CyclistCycling books: Angel of the mountains: The strange tale of Charly Gaul by Paul MaunderAfter the Second World War, lots of writing became very grandiose, and cycling journalists in the 1950s were particularly guilty of this.Riders were mostly working class lads who liked riding their bikes, but they were turned into these magnificent figures with allusions to Prometheus and ancient Greek gods. So for Charly Gaul to get called an angel of the mountains for his climbing ability probably played into his ego a bit, but I think it also got him caught between reality and mythology. He didnt quite know how to handle the portrayal of himself. Related Posts Cycling books: Riding with the Rocketmen by James Witts The 13 (+1) best books about cycling The best cycling books by women Charly Gaul was born in 1932 and lived in the Ardennes of northern Luxembourg.He didnt get a bike until he was 14, but by 16 hed become one of the best riders in Luxembourg, a cyclocross champion who excelled in hilly races in the Ardennes. He went to the Tour of Austria at 18 and set a record on the Grossglockner climb and won the stage. He found his calling in the mountains, and he was built for it slight and quite short where the winners of his day, the likes of Louison Bobet and Gino Bartali, were much more robust.He had this unique style; he just hit a climb and started winding up the tempo, really high cadence, and it lulled competitors into a false sense of security. At first riders could follow him, but halfway up hed broken them, slowly and inexorably. Raphal Gminiani said he was a murderous climber with a lower gear than the rest, turning his legs at a speed that would break your heart tick tock, tick tock, tick tock.Angel of the Mountains: The strange tale of Charly Gaul by Paul Maunder is published by Quercus. See quercusbooks.co.ukGaul won the 1958 Tour de France and the Giro dItalia twice, once in 1956 then again in 1959.In all those races he took the characteristic Charly Gaul approach: not really pay attention in the first week, lose loads of time on the flat stages, come into the mountains 15-20 minutes down and then wait for a day often with really bad weather and just attack flat out. Sometimes he even told his rivals where he would do it, but theyd be helpless to do anything about it. He was Pogaar-esque.In the 1956 Giro he took the race leaders pink jersey on Stage 18 over Monte Bondone.There was a freak storm and he took off on his own, riding through the freezing rain and snow wearing no jacket, just a jersey and a handkerchief knotted round his neck. He actually stopped halfway up the final climb and went into a cafe. His soigneur found him having a hot chocolate, so he got a bucket of hot water and rubbed his legs and arms with it to wake him up, then put him back on his bike. Gaul ended up winning by a huge margin, overturning the biggest deficit in Giro history [at the start of the stage Gaul was 16 minutes down in GC; by the end he was in pink, nearly eight minutes up].A determined Gaul on his way to victory on Stage 14 of the 1958 Giro dItalia, a time-trial in San Marino. Gaul would finish third overall that year, but won the Giro in 1956 and 1959.Getty ImagesHe always looked immaculate on the bike.He was a good-looking lad in his 20s, piercing blue eyes, fair hair, a kind of James Dean quiff, this rock star look to him. But as a rider he was quite a loner; pretty grumpy most of the time, really quite introverted. He didnt get on with other riders, in particular Louison Bobet.In the 1950s, Bobet was the undisputed king of French cycling but he wasnt above underhand tactics. In the 57 Giro, Bobet and his team attacked Gaul as he stopped for a nature break, and it cost him the race. Not only that, they started calling Gaul Monsieur Pipi afterwards.Bobet was probably a bit jealous. I think the writers of the day wound him up a bit, saying Bobet was a great rider but he worked for it, whereas Gaul just had this natural grace and beauty, he floated above Bobet.Gaul never reached such Grand Tour heights again, and by 1962 riders were saying hes not the rider he used to be, its almost embarrassing.But he took his time to retire. He wanted to return to the Tour, to ride well, but it never happened. He finally retired in 1965 and opened a cafe in Luxembourg City. It wasnt the best move for someone who was pretty unsociable people would come in looking to hear stories about the Tour but all theyd get was Charly sitting behind the counter in silence, drinking most of the bar himself, by all accounts.His second marriage was breaking down at the time, and one day he closed the bar, packed up and moved to the Ardennes forest. He put on weight, grew a beard and became an unrecognisable hermit, not to be seen for decades.Thats the story anyway, but its here in Charlys life that my book really starts to unpick the truth from mythology.He eventually ended up as an archivist at the Luxembourg Ministry of Sport.I went to research my book there and I was presented with big boxes stacked with clippings and photographs and magazines, and most of them were labelled in this clear handwriting. I now realise it was probably Charlys. This article originally appeared in issue 156 of Cyclist magazine. Click here to subscribe Related Posts Cycling books: Riding with the Rocketmen by James Witts The 13 (+1) best books about cycling The best cycling books by women The post Cycling books: Angel of the mountains: The strange tale of Charly Gaul by Paul Maunder appeared first on Cyclist.

Enric Mas didn't want to test it on stage 18 of the Vuelta a Espaa. There are 2 much harder days of high mountains coming and today the only thing he did was to follow closely the attacks of Richard Carapaz that he believes were aimed at him but ended up hurting Mikel Landa.After reaching the fini...

CyclistBest endurance road bikes 2024 reviewed: Top picks for comfort on long ridesEndurance road bikes share many of the attributes of race bikes, but focus more on comfort. If youre new to road riding, an endurance road bike is probably the right choice for you.Its almost 20 years now since the Specialized Roubaix kicked off the endurance road bike revolution. Its fancy Zertz gel inserts were designed to reduce road buzz and its upright geometry placed the rider in a comparatively relaxed position.Although pitched at the amateur rider, the original Roubaix notched up some notable pro wins, particularly under Tom Boonen in the early season Classics.Endurance road bikes have come a long way since then, but many of the bikes today share some key design principles and core technologies. Keep reading to the end for full details of every bike listed below plus a guide to the features we look for in an endurance road bike. Reviews of the best endurance road bikesRibble Endurance AL Disc 105:RRP from 1,274 Read our full reviewSpecialized Allez Sport: RRP 1,600 Read our full reviewCanyon Endurace CF 7 eTap: RRP 2,899 Read our full reviewMason Resolution: RRP 3,740 Read our full reviewSpecialized Roubaix SL8: RRP 6,000 Read our full reviewBMC Roadmachine 01 Three: RRP 6,900 Read our full reviewLapierre Xelius SL 9.0: RRP 7,399 Read our full reviewJ.Laverack J.Ack III Di2: RRP 8,385 Read our full reviewOpen Min.D: RRP 8,450 Read our full reviewCannondale Synapse Carbon 1 RLE: RRP 9,000 Read our full reviewTrek Domane SLR: RRP 9,500 Read our full reviewGiant Defy Advanced SL 0: RRP 11,499 Read our full reviewWhy trust Cyclists reviews?At Cyclist, weve been bringing you our pick of the best road bikes since 2012, with our print and online reviews covering everything from the budget to the money-no-object.TheCyclistteam led by tech editor Sam Challis have thousands of miles under their belts riding and writing about bikes and can spot what makes a great endurance bike.Weve ridden every bike in this guide and our detailed reviews behind each will tell you what marks each out as an enjoyable long distance ride. If its in here, you can be confident that its worthy of your attention. Related Posts Best all-road bikes 2024 reviewed The best gravel bikes 2024 reviewed Best lightweight road bikes reviewed Best road bikes of 2024 reviewed by Cyclists experts Best aero road bikes 2024: Ride faster for less effort Best endurance road bikes as reviewed by Cyclists expertsRibble Endurance AL Disc 1051,274 as testedGood spec thats upgradeable via the Ribble bike builderLively ride with plenty of gear rangeThe Ribble Endurance AL got a comprehensive overhaul in 2020, which added disc brakes, a carbon fork, internal cabling, a lighter frame and 28mm tyre clearance. As with all Ribbles bikes, you can alter the spec; we reckon a carbon seatpost in place of the standard alloy would be high on our list.Its a lively bike, helped by the specced Shimano 105 groupset, which gives smooth shifting and plenty of range for hillier rides.Again, its an option you can swap out for something higher up the groupset food chain or with different gear ratios if you want. The Ribble still offers excellent value, even if the price has increased since we reviewed it.Read our full Ribble Endurance AL Disc 105 reviewCheck out the Endurance AL Disc range at Ribble (from 1,599) Specialized Allez SportMike Massaro1,600 Wide tyre clearance and hydraulic disc brakesGrippy, comfortable rideSpecializeds 2023 upgrade of the Allez saw it replace rim brakes with disc brakes, with the Allez Sport getting the hydraulic braking that come with Shimanos Tiagra 10-speed groupset. The base model Allez is equipped with 8-speed Shimano Claris and mechanical disc brakes.The swap to disc brakes allowed Specialized to increase the tyre clearance to 35mm, which gives a lot more rubber on the road for increased grip and comfort. This leads to assured handling, although the wheels and/or tyres would merit an upgrade to bring out more of the frames potential.Read our full Specialized Allez Sport reviewCanyon Endurace CF 7 eTapMatthew Loveridge / Cyclist2,899 (2,849 as tested)Full carbon frame offers a comfortable, lively rideSRAM Rival eTap groupset gives plenty of gear rangeThe Canyon Endurace CF frame is the third tier of the German brands carbon Endurace framesets, which are made to be comfortable, with a lively ride quality.It shares its geometry with the higher spec carbon models, just made with slightly lower grade carbon fibre, which adds a little weight to the frame.Canyon includes bosses for a top tube bag, although no mudguard mounts. Smaller sizes get 650b wheels for consistent geometry and handling.Wide range 12-speed wireless shifting comes from SRAM Rival eTap and theres 35mm tyre clearance to take you off-road if you want. Look out for Canyons sizing, with its bikes larger than most brands for an equivalent frame size, but with quite a short stem for a rather upright ride.Read our full Canyon Endurace CF 7 eTap reviewBuy the Canyon Endurace CF 7 AXS from Canyon (2,999)Mason Resolution3,740Modern steel frame is well balancedOption to spec as you pleaseMason Cycles mixes a bespoke approach with enough availability that you dont have to wait years for its bikes.It was at the forefront of the all-road revolution with its Columbus steel Resolution, which we found to be agile and well-balanced. On the specced 32mm tyres, theres plenty of road feel.The Resolution is a great package if you want classic looks in a forward-thinking bike design.You get your choice of spec, but we went for Campagnolo Ekar, rating its gear range and simplicity for road riding despite it being pitched by Campagnolo as a gravel groupset.Weve also reviewed the Mason Definition, the Resolutions alloy sister bike.Read our full Mason Resolution reviewBuy the Mason Resolution from Mason CyclesSpecialized Roubaix SL8 ExpertJoseph Branston6,000Great ride comfort built inTuneable front end dampingSpecializeds seventh generation of its long-running Roubaix builds on the previous models exceptional road-smoothing ability. Theres a new Future Shock 3.0 implementation, which adds damping at the headset, while the previous models AfterShock rear end road damping is continued. The big news for an endurance bike is that you can now fit full mudguards for the first time, tyre clearance is now 40mm and you can bolt a bag onto the top tube. The new frame is a little more aero too.Unlike many modern bikes, theres still external cable routing, even on the top spec S-Works version (which has seen a price drop from the previous model). Thats because the Future Shock headset doesnt allow cables to be routed internally. We found the latest Roubaix among the most comfortable bikes weve ridden, though at 8.7kg the Expert spec is a little heavy.Read our full Specialized Roubaix SL8 Expert reviewBuy now from Tredz (6,000)BMC Roadmachine 01 Three6,900Frame features designed for comfortQuality spec with plenty of gear optionsA combination of lowered seatstays and a D-shaped seatpost paired with a mid-mod carbon layup provide impressive compliance to the BMC Roadmachine.There are hidden brake hose runs from the carbon handlebars into the frame for a clean cockpit.To up its endurance credentials and help you avoid the bonk, BMC includes mounts for a feed box on the front of the top tube.Higher-spec bikes get SRAM groupsets that give loads of gear range with plenty of mid-range ratios and ample braking. The wide Zipp 303S carbon wheels and 28mm Vittoria Corsa Control tyres are quality items that up comfort.Weve also reviewed the Roadmachine 02 One, if youre looking for a cheaper option and the Roadmachine X which is specced to take you into gravel territory.Read our full BMC Roadmachine 01 Three reviewBuy now from Tredz (4,999)Lapierre Xelius SL 9.07,755.77Fast, punchy rideNot the most endurance-focussedDescribed as an all-round race bike, the Lapierre Xelius SL offers a lively ride thats on the aggressive side of endurance.It comes with the 3D Tubular seatstay design that sees the stays join the top tube rather than the seatpost, for more free flex and so more comfort.The latest model is claimed to be seven watts more efficient at 40kmh than its predecessor and Lapierre sells the frameset in three different stiffnesses, which have different frame weights as well.The geometry is unusual, but leads to punchy climbing and stability on descents. We reckon its a great all-round road bike.Read our full Lapierre Xelius SL 9.0 reviewNearly new available from LaPierre (7,755.77)J.Laverack J.Ack III Di28,385Four seasons titanium frameFirst-rate buying experienceWe were seriously impressed by the titanium J.Ack III, from its classy looks through to the boutique fitting and buying experience offered at the brands Rutland HQ.Out riding, the class continues with the great comfort on offer, however pitted the roads.We appreciated the bikes light 8.2kg weight and quality contact points; 32mm tubeless tyres on carbon wheels with Chris King hubs add the finishing touch. Theres enough room for 38mm tyres or 35mm with mudguards if you want an even smoother ride.Read our fullJ.Laverack J.Ack III Di2reviewBuy theJ.Laverack J.Ack III Di2 from J.Laverack BicyclesOpen Min.D $3,900 (frameset), 8,450 as testedRelaxed position, with great handling Seatmast adds saddle comfort While Open is best known for its gravel bikes, the Min.D is a road bike with 32mm tyre clearance quite radical when it was launched but fairly normal now. It carries over Opens gravel bike geometry though, providing a relaxed riding position while keeping the chainstays short at 405mm and the wheelbase at 998mm, for an intoxicating mix of agile handling with stability at speed. The highish stack allowed us to slam the stem without breaking our back, while Open has used a 25mm diameter seatmast rather than a separate seatpost. Theres a decent 35mm of vertical adjustment to saddle height and Open says that the seatmast allowed it to design additional flex over a seatpost for in-saddle comfort.Open sells the Min.D as a frameset, with our 7.1kg test bike build costing around 8,450. Read our full Open Min.D reviewBuy now from Open (3,900, frameset)Cannondale Synapse Carbon 1 RLE9,000Superb ride qualityIntegrated SmartSense lights and radarThe latest generation Cannondale Synapse offers confident handling and comfort in spades, with tyre clearance up to 35mm and carbon bars on an alloy stem. The Synapse Carbon 1 RLE spec reviewed has Cannondales HollowGram Knot SL45 wheels with 30mm Vittoria Corsa tyres.Geometry hasnt changed from previous models, with a short reach and high stack to place you quite upright on the bike. Geometry and frame stiffness are size-specific for consistent ride quality.Many models of the Synapse now come equipped with SmartSense, which uses a down tube battery to power front and rear Lezyne-made lights and a Garmin-developed rear radar system to alert you to traffic behind.The rear setup does stop you fitting a saddle pack though and the SmartSense system contributes 500g of the bikes 8.2kg weight.Read our full Cannondale Synapse Carbon 1 RLE review Trek Domane SLR9.500Great handlingA smooth ride on its 32mm tyresTrek has slimmed down the Domane in this latest version four of its endurance bike, shaving 300g off the frame weight. You still get rear IsoSpeed, but the front IsoSpeed has gone. The frame tubes are now aero and, as with the older model Domane, theres a storage cubby in the down tube.Our review bike was specced with 32mm tyres, but you can fit 38mm rubber. Along with IsoSpeed, that makes for a comfortable ride however bumpy the road surface.The 80mm bottom bracket drop makes for a planted feel and great cornering. But we reckon that IsoSpeed is a bit overkill for UK road surfaces, even if great for the cobbles. It contributes to a significant 8.2kg weight for whats an expensive bike.Read our full Trek Domane SLR reviewBuy now from Trek (7,980)Giant Defy Advanced SL 0Lizzie Crabb10,349.00 (RRP 11,499) | View offerSuperb ride comfort, low weight and top-notch specA little more racy than its predecessorGiants traditional endurance bike has become a little more racy in this fifth generation. Previously, Giant didnt offer an Advanced SL tier in the Defy, but the new bike has added one, plus a UCI sticker and at the same time has dropped 195g in weight from the new premium build and revised carbon layup. The geometry is slightly longer and lower too.That doesnt detract from the comfort on offer, even on the 32mm Cadex tyres, which dont take full advantage of the 38mm frame clearance. They do help keep the weight down to 6.9kg though, making for a ride thats fast as well as comfortable. Giants new update of the D-Fuse seatpost and bars help with comfort, while the fully enclosed hose routing and more aero tubes up the new Defys aero quotient.Read our full Giant Defy Advanced SL 0 reviewWhat is an endurance road bike? Key features to look for1. Upright riding positionKey to riding any bike for a long time is a comfortable riding position and for most people that means a more upright riding position than can be found on the average race bike.Endurance bikes will have a shorter reach and higher stack than more race-oriented machines, so youre less stretched out, although there are gradations in just how upright an endurance bike will place you.2. Stable geometryRather than being edgy like a bike tuned for the sharp end of racing, endurance bikes are designed for more predictable, stable handling. You dont want a bike thats a handful to pilot if youre going long.Typically, endurance bikes will have a longer wheelbase and slacker frame and fork angles than a more race-oriented bike. They will also have longer chainstays for less snappy handling.3. Increased tyre clearanceLonger chainstays also increase tyre clearance. Tyres (and rims) are still getting wider, but increased tyre clearance has been common on endurance bikes for years as an easy way to increase comfort and grip by increasing the volume of air under the rider, allowing lower tyre pressures.28mm tyres are the minimum, but expect clearance to fit tyres up to 40mm on some models.4. Lower gearingTo take steep climbs with ease and reduce fatigue on long, hilly rides, low gearing will let you spin up rather than engage in out-of-saddle grinding. Its typical for endurance bikes to be fitted with a 50/34-tooth compact crankset.Modern road groupsets will let you pair that with a cassette providing range up to 11-36, so you get some really low ratios. With the latest groupsets shifting to 12-speed cassettes, the wide range is often achieved with smallish differences between gear ratios mid-cassette, where the bulk of your riding is likely to be.SRAMs 12-speed AXS groupsets give you even wider gear ratios, with the option of a 10-36t cassette paired with either a 46/33 or 48/35 crankset.That gives a similar top ratio to a conventional groupset that has an 11-tooth smallest sprocket, but a very low bottom gear.5. Disc brakesDisc brakes are the norm for bike manufacturers these days, with hydraulic braking rather than cable-operated on mid-range models and up. They bring improved braking in all weathers while coming with only a minor weight penalty. They are also pivotal in allowing those bigger tyre clearances.6. Fancy seatpostsA slim and flexible 27.2mm seatpost is typical for road bikes and carbon fibre is the most common material even on lower priced endurance bikes, for its increased vibration damping.Beyond that, endurance bikes will often have seatposts with extra features to make your saddle time more enjoyable, like the Canyon/Ergon VCLS split shaft seatpost and BMC and Giants D-shaped posts.7. Vibration dampingThere have been many solutions to vibration damping over the years some more gimmicky than others.Generally they involve adding an additional material to the frame to dissipate vibration, like Bianchis Countervail, designing the rear triangle with flex zones or extra compliance, as in the Cannondale Synapse or the Lapierre Xelius or built-in flex features as in the Trek Domane and the Wilier Granturismo SLR.Front end comfort may be catered for by features to add extra vertical travel like the Future Shock 2.0 found in the latest generation of the Specialized Roubaix or the pivoting stem found in the BMC Roadmachine X AMP (okay, that ones an electric bike).In other cases, vibration damping comes from the design and layup of carbon handlebars and fork blades.8. Mudguard mountsMudguard fixing points used to be a rarity on any bike, but theyre pretty much standard on modern endurance bikes. If youre going to be out on long rides in all weathers you want to be kept a bit drier; wheel spray wetting your seat pad is never comfortable.Wed say proper mudguard mounts are essential if you plan on riding through winter.9. LightingWhile still a bit of a novelty, its increasingly common to see lights built into endurance bikes. Cannondales SmartSense system uses a central battery to power front and rear lights.Many road bike designs, even performance race models, now allow you to add an integral rear light to your seatpost.10. Electric assistanceMany brands now offer e-bike versions of their endurance bikes. Its a useful option if you want to go long and value the extra assistance of a motor to help with climbs or if you get fatigued.Often youll be riding at over the 25kmh at which assistance cuts out (in Europe), so the motor is only there for when things get harder.The best electric road bikes are not much heavier than a normal endurance bike. The extra mass may not affect handling or ride feel on the flat, but the motor provides a get-out on the hills.It may increase the distance that you feel confident riding or allow you to take on more difficult terrain.For more about electric bikes, visit our sister site cyclingelectric.com.Endurance road bike vs. gravel bike whats the difference?Increasingly little. Although they started off as different bike categories, there are now plenty of bikes that blur the boundary. Some bike brands will offer gravel and endurance specs of the same bike, like the Vitus Venon Evo and Wilier Rave SLR, just altering tyre tread patterns and gearing between the two.An endurance bike with wide tyre clearance and low gear ratios can easily be set up with gravel tyres for more grip, allowing you to head off tarmac and explore the less gnarly tracks and trails you find.Conversely, some gravel-light bikes like the aforementioned Wilier Rave SLR or the BMC Kaius are equally at home on the road.Theres yet another category of bike (dont bike makers love to define yet another genre?), the all-road bike, that looks to straddle the endurance/gravel gulf and which overlaps with both, being designed for light gravel alongside road riding.Not sure if an endurance road bike is for you? Dont miss our full guide to the best road bikes and if you want something more versatile, read our guide to the best all-road bikes. Related Posts Best all-road bikes 2024 reviewed The best gravel bikes 2024 reviewed Best lightweight road bikes reviewed Best road bikes of 2024 reviewed by Cyclists experts Best aero road bikes 2024: Ride faster for less effort The post Best endurance road bikes 2024 reviewed: Top picks for comfort on long rides appeared first on Cyclist.

Throughout the Vuelta a Espaa, the race jury attributes fines to some of the riders and sporting directors. Ultimately the fines can come in the form of money, time penalties or even UCI points, depending on the rule breaking. Here we present what has happened during the race.Joo Almeida (UAE Tea...

A very large Irish team has been selected for the UCI World Road Championships in Zurich this month, with Cycling Ireland opting to bypass the Europeans and throw its full weight behind the Worlds. One notable feature of the teams selected across the junior, U23 and elite categories is the quality of the []The post Large Irish team, with real medal hopes, named for UCI World Road Champs appeared first on Sticky Bottle.

Throughout the 2024 Vuelta a Espaa there will be many riders to withdraw from the race, for several different reasons. We make a list of all riders who leave the Spanish Grand Tour as well as list out a few of the main crashes and health issues that take place during the race.Nothing to note.Dyla...

Sept 4th-8th | Rs na mBan 2024 Stage 2 | Portlaoise-Mountrath 104.5km General Classification Irish Rider General Classification Points Classification Mountains Classification Young Rider ClassificationThe post Stage 2 and full classification results Rs na mBan | Select group pulls clear appeared first on Sticky Bottle.

Wout van Aert is one of the most talented and successful pro riders but despite this, he has equally found himself often just missing out on huge results. He was always very consistent but in 2024 it were massive injuries that prevented him from taking big results. After crashing out of the Vuelta a...

Caoimhe OBrien, the Irish U23 road race champion, has celebrated her selection for the UCI World Road Championships in Zurich with victory on stage 2 of Rs na mBan, on what looked like a decisive day of action. OBrien may have only just about beaten Das Hutchinson Brother UK team mate, and race leader, Mia []The post Worlds-bound OBrien wins big as Rs na mBan splits to pieces | Video appeared first on Sticky Bottle.

Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale have put on another great stage collectively and individually with Ben O'Connor. On a day where he expected to have an easier ride, the red jersey was taken to the limit but resisted quite well and heads into the final days of the race still in the lead."I did not expect...