Month: June 2018

Julius van den Berg will join Team EF Education First – Drapac p/b Cannondale in a mid-season transfer

Julius van den Berg will join Team EF Education First – Drapac p/b Cannondale in a mid-season transfer

Julius van den Berg will be joining Team EF Education First p/b Cannondale as of July the 1st in a mid-season transfer that will see our Dutch all-rounder move up to the pro ranks after a dominating season in the U23 category. "It feels surreal. It is like it is not happening and also that it is happening very fast. But I am over the moon and it is crazy that this dream is coming true after an amazing three and a half seasons with the Academy" highlights van den Berg. The now 21-year…continue reading →
Julius van den Berg: “I have the fastest TT bike”

Julius van den Berg: “I have the fastest TT bike”

One year after seizing the U23 Dutch time trial title, Julius van den Berg is ready to fight again for the red, white and blue stripes. The Dutch all-rounder looks back to being able to wear the national champion jersey for a year. "It meant a lot to win the title last year, it is great to win a race and then have that nice jersey waiting for you. Being able to wear it for a year it is such an amazing feeling" shares Van den Berg, who will ride a customized Koga…continue reading →
Bol stays in the lead of the Napoleon Games Cup

Bol stays in the lead of the Napoleon Games Cup

Today's Halle Ingooigem featured the sixth round of Belgium's Napoleon Games Cycling Cup. The parcour featured almost 200 km through a predominantly flat course between the Belgian towns of Halle and Ingooigem. Shortly after the starting flag dropped a 3-man breakaway moved away of the main group and they were allowed close to four minutes before the peloton decided to begin with the chase. The race entered into the closing 50 km of the day almost in one piece, with several riders trying to jump across to the front group. Once the junction was made,…continue reading →
Performance Anaylsis Giro d’Italia U23

Performance Anaylsis Giro d’Italia U23

The Giro d'Italia U23 was a successful one for the Academy as we wrapped up the race with two stage wins, two days in pink, two riders within the Top 15 overall and above all a great team performance in the most challenging stage race of the calendar. The road to the race started early in the season as the Performance Team, led by Vasilis Anastopoulos, planned individualized training plans for the riders. "The planning for this year’s Giro began already during the winter period as we knew that this year’s edition would…continue reading →
Preview Halle-Ingooigem

Preview Halle-Ingooigem

After some tough racing action during the 10-day long Giro d'Italia U23, the team will be back in the racing scheme tomorrow in Belgium's Halle-Ingooigem. The race presents a predominantly flat parcour of almost 200 km in length that it is likely to be decided in a final massive sprint. The peloton will target one long lap of more than 100 km followed by another of 25 km before hitting the final and decisive local circuit. The main group will tackle a total of fourth times a tricky 17 km long circuit before crossing the…continue reading →
Stevie Williams finishes the Giro U23 in fifth overall

Stevie Williams finishes the Giro U23 in fifth overall

The tenth and last day of the Giro d'Italia U23 featured a double stage day that was set to decide the overall classification. The morning stage joined the towns of Conegliano and Valdobbiadene with a 72 km long loop. The parcour was mostly flat with a second category climb placed 25 kilometers away from the finish line. A 6-man breakaway got clear from the bunch shortly after the stage began and the main group brought back the last two riders of that group with just 8 kilometers to go. The part leading to the bunch…continue reading →
Double action day in Italy and Belgium

Double action day in Italy and Belgium

Today was yet another double action day for the Academy as we were in the eighth stage of the U23 Giro d'Italia as well as in Belgium's Dwars door Het Hageland, the fifth round of the Napoleon Games Cup. After yesterday's stage win, Stevie Williams started the day in third overall while thanks to his efforts in the previous races, Cees Bol was in the overall lead of the Napoleon Games Cup. In Italy the race was off to a hectic start, with different groups going on the attack from the flag drop. The…continue reading →
Williams takes the win and gets closer to the GC lead

Williams takes the win and gets closer to the GC lead

Today's stage presented a profile that perfectly suited our climber's skills, and they did not disappoint. Starting in Schio, the peloton had to face a total of 137 km, which included two categorized climb before finishing atop of a first category one. Quickly after the stage started a group of 19 riders moved away from the main group, with Edoardo Affini representing the Academy colors in the front. Bad luck was on the side of Daan Hoole who crashed in a downhill but could get back on the bike without any major inconvenience. The…continue reading →
Preview Dwars door het Hageland

Preview Dwars door het Hageland

Tomorrow our riders will face the fifth round of the Napoleon Games Cup, Dwars door het Hageland. The 194 km long course will present a really challenging parcour from Aarschot to Diest. The peloton will face multiple cobbled and unpaved sections as well as short steep hills, which will be key when it comes to the final outcome of the race. Thanks to his strong performances in GP Marcel Kint and Heieste Pijl, where he took second and fifth respectively, Cees Bol currently leads the Napoleon Games Cup overall classification. Our 7-man roster will seek to…continue reading →
Williams stays third on GC after a really tough day

Williams stays third on GC after a really tough day

Today's stage presented a 120 km long, which featured two categorized climbs within the last 50 kilometers of the day. The parcour between Dimaro Folgarida and Pergine Valsugana presented the easiest stage on paper, but the high pace and the tireless attacking made it one of the hardest of the 2018 Giro d'Italia U23. Following the trend of every stage in the race, the bunch was off to a really fast start which made the peloton stay as one unit until more than 50 km. The pace was really high all day long, so the…continue reading →