Lesser known races 2025 edition

[Dazed and Confused]

Damn, that was close. Really deep effort by Merlier.

 

[Rou]

I just saw another win by del Toro and UAE.
Why is this dude still racing? 71 race days and still going.
This makes no sense. They want the 100 wins.

 

[Netserk]

I just saw another win by del Toro and UAE.
Why is this dude still racing? 71 race days and still going.
This makes no sense. They want the 100 wins.

UAE will bankroll Mexican nationals, no doubt. Another 2 for Del Toro there.

 

[yaco]

An embarrassing effort from the peleton to allow Sivakov to get 2nd place. This would never happen if the group was riding at a decent pace.

 

[Eddy Evenepoel]

An embarrassing effort from the peleton to allow Sivakov to get 2nd place. This would never happen if the group was riding at a decent pace.

Kulset who led out the peloton behind finished 8th, so likely he saved himself a bit in the leadout.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Merlier, in the interview, looked more dead than alive.

 

[Ilmaestro99]

Live action satanistic humiliation ritual in the veneto.

Thankfully the Belgien horse gives us something to smile about

 

[Devil's Elbow]

UAE will bankroll Mexican nationals, no doubt. Another 2 for Del Toro there.

As @search correctly informed me the other day, everything after this Sunday is officially part of the 2026 season. So a hypothetical Mexican championship wouldn't count.

 

[Netserk]

As @search correctly informed me the other day, everything after this Sunday is officially part of the 2026 season. So a hypothetical Mexican championship wouldn't count.

They have to hurry then.

 

[Cycling111]

Del Toro has less rivals in Mexico than Sagan in the Slovak national championship.

 

[Wyndbrook]

Good man Viviani:

Do not go gentle into that good retirement,
Old age should burn and rave at close of the career;
Rage, rage against the dying of the 100 wins ambition.

Though wise men at their end know lie-ins are right,
Because their pedal strokes had forked no lightning they
Do not go gentle into that good night.


With apologies to Geraint's uncle, Dylan

Geraints other uncle is Bryn, or maybe not.

 

[Cycling111]

As @search correctly informed me the other day, everything after this Sunday is officially part of the 2026 season. So a hypothetical Mexican championship wouldn't count.

The nationals would count as victories in 2025. What wouldn't count this year would be the UCI points, but the win would count. The Brazilian nationals are also at the end of the year.

 

[Wyndbrook]

Silly question:
If Kärcher were to sponsor a bike team, would that bike team be a sport washing team?

Don't be Stihlly.

 

[Wyndbrook]

What a win by Merlier, he had to go really deep

Alpha male asserting his dominance over the lesser stallions.

 

[Cycling111]

I wonder if Magnier and Merlier should keep winning this week or if they should let the relegation teams score points.
It's just that in some races are required

 

[Wyndbrook]

One last dance before they become illegal?

Apparently he's been DQ'ed.

 

[AmRacer]

Apparently he's been DQ'ed.

Drama Queen'ed?

 

[RedheadDane]

Apparently he's been DQ'ed.

But surely not for that?!
Surely the commisaires would have had plenty opportunity to put a stop to his handlebars - which from what I understand won't be illegal until next year anyway - earlier.
Like... when he rolled up to the start with handlebars narrow enough for Gaia Realini.

 

[Cycling111]

Looking at the profile, I was wondering if Magnier was the favorite for tomorrow, until I noticed; 1km at 3.7%.

I'm guessing it will be as tough as today's mountain.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

In China, tomorrow morning (Euro time sort of thing), we have stage 3:

It really should be every man and dog aganst Magnier from 140kms. Drag him to the line and regrets are likely to happen.

Edit: I see this has become redundant.

 

[Unchained]

Del Toro has less rivals in Mexico than Sagan in the Slovak national championship.

Wow is all I can say, first the assumption that Del Toro will win the national road race, bigger wow is if he wants to.. Might be a surprise

 

[Unchained]

An embarrassing effort from the peleton to allow Sivakov to get 2nd place. This would never happen if the group was riding at a decent pace.

It was bound to happen, just regular ebb and flow and when guys decided that Del Toro was out of reach you had to anticipate that guys might let up and save juice for the sprint, start looking for a wheel. Sivakov was @95%+ cooked and he did his best kilo plus effort just dug down and rolled off..great tactic, back to basics racing. And in all races after a prime, money, sprint bonus, KOM points sprint, usually people sit up a bit. And you can often get this from riders heads and legs, the guys up front start looking back, my legs are on fire and they can't stay up front, start looking around to grab a passing wheel.
I am happy with Sivakov's move ..surprised he was the only one who went.

 

[Unchained]

Live action satanistic humiliation ritual in the veneto.

Thankfully the Belgien horse gives us something to smile about

I do love the Italian politics! The screen surround bezel for TV has people who are sponsoring race..Italian ministry of finance, Italian ministry of tourism, Italian ministry of sports,and ala Armstrong, Italian post office also sponsored the race. Posteitaliane..
All these late season Italian races have looked great with an all in look from Italy. I wish there was a way to see what they spend on these races, but all of them look excellent.

 

[Cycling111]

Wow is all I can say, first the assumption that Del Toro will win the national road race, bigger wow is if he wants to.. Might be a surprise

Even so, some comments are more predictable than Del Toro's victory in that national championship.

 

[Unchained]

Even so, some comments are more predictable than Del Toro's victory in that national championship.

I am not making a prediction about national championship road race, only mention that it's not possibly that significant to Del Toro as to guys in his immediate circle who are capable, one is a past winner.
Del Toro has gifted a race this year already, and it could be argued he did it more than once to be a team player. I can think of @8+ races that Del Toro could have factored but rode in support instead.
Fairly sure Prueba Villafranca was gift wrapped for Igor Arrieta. Del Toro also throttled federation to include riders at Kigali that last year federation said that they were not paying for..