Quinn Simmons has plenty to be happy about after securing his third United States national champion's jersey last Sunday. Not only will the Lidl-Trek rider be once again at the Tour de France in the stripes and stars, but he got to fulfil a big wish for outgoing team boss Luca Guercelina. Fast becom...

Little or no funding has been provided for new services across the country. Minister says bus route rollout is subject to funding, but TDs point out that the Minister and the Government control the funding.After months of trying to hold the line that the Government was focused on prioritisation and stabilisation of bus route funding, the Minister of Transport has finally clearly admitted in the Dil that the delay in rollout of new services comes down to money.The Minister for Transport, Darragh OBrien, also repeatedly stated that base funding for Public Obligation Services (PSO) is up 43%, up to 940 million, but the problem is that the Government has effectively pulled funding for planned new services across Ireland in 2026. Last Thursday, the issue of funding for buses was raised by two TDs in the Dil.Dublin TD Roderic OGorman (Green Party) asked the Minister for Transport about the planned roll-out of the N8 orbital route planned to link the Blanchardstown Shopping Centre, Dublin Airport, and Clongriffin, while Wicklow TD Jennifer Whitmore (Social Democrats) asked the Minister about the rollout of the planned Local Link 199 service, which is to serve on the route from Glendalough to Bray.Written parliamentary answers published on the same day, in response to Dublin TD Eoin Broin (Sinn Fein) and to Cork TD John Paul OShea (Fine Gael), were less direct. Even when OShea asked directly for an outline of the funding that was allocated in Budget 2026 for the rollout of new rural bus routes as part of the Connecting Ireland Rural Mobility Plan, he was given the run-around with 250 words provided without a direct answer.On the Local Link 199 bus, Deputy Whitmore said: It was actually meant to start last September. A bus has been purchased for it. Drivers are in place. The community really needs this bus service up and running. There is very much a lack of clarity because the Government says one thing and the NTA says the other. Can we have a start date for this service this morning?Minister OBrien said There has been considerable investment in services throughout the country under the Connecting Ireland Rural Mobility Plan. I think everyone agrees that it has been a real success I am pleased to state that passengers are responding to this continued investment, with TFI Local Link services recording a combined 6.97 million passenger journeys just last year, marking a record and a 19% increase on the previous year. That is just short of 7 million journeys.The Minister said: The PSO allocation, as I mentioned earlier, has risen to 940 million. That is 43% up on 2025s allocation. I want that on a sustainable footing; I do not want to have to go back looking for supplementary funding every year. That is a record level of funding we have provided, and that underpins the new routes we have brought forward. It is a priority to roll out the 199 service, which is part of the NTAs service plan. The service is subject to the same considerations around funding.He said: To be straight, I expect that, as part of the Estimates process, with the additional funding we will receive, routes like the 199 service will operate from early next year.Deputy Whitmore said: I do acknowledge that the Minister is trying to give a realistic date The difficulty, however, is that I was told in May last year that this service was funded, that the money was there for it. It was tendered, and it was contracted. There is a bus sitting in Clonshaugh in Dublin, empty, not running, waiting to be used on this service. Four drivers have been hired for this service. Everything is ready to go, and I do not understand how that funding is no longer there.She said that the Ministers response was just not good enough and does not cut it as people had already made life decisions based on the bus launch last SeptemberDeputy Whitmore added: Because we are coming into the start of a new school year and a new college year, I ask that the Minister try to find that funding for just four months of the year to get this running. It is ready to go. Literally, the bus is sitting there. I ask the Minister to try to find that funding to bridge that gap.The Minister confirmed that he knows that the bus has been purchased. Promising to look at rolling the bus out sooner, he said: I know that thebusis purchased. People have been employed. If we can get it started earlier, we will do soOn the N8, Deputy OGorman said: I want to tie down a commitment the Minister made on a previous occasion that the route will be up and running by the end of this year.Minister for Transport, OBrien said: That is what we are hoping to do. I want to again make it clear that the NTA is responsible for the provision, scheduling and timetabling of public transport services nationwide. The Deputy knows that. It works with operators to deliver these services.I mentioned in response to earlier questions that we have secured a significant uplift in PSO funding, a 42% increase. I do not want to get back into supplementary budgets every year to provide services. We need certainty. The N8 route is planned to be implemented as part of phase 9 of the BusConnects Dublin network redesign programme. The exact implementation date for the route will be determined by funding provisions and operational readiness, he said.He said: I still think we will be on track for later this year or early next year to roll out the service. If we can do it any sooner we will.OGorman said that in 2024, he was told it would be in place in 2025, and in 2025, he was told it would be in 2026. He said: I am a bit concerned about what the Minister has said because I do not feel he was quite as committed to getting the route delivered this year.OGorman said: I know he does not run the opening of individual routes day-to-day, but he is responsible for the money. I am unclear why the Minister is asking whether the money will be ready this year. He is the person with responsibility for whether there is money to deliver the N8 from Blanchardstown to Dublin Airport in 2026, to which he has committed.Minister OBrien said: In this years budget, we were able to secure 1.6 billion to run our public transport network. We have about 960 million in PSO, up 42% on the previous year, which gives us a much higher base. This year has been very much about stabilising.OGorman said: Again, it comes down to the question of money and providing financial backing to open these new services.Minister OBrien agreed and said: It does come down to money. The Deputy is absolutely right. When I came into the Department of Transport we were very short of money, including PSO funding. Over the term of the previous Government, every year there was a supplementary budget, that is, additional moneys added at the end of every year. We could not plan new services properly. My big focus this year was securing an increase of 43%, up to 940 million. That is a much higher base which means we move into next year with a higher level of funding to provide new services.

The 2026 Tour de France starts in Barcelona on Saturday 4 July and finishes three weeks, 21 stages and 3,333km later on the Champs-lyses in Paris on Sunday 27 July. Unusually the race starts with a team time trial. That's very unusually, actually, because there hasn't been one in the race since 1971. Under the new rules, individual competitor times are taken rather than those of the team as a whole, so the GC contenders are likely to want to make their mark. The 2026 Tour de France could be a vintage edition. Tadej Pogaar won the Tour de Suisse in emphatic style. Jonas Vingegaard was equally dominant at the Giro d'Italia in May and Remco Evenepoel recently revealed an impressive FTP number from his month of altitude training in Tenerife. 19-year-old Paul Seixas is a wildcard in the GC mix. So, sit back and enjoy three weeks of non-stop action. Here's how to watch the 2026 Tour de France, plus a guide to the scheduled start and end times of each stage. How to watch the Tour de France 2026: quick guide Watch in the UK: Subscribe to TNT Sports Watch in the USA: Subscribe to Peacock Watch in Canada: Subscribe to FloBikes Watch in Australia: Free to view on SBS Watch anywhere: Catch your usual stream on the move by subscribing to NordVPN* How to watch the Tour de France 2026: full guide This year's route visits all five of France's major mountain ranges. If youve got five-plus hours to spend each day, you can watch the entire men's race end-to-end in many territories. For the more time-pressed, plenty of highlights options compress the days action into an hour or so. If youre really stuck for time, daily five-minute highlights on theLe Tour website will keep you abreast of all the action. These are also posted toYouTube. Unlike many big cycling races, terrestrial broadcasters pay attention to the Tour de France, so you can watch at least some of it subscription-free in many territories. Theres also the option to use a VPN to stream from a country with free terrestrial coverage, although most VPNs with decent geographic reach and streaming speeds will require a subscription. When the Tour de France is over, you can prolong your pro-cycling fix with the Tour de France Femmes, starting on 1 August. Buy the Official Tour de France Guide out now! The UKs only official Tour de France Guide is available now order your copy for delivery in time for this years race. This year's 204-page Official Race Guide includes: All the stages, maps, itineraries and profiles from the biggest race in womens and mens cycling Full breakdown of each race team Interviews with the stars of this years race Official A2 route map posters Our exclusive Galibier special magazine Exclusive Tour de France beer mats Buy the 2026 Official Tour de France Guide now! How can I watch the Tour de France 2026 live in the UK? Check start times below if you don't want to miss a full stage. A.S.O./Charly Lpez TNT Sports/HBO Max will show the race live and, as usual, theres an on-demand option, highlights, analysis and more. Coverage times are to be confirmed. A TNT Sports/HBO Max subscription costs 25.99 per month when billed annually. Its available on a range of platforms, including tablets, mobile, TV with Chromecast, or AirPlay, Android TV or Apple TV. You don't have to sign up for TNT Sports to see highlights of the 2026 race, though, with Channel 5 set to broadcast free-to-air highlights at 7pm each day. There's free, live full-stage coverage of the Tour slated to begin on 5 in 2027. Subscribe to TNT Sports/HBO Max How can I watch the Tour de France 2026 outside the UK? A Virtual Private Network (VPN) is software that enables you to change your device's IP address, making it appear as though you're accessing the internet from another country. As long as you adhere to your broadcaster's terms and conditions, a VPN enables you to unblock your usual streaming services, no matter your location. Additionally, a VPN can improve playback speeds and significantly enhance your overall internet security. There are many VPN options available, but we recommend NordVPN as the best choice. It offers strong streaming capabilities, robust security features and excellent value for money. Subscribe to NordVPN *At BikeRadar (published by Our Media Limited), we review VPN services to help you access online content and services securely while you're on the go. This includes activities such as streaming your favourite TV shows, live web content or using apps from different countries (provided it's okay with the service providers terms and conditions). It's important to note: BikeRadar does not endorse or support the use of VPN services for illegal or malicious activities, such as accessing paid-for pirated content. Please ensure you enjoy online content responsibly! How can I watch the Tour de France 2026 live in the USA and Canada? Watch all the action live or catch up with highlights. A.S.O./Charly Lpez The race will be hosted in the USA by NBC and its paid-for streaming service, Peacock. Subscriptions to Peacock cost from $7.99 a month, or $79.99 a year for a basic plan. The price rises to $16.99 a month or $169.99 a year for an ad-free plan. In Canada, racing is available on FloBikes, with a subscription costing CAD$49.99 a month or $216 for 12 months. Subscribe to Peacock Subscribe to FloBikes How can I watch the Tour de France 2026 live in Australia? SBSwill be covering the race live and on-demand. No subscription is needed. How else can I watch the Tour de France 2026? Theres live terrestrial coverage in many European countries, with france.tv showing the race live and on demand on France 3. France France 3 Belgium VRT/RTBF Italy RAI Sports Spain RTVE Netherlands NOS Tour de France stage start and end times This year, Stage 21 again takes in the climb of Montmartre, but further from the stage finish, so it's more finely balanced between the puncheurs and the sprinters. A.S.O./Aurlien Vialatte Like the Tour itself, stage start and end times are a movable feast. Although most stages are slated to end some time after 5pm CEST, stage start times can be as early as 11.20am and as late as 5.05pm. Here's a summary of the start and earliest finish times provided by the Tour de France, so you know when to head for the couch each day. Date Stage Scheduled start time Earliest end time 4 July 2026 1 Barcelona TTT 17:05 19:16 5 July 2026 2 Tarragona - Barcelona 13:45 17:26 6 July 2026 3 Granollers - Les Angles 12:10 16:54 7 July 2026 4 Carcassonne - Foix 13:10 17:23 8 July 2026 5 Lannemezan - Pau 14:05 17:37 9 July 2026 6 Pau - Gavarnie-Gdre 12:25 17:29 10 July 2026 7 Hagetmau - Bordeaux 13:15 17:13 11 July 2026 8 Prigueux - Bergerac 13:15 17:20 12 July 2026 9 Malemort - Ussel 13:35 17:47 13 July 2026 Rest day 14 July 2026 10 Aurillac - Le Lioran 13:10 17:12 15 July 2026 11 Vichy - Nevers 13:50 17:31 16 July 2026 12 Circuit Nevers Magny-Cours -Chalon-sur-Sane 13:30 17:29 17 July 2026 13 Dole - Belfort 13:00 17:46 18 July 2026 14 Mulhouse - Le Markstein Fellering 13:10 17:24 19 July 2026 15 Champagnole - Plateau de Solaison 13:10 17:41 20 July 2026 Rest day 21 July 2026 16 vian-les-Bains - Thonon-les-Bains 13:00 17:50 22 July 2026 17 Chambery - Voiron 13:20 17:18 23 July 2026 18 Voiron - Orcires-Merlette 12:35 17:12 24 July 2026 19 Gap - Alpe d'Huez 14:00 17:24 25 July 2026 20 Le Bourg d'Oisans - Alpe d'Huez 11:20 16:11 26 July 2026 21 Thoiry - Paris Champs-lyses 16:15 19:30 Edit Table

Netcompany INEOS are facing yet another Tour de France headache after it was confirmed that co-leader Kevin Vauquelin suffered a virus and bacterial infection. The French rider, therefore, will not be starting the National Championships this week as both he and the team focus on recovery ahead of th...

Weve got some news from the Surly Bikes Intergalactic Headquarters. But first, can you guys remember when Surly Bikes released the OG Steamroller all the way back in 2000? Well, after a brief hiatus, the Steamroller is back in a limited run with a great new color.(Photos / Surly Bikes)The Steamroller is a really cool bike that was not like anything out there at the time. Its very versatile for a track bike. It was unofficially dubbed a tracklocross bike because it had big tire clearance, something you never saw on a track bike. It was also one of Surlys first models. In its marvelous 23-year run, it became a go-to choice for bike messengers and commuters alike. The Steamrollers popularity is likely due to its steel frame, the simplicity of a singlespeed, and the 700c x 38mm tire clearance, which allowed the rider to fit enough tire in the frame to handle city streets without fuss.Surly officially discontinued the Steamroller back in 2023. But, after being gone for a bit, its back as a limited-run frameset in a beautiful colorway called Anxious Lavender. Surly Steamroller GeometryBut, is There Anything New?Well, yes, this new Steamroller comes with one notable update: cable stops for rear brake routing. Boom, Bobs your Uncle. This is a great upgrade for riders who want to run rear brakes.The routing is now cleaner and more straightforward. For those committed to the brakeless fixed-gear experience, the option is simply there if and when they want it. The Steamrollers steel construction has always made it a durable option for everyday riding. Whether it be used for commuting, nights out on the town, or whatever the city throws at it. The 38mm tire clearance gives riders some flexibility in how they set up the bike for different road conditions, which is nice.And, since this is a limited release, you know the availability wont last, so act quickly. Framesets are priced at a measly $699 and can be purchased directly through Surlys website. Or, if you like, you can go through your local Surly dealer and talk through a full build in person thats always a good time. SurlyBikes.comThe post The Iconic, Surly Steamroller Returns (for now) in a Wonderful Anxious Lavender Colorway. appeared first on Bikerumor.

Visma-Lease a Bike have named the seven riders that will join Jonas Vingegaard in the team at the Tour de France next week. Victor Campenaerts, Edoardo Affini, Per Strand Hagenes, Matteo Jorgenson, Sepp Kuss, Bruno Armirail and Davide Piganzoli will all support the Dane as he starts his bid for a third yellow jersey in Barcelona on 4 July. Wout van Aert, the 10-time Tour stage winner, will be absent from the race for the first time in eight years due to an elbow injury. The Belgian crashed in training earlier this month and, despite racing and winning a stage at the Tour Auvergne-Rhne-Alpes, has since developed an infection in his elbow wound, the team announced last week. #TDF2026 Tour de France . pic.twitter.com/Cf2bPA92sIJune 23, 2026Visma-Lease a Bike presented their eight-rider Tour squad on Tuesday with a YouTube live stream from their performance centre in Den Bosch, the Netherlands. None of the riders were present, as most are on a training camp in the French Alps. Asked about the team's goal for the Tour, lead race coach Marc Reef said: "It's very obvious, I think, especially when you have Jonas: we want to win the Tour de France."Vingegaard is expected to be the main challenger to defending champion Tadej Pogaar (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) at this year's Tour. The two riders have shared the last six yellow jerseys between them; Vingegaard won in 2022 and 2023, and placed second in 2021, 2024 and 2025 to Pogaar, who also won in 2020. "I have a lot of belief in myself, and that also gives the other guys belief," Vingegaard said. "They really believe in the plan we have and believe that it's possible to win the Tour de France again. It's now three years ago I won it the last time, and ever since it's been a big goal for me."Earlier this year, Vingegaard completed the Grand Tour trilogy when he won the Giro d'Italia by a convincing margin of more than five minutes. The 29-year-old also won five stages at the race, adding to previous victories at Paris-Nice and the Volta a Catalunya, in what has been his most prolific season start to date. As their usual yellow clashes with the leader's jersey, Visma-Lease a Bike will wear a limited edition black kit called 'The Architect' at the Tour, inspired by Catalan architect Antoni Gaud. The Tour de France starts with a team time trial in Barcelona on 4 July, and runs to its Paris finale on 26 July.

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Team Visma | Lease a Bike have confirmed their team for the 2026 Tour de France as Jonas Vingegaard's support has been locked in. After injury and fitness concerns took Wout van Aert out of the running, and Christophe Laporte also unavailable, their two replacements have got the official nod. Report...

The Steamroller was launched by Surly back in 2000 and now makes a return in a limited edition. The robust steel frameset comes with 38mm tyre clearance and made the Steamroller a popular choice for a fixie for messenger and general around-town use back in the day. While the original was designed without brake cable stops, Surly has moved with the times and has added stops so its easier to kit your bike out with brakes. "Fixed gear bikes are stupid and pointless, and I freaking love them" 5 surprising reasons you need a fixie in your life Smoother than whiskey The Steamroller now has stops for the rear brake cables, which may annoy the fixie purists. We're not sure when Surly stopped selling the Steamroller, but it was still around in 2017, when former staffer Jack Luke reviewed the 4130 TIG welded steel bike with its lugged fork in its flat bar fixie glory. Even then, it came with brakes front and back, although the Drink More Water Yellow frame colour wasnt the match for Anxious Lavender. Jack reckoned it looked better in the flesh than it sounds. The Anxious Lavender frame colour looks a lot nicer than the Drink More Water Yellow bike Jack reviewed in 2017. Jack squeezed 33mm Specialized Terra Pro tyres between the bikes Tektro brake callipers and headed off on a mud-clogged gravelcross sportive. At the time, there were no cable stops for the brakes, which didnt improve things. The Steamroller still ranks as one of his all-time favourite rides though and is described by Surly as versatile, simple, and smoother than a swig of whiskey in winter on all sorts of terrain. Frameset only Nicely finished welds on the steel frameset. The resurrected Steamroller will be sold as a frameset only and available in limited quantities. Surly looks to be expecting significant demand, as its given a 9:00 a.m. Central Time launch time on 23 June, suggesting that the frameset could sell out quickly. The Surly Steamroller frameset is priced at $699. Here's a link if you want one. This Cannondale SuperSix has been transformed into a good-for-nothing fixie and we love it