O-KOM Boomer! Older cyclists nab more Strava records and cover greater distances than Millennials and Gen Z; Tom Pidcock set to leave Ineos; Evenepoel’s “long journey” to recovery after ‘dooring’ crash; Pogačar planking (kind of) + more on the live blog

Ouch…

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Cycling Nomads (@cycling.nomads)

I’m sure, somewhere in Belgium, Thibau Nys is watching this video on a loop, to make himself feel better about stacking it on the beams during the first lap in Dublin and ruining his race.

Cyclocross, eh? What a sport.

Double Olympic champion Remco Evenepoel has admitted he’s facing a “long journey” to recovery after undergoing surgery last night following what appeared to be a dooring incident while training in Belgium, which left the 24-year-old with multiple fractures and his gold S-Works SL8 snapped in two.

Evenepoel – who enjoyed an extremely successful 2024 on the road, securing an overall podium place at his debut Tour de France before winning two Olympic gold medals and another world time trial title – was pictured yesterday being treated by paramedics after the crash, which allegedly took place after a postal worker swung the door of her van open, hitting the Soudal Quick-Step rider.

He suffered fractures to his rib, right shoulder blade, and right hand in the collision, as well as torn ligaments, a dislocated collarbone, and a bruised lung, and underwent surgery in Anderlecht last night.

And this morning, in the now obligatory social media post from hospital, Evenepoel described the incident as “scary”, but said he’s determined to come back “stronger, step by step”.

> Remco Evenepoel taken to hospital after ‘colliding with swinging door of postal truck’ while training

“The comeback starts now,” the former Vuelta winner posted on Instagram.

“After a scary accident on training yesterday, I underwent surgery last night and everything went well.

“With a fracture to my rib, shoulder blade, hand, contusions to my lungs, and a dislocation of my right clavicle which has caused all surrounding ligaments to be torn, it’s going to be a long journey but I’m fully focused on my recovery and I’m determined to come back stronger, step by step.

“I’m very grateful for all the help and support I received the last 24 hours. From the emergency services, the neighbours that helped me in the first moment, the medical teams in Anderlecht and Herentals and our team doctor Phil Jansen.

“Also a special mention for my wife, my family for standing by me in these difficult moments, and to everyone for their supportive messages.

“I also want to express my support to the woman who was involved in the accident.”

In yet another chilling example of cycling’s hardline approach to doping, Alejandro Valverde has emerged as one of the leading candidates to take over as Spain’s men’s national team coach.

The former world champion, who has dipped his toe into the gravel world since retiring two years ago at the age of 42, is currently an ambassador with Movistar, the team he represented for almost the entirety of his 20-year professional career, though that contract is set to come to an end this month.

And according to AS, with current coach Pascual Momparler expected to move to a new role in the Spanish Cycling Federation, Valverde – who was handed a belated two-year ban in the early 2010s over his involvement in the Operación Puerto doping investigation – is hotly tipped to leave Movistar and take over in the national team car.

The Spanish federation’s new president José Vicioso, who took over from José Luis López Cerrón in November, hopes to fill both the men’s and women’s coaches roles before the end of the year, though women’s road coach Gema Pascual is expected to continue in her position.

So, should we expect to see Valverde behind the wheel of the red, white, and yellow team car at next year’s world championships?

If we do, let that be a warning to any ambitious young pros contemplating turning to the dark side and doping. Because all that will happen is you’ll win a lot of races, maybe get a ban after four years of the authorities chasing you, come back, win a lot more races, become world champion, cement your status as a national hero, and probably end up coaching the next generation of talent in your country.

See, is it really worth it?

The scene from outside a Dutch secondary school on a typical weekday morning:

With 60% of trips by bike, teens are the age group that cycle the most in the Netherlands—over 2,000 km. per capita per year. Rather than spend these years depending on parents and waiting for a driver’s license, they experience the autonomy promised by the car without its stress, danger, and cost.

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— Melissa & Chris Bruntlett (@modacitylife.com) December 4, 2024 at 7:28 AM

Meanwhile, back in the UK:

> “Extremely intimidating and unsafe” junction and impatient drivers stopping children cycling to school and forcing them into cars, students, teachers, and parents say, after 11 collisions in five years

> Parents angry that children are being taught to cycle in middle of lane and other “risky behaviour” by cycling instructors, says Bikeability

> School bike racks destroyed by speeding, out-of-control motorist, as pupils and teachers stage protest demanding introduction of 20mph limit

And so on…

Apologies to anyone who was trying to watch our YouTube content yesterday evening into the early hours of this morning and was greeted with spam about cryptocurrency – unfortunately we did suffer a security breach that has thankfully been fully resolved with no long-term damage/anyone or anything else affected.

Normal bike-related service has resumed, and you can watch our latest video about the new Wahoo Elemnt Ace bike computer (that has absolutely nothing to do with non-existent digital money) below…

> Campagnolo returns to cycling’s WorldTour to support one of the “biggest teams”, as Italian components brand signs four-year agreement with Team Cofidis

Olympic team sprint champion Emma Finucane has said it was “quite easy” to keep her partner Matt Richardson’s planned defection from Australia to Great Britain a secret before the Olympic Games, as the sprinting pair “stuck” to their ultimately successful focus on winning medals.

However, in an interview with the Guardian, Finucane has also admitted that Richardson has spent some time adjusting to life back in his country of birth – particularly when it comes to the weather and traffic.

In August, after winning silver in both the sprint and the keirin, along with a bronze in the team sprint for Australia at this year’s Paris Olympics, Richardson found himself in the centre of a geopolitical sporting storm when he announced that he was moving to the Great Britain track team, after his application to switch nationality was accepted by the UCI.

(Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com)

Born in Maidstone, Kent, Richardson moved with his family to Western Australia when he was nine, maintaining dual citizenship in the process.

Since beginning to compete for Australia as a junior, the 25-year-old has gone on to establish himself as one of the fastest men in the world, winning a world title in the team sprint in 2022, along with two Commonwealth golds that same year, before his success in Paris.

Last week, following a review into his defection, AusCycling banned Richardson for life from representing Australia and claimed his move – which was kept secret from his fellow riders and staff before the Paris Games – conflicted with the “values of the Australian National Team and the broader cycling community”, a verdict the sprinter brushed off as “just words on a piece of paper”.

Speaking to the Guardian this week, Richardson’s partner, Britain’s triple world champion Emma Finucane emphasised the importance of keeping his plans secret prior to the Olympics.

(Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com)

“No one knew because if any leak came out, he could not ride the Olympics. I just wanted to help him and it was quite easy [to keep the secret] as it never came up in conversation with other people. I kept it to myself and we stuck to our Olympic focus,” she said.

21-year-old Finucane, who won team sprint gold, along with bronze in both the sprint and keirin in Paris, says she and Richardson have been a couple “since February but I’ve known him for a long time”, and that they now live together in Manchester.

“Matty’s been a breath of fresh air. He loves the sport and it’s really refreshing coming into training together as he helps me out on the track. He’s so motivated and encouraging and it’s been really nice to have my partner here,” Finucane, who followed up her Olympic success by adding another two rainbow jerseys to her collection in the sprint and team sprint at the worlds in Ballerup in October, continued.

“It’s definitely been a big change for him because he hasn’t lived here a long time. The traffic, and the weather, has been a bit like ‘Oh!’ for him.

“But having a heated velodrome and being closer to me has really helped him. He’s also closer to his family back in Maidstone and can see them more often. He’s settled in really well and training with me has been incredible. His work ethic is unreal.”

(Mathew Wells/SWpix.com)

Reflecting on his successful first ride as a GB cyclist at the UCI Track Champions League in Paris last month, Finucane said: ““I knew how hard it was to go out there, seeing the GB flags for the first time and having so much pressure. He was nervous because he’s had quite a lot of hate – but he raced his heart out and he was right to celebrate.”

Meanwhile, focusing on her own achievements at the Olympics, the 21-year-old – who said she was so nervous before her maiden worlds sprint win in Glasgow in 2023 that she cried in the toilets, an experience she repeated in Paris – noted that “I learned that I can push my body way past limits I didn’t think I had because of how headstrong I am. That’s something I want to take forward.”

After undergoing surgery last night following a shocking ‘dooring’ incident while training in Belgium – which saw him suffer fractures to his rib, right shoulder blade, and right hand, as well as torn ligaments and a dislocated collarbone – it’s no surprise to learn that Remco Evenepoel’s 2025 racing schedule is currently up in the air.

While Soudal Quick-Step initially stated last night that the double Olympic champion is set to face a two-week period of “immobilisation”, this morning the Belgian team’s boss Patrick Lefevere told Daniel Benson that Evenepoel could be off the bike for two months – putting a significant dent into his preparations for the spring classics and possibly the Giro d’Italia.

 (Zac Williams/SWpix.com)

“It’s a tough one to take. Even we had two versions of the injuries at first but then when he was in hospital they discovered a lot more than we initially thought,” Lefevere told Benson.

“The surgery went well though and he’ll have a few weeks without the bike. We don’t know exactly how long, and of course, bike riders are not like normal people but we’re speaking about eight weeks, maximum, without cycling.

“So it could be into February before he can start again. I’m not a doctor though, I’m just a small manager who pays the salaries at the end of the month. Let’s get him home and then we’ll see what the damage is and what we could do.”

(Zac Williams/SWpix.com)

When asked whether Evenepoel can build enough form in time for the hilly classics in April – where he will be aiming for a third Liège-Bastogne-Liège title – Lefevere said: “This all depends on how quickly he can recover.

“What can he do without the bike? I can imagine that if you can’t cycle you can’t run either, and it’s the same with swimming because he can’t move his shoulder.

“It’s too early to talk about races. We need to let him recover, and return home, and then everything will be calmer. We’ll see after the new year and then the sports directors can make a plan. He’s the leader of the team so I don’t have to tell you that we have to replan a bit. All the rest is for the future.”

Referring to Evenepoel’s high-speed crash at this year’s Tour of the Basque Country, which hindered the Belgian’s preparations for the Tour de France, as well as those of defending champion Jonas Vingegaard, Lefevere said: “There’s never a good time but maybe now is better than it happening in April like what happened in Pays Basque. I think the only year he’s not had bad luck was when he won the Vuelta and became world champion.”

> Daughter of cyclist killed by “reckless and foolish” elderly motorist with poor eyesight renews calls for mandatory driver eye tests

Away from all the Pidcock transfer drama for a moment, and back to more important things – like making fun of Tadej Pogačar’s planking technique and choice of gym attire:

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— pancartazos.bsky.social (@pancartazos.bsky.social) December 4, 2024 at 8:30 AM

Stupid, sexy Pogi…

Here’s a top tip for anyone wanting to train like a pro during the off-season, courtesy of none other than Tadej Pogačar: You must, at all times, wear your contractually obliged team bib shorts… Yes, even in the gym.

How to train like a pro during off season, Pogacar edition 🔥

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— Domestique (@domestiquecc.bsky.social) December 4, 2024 at 8:16 AM

He may be one of the greatest cyclists ever, but boy Tadej, you really need to work on that planking technique.

Though where can I get those lights?

The ‘Should I Stay or Should I Go’ transfer saga of the winter is skidding to what, in retrospect, was its inevitable conclusion, with Tom Pidcock parting ways with Ineos, the team with which he turned pro in 2021 and became one the sport’s biggest stars.

But after wins at Amstel Gold, Strade Bianche, and Brabantse Pijl, along with a Tour de France stage win atop Alpe d’Huez, and two Olympic mountain bike titles and a cyclocross world championship, and with a bumper contract that was set to run until 2027, where did it all go wrong for Britain’s biggest cycling talent and the formerly dominant British team?

> “People around Tom Pidcock don’t help,” says Geraint Thomas, as 2018 Tour de France winner weighs in on “c*** situation” and “bull****” at Ineos after Il Lombardia deselection drama

With Ineos – the most successful team of the 2010s – undergoing a prolonged and painful transition period, culminating in a turbulent 2024 that marked the squad’s worst ever season, it’s been clear that tensions have been brewing for some time between Pidcock and the British outfit’s management over a range of issues.

These have included disagreements over race programmes, apparent friction with now-departed DS Steve Cummings, the team’s insistent focus on the Tour de France (and by extension, Pidcock’s GC aspirations), and his multidisciplinary leanings (with a mountain biking trip to Canada last winter apparently opening a rift that was never fully repaired).

(Simon Wilkinson/SWpix.com)

Despite his multidisciplinary success and ability to score big wins, Pidcock himself has also come in for criticism from some quarters for his apparent inability to consistently challenge cycling’s biggest riders, while being one of the sport’s top earners.

And in September, the 25-year-old admitted the internal tensions within the British team “don’t help me perform at my best”.

“It is true that there are currently a number of issues within the team that I have to deal with,” Pidcock told Het Laatste Nieuws in September after an underwhelming Tour of Britain. “And to be honest, they don’t help me to perform at my best.

“I have to think about a lot more than just performance-related things at the moment. And that means that the focus on the things that are really important, namely racing, is not ideal.”

Meanwhile, according to Sporza’s ‘Secret Cyclist’ columnist, Pidcock maintained a “loner” stance within the famously regimented Ineos camp, working with his own coaches and doctors and “doing his own thing”.

 (Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com)

Things then came to a head at Il Lombardia, the last monument of the season and one which the Yorkshireman was set to enter as a contender, when Pidcock was dramatically deselected from the Ineos line-up on the eve of the race – and while he was travelling on the team bus on the way to their hotel in Lombardy.

That decision came from the very top of the Ineos senior management tree and was not based on sporting or performance matters, according to both sports director Zak Dempster and Pidcock himself.

Meanwhile, former British champion and Eurosport commentator Brian Smith claimed that Ineos pulled Pidcock from the race because they were unwilling to pay him his contracted performance bonus if he nabbed a big result.

“Just as things were on the up after a turbulent end to the year I am deselected for Lombardia tomorrow”, the Amstel Gold winner posted on social media ahead of the race.

“I am in great shape and was really looking forwarded to it! Good luck to the boys, I guess off season starts early. Thanks for everyone’s support even in the tough times.”

(Zac Williams/SWpix.com)

That drama in Lombardy also kicked off a protracted transfer saga, as Pidcock’s ongoing presence at the British squad suddenly appeared untenable, with Red Bull Bora-Hansgrohe, Visma-Lease a Bike, and Swiss ProTour squad Q36.5 Pro Cycling all linked to a possible move for the 25-year-old.

Q36.5 – which despite being a second-tier team, would offer Pidcock an environment where he would be the squad’s undisputed leader in whatever races he chooses – soon emerged as the front-runner for the British rider’s signature.

However, talk of a €12 million buyout clause, and claims that Ineos were willing to pay 20 per cent of Pidcock’s salary to facilitate the move, meant that any negotiations were never going to be easy, with Ineos reportedly backing out of a deal last month.

> “Team Circus continues”: Tom Pidcock dropped by Ineos due to risk of bonus payout claims Brian Smith, who says there’s “no fun in numbers-driven cycling anymore” as “gagged” Steve Cummings confirms exit

Pidcock was then spotted at an Ineos get together to watch Manchester United play, seemingly drawing a line under the whole protracted saga.

That is, until the weekend, when whispers emerged once again that Q36.5 were back in talks with Pidcock over a deal for 2025 – which, judging by today’s news, appears to be just around the corner – a development accelerated by his absence from Ineos’ Spanish training camp this week.

(Allan McKenzie/SWpix.com)

So, that appears to be that – the end of arguably the most controversial transfer saga involving a British rider since Brad Wiggins jumped ship from Garmin to the then-brand new Team Sky way back in 2009.

Then, Wiggo’s mod-suited Sky move heralded a new dawn for the future Tour winner, the fledgling team, and British cycling as a whole.

But what does today’s news – the exit of Britain’s biggest star from the sleeping British giant – mean for Pidcock himself, a struggling Ineos squad, and the sport in the UK?

It looks like the transfer saga of the winter is coming to an end, after it was reported by Daniel Benson this afternoon that Tom Pidcock and the Ineos Grenadiers have parted ways by mutual consent.

The British team are expected to issue a press release confirming the news later today, after Pidcock – who is not present at the squad’s training camp in Spain this week – and the Ineos management came to an agreement to terminate his contract, which was due to run until 2027.

While the move will make the Olympic mountain bike champion a free agent immediately, it is not yet known when Pidcock’s expected transfer to Q36.5 will be confirmed.

road.cc has contacted Pidcock’s long-term coach Kurt Bogaerts, who declined to comment on the news.

Ineos are yet to respond to a request for comment.

We’ll have more on this story as we get it.

Now, I know it’s hard to argue with Olympic gold medals, rainbow jerseys, an iconic Tour de France stage win, and a smattering of classics.

But over the past year or so, some – some – within the cycling world have claimed that Tom Pidcock has failed to live up to his clearly lofty potential since turning pro with Ineos in 2021, especially on the road, where he’s amassed only five (albeit mostly very big) wins in four years.

And, by the 25-year-old’s own admission, despite striking gold in both Paris and Amstel this year, 2024 has proved a turbulent, often frustrating season.

So, will his impending exit from Ineos help revitalise his career, and possibly allow him to kick on to the next level? I suppose there’s only one way to find out – let’s put it to a poll:

SuperSurvey

And there it is…

We’ve been waiting for it all afternoon, but the Ineos Grenadiers have finally confirmed that Tom Pidcock will leave the team at the end of the year.

And while the news itself has been on the cards for quite some time now, it’s interesting to note that Ineos CEO John Allert pointed to Pidcock’s “big multi-disciplinary goals” as a factor in the decision made by both parties to rip up his contract, which had been due to run until 2027, early.

(Will Palmer/SWpix.com)

“We’re really proud of the work we’ve done with Tom to help him achieve some extraordinary and memorable moments. Together we’ve written a powerful chapter and shown how exciting and diverse professional cycling can be,” Allert said of Pidcock, who turned pro for the British team in 2021, before quickly becoming one of cycling’s most exciting talents, across road racing, cyclocross, and mountain biking.

“Tom has some big multi-disciplinary goals and we believe this decision enables both of us to pursue our future ambitions with clarity, purpose and determination.

“We thank Tom for the last four years and wish him the best of luck for the future.”

And now for the interesting part – where he’ll end up next. Probably Q36.5, to be honest.

It’s that time of the year again, when we’re bombarded by savings on Coca-Cola and it’s finally acceptable to haul the Christmas decorations down from the roof space without brining eternal shame upon your family.

Oh, and it’s also when Strava release its Year in Sport report, analysing the developments, habits, and trends associated with logging your latest bike ride online.

For its annual report, the route-planning and ride-sharing platform – which has been busy in recent weeks dealing with the Royal Parks and the fallout that followed the decision to prevent users publicly sharing activity data on third-party apps – draws on data from its 135 million users, as well as a survey of 5,000 people from around the world to “identify the trends that shaped active lives globally in 2024”.

> Strava users can no longer publicly share activity data on third-party apps, as company aims to crack down on fitness syncing ecosystem

And one of those trends, you may be surprised to learn, is that baby boomers are wiping the floor with their younger counterparts when it comes to racking up Strava records and putting in the miles.

According to Strava’s stats, boomers – basically anyone aged between 60 and 78 – consistently covered the most distance, both on the bike and while running, of anyone using the app all year.

Meanwhile, boomers and Gen X (people in their 40s and 50s) Strava users also snatched KOMs, QOMs, and course records at a higher rate (12 per cent) than their younger Millennial or Gen Z counterparts.

OK boomer, indeed. Or should that be O-KOM boomer?

And here was me thinking the Gen Z lot would be all over sharing what they got up to an app. Or does this mean Strava is essentially the active version of Facebook? Now there’s a scary thought…

> Stay cycling fit over 60 — all the tips you need to enjoy riding into your 60s and beyond

In other news from Strava’s Year in Sport report, the ride sharing app also saw a rise in shorter workouts, with over a fifth of all activities coming under 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, the report also indicated that cyclists have gone back to the good old days of mid-ride socialising and coffee stops in 2024, with large group rides – which increased by 13 per cent this year compared to 2023 – three times more likely to stop for a break than solo activities.

In fact, in activities with ‘coffee’ in the title, 25 per cent of the ride was spent stopped, presumably in the café.

> Strava rejects call to remove Richmond Park and Regent’s Park cycling segments, insists critical Royal Parks “have directly acknowledged Strava is not root cause of issues”

Continuing on the group ride theme, 43 per cent of people surveyed say they join  group activities to improve their performance, while 34 per cent say groups help them stay accountable to their training plans. So it’s not just for the coffee and buns, then.

There was also an eleven per cent increase in the share of female cyclists on Strava this year, while women were also 20 per cent more likely to nab a Strava crown than their male counterparts.

On the pro side of things, the sport’s ever-evolving new-age training patterns led to 82 per cent of pro cyclists on Strava logging something other than a ride during 2024 (I blame it on all the running).

> “Strava’s ‘Weekly Snapshot’ makes me feel bad”: should you be able to turn it off?

“This year showed that people are taking control of their active lives and moving in a way that works for them. The rise of a more relaxed workout routine that’s rooted in social connection proves that working out is no longer about burning out,” Zipporah Allen, Strava’s chief business officer, said in a statement announcing the release of their yearly report.

“We love seeing the data that shows how women are thriving, younger generations are seeking connection through workouts, and older generations are still breaking records. At Strava, every effort counts and this year’s report highlights the incredible breadth and depth of achievements in our global community.”