The new Kali Protectives Kru takes its inspiration from ice hockey helmets, promising downhill-MTB level protection with the lightweight breathable comfort of a trail helmet.Kali says the new Kru helmet offers full-face protection with the ventilation and visibility riders need to climb comfortably and descend confidently on the same ride.Brad Waldron, Kali founder and lead engineer, says the Kru is an idea 10 years in the making. While watching his kids playing hockey, Waldron started looking at the helmets and their titanium face masks. He explains: "It looked non-intrusive. I couldnt help but wonder, why don't we build a full-face bike helmet like that?"Unlike a hockey helmet, however, the chin bar isnt attached to the helmet post-moulding and construction. In fact, its a continuous titanium structure within the helmet itself (much like a skeleton). Kali says this full 360-degree construction method preserves the true strength of the design with no weak elements such as joins or bolted sections.The challenge posed by this design was the precision needed from the titanium skeleton for it to be integrated safely within the helmet's moulding process to ensure both elements worked in conjunction with each other. Kali claims the Kru is designed for the needs of modern mountain biking. Kali Protectives Waldon believes the time is right for an advanced helmet such as this because of the way modern mountain bikers ride. He says: "Our bikes allow us to ride harder and more aggressively than ever before. Our helmets need to keep up. What you need to know about the Kali Kru Unique 360 titanium chin bar Available sizes: S/M, L/XL Weight: 650g (size S/M), 680g (size L/XL) Certifications: CPSC, EN 1078, ASTM F1952 Available colours: Solid Black, Solid White According to Waldon, riders are looking for downhill-level protection, but want the lightness and airflow of non-downhill designs. He says: The titanium chin bar almost disappears when you're riding. Even climbing, the airflow is incredible. You forget it's there, and that lets you focus on the ride." The Kru was inspired by ice hockey helmets. Kali Protectives The Kru is claimed to weigh in at 680g for an L/XL or 650g (size S/M), which is heavier than three-quarter helmets such as the latest Troy Lee Designs Stage Stunt at 571g (M/L), although around the same as the similarly pitched Fox Dropframe Pros 654g (M).However, it's a lot lighter than downhill-specific helmets such as Bells Full-10 at 1,070g for a medium.The Kru meets full ASTM Downhill certification requirements and Kali Protectives claims to exceed them with additional in-house internal impact testing beyond current safety requirements.That means higher impact speeds with larger coverage areas than standard CPSC or EN 1078 ratings. It also covers retention systems and chin bars on full-face helmets. The Kru meets CPSC, EN 1078 and ASTM F1952 Downhill certification standards. Kali Protectives The Kru is priced at 299.99 / $450, meaning it's priced comparably against the best enduro helmets and cheaper than many dedicated downhill lids.Could it be the ideal solution for riders looking for extra protection without the bulk traditional full-face designs bring?

"But, how would you clip in?" - I can hear the comments already. But, bear with me.As a cyclist who has adopted 'barefoot' style shoes, which most notably feature wide and 'foot-shaped' toe boxes, applying this newfound appreciation for the space between my toes has been a difficult discovery to square with my previously comfortable cycling shoes. Cycling shoes are notoriously narrow, often more so as the performance increases, a topic I explored back in 2021 - before I had two children, picking up one foot injury per child.Barefoot shoes feature 'foot shaped' tow boxes which look very different to classic narrow, pointy cycling shoes (Image credit: Altra)In fact, since I've been working on my 'toe splay', which is effectively restoring my feet to their natural pre-fashion-orientated-shoe state, I've found most of my old cycling shoes just don't fit.Not only can having stronger, more comfortable feet benefit overall health, but as founder at the eponymous Phil Burt Innovation and former Head of Physiotherapy Burt explains, getting the most out of your feet can drastically improve power output, a discovery he made ahead of the Rio Olympics. Having created custom, moulded shoes for track riders, he discovered "quite amazing uplifts in power," something he put down to the fact that "the foot, all of a sudden, wasn't wiggling around in the shoe".If you need further convincing, International Bike Fitting Institute (IBFI) president and owner at boutique fitting provider VeloAtelier, Lee Prescott, also outlines how and why improper cycling shoe fit and set up can result in a plethora of common cycling injuries; "more often than not, we see [poor shoe fit] in knee irritations", he notes. But, if all this toe and foot talk is new to you, listen first to the explainer from The Foot Collective guide and Bowen Therapist, Nic Pike, as she outlines what all this foot chat is all about. "If you consider the Leaning Tower of Pisa, it hasn't got a great foundation. Look what happened," she begins... In this episode of the Off the Back podcast, we mention a few resources and products.For advice on restoring foot health, we'd recommend starting with The Foot Collective.If you're struggling to find cycling shoes that cater to a more 'barefoot' style, check out Strong Feet Athletics, though Cycling Weekly has not yet been able to obtain a pair to put them to the test. Lake are a 'go-to'; Prescott noting "most bike fitters will pretty much instantly point to Lake". The brand offers the CX242 - which can be adjusted separately to provide a more tailored fit, and the CX201, which boasts a 'foot-shaped' toe box, but is also wider at the rear so may not suit those with narrower ankles.Finally, if you're seeking the ultimate in custom fit, check out Lore which creates shoes based upon a personalised foot scan, these will however set you back, with prices starting at $1649.The Off the Back Podcast is out every Thursday on YouTube, Apple podcasts, Spotify or wherever your listen. All our episodes can be found below. If you enjoy listening, be sure to subscribe, and if you have any questions, or topics you'd like us to cover, send them to cycling@futurenet.com with 'Off the Back question' in the header.

Check out all this week's latest e-bike goodies, including Fox's e-bike specific seatpost, free rides for Mancunians, an inspiring journeys + more

The transfer market keeps spinning major rumors in the middle of the 2026 Tour de France, and one name back under the spotlight is Primoz Roglic. The Slovenian, whose future remains one of next seasons big question marks, is now being linked with a completely unexpected destination: Pinarello - Q36...

Although we've explained why Tour de France riders' setups have become more relaxed lately, there are always exceptions. Kasper Asgreen has an extremely aggressive position on his Cannondale Lab71 SuperSix Evo, with a huge saddle-to-bar drop paired with a long and narrow cockpit. It's clearly something that works for the 2021 Tour of Flanders champion and stage winner at the 2023 Tour de France. As we know from speaking to Cannondale and the Dane's team, EF EducationEasyPost, Asgreen is one of the peloton's most tech-focused riders and fastidiously optimises his bike.Being a breakaway specialist who usually wins solo or from a small group, Asgreen's position makes sense. When he gets away, he needs to be in the most aerodynamic position possible. It's not one many pros attempt to hold these days, but Asgreen has shown he can on many occasions. He's also used a few nifty tricks to help him win in these scenarios. Let's run through the details of his Cannondale Lab71 SuperSix Evo that we photographed at the Grand Depart and featured in our Tour de France tech gallery from Barcelona. We'll pick out a few differences from the Specialized S-Works Tarmac he rode while at SoudalQuickstep. (Image credit: Aaron Borrill)Despite standing at 1.92m tall, Asgreen rides a 56cm SuperSix Evo, which is one or two sizes smaller than an amateur of the same height might ride. That explains the massive drop between the saddle, which has previously been measured at 82cm above the middle of the bottom bracket, and handlebars. He does this because the low position he wants would not be possible on the frame size up. The stack of the 58cm SuperSix is about 25mm taller than the 56cm. (Image credit: Aaron Borrill)Cannondale dropped the stack of the fifth-generation SuperSix by one centimetre across the range, bringing it into line with the Tarmac SL8 Asgreen raced at his previous team. Nonetheless, since joining EF Education-EasyPost, Asgreen told me he has gone slightly up and out, maintaining overall reach while flattening his torso angle. This makes that still-aggressive position easier to hold. He appears to have done this by adding a couple of spacers, using upturned hoods and benefitting from the extra reach these long SRAM Red AXS shifters bring. (Image credit: Aaron Borrill)At the SuperSix launch last year, Cannondale said all EF racers were narrowing their cockpits and Asgreen has followed suit, dropping down from 38cm to 36cm for this year. His SystemBar Road integrated cockpit has a 130mm effective stem length and 4cm flare. This gives more control in the drops and abides by the UCI's handlebar dimension rules requiring a 40cm outside-to-outside width.(Image credit: Aaron Borrill)SRAM's wireless sprint Blips are tucked into the handlebar tape on the drops. Although Asgreen isn't a sprinter, these would come in handy during a reduced group sprint, enabling him to change gear at full tilt.(Image credit: Aaron Borrill)Some SRAM-sponsored teams have taken advantage of the American brand's provision for 1x road drivetrains at this year's Tour. EF Education-EasyPost, however, has stuck with traditional double chainrings. Asgreen is pushing a 54/41T combo. (Image credit: Aaron Borrill)As pro chainrings have increased in size, so have cassettes. A choice of 10-33T or 10-36T SRAM Red AXS cassettes is the new normal for SRAM teams on rolling and hilly terrain. Not so long ago an 11-28T cassette was considered a climbing gear. (Image credit: Aaron Borrill)The green around the pedal thread of these SRAM Red AXS cranks denotes they measure 172.5mm. That might seem long these days, but Asgreen is very tall and would have doubtless ridden 175s previously. (Image credit: Aaron Borrill)A benefit of the SuperSix's low frameset weight is that riders can run deeper rims without much of an overall weight penalty. These look like 60mm-deep Vision Metron RS rims fitted with 700x30c Vittoria Corsa Pro tyres. Note that these are the non-time trial version that offers better puncture protection. (Image credit: Aaron Borrill)A sleeve of black fabric on the fork leg isn't the tidiest nor potentially most aero way to carry an obligatory race transponder, but it does the job here. (Image credit: Aaron Borrill)This quick link matches EF's pink-themed kit in a reminder than professional cycling isn't all about going fast. (Image credit: Aaron Borrill)Asgreen's perch of choice is the Argo Adaptive, a 3D-printed saddle from saddle-sponsor Fizik. This appears to the narrower 140mm version which is 265mm long. This level of bike has titanium hardware in the clamp to save a few grams. (Image credit: Aaron Borrill)Lab71 is Cannondale's highest-tier carbon, equivalent to Specialized's S-Works Fact 12r carbon. This build will set you back 11,000/ $13,499.Cannondale Lab71 SuperSix Evo specsFrameset: Cannondale Lab71 SuperSix Evo, Ultralight Series 0 CarbonFork: Lab71 SuperSix EVO, Ultralight Series 0 CarbonCockpit: Cannondale SystemBar Road, 130mm/360mmSeatpost: Cannondale C1 Aero 40 Carbon V2Groupset: SRAM Red AXS 54/41T, 10-33TWheelset: Vision Metron 60 RSTyres: Vittoria Corsa Pro 30mmSaddle: Fizik Argo Adaptive

Good morning and welcome to the liveblog of Stage 19 of the Tour de France. Today marks the long-awaited first day of the Alpine double-header, with the legendary finish atop Alpe d'Huez, and could prove to be the moment when the race's biggest questions begin to be answered. Over the next few hours...

Paralympic silver medallist and former World Champion on the track Daphne Schrager has been handed a two year ban for the use of a prohibited substance.Last year, Schrager provided an out of competition urine sample that was found to contain ligandrol, a drug that has been shown to increase lean muscle mass. The drug is not approved for medical use or human consumption and is prohibited in sport at all times.However, a tribunal of the National Anti-Doping Panel accepted Schragers defence that that she had not intentionally taken the drug but that environmental contamination is what had caused it to be in her system.Schrager, who won silver in the C1-C3 3000m Individual Pursuit at the Paralympics in Paris 2024, had put forward two possible explanations for why she had tested positive for ligandrol. She suggested it could have been from a massage she got at a gym she had attended two days before the sample was taken. Or that it could have come from a shared household shed been to.A selection of scientists appeared before the panel for both UK Anti-Doping and Schrager. There was consensus among the scientists the environmental contamination was the most likely explanation for the concentration of ligandrol in her sample.While the tribunal concluded Schrager had not done enough to establish exactly where the source of the contamination had come from, she had established that she hadnt taken the drug intentionally.That meant she received the shorter two year sanction, not a four year ban thats given to athletes judged to have intentionally doped.Her two-year ban is dated from 2 June 2025 and she will next be eligible to compete from 7 June 2027.Twenty-five year-old Schrager has previously won two World Championships on the track in the C2 and C3 individual pursuit as well as bronze in the road race and silver in the omnium.She grew up with cerebral palsy and was originally a track athlete before switching to cycling in 2019. She was originally inspired to get into sport by attending the 2012 Paralympics in London.

Chris Froome won four editions of the Tour de France and was the protagonist of several others. His and Team Sky's dominance over the Grand Boucle in the 2010's made him quite unpopular, something he now understands. The Briton has also commented on Tadej Pogacar and Paul Seixas, two of the headline...

Netcompany INEOS are going into stage 19 of the Tour de France without a standout result to show for, no-one in contention for the overall classification and small chances of turning the situation around. The British team is experiencing one of its toughest Tours ever, and team director of racing Ge...