Too often, a driver risks my life and others due to impatience. And occasionally somebody believes I have done something wrong and tries to punish me

On the 5th of October the peloton will be in Italy for one of the most prestigious and spectacular classics of the year. The non-World Tour level Giro dell'Emilia will feature a world-class field and pack a very difficult route ending atop the famous San Luca climb. We take a look at it's profile.T...

If youve been in the cycling universe for a while, you know Rolf Prima. The Oregon-based wheel company sponsored the infamous US Postal Service Team in 1999. Their unique paired-spoke design wheels were a mainstay with the iconic red, white, and blue Trek 5500, leaving casual cycling fans wondering, How does that even work? That sentiment hits again with the 16-spoke Rolf Prima EOS AR wheels.(All Photo: Rolf Prima)Fast-forward many (many) years and Rolf Prima is still cranking out quality wheels. They still employ the eye-catching paired spoke and craft some of the more unique wheels on the market.Rolf Prima EOS ARThe newest addition to the Rolf Prima line is the all-new EOS AR (all-road), which the Rolf team calls its most advanced performance base wheel to date.Only 16 SpokesHow? Like their existing ARES AR offering (reviewed here), the new wheels feature a 25mm wide, 40mm deep carbon rim profile and hooked rim design. Rolf added an all-new carbon layup and reduced the spoke count to 16 spokes front and rear.Why reduce the spoke count so much? Rolf Prima says placing the spokes together makes an inherently more aerodynamic wheel. Plus, the equalized spoke-pull creates snappy acceleration. With the EOS ARs unique shape and rim strength, Rolf could reduce the spoke count further, offering a 16/16 disc brake wheel for the first time in the companys 25-year history.Cerakoted Hub Shells and Ceramic BearingsThe wheels roll on ENDURO XD-15 ceramic and stealth-curated hub shells for increased longevity and striking aesthetics. The complete wheelset weighs only 1385 grams.Whats the Weight Limit? Despite the low spoken count, Rolf attaches no weight limit to the EOS AR. The engineering team confidently speaks about the strength and durability of the wheelset. Rolf Prima says the wheel has a more supple ride quality while maintaining snappy acceleration and precise steering. We have some coming for review, so save your comments.After releasing this wheels predecessor, the Ares AR, we realized that the wide, deep rim offered strength and stiffness beyond any other road rim wed designed. So, we could change the layup to reduce weight without adversely impacting durability. Because of this rims specific design and layup, we could reduce spokes without adding unwanted flex.William Reen Rolf Prima EngineerRolf Prima EOS AR Pricing and Availability The new EOS AR is available now and retails for $2999.00. Look for a full review comingThe post Rolf Prima Reduces Spoke Count on New Premium EOS AR All-Road Wheels appeared first on Bikerumor.

CyclistGrand Tour 2025 route rumours: What we know so farThe Grand Tours are well and truly done and dusted for 2024. Now, its time to wait for the routes of next years big tours to be revealed.ASO, the honchos behind the Tour de France, will reveal the 2025 Tour de France and Tour de France Femmes routes on Tuesday 29th October 2024 with a grand ceremony in Paris. Two weeks later, Giro dItalia organiser RCS will share the route of the 2025 edition on Tuesday 12th November 2024. The Vuelta a Espaas route reveal doesnt have a specific date as yet, but it is expected to be published in December.For now, we are able to focus on the substantial rumours that surround the potential routes of these races. Often, organisers scout potential stage locations months before the Grand Tour routes are announced visit and news of local councils bidding for stage rights is also widely reported before the official routes are revealed at the end of the year. With these leads, the possible routes of the 2025 Tour de France, Giro dItalia and Vuelta a Espaa can be closely predicted.Giro dItalia 2025Dario Belingheri/Getty ImagesThe 2025 Giro dItalia will take place between 10th May and 1st June 2025. No details of the percorso have been officially announced by RCS, the Giro organiser. This includes where the race will start known as the Grande Partenza. Rumours surrounding the Giro are cooking up quite the complete image, however. A number of cycling-specific and local news sources have revealed much of the apparent route, which could start outside of Italy for the first time since 2020. We wont have to guess for much longer, however, as the full Giro dItalia route will be unveiled in Rome on 12th November.Current rumours suggest that Jonas Vingegaard, the two-time Tour de France champion, will be among the starters. Romain Bardet will make his last Grand Tour appearance at the Italian race and it is expected that Enric Mas will make his Giro debut next year. Related Posts GOAT Bingo: What does Tadej Pogaar still have left to win? What would a three-week Tour of Britain route look like? The weird and wonderful places to have hosted a Grand Tour stage Classic climb: Mont Ventoux, the Giant of Provence Week one: Albanian Grande Partenza, Abruzzo and another visit to NaplesEugert Zhupa is the most recent Albanian to compete at the Giro dItalia. Between 2015 and 2018, Zhupa finished the Giro on four occasions.Kei Tsuji/Getty ImagesCurrently, Albania is in pole position to host the Grande Partenza in 2025. Back in the spring, it was reported that the Giro might start in a country that has never hosted a Grand Tour stage. Since then, Albania has emerged as the assumed host of the 2025 Giros first stages.This comes after a close battle between the Balkan nation and the Friuli Venezia Giulia region, which was looking to centre the Grande Partenza around Trieste. However, according to Il Messaggero Veneto and Tuttobici, Albanian organisers offered a multi-million euro package to secure hosting rights for the opening three stages of the 2025 Giro. Tuttobici claims that the Albanian bid offer was three times larger than Triestes. Spanish newspaper AS has hinted that the official announcement will come after Il Lombardia next weekend.Details of the route in Albania are thin. Expectations are that the race will start in the capital Tirana, most likely with a prologue. VcoAzzura has pointed toward a Stage 2 finish in Vlor. Based on logistics, Durrs might host Stage 3. The coastal resort provides transport options back to the Italian mainland where the race will continue, plus the area has been used frequently in the Tour of Albania. There is a long-time connection between Italy and Albania. Italy occupied the Balkan nation for much of the 20th century, and a large Albanian diaspora has grown across the Adriatic.With the race back on the mainland, some direction of the route has been rumoured. Either Puglia or Abruzzo will kick off proceedings. Yet another visit to Naples is expected during week one before the race moves up the spine of Italy via Tuscany and Emilia Romagna. Details are thin on the ground surrounding the remaining stages in this first week.Week two: The long-awaited Monte Crostis, a time-trial and the DolomitesChris AuldMurmurs point towards the second week being concentrated in Italys northeast. With this, Vicenza is expected to host Stage 12 and Stage 13 is likely to be a time-trial to Montebello Vicentino in the region of Veneto.Tuttobici has revealed that Fruili will host a weekend of racing. This is expected to slot in for Stages 14 and 15. Some sources speculate that Monte Crostis could appear at the 2025 Giro. The climb has rarely featured in the race and was even removed from the route in 2011 due to safety concerns. While close to the Slovenian border, Stage 14 is expected to finish in Gorizia, which hosted a stage back in 2021 won by Victor Campanaerts. Gorizia will also be celebrating its year as the European Capital of Culture in 2025. With this in mind, the region is confident that the border town will receive a stage next year. For Stage 15, at the end of week two, the race has been rumoured to have a big Dolomite stage up to the Col Drusci, which the Giro hasnt visited since the 1970s. Few people have ventured up this climb by bike, but some investigating reveals that the climb is a real steep kicker in excess of 9% in average gradient. The standard of paving towards the summit is unclear.Week three: Alps, the Valle dAosta and a Vatican time-trialChris AuldReports suggest that the peloton will then move towards the Alps via Bormio and Bergamo at the beginning of the final week of racing. According to local newspaper Aosta Sera, the northwest of Italy is expected to host the final three mountain challenges of the 2025 Giro.Not far from the Swiss border, Stage 18 is rumoured to make a visit to Cascate del Toce. Marco Pantani took his final Giro stage win here back in 2003. The Valle dAosta in the northwest corner of Italy is expected to host a mountain stage the next day. This is suggested to take place between Borgomaneroand Ayas. This comes after a long campaign from the region to host the Corsa Rosa again.The same article also suggests a Stage 20 showdown between Canavese and Sestriere. This Piedmontese climb held the penultimate stage of the 2020 Giro on a day won by Tao Geoghegan Hart.The final stage of the Corsa Rosa is assumed to be held in the capital Rome. The citys mayor stated this on Stage 21 of last years Giro held in the eternal city. Mind, it has been rumoured by Italian news site Bicisport that the Giro will visit the Vatican on this day to celebrate the 2025 Jubilee, a year-round celebration of the Catholic faith. There is some speculation that this final stage will be a time-trial from the Holy See to Romes Colosseum.Tour de France 2025A.S.O./Billy CeustersThe 2025 Tour de France will begin on 5th July 2025 in Lille, France. The race for the maillot jaune will conclude in Paris on 27th July after moving temporarily to Nice in 2024 on account of the Olympics taking place in Paris. However, the vast majority of the route will be announced on 29th October 2024 at Pariss Palais de Congrs.The Tour de France has already released the routes and profiles for the opening three stages of the 2025 race. Centring in the northeastern corner of France in the Nord and Pas-de-Calais dpartements, the first three days will take place over three road stages, two flat (Stages 1 and 3) and one hilly (Stage 2). Stage 4 has been announced to start from Amiens, but from there, the rest is secret (or so they think).Sleuths at local newspapers have monitored hotel bookings across France and called up both mayors and local officials to find out what the possible parcours of the 2025 Grande Boucle could look like, and weve trawled through local news articles to piece together what it might add up to.Week one: The team time-trial makes its comeback, plenty of flat stages and the Mr de Bretagne A return to the Mr de Bretagne is strongly rumoured. The Breton kicker (2km at 6.9%) is the scene of Mathieu van der Poels only Tour win to date.A.S.O./Charly LopezSources suggest that the Tour will move westwards along the Channel on its departure from Amiens. This will begin with a Stage 4 finish in Normandy La Voix du Nord believes Rouen will host the stage finish. Hoteliers in the Norman city have told local press that race organisers have already booked accommodation there.Ouest-France has unravelled some of the race locations for the first week of the Tour. According to the regional newspaper, Stage 5 will see the return of a team time-trial at the Tour, the first since 2019, around the city of Caen. This rumour is founded on local knowledge and a swamp of advance hotel bookings for the evening of the 8th July 2025.Multiple outlets have speculated that Stage 6 will head from the Norman city of Bayeux. The next day, Stage 7 will reach Brittany according to Ouest-France. The stage is reported to start in the walled city of Saint-Malo on the Breton coast with a finish set for the Mr de Bretagne, a puncheurs climb that has become a Tour classic since its introduction in 2011.A couple of days later, a stage finish is expected in Chteauroux on Stage 9 according to local sources and hotel availability. The coveted right to host the stage on Bastille Day Frances national holiday is up in the air. The centre of the country seems to have a lead, however: La Montagne has suggested that Stage 10 will take place in the Puy-de-Dme dpartement with a possible uphill arrival at Mont-Dore. To ensure theres racing on Bastille Day, the first week will consist of ten stages rather than the usual nine, with the first rest day coming on a Tuesday.Week two: Pyrenees headline the second weekThe Pyrenean climb of Peyregudes will act as the second mountaintop finish of the 2025 Tour de France according to local press.A.S.O./Pauline BalletThe southern newspaper France Bleu Occitanie has boldly proclaimed that the Tour will visit the pink city of Toulouse for the first rest day and the arrival of Stage 11. Stage 12 is tipped to be a voyage into the Pyrenees from Muret to Superbagnres, a climb that hasnt been used since 1989. The return of this Pyrenean summit finish has been reported since May. The ascent lasts 17km and has an average gradient of 6.6%. A return to Laurent Fignons hallowed Superbagnres finish has been a long-term goal for race organiser Christian Prudhomme.The next day on Stage 13, La Dpche has revealed that the town of Bagnres-de-Luchon has already been booked out by the Tours publicity caravan. This suggests that the race will start here for another mountain stage. The rumoured plan by France Bleu Occitanie is for the Tour to return to Peyregudes. Tadej Pogaar took a closely fought stage win here back in 2022. The arrival, however, might be different to normal as the typical altiport runway is not 100% certain of its availability.The rest of week two is fairly unknown. At the end of the 2024 Tour, La Dpche revealed that two stages were expected to take place in the dpartement of the Hautes-Pyrnes. This would suggest a Pyrenean finish to the second week of racing. Some less substantiated rumours also suggest a time-trial this weekend, however evidence of this is very thin on the ground.Week three: Mont Ventoux 99.9% sure to return, amber light for Alpe dHuez and a finale in La PlagneMont Ventoux is expected to host the finale of Stage 16. This will be the first time since 2013 that a Tour stage finishes atop the Giant of Provence. A.S.O./Aurlien VialatteAfter a rest day expected to be held in Montpellier, the Tour will move eastwards.Questions have been raised about a possible return to Mont Ventoux in 2025. Some regional news sources have stated that this is scheduled for Stage 16 of the race. Le Dauphin Libr and La Marseillaise have both quoted the president of the local Vaucluse dpartement as saying there is a strong chance that the Tour will pass through [Vaucluse] in 2025. Adding to the intrigue, the regional newspaper La Provence reported that local officials were 99.9% sure of a Tour visit. If the race finishes on the summit, this will be the first Tour summit finish atop the Giant of Provence since 2013.From Mont Ventoux, the path to the Alps is fairly unknown. Some have suggested Valence and Grenoble as possible host locations. However, Stage 18 will see the Alps return in style. Le Dauphin Libr has tabled a possible return to Alpe dHuez. The climb hasnt featured in the mens Tour since 2022, so it might be apt to see the race return. There are few leads on this rumour, so it may be subject to change. However, Cyclist research has unearthed that hotel availability in Bourg dOisans is lower than usual for the dates put forward by Le Dauphin Libr.Another bumper day in the Alps is forecasted for Stage 19. This day is widely rumoured to end with a summit finish to La Plagne. The 17km long climb hasnt appeared on the Tour since 2002. It was, however, a summit finish in the 2021 Critrium du Dauphin. On that occasion, Mark Padun took the stage win.Rumours point towards the 20th Stage heading out of the Alps. LEst Rpublicain believes that the stage will start in Annemasse, the hometown of the Paret-Peintre brothers. Le Dauphin Libr claims that the stage will end in the Doubs dpartement, potentially in the town of Pontarlier.After a year spent away from the French capital due to the 2024 Olympic Games last July, the Tour de France returns to the Champs-Elyses in 2025. Dont get your hopes up of another time-trial showdown on the CtedAzur.Tour de France Femmes 2025A.S.O./Thomas MaheuxThe 2024 Tour de France Femmes route was a real step up from previous years. The event started outside of France and featured a big mountaintop finale on the iconic Alpe dHuez. For 2025, the stakes have been raised. The race will expand by a stage, bringing it out to nine stages. This will make next years edition the longest Tour de France Femmes in its short history.The 2025 edition returns to its late-July slot. The race will start in Vannes on 26th July and will finish (perhaps in the Alps) on 3rd August. The location of the Grand Dpart has been confirmed for a while now Brittany has been selected to host the opening three stages.Stage 1 will head out from Vannes and head to Plumelec. The following day, the racing heads to the north of the region with a profile from Brest to Quimper. This will most likely end in an uphill sprint. La Gacilly rounds out our time in Brittany before the race heads towards the centre of France.Although route details rightfully remain very secret, the general direction of the race looks to be southeasterly towards the Alps. As part of this, Stage 4 is likely to move into the Massif Central. La Montagne suggests that the following stage will begin in Clermont-Ferrand and end in Ambert via the Col du Bal.The final weekend is rumoured to be centred around the Alps. Chambry is said to be the start town of Stage 8, a tough mountain stage that will finish in Maurienne. Given that this area is right in the thick of legendary Alpine climbs, there is some reason to believe that the Col du Galibier could be on the 2025 parcours.Le Dauphin Libr has hinted that the ski resort Chtel will host the arrival of Stage 9, the final stage of the 2025 Tour.Vuelta a Espaa 2025Unipublic/Sprint Cycling AgencyAccording to Italian media, the Italian region of Piedmont will host the Gran Salida of the 2025 Vuelta a Espaa. In June, the Vuelta director Javier Guilln, said, I am very happy to say that La Vuelta and Piedmont are getting closer. We are in discussions and working hard. If it works out, it would give us great satisfaction, he continued. Turin and Venaria Reale are among the rumoured stage hosts.Piedmont held the Giros Grande Partenza in 2024 and Turin held a stage of the Tour de France earlier this year. The northern Italian city will, therefore, have hosted all three Grand Tours in the space of just two years. This will also mark the second Vuelta foreign start in a row. With Monaco rumoured for 2026, that could soon be three.Outside of the Italian start, little is known about next years Vuelta a Espaa route.One thing we are suspecting is a cameo from the Alto de lAngliru. Newspaper La Nueva Espaa revealed that the local mayor has asked Vuelta organisers to make a visit to the Angliru. The infernally steep mountain was last used in 2023 in a stage won by Primo Rogli. The inclusion of the Angliru would possibly be the focal point of the Vueltas three-week route. Related Posts GOAT Bingo: What does Tadej Pogaar still have left to win? What would a three-week Tour of Britain route look like? The weird and wonderful places to have hosted a Grand Tour stage Classic climb: Mont Ventoux, the Giant of Provence The post Grand Tour 2025 route rumours: What we know so far appeared first on Cyclist.

Tadej Pogacar is the best cyclist in the world and in 2024 he has completed what is probably the best season in history, surpassing Eddy Merckx's 1972. The Slovenian is an exceptional classicist and an insatiable stage-racer, but he has not always won. We take a look at the races where he didn't win...

On the 6th of October the riders will tackle one of the very oldest and most famous one-day races in the cycling calendar. A race that over the years has crowned many of the sport's greats, Paris-Tours continues to be an exciting race up to this day and it's many gravel sectors and explosive climbs...

Sam Bennett will have several new team mates next season after his Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale squad announced a group of new riders for 2025 and beyond. The team has enjoyed its best season for years in 2024 and is seeking to capitalise on its momentum. It has taken 30 victories, its biggest tally for []The post Sam Bennetts AG2R strengthens line-up with nine new riders appeared first on Sticky Bottle.

Ben Healy, Darren Rafferty and Archie Ryan who are all competing with EF Education-EasyPost this season are set for late season racing action in Italy as the 2024 campaign enters its post-Worlds phase. All three rode well well at the Worlds in Zurich, with Healy and Ryan 7th and 21st in the mens []The post Irelands Healy, Ryan, Rafferty all set for late season Italian action appeared first on Sticky Bottle.

After the cases that have shaken Portuguese cycling in recent years, the most significant of which related to the W52-FC Porto team, Portuguese cycling has been shaken by two more cases.The two cases date back to 2023, the year in which the extension of the use of biological passports to all cyclist...

One of the oldest races in the professional peloton, Paris-Tours will once again take place this Sunday. With grim reports from race organisers and rain forecasted for the weekend in Northern France, we might up for a race as exciting as the 2021 Paris-Roubaix. One of the race's big favourites, Arna...