You now have two more days to enter the inaugural edition of the 35th Annual Meh-Roica Bicycle Beauty Pageant:Sponsored by Dumonde Tech, the Dom Prignon of bicycle lubricants:[WARNING: Do Not Drink]And if youre unfamiliar with Dom Prignon, its the Dumonde bicycle lubricant of fizzy alcoholic drinks:Glad we could clear that upthough no doubt les Frederiques de Champagne will quibble over the analogy.In the meantime, as you go about your day, spare a thought for me, the person who must somehow choose a winner from among these dazzling submissions. Do I go with classic aluminum?Or custom steel?Speaking of aluminum, in the heady days of the Meh-roica era, when shopping for a high-end Eye-talian bicycle you could choose between oversized magnet-resistant tubing:Or traditional lugged steel:Or else there was this, the most Meh-roica-riffic bicycle of them all:See what I mean? This competition is becoming almost as tight as the tire clearances. However will I choose?But while there may be a seemingly infinite supply of Meh-hroica bikes out there, it appears that the global supply of gimmicky ultra-endurance cycling routes is in danger of being exhausted. The Silk Road, the Continental Divide, Everesting the Williamsburg Bridgeits all been done. And clearly Lachlan Morton, the David Blaine of Bikes, is running out of ideas, because now hes racing against 19th century letter carriers for some reason:And he beat them, too!So in your faceuh, old-timey people on horseback?After 3,217km across the western half of America, Morton rolled into Sacramento at 11:19 p.m., completing his ride in six days, 21 hours and 15 minutes.That put him 19 hours and 45 minutes ahead of the horseback relay that carried Abraham Lincolns inaugural address from Missouri to California in 1861.So which arduous historical route will he conquer next? The Louis & Clark Expedition? The Trail of Tears? The Oregon Trail?Either way, he sure showed em:Those riders used roughly 197 horses by swapping out at intervals. Morton did it himself, with a quiver of bikes and a support crew.Big deal. If he did it on a horse maybe Id be impressed.And finally, speaking of running out of ideasSo what is this unprecedented new era, anyway?The collaboration explores and propels the unprecedented new era cycling is now entering, taking an active part in a shift in the way the bike is seen, worn and understood, MAAP says.It pushes back against a world built for seamlessness, with its algorithmic palettes, frictionless identities and quiet flattening of everything into something instantly legible. Performance gets a wider definition here. Physical commitment, image, attitude and experimentation share the same road.II dontwhat?And did they just say bikes are worn?Well, I did visit the site, and think maybe all that is just pretentious for wearing a t-shirt with cycling shorts:Or possibly just standing there like a ski jumper in mid-air:Sorry, I cant stand it anymore, Im going to go wear my bike now.

Great Britains womens team sprint trio landed a silver medal at the UCI Track World Championships on Wednesday, but were left with a feeling it could have been more, after Sophie Capewells saddle snapped in the final.The team, which also included Rhianna Parris-Smith and Emma Finucane, led fellow finalists China after the first of three laps, before Capewell took her turn and the trio fell behind, missing out on gold by less than four tenths of a second. Capewell revealed afterwards that she suffered a mechanical issue, and struggled to stay upright on her bike. [It was] a disappointing final. It wasnt our best ride. My saddle snapped halfway through my lap, so as you can imagine it was quite difficult staying up and finishing off my turn, the 28-year-old Olympic champion said. [I] still put in a good ride considering, but there was a lot more in there, and it would have been really interesting to see what we could have put up in that final. Tong Mengqi, Yuan Liying and Jiang Yulu earned Chinas first world title in the event since 2015 with a time of 45.578 seconds. Despite her saddle snap, Capewell praised her opponents, saying they came out swinging inside their home velodrome in Shanghai. Weve had a lot of different teams over the last two years, and Ive been out with a bit of injury trouble, so to turn up today and get a silver medal is something Im super proud of, said Capewell, who won Olympic gold in the event with a world-record ride alongside Finucane in 2024. At the start of Olympic quali[fication], a silver medals not too bad, and leaves us hungry for more. Germany rounded out the podium in the event. Jeffrey Hoogland, Roy van den Berg and Harrie Lavreysen celebrate their fourth world title in a row. (Image credit: Alex Whitehead/SWPix)In the mens team sprint, the Olympic champions, the Netherlands made up of Roy van den Berg, Harrie Lavreysen and Jeffrey Hoogland claimed their eighth title in nine years with a time of 41.954 seconds in the final. Australia were the last team to beat the Dutch, doing so in 2022, and took silver in Shanghai, having led the first two laps of the final, before Hoogland overhauled the deficit in the last lap to win by more than half a second. China sealed the bronze medal. Great Britain's mens team sprint trio, silver medallists last year, placed 6th this time round. The team was without the double European champion Matthew Richardson, who was withdrawn from the squad on Monday amid reports of serious misconduct. According to The Times, the 27-year-old is under investigation for discriminatory posts and behaviour. Richardson responded to allegations in a statement on Tuesday afternoon, vowing to co-operate fully and with contrition for the feelings of anyone who might be affected. The first rainbow jersey of this years Track World Championships went to Lorena Wiebes, who won her third title in a row in the womens scratch race. The Dutchwoman attacked off the front of the pack inside two laps to go, and was chased by Lara Gillespie (Ireland), who couldnt find the speed to pip her on the line. Its quite crazy, said Wiebes, who represents SD Worx-Protime on the road. Of course, you always go for the win, but its always harder and harder to repeat it.Denmark will face Italy in the final of the mens team pursuit on Thursday. Great Britain qualified for the bronze medal ride-off against France. The British womens team pursuit squad qualified first on Wednesday, with the first round to follow on Thursday.

Netcompany INEOS have announced their latest signing following the shock departure of Filippo Ganna, signing French climberClment Champoussin on a three-year deal. The 28-year-old joins from XDS Astana. A former Vuelta a Espana stage winner who also took top ten finishes at WorldTour stage races s...

First, we knew Leatt for protection & shoes, then components; now they are expanding again into high-performance bike care products with this all-new GRiTT sub-brand. Included in the line-up is everything youd expect from a bike care line-up. That includes chain lubes, drivetrain & frame cleaners, post-clean protective treatments, tubeless sealant, even riderwear care items like re-waterproofers and a helmet pad & protector cleaner. Gritt describes the majority of the cleaners as truly biodegradable. The entire line-up is PFAS-free. And curiously, pretty much everything is red and smells like cherries, even the tubeless sealant.Leatts all-new Gritt bike & rider gear care line(Photos/GRiTT by Leatt)Leatt have protected riders for over 20 years. So, they say its time they started protecting your bike and riding gear, too. So their all-new Gritt high-performance bike care range endeavors to cover all the bases of cleaning, lubricating, and generally keeping your bikes (and motorbikes) running at the top of their game. And they aim to do that, all at affordable price points.Every GRiTT product has been rigorously tested in the lab, on a wide variety of bikes and motorcycles, and across multiple materials. Professional athletes have also put each formula through real-world conditions to guarantee performance you can trust. All products are safe for use on chrome, carbon, anodized metals and plastics.So what makes Gritt unique?Besides the cherry scent to everything, Leatt & Gritt claim a few unique technologies and advanced formulations set them apart.For their cleaning products, Gritts developed a ViscoClean formula, claimed to better cling to the surface being cleaned. Needing to be shaken-to-activate, they will flow 18 times slower than standard cleaners, allowing the liquid gel to work longer and more effectively so you get better cleaning, less wasted cleaner. Their standard spray-on cleaners are also TrueBio, meaning every ingredient is biodegradable, breaking down naturally, leaving nothing harmful behind. Then, next-gen polymers in the post-wash products promise to add a smart protective layer that helps water and dirt slide off more effectively.On the lubrication side, Gritt uses a durable, exceptionally smooth & protective Ceramic tech adding Hexagonal Boron Nitride (h-BN). They say that reduces wear by 70%. The Ceramic tech also purports to reduce drivetrain noise, and ensure longer-lasting smooth performance in all conditions. Plus, it includes anti-corrosive additives to protect against rust long-term.Bike Care Range OverviewTheres really a wide range of new Gritt by Leatt bike and gear care product line-up. I count 5 different spray & 4 aerosol cleaners/degreasers, 4 post-wash treatments, 4 different ceramic bike chain lubes, 4 sealant sizes plus a sealant cleaner spray, 3 rain proofers, an anti-fog spray, and the helmet cleaning foam. And we havent had a chance to try out any of it yet.So, lets just take a sample of whats on offer and how much it costs, for exampleGRiTT bike care Pricing & availabilityA liter of the True Bio spray Bike Wash sells for about $15 / 13 / 15. The True Bio PowerFoam Bike Wash that youd pair to your foaming pressure washer is $18 / 14 / 18 for a liter. $20 / 18 / 20 for a liter of the True Bio spray Chain Cleaner. The 120ml True Bio Ceramic Chain Lube also sells for $15 / 13 / 15, no matter the formula that fits your riding conditions all weather, wet rides, dry conditions. The Ceramic Chain Wax is a bit more expensive at $17 / 15 / 17 per 120ml bottle.The complete new GRiTT by Leatt line-up is available globally, both directly from Leatt or Gritt in some markets, or via their wide range of online retailers and brick-and-mortar bike shop dealers. But the individual assortment in each channel seems to vary quite a bit, likely as this is all quite new at the moment.GRiTTbyLeatt.com

2026 UCI Track Cycling World ChampionshipsDate: Wednesday 14 October - Sunday 18 OctoberWhere: Shanghai, ChinaEvents: 22How to watch: BBC iPlayer (UK), TNT Sports (UK), Flosports.tv (US), Stan Sport (Aus), UCI Youtube (geo-restriced)The Track Cycling World Championships take place in China for the first time in its 123 year history. The 250 metre, indoor Shanghai velodrome in Chongming District opened in December 2023, and this is its first international event.400 riders from 46 nations will compete in the 22 events over five days. British sprinter Matthew Richardson however will not be one of them, as he was withdrawn from the event and sent home by British Cycling at the beginning of the week.The Times has reported that Richardson is under investigation for circulating discriminatory posts and behaviour. The sprinter, who won two silver medals at the Paris Olympics for Australia before switching nationalities, took to Instagram to say he would co-operate fully with the process.Having topped the medal table last year, the Dutch team are once again expected to be the strongest team on the track, in part thanks to sprinter Harrie Lavreysen, who already holds 20 world titles and is undefeated in the sprint since he first won it in 2019. At 29, Lavreysen is already considered the greatest male sprinter of all time.Great Britain's best chance of gold comes with the women's sprint squad, led by 2025 sprint world champion Emma Finucane, who, coming into these championships, said she wanted to become 'the most successful British sprinter.2026 UCI Track Cycling World Championships schedule (finals only)DateEvent2026 winner(s)Wednesday, October 14Women's scratch raceLorena Wiebes (Ned)Women's team sprintChinaMen's team sprintThursday, October 15Men's team pursuitWomen's elimination raceMen's keirinMen's scratch raceWomen's team pursuitFriday, October 16Men's points raceWomen's omniumMen's 1,000m TTMen's individual pursuitWomen's sprintSaturday, October 17Women's 1,000m TTMen's omniumWomen's MadisonWomen's individual pursuitSunday, October 18Women's points raceMen's elimination raceMen's sprintWomen's keirinMen's MadisonThe full schedule, live timings and results will all be posted on the Tissot Timing website throughout the event. 2026 Track Cycling World Championships - riders to watchHarrie Lavreysen (Netherlands)The Dutchman is epxected to add to his massive haul of world titles in Shanghai. A former BMXer, no rider has found a way to beat him in the sprint since 2018, the year before his run of wins from 2019 onwards that also includes Olympic Games. Expect him to compete in all sprint competitions. He was part of the trio that qualified fastest by more than a quarter of a second in the men's team sprint on the opening morning. His biggest challenger might be from a team mate. Lorena Wiebes (Netherlands)The Dutch sprinter is almost unbeatable on the road, and so it proved on the track as she won the first event, the women's scratch race. No doubt with one eye on the 2028 Olympic Games in LA, Wiebes also rode the team pursuit, qualifying as the fourth fastest nation, nearly six second behind Great BritainEmma Finucane (Great Britain)Three world and one Olympic title make Finucane the most decorated rider in the British team, despite only being 23 years old. She became the first sprinter to win four golds in one Commonwealth Games earlier this year winning the sprint, team sprint, keirin and 1,000m tt. Whether or not she will be affected by the withdrawal from competition of her partner Matt Richardson remains to be seen. Lotte Kopecky (Belgium)While the former road world champion has had a poor season by her own very high standards, she remains a standout rider in the women's endurance events with six world titles under her belt. She's down to ride the elimination race, Madison, and omnium - teams can change riders at the last minute if they wish. Kopecky has a decorated palmares, but is still missing an Olympic title. She will have one eye on the LA Games, but as such a standout rider, all her competitors will have one eye on her when racing.Taylor Phinney (USA)Back riding a major track competition for the first time in 16 years; the American has come out of retirement in a bid to compete in the 2028 Olympic Games. Having won the individual pursuit world title early in his career, Phinney did not compete on the track once he switched to the WorldTour. The USA qualified seventh fastest in the team pursuit and Phinney is only a substitute for the individual pursuit2026 UCI Track Cycling World Championships medal tableCountryGold Silver Bronze TotalNetherlands1001China1001Ireland0101Great Britain0101Portugal0011Germany0011

Stage one of the 2026 Eneco Tour was very much the Tim Merlier show as the Belgian showed a stunning show of power, launching his sprint with a huge acceleration before holding off the rest in an enduring final 100 metre sprint. After an exhilarating opening evening saw just seven seconds separate...

The debut edition of the Taurus Mountain Race is officially underway, taking more than 250 intrepid riders on a 1,440-kilometer journey across Trkiye. Meaghan Hackinen is out there racing, and her latest video shares a detailed look at her bike and gear. Watch it here...The post Meaghan Hackinens Taurus Mountain Race Bike Check (Video) appeared first on BIKEPACKING.com.

The UCI Cycling Esports World Championships are getting a pretty serious shake-up for 2026.MyWhoosh and the UCI have confirmed a new two-stage points format for the Elite final, with surprise checkpoints (right?!), route choices, and enough scoring opportunities that crossing the finish line first wont necessarily win the rainbow jersey. Esports Worlds Get New Junior & Masters Titles for 2026The Elite final will take place December 5 in Copenhagen, bringing the entire field together inside a dedicated esports studio. But thats not all; one week later, cycling esports gets another first: official UCI Junior and Masters Cycling Esports World Championships, giving riders outside the Elite category their own shot at rainbow stripes.For the Elite race, the biggest change is tactical. Riders wont only be asked to produce the biggest watts at the obvious moments. Some scoring opportunities wont be revealed until the race is already underway, and the second stage gives riders a literal choice between easier and harder routes. (All Photos/MyWhoosh)Stage 1: Surprise Surge CheckpointsThe Elite championship starts with a 7.6km points race featuring five Surge Checkpoints. Heres the catch: riders wont know where those checkpoints are beforehand.The race announces each checkpoint only500 meters before the scoring line, and every rider receives the same notification at the same time. The first 10 riders across each checkpoint score points. This should create a race where positioning matters almost constantly. Riders have to decide whether to move forward early and spend energy before the line or sit back, wait, and hope they have enough road left when the checkpoint appears.It should also make repeated acceleration and recovery a major part of the first stage. No one sits around waiting for one final sprint, like a real-life masters race.Stage 2: Choose Your Own RouteStage 2 gets even stranger. The race covers four 5km laps for 20km total, and every lap includes a route choice. About 400 meters before the split, each rider must choose between two equal-distance routes. One is flatter and worth fewer points. The other is hillier, costs more energy, and pays more points. However, each route has its own scoring line. Once the two paths rejoin, everyone contests another common sprint checkpoint.That means riders havetwo scoring opportunities per lap, giving them eight chances to collect points during Stage 2. On the final lap, the finish line doubles as the final sprint checkpoint, with double points available.What happens if you dont pick a route? MyWhoosh automatically sends you down the flatter route choice made. Why do all this wildness? Because taking the hill might pay more points, but it could also leave a rider empty when the groups reconnect. The flat route offers fewer points, but it may allow someone to recover or set up the next sprint. Its tactical, a bit of a gamble, and Im sure its fun to watch.After adding points from both stages, the rider with the highest total becomes World Champion after verification and UCI approval. Finishing first isnt enough; the points matter too.(Photo by Mirror Media/Elite)The Gear: Same Trainers for EveryoneHardware will also be standardized for the Elite final. Every finalist will race on an ELITE Justo 2 smart trainer, with ELITE individually preparing and verifying each trainer before the event. That gives every rider the same trainer platform and is intended to create a more consistent power-measurement environment across the field.The championship itself will take place in a dedicated esports studio in Copenhagen, rather than the previously announced two-location format. Bringing everyone into one venue should simplify logistics and give the broadcast team more control over how they present the racing.When To Watch: Elites, Jrs and MastersThe Elite final is now scheduled for Saturday, December 5, 2026, in Copenhagen. One week later, things go remote again. On December 12, the UCI and MyWhoosh will hold the first UCI Junior and Masters Cycling Esports World Championships. Where can you watch? You can watch on the UCI MyWhoosh platform or the MyWhoosh YouTube Channel.Think Youre Ready For Worlds? For the first time, cycling esports World Championship titles have expanded beyond the Elite field.The Junior category is open to eligible riders aged 17 and 18. Masters racing begins at 40 years old, divided into five-year age categories. Riders aged 19 through 39 remain part of the existing Elite championship structure rather than this new event. Each Junior or Masters category will need at least 10 verified starters for the UCI to award a world title.The Junior and Masters championships will be fully remote, but riders must still meet a long list of eligibility and verification requirements. Competitors need a valid license or membership from their National Federation, including any required UCI ID, and must be eligible to represent that nation.Full Verification Still AppliesMyWhoosh will use the same sort of verification procedures that have become central to high-level esports racing.That includes:Race and training-history reviewHeight and weight verificationApproved equipment checksLive dual-power recordingCadence and heart-rate monitoringStreaming and identity checksPost-race comparison of primary and secondary power dataAdditional testing or evidence if requiredAll results remain unverified until MyWhoosh completes its performance checks and the UCI and appointed International Commissaire approve the classification.*UCI esports regulations and anti-doping rules also apply. Check out all the information here at MyWhoosh

Alessandro Covi upset the odds at the end of the 2026 Giro del Veneto to surge to victory in the Italian one-day classic. Upsetting his former team, UAE Team Emirates - XRG, the Jayco AlUla rider admits tired legs could've led to his big win. A first victory for the Australian team after joining thi...

CyclistDT Swiss is now selling its previously Canyon-exclusive 40mm gravel bike suspension forkDT Swiss has launched two stand-alone versions of its 40mm travel gravel fork, the F132 and F132 One. The F132 was previously only available on some specs of the Canyon Grizl gravel bike, which Canyon called Rift, but DT Swiss is now selling its fork, which has clearance for 50mm tyres on 700c wheels, as a separate product. It claims that its testing shows a reduction of up to 60% in impact forces relative to a rigid fork when fitted with 40mm tyres.The F132 One has a remote and can be toggled between open and locked modes using DTs drop bar remote lever, which DT says has been designed to be reachable from a range of hand positions.The standard F132 doesnt have a remote and is always open, so you cant lock it when riding on smoother surfaces.According to ultra-racer and bikepacker Carlotta Schumacher: For me, the gravel fork was the ideal compromise between speed and comfort. During my ultracycling races, I was able to maintain the light weight of my gravel bike without sacrificing the luxury of a good suspension fork on the descents.The forks use an air spring cartridge that can be adjusted with a shock pump and offer tuneable rebound, while DT Swiss says it has kept them as light as possible. The brake hose can be semi-internally routed from the bikes steerer into the fork crown and the F 132 Ones remote cable can be fully internally routed.Both forks are available in three different offsets, 45mm, 50mm and 56mm, so you can choose one that matches a rigid forks steering geometry for consistent handling. DT has an online tool to help you choose the right offset figure for your gravel bike.If you need to carry extra gear, you can add DTs extra-cost bikepacking adapters, which can support 3kg a side.Low maintenanceDT Swiss says that the fork has been designed for low maintenance requirements and, in normal conditions, just needs a minor service after a year or 150 hours of riding, which it equates to around 3,750km.After that, it needs a full service every two years or after 500 hours of use around 12,500km.DT claims a 1,340g weight for the F 132 One fork, without the remote lever and other small parts, while the F 132 has a 1,380g claimed weight.In the UK, only the F 132 One will be available to purchase, with a retail price of 999.99. Its priced internationally at $1,269.60 / 1,149, while the F 132 is priced at $893.90 / 809.The bikepacking adaptors are an additional 44.99 a pair.The post DT Swiss is now selling its previously Canyon-exclusive 40mm gravel bike suspension fork appeared first on Cyclist.