Team Picnic PostNL

Tirreno-Adriatico – Race Report

Tirreno - Adriatico
March 13, 2025
Chris Hamilton
Chris Hamilton
Bjoern Koerdt
Bjoern Koerdt
Gijs Leemreize
Gijs Leemreize
Enzo Leijnse
Enzo Leijnse
Niklas Märkl
Niklas Märkl
Casper van Uden
Casper van Uden
Bram Welten
Bram Welten

16th March – Stage 7: Porto Potenza Picena – San Benedetto del Tronto

The last day of racing at Tirreno-Adriatico saw the traditional flat finish in San Benedetto del Tronto. To get there though, the peloton would have to tackle a few climbs first. Bjoern Koerdt represented the team in the breakaway but they were never given much leeway and on the ascents a strong tempo was set. Sprint finisher Casper van Uden had to let go of the reducing peloton, but an incredibly spirited team display and some big pulls from Koerdt, Enzo Leijnse and Niklas Märkl saw them return. Things settled down into the expected sprint finale, where the team did well to bring Van Uden into a position to go for it in the sprint in the final few kilometres. In the end, it was a bit chaotic and hectic, with Van Uden getting up to take ninth on the stage.

Team Picnic PostNL coach Matt Winston said: “I think we showed some good fight there today. We had Bjoern in the break and he did a really good job there. Casper was dropped on the climb after the hard pace was set at the front, so we had Niklas, Enzo and Bjoern who really fought to bring him back into the peloton. Then in the local laps the guys fought to be together and look after each other, and bring Casper into a good position so he could sprint. We got a top ten, and of course we always would like a bit more, but we raced with a positive attitude and can take this forward into the next races.”

Results

  • 46.886/H
  • 147KM
  • 1008M
  • Stage
  • General classification
  • Points classification
  • Youth classification
  • Mountains classification
  • Teams classification
Pos.RiderTeamTimePoints
1MILAN JonathanLidl - Trek3:08:07-
2BENNETT SamDecathlon AG2R La Mondiale Team,,-
3KOOIJ OlavTeam Visma | Lease a Bike,,-
9VAN UDEN CasperTeam Picnic PostNL,,-
38MÄRKL NiklasTeam Picnic PostNL,,-
71HAMILTON ChrisTeam Picnic PostNL,,-
83LEIJNSE EnzoTeam Picnic PostNL,,-
126LEEMREIZE GijsTeam Picnic PostNL,,-
DNFKOERDT BjoernTeam Picnic PostNL-

15th March – Stage 6: Cartoceto – Frontignano

After a late foray on the attack on stage five, Chris Hamilton and Team Picnic PostNL rolled the dice once more on the sixth day of racing at Tirreno-Adriatico. With a break of six forming out front, the team set up Hamilton who managed to jump from the peloton and bridge across to those ahead. The break worked well together throughout the day and at one point there was a chance they could fight it out for the stage. However, the peloton kept them on a tight leash and reeled them back in, with Hamilton ultimately caught inside five kilometres to go.

Hamilton reflected: “It was a good day. The aim for us was to get myself or Gijs in the break to get up the road and see if we got the rope to go for a stage win. The guys did a good job to help get me up there and we had a good group out front. Unfortunately we didn’t get quite enough time at the base of the climb but it was nice to be up at the front of the race and see how far I could get.”

Results

  • 38.499/H
  • 163KM
  • 3508M
  • Stage
  • General classification
  • Points classification
  • Youth classification
  • Mountains classification
  • Teams classification
Pos.RiderTeamTimePoints
1AYUSO JuanUAE Team Emirates - XRG4:14:02-
2PIDCOCK ThomasQ36.5 Pro Cycling Team0:13-
3HINDLEY JaiRed Bull - BORA - hansgrohe,,-
30HAMILTON ChrisTeam Picnic PostNL1:58-
54LEEMREIZE GijsTeam Picnic PostNL3:30-
102MÄRKL NiklasTeam Picnic PostNL11:24-
105KOERDT BjoernTeam Picnic PostNL,,-
106LEIJNSE EnzoTeam Picnic PostNL,,-
111VAN UDEN CasperTeam Picnic PostNL,,-
DNSWELTEN BramTeam Picnic PostNL-

14th March – Stage 5: Ascoli Piceno – Pergola

A stage that suited the puncheurs with some hills in the finale, before a flatter run to the line, it was set to be an intriguing day out. A break established itself out front early with all Team Picnic PostNL riders in the peloton. With the gap to those ahead coming down, Chris Hamilton attacked out of the peloton and tried to drag a group clear and bridge across. However, he was never given much leeway and got caught on the last climb of the day, before leading the team across the line in Pergola.

Hamilton expressed: “It was a pretty hard day in Tirreno. The plan was to see how I would go in the final. The guys put me into a good position going onto the second last climb. I tried an attack there and hoped some other guys would come with us. Unfortunately I got caught on the base of the last climb and couldn’t quite hang with the GC guys. You don’t know if you don’t try.”

Results

  • 40.337/H
  • 205KM
  • 3499M
  • Stage
  • General classification
  • Points classification
  • Youth classification
  • Mountains classification
  • Teams classification
Pos.RiderTeamTimePoints
1DVERSNES FredrikUno-X Mobility5:04:56-
2VAN DER POEL MathieuAlpecin - Deceuninck0:07-
3ADRIÀ RogerRed Bull - BORA - hansgrohe,,-
42HAMILTON ChrisTeam Picnic PostNL1:43-
67LEEMREIZE GijsTeam Picnic PostNL3:43-
100MÄRKL NiklasTeam Picnic PostNL19:17-
106KOERDT BjoernTeam Picnic PostNL,,-
107LEIJNSE EnzoTeam Picnic PostNL,,-
131VAN UDEN CasperTeam Picnic PostNL19:44-
146WELTEN BramTeam Picnic PostNL22:11-

13th March – Stage 4: Norcia – Trasacco

The fourth day of action at Tirreno-Adriatico saw the peloton tackle several climbs before a flat final 45 kilometres. Due to the nature of the start, the racing was hard from the flag drop, with plenty of attacks as riders tried to form a breakaway. It took some time, but eventually, a group of five went clear, with Gijs Leemreize making it into the move for the team. While the leaders worked well together, the race ignited behind them as crosswinds shaped the action heading into the final 60 kilometres. The peloton split into multiple groups and rapidly closed the gap to the breakaway due to the high pace.

As the race neared the finale, things settled again, allowing two large groups to come back together, which gave the breakaway a bigger advantage once more. However, despite fighting hard, Leemreize and his companions were caught with just five kilometres to go, before the sprinters battled for the stage win.

Leemreize said: “With quite a bit of climbing in the first part of the stage, it looked like a good day for the break. Other teams thought the same, so it took a long time for a group to go clear. After a hard start, I made it into a break of five. We worked well together, but in the bunch, there were echelons, and the gap quickly shrank. We kept riding and fighting, but we were caught with five kilometres to go, just missing out on the chance to contest the win.”

Results

  • 39.572/H
  • 190KM
  • 2610M
  • Stage
  • General classification
  • Points classification
  • Youth classification
  • Mountains classification
  • Teams classification
Pos.RiderTeamTimePoints
1KOOIJ OlavTeam Visma | Lease a Bike4:48:05-
2PLUIMERS RickTudor Pro Cycling Team,,-
3VAN DER POEL MathieuAlpecin - Deceuninck,,-
37HAMILTON ChrisTeam Picnic PostNL,,-
45VAN UDEN CasperTeam Picnic PostNL,,-
68LEEMREIZE GijsTeam Picnic PostNL0:47-
97LEIJNSE EnzoTeam Picnic PostNL6:30-
126MÄRKL NiklasTeam Picnic PostNL13:40-
153KOERDT BjoernTeam Picnic PostNL17:58-
154WELTEN BramTeam Picnic PostNL,,-

12th March – Stage 3: Follonica – Colfiorito

The third day of action at Tirreno-Adriatico saw the peloton take on the longest stage of the race; with 239 kilometres in the saddle and a dragging climb in the finale before a flatter finish. Not only was it the length of the stage which made things challenging, but heavy rain made for an even more attritional and long day in the saddle. Team Picnic PostNL set out with the goal of trying to bring fast finisher Casper van Uden over the climb in the finale, with the goal of competing in the expected reduced sprint finish. However, a strong pace in the peloton saw the group thin down quite drastically and Van Uden, after holding on for a lot longer than the rest of the other sprinters, was just distanced towards the top of the ascent; while road captain Chris Hamilton led the team across the line in the peloton.

Speaking after the stage Hamilton said: “It was a very long, wet and cold day out on the bike. We went into the stage with the hope of getting Casper up there in the sprint at the finish. We knew it would be a pretty reduced peloton but the pace was pretty quite high and in the end he just couldn’t hang on at the front on the climb. In the end I just rolled it home in the peloton.”

Results

  • 36.919/H
  • 239KM
  • 3236M
  • Stage
  • General classification
  • Points classification
  • Youth classification
  • Mountains classification
  • Teams classification
Pos.RiderTeamTimePoints
1VENDRAME AndreaDecathlon AG2R La Mondiale Team6:28:25-
2PIDCOCK ThomasQ36.5 Pro Cycling Team,,-
3GRÉGOIRE RomainGroupama - FDJ,,-
49HAMILTON ChrisTeam Picnic PostNL,,-
71VAN UDEN CasperTeam Picnic PostNL1:31-
73LEEMREIZE GijsTeam Picnic PostNL,,-
95LEIJNSE EnzoTeam Picnic PostNL4:30-
98KOERDT BjoernTeam Picnic PostNL6:47-
127MÄRKL NiklasTeam Picnic PostNL13:46-
131WELTEN BramTeam Picnic PostNL,,-

11th March – Stage 2: Camaiore – Follonica

Stage 2 of Tirreno-Adriatico took the peloton to the familiar finish in Follonica, where the sprinters had their opportunity. Along the coast of the Tyrrhenian Sea, the peloton remained in control throughout the day. The early breakaway was caught with 37 kilometers to go, after which the bunch made its way to the local finishing circuit. Following a first passage over the finish line with 18km remaining, the sprint preparations began. In the final dash to the line, it was Milan who proved to be the fastest, while Casper van Uden crossed the line in 11th place.

After the finish, Van Uden reflected on the stage: “The boys looked after me well throughout the day and worked hard. We made some mistakes in the final, but we’re motivated and hungry for more!”

Results

  • 40.39/H
  • 192KM
  • 1245M
  • Stage
  • General classification
  • Points classification
  • Youth classification
  • Mountains classification
  • Teams classification
Pos.RiderTeamTimePoints
1MILAN JonathanLidl - Trek4:45:13-
2ZIJLAARD MaikelTudor Pro Cycling Team,,-
3PENHOËT PaulGroupama - FDJ,,-
11VAN UDEN CasperTeam Picnic PostNL,,-
40MÄRKL NiklasTeam Picnic PostNL,,-
42WELTEN BramTeam Picnic PostNL,,-
86LEEMREIZE GijsTeam Picnic PostNL,,-
133HAMILTON ChrisTeam Picnic PostNL,,-
145LEIJNSE EnzoTeam Picnic PostNL,,-
157KOERDT BjoernTeam Picnic PostNL,,-

10th March – Stage 1: Lido di Camaiore – Lido di Camaiore

Tirreno-Adriatico got underway on Monday afternoon with the traditional time trial along the beachfront in Lido di Camaiore. At only 11.5 kilometres long and mostly straight roads with only one u-turn to speak of just before the halfway mark, it was set to be a day for the powerhouses and specialists, while the GC riders looked to limit losses. Team Picnic PostNL set out to get around the course in a good way, with Casper van Uden setting the team’s best time of the day; as the squad look ahead for the stages to come.

Team Picnic PostNL coach Matt Winston said: “Today was all about getting through the stage in a good way and without any issues. The riders and staff went through the TT processes well together, making sure everything went smoothly. Now we’ll regather and turn our attention to the probable sprint stage tomorrow where we’ll go for it with Casper as our fast finisher.”

Results

  • 56.174/H
  • 11.5KM
  • 10M
  • Time Trial
  • General classification
  • Points classification
  • Youth classification
  • Teams classification
Pos.RiderTeamTimePoints
1GANNA FilippoINEOS Grenadiers12:17-
2AYUSO JuanUAE Team Emirates - XRG0:23-
3PRICE-PEJTERSEN JohanAlpecin - Deceuninck0:28-
60VAN UDEN CasperTeam Picnic PostNL1:11-
93LEIJNSE EnzoTeam Picnic PostNL1:24-
95HAMILTON ChrisTeam Picnic PostNL1:25-
116LEEMREIZE GijsTeam Picnic PostNL1:36-
159WELTEN BramTeam Picnic PostNL2:05-
160MÄRKL NiklasTeam Picnic PostNL,,-
163KOERDT BjoernTeam Picnic PostNL2:17-