When life got in the way of riding, CW's James Shrubsall grabbed a fluoro tabard and met his clubmates by volunteering instead

Good morning and welcome to the Liveblog of the Tour of the Alps. After a relatively calm opening stage, the race truly comes to life today for the riders targeting the general classification. Stay with us throughout the day as we bring you all the action live, with every key moment and development...

When thinking of longevity in professional cycling, it is fair to quickly associate it with names such as Alejandro Valverde or the late Davide Rebellin. However, there are several others who continued cycling at the very top into their 40's and even after their retirement. Domenico Pozzovivo is one...

Cycling.What is it?Yeah yeah, I know, its riding a bike. But what is it? Some say its a sport, others maintain its a form of transportation, and still others insist that its both.But if youre actually a cyclist, you know all of these people are wrong, and that cycling is neither a sport nor a form of transportation. Cycling is an affliction. A disease. A compulsion. A mental disorder. Considerwell, me. I have all the bicycles I could possibly want or need, including more than one Id characterize as the sorts of dream bikes I never thought Id be fortunate enough to own. Moreover, the vast and exotic Classic Cycle museum is basically my own personal lending library. Then theres the fact that I spent half of last year dealing why my friends massive collection of bicycles and parts after he died, which was difficult both emotionally and pragmatically. If youve ever found yourself in a similar position, you may be able to relate to the following: Like drowning in beer, suddenly having more bike stuff than you know what to do with is not nearly as much fun as you might imagine, and when I finally did sell, donate, and otherwise re-home all that stuff, I felt profoundly relieved. Certainly the last thing I wanted was More Stuff.And yet what to I do in my idle moments when normal people are watching the Tick Tocks or the Instant Grahams? Im browsing the classifieds looking at used bikes. Why do I do this, even though when it comes to bikes I have everything Ive ever wanted? Its because I have a disease [see above] and if you read this blog you probably have it too. People go on and on about Jobst Brandt and how he invented gravel and how he used to climb the Alps in a 5213 or whatever, but to me the most impressive thing about him by far is that he only had one bike. Now thats strength! Meanwhile, I have arguably too many bikes, yet here I am looking at these listings anyway because you never know.Like any TBD (Terminal Bike Dork), Ive got a few bikes and frames I keep in the back of my mind that Id maybe buy if one were ever to pop up for a really low price. For me, one of those (Im almost ashamed to say) is the old Trek OCLV frame that became famous as the US Postal bike during the reign of Lance ArmstrongI dont mean in the actual US Postal colors or a team replica specifically, I just mean that model frame:Why? Well, I have a weak spot for turn-of-the-century road racing bikes because I was at my Fredliest during that time, and setting aside all the mishigas that ensued those venerable OCLV frames came to dominate the era. Oddly at the time they never really appealed to me, as I associated them with hairy legs and handlebar mirrors. But now I have hairy legs and should probably consider a handlebar mirror, so Im curious to try onenot curious enough to spend anything close to a meaningful amount of money on it, but enough that when Im bored Ill sort of half-look for a deal, like when youre feeling snacky and start rummaging around in the kitchen.All of this is to say that over the weekend I thought maybe Id found a such a deal when I came across a listing for pretty much exactly this bike, only in the triple configuration:[Looks hairy-legged and handlebar-mirrored standing still.]I didnt want a whole bike, but the frame was right, it looked like it had barely been ridden, and the price was close to what Id consider paying for just a frame. Moreover, having recently sold some bike stuff, I had a bit of a slush fund to work with. And yes, I am well aware that this is the epitome of the corporate road bike, but I wanted an old OCLV road frame to play around with, what can I say?The only issue was that the bike was just far enough away that driving all that distance to get it seemed a little sad and desperate. I exchanged a few messages with the seller in the hopes hed maybe meet me somewhere a little bit closer, but he was uncomfortable traveling to meet a stranger and instead preferred me to come to his home. In retrospect it seems odd youd invite a complete stranger to your home rather than meeting him in a public place with lots of people around, but fair enough.I then came across another ad that caught my interest, with an asking price way lower than that of the trek Trek. It was a Chris Huber. An actual Chris Huber.What, youve never heard of a Chris Huber? Dont worry, I hadnt either. But maybe some of you know hes a former pro who rode for the Coors Light team, and he also held the human-powered land speed record for awhile. As for the bikes that bear his name, the Internet bears little evidence of them, and for all I know this is the only one. But from the not-so-great non-drive side photo the frame appeared to be made from Easton aluminum, and it had a Reynolds Ouzo Pro fork, which indicates a higher-end road bike of the aughts. The title of the listing called it a womens bike, but apart from a saddle and short stem that suggested a woman rider, I couldnt see anything gender-specific about it, and it seemed like it might fit me just fine. It also had Campagnolo 10-speed parts, and when youre flipping through classified ads it goes without saying youre n the lookout for Campagnolo 10-speed parts. And it was a 15-minute drive from my home, not far from Stop & Shop, and I always need stuff at Stop & Shop.Now, I dont know about you, but when I find an obscure road bike with Campy parts for about the price of a high-end saddle, and Ive got a moderately-sized Bike Stuff Slush Pile, and I need cat food kitty litterboth of which they have at Stop & ShopI get in The Car That I Own and I come home with all of the above.Heres the bike, exactly as it was when I picked it up:And here it is after I fitted it to myself, got it running acceptably, and took it out for its first decently long ride:When purchasing the bike, I wasnt even sure Id keep it intact, since I didnt know if it would fit me. However, the fit is actually quite good, and so far its lots of fun to rideas long as you enjoy riding light and snappy road racing bikes with Campy shifters, that is, which I certainly do. Also, the seller spoke very fondly of how much she enjoyed the bike before moving from California to New York, so Im happy to keep it rolling in that spirit. Overall the bike is in good shape for its age, though it could use all the usual stuff older bikes usually do, like bar tape, brake lever hoods, cables, chain, and all that stuff. However, everything works, so for now anyway Im going to do as little as possible while I get to know it:Though the rear brake pads probably shouldnt wait:[Those pads have 10 more years of dry riding left, or 50 yards if it rains.]Fortunately I think I have some Campy pads in my disgracefully disorganized Brake Pad Drawer of Shame.And while fresh cables are always a good idea, the bike is shifting well, and I was lucky enough that these were long enough to accommodate a significantly longer stem:And yes, the bike even came with the pump.The frame is in very good shape, with no dents and just enough scratches that you dont care if it gets any more scratches, which is a good place to be with a bike:The chain should also be replaced, but when you do that you sometimes find you have to replace the cassette too, so until I can confirm I have a spare 10-speed Campagnolo cassette I just revived this one with Dumonde:So overall it still needs attention, but theres nothing keeping me from riding and enjoying it in the meantime.Best of all, the stem that came with it is perfect for a 32-inch gravel bike!Time to build a bike around it.This really is a disease.

In our Tech Q&A series, we tackle readers cycling questions fromcomponentupgrades to riding after injury with help from theBikeRadarteam and trusted industry experts. In this instalment, a reader is looking for a British-brand titanium Rohloff-equipped bike to do it all. After years of following the lightweight route, Ive come to the realisation that what I really need is a commuter or hardtail mountain bike for the daily ride and occasional light trails/canal paths, particularly as the roads in Edinburgh are very poor. Im thinking around a titanium frame and a Rohloff enclosed gear system with a Gates belt drive (I've had it with chains). I dont know whether Id need a suspension fork, but reckon I could get away with a suspension seatpost and wide tyres. Full mudguards and panniers are a must. Ive looked at the Van Nicholas Pioneer, but that company seem in a state of flux because they have just been sold. Id sooner buy British and build it up with, say, Hope / SON / DT Swiss wheels, but there don't seem to be any offerings. I see Thorn and Stanforth build something close, but not in titanium. Ian Daglish Rohloff hub gears are favoured for their low maintenance. Russell Burton / Our Media Ifyourelooking for a titanium, Rohloff-equipped do-it-all bike from a British brand,yourelargely lookingat custom or semi-custom options but there are some excellent builders out there. BikeRadarssenior technical editor, Warren Rossiter, suggests Olsen Bikes as a strong starting point. Olsen makes gearbox-equipped frames, too. Olsen The brand offers titanium models such as the Lamb and EightBells, andcan build them up with Rohloff hub gears or even Pinion gearbox systems paired with Gates belt drives. Read more: What are bicycle gearboxes and should you use one? Enigma is known for its tailored titanium offerings. Enigma bicycles If you want to go further down the custom route,Warrenpoints to Enigma as anotheroption, with the Sussex-based builder well known for its titanium frames and ability to tailor a bike to specific requirements. He also highlights Sturdy Cycles as a potential choice, particularly ifyoureafter something bespoke and built around your exact needs. While not titanium, Rossiter adds that steel builders are also worth considering ifyoureopen to alternatives. If steel was an option for you,then Id recommend Darron at Sven Cycles, he says. He built me afantastic, ruggedcommuter a few years back that I still use almost daily. As with many niche builds, going customopensthe most possibilities, enabling you to specify everything from geometry to mounting points and the drivetrain. Off-the-shelf options exist as you note, brands such as Van Nicholas have offered titanium Rohloff-compatible bikes in the past but availability can be patchy, and many riders in your position end up going bespoke to get exactly what they want. Read more: Carbon fibre is cyclings wonder material, but titanium is having a renaissance here's why

Bahrain - Victorious have taken to the start of the Tour of the Alps backing up youngster Jakob Omrzel with a combination of other young riders and members of the under-23 team. One of them is Max van der Meulen who makes his return to professional cycling three months after a difficult injury that...

The Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) has announced that the UCI eMTB Cross-country World Cup will not take place in 2026. The series launched in 2021, and is organised by the World e-Bike Series (WES), but the UCI says it did not meet the expected international growth objectives. Given the outlook for the coming years and the evolution of the various mountain bike formats, the UCI wishes to conduct a review of e-mountain bike to enable different stakeholders to agree on the next steps for the development of the discipline, the UCI said in a statement. The UCI said the eMTB World Cup has played a key role in structuring the format internationally and provided an opportunity for manufacturers to promote their electric mountain bikes. Discussions are ongoing with the different stakeholders to identify the best opportunities to advance the development of e-mountain bike and define its next steps on the international stage, the UCI said. The electric mountain bike cross-country discipline will remain part of the UCI Mountain Bike World Championships. The 2026 Championships will take place in Val di Sole, Italy, from 26 to 30 August. Read more: The UCI rule changes for 2026 you need to know about

Organisers admit contingency in place amid ongoing saga of roadworks and road closures on iconic climb, Derbyshire County Council having previously suggested its not possible to say if work will be completed in time for 2027 Tour de France Femmes

At only 19 years of age, Paul Seixas has perhaps already achieved more than what any other rider of his age has in the history of the sport. The Frenchman looks to have unlimited potential however and may make history if he makes his Tour de France debut later this summer - something which Oliver Na...