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 …
Sunday, April 27, 2025
- Froome open to extending his career into 2026
- “We’re dealing with the next Eddy Merckx”, says Tom Pidcock
- Winner’s Circle: Pogačar and Le Court make history at Liège-Bastogne-Liège
Froome open to extending his career into 2026
Chris Froome has said he’s open to extending his racing career in an interview with Dan Benson, which would likely mean finding a new team with whom to end his storied career after the conclusion of his contract with Israel-Premier Tech.
The 39-year-old completed the Tour of the Alps on Saturday, his first race back since crashing out of the UAE Tour in February, describing his return to the peloton as “a shock to the system.” His curiously consistent finishes there – all five stages seeing him land between 71st and 76th – are exemplary of the results he’s achieved since the potentially life-altering crash in his penultimate season with the Ineos Grenadiers outfit with whom he won seven Grand Tours.
Since transferring to Sylvan Adams’ Israel-Premier Tech for 2021, Froome’s role has evolved into that of a mentor and domestique for his young teammates, including Derek Gee, but the lack of personal results has reportedly caused his relationship with Adams to sour in recent years, so a contract extension seems unlikely.
“We’re dealing with the next Eddy Merckx”, says Tom Pidcock
In prescient comments on the eve of Liège-Bastogne-Liège, Tom Pidcock has added his voice to the G.O.A.T. discourse that swirls around Tadej Pogačar.
“Look, we know how incredible he is,” Pidcock said of his rival the day before ‘La Doyenne’. “Everyone’s outlook on races has changed a little bit because we’re dealing with the next Eddy Merckx. So sometimes you can be happy with second. But that's not my mentality. We'll try to win. In Strade I wasn’t close, but I was fairly close. It’s not all over before we start.”
About 24 hours later, Pidcock was the second rider to crest La Redoute after Pogačar’s ‘nuclear’ attack at the bottom, but the gap was already over 10 seconds, and within just a few hundred metres, the race was on – for second.
Winner’s Circle: Pogačar and Le Court make history at Liège-Bastogne-Liège
It was a vintage double header at Liège-Bastogne-Liège this weekend, as the men’s and women’s WorldTour pelotons took on the grand finale of the Spring Classics. Kicking off the afternoon’s action, Tadej Pogačar attacked early on La Redoute and no one could follow, leaving him to win solo by over a minute, with Giulio Ciccone and Ben Healy joining him on the podium. The world champion dedicated his victory to his fiancée Urška Žigart’s mother Darja who died during Ardennes week in 2022.
The women’s race culminated in a historic result after a heated final 35 km. After being dropped on La Redoute, Mauritius national champion Kim Le Court (AG Insurance-Soudal) refused to give up, and eventually rejoined the head of the race in the last 10 km. A four-rider sprint ensued, and the 29-year-old timed her launch perfectly to out-power Puck Pieterse (Fenix-Deceuninck), Demi Vollering (FDJ-Suez) and Cédrine Kerbaol (EF Education-Oatly). In doing so, Le Court caps off a terrific spring season and makes history as the first African ever to win a Monument.
Read our coverage of the men’s and women’s races here at Escape Collective.
Elsewhere, the Presidential Tour of Turkey got underway with a maiden victory in Antalya for Alpecin-Deceuninck’s Simon Dehairs, kicking off a week with few opportunities for the fast men in the peloton. Meanwhile, over in Spain, Marc Soler (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) emphatically sealed the overall Vuelta a Asturias title with victory on the final stage seven months after taking a Vuelta a España stage win in the same region.
Saturday, April 26, 2025
- Eddy Merckx recognises himself in Pogačar
- Visma-Lease a Bike reveals special-edition Tour de France jersey
- Lennert van Eetvelt is racing on a broken foot
- Chantal van den Broek-Blaak set to stay in pro cycling as a rider agent
- Benoot receives attractive offer from Decathlon AG2R
- UK government responds negatively to calls to protect free Tour broadcast
- Winner’s Circle: Australia crowns gravel national champions
Eddy Merckx recognises himself in Pogačar
As Tadej Pogačar continues to dominate, so do the endless comparisons with G.O.A.T. Eddy Merckx. The veteran Belgian has (obviously) been subjected to questions regarding his young rival in the past, and with Pogačar most recently tearing up convention at La Flèche Wallonne, Merckx has had his brain picked once again, this time also giving Remco Evenepoel some credit, another versatile young rider of a similar mould.
“The way [Pogačar] pulled away from the rest on the Mur de Huy … Unbelievable!” Merckx told HLN. He was then asked which of Pogačar or Evenepoel he would compare most with himself, and the Slovenian got the nod. “He is a little more complete. Yes, he looks most like me.”
Merckx also confirmed that he’s recovering well from his recent surgeries to fix the hip injury suffered last winter, and he’s looking forward to getting back on the bike as the weather improves. [HLN]
Visma-Lease a Bike reveals special-edition Tour de France jersey
Visma-Lease a Bike has revealed the alternative jersey that both men's and women's teams will wear during the Tour de France, with an opportunity for fans to have their names included within the special-edition design.
Usually racing in bright yellow, including a honeycomb motif as a nod to their 'killer bees' styling, Visma-Lease a Bike is fully embracing the bee-centric characterisation with a 'swarm'-inspired design: "a testament to the power of unity in motion. This way we achieve what no single bee could do alone."
As one of the most merch-oriented squads in the peloton, they're going all in with this year's Tour jersey, offering fans who pre-order the limited-edition kit a chance to have their name emblazoned on the bodies of their favourite riders. [Visma-Lease a Bike]
Lennert van Eetvelt is racing on a broken foot
Lennert van Eetvelt has arguably been the MVP for ProTeam Lotto so far this season, with top-10 results at Strade Bianche and Volta a Catalunya, and a number of very good days at the UAE Tour. With Arnaud De Lie falling away from contention with persistent fitness struggles, Van Eetvelt saw his status elevated to de facto Classics leader too, including at the Tour of Flanders.
The 23-year-old did not finish his debut Ronde, and it now transpires he had very good reason as he broke his foot two days before the Flandrian Monument. A team spokesperson told Wielerflits that it’s a small stable fracture meaning he can train and race – he finished 41st at Wednesday’s La Flèche Wallonne – but he still feels discomfort and the Belgian is currently walking with a boot.
Van Eetvelt is due to lead Lotto at this weekend’s Liège-Bastogne-Liège and the Tour de Romandie as he builds towards his first Tour de France. [Wielerflits]
Chantal van den Broek-Blaak set to stay in pro cycling as a rider agent
A couple of months after announcing her immediate retirement and that she’s expecting her second child, Chantal van den Broek-Blaak has revealed that she’s working towards becoming a rider agent with Koers is Koers, a Netherlands-based agency specialising in women’s cycling.
Under the management of Lars van den Broek – Van den Broek-Blaak’s husband – and Marnix van Ark, Koers is Koers currently represents a number of hugely successful riders including Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado, Blanka Vas, Marta Lach and Mischa Bredewold, with Van den Broek-Blaak also a former client.
The former world champion and SD Worx stalwart will take on a coaching course this summer to help support the riders she’ll represent, and Van den Broek-Blaak will then begin working full-time as a rider agent from 1 January, 2026.
Benoot receives attractive offer from Decathlon AG2R
Currently a valuable rider for Visma-Lease a Bike, Tiesj Benoot is being courted by Decathlon-AG2R La Mondiale. The French WorldTeam has reportedly offered the Belgian puncheur a lucrative three-year contract that would see him ride as one of the team’s leaders from 2026 through 2028.
His consistency in recent years, in both classics and Grand Tours, has evidently made his a highly sought-after signature, with Ineos Grenadiers apparently joining AG2R La Mondiale and his current squad in the conversation. The French WorldTeam’s offer is thought to be particularly tempting for the Belgian, though.
UK government responds negatively to calls to protect free Tour broadcast
The UK government has said there are no plans to protect the free-to-air broadcast of the Tour de France after its tenure at ITV comes to an end this summer.
This is in response to a petition calling for the Tour’s inclusion on the Department of Culture, Media and Sport’s ‘Group A’ event broadcast list. The petition was created after news broke of Warner Bros. Discovery’s extraordinary price hike in the UK, where the media conglomerate’s exclusivity means the Tour will only be available through TNT Sports from 2026, with prices currently at £30.99 per month.
The DCMS defines ‘Group A’ events as those with “national interest”, with the aim “to make sure that key sporting events are made available to all television viewers.” Currently included are the Olympic and Paralympic Games, Wimbledon, The Grand National, and a number of football events including the FIFA World Cup (men’s and women’s), Euros (men’s and women’s) and FA Cup Final. [Cycling Weekly]
Winner’s Circle: Australia crowns gravel national champions
South Australia’s Ponderosa Pines played host to the 2025 Australian Gravel National Champs elite events on Saturday. The men’s race was won emphatically by Melbourne’s Mark O’Brien (Team Trappist) with a solo margin of almost a minute, and in the women’s race, WorldTour road pro Tiffany Cromwell (Canyon-SRAM zondacrypto) scored her first elite national title, showing great form throughout the three-rider skirmish that went almost to the line, as she bounces back from breaking her collarbone at last month’s Milan-San Remo.
Friday, April 25, 2025
- Enve to raise prices by 8% on imported products
- Osprey, Hydro Flask pause orders from China amid tariff pressure
- Mips records strong growth for Q1, warns about tariff uncertainty
- State Bicycle Co. adds 8% tariff fee
- Winner's Circle: Storer overhauls Arensman to win the Tour of the Alps
Enve to raise prices by 8% on imported products
Enve will increase dealer and retail prices by 8% on products manufactured outside the US, starting on May 1. The price increase is a response to tariff costs, which have put the company’s operating margins "under significant pressure," it said in a notice to retailers.
Products made at Enve's facility in Ogden, Utah – including wheels, custom road frames, and one-piece bar-stems – will not be affected, and orders placed before May 1 will be processed at current pricing.
Osprey, Hydro Flask pause orders from China amid tariff pressure
Helen of Troy, parent company of pack maker Osprey and outdoor accessory brand Hydro Flask, has announced it will freeze most inventory purchases from China due to rising tariffs and lower demand. The pause excludes key product launches and is part of wider cost-cutting efforts.
The company aims to reduce its exposure to China tariffs to below 20% of its cost of goods by the end of 2026 and expects to offset 70-80% of the tariff impact through mitigation measures, including cuts to personnel and marketing costs.
Mips records strong growth for Q1, warns about tariff uncertainty
Swedish helmet safety company Mips reported a 40% year-on-year increase in net sales for Q1 2025, reaching SEK 116 million (US$12 million), with net income rising 63% to SEK 19 million (US$2 million).
The strong quarter follows a 35% increase in net sales for 2024, and the company said bike helmet inventories are now largely normalized globally. Despite the results, CEO Max Strandwitz warned that US tariffs could create short-term uncertainty and potentially delay customer orders.
State Bicycle Co. adds 8% tariff fee
State Bicycle Co. has announced it will apply an 8% "tariff recovery fee" to bikes at checkout to help offset rising import costs linked to US tariffs on Chinese goods. The fee is listed separately and is refundable on returns.
The brand has also paused discounts and major marketing campaigns, and warned of potential shortages for high-demand models. Co-founder Mehdi Farsi described the surcharge as a short-term solution aimed at transparency, with list price increases still under consideration.
Winner's Circle: Storer overhauls Arensman to win the Tour of the Alps
After Thymen Arensmen (Ineos Grenadiers) took the race lead from him on Thursday, Michael Storer (Tudor) finished over a minute and a half ahead of Arensman on Friday's fifth and final stage of the Tour of the Alps to secure the overall victory. Stage honors went to the breakaway, with Decathlon-AG2R La Mondiale going one-two on the day as Nicolas Prodhomme crossed the line first with Paul Seixas just behind and pointing to his teammate, while Emil Herzog (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) arrived 29 seconds later for third.
Behind the break, Storer powered away from the GC favorites on the day's penultimate climb and never looked back, putting a big gap into Arensman and everyone else. Arensman settled for second overall with Derek Gee (Israel-Premier Tech) rounding out the final podium.
Thursday, April 24, 2025
- Factor launches Monza, a race bike it says is built for the real world
- Uno-X will race Liège in one-off 7-Eleven kits
- Vingegaard recovered from concussion, won't race again until Dauphiné
- Winner's Circle: Arensman takes control at the Tour of the Alps
Factor launches Monza, a race bike it says is built for the real world
Factor has unveiled the Monza, a new performance road bike, designed to offer its premium engineering to a broader range of riders. Drawing inspiration from Factor's Ostro VAM aero race bike, the Monza looks very similar with only slightly tweaked aero profiles and race geometry, but introduces a more accessible, user-friendly design focused on real-world usability. Features include integrated in-frame storage under the down tube bottle cage, 34 mm tire clearance, and a new bar stem said to simplify cable routing.
Factor says the Monza is for riders who juggle training and racing with everyday life: Not a step down, but a step forward, according to the brand. In terms of how it differs from the Ostro, the Monza has a gap between the head tube to fork crown filled, and what Factor calls refined materials and a "strategic carbon layup," both of which are said to reduce complexity and costs.
A “standard package” frame, fork, seat post, and bar/stem will cost you US$4,000 (ex-vat) / €4,700 / AU$6,800 / £3,900 with complete bikes starting at US$6,800 / €7,800 / AU$ 11,500 / £6,500. [Factor]
Uno-X will race Liège in one-off 7-Eleven kits
Both the men's and women's squads of Uno-X Mobility will race Liège-Bastogne-Liège in a one-off kit paying homage to the classic 7-Eleven teams of the 1980s. The alternate kit launch comes 40 years after the 7-Eleven team first entered the pro ranks, turning heads almost immediately with two stage wins at the 1985 Giro d'Italia.
Uno-X, whose title sponsor is owned by a company that also operates 7-Eleven locations in Scandinavia, unveiled the new look via video posted to social media. [Instagram]
Vingegaard recovered from concussion, won't race again until Dauphiné
Visma-Lease a Bike has provided an update on Jonas Vingegaard and his plans for the coming months as he builds towards the Tour de France after he pulled out of Paris-Nice with a concussion.
"The focus is now fully on the Tour de France," Vingegaard said in a statement. "The preparations for this race have truly begun. I no longer have any issues from the concussion I sustained earlier, or any other physical problems. It was really unfortunate that I couldn’t finish Paris-Nice and also had to miss the Volta Ciclista a Catalunya. But now I’m training without any problems and will soon head to the altitude camp."
After that camp, he will race the Critérium du Dauphiné, and then he will head to another altitude camp before taking on the Tour de France.
Winner's Circle: Arensman takes control at the Tour of the Alps
Thymen Arensman (Ineos Grenadiers) soloed to a decisive victory on stage 4 of the Tour of the Alps and took control of the general classification in the process. The Dutchman crossed the line 1:18 ahead of Derek Gee (Israel-Premier Tech) and 1:23 ahead of Michael Storer (Tudor) and thus took the leader's jersey from Storer, who now sits second overall and 11 seconds down ahead of the fifth and final stage.
Wednesday, April 23, 2025
- Shimano sales pick up after tough 2024
- Arkéa-B&B Hotels is in 'mortal danger'
- Thule to cut 22 jobs in Colorado and close facility
- Winner's Circle: Pogačar and Pieterse take Flèche Wallonne titles
Shimano sales pick up after tough 2024
Shimano has reported a 15.6% increase in bike component sales in the first quarter of 2025, bringing in ¥88 billion (about US$586 million), saying the demand for mid- and high-end products has begun to rebound.
Following a difficult 2024 marked by declining sales and excess inventory across the cycling industry, the Japanese company credited the result specifically to stronger interest in its 105 and GRX groupsets.
Arkéa-B&B Hotels is in 'mortal danger'
Arkéa-B&B Hotels team boss Emmanuel Hubert has said that his team is in "mortal danger" as he continues to search for sponsors for next season without success.
"We have to find 25 million Euros somewhere," Hubert told Le Parisien this past weekend. "If I can't find partners, it's over. We are on the road to ruin. I feel sadness, injustice, and frustration. I have been a team manager for 20 years, I know cycling like the back of my hand and I have built this team with blood, sweat, and tears." [Le Parisien]
Thule to cut 22 jobs in Colorado and close facility
Thule has announced it will lay off 22 employees at its Colorado, US, facility in October, according to a notice filed with state officials under the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act. The Swedish company said the layoffs are tied to the planned closure of the site.
The facility currently employs 40 people, meaning more than half the workforce will be let go, and possibly more later if it closes entirely.
Winner's Circle: Pogačar and Pieterse take Flèche Wallonne titles
Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) laid waste to his rivals to take his second career win at La Flèche Wallonne by 10 seconds, the largest margin in more than 20 years. Kévin Vauquelin (Arkéa-B&B Hotels) rode to runner-up honors on the day with Tom Pidcock (Q36.5) in third.
On the women's side, Puck Pieterse (Fenix-Deceuninck) stormed to the first big Classics win of her young career, surging past pre-race favorite Demi Vollering (FDJ-Suez) inside the last 200 meters. Vollering settled for second with Elisa Longo Borghini (UAE Team ADQ) in third.
At the Tour of the Alps, 25-year-old Marco Frigo (Israel-Premier Tech) took a breakaway victory on stage 3. The Italian arrived 19 seconds ahead of Jai Hindley (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe), with Israel-Premier Tech's Derek Gee taking third on the day. Stage 2 winner Michael Storer (Tudor) continues to lead the general classification.
Tuesday, April 22, 2025
- Gianetti tempers Pogačar expectations ahead of La Flèche Wallonne
- One Cycling will reportedly funnel €1 million per year to each men's team involved
- Herrera proclaims innocence amid allegations of involvement in murder
- Pidcock named Laureus Action Sportsperson of the Year
- Winner's Circle: Storer takes control at the Tour of the Alps
Gianetti tempers Pogačar expectations ahead of La Flèche Wallonne
After Tadej Pogačar settled for runner-up honors at the Amstel Gold Race, UAE Team Emirates-XRG boss Mauro Gianetti has provided some insight into how rider and team might approach La Flèche Wallonne with Liège-Bastogne-Liège still to come.
"He [Pogačar] still needs a hard race on Wednesday or Thursday to be completely ready for Liège-Bastogne-Liège. So yes, he will ride La Flèche Wallonne," Gianetti said in an appearance on the On connaît nos classiques podcast from RTBF. "But he doesn't have to make the race again from 50 kilometers from the finish or necessarily win. He rides because he wants to, but it's not a must. We also have other riders in the team who are suitable for a race like La Flèche Wallonne." UAE's confirmed startlist also includes climbers Pavel Sivakov, Jan Christen and Brandon McNulty, who finished 11th at Amstel Gold. [RTBF]
One Cycling will reportedly funnel €1 million per year to each men's team involved
As Het Laatste Nieuws reports, One Cycling plans to spread some of its hefty Saudi Arabian financial backing among squads that sign up to be involved with the nascent project, with men's teams receiving €1 million a year and women's teams receiving €250,000, at least until 2029. The HLN report is the first public mention of the inclusion of women's teams in the One Cycling project.
During that stretch, the project will focus on finding new revenue pathways – including new races, VIP programs, and team memberships – in an effort to be more sustainable by the time the current arrangement with the Saudi Arabian SURJ fund ends. [Het Laatste Nieuws]
Herrera proclaims innocence amid allegations of involvement in murder
Luis "Lucho" Herrera has put out a statement vehemently denying allegations made by former paramilitaries that he induced them to murder his neighbors in 2002 in a land dispute.
"I emphatically reject the accusations that seek to tarnish my name and my record as a citizen, worker, and father," Herrera said. Noting that the allegations were made by individuals negotiating potential criminal sentences, Herrera said that he had made himself "available to the Attorney General’s Office to provide all the necessary explanations to clear up this situation."
Pidcock named Laureus Action Sportsperson of the Year
After winning his second straight Olympic gold medal on the mountain bike last July, Tom Pidcock won the Action Sportsperson of the Year award at the Laureus World Sports Awards on Monday.
Tadej Pogačar was nominated for Sportsman of the Year, but lost out in that category to pole vaulter Mondo Duplantis.
Winner's Circle: Storer takes control at the Tour of the Alps
Michael Storer (Tudor) soloed to victory on stage 2 of the Tour of the Alps and took a commanding overall lead in the process. The 28-year-old Australian attacked from a little over 10 km out and held on to win 41 seconds ahead of Paul Seixas (Decathlon-AG2R La Mondiale) and Romain Bardet (Picnic-PostNL), and he now has a 41-second GC lead over Seixas and Giulio Ciccone (Lidl-Trek) heading into stage 3.
Monday, April 21, 2025
- Van der Breggen recovering from illness ahead of Flèche Wallonne
- Geoghegan Hart resumes racing at the Tour of the Alps
- Judge calls for investigation into allegations that Lucho Herrera had his neighbors killed
- Gran Fondo Belgium cancelled after mass pileup
- Winner's Circle: Ciccone wins Tour of the Alps opener, earns a fine for celebration
Van der Breggen recovering from illness ahead of Flèche Wallonne
Anna van der Breggen might normally be among the top favorites for La Flèche Wallonne, a race she has won an incredible seven times, but SD Worx-Protime boss Danny Stam has said that she is getting over an illness.
"She didn't feel well on Friday in the Brabantse Pijl and on Saturday she also complained of a headache and sore throat," Stam told Het Laatste Nieuws. "She started [the Amstel Gold Race] anyway in the hope of getting through it, but that soon turned out to be vain hope. She did some work for the team and then pulled out, partly as a precaution." [Het Laatste Nieuws]
Van der Breggen is still slated to start La Flèche Wallonne and Liège-Bastogne-Liège, and Stam is hopeful that she will recover in time to have an impact on those races, but SD Worx could look elsewhere for leaders on the punchy climbs of the Ardennes Forest.
Geoghegan Hart resumes racing at the Tour of the Alps
Nearly a month after pulling out of the Volta a Catalunya due to illness, Tao Geoghegan Hart (Lidl-Trek) has returned to racing at the Tour of the Alps, which was not initially part of his schedule for the season.
"We decided after Catalunya, where I missed a key block of racing, that once I was healthy – which took a bit longer that would be ideal, but also was not super bad – we decided to add this just to try to have a bit more racing and another stage race," he said, as Cyclingnews reports. "It was unfortunate with Catalunya, in the end it was one week off the bike, but it could be worse."
Injuries and illness have derailed Geoghegan Hart's racing plans on various occasions over the past few seasons, and his first year with Lidl-Trek was a frustrating one. Now in his second year with the squad, Geoghegan Hart is aiming to race the Tour de France, and his appearance at this week's Tour of the Alps will be followed by a Tour de Romandie start as he builds towards later-season goals. [Cyclingnews]
Judge calls for investigation into allegations that Lucho Herrera had his neighbors killed
A Colombian judge has requested an investigation into allegations that Colombian cycling icon Luis "Lucho" Herrera induced paramilitaries to murder four of his neighbors.
You can read more about it here at Escape Collective.
Gran Fondo Belgium cancelled after mass pileup
Sunday's Gran Fondo Belgium, part of the UCI Gran Fondo World Series, was halted after a huge crash left dozens of people injured. According to Belgian outlet VRT, 47 people were injured in the pileup.
"Everyone was screaming in pain and many bicycle frames were broken," event participant Mathias Mensaert told VRT.
Fortunately, all of those involved appear to be on the mend. [VRT]
Winner's Circle: Ciccone wins Tour of the Alps opener, earns a fine for celebration
Giulio Ciccone (Lidl-Trek) powered to victory on the opening stage of the Tour of the Alps, celebrated with his trademark move of tossing his sunglasses away, and was then fined 250 Swiss francs and 15 UCI points for the gesture.
The stage came down to a reduced sprint after a busy final few kilometers that saw attacks and counterattacks in the lead group. The 30-year-old Italian bested the Decathlon-AG2R La Mondiale duo of Felix Gall and Paul Seixas to win the stage and, with bonus seconds, he will take a four-second GC lead over Gall into stage 2.
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