“Can’t beat racing in Spain in August”: Geraint Thomas ‘confirms’ Vuelta as final race before retirement… and Pro Cycling Stats falls for it; Tom Pidcock to make Giro d’Italia debut in “fantastic opportunity”; April Fools roundup + more on the live blog

Nope, don’t check the date, this is still a story from March – and it is about Bristol after all…

> Bollards installed on new cycle lane outside hospital after drivers immediately block it

The CIC Mont Ventoux has been cancelled for the second year in succession due to budget issues related to TV production, according to reports.

The one-day race, established in 2019 as the Mont Ventoux Dénivelé Challenge, saw riders tackle two ascents of the iconic bald mountain in Provence.

However, the 2023 race – won in a six-man sprint by the then-19-year-old Lenny Martinez – was shortened to just (just) the one climb to the legendary summit due to bad weather, while last year’s race was cancelled completely due to a clash with the passing of the Olympic torch relay on the mountain.

A women’s version of the race was also held in 2022, and won by Marta Cavalli, but was cancelled the following year.

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by CIC Mont Ventoux (@cicmontventoux)

And it appears that Martinez’s win in 2023 may ultimately prove the last for the short-lived event, with Le Gruppetto reporting this morning that this year’s CIC Mont Ventoux, scheduled for 6 June, has been cancelled, with organisers citing the rising costs associated with TV production as a key factor behind the decision to axe the race.

With the race also being removed from the UCI’s calendar for 2025, that looks like it could be the definitive end for the kind of race 14-year-old Ryan daydreamed about while playing Pro Cycling Manager.

But hey, at least we have a visit to Mont Ventoux to look forward to at the Tour de France this year, anyway…

Cycling in #Galway.

[image or embed]

— Cosáin Climate (@cosaingalway.bsky.social) March 30, 2025 at 7:21 PM

Speaking of Welsh cyclists…

Cycling UK has warned the Welsh government that dropping cycling projects from its list of transport priorities would “risk missing the opportunity” to enable more people to access cycled journeys in the country.

The Welsh Labour Transport Secretary Ken Skates says the government has “listened to the people of Wales” and the immediate priority will be seeing active travel “first and foremost, through the eyes of those who are most vulnerable, elderly people, people who use wheelchairs”.

Read more: > Welsh Labour government to prioritise walking projects over cycle lanes, as cycling campaigners fear “missed opportunity”

Yep, that’s right – believe it or not, our article on Warner Bros. Discovery announcing yet another TNT Sports price hike to combat Donald Trump’s new tariff on “foreign TV pixels” was all just an April Fool (for now, anyway).

Now, you would have thought a TV exec called Robin Phans or the idea that anyone would ever be encouraged to watch TV while speeding along the motorway (hmm…) would have been enough of a clue, but it seems like some of you were caught out, at least initially, by our jokey fake news.

> TNT Sports subscription hiked AGAIN to £37 a month due to latest Trump tariff announcement

“Kind of says something about the Trump administration and capitalism in general that this was quite believable. Took me until the fourth paragraph to twig what day it was,” said RobD in the comments.

“Sadly, with the news at the moment it actually seemed too plausible!” added PRSboy.

“Has no one checked today’s date? Had me for a second,” said j4m1eb.

A few of you even fell for it hook, line, and sinker, Mr Blackbird taking to the comments section to ask whether Robin Phans “was paid a huge salary for such excellent PR work” – before, ten minutes later, realising what day it was.

Anyway, we’re happy to clarify that TNT Sports subscribers have to pay just the £30.99 a month to watch the cycling, and President Trump is not (currently) planning to put a tariff on TV pixels.

Hopefully we’ve not given him any ideas…

Yes, it’s official – Tom Pidcock will be making his debut at the Giro d’Italia next month, after his Q36.5 Pro Cycling received a wildcard invitation to the first grand tour of the year.

Pidcock’s team will join Israel-Premier Tech, Tudor Pro Cycling, Polti VisitMalta, and VF Group Bardiani CSF-Faizanè as the five second-tier ProTeams on the start line in Albania, after the UCI agreed yesterday to increase the number of teams permitted to compete at men’s grand tours from 22 to 23.

As the two highest ranked ProTeams, Israel-Premier Tech and Lotto were guaranteed invites to this year’s editions of the Tour de France, Giro d’Italia, and Vuelta a España. But with Lotto turning down their spot at the Giro, organisers RCS were then able to invite four wildcard teams, settling on two Italian squads, along with Pidcock’s Q36.5 outfit and the Julian Alaphilippe-led Tudor.

The 2025 Corsa Rosa has been pencilled in on Pidcock’s calendar since his move from Ineos to second-tier Q36.5 over the winter, and will mark the 25-year-old’s first appearance at the elite version of the Italian grand tour.

Pidcock has, however, won the U23 version, known as the Baby Giro, taking three stages and the overall back in 2020 in a ruthlessly dominant display.

The Yorkshire rider has been in sparking form since his arrival at Q36.5, following a tense final year with Ineos and a subsequent protracted transfer saga, winning two stages and the GC at the AlUla Tour, a stage of the Vuelta a Andalucia, and taking second behind Tadej Pogačar at Strade Bianche, while looking like the only rider capable of following, for a decent spell at least, the rampant world champion.

“I think it is a fantastic opportunity for us as a team,” Pidcock said in a statement this morning.

“It’s what we have wanted to be a part of since I joined this team, and now it’s become a reality. I think it’s going to be a pretty exciting race with lots of different opportunities.

“I am looking forward to racing with the team and showcasing our partners, especially Q36.5 as an Italian brand. I’m glad we have this opportunity, and I’m motivated to make the most of it.”

Meanwhile, Q36.5 chief Doug Ryder said: “I am really happy we received this invitation, and I would like to thank RCS for inviting us. It’s truly a privilege to be a part of the Corsa Rosa this year.

“With seven victories so far this season, we have demonstrated what we are capable of. Starting our first Grand Tour as Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team is a dream come true. Our connection to Italy runs deep, with our title partner, Q36.5, a high-performance cycling apparel brand based in Italy, now set to be showcased in the country’s most prestigious race.

“Looking at the course, I believe it suits our riders well, particularly our team leader, Tom Pidcock, who has already shown his strength on Italian roads this year in Strade Bianche and Tirreno-Adriatico.

“While there are specific stages we are especially excited about, above all, I am incredibly proud of our team, our staff, and the founding partners who have supported us on this journey to the highest levels of the sport.”

As expected, however, there will be no Tour de France this year for Pidcock and his new team. The UCI’s decision to approve a request to increase the number of teams taking part in grand tours also prompted Tour organisers ASO to immediately confirm their wildcard slots, with TotalEnergies, Tudor, and Uno-X Mobility filling those berths.

Unfortunately, this particular story is all too real:

> Driver who blamed the sun after breaking cyclist’s elbow banned from driving for 12 months and fined £520

No, it’s not just us, Geraint Thomas, and Manx Radio who have been busy wasting time dreaming up inane April Fools’ Day stories.

The Canadian Cycling Magazine, for instance, ‘reported’ that newly unemployed former prime minister Justin Trudeau was set to pull a reverse Donald – going from statesman to bike race organiser – after announcing “an ambitious new cycling project” for 2026, the five-day Tour de Trudeau.

 

 

 

 

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And speaking of outlandish bike races, Band of Climbers touted the idea of a downhill amateur time trial on Alpe d’Huez, complete with “human safety barriers” and a free beer at the summit – for courage, I suspect – before plunging down the 13km descent at 100kph.

The Tor Divide, meanwhile, claimed that bikepacking was set to be added to the Olympics (the mention of ‘Paris 28’ flagging that one up quickly as a joke), while down under, a mountain biking group reported that tubeless sealant was set to be banned at a popular MTB park due to “environmental concerns”.

 

 

 

 

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And finally, SingleTrackWorld came up with the very believable story that a Private Members’ Bill has been lodged seeking to reclassify all e-bikes as motorbikes, banning them from bridleways, after dog walkers claimed “they’ve ruined our lives”.

As we said earlier, we need to stop giving them ideas…

I’ll round up some of the best cycling-themed April Fools jokes from around the internet in a minute, but I thought I’d start with my own personal favourite.

This morning, Manx Radio ‘reported’ that the Isle of Man’s Ronaldsway Airport is set to be renamed the ‘Sir Mark Cavendish Airport’ in honour of the now retired Manx Missile.

“The infrastructure minister has announced plans to honour the Isle of Man’s most successful athlete of all time and call it ‘Sir Mark Cavendish Airport’,” Manx Radio said.

“£200,000 from the Capital Projects Fund has been spent initially on new signage, before Michelle Haywood goes to Tynwald to ask for further investment in the scheme.”

The article itself, bizarrely, reads mostly like a normal, fairly mundane news report, though there are some nice details sprinkled throughout, including the planned installation of a “private VIP lounge for Sir Mark’s use”, with the 35-time Tour de France stage winner the only person able to approve passes for the lounge.

Cav enjoying his VIP lounge at his airport…

The article also states that infrastructure minister Haywood confirmed that there had been a number of options considered for the new name, from Gaelic king of the otherworld Manannán and King Orry to Douglas-born the Bee Gees.

“Some of the other features will include a dedicated gold-plated parking space for Sir Mark to use [presumably for his Aston Martin? – Ed], as well as a cycle lane through security,” the article said.

It’s just a pity they missed out on the opportunity to include another few perks for Cav to avail of in his renamed airport – maybe a ‘lead out’ passenger to help force his way to the front of the queue, shoving people out of the way in the process? Or a special room he can swear in when his flight’s delayed?

To be fair, it is only a matter of time before Cavendish gets a big infrastructure project named after him on the Isle of Man. After all, he already has his own stamp collection:

> Five cool things coming soon from Scott, Boardman, Hutchinson, Farsports, and Temple Cycles

Back to actual, real cycling news for a moment, and the high-pressured environment of life as a top pro cyclist in Belgium.

Yesterday, we reported on the live blog that Belgian champion Arnaud De Lie would not be racing tomorrow’s Dwars door Vlaanderen or Sunday’s Tour of Flanders, after his Lotto team withdrew from those upcoming cobbled races due to a recent dip in form.

The 23-year-old burst on to the scene as a neo-pro in 2022, winning 19 races across his first two seasons with Lotto, along with finishing second at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad at the age of 20, but missed last year’s classic due to a bout of Lyme disease.

(Sprint Cycling Agency)

He recovered to win the Belgian championships, as well as the Tro-Bro Léon and a host of other races, and started 2025 in fine form, winning a stage of the Etoile de Bessèges.

However, despite a ninth place at the GP Denain, De Lie has struggled over the past month, looking far from his best at Nokere Koerse and Brugge-De Panne (where he finished 69th and 126th respectively), while failing to complete Gent-Wevelgem, prompting Lotto to pull the plug early on his classics campaign.

And speaking to Het Nieuwsblad, De Lie’s sports director at Lotto, Kurt van der Wouwer, questioned his rider’s commitment to racing at the highest level.

“Arnaud has done everything in terms of training, but cycling is more than just training. It is not enough to only live for your sport at 90 per cent. Cycling now requires 110 per cent,” Van der Wouwer said.

“With Arnaud, certain factors and details are open to improvement. It is time to work on that. For the second year in a row, we have concluded that Arnaud has not made the step up to the great classics.

“We then come back to the story of ninety per cent or 110 per cent. At that level, every detail makes a difference.”

De Lie pops a wheelie on Superdevoluy at the 2024 Tour de France (Zac Williams/SWpix.com)

According to former pro Dirk de Wolf, homesickness has played a part in De Lie’s stuttering 2025 campaign, with the 23-year-old reportedly unhappy with having to spend so much time away from his father’s farm, where he was reported to have worked 35 hours a week during his debut, breakout season in 2022.

“Arnaud trained too much in Spain – two months – and less at home. De Lie likes to be with his cows too much. That is literally what [Lotto sports director] Dirk Demol told me,” De Wolf told the Wielerclub Wattage show this week.

In any case, Lotto – who have reportedly sacked De Lie’s coach Gaëtan Bille this week – are still confident the Belgian champion can regain his form ahead of the Tour de France, even if that also means missing Paris-Roubaix.

“Last year we were in the same situation here,” Van de Wouwer told Wielerflits.

“After [his break] he immediately won his first race, he became Belgian champion, and rode a good Tour de France. I want to sign for that right now. That is why it’s interesting to take him out of competition and let him rest for what’s to come.

“There are still some great races coming up. The Belgian championships is a goal, and the Tour. That talent is not gone. We have to give him time to recharge. Then he will be the Arnaud we know again.”

 

 

 

 

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Where’s West Brom fan and noted e-bike investigator Adrian Chiles? Surely he’d be all over this?

The yellow card and fine handed to Red Bull–Bora–Hansgrohe’s Jordi Meeus, after the Belgian sprinter caused a mass pile-up at Gent-Wevelgem on Sunday by divebombing up the inside on a tight bend, demonstrates the “robustness” of the UCI’s race refereeing, the self-congratulatory governing body said in a statement today.

Matteo Trentin, Juan Sebastián Molano, Tosh Van der Sande, Matis Louvel, Bert Van Lerberghe, and Connor Swift were just some of the riders impacted in the crash in question, after Meeus appeared to have run out of room while darting up the inside next to a roadside bar, before abruptly riding straight back into the bunch and causing the mass spill.

The Red Bull-Bora rider was initially missing from the UCI jury’s report into the race, but was subsequently spotted on the list of riders facing disciplinary action for their behaviour at the one-day classic on Sunday, won by former world champion Mads Pedersen with a spectacular long-range solo effort.

“The Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) confirms that the Belgian rider Jordi Meeus, a member of the UCI WorldTeam Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe, has been sanctioned by the Commissaires Panel for improper conduct that endangered other riders during the 2025 edition of Gent-Wevelgem in Flanders Fields (Belgium) on 30 March,” the UCI said in a statement today.

> Pro cyclist gets yellow card for “kamikaze” crash at Gent-Wevelgem

“In accordance with article 2.12.007 § 8.2. of the UCI Regulations, the rider received a yellow card and was sanctioned with a fine and a loss of UCI points.

“The offence committed by Jordi Meeus, who had caught up with the peloton on the inside of a corner by taking a pavement, a manoeuvre that caused several riders to fall, was identified by the UCI TV Support Commissaire after the incident.

“This sanction demonstrates the robustness of the race refereeing implemented by the UCI to ensure the fairness of competitions guaranteed by the application of UCI Regulations.

“Offences committed can be identified either during the events by the officiating Commissaires or by the UCI TV Support Commissaire viewing live images from the various TV cameras as well as social media feeds, or during post-event analysis.”

Pats on the back all round, then.

Egan Bernal’s remarkable recovery from a potentially life-threatening training crash, back to the heights of WorldTour racing, has been studied as part of a newly published medical research paper.

Read more: > Egan Bernal’s recovery from life-threatening horror crash detailed in medical research paper

Time to put down your pitchforks, everyone – G’s going to be racing on home roads in September, after all.

“Thankfully most of you got this,” he wrote on Twitter – two minutes before noon, I’ll add. Good job Thomas isn’t a journalist, he’d be awful with embargos.

“All being well, I’ll be busy at the Tour of Britain,” the 38-year-old signed off, complete with obligatory April Fools’ Day and ‘Spain is for holidays’ hashtags.

Quick, someone tell Pro Cycling Stats…

Hmmm… One of the peloton’s biggest mischief makers choosing the first day of April to announce a big change to his calendar? Sounds legit to me.

This morning, Geraint Thomas ‘confirmed’ on social media that he will race this year’s Vuelta a España, making the Spanish grand tour the 2018 Tour de France winner’s final race before he hangs up his wheels at the end of the year.

“Enjoying my final year so much on the bike, I’ve decided to add the Vuelta to my programme,” the 38-year-old Ineos rider wrote on Twitter this morning, complete with sunglasses emoji.

“Can’t beat racing in Spain in August. One last time.”

If true, this year’s final grand tour would mark Thomas’s third attempt at the Vuelta, where he finished 31st in 2023 and 69th in 2015.

Enjoying my final year so much on the bike, I’ve decided to add the Vuelta to my programme 😎 Can’t beat racing in Spain in August. One last time 🇪🇸👌 pic.twitter.com/iseT3d1LR7

— Geraint Thomas (@GeraintThomas86) April 1, 2025

But… besides the date he chose to make this announcement, there’s just the small matter of the Tour of Britain to consider.

That race’s early September slot clashes directly with the Spanish grand tour, and (most importantly) when Thomas announced his retirement plans back in February, he earmarked the Tour of Britain as the perfect opportunity to bow out on home roads.

“If you could pick anything then it would be finishing on home roads and the Tour of Britain is exactly that,” Thomas said on his podcast after confirming his retirement.

“Rod [Ellingworth], who’s my old coach from the academy, then obviously he was part of Sky for so many years, he’s the race director there as well.

“So I’ve asked him to pull a few favours, possibly go into Wales for the final stage, possibly Cardiff city centre outside the castle, that would be awesome.”

Oh, and what’s more, last week – as he raced in dreadful conditions at the Volta a Catalunya, Thomas noted that the race would be his last as a professional in Spain.

“Thought I’d give Spain one more chance… And it rains on day one. More Cardiff than Catalunya. #spainisforholidays,” he wrote on Instagram.

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Geraint Thomas (@geraintthomas86)

And that’s before we get on to his dismissive attitude towards the Vuelta in the past:

> “Spain’s for holidays, not riding a bike”: Geraint Thomas weighs in on Roglič leadership debate, says “no one cares if you’ve won three, four, five Vueltas”

So – pretty conclusive proof that G’s having us all on by claiming he’s set to race for three long weeks in the scorching heat of Spain, turning his back on an emotional homecoming celebrating his career and its impact on British cycling.

However, it seems nobody told Pro Cycling Stats about the date on the calendar, as the helpful if occasionally problematic results site rushed to update Thomas’s schedule for 2025, adding the Vuelta in after the Tour de Romandie and his final Tour de France:

Oops.