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Pro Log: AusCycling bans Matthew Richardson for life over nationality change; Marta Cavalli moves to DSM; Maxim Van Gils contract drama
Welcome back to another edition of Pro Log. Here’s a rundown of the latest cyclocross results before we get started:
- Antwerp, Men’s World Cup, Sun 24th Nov: 1st Eli Iserbyt, Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal, 58min 56sec; 2nd Laurens Sweeck, Alpecin-Deceuninck, +17sec; 3rd Michael Vanthourenhout, Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal, +28sec.
- Antwerp, Women’s World Cup, Sun 24th Nov: 1st Fem van Empel, Visma-Lease a Bike, 50min 33sec; 2nd Lucinda Brand, Baloise Trek Lions, +31sec; 3rd Marie Schreiber, SD Worx-Protime, +1min 11sec.
AusCycling bans Matthew Richardson from returning
AusCycling, the governing body for cycling in Australia, has today announced that it is banning track cyclist Matthew Richardson for life from competing for Australia. The 25-year-old represented Australia at the 2024 Olympics in Paris, where he won two silver medals and a bronze, but then switched to competing for Great Britain – the country of his birth – straight after the games.
The organisation determined Richardson acted ‘in a way which conflicted with the values of AusCycling, the Australian National Team and the broader cycling community’. Findings include that Richardson requested a delay in the disclosure of his change until after the Olympics and that he withheld news of the move from AusCycling prior to the Games.
The findings also state that before announcing his decision, he asked to take AusCycling property including a custom bike, cockpit and Olympic race suit to Great Britain, which AusCycling calls an ‘unacceptable risk to AusCycling’s intellectual property’.
Richardson was born in Britain but moved to Australia as a child and hence has dual nationality. After switching allegiances, Richardson was hit with a period of ineligibility that forced him out of the 2024 World Championships as well as next year’s European Championships. AusCycling revealed it had looked into a two-year racing ban but it was deemed legally unenforceable.
AusCycling’s decision means Richardson can never rejoin the Australian Cycling Team, is prohibited from using resources associated with it or its partners, and is ineligible for any AusCycling awards.
Marta Cavalli signs for DSM-Firmenich-PostNL
FDJ-Suez’s Marta Cavalli has signed a two-year contract with DSM-Firmenich-PostNL. The Italian’s palmarès includes the Amstel Gold Race and La Flèche Wallonne in 2022, plus stage race wins in the Tour Féminin International des Pyrénées and Tour Feminin l’Ardeche in 2023.
Cavalli will be hoping her fortunes improve with a new squad, having suffered her share of bad luck over the past few years. She was hit from behind in a high-speed crash at the inaugural Tour de France Femmes in 2022, which also impacted her 2023 season, as she need to take extra time off the bike to recover further.
This year, Cavalli was hit by a driver near her home in Italy while training. She avoided serious injury but only managed five race days for the season. Her best result was ninth place at La Flèche Wallonne before she ended the year prematurely at La Vuelta Femenina.
Is Maxim Van Gils on the move?
After reports Maxim Van Gils had reportedly tried to break his contract early with Lotto-Dstny, the squad has released a statement saying talks are ‘ongoing’ with the Belgian regarding a potential departure.
In March this year, Van Gils extended his contract to 2026 and described Lotto-Dstny as his ‘second home’. This came in a breakout season in which the he finished third at Strade Bianche and La Flèche Wallonne, seventh at Milan-San Remo and fourth at Liège-Bastogne-Liège.
A move could not only cost Van Gils months of racing, but also around €1 million to get out of his contract early.
Andrey Amador retires
Andrey Amador has announced his retirement from professional cycling aged 38 despite having a year remaining on his contract with EF Education-EasyPost. The Costa Rican was sidelined from competing after being hit by a driver in May, his last race being the Tour of Romandie in April, which he abandoned on the second stage.
‘It was not an easy decision. It wasn’t planned, but in life and cycling there are times when you have to listen to your body and where taking care of your health should be the priority.
‘Although I am saying goodbye to professional cycling, I will always remain connected to this sport I love,’ he said.
Amador turned professional in 2009 for Caisse d’Epargne (now Movistar), where he remained for a decade. In that time he became the first Costa Rican to ride the Tour de France when participating in 2011 and won his first Grand Tour stage at the Giro d’Italia a year later. He also became the first Costa Rican to lead a Grand Tour when he wore the maglia rosa at the 2016 Giro.
Amador spent three years riding for Ineos Grenadiers before moving to EF Education-EasyPost in 2023.
See you soon.
The post Pro Log: AusCycling bans Matthew Richardson for life over nationality change; Marta Cavalli moves to DSM; Maxim Van Gils contract drama appeared first on Cyclist.