Welcome to Daily News, your roundup of news items from across the world of cycling. We keep this post updated throughout the week so that you can stay informed on all things bike racing, tech, industry, culture, advocacy, and more.
Here is what is making the headlines this week, and here's last week's edition …
Sunday, May 25, 2025
- Reusser wins big in Burgos
- Jakobsen is back on the bike post-surgery
- Van der Poel withdraws after two crashes at World Cup return, Blevins’ domination continues
- Mona Mitterwallner wins Nové Mésto World Cup as Pieterse punctures out
- Winner's Circle: Verona takes emotional Giro stage win as GC erupts behind
Reusser wins big in Burgos
Marlen Reusser (Movistar) took back-to-back stage victories with the time trial finale to seal the overall Vuelta a Burgos title. The stage 4 test spanned 9.4 km, and despite playing down her chances having not won a TT in two years, the multiple national and continental champion went six seconds faster than Juliette Labous (FDJ-Suez) with Elisa Longo Borghini (UAE Team ADQ) two seconds further down in third.
The Italian’s efforts on the TT bike moved Longo Borghini up to second overall, while Yara Kastelijn (Fenix-Deceuninck) produced a decent ride in a less-favoured discipline to secure her first GC podium at the WorldTour event. Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx-Protime), meanwhile, pulled out a fifth-place finish to cap her first stage race of the season.
Reusser’s tremendous Vuelta a Burgos title – her first GC win with Movistar – cements a landmark result, whose ripples may be felt throughout the summer. Read Abby Mickey’s analysis of the Swiss star’s ascent here at Escape Collective.
Jakobsen is back on the bike post-surgery
Two and a half months after undergoing successful surgery to address narrowed pelvic arteries, Picnic-PostNL’s sprinter Fabio Jakobsen is back on the bike.
The 28-year-old has had far more than his fair share of health and injury-related woes, the latest being the diagnosis of flow restriction in the iliac arteries of both legs. Doubt had been spreading as to the sprinter’s form and potential as his recent results paled in comparison to past performances, but the announcement brought with it hope for both Jakobsen and his team Picnic-PostNL who had banked on the sprinter since prising him free of QuickStep at the end of 2023.
After his surgery in early April, Jakobsen was able to resume indoor training in recent weeks, before then joining some of his Picnic-PostNL teammates in Tenerife, where he posted his first outdoor ride on Saturday. [Instagram]
Van der Poel withdraws after two crashes at World Cup return, Blevins’ domination continues
Mathieu van der Poel went to Nové Mêsto with the goal “above all to enjoy myself”, with his long term goals directed towards the MTB World Championships after the Tour de France. However, his return to the UCI World Cup scene came to an inauspicious end after two crashes early in Sunda’s elite cross-country race.
Having started in the fourth row, his enthusiasm to move up in the early goings proved his downfall as he came unstuck while trying to take the outside line, bringing another rider down into the fence with him. He got back up pretty fast, but soon after he went base over apex over a small jump. He completed the second lap (in 73rd place) and began to work his way up the rankings, but before long, he’d decided his best course of action was to call it a day.
Victory in the race went to the superlative Christopher Blevins (Specialized Factory Racing), who also won yesterday’s short-track event. This is the Colorado native’s fifth win from six World Cup events so far in 2025, only dropping to second in the first of Brazil’s cross-country races.
Update: Alpecin-Deceuninck later revealed that both Mathieu van der Poel and Sam Gaze had been taken to hospital for check-ups after both recorded DNFs.
Mona Mitterwallner wins Nové Mésto World Cup as Pieterse punctures out
There were many eyes on world champion Puck Pieterse after her short-track win on Saturday, but a poorly timed puncture put the Fenix-Deceuninck rider out of contention in the third lap after an early move with Alessandra Keller, leaving a motivated group that held Pieterse off until the finish.
Mona Mitterwallner ultimately had the best legs, especially on the climbs, and the Austrian avoided the misfortune suffered by rival Samara Maxwell in the final lap. The Kiwi rider came close, but it was Mitterwallner’s to take all the way for her first World Cup win in two years.
Winner's Circle: Verona takes emotional Giro stage win as GC erupts behind
The Giro d'Italia's second week wrapped up on stage 15, finishing on the Asiago plateau, via the Monte Grappa. It was another dramatic outing for the peloton, with Carlos Verona (Lidl-Trek) bridging over to the remains of the breakaway late in the stage, then soloed to a maiden Grand Tour stage, with which he paid tribute to his teammate Giulio Ciccone who was forced to withdraw the night before.
The GC race had lit up just inside 100 km to go as Ineos Grenadiers opened it up on the Monte Grappa, carefully marked by pink jersey Isaac Del Toro. By the end of the stage, most of the top 10 arrived safe, but Primož Roglič lost a big chunk of time after losing touch on the final climb – read our full race report here at Escape Collective.
Saturday, May 24, 2025
- Ciccone forced to abandon the Giro after crash-affected stage 14
- Huge crash causes GC chaos at the Giro
- Reusser takes statement win on Burgos Queen Stage
- Bernal loses key domestique Rivera ahead of the Giro’s high mountains
- Pieterse and Blevins take XCC wins as MTB World Cup resumes in Nové Mêsto
- Van der Poel to make Dauphiné debut
- Race juror gets a taste of his own medicine at the Giro
Ciccone forced to abandon the Giro after crash-affected stage 14
Giulio Ciccone and Lidl-Trek were worst affected by the race-defining crash in the finishing circuits of stage 14. All their riders but Carlos Verona were among the first to come down, the Italian GC contender clearly suffering with an injury to his right upper leg. The entire team eventually crossed the line together over 16 minutes after the stage winner, and Ciccone went straight to hospital for scans.
The team has since confirmed that the Italian will be unable to start stage 15 due to diagnosis of "a major haematoma on the vastus lateralis muscle on his right quadricep as well as a small muscle fascia injury" that will require a rest period of around two week.
"I have no words," Ciccone said in the team's announcement. "I tried to fight to finish the stage because I was hoping that the hospital checks would show that it was not so bad and I could recover and fight for a stage, but I understood straight away that it was something important because the pain was too much, and now we know why. It hurts to leave the Giro like this, especially with the climbs still to come and the great feeling in the team, as well as leaving the good position I had in the GC. Now I need time to recover and we will see for the rest of the season." [Lidl-Trek]
Huge crash causes GC chaos at the Giro
Stage 14 of the Giro d'Italia looked like being a fairly simple affair before returning to the mountains, but a mass crash on the narrow streets of the finishing circuit, exacerbated by earlier downfalls, caused most of the peloton to be held up, with some big names badly affected.
As Kasper Asgreen rode away to victory from the breakaway – read our full race report here – the impact of the crash began to clear up behind. Race leader Isaac Del Toro was safe in the front split, along with Simon Yates, Richard Carapaz, Derek Gee, Damiano Caruso, Tom Pidcock, Einer Rubio and Max Poole, but Juan Ayuso, Primož Roglič, Egan Bernal and Antonio Tiberi all lost varying amounts of time and slipped a place – or five, in Tiberi's case – in the standings.
Reusser takes statement win on Burgos Queen Stage
Marlen Reusser (Movistar) took a landmark solo victory on stage 3 of the Vuelta a Burgos, the last of three Women’s WorldTour stage races in Spain, finishing up the infamous hors-catégorie climb of Picón Blanco, a major test that was set to all but decide the general classification.
The Movistar leader had attacked a group of favourites just outside the last 4 km, and the only riders who could follow were Elise Chabbey (FDJ-Suez) and Yara Kastelijn (Fenix-Deceuninck), just as Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx-Protime) began to lose touch of the elite group. Chabbey only lasted a few hundred metres with Reusser, and Kastelijn was then dropped by 2 km to go, leaving Reusser to win the stage by 40 seconds. Elisa Longo Borghini (UAE Team ADQ) finished third 1:17 down having left behind a small chase group that crossed the line seconds apart from one another.
With just a 9.4-kilometre ITT to come on Sunday, Reusser now leads the Vuelta a Burgos by 1:10 over Kastelijn, Longo Borghini third at 1:43. For the first time in a long time, there’s a complete absence of SD Worx jerseys in the GC top 10.
Bernal loses key domestique Rivera ahead of the Giro’s high mountains
After a solid first couple of weeks of the Giro d’Italia, Brandon Rivera has been forced to withdraw from his debut appearance at the Italian Grand Tour after becoming unwell overnight.
Rivera is a key domestique, confidant and training partner for Egan Bernal, who has so far seemed as close as ever to his former glory, three years after his near career-ending training crash – Rivera was with Bernal at the time of the incident.
The Colombian climber has already been an asset to the Ineos Grenadiers team having been involved in the defining move of stage 9, but his main role would have been to look after Bernal in the third week. With Bernal sitting fairly comfortably in the top 10, Rivera's absence is a blow to the team as Lucas Hamilton nurses injuries from his stage 9 crash and Thymen Arensman yet to show his best legs.
Pieterse and Blevins take XCC wins as MTB World Cup resumes in Nové Mêsto
Six weeks after the close of the Brazilian double header that kicked off the UCI MTB World Cup in Araxá, the world’s best mountain bikers descended on Nové Mêsto.
With short-track getting things underway on Saturday, Puck Pieterse (Alpecin-Deceuninck) took her first win at first try for 2025, leaving it until the last lap to launch a devastatingly long sprint and win ahead of Evie Richards (Trek Factory-Pirelli) and Linda Indergand (Liv Factory). In the men’s event, Christopher Blevins (Specialized) kept his win streak alive, taking his third XCC win in a row, ahead of Victor Koretzky (Specialized) for the third time, with Filippo Colombo (Scott-SRAM) getting his first top-three of the season.
Van der Poel to make Dauphiné debut
Mathieu van der Poel makes his return to competition this weekend after a six-week break following his victory at Paris-Roubaix in April. He's currently in Nové Mêsto na Morave in Czechia to race the cross-country event at the third round of the UCI MTB World Cup, his first appearance since the Olympic test event in 2023.
He's now looking ahead to the summer when he'll be making a fifth consecutive Tour de France appearance with Alpecin-Deceuninck. In preparation for the main event, Van der Poel is set to make his debut at the Critérium du Dauphiné, which starts in two weeks, and is the highest-profile Tour warm-up race on the calendar.
Race juror gets a taste of his own medicine at the Giro
The Giro d’Italia’s jury has been fairly busy in recent days, handing out fines for littering, urinating in public, late feeds, and even taking food from spectators. On stage 13, the jury report included a yellow card for one of their own: “Silvio Del Fatti (juror on motorcycle) – violation of the rules or regulations regarding vehicle movements during the competition.”
Friday, May 23, 2025
- Cavendish is the poster boy for a new partnership between ASO and Airbnb
- Ayuso reveals knee injury woes ahead of Giro’s key GC contests
- 1UP USA's redesigned Recon vertical bike rack is now available
- Ottestad wins stage 2 of Vuelta a Burgos ahead of Reusser
- Space opens up on Visma’s Tour de France team as Laporte’s withdrawal is confirmed
- Pedersen takes his fourth stage win at the Giro, as Del Toro further pads his lead
Cavendish is the poster boy for a new partnership between ASO and Airbnb
Mark Cavendish is continuing his transition into retirement with a new project, becoming the face of a new partnership between ASO and online private letting platform Airbnb, which will be an official partner of the Tour de France and Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift for the next three years.
The partnership aims to ‘shine a light on French regions’ throughout ASO’s pinnacle events, and will also run unique experiences with key personalities, including former French stars Thomas Voeckler and Steve Chainel, as well as a flagship event with Mark Cavendish in Paris at the end of this year’s Tour.
20 guests will join the greatest Tour sprinter of all time for a meet-and-greet and stories of his history at the Grand Boucle, then take part in a sprint masterclass over a few laps of the palatial indoor space. [Le Tour]
Ayuso reveals knee injury woes ahead of Giro’s key GC contests
Juan Ayuso has been holding firm within the peloton and his team, whose leadership dynamics have appeared a little up in the air since young teammate Isaac Del Toro – one year Ayuso’s junior – took pink on stage 9, the same stage on which the Spaniard was caught up in the stage-defining crash.
Currently second overall, the 22-year-old Spaniard is carefully nursing the knee injury picked up on Sunday’s dramatic Tuscan adventure. He required three stitches after the stage, and all he had to worry about in the stage 10 time trial was the lingering discomfort, but he’s now revealed that the wound opened up again during the TT, and with some additional swelling, the team is trying to hard to ensure the wound does not become infected.
Having reduced his disadvantage to the pink jersey worn by his teammate in the TT, the next big test for Ayuso et al. will come on Sunday’s stage that includes the Monte Grappa, then a tough final week loaded with huge climbs where the GC will be decided.
1UP USA's redesigned Recon vertical bike rack is now available
Previewed in our Sea Otter coverage, the Recon bike rack from 1UP USA has been completely overhauled and is now officially available for sale. Featuring a lighter weight and modular construction, and available in 4, 5, and 6 bike configurations that works well with both flat and drop bars, the vertical-style rack will appeal to everyone from families to shuttle crews.
At 15% lighter weight than the previous version, the new rack also features a modular rather than welded construction so the bits and pieces are all repairable and replaceable. The relatively substantial weight reduction comes from making most elements from aluminum rather than the former version's steel construction. The receiver end is now an expanding wedge, similar to 1UP's tray racks, which theoretically offers a tighter fitment over the old threaded hitch pin. It's tilt mechanism has also been redesigned for easier and safer access to the rear of your vehicle, even when fully loaded with bikes, with a heavy-duty pin and lever system.
Pricing for the 4-bike version is US$1,100, 5-bike is US$1,300, and 6-bike is US$1,500. 1UP USA.
Mie Bjørndal Ottestad wins stage 2 of Vuelta a Burgos ahead of Marlen Reusser
Norwegian national champion Mie Bjørndal Ottestad of Uno-X Mobility took her first WorldTour victory on Friday, winning the second stage of Vuelta a Burgos ahead of Marlen Reusser of Movistar. Reusser attacked on the final climb of the day, inside the last 7 km of the stage, and Bjørndal Ottestad followed the move.
A crash with 30 km to go distanced Lotte Kopecky from the main peloton. The SD Worx-Protime rider finished the stage over a minute down on Reusser, one of her main rivals for the overall general classification. The third stage on Saturday features a mountain top finish that will shake out the GC riders. It is the first major climb Kopecky will have faced this season.
Space opens up on Visma’s Tour de France team as Laporte’s withdrawal is confirmed
Visma-Lease a Bike sports director Grischa Niermann has confirmed that Christophe Laporte is “not 100% yet” and will therefore not be part of the team’s Tour de France lineup in six weeks’ time.
Laporte has been a key part of the Dutch super-team’s roster since he made the switch from Cofidis at the end of 2021, helping support Jonas Vingegaard in two successful attempts at the overall title, and himself taking a memorable stage win in 2022. It was no surprise, then, that he was named in the team’s characteristically early squad announcement for the 2025 edition this January.
However, he is yet to race in 2025 having been ruled out of his favoured Classics due to cytomegalovirus. The team is made no indication as to when the 32-year-old Frenchman is likely to return to competition, but he’ll certainly not be fit for his home Grand Tour.
Pedersen takes his fourth stage win at the Giro, as Del Toro further pads his lead
Mads Pedersen won stage 13 of the 2025 Giro d’Italia in a dramatic uphill finale on the Monte Berico, bringing his points tally to 227 and virtually wrapping up the classification with nine stages still to go, most of them not favouring the fast men – pretty much all he has to do is finish the race.
It wasn’t a simple sprint stage, with early crosswinds and multiple attacks on the few punchy climbs, including a late move in the last 10 km from Romain Bardet (Picnic-PostNL), but the French veteran only drew out loyal Lidl-Trek teammate Mathias Vacek. The pair stayed clear until the final kilometre, but the peloton brought them in hand to ensure the fast men would have a chance at glory, their opportunities to do so dwindling fast at this Giro.
On the furious uphill sprint that followed, Pedersen took his fourth stage win ahead of Wout van Aert (Visma-Lease a Bike) and Isaac Del Toro (UAE Team Emirates-XRG), who continues to pad his lead with bonus seconds wherever he can, now leading Ayuso by 38 seconds – he’s added 14 bonus seconds to his tally since he took over the race lead.
Thursday, May 22, 2025
- Soudal-Quick Step CEO denies Evenepoel transfer rumours
- Tour boss responds to Montmartre finale criticism
- Canyon partner with Millet to release hydration vest
- Strava adds new features, doubles live segments, and acquires another training app
- BMC to cut workforce in global restructure
- Lorena Wiebes wins opening stage of Vuelta a Burgos
- Shmidt and Ehrlich take US national time trial titles
- Belgian wonderkid wins at Ronde de l'Isard
Soudal-Quick Step CEO denies Evenepoel transfer rumours
Amid rumours of renewed interest from Ineos Grenadiers in acquiring the talents of Remco Evenepoel thanks to an incoming cash injection from TotalEnergies, Soudal-Quick Step CEO Jurgen Foré has looked to dampen talk of his star rider leaving, especially seeing as Evenepoel is currently signed until the end of 2026.
“There are rumours, but there are also contracts and that is what counts,” Foré told Wielerflits. “Those rumours have always been there, even before I joined the team. But the only thing on the table is a contract with an end date of December 2026.
"That is the contractual reality at the moment. In addition, we supported him for five months when he was injured and put a lot of effort into his recovery. We need to talk about races, I don’t think this is the time to talk about contracts." [Wielerflits]
Tour boss responds to Montmartre finale criticism
Tour de France boss Christian Prudhomme has responded to criticism from riders such as Jonas Vingegaard, Wout van Aert and Remco Evenepoel of the Montmartre climb's addition to the final stage 21 of the French Grand Tour.
"This will increase the prestige of the Tour all over the world," Prudhomme told Sporza. "It allows cycling to further expand its legend. It was obvious to us that we wanted to do something big for the fiftieth anniversary of the first arrival on the Champs-Elysées.
“What is good for the Tour is also good for the champions of the Tour,” the Frenchman continued. “When we included the gravel stage in the Tour course last year, we also failed to impress the riders. The same story when we made the cobblestones popular again.
“When Henri Desgrange [the Tour's founder] first included the Tourmalet and the Pyrenees in the route in 1910, not everyone was thrilled. Now they are part of the legend of the Tour. We must continue to build on that legend." [Sporza]
Canyon partner with Millet to release hydration vest
If you are a fan of a tenuous acronym, then the latest product from Canyon will be right up your street. The SHARP (stay hydrated at race pace) hydration vest is the result of a collaboration with French mountaineering brand Millet. The SHARP comes in two sizes and includes a two-litre bladder and a smattering of pockets to stash food, spares, or your phone. The left-hand strap also features a waterproof pocket for extra protection from rain or sweat.
The vest weighs a claimed 450 grams, including the bladder, using a mesh construction with the aim of increasing breathability. Priced at €170, it is positioned at the premium end of the hydration vest market and is available directly from Canyon. [Canyon]
Strava adds new features, doubles live segments, and acquires another training app
Strava has rolled out a new round of updates to its platform, including a refreshed app interface, upgraded route-planning tools, and a doubling of the number of live segments.
The company also said it’s continuing to crack down on leaderboard cheaters, and claims its machine learning model, introduced earlier this year, has already removed more than 4.4 million activities from ride and run leaderboards, mostly due to incorrect sport tags or GPS data captured while driving.
Updates to the route planning include AI-based suggestions using data from Strava’s global heatmap to generate local loops based on a user’s location. Tappable points of interest and mobile point-to-point routing are due to be added in the coming months.
In a less-publicised move, Strava has acquired The Breakaway, a cycling training app. The deal follows its recent purchase of Runna, a running training platform. The Breakaway offers performance tracking and personalised workout guidance – features likely to be added into Strava’s subscriber perks. [Strava]
BMC to cut workforce in global restructure
Swiss brand BMC has announced it will lay off around 40 employees as part of a cost-cutting restructure. The company said the move is driven by falling demand, high inventory levels, and prolonged pricing pressure across the industry, with US tariffs also influencing the decision.
BMC said that its earlier efforts, such as reducing supplier orders and reducing stock levels in 2023, weren’t enough to address those challenges. In 2024, the company applied for government support for paying the employee wages.
The layoffs will affect staff across departments and regions, and are expected to be completed by the end of June.
Lorena Wiebes wins opening stage of Vuelta a Burgos
Lorena Wiebes is back on the top step after the first stage of Vuelta a Burgos. The European champion returned from a post-Classics break from racing to beat Elisa Balsamo of Lidl-Trek in the sprint. Wiebes' SD Worx-Protime teammate Lotte Kopecky did such a good lead-out that she held on for third on the stage.
A two-rider move that broke away late in the stage was brought back only 1.2 km from the line. After they were swept up, the reduced group turned to an uphill sprint. Wiebes was yet again unbeatable from a bunch and will go into the second stage in the leader's jersey.
Shmidt and Ehrlich take US national time trial titles
Emily Ehrlich (Virginia's Blue Ridge Twenty24) and Artem Shmidt (Ineos Grenadiers) are the new US national time trial champions, with Ehrlich beating EF Education-Oatly's Kristen Faulkner into second place by 27 seconds.
Belgian wonderkid wins at Ronde de l'Isard
Belgian 19-year-old Jarno Widar took stage two of the Ronde de l'Isard to soar into the race lead of U23 stage race. Widar is racing for the Lotto Development Team but already has a two-year WorldTour contract with Lotto starting next year.
Wednesday, May 21, 2025
- Unbound will have a live stream
- Paris isn't only for the sprinters anymore
- Lappartient confirms Rwanda Worlds is on
- Wolf Tooth now has bottom brackets
- Silca adds grease to its maintenance range
Unbound will have a live stream
Life Time, promoters of the Grand Prix series of off-road races, announced that it will offer full live streaming coverage of its premier event, Unbound Gravel 200, for the first time.
The race, held May 31, will be shown on the Life Time Grand Prix’s YouTube channel. Organizers anticipate the show will run for nearly seven hours, with a pre-race show followed by live coverage of the men’s and women’s events, start to finish. Longtime cycling announcer Bill Elliston will anchor the commentary, assisted by pro Payson McElveen (who is out with injury) and former road and gravel pro Meredith Miller. Nat Ross and Lauren Hall will provide live updates from on course.
Paris isn't only for the sprinters anymore
We now have additional details on the route shakeup planned for the final stage of the Tour de France in Paris. Riders will tackle the cobbled Montmartre climb three times on the final day, with the last ascent just 6.1 km from the finish. The short, sharp climb (1.1 km at 5.9%) was a highlight of the 2024 Olympic road race and will now play a pivotal role in deciding the Tour’s final stage.
The new route marks a major departure from the usual flat sprint on the Champs-Élysées, though the finish line will still be located on the Champs. Two-time Tour champion Jonas Vingegaard expressed concern over the change, warning that the narrow streets and larger peloton could create “more stress than we actually want to have.”
His Visma-Lease a Bike teammate Wout van Aert – a possible stage favorite – agreed: "I'm not completely a fan of it," he said, citing the potential danger of a chaotic route.
Lappartient confirms Rwanda Worlds is on
Lappartient confirmed the 2025 UCI Road World Championships will go ahead in Rwanda, calling it a potential turning point for African cycling. The UCI is also working to ensure broad participation from Africa’s 54 national federations, emphasizing development, unity, and global visibility. [Marca]
Wolf Tooth now has bottom brackets
Machined at Wolf Tooth’s Minnesota (USA) headquarters, Wolf Tooth's entry into threaded bottom brackets promises best-in-class sealing (five seals per cup), improved durability, and less weight.
The custom hardened chrome steel bearings are said to be more durable, quieter, and smoother spinning than a more commonly used stainless steel. Polymer bushings sit between the bearing and the crank spindle to greatly reduce the chance of creaking – a feature found in some other bottom brackets that was previously praised on the Geek Warning podcast.
Currently, the range is limited to BSA (English) and T47 Internal models (adjustable widths for road and MTB), each available to suit 24, 29, and 30 mm spindle diameters. Colours are limited to black, raw silver, orange, and ultraviolet purple. Expect to pay US$130 for the BSA, and US$140 for the T47 Internal.
Silca adds grease to its maintenance range
It’s hard to believe that a company with so many chain lubes and cleaners didn’t have grease. Filling that gap, Silca’s new Synergetic Race Grease is said to be based on the same oils and low-friction additives as the company’s Synergetic chain lube. Compared to other common greases, it claims to reduce wear and friction.
It’s an all purpose bicycle grease, good for bearings, threads, and press-fit assemblies. It’s currently only available in a 100cc tube (95 g) at a price of US$25.
Tuesday, May 20, 2025
- Vingegaard says race doctor never checked him for concussion
- Dylan Johnson breaks leg after driver crashes into him
- Trio who robbed Cavendish ordered to repay him
- New Pirelli Cinturato EVO TLR goes up to 55 mm wide
- Gaudu extends with Groupama through 2027
- Winner's Circle
Vingegaard says race doctor never checked him for concussion
Pro cycling has made strides in screening crashed riders for head injuries, but two-time Tour de France winner Jonas Vingegaard said those systems failed him at March's Paris-Nice, when he crashed on stage 5. According to UCI guidelines, riders who crash should be checked for clear "red flags" of a possible concussion, including facial injuries. His crash did not initially look serious but he did sustain a cut to his face.
"I went to the race doctor because I had some blood on my face. I was bleeding, but they never once checked me for concussion, which I find a bit odd, to be honest,” he said at a press conference during a training camp in Spain's Sierra Nevada mountains. “It was visible that my glasses were broken, I had blood on my face, I even had a little bit of blood here on the eyebrow.” Vingegaard finished the stage but had symptoms of dizziness and nausea; further checks led to a diagnosis of concussion and he did not start stage 6. He has yet to race since.
Dylan Johnson breaks leg after driver crashes into him
Gravel racer Dylan Johnson will miss his major season objective, Unbound Gravel, after suffering a broken leg after a driver hit him. "The driver pulled out into the road as I was passing and hit me on my right side," he wrote in a post on Instagram. "The result is a fractured tibia. There may be ligament damage too, but I’ll know more after I get an MRI."
Johnson, who finished 10th at the race in 2024, had high hopes for the 2025 edition. "Unbound is undoubtedly the biggest priority of my season and I go all in for it. The preparation leading up is unlike any race of the year," he wrote. Although his recovery timeline is undetermined, he said he hoped to use the form as a base for later in the season. "Maybe I’ll even have a better late season because of this, at least that’s what I’m telling myself. Trying my best to see the glass half full right now."
Trio who robbed Cavendish ordered to repay him
The three men who broke into Mark Cavendish's home overnight, assaulted and then robbed him, have been ordered to repay £750,000 as compensation or see their sentences extended, reports the BBC. The break-in, in November 2021, came as Cavendish was recovering from injuries suffered at the Gent Six-Day. In addition to the assault, the robbers took a number of items including several high-value Richard Mille watches. The three have already been handed lengthy prison terms of between 12-15 years (one was sentenced to another eight years for separate firearms offenses). If they fail to repay the amount, they could see an additional six years tacked on to their sentences. [BBC]
New Pirelli Cinturato EVO TLR goes up to 55 mm wide
Wide tires are the big trend across almost all cycling disciplines these days, but Pirelli's Cinturato EVO TLR road tire pushes the width boundary out even further. The new tubeless-ready road tire, which replaces the Cinturato Velo, is available in sizes from 28 mm out to a whopping 55 mm wide. Pirelli says the tire is designed for endurance road, light gravel, or fast commutes.
The tire continues Pirelli's commitment to more environmentally friendly construction, with 50% of the materials classifying as recycled or bio-based, with FSC-certified natural rubber and 60tpi casing made with recycled nylon. Sizes from 28-40 mm are available now, with larger sizes (45, 50 and 55 mm) coming later this season. All sizes come in a standard black sidewall, with some sizes available in a brown "classic" or tan "retro" sidewall color. Retail is €80 /US$95 per tire. [Pirelli]
Gaudu extends with Groupama through 2027
David Gaudu is the latest out-of-contract rider to get an extension, as he's reportedly renewed his deal with Groupama-FDJ for two seasons, through 2027. Gaudu, who is currently racing the Giro d'Italia, told L'Equipe he expects this to be his last contract as a team leader.
The 28-year-old noted that future campaigns for Grand Tour overalls could be difficult, as Groupama is not among the best-funded teams and is further restricted by French employment law. "In France, we're still limited by social security contributions and employers' contributions," he said. "Luxury teammates are very expensive. It's difficult to compete with the big guns. The top five in the WorldTour are the top five in terms of budgets. We're fighting with what we've got." [L'Equipe]
Winner's Circle
Daan Hoole (Lidl-Trek) took his first WorldTour win as the 26-year-old won the Giro's stage 10 time trial, denying Josh Tarling (Ineos Grenadiers) a second TT victory. Isaac del Toro retained the overall lead, but his margin to UAE Team Emirates-XRG teammate Juan Ayuso slipped to 25 seconds. Read more in our report. Lidl-Trek notched its second win of the day in Spain, where Canadian Isabella Holmgren – just 19 years old – soloed to victory in the Durango-Durango Emakumeen race, a final tuneup before the women's Vuelta a Burgos this weekend.
Monday, May 19, 2025
- Mas renews with Movistar through 2029
- Ayuso has pain from gravel crash but remains optimistic
- Newest Moots road bike goes wider
- Van Aert says he has yet to find his best legs
Mas renews with Movistar through 2029
Enric Mas' future appears set after the Spanish GC contender extended his contract with Movistar through 2029. The deal will carry Mas almost to his 35th birthday and ensures his long-term status as Movistar's main GC rider. Mas has finished on the podium of three of the last four Vuelta a España editions.
The extension comes on the heels of former Movistar captain Alejandro Valverde advocating for the team to make a run at UAE Team Emirates-XRG's Juan Ayuso, who is currently second overall at the Giro d'Italia. Because Ayuso is just 22, Mas' extension doesn't rule out a dual-leader team. But Ayuso wants leadership opportunities now and is also under contract through 2028, meaning Movistar would need a likely expensive buyout to pry him free after having just committed significant budget to Mas.
Ayuso has pain from gravel crash but remains optimistic
Speaking of Ayuso, the UAE leader said on Monday's rest day at the Giro that he's banged up but hopes the day off will help him heal up before Tuesday's important time trial stage. "I do feel quite a bit of pain," he said at the team's rest-day press conference, noting three stitches to close the wound after a crash on a gravel sector in Sunday's stage 9.
After remounting, he said he was initially concerned but began to feel better. Post-race checks further assuaged his concerns. "There is no muscular problem," he said, although he did suffer a bone bruise. "Falling is never ideal, but with one extra day of recovery it should be okay tomorrow in the time trial." Ayuso is in second overall, 1:13 behind his teammate Isaac del Toro.
Newest Moots road bike goes wider
Iconic titanium framebuilder Moots Cycles continues to expand its range of options for mixed-surface riding. The new Vamoots 33 is the latest offering from the Colorado-based company. Named for a road that leads to many popular ride routes near its Steamboat Springs HQ, the Vamoots 33 features (somewhat confusingly) 38 mm of tire clearance, up from 35 mm on the Vamoots RCS. Moots' gravel line starts with two models at 45 mm of clearance, putting the Vamoots 33 squarely in all-road territory.
The Vamoots 33 is built with straight-gauge 3Al/2.5V titanium tubing with 3D-printed dropouts, a BSA bottom bracket, 140/160 mm flat-mount brake standard, and fits a 27.2 mm seatpost. Framesets are US$6,000, with complete bikes from $7,500. [Moots]
Van Aert says he has yet to find his best legs
On the heels of a remarkable comeback win following his severe knee injury at last September's Vuelta a España, Wout van Aert served warning that he hasn't yet hit his ceiling. Van Aert powered into the late breakaway on stage 9 of the Giro and then outkicked companion Isaac del Toro to the line in Siena, site of his first-ever WorldTour podium back in 2018 at Strade Bianche.
"I think I'm getting better, but I don't feel so good that I suddenly have my best legs back," he said at his Visma-Lease a Bike team's rest-day press conference. But Van Aert downplayed his chances slightly for Tuesday's time trial. While he's won nine TTs in his career, Van Aert noted his effort on Sunday might impact his performance. "We'll see how I've recovered, because yesterday I had to go very deep," he said, tipping stage 2 winner Josh Tarling as the top favorite.
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