Team of the week: Arndt, van Vleuten, Boonen and more
Nikias Arndt heads up this week's team of the week after a taking the first WorldTour one day win of the year at the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race
- (opens in new tab)
- (opens in new tab)
- (opens in new tab)
- Sign up to our newsletter Newsletter

Leader: Nikias Arndt (Sunweb)
Having made a name for himself as a promising pure sprinter by winning the final stage of the Giro last year, Arndt proved a capable Classics rider too by winning the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Race, the week’s sole WorldTour race.
Despite having dug deep to stay in the select lead group, he had the strength of mind to time his sprint to perfection despite Cameron Meyer’s (Dimension Data) threatening early move, and the legs to come around him in the final few metres and fend off Simon Gerrans (Orica-Scott)
Team Captain: Annemiek van Vleuten (Orica-AIS)
Van Vleuten had been assigned the role of domestique at the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race in service of Katrin Garfoot and Amanda Spratt, but upon realising on one of the key climbs that they had both lost pace, took it upon herself to resume leadership.
The change of plan proved successful, as she made the lead group instigated by an attack from Emma Pooley, then won the five-woman sprint at the finish line.
Sprinter: Fernando Gaviria (Quick-Step Floors)
The Colombian blitzed his way to two early wins on both bunch sprints of the Tour de San Juan he competed in. He’d probably have won more, too, had he not switched roles to lead Tom Boonen out for victory on stage two, and had Quick-Step’s rivals managed to catch Max Richeze’s couple of late stage-winning attacks on the last two days of the race.
Climber: Tim Wellens (Lotto-Soudal)
Bringing his best climbing legs to Mallorca, Wellens pulled-off back-to-back victories on Friday and Saturday. First he took on the hilly finale of the Trofeo Serra de Tramuntana with a lone break, flourishing, as he so often does, in the rainy conditions; then at Trofeo Port de Andratx he sprinted up the short finishing climb to defeat the master of such finishes, Alejandro Valverde (Movistar).
Time trialist: Ramunas Navardauskas (Bahrain-Merida)
The rider known as the ‘Honey Badger’ for his fighting spirit won the time trial stage of the Tour de San Juan, marking the first ever win for new team Bahrain-Merida, and the first ever triumph against the clock for Navardauskas (outside of the Lithuanian national championships).
Domestique: Wilco Kelderman (Sunweb)
After winning the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Race, Arndt singled out Wilco Kelderman as a key reason and inspiration for the result. The Dutchman - newly signed by Sunweb for this season - gave a huge turn to pace his leader, in what turned out to be a crucial moment in ensuring Arndt was still in the lead group to sprint for victory.
Domestique: Tom Boonen (Quick-Step Floors)
He may be a cycling superstar approaching the end of his career with nothing more to prove, but Boonen remains a game team player. He gave a lead-out to Fernando Gaviria for both his stage wins at the Tour de San Juan, also doing some key turns at the front to ensure a break was reeled in for the second, and found time in-between to win a sprint stage of his own.
Thank you for reading 10 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access
Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription
Join now for unlimited access
Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
Stephen Puddicombe is a freelance journalist for Cycling Weekly, who regularly contributes to our World Tour racing coverage with race reports, news stories, interviews and features. Outside of cycling, he also enjoys writing about film and TV - but you won't find much of that content embedded into his CW articles.
-
-
How E3 showed us what Van Aert, Van der Poel and Pogačar need to do to win the Tour of Flanders
Wout van Aert might have won on Friday, but everything could change next Sunday
By Adam Becket • Published
-
Primož Roglič powers to victory on stage five of the Volta a Catalunya
Roglič extends his lead over Remco Evenepoel in the overall classification
By Tom Thewlis • Published
-
Pfeiffer Georgi relishes new leadership role at Team DSM
'I feel like I’m able to be more in the race,' says the in-form Brit
By Tom Davidson • Published
-
‘It was perfect being boxed in’ - Charlotte Kool doubles up on final day of UAE Tour
The Dutchwoman proved the fastest, while Elisa Longo Borghini toasts overall victory with ice cream
By Tom Davidson • Published
-
‘I’m excited to be in the game myself again’ - Charlotte Kool stuns world's best at UAE Tour
The Team DSM rider sprinted into the spotlight with victory on stage one
By Tom Davidson • Published
-
Meet Sean Flynn, the Edinburgh-born mountain biker moving to the WorldTour with DSM
The 22-year-old has stepped up to elite level after two years with development teams, and is looking to push on
By Adam Becket • Published
-
Flying Dutchwoman: Lorena Wiebes on pressure, winning at the Tour de France, and leaving DSM
The SD Worx rider won 22 races in 2022, including two stages at the Tour de France Femmes and a clean sweep at the RideLondon Classique. She told Adam Becket how she did it
By Adam Becket • Published
-
‘You never know in the Tour’ - Romain Bardet fearless as he lines up Tour de France GC bid
The 32-year-old is ready to play the tactical game this July
By Tom Davidson • Published
-
Tom Boonen: 'Remco Evenepoel should get away from Belgium as much as possible'
The former Quick-Step rider said he didn't enjoy the fame of being world champion
By Tom Davidson • Last updated
-
Humble, grounded but not satisfied: Scottish rider Sean Flynn's WorldTour ascension
DSM have signed a rider who they believe can develop into a potential winner of hilly Classics
By Chris Marshall-Bell • Published