Christophe Laporte starts 2025 this weekend - "It was frustrating at moments to watch races I would normally be competing in"
Cycling
Christophe Laporte's start to the 2024 season was pretty difficult as a saddle sore took him out of the classics campaign and then he had to abandon the Giro d'Italia as well. The former European Champion bounced back to finish on the podium of the Olympic Games, win Paris-Tours and be a strong figure at the Tour de France, but in January everything changed as he was diagnosed with a cytomegalovirus. Now, only in mid-August, does he start his 2025 season.
“It’s a big boost for him personally, but also for the team. His current level is difficult to assess, because Christophe is missing rhythm," team DS Grischa Niermann said in a press release ahead of the ADAC Cyclassics Hamburg. "Of course, we can’t expect him to be battling with the very best straight away, as he has in the past. It will take time, and we’ll build him up steadily without rushing.”
The Frenchman has been without racing the entire year until this weekend, having had many predicted return dates but never managing to get up to form in the necessary way until now. He will immediately join Wout van Aert in the pursuit of a result at the ADAC Cyclassics Hamburg.
“Hopefully we can aim high again this year with Wout. I hope I’m strong enough to help him and the team. Without rhythm, it’s hard to predict of course. The most important thing for me is simply being back on the bike and no longer following the team only on television. It was the toughest period of my cycling career. I had never experienced anything like it before.”
He was happy for his teammate's success at the Tour de France, but does not forget that he was originally meant to be at the Tour as well. “I was on the edge of my seat the whole time. Seeing Wout ride solo onto the Champs-Élysées was truly magnificent - great for him and the whole team. At the same time, it was frustrating at moments to watch races I would normally be competing in. When you keep thinking you’ll be better in a week and it doesn’t work out, it’s very hard. It’s taken a long time, but I’m ready now.”
“This summer I have been able to train well, and I can’t wait to pin on a race number again," he assures. "Building up my condition wasn’t easy after such a long break. In recent weeks, I have spent time with my teammates in Tignes. It felt fantastic to be part of the group again. I really missed that feeling”
With two months of season still left, it's not over for the 32-year old. “Right now, the priority is to gain race rhythm, also with an eye on next year. My big goal is to win races again. I want to experience that feeling again. First, I need to get back into top form. Once that happens, the good results will follow naturally”
Rúben SilvaEditor-in-Chief
A founding contributor to CyclingUpToDate since its launch in January 2022, Ruben Silva has played a central role in shaping the site’s editorial direction and long-term growth. Before joining the project, he built his experience through independent blogging at Echelons Hub and by producing race previews for Ciclismo Internacional, developing a strong analytical voice rooted in daily engagement with professional cycling.
Beyond editorial work, he has been closely involved in the expansion and coordination of CyclingUpToDate’s wider network, helping establish and support sister platforms across multiple languages. This includes ongoing collaboration with CiclismoAlDia (Spanish), CiclismoAtual (Portuguese), WielrennenUpToDate (Dutch), and RadsportAktuell (German), contributing to a shared editorial vision and consistent international coverage.
He also helps oversee editorial governance across the network, setting standards for accuracy and consistency and coordinating updates or corrections when needed.
Originally from the Porto metropolitan area in Portugal, he holds a bachelor’s degree in Geography. His path into cycling journalism was shaped not through formal media training, but through independent reporting, community engagement, and sustained on-the-ground involvement in the sport.
Over the course of his career, he has conducted approximately 100 interviews across road cycling and cyclocross, ranging from one-to-one conversations and online formats to press conferences and on-site pre- and post-race coverage. His interviews include leading riders, team managers, and prominent figures within cycling media: Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard, Mathieu van der Poel, Primoz Roglic, Wout van Aert, Joao Almeida and Tom Pidcock; managers like Patrick Lefevere and Joxean Matxin; and YouTube personality Bryan Kennedy (BKXC)...
Within 18 months of launch, he helped grow CyclingUpToDate’s English-language platform into one of the most-read cycling news websites, built entirely from the ground up. As both a professional journalist and lifelong cycling enthusiast, his focus remains on delivering accurate, timely, and well-contextualized coverage.
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- I get the point totally. We live in the snowflake society where some riders forget they are getting paid to ride and get results. When they have a few issues they try to look outside of the real issue instead of themselves. It odd so many of the team are making no complaints and getting on with their job. If you do not like what you do find another job simples. Tough love as my mum would say.paultryan200207-11-2026
- many people advise him to grow slowly and rather do giro and/or vuelta instead of tdf. but i can totally understand that he is not satisfied with taking over once pogi declines, but instead beat him in his prime. so if he goes for tdf again, i‘m all for it. let‘s hope that pogi recovers soon!Ketterechts07-11-2026
- So gracious to offer something no-one would be prepared to pay for. The Giro is not the Tour and doesn’t command the same interest or attract the same “elite” (those willing to pay to be a part of something they consider has ego boosting potential). Roadside viewing will always largely remain free for everyone outside circuits. Introduction of a symbolic entrance to mountain climbs is worthy of exploration. Asking 1-2€ isn’t going to repulse real fans (most will spend 50-100€ on their outing that day all things included) but will prevent a portion of the total knobhead thrillseekers who will join in any large gathering as long as it’s free, just because they’re attracted to crowds, without which it it difficult for them to work up their anti-social behaviour.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- How is radio going to help when someone went over a cliff or bridge or off the roadside into a forest unnoticed and is laying there unconscious?Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- Yep, next we’ll be accusing F1 drivers of avoiding Le Mans.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- But on what is that opinion based? Are you holding him to a different standard than others? Are you saying he should do learn to like something he doesn’t Are you saying he hasn’t achieved enough Are you saying he pretends to be better than his results? It’s actually a really strange opinion to oust if you consider it objectively or rationally. Try applying it to others or yourself by asking if not EVERYONE should then be doing more? Nobody in athletics or swimming gets criticism for not expanding their repertoire when a rival or someone else does. In fact, most who move to another event get accused of running from their rival. Opinions are boring, the reasons behind them are what count.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- for a medical chief to throw things like is just bad. There are already radios which were banned for spectacle. allow radios. Gps trackers are not a complete solutionabstractengineer07-11-2026
- Yeah man...PogiSloFans07-11-2026
- any rider less than 25 whether they are really ready for the position of leadership of GT is probably not the case. I think Pogi himself suffered when he was defeated by Jonas in the TDF twice. But that would be the team's job to ensure support so that they can bounce back. It requires a team and time to get back up and win after getting knocked down.abstractengineer07-11-2026
- I'm very glad he got the big late Quickstep Vuelta win and I hope he has a few left for Euskaltel-Euskadi.flyer07-11-2026
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