Lachlan Morton has raised over $200,000 for the Ukraine Crisis Relief Fund through an epic bike ride from Munich to Ukraine’s border with Poland.

The EF Education-EasyPost rider cycled for 42 hours straight in order to cover the 1064km, and has more than quadrupled his original goal of $50,000.

He arrived at the Korczowa - Krakovets border in western Poland in the early hours of Monday morning, having departed Munich on Saturday morning. He rode through the breadth of Czechia and all of southern Poland on his journey.

“Well we made it to the border here,” Morton said as he reached the end. “Thanks to everyone who supported this trip, everyone who made it out today and rode, they made it a very special day. You know this marks the end of a chosen hardship for me, but this is symbolic of a hardship that is being forced on a whole bunch of people, on the other side of this border. I’m glad that as the cycling community we could get together and help support those people.”

The crisis relief fund aims to helps Ukrainians who have had to flee the Russian invasion by providing shelter, food and clean water. GlobalGiving also offers health and psychological support, and access to education and economic assistance. 

According to UN estimates, more than 1.85 million people have been displaced by the conflict in Ukraine, with more than 2.5 million people also leaving the country, mostly to surrounding states like Poland and Slovakia.

“I’m just trying to do the one thing I know how to do and engage the bike-riding community to help,” Morton explained ahead of his trip. “My idea is to highlight the fact that war is not a far-off problem. Conflicts are a bike ride away, all over the world.

“That’s the intention behind it, and to try and raise as much money as we can to help out people who have been displaced.”

Speaking before his adventure, the Australian said he was partly inspired to ride through witnessing the effect it had on Ukrainian teammate Mark Padun.

“That made it hit closer to home, having a teammate who is directly impacted by it. I found it hard to focus on trying to get ready for a race when something so significant was happening in the world.

“I kept thinking, wow, I could actually do that in one ride. So that was my idea. I’m not an overly political person. I’m not an expert in any of this. I’m just trying to do the one thing I know how to do and engage the bike-riding community to help."

People can still donate to the cause here.

Stefan Bissegger of EF Education-EasyPost triumphed on the flat time trial course on stage three of the UAE Tour, beating world champion Filippo Ganna (Ineos Grenadiers) by seven seconds.

The Swiss rider won his team's first victory of the season over the 9km course in Ajman with a time of 9:43, meaning he rode at an average of 55.574 km/h. He has taken the leader's jersey as a result. Behind him, Ganna was defeated in a time trial for the first time this season.

They were followed on the podium by Tom Dumoulin of Jumbo-Visma, the Dutchman coming in as first of the general classification hopefuls, 14 seconds behind. He was four seconds ahead of Tadej Pogačar (UAE-Team Emirates), who won the race last year.

Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Fenix) wore the red leader's jersey on Tuesday after coming first on stage one and second on stage two, but despite a valiant ride, he came in 28 seconds behind Bissegger and thus lost control of the race.

GC riders like Dumoulin and Pogačar did not gain too much time on rivals such as Adam Yates (Ineos Grenadiers) and Aleksandr Vlasov (Bora-Hansgrohe), and the climb to Jebel Jais should prove a tougher test for those aiming for the overall.

How it happened

Artyom Zakharov of Astana-Qazaqstan was the first rider down the start ramp on Tuesday afternoon, but given his previous best result in a WorldTour time trial was 83rd at the Tour of California in 2017, he never looked like posting too competitive a time, and finished in 10:45.

The first rider who could lay a claim to being a favourite was Mikkel Bjerg, the Danish UAE-Team Emirates rider who won the under-23 time trial world title three times. The 23-year old posted a time of 10:07

He was followed by Vlasov, who is an overall contender at the UAE Tour following his victory at Valenciana earlier this month. The Kazakh came in an agonising one second behind Bjerg, so he remained in the hot seat.

Bissegger started reasonably early in proceedings, and posted the fastest time at the intermediate check in 4:26, benefiting from the tail wind on the first half of the course to ride at 60.902 km/h. The EF rider overtook the man who started a minute ahead of him along the way to finishing in the fastest time of 9:43.

He would remain in the hot seat for the rest of the stage, as riders like João Almeida (UAE-Team Emirates) and Neilson Powless (EF Education-EasyPost) briefly looked like threatening. However, all eyes were on Ganna when he started, hard to miss in the rainbow stripes of world champion and on his Azzurri-blue bike.

The Ineos powerhouse was just a second behind Bissegger at the first time check, but lost six more on the return run, meaning his Swiss rival tasted victory.

Results

UAE Tour 2022, stage three: Ajman to Ajman

1. Stefan Bissegger (Sui) EF Education-EasyPost, in 9-43
2. Filippo Ganna (Ita) Ineos Grenadiers, at 7s
3. Tom Dumoulin (Ned) Jumbo-Visma, at 14s
4. Tadej Pogačar (Slo) UAE-Team Emirates, at 18s
5. João Almeida (Por) UAE-Team Emirates, at 22s
6. Mikkel Bjerg (Den) UAE-Team Emirates, at 24s
7. Stefan de Bod (RSA) Astana Qazaqstan, at 24s
8. Aleksandr Vlasov (Kaz) Bora-Hansgrohe, at 25s
9. Johan Price-Pejtersen (Den) Bahrain-Victorious, at 26s
10. Jasper Philipsen (Bel) Alpecin Fenix, at 28s

General classification after stage three

1. Stefan Bissegger (Sui) EF Education-EasyPost, in 9-13-02
2. Filippo Ganna (Ita) Ineos Grenadiers, at 7s
3. Jasper Philipsen (Bel) Alpecin Fenix, at 12s
4. Tom Dumoulin (Ned) Jumbo-Visma, at 14s
5. Tadej Pogačar (Slo) UAE-Team Emirates, at 18s
6. João Almeida (Por) UAE-Team Emirates, at 22s
7. Stefan de Bod (RSA) Astana Qazaqstan, at 24s
8. Aleksandr Vlasov (Kaz) Bora-Hansgrohe, at 25s
9. Neilson Powless (USA) EF Education-EasyPost, at 28s
10. Adam Yates (GBr) Ineos Grenadiers, at 29s

Abi Smith has quite a lot going on. When she’s not busy dominating the UK domestic racing calendar as she did in 2021, she’s either playing one of multiple instruments, painting or simply nerding-out. 

>>>Subscribe to Cycling Weekly magazine for more pro interviews

Though the 19 year-old’s WorldTour cycling career at EF Education - Tibco is in its first months she’s already drawing up plans for university for when she hangs up her wheels. Maybe her biology A Level will aid a medicine degree. Her overall athletic prowess made PE an obvious A Level, and she links her geography studies to mapping her rides, studying wind direction and being outside.

“I’m really nerdy about it. Well I am really nerdy,” Smith laughs when CW speaks with her. She plays piano and viola, and one look at her painting of Ribblehead Viaduct on her Twitter biography page is proof of her artistic excellence.

“That took about a million hours, but landscapes are definitely my forte. I like to do places I’ve been or want to go.” She’s even turned her artistic bent to cycling, with occasional forays into Strava art, her 62 mile Flamingo Fun ride from June 2020 is our favourite.

“Art takes a long time, similar to cycling,” Smith tells CW. “So when I finished school it was either art or sport and I chose sport, which thankfully has gone quite well.”

Quite well is an understatement. The GP-Ecostruct in May 2021 was her first race in 13 months and her debut senior UCI level event; there, riding for Team GB, she attacked a strong international bunch, bridged to a breakaway, dropped them all, only to be caught inside the final kilometre. She still hung on for a top 20 place.

Back on British soil, victory in two of the three National Road Series races earned her the overall title, while Smith continued to make her mark on the international scene, taking top 20 places in all three WorldTour races she started.

When Abi was a child the Smith family often head from their home on the edge of the North Yorkshire Moors to the Lake District, where mum grew up running and walking the fells. Dad is credited with instilling a love of all sport in his children, and continues to swim, run and cycle, occasionally racing triathlons, a sport both Abi and brother Nathan excelled at.

“I was rubbish as a child, but once I got to 15 or 16 I was in the national team,” she says. “I really enjoyed that, but it was the early morning swims I really didn’t like, but I loved the cycling and the running, and was always at the front on the bike.”

You can read the full feature in the February 10 issue of Cycling Weekly magazine, on sale now. You can buy CW in store and online or you can subscribe and get the magazine delivered each week.

It’s highly unlikely that you’ve ever heard of Georg Steinhauser, one of EF Education-EasyPost’s winter recruits, but the first few chapters of what he hopes - and many people predict - will be a long and successful story are well worth knowing about.

The basics are that he is a recently-turned 20-year-old climber from Germany who's just the latest fresh face out of teenage years to join the WorldTour ranks, his new boss Jonathan Vaughters describing him as “potentially the most talented U23 rider in the world right now”. A winning margin of three minutes and 41 seconds on stage three of the U23 race Giro Valle d’Aosta gives rise to such a prognosis. 

Behind the results and promise, though, is an upbringing steeped in cycling culture, but not devoured by it. His father, Tobias, was a pro from 1996 to 2005, riding for Mapei-QuickStep and T-Mobile. His best results include a stage victory at the Tour de Suisse and fifth at the World Championships Road Race in 2000.

In 2006, Georg’s aunt, Sara, married Germany’s most-known cycling figure of the past half-a-century, 1997 Tour de France winner Jan Ullrich; the couple together for 11 years before their 2017 separation.

Steinhauser was destined to become a cyclist, goes the assumption. “Not at all,” he rebuffs. “I don’t think I had to do anything. My father let me decide what I want to do. I did lots of skiing, played football, tennis, and climbed. I tried every sport.”

On picking the brains of Ullrich, he tells Cycling Weekly: “I had a really nice relationship with him but for me it was like he was an uncle, you know.

“I didn’t understand that he had done so many big things. He was just like my uncle, an uncle who I played with every time I saw him. It was just normal. Cycling wasn’t a big topic when I was with him. The same with my father. Sure, we talk about cycling, but it’s not like that’s all we do. My father gives me advice and I am doing my own thing.”

His own thing, when we speak, is working. Not pushing his pedals, but picking up his phone inside a workshop, where he is completing an apprenticeship in metalworking. It’s just after 4pm and usually the afternoons are reserved for riding, but “I’m working a bit longer today as there’s still some stuff to be done that needs to be finished before the beginning of next week.”

Steinhauser was encouraged to finish his education by both his father, who also works in the same industry, and his new team before committing fully to a life on the road. “Maybe I crash out of cycling next week and then I’d be standing there with no plan B. I wouldn’t like that feeling,” he maturely reasons.

“I like it. It’s hard work, it’s loud, it’s hot, it’s dirty. It’s all machines and technical. I like having a metal plate or plates at the beginning and then in the end, I can walk up the stairs to look at the finished project, and I look down on something that I’ve built with my own hands. That’s a nice feeling.”

His days are long and stretched, though. “A standard day is that I wake up at 5.30am or 5.45am and begin work at 6.30am. I’ll usually do five or six hours of metalwork, go home, eat something quickly, jump on the bike and then when I get back the day’s finished. But sometimes even then there’s stuff for school to do.”

Is he the busiest pro rider in the peloton? “I don’t know about that!” he laughs. “I have to say it’s really hard and if I had to do this for a few years, I wouldn’t make it, but now I have the finish line in front of me [he will finish his apprenticeship at the end of July - ed], it’s OK. After that, I can concentrate 100 percent on being a cyclist.”

The sportsman part of him is pretty good, too. Thomas Pupp, his manager at his U23 team Tirol-KTM, says: “Georg has huge talent and he has so much space left to make progress in the WorldTour. He has many strengths. He is not a lightweight climber, but he is tall and strong, and performs well in super-difficult stages. Due to his big, natural talent he can become a leader. But he needs time, he’s still very young.”

>>> EF Education First-EasyPost and EF Education-TIBCO-SVB unveil 2022 Rapha kits

Assessing himself, Steinhauser says: “I like hard races and I like to attack.” He is cautious about expectation, claiming that “I have no idea if I will be able to attack in pro races, and first I know there’s a lot to learn.”

He is, however, aware of hype, including from his own new boss Vaughters. “I was really happy to read his comments, but I put it out of my head. It’s better to stay calm. Pressure is good, a bit, but I don’t want so much. It’s an honour to hear that about yourself, but I don’t really think much about it. It’s not good to think about it. That’s why I just look at how I am doing on the climbs.”

Rapha have unveiled the new kits for the two EF Education First sponsored teams in the men's and women's WorldTours, EF Education First-EasyPost and EF Education-TIBCO-SVB.

Both are pink based, with slight colour variations, with the Women's WorldTour team featuring a little more pink, based on first viewing.

It will be the first time that EF Education-TIBCO-SVB wear Rapha kit, and it means that the British brand continues to have a foot in the Women's WorldTour after stepping away from outfitting Canyon-SRAM. 

EF Education joined Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank as a co-title sponsor for 2022, the longest-running North American women's pro team.

The men's team has changed its name from EF Education-Nippo to EF Education-EasyPost for this season.

It has competed in a kit featuring pink since 2018, when EF came on board, but this season features more dark blue in blotches across the jersey, and it is combined with navy shorts.

A press release from Rapha reads: "The new design, executed through creative coding and image/pattern manipulation, is a modern interpretation of the Argyle pattern that has been a staple part of EF’s visual language for years."

In previous incarnations of the team formerly known as Cannondale and Garmin Sharp, the "Ride Argyle" motto was more prominent.

The press release continues: "Together, Rapha and EF will continue to bring new perspectives to the sport of cycling. As well as wearing the kit in the WorldTour, riders from both teams will again take part in a number of events elsewhere in the cycle racing calendar, including Life Time Grand Prix. 

"These will be shot by Rapha’s in-house media team for a new series of films celebrating cycling’s characters and stories."

The alternative perspectives have included activities like Lachlan Morton riding his 'Alt Tour' last year, where he cycled the route of the Tour de France solo.

EF and Rapha have combined to make funky kits in the past, such as last year's 'Euphoria' kit worn specially at the Giro d'Italia, and the special Palace-designed kit they wore the year before.

The team might have to switch both their men's and women's kits for the respective Giri this year, as the leader's jersey for both races is pink.

Signings for the men's team this season include James Shaw and Mark Padun, and on the women's side Lizzy Banks has joined.

EF Education-Nippo will be known as EF Education-EasyPost for the 2022 season and beyond after American shipping company EasyPost joined as title sponsors.

Japanese construction material company Nippo will remain with the team as a secondary sponsor. This additional funding is more good news for a team that looked like it was struggling to survive before EF Education came aboard in 2018.

The team are yet to release their Rapha-designed kit, which is expected to come out towards the end of the month. On Thursday, the squad announced their completed roster for 2022, which included Lachlan Morton and Alex Howes.

In a press release on Friday, EF Pro Cycling's CEO Jonathan Vaughters and EasyPost's CEO Jarrett Streebin both reacted positively to the news.

"There was never a question where we’d get involved when we looked at cycling," Streebin said.

"I’ve followed JV’s [Vaughters] work since Argyle and sideburns. He leads the world in his commitment to ethical cycling and pushing the boundaries of human performance.

"JV has also led cycling in his approach to nutrition and technology. In the same manner, EasyPost leads its industry in reliability and technology. So we’re excited to combine forces with the greatest American cycling team."

>>> Ineos' Ben Tulett: There was a lot to be learned about Remco at the Giro, I don’t want to miss or skip steps

Vaughters has been in charge of the EF team since its beginnings in the first decade of the 21st century. After various Garmin and Cannondale based guises, it became EF Education First-Drapac p/b Cannondale in 2018. 

The American said: "From a sporting perspective, it’s absolutely wonderful to have Jarrett and EasyPost as part of the team. We align on the performance goals of the team, and how to get there together." 

"EasyPost is a company built on innovation and efficiency, much like how we run our team," He continued. We’re always looking to improve in every way possible. We have a really good group of riders and staff, and we’re going to keep getting better, thanks to EasyPost. 

"The business element of the partnership is something I’m excited to see us work on as well. Our job is to get the EasyPost name out there and recognizable as they expand their business and introduce EasyPost’s innovative and fast-growing business to the world.”

Nippo, who joined the team in 2021, will stay as secondary sponsors of the WorldTour team, but also title sponsors of the EF Education-NIPPO Development team.

At the end of last year EF Education First made its first foray into women's cycling, with co-title sponsorship of the EF Education-TIBCO-SVB team.

EF Education-Nippo have announced their newest signing for the 2022 season with Ukrainian Mark Padun joining from Bahrain Victorious.

Padun had a stand-out season in 2021, most notably taking two mountain stages back-to-back at the Critérium du Dauphiné as well as finishing third overall at the Vuelta a Burgos.

But it hasn't all be smooth for the climber from Donetsk as he explained in EF Education-Nippo's transfer announcement.

>>> 'I’ll do a bit less with Tadej Pogačar and more for myself': Davide Formolo hopes to be 100% for Giro d'Italia

Padun was an adventurous young man and was always wanting to do new things, his cycling journey began when a coach came to his school to offer free bikes to the students.

"We were always training and racing for our school, then for the city, then for the region. I started doing well in regional races and I was invited to go to a sports school because they saw talent in me."

He went to a sports-focused boarding school once he reached the age of secondary education: "I really enjoyed it and I learned a lot of things there. When you are 14 and you live with your parents, you are completely dependent on them. Then you live away from them and it’s a big deal. You have to make your own plans. You’re still a child but you are growing up."

In 2014 Padun returned home after graduating but hostilities between Ukraine and Russia were becoming dangerous forcing his parents to act.

"Thanks to my parents, I hardly saw any of the war," he continued. 

"As soon as the army came to Donetsk, they sent me away almost immediately. I saw soldiers for a few days and I understood this was something serious. 

"My parents understood what my dreams and goals were. They understood that to train in an area with a war was a bad idea. I left thinking, ‘Ok, this is for a few weeks and then I’m going to come back.’ And then it turned out I never went back there to live. I cannot say these were easy times."

Padun was sent to a small town outside of the capital Kyiv to live with his aunt and uncle as his parents and brother stayed in Donetsk unable to leave. Fortunately, his family did manage to move and now live in Seattle.

"We are always in contact. Even now they are trying to help me by trying to put on a training camp for me. At the same time, I’m trying to explain, ‘No, I’m already pro and I have plenty of camps and it’s the off-season.’ I understand though. They try to do their best. It’s touching."

The 25-year-old believes he can go on to compete in the Grand Tours with the aim to go for stage wins in the next couple of seasons.

EF Education-Nippo CEO Jonathan Vaughters said that he has had Padun on his radar for some time, adding: "I see him as one of the biggest talents in modern cycling right now. 

"He’s been an extremely inconsistent talent but on his good days, he’s proven that he’s one of the very best climbers in the world. It’s our job to figure out how to get him a few more of those good days and work on the consistency a little bit."

Lachlan Morton is taking on yet another brutal challenge as he is set to ride the 1,124km mountain bike race known as The Munga in the South African desert during the height of summer.

Morton, who rides for UCI WorldTour team EF Education-Nippo, is no stranger to these epic challenges with the Australian rider already completing Land's End to John O'Groats, The Alt Tour where he road the entire route of the Tour de France including the transfers, and another South African MTB race the Cape Epic.

Now Morton takes on another challenge with The Munga. This race is largely unaided with just five support villages and 10 water stops as well as an elevation gain of 6,500 metres with a time limit of 100 hours. Away from the support villages, the riders will receive no help.

>>> 'I only need seven extra watts': Dan Bigham to attempt to beat World Hour Record in 2022

The 29-year-old does seem to be going into the unknown with this race though: "To be honest, I don’t know a huge amount about the specifics of the race apart from the fact that it’s really long and very remote but I’m looking forward to discovering it as it goes," Morton said.

"There are five different checkpoints and then the rest of it is unsupported where you’re looking after yourself. I like races that have that element where you’re left to your own devices."

The distance part shouldn't be an issue for Morton after riding around 200 miles per day when riding his Alt Tour taking 18 days to complete a mind-blowing 5,500km.

Starting in the city of Bloemfontein the race takes on some of the most barren terrain in the country as they are guided by their GPS routes before coming to an end at the Doolhof wine estate in Wellington.

The first section is 224km with the next five sections of the race covering similar distances before the final 88km to the finish from checkpoint five.

"I love just applying myself fully to something that requires all of you and just adapting to whatever situation you’re in," he continued. "I like being on the start line and not knowing what’s coming. 

"At these races, you’re relying on yourself and you don’t really know what kind of a challenge you’re going to come up against. That’s a cool feeling to have. That’s what attracts me to these kinds of adventures."

His team has backed these forays into the unknown for professional road cyclists and has prompted other pros to have a go with Bora-Hansgrohe sending two riders to Cape Epic and other riders starting up their gravel racing careers.

Morton has only ridden six road races this season with his highest placing being 12th at the very mountainous Mercan'Tour Classic Alpes-Maritimes. 

The Munga MTB starts on Wednesday, December 1 and will come to a close on Monday, December 6.

EF Education-Nippo has backtracked on its decision to terminate Sergio Higuita's contract early, with the team confirming that the Colombian will remain an EF rider until the end of the year. 

The American team had sent the 24-year-old a notice of termination after footage emerged of him using a Specialized road bike with the colours of Bora-Hansgrohe, the team he'll move to in 2022, at a public event in his home country. EF Education-Nippo riders are supposed to use team-issued Cannondale bikes.

However, the team has since withdrawn their notice to terminate Higuita's contract, following his apology for using the wrong bike in a public setting, an EF Education-Nippo spokesperson told Cyclingnews.

The spokesperson said: “The team has come to a mutual agreement with Sergio Higuita regarding the recent issue at Giro de Rigo and will not end his contract early.

“He has been a steadfast teammate and positive presence, both on the roads and off. We wish Sergio the best in his future endeavours.”

Riding at the Giro de Rigo, a public event in Colombia organised by teammate Rigoberto Uran, Higuita was filmed blasting past swathes of amateurs alongside fellow pro Dani Martinez while using a Bora-Hansgrohe Specialized bike. 

EF Education-Nippo claimed that the incident lacked respect, but Higuita's apology has allowed both parties to come to a mutual agreement. 

Higuita said: “I wish to offer my apologies to all the sponsors and to the team. I made a mistake in riding the wrong bicycle at a public event, but this is not how I want to leave this team or remember my time here.

“I’ve helped my team-mates to the best of my ability, won some beautiful races, and made friends with the staff and riders that will endure. I’m happy we could come to an agreement, and I wish the team luck in the seasons ahead.”

The Colombian leaves the team at the end of 2021 after spending three years in their ranks, winning Tour Colombia and a stage in the 2019 Vuelta a España during that period. 

EF Education-Nippo are looking to end Sergio Higuita's contract with immediate effect, sending the Colombian a notice of termination after footage emerged of him riding a Specialized bike during a recent event in his home country.

While Higuita is set to join Bora-Hansgrohe in January 2022, the 24-year-old was still contracted to EF Education-Nippo until the end of the year. Their riders are supposed to race and train on a Cannondale road bike.

An EF Education-Nippo spokesperson told Cyclingnews that the team understands the Colombian would prefer training on his new team's bike ahead of the 2022 season, but his decision to ride the Cannondale bike with Bora-Hansgrohe colours in a public event lacked respect.

The EF Education-Nippo spokesperson told Cyclingnews: "We recognize Sergio needs time to adjust to his new equipment, as he’s heading to a new team next season. Riders routinely request permission before using new equipment at team camps and in non-public settings, which the team routinely grants.

"Additionally, outgoing athletes can ride unbranded bikes from their new teams after the final WorldTour race of the season, per the current AIGCP/CPA joint agreement contract template.

"However, this was not the case regarding Sergio’s recent decision to ride a bike outside of team issue at the Giro de Rigo, which lacked respect for the partners that support him today. As a result, the team has sent a notice of termination regarding his contract. We ultimately hope to work with Sergio to come to an amicable solution."

The footage captures Higuita using the Specialized road bike with custom Bora-Hansgrohe colours at the Giro de Rigo, a Colombian event run by EF Education-Nippo team-mate Rigoberto Uran. 

Consequently, the American team has now issued Higuita with a notice to terminate his contract two months early. He will now be a privateer rider until January 1, when he'll join German team Bora-Hansgrohe. 

EF Education First will be joining the American second division women's team Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank as a co-title sponsor in 2022 as yet another male team sponsor joins the women's pro peloton.

Tibco-SVB is the longest running North American women's team with former investment banker turned pro bike racer Linda Jackson joining her local team in Palo Alto, California in 2004. Two years later she asked one of the sponsors for $100,000 but was offered $5,000, which she took.

Since then over the years the team has grown and grown as they looked to invest in developing new talent in North America. Tibco-SVB has since won races in the WorldTour, National Championships and numerous other domestic titles along the way.

>>> 'The biggest failure would have been to have never tried': Alex Dowsett reacts to emotional Hour Record attempt

Now, the team will be joining the WorldTour with EF Education First as a key co-title sponsor for the squad as EF Education-Tibco-SVB. All the riders will be paid the minimum salary that male WorldTour riders get.

Global chief of staff at EF, Maria Norrman, said: "We’re excited to be part of this team and to help these amazing riders reach their goals. The salary component is incredibly important to all of us, because it allows the riders to pursue the sport full-time,

"We can’t wait to help add the next chapter in this team’s great history."

Jackson sees this new sponsor as a huge opportunity, not just for her team but for women's cycling as a whole.

"I’m thrilled to be a part of the professionalization of women’s cycling. The opportunity these women have now is amazing," said Jackson. 

"I’ve been in the sport for 30 years; I raced in the ‘90s in horrendous conditions and with very little support. It’s been a long road, but to see money finally coming into the sport so that women can make a living while racing their bikes is a very gratifying feeling,

"The sporting goal of this team is to be a top five WorldTour team in a few years. We don’t need to be the number one team in the world. That’s not my objective. My objective is to help these women reach their potential.

“To become Olympians, world champions, World Championship participants, whatever their goals are. EF’s partnership has enabled us to bring on top-tier staff to provide our riders with the infrastructure and support they need to achieve these goals in a supportive environment."

Cannondale, who is already the bike brand of the team, has continued its support with the American brand also supplying the bikes for the men's EF Education-Nippo team.

Alongside them other sponsors from the men's team will come over including Rapha, which becomes the new clothing brand, while POC willl supply helmets. Health & fitness coaching appliance Whoop will also join as a sponsor.

In 2022 the team will be made up of 13 riders from six different nations including seven new signings. Two of those riders are making a return to the team, with the full roster being announced soon.

EF join the likes of other team sponsors such as Trek-Segafredo, Movistar, Jumbo-Visma, UAE Team Emirates, Cofidis, Uno-X, FDJ, DSM, BikeExchange, Lotto-Soudal, Rally, and many others besides as the women's side of the sport continues to grow. 

James Shaw’s awaited return to the WorldTour has been confirmed, as he has signed with EF Education-Nippo for 2022. 

The 25-year-old Brit previously raced at the highest level with Lotto-Soudal earlier in his career, but suffered the disappointment of being dropped without warning at the end of 2018. 

Shaw spent the next three seasons racing at Continental and ProTeam level, but has now found a home at US WorldTeam EF, after catching the attention of team boss Jonathan Vaughters through his resilience. 

Former pro Vaughters said: “James went into the WorldTour probably a little too young and just got lost in the mix and didn’t know how to fit in, didn’t adapt to their management style. And that’s really hard. 

“Basically he had to restart his career from scratch at 22 years old. Luckily he’s a really smart and resourceful kid who just figured out how to bootstrap his way back into professional cycling and he’s shown since then, on his own two feet, that he has the ability to be competitive with the best in the WorldTour so this is his born again moment as a WorldTour rider. He’s going to go back though his new pro year all over again, only this time as a 25-year-old as opposed to as a 19-year-old.”

Shaw stepped up to WorldTour level with Lotto-Soudal, first as a stagiaire and then as a neo pro in 2017.

But at the end of his two-year contract, Lotto-Soudal let Shaw go, resulting in him stepping down to Continental level with SwiftCarbon in 2019. 

He was then able to move up a tier to join Riwal Securitas in 2020, before the ProTeam then folded due to a lack of funding. 

Shaw was then signed to British Continental outfit Ribble-Weldtite for 2021, having a remarkable season and repeatedly showing his ability. 

This year he repeatedly punched above his weight against WorldTour riders, finishing fifth overall in both the Tour of Slovenia and the Tour of Norway, and then 14th overall in the Tour of Britain, including a top-five finish on stage six into Gateshead. 

Shaw said: “Bike racing has given me everything but it’s also taken everything away from me at the same time.

“It’s given me a perspective on life really. I went professional in 2019 but the team sadly didn’t retain their professional status due to finances caused by the pandemic, so in 2021 I dropped down to continental level. It made me realise that maybe the world’s not always fair and you have to take opportunities when you can and enjoy them when they do come around because you can’t take them for granted.

“I’m grateful to the guys and the management who’ve put their faith in me to offer me this opportunity,” 

“I’m very grateful for that. I want to capitalise on that as much as possible and see what the next chapter is and see if it writes itself the way I hope it does.”

Vaughters added: “Ninety-five percent of people in his position would have given up.

“I have a high degree of respect for him that he didn’t give up, that he figured out a way to claw his way back in. He’s very clever that way, very resourceful.” 

>>> Tom Pidcock returns to training after lingering knee injury and posts ride on Strava 

Shaw will fit into the EF Classics squad, particularly the Ardennes Classics like Liège-Bastogne-Liége, both in a support role and with the hopes of picking up some results for himself along the way.  

Owain Doull has been confirmed to be joining American team EF Education-Nippo for the 2022 season, after five full season with Ineos Grenadiers.

The Welsh rider moved up to the WorldTour with Ineos but has decided that he would like a new challenge and, as he says, "progress my career".

Doull, who is now 28-years-old, has had yet another solid season up until now with his best displays coming in the Belgian semi-Classics building up to the Tour of Flanders.

>>> Greg Van Avermaet looking for redemption at Paris-Roubaix after omission from Belgian Worlds squad

Speaking about his hopes with EF Education-Nippo, Doull said how the Classics will continue to be his focus with the team, where he'll ride alongside Tour of Flanders winner Alberto Bettiol and Omloop Het Nieuwsblad winner Michael Valgren.

"The Classics will be a big goal. Obviously the team has a great pedigree in the guys they’ve got there already but hopefully I can add to that," Doull said.

Taking the runner-up spot at the second of the two races on the Classics 'Opening Weekend', Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne in 2019 as well as multiple top 20s in the other cobbled races, Doull is keen to push on with the Classics side of racing before looking towards helping his team in three-week races.

"Then getting stuck into more Grand Tour racing," Doull continued. 

"I’m looking forward to the opportunity there of pushing myself and trying to support guys like Hugh [Carthy] as much as possible. A different style of racing completely, I think that’s the thing I’m most excited for."

Doull has made it to the shortlist of riders for the Giro d'Italia and the Vuelta a España multiple times for Ineos Grenadiers, but for one reason or another, he never made the cut before making his Grand Tour debut at the 2019 Vuelta.

Doull added: "I always like doing my part for the team and that’s one of the things I find so attractive about joining EF. There’s a mixture of opportunities I’ll have and I’ll be able to explore my limits more."

After getting into cycling from watching the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, Doull developed into a strong track rider with a bit of road riding.

He started his road career at Sean Kelly's old team An Post-Chain Reaction, alongside the likes of Shane Archbold (now Deceuninck - Quick-Step) and Ryan Mullen (now Trek-Segafredo).

He then joined Team Wiggins in 2015 where he stayed until joining Ineos Grenaiders, then Team Sky, as a trainee in 2016. 

"For me, change is always a good thing. I’ve learned a lot of things and I’ve had some great opportunities but I think this is the right time for me to progress my career and take that next step forward," Doull said.

"I still have dreams and aspirations I want to achieve and I think EF is the perfect place to help me realize that."

Doull is expected to race a few more times before the end of the season, with the Eurométropole Tour the first as a build-up for Paris-Roubaix on Sunday, October 3.

Stefan Bissegger took stage victory and the overall lead in the in a very impressive time trial on the second day of the Benelux Tour 2021.

The EF Education-Nippo first year pro rider put an impressive gap into the rest of his rivals over the 11.1km course around Lelystad with the Swiss rider putting 15 seconds into second place on the day, Edoardo Affini (Jumbo-Visma).

Fellow Swiss rider and European champion, Stefan Küng (Groupama-FDJ) was at 19 seconds behind Bissegger.

>>> 'You should realise your mistake': Remco Evenepoel shouts at Gianni Vermeersch after opening stage of Benelux Tour 2021

Bissegger now takes over the general classification lead from stage one winner, Tim Merlier (Alpecin-Fenix) and leads Kasper Asgreen (Deceuninck - Quick-Step) and Stefan Küng (Groupama-FDJ) by 19 seconds going into the third day of racing.

Merlier finished a minute down on Bissegger in 53rd place on the same time as four others including British rider, Charlie Quarterman (Trek-Segafredo).

Former winner of the race, Matej Mohorič (Bahrain Victorious) sits in seventh at 36 seconds with another former winner Tim Wellens (Lotto-Soudal) staying in touch at 45 seconds in 11th place.

One rider who was expected to do far better on the day was Remco Evenepoel (Deceuninck - Quick-Step) who is reported to be suffering from intestinal problems. The Belgian rider finished 1-36 down on Bissegger.

Another rider who may have been hoping for a top result at this race, Geraint Thomas (Ineos Grenadiers) did not have a good day on the time trial bike by his standards. The Welshman finished in 45th on the stage, 57 seconds down and leaving him at almost two minutes behind on GC.

The top 18 riders are all within a minute of Bissegger though, leaving the race wide open with hilly and cobbled terrain still to come in the remaining five stages at this race that is split between the Netherlands and Belgium.

The third day of the Benelux Tour is a very flat stage from Essen to Hoogerheide with four laps around the finishing circuit to complete the 168.3km route that should come down to the first major bunch sprint of the race. Wind may play a part yet again however.

Results

Benelux Tour 2021, stage two: Lelystad to Lelystad (11.1km ITT)

1. Stefan Bissegger (Sui) EF Education-Nippo, in 12-08
2. Edoardo Affini (Ita) Team Jumbo-Visma, at 15s
3. Stefan Küng (Sui) Groupama-FDJ, at 20s
4. Kasper Asgreen (Den) Deceuninck - Quick-Step, at 21s
5. Max Walscheid (Ger) Team Qhubeka-NextHash, at 22s
6. Tom Dumoulin (Ned) Team Jumbo-Visma, at 23s
7. Søren Kragh Andersen (Den) Team DSM, at 24s
8. Victor Campenaerts (Bel) Team Qhubeka-NextHash, at 26s
9. Christophe Laporte (Fra) Cofidis, at 29s
10. Brandon McNulty (USA) UAE Team Emirates, at 31s.

General classification after stage two

1. Stefan Bissegger (Sui) EF Education-Nippo, in 3-44-29
2. Kasper Asgreen (Den) Deceuninck - Quick-Step, at 19s
3. Stefan Küng (Sui) Groupama-FDJ, at same time
4. Max Walscheid (Ger) Team Qhubeka-NextHash, at 21s
5. Victor Campenaerts (Bel) Team Qhubeka-NextHash, at 26s
6. Christophe Laporte (Fra) Cofidis, at 28s
7. Matej Mohorič (Slo) Bahrain Victorious, at 36s
8. Luke Durbridge (Aus) Team BikeExchange, at 38s
9. Sonny Colbrelli (Ita) Bahrain Victorious, at 42s
10. Tiesj Benoot (Bel) Team DSM, at 45s

Cort’s amazing Vuelta continues

 What a Vuelta a España Magnus Cort (EF Education-Nippo) is having. The Dane had already made his race a success by winning stage six, but has since shown a huge appetite for more, getting into the break on two successive days yesterday and the day before, and very nearly hanging on for victory yesterday.  

Stage 12 certainly looked like it suited him on paper, but given the huge effort he made in the break the previous day he wasn’t being talked about as a top favourite for the win. Neither did his EF Education-Nippo team ride as if he was one, sitting back and letting first UAE Team Emirates and later BikeExchange do the work at the front of the peloton.

But Cort was still present in the reduced peloton after the climbs, and positioned himself towards the front as the finishing straight approached and the break was caught. At the very moment the last surviving escapee, Jay Vine (Alpecin-Fenix), was caught in the last kilometre, Cort’s team-mate Jens Keukeleire suddenly accelerated to move to the front of the peloton with Cort on his wheel. 

It was a perfectly timed move that put Cort in the perfect place for the sprint, and an astute tactical ploy from his team after UAE Team Emirates and BikeExchange had burnt all their matches earlier. But it still required Cort to finish it off, and for him to have the legs to hold off a charging Andrea Bagioli (Deceuninck - Quick-Step) after going so deep just 24 hours ago was an extraordinary feat. 

Matthews falls short again 

Once again, Team BikeExchange’s considerable efforts to deliver Michael Matthews a stage win ended in frustration.

Unlike stage 11, when they fully committed by leading the peloton for much of the stage, the Australian team weren’t visible at all at the front of the peloton for most of this stage, suggesting that they had less confidence in Matthews’ form after he failed to deliver yesterday. When he was dropped on the final climb, it appeared that he did indeed not have the legs. 

However, it soon transpired that the team had merely changed tactics, and still harboured hopes of winning with Matthews. He managed to rejoin the peloton before the top of the climb, and on the descent regrouped with multiple team-mates (all well-rested having left it to other teams to do the pace-setting earlier) and suddenly, with about 10km to go, they were at the front of the peloton with a long train of riders.

That was enough firepower to bring back the four riders who had escaped out of the bunch on the climb, despite them having built a significant lead of over thirty seconds. But despite their strength-in-numbers, they were still caught out by EF Education-Nippo in the finale, with Matthews being left with too much ground to make up in the sprint.

He held on for third-place, his sixth top ten-placing of the Vuelta so far, and his joint-highest. But with an increasing number of mountain stages to come, he’s running out of time to take that longed-for win. 

UAE Team Emirates do too much too soon

The amount of work UAE Team Emirates got through meant that anything other than a stage win was going to feel like a disappointment.

The team took it upon themselves to make sure that the day’s seven-man breakaway would not succeed, by putting several of their riders at the front of the peloton early in the day. The hope that they could engineer a reduced bunch sprint for their man Matteo Trentin to win, while also dropping as many of his rival sprinters as possible 

This was only part of the job, however. The presence of a tough climb inside the final 20km meant they also had to control any attacks made on that climb, and indeed, despite a strong pace set by Rafał Majka, a dangerous four-man group managed to get clear.

UAE Team Emirates still had numbers, but their plan began to unravel on the descent, when Trentin found himself off the front of the peloton seemingly by accident. He thought about pushing on when Ion Izagirre (Astana-Premier Tech) bridged up to him, but realised the deficit remained too large for just the two of them to close, and so they sat up and waited for the peloton.

By this time BikeExchange were organised and setting the pace instead of UAE Team Emirates, which turned out to be enough to bring back the escapees and therefore keep Trentin in contention for the stage win. But the work done earlier meant he was lacking in support come the finish, and he only managed to sprint for fourth-place.

It was a good effort, and admirably bold tactics from UAE Team Emirates as they attempt to gain success at this Grand Tour without their star rider Tadej Pogačar. But if they are to win a stage, they might have to be cannier.  

Roglič crashes again

For the second time in just three days, Primož Roglič (Jumbo-Visma) went down in a crash. 

Unlike his fall a couple of days ago, this one can’t be said to be self-inflicted, as it occurred right up at the front of the peloton, when an apparent touch of wheels ahead of him caused a ripple effect that neither he nor several other riders could avoid. But it was still a dramatic moment, and required a committed chase by several of his Jumbo-Visma riders who had stopped alongside him in order to rejoin the peloton.

Once again it appeared Roglič was unhurt, but you do have to start to wonder whether these multiple falls will take its toll. It’s worth remembering that, after his crash at the Tour de France, he had appeared on the recovery in the time trial, before deteriorating and ultimately having to abandon — might a similarly delayed response also strike him here? 

It’s rare for a winner of a Grand Tour to crash as much as Roglič has already at this Vuelta, and even minor sores he might have suffered could take their toll later in the race. Roglič may look unbeatable right now, but another crash today could be a cause for concern. 

Jay Vine impresses in star-studded attack 

Prior to BikeExchange’s excellent chase, it looked as though the stage victory would be taken by one of the quartet of attackers who went clear on the final climb.

That group contained a striking amount of Grand Tour experience. Veteran Sergio Henao (Qhubeka-Next Hash) was there, looking for his first Grand Tour stage win on what is his fourteenth appearance; two-time Tour de France podium finisher Romain Bardet (DSM) continued his hunt for a stage win at this Vuelta; and Giulio Ciccone (Trek-Segafredo) joined them, looking to gain time having fallen a bit on GC.

The odd one out was Jay Vine (Alpecin-Fenix), who, riding his first year as a pro, is making his Grand Tour debut. The Australian has had an unorthodox route to the peloton, but has been justifiably hyped, having followed up winning the Zwift Academy by impressing at the Vuelta a Burgos, and made a great showing for himself today by rubbing shoulders with such established pros. 

>>> Remco Evenepoel’s solo victory interrupted as car bursts into flames on course of Belgian one-day race

In fact, Vine turned out to be the strongest of the four, attacking the others just as the peloton were about to make the catch, and surviving out alone for a little while into the final kilometre. He might not have won the stage, but this was perhaps the biggest demonstration of his talent so far.  

Hugh Carthy has abandoned the Vuelta a España 2021. 

The British general classification contender came into this year's edition of the Spanish Grand Tour with the hope of improving on his podium position from last year. 

After minimising his losses in the opening time trial in Burgos, the 27-year-old began to slip back on GC on the first mountain finish of the race, Picón Blanco on stage three.

Then on the punchy uphill finish on stage six, Carthy was caught out in crosswinds and was forced to dig deep to re-join the peloton late in the stage, before he struggled on the 1.9km-long final climb, losing almost three minutes to the GC contenders. Meanwhile his team-mate Magnus Cort rode to stage victory from the breakaway. 

>>> Vuelta a España 2021 route: Nine summit finishes and no Madrid finale in this year's edition 

The EF Education-Nippo rider the abandoned the race part way through stage seven, the first real mountain test of the 2021 Vuelta.

His team have not yet released details of why their GC leader abandoned. 

Speaking at the start of the stage, Carthy said: "Yesterday was a good day for the team with Magnus' win, and a disappointment for me.

"Life goes on and we still have a couple of weeks to go. We're still here.

"I think I paid for the chase, but before that I wasn't really in a great place. I wasn't really in the race.

"We take each day at a time. There's still plenty of opportunities. It's important to go forward with a positive mind, not panic and rush, it would only make things worse." 

Carthy began to struggle early on stage seven from Gandía to Balcón de Alicante, which featured six categorised climbs, including a tough first category uphill finish. 

The Preston-born rider was dropped from the peloton 140km from the finish on slopes of the Puerto la Llacuna, the first categorised climb of the day, before he stepped off the bike as the leading group still had 64km left to race.  

More to follow 

Esteban Chaves will be leaving the Australian squad Team BikeExchange after eight years to join the American team EF Education-Nippo in 2022 on a one-year contract.

The Colombian has had a turbulent time of late having battled the Epstein-Barr virus between 2018 and 2019 and has since been slowly getting back to top form. He put in a superb display at the Volta a Catalunya to take a stage win, as well as second on another and taking two jerseys (points and mountains).

While at BikeExchange, Chaves won the Italian Monument Il Lombardia in 2016 as well as three Giro d'Italia stages and two Vuelta a España stages. He's also podiumed in both of those races, not to mention winning the Abu Dhabi Tour and the Herald Sun Tour along the way.

>>> 17 of the best pictures from the Tokyo 2020 Olympics

The 31-year-old is now moving on to join EF Education-Nippo on a one-year deal, beginning at the start of next year.

Chaves said: "I wanted to join the EF Education-Nippo for several reasons. First of all, from the outside, you can see it is like a big family where everyone is driven by the passion of cycling. Also, one of the directors is a rider I really admired when I started riding my bike - Juanma Garate - and finally, I would love to have Colombian team-mates. But most importantly, the cycling kit is really cool, don’t you think?"

The Colombian looks set to be the replacement for Sergio Higuita who will be joining Bora-Hansgrohe from 2022. Chaves will be joining fellow countryman Rigoberto Urán among others.

"I love the feeling of freedom when riding your bike and the pride of getting to the top of the mountain or finishing a race," Chaves continued. "Also, I love that it is a sport that you can practice with friends and family. Most of all, I really like the power of cycling as a tool to show that dreams come true if you work hard. 

"I’m excited about everything! New bike, new kit, new team-mates, new helmet, new races, new challenges. I feel like a neo-pro again,"

Esteban Chaves is one of many riders on the move, keep up with all the transfers in the men's and women's WorldTour with our transfer page.

 Stefan Bissegger is one of the new wave of young riders not afraid to step up against the biggest names in the sport.

The EF Education-Nippo rider, a contender in the stage 20 time trial at the Tour de France, has shared his thoughts on why younger riders are reaching the top of the sport.

In previous generations, even the most talented young pros had to ride in support of their veteran team leaders, Bissegger said, while today's teams will take a chance on unproven riders if they believe in their abilities. 

The 22-year-old Swiss pro told Cycling Weekly: “The philosophy of everything has changed because we start earlier training like pros, we start to live like pros. Also, the racing is different because the level of the under 23s is way higher than it used to be. 

“The step is not so big anymore and also the teams let you race on your own. It's not like 10/20 years ago. when you were a new pro you always had to ride for the other guys but now when they see you're good they let you do whatever you can do and for getting results.” 

He added: “Previous generations didn't have the chance to race on their own. They always had to race for their leaders, there was no chance that you as neo-pro could race for your own results. Even if you were the strongest you had to race for the old leader.” 

Bissegger, racing his first full season at WorldTour level after joining EF part way through 2020, already has three professional wins to his name, including the Paris-Nice time trial earlier this year. 

Data, according to Bissegger, is another factor in riders coming of age in their early 20s (and in some cases still in their teens). 

Power meter data and heart-rate tracking devices like WHOOP, a sponsor of EF Education-Nippo that offers insight into sleep, recovery and physical effort, all contribute to the increased professionalism at under-23 ranks. 

Bissegger said: “With the WHOOP and things like that you learn how your body reacts and you learn it when you're younger.

“Also is the power meter, this kind of stuff. You start to train in a professional way younger than you used to train.” 

He is now chasing stage victory in his maiden Grand Tour, the Tour de France. 

His first chance, the stage five time trial, victory was out of reach because he was one of the only riders who had to take on his run during heavy rain, eventually finishing 18th.

>>> Tokyo 2020 Olympics track bikes guide: who's riding what and how much do they cost?

But on stage 20 the conditions are better suited to a strong performance for Bissegger, who is the provisional leader at the time of writing. 

Rigoberto Urán’s hopes of a second Tour de France podium appear to be over after he lost almost two minutes on stage 17.

The Colombian has been in the top-three of the race since the first rest day, aiming to replicate his result from 2017 when he finished runner-up to Chris Froome.

But on the Col du Portet on a sometimes misty Wednesday, the EF Education – Nippo rider shed 1:49 to stage winner and race leader Tadej Pogačar, with Jonas Vingegaard and Richard Carapaz three and four seconds further back, respectively.

As a result, Urán has dropped from second to fourth and now faces a monumental battle to regain a place on the final podium.

While he could put up to a minute into Carapaz on Saturday’s 30.8km time trial, he is currently 94 seconds behind Carapaz, requiring him to attack and gain time on stage 18’s summit finish to Luz Ardiden.

That looks improbable given that he his elevation to second overall was thanks to him being steady and consistent rather than aggressive.

Moreover, his comments after stage 17 indicated that he doesn’t feel capable of moving back up: “I lacked a bit of strength,” he rued. “And I have lost two very important positions.”

>>> 'He can be a Tour de France winner pretty soon': Tadej Pogačar leads praise of Jonas Vingegaard

His teammate Sergio Higuita led him to the line, and Urán conceded that were it not for his fellow Colombian, he would have slipped further down the top-10.

“He helped me a lot. Without him I would have lost double the time,” he admitted.

Urán, though, hasn’t ruled out fortunes reversing on the race’s final mountain stage. “We are going to continue fighting,” he vowed. “Tomorrow is another key day.”

Stage 18 sees the peloton tackle a short, 130km stage that finishes atop Luz Ardiden at 1,715m. The climb averages 7.4% over 13.3km.

Pogačar leads the race by 5:39 from Vingegaard, with stage 18 and stage 20’s time trial the only remaining opportunities to re-order the final standings.

Lachlan Morton has beaten the Tour de France peloton to Paris by six days. 

The EF Education-Nippo and Rapha rider took on the staggering challenge of riding the entire 2021 Tour de France route (including the transfers) solo and unsupported, before the yellow jersey reached the Champs Élysées. 

Morton, 29, is famed for taking on hugely demanding off-calendar riding challenges, but this 18-day, 5,500km mission is by far the toughest. 

Dubbed the ‘Alt Tour,’ the Aussie was taking on the solo effort in the spirit of the first ever Tours de France, all while raising money for World Bicycle Relief, which donates hard-wearing bikes to communities that need them.

So far Morton has raised £379,000 for the charity, or 3,146 bikes at £120 each. 

After 18 days in the saddle, 225 hours of riding, covering 5,509km, Morton arrived in Paris overnight and had to complete laps of the Champs Élysée to recreate the processional sprint stage of the Tour de France.

Morton rode the entire 3,414km of the official Tour de France route, while also completing an additional 2,000km of transfers, which his team-mates would have undertaken while sat in their warm and comfortable team buses. 

He finally wrapped up his ride at 5.30 on Tuesday morning (July 13), celebrating with a bottle of champagne. 

In the final stage of his effort, Morton had to take on the 500km transfer from Angoulême all the way north to Paris.

Starting at 7am on Monday (July 12), that last stint took him 21 hours of moving time, as he stopped for less than two hours. 

He also held a mind-blowing average speed of 27.7km/h during his final ride. 

The aim of the ride was to take the Tour de France back to its brutal roots, when the race organisers wanted the event to be so tough only one rider would finish.

>>> Ben O'Connor: the humble Australian living a Tour de France dream

Speaking before he set off, Morton said: “I just think that era of cycling was really exciting. At that time the Tour director basically wanted one finisher, so it was a totally different sport compared to what it is now. The scope and scale of the stages then were really inspiring.”  

Lachlan Morton is riding the Tour de France solo and hoping to arrive in Paris before the peloton.

The EF Education - Nippo pro is riding all stages and transfers of the 2021 French Grand Tour, aiming to reach the French capital before his EF Education - Nippo team-mates and the rest of the peloton on Sunday July 18.

The Australian, who has become known for his outlandish endurance efforts while also riding in the WorldTour, set off from Brest on stage one an hour after the race, and on the morning of the stage two was already past the second start line as the peloton were having their breakfast.

The 2021 race will cover more than 3,300km, but Morton will ride 5,500km, riding from the finish line of one stage to the start of the next. In order to give himself the best chance of making it to Paris first, with the peloton set to fly from Bordeaux in the southwest of the country to the capital after the conclusion of the penultimate stage 20. 

The 29-year-old will also ride on rest days, telling the Guardian he will attempt to ride mostly during daylight as there's less to distract the mind during night-time pedalling.

“We thought about doing it last year during the Giro, but in the end I had to ride the race,” Morton said.

“We kept throwing the idea around and then thought about doing it during the Tour. It’s a celebration of the original Tour and what it was all about to begin with. I realised it was going to be a huge undertaking. I’m not even sure if it’s possible."

Morton's nod to the Tour is a reminder of when participants would have to fix their own bikes en route, raced through the night and slept in fields, and he will also be bivvying on the side of the road in between café stops to resupply.

You can follow Morton's progress through France by clicking here, and donate to his World Bicycle Relief fund here.

Stefan Bissegger was the strongest from a four-man breakaway, winning in a sprint to the line on the airport runway in Gstaad on stage four of the Tour de Suisse 2021, with Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Fenix) keeping yellow.

Bissegger (EF Education-Nippo) took victory from the break after the climb saw Joel Suter (Switzerland) dropped, leaving Benjamin Thomas (Groupama-FDJ) and Joey Rosskopf (Rally) to fill the respective podium spots in the final sprint for the line.

The Swiss rider, Bissegger has only been a professional for six months but he has already won a stage of Paris-Nice and now Tour de Suisse as well.

Van der Poel held on over the day's final climb and avoided any splits in the rain at the finish to keep his one-second advantage over Julian Alaphilippe (Deceuninck - Quick-Step) in the general classification.

>>> Miguel Ángel López sets fastest time on Mont Ventoux since 2004

How it happened

Stage four of the Tour de Suisse would see the riders tackle 171km between Sankt Urban and Gstaad with a largely flat stage before one categorised climb, Saanenmöser Pass, before a descent to the line.

One break did go clear in the early part of the stage but it was dragged back relatively quickly before four strong riders went clear. They were Benjamin Thomas (Groupama-FDJ), Joel Suter (Switzerland), Stefan Bissegger (EF Education-Nippo) and Joey Rosskopf (Rally). They achieved a gap of over eight minutes at its peak.

Back in the peloton, several teams seemed keen to chase the break for much of the day until around 30km to go when all the riders on the front of the peloton knocked off their efforts. This allowed the gap to the break, that had come down considerably, stretch out yet again to 7-30 at the base of the climb with 20km to go.

>>> Wout van Aert ordered to pay €662,000 to Nick Nuyens due to breaking contract with old team

Rosskopf attacked multiple times on the early slopes of the climb which dropped Suter, whittling it down to three riders. Back in the main bunch, Bahrain-Victorious were the team pacing for their leader Wout Poels bringing the gap inside seven minutes.

Thomas attacked the break just before the top of the climb but he was closed down by Bissegger and Rosskopf. By this point, Suter was properly distanced with 9km to go.

The three riders continued to hammer each other with attacks but all three used their exceptional time trial engines to not let any move go.

It eventually came down to a three-up sprint with Rosskopf leading out. Bissegger kicked hard from second wheel and held off the sprint of Thomas to take his second win as a professional rider.

Behind, the peloton finished at high speed with Edward Theuns (Trek-Segafredo) leading in the bunch. Both Alaphilippe and Van der Poel stayed together in the peloton meaning the latter keeps yellow going into the first major climbing stage of the race.

Stage five of the Tour de Suisse starts in today's finish town of Gstaad and takes on four categorised climbs with one at the start before a pan flat stretch to three climbs and a summit finish on Leukerbad after 175.2km.

Results

Tour de Suisse 2021, stage four: Sankt Urban to Gstaad (171km)

1. Stefan Bissegger (Sui) EF Education-Nippo, in 3-46-21
2. Benjamin Thomas (Fra) Groupama-FDJ
3. Joey Rosskopf (USA) Rally Cycling, all at same time
4. Joel Suter (Sui) Switzerland, at 23 seconds
5. Edward Theuns (Bel) Trek-Segafredo, at 5-16
6. Juan Sebastian Molano (Col) UAE Team Emirates
7. Omar Fraile (Esp) Astana-Premier Tech
8. Mike Teunissen (Ned) Team Jumbo-Visma
9. Fred Wright (GBr) Team Bahrain Victorious
10. Michael Matthews (Aus) Team BikeExchange, all at same time

General classification after stage four

1. Methieu van der Poel (Ned) Alpecin-Fenix, in 12-40-51
2. Julian Alaphilippe (Fra) Deceuninck - Quick-Step, at 1 second
3. Stefan Küng (Sui) Groupama-FDJ, at 4s
4. Max Schachmann (Ger) Bora-Hansgrohe, at 6s
5. Mattia Cattaneo (Ita) Deceuninck - Quick-Step, at 13s
6. Iván García (Esp) Movistar Team, at 16s
7. Richard Carapaz (Ecu) Ineos Grenadiers, at 17s
8. Neilson Powless (USA) EF Education-Nippo, at 29s
9. Andreas Kron (Den) Lotto-Soudal, at 37s
10. Stefan Bissegger (Sui) EF Education-Nippo, at 38s

Alberto Bettiol paid tribute to the victims of the Mottarone cable car crash as well as his former agent who passed away last year after winning his first Grand Tour stage on stage 18 of the Giro d'Italia 2021.

Bettiol (EF-Nippo) has shown throughout this race that he has been one of the strongest riders on almost all terrain, solid time trials, supporting his leader Hugh Carthy in the mountains and performing well on the flat and hilly stages too.

Just a day after looking after Carthy in the mountains, where he was the last man with him, staying by the British rider's side all the way to the line, the Italian Bettiol went into the breakaway and put in a sensationally strong showing.

>>> Peter Sagan explains why he didn’t go for breakaway on stage 18 of Giro d’Italia 2021

Speaking after the stage he said: “It really means a lot for me, for my team and for the people that always believe in me. It’s a gift that I want to give to my former agent Mauro Battaglini who passed away last year, he was like a second father to me so this victory is for him. For sure, he looks at me from the sky. I also want to give a thought to all the victims in the Mottarone cable car and all the families."

It looked for all the world that Bettiol was going to be fighting it out for second place after French time trial champion, Rémi Cavagna (Deceuninck - Quick-Step) went on the attack with 26km to go, but Bettiol worked at it and soloed over the Frenchman before dropping him on the final climb.

“I’m also one of the best time trialists in the world," Bettiol fired back, "But no, the final was really hectic because a lot of guys looked at me with everyone in my wheel and I was sure that a strong guy like Rémi Cavagna would try something.

“But fortunately it’s the third week of the Giro d’Italia and fortunately the final was really hard so I can use my legs that have come back after struggling earlier in the race.

“In the end I caught him and I immediately attacked. I was really at a block but I tried to hit him mentally. In the end, I was scared of Nico Roche, he is also a friend of mine but in the final, he didn’t really help me, which is okay.

“I had Matti Breschel in the car to help me and drive me really well, he was one of my team-mates when I won the Tour of Flanders and now he’s my sports director so it’s also a gift for him.”

Alberto Bettiol powers to first Grand Tour stage win

Alberto Bettiol (EF-Nippo) came out on top after chasing down and dropping the French time trial champion, Rémi Cavagna (Deceuninck - Quick-Step) in the final 8km before soloing to the line.

It looked for all the world that Cavagna had it in the bag, but the 2019 Tour of Flanders winner Bettiol had other ideas and used the short climbs to his advantage.

Attacking on the penultimate kick, Bettiol powered it on along the valley bottom with Nicolas Roche (DSM) bridging to the Italian before being dropped on the final climb. Bettiol made it to Cavagna and continued his pace past him which cracked the Frenchman.

Bettiol then managed to solo to the line as Cavagna started slipping back out of contention. Simone Consonni (Cofidis) sprinted to second place, passing Roche just before the line.

It's 27-year-old Bettiol's first Grand Tour stage win, and first-ever professional win in his home country. As one of the stand-out riders of the Giro d'Italia so far in his support of Hugh Carthy, it's a win his performances thoroughly deserved.

Rémi Cavagna's planned move didn't have the legs

Cavagna said at the start of the day that he wanted to get into the breakaway and go for the stage win after a fairly innocuous Giro so far.

He got in the main break and put in a huge attack with 26km to go. Gianni Vermeersch (Alpecin-Fenix) tried to follow but immediately sat back down and was swallowed up by the rest of the break.

Cavagna then put on a nervy show on the first descent, going wide on multiple corners. Bettiol then used the next climb to hit away from the chasing group. Cavagna's gap started to drop with the Frenchman being caught near the top of the final climb.

The Deceuninck - Quick-Step rider had absolutely nothing left and blew up, finishing back in ninth on the day, 24 seconds behind Bettiol.

It was back in 2018 when Deceuninck - Quick-Step took a stage win at the Giro d'Italia with Max Schachmann coming out on top. 

Important easy stage for Ineos Grenadiers and Egan Bernal

Egan Bernal will be hoping that he has put stage 17 behind him as he passes Nairo Quintana in the record for a Colombian in the leaders' jersey at the Giro d'Italia, with 10 days in pink.

But the long slow day for him and his team-mates may be exactly what he needs going into two big mountain stages and the final individual time trial to finish off the race in Milan. 

After the stage, Bernal said he hopes that he has put his bad legs behind him with no mention of his back problems that saw him abandon last year's Tour de France.

More General Classification riders abandon

Yet more big-name riders abandoned the race ahead of stage 18 of the Giro d'Italia, with Giulio Ciccone (Trek-Segafredo), who slipped from sixth to 10th on Wednesday's stage after a crash, abandoning before the start.

The Italian did actually sign on for the stage but after his team doctor assesed him again, the decision was taken to keep him safe and pull him out of the race.

Ciccone crashed along with Remco Evenepoel (Deceuninck - Quick-Step) who also announced that would not start the 18th day at the Giro due to his injuries.

They join the likes of Mikel Landa (Bahrain Victorious), Pavel Sivakov (Ineos Grenadiers), and multiple other big-name riders who have left the race.

Sprinters miss last chance for a win

It was the last realistic stage for the fast-men at the Giro d'Italia but Peter Sagan (Bora-Hansgrohe), Fernando Gaviria (UAE Team Emirates), Davide Cimolai (Israel Start-Up Nation) and Elia Viviani (Cofidis) all marked each other out of the day's key breakaway.

The peloton then decided to let the break go instead of dragging it back, with Sagan and his Bora-Hansgrohe team happy to let the escapees hoover up the sprint points and protect the ciclamino jersey from Cimolai and Gaviria.

It is likely that Sagan will now hold the points jersey all the way to the finish now as long as he makes time cuts and doesn't crash out.

Alberto Bettiol put in a storming performance to win stage 18 of the Giro d'Italia alone from the breakaway.

The Italian made it into the day's 23-rider break and was forced to chased down a surging Rémi Cavagna (Deceuninck - Quick-Step), who had attacked solo 25km from home.

But Bettiol (EF Education-Nippo) was untouchable, kicking off the pursuit 15km from the line, catching Cavagna on the final climb and riding him off his wheel. 

The Tour of Flanders winner pressed on hard in the final 5km alone to take another huge victory. 

How it happened 

The profile of stage 18 of the Giro d’Italia 2021 will have come as a massive relief for the general classification contenders, as the day looked like a prime opportunity for the sprinters or a breakaway.

Starting in the city of Rovereto in northern Italy, riders faced the longest stage of this year’s race, 231km to Stradella in the Lombardy region. 

After a lumpy opening 70km, the peloton then had a pan-flat ride through the middle sectors, before the decisive hills began around 40 from the finish.

Those climbs started with an uncategorised ramp, followed by a fourth-category climb to Castana (5.3km at 3.9 per cent), then two final uncategorised ascents, stretching to 1.4km and 2.6km respectively. 

After the final climb, the stage closed out with a 6km downhill run to the line. 

Racing started early in the day with a fierce battle to establish a breakaway, as the stage hunters knew this was a strong opportunity to escape the bunch and make it to the line. 

It took a long time for a break to form, but after 30km a leading group was finally established, with 23 riders from 16 different teams represented

That break included a number of serious stage contenders, including Alberto Bettiol (EF Education-Nippo), Patrick Bevin (Israel Start-Up Nation), Nicolas Roche (Team DSM) and Remi Cavagna (Deceuninck - Quick-Step).

Very quickly it became clear that the GC and sprint teams were happy to chalk this stage up to a breakaway day, and after 120km the escapees had built up an insurmountable 11-minute lead. 

With the decision to let the breakaway win the day made, the stage remained quiet until 30km from the finish, as Samuele Battistella (Astana-Premier Tech) kicked off the attacking in group one, with Bevin launching his own attack shortly after.

Then on the ramps of the category four Castana climb, Cavagna launched a devastating attack and immediately pulled clear of his breakaway rivals to establish himself out front, alone.

Roche and Bettiol tried to pursue, but Cavagna only extended his advantage over the next climbs.

With 16km left to race, Cavagna had pulled out a 30-second advantage, with 12 riders in the chasing group behind, including Bevin and Roche. 

Meanwhile, the peloton let the gap slip out to 18 minutes, as they cruised through the stage, relieved for an easy day after the brutal Sega di Ala the previous day. 

At the 15km mark, Bettiol launched his move and was followed by Roche, with the pair working together to try and bring back Cavagna and with 10km they’d knocked the gap down to 17 seconds.  

Into the final kilometres, Bettiol had 20 seconds over Roche behind, riding to the line to take another huge victory after his 2019 win in the Tour of Flanders. 

Simone Cosonni (Cofidis) led in the minor placings, with Roche taking third. 

>>> Damiano Caruso: Seeing Egan Bernal suffering just like me was good for morale

The peloton then cruised into the finish around 20 minutes down on the winner, with Egan Bernal (Ineos Grenadiers) safely holding onto the maglia rosa for another day. 

The Giro returns to the mountains on stage 19, with a 166km summit finish from Abbiategrasso to Alpe di Mera.  

Giro d'Italia 2021 stage 18, Rovereto to Stradella (231km) 

1. Alberto Bettiol (Ita) EF Education First-Nippo, in 5-14-43
2. Simone Consonni (Ita) Cofidis, at 17 seconds
3. Nicolas Roche (Irl) Team DSM
4. Nikias Arndt (Ger) Team DSM
5. Diego Ulissi (Ita) UAE Team Emirates
6. Samuele Battistella (Ita) Astana-Premier Tech
7. Filippo Zana (Ita) Bardiani-CSF-Faizanè
8. Natnael Tesfatsion (Eri) Androni-Giocattoli Sidermec, all at same time
9. Rémi Cavagna (Fra) Deceuninck-Quick-Step, at 24s
10. Jacopo Mosca (Ita) Trek-Segafredo, at 1-12 

General classification after stage 18

1. Egan Bernal (Col) Ineos Grenadiers, in 77-10-18
2. Damiano Caruso (Ita) Bahrain Victorious, at 2-21
3. Simon Yates (GBr) Team BikeExchange, at 3-23
4. Aleksandr Vlasov (Rus) Astana-Premier Tech, at 6-03
5. Hugh Carthy (GBr) EF Education-Nippo, at 6-09
6. Romain Bardet (Fra) Team DSM, at 6-31
7. Daniel Martínez (Col) Ineos Grenadiers, at 7-17
8. João Almeida (Por) Deceuninck - Quick-Step, 8-45
9. Tobias Foss (Nor) Jumbo-Visma, at 9-18
10. Dan Martin (Irl) Israel Start-Up Nation, at 13-37

Rapha’s new TT Aero kit, which it has spent two years developing and testing at Loughborough University and the Silverstone wind tunnel, is to be debuted at the Giro d'Italia with EF Education-Nippo, with Canyon//SRAM to race in it later this month.

Rapha says wind tunnel data showed the new men’s package produced a 12.4W energy saving at 55kph and one degree of yaw compared with the old team-issue package.

The brand says it evaluated over 100 fabrics and fabric combinations to find the perfect fabric suite for the suits, socks, overshoes and mitts. Textured fabrics were tested at Loughborough University, in its state-of-the-art wind tunnel laboratory.

Using race data provided by the teams, Rapha says it developed a unique formula to identify the fastest materials in a real-world context, across an entire race profile taking energy expenditure into account.   

According to the British brand, it targeted the design to the specific energy expenditure of the athlete rather than just the average speed or the lowest drag measured in the tunnel.

“Where texture is not required for drag-reducing benefit, we elected to use the lightest weight smooth fabrics available to offer high compression and a second skin fit, whilst improving thermal regulation.

“Using the revolutionary wind tunnel at the Silverstone Sports Engineering Hub, which is specifically designed to analyse cycling performance, we were able to evaluate the effectiveness of each skinsuit.”

Rapha says over 40 skinsuits were tested using male and female athletes. These prototypes tested different fabric combinations, seam placements, fit, fabric tension and garment construction techniques.

Dr Barney Wainwright, senior research fellow and practitioner in cycling aerodynamics and biomechanics at Leeds Beckett University, said: “This project was a great example of how design, specific fabric wind tunnel testing, modelling and wind tunnel testing of the rider and bike came together to find the optimum solution for the specific needs of the team.

“The results that we gathered at each stage allowed us to fine tune both the pattern and fabric choice to ensure that the skinsuit and sock package both complement each other at the race-specific air speeds.  

“We configured the test environments in the wind tunnel to replicate the conditions found in Grand Tour time trial stages, which included multiple speed and wind angles. This attention to detail and specificity, which considerably increased the time required in the wind tunnel, provided detailed insight which differentiated between small differences in pattern and fabric. This approach was fundamental in identifying the optimal product choices.” 

The pinnacle product in the new Rapha range is the TT Aerosuit, but Rapha says it has been able to apply the knowledge learnt on the project to the development of our commercial range, starting with its SS22 collection.

Rapha has created an ‘away kit’ to replace EF Education-Nippo’s regular pink racewear at the Giro d'Italia. Trade teams’ colours cannot clash with the famous maglia rosa, so the British brand has designed an ensemble that includes every colour but pink.

For the next three weeks, all eight of the team’s riders will be racing in the 'Euphoria' collection, which is, according to Rapha, “a kaleidoscopic creation, designed to celebrate people from different backgrounds and nations coming together in pursuit of a common goal. From Italy to the world, look out for a splash of colour at the first Grand Tour of 2021.”

EF’s Giro switch-out kit became one of the talking points of last year’s race. Rapha collaborated with Palace skateboards and came up with a truly psychedelic scheme featuring a duck… which landed them a CHF 4,500 ($5,000) fine. It wasn’t the duck itself that the governing body objected to – the duck jersey was different from the one submitted to the UCI during the team presentation and was, therefore, non-compliant.

No pink, no problem, say the team – and the pointed inclusion of every colour but pink in this year's Euphoria scheme looks like a little bit of UCI-baiting, set in motion at the beginning of this season by a new kit that was described as “the world’s most compliant.”

They say there’s no pink, but if you look closely at the front of the jersey there’s a semi-circular splodge of pink that vaguely resembles a stuck-out tongue...

The Rapha Euphoria collection will be available to buy from the end of May.

Hugh Carthy has extended his contract with EF Education-Nippo by two years after he has put in several fantastic displays while riding for the squad.

Carthy agreed to sign the new two-year contract as he says he is very happy with riding at the team even though they're an unusual mix of riders on paper.

The 26-year-old really burst into peoples consciousness when he took a solo victory at the Tour de Suisse in 2019, riding alone for 98km over three huge mountain passes in the Swiss Alps.

On his new contract, Carthy said: "I chose to stay at EF simply because the team feels right. We’re a weird mix of riders but we form a team.

"When it feels right staying seems the only logical option. I’ve had some nice memories and made good friends here amongst riders and staff. I want to continue on this journey and play my part in the team’s great legacy."

>>> Peter Sagan thanks team for ‘continued support’ amid contract uncertainty

The so-called 'Lancashire Long-Shot', Carthy has developed into a very strong rider for the Grand Tours, proving that at the 2020 Vuelta a España. 

Carthy went on to take third overall and stand on the podium with winner Primož Roglič (Jumbo-Visma) and second-place Richard Carapaz (Ineos Grenadiers) in Madrid.

Carthy continued: "My favourite memory with the team must have been the Vuelta 2020, the team really knitted together those three weeks and was the best team performance I’ve witnessed here.

"I’ve been in Grand Tours before where you settle into survival mode and the whole thing drags, so a few years ago I said no more survival mode, take every day as it comes, enjoy every stage and then it passes a lot quicker.

"I’m looking forward to trying to lead the team to success and have fun doing it, not just focus on being good bike riders but good people, too."

Team boss Jonathan Vaughters signed Carthy from Spanish squad Caja Rural for the 2017 season. Carthy had spent two years at the team living in Spain. Before that, the lad from Preston started his career at British continental team, Rapha-Condor.

Vaughters said: "Over the past few seasons he has really blossomed as a climber and has become a leader in this team as well. We are excited to have Hugh Carthy be part of the future of this team.

"Hugh represents this team’s foundational values. He works hard, isn’t scared to punch above his weight and, most importantly, he stays true to himself. We knew his work ethic would pay off, and we’re just glad people are starting to notice."

Carthy's next race is set to be the Giro d'Italia where he will lead the team as they battle against some of the world's best Grand Tour riders such as Simon Yates (BikeExchange), Egan Bernal (Ineos Grenadiers) and Mikel Landa (Bahrain Victorious).

After a steady march over the last five years British climber Hugh Carthy reached his first Grand Tour podium at the Vuelta a España. Vern Pitt finds out how the 26-year-old got there, conquered the fearsome Alto de l’Angliru and why thin bar tape is a must.

Hugh Carthy is giving a sermon on pastry. “Sometimes people try and compensate for the filling of a pie by just putting more pastry in. It’s like a Yorkshire pudding on a Sunday dinner they’re putting in pastry to make up for what they lack in everything else,” he tells CW. Having previously heard Carthy wax lyrical about butter pies, the potato and pastry delicacy of his home town Preston, we’ve idly asked him if he has a strong view on whether a pie needs to be contained within pastry or if a puff top on a hotpot-style filling will do?

It is self-evidently a daft question but Carthy is giving it some serious thought, “Just a pie with the topping is good enough for me,” he says. Then a pause. “With a Pork pie though having the pastry underneath is helpful so you can pick it up with your hands. But I wouldn’t get my knickers in a twist about it.” 

It’s highly entertaining watching the gears of his brain tick over this topic, as they will do on many other things in the course of our conversation, working out in real time where he stands on this crucial baked-good conundrum, tongue firmly in his cheek at all times.

Eventually CW interjects: “I do probably need to ask you some questions about cycling, Hugh.” 

“I think I’d rather to talk about pies to be honest,” he deadpans.

>>>> Subscribe to Cycling Weekly magazine for pro interviews, race previews and more each week

We’d not quite been primed to expect this from the 26-year-old Vuelta podium finisher.  Carthy has a reputation as a tough person to get talking. Witness one of his post stage TV interviews and you’ll see a young man who appears completely disinterested in the process. Carthy’s former team boss at JLT Condor, John Herety, warmly describes his curt on-camera grunts as “like a teenager”.

But none of that is apparent on Zoom on a weekday afternoon in February as Carthy speaks from his Andorra apartment. Perhaps being away from the pressure cooker of the race makes the difference. Or perhaps it’s simply not being confronted with the necessary (for the press) but tedious (for the riders) requests to recount the events of the last 45 minutes to someone you know has just watched them on TV while you’re still catching your breath.

Instead he’s considered, insightful and grounded. But above all there’s an arid sense of humour never far away. It’s that which led teammate Tejay Van Garderen to tell CW last year: “I love hanging out with him. He definitely is a stereotypical Brit.”

You can read the full interview in the April 22 issue of Cycling Weekly, on sale now. If you can't get to the shops you can have the issue delivered, or take out a subscription to have the magazine delivered each week and take advantage of a reduced introductory rate.

Stefan Bissegger dominated the 2021 Paris-Nice time trial on stage three, beating former world champions and Grand Tour winners to take the overall lead.

The EF Education-Nippo rider set off late in the day and had some tough times to beat ahead of him, including the likes of Primož Roglič and Rémi Cavagna.

But 22-year-old Bissegger wasn't daunted by the calibre of his rivals, setting the fastest time at the intermediate timing check and narrowly holding onto his advantage by the finish.

Bissegger won the stage by a solitary second over Rémi Cavagna (Deceuninck - Quick-Step), with his performance also catapulting him into the race lead after usurping Michael Matthews (BikeExchange).

How it happened

The third stage of Paris-Nice 2021 was set to be a decisive moment in the fight for the overall title, as riders took on a short 14.4km individual time trial course around the town of Gien.

Opening with a short flat section, the road then turned upward 2km into the route for a short climb, followed by a rolling middle section and a fast downhill finish from the 11km mark. 

The road then ramped up in the final 100 metres with a tough sharp climb to the line. 

The fastest of the early times went to former double world time trial champion Rohan Dennis (Ineos Grenadiers), who flew around the course in a time of 17-48, with an average speed of 48.5km/h, which comfortably placed him at the top of the standings. 

But Dennis’s time was almost toppled by his team-mate Dylan Van Baarle, who also set a time of 17-48 but was a fraction of a second slower with an average speed of 48.4km/h. 

The general classification contenders then began to take to the course, with Jumbo-Visma’s Steven Kruijswijk crossing the intermediate time check in second place, just three seconds slower than Dennis, then coming in to the finish with an impressive time of 17.54, which provisionally put him in the top-five. 

Giro d’Italia winner Tao Geoghegan Hart put in a slightly disappointing TT performance, finishing around 30 seconds down on his rivals, while reigning champion Max Schachmann (Bora-Hansgrohe) put in a storming ride to finish just two seconds slower than Kruijswijk.  

While it was beginning to look like Dennis may have secured his first time trial win since the 2019 World Championships in Yorkshire, Team DSM’s Søren Kragh Andersen took to the course and looked to be in untouchable form.

After passing through the first timing check two seconds faster than Dennis, Andersen was able to maintain his advantage at the finish and knock the Australian out of the hotset with a three-second advantage.

But the win wasn’t secure yet for the Dane, with Hour Record-holder Victor Campenaerts (Qhubeka-Assos) and GC contender Primož Roglič (Jumbo-Visma) both powering through the intermediate time check still within touching distance. 

By the finish, Campenaerts had fallen well behind and was outside of the top placings, but double Vuelta a España winner Roglič hit the final climb with a blistering pace and powered his way to the line out of the saddle.

The Slovenian dominated not only his GC rivals, but also the stage leaders, moving into the provisional lead for the stage with a 17-41, four seconds faster than Andersen. 

But Roglič wasn’t allowed the chance to enjoy his time in the lead, as Rémi Cavagna was obliterating the course.

The Frenchman gave absolutely everything and smashed Roglič’s time by six seconds, taking the provisional lead with a time of 17-34, an average speed of 49,1/km/h. 

While it looked like Cavagna may have finally found the winning time, EF Education-Nippo had other ideas as their young Swiss rider Stefan Bissegger came through with an absolutely remarkable time. 

Bissegger crossed the line just one-second faster than Cavagna, after holding an average speed of 49.17km/h, but it was enough to secure his first ever pro TT win in his first full season at WorldTour level.  

Having wrapped up the stage victory, the next question for Bissegger was whether he could take the leader’s yellow jersey from the shoulders of Michael Matthews.

Matthews looked to be losing his grip on the race lead and the mid-way timing check and came to the finish climb with just a few seconds left on his race lead.

By the line Matthews had slipped back to 17th on the stage and had lost 23 seconds to Bissegger, falling out of the race lead in the process.

>>> Vincenzo Nibali says riders should switch off bike computers following Mathieu van der Poel’s Strade Bianche win  

Bissegger now leads Paris-Nice, but sits on the same time as Cavagna in third. 

Roglič now sits third overall, just six seconds behind the leader.  

Results

Paris-Nice 2021 stage three, Gien to Gien (14.4km ITT)

1. Stefan Bissegger (Sui) EF Education-Nippo, in 17-34

2. Rémi Cavagna (Fra) Deceuninck - Quick-Step, at same time

3. Primož Roglič (Slo) Jumbo-Visma, at 6s

4. Brandon McNulty (USA) UAE Team Emirates, at 9s

5. Søren Kragh Andersen (Den) Team DSM, at 10s

6. Rohan Dennis (Aus) Ineos Grenadiers), at 13s

7. Christophe Laporte (Fra) Cofidis, at same time

8. Dylan van Baarle (Ned) Ineos Grenadiers, at 14s

9. Yves Lampaert (Bel) Deceuninck - Quick-Step, at 16s

10. Patrick Bevin (Nzl) Israel Start-Up Nation, at same time

General classification after stage three

1. Stefan Bissegger (Sui) EF Education-Nippo, in 8-37-11

2. Rémi Cavagna (Fra) Deceuninck - Quick-Step, at same time

3. Primož Roglič (Slo) Jumbo-Visma, at 6s

4. Brandon McNulty (USA) UAE Team Emirates, at 9s

5. Michael Matthews (Aus), Team BikeExchange, at same time

6. Søren Kragh Andersen (Den) Team DSM, at 10s

7. Mads Pedersen (Den) Trek-Segafredo, 12s

8. Christophe Laporte (Fra) Cofidis, at 13s

9. Dylan van Baarle (Ned) Ineos Grenadiers, at 14s

10. Yves Lampaert (Bel) Deceuninck - Quick-Step, at 15s

Lachlan Morton and Alex Howes are currently dominating the top of the leaderboard in the Old Man Winter Rally.

The WorldTour pros, both riding for EF Education-Nippo, have taken on the brutal 100km off-road event in their home state Colorado. 

Reigning US champion Howes and team-mate Morton made a last-minute decision to enter the socially distanced race, completing the course in the fastest time so far with four days still remaining in the competition. 

The elite level riders as well ahead of their nearest contender, setting a time 24 minutes faster than third place.

The 2021 edition, which features a 50km and 100km off-road rides or a 10km run (or both), sees competitors given a nine-day window to complete the course and then upload their GPS file to be included on the leaderboard, with the winner being declared after February 14. 

Morton, 29, currently sits top of the 100km bike event with a time of 2-29-57, with Howes second at 2-30-00. Third place is currently David Sachs with a time of 2-54-12. 

The women’s competition is currently led by 2019 winner Erin Huck, who finished the course in 2-57-01. 

“We wanted to get out there and put time on the board. We also just wanted to show our support for the event and the Colorado riding community,” Howes said. 

“Normally Old Man Winter is a great opportunity to see and spend time with many of my riding buddies here in Colorado. I was bummed to miss out on seeing everyone, but we still had a great time this year.” 

Howes and Morton only decided to enter the contest on Thursday (February 4), just two days before the event started.

When Howes text Morton asking if he wanted to race, he received a thumbs up emoji from his Australian team-mate and the date was set. 

The pair made it through the challenging 100km course with a puncture and a crash for Morton, but they still set the fastest time. 

Riders and runners traditionally face all kinds of challenges on the day in the Old Man Winter Rally, based around the city of Lyons, including rain, snow and hailstorms. 

The 100km ride is a challenging course featuring gravel roads, some tough climbs, fast tarmac and the infamous Rowena trail.

Split into two timed segments, this year riders can choose to complete the two segments on the same day or split them across different days. 

The last bike event held was in 2019 (after the rides were cancelled last year) and the fastest male finisher was Yannick Eckmann, with a time of three hours and 30 minutes, just four seconds ahead of second place Ken Benesh. 

>>> Mark Cavendish will make 2021 Deceuninck – Quick-Step debut this week  

Erin Huck was the fastest female finish with a time of four hours, while Trek Segafredo’s Ruth Winder came in second.    

Portuguese riders João Almeida and Ruben Guerreiro have both become clients of the football agent Jorge Mendes' sports marketing company Polaris Sport, who have partnered with João Correia's Corso Sport, of which the riders are clients.

This means that Polaris will promote the two riders who both had exceptional seasons in 2020, both performing superbly at the Giro d'Italia with Almeida (Deceuninck - Quick-Step) wearing the leader's pink jersey for two weeks, Guerreiro (EF Education-Nippo) winning the blue mountains jersey and a stage at the same race.

>>> Chris Froome skips first training camp with new team Israel Start-Up Nation

Corso has a huge list of superb young talent in the cycling world, such as former world champion, Mads Pedersen (Trek-Segafredo), Giro d'Italia winner Tao Geoghegan Hart (Ineos Grenadiers) and Tour de France stage winner Søren Kragh Andersen (Team Sunweb). But these riders will not be promoted by Polaris.

In a press release, the company said: "Polaris Sports and Corso have just established a partnership agreement which aims to optimise the commercial perspectives of Portuguese athletes that work with [Corso] in an association that is expected to be fruitful and successful,

"It is with enthusiasm that we welcome these athletes who, from now on, join the constellation of Polaris Sports, which manages the commercial aspect of the career of some of the most recognised athletes in the world."

Mendes himself is famous for being the agent of Juventus star Cristiano Ronaldo, as well as Tottenham Hotspur's manager José Mourinho, as well as having links with multiple other clubs, players, and managers plus Ferrari Formula One driver, Charles Leclerc.

Both Guerreiro and Almeida have come through similar paths with both riders starting out at American development team, Hagens Bermans Axeon. Both had an amazing 2020 season with Almeida hoping to do more in Grand Tours in the future as he goes into his second year as a WorldTour rider.

Guerreiro ended the year badly when he was hit by a car while out training suffering a fractured clavicle and will have to have surgery, delaying his start to the 2021 season.

EF Pro Cycling has announced a new headline sponsor for 2021.

The US-based WorldTour squad has welcomed Japanese construction and asphalt company Nippo Corporation as a joint partner, as the team will change name to EF Education-Nippo. 

EF, run by former pro Jonathan Vaughters has also signed a number of riders from the Nippo Delko One Provence ProTeam as they announced their new backer. 

Vaughters said: “Our team comes from far and wide, and the same is true for our partner family. There is a freedom and freshness on our roster and in our thinking between our partners since we all come from so many different places in the world. I’m very proud of that fact.

“With Nippo Corporation joining us as a title sponsor next season, we will only add to our global approach to professional cycling and exploration.”

This will be the first venture into the WorldTour for Nippo, which is ending its ProTeam sponsorship next season but will also be supporting the Swiss Continental squad Nippo-Provence-PTS Conti. 

The corporation builds 90 per cent of the velodromes in Japan, also sponsoring a number of  racing teams in Japan and Europe since 1988. 

Director of sport for the sponsor, Hiroshi Daimon said: “It is the first time for Nippo Corporation to participate in the WorldTour, and we are thrilled and excited. It’s a new adventure for us.

“We are excited to contribute as much as possible to furthering the success of the EF Pro Cycling team across the world.”

>>> Chris Froome confirms first race with his new team for 2021

EF has signed Japanese pro Fumiyuki Beppu to the squad from the Nippo ProTeam, along with Frenchman Julien El Fares.

Daimon said: “We hope that the Japanese athletes and technical staff, from mechanics, to soigneurs who join the team, will gain more experience and contribute to the development of Japanese cycling.” 

Have you ever wanted a pro level bike that has ridden 3,000-plus kilometres in the Tour de France?

Well, now you have a chance to win Rigoberto Urán's Cannondale SystemSix that he rode to eighths place in the general classification.

You are able to enter a sweepstake to try and win the bike, starting from December 1 and finishing on December 31, available in United States, Canada (excluding Quebec), Austria, France, Germany, Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and Switzerland. To enter the competition for free, click here.

The competition is in celebration of what was one of the closest Tours de France we've had in years - in such a bizarre and unpleasant year, the Grand Tours really brought some joy to our screens.

>>> Cyclocross rider hospitalised after disc brake causes wound

The bike is straight from the Champs-Élysées complete with signed race number still fixed to the bike, Shimano Dura-Ace Di2g groupset, Vision Metron 55 race wheels plus a Hollowgram crankset with a Power2max power meter included.

It is built to Urán's exact measurements but is a 51cm frame and a unique, one-of-a-kind, bike of one of the most popular riders in the WorldTour peloton.

The Colombian climber, affectionately nicknamed Mick Jagger, has been one of the leading Grand Tour riders of his generation with three Grand Tour podiums - two at the Giro d'Italia and one at the Tour de France.

He has been a professional rider since 2007 and has raced for five teams including Team Sky, Quick-Step and his current team, EF Pro Cycling in a very successful career.

Taking nine career victories so far, he isn't a prolific winner, but the Colombian is a very classy rider with wins at the Tour, the Giro, Tour de Suisse and the Deine Deutschland Tour among others.

The Colombian announced in mid November that he will be renewing his contract with EF Pro Cycling to 2022 and that he hopes to target the Vuelta a España, as it is the only Grand Tour he has not managed to reach to podium.

Rigoberto Urán announced that he will extend his contract with EF Pro Cycling after another solid performance in the Tour de France.

The Colombian climber has only been on the start list for six races in this strange season that has been marred by the global pandemic, but still managed to get a solid top eight at the French Grand Tour, taking two ninth place stage finishes along the way.

Speaking during a virtual event hosted Tour Colsubsidio, Urán told guests he would be extending his contract with his current team. EF Pro Cycling are yet to officially announce the news.

Urán has been with EF in it's various forms since 2016, when he joined from Etixx - Quick-Step.

He has since managed various top-10s and podiums in Grand Tours and Classics including a second place overall at the 2017 Tour de France, just 59 seconds behind the winner, Chris Froome (Ineos Grenadiers).

>>> Tour de Yorkshire 2021 has been postponed

Urán says that he was relieved that he was able to perform so well at the Tour after recovering from an awful crash at the Vuelta a España in 2019 where he broke his left collarbone, shoulder blade, some ribs and a couple of vertebrae along with some damage to his lung.

He has been a key rider in guiding young climbers Dani Martínez, who took the overall title at this year's Critérium du Dauphiné, Hugh Carthy, who came third in the 2020 Vuelta a España, and Sergio Higuita, Colombian national road race champion and Vuelta stage winner.

Urán, 33, has indicated that he would like to aim for the Vuelta a España in the 2021 season, the only Grand Tour he is yet to get a podium in.

Another rider who has announced that he will be extending with the American team is Tejay Van Garderen, who has extended his contract for another year as he settles into a support role after not getting that big win as leader.

Van Garderen posted about his extension on Instagram saying "thrilled to announce I will be riding with EF Pro Cycling for the 2021 season.

"Going on season 12, and we got a lot of exciting things to look forward to."

The best placing the American had all season was a 21st place in the individual time trail at Paris-Nice.

The vast majority of Van Garderen's wins have come in his home country, with overall wins at the Amgen Tour of California in 2013 and the USA Pro Challenge in 2013 and 2014.

He is likely to play a similar role to Urán in supporting some of the younger riders, which has already been shown with him riding through the ITT at the Vuelta with Carthy, who went on to put in a great ride on the day.

Hugh Carthy says he’s got nothing to lose in the final week of the Vuelta a España 2020, after his huge time trial performance on stage 13. 

The EF Pro Cycling rider was amongst the strongest of the general classification contenders in the TT, finishing fourth on the stage and holding his podium spot overall.

But with just five stages remaining, Carthy says he’s willing to gamble for the victory.

In an interview with ITV after the TT, the Lancastrian said: “I’ve got nothing to lose so i’m going to gamble. Stage 17 is my best opportunity, but I think there’s a few dangerous stages that people haven’t really focussed on. There’s a few dark horse stages coming up and you’ve got to have your wits about you there, or things can go pear shaped.

“But I’ve got a stage win and several top performances, I haven’t really got anything to lose. I’m in a position where I can go home now happy, so there’s no pressure and no-one with a knife at my chest to finish the job.”

Carthy currently sits third overall, 47 seconds behind race leader Primož Roglič (Jumbo-Visma)  and just eight seconds behind second-place Richard Carapaz (Ineos Grenadiers), and already has his stage victory after a phenomenal performance on the Angliru on stage 12. 

But the opportunities for the GC contenders are running out with only one mountain-top finish left in the race, stage 17 to Alto de la Covatilla. 

>>> Five talking points from stage 13 of the Vuelta a España 2020 

Speaking about his TT ride, Carthy said: “I started off well, had good legs and I was able to carry on. I arrived at the climb pretty good, ahead of people on time, the confidence and the motivation carried me up the climb.” 

The 26-year-old recced the course with his team-mate Tejay van Garderen on the morning of the TT, who coached Carthy through the route. 

On whether it was the best TT he’d ever ridden, Carthy added: “It’s probably up there. It’s close to an evening 10 back at home.”

Hugh Carthy (EF Pro Cycling) has the necessary attributes including a strong time trial and should not be ruled out as a potential winner of the Vuelta a España, according to his manager at his first UCI team.

The Briton put in a storming ride to win atop Alto de l'Angliru on Sunday's stage 12, moving back to third on the podium and sitting just 32 seconds shy of leader Richard Carapaz (Ineos Grenadiers) and 22 seconds adrift of race favourite Primož Roglič (Jumbo-Visma)

Talk after the 26-year-old's success was if the Preston-born rider could go on and consolidate his podium position under the threat of Dan Martin (Israel-Start Up Nation) who is just three seconds shy of him.

But John Herety, who gave Carthy his first experience of UCI racing in 2013 and 2014 for the Continental outfit Rapha Condor, believes that his former prodigy should not be discounted for the overall win.

"A lot of people don't seem to realise it, and it surprised me at first, but he can do a really good time trial," Herety told Cycling Weekly.

"Look at the Giro last year [stage nine - ed]: it had a very similar profile to the Vuelta's TT on Tuesday and Hugh finished eighth, 1-30 down from Roglič. [Carapaz finished 25s down on Carthy - ed]

"Now Roglič should be the best again tomorrow, but to be in the top-10 in a Grand Tour time trial is pretty impressive.

>>> How do you solve a mystery like Hugh Carthy?

"It was unusual for a junior of his build to be a good time trialist - and it's still unusual now - but he can put out good power on a flat. As a junior, he would record 19-minute 10 mile TTs.

"At the end of the day, the riders that can climb and time trial make the best riders. As a young kid, one of his mentors was Randy Allsopp who was a time trialling legend in the north.

"He really helped Hugh, and Hugh was a classic club cyclist doing his club 10s. He grew up in the time trialling scene."

Although only one big mountain stage remains, Saturday's ascent of Alto de la Covatilla, a finishing kick to the line on stage 14 and a puncheur's profile on stage 15 could provide additional opportunities to gain further time. Should Carthy once again attack, Herety says he has an unconventional advantage.

"He's a nightmare to follow on his wheel - you don't want to be behind him," said Herety.

"He only gets away with his climbing style because he is as good as he is. When he gets out of the saddle, the bike goes backwards and it's not ideal. It doesn't look good, but he's always been the same. It's an erratic style.

"I think on Sunday he wasn't just going for the stage but also for the GC. He attacked to take time out of everybody and his ambition now will be to get more. He wants more.

>>> Chris Froome: ‘I’ve received countless tweets telling me to pack it in’

"I was surprised that he attacked a second time yesterday. To bring him back and then go again, that's special. He's an out-and-out climber and he's proving in this Vuelta that he can put it together consistently in a three-week stage race."

And what if the wind blows in northern Spain? "He can ride in crosswinds too. He really can. This Vuelta has a terrain that really suits him and he can keep this up."

Mike Woods said he hadn’t planned to make it into the breakaway before his victory on stage seven of the Vuelta a España.

The Canadian had intended to stay with EF Pro Cycling’s general classification leader Hugh Carthy, but as the race exploded on the road to  Villanueva de Valdegovia Woods had to jump into the escape.

After joining the huge breakaway, Woods then outclassed the likes of Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) and Omar Fraile (Astana) to take the stage.

Speaking after the finish, Woods said: “I had penciled in this stage a bit, but initially I wasn’t meant to get in the breakaway I was meant to be with Hugh, however the race just got so crazy and the group got so big I had to go across to make sure we had numbers in it and it paid off great for me.”

Woods and his team-mate Magnus Cort both made it into the large 40-rider front group, with Woods attacking on the second ascent of the Puerto de Orduña, before he was joined by three other breakaway riders.

With 1km left to race, Woods kicked again and broke clear of his rivals to take the stage with a four-second advantage.

The 34-year-old added: “That was a special day, it’s always amazing racing in the Basque Country. 

“I got away with those four other guys and they were riding super strong. I felt bad that I couldn’t pull through, but with Valverde, I just couldn’t pull through because we had Hugh Carthy in the peloton and we didn’t want to give him any more time in the classification. 

“So, I was able to sit in a bit and then I had a bit of luck, I had the legs and I just took the win.” 

“That was a special day, it’s always amazing racing in the Basque Country. I got away with those four other guys and they were riding super strong. 

>>> Tom Dumoulin abandons Vuelta a España 2020 

“I felt bad that I couldn’t pull through, but with Valverde, I just couldn’t pull through because we had Hugh Carthy in the peloton and we didn’t want to give him any more time in the classification. 

“So, I was able to sit in a bit and then I had a bit of luck, I had the legs and I just took the win.”

Michael Woods came out on top to take stage seven of the Vuelta a España 2020 out of a select group which was peppered with attacks in the closing kilometres.

Woods (EF Pro Cycling) was followed by Omar Fraile (Astana) and Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) who completed the podium just four seconds back on the man from Canada.

Richard Carapaz (Ineos Grenadiers) holds onto the leaders red jersey by 18 seconds of British rider, Hugh Carthy (EF Pro Cycling).

How it happened

The race started in Vitoria-Gasteiz before taking on a tricky route that took on a climb twice on the 159.7km course, the 7.8km Puerto de Orduña which averages 7.7 per cent and maxes out at 14 per cent before finishing in Villanueva de Valdegovía.

>>> Dan Martin says he ‘can’t wait’ to ride on the same team as Chris Froome in 2021

A break of 17 riders went away early on, including Sepp Kuss (Jumbo-Visma), Rui Costa (UAE Team Emirates), Alex Aranburu (Astana) and Niki Terpstra (Total Direct Energie) with a maximum gap of two minutes before another huge group of chasers behind formed.

The chasers came across to make a group of 40 riders including Alejandro Valverde (Movistar), Tim Wellens (Lotto-Soudal), Nans Peters (Ag2r La Mondiale), Guillaume Martin (Cofidis), Davide Formolo (UAE Team Emirates) and Woods.

The peloton was being controlled throughout the day by Ineos Grenadiers for the overall leader, Carapaz, keeping the time gap very low at around 1-40 when they went over the top of the first ascent of the climb.

In the break, Kuss, G. Martin, Peters and Robert Power (Team Sunweb) went away before the top where Kuss took the points and the virtual lead in the mountains classification, before they were swiftly brought back and the rain started to fall with 89km to go.

Behind, the peloton was being controlled by Cameron Wurf, Michał Gołas and Chris Froome of Ineos Grenadiers, holding the time gap and stretching out the peloton into one long line.

With 55km to go, Dorian Godon (Ag2r La Mondiale), Stan Dewulf (Lotto-Soudal) and Valverde attacked out of the front group taking 31 seconds on the chasers.

Wellens kicked out of the chase group with George Bennett (Jumbo-Visma) and Magnus Cort (EF Pro Cycling), this caused the gaps to plummet with the chasers getting to six seconds from the leaders before they got caught.

>>> No coronavirus positives at Vuelta a España after rest day

This led to Godon going on a solo attack as they descended down to Orduña before taking on the Puerto de Orduña. Valverde and Dewulf were brought back by the chasers.

Back in the peloton, the group was being split to bits with Israel Start-Up Nation riding hard on the front for Dan Martin before the pace slackened and Ineos took back control as they turned onto the final climb.

A vicious head wind whipped up and started to trouble the hoardings on the side of the road as they got onto the harder slopes of the climb as Movistar worked in the chase group for Valverde.

Kuss kicked on out of the break with 22km to go with Godon brought back, that group didn’t work then as Ide Schelling (Bora-Hansgrohe) attacked, Valverde, Kuss and Woods followed.

The rest of the break stayed with them for a moment before Woods pushed on solo on the steepest part of the climb with 22km to go.

Nans Peters was the next man to try and bridge across to Woods before Valverde kicked yet again, leaving Bennett, Kuss, Formolo and the rest behind with 20km to go.

Omar Fraile (Astana) attacked hard with Guillaume Martin across to Valverde and Peters as they still looked to try and catch Woods who was 15 seconds up the road with 19km to go.

Woods went over the top on his own but the four chasers closed in on him rapidly and joined Woods with 15km to go with 1-45 back to the peloton but just 18 seconds to the chasers.

The leaders started to pepper each other with attacks with 7km to go and it continued until 5km to go where Valverde got a small gap before Peters dragged the former world champion back yet again.

It was Fraile who kicked hard with 2.5km to go with Woods straight onto his wheel but Valverde dragged himself along with Martin and Peters back to the lead.

Woods then went solo again as they went into the final kilometre, behind Fraile hit out to try and bridge but the Spaniard was not able to catch him and he took victory in Villanueva de Valdegovía.

Carapaz keeps his 18 second lead of Carthy as they head to the next major mountain top finish on stage eight.

Results

Vuelta a España 2020, stage seven: Vitoria-Gasteiz to Villanueva de Valdegovía (159.7km)

1. Michael Woods (Can) EF Pro Cycling, in 3-48-16

2. Omar Fraile (Esp) Astana Pro Team, at 4 seconds

3. Alejandro Valverde (Esp) Movistar Team, at same time

4. Nans Peters (Fra) Ag2r La Mondiale, at 8s

5. Guillaume Martin (Fra) Cofidis, at same time

6. Rui Costa (Por) UAE Team Emirates, at 13s

7. Alex Aranburu (Esp) Astana Pro Team

8. Ide Schelling (Ned) Bora-Hansgrohe

9. Kenny Elissonde (Fra) Trek-Segafredo

10. Davide Formolo (Ita) UAE Team Emirates, all at same time.

General classification after stage seven

1. Richard Carapaz (Ecu) Ineos Grenadiers, in 28-23-51

2. Hugh Carthy (GBr) EF Pro Cycling, at 18 seconds

3. Dan Martin (Irl) Israel Start-Up Nation, at 20s

4. Primož Roglič (Slo) Jumbo-Visma, at 30s

5. Enric Mas (Esp) Movistar Team, at 1-07

6. Felix Großschartner (Aut) Bora-Hansgrohe, at 1-30

7. Marc Soler (Esp) Movistar Team, at 1-42

8. Esteban Cháves (Col) Mitchelton-Scott, 2-02

9. Alejandro Valverde (Esp) Movistar Team, at 2-03

10. George Bennett (NZl) Jumbo-Visma, at 2-39.

EF Pro Cycling has written to the UCI asking for the Giro d’Italia to be stopped on the second race day because of the coronavirus pandemic. 

The US WorldTour team sent a letter to cycling’s international governing body requesting the Italian Grand Tour be halted after stage 15, to prevent further spread of the virus, Eurosport reports. 

Covid-19 continues to fuel uncertainty at the Giro d’Italia, as three riders have left the race after catching the illness while two teams have pulled out due to safety concerns. 

In the letter, addressed to the UCI, Giro organiser RCS, and other teams, EF said: “It would be better for the Giro and the UCI World Tour…(if) this be done in a systematic, holistic way versus a chaotic withdrawal on a team by team basis.”

The team also asked that more testing be carried out before the second rest day on Monday (October 19) and that the race be cancelled sooner if more positive tests are returned.  

But the UCI has already denied the request, saying that all involved are ensuring the race stays as safe as possible. 

UCI president David Lappartient said: “We now face a challenge to finish the season and this can be achieved by continuing this spirit of collaboration and unity in professional cycling.” 

Pre-race favourites Simon Yates (Mitchelton-Scott) and Steven Kruijswijk (Jumbo-Visma) have already left the race after testing positive for coronavirus, along with Sunweb sprinter Michael Matthews.

>>> ‘We are starting to feel unsafe’: Will the Giro d’Italia make it to Milan?  

Mitchelton-Scott also had four staff members diagnosed with Covid-19 which resulted in the team pulling out of the race after the first rest day, along with Jumbo who also withdrew due to health concerns for their staff and riders.  

Further testing is due to be carried out on Thursday and Friday this week, the UCI said, while EF Pro Cycling said they will leave if they have one positive test.   

Just as we are all naturally drawn towards an underdog, we are equally enamoured by a result that makes a mockery of pre-event predictions. It is why, therefore, Alberto Bettiol’s 2019 Tour of Flanders victory had the characteristics of a modern cycling classic; a heist, if you will. A glorious steal of a victory that dumbfounded not just all race previews, but the man responsible for the race.

Wouter Vandenhaute, owner of race organisers Flanders Classics, was asked by a local newspaper in the days before Ronde if a smaller team could win. He said the parcours didn’t suit such an eventuality. Almost prophetically, it was suggested that Bettiol could win. “They are not going to win,” he remarked, referring to the Italian and other outsiders. Oh, poetic.

On the penultimate climb of the race, the Oude Kwaremont, with a sizeable group of favourites including Greg Van Avermaet and Peter Sagan present, Bettiol made his move. He looked back to find just space and no rivals, and over the ensuing 17km soloed towards not just his first Monument victory, but his first ever triumph as a professional cyclist aged 25.

“I never won a race. Why should I win the Tour of Flanders?” Those were his disbelieving words after he had stunned the cycling world last April. Seventeen months on, the world a more sheltered and fearful place craving hope and positivity, the kind Bettiol delivered under the spring clouds without a mask in sight, he will line up in Flanders on October 18 with race number one.

Can he believe it now? “Now, yes, but at the beginning it was all shock and it took a long time to get used to. The following month it was not easy to understand. But then gradually it became normal to live with.”

Bettiol was a protected rider for EF Education First, who also counted Sep Vanmarcke and Sebastian Langeveld in their team, but he did not feature in the race’s previews. His little billing was not lost on him. “My win was amplified because it was my first victory and nobody expected it,” the Italian tells Cycling Weekly. “Nobody pointed to me as a probable winner.” Quite.

Though he had shown promise in one-day races, in 315 race days as a professional, he had only finished in the top-three on four previous occasions, two of which had come in the preceding month at Tirreno-Adriatico.

To claim that his obscurity was the deciding factor in his shock win would be to discount his strengths – Van Avermaet and Wout van Aert both said that Bettiol was the strongest and made his move at exactly the right juncture. It would also disregard the plan and the work of his team, but equally his anonymity cannot be forgotten. “I had no expectation. I was free to make mistakes, free to drop, free to win - nobody expected me.”

EF Education First had devised their strategy in the weeks before the race: Bettiol would make his move early, and it was anticipated that he would be joined by a small group, which would then favour Langeveld being able to counter-attack. “The last time up the Kwaremont, Sep was doing a great job and it was clear to us that he had sacrificed himself for me and Sebastian,” Bettiol remembers. “I was the better climber so I had to try something there.

“To drop everyone on the Kwaremont though, that was not in the plan. Even I was not sure! From the team car, all I heard was ‘try now, otherwise it’s too late.’ I’d hope to bring two to four others with me, hang on in on the Paterberg and anticipate the sprint depending on who would be with me. But I’d dropped everyone.” He was aided by the work of Langeveld who prevented Van Avermaet from attacking, and relayed valuable information to Bettiol about the deteriorating state of the fatigued chase.

The likeable Bettiol remarked in the immediate aftermath of his victory that the “last 14 kilometres were the longest of my life. I kept thinking, ‘what am I doing? I am winning Ronde van Vlaanderen.”

>>> ‘The longest 14km of my life’: Alberto Bettiol left in disbelief after surprise Tour of Flanders win

He had raced Ronde four times previously and thought he could appreciate the race’s mythology and its setting. “But then to be the prime actor in that show…” he tails off. “And to win in such an attacking way, at the key point of the race – on the Kwaremont! I was going through with 15km to go, probably at 10-15kmh and then a second later I felt like I was going 100kmh. Racing in Flanders is different to other places in the world.

“You have to understand what Flanders is, what cycling means for Flemish people in Belgium. When you finally have the opportunity to race there, to breathe the air of cycling, only then do you understand. It’s not just a Monument, a one-day race, like Liège-Bastogne-Liège, for example; it’s a holy week for these people.”

Bettiol remains a rider with a paucity of victories: in February, he won the individual time trial at Etoile de Bessèges, his only win since the win. But his face is more respected in the peloton – feared, even - and since racing's return has finished fourth at both Strade Bianche and Ghent-Wevelgem.

>>> Tour of Flanders 2020 start list

“Huge. It is huge,” he says in response to being asked about the impact of his Flanders win. “The respect I have in the peloton… respect is not the right word, but people find me in the final of a race and they say ‘f**k, Bettiol is with me, I have to do something otherwise he kicks me’. I am a more considered rider by others.”

Perhaps more than anything, it helped to settle a few personal demons and doubts. He had always had a positive support base trusting and backing him, but he was sceptic of their belief. “I never believed it,” he says. But he continued to apply pressure on himself.

“The win helped me – it took away that pressure,” he reveals. “For me, every race was an exam: every race, it was like I was participating in the Tour de France. I had this pressure to show everyone how strong I was. I won Flanders, one of the hardest of races, and this means I now don’t have to show everyone every day. I finally paid back everyone who had believed in me.”

EF Pro Cycling have been fined 4,500 Swiss Francs, or £3,700, for wearing non-compliant clothing at the 2020 Giro d'Italia.

The team unveiled an eye-catching new kit at the team presentation before the start of the Italian Grand Tour, a result of a collaboration between Rapha and skate brand Palace so that EF's usual pink kit didn't clash with the maglia rosa, which has captured the dreams and nightmares of cycling fans around the world.

However, the team apparently failed to register the kits with the UCI in time, resulting in all eight of their riders as well as a sports director being fined 500 CHF each at the team presentation.

"Non-compliant clothing during podium obligations (Team Presentation, 01 October 2020)" read the reason for the fine on the letter sent to the team by the UCI.

>>> You thought the kit was mad? EF Pro Cycling introduce time trial helmet that looks like a duck for Giro d’Italia

"Oh UCI Cycling...you guys are always looking out for the best interest of the sport, aren't ya?" Jonathan Vaugthers said of the situation on Twitter. "Thanks for the $4000 of fines for wearing our crazy ducks. Hope David Lappartient [UCI President] enjoys his dinner - on us! Salud!"

The UCI released a statement the morning before stage two clarifying the situation, saying: "All jersey must first be submitted to the UCI in their final version for approval...including in the case of a temporary change of jersey for an event, in particular to avoid it resembling another team jersey or a leader's jersey in the general classification, as well as any prohibited sponsorship.

"The EF Pro Cycling team displayed a different jersey than the one previously submitted to the UCI during the presentation of the teams for the Giro d'Italia 2020. As a result, the team deliberately failed to comply with the regulatory process and was fined CHF 4,500 by the UCI Commissaires' Panel. The team was then invited to regularise its situation by the UCI, which allowed it to start the race with this jersey.

"The UCI would also like to point out that the proceeds of the fines are distributed as follows: 50% to the National Federation organising the event, 50% to the UCI."

The kits, which feature white dots on a purple jersey, alongside the Palace duck, have been a marketing hit for the team already at the Giro.

On the opening stage's time trial, the riders also wore TT helmets that looked like ducks, with eyes poking out on top of the visor, as well as a full duck face on the back.

Rapha, who’ve been making EF’s kit since 2019, said it collaborated with Palace because of its lack of involvement in cycling and knowledge of its traditions, hoping to make "a team kit quite unlike any other seen in the peloton so far."

EF Pro Cycling have certainly ruffled a few feathers with their one-off Giro d'Italia jersey, swapped in so the team doesn't clash with the maglia rosa, and their time trial helmet for the Italian Grand Tour is no different.

Team boss Jonathan Vaughters tweeted an image of the team's POC Tempor TT helmets for the race, which are adorned with a cartoon duck on the top.

The new kit is a collaboration with streetwear brand Palace, who's duck character features on some of their clothing.

The helmet will be worn on the opening stage one of the Italian Grand Tour, a time trial from Monreale to Palermo, before two further outings in the stage 14 race against the clock and the final stage 21 time trial in Milan.

In a video on EF's Instagram story unveiling the kit to their Giro squad, the riders are taken aback. "What is this?" laughs Lawson Craddock when he opens the case containing the helmet, before someone else adds "it's very loud, I mean...we already had a pretty loud kit. I didn't know it could be topped."

>>> EF Pro Cycling unveil new Rapha and Palace Skateboards kit for Giro d’Italia

Lachlan Morton, who will be riding his first-ever Giro d'Italia, is a fan of the new look.

"I reckon EF are going to want to keep it and look like this forever," he says.

"Do you think people are going to be giving us hate? Deep down it's just jealousy."

The jersey will be available to purchase in limited numbers, as well as other assorted merchandise featuring the offbeat design. There is no word, however, on whether the helmet will be offered up for public consumption.

The riders’ bikes will also have a new look, with the Cannondale SuperSix Evo, SystemSix, and Slice bikes featuring a new all-white Palace-inspired design.

Rapha, who've been making EF's kit since 2019, said it collaborated with Palace because of its lack of involvement in cycling and knowledge of its traditions, hoping to make "a team kit quite unlike any other seen in the peloton so far."

"Absolutely brilliant motivation tactics here by Jonathan Vaughters," one person tweeted.

"Every single EF rider will now be more motivated than ever to win their National Championship or take a leader's jersey."

It's your second race back after lockdown, how was that period for you?

"Lockdown was alright, yeah," Hugh Carthy tells me at the Critérium du Dauphiné, building form ahead of his debut Tour de France.

Your first Tour de France coming up, you excited for that?

"Yeah, excited, never done it before so I'm ready. Looking forward to it."

Hugh Carthy appears to be a man of few words, a rider content to let his legs do most of the talking.

This usually wouldn't be a problem, except there are only four British riders at the 2020 French Grand Tour, and this British cycling magazine would be one reporter lighter should I return home with only this interaction from the first Prestonian to ride the Grand Boucle.

>>> What happened to Johnny Hoogerland?

Carthy is lanky at 6ft 4, hair cut short and sporting a simple hoop in his left ear, visually giving him a touch more intrigue than your average glazed and mechanised member of the peloton. He's also far from being WorldTour cannon fodder, finishing 11th at the 2019 Giro d'Italia.

He's only posted 20 pictures on his Instagram and doesn't have a Twitter account. While other British riders endlessly share every detail of their lives with their thousands of followers, Carthy seems to keep himself to himself. It's clear that to find out who he is, we're going to have to do more than simply ask him.

"I’d say that’s pretty accurate," says Charly Wegelius, Carthy's sports director at EF Pro Cycling, of whether his rider prefers to let his legs speak for him most of the time. "I think he likes to do things his own way. He’s not very interested in what the outside world is saying, but privately he’s got a pretty good sense of humour."

A sense of humour he's unwilling to share with the outside world, in this economy?!

The two main recipients of Carthy's laughs, at least during the Tour, are said to be team-mate Tejay van Garderen and EF's British chiropractor Matt Rabin.

Come on then, what exactly does the Hugh Carthy comedy special entail?

"Being a Brit, and him being the only British rider on this team, we naturally gravitate towards each other because we share that sense of humour," Rabin says. "But his ability to transcend that sense of humour amongst some of the other riders has been quite interesting and entertaining.

"He’s got a particularly nice relationship with Tejay, they have a really good bond because Tejay gets on at him for his Britishness, and he gets on at Tejay for his Americanisms."

"Pronunciation, spelling, stuff like that," Van Garderen says of the Anglo-American relations on the tie-dye team. "Sometimes I have to remind him that we won the war, and that he should stay in his lane, that we run things now and he's just gonna have to get used to it.

"All joking aside, he's a great guy. I love hanging out with him. He definitely is a stereotypical Brit. When I ask him 'what kind of food do you like?' He says steak and kidney pie and I'm like, great, let me come over and try some of that.

"He has that sense of humour that really pushes your buttons, I cannot stay around him without just cracking up laughing all the time. Sometimes he's very dry and he always likes to be the contrarian. If everyone says 'this is great' he'll be the first to say 'nah it's s**t'.

"If everyone's talking about what their least favourite day in this Tour was, which was of course stage one with all those crashes, he'll be the first to be like 'that was all right, wasn't it?' He likes to go against the grain. You've just got to laugh at stuff like that but it definitely boosts morale to have him around."

From Peter Kay to Plato, Rabin adds that when Carthy isn't joking around he's contemplative.

"I think he’s very introspective, he’s a deep thinker. He’s quite emotive as well, in a range of what that can manifest itself as," Rabin shares. 

"I’ve spent a lot of time with Hugh during this Tour and very rarely do we talk about cycling. It's nice that he has a lot of interests in other sports as well."

What other interests?

"He loves what I would consider pub sports. He loves his darts, snooker, boxing, and I think it was at the Dauphiné he’d go back to his room and be sending me messages like ‘ah Matt, you've got to tune into BBC2 right now’ because he’d be watching hours of the snooker.

"There aren’t so many Brits in their mid-twenties who are bang into the snooker and literally staying up to watch the final frames of the semi-finals and messaging me saying I’ve got to tune in.

"He has a nice, broad interest in things other than cycling. It can get a bit much if you don’t put the bike away, you know what I mean?"

Between Wegelius, Rabin and Van Garderen, the same phrases keep cropping up during this indirect interrogation of Carthy's character.

"Comfortable in his own skin", "stays true to himself", "not living for anyone else's expectations". Or, as Wegelius puts it, "he's maybe the oldest 26-year-old I know."

"He doesn't want to put on a fake persona just for the public," Van Garderen continues. "If he knows you, he'll let you in and let you know who he is. But he doesn't feel the need to signal it to the rest of the world.

"Sometimes, I think him opening up a little bit wouldn't be a bad thing, just to kind of let people see who Hugh Carthy is. Because I think if he did that, he'd find that a lot of people would really like him."

Armed with this new knowledge, it's time to go ask a Tour de France rider about snooker.

"It's quite relaxing, methodical. I watch it, kind of trying to predict the shots and then seeing what shot they actually play and how bad you are at selecting shots," Hugh Carthy is away, having finally been asked a question that's not about bike racing.

"I like the players as well, they all seem down to Earth. One day I dream...well...not really a dream, but one day when I've finished racing I want to go and watch the snooker World Championships. Last year, when we were in China at the Tour of Guangxi, a few weeks earlier the Shanghai Masters had been on, so I missed that one. But it would be nice to go and watch a big tournament like that."

Quite a lane switch from cycling up stunning Alpine mountains to darkened rooms where white-gloved men arrange coloured balls neatly on a felt table.

"Sometimes you wish you could be a snooker player when you've fallen off and are sliding all over the road," Carthy says. "At those points, you think 'yeah, It'd be nice to be a snooker player'. Each sport has its own ups and downs. Cycling's a pretty healthy sport, snooker is played in dark rooms and involves a lot of travel."

The aforementioned contrarian in the 26-year-old's character then comes to light, saying supporting Ronnie O'Sullivan is a bit like being David Beckham fan, preferring the likes of Neil Robertson and "rough around the edges" players such as Stephen Maguire: "He looks like he's up for a fight all the time, punching the table and things."

After another tale from Carthy of how he stayed up with team-mate Julius van den Berg until 1am watching the darts on Sky Sports during a training camp in Spain last year, it's time to talk about his debut Tour de France.

"It's been hard, it's been demanding," he says. "You've got 170 of the best riders in the world who are on top form, any normal peloton you only have half that amount, it's just been a bit of a pressure cooker."

Despite this, Carthy was hovering around the upper quartile of the GC, eventually finishing 37th overall, two hours and 20 minutes behind Tadej Pogačar, the second-highest ranked Brit after Adam Yates (Mitchelton-Scott). He said he's been enjoying himself for the most part, taking a positive, open-minded approach into competing against the best in the world.

"Even now with limited fans you still line up for the stage and the flag drops and you feel that this is a big race. I've been enjoying it, though, enjoying every stage.

"I've been in Grand Tours before where you settle into survival mode and the whole thing drags, so a few years ago I said no more survival mode, take every day as it comes, enjoy every stage and then it passes a lot quicker.

"And if you're in that mode where you're looking for the race, then the race comes to you as well."

This prophecy came true on stage 13, as Carthy helped drag team-mate Dani Martínez up the road and into the break, setting the Colombian up for the stage win. 

"It was a nice day to be out front with Dani then winning the stage, nice to contribute to that," Carthy said. "It was well-received back at home, my friends and family enjoyed seeing me at the front in the biggest bike race in the world, it doesn't get much better than that."

Carthy has another year left to run on his contract with EF and looks to be developing into a rider who could one day achieve a result in a big race.

"If I'm going to make a comparison, he reminds me a lot of Ryder Hesjedal," Van Garderen says of his British team-mate. "Obviously Hesjedal won a Giro, won stages of everything, was a really great rider. You just look at his body type and the way he sits on the bike and I see a lot of similarities.

"I'd say the sky's the limit for Hugh I think. Given the right circumstances, he could find himself on the podium of a Grand Tour, or in a winning break. If it's a mountainous day, you give him a couple of metres up the road and you're gonna have a hard time getting him back"

I wonder what Carthy's response would be if I told him that Van Garderen thinks he could potentially win a Grand Tour? Would we be the grateful recipients of a witty retort, or would he politely brush the question off, preferring to hide himself and any personal ambition away from where anyone can find it?

Instead, I thank Hugh for his time. He starts clipping back in, ready to head off to the start line for another day at the Tour de France.

But then, he leans back across the barrier of the mixed zone.

"You know who else likes snooker?"

I shake my head.

"Thomas De Gendt."

And that's it. Hugh Carthy rides off for another stage of the Tour de France thinking about snooker.

Huge cracks in the Ineos armour as Roglič extends his lead 

With a huge amount of climbing to contend with, stage 13 was expected to be a tale of two races. 

As the breakaway drama for the stage unfolded at the finish, the yellow jersey battle began to explode into life in the final few kilometres. 

Ineos Grenadiers were clearly motivated as they had led the charge early in the stage and they finally launched their first notable attack on their rivals as Richard Carapaz tried to distance the favourites in support of his leader Egan Bernal.

But with Jumbo-Visma leading the yellow jersey group and with Tom Dumoulin pulling for race leader Primož Roglič, Carapaz’s move lasted less than 100 metres before he was swept up. 

The favourites appeared evenly matched for most of the stage until they hit the very final climb of the day, when we saw the first real gaps open up in the top-10.

Roglič and his compatriot Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates) stretched their legs on the brutal gradients to Puy Mary and pulled out a modest gap on their rivals. 

Richie Porte (Trek-Segafredo) was resurgent as he rode just a few lengths off the two Slovenians, but the real shock came as Egan Bernal cracked badly under the pressure.

The reigning champion clearly didn’t have the legs to match Roglič and he began to lose more and more time near the summit.

Roglič led in the favourites with Pogačar alongside, while Bernal lost 38 seconds by the finish to Roglič and slipped back to third place.  

Bernal is now 59 seconds behind Roglič, while Pogacar has jumped up five places to occupy second place on the general classification, 44 seconds behind the leader.     

Time to celebrate for EF Pro Cycling 

US WorldTour team EF Pro Cycling had been having a quietly promising Tour de France in the opening two weeks, sneaking into the top-10 overall with Rigoberto Urán and staying active in the breakaways with Nielson Powless.  

But despite the hints of success, Jonathan Vaughters’s team were just missing their moment of glory.

That all changed on stage 13 when they managed to get three riders - Hugh Carthy, Powless  and Dani Martínez - into the break.  

Powless was the first to show his hand as he rode clear from his fellow breakaway riders, but the victory looked to be slipping away from EF when Max Schachmann (Bora-Hansgrohe) cracked Powless to ride away solo.

But hope returned when Martínez bridge across to Schachmann with Lennard Kämna (also Bora-Hansgrohe) in tow.

Against the odds, Martínez outrode Schachmann and made it into the final few hundred metres with Kämna.

But the Colombian looked like he’d missed out when Kamna opened his sprint early and Martínez didn’t immediately react, but fortunately he had the strength still left in his legs to sprint past and score the victory .

Meanwhile in the GC battle, Urán held firm to finish while others slipped back and finished 38 seconds down on race leader Primož Roglič. 

While that may not seem a fantastic result on the surface, Urán jumped up two places into fourth overall, just 1-10 off the lead with just over a week left to race.  

No safe moments for GC contenders 

Any GC contenders feeling comfortable on stage 13 were given a stark warning on the road to Puy Mary.

With 90km of the stage left to race a number of yellow jersey hopefuls were caught in a nasty crash on a fairly benign right-hand turn, with Romain Bardet (AG2R La Mondiale) and Nairo Quintana (Arkea-Samsic) the biggest names caught in the chaos. 

Both riders, who started the day fourth and fifth respectively, were able to re-mount and chase back on to the peloton thanks to some assistance from their team-mates.

Bardet was banged up in the fall and suffered cuts to his arm, but there didn’t appear to be any permanent damage Bardet, as the Frenchman cracked on the climb with around 10km to the finish, finishing the stage two minutes down on his rivals and slipping out of the top-10. 

Bardet now sits 11th overall, three minutes off the race lead.

 Bauke Mollema (Trek-Segafredo) also fell in the same collision and came off worse.

Dutchman Mollema was seen with a bloodied face and he was forced to abandon the 2020 Tour de France and give up his 13th place on general classification. 

The crash has made life just a little bit harder for Richie Porte, who has lost his most vital team-member in the mountain stages. 

A breakaway full of hitters, including Dan Martin and Julian Alaphilippe 

Breakaways in this edition of the Tour have been unpredictable to say the least. 

We’ve seen a day without a single escape on stage five from Gap to Privas, and on stage 12 to Sarran we saw a probable breakaway become something different altogether when Bora-Hansgrohe refused to let anyone get too far in front.

But stage 13 was the perfect opportunity for any opportunists to get clear and take a stage, and some big names were motivated to take the chance.

After a tough race to establish the day’s breakaway, 17 riders made it clear with a number of stars looking to take something away from the day.

Julian Alaphilippe (Deceuninck - Quick-Step) made the escape, along with Dan Martin (Israel Start-Up) Nation who looked strong after coming into the Tour with a back injury, while Max Schachmann and Lennard Kämna (Bora-Hansgrohe) hoped to make up for a disappointing Tour so far for the German squad. 

 Ineos Grenadiers domestique Pavel Sivakov had also made the cut, but he sat up before the final phase of the race to support Bernal, a tactic which didn't stop his team leader losing time.  

In the end it was EF who took the spoils from the break, with Bora left most frustrated after just missing out again with a second place in the sprint.

Rough day for Sam Bennett in the green jersey 

Sam Bennett is in a strong position in the green jersey competition, which he leads over Peter Sagan by more than 60 points thanks to his stage victory on on day 10, but the competition is far from settled. 

The Deceuninck - Quick-Step sprinter began to struggle very early in the stage and dropped from the peloton like a stone on the climbs. 

>>> Tour de France standings: The latest results at the 2020 race 

His team were committed to keeping him in the bunch and after a long battle,  and the Irish national champion was able to rejoin the peloton during the sedate middle section, only to be dropped again as the pace ramped up for the final. 

Bennet eventually dead last on the stage 34 minutes behind the winner, but he made it within the time limit and survived to fight another day.

With more brutal mountain stages on the way will he make it to Paris to claim the green jersey? 

Lucas Hamilton came out on top in yet another two-up sprint at the 2020 Tirreno-Adriatico, beating Fausto Masnada to the finish in Cascia.

The second half of the fourth stage was peppered with attacks and plenty of action after some riders lower down the general classification tried to get away with an early move to bridge to the breakaway.

Hamilton (Mitchelton-Scott) and Masnada (Deceuninck - Quick-Step) came back to the main GC group after the final climb of the stage and they immediately attacked with 7km to go, with no-one else able to follow.

Michael Woods (EF Pro Cycling) keeps the blue leaders jersey after limiting his losses to 10 seconds and also taking four bonus seconds on the line, meaning he still leads but now with a nine-second gap ahead of Rafał Majka (Bora-Hansgrohe).

How it happened

Stage four of Tirreno-Adriatico started in the town of Terni with a mountainous 194km route to Cascia for the riders to tackle.

The break went away and had a maximum lead of around five minutes before it settled at three minutes with 11 riders up the road.

The break was made up of Mathias Frank (Ag2r La Mondiale), Davide Gabburo (Androni Giocattoli-Sidermec), Manuele Boaro (Astana), Jan Tratnik (Bahrain-McLaren), Davide Ballerini (Deceuninck - Quick-Step), Michael Matthews (Team Sunweb), Marco Canola (Gazprom-RusVelo), Allesandro Tonelli (Bardiani-CSF-Faizanè), Michael Goossens (Lotto-Soudal), Samuele Battistella (NTT Pro Cycling), and Héctor Carretero (Movistar Team).

The action really got going on the first high category climb of this year's race up to the Forca di Gualdo, when Frank attacked the break, followed by Carretero with 59km to go.

The pace meant that the break was broken to bits with Matthews slowly pacing himself across to the leading duo, which he did rather quickly.

Behind, Alpecin-Fenix really started to ramp up the pace for about 5km before using up all their riders, this slow up saw Daniel Navarro (Israel Start-Up Nation) attack with 55km to go.

The pace didn't get going in the peloton and this was seen by Rui Costa (UAE Team Emirates), Louis Meintjes (NTT Pro Cycling), and Benjamin Thomas (Groupama-FDJ) with the French rider unable to follow.

Meintjes and Costa made it up to Navarro who started to work with the two climbers who had joined him.

Over the summit of the climb Tonelli made it back up to the leading part of the breakaway with 46km to go as the rain started to come down on the plateau on the top of the climb.

EF Pro Cycling used this flat plateau to try and drill the gap down, which they did by around half as the break went onto the descent with Trek-Segafredo and Ineos Grenadiers joining the pacing.

Navarro suffered a rear puncture as Costa and Meintjes made it to the leading riders with 21km to go and the gap back to the peloton at 47 seconds.

As the riders hit the final climb up the Ospedaletto climb, the break was brought back after Bruno Armirail (Groupama-FDJ) attacked.

The pace was then upped by Ineos Grenadiers when Simon Yates (Mitchelton-Scott) attacked, Michael Woods (EF Pro Cycling) and Geraint Thomas (Ineos Grenadiers) following.

Aleksandr Vlasov (Astana) and Rafał Majka (Bora-Hansgrohe) bridged across as the riders when over the top as they descended down to the finishing kick in Cascia.

In the chase it was Team Sunweb and Deceuninck - Quick-Step that were the teams frantically chasing with the gap only peaking at 15 seconds.

James Knox (Deceuninck - Quick-Step) and Sam Oomen (Team Sunweb) brought it back for their leaders as Hamilton went immediately on an attack that drew out Masnada, Oomen and Thomas with 7km to go.

Woods and Wilco Kelderman (Team Sunweb) got across to Thomas and Oomen which then brought the other GC riders back with Oomen on the front.

The chasing group lost the pace with 2km to go as Masnada and Hamilton started pulling away some more with a gap of 16 seconds with 1km to go.

Masnada was forced onto the front for the last kilometre as the rider who joined Deceuninck - Quick-Step from CCC Team just a few months ago, had more to gain in the GC along with Hamilton having Yates and Jack Haig behind.

Hamilton kicked hard past of the Italian climber in the last 200 metres and, much like Woods against Majka on stage three, took the win comfortably.

Woods managed to win the sprint behind, taking four bonus seconds as they head to the queen stage of the race finishing up Sarnano-Sassotetto on stage five.

Results

Tirreno-Adriatico 2020, stage four: Terni to Cascia (194km)

1. Lucas Hamilton (Aus) Mitchelton-Scott, in 4-46-22

2. Fausto Masnada (Ita) Deceuninck - Quick-Step, at same time

3. Michael Woods (Can) EF Pro Cycling, at 10s

4. Aleksandr Vlasov (Rus) Astana

5. Geraint Thomas (GBr) Ineos Grenadiers

6. Wilco Kelderman (Ned) Team Sunweb

7. Jack Haig (Aus) Mitchelton-Scott

8. Rafał Majka (Pol) Bora-Hansgrohe

9. James Knox (GBr) Deceuninck - Quick-Step

10. Simon Yates (GBr) Mitchelton-Scott, all at same time

General classification after stage four

1. Michael Woods (Can) EF Pro Cycling, in 18-05-52

2. Rafał Majka (Pol) Bora-Hansgrohe, at 9s

3. Fausto Masnada (Ita) Deceuninck - Quick-Step, at 18s

4. Lucas Hamilton (Aus) Mitchelton-Scott, at 27s

5. Wilco Kelderman (Ned) Team Sunweb, at 30s

6. Geraint Thomas (GBr) Ineos Grenadiers, at 34s

7. Simon Yates (GBr) Mitchelton-Scott

8. Aleksandr Vlasov (Rus) Astana, at same time

9. Jack Haig (Aus) Mitchelton-Scott, at 47s

10. James Knox (GBr) Deceuninck - Quick-Step, all at same time

Michael Woods took the stage three win and the race lead at Tirreno-Adriatico 2020 after going clear on the final climb of the day, eventually beating Rafał Majka, who bridged the gap, in a two-up sprint.

Woods (EF Pro Cycling) showed that he has exceptional form as he targets the World Championships in Imola in a few week's time, breaking clear of the GC contenders on the steep slopes of the final climb inside the final 8km.

Majka (Bora-Hansgrohe) did manage to bridge across to the solo Woods, with the pursuing group not able to organise enough to pull them back. In the final two-up sprint, Majka just lost concentration in the final 150 metres with Woods able to kick past him and push to the line unchallenged.

The Canadian now holds the overall lead by five seconds over Majka in second, with Wilco Kelderman (Sunweb) in third at 26 seconds and Geraint Thomas (Ineos) in fifth at 30 seconds.

How it happened

The riders started in the town of Follonica and finished in Saturnia over a very hilly 217km course, making stage three the longest stage of this year's race.

A strong eight-man break went away early doors and got a maximum gap of just over seven minutes but eventually settled around three and a half minutes.

The break was made up of Hermann Pernsteiner (Bahrain-McLaren), Nathan Van Hooydonck (CCC Team), Benjamin Thomas (Groupama-FDJ), Matt Holmes (Lotto-Soudal), Alessandro Tonelli (Bardiani-CSF-Faizanè), Marco Frapporti (Vini Zabù-KTM), Pascal Eenkhoorn (Jumbo-Visma) and Dimitri Claeys (Cofidis).

The peloton took in a very difficult climb twice during the stage in the shape of the Poggio Murella; this climb has been renamed the Muro del Pirata as Marco Pantani once lived on the climb.

On the first passage of the climb the break was paced up by Holmes until Thomas pushed the pace and went clear, continuing his tempo over the top with 70km to go and pulled out a maximum gap over 1-10 over the rest of the break.

Ineos Grenadiers set the early tempo in the peloton but it was EF Pro Cycling who really turned up the tempo, bringing the gap down very quickly.

Thomas was losing time to the rest of the break and decided to sit up and drop back to the other riders with 40km to go as Tonelli lost touch. 14km later Thomas was also dropped by the leaders.

Frapporti used the descent before the Poggio Murella to kick on and leave the rest of the break behind, pulling out a 20 second lead over the chasers and 1-17 to the peloton who were closing rapidly.

Frapporti was then brought back by Holmes, Eenkhoorn and Pernsteiner at the bottom of the Poggio Murella with Holmes pushing the pace.

Behind, Florian Sénéchal (Deceuninck - Quick-Step) attacked early to try and spring a surprise on the peloton but he was slowly brought back by the peloton along with Pernsteiner, leaving Holmes up the road on his own.

Holmes was finally caught with 8km to go as Michael Woods led the peloton up the climb ahead of Geraint Thomas, Jakob Fuglsang (Astana), Aleksandr Vlasov (Astana), and Wilco Kelderman going clear.

Woods then kicked on as they crested the steepest gradient as he pushed clear.

Fausto Masnada (Deceuninck - Quick-Step), Simon Yates (Mitchelton-Scott), Jack Haig (Mitchelton-Scott) and Rafał Majka made it back to the chasing riders just behind Woods.

Majka attacked over the top and bridged across very quickly as yet more riders made it back to the chasing group.

Majka and Woods worked together well on the descent as they headed towards the final ramp to the finish in Saturnia with an 18-second gap to the chasers with 1km to go.

Woods capitalised on Majka not watching him and hit the Polish rider with about 150 metres to go and as soon as the Canadian kicked Majka looked defeated.

Behind, it was Kelderman who lead the other general classification leaders in that included Thomas, Fuglsang and Yates with Vincenzo Nibali (Trek-Segafredo) and Rui Costa (UAE Team Emirates) being the riders who lost out.

Stage four is another tough day that takes in a couple of huge climbs before descending into a hilly finish that will be the first major GC day.

Results

Tirreno-Adriatico 2020, stage three: Follonica to Saturnia (217km)

1. Michael Woods (Can) EF Pro Cycling, in 5-19-46

2. Rafał Majka (Pol) Bora-Hansgrohe, at 1s

3. Wilco Kelderman (Ned) Team Sunweb, at 20s

4. Patrick Konrad (Aut) Bora-Hansgrohe

5. Aleksandr Vlasov (Rus) Astana

6. Sergio Henao (Col) UAE Team Emirates

7. Tanel Kangert (Est) EF Pro Cycling

8. Fausto Masnada (Ita) Deceuninck - Quick-Step

9. Jakob Fuglsang (Den) Astana

10. Geraint Thomas (GBr) Ineos Grenadiers, all at same time.

General classification after stage three

1. Michael Woods (Can) EF Pro Cycling, in 13-19-24

2. Rafał Majka (Pol) Bora-Hansgrohe, at 5s

3. Wilco Kelderman (Ned) Team Sunweb, at 26s

4. Geraint Thomas (GBr) Ineos Grenadiers, at 30s

5. Patrick Konrad (Aut) Bora-Hansgrohe

6. Sergio Henao (Col) UAE Team Emirates

7. Fausto Masnada (Ita) Deceuninck - Quick-Step

8. Tanel Kangert (Est) EF Pro Cycling

9. Simon Yates (GBr) Mitchelton-Scott

10. Aleksandr Vlasov (Rus) Astana, all at same time.

Lachlan Morton has lost his Everesting record due to faulty altitude data.

The EF Pro Cycling rider, famed for his unusual adventures on the bike, took on his latest challenge last weekend, setting a new record for the fastest time to climb the equivalent height of Mount Everest.

Morton had appeared to set a new record of seven hours, 32 minutes, and 54 seconds to cover the target altitude of 8,848m, beating the previous record by just over seven minutes.

But investigations by the Everesting officials found 28-year-old fell short of the required altitude, because the Strava data for Morton’s chosen climb was inaccurate.

Morton chose the 1.9km-long, 11 per cent Rist Canyon climb in Colorado for his attempt, which Strava says rises 213 metres up, so Morton banked on riding the segment 42 to get above the 8,848m target.

But the climb actually only gains 200m of altitude, from 2,238m above sea level to 2,438m, Cycling Tips reports, which left Morton 450m short of his goal.

After the ride, Morton acknowledged that the altitude gain on his Strava file was too low at 8,509m, but he thought it was down to lag within the app.

The title now falls back to US national mountain bike champion Keegan Swenson who set the time of 7 hours, 40 minutes and five seconds back in May.

Hells 500, the organisation behind the Everesting challenge and which adjudicates all attempts, said on Facebook: “One thing we never anticipated when creating this challenge for our crew was that it would one day be raced by riders at the top level of the sport. In fact, ironically, this challenge was set up as the antithesis of racing! That said, we appreciate and respect that whilst completion is the driving factor for the vast majority of participants, the appeal of setting new records for Everesting has clearly taken hold - and so we’ll need to adapt to that.

“Unfortunately we will never know how the situation may have differed if Lachlan had the independent segment analysis to hand pre-attempt.

“As painful as it is, we stand by our community’s decision to recategorise this as a (very large) Everesting Basecamp listing [a half Everest attempt], which means Keegan Swenson is restored at the top of the Everesting leaderboard.”

Hells 500 has now changed the procedure for record attempts by pre-approving segments to ensure riders will know exactly how many times they have to ride a climb, rather than retroactively analysing the data as in the current system.

>>> Strava stats reveal Egan Bernal is seriously ramping up his training for the Tour de France 

But Morton isn’t discouraged.

He said on Instagram: “Well looks like I gotta do it again."

The former team of EF Pro Cycling rider Luis Villalobos say they are “blindsided and heartbroken” by his suspected doping positive.

Villalobos returned an adverse analytical finding (AAF) for growth hormone while he was still riding for US Continental squad Aevolo in April 2019, before he transferred EF Pro Cycling in August.

The UCI announced on Monday (May 18) that the 21-year-old had returned the AAF during an out of competition test, after the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) analysed the sample.

Aevolo said they have been “in a daze” since hearing of the possible doping positive and said the team was unaware that WADA was conducting the analysis.

Team director Michael Creed said: “I’m blindsided and heartbroken. I want to know how this happened and I hope that Luis can help us with that by being open and honest. “

Villalobos joined Aevolo for the 2017 season and racked up a collection of impressive results in the US, most notably taking the youth classification in the 2018 Tour of Utah, where he finished eighth overall.

He also claimed back-to-back wins in the Mexican National Championships time trial in 2018 and 2019.

After joining EF in August last year, Villalobos rode the Tour of Poland and the Tour of Britain, going on to start his 2020 season in France before racing was suspended due to coronavirus.

Aevolo co-director Jono Coulter said: “We have been in a bit of a daze since hearing the news this morning.

“This team prides itself on developing athletes as cyclists and fine young people, this is just a kick in the guts.”

EF Pro Cycling CEO Jonathan Vaughters has raised concerns over how long it took the UCI to announce Villalobos had returned an AAF, saying his team would not have signed the rider if they had known.

Villalobos has been suspended by the UCI, but still has the right to request that his B sample be opened and analysed before the governing body makes a full decision.