News Round-up: Remco Evenepoel honoured with mural in Vuelta a España start town

We also bring you sprint action from the Kampioenschap van Vlaanderen, Jumbo-Visma news, a Women's World Tour transfer and the latest action from the Vuelta a España and Tour de Romandie Féminin

17:38, Friday 15th September 2023

Pete Trifunovic

Digital Content Creator

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Remco Evenepoel poses for a photo with artist Artes Prada

Remco Evenepoel honoured with mural in Vuelta a España start town

On arriving into La Bañeza, the relatively unassuming start town of stage 19 of the Vuelta a España, one thing stands out. This small town near León is adorned by street art, murals and intricate graffiti, with impressive artwork covering almost every exposed wall you see.

With over 200 artworks throughout the town, La Bañeza has twice been home to the mural voted the best in the world, and whilst the main attraction on Friday was the Vuelta’s visit, street art wasn’t far from the event.

That’s because local artist Artes Prada added a special new work to the town’s ever-growing gallery: a portrait of 2022 Vuelta champion and three-time stage winner in this year’s race, Remco Evenepoel.

The painting was unveiled before the start of the stage, with Evenepoel even picking up the spray paint himself to add his signature to the mural, which depicts his stage win on stage 3 in Arinsal.

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Evenepoel may have said goodbye to his hopes of defending his overall title at this Vuelta, but three stage wins deep, about to win the King of the Mountains jersey, and now immortalised in a small town in Spain, the Belgian is certainly leaving his mark on this race - metaphorically and physically.

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Philipsen edges Groenewegen and Jakobsen at Kampioenschap van Vlaanderen

Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Deceuninck) declared the 2023 season as the best of his career after claiming victory at the Kampioenschap van Vlaanderen, beating the Dutch duo of Dylan Groenewegen (Jayco AlUla) and Fabio Jakobsen (Soudal Quick-Step) in a bunch finish in Koolskamp.

Jasper Philipsen edged out Dylan Groenewegen and Fabio Jakobsen in Flanders

Bryan Coquard (Cofidis) and Matteo Moschetti (Q36.5 Pro Cycling) made up the rest of the top five.

After 11 laps of the 14.5km circuit in Flanders, the trio battled it out in a highly-anticipated sprint battle. Philipsen, as he has for much of the 2023 campaign, came out on top by a fine margin.

Speaking at the finish, the Belgian quickman said: "There is always a strong field of sprinters here and there are hardly any elevation meters in the course, so it almost always ends in a bunch sprint here. I felt that Dylan came up quickly and Fabio also did a very strong sprint. It was very close. For the same money, Dylan or Fabio wins, but I am very happy that I come out on top."

Keen to use this victory as a springboard into more late-season one-day races, the Alpecin-Deceuninck rider added: "I just came back from Tenerife, where I had a good time cycling. I didn't stop. I hope to be able to take a number of more victories and end the season on a very positive note. I'm having the best season of my career."

Jumbo-Visma Cycling and Skating teams to split up from 2024

Jumbo-Visma are on the brink of winning all three Grand Tours in one season

Jumbo-Visma cycling and skating teams will go their separate ways from 2024. The two sports teams have been linked since 2014, under the Team Jumbo-Visma name.

However, Jumbo-Visma managing director Richard Plugge has indicated that parting ways and continuing independently is "more attractive" for both entities.

It is understood that Plugge will continue to lead the cycling team whilst the speed skating team will still be run by Jac Orie and Sven Kramer. Supermarket chain Jumbo will remain involved with both teams until 2026 as a founding partner.

In a statement on the Jumbo-Visma website, Plugge said: "The cycling team has now acquired a much more international focus and appeal now that we are among the best cycling teams in the world. This means that the search for the main sponsorship is different for both parties.

"We have had many discussions about the upcoming change and have come to the conclusion that it is more attractive for the future of both teams to continue independently, each with its own sponsorship proposition. I am grateful to Jac for the good cooperation and I am grateful to Jumbo and the Van Eerd family for the support they have always provided."

Rooijakkers joins Fenix-Deceuninck on two-year deal

Pauliena Rooijakkers has signed for Women's World Tour Fenix-Deceuninck on a two-year deal from 2024. The 30-year-old will leave Canyon-SRAM after two seasons.

The Dutchwoman recently achieved success on the gravel racing scene, triumphing at Houffa Gravel and Gravel One Fifty - both Gravel World Series events. On the road, she achieved a 12th-place finish at the Giro d'Italia Donne.

Pauliena Rooijakkers will sign a two-year contract with Fenix-Deceuninck

Commenting on her move, Rooijakkers stated: "I had a very good feeling from the first conversation with the team management.

"Fenix-Deceuninck has made great strides in recent years, but at the same time there are still growth opportunities and I would like to be part of that. With my experience, I hope to assist the current leading women, such as Yara Kastelijn, especially on the hilly courses and in stage races, and achieve results myself," she added.

Bagioli secures third consecutive Tour of Slovakia stage for Soudal Quick-Step

Bagioli makes it back-to-back-to-back wins for Soudal Quick-Step in Slovakia

Andrea Bagioli (Soudal Quick-Step) edged out compatriot Michele Gazzoli (Astana Qazaqstan) to deliver Soudal Quick-Step's third straight stage at the Tour of Slovakia. Rémi Cavagna, winner of stage 1, remains ahead in the GC by 2:20 after finishing fourth on the day.

A select group of riders which included Bagioli, Gazzoli, Cavagna and Stefan Küng (Groupama-FDJ) managed to form a gap in the final phases of the stage, with Bagioli proving to be strongest in the sprint.

Despite Cavagna's controlling lead in the overall standings, two testing hilly days await over the weekend, with a GC shake-up more than likely given the nature of the race so far.

Vuelta a España stage 19: Alberto Dainese narrowly beats Filippo Ganna in sprint

By George Poole

Alberto Dainese won stage 19 of the Vuelta a España, just pipping Filippo Ganna (Ineos Grenadiers) on the line, providing solace and joy for a dsm-firmenich team that had been caught up in a crash within the final 2km.

Ineos Grenadiers launched the perfect lead-out for Ganna and it looked as though the time trial specialist would take a second stage win of the race, but Dainese timed his sprint to perfection and sealed his second Grand Tour stage victory of the year.

Ganna finished second and Marijn van den Berg (EF Education-EasyPost) rounded out the podium in third, whilst Dainese celebrated a third Grand Tour stage victory, with his Vuelta success adding to two wins at the Giro d'Italia.

"I really wanted to finish my season in a good way and also to end my adventure with dsm-firmenich in a good way," admitted the Tudor Pro Cycling-bound Dainese. "Today we executed a plan 100%. I think it was really unlucky to lose a couple of guys in the crash but until that point, I was in a perfect position where I wanted to be."

Tour de Romandie Féminin stage 1: Sofia Bertizzolo wins as Carina Schrempf celebrates too early

By George Poole

Sofia Bertizzolo (UAE Team ADQ) won stage 1 of the Tour de Romandie Féminin in remarkable fashion, throwing her bike to the line and edging out the day's late attacker Carina Schrempf (Fenix-Deceuninck).

Scrempf had attacked alone with 2.4km to go and looked set to win, but celebrated early rather than throwing her bike to the line. As such, it was Bertizzolo who was able to celebrate as Schrempf looked aghast with disbelief, whilst Mischa Bredewold (SD Worx) rounded out the day's podium in third.

There was a nail-biting finish to the opening stage of the Tour de Romandie Féminin

Clara Honsinger of EF Education-TIBCO-SVB was the bravest rider of the day, spending almost 90km of the stage alone in the breakaway, but it was Canyon-SRAM's Kasia Niewiadoma who could perhaps earn the tag as the most aggressive rider.

The Polish opportunist attacked countless times throughout the course of the day as the peloton was gradually whittled down to a smaller collective.

The road to Yverdon-les-Bains had been littered with attacks all afternoon and Schrempf was the final rider to seek elation, but her fine move was all for nothing as the peloton caught her on the line. The Austrian will rue such a missed opportunity.

"We did it, UAE Team ADQ did it, the whole team, riders and staff. So tomorrow we will ride in yellow here at Romandie," Bertizzolo said after the finish, referring to the yellow leader's jersey she now holds.