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A full-suspension trail bike with 140 mm of front and rear travel is a bit beyond what is typically covered by Escape. Yet, the Fitz, just announced by Allied Cycle Works, looks interesting for a couple of reasons. First, its top-tier complete build with SRAM XX SL components reportedly weighs just 26 lb (11.8 kg). That's lower than some downcountry bikes with less travel. Additionally, the Fitz denotes an expansion for the Arkansas-based brand, which has previously been dedicated to the road, gravel, and XC categories.
Allied positions the Fitz as a trail bike that focuses on essentials: "low weight, balanced kinematics, and a ride quality that stays responsive on real trails." It's designed around a four-bar Horst Link suspension platform that comes standard with 140 mm of travel at the front and rear, but is capable of up to 150 mm. With fitment for up to 29 x 2.6" tires and 200 mm dropper posts, the Fitz has the same type of internal storage compartment as the Able gravel bike. Available in two colors as a frameset only (with Fox Float shock and Wolf Tooth headset included) for US$3,900, or in three complete build tiers, with pricing starting at US$6,900 for SRAM GX Transmission and going up to US$11,400 for the XX SL level. Allied.
Accell Group sells Nishiki to Turkish bike manufacturer
Turkish manufacturer Kron Bicycle has acquired Nishiki from Accell Group, taking over the brand that Accell picked up via a Finnish distributor in 2009. Kron said Nishiki will plug into its production and supply chain while keeping its own "brand DNA." Founded in 2004, Kron distributes across 81 Turkish provinces and said the deal will help expand its European reach.
The sale lands amid rising questions over Accell Group's finances. Last month, it sold Van Nicholas, and soon after, the Financial Times reported the private-equity-owned group was preparing a second debt restructuring, with insolvency or further asset sales possible if new funding didn't materialise. Accell continues to operate 10 brands including Raleigh, Lapierre, Haibike, Ghost and cargo bike brand Babboe.
The Surly Midnight Special now comes with carbon fork, cockpit, and wheels
Not known for making or equipping its bikes with carbon fiber components, Surly is now offering its legacy all-road model (aka an "endurance road plus bike for backroads"), the Midnight Special, with components from its sibling brand, Teravail. The chromoly steel frame, which accommodates 650b x 50 mm or 700c x 42 mm tires, comes in "Black Cherry Fizz" color, is equipped with a Teravail Radia stem and handlebar (not currently available as standalone parts), Teravail Circos rims laced to DT Swiss 350 hubs, and a color-matched Salsa-branded Waxwing carbon fiber fork. This is the highest spec for the Midnight Special with Shimano 105 R7120 drivetrain.
The new Black Cherry Fizz full build is priced at US$3,499 and available in eight sizes, ranging from 40 cm to 64 cm. The Midnight Special frame is still available with a steel fork and aluminum components for US$2,499 in seven sizes. Surly.
Calpe looking into measures to regulate cycling tourism
As À Punt reports, the city government of Calpe in Spain's Valencia region, an extremely popular destination for pro training camps and amateur riders on vacation as well, has commissioned a study on cycling tourism in the region with an eye towards enacting measures to regulate visitors.
Although the influx of riders in the winter months brings significant economic advantage to the area, which hosted Soudal-Quick Step for two training camps this winter for instance, residents and officials appear to have mixed feelings about the presence of so many cyclists on their roads. "Like any tourism boom, it generates negative things that must be alleviated," said city councilor Mireia Ripoll (À Punt).
Lefevere: 'I hate' Red Bull boss Denk
Patrick Lefevere, who retired as Soudal-Quick Step team boss last year, continues to have strong feelings about Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe manager Ralph Denk after the latter tried for years to get Remco Evenepoel to leave Soudal for his own team, a move that ultimately happened last transfer season.
"I had sold Remco's project at Soudal for five years," Lefevere told La Dernière Heure. "And then, after three years, the trouble started. Denk offered Remco a contract. Since then, it hasn't stopped. I even filed a complaint with the UCI. Because there's a regulation that says all three parties must agree before a rider can break his contract."
Given those comments, it is hardly a surprise that Lefevere would express such a negative opinion of his counterpart at Red Bull: "I hate him," Lefevere said. "There were rules, and he ignored them." [La Dernière Heure]
Unibet-Rose Rockets leads Strade Bianche and San Remo wildcard selections
The Unibet-Rose Rockets team may have missed out on a wildcard invite to the 2026 Tour de France (or any ASO event, for that matter), things are looking up for the young team's first ever Grand Tour invite, to the Giro d'Italia.
Giro promoter RCS Sports announced wildcard invitations Tuesday for its March round of races, including Strade Bianche, Tirreno-Adriatico, and Milan-San Remo. The social media darling Rockets got nods for two, with entries to Strade Bianche and the season's first Monument, M-SR. (Top ProTeams Pinarello-Q36.5 and Tudor get automatic wildcard entry. Cofidis also gets automatic entry but declined its spot in Strade Bianche and Tirreno-Adriatico, opening up an extra discretionary spot.)
Joining them will be a range of teams with a heavy Italian flavor. Here's the lineup for discretionary wildcards: Strade Bianche: Unibet-Rose Rockets, Bardiani CSF 7 Saber, MBH Bank Ballan-CSB, Solution Tech-Nippo-Rali, Polti-Visit Malta Tirreno-Adriatico: Bardiani CSF 7 Saber, Caja Rural-Seguros RGA, Solution Tech-Nippo-Rali, Polti-Visit Malta Milan-San Remo: Unibet-Rose Rockets, Bardiani CSF 7 Saber, Novo Nordisk, Polti-Visit Malta
Giro d'Italia wildcard announcements will follow, perhaps as soon as next week.
Ben O'Connor is targeting the GC podium at the 2026 Giro
Team Jayco-AlUla has announced that GC leader Ben O'Connor is building his 2026 season around the Giro d'Italia, where he hopes to finish at least one better than fourth in 2024.
"Ben has been on the podium in a Grand Tour before,” said sports director Gene Bates in the team's announcement, referring to O'Connor's second place at the 2024 Vuelta. “He was fourth at the Giro a few years ago and so he knows what it takes. This year, he’s older and wiser, and we’re really looking forward to supporting him to achieve the best result he can overall at the Giro."
The Giro will be O'Connor's 13th Grand Tour, starting in Bulgaria on 8th May and culminating in Rome three weeks later. He can expect to face fierce competition from – among many others – three-time Grand Tour winner Jonas Vingegaard, 2019 winner and last year's podium finisher Richard Carapaz, and João Almeida who has never finished outside the top 10 of any Grand Tour he's finished, including podiums at the 2023 Giro and 2025 Vuelta.
Garmin announces new Varia RearVue 820 rear radar
Garmin has launched a new cycling rear radar, the Varia RearVue 820, with new vehicle tracking features, a USB-C charging port and a brighter light.
The 820's main functions are similar to its predecessor, the Varia RTL515, in that it will announce approaching vehicles with visual and audible alerts on your cycling computer or the Varia phone app. However, the radar is now claimed to be able to classify what size vehicle is approaching (small/medium/large) and also measure lateral movement to indicate higher-risk overtakes – though this will only be shown on compatible computers or through the app. Garmin says the radar detects vehicles from over 175 meters away and, with a wider 60-degree radar beam width, it can detect traffic several lanes over.
Garmin says that the same-speed tracking is designed to warn when a vehicle sits behind waiting to pass.
The rear light itself is the brightest yet among Garmin's radar, rated visible to 2 km when using the 200-lumen day flash. In addition to that, there is a night flash, solid and peloton modes, plus an automatic brake-light pattern and an option to create a custom light pattern. Battery life is quoted at up to 24 hours in day flash or up to 30 hours in radar-only mode. The unit also switches to USB-C charging and ships with a redesigned seatpost mount.
Pricing is £260/€300/US$300, and the radar is available to order from 6 February.
Giant expands recruitment-fee refunds to more migrant workers
Giant Group has launched "Phase Three" of its recruitment-fee refunds, now extending the programme to cover former migrant workers who left the company after 24 September 2023.
The move is the latest in the Taiwanese company's efforts to get the Withhold Release Order (WRO), imposed on it in September 2025 over allegations of forced labour, lifted. According to Giant, its efforts now align with the prior scope used by US Customs and Border Protection while going further than common international practice.
In the two previous steps, Giant announced recruitment-free refunds to newly hired migrant workers and subsequently extended that to all current migrant workers in mid-October 2025.
Former employees can apply for the refund through a form on Giant's, through which the company will check eligibility and explain the next steps.
Pidcock plans to 'enjoy the suffering' at the 2026 Tour
On the heels of his first ever Grand Tour podium at the 2025 Vuelta a España, Tom Pidcock has confirmed that his sights are set on the 2026 Tour de France. Pidcock's Pinarello-Q36.5 team earned an automatic invite to the French Grand Tour on the strength of their 2025 campaign, giving Pidcock a chance to return to the race, where he counts a stage win on his career palmares.
"I think personally, my biggest objective is to go there, enjoy the suffering, enjoy the intensity of the race, the media with the racing," Pidcock said via a post on the team website. "I think if we can enjoy it and enjoy the suffering as a team, then the results will come from that. I think we’re a team that’s growing, so to have the opportunity to go and race the Tour is just one step along the way. Of course, where we want to go is to be at the Tour de France every year, racing every year for wins. So yeah, it’s another step on the ladder of where we want to get to, I guess."
Orbea recalls some Avant road bikes over fork concern
Orbea has issued a recall for some of its Avant road bike models, after it identified that the carbon fork could "crack and break". The recall includes aluminium-framed Avant H40, H50, H45XI models from 2025 and 2026 model years.
Any affected customers should run their bike's identity number through Orbea's recall website, and follow the brand's instructions to arrange inspection and potential replacement.
Orbea launched the Avant as its endurance road bike in October 2024.
Mathieu van der Poel wins record-breaking eighth elite CX world title
Mathieu van der Poel delivered on his overwhelming favourite status in the elite men's race at the UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships on Sunday, winning his eighth elite CX world title after going solo in the second of eight laps at Hulst, Netherlands. He breaks the record number of world titles previously shared with Eric de Vlaeminck, and joins Marianne Vos at the top.
After offering a massive pull in the opening lap, something that has become customary this season, Tibor Del Grosso let Van der Poel go and battled with fellow outside favourite Thibau Nys – the gap to the large chase group (race for fourth) over half a minute by the end of lap two. As Van der Poel's advantage approached a minute and Del Grosso's problematic back became a sticking point in the later laps, Nys looked more and more sure of the silver medal, but a couple of mistakes from the Belgian in the worsening conditions saw a rallying Del Grosso surge into the gap in the closing stages.
Van der Poel's victory crowned a perfect day for the Netherlands, whose junior Delano Heeren and under-23 Leonie Bentveld took the home nation's third and fourth golds of the weekend.
This and the entire weekend of World Championship action will be covered in more detail here at Escape Collective in our last CX gallery of the season after the close of competition on Sunday.
Elite Men top 5
Mathieu van der Poel (Netherlands) 1:00:25
Tibor Del Grosso (Netherlands) +0:35
Thibau Nys (Belgium) +0:46
Joris Nieuwenhuis (Netherlands) +0:55
Filippo Fontana (Italy) “
Junior Men top 5
Delano Heeren (Netherlands) 40:15
Filippo Grigolini (Italy) +0:09
Giel Lejeune (Belgium) +0:10
Benjamin Noval Suarez (Spain) +0:15
Soen Le Pann (France) +0:43
Under-23 Women top 5
Leonie Bentveld (Netherlands) 43:08
Viktória Chladonová (Slovakia) +0:11
Célia Gery (France) +0:57
Fleur Moors (Belgium) +1:14
Amandine Muller (France) +1:20
Lucinda Brand adds rainbow jersey to brilliant CX season
After almost 50 minutes of racing on the unique Hulst course, just inside the Netherlands border with Belgium, Lucinda Brand soared to her second elite world title, capping off a brilliant season of cyclocross.
It was a dramatic race from the start, albeit with the three expected Dutch leaders fairly quickly separating themselves from the field. Puck Pieterse and Ceylin Del Carmen Alvarado appeared the strongest, trading turns in the first couple of laps as they and Brand gradually said goodbye to their rivals, Blanka Vas and Jolanda Neff seemingly best of the rest. However, soon after Brand hit the front for the first time in the third lap of six, the technically gifted Pieterse took an uncharacteristic tumble at the foot of the super-steep descent down to the moat, leaving just two leaders.
Brand found herself a gap after Pieterse's fall, but a head-over-heels tumble of her own a lap later allowed Alvarado back onto the wheel, where she stayed until Brand finally broke her compatriot's resolve a little over a lap from the finish. From there, the 36-year-old soloed to an emotional second elite title five years after winning in Oostende in 2021 – where the World Championships will return in 2027. With Alvarado securing second, Pieterse escaped the chase group in the final lap to seal an all-Dutch podium.
Brand is the fourth world champion crowned at the Worlds in Hulst, and only the second gold medal for the home nation of Netherlands after Friday's Team Relay. Saturday's other victors were women's junior Barbora Bukovská (Czechia) and men's under-23 champion Aaron Dockx (Belgium).
This and the entire weekend of World Championship action will be covered in more detail here at Escape Collective in our last CX gallery of the season after the close of competition on Sunday.
Elite Women top 5
Lucinda Brand (Netherlands) 49:16
Ceylin Del Carmen Alvarado (Netherlands) +0:27
Puck Pieterse (Netherlands) +0:51
Blanka Vas (Hungary) +0:56
Amandine Fouquenet (France) +0:58
Junior Women top 5
Barbora Bukovská (Czechia) 44:55
Lise Revol (France) +0:15
Lucie Grohová (Czechia) +0:35
Giorgia Pellizotti (Italy) +0:44
Shana Huber (Switzerland) +0:48
Under-23 Men top 5
Aaron Dockx (Belgium) 53:11
Aubin Sparfel (France) +0:19
Keije Solen (Netherlands) +0:22
Guus van den Eijnden (Netherlands) +0:23
Arthur Van Den Boer (Belgium) +0:30
Jan Christen wins AlUla Tour, Modern Adventure takes second on final stage
The AlUla Tour culminated on Saturday with a tricky finale to stage 5, a brutal late climb capped with a bonus sprint 9 km from the line. Pre-race favourite Jan Christen (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) took the stage and overall victory after attacking with about 6 km remaining, winning the second-tier stage race by 15 seconds over Sergio Higuita (XDS Astana), UAE teammate Igor Arrieta in third.
Runner-up on the final stage was Byron Munton of Modern Adventure, the brand new American ProTeam that was making its professional debut at the AlUla Tour. Munton's second place on stage 5 was the team's best result of the week, with his compatriot Stefan De Bod's seventh on the same stage leaving Modern Adventure just off the overall podium in fourth.
AlUla Tour stage 5
Jan Christen (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) 3:36:05
Byron Munton (Modern Adventure) +0:11
Igor Arrieta (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) +0:32
Juan Pedro Lozano (Terengganu Cycling Team) "
Federico Iacomoni (Team UKYO) "
AlUla Tour final GC
Jan Christen (UAE Team Emirates-XRG)
Sergio Higuita (XDS Astana) +0:15
Igor Arrieta (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) +0:21
Stefan De Bod (Modern Adventure) +0:25
Afonso Eulálio (Bahrain-Victorious) +0:29
Spanish teams Burgos Burpellet BH and Equipo Kern Pharma receive Vuelta wildcards
On the same day as the Tour de France wildcards were announced, ASO also revealed the ProTeam invitees for the Vuelta a España, the second Grand Tour in their portfolio. With Caja Rural-Seguros RGA heading to France, Burgos Burpellet BH and Equipo Kern Pharma have received wildcards for their home Grand Tour.
They will join guaranteed participants Cofidis, Tudor and Pinarello-Q36.5 at the start in Monaco, Burgos BH returning for the second year after last season appearing at the expense of Kern Pharma, which missed out on a wildcard despite winning three stages in 2024 with Pablo Castrillo and Urko Berrade (only the latter remains with the team).
Tour de France wildcards awarded to TotalEnergies and Caja Rural
ASO has awarded wildcards for the 2026 Tour de France to French team TotalEnergies and Spain's Caja Rural-Seguros RGA, confirming Thursday's report in Le Parisienthat Unibet Rose Rockets would miss out.
They join the top-three-ranked ProTeams Cofidis, Tudor and Pinarello-Q36.5 who are guaranteed an invite based on their performance in 2025.
Shimano confirms no attendance at Eurobike 2026
Shimano has confirmed that it's not attending one of the industry's largest trade shows, Eurobike, this year. In a statement, the Japanese component giant said the decision follows a pivot to consumer- and customer-facing events, where it can have "personalised conversations and hands-on interactions."
Shimano has for years been a key participant at the trade fair held in Frankfurt, Germany, occupying a major share of the floorspace at the show halls.
Eurobike's future has been unclear for months, after two major German trade associations withdrew from the show in October 2025, and Bosch eBike Systems said it would skip 2026. Since then, the show organiser Fairnamic has signalled a reset under new CEO Philipp Ferger, promising a tighter hall plan that separates OEM and everyday-mobility suppliers from consumer-facing brands, as well as a refreshed concept from 2027 onward.
'Close to perfection': Evenepoel and Red Bull put down a marker in Challenge Mallorca TTT
The Challenge Mallorca changed things up this year with a decision to turn the opening event, the Trofeo Ses Salines, into a team time trial. With few opportunities for the pros to hone their craft in the discipline ahead of this year's Tour de France, some big names were a bit more focused than normal on the early-season event.
Although it probably should not have come as a surprise that Remco Evenepoel and his new Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe team would win the race, it was nonetheless an important marker for the Belgian in his first start with his new squad.
"I think what we did today was close to perfection for this TTT," Evenepoel said after he and six teammates, including fellow Grand Tour specialist Florian Lipowitz, bested Movistar by three seconds with Jayco-AlUla taking third on the day.
Report: TotalEnergies and Caja Rural will get Tour wildcards, no room for Rockets
Le Parisien reports that the ASO has decided on which second-division teams it will invite to the 2026 Tour de France.
According to the French newspaper, the two wildcards will go to TotalEnergies and Caja Rural-Seguros RGA, who will thus join the WorldTour teams and automatic invitees Tudor, Pinarello-Q36.5, and Cofidis. That leaves the Unibet Rose Rockets among those on the outside looking in. An announcement is reportedly expected on Friday. [Le Parisien]
Sonder Bikes owner confirms new investment to keep business running
Alpkit, the British outdoor brand that owns Sonder Bikes, has publicly announced it has completed a pre-pack sale to a new investor, after entering administration earlier this week. In a statement, the company said the move will secure the business long-term, allow it to retain all 194 jobs, and keep its 10 stores open.
The new investor is Jeroen van den Berge, a Dutch investor and outdoor enthusiast, who will serve as non-executive chair while Alpkit's existing leadership continues to run the company.
Under the restructuring, previous shareholders – including thousands of individuals who backed the brand in 2020 and 2022 funding rounds – will lose the value of their shares.
Alpkit said the fresh capital will back a refocus on product and service, with plans to improve margins by re-sourcing production, adding new products (including from its Trakke acquisition), and tightening costs. while keeping its "technical performance, social justice and environmental responsibility" commitments.
Polti rider Gómez denies doping after positive test
Colombian rider Germán Darío Gómez has denied any wrongdoing after testing positive for Boldenone, a banned anabolic steroid primarily associated with livestock use.
The 24-year-old Polti VisitMalta rider returned an adverse analytical finding from an out-of-competition test conducted in Colombia on December 28 and has been provisionally suspended by both his team and the UCI.
In an Instagram post, Gómez said the result came while he was recovering from collarbone surgery and described the situation as “the most complicated day of my life as a rider,” adding that he intends to fight to clear his name.
Heat-cancelled Surf Coast Classic replaced by criteriums
Organisers have confirmed a pair of criteriums in Geelong will replace the cancelled Surf Coast Classics as the final lead-in to the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race.
The newly-named Cadel’s Criterium will take place on a 2 km circuit around Eastern Gardens. The women’s race will run for 20 laps from 13:00 local time, followed by a 25-lap men’s race starting at 14:30. The course was last used for the Geelong Classic in 2024.
The Surf Coast Classics were called off earlier this week due to extreme heat and bushfire risk in the Otways, with temperatures climbing as high as 45°C.
"Safety remains our priority, but we are also eager to deliver elite racing for fans, teams and broadcast audiences where appropriate," said race director Scott Sunderland, adding that the criterium format allows organisers to keep racing on the road while adapting to conditions.
Fire conditions have since eased, and organisers say planning for the weekend’s WorldTour races is proceeding as scheduled, with more moderate temperatures forecast.
MADE confirms location, dates, and opens registration
Entering its fourth year, the Made bicycle showcase has announced that it will return to Zidell Yards in Portland, OR, from August 21–23, 2026. Event organizers claim Made is the "world's largest handmade bicycle show" and have already sold out nearly 75% of its booth space. Over 6,500 attendees and 200 builders and brands were at the 2025 show.
For the upcoming event, expect an expanded floor plan, community rides, and "new activations to enhance the exhibitor and attendee experience." To purchase tickets or make inquiries about remaining display opportunities, head over to Made. You can also dig into Escape's archives for prior Made reporting.
Sonder Bikes owner enters administration
Alpkit, the British outdoor brand and owner of Sonder bikes, has entered administration after "incredible challenges over the last three years." In a shareholder letter sent on Monday evening, seen by Escape, AlpkitCEO and co-founder David Hanney said that the company is finalising a sale to a new owner and investment partner that it says would preserve jobs, keep stores open and fulfil customer orders.
The Nottingham-headquartered company reported a £1.46m loss in 2024, following a £1.12m loss in 2023. Its earlier expansion was funded by two Crowdcube rounds that raised £1.5m in 2020 and £2.25m in 2022. Alpkit currently operates 10 UK stores.
Visma-Lease a Bike urges safety-first attitude from fans after Vingegaard crash
Team Visma-Lease a Bike has issued a short statement after the training crash of their leader Jonas Vingegaard near Malaga that left him bruised and bloody, but with no lasting injuries. The incident happened on a descent where the Dane was reportedly trying to distance himself from a local amateur, who then posted the ride to Strava, with a picture of Vingegaard from behind.
"Jonas crashed after trying to shake me off on a descent," wrote Pedro García Fernández. "I stopped to ask how he was doing, but he was angry because I was trying to follow him."
Visma-Lease a Bike's post on X first confirmed that Vingegaard did not sustain any serious injuries, before issuing a plea to anyone sharing the road: "In general, as a team we would like to urge fans on bikes to always put safety first. For both your own and others’ wellbeing, please allow riders to train and give them as much space and peace as possible."
Surf Coast Classics cancelled due to bushfire risk
The women's and men's Surf Coast Classics, scheduled to run across January 28-29, have been cancelled due to heightened fire danger and changeable weather conditions.
As of yesterday, the 1.Pro ranked races – a mid-week companion to this weekend's Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race – had been revised to avoid townships which were under evacuation orders at the time, due to a bushfire burning in the nearby Otway Ranges. But with the Surf Coast Classic starting town of Lorne also now under threat, the decision was made to cancel the events altogether due to, per an event press release, "heightened bushfire risk, rapidly changing and unpredictable weather conditions, the need to keep evacuation routes clear and the requirement for Victoria Police and emergency services resources to remain focused on supporting impacted communities."
The Australian state of Victoria, home to the Surf Coast Classics and this weekend's Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race, is currently in the midst of a heatwave that has broken records and worsened already dire bushfire conditions, with substantial blazes still burning since the previous heatwave in early January. The events come a week after the Tour Down Under, which was itself impacted by heat and fire danger.
The organisers of the event are exploring "alternative options" for Thursday 29 January, "should it be safe and appropriate to do so". At this stage, there are "no identified impacts" to the weekend races.
Medical review reveals Jay Vine suffered wrist fracture in Tour Down Under crash
Tour Down Under winner Jay Vine has undergone surgery for a wrist fracture suffered in the kangaroo crash on the final day of the stage race.
The 30-year-old reported pain in his wrist during the final stage and after medical review it was "found he'd sustained a significant left wrist scaphoid fracture," UAE medical director Dr. Adrian Rotunno said in a statement.
Vine's surgery on Tuesday morning was successful and he will now focus on recovery and rehabilitation ahead of a planned Giro d'Italia participation.
EF Education-Oatly announced on Monday that the team has signed gravel star Axelle Dubau-Prévot "to race a combined road and gravel calendar."
The French gravel champ enjoyed a career year in 2025, delivering big wins and consistency too. According to her new team, her gravel goals for 2026 include defending her national title and returning to The Traka, where she took runner-up honors in the 360 km event last year. In the short term, Dubau-Prévot said she aims to be "a strong teammate" on the road, but she also expressed an interest in racing the Tour de France Femmes at some point.
"When I heard a few years ago that the Tour was coming back, I was out of the cycling world and I felt a bit sad to think that I would never take part in it," she said. "I’m French and if someone asks me what I do and I say I’m a cyclist, they immediately ask if I race the Tour de France. It’s the reference. Now after watching the race and seeing that EF Education-Oatly really wants to do something big at the Tour, I would love to make the Tour squad one year."
Steel forks from Sklar Bikes now available a la carte
Previously available only as part of a frameset or a complete bike from the California brand, Sklar Bikes is now selling its steel forks for individual purchase. The SuperSomething Gravel Fork and PBJ Fork are claimed to "bring modern steel performance to a wide range of all-terrain builds" and to offer an alternative to carbon-fiber rigid MTB or adventure-type forks. Each is built with a straight 1-1/8” steerer, generous tire clearance for intended disciplines, rack and cargo mounts, internal dynamo routing, and offered in two color options.
The PBJ Fork (above left) is suspension-corrected to 100 mm for mountain bikes, with bikepacking and ATB riding in mind. Its axle-to-crown measures 485 mm with a 55 mm offset and has been tested to clear a range of tire sizes from 29 x 2.8 t0 32 x 2.5. Meant for gravel bikes, the SuperSomething Fork (above right) features a 412 mm axle-to-crown, 52 mm offset, and can fit up to 700 x 55 mm (29x2.1”) or 650 x 2.8 tires. Pricing is US$280 each. Sklar Bikes
UAE Team confirms multiple fractures for Bjerg after kangaroo crash
UAE Team Emirates-XRG successfully defended its Santos Tour Down Under title this weekend, Jay Vine ascending to the top step a year after teammate Jhonatan Narváez. However, it was a rollercoaster of a race for the top WorldTeam that saw only three finishers out of seven, two of four DNFs sustaining multiple fractures in heavy crashes.
The last to fall was Mikkel Bjerg who took the biggest hit in a bizarre incident that dominated headlines on Sunday: the Dane and a number of others, including stage 2 winner and race leader Jay Vine, were sent skittling across the road when a kangaroo leapt into their midst. While Vine got up and continued – on teammate Ivo Oliveira's bike – Bjerg stayed down, his body language portraying a likely broken collarbone.
The team confirmed the day after his crash that Bjerg had sustained fractures to the acromioclavicular joint (where collarbone meets scapula) and hand, which will put a dent in his plans for spring. UAE paid a hefty price for Tour Down Under victory, with Bjerg, Narváez and Vegard Stake Laengen (suspected rib injury) all out of action for at least a few weeks.
