Cofidis) won stage two of the Tour de Yorkshire with an explosive long-range sprint.

Behind him was Caleb Ewan (Orica-Scott), who finished runner-up for the second consecutive day, and whose disappointment at again missing out on victory was made up for by the fact that he is now the race’s overall leader.

Previous leader Dylan Groenewegen (LottoNL-Jumbo) finished fourth, which wasn’t high enough to gain any bonus seconds, and therefore he slips to third overall.

In a chaotic bunch sprint, Direct Energie’s Jonathan Hivert almost managed to catch all the major sprinters by surprise when he sprang out of the front, initially gaining several bike lengths with his long-range effort.

However, Bouhanni was alert and responded quickly, powering himself into the Frenchman’s slipstream and using him as a lead-out, before launching his own sprint to win by a clear stretch of road.

Ewan was less quick to respond to Hivert’s, and found himself boxed in when Bouhanni pounced. He did however manage to catch Hivert at the line to beat him into second.

A break of four got away at the start of another day full of roadside spectators, and consisted of three Brits, Harry Tanfield (Bike Channel Canyon), James Gullen (JLT Condor) and Connor Swift (Madison Genesis) and one Spaniard, Sebastian Mora (Raleigh-GAC).

Although they were comfortably caught, a bunch sprint was not always a foregone conclusion, especially during a hectic final 20km. The undulating terrain encouraged a flurry of attacks, with Direct Energie (including defending champion Thomas Voeckler) and Dimension Data (through the likes of Jacques Janse Van Rensburg, Omar Fraile and Ben O’Conor) among the most active teams.

But there was enough intent and organisation among the peloton to ensure that none of these attacks were successful, with even GC contender Steven Kruijswijk (LottoNL-Jumbo) taking a turn at the front to ensure everything stayed together.

>>> Tour de Yorkshire 2017: Latest news and race info

Heading into the sprint, it was Ewan’s Orica-Scott team who took control, placing several riders at the front of the bunch in the final kilometres intermingled with representatives from Dimension Data. Team Sunweb took over as the final few hundred metres approach, and seemed ready to set-up Soren Kragh Andersen, until Hivert disrupted everything with his acceleration.

There was an impressive placing for Christopher Lawless (Axeon Hagens Berman), who finished fifth, while Matthew Holmes (Madison-Genesis) and Adam Blythe (Aqua Blue Sport) rounded off the top ten in ninth and tenth respectively.

The 2017 Tour de Yorkshire concludes on Sunday with stage three from Bradford to Fox Valley, Sheffield, totalling 194.5km.

Results

Tour de Yorkshire 2017, stage two: Tadcaster to Harrogate, 122.5km

1. Nacer Bouhanni (Fra) Cofidis

2. Caleb Ewan (Aus) Orica-Scott

3. Jonathan Hivert (Fra) Direct Energie

4. Dylan Groenewegen (Ned) LottoNL-Jumbo

5. Chris Lawless (GBr) Great Britain

6. Kristian Sbaragli (Ita) Dimension Data

7. Søren Kragh Andersen (Den) Team Sunweb

8. Tony Hurel (Fra) Direct Energie

9. Matthew Holmes (GBr) Madison Genesis

10. Adam Blythe (GBr) Aqua Blue Sport, all same time

General classification after stage two

1. Caleb Ewan (Aus) Orica-Scott, in 6-55-17

2. Nacer Bouhanni (Fra) Cofidis, at 2 secs

3. Dylan Groenewegen (Ned) LottoNL-Jumbo, at 2 secs

4. Chris Opie (GBr) Bike Channel Canyon, at 8 secs

5. Jonathan Hivert (Fra) Direct Energie, at 8 secs

6. Angel Madrazo (Esp) Delk Marseille Provence KTM, at 10 secs

7. Kristian Sbaragli (Ita) Dimension Data, at 12 secs

8. Steele Von Hoff (Aus) One Pro Cycling, at 12 secs

9. Adam Blythe (GBr) Aqua Blue Sport, at 12 secs

10. Søren Kragh Andersen (Den) Team Sunweb, at 12 secs

Tour de France organiser ASO has unveiled its four wildcard team selections for the 2017 race, which takes place over July 1-23.

French teams Cofidis, Direct Energie and Fortuneo-Vital Concept have been awarded places at the prestigious Grand Tour, along with Belgian outfit Wanty-Groupe Gobert, who ride the Tour for the first time.

The four wildcards will join 18 WorldTour-level teams that have automatic entry into the Tour de France, bringing the total to 22 teams.

ASO also announced the wildcard teams for Paris-Nice (March 5-12) and Critérium du Dauphiné (June 4-11). Both of these week-long stage races are also within the UCI's top-level WorldTour calendar, with automatic entry for all 18 WorldTeams.

>>> Tour de France 2017 route

Cofidis, Direct Energie and Fortuneo-Vital Concept will join French team Delko Marseille Provence KTM at Paris-Nice, with Cofidis, Delko Marseille Provence KTM, Direct Energie and Wanty-Groupe Gobert attending the Critérium du Dauphiné.

The 2017 Tour de France starts in Dusseldorf, Germany on Saturday July 1 and finishes three weeks later in Paris on Sunday, July 23. British rider Chris Froome (Team Sky) enters the race as defending champion.

Tour de France 2017 teams

Ag2r La Mondiale (Fra)

Astana Pro Team (Kaz)

Bahrain-Merida (Brn)

BMC Racing Team (USA)

Bora-Hansgrohe (Ger)

Cannondale-Drapac (USA)

Cofidis, Solutions Crédits (Fra)

Direct Energie (Fra)

FDJ (Fra)

Fortuneo-Vital Concept (Fra)

Lotto Soudal (Bel)

Movistar Team (Spa)

Orica-Scott (Aus)

Quick-Step Floors (Bel)

Team Dimension Data (RSA)

Team Katusha-Alpecin (Sui)

Team Lotto NL-Jumbo (Ned)

Team Sky (GBr)

Team Sunweb (Ger)

Trek-Segafredo (USA)

UAE Abu Dhabi (UAE)

Wanty-Groupe Gobert (Bel)

The man who was allegedly punched by Cofidis sprinter Nacer Bouhanni ahead of the French National Championships in June says he was also kicked in the head by the rider's brother.

Bouhanni filed a complaint after injuring his hand in the late night altercation in a hotel in Doubs the night before the Nationals, an injury that caused him to miss the Tour de France.

According to the original reports, Bouhanni confronted some drunken hotel guests outside his room in the early hours of the morning before an altercation broke out.

The man who received a punch to the face from Bouhanni, Albert Kuntz, has also filed a complaint, saying that he was punched and kicked by the brothers.

First, according to details revealed by l'Est Républicain newspaper, Bouhanni kicked Kuntz in the legs before punching him in the face. Kuntz then claims the cyclist's brother kicked him in the head.

Bouhanni's injured hand would have come from when he attempted a second punch, according to the interview Kuntz gave to the newspaper.

The sprinter required hospital treatment and later surgery on his hand injury, which ruled him out of the Tour de France.

Wildcard team Cofidis's hopes of success in the Tour de France suffered a huge blow on Wednesday morning when it was revealed that Nacer Bouhanni would miss the race with a hand injury.

The French sprinter reportedly injured his right hand when he punched a drunken hotel guest after an altercation ahead of the National Championships on Sunday.

Bouhanni was taken to hospital for treatment, but according to the team his injuries were not sufficiently treated and the 25-year-old required surgery on Tuesday.

Given that the French team was built around Bouhanni, with a strong lead-out train ready to work for the sometimes volatile rider on the flat stages, Bouhanni's absence will cause a few headaches.

He will be replaced by Nicolas Edet - a climber, who will join the likes of Daniel Navarro and Arnold Jeannesson in targeting stage wins in the mountains.

Geoffrey Soupe is likely to take over the sprint duties but probably won't be a threat to the big-name fast men.

Nacer Bouhanni reportedly started the French National Championships road race with four stitches in his right hand and minimal sleep after an altercation with drunk hotel guests the night before.

According to L'Equipe, the French sprinter was awoken at 4am by three intoxicated guests near his room at the hotel near Besançon, where the Cofidis riders were staying ahead of Sunday's race.

Bouhanni reportedly asked the guests to keep the noise down but an altercation broke out in the corridor. In the commotion, Bouhanni - who practices boxing in the offseason - suffered a cut to his hand.

L'Equipe reports that the winner of four WorldTour stages this season was taken to hospital for treatment following the incident, but that didn't stop Bouhanni from taking to the start line on Sunday morning.

The French National Championships road race took place on a 248.9km course in Vesoul, just north of Besançon in the east of the country. The race was won by Arthur Vichot of FDJ.

Nacer Bouhanni (Cofidis) battled his way to victory on stage one of the Critérium du Dauphiné in Saint-Vulbas, sprinting past Sam Bennett (Bora-Argon 18) and Jens Debusschere (Lotto-Soudal) for the win.

The final kilometre of the race was a running battle between Bouhanni's Cofidis team and Alexander Kristoff's Katusha, with heads butted as both squads vied for prime real estate on the straight road to the finish.

It was Bennett who opened his sprint first, but Bouhanni bided his time and sped past the Irishman in the final 50 metres to notch his third Dauphiné win.

Just two riders got themselves out in the breakaway early in the day - Mitch Docker (Orica-GreenEdge) and Frederik Backaert (Wanty-Groupe Gobert) had a lead of over five minutes at one stage.

Docker dropped off with around 25 to go and Backaert was caught 10km later as the sprint teams got into position, desperate not to miss the only real bunch sprint opportunity of the week.

Crosswinds forced the overall contenders to hit the front, making the front of the peloton a nervy place, with the back of the bunch very strung out.

Chris Froome (Team Sky), wearing the polka dot jersey after the prologue, averted crisis twice in a matter of seconds, nearly clashing with riders either side of him as his team tried to keep him safe at the end.

Froome's wobbles were just the start of the action as Katusha and Cofidis butted heads in the final kilometre as the two sprint trains tangled at the front of the bunch. Bouhanni spent much of his time with his head on Kristoff's shoulder before Bennett launched his sprint.

Following the Irishman, Bouhanni blocked Kristoff's route around his final Katusha lead-out man meaning the Norwegian couldn't contest the sprint.

Crossing the line first, Bouhanni threw a few air punches in celebration - not in homage to the handbags that preceded the sprint, but in memory of boxer Muhammad Ali who died at the weekend.

Tuesday's stage two is one for the puncheurs, with a modest uphill finish in Chalmazel.

Results

Critérium du Dauphiné 2016 stage one, Cluses - Saint-Vulbas (186km)

1. Nacer Bouhanni (Fra) Cofidis, in 4-27-53

2. Jens Debusschere (Bel) Lotto-Soudal

3. Sam Bennett (Irl) Bora-Argon18

4. Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor) Dimension Data

5. Jonas Vangenechten (Bel) IAM Cycling

6. Moreno Hofland (Ned) LottoNL-Jumbo

7. Tony Hurel (Fra) Direct Energie

8. Sondre Holst Enger (Nor) IAM Cycling

9. Daryl Imprey (RSA) Orica-GreenEdge

10. Edward Theuns (Bel) Wanty-Groupe Gobert, all same time

Critérium du Dauphiné 2016, overall standings after stage one

1. Alberto Contador (Esp) Tinkoff, in 4-39-29

2. Richie Porte (Aus) BMC, at 6s

3. Chris Froome (GBr) Team Sky, at 13s

4. Daniel Martin (Irl) Etixx-Quick Step, at 21s

5. Julian Alaphilippe (Fra) Etixx-Quick Step, at 24s

6. Wout Poels (Ned) Team Sky, at 25s

7. Romain Bardet (Fra) Ag2r La Mondiale, at 29s

8. Adam Yates (GBr) Orica-GreenEdge, at 31s

9. Diego Rosa (Ita) Astana, at 37s

10. José Herrada (Esp) Movistar, at 39s

Nacer Bouhanni (Cofidis) won his second consecutive stage at the Volta a Catalunya, taking an easy win in Olot ahead of Gianni Meersman (Etixx-Quick Step).

Racing was sedate on a day that started with a minute's silence in honour of those caught up in the Brussels terror attacks.

After 173km of very little action, the peloton finally sprung to life with five kilometres to go, with Team Sky beginning the work for Ben Swift in the finale.

Chris Froome sat second wheel in the Sky train to ensure he kept out of trouble in the final kilometres.

Cofidis hit the front under the flamme rouge and never relinquished that position. Lead-out man Geoffrey Soupe led Bouhanni out into the final 400m and a late surge from Meersman couldn't overcome the Frenchman.

Sky's lead-out in the end did not work for Swift, with the Brit finishing outside the top 10 on a stage ideally suited to him.

Volta a Catalunya stage two, Mataro - Olot (178.7km)

1. Nacer Bouhanni (Fra) Cofidis, 4-39-10

2. Gianni Meersman (Bel) Etixx-Quick Step, st

3. Philippe Gilbert (Bel) BMC, st

4. Aleksei Tcatevich (Rus) Katusha, st

5. Carlos Barbero (Esp) Caja Rural, st

6. Kiel Reijnen (USA) Trek-Segafredo, st

7. Enrico Gasparotto (Ita) Wanty Groupe-Gobert, st

8. Jonas Vangenechten (Bel) IAM Cycling, st

9. Pawel Franczak (Pol) Verva Activejet, st

10. Kevin Reza (Fra) FDJ, st

Overall standings after stage two

1. Nacer Bouhanni (Fra) Cofidis, 9-07-41

2. Ben Swift (GBr) Team Sky, at 14s

3. Thomas de Gendt (Bel) Lotto-Soudal, st

4. Daryl Impey (RSA) Orica-GreenEdge, at 16s

5. Philippe Gilbert (Bel) BMC, st

6. Maxime Bouet (Bel) Etixx-Quick Step, st

7. Louis Vervaeke (Bel) Lotto-Soudal, at 17s

8. Javier Moreno (Esp) Movistar, at 18s

9. Ruben Fernandez (Esp) Movistar, at 19s

10. Aleksei Tcatevich (Rus) Katusha, at 20s

Ben Swift (Team Sky) took his second runners-up spot in three days as he trailed Nacer Bouhanni (Cofidis) over the line in the first stage of the Volta a Catalunya in Calella.

Swift, who took second to another Frenchman, Arnaud Démare, in Milan-San Remo on Saturday, got on Bouhanni's wheel in the final 100 metres of the sprint, but couldn't find the speed to come around him.

In a race bereft of top-quality sprinting, Bouhanni and Swift were the strong favourites for the first stage of the race, which featured five categorised climbs in a rolling parcours.

Team Sky came to the front for the final 15km to both set Swift up for the sprint and keep leader Chris Froome safe from any potential trouble further back.

Cofidis were also buzzing around the front, as were FDJ with Kevin Reza their preferred sprinter for the day.

Nicolas Roche went on his own out the front with 5km to go on a slight uphill ramp, causing consternation in the peloton as other teams were setting up their lead out trains.

Roche was caught with two kilometres to go by the Tinkoff team on the front of the bunch, with Orica-GreenEdge working hard for Simon Gerrans in the finale as well.

Geoffrey Soupe led out Bouhanni in the sprint, but Bouhanni decided to leave his teammate's wheel and get behind Gerrans and Swift on the left of the road.

The move paid off as the sprinter barrelled past Swift and over the line by half a bike's length.

Volta a Catalunya stage one, Calella - Calella (175km)

1. Nacer Bouhanni (Fra) Cofidis, 4-28-51

2. Ben Swift (GBr) Team Sky, st

3. Daryl Impey (RSA) Orica-GreenEdge, st

4. Enrico Gasparotto (Ita) Wanty Groupe-Gobert, st

5. Aleksei Tcatevich (Rus) Katusha, st

6. Carlos Barbero (Esp) Caja Rural, st

7. Jordi Simon (Esp) Verva Activejet, st

8. Kevin Reze (Fra) FDJ, st

9. Eduard Prades (Esp) Caja Rural, st

10. Georg Preidler (Aut) Giant-Alpecin, st

For the second time this week, Nacer Bouhanni (Cofidis) crossed the line first at Paris-Nice, although on stage four the win wasn't taken away from him.

While he clashed shoulders with Michael Matthews (Orica-GreenEdge) and was relegated to third on stage two, the Frenchman had no-one to bump into this time as he sprinted clear of his rivals to win by a comfortable margin in Romans-sur-Isere.

The early break, which included Thomas Voeckler (Direct Energie), was caught without a problem - as is the way in such sprint stages - and the fast men's teams battled out the final kilometres.

Katusha worked hard on the front for Alexander Kristoff and Lotto-Soudal looked to set up Andre Greipel.

But it was Cofidis, with Geoffrey Soupe, Cyril Lemoine and Christophe Laporte, who took control of the final kilometres, setting Bouhanni up well for the final sprint.

Trek-Segafredo's Edward Theuns was second on the line ahead of Greipel, with Kristoff finishing fourth. Race leader Matthews secured his yellow jersey by finishing fifth on the stage.

Despite a crash, Geraint Thomas recovered to finish 11th on the stage and retain his fifth place overall. The only change in the top 10 comes as stage one winner Arnaud Démare (FDJ) abandons the race and Tim Wellens moves up to 10th.

Paris-Nice stage four, Juliénas - Romans-sur-Isere (193.5km)

1. Nacer Bouhanni (Fra) Cofidis, 4-42-29

2. Edward Theuns (Bel) Trek-Segafredo, st

3. Andre Greipel (Ger) Lotto-Soudal, st

4. Alexander Kristoff (Nor) Katusha, st

5. Michael Matthews (Aus) Orica-GreenEdge, st

6. Ben Swift (GBr) Team Sky, st

7. Nikolas Maes (Bel) Etixx-Quick Step, st

8. Tony Gallopin (Fra) Lotto-Soudal, st

9. Youcef Reguigui (Alg) Dimension Data, st

10. Roy Curvers (Ned) Giant-Alpecin, st

Overall standings after stage four

1. Michael Matthews (Aus) Orica-GreenEdge, 9-41-50

2. Tom Dumoulin (Ned) Giant-Alpecin, at 14 secs

3. Patrick Bevin (NZl) Cannondale, at 19 secs

4. Ion Izagirre (Esp) Movistar

5. Geraint Thomas (GBR) Team Sky, all same time

6. Lieuwe Westra (Ned) Astana, at 24 secs

7. Dries Devenyns (Bel) IAM Cycling, at 25 secs

8. Rafal Majka (Pol) Tinkoff, at 27 secs

9. Richie Porte (Aus) BMC, st

10. Tim Wellens (Bel) Lotto-Soudal, at 28s

Last season we had to wait until May to see a rider in the yellow and black of LottoNL-Jumbo win a race, but sprinter Dylan Groenewegen ensured the wait was not so long with a victory on stage three of the Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana.

The 22-year-old Dutch fast man, in his first season with LottoNL-Jumbo, overcame his lack of teammates in the finishing straight by latching on to Cofidis rider Nacer Bouhanni's wheel and pipping him to the line.

As the peloton swept through the narrow streets and tight turns of the finishing town Alzira, numbers in the front group were reduced and the peloton stretched out.

Etixx-Quick Step had a strong presence at the front of the pack through Niki Terpstra and Bob Jungels in their almost identical Dutch and Luxembourg national champion's jerseys.

But it was Cofidis who had the numbers heading into the 180-degree turn that led to the finish line, with three men, including Bouhanni, at the front.

The Frenchman's leadout was almost perfect, but Groenewegen overpowered him on the line to win by a matter of centimetres.

Team Sky's Wout Poels remains in the race lead after finishing safely in the peloton, taking a 15-second lead into the race's final two stages.

Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana stage three, Sagunto-Alzira (173.5km)

1. Dylan Groenewegen (Ned) LottoNL-Jumbo 4-04-12

2. Nacer Bouhanni (Fra) Cofidis, st

3. Alexander Porsev (Rus) Katusha, st

4. Tom Boonen (Bel) Etixx-Quick Step, st

5. Raymond Kreder (Ned) Roompot Oranje Peloton, st

6. Jonas Van Genechten (Bel) IAM Cycling, st

7. Pablo Torres (Esp) Burgos-NH, st

8. Nicola Ruffoni (Ita) Bardiani-CSF, st

9. Filippo Fortin (Ita) GM Europa Ovini, st

10. Giorgio Bocchiola (Ita) d'Amico-Bottecchia, st

Overall standings after stage three

Overall standings after stage two

1. Wout Poels (Ned) Team Sky, 4-32-42

2. Luis Leon Sanchez (Esp) Astana, at 15s

3. Diego Rosa (Ita) Astana, at 22s

4. Jesus Herrada (Esp) Movistar, at 26s

5. Bob Jungels (Lux) Etixx-Quick Step, at 27s

6. Javier Moreno (Esp) Movistar, at 32s

7. Beñat Intxausti (Esp) Team Sky, at 33s

8. Ion Izagirre (Esp) Movistar, at 38s

9. Leopold Koenig (Cze) Team Sky, at 39s

10. Stef Clement (Ned) IAM Cycling, at 45s

Robert Sassone, the former Cofidis rider who won the Madison at the 2001 Track World Championships, is dead at the age of 37.

Sassone, who had reportedly battled cancer for several years, took his own life, according to sources in Noumea, capital of New Caledonia, the French Overseas Territory in the south Pacific Ocean.

"We're very affected by his death," New Caledonia cycling chief Gerard Salaun told local radio staion RRB.

"I knew that he was sick, but alas that it should lead to this...It's a real pity, it's a great champion who leaves us. A guy who pedalled like no one."

Sassone rode for Cofidis between 2000 and 2003 and was one of five riders on the team to receive suspended sentences in 2007 for doping offences, along with Daniel Majewski, Marek Rutiewicz, Philippe Gaumont and Medéric Clain, as well as soigneur Bogdan Madejak and trainer Oleg Kozlitine, at the same inquiry that led to David Millar's two-year drug ban.

The French rider, who won World Championships gold with Jérôme Neuville in 2001, also won a silver medal in the scratch race at the 2003 World Championships in Stuttgart and completed the 2002 Vuelta a España, finishing 129th of 132, nine hours and 15 minutes down on overall winner Aitor Gonzalez.

Nico Mattan, Sassone's teammate at Cofidis, posted a photo of Sassone on Twitter, writing “Another ex-teammate from Cofidis has left us.”

Sassone is the fourth former Cofidis rider to pass away in recent years. Frank Vandenbroucke died from a pulmonary embolism in 2009 at the age of 34, while Philippe Gaumont - who turned whistleblower over systemic doping at the French outfit - died aged 40 following a heart attack in 2013.

Cofidis sprinter Nacer Bouhanni was fined 100 Swiss Francs for a sticky bottle incident on stage three of the Vuelta a España, just a day after Vincenzo Nibali was thrown out of the race for holding on to his team car.

While Nibali's actions were more blatant - holding onto his team car to help him get back to the main group after a crash - Bouhanni and his sports director took a reported 12 seconds to hand over a bottle, all while the driver put his foot on the accelerator.

The Frenchman had gone down in a hard crash on a roundabout, which also took down Tinkoff-Saxo's Daniele Bennati, and took a little assistance to get back onto the main group.

Once back in the pack he managed to get himself in position for the final sprint, finishing a close second to Peter Sagan on the line in Malaga.

“I was angry at the finish because I’d made a huge effort to get back on after the crash and that affected the result. I was 1-30 behind but my teammates waited for me and did a great job. Unfortunately we paid for it in the finale,” he explained to L'Equipe about his post-stage reaction.

“I’ve had enough crashes for now though…I wasn’t feeling 100% during the stage after my other crash buy to lose by just a dozen centimetres makes me angry.”

A small financial fine is a common punishment for a sticky bottle infringement in a race, with some riders hit with a small time penalty as well.

Nacer Bouhanni (Cofidis) sprinted to his second stage win of the 2015 Critérium du Dauphiné on a wet run into Sisteron ahead of Jonas Vangenechten(IAM Cycling) in second and Luka Mezgec (Giant-Alpecin) in third.

Rohan Dennis (BMC), who took the race lead after stage three's team time trial, remains in the yellow jersey with the same time as his second placed teammate Tejay van Garderen. Vincenzo Nibali (Astana) sits four seconds off in fourth having finished safely in the lead group.

A category four climb in the last 13km and a technical run to the line meant a sprint finish was certainly not an inevitable outcome given stage one's result, with a plenty of attacks coming out of the main peloton.

Tim Wellens's (Lotto-Soudal) attack looked the most likely to stick, as he held out a gap until there were just 2km remaining. Daniel Oss (BMC), Tony Martin (Etixx - Quick-Step) and Bram Tankink (LottoNL-Jumbo) then had a roll of the dice, but the looming peloton wouldn't get away and everyone came together for the finish.

Bouhanni, wearing the green points jersey, left it late to launch his sprint as the likes of Samuel Dumoulin (Ag2r-La Mondiale) and Edvald Boasson Hagen (MTN-Qhubeka) made early moves. But the Frenchman looked assured as he passed his rivals and was able to sit-up and celebrate across the line.

Martijn Keizer (LottoNL-Jumbo) and Tosh van der Sande (Lotto-Soudal) formed the day's main break, moving away within the first 10km to establiush a maximum time gap of over seven minutes. Things came to an end for van der Sande on the final category four climb of the day, while Keizer ploughed on before finally being caught.

Thursday's stage five sees the peloton tackle the mountains proper for the first time in this race, as they head to Praloup with five categorised climbs along the 161km course, including a second category summit finish.

Results
Critérium du Dauphiné 2015, stage four: Anneyron to Sisteron, 228km

1. Nacer Bouhanni (Fra) Cofidis, in 5-30-53

2. Jonas Vangenechten (Bel) IAM Cycling

3. Luka Mezgec (Slo) Giant-Alpecin

4. Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor) MTN-Qhubeka

5. Alexey Tsatevich (Rus) Katusha

6. Julian Alaphilippe (Fra) Etixx - Quick-Step

7. Samuel Dumoulin (Fra) Ag2r

8. Tiesj Benoot (Bel) Lotto-Soudal

9. Kevin Reza (Fra) FDJ

10 Nathan Haas (Aus) Cannondale-Garmin, all same time

Overall classification after stage four

1. Rohan Dennis (Aus) BMC Racing in 13-31-30

2. Tejay van Garderen (USA) BMC Racing at same time

3. Anriy Grivko (Kaz) Astana at 4 secs

4. Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Astana at 4 secs

5. Lieuwe Westra (Ned) Astana at 4 secs

6. Michele Scarponi (Ita) Astana at 4 secs

7. Rein Taaramae (Est) Astana at 4 secs

8. Gorka Izagirre (Spa) Movistar at 5 secs

9. Alejandro Valverde (Spa) Movistar at 5 secs

10. John Gadret (Fra) Movistar at 5 secs

Other

19. Peter Kennaugh (GBr) Team Sky at 23 secs

21. Simon Yates (GBr) Orica-GreenEdge at 23 secs

22. Adam Yates (GBr) Orica-GreenEdge at 23 secs

24. Chris Froome (GBr) Team Sky at 35 secs

27. Andrew Talansky (USA) Cannondale-Garmin at 43 secs

Cofidis team riders Julien Simon and Christophe Laporte had cameras fixed to their bikes during the Critérium du Dauphiné team time trial stage on Tuesday, giving a rare glimpse into this unique cycling discipline.

Rather than racing against the clock individually, all of the squad must work together seamlessly to put in a good time. Five riders must cross the line together, with the fifth rider producing the squad's time for the stage.

The stage commences with the riders leaving the start ramp, and quickly getting down into an aerodynamic position as they form a line.

>>> Peter Kennaugh loses Critérium du Dauphiné lead as BMC wins team time trial

Riders take it in turns at the front, moving to the back when it is the next rider's turn at the helm. The amount of time they spend at the front can be determined on how good that individual is feeling - and some riders may literally be hanging on in there among team-mates who are stronger against the clock.

Although Cofidis's performance looks slick from the video footage, the French team actually finished last on the stage out of the 21 squads present. The completed the 24.5-kilometre undulating route from Roanne to Montagny one minute and 49 seconds adrift of stage winners BMC Racing.

The 2015 Critérium du Dauphiné concludes on Sunday, June 14, after several mountain stages that will decide the overall classification. Australian Rohan Dennis (BMC Racing) is the current overall race leader after his squad's success in the TTT stage.

African squad MTN-Qhubeka will compete in two Grand Tours in 2015 having been awarded a wildcard for the Vuelta a España in late August and early September.

It adds to a neat collection of race invitations for MTN, which includes the Tour de France, Paris-Roubaix and Flèche Wallone. And with Steve Cummings’ top-10 finish at Tirreno-Adriatico, the Pro Continental team are more than justifying their place in the big races.

Caja Rural-Seguro RGA are the sole Spanish invitees, who will join compatriots Movistar on the start line, while Cofidis and Europcar boost the French contingent in the three-week race.

Having missed out on an invitation to ride in the Giro d’Italia, Team Colombia will ride the Vuelta, with the talented South American climbers sure to be tested on the nine mountain-top finishes.

The Vuelta runs from August 22 and September 13, starting with a team time trial from Porto Banus to Marbella and culminating in a short circuit race on the streets of the capital Madrid.

>>> Vuelta a España 2015 route leaked, featuring new climbs

Vuelta a España wildcards:

Caja Rural-Seguro RGA

Cofidis

Europcar

MTN-Qhubeka

Team Colombia

French sprinter Nacer Bouhanni's new lead-out train debuted yesterday on Twitter. Cyril Lemoine, Dominique Rollin, Jonas Ahlstrand, Adrien Petit and Geoffrey Soupe will drive team Cofidis’s red train through the 2015 season that will include the Tour de France.

The 24-year-old Frenchman sprinted to his first Grand Tour wins in 2014 - three stages in the Giro d'Italia and two in the Vuelta a España - but fell out with team FDJ's manager Marc Madiot. He wanted to race Milan-San Remo and the Tour de France, but Madiot also had sprinter Arnaud Démare.

French Professional Continental team, Cofidis signed him as a way to build up its win count and earn wildcard invitations to the big races. It already received confirmation that it will race the Tour de France, July 4 to 26.

To support its investment, Cofidis strengthened its lead-out train and debuted it in a series of Tweets:

- For starters, @CyriLemoine will be responsible for imposing a big pace ahead of the pack

- "Sparrow" will be followed by @be_Rollin, who will increase the pace further and lead the sprinters.

- The Horse @be_Rollin... His mission will be to keep the pace as long as possible before releasing the rest of the red train.

- He will transfer it over to @JonasAhlstrand, team newcomer and first lead-out man

- Our bison @PetitAdrien62 will take over for the the final kilometre

- After Adri, our last lead-out man @SoupeG will launch @BouhanniNacer into orbit.

- Dropped to 200m, we hope @BouhanniNacer will sprint for the win.

Swede Ahlstrand joined this year from Marcel Kittel's Giant team. France's Soupe came from FDJ with Bouhanni, and will deliver the sprints as Mark Renshaw does for Mark Cavendish. Canadian Rollin last raced for FDJ in 2013.

Ahlstrand, Petit and Soupe can win in smaller races, but will support Bouhanni the important appointments. Their challenge will be to match and conquer the more experienced lead-out trains of Etixx-Quick-Step, Alpecin-Giant and Lotto-Belisol. 'The Boxer' Bouhanni will have to beat their leaders: Cavendish, Kittel and André Greipel.

Bouhanni's season starts at the Mallorca Challenge this week where he will face Greipel. He continues with the Tour of Qatar, where Kittel will be racing. His first race against Cavendish could be the Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne. All four sprinters are due to clash at the Tour de France.

Nacer Bouhanni has his whole career mapped out, but he doesn’t see himself as only being a cyclist, admitting he plans to take up boxing when he hangs up his wheels.

In an interview with French newspaper l’Equipe, the 24-year-old insists he will stop cycling in about eight years in order to make his move into the ring.

The Cofidis rider has been using boxing as a training method during the off-season in an attempt to improve his fitness ahead of the 2015 season with his new team.

“I’ll stop cycling around 32 years of age and that will leave me at least two years to go as high as I can in boxing,” he told the newspaper.

“Just like as a cyclist, I’ll be 100 percent invested in it.”

The Frenchman, who won the points classification title at the Giro d’Italia in the spring, joined Cofidis from FDJ.fr, having fallen out of favour with the latter team's manager Marc Madiot.

With Milan-San Remo and Gent-Wevelgem on his radar in 2015, Bouhanni admits his new training regime is helping him both mentally and physically.

“In boxing, your heart-rate gets up to 180 beats per minute very quickly, like in a sprint.

“It’s ideal for the transmission of energy, for strengthening your upper body and for strengthening your core.

“On the mental side of things, it helps me to master my emotions before unleashing all of my rage in the final 200 metres.”

Source: L'Equipe (via Vavel)

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