The cards have looked stacked against the Dane and his team so far in 2026 now he has just one race till the Giro d'Italia

From the 7th to the 11th of February the peloton takes on the Tour of Oman, the continuation of the Middle Eastern calendar, with a stage-race that features sprints, explosive days and steep mountains. We preview stage 5, which is estimated to start and finish at 07:15 and 11:00CET. Meanwhile the T...

CyclistThe Broom Wagon: Does this sound familiar?The Broom Wagon is our weekly pro cycling newsletter, bringing news, results, opinions and analysis directly to your inbox, you can either subscribe here or join us on Substack.It was groundhog day last week, so it felt only right that cycling has just seen history repeat itself again. No, no one else has joined Pogaar in the bleach blond club, Im talking about race results.Our first case of near-fatal dj vu came at the womens UAE Tour, which might as well be a Lorena Wiebes tribute event after she claimed three consecutive sprint wins, just like she did last year. In similarly repetitive fashion, UAE Team ADQ leader Elisa Longo Borghini finished the job in the overall with another solo victory atop Jebel Hafeet. Given this was the exact same race outcome as last year, youre forgiven for thinking that were back in February 2025.Over in the Valencia region, Remco Evenepoel continued his miraculous winter block at the Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana. The Belgian pinched the GC title, his first in Red Bull colours, after picking up two stages throughout the week. His performances there were characteristically Remco, having launched a powerful solo move on the queen stage to leave everyone in his wake.After five years of pulling off the same tricks, you think someone would have found a way to crack the code. At least, someone who doesnt go by the name of Tadej Pogaar.Just like last year, Joo Almeida finished as runner-up in Valencia, which Im confident will become a theme for him in 2026. The Portuguese rider left me wanting more last week, but at least he has the Volta ao Algarve to right his wrongs in seven days time. At this point, however, all the hype seems concentrated in the Evenepoel camp. Just imagine what he could do if he was riding the Giro. Related Posts Is 2026 make or break for JooAlmeida? The Broom Wagon: What would the pro cycling world look like without Pogaar? Rog, Remco or Lipo? Addressing Red Bull's 2026 leadership dilemma Sign up to the Cyclist newsletter The curse of the groundhog also reared its bushy face over at the toile de Bessges as Unibet-Rose Rockets found themselves in a loop throughout the race.Over the five days of racing, the team finished runners up on four stages, having been beaten by plucky outsidersevery time. Even in the overall, they found themselves pipped for the title after a strange time-trial from European Championship bronze medallist Niklas Larsen.No GC podium, no stages. Maybe they werent worth the Tour de France invite after all. Seriously, they sent an all-star roster, including big-bucks leader Dylan Groenewegen, and they still managed to come out empty handed (and with a fair bit of uf on their face).Congratulations, on the other hand, must be bestowed upon Groupama-FDJ Uniteds Ewen Costiou, who ended up takingthe title. He was one of the better riders left behind in the smoky remains of Arka-B&B Hotels, which folded last winter. The plucky Breton showed some real signs of promise there, and at just 22 years of age, he has what it takes to become a serial winner on the French circuit.Similar praise should be offered to fellow Arka refugee Ral Garca Pierna, who claimed a surprise win from the breakaway at the Volta ala ComunitatValenciana. Hes successfully translated his bullish style over to Movistar, so expect to see him take a step up in 2026.Moving on from what we can now officially call groundhog week, were now just seven days away from the first proper test of the season at the mens UAE Tour, which actually will be very different to last year with a strong start list and a new monster climb.The post The Broom Wagon: Does this sound familiar? appeared first on Cyclist.

Timing, rather than intent, is what has drawn attention to the latest sudden departure at Team Visma | Lease a Bike. That was the reaction of former Danish national coach Anders Lund after it emerged that long-time performance coach Tim Heemskerk has stepped away from the team with immediate effect,...

Yep, still no winner to announce in the BIKE SNOB GRAVEL SPIRIT GRAVEL DUMONDE LUBE GRAVEL GRAVEL GRAVEL SEO CONTEST because Im still too far too engrossed in the entries, which include a play in one act, featuring a delightful cast of characters such as this one:I may have to produce this, because it could be the best piece of bicycle-themed theater since the Belle of the Ball Bearings:Then theres a haiku and a limerick from Andrew in Helena, Montana, a place which sounds like it would be very gravellyand dusty:Dust in every crack,Grit settles in the scranus,Ride now, regret soon.There once was a spirit called Scranus,Who lurks in the dust just behind us.Dont ride gravel too far,Just to the next bar,Or hell sandblast your shorts and your anus.I will take this opportunity to announce that Dustin Everycrack is my new Gravel Porn Name.Oh, and heres another submission, which appears to depict Dustin Everycrack with his girlfriend, Sandy Beaver:Sure, its clearly AI, but I never banned AI from the contest now, did I?Sadly around these parts Old Man Winter continues to sit on the Spirit of Gravels face and smother it with his Snowy Taint of Despair:However, it looks like temperatures will soon increase, which means all this snow is going to finally start meltingwhich in turn means the roads will be truly wet and disgusting, and Ill spare you going any further with the taintal metaphor, apart from suggesting that the streets are going to be like Assos Guys chamois that morning he did intervals with a hangover:For this reason, a single Dedicated Fender Bike is going to be insufficient, and so Ive taken the additional step of re-fendering the Milwaukee:Note that Ive retained the WFL (Wonky Fender Line) it wore proudly before its makeover:If you look closer you can see the buboes that necessitated said makeover, caused no doubt by my toxic sweat:I thought briefly of correcting the fender line, but of the many bicycle maintenance tasks that seem like theyll take a few minutes but wind up taking a few hours, fender installation is the pinnacle. In this case I was installing the very same fenders that had been on the very same bike, and yet even that took much longer than I expected, and the more time it took the less inclined I was to futz with the length of the stays on top of everything else, eventually reaching the inevitable conclusion, that being to say, Fuck it, good enough.At this point I should learn my lesson and keep the fenders on there until 2035 when I paint the bike again. Hey, maybe they can paint around themSpeaking of the Milwaukee, in addition to refinishing it in red (I believe the actual name of the color is Flaming Sex Copper or something like that), last year I also treated it to a brand new R7000 drivetrain, which was the last time Shimano offered rim brakes at the 105 level or above. It was clear to anybody paying attention that the end of rim brakes at the 105 level was a bad signexcept for the Wankerati, of course, who are only now whining about the state of the modern road bike drivetrain:He doesnt want Cues (sorry, CUES), and he doesnt want the latest 105. He wantsolder 105, like the stuff on the Milwaukee, only the silver version:What I would really love to see, however, is a return to simple, polished metal for all the components, something like the beautiful silver option on theR7000 Shimano 105from 2018 or even the limited-editionpolished GRXfrom a few years ago.Oh, Warren. Warren, Warren, Warren. You know why its this way? Because of PEOPLE LIKE YOU:Its YOUR FAULT, Warren. You and all your Wankerati cohorts in the cycling media. YOU PEOPLE wouldnt accept rim brakes anymore, and you told us we shouldnt either. Its because of YOU PEOPLE all the high end stuff went disc, and electronic. See, rim brakes were the only thing keeping bicycle parts honest. But they werent good enough for the likes of YOU, were they, Warren and friends? So now theyre gone, and so is the classy, affordable rim brake drivetrain. Its gone because YOU KILLED IT, Warren, and its never coming back. I hope youre pleased with yourself.And still these people dont learn. Even Shimano isnt completely ruthless, so they came up with this whole CUES thingcheap, mechanical, good for inexpensive road bikesbut not good enough for Warren. Because its too chunky, even though Shimano hasnt made a non-chunky bike part since like 2012:Dont get me wrong, I like CUES. Ive tried it on flat-bar bikes and been impressed. Its also the drivetrain Ive chosen for mymountain bike to gravel bike conversion.However, its not quite right for mid-range performance road bikes. Its design is derived from Shimanos GRX gravel groupset and mountain bikes. CUES has a more robust look, which is good for gravel and urban bikes, but too chunky and clunky for a lithe-looking road bike.Right. Im looking forward to the Its Time We Dropped Mechanical Shifting Altogether piece later this year, followed by Brain Implanted Shifting Is Coming, But Where Have All The Chunky Affordable Mechanical Road Bike Groupsets Gone? in 2030.

For all the dominance modern cycling has witnessed in recent seasons, Peter Sagan believes the sport still needs something more than admiration for greatness. It needs opposition. Speaking recently to Tutto Bici Web, Sagan did not shy away from the scale of the challenge posed by Tadej Pogacar, sugg...

Cycling streaming is set to change once again in the UK and Ireland, as TNT Sports will be absorbed by HBO Max from 26 March. This is the latest change to how you can watch cycling races, after GCN+ closed at the end of 2023, Eurosport UK was axed last year and coverage moved to TNT Sports. TNT Sports will remain on the same linear channels, but anyone looking to stream races such as the Tour de France will have to use HBO Max. If you already have a TNT Sports subscription, it will automatically move over to HBO Max, which you can access via the HBO Max app or from HBOMax.com with your existing Discover+ login details. The price for a TNT Sports subscription will remain at 30.99. Otherwise, the UK and Irelands cheapest HBO Max entertainment tier, Basic with Ads, starts at 4.99 per month and Standard with Ads is 5.99. The standard tier without ads is 9.99 and the premium tier is 14.99. TNT Sports is available as a standalone plan or can be purchased alongside the Standard with Ads, Standard or Premium plans. The move is part of Warner Bros. Discoverys continued plan to consolidate its global streaming service. HBO Max launched in the USA in 2020 and is now available in 110 territories worldwide. Warner Bros. Discovery says the platforms launch in the UK and Ireland will be the first time you can stream the exclusive collection of unmissable stories from HBO, Warner Bros. Pictures, DC Studios, Max Originals and more. For cycling fans, the consolidation of platforms will bring some clarity to what has been a confusing situation. Following cycling coverage moving from GCN+ to Eurosport and then TNT Sports, it was revealed that ITVs long-standing coverage of the Tour de France would end in 2025, after Warner Bros Discovery Sports Europe secured the Tours exclusive live broadcast rights in 2024. Ned Boulting and David Millar commentating on the 2023 Tour of Britain for ITV4. Simon Wilkinson / SWPix.com The exclusive rights deal was described as colossal by TNT Sports, but prompted cycling fans to mourn the loss of free-to-air coverage. BikeRadars Ashley Quinlan argued that having easy access to the worlds biggest cycling race helped the sport to grow in the UK. Meanwhile, ITV cycling commentator Ned Boulting wrote on BikeRadar that coverage of the Tour de France had been in slow decline since its peak in 2012, and that viewership was no longer big enough to merit its profitable inclusion in the schedules. Whether the Tour de France has found a place to be broadcast in the UK for the long term is another question. In December it was announced that Netflix would acquire Warner Bros. Discoverys film and streaming businesses, which was quickly followed by a hostile takeover bid by Paramount. Warner Bros. Discovery has since urged shareholders to reject the offer from Paramount, but the bidding war has yet to be resolved. Its unclear what impact an acquisition by Netflix or Paramount would have for cycling streaming in the UK, but from next month the place to catch all the action will be HBO Max. Ned Boulting The Tour de France is absurd, beautiful and unforgettable, Ill miss it profoundly

The Esker Smokey is an unapologetically aggressive steel hardtail built around a 160mm fork and geometry that leans hard into modern trail riding. After months of pedaling it on everything from rough singletrack to loaded backcountry scrabble, Logan shares a series of surprises and weighs in on who its for...The post Esker Smokey Review: Seven Surprises appeared first on BIKEPACKING.com.

We used the Sea to Summit Telos TR2 tent for a week-long bikepacking adventure in Japan and it served us well. Now, theyve updated the fabrics and simplified the stuff sacks without giving up what made it great. Now called the Telos Evo, heres what you need to know.The Sea to Summit Telos Evo Bikepack Tent is a two-person tent with a generous-for-the-category footprint of 43.7 x 88.2 x 100.8 inches. Packed dimensions are also a bit generous for the category at 7.1 x 12.6 x 7.1 inches, but thats the price of having a taller interior and a few extra inches between you and your roomie.Weight is 57.8 ounces (1640g), which is competitive and a full 270g lighter than the TR2, buuuuuuut that includes the TR2s dual dry bag storage system, which is no longer included.Instead, the new Telos Evo Bikepack Tent comes with two lightweight stuff sacks for separating the main tent from the rain fly. Both are stuffed into an outer stuff sack with compression straps. Its sized to fit on your handlebars, or not the multi-sack design lets you easily split the load between bags and riders.The absence of dry bags also drops the price. The Telos Evo runs $580, down from the TR2s $699.The other big new feature is the material. A new Ultra-Sil LS fabric uses recycled nylon with lower stretch characteristics and faster drying times compared to previous versions. The fabric coating eliminates PFAS compounds and flame retardants, too.High-airflow mesh upper panels enhance ventilation while solid lower inner panels provide wind and sand protection. Adjustable stake-out points allow tension adjustment on uneven terrain, and the tent pole bag functions as a headlamp diffuser for interior lighting.An upgraded Apex Vent system features a closeable storm flap for weather protection while maintaining airflow for condensation control.The tent incorporates several design modifications for bikepacking applications. Shorter pole segments accommodate frame bag storage limitations, while twin stuff sacks allow users to pack the inner tent and rainfly separately.The companys Tension Ridge architecture increases interior headroom and door height, making it easier to sit up and change clothes inside. Lots of interior storage pockets also make life easier and keeps all the little things in view rather than sliding under your pad. The tent offers multiple pitch configurations including stargazing and hangout modes for varying conditions.Technical specifications:Floor: 20D nylon floor with 2500mm hydrostatic head ratingPoles: Shortened anodized aluminum DAC polesUse: Three-season designOpen dimensions: 43.7 x 88.2 x 100.8 (111 x 224 x 256 cm)* Packed dimensions: 7.1 x 12.6 x 7.1Weight: 3lbs 9.8oz (1640g)MSRP: $580*Those dimensions are with the rainfly, actual interior width is closer to 53. Well update with the official spec once we have it. The Sea to Summit Telos Evo Bikepack Tent starts shipping this spring, get on their alert list on their website.SeaToSummit.comThe post New Sea to Summit Telos Evo Bikepacking Tent Gets More Weatherproof, Less Expensive appeared first on Bikerumor.

Genesis gave us a glimpse of two new drop-bar bikes at iceBike* 2026, which pull the brand in very different directions. One prototype is Genesis interpretation of a modern steel all-road bike, blending handsome slim tubes with generous tyre clearance and do-it-all practicality. The other is far more experimental: a 32in-wheel gravel wagon aimed at long-distance efficiency rather than technical trail handling. After a significant refocussing of the brand following the post-Covid boom years, these are the first new steel bikes to be shown by Genesis since the Croix- and Tour de Fer were updated in 2024. The brand also showed off a range of mid-range alloy gravel bikes designed to hit important price points for Genesis dealers. Slender, versatile, handsome The unnamed prototype steel road bike follows in the tyre tracks of the Equilibrium. Jack Luke / Our Media The unnamed steel prototype is Genesis work-in-progress interpretation of a contemporary steel road bike. With clearance for 40mm tyres, brand manager Brodie Gardias says the bikes geometry errs towards the endurance end of the spectrum: It has road but relaxed geometry its not meant to be a race bike. The bike aligns most closely with the discontinued Equilibrium Genesis steel endurance road bike: Effectively its something similar to an Equilibrium so a little more all-road than the Volare, which though it was steel, was quite race-focussed in geometry. The tubeset has been custom drawn for Genesis. Jack Luke / Our Media The bike uses a bespoke tubeset, which Gardias says goes beyond more commonly available tubesets. The down tube is a little bit above what youd find in Reynolds 853, Gardias says. This is paired with stiffer-than-average chainstays that, in spec terms, sit a touch above Reynolds 725. Elsewhere, Gardias says the top tube and seatstays are more compliant to improve comfort. The fork has routing for a dynamo light. Jack Luke / Our Media Rather than use a more typical 1 in tapered fork, the bike is designed around a 1 in tapered fork. This enables Genesis to use a more slender head tube. On a road bike, a wider steerer can look a bit overkill we wanted to keep that really slim aesthetic of a steel bike, Gardias explains. The custom fork also features routing for a dynamo cable, and a full complement of mudguard and rack mounts, adding to its do-it-all appeal. Unexpected compliance challenges for 32in bikes Genesis is also working on a 32in gravel bike. Jack Luke / Our Media 32in wheels remain a niche choice, but one the cycling industry is taking increasingly seriously. Genesis remains sceptical about the direction theyll go in, although its a tech trend it wants to better understand, hence commissioning a small fleet of prototype bikes. Were not convinced its necessarily something that will [sell in] big volume, but it has some potentials its something we wanted to test, says Gardias. A lot of the focus in the press and in the public sphere has been on 32in mountain bikes there are some World Cup teams testing them. If they test them and its faster, they will ride it end of. Genesis is uncertain if 32in bikes have mainstream appeal for mountain bikers. Jack Luke / Our Media However, he remains sceptical as to how useful they will be for the majority of riders: For most people, for a mountain bike, I dont necessarily think its going to be very practical. The handling difference and the inertia thats created with a 32in wheel plus the weight due to the need to have thicker spokes for a mountain bike on technical terrain, I think its quite potentially limited." He sees a more likely future for 32in wheels in gravel: For something thats just meant for steamroller-ing 200km in a straight line over rough terrain, actually, [32in wheels] could be something really interesting. The prototype bike bears greatest resemblance to Genesis Vagabond drop-bar monster cyclocross bike, or the long-discontinued Longitude in a drop-bar format. Built with 2.4in-wide Maxxis tyres, a wide-range GRX groupset paired with an XT crankset, and a wide drop bar, this really is a mountain bikers gravel bike. Toe overlap presents an issue for 32in bikes. Jack Luke / Our Media Market trajectory aside, Gardias points to the difficulty in accommodating a wide size range with such big wheels: The reality is it will never be something for shorter riders you could maybe start at what we traditionally call a medium maybe! but in reality it's large and extra-large only. Its fair to assume standover height would be the biggest barrier to entry for 32in-curious riders, but front-centre the distance from the bottom bracket to the front axle is the bigger issue. [With 32in wheels], you have to worry about the toe overlap," Gardias says. Theres compliance and regulations for that you can only make the front-centre so short. Thats one of the reasons that, while tyre size have gone up on regular [700c] gravel bikes, youve seen bikes get longer in the front end. To have a bigger tyre, you simply have to have that longer bike you cant squeeze it into the same space. Alloy gravel Shown alongside the steel bikes was a range of alloy gravel bikes built with a range of GRX, Cues and mixed groupsets. Gardias explains the prototype bikes, which make extensive use of Madisons Amplitude components, are commercially important for our partners". Weve found that the entry-point for hydraulic disc brakes on a drop-bar bike is really key," he says. At the moment, we start with quite a high-end, high-quality steel frameset. We dont currently have something thats a bit more entry-level. Thats what these bikes will solve. Pricing, final specs and availability for the bikes are to be confirmed, with Genesis up-front about its desire to gather feedback from dealers and the public before committing them to production.