WorldTour opener to become first top-tier stage race to hold men's and women's races concurrently

The 2026 Giro dItalia classifications will evolve day by day over three weeks of racing, from the Grande Partenza in Bulgaria to the final stage in Rome, between 8 May and 31 May. Every summit finish, sprint stage, breakaway, and time trial has the potential to reshape the fight for the Maglia Rosa...

The latest example? Cannondale Factory Racing (CFR) showed up to the Nov Msto World Cup with a LAB71 Scalpel sporting a set of Reserve 48|53 GR aero carbon gravel wheels. Deep-section gravel wheels. On a World Cup XC bike. At one of the fastest short-track courses on the calendar. In fact, these are deeper aero prototype wheels that aernt even available for gravel bikes yet!You can see all the details on the RideCannondale Instagram.Cannondale LAB71 Scalpel with custom unreleased Reserve 48|53 GR aero gravel wheels View this post on Instagram According to CFR, theyre the first team to race the Reserve 48|53 GR wheelset in short track, possibly the first in top-level XC racing altogether. The wheels in question are paired with Shimanos new XTR Di2 drivetrain and an aggressively fast Schwalbe Thunder Burt 2.1 tire setup, which tells you pretty quickly what the goal was here: outright speed.Prototype Deep Aero Gravel Wheels on an XC Bike?(Photos/Cannondale Factory Racing)At first glance, the Reserve 48/53 GR wheels look a little ridiculous on a mountain bike. Deep carbon rims usually belong on aero gravel bikes or road bikes built by people who know exactly how many watts their socks save (Im that guy and its 2-12 watts, sock-dependent). But short-track XC has changed, and its all about the demands of race day. Teams cant swap frames between events, but they can change almost everything bolted onto them. Narrower bars, shorter-travel suspension, firmer setups, and even gravel tires are becoming increasingly common. Chris Blevins won Nove Mesto short track last year, running a Specialized gravel tire, so the line between modern XC and gravel equipment is already getting blurry.(Photo/Cory Benson)Todays short-track courses are smoother, faster, and much more draft-heavy than traditional XC racing. Riders are spending long stretches above 20mph, and once speeds reach that level, aerodynamics start to matter, whether mountain bikers like it or not.Thats what makes this setup interesting. Reserve didnt design the 48/53 GR wheels specifically for XC, but modern gravel racing and modern short track are starting to ask for similar things:high sustained speedsquick accelerationssmoother terraintight packsand efficiency over outright forgivenessXC keeps drifting toward gravel, gravel keeps drifting toward XC, and somewhere in the overlap, you get bikes like this.The Wheel Choice Is the StoryThe wheel setup itself is the headline:Reserve 48/53 GR wheelset48mm front rim / 53mm rear rimSchwalbe Thunder Burt 2.1 SPEED tiresThat combination isnt about surviving rough terrain. Its built for fast laps, rapid accelerations, and carrying speed once the course opens up.And visually? It works way better than it probably should.The deep rims tucked into the LAB71 Scalpel make the bike look equal parts futuristic and slightly questionable I love it. Plus it feels pretty close to where elite XC equipment is heading anyway.Cannondale Factory Racing Nove Mesto BuildCFR rounded out the build with:Shimano XTR Di2Fox Float SL rear shockFox Transfer SL 75mm dropperFSA KFX carbon cockpitPrologo Nago 3D saddleReserve 48/53 GR wheelsetSchwalbe Thunder Burt 2.1 SPEED tiresThe slammed -12 FSA KFX stem really finishes the look for me. Combined with the deep wheels and low-profile tires, the whole bike gives off a very clear we are absolutely not wasting watts today vibe.Aero Is Just Part of XC Now(Photo/Cory Benson)The bigger takeaway probably isnt the wheelset itself; its what it says about where XC racing is going.For years, aerodynamics sat pretty far down the mountain bike priority list. Weight mattered, and suspension needs to be dialed, same with tire choice. Aero was mostly road-bike territory. Thats changing.As XC speeds keep climbing and courses keep getting smoother, teams are becoming much more willing to experiment with equipment that wouldve looked completely out of place only a few seasons ago.This wont seem weird for very long.Because once a factory team shows up with deep-section gravel wheels and proves they work, somebody else is going to copy it. Thats usually how these trends start. Im guessing its about 3-4 weeks out from hitting your local short track series. The post Cannondale Factory Racing in Nove Mesto on Prototype Deep Aero Reserve Gravel Wheels appeared first on Bikerumor.

The sun is out let the good times roll

Rasmus Tiller has taken the victory on stage 3 of the 4 Jours de Dunkerque, benefitting from an explosive race that split in the day's many cobbled sectors. This was an important victory for Uno-X Mobility, whilst Laurence Pithie defended his race lead. The third stage of the race was flat but feat...

Rs Tailteann 2026 Stage 3 ReportStage 3 of the 2026 Rs Tailteann brought a fast and tactical day of racing from Mitchelstown to Enniscorthy, with the peloton covering over 155 kilometres across Cork, Limerick, Tipperary, Carlow, Kilkenny and Wexford. After the brutal climbing of Stage 2, the tempo remained aggressive from the flag drop as teams looked to control the race ahead of the technical finale into Enniscorthy. The stage featured repeated attacks and several attempts to establish a successful breakaway, but the pace in the bunch stayed consistently high. Crosswinds and rolling terrain stretched the peloton at various points, while general classification contenders remained alert after the time gaps created on the previous stage.As the riders approached Enniscorthy, positioning became critical on the narrow and technical roads leading toward the uphill drag to the finish. Sprint teams and GC riders battled intensely for control entering the final kilometres, with the front of the race heavily reduced by the pace and constant accelerations.Liam Flanagan of APS Pro Cycling powered to victory on Stage 3 after timing his effort perfectly on the uphill finish in Enniscorthy from a reduced leading group of 17 riders. The selective finale produced important time gaps and further reshaped the overall standings heading into the decisive mountain stages later in the race. Tim Shoreman of Wheelbase Cabtech Castelli now wears the leaders yellow jersey after his victory yesterday and second place finish today.Rs Tailteann Stage 3 Photos by Lorraine OSullivan [See image gallery at www.irishcyclingnews.com] Results Rs Tailteann

Our experts have scoured the Specialized PR, and the initial impressions are that the S-Works Evade 3 is still the way to go, especially at this discounted price

The Giro dItalia has long built its reputation on attrition as much as spectacle. Across three weeks of racing between 8 May and 31 May, crashes, illness, exhaustion, and withdrawals can completely reshape the race, whether in chaotic bunch sprints, freezing mountain conditions or the brutal final...

Rs Tailteann 2026 Stage 2 ReportStage 2 of the 2026 Rs Tailteann delivered one of the toughest and most dramatic days of the race as the riders tackled the demanding route from Rathmore to Banteer through the mountainous roads of Kerry and Cork. The stage featured iconic terrain including the Caha Pass, Tunnel Road and Cougane Gap, with repeated attacks splitting the race throughout the day. The harsh climbs and relentless pace quickly reduced the peloton, with small groups forming and reforming over the exposed roads. Riders fought not only for the stage victory but also for control of the general classification as gaps began to open on the major ascents.As the race entered the closing kilometres into Banteer, the leading selection had been heavily reduced after a long day of aggressive racing. The finale came from a select front group of 6 riders rather than a full bunch sprint, reflecting the attritional nature of the stage and the damage done by the terrain.British rider Tim Shoreman of Wheelbase Cabtech Castelli claimed victory on Stage 2 after surviving the decisive attacks and producing the strongest finish from the elite lead group. The result also reshaped the overall standings as Adam Lewis of APS Pro Cycling now leads the race by 34s over Tim Shoreman in second place.Rs TailteannStage 2 Photos by Lorraine OSullivan [See image gallery at www.irishcyclingnews.com] Results Rs Tailteann

Canyon's Grizl AL is here, Rapha have updated some classic lines, Santini have a dream tie up from italy, and Hunt and Mavic drop new hoops. This is the week in tech!