The Tour de France gets underway tomorrow in Barcelona, Spain, and the race is preparing itself for extreme heat. High temperatures are set to continue in Spain and France, after Europes record-breaking heatwave in June, and now the worlds biggest bicycle race is grappling with how to protect its riders. The temperature is set to hit 33C in Barcelona tomorrow, and high temperatures look likely to continue. Stage 4, on Tuesday, from Carcassonne to Foix, could see the peloton cycling through 40C heat with only a slight drop in temperature on stage 5. "The watchword is adaptation" Christian Prudhomme: "The watchword is adaptation". Anne-Christine Poujoulat / Getty Images In the lead up to the Tour de France, race director Christian Prudhomme has been busy speaking to the press about the extreme heat. He has said the organisers are ready to adapt the race amid the extreme weather. We will obviously experience high temperatures during the Tour de France. Protecting the riders and the public is paramount for us. The watchword is adaptation," Prudhomme told AFP. Prudhomme pointed to the UCIs high temperature protocol, which was introduced before the 2024 season. The protocol considers temperature, humidity, wind and rider speed. The highest risk (red zone), of temperatures above 28C, can lead to modification of race times, neutralisation and cancellation. Speaking to LEquipe, Prudhomme said: We ourselves are going to deploy an additional cooling motorcycle. Weve requested extra ice. There are all sorts of things involved, and we are in constant contact with the UCI, the riders' representatives, and the team representatives. Were doing things to cool down the body, but we should do things to cool down the planet" New Zealand's George Bennett wearing an ice vest at the 2019 Tour de France. Jeff Pachoud / Getty Images Prudhomme has also said riders are used to riding in extreme heat, with temperatures hitting 42C at the Tour Down Under in January. However, that might bring little comfort. Only recently did Elisa Borghini lose 10 minutes on the final stage of the Tour de Suisse after suffering from heat stroke. Following the incident, XDS Astanas Dr Emilio Magni warned against the severity of heat stroke and pointed to the changing climate. We have to accept that climate change is no longer just something people talk about, Magni told bici.pro. It is a reality, and sporting events have to respond. There are protocols for extreme weather, but in some places extreme conditions are becoming normal. Team Cofidis sports director, Bignen Fernndez, told BikeRadar at the Grand Dpart in Barcelona that the team will use ice packs before and after the Tour de France stages in a bid to keep its riders cool. "Its the only thing we can do in this situation," he said. But, like Magni, he added that this is a climate problem. We need to think as humans. We are creating this. Were burning petrol. Climate change is here, Fernndez said. Were doing things to cool down the body, but we should do things to cool down the planet. Last year, GroupamaFDJ Uniteds Guillaume Martin told BikeRadar about his experiences at the scorching 2024 Vuelta a Espaa. At the Vuelta last year, the first week was over 40C, and for three or four consecutive days, there was a rider that finished the race in an ambulance. I was close to being endangered and having health issues, but I never went to the point where it was too much or that I had to go to hospital, he said. Martin added he believes the UCIs weather protocols are enforced properly. During the Vuelta, we were really at the limit of what the human body could do. I think if there is a real problem, or someone dies because of conditions, then things will change. But I hope we can find a solution before, he said. A recent study in Scientific Reports looked at 50 years of data and found the level of risk of heat stress had increased steadily over the time period. It found the largest number of extreme-heat events occurred in the last 10 years. But it concluded that the Tour has so far avoided the conditions of maximum health risk, if only by a few days. More on the 2026 Tour de France We weighed Tadej Pogaars 2026 Tour de France bike and its heavier than you might think Jonas Vingegaards Cervlo S5 for the 2026 Tour de France is bang on the UCIs 6.8kg weight limit Spotted! Remco Evenepoel will ride this prototype Specialized Shiv time trial bike at the Tour de France Can the Tour de France ever be Pogaar-proof? The race organisers face a near-impossible task From a rare team time trial to a brutal Alpe dHuez finale: 8 questions answered about the 2026 Tour de France route Live Tour de France coverage to be broadcast on S4C and BBC iPlayer

The Continental GP5000 is one of the best road tyres on the market, and a popular choice with some of the world's best riders, including the all-conquering Tadej Pogaar. The Slovenian will open his defence of the yellow jersey in Barcelona this weekend as the Tour de France starts in the Catalan capital. The GP5000 is one of the most expensive road tyres on the market, and as it's so popular, discounts don't come around very often. I've had a hunt around and found these Tour de France deals on Merlin Cycles. They're listing the Continental GP5000 S TR down from its usual 84.95 to just 52.95, a huge 38% off.The deal is the same for US shoppers at Merlin, with 38% off, down to $59.57 from the usual $95.57. Although you will have to pay import duty rates from the UK to the US of around 15%. Below, I've added the UK and US deals at Merlin, and the best US price (without import duty) I could find at Competitive Cyclist. So if you want to see for yourself why the Continental GP5000 S TR is so rated, or if you're already a fan, then stocking up with this road bike tyre deal is highly recommended.Save 38% The GP5000 S TR is a brilliant all-round choice and one of the best road tyres available. It's fast, grippy, and long-lasting. It ticks all the boxes for a road bike tyre. The only downside is that they can be a little hard to mount, so make sure you have some decent tyre levers.Read our Continental GP5000 S TR review.View DealSave 38% This is the best GP5000S TR price I've seen so far this year. It's only in the Black wall version, but in all the sizes from 25mm, 28mm, 30mm, and 32mm. The features improved BlackChili Compound, which is designed to give an even faster, safer ride, and Continental's Active Comfort Technology to absorb vibrations and deliver a smoother rIde. There is an import duty of 15% when buying at Merlin.Read our best road tyre buying advice.View DealSave 26% This GP5000S TR deal avoids any import duty. It's only in the Black wall version, but in all the sizes from 25mm, 28mm, 30mm, and 32mm, and appears to be in both the Tan and Black walled versions.View DealContinental claims the GP5000 S TR sets the standard in road tubeless-ready tyre technology. The brand also says it's the lightest, fastest version to date and comes with increased puncture protection. The carcass of the Grand Prix 5000 S TR features a robust construction that is designed to be impervious to damage and penetration from foreign objects.The German tyre manufacturer says it makes its tyre a versatile, lightweight and attractive offering. It also features the brand's BlackChili Compound, aimed to deliver the best balance of grip and rolling resistance in a road cycling tyre.These brand claims come backed by real-world testing and pro-level performance the GP5000 in the Tour de France claimed the joint title for the most stage wins and was used by more teams in the race than any other.The price vs performance is the clincher here, making them a bargain buy.

The end of an era we thought had ended has now come to pass... so any excuse to reminisce in a semi off-beat style

Jonas Vingegaards Tour de France preparation has mostly been discussed in familiar sporting terms: the Giro dItalia in his legs, the altitude camp in Tignes, and the question of whether he can carry that level into another three-week fight with Tadej Pogacar. Nathan Van Hooydonck has now added a r...

Hey, remember in May of this year, when Firsthand Framebuilding swooped in and saved the day when they purchased 100% of Paragon Machine Works? Well, the Portland-based framebuilding supply and education company has officially opened registration for its 2026-27 class schedule. And instruction is set to begin in November 2026.(Photos / Firsthand Framebuilders)Firsthand Framebuilding will be operating out of a newly renovated 8,000 sq. ft. facility, but theyll keep class sizes to just six students. This maintains a 3:1 teacher-to-student ratio. That kind of access means youre getting real, hands-on guidance rather than watching from the back of a crowded room.The course offerings cover a wide range of experience levels and time commitments. Beginners can jump right in with traditional two-week programs that require no prior experience. While builders who already have some skills can dig deeper through focused weeklong courses. There are also monthly multi-day seminars that round out the schedule, touching on a variety of fabrication methods. So, theres a practical entry point whether youre exploring a new hobby or working toward building bikes professionally.Guest Instructors Too!One of the more notable aspects of the program is its guest instructor lineup. For 2026-27, that list includes Mike DeSalvo, Tony Pereira, Joseph Ahearne, Bob Kamzelski, Oscar Camarena, and Tony Batcheller. All are established names in North American framebuilding. Firsthands in-house builders will also be teaching and assisting throughout, keeping the learning experience consistent across the full schedule.Registration is open now across all class formats, and spots are going quickly given the small class sizes. For anyone whos been looking for structured, hands-on framebuilding education, this looks like a solid opportunity to get time with builders who have real experience in the craft.Those interested in learning more about Firsthands schedule and enrollment can register here.FirstHand.BikeThe post Learn to Build a Frame as Firsthand Framebuilding Opens Registration for 2026-27 Classes appeared first on Bikerumor.

Ben O'Connor's return to Australian cycling may already be heading towards an early end. According to L'Equipe, the 30-year-old is set to leave Team Jayco AlUla at the end of 2026 and return to Decathlon CMA CGM Team from 2027. It would be a major twist just two seasons after O'Connor joined Jayco i...

Florian Lipowitz arrives at the 2026 Tour de France as more than the quiet half of Red Bull BORA hansgrohes leadership structure. Remco Evenepoel may be the superstar name in the line-up, but Lipowitz is the rider who already owns the teams most recent Tour podium. That makes Red Bulls co-lea...

When Tadej Pogaar and UAE Team Emirates-XRG take to the Tour de France start line in Barcelona on Saturday, theyll be riding Colnagos brand new TT2 time trial bike. The Colnago TT2 has been designed specifically around the needs of riders on modern grand tour time trial courses. It has a frameset weight thats 550g less than Colnagos TT1, which the team had used previously, more agile handling and greater crosswind stability, while bettering the TT1s aerodynamic performance, says Colnago. At over 8kg, Pogaar's Colnago TT2 is heavier than expected. Simon von Bromley / Our Media We weighed Pogaars bike at 8.14kg, maybe a little heavier than expected, given Colnagos claim that the TT2 can be built to the UCIs 6.8kg weight limit. Swap-out parts from Carbon-Ti abound on the bike, including the chainring, the UDH and even the jockey wheel bolts. Simon von Bromley / Our Media Even the bolts for the computer mount get the Carbon-Ti treatment. Simon von Bromley / Our Media Pogaar's second bike gets gold Carbon-Ti parts or is that yellow in anticipation of a fifth Tour victory in three weeks' time? Simon von Bromley / Our Media UAE Team Emirates-XRG swaps out many standard components on both its road and time trial bikes for lighter-weight parts. The Dura-Ace rear derailleur is anchored to a Carbon-Ti Universal Derailleur Hanger and even the standard jockey wheel bolts and the bolts between his extensions for his computer mount are swapped out for Carbon-Ti numbers. Pogaar runs 160mm Dura-Ace cranks. Simon von Bromley / Our Media Dura-Ace pedals on Pogaar's Colnago TT2. Pogaar is also running a Carbon-Ti single carbon chainring on his Dura-Ace crankset, which we reckon is a 64-tooth. His 160mm crank length follows the trend for shorter cranks and theres a K-Edge chain catcher, again with Carbon-Ti branding. Pogaar runs the 77g aero BSA bottom bracket from Bikone on both his time trial and road bikes. Simon von Bromley / Our Media Along with his teammates, Pogaar has a 77g aero BSA bottom bracket specifically developed by Spanish brand Bikone for UAE Team Emirates, while he and Isaac del Toro will use the same bottom bracket on their road bikes for the Tour. The ENVE SES Pro wheels turn on silver ENVE Innerdrive Pro hubs. Simon von Bromley / Our Media The disc rear wheel has a 1,030g claimed weight. Simon von Bromley / Our Media Pogacars bike is fitted with a deep-section ENVE SES 100 Pro front wheel and ENVE SES Disc Pro rear wheel. They roll on ENVEs premium silver Innerdrive Pro hubs with ceramic bearings. ENVE claims an 815g weight for the front wheel and 1,030g for the rear. The Conti TT tyres measure exactly their nominal 28mm width on the 22mm internal-width rims. Simon von Bromley / Our Media Both are equipped with Continental Grand Prix 5000 TT TR tubeless tyres in a 28mm width. On the 22mm internal width mini-hooked rim, these measure almost exactly 28mm wide 27.94mm at the rear and 28.20mm at the front to be precise, despite the TT2 frames 30mm tyre clearance. In contrast, the 28mm nominal-width tyres on Pogaars Colnago Y1Rs aero road bike measure over 30mm wide on the 23.5mm internal-width SES 4.5 Pro wheels fitted to that bike. The TT2's head tube measures only 32mm across at its waist. Simon von Bromley / Our Media The TT2s base bar has been slimmed down and measures 360mm centre to centre. Theres a low-profile grip surface applied to the bar ends and the time trial extensions are ENVE-branded, although ENVE doesnt show extensions on its site. Pogaar's bar extensions bear the logo of the spendy Richard Mille watch brand. Simon von Bromley / Our Media They also come with the logo of team sponsor Richard Mille, which makes extremely expensive watches, including the $1,000,000 Colnago special edition, which has recently been announced. His team says Pogaar wont wear the watch during the race for personal security reasons. Its probably not very aero either. Pogaar has the Fizik Airis Long Distance saddle fitted to his bike for the 19.6km team time trial. Simon von Bromley / Our Media Pogaar has the zero-setback TT2 seatpost fitted to his bike; theres a 22.5mm-setback post also available. He sits on a custom 3D-printed Fizik One-to-One Aeris Long Distance Adaptive time trial saddle, despite the Stage 1 team time trial's 19.6mm length and the Stage 16 individual time trial only stretching to 26.1km. Although there's a Fidlock bottle designed specifically for the TT2, sponsor commitments mean UAE fits the Elite Kit Crono CX bottle system. Simon von Bromley / Our Media Pogaar has Elites Kit Crono CX time trial bottle fitted. Its probably not as aero as the Fidlock bottle developed by Colnago specifically for the TT2, which completely fills the space between the down tube and seat tube, but sponsorship commitments mean UAE Team Emirates-XRG cannot use this. More on the 2026 Tour de France We weighed Tadej Pogaars 2026 Tour de France bike and its heavier than you might think Jonas Vingegaards Cervlo S5 for the 2026 Tour de France is bang on the UCIs 6.8kg weight limit Spotted! Remco Evenepoel will ride this prototype Specialized Shiv time trial bike at the Tour de France Can the Tour de France ever be Pogaar-proof? The race organisers face a near-impossible task From a rare team time trial to a brutal Alpe dHuez finale: 8 questions answered about the 2026 Tour de France route Live Tour de France coverage to be broadcast on S4C and BBC iPlayer

Tom Pidcock is not heading to the 2026 Tour de France as a luxury stage hunter. At Pinarello Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team, the message before the Swiss teams Tour debut is now far more ambitious than that. Pidcock will lead the team into the Grand Depart after finishing third overall at the 2025 Vuelta a...

Jonas Vingegaard enters the 2026 Tour de France with a Giro dItalia title already in his legs, a completed set of Grand Tour victories on his palmares and the familiar challenge of trying to beat Tadej Pogacar in July. CyclingUpToDate were present at the Danes pre-Tour press conference to document...