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Pidcock takes second in Tour of the Alps opener on 'worst day ever'
Nearly a month after a scary crash at the Volta a Catalunya, Tom Pidcock returned to racing at the Tour of the Alps on Monday. By all appearances, he is in fine form despite the lengthy layoff, riding to a close second on the day behind surprise winner Tommaso Dati (Tudor) – but Pidcock told Domestique that it was a struggle.
"It was like we were going full gas up every climb, it was the worst day ever on the bike," he said. Despite his strong showing, he said that there were "no positives" from the day. Nevertheless, he will head into an uphill finish on stage 2 still among the GC favorites. [Domestique]
No Flèche Wallonne for Evenepoel
After winning the Amstel Gold Race on Sunday, Remco Evenepoel left it up in the air whether he would race La Flèche Wallonne this week, but Het Nieuwsblad reports that he has decided against attending the Wednesday event.
Evenepoel, who rode to his first ever top 10 at La Flèche Wallonne when he took ninth last year, will skip the race as he puts all his focus on Liège-Bastogne-Liège, a race he has won twice in his career. [Het Nieuwsblad]
Updated: Bad luck strikes Visma yet again as Jorgenson breaks collarbone at Amstel Gold Race
Matteo Jorgenson was one of the names to watch going into the Ardennes Classics, but a crash early in the finale of the Amstel Gold Race ended both his day and his Ardennes campaign, one of his primary goals of the season.
The American opted out of the Cobbled Classics where he's thrived in the past, choosing instead to go all in for the Ardennes triple of Amstel Gold, La Flèche Wallonne and Liège-Bastogne-Liège. Jorgenson was the sole leader of his Visma-Lease a Bike team going into Sunday's race, and he delivered on his promise by getting into the decisive move with 42 km to go. However, his race ended only a kilometre later when he was unable to avoid Kévin Vauquelin's sliding body as the Frenchman crashed in a narrow corner.
Jorgenson looked to be the worst affected in the crash, staying on his back in obvious discomfort with a bloodied right elbow and probable shoulder injury. It was no surprise then that he abandoned the race, and his team later confirmed that their leader for the Ardennes had broken his collarbone and would be ruled out of the rest of the Ardennes races at the very least. The next race on Jorgenson's programme is now the Tour de Suisse in two months' time.
Pidcock swaps Amstel Gold and Flèche Wallonne for Tour of the Alps
Tom Pidcock was touted as one of the top favourites for this year's Amstel Gold Race, but the 2024 winner (and two-time podium finisher) has opted to swap the first two Ardennes Classics for a debut appearance at the five-stage Tour of the Alps.
The Pinarello-Q36.5 leader is returning to competition three weeks after a crash forced him to withdraw from the Volta a Catalunya, where he had been sitting second overall before plummeting down the standings on the incident-marred stage 5. At the Tour of the Alps, typically considered a Giro d'Italia warm-up race, Pidcock will meet a strong field of Giro contenders including reigning Tour of the Alps champ Michael Storer (Tudor), Giulio Pellizzari (Red Bull-Bora Hansgrohe), Thymen Arensman (Ineos Grenadiers), Ben O'Connor (Jayco-AlUla) and Derek Gee-West (Lidl-Trek), while Egan Bernal (Ineos Grenadiers) is also making his long-awaited return from injury.
Pidcock will return to the Ardennes for the fourth Monument of the season at Liège-Bastogne-Liège where he will take on Milan-San Remo nemesis Tadej Pogačar for the third time this season.
Ben Healy out of Ardennes Classics with injury
EF Education-EasyPost's plans for the Ardennes Classics took a big hit Friday with news that star rider Ben Healy will miss the trio of races due to a small sacral fracture suffered at the Itzulia Basque Country stage race last week that went undiagnosed until recently. Healy crashed in recon of the opening time trial and the pain was manageable through the rest of the race but flared up afterward, which led team medical staff to investigate.
"It's gutting. I've just got to roll with the punches," Healy said in a team announcement. "I'm trying not to think about it too much, but it's going to suck to watch the Ardennes and not be part of it."
Healy was fifth at last year's Fleche Wallonne and third at Liège-Bastogne-Liège. After last year's breakout Tour de France performance where he won a stage and wore the yellow jersey for two days, he had said an Ardennes win was one of his top goals. That will have to wait another season, unfortunately as team doctors said he will be out of action for 3-4 weeks.
Anders Foldager takes Brabantse Pijl in chaotic finish
Jayco-AlUla's Anders Foldager was best of a big bunch to win a mass gallop to the line at Friday's Brabantse Pijl, a tuneup for Sunday's big Ardennes opener at the Amstel Gold Race. The final kilometers were particularly tense and explosive, culminating in nearly a kilometer-long sprint to the line where several riders' hopes of victory were born and died in a matter of moments.
After two earlier moves were launched and recaught, pre-race favorite Romain Gregoire (Groupama-FDJ United) went clear with 30 km to go on the final lap of the finishing circuit. Six other riders including previous winner Benoit Cosnefroy (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) and Tibor Del Grosso (Alpecin-Premier Tech) joined for a dangerous group of seven.
As counterattacks and catches behind blunted the chase momentum, with 6 km to go the attackers had a narrow 20-some seconds advantage over their pursuers. But eventually things organized for the chase and into the final uphill kick to the line in Overijse, the lead all but evaporated. Even as Ramses DeBruyne emptied himself to try to set up teammate Del Grosso, the catch was made in the big S-turn at the bottom of the climb.
TotalEnergies' Mathieu Burgadeau threw a strong counterattack and briefly looked to have a gap but Uno-X Mobility's Anthon Charmig clawed him back, only for himself to get overhauled by a surging Caja Rural-Seguros RGA duo of Eduard Prades and Fernando Barceló. But it was Foldager, well back in the scrum, who had the best finishing kick to take the win on the line. It's the young Dane's second pro win after a stage of the 2024 Tour of Slovakia. Pinarello-Q36.5's Quinten Hermans was second, while in a sign of what might have been had the late break stayed clear, Cosnefroy managed third, just ahead of Gregoire.
Reports: Soudal-Quick Step to switch from Specialized to Merida in 2027
Two independent media reports this week – first from Dan Benson and then Wielerflits – say that Soudal-Quick Step will part ways with longtime equipment sponsor Specialized at the end of the year and move to Merida. The move would also reportedly cover the AG Insurance-Soudal women's WorldTour team.
If the reporting bears out, it would mark the first round of musical chairs for equipment sponsors ahead of next season. The move comes after two precedents: the departure of team leader Remco Evenepoel for Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe (Evenepoel has a personal contract with Specialized and Red Bull is also sponsored by the brand) and Merida's disappearance from the WorldTour after its longtime team partner Bahrain Victorious switched to Bianchi for the 2026 season.
The move would also mark the end of one of the longest-running bike partnerships in the WorldTour. Soudal, in various title sponsor guises, has ridden Specialized bikes since the 2012 season, with riders like Tom Boonen, Mark Cavendish, Philippe Gilbert and Julian Alaphilippe all enjoying remarkable success aboard the Tarmac and Roubaix platforms. Soudal-Quick Step press relations replied to an Escape Collective email request to confirm or deny the news by simply writing, "We have nothing to say."
Canyon appoints new CEO
Canyon Bicycles has named Matthias Meier as its new CEO, effective 1 May 2026. Meier joins the German direct-to-consumer brand from DT Swiss, where he worked in senior commercial roles for over twelve years and most recently as the co-CEO.
As the CEO, Meier will take full accountability for Canyon's global operations, commercial execution, and sustainable growth alongside its founder and executive chairman, Roman Arnold, the press release announcing the appointment said.
Arnold took the leadership role in September 2025, after former CEO Nicolas De Ros Wallace stepped down after three years in the position. At the time, Canyon told the media it had no intention to look for a new CEO.
Célia Gery wins Brabantse Pijl in photo finish
Allied's new Echo has clearance for up to 45 mm tires
In a sign of how rapidly modern expectations around tire clearance for drop-bar bikes are changing, Allied's new Echo all-road bike, released today, has room for up to 45 mm rubber. That's a dimension that would have been standard on gravel bikes as little as five years ago.
The new Echo is built around 32-45 mm tires, features a UDH rear derailleur hanger, and fits 1x and 2x wireless electronic drivetrains only – the front derailleur hanger is removable and can be swapped with a chainkeeper. Max chainring size in a 1x setup is 55T. A third bottle mount underneath the down tube and under-top tube mounts for frame bags expand capacity for longer rides. It comes in six sizes from 47-61 cm and three complete SRAM builds from US$6,820, and a frameset option (frame, fork, seatpost and handlebar and stem) for US$4,500. [Allied Cycle Works]
Continental expands Dubnital range
Continental has expanded the Dubnital tyre range with the launch of a new 50 mm version.
Originally introduced as a fast-rolling cross-country mountain bike tyre, the Dubnital has been around for a while in a 55 mm width; the new narrower option is claimed to offer improved rolling efficiency while retaining grip, comfort, and control.
According to Continental, the tread pattern is optimised for dry to damp conditions across hardpack, rocky terrain, and medium-loose surfaces.
The tyre is also available in two casing options. The Race casing uses Continental’s Rapid compound for lower weight and maximum speed, while the Trail casing is intended to provide greater durability.
The Dubnital 50 mm is available with an RRP of £67 / €75 / $87.
No Ardennes for Ayuso
Zoe Bäckstedt extends with Canyon-SRAM zondacrypto until 2028
Durbridge will retire at 2027 Australian Road Nationals
Luke Durbridge, the last member of the inaugural Orica-GreenEdge squad still racing at the highest level, will retire at Australian road nationals in January of 2027, making this his last full road season.
Jayco-AlUla announced the news after the 35-year-old Australian rode his 11th and final Paris-Roubaix.
"It’s been an honour to race this race and I’m just really happy to be in the velodrome," Durbridge said. "I’m just really proud of myself to get here. It’s a bit emotional."
De Lie transfer rumors heat up
Het Laatste Nieuws reports that Arnaud De Lie is looking more and more likely to leave Lotto-Intermarché at the end of the year when his current contract expires. The 24-year-old Belgian, who has had another uneven Classics campaign to start the 2026 season, apparently has no shortage of suitors and is showing interest in moving on rather than renewing. Meanwhile, Intermarché is reportedly pushing for more French signings in the team.
According to HLN, Tudor has entered the conversation for De Lie's signature, a conversation that already included Soudal-Quick-Step and Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe. [Het Laatste Nieuws]
Tom Pidcock's knee injury may imperil Ardennes campaign
He's on the provisional startlist, but Pinarello-Q36.5's Tom Pidcock may be a scratch for at least some of the upcoming Ardennes Classics. The British rider had a strong start to the year with a win in Milano-Torino and second place to Tadej Pogačar at Milan-San Remo, but a hard crash in the Volta a Catalunya sent him out of the race after stage 5 with a knee injury. Pidcock crashed heavily into a ravine. Although he finished the stage, medical tests later showed likely bone and ligament damage to his right knee and right wrist, his team said, and he did not start stage 6.
The knee injury still has yet to fully heal, his coach Kurt Bogaerts told Cyclingnews on Sunday. Bogaerts said the team doesn't know whether Pidcock will be ready for Brabantse Pijl on Friday or Sunday's Amstel Gold Race, where he would face off with Remco Evenepoel. "We have not set a return to competition yet," Bogaerts said in brief comments on the matter. If this week's races are out, there is still the possibility for Fleche Wallonne, a week from Wednesday, and Liège-Bastogne-Liège on the 26th. If he misses those, Pidcock may not race again until the Tour de France.
Del Toro will miss the Ardennes as he recovers from thigh injury
After tearing his right thigh muscle in a crash at the Itzulia Basque C0untry, Isaac del Toro will miss the upcoming Ardennes Classics, where he had hoped to make his debut this year.
The 22-year-old Mexican will now focus on his recovery with an eye towards hopefully being back in form in time for the Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alps in the buildup to his planned debut at the Tour de France.
AJ August wins Itzulia Basque Country finale, Seixas seals overall
20-year-old Andrew "AJ" August has won stage 6 of Itzulia Basque after spending a dramatic day up the road in the breakaway. The race's finale was staged over a punchy 135.2 km with six classified climbs and over 3,000 metres of elevation – wall to wall rain made the day extra-complicated.
With much of the race so far dominated by French phenom Paul Seixas who held a comfortable lead going into the final stage, his team Decathlon-CMA CGM was happy to let more than 30 riders up the road to contest the stage. Ben Healy, Mattias Skjelmose and Marc Soler were particularly keen to get things moving, but it was a late attack from August and Movistar's Raúl García 12 km from the finish that defined the outcome, with August going solo 2 km later to seek out his first WorldTour win.
In the GC competition, Red Bull-Bora Hansgrohe tried once again to pressurise the young French wonder, but Seixas had no time for it, even distancing second-overall Florian Lipowitz for a number of kilometres before the groups came back together. Third-place Primož Roglič, however, had a very bad day, dropping off the podium and out of the top five altogether, as Tobias Johannessen and Uno-X Mobility made good use of a day in the break to leap from 11th to a close third overall, the Norwegian's first ever WorldTour GC podium.
Basque veteran Pello Bilbao has announced that he will retire at the close of 2026, ending a 16 year career that started with then-WorldTeam Euskatel-Euskadi, Caja Rural, Astana and finally seven years at Bahrain Victorious..
"For me, it always felt like a game in the beginning," Bilbao said at the start of stage 6 of his home race Itzulia Basque Country where he sat ninth overall after a steady climb through the rankings from the opening ITT. "I was just playing cyclist with my friends, and suddenly I became a pro, almost without realizing it. Everything happened very fast. Of course, I needed time to adjust to the professional lifestyle – it wasn't easy at first, especially combining it with my studies – but I have never regretted a decision
The 36-year-old climber has become a popular figure in Spanish cycling and beyond, racking up 17 pro wins including stages at the Giro d'Italia and Tour de France, as well as at big races like the Dauphiné, Itzulia Basque Country and the Tour Down Under.
"Every year I was able to take a step forward. I went from an unknown rider, someone who didn't even believe he would last long in professional cycling, to achieving great results in the biggest races. Winning the Tour de France was something every cyclist dreams of. That moment showed me how intense and emotional this sport can be.”
Seixas stamps his authority on the Itzulia Basque Country with a queen stage victory
Already enjoying a huge lead in the general classification, Paul Seixas (Decathlon-CMA CGM) won stage 5 of the Itzulia Basque Country – the queen stage – on Friday.
The Frenchman joined forces with Florian Lipowitz (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) to leave the field behind on the Alto de Izua, the day's penultimate categorized climb. Lipowitz refused to be dropped from there all the way to the finish, but Seixas proved fastest to the line, taking his third stage win of the race. More than a minute behind the two leaders, Javier Romo (Movistar) arrived to take third.
The decisive day saw Lipowitz move into second overall with his teammate Primož Roglič dropping to third. Seixas takes a lead of two and a half minutes over Lipowitz into Sunday's sixth and final stage.
Hunt releases the 5AM Limitless Ti_UD Carbon Spoke Wheelset
The 5AM Limitless Ti_UD Carbon Spoke Wheelset is a new aero-focused wheelset from Hunt that's claimed to excel in racing environments. The new wheelset's aero claims come from a deeper and wider front (58mm) rim profile manufactured with the brand's Limitless Width Aero Technology, utilizing a low-density polymer insert between carbon layers to reportedly save weight and retain strength. The (55mm) rear rim features a shallower and narrower profile. The system tips the scales at just 1212 g per pair.
Press materials from Hunt explain that the wheelset was designed through its 5-Stage Aero Development process (CFD, 3-phase wind tunnel testing system, and real-world aero sensor validation). Testing claims that "each component is engineered for measurable speed" and is the fastest it has ever tested. Additionally, the 5AM Limitless wheelset features Vonoa Ti_UD carbon spokes and unreleased CeramicSpeed bearings. They are available today, April 10, 2026, for pre-order with stock arriving in the UK, US, and EU the week of May 3. Pricing starts at UK£1999/US$2599. [Hunt]
Škoda's Duobell tech claims to outsmart noise-canceling headphones
If you ride in urban environments at all – even if just to get out of town – you're undoubtedly familiar with startling pedestrians on multi-use paths even after you rang a bell to alert them of your pass. The problem isn't your bell: it's that many people now wear some kind of noise-canceling headphones that supress the sound of the bell.
Automaker Škoda has come up with an innovative solution: a bell technology that uses a sound frequency that noise-canceling headphones don't filter, and a two-tone ring that further cuts through the tech. Crucially, it does this entirely with analog technology; there are no electronics involved to charge (or eventually fail).
A mockup of Škoda's Duobell, with the dual-frequency and variable striker mechanism.
Škoda worked with researchers at the University of Salford to identify a frequency band between 750-780 Hz that noise-canceling tech is bad at filtering. So the bell operates primarily at that frequency, while a second tone (the "duo" part) emits sound at a higher frequency as a specially designed striker mechanism generates variable sound waves that noise cancelation algorithms have trouble filtering.
Škoda claims that in testing with delivery riders in London, the tech offered up to five seconds more alert and reaction time with headphone users than conventional bells. The catch: you can't buy it yet. Instead of manufacturing the bell, Škoda is offering the technology for free so that other brands can use it. [Škoda]
Elise Chabbey extends with FDJ United-Suez
Advocate and journalist Tim Blumenthal has died
Tim Blumenthal, who blazed a wide-ranging path as a cycling journalist before a mid-career switch to become one of the most influential cycling advocates in the United States, has passed away after fighting cancer for the past two years. He was 70 years old.
Blumenthal loved bikes, travel and sports of all kinds. One of the friendliest people in cycling, he had a ready smile and greeting for everyone and at events seemed to know literally everyone in attendance. He was an enthusiastic and talented storyteller who loved to regale friends with tales of his latest adventures around the world, and old stories of covering major events like the Olympics.
Blumenthal got his start in cycling journalism with VeloNews before going on to work for Bicycling and NBC Sports, where he helped with coverage on seven Olympic Games. He also worked on cycling coverage with ESPN. The work with NBC overlapped his career switch to cycling advocacy.
In 1993, Blumenthal left Bicycling to become executive director with the mountain bike non-profit the International Mountain Bicycling Association. In his time at IMBA he grew it from a small, mostly volunteer-run organization to a professional outfit with dozens of staff, a multi-million dollar budget and coast-to-coast initiatives around trailbuilding, access and other issues. Eleven years later, he switched from fat tires to overall bicycle safety and transportation advocacy with BikesBelong (later renamed PeopleforBikes).
Blumenthal helped oversee PeopleforBikes' expansion to become the primary bicycle industry lobby in the United States as well, with a 2019 merger with the Bicycle Product Suppliers Association. Blumenthal retired the next year to Vermont and was diagnosed in 2024 with stage 4 thymic carcinoma, an aggressive cancer. He is survived by his wife Lise, son Ryan and daughter Jana among other family. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to PeopleforBikes. Escape Collective extends its sincere sympathies and condolences to Blumenthal's family and extensive network of friends.
NSN development rider Watts gets suspension for throwing a punch
Kiaan Watts of the NSN Development squad will spend some time on the bench after the UCI handed him a 25-day suspension for throwing a punch during the Ster van Zwolle.
Watts was caught on camera hitting fellow Continental rider Marijn Maas (Beat-Saxo) and later claimed that he thought Maas had spit on him, which Maas denied. In the initial aftermath, Watts was disqualified from the race and fined, and now he will miss over three weeks of competition.
Aranburu takes Basque Country stage 4
Alex Aranburu (Cofidis) won stage 4 of the Itzulia Basque Country from the break on Thursday as a handful of escapees narrowly held off the GC riders in Galdakao.
Aranburu triumphed ahead of fellow breakaway riders Tobias Halland Johannessen (Uno-X Mobility) and Christian Scaroni (XDS-Astana), while overall leader Paul Seixas (Decathlon-CMA CGM) finished in eighth, 14 seconds down, extending his lead over many of his GC rivals.
Abbey Bike Tools updates its Team Issue toolbox
Arguably one of the more lust-worthy cycling toolkits, Abbey Bike Tools' Team Issue toolbox combines its own USA-made tools with premium picks from Knipex, Wera, Starrett, and Klein, all wrapped in a Nanuk safecase with custom-cut foam layers.
Now the green tool maker has released the Team Issue V2 toolbox, which adds its own magnetic 4-Way and T-Way bit-drivers, along with a set of 10 Wera bits. The company’s LL Chain Wear tool and a Wera 7515 torque screwdriver (2-6 Nm) have also been added. Meanwhile, the previously provided tools remain, such as Abbey’s hanger alignment gauge, titanium hammer, Decade chain tool, Crombie cassette tool, and the team issue pedal wrench.
Such premium tooling doesn’t come cheaply, with the box priced at US$1,850. At that price, you’re effectively buying the tools and getting the fancy case and organising foam for free.
Laurance takes a breakaway win in the Basque Country
After an opening time trial and a high-stakes GC battle on stage 2, the third stage of the Itzulia Basque Country was one for the break. A trek through the hills south of Bilbao saw the escapees build up enough of an advantage to fight for the stage a little over a minute ahead of the bunch.
Axel Laurance (Ineos Grenadiers) and Igor Arrieta (UAE Team Emirates XRG) left their breakaway companions behind on the day's final categorized climb with about 25 km to go, and they would battle for the win between them. Laurance proved fastest in the finale, leaving Arrieta to settle for second with Natnael Tesfatsion (Movistar) taking third on the day at 14 seconds back.
Paul Seixas (Decathlon-CMA CGM) finished safely in the bunch to retain his overall lead.
Merlier and Kool sprint to Scheldeprijs titles
The sprinters were out in force for both the men's and women's events at Scheldeprijs on Wednesday, and the race did not disappoint them, with bunch kicks deciding both finales.
As is so often the case in the mid-week one-day race near Antwerp, crashes played a role in determining the outcome. On the women's side, multiple pileups impacted the bunch in the last several kilometers. Charlotte Kool (Fenix-Premier Tech) stayed upright and took the win over Nienke Veenhoven (Visma-Lease a Bike) and Elisa Balsamo (Lidl-Trek).
In the men's race, a crash inside the final 10 km forced a big split, leaving a smaller group to contest the finish. Defending champion Tim Merlier (Soudal-Quick-Step) was in that selection, and he delivered on his favorite status to take a third straight victory, with Pavel Bittner (Picnic-PostNL) in second and Emilien Jeannière (TotalEnergies) in third.
Reserve Wheels has announced the new 30|XC wheelset, which the brand claims is designed for World Cup XC racing and modern XC mountain bikes. The 30|XC builds upon the company’s previous 28|XC platform with support for wider tires (29 x 2.35–2.5) and increased spoke count from 24 to 28. Additionally, the 30|XC are equipped with DT Swiss 350 hubs that include the DT Swiss Degree of Freedom system, which is intended to reduce pedal kickback and improve suspension performance without added weight.
The 30|XC SL edition features carbon spokes and shaves 30g of weight per wheel. Ridden by Cannondale Factory Racing, this configuration uses Vonoa carbon spokes and is laced to DT Swiss 180 hubs. Pricing for the standard 30|XC wheelset with DT 350 hubs and steel spokes is US$1599 / CA$2249 / EU€1799 and weigh a claimed 1515 g. 30|XC SL with DT 180 hubs and carbon spokes cost US$2499 / CA$3889 / EU€2799 with a weight of 1304 g per set. [Reserve Wheels]
