Cycling UK (CUK) has called for proper testing and better awareness of ebike regulations, following the confiscation and destruction of a perfectly legal ebike worth 6,500 ($8,600).West Midlands Police had initially decided the bike was illegal after using what CUK says is a flawed test, but has since admitted the mistake. It no longer plans to prosecute the rider and has agreed to pay compensation to Birmingham Bike Foundry, from whom the machine was on loan.Bodyworn footage appears to show the police officer lifting the rear wheel of the bike in question a Tern HSD S00 cargo bike spinning the pedals and noting the speed registered on the cycle computer. However, this is a flawed method of detecting an illegal bike, CUK says.The rider was supported via CUK's Cyclists' Defence Fund, which was set up 25 years ago to help defend the rights of cyclists. The key to tackling illegal ebikes is officer education, CUK associate director Duncan Dollimore told Cycling Weekly in a statement.As the Association of Cycle Traders (ACT) and Wheels for Wellbeing have outlined in their policy asks, the starting point needs to be better understanding of the legal definition of an ebike, or an EAPC (Electrically Assisted Pedal Cycle)," he said. "A legal ebike requires the rider to pedal for the motor to assist, and it must cut out at 15.5mph. If pedalling is not needed, or the motor assists above this limit, youre likely looking at an e-motorbike.He continued: Training needs to help officers identify the key signs of tampering or chipping, derestriction or illegal modification. Officers also need to be familiar with common specifications of legal ebikes, and being able to distinguish them from electrically powered mopeds or motorbikes that are sometimes incorrectly described as ebikes."Testing needs to be consistent and evidence-based, he said, adding: "Officers need clear, national procedures for testing, and access to technical expertise when needed.In a separate statement, Dollimore said: If police forces are going to destroy ebikes worth thousands of pounds, they need to be able to carry out a proper test to determine whether theyre legal or not. It is encouraging that West Midlands Police have now engaged and acknowledged that the testing they carried out was flawed and that they will review their approach.He added: While there was no suggestion of bad faith, this case demonstrated the importance of better training and greater awareness around e-bike regulations. Its through the generous donations of our supporters that means the Cyclists Defence Fund can support cases like this, so huge thanks to all of those who have done so.In a statement obtained by the BBC, West Midlands Police said: "We stopped a rider on 24 April in Birmingham city centre and issued a fixed penalty notice for an offence of riding without insurance."The rider was advised of his rights to challenge the decision in court and the bike was seized. We have since received a complaint about the seizure, and that is being reviewed."

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...

This week's Reader's Rig comes from James in Washington, who shares the Salsa Fargo he picked up secondhand several years ago and recently took for a 24-day ride along the Arizona Trail. Get to know James and check out his lovingly customized Fargo here...The post Readers Rig: Jamess Salsa Fargo appeared first on BIKEPACKING.com.

Movistar rider Einer Rubio crashed into the back of a UAE Team Emirates-XRG car on Alpe dHuez, and failed to finish stage 19 of the Tour de France as a result.The Colombian was part of the days 42-man breakaway, and was towards the front of the race halfway up the final climb, sitting just behind the lead group of Richard Carapaz, Lenny Martinez and Sepp Kuss.With around 5km to go, the eventual stage winner Tadej Pogaar (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) passed Rubio, and shortly afterwards, while riding alone, Rubio rode headfirst, at speed, into the back of a UAE car that was forced to slam on its brakes for reasons not yet known. Unlike other sections of the climb, there were no barriers holding fans back from riders where Rubio crashed. It has been suggested though it's not yet confirmed that a fan entered the road forcing the UAE car to immediately come to a shuddering halt.Rubio, 28, was hurt enough that he was unable to ride the remainder of the climb. The stages medical report listed Rubio as having a facial injury, adding that he was observed at the mobile x-ray". His team have yet to provide further details, and there was no action taken against UAE in the jury's report.He was riding his second Tour de France, and had featured in the breakaway in the last five road stages. His best result was 16th on stage 15s race to Plateau de Solaison.Rubios last win and only his second in professional cycling was at the 2023 Giro dItalia. He has been riding with Movistar since 2020.The Spanish team have been active in breakaways throughout the Tour, particularly with Rubio, Pablo Castrillo and Ral Garcia Pierna, but they havent yet scored a victory; their best result was the latters third-place on stage four into Foix.Movistars goal pre-race was for a top-10 on GC with Cian Uijtdebroeks, yet the young Belgian pulled out on stage six after suffering with a stomach virus and fever.Movistar and UAE Team Emirates-XRG were contacted for comment.

We caught up with EF's CEO Jonathan Vaughters about how marginal gains are helping them to secure famous stage wins in the world's biggest bike race

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 -...

Freed from domestique duties, with his teammate Jonas Vingegaard at home with a broken collarbone, Sepp Kuss sensed glory on Alpe dHuez.Its been five years since the sports favourite helper won a stage of the Tour de France, and there was no better place to finally win in the Tour again than atop the mythical Alpe, the climb every single cyclist, amateur or pro, dreams of being triumphant on.Visma-Lease a Bikes Kuss did everything right at the start. He was part of the huge 42-man breakaway, and was present when that group was whittled down to 15 on the penultimate climb. At the bottom of the iconic Alpe, only six remained, and one of them was Kuss.Before long, there were only three: Kuss, stage 18 winner Richard Carapaz, and the best French-placed rider in the race: Lenny Martinez. Either of them could win.Neither of them would.The trio all attacked one another, but it was in vain: with 3km remaining, Tadej Pogaar, he who spoils so many dreams, passed them all and rode to his fifth stage victory in the race. Martinez held on for second, Carapaz third, but Kuss drifted back to fourth.If it seemed inevitable that Pogaar would win, and in doing so smash Marco Pantanis record, Kuss believed that the break had a chance of resisting the race leader. But their advantage to the yellow jersey at the foot of the Alpe wasnt big enough.I knew he [Pogaar] would probably go from the bottom so with that you probably need six minutes or something, Kuss said.We had a good selection at the bottom, but when I saw the gap at the bottom, I knew it would be tight. It was a bit stop-start riding, a lot of attacking.It was just everyone on their own, nobody wanted to commit fully. Its still a climb where you get quite a bit of drafting, so it was pretty tactical at the end.I just tried to ride my own rhythm. Im not as explosive as those other guys, but Im happy with the ride. I tried to keep it steady, but its hard. There are all the moments when you think, Now I want to go with speed, or go when theyre finished with their effort. Then you get another narrow part. So its hard to time it.Despite not pulling off the win, Kuss was content with how he performed. Im happy with the ride. I feel good, the American said.The Tour returns to the Alpe tomorrow. One more chance for a Kuss victory.

At the Tour de France, the racing does not always end at the finish line. Sprint deviations, sticky bottles, feeding breaches, littering fines, time penalties, yellow cards and relegations can all become part of the daily story, especially in a race where every stage result and jersey position is wa...

Adam Yates made a Lazarus-like recovery to get into a breakaway on stage 19 of the Tour de France, and launch Tadej Pogaar to victory on Alpe d'Huez.At the end of stage 18, it seemed very much as though Yates entire race was done. Clearly unwell, UAE Emirates-XRGs British rider had survived the stage but he looked, frankly, awful. Less than 24 hours later, at the end of a brutal 127km mountain stage, he popped up to play a stage-changing lead-out role for Pogaar, who became only the second rider ever to win on Alpe dHuez in the yellow jersey, and he set a new record on the climb while he was at it. Clearly exhausted, but looking like a different man compared to the way he presented the previous day in Orcires-Merlette, Yates even managed a brief laugh when asked immediately after the finish if he felt reborn. "Reborn is a strong word," he said. "I'm still suffering a lot. It's quite obvious we have had some illness in the team, and the last few days have been really difficult. Even just to finish the stage has been really hard. We knew we would get through it, but it takes time." From the bottom of the infamous hors catgorie climb, making its first appearance at the Tour since 2022, the UAE Emirates-XRG team knew Pogaar had several minutes to make up on the leaders, and that success would depend on who they had in the break.Despite the fact that he was still feeling the effects of his illness, Yates stood up, although he admits there was some serendipity in how things panned out. I didn't mean to be in the break actually, I was up near the front marking some moves, and suddenly there was a space, he admitted to reporters. Yeah, it was good - I got a bit of a head-start on the climb, and then the guys came from behind and you know what happened.I would have liked [the pull for Pogaar] to have been a little bit longer, but like I say, I've been struggling for the last few days with illness, and just to be back in this kind of shape, and to be back at the pointy end of a race is nice.When you're sick the only thing you pray for is health, I read the other day, and that's true. It's good to be back, and hopefully I'll be even better tomorrow. One thing is clear, regardless of whether there has been sickness in the squad, a mere malady isn't likely to stop Pogaar's relentless pursuit of his fifth Tour de France title.

Daphne Schrager says she has "conducted her career with honesty and integrity" but that the burden of proof in cases such as hers is too high.