NEW YORK, NY – It all comes down to this. Almost a month after the start of the UEFA European Championship with 24 teams vying for the title, Italy and England will meet on Sunday at 3 p.m. for the final of this prestigious tournament.

Neither team lost a game on the road to the Euro 2020 final – so called because it was scheduled to take place last year but was delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Italy beat Spain on penalties and England beat Denmark in extra time in their respective semi-finals.

While England and Italy have a well-documented football history, the two sides were not chosen by many experts to reach the final. The English have not played in an international final since 1966 and have never won a European championship in their long history.

On the other hand, Italy had more chances to win it all at the start of the tournament, but the national team are still coming out of a 2018 World Cup cycle where they failed to qualify for the first time since 1958.

The United States may not be playing in the competition, but New York City has plenty of English and Italian natives and fans whose Sunday kick-off time is circled on their schedules.

Here’s where you can watch the game online and on TV, plus some of the best Italian and English football bars in town to watch with friends and supporters.

TV and online

Much like the rest of the tournament, the final will be broadcast on ESPN. If you don’t have a TV, you can go online on Watch ESPN.

English bars

Carragher’s Pub Restaurant & Seasonal Rooftop: 228 West 39th Street

• The bar is generally known as a meeting place for Liverpool fans, as this English waterhole is also very popular for international matches.

The Churchill: 45 East 28th Street

• Anglophiles will love this very British bar, which presents itself as the “home of English supporters”.

Italian bar

Ribalta: 48, 12th Street East

• Ribalta has already been a major meeting place for Italian fans during the tournament, and the Lower Manhattan bar and restaurant will once again welcome fans for the final.

Other fun football bars in New York

Smithfield Hall NYC, 138 West 25th Street: When it comes to football bars, it’s hard not to start with Smithfield. The bar is called “the home of football in New York”, and it’s worth checking out for this tournament final.

Football Factory at Legends, 6 West 33rd Street: Lower Manhattan prides itself on creating a true game day experience with fantastic surroundings and 20 large screens that show over 100 football games every week.

Banter Williamsburg Public House, 132 Havemeyer Street: The Brooklyn Bar specializes in European football matches, and outdoor seating and viewing is also available in the football mecca.

O’Hanlons, 349 East 14th Street: The Irish sports bar in the East Village puts football first when it comes to audiences. With over 16 beers and draft beers, a fun environment, and employees who know their football, O’Hanlons is a great place to watch the Euro 2020 final.

The Astoria Tavern, 33-16 23rd Avenue: For those in Queens, there is no better place to watch a football game than the Irish pub Astoria Tavern. The local joint has the best happy hour in America and has enough big-screen TVs to make any sports fan happy.

11th Street Bar, 510 East 11th Street: The official home of the New York Liverpool Supporters Club, this East Village bar is absolutely great for soccer games. With plenty of drinks and a focus on whole property football, this is another great place to catch the Euro 2020 final.

Clinton Hall Bronx, 601 East 189th Street: For any football fan in the Bronx, Clinton Hall is a fun place to do just about anything, including catching a Euro 2020 game. The bar offers plenty of food and drink options, with some of the top rated burgers.

The final weeks of the 2021 European road racing season will feature a new series of races organized by Filippo Pozzato in the Veneto region of northern Italy with an innovative professional gravel race placed between the Giro del Veneto Wednesday October 13 and the new Veneto. Classic on Sunday October 17.

The Serenissima Gravel race will take place on Friday October 15, with a Granfondo VENEtoGO ride on Saturday October 16 open to the public.

The series of races and rides is called “Ride The Dreamland” and was officially presented at the Venice Casino on Thursday evening. The aim of the racing series is to promote cycling and tourism in the Veneto region.

Pozzato, originally from Sandrigo near Vicenza, in the heart of Veneto, retired in 2018 after a 15-year professional career including victory at Milan-San Remo. He successfully organized the Italian National Championships in 2020 with his business partner Jonny Moletta and hopes to secure a place in the WorldTour for the Veneto Classic race.

Pozzato will also host a round of the new Cyclocross World Cup on December 12 in Vermiglio, in the region of Val di Sole which recently hosted the MTB World Championships.

“Our concept for events is focused on offering the public a full range of events, not just a bike race. It has been months and months of hard work by our whole group and now we are ready for the start of something special, â€said Pozzato in Venice.

“Our special thanks go to our partners, the Regione Veneto but also the Veneto Federation of the BCC, Campagnolo, Wilier, Sidi, Elite and Vittoria. Without their support, this multi-year project would not have seen the light of day.

“UCI President David Lappartient told us that if things go well we can aim to have the Veneto Classic in the WorldTour in two or three years. We would like to see the start of the race in Saint Mark’s Square in the heart of Venice and thus create one of the most spectacular race starts ever, â€Pozzato explained to Tuttobici.

Pozzato and Moletta had to establish ad hoc special rules for professional serious racing with the Italian Federation.

It remains to be seen which renowned riders will participate in the Giro del Veneto, Serenissima Gravel and Veneto Classic, with some classic riders ending their season after Paris-Roubaix on October 2 and others after Il Lombardia on October 9. However, a quality start list is expected, including a number of WorldTour teams.

The 168 km Giro del Veneto will start in Cittadella and end in Padua after a loop to Vicenza, the homeland of Campagnolo, then south into the hills of the Colli Euganei. The race will also visit Vo ‘Euganeo, one of the first places in Italy to be hit by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The 126.6km Serenissima Gravel Race will start in the seaside resort of Jesolo north of Venice and head inland on the Sile and Treviso-Ostiglia cycle paths before ending in Piazzola sul Brenta near Padua . It includes 11 sections of gravel roads that represent approximately 75 percent of the race distance. The race ends with three 11 km laps around Piazzola sul Brenta so that spectators can see the race several times.

The 113 km Granfondo VENEtoGO race will start and end in Cittadella. Click here enter.

The 209.9 km Veneto Classic will start in Venice and visit Treviso, Conegliano and the Prosecco Hills before ending in Bassano del Grappa after three 13.8 km circuits that include the ascent of La Rosina and the cobbled ascent of Muro della Tisa.

Fifa President Gianni Infantino believes he has majority support for his two-year World Cup plan, after national soccer leaders were told the change would create an additional $ 4.4 billion in revenue for the World Cup. global body.

Fifa has organized a “world summit” of leaders of national football federations to discuss its proposal to increase the frequency of the World Cup from four to two years.

The financial data is part of a comprehensive feasibility study, of which Fifa presented a summary on Monday with a full 700-page report due for release.

The optimistic conclusions contrast sharply with the analysis advanced by the critics of the proposals.

There has been opposition from European clubs, top leagues and UEFA’s European governing body, whose president Aleksander Ceferin has threatened to boycott any further tournaments.

No vote is yet due for the plan, but Infantino has said a majority is in place for the idea but needs to be addressed as part of the broader overhaul of the international match schedule.

“If I were to vote tomorrow, the majority would probably vote for a World Cup every two years,” Infantino said at a post-summit press conference.

“But that’s not the point, we are looking at the whole schedule and how we can improve football and how much we can involve with a new way of organizing the future of football,” he added.

‘OPEN AND FLEXIBLE’

Infantino did not say when a vote would take place or if it would be on the agenda for the FIFA congress in Doha on March 31.

“It is about making the right decisions for football at the end of the day and we will take the time it takes to arrive at that decision. I will not commit to anything at the congress. Everything is open and flexible,” did he declare. noted.

“We are continuing the dialogue, the analysis, we hope we can move forward, one way or another, or a middle way, we will see,” he said.

A compromise solution was proposed by Concacaf President Victor Montagliani, who heads the confederation for North America, Central America and the Caribbean.

Montagliani told Reuters earlier this month that an additional tournament could be a revamped version of the old Confederations Cup rather than a full World Cup with a separate qualifying process.

Last month, a report commissioned by the World Leagues Forum said Fifa’s proposal, coupled with changes to the Club World Cup, could cost major domestic football leagues and UEFA around $ 8 billion. euros ($ 9 billion) per season in lost television rights and on game day. and trade agreements.

UEFA released a report on Friday that it had commissioned from consultancy firm Oliver & Ohlbaum which warned that changes to the international calendar would cause the revenues of European national federations to drop to between € 2.5 billion and € 3 billion (3 , $ 38 billion) over four years. cycle.

“THE FEAR-BASED OPPOSITION”

Delegates to Monday’s summit learned that a report by Italian firm Open Economics found that revenues from domestic leagues and UEFA competitions had not been affected by national teams and international club competitions.

A Nielsen report predicted that the two-year World Cup plan would see revenue drop from an expected $ 7 billion – for a 48-team tournament – to $ 11.4 billion over a four-year cycle thanks to the increased ticket revenues, media rights and sponsorship revenues.

Fifa officials told delegates that $ 3.5 billion in additional revenue would go to a new “Member Association Solidarity Fund,” with each national federation allocating around $ 16 million over a four-year period, while that additional funds would also be paid to the Fifa Forward program. for development projects.

Fifa said the funds would help narrow the income gap between developed and less developed football markets.

Along with UEFA, the South American Confederation Conmebol opposed the proposal.

Arsene Wenger, FIFA’s global football development manager, said he hopes the debate will change in the coming weeks.

“We are faced with opposition but what I regret is that 90% of this opposition is made up of emotions and not facts and not analyzes, we have to overcome this fear because most of the emotions that we face are based on fear, â€he said.

05/11/2021 at 06:25 PM CET

It is obvious that Pedro Acosta (Mazarrón, Murcia, May 25, 2004) is not too worried about having lost the opportunity, during the last Grand Prix of Emilia Romagna, to become the youngest world champion in history ahead of the Italian Loris Capirossi. If he is this Sunday, in Portimao (Portugal), at the Algarve Grand Prix, he will undoubtedly be the happiest boy in the world, probably all his life whether or not he adds all the successes that everyone announces to him .

The ‘Mazarrón shark’, as he likes to be called, will be the youngest Spaniard in history to win a title at 17 years and 263 days, as will the ‘rookie’, the most spectacular of all time. Believe it or not, and I know you believe it, the World Cup debut of Acosta was very, very, superior to that of Valentino Rossi or himself Marc Marquez.

Acosta, already on the podium of his first grand prix (second in Qatar behind Jaume Masia), won his second race in Dooha ahead of the South African Darryn Binder. But it is that Acosta did much more in front of the world admiration: he won six races in the following grand prix and he stopped. Or he started to take advantage. Or they stopped him. Often his team leader, the Finn Aki Ajo, loses the title and the advantage gained!

Acosta, who is due to beat Italy’s Dennis Foggia, this year’s other great and formidable Moto3 rider of this year, as well as the injured Sergio García, who was fighting for the throne until much damage was done on Sunday in Austin, Texas. , USA), has perhaps been excessively conservative in the last six races, where he has only been on the podium once, a fortnight ago in San Marino, where he lost the first “match ball” to be champion. That day, ‘Pacosta’, as it appears in the ranking lists, was to win and that Foggia was 12th or worse. And Foggia won, adding his fifth victory, and the “shark†had to settle for the bronze medal.

Acosta returns this weekend on one of the roads, the beautiful ascent and descent of Portimao, where he has already beaten Foggia in the last lap of the Portuguese GP. That day, Acosta was second throughout the race, furthermore, Foggia led 16 of the 21 laps of the grand prix and, in the last lap, the Murcian put the bike Italian-style at turn 13, a Heroically endured the whiplash as he gave him his KTM on the way down and crossed the line as a winner.

“It’s a track that I like and of course I’ll try to take the title by winning, although later in the race we’ll see what happens. I’m not going crazy. The points added, the points gained, the advantage we have is to manage it and, therefore, if I have to wait until Valencia is champion, I will wait, even if I want to close the championship as soon as possible & rdquor;, commented last Thursday Acosta in the press release of the candidates’ conference.

The truth is that the return of Foggia, who assures us that he has not yet finished the job “because as long as there is life, there is hope”, has been spectacular. . The Italian of the fast Leopard team, who still owns the fastest bike on the Moto3 grid, was 97 points behind. Acosta when the Murcian won his last GP, in Styria, and now, with two big prizes to win, he is only 21 points, that is to say in six races, Foggia he closed the gap by 76 points, or more than three wins.

It is obvious, as is almost always the case, that the champion is not always the one who wins the most but the most consistent. In this sense, Acosta, who yesterday was two tenths behind Foggia In the calculation of the first two sessions of the Algarve, he added only a zero (Aragon), while Foggia stopped scoring in six grand prix, to which he added no points: Qatar, Doha, Jerez, France, Barcelona. and Styria.

After an entertaining 1-1 draw at Camp Nou, Napoli and Barcelona continue to fight for a place in the UEFA Europa League Round of 16 as they meet in southern Italy.

• Napoli finished second to Spartak Moskva in UEFA Europa League Group C in the autumn, clinching qualification with a decisive Matchday 6 home win against Leicester City. After 17 consecutive years in the UEFA Champions League Round of 16, Barcelona failed to progress from their group, picking up just seven points to finish third behind Bayern München and Benfica and advance to the UEFA Europa League for the first times.

Previous meetings
• A first leg in which Barcelona made their UEFA Europa League debut ended in honours, although visiting midfielder Piotr Zieliński’s 29th-minute goal was equalized just before the hour mark by a penalty from Barça’s new signing, Ferran Torres.

• Napoli and Barcelona, ​​the two former clubs of Diego Maradona, have only been paired once before in UEFA competition, in the round of 16 of the 2019/20 UEFA Champions League. The encounter was interrupted for several months by the COVID-19 pandemic, with the first leg away to Napoli in February going 1-1 and the return leg at Camp Nou in August winning 3-1 for Barcelona.

• UEFA’s last 21 matches between Napoli and Spain have resulted in six wins, seven draws and eight defeats. At home their record is W3 D6 L1, with the only defeat coming five years ago when Real Madrid won 3-1 in the second leg of the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 to complete a win aggregate 6-2. Napoli won the last such game, 2-1 against European debutants Granada in the second leg of last season’s UEFA Europa League round of 16, but lost the tie 3-2 on aggregate, thus establishing his all-time record in home and away matches. against Spanish W1 L7 teams with losses in the last six.

• Barça have already faced Italian clubs 61 times, winning 30 (D19 L12). Their record 28 away games is W8 D12 L8, with wins in two of their last three visits – UEFA Champions League success at Inter in 2019/20 (2-1), in which Ansu Fati is became the youngest goalscorer in the competition, and Juventus in 2020/21 (2-0). The Catalan side’s record in home and away matches against Italian opposition is W9 L5, this 2019/20 success against Napoli the most recent.

• Barcelona have faced Italian opponents in five UEFA finals, winning three and losing two. The most recent was a 3-1 win over Juventus in the 2014/15 UEFA Champions League final in Berlin. They also lifted that trophy on Italian soil in 2009, beating Manchester United 2-0 in Rome.

Napoli vs Barcelona: The latest match news

Form Guide
Naples
• Napoli finished fifth in Serie A last season under Gennaro Gattuso, belatedly relinquishing fourth place and missing out on a fifth UEFA Champions League group stage in six seasons. So they returned, under new manager Luciano Spalletti, to the UEFA Europa League, where they won their group last season before being knocked out in the round of 16 by Granada.

• The 1988/89 UEFA Cup winner never failed to qualify for their UEFA Europa League group, winning six out of six this season, albeit second after losing at home (2 -3) and outside (1-2). to Spartak, who finished above them on a one-to-one record after the two teams finished tied on ten points. Napoli scored twice against Legia Warszawa (3-0 h, 4-1 a) while taking over Leicester (2-2 a, 3-2 h).

• Napoli’s ninth appearance in the UEFA Europa League knockout stage equals the competition record of Ajax and Olympiacos. They were knocked out five times in the round of 16, reaching the round of 16 in 2013/14, the quarter-finals in 2018/19 and the semi-finals, under Spain coach Rafael Benítez, in 2014/15 .

• The Partenopei’s home record in the UEFA Europa League Round of 16 is W6 D5 L3. They have only won three of their last ten European home matches in the spring (D4 L3).

• Napoli have won all eight previous UEFA fixtures in which they have drawn the first leg, most recently beating Swansea City in the 2013/14 UEFA Europa League Round of 16 (0-0 a , 3-1 h). Four of those eight successes came after 1-1 away draws in the first leg, the most recent against Boavista (2-1h) in the 1994/95 UEFA Cup second round.

Barcelona
• Barcelona were third in the 2020/21 Spanish La Liga behind Atlético de Madrid and Real Madrid, the first time they have finished outside the top two since 2007/08, when they also finished third. They did, however, claim a record 31st Copa del Rey win, beating Athletic Club 4-0 in the final.

• Last season Barcelona also failed to reach the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals for the first time since 2006/07, losing to Paris Saint-Germain in the round of 16 (1-4 a.m.). , 1-1 a). This season they scored just two goals – both won 1-0 against Dynamo Kyiv – finishing third behind Bayern (0-3h, 0-3a) and Benfica (0-3a, 0- 0h) in Group E. Head coach Ronald Koeman was sacked in October and replaced the following month by former midfielder Xavi Hernández.

• While this is Barça’s first UEFA Europa League, their last UEFA Cup appearance was in 2003/04, when Frank Rijkaard’s side reached the fourth round before being eliminated by Celtic (0 -1y, 0-0h). Barcelona have never won the UEFA Cup, nor reached a final, suffering semi-final elimination on four occasions – in 1975/76, 1977/78, 1995/96 and 2000/01.

• Barça have won just one of their last 11 European spring games outside Catalonia (D4 L6) – all in the UEFA Champions League. It happened against Manchester United in the first leg of the 2018/19 quarter-final (1-0). Their first European away game after Christmas in each of the past four seasons has ended in a draw, including that visit to Napoli two years ago.

• The Azulgrana have been held to a draw at home in the first leg of a UEFA fixture on 11 previous occasions, including five times. In a first 1-1 draw at home, Barca’s aggregate record is W3 L3, with the most recent case seeing fellow Spaniards knocked out Atlético de Madrid in the UEFA quarter-finals Champions League 2013/14 (0-1a).

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UEFA Europa League squad changes
Naples
In: Faouzi Goulam
Outside: Kostas Manolas (Olympiacos)

Barcelona
In: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Arsenal), Ferran Torres (Manchester City), Adama Traoré (Wolves, loan)
Outside: Sergio Agüero (retired), Philippe Coutinho (Aston Villa, loan), Yusuf Demir (Rapid Wien, late loan), Iñaki Peña (Galatasaray, loan)

Links and stories
• Napoli midfielder Fabián Ruiz is a Spanish international who played in his native country for Real Betis (2014-18) and Elche (loan 2016/17).

• André-Frank Zambo Anguissa played on loan at Villarreal in 2019/20, losing both games against Barcelona (2-1a, 4-1h), while Napoli team-mate Stanislav Lobotka spent three seasons with Celta Vigo before joining the Italian side in 2020.

• Barcelona goalkeeper Neto knows Italian football well, having played for both Fiorentina (2011-15) and Juventus (2015-17). He kept goal for the Florence side in the 2014 Coppa Italia final defeat against Napoli, which the Partenopei won 3-1 thanks to two goals from Lorenzo Insigne and one from Dries Mertens.

• Mertens and Barcelona striker Memphis Depay were teammates at PSV Eindhoven from 2011-13. Also on the PSV schedule from 2017-19 were Barca’s Luuk de Jong and Napoli’s Hirving Lozano; they won the Eredivisie title together in 2017/18.

• Mertens has made 60 UEFA Europa League appearances, from group stage to final, one less than record holder Daniel Carriço.

• Napoli’s Eljif Elmas scored the winning goal past Barca goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen as North Macedonia beat Germany 2-1 in 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifying in Duisburg on March 31, 2021.

• Barcelona new signing Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who played youth football in Italy for AC Milan, scored his first European goal against Napoli in a 3-1 win for Borussia Dortmund on Matchday 6 of the 2013/14 UEFA Champions League. He also started both matches for Arsenal in their 2018/19 UEFA Europa League quarter-final loss to Napoli (2-0h, 1-0a).

• Ferran Torres, another newcomer to the Camp Nou in January, scored both goals for Spain in their 2-1 win over hosts Italy in the 2021 UEFA Nations League semi-final. Insigne and fellow Napoli club Giovanni Di Lorenzo were on the Azzurri’s side.

• Luuk de Jong’s last UEFA Europa League appearance before the first leg of this tie was in the 2020 final, when he was named Man of the Match after scoring twice for Sevilla in their 3-2 win over Barcelona. ‘Inter, an Italian opponent.

• The first leg was the tenth successive European match in which Barcelona failed to score a goal. Indeed, they were the only home team in all eight first legs of the UEFA Europa League knockout stages to score less than two goals.

• Debuting in the competition, Barcelona became the 224th side to take part in the UEFA Europa League, group stage to final, and the 13th from Spain.

Shoot to the net
• Napoli’s UEFA record for three shots on goal is W1 L2:
3-4 v Toulouse, 1986/87 UEFA Cup first round
4-3 v Sporting CP, 1989/90 UEFA Cup first round
3-5 v Spartak Moskva, 1990/91 European Champion Clubs’ Cup second round

• Barcelona’s UEFA record for six shots on goal is W5 L1:
5-4 v AZ Alkmaar, 1977/78 UEFA Cup second round
3-1 v Ipswich Town, 1977/78 UEFA Cup third round
4-1 v Anderlecht, 1978/79 UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup second round
5-4 v IFK Gothenburg, 1985/86 European Champion Clubs’ Cup semi-final
0-2 v Steaua Bucureşti, 1985/86 European Champion Clubs’ Cup final
5-4 v Lech Poznań, 1988/89 UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup second round

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More than five months after the heart of the Classics season, the stars of the one-day races are back in Flanders this week to try for a world title. The 2021 UCI Road World Championships will end on Sunday with the elite men’s road race.

As always, many of the biggest names in the sport will be vying for the rainbow jersey, and this year we will have the chance to see them fight for this title in the heart of the cycling race that is the Belgium. The stage is set for a great show.

Here’s what you need to know before the race …

The road

The elite men’s road race at the World Championships covers 268.3 km, starting in Antwerp and ending in Leuven. The geography of the route is best understood when accompanied by a map, as the route jumps several times between two circuits.

After leaving Antwerp, the peloton will head south to Leuven. There, the riders will do a lap and a half on a circuit in the Louvain region, a lap on a larger circuit in the southwest that the organizers have named the Flandrien circuit, four more laps of the Louvain circuit, another lap of the Flandrien circuit, then two and a half laps of the Louvain circuit to close things.

Although the “Flanders Worlds†may be reminiscent of the Tour of Flanders, the event is directed more towards the territory of Brabantse Pijl. A continuous stream of very short but hard-hitting climbs awaits once the peloton arrives in Leuven, and the climbs accumulate until a total elevation gain of 2,562 meters. None of the climbs are that difficult on their own, but most could be a launching pad for a lone striker or a small group trying to extricate themselves from a tired pack at the end of the race.

The last ascent of the Smeysberg on the Flandrien circuit could be an interesting place for a long move twice in the final) could see the attacks fly. Regardless of the size of the leading group in the final, the finish is slightly uphill, which will add an additional element of intrigue in the final moments of the race.

It will be interesting to see how the weather affects the races in Flanders. As of Friday, the forecast calls for rain in the morning, things should clear up as the day progresses, but with the wind also picking up in the afternoon.

Favorites

While there are plenty of riders worthy of contender status for the elite men’s road race at Flanders Worlds, it should be a fairly open race without any rider enjoying a privileged status at the front of the peloton. . The nature of the route plays a big role. With two days to go, it’s hard to say if it will be a solo attacker, a small group or even a small group sprint. In addition, this is a global race, which means that national teams of different sizes will be responsible for keeping things under control, which can make things unpredictable, as we saw at the Olympic Games in Tokyo. In other words, there are a lot of names up for grabs as potential winners here.

The one that stands out the most is Wout Van Aert, who heads up a strong home team. Van Aert’s big engine, strong climbing legs and elite kick make him a potential winner in virtually any scenario, and he showed off his strong form with an impressive Tour of Britain and a second place in the individual time trial at the Worlds last Sunday. Belgian fans have reason to be optimistic with a rider who won Milan-San Remo, Amstel Gold Race, Gent-Wevelgem and Strade Bianche leading on a course like this.

Additionally, the Belgians have a bit more firepower as a team than in Tokyo to chase late hits or even try something on their own. Remco Evenepoel, Jasper stuyven, and Yves Lampaert will make great lieutenants and maybe some extra cards for the team to play.

Van Aert’s longtime rival Mathieu van der Poel (Netherlands) is another obvious candidate. The course suits him as well, the biggest question mark being his health after dealing with back problems for some time now. That said, he won the Port of Antwerp Epic earlier this month, and he is Mathieu van der Poel, so it wouldn’t be surprising to see him in great shape. Despite having a quick finish himself, Van der Poel is perhaps best placed to launch a late attack, so keep an eye out for the Dutchman in the late climbs.

The defending champion, Julien alaphilippe (France), would probably have preferred a more difficult course, but if he hits a big blow in one of the late climbs, he could potentially break free. He won the Brabante Pijl last year on similar terrain, and his good performances at the Bretagne Classic and the Tour of Britain suggest he is in great shape.

Benoît Cosnefroy will give France a solid second option, with Arnaud Démare also present, hoping to hold on just in case it boils down to a bigger sprint.

Sonny colbrelli headliner for the Italian team, and he enters the race in fantastic form after winning the Benelux Tour, the European road title and the Memorial Marco Pantani. The most prestigious victories have escaped the very talented Colbrelli so far in his career, but this World Cup suits him perfectly. He doesn’t mind a rough day on the bike followed by a reduced sprint, and there’s a good chance that is the way this race is going. His teammate Mattéo Trentino makes a great backup option for Italy.

The Danes have perhaps the most interesting team in this race. In my opinion, there are no less four potential winners in the formation of Denmark, with the winner of the Tour of Flanders Kasper Asgreen open the way. Asgreen did well in the Worlds TT, finishing fourth, just two seconds off the podium. Michel valgren and Magnus cort both showcased their form with recent wins as well, and Mads Pedersen is of course a former world champion who thrives on classic grounds. If all four are feeling good, Denmark could potentially try to make or jump into moves with Valgren, Cort and Asgreen, and look to Pedersen if things end in a bigger sprint. Apart from the Belgians with the best pre-race favorite, the Danes seem to be the team most likely to win the world title, one way or another.

Slovenia also have an intriguing squad with three big names who will all try to get out of the field and avoid a sprint. Matej mohoric, who used to thrive on this terrain in the race now known as the Benelux Tour, had a great year, winning two stages of the Tour de France as well as a few other big results. And then, of course, there is Tadej Pogacar and Primož RogliÄ, who are much better day riders than the ones we are used to seeing among the Grand Tour champions these days.

If anything, the Slovenians at least have the firepower to make this race an interesting race.

Four years ago, Pierre Sagan (Slovakia) would probably have been the number one favorite for this race, but it has been a while since he showed the kind of dominance that has made him such a strong contender throughout the calendar. Still, he’s only 31 and if he’s in good shape he certainly has the tools and the experience to be in the mix. Michael matthews (Australia) is another runner with the versatility and experience to be a competitor. Like Sagan, he would have been more of a favorite a few years ago, but he’s still a runner to watch. Australia also Caleb Ewan; it would be a surprise to see him hold on to the final, but if he can, he would obviously be a competitor in a sprint.

Other foreigners to watch out for include Tom pidcock, Ethan Hayter, and Marc Cavendish (Britain), Marc Hirschi (Switzerland), Alexandre kristoff (Norway), and Michal Kwiatkowski (Poland).

We won’t have long to wait now to see how it all plays out. The battle for the elite men’s road world title kicks off Sunday at 10:25 a.m. local time, and that evening we’ll find out who earned the right to wear the rainbow stripes for next year.

Following the start of the voting process for the BikeBiz Awards 2021 in association with Tannus Tires, we will highlight each finalist from our list of accolades prepared by experts.

The final decision will be in the hands of those who know best – the professionals who work daily in the industry and the avid cycling prosumers. Online voting will end on Friday December 3 and the results will determine the winners.

Today we present the brand’s awards: Bike Brand of the Year and P&A Brand of the Year. Vote for all categories here.

Bike Brand of the Year

Gocycle
“In April, the pioneer brand of urban electric bikes Gocycle launched its new innovative Generation Four range. The quick-folding G4, G4i and G4i + entered the market with the promise of setting a new standard for lightweight design, innovation and performance in the portable urban e-bike segment.

“The new models debuted with Gocycle’s new smooth and quiet G4drive electric motor that provides more torque and low-speed starting, an all-new lightweight carbon fiber midframe and improved single-sided front fork for improve dynamic performance, New MotoGP-inspired tires with tread, integrated USB port and Bluetooth Low Energy connectivity as part of a host of pioneering advancements. ‘

Mondraker
“Mondraker is a bicycle brand like no other. Since its inception, the brand has focused on innovation, high quality production and exceptional performance, all driven by a passion for sports. Never sitting down or following others, they tore up the rulebook of mountain biking geometry when they introduced “advanced geometry” and came up with bikes with longer top tubes and shorter stems for more. better off-road handling almost ten years ago. A practice now common in mountain biking.

“The brand also raised the bar for DH bike weight with the introduction of the lightweight Summum and was one of the first brands to introduce a full line of e-bikes which continues to dominate the market to this day. 2022 sees the shift to a direct distribution model in the UK, but thanks to a strong UK team and an excellent dealer network, it appears to be the most important for the Spanish brand. Offering a wide range of muscle and electric bikes for off-road and city riding, there is a Mondraker for almost everyone, whether you want a World Cup winning DH bike, an Olympic-level XC racing bike. or a full carbon fiber electric bike with the latest BOSCH power.

Orbéa
“I have seen my turnover increase tenfold in just 3 years within the company. This is all because consumers appreciate and buy the innovative, high performing and mind blowing product (across the full range) that has truly taken the UK and UK market by storm.

“Not to mention our FREE MYO customization program, lifetime warranty and competitive pricing, we have a real advantage over other leading manufacturers in the market. Models like ‘Rise’ for 2021 were (and still are) a cutting edge innovation with nothing else on the market to match! “

Cadence cycles
‘Pace is a family business that has been making bicycles for over 30 years. Starting in an alleyway basement in Bradford, UK, original founders Adrian Carter and Duncan Macdonald design some of the world’s first bicycle products. Pace plays a crucial role in the history of mountain biking with its innovative designs that are still fresh over 30 years later.

“Their original RC100 bike with its unique custom-designed, externally machined square-section aluminum frame, Bullseye fixed arm cranks, direct-fit Magura hydraulic brakes, integrated stem steerer and the first headset without thread. It was all truly revolutionary, putting British bike design on the world map since 1987. ‘

Buckwheat
“Saracen made the decision to switch to direct-to-consumer sales in 2021 for a variety of reasons, one of which is to focus on better quality bikes. They have worked closely with the manufacturers to try and ensure a higher standard of bikes for riders to enjoy on the trails. Before being sent to customers, bikes are assembled and PDI to ensure they are of the best quality and safe for riders to use virtually immediately after delivery. They have used the new silent hubs on a few of their bikes which has been a huge success for the customers because it is such an innovative product in the market.

“The Ariel range in particular has been incredibly popular for park, enduro and trail riders because the bikes are incredibly versatile and responsive on a ride. The new Ariel 50-E range is also a huge hit in the e-bike industry, empowering riders to go beyond what they could have been before. ‘

Sterne Bikes
Tern Bicycles has launched a succession of innovative new models, which not only set the trend in their field, but lead all competitors in terms of build quality, testing, accessory ecosystem, sales and after-service. sale.

P&A Brand of the Year

Cat eye
“New for 2021: the new ViZ tail light family with a range of 4 models, including 300 degree visibility, allowing cyclists to be more visible than ever on the roads. Starting at just £ 24.99 for the ViZ100, the ViZ range also has a simple and versatile mounting system. Additionally, the new entry-level AMPP 100 and 200 front lights now round out the base lighting range which starts at just £ 19.99.

“CatEye continues to excel in the quality and value of its line of lamps and computers and this year also expanded its line of accessories, including new bells, with the Habiki brass bell at the top of the line. . CatEye and ZyroFisher have worked in partnership for over 25 years. This close relationship has created a range of lights and computers suitable for the UK market and representing a strong and reliable supply chain of high quality products. ‘

Lezyne
“Lezyne’s head office is located in Reno, Nevada, United States, with offices in San Luis Obispo, California, United States, Berlin, Germany and Taichung, Taiwan; all of their products are manufactured and assembled at their factory in Taichung, Taiwan, or by working closely with nearby suppliers who produce parts exclusively for Lezyne. An internal quality control team, made up of engineers who oversee the construction, is also part of the factory team.

“This site also supports a warehouse from which Lezyne ships its products to distributors around the world. While you don’t have to be an avid cyclist, many Lezyne employees are passionate about cycling and enjoy testing Lezyne products before they go into production. In addition, Lezyne is proud to sponsor top athletes, including the Lotto-Soudal team, Cedric Gracia, Danny MacAskill and many more. ‘

MET helmets
‘MET Helmets creates iconic designs that inspire confidence and enhance the cycling experience. Throughout their 25 years of in-house manufacturing, they understand their product and have a close relationship with each generation. With many of their products tested and approved by professional World Enduro cyclists at UCI World Tours. MET helmets meet the highest quality and safety standards, designed and manufactured in the Italian Alps, bringing a flair for aesthetics and a deep-rooted passion for cycling.

“In 2021, MET launched its most versatile helmet, the Veleno MIPS, which is suitable for mountain biking, cross-country, gravel and road. Be safe and protective on the track but light and airy for long bike rides on or off road. The Veleno is MET’s first all-in-one helmet perfectly suited to all cycling disciplines. ‘

Driving concepts
“Ride Concepts was born out of a family need for better fitting, performance shoes for aggressive riding. However, what started out as finding a solution to a minor family dilemma quickly turned into something much, much bigger… In the fall of 2018, they became the first bicycle specific footwear company. mountain to offer a full range of technical and tailor-made footwear, products for men, women and young people. Their mission: to make the most comfortable, durable and reliable mountain bike shoes.

“Designed by the pilot. Property of the rider. A backup product with a solid warranty, a team of factory pros, but also everyday riders who live for that uncompromising ride. Following the success of the LiveWire shoe, Ride Concepts continued to develop a full line of shoes with varying levels of their legendary DST grip, making shoes for all cyclist needs.

Vittoria
“A distribution agreement was announced between Vittoria Tires and Madison at IceBike * 2021 after Vittoria had previously been directly with dealers and since working with them they have worked together to support dealers and deliver innovative technology to the cycling industry Their flat tire foam insert technology is something I have never seen before and it is amazing to think it has never been done before!

“It will surely give the riders more confidence knowing that they can always go back to their car, home etc. if their tubeless tires puncture the road, trails, etc. never seen personally before and the way they present them at events is an incredible way to give users and dealers an insight into tire function and performance.

welding
2021 has proven to be a pivotal year for Weldtite, the North Lincolnshire-based bicycle maintenance manufacturer. During a difficult year, the brand’s manufacturing capabilities have ensured a consistent and reliable supply of high quality products to trade here in the UK and around the world, with strong growth in emerging markets.

“On-site manufacturing has enabled Weldtite to quickly remove a significant amount of virgin plastic from the supply chain through innovative packaging design and by making boxes of puncture repair kits from at least 30% recycled content. Partnerships with national teams like Ribble Weldtite Pro Cycling and at World Tour level with Team DSM have matured, resulting in improved products eg Citrus Degreaser, Ceramic Lube & Dry Wax at unbeatable prices. ‘

Read more: BikeBiz Awards: Vote now for the distributors’ trophies

Read More: BikeBiz Awards: Vote Now for Retailer Trophies

Tannus Tires will act as the main sponsor of this year’s Awards, which returns for its 13th iteration in a digital format. The winners will be announced online at Friday December 10. Vote for all categories here.

For sponsorship and promotion opportunities, please contact Richard Setters.

www.bikebizawards.com
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Published on: 02/20/2022 – 13:18Amended: 02/20/2022 – 13:17

Milan and Cortina D’Ampezzo’s joint bid saw Swedish pair Stockholm and Are in 2019 bring the Winter Games back to Turin, two decades after they were last held there.

Above all, these will be the first Winter Olympics co-hosted by two cities.

It won’t be an easy task as Milan and Cortina are in two different regions – Lombardy and Veneto – and separated by around 400 kilometers (250 miles), or a five-hour drive.

The distance is such that when skier Sofia Goggia crashed in Cortina on the eve of the Beijing Olympics, she had to be airlifted to Milan for tests on her knee injury.

Federica Brignone, a two-time alpine skiing medalist at the Beijing Olympics, expressed concern that the large distances involved “won’t be good for the Olympic spirit” in what will likely be the last Games for the player 31 years old.

Cortina will host the event for the first time in 70 years and the 2026 Games will be held in a winter sports centre.

Cortina in the Italian Dolomites and Bormio – one of four event “clusters” – regularly host the Alpine Skiing World Cup.

Organizers have sought to make the most of existing sports infrastructure to limit the economic and environmental impact for which the Winter Games are often criticized.

The Beijing Olympics were in the spotlight for the massive use of artificial snow and the construction of alpine skiing facilities in a drought-stricken region north of Beijing.

The Games before that, the 2018 event in Pyeongchang, South Korea, were beset by freezing cold.

The 2026 Opening Ceremony will be held at Milan’s iconic San Siro stadium, which will soon be 100 years old when the Games begin.

It is set to eventually be demolished as Serie A football clubs AC Milan and Inter Milan plan a new stadium on the same site on the western outskirts of the city.

The two clubs have announced ‘The Cathedral’ designed by the firm Populous, who designed the Tottenham Hotspur stadium in London.

Few new sites

Italian media report that matches won’t be played there until 2027, and on Friday Milan Mayor Giuseppe Sala said it would be the current arena, complete with the distinctive concrete structure that was added when it was built. latest redesign, which will host the opening ceremony.

“I think the opening ceremony will take place at the current San Siro because I know how long it takes to build a new stadium and I don’t think it will be finished,” Sala told reporters during the interview. a press conference before the transfer.

Organizers say the only new venues to be built for 2026 had already been planned independently of the Games – the Arena PalaItalia ice hockey venue and the Olympic Village in Milan, which will later be converted into student accommodation.

However, some infrastructure is strained, notably the Cortina bobsleigh track.

The Veneto region has pledged to renovate the historic Eugenio Monti track, abandoned since 2008, at a cost of around 60 million euros ($67.9 million).

But the work has been slammed by CIPRA, an international NGO collective that aims to protect the Alps, which has argued for “cheaper and more environmentally friendly alternatives”, such as relocating events to Innsbruck in Austria. , two and a half hours from Cortina.

© 2022 AFP

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