Month: May 2018

Julius van den Berg: “I am really happy with how the season is going so far”

Julius van den Berg: “I am really happy with how the season is going so far”

Julius van den Berg has been off to an impressive season start. The 21-year old Dutchman holds already four wins under his belt in 2018 and has scored in races like Tour de Normandie and Tour de Bretagne as well as in his home one, Ronde van Noord-Holland. The current U23 Dutch National stayed in Loutraki in between training camps in order to ultimate his winter preparations ahead of the season, and the hard work is clearly paying off. "I am very happy with how my season is going and how I am…continue reading →
Van den Berg and Arensman take second and third in Paris Roubaix U23

Van den Berg and Arensman take second and third in Paris Roubaix U23

Today's hell of the north presented almost 200 km of constant fighting, high speed and tireless attacking. The race was off to a really fast start with several attacks and eventually an 11-man group going up the road. The lack of Academy riders in that group brought our guys in front of the peloton to control the race. The high pace held by the peloton quickly reduced the number of riders holding in the main group. With 40 km to go, Julius van den Berg launched his first attack and took three riders with him.…continue reading →
Affini: “Our goal will be to do everything in our power to be the first into the velodrome”

Affini: “Our goal will be to do everything in our power to be the first into the velodrome”

Sunday's Paris Roubaix will see Edoardo Affini's first ever participation in the U23 version of the Hell of the North. The 21-year old Italian feels calm and excited ahead of pinning on the numbers for such an iconic race. "It is thrilling to be at the start of such an amazing race. It will be my first time as a U23 rider, but I already have an idea of what is coming as I did it as a Junior. To be honest, it was a really positive experience and I can't wait to be back…continue reading →
The Academy wraps up an amazing week with the overall win in l’Isard and a podium in GP Marcel Kint

The Academy wraps up an amazing week with the overall win in l’Isard and a podium in GP Marcel Kint

An unforgettable week for the Academy was wrapped up in the best possible way by our talents. Stevie Williams sealed the overall win in the first European U23 stage race of the season and Cees Bol kept his amazing result chart on point after sprinting to second place in Belgium's 1.1 GP Marcel Kint. The 4-day Ronde de l'Isard ended in an epic way, as three first category climbs awaited the riders on their way to Saint Girons. Our Welsh climber, winner of the first two stages, started the day with 23 seconds over the second…continue reading →
Williams keeps the yellow jersey safe with one day to go

Williams keeps the yellow jersey safe with one day to go

Today's stage between Lévignac and Boulogne-sur-Gesse featured a totally different type of parcour than the two previous days. The never stopping ups and downs on the road to the finish made it a hard day for the peloton since the very beginning of the day. The bunch quickly broke into two big group, with four Academy riders keeping Stevie Williams always safe in the front. Numerous attacks took part in the front of the race, leading to a constant high pace, with our riders always reacting in front and keeping our chances high. In…continue reading →
Back-to-back wins for Williams who extends the race lead

Back-to-back wins for Williams who extends the race lead

After yesterday's stage win and race leadership, our riders faced today's stage two with the pressure of defending Stevie Williams' leader's jersey. The stage featured a mountaintop finish, with almost 8 kilometers at a nine percent average gradient. The day was off to a nervous start and our George Stavrakakis was involved in one of the crashes shortly after the stage was on. A group of 15 riders formed the breakaway of the day, with our Ide Schelling representing the Academy interests in the front. The race went on without any major incidents with…continue reading →
Williams wins the stage and takes yellow in Ronde de l’Isard

Williams wins the stage and takes yellow in Ronde de l’Isard

The 2018 edition of Ronde de l'Isard kicked off with a hard stage that featured none other than the Col du Portet d'Aspet and an uphill finish to Eycheil. The day started with some nervous riding in the neutral zone before the 11-man break took off. Our 19-year Daan Hoole represented the Academy colors in that move, and they went on to hold almost four minutes to the bunch. In the main group, behind our riders worked together to keep the legs fresh for the climbing section of the day. Once the race hit…continue reading →
Preview Ronde de l’Isard

Preview Ronde de l’Isard

Tomorrow the Academy will kick off in Lorp-Sentaraille its participation in the 2018 edition of the famous Ronde de l'Isard. Four days of hard racing and steep long climbs await the riders, but all the work and dedication will pay off for the 6 talented riders that will lineup in the race.  Jan Maas (ninth) and Stevie Williams (11th) rounded up a really strong performance last year, and both riders are looking forward to improving what they achieved in 2017. The first two stages will see the peloton finishing up in mountaintop finishes, while the third…continue reading →
Van den Berg and Bol go 1-2 in an amazing team performance in Ronde van Noord-Holland

Van den Berg and Bol go 1-2 in an amazing team performance in Ronde van Noord-Holland

After yesterday's Ronde van Overijssel, where Cees Bol took fifth, it was the turn for Profronde van Noord-Holland as our second and last race of this action-packed weekend. The race presented a 194 km long parcour, but the unexistent wind made it for a quiet start and it took more than 100 km for a breakaway to go clear. Six riders got close to a minute before the race broke into pieces with six Academy riders making it to the front group. The good positioning allowed our riders to make it to the front…continue reading →
Cees Bol sprints to fifth in Ronde van Overijssel

Cees Bol sprints to fifth in Ronde van Overijssel

Today's Ronde van Overijssel marked our first race of the action-packed weekend that the Academy will enjoy in the Netherlands that will be completed tomorrow with Ronde van Noord-Holland. The lack of wind set a fast start of the day with several attacks taking place during the first kilometers of the day. Edoardo Affini, who rode solo in the front for more than 20 km, and later Peter Lenderink, who went away in a 9-man group, kept the Academy flag well-represented upfront. After all those moves were brought back, it was Cees Bol…continue reading →
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