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Chain Links: Cycling News - January 3, 2021

Photo by Luc Claessen/Getty Images

CYCLOCROSS DVV TROFEE GP SVEN NYS BAAL

Belgian Wout Van Aert and pictured during a training session at the men elite race of the GP Sven Nys, the fifth stage in the Trofee Veldrijden Cyclocross competition, Friday 01 January 2021 in Baal, Belgium. Ken's Note: The color of Wout’s bike, Jumbo-Visma has changed bike sponsorship to Cervelo, a company that does not currently offer a cyclocross bike... leaving Wout’s bike having a strange looking paint scheme. Photo by DAVID STOCKMAN/BELGA MAG/AFP via Getty Images

You can view the latest Chain Links: Cycling News by clicking HERE

TESTA DELLA CORSA

Welcome to my new series here on The Podium Cafe, as I provide a selection of cycling news links from across the internet. I do the work so that you don’t have to.

Today’s links are mostly year-end clean-up type things, transfers and new team kits.

The next race up on the UCI calendar is the New Zealand Cycle Classic which is slated to run from January 13-17. According to the event website, teams have not yet been announced.

The New Zealand Cycle Classic - The only Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) 2.2 event staged in New Zealand with four stages taking place in the Wairarapa, and for the first time in 10 years, the fifth and final stage will be held in New Zealand’s Coolest Little

Missed last year’s action? Here’s a page with links to video highlights of the 2020 NZCC.

Videos 2020 Event - New Zealand Cycle Classic - Videos from the five stages of the NZ Cycle Classic 2020

A note about this series: The descriptions of the links are pulled directly from the meta information provided by the sources. In non-nerd speak, what this means is that I’m using the sources description (where possible) to explain what the link is about. I do not necessarily agree or disagree with that description, If I have something to add, you will see me tack on a "Ken’s Note" on the end.

One other note about this feature: Don’t take the heading too seriously. There are there to keep the article from looking "too gray".

THE GROUPETTO

New details emerge on COVID-19 ‘bubbles’ for cycling and other sports at Tokyo Olympics - VeloNews.com - Athletes must clear COVID-19 tests upon arrival and will be placed into a pre-competition ‘bubble’ for 14 days, creating hurdles for many Tokyo-bound cyclists.

Wout van Aert riding out season on repainted Bianchi as Cervélo continues to develop ‘cross bike - VeloNews.com - Team Jumbo-Visma switched from Bianchi to Cervélo bikes on January 1 – except there is no CX machine ready for racing.

Chris Froome previews his new Israel Start-Up Nation kit - Cyclingnews - Briton posts snap of new team’s white and dark blue jersey to social media

Adam Yates, Richie Porte and Laurens De Plus reveal their Ineos Grenadiers kit - Cyclingnews - Team bolter their Grand Tour roster with major signings

2021 team preview: Astana-Premier Tech - Cyclingnews - Vlasov set to step up as López leaves and a new sponsor comes on board

Mark Cavendish shows off his new Deceuninck-QuickStep kit - Cyclingnews - British rider back in Patrick Lefevere’s team

Lorena Wiebes buys into DSM’s all for one spirit - Cyclingnews - ‘We’ll all get our own chances and we all believe in each other’ says Dutch rider

2021 team preview: Bora-Hansgrohe - Cyclingnews - Kelderman joins Sagan, Ackermann and Schachmann as German team strengthens Grand Tour squad

Jordan Sarrou joins Specialized Factory Racing – VeloNews.com - Cross country mountain biking world champion leaves Absolute Absalon after two years with team.

Ineos rider Egan Bernal targets 2021 Tour de France triumph after back injury - Eurosport - Ineos Grenadiers rider Egan Bernal has said that his 2020 injury problems have not altered his aim of winning the 2021 edition.

THE BREAKAWAY

Steve Cummings's 15 life lessons in staying ahead - Cycling Weekly - Renowned master of the long-range solo attack, Steve Cummings set a punishing pace for over 20 years. Here, he shares his hard-earned fitness wisdom with Rebecca Charlt

'I was a little daunted before': The story of the 2020 British Grand Tour debutants - Cycling Weekly - 2020 saw a record number of Brits make their debuts in a Grand Tour. Chris Marshall-Bell spoke to them to find out what the experience was like

Team of the year: Who were the best riders of 2020? - Cycling Weekly - We assemble our best riders from the 2020 season into one super squad

Top-10 performances of the 2020 men's road season - Cycling Weekly - There were a huge amount of amazing performances in the rejigged 2020 season, here are 10 of the best rides over the year

Cycling video - Hungary's 19-year-old Blanka Kata Vas triumphs at Cyclocross Gullegem 2021 - Cyclo-Cross video - Eurosport - Watch the finish as Hungary's 19-year-old Blanka Kata Vas triumphs at Cyclocross Gullegem 2021. She stormed to victory ahead of Inge van der Heijden and Sanne Cant in the competitive race. The winning time ended up being 45:47 with Van der Heijden finishing 30 seconds behind in second place, along with Cant.

Ineos Grenadiers, Jumbo-Visma and other teams release new kits for 2021 season - Eurosport - Many of the UCI World Tour teams have released their new kits for the next season.

Cycling 2020 roundtable: Wow moments, greatest riders and predictions for next season… - Eurosport - Eurosport’s crop of cycling writers glance back on an eventful 2020.