Lesser known races 2025 edition

[Wyndbrook]

If someone down the pub asks if you're interested in a new super bike on the cheap ...
https://cyclinguptodate.com/cycling...ganized-crime-continues-to-affect-pro-cycling

In their own words on X HERE

No wonder bikeshops are struggling, too much unfair competition.

 

[RedheadDane]

Leroux wins the ITT. Guess having his bike stolen didn't slow him down much.

Meanwhile, that article Rob linked to:

At the Giro, Visma had their mechanic bus broken into during the night on one of the Italian stages, and robbers ran off with most of the team's bikes.

At the Giro, the Giro. Yeah, whoever they are, they're not exactly giving any indications of actually knowing anything about cycling.

 

[RedheadDane]

Godon wins the final stage.
Leroux wins the GC.

 

[GenericBoonenFan]

Good to see beachracing legend Leroux doing well on the road. Him getting a pro contract was long overdue if you ask me.

 

[RedheadDane]

Wait; so now we're discussing U23 men's races in the Lesser Known Men's Races thread?
Makes sense...

 

[GenericBoonenFan]

Ion Izagirre second on that last stage, the man is warming up to score another 500 points for Cofidis in the last races of the season.

 

[DJO]

Slag om Nord is back on the race schedule from today. Unfortunately there's no live streaming.

 

[search]

Is Plouay a lesser race, or is it too hard for Abrahamsen?

Live on Disco+ etc from 15:15 cest.

Ouest France's star rating for the race:
*** de Lie, Magnier
** Gregoire, Godon, Laurance, Nys
* Alaphilippe, Madouas, Christen, Hirschi

Full startlist: https://www.procyclingstats.com/race/bretagne-classic/2025/startlist

 

[Hugo Koblet]

I love Bretagne Classic. Such a good race and the startlist this year is amazing.

 

[RedheadDane]

Lonardi has won the 1.2 race Grand Prix de Plouay.

Grand Prix de Plouay 2025 One day race results

Grand Prix de Plouay 2025 was won by Giovanni Lonardi before Emmanuel Houcou and Ronan Augé.

www.procyclingstats.com

And a bit of a mystery:

77	Carollo Francesco	Swatt Club			,,
78		Paris Cycliste Olympique			6:44
79	Guerinel Manu	Paris Cycliste Olympique			7:56

 

[Devil's Elbow]

Oliver Mattheis won the prologue in the Tour of Istanbul earlier today, beating out the PT pros in De Schuyteneer (Lotto) and Vadic and Boniface (Total). Bike Aid are having a pretty impressive season for a CT.

 

[RedheadDane]

Can someone explain to me why there are teams with 8 riders in Istanbul?
I thought the UCI rule was that only GTs could have 8 rider teams?

 

[Samamba]

Jeanière and Lonardi beaten by a devo guy from Lotto (Cuylits) in Istanbul (weak race without any coverage).

 

[Squire]

Jeanière and Lonardi beaten by a devo guy from Lotto (Cuylits) in Istanbul (weak race without any coverage).

Maybe you don't know more than the top 3 at PCS like I do, but what's up with someone other than De Schuyteneer sprinting here? Botched lead-out, late attack, or just choosing to go with Cuylits instead? Or wrong result?

Edit: Okay, not wrong result. Lotto has posted an Instagram picture of the podium.

Edit again: Results are in, and turns out De Schuyteneer was dropped. RIP CQ game points.

 

[Armchair Cyclist]

Can someone explain to me why there are teams with 8 riders in Istanbul?
I thought the UCI rule was that only GTs could have 8 rider teams?

I suspect the key to your confusion is an apparent expectation that the UCI would apply their own rules.

 

[Leadbelly]

Can someone explain to me why there are teams with 8 riders in Istanbul?
I thought the UCI rule was that only GTs could have 8 rider teams?

From the UCI regulations:

2.2.007

If, fifteen days before the race, the number of riders entered is less than 100, the organiser may authorise entered teams to increase the number of riders per team to a maximum of 8.

There are 16 teams entered though and with 16x7 giving more than 100, I'm not sure how they managed to wangle the extra spots. Maybe it was 6 man teams initially?

 

[search]

today's result from Istanbul looks quite a bit confusing. I guess there must have been several splits when they took the time with 5k to go

Tour of İstanbul 2025 Stage 2 results

Tour of İstanbul 2025 Stage 2 from Arnavutköy to Arnavutköy was won by Giovanni Lonardi before Emilien Jeannière and Timothy Dupont. Mauro Cuylits was leading the general classification.

www.procyclingstats.com

2nd win for Lonardi this week already, after beating some club riders in Plouay the other day.

 

[Samamba]

today's result from Istanbul looks quite a bit confusing. I guess there must have been several splits when they took the time with 5k to go

Tour of İstanbul 2025 Stage 2 results

Tour of İstanbul 2025 Stage 2 from Arnavutköy to Arnavutköy was won by Giovanni Lonardi before Emilien Jeannière and Timothy Dupont. Mauro Cuylits was leading the general classification.

www.procyclingstats.com

2nd win for Lonardi this week already, after beating some club riders in Plouay the other day.

It was on the top of a hill.

 

[Rob5091]

Yeah,if you've not had enough of UAE winning, then the,
47th GP Industria & Artigianato. today should help you! 1.Pro so lots of UCI points which UNO-X are on the hunt for but they have to try and get past the likes of Del Toro and Christen first.
196.3 km from Larciano and back to Larciano, Start at 11.30 CET, TV from 14.30 apparently.

Startlist at https://www.procyclingstats.com/race/gp-industria-artigianato/2025/startlist

Edit - change - TV from 14.30 CET not 13.00

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Yea, the GP can throw up a pretty dynamic and entertaining race sometimes. Lets go, Bettiol.

 

[Samamba]

De Schuyteneer wins last stage and saves the GC for his teammate Cuylits with it too. Jeannière with his third 2nd place in a row, 1 win would've given him the GC, but it's a 3rd for him there too. Must be frustrating.

 

[Devil's Elbow]

De Schuyteneer wins last stage and saves the GC for his teammate Cuylits with it too. Jeannière with his third 2nd place in a row, 1 win would've given him the GC, but it's a 3rd for him there too. Must be frustrating.

Mickey Mouse race obviously, but still important for Lotto to finally get some wins with people other than De Lie. Two stages and GC here is more than the entire rest of their team combined had managed all season, should at least boost the morale a bit.

On another note, do you know whether Lotto currently has pay-to-ride riders? Because I’m struggling to figure out why their development team has a January 2003 rider with zero career UCI points who finished second-last on GC in this race.

 

[Samamba]

Mickey Mouse race obviously, but still important for Lotto to finally get some wins with people other than De Lie. Two stages and GC here is more than the entire rest of their team combined had managed all season, should at least boost the morale a bit.

On another note, do you know whether Lotto currently has pay-to-ride riders? Because I’m struggling to figure out why their development team has a January 2003 rider with zero career UCI points who finished second-last on GC in this race.

Micky mouse race for most (including us) of course, but for someone like Cuylits beating Jeannière is big of course. And even tho I rather saw De Schuyteneer sprinting in GB against better riders, it's indeed good for the morale. Lotto is also payed to be there, same with Taihu Lake in October.

And I'm assuming you're talking about Bernard? No, he's there as a "specialist", he's a track cyclist. So you can have an extra spot in the team with riders like him (and CX riders like Baers and Vandeputte. It's also because he's from Wallonia and with WB not supporting Bingoal/Wagner anymore and Flanders obviously only taking in track cyclists from Flanders, he needed a spot somewhere to get some road experience.

Btw, he has been a decent leadout this year in some races.

 

[Squire]

Yeah,if you've not had enough of UAE winning, then the,
47th GP Industria & Artigianato. today should help you! 1.Pro so lots of UCI points which UNO-X are on the hunt for but they have to try and get past the likes of Del Toro and Christen first.
196.3 km from Larciano and back to Larciano, Start at 11.30 CET, TV from 14.30 apparently.

Startlist at https://www.procyclingstats.com/race/gp-industria-artigianato/2025/startlist

Edit - change - TV from 14.30 CET not 13.00

While I usually really enjoy the .1 and .Pro one-day- races throughout the year, that hasn't really been the case for the hilly ones this year. This is another UAE/Astana farming day. I much rather watch the more tactical flat-ish one-dayers with Lotto/Uno-X/Alpecin than the w/kg fests where Del Toro just destroys everyone. Hopefully Hirschi the OG farmer can put up some resistance.

 

[Tim Cahill]

This is a great descent, you can make a lot of time here but need a bit of courage, come off here its bye bye sunday football.