Afternoon Post Giro Criterium in France 2026

[team fl]

After the Giro is before the Giro. But first, we have to ride the Afternoon post Giro criterium in France (AGF). As almost every year, this will be one of these stage races also Team FL attends. So far, the following riders look like to be nominated to start in Barcelona (it's not the Vuelta right? Boycot still ongoing!):

x1 Felikss Fokerots
x2 Arturas Andriuskevicius
x3 Erasmus Erpelding
x4 Raimo Rautsepp
x5 Ricardo Rocha
x6 Steindor Steinsson
x7 Steingrimur Steinsson
x8 Vincent Verwimp
x9 Wim Wijkstra

So, we have the hill deparment with mainly Felikss and maybe the Steinsson brothers with some sprinkles of Rocha, the sprint department we know well from the Giro and the escape department, which I am not going to reveal yet due to tactical reasons (...).

Goal(s): At least one stage win, Gruppetto coordination, learn to deal with frustration, complain about Falcor complaining too much, try not to learn french in the process, white wash dirty Liechtenstein money with spending it totally unreasonably.

[Falcor CC]

Falcors most likely join here with most likely the following lineup:

X1: Max Dokker
X2: Hector Avalos
X3: Oscar Avalos
X4: Cesare Baddetti
X5: Dave Barlington
X6: Loïc Callard
X7: Domingo Cruz
X8: Antonio Diego
X9: Asmund Solberg

With Magnus Jensen retiring soon and Luca Parri's future still uncertain, we take a very sprint focused team and look forward to have fun with our train for the first time, with Team FL being an opponent we look very much forward to compete against. Apart from riding for sprints, look for Maglia Azzurra winner Domingo Cruz in front on the hillier stages and our flat army for some nice groups as well.

Goals for this tdf: get our first train win and experience working with it, have Cruz be the protagonist for some tdf stories, try not to cry about Tutkhehuave not being there, and complain so much that FL complains about our complaing.

[Tukhtahuaev]

Goals for this tdf: get our first train win and experience working with it, have Cruz be the protagonist for some tdf stories, try not to cry about Tutkhehuave not being there, and complain so much that FL complains about our complaing.

You may get Tukhtahuaev in your field to make up for Tutkhehuave not being there

[Robyklebt]

Good, this other guy, unlike Tukhtahuaev, is difficult to spell.

[team fl]

Good, this other guy, unlike Tukhtahuaev, is difficult to spell.

Indeed. I've never got it why Tukhtahuaev should be difficult to spell. Anyway, nice to have one of these two here .

[Rexona]

Mhh 15 Uhr genau meine Zeit
Gerne wieder eine nette Runde mit altbekannten Gesichtern.

Aufstellung ist klar.

[Tukhtahuaev]

Most likely starting here, but not completely sure about the time yet. Lineup 99% like this:

1: Corentin Poitrenaud
GC leader with the clear target of winning the white jersey

2: Tlaloc Coyotecatl
Classic and often final helper for Poitrenaud. Potentially going into escapes at some point

3: Shohrat Dawamat
Helper, early tempo, escapes. Just whatever the team needs him to do

4:Zhansultan Dosmagambetov
Classic with sprint. Either going for his own stage chances or helping for sprints

5: Deimantas Girdvainis
Flatrider to make sure we get bunch sprints

6: Shokhzhakhon Mamatkhodzhaev
Helper with a lot of reg

7: Artem Palamarchuk
Sprint leader that hopes to win the third green jersey in a row at the Tour

8: Kensi Taiwia
Flatrider to make sure we get bunch sprints or maybe prevent the bunch sprints in more selective stages

9: Abylaykhan Zhangylyshbay
Promising classic, getting valuable experience as a helper

[Robyklebt]

1 A. Iskanderov: Auvergne bla bla, Dauphiné! Winner. GC leaderI hoped to get a bit stronger support here. Leadership was promised early on in my career, Gabriel Giro+Vuelta, me the Tour. But the support, ok, I won in June without Lafuente or Gallego, so why not here.. but having one of them would have made it easier.

2 A. Bongiorno: Sprint leaderAfter a Giro stage I obviously want to win one here. Paris? Seems unlikely with the Montmartre. But I see enough other chances to win one.

3 A. Bonjour: 69-78 classic with TT and pavé. I hope to help Iskanderov with a good TTT, after that I'll be his most important helper too. Yes, on paper he risks being isolated soon often, but you'll see, I'll be there

4 D. Kebede: 59-76 sprinter, on the downtrend. After beating Palamarchuk in June, he wants to do it again. Well, I didn't expect this call-up either, I'm here for sprint-options and to be there on Palamarchuk ego-trip days.

5 E. Ousland: 60-80 with TT I'll have a similar role to the Giro. Helping, the occasional attack.

6 O. Sherifo 64-72 with 58 sprint, in training. I'm excited. Looking forward to this. I won't be leader yet I think, but in this team I could get my chances already. Good experience for the future when I expect to be leader more often

7 Ole Søvndal 52-83 Flat rider with a bit more mountain than the minimum. Helper. Here I am again! 48-69 no reg, some fans were making fun of me when I turned pro, but here I am riding my second GT. I would like to thank Big Donkey for believing in me.

8 F. Vigni 49-85, flat rider, helper, TTT I'm here for the TTT mostly the big boss told me. And then to help Arcadio. Personnally since I'm here I hope to score some points to reach 1000. Ideally win a stage.

9 M. Wüthrich 50-72-78 neo pro. Helper Hi! I haven't even had a proper presentation yet and already here. Not sure what to say!

DS, first teamcar: P Taiaroa: Well, an interesting line-up the boss has me manage here. Fly under the radar and strike, like in the Dauphiné. I'm confident we'll get a good result.

Second teamcar: T. Uru: I'm here because I work together very well with Taiaroa, better than Henri. Of course he has more experience with Gruppetto work and so on than me, but we work well together with René as well, so we'll be in contact during the Tour, I'll get all the advice I can from him.

Big Donkey: Forget whatever they are all saying. In most cases they are simply there because they are cheaper than the alternatives. Lafuente failed in the Tour de Suisse, also he wasn't going to be leader here anyway, and is most certainly not interested in fighting for second in a GT. He has that already. We're pragmatist, from the moment Abdurashitov announced himself we know we're not fighting for the win, we just haven't told Iskanderov yet, he doesn't even need to know. So what's the point in bringing high salary guys like Gjeldnes? Lafuente? Ok, Bonjour, would have loved to leave his ass home too, not for Gallego, but for Kotibaruly or so, but ok, no need to overdo it either with pragmatism. No surprises in the team, it's all logic, only Gallego and Kagge weren't in the pre-selection, they are not here either, so I don't even know who should be a surprise here.

[Flandrien]

La Grande Boucle, without a doubt, the biggest race of the year. Having previously made their debut in the Giro, it is now the Flandriens’ turn to make their debut in France’s most beautiful race. The team is fully rested and ready to compete for 21 days. The following riders can look forward to lining up at the start in Barcelona:

Salvatore Meeus - GC Leader
The mountain goat Salva. He started the Giro with modest ambitions, aiming for a top-10 GC finish and competing in the mountain stages. Expectations exceeded, in Rome, he took third podium spot. In June, he continued that run of form, finishing second in the Tour of Auvergne and winning both the Andorra Classic and Waterford-Knockmeal. He’s full of confidence and will be fighting for a top-5 GC finish here.

Mark Boonen - Sprinter
Mark has been selected for his first major tour; he’s under pressure as he hasn’t managed to make his mark yet. Without a sprint train, he’ll have to fight his way through to achieve a good result.

Robin Jonckheere - Puncher
The Giro stage winner will also have his own chance here in the Tour. He has targeted the transitional stages aiming to compete for stage victory. He will also try to support Salva as much as possible in the mountains.

Mikkel Sorensen - All-rounder
The young Dane is regarded as one of the great talents in the classics-department. He is here primarily to learn, but after a tough stage he could go for his own chance with his strong sprint. He is also the engine in the team time trial.

Kenneth Verbeke - Rouleur
Like Jonckheere, Verbeke will get his chance in the breakaway. He has plenty of stamina to help the breakaway go through to a successful conclusion.

Ole Skoglund - Rouleur
Like Mikkel, the Norwegian is making his debut on the biggest stage. Ole is still very much in the process of discovering what he’s best at, but don’t write him off once he gets into his stride.

Zane Claessens - Domestique
Zane is the most experienced rider in the team. He brings a sense of calm and speed to the team. Don’t be surprised if he suddenly appears in the breakaway.

Magnus Fjellvik - Domestique
Magnus is set to compete in his second Grand Tour at a young age. He is here primarily to lead our team leaders to the front and cover them from the wind. He’s got a big engine in him.

Antoine Masson - Domestique
Last but not least, Toine. Masson is a jack-of-all-trades, from fetching water bottles to bringing riders to the front. He makes sure everything runs smoothly for the rest of the team.

Ambition:
Our aim is to fight for a top-five general classification finish and to win a stage. In the transitional stages, we’ll be part of the breakaway of the day.

As manager manager of the Flandriens, we wish everyone the best of luck. May the best team win

[team fl]

Yeah, we love us some Flandrien and Salvatore!

[team fl]

Latest news from Team FL: Manfred Matt still wants to know it and will start in Barcelona instead of Arturas Andiriuskevicius. Favourite check follows...

[Falcor CC]

Due to doping allegations, all Falcor riders were banned from riding in France. We only managed to get a short statement from Max Dokker:

"I swear it wasn't me, someone spiked my 16th beer yesterday!"

While the team is under investigation, we wish all other teams all the best in France for the next 3 weeks and hope to see you all in La Vuelta

[team fl]

Due to doping allegations, all Falcor riders were banned from riding in France. We only managed to get a short statement from Max Dokker:

"I swear it wasn't me, someone spiked my 16th beer yesterday!"

While the team is under investigation, we wish all other teams all the best in France for the next 3 weeks and hope to see you all in La Vuelta

The Vuelta boycot is ongoing! -> viewtopic.php?f=22&t=10401

[Falcor CC]

Due to doping allegations, all Falcor riders were banned from riding in France. We only managed to get a short statement from Max Dokker:

"I swear it wasn't me, someone spiked my 16th beer yesterday!"

While the team is under investigation, we wish all other teams all the best in France for the next 3 weeks and hope to see you all in La Vuelta

The Vuelta boycot is ongoing! -> viewtopic.php?f=22&t=10401

So I won't beat your train all year?

[team fl]

Due to doping allegations, all Falcor riders were banned from riding in France. We only managed to get a short statement from Max Dokker:

"I swear it wasn't me, someone spiked my 16th beer yesterday!"

While the team is under investigation, we wish all other teams all the best in France for the next 3 weeks and hope to see you all in La Vuelta

The Vuelta boycot is ongoing! -> viewtopic.php?f=22&t=10401

So I won't beat your train all year?

It's all about expectation management

[team fl]

And the favourite check:

Maillot Jaune
***** Jamshid Abdurashitov (SouthWest Packers)
****
*** Richard Anders (Team Bubendorf)
** Arjen Burger (CreditPommes), Corentin Poitrenaud (Tukhtahuaev), Iwan Bondarew (SouthWest Packers)
* Azimbek Iskanderov (Big Donkey), Salvatore Meeus (Flandrien)

Maillot Vert
*** Artem Palamarchuck (Tukhtahauaev)
** Fritz Wotruba (Wiener Zentralfriedhof RV), Vincent Verwimp (Team FL), Mathew Beasley (ECS Cycling),
* Arcadio Bongiorno (Big Donkey), The Sultan (Tukhtahuaev), Rainer Calmund (Team Bubendorf), Victor Delpierre (Gipfelstuermer)

Maillot à Pois
*** The one who wants it
** another rider
* a surprise rider

Maillot Blanc
*** Corentin Poitrenaud (Tukhtahuaev)
** Dong Thong (RC Cost)
* a surprise ricer

Team classement
*** SouthWest Packers
** Team Bubendorf
* a surprise team

[Tukhtahuaev]

Alborghetti must have left quite an impression to get a star here without even riding

[team fl]

Alborghetti must have left quite an impression to get a star here without even riding

made it before I saw the line up . See it as a honorable mention... Bondarew also really wrong. Forgot that he would not be able to keep up with all that TT power at SWP.

So Stage 1: Not much to write. SWP won with a huge margin, 1'41'' before the Steinsson brothers. So Abdurashitov already in yellow, while Steingrimur Steinsson is allowed to wear white, at least for tomorrow.

The standings after stage 1:

General classement:
01. 00:00:00 Jamshid Abdurashitov (SouthWest Packers)
...
...
!!!
...

Points classement:
01. ...
02. ...
03. ...

Mountain classement:
01. ...
02. ...
03. ...

Youth classement:
01. 00:01:41 Steingrimur Steinsson (Team FL)
02. 00:01:41 Steindor Steinsson (Team FL)
03. 00:01:50 Corentin Poitrenaud (Tukhtahuaev)

Team classement:
01. 00:00:00 SouthWest Packers
02. 00:04:52 Team FL
03. 00:05:44 Tukhtahuaev

Stage wins by riders:
1 - SouthWest Packers (TTT)

Stage wins by teams:
1 - SouthWest Packers

Days in Rosa:
1 - Jamshid Abdurashitov (SouthWest Packers)

Most combative rider:
1 - tbd

Days with the Red Lantern:
1 - Julien Louis (Gipfelstuermer)

[Robyklebt]

Very unhappy with my TTT. Not that it will matter much for GC, but for my money quest... and pride... sniff

Overslept, little sleep due to that thing called World Cup, home at 17:30? Dead tired, bed, alarm clock at 21:00... after getting up at 19:00 to get rid of some of the huge amounts of sugary liquids I had drunken to stay awake then slept happily through the alarm clock and was woken up by my wife at exactly 22:00. And I had no idea what time it was, somehow thought it was morning, why am I being woken up at 10am, I'm famous for my ability to sleep deep into the afternoon!!! Ahhhh, ok, running, put in full effort after 1 km without it while on.. then put in some sort of tempo thing, which was pretty bad actually, thought no Kebede, but he was riding too. Then slow corrections while waking up, getting better, then at some point realized that I should take out the waiting, thought I had taken it out for all except Bonjour and Iskanderov, obviously forgot Ole... Ended up 16" behind Cost, before that was slightly back, 4" after being at the same level for quite a while. Before the km hoped to overtake him and Quickstep, maybe Flandrien too if I remember correctly. Stupid. Irrelevant but stupid.

Looking at it know usually my goal here would have been to be fourth, on from the start, good settings immediately and no stupid Ole waiting, should have been possible.

[team fl]

Stage 2, first win of an early escape group. While the GC and stage favourites where chasing early, SWP and Team Bubendorf. But Richard Andres (Team Bubendorf) missed the stage win by just 10 seconds. In front of him were five brave riders including Steingrimur Steinsson in White. And in front of them was the stage winner: Erling Ousland (Big Donkey). He's also wearing Green now while Francesco Arré (Quickstep) took over the Polka Dot jersey. Abdurashitov (SWP) defended yellow, although Steingrimur Steinsson was in virtual yellow for most of the stage, but it was never in danger. Let's see if tomorrow the favourites will control again after today's effort. At least we have a happy Donkey now (for how long though...) .

The standings after stage 3:

General classement:
01. 00:00:00 Jamshid Abdurashitov (SouthWest Packers)
02. 00:01:33 Steingrimur Steinsson (Team FL)
03. 00:01:53 Corentin Poitrenaud (Tukhtahuaev)
04. 00:01:53 Francesco Arré (Quickstep)
05. 00:01:53 Salvatore Meeus (Flandrien)
06. 00:01:53 Manfred Matt (Team FL)
07. 00:01:53 Erling Ousland (Big Donkey)
08. 00:01:53 Kenneth Verbeke (Flandrien)
09. 00:01:53 Abylaykhan Zhangylyshbay (Tukhtahuaev)
10. 00:01:53 Felikss Fokerots (Team FL)

Points classement:
01. 036 Erling Ousland (Big Donkey)
02. 029 Kenneth Verbeke (Flandrien)
03. 026 Francesco Arré (Quickstep)

Mountain classement:
01. 005 Francesco Arré (Quickstep)
02. 004 Kenneth Verbeke (Flandrien)
03. 003 Steven Bayer (Quickstep)

Youth classement:
01. 00:01:33 Steingrimur Steinsson (Team FL)
02. 00:01:53 Corentin Poitrenaud (Tukhtahuaev)
03. 00:01:41 Francesco Arré (Quickstep)

Team classement:
01. 00:00:00 SouthWest Packers
02. 00:03:06 Team FL
03. 00:03:50 Tukhtahuaev

Stage wins by riders:
1 - SouthWest Packers (TTT)
1 - Erling Ousland (Big Donkey)

Stage wins by teams:
1 - Big Donkey
1 - SouthWest Packers

Days in Rosa:
2 - Jamshid Abdurashitov (SouthWest Packers)

Most combative rider:
1 - Federico Vigni (Big Donkey)
1 - Abylaykhan Zhangylyshbay (Tukhtahuaev)

Days with the Red Lantern:
1 - Julien Louis (Gipfelstuermer)
1 - Laszlo Szabolcs (Quickstep)

[Robyklebt]

Happy Donkey, happy Donkey

Didn't really expect to win, hoped, but basically was ok to just ride and take it as it comes. Not sure if I missed much compared to Arré and the difficult Tukh rider, won't check that name, or to Flandrien or WZF, anyway, Ousland put in yes alone on the 7, to protect against attacks by the stronger guys, only he and Arré in tempo, oh.. cool. So attack, thought Arré tries too, he's probably stronger, but maybe on 5 with more flat I end ahead? He neither went nor followed, Ousland gets it, Donkey happy, ready for a pressure less rest of the TdF.

Tactically the GC cannon fodder brigade did everything right today. Mass attack, put SWP under pressure from the start, well under pressure... have him work. Him and the mountain stages favorite Bubendorf. Have them invest energy to keep things under control, it can backfire, at some point SWP might be so weakened he just goes with the 60-80es from far... but otherwise makes sense, put pressure on energy wise, if the group doesn't do it today, it maybe works tomorrow and after tomorrow etc etc. So escape wasn't really only for today, was more part of a whole elaborate weakening strategy... SWP has reg, so might not work that well, but worth a try. And even if it doesn't work, what do the Donkeys care? They won a stage...But think today we escapers and GC irrelevant, stage outsiders did it right. Just go and hope.

Negative, a bit: Except Flandrien we don't have any of the Falcor-wave here anymore. Let's hope the wave survives. Poblenou at the Giro,, Tecno Vigo and Unione Ciclista Alpina at Auvergne and possibly others that I know forgot did well enough in their races, hope they are still around. And dominate lesser races while we're at the Tour.

Predictions.. pretty boring, Abdurashitov for yellow, rest of podium I don't really care. If Iskanderov at some point is actually still in that I will try to end up second, third, fourth, best possible, money, but a stage would be nicer.
Points of course Ousland. Well no, no idea how the sprints will play out and which teams will invest how much for sprints.
Mountain not really interested, not only not in winning it but also who might go for it. After today, Arré, Quickstep? 60 to 70 mountain seems predestined to go for it early, climbers come into play later possibly. Or FL with his double 70 classics? Or Cost that should be in escape every day starting tomorrow? We'll see.
White for Tukh, Poitrenaud is clear.
Team classification I guess SWP. Even if at some points an escape gets through with 20'.... by then he should have such an advantage....

Today like in the other TdF pretty big time losses already. 24 riders within a minute, 6 of them in the escape...after that a big gap. That of course means that for SWP it's already not really necessary to chase all groups anymore, only for goodwill, help the stage hunters...