Eugene Oppelt

Evenepoel to start LBL. Wonder whether it is a knee jerk reaction to a tough Spring for the 'Steppers. Or pre-Giro opwarm. Pretty sure Pidcock too and the Irishman with the long hair in Healy. Season leading winner in Tadej, of course, before he resets for the French Grand Tour in July. Not sure what is the plans for Jumbo-Visma and others. Gonna be hot! Pic credit: Zac Williams

Another solid top 10 performance by Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio who extended her career in 2023, racing for AG insurance - Soudal Quickstep, who is invited to the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift. Again in the finale and the race is won again with a flyer. The women’s course, like the Tour of Flanders, was extended by another 28 kms with 21 climbs which made it really tough and a solid standard for the WWT. Now for the Mur de Huy and the next Monument 😑

“Mathieu van der Poel told me I should go on the Keutenberg and it is the hardest climb and it suits me the most. He told me that three days ago, he sent me a message. I will thank him for the advice." Tadej Pogačar, 2023 Amstel Gold Race Men Elite winner *** What a ride by Ben Healy too after his earlier peak form at the Mallorca Challenge. Pidcock, always consistent. Slowly getting his levels back up after his recovery from concussion.

Red Hill, Simonstown, Cape Peninsula 💋

Easy week - low volume, low intensity @Frosty

Rest day: I wonder whether my bicycles are thinking about me too.

Hehehe

"I do 7-8 hour rides and I do not stop; I am not just doodling around..." - Keegan Swenson, 2022 Lifetime Grand Prix winner (also rolled the 2023 Cape Epic)

Sitting in the wheels, Wellington Rd

Moody morning canvas

Meanwhile, a very up tempo half marathon run for triathlete Cameron Wurf after the Hell of the North. Functional overreaching? 😶

Still looking good, clear and with a soft focus in the pre-race routine in the pic below. After the Classics superstar that was Fabian Cancellara, this Liquigas-Cannondale racer appeared out of the mist originating from Slovakia. It was the beginning of the modern super star racer profile that borne the next generation of absolute versatility, winning races in Grand Tours to semi-classics to Monuments to rainbow jerseys. Now we see with regularity the versatile champions in Tadej, Wout, Mathieu and even Marianne and Annemiek in the Women's World Tour. Will miss The Entertainer - he provided such absolute magnificent performances from the Spring classics to the then Tour of California, a million stage victories at the Tour de Suisse, the triple World Championship feat and, of course his performances in the race for the maillot vert at the Tour de France. Take a bow, Peter Sagan. See you at the Tour de France for one of your final appearances before you head out to join the mountainbiking challenge for Paris 2024? Pic by James Startt

Wow, @splat - was it a night ride? What a beautiful picture.

Two stunning images captured by Jered Gruber. One reflecting glory and the exasperation of the fans; the other picture depicting the loneliness and sheer exhaustion of Stybar on the other end of the spectrum.

Up and up 💫

Meanwhile…

That is why I answered, Jbr. Also, spare a thought for the legendary Peter Sagan who also crashed out today after crashing out at Tour of Flanders last week. Met eish. Now time to reset, taper, carb up and prepare for the Giro d' Italia. 🥰

Philipsen had one puncture 30 kms out. 😘

Gotta feel for Degenkolb, a previous winner. What a 7th position. The fastest Hell of the North ever - 46.8 km/h thereabouts. Moer! His 2nd monument this season after his breakaway up the Poggio in San-Remo, yoh, for Mathieu van der Poel. Another superb result for Wout van Aert who suffered that puncture while at the head of the race after a seismic attack and getting away with vd Poel stuck to him like a bubble gum on a blanket. Jasper Philipsen, what a ride. His presence was such a tactical advantage. The team in blue was delivering a master class in team strength and collaboration today. Not the 'Steppers, hey, Mom Patrick. 🤫

This is far from over. Wout van Aert's puncture after his attack has allowed him to be rejoined by some high powered rouleurs, including the hour world record holder in Ganna. Mathieu vd Poel has taken up lots of work in front, somehow, almost as if he was working for the remarkable Philipsen who is showing real class today. Does he have the legs to stay away. What a terrible collision with DSM's Johnny D who is turning by the clock. Questionable, not really, as it was evasive action? Do not blink.

Hie' komme ding. Wout lights up the fuse, 100 kms out. And several key riders oblige, a few kms out from the forest of Arenberg. Alarm bells for Ganna. Don't blink. Unfortunately, van Baarle crashes out on the 5 star Arenberg 'baby heads', with his nr 1 dossard.

Winter Is coming…

Hehehe

For a Canadian racer to win this legendary race in the north of France is one helluva achievement. Far from home. In a relatively new team that is settling down in the World Tour with no obvious big stars. And in a long distance break on a course that was extended by about 20 kms. "It’s a dream come true…. I dream of winning. A lot of times all those dreams have stayed dreams. It’s unreal to make it happen in real life. I have few words.” - Alison Jackson, PR Femmes 2023 winner Pic cred @Twitter (team photo)

The total race distance for this 3rd edition has increased from 124.7km to 145.4km. Previous winners - Lizzie Deignan and Elisa Longo Borghini. 17 cobblestone sectors, including five-star sectors Mons-en-Pévèle and the Carrefour de l'Arbre. The Canadian was such a protagonist in the final 10 kms when the chasing bunch were two handfuls of seconds behind and closing in with last year's winner full of mud after her tumble. Jackson took in so much wind and were encouraging with clear gestures for the exhausted break to take turns. Yikes, I thought that she was working too hard and would not feature in the final 3 kms. What a brave ride. And I love it mos when the break wins. Alison Jackson enters legendary status as the Queen of the Cobbles 2023. And the first major win for the American-based EF Education-Tibco-SVB. "In the final, the group was coming back to us and there were only four of us in that group of seven that actually wanted to ride. Either you don't ride and you lose the race or you ride hard and you maybe have a chance. I just trusted myself and my passion and heart for wanting to get in the bike race and it's turned out with a win." - Paris-Roubaix Femmes 2023 winner, Alison Jackson