đ„ Lewis Askey continues after lead-out for Girmay â and pays the price after a shove from De Lie
Cycling
Follow IDL Pro Cycling on Google
Stay up to date with the best cycling news by making us a preferred source on Google.
Follow us on GoogleThe bunch sprint at the ClĂĄsica de AlmerĂa was marred on Sunday by a huge near-crash, with Lewis Askey ending up as one of the main victims. The Brit â riding for NSN â had just done lead-out duty for the winning Biniam Girmay, but didnât fully drift back after completing his work. That nearly proved very costly.
ADVERTISEMENT
NSN impressed in the final kilometres by delivering Girmay with almost their entire team deep into the finale. While many other sprinters were isolated â or had just one last helper left â Girmay could still count on three teammates inside the final kilometre. Askey was one of them.
After finishing his pull, the fast Brit did start to ease off, but where lead-out men often sit up completely and try to stay out of everyoneâs way, Askey remained in the centre of the peloton and kept his momentum.
Why? Perhaps he was still hoping to ride for a result himself â and pick up some extra UCI points for NSN. Or perhaps he was still there to make it harder for rivals to immediately latch onto Girmayâs wheel. Either way, neither is against the rules.
Continue reading below the photo
Lewis Askey
De Lieâs shove nearly knocks Askey off his bike in AlmerĂa
Askeyâs decision to keep rolling did, however, lead to a dangerous moment with Arnaud De Lie, who was sprinting for LottoâIntermarchĂ©. In the chaos, the NSN rider found himself squeezed between Pascal Ackermann (Jayco AlUla) and De Lie, with the Belgian widening his line.
It should be said that Matteo Moschetti (PinarelloâQ36.5) came flying up the inside by the barriers at that moment, prompting De Lie to make a small move left. But in the incident, Askey was almost barged off his bike â somehow staying upright.
He did have to unclip his right foot and came to a complete standstill, eventually dropping back to 31st on the day. De Lie finished sixth, with Ackermann eighth. Speaking about the incident after the finish to Eurosport, De Lie said: âAskey kept riding in the way, it was him or me. I was lucky I could stay on the bike.â
Read also
Bram van der PloegEditor-in-chief
Bram van der Ploeg (35) is the proud founder of In de Leiderstrui, IDL Pro Cycling's parent site, launched in 2018. Finally, he could create stories about the sport he had followed since childhood. He is the editor-in-chief on paper, but prefers to be with his recorder next to a rider, a team bus, or in the mud at a cyclocross race. Every year, from February to the end of May, Bram follows the entire Italian cycling season, from the Trofeo Laigueglia to the Giro d'Italia, with the grand finale in October in Lombardy. During that time, he lives in Tuscany, where he has since come to call Italy his 'home'.
IDL-productions
16-day Grand Tours, AI, VAR, drones and more: The UCI's new document has a potentially major impact from 2029 onwards
Quinn Simmons' Strava shows exactly what it takes to compete at the World Championships: âI said, Hey guys, anything is possible'
Despite losing the World Championships, Del Toro and Seixas rank high mentally and physically on the PogaÄar scale
Van der Poel loves it, but a lack of race radios gave McNulty and USA the chaos it needed to slip away
PogaÄar hails the 'King of MontrĂ©al', but McNulty already has a plan for 2027: 'Maybe Tadej will have to ride for me'
Latest Cycling News
How Brandon McNulty built up his legs for World Championship title after pulling out of the Tour de France
Swiss rider Mara Winter surprises favourites to take U23 European Championship victory
Fabio Jakobsen will make WorldTour debut for Visma | Lease a Bike later this year
Retiring Slovenian pro appointed as team director at Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe from 2027, but not for Evenepoel
Oscar Onley on his day in the break with Van der Poel, Van Aert & Simmons: "I still have to figure that out"
Popular Cycling News
Cycling transfers 2026/2027 | Izagirre calls it quits, Astana bags an emerging sprinter
Matthews joins the Pidcock Del Toro row after World Championships: 'If fewer teams had ridden together across national borders...'
Oscar Onley on his day in the break with Van der Poel, Van Aert & Simmons: "I still have to figure that out"
Rasmussen isnât looking forward to a year of McNulty as World Champion: âWith his jersey full of water bottlesâ
Following Demi Vollering, Remco Evenepoel also slapped with a hefty fine at the World Cycling Championships
Latest Comments
- - Pidcock throwing shade about del Toro in MontrĂ©al felt a tad salty. Teams always ride tactics; itâs worlds, not a club race. If Tom wants revenge at Lombardia, heâll need to mark Ayuso and Remco too, not just McNulty. Vamos Brandon, forza UAE!velodromevirtuoso101-10-2026
- - Wait, so PogaÄar is âfinished for 2026â but also only back at Tour Down Under 2027? Bit confusingâdoes that mean heâs out for the whole of 2026 season, or is it just no racing until Jan 2027? Can someone clarify the timeline?lindae01-10-2026
- - Brilliant piece. McNulty in the maglia iridata at San Luca is going to be class. If he measures the final laps and doesnât overcook it early, he can outsprint most on that ramp.raceready701-10-2026
- - Is October 3 correct for Giro dellâEmilia this year? Thought it usually lands the first weekend but the date here looks off by a day. Either way, stacked UAE rosterâcurious how they juggle Yates/Wellens/NarvĂĄez with the new rainbow stripes.jeremya01-10-2026
- - Wild to think PogaÄar wanted to race already when Mir said the collarbone was fine, but Gianettiâs playing the long game. If McNulty carries that MontrĂ©al snap into Emilia and Lombardia, watch out. His TT engine plus those short climbs = trouble for Remco and Pidcock.davidm01-10-2026
- - McNulty solo win gets one line? Come on, give Brandon some kudosâhis timing on Camillien-Houde was spot on, and MvDP covered a lot to set that finale up. Grande artĂculo, pero faltan detalles de la tĂĄctica en MontrĂ©al.patriciaw01-10-2026
- - Not sure why the piece keeps circling back to âweâll seeâ without new info. Feels a bit padded. Either he races CX or he doesnâtâtell us when heâll decide.raceready701-10-2026
- - Iâd miss the cross battles if he sits out. The last winter run from Namur onwardsâ13 straight wins and Hulst rainbowâwas insane. But resting might be the only way to consistently match Pog next April.jeremya01-10-2026
- - Quick question: the article says the baby is due around the time of the 2027 CX Worlds in Ostend, but earlier it says January with the 2026/this winter schedule. Is that a typo on the year?julien01-10-2026
- - Brilliant season wrap from MvDP. Eight wins, two TDF stages, E3 + Omloop, and bronze in MontrĂ©al. If he skips cross, that could sharpen the spring peak for Sanremo/Ronde/Roubaix. Family comes first thoughâproficiat to him and Roxanne.breakawaybikerd01-10-2026
Loading
