The UCI has changed its rules on feeding in races due to the extreme heat at the Tour de France.In a press release on Tuesday morning ahead of stage four, cycling's governing body said that feeding bags or musettes will now be allowed in feed zones initially designated just for bottles.More bottles will be allowed to be handed out in musettes, essentially, due to the ruling.Earlier this week, fans were told not to attend the final 44km of stage three due to a wildfire that is raging in the eastern Pyrenees and the race organisers have not ruled out a stage cancellation or additional amendments to the route.On Tuesday, stage three's finish in Les Angles was notably empty, and temperatures are expected to reach 37C in Foix for stage four's finish. The French government has given out permissions to local areas to cancel Tour stages if a Code Red weather alert is raised. The Tour has given advice to fans on how they can protect themselves in the extreme weather: "Before the riders pass by, during the stage, and after the finish: seek shade as soon as possible, wear a cap or hat, and drink water regularly, even if you dont feel thirsty."The UCI press release reads: "The Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI), in agreement with the President of the Commissaires' Panel, who holds sporting authority over the event, and the organiser, who bears organisational responsibility for its running, has decided to soften the provisions governing rider feeding in light of the extreme heat forecast over the coming stages of the Tour de France."In this regard, it has been decided to exceptionally authorise the use of feeding bags in zones initially defined for the provision of bottles only (water bottle zones) located within listed climbs. This measure is intended to facilitate the simultaneous distribution of multiple bottles to each rider, so as to ensure optimal hydration in the forecast weather conditions."This measure is being implemented on a trial basis and will be reviewed in light of weather conditions, its effectiveness, and its impact on the smooth running of the event."

Remco Evenepoel can be considered Red Bull - BORA Hansgrohe's Tour de France leader and looks good value for it as he demonstrated his lean and fit shape, that's according to one Eurosport analyst. Backing the Belgian to form one of the main challengers for the podium, and even be considered by race...

Stage 3 of the Tour de France left Juan Ayuso 10th on the day, four seconds behind winner Tadej Pogacar as the Slovenian goes into the yellow jersey. The Lidl-Trek rider remains near the top of the general classification in an encouraging start to the Tour. In the overall, Ayuso sits fifth, 27 sec...

Further to yesterdays post, once I start poking around in the past I cant stop, and as I was perusing old articles I began to wonder about the origins of the e-bike.Well, the earliest mention I found was from November 12th, 1882, though that was an e-trike:And more interesting than the electro-motor was the adorable term treadles for pedals:So I asked the AI to do this:Gadsen flag but with slogan Dont Treadle On Me and image of a bicycle pedal instead of a snakeBut I wound up with this:I guess that will have to do.Anyway, clearly the idea had treadles, because by January 5th, 1896, inventor and fixie edit godfather Thomas Edison was all over it:He too felt the tricycle was the ideal application for an electric motor:Thats because it wasnt practical to electrify a safety bicycle:Which, according to him, was very nearly perfect:Balderdash!The man would not have lasted five minutes at Specialized.Anyway, he did eventually build an electric tricycle in 1889, and here it is:Though arguably its more automobile than bicycle.Regardless, the Edison story also ran alongside this useful advice for winter bicycle storage:Both of which were apparently part of a special cycling supplement:Yes, thats how popular cycling was at the time:Today what remains of the newspaper industry courts the automobile industry, but back then it was bike companies:And these two ads ran opposite each other:Heres a Liberty from around this time:By golly, Edison was right! Apart from the rod brake that babys perfect.Still, weve come a long way since then, for not only can you get an electrified safety bicycle that would probably have impressed even Thomas Edison, but soon youll be able to choose between than or riding a regular bike while wearing an exoskeleton:In his case, results were mixed:Though an exoskeleton could breathe new life into that old Colnago you havent ridden in 20 years:What seems clear is that, regardless of metrics or training, if youre not an athlete and you want to bike more, an e-bike will be the path of least resistance. But if youre a former cyclist with a great bike and want to get back into it, the Hypershell X Ultra S might be a good option. It can help you when you need it and get you back out on the bike.It could also do the same thing for your marriage, because nothing says date night like lighting a candle, opening a bottle of wine, and gently whispering the words, Honey, Im putting the exoskeleton in Hyper mode into your spouses ear.Finally, speaking of riding fast and aging, after watching the following video Im afraid I must express an old guy opinion:Im certainly sorry riders were hurt, and yes, dog owners can be infuriating. (Most dog owners handle their dogs about as well as most people on expensive bicycles handle their bikes.) However, unless its a sanctioned race and there are marshals stationed along the course, I dont think its reasonable or responsible to ride in a paceline in Central Park. Yes, maybe 20 or 30 years ago when the parks were less crowded you could, but in post-Bloomberg New York where theyre teeming with people and their pets from dawn to dusk and beyond, its simply not reasonable for a group like this to expect to be able to ride laps in the park on racing bicycles at speed. Even if they were following the letter of the law and doing everything right (which I doubt they were, because theres no way they were stopping at the crosswalks, sorry), theyre simply going too fast to account for the sorts of things that happen in busy places where people are recreating, as this video shows. (And yes, dogs should be on leases, but there are designated off-leash hours in Central Park, and judging from the videos description thats when this crash occurred.) Certainly any time Ive found myself in Central Park on a bike in the last 10 or so years its been pretty obvious to me that the era when you could go there and expect to ride briskly without bothering anybody or risking serious injury to them or to yourself is long gone.I mean sure, I still go there once in awhile:But I can assure you Im not riding fast, and it kind of astounds me that other people are.

Good morning and welcome to the liveblog of the Tour de France! Stage 3 marks the first day of this year's race to be contested entirely on French roads, and there is a new rider in the yellow jersey as the peloton rolls out: Tadej Pogacar. Today's stage promises to be another demanding test, with p...

Todays stage 4 of the Tour de France will be perfect for the breakaway, according to EF EducationEasyPosts Ben Healy.Healy animated much of the 2025 Tour de France. A blistering attack and rare win from the breakaway on stage 6 earned the Irishman the yellow jersey.At 181.9 km long with 2,700m of climbing, todays stage from Carcassonne to Foix could be an ideal opportunity for Healy to launch an attack.Healy has preserved energy in the last few days. Ive just been taking the past few days easy and I think todays a good break day, he said.However, stage 3 saw the favourites dominate the latter half of the race. Pogaar claimed the stage victory with an explosive attack and will ride in the yellow jersey today after taking it from rival Jonas Vingegaard.This could mean the breakaways chances today are neutralised by the peloton. Its just such hard, ferocious racing. I think just the strongest rider wins in the end, Healy added. Ben Healy: Its just such hard, ferocious racing. I think just the strongest rider wins in the end. Loic Venance / Getty Images The other issue to contend with is the heat. Yesterdays stage saw special measures implemented due to wildfires. Vehicles were limited on the final 40km and fans asked to avoid gathering on the road side.Tom Pidcock described the race as a war zone. I think the peloton went through 10,000 bidons today. And I didnt have anything in the final, I was a bit cooked, he told road.cc.The stage today is set to see temperatures of 37C.On dealing with the heat, Healy said: Youve just got to be absolutely smashing water all day long.This morning, the UCI changed its rules for feed zones to ensure riders stay hydrated. More on the 2026 Tour de France Who is Isaac del Toro? 4 things you need to know about the Mexican who could be a future Tour de France winner Why are Pogaar and Del Toro riding different bikes? Isaac del Toro's stage-winning Colnago V5Rs may sit exactly on the UCI weight limit Fans told to avoid Tour de France stage 3 due to major wildfires A Tour de France breakaway only has a 2% chance of winning, so why join one? Every team bike at the 2026 Tour de France

Arvid de Kleijn was fighting his own battle at the Tour de France on Monday, finishing last on the stage and just ahead of the time cut for the day. The Tudor Pro Cycling rider battled hard to ensure he can ride at least another day thanks to a powerful motivation. In a difficult year for de Kleijn,...