Welcome back to another edition of Pro Log. In a surprise to no one, the men’s racing highlights over the weekend can be summed up in two names: Primož Roglič and Tadej Pogačar. Roglič won back-to-back-to-back stages at Tirreno-Adriatico, storming to general classification victory and holding the trident aloft, as Pogačar also won three stages and the yellow jersey at Paris-Nice. He won the new green jersey too, but the less said about that shade the better.
1. Final two stages announced for 2024 Tour de France in Nice
Today, Tour de France organisers released details for the final two days of action at the 2024 Tour de France. Most notably, the final day’s shift from a Champs-Élysées sprint to a Nice individual time-trial.
Stage 20 of the 2024 Tour will be a 132km mountain stage from Nice to Col de la Couillole, taking the peloton over three categorised climbs before a summit finish on the 15.7km, 7.1% climb, where Tadej Pogačar won Stage 7 of this year’s Paris-Nice.
Stage 21, usually a processional ride around the streets of Paris, faces a different format in 2024 due to the Olympics being held in the French capital. The individual time-trial will be a 35km route from Monaco, over two climbs – though it’s not the full Col d’Èze ascent – and ending in Nice. This should mean we get to see a welcome change of the final day enabling actual racing at the Tour de France. I’m really looking forward to it.
2. Women’s Tour releases route but needs urgent funding
Regarding route reveals, the Women’s Tour released details on their five-day race, which ends with a Birmingham city centre finale. Before delving into specifics, it should be noted that the Women’s Tour urgently needs additional commercial income, from title sponsorship to three jersey classifications and an automotive partner to supply vehicles. A race spokesperson has confirmed that the race ‘requires a sum in the region of £500k before June’s event’. Which, obviously, isn’t great news and is a concerning situation for both the Women’s Tour and racing in the UK generally.
Warwickshire will host the Grand Depart for the 2023 race. The Queen stage arrives on day three from Dalby Forest to Guisborough and culminates in Birmingham with a circuit race.
- Stage 1, Wednesday 7th June: Stratford-upon-Avon to Royal Leamington Spa
- Stage 2, Thursday 8th June: Northampton to Ampthill
- Stage 3, Friday 9th June: Dalby Forest to Guisborough
- Stage 4, Saturday 10th June: Coleshill to Derby
- Stage 5, Sunday 11th June: Birmingham City Centre (Circuit Race)
3. Tom Boonen angers Colnago
After the statements made in @sporza_koers‘podcast by @dewolf_dirk and @tomboonen, we would like to invite them, together with @Jan_Bakelants and @rvanguch, in Cambiago the days before Milano-Sanremo, to ride and for a public conversation on V4Rs.
— Colnago (@Colnagoworld) March 8, 2023
👉https://t.co/khol2kz3pq pic.twitter.com/ZIS0f30w9A
Speaking on the Wielerclub Wattage podcast, Tom Boonen said that two-time Tour de France winner Tadej Pogačar was disadvantaged against his rivals due to UAE Team Emirates’ bike sponsor, Colnago. 1992 Liège-Bastogne-Liège winner Dirk de Wolf claimed that Pogačar would be ‘another 2kmh faster’ on Jumbo-Visma’s Cervélos or Soudal-QuickStep’s Specialized bikes.
Colnago immediately responded, saying: ‘We are in contact with the [UAE Team Emirates and UAE Team ADQ] teams on a daily basis, and we have not heard a single complaint about the competitiveness of our bikes. In fact, they are ecstatic about the equipment we have provided thus far.’
The brand offered Boonen and his colleagues a chance to ride and test its new V4Rs bikes ahead of Milan-San Remo this weekend. Boonen quickly backtracked however, saying his words ‘were chosen poorly’.
4. Kristen Faulkner’s Strade Bianche podium at risk
American Kristen Faulkner, who races for Jayco-AlUla, was seen wearing what is believed to be a blood glucose monitor – like those produced most notably by Supersapiens – on her left arm during and after her third place at Strade Bianche. The UCI subsequently issued a reminder of article 1.3.006 of its regulation, that ‘devices which capture other physiological data, including any metabolic values such as but not limited to glucose or lactate are not authorised in competition’.
Both Faulkner and Jayco-AlUla are waiting to release a statement until after the UCI’s examination has concluded. The governing body is ‘currently examining the case and considering applicable procedures and potential consequences’.
5. Lotto-Dstny launch complaint
Lotto Dstny legt klacht neer bij UCI en wil bewijs dat Caleb Ewan GP Monseré niet won https://t.co/5RlRzfGRsd pic.twitter.com/kR6cDTcWhR
— Sporza 🚴 (@sporza_koers) March 7, 2023
A day after publishing the last edition of Pro Log, Lotto-Dstny submitted an official complaint in light of Caleb Ewan’s second place at GP Monseré. The win at the Belgian one-day race was awarded to Intermarché-Circus-Wanty’s Gerben Thijssen after Ewan had already appeared to record a winner’s interview. The finish line photography looked very inconclusive and raised questions about deciding a sprint finish with such limited visuals.
We’ll see if there’s an answer before next week’s Pro Log.