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Van der Poel ends his season with immediate effect
Mathieu van der Poel has ended his season with immediate effect after a disappointing performance at the Mountain Bike World Championships in Crans-Montana, Switzerland.
"I wasn't having a good day," Van der Poel told NOS after his promising start disintegrated into a 29th-place finish. "It was a tough race mentally, but mountain biking is the only discipline where it's still fun to ride. So my legs were really bad, but I tried to enjoy it a little."
He had been expected to contest the European road champs in the Ardèche before then returning to the Gravel World Championships in South Limburg, but he will now take some time away from competition before an expected return to the cyclocross field this winter, where he will once again wear the rainbow bands of world champion.
Marta Cavalli 'hangs up her wheels' at 27 after a few tough seasons
Marta Cavalli and her team Picnic-PostNL have announced that the 27-year-old Italian is retiring from professional cycling after nine years of competing at the highest level of the sport.
"The last few years have been very difficult for continuous ups and downs, I have been chasing a condition for a long time that has never returned," Cavalli wrote on Instagram. "Legs aren't spinning as hard as I would like them to and motivation has gotten way off ... After a year with peace of mind I can say I don’t feel part of this world anymore and it’s time to say goodbye to the group because here my work is done."
Cavalli transferred to Picnic-PostNL for the start of 2025 after four years of mixed fortunes with FDJ-Suez. Her biggest results came in 2022 when Cavalli won both La Flèche Wallonne and Amstel Gold, before then finishing runner-up to Annemiek van Vleuten at the Giro d'Italia Donne.
Though 2023 saw wins at smaller French races, she never returned to the heights of 2022, and the ensuing years were plagued with both physical and mental health struggles. Cavalli finished her announcement with the words, "It’s time to discover the world from another angle and to live a life that is definitely more 'normal'. See you soon, amigos."
Lotte Kopecky sustains vertebral fracture in Tour Féminin de l'Ardeche crash
After winning the opening stage of the Tour Féminin de l'Ardeche and wearing the leader's jersey into the third stage (the second stage was cancelled due to the protests in France), Lotte Kopecky crashed during the third stage and was forced to abandon the French stage race. Initially, SD Worx-Protime believed her injuries only minor; however, the team announced over the weekend that the world champion sustained a vertebral fracture in the crash, thus ending her 2025 road season.
Kopecky left the Giro d'Italia early due to back pain and, although she had planned to race for yellow at the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift, ended up riding in support of Lorena Wiebes and Anna van der Breggen. The Belgian ITT champion already announced she will not defend her rainbow jersey in Rwanda later in September, but had planned to race the Track World Championships in Brazil in late October.
"Initial examinations at a French hospital revealed no broken bones," SD Worx-Protime said in a team statement. "However, due to persistent pain, Lotte travelled home this morning to have further tests done in Belgium. It is unclear what this means for the rest of the 2025 season."
Route amended and sprint safety zone increased on Vuelta's stage 21
The Vuelta a España's race jury has announced an extension of the sprint safety zone for stage 21, moving it from 3 km to span the entire final lap, which means 5.8-km-to-go will be the start of the safety zone for GC riders.
The stage has also been reduced to 103.6 km after a five-kilometre stretch was cut to avoid a major pro-Palestinian protest in Aravaca, which the race was due to pass through about 40 km into the stage.
This comes at the end of a race that has seen far greater pressure on the management of external factors, protests being a near-daily occurrence in the second half of the Spanish Grand Tour. There was even talk by the second rest day of the race never reaching Madrid where further protests are expected, but the race has been able to continue, as almost 2,000 police and Guardia Civil officers have been drafted in for the Madrid finale.
Storer puts Tudor on top again with Memorial Pantani solo win
Michael Storer took the win in the hilly one-day Memorial Pantani with a solo move on Saturday afternoon, keeping Tudor Pro Cycling in the conversation less than 24 hours after Julian Alaphilippe's GP Québec triumph.
After stage wins at Paris-Nice and Tour of the Alps earlier this season, also taking the GC in the latter, this solo victory in the Emilia-Romagna region is Storer's first one-day success since turning pro in what has been a mighty 2025 for the Australian.
Merckx undergoes total hip replacement, hopefully ending nine months of persistent post-crash issues
Eddy Merckx has undergone 'permanent' hip replacement surgery, the fourth, and hopefully last, procedure to treat the injury he suffered in his December 2024 crash.
The 80-year-old Belgian's road to recovery after breaking his hip has not been easy, this latest hospitalisation coming two months after further complications arose with the prosthesis, which had become detached from the bone. That led to a third surgery and a two-week stay in hospital, partly due to a concurrent infection.
The total hip replacement was reportedly completed successfully, and Merckx will now be able to focus on recovery. [Het Laatste Nieuws]
Canadian GP organizers are considering bringing a new race to Mexico
Wielerflits reports that Sébastien Arsenault, who runs the Grands Prix Québec and Montréal, is looking into working with contacts in Mexico to set up a race there. At present, Mexico has no road races at the UCI level.
"I'm currently in discussions about a joint venture to see if there's an opening," Arsenault told Wielerflits. "I'm convinced that if I were involved in setting up such an event—and I say this with all due respect and humility—I'm convinced the UCI would support me." [Wielerflits]
Race moto driver causes dramatic crash at the Vuelta a Venezuela
Several people were injured when a race moto driver caused a crash on stage 3 of the Vuelta a Venezuela earlier this week.
As the peloton approached the stage finish in Santa Elena de Arenales, the moto driver inexplicably careened in front of the bunch, leading to a collision that sent riders and bikes flying.
Un accidente dejó al menos 5 lesionados durante la tercera etapa de la Vuelta Ciclística a Venezuela, celebrada en Santa Elena de Arenales La imprudencia del efectivo policial, quien x razones no esclarecidas, se interpuso en el camino del pelotón a pocos metros de la meta pic.twitter.com/UBdp1OA0NV
Del Toro gets his third straight one-day win at the Coppa Sabatini
Isaac del Toro (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) can't stop winning one-day races in Italy. The 21-year-old Mexican won the GP Industria & Artigianato on Sunday and the Giro della Toscana-Memorial Alfredo Martini on Wednesday. On Thursday, he added to that tally with a win at the Gran Premio città di Peccioli-Coppa Sabatini.
Del Toro left a small group of attackers behind on the final climb to secure the UCI 1.Pro-rated victory ahead of Benjamin Thomas (Cofidis) and Ben Granger (Mg.K Vis Costruzioni e Ambiente).
Giovanni Carboni provisionally suspended over Biological Passport anomalies
The UCI announced on Thursday that Giovanni Carboni of the Unibet Tietema Rockets has been provisionally suspended "due to unexplained abnormalities in his Athlete Biological Passport" last year. Sanctions based off of Biological Passport abnormalities alone are relatively rare, with bans more often following positive tests for specific substances, but the news comes three weeks after Franck Bonnamour received a four-year ban for his own Biological Passport abnormalities.
Carboni, who has previously ridden for Bardiani-CSF and Kern Pharma, returned to the second division with the Unibet Tietema Rockets this season after a compiling several strong results in 2024 while racing at the Continental level with JCL Team UKYO. The 30-year-old Italian was slated to race at the Gran Premio città di Peccioli-Coppa Sabatini on Thursday but was a late scratch instead.
‘I have one shot left' – UCI deadlines loom over Arkéa-B&B Hotels
Arkéa-B&B Hotels team manager Emmanuel Hubert says the French squad has just weeks left to secure its future, with crucial UCI registration deadlines approaching and no new backers confirmed.
The long-standing sponsors Arkéa and B&B Hotels will depart at the end of 2025, leaving Hubert scrambling for replacements. “I have never given up. Never,” he told Le Parisien. “But I have a duty to be clear-headed: it is clear that we are very far from being on the right path when we look at the calendar.”
The immediate hurdle arrives September 15, when Hubert must pay €80,000 to begin the WorldTour registration process. He says he will cover that fee himself. A bigger deadline looms October 1, when the team must submit a bank guarantee. “Then the axe will fall,” Hubert said. “If I don’t have at least a firm letter of commitment, it will be over.”
Hubert admitted he began the summer with 15 possible sponsor options. “I have one shot left. Just one,” he said. “I hope it’s the right one. I want to believe it.”
More than a thousand national police officers will be on hand for the final Vuelta stage in Madrid
Amid ongoing pro-Palestinian protests, the Vuelta a España is beefing up security for the last few days of the race, which will tackle mountains near Madrid on Saturday and then finish in the Spanish capital itself on Sunday.
According to AS, 400 members of the Guardia Civil will be added to the security forces already working the Vuelta for the weekend. On Sunday in particular, with the race set to finish in Madrid proper, 1,100 national police officers will join the security efforts in what is apparently the largest such mobilization since Madrid held a NATO summit in 2022. [AS]
Tour Feminin l'Ardeche stage 2 cancelled due to protests in France
The second stage of the Tour Feminin l'Ardeche was cancelled on Wednesday due to threats from the protests in France. Unlike the protests currently happening daily at La Vuelta a España, the protests at the French stage race were by the Block Everything movement, or Bloquons tout, and geared towards French politics and the collapse of government over proposed budget cuts. The group protested in several French cities on Wednesday, including Bordeaux, Marseille, and Lyon.
The decision to cancel the stage was a safety precaution by the organisers. Originally, the race was set to go ahead, but ultimately, the decision was made before the start to cancel the stage.
Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx-Protime) won the opening stage in an uphill sprint, with Eleonora Ciabocco (Picnic PostNL) and Mischa Bredewold (SD Worx-Protime) finishing second and third, respectively. The race is set to go ahead on Thursday with a 119 km stage from Avignon to Pernes-les-Fontaines.
Pogačar set to contest the time trial at Worlds
Slovenia has unveiled its rosters for the upcoming UCI Road World Championships in Kigali, Rwanda, confirming earlier media reports that reigning world road champ Tadej Pogačar will compete in both the road race and the time trial.
Given his skill in the discipline and the hilly nature of the course this year, Pogačar will be a serious contender for the TT title. If he can deliver on his favorite status in the road race as well, he could be in line for both rainbow jerseys.
SRAM Eagle Transmission 1987 Collection
To celebrate its 38th anniversary, SRAM has launched a limited edition Eagle Transmission groupset called the 1987 Collection. And it's all silver.
Consisting of a combination of parts from within the exiting T-Type Ecosystem, SRAM claims the new groupset features everything it's "most proud of" along with a few tweaks and customizations. Beginning with new SL SL cassette, 25 g have been reportedly shaved off from the existing lightest XX SL version. The derailleur blends the "durable" cage of the XX model with the "lightweight" body of the XX SL mech. With an integrated power meter, the XO crankset is unchanged, except for its color.
There are only 1,987 groupsets available worldwide and each one, embossed on the silver finish, features a small SRAM logo and the number "1987" in the handwriting of Stan Day, brand founder. The complete set, which includes, crankset, two chainrings, power meter, derailleur, shifters, chain, batteries, and charger costs US$3,500. SRAM
Wolf Tooth MTB Chainrings in silver
Seemingly a popular day to release silver mountain bike components, Wolf Tooth has announced that its Drop-Stop chainrings are now available in silver. The tooth profiles of the rings, which have existed within the brand's offerings for some time now, are said to be optimized for SRAM or Shimano HG+ chains.
Silver versions of the 1x chainrings are compatible with nearly all MTB drivetrains, with fitments for SRAM, Shimano, Race Face Cinch, TRP, and Cane Creek eeWings cranks. Pricing ranges from US$75-85, depending on bolt pattern and tooth count. Wolf Tooth
Specialized unveils new Diverge gravel bike
Specialized has officially launched a new generation Diverge gravel bike, four years after the previous model saw daylight, and months after the bike first made public appearance at the Unbound gravel race. The headline changes on the new bike are Future Shock 3.0 with 20 mm of travel on all builds, 50 mm max tyre clearance, and a geometry shift towards slacker head angles, lower bottom bracket, as well as longer reach figures and chainstays.
In-frame storage continues to be a feature; the carbon models come with Swat 4.0 down-tube storage, which Specialized claims offers 5% more volume than before and a 10% larger door opening. In fact, the brand goes as far as saying this is "the largest in-frame storage on any gravel bike". Alloy builds use Swat 3.0, making this, according to Specialized, the first alloy gravel frame with internal storage. There are six accessory mounts for cages, racks, and mudguards.
The range spans two alloy models, with prices starting at US$2,100/£1,999, a carbon frameset at US$3,500/£2,999, and complete builds topping out at US$10,500/£8,499.
Garmin debuts Edge 550 and 850 head units
Garmin has unveiled its new Edge 550 and 850 head units that it says offer brighter displays alongside a range of smart features. Both units feature a 2.7-inch colour screen and a slight weight bump on the outgoing 540 and 840 units. Garmin highlights adaptive Garmin Cycling Coach training plans, real-time weather overlays, and in-ride fueling alerts that adjust based on rider fitness, course demands, and conditions, as well as claims of smoother map redraws.
Claimed battery life is now 36 hours on battery saver mode or around 12 hours under "demanding use," as described by Garmin. However, as Escape Collective member GP Lama noted in his first look video, those figures may represent a step back from previous models' battery life, with some of the new smart functions, notably the weather overlay, causing his head units to crash as recently as today, launch day. Likewise, DC Rainmaker has reported achieving 10-12 hours of battery life in general use, but also found that reducing the screen brightness to 30% doubles that measured battery life.
The Edge 850 adds several extras over its 540 sibling, including a built-in speaker for audible navigation and a digital bike bell, touchscreen controls, Garmin Pay, and the ability to create routes directly on the device.
Both units see a price increase over the existing 540 and 840 units, with the Edge 550 priced at $499.99, while the Edge 850 is available for $599.99.
Garmin announces next-gen of Rally power meter pedals
Garmin has announced the Rally 110 and 210, its latest generation of pedal-based power meters.
The company claims that the new models deliver improved accuracy, with redesigned sensing spindles that are said to measure within 1% accuracy even with oval chainrings. Both versions feature rechargeable batteries with a claimed 90 hours of ride time, fast-charging capability, and a new travel mode designed to preserve battery life during transport. Garmin also highlights the new Pedal IQ smart calibration system, which alerts riders when recalibration may be required.
The Rally 110 offers single-sided power measurement with the option to later upgrade to the Rally 210 dual-sensing system, which provides additional metrics such as left-right balance and pedalling dynamics. Pedal bodies are interchangeable between road and off-road formats, with Garmin highlighting the system’s versatility and durability across disciplines. Options include Shimano SPD-SL and Look Keo cleat compatibility on the road side, as well as Shimano SPD compatibility on the off-road side.
The new models are available now, with the Rally 110 priced from $749.99 and the Rally 210 from $1,199.99
Wahoo updates Kickr Bike Pro and Kickr Core 2
Wahoo has refreshed its flagship smart indoor bike Kickr Bike Pro and Kickr Core indoor trainer. The brand's flagship smart indoor bike, Bike Pro, has got redesigned more ergonomic shifters for in-ride control on platforms like Zwift, plus upgraded touchpoints; a Fizik Aliante R5 saddle, Solocush bar tape and a new indoor-specific handlebar. As before, it simulates gradients, supports virtual shifting and includes Race Mode for snappier power response, with an easy five-point fit system.
The Kickr Core 2 brings a long-awaited tech update to the brand's entry level trainer, which now comes with built-in Wi-Fi, Race Mode for a claimed "near instantaneous power response", and a sensor bridge so heart-rate data can pass through the trainer to apps. The trainer ships with either a Zwift Cog & Click virtual-shift bundle (which got updated last week) or an 11-speed cassette, and has a revised, flatter leg design for easier setup.
The Kickr Bike Pro costs US$3,999 / £3,500 and the Kickr Core 2 sells for US$550 /£500. [wahoofitness.com]
Shimano opens claims process for recalled cranksets
Shimano has officially opened the claims process for US cyclists affected by its ongoing Hollowtech II crankset recall. Riders can now submit reimbursement and warranty claims through the settlement website.
For more background on the case and what the proposed settlement includes, read our deeper dive here.
Castelli unveils Perfetto RoS 3 for the PFAS-free era
Castelli has released the latest version of its autumn, winter, spring Perfetto jacket, the Perfetto RoS 3, featuring a new membrane fabric developed with Polartec. Called AirCore, the material is made from recycled polyester and represents Castelli's new approach to balancing breathability with weather protection, following the industry-wide shift away from PFAS-based waterproofing.
According to Castelli, AirCore delivers a small but measurable level of air permeability (0.7 CFM) to aid breathability and moisture management, combined with a waterproof rating of 5,000 mm. That figure is lower than the 10,000 mm benchmark often used in the outdoor industry, but Castelli argues cyclists rarely need that level of waterproofing and would be better served by improved breathability. The new fabric is also approximately 25% lighter than its predecessor, meaning the Perfetto RoS 3 may feel cooler than the outgoing model, with Castelli suggesting a comfort range of 4–14°C, depending on the chosen base layer.
The jacket retains some familiar Perfetto features, including reflective stripes, drain holes on the three rear pockets, a high collar, taped shoulders, side vents, and a two-way zip. Early riding impressions suggest that the 14 °C upper end of the temperature range is a bit optimistic, but the jacket is suitably water-resistant for passing, even heavy, rain showers and dries exceptionally quickly. A full review will follow shortly.
The Perfetto RoS 3 is available now in men’s and women’s versions, priced at €250 / £280 / US$320.
Increased police presence for Vuelta stage 18 amid protestor concerns
Spanish news agency EFE reports that the city of Valladolid will have 450 police personnel working security for Thursday's upcoming stage 18 of the Vuelta a España amid what a local official called "indications" that pro-Palestinian protestors could be planning to "go beyond putting flags along the route." Stage 18, an individual time trial, will start and finish in Valladolid.
Protests have already had a significant impact on the Vuelta, with stage 11 being neutralized before a planned finish in Bilbao due to the number of protestors there and more than one crash caused by their presence as well. Further down the road, race organizers are also reportedly considering their options for final stage, which could see a heightened protestor presence in the Spanish capital of Madrid. (EFE)
7mesh launches Guardian multi-activity collection
7mesh has stepped beyond pure cycling apparel with its new Guardian collection, a line of lightweight, PFAS-free garments aimed to be used on bikes, running, and skiing. The Squamish brand says the Gore-Tex ePE fabric gives them a lower environmental impact and waterproofing, while still keeping weight and pack size down.
The range launches with the Guardian Air Jacket (US$500 / CA$600; claimed 200 g men, 180 g women) for the lightest option, and the burlier Guardian Apex Jacket (US$600 / CA$750; 310 g men, 280 g women) and matching Guardian Apex Pant (US$400 / CA$550; 250 g men, 225 g women). [7mesh.com]
Red Bull signs veteran Cattaneo
After six years with the Soudal-Quick Step organization, Mattia Cattaneo is heading to Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe next year.
As Red Bull team boss Ralph Denk noted in a press release, the 34-year-old Italian "brings race awareness and experience, along with the big engine that provides crucial power for the team." Cattaneo has ridden in 14 Grand Tours over the course of his career and is an accomplished time trialist, having taken his one career WorldTour victory in the TT at the 2023 Tour of Poland.
Woom reports 41% revenue increase
Woom, the Austrian kids bike brand, has said its revenue for the first half of 2025 was its best yet, rising 41% to €90.1 million (about US$106 million) compared to the previous year. This marks the the strongest six months the business has had in its 12 years operating, and its sales have now passed two million bikes.
The growth has come from both new products and broader reach – including new balance and pedal bikes, as well as expansion beyond its home European market into the UK, as well as stronger foothold in the US.
"Our results in the first half of 2025 exceeded our expectations," CEO Bernd Hake said, and added that Woom will introduce a new product for the very youngest riders in October.
Sir Chris Hoy's 'Tour de 4' raises over £2 million for UK cancer charities
Sir Chris Hoy's 'Tour de 4' took place on Sunday 7th September, the inaugural sponsored cycling event aiming both to raise funds for UK cancer charities and challenge assumptions about a 'stage 4' diagnosis, advocating for the benefits of exercise, however little, in pursuing quality of life.
The Olympian was himself diagnosed with stage 4 prostate cancer – the most common form of cancer for men – in 2023, news that became public in early 2024, and later that year, doctors told him it was incurable. Along with his fundraising efforts, Hoy's openness with his own story of dealing with prostate cancer had an immediate impact on the number of men seeking advice, with a reported sevenfold increase within the first month following his announcement.
Hoy launched the Tour de 4 in early 2025, with a series of virtual rides building up to a physical event in Glasgow this past weekend. They set a fundraising target of a million pounds, but on Sunday afternoon the organisation announced a total of £2,135,406 had been raised.
Del Toro claims yet another one-day victory
Isaac del Toro (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) added to his burgeoning haul of one-day victories on Sunday in Italy at the GP Industria & Artigianato.
The Milano-Torino winner and Giro d'Italia runner-up joined Cristian Scaroni (XDS-Astana) and Davide Piganzoli (Polti-VisitMala) in the day's decisive move and then won the sprint in Larciano to secure the victory in the UCI 1.Pro-rated event, marking his fourth one-day win of the season so far.
Romain Grégoire (Groupama-FDJ) took the hotly contested overall victory at the Tour of Britain ahead of Remco Evenepoel (Soudal-Quick Step) and Julian Alaphilippe (Tudor) as the race finished on Sunday in Cardiff.
Grégoire stormed into the race lead when he won stage 4 on Friday. Evenepoel surged into second overall with his stage 5 win, but Grégoire held on through the sixth and final stage, won in a sprint in the Welsh capital by Olav Kooij (Visma-Lease a Bike) to secure the GC victory by two seconds.
Lorena Wiebes wins final Simac Ladies Tour stage, seals overall
Lorena Wiebes (SD Worx-Protime) sprinted to her fifth stage win of the 2025 Simac Ladies Tour on Sunday, sealing the overall classification after six stages. Nienke Veehnoven (Visma-Lease a Bike) finished second behind her fellow Dutchwoman, and Elisa Balsamo (Lidl-Trek) finished third.
In the overall classification, Wiebes won with a 54-second advantage on Balsamo, and Megan Jastrab (Picnic PostNL) finished third overall, one minute and one second behind Wiebes. Bäckstedt hit the ground earlier in the stage, but was able to hold onto the Youth Classification for the third year in a row. The win is Wiebes's second overall title at the late-season stage race. She previously won in 2022 and finished second overall behind her teammate Lotte Kopecky in 2023. The stage victory marks the 116th win of Wiebes's career.
At the back of the peloton, riders patted Ellen van Dijk (Lidl-Trek) on the back as she crossed the finish line for the final time. It was also the last race for EF Education-Oatly's Sarah Roy, who was given a moment to wave to the crowd after the podium presentation ended.
