During the first Tour, each rider was on his own. Outside help was banned and riders had to mend their bikes themselves. Now Tour race leaders are backed by other riders and dozens of coaches, assistants and mechanics. This is how the teams evolved in a hundred years…
(Infographics: WeLoveCycling.com)
Toon Aerts of Belgium and the Netherlands’ Inge van der Heijden overcame deep sand, stiff North Sea breezes, and two strong favourites to win the Elite Men’s and Women’s European Cyclocross Championships over the weekend.
If cycling heaven is winning the Tour de France and hell is climbing the Alpe d’Huez in a torrential downpour, the sport’s limbo must be ending the season without a contract for the coming year.
In 2026, amateur cyclists from around the world will once again have the chance to ride a stage of next year’s Tour de France under the same closed-road conditions as, presumably, Tadej Pogačar and Jonas Vingegaard, who between them have won the last six Tours.
At this time of year, change feels like an appropriate theme for reflection. And as cyclists, we are well aware that change isn’t always easy. When it comes to expanding your two-wheel horizons, it can mean shaking up routines, learning new skills, and sometimes risking…
