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Hello and welcome back to Global Peloton’s free bi-weekly newsletter!
Over the last few years I have written quite a bit about the emergence of Chinese cycling in the top echelons of the sport. Cycling has long courted China, seeing it as a new market with endless potential, but it hasn’t really happened just yet.
There was the story of China Glory, the development project which now appears to have lost some of its focus on guiding young Chinese riders. There have been other false dawns that have passed, too, but now it appears the China will have a ProTeam in the next two seasons.
Continental team Li Ning Star have been changing the game in China over the past couple of years, signing a raft of big talent, investing heavily and winning 24 times already in 2026 - only bettered by UAE, Visma and Red Bull. They have confirmed to me their plans to turn professional in 2028, but their riders have stated that they already operate as if they were a ProTeam. You can read the full story over on Escape Collective (and become a member to support my work).
Also in the newsletter today; the return of the Tour of Qatar, Team Amani and World Cycling Centre complete Europe stints, Kim Le Court-Pienaar is back and more news, stories and results from around the world.
And…I had a chat with Jonathan Kaplan for his Riding With…podcast to talk about global cycling, sportswashing and foolish Tour de France predictions - give it a listen!
Enjoy the newsletter,
Dan
Recent posts:
- This third-tier Chinese squad is more pro than some pro teams
- The Tour of Qatar is on course to return in 2027
- African cycling needs more races like the Tour de Maurice
- The team that dreams of seeing Filipino riders in the WorldTour
It has been away from the calendar for a decade, but the Tour of Qatar for both men and women is set to return in 2027.
This race is a little bit like marmite, some love it, some hate it. It’s really a race of extremes. Viewers either endure four hours of soft pedalling through the vast expanse of nothingness in the Arabian Desert, or they are treated to an echelon extravaganza.
The Tour of Qatar launched for men in 2002 -2009 for the women - and was a pioneering race in the Middle East, paving the way for the string of stage races we now see in the early season. The Qataris have been almost entirely absent from pro cycling since the race folded due to a loss in sponsorship on 2016, also the year that Qatar hosted the World Championships.
However, since being awarded hosting duties for the Asian Games in 2030, they have a renewed enthusiasm for the sport, and aim to secure a medal at those championships. To do that, the Qataris have appointed former WorldTour sports director and Fléche Wallonne winner Rik Verbrugghe as national coach and advisor.
You can read my interview with Vebrugghe on Escape Collective, which includes the finer details of the plans for the return of the Tour of Qatar.
East African cycling squad Team Amani plans to send their women’s team to the Tour de France Femmes by 2028. Last weekend, the team completed its first period of racing in Europe at the Volta Catalunya.
The riders have learned and developed a great deal since getting to Europe in April, racing under the tutelage of Tsgabu Grmay, with added support from Ashleigh Moolman Pasio.
For most of the team, this was their first experience of European racing, so although the results could seem meagre on first glance, they are hugely impressive when put in context. The team ended its first European stint with a 20th place on GC in Catalunya for Ethiopian national champion Eyerusalem Haftu Reda, known as ‘Jerry’ among her team-mates.
The team will return to Europe in August for the end of the season, where they will build on this valuable experience and chase even greater heights.
Simultaneously, the UCI World Cycling Centre completed its first three-month ‘Global 2028’ training camp, in which they hosted 12 athletes from around the world to train and race in Brittany, northern France. 12 more riders will start a new camp in the next few weeks. You can read more about that initiative here.
After breaking her wrist at the Tour of Flanders in April, 2025 Tour de France Femmes stage winner and yellow jersey wearer Kim Le Court-Pienaar returned to racing last week at the Tour de Suisse as she builds her form for the Tour de France Femmes. The Mauritian looked back towards her best, finishing 4th overall and pacing herself to 4th on the final, mountainous stage. She is now returning to Mauritius to attemt to retain her national titles.
The Giro Next Gen is always an accurate test to discover future GC stars. This year, the race was won by reigning under-23 world champion Lorenzo Finn. On the podium were two South Americans. Ecuador’s Mateo Ramírez finished second - riding for UAE Team Emirates Gen Z - and Brazil’s Henrique Bravo was third - riding for Soudal Quick-Step Devo Team.
Uzbekistan hosted the first edition of the GP Jizzakh, a two-day stage race for men and women. Home favourite Yanina Kuskova won both stages and the overall in the women’s race. Li Ning Star’s Cameron Scott won the men’s race.
Tommaso Dati continued his excellent season by winning the Tour de Gyeongnam in South Korea - he’s expected to be heading to the WorldTour next season.
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