The Montmartre climb on the final stage of the 2025 and 2026 editions of the Tour de France already went down a treat with cycling fans. However, after just two years in the race, organisers are reportedly set to revert to the classic Champs Elysees finish in 2027. The Cte de la Butte Montmartre -...

Early this year, the 32-inch hype was impossible to ignore, and it seemed every brand had a prototype in the works. With the Callis 32-inch, Avona are now the first to put a carbon gravel bike with 32-inch wheels into series production. Has the future already arrived, or will the 32-incher remain a niche product still wrestling with teething problems?Avona Callis 32 | 8.36 kg in size M | 6,599.00 | Manufacturers websiteWheel size has always been fertile ground for experimentation in gravel. While 700c dominates the market, 650b was meant to make room for volume back when wide 700c gravel tires didnt exist. Fitted with wide rubber, the smaller wheel matched the outer diameter of a 700c wheel on narrow tires while offering more air volume for comfort and traction. It never broke through. Now the trend is heading the other way, with outer diameters on the rise. With the Callis 32-inch, young German brand Avona are making the leap to 32-inch wheels, and they have a direct comparison up their sleeve, since the Callis is still available on 700c wheels too. Avona were skeptical of the format at first, until their own measurement data convinced them of the big wheels potential. Key Facts on the Avona Callis 32 inch Highs fully configurable cockpit dimensions clean finish and tidy look shorter cranks as standard progressive or classic riding position to choose from Lows only available in three sizes due to the design no power meter fitted Key Facts 32-inch wheels from Faserwerk around 300 g lighter than the 28-inch model on our scales carbon frame with 55 mm tire clearance integrated downtube storage compartment The promise is tempting: lower rolling resistance, more stability and more comfort than the 700c Callis. On the flip side, there could be penalties in weight, inertia and steering. Avona dont only claim to offset them, they go further, claiming the Callis 32 is faster uphill than its 700c sibling. Thats a bold claim. We put it to the test on our Black Forest loop, pitting both versions head to head across steep ramps, fast gravel sections and rooty trails, to find out whether the new format delivers a real advantage or mainly convinces on paper.The Avona Callis 32 in detail is bigger always better?Bigger wheels, job done? Not quite. The Callis 32 is no scaled-up Callis 700c, but a frame in its own right, since 32-inch wheels demand more space and exert longer levers. In size M, the fork grows by a good 40 mm, the chainstays by 20 mm to 440 mm, and the wheelbase by almost 40 mm to 1,050 mm. To stop the riding position, handling and stiffness from falling by the wayside, Avona went back to the drawing board. They claim the result is even stiffer than the Callis 700c, without giving up any vertical compliance.So at least when it comes to transport, size doesnt seem to matter much.We were in for a surprise before wed even got the bike out of the box. Wed assumed the bigger wheels would require bigger packaging, but we were proved wrong: the Callis 32-inch ships in the same box as the Callis 700c. So the first size difference fails to materialise, and we could have saved ourselves the tape measure.On the scales, the size penalty is turned on its head. Avona quote 898 g for the painted frame and 409 g for the fork. For the Callis 700c in size M, the manufacturers figures are 980 g and 463 g. Despite the bigger wheels, the Callis 32 is a good 130 g lighter than its 700c counterpart. On our scales, the complete test bike weighs around 300 g less than the Callis 700c.Avona havent skimped on clearance either. Despite the huge wheels, the frame takes tires up to 55 mm wide, compared with 50 mm on the Callis 700c, and theres room for two large bottles. The integrated storage compartment in the down tube is more than a gimmick, too, as Avona themselves admit theres less space elsewhere on the frame. Add to that a UDH and a 1x-only drivetrain. The Callis 700c is also available with a 2x drivetrain, but that option isnt possible on the 32-inch version.Despite its huge wheels, the Callis 32 looks surprisingly tidy. The slim aero seatpost disappears into the sloping top tube, the clamp sits beneath a cover, and the storage compartment shuts with a lid that blends seamlessly into the shape of the tube. The Faserwerk Luftschneider cockpit also keeps the front end clean. With no front derailleur mount, theres barely anything on the frame to interrupt its lines. The headset cap is sealed against water with silicone gaskets, and according to Avona, the Enduro bearings come with a lifetime warranty. Our test bike came in a rich Deep Olive finish, with Carbon Clear Coat and Ultra Violet as the alternatives.Left, the Callis 32-inch; right, the Callis 700c. Because the fork is longer, the head tube in size M shrinks from 131 mm to 80 mm. Otherwise, the front end would sit too high.Why go to all this trouble? Avona answer with a quick watt calculation against the Callis 700c, each running the same wheel and tire models. Admittedly, the bigger wheels fare slightly worse in the wind, costing 1.2 to 3.1 W at 35 km/h in the wind tunnel, according to Avona. In return, theyre said to roll significantly more easily. Most riders know that bigger wheels roll over obstacles better, but fewer know that they also have lower rolling resistance, likely because a bigger wheel meets small bumps at a shallower angle and loses less energy to vibration. At 29 km/h, Avona claim savings of around 7 W on asphalt and 11 to 13 W on gravel. With the aero penalty deducted, that leaves an advantage of up to 13 W, depending on speed and surface. Free watts, on paper at least. Our test will show whether you can feel any of it on the bike.Side by side, the difference is obvious at a glance, and not only to the eye.The spec of the Avona Callis 32 anything but standardShifting on our 6,599 test bike is handled by an electronic 13-speed SRAM Force XPLR groupset, paired with a 40-tooth Faserwerk chainring whose special offset keeps the chainline right. A 40-tooth ring may look modest on a fast gravel bike, but the bigger wheels demand it. With around 9% more circumference, a 32-inch wheel travels further with every crank revolution, so the same gearing would feel noticeably heavier. A smaller chainring restores the development of the 700c model, and in practice, 40 teeth on the Callis 32 equal roughly 43 to 44 teeth on a 700c bike. Every model comes with a factory-waxed CeramicSpeed UFO chain. The bike rolls on 50 mm Schwalbe G-One RX tires, with the faster Schwalbe G-One RS offered as an alternative.Avona Callis 32 2027 6,599SpecificationsSeatpost Faserwerk Wuthcker Aero D-ShapedBrakes SRAM FORCE AXS 160/160 mmDrivetrain SRAM Force XPLR AXS 1 x 13Chainring 40 TStem Faserwerk Luftschneider 100 mmHandlebar Faserwerk Luftschneider 380 mmWheelset Faserwerk Kornkreis 12 x 100 / 12 x 142Tires Schwalbe G-One RX Pro 50-686Cranks SRAM Force Dub 165 mmCassette SRAM FORCE XG-1270 10-46 TTechnical DataSize M L XLWeight 8,36 kgSpecific FeaturesWaxed chain with CeramicSpeed UFOIn-house Faserwerk componentsGenerous tire clearance of up to 55 mm32-inch wheelsFor the wheels, Avona rely on their in-house development. The Faserwerk Kornkreis wheels are hand-built in Germany and, with DT Swiss 350 hubs, tip the scales at just 1,567 g. With a 27 mm internal width, they offer plenty of room for wide gravel tires. If youd rather prioritise straight-line speed, you can opt for NEWMEN G.62 wheels instead. Particularly welcome is the absence of a one-size-fits-all approach to the cockpit. Avona offer the Faserwerk Luftschneider with stems from 75 to 120 mm and bar widths from 380 to 420 mm. The Faserwerk aero seatpost also leaves room for manoeuvre on riding position, with three different offsets. Thats especially important on the Callis 32 well explain why when we get to the geometry.The geometry of the Avona Callis 32-inch all new?Big wheels, big challenges. A 32-inch wheel doesnt just need more space, it also changes the handling, because a bigger wheel inherently increases trail. That adds stability, but it also makes the steering somewhat slower. Avona have therefore put a lot of work into the geometry. The head tube angle sits at 70, and the team didnt want to go any slacker. To keep trail in check, fork offset grows to 60 mm, though trail still rises to 82 mm. The wheelbase also grows by around 30 mm, yet the chainstays stay fairly compact at 440 mm, which is remarkable given the bigger wheels. A seat tube shifted well forward makes that possible, in part.The riding position is where the Callis 32 gets clever. A shorter stem offsets the longer reach, while three seatpost options, with 0 mm, 15 mm and 30 mm of offset, shift the effective seat tube angle from a sporty 76 to a more relaxed 74. That lets you build the bike as anything from a traditional gravel bike to a progressive race setup. The catch is standover height. The huge wheels push it to 808 mm in size M, a full 58 mm more than the equivalent Callis 700c, and with no size smaller than M, shorter riders should check the fit carefully before committing.SizeMLXLTop Tube534 mm546 mm558 mmSeat Tube460 mm490 mm530 mmHead Tube80 mm101 mm122 mmHead Angle707070Seat Angle72,672,672,6Chainstay440 mm440 mm440 mmBB Drop112 mm112 mm112 mmWheelbase1.050 mm1.064 mm1.078 mmReach391 mm398 mm405 mmStack578 mm598 mm618 mmMore Flow than Punch? The Avona Callis 32-inch on ReviewBig wheels, small frame? At first glance, the Callis 32 does look a little unusual, with a main triangle that seems almost dainty between those massive wheels. But how does it ride? To find out, we took the Avona around our Black Forest loop, which has the lot: fast tarmac, rough gravel, rooty trails and vicious 18% ramps.Right from the first hard crank spin, its clear the Callis 32 is no sprinter. The big wheels take time to come up to speed, and respond noticeably more slowly to hard efforts than on its 700c counterpart, especially when sprinting and accelerating out of slow corners. That continues on the climbs: the Callis reliably gets to the top of steep ramps, but feels more like a laid-back diesel than a race car. The lightness of foot is also missing when you switch from sitting to standing on the pedals. Thats surprising, given that our test bike weighs around 300 g less than the Callis 700c on our scales. On the steep ramps, theres little sign of that. Apparently, the mass at the larger rim circumference cancels out the advantage. On moderate climbs at medium speed, on the other hand, we had the impression that it made slightly better progress.The handling also takes some getting used to at first. The combination of big wheels, a slack head angle and long trail makes for unfamiliar turn-in behaviour. The Callis responds less spontaneously to steering inputs and needs a bit more conviction to change direction. Once youre used to it, though, even tight corners are no problem. Paired with a narrow cockpit, it even makes for a surprisingly sporty combination that adds a bit of spice to the otherwise rather good-natured character.Once the Callis 32 is up to speed, however, it shows its best side. Where it still feels a bit ponderous when accelerating, it rolls along with remarkable composure at a steady pace. The big wheels seem to carry momentum effortlessly, as if they have no intention of slowing down. We can largely rule out the tires as a factor: we also rode the 700c Callis on the Schwalbe G-One RX, the test winner in our gravel tire group test. The difference in rolling behaviour is therefore mainly down to the wheels. What remains open is whether the larger diameter or the greater, more inert wheel mass is the deciding factor. The only way to separate the two cleanly would be with 700c and 32-inch wheels with the same moment of inertia. We suspect that the 700c Callis would behave similarly with heavy rims. Either way, the Callis 32 is a real blast on fast gravel sections.It becomes even clearer on the descents, where the sluggishness we criticized earlier turns into a real strength. Combined with the long wheelbase and generous trail, the 32-inch wheels deliver impressive stability. Even on rough gravel descents and rooty trails, the Callis stays remarkably calm, holds its line with confidence and inspires plenty of trust. Where smaller wheels get knocked off course by obstacles, the Avona rolls straight over them. The faster and rougher the ground, the wider the grin. Theres one caveat: at top speed, one of our testers felt the bike should have had more to give, yet it only gained speed reluctantly. Thats an impression from a single lap, not a measurement. It doesnt make the Callis a playful gravel bike, but its a damn composed one.Comfort is another area where the big wheels have something to offer. A shallower angle of attack lets them roll over edges and obstacles more easily, and a tire of the same width holds more air, which in theory should give a more linear cushion at the same pressure than on the 700c. At 1.4 bar front and 1.3 bar rear, the Callis glides smoothly over roots, rocks and small drops. The difference is noticeable, but its no revelation, as a rough, rooty trail stays rough and rooty, even on 32-inch wheels. With Avona claiming no change in vertical compliance, the extra comfort most likely comes from wheel size and tire volume together. Its a welcome bonus, but not a reason to switch on its own.All in all, the Callis 32 shows a pretty distinctive character of its own. If youre constantly accelerating, sprinting or carving your gravel bike playfully through tight corners, youll miss the agility of a classic 700c bike. If, on the other hand, you like to blast across rough terrain at speed, youll benefit from its enormous stability and composed rolling behaviour. So the motto is: less stop-and-go, more flow!Who is the Avona Callis 32-inch the right bike for?The Callis 32 is aimed at riders who value composure over responsiveness: on fast, rough descents as well as on long stages, where the gains in comfort and momentum are likely to add up. If gravel is mainly about speed and stability for you, youll quickly make friends with this bike. If you prioritise agility and acceleration above all else, youre better off with the 700c Callis. Avonas size chart also covers riders from around 165 cm to 200 cm, so shorter riders miss out.The right bike for:High-speed riders and descent loversIf you want to push the pace on loose ground and value stability, youll get a bike that irons out turbulence and holds on to momentum.Long-distance ridersOnce its up to speed, the Callis keeps it there, and the gain in comfort should make itself felt over many hours in the saddle.Not the right bike for:Acceleration and sprint fansIf you love explosive accelerations and quick changes of direction, you wont warm to the more sluggish 32-incher.Climbers on steep terrainOn tight, steep ramps, it lacks the nimbleness you know from the 700c version.Helmet MET Trenta 3K Carbon | Glasses Shimano Equinox | Jersey Assos Mille GT Mens Spring Fall Jersey S11 | Shorts Assos TACTICA spring fall Bib Shorts T5 | Shoes Shimano S-Phyre | Socks RaphaHelmet UVEX Ultimate DNaero MIPS | Glasses Oakley Sutro Lite | Jersey Rose Race Thermo Jersey | Shorts Gobik Grit 3.0 | Shoes Specialized Recon ADV | Socks AssosConclusionsDo 32-inch wheels have a reason to exist? The Callis 32 answers more honestly than the hype suggested: the future is here, and it rides differently from the present. At speed and on descents, it offers a composure and momentum the Callis 700c cant match, along with a noticeable, if not overwhelming, gain in comfort. The price is slower acceleration, less nimbleness on steep ramps and turn-in that takes some getting used to. Would we buy it? Not for the comfort alone. But as a package of stability, momentum and comfort, yes, provided you can live with the still-limited choice of tires and wheels in this young format.Topsoutstanding stability on descentsplenty of momentum and high efficiency at speednoticeably more comforttire clearance up to 55 mm and integrated storage compartmentFlopssluggish acceleration, little agility on climbsturn-in takes some getting used toFor more information, head to avona.cc.Der Beitrag New Avona Callis 32-Inch 2027 on Review: The Future Is Now. erschien zuerst auf GRAN FONDO Cycling Magazine.

WorldTour team Picnic PostNL have released a statement, responding to allegations of a culture of fear and intimidation within its team after a special investigation reported multiple former riders and staff members reported a toxic-like work environment. The Dutch team were rocked by a bombshell in...

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Picnic PostNL have vowed to commission an independent investigation into team culture after reports in the Dutch media over a "culture of fear" at the WorldTour and Women's WorldTour squad.On Thursday morning, NOS Sport and In De Waaier published their investigations into Picnic PostNL, with the latter being a four-part podcast series, after interviews with 71 current and former employees. They documented allegations of a toxic culture at the team, which amounted to an "unsafe working situation". In response, they said "we do not recognise ourselves" in the stories. Picnic PostNL is run by sports director Rudi Kemna and owner Iwan Spekenbrink. This year, the men's team has won just three times, including one at WorldTour level, while the women's team is yet to register a victory. Among those interviewed by the Dutch outlets was former rider Martijn Tusveld, a squad member between 2018 and 2024, who said his position at the team changed after he criticised the team's tactics at the 2020 Giro d'Italia, and later felt "powerless"."I became anxious," he told NOS. "I thought, 'I'll keep my mouth shut and say yes and amen.' And that's what I did for the rest of the years with this team. I also thought about harming myself."Adriaan Helmantel, Tom Dumoulin's former coach, also spoke on the record, saying that the team "became a dictatorship".In a statement released later on Thursday, a Picnic PostNL spokesperson said: "We have taken note of the publications by NOS Sport and In de Waaier about Team Picnic PostNL. The accounts shared by current and former riders and staff members affect us. At the same time, we do not recognise ourselves in the overall picture presented in the publications."The fact that experiences differ does not diminish the seriousness of the accounts that have now come to light. We will therefore commission an independent investigation into how our team culture is experienced in practice and to what extent it reflects the culture we strive for."The statement listed three promises that make the foundation of the team: fair, healthy and responsible sport; safe collaboration based on shared values; and continuity and job security."In a performance-driven environment such as professional sport, things can go wrong," the statement continued. "That is why there are several ways for people within our team to raise problems and concerns. Riders have a personal coach, there is a Rider Committee, and staff members can turn to confidential advisers. If people have felt unsafe within our organisation or have felt they lacked sufficient opportunity to raise concerns, we want to understand how that could have happened."We are proud of what we have built since 2008 together with the many people who are, or have been, part of and associated with this team. Precisely for that reason, we believe it is important to take a critical look at ourselves."We will therefore commission an independent, professional investigation into our team culture. We will take its findings seriously and implement any improvements that may be needed, out of respect for everyone who is, or has been, part of Team Picnic PostNL."

Another day, another live blog for Callum to sink his teeth into...

The Tour de France yellow jersey will regain an image tied to one of the most memorable eras in Spanish cycling in 2027. Castelli will once again supply the most iconic jersey in the French race, replacing Santini and reviving an association that once featured Miguel Indurain. The Italian brand supp...