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, June 1, 2025
- Brennan never finishes outside top two on his way to Tour of Norway title
- Mauro Vegni bows out on a high from his tenure as Giro director
- Mnstry announces a new Bicarb and carbohydrate gel
- Unbound Gravel crowns winners
- Possible Visma Tour de France replacement Zingle reveals fractured vertebra
- Annemiek van Vleuten announces pregnancy
Brennan never finishes outside top two on his way to Tour of Norway title
Revelation of the season, Matthew Brennan, took his second stage win of the four-day Tour of Norway on Sunday to seal the overall victory.
Still a teenager for another two months, Brennan never finished lower than second all race, winning the sprint behind lone survivor Storm Ingebrigtsen (Coop-Repsol) on stage 1, then taking the lead with victory the following day. Maxim van Gils then got the better of him on stage 3, but Brennan was back on top in the Stavanger finale, edging out veteran Alexander Kristoff (Uno-X) who is almost twice the winner’s age.
Brennan can’t seem to stop winning in his first pro season with Visma-Lease a Bike, which started with a handful of small French races in March, giving way then to WorldTour wins at the Volta a Catalunya and Tour de Romandie. Including the times he’s raised his arms with the Development squad, he’s brought his tally to 10 so far in 2025.
Mauro Vegni bows out on a high from his tenure as Giro director
Giro d’Italia director Mauro Vegni is set to bow out on a high after the 2025 edition this Sunday. The 66-year-old Italian took over from Michele Acquarone in 2014, and has developed a passionate, ebullient reputation as the organiser of the Italian Grand Tour.
News of his retirement hasn’t been widely reported, and it’s unknown if he’ll be stepping down from his role across RCS Sport, but he teased on TV coverage earlier this week that this would be his last Giro as director.
Mnstry announces a new Bicarb and carbohydrate gel
German brand Mnstry Nutrition has released what it claims is the first gel-based supplement combining bicarbonate with carbohydrates for in-race use. The new Bicarb Gel 40 Lemon 1:0.8 is designed to allow athletes to maintain elevated bicarbonate levels during prolonged or high-intensity efforts, something it says was previously limited to pre-race loading strategies. The company says the gel uses encapsulation technology to deliver bicarbonate directly to the small intestine, aiming to avoid gastrointestinal discomfort typically associated with sodium bicarbonate use.
Along with five grams of bicarbonate, each gel contains 40 grams of carbohydrate in a 1:0.8 glucose-to-fructose ratio, intended to support sustained energy delivery. The product has been developed with input from professional athletes and is batch-tested by Informed Sport. It is free from artificial sweeteners and animal products.
Unbound Gravel crowns winners
After the close of a super-fast Unbound XL, the records continued to tumble in the 200, with Cameron Jones (Scott-Shimano) obliterating the elite men’s benchmark after leaving Simon Pellaud (Tudor Pro Cycling) in his dust. In the women’s event, Karolina Migoń (PAS Racing) soloed to an emphatic victory in what has been a phenomenal season so far, which has included a successful Traka 360 defence and victory at Gravel Locos just last week.
In the 100-mile event, Australian national champion Tiffany Cromwell (Canyon-SRAM zondacrypto) took her second victory, while the men’s event came down to a two-up sprint for the title, won by U23 athletes Hayden Christian ahead of Isaac Allred after the pair spent 75 miles together.
Possible Visma Tour de France replacement Zingle reveals fractured vertebra
Frenchman Axel Zingle was on track for overall victory at the Four Days of Dunkirk last month until a crash sent him to hospital in the pink jersey of race leader. At the time, he was given a clean bill of health, but for some discomfort, however subsequent tests have shown a fracture to the C7 vertebra, low down in the cervical spine (i.e. base of the neck).
After the inevitable withdrawal of compatriot Christophe Laporte, Zingle had been considered a likely contender for Visma-Lease a Bike’s Tour de France squad set to start the Grand Boucle in five weeks’ time, a booking that would be Zingle’s third appearance at his home Tour – he finished twice with previous team Cofidis. However, though he’s hoping to be able to return to competition before too long, it’s a setback for the Frenchman and potentially reduces the options for the Dutch team.
Annemiek van Vleuten announces pregnancy
Retired Dutch pro Annemiek van Vleuten has announced that she is pregnant and expecting her first child in September.
The multiple world champion, prolific stage racer and two-time winner of the Tour of Flanders, Strade Bianche and Liège-Bastogne-Liège scored a total of 104 wins across a career that spanned a decade and a half, after coming to cycling later than usual in her mid 20s. Van Vleuten retired near the top of her game at the end of 2023, but has never been far from the cycling scene with regular appearances throughout the pro women's calendar. [Van Vleuten via Instagram]
Saturday, May 31, 2025
- Injury-plagued Visma-Lease a Bike pulls out of the Tour of Slovenia
- Fuglsang announces that the Giro is his last race with Israel-Premier Tech
- Laporte on the road to recovery: ‘I honestly would’ve preferred to break something’
- Rob Britton and Heather Jackson take record wins at Unbound XL
- Winner's circle: Chris Harper wins Finestre stage as Simon Yates seizes control of the Giro
Injury-plagued Visma-Lease a Bike pulls out of the Tour of Slovenia
Visma-Lease a Bike was due to start the five-day Tour of Slovenia on 4th June, but the WorldTeam has had to withdraw last minute as the Dutch squad continues to struggle with the number of injuries.
A provisional starting lineup including young hopefuls Tom Gloag – who is currently at the Tour of Norway – Loe van Belle and U23 road world champion Niklas Behrens, along with British veteran Dan McLay had been provided, but the WorldTeam has opted to direct their resources elsewhere in what is set to be a busy month as the summer gets going.
Rob Britton and Heather Jackson take record wins at Unbound XL
The mammoth 350-mile Unbound XL has two new winners in Rob Britton and Heather Jackson, both recording new fastest times by their respective arrivals in Emporia, Kansas.
Canadian rider Britton had trailed Lachlan Morton, reigning champ of Unbound Gravel 200, throughout the night, only catching the Australian 10 miles from the finish for a memorable victory. Morton finished 5:44 after Britton's new course record of 17:49:51, with third place going to Robin Gemperle over an hour later.
In the elite women's race, former triathlete and seven-time Ironman champion Heather Jackson took the biggest win of her short gravel career with a solo effort that she'd cemented by the halfway point, and despite a crash and mechanical issues shortly before sunrise, she soldiered on to another course record of 20:57:57, two hours 28 faster than Cynthia Frazier's 2022 benchmark.
Fuglsang announces that the Giro is his last race with Israel-Premier Tech
Jakob Fuglsang has announced that Sunday’s final stage of the Giro d’Italia will be his last appearance for Israel-Premier Tech.
“When I signed my last contract with the team last year, we agreed on a seven-month deal, for me to be able to be part of our GC project with Derek [Gee],” Fuglsang announced via Instagram. “We started last year with the Dauphiné [where Gee finished third], and it’s been a super-nice journey, but seven months are coming close and so is our GC ambitions here in the Giro.”
The 40-year-old Dane enjoyed most of his personal successes while racing for Astana, including two overall Dauphiné titles, two Monuments in Liège-Bastogne-Liège and Il Lombardia, and top 10s at both the Tour de France and Giro. He transferred over to Israel-Premier Tech in 2022, entering more of a mentor role for his young teammates.
“It’s been a fantastic journey, and I’ve enjoyed it. And I’m happy that I can finish on a level where I still make a difference, still can be part of the race, and give something back to guys like Derek … But every good thing comes to an end and it’s time for me to enjoy more time with the family and to let the young kids go ahead. One last push!”
Laporte on the road to recovery: ‘I honestly would’ve preferred to break something’
After being unable to race or even train this spring due to cytomegalovirus, culminating in his recent inevitable withdrawal from the Tour de France lineup, Christophe Laporte has opened up about the tricky period as he tentatively returns to light training.
“About ten days ago, I started training again,” Laporte told French newspaper L’Équipe. “Very lightly, but I’ve managed a few days on the bike without too many issues. It’s taking a long time to recover and it’s still not fully behind me. I still get headaches and bouts of fatigue now and then.
“I honestly would’ve preferred to break something, because at least then you know when you’ll be back. When I first got sick, I thought I’d be fine in a month. But the team doctor warned me it could take a long time. For most people, cytomegalovirus is harmless, but in my case, it really affected me. As long as the virus is in your system, relapses can happen.”
The 32-year-old Frenchman will slowly rebuild towards returning to racing at the Bretagne Classic, Renewi Tour, the Canadian WorldTour one-days, or perhaps the Vuelta a España.
Winner's circle: Chris Harper wins Finestre stage as Simon Yates seizes control of the Giro
An extraordinary final mountain stage of the 2025 Giro d'Italia culminated in a marvellous stage victory for 30-year-old Australian Chris Harper (Jayco-AlUla), as the GC competition erupted on the lower slopes of the infamous Colle delle Finestre. On the same mountain that staged his collapse seven years ago, Simon Yates went from third to virtual leader by the summit as Isaac Del Toro and Richard Carapaz got caught in a game of chicken behind him, and with Wout van Aert's help in the valley that followed, the Brit's lead grew to almost four minutes by the finish in Sestriere – read the race report here at Escape Collective.
Away from the Giro, the pro men have also been racing in France and Norway, with Aaron Gate taking stage 2, and more UCI points for XDS-Astana, at the Boucles de la Mayenne, and at the Tour of Norway, Maxim van Gils finally got the better of Matthew Brennan on stage 3, though the young Visma rider retains the lead.
Also in Norway, Justine Ghekiere took stage 1 victory at the Tour of Norway Women, just ahead of young Scottish rider Lauren Dickson, with Sarah Gigante making it a one-three for AG Insurance-Soudal in her first race back since her Aussie summer was derailed by diagnosis and surgery for iliac artery endofibrosis.
Friday, May 30, 2025
- Van Dijk recovering from concussion and fractured shoulder
- Roglič family camper broken into during the Giro
- Dierckxsens dies during ride
- Specialized to shut Colorado office and move staff to Morgan Hill HQ
- Kent International closes South Carolina bike factory
- Winner's Circle: Prodhomme wins Giro stage 19 from the break
Van Dijk recovering from concussion and fractured shoulder
Ellen van Dijk (Lidl-Trek) is recovering from a concussion and broken shoulder after crashing in the Ronde van Lekkerkerk criterium, which was cancelled after the crash.
Van Dijk's partner Benjamin de Bruijn posted an update on her status on Friday.
"When I arrived, Ellen was out of conciousness. Luckily she responded after a short while," he wrote. "She was then brought to the hospital where she was diagnosed with signs of a concussion and a fractured shoulder. Which was kind of a relief. She could go home with me already yesterday."
Roglič family camper broken into during the Giro
Slovenian outlet SIOL reports that thieves broke into the camper van that Primož Roglič's wife and children had taken to Pisa to watch the Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe rider in the Giro d'Italia's stage 10 time trial.
"Literally in the middle of the day, they broke into our camper," Lora Klinc said. "They broke the window and stole a laptop that was hidden in the bed, a mobile phone that Primož brought me from the Tokyo Olympics, money and two rings." [SIOL]
Dierckxsens dies during ride
Belgian former pro Ludo Dierckxsens passed away on Thursday after collapsing during a charity ride.
A Tour de France stage winner and former Belgian national champ, Dierckxsens was 60 years old.
Specialized to shut Colorado office and move staff to Morgan Hill HQ
Specialized is centralizing US operations by moving its staff from Louisville, Colorado to its California base in Morgan Hill. About 50 Colorado-based employees have been offered roles in California, according to Bicycle Retailer and Industry News (BRAIN).
The future of the Louisville site, previously HQ to Pearl Izumi’s and later home to Retül and equipment development, is now up in the air. Specialized said in a statement it’s focusing on expanding its Morgan Hill campus, which already houses its R&D, "Win Tunnel," and performance labs. [BRAIN]
Kent International closes South Carolina bike factory
Kent International will shut its Bicycle Corporation of America facility in Manning, South Carolina in June 2025, and lay off 64 employees. Chairperson Arnold Kamler said the move was largely driven by high tariffs on Chinese-made parts, which has made US assembly financially unfeasible.
Some 90% of Kent bikes are imported from China, and in March alone, Kent paid US$3.1 million in tariffs. The company has since cancelled new orders from China and said restarting operation at South Carolina would require major policy changes.
Winner's Circle: Prodhomme wins Giro stage 19 from the break
Nicolas Prodhomme (Decathlon-AG2R La Mondiale) soloed to the biggest win of his career on stage 19 of the Giro d'Italia, attacking out of a small group of surviving breakaway riders with 30 km to go. Race leader Isaac del Toro (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) out-sprinted Richard Carapaz (EF Education-EasyPost) for second after the pair put a small gap into the rest of the GC hopefuls on the final climb.
You can read more about it here at Escape Collective.
Elsewhere, Pierre Latour (TotalEnergies) won the opening stage of the Boucles de la Mayenne three seconds ahead of Biniam Girmay (Intermarché-Wanty) and Paul Penhoët (Groupama-FDJ). Over in Norway, Matthew Brennan (Visma-Lease a Bike) took stage 2 ahead of Maxim Van Gils (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) and Victor Langellotti (Ineos Grenadiers). Brennan now leads the race.
Thursday, May 29, 2025
- Ayuso leaves the Giro after bee sting, vote of confidence from UAE boss
- Canyon’s valuation slashed
- Reports suggest that Vuelta organizers are working on a 2026 visit to the Canary Islands
- Winner's Circle: Denz wins stage 18 of the Giro d'Italia
Ayuso leaves the Giro after bee sting, vote of confidence from UAE boss
Juan Ayuso abandoned the Giro d'Italia on Thursday after being stung by a bee on Wednesday's stage 17. The Spaniard entered the race as an overall favorite but he was sitting nearly 50 minutes down after stage 16.
Despite the frustrations of the past two weeks, Ayuso received a vote of confidence from Mauro Gianetti on Wednesday, before his subsequent departure. The UAE team boss downplayed any questions of Ayuso leaving the squad.
"He's one of our riders. He's happy at UAE Team Emirates-XRG," Gianetti said, as Cyclingnews reports. "Juan Ayuso has no intention of leaving the team and we have no plan to let him go." [Cyclingnews]
Canyon’s valuation slashed
Canyon’s parent company Groupe Bruxelles Lambert (GBL) has marked down the value of the German direct-to-consumer brand by 43%, according to Bike Europe. GBL acquired a majority stake in Canyon back in 2020 at a valuation of over €400 million, but in its latest financial report, that figure has dropped to €261 million.
GBL cited market challenges and quality issues with some Canyon e-MTBs – which were temporarily pulled from sale – as factors in the revaluation. In terms of revenue, Canyon reported €792 million in 2024, but net loss dipped to €38 million, while its inventory levels remained high.
The brand said it’s taking a more cautious approach in 2025, with tighter stock control and investment in tools like its new MyCanyon customization program.
Reports suggest that Vuelta organizers are working on a 2026 visit to the Canary Islands
The Vuelta a España could return to the Canary Islands next year nearly 40 years after the last time the Spanish Grand Tour visited the archipelago, a popular training destination that is about three hours by plane from Madrid.
Recent reports in Spanish media have suggested that the 2026 Vuelta is already planned to finish in the Canary Islands for the first time since 1988, although Cyclingnews reports that organizers have said no deal is in place just yet. [Cyclingnews]
Winner's Circle: Denz wins stage 18 of the Giro d'Italia
Nico Denz took Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe's first stage win of the 2025 Giro d'Italia with a solo move on stage 18. The 31-year-old German made it into the big break of the day, joined a select group of escapees going clear in the final hour, and then left the rest of those riders behind inside the last 20 km. Marco Maestri (Polti-VisitMalta) took second on the day with Edward Planckaert (Alpecin-Deceuninck) in third, while Isaac del Toro (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) and the rest of the GC hopefuls finished safely in the peloton nearly 14 minutes down.
You can read more about it here at Escape Collective.
Elsewhere, Storm Ingebrigtse of Coop-Repsol bested some WorldTour talents to win the opening stage of the Tour of Norway. Three seconds behind the young Norwegian, Matthew Brennan (Visma-Lease a Bike) took runner-up honors with Tibor Del Grosso (Alpecin-Deceuninck) in third.
Wednesday, May 28, 2025
- New Specialized gravel bike spotted at Unbound
- Ailing De Lie scratched from next planned race start
- Roglič started stage 16 'out of respect for his teammates'
- Winner's Circle: Del Toro bounces back with Giro stage 17 win
New Specialized gravel bike spotted at Unbound
Specialized has had a two-bike gravel stable ever since the Crux made the move from cyclocross over to gravel, joining the Diverge STR, which incorporated a damper-controlled STR (Suspend The Rider) flex seat tube. What looks to be a new Diverge can be seen in an Instagram post from Annika Langvad ahead of Unbound.
As a SRAM-sponsored athlete, Langvad was pictured using the brand's 13-speed Red AXS XPLR groupset with the direct mount derailleur. This UDH rear triangle is an update over the existing Diverge, which still used a traditional hanger.
Elsewhere, the front of the bike keeps a lot of the old Diverge DNA with mounting bolts on the fork legs, along with the future shock head tube-based suspension unit. At the base of the head tube, the fork crown looks noticeably wider than the current Diverge STR, which can accommodate a maximum tyre of 47 mm, suggesting that this new bike will align with current trends with clearance for a 50 mm+ tyre.
Ailing De Lie scratched from next planned race start
Lotto has announced that Arnaud De Lie won't be racing the Boucles de la Mayenne due to illness, yet another setback for the young Belgian in a season full of them. After cutting his Classics campaign short, De Lie took a month and a half off from competition before returning at the Rund um Köln earlier this month, only to pull out about an hour into that race.
Now, he won't be starting the Boucles de la Mayenne, as Lotto said on Wednesday that "he woke up sick this morning and is forced to return home."
Roglič started stage 16 'out of respect for his teammates'
Marc Lamberts, performance coach at Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe, told Het Nieuwsblad that Primož Roglič went into stage 16 knowing that he was severely limited by the injuries he had sustained over the course of the Giro, only starting "out of respect for his teammates" who had worked so hard for the past two weeks. He ultimately crashed again on Tuesday and abandoned the race.
“Primož was already having trouble when he barely pedaled sixty watts on the rollers,” Lamberts said.
"His crash in the gravel stage to Siena in particular had a lot of impact. He fell on the same shoulder as last year in the [Critérium du] Dauphiné. He had some big wounds too, with a lot of dirt in it, which cost him a lot of energy to recover. His quadriceps were also affected, which is why he has pain with every upward pedaling movement." [Het Nieuwsblad]
Winner's Circle: Del Toro bounces back with Giro stage 17 win
After struggling on stage 16, Giro d'Italia race leader Isaac del Toro powered to a morale-boosting win on stage 17. The 21-year-old Mexican attacked with Richard Carapaz (EF Education First-EasyPost) on the day's final climb and the pair bridged up to Romain Bardet (Picnic-PostNL), the last survivor of the early break. Del Toro then soloed away with 2 km to go to win ahead of Bardet with Carapaz in third.
You can read all about it here at Escape Collective.
Tuesday, May 27, 2025
- Crash forces Tarling out of Giro on stage 16
- Roglič is out of the Giro d'Italia
- Mathieu van der Poel is already riding again
- Canyon and DT Swiss reveal gravel suspension fork
- Winner's Circle: XDS-Astana goes one-two on a dramatic day at the Giro d'Italia
Crash forces Tarling out of Giro on stage 16
Josh Tarling has exited the Giro d’Italia following a crash in the first hour of stage 16. Riding in the day’s early move, the Ineos Grenadiers rider skidded on wet roads and hit a crash barrier. It’s his second early Grand Tour exit in as many starts, following a crash at last year’s Vuelta a España.
Roglič abandons Giro after another crash
Primož Roglič has withdrawn from the 2025 Giro d’Italia during stage 16 after crashing again in treacherous weather. The Red Bull-Bora Hansgrohe leader had been nursing injuries from earlier falls and confirmed before the stage that a GC bid was no longer realistic.
You can read more here at Escape Collective.
Mathieu van der Poel is already riding again
Just a few days after Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck) broke his wrist at the Nove Mesto XCO, he posted a video of himself on a Zwift bike spinning his legs indoors. Visible on his right wrist is a Boa-actuated wrist brace. This is, of course, great news for anybody hoping Van der Poel will be just fine for the Tour de France in just over four weeks' time. Jasper Philipsen must be beyond pleased. It's also heartening to see that even at a rider's lowest ebb, sponsor activations are still possible.
Canyon and DT Swiss reveal gravel suspension fork
Canyon's worst-kept secret has now been officially released. The Grail RIFT edition with suspension fork has been out in the open for over a month, with the likes of Freddy Ovett and numerous Canyon athletes spotted on the new fork.
The RIFT (Rough Is Fast Tuning*) is the result of a four-year collaboration with DT Swiss, creating a 40 mm fork called the F 132. This has an adjustable air spring and rebound dial, with the option to completely lock the fork out via a drop-mounted lever that can be accessed from the hoods or drops.
The fork legs can also make use of universal sleeve mounts for front fork racks and bags (weight limit: 3 kg per side), aimed at increasing the fork's versatility for bikepacking. The Grail CFR range is now equipped with Canyon's CP0047 Gear Groove Pro cockpit featuring aero hoods, a 16-degree flare and 400 mm width. Currently, the fork is only available on the range-topping GRAIL CFR RIFT, which retails for € 7,999 with a Shimano GRX 825 Di2 build.
*(🤷♂️)
Winner's Circle: XDS-Astana goes one-two on a dramatic day at the Giro d'Italia
Christian Scaroni and Lorenzo Fortunato gave XDS-Astana the one-two finish ahead of Giulio Pellizzari (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) on stage 16 of the Giro d'Italia, which also saw substantial GC changes. Richard Carapaz (EF Education-EasyPost) rocketed up the standings while race leader Isaac del Toro (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) struggled on the day and his teammate Juan Ayuso dropped out of GC contention entirely.
You can read more about the stage here at Escape Collective.
Monday, May 26, 2025
- Roglič could abandon Giro as injuries mount
- Van der Poel suffers wrist fracture, Dauphiné in doubt
- Clarke and Castroviejo announce retirement plans
- Landa Targets Vuelta comeback after Giro crash
- Giro Next Gen U23 race unveils 2025 route and teams
- Rodríguez wins Mercan’Tour Classic with 48 km solo attack
- Fired CPSC commissioners sue Trump administration
- Faulkner defends U.S. road title in three-up sprint
- Quinn Simmons solos to second national road title
Roglič could abandon Giro as injuries mount
Primož Roglič’s Giro d’Italia campaign is in serious doubt after losing 1:30 to GC rivals on stage 15 due to lingering pain from multiple crashes. The Red Bull–Bora–Hansgrohe rider now sits tenth overall, 3:53 behind leader Isaac del Toro.
“There is no point in hiding anymore that he’s in pain,” said directeur sportif Christian Pömer. “It’s now a medical decision—when he’s in pain, health comes first.”
Roglič has hit the ground three times during the race and struggled visibly on the final climb to Asiago. Despite the setback, Pömer praised Roglič’s effort: “We saw a big champion fighting with great team spirit.”
The good news: sources indicated to Gazzetta dello Sport that Primoz Roglic will be at the start of stage 16.
Van der Poel suffers wrist fracture, Dauphiné in doubt
Mathieu van der Poel has been diagnosed with a minor avulsion fracture of the scaphoid following a double crash at the UCI MTB World Series in Nové Město, according to a team press release. The injury indicates ligament damage and requires a cautious recovery, with no clear timeline yet for his return.
As a result, the Dutch star will skip the start of his team’s altitude training camp in La Plagne. Further medical assessments later this week will determine whether he can line up for the Critérium du Dauphiné.
Van der Poel’s recovery will be closely monitored, with his program for the coming weeks still uncertain.
Clarke and Castroviejo announce retirement plans
Two veterans of the WorldTour peloton are preparing to hang up their wheels.
Simon Clarke, 38, will close out his 17-year career with a final run on home roads in Australia in early 2026. The Israel–Premier Tech rider has spent the past four seasons with the team, highlighted by a memorable Tour de France stage win and a key role as road captain.
Meanwhile, Jonathan Castroviejo has confirmed that 2025 will be his last season in the pro ranks. The Spanish time trial specialist shared a heartfelt message thanking his family, teammates, and friends for their support.
“Cycling has given me everything: lessons, friendships, challenges, and unforgettable moments. I leave with a heart full of gratitude,” he said.
Landa Targets Vuelta comeback after Giro crash
Mikel Landa is aiming to return at the Vuelta a España after fracturing a vertebra in a Stage 1 crash at the Giro d’Italia. The 35-year-old says his recovery is going well and hopes to be back on the bike by June.
“I’m sure I’ll get to the Vuelta. The fracture is stable, and the pain is lessening every day,” Landa told Eurosport.
With the Tour de France likely off the table, Landa is focused on healing and rebuilding. Watching the Giro from home, he compared UAE’s current GC tensions to his own 2015 power struggle with Fabio Aru.
“I had better legs than Aru but had to respect him as leader. It’s a little bit the same now,” he said.
Landa’s return would be a big boost for his team heading into the final Grand Tour of the season.
Rodríguez wins Mercan’Tour Classic with 48 km solo attack
Cristián Rodríguez claimed the biggest win of his career with a stunning solo effort at the Mercan’Tour Classic Alpes-Maritimes. The 30-year-old Arkéa–B&B Hotels climber launched a 48-kilometre attack over the Col de la Couillole and held on to finish atop Valberg nearly two minutes clear.
Kern Pharma’s José Félix Parra and teammate Iván Sosa rounded out the podium on a brutal day featuring 4,320 metres of climbing.
Rodríguez now joins past winners like Richard Carapaz and Lenny Martínez, and strengthens his case for a Tour de France selection.
Giro Next Gen unveils 2025 route and teams
The 2025 edition of the Giro d’Italia Next Gen, Italy’s premier U23 stage race, was officially presented today in Rho. Set for June 15–22, the race features eight stages, including three in the mountains and two for sprinters, covering 1,057 km and 14,100 meters of elevation.
The route opens with an 8.4 km time trial in Rho and ends in Pinerolo, a city steeped in cycling lore. Key climbs include Passo Maniva (1,659 m, Cima Coppi) and Prato Nevoso (1,607 m).
A total of 33 development teams will take part, including squads from UAE, Soudal Quick-Step, Red Bull–Bora, and Lidl-Trek. Previous winners include Juan Ayuso, Leo Hayter, Tom Pidcock, Pavel Sivakov, and Joe Dombrowski.
Fired CPSC commissioners sue Trump administration
Three ousted members of the Consumer Product Safety Commission are suing President Trump over what they claim was an unlawful termination. Filed by Public Citizen, the suit argues the commissioners—Mary T. Boyle, Alexander Hoehn-Saric, and Richard Trumka Jr.—can only be removed “for neglect of duty or malfeasance,” per the Consumer Product Safety Act.
Their firing came after they opposed efforts to dismiss staff and pushed forward a proposal for e-bike and lithium-ion battery safety standards, which has since been shelved.
“Without this step, nothing will happen,” said Hoehn-Saric. “Preventable fires will likely occur, and consumers could be harmed.”
The lawsuit seeks reinstatement, back pay, and a halt to interference from Acting Chair Peter Feldman and other officials.
Faulkner defends U.S. road title in three-up sprint
Kristen Faulkner (EF Education–Oatly) defended her national title in Charleston on Monday, winning the elite women’s road race at the USA Pro Road Championships in a tight sprint ahead of Lauren Stephens (Aegis Cycling Foundation) and Katherine Sarkisov (CCB).
“If there was ever a day to make it happen, we gotta make it happen today,” Faulkner said of her first sprint win.
The Olympic gold medalist made her decisive move with 19 km to go on the Bridge Road climb, joining Stephens and later Sarkisov in a late-race trio. They caught solo leader Emma Langley before Faulkner sealed victory on the final straight after a cagey tactical battle.
Quinn Simmons solos to second national road title
Quinn Simmons (Lidl–Trek) stormed to victory in the elite men’s road race at the USA Pro Road Championships, attacking solo with 35 km to go and finishing nearly three minutes ahead of the field in Charleston.
Evan Boyle (Hagens Berman Jayco) claimed second after a solo chase, while Gavin Hlady (EF Education–Aevolo) took third in a five-way sprint.
“I knew I had to make a statement,” Simmons said. “Not just for the jersey—but for a Tour de France spot.”
It’s Simmons’ second elite national road title after winning in 2023.
Did we do a good job with this story?
