Throughout the Giro d'Italia, the race jury attributes fines to some of the riders and sporting directors. Ultimately the fines can come in the form of money, time penalties or even UCI points, depending on the rule breaking. Here we present what has happened during the Giro.Martin Marcellusi & DS...

After a tricky and crash-marred opening few months to the 2024 season, Wout van Aert's plans for a Giro d'Italia debut were curtailed. With Jonas Vingegaard also having crashed out at the Itzulia Basque Country, there is talk of van Aert being drafted into the Tour de France lineup later this summer...

Throughout the Giro d'Italia, there will be many riders to withdraw from the race, for several different reasons. We make a list of all riders who leave the Corsa Rosa, as well as list out a few of the main crashes that take place during the race.Stage 1No riders have abandoned the race on it's fir...

Stage 20 is perhaps the queen stage of the Giro d'Italia. Although it does not have as many climbing meters as stage 15, it includes a double ascent of the Monte Grappa and it's long descent on rainy weather. We preview a day in the mountains where Tadej Pogacar is the main favourite but the breakaw...

With the breakaway being allowed to fight for the win on stage 19 of the 2024 Giro d'Italia, Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale Team's Andrea Vendrame secured the second stage win of his Giro career ahead of Pelayo Sanchez and Georg Steinhauser.The Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale Team has been incredibly succes...

Comment & Analysis / Long read: Theres a good reason I avoid reading articles by former tnaiste, justice minister, and attorney general Michael McDowell. Its not because of his political views but because of how often hes wrong on transport issues (see past articles). My area of knowledge is transport. If Im reading an article of his on another subject, how do I know what else hes getting wrong?McDowell is the respectable face of the political spectrum right of the mainstream political parties, but one of his latest tricks is getting away with a pub-talk or taxi-driver-like conspiracy theory about transport in our capital.His Irish Times article last week is readable on his website without any paywall there it runs with the bland headline: New Dublin taskforce needs to devise robust solutions for the city. In The Irish Times, the article ran with a bit more pointed headline: Simon Harriss Duracell bunny, frantic honeymoon approach to being Taoiseach.There are a lot of questions in McDowells article that I agree should be asked, including why a taskforce on Dublin City Centre seems to be operating outside of local government. The timeline for the task forces report back is unlikely to allow newly elected councillors to formally debate or comment on the issues collectively before the taskforce publishes its report.Theresa Reidy, a political scientist at University College Cork, writes today in the Irish Examiner about how we have the weakest local government in Europe and how national Governments keep messing with the structure, which usually leads to further erosion of power. One of Simon Harriss first actions as Taoiseach has been to set up the city centre taskforce which looks like it is to repeat history. Of course, we also didnt need McDowell to tell us this councillors have been saying it. But national newspapers dont like to focus too much on giving councillors a platform.Its part of the national medias strange relationship with Dublin City. Until the Dublin Inquirer came along, no local newspaper covered normal local media things like council meetings, etc. National newspapers cover some major issues but often in a dysfunctional way mostly as if Dublin were some kind of war zone that is sometimes reported on when things flare up or only when the story is deemed worthy enough in other ways.Other times, a cycle lane in D4 (or one of the northside colonies) will make the front page of The Irish Times. Meanwhile a bunch of cycle lanes around Tallaght have caused uproar but it hasnt even made the news-in-brief column.But while newspapers shy away from focusing too much on councillors, they seem to be very focused on giving a platform to conservative voices with a national outlook. And I can say this just about conservative voices on transport there are some very liberal people who switch to conservatism when it comes to transport.Conservatism, in the last line, should be read in this case as nothing more than preserving or promoting the status quo in terms of transport. Or sometimes wanting to go back to a past that never really existed when there was mass use of cars and free-flowing traffic. Just for clarity here, too: Conservatism generally and in terms of protecting the status quo of cars these two do not have to go hand-in-hand. There are, for example, socially and financially conservative councillors who support the move away from car dominance.In broader terms of McDowells conservatism, a Phoenix article from March outlines: McDowell knows there is a space somewhere between FG and the loud, unsavoury crew that definitely are to the right of centre but whose members have little to offer the electorate on economic bread-and-butter issues and who are unlikely to win a single seat in the next Dil. Michael, however, could lead half a dozen or so TDs into government and influence it way beyond its real political weight as before.Now, maybe McDowell bases his views on his life experience, his preference, or whatever. Thats fair enough. But hes smart enough to know that his position on transport is totally in line with that broader edgy conservatism and populism, which uses transport as a wedge issue.Much like how newspapers and radio stations use the issue as a culture war issue. Their comfortable but concerned middle-class readers get annoyed. Stirring the pot will get clicks and then reader letters. And then more clicks, and then more letters with different views. And on goes the circle.Anyway, when we add everything together, its not a great mix for making progress on sustainable transport and the wide-ranging benefits from health to environment to mobility to safety. In the mix, we have newspapers and broadcasters that not only promote conservatism but also fail to substantially cover council meeting and issues which leaves a population ill-informed and primed for misinformation and even conspiracy theories.Thats where we get to a former tnaiste writing in a newspaper once viewed as the newspaper of record claiming that: Finally, there seems to be a suggestion that traffic congestion is Dublins problem. It is not. Much of the current congestion is deliberately created by our transport engineers with their traffic-light sequencing, lane segregation and road closures.This comes from the same playbook as Conor Faughnan, who once asked on national radio if on-street bike lockers for people who dont have secure storage for their bicycles are an excuse to sabotage car use.The idea that traffic-light sequencing is being changed not for pedestrian priority but just to cause congestion for the fun of it or some weird ideological gole is bonkers. And the idea that segregation of bus or cycle lanes isnt being done to give those modes priority and more safety for cycling but rather another part of the systematic sabotage of traffic is off-the-wall. And that road closures (aka opening streets to any use but cars) are being done by transport engineers to just mess up the city for car users is just not tenable.You should give people making these kinds of claims in a pub strange looks. If they are doing it in a national newspaper, theres something seriously wrong.Lets be honest here: Theres not a huge leap between what McDowell is saying and the unhinged 15-minute city conspiracy theories. 15-minute city conspiracy theories are logical conclusions for some people who think like him. Of course, hes not going as far as the unhinged. McDowells key skill is making it look somewhat respectable.The next question (which is usually asked as if its never been asked before) is: Then how do you explain how there are fewer cars but the same or more congestion? But theres an easy answer to this: While some people wrongly talk about reducing congestion as if it means free-flowing traffic, the policy goal is to move more people, not more cars. People are more efficiently moved by sustainable transport.Both national and local policies also aim to have cleaner air, more greenery, more peoples activity, and more space on streets that isnt all about movement. The road to those goals is bumpy, but that doesnt mean we should abandon our journey.If you want more people living in an already-built city centre (like McDowell claims he does), you need to switch away from a mass level of car use. You especially need it if having a degree of livability is also a goal, and it should be.In a growing city, traffic tends to settle to a certain level. Its more complicated than a few paragraphs in an already long enough article, but people who say you can have both fantastic sustainable transport and free-flowing cars in a city like Dublin are no better than snake oil salespeople.Planned traffic engineering will not, I think, improve our urban core, McDowell said. Maybe he could explore this more and get loads of details wrong as he has a history of doing in articles on transport? Maybe he can tell us that its working in Paris because they have a metro system when people in Paris also Its all relatively away. You dont need a metro system to stop through traffic in the central sections of the quays in Dublin. People are talking as if the misinformation spread by news reports and radio shows about traffic being banned from the city centre is true. Its not true. The actions planned are radical compared to previous changes but also limited to a relatively small area, and car access will be maintained.McDowell adds: The new traffic plans may create an economically lifeless, deserted urban doughnut, and further damage the commercial and cultural vibrancy of Dublins city centre. We deserve much better.Yes, we deserve much better. That much is true. Car-centric planning is more likely to cause a doughnut effect. And there is no substantial sign of a doughnut effect in Dublin City or the wider area. The trend is densification, a growing number of people living in the city centre, a growing number of jobs and a growing number of shops and businesses. Every city will have issues, and theres a mix of them, including effects on working post-Covid, the knock-on effect that has had on some restaurants and cafes, especially in areas overly dominated by offices, inflation impacts, affordability, etc. Its not all plain sailing, and nobody should be claiming it is.Some people, especially people who have never lived in the centre, think Dublin is already shaped like a doughnut with a central hole. But this is a completely inaccurate image of Dublin as a pastry. If Dublin were a pastry, itd be a bit messy, and while the outer ring would have some thick fluffy bits, the centre would have the highest density of dough.The Dutch city of Utrecht (pictured above) has implemented far more radical restrictions on cars than Dublin City is planning. This is some news that people who know Utrecht will be surprised by: I can safely report that its still not a commercial and cultural wasteland. McDowell wants the upper-middle-class readers of The Irish Times to think Dublins planned far milder car restrictions will lead to the downfall of the city centre.Paris, Oslo, Amsterdam, Ghent and a long list of other cities have turned their backs on car dominance and reaped wide-ranging rewards, including boosting access to their commercial and cultural offerings. And this is where car-focused populism has been weakened: People under 50 are more likely to have travelled and seen these places. This internet thing has also helps.We know that the story being sold by McDowell and people like him around the world depends on others buying into his idea that a better future will actually lead to a dystopian outcome. We know its not true.

Although he was unable to take a victory that went to Andrea Vendrame, Pelayo Sanchez impressed again on stage 19 of the 2024 Giro d'Italia. The Movistar Team rider was part of the breakaway throughout the day, and matched practically all the attacks that took place, including two from Julian Alaphi...

Rs Tailteann 2024. Stage 3 Kenmare-Cahir24/5/2024Cormac McGeough wins todays stagePic : Lorraine OSullivanRs Tailteann Stage 3Promoted by Cairde Rs TailteannStage 3 of Rs Tailteann took the riders from Kenmare to Cahir over a distance of 154.8KM.The stage was won by Irish man Cormac McGeough riding as part of the Mexican Canels Java Team. John Buller from Spellman Dublin Port finished second with Odhran Doogan (Team Ireland) in third.No change to yellow as Dom Jackson (UK Foran CT) leads the general classification. Defending champion Dillon Corkery (Team Ireland) holds onto the green points jersey while Conor McGoldrick from the UK Richardsons Trek DAS team takes over the KOH classification.Rs Tailteann Stage 3 How it unfoldedIn usual Rs fashion, the race started off at very high speeds as it departed Kenmare. Cormac Dalys name echoed throughout the town. The local Kenmare man riding as part of the USA Good Guys Racing NYC team was a local celebrity. The days first attack came from Tom Martin (Team Wheelbase Cabtech Castelli) after just 2KM, but he was quickly reeled back in.For the next 25KM, speeds were in excess of 50 km/h as the peloton splintered on a number of occasions. However, this didnt deter attacks as Jason Kenny (UCD Cycling Club) and Darnell Moore (All Human VeloRevolution) tried to break free but were quickly chased down by the bunch. Next to attack was George Kimber (Spirit TBW Stuart Hall Cycling) but he faced a similar outcome to Kenny and Moore. Before Glenfesk, Lindsay Watson (All Human VeloRevolution), Wells Willet (USA Good Guys Racing NYC), Ciaran Maguire (Dan Morrissey Primor by Pissei) and Ben Pease (UK Moonglu Race Team) had a slight advantage but were also brought back by the bunch.Shortly after the 30KM mark, the race approached the first KOH of the day, a category 3 climb at Barraduff. Dean Harvey (Team Ireland) had a slight advantage over the bunch but was absorbed quickly. Conor McGoldrick (Richardsons Trek DAS) was first over the climb, with Logan Maclean (Killarney CC), Jordan Giles (Richardsons Trek DAS) and Liam Flanagan (USA Skyline Cadence) second, third and fourth, respectively.The speed stayed extremely fast after the KOH as the race entered Barraduff. Marcus Christie (CC Isle of Man), Liam Flanagan (Skyline Cadence), George Kimber (Spirit TBW Stuart Hall Cycling) and Darnell Moore (All Human VeloRevolution) were next to break but again were chased hard by the bunch. The epic speed caused some tired legs to lose contact as the race approached Rathmore. The race left the Kingdom and entered the Rebel County with 45KM completed in just 55 minutes. There was lots of aggression at the front of the peloton, but nobody was able to get away.The next 10 km remained fast but steady until a split in the bunch occurred at high speeds. 26 riders pushed ahead, leaving a group of 100 on their trail. It looked like the move had potential, but a stall caused it to come back together. After 67KM, the race passed through a roundabout on the outskirts of Banteer, which is the hometown of our defending champion Dillon Corkery. Coming out of the roundabout, Paul Kennedy (Skyline Cadence), who was second on stage one, attacked, being joined by Patton Sims (Good Guys Racing NYC) and Lindsay Watson (All Human VeloRevolution). They were the first attack of the day to get any kind of substantial gap and quickly gained an advantage of 15 seconds. Robertson (Ride Revolution) and Flanagan (Skyline Cadence) managed to bridge the gap as the five leaders pushed hard to gain an advantage in front of the bunch. George Kimber (Spirit TBW Stuart Hall Cycling) would later join the leaders, and it looked like a move that could last the day. However, it wasnt meant to be, and the bunch quickly came back together as it reached the halfway point. A few more attacks occurred before Mallow but still, nothing would stick. It was looking like a definite bunch finish into Cahir.A 17-man group would then split ahead of the bunch, and it looked like a promising move. Yellow jersey Dom Jackson quickly reacted and tried to bridge the gap. This was enough to alert the peloton, and it all came back together.With 85KM completed, the race passed Mallow with speeds still sitting in excess of 50 km/h. This didnt change as the race whizzed through New Twopothouse after 91.5KM with a five man lead group containing Santos Moreno (Canels Java), Kenny (UCD Cycling Club), Martin (Wheelbase Cabtech Castelli), Byrne (Cycling Leinster) and Perrett (Spirit TBW Stuart Hall Cycling). They were also reeled in shortly after as the race approached the two-hour mark. Incredibly, the riders had completed 97.1KM in the first two hours of racing. As the race approached 100KM completed and headed for Doneraile, the riders began the second KOH of the day, another category three climb. This time, Ewan Warren Scanlon (Brocar Rali Ale) took the points with Dillon Corkery (Team Ireland), Liam OBrien (Team Ireland) and Conor McGoldrick (Richardsons Trek DAS) rounding out the top four. The four riders pushed on after the KOH and opened an initial gap of 8 seconds. The response from the peloton caused a split to occur as the front group pushed on to bring back the break. The gap opened to a maximum of thirty seconds as the final KOH of the day hit in Kildorrery after 110.9KM. This time, McGoldrick led them over the top ahead of OBrien, Corkery and then Warren Scanlon.Following the KOH, the gap started dwindling but held at approximately 15 seconds for about 2KM until Conor McGoldrick (Richardsons Trek DAS) sat up from the break. The other three riders pushed on but were quickly pulled in by the bunch.As the race approached Mitchelstown with a little over 30KM remaining, attacks were plentiful looking to sneak away into the finish. A group of ten leaders got away and quickly gained a 25 second advantage which opened up to 40 seconds.With 20 KM remaining, the ten leaders Tomas (Brocar Rali Ale), Rushby (Ribble), Peden (Team PB), Niu (Bodywrap), Buller (Spellman Dublin), Doogan (Ireland), Christensen (Foran), McDermott (Ride Revolution), McGeough (Canels Java) and ONeill (Challenge CC) had twenty-six seconds over two chasers Kenny (UCD) and Pease (Moonglu) with the bunch at 46 seconds. The two chasers were absorbed as the ten leaders pushed on with an advantage of 40 seconds. With 10 km to go, the bunch were chasing hard, and Cormac McGeough, 2nd in last years Rs, saw his chance and off the front he went. With 5KM to go, he had an advantage of a few mere seconds. With 2KM to go, it was even smaller. It didnt matter, he done it Cormac McGeough won the stage into Cahir as his gamble paid off. The remaining 9 leaders came in 3 seconds down and were led in by John Buller (Spellman Dublin Port) in second ahead of Odhran Doogan (Team Ireland) in third. Max Rushby from Ribble Rebellion finished fourth, and Josep Tomas Juan rounded out the top five. The bunch were a further 15 seconds behind.No change to yellow as Dom Jackson (Foran CT) holds onto the Bective Stud Yellow Jersey. He is still on the same time overall as Conn McDunphy (Skyline Cadence) and Liam OBrien (Team Ireland).Dillon Corkery (Team Ireland) holds on to the Citybreak Apartments Green Points Jersey.Conor McGoldrick (Richardsons Trek DAS) takes hold of the Irish Independent KOH Jersey.Matteo Cigala (Dan Morrissey Primor by Pissei) holds onto the Sport Ireland County Rider Jersey. Liam OBrien (Team Ireland) holds onto the Spin 11 U23 Rider Jersey.Cormac McGeough (Canels Java Mexico) will wear the FBD Stage Winner Jersey.Gareth ONeill (Challenge CC) wins the Festina Daily County Rider Award.Results Stage 3 [See image gallery at www.irishcyclingnews.com] The post Photos & Results: Stage 3 Rs Tailteann 2024 appeared first on IrishCyclingNews.com | Irish Cycling News | IrishCycling.

After his general classification ambitions fell away at the end of the first week of the 2024 Giro d'Italia, Team Jayco AlUla's Luke Plapp has switched targets to hunting stage wins.On stage 19, Plapp was in the breakaway and well in the fight for victory before eventually crossing the line in 5th....

Rs Tailteann 2024. Stage 2 Kanturk-Sneem 23/5/2024Irelands Con McDunphy on the Skyline CADENCE team wins todays stagePic : Lorraine OSullivanRs Tailteann Stage 2Promoted by Cairde Rs TailteannStage 2 of Rs Tailteann took the riders from Kanturk to Sneem over a distance of 183.8KM.The stage was won by Conn McDunphy, an Irish man riding as part of the USA Skyline-CADENCE team with Liam OBrien from Team Ireland in second. George Peden from UK Team PB Performance finished third with Dillon Corkery from Team Ireland finishing fourth for the second consecutive day.Dom Jackson from UK Foran CT takes the yellow jersey with Liam OBrien from Team Ireland in second and Conn McDunphy from USA Skyline-CADENCE in third. All three riders are on the same time overall. Defending champion Dillon Corkery of Team Ireland finds himself in fifth overall with a deficit of 32 seconds.Logan Maclean of Killarney CC is the leader of the KOH competition, and Matteo Cigala is leading the Irish county rider competition.Rs Tailteann Stage 2 How it unfoldedAgain, the race kicked off from the 0.0KM signs at speeds in excess of 50km/h. Early crosswinds caused havoc, with riders losing contact from the off. The winds didnt deter attacks, as Daire Feeley (All Human VeloRevolution), Pete Cocker (Richardsons Trek DAS) and Gareth ONeill (Challenge CC) attacked inside the first 30KM but were quickly reeled back in. ONeill was quick to strike again as the race approached the first KOH of the day and took the points over the first CAT 3 in Scartaglin after 37.8KM. Conor McGoldrick (Richardsons Trek DAS), Jack Luke Marshall (Brocar Rali Ale) and Jude Taylor (Team PB Performance) were second, third and fourth over the line, respectively. ONeill was reeled in after the KOH.Over the next 15KM, the race was pretty steady until ONeill attacked again, bringing Mitchell McLaughlin (All Human VeloRevolution), Patton Sims (Good Guys Racing) and Conal Scully (Dan Morrissey Primor by Pissei) with him. At maximum, the riders had an advantage of 27 seconds but were reeled back in as the second KOH, a CAT 3 in Callinafersey loomed. Conor McGoldrick (Richardsons Trek DAS) led over the KOH, with Corkery (Team Ireland), Martin (Wheelbase Cabtech Castelli) and Laverick (Ribble Rebellion) behind in second, third and fourth.Lots of attacks over the next 20KM as the race passed through the cycling stronghold of Killorglin, but nothing managed to get away. Next up, was the CAT 3 Bunglasha KOH after 91.2KM. This time around, Logan Maclean (Killarnery CC) led over the top with McGoldrick (Richardson Trek DAS) in second. Tom Armstrong (Wheelbase Cabtech Castelli) and Ryan Christensen (Foran CT) were third and fourth over the KOH.Maclean led out front after the third KOH and took the pivotal 15 points at the top of the CAT 1 Ballaghasheen Pass. OBrien (Ireland), Warren Scanlon (Brocar Rali Ale), Jackson (Foran CT), Corkery (Ireland), Kimber (Spirit TBW Stuart Hall Cycling) and OConnor (Leinster) were second to seventh across the crest of the climb.The race was now completely decimated following the KOH with groups all over the road. A fast descent off Ballaghasheen helped to form a leading group of 27 riders who had a near three minute gap over the second group on the road, which included both the yellow jersey, Pritchard (Richardsons Trek DAS) and white jersey, Doogan (Team Ireland). This gap dwindled over the next 30 kilometres, falling to just 90 seconds as the riders had 50KM of racing remaining. McGoldrick (Richardsons Trek DAS) led over the Coomakista CAT 2 ahead of Jackson (Foran CT), Maclean (Killarney), OBrien (Ireland), Martin (Wheelbase Cabtech Castelli) and Shoreman (Wheelbase Cabtech Castelli).After the KOH, with approximately 40KM of racing remaining, Irishman Conn McDunphy of USA Team Skyline-CADENCE and Liam OBrien of Team Ireland attacked. Their gap over the chasing group grew to over a minute with the yellow jersey group a further minute behind as the race approached the finishing loop in Sneem. As the leaders approached the final KOH of the day, McDunphy and OBriens lead was now a minute and 40 seconds as the yellow jersey group closed rapidly on the chasers, only a further thirty seconds behind. OBrien led over the KOH, with McDunphy in second. Corkery of Team Ireland and Shoreman of Team Wheelbase Cabtech Castelli took third and fourth over the final KOH, respectively.As the race approached the finish in Sneem, the gap was dwindling rapidly but it was obvious that OBrien and McDunphy had done enough to stay away. Sure enough, McDunphy took the stage win into Sneem with OBrien in second at the same time. George Peden (Team PB Performance) won the sprint for third, with Corkery leading in the chasing group two seconds behind for fourth at a 32-second deficit.McDunphys win puts him in the FBD Stage Winner Jersey. Corkerys fourth place finish was enough to allow him lead the Citybreak Apartments Points Classification. Logan Maclean (Killarney CC)s win in the Ballaghasheen Pass KOH put him in the Irish Independent Mountains Jersey. Liam OBrien moves into the Spin 11 U23 Jersey, taking it from his teammate Odhran Doogan who was caught up in an earlier crash. For the second consecutive stage, Matteo Cigala was the first Irish County Rider home and wins the Festina award, along with retaining the Sport Ireland County Rider Jersey. While, Dom Jackson (Foran CT) takes over the Bective Stud Yellow Jersey classification but OBrien and McDunphy are chomping at the bit with the exact same time it truly still is all to play for.Photos by Lorraine OSullivan [See image gallery at www.irishcyclingnews.com] Results Stage 2Start List Stage 3The post Photos & Results: Stage 2 Rs Tailteann 2024 appeared first on IrishCyclingNews.com | Irish Cycling News | IrishCycling.