Apparently there’s some race happening in Italy this month. But you didn’t need me to tell you that, did you? In addition to the Giro, though, there’s lots of other stuff happening: races, birthdays and of course on the blog itself. Here’s a sneak preview of what to look out for over the next 31 days. Continue reading
Tony Martin (Omega Pharma-Quick Step) announced his return to competition and fine form by taking the five-stage Tour of Belgium. He won stage four’s individual time trial in a fashion befitting the current wearer of the rainbow jersey in this discipline, took the leader’s red jersey and maintained his lead with a flourish in the final queen stage.
After taking three consecutive sprint stages, Andre Greipel (Lotto-Belisol) [aping Sagan – Ed] won the sprints jersey, most combative rider was Colombian Leonardo Duque (Cofidis), Pieter Serry (Topsport-Vlaanderen Mercator) was best young rider, while RusVelo were top team. Continue reading
The Tour of Belgium (Ronde van Belgie/Tour de Belgique) is an annual five-day stage race which this year will be run from Wednesday 23rd to Sunday 27th May.
I say annual but there have been interruptions. The race wasn’t held during both world wars, only periodically during 1982-1990 and not at all from 1991-2001. However, from 2002 it has once again been a regular fixture on the annual cycling calendar. In 2005, following the start of the UCI ProTour, it looked as if the race might be merged with the Eneco Tour, but it survived and is now a fixture on the UCI Europe Tour.
Nine riders have won the Tour of Belgium twice and only two – one of whom’s Eddy Merckx – have achieved consecutive wins. Continue reading