Quinn Simmons rode a fantastic 2026 Tour de France where he secured a final top-20. But more importantly, he played a vital role in supporting his leaders; either Mads Pedersen on his brekaway endeavours, or Mattias Skjelmose and Juan Ayuso in the mountains. Now, while he enjoys some well-deserved r...

Even though he's gradually growing into the role of experienced veteran rather than the promising rider he has been before he left Soudal - Quick-Step in 2018, the returnee Max Schachmann still remains the Belgian team's key piece in pursuit of one-week stage race GC results. Or... at least that was...

The Czech Tour runs from Thursday 13 to Sunday 16 August with four leg-breaking stages that promise plenty of action, headlined by Mikel Landas inclusion on the start list as the marquee name of the 2026 edition of the Central European race. The Soudal Quick-Step Basque will be flanked by strong...

The Arctic Race of Norway, one of cycling's most unique and picturesque events, brings riders towards the Arctic circle and the Norwegian fjords for four stages, from August 13th to 16th as a mixed final startlist takes to the line on Thursday afternoon. Five WorldTour teams have made the trip, incl...

We havent seen a lot of new products from Fabric lately, but we hear the brand is poised for a comeback, starting with the Lumaray v3 Light. Today, the component and accessory brand continues that trajectory with the introduction of the Gripper V2 water bottle. If youve ever used a Fabric Gripper bottle, you probably already know they are easy to squeeze with high-flow valves and a dotted texture that makes them easy to grip.With the V2, Fabric took the Gripper bottle and added a permanent anti-microbial agent into the BPA-free body to resist bottle funk. Theyve also switched to an embossed logo that wont rub off after just a few rides. Together, these changes should keep your water tasting and smelling fresh, and your bottle looking good for as long as you manage not to lose it. Where do they all end up anyway?With the Gripper V2, we wanted to solve the two biggest complaints riders have with water bottles. Unpleasant taste and smell that builds up over time and ugly, peeling graphics. By embedding both the anti-microbial agent and logo directly into the bottle, weve created a product that tastes fresh and looks sharp for years.-Florian Bont, Brand Manager at FabricGripper V2 DetailsFabric was one of the title sponsors of Grinduro events that I participated in several years ago, and I ended up with several 750ml Gripper bottles. With the easy-to-squeeze body, high-flow valve, and dotty grip, they were some of my favorite bottles until I inevitably lost them just like all of my other favorite bottles.The Gripper V2 doesnt stray far, or at all, from the ergonomics and features that I and others liked about the original. It has the same shape, high-flow silicone valve, dotty-grip texture, squeezable, BPA-free body, and comes in the same 600ml and 750ml sizes. The main difference is that there is now a permanent anti-microbial agent in the bottle material that Fabric says will keep the bottle completely smell- and taste-free throughout its life.Additionally, instead of painted or printed graphics that quickly get worn off from friction against bottle cages and/or cleaning, the V2 has a logo embossed into the surface. Instead of your bottle looking worn out, Fabric says the scratch-free embossed logo stands out with more contrast as the bottle sustains its natural wear.Pricing and Availability:Fabrics Gripper V2 is available now in 600ml and 750ml sizes. The bottles are offered in five nature-inspired colours: Smoke, Desert, Crimson, Moss, and Lake, along with a classic transparent (Clear) option. In the US and EU, the Clear and Smoke bottles are currently available, and the other colours should be arriving soon.Fabric Gripper V2 650ml 11.99 / 11.90 / $12.00Fabric Gripper V2 750ml 14.99 / 13.90 / $14.00Check them out at fabric.cc

The Arctic Race of Norway, one of cycling's most unique and picturesque events, brings riders towards the Arctic circle and the Norwegian fjords for four stages, from August 13th to 16th as a mixed final startlist takes to the line on Thursday afternoon. Five WorldTour teams have made the trip, incl...

I reviewed the original Fizik Ergolace GTX shoe back in March 2024, two and a half years on they are still my go to shoe when the weather turns inclement. Perfect for all but deep winter riding, you can read the original review here Ergolace 1If you dont want to read all that (the pictures are pretty) then this is how I summed up the original shoe.. if you want a shoe that will do short rides, epic adventures across the globe, hike a bike up hellvellyn and still not look out of place in the pub (or at work.ask me how I know) then buy the Fizik Terra ergolace shoes. they are not cheap and I dont say this lightly, but they are worth every penny.fizik ergolace 2fizik ergolace 2 chunkyAs you can see I liked the shoe so it was with some excitement and not a little trepidation I got to try the successor, the version 2, its got to be better right? I hope so, but you know when your phone or your computer gets a software update and everything is a little different and not in the place you left it and it takes you ages to get your head around it? Thats what I hoped wouldnt be the case as I like the original shoe so much.fizik ergolace 2, yes that front wheel is bigger!The differences between the two versions are many. Firstly the traditional lace system has gone, its replaced by a speed lace. this is an improvement as fumbling with laces with cold hands was a pain. The shoe is wider as standard as apparently this was a criticism of the original. I do not have wide feet so this was never an issue for me. The shoe nowhas less bulk and now has no tongue like a normal shoe. Its more like a sock that you slip on and has an elasticated cuff. Fizik call it an airprene bootie change from the original design to cut down on overlapping seams and relieve pressure on the forefoot. The outer is a ripstop fabric that even though this is not a practical colour for the UK cleans up very well and dries quickly. The tread on the sole has been completely redesigned in vibram megagrip is much more aggressive and chunky. The similarities are that the shoe retains the Gore-Tex membrane, polyurethane protection panels and a nylon shank for pedalling efficiency but retaining the important flexability for walkingfizik ergolace 2 speedlacefizik ergolace 2 soleThings I like about the new shoe I like the extra roominess, even though I dont have wide feet I have found that the extra room allows your foot to spread out and when wearing a thicker or waterproof sock that extra space is very welcome. I like that Fizik have retained the power transfer stiffness and the walking ability. I helped out for the day in my local bike shop and obviously cycled there but was able to leave the ergolace shoes on all day without discomfort (the cleat is recessed enough so you dont sound like an audition for the Tap dance week of Strictly) the sole seems a little thicker than the old shoe so I had to raise my saddle a little to compensate. I like that despite the complete change to the upper the water resistance and breathability is as good as ever. I like the speed lace too although there isnt as much adjustment as there was with tradtional laces.fizik ergolace 2fizik ergolace 2 cleat pocketThings That are taking me time to adjust to The new bootee system can be a pain as the aperture for your foot reaches a certain width and then stops when the elastic reaches its limit, unlike the old tongue and two halves on the old shoe. You definately need a shoe horn to get your feet in them if you are wearing thicker socks. Once on and youve rucked your socks into position the new shoe is actually more comfortable than the old one, I presume because of the extra width. Im hoping that with time the upper will stretch a little and become less of a fight to put on initially.fizik ergolace 2 not just water but dust resistant too!So is the Fizik Ergolace GTX 2 an improvement over the original? Just about yes. Sometimes change isnt good, this is mostly because you get used to how things feel and work. this time all the good ingredients of the original are there, the pedalling efficiency, the walkability, the comfort, the water resistance and breathability. The addition of the speedlace is welcome as is the updated sole which is much grippier than the original. The jury is still out on the foot wrapping bootie and this jurer hopes that will bed in and the shoe will be perfect. Cross your fingers!you can find more details on the new Fizik Ergolace GTX 2 here