Today's Weekend Snapshot finds folks from our global community pedaling and packrafting around three countries. Explore a roundup of scenes from Canada, Trkiye, and the United States, and use the short form to contribute to a future edition of our longstanding reader-powered series here...The post Weekend Snapshot appeared first on BIKEPACKING.com.

Everyone keeps asking, Where did the time go? Honestly, I cant relate. GRAN FONDO turns ten this summer, and my question runs the other way: why do those ten years feel like a small eternity, in the best possible way?Ten years always feel short when every day looks much like the one before. Or when you never take the time to catch your breath, a bit like heading straight from the Tour de France into the Vuelta.By contrast, ten years feel long when something new is always happening. Neuroscience backs that up: novelty stretches our sense of time. And that is the root of this sense of eternity, because over the past decade, not only GRAN FONDO but the entire drop-bar world has evolved at a ferocious pace, both technologically and culturally.Our brains store new experiences far more vividly than routines we carry out on autopilot. Thats why periods of life packed with firsts feel so much longer in the memory. The debate around disc brakes in the pro peloton seemed to go on forever, just like the evolution of gravel. It was exciting then, and it still is now.But what started out simple eventually became complicated: aero gravel bikes, race gravel bikes, adventure gravel bikes and bikepacking bikes. Sooner or later you have to ask whether we need all of them, or whether less optimisation can sometimes deliver more.Thats why, instead of focusing on specialists, we rounded up the all-rounders and put 15 of the hottest do-it-all gravel bikes to the test. Youll find our conclusions and the group test winner in this issue.Time is not only made by new experiences. It also comes from choosing to make space for them. Like sitting down for a conversation in Cyprus, two Falkenjagd titanium hardtails leaning nearby: proper mountain bikes that first wonder whether they are completely out of place here, before deciding that no bikes could be more GRAN FONDO than they are.I am pretty sure you have never made time for a conversation with two hardtails. You really should. Consider this an absolute must-read in this issue.At one point on the beach, one of the titanium hardtails says: The bike should never matter more than what I can experience with it. And that gets right to the heart of our times, even if plenty of tech lovers and watt junkies might not agree.Bikes get faster and more technically complex every year. But most of the time, we are actually searching for something else entirely. Inner peace. A slower pace. Good times. All while, paradoxically, our thoughts keep speeding up and we drive ourselves into decision-making delirium with endless technical questions.More time is all the rage. But do we really need it? In the midst of the longevity craze, we optimise our sleep to within an inch of its life, let our smartwatches tell us how fit we ought to feel, and track everything: nutrition. Blood sugar. VOmax. Then come the supplements, once we have blended the detox smoothie and shivered our way through a cold plunge.Yet one question usually gets overlooked: what does a year actually feel like? Is it the number of years or moments that matters, or their quality? Would you rather go on one unforgettable ride or ten average ones? And which moments make us so happy that we never want to let them go?Out into nature. Out of the daily grind. Out into freedom. An overnighter or a bikepacking trip is one of the simplest ways to get a lot out of very little. Preferably on a gravel bike, just like the bikes in this issues group test, which take everything from a fast after-work blast to a fully loaded Alpine adventure in their stride.What do you need, unless you are happy sleeping under the stars with the bare essentials? A tent. So we tested six of the hottest bikepacking models, priced between 250 and 1,000.Of course, you can use a bikepacking tent for all sorts of other adventures, too. The tents we tested also had to prove themselves across Patagonia and among Californias redwoods, and not just on the bike. There are no limits to what you can do with them, so just give it a go.My big realisation this year? There are some things in life you can never truly be ready for.I had seven months to go from complete beginner to taking on the toughest horse race in the world. I had to learn to ride, navigate and survive in the wilderness. A bit like bikepacking, only different. But read it for yourselves.A change of perspective from time to time is incredibly important, and just as rewarding. Because the biggest changes often come not from new technology, but from seeing things differently. What happens when you stop talking about bikes and start thinking about possibilities? We found out while electric overlanding through California with Specialized. Read the full story online.The greatest illusion of our time is believing that we have none. Every one of us has time. Most of the time, we simply do not use it, or we watch it slip away on Instagram. Or perhaps we have the wrong idea about it altogether. We think we can squeeze more out of our time by planning every minute more efficiently, and cramming even more into our calendars. But that doesnt gain us a single second.Time is there to be lived with presence, wasted and savoured all at once. That is when a feeling returns which most of us know only from childhood: a single moment feels like an eternity. Instead of thinking about the next appointment, we think about nothing at all and, almost without noticing, forget the world around us. And honestly, that feels wonderful.The bike is a brilliant tool for exactly this. It can take us a long way, and the less time we spend staring at the Garmin, the more we notice and the more we discover, even close to home.I sent my dad and his mates off on an e-bike overnighter to our garden plot, just four kilometres from our office in Leonberg. And sure enough, those 12 hours turned into memories for life. How good is it to see him and his friends discover bikepacking at around 70 years old and suddenly feel more alive than they have in years? You can read the full story in our sister magazine.Nils offers another fascinating perspective in his essay, The cult of extremes. Because road cycling is far more than just a sport. For many, it has become a kind of substitute religion, with just one commandment: thou shalt not stop.One pastor prays his way through the Race Across America, while an ultracycling record holder abandons his own world record attempt halfway through. One finds the strength to carry on through faith. The other finds the courage to stop. What does that say about us? Read it and find out.Speaking of courage: life today is faster and more unpredictable than ever. Its only natural that we crave security. Mental health and balance matter more than ever. At the same time, the temptation to avoid risk is growing. Nothing new, please. No struggle. Better to stick with what we know.The result? At 28, we sometimes behave like pensioners. We optimise our FTP, debate lactate levels and the perfect setup, plan every adventure down to the smallest detail, and forget something that needs training just as much as our legs: courage.The courage to embrace uncertainty. The courage to face confrontation. The courage to be wrong. The courage to follow your own path rather than the group, or the scent of the nearest matcha latte. Because age is not a matter of time or years. Its a matter of attitude, and of being willing to keep stepping into the unknown.The secret to a subjectively long life is not more years, but more firsts. For us, as a magazine, that is both excuse and incentive to keep pushing boundaries, changing perspective and refusing to take ourselves too seriously.So one thing is certain: the next ten years will not fly by. They will feel wonderfully long and never be dull for a second.So, dear friends, head out into the unknown. Time is waiting for us there. Enjoy the mix of articles that have made it into this issue, and grab yourself some inspiration! Get the latest issue directly on your device if you already have our app. Otherwise, simply install it from the App Store (iPhone/iPad) or the Play Store (Android Smartphones & Tablets).Der Beitrag Just a Matter of Time the new GRAN FONDO issue #033 is here! erschien zuerst auf GRAN FONDO Cycling Magazine.

Remco Evenepoel moved into second place in the Tour de France general classification on Sunday. After a stage 15 victory, beating Tadej Pogacar and Isaac de Toro on a mountain-top finish at Plateau de Solaison, after Jonas Vingegaard's crash before the climb. The Dane has been Pogacar's biggest riva...

Tadej Pogaar's UAE Emirates-XRG have amassed more than double the prize money of their nearest competitors at the Tour de France this year so far, according to the race organisers.That success has been driven by five stage wins for the squad through Pogaar and white jersey wearer Isaac del Toro. Each stage win is worth 11,000 (9,340), while each day Pogaar spends in the yellow jersey comes with just 500 (420) in prize money.The team has collected 124,530 (105,000) in the first two weeks of the race.Lild-Trek, the team in second place has got less than half that with 58,400,00 (49,000) driven mostly by the consistently high placing, including a stage win, of Mads Pedersen.The squad is also leading the lucrative but often overlooked teams classification, for which it receives 2,800 each day.Just behind them in third are Soudal Quick-Step, who, thanks to three stages wins from Tim Merlier, have totted-up a prize fund of 43,890 so far.There is a prize pot of 2.3m at the Tour de France, but much of this is handed out for the final placings. So far just 606,000 in prizes have been dolled-out to the riders and teams. At the other end of the prize money table after two thirds of the race is run is Picnic PostNL, who are having a torrid Tour. The teams best result is a fifth place for sprinter Pavel Bittner on stage eight into Bergerac. That netted the team 840 (710/$960) of their 5,270.Their results in France are matched only by their poor season which has seen them slip to 30th in the UCI team rankings, below many ProTour teams. Their best result has come from Bittner who was second at sprinters classic Scheldeprijs.However, there are other teams that are struggling too at this years Tour. Groupama-FDJ United have so far banked just 5,420 while Tudor Pro Cycling have won only 5,560.If Pogaar is able to hang onto to the yellow jersey all the way to Paris then hell collect a further 500,000 for the team, plus the prizes for wearing the jersey each day.

On this Monday's episode of the CyclingUpToDate Podcast, Rben Silva and Gavin Quinn have discussed Tadej Pogacar's dominance at the Tour de France and stage 15, where Remco Evenepoel beat the yellow jersey on the Plateau de Solaison. But is there more behind this victory than what meets the eye? O...

Stage 15 of Tour de France 2026 took the peloton into the Alps for the first major mountain test, finishing atop the demanding Plateau de Solaison. Before the climbing began, Alpecin-Premier Tech controlled the race to lead Jasper Philipsen to the intermediate sprint. The Belgian outsprinted green j...

Jonas Vingegaard is a tremendous climber and Grand Tour specialist, but not as complete of a rider as Tadej Pogacar. Mostly, this is something seen now on the descents and technical areas, in which the Dane has shown a lot of tension and difficulties, something which may have led to his demise at th...

A custom paint job carried out by Lumarcolors (Image credit: Aaron Borrill)Remco Evenepoel has moved into second place on the general classification following an emphatic first road stage win at the Tour de France. The Belgian has come into this year's race in impeccable form, and is clearly able to compete with the leading protagonists in the high mountains something he failed to achieve last year when he abandoned the race in the Pyrenees. With a 26.1km/500m individual time trial on the cards for stage 16, Remco can potentially claw back some time on Tadej Pogaar and cement his second place on the podium. Lets take a closer look at the reigning Olympians Specialized S-Works Tarmac SL9.Name sticker just to make sure nobody else on the team rides the golden Tarmac SL9Aaron BorrillA closer look at the glittery gold paint and handpainted 'Remco' detailAaron BorrillHaving stolen the headlines at the Grand Depart for his unreleased Specialized S-Works Shiv TT bike, the Belgian also has an S-Works Tarmac SL9 at his disposal both a regular team-liveried option (which he raced to victory on stage 15) and a gold-themed edition that celebrates his Olympic Championship win from 2024 in Paris. The bike pictured here, however, is the latter, and was customised by Italian master frame painters, Lumarcolors.A slammed front end has become a staple on Remco's bikes over the years (Image credit: Aaron Borrill)Golden K-Edge computer mount keeps the theme running strong (Image credit: Aaron Borrill)Lumarcolors has done an amazing job with the bike, as it complements the Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe team livery and pays homage to Evenepoels Olympic gold medal. Naturally, theres a lot of gold at play here, but its all done tastefully and not over the top. As a result, it utilises a bespoke glittery white and gold paint scheme that still fits in with the team design Red Bull and keyline logos are applied as a water transfer and subtly fade from gold to white.More gold! A golden cassette and chainAaron BorrillContrasting golden base of the Specialized S-Works Power Evo with Mirror saddleAaron BorrillK-Edge chain catcher finihsed in, you guessed it, goldAaron BorrillRoval Rapide CLX III wheels are shod with Specialized Cotton TLR 30mm tyres, complete with tan walls that pick up the gold accents on the frameAaron BorrillThe gold theme continues with his cassette and chain, base of the saddle, the inside crank arms (and SRAM logo on the outside arm), and the K-Edge computer mount and chain catcher. The level of detail is truly inspiring.The Belgian runs 165mm cranks, pictured here with extra golden features (Image credit: Aaron Borrill)Gearing comes compliments of a 54/41T, 10-33T drivetrain (Image credit: Aaron Borrill)Having changed teams for 2025, Remco is now riding a SRAM Red AXS-equipped machine rather than the Shimano Dura-Ace Di2-outfitted bike he raced on at Soudal-QuickStep. 51/48mm mixed-depth Roval Rapide CLX III wheels ensure a good mix of aerodynamics and weight (Image credit: Aaron Borrill)For the Tour de France, Remco has opted for a 54/41T, 10-33T gearing configuration, driven by 165mm cranks. As a Specialized rider, he meets sponsor obligations by using Roval Rapide CLX III wheels shod with 30mm Specialized Cotton TLR tyres. Other details/components include a Specialized S-Works Power Evo with Mirror saddle, a K-Edge computer mount and chain catcher, and Tacx Ciro bottle cages.As usual, he's using a slammed Roval Rapide integrated cockpit.All in, Evenepoel's 52cm S-Works Tarmac SL9 tipped our scales at 7.05kg complete with pedals, two bidons/cages and cycling computer.Frameset: S-Works Tarmac SL9 Fact 12r CarbonFork: S-Works Fact 12r CarbonCockpit: Roval RapideSeatpost: S-Works Tarmac SL9 CarbonGroupset: SRAM Red AXS 54/41T, 10-33TWheelset: Roval Rapide CLX IIITyres: Specialized Cotton TLR 30mmSaddle: Specialzied S-Works Power Evo with Mirror

Jonas Vingegaard spoke for the first time after the heavy crash that forced him out of the Tour de France 2026 during stage 15. The Dane, who suffered a broken collarbone and will undergo surgery in the coming days, said that, given the severity of the fall, he feels fortunate with the extent of his...