Tadej Pogacars brutal Stage 6 demolition at the 2026 Tour de France has now been given a staggering statistical edge, with the Slovenian setting a new climbing record on the Col du Tourmalet during his race-shaping ride to Gavarnie-Gedre. Pogacar attacked after a huge UAE Team Emirates XRG lead-o...

: by ASO [See image gallery at www.irishcyclingnews.com]

Jagwire has two new top-level disc braking updates that they say will help you stop faster now, and more consistently over time. They developed both new Pro LR3 brake rotors and vented Elite brake pads to target heat fade, durability and braking consistency for the higher braking forces experienced by todays technical mountain bike, gravel bike, and eMTB riders. Plus, the new rotors feature a smart, simple low-tech solution to make sure you know when its time to replace them. Theres simply a wear indicator etched into the braking surface showing you when its time to replace your rotors!Jagwire Pro LR3 brake rotors & vented Elite pads boost your current disc brakes(All photos/Jagwire)Bikes are heavier, eMTB especially. Trails are rougher, and longer-travel suspension lets us hit em harder. And off-road riding on gravel bikes has us pushing their road components further than ever. So logically, our brakes need to make up the difference. And Jagwire thinks their latest rotor and pad designs will help your existing brake system catch up to these higher demands.Pro LR3 disc brake rotorsTheir first avenue of attack is an all-new 2-piece rotor design. Both the precision-ground steel braking surface and machined alloy carrier have been completely redesigned to deliver more consistent braking performance, less affected by heat build up.According to Jagwire testing, the LR3 delivers up to 10 percent increased braking performance compared to the previous generation [LR2] while improving resistance to rotor deformation.The carrier itself improves with a more carefully optimized structural layout, swapping the previous round carrier for a more angular-hexagonal design with less excess material at the hub. The new braking track features larger slotted openings around its circumference to deliver more stopping power and better stability under heavy braking load. Plus, the LR3 now features a new patented tech Jagwire calls a J wear indicator. It is essentially just a Jagwire logo laser-etched into the braking surface. But its a very smart design, because when the surface of the rotor gets worn down from braking to the point that the J is no longer visible, it corresponds to the 1.5mm minimum rotor thickness, telling you its time to replace your rotors. No, measuring with calipers required, by either you or your friendly neighborhood bicycle mechanic.Vented Eilte semi-metallic brake pads with Graphene insideAdd to the tougher, more consistent braking the new rotors provide with a set of Jagwire Elite disc brake pads. The new all-weather, semi-metallic pads add an all-new graphene-enhanced thermal management tech to the brands aftermarket braking line. What that actually appears to be, is a Graphene-based surface treatment promising to quickly transfer excess heat from the brake material through the first (presumably steel) pad backing plate and into the alloy backing plate behind it that is connected to the machined alloy external cooling Aero-Fins.Internal testing indicates rotor temperatures can be reduced by up to 27 percent, while brake fluid temperatures may be lowered by up to 13 percent compared with conventional pad designs. By reducing heat accumulation, the system is intended to minimize brake fade and help preserve consistent lever feel during extended descents.Jagwires vented Aero Fin pads also shape their fins mostly to be open inwardly (and nested together) in a design that looks less likely to fill up with mud as you ride in wet conditions, while still providing a lot of additional surface area for active cooling as you ride and air passes over and through them.Jagwire Pro LR3 rotors and Elite vented brake pads Pricing, options & availabilityThe new Jagwire Pro LR3 rotors are available now in both centerlock and 6-bolt mounting, in sizes from 140mm up to 220mm. 6-bolt rotors are cheaper, selling for $60 / 59 in 140 & 160mm, $65 / 63 in 180mm, $73 / 68 in 203mm, and $85 in 220mm. Centerlock versions add a couple bucks for each, $70 / 65 for 140 & 160mm, $75 / 70 for 180mm, $80 / 75 for 203mm, and $95 for 220mm rotors.The vented pads suggested retail price is $32 / 24 per pair (one brake) in fits designed for Shimano road & MTB, SRAM road, Code, Guide/G2, and Magura MT4/8. The whole Elite brake pad range is also now available through regular Jagwire distributors and dealers worldwide. And weve pads selling for quite a bit less already.Jagwire.com

After lifting the yellow jersey from the shoulders of Tadej Pogaar on stage four of the Tour de France, Torstein Tren was forced to return it rather sooner than many had predicted.According to the race's medical report, the Norwegian suffered a fractured rib after a crash on the descent of the Col du Tourmalet, which took place after a rampaging attack by Pogaar had already put him well in arrears. He finished the day 29:55 down on the Slovenian stage winner, his yellow jersey stint well and truly put to bed.Nevertheless, he crossed the line with a smile on his face, perhaps because of the rousing welcome he was given by the still-waiting fans.Speaking briefly to reporters afterwards, Tren said he wasn't entirely sure whether he would continue the Tour de France."We have to see what the x-ray shows for now," he said, before the medical report was relased. "My head is hurting a bit, and then obviously my ribs are not super fine, so we just have to see," Those x-rays subsequently revealed a rib fracture, as well as injury to the right shoulder.Asked about how he managed to survive the rest of the stage, which comprised the rest of the descent and the cat-two climb up to Gavarnie-Gdre, he revealed that he and Anders Halland Andersen had joked about sprinting for the line."I was joking with Anders that we will sprint for it," he said. "I don't know if he would let me win or not, but at least we can still enjoy it, even though it was not the best day."The big mountains of stage six from Pau to Gavarnie-Gdre were always going to prove a hurdle, but Tren probably hadn't reckoned on crashing hard on the descent of the Tourmalet. It was some time before the Uno-X Mobility rider eased himself gingerly back into the saddle, after clipping wheels with Halland Johannessen in a hairpin, the bike flipping over and dumping him hard on the tarmac.But he had already lost a lot of time and, crash or no crash, his tenure in yellow would have come to an end at Gavarnie-Gdre.Tren, who also wore the leader's jersey in last year's Vuelta a Espaa, had taken the jersey on stage four in Foix after being part of a major breakaway that finished almost 13 minutes ahead of the peloton. After that stage Pogaar said he could end up holding the lead for a long time. Perhaps the Slovenian decided he was missing it, or maybe he didn't expect to beat Tren by so much. Either way, the jersey is back with a more familiar caretaker this evening.

Tadej Pogacar stamped his authority on the 2026 Tour de France with a commanding victory in Stage 6, producing a devastating attack on the Col du Tourmalet before riding solo to Gavarnie-Gdre. The Slovenian not only claimed his second stage win of this year's race but also reclaimed the yellow jers...

Torstein Traeen's stint in yellow jersey was ultimately a little shorter than he might've hoped for. But that's not the main of his worries because the Norwegian crashed painfully on the descent from Col du Tourmalet, and his future in the race has been sealed, as has been confirmed by his team Uno-...

Florian Lipowitz admitted there was little anyone could do against Tadej Pogacars brutal Stage 6 performance at the 2026 Tour de France, with Red Bull BORA hansgrohe now turning towards the fight for third overall. Pogacar blew the race apart on the Col du Tourmalet before riding alone to victo...

In his latest video, Justin McKinley unpacks his full Tour Divide setup, going through each of his bike bags and sharing a wealth of useful insight about what worked, what didn't, and what he'd change next time. Watch the 35-minute video here...The post Unpacking the 2026 Tour Divide with Justin McKinley (Video) appeared first on BIKEPACKING.com.

The sixth stage of 2026 Tour de France was the first proper mountain test for all participants, and the general classification has immediately reshuffled entirely. But none of that was much of a concern to Mads Pedersen, who successfully defended his green jersey. Pedersen was active from the start...