The 2026 Tour de France will take place from the 4th to the 26th of July. Throughout the21 stages, the peloton will be racing through the mountains, sprint stages, cobblestones, individual and team time trials, and even. We take a look at all stages, their official profiles, and preview the days -...

Neil's latest video features an in-depth breakdown of the bike and gear he brought on the Colorado Trail this year. Walking through every part of his system, it's a comprehensive guide to how he packed a full-suspension rig for big days of aggressive, loaded riding. Watch the video below for all his insights...The post How I Packed a Full-Suspension Bike for the Colorado Trail appeared first on BIKEPACKING.com.

The 2026 Tour de France classifications will shift across three weeks of racing, from the Grand Dpart in Barcelona on 4 July to the final stage in Paris on 26 July. Across time trials, sprint stages, breakaway opportunities and the high mountains, each day can alter the shape of the race for yellow...

A cycling campaign group, I Bike Dublin, has called for immediate removal of trial of chicane barriers on Capel Street and Parliament Street, with the focus instead being on enforcement of illegal electric devices.These devices which are often referred to as bicycle-shaped objects are classed as mopeds because they are too overpowered to be considered electric assisted bicycles.For an electric bike to be considered bicycles, the motor assistance must only activate when the user is pedalling and must cut out at 25km/h. Throttles are not allowed and the bicycles should not be moving without pedalling unless freewheeling. The call from the group comes after Dublin City Council installed the trial barriers at the start of the week without giving any notice to the public or councillors which runs against guidelines for traffic calming measures implemented under Section 38. The council has yet to respond to questions on what legal measures were used to implement the changes.The barriers also fall fowl of guidelines for control measures on active travel routes, which outlines that while speed controls may be needed, the spacing between chicane barriers must be 5 metres for accessibility and allow a flow of users The guidelines also specify a gap of over 10 metres between any barrier and a junction for safety.This afternoon, a spokesperson I Bike Dublin said: This experiment must be abandoned without delayIn trying to deal with an enforcement issue Dublin City Council have made the street less usable for all users. The barriers are impacting on the free flow of walking and cycling traffic and are creating unnecessary conflict between road users.They also make the street look like a construction site instead of the attractive urban space that it should be, the group saidThe I Bike Dublin spokesperson said: There is an issue with illegal use of electric throttle bikes on the street but tackling that illegal use shouldnt make it worse for everyone else. This is an issue for An Garda Sochna Dublin to address.The group added: Firstly, to train An Garda Sochna members to be able to correctly differentiate between a bicycle (whether e-bike or not) which is legally permitted to use the street, and an electric throttle bike, which is not. Secondly, to enforce this law.

Stage 7 of the Tour de France was a day for the sprinters and the fast men had an arrival that was perfect for them. Without any climbs on the menu, it all came down to a bunch sprint, where Tim Merlier was the fastest in a sprint where Jasper Philipsen looked to have the perfect leadout. The stage...

This weeks Debrief features an incredibly light sleeping bag, handmade bike bling, a tiny monocular, 32-inch bike skepticism, an alternative Tour de France, a couple of videos for weekend watching, several events to follow live, and more. Find it all hereThe post Friday Debrief: Fancy Crank Caps, Farwest Grips, Fresh Videos, Waterproof Monocular, and More appeared first on BIKEPACKING.com.

Tim Merlier extended his incredible run in stage races and the Tour de France, sprinting to victory on stage 7 from Hagetmau to Bordeaux today.Alpecin took the lead with 2.5km to go, with Mathieu van der Poel leading out Jasper Philipsen, who won in Bordeaux in 2023. But after van der Poel pulled off with 250m to go, there was no stopping Merlier, who came from far back in the bunch to break ahead and win the stage.Merlier described the closing moments of the stage as a mess, as he tried to keep his eyes on Philipsen. They boxed me in everywhere, he said, adding that he lost ground before he eventually gained space to give the legs a bit of air.This was the Soudal QuickStep rider's first win of the 2026 Tour de France, his fourth in three Tours, and his eighth Grand Tour stage win. Its also the 10th stage race in a row where Merlier has won.Lotto-Intermarches Baptiste Veistroffer and Caja Rural-Seguros RGAs Jakub Otruba were in a two-man breakaway for almost all of the stage, which had only 850m elevation.Merlier commented on the work by his team and Alpecin-Premier Tech: We were the only team riding with Alpecin to take the breakaway back, so Im happy it wasnt another team who won.It was Veistroffers second breakaway of the 2026 Tour de France after a 144km solo attack on stage 5 because, I wanted to enjoy myself. His efforts on stage 3 and today mean Veistroffer spent 234km of the Tour de Frances first 1,000km in a breakaway.The duo took the top two places on the intermediate sprint with 54km to go, with Veistroffer collecting the maximum 25 points and Otruba coming in second.The favourites in the points classification sprinted for the remaining points. Pedersen took third place for 16 points and extended his lead in the points classification over NSN Cycling Teams Biniam Girmay, who took fourth place for 14 points.Veistroffer and Otruba fist bumped as they were enveloped by the peloton with 18km to go.The bunch was arguably going too slow, with Uno-X Mobilitys Jonas Abrahamsen launching his third attack to push the pace with 10km to go. NetCompany-Ineos also came to the front in the hope of Dorian Godon claiming the stage.But it was always a day destined for the big names and sprint trains, with Merlier adding another victory to his palmeres, Uno-Xs Sren Wrenskjold coming in second and Girmay finishing third. Max Kanter came fourth and Pedersen rounded out the top five. More on the 2026 Tour de France Has Tadej Pogaar already won the 2026 Tour de France after his ritual mauling of the peloton? History doesn't have good news for us Tadej Pogaar wins Tour de France stage 6 and claims Souvenir Jacques Goddet prize on Col du Tourmalet I wanted to enjoy myself: Baptiste Veistroffer shares the stats behind his 144km Tour de France solo break "Its outstanding" Norwegian who was treated for cancer now leads the Tour de France Ridley built this custom yellow-jersey Noah Fast for Torstein Traen in less than 30 hours after he took the lead in the Tour de France 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

The Tour de France had its escape from the mountainous and hilly terrain at long last. After the Grand Depart in Catalunya and move through the Pyrenees, the peloton finally headed towards Nouvelle-Aquitanie, where they found a perfectly flat day without obstacles - something Tadej Pogacar was happy...

The Tour de France is often shaped as much by survival as by strength. Across three weeks of racing from the Grand Dpart in Barcelona on 4 July to the final stage in Paris on 26 July, crashes, illness, heat, fatigue and withdrawals can quickly reshape the peloton, from nervous sprint stages and exp...

Two weekends ago, Truckee Tahoe Gravel returned to the northern Sierra for a weekend packed with sunny skies, gravel roads, tired legs, and smiling faces. 2026 was Truckee Gravels fifth consecutive year seventh since 2018 of gravel racing through the mountains north of Truckee, California. I signed up at the last minute, threw on the Lycra kit, and transformed back into a gravel racer for the first time in a couple of years.After being sidelined from racing in 2025, Ive been hoping to get back in the mix, and my backyard gravel race seemed like the perfect opportunity to do it. Riding away from the start with 800+ participants on race morning, I was quickly reminded of the importance and beauty of local races. Sure, the big, marquee events may get all the headlines, but local races are where the magic really happens.Dropping into some of the Truckee areas finest gravel.Truckee Tahoe GravelTruckee Gravel has been taking place in one form or another since 2018. Starting and finishing in the beautiful mountain town of Truckee, CA, just north of Lake Tahoe, there is excellent access to hundreds of miles of gravel roads crisscrossing the mountains, valleys, and meadows of the northern Sierra.In 2024, Truckee Gravel debuted three new courses short, medium, and long and has stuck with them ever since. Not only do these course options offer something for all experience and fitness levels, but they also showcase some of the best gravel roads and riding in the area. Heres a quick breakdown of the routes:Long: 101.9 miles, 7,926 feet of climbing, 80% gravel, 20% pavedMedium: 66.1 miles, 4,439 feet of climbing, 84% gravel, 16% pavedShort: 28.8 miles, 1,810 feet of climbing, 55% gravel, 45% pavedRiders approaching Yuba Pass on the Truckee Gravel long course.At ~102 miles and 8k of climbing, the long course is plenty challenging without breaking into the realm of total absurdity reminder: 100 miles is already really far. With a stunning route that takes riders up to and along the Sierra Crest to Yuba Pass, through the Sierra Valley, and back again, the long course gets the lions share of the attention and arguably draws the highest level of competition.In the past couple of years, however, the medium course has proven to be more popular with participants. While 66 miles and 4,400 feet of climbing is nothing to scoff at, its much more approachable than the long course. On top of that, the medium route is arguably one of the best gravel loops you can ride out of Truckee, racing or not. The Bear Valley Road descent is not to be missed.The awesome Bear Valley Road descent is featured in both the long and medium courses.The short course is more of a mixed-surface route, great for those just getting into gravel, participating in their first race, or anyone who simply prefers riding a shorter distance. Several miles by the start and finish are shared with the medium and long courses, but it explores some gravel, pavement, and mountain meadows that the other courses do not.Race Day and ResultsA very brisk morning turned into perfect temps for racing in June.Truckee Gravel took place on Saturday, June 27th. After weeks of hot temperatures, a cold front moved through the area, bringing the daytime high down to a very pleasant 60 F for race day. And despite 30 mph wind gusts throughout the day, it was a welcome reprieve from the sweltering 95 heat I experienced on the same course in 2024.After the mass start and neutral rollout leading to several miles of fast pavement, riders hit the dirt, and the lead group quickly established and began pulling away from the masses. My classic Ill see how I feel, but this might be more of a ride than a race attitude lasted about five minutes, and I was breathing through my eyeballs for the rest of the day. I managed to keep the lead group in sight for the first 20-ish miles, but in my typical fashion, ended up strung out in no-mans land.The lead group, including the mens overall winner, Alex Wild (right).I settled in with a few different riders over the next 75 miles, catching up with and trading pulls with former rivals and local legends whom I pretty much only see at races. I wish I could tell you what went down at the front of the race, but I definitely wasnt there to witness it. I limped it over the line in 13th overall, and a respectable 2nd in the 40-49 age group. After not racing last season, it felt good to be back and to remember the masochistic joy of pushing my physical limits for 5+ hours.Mens long cpurse overall podium.Back at the finish line and expo, I learned that Nor-Cal phenom Alex Wild clinched his third consecutive Truckee Gravel win in decisive fashion. Wild was joined a few minutes later by his CycleSport.com teammate Matthew Saldana, followed by Truckee local Stephen Flynn, former World Tour racer Levi Lepheimer, and Eric Colindres, rounding out the top five overall.In the womens race, professional racer Jen Tav repeated her 2024 Truckee Gravel victory with a 24-minute gap to 2nd place. Tavs blistering pace and 6:03:31 finish time put her 18th in the overall standings. She was followed by 2x Leadville 100 champ Larissa Connors in 2nd, Eve Nyrhinen in 3rd, Gillian Wagner in 4th, and Megan Brinkmeyer, rounding out the top five.Womens log course overall podium.The medium course also saw some competitive racing. In the womens race, it was none other than the legendary Katerina Nash taking the win in her hometown of Truckee. Nash was followed by Truckee local Samantha Shields and Kyndra Riddle in 3rd. In the mens race, 15-year-old Nicholas Russell showed hes got a future in gravel racing with an impressive victory on the 66-mile course. Russell was followed by Marek Muller and Todd Harris, both 30+ years his senior.Katerina Nash is a regular at Truckee Gravel, taking home the medium course win this year.This Guy Races Gravel?Given that the majority of my gear testing and reviews on BikeRumor are mountain bike and eMTB related, it may come as a surprise to some readers that Ive also been riding gravel pretty seriously since 2017. I started kind of on a whim, signing up for Lost and Found (L+F) because it was part of a three-race series called the Lost Sierra Triple Crown. The 100-mile L+F course was my very first taste of gravel racing, and a real dive into the deep end for a first-timer.Turns out, gravel riding and racing suited me well and played to my apparent strengths as a cyclist. I guess I never realized it prior, but I learned that I really enjoy the suffering associated with endurance racing. I got hooked pretty quickly, lining up for L+F again in 2018, and for the Sagan Dirt Fondo (the 1st edition of what would become Truckee Gravel) in my then-hometown a few weeks later.My pro racing career was short-lived. Happy to just be out here, competing with folks my age and landing on the occasional podium.Beyond the love of suffering and pushing my limits, I really liked that I was actually competitive and able to consistently battle for podiums in my age group. Heck, I caught the gravel racing bug so hard that in 2019, I started racing pro to see how I stacked up. Of course, Im not a professional-level racer, and I never really was, but I had fun giving it a go anyway.And while I really enjoy racing, I typically just enter a couple of nearby gravel races a year Lost and Found and Truckee Gravel in addition to some other events like the Downieville Classic, and whatever else catches my eye and fits into my schedule. But throughout my racing journey, I cant deny the influence my local race has had on my trajectory as a racer.My Race RigThe Diverge 4 and some of Truckees smoothest gravel. (photo/Jeremy Benson)Im currently in between gravel bikes, and the only drop bar bike I currently own runs a 12-speed Pinion gearbox drivetrain. While it is very low-maintenance, its not exactly a high-performance race bike. So, I was extremely lucky to get my hands on a Specialized Diverge 4 Pro LTD. This is the top-tier build in the Diverge lineup, and, in my opinion, the ideal bike for most riders the Diverge, that is, not necessarily the high-end Pro LTD build.Sure, race bikes like the new Crux 5 are cool and all, but if youre not racing all the time, I believe bikes like the Diverge are a much better fit for most riders. This is the kind of bike you can take on overnight bikepacking tours, mellow singletrack, mixed surface adventures, and still toe the line at a couple of gravel events a year. Its still plenty light for racing, sporty enough to mix it up at the top of the results sheet, but its not so racy that its uncomfortable. Ill choose comfort over aerodynamics any day.Moments after finishing, might throw up, probably just gonna lay down for a bit (photo/Eric Nelson)At 60 with disproportionately long legs, I went with a 56 cm frame specifically for the shorter reach, knowing that would balance out slightly with the lower stack height. I ran it in its stock configuration, which leaves almost nothing to complain about, except for maybe the shift paddles on the Shimano Di2 shifters. Otherwise, this build is about as trick as they come, weighing in at 19 pounds even, including two bottle cages and a set of Wolf Tooth DEL gravel race pedals.Ill have plenty more to say about the Diverge 4 Pro LTD, the outstanding Terra CLX III wheels, and why most people dont need a gravel race bike (unless youre a dedicated gravel racer) in the not-too-distant future. For now, I can honestly say this is the best gravel bike Ive ridden to date. Its perfect for a rider like me who wants one bike to do it all, including the occasional gravel race.Rubbing Elbows with the ProsPro racer Alex Wild has ridden to victory at Truckee Gravel for 3 years running.Obviously, racing on my home turf and familiar roads is always a treat. But racing Truckee Gravel has also allowed me to rub elbows with some of the biggest names in the sport. In fact, the first iteration of the race in 2018 was the Sagan Dirt Fondo, headlined by none other than multi-time Road World Champion, Peter Sagan. Other notable riders that year included Katerina Nash and Geoff Kabush, two riders who are no strangers to the Northern California race scene.Sagan did not return in 2019, and Bike Monkey renamed the event the Truckee Dirt Fondo. Along with hometown hero Katerina Nash, that years Unbound 200 (DK200 at that time) womens champ, Amity Rockwell, also joined in on the fun and the podium. This also happened to be my one and only year racing pro, and somehow I managed to finish 2nd behind former pro roadie and Nor-Cal legend Jonathan Baker, and a couple of minutes ahead of an up-and-coming Brennan Wertz. Wertz ultimately became the US Gravel National Champion in 2024, along with plenty of other impressive performances before and since.Pete Stetina and Matt Beers racing Truckee Gravel in 2023. (photo/TOPO Collective)After a two-year Covid hiatus, gravel racing returned to Truckee in 2022, and the event was renamed Truckee Tahoe Gravel. In the years since, Truckee Gravel has really come into its own. Bike Monkey has done and continues to do a wonderful job organizing and promoting the event. And when racing schedules allow, it often attracts some of gravels biggest names in between some of the marquee events.In fact, some of the worlds fastest gravel racers have shown up to throw down at our local race, including Haley Smith, Matt Beers, Peter Stetina, John Borstelman, Tobin Ortenblad, and Lachlan Morton. Fun fact, in 2024, I beat Lachlan Morton in a race but only because he flatted, twice, haha Regardless, it has been awesome to watch the event mature over the years and line up alongside legends, even if that means Ill never have a shot at an overall podium again.Folks relaxing at the finish line and expo.Long Live Local RacesOf course, the greater Northern California and western Nevada region is a hotbed for cycling talent, and Truckee Gravels ability to draw some of the sports best athletes is somewhat unique. And even if Lifetime Grand Prix athletes arent dropping in on your local race, these events are important for so many more reasons.If, like me, youre the competitive type, local races are where you can finally put a face to those names you see on Strava and maybe even see how you compare in real life, not just the virtual world. Its where local legend status is earned on a results sheet, not an app. Whether youre racing for a podium or just against yourself, its super motivating to be on the clock. And its an opportunity to meet riders who live nearby who share similar interests, fitness levels, and skills on the bike. Often, your closest rival could become your best training partner or riding buddy.Great to see junior riders out in force.For many young riders, the local is their first bike race or taste of competition, planting a seed that could potentially grow into a future as a bike racer. For established juniors, local races are where they hone their skills, climb up through the ranks, and duke it out with their peers or see how they stack up against the adults. Watching the podium presentations two weekends ago, I was very impressed by the number of young riders and the level of their riding. Not only are they already fast, but the level of youth participation also points to a bright future for the sport and cycling in general.And lets not forget about the adults coming out for their first race and dipping their toes into the competitive cycling pool. No matter your experience level, racing can provide the motivation to ride more, boost fitness, and maintain a healthy lifestyle. And at all ages, too. My buddys 73-year-old dad came out and crushed the medium course for the third year in a row (shoutout to Big Fred!).Limits pushed, fatigue unlockedBut for many people, entering a race or participating in a cycling event isnt about competition at all. Local races are a great opportunity for riders to get out and push their limits, set a new personal best, or just go for a big, beautiful bike ride with aid stations and mechanical and medical support, just in case. And whether youre racing or just there for a good time, races bring the cycling community together over a shared love of bikes. Of course, Truckee Gravel is one of my local races, but its just one of the many hundreds, if not thousands, of local races happening across the country and around the globe. Each one an opportunity for riders to compete (or not), test their limits, explore new trails or roads, meet new people, expand horizons, and bring the community together to celebrate the simple pleasure of riding bikes.Long Live Local Races. Big thanks to Bike Monkey for putting on a great event and numerous other events each year. Im already looking forward to 2027.truckeegravel.combikemonkey.net