Mauro Schmid has taken his first stage-race win yesterday at the Baloise Belgium Tour, after leaving behind a disappointing Giro d'Italia, although not without some controversy.
Schmid benefited from a consistent performance throughout the five days, delivering a strong time-trial, aswell as taking a total of 19 bonus seconds throughout the finales and intermediate sprints in the race and some sketchy moves in the final day. On the queen stage he took over the race lead, however on the same times as Tim Wellens. The Swiss had the advantage, however when Wellens took three seconds on the first intermediate sprint of the Golden Kilometer yesterday, it put Schmid under large pressure.
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However in the final two he recovered the three seconds he had lost, and sealed his win. “The team did a great job the whole day, keeping me in a good position. Michael’s experience was important, his presence in the Golden Kilometer helped me take home the overall win. At the first sprint I made a small mistake and I thought that was it, I had lost it, but I remained calm and took back those seconds at the next two sprints," he described.
However that came with the help - either voluntary or involuntary - of Yves Lampaert who on two occasions hampered the chances of Wellens sprinting. It was a dramatic situation, which brought a lot of backlash for the Belgian team. “I didn't see what happened," Schmid commented. "Obviously I did not ask to do such a thing. I also think that both teams gave everything to get the seconds. I think Lotto also did everything he could to prevent us from taking the seconds.”
Although somewhat marked by a negative finale, it was still was special moment for Schmid who has taken another step in his evolution after moving into Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl Team. “Everybody believed in me, including Fabio, who sacrificed his lead-out for this. There was some pressure on my shoulders today, but I managed it and I’m happy with this success. It’s another important step in my career, one for which I am grateful to the team," he concluded, expressing gratitude over the team's dedication to his goal.
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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santiagobenites10-11-2026 - great analysis thanks! appreciate you posting this. I didn't realize CX had a different standard for deviation. this is even more egregious it seems.mij10-11-2026
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The first GC victory in his career for @mauro_schmid, who makes it ten Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl overall triumphs at the #BaloiseBelgiumTour. Photo: @BeelWout
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