The2026 Vuelta a Espaawill 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 preview...

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...

Enric Mas finished stage 11 of the 2026 Vuelta a Espaa with the red jersey still on his shoulders, but also with the sense of having let an opportunity slip. The race leader had expected the wind to play a leading role on a day seemingly designed for echelons and for testing the positioning of the...

Pedaleo is a three-day bikepacking festival in Switzerland packed with inspiring talks, hands-on workshops, a vibrant expo, social rides, outdoor movies, live music, lake swims, and more. Leoni Kolberg was one of more than 1,000 participants, and she wrote a detailed reflection on what made the weekend special. Find her recap and photos from the event here...The post Welcome to Bikepacking Paradise: Three Days at Pedaleo appeared first on BIKEPACKING.com.

America.Sure, weve got our problems, but lets set the cynicism aside and take a moment to unironically appreciate how lucky we are to live here. Weve got fiftycount em, 50!fun-filled states brimming with every sort of terrain and retail establishment and lunatic you could possibly imagine. Its like Canada if it were interesting.But sure, if youre a cyclist, life in America can sometimes be difficult. This is because nobody understands us, and nowhere is this lack of comprehension more apparent than in our advice columns. Our drivers may fail to see us in the simple Whoops, I guess I ran him over sense, but our advice columnists fail to see who we are as people, and in a way isnt that far worse?Well, no, obviously it isnt. But they could still do a lot better than this:Or, more recently, this:Were all familiar with the whole Pando Cyclist phenomenon. Those riders were clueless enough, but in this case our advice-seeker is a Post-Pando Cyclist:Im a 40-year-old man, and Im married to a 38-year-old woman. I took up cycling as a hobby several years ago. It was about a year after the pandemic ended, and I was feeling out of shape and depressed, and I was drinking too much. My daughter had just been born, my dad died six months later, and I was in a high-stress job I hated. It felt like my new hobby helped me be healthier, both mentally and physically.He does two or three short rides a week:Im now at the point where I typically ride my bike four to seven hours per week (two to three times). The main problem is that my wife hates it. Whenever I mention going for a ride, she gets noticeably annoyed and makes passive-aggressive comments about my priorities. Outside of these few hours alone on the bike, Im a very present and active partner and parent. I still do family activities after my rides and am conscious not to be a blob on the couch for the rest of the day.And its driving his wife crazy:At this point, it feels like she is just mad that I have something I enjoy doing that doesnt involve her. If I replaced this hobby with another one, she would likely have the same reaction. I dont know what else to offer as a fair solution. I think Im within my rights to do something alone and have an activity that keeps me in shape. Its literally the only hobby I have! Im not willing to give up this hobby yet, and if I do, I would need to replace it with some other form of physical activity in order to stay sane and healthy, which would likely put us in the same predicament. Is there any middle ground here?So the advice columnist weighs in with a bunch of generic advice that isnt necessarily bad, but which betrays a complete lack of understanding of the cyclist mindset, and is not written in a way that a Fred can understand.What Fred needs to hear the truth.First and foremost, Fred, what you need to realize is that you should be thankful. See, the fact your wife resents you for riding your bike means shes a healthy, well-adjusted person. As a new rider, you labor under the delusion that what youre doing is important or even worthy of praise, but normal people understand that getting dressed up like this to ride a bicycle to nowhere is deeply self-indulgent behavior:Sure, you may get a lot of pleasure from it, and you may want to be free to explore you newfound identity. You might even feel like your wife is preventing you from being the happy, fit person you were truly meant to be. But believe me, it could be way worse. You could be married to another cyclist. This may sound like an ideal situation, but believe me, cyclist couples are just creepy. There needs to be at least one sane person in order for a relationship to function, and cyclists are inherently not sane. You know what a cyclist couple looks like? This:You dont want this.Also, like most Freds, you seem to be under the delusion that cycling is transforming you into a desirable physical specimen. Nothing could be further from the truth; in fact, most cyclists suffer from a sort of reverse body dysmorphia which causes them to think grotesque attributes are somehow attractive. For example, did you know cyclists are actually proud of their tan lines?[From here]Also, as the years go on, your legs will become swollen, your upper body will become pale and emaciated, and youll realize the final evolutionary form of the cyclist, which is nearly identical to that of a plucked chicken:[Cyclist at rest after an epic ride, from here.]Look, self-delusion is bad enough, but its far worse when you start foisting it upon others by suggesting they should continue to share a bed with youor worse, follow you around on an e-bike:Ive encouraged her to think of some of her own personal hobbies to get into and offered to get an e-bike so she and our daughters can tag along.This is like a drunk telling his wife she should come to the bar with him and hell buy her mocktails while he drinks himself to death.Of course none of this would have been a problem if your wife had known what she was getting into from the beginning. Instead you just sprang all this on her, like Kristi Noems husband and his boobs:In your defense, it sounds like you didnt know you were a cyclist, either. Nevertheless, had you been a lifelong Fred then your wife would already have known about and had time to come to terms with your proclivitiesand more importantly, youd have learned early on how to spare her from the worst of it. For example, while you dont say what time of day youre riding, but if youre like most new cyclists youre heading out in the middle of the day, because youre under the impression that Fredding is normal behavior. But real cyclists know that its best to ride early, when good, decent people are asleep. This way you come home from your ride when everybody else is just getting up, and you can pretend to be normal for the rest of your day. In your case, you say youre riding from four to seven hours a week. This is about what a typical terminal Fred rides in a single day, and is very easily concealed. Like a furtive masturbator, an experienced cyclist could easily ride four to seven hours a week without a spouse or life partner even knowing he owns a bicycle, let alone identifies as a cyclist and rides one regularly. Frankly, your inability to ride a measly seven hours a week without annoying your wife is deeply amateurish.But its true that nobody can hide forever, and ultimately if you want to be a cyclist, you have to come to terms with everyone hating you, including your wife.Cant deal with that?Maybe cycling isnt for you.

Tiffany Cromwell has quietly called time on her road racing career, revealing three days after the Philadelphia Cycling Classic that the American one-day race had been her final appearance on the road as a professional cyclist.The 38-year-old Australian announced the news on Instagram on Wednesday, confirming at the same time that 2026 will be her final season as a professional altogether."The [Philadelphia Cycling Classic] was my final road race as a professional cyclist, as 2026 is officially my final season racing bikes professionally," she wrote.Cromwell had not publicly announced ahead of Philadelphia that the race would be her road farewell. When she extended her contract with Canyon-SRAM zondacrypto for an 11th season in November 2025, she instead spoke of ambitions for the Spring Classics, earning selection for the Tour de France Femmes and targeting the UCI Gravel World Championships in Australia."The biggest goal and reason to continue for another season is the UCI Gravel World Championships in Australia," Cromwell said at the time.Cromwell's road career stretches back to 2010 and encompasses Giro dItalia stage victories, a win at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, an Olympic appearance and more than a decade with the Canyon-SRAM programme."Ive been fortunate to have a very long cycling career and part of the massive change and growth of womens cycling," Cromwell wrote."Theres been many highs and lows and many amazing memories. And Im happy to be able to finish on my own terms."Cromwell is not finished racing altogether, however. The Australian national gravel champion said she still has "a couple more gravel races to go" before ending her professional career at the UCI Gravel World Championships in Nannup, Western Australia, in October.A fitting farewellCromwell's final road race delivered an appropriately team-focused ending for one of the women's peloton's most experienced road captains.Canyon-SRAM raced a smart race in Philadelphia and took the win, with sprinter Chiara Consonni edging out Canadian Alexandra Volstad (EF Education-Oatly) at the line. "Philly was a great race to be able to close out this chapter of my career," Cromwell wrote."An iconic U.S. race with so much history that was back for the first time in 10 years. The atmosphere was electric, and as an added bonus we managed to take home the victory as a team with [Chiara Consonni]."That final contribution was representative of the role Cromwell had increasingly embraced at Canyon-SRAM. While she may have spent earlier parts of her career racing for her own results, Cromwell evolved into a rider valued for positioning leaders, reading races and guiding younger teammates through the biggest events on the calendar.Speaking to Cycling Weekly in 2024, she described herself simply as "a teammate you can rely on", adding:"No matter how good or bad I'm feeling, if I have a job to do, I'll do it."From Australian prospect to Omloop winnerTiffany Cromwell in 20Tiffany Cromwell in the women's road race at the 2009 UCI World Road Championship. (Image credit: Getty Images)Cromwell turned professional in 2010, although her international career had already begun several years earlier.After riding for Hitec Products and Lotto Honda, she joined the Australian Orica-AIS team for 2012 and produced one of the standout performances of that year's Giro d'Italia Femminile.On stage 5, Cromwell went clear and won by eight minutes and 33 seconds ahead of Giorgia Bronzini, moving herself to fifth overall behind race leader Marianne Vos.The following season brought arguably the biggest one-day road victory of her career.Cromwell won the 2013 Omloop Het Nieuwsblad after escaping with Megan Guarnier late in the race and beating the American to the line, while teammate Emma Johansson finished third.At the time of her victory, the women's Omloop was not yet part of the Women's WorldTour, television coverage was limited, and the depth of the professional peloton was considerably smaller.Cromwell's career would eventually span that entire transformation, from the comparatively modest women's calendar of the early 2010s to the modern WorldTour era.Her 2013 season also included a ninth-place finish in the elite women's road race at the UCI Road World Championships in Florence.Cromwell moved to Specialized-Lululemon for 2014 before joining Velocio-SRAM in 2015, the programme that would become Canyon-SRAM the following year.She remained there for the rest of her road career.When Cromwell extended for 2026, she was the only rider remaining from the original group that joined when Canyon-SRAM was created for the 2016 season.That inaugural Canyon-SRAM season also brought Cromwell another major victory.She won stage 4 of the 2016 Giro Rosa in Lovere, beating Maria Giulia Confalonieri and Aude Biannic in the sprint.Together with her 2012 success, it gave her two Giro stage victories during her career.As the seasons passed, however, Cromwell's responsibilities steadily shifted away from pursuing her own results.These days Id say my main role within the team now is definitely being that leader. Not for results but for leading by example; helping our younger riders develop, and giving my knowledge to the team from the years of experience I have in the sport, she said when extending her contract last November.The longevity of that relationship became one of the defining aspects of her career.While rider movement became increasingly common in the Women's WorldTour, Cromwell remained with the same organisation from 2015 through her final road season in 2026.Olympic goal finally achievedCromwell also fulfilled one of her longest-standing ambitions when she represented Australia at the Tokyo Olympic Games in 2021.She rode the women's road race, won by Austria's Anna Kiesenhofer, after years of trying to earn Olympic selection.There had been several points when Cromwell considered whether her career was approaching its end.In 2021, she said she had once imagined the 2022 UCI Road World Championships in Wollongong as a possible retirement point.Instead, she continued racing.Gravel increasingly provided a renewed source of motivation, allowing Cromwell to chase personal victories while her road programme became more focused on supporting teammates.That balance remained central to her 2026 campaign.As recently as March, Cromwell was discussing how she needed road racing to maintain the speed required for gravel while still targeting major road objectives, including a potential Tour de France Femmes appearance. Cyclingnews reported that she remained focused on balancing both disciplines, with the home Gravel World Championships providing the season's major target.There was still no indication publicly at that point that 2026 would be her last season.A second career on gravelCromwell's transition toward gravel developed into far more than a diversion from her road programme.She became an established contender on the discipline's international circuit, winning the 100-mile event at Unbound Gravel, UCI Gravel World Series races and Australian national titles.In May, Cromwell claimed her second Australian elite women's gravel championship, breaking away early and eventually winning by 20 minutes after a muddy 123km race in South Australia.She had already demonstrated her form on the terrain that will provide the setting for her final race.Earlier that month, Cromwell won the SEVEN UCI Gravel World Series event in Nannup, attacking solo on a 125km course containing more than 3,000 metres of climbing and more than 80% gravel.It was her second consecutive victory at SEVEN.That same Western Australian terrain will host the Gravel World Championships in October the event Cromwell has now confirmed will bring her professional career to a close.Time to turn my attention back to gravel for the final few races of my career! she wrote.Happy to finish on my own termsFew riders still competing in 2026 have had a clearer view of the transformation of women's professional cycling than Cromwell.She entered the sport before the creation of the Women's WorldTour and raced through an era in which opportunities, race coverage and professional conditions expanded dramatically.She won races as a leader, spent years working for others, represented Australia at the Olympics and found a new competitive life on gravel late in her career.That made the manner of her final road race especially appropriate.There was no ceremonial farewell announced in advance and no final attempt to manufacture an individual result.Instead, Cromwell worked for her team, helped Consonni into position and watched Canyon-SRAM win the race.And thanks to my @wmncycling team and @valtteribottas for making my final road race one to remember!!! she wrote.Too many thank yous to give right now, Ill save that for later. But thank you to everyone who has supported me from the very beginning until now and followed along the journey!!Cromwell's final competitive chapter will now play out on gravel before she returns to Australia for the World Championships in October.After 16 professional seasons, two Giro stage victories, an Omloop Het Nieuwsblad title, an Olympic appearance, years as one of Canyon-SRAM's most trusted road captains and a late-career collection of gravel successes, she will finally stop.As for what comes afterwards, Cromwell does not appear ready to say.Then . Whats next?

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...

The Vuelta a Espaa has a clear dominant figure in the sprints: Matthew Brennan. The British rider managed to take his third win of the race this afternoon in Lorca, at the end of a day where Team Visma | Lease a Bike did a lot of work to set it up for him. It wasn't a triumph that came across as u...

The first red jersey of the 2026 Vuelta a Espana will be decided immediately in Monaco, where a 9.4-kilometre individual time trial opens a race featuring more than 58,000 metres of climbing, repeated summit finishes and a second race against the clock later in the final week. This live classificati...

Matthew Brennan claimed his third stage victory of the 2026 Vuelta a Espana on stage 11, completing another day for Team Visma | Lease a Bike. The British rider was guided into the final sprint by Wout Van Aert, after their team had spent much of the stage controlling the peloton. Domen Novak, Ethan...