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Australian veteran Amanda Spratt (Lidl-Trek) has announced that the 2026 road racing season will be her last in the professional peloton.
In an Instagram post on Sunday evening Australian time, the 38-year-old revealed that she still loves racing, but that she wants to "choose where [her] finish line is".
"Cycling has given so much to me," she wrote. "It’s part of who I am and always will be. One thing that I’m really grateful for about my career is the longevity that I’ve had & there are so many people that have supported me both near & far over the last 30 years.
"Announcing now means that I get the chance to share every moment of my last season in the peloton with those who have made my career so special."
Spratt goes into her final season with 21 professional victories – including three overall victories at the Tour Down Under and a Giro d'Italia stage win – plus a silver medal at the 2018 Road Worlds.
She joins several Australians who have made moves toward retirement in recent times. Sarah Roy, Miles Scotson, Michael Hepburn, Alex Edmondson, and Nathan Earle are among those who finished up at the end of 2025 while Simon Clarke is due to close out his career at the upcoming Australian summer races.
Joe Montgomery, Cannondale co-founder, has passed
As reported by Connecticut Post, Joe Montgomery, co-founder of Cannondale Bicycles, died on January 2nd at the age of 86.
Cannondale got its start in cycling with a bicycle trailer and a range of lightweight cycling bags. The bikes came later, and with Montgomery at the helm, the American brand became known for pushing the boundaries of lightweight materials and unique ideas.
That boundary-pushing led Cannondale to enter the motorcycle market, a move that bankrupted the company in 2003 and led to Montgomery losing control of the business.
Montgomery is remembered by his wife, Celia, and five children.
Alvarado ends Brand's winning streak, and Van der Poel reigns supreme at snowy Zonhoven
The ninth round of the UCI Cyclocross World Cup saw a blockbuster day of racing at the fan-favourite Zonhoven, which had been turned into a winter wonderland. The particularly unpredictable conditions, with snow and ice complicating the already challenging course, made all four events especially compelling.
The elite women's race was the day's highlight as Puck Pieterse, Ceylin Del Carmen Alvarado, and of course Lucinda Brand fought over the top spot. No one could afford to make a mistake, which is a tall order at Zonhoven even in good conditions, and none of them was able to enjoy a clean run, with crashes, mechanical issues and human error punctuating the six-lap race. In the end, Alvarado mastered the combination of skill, power and luck, soloing to victory after Brand faltered while attempting to attack. The World Cup leader's winning streak was over, but her series leadership and run of consecutive podium finishes are both alive and well.
Two days after Wout van Aert broke his ankle during a scintillating duel with Mathieu van der Poel, the latter turned up at a snowy Zonhoven the overwhelming favourite, not least given he'd won here five times before. Given the conditions, which were getting more and more treacherous, it was no surprise that the world champion made sure to go clear early, ensuring a safe hour on the tools. It took less than five minutes for him to get the job done, and by the end of the day, he was into the World Cup leader's jersey to boot.
Behind him, the fight for second was a real rollercoaster. Thibau Nys looked good to retake the World Cup lead from the injured Laurens Sweeck, but then a fairly innocuous tumble broke the Belgian's handlebars and dropped him out of the top 20 (he finished 19th, collecting only 7 points). Meanwhile, Tibor Del Grosso was looking better and better, eventually overcoming a crash and riding away from third-best Emiel Verstrynge to take second behind his teammate.
This and the past week of racing will be covered more extensively in Escape Collective's last Kerstperiode gallery of the season later today.
Elite women’s top 5 Zonhoven
Ceylin Del Carmen Alvarado (Fenix-Premier Tech) 51:33
Shirin van Anrooij (Baloise Verzekeringen-Het Poetsbureau Lions) +1:39
Elite men’s top 5 Zonhoven
Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Premier Tech) 59:36
Tibor Del Grosso (Alpecin-Premier Tech) +0:45
Emiel Verstrynge (Crelan-Corendon) +1:03
Niels Vandeputte (Alpecin-Premier Tech) +1:18
Toon Aerts (Charles Liégeois-Deschacht) “
Junior women’s top 5 Zonhoven
Giorgia Pellizotti (Italy) 38:33
Rianne Nieuwenhuis (Netherlands) +1:06
Zita Peeters (Belgium) +1:38
Nynke Jochems (Netherlands) +1:48
Alexa Haviland (Canada) +2:09
Junior men’s top 5 Zonhoven
Filippo Grigolini (Italy) 40:31
Jari Van Lee (Belgium) +0:10
Noël Goijert (Netherlands) +0:20
Jop van den Biggelaar (Netherlands) +0:42
Giovanni Bosio (Italy) +1:18
Quinn Simmons eyes the 2034 Winter Olympics
A promising ski mountaineer before he turned pro in cycling, Quinn Simmons apparently still harbors ambitions of Winter Olympic glory, albeit in the distant future.
As Sporza reports, the 24-year-old American touched on the subject at Lidl-Trek's media day.
"First, I want to experience the Summer Games in LA in 2028," he said. "After that, I want to focus on the Winter Games in ... Utah in 2034." [Sporza]
Ankle fracture ends Van Aert's cross season early
After getting off to a strong start at Exact Cross Mol on Friday, Wout van Aert (Visma-Lease a Bike) abandoned the race following a heavy fall in the snow, sustaining what would prove to be a broken ankle.
After the crash, Van Aert went to the hospital in Herentals for further evaluation, revealing "a small fracture," as Sporza reports. The injury brings a very early end to his cyclocross campaign and will require surgery, which he will undergo on Saturday.
"I was really looking forward to the race in Zonhoven and the Belgian Championship next week," Van Aert said. "But now I have to shift my focus to my recovery and then to preparing for the road season." [Sporza]
Former Classics specialist Roger Hammond boards Unibet Rose Rockets
Unibet Rose Rockets has ended 2026 with one last announcement: the burgeoning ProTeam has scooped up former pro and seasoned director Roger Hammond, who has most recently served as a DS at Red Bull-Bora Hansgrohe.
Hammond is a retired British pro who found his best results in the Spring Classics, most notably collecting podiums at Dwars Door Vlaanderen, Gent-Wevelgem and Paris-Roubaix. Since retiring in 2011, he's worked his way up from roles at the British Continental team Madison Genesis to sports director jobs at WorldTour squads Dimension Data, Bahrain Victorious and Ineos Grenadiers.
"The organization keeps growing," wrote team manager Julia Soek on the team's Substack of 28 December '25. "We always aim for long collaborations with riders, but also with staff. In any team, the staff members form a core group and will play a huge part in maintaining the culture. We are not only growing in numbers, but in expertise too."
Joining Hammond at Rose Rockets will be a handful of others including Dylan Groenewegen's coach, a former rider-turned-DS, and a nutritionist from the Dutch Olympic rowing team.
Van der Poel teases retirement from cyclocross
Mathieu van der Poel has been very busy this weekend, kicking off the Kerstperiode with back-to-back wins at Antwerp and Koksijde. But he's also been busy fielding questions from the voracious media, including on his future in the discipline.
"I have always indicated that I would really like to bring the [World Championship] record to my own country," Van der Poel told Het Nieuwsblad, referring to the seven-win record he currently shares with Belgian Erik de Vlaeminck. "Otherwise, there wouldn't be much more to achieve for me in cyclo-cross.”
He was then asked if he would not consider returning to his favoured ground of Hoogerheide, which will be hosting the World Champs again in 2028. To which he answered, "I always wanted to stop at a high point. If you finish fifth in Hoogerheide ... then there will be an aftertaste. I'm not saying I'm assuming I'm going to be world champion in Hulst [this season], but then I would have the choice to do it there.
"We've talked about [retirement] internally a few times. It's something I'm thinking about, yes. I'm not getting any younger either, hey? Currently I'm still at a very high level, but who says that will be the case in two or three years?"
This would all be with his road racing objectives in mind, to get more rest over winter and embrace more purposeful training for the road. Though he was asked if perhaps his 'cross exploits might aid his road season.
“I don't think I absolutely need cyclo-cross to reach my best level, certainly not," he went on. "Maybe it could be even better without 'cross? If you don't try, you won't know. What would I miss most? The cross in itself, of course. That's still what I like to do. And the fans. I grew up with that atmosphere. Well, we'll see. It's certainly not a final decision yet.”
Brand and Van der Poel seal weekend of dominance at World Cup Koksijde
The UCI Cyclocross World Cup continued on Sunday at Koksijde, also known as 'Duinencross' (Cross of the Dunes).
24 hours after Saturday's Kerstperiode opener a couple of hours east at Antwerp, Lucinda Brand and Mathieu van der Poel doubled up to emphatically dominate the weekend, both of them racing off the front for at least half their respective events.
Brand's fifth win of the series saw the 36-year-old extend the World Cup lead she took over from Aniek van Alphen on Saturday, and in the elite men's classification, a second-consecutive runner-up finish for Laurens Sweeck ensured the Belgian would also keep the jersey.
The Kerstperiode continues on Monday with a long-awaited return to Hofstade almost 20 years after it was last raced, then it's over to Heusden-Zolder on Tuesday, after which the field gets a few days off before racing resumes on the 26th.
Look out for the first of Escape Collective's bumper Kerstperiode galleries to close this opening weekend.
Junior men’s top 5
Giel Lejeune (Belgium) 45:05
Delano Heeren (Netherlands) “
Cas Timmermans (Netherlands) +0:01
Benjamin Noval Suarez (Spain) +0:13
Filippo Grigolini (Italy) +:48
Junior women’s top 5
Lise Revol (France) 43:21
Laly Pichon (France) +1:11
Isis Versluis (Netherlands) +1:33
Elisa Bianchi (Italy) +1:52
Zita Peeters (Belgium) +1:55
Under-23 men’s top 5
David Haverdings (Netherlands) 51:40
Aubin Sparfel (France) +0:05
Guus Van Den Eijnden (Netherlands) +0:07
Keije Solen (Netherlands) +0:10
Yordi Corsus (Belgium) +0:30
Elite women’s top 5
Lucinda Brand (Baloise Glowi Lions) 48:08
Shirin van Anrooij (Baloise Glowi Lions) +0:36
Ceylin Del Carmen Alvarado (Fenix-Deceuninck) +1:03
Aniek van Alphen (Seven Racing) +1:07
Puck Pieterse (Fenix-Deceuninck) +1:11
Elite men’s top 5
Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck) 56:36
Laurens Sweeck (Crelan-Corendon) +0:07
Niels Vandeputte (Alpecin-Deceuninck) +0:13
Tibor Del Grosso (Alpecin-Deceuninck) +0:23
Toon Aerts (Deschacht-Hens) +1:04
Van der Poel wins at Antwerp for the eighth time, as Sweeck takes over World Cup lead
Six days after the close-run finale at Namur, the elite men's field returned to a familiar pattern at round five of the World Cup in Antwerp as world champion Mathieu van der Poel soloed to a dominant victory, his eighth at the Belgian port city since 2014.
The world champion made short work of moving up from his start on the third row, Wout van Aert sitting on his wheel in the Belgian's season debut. Van der Poel first appeared at the front after the first sand section along the beach, just five minutes into the race. He completed the first lap with Tibor Del Grosso and Joris Nieuwenhuis in tow, but a couple of probing accelerations later, and he was free and clear before the end of lap 2.
The race for second was a good one, but with the notable absence of World Cup leader Thibau Nys. The chase kept evolving until Laurens Sweeck broke away in the fourth lap (of eight), extra motivated by the opportunity to haul in maximum available points as Nys floundered around 20th. A dropped chain a lap later almost neutralised Sweeck's move, but he persevered, and he was eventually joined on the podium by young Crelan-Corendon teammate Emiel Verstrynge.
Van Aert had a characteristically steady start and looked to be in podium contention until a late puncture disrupted his momentum, eventually finishing seventh. Nys, meanwhile, had a bad day on the sand, finishing 23rd which only got him three points to Sweeck's 30 for second place.
Look out for the first of Escape Collective's bumper Kerstperiode galleries after Sunday's World Cup Koksijde.
Elite men’s top 5
Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck) 1:01:24
Laurens Sweeck (Crelan Corendon) +0:24
Emiel Verstrynge (Crelan Corendon) +0:33
Pim Ronhaar (Baloise Glowi Lions) +0:35
Niels Vandeputte (Alpecin-Deceuninck) +0:36
World Cup standings
Laurens Sweeck 116pts
Thibay Nys 113pts
Michael Vanthourenhout 111pts
Joris Nieuwenhuis 103pts
Niels Vandeputte 100pts
Brand's streak continues at World Cup Antwerp, after thrilling battle with Alvarado
The Kerstperiode has kicked off with the first in a World Cup doubleheader this weekend, with junior and elite racing at the port city of Antwerp. In the absence of three-time winner Fem van Empel – who announced she was putting her career on hold on Friday – Lucinda Brand was expected to dominate on the punchy course, extending a phenomenal and multi-faceted streak of results.
That Brand arrived on the top step of the podium surprised no one, however, the parcours and her opposition gave the Dutch superstar arguably her toughest fight of the season so far. Most notable was the timely renaissance of Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado who's had a tough few weeks since debuting at Flamanville, but was able to push Brand all the way to the line.
Aniek van Alphen and Puck Pieterse also put on a show, with the former valiantly defending her high position in the World Cup despite having to relinquish the lead to Brand, who is unbeaten in the four out of five rounds she's contested.
Look out for the first of Escape Collective's bumper Kerstperiode galleries after Sunday's World Cup Koksijde.
Elite women’s top 5
Lucinda Brand (Baloise Glowi Lions) 53:48
Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado (Fenix-Deceuninck) +0:02
Aniek van Alphen (Seven Racing) +0:16
Puck Pieterse (Fenix-Deceuninck) +0:23
Kristyna Zemanová +0:24
World Cup standings
Lucinda Brand – 160pts
Aniek van Alphen – 146pts
Leonie Bentveld – 99pts
Amandine Fouquenet – 87pts
Inge van der Heijden – 85pts
Marc Madiot is stepping down as GM of Groupama-FDJ
Almost 30 years after he founded La Française des Jeux in 1997, former professional rider Marc Madiot is stepping down from his role as general manager, though he will remain involved at the French WorldTeam. His successor as GM will be incumbent deputy director Thierry Cornec.
"My ambition is that the team survives me," Madiot said in a conversation with Cornec for L'Équipe. "If I can lend a hand in areas other than the sporty side, that's fine. The team is my second child. I love it, I still want to cherish it, but I know it's growing up and having to spread its wings."
New manager Cornec has decades of experience in the cycling industry, specifically as sales manager at Mavic and latterly CEO at Lapierre, former bike partner of Groupama-FDJ. The Frenchman has been with the team since June 2024.
UCI mulling rule change to start contracts on November 1
Belgian magazine Knack reports that the UCI is considering a rule change to shift the start of rider contracts to November 1, moving away from the January 1 start dates currently in place. That current system frequently sees newly transferred riders at training camp sporting the kit of their old teams to uphold contractual sponsorship requirements.
"We are working on it with the AIGCP and the CPA, the riders' union. The regulation change will definitely be implemented, with contracts starting on November 1," said Peter Van den Abeele, Director of Sport at the UCI. "The starting year is yet to be determined in consultation with all stakeholders." [Knack]
DT Swiss says fifth of recalled wheels still to be tested
DT Swiss has issued an update saying 80.3% of the carbon wheelsets covered by its 29 July recall have now been registered and tested, and it is urging any remaining customers to send affected wheels back for inspection.
July recall warned that certain aftermarket and OE DT Swiss wheelsets could delaminate in the flange area. In the update shared via email, DT Swiss acknowledged that "not everything went smoothly, and some customers reacted with considerable annoyance at not being able to use their bikes for a certain period of time," clarifying that some of the cases had had issues with transport. Overall, the company said feedback on the recall communication and case handling has been positive. It added that the current testing turnaround is "a few days," excluding shipping. Riders can check affected models and begin returns via DT Swiss's recall page.
Giro and San Remo star Dancelli dies at age 83
As La Gazzetta dello Sport reports, Michele Dancelli has died at the age of 83.
Dancelli was one of the biggest names in Italian cycling in the 1960s and early 1970s. Over the course of his career, he amassed 11 Giro d'Italia stage wins and one Tour de France stage win, while his most memorable achievement on the bike was probably his ride at the 1970 edition of Milan-San Remo, which he won after attacking from 70 km out.
Although stories vary on the specifics, Dancelli's San Remo victory aboard a bike made by Molteni team mechanic Ernesto Colnago inspired the creation of Colnago's now easily recognizable Ace of Clubs logo. [La Gazzetta dello Sport]
Ineos Grenadiers announce Racing Academy team with a dozen riders
Months after news of the Ineos Grenadiers' plans to launch their own development team first emerged, the organization officially launched the Ineos Grenadiers Racing Academy on Thursday. The move to an in-house development team comes after a prior partnership with the Lotto-Kern-Haus-PSD Bank Continental team.
The inaugural Racing Academy squad will feature 12 riders: Hugo Boucher, Josh Charlton, Mattie Dodd, Davide Frigo, Max Hinds, Milkias Maekele, Fletcher Medway, Nicolas Milesi, Dylan Sage, Max Standen, Cameron Rogers, and Theodor Storm.
Rad Power Bikes appoints new CEO
Rad Power Bikes, the American e-bike brand that earlier this week filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy, has appointed a new CEO amidst its reorganising efforts.
Bicycle Retailer has reported that Angelina Smith, a former chief financial officer (CFO) at group travel company TrovaTrip, has taken on the post. Smith is Rad Power's fourth CEO in three years, and follows Kathi Lentzch, who only took on the role in March 2025.
Carvalho gets a four-year suspension for biological passport anomalies
A month after the UCI announced that Portuguese Continental rider António Carvalho (Feirense-Beeceler) had been provisionally suspended for biological passport anomalies, the governing body announced a four-year ban on Wednesday.
As stated by the UCI, Carvalho's biological passport was flagged for anomalies "in 2018, 2023 and 2024," and he evidently decided not to fight the case, which "has been resolved by way of an acceptance of consequences."
Pogačar: Three Grand Tour wins in a season 'possible,' but not fair to teammates
Seeing as Tadej Pogačar has already won two Grand Tours in a single season, it probably shouldn't come as a huge surprise that he would view a Grand Tour triple as a feasible accomplishment.
"I think it should be possible, yes," Pogačar said, as Wielerflits reports – but the world champ evidently sees some potential drawbacks to even trying. After all, he is surrounded by strong supporters at UAE-Team Emirates XRG, and he knows that his teammates want their own opportunities.
"I don't know if I would do it," Pogačar said. "I'd have to sit down with the team management first, and all the other riders would have to agree too. I don't think it's fair if I claim all the Grand Tours. There are so many other guys on our team who could win a Grand Tour. There might be a conflict of interest." [Wielerflits]
Eurobike names new management amid ongoing show reset
Eurobike organiser Fairnamic has announced new leadership from 1 January 2026, appointing Messe Frankfurt's Philipp Ferger as managing director alongside Messe Friedrichshafen's Stefan Mittag. Ferger and Mittag succeed long-time Eurobike chief Stefan Reisinger. Fairnamic said it also plans to add an "authorised representative" and a show director, with appointments for those positions to follow.
Bianchi has issued a safety recall for Impulso RC integrated carbon handlebars, after its quality checks found a defect that could cause the bar to break during use. The Impulso RC handlebar has also been specced as standard on the Impulso RC gravel bikes purchased and delivered up to 20 November 2025, which are now part of the recall.
Affected bike codes are YTB84, YUB80 and YUB81 (as shown on invoices/warranty cards). The standalone Impulso RC integrated carbon handlebar is recalled in all sizes with codes C2306238 and C2306226. Owners should stop using the handlebar/riding the bike immediately and book a free replacement through an authorised Bianchi dealer. [Bianchi]
Brompton sales hit four-year low
British folding bike giant Brompton's bike sales fell 7.5% to £78,530 in the year to 31 March 2025, while its revenue remained near flat at £121.5 million. In order to turn around its dire financial results from the previous year, the company has shifted its focus toward higher-priced models and bike subscription services.
As first reported by Financial Times, in the last full financial year, Brompton's Pre-tax profit rose to £130,500 from £4,602 in the previous year. CEO Will Butler-Adams told FT the results continued to be affected by ongoing challenges" across the sector, but remained positive about a return to revenue growth in 2026.
Brompton's G Line off-road model, launched in October 2024 with a starting price of £2,599 (US$3,500), accounted for almost 10% of the company's turnover. This year, the company is expecting positive results from its new e-Motiq e-bike range (with a range-topping model retailing for £5,799), launched in Europe in October and due in the US early next year.
Ineos Grenadiers confirm arrival of Sam Welsford on two-year contract
Ineos Grenadiers has announced that Sam Welsford has signed a two-year contract with the British WorldTeam, confirming rumours that accelerated after the Australian sprinter was spotted at the team's winter camp.
"We haven’t had many sprinters in the team in the past but when we have, they’ve been pretty successful, so hopefully Sam can continue that history," said Geraint Thomas, newly installed director of racing. "Having been given an early insight into what he’s capable of physically, we believe there’s still plenty to unlock with Sam. The team has shown how dialled we are in positioning our fast guys for the finish, and we’ll do the same to give him opportunities to win.
“He’s got a great track pedigree – Olympic and multiple world champion in the team pursuit – so the way he’s used to working there will fit right into our team environment as well. I’m super excited to see him get stuck in.”
The 29-year-old joins Ineos from Red Bull-Bora Hansgrohe where he spent two years after jumping over from the outfit now called Picnic-PostNL. He follows compatriot Jack Haig to play a role in the development of a team that is determined to return to its former glory.
Danish climbing and GC talent Mattias Skjelmose has committed his future to Lidl-Trek through 2028, extending a tenure that began with his first pro contract in 2021 (after staging with the team in late 2020).
"Extending my contract with Lidl-Trek means everything to me,” the 25-year-old Dane said in the team's announcement. “I’ve said it a lot of times before, and I’ll probably say it many more times in the future. This team is my family, I find myself at home, and I couldn’t see myself riding anywhere else."
This news comes three days after the now-German WorldTeam's press launch last Friday, where Lidl-Trek's leaders laid out their plans for 2026. Having previously indicated a passion for the Giro, Skjelmose revealed he'd target the Ardennes Classics – where last year he did the seemingly impossible by beating both Tadej Pogačar and Remco Evenepoel at Amstel Gold – and Vuelta a España, the latter after riding the Tour de France in support of new teammate Juan Ayuso and green jersey-hunter Mads Pedersen.
It also comes in the context of supposed friction between the Dane and his new teammate Ayuso, most recently being caught unawares by media who apparently knew more about the Spaniard's 2026 programme than Skjelmose: "This again, I wasn't told [Ayuso was going to be there]. I was told I was going to be the sole leader." Then there's the added layer of speculation amid rumours about Derek Gee-West's imminent arrival.
"Mattias has grown into one of the pillars of our team,” said Luca Guercilena, the team's GM, in the same announcement. “He has shown he can perform at the highest level, whether in one-day races or across three weeks, and that versatility is incredibly important for us. Just as valuable is his mentality — he leads when required, but he is also willing to work for his teammates. Having Mattias committed for the coming seasons is key to our ambitions, and we’re excited to continue building with him as one of our leaders.”
Brand and Van der Poel win big at World Cup Namur – and it was not boring
The fourth round of the UCI Cyclocross World Cup brought the racing back to Belgium as the elites and junior men took on the truly iconic Namur course, also known as Citadelcross.
On paper, the victories of Lucinda Brand and Mathieu van der Poel speak of emphatic dominance in both elite events, and while that's a pretty accurate assessment of the women's race in which Brand rode away in the opening lap, the elite men battled until the eleventh hour as Thibau Nys in particular put the world champion under pressure. In the end, though, it was a "super small, stupid mistake" from Nys that essentially defined the outcome, leaving the world champion to take his first win of the season. But it was never a foregone conclusion.
In the women's race, the fight for second was a spicy one, including Puck Pieterse in her first race of the winter. She was ultimately overcome by both Aniek van Alphen – whose distant second was enough for her to hold onto the World Cup lead by a single point to Brand – and a determined Amandine Fouquenet, who secured her second World Cup podium of the season and her career after Flamanville. It's another huge result for the French rider who is actively searching for a new team or personal sponsors as Arkéa-B&B Hotels ceases to exist.
Junior men top 5
Jari van Lee (Belgium) 42:47
Bas Vanden Eynde (Belgium) +0:17
Flynn Delanghe (Belgium) +0:34
Loek Hovers (Netherlands) +0:42
Sam Van Hoeck (Belgium) +1:20
Elite women top 5
Lucinda Brand (Baloise Glowi Lions) 52:23
Aniek van Alphen (Seven Racing) +0:43
Amandine Fouquenet (Arkéa-B&B Hotels) +1:00
Puck Pieterse (Fenix-Deceuninck) +1:21
Jolanda Neff (Cannondale Factory Racing) +1:42
Elite men top 5
Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck) 58:29
Thibau Nys (Baloise Glowi Lions) +0:09
Michael Vanthourenhout (Pauwels Sauzen-Altez) +0:11
Lars van der haar (Baloise Glowi Lions) +0:12
Emiel Verstrynge (Crelan-Corendon) +0:42
Pogačar to focus on Monuments and the 2026 Tour – where Del Toro will debut as domestique
Tadej Pogačar was the last of his team's stars to reveal his 2026 programme at the UAE Team Emirates-XRG media day on Saturday. There were no surprises; he's set to kick things off later than usual at Strade Bianche, then race four Monuments in a row before turning his attention towards stage racing and the Tour de France.
Joining the four-time Tour winner for the Grand Départ in Barcelona will be Isaac Del Toro who will make his debut at the French Grand Tour in service of his team leader. Meanwhile, João Almeida will miss the Tour for the first time since 2023, instead focussing on his own goals at the Giro d'Italia, with the Vuelta also on his schedule.
Pogačar's 2026 programme (to end of Tour)
7 March – Strade Bianche
21 March – Milan-Sanremo
5 April – Tour of Flanders
12 April – Paris-Roubaix
26 April – Liège-Bastogne-Liège
28 April-3 May – Tour de Romandie*
17-21 June – Tour de Suisse*
4-26 July – Tour de France
*Pogačar will make his debut at the Tours de Romandie and Suisse, both WorldTour stage races, two golden opportunities to fill the few remaining holes on his palmarès.
Van der Heijden and Vandeputte take victory at Exact Cross Kortrijk
On the first of several double-decker weekends featuring at least one World Cup round, victories were taken by Inge van der Heijden and Niels Vandeputte at Kortrijk on Saturday afternoon, in round four of the seven-race Exact Cross series.
After skipping the trip to Sardinia for last weekend's World Cup, European Champion Van der Heijden was finally able to win in her bright and shiny new jersey after a dominant performance from the opening lap, eventually taking the win ahead of teammate and Belgian national champ Marion Norbert Riberolle, the only rival within a minute of the winner.
The men's race was a much more competitive affair, the strong field taking advantage of every last moment before the return of the world champion at Sunday's World Cup Namur. It took until the final lap for the trio of Niels Vandeputte, Cameron Mason and Ryan Kamp to split off the lead group, and in the end, finished in that order.
Two former staffers at disgraced W52-FC Porto face prison for their roles in the team's doping programme
Two of W52-FC Porto key staff have received prison sentences three years after the Portuguese Continental team's wide-spread doping practices came to light in spring 2022, resulting in the suspension of seven riders (of a 12-man roster) and the withdrawal of their UCI license.
Former coach Adriano Quintanilha received no less than four years as the judge singled him out for conceiving of the plan, while sports director Nuno Ribeiro, who was first arrested in April 2022, received a nine-month sentence for his key role in supplying the performance-enhancing drugs, along with instructions on safe use and how to avoid detection.
Accountant Hugo Veloso and team owner Calvário Várzea Cycling Club Association were also found guilty, respectively receiving a suspended sentence (three years and four months) and €57,000 fine. The riders, meanwhile, were acquitted for being the 'weakest link' in the setup.
Derek Gee rumoured to be joining Lidl-Trek
Derek Gee is rumoured to be joining Lidl-Trek imminently, ending the Israel-Premier Tech contract dispute that has been ongoing since late August.
The 28-year-old has not raced since the Canadian national championships in June, and before that, the Giro d'Italia where he finished a career-best fourth place. The second half of his 2025 has been coloured by legal wrangling after his lawyers issued a 'notice of termination' to the team he turned pro with three years ago.
Since the summer, Gee has been most strongly connected with Ineos Grenadiers, but in recent weeks, as his previous team rebranded to NSN Cycling Team and the eyes of Ineos strayed to Oscar Onley, the Canadian's future was looking less certain. But with Lidl-Trek now taking pole position for his signature, Gee looks set to further complicate the newly-German WorldTeam's GC leadership dilemma for 2026.
Mips acquires Koroyd
Two brands in personal protection will join forces as Mips has acquired Koroyd. The two brands announced the tie-up on Friday, December 12 with a reported acquisition price of €40 million. Mips' president and CEO Max Strandwitz said the two companies would keep their existing separate structures and leadership teams.
The acquisition complements Mips' portfolio in several ways. First is the technology: while the companies overlap in the sports helmet market, their products work differently. Koroyd's honeycomb structure primarily protects against linear impacts, while Mips' sliding-layer technology is designed to address rotational impacts. Koroyd is found in Smith and Endura helmets, which also sometimes feature Mips.
More important, Koroyd has a significant share in the body protection market, such as a deal it just signed with Fox Racing to provide its technology for knee guards. The acquisition positions Mips as offering a complete suite of protection tech to helmet and armor brands in outdoor sports, but also action sports, defense and workplace safety markets.
Visma extends Brennan's contract through 2029
Few riders had a better 2025 season than Visma-Lease a Bike's phenomenal neo-pro Matthew Brennan. The 20-year-old Brit won 12 pro races in his debut season, ranging from cobbled one-days like the Grand Prix Porte du Hainaut to a hilly opening stage of the Volta a Catalunya.
His reward? An extension of his original three-year deal, which now locks up him with Visma through the 2029 season. As Brennan's victory list shows, he's a versatile rider who can win bunch sprints or from breakaways. He'll have a wider lane next year at Visma with the departures of Olav Kooij and Tiesj Benoot. " I feel the trust I need here," said Brennan in a press release announcing the extension. "I am happy here and very happy with the opportunity to take the next steps in my career for such a long period and without pressure."
