Cyclist6 talking points from Opening WeekendThe cycling season is officially in full swing, with Opening Weekend kicking off the mainstream European season in typically grimy conditions.With the action now in the rearview mirror and the peloton already switching its focus to the next challenge, here are six of the biggest talking points to take away from the action at Omloop Nieuwsblad and Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne.Business as usual as favourites winTim de Waele/Getty ImagesWhile the underdogs won the mens and womens Omloop Nieuwsblad last year via the breakaway and a bunch sprint respectively, the favourites came to the fore this year to ensure that wouldnt happen again this time around.Mathieu van der Poel made his debut at the race, starting his road season earlier than usual after another dominant cyclocross campaign, and attacked the lead group on the Muur van Geraardsbergen. It was less of a blistering attack and more a case of simply riding away with ease to go solo in the last 16km. Red Bull-Bora-Hangrohes Tim van Dijke and UAEs Florian Vermeersch battled it out behind to complete the podium.No rider has won both Omloop Nieuwsblad and the Tour of Flanders in the same season, and to break the curse Van der Poel will have to get the better of defending champion Tadej Pogaar. Easier said than done.In the womens race, FDJ United-Suez leader Demi Vollering broke clear with Canyon-SRAM-Zondacrypto star Kasia Niewiadoma-Phinney after a blistering setup from Vollerings new teammate Franziska Kochon the Muur. In a battle of Tour de France Femmes victors, the duo came to the finish line together and Vollering prevailed, with her former SD Worx-Protime teammate Lorena Wiebes winning the sprint for the final podium spot 20 seconds later.British riders shineLuc Claessen/Getty ImagesMovistars Cat Ferguson is having a great season so far, kicking things off with victory at Trofeo Llucmajor and a stage win at Setmana Ciclista Valenciana. She was one to watch despite it being just her second Classics season and wasted no time in making her presence felt, finishing fourth just behind Wiebes at Omloop Nieuwsblad, while British National Champion Millie Couzens of Fenix-Premier Tech finished a few places behind in eighth her best result in a Classic yet.Visma-Lease a Bikes Matthew Brennan then became the first Brit since Mark Cavendish to win at Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne in a sprint that blew away the rest of the field. Brennan was put in a perfect position by Christophe Laporte and finished the job with ease. Its finally some good news for the team after Wout van Aert was forced to delay his road season through illness. Laporte started celebrating the win before Brennan had even crossed the line, earning himself a yellow card after the race.It wasnt all good news for British riders, however. At Omloop Nieuwsblad 21-year-old neo-pro Noah Hobbs of EF Education-EasyPost suffered a puncture and a mechanical, and then managed to get lost.This guy picked me up and took me here [to the finish in Ninove], he said. Hes a good guy. Without him, I think Id still be somewhere in Belgium.Jasper Philipsen tries to channel Van der Poel? View this post on Instagram A post shared by TNT Sports Cycling (@tntsportscycling)Jasper Philipsen was particularly active during Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne. The Belgian was seen on the front of the peloton on the Mont Saint-Laurent, leading the charge up the cobbled climb and driving a fierce pace to cause splits behind. The main bunch all came back together though, and Philipsen kicked into life again on the next climb, muscling his way towards the front of the group once more and pushing on. He later punctured, had to ride his teammates bike for a while before swapping back in the final few kilometres to contest the sprint, only for the defending champion to finish a disappointing 18th.Death, taxes and trains disrupting a Classic View this post on Instagram A post shared by UCI Womens WorldTour (@uci_wwt)Some bad luck befell Alison Avoine as she attempted to make her way into the days four-rider breakaway at Omloop Nieuwsblad. The Ma Petite Enterprise rider threw up her arms in light-hearted exasperation at the closed level crossing, ultimately scuppering her more as she was forced to stop.Its by no means the first time a train has disrupted a race. Back in 2020, a train caused the womens race to briefly stop, and in 2015 many riders jumped the tracks at Paris-Roubaix after the barriers came down. Lets hope the only trains disturbing the rest of the Classics are leadout trains.Crashes put paid to many Classics campaignsUAE Team Emirates XRGA number of riders came down in bad crashes over the weekend, with slippery conditions making affairs a bit sketchier than normal. Tudors Stefan Kng broke his femur at Omloop, while teammate Rick Pluimers broke two teeth after hitting the ground on the Molenberg in the crash that ultimately created the decisive group. Meanwhile Ineoss Ben Swift fractured his pelvis and will be out for months, and Bahrains Vlad Van Mechelen broke his collarbone.Its bad news for Tadej Pogaar too with Milan-San Remo fast approaching. One teammate, Tim Wellens, was sidelined with a broken collarbone suffered at Kuurne, while another, Jhonatan Narvez,is already sidelined following multiple vertebrae fractures at the Tour Down Under. Those two just happen to be the pairing that led Pogaar out on the Cipressa for his big attack in 2025. The responsibility now looks to have shifted to Isaac del Toro and Florian Vermeersch.Tudor Pro Cycling come to the foreChris AuldDespite having so many injuries in their ranks that they couldnt field a full team for Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne, Tudor Pro Cycling managed to pick up a second and third place through Luca Mozzato and Matteo Trentin. Following their stage win at the AlUla Tour with Yannis Voisard, second place at Trofeo Andratx Pollena with Mathys Rondel and third place at Classic Var with Rick Pluimers, it marks their fourth and fifth podium of the season so far.Theyve definitely taken a hit in losing Kngfor the Classics, but their depth is showing in these early races and they have riders capable of making a difference in the hilly Classics too.For more on the Classics, visit our hub page.The post 6 talking points from Opening Weekend appeared first on Cyclist.

On the 3rd of March the peloton takes on Le Samyn. Following the 'Opening Weekend', we continue here an extensive schedule of Belgian one-day races that are highly prestigious, even those outside the World Tour. This one is set to start and finish at 12:35 and 17:25CET. The event was first held in...

Selling a used bike can be a giant pain! As a bike reviewer, I sell a lot of bikes, and I cant even tell you the number of times Ive wanted to rip my hair out dealing with potential buyers on classified sites. There are the folks who will ask you a million questions and then ghost you, folks who will give you outrageously low-ball offers (or ask to trade), and dont even get me started on folks who just never show up.The good news is that Ive recently discovered an easier way to do it! Cycle Limited is an online retailer of pre-owned bicycles that will buy your used bike from you.Unlike classified sites like Facebook marketplace or Pinkbike, where you have to deal with buyers yourself, Cycle Limited will actually buy your bike from you outright and then list it on their site.Selling This 2022 Pivot FirebirdTo test the process for myself, I decided to see how much I could get for this 2022 Pivot Firebird thats been sitting in our garage for a while. The bike actually belongs to a buddy of ours. After unsuccessfully trying to sell the bike himself in the DC area, he asked if we would take it. Our local market has more demand than his, and he thought it might sell faster here.Spoiler alert: it did not. Turns out the post-COVID bike slump is a real thing.After sitting on Pinkbike for several months with no bites, he agreed to let me see how much we could get for it by selling it to Cycle Limited. The original (unsuccessful) Pinkbike listingSubmitting The Bike To Cycle LimitedNow, Cycle Limited doesnt take just any bike. It has to have an original retail value of $1,500 or more, be a model year 2010 or newer, and it cant be broken. We were good in all those areas, so moved on to filling out their online form.I was super careful to provide plenty of information on the bike, including all parts that were different from the original spec, and took pictures of wear, scratches, and damage. Screenshots from my online form submissionId been told by friends who had used Cycle Limited previously that if you dont properly disclose all this information, they might reduce the price you ultimately get after theyve inspected the bike in person. By then, youve already shipped the bike, so make sure youre honest and upfront about the condition of the bike so that you dont end up with any headaches later.Receiving An OfferI submitted the form at 12:52p on a Monday, and received an email response at 12:06p on Tuesday. Less than 24 hours, and within the 1-2 business days that they generally aim to respond within.The offer came in for $3,400 in store credit or $3,050 in cash. This felt like an amazing offer considering that youre going thru a middle man. The offer I received from Cycle LimitedYes, the offer was a little less than my buddy had been asking on Pinkbike, but he was also ready to be done with the hassle of trying to sell the bike.Boxing Up And Shipping The BikeOnce you accept the offer, youll get a pre-paid shipping label. To ship the bike, you need a bike box and shipping materials. Im fortunate in that we get a lot of review bikes, so I had a bunch of shipping materials and a bike box on hand.If you dont, go to the UPS store and get some bubble wrap and foam. Youll also need zip ties and tape to secure everything, and newspaper to fill the box. Cycle Limited has instructions on their website on how to package everything. It takes a little bit of time, but its not hard.For a bike box, call or visit your local bike shop and ask if they have any spares you could take. (They usually do). They may even have extra shipping materials if you ask nicely.Once you have the bike boxed up, tape it up, slap the pre-paid label on the box, and drop it off to UPS.Getting Paid & Final ThoughtsOnce Cycle Limited receives the bike and inspects it, theyll pay you on the 12th business day following. You can request payment via check or PayPal.The whole thing is pretty darn simple. Its not THE easiest sales process Ive ever been through (that would be selling a bike to a local friend), but if you havent had any luck with that, then Id say selling to Cycle Limited is the next best choice.You dont have to deal with unreliable buyers and you get cash (or store credit) fast. I was pleased with how straightforward and easy the process was. Other Stuff You Might LikeHow To Buy A Used Bike (Dont Get Scammed!)How to Clean and Lube Your Bike Chain (Its Easy!)Training Zones For Cycling ExplainedAbout The AuthorKristen Bonkoski is a USA cycling and NICA coach, bike educator, and founder of Femme Cyclist.Shes also the host of the Femme Cyclist podcast and runsRascal Rides, a website about biking with kids.Shes been riding bikes for more than two decades and is passionate about empowering women on the bike.IG:@femme_cyclistJoin Kristens Weekly Newsletter!The post How To Sell Your Used Bike (The Easy Way!) appeared first on Femme Cyclist.

After the 'Opening Weekend', the peloton will begin the semi-classic period in Belgium, consisting of many non-World Tour cobbled classics. The first of which is Le Samyn, a race with plenty history, notable winners, and with Wout van Aert at the start line this 3rd of March. We take a look at its s...

Tirreno-Adriatico 2026 is taking place from the 9th to the 15th of March and is, as is the case every year, one of the most important races of the spring. It not only provides sprinters, time trialists and climbers with golden opportunities in one of Italy's top events; but also provides the classic...

Lacey Cup 2026 C1/C2 RaceDate: 01/03/2026Paul Kennedy took the victory in a highly competitive C1/C2 event to start the season in Tralee.PosFull NameClub/Team1Paul KennedyBurren Cycling Club2Shane O BrienCamsmajaco3Mark Mc GarryDan Morrissey Pissei Cycling Team4Niall Mc LoughlinWestport Covey Wheelers5Eoin CliffordVelo Revolution6Philip O ConnorBurren Cycling Club7John O MahonyNewcastle West Cycling Club8James LoguePanduit Carrick Wheelers9Diarmuid CollinsNewcastle West Cycling Club10Rory CondonZappi Racing TeamLacey Cup 2026 C3 RaceDate: 01/03/2026Fionn Desmond showed great form to win the C3 race in this early season classic.PosFull NameClub/Team1Fionn DesmondMBCC2Ruairi CoakleyDan Morrissey Pissei3Stephen GillmanOLeary Stone Kanturk4Dean O BrienBlarney Cycling Club5Mark RoweDungarvan CC6Jack Mc AuliffeOLeary Stone Kanturk7Vincent GleesonGreenmount CA8Timothy HayesUn-Attached Munster9John MaloneyBurren Cycling Club10Damien CulhaneNewcastle West Cycling Club1 Liam Crowley Orwell Wheelers2 Daire Feeley Burren Cycling Club3 Gareth O Neill Athlete Nutrition CoachPhoto by Sean RoweSeamus Kennedy Memorial C1 RaceDate: 01/03/2026Liam Crowley secured a commanding win for Orwell Wheelers in the main event of the day.PosFull NameClub/Team1Liam CrowleyOrwell Wheelers2Daire FeeleyBurren Cycling Club3Gareth O NeillAthlete Nutrition Coach4Evan KeaneOrwell Wheelers5Cian KeoghAPS Pro Cycling6Mitchell Mc LaughlinWheelbase Cabtech7Ciaran MaguireDan Morrissey Pissei8Conal ScullyDan Morrissey Pissei9Oisin FerrityCaldwell Powerhouse10Callum Mc CaffreyNatural GreatnessSeamus Kennedy Memorial C2 RaceDate: 01/03/2026Riley Smith took the top step for Banbridge CC in a tight C2 battle.PosFull NameClub/Team1Riley SmithBanbridge CC2James MackeyFoyle CC3Andrew ConnollyDungarvan CC4Jack LawlessGorey Cycling Club5Jorge Rua RiveiroUn-Attached Leinster6James GriffinWaterford Racing Club7Neill DelahayeBellurgan Wheelers8Caoilin ConsidineBray Wheelers9Kevin DerrigLucan Cycling Road Club10Marc BlainGalway Bay CCSeamus Kennedy Memorial C3 RaceDate: 01/03/2026Conor Regan led home a strong field in the C3 race at the Seamus Kennedy Memorial.PosFull NameClub/Team1Conor ReganKilcullen Cycling Club2Tom HughesKilcullen Cycling Club3Benjamin BerginLucan Cycling Road Club4Harry ParnellLucan Cycling Road Club5Alexander Graham-SmytheOrwell Wheelers6Shem CullenSpin the Bean7Frank BarrettThe Aura Cycling Team8Luke Canavan DignamGalway Bay CC9Barry Mc KennaFintona CC10Fran BranniganThe Cycologist ClonmelSeamus Kennedy Memorial WomenDate: 01/03/2026Linda Kelly dominated the womens field to take the win for Dan Morrissey Pissei.PosFull NameClub/Team1Linda KellyDan Morrissey Pissei2Aine DohertyDan Morrissey Pissei3Ysabella HueleRudyco Cycling Team4Mary CorlessTuam Cycling Club5Ellen Ni CleirighLongcourt Hotel6Laura DalyTuam Cycling Club7Doireann KilleenKilcullen Cycling Club8Amy KinsellaPanduit Carrick9Elena WallaceHarps CC10Claire DiffleyOrwell WheelersAnnaclone GP C3 RaceDate: 28/02/2026Gavin Stapleton took a fine victory in the C3 race at the Annaclone GP.PosFull NameClub/Team1Gavin StapletonKilcullen Cycling Club2Jamie FranklinVC Glendale3Niall DalyArmagh City Cyclists4Chris OakleyUn-Attached Ulster5Eugene ClarkeBann Valley Road Club6Callum StewartPhoenix CC7Adam PrenterKillinchy Cycling Club8Richard Mc BrideBanbridge CCAnnaclone GP C1/C2 RaceDate: 28/02/2026Ronan McLaughlin started the weekend strong with a win in the C1/C2 feature race.PosFull NameClub/Team1Ronan McLaughlinFoyle CC2Oisin FerrityCaldwell Powerhouse3Ciaran MaguireDan Morrissey Pissei4Rian Mc CrystalCannibal B Victorious5James MackeyFoyle CC6Lindsay WatsonPowerhouse Sport7Shane TrimbleNewry Wheelers CC8Elliott Mc KeeganCaldwell Powerhouse9Riley SmithBanbridge CC10Gareth O NeillAthlete Nutrition CoachDublin Wheelers C3 RaceDate: 28/02/2026Tom Hughes took a victory for Kilcullen CC in a fast-paced C3 race in Dublin.PosFull NameClub/Team1Tom HughesKilcullen Cycling Club2Harry ParnellLucan Cycling Road Club3Benjamin BerginLucan Cycling Road Club4Luke Canavan DignamGalway Bay CC5Robin KellyWaterford Racing Club6John PriestLucan Cycling Road Club7Joshua FrancisOrwell Wheelers8Paul RogersLucan Cycling Road ClubDublin Wheelers C1 RaceDate: 28/02/2026Jack Woods opened his account for the season with a win at the Dublin Wheelers event.PosFull NameClub/Team1Jack WoodsCrabbe Dstny2Daire FeeleyBurren Cycling Club3Liam CrowleyOrwell Wheelers4Cian KeoghAPS Pro Cycling5Liam KilkennyGalway Bay CC6Tadhg KilleenKilcullen Cycling Club7Ruairi ByrneUCD Cycling Club8James ConnollyDungarvan CC9Rian CahillAthy Wheelers10Conor Mc KeownMoynalty Cycling ClubThe post Weekend 1st March 2026 Cycling Results appeared first on IrishCyclingNews.com | Irish Cycling News | IrishCycling.

A closer look at the frameset that helped Phil Gaimon reclaim the Mauna Kea KOM

Dublin City Councils 2.6km Gracefield Road to Vernon Avenue Active Travel project is now expected to go to construction in late Q2 to early Q3 this year.The route will link Artane and part of the Howth Road to St Annes Park and Clontarf, connecting residential areas to schools, parks, and the coast. Or almost to the coast, as a final section in Cloftarf is expected to be covered by a separate public realm project at the south end of Vernon Avenue. Cllr Donna Cooney (Green Party) said: Im pleased after my request for an update to hear that progress has been made and construction of this long-awaited project will start this Summer. It will be another important part of the Greater Dublin Area Cycle Network, as it will connect with the S2S and C2CC cycleways.The project includes two new school zones, and it is a busy route for students attending eight schools along the route, she said.Cllr Cooney added: New pedestrian crossings will also be added, cycle route extensions along some connecting side roads, removing dangerous wide radius and slipways to make the route safer, and new continuous pavements along the route.In an email update to Cllr Cooney, an official from Dublin City Councils active travel office said: The design team are currently finalising the tender documents and designs for the Gracefield Road to Vernon Avenue Scheme. It is proposed to upload the design drawings online to the website in the coming weeks, following NTA approval to go to tender.Following NTA approval, it is anticipated that construction will start late Q2 to early Q3 this year, the official said.The official added: The design proposal is a one-way cycletrack on each side of the road along Gracefield Road and a two-way cycletrack on the western side of the road along Brookwood Avenue, Sybil Hill Road and Vernon Avenue.Two-way cycle path is more continuous As covered last year, Dublin City Council made a change to the plans for the Gracefield Road to Vernon Avenue Active Travel scheme so that people cycling will not have to switch from a unidirectional cycle track to a two-way cycle track and back again.There is now expected to be a short section of unidirectional cycle tracks (light blue in the drawing below) from the start of the project beside the Artane roundabout for around 170 metres to the junction between Gracefield Road / Brookwood Avenue.The two-way cycle path (shown in dark below) is planned as a continuous route, approximately 2.2km in length. This cycle path will run between the junction of Gracefield Road and Brookwood Avenue to Vernon Avenue, just south of its junction with Seafield Road.In an update on the projects webpage, the council said: Following on from site investigations which took place in Q1 2025, the design team has re-examined the entire Gracefield Road to Vernon Avenue route, taking into consideration the concerns from all key stakeholders, including the community and Elected Members.This included extensive engagement with key internal departments. Arising from this process, the emerging preferred option is a two-way cycle track on the western side for the greater extent of the route. The project team are currently working on finalising the design prior to publishing it online, the council said.IMAGE: Map of the extent of the planned two-way path drawn by IrishCycle.com based on information provided by Dublin City Council to councillors.

France has been searching since 1985 for an heir to succeed The Badger Bernard Hinault. It is a 41-year void without a Tour de France victory that now seems to be illuminated by new hope. After years of believing that Romain Bardet or Thibaut Pinot could end that drought, a youngster from Lyon has...

Jetboil has launched the all-new TrailCook line of portable stove systems, featuring two models designed for precise flame control in backcountry cooking applications.Available in two sizes, the smaller TrailCook 1.2L is perfect for solo (and maybe couples) outings, and the larger TrailCook 2.0L is good for bigger groups without everyone needing to carry their own stove.The key upgrades with these new units compared to the original/standard Jetboil stoves are the integrated pot supports and regulator valves that enable simmer control and incremental heat adjustment, expanding beyond the companys signature boil-water-as-fast-as-possible functionality.The stove systems also get a redesigned ignition mechanism integrated directly into the valve control, utilizing a durable ceramic-encased igniter.Both models include ceramic-coated cook pots with Jetboils FluxRing technology and textured grip zones on the burner base for easier canister attachment and flame adjustment. Besides the size difference, heres how they stack upTrailCook 1.2LWeight: 19.4 ounces (550g) w/o fuel canisterBoil time: 2 minutes 15 seconds per half liter (16oz) of waterPacked dimensions: 5 x 3.8 in / 12.7 x 9.7 cmMSRP: $179.99TrailCook 2.0LWeight: 22.2 ounces (630g) w/o fuel canisterBoil time: 4 minutes 15 seconds per liter (33.8oz) of waterPacked dimensions: 6.5 x 4 / 16.6 x 10.1 cmMSRP: $199.99The TrailCook 1.2L. Just pretend this is a pannier bag.The TrailCook 1.2L is aimed at solo riders with its compact design, featuring a lid with integrated spout and strainer, plus a foldable handle that secures the lid for transport.The larger 2.0L model accommodates groups of 2-4 people and includes a Dutch-oven style pot with dual folding handles and silicone thumb rests for easier handling during cooking operations.Both systems are compatible with existing Jetboil accessories including skillets, ceramic cook pots, and utensils. And both have insulated pot covers to help them heat up faster and stay warmer. Jetboil.comThe post Jetboil Fires Up New TrailCook Camp Stoves for Bikepacking appeared first on Bikerumor.