Rob Sturney

Senior Web Writer at Canadian Cycling

Fiction blog: https://t.co/j4K50y22eJ. Onward through the fog on a trip for biscuits.

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Articles

Mathieu van der Poel records first Paris-Roubaix natural hat trick in 45 years

1 week ago | cyclingmagazine.ca | Rob Sturney

Sunday’s 112nd Paris-Roubaix was another 2025 round of Mathieu van der Poel vs Tadej Pogačar, with the one-time world champion and the current world champion trading haymakers on the pavé. But a crash on Pont-Thibault à Ennevelin inside 40 km to go meant that van der Poel would carry the day. The Dutchman earned the third natural hat trick of Hell of the North victories in history, joining Frenchman Octive Lapize (1909-1911) and Francesco Moser (1978-1980) in the record books.
Pauline Ferrand-Prévot pounces to Paris-Roubaix victory

1 week ago | cyclingmagazine.ca | Rob Sturney

Pauline Ferrand-Prévot, 2014 road world champion and current Olympic Games mountain bike champion, soloed to victory in Saturday’s 5th Paris-Roubaix Femmes, the first French winner. It was Visma-Lease a Bike’s first 2025 WorldTour triumph. Ferrand-Prévot, having returned to road racing for the first time since 2020, saw her boyfriend Dylan van Baarle win the men’s edition in 2022.
The breakaway finally has its day at Itzulia Basque Country

1 week ago | cyclingmagazine.ca | Rob Sturney

When a stage race is six days long and one of those days is a time trial, it’s not a lock that a breakaway will have its day, but on Friday’s penultimate stage of Itzulia Basque Country, the fugitives finally prevailed. Ben Healy was the first Irishman to win a stage of the race since Stephen Roche in 1989. Race leader João Almeida wasn’t challenged on Friday. The CourseFour Cat. 3 climbs were spaced out unevenly along the first two-thirds of the 172-km route. The final third was still pretty hilly.
João Almeida seizes control of Itzulia Basque Country with mountain win

2 weeks ago | cyclingmagazine.ca | Rob Sturney

After the post-race confusion of Izulia Basque Country Stage 3, Thursday’s fourth stage was practically straightforward. João Almeida (Portugal/UAE-Emirates) put himself a good position to win the biggest stage race of his career with the day’s triumph, taking the yellow jersey from Max Schachmann (Germany/Soudal-Quick Step). The CourseA six-pack of Cat. 3 climbs ranged anywhere from 9.7 to 2 km and grades anywhere from 3.8 to 7.6 percent. They would encourage the breakaway.
Derek Gee to race Tour of the Alps in preparation for Giro d'Italia

2 weeks ago | cyclingmagazine.ca | Rob Sturney

Derek Gee’s lead up race for the Giro d’Italia in May will be the 2.Pro-rated Tour of the Alps from April 21 to 25. The race takes place in Austria’s Tyrol state and Italy’s Trentino and South Tyrol states. Gee comes off a hot early spring, having won a time trial and the GC of 2.1-rated O Gran Camiño before placing fourth in Tirreno-Adriatico. His second Giro follows ninth in last year’s Tour de France and a memorable 2023 Giro where he announced himself to the world in grand fashion.
Action galore on Itzulia Basque Country's first mountain stage

2 weeks ago | cyclingmagazine.ca | Rob Sturney

Wednesday’s first mountain stage of the 64th Itzulia Basque Country was a frenetic one, with action galore. Spanish champion Alex Aranbaru tallied up his first win for new team Cofidis, while Max Schachmann padded his race lead over Florian Lipowitz and João Almeida by a few seconds. Unfortunately, Canadian Michael Leonard’s time in the top-10 and best young rider’s jersey came to a close. The CourseSeven categorized climbs fitted into 156.6 km from Zarautz to Beasain. A trio of Cat.
Spanish champion's Itzulia Basque Country victory reinstated after he was relegated

2 weeks ago | cyclingmagazine.ca | Rob Sturney

It’s been a confusing Wednesday at the 64th Itzulia Basque Country. First Spanish champion Alex Aranbaru tallied his first win for new team Cofidis, and then after a long time he was relegated for deviating from the course in what seemed like a canny move, and then a few hours later his victory was reinstated, with a signage error on the course confirming his canniness. Romain Gregoire, who probably couldn’t believe his luck in being declared the winner, was once more the runner-up.
Michael Leonard keeps Basque Country best rider jersey and moves up on GC

2 weeks ago | cyclingmagazine.ca | Rob Sturney

Canadian Michael Leonard moved up three places on GC at the WorldTour Itzulia Basque Country and kept the best young rider’s jersey after Tuesday’s second stage, while his teammate Caleb Ewan claimed the victory in a bunch sprint. Leonard is now seventh. The CourseOne of the least lumpy road stages of the race, Tuesday contained a Cat. 3 early in the route. Once the riders crossed the finish line in Lodosa at 61 km to go, they would face a series of little hills.
Canada's Michael Leonard posts career-best WorldTour result at Itzulia Basque Country

2 weeks ago | cyclingmagazine.ca | Rob Sturney

Monday in Vitoria-Gasteiz was the setting for the opening of the sixth 2025 WorldTour stage race, the 64th Itzulia Basque Country, a 16.5-km time trial where Michael Leonard earned one of his greatest professional performances with 10th place. He will wear the race’s first best young rider jersey on Tuesday. Two GC favourites hoping to wear the champion’s txapela beret in six days, João Almeida and Florian Lipowitz, were inside a second of winner Max Schachmann’s time.
World champion Lotte Kopecky sets Tour of Flanders record with third title

2 weeks ago | cyclingmagazine.ca | Rob Sturney

It took four races to get her first victory of the season, but on Sunday world champion Lotte Kopecky took the 22nd women’s Tour of Flanders/Ronde van Vlaanderen, her third title. Kopecky outsprinted three others after they all escaped on Oude Kwaremont. Kopecky also has victories in two world championships, two Strade Bianches, a Paris-Robaix and a Omloop Het Nieuwsblad on her palmares. Alison Jackson was top Canadian in 17th.