VN news ticker: Tadej Pogačar confirmed for Euro champs, Gino Mäder opens Vuelta fund-raiser
Here's what's making headlines on Tuesday, August 17.
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Keegan Swenson, Alexis Skarda lead Breck Epic after two stages
Colorado’s Breck Epic mountain bike race kicked off on Sunday, and after two stages Keegan Swenson and Erin Skarda lead the GC in the marquee solo six-day format.
Swenson, the recent winner of the Leadville Trail 100 MTB and the defending Breck Epic champion, won the opening two stages ahead of Colombian rider Luis Mejia, while Skarda topped Evelyn Dong on both days.
This year the race has attracted 387 starters, and the event features multiple distances and events, from a three-day race, to the six-day event, with solo and duo categories as well.
Tadej Pogačar confirmed for European championships
Tadej Pogačar is adding the European championships to his fall racing calendar.
Officials confirmed the presence of the two-time Tour de France champion at the UEC Road European Championships, September 8-12. Pogačar is set to race both the time trial and road race events in Trentino, Italy.
Pogačar is taking a break after the Tokyo Olympic Games, where he won bronze in the elite men’s road race. He skipped a possible start at the Vuelta a España, and is expected to return to competition at the Bretagne Classic-Ouest France on August 29. He will likely race the world championships in Flanders in September as well as Il Lombardia on October 9 in Italy to close out his 2021 campaign.
Gino Mäder to donate money for every rider he beats
Gino Mäder will donate one euro to charity for every rider he beats in every stage in the 2021 Vuelta a España.
The Swiss rider on Bahrain Victorious said he will donate money to “environmental organizations,” and asked fans to help him find the right charities.
So far through three stages, Mäder beat 153 in stage 1, 129 in stage 2, and 168 in stage 3, for a total of 450 euros through three days of racing.
Each rider I beat on every stage equals 1 euro that I‘ll spend to an environmental organisation.
To decide where the money should go, write in the comments where it‘s best invested! The comment with the most likes at the end of the three weeks get‘s chosen.
— Gino Mäder (@maedergino) August 15, 2021