For now, Mathieu van der Poel is still fully focused on the 2025-26 cyclocross season. The Dutchman is chasing his eighth rainbow jersey at the upcoming World Championships in Hulst, which would break the record he currently shares with Erik De Vlaeminck for most world titles, with seven each. But i...

Brixen Paper #11 looks at the market psychology behind the current crisis. It explores what happens when insight meets responsibility. Why fear freezes some and sharpens others. And why real change never comes from consensus, but from those who move first. This article is part of the Brixen Bike Papers a 41 Publishing initiative from our 2025 Think Tank in Brixen, created with the goal of building a better bike world.A series of essays diving into the uncomfortable truths, hidden opportunities, and real changes our industry needs. Click here for the overview of all released stories.Table of ContentsFrom alarm to actionPanic is a signal. Lets use it.Panic is not a weakness. Paralysis is.What the first 10 Brixen Papers really showedThis is not about spending more. Its about deciding differently.You can always changeA note on our roleThe Moment of Choice: When Panic Demands DirectionFrom alarm to actionThe mood in the industry has shifted.Bad news, shrinking budgets, uncertainty, layoffs, regulation debates, cautious investors. Panic is in the air. And thats understandable. Panic is a natural response when familiar structures stop working.But panic itself isnt the real problem.The real problem is what it does to our thinking.When the nervous system goes into alarm mode, vision narrows. Perspective collapses. Possibilities disappear. What remains is tunnel vision: fewer options, more perceived threats, less courage. Movement slows. Decisions become reactive. Most people dont fail because times are hard they fail because fear makes them smaller.And this is the current paradox in which we are in:At the very moment when clarity, creativity, and boldness are needed most, panic produces paralysis.Panic is a signal. Lets use it.Its the smoke that tells us something is burning.What we are witnessing is not a sudden collapse of demand or relevance. Its a collective stress reaction. The industry is confronting the fact that many of the structures, assumptions, and growth models it relied on no longer work.Panic emerges when reality moves faster than thinking.That doesnt mean the market is broken.It means the system we built has run out of answers.In that sense, panic is information. It marks a transition. The danger is not the smoke, but treating it as proof that the building is beyond saving.Panic is not a weakness. Paralysis is.Hard times have always been part of progress. No industry has ever transformed in comfort. Growth happens under pressure. Capability is built in resistance.Periods of stability rarely produce meaningful change. They reinforce habits, protect inefficiencies, and reward repetition. Pressure does the opposite. It exposes weaknesses, forces prioritization, and accelerates learning.Bad times are not an interruption of progress. They are often the conditions under which progress becomes possible.The uncomfortable truth is that most of what needs to change in this industry has been visible for years. It simply didnt feel urgent enough. Pressure creates urgency. And urgency, when met with openness rather than fear, becomes momentum.But only for those who are willing to stay open.Open to learning.Open to questioning old assumptions.Open to doing things differently instead of doing the same things more carefully.Right now, there is an enormous opportunity in the bike world. Not because the market is easy but because so many are frozen. If you cant see opportunity, it doesnt mean it isnt there. It often means your field of vision has narrowed.What the first 10 Brixen Papers really showedAcross ten papers, many topics were discussed: technology, regulation, communication, growth, media, responsibility, power, narratives, identity.But underneath all of them lies one simple truth:Nothing has to change.The industry can carry on as it has before.Repeating the same patterns.Chasing the same metrics.Making the same compromises.Entering the same cycles again and again.And if that happens, the results will also repeat.What the Brixen Papers did not show is what will happen.They showed whats possible.Not as a forecast, but as a choice.They didnt offer predictions or guarantees. They demonstrated alternative ways of thinking, organizing, and acting. Possibility does not create pressure. It creates responsibility.Because once it becomes clear that something else is possible, the comfort of ignorance disappears. From that moment on, inaction is no longer neutral. It becomes a conscious decision.This is precisely what large parts of the industry still struggle with: taking responsibility. Waiting for others to make the hard calls. Copying what appears to work elsewhere instead of finding the courage to define a path of their own.The papers dont demand agreement.They remove excuses.What happens next is no longer a question of information.Its a question of choice.Because while many will stay in place, some already arent.Your cleverer competitors are changing. Quietly. Without announcements. Without big words. They are questioning things others still defend. They are simplifying where others add complexity. They are making clearer decisions instead of safer ones.Doing nothing is still a decision.Its just not one you control.This is not about spending more. Its about deciding differently.In times like these, the reflex is almost always the same:Cut budgets. Delay decisions. Wait for better conditions.But transformation rarely requires more money.It requires different choices.Same effort.Same resources.Different priorities.Better energy.Strategy alone wont save anyone.Discussion alone will not move anything.The industry is not short on discussion. It is short on clarity.There has always been a kind of shared, informal understanding that many things were not working. But because it was never spoken out loud, never owned, and never translated into action, it remained useless.Call it knowledge if you want. In practice, it functioned as noise.What is missing is not awareness, but the courage to turn vague understanding into clear decisions and real movement.Strategy only becomes real when we carry responsibility for its implementation. Without ownership, even the best ideas remain theoretical. Talking creates the feeling of progress, but rarely the reality.The best strategy is only as good as its implementation.Ideas without action are entertainment.Conversations without ownership keep us busy without progress.Execution is the moment where intention becomes visible and will drive results.You can always changeOne of the clearest patterns weve seen over the last months:There is no lack of intelligence in this industry.There is no lack of ideas.There is no lack of talk.What is missing is coordinated, courageous action.Real change will not come from endless panels or perfectly aligned consensus. It will come from a small number of players who decide to move first, accept friction, and lead by example.Change will not be democratic.It will be led, and then copied.Change never starts with consensus.It starts with someone moving.Real change is rarely comfortable or widely supported at the beginning. It creates friction. It challenges routines. It exposes uncertainty. Thats precisely why most organisations wait for alignment that never fully arrives.Leadership is not about eliminating friction.It is about moving despite it.Those who are willing to move first shape direction. Others follow later, once risk has been absorbed and uncertainty reduced.The warning is this: in the current state of the industry, not taking a risk, staying safe, and focusing on survival is the riskiest option of all. Because others will move on. Faster. Smarter. And with the first-mover advantage.What follows is not stability, but displacement.Those who wait do not preserve their position.They make space for others.Space for those who move.For those who create new rules, new facts, new reference points.And ultimately, new conditions in which the cautious must then operate, not on their terms, but on someone elses.The good news is simple:If you truly want to change, you can always change.A note on our roleAt 41, we dont believe this shift will be created by waiting for structures to fix themselves. We believe it will be shaped through action, collaboration, and new forms of leadership.Thats why were choosing to focus our energy on people and organizations who are ready to turn insight into implementation. Not louder discussions but real steps forward. Not more opinions but better decisions.As part of this, were preparing the Top100 Leadership Summit in Leonberg from 22nd to 24th of April: a laser focused, invitation-based format for those who are willing to take responsibility, challenge old patterns, and actively shape what comes next. This is for the first movers, the innovators and the new generation of brands who are ready to change the game for the better.Its not open to everyone intentionally.Not because change should be exclusive, but because it requires a serious will to drive change. Weve heard too many promises in the last years and weve seen too little action. What a waste of resources and energy.If you feel addressed by this paper and are willing to take responsibility rather than wait for direction you can apply to be considered for the Top100 Leadership Summit.This is an application, not a registration. Apply here!The Moment of Choice: When Panic Demands DirectionPanic is a signal.Not to stop, but to recalibrate.Fear is a warning most systems can still process. Panic is different. Panic is the last signal. It tells us that time is no longer abstract, and that delay now comes with consequences.What defines this moment is not the presence of panic.Its what we do next.Because panic carries a trap: if we dont consciously choose direction, we slip into survival mode. And survival mode optimises for short-term relief, not long-term success. It leads to defensive decisions, recycled behaviours, and the false comfort of doing what weve always done, only faster.Weve seen this before.Easy decisions today make tomorrow hard.Hard decisions today make tomorrow possible.This moment wont define the cycling industry by how loud the fear was, but by who stayed clear-headed enough to act while others froze. While many will retreat, delay, or wait for reassurance, a smaller group will look forward and move with intent.Not by shouting louder, but by deciding earlier.By choosing direction before accelerating.By taking responsibility instead of outsourcing it.By becoming reference points in an industry that is critically lacking leadership and credible examples.The door is open.The question is not whether change will happen.Change is already underway.The real question is who will move first. And in doing so, who will help usher in a new phase for cycling. One where the bicycle is finally allowed to realise the full potential it has carried for decades, but too rarely been given the space, the courage, or the responsibility to reach. This article is part of the Brixen Bike Papers a 41 Publishing initiative from our 2025 Think Tank in Brixen, created with the goal of building a better bike world.A series of essays diving into the uncomfortable truths, hidden opportunities, and real changes our industry needs. Click here for the overview of all released stories. Apply here!The Brixen Bike PapersRelease Date1. The Industrys Next Innovation Isnt a Bike Its Unity11.11.20252. The Eurobike Sabbatical A Clear Answer for 202618.11.20253. Ingredient Marketing The Bike Worlds Marketing Fiasco25.11.20254. The Bike Brands New Competitors02.12.20255. The Lack Of Digitalisation09.12.20256. The Dealer Gap16.12.20257. The Media and Marketing Problem Too Dumb to Be Simple23.12.20258. The Ignored Majority30.12.20259. What Really Defines Innovation in Cycling Product, Culture, or Storytelling06.01.202610. Defining Goals What Industry Do We Want to Be?13.01.202611. The Panic Paradox20.01.2026Der Beitrag Brixen Papers #11: The Panic Paradox erschien zuerst auf GRAN FONDO Cycling Magazine.

Beating Tadej Pogacar is no longer about finding one perfect rival. It is about creating problems he cannot solve alone. That is the logic Alberto Contador believes Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe must follow if they want to turn ambition into yellow. Speaking in conversation with Sporza at Velofollies,...

CyclistClassic climb: Transfgran, the epic driving road thats also pretty stunning by bikeWith a name that could win you a Scrabble game, Romanias Transfgran is revered locally with the title of the most spectacular road. And while the stunning setting among the Carpathian Mountains and Transylvanian forest supports this claim, that tagline is rooted in a history clouded by dictatorship.Step forward Nicolae Ceauescu, Romanias long-term communist leader and a man whom Mikhail Gorbachev dubbed the Romanian Fhrer. Anxious in the wake of the 1968 Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia, Ceauescu sought to bolster his defences in case of any move to expand the Warsaw Pact to its southerly neighbour. The start town of Crioara is under an hours drive from the city of Sibiu.Harry Taylor-BullAs such, the Romanian leader homed in on the Carpathian Mountains, authorising the construction of a 150km highway for strategic military use to fend off what he perceived as a great danger to the prospects of world socialism.Years of manual labour and 6,000 tonnes of dynamite later, the Transfgran was opened on 20th September 1974. Ceauescu was greeted by crowds waving hammer and sickle-branded flags at a mountaintop ceremony with all the framed portraits and patriotic chanting youd expect from the dictators devoted followers. Related Posts Big Ride: The Transalpina Highway in Romania Big Ride: Romania's Transfgran Pass Harry Taylor-BullHalf a century on, this barrier to Soviet imperialism has evolved into an asphalt spectacle, drawing motorists and cyclists from well beyond the countrys borders. The Poarta Genitilor commemorates the lives lost building the 150km-long highway, many of whom were conscripted soldiers.Harry Taylor-BullLaid out over 25 hairpins, the Transfgrans northern and toughest ascent provides 30km of climbing at a modest average gradient of 5%, reaching Romanias second-highest paved summit at a height of 2,042m.Grin and bear itCeauescus Folly begins in the village of Crtioara, located slap bang in the middle of the country on the last remnants of flatland in Transylvania. At first its quite tame, climbing at a gentle gradient as you near the cloud-capped Carpathians loitering in the distance. This section of the Transfgran is prone to rockfalls and avalanches, which forces its closure from late autumn until spring or early summer.Harry Taylor-BullThe odd stray dog or loose cow is bound to catch your eye in the opening 5km, with the steepness ramping up to the mid-single digits by the time the road is wrapped in thick Balkan forest and the bed and breakfasts, known as pensioni, slide out of frame.On these lower slopes there are several billboard-like warning signs displaying a stick-figure bear cub chowing down on a slice of pizza. It seems the brown bears in the area had become used to the influx of tourists, who would tempt the bears with food to get photographs, leading to several dangerous incidents. Harry Taylor-BullAs a result, in 2024 the environment minister, Mircea Fechet, announced a relocation scheme to move the animals to a sanctuary 100km away to prevent them interacting with humans.Whether you see a bear or not, the climb keeps trundling on, sticking to its now-familiar 6% incline as you follow the gentle curves of the tarmac. That rhythm is soon broken at the climbs halfway point when, rounding a hairpin at the Blea Cascad chalet, youre welcomed by souvenir sellers and the smell of Hungarian chimney cake emanating from a food stall in the adjoining layby.Your best chance to spot a bear is in the climbs forested lower half.Harry Taylor-BullBeyond the hairpin, breaks in the tree line offer views out over the Transylvanian plains, and a little further on you pass the Poarta Genitilor (engineers gate), a memorial unveiled during the 1974 inauguration ceremony to recognise the soldiers who worked on this engineering goliath. While official records suggest the number of deaths during the roads construction totalled 40, some witnesses later claimed the death toll was closer to 400 by the time the Transfgran was completed.The Lake Blea cable car carries tourists over the switchback-filled finale.Harry Taylor-BullThe commemorations continue a further 500m up the road at the Poarta ntlnirii (meeting gate), another small memorial that stands just ahead of a curve topped with a substantial anti-rockfall cover. At this point, the gradient softens for a brief spell, allowing the political slogans, graffiti tags and towing service advertisements on the overhanging walls to blur as you stamp on the pedals.The closing 5km intersect the course of the Blea River and its manmade tributaries.Harry Taylor-BullSoon enough the gradient tilts up to 6% again as you enter the jaws of the Blea valley with 7km of the ascent remaining. Now encased by mountains on all sides, a quick succession of switchbacks carves through the brown-hued meadow flanking the course of the Blea River.With 5km to go, the Transfgrans pice de rsistance appears ahead, swamping your field of vision in the process. Stacked up like a giant marble run, the climbs closing hairpins zigzag across the scree-coated slopes in imposing fashion, with the tarmac strip supported by a set of bridges and pillars.The modest 5% average gradient was an intentional choice to guarantee speed and access for military vehicles.Harry Taylor-BullIts this engineering showpiece that brought the Transfgran international coverage in the 2000s when Ceauescus defences were breached by Jeremy Clarkson. In a 2009 episode of Top Gear, Clarkson crowned the Transfgran as the best driving road in the world, dethroning Italys Stelvio Pass in the process.Ceauescu later ordered the road be expanded to two lanes to facilitate tourist traffic into the Carpathians.Harry Taylor-BullTwo wheels goodA bike might be a slower way to ascend the Transfgran than the Aston Martin DBS that Clarkson drove, but it offers more time to appreciate the layer cake of carriageway that unravels over the course of nine hairpins.Harry Taylor-BullWith 2km left to the summit, a chipped marker stone indicates the spot where motorbikers like to park up and snap their pride and joy against the backdrop of the road writhing down into the valley. For cyclists it marks a much-needed opportunity to catch your breath before tackling the climbs final section.From here the road jinks right before one last pair of hairpins takes you under the path of the Lake Blea cable car. The summit comes into sight after rounding the final bend, perched just above the 2,000m altitude marker.Top Gear is credited with boosting visitor numbers after the show aired its Romanian Road Trip in 2009.Harry Taylor-BullIn July, this final pitch doubles up as the home straight for the queen stage at the Sibiu Cycling Tour. During its almost 15-year reign over the countrys biggest stage race, the Transfgran has helped announce up-and-comers such as future Tour de France champion Egan Bernal and Vuelta a Espaa white jersey winner Matthew Riccitello, who won atop this peak in 2017 and 2025 respectively.Harry Taylor-BullTo distinguish this 29km ascent from the rest of the 150km Transfgran, the race officially calls this climb Lake Blea. The shores of its namesake hide behind a row of shops selling a mix of local produce and mass-produced keyrings in shed-like boxes at the passs crest, just before the road teeters down into the Blea Tunnel.As the crow flies, the countrys tallest peak, Moldoveanu, is less than 10km away from the end point of the climb.Harry Taylor-BullBeside the lakeside shops stands Cabana Paltinu, the former holiday residence of Ceauescu, who visited the area to go hunting long before the Transfgran broke ground. Today you can pay 300 Romanian Lei (approximately 50) to follow his lead and stay in the Ceauescu apartment, which looks almost untouched since the Cold War.During his stays at the Cabana, Ceauescu would have seen his own portrait hanging above the Blea Tunnel from his bedroom window. Today all hed see are supercars and cyclists gearing up for a lengthy descent.The post Classic climb: Transfgran, the epic driving road thats also pretty stunning by bike appeared first on Cyclist.

For Sam Welsford, the move to INEOS Grenadiers is not just about sprinting better. It is about aiming higher. I want to go to a Grand Tour and win, he said in quotes collected by Cycling News. It is a simple line, but it immediately shifts how his 2026 season should be read. This is not just about...

Fizik is doubling down on old-school weight savings with a new, stripped-back R1 Light saddle rangeproof that not every performance leap needs to come from a 3D printer. The new lineup trims roughly 17% off the weight of Fiziks previous R1 saddles by going minimalist: fewer layers, leaner padding, and a focus on only what performance riders actually need.At a time when much of the saddle world has leaned heavily into complex 3D-printed lattice structures, Fiziks latest move is a reminder that traditional construction. When done well, can still deliver meaningful gains. The R1 Light range combines proven materials from Fiziks existing top-tier saddles into a new architecture for riders chasing low weight, responsiveness, and long-ride efficiency.(Photo/ FIZIK LYRA / KYROS 2026)Back-to-BasicsAt the core of the R1 Light platform is a carbon-reinforced nylon shell. Fizik paired this with ultra-stiff carbon rails and a thin layer of raw EVA foam padding. By ditching unnecessary layers and excess material, Fizik creates a low-profile saddle that maintains its ergonomic shape while shaving grams.The result is a saddle built around the essentials: a minimal carbon structure, reactive EVA cushioning, and nothing extra. Fizik says the setup delivers support and comfort for long, fast days without sacrificing stiffness or road feedback.According to Fizik Brand Manager Alex Locatelli, the goal was clear: combine decades of saddle experience into a traditionally made, high-performance product that works across a wide range of riding styles, without overcomplicating things.Three Classic ShapesRather than reinventing its lineup, Fizik applies the new R1 Light construction to three of its most established saddle shapes, each tuned for a different rider and position.Tempo Aliante R1 LightFirst launched more than 20 years ago, the Aliante built its reputation on long-distance comfort and a waved profile that supports endurance riders. The new R1 Light version keeps that DNA intact, adding raw EVA padding, carbon rails, and a pressure-relieving cutout to create a lighter endurance-focused saddle for all-day rides.145mm 144g155mm 148gVento Argo R1 LightArgo has become Fiziks most versatile modern shape, and in Vento form its aimed squarely at racing. The R1 Light version pairs the short-nose, aggressive profile with minimalist padding and carbon rails, making it a natural fit for race bikes with steep angles and forward positions.140mm 149g150mm 154gVento Antares R1 LightA mainstay of the pro peloton for decades, the Antares has earned wins across every Grand Tour. The R1 Light version refines its streamlined shape with a tapered nose-to-wing transition, lightweight EVA padding, and carbon rails for a responsive, race-ready feel.140mm 122g150mm 123gPricing & AvailabilityAll three R1 Light saddles are priced identically, regardless of model or width:199 / $229.99 / 199.99Fizik notes that the listed weights fall within a 3% tolerance, standard for lightweight saddle construction.Fizik.comThe post Fizik Cuts 17% of the Weight with New R1 Light Saddle Range appeared first on Bikerumor.

Bike racing will feel the climate change like almost no other sport

Cian Uijtdebroeks has not even raced yet in Movistar Team colours, and already the stakes around his transfer could hardly be higher. Ahead of his 2026 debut in Valencia, a blunt verdict has cut through the optimism that usually surrounds a fresh start. This is really his last chance. His last chan...

Hungarian adventurer and athlete Viktor Zich's latest video showcases the stunning scenery, amazing riding, and high-elevation hike-a-bikes of Nepal's Langtang Valley. Relive his journey through the Himalayas here...The post Bikepacking in Langtang Valley (Video) appeared first on BIKEPACKING.com.

Judge James O'Donohoe was reported to the judicial standards body for his comments at a recent civil court hearing, while it also emerged the under-fire judge was previously fined 600 after pleading guilty to refusing a breathalyser test