Good morning and welcome to the liveblog of the Vuelta a Espana. Stage 7 is another day that could produce plenty of action. The breakaway has a chance of going all the way, but the general classification contenders will undoubtedly be on high alert during a demanding finale that could shake up the...

Tube bending isnt a new concept to the frame building world, but for many builders, theyre limited to the bend profiles that their equipment can make. The creative builders will find a way to make it work with what they have builders like Chase Roy Young of CRY Bicycles. Part of the University of Arkansas School of Art program, this bike was made by Chase, who is both an instructor and Shop and Labs Studio technician.In order to make such unique bends, Chase used 3D-printed bending and coping fixtures made from simple PLA to be used in dies and tubing benders. PLA is a type of plastic filament often used for hobby printing becuase its relatively cheap, easy to print, and can be made with renewable resources. Whats surprising is that PLA can withstand the force of the tubing benders, but were told it works great just increase the infill.The 3D Printed fixtures allowed Chase to make precise miters and bends to make a near-perfect symmetrical tube tube bend profile that goeas all the way around the bike from the dropouts to the head tube. Those familiar with the looptail design should get a kick out of this one. Loopframe? The Loop? Whatever you call it, its a stunning build with impressive technique. Ron taking CRY a little too seriously

Few things are more disappointing than being on a ride and seeing discarded gel packets trailside or in the gutter. Most of us are responsible enough to take them home or dispose of them in a bin. However, that means stowing a sticky foil wrapper in a pocket or tucked inside the leg of your shorts.DualFuels clever bottle and reusable gel pouch could be the answer to this problem.The 24.99 / 23.99 (750ml / 500ml), DualFuel bottles have a unique twin-chamber lid with a flip switch. The first open position gives you access to your water bottle chamber. The second switches to a screw-in 120ml pouch, which houses the equivalent of two energy gels. Thats sufficient to deliver around 90g of carbs when using DualFuels own gel-mix powder.On the bike The DualFuel is a 750ml bottle and 120ml gel pouch combined. Warren Rossiter / Ourmedia Being able to switch between water and gel from the same bottle saves fumbling around in your jersey pocket, then trying to rip open a packet with your teeth without losing any of the contents. Getting it ingested without ending up with sticky fingers or a sticky pocket is transformative.I may not be able to get the gel in my favourite flavours, but the lack of mess and the simple neutral flavour of the DualFuel gel mix have made me something of a convert.The gel mix formula delivers a 2:1 glucose-to-fructose mix and 30g of carbs per serving. One 24.99, 1kg bag is good for about 30 servings, working out at around 78p per serving. In comparison, my current favourite Torq 1:1 gels are 2.65 each.Ive also tried decanting a couple gels into the pouch pre-ride and it works well. The DualFuel pouch has a quick-release mount for your bike. Warren Rossiter / Ourmedia Bento box mount gel carrier Carrying a couple of packets' worth of gel in a reusable pouch is a great idea. Warren Rossiter / Ourmedia DualFuel also offers a wearable pouch, designed for runners. Hidden inside the 15.99 pack is a bento box (top tube) mount compatible quick-release bracket. That also comes with twin neoprene straps, so it can be attached to a bike without mounts.This nozzle-tipped pouch, designed for gels, has become a favourite. It enables you to carry 150ml (or theres a larger 220ml option), which is the equivalent of two gel packets, that you can take on as you ride.So, if you're concerned about the litter your rides involve, or prefer to take your gel fuelling a little at a time, Id recommend giving the DualFuel system a try.

Tadej Pogacar narrowly avoided crashing on the descent of Puerto El Bartolo after his attack had been shut down by Enric Mas during a dramatic finale to Stage 6 of the 2026 Vuelta a Espana. The red jersey initially appeared to be riding towards his third victory of the race after attacking four kilo...

Tadej Pogacar thought he was riding alone towards the summit of Puerto El Bartolo after receiving information that he led by 40 seconds on Stage 6 of the 2026 Vuelta a Espana. Nobody had warned the red jersey that Enric Mas was rapidly closing from behind. Mas caught Pogacar, surged past him before...

Tadej Pogaar sprinted to a third victory at this year's Vuelta a Espaa on stage six, surviving a scare on the final descent, and being chased down by Enric Mas.The UAE Team Emirates-XRG rider has now won half of the stages so far at this year's race, but did not have everything his own way on Thursday. Movistar's Mas was first over the final climb of Puerto El Bartolo, and Pogaar left the road into a muddy verge on the way down, although avoided crashing.The pair put time into their other general classification rivals, with Ramses Debruyne (Alpecin-Premier Tech) beating the other chasers in to third. Mas is now second overall, with Primo Rogli (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) dropping to third.Among those to miss out on stage six was Oscar Onley (Netcompany-Ineos), who dropped from fifth to seventh, coming in 1:38 behind Pogaar.Thursday's stage, which involved a gravel sector on the final climb, looked set to be a breakaway day, but it was reeled in on that ascent after UAE Team Emirates-XRG kept it on a short leash."We had a plan to let the breakaway go today, but it took nearly two hours to form a breakaway," Pogaar explained on TV post-stage. "So in the end, we had to pull less than half the stage to control. Joo [Almeida] and Kevin [Vermaerke] did a good job to keep it together, and then I could go for the stage, with Pavel [Sivakov], Jay [Vine] and Pablo [Torres] leading out on the climb and setting me up for a perfect attack."As for Mas's attack to beat Pogaar to the top of the Puerto, catching him, which is something seen rarely in cycling in the last few years, Pogaar explained that he was unaware the gap was closing."I was really surprised on the top, he flew past me like a rocket," he said. "I was not expecting it, because I heard on the radio that I was leading by 40 seconds to second, to the chasers. There was no mention of Enric, so when he passed me I was a little bit shocked. I was sure he knew the downhill, and I was just happy to be with him in the last 10km into the headwind, because I had no water. "It was nice to have a companion next to me. I knew I could beat him in the sprint, but I appreciated that he committed full, and I committed full too. Chapeau to him, and it was a great race."The brief foray off-road might not have impacted the race in the end, but it was proof of the risks that Pogaar was willing to take on the technical descent. Despite not looking like his usual all-conquering self, he still managed to win the stage.Stage seven is another general classification day, with well over 3,000m of elevation in 150km and a category-one summit finish. (Image credit: Getty Images)It took until less than 100km to go on Thursday for the break to be established, meaning it did not have a lot of leeway to build up a sufficient gap to hold off the peloton. Onto the final climb, just 14 riders were left in the group out front, with just over 90 seconds on what was left on the peloton: Carlos Canal (Movistar), Tom Gloag (Pinarello Q36.5), Santiago Buitrago (Bahrain Victorious), Patrick Konrad (Lidl-Trek), Ramses Debruyne (Alpecin-Premier Tech), George Bennett (NSN Cycling), Gianmarco Garofoli (Soudal Quick-Step), Andreas Kron (Uno-X Mobility), Vincenzo Albanese (EF Education-EasyPost), Hannes Wilksch (Tudor Pro Cycling), Jos Manuel Daz (Burgos Burpellet BH), Lars Craps (Lotto Intermarch), Gijs Leemreize (Picnic PostNL) and Urko Berrade (Kern Pharma).However, just a couple of kilometres later, Canal, Gloag, Albanese, Wilksch, Konrad, Bennett and Leemreize were all dropped, leaving a handful out front, as UAE Team Emirates-XRG pulled the bunch back to the front. The team of Pogaar burned through riders, but the break was blowing apart at the same time.As soon as the race hit the newly resurfaced road ahead of the gravel section, Pogaar put the power down, splitting up the group of favourites, and reeling in those left up the road. Onley was the only rider who could follow immediately, with Mas, Rogli and Richard Carapaz (EF Education-EasyPost) following further behind. Felix Gall (Decathlon CMA CGM) was briefly distanced, but made it back to the chasers. On the gravel, Mas pushed on. Out front, Debruyne was the first to hit the gravel sector, with the red jersey 30 seconds behind, but Pogaar quickly ate this gap up, moving to the head of the race with just under 3km to go of the climb, and 23.5km remaining of the stage. Onley was dropped by Rogli and Gall, with Carapaz for company. Mas put in the ride of the day to catch Pogaar, pipping him to the top of the Puerto El Bartolo. On the descent, the Slovenian misjudged a corner, going off the side of the road, but quickly rejoined the race. The duo up front built a lead on the flat run-in to the finish, with Rogli, Gall, Carapaz, Debruyne and Harold Tejada (XDS Astana) around half a minute behind. Onley was about a minute further back, along with Sepp Kuss (Visma-Lease a Bike) and Mattias Skjelmose (Lidl-Trek).In the finale, Mas forced Pogaar to lead him out, but it was to no avail, with the Slovenian comfortably having enough power to win once again.ResultsVuelta a Espaa 2026 stage six: Acossebre > Castell (177.4km)1. Tadej Pogaar (Slo) UAE Team Emirates-XRG, in 4:12:402. Enric Mas (Spa) Movistar, at same time3. Ramses Debruyne (Bel) Alpecin-Premier Tech, +46s4. Richard Carapaz (Ecu) EF Education-EasyPost5. Harold Tejada (Col) XDS-Astana6. Felix Gall (Aut) Decathlon CMA CGM7. Primo Rogli (Slo) Red Bull-Bora-hansgrohe, all at same time8. Cristin Rodrguez (Spa) XDS-Astana, +1:389. Clment Berthet (Fra) Groupama-FDJ United10. Mattias Skjelmose (Den) Lidl-Trek, at same timeGeneral classification after stage six1. Tadej Pogaar (Slo) UAE Team Emirates-XRG, in 15:38:272. Enric Mas (Spa) Movistar, +3:343. Primo Rogli (Slo) Red Bull-Bora-hansgrohe, +4:214. Richard Carapaz (Ecu) EF Education-EasyPost, +4:505. Felix Gall (Aut) Decathlon CMA CGM, +4:556. Sepp Kuss (USA) Visma-Lease a Bike, +5:367. Oscar Onley (GBr) Netcompany-Ineos, +5:378. Ramses Debruyne (Bel) Alpecin-Premier Tech, +5:409. Mattias Skjelmose (Den) Lidl-Trek, +5:5810. Harold Tejada (Col) XDS-Astana, +6:30

Oscar Onley paid a heavy price for attempting to follow Tadej Pogacar on Puerto El Bartolo, seeing his overall deficit to the red jersey grow by almost two minutes after briefly matching the decisive attack on Stage 6 of the 2026 Vuelta a Espana. The Netcompany INEOS leader suffered cramps after bei...

In part six of our 2026 MADE Bike Show video series, we met up Ronnie Romance to hear about Ultradynamicos new carbon rims (which work with rim brakes), we talked to Pass and Stow about a new rack, and we got the lowdown on what Doom Bars has been up to. Find all the details about that and more here...The post MADE 2026 on Video (Part 6): Custom Bike Eye Candy appeared first on BIKEPACKING.com.

Primoz Roglic slipped from second to third overall at the 2026 Vuelta a Espana after a difficult day on Puerto El Bartolo increased his deficit to Tadej Pogacar from 3:21 to 4:21. Roglic was unable to follow Pogacars attack on the steep gravel section and then watched Enric Mas ride away from the c...