@cycloben2.bsky.social
known as @cycloben2. #CyclingBlueSky cycling enthusiast, predictor, wannabe transfer analyst & not-so-occasional overthinker. fav things in life are pavés and solo victories. weekly pieces here: https://cycloben.substack.com/
@velofute.bsky.social inspired me to write a post - and this is my comeback also to cycling pieces after a long month.
not promising i'll do daily posts like this, but it was finally good creating something meaningful again.
here you go: open.substack.com/pub/cycloben...
This is an important update about the future of my cycling endeavours and how I stand in life at November 2025. If you have any questions, just let me know, I put my heart into it.
open.substack.com/pub/cycloben...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=bL1H...
Today was finally a great day. Met my former colleague and her baby girl for the first time and it was superawesome. I lack simple interactions like these in normal life and I came alive once again.
open.substack.com/pub/cycloben...
No, once again, this isn't a particularly appealing route. And now, even the TDF organisation implicitly agrees that they are tired of Pogacar's victories. However, in a counterproductive move, they have created a route that is almost tailor-made for him. #TDF2026
The third category of the #DomestiqueAwards 🏆:
"Best Breakthrough rider" of 2025, hosted by @cycloben2.bsky.social
Two names on his shortlist:
🚴♂️🇲🇽 Isaac Del Toro
🚴♀️🇫🇷 Maëva Squiban
Who would you nominate for this award? 👇
As things stand, I am still a propagandist paid by Belgians to bring bad, bad news to their glorious country :)
15.10.2025 10:01 — 👍 2 🔁 0 💬 1 📌 0All good things come to an end... and it feels like traditional sprinters' era really comes to end in 2025 :(
09.10.2025 10:59 — 👍 4 🔁 0 💬 1 📌 0
Every year, I look at what I can change, how I can change, how I can move forward in what I did in the past 4 years.
The past weeks have been great for me in this regard—and at early November, I'll share with you what I've come up with.
It's time to play big. It's time to write in length.
the best possible thing if you wanna get rid of work stress is to watch women cycling on tough circuits like the one here in Rwanda.
cinema. absolute cinema. with an amazing winner, as well. #Kigali2025
we must not stay silent about this release. UCI took things a step further today into something that may have absolutely devastating consequences. I'm with the teams and we all should speak out on their sides.
26.09.2025 14:56 — 👍 8 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0Massive, massive congrats to Eritrea's Nahom Efriem - 11th place with an absolute supernaturally brilliant positioning on every single Kimihurura climb. Looked amazing. I hope a European development team contract will arrive for him when he gets home #Kigali2025 🇪🇷
26.09.2025 09:11 — 👍 15 🔁 0 💬 1 📌 0Jarno or not Jarno?
That's the real question.
The U23 peloton will take arms against a sea of troubles and climbs in Kigali tomorrow - here is who I find as potential rainbow jersey candidates!!
Signed and confirmed now.
If Juan can acquire the unus pro omnibus, omnes pro uno mentality at Lidl-Trek, then it's going to be a huge success.
If not... consequences might be huge.
Today's 11th place by Marlen Rojas Lescot is Chile's best ever result on any category at a World Championship, surpassing Catalina Anais Soto's 13th from Glasgow 🇨🇱
#Kigali2025
Because if that happens, if riders are afraid to do what they love most cause they don't know what awaits them in the next km... That's when cycling's death throes will become a reality. We might be in that phase. But as long as there's panache, there's everything. That's what I wish for everyone.
14.09.2025 20:28 — 👍 3 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0I have so many opinions and thoughts about La Vuelta...
The world is sad. What is happening everywhere is sad. It is sad that UCI is powerless in this regard.
I will say only one thing: we must not let the riders be afraid.
It would be good if a few people looked inside themselves online and in real life, too. Even with tonight being Friday night, which is basically night out time and many people write drunken nonsense to their peers or on sites.
12.09.2025 20:36 — 👍 8 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0It's ridiculous how some people wish Alaphilippe wouldn't win any more races because of wheelsucking.
Gosh. Loulou has seen it all. He started the action with 80 to go; he had the right to sit in the peloton afterwards. He attacked when and as much as he had to. He couldn't have done better.
1235th pro race day.
The last one.
Geraint Thomas will retire today in his hometown, in Cardiff, ahead of tens of thousands of spectators, fans, and admirers.
He will be very much missed for his chivalry, loyalty, basically for everything that is dying in modern cycling...
#ToBM
Sacrificing a Grand Tour victory to make history and achieve 90 victories?
That's how I felt today at UAE's camp. I really didn't like what I saw, and in a way, today's tactical performance is indefensible, but if that's what they think is best, I can't judge them... #LaVuelta25
I am glad that I could only follow the events online today. It's a sad day in some ways, but I can't put into words what my melancholy is precisely about. It's probably about my twenties getting messed up with sportswashing from all directions of sports and life... #LaVuelta25
03.09.2025 20:39 — 👍 2 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0It is too late to do anything about things. If UCI give up the passive role, there could be a decision there that could seriously jeopardise the future of the sport. And Israel - Premier Tech's withdrawal from the race might not even solve the symptoms.
03.09.2025 20:39 — 👍 2 🔁 0 💬 1 📌 0UCI should take a strong and firm stand now. I said this after the TTT, but it remains true today.
Every day of UCI's silence increases the chances of escalation. Yesterday, it was physically demonstrated; today, the race has been neutralised, and the protests affected the race in sporting merit.
Javier Ares had a video on it here. Let's see if Ciro or Daniel affirms his stances.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=jrIH...
would make a teeny bit more sense for me, too
01.09.2025 19:12 — 👍 2 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0I just don't want to believe it. It comes from a usually reliable source, though.
01.09.2025 19:09 — 👍 1 🔁 0 💬 1 📌 0
Spanish reports say Ayuso joins Lidl-Trek on a 5-year contract.
My instant reaction:
Emergency situation needs an emergency Substack post.
Juan Ayuso's transfer warranted a separate post, and while I agree with the transfer in theory, I have concerns about his new place. Nah, I don't think it's the best option for him.
Read more here: open.substack.com/pub/cycloben...
the thing is, he's not a pure sprinter and that's why he is so valuable. fast enough but truly versatile, too
01.09.2025 08:18 — 👍 2 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0Emilien Jeanniere in the last 2 seasons:
2024: 29/69 top 10s, 42%
2025 so far: 20/50 top 10s, 40%.
He's knocking heavily on the open doors of the highest shelf of cycling. If I'd be a team manager, I'd heavily invest in him, even with a buyout from his current contract. #BretagneClassic
