Tadej Pogacar has reached the first rest day of the 2026 Tour de France with a 2:42 lead over Jonas Vingegaard and an increasingly firm grip on the race. Inside the peloton, Romain Gregoire admits belief in a genuine yellow-jersey fight is already beginning to fade. The recently crowned French champ...

Tadej Pogaar has said he would change the professional cycling calendar after yesterdays stage 9 of the Tour de France was shortened due to extreme heat, following an opening week thats been dominated by discussions over high temperatures.If I had the power I would change all the calendar and not race in July and August in hot places, Pogaar said. Id do a completely different calendar, but its not something I can do.Maybe the next step is to start the stages earlier. Yesterday there was a proposal to start at 10, but it doesnt change anything because then you finish in the heat.You need to start at eight or nine, or even before. Its a little bit shit, but I think the body can adapt to waking up at five oclock in the morning and doing a stage at eight. But I think Ive said enough, he said after the stage. Read more: Eight fans injured at the Tour de France by car crash in finish straightThe stage from Malemort to Ussel was won by Mathieu van der Poel from a breakaway, after it was shortened by 30km because of the heatwave and Mteo-France placed the department of Corrze on red alert.Van der Poel said he was initially struggling with the heat at the Tour de France. I had some difficulties to recover even from the easier days. Already in the last few days I felt a bit better. It was easier stages, and today I finally had the legs to go for it, he said.It was the best day of the race so far for PinarelloQ36.5's Tom Pidcock, who finished third behind Van der Poel and Tobias Johannessen.Riding to sign-on this morning was like opening the oven and youre looking in and it goes in your face, Pidcock said. But once you started the race it wasnt too bad.The heat has been a talking point throughout the 2026 Tour de France, which has seen measures implemented to protect riders and fans. The race organisers urged fans not to attend stage 3 due to wildfires and the UCI relaxed its rules around riders accepting bidons so they can stay better hydrated.The riders have taken to jumping in ice baths after stages, and Netcompany-Ineos even used large containers for their arms to stay cool ahead of the opening team time trial.Today is the Tour de Frances first rest day, with tomorrows stage 10 heading from Aurillac to Le Lioran in Cantal. The department is currently under an orange alert. More on the 2026 Tour de France UCI changes Tour de France rules in light of extreme heat The Tour de France has lost some of its magic and that could spell trouble for cyclings future Forget VO2 max a Tour de France cyclist's defining quality is their frightening capacity to suffer Who is Isaac del Toro? 4 things you need to know about the Mexican who could be a future Tour de France winner 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 first week of the 2026 Tour de France has produced plenty of conclusions, but one stands above all the others: Tadej Pogacar remains the dominant force in world cycling. The Slovenian has already landed a major blow in the general classification on the Tourmalet, collected stage victories and se...

For our latest edition of Weekend Snapshot, we catch up with readers in Germany and two corners of Wales, highlighting a handful of scenes from rides through the picturesque countryside. See this week's vignettes and share something from one of your escapes here...The post Weekend Snapshot appeared first on BIKEPACKING.com.

I dont want to be a contrarian. Normally I go with the flow of mainstream opinion. This is principally because when I disagree with the commonly held view, I turn out to be wildly, spectacularly wrong. An example of this came last year at the Tour de France, when asked for my opinion about the newly re-worked Montmartre climb for the Paris stage. I railed against it. I didnt like the break with tradition, especially coming so soon after the damp squib that had been the 2024 Nice time trial, and felt that it was overly harsh on those sprinters who had battled their way through the mountains to get to the final stage. Of course, in the end, I was totally won over by the spectacle of seeing Wout van Aert drop Tadej Pogaar in the yellow jersey and ride solo to victory. I had simply got it wrong.This year, my false opinion relates to big city Grand Dparts. Twice in the Tours recent history, the race had begun in two of the worlds top 5 tourist destinations (I have no idea whether or not this is true, but it sounds about right). In 2024 the team presentation and the race began in Florence, almost as an afterthought. The deal for the right to host the Grand Dpart was struck between the ASO and the region of Emilia Romagna. But, as I understand it, ASO wanted Florence, which is of course in neighbouring Tuscany, and literally didnt really want or need the exposure and the hassle of hosting the Tour. And thats exactly how it felt. The influx of cycling tourists barely moved the dial in a city that was always going to be rammed in July anyway. It felt like an encumbrance that Florence was glad to be rid of as they rolled off the start line towards kilometre zero of stage one.Now, Im not saying that Barcelona was a similar experience. The winding road to Montjuic is of course one of the great climbs in the cycling landscape, and the history of the Volta a Catalunya is ancient (its the fourth oldest stage race in the world). The crowds were predictably impressive, but they were seriously international. German, Norwegian, Danish and English voices outweighed and outshouted Catalan by a significant margin because, frankly, on any given July weekend they always would do; Tour or no Tour. Barcelona is always rammed. Thats why the locals have started to protest, quite understandably, at how their city is being snatched from them and sold, brick for brick to the agents of global tourism. Do they need the Tour? Not really. Thats why, for me, I always favour lower key Grand Dparts, like last years stay in the Dpartement du Nord. Places like Lille are exactly where the Tour should start, because it means everything. We need cities which embrace the race with all their heart and soul, rather than bolt it on to an already exhaustive list of Things To Do. In many ways, the less Grand, the better. Give the Tour space to breathe.Own one of the few remaining (Green) Cav Road Books 2006-2024. A unique, personal, in-depth celebration of cyclings greatest sprinter. Every one of Sir Mark Cavendishs 165 career victories are analysed in intricate detail for the first time. Exclusively signed by the Editor, Ian Cleverly.

Tom Pidcock believed he could beat Mathieu van der Poel in the closing kilometres of Stage 9 at the 2026 Tour de France. Johan Bruyneel was never convinced. Van der Poel, Pidcock, Tobias Johannessen and Alex Baudin emerged as the strongest riders from the days breakaway before narrowly holding off...

Dainty tubes, a threaded headset, and lugs are just a few of the features that make the Crust NorEaster atypical in todays bike market. A few years removed from its release, clearance for 29 x 2.6 tires sits at the very edge of what even the most experimental gravel bikes can offer. After waiting more than half a decade for a specific version of this bike to appear, Nic finally got his hands on one. In his Crust NorEaster Review, he shares whether this antiquated object lives up to the dreamThe post Crust NorEaster Review: Dreamboat appeared first on BIKEPACKING.com.

I have the good fortune of being wealthier than I ever imagined.In bicycles.Granted, some of that is inherited wealth:But work is tacky, and the truly rich know that this form of enrichment is the most satisfying.Anyway, given my privileged position, the last thing I need is another bicyclethough how can I resist the allure of this vintage Hardrock, forwarded to me by a reader named Alex? I know what youre thinking:Why the hell would you want that?Because it belonged to none other than David Byrne, thats why!OK, well, not exactly, though it was a prop in a David Byrne music video:I did check the video in order to verify the bikes provenance, and the song itself sounds like someone doing a somewhat over-the-top parody of David Byrne, while the theme of the video appears to be Night Of The Living Park Slope Dead:Granted, it was hard for me to look directly at the video for more than a few seconds at a time, but I did not see the Hardrock in question. However, I did see someone riding what appears to be a vintage Cannondale road bike while wearing some sort of VR face thingy:In any case, even if the Hardrock did appear in the video, $750 sounds like an awful lot of money for it. I mean this is no Rosie ODonnells Budnitz:By the way, Rosie ODonnells Budnitz happens to be the name of the Brooklyn-based tambourine-and-dance collective who are opening for Byrne on his tour this summer.Uh, hello, AI? Thats your cue:Thats not bad.Of course, I really shouldnt buy this Hardrock when I already have one that I no longer need:Thats the bike Paul from Classic Cycle sent to me for my elder son, and that both my elder son and my younger son have now outgrown. So if youre interested in a 24-inch Hardrock just let me know and we can figure something outor, if there are no takers, Ill list it for sale for way too much money and claim that it was used by David Byrnes stand-in for the Everybody Laughs video shoot.Speaking of used bikes, I spent some time on the Craigslist Special this past weekend:I also pulled and regreased the bottom bracket to address a slight ticking, and un-wrapped and re-wrapped the bars to make some lever position adjustments:This is the same model of bar that was on the Lemond, and its brilliantly designed so that you can have either the tops or the drops at the angle that suits you, but never both:While I certainly prefer a rounder bars with a more traditional shape I can live with this one, having pledged not to spend any money on this bicyclea pledge I take so seriously that I didnt even replace the ancient, fraying bar tape, let alone the worn hoods that resemble those socks at the bottom of your drawer you should really just throw away already:I also dont want to replace any of that stuff because once I do Ill then be compelled to move onto other parts of the bike and address stuff like the missing headset sweatband:And the missing brake barrel adjuster o-ring:What was Campagnolos obsession with easily torn or lost rubber things, anyway?But yes, as long as the bicycle is running smoothly I must resist the urge to replace stuff for largely aesthetic reasons and just let it be funkyat least until some other more compelling use for that drivetrain presents itself and I plunder it for its components. I mean why fuss with that old thing when I have this?Its just as fast as the Craigslist Bike on the roads, while also being perfectly capable of fleeing into the woods:Though I cant help wondering how it would feel with that Campagnolo drivetrain

NSN Cycling Team and Uno X-Mobility are wearing concussion sensors at the Tour de France. Riders' helmets are equipped with technology that issues an alert when it detects a significant head impact. The small device also records data on the severity of the incident to inform post-crash recovery efforts. In recent years, the Tour de France has seen some nasty crashes, particularly during the lead-out phase before a sprint, and this kind of technology is designed to help team staff identify anomalies and improve rider safety across the board. At the opposite end of the cycling spectrum, downhill mountain bikers have been using the HIT Connect impact sensor (a wearable head-impact device designed for mountain biking) that mounts to the back of the helmet and measures forces on the head. Considering the speeds associated with the discipline, it's become a no-brainer.NSN and Uno X are using the ProMD impact sensor, which fits into a band of blue foam between the cradle and dial, in helmets from their respective sponsors, Ekoi and Sweet Protection. On the road, concussion protocols have come under scrutiny in recent years amid growing awareness of the risks of head injuries. We've asked Dr Jack Hardwicke, senior lecturer in the sociology of sport at Nottingham Trent University's School of Science and Technology, about how he thinks cycling is dealing with concussion and how concussion sensors could improve that. Luca Viano, Ekoi's helmet product manager, has answered our questions on this safety innovation.ProMD impact sensor fits into a band of blue foam between the cradle and dial (Image credit: NSN/Ekoi)How is elite cycling dealing dealing with concussion?"Its improving, but still has a long way to go," says Dr Hardwicke. Currently riders who are assessed for head injuries after a crash are penalised because they lose time. He would like cycling to consider a rule change that, for example, lets riders draft back to where they were in the race. But the main problems are cultural and economic. "Elite cycling, like most sports, still has a strong culture of getting back on the bike following crashes and injury," he says. "This culture is encouraged by many coaches, mechanics, medics, athletes, journalists their glorifying reporting of heroic riders competing with injury etc. "There are also strong economic pressures on athletes not to withdraw for fear of letting the team down and/or jeopardising sponsorship. "There needs to be more efforts placed into shifting this culture so cyclists have less pressure to compete following a crash."To negate this pressure, he'd like to see independent doctors have the power to rule on whether a rider carries on. "Until theres greater cultural change, policies and protocols will always be bent and broken in practice," he adds. "Adam Yates' recent concussion in the Giro is a prime example."How does the impact sensor work?In its R2 carbon helmet, Ekoi's best road bike helmet, the company has incorporated an impact sensor developed by Meditech's ProMD."It is an intelligent crash detection system designed to enhance rider safety by monitoring both linear and rotational impacts in real time," says Viano. "Using advanced motion sensors and proprietary algorithms, it distinguishes genuine crashes from normal riding vibrations, reducing false alarms while providing reliable impact detection."When it senses a head impact, it sends an emergency alert to notify people of the incident if the rider cannot call for help themselves. "The sensor also records impact data that can support post-crash evaluation and help riders make informed decisions after an accident," adds Viano. Although ProMD claims its device provides lab-grade data from its G-force sensors, Viano says: "It is intended as a safety monitoring tool and should not be considered a medical device for diagnosing concussion or other head injuries."Dr Hardwicke says concussion sensors like ProMD's could help by providing an "objective measurement" that determines whether or not a rider continues racing after a crash."This would help move away from having to use roadside assessments of riders showing signs and symptoms," he adds. The sensor is described as an intelligent crash detection system designed to enhance rider safety by monitoring both linear and rotational impacts in real time (Image credit: NSN/Ekoi)Why has Ekoi introduced this technology to helmets?Many brands include MIPS in their helmets or have their own anti-concussion technology, but why does Ekoi think helmets should also have impact detection?"Triggering an alarm will allow a faster response when medical intervention is needed," says Viano. "This is extremely important when riding alone in particular."Secondly, collecting precise impact data, such as on linear and rotational acceleration, duration of the impact, and direction of the impact, will help medical assessment and the recovery plan."Ekoi also says the data will be beneficial for research and development of safer helmets."This data will also help us develop better helmets by combining the information from real accidents, laboratory impact tests, and damages directly visible on helmets tested in a laboratory or crashed in a race," says Viano. "We collect all crashed helmets by our teams and study them to understand what can be done better in future products."The sensor is held within impact-absorbing foam and attached to the dial on the back of the helmet (Image credit: Getty Images)Are there any downsides to the technology?The sensor is held within impact-absorbing foam and attached to the dial on the back of the helmet. According to Viano, this has no adverse impact on the helmet. "It weighs a few grams and does not affect or reduce the helmets safety performance," he says.The same applies when similar sensors are inserted into the EPS, the helmet's protective foam. "In that case, several impact tests are performed in different conditions (high and low temperature, UV exposure, water exposure) on every helmet size to confirm that it does not alter the safety performance of the helmet itself," he adds.The impact-absorbing foam has no impact's on the ergonomics and fit of the helmet (Image credit: Getty Images)Who is using the ProMD impact sensor and how good it it?NSN is trialing the sensor at the Tour de France, and Ekoi's goal is for all its sponsored teams, including Lotto-Intermarch and XDS-Astana in the pro peloton, to adopt it. After Torstein Tren crashed wearing the yellow jersey on stage six, Uno X-Mobility said analysis of data from his helmet sensor informed the decision to withdraw him from the race the next day with concussion and multiple rib fractures. Besides indicating when a rider crashes and hits their head, which, in the shock of the incident, they may not necessarily recall themselves, the ProMD can better educate doctors."Medical staff can use the information from the impacts over time, and assess, for example, if there is a stress overload, or even combine the impact sensor data with any other smart sensor," says Viano. It could help them understand the interactions among, for example, training score, sleep score, recovery score, BPM, HRV, and the accelerations caused by one or more crashes over time."In short, doctors can help riders to build a better recovery plan after a crash, and make sure there are no spikes in any parameters that can cause any risk to them."Dr Hardwicke says: "Concussion sensors could provide an immediate indication of the extent of impact a rider has sustained, as this is often missed in big bunch crashes or those that occur off camera. "This is useful additional data to make a call on removing a rider. But for them to be most effective, independent doctors will be important. "There are also still issues around how accurate the sensors actually are and where they are placed. "For example, if sensors are placed in helmets, then the helmet slipping can produce false readings. "But they are still a useful addition and the approach should still always be on the side of caution when it comes to brain injuries."Uno X-Mobility said analysis of data from Torstein Tren's helmet sensor informed the decision to withdraw him from the race the next day with concussion and multiple rib fractures (Image credit: Getty Images)Will impact detection sensors catch on in road cycling helmets?It's no surprise that Viano believes they will. "Technology should be used to improve both safety and health, and impact-detection systems can provide very valuable information," he says. "Any tool that helps riders, their families, or emergency contacts make faster and more informed decisions can contribute to a better cycling experience for everyone."But in a sport where calls for better safety are growing louder, his argument is hard to dispute.

Ultra-light wheels, a budget road bike with power meter included, Brooks saddle updates, and more cycling tech currently in for review