that has prevented stars to really stand out from the field. Performing well on tactical races requires a special skillset which Finn doesn't fully have due to this exact dominant nature. It's a learning curve which he'll hopefully get through this year.
But these results weren’t achieved against the strongest field, and that’s an important point - I think the overall startlist was 30–40% weaker at Italian races. However, we mustn’t forget that so far, the major one-day races, both the Youngster Coast Challenge and Liège, have had a strange dynamic
That’s a valid point. I think I tend to fall into the trap of expecting Lorenzo Finn to reach the same heights as Paul Seixas at the development/U23 level. To a certain extent, I think that’s a fair expectation of mine, and his two dominant victories should by no means be underestimated...
open.substack.com/pub/cycloben...
Bence's box of thoughts #13.
Including:
- Deep dive into MBH's rollercoaster with loads of historic background
- Jordan Jegat's options for 2027
- Lorenzo Finn's disappearing magic (which may have come to the fore again today)
and even more.
delayed one day. need more time to finalize what will be my most thorough piece of the season
I think the point has really come to go into politics in the box thanks to MBH's doping case.
Hungarians won't like it but transparency is needed in cycling, especially if it comes to Hungary.
More on that on Monday.
heard one lady who said naughty things, but overall, people are happier. never ever started Monday with a collective hug at workplace, that alone should tell everything 😀
12th box.
- Wout van Aert's liberation inspired by Guido Gezelle
- Foré-era summarized
- Paul Seixas and the atypical French progression
Superlong box, I couldn't fit many things, I was a day late, but I still hope it's going to be fine :)
open.substack.com/pub/cycloben...
update: fireworks heard from the apartment. will be curious to see the faces tomorrow morning
feels surreal. will go back to my apartment in a few minutes, I hope I can feel the atmosphere. people seem very, very happy in the comments.
landslide. never ever expected such a result.
less than 90 minutes of paris-roubaix femmes coverage is absolutely ridiculous and exactly why i’ve always been against this “one-day paris-roubaix!” from the start btw. coverage from 50km to go! for a monument in big 2026!
i knew this would only end up impacting the women negatively.
Itzulia, Region Pays de la Loire Tour, Paris-Roubaix, the most important elections of my life...
needed an hour of music last night.
ICYMI:
open.substack.com/pub/cycloben...
(almost) none of the Easter eggs you found today, but instead you get:
- Rom-coms and dominant displays on Flanders powered by Dua Lipa
- Last dance of a golden generation
- Rough run for Romandie
11th box is out, next one comes on Tuesday due to the elections.
can't believe the box really got to episode 10 - still feeling the power in me, so we'll keep on doing that!
this week:
- France saves INEOS
- Techniques of exercising power, with decreasing efficiency
- 🚀🚀🚀
- Small thoughts on Ronde
piece here: open.substack.com/pub/cycloben...
My middle name is getting ahead of myself. No, actually, I usually say that the first instance is an outlier, but with two instances, I can already call it a trend, and that might still be true even if we see a lot of straightforward races from here onwards.
8 seconds in Sanremo, 5 seconds in Harelbeke...
Despite the fuckery today, the peloton might be finally on the right track after 3 years to solve the mystery of vanderpoelism and pogacarism.
more on that on monday in the box.
Sorry for the musical references, especially if it was too tiring, engagement farming is not my strength :)
open.substack.com/pub/cycloben...
After a crazy week, here is the box, with 4 topics, including:
- Ditonellapiaga wrote Tadej Pogacar's faith
- The Kopecky-Wiebes duo is the best female duo since Icona Pop
- Huge praises for Uno-X's new lead singer
- Panic at the Disco? No, panic at Movistar
Among the always crazy Sanremo editions, this was particularly crazy. #MilanoSanremo
Bence's box of thoughts #8.
Probably the most positive box of the year so far.
Including:
- PN and TA routes in hindsight
- Logical Jonas Vingegaard
- Father-son relations between Roglic and Pellizzari
- Bardiani alumni: 🚀
open.substack.com/pub/cycloben...
My heart is filled with gratitude due to this comment, thanks so so much. ☺️ That was the aim, to be fair, to make people think!
Box number 7.
Topics:
- Philosophical wave of thoughts on Tadej Pogacar
- UAE as a binocentric team?
- Dominance from the top of the sport to the absolute bottom
- Teams in trouble and some brotherly love for Gal Glivar
open.substack.com/pub/cycloben...
Vilmos Vanczák and Paul Seixas under an umbrella?
never thought this would happen... until I haven't found a crazy wave of thoughts that will be included in the 'box' - coming tomorrow.
There are weeks when it's just good to write, because cycling produces narratives that are perfect to latch onto.
This week was like this. Many will not agree with me, but this was good. Bence's box of thoughts #5 is now online.
open.substack.com/pub/cycloben...
Bence's box of thoughts #4:
open.substack.com/pub/cycloben...
Tom Pidcock, Pau Marti, and a helluva long UCI rant - and that doesn't include Jan Christen from yesterday. :) shorter than the past 2 editions due to a cold, but still okayish in size.
and on a day which takes place on a literal circuit by default, this clearly shows that French organizers had this opportunity in mind when designing the route of this race...
i'm so so close to have a godly rant on UCI once again...
The fact that UCI doesn't have a concise enough cold weather protocol when there has been a high one since 2023 is just fucking mindblowing. I don't know who on earth thought that it's a good idea to force riders to climb in -6 °C windchill in Provence, when 20 cm snow fell on the previous night
