The Vuelta a Espaa 2026 opened with an individual time trial in the Principality of Monaco and with Tadej Pogacar as the races first leader. In his post-stage analysis on his YouTube channel, expert Javier Ares focused on the courses technical difficulty and on the fact that the overwhelming favo...

Jonas Vingegaard did everything in his power to try and dethrone Tadej Pogacar in the 2026 Tour de France. The Dane's Tour came to a halt in an abrupt season-ending injury on Stage 15, but less than 24 hours earlier, he was lamenting the course design. Over the past five years, the pair have been fi...

Tadej Pogacar needed less than a stage to issue his first warning at the Vuelta a Espaa 2026. The Slovenian won the 9.4-kilometre time trial in Monaco and even surprised Johan Bruyneel and Spencer Martin, the analysts from The Move. Both expected the UAE Team Emirates-XRG rider to be among the best...

I splurged on a set of Mavic Crossmaxes in the early 2000s, and they completely changed my perception of mountain bike wheels forever. Now, twenty-plus years later, Mavic is launching the lightest Crossmax ever built, made to perform at the highest levels of cross-country mountain bike racing. They officially debuted at the Les Gets World Cup XC this weekend, raced by the Mavic-sponsored Mondraker and KTM Factory XC Teams.Designed with input from athletes and validated/tested on the World Cup XC circuit, Mavic says its new wheels are engineered to make you faster. With a claimed weight of just 1080 grams/pair, the Crossmax Ultimate wheels promise to deliver explosive acceleration, razor-sharp handling, and podium-worthy performance. Lets check them out.A Mondraker team rider racing the Crossmax Ultimate wheels at the 2026 La Thuile UCI Mountain Bike World Cup.Mavic Crossmax Ultimate DetailsThe new Crossmax Ultimate is aimed squarely at cross-country racers, including those competing at the very highest level of the sport. Mavic states that these wheels were developed with and for professional XC racers to deliver uncompromising performance at a very light weight.How light? Mavic claims the new Crossmax Ultimate wheels weigh just 1,080 grams for the pair with an XD freehub and rim tape. How did they get it so light? According to Mavic, Every gram, every fiber, and every component has been challenged in the pursuit of pure XC performance. This includes a new rim concept, carbon spokes with titanium nipples, and new UltraLight Hubs, each of which reportedly reduces the wheelset weight by 100 grams, or 300 grams total.Adaptive Layup Carbon RimsAt the rim, Mavic says that its new Adaptive Layup optimizes the carbon fiber layers to achieve the optimal balance of stiffness, vibration damping, and low weight. The rims have a 25 mm depth and 30 mm internal width to support modern XC tires. Each rim is drilled with 20 holes with an unspecified offset to optimize spoke loading on the drive side (rear) and braking side (front).UltraLight HubsYellow powder explosion not included, sorryAt the center of the Crossmax Ultimate wheels are Mavics new UltraLight Hubs. According to the brand, these hubs weigh just 105 g/180 g for the front/rear, respectively, in the XD 6-bolt configuration. They spin on Mavics precise, low-friction ceramic bearings, feature the 40-tooth ID360 LIGHT ratchet for quick engagement, and an optimized spring to minimize freewheel friction.Carbon SpokesStraight pull carbon spokes with titanium nipples.Mavic opted for a 20-spoke count in a 2-cross pattern front and rear with straight-pull carbon spokes that combine an optimized stiffness to weight ratio with natural vibration damping properties. They chose titanium nipples to reduce rotational weight even further, so every precious watt is transferred into forward motion.ValidationAlready raced to a U23 World Cup victory.In addition to field testing, Mavic says it performed 57 different tests on its in-house machines to ensure performance and reliability. On top of that, the Crossmax Ultimate wheels have been in use by the Mondraker and KTM Factory XC teams since the beginning of the 2026 season. In that time, these wheels have helped propel Katrin Embacher to a U23 XCO victory, along with multiple top-10 Elite performances.Team Mondraker racing the Crossmax Ultimate at the 2026 UCI Mountain Bike World Cup in Lenzerheide.SpecsRim width: 30 mm internal, 36 mm externalRim depth: 25 mmRim type: Carbon, hooklessRecommended tire size: 2.3 2.4Materials: T700, T1000, 3K Adaptive layupFinish: Raw, UD carbonSpokes: Carbon, 20 per wheel, 2-crossNipples: TitaniumHubs: UltraLight HubsSpacing: 15 x 110 mm front, 12 x 148 mm rearBearings: Mavic CeramicBrake interface: Centerlock and 6-boltFreehubs: XD and MicrosplineFreewheel system: ID360 Ultralight 40TWeight: 500 g front, 580 g rear, 1080 g totalASTM: Level 3Max weight: 135 kgIncluded: Tubeless valves, tubeless tape, wheel bagsMondraker and KTMs Factory XC Teams have been racing the new Crossmax Ultimate all season.Pricing and AvailabilityMavics new Crossmax Ultimate XC race wheels retail for 2,299. Head to the Mavic website to learn more, check availability in your region, or find a dealer near you.mavic.com

Joxean Fernndez Matxn, sports director of UAE Team Emirates-XRG, dissected Tadej Pogacars spectacular debut at the Vuelta a Espaa 2026. The Slovenian pulled on the red leaders jersey after winning the opening time trial and once again showcased his immense ability on a particularly technical co...

Van Rysel is Decathlons own cycling brand, with everything from clothing, shoes and helmets to complete bikes available. Its sponsorship of a WorldTour team has meant that over the last few years it has really stepped up its game and it now produces lots of great products that are generally good value as well as high performance.As the price of cycling clothing rises, with 200/ $200+ jerseys not unusual, it's fantastic to see lower-priced options available that dont seem to sacrifice much in performance or style.Design detailsVan Rysels RCR Jersey is a modern, lightweight top with what they call Pro Fit, meaning that it is very close-fitting, similar to many of the best cycling jerseys. Two fabrics have been used in its construction, with Amigo, a slightly denser material over the chest and back, and a lighter, more mesh-like material down the sides, over the shoulders, and for the sleeves. Overall fit is good and close (Image credit: Kim Russon)The collar isnt quite as low-cut as some jerseys, but is still pretty minimalist, while the sleeves are a good, bicep-covering length, with a raw-cut finish complete with micro-dot silicone grips. The entire hem is elasticated, with a silicone gripper running around the inside, and the front zip locks when flipped down, so it stays in place.Mid-height collar and small, locking zip (Image credit: Kim Russon)In addition to the expected three rear pockets, there is a horizontally zipped security pocket on the middle pocket and two smaller, extra pockets on each hip; ideal for sticky gel wrappers. The required care labels are another neat touch, attached with a soft fabric tab so that when they are cut out, the remaining stub isn't scratchy; it's a feature Id previously only seen on high-end garments.6 handy pockets and a message to 'Embrace the Light' (Image credit: Kim Russon)I liked the green fade colourway with pink logos and motifs, but I have no idea what the wording Embrace the light means on the back? It sounds more like something youd say to someone on their deathbed than words of motivational encouragement!Along with the Pine Green, Lemonade Yellow, Ultra White, and Indigo Blue are available in XS to XXL, with the jersey claimed to be unisex.PerformanceAs ever with Van Rysel, my initial impressions were pretty good, and I was impressed with the fit and feel of the jersey. It was snug but comfortable, and certainly a much better cut than the similarly budget-orientated Madison Flux Jersey. It is perhaps on the smaller side of medium though, and Im not convinced that it would work particularly well for many women, despite its unisex claims, but that isnt really for me to say.I wore it in cool weather with arm warmers (when the sleeve grippers helped keep them in place) and in 30C+ weather in Mallorca and Gran Canaria, where the fabrics coped perfectly well with comfort and moisture management. (Image credit: Kim Russon)The lightness and stretch of the materials allowed full, unrestricted movement whilst keeping the jersey flap-free at speed; just dont expect much by way of warmth if the temperature drops. A couple of minor criticisms, before one major one: Personally, I think that elasticating the front half of the bottom hem and the attempt at hiding the front zip behind small plackets are both unnecessary and slightly cheapen the look of the jersey, but that might be subjective. What is objective is that the rear pockets are too shallow.A quick survey of pockets on some of my other jerseys (Castelli, Santini, Assos, and Velocio) revealed an average depth of roughly 16-17cm, whereas the Van Rysel RCR pockets are only about 13cm deep. To be fair, I didnt lose anything out of them, and it certainly made accessing them a bit easier, but I spent more time than usual patting my pockets mid-ride to check that nothing had made a bid for freedom. My phone (a modestly sized iPhone 14), for instance, protruded noticeably rather than being safely tucked away; I certainly wouldnt want to ride off-road with the RCR jersey and anything valuable in the pockets.There might be six of them, but the pockets are much shallower than normal (Image credit: Kim Russon)Its an odd misstep by Van Rysel, as whilst some things can be forgiven on lower-priced products, deeper pockets wouldnt really have affected the cost at all. On the plus side, I liked the small side pockets that remained virtually invisible until I needed to stash some wrappers, after all, no one wants their phone, gilet or keys covered in sticky gel residue.Value The RCR Jersey is really good, but I think that the pocket issue is a problem at any price. It retails for 60/ $89.99, and for that it offers a well-cut, comfortable jersey with decent fabrics and a modern aesthetic, which should make it great value. For me, though, the pocket security costs at least half a star. If the jersey was more expensive, then I would probably penalise it more, but to give Van Rysel credit, the value inherent in such a nice jersey offsets it to a degree.It is certainly worth popping into your local Decathlon, trying one on, and seeing if your ride essentials fit safely into the pockets; if so, it's certainly good value for money.Tech specPrice:60/ $89.99Pockets: SixFit:RaceType:Short sleeveColours:Pine Green/Delicate Green (tested), Pink, Pine Green, Lemonade Yellow, Ultra White, Indigo Blue/Delicate GreenSizes:XS, S, M, L, XL, XXL

Wout van Aert is primed and ready to launch a bid for the 2026 Vuelta a Espana red jersey. If the Visma | Lease a Bike leader is to pull back a nine second deficit to make up on leader Tadej Pogacar on stage 2. Sunday's stage offers a chance for many in the peloton in a 214 kilometer stage, featurin...

Kevin Whelan, who worked as an IT Manager at the college in New Zealand acknowledged his joke was "clumsy". His appeal against his dismissal for serious misconduct was rejected

Cian Uijtdebroeks lines up at the Vuelta a Espaa after a difficult summer, marked by the illness that ultimately forced him to abandon the Tour de France. The Belgian from Movistar Team has now explained how he experienced those weeks and, above all, why he started in France despite being unwell. I...

Lorena Wiebes won her fourth stage of the Tour of Britain Women as Kim le Court- Pienaar wrapped up the overall title.On a twisty finish the SD Worx-Protime sprinter benefited from a slick and dedicated lead-out from her team to enter the finishing straight in prime position.As she launched out of the final corner Chiara Consonni (Canyon-SRAM) came off her team-mate Zoe Bckstedts tried to contest the win but couldnt come close to Wiebes and ended up being pipped by Lara Gilesppe (UAE Team LImad) for second.The Dutchwoman, who has dominated any stage that didnt finish up a climb in this years race, produced another vintage performance to cement her place as the best sprinter in the race, if not the world.Further back in the pack Le Court- Pienaar finished safely to preserve the green leaders jersey, which she snatched with an attacking ride on stage threes finish up the Great Orme.Wiebess win also had the effect of lifting her up the GC into second place knocking Liane Lippert (Movistar) down to third.More to follow...