Author: Henri Giroud

We don’t usually look to XDS Astana for a masterclass in sprint organization these days. But on Stage 2 of Paris-Nice, the squad pulled off a minor miracle, navigating a wildly sketchy finale to deliver Max Kanter to his first-ever WorldTour victory. The press release insists it was a “perfect lead-out.” Anyone actually watching the broadcast knows it was absolute chaos. The peloton hit the final run-in to Montargis completely strung out, battling a frantic sequence of roundabouts that unceremoniously spat pre-race favorites like Biniam Girmay out the back. With two kilometers to go, Kanter and his team were effectively…

There is a very specific type of psychological warfare that elite cyclists deploy when they want to completely demoralize their rivals. It usually involves crushing everyone’s hopes and dreams on the road, and then casually complaining to the press about having a bad day. Filippo Ganna gave us a masterclass in this exact tactic on Monday afternoon in Lido di Camaiore. The Italian powerhouse stomped his way through the opening 11.5-kilometer time trial of Tirreno-Adriatico, stopping the clock at a blistering 12 minutes and eight seconds. To put that into perspective, he beat his own teammate, Thymen Arensman, by a…

Report We all knew it was coming. The directors in the team cars knew it, the fans choking on dust alongside the Tuscan gravel knew it, and every single rider gasping for air in the peloton knew exactly what was about to happen. Tadej Pogačar was going to attack on the Monte Sante Maria. And yet, when the reigning World Champion inevitably pulled the pin with an absurd 79 kilometers still left to race, nobody could do a damn thing about it. In what was officially his very first race day of the 2026 season, Pogačar didn’t just win his…

Every cyclist has heard the old-school advice: keep your legs fresh by keeping them crossed. No sex in the days leading up to a major race keeps you fit and focused. Nothing like a good yoni to drain your essence and sap your aggression. Turns out that’s false. Which is strange, because it sounds so plausible. Scientists have conducted some kind of study that presumably involved having a lot of sex (yes please) and riding a lot of bikes (this is starting to sound like a great week). And their conclusion is that apparently a pre-ride roll in the hay…

Writing a novel. Hiding out. Staying safe. Thriving. But not thinking about the website. We’ll be back, promise. Look, we only just redesigned this thing.

The first edition of the Wörthersee Gravel Race proved to be an extraordinary success, presenting a remarkable turnout for a thrilling race set against breathtaking scenery and idyllic weather conditions. In bright sunshine and a pleasant 25 degrees, 1,200 enthusiastic gravel bikers from 36 nations gathered on the turquoise shores of Lake Wörthersee for this unique event. “The premiere of the Wörthersee Gravel Race was a complete success and we are overwhelmed by the positive response and the enormous interest in our event,” emphasizes Roland Sint, Managing Director of the Wörthersee Rosental region. With an impressive time of 04:00:23.3, Austrian…

Report Brandon McNulty of UAE Team Emirates secured a remarkable hat-trick of victories at the UAE Tour by storming to first place in the Individual Time Trial (ITT) held at Al Hudayriyat Island. The American rider displayed an impressive performance, clocking a time of 13 minutes and 27 seconds over the 12.1-kilometer course, setting a blistering pace that none could match. McNulty was closely followed by his teammates Jay Vine and Mikkel Bjerg, who finished just 2 and 4 seconds behind him, respectively. This dominant display by UAE Team Emirates saw them claim the top three spots on the podium,…

Report In a display of sheer sprinting dominance, Tim Merlier of Soudal Quick-Step claimed his eighth victory of 2024 at the opening stage of the UAE Tour. The seasoned Belgian rider left no room for doubt this time, crossing the finish line with several bike lengths to spare, unlike last year’s tight photo-finish. The stage, stretching from Al Dhafra Walk to Liwa, remained relatively tranquil until the final kilometers, where the pace surged on the wide roads leading to the finish. While crosswinds were anticipated throughout the day, they only made a decisive appearance in the closing stretch, challenging riders…