Tadej Pogacar has won Strade Bianche, Lige-Bastogne-Lige, Giro d'Italia, Tour de France and World Championships among other races this year to have what is likely the most successful season a professional rider has ever had. Doping questions, obviously, arise in a sport that has in the past been m...

The season is close to ending but the fireworks continue in the world of cycling. After a rocky season, it seems like a trigger has been pulled in the relationship between INEOS Grenadiers and Tom Pidcock. The Briton was removed from Il Lombardia where he was meant to be the team leader and podium c...

British rider says 'I guess off season starts early' in Instagram post

CyclistOpinion: Il Lombardia shouldnt be a Monument in its current formIl Lombardia, or the Race of the Falling Leaves, holds a reputation as cyclings most forgotten Monument. With the rise of Strade Bianche and other stellar one-day races in the spring, its getting harder to justify Il Lombardias status as one of cyclings hallowed five Monuments.This year, the course of the Italian Monument will change again, meaning that the past three editions of the race have followed completely different routes. This most likely wont change the winner on Saturday, which looks almost certain to be Tadej Pogaar.Looking past the races 119-year history, should it be a given that Il Lombardia is a Monument? Without a womens race, no set route and a late-season placement, is it time to rescind Il Lombardias membership to the Monument club?The odd one outTim de Waele/Getty ImagesIl Lombardia sticks out like a sore thumb in the cycling calendar. While the other four Monuments take place in March and April, Lombardia hangs about at the back of the cycling calendar in the depths of autumn. Its always been this way. The race even took on the unofficial title of the Autumn World Championships until the UCI moved that event to September.All in all, Il Lombardia feels more like the last day of school than a Monument race. The riders are tired, report cards are already written and theres a blas ambience similar to the fatigued but stress-free Friday before the summer holidays. Contracts are sealed, rankings unmoved and some stars have already called it quits on their season by the time Lombardia even rolls around.To me, it feels strange that Il Lombardia never moved to a springtime slot alongside the other Monuments. Yes, the Race of the Falling Leaves nickname would need a rethink, but moving its place in the calendar seems like a no-brainer for the race to gain more attention. A spring slot would also capitalise on the pelotons collective Classics wave of form and interest.You could argue that the late-season slot has given the Italian race a special edge over its competitors. However, when all the other Monuments are back-to-back in the spring they have everyones attention. Il Lombardia is the outcast of the Monument clique. Related Posts How to watch Il Lombardia 2024 Who are the favourites for Il Lombardia 2024? Pro race history: The legend of the first Il Lombardia in 1905 Il Lombardia 2024: Everything you need to know Parcours inconsistencyTim De Waele/Getty ImagesThe Il Lombardia route doesnt enjoy the same Monumental esteem as its spring counterparts either. Como and Bergamo alternate the hosting rights, and no two Il Lombardia routes appear to be the same. This consistency should be key to having Monument status. Part of the Monument experience is knowing what youre getting on the day.The start city alternates each year and the race length and elevation gain arent as consistent as they should be. This would never happen to the other Monuments. They have their routes under lock and key, protecting their legendary honour. Theres no star factor in Il Lombardias route. Theres no Poggio, Troue dArenberg or Oude Kwaremont. Perhaps this will come if the route designers stop being so fickle about the Monuments parcours every year. This race is supposed to be for the climbers. Well, this is an open goal to make some of these climbs hallowed in cycling, have them feature every year. No climb in Lombardia is on the same level as a Paris-Roubaix pav sector or Tour of Flanders berg. These are the profiles of the 2024, 2023 and 2022 Il Lombardias.Lets pitch some ideas out there for solving this issue. Lets help Lombardia become a real Monument.Start by fixing the start and finish location for the race. This would halt this alternating tradition the race has picked up. We want to be on first-name terms with a Monument and refer to the start and finish locations instinctively instead of having to scramble through a roadbook to make sure were getting it right.The Muro di Sormano and Madonna del Ghisallo should be yearly staples. The cobbled Colle Aperto climb should be the final challenge of the race every year. Remember those scenes from the Virage Pinot? That was there. Like the other Monuments, Il Lombardia should follow a finely crafted final 50km that remains unchanged each year. Then, we can finally see some consistency in this race.Yes, I appreciate that cyclings other Monuments have undergone slight changes. Only five years ago, Lige-Bastogne-Lige ditched the Cte de Ans finish in favour of a city centre arrival via the Cte de la Roche-aux-Faucons. Even the Tour of Flanders has received a facelift in the past 20 years with a reshuffled finish that now stands the test of time in Oudenaarde. However, Il Lombardia needs to stop being so indecisive and nail down a route for good. Related Posts How to watch Il Lombardia 2024 Who are the favourites for Il Lombardia 2024? Pro race history: The legend of the first Il Lombardia in 1905 Il Lombardia 2024: Everything you need to know Wheres the prestige? Wheres the grandeur?Tim de Waele/Getty ImagesIl Lombardia feels like the Monument with the least amount of grandeur. Theres no Flanders-Roubaix double or Ardennes Triple Crown tagged involving Il Lombardia. Its not just an afterthought for riders, its a footnote for the statisticians. Whos won the most editions of Il Lombardia? Not sure? Me neither. Who won this race back in 2015? Who finished on the podium here in 2018? Youre forgiven for not knowing. Its more of a University Challenge answer rather than cycling common knowledge.This isnt even about the race day itself, but Lombardia lacks the same cycling pizzazz and anticipation that the other Monuments boast. Paris-Roubaix is underlined in big red pen on the cycling calendar, Milan-San Remo is considered one of the most exciting finales in world cycling, while the Tour of Flanders offers some of the wildest crowds in the sport.The Giro dItalia visits Lombardy often. Not just that, the parcours has been ripped off by the Giro three times in the past seven years. Where was the buzz for this? Can I dare mention that the Strade Bianche-style Giro stages have generated more traction and excitement than a return to the Colle Aperto. What does that say about Lombardias place in the sport?We need a womens raceDario Belingheri/Getty ImagesWith the announcement of a rebooted womens Milan-San Remo, Il Lombardia is the only one of the five Monuments in mens cycling to not offer a womens equivalent. If Il Lombardia is looking to match the others, then a womens race is a necessity. It reflects pretty poorly on the mens race now given that theres no racing on offer for the women.How hard can it be? The road closures are already in place for the men. The women could therefore use a similar route earlier in the day. Similarly, the host towns should also relish the chance to host two bike races in one day. The places along the route are already prepared for a bike race, the sponsor boards are stapled up, so why choose to strike out the chance of womens equivalent?Perhaps this will come in time. The organiser RCS also runs Milan-San Remo. Perhaps with the pilot edition of the womens Classicissima in 2025 under their belt, it might consider giving Il Lombardia its own womens race too.Raining on their paradeTim de Waele/Getty Images)I dont know what Il Lombardia did to me to deserve this treatment, but I guess thats the point, it didnt do anything. It just feels like an afterthought to all of us: the riders, the media and the fans. Does it really deserve Monument status? Im hesitant to say yes. If anything, theres a strong argument to be had that Strade Bianche is more worthy of Monument status these days. History aside, it makes far more sense.Its tough to argue that Lombardias place in the pro cycling psyche hasnt slipped in the past decade. The race feels more like a victory lap for the peloton instead of a real top-level Monument. For many riders, its just a parade before they transfer to a new team, go on holiday, or even bow out of the sport altogether. Its not a race of gladiatorial clashes like we are so used to seeing in the spring Monuments.Race organisers, if youre reading, take note. Formulate a fixed route instead of spinning a wheel of fortune each year. Add a womens race under the Lombardia guise. Finally, start looking at how to carve yourself a USP. Maybe it is the autumn slot, but stay true to it being the climbers Classic. Maybe once thats all factored in, Lombardia might overtake Strade Bianche in the hierarchy. Related Posts How to watch Il Lombardia 2024 Who are the favourites for Il Lombardia 2024? Pro race history: The legend of the first Il Lombardia in 1905 Il Lombardia 2024: Everything you need to know The post Opinion: Il Lombardia shouldnt be a Monument in its current form appeared first on Cyclist.

Tadej Pogacar has extensively talked about doping in this afternoon's press conference but among other topics were expectations for tomorrow's Il Lombardia and Remco Evenepoel. But almost unanimously, everyone considers him the man to beat and there will be a lot of eyes on him."I certainly want to...

The 2025 UCI calendar arrives with a great novelty. An unprecedented race will be held, a category 1.1 classic and it will be the first pro race in history to be held in Andorra. It will be called theAndorra Morabanc Clssica and will be held next Sunday, June 22, ahead of the 2025 Tour de France....

Tadej Pogacar could cap off the greatest season in cyclinghistory by winning Il Lombardia for the fourth consecutive time. As the finalmonument of the year, the prestigious Italian classic serves as a fittingbattleground for Pogacars conclusion to his epic season. What adds anotherlayer of intr...

A heckler disrupted the launch of Limericks latest segregated cycle lane with an unexpected request yelled out of his car window more cycle lane!The Father Russell Road Active Travel Scheme in Raheen in Limerick was launched yesterday by the Mayor of Limerick, John Moran, and Minister of State at the Department of Transport, James Lawless.The project, by Limerick City and County Councils Active Travel team, is around 1km in length. The council said it provides significant pedestrian and cycle facility upgrades between Racefield Roundabout and the entrance to Gouldavoher residential area of the city.The routes official opening took place at St Pauls National School, Dooradoyle, which will have many students and staff living locally who will directly benefit from the new facilities.IMAGE: Politicians, officals, campaigners, and children from St Pauls National School at the launch of the route (Photo: Don Moloney).IMAGE: Brian Kennedy, Director of Service for Transportation and Mobility at Limerick City and County Council, Mayor of Limerick, John Moran, James Lawless TD, Minister of State at the Department of Transport with special responsibility for International and Road Transport and Logistics; and the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications with special responsibility for Postal Policy, Cllr Fergus Kilcoyne, Sean McGlynn, Limerick City and County Council and Brian Leddin TD pictured with students from St Pauls National School, Dooradoyle Elliot Harrington, Luke Yang, April OKeeffe Howard and Patryk Janowski at the launch of the Father Russell Road Active Travel Scheme (Photo: Don Moloney).IMAGE: The school band played at the launch at St Pauls National School (Photo: Don Moloney).IMAGE: Brian Kennedy, Director of Service for Transportation and Mobility at Limerick City and County Council, Mayor of Limerick, John Moran, James Lawless TD, Minister of State at the Department of Transport with special responsibility for International and Road Transport and Logistics; and the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications with special responsibility for Postal Policy and Cllr Fergus Kilcoyne pictured with students from St Pauls National School, Dooradoyle Elliot Harrington, Luke Yang, April OKeeffe Howard and Patryk Janowski at the launch of the Father Russell Road Active Travel Scheme (Photo: Don Moloney).IMAGE: Part of the new project (Photo: Don Moloney)The council said that the project is a key element of the Active Travel network on the West side of the city.It said that on the Racefield side, the route will connect with the Raheen Roundabout to Quinns Cross Active Travel Scheme, which is currently under construction, and, on the other side, it will connect with the St Pauls to Ballykeefe Active Travel Scheme, which has received planning permission and is expected to start construction in 2025.John Moran, the directly elected Mayor of Limerick, said: The completion of the Limerick Metropolitan Areas Active Travel network is continuing to be carried out at a high standard and a quick pace.Strong pedestrian and cycling infrastructure on the West side of the city that is accessible for all will provide an important element of making the Raheen/Mungret area a true 15 minute neighbourhood. This project will provide a vital connecting piece to link what is a heavily populated residential area to the Raheen Industrial Estate and the city centre in time, he said.The Mayor added: Im looking forward to the continued rollout of Limericks Active Travel network in the months and years ahead, keenly supported by funding from the NTA and the Department of Transport.Minister of State at the Department of Transport, James Lawless, said: It is great to see such projects come to fruition, after the significant increase in Active Travel funding that my Department has been in the position to provide in recent years, following the Programme for Government commitment of allocating around 360 million per annum to walking and cycling during the Governments lifetime.He added: The Father Russell Road scheme combines improvements for pedestrians and new segregated cycling infrastructure, with enhanced bus stops and landscaping. Like the many other schemes delivered by Limericks Active Travel team, it can act as a model for further development of the citys cycle network in years to come.The council said that following the completion of the Childers Road Scheme in April 2024, the Father Russell Road project is the latest to be opened in the citys quickly growing Active Travel network. Two more projects, one at Plassey Park in Castletroy and another near Ros Mor on the Old Cork Road are due to be completed before the end of the year.The Father Russell Road Active Travel Scheme was allocated 2 million in funding by the NTA in 2024, 1 million in 2023 and 200,000 in 2022.Anne Graham, CEO of the National Transport Authority, said: The opening of this scheme in Limerick City is a great example of how we are providing people in local communities with more sustainable travel options. The recently published Walking and Cycling Index found that, every day, those who walk and cycle take nearly 32,000 cars off the road in the Limerick Shannon Metropolitan Area.She added: By further improving our active travel infrastructure in Limerick, we will encourage more people to choose walking, wheeling and cycling for their everyday journeys.The council said that while twenty trees along the road were removed to construct the Father Russell Road project, the trees have been recycled as part of a natural play area that has been developed in Le Chile National School, Roxboro Road and a further 50 new trees have been planted along the route. These consist of a mix of native, naturalised and climate-resilient species.It added that native wildflower meadows, spring and summer bulbs and shrubs have also been planted as part of the project. The work was overseen by the Active Travel teams dedicated Parks and Landscape Officer.Dave Tobin, a member of the local Limerick Cycling Campaign and deputy chair of the Irish Cycling Campaign, said: Yesterdays #ActiveTravelLimerick launch of the Fr Russell Rd had a heckler shout at us from his car during the photo op: He was demanding that Limerick Council get more cycle lanes into the city centre sorted asap! A very direct request for Mayor John Morans mayoral programme!

Robin Goomes is the first woman to win the Red Bull Rampage.The historic event was years in the making, representing a huge step forward in womens mountain biking. She did it in style, too, aboard her Custom Barbie-themed Yeti SB 165.(Photo: Josh Conroy (josh__conroy)) Goomes clinched the victory with 85 points, landing two big backflips. The flips also earned her the Utah Sports Commission Best Trick Award. It wasnt all flips for Goomes, either. She wowed the judges with a 41-foot drop and cleaned the top technical chute.Judges said her line was a nod to the old-school Red Bull Rampage runs, which were technical and spoke to the spirit of freeride.(Photo: Josh Conroy (josh__conroy))Barbie Gets GnarlyGoomess bike is another piece that turned heads on her Red Bull Rampage runs. It is a Yeti SB165 with a unique Barbie theme. Were not talking Barbie touches; were talking full-on motif, down to re-styling her sponsors logos in the Barbie vibe.(Photo: Josh Conroy (josh__conroy))Custom Yeti SB 165Robin Goomes pilots a Yeti SB165 sporting an interesting wheelset from ENVE: the all-new M-Series M9 27.5/26 Pro mini-mullet setup. This is an athlete-only version of the new M Series wheels released this week (full details here). The M9 hoops are laced to ENVEs Innerdrive hubs, which feature an oversized customizable ratchet system.(Photo: Josh Conroy (josh__conroy))Suspension-wise, Goomes rocked as SR-Suntour RUX downhill fork. Component-wise, Goomes opted for a combo of Shimano Saint and XT. The Shimano theme carries over to the brakes and rotors (but no Barbie paint job).(Photo: Josh Conroy (josh__conroy))Gooms is a Kenda athlete and prefers the Pinner Pros with ACT casing for gnarly courses like the ones she faced this week.(Robin Goomes, photo by Robin ONeill/RedBull)Looking to Catch More Rampage Action?The womens broadcast will air this evening on October 10 at 9:00 pm ET/6:00 pm PT, simulcast on ESPN+, Red Bull TV, and Red Bull Bikes YouTube channel, with a highlight show on Sunday, October 27 on ESPN2 at 5:00 pm ET/2:00 pm PT. Watch the mens broadcast on Saturday, October, noon ET/9:00 am PT on ESPN+ in the U.S. and on Red Bull TV in all other countries.The post Bike Check: Robin Goomes Makes History on Barbie-Themed Yeti SB 165 w/ New ENVE Wheels appeared first on Bikerumor.

Tom Pidcock is arguably the face of the current INEOS Grenadiers team. Over recent seasons though, there has been growing criticism over INEOS' perceived underperformance. According to Spencer Martin and Johan Bruyneel, that could have something to do with Pidcock's lack of victories."Pidcock only...