The dates displayed for an article provide information on when various publication milestones were reached at the journal that has published the article activities on preceding journals at which the article was previously under consideration are not shown (for instance submission Science of the Total EnvironmentCitation Excerpt :Absolute population estimates may not always be available for all sites (i.e. population proxies ideally require calibration on a site-by-site basis; Gao et al. It has been highlighted that for catchments with particularly dynamic populations it is necessary to account for relative changes in population size (Boogaerts et al. Various population proxies have been used to capture relative population changes including pepper mild mottle virus NH4-N and mobile phone counts (Maal-Bared et al. All content on this site: Copyright © 2025 Elsevier B.V. Known for their genre-defying creativity that blends live-action with animation the dynamic directing duo of Jack Antoine Charlot and Sidney Van Wichelen is the latest signing to the evolving Pulse roster With 10 Vimeo Staff Picks and recognition from various festivals Jack is a visionary animation director in love with iconic characters and immersive worlds From Mika’s Lollipop to Netflix’s Big Flo & Oli documentary his work celebrates the fusion of animation with emotional depth and a touch of humour in both ads and short films the France- and Belgium-based duo carved out a distinct creative identity of hyperreal aesthetics and a keen insight into culture and youth trends Their portfolio spans campaigns for global brands like Adidas as well as music videos for some of the most exciting artists in the industry “We’re only interested in making films that hit hard real-world imagery with high-end visual effects - not the loud kind Pulse has consistently been known for backing their directors with serious craft “We were immediately blown away by Jack and Sid's ability to blend unique visuals with VFX and animation crafting films that have cinematic scale and are emotionally resonant Their vision is the perfect addition to the kind of ambitious work we strive to create and we are incredibly excited to have them join the Pulse family.” Objekt Architecten has transformed a detached house in rural Wichelen, Belgium giving it a refreshed yet contemporary interior while preserving its classic exterior The renovation restored the original crow-stepped gable while the rest of the exterior remained untouched except for new contrasting window openings at the rear double-height window was added to enhance the connection with the garden and surrounding meadows setting it apart from the original neo-style elements through modern detailing and proportions all images by Ypsilon Business Photography The interior saw the most significant transformation The ceiling in the living space was removed double-height area extending below the ridge of the house hovering above the space like a concrete disc cast on-site This new floor was carefully designed with a focus on the supporting structure and fastening methods ensuring it integrates seamlessly into the home’s open layout To define the different zones within the open-plan space, the architects used varied materials The kitchen and living room are visually separated by a large planter filled with tropical plants while green Topcer tiles cover the kitchen floor and continue onto the island and planter new materials and structural elements have been harmonized into the overall design creating a seamless and functional interior Objekt Architecten transformed a classic house in Wichelen new window openings at the rear create contrast a double-height window connects the interior to the garden and surrounding meadows the ceiling of the living space was removed to create an open the large double-height window brings natural light deep into the home’s interior the kitchen and living room are separated visually by a large planter filled with tropical plants green Topcer tiles extend from the kitchen floor to the island and planter for a unified look hovers above the living space like a suspended disc different materials were used to delineate the open-plan space and its functions the mezzanine’s design focused on supporting structure and fastening for seamless integration structural elements were carefully detailed to harmonize with the home’s overall design architect: Objekt Architecten | @objekt_architecten photography: Ypsilon Business Photography | @ypsilon_business_photography designboom has received this project from our DIY submissions feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here. edited by: christina vergopoulou | designboom AXOR presents three bathroom concepts that are not merely places of function but destinations in themselves — sanctuaries of style A new initiative led by Professor Sonja van Wichelen from the School of Social and Political Sciences at the University of Sydney is set to engage science communication in Indonesia Funded by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), the SciCoPH project aims to bridge the gap between scientific research and public engagement to foster more effective policy and community action Indonesia faces pressing environmental and health challenges from climate change and deforestation to air pollution and emerging infectious diseases Effective science communication is essential to addressing these issues ensuring that scientific knowledge reaches policymakers and the broader community in ways that drive meaningful change communicating complex scientific data in an accessible and compelling way remains a significant challenge particularly in regions where public trust in science varies widely By strengthening communication channels and skills we can advance scientific trust and empower communities to respond effectively to planetary health challenges Working in collaboration with the Society of Indonesian Science Journalists (SISJ), the Science Journalists Association of Australia (SJAA), and the University of Sydney’s Sydney Southeast Asia Centre (SSEAC) Professor van Wichelen’s project will focus on developing communication strategies around planetary health that resonate with diverse Indonesian audiences This includes training early career journalists and science communicators in storytelling techniques These efforts aim to enhance the effectiveness of science journalism and governmental policy discussions to promote sustainable solutions for environmental and health concerns "Science communication is more than just disseminating information—it’s about critical accountability as well as creating narratives that inspire action and change," said Professor van Wichelen "By strengthening communication channels and skills we can advance scientific trust and empower communities to respond effectively to planetary health challenges." The initiative involves a series of workshops and public engagement activities in Indonesia and Australia By equipping scientists and journalists with the tools to communicate and interrogate complex scientific concepts the project aims to foster a more informed and proactive public discourse on planetary health The project will also explore the role of digital platforms and social media in science communication recognizing the growing influence of online discourse in shaping public understanding of environmental and health issues researchers hope to reach younger generations and rural communities making planetary health discussions more inclusive and widespread the project will analyse case studies of successful science communication efforts in Australia and Southeast Asia to develop best practices that can be adapted to the Indonesian context By fostering connections between researchers this initiative will contribute to building a stronger science-literate society that can address the pressing environmental and health crises of our time Manual Description : School of Social and Political Sciences Today tests on sewage in Flanders and Brussels show it contains 7 to 11 times more ketamine on weekdays than 10 years ago The figures are published in a study from Antwerp University Ketamine is a narcotic that has been on the rise for some time It is an illegal drug that has become increasingly popular in the Flemish nightlife ‘The use of ketamine has increased over the past 10 years more than expected’ explains researcher Natan Van Wichelen (UAntwerpen) we found 7 to 11 times more ketamine in sewage water than in 2012 These results confirm that ketamine is gaining in popularity.’ Antwerp University (UAntwerpen) analysed water samples of sewage water at 26 locations across Flanders and Brussels Researchers looked specifically for human breakdown products of ketamine In this way they could be sure they were only measuring ketamine consumed by humans Ketamine is used as an anaesthetic in hospitals (and in veterinary medicine) But it is also used as an illicit drug in nightlife Severe oxygen deprivation can also occur when high doses are used ketamine can lead to chronic bladder infections Source: de druglijn ‘An increase in ketamine seizures and hospital admissions due to excessive ketamine use have been observed for some time So we wanted to investigate whether this trend was also visible in wastewater,’ says Van Wichelen ‘But we didn't expect such large increases.’ ‘The big advantage of wastewater analysis lies in the fact that everyone participates in our study This allows us to paint a good picture of the consumption of illegal substances which is more difficult to map out using other methods.’ Earlier research by the Flemish Alcohol and other Drugs Expertise Centre (VAD) among partygoers already showed that ketamine was on the rise as an illicit drug The use of ketamine now appears to be widespread Ketamine is a narcotic that can cause hallucinations ‘We found the highest concentrations in cities and in regions close to the Dutch border We also found significant amounts of ketamine in sewage in rural areas The idea that drugs are only used in big cities is not true for ketamine.’ Another surprising finding is that ketamine was not only detected in sewage in large quantities at weekends ‘We also found really large amounts of ketamine on weekdays too,’ explains Van Wichelen Consumption throughout the year is relatively stable whereas with other drugs we see huge peaks during holidays or festival periods and then they disappear again we can say it really is being used both in the party environment Sewage was sampled between 2020 and 2023 at the wastewater treatment centres of Ostend The study was published in the scientific journal ‘Water Research’ Belgian customs seized 56.8 kg of ketamine at Brussels and Liège airports That is more than a third of the total quantity intercepted in the whole of 2024 The ketamine in question was often purchased legally as a medical drug but resold illegally as a party drug Because regulations are not uniform across Europe it is difficult for police and customs to intervene Originally developed as an anaesthetic for use in hospitals and veterinary medicine ketamine is also used as an illicit drug in Belgian nightlife Ketamine consumption appears relatively stable throughout the year while for other drugs huge spikes are observed during holiday periods and festival periods Ketamine used to be little used and was mostly derived from stolen (animal) drugs chemically pure ketamine is increasingly found mainly derived from the legal pharmaceutical circuit and then illegally resold ‘Alarming increase in ketamine use in Belgium’ which is responsible for the customs service warned of the ‘alarming increase in ketamine use in Belgium’ The ministry points to a recent study by researcher Natan Van Wichelen (Antwerp University - UAntwerpen) ketamine is found at levels in sewage water that are 7 to 11 times higher than 10 years ago the authorities are sharing figures on the amount of ketamine seized at Brussels and Liège airports Because ketamine is increasingly being exported illegally the ‘retail price’ of the party drug on the street is up to three times higher than in Belgium seizures already amount to 56.8 kilograms and that’s in just two months That is more than a third of the total quantity seized last year the total amount was just under 168 kilograms with the figure just over 205 kilograms the year before Smuggling mainly occurs via postal and courier shipments The drugs are hidden among all kinds of items in quantities ranging from 100 grams to 20 kilograms there was a passenger who wanted to fly to Germany with 16.4 kilograms of ketamine,’ the Belgian finance ministry notes The finance ministry is really sounding the alarm and calling for consultations at the European level ‘One of the challenges is the fact that ketamine does not have the same legal status everywhere in the EU it does not fall under the Opium Act like ‘classic’ drugs.’ Ketamine is only regulated as a narcotic in six member states ‘To discuss these challenges and examine the evolution of the ketamine epidemic consultation at EU level is needed so that this problem can be addressed in a coordinated way’ the ministry argues The underground rapid transit lines have been under construction for almost two decades due to various project delays The cross pinnacle on the Tower of Jesus Christ will be ready to receive visitors in 2026 on the centennial of Gaudi’s death Now you can get your wine in Talence by paying directly in Bitcoin That’s because the state has to spend money on updating the railway infrastructure rather than subsidizing the cost of the popular pass Steffen Romstöck said that he would respect the residents’ choice and would take over the helm of the municipality which will come into force from 1 January 2025 Rethinking renewable energy sources for the urban landscape But operating them is still illegal under the country’s legislation can inform and inspire communities and entrepreneurs that still feel trepidation at the prospect of energy transition it has a unique modular design that allows it to be shortened and lengthened like a train that’s the promise made by the mayor of Paris the district has long been known as the hangout spot for the artsy crowds Hostal de Pinós is located in the geographical centre of the autonomous region the ranking considers several distinct but essential factors these quiet areas will now be available on all main routes in the country The academic institution shows a deeper understanding of the well-being of its students The town of Wichelen was given to the Byzantine princess Theophanu marking the first time it was mentioned in a historic document A small town in Belgium called Wichelen is getting ready to kick off a month-long commemoration of the Holy Roman Empress Theophanu. The event is organised by the local historical society and it marks the year the Byzantine Princess married the Holy Roman Emperor Otto II along with a host of other territories were given to Empress Theophanu as a dowry the municipality would mark the 1050-year anniversary of the royal marriage this is the first time the town of just 11,000 people is mentioned in a historical document and according to representatives of the historical society it could also be considered an anniversary of the town itself The one-month celebration in the small Belgian municipality will attract some world-class guests and lecturers throughout its programme who spearheaded the initiative and also helped uncover early Medieval ruins in the area will give a lecture on local history the Honorary President of the European Council to help present a book based on local history Van Rompuy is the chair of the advisory board of the Empress Theophanu Foundation The book presentation itself will be accompanied by an exhibition of historic artefacts and a traditional local food to help immerse visitors into the historic atmosphere a quartet performing classical Byzantine chants called Gospodi will also make an appearance the 12-year-old Byzantine princess Theophanu married 17-year-old German Emperor Otto II at St she was given a gold and purple-decorated marriage certificate It describes Theophanu's particularly rich dowry “Across the Alps (Theophanu gets) the areas of Walcheren with the associated fourteen thousand farms.” Nivelles was one of the most famous monasteries in the early Middle Ages and it came under the direct authority of the Holy Roman Emperor in the 10th century which is why the princess got it as a dowry The Empress died in 991 and was buried in Saint Pantaleon's Church in Cologne a religious site she helped sponsor for its expansion religious figures St Pantaleon hold masses to commemorate her The 10th European Conference on Sustainable Cities and Towns (ESCT) sets the stage for stronger cooperation between the EU national and local level to fast track Europe's transition to climate neutrality Urban dwellers across the EU are having a say in making their surroundings friendlier to people and the environment Forests in the EU can help green the European construction industry and bolster a continent-wide push for architectural improvements Apply by 10 November and do your part for the transformation of European public spaces An interview with the Mayor of a Polish city that seeks to reinvent itself An interview with the newly elected ICLEI President and Mayor of Malmö A conversation with the Mayor of Lisbon about the spirit and dimensions of innovation present in the Portuguese capital Famed creative production studio London Alley welcomes to its team the award-winning international director Sidney Van Wichelen Sidney is known for his vibrant and poetic films each spot serves the best interest of the brands and artists he works with.   The commercial focuses on a bodybuilder going through a breakup Sidney played with various cliches in his directing to break the typical breakup stereotypes and surprise the audience.  “As a director I love mixing genres and mediums emotional PSAs and documentary-style short films and make it my mission to pull the best performances out of every actor and authentic individual I work with we all achieve our greatest potential,” said Sidney I am being given the unique opportunity to bridge my background in creativity with my passion for directing Sidney began his career in broadcasting and soon after transitioned into advertising, working at agencies Hotel Hungaria and Grey Worldwide-owned agency FamousGrey. Van Wichelen’s work has been recognised by the top advertising awards including D&AD, The Effie Awards, The One Show, The Webby’s, and Epica Awards. In 2022, his emotional film, ‘Break Away’ was awarded two Grand Prix's and Sidney was named a top performing director by Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity “We are thrilled to have Sidney join us as we expand our international roster of directors,” said Brandon Bonfiglio “He is extremely accomplished and has the drive to create amazing work Paired with his creative agency experience Sidney brings a unique perspective and we are looking forward to seeing what he does next.” London Alley marks Sidney’s first representation in the United States and is repped by Paris-based film studio Caviar internationally Please note that this is an automated translation and it will not be perfect All articles have been written in English and if anything appears to not make sense Jonas Vingegaard finishes stage 17 of the Tour de France SSEAC sponsored three early-career researchers to attend the Science, Technology, & Human Values STS School 2024 (STS School) held in Singapore in June Tsung (Edward) Jen Hung from the Faculty of Science and Rachel Zicheng Yang from the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences at the University of Sydney and Dr Dimas D Laksmana from the Department of Sociology at Universitas Indonesia were among 26 participants selected from over 120 applicants to take part in the immersive research and training program Edward Hung and Dimas Laksmana at the STS School in Singapore STS scholars from a number of universities across various disciplines were specially invited to be instructors and mentors, including SSEAC member Professor Sonja Van Wichelen (Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences) “The STS School was a unique opportunity to build capacity for the next generation of critical scholars working on the social study of science and technology – particularly in the Southeast keynotes and mentoring sessions designed to support participants’ research projects and professional careers The STS School 2024 participants and instructors on a field trip in Singapore “The comments from fellow scholars demonstrated their deep engagement with their respective fields offering perspectives that have led me to rethink and reframe my thesis in novel ways,” Edward said feedback challenged my previously unexamined assumptions and highlighted the need to articulate the subtle distinctions between my concepts more clearly.” ‘The ethics of generation in multispecies encounters: Syncretic relations between humans and soil microorganism in agriculture’ “Based on the discussions and feedback during the STS School I decided to focus my research on multiple temporalities in human-soil microorganism relations.”  the workshop also provided new insights for her PhD project ‘Reimagining ecologies: Network of technologies and infrastructure in Hong Kong’ “The critical thinking encouraged and the invaluable feedback provided during the workshop directed my research in new sharpening my arguments and deepening my conceptual analysis.” The program also aimed to sharpen participants’ publication skills. A panel session chaired by the editors of Science, Technology, & Human Values (ST&HV) provided practical tips on publishing in STS from crafting compelling arguments and selecting appropriate journals to utilising reviewers’ feedback to improve the manuscript “Understanding the concerns of editorial boards and learning how to tailor my thesis to meet the expectations of STS-specific journals provided invaluable insights into the review process including many of the underlying dynamics that are often not explicitly and openly discussed,” said Edward Participants noted the panel session on navigating a career in STS was also a highlight providing insights and eliciting new ways of thinking “Publishing and finding a job in academia can be daunting for early-career STS scholars especially when many institutions do not have a dedicated STS department,” Rachel said “Being interdisciplinary sometimes implies not being disciplinary enough – and this might become more apparent when looking for a position in academia The experience with the STS School inspired me to find a more ‘disciplined’ topic within the interdisciplinary nature of STS.” As a soon-to-be university lecturer in Indonesia Dimas was glad to meet others in a similar position I learned how STS is institutionalised in different academic cultures and systems in different geographical locations These transnational connections I hope can pave the way for critical discussions on science and technology in Southeast Asia.” A session on STS in and on Asia examined how STS can decentre its Euro-American traditions with participants reflecting on the location of the summer School in Asia “The School’s Southeast Asian location is vital for shaping our understanding of global dynamics in STS topics and research,” Rachel noted By locating in and conceptually focusing on Southeast Asia the school expands STS’s conceptual bases and draws attention to the extensive STS scholarship outside of Euro-American contexts.” The STS School was organised by the ST&HV editorial collective: Timothy Neale (Deakin University) Courtney Addison (Victoria University of Wellington) University of London) and Matthew Kearnes (University of NSW) with Tom Özden-Schilling (NUS) Ksenia Tatarchenko (SMU) and Sonja van Wichelen (University of Sydney) analyses and commentary on the development and dynamics of science and technology with a focus on their relationship to politics “I think the clear articulation from the ST&HV editorial collective on the importance of generosity and humility in being ‘critical friends’ helped us transnationalise STS throughout the school,” Dimas said “I appreciate the tremendous and generous work and support of the organisers and other participants in making this school meaningful and a space of change that we will cultivate in our localities both in our research and when working with peers and future students.” Who and what are involved in the making and naming of memory projects as archives What kinds of stories become told through archives in 15 different cities and more than 60 days of activity These are the numbers that summarize a long season of Valencia CF Campus in the Netherlands and Belgium which once again this year has been a complete success in an activity that is part of the Academy Programs of the Valencia CF Academy the last Valencia CF Campuses have been held in Steenbergen (Netherlands) and Lubeek (Belgium) they have taken place in 7 cities in Belgium -Wichelen Antwerp- and in 8 cities in the Netherlands -Rotterdam The more than 1,000 players had the opportunity to enjoy soccer and learn with the coaches from the Ciutat Esportiva de Paterna the working methodology of the VCF Academy the fourth best in Europe in the training of players to compete at the elite level according to the latest report of the CIES Football Observatory (+INFO) technical consultancy and the VCF Soccer Academy that the VCF Academy has in strategic markets in North America Asia and Latin America are all part of the VCF Academy's expansion process Related news Ver todas Check out all the activities scheduled for this month Valencia CF secures its presence in Seattle until 2028 through its VCF Academy Latest news Ver todas The pitch has been restored thanks to donations from LALIGA EA SPORTS and contributions to the ‘FILA CERO SOLIDARIA’ The defender talks over the win in Gran Canaria The Valencia CF coach analyses the win over UD Las Palmas You must have a user account or log in to view the content Log in or register. The IAS selected Associate Professor Van Wichelen from more than 1500 applications for membership worldwide New Jersey to join the IAS's School of Social Sciences in the US academic year 2020-2021 Associate Professor Van Wichelen's research broadly explores how new biomedical technologies are redefining society This aligns with the IAS's theme for 2020-2021 of 'Science and the State', which the institute says will explore "how states support and how the sciences support the structure Associate Professor Van Wichelen will pursue her own research on the global transfer of human biological material as well as collaborating with other visiting scholars representing a diverse range of disciplines which investigates the tensions between national and global medico-legal regulatory regimes in Southeast Asian countries has important implications for medical tourism "Asian countries are becoming major players in the world of bioscience yet what is often overlooked is the role that law plays in securing or negating global health imperatives and new biomedical technologies," Associate Professor Van Wichelen said an important strategic partner in the global governance of health and biomedical research "My project will benefit greatly from the intellectual interaction with scholars from different disciplines who are working with similar concepts and I hope to offer my expertise in the study of life and law in a Southeast Asian context." Professor Duncan Ivison congratulated Associate Professor Van Wichelen saying "Membership to the IAS is highly competitive and only awarded to researchers making exceptional advances in their fields We are delighted that Sonja's continuing excellence in the field of biohumanities has been recognised in this way." Austrian bests five breakaway companions for victory rides to the start.(Image credit: Bert Geerts/dcp-bertgeerts@xs4all.nl)Jurgen Roelandts (Omega Pharma-Lotto) looked composed ahead of the start in Deinze.(Image credit: Bert Geerts/dcp-bertgeerts@xs4all.nl)Dutchman Kenny Van Hummel (Skil-Shimano) doesn't feel the cold 1st; Philippe Gilbert (Omega Pharma - Lotto) 3rd.(Image credit: www.ispaphoto.com)Bernhard Eisel (HTC-Columbia) has often sacrificed his chances to help his teammates but the friendly Austrian finally got his day of glory at Gent-Wevelgem winning the six-rider sprint that decided the Belgian classic Eisel relishes Gent-Wevelgem glory Eisel let George Hincapie (BMC) lead out the sprint and then hit the front hard with two hundred metres to go It was still a little early but Eisel is an excellent sprinter and had the speed to beat Sep Vanmarke (Topsport-Vlaanderen) and Philippe Gilbert (Omega Pharma-Lotto) "It was such a tough race," Eisel said to Sporza right after crossing the line "I was sure it was going to be really hard in the end Breschel punctured out of the lead and then we lost Oscar Freire when we put him in the wind Then I knew I had a chance to win and I had to take it." "In the sprint I waited and put Oss in front of me because I figured he was the fastest in the group I stayed on his wheel and looking between my thighs I saw George coming I was really going well and past him straight away Then I thought: that's going to be a long way Bernie… This is the biggest win of my career It's only the second time I finish this race in nine participations It probably suits me and now I'll love it." Crosswinds and dark clouds were looming when the peloton left Deinze winner of the E3-prijs Harelbeke 24 hours earlier was a late starter; the Swiss champion was still on the podium when the peloton rolled off the UCI forced the organizers to neutralize the first ten kilometres in order to make sure the race wasn't longer than the allowed 210 kilometers Several riders tried hard to get into the early breakaway and after 18 kilometers four riders managed to sneak away: Geert Steurs Tom Van den Hautte and Matthé Pronk Despite the crosswinds the peloton didn't fancy to make it a daylong battle and no echelons formed near the coast and during the first hour the four leaders averaged just over 40 km/h The breakaway group - minus Tom Van den Hautte who got dropped - gained a lead of almost four minutes and when entering France with 100 kilometers to go and the lead was down to 2'15" The narrow roads caused a lot of crashes and big guns like Tom Boonen and Fabian Cancellara didn't push hard to make it back to the front when being caught behind a crash; they wouldn't win Gent-Wevelgem HTC-Columbia's Lars Ytting Bak bravely launched a solo counter-attack when entering France the Danish rider joined the leading trio when turning back into Belgium; the four leaders had 1:46 on the peloton with 86 kilometers to go Roy Curvers and Johnny Hoogerland were the next riders to sneak away During the first ascent of the famous Kemmelberg the four leaders had a minute on the two chasers and almost two minutes on the peloton that was led by Luca Paolini The Liquigas team put the pedal to the floor after the Kemmelberg and echelons formed in the crosswinds About twenty riders joined the five Liquigas riders up front and big guns like Philippe Gilbert and Oscar Freire were caught napping were caught back by the time the race reached the Scherpenberg The Liquigas riders in front were Manuel Quinziato The other riders in the lead group were the former leaders Curvers The gap between the leader's group and the chasing group of almost thirty riders remained about half a minute for a long time When reaching the Mont des Cats the Liquigas riders sat back as many riders weren't co-operating in the breakaway then Gilbert and a bit later also Freire bridged back up to the leaders Five kilometres further the rest of the second group connected with the Liquigas group Maxim Iglinsky attacked on the Mont Noir and the Kazakh rider quickly received company from Liquigas' Oss One by one more riders bridged up with these two leaders: first Breschel Bernard Eisel and Kuschynski; forming an ten-man leader's group that had half a minute on the first chasers Matti Breschel clearly was the strongest man in the lead group when tackling the Kemmelberg for the second time The Danish champion distanced the rest on the cobbles but he realized that the 35 kilometers to the finish in Wevelgem were a bit too much to cover on his own thus he waited for the others Christian Knees and Baden Cooke set-up a counter-attack and chased hard Twenty-five kilometres from the finish line the ten leaders had just under half a minute on the four chasers The race changed again with sixteen kilometers to go when Breschel's chances were ruined with a puncture The neutral service had problems changing his rear wheel and by the time the Danish champion was back on his bike he was with the four chasers some of the riders were worried about Oscar Freire Kuschinski flicked Freire out of the back of the group as he tried to force the triple world champion to join the work or drop back Little later Iglinsky flicked himself out of the group when he tried to skip a turn The result was that there were only six riders left in front with ten kilometers to go: Gilbert Vanmarcke opted not to take any more turns and then with three kilometres to go he jumped away Roelandts reacted first and was marked by Eisel and the rest of the group Roelandts led the group until half a kilometre to go Hincapie started the sprint from 400m to go but it was far too early and he faded before the real sprint had even began Eisel took over on the front and had the power to go all the way The Austrian took the biggest win of his career with two bike-lengths over Vanmarcke and Gilbert.  A winner from the moment she took up cycling as an U16 rider she had already proven herself with nine medals – three of them gold – at the junior and U23 Europeans and Worlds on the track But her ascent has continued on much bigger stages over this past year a World Tour rider with UAE Team ADQ and a medalist at an elite World Championships not to mention the victor of four UCI-ranked elite pro road races The 2025 season will bring another step up and Gillespie told stickybottle that will happen immediately the new campaign begins it will the first year road racing will be her main focus and she is intent on getting stuck into the biggest events on the roster on the cobbles “The road is my main priority next year and to develop myself as a road rider,” she said “And I want to see what kind of rider I am because I know I can sprint and I know I like the cobbles and I love off-road that will be forever my favourite discipline.” so far is that she won two stages and the overall at0 Giro Mediterraneo Rosa (2.2) back in April and claimed a brilliant victory at Antwerp Port Epic Ladies (1.1) in May Though she went into those races without being team leader “things just happened in the way they did and I then became the leader I kept getting told by coaches and staff… ‘it really surprised us that you were able to do that’.” Gillespie added some of the surprise at her performances arose from never having had an extended period on the road to show what she can do as she has been so committed to track “Next year we have a really strong and exciting team and I think I’ll be focusing more on the classics and also the UAE Tour at the start of the season and then the rest of the season is still to be confirmed,” she said “The classics will tell a lot about what kind of rider I am who I’m best to support when I am a support rider And what I should peak more for; whether it’s sprint stages in the Tour or supporting a GC rider in one of the Grand Tours.” When she speaks of “the classics” she is referring to that six-week part of the spring from the end of February that includes races like Omloop Het Nieuwsblad And though her exact schedule is not yet set those races are the arena that will host Gillespie after she rides UAE Tour in mid February “All of those classics are going to be completely new to me,” she said of the major races that will come thick and fast “I can also be supporting my teammates and we can have a lot of success with the team we have “And it’s about really getting a feel for what would be good for me to prioritise in the future to focus on and hopefully one day be a leader for.” while full of ambition and very much looking forward to the challenge Gillespie was not getting ahead of herself She said It would be hard to be selected for some of the biggest races And though she will also ride track for Ireland “This year was taken up a lot with the track World Cups and we did a big training camp in Australia at the beginning of the year and then obviously the Olympics in the middle,” she said “My two big goals on the track are Europeans and Worlds next year “And then the rest of it is on the road but I probably won’t be looking at Europeans or Worlds because they’re all climbing So a lot of my goals on the road are before the summer.” Though much of that road racing will involve stepping into the unknown “I think I just have this inner belief that I can do it,” she said In all the races I really wasn’t suffering as much as maybe I thought would be normal,” she said adding she also felt like she had the right team and support network to advance “I’ve been really lucky with that I was very much at a level where I always felt really competitive moving around and getting to the front and feeling switched on We’re determined to make stickybottle.com much better for your enjoyment So become a ‘Stickybottle Supporter’ now from just €5 per month We’ve grown our audience significantly in recent years but the advertising market has become harder and harder each year In order to survive and grow – and create much better content – we need to develop an income from our readers By signing up to become a ‘Stickybottle Supporter’ you’ll be helping to secure independent coverage of Irish cycling for years to come Every cent collected from readers will be used to directly fund content Sign Up says cyclists need to become much bigger stars and make young people excited in the way YouTuber turned boxer He insists the sport needs a stronger brand at its centre – like the Champion’s League in soccer or Ironman in triathlon He said he was working towards that with the One Cycling project he is developing with other teams and some race promoters He believes if cycling was successful in cultivating that concept – a strong series of linked major races featuring all the big names – the era of cyclists making “peanuts” compared to other sports would end But he also believed the sport had to get away from generating huge publicity around the Grand Tours only for the media and social media exposure to end for another year once those races were over “The aim of One Cycling is to look ahead to where we want to be in ten years. In cycling, the battle outside the race continues between the teams and their management,” Plugge has told tijd.be Plugge continued: “We (in cycling) do not sufficiently realise that our opponents are not the other teams or organisers They are competing increasingly harder for the attention of the TV viewer “Our real competitors are the Champions League We notice the latter clearly here with a phenomenon like Jake Paul Those youth do not rush towards our Jonas Vingegaard or other top riders which will then hopefully become a bigger brand” would help attract sponsors from outside the teams who is both a team boss and president of the AIGCP an association that “groups together many professional cycling teams” “Equally important: we could earn much more by bundling media rights,” he added the major media companies are laughing at the scattered order of battle in which organisations and teams negotiate over chunks of rights It explains the peanuts we earn compared to football operating as hypermedia companies for three weeks with a stream of tweets and videos so that cycling becomes a 24-hour media factory “More circuits with laps are also the future in unified cycling (races) is better for the environment and you can also sell tickets and VIP packages around it may suffer short term as their races lost a little of their dominant place in a restructured sport But in the long-term they would win because cycling would become much bigger and richer He added shortly after taking over the team that is now Visma-Lease a Bike – when it was Rabobank in 2012 – he immediately set about trying to bring in revenues from multiple sources not just from headline and secondary team sponsors And he believed that concept needed to be developed as well as a Champions League-style series at the centre of pro cycling “Although it was mainly about survival in the beginning we also started to create added value with the team,” he said of new revenue concepts he developed over a decade ago “From day one we have opened the door to documentaries: from the public broadcaster NOS to our own film in the cinema to series from the streamers Amazon and Netflix ‘We also have a paying platform for companies to become part of the business community around the team a membership with benefits for regular fans and a web shop with merchandising through our clothing sponsor AGU Far too little has happened in this regard over the past ten years.” Vacansoleil rider outfoxes two breakaway companions for victory Sebastien Rosseler and Rick Flens(Image credit: www.ispaphoto.com)Belgium's Iljo Keisse (Quick Step)(Image credit: www.ispaphoto.com)Stijn Devolder (Quick Step)(Image credit: Tim Van Wichelen)Vacansoleil's Bobbie Traksel races to a win in Kuurne-Bruxelles-Kuurne(Image credit: www.ispaphoto.com)Bobbie Traksel (Vacansoleil) on the podium(Image credit: www.ispaphoto.com)Elite men's podium: Rick Flens (Rabobank) Ian Stannard (Team Sky) (Image credit: www.ispaphoto.com)After 11 years as a professional Bobbie Traksel (Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team) locked down the biggest win of his career as he out paced Rick Flens (Rabobank) and Ian Stannard (Sky Professional Cycling Team) to win the 63rd edition of Kuurne-Bruxelles-Kuurne in Belgium on Sunday Stannard lives childhood dream at Kuurne In classically brutal Belgian weather conditions the 28-year-old had instigated what would turn out to be a long As the weather decimated the peloton behind him Stannard and Flens were the only riders capable of bridging the gap left by Traksel and it would come down to that trio to divide the podium Third placed Stannard was satisfied with his result on a tough day out for the entire peloton "This morning I wasn't losing motivation because of the weather forecast; I like this weather "Before the Oude Kwaremont I attacked to have space By doing so I could avoid crashes and choose my own line on the cobbles I haven't achieved much on the road so far," he continued In the end I could not concentrate anymore." Raw drizzling rain at the start in Kuurne didn't bode well for the conditions the peloton would face during Sunday's race The storm Xynthia was due to pass through Flanders on Sunday afternoon and wind speeds of up to 130 kilometres per hour were predicted across the region 198 riders took to the start line in Kuurne Sébastien Hinault (Ag2R-La Mondiale) and Francesco Di Paolo (Aqua & Sapone) had already headed home after Omloop Het Nieuwsblad on Saturday A group of sixteen wasn't satisfied to sit back and quickly conspired to attack in the rain A strong tailwind kept the speed high and saw riders battling to keep up A number dropped back or crashed out like Lloyd Mondory (Ag2R-La Mondiale) Soon afterwards the breakaway group was caught back at a closed railway crossing After less than an hour the peloton broke in two with about fifty riders relegated to a second group the first peloton reached the first feed zone after less than two hours racing; the second peloton was already several minutes behind this group and abandoned the race Some big names were featured in this group: Tom Boonen (Quick Step) Niko Eeckhout (An Post) and Saturday's winner Juan Antonio Flecha (Sky) The foul weather continued to torture the riders who remained in the race but as the group approached the first hills of the day two riders attacked: Vacansoleil team-mates Bobbie Traksel and Arnaud van Groen quickly gathered a minute over what remained of the peloton Jeremy Hunt (Cervélo TestTeam) and Jurgen Roelandts (Omega Pharma-Lotto) accelerated and their efforts resulted in a new chasing group Hunt and Roelandts were joined by Leif Hoste (Omega Pharma-Lotto) RadioShack's Sebastien Rosseler and Gregory Rast as well as Davy Commeyne (Landbouwcredit-Colnago) Van Groen was dropped by his team-mate after the Kruisberg and he With the tailwind now giving way to a strong headwind the speed dropped down to twenty kilometers an hour Word came through that the loop towards the Cote de Trieu was cancelled due to the strong winds a decision that made the race twenty kilometres shorter riders gradually returned from the background adding members to a now eighteen-man chase with Sylvain Chavanel (Quick Step) the biggest name amongst the late arrivals Cervélo appeared the only team who wanted to work as the leader's advantage reached a minute and a half Hayden Roulston and Hushovd gapped their companions without any noticeable acceleration After the ascent of the cobbled Nokereberg Cervélo's trio of chasers followed at forty seconds while the rest trailed by more than two minutes a third Cervélo-rider attacked the second chasing group Nobody was able to follow Rollin - and though he faced an uphill task - Cervélo had a third man near the front On the long and winding roads back to Kuurne the first chasing group with Hushovd Roulston and Hunt cracked despite the gap dipping down to less than half a minute Around forty kilometres from the finish Flens Traksel and Stannard held 45 seconds on the three chasers with Commeyne also solo ahead of the remnants of the 'peloton' Some ten kilometres later a spent Jeremy Hunt suddenly stepped off the bike and into the team car despite his position in a group that was racing for fourth place; a reflection of how much energy the storm had taken from the riders After four hours of racing against the elements the leaders came through for their first passage of the finish line Hushovd and Roulston trailed by 41 seconds Rollin crossed the line at 3:44 and then a group containing Rast Commeyne and Van Groen followed through at 4:20 Those behind rode - not chased - at more than five minutes Fifteen kilometers after Hunt had pulled out of the race Hushovd The tough Norwegian let go of Roulston and slipped back in the direction of his team car Roulston didn't notice Hushovd's departure It quickly became aware that Hushovd had had enough and Roulston continued alone against the wind and rain With one local lap to go Roulston trailed the three leaders by more than a minute while Hushovd was about to be picked up by Rollin three minutes further back With the race now almost certain to be decided by the three men up front the Dutchman scampered away but was quickly reeled in by Stannard Another move by Flens was shut down by the Vacansoleil rider who seemed determined to face a sprint finish With just over 1000 metres to race Stannard once again took off but as that move failed it was clear Traksel's wish would come to fruition The Dutchman made the opportunity count as he drove away from Flens and Stannard to seal the biggest win of his career while Stannard secured Sky's second podium result of the weekend Roulston's brave pursuit resulted in a fourth placed finish It looks like nothing was found at this location We use cookies to enhance your browsing experience We use cookies to help you navigate efficiently and perform certain functions You will find detailed information about all cookies under each consent category below The cookies that are categorized as "Necessary" are stored on your browser as they are essential for enabling the basic functionalities of the site We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze how you use this website and provide the content and advertisements that are relevant to you These cookies will only be stored in your browser with your prior consent You can choose to enable or disable some or all of these cookies but disabling some of them may affect your browsing experience Necessary cookies are required to enable the basic features of this site such as providing secure log-in or adjusting your consent preferences These cookies do not store any personally identifiable data Functional cookies help perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website These cookies help provide information on metrics such as the number of visitors Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with customized advertisements based on the pages you visited previously and to analyze the effectiveness of the ad campaigns Lara Gillespie was set to make her debut today as a fully fledged World Tour rider and says she is delighted to have secured a new deal with a top tier team that takes her through to the end of 2026 to World Tour outfit UAE Team ADQ; a team that rides Tour de France Femmes and all the other biggest races in the world While Gillespie has expressed her excitement about the move team management said its head of sport had recently evaluated Gillespie they believe it was now time to move her up to World Tour level with a tailored plan to suit “I am excited about this step forward in my career I have had an amazing couple of years growing and learning how to race and win as a team with UAE Development Team and I am very grateful for these experiences,” Gillespie said “I have to thank all my teammates and staff And thanks also to (Cycling Ireland) who supported me in balancing a multi-disciplinary career I am really looking forward to continue on this pathway and enjoy the adventures that World Tour racing will bring me “I look forward to integrating more and more and being part of a big project in the coming months and years I have to focus on the Olympics with the Irish national track team in August after which it will be great to finish the 2024 road season with some high-level races and really find my place in the new team “Over the next few years I want to learn more about myself and continue to develop I think this is the perfect place to grow and become a successful and happy rider.” said Gillespie had already proven “a talent of our development team which makes the transfer very important to us while showing how we cultivate next generation of talents” within the team so it was a natural decision to proceed with the upgrade to the World Tour team After careful evaluation done by our head of sport Cherie Pridham we have taken the decision that Lara is ready to join the World Tour level “Together with Lara we have prepared an individual plan for her which we believe suits her the best and we agreed on the contract until 2026.” Irish riders Rory Townsend (Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team) and Dillon Corkery (St Michel-Mavic-Auber93) have put in some very strong performances in Belgium and the Netherlands riding against World Tour opposition was in very good company on Wednesday when he spent most of the 200km Betcity Elfstedenrace (1.1) in the Netherlands off the front in a 17-rider group that made it all the way It was one of Townsend’s best performances of his season as he went toe-to-toe with very strong World Tour men and came out with a very good result with Taco van der Hoorn (Intermarché-Wanty) attacking from solo with just under 4km to go to take an emotional win; the Dutch rider having battled his way back into the peloton after a concussion sustained in a crash at last year’s Tour of Flanders He only returned to racing in August after being sideline for 16 months but came good today taking the victory some seven seconds up on Jelte Krijnsen (Parkhotel Valkenburg) and Christophe Laporte (Team Visma | Lease a Bike) Then came Lionel Taminiaux (Lotto Dstny) at 10 seconds followed by Elmar Reinders (Team Jayco AlUla) with Ireland’s Townsend placing 6th at 35 seconds; best of the riders who missed a late split when the top five went clear after 113km up the road Corkery was in action in Binche-Chimay-Binche (1.1) The 198.6km race came down to a reduced bunch sprint won by Arnaud De Lie (Lotto Dstny) from Biniam Girmay (Intermarché-Wanty) Milan Fretin (Cofidis) and Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Deceuninck) just one place ahead of Tim Merlier (Soudal QuickStep) and with only one non-World Tour rider ahead of him Corkery was also one of 36 riders credited with the same time as the winner VICTORY FOR TACO VAN DER HOORN!!!! 🥇#Elfstedenrace pic.twitter.com/We9L0kR4ep — Intermarché-Wanty (@IntermarcheW) October 2, 2024 Biniam Girmay sprints to 2nd place of Binche-Chimay-Binche 🥈 pic.twitter.com/nhEzg8Q250 — Intermarché-Wanty (@IntermarcheW) October 1, 2024 Jumbo Visma team boss Richard Plugge – who was critical of Groupama-FDJ riders having a beer on the Tour de France rest day – has said his team needs to examine itself in the wake of its young rider Michel Hessmann’s adverse test result for a banned substance The 22-year-old underwent an out-of-competition test in Germany in June which “detected” a “diuretic medicine” Jumbo Visma said in a statement last month News of that result was followed by a dominant display by the Jumbo Visma team at La Vuelta where its riders finished 1-2-3 in the final general classification sparking innuendo in some quarters in the media and on social media Plugge has now written a column in the new autumn issue of RIDE Magazine partially addressing the Hessmann test result – though the process against him has not yet been completed Plugge has claimed the team goes to extreme efforts to combat doping including batch testing ever medicine and supplement for contaminants before a rider is allowed consume it we received the message that a rider from our team are we doing everything right?” Plugge writes in RIDE Magazine “Everyone involved in and with our organisation must be aware of everything (about the Hessmann case) so the public prosecutor’s office is automatically involved Criminal law has the presumption of innocence while disciplinary law reasons the other way around “It is up to the athlete to prove that he has done nothing wrong or it is contamination from a supplement or other medicine It is therefore mandatory within our team to only use supplements and medicines that have been batch checked for doping substances Many products contain remnants of other products an athlete cannot simply take a supplement drug or energy drink without knowing whether it has been tested beforehand There can be a doping control 365 days a year Riders are checked between thirty and 150 times per year We stand for fair sport in which talents cross swords on equal grounds.” Hessmann – who finished 3rd in Tour de l’Avenir last year and was riding for the Jumbo Visma World Tour squad this year – has been suspended by the team pending the outcome of the anti-doping process now underway into him Dillon Corkery (St Michel-Preference Home-Auber 93) has taken another top result after muscling his way through a very physical final at La Roue Tourangelle Centre Val de Loire (1.1) in France Corkery was initially squeezed between two Unibet Tietema Rockets riders as the final bend approached just before the finish And after getting his elbows out and overcoming that issue Corkery managed to move up a little rounding the final bend where he and another rider made contact again Though that need to fight so hard to move up at the front took a little of the punch from the Irish rider’s sprint he still managed to get right into the mix in the gallop for victory at the end of the 197km race from Chinon to Tours battling hard all the way to the line as the Uno-X Mobility and Uno-X Mobility had the numbers to get a lead-out in place; something Corkery was lacking in the final push to the line Victory went to Norway’s Erlend Blikra (Uno-X Mobility) from Bryan Coquard (Cofidis) and Gerben Thijssen (Intermarché-Wanty) with Corkery 8th and one of just 10 riders to finished on the same time as the winner Uno-X Mobility's Erlend Blikra conquers the sprint to take victory in La Roue Tourangelle! 🙌 pic.twitter.com/y7nt4ImjpZ — Cycling on TNT Sports (@cyclingontnt) March 30, 2025 the Irish road race champion competing with UAE Development has continued her ascent in pro cycling today with a brilliant victory in Antwerp Port Epic Ladies (1.1) who has really impressed over the last couple of months since switching from a road to track focus proved one of the strongest in the race today to emerged in the select group at the front And when sprinting for the chequered flag from that 10-rider group she was was far the fastest; clinching a brilliant victory she was clearly delight with She won that gallop for victory from Zoe Bäckstedt (Canyon-SRAM Racing) Sanne Cant (Fenix-Deceuninck) and Meike Uiterwijk Winkel (GT Krush Rebellease) Lara Gillespie wins! That last 10km was great fun with attack after attack after attack! Absolutely relentless stuff after all the gravel today#AntwerpPortEpic #APE24 pic.twitter.com/JRyuadnTpr The Dutch media is reporting Jumbo Visma is set to merge with Soudal-QuickStep as soon as next year Under the new structure being claimed by the reports the key management personnel at each team would have a role in the merged entity though the new position for Soudal-QuickStep boss The merger would also mean Remco Evenepoel – assuming he does not go to Ineos Grenadiers – would be in the same team as Grand Tour champions Jonas Vingegaard though talks about the deal have been ongoing for several months and The new team would be called Visma-Soudal or Soudal-Visma and the two main sponsors of the teams for 2024 – Visma and Soudal – are said to be on board with the idea of the two teams becoming one With Jumbo Visma set to lose Jumbo supermarkets as a backer it is claimed the merger will put the new team on a very strong financial footing going forward in a bid to compete with richer teams Dutch media outlet WielerFlits is reporting Jumbo Visma chief executive would be CEO of the new merged entity while the man credited with much of Jumbo Visma’s performance success would become a member of the team’s supervisory board which would be a step back from day-to-day management in pro cycling after decades as a team boss “The moment it became clear during the last Tour de France that British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe was in talks to take over Patrick Lefevere’s team arose among the Jumbo-Visma management,” WielerFlits states Nils Politt has found himself in the midst of peloton dances and the combination of victories and setbacks as per the recent developments in his professional career the Bora-Hansgrohe cyclist has been caught in a captivating plot twist unfulfilled salary expectations led Pilott to enter the UAE Team Emirates It was in 2021 that Politt’s entry into Bora-Hansgrohe was marked by a promise based on his extraordinary performance in the 2019 editions of the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix despite giving his best and accomplishing success his stint with the team failed to replicate similar excellence during the Spring Classics hence Politt decided to take his departure from the team the general manager of the Bora-Hansgrohe team revealed that influenced by financial aspects Politt decided to join UAE Team Emirates he also shared that even after making his way to podium finishes in prestigious races and joining the team on a substantial salary his subsequent performance in the classics failed to tally the investment made by the team In a statement made during an interview with Global Cycling Network, Denk shared his opinion about the cyclist For sure it was a sad moment when he informed me that he would leave but he joined the team on a really good salary after second in Paris-Roubaix and fifth in Flanders” The mismatch betwe performance and salary led to the consideration of Politt’s place in the team Even though the failure to meet salary expectations resulted in the team losing one of its possessions the manager acknowledged the collective nature of team dynamics and respectfully handled the situation Denk even shared a glimpse of the grounds on which there has been a tussle between the 29-year-old cyclist and the road-cycling team “My philosophy isn’t to make him downgrade the salary and for me it wasn’t an option to stay on the salary As a strong support rider and road captain But it was a fair case with all the respect there It was big for us to have him on our team.” The decision besides resting on individual performance Recognizing Politt’s decision to join the UAE Team Emirates Denk expressed his satisfaction shedding light on the cyclist’s need for a change and congratulated him on embarking on a new direction in his career bora-Hansgrohe strategically recruited riders like Sam Welsford Primož Roglič and Dani Martíz with the focus of creating a roster both economical and successful underscoring the team’s commitment Nils Pilott’s departure serves as a reminder of the maintenance of the fine balance between performance and financial considerations that reign supreme in the world of professional cycling As Politts dons the UAE Team Emirates jersey for the upcoming season cycling enthusiasts await to find out whether this change acts as a catalyst for the resurgence of his cycling skills Watch This Story:  “That is how you inspire the next generation” – Unexpected souvenir from a pro cyclist at a Jumbo-Visma race makes a young fan’s day EssentiallySports is a digital-first sports media house that surfaces the best stories on America's favorite sports celebrities with a fan's perspective to 30+ M average monthly readers. 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