VN news ticker: TransRockies Gravel Royale stage race is a go, Anna van der Breggen pulled from bike by Tokyo official
Here's the news making the headlines on Tuesday, July 27.
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TransRockies Gravel Royale stage race is a go
Debut gravel stage race TransRockies Gravel Royale has been given the green light by the authorities.
The race, which will be held in the Canadian Rocky Mountains on August 23-26, was in jeopardy due to the ongoing closure of the U.S.-Canada border. However, national governments have announced that the border will indeed open on August 9. Furthermore, British Columbia confirmed that the province will enter Step 3 of its Restart Plan, which allows for a maximum outdoor group size of 5,000 people.
The route will take riders on secluded gravel roads through the Canadian Rocky Mountains, traditional home to the Ktunaxa Nation Indigenous people. Stops include Panorama Mountain Resort, Nipika Mountain Resort, The Village of Canal Flats, and the City of Fernie. The four-day stage race will cover 375 km (233 miles) and around 7,000 m (23,000 ft) of climbing.
A limited number of spots remain.
Anna van der Breggen pulled from bike by Tokyo Olympics official
The mishaps for the Dutch cycling squad continue in Tokyo with Anna van der Breggen the latest to fall victim to an incident.
The world time trial champion was yanked from her bike by an official at the Fuji International Speedway as she and her teammate Annemiek van Vleuten went to recon the course ahead of Wednesday’s TT, according to Tweets by cycling coach Kyosuke Takei.
Van der Breggen fell as a result of the altercation but avoided any injury and will be able to race Wednesday.
Takei, the coach of Japanese rider Eri Yonamine, posted a video showing the Dutch riders surrounding an official car at the circuit. In response to another tweet, he added: “So sorry… Everything stopped due to a mistake made by the organizer. And in the turmoil with the guards, Anna was threatened and overturned… OMG…”
He later wrote: “It was a big mess today time trial test run I was very sad. The organizer has too little respect for the riders. I know everyone is working hard in their own place. It was a terrible mess I haven’t seen these days.”
https://twitter.com/takeikyosuke/status/1419925482280165378?s=20
The official has since offered an apology to both riders.
The incident adds to the wow of the Dutch cycling contingent, after Sunday’s road race mishap, Mathieu van der Poel crashing in the mountain bike event and BMX rider Niek Kimmann colliding with an official that tried to cross the course.
Tom Pidcock to race in the USA following breakout gold medal
Mountain bike gold medalist Tom Pidcock will be showing off his new hardware in some select races in the United States in the coming months, but in a different discipline.
Also read: Tom Pidcock roars to gold medal in mountain bike
The British sensation is slated to make his grand tour debut at the Vuelta a España on August 14, and race the road world championships before shifting gears into cyclocross.
Fun Fact of the day: Tom Pidcock rides a bike better than you.
— Dave Everett (@ShoddyCycling) July 26, 2021
Pidcock confirmed he will race cyclocross World Cup events in the United States in October.
“Yes, my plan this year is to do the World Cups in America, and then do the last part of the season, from Christmas and until the [cyclocross] worlds,” Pidcock said Monday. “Next year I want to target the mountain bike worlds as well as the road races in between, so for sure next year I’ll still be doing them all.”
Pidcock will head to the U.S. in the fall to compete in the cyclocross World Cup races and perhaps hit some European events before taking a break over the holidays, and then ramp up for the worlds in Fayetteville, Arkansas.
Mikel Landa returns to racing in Spain
Mikel Landa, the Spanish rider on Bahrain Victorious, will return to competition this month for the first time since crashing out of the Giro d’Italia.
Landa crashed heavily with Joe Dombrowski (UAE Emirates) in stage 5 of the Giro, and underwent surgery for a broken collarbone.
Landa is slated to race the Clásica San Sebastián on Saturday in Spain’s Basque Country, and the Circuito de Getxo the following day.
Landa will also race the Vuelta a Burgos on August 3-7 before starting the Vuelta a España on August 14.
El alavés @MikelLandaMeana quiere reaparecer el sábado 31 de julio disputando la @dklasikoa de San Sebastián. https://t.co/lphNvhB8Up
— Javier Lekuona (@Lekuezama) July 21, 2021
