January is also going away and The long return flight to Europe for the teams and correspondents from the Return to San Juan, while the return from Australia has already begunA short trip to the Arabian desert, with Saudi tour just started and UAE Tour arriving, before landing at home and the first… exotic phase of the calendar will conclude. Racing in the heat, the way to gratify a public (Australian and Argentinian) otherwise excluded from the great cycling.
Sprinters and champions did not shy away from the challenge, despite the most conservative calculations. Australia saw the victorious turn of events for two athletes who came to the road from the Zwift Academy – Jay Vine won the Tour Down Under, while Loes Adegeest took home the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race – and athletes like Simon Yates and Pello Bilbao. Argentina, on the other hand, has seen the first accelerations of Evenepoel and Bernal, reaffirmed Filippo Ganna's innate class, gave a new face to the sprints with Welsford and she predictably handed herself over to Miguel Angel Lopez.
Certain warnings
Predictably, of course. It had been clear, on the occasion of the first meeting on the eve of the race, which Superman was dying to redeem himself after being fired from AstanaThe doctor he was recently in touch with said he gave him some advice related to nutrition. His agent released him, while admitting he didn't consider him a doping-addicted rider. Team Medellin he defends it tooth and nail, accusing Astana of hypocrisy and lack of humanityAnd so in the end, while waiting for the famous investigation to lead to something, a WorldTour level rider like Lopez (despite his repeatedly highlighted oddities) he finds himself on the sidelines after receiving a phone call from the Kazakh teamOne of those friendly warnings typical of warmer regions, which mean everything and its exact opposite. Another way, already seen previously, in which power is exercised.
Colombian Championships
The same treatment was in fact given to Quintana, sidelined by Tramadol positivity, which is not prohibited anywhere else in the world outside of cycling. Nairo can't find a team and it's unlikely he'll succeed.This is his second ski-sprint: let's not forget the suspicious supplements he was found to be taking two years ago, but for which he was acquitted. Using Tramadol and knowing he couldn't do it, the Colombian committed an unfortunately unforgivable carelessness. and now he is expected at the Colombian national championships, where how Lopez will do all he can to get himself seen and launch a new appeal to WorldTour teams, after the one from a few days ago.
Both Lopez and Quintana emphasize that they have normal biological passports.
Concern for Bernal
Next to Higuita, second in San Juan and constantly growing, the fourth Colombian who worries the fans the most is Egan BernalHe paid for the revving at the Alto del Colorado with an inflammation of the knee hit in the fall on the first day, which no one had noticed. Egan is the usual model of determination and sympathy, but he doesn't look like a healthy rider yetHis legs are still thin, his calves don't have the tone they had when he won the Giro, and he still takes a thousand precautions when moving to put on his jersey. The accident shows its signs, inevitably. And certainly to go to the Tour against Pogacar, Vingegaard and who knows who else, He'll have to work hard, grow, and hope that time is enough. His best level may not be enough..
Attack on Evenepoel
Egan has never dominated. He won the 2019 Tour thanks to his advantage over Iseran, before the rest of the stage was cancelled out by hail. And then at the 2021 Giro, he had his work cut out for him to keep up with his rivals. Subsequent back problems and the accident in 2022 have arrested a growth process which now puts him at a disadvantage compared to his current rivals.
The attack of Ineos Grenadiers a evenepoel there was and he made it clear that the same doubts remain in the British team, which however now stands firm around the little Colombian, trying to understand what role Pidcock could have in the future. They would like to divert him to the Giro, but it seems that Tom doesn't have the slightest desire to choose yet, still having a lot of fun in all the other disciplines.
Remco and Tadej
In short, there is really a lot on the table. Il UAE The Tour will offer us the first clash between Pogacar and EvenepoelYesterday Remco attacked with Simmons in the very flat final of the last Argentine stage, while Pogacar will be making his debutThe feeling is that the Belgian will arrive in the Emirates to get his first major victory, while The Slovenian will be making his seasonal debut, but he will not shy away from the challenge.
So while we wait to return to the same time zones for everyone, We will meet you in Montichiari where we will experience the preparation of the Italian athletes for the European track championships next week and We look forward to seeing you in Hoogerheide, where we'll be reporting on the cyclocross world championships.It may have only just begun, but this new racing year already promises to be very promising.
