The British National Hill Climb Championships is usually awash with rim brakes, tubulars, lightweight components, and sketchy weight-weenie modifications, but the 2026 edition forced a rethink of the 'lighter is better' maxim. Sunday's race pitted 464 riders against the storm-battered and sinuous Porlock Toll Road on the Somerset coast. Although the 5.5% average gradient of the 6.6km (4.1mi) ascent was shallower than recent championship courses, the pure climbers still edged out the time-trialists as Welsh former champions Illi Gardner and Ed Laverack won the women's and open titles. Sixteen-year-old DecathlonCMA CGM Juniors rider Erza Bateman set the day's fastest time of 14:31 to win the junior open category, while Mabli Phillips became the junior women's champion in 19:36. A headwind in the exposed final couple of kilometres of the steady climb drew more attention to aerodynamics than usual. For example, all-round race bikes and even aero bikes were more common this year than in previous editions, where steeper gradients have encouraged contestants to strip back rimbrake bikes to the bare minimum. Rowan Baker led the aero charge, finishing third in the open category on a Cervelo S5 and wearing a time-trial helmet. The narrow course was strewn with storm debris until hill-climbing stalwart Geoff Ware swept the surface with his tractor the day before the race. But the heightened puncture risk seemed to make ultra-fast and fragile tyres a less popular choice on the day.The only equipment regulations of the organiser, Cycling Time Trials, are that a bike must have working front and rear brakes (or just a front if fixed gear) and lights, and that the rider wears a helmet. The UCI's 6.8kg minimum weight limit doesn't apply to the UK hill climbing scene, leading to weight-reducing hacks and bodges that can produce sub-5kg builds. Equally, hill climbing's accessibility means you can race on your unmodified road bike an unfussy setup hasn't stopped Everesting World Record Holder Gardner from winning four national hill climbing titles and nabbing QOMs from the WorldTour's best climbers. Cycling Weekly had photographer Mark James on the climb just outside Minehead to capture the action and bike tech. Scroll through the gallery below to see the best bits. Massive time-trial helmetsIt wasn't too long ago that some hill climbers raced without helmets - they became mandatory for the 2022 season, although Tom Bell wore won to win up Winnat's Pass in 2021. Since then it's made sense to wear the lightest helmet possible, but Sunday's climb turned that thinking on its head. Several racers sacrificed a few hundred grams for the potential aero benefit of an oversize time trial helmet. (Image credit: Mark James)Rowan Baker, a road racer for domestic team Jakroo Handsling Racing, wore the Specialized S-Works TT 5, the time-trial helmet worn by the likes of Demi Vollering and Remco Evenepoel, while averaging an incredible 463 watts for 15 minutes.(Image credit: Mark James)The TT lid appears to have formely belonged to Trinity Racing, the British under-23 development through which stars such as Tom Pidcock and Ben Healy progressed to the elite ranks. (Image credit: Mark James)Andy Nichols (Team Lifting Gear Products) wore a first generation Giro Aerohead time-trial helmet aboard his rim-brake Orbea Orca with mid-section wheels, a decidely more aero set-up than he usually opts for. (Image credit: Mark James)Here's another S-Works TT 5. Off the bike, it must've been good at keeping out the wind and rain.(Image credit: Mark James)Jude 'The Buzzard' Taylor (PB Performance) dusted off a Kask Bambino time-trial helmet, originally released in 2012 for Team Sky. Its shape is much rounder than more modern interations of the helmet, which have longer tails.(Image credit: Mark James)This is the POC Procen Air, a time-trial-inspired road helmet that was legal in UCI road races until this season. At 355g, it's slightly heavier than the 350g S-Works TT 5, but still lighter than all-out TT lids, making it a good balance between weight and aerodynamics. Time-trial bikes (Image credit: Mark James)Time trial bikes are legal in hill climbs provided you enter the time trial bike catgeory. This 360 Cycling rider went all in on aero with a Specialized Shiv. It's one of the lightest TT bikes and the mid-depth DT Swiss rims will have reduced the weight further. Deep wheels(Image credit: Mark James)This Specialized Tarmac S-Works SL8 is one of the most striking aero builds seen on the day. (Image credit: Mark James)Up front there's a extremely deep rim from Scribe. Excuse the dark lighting, but this looks to be the 100mm deep front wheel of the Tempus Ultra TT wheelset. It's wrapped in a very fast, but puncture-prone Vittoria Corsa Pro Speed time-trial tyre, a bold choice given the road surface conditions. (Image credit: Mark James)This looks to be the matching Tempus Ultra TT disc wheel out back. Because the strongest winds were head-on and average speeds were relatively low, this probably didn't cause any handling issues, but it must've been heavy. (Image credit: Mark James)This build wouldn't be complete without a huge aero chainring. Although this dinner plate from Pass Quest is narrow-wide, the owner didn't take any chances with chain retention and also fitted a chain catcher. A Quarq D-Zero power meter is bolted to the SRAM Red cranks. (Image credit: Mark James)The Deda Alanera integrated bar/stem is long and low to further cut drag. Aero and all-rounder bikes(Image credit: Mark James)This is another shot of Baker's Cervelo S5, the brand's aero road bike. For a typical hill climb, the lighter R5 climbing bike would win out, but this choice chimes with Baker's aero overall focus. Under the influence of the UCI weight limit, Visma-Lease a bike often races the S5 in the mountains weighing close to 7kg, so it's clearly still fast uphill. It rolled on carbon-spoked wheels from Alta Via, a component company that supports his road racing team. I reckon these are 55mm deep.(Image credit: Mark James)Gabe Dellar (RideRevolution Coaching CT) won eight of his nine hill climbs before the nationals, favouring his specialist hill climb bike (a rim-brake Focus Izalco Max) for the steeper courses and his road race bike (this Pinarello Dogma F) for the longer, shallower climbs, such as Porlock. It seemed to work, as he came 4th in the open category. (Image credit: Mark James)On the Italian brand's do-it-all race bike, he fitted a single chainring to save weight by omitting the inner ring and front derailleur. The aero overshoes and long aero socks are an indicative juxtaposition.(Image credit: Mark James)Four-time national hill climb champ Andrew Feather made getting more aero to meet the demands of the Porlock Toll Road a key focus of his season. As told to Road.cc, he switched from a 5.5kg SWI climbing bike to the Specialized Tarmac SL8 lightweight all-rounder and lowered his front end by 5cm by sizing down from a 54cm to 52cm frame and removing spacers. Under guidance from Dr Xavier Disley's Aerocoach, he also reduced frontal area by lengthening reach with a 130cm stem and narrowing handlebar width by 10cm to 32cm. He even improved the aerodynamics of his signature out-of-the-saddle climbing by placing his hands in the drops. He also switched to the deeper 5am Limitless wheelset from his sponsor Hunt. Finishing a second behind open-category winner Ed Laverack was the reward for his work. (Image credit: Mark James)I believe this is the Canyon Aeroad of Solihull CC rider Oliver Tandy. He too has a lighter hill climb bike at his disposal, but favoured a lower-drag option. Weight-saving tricks(Image credit: Mark James)It wouldn't be a hill climb nationals without weight-weenie mods, and even Baker couldn't resist racing without bar tape. This could also be marginally more aerodynamic. His SRAM Red AXS groupset is wireless, so this electrical tape isn't holding cables in place. He may use it to rest his wrists in the aero-hoods position.(Image credit: Mark James)Cane Creek eeBrakes are the lightest rim brakes you can buy, at just 85 g per caliper, albeit at a high price, spawning various knock-offs. These appear to be the genuine El Asesino version, though fitted to another SuperSix Evo. (Image credit: Mark James)SRAM Red 22 cranks, a small single chainring and Favero Pro RS-2 power meter pedals (one of the lightest and most accurate ways to record watts) are a classic hill climbing combo. (Image credit: Mark James)These are on a rim-brake Cannondale SuperSix Evo, one of the most popular hill climbing frames on account of its low weight and high availability in the second-hand market. (Image credit: Mark James)More proof rim brakes aren't dead, in hill climbs at least. These Dura-Ace R9000 calipers are still very light. (Image credit: Mark James)A Winnie the Pooh sticker on a lightweight carbon stem epitomises the quirkiness of hill climbing. (Image credit: Mark James)Due to sponsor commitments and the desire to access the latest technology, top hill climbers tend to ride disc brakes these days. Illi Gardner has won several of her women's national titles on discs, but it wasn't until Andrew Feather's 2023 win on the Struggle that a men's champion ditched rim brakes. This is 2026 men's champion Ed Laverack on an Addict RC Ultimate from his new bike sponsor Scott. (Image credit: Mark James)Scott says the top-spec SRAM Red AXS build is its lightest ever production race bike. This tier down, with Force AXS, will probably still be nudging 6kg, especially set up 1x. (Image credit: Mark James)The Welshman has removed the bottle cages, but not the bolts. (Image credit: Mark James)And removed the front derailleur mount and filled in the fitting.(Image credit: Mark James)Scott's Syncros Capital SL wheels are claimed to weigh a mere 1,170g. But their fully bonded carbon construction means that if you break a spoke, the whole wheel is finished. (Image credit: Mark James)Junior men's champion Erza Bateman, who was also the fastest overall, seems to have made few changes to his team-issued Van Rysel RCR-R Pro. With legs as good as his, he didn't need to. (Image credit: Mark James)He left on the 2x crankset, and probably did need the big ring at the speed he was travelling. (Image credit: Mark James)I'm not entirely sure but the Decathlon green of the computer mount suggests these are Bateman's handlebar notes. He ended up riding nearly a minute quicker than these speeds predicted. (Image credit: Mark James)I'm guessing this is Kieran Wynne-Cattanach's rim-brake Giant TCR featuring mismatched wheels. At the front, there's what looks like a deep-section HED rim, dwarfing the shallower rear rim, strung with lightweight polymer spokes. That's it on the tech front from the 2026 UK National Hill Climb Championships. Thank you for making this far and stay tuned to the website for more coverage.

Paul Seixas has stopped short of committing to the 2027 Tour de France, with the French prodigy making the World Championships in Haute-Savoie the leading objective of his next season. Speaking on RMC on Monday, the 19-year-old made clear that the opportunity to compete for the rainbow jersey on hom...

Ah, the Cotswolds. This enchanting region in south-west and south-central England spanning five counties, but centred on Gloucestershire and Oxfordshire is the picture of quintessential English countryside. The pretty villages with their honey-hued stone cottages attract visitors from across the globe. Youll see them wandering the winding lanes, wondering at the manicured perfection. But were not here to marvel at rustic 17th-century architecture; were here to sample what lies beneath the beautiful facade. Yes, were here to punish our legs on the vicious climbs formed by the Jurassic limestone that is the bedrock of this open-air theme park of English country living.Beneath the serene beauty lies a landscape of bemusing ascents, from short, sharp gradients to rolling hills a mixture to punish even the fittest legs. We have plotted two routes to tick off 10 of the best climbs, while taking in plenty more that lie between them. Both routes are packed with elevation, horrendous gradients and, of course, stunning scenery. Starting and finishing in Cheltenham, the shorter ride loops north, while the longer one heads south. Carb up, clip in, and brace yourselves!More from this series: Read about the best climbs in North Wales. LONGER ROUTE: W STANDS FOR WICKEDDistance: 123km (76.4 miles) Elevation: 2,233m (7,326ft)Heading south from Cheltenham, this route allows you the luxury of 10 sedate kilometres skirting the outskirts of Gloucester before snaking up the first climb of the day, Painswick Road. A real slog of an ascent, it takes you past Coppers Hill through Upton Wood. Descending the narrow slopes of Portway, all that hard-fought elevation is lost in an instant. After another brief period on the flat, you arrive in the village of Haresfield, where the tranquillity is shattered. From here, all hell awaits your legs.Scan for the route maps(Image credit: Future)Up next is Haresfield Beacon, a long climb with a few wicked little ramps along the way. Continuing south after dropping down the quiet back roads to avoid Stroud, you cross the Stroudwater Navigation and head onto Frocester Hill. Boasting, without doubt, some of the best views in the area its worth cautiously glancing back over your shoulder as you climb Frocester Hill is set on a steady-ish and manageable gradient. The road that follows could not be more different in character. Turning left in Uley, you plunge into a gully, then exit via the twisting, narrow and permanently dirty, steep slopes of Owlpen Hill. This gnarly, lurking ramp, which lies hidden in the woods, just gets worse as it rises up to the final 25% ramp through a deep canyon of soil banks. By the time you reach the top, youll be breathing out of your ears.Theres no rest, though, as from here the route resembles the upturned teeth of a saw blade, ramping up and down relentlessly and without pause for a solid 50km. Dropping into Dursley, you arrive at the base of The Broadway, a short, 20% ramp that propels you from the centre of the small town through Cockshoot Wood over 764 lung-busting metres. A brief recovery is afforded as you loop back into Dursley an excellent place for a pit stop, should you need it and, once refreshed, its time to head back north in the direction of Stroud for a date with the wonderfully scenic, perfectly formed Bear Hill. Next up comes The W no prizes for guessing which letter it resembles. Caution is advised here, as this is a busy road. Watch out for traffic if youre chasing the KOM.(Image credit: Andy Jones)The quick succession of hard climbs is by now weighing heavily on your legs, and there are still a couple more killers to come. After a brief rest as you cross Aston Down and the River Frome, your penultimate foe is the climb of Oakridge Lynch, up through the village of the same name. Will this be the gallows for your legs, or will you have enough in the tank for the finale? There is no choice from here but to ride through the centre of Stroud where, with 25km to go, you could take the opportunity to refill your bottles or grab some more carbs.Next up is the monstrous Knapp Lane, after which you turn off the B4070 and twist up through the Elliott Nature Reserve on the narrowest of roads of the day, with some horrible stretches of blue 20% gradient. Reward awaits once at the top, its job done, climbing-wise. Now you can sit back, relax in the scenery and complete the loop as you return along the top of the ridge via Birdlip and Leckhampton into Cheltenham.(Image credit: Andy Jones)SHORTER ROUTE: GAMBLE ON BUSHCOMBEDistance: 98km (60.9 miles) Elevation: 1,667m (5,469ft)Heading north from our base in Cheltenham, this ride makes a beeline for Bishops Cleeve and almost straight onto the toughest climb of the day. But as a warm-up before you hit the 30% ramps of Bushcombe Lane, weve thrown in the 25% slopes of Gambles Lane. From here, you drop straight back into town to ready yourself for the perils that await. Bushcombe Lane ramps up and up until it reaches the magical 30% around its 90 left-hand bend. If you make it around, youll make it to the top.From the summit, the route heads north through Winchcombe and Broadway, allowing you some 20km to recover from the early shock. Next up is Saintbury Hill immediately followed by Dovers Hill both famous hill-climb courses. After those, its time for a pit stop at the wonderful village of Chipping Campden. Composure regained, the route climbs gradually up Broadway Hill, then continues south via Taddington, Didbrook and Hailes to reach the base of Salters Lane. From here, its a meander south through Brockhampton, Syreford and Whittington, before arriving back into the outskirts of Cheltenham. Aggs Hill provides one final evil challenge.More from this series: Read about the best climbs in the North York Moors.(Image credit: Andy Jones)Key travel infoWhere to stayCheltenham is the base for both rides, as its central to our routes, and has excellent transport links, as well as a multitude of accommodation and eating options.AccommodationCheltenham is a large town with several central hotels. If you prefer something quieter, there is a plethora of B&Bs and smaller lodgings available on the outskirts. Airbnb and booking.com should have you covered.Food and drinkFrom takeaways to fine dining to well-known franchises and even the famous Ivy restaurant, Cheltenham has it all. As ever, check the local listings and book ahead to avoid disappointment.What else to see and doThe Cotswolds are home to some of the most famous villages and towns in the world. Check out Bourton-on-the-Water, famous for the River Windrush, which flows through its centre. There is also Castle Combe, known for its honey-coloured houses, and Stow-on-the-Wold, with its market square and antique shops. And dont forget Bibury, often listed as the most beautiful village in England.10 best climbs in the Cotswolds 1. THE BROADWAYSegment: strava.com/segments/19437098KOM: Adrian Whitwell, 2.17QOM: Illi Gardner, 3.58Length: 764mElevation: 113mAverage gradient: 14%Max gradient: 20%This vicious little road takes you out of Dursley up through Cockshoot Wood to the plateau at the summit. It will have you rapidly clicking down through the gears and it hits 20% in places.2. OWLPEN HILLSegment: strava.com/segments/19437088KOM: Andrew Feather, 4.16QOM: Illi Gardner, 5.59Length: 1,466mElevation: 131mAverage gradient: 8%Max gradient: 25%Owlpen Hill is well hidden in the dirty, twisting farm roads east of Uley but youll know youve found it when you see the fear-inducing one-in-four sign.3. FROCESTER HILLSegment: strava.com/segments/16290476KOM: Ed Laverack, 7.19QOM: Nicole Coates, 9.47Length: 3,102mElevation: 191mAverage gradient: 6%Max gradient: 11%A sumptuous, sweeping road set on a gradient thats just enough to test the legs but without really punishing them. There are stunning views out over your right shoulder almost all the way up.4. THE WSegment: strava.com/segments/18210334KOM: Andrew Feather, 3.11QOM: Illi Gardner, 4.13Length: 1,198mElevation: 115mAverage gradient: 9%Max gradient: 13%The W is so named because its rapid succession of four hairpins form the letter W. This road is a riot to ride while imagining youre beating Pogaar up a grand Alpine pass.5. BEAR HILLSegment: strava.com/segments/668739KOM: Andrew Feather, 3.54QOM: Illi Gardner, 5.42Length: 1,344mElevation: 135mAverage gradient: 9%Max gradient: 18%Bear Hill is a peach of a road, a near perfect climb on the southern edge of Stroud. Set at the base of a grass-walled amphitheatre, it curves its way to the Black Bear pub at the summit.6. HARESFIELD BEACONSegment: strava.com/segments/6913771KOM: Andrew Feather, 6.19QOM: Illi Gardner, 8.21Length: 2,260mElevation: 193mAverage gradient: 8%Max gradient: 18%With stretches of 20%, this long climb ebbs and flows as it drags you out of the village of Haresfield and onto the top of the ridge. After a mini recovery, it ramps up again into a final nasty kicker.7. KNAPP LANESegment: strava.com/segments/29138696KOM: Andrew Feather, 7.31QOM: Illi Gardner, 10.16Length: 2,485mElevation: 180mAverage gradient: 7%Max gradient: 21%A rollercoaster of a climb that hits you with surprise after surprise as it snakes westward through idyllic Cotswold crossing cattle grids and heads up some brutally steep slopes.8. DOVERS HILLSegment: strava.com/segments/8459161KOM: Andrew Feather, 4.43QOM: Izzy Rodriguez, 6.00Length: 1,733mElevation: 139mAverage gradient: 10%Max gradient: 14%This famous hill-climb has been the venue for numerous National Championships. Its double-digit average gradient pushes you hard all the way to the summit.9. SALTERS LANESegment: strava.com/segments/3844695KOM: Beast Mode Barbie, 6.39QOM: Naomi de Pennington, 9.08Length: 2,294mElevation: 188mAverage gradient: 8%Max gradient: 14%This Peak District-like climb starts ordinarily enough, but once free of the early tree cover, crosses open grassland on a neat narrow strip of tarmac on a steady 10% slope.10. BUSHCOMBE LANESegment: strava.com/segments/16290484KOM: Dave Roper, 4.50QOM: Illi Gardner, 5.41Length: 1,332mElevation: 156mAverage gradient: 12%Max gradient: 30%No trip to the Cotswolds is complete without a visit to Bushcombe Lane. This 10/10 killer touches 30% towards the top and will have you begging for mercy around its final left-hand bend.This article was first published in the 23 April 2026 print edition of Cycling Weekly magazine available to buy on the newsstand every Thursday (UK only) while digital versions are available on Apple News and Readly. Subscriptions through Magazine's Direct.

Remco Evenepoel's tunnel vision for success has rubbed off on his Red Bull - BORA Hansgrohe teammates. That's according to the team's head of sports, Zak Dempster, who got to know the Belgian as both took on their first year with the structure. A serial winner, Evenepoel has become accustomed to vic...

Since its inception, cyclocross has been defined by the fact that, no matter how you look at it, a cross bike is rarely the perfect option for whatever course a promoter has dreamt up. And part of that is the restriction on tyre width. Since 2010, restrictions for cyclocross have capped tyres at 33mm wide, in part as a response to disc brake technology coming into the sport. Today, by gravel and even road standards, 33mm is laughably narrow, and that has arguably turned cyclocross from a run what you brung participant sport into one that requires a much more specialised setup.So, why is CX still limited to 33mm tyres? After all, disciplines such as gravel are pushing the tyre-width envelope to unprecedented standards. Tradition plays a part, but even a few millimeters could have major repercussions for the industry. We spoke to tyre makers, bike builders, promoters, and athletes, and looked at the current rules in place to figure out who would want the change, who wants to stick with the old standards, and, if youre someone who wants to race, where youre allowed to run wider tyres.(Image credit: Luc Claessen/Getty Images)A brief history of the 33mm ruleThe initial tyre size rule started back in the nineties when top pros would show up to races with a truckload of tubular wheels, with tyres ranging from 25mm to 34mm glued up and ready to race, recalls framebuilder and former pro rider Chris McGovern. The UCI eventually limited the tyre width in order to make the sport more egalitarian after all, this was a sport that began in the farmfields of Belgium as a fun off-season event, and there have been width rules ever since. (Image credit: Billy Ceusters/Getty Images))In 2010, when disc brakes were introduced to the sport, the UCI decided to cap tyre width at 33mm, down from 35mm, to reduce the amount of equipment that racers needed to own in order to be competitive because disc brake bikes could allow for a huge range of tyre widths, going narrower allowed those who still wanted to race on cantilever brakes (those of us who said disc brakes were just a passing fad) to stay competitive. The irony is that 16 years later, that rule designed to make the sport more accessible and inexpensive may be holding it hostage. The idea may have worked back in CXs heyday when cantilever brakes were the norm and disc brakes were a rarity, but today, with almost every bike running a disc brake setup, a normal set of gravel wheels is too wide to accommodate the thinner tyre for cyclocross. So, is it time for the UCI to loosen the restrictions, or would that lead cross down the slippery slope of turning into gravel or MTB racing and disappearing altogether?It's worth noting that the restriction does not apply in all races; in the UK and US, the rules are often (but, not always) loosened for amateur fields. Some events will allow any bike including mountain bikes check with the organiser before you head to compete. The case for traditionThe pro racers whove been in cyclocross for a long time are torn: To be honest, I'm not 100 percent sure how I feel about it! admits retired American racer Ellen Noble, who took silver in the U23 World Championships in 2017. I think my initial instinct is that cyclocross is, at its core, about riding the wrong tool for the job... If we start widening tyres, we may next discover that a little suspension in the front helps people go faster, and so on. Fortunately, there is so much pedaling in CX that I don't ever see us just riding straight-up mountain bikes, but I think the parameters are nice because they keep the sport relatively simple and true to its roots. Part of what makes CX, CX, is that you're rarely riding the ideal setup for any given section.(Image credit: Getty Images - DAVID PINTENS)In fact, hunting down the gear and the search for the perfect tyre tread in 33mm is arguably part of what cyclocross is all about: The sometimes excessive obsession with gear. (Just head to any start line and ask what tyre pressure are you running?)Having a max tyre size at 33mm is actually a defining part of the sport, says McGovern. Getting that size tyre with whatever tread to do what you need it to do is a skill. A skill that is a big part of the sport's definition. Pro baseball players cant use aluminum bats; that would change baseball.Longtime pro cyclocrosser/gravel/road racer Tobin Ortenblad was a top U23 cyclocross racer during CXs American peak, and he still loves the sport. Its hard to beat a 33mm tubular on a good course, he says. I also think there is a bit of magic to riding 33s fast. Theyre twitchy and quite sketchy, but thats kind of the glory of cyclocross. (Image credit: TOM GOYVAERTS/BELGA MAG/AFP via Getty Images)Similarly, pro cyclocrosser and creator of CX Fever Maghalie Rochette loves cyclocross more than anything and because of that, shes a bit of a gear traditionalist. I don't necessarily think that wider tyres would make our sport better, she says. Depending on the condition, you don't have more grip necessarily with a wider tyre. If your tyre is narrower, you cut through the mud better, and you have a better grip in that way. You can rip corners really fast on the grass. So I actually like the 33s.I think that at the top end of the sport, the tyre size is one of those limiting factors that forces riders to go slower or to take turns differently, says Connor Gregory, promoter for Christie Cross in Toronto. Big tyres are a bit of a cheat code. You can buy speed in every other type of racing, whereas in cross, having that tyre limitation means that your 10-year-old cross bike is still quite relevant and still pretty much the same as the current technology. In that way, Cyclocross has become kind of immune to the technology progression and the upgrade culture that cycling is so set on, Gregory adds. But is that a good thing?Maghalie Rochette at the UCI Cyclo-cross Worldcup in Tabor, (Image credit: Billy Ceusters/Getty Images)The case for going widerI think we are more than due for an update to the tyre width regulations for UCI events, says Bill Schieken, founder of CX Hairs and promoter for DCCX and Pan-American Cyclocross Championships. He sees the participant numbers drop hugely during the races that have the tyre width requirements, and believes that the rules are keeping the elite fields in particular smaller than they would be otherwise. Despite loving the 33s personally, Ortenblad agrees. I cant say for sure if I think tyre width keeps people from racing CX, but I definitely think that a 33mm tyre feels a bit archaic seeing as I ride 32mm tyre on my road bike now, he says. I do constantly think a 35 or 38mm tyre option would be good for cross. I think bumping the max size number a bit would be good for the sport. Obviously, we dont need people out there on massive gravel tyres, but I think the racing would be a bit faster and maybe more fun on a slightly bigger tyre. In North America in particular, cyclocross has long been a participant sport and thats why USA Cycling and various Canadian provincial governing bodies have loosened tyre-width rules for amateur categories to increase participation. If you currently own a gravel bike, you may be able to fit 33mm tyres on the wide rims that are standard with modern gravel bikes but because tyre width is measured by how the tyre stretches onto the rim, not whats written on the sidewall, these wheels still may not pass the UCIs tyre width test. So, USA Cycling allows for up to 38mm tyres for most non-pro categories, and Ontario Cycling takes it a step further by allowing wider widths even in elite categories of the provincial race series, though for National Championships, they warn that tyres will be measured to the UCI standard. In the UK, British Cycling applies the 33mm rule to Elite, Under 23 and Junior races at both the National Trophy and Championship level but, as in the US and Canada, some local leagues allow for the running of wider tyres checking the rules before you head to a race remains prudent.At the pro level, the 33mm width wasnt a problem ten years ago. Today, it challenges the very racers the rule was meant to protect: privateers and elites on a tight budget. If an elite racer has a gravel bike, they still will likely need a new wheelset in order to race cyclocross, despite the bikes and tyres being nearly identical. Widen the tyre restrictions, and you potentially widen the pool of athletes showing up to races because gravel teams and gravel privateers could more easily hop into a nearby UCI race with the equipment they already own. (Image credit: DAVID PINTENS / BELGA MAG / Belga / AFP via Getty Images)Cyclocross is just waiting for everyone to realize that their gravel bike is capable of doing cyclocross, says Gregory. But while the gravel bike may work well in a local race, the tyre is unlikely to conform to UCI standards. We shouldnt have a tyre width rule for amateur categories, and really, I dont think the pros would go much wider anyway. I cant imagine Mathieu van der Poel racing a 45mm tyre maybe a 38mm though.Rochette agrees. The way I see it is that everyone has a gravel bike now, and that means everyone can do a cyclocross race if theyre allowed to. I would love to see people using their gravel bikes to do cyclocross, so at least amateurs should be able to use wider tyres. That way it breaks one barrier for people trying the sport.I dont see anything wrong with going as wide as 40mm or whatever that limit may be, Schieken adds. Is this any different than the UCI being so reluctant to allow disc brakes, an innovation that has done nothing but make racing more exciting at the top level? Bring in the wide tyre. The racers will quickly figure out if wider is better or where the sweet spot lies.(Image credit: Getty Images)Would a wider tyre change the sport?In a word, maybe. But theres a reason that top riders still sometimes opt for even narrower tyres, says Challenge Tires founder Alex Brauns. They may be less supple or grippy, but theyre faster. (Asked who would win: Van der Poel on a 33mm tyre versus Wout Van Aert on a 40mm tyre, Brauns says Van der Poel would annihilate Van Aert because the 40mm tyre would create too much drag and be slower.)There is an important tech distinction to make when it comes to understanding tyre width and tyre choice, and thats the tubular versus tubeless or clincher difference. Tubulars at 33mm are not affected by rim width, so volume remains consistent, says Brauns. Clinchers and tubeless tyres, however, are impacted: As rims get wider, tyre volume decreases, reducing traction and rolling efficiency clear disadvantages in off-road riding. With rims now reaching 25mm internal width and beyond, the system is compromised. Because of this, Brauns says, tubular tyres are still the best bet for cyclocross riders at the higher levels of competition. He says that as far as rules and regulations go, disqualifications at the start line have occurred due to a clincher tyre measuring too wide because of the rim, and hed like to see clarifications to the current rules, given the rising popularity of tubeless-ready tyres. No one wants racers whove paid and registered to race to be turned away at the start line because of an avoidable measurement error. McGovern believes wider width allowance would be the death knell for tubular tyres as we know them. Even now, tubulars are almost dead and getting a low-pressure, low-volume tubeless tyre to work like a tubular is very difficult, he says. Increasing the max width would make it much easier to set up, I think. But that would change the essence of the sport. Cross doesn't need to go gravel.While it may be a changeup for tyre manufacturers if the rules changed, it wouldnt necessarily be a bad thing, Schieken says. Maybe it will make it more palatable for more tyremakers to offer a varied line of cyclocross treads again, he says. And Ortenblad makes the most valid point about industry standards: It seems like gravel only took off because the industry wanted to sell something they didnt already own so maybe if we bump tyre sizes up, the tyre industry will at least make some profit on cross again as everyone buys new tyres.

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For some things in life, you simply cant be ready. I had 7 months to prepare myself, going from a complete beginner to taking on the toughest horse race in the world: Learning how to ride. Learning how to navigate. Learning how to survive in the wilderness. In the Pass of Tears, everything was against me. Still I knew, I couldnt lose.The horses are pawing at the ground. Tension hangs in the air. I only just saddled my horse, Gitana, and Im already standing on the start line. I ask myself: What will happen to all of us over the next few days? Who will fall? Who will make it through and who will fail?The thoughts drift past in slow motion. Im so excited it feels as if none of this is actually real. Ten days lie ahead of us, and yet everything has condensed into this one moment. And it stretches. Organiser Jako raises the rifle into the air. And aims. And aims. And aims.An eternity passes. The spectators are getting nervous. The riders too. When is this thing finally going to start? Bang. The shot catches almost everyone by surprise. A second later, 32 riders from all over the world gallop away. And Im the first one to fail.From Learner Driver to DakarIt all started on Instagram. Originally, our Art Director Julian and I wanted to do a bikepacking trip across Portugal. Then this thought popped into my head: It would be cool to do the whole thing on horses instead of carbon bikes. Marlboro cowboy vibes, campfires and trail riding along Europes west coast.I started researching horseback riding, and before long the algorithm served me @Jakotango. Not long after, Pass of Tears appeared in my feed. A race organised by two Argentinians, Rama and Negro, together with an Austrian called Jako. The tagline: Insane Patagonian Horse Race. Without thinking, I knew: Thats me. I have to do this. I didnt know how yet, butSeven months later, Im sitting in Patagonia. The race briefing has just finished. The riders are chatting and getting to know each other. Toby Coles, an extremely experienced rider from the UK, looks at me and shakes his head. Youre taking the piss, right? Your first riding lesson was seven months ago and then you signed up for this? The South African crew had already written me off anyway. The German Cowboy? No chance.Admittedly, for many people it sounds completely insane, rather like signing up for the Dakar Rally right after getting your drivers licence. Still, I had a few aces up my sleeve. And a few smart training tricks.The Insane Patagonian Horse Race Pass of TearsTen days on two horses. Four hundred kilometres through the most remote corners of Patagonia; self-supported, carrying your own food and tent, with no phone reception. Ten hours a day in the saddle, followed by long nights in sub-zero temperatures. Routes that dont exist or that you have to invent for yourself. Along glaciers, cliffs and steep mountainsides. Through deep bogs, rivers, lakes, tangled forests and razor-sharp boulder fields.No matter how well you can ride, Pass of Tears demands more. I knew this race wouldnt be mastered through skills alone. It would take the right mindset, careful navigation and consistency. Horsemanship, outdoor skills, situational awareness and the ability to deal with loneliness, doubt, despair and fear.Honestly, I never could have believed just how insane this Insane Patagonian Horse Race would turn out to be. Plot twist: I wasnt even a good rider. I couldnt ride at all.Training Like a Professional VacationerSo: How do you prepare for the toughest horse race in the world, as a complete beginner? And why was it that after my final training session, I genuinely didnt care whether I actually made it to the start line in Patagonia?Learning is a matter of attitude, just like the things we perceive as hard or uncomfortable. Instead of simply looking for the most professional trainer (or the first one I could find) I started asking myself some fundamental questions: What might I encounter in Patagonia? How do I learn best? What can I control and what cant I? How do I deal with uncertainty and all the things beyond my control?Instead of following strict training plans built on theory, I turned my preparation into a big adventure in itself. After all, Pass of Tears is an adventure race where so much can happen that you simply cant predict. Dealing with uncertainty and making questionable decisions would be essential. Thats why I wanted as many I-have-no-idea-how-Im-going-to-pull-this-off moments as possible.Rather than simply training my body and my riding skills, I wanted to train my mind above all else. My strategy was pretty simple: put myself into as many different situations as possible, ride as many different horses and types of terrain as possible, and experience different stables with different philosophies, in different countries. To get the most out of it, I started doing short daily recaps that always ended with a flexible to-do list: What am I missing right now? What can I do tomorrow? And where can I learn it best?I knew one thing: if I just stayed in Germany, I would be stuck in such rigid training structures and safety precautions that I would never learn what I needed to learn in seven months. It probably would have taken two years before I was even allowed to gallop. On a lead rope. Too much thinking. Far too much perfectionism. People stuff so much theory into their heads that they end up thinking more than feeling. But horses have to be felt.Nobody knows that better than the Argentine gauchos. For them, feel and connection with the horse are what matter most. Technique comes second. And why choose one approach when you can simply try everything?One month after my first riding lesson, I went on my first trip to the Dolomites. Steep, exposed terrain, so demanding that it would make some Mountain Bike World Cup downhill lines seem relaxed by comparison. Spending the night in a mountain hut, drinking deep red Italian Primitivo self-supported could wait a little longer here and taking a dip in an ice-cold mountain lake. Thankfully, I was riding Haflingers: horses so stubborn, yet so sure-footed, that youre more passenger than cowboy. Perfect for the beginning. This is where I built the foundation for technical terrain and loose ground. And I knew: One month later, Id be back.Back in Germany, I worked on my technique with my demandingly thorough riding instructor Heike, analysed where and why I felt insecure, and asked question after question. Most riding mistakes get projected onto the horse at first: Why arent they responding to this, or to that? The answer is (ouch, ego) in 95% of cases yourself.And then came our Moroccan fairytale. Together with my experienced riding friend Anastasia, I travelled to Marrakech. One Thousand and One Nights. Beautiful riads, multi-day treks, magical Bedouin tents and focused training that seemed so simple yet so effective. My thinking was simple: Anyone who gallops down a beach in flip-flops with a huge grin across their face, and owns their own stable at nineteen years old, must know a thing or two. And yes. He did.I learned an incredible amount from my young riding instructor and guide, Amine while fooling around and laughing our heads off the entire time. Controlled crashes into the sand dunes of Essaouira. Bareback riding at sunrise. And full-on Yallah gallops along endless beaches towards the sunset, with fresh sea air in our hair. Just do it. Amine believed in me. And with his confidence behind me, I slowly started believing in myself too: Try. Fall. Laugh. Get back up. And go again.Every now and then a horse kicked out. Not everything was technically clean. But it helped enormously to get rid of fear and hesitation. And sometimes the things we fear the most turn out to be surprisingly simple. A rearing horse is incredibly powerful and spectacular. And if you actually dare to do it, its almost disappointingly manageable. At the same time, it felt completely overwhelming that something like that was even possible after only four months of riding.You can read the full story of Pass of Tears from beginner rider to the toughest horse race in the world in our sister magazine DOWNTOWN: Pass of Tears: From Beginner Rider to the Insane Patagonian Horse Race in 7 MonthsDer Beitrag A Beginner at the Worlds Toughest Horse Race 400 Kilometres Through the Patagonian Wilderness erschien zuerst auf GRAN FONDO Cycling Magazine.