For professional bike riders, the end of September means the World Road Championships, Paris-Tours, Il Lombardia and then rest. On the domestic scene, though, things are just getting going for some. Out come the flyweight climbing experts and the funny-bikes engineered for ultra-low weight, for the hill-climb season is in full swing.It's a short but intense season, running more or less from the beginning of September and culminating in the National Championships which, this year, is to be held on Somerset's Porlock Hill in the South-West on Sunday 25 October.Compared to the short, sharp efforts that often characterise the Nationals course, Porlock (the toll road rather than the steep main road) is a very different beast. A shallow rise over a four-mile distance means that it could pique the interest of power riders, while the usual hill-climb winners will have to adjust their approach.Reigning men's champion Andrew Feather (HuntBikeWheels.com) tells Cycling Weekly that he has made "significant changes", and has been working on a new approach all year."It's really different for me this year because the Nationals is on a very shallow and pretty fast climb," he says. "Typically on those climbs I've always not been very good because of my position I'm always very upright, out of the saddle, and catch a lot of wind. "I made a conscious decision really early in the year to really work on my position," he adds. "So I'm now riding all the hill-climbs in the drops. I've extended my reach by six centimetres, I've dropped the whole of the front end of the bike by five centimetres. I've taken in handlebar width from 42 to 32 [cm]. So some pretty significant changes."Now riding an S-Works Tarmac which he says is "really fast, and you know you've got the highest pedigree ride in terms of the WorldTour" Feather has been targeting longer races this season, and his new approach seems to be paying off. So far this season Feather has won six out of six hill-climbs, including the three-mile Nebo Road Hill-Climb in Wales, and the 4.5-mile Great Dunn Fell event, which featured a gradient comparable to Porlock Hill. However, says Feather, it's really all about the Nationals."I could win maybe all of the races until the Nationals and lose that one," he says. "So yeah, I'd much rather it be the other way around."(Image credit: Andy Jones )For three-time former hill-climb national champion and last year's silver medallist Illi Gardner (Cardiff Ajax CC), the longer course presents a welcome change from the short and steep stuff. One of the best climbers in the world, not just the UK, she says she is "excited for the longer distance" and has already recce'd the climb."I think the only thing is that the wind could have a bit of an influence because it's quite exposed at the top," she tells Cycling Weekly. She adds: "I kind of just take the same approach to all of the [hill-climbs]. I've never got too into the equipment and aerodynamics. Although I should probably at least try to wear a skinsuit because in previous years I've definitely sacrificed a few unnecessary seconds just for not doing that."Gardner has not changed her approach at all this year, although her training has taken into account this weekend's Everesting Championships in Sicily, where she will be defending her title. The Welshwoman has completed two Everesting Roam rides an Everesting in which the same hill is never climbed twice at around 200 miles each. "I nearly quit many times," she says, "I don't think I'll be rushing out to do many more of those."After this weekend's Everesting champs, Gardner will shift focus on shorter hill-climb events and, she says, will race "quite a few more times" before the National Championships.Porlock hill the gruesome detailsThere are two ways up Porlock Hill, which overlooks the north Somerset coast. The original main road climb is famous for burning out the clutches and brakes of cars, as well as the thighs of cyclists. The toll road approach used by this year's Hill-Climb Championships is a more civilised affair.Running approximately parallel to the main road, the official stats clock in at 4.2 miles at an average gradient of 5.5%, numbers that sound more than manageable on paper but will no doubt see the riders as spent at the finish as any other Championships.

The 2026 Coppa Bernocchi saw Decathlon CMA CGM rider Noa Isidore take a major win, with the 22-year-old taking a bunch sprint finish marred by a finale crash. However, a scary moment earlier in the race has also gained headlines. With just over 19 kilometres to go, the breakaway still held a lead of...

CyclistMeet the new boss: Geraint Thomas profileThe last time Geraint Thomas spoke to Cyclist, when the 2018 Tour de France winner was still racing, safety was at the top of the agenda. Some of his comments back then sound remarkably prescient.Look at other sports safety aspects, F1 or whatever, he said in 2024. Youre on closed circuits and its a lot more controlled. This sport is just totally different. Youre going down these descents, flying down them. If this was a new sport theres no way it would be allowed. But just because of the tradition and the oh, its always been this way, well its not an excuse anymore, is it?Back then, as he and Ineos owner Jim Ratcliffe lobbied for greater safety, he couldnt have imagined that he would be steering a newly bereaved rider through a Grand Tour, which was where he found himself in mid-August.Fin Tarlings death left almost everyone in cycling in shock, including Thomas. He described the level of grief that the Tarling family was experiencing as unimaginable. Within days he was tasked with managing Josh Tarling through the Vuelta a Espaa, which began barely a week after the Welshmans younger brother had died.That was an unexpected responsibility for Thomas, of far greater significance than any strategy meeting or transfer deal. It was also something that none of the experiences in his earlier career could have prepared him for.As baptisms of fire go, Geraint Thomass first year in management has been among the most extreme. In less than six months he dealt with a re-brand, the loss of the teams star rider for the Tour de France, illness, injury and bad results, and finally, the sensitive issue of managing a grief-stricken rider in the public eye.Tough going, he calls it, with his usual understatement.Company manIts late April in Londons Kings Cross and theres a warmth to the spring sunshine as the media gathers for what has become the worst-kept secret in cycling sponsorship. After weeks of speculation, Ineos Grenadiers are about to become Netcompany Ineos.Theres a bunch of Scandinavian corporates in dark jackets and open-neck shirts, some stressed-looking chaperones and PRs, a rare public appearance from Dave Brailsford and, sitting calmly at the back, wearing a slightly amused look on his face, Thomas.The partnership with the Danish AI gurus at Netcompany is enough to bring Brailsford out of his vow of media silence, albeit briefly. The former Team Sky performance director takes to the stage to welcome Netcompany in ebullient form.The next frontier is understanding individual response, Brailsford enthuses. If you can achieve that through AI, you will get better consistency. Thats where I see the big opportunity coming.Next up on stage is Netcompany CEO Andr Rogaczewski: When you marry an IT company with the most winning cycling team in the world, you achieve a mean winning machine.As Thomas looks on, Rogaczewski promises the Earth: We will win the Tour de France for the eighth time in the next five years, he says.The reality of achieving that task is a different matter, as Thomas knows only too well. With Brailsford back on the management team, but very much in the shadows, the job of fronting up has fallen to Thomas.Later, post-launch, we catch up with the elusive Brailsford. Will he be talking on record to the media this year? Theres a pause. Geraints the face of the team now, he says, not me.Its understandable why Thomas is front and centre. Hes always been good to talk to, affable, direct and blessed with a dry and occasionally withering wit that does not suffer fools. Theres none of the tension that always seems to surround Brailsford when hes talking to the media. But managing the team and the expectations around the team, when performances are consistently lacking, is a different matter. Theres only so many times that you can praise your riders for giving it a go.Then theres the continuing talk of the team being in transition, which has now become almost incessant. Theres been a revolving door of top talent at Ineos, from Tom Pidcock to Pauline Ferrand-Prvot, Dan Bigham to Steve Cummings. There have also been the ones that got away, including Remco Evenepoel. Now Thomas has to polish the rough diamond that is Oscar Onley after a tumultuous transfer wrangle and a traumatic first season.The way he came here was not normal, Thomas says. It was late, so for sure it took a bit of a toll on him. Its just getting him back, fit and happy and racing his bike.Oscar is mentally strong, he wants to perform and hes desperate to do that; he puts a lot of pressure on himself. We just want to help him relax and get him enjoying the bike again. Theres no pressure from us to get a result.Even so, getting his riders up to the level he competed at will be an unenviable task for Thomas. And as Rogaczewski talks up the team, the Welshman wears a stony face. In the age of Pogaar, he is very aware of how far his riders are from competing for a Tour de France win.Article continues belowPete GodingPete GodingPete GodingPete GodingPete GodingThomas on TourStanding outside the Netcompany Ineos bus in Barcelona at the beginning of July, theres one thing you cant help noticing about Thomas, former Grand Tour winner. Hes got hairy legs.I cant be arsed to shave them, he says. I do feel a bit like this looks weird.When he first took on his new role at the team, his past life as an athlete ground to a halt. Now, as he gets deeper into the job, hes trying to address that. Hes running in the Cardiff half marathon this autumn and is giving other sports a go too.Theres no hiding in Cardiff, he smiles. Theres an opportunity to do different sports. Ive done a bit of padel, had a few golf lessons, a bit of running. But its finding the balance. At first I did quite a bit, but then Id have calls until noon and another one at 2pm. Prioritising stuff has been a big part of the job, but you feel so much better after a bit of exercise. We can spend eight or nine hours on the bus, so you just have to get out and do something.Its just stuff Ive always wanted to do. Like going to Ally Pally over Christmas and watching the darts. Just being a fan.Its hot in Montjuc and the finish line for the opening stage of the 2026 Tour de France, a 19.6km team time-trial, doesnt offer an awful lot of shelter from the sun. The stage culminates right at the top of the former Olympic Games park with its panoramic views across the city.Theres a troupe of expectant Netcompany VIPs walking up the hill, heading for the guest enclosures at the finish area. It turns out to be a long and ultimately disappointing afternoon for them. Thomas and his team arrived at the Tour without the injured Onley but still, on paper, with enough proven talent Filippo Ganna, Egan Bernal, Kvin Vauquelin to have an impact on the race. As it turns out, the opening stage in Barcelona is as good as it gets.The fast avenues of the Catalan city should favour Thomass team and designated lead rider, Ganna, who takes on that role after Vauquelin suffers the first of many punctures. Fastest through all the checkpoints, they set the best time, with the Italian powering into the lead in the final 800 metres. Then they have to wait.It is Jonas Vingegaard, not Pogaar, who shatters their hopes of a first yellow jersey since Bernal won the Tour in 2019. Who knows if they could have had the overall lead if Vauquelin hadnt punctured?The plan goes out the window once you get punched in the face, Thomas says afterwards.After the promise of the opening day, it all goes downhill quickly. There are too many missed opportunities, misjudged attacks and punctures almost a dozen. In the absence of Onley, the team at times seems rudderless, as if it is chasing its own tail. And it is Thomas, not Brailsford, who is left to face the media.Facing the challengeAs the Tour ends, Cyclist talks to Thomas some more. It has been a chastening three weeks.Theres a lot of learning for me, Thomas admits. Racing, the stuff around it, the plan, Im used to all that, but its the whole management side. Dealing with different people in different areas, how to get the best out of certain people, the staff as much as the riders.Onleys absence meant that there had been plenty of crisis management before the Tour.It wasnt ideal, Thomas says of his hastily reshuffled lineup. We still had faith that the guys we had to choose from could perform and do something, but we knew coming in that if we didnt perform in the team time-trial, it was going to be a struggle.Even the shift in objectives, from targeting the podium to hunting stages, hadnt worked out.Stages are harder and harder to come by and of the three breakaway days, two of them were taken by Mads Pedersen and Mathieu van der Poel, the two best Classics riders in the world.But now, in the modern era, almost every stage in the Tour is a GC stage.Yeah, Thomas agrees. Thats right. In Paris-Nice, Catalunya or Romandie they have those days that could be a break or could be a sprint. On the Tour they seem to be much fewer. I think just for the race and for the racing allowing more people to be competitive and to go for it would be better. But I dont plan the race, and I know theres a lot more going into it.He admits that moving from the team to the sidelines has been a big shift in mindset.On a personal level, at first it was a bit of a challenge with guys that Id known for a while. But I knew that from the start. I had that mutual respect with them and its hard to build that, and so easy to lose it.I started from a good point with them, but Ive really been focused on being completely honest with them and telling them what I really think. Thats not easy. The main challenge was the broader picture and everything from the team collective, from commercial to nutrition to coaching. Its good to get a feel for everything, but in March I had to sit down with Dave and a couple of guys from the management team and say, I need to prioritise now.Has he pushed back against their expectations?Its more that Id say, But what about this? rather than dont do that. The hardest bit is not being on the bike anymore. Im sat on the bus watching, and you feel a bit helpless sometimes.Ive been so used to being in the mix when at least you can try and influence it, but now Ive no control over that. Im trying to get everything right for the guys in the build-up to it and then being involved in how we want to execute. Then, when it comes to the crunch, you cant. I knew that was going to be a bit of a struggle because I want to be in there with them. I dont miss racing, but I miss being able to affect racing.There is no doubt that the British team is still far from the dominant force it used to be.I know how the boys will be feeling when they get it wrong or make a little mistake. I know exactly that feeling, Thomas emphasises. Its like Sa, my wife, often talked about being super-nervous when I was racing. I was always pretty chilled, like, I know what Im doing, theres nothing you can do. But these days, in this job, I can definitely relate to how she felt.Pete GodingWelsh rare bitsHighlights of Geraint Thomass long career on the bike1986Born Geraint Howell Thomas in Cardiff on 25th May2006After some early success on the track, signs for Spanish squad Saunier Duval-Prodir as a stagiaire2007Debuts at the Tour de France for Barloworld as the youngest rider in the race2010Joins the newly formed Team Sky, wins the National Championships Road Race2014Finishes on the podium at E3 Harelbeke, claims his first stage race GC win at Bayern-Rundfahrt and wins gold in the road race at the Commonwealth Games2015Wins E3 Harelbeke and the Volta ao Algarve in the spring and places in the top five overall at Paris-Nice and the Critrium du Dauphin2017Takes his first Grand Tour stage on the opening day of the Tour to wear the yellow jersey on his way to helping Chris Froome claim his third straight Tour victory2018Wins back-to-back Tour stages in the Alps to take the yellow jersey, and defends it all the way to Paris to become the first Welsh Grand Tour winner2019Finishes second to teammate Egan Bernal as Team Sky win their fifth straight Tour de France title2023Misses out on a second career Grand Tour success at the Giro dItalia by just 14 seconds to overall winner Primo Rogli2025Announces his retirement from pro cycling and moves into a directeur sportif role at Netcompany IneosPete GodingThomas onthe recent changes to the final stage of the TourI hated it when they changed it when I was a rider. It was tradition and it felt weird doing the Montmartre climb but now I think its great. Im happy they have, because its another opportunity.night-time testing during the TourId never heard of that before. Id mistakenly thought you couldnt do it. If somebody was waking me up at 2am to wee in a pot, Id be like, What is this? Maybe they have got their reasons, but I just dont understand it.keeping faith with Oscar OnleyHes a great rider. Hes a super talent with an attitude that I can relate to. Ive got 100% faith that he will be good in this team. I just dont want to see him suffering from putting extra pressure on himself.The post Meet the new boss: Geraint Thomas profile appeared first on Cyclist.

Lidl-Trek have announced that veteran Jacopo Mosca will retire this month, bringing his iconic career to an end as he joins the team's staff as sports director from 2027. The 33-year-old Italian calls time on his career after eight seasons at WorldTour level with the team. Joining the team in his ea...

Remember, you still have until 12:00pm EST on October 16th to submit your Meh-roica Bike Pageant entry:In retrospect thats an insane amount of time, and Im not sure why I didnt make the deadline much sooner. Like, this Friday would have made more sense, wouldnt it? Oh well, whatever.Meanwhile, I continue to receive entries, and heres someone who really understood the assigment:This ones definitely in in the running for the jackpot:Or at least the Belgian lottery:Really, the biggest strike against it is the steel fork, which objectively speaking is an upgrade, though it does earn the bike a demerit in the perverse and impractical world of Meh-roicaeven if the original crabon fork did crack, as the owner informs me it did. (A true Meh-roica rider would have replaced the cracked crabon fork with an even lighter crabon fork.) But how about that Team Issue Dura-Ace? See, traditionally Dura-Ace components dont say Shimano on themits like Shimano has an inferiority complex and doesnt want their own name on their top-of-the-line parts. But for a brief and glorious moment in the 9-speed era (were talking the Peak Meh-roica years), not only did Shimano put their name on some Dura-Ace parts (ostensibly the stuff they issued to teams, though you could also buy it), but they put it on there REALLY BIG, even on the shifters:But it was short-lived, and to the best of my knowledge they went back to their usual routine and havent put the S word on Dura-Ace parts since:And I almost didnt notice the fork because my eyes went right to the green tires. Colored tires are EXTREMELY Meh-roica. Today its all bloated tanwalls, but back then it was about skinny tires in primary colors, and if there was any black on the tire at all it was limited to a little landing strip in the middle, sort of like a Brazilian bikini wax:[Via Classic Cycle]How can one bike shop have so many incredible bikes?Oh, wait, I figured it out.By sending all the crappy ones to me, of course:Anyway, none of the above is to say that all Meh-roica bikes must be aesthetically dated. In fact Id argue that this submission is downright timeless:Also, yes, Id like to remind you that while compact doubles are banned, triple cranks are very much permitted, since Meh-roica is all about arriving at your low gearing honestly, like our pre-GRVL ancestors did:Thats two bikes out of the ol Waterford factory, by the way, which is not only an important Meh-roica landmark, but also produced my own Milwaukee:Sadly with its compact double and 11-speed drivetrain the Milwaukee is not Meh-roica compliant.And heres a Meh-roica submission that caught my eye immediately:Because it used to be mine:Clearly the new owner bought it from Classic Cycle knowing that one day Id have a contest and give away some free lube:By the way, the Waterford is in front of Christmas decorations, and the Litespeed is in snow.So are these submissions from the past, or from the future?Speaking of bewilderment, someone posted this in the comments yesterday, and if it is what I think it is then Im VERY UPSET:Okay, let me know if Im understanding this correctly:Blackwater and Marginal Gain built the drivetrain around a different layout meant to reduce chain articulation across the range. The idea gets more interesting as cassette counts keep climbing. Marginal Gain says the concept could support 15- or even 16-speed setups while still keeping chain angles more reasonable than many current 1x systems.So up until the 10-speed era, if you wanted truly wide-range gearing you used a triple.But then we went to 11, and 12, and 13, and we were told how wonderful it was that we could finally get rid of not only the triple, but also the double, and finally bury the front derailleur once and for all:But as soon as they started tamping down the dirt on top of the front derailleurs grave some brain genius figured out, Hey, actually, moving a chain all the way across a really wide cassette at extreme angles doesnt make a lot of sense. But instead of going back to a system that allowed you to keep weight down by using smaller cogs, and keep your chainline optimal, and shift more efficiently by executing a single front shift instead of like ten rear shifts when you get to the top of the climb and start your descent, they came up with A GODDAMN TRIPLE WHERE ALL THE FRONT CHAINRINGS ARE THE EXACT SAME SIZE:Lob have mercy, DID THEY JUST CALL THAT PRACTICAL?Again, maybe Im not understanding this properly and its too much cognitive load on my front derailleur-taxed brain. But if I am, then this is even more ridiculous than the mythical 8-speed singlespeed, and that was built entirely for the purposes of irony:You know, Im going on 20 years of blogular curation, and Ive managed to keep it up through some of the dumbest trends in cycling, but the three-ring 1x may be the innovation that finally breaks me.

Although South Gloucestershire Council has trialled new lighting and committed to installing 20 CCTV cameras along the popular cycling and walking route, Avon & Somerset Police's data suggests crime is up, and offenders are not being brought to justice

Cycling legend Bernard Hinault fell back in love with cycling with the rise of Tadej Pogacar as the sport's major spectacle. The UAE leader's dominance of the sport has seen him shatter records while young riders try to emerge from the shadows and take the thrown. One such sensation is Paul Seixas,...

Juan Ayuso is 24 and still far from writing the definitive chapters of his career. Even so, his first season at Lidl-Trek leaves an obvious conclusion: the path chosen so far is not delivering the expected results. The Valencian has bet on becoming a Grand Tour rider, but his seventh place at the To...

For our 257th Collective Reward, we partnered with Rab to give one lucky winner a lightweight, packable Neutrino Down Sleeping Bag. Learn more about the Neutrino and sign up to support us as a Bikepacking Collective member hereThe post Collective Reward #257: Rab Neutrino Down Sleeping Bag appeared first on BIKEPACKING.com.