Movistar’s Grand Tour plans, World Bicycle Day: Daily News Digest
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Hello again, CyclingTips readers.
Before we get into today’s cycling news, a quick note: One of our roles here at CyclingTips is to amplify voices and tell stories that build empathy. At our best, we can lift perspectives too often pushed down by a sport stunted by its own homogeneity. This is where we can take action and apply resources—and that includes in the Daily News Digest.
In today’s DND, you’ll get the details on Movistar’s plans to divide its trio of Grand Tour leaders for the upcoming season, and you’ll see how a handful of people around the cycling world paid tribute to the bike on World Bicycle Day.
You will also have the chance to hear from track sprinter Grégory Baugé and downhill mountain biker Eliot Jackson, who provide some valuable perspective that is worth sharing.
Read on for more …
Dane Cash
News Editor
What’s news
| Movistar’s Grand Tour plans
Movistar has announced its plans for dividing its main GC leaders for this year’s Grand Tours, with Alejandro Valverde, Enric Mas, and Marc Soler taking on featured roles for the Spanish WorldTour squad this season.
In a virtual press conference on Wednesday, Movistar revealed that Mas and Valverde would race both the Tour de France and the Vuelta a España, while Soler will lead the way at the Giro d’Italia, where he will be making his debut appearance.
| Val di Sole MTB World Cup cancelled
The Val di Sole round of the Mountain Bike World Cup series has been called off amid ongoing restrictions of large gatherings in Italy.
The event was initially set to run from September 11 to 13 but with crowd restrictions in place until October, organizer decided to make the official decision to cancel the event for 2020.
| Baugé: ‘We suffer and we suffer alone’
Grégory Baugé spoke on the topics race and life as a black cycling professional in an interview with Cyclism’Actu. The track sprinter and Olympic medalist said that while he has not experienced acute racism specifically within the top tier of the sport, that’s not the case for everyone, and moreover it is something that he and others are faced with throughout their lives.
“Racism has always been a part of our lives. We learn to live with it, even though of course it’s regrettable, it’s unfortunate,” Baugé said.
“Since I’ve been involved in cycling at the highest level, I have not necessarily felt the effects of racism. That said, I know that Kévin Reza experienced some difficult first years with racist acts, and he was not properly supported.
“We suffer and we suffer alone. When I watch football too, technically they say they are against racism, but in reality they do absolutely nothing. The authorities don’t see it as a problem, and as soon as it does not bring in more money, it does not interest them.”
| World Bicycle Day
At a time when cycling has seen a massive uptick in participants, pros and non-pros alike from all over the globe celebrated World Bicycle Day on Wednesday.
Some people and organizations paid tribute to the joy of cycling on social media, others led group rides on Zwift, and some did both.
Amazing turnout ???? Thanks to everyone who joined me #WorldBicycleDay https://t.co/VVYBPzDe14
— Chris Froome (@chrisfroome) June 3, 2020
Finding something worth celebrating during the last few months has been difficult. Today, on World Bicycle Day, we hope you can look to your two-wheeled companion for a little inspiration and reflection.https://t.co/CqMGfzPVsL
— PeopleForBikes (@peopleforbikes) June 3, 2020
?????? ¡Juntos celebramos el #DiaMundialDeLaBicicleta! Feliz día a todos los fans de este maravilloso deporte y medio de transporte!
?????? Together, we celebrate the #WorldBicycleDay! Happy day to all the fans of this wonderful sport and mean of transport!
???? Sarah Meyssonnier pic.twitter.com/nu3prHZcNF
— La Vuelta (@lavuelta) June 3, 2020
| Shortened Tour de l’Avenir confirmed for August
Organizers of the Tour de l’Avenir, the premier race for under-23 riders, have confirmed that the race is set to take place in August in a slightly reduced format.
The 2020 edition of the event will (assuming everything goes as planned) run for six stages from August 14 to 19.
| Moving Pictures
Downhill mountain biker Eliot Jackson offered some thoughtful perspective in a video he posted to social media that is worth a watch.
In case you missed it
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Our latest tech round-up offers a closer look at Scribe’s Aero Wide+ 42 disc brake road wheels, Specialized’s S-Works Power saddle with Mirror tech, and plenty more …
| Roval ditches tubeless with its new Rapide and Alpinist CLX wheels
As Dave Rome writes, Roval has new two intriguing new wheelset offerings in the Rapide CLX and Alpinist CLX—but neither one is tubeless compatible.
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SUBSCRIBE TO THE DAILY NEWS DIGEST PODCASTToday’s featured image of Marc Soler racing at the Challenge Mallorca comes from Cor Vos.
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