Having revealed our 2026 Road and Gravel Bike of the Year winners last week, we're now turning our attention to our annual Mountain Bike of the Year test, with the AthertonS.170E.2 crowned as the winner.The progression in eMTB tech and how quickly the bikes are changing meant we simply had to focus on these complex machines forour 2026 test.Thisyearhas all been aboutbig-travel, heavy-hitting bikes that featurea variety of motors, each with different traits. With that in mind, we pulled together a shortlist of six of the latest and greatest electric mountain bikes from Amflow, Atherton, Marin, Merida, Specialized and Yeti. Our final three (L-R): the Marin Alpine Trail EXR, AmflowPX Carbon Pro and Yeti LTe T4. Andy Lloyd It's a fast-moving, super-competitive category and we wanted to pull together a definitive test featuring some of the most important bikes on the market in order to determine which machines are leading the charge, and where you should spend your hard-earned month.After months of testing, the AthertonS.170E.2 came out on top as the champion. When pitted against the Merida Lithos 8000 and Yeti LTe T4 in our final showdown, the Atherton rose to the top against stiff competition to be crowned as our 2026 Mountain Bike of the Year.You can read our full head-to-head test here to see why the Atherton beat the Merida and Yeti and look out for individual reviews of all six shortlisted bikes on BikeRadar in the coming days. Read more: Atherton vs Merida vs Yeti which full-power eMTB deserves the crown? Introducing our 2026 eMTB of the Year contenders Thisyearhas all been aboutbig-travel, heavy-hitting bikes. Our test features machines from Amflow, Atherton, Marin, Merida, Specialized and Yeti. Andy Lloyd AmflowPX Carbon Pro 8,999/ $10,199 / 9,999 Atherton S.170E.2 7,999 / $N/A / 7,599.05 (before applicable local taxes) Marin Alpine Trail EXR 6,899/ $8,999 / 7,999 MeridaLithos8000 8,500/ 8,899 Specialized Levo 4 Evo Pro 9,699/ $10,499 / 10,999 Yeti LTe T4 12,999/ $14,900 / 14,500 Itsbeen a real team effortto put this test together. Some of the bikes included had already beenreviewedbymyself and experienced BikeRadar tester Tom Marvin, while others were updates on older bikes that had previously impressed us.Luke Marshall stepped in as lead tester, pitting all six of our shortlisted bikes against one another, in order to select the final three. I also joined Luke to run the rule over each bike and find the eventual winner.This test rounds up the latest and best electric mountain bikes money can buy, butwerenot oblivious to the factweremissing some bikes that, for availability and logistical issues, we couldn't get hold of in time for our deadline. Rest assured, we'll include any missing bikes in next year's test.The 2026 Mountain Bike of the Year podiumThird place Yeti LTe T4 Third place goes to the Yeti LTe T4. Andy Lloyd By far the priciest bike here in the test, Yetis carbon e-enduro rig is equipped with a six-bar linkage, Foxs upside-down Podium fork, a Bosch CX-R motor and a removable 800Wh battery. It has 170/160mm of travel and can be run with 29in or mixed wheels.Verdict: The LTe blends Yetis superb Sixfinity suspension with excellent range and the strongest climbing performance here.Second place Merida Lithos 8000 The Merida Lithos 8000 takes second place on the podium. Andy Lloyd This carbon-fibre enduro eMTB has 170/174mm of travel and can be run with mixed wheels or as a full 29er. It uses Boschs most powerful CX-R motor and a removable 800Wh battery. The build is based around RockShox Ultimate components.Verdict: Meridas enduro-focused Lithos 8000 boasts exceptionally supple suspension, natural handling and great composure at speed.First place AthertonS.170E.2 The superb AthertonS.170E.2 is our 2026 Mountain Bike of the Year. Andy Lloyd Available in 12 sizes, this Welsh-built aluminium e-enduro bike has 180/170mm of travel and runs a mixed-wheel setup. Its powered by Avinoxs M2S motor with a 700Wh battery. Again, you get RockShox Ultimate suspension.Verdict: With the most controllable high-power motor and excellent suspension, the Atherton S.170E.2 offers a truly rewarding ride at a competitive price. Read more on Bike of the Year 2026 We revealed our Road and Gravel Bike of the Year winners last week. You can check out all of the skinny-tyred action below. Revealed: our Road and Gravel Bike of the Year 2026 winners I've tested 2026's leading gravel bikes these three made the podium, but only one stood above the rest I've tested race bikes for decades they've changed dramatically, but the Eddy Merckx 525R takes race bike design in a radical new direction that I love Endurance bikes are faster and more capable than ever and the five-star Canyon Endurace CF SLX is one of the true greats of the genre How we chose our winner Luke Marshall led testing for this year's Bike of the Year showdown. Andy Lloyd Once we'd compiled our six bikes, we drafted in Luke Marshall a familiar name for regular BikeRadar and MBUK readers. Luke's one of the best testers in the business, and one of the fastest riders out there.Lukes job was to ride all six bikes and work out a top three. This is a hard enough task on aconventionalbike without a motoradd a drive unit and the ability to tune it via an appand,suddenly,testing times start to balloon.Tofully understandeach bike, Luke spent months riding lap after lapinvarious locations.Hesincludedeverything from fast, flowing jump trails and meandering singletrack through to steep technical trails with enough roots and rocks to rattle your fillings out. Luke's test loops took in everything from fast, flowing jump trails and meandering singletrack through to steep technical trails. Andy Lloyd Of course,itsnot all about descending,becauseclimbing technical trails is one of the most exciting things you can do on an eMTB.Doing all of this has helped toestablishwhich bikes offer the best suspension balance, which carry their weight well and how their motors respond when traction is at a premiumclawing your way up the steepest inclines. Luke and Rob joined forces for our final round of testing. Andy Lloyd With this new breed of bike,thereseven more to consider now. Each motor or bike brand willlikely havean associated app, throwing up questions such as:whats the connectivity like?How easy is the app to work and how much can be done with it?These are all points that Luke has had tobear in mind, along with cost and value,plus putting the miles in to see just how far he could ride each bike on a single charge. Flat-out fast. Andy Lloyd To help narrow things down further, Ijumped on each of thebikes before Luke settled on his top three rigs. After some heated discussions, timedlapsand even more chat, wefinallydecided on the winning bike.Ticking all the boxesrequiredto top this category was a very, very tall order. The motor had to feel controlled, offer power and torque deep down whenyourereally struggling, but deliver it in a calm, composed way.Then,of course,the bike itself had to ride well, and the spec had to make sense, not only on paper, but on the trail too and it was Atherton'sS.170E.2 that ticked every box to earn the 2026 Mountain Bike of the Year crown.

Wout van Aert has dismissed questions over Team Visma | Lease a Bikes leadership after Matthew Brennan put his own ambitions aside to work for the Belgian on Stage 10 of the 2026 Vuelta a Espana. Brennan had already won two stages during the opening part of the race, but there was no ambiguity over...

At the 2026 Vuelta a Espana, the racing does not always end at the finish line. Sprint deviations, dangerous riding, drafting, sticky bottles, illegal feeding and littering can all lead to fines, time penalties, UCI points deductions, yellow cards or relegations once the commissaires have reviewed t...

Mads Pedersens difficult 2026 Vuelta a Espana continued on Stage 10 as the Lidl Trek leader was dropped from the peloton around 30 kilometres from the finish and admitted afterwards that something is still not right. The uphill run towards Elche de la Sierra had appeared to offer another opportun...

Crashes, illness and injuries can quickly reduce the Vuelta a Espana peloton, with some riders abandoning during a stage and others only ruled out after further assessment once the racing has finished. This live 2026 Vuelta a Espaa Medical Reports and Withdrawals hub will be updated throughout the...

USA Cycling today announced the team thatll vie for the rainbow stripes in Montreal, Canada, later this month.U.S. road race champion Quinn Simmons (Lidl-Trek) and Olympic champion Kristen Faulkner (EF Education-Oatly) will lead the elite squads, with former mountain bike world champion Kate Courtney (FDJ United-Suez) making her UCI Road World Championships debut.Taking place 20-27 September, 39 U.S. riders will compete across the elite, under-23 and junior road races and time trials.Simmons, the 2019 junior road world champion, will be joined by fellow WorldTour riders Matteo Jorgenson (Visma-Lease a Bike), Brandon McNulty (UAE Team Emirates-XRG), Sean Quinn (EF Education - EasyPost), Kevin Vermaerke (UAE Team Emirates-XRG), Neilson Powless (EF Education-EasyPost) and Artem Shmidt (Netcompany INEOS). Shmidt earned places in both the road race and individual time trial after winning the 2026 elite national time trial title. Larry Warbasse of Tudor Pro Cycling Team rounds out the men's elite roster. While Simmons will lead the team, McNulty is another rider to watch. Last season, the Arizona native won the Grand Prix Cycliste de Montral ahead of teammate Tadej Pogaar, completing a historic one-two on roads that will also feature in the Worlds course.Faulkner will race both the elite womens road race and time trial. She won two gold medals at the 2024 Paris Olympics one in the road race and another with the U.S. team-pursuit squad and will be a threat in a breakaway as well as in the race against the clock. The course, however, may be better suited to Kate Courtney.Courtney will make her Road World Championships debut after winning the 2026 U.S. road title though she's best-known for her mountain bike career. She won the elite cross-country world championship in 2018, the UCI World Cup overall title in 2019 and the marathon world championship in 2025. She made a switch to the road in 2026 and in July, made a surprise announcement in joined top-tier road team FDJ United-Suez, bringing longtime sponsor Red Bull along for the move.Taylor Knibb, a two-time Olympic triathlete and U.S. national time trial champion, will also make her road worlds debut in Montreal, albeit in the time trial. Knibb won an Olympic silver medal in the triathlon mixed relay in Tokyo and competed in both the time trial and triathlon at the Paris Games.The womens roster also includes Alexis Magner (EF-Oatly-Cannondale), Natalie Quinn (Mayenne Pro Cycling), Lauren Stephens (Aegis X Leaders of Enchantment) and Grace Arlandson (Aegis X Leaders of Enchantment). USA Cyclings development selections are led by eight 2026 national champions, including Ashlin Barry (Visma - Lease a Bike Development), Kade Kreikemeier (Meridian Racing), Katherine Sarkisov (CCB p/b Levine Law Group Cycling), Kylee Hanel (Aegis X Leaders of Enchantment) and Enzo Hincapie (grenke - Auto Eder).(Image credit: Getty Images)Team USA at the UCI Road World Championships in MontrealElite Men:Matteo Jorgenson (Boise, Idaho; Visma | Lease A Bike) Road RaceBrandon McNulty (Phoenix, Ariz.; UAE Team Emirates-XRG) Road Race, Time TrialNeilson Powless (Roseville, Calif.; EF Education-EasyPost) Road RaceSean Quinn (Los Angeles, Calif.; EF Education-EasyPost) Road RaceArtem Shmidt (Cumming, Ga.; Netcompany INEOS) Road Race, Time TrialQuinn Simmons (Durango, Colo.; Lidl-Trek) Road RaceKevin Vermaerke (Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif.; UAE Team Emirates-XRG) Road RaceLarry Warbasse (Traverse City, Mich.; Tudor Pro Cycling Team) Road RaceElite Women:Grace Arlandson (Boulder, Colo.; Aegis X Leaders of Enchantment) Road RaceKate Courtney (Kenfield, Calif.; FDJ United-Suez) Road RaceKristen Faulkner (Homer, Alaska; EF-Oatly-Cannondale) Road Race, Time TrialTaylor Knibb (Boulder, Colo.) Time TrialAlexis Magner (Athens, Ga.; EF-Oatly-Cannondale) Road RaceNatalie Quinn (Harrisville, Utah; Mayenne Pro Cycling) Road RaceLauren Stephens (Dallas; Aegis X Leaders of Enchantment) Road RaceU23 Men:Ashlin Barry (Toronto, Ont.; Team Visma | Lease a Bike Development) Road Race, Time TrialNathan Cusack (Chevy Chase, Md.; EF Education-Aevolo) Road RaceKade Kreikemeier (Fort Collins, Colo.; Meridian Racing) Road Race, Time TrialMarcis Shelton (Mill Valley, Calif.; Comp Edge Rading) Road RaceGavin Sherry (West Hartford, Conn.; EF Education-Aevolo) Road RaceU23 WomenMia Aseltine (Littleton, Colo.; Comp Edge Racing) Road RaceLidia Cusack (Chevy Chase, Md.; Smurfit Westrock Cycling Team) Road Race, Time TrialKylee Hanel (Portland, Ore.; Aegis X Leaders of Enchantment) Road Race, Time TrialAlyssa Sarkisov (North Potomic, Md.; CCB p/b Levine Law Group Cycling) Road RaceKatherine Sarkisov (North Potomic, Md.; CCB p/b Levine Law Group Cycling) Road RaceJunior Men:Kashus Adamski (Bloomfield, Mich.; Hot Tubes Cycling) Road Race, Time TrialSylvan Garrelts (Brooklyn, N.Y.; Hot Tubes Cycling) Road RaceEnzo Hincapie (Greenville, S.C.; grenke - Auto Eder) Road Race, Time TrialCormac Nagle (Bolton, Mass.; Hot Tubes Cycling) Road RaceRowan Nistal (Boise, Idaho; Bear National Team) Road RaceJunior Women:Liliana Edwards (Washington, D.C.; CCB p/b Levine Law Group Cycling) Road Race, Time TrialEmma Jimenez Palos (Miami, Fla.; City Bikes) Road Race, Time TrialSofia Tripcevich (Berkeley, Calif.; Team California Academy) Road RaceSophia Wellmeier (Corta Madera, Calif.; Team California Academy) Road Race

Alberto Contador believes Tadej Pogacar would be taking an unnecessary risk by attempting to defend his Rainbow Jersey at the 2026 World Championships, warning that the fractured C7 vertebra suffered in his Vuelta a Espana crash changes the entire calculation around his recovery. Pogacar faces a rac...

Thibau Nys returned to the sharp end of a WorldTour race on Stage 10 of the 2026 Vuelta a Espana, but third place behind Bastien Tronchon and Magnus Cort brought considerably more frustration than satisfaction for the Lidl Trek rider. The uphill finish in Elche de la Sierra suited Nys, who believe...

The Lloyds Tour of Britain Men takes place from Wednesday 2 to Sunday 6 September, sweeping up England for the first four stages before a stage in the Scottish Borders.The UK's biggest bike race has attracted a star-studded start list of riders hoping for some late-season success or to tune their form for the World Championships, which take place at the end of the month. The route is varied, with a sprint opportunities and many hills across the five days.British fans will have the chance to see some of the world's best bike racing talent in their home race, which runs for five stages until Sunday. The line-up includes Tour de France stage winners Tim Merlier (Soudal Quick-Step) and Olav Kooij (Decathlon CMA CGM), world champions past and present in the form of new MTB champ Tom Pidcock (Pinarello Q36.5) and multiple time trial champ Filippo Ganna (Netcompany-Ineos).Below, Cycling Weekly has put together all the key information on broadcasters and live streams so you can watch the Tour of Britain Men wherever you are. Quick guide to watching the Tour of Britain MenUK: ITV4, ITVX or YouTube (free), or TNT Sports / HBO Max(25.99/mon)US: YouTubeFree live streams: ITVX (UK) or YouTube (Global)Anywhere: Watch your local stream from anywhere with NordVPNCan I watch the Tour of Britain Men 2026 for free?Fans across the world can stream the Tour of Britain for free.ITV4 and ITVX will be bringing live coverage of all six stages in the Uk, starting from 10:45am on Tuesday morning in Woodbridge, with highlights of the day also available each night on the same platforms. It's also free to watch on YouTube across the world. In Australia, it's live and free on SBS On Demand.Coverage is geo-restricted, so if you're not in any of these countries right now, and these channels are your usual port of call, you'll need a VPN to get your usual coverage while abroad more on that below.How to watch the Tour of Britain Men while abroadMost streaming platforms have geo-restrictions these days, which means they only work in certain countries. But being locked out of the races is a thing of the past thanks to a VPN.A Virtual Private Network is a piece of internet security software that can alter your device's location, so you can unblock your usual streaming services, even when you're abroad. Unlock your stream with NordVPNWith super fast connections, multi-device support and able to unlock any platform, NordVPN is our favourite for streaming. 30-day money back guarantee 3 months extra free 75% offGet NordVPN today and unlock your streaming service from anywhere in the world.View DealWant to know more? We have an explainer on the benefits, costs, and considerations of using a VPN... Should I use a VPN to watch cycling?How to watch the Tour of Britain Men 2026 in the UKIn the UK, the race will be shown live on ITV4 and ITVX, YouTube, and TNT Sports, Warner Bros. Discovery's premium sports channels.The Tour of Britain also be available online and on mobile devices on HBO Max, with a package price of 25.99 a month on a 12-month term. This also gains viewers access to WBD's full range of sports listings, including the currently ongoing Vuelta a Espaa.For those without a subscription, however, the race will be free and live on ITV and YouTube, so you can watch the whole race without paying for it; the YouTube coverage is also without ads. The biggest elite men's race in the UK will be shown live on ITV4 and ITVX for the 14th time, the 14th consecutive edition on the channel. There will also be highlights on television and online.How to watch the Tour of Britain Men 2026 in the US and CanadaFor North American viewers, this year's coverage of the Tour of Britain is on YouTube, so is free.This won't require an account or a subscription just stream away.2026 Tour of Britain Men stage start and finish timesStageDateRouteDistanceProfileEst. schedule (BST)Stage 1Wednesday 2 SeptemberLincoln > Lincoln187.6 kmHilly10:30am-3:17pmStage 2Thursday 3 SeptemberBoston > Skegness180.2 kmFlat10:30am-3:07pmStage 3Friday 4 SeptemberHull > Beverley194.1 kmHilly10:30am-3:10pmStage 4Saturday 5 SeptemberHelmsley > Leyburn165.8 kmHilly11am-3:20pmStage 5Sunday 6 SeptemberEarlston > Earlston156.1 kmHilly11am-2:58pmWe test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example: 1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service). 2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad. We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.

The 2026 Lloyds Tour of Britain will take place from the 2nd to the 6th of September and will be one of the most important races to prepare for the World Championships - as well as being Great Britain's top road event. Like every year, top classics specialists and sprinters will be present throughou...