Post, Sharrah claim BMX National titles in Rock Hill

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The 2017 USA Cycling Elite BMX National Championships were contested on Friday in conjunction with USA BMXandrsquo;s Carolina Nationals at the Novant Health BMX Supercross Track in Rock Hill, SC.

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Van Avermaet: The Muur doesn't fit in the new Tour of Flanders parcours

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When the Muur van Geraardsbergen was removed from the Tour of Flanders parcours in 2012, there were cries of sacrilege. The ascent with its distinctive chapel at the top had been the scene of many a decisive moment over the years. To remove it, thought some, felt like removing the heart of the race.

As such, when it was brought back into the route for this year's race, there was delight among fans. However, pre-race favourite Greg Van Avermaet (BMC Racing) believes that the fabled climb no longer has a place in the new course. The Belgian says that the climb is too early to have a proper impact on the race and the route taken to include it has been to the detriment of the parcours. The finale has remained much the same, and the organisers have had to go well out of their way to include it in the loop out east of Oudenaarde, meaning there will be long stretches without any climbing.

"I think it's nice to have the Muur back in the parcours, but I don't think that it will really have a decisive factor," Van Avermaet said during his pre-Tour of Flanders press conference. "It takes us a little bit out of the way. The parcours from the Muur to Oudenaarde is not really attractive. It's too early to go for sure, where are you going to go.

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"For me, it is a bit hard. I liked the final how it was but, to put the Muur in this kind of parcours, it is hard to make it fit, and I think that the guy who made the parcours would say this because it's a little bit out of the action. I think that the parcours last year was really nice. Now, with adding the Muur again, I think that it is a zone where nothing is going to happen.

"I think from the second time up the Kwaremont will be the most important part and from there on the race will be on. For sure there will be some attacks earlier on, on Berendries or earlier but there is not the moment to go. I think that the second time up the Kwaremont will be where the final really starts."

As Van Avermaet told Cyclingnews on Thursday, it doesn't matter which climbs you put into the route, the strongest rider on the day will come up trumps. With three wins from four major Classics outings in Belgium, Van Avermaet has put himself forward as the strongest man out there on this type of parcours right now. Having done the rare E3 Harelbeke/Gent-Wevelgem double, Van Avermaet was ready to admit that he was the main favourite, along with two others.

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Flanders hopefuls recon the cobbles and climbs - Gallery

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Riders gearing up for Sunday's Tour of Flanders took to the cobbles and climbs this week for some pre-race reconnaissance, getting in some last-minute tune-up mileage on the hallowed Classics terrain ahead of De Ronde.

The likes of Greg Van Avermaet and John Degenkolb have been preparing for the big showdown even as they've contested victories in the run-up races all month, but in less than two days they'll battle for Flanders' most coveted cycling prize. Riders visited the Oude Kwaremont and Paterberg, whose slopes have proven decisive in recent editions of the race, as well as the iconic Muur van Geraardsbergen, making its return to the Tour of Flanders this season after a few years of being left off the route.

Some, including Quick-Step's Tom Boonen ahead of his final Tour of Flanders appearance, found the route already graced with welcoming street art.

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Click or swipe through the gallery for a closer look at the action from the recon sessions.

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Alex Edmondson living the dream with Tour of Flanders start

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Alex Edmondson might be Australian, but his heart lies in the cobbles of Flanders. The 23-year-old has long dreamed of writing his name alongside the heroes of the pavé, and he will take his first steps towards achieving that goal after being named in Orica-Scott’s Tour of Flanders line-up.

Edmondson showed his credentials as a cobbled Classics rider when he won the Tour of Flanders’ under-23 race, but his start on Sunday will be an experience on an entirely different level from what he’s ever done before.

“For me, it has always been a dream to be able to ride the likes of Flanders and Roubaix,” Edmondson told Cyclingnews the day before the team was announced. “If I get the call up for Flanders, then it’s about trying to get the experience and sponge off the guys, and one day it has always been a dream of mine to say that I’ve won one of those monuments. Either classic I would be absolutely rapt. You’ve got to be realistic. It’s a big step. I might have won the under-23s, but the elite race is a whole other ball game.

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“I think that where I’ve come from with all the injuries over the summer, I’m just taking every day as it comes. I’m just looking forward to getting out there and doing the best that I can and being able to give back to such a wonderful team that has supported me through the injuries.”

Orica-Scott is not among the top favourites for Sunday’s race, but they do go in with options in the form of Jens Keukeleire and Luke Durbridge, who have been on flying form so far during this Classics campaign. The team is looking to complete the set of Monuments after winning Paris-Roubaix and Il Lombardia last season, added to the Milan-San Remo and Liege-Bastogne-Liege victories that they already have.

For a young rider such as Edmondson, it is an opportunity to ride alongside riders that he once looked up to and a chance to glean as much information as possible from them is one that he’s not going to give up.

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Kristoff and Martin employ two-pronged attack at Tour of Flanders

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Alexander Kristoff says that having Tony Martin alongside him at this weekend's Tour of Flanders will give the Katusha-Alpecin team 'another dimension' in comparison to previous years. Kristoff has shouldered the burden of the team's Classics ambitions in the past, but he and Martin will be given equal status on Sunday.

With both having two very different skillsets on the bike, Kristoff says that the team will have to play a canny tactical game to keep them both in contention as late as possible into the race. "For sure, we have two protected riders for the final, and we know more or less that it's him and me that will be the guys that will survive. And the other guys will have to sacrifice so that we are less tired in the final," Kristoff told a group of journalists at the team's hotel just outside of Antwerp.

"He's more of the offensive type that can go away on attacks. For me, it's better that the group stays together, but for [Martin] it is better that he goes alone. He brings a new dimension to the team that he can attack and we don't always have to try and bring it back together; we can also go away. We will see in the situation what will benefit us the most because sometimes for me it's better if the climbs are easier but maybe for Tony it is different. We must figure out a smart way to race, so we have the most chances to win at the end."

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Kristoff has said several times this week that he feels he's below the level that he would ordinarily like heading into the Tour of Flanders. He dismissed himself as one of the of the favourites for the weekend, but hoped that he could nudge himself a little further in the right direction with a strong performance at the Three Days of De Panne. He finished well on Thursday with second place in the morning stage and a strong time trial performance that put him third at just two seconds behind Luke Durbridge. There are still some concerns for the Norwegian, but he is feeling better about his prospects than before.

"On the first day I was dropped by Gilbert on the Muur and that is a bit worrying because we are going to be doing a lot of climbing in Flanders and the race is normally decided on the climbs. I know that I have a small weakness there," he said. "I hope that I will be won one or two per cent better than I was on the first stage of De Panne and maybe it's just enough to follow in the climbs. If I'm good enough to follow then I'm strong enough to get a big result.

"If I can follow any moves like I did with Terpstra and to be in front on the Kwaremont or Paterberg then that would be ideal, but usually at the end of a hard race I can handle these climbs. It's not vital for success, but it would be perfect if I could make it but, for sure, there would be many other guys who want to get into this group, so it's easier said than done."

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Rally Cycling trio hit the wind tunnel for fine tuning - Gallery

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A trio of Rally Cycling riders reaped the rewards of wind tunnel testing this week in North Carolina before heading to Arkansas for the first round of the US Pro Road Tour at the Joe Martin Stage Race.

Rally's Sepp Kuss, Colin Joyce and Matteo Dal-Cin went to the A2 Wind Tunnel in Mooresville, North Carolina, to fine tune their time trial positions and machines as the new season picks up speed. The wind tunnel time shows how seriously the US Continental team takes the race against the clock, a point the team drove home on the opening day at Joe Martin by placing four riders in the top six of the 4.8km uphill time trial. 

Canadian Adam de Vos took top honours on the stage, covering the course in 9:17, less than a second faster than teammate Rob Britton, the runner-up. UnitedHealthcare's Gavin Mannion was third at three seconds, with Cylance's Kyle Murphy fourth, eight seconds back. Kuss and teammate Evan Huffman were fifth and sixth, respectively, 10 and 11 seconds in arrears.

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Kuss has proved himself to be a talented climber as he completes the transition from mountain biking to road racing, and improving his time trialing abilities will be key to developing as a general classification threat. Kuss joined the team midway through last season and so he missed a shot at the wind tunnel last year. 

Dal-Cin won the Redlands Bicycle Classic last year for Silber Pro Cycling by finishing with the lead group on the Queen stage climb, taking second to Axeon Hagens Berman's Neilson Powless in the time trial and then unseating Jamis' Janier Acevedo on the final day. Already a talented time trial rider, Dal-Cin is looking to trim crucial seconds from his efforts.

Joyce is another first-year Rally rider with a reputation as a fast finisher, a talent he showed last year with Axeon Hagens Berman when he won the opening stage at Tour of Alberta and wore yellow for two days. A typically strong all-rounder, a stronger time trial could help him figure into the general classification of flatter multi-day races. 

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Jolien D'hoore spearheads Wiggle's charge into Tour of Flanders

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Jolien D'hoore is set to lead Wiggle High5's challenge in Sunday's women's Tour of Flanders, with the Belgian in strong form and high spirits after her second place in last weekend's Gent-Wevelgem.

The former Belgian national champion has enjoyed a strong start to the 2017 season with a win in Spar-Omloop van het Hageland and further top ten places in Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and the Ronde van Drenthe. Wiggle High5 also go into Flanders with Elisa Longo Borghini – the 2015 Flanders champion – and Annette Edmondson, who won the Pajot Hills Classics earlier this week.

"Sunday is like a Holy Day for the Belgians," D'hoore said in statement released by the team.

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"So it's important for me, it's the race I worked for all winter, and I just hope for good legs on Sunday. I know the team's really strong now, so I'm really looking forward to racing now."

After her runner-up spot in Gent-Wevelgem, D'hoore will be aware that her form will make her a marked rider but she will take motivation from narrowly missing out last weekend. Wiggle High5 have good relationship with the Tour of Flanders and made the podium last year when Emma Johansson was edged out in the sprint against Lizzie Deignan.

“Mostly I’m happy with the form I have right now, in the last couple of races. Coming second is disappointing, certainly if it's like a little difference like that – a photo finish – but then I saw the video again, and I saw that I just hesitated for just a fraction of a second a few hundred metres before the finish and maybe that cost me the victory.

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Van Avermaet presents his custom Teammachine SLR01 BMC - Video

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Greg Van Avermaet (BMC Racing) was given a custom BMC Teammachine SLR01 ahead of the Cobbled Classics.

There is no all-gold scheme like he had last year. That bike has been replaced with a chrome-coloured frame, with just accents of gold to remind Van Avermaet of his Olympic success in Rio.

Van Avermaet rides a 54cm frame size, which is fitted with 3T bars and stem, Shimano wheels, Vittoria tyres and the Shimano Dura Ace Di2 groupset and Dura Ace pedals. It’s the same bike that he rides all season long, with just a few special tweaks to help cope with the cobbles.

“We have 25mm or 28mm tyres with a little less pressure for Flanders but I like to stay with my normal bike because the position is totally the same as it is all year,” said Van Avermaet.

“For the gearing it’s 39 small ring and 53 in the big ring. It’s a 30 in the back just to keep it safer when you’re going up Taaienberg or the Kwaremont, you need a really small gear so you don’t break up the chain or the derailleur.”

Van Avermaet first raced on the silver bike at Milan-San Remo and has used it successfully, winning E3 Harelbeke and Gent-Wevelgem. He hopes to keep up the trend this weekend with victory at his favourite race: Tour of Flanders.

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BMC Racing studied the new route of the Tour of Flanders earlier this week, taking in some of the most important climbs of the race, including the Oude Kwaremont, the Paterberg and the Koppenberg.

Cyclingnews caught up with the team on their day out on the hills around Oudenaarde and spoke to Van Avermaet about his new custom steed and his confidence ahead of the Tour of Flanders on Sunday. He also talked about his prospects at the weekend and what he thinks of the new course. 

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Tour of Flanders: Cannondale-Drapac devoted to Vanmarcke

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Illness and injury may have hampered Sep Vanmarcke in the build up to Sunday’s Tour of Flanders but the entire Cannondale-Drapac squad remain committed to the Belgian’s cause.

Vanmarcke, twice third at the Tour of Flanders during the last three seasons, skipped Gent-Wevelgem in order to ensure he is in the best possible condition for Sunday. The 28-year-old admits he is going into the unknown without having an ideal race build-up.

“I’ve done everything I can, together with a medical team, to be ready. It’s gotten better and I’m happy with that. We’ll have to wait until Sunday to see if the throwing up will come back or not, if I’m strong enough,” he said in statement released by the team.

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Having returned to Slipstream after five years in Dutch teams, Vanmarcke has reacquainted himself with the team he rode for from 2010 to 2012. His Classics campaign started well enough with third in Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, however two DNFs soon followed and lacklustre results in Dwars Door Vlaanderen and E3 Harelbeke due to a stomach bug saw him forgo Gent-Wevelgem and rest up.

“The whole group is devoted to giving Sep the best chance to succeed,” said the team’s Classics director Andreas Klier. “The plan is to protect Sep, to keep him in the right place and the right time as much as we can.”

Vanmarcke will be supported by Alberto Bettiol, Ryan Mullen, Sebastian Langeveld, Tom Van Asbroeck, Dylan van Baarle, Tom Scully and American Taylor Phinney.

Phinney back in Belgium

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Tour of Flanders officials ready to disqualify riders using sidewalks

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Race officials at Sunday's Tour of Flanders have warned they will adopt a zero tolerance approach to riders using sidewalks and bike paths to sidestep sections of cobblestones, threatening to disqualify anyone who breaks the rule – no matter their stature or palmares.

Speaking to Belgian daily newspaper, Het Laatste Nieuws, Didier Simon, the chief UCI commissaire, said if he sees a rider on a sidewalk “with the intention of gaining even one metre of advantage”, then that rider “will be unceremoniously removed from the race – no discussion”. Meanwhile, Wim Van Herreweghe, Tour of Flanders race director, told Cyclingnews on Thursday that he will call for the UCI commissaires to take “more stringent measures”.

Van Herreweghe and the rest of the race organisation team will sit down with UCI officials and with team directeur sportifs on the eve of the race to confirm and clarify the approach to dealing with an issue that has become increasingly contentious.

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The UCI rules state that for major races, “use of sidewalks/pavements, paths or cycle paths that do not form part of the course” will be punishable with a fine of “200 CHF and/or elimination”. That rule was introduced in 2014 but it caused a storm at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad last month as directeur sportif were explicitly warned that there would be a clampdown, yet the lead group of six used a sidewalk while the chasing peloton was prevented from doing so.

The riders in question were fined, as were 15 riders on the opening stage of the Three Days of De Panne on Tuesday, though there is rising discontent over the inconsistency of the application of the rules – with the main peloton at De Panne going unpunished – not to mention a suspicion that organisers and officials are scared to impose the gravest sanction of elimination from the race.

Simon, however, claimed he would have no problem disqualifying anyone, whether it’s a big name or a small one, or whether it would alter the outcome of the race or not.

Team managers want barriers

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Gallopin hoping to overcome injuries and make strong return to Tour of Flanders

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The Classics can be a cruel mistress and Tony Gallopin took a beating when he crashed heavily during E3 Harelbeke last week. Several days on, the Frenchman is still feeling the after-effects but he hopes to overcome his injuries as he targets the Tour of Flanders for the first time in three years.

Gallopin came down after just 30 kilometres of racing at E3 Harelbeke last Friday, landing hard on his left side. There were immediate concerns about potential broken bones but fears were allayed after a trip to the hospital. While there was no serious injury, there were lingering effects of such a heavy meeting with the tarmac.

“I really paid for my crash at Harelbeke. I was blocked everywhere. The body was fucked, the legs were fucked, the back, everything was,” Gallopin told Cyclingnews during the Three days of De Panne.

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“At first, after my crash, I was caring about my knee and my wrist, but after a couple of days, I felt better. Then it was more about the body because my back was completely blocked. It’s something that I didn’t expect. This can happen after a crash. You think that you’re okay but then the race is different. I don’t think that it is anything too bad, there are still some days until Flanders.

A Classic change

Gallopin has been targeting the Ardennes Classics since his tenure with the Lotto Soudal team began back in 2014. Some promising results came, such as sixth at the following year’s Amstel Gold race but he believes that he lacked the punch that he needed to truly succeed in the Ardennes and that the cobbles would be a better place to put his efforts.

“I really liked it when I did it before with RadioShack in my first year,” said Gallopin. “I also did some good results in the climbers Classics like San Sebastian and the World Championships, so I spoke with the team and the team for Flanders was really strong, so I said why not try the Ardennes Classics for one or two years.

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Tour of Flanders: Top 10 contenders

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The Tour of Flanders is the jewel in the crown of the Belgian calendar and to many it is the most important race of the entire season.

The cobbled Classics have thrown up some thrilling action already, from Omloop Het Nieuwsblad to Gent-Wevelgem last weekend. However, as many riders have already stated, the main event is this weekend.

Over the past month, there have been a select group of riders who have pushed to the front of the pack ahead and become the favourites for the Tour of Flanders, staking their claim on this most prestigious of victories.

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Cyclingnews has compiled a list of 10 riders that could be aiming for a place on the podium when the race reaches the finish in Oudenaarde on Sunday.

Peter Sagan (Bora-hansgrohe)
Age: 27
Previous record: 1st (2016), 4th (2015), 16th (2014), 2nd (2013), 5th (2012), DNF (2011)
Cyclingnews star rating: *****

You can’t talk about any of the cobbled Classics without mentioning Peter Sagan, particularly as he’s defending champion here. While things haven’t always gone his way this season, Sagan has looked supreme in almost every race he’s done thus far. However, this sense of dominance can be Sagan’s biggest weakness. His Bora-hansgrohe team also lacks the firepower to compete with the likes of BMC and Quick-Step Floors, leaving him exposed to his rivals team tactics.

Sagan has proved time and again that he’s strong enough to ride away from the majority of the peloton but his strength means that teams are also unwilling to work with him. Riders know that they can’t bring him to the line and that has lost him opportunities of victory - last week's Gent-Wevelgem is a prime example.

Greg van Avermaet (BMC Racing)
Age: 31
Previous record: DNF (2016), 3rd (2015), 2nd (2014), 7th (2013), 4th (2012), 22nd (2011), 39th (2010), 35th (2009), 8th (2008), DNF (2007)
Cyclingnews star rating: *****

Philippe Gilbert (Quick-Step Floors)
Age: 34
Previous record: 75th (2012), 9th (2011), 3rd (2010), 3rd (2009), 15th (2008), 25th (2007), DNF (2006), DNF (2003)
Cyclingnews star rating: ****

Alexander Kristoff (Katusha-Alpecin)
Age: 29
Previous record: 4th(2016), 1st (2015), 5th (2014), 4th (2013), 15th (2012)
Cyclingnews: Star rating: ****

Oliver Naesen (AG2R La Mondiale)
Age: 26
Previous record: 22nd (2016), 35th (2015)
Cyclingnews star rating: ***

John Degenkolb (Trek-Segafredo)
Age: 28
Previous record: 7th (2015), 15th (2014), 9th (2013), 59th (2012), 94th (2011)
Cyclingnews star rating: ***

Tom Boonen (Quick-Step Floors)
Age: 36
Previous record: 15th (2016), 7th (2014), DNF (2013), 1st (2012), 4th (2011), 2nd (2010), 20th (2009), 17th (2008), 12th (2007), 1st (2006), 1st (2005), 25th (2004), 25th (2003), 24 (2002)
Cyclingnews star rating: ***

Tiesj Benoot (Lotto Soudal)
Age: 23
Previous record: DNF (2016), 5th (2015)
Cyclingnews star rating: **

Jens Keukeleire (Orica-Scott)
Age: 28
Previous record: 21st (2016), 19th (2015), 37 (2014), 110th (2013), 31st (2012), 106th (2011
Cyclingnews star rating: **

Sep Vanmarcke (Cannondale-Drapac)
Age: 28
Previous record: 3rd (2016), 53rd (2015), 3rd (2014), 29th (2013), 48th (2012), DNF (2011), 61st (2010
Cyclingnews star rating: **

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Seven athletes named to Track Worlds Team

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USA Cycling announced today the seven athletes that will represent the United States at the 2017 UCI Track Cycling World Championships, April 12-16, in Hong Kong.

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Joe Martin: Winder wins Devil's Den time trial

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UnitedHealthcare's Ruth Winder took top honours Thursday during the opening time trial at the Joe Martin Stage Race, covering the 4.8km uphill race against the clock in 10:56, less than a second faster than runner-up Lauren Stephens (Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank). Stephens' teammate Kathryn Buss was third, five seconds back.

"I'm really happy, surprised and pleased," Winder said. "The course was hard. I liked the rolling hills, they suited me and my power. Tomorrow's stage will be hard and I'm looking forward to it."

Starting just 25 riders into the 80-rider field, Winder had a long, nervous day on the hot seat as rider after rider failed to surpass her time. Stephens, starting second to last, brought the drama to a crescendo when she finished just four-tenths of a second behind the winner.

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With no time bonuses for the stage, Winder now takes her slight advantage into the stage 2 road race, a 99.6km day that starts and finishes in Fayetteville.

"We have three riders in the top 6 so it gives us some options," said UnitedHealthcare director Rachel Heal. "Tibco is sitting just .4 of a second behind us, so it's going to be a good battle and it's one we're looking forward to."

 

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De Vos wins opening time trial at Joe Martin

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Adam de Vos led a dominating performance by Rally Cycling Thursday during the stage 1 individual time trial at the Joe Martin Stage Race, taking the win head of teammate Rob Britton as the US Continental team placed for riders in the top six.

De Vos covered the 4.8km uphill time trial in 9:17, less than a second better than Britton. UnitedHealthcare's Gavin Mannion was third, three seconds back, while Cylance placed Kyle Murphy in fourth, eight seconds down. Rally Cycling riders claimed the next two spots with Sepp Kuss at 10 seconds and Evan Huffman at 11.

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With no time bonuses on tap during the time trial, De Vos now takes his slight overall lead into Friday's 176.8km stage 2 road race.

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Driedaagse De Panne: Gilbert takes the overall victory

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Philippe Gilbert (Quick-Step Floors) secured overall victory at the Three Days of De Panne thanks to taking seventh place in the final 14.2km time trial.

Gilbert dominated the opening road stage on the cobbled Flemish climbs and his strong team helped him in the echelons on stage 2. He started the final time trial with a lead of 50 seconds but rode as promised at 'full gas' to set a time of 17:55. That meant he won the three-day stage race by 38 seconds, beating Matthias Brandle (Trek-Segafredo) and Alexander Kristoff (Katusha-Alpecin), who finished third at 43 seconds.

Australia's Luke Durbridge (Orica-Scott) won the flat and fast time trial around the sand dunes and seafront in De Panne as spectators enjoyed the early spring sun instead of the frequent wind and rain.

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Durbridge set a time of 17:38, with Sylvain Chavanel (Direct Energie) a close second at just 0.77 of a second. Kristoff used his speed and power to finish third, while Marcel Kittel (Quick-Step Floors), who won the morning road stage after a late puncture, performed well in the afternoon time trial by finishing fourth. 

Durbridge seemed set to challenge Gilbert for overall victory after riding well on stage 1 and finishing second behind Gilbert. However, he missed the important split on stage 2 and lost 2:39. His strong time trial lifted him to 11th in the final overall classification.

"It's been a while since I had a victory. I can't even remember when, so it's special,” he said, despite knowing it had been close with Chavanel.

Gilbert: I'm pretty sure you can race every Sunday until Liege

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Herne Hill Velodrome: former Olympic venue completes legacy refurbishment

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New pavilion at Herne Hill Velodrome enhances cycling sessions with changing facilities and club room as Olympic legacy refit is completed.

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British endurance cyclist Mike Hall killed in road race

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The Indian Pacific Wheel Race was cancelled shortly after Mike Hall died in a collision with a car.

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inCycle: The legend of the Muur

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This episode of inCycle takes viewers to the famous slopes of the Muur ahead of Sunday's Tour of Flanders, anticipating the race-making moves that will inevitably take place there during the 101st running of the cycling Monument.

The inCycle crew also takes a look at the future of cycling with Alberto Contador's U23 team Polartec, but first they chat with Chantal Blaak (Boels Dolmans) about her preparations before Gent-Wevelgem.

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Cookson sought meeting with panel investigating British Cycling

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After an independent panel looking into allegations of sexism and bullying at British Cycling drafted a critical report, UCI President and former head of the British federation Brian Cookson sought an interview with the panel’s members, according to a recent report in The Guardian.

British Cycling and UK Sport set up the five-member panel last year to look into the allegations first raised by former Olympic track sprinter Jess Varnish. A copy of the initial draft report that was finished late last year and was leaked to the British media earlier this month was extremely critical of British Cycling’s culture of “winning at all cost.”

The Guardian reported that Cookson was apparently disappointed that he was not given a chance to defend the federation to the panel. Correspondence obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request by the Press Association revealed that panel chairwoman Annamarie Phelps amended her initial report to include a subsequent interview with Cookson and a number of new “submissions.”

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The Guardian reported that the new submissions were related “to several contributions the panel received after its original cut-off of 30 November from people with a more positive take on life within the Great Britain cycling team, as a lack of balance in the draft had been flagged up by British Cycling’s board.”

Meanwhile, the official release of the final report has been delayed several times because of legal wrangling among the stakeholders about how much would be public. Concerns over the privacy of those who were interviewed were raised, while Phelps wanted to ensure the report “faithfully” reflects the panel’s findings.

• Timeline: The British Cycling sexism and discrimination crisis
  

Phelps also warned UK Sport chief executive Liz Nicholl and British Cycling board member Marian Lauderany that any further direction from the boards “would potentially undermine the independence of the report,” according to The Guardian.

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Chaves overcomes knee injury but skips Pais Vasco

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Orica-Scott has confirmed that Esteban Chaves will miss next week’s Vuelta Ciclista al País Vasco, having recently returned to training after a knee injury. The Colombian climber, 27, is hoping to challenge Chris Froome (Team Sky) and Alberto Contador (Trek-Segafredo) at the Tour de France later this summer.

Chaves has not raced since the Herald Sun Tour in February and he was looking to line up for País Vasco next week. However, a bout of tendonitis has scuppered his early season programme. The Volta a Catalunya was scratched for the climber’s schedule earlier in March and the Tour of Romandie in late April may also be out of the picture after a lay-off that has lasted several weeks.

Chaves kick started his season at the Tour Down Under, where he finished second overall. The Sun Tour, and ninth overall, followed but he was absent from the Colombian nationals after the knee injury flared up for the first time.

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"I am really disappointed to miss the national championships tomorrow,” he said at the time.

“I was looking forward to making my elite debut in my home town. But it is a long season and we needed to take the decision to fix any little problems now so we can continue with the plan this year without trouble."

With Orica not racing a full programme of stage races in – other than the Giro d’Italia – Chaves could return to racing in June, at the Critérium du Dauphiné, and although he is no stranger to blocks of non-competitive cycling during the season the team are hoping to ease him back into racing. The plan is for him to remain in Colombia for the next few weeks as he builds his stamina and finds form. Cyclingnews understands that the team and medical staff have taken a cautious approach with the Tour de France still the main target.

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No Tour de France for Tom Dumoulin

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While the Classics stars are navigating the cobbles of Northern Europe this weekend and next, Team Sunweb's Tom Dumoulin is firmly focused on altitude training ahead of a return to the Giro d'Italia.

The 26-year-old Dutchman won the opening stage of the 2016 Giro and spent several days as the race leader before abandoning the race due to a nagging saddle sore issue. He recovered quickly enough to claim two stage victories at the Tour de France two months later, but Dumoulin confirmed to NOS.nl that he would skip the Tour this season and direct his efforts entirely toward the Giro.

"The focus this year on the standings in the Giro," said Dumoulin, who noted he'd be "on holiday" during the Tour de France.

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In the coming weeks, Dumoulin will aim to improve his climbing legs ahead of his impending contest with the likes of Movistar's Nairo Quintana and Bahrain-Merida's Vincenzo Nibali.

"Last year I did not go to altitude training, but now that I'm really going for the championship I train differently so that my season is better than ever," he said.

Another challenge will be finding the right balance of time trialing and climbing legs ahead of his Grand Tour bid.

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Tour of Turkey moved to October

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The UCI has announced that the 2017 Presidential Cycling Tour of Turkey will take place between October 10-15 after it was postponed from its original April date.

The UCI added the stage race to the expanded 2017 WorldTour calendar but the organisers struggled to attract teams due to recent terrorist attacks, a failed military coup and oppressive action by Turkish President Recep Erdogan. A report in February said only one team had accepted an invitation to the race.

Thousands of dissidents, journalists and critics of Erdogan have been arrested in recent months, sparking concerns about safety and civil rights in Turkey. The country is due to vote in a referendum on April 8 that would give Erdogan sweeping powers. The Tour of Turkey was originally scheduled for April 18-23.

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An initial request to move the race was turned down in January, but following a meeting of the UCI Professional Cycling Council (PCC) on 21 March in Brussels, the UCI agreed that the Tour of Turkey will be postponed to October 10-15 2017.

The UCI claimed the race has the continued support of the Turkish Government and the race organisation to ensure the success of the event.

The UCI specified that the date change is only for the 2017 season, revealing that the 2018 UCI WorldTour calendar will be confirmed in June at the next PCC meeting.

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Boonen, Gilbert will lead Quick-Step Floors at the Tour of Flanders

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Tom Boonen and Philippe Gilbert will lead the Quick-Step Floors team at Sunday’s Tour of Flanders as they try to use their strength in depth to win the cobbled Classic and defeat huge rivals Peter Sagan (Bora-hansgrohe) and Greg van Avermaet (BMC).

The Tour of Flanders will be an emotional but pressure-packed day for the team as they try to win the most important race on Flemish roads as Tom Boonen rides the Belgian monument for the last time in his long and prestigious career.

In the past 15 years Patrick Lefevere’s teams have won the Tour of Flanders five times and taken four other podium places.

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This year’s edition of the ‘Ronde’ van Vlaanderen will be Tom Boonen’s 15th and final outing at the race. His career will forever be linked to his first Monument win back in 2005, when he took his rivals by surprise and rode alone to the finish. Boonen has won the Tour of Flanders three times, adding other successes in 2006 and 2012. Boonen is due to retire after Paris-Roubaix, which he has won four times.

Boonen’s palmares earns him leadership status alongside Gilbert even if he has yet to show some great form. However, he and Gilbert make an interesting combination.

Iljo Keisse, Dwars door Vlaanderen victor Yves Lampaert, Zdenek Stybar, Niki Terpstra, Matteo Trentin and Julien Vermote will provide the experience and firepower to support the two and perhaps offer some kind of alternative if crashes and attacks force their hand.

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Van Avermaet leads BMC's Tour of Flanders recon - Gallery

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The days until the 2017 Tour of Flanders can be counted on one hand and the final tweaks are being made in preparation for the second Monument of the season. In distinctly un-spring-like weather, BMC Racing set out to do their final recon of the new route, which will take the riders from Antwerp to Oudenaarde and over 18 climbs.

This would not be a full-blown run through the 260km course, but a look at the some of the most pertinent of moments in the finale. Having driven out towards Oudenaarde from their hotel near Ghent, the riders set off from roadside near the finish of the race.

They were joined, at times, by fans and at one moment rode with their rivals for Sunday Trek-Segafredo as they headed over the Oude Kwaremont, Eikenberg, Koppenberg, Paterberg, Kwaremont and more.

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Team leader, Greg Van Avermaet and sprinter Jempy Drucker had already done their own recon on Wednesday and only joined their teammates for the opening section before heading back to the hotel to rest up ahead of the race on Sunday. The remaining six riders carried on to complete a four-hour ride before returning back to base.

Flick through the photos above to see BMC on their recon of the Tour of Flanders route.

 

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Sagan under fire for body check during Gent-Wevelgem

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Peter Sagan is under fire in Belgium after Sporza television revealed footage of the world champion apparently shouldering Maxime Vantomme (WB Veranclassic) out of the way and off the road during Sunday’s Gent-Wevelgem.

Sagan was blocked behind other riders as Greg van Avermaet (BMC) made the attack that went onto split the peloton. Overhead footage shows Sagan moving to his left and bumping Vantomme to the left as he tried to find a way through and start his pursuit of van Avermaet.

Other footage shot from the roadside fans shows Sagan’s movement more clearly. Vantomme was forced off the cobbled road and had to brake.

Highly respected Belgian journalist Karl Vannieuwkerke, who presents the television coverage of major races for Sporza, revealed the incident on the ‘Extra Time’ show on Wednesday evening.

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"I'm afraid I have to launch an attack on the world. I’ve seen images of Sagan on the Kemmelberg where he puts Vantomme out of the pack and slams him into the (roadside) decor.” Vannieuwkerke was quoted as saying on Sporza and other Flemish media.

“That's a villainous action. In my words it’s deliberate by the world champion. You shouldn’t do that otherwise you’re inexperienced. It’s a body check, like in hockey, to push him aside."

Oliver Naesen of AG2R-La Mondiale and Bram Tankink (LottoNL-Jumbo) were guest on the Extra Time show and did not approve of Sagan’s move.

A diplomatic reaction from Sagan

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Demol: We've missed Fabian Cancellara's killer instinct

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The departure of Fabian Cancellara was always going to leave quite a gap in Trek-Segafredo’s classics arsenal, and so it’s proving, with directeur sportif Dirk Demol pining to see his current riders show some of the aggression and killer instinct that characterised the three-time Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix winner.

Speaking to Cyclingnews in Zottegem on Wednesday, ahead of the second stage of the Three Days of De Panne, Demol gave a frank assessment of his team’s showings thus far this spring, saying, "the results at this point are not good enough."

John Degenkolb, a replacement of sorts for Cancellara, finished seventh at Milan-San Remo, in the bunch behind the three leaders and – after missing the splits at E3-Harelbeke – it was a similar tale at Gent-Wevelgem on Sunday, where he was fifth from the main bunch. Meanwhile Jasper Stuyven is yet to build on the promise of his Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne victory last year, abandoning E3-Harelbeke on a“off-day” before finishing 46th at Gent-Wevelgem.

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“I was hoping for better, to be honest. I’m going to support my boys 100 per cent, but we didn’t have the results we could have had,” Demol told Cyclingnews.

“We always analyse the races, and we’ve seen on a couple of occasions that they may not be aggressive enough at the right times. We’ve had five WorldTour one-day races, and I’m sure we could be there but we weren’t because we were maybe thinking ‘it’s still too far’ or we had that one second of doubt.

“I’ve told them who’s going to go, they just had to follow one guy, and they didn’t. I’ve seen it in the race, they sometimes have that one second of doubt, and it’s one second too much. If the big guys go, you cannot think ‘should I try to go with him or not?’ You’re already too late.”

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Kwiatkowski and Henao lead Team Sky at Pais Vasco

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Milan-San Remo winner Michal Kwiatkowski and Paris-Nice winner Sergio Henao will lead Team Sky at next week’s Vuelta Ciclista al Pais Vasco as they look to continue their run of success.

Kwiatkowski has not raced since beating Peter Sagan and Julian Alaphilippe in a close sprint in the Via Roma, while the hilly Basque stage race will also see a return to racing for Henao after he held off a last-stage attack from Alberto Contador to win Paris-Nice.

Kwiatkowski and Henao will join forces to take on Contador, who leads the Trek-Segafredo team. Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) is arguably the favourite for the six-day race after dominating the Volta a Catalunya. Other contenders include Romain Bardet (AG2R-La Mondiale), Nicolas Roche (BMC), Rigoberto Uran (Cannondale-Drapac), Tim Wellens (Lotto Soudal), Adam Yates (Orica-Scott) and Warren Barguil (Team Sunweb).

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Team Sky have selected a team of experience and youth, with Tao Geoghegan Hart included in the squad on the day he celebrates his 22nd birthday.

Also in the eight-rider roster are Michal Golas, Sebastian Henao, Vasil Kiryienka, David Lopez and Mikel Nieve. The same riders will compete in the GP Indurain on Saturday April 1 and then head to Pamplona for the start of the Tour of the Basque Country on Tuesday.

Only the first stage suits the sprinters, with stage 5 to Eibar ending with a nasty climb to the finish line. The final 27.7km individual time trial will crown the overall winner

Team Sky for the Tour of the Basque Country: Tao Geoghegan Hart, Michal Golas, Sebastian Henao, Sergio Henao, Vasil Kiryienka, Michal Kwiatkowski, David Lopez and Mikel Nieve.

 

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Joe Martin Stage Race Devil's Den Time Trial start times

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Driedaagse De Panne: Marcel Kittel wins stage 3a

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Marcel Kittel (QuickStep Floors) came back from a late crash to win stage 3a of the Three Day of De Panne.

The German sprinter fell with 15km to go but was paced back to the peloton just in time to contest the finale. In a chaotic leadout Kittel eventually managed to position himself on Alexander Kristoff's wheel, before coming around the Norwegian inside the final 100 metres. Sacha Modolo (UAE Team Emirates) finished third.

The short but intense morning stage saw a number of crashes and a nine-man break that remained clear until the final 2.5km.

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Coming around the final corner Kristoff looked ideally positioned after his team had controlled the final hour of racing. However Kittel's crash meant that the Norwegian's team had little cooperation in chasing the break, and the stage 2 winner was left isolated when Kittel  - full of adrenaline after his crash - swooped up onto his wheel. With the line insight Kristoff opened his sprint first but Kittel around the Katusha rider's right hand side. 

Heading into the afternoon's individual time trial, Kittel's teammate, Philippe Gilbert holds the leader's jersey, 50 seconds ahead of Matthias Brandle (Trek-Segafredo). 

"This is an important race for me, and from the Belgian races, I'm only doing De Panne and Scheldeprijs. After yesterday and the first stage, where I did a good race but didn't get a result, I really wanted to bounce back and show myself here," Kittel said after the finish.

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Edmondson wins Pajot Hills Classic

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Annette Edmondson (Wiggle High5) won the second edition of the Pajot Hills Classic in Gooik, Belgium, on Wednesday with a dominant sprint on the uphill finishing straight. Edmondson crossed the line several bike lengths ahead of Barbara Guarischi (Canyon-SRAM) in second and Ilaria Sanguineti (BePink-Cogeas) in third.

"I knew with this type of uphill finish that it was all about power, so you just had to be in a good position when it was long and strung out," Edmondson said. "It wasn’t a big bunch kick really, it was more of a big grovel really, I had a lot of anger and energy, and it just all exploded up that hill. It was awesome."

The day's racing in Belgium included cobbled classics, punchy climbs and plenty of road furniture for the former double track world champion to navigate as she transitions to road, but the 25-year-old Australian handled it with aplomb.

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"It was a bit of a course with everything really; a small lap, a big lap and then two small laps to finish," she said. "There were probably about 7-8km of cobbles in it, and a couple of big hills. In the middle of the race was the Muur, and then a few kilomteres later was the Bosberg, so we were just hoping that it was going to come back into a reduced bunch kick like it did last year.

"Looking at the teams there we felt that we could challenge the teams there, in the sprint, but because it was small race we gave everybody the opportunity to make a move, or to be in a group, or to try to win the race for themselves somehow," Edmondson said.

Despite the bunch finish, there was no shortage of attacking throughout the day as opportunists hoped to beat the sprinters' teams. Edmondson praised her teammates for keeping the race in check until she could launch her winning effort in the finale.

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Driedaagse De Panne: Kristoff wins stage 2

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Alexander Kirstoff (Katusha-Alpecin) won stage 2 of the Three Days of De Panne after a hard-fought day in the echelons split the peloton and allowed Philippe Gilbert (Quick-Step Floors) to tighten his grip on the overall classification.

Kristoff has not been at his best recently but he is always ready for a fight. He made sure he was in the split of 22 riders and then kicked late into the headwind finish to beat Marcel Kittel (Quick-Step Floors) and Edward Theuns (Trek-Segafredo). Pascal Ackerman (Bora-hansgrohe) – second at the 2016 Under 23 world championships in Qatar, impressed by finishing fourth and mixing it in the sprint with Kristoff and Kittel.

Gilbert – wearing the race leader’s white jersey – was again strong in the echelons during the final 50km and then worked hard, doing frequent turns on the front to ensure that Luke Durbridge (Orica-Scott) failed to get across to the move. Durbridge eventually finished in the main peloton 2:40 back, gutted at missing out on a chance of overall success.

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After 211km of racing, only Gilbert and Kristoff were smiling.

"There was a lot of wind and I was maybe a little too far back in the last corner. So I started my sprint seated to move up and speed up. I kind of lead myself out and then increased my sprint. I knew that from the radio it was better to stay on the wheels but I didn’t want to get boxed in. I just kept the other guys behind me," Kristoff explained, playing down his chances for the Tour of Flanders.

"I don’t honestly see myself as one of the favourites for the Tour of Flanders this year. If you look at the results in the hardest races, I lacked a bit of shape. But I got the win here and this gives you confidence, but today is still different to Flanders. I fear my top form will come too late and there are a lot of strong favourites like Gilbert, Van Avermaet and Sagan. It will be difficult to beat these guys, but I hope to be up there, fighting with them."

Another hard day of racing

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Former Olympic velodrome reopens for 125th anniversary

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Crowdfunding has supported the building of a new pavilion at the Herne Hill Velodrome.

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Recon Ride: Tour of Flanders - Podcast

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The hype has been building through tune-up race after tune-up race, but the Tour of Flanders is finally here this Sunday. The biggest event on the Flemish cycling calendar, it might as well be a national holiday – and from an exciting racing standpoint, it rarely disappoints.

Defending champion Peter Sagan (Bora-Hansgrohe) and a seemingly unstoppable Greg Van Avermaet (BMC Racing) are the red-hot favourites for a high-calibre showdown on some of cycling's most famous Classics climbs, including the Muur van Geraardsbergen, back for the 2017 edition of the race.

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The Recon Ride takes a closer look at the route and the start list – with some pro insight from rising star Oliver Naesen of AG2R La Mondiale – ahead of De Ronde.

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Orica-Scott hunting final Monument at Tour of Flanders

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Gent-Wevelgem runner-up Jens Keukeleire and Luke Durbridge, most recently second during the Flanders-esque opening stage at Three Days of De Panne, will lead Orica-Scott on Sunday as the Australian WorldTour team attempts to add a final Monument to its collection at the Tour of Flanders.

Mathew Hayman, winner of Paris-Roubaix in 2016, and experienced Classics rider Mitch Docker will join the duo to form Orica's lead quartet in La Ronde. They'll be joined on the Flemish roads by Sam Bewley, Magnus Cort, Alexander Edmondson and Luka Mezgec, one of the team's strongest-ever Classics line-ups.

Durbridge is obviously on form at the moment after having ridden tenaciously to fourth-place finishes at both Dwars Door Vlaanderen and E3 Harelbeke. On Tuesday, he battled Philippe Gilbert (Quick-Step Floors) for the win during stage 1 at De Panne, eventually settling in for second after a hard day climbing many of the same bergs that will be featured on Sunday.

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After finishing second at Wevelgem, Keukeleire started De Panne and finished 15th on the opening day but did not start Wednesday's second stage, perhaps to rest his legs for Sunday's challenge.

"I think when you look at team we have, we started with guys with a lot of potential but not very much experience in these cobbled classics," said team director Laurenzo Lapage. "All they needed was the opportunity to get that experience and now what we are seeing is their growth year by year because of that.

“Luke and Jens both deserve our protection," Lapage said, "but we are also seeing our other guys performing better. It shows where we are as a team and that everyone is willing to fight for each other."

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Kristoff: I don't see myself as a favourite for Tour of Flanders

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After complaining that he didn’t have the form to hang with the best on the opening Flanders-esque stage of the Three days of De Panne, Alexander Kristoff (Katusha-Alpecin) reversed his fortunes on day two. The Norwegian not only made the crucial cut when the side-winds scythed through the peloton, but he nailed his first win this month after weeks of frustration.

Sitting down in the press room just a few hundred metres from where he raised his arms in victory, Kristoff was quick to disabuse anyone of the notion that he was back to his best. While happy to be back on the rostrum, the 2015 Tour of Flanders winner said that there was still something missing ahead of the race on Sunday.

"It’s good to come here and get the win because we have been without results in Belgium so far this season," said Kristoff. "Today is a different race to the Tour of Flanders. We only had to do the Kemmel once, and in Flanders you have to do it all the time. Even if I win here, I don’t see myself as a favourite at Flanders after the way that I rode in the last Classics.

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"Hopefully, the shape is coming. I feel better, but I don’t know if it is enough. Yesterday I tried to stay with Philippe [Gilbert] but I could not, so that’s not too good. If I want to win Flanders, then I have to stay with the best, and I hope I will manage to do it on Sunday. I have some small doubts but this race has always gone well for me. I’ve always come out of it quite strong and I hope that will happen this year as well."

Just quite what is missing Kristoff cannot quite put his finger on, but it has been apparent on a few occasions this spring as he’s had to watch some of his rivals nip up the road, with no answer for their attack. He hopes that the next few days will see him close that gap.

"I don’t really know," he said when asked what he was lacking. "When I look at the files, my data is ok, but maybe it’s just the other guys are stronger. I don’t know. I am missing a couple of per cent to hang on with the best, so maybe I will get it in this race and the last few days before Flanders. I hope that I will be ready and that I can fight for it."

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Quick-Step tighten grip on De Panne victory

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Echelons are normally a common sight at the Classics, but this season they have been few and far between. They finally delivered, however, on the third stage of the Three days of De Panne, and when Quick-Step Floors saw the opportunity, the Belgian team grabbed it with both hands.

With Philippe Gilbert’s nearest rival, Luke Durbridge (Orica-Scott), caught behind, Quick-Step – with plenty of help from Katusha, Bora-Hansgrohe and Trek-Segafredo – hammered the advantage home. Marcel Kittel and another of his teammates were two of the last to make the cut, giving Quick-Step four in the leading group and a shot at victory as well as a tightened grip on the general classification.

"After the Kemmelberg, we had to make the decision to race, and we raced for it, for Phil’s leader’s jersey but also for the stage win," Kittel told Cyclingnews just before riding back to his team’s hotel. "The race split up after we passed the hilly zone, and then you could really see that we came to De Moeren, a place where it is always very windy, and it started to break.

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"It was definitely a tough day," Kittel said.

The advantage over Durbridge hovered around the 30-second mark for much of the final 40 kilometres, but as the riders passed the eventual finish line for the penultimate time the desire for the chase appeared to be gone. By the time they crossed for the finish, Durbridge was well over two minutes down, and Matthias Brandle would replace him as the second-placed rider overall, sitting 50 seconds behind Gilbert.

The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away

While Quick-Step was able to take advantage of the winds to stamp their authority on the GC, Kittel was unable to master the gusting headwind at the finish. The German tried to go early to get the jump on his rivals, but Alexander Kristoff (Katusha-Alpecin) called his bluff and took a rare win over Kittel.

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Mogollon climb cut from Tour of the Gila opening stage

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Road construction has caused organisers of the Tour of the Gila to scrap the Mogollon climb from the opening stage of the UCI 2.2 race scheduled for April 19-23 in Silver City, New Mexico.

Stage 1 will cover the same route as years past but without the final 4.8km of climbing to the ghost town of Mogollon, finishing instead on the Whitewater Mesa below the climb. Organisers expect a sprint finish on the stage, which will include time bonuses but no KOM points as in years past. 

The opening stage at Tour of the Gila has set the general classification pecking order in in the past, with both 2016 winners Mara Abbott and Lachlan Morton claiming the stage and carrying the race lead through to the end.

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"This is the first time in our history that we have had to alter the route," said race director Jack Brennan. "We lost 2.9 miles of climbing, which is the iconic part of Mogollon. It’s so incredible and beautiful up there, but we don’t have it this year. It’s going to change the whole dynamics of the race."

Mogollon was flooded in September of 2013, completely wiping out the roads leading into town, according to a statement published on the race website. While a few repairs were done to open the roads, the needed infrastructure was placed on hold. Several months ago, construction began with substantial repairs to the road, and the heavy equipment involved has severely damaged the tarmac on the approach.

"I think they’re building a bridge or two, so there is a lot of work going on," Brennan said. "What’s happening is the construction company building all of this is hauling these concrete blocks up to Mogollon. The weight of these blocks and the weight of the trucks are destroying the road. It’s just not wise for us to go up there and try to race. 

Participating Tour of the Gila 2017 professional teams:

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Van Avermaet: This year I feel like it's my turn

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BMC Racing have named a strong, experienced line-up for Sunday’s Tour of Flanders as the US-registered WorldTour squad aim to help Greg Van Avermaet continue his run of victories on the cobbles.

The Olympic road race champion has won Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, E3 Harelbeke and Gent-Wevelgem so far this spring, earning him the nickname of the ‘King of Flanders’. He hopes to extend his reign with his first ever monument victory on Sunday, and BMC have selected Silvan Dillier, Jempy Drucker, Martin Elmiger, Stefan Kung, Daniel Oss, Manuel Quinziato and Francisco Ventoso to help him.

"My win on Sunday at Gent-Wevelgem was incredible, and as I said then, I don’t think I can pretend that I’m not the favorite anymore for the Tour of Flanders. I’ve had the best start to the season possible, and what gives me even more confidence is knowing that my favourite race, the race that suits me the most, is still to come," Van Avermaet said.

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As a Flandrian, Van Avermaet is fully aware of the significance of the Tour of Flanders.

"Lining up on Sunday will be a really special feeling. I know I’m the strongest I’ve ever been in the spring, and this year the race passes my house," he revealed.

"I say it every year; I know the roads so well, I train every day on the parcours, and this year I feel like it’s my turn. I’m going to race aggressively and I have seven riders completely dedicated to helping me win. There’s nothing more I can do to prepare. I’m ready."

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Quick-Step on Sagan: We try to win but if we don't win then he loses

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The Quick-Step Floors team will not allow the Tour of Flanders to play into the hands of Peter Sagan, even if it means risking their own chance of success, with the team’s directeur sportif for the Classics Wilfried Peeters, telling Cyclingnews that they don’t plan on fully collaborating with the world champion on Sunday.

Sagan criticised Niki Terpstra in the aftermath of Sunday’s Gent-Wevelgem, where bickering over work rate in the decisive five-man group allowed Greg Van Avermaet and Jens Keukeleire to ride away and contest the victory. He accused the Dutchman of playing a “cheap game”. Quick-Step boss Patrick Lefevere quickly defended his team’s tactics, with Tom Boonen adding: “Niki didn’t fail; Sagan failed.”

Sagan, whose own strength but lack of team suport seems to be his biggest weakness, is by now no stranger to rivals being unwilling to work with him, fearing they’ll only be picked off in a sprint. He has lost a fair few races either by being forced into shouldering the lion’s share of the workload or, as was the case on Sunday, simply refusing to accept that burden.

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“I could decide today who could win,” said Sagan in Wevelgem, adding that Terpstra’s actions were “one example of how you can lose the race against me”.

If Sagan secretly hoped his public comments would put pressure on Quick-Step Floors, Peeters showed no indication of bowing.

“We try to win… but if we don’t win then he loses,” Peeters said with a grin, upping the ante in what is becoming quite the game of brinksmanship, both parties bluffing that they’re willing to lose the race, with mutually assured destruction the natural conclusion.

Strength in depth 

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Tom Boonen leads Tour of Flanders recon - Gallery

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Sunday sees Tom Boonen line up for his final crack at the Tour of Flanders, with the Belgian set to captain the Quick-Step Floors team for the last time in De Ronde.

Boonen, who retires after Paris-Roubaix, has had a mixed spring campaign this season but has found form in recent weeks with eighth in E3 Harelbeke and sixth in Gent-Wevelgem. However, the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix are the real targets for the 36-year-old. Boonen has won Flanders three times and Paris-Roubaix on four occasions, completing the double in 2005 and 2012.

On Wednesday, while teammate Philippe Gilbert led Quick-Step Floors during stage 2 the Three Days of De Panne, Boonen trained over the modified Tour of Flanders course with a number of riders who will race with him over the next two weekends. The tweaked course sees a new start location in Antwerp, the return of the Muur and multiple ascents of the Oude Kwaremont and Paterberg.

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Last weekend Boonen hinted that his form and legs were better suited to Paris-Roubaix, a race he narrowly finished second in last year. 

"Flanders will become difficult though. I'm no longer the man to go alone up the final ascent of the Paterberg but for Roubaix it'll be alright. I realise that it'll be difficult. With growing older, I've now become less explosive on those climbs. Every year it's become a bit harder. I can follow those men if it matters but the final time up the Paterberg will become difficult, but not impossible. I'll certainly try but I'm not stupid. I realise that my chances in Flanders are smaller than in Paris-Roubaix," Boonen said.

More on this:

• Boonen: I've the weapons to win Paris-Roubaix but Flanders will be difficult
• Tom Boonen gets custom Specialized Tarmac for the classics
• Cancellara: Boonen went through tough moments but he never gave up
• Tom Boonen: The rise of a legend in Paris-Roubaix 2002 - Podcast

Tom Boonen's Key Results

1st UCI Road World Championships 2005
1st Paris-Roubaix 2005, 2008-2009, 2012
1st Tour of Flanders 2005-2006, 2012
1st Gent-Wevelgem 2004, 2011-2012
1st E3 Prijs Vlaanderen 2004-2007, 2012
1st Dwars door Vlaanderen 2007
1st Scheldeprijs 2004, 2006
1st Paris–Brussels 2012, 2016
1st Münsterland Giro 2015
1st RideLondon Classic 2016

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Bouhanni extends with Cofidis until 2019

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Nacer Bouhanni and the Cofidis team have confirmed that the French sprinter will stay with the Professional Continental team until the end of 2019, in the hope of finally winning sprints at the Tour de France and other major races.

According to reports in the La Voix du Nord and L’Equipe, Bouhanni will continue to earn around 1.5 million Euro and be the team’s leader.

Cofidis is a French company that specialises in consumer credit via the internet and telephone, with interests across Europe. The company first sponsored a team in 1996, hiring Lance Armstrong and then Frank Vandenbroucke. However it was rocked by a series of doping scandals in 2004, which eventually sparked a change in team management. After several difficult seasons Bouhanni was signed in 2015 to turn things around.

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Cofidis built a lead out train around Bouhanni, with Cyril Lemoine, Geoffrey Soup and Christophe Laporte providing vital support and speed in sprints to help him win 11 races in both 2015 and 2016.

Now 26, Bouhanni has won a total of 55 races, including a recent stage win at the Volta a Catalunya. However he has so far struggled at the Tour de France. He abandoned the Tour in 2015 before having a chance to contest a bunch sprint after being caught up in a mass crash on stage 5. He missed the Tour in 2016 after hurting his hand in a reported scuffle with a fellow guest at a hotel before the French national championships. Bouhanni is known for his love of boxing and aggressive sprinting.

"When I arrived in 2015, I had to find my bearings. I only won my first victory in April. Two years later, I’ve won 24 races, including seven at WorldTour level, a Coupe de France and the Europe Tour ranking. My move has been successful and my results can only be seen as positive. Stability brings serenity, which is why I chose to extend my contract,” Bouhanni said in a statement from the Cofidis team.

Extending the joint-venture, hoping for Tour de France success

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15 riders fined for sidewalk riding at De Panne

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Race judges at the Three Days of De Panne fined 15 riders, including stage winner Philippe Gilbert, for riding on footpath and bike paths during the opening stage to Zottegem.

Riders jumped onto the footpath during the lower slopes of the Muur and others took shortcuts via bike paths during the race. Several spectators were almost hit by riders, with a race marshal also avoiding a crash after the riders ignored indications made to warn them of the dangers of a parked car.

Race officials announced that the 15 riders were fined 200 Swiss Francs (185 Euro) for dangerous riding.

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Gilbert’s name stood out on the rap sheet after he won the stage with a solo break. It also included Marco Haller, Dries Devenyns, Jasper Buyst, Luke Durbridge, Alex Edmondson, Christoph Pfingsten, Matthias Brandle, Boy van Poppel, Simone Consonni, Alexandre Pichot, Pierre-Luc Perichon, Frederik Backaert, Ole Forfang and Rob Ruijgh.

"We can’t do much, there were too many riders in the wrong,” head UCI commissaire for the race Joel Alies told Het Nieuwsblad.

“We can’t throw all the riders out of the race. However there will be a special communiqué issued which makes it clear that anyone who rides on the footpath will be excluded.”

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BMC aim for Volta Limburg hat-trick

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BMC Racing line up at Saturday's Volta Limburg Classic aiming for its third straight win in the Dutch one-day race. Defending champion Floris Gerts and recent Tour of Oman winner Ben Hermans will lead the team's ambitions.

BMC have enjoyed a successful Classics campaign in 2017 with Greg Van Avermaet winning Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, E3 Harelbeke and Gent-Wevelgem and starts Sunday's Tour of Flanders as the favourite.

Sport director Jackson Stewart is hoping his team can inspire Van Avermaet with an aggressive showing and third straight win 24 hours earlier.

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"We have always raced well at Volta Limburg Classic. It's not the Tour of Flanders but it is still a hard race to win. Last year we had five riders in the top ten, including Floris Gerts who won, so I'm expecting the riders to work hard to achieve similar results," said Stewart.

"We are taking a relatively young team, as well as experienced riders like Ben Hermans and Joey Rosskopf, so I'm confident we can do a good race."

From last year's winning team is the returning quartet of Tom Bohli, Manuel Senni, Loïc Vliegen and Hermans, plus Gerts. Added support comes from Kilian Frankiny, Joey Rosskopf and Miles Scotson.

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O'Connor aiming for Ardennes support role with Dimension Data

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At 21, Ben O'Connor is one of the youngest riders in the WorldTour peloton but the Dimension Data is quickly settling into life as a professional rider. Signed to the South African team off the back of a breakout 2016 with the IsoWhey Sports SwissWellness team, O'Connor explained to Cyclingnews his start to the year could have gone any better as he dreams of a Liege-Bastogne-Liege start next month.

"It's been a pretty fabulous start to my career with Dimension Data. Tour Down Under was a really good race with such a good group and Lachy [Morton] and myself could play a key role for Nathan [Haas] to get up there," O'Connor told Cyclingnews of the WorldTour opener.

After his Australian debut where the team came close to wins with Haas, O'Connor jetted over to Malaysia for the Tour de Langkawi. At the race, O'Connor rode in assistance of Ryan Gibbons, signed at the same time as the Western Australian, as Dimension Data won two stages and the overall. Despite riding as a domestique, O'Connor managed to finish in eighth place overall.

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Originally scheduled to make his European racing debut with the team at Coppi e Bartali, O'Connor's first race came at the Volta a Catalunya last week. Considered to be one of the hardest one-week stages races on the calendar. Having negotiated the Volta, O'Connor is now hoping his place in the squad for the Ardennes has been secured.

"If all goes to plan, I will go to the Ardennes and help out some of the guys like Serge [Pauwels] and Steve [Cummings] in races like De Brabantse Pijl or Fleche or Liege, so I am looking forward to those races," he said. "It would be a massive learning curve. They are big races, very long in distance, with changeable condition so that is going to be an incredible learning experience."

The block of one-day races would be a departure of sorts for O'Connor who has shown his potential thus far in stage races. Last year, O'Connor won the UCI 2.2 NZ Cycle Classic and finished third at the Tour de Taiwan to prove his GC capabilities but he is confident in himself and the team that he will be given time to develop his GC potential. Even if that means playing a support role at La Doyenne in his first season with Dimension Data.

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Orica-Scott backing Simon Yates at GP Miguel Indurain

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Simon Yates will lead Orica-Scott into Saturday's GP Miguel Indurain with the team aiming for victory. The 24-year-old won stage 6 of Paris-Nice in early-March before illness hindered his overall aspirations.

Yates, who won a stage of the Vuelta a Espana last year, will be supported by a strong cast of climbers. The one-day race in Navarre will also serve as an important test ahead of next week's Vuelta al País Vasco.

"We have good options up our sleeves for this race," sport director Dave McPartland said . "We have Roman Kreuziger there as a right hand man to Yates and it is another good opportunity for us.

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A lot of the riders often race this race then recover on Sunday before the Pais Vasco. It is another good opportunity for us to attack a one-day race and try and come away with another victory with the really good team that we have lining up."

Spaniard Carlos Verona and Australian climbing trio Damien Howson, Jack Haig, and Rob Power will also be important riders for Yates' ambitions. Rounding out the team and adding muscle are Svein Tuft and Michael Hepburn.

The last five editions of the race have been shared between Movistar and Katusha, and once again, McPartland sees the two as the team to beat.

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De Panne: Simone Consonni impresses on opening stage

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Simone Consonni started his professional career with eighth place on the first stage of the Dubai Tour earlier in the year, improving to fourth place on stage 1 of the Abu Dhabi Tour a few weeks later. At the Three Days of De Panne, the UAE Team Emirates rider again impressed on the opening stage where he placed third to Philippe Gilbert (Quick-Step Floors) and Luke Durbridge (Orica-Scott)

Consonni, a bronze medallist from the 2015 U23 Worlds, beat Jasper De Buyst (Lotto Soudal) and Trek-Segafredo’s Matthias Brandle in a three-up sprint to the line in Zottegem. He will start stage 2 as the best young rider, and 43 seconds down on race leader Gilbert.

"I'm so happy, today is a great day for me: what a feeling to see my name in the stage classification just behind Gilbert and Durbridge," said Consonni, who raced in the team pursuit at the rio Olympic Games. "I'm satisfied also because in my career I raced few competitions over 200 km of distance and I had good feelings today about this topic, Belgian races give me extra-motivations for fighting and trying to achieve a top result.

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De Panne, the stage race sandwiched into the cobbled classics for the last 41 seasons, is the third Belgian race of the spring for Consonni who also rode Dwars Door Vlaanderen, E3 Harelbeke and Gent-Wevelgem. The 2016 U23 Italian national champion has shown his characteristics best suited to one-day racing but only had limited experience of racing in Belgium prior to turning professional due to track commitments

Adding to Consonni's result was the inclusion of the iconic Muur van Geraardsbergen climb on stage 1 which the peloton went over twice. It was on the short and steep cobbled climb where Consonni made the decisive move as he explained.

"After the second passage on the Muur, when De Buyst and Brandle attacked, I understood it was necessary to exploit my energies and to follow the, then in the sprint I was so motivated that I was pretty sure I could achieve the podium," he said.

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Luke Rowe: Team Sky cyclist targets podium at Tour of Flanders

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Welshman Luke Rowe is targeting a podium finish at this Sunday's Tour of Flanders as he bids to improve on a fifth-placed finish.

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Gilbert strikes first at the Driedaagse De Panne

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Philippe Gilbert (Quick-Step Floors) confirmed he is a real favourite for Sunday's Tour of Flanders with an aggressive and successful ride on the opening stage of Three Days of De Panne.

The 206km stage included 11 Flemish climbs and was like a traditional Tour of Flanders route with the Berendries, Ten Bosse and the iconic De Muur of Geraardsbergen climbed twice in the finale.

Gilbert made sure he was part of the decisive split on the first time up the legendary climb and then attacked alone on the second assault, stomping on the pedals on the rough cobbles that climb to the hilltop chapel.

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Going clear alone seemed a risky move, but Gilbert knew what he was doing. He rode hard all the way to the finish during the final 16km, holding off a strong chase by Luke Durbridge (Orica-Scott). The Australian finished 17 seconds behind Gilbert but was simply unable to catch the Belgian national champion despite his time trialing prowess. However, Durbridge did gain time on everyone else and so set himself up for overall victory in the three-day, four-stage race. He also confirmed his own form for the Tour of Flanders.

Italy's Simone Consonni (UAE Team Emirates) won the three-rider sprint for third place at 34 seconds, beating Jasper de Busyt (Lotto Soudal) and Matthias Brandle (Trek-Segafredo). Alexander Kristoff missed the move on the Muur and his Katusha teammates were unable to help him close the gap. He finished a disappointed seventh, 58 seconds behind Gilbert.

After sprint time bonuses were included in calculations, Gilbert leads Durbridge by 22 seconds in the overall classification. He celebrated with his Quick-Step Floors team and even hugged Durbridge as a sign of respect for their performances.

A day out in the Flemish Hellingen

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Gaviria shifts gears to focus on Giro d'Italia debut

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Quick-Step Floors' Fernando Gaviria has put the Classics in the rearview mirror and will now return home to Colombia to begin the build-up to his Giro d'Italia debut, according to an update posted on the team's website Tuesday.

Gaviria, 22, finished fifth at Milan-San Remo and ninth at Gent-Wevelgem, in addition to being a part of Quick-Step's race-winning lineup at Dwars door Vlaanderen. With those one-day appearances in the bag, he is turning the page from his short Classics campaign and looking ahead to his first ever Grand Tour start in Italy this May.

"Fernando made another step in his apprenticeship in the one-day races, and now the time has come for him to recover and focus on the Giro d'Italia," said Quick-Step CEO Patrick Lefevere via a team release. "We consider his first part of the season a successful one: He racked up four wins and was in the top 10 at both Classics he's done.

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"By going home now, he will have plenty of time to take benefit of the altitude in native Colombia and build a nice training schedule for the Giro, which will mark another step in his development."

Sprinter-friendly days in stage races have been a productive environment for Gaviria in his young career. His four victories thus far in 2017 have all come in one-week events, including a WorldTour level triumph at Tirreno-Adriatico earlier this month. Although his Classics appearances did not yield any personal victories, the Colombian and his team are content with the progress he showed surviving long days on the bike to deliver respectable sprint results.

"It's been a nice experience to be again part of Quick-Step Floors' Classics team," Gaviria said. "Finishing San Remo in the top five and coming ninth at Gent-Wevelgem was really special. I got to learn better the roads of Belgium and to understand how things work in these races. I wish my teammates all the best for Flanders and Roubaix, and I hope Tom [Boonen] will get his fifth Roubaix.

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Giro d'Italia legends welcome Hinault to Hall of Fame - Gallery

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Bernard Hinault was officially inducted into the Giro d'Italia Hall of Fame Tuesday in a ceremony at Milan's Teatro Gerolamo.

Hinault claimed the pink jersey three times in his career, winning the Giro overall titles in 1980, 1982 and 1985. In 1982 and 1985 he also won the Tour de France, putting him among the exclusive company of riders who have won both Grand Tours in the same year —and the even more exclusive company of riders to do it twice.

Eddy Merckx, Miguel Indurain and Fausto Coppi are history's only other riders to achieve the Giro-Tour double on more than one occasion.

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"It is an honor to receive my induction into the Giro d'Italia Hall of Fame. The Giro is one of the races I have loved the most in my career and I continue to love this race, its passion and its fans," Hinault said. "All the foreign riders who have come to Italy for the Giro always respected the race and give everything to win it. The Giro d'Italia was, and always will be, a very high level international race that everyone wants to win.

"The Maglia Rosa is symbolic, a history in itself. It has a value and it is fantastic to try to earn it on every race day. For me the Maglia Rosa has the same value as the other important jerseys that I have worn, such as the Rainbow Jersey or the Yellow Jersey of the Tour de France."

With his induction, the Frenchman became one of just six riders on the Giro's honour roll, joining the company of Merckx, Ercole Baldini, Felice Gimondi, Stephen Roche and Francesco Moser. He had a pair of riders in mind when asked who he thought deserved the honour next.

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