JonasAbrahamsen's dream Tour de France continues, as the Uno-X Mobility rider will start as leader of both points and mountain classifications also on Tuesday. And he's not without chances to visit the flower ceremony also in Valloire."Its the Tour de France, the biggest race in the world so you h...

Stage 3 offers the sprinters a first opportunity for success at the 2024 Tour de France. One of those who ordinarily would have fancied his chances, is EF Education-EasyPost's Marijn van den Berg. On this occasion however, team orders mean there is no sprint opportunity for the Dutchman.The reason...

Wout van Aert had came into the Tour de France with very modest expectations and thinking mostly of support for Jonas Vingegaard, but that may be changing. The Belgian may have freedom to chase his own ambitions and he tells at the start of the stage that he will likely aim for the final bunch sprin...

The stage 4 of the 2024 Tour de France will lead rider to the Alps for the first time. The finish is located in Valloire, after a long and technical descent from this year's Souvenir Henri Desgrange - Col du Galibier. Cycling expert and a formerly very successful pro Tony Martin is very critical of...

The worlds largest custom handmade bike show, MADE, held its first Australian edition over the weekend with nearly 50 exhibitors showing off their craftsmanship.

Remco Evenepoels key climbing support riderMikel Landa expects that the first 'real' mountain stage of Tour de France will test everyone's legs and deal the cards for upcoming weeks.Tomorrow, riders will take on the Col de Galibier in what is meant to be the first big mountain test. "It will be th...

Peter Sagan's cycling careeris definitely over. In the shadow of theTour de France,the three-time world champion rode his last competitive kilometers in the Pierre Baguette jersey on Sunday in his home race, the Tour of Slovakia. In an emotional message on social media, Sagan bids farewell."Cro...

Stage 4 and its into the Alps and over them with the mighty Galibier.Tour du monde : the longest stage and a breather of sorts, intensity traded for distance. We got a brief flurry from Fabien Grellier that saw him get the combativity prize for the day but the stage was almost a sprint certainty. The only question was the winner.As the price of real estate at the front rose on the approach to Torino there was a crash for Casper Pedersen. He was back on his bike but later diagnosed with a cracked collarbone, presumably a non-starter today leaving Soudal-Quickstep a man down.Philipsen was the pre-race pick but his chances dipped when Mathieu van der Poel punctured in the streets, then dived when a crash caused a split in the field with 2.5km to go, Bryan Coquard wobbled, took out colleague Alexis Renard and a wave from this felled more behind. Other sprinters survived but no team was left in control. Lidl-Trek had a go and dropped off Mads Pedersen with 250m to go but this was long.Biniam Girmay didnt need his team; theyd been leading out Gerben Thijssen and presumably not as a decoy. Instead he had the perfect cocktail of power, timing and good fortune. He was able to launch on the right of the road just when an opening arose and if Pedersen moved right, he didnt close the door. As he faded in the wind Girmay pulled out a lead, enough to sit up and celebrate. Its Intermarch-Wantys first win in the Tour and the first for an Eritrean.Another sprinter was Richard Carapaz, 14th on the stage and with this came the yellow jersey thanks to countback. Just for day its worth it for him, for his team its even bigger and itll be interesting to see if he keeps it because he could enjoy a long spell. He looks to be climbing well but it might not be decided by countback given the course and climbs, hell have to ensure no time gaps open up. As Romain Bardet knows just follow Pogaar is not easy.The Route: just 140km but 3,600m of vertical gain. There are harder mountain stages to come and thats fine given its only Tuesday. Its up the Chisone valley where the river gradually turns to white water and then the climb to Sestriere, its all on a big main road and a gradual ascent with few difficulties. Likewise the Montgenvre, 8km at 6% and a transport artery between Italy and France.The Finish: the main road climbing continues with the Col du Lautaret, for 14km its a steady slog suitable for large trucks and with few surprises. Then theres a right turn and its the Galibier and 8.5km at 7% with some sustained 9% sections, and all at altitude. At the top theres the time bonus of 8-5-2 seconds for the first three.Its followed by a fast descent with some long straight sections down to Valloire and exactly the same finish as used in 2018, down into the resort and then a small slope back up to the line in the final kilometre.The Contenders: Tadej Pogaar (UAE) both for his climbing ability and his sprint because he can hope to beat anyone with him in the streets of Valloire.Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-LAB) might fancy his chances, he matched Pogaar on the San Luca.Primo Rogli (Redbull) would have been todays second pick because of his sprint but events in Bologna make things harder. Remco Evenepoel (Soudal-Quickstep) might even be a better pick as when hes in form hes punchy too.Giulio Ciccone (Lidl) is fast and so is Pello Bilbao (Bahrain) but the names before could be faster. This is the descent were Tom Pidcock (Ineos) was filmed on his way to the Alpe dHuez stage win but he can win from a sprint, the question is can he show the climbing pace needed in order to be able to make a winning move?Has the breakaway got a chance? Yes if enough riders fancy their chances at the start because if you are a climber down on GC already then you have an opportunity to seize, there are not many and ideally you can have a team mate in the move to help tow it clear. Well see if Lenny Martinez (Groupama-FDJ) can try or if he is rinsed from too much racing, likewise David Gaudu and if hes over Covid. Cofidis trio Ion Izagirre, Simon Geshke and Jesus Herrada fit the bill, as does Wout Poels (Bahrain). Kvin Vauquelin (Arka-Samsic) can try too. Itll be tough but well see what big teams do, will UAE want to test Vingegaard today? Probably, it could be risky in case of a counter-attack so better to be delicate rather than smash it all day?Pogaar, VingegaardEvenepoel, Vauquelin, Poels, Herrada, PidcockWeather: mainly sunny and 23C. The Lautaret is synonymous with an afternoon headwind but itll be a gentle one today.TV: KM0 is at 1.15pm CEST and the finish is forecast for 5.20pm CEST. There could be a lively start but if youre rationing your viewing, the race reaches Brianon around 3.30pm for the start of the Lautaret and at 4.30pm the Galibier proper begins.Postcard from the Col du GalibierHow high is the Galibier pass? 2,642m officially, even if the sign at the top says 2,645m. Its been used by the Tour since 1911 but for most of the time the altitude was 2,556m because when the road was built this included the construction of a tunnel allowing travellers to go through the mountain rather than over it.This is why the six metre high Henri Desgrange memorial is here, when it was built in 1949 in tribute to the Tour de France founder and director who had died in 1940 it was placed at the highest point possible at the time.It was only in the 1970s that the pass as we know it today exists. The old tunnel was crumbling and so the road was extended to climb up to the ridge above where a portion was blasted away. This new road is 900m long with a vertical gain of 90 metres.This is arguably the hardest part of the climb. For cyclists the tunnel is a tempting option, a short cut, a flat respite and some shade too. But cyclists are not allowed through under the traffic regulations. Is anyone checking? But those who have come this far might as well do the full climb. Still to be tempted is to be in good company as when it the Galibier was first crossed in 1911 the stage winner that day Emile Georget was asked about the tunnel and is said to have replied they should have built it lower down.The post Tour de France Stage 4 Preview first appeared on The Inner Ring.

This year at Eurobike, Shimano reveals the invigoration of its upcoming Spring-Summer 2025 shoe lineup of value-packed performance and entry-level road shoes. The highlight of the new lineup is the addition of Shimanos hallmark S-PHYRE technology and style at a new price point. Shimano says that with the reimaged lineup, well see seamless fits and improved construction for comfort and control for long days in the saddle. There are also more women-specific models and sizes at every price point. Shimano RC703 & RC703WThe Shimano RC703 and RC703W are packed with race-focused features. They utilize the S-PHYRE fit technology that is found on Shimanos pro-level road shoes. Designed to deliver comfort all day along with efficient power transfer, they employ a low-stack height midsole, and low-profile crossover lacing, that secures the forefoot, and reduces weight, while increasing pedaling stability.Plus, the RC703W features a woman-specific last designed to boost comfort and performance encompassing a broader range of riders. Shimano RC703 & RC703W Retail and FeaturesRetail: $250BOA Fit System with two L6Z dials to support a precise fitBreathable synthetic leather upperSurround Wrapping UpperLow stack height midsoleRC703 SpecsWeight:244 grams (size 42)Colors:Black, White, Sage GreenStandard Sizes:38 47 (half sizes available), 48, 49, 50Wide Sizes:38 47 (half sizes available), 48, 49, 50RC703W SpecsWeight:224g (size 40)Colors:Black, WhiteStandard Sizes:36 44Shimano RC302 and RC302WLike their more expensive brethren, the RC302 and RC2302W boast a boatload of performance features as well. These are value-packed road shoes that are ready for everyday riding. Designed for both comfort and speed, they use an integrated seamless midsole and glass fiber-reinforced nylon sole. Thus, delivering a stiff and stable pedaling platform. And, the RC302W features a womens specific last.Shimano RC302 & RC302W Retail and FeaturesRetail: $135BOA Fit System with L6E dialBreathable synthetic leather upperSurround Wrapping UpperLow stack height midsoleRC302 SpecsWeight:252 grams (size 42)Colors:Black, White, NavyStandard Sizes:36 52Wide Sizes:36 52RC302W SpecsWeight:237g (size 40)Colors:Black, White, NavyStandard Sizes:36 44Shimano RC102 and RC102WThe feature-rich RC102 and RC102W feature a new 3-strap closure that secures the foot and rocks a sleek look. The perforated leather upper, seamless midsole structure, and reduced stack height deliver the goods when it comes to comfort, cooling, and performance. The RC102W features a womens specific last.Shimano RC102 & RC102W Retail and FeaturesRetail: $110Seamless midsole structureThree-strap closure systemBreathable synthetic leather upperWide heel pad for walkabilityRC102 SpecsWeight:268 grams (size 42)Colors:Black, White, NavyStandard Sizes:36 50RC102W SpecsWeight:246g (size 40)Colors:Black, VioletStandard Sizes:36 44Shimano MW502For those riders that dont have an off-season, the MW502 shoes were designed for you, as they will keep your feet warm and dry even when the weather is cold and wet. Featuring Shimanos DRYSHIELD membrane, plus a cozy fleece liner, secure-closing lace flap, and neoprene ankle collar, these bad boys are your best defense against frigid conditions. Shimano MW502 Retail and FeaturesRetail: $225SPD-CompatibleDRYSHIELD membrane with fleece linerSpeed Lace ClosureRubber cross-country racing pattern outsole for increased tractionCheck out more Shimano footwear by hitting the link below. Road.Shimano.comThe post Shimano Gives Us S-PHYRE Tech on New Budget Road Shoes, Plus SPD Winter Shoes appeared first on Bikerumor.

There is no other WorldTour race taking place next to the Grande Boucle, however that doesn't mean the cycling world stopped spinning for a month. Throughout the July, we'll see numerous popular one-week stage races across the Europe, starting with the traditional Tour of Austria.INEOS Grenadiers ap...