Garmin has released the new Cirqa Smart Band, a screen-less health and fitness tracker that offers 24/7 health monitoring.The core concept of the device is similar to Whoops wearable smart band, and Garmin says it has been designed to help users make improvements towards a healthier lifestyle without commanding all their attention.Unlike Whoop, which charges 169 / $199 / 199 a year for its entry-level One subscription, Cirqa doesnt require a subscription, meaning you can access all your data and health insights for free in Garmins Connect App.The device can connect with Garmin's Edge bike computers, displaying heart rate and enabling users to view all activity data and recovery metrics after a ride.The Cirqa is priced at 179.99 / $199.99 / 199.99 and is available to order from 24 July.Under the radar The device doesn't feature a screen. Garmin The Cirqa has a similar design to Whoops offering, with its sleek and inconspicuous form said to help minimise distractions.Unlike the best cycling watches, the Cirqa doesn't feature a screen, so you have to wait until after the activity to see your performance data.Garmin says it can automatically detect and record a variety of activities, which can be viewed and edited afterwards in Garmin Connect.These require users to confirm or edit their activities, but the brand says the smart band will adapt to classify them more accurately in the future. The device looks very similar to Whoop's 4.0 wearable. Max Wilman / Our Media The watch has a fabric strap, which is said to offer maximum comfort for all-day wear. It is available in a variety of colours to suit your style.Garmin says the Cirqa can be worn around the wrist or as an arm band, based on activity or sleeping preferences.Tracker Thanks to having no screen, the device has 10 days of battery life. Garmin Garmin says the Cirqa is designed to deliver many of the health and fitness metrics found on its premium wearables.Worn day and night, the band tracks wrist-based heart rate, Body Battery energy levels, stress, Pulse Ox and skin temperature, with all data syncing to the Garmin Connect app.It also offers detailed sleep tracking, including sleep stages, HRV, respiration, nap detection and a sleep score to help users better understand recovery.Women's health features include menstrual cycle and pregnancy tracking.Garmin says overnight skin temperature monitoring can improve period predictions and provide retrospective ovulation estimates, while users can also sync their data with the Natural Cycles app although this requires a subscription.The Cirqa supports more than 80 activity profiles, including running, walking and yoga, with workouts started via the band's single side button.Garmin has also included several of its advanced training metrics, including Training Readiness, Training Status, VO2 Max and HRV Status, alongside Workout Benefit and Recovery Time to help users gauge training effectiveness and recovery needs.For outdoor activities, the band can pair with a compatible smartphone's GPS to record walks, rides and runs, while Garmin's LiveTrack feature enables friends and family to follow a user's location in real time through the Garmin Connect app.

Time trial world champion Remco Evenepoel was imperious as he rode to victory in stage 16s time trial at the Tour de France.The Belgian took his second stage win of the tour as he clocked a time of 32.19 over the 26km course.No one could come close and he clawed back 28 seconds on Tadej Pogaar in the yellow jersey.However it wont all be celebrations for Evenepoels Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe team as Florian Lipowitz, who was sat fifth on GC at the beginning of the day crashed out of the race.More to follow...

We take a closer look at the Colnago TT2 that Tadej Pogaar used for the 2026 Tour de Frances only individual time trial, complete with Enve wheels, custom aero extensions and a huge Carbon-Ti chainring

Remco Evenepoel claimed back-to-back victories at the Tour de France by beating Tadej Pogacar in the stage 16 individual time trial from Evian-les-Bains to Thonon-les-Bains. The world champion completed the 26.1-kilometre course in 32 minutes and 19 seconds, finishing 28 seconds ahead of the yellow...

After years of prototyping, Rufus Wenlock's Wildergoose is finally on the loose. A steel, bikepacking-oriented hardtail with plenty of clearance and cargo capacity, the Sufur Wildergoose is an eye-catching frame that aims to be ideal for anything from the Tour Divide to backyard overnighters. Explore all the details below...The post The Sufur Wildergoose Clears a 29 x 2.4 Tire appeared first on BIKEPACKING.com.

Fifth place rider at the Tour de France Florian Lipowitz has suffered a high speed crash on stage 16 and left the race.The Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe rider, who was third on GC at the Tour in 2025, slid out on a corner during the time trial stage and crashed into the barrier after careering across the tarmac.He was slow to get up and appeared to be in considerable pain, clutching one shoulder.Lipowitz later was escorted to a stretcher and out of the race.

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...

Im a big fan of a clean, quiet drivetrain, but Im not the biggest fan of the harsh solvents and chemicals included in many of the cleaning products and lubes that help to keep it that way. Which is why I was intrigued to learn about Stans lineup of Biobased cleaners and lubes at Sea Otter earlier this year. Stans has been selling its Biobased products for over a year now, but that was the first Id heard of them.Developed with WPL (Whistler Performance Labs) and made in Canada, Stans Biobased products are claimed to be plant-based, biodegradable, and free of PTFE and PFAS chemicals. The Drivetrain Cleaner is made specifically for, you guessed it, removing grease, dirt, and grime from your drivetrain components.The Drivetrain Cleaner was included in the selection of Stans Biobased products that I received a few months ago. Since then, Ive been using it regularly to clean the drivetrains on the numerous bikes in my current rotation. In my experience, it works just as well as the less environmentally conscious cleaners that Ive got, making for nearly effortless cleaning and a clean, smooth, and quiet drivetrain.Stans Biobased Drivetrain Cleaner DetailsThe exact formulation of Stans Drivetrain Cleaner is not listed on the bottle or the brands website. That said, Stans says the Biobased products do not include petro-based additives, synthetic oils, or toxic organic solvents, and the Drivetrain Cleaner is vegan, biodegradable, and plant-based (USDA-certified Biobased pending). Additionally, it is PFAS- and PTFE-free, with no added dyes or scents (clear and odorless).According to Stans, Its plant-derived chemistry targets buildup while remaining safe for carbon frames, rubber seals, and anodized finishes, so both professional mechanics and everyday riders can clean confidently without risking damage to components. That said, they recommend avoiding contamination of disc brake pads and rotors, which should be avoided with virtually all other cleaning products, too.The Drivetrain Cleaner comes in a 500ml spray bottle and retails for $20.Using Stans Biobased Drivetrain CleanerIf youre the type of rider who is reading about a drivetrain cleaner, then Im assuming that, like me, you probably dont let it get too dirty in the first place. I usually dry brush, wipe down, and lube my drivetrain between deeper cleanings, but I dont really let it get super filthy or gritty no matter what. For reference, I typically use Dumonde Tech Original chain lube, and Ive recently been trying the Stans Biobased Wet Lube. In the midst of trying out the Biobased Cleaner, however, I also gave a new drip wax lube a shot during a very long, very dusty gravel ride.Ive been using Stans Drivetrain Cleaner like I would any other cleaner. I hose off my bike and drivetrain, then spray a liberal amount of the cleaner on my cassette, chain, and chainring. After letting it sit for a few minutes, I use my drivetrain brush to hit all of the exposed surfaces and any obvious lube, grease, dirt, or other contaminants. Then, I hose the drivetrain off and check for any remaining grit that might need a quick second hit with the brush.Before and after using Stans Drivetrain Cleaner.Each time Ive used Stans Drivetrain Cleaner, no matter the lube, Ive been impressed by how clean my drivetrain gets. It takes very little effort to go from the worst my drivetrain has looked in weeks to a showroom shine. It appears to work just as well as the toxic cleaning/degreasing products that Ive used for years. It doesnt leave any residue, it doesnt smell weird, and my drivetrains have been running more quietly and smoothly for the past couple of months.The photos above and below were taken on Sunday afternoon after pre-riding the Downieville XC course, which includes several creek crossings and LOTS of dust. It doesnt matter what lube you use; drivetrains look and sound really rough at the finish.I wont claim that it gets my chain clean enough for an immersive hot wax or anything, but I dont hot wax my chains anyway, so thats not really an issue for me. Every 3-4 rides, it gets my drivetrain as clean as I want/need it to get so I can keep everything running smoothly and feel good about maintaining my investment in drivetrain parts. I also appreciate that its non-toxic. I wouldnt drink it or anything, but Im a bit less concerned about getting it on my skin or possibly breathing it in the air. And, assuming Stans and WPLs Biobased, environmentally friendly claims are valid, I feel better about using it, too.Before and after.My TakeawayWhile I was initially a little skeptical that a biobased cleaner would get my drivetrain as clean as the solvents Ive used in the past, Stans Biobased Drivetrain Cleaner has been doing the trick. The grease, dirt, and grime brush right off with minimal effort, and Ive honestly been impressed with its cleaning performance. It works very well and seriously makes everything look like new, no matter how bad it looked or sounded previously.At $20, it isnt exactly cheap, but its priced competitively with similar products from Muc-Off and other brands. Its been working well for me, and Id recommend it to anyone looking for an environmentally-friendly alternative to harsher cleaning products.stans.com

Tadej Pogacar has revealed that he narrowly avoided crashing at the same corner that ended Florian Lipowitzs Tour de France during the stage 16 individual time trial. Pogacar made it safely through the decisive moment, but had to settle for defeat as Remco Evenepoel delivered a commanding ride to t...

All 166 riders left in the Tour de France underwent an anti-doping test on Monday evening, Cycling Weekly can reveal.A day after Tadej Pogaar (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) and Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike) were woken up in the early hours of Sunday morning by doping control officers (DCO), every other bike rider in the race was visited by a DCO on behalf of the International Testing Agency (ITA) on Monday and made to provide a blood sample. They were also made to do so two days before the race started in Barcelona.Riders were tested between 8 and 11pm on Monday, inside standard testing hours. In a statement to CW, the ITA said: The International Testing Agency confirms that a comprehensive blood Athlete Biological Passport (ABP) testing mission was carried out during the Tour de France rest day. All riders in the peloton were included in the operation, which forms part of the ITAs ongoing intelligence- and risk-based anti-doping program for the race. This mission complements the standard pre-competition testing conducted on all riders in the days preceding the Grand Dpart and any test already conducted during the race. Collecting additional blood samples enables the ITA to assess variations in relevant haematological biological markers and strengthen the longitudinal monitoring of each riders individual profile.The Athlete Biological Passport does not seek to detect a prohibited substance or method directly. Instead, it monitors selected biological variables over time to identify changes that may indicate the effects of doping and inform further anti-doping action. Cycling was among the first sports to introduce the Athlete Biological Passport, launching its program in 2008, and the ABP has since become a central component of anti-doping programs across international sport.Cycling Weekly has verified that riders from five teams, including Pogaar and the now-at-home-and-injured Vingegaard, have so far received unannounced anti-doping tests between 11pm and 6am, which require authorisation from a judge. Cycling Weekly knows of at least one rider being tested at 5am during the first week, meaning that Pogaar and Vingegaard were not the first riders to be subjected to a test in the early hours.Only the ITA and no other body has requested permission to test a select number of riders during the night. To have the authorisation confirmed, the ITA has had to prove to judges that there is sufficient doubt and scepticism surrounding a rider. They can point to a number of factors, including but not limited to abnormalities in a riders ABP, a sudden upturn in performances and results, or a tip-off.The ITAs approach at this Tour has been described as strange by Pogaar and criticised by many, including the riders union, the CPA. Cycling Weekly understands that though the ITA accepts that night-time testing is invasive and disrupts a riders sleep, its essential to their intention of being unpredictable. It also aids their efforts to detect possible cases of micro-dosing.Benjamin Cohen, the ITAs director general, signposted these nighttime tests back in April when speaking with The Athletic. Do we need to change when we test and how we test? Cohen asked. If you go and speak to the [ITA] testing department, they would say: yes, we need to be able to test whenever we can. Certainly, based on information [the ITA has], it would suggest that there is an issue [with micro-dosing].I dont think you would want to do mass testing at the Tour de France, for example, and wake up all the athletes at 3am that doesnt make sense. I think you would need to have very concrete suspicions [about an athlete] and use that in a very cautious manner. I wouldnt advocate for mass night testing, but certainly for some flexibility if you believe that there is an issue.