CyclistClassic UK climb: Gold HillThe fluidity of well-honed souplesse; soaring Alpine passes; the dynamism of a peloton in full flight There are plenty of examples to demonstrate that cycling is one of the most graceful sports on the planet. However it also comes with a number of indignities: skin-tight kit; clacking and slipping on a cafe floor; being forced to push your bike up a steep hill. For most cyclists the first two are unavoidable, but usually the third can be surmounted with a well-timed energy gel and a big sprocket. That is unless your route takes you up Shaftesburys Gold Hill. Just ask the Hovis bakers boy.The KoM is 21 seconds for men and 33 seconds for women. Dont be surprised if it takes you a little longer than that.Mike Massaro / CyclistIf Gold Hill looks familiar, thats because it was made famous by the Ridley Scott-directed 1973 advert for Hovis bread the one where a flat-capped boy pushes his bike, heavily laden with bread, up the climbs steep cobbles to the tune of Dvoks New World Symphony.That lad had his work cut out. Gold Hill may be a mere 143m in length, but a maximum gradient of 25% gives a clue as to how vicious the climb is, and why it has made it into Cyclists series on the UKs best and hardest climbs.Mike Massaro / CyclistAn eternity over in a flashOriginally an access road to Shaftesbury Abbey, which was founded in the 9th century by King Alfred the Great, the climb starts claustrophobically but innocuously enough. You can approach it from St Jamess Street or Layton Lane in both cases the 90 degree turn onto Gold Hill results in a sudden ramping up in gradient.The rough cobblestones in the final two-thirds of the climb make the 25% gradient feel even harder.Mike Massaro / CyclistAt first the road is hemmed in by terraced houses on the right and the buttressed lower walls of the abbey on the left. It is further choked by parked cars, but at this point its smoothly tarmacked and no more than 10%.The gentle bend to the right that forms the first third or so can be dispatched in no more than a few seconds. Beyond that, however, any sense of calm and control is shattered as the gradient ratchets into the twenties and the tarmac gives way to cobblestones.The cafe at the top offers superb views of struggling cyclists.Mike Massaro / CyclistThose with experience of Belgian bergs and French pav might approach this section of Gold Hill with a certain complacency. Yet theyd do well to recalibrate their expectations, because unless they were expecting angular stones laid with the haphazardness of the Arenberg up a slope steeper than the Paterberg, Gold Hills cobbles are a different kettle of fish.Riders are faced with the unique difficulty of handling a bike thats taking on steepness and roughness combined. The front wheel is bucking around on the uneven ground so weight must go forward, but too much off the back wheel and youll lose traction.Mike Massaro / CyclistFew climbs are a battle of coordination as well as strength. Add in the pressure of attempting this in front of an audience the Hovis ad has turned Gold Hill into a popular tourist attraction, plus theres a cafe at the top where al fresco diners have a perfect view down the slope and the climbs second half feels interminable.Should you make it to the top, though, prepare for rich rewards. There will be applause and praise from your spectators and the view back over the iconic thatched cottages and Blackmore Vale beyond has been described as one of the most romantic sights in England.Its not recommended to emulate the Hovis delivery boy and turn around to freewheel back down with legs outstretched, however, because going down is just as precarious as going up. Besides, the bakery is at the top of the hill anyway.The statsGold HillLocation Shaftesbury, DorsetLength 143mSummit height 212mAscent 23mAverage gradient 15%Maximum gradient 25%Current best Strava timeKoM Steve Ambrose, UK, 21secQoM Charlotte Dadd, UK, 33secThe post Classic UK climb: Gold Hill appeared first on Cyclist.

Mads Pedersen has never fitted neatly into one box. Not a pure sprinter, not a pure classics brute, not a GC rider. Yet year after year, he keeps winning, keeps adapting, and keeps adding layers to his career. That is exactly what caught the attention of Jan Bakelants when he spoke in conversation w...

It took a long road to get to this point. But after years of trials and campaigning, the pedestrianisation of OConnell Street a main shopping street in Ennis, Co Clare has been confirmed as a permanent move from this March.The action by Clare County Council has been welcomed by a local campaign group after clear support from politicians, the public, and the majority of businesses on the street. The council made the announcement last Thursday that the pedestrianisation will be made permanent from March 2, 2026, with access to the street for deliveries allowed before 11am.The council said it comes after it had significant public engagement, which resulted in almost 90% of participants in a survey expressing support for some level of pedestrianisation, and over half supporting full pedestrianisation. The overwhelming majority of respondents 86.4% said that they visit the street daily or weekly, and the majority of the remainder said they visit it weekly.A door-to-door consultation with businesses, held during December 2025, showed that 80% of businesses supported pedestrianisation; the counciloutlined this in its consultation report.Ciaran Tiernan, a spokesperson for Better Ennis, a local group which has campaigned for years for the pedestrianisation, has said that more people spend time and enjoy OConnell Street while it is car-free.We have been campaigning since our founding, during Covid, for pedestrianisation of Ennis town centre. Over the years, we have had glimpses of just how much pedestrianisation could bring to our town centre, but we finally now have a decision to permanently pedestrianise OConnell Street, he said.Tiernan said that the benefits of pedestrianisation, as well as other measures such as cycle lanes, have been proven the world over making towns healthier, safer and more accessible for people of all ages and abilities.He said: We are now seeing children playing on OConnell Street, were seeing people using wheelchairs having better access to their town centre, and were seeing people spending more relaxed time enjoying OConnell Street.Wed like to thank everyone who embraced change for the positive over the years and we are grateful to the council for getting this over the line. We would urge everyone to keep pushing for more progress in the urban design of our town centre more age-friendly seating, more street planting, less street clutter, connected cycle lanes and wider footpaths. Improving walking and cycling access to the town centre should be a key focus and aspiration for the people of Ennis over the next few years, said Tiernan.He added: We would welcome more community policing on foot and on bike, and more organised street events. Making a town centre viable and vibrant is one which requires many different strands of work. The pedestrianisation of our OConnell Street is a great start. We need to continue the work.IMAGE: The street used to include narrow footpaths with a single, one-way traffic lane and car parking on the wider sections (Photo: Google Street View). MAIN IMAGE: A recent photo of OConnell Street (Photo: Better Ennis).Jason Murphy, director of service for Ennis Municipal District of Clare County Council, said, The council believes this arrangement will strike a balance between the operational needs of businesses and the desire for a more pedestrian-friendly environment.In a press release issued last week by the council, he said: Our vision is to foster a vibrant town centre, support the night-time economy and open new opportunities for local businesses.Patrick Tiernan, Clare County Councils acting senior engineer for the Ennis district, said: The proposed partial pedestrianisation of OConnell Street was informed by substantial engagement with the public and businesses.He said: A recent door-to-door survey of businesses in Ennis demonstrated overwhelming support for the initiative, with 80% of respondents in favour of some form of permanent pedestrianisation. Notably, over half of public survey respondents advocated for full pedestrianisation of OConnell Street, with 90% of respondents supporting some form of pedestrianisation.Mayor of Ennis, Cllr Mary Howard (Fine Gael), said: Almost 1,500 people took the time to complete the survey which informed this proposal and we are very grateful for their time and effort. Clare County Council now invites all residents, business owners, and stakeholders to engage with the Section 38 process and share their views on these proposed changes.The council said that submissions and observations on the proposals can be made by email to roads@clarecoco.ie or in writing to the Administrative Officer, Clare County Council, Roads and Transportation Department, ras Contae an Chlir, New Road, Ennis, Co Clare, before 4pm on Monday, February 16, 2026.ALSO READ: Journalism is all too often a poor fit when tackling car dominance

The cycling industry seems to be grappling with new standards all the time, and the latest to cause a stir is 32in wheels. Now tyre manufacturer Schwalbe has revealed it is fully convinced by the extra-large size and BikeRadar can reveal it will be releasing 32in tyres in 2027. The tyre size has mostly been discussed in the world of mountain biking. Last year, Maxxis revealed 32in tyres at Eurobike and BMC athletes were spotted riding prototype 32in wheels. Then, in November, the UCI said the new size would be permitted in XC racing from 2026. During a presentation at the Velofollies tradeshow last week, Schwalbes product manager Jakob Maen said the company would be introducing 32in tyres for nearly all cycling categories. On display at Schwalbes stand at Velofollies was a gravel bike from Unpaved Cycles with 32in wheels and prototype Schwalbe G-One RX Pro tyres. Stan Portus / Our Media Schwalbe has been experimenting with 32in tyres in its lab. The Schwalbe lab gives us the freedom to experiment and to test new ideas and innovate things without any pressure, Maen said. Testing ideas in the lab is a way for Schwalbe to see if they could become products. One example Maen cites that started in the lab is Schwalbes Radial mountain bike tyres, which have carcass threads at a more obtuse angle to increase the tyres contact area. Schwalbe began testing 32in tyres in the lab with the same mindset, to see if the size wouldmake a viable product. We went into this with an open mind. Some of us were sceptical but with field and lab testing, we saw that there are advantages and these will also be a benefit for the consumer, Maen said. Schwalbe found 32in tyres provide more grip due to a larger contact patch with the ground, increase stability, allow for higher cornering speeds and improve comfort. We could also prove, scientifically, an improved lower rolling resistance, especially on uneven surfaces, added Maen. This led Schwalbe to commit to the new size. We are fully convinced of this new technology, and we will be introducing new products in this size in 2027, said Maen. One question that remains is whether Schwalbe will produce 32in road bike tyres. Road cycling is heavily restricted by the UCI and there is a rule that the diameter of the overall wheel and tyre is not supposed to exceed 700mm, Maen said, adding that a 700c wheel the wheel size found on the majority of road bikes is already at this limit when fitted with a 35mm tyre. Maen said Schwalbe doesnt know whether this UCI restriction will be lifted. He added that: We dont know what the future holds, but we're exploring all options. Alongside discussing its plans for 32in tyres, Schwalbe revealed its new Pro One Allroad road bike tyre at Velofollies. The tyre is said to close the gap between road and gravel bike tyres for the extreme conditions of races such as ParisRoubaix. The tyre is available in sizes up to 40mm wide. Addressing the trend for wider road bike tyres, Maen said: I think this year we will see more really big options, but it really depends on the frame manufacturers if they can offer a bike that is fast and account for these figures. More from Velofollies This airbag for pro cyclists is the safety tech weve been waiting for and a WorldTour team is already using it New Cinelli Zydeco Washboard is a gravel bike youll want to ride everywhere Spotted: New Mavic Cosmic Ultimate 45 wheelset to fit wider tyres Pinarello adds a drop handlebar to its XC hardtail to create monster gravel bike

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For Bart Wellens, Thibau Nys did not lose the battle with Mathieu van der Poel in the final laps at Benidorm. He lost it before the race had even found its rhythm. I thought Thibau was very good, but he rode a too casual first lap. Again he made the mistake of not immediately sitting on Mathieus w...

Sigmas new Reco 81 Link smart light has a built-in radar that can detect up to eight vehicles at a range of 140 meters. The rear smart bike light, released last month, also features a brake light function that recognises when youre decelerating and has an emergency function that lets other road users know when youve slammed on the anchors. Sigma says the radar technology ensures approaching vehicles do not overlook you, with a bright warning light signalling to motorists that they are approaching a cyclist. Read more: What are smart bike lights and should you use them for your cycling? The Reco 81 Link should be compatible with a wide range of cycling computers. Sigma Like other radar bike lights, the Reco 81 Link connects to your cycling computer to notify you of any cars coming up from the rear. Sigma says all bike computers with an ANT+ radar profile are compatible with the light, with aBLE connection used to connect to the Sigma Ride App for updates and status display. While the brand doesnt list the lumens of the light, it says it can be seen up to 500m away. Sigma doesn't say how bright the light is. Sigma There are six light modes, with varying intensity and battery life with the High mode said to last around 15 hours and the Eco Mode up to 27 hours. You can also use the Reco 81 Link exclusively as a radar, where battery life increases to 30 hours. The light charges via USB-C and is IP67 certified, meaning it should stand up to wet rides. The Reco 81 Link is priced at 179.95.

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This year, Lael Wilcox is attempting to become the fastest person to circumnavigate the globe by bicycle. For all the details on her latest ambitious goal, dive in below...The post In 2026, Lael Rides Around the World Faster appeared first on BIKEPACKING.com.