I am normally the one to encourage youth to jump into the deep end and to have a lot of unrealistic expectations for huge talents, but in this case, Mateo Ramírez will be completely freed from these from my side. He’s had a very atypical U23 career, with a total of nine days of racing with UAE's WT team opposed to 30-45 days of second-year developmental talents, and all of these events happened in 2025. He’ll really need the time and experience to settle into the World Tour environment, yet, I think Movistar calculated the risk/reward ratio of this inexperience and, deservedly, signed Mateo because of his talent. #Mercato

🇪🇸 Héctor Álvarez ya está más que preparado. 🥵 El español, oro en sub-23, ha superado el tiempo de Maxime Decomble, quién ha logrado el bronce en la prueba élite contrarreloj #EuroRoad26 #LaCasadelCiclismo

absolutely sucks that ITT is on a random Wednesday, Slovenia would massively erupt now in Gorenjska #EuroRoad2026

Interesting to hear your opinion on this stance: Montreal and Sencur had two different sturctures regarding timing of road races and time trials - but which one do you like better? #EuroRoad2026

37 centimetres difference today between Noval and Malthe Risbjerg. not as small as last Sunday but this European Champs is all about micromeasurements between winners and runner-ups #EuroRoad2026

1. this last kilometre is one of my favourite finishing sequences of every year, sad that I missed it live today. 2. in every 2 years, Lionel Taminiaux somehow becomes a godly one-day rider, today was also a good case of that despite Magnier's nuclear last 200 metres. trying to lift the off-year curse off from him now, abracadabra. #BincheChimayBinche

Jarno's dreamland. professional win #1 with a sprint that was utterly elusive and impossible to react to. I could say that his rivals will find a way to counter this in future, but Widar has the kind of first five or six kicks that no one can counter – all everyone can do is pray that they don’t fall more than two bikes behind Widar in the initial phases of sprints. superuseful and incredibly effective skillset. from today onwards, it really doesn’t matter whether he becomes a punchy classics rider or a GC rider, because his sprints will stay with him for many years to come, so much so that and this alone might even grow to mythical status in the coming period. #TreValliVaresine

Ezra Caudell was discharged from Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, 31 days after his traumatic accident at the Philadelphia Cycling Classic. He will now begin an intensive phase of inpatient rehabilitation at Magee Rehabilitation Hospital. Read more: bit.ly/4yu7HT6

either the end or a phoenix-type of rise. in any case, it was one hell of a ride. 🫡

Binche - Chimay - Binche Women 🔮 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Charlotte Kool ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Borghesi, Georgi ⭐️⭐️⭐️ de Keersmaeker, Riedmann, Truyen ⭐️⭐️ Langenbarg, Vanderaerden, Schweinberger, De Wilde ⭐️ Uneken, Steigenga, Van Wersch, Hinojosa, Ebras 🃏 Dina Boels #BincheChimayBinche

Binche - Chimay - Binche Men 🔮 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Paul Magnier ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Brennan, Waerenskjold ⭐️⭐️⭐️ Girmay, Meeus, Laporte ⭐️⭐️ Fretin, Biesterbos, Biermans, Berckmoes ⭐️ Oliver, Dekker, Sheehan, Abrahamsen, Kubis 🃏Clement Russo #BincheChimayBinche

Tre Valli Varesine 🔮 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Tom Pidcock ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Tulett, Simmons ⭐️⭐️⭐️ Lapeira, Grégoire, Van Gils ⭐️⭐️ Laurance, Scaroni, Pellizzari, Jorgenson ⭐️ Piganzoli, McNulty, Narvaez, Ulissi, Healy 🃏 Afonso Eulalio #TreValliVaresine

Tre Valli Varesine Women 🔮 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Sarah Van Dam ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ De Vries, Swinkels ⭐️⭐️⭐️ Adegeest, Gasparrini, Rüegg ⭐️⭐️ Muzic, Courtney, Oudeman, Persico ⭐️ Christie, Ferguson, Noskova, Bauernfeind, Jansen 🃏 Ema Comte #TreValliVaresine

Gaia still has the potential to become the world’s best pure climber, but I’ve no idea where she could achieve that. Human Powered Health would be the best option, sadly, they look pretty full for 2027, but Realini and Petra Stiasny would make an AMAZING duo.

Ballan and Spicarova in one day, oh, AG Insurance you are a 👩‍🍳👩‍🍳👩‍🍳

If Visma’s sporting direction in recent weeks and the moves rumoured to happen are all linked to Nathan's preparation for this role, then the team’s future from 2028 onwards could be the beginning of another golden age. Building culture instead of signing names. Building profiles instead of cash cows. If anyone can stick with this new direction, it's going to be Van Hooydonck.

pretty good lineup, there is potential in some of these guys #Mercato

damn, 2 Hungarian players are SEEDS for youth worlds, we might be cooking in the coming years

public service announcement. my usual end-of-season review, featuring my favourite races, will start on 26 October this year, as I’ll be away on a short getaway for a few days after the season concludes. I’ll be collecting a lot of races over the next 10 days, but if you have any suggestions (particularly regarding smaller races you’ve watched or have stuck in your mind) please let me know, and I’ll definitely try to include them in the list. thanks a lot for the help. 😊

It takes two to have a good dance, and I think we saw a brilliant one today. The way Remco and Giulio faced each other today, mano a mano, each with their own principles, strategies and carefully constructed set of criteria, was simply beautiful. Giulio’s final 500 metres was a work of art in themselves... just as France Preseren wrote in the fifth sonnet of Sonetni Venec dedicated to Julija Primic: 'Where, nursed by pure love, grow the fairest flowers, Luxuriant in beauty and in grace, As though kissed by the breath of vernal hours.' for Slovene readers: 'Kjer porošêno od ljubezni čiste, kalí, kar žlahtnega je, žene zale, ko, ki budí dih pomladánski liste.' When it comes to dedication, passion and the love of the game in cycling, Giulio Ciccone and Remco Evenepoel are definitely in the top three in the peloton, and it was absolutely fitting that they were the ones battling it out for the European Championships gold in s-LOVE-nia. damn, this was really a good race with an even better narrative. 14 to go. #EuroRoad2026