The stage 1 of the 2026 UAE Tour sent a clear signal that the battle for the general classification could be more intense than many had anticipated. In an uphill finish that pushed the pure sprinters out of their usual spotlight, Isaac Del Toro delivered an impressive performance and imposed himself...

Continental has added a 35mm width to its Grand Prix 5000 S TR tyre range, riding the trend for ever-wider tyres for road use. The new tyre joins the existing range, which offered 25mm, 28mm, 30mm and 32mm widths with black or transparent sidewalls. Conti isnt the only tyre brand to go wider. In 2024, Pirelli launched a 40mm width for its P Zero Race TLR range, which also includes a 35mm option. It is pitching the increased widths at cobbled races such as Paris-Roubaix, as well as the burgeoning all-road market. Pirelli added a 40mm-width option for its P Zero Race TLR tyre in 2024. Scott Windsor / Our Media Switch to Pirellis Cinturato tyre and there is a 40mm, 50mm and even a 55mm width. Other brands with extra-wide road-oriented tyres include WTB, which sells the Exposure tyre in 38mm width and Ren Herse, whose semi-slick tyres span the all-road/gravel boundary with widths up to 55mm. Tyres continue to get wider Many race bikes still don't offer clearance for tyres much over 35mm. Felix Smith / Our Media As Simon von Bromley discussed in his post-Roubaix wrap-up on tyre widths last year, road tyres will continue to expand in width for the foreseeable future, both for the pros and for general users. Mathieu van der Poel won Paris-Roubaix on 32mm tyres in 2024 and 2025, while Tadej Pogaar, who was runner-up in last years race, also on 32mm rubber, regularly rides 30mm-width tyres in non-cobbled races. Simon reckons most amateurs should be riding wider tyres. The issue isnt the availability of wide tyres, though, as the examples above show. Its bikes tyre clearance. Although this has increased significantly with the switch from rim to disc brakes, it still lags behind the capability of tyre makers to produce ever-wider tyres. This is particularly true for road race bikes, where the extra length to the chainstays needed to accommodate wider/taller tyres and the associated increased wheelbase can potentially dull the bikes handling. The Trek Madone has official clearance of only 32mm. Getty Images Nevertheless, when we asked Glen Leven, team support manager at Lidl-Trek if the team wanted more clearance, he told us space for tyres up to 38mm or 40mm was on its wish list from Trek for the next-generation Madone. The appetite for wider tyres was more mixed among 13 pros we polled at last years Paris-Roubaix, with many reckoning around 32mm was the sweetspot and one team even switching from 32s to 30s. Many suggested theyd go narrower for non-cobbled races. The UCI also gets in on the act, with its wheel-plus-tyre diameter regulations, which would be contravened by a 40mm tyre on a 700c rim. Plus, theres the additional weight of a wider tyre, which is often beefed up by the tyre maker, with a thicker tread adding to the extra material from the additional width. The increased frontal profile potentially affects the bike's aerodynamics as well. Plus new 30mm Continental time trial tyre width We measured the nominally 28mm Continental GP5000 TT TR tyre on Tadej Pogaar's Colnago V4Rs at 32.2mm before the 2023 Tour de France Grand Depart. George Scott / Our Media In addition, Continental has added a 30mm width to its lightweight Grand Prix 5000 TT TR tyre range, which was previously offered only in 25mm and 28mm widths. Again, thats likely to be a response to the increased clearance offered by the latest generation of time trial/triathlon bike frames. But pros including Pogaar have used time trial tyres in road races, rather than the slightly heavier road tyres, so the increased width for the TT TR offers a lighter-weight alternative for road racing too, helping to offset the added weight of a wider tyre.

Dwarfing even the longest European ascents, Colombias Alto del Sifn snakes its way for more than 100km up and up into thin air. Cycling Weekly takes it on

The second stage of the UAE Tour is going to be key for the final GC, as it features an individual time trial. It is a relatively short effort, just 12.2km with no climbs at any point, which favours the specialists. Some of the world's best time trialists are present, but one man stands out: Remco E...

The second stage of the UAE Tour is going to be key for the final GC, as it features an individual time trial. It is a relatively short effort, just 12.2km with no climbs at any point, which favours the specialists. Some of the world's best time trialists are present, but one man stands out: Remco E...

The London Cycling Campaign (LCC) has launched a new report, titled Broken Locks, Broken Promises. It excoriates the Metropolitan Police for its lack of action on stolen bicycles in London. LCC surveyed 1,924 London cyclists, to gauge their experience and attitudes to bike theft. It estimates that a total of 40,000 bikes are stolen annually in London, with 74% of respondents to its latest survey reporting that a member of their family had had a bike stolen. 51% of thefts occurred on-street. 79% of those reporting loss of a bike said the Met Police had taken no action and 69% considered the police response inadequate. Only 2% of stolen bikes are recovered, according to the LCC, one of the lowest percentages of any UK police force. Earlier this year, we reported that the British Transport Police had reversed its policy in which it stated that it would not investigate theft of cycles left outside a train station for more than two hours. There's been a call from the Liberal Democrats for the setting of "bait bikes" fitted with a concealed tracker to help identify bike thieves and bring them to justice. 54% of respondents reported using Sold Secure Gold or Diamond-rated locks. The new report quotes one respondent to the LCCs survey, who said: Reported, have the person on CCTV, yet the police did nothing. Not important to them, but it meant the world to me. Another respondent reported: I received a letter from the police that was dated the same day as the theft saying they were closing the investigation due to a lack of evidence. They hadn't even requested CCTV. Then there was the respondent who told the LCC: I found someone riding my stolen bike, followed them, watched them lock up the bike and leave. Called the police. Two policemen came. I had frame number and photo of the bike with distinctive customisations. Even when standing next to my stolen bike they would do nothing. They said we should leave a note for the guy who was riding it to contact the police when he came back. LCC claims that many cycle thefts arent reported because the polices response is so poor. Perversely, this enables the police to claim rates of cycle theft are falling in the capital. Another effect cited by LCC is that victims of theft reduce or abandon their cycling, potentially adding to traffic, pollution and the risk of road traffic accidents. What to do? The report calls for more secure parking provision at stations and elsewhere. Transport for London Rather than just hand-wringing and finger-pointing, LCC makes a range of recommendations for action by the Met Police and the Mayor of London. Its top three recommendations are: That the mayor reinstates the cycle theft task force and commits to a 10% annual reduction in cycle theft. That the Met Police tracks bicycle theft properly and enforces effectively both on the street and online. That the government makes bike marking and logging with a bike register mandatory, as it is in France. Other recommendations from the LCCs report are: That councils, TfL and Network Rail install secure cycle parking at stations and elsewhere. That bike retailers and online marketplaces teach people about bike security via online and in-shop campaigns. A petition has been launched to accompany the new report, which calls on the deputy major for policing and crime, and the commissioner of the Metropolitan Police to implement its recommendations. You can sign the petition here.