{"id":223305,"date":"2025-10-18T23:21:10","date_gmt":"2025-10-18T23:21:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/223305\/"},"modified":"2025-10-18T23:21:10","modified_gmt":"2025-10-18T23:21:10","slug":"four-stars-two-races-no-peloton-pro-cyclings-strangest-event","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/223305\/","title":{"rendered":"Four Stars, Two Races, No Peloton: Pro Cycling\u2019s Strangest Event"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>The Andorra Cycling Masters race will take place Sunday with Poga\u010dar, Vingegard, Rogli\u010d, Del Toro \u2026 and no one else. <\/p>\n<p><img alt=\"Tadej Pogacar, Primoz Roglic, Isaac Del Toro and Jonas Vingegaard will go head to head in the Andorra Cycling Masters 2025 (photos: Getty Images)\" src=\"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Pogacar-Vingegaard-Del-Toro-Roglic.jpg\" data-loaded=\"true\" fetchpriority=\"high\" loading=\"eager\" width=\"2400\" height=\"1626\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"1\" style=\"color:transparent\"  bad-src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Pogacar-Vingegaard-Del-Toro-Roglic.jpg\"\/><\/p>\n<p class=\"py-tight text-left font-utility text-utility3-size leading-utility3-line-height text-text-secondary\">Tadej Pogacar, Primoz Roglic, Isaac Del Toro and Jonas Vingegaard will go head to head in the Andorra Cycling Masters 2025 (photos: Getty Images)<\/p>\n<p>Updated October 18, 2025 01:33PM<\/p>\n<p>Sunday sees the inaugural edition of pro cycling\u2019s quirkiest race: a bizarre new experiment in the cycling sanctuary of Andorra.<\/p>\n<p>Increasingly favored by pro riders who want to live at altitude, to be surrounded by mountains and to sidestep high taxes, the principality is fully leaning into its cycling identity with the most bizarre race in the sport.<\/p>\n<p>Forget large pelotons and the help of superteams: Sunday\u2019s Andorra Cycling Masters will feature just four riders.<\/p>\n<p>But what matters is that they are four of the biggest names in pro cycling.<\/p>\n<p>The top dog is <a target=\"_blank\" class=\"text-primary underline hover:text-primary\/85 break-words overflow-wrap-anywhere underline-offset-[3px]\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" data-afl-p=\"0\" href=\"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/tag\/tadej-pogacar\/\">Tadej Poga\u010dar<\/a>, who pulled off the Tour de France-world road race championship double for the second year running, ran riot in many other events and clocked up a staggering 20 wins in 50 days of competition.<\/p>\n<p>Tour arch-rival <a target=\"_blank\" class=\"text-primary underline hover:text-primary\/85 break-words overflow-wrap-anywhere underline-offset-[3px]\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" data-afl-p=\"0\" href=\"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/tag\/jonas-vingegaard\/\">Jonas Vingegaard<\/a> will be there, trying to shrug off an anonymous showing in the recent European road championships and to rediscover into his Vuelta a Espa\u00f1a-winning form.<\/p>\n<p>Five time Grand Tour winner <a target=\"_blank\" class=\"text-primary underline hover:text-primary\/85 break-words overflow-wrap-anywhere underline-offset-[3px]\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" data-afl-p=\"0\" href=\"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/tag\/primoz-roglic\/\">Primo\u017e Rogli\u010d<\/a> is lining out and also hoping to rediscover his best legs, while Poga\u010dar\u2019s UAE Emirates-XRG teammate <a target=\"_blank\" class=\"text-primary underline hover:text-primary\/85 break-words overflow-wrap-anywhere underline-offset-[3px]\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" data-afl-p=\"0\" href=\"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/tag\/isaac-del-toro\/\">Isaac del Toro<\/a> is looking to add to the sixteen wins he has clocked up in what is only his second pro season.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cFour champions, head-to-head, no teams, no excuses,\u201d is how it is being billed.<\/p>\n<p>Will there be fireworks? You bet.<\/p>\n<p>\u2019A historic competition\u2019<br \/>\n<img alt=\"COURCHEVEL - COL DE LA LOZE, FRANCE - JULY 24: (L-R) Tadej Pogacar of Slovenia and UAE Team Emirates - XRG - Yellow Leader Jersey and Jonas Vingegaard of Denmark and Team Visma | Lease a Bike attack in the breakaway during the 112th Tour de France 2025, Stage 18 a 171.5km stage from Vif to Courchevel - Col de la Loze 2298m \/ #UCIWT \/ on July 24, 2025 in Courchevel - Col de la Loze, France. (Photo by Tim de Waele\/Getty Images)\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"2400\" height=\"1600\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"1\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-958448\" style=\"color:transparent\"  src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/GettyImages-2226805968.jpg\"\/>Jonas Vingegaard will seek to score a psychological blow against Tadej Poga\u010dar on Sunday, but it won\u2019t be easy (Photo: Tim de Waele\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n<p>Details are surprisingly scarce but coaxing four of the world\u2019s best riders to the race isn\u2019t just about a fun trip to Andorra and the chance of some cheap duty free goods.<\/p>\n<p>The organizers wouldn\u2019t confirm details to Velo Saturday about prizemoney or appearance fees, but it\u2019s likely each rider is being well rewarded for their participation.<\/p>\n<p>But with no plans to televise the events live, the project might appear a little mystifying. Yet that\u2019s where another quirk comes into play. The aim isn\u2019t to get loads of eyes on race coverage: there is a much bigger picture in mind than that.<\/p>\n<p>Forget a couple of hours of live TV: think instead of a deeper dive at a later date which will aim to show the human side of each rider, and will likely showcase much of the scenery and character of Andorra itself.<\/p>\n<p>This will be, the organizers proclaim, \u201ca historic competition for world cycling that will transcend sport to become an international docushow.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe protagonists, leading figures of modern cycling, will reveal both their competitive and personal sides in an innovative format that combines sport, emotion and audiovisual storytelling.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The project is supported by IPG Mediabrands Entertainment, which manages over $47 billion in marketing investment globally on behalf of its clients. Also involved are Spanish audiovisual production company Wakai (WAP Media Group).<\/p>\n<p>Think megabucks: think an international streaming platform which, for now, remains anonymous.<\/p>\n<p>Velo has been told more details will be revealed after Sunday\u2019s races.<\/p>\n<p>A behind the scenes view of riders and their families<br \/>\n<img alt=\"HAUTACAM, FRANCE - JULY 17: Primoz Roglic of Slovenia and Team Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe reacts after the 112th Tour de France 2025, Stage 12 a 180.6km stage from Auch to Hautacam 1519m \/ #UCIWT \/ on July 17, 2025 in Hautacam, France. (Photo by Tim de Waele\/Getty Images)\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"682\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"1\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-967635\" style=\"color:transparent\"  src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/GettyImages-2225615490.jpg\"\/>Primo\u017e Roglic had one of his best performances ever in the Volta a Catalu\u00f1a. Can he hit the same sort of form for this end of season race? (Photo by Tim de Waele\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n<p>So what is on the agenda?<\/p>\n<p>Poga\u010dar, Vingegaard, Rogli\u010d and Del Toro will clash in two events.<\/p>\n<p>At 9am Sunday morning the four riders will go head to head against the clock in an uphill time trial on the Coll de la Gallina. It is 8.23km in length and will see them gain more than 750 meters in altitude.<\/p>\n<p>Then at 11am the quartet will compete in a 32 kilometer urban criterium based in the center of Andorra la Vella and Escaldes-Engordany.<\/p>\n<p>The victory will be based on points accrued in sprints on each of the 15 laps, with that total plus the time trial times settling the general classification.<\/p>\n<p>Vuelta a Espa\u00f1a organizer Unipublic will be calculating that outcome.<\/p>\n<p>However Betim Budzaku, general manager of the Andorra Tourist Board and one of those behind the project, described the winner as \u2018mainly symbolic.\u2019 He said the big priority is having a spectacular event and then communicating that far and wide via the documentary.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cFrom the moment they arrive in Andorra until they return home, the riders will be filmed with their families,\u201d told <a target=\"_blank\" class=\"text-primary underline hover:text-primary\/85 break-words overflow-wrap-anywhere underline-offset-[3px]\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" data-afl-p=\"0\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nieuwsblad.be\/sport\/wielrennen\/plots-staan-pogacar-vingegaard-roglic-en-del-toro-aan-de-start-van-cycling-masters-in-andorra-en-ook-evenepoel-wilde-komen\/97813886.html\">Het Nieuwsblad<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis way, fans can see the human side of the riders and learn how they prepare for such races. The idea is to let people see a race from a different perspective.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>He confirmed that they also sought the participation of Remco Evenepoel, but that this ultimately proved impossible due to a schedule conflict.<\/p>\n<p>Still, they have four top names and the makings of an intriguing behind-the-scenes documentary.<\/p>\n<p>The concept may be highly unusual but, considering the caliber of the riders and the clout of those behind the project, this could be a big success.<\/p>\n<p>We\u2019ll all just have to wait a few weeks to see it.<\/p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The Andorra Cycling Masters race will take place Sunday with Poga\u010dar, Vingegard, Rogli\u010d, Del Toro \u2026 and no&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":223306,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[445],"tags":[49,48,635,54263,82,107034,88388,57421,107035,54266,54267],"class_list":{"0":"post-223305","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-cycling","8":"tag-ca","9":"tag-canada","10":"tag-cycling","11":"tag-parent_category-road","12":"tag-sports","13":"tag-tag-andorra-cycling-masters","14":"tag-tag-isaac-del-toro","15":"tag-tag-jonas-vingegaard","16":"tag-tag-primoz-roglic","17":"tag-tag-tadej-pogacar","18":"tag-type-article"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/223305","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=223305"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/223305\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/223306"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=223305"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=223305"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=223305"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}