In 2025, Remco Evenepoel had stellar form at the Kigali World Championships but couldn't capitalize with a win at the road race event. Heading into the Montral Worlds, the Olympic Champion can be assured already of several meaningful absences. Evenepoel has recently finished second at the Tour de...

At 1:30am this Friday, Victoria Stansfield will pedal away from her home in Chamonix, and into the unknown. Ive never ridden in the dark before, she smiles, talking to Cycling Weekly over video call. I dont even own lights. Ive had to buy them.Its a surprising admission from the best female gran fondo racer in the world right now. This summer, Stansfield won the 177km Marmotte in the French Alps in record time, as well as the tape du Tour de France and tape du Tour de France Femmes three of the most iconic sportives in the circuit. Now, shes less than 24 hours away from her biggest challenge yet: La Dame Blanche. Its an idea she conjured up herself. The name comes from French folklore and means The White Lady, the female spirit of the mountains. Stansfields plan is to cycle 330km around Mont Blanc, and then immediately line up to compete at the 171km UTMB (Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc), the most famous event in trail running. Nobody has ever done both back to back. In total, the challenge counts 501km, and more than 18,000m of climbing, split 8,300m on the bike, and 10,000m on the run. My goal is to do it all in 50 hours, Stansfield says. And yet, she concedes, theres a possibility she wont finish at all. Over the past few weeks, Stansfield has been taking bets from her family and friends on the likelihood of her completing the entire route. My husband thinks theres an 80% chance. I put myself at 85%, she says. Im so excited to just see what I can do. The premise of it for me is: competing in a gran fondo or riding the Tour of Mont Blanc, or doing UTMB, I know I can do them, and theres a safety in knowing that. But the two together? I truly dont know if I can do it. Im not 100%. Thats what excites me so much.A post shared by Victoria Stansfield (@victoriastansfield)A photo posted by on Youd be forgiven if you hadnt heard of Victoria Stansfield until now. Born in Bristol, the 31-year-old only took up cycling properly last year, but has quickly catapulted herself to the top of the amateur scene. I was a cross country runner, she says of her school days. Then I started triathlon in 2018, and went straight into half Ironman, and it was going really well. The following year, Stansfield left her career as an accountant to pursue becoming a professional triathlete. Covid then ground sports events to a halt, and she began caring for her father, who had become unwell with cancer. I took the decision to step away from triathlon, and I never went back after dad died, she says. Triathlon was our thing, and I didnt know how I would feel about it without him there.In its place, Stansfield took up marathon running. She clocked a 2:41 on her marathon debut in Sevilla in 2021, and later transitioned into trail running. Early last year, however, she slipped in Switzerland and broke her pelvis. The doctors gave her crutches and told her not to walk for two months. The thing I really missed was, and this sounds really strange: the feeling of the wind on my face, she says. Cycling came first as a way to restore fitness. But immediately Stansfield fell in love with the rush of weaving through the mountains. Last July, a month after she first began riding a road bike, she entered a multi-day sportive in the Pyrenees called the Campilaro, and won. The following week, she entered the tape du Tour de France Femmes, and won that too. Stansfield has won the tape du Tour de France Femmes two years running. (Image credit: A.S.O/Xavier Pereyron)Its curious then, that despite going on to do the Marmotte-tape Hommes-tape Femmes treble this year, Stansfield still feels like an imposter in the cycling world. She says she doesnt know how to descend or ride in a bunch, and only learnt how to corner this year after she crashed twice in the Mallorca 312 gran fondo, where she finished second. Ive actually just been to get my bike looked at, Stansfield says. My husband told me my brakes were soft, but I wouldnt know, she adds with a laugh. Its a self-deprecating attitude that stands in contrast to her growing status in the cycling scene. She was a bit embarrassed, she says, when the mechanics at the bike shop greeted her by saying: Here she is, the champion! Similarly, after she won the tape du Tour de France Femmes earlier this month and fans asked her for photos at the top of Mont Ventoux, she laughed and asked them why. Victory on Mont Ventoux sealed Stansfield's status as a gran fondo great. (Image credit: A.S.O/Bastien Seon)The truth is Stansfield has never sought stardom in her riding challenges. With her upcoming La Dame Blanche, her goal is to inspire, particularly her daughter, Margot, who recently turned three. For me, its terrifying, she says. But I really want my little girl to go, Mummy did something that really scared her.The first of those fears will be riding through the night. I should be getting to the top of the Col du Grand St-Bernard at sunrise, so its going to be the most stunning morning of my life, she says. Im just hoping sunrise doesnt happen when Im on the descent, because I think theres a period just before sunrise when your body gets a bit freaked out and we all know I cant go downhill as it is. Barring disaster, Stansfield hopes to have two hours for her transition from cycling to starting at UTMB. She will then face a cut off of just under 47 hours to complete the 171km mountainous trail run. This is completely unknown, Stansfield says. But thats her whole reason for taking it on. I just want more people to try and do stuff that scares them put themselves out of their comfort zones. Whats the worst that happens?You can follow Victoria Stansfield's La Dame Blanche challenge live via the tracker on her website.

Oscar Onley is hoping that a stomach bug is behind him at the Vuelta a Espana as the INEOS frontman heads towards the weekend at the Spanish Grand Tour. Just under four minutes down on race leader Tadej Pogacar, Onley finds himself just off the podium in the battle amongst the rest. A deficit of alm...

The biggest development in gravel racing over the past couple of years has been the adoption of wide tyres. Make that seriously wide. Looking to best address the issue of suspension losses which zap racing speeds over challenging terrain, elite racers began to experiment with high-volume mountain bike tyres run at extremely low pressures. It seemed to work.Fast forward to today and its accepted wisdom that this approach is the best route to lowering rolling resistance while also improving comfort and increasing grip. And who doesnt want to be faster and more comfortable? But to allow for such voluminous rubber, frames have had to adapt. A case in point is the new Kanzo Fast 2.0 from Ridley. When the Belgian gravel race bike was first released in 2020 tyre clearance was 42mm, the second iteration has seen this expanded to 58mm.(Image credit: Ridley)By going wider, the Kanzo Fast 2.0 has also become more adaptable. While it can now run 29 2.3in MTB tyres, it also means that riders can fit a range of tyre widths to meet their needs. For example, when faced with muddy conditions a narrower tyre can be used to create more clearance for dirt and debris, while still being wide enough to reap the benefits discussed above.(Image credit: Ridley )While this whopping tyre clearance will garner plenty of headlines, its not the only story. The aforementioned original Kanzo Fast was something of an outlier. As an early example of a dedicated gravel race bike, it had more in common with a WorldTour rig than it did with the majority of the adventured-focussed gravel bikes that had become so popular. And the 2.0 edition continues this theme, with aerodynamic efficiency front and centre.(Image credit: Ridley )To achieve this, Ridley looked to its Noah Fast race bike, using its validated aero technology to help make the Kanzo Fast, well, faster. Typically wide tyres have created an aerodynamic disadvantage, but Ridley has sought to counterbalance this added drag by designing tube profiles accordingly. A quick look at the new frameset reveals an exceptionally deep head tube and an oversized down tube, despite the frame being claimed to be 150 grams lighter than its predecessor. (Image credit: Ridley )The bottom bracket has been lowered to compensate for the wide tyres and the increase in wheel diameter they bring. The fork rake is also designed to accommodate the larger wheel radius, aiming to keep the 2.0 as agile as the original Kanzo Fast. In addition, by limiting the bike to electronic 1x groupsets only (with up to a 56T chainring), the designers have been able to keep the chainstays short - 425mm - to aid responsiveness. (Image credit: Ridley )Naturally, a race bike needs to be fast with a rider on board, and Ridley has opted for a steeper seat tube angle to create a more forward and aerodynamically beneficial position. This is paired with the new integrated Nimbus Pro cockpit, designed to enable riders to enjoy an aero position while also offering the option to adopt something wider when greater control is required. In Ridleys Aero Performance Lab, all the tweaks appear to have paid dividends. It says that its tests show that the new frame has reduced the gap between a 38mm tyre and 55mm tyre to just 6 watts, a number low enough to be easily mitigated by the holistic benefits of wider tyres over rough terrain.(Image credit: Ridley )With identical wheels and tyres (Forza Skiron wheels and 38mm Vittoria Terreno Dry tyres) Ridley says 2.0 bests the original Kanzo Fast by 13 watts with a rider present compared to just 2 watts in a bike-only test. This seemingly validates the design approach that chose not to view aerodynamic performance in isolation, instead creating a gravel race bike for the real world, one where setups vary based on the terrain ahead, as riders seek to balance aero gains with improved rolling performance. As for the wheels, the Forza Skiron RS have been designed specifically for gravel racing and feature 50mm-deep hookless rims with a 27mm internal width. Carbon spokes help to keep the build suitably light, with a claimed weight of 1,350g for the pair.Thomas De Gendt rode the Kanzo Fast 2.0 during The Trakka. (Image credit: Ridley )Given the length and remoteness of many of today's gravel races, a degree of self-sufficiency is required. To help, the Kanzo Fast 2.0 comes with some internal frame storage that includes two padded pouches and integrated top tube mounts. Theres also compatibility with a bespoke mudguard system, designed in conjunction with Curana, that increases the bikes versatility. The Ridley Kanzo Fast 2.0 is available in sizes XS, S, M and L. It's currently offered in three complete builds: SRAM Red XPLR 1x13, with DT Swiss GRC1400 Dicut wheels and 4ZA Nimbus Pro cockpit, with a price tag of 11,699.SRAM Force XPLR 1x13, with Forza Skiron RS wheels and 4ZA Nimbus Pro cockpit, priced at 6,999.SRAM Rival XPLR 1x13, with Forza Skiron CG40 wheels and Forza Cirrus Pro cockpit, which retails at 5,499.The frameset can also be purchased separately for 4,499.

Tadej Pogacars dominance at the Vuelta a Espaa is draining much of the suspense from the general classification very early. The Slovenian already holds close to a three-minute gap over his main rivals and, barring mishap, looks set to be the overall winner in Madrid. Alberto Contador and Juan Anto...

After a mini escape to the continent, Callum has returned to the live blog... because the allure of narrow cycle lanes was just too damn compelling.

Team Visma | Lease a Bike have tied down a key member of their team for three more seasons, confirming a new three year contract keeping Edoardo Affini at the setup until at least 2029. The Italian rouleur signs after playing a key role for the team in the past two editions of the Tour de France. A...

Supple and good value, but tubeless setup was a... Challenge

With the Trenta 3K Carbon, MET promise the ultimate trifecta of performance: ventilation, aerodynamics and impressive safety lab scores. Whether you are tackling gruelling midsummer climbs, flying down high-speed descents, or racking up hundreds of kilometres in the saddle, we wanted to find out if this helmet actually delivers on those claims.MET Trenta 3K Carbon | 265 g in size M | 400 | Manufacturers WebsiteLets face it: when we see Tadej Pogaar flying up a climb solo at what seems like 40 km/h, his signature tufts of hair poking out of the vents, its hard not to admit he looks quite cool in his MET Trenta. But what is the MET Trenta 3K Carbon really like in everyday use?As soon as you unbox it, the low weight grabs your attention. At 265 grams, the helmet feels almost impossibly light in your hand. Visually, it is a real head-turner, with the glossy white of our review helmet blending perfectly with the matte exposed carbon of the integrated frame. Alongside white, the helmet is available in black, green and grey. If you want something even more exclusive, you can even opt for the World Championship colours, which you can either earn like Pogi, or simply buy for a small premium. The build quality is absolutely top-tier. The polycarbonate shell wraps around the entire helmet, meaning you wont find any unsightly rough edges, or clumsy transitions to the EPS foam. Once youre wearing it, however, the Trenta looks a bit bulky. It has quite a wide profile, which is likely due to the ventilation design, but it might not flatter every head shape. And yes, the Pogi hair feature actually works, as anyone with long hair will easily be able to poke those famous tufts through the front vents.Pogi-Hair, we dont care!What Can the MET Trenta 3K Carbon Do?MET set the bar high with their marketing for the Trenta 3K Carbon, promising less heat, less energy loss and more speed. The reasoning goes that if your head stays cooler, your body has to expend less energy on cooling itself down, leaving more resources for your legs to use, which will make you faster. Or, at least less slow. While that sounds logical, you cant really measure the exact percentage of extra watts in your calves during everyday riding. What you can definitely feel, however, is the ventilation, and this is where the helmet truly delivers.Lots of manufacturers make claims about ventilation, but its not often you can actually feel the wind channeling through the helmet. On the Trenta 3K Carbon, the integrated carbon structure replaces parts that would traditionally be made of EPS foam. The bulky transverse foam ribs that usually disrupt airflow through the helmet are gone, replaced with slim carbon fibre fins, creating deep, continuous channels through the inner frame. MET claim this produces a massive 16 percent improvement in ventilation compared to their main competitors. Whether it is exactly 16 percent is up for debate, but one thing is clear to us: cooling is where this helmet absolutely shines.Large vents and no EPS foam beneath the carbon for maximum airflow.Protection is the one area where there is simply no room for marketing spin. What we can say for sure is that carbon adds stiffness to the Trenta while keeping weight to a minimum, which in turn allows for larger vents in the foam. Whether this justifies the hefty price premium is another matter, especially when MET themselves claim the standard Trenta already offers outstanding protection.The rear retention system is easy and precise to adjust.There is a hard reality to the Trenta, quite literally. When it comes to safety, MET partner with MIPS to provide rotational impact protection. The Air Node system is specifically designed for well-ventilated helmets. It is lightweight, integrated directly into the padding, and its extremely thin. This minimalist approach is a double-edged sword. The thin profile gives you a very direct and connected feel. The retention system at the back of the head allows for precise adjustments, but the golden rule still applies: the helmet has to suit your specific head shape. Some extra padding might help fine tune the fit to suit a wider range of riders, but of course more padding means more weight.When it comes to everyday practicality, the helmet scores points with its integrated sunglasses port. You can easily slide the arms of your eyewear into the outer vents, though how securely they sit depends heavily on your choice of glasses. Some models stay rock-solid, while others tend to slip and slide when the road gets rough. It is also a shame that MET have not included any reflective elements on the helmet. These can be integrated subtly nowadays, and do a lot to boost your visibility. By leaving them out, MET are missing an easy opportunity to improve passive safety. A feature we love using: the sunglasses port.Who Is the MET Trenta 3K Carbon For?The MET Trenta 3K Carbon is an uncompromising racing machine for your head. It fully delivers on its promise of outstanding ventilation and excellent aerodynamics in our real-world review. The build quality is flawless, and the weight is firmly at pro level. On the flip side, you get a very direct, rather firm fit that leaves little margin for error when it comes to individual head shapes.This helmet is best suited to ambitious racers, gran fondo riders and watt-savers who want maximum cooling in the summer heat, have the spare cash for genuine carbon luxury, and have a head shape that works well with the rather firm, minimalist fit that MET offer.Glossy white and matt carbon are a match made in heaven!Conclusion: Would We Buy the MET Trenta 3K Carbon?If money is no object and you want the absolute maximum ventilation, while stealing some style points from Pogi with the cool carbon look, then the answer is yes. However, if you are looking at it from a purely rational standpoint and considering value for money, we would have to say no. MET offer a virtually identical ventilation concept and the exact same fit with the standard Trenta, for significantly less money. While that touch of carbon looks incredibly sleek, it pushes the price into a territory where you really have to question its practical benefits.TopsLow weightSuperb ventilationFlopsHigh priceNo reflective detailsMore information at met-helmets.comDer Beitrag Hot or Not? MET Trenta 3K Carbon Review erschien zuerst auf GRAN FONDO Cycling Magazine.