Meanwhile in the Peloton | Jayco AlUla extends contracts with loyal and very experienced trio

Every day, tons of things happen in the cycling world, and the flow of information almost never stops. Besides the big and important news, there are also many small updates, rumors or facts that come online. For this reason, IDLProCycling.com has created 'Meanwhile in the Peloton', so you don't miss out on the smaller news. We also add in fun posts from social media. Some of these updates should be taken with a grain of salt.

De Marchi, Durbridge and Mezgec extend contracts with Jayco AlUla

October 11 - Excellent news for the continuity at Jayco AlUla. The Australian team has secured three seasoned veterans for a longer term: Luke Durbridge, Luka Mezgec and Alessandro De Marchi. The Australian is an experienced road captain, the Slovenian is a lead-out specialist for sprints, and the Italian De Marchi has long been known as a dangerous stage hunter. According to a press release, De Marchi has extended his contract for one year, while the other two have signed on for two years.

Mark Cavendish to end 2024 in Singapore

October 10, 2024 - Mark Cavendish may be preparing for his very last race in Singapore. The organizers of the Tour de France, who also manage the Prudential Singapore Criterium on November 10, have announced the participation of the British sprinting legend. They used phrases like "last dance", hinting that this might be Cav’s final race as a professional cyclist. Other big names, including Chris Froome and Primoz Roglic, will also be racing. Cavendish secured his coveted 35th stage win during the most recent Tour de France.

Dumoulin welcomes baby boy Oscar

Tom Dumoulin has shared wonderful news: the former time trial world champion and Giro d'Italia winner became a father on Tuesday to his son, Oscar. Dumoulin announced on Instagram that both the baby and his girlfriend, Maxime Nieman, are doing well. "Welcome, dear Oscar," he wrote alongside the happy news. Congratulations to Tom and Maxime!

Chloé Dygert leaves Simac Ladies Tour after suspected collision with door

October 9, 2024 - It was a striking scene on Wednesday morning ahead of the second stage of the Simac Ladies Tour. Zoë Backstedt, who claimed the leader's jersey in the opening time trial, started with only one Canyon//SRAM Racing teammate. Soraya Paladin and Maike van der Duin were sidelined due to illness, while Chloé Dygert broke her nose in what is reported to be a collision with a door (!). Wednesday afternoon brought even more misfortune for the German team: Backstedt’s only remaining teammate, Alex Morrice, did not finish in Assen. This leaves the leader to face the rest of the Dutch stage race on her own.

Ballerstedt enlists his dog’s help with carb intake

October 9, 2024 - 120 grams of carbohydrates per hour: that’s how much Tadej Pogacar consumes during a tough stage. However, the Slovenian recently mentioned that it takes time for the body to adjust. Maurice Ballerstedt of Alpecin-Deceuninck has come up with a creative solution. The German cyclist took his dog along on his back during a training ride, with the stylishly dressed canine helping to take in the necessary carbs. "When you can’t eat 120 grams of carbs per hour alone," Ballerstedt humorously captioned.

Cavendish and Wiggins team up for charity ride

October 8, 2024 - British cycling icons Mark Cavendish and Bradley Wiggins will ride together on October 19 in the Gran Fondo Hincapie. The bike ride, held in Greenville, South Carolina, aims to raise funds for those affected by the recent devastating Hurricane Helene in the neighboring state of North Carolina. The last time Wiggins and Cavendish rode together was in the Six Days of Ghent, where they also won the World Championship in the Madison event that year. With former pro Jan Ullrich also participating, the Gran Fondo is sure to see a boost in donations!

Nino Schurter not ready to stop and extends mountain biking career

October 8, 2024 - Swiss mountain biker Nino Schurter will continue his career for another year, as the ten-time world champion announced in a video on Instagram. "Today, I want to share my future plans with you," begins the Rio 2016 Olympic champion. "In 2004, I raced my first World Cup as a pro, and last Sunday marked the end of my twentieth World Cup season. I want to thank everyone for the friendships, the amazing adventures, and the great battles on the bike," he says, seemingly signaling the end. But then... "These are also the reasons I’m not done with mountain biking. I still enjoy it too much, and on good days, I’m still able to compete," Schurter says with a smile.

Robert Gesink to compete in Chilean gravel stage race

October 7, 2024 - After the final time trial of this year’s Vuelta a España, Robert Gesink bid farewell to professional cycling. However, the 38-year-old former Visma | Lease a Bike rider isn’t quite finished yet. From December 4 to 7, he will compete in a four-day gravel race in Chile, covering a total of 440 kilometers with an impressive 5,500 meters of elevation gain. Retirement from cycling? Not just yet!

Geschke receives guard of honor after final professional race

October 4, 2024 - Simon Geschke ended his career on home soil. The 38-year-old German rode his final professional kilometers in the Münsterland Giro, bringing a close to a distinguished career, with a stage win in the 2015 Tour de France as his standout achievement. Geschke was also a crucial support rider for Tom Dumoulin, helping the bearded German secure the overall victory in the 2017 Giro d'Italia. It was reason enough for the peloton to lift their front wheels in the air, giving the Cofidis rider a well-deserved send-off.

Kasper Asgreen withdraws from Germany due to appendicitis

October 3, 2024 - Bad news for Kasper Asgreen. The Danish Soudal Quick-Step rider was scheduled to participate in the Münsterland Giro but fell ill overnight from Wednesday to Thursday. He became so unwell that he was taken to the hospital, where he was diagnosed with appendicitis, requiring surgery. A disappointing setback for the Dane. Wishing you a speedy recovery, Kasper!

Defending champion Niewiadoma withdraws from Gravel World Championships

October 2, 2024 - Kasia Niewiadoma will not defend her world title at the Gravel World Championships this Saturday. The Tour de France Femmes winner has decided to end her season due to fatigue. In the recent World Championships road race, the Polish rider was unable to make an impact, despite the course suiting her well. "After a very intense year, I have decided to wrap up my cycling season and won’t be defending my rainbow jersey," she announced on her team’s social media. "I now want to focus on recovery, spending time with loved ones, and celebrating everything that happened this year."

Pogacar trains with Carlos Sainz, the day after his world title win

October 2, 2024 - Tadej Pogacar went for a training ride on Tuesday, though not yet in his rainbow jersey. The newly crowned world champion was joined by his fiancée, Urska Zigart, and Formula 1 driver Carlos Sainz. The group enjoyed a tasty focaccia around Monaco, or as it’s affectionately known there: a "Pogaccia".

Wout van Aert’s award-winning bike auctioned off for a large sum

October 1, 2024 - The Cervélo R5 that Wout van Aert rode to claim the green jersey in the 2022 Tour de France has recently found a new home. This piece of cycling history, complete with Van Aert’s personal signature from 2023, was initially valued by experts at 20,000-25,000 euros.

However, Van Aert’s name proved even more valuable, as the Cervélo sold for a remarkable 38,000 euros! And the best part? The proceeds will go to Bremmen, an organization that hosts camps for children and youth, focusing on building resilience, self-reliance and a healthy lifestyle. Once again, the bike has become a prize-winner!

TDT-Unibet announces French recruit Verschuren with a puzzle

September 30, 2024 - Known for their playful videos, TDT-Unibet has done it again. The Dutch pro-continental team, owned by YouTuber Bas Tietema and his friends Josse Wester and Devin van der Wiel, challenged fans to guess their new recruit through a puzzle. With a bit of puzzling and cycling knowledge, the answer is clear: Killian Verschuren. The 21-year-old Frenchman was last year’s national amateur champion (defeating future teammate Baptiste Huyet) and won a stage in this year’s Alpes Isère Tour with Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale’s development team, finishing fourth overall in the race.

Verbrugghe leaves Israel-Premier Tech effective immediately

September 28, 2024 - Rik Verbrugghe will be leaving Israel-Premier Tech with immediate effect. The Belgian coach, who has been with the Israeli team for four years, stated in the press release that he enjoyed his time with the team. "It was a great period. I will announce my next plans shortly." Could the 50-year-old Flemish coach perhaps be aiming for the role of national coach?

Eising and Wiebes crowned champions at the Dutch National Gravel Championships

September 28, 2024 - Tijmen Eising and Lorena Wiebes have been crowned the new Dutch gravel champions. In and around Epe, Eising defeated Lars Loohuis (the defending champion) and Luke Verburg, who finished second and third, respectively. In the women’s race, Femke Markus took silver, and Amber Kraak claimed bronze.

TDT-Unibet signs young Italian Meris

September 27, 2024 - TDT-Unibet has secured a new addition to the team. The 23-year-old Sergio Meris is joining the team of YouTuber Bas Tietema. The young Italian is a promising talent. Last year, the rider from the continental Team MBH Bank Colpack Ballan won a stage in the prestigious Giro della Valle d'Aosta and achieved several top finishes in the U23 circuit. The transfer was officially announced with a humorous post on X: the true pizza expert will come in handy when the Tour de Tietema crew hands out pizzas again on the Champs-Elysées...

UCI officially implements World Championship changes starting in 2025

September 27, 2024 - The international cycling union (UCI) has announced in a press release that new rules regarding participation in the U23 races will take effect from the 2025 World Championships. Riders under 23 years old with a contract with a professional team (WorldTour or ProTeam) will be excluded from competing in U23 events. However, if a rider is part of a development team of a WorldTeam or ProTeam, they will still be eligible to participate in the U23 category. The inclusion of "or she" is important because, starting in 2025, U23 races for women will be held for the first time. Along with the official confirmation from the UCI that a women's edition of Milan-Sanremo will be added to the calendar, this is great news for the women's peloton!

Pogacar dazzles with special World Championship bike by Colnago

September 27, 2024 - If you win both the Giro d'Italia and the Tour de France in the same year, you have every right to show it off, right? This Sunday, at the World Championships, Tadej Pogacar will ride a special edition of the Colnago V4Rs, named "Tadej". The bike has a white base, accented with pink and yellow shades, referencing his victories in the Giro and Tour. This bike also honors his other major wins in his career.

Women will have their own version of Milan-Sanremo in 2025

September 25, 2024 - The news is out! Women will also race Milan-Sanremo in 2025, although the event will not immediately be part of the Women's WorldTour. According to RCS, that is the ambition for the coming years. La Primavera will be organized on the same day for both women and men, but the exact route for the women's race still needs to be determined. Originally, the Trofeo Binda was scheduled for March 22, but it is likely to be moved to Sunday, March 16.

More bad luck for Remco Evenepoel, who this time has a flat tire

September 23, 2024 - Remco Evenepoel became the time trial world champion a day earlier despite some bad luck – his chain came off just before the start and his power meter wasn't working – but the freshly crowned world champion is apparently still unlucky. This Monday, Evenepoel appears in the vlog of compatriot Victor Campenaerts, where we see that Remco's golden bike has a flat tire. The world champion also had a flat during the final phase of the Olympic road race, but was able to rush to the gold medal with a spare bike. The two Belgians can now, of course, laugh about it during their training ride. "Golden bike but still a flat tire," jokes the cheerful Vocsnor.

Thomas De Gendt's career officially ends

September 23, 2024 - The career of Thomas De Gendt is officially over. The 37-year-old Belgian rode his last race as a professional cyclist on Sunday in Paris-Chauny, he announced via a message on X. "All I have worked for since I was ten is now just a memory," writes the attacker, who concludes with optimistic words. "But like always, the end of one thing is the beginning of something new. Looking forward to discovering new challenges."

This is how we'll recognize Tim Merlier next year 

September 20, 2024 - New jerseys are always fun, especially when they're worn with a beaming smile. Normally, we see most national champions' jerseys in June, but after his European Championship victory, it's now Tim Merlier's turn. Soudal-Quick Step has really gone all out, which also means we'll be spotting the outgoing champion Christophe Laporte in the yellow-black of Visma | Lease a Bike once again.

Jhonatan Narváez has to miss World Championships due to COVID-19

September 19, 2024 - He could have played a major role on the challenging course, but Jhonatan Narváez was not selected for the Ecuadorian team. Now we learn why: Narváez has not recovered in time from a COVID-19 infection. Consequently, Richard Carapaz is the sole true leader of the team in Zürich. This is some quite spicy news: Carapaz was actually passed over for the Olympics because Narváez was better placed in the UCI rankings. The EF Education-EasyPost rider was angry about that at the time, being the defending champion.

Karlijn Swinkels wins GP Wallonia

September 18, 2024 - Karlijn Swinkels (UAE) won the women's GP Wallonia in Namur on Wednesday. The Dutch rider took the lead just before the final corner and then held off Elisa Longo Borghini (Lidl-Trek) with a long sprint. Amber Kraak and Anouska Koster also finished in the top five.

Fabio Jakobsen makes comeback after crash

September 18, 2024 - Fabio Jakobsen will return to racing this Friday at the Championship of Flanders in the Belgian Koolskamp. The Dutchman dropped out of the Renewi Tour three weeks ago following a crash, but he will make his return in the sprinters' race par excellence. He won the race in 2022, but this season the competition is strong again, including Jonathan Milan, Jasper Philipsen and the newly crowned European champion Tim Merlier.

"The Championship of Flanders will definitely be a race decided by the sprinters. It's a fairly straightforward circuit, without anything that can really influence the race. We plan to work with the sprint group and want to get Fabio in the best position to sprint for a good result," said coach Callum Ferguson. Jakobsen will be supported by Tobias Lund Andresen, Timo Roosen, Bram Welten and Julius van den Berg.

Thibau Nys going on an Eminem tour?

September 16, 2024 - Hey, who do we have here? Donning a blonde haircut, Thibau Nys suddenly slid into our Instagram stories. The Belgian Lidl-Trek rider is enjoying a few weeks off before he turns his attention to the cyclo-cross winter. With a helmet on, it might not be so noticeable, but Nys's blonde hair will undoubtedly be a topic of conversation in Belgium!

Wout van Aert celebrates his 30th birthday

September 16, 2024 - We've been waiting all day for it, but did not get to see a photo of Wout van Aert with a cake and thirty candles. His wife Sarah did congratulate him with a message shared via the social channels of the Visma | Lease a Bike Belgian.

TDT-Unibet Cycling Team gives glimpse into service course

September 13, 2024 - TDT Unibet Cycling Team has provided a glimpse into their new, pimped-out service course in a new video on YouTube – but on a channel called Inside TDT. In the twelve-minute video, which can be seen as a kind of behind-the-scenes, the headquarters undergoes a major makeover. Worth watching!

Fabio Jakobsen talks to students about falling and getting back up

September 11, 2024 - DSM-Firmenich PostNL rider Fabio Jakobsen spoke to students at De Catamaran school in Spijkenisse, the Netherlands, on Tuesday afternoon about the ups and downs in life, reports the Dutch outlet Algemeen Dagblad. "You can fall, but you also get back up. Never give up," advised the sprinter, who, of course, knows better than anyone what it's like to have to come from far. "It's always fun to talk about my life as a cyclist and to share with the kids how we work together as a team and how important resilience is in cycling."

Sven Vanthourenhout to step down as national coach after the Road Cycling World Championships

September 9, 2024 - Sven Vanthourenhout will step down as the coach of the Belgian national team after the Road Cycling World Championships in Zürich (the final races will be held on Sunday, September 29). This was announced by Belgian Cycling in a brief press release on their website. "Belgian Cycling expressly wants to thank Sven Vanthourenhout, one of the most successful coaches in the history of the federation, for his commitment over the past years," the press release says. "We wish Sven all the best in the further development of his sports career." Further explanation about the reasons for the decision will be provided on September 10, during the announcement of the World Championships team selection.

Remco Evenepoel to don new, unique Olympic jersey in Tour of Britain

September 3, 2024 - Remco Evenepoel is making his comeback in the peloton this Tuesday, in the Tour of Britain. And the peloton has taken notice! The Belgian can be recognized by a new kit, dedicated to the double Olympic title that Evenepoel won just over a month ago. His sleeves now feature a significant gold tint. The kit is special, but approved by the UCI. Looks great, Remco!

Six unique racing bikes stolen from the Shimano Experience Center in the Netherlands

August 31, 2024 - Six unique bikes have been stolen from the Shimano Experience Center in Valkenburg, the Netherlands, reports WielerFlits. One of the bikes is the Canyon Aeroad in rainbow colors. World champion Mathieu van der Poel rode this machine in this year's Liège-Bastogne-Liège. Also, old, special bikes belonging to Peter Sagan, Egan Bernal and Fabio Jakobsen are reported to have been stolen.

Pieterse just misses out on medals at the MTB World Championships

August 30, 2024 - On Friday, the Short Track races at the Mountain Biking World Championships in Andorra were held. In the men's event, Victor Koretzky took the victory, while Evie Richards won the women's race. Puck Pieterse narrowly missed out on the medals, finishing fourth, right behind Jenny Rissveds and Pauline Ferrand-Prévot.

Thibau Nys moves out of parent's nest

August 30, 2024 - Thibau Nys is moving in with his partner! The young all-rounder appeared on the show Café Congé this week, where he announced the news. The Belgian Nys has been with his Dutch girlfriend Anna for four years. "I have been looking forward to it. Of course, I had everything I could dream of and needed at home, but I've reached an age and stage in my career where living separately will provide a lot of structure and also peace," he said maturely.

This means that Sven Nys is waving goodbye to his son. He will live in Baal. "His parents and their partners immediately welcomed me with open arms. We usually sleep at his dad Sven's place, and have dinner at his mom Isabelle's. But now we are really looking forward to our own little place," said Anna.