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, March 2, 2025
- ‘Big question mark’ over Christophe Laporte who remains unavailable to Visma
- Tour du Rwanda finale in Kigali canceled due to adverse weather conditions
- Jan Christen out of action with broken collarbone
- Adam Hansen blames wrong turn at Faun-Ardèche on race moto
- Kaden Groves receives yellow card for ... celebrating
- Winner’s circle: Philipsen finally gets his first win of the season
‘Big question mark’ over Christophe Laporte who remains unavailable to Visma
Christophe Laporte was due to have a very busy spring starting this weekend, but the classics specialist was ruled out of Visma-Lease a Bike’s Opening Weekend roster due to illness.
“There is a big question mark around Christophe,” DS Grischa Niermann told De Rode Lantaarn podcast. “He has been ill for a while. He is not super ill, but because of the virus he cannot train at the moment … It is a shame, because he is an important pawn. Let's hope we don't have to miss him the entire spring.”
The Frenchman’s programme is now set to open at Milan-San Remo, but given his lack of training and fitness, Niermann admitted Laporte’s participation at ‘La Primavera’ is looking increasingly unlikely. That said, “if anyone can get well quickly, it’s Christophe.” [De Rode Lantaarn]
Tour du Rwanda finale in Kigali canceled due to adverse weather conditions
The already heavily scrutinised Tour du Rwanda reached an inauspicious close on stage 7 when, with one lap to go of an already curtailed parcours, the peloton came to a stop and negotiated cancellation on the grounds of adverse weather.
The race was finely poised going into the finale, which was set to take place on the World Champs course including an ascent of the infamous Mont Kigali (5.9 km at 6.9%) and a vicious cobbled climb (1.3 km at 5.8%) to the finish. With second-place Henok Mulubrhan having out-climbed most of his GC rivals on stage 6, the XDS-Astana rider, racing for the Eritrean national team, was the favourite to overturn his 6-second deficit to Fabien Doubey (TotalEnergies) and wrestle the race off the French team in the 11th hour.
However, with the race route already amended due to muddy roads, which meant cutting out the hors-catégorie climb in favour of the local laps, and the rainstorms that followed, it all came to a halt on the penultimate passage of the finish line.
Jan Christen out of action with broken collarbone
UAE Team Emirates-XRG’s Jan Christen has been one of the stars of the early season, with wins at the one-day Trofeo Calvià and on stage 2 of the Volta ao Algarve, which put him in the yellow jersey until the final stage TT. However, his early run of form was punctured on Saturday when the 20-year-old Swiss rider crashed at the Faun-Ardèche Classic, fracturing his collarbone.
The former junior cyclocross world champion will now travel home to Switzerland “for surgical assessment.”
Adam Hansen blames wrong turn at Faun-Ardèche on race moto
After Enric Mas (Movistar) and co took a wrong turn in the finale of Saturday’s Faun-Ardèche Classic, eventual winner Romain Grégoire (Groupama-FDJ) pointed the finger at the riders, suggesting their lights weren’t on, especially considering they’d already crossed the roundabout twice in the same race. However, CPA president and former rider Adam Hansen blamed the incident on the race moto.
“Another race and another wrong turn,” Hansen wrote in an X post. “Today there was a green signal telling the bike (which again was too close to the riders) to turn off the road. Last time in the Algarve, there was a red and a yellow signal (Confusing for someone trying to follow the Marshall’s instructions).”
He went on to propose “no motos close to the bunch”, standardised signage, “Or even better, no vehicles in the final km…”
Kaden Groves receives yellow card for ... celebrating
As Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Deceuninck) sprinted to victory at Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne, luxury lead-out rider Kaden Groves instinctively jerked upright to celebrate along with his teammate.
However, in accordance with new UCI rules that prohibit teammate celebrations before crossing the finish line, Groves later found himself in receipt of a relegation from 10th to 57th (last in the group), and a yellow card.
Winner’s circle: Philipsen finally gets his first win of the season
After falling short at the UAE Tour and taking third at Saturday’s Omloop Nieuwsblad, Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Deceuninck) looked dominant in the expected sprint that closed Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne, winning ahead of Olav Kooij (Visma-Lease a Bike) and Hugo Hofstetter (Israel-Premier Tech) – a grand way to celebrate your 27th birthday.
At Omloop Het Hageland, Anna van der Breggen resumed her post-retirement comeback with her first one-day race of 2025, getting into a late move from which young SD Worx-Protime teammate Femke Gerritse got the better of the elite company to take her first win in four years. Also on the podium were Irish rider Lara Gillespie (UAE Team ADQ) and Susanne Andersen (Uno-X Mobility).
In France, Juan Ayuso (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) got his revenge after failing to extend his Faun-Ardèche reign with a solo victory at its sister race Faun-Drome, doing just as Grégoire had done before him by going one better than in 2024. And at Spain’s O Gran Camiño, Derek Gee (Israel-Premier Tech) wrapped up the overall title on stage 5 as Magnus Cort (Uno-X Mobility) dominated the sprint for a third win of the week.
Saturday, March 1, 2025
- Pogačar adds more fuel to Roubaix rumours
- Tour de France Hommes and Femmes set to start on British shores in 2027
- UCI investigating the in-competition use of breathing sensors
- Winner’s circle: Opening Weekend begins, and yet another wrong turn at Faun-Ardèche
Pogačar adds more fuel to Roubaix rumours
As the Cobbled Classics get underway with Opening Weekend, Tadej Pogačar has added fuel to the rumours of a Paris-Roubaix debut, a fire started by himself when he posted a recon video in early February.
UAE Team Emirates-XRG staff attempted to snuff out the idea in advance of the UAE Tour, stating that there were as yet no plans for the world champion to line up in Compiègne for the cobbled Monument, but the 2023 Tour of Flanders winner has drawn attention his way yet again, suggesting that the decision will ultimately be made after Milan-San Remo (22nd March).
“I did the recon for Paris-Roubaix, and I must say that it got my attention,” Pogačar told RMC’s Bartoli Time podcast. “Maybe in the near future, there's a big chance that I'm on the start. I cannot say whether this year or next year, but there is always a chance, so let's see and let's be a little bit surprised.” [RMC]
Tour de France Hommes and Femmes set to start on British shores in 2027
The Tour de France (Hommes) is expected to return to Great Britain for the Grand Départ in 2027, with that year’s Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift also poised to start outside the European mainland for the first time.
Details of the host cities and routes will reportedly be confirmed in a month or so, but according to The Yorkshire Post, Leeds is expected mark the start of the women’s race. The Yorkshire city is also in contention for the men’s Tour 13 years after the 2014 Grand Départ kicked off with a lumpy stage from Leeds to Harrogate, won by Marcel Kittel. [BBC Sport]
UCI investigating the in-competition use of breathing sensors
The UCI is reportedly investigating the use of breathing sensors while racing, specifically looking into whether the devices are in contravention with the rules.
Such sensors can be worn mounted to the heart rate strap or as part of a separate vest, and provide real-time data on breathing rate, depth, etc. to assess gas exchange, which indicates a rider’s metabolic effort. Thanks to its unparalleled accuracy, the method is thought to be as significant as the emergence of HR monitoring almost 50 years ago.
Breath sensors are currently being trialed by a number of WorldTeams including Visma-Lease a Bike, but according to Velo, the UCI is contemplating a clampdown in accordance with their rule prohibiting additional “onboard technology”, e.g. glucose monitors. However, they could benefit from the same grey area that allows the use of heart rate monitors, which, unlike glucose or lactate sensors, do not rely on internal readings. [Velo]
Winner’s circle: Opening Weekend begins, and yet another wrong turn at Faun-Ardèche
The headliners of this busy Saturday of bike racing were Omloop Nieuwsblad winners Søren Wærenskjold (Uno-X Mobility) – race report here – and Lotte Claes (Arkéa-B&B Hotels), both of them underdogs but none more so than Claes whose win from the breakaway summarises a bizarre day out in which the favourites were caught napping – Kit Nicholson has more on this story here at Escape Collective.
Meanwhile, a weekend of French mini-classics began with the hilly Faun-Ardèche (169 km with more than 3,000 metres of elevation gain). By all accounts, it was a thrilling race, culminating in one final decisive attack inside the last 10 km as a 12-rider group broke clear on the lung-burning Val d’Enfer climb (1.5km at 10.5%). Enric Mas (Movistar) then launched an attack inside the flamme rouge, only to take a wrong turn along with a couple of rivals, which left last year’s runner-up Romain Grégoire (Groupama-FDJ) clear to power to the line, where he celebrated with a shrug and wide grin.
Other winners include Nahom Zeray (Eritrea) on the penultimate stage of the Tour du Rwanda, and Guatemala national champion Sergio Chumil (Burgos Burpellet BH), the only rider to stick with yellow jersey-wearer Derek Gee on the Queen Stage of O Gran Camiño. The Canadian was disappointed with second place, but he did manage to increase his lead with one stage to go.
Friday, February 28, 2025
- Pidcock: 'I'm back to being the rider I was in my first years as a pro'
- Van Aert: 'A bit of extra tension' ahead of Opening Weekend
- Boardman SLR gets aero tweaks
- Winner's Circle: Gee takes the TT and the lead at O Gran Camiño
Pidcock: 'I'm back to being the rider I was in my first years as a pro'
After a strong start to his 2025 season, Tom Pidcock (Q36.5) is confident in his form as the Classics loom.
"Good numbers are one thing, but I’ve mainly become a better rider this past winter," he told Wielerflits. "I'm back to being the rider I was in my first years as a pro."
The 25-year-old Brit credits some of his improvement to new people around him at his new team.
"New nutritionist, new coach helping Kurt [Bogaerts] ... Two guys who really have made a big difference to me, I see it already," he said. [Wielerflits]
Van Aert: 'A bit of extra tension' ahead of Opening Weekend
Visma-Lease a Bike will start the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad with pre-race favorite Wout van Aert, and the former winner acknowledged that the pressure is on to perform.
"I'm a bit nervous, you can feel a bit of extra tension in everyone," he said ahead at a Rabobank event ahead of Opening Weekend. "It is also the first race where we race in front of a lot of people."
Boardman SLR gets aero tweaks
Boardman has updated its very competitively priced SLR Carbon bike range for 2025, claiming it’s now 5.7 watts more aerodynamic (full YAW sweep (+/-15°) at 50 km/h). The new models continue to feature mudguard mounts, extra bottle bosses, and a two-piece bar and stem, but clearance is increased to 36mm (32mm with guards), and there’s a Universal Derailleur Hanger (UDH) compatibility. Pricing starts at £1,400 for the Shimano Tiagra-equipped SLR 8.9, with the top-tier SLR 9.8 priced at £5,500 with SRAM Red AXS and Zipp 404 wheels. [Boardman Bikes]
Winner's Circle: Gee takes the TT and the lead at O Gran Camiño
Derek Gee (Israel-Premier Tech) stormed to a clear win and the race lead as well in the stage 3 time trial at O Gran Camiño. The Canadian all-rounder stopped the clock at 23:17 in the 15.6 km TT, 16 seconds ahead of Davide Piganzoli (Polti-VisitMalta) with Maxime Decomble (Groupama-FDJ) in third, 20 seconds back.
Thursday, February 27, 2025
- Rouvy reverses course and keeps FulGaz as standalone app
- BMC refreshes Teammachine SLR
- Canyon introduces customization program
- Girmay will miss Opening Weekend as second child is born
- Winner's Circle: Cort doubles up at O Gran Camiño
Rouvy reverses course and keeps FulGaz as standalone app
Rouvy has changed direction on its FulGaz acquisition, confirming the app will continue as a standalone platform rather than being phased out. Originally set to be absorbed into Rouvy by late 2025, FulGaz will now operate independently as long as it remains economically viable – in other words, as long as there are enough users. However, the planned migration of Ironman routes to Rouvy will still go ahead.
Rouvy also said it has reinstated a small team of former FulGaz employees to oversee the maintenance and development of the app. It acquired the FulGaz platform earlier this year with the initial plan to merge the two platforms.
BMC refreshes Teammachine SLR
BMC has updated its Teammachine SLR for 2025 with full internal cable routing, stealth thru-axles, and 30 mm tire clearance. While the core geometry and ride characteristics remain unchanged from the last major update in 2020, the Gen 4.5 revision focuses on a cleaner aesthetic and incremental aero gains.
The SLR sits as the more affordable option below the SLR 01 and the premium Teammachine SLR MPC – a naming structure that remains somewhat confusing. Pricing starts at €2,999 ($2,999) for the Shimano 105-equipped Teammachine SLR Four. [BMC]
Canyon introduces customization program
Canyon, the German direct-to-consumer bike brand, has finally introduced some level of customization to its bikes. The initial launch today is for one bike model only: the Aeroad CFR. The staggered introduction of the program means that it is available for the US market only for now, with the rest of the world to follow later this year. You can read more about what customization Canyon actually now offers and how it stacks against other similar offerings here.
Girmay will miss Opening Weekend as second child is born
Biniam Girmay (Intermarché-Wanty) will not start the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad or Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne after his wife gave birth to their second child. The Eritrean star will instead return home to be with family.
"I will be back in Europe to chase my dream of winning a first monument, with Milano-Sanremo, E3 Harelbeke, Gent Wevelgem, and Tour of Flanders on my program," he said in a statement.
Winner's Circle: Cort doubles up at O Gran Camiño
Magnus Cort (Uno X-Mobility) followed up his stage 1 win at O Gran Camiño with another one on stage 2. This time, the Dane bested Martin Marcellusi (VF Group-Bardiani CSF-Faizanè) and Carlos Canal (Movistar) in A Estrada. Cort leads Marcellusi in the overall standings by 14 seconds heading into stage 3.
Wednesday, February 26, 2025
- The 2026 Tour will open with a Barcelona TTT
- Rabobank is reportedly returning to cycling
- Former NBC broadcaster Al Trautwig dies
- Devinci refreshes Hatchet gravel bike lineup
- Belgian Cycling Factory buys Nukeproof
- Old Man Mountain adds Hemlock Fork Packs, FLIP Cages, and Atlas Deck Bag
- Winner's Circle: Cort wins O Gran Camiño opener
The 2026 Tour will open with a Barcelona TTT
Tour de France organizers have unveiled details of the first three stages of next year's Tour de France, which will get underway with a team time trial in Barcelona, Spain. The opening stage will run 19.7 km with two significant ascents in the finale: a 1.1 km trip at 5.1% up the Montjuïc climb, and a 800 m run to the finish line at the Olympic Stadium with a gradient of 7%.
Following the format used in recent years by Paris-Nice, a team's time on the stage will be that of its fastest rider, while each individual rider will have their own time registered for the general classification.
The opening TTT will be followed by another stage in the Catalonia region, this one starting in Tarragona to the southwest of Barcelona and finishing in Barcelona itself again with multiple climbs around the Montjuïc. The third stage will start in Granollers, Catalonia, as well, with a finishing location that is yet to be revealed.
Rabobank is reportedly returning to cycling
Wielerflits reports that Rabobank, which sponsored the team now known as Visma-Lease a Bike from 1996 to 2012, is getting back into the sponsorship game.
According to Wielerflits, the Dutch bank will be coming back as one of the sponsors visible on Visma's jersey at the Tour de France, replacing BetCity as a Dutch law banning sports sponsorship for gambling websites comes into effect in July. [Wielerflits]
Former NBC broadcaster Al Trautwig dies
While Phil Liggett is the voice most familiar to Americans who watch the Tour de France, renowned broadcaster Al Trautwig was the anchor who for years helped steer the NBC network’s coverage, smoothly directing commentary between Liggett’s play-by-play, features, and studio analysis. Trautwig passed away on Sunday due to complications from cancer; he was 68.
In a television career that spanned three decades, Trautwig covered 16 Olympics (summer and winter), multiple Tours de France, and the Ironman triathlon. He won four national Emmy awards.
Devinci refreshes Hatchet gravel bike lineup
Devinci has overhauled its Hatchet gravel bike range, replacing the previous two offerings with three options: the race-oriented Hatchet Pro with a carbon frame, the adventure-focused Hatchet Vista with an aluminum frame, and the E-Hatchet Tour e-bike (available in the Canadian market only).
The bikes come with a revised geometry, as well as features such as "Shed" in-frame storage (on the Pro model), UDH, and internal cable routing. Tire clearance remains the same 45 mm (with rather generous space left) and the bikes are still designed and assembled in Canada. Prices start from CA$2,200 / US$1,800 for the Hatchet Vista and CA$3,400 for the Pro model. [Devinci]
Belgian Cycling Factory buys Nukeproof
Belgian Cycling Factory (BCF) has acquired Nukeproof from Frasers Group – which owns Evans Cycles and Sports Direct – and plans to bring the mountain bike brand back to the US market by 2027. Nukeproof will be sold through BCF’s existing dealer network, joining Ridley and Eddy Merckx in the company’s portfolio. Frasers Group took on Nukeproof in 2024 as part of its acquisition of Wiggle and Chain Reaction Cycles.
Old Man Mountain adds Hemlock Fork Packs, FLIP Cages, and Atlas Deck Bag
Old Man Mountain (OMM) continues expanding its already robust lineup of bikepacking and touring carry solutions with three new products. The brand's first fork racks, the FLIP Cages (US$80), use a proprietary quick connect system – Fast Lock in Place – to seamlessly affix the new Hemlock Fork Packs (US$175/pair) or other compatible bag. The low-profile Atlas Deck Bag (US$95) is made of hypalon material and gets strapped to OMM rear racks or those of similar design. Additionally, OMM is making the FLIP system available as OEM products for other bag makers to incorporate into their own designs. [Old Man Mountain]
Winner's Circle: Cort wins O Gran Camiño opener
Magnus Cort (Uno X-Mobility) nabbed the opening stage of O Gran Camiño, outsprinting Santiago Mesa (Efapel) and Giovanni Lonardi (Polti-VisitMalta) in Matosinhos. Cort leads Mesa by four seconds in the general classification ahead of stage 2.
Tuesday, February 25, 2025
- Ewan reflects on 'stressful situation' leaving Jayco
- Nice will not host Gravel World Championships as initially planned
- The Cauberg is returning to the Amstel Gold Race finale
- Bernal back to training
Ewan reflects on 'stressful situation' leaving Jayco
Caleb Ewan offered some insight into his mindset as he parted ways with Jayco-AlUla in an appearance on the Geraint Thomas Cycling Club Podcast, reflecting on the uncertainty he felt amid a rift with his now former team.
"There was a while where I didn't really know what I wanted to do to be honest, just because I was in a pretty shitty situation with my team so that was all going on and I honestly did not know what my future was going to hold," Ewan said when asked if he considered retirement over the offseason.
"It was a very stressful situation for me and because of all that I didn't know what I wanted. They put me in a bad situation and it wasn't ideal. Now I've moved on and I'm happy that I've joined Ineos. Like I said I'm a goal focused person so I need something to work towards and now that I've got something to work towards, it makes it a lot easier." [Geraint Thomas Cycling Club Podcast]
Nice will not host Gravel World Championships as initially planned
The UCI has announced that its upcoming Gravel World Championships will not take place in Nice, France, as initially planned, leaving the organization 10 months to find a new location to host the event.
"The UCI and the City of Nice acknowledged the difficulties of organizing the event in the capital of the French Riviera on that date, and in view of various constraints, technical and regarding the calendar, it was mutually agreed not to organize the fourth edition of the UCI worlds for gravel in Nice," the UCI said in a statement.
"The UCI is currently studying various options to find a new organizer and a new venue."
The Cauberg is returning to the Amstel Gold Race finale
The iconic Cauberg is set to return to the final kilometers of the men's Amstel Gold Race after several seasons in which other climbs replaced it as the final ascent in the event.
In years past, the Amstel Gold Race finished on the climb itself in the Dutch town of Valkenburg; the finale was retailored in 2013 to move the Cauberg just a little ways before the line, and then in 2016 it was shifted further to some 20 km out, with two other climbs placed in between the Cauberg and the finish line in Berg en Terblijt. In 2025, the Cauberg will feature just 2 km from the line once again.
Bernal back to training
A week after he broke his collarbone in a crash at the Clásica Jaén, Egan Bernal (Ineos Grenadiers) is apparently already back on the bike. The former Tour de France winner was spotted training on the Col d'Eze on Monday and he posted a ride to Strava on Tuesday that showed him climbing the Col de la Madone.
It remains to be seen how quickly he will be fully healed, but Bernal's training exploits are at least an encouraging sign as he aims to be ready for a run at the Giro d'Italia in May. [Strava]
Monday, February 24, 2025
- Vingegaard spotted with 150 mm cranks at Volta ao Algarve
- Roglič: 'I feel I'm exactly where I should be at this early stage'
- Santesteban reveals endometriosis diagnosis
- Lappartient says 'there is no plan B' for Rwanda Worlds
Vingegaard spotted with 150 mm cranks at Volta ao Algarve
Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike) was seen using unbranded 150 mm crankarms during the Volta ao Algarve, in an ever-growing trend towards shorter cranks in the pro peloton.
Vingegaard’s cranks were filed down and repainted to hide the branding and length specification, as also previously noted by Escape Collective’s Ronan McLaughlin in January. Now, the length has been confirmed by iBike Studio – a bike fit studio that shared content measuring them on Instagram.
Aside from what appears to be a Quarq-branded power meter spider and black chainrings that are visually similar to those on SRAM's Force AXS power meter, the crankarms have no branding. But at 150 mm, the crankarms are shorter than any standard options currently offered by SRAM, Visma's groupset sponsor. As previously reported by Ronan McLaughlin, most of Visma's riders have already transitioned to shorter cranks, typically using 165 mm and 160 mm setups. [Instagram]
Roglič: 'I feel I'm exactly where I should be at this early stage'
While Jonas Vingegaard can come out of the Volta ao Algarve confident in his early-season form, Primož Roglič was not quite at his best, ultimately finishing eighth overall. Still, the Slovenian seemed content with his performance for February.
"Obviously, it wasn't my main goal for the season, but I feel I'm exactly where I should be at this early stage," he said in a statement shared by Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe. "There's still a lot of work ahead, but things are moving in the right direction."
Santesteban reveals endometriosis diagnosis
Ane Santesteban (Laboral Kutxa-Fundación Euskadi) said on social media on Sunday afternoon that she learned in October that she had endometriosis and an ovarian cyst, and she reflected on the challenges she has faced but also expressed optimism now that she has begun to treat the health issues that had impacted her racing.
"It is clear that anything that ends in 'osis' is not good, but in my case, it was a relief," she wrote. "I had been in pain for months, feeling unwell and visiting doctors to get a diagnosis and solution." [Instagram]
Lappartient says 'there is no plan B' for Rwanda Worlds
In an interview with Cyclingnews, David Lappartient has again downplayed speculation that the UCI is considering alternatives to holding the Road World Championships in Kigali, Rwanda, amid armed conflict nearby.
Saying that "there is no plan B," Lappartient discussed the importance of holding Worlds in Africa and also focused on what is being done to help with logistics for travel. [Cyclingnews]
Did we do a good job with this story?
