Eugene Oppelt

3 important forms of wealth: - slow and peaceful mornings - a fit and healthy body - a loving and safe home

There's relative freedom and autonomy in being a privateer, even though budgetary and infrastructural high performance support will be a challenge. Well done, Candice Lill and the team that surrounds her. Alan's performance arc - simply phenomenal. Well done to the rainbow jersey and the team that surrounds him. Both athletes are simply remarkable considering their homes are at the southern tip of Africa and not in the comfort and convenience of European culture and geography. The thing about South Africans - we are built tough. Pic: @piperalbrecht

Teamwork makes the dream work - 450 kms avg daily for 30 days, not even considering vert.

The Dutch superstar vs the Belgian numerical supremacy. One week only out of a rainbow jersey and into another. What a cool course with so many varying surfaces from single track in forests to farm roads to cobbles. What a respectable defence by Mohorič. Next year: location: Nice! Pic: Getty Images

'I've never been so relieved to finish something as I was today' says EF Education EasyPost rider as he finishes lap of over 14,200km, taking about a week off former mark. Sauce: CyclingNews

Here's the list of Vos' 14 world titles, including today's latest: 2006 - Cyclo-Cross, Road Race 2008 - Track (points race) 2009 - Cyclo-Cross 2010 - Cyclo-Cross 2011 - Cyclo-Cross, Track (scratch race) 2012 - Cyclo-Cross, Road Race 2013 - Cyclo-Cross, Road Race 2014 - Cyclo-Cross 2022 - Cyclo-Cross 2024 - Gravel The great. The legend. What a bike rider. Pic: UCI_Cycling

Quirky recon’ ”We rode the first half in zone MVDP… very hard…”

Hehehe. If scrolling is the new chain smoking, let’s just say, there’s power in words and it can change someone’s day. Who knows.

Waiting for 01 January to make important and powerful life resolutions is a form of procrastination. Start today, start now.

By late Monday evening local time Lachlan Morton had ticked off 12,122 kilometres, or over 85% of the distance, leaving him with just over 2,078km to go. He had lifted his daily average to 472km toward the end of his 26th day on the bike. Sauce: CyclingNews

You’re possibly not afraid of failing; you are probably afraid of people watching you fail.

"I can't believe what has happened. After this sort of season I put a lot of pressure on myself for today. The race unfolded pretty quickly. There was a dangerous breakaway in the front, and I maybe did a stupid attack, but luckily Jan was there with me. I never gave up until the final. It was an incredible day - I cannot believe what just happened." - Tadej Pogaçar Pic: Getty Images

WOMEN'S ELITE & U23 RACE: A moment of silence, led by the Swiss team. Another wet and soggy day around the Zürich hills on a very technical course over 154 kms. Pic: Getty Sport Images

The UCI and RCS Sport confirmed Friday the women’s peloton will see a return of Italy’s “La Primavera Classic” next year. The race was a regular fixture from 1999 to 2005 but vanished ever since. The addition of this fourth monument to the women’s calendar comes after repeat calls from the bunch for the race and its iconic gallop down the Ligurian coast. The modern Milan-San Remo Women will debut on March 22, the same day as the men’s “Primavera.” Sauce: VELO

Good policy update: “From 2025, riders aged under 23 who have a contract with a professional team (UCI WorldTeam or UCI ProTeam) will no longer be able to take part in Men Under 23 category events at UCI World Championships and Continental Championships for road cycling. However, this rule will not apply to riders registered with a UCI WorldTeam or UCI ProTeam development team.” - UCI

You will either love it or go “Ewww…”

The fears we don’t face becomes our limits.

On a related note: 5, 475 m vert over 268 kms The continent of Africa hosts its 1st Road Worlds in 2025 in the hilly and humid roads of Kigali, Rwanda. Those with big quads won't make it pass the big differentiating climb about 100 kms out.

Watch out for those love handles, Lovey. 😘

Rainbow fever time! Cat Ferguson, already signed by Movistar and performing on her team edition Canyon, wins her 2nd gold in the junior women's race. What a prodigy. Very hard to call the winner of both the men and women's Elite race. Tadej the favourite, however, not backed by the powerhouse UAE team, which changes his fortunes massively. With his Slovenian teammate, Mohoric, also just ruled out with injury, it may be a conflict of interests amongst Roglic, Tratnik and the 'best rider in the world at this time'. Must say, the USA team in the men's elite looks powerful with 8 solid Worldtour professionals. Is Jorgenson strong enough on the day? Tom Pidcock seems like a threat too should the Slovenians neutralise each other. Definitely not a race for the guys with big quads. Zürich is very hilly. Spent some time in the saddle there last year.

Follow your training plan, not your mood, Cupcakes.💋

Bloubergstrand

Mood: Zone 1

Ja nee, Bennie. I was working in the North last week with cricketers in the nets and the heat and humidity was rof, especially coming from a wet and windy Western Cape.

"Our greatest freedom is the freedom to choose our attitude" - Viktor E. Frankl