Stage 2 of the 2026 Tour of Britain Women has been brought to a halt because of a car crash farther along the route towards Blackpool, leaving the riders waiting on the roadside in cold and persistent rain. Race commentators reported the reason for the stoppage during the official Tour of Britain br...

Rondo is back from bankruptcy, with the innovative brand behind machines like our 2019 Road Bike of the Year, the Rondo HVRT, returning under new ownership.Nine months ago, we reported on the bankruptcy filing of 7ANNA, the Polish group behind Rondo, NS Bikes and Crme.7ANNA had suffered from the fallout of the collapse of Wiggle/CRC one of the biggest retailers of the company's brands across Europe before the bankruptcy of a key supplier, which led to delays to some of 7ANNA's top-end bikes. All of this came at a time when the bike industry was dealing with pandemic boom and bust.These brutal market conditions have caused significant issues for many brands, with the likes of GT being paused, and the recent collapse of the Accell group, owner of historic brands including Raleigh, Lapierre, Batavus and Ghost.All of that means the resurrection of Rondo, NS and Crme is a green shoot for an industry that desperately needs some good news.Read more: The cycling industry always goes from boom to bust but one company shows theres a more sustainable way to do business The innovative Rondo HVRT CF01 won our Bike of the Year title in 2019. Robert Smith Same team, new ownersFollowing the demise of 7ANNA, Szymon Koblinski, the founder of Rondo, NS, and Crme, started working behind the scenes to save the brands. Now Polish manufacturer Storm Riders has stepped in to bring the brands back from the ashes.The good news for us is that the original design and engineering team behind the brands are part of the new setup. Creme offers a range of stylish, retro-flavoured urban bikes. Creme Storm Riders owner Adam Zitek explains: "This isn't an acquisition after which the brands lose their identity. Rondo stays Rondo, NS stays NS with the same people, the same passion and the same approach to riding that has built their position throughout the years."What we bring is stability, production scale and the business infrastructure that will let these brands grow faster than they could on their own."Made in Poland NS Bikes has been a stalwart in the gravity mountain biking scene. Andy Lloyd According to Rondo founder Szymon Koblinski, the most significant part of the deal with Storm is the moving of production to the new owner's factory.That means full control over scheduling, according to Koblinski, which should mean none of the delays that plagued the industry through the pandemic.Storm Riders may not be well known outside of Poland, but the company has a long history in kids', city, trekking and electric bikes. Now, Rondo, NS and Crme add premium gravel, gravity MTB and urban bikes into the mix.Its also good news for any current owners of Rondo, NS and Crme bikes. Storm Riders says it "will make every effort to find service solutions for bikes already on the market including preferential pricing on replacement parts and individual reviews of every warranty claim.All new bikes from the Storm Riders group are also covered by a full warranty, including a lifetime warranty on the frame and fork.

Stage two of the Lloyds Tour of Britain Women was stopped for half an hour with 73.5km remaining due to a motor accident further up the race route. The neutralisation came as the riders approached the summit of the second climb of the day, Nick o' Pendle, where Uno-X Mobility's Katrine Aalerud led solo with a 50-second advantage. The Norwegian rider was shown a red flag on the road by a member of the race organisation, and ground to a halt. The same message was then relayed to the chasing bunch, allowing the peloton to come back together so riders could receive jackets from their team cars.After half an hour waiting in the rain, the stage was restarted under an escort. It was announced that both the QOM on Nick o' Pendle and the intermediate sprint that follow will be neutralised, with no points given. Racing is expected to resume with around 65km to go. Rolling road closures are in place at the Tour of Britain Women, meaning police motorcyclists secure the route for the convoy to pass through. No riders were affected by the motor accident, which occurred on an open stretch of the route ahead of the race.The start of Thursday's stage two was also delayed half an hour due to a "blockage" on the race route. The riders took a diversion out of Clitheroe, before rejoining the route around 20km in. Stage two is now due to finish in Blackpool around 4pm.

Several social media users likened the driver's behaviour to "attempted murder" after the cyclist was forced into a drain

Pinarello Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team have made another major move in the transfer market, officially confirming the arrival of five-time 2026 winner Tom Crabbe from Team Flanders-Baloise. The 21-year-old Belgian will join on 1 January 2027 after signing a two-year contract through to the end of 2028. Cr...

This 1947 Alex Singer was specially built to compete in Technical Trials Concours de Machines gruelling French competitions for bicycle constructeurs held intermittently throughout the 1930s and 40s. These punishing events pitted fully loaded bikes against one another over the roughest gravel tracks of the Massif Central. The routes stretched for 460km or more. It was, however, the bikes, not the riders, that were being judged, fuelling fierce competition among the finest French constructeurs. Barra, Reyhand, Narcisse, Ren Herse, Jo Routens and Alex Singer defined the challenge building the lightest bikes possible while ensuring they were durable enough to finish the course without issue. What an astonishing achievement this 78-year-old Alex Singer team bike is, weighing just 9kg including rack, pedals, dynamo, lights, metal mudguards and chunky 650b-fit tyres. That rivals the weight of many modern mid-tier carbon gravel bikes. This bicycle represents the pinnacle of Alex Singers bicycle design, says current owner Richard Hoddinott of vintage specialists Velo Pages. Its so understated, its striking. There are weight-saving details everywhere note the skeletal front mech, unique rear derailleur hanger and the novel cam-operated brakes all made in-house. Alloy was chosen wherever possible over steel. The exquisite Stronglight Diament Touriste L.V. 49 chainrings are a lesson in minimalism, as is the brazed, lugless frame, which is fashioned from Vitus tubing it wouldnt look amiss on a bike from the 1960s, 70s or later. Indeed, many of the bike innovations we take for granted today were shaped by Singer et al on the rough slopes of the Massif Central.

Fresh DWR spray promises high abrasion resistance, greater longevity and easy installation without forever chemicals

Steffen De Schuyteneer thinks that pressure put on young Belgian riders from the country's media is just outside noise, and what makes riders feel the weight of it depends on how much of it they let in their heads. The Lotto-Intermarch sprinter has experienced the weight of expectations first hand,...

Surface protective coating specialist Gtechniq has launched Fabric Proof, a 'next-generation' durable water repellent (DWR) spray, which it says can be used on a range of outdoor kit and will provide water repellency for up to four times as long as other reproofing products.Fabric Proof is PFAS-free, with these forever chemicals now banned in most countries. It doesnt require heat activation either, which many DWR proofers need and which necessitates a spell in a tumble dryer. This can damage delicate technical fabrics, particularly those containing elastane, which can lose its stretch with heating.Instead, Gtechniq says Fabric Proof just needs to be sprayed onto a clean garment and left to air-dry for three hours to be effective. Gtechniq claims that, once applied, the DWR coating will last for up to 10 washes, which is up to four times longer than competitor products. It says it will also withstand abrasion in high-wear areas, such as under the arms or backpack straps. Waterproofing can be applied to any clean clothing. Water-resistant cycle clothing, such as softshell jackets, is typically treated with a DWR coating when its made, to help repel water, which beads off when new. This tends to perform less well over time, though, particularly after washing, so the DWR needs to be reactivated or a DWR reproofer used to restore water repellency.Gtechniq says Fabric Proof can be used to restore proofing to waterproof clothing, but also to add repellency to other kit such as footwear, shorts, jerseys and softshell garments. Its also claimed to have antibacterial properties, helping to keep kit fresher. A 500ml bottle should be enough to treat up to four items. Fabric Proof is sold in 250ml and 500ml sizes, priced at 15.95 and 29.95 respectively. Gtechniq says the smaller size is sufficient to treat a long-sleeved cycling jersey, a pair of cycling tights and a pair of gloves, while the larger size should be enough for four garments.This could be just the job now the UK drought looks to be coming to an end and damp rides could be back on the menu.

The 2026 Vuelta a Espaa will be the third and final Grand Tour of the men's calendar and will take place from the 22nd of August to the 13th of September. Starting in Monaco, the World Tour peloton will travel through the eastern and southern half of Spain for a mountain-packed edition. We take a l...