Innholdsfortegnelse for September 25, 2025 i Cycling Weekly

It’s around this time of year that my thoughts turn to cleaning. The bikes I’ve been riding recently haven’t been bothered by a sponge in months; partly because of the long, dry summer we’ve been enjoying, and partly because of my resistance to riding in the rain in the first place. In the autumn and winter I might put up with some wet weather, but in the summer, if the weather turns, I’ll usually opt to wait until the sun comes back out. But there’s no avoiding it now – if I want to get out and ride, my bike is going to need some TLC afterwards. Fortunately, this doesn’t involve spending a load of money. So far, I’ve spent 89p on a bottle of washing-up liquid (more for my…

For someone who came into cycling as a time trial specialist, it was a sore point for Marlen Reusser of Switzerland that she had not achieved World Championships glory yet. That all changed last Sunday, when the 34-year-old beat the Dutch duo of Anna van der Breggen and Demi Vollering in Kigali by 51 seconds and 1.04, respectively. After 16 pro TT victories, the big one was finally reached. “Of course this is super special for me,” she said after the race. “I came into the sport as a super-talented time triallist; I won so many time trials, I beat many of the riders who were world champs in other races, but never in the World Championships, so for me this was a Knacknuss, we say in German – a…

The Skoda Tour de Luxembourg was won overall by Brandon McNulty (UAE Team Emirates-XRG), despite the American not winning a stage. He built his victory on the stage four time trial, which was won by Ethan Hayter (Soudal Quick-Step), but McNulty finished second, putting time into his GC rivals, crucially Mattias Skjelmose (Lidl-Trek), who won stage three, and finished second overall. It was a successful week for Arnaud De Lie (Lotto), who won the Grand Prix de Wallonie last Wednesday in a sprint in front of Emilien Jeannière (TotalEnergies) and Biniam Girmay (Intermarché-Wanty). He then repeated the feat at the Super 8 Classic, where he finished just ahead of Visma-Lease a Bike’s Matthew Brennan, and Jordi Meeus (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe). Brennan also finished second at the Grand Prix d’Isbergues-Pas de Calais,…

Double Double Paul Double won the final stage and the general classification at the Tour of Slovakia last weekend, after blowing everyone away on the final climb of the event. The Jayco AlUla rider only joined the WorldTour this year, and has won his first three elite professional races this season. UCI on Instagram The local animals are even getting into the spirit of the World Championships in Rwanda $2.2 billion The amount Strava is reportedly valued at, as the fitness tracking app, popular among cyclists and other athletes, was revealed to be exploring hiring investment banks for an initial public offering (IPO) in the US. SRAM takes on UCI SRAM is taking the UCI to court in Belgium over its proposed gear restrictions, saying the idea has caused “tangible…

It was the week of racing Geraint Thomas had been anticipating for months: the Tour of Britain, with a finale meticulously planned to give him the homecoming send-off his illustrious career deserved. Tens of thousands lined the streets, 11,000 of them wearing masks of his face. In the end, he couldn’t hold back the tears. “A whirlwind,” is how Thomas describes his final weekend of racing, which ended at Cardiff Castle. “Not many athletes get to retire on their own terms, let alone where they want to. It was unreal, amazing. It was strange, too, because at times I forgot I was at a race and not just at a farewell tour.” At the age of 39, Thomas has brought down the curtain on a racing career that spanned two…

6 REASONS TO RIDE A SONG LYRIC When you’re going on a long bike ride, there are many things to consider. Distance, scenery, potential cafe stops – and of course whether there is a pub at the end where you can clickclack your cleats across handsome flagstones and guzzle frosty pints while horsing down their entire supply of Scampi Fries. All these things were entirely unguaranteed when fate decided my long ride would be to follow a David Bowie song lyric. It was mid-2016, Bowie had just passed, Prince too, and, well, it seemed like the country was in an irreversible aquaplane into a ditch full of sodden vegetation and division. I wanted out, not of Europe, but into it. And it was the Starman’s journey of the mind that…

In athletes, burnout often starts subtly: declining performance despite training, joyless racing, loss of motivation, poor sleep, flat mood and irritability. Understanding burnout requires consideration of multiple aspects of a rider’s experience. In the therapy room, I often explore four questions: ● When did you start feeling like this?● What are you really chasing?● Who are you if you aren’t cycling?● When will you know that you’ve done enough? Treatment for burnout involves the physical components of rest and recovery, but also reconnecting to meaning. Quoting the philospher Nietzsche, author Viktor Frankl wrote: “He who has a why can bear almost any how.” That line is especially potent in cycling. Sometimes the solution isn’t to stop riding but to ride differently. Let go of the numbers, try some new tech,…

The Zig-Zag Hill criss-crosses the Dorset hills in a series of hairpin bends at a 15% maximum gradient, over 3.8 kilometres. On Sunday 5 October, it will host a hill-climb event for the first time. “The gradient isn’t anything special,” says event organiser Elliott Colyer of the climb he fondly refers to as “Dorset’s mini Alpe d’Huez”. “You can find steeper [hills] for longer, but the fact that you’ve got three proper hairpins back to back is quite unique.” Elliott Colyer is 21 and fresh out of university. He was studying physics at Exeter and had found himself in the post-uni time warp, back at home and thinking about the future, as the long summer months stretched out ahead of him. So he decided to launch his own hill-climb. Cowbells…

At speeds of just 30kph, the bike still makes up only 20% of the total drag that a rider experiences. Most of the aerodynamic drag that is holding us back comes from our own body, and of that 80%, the only part that is not constantly moving and therefore can be better manipulated for enhanced aerodynamics is the upper body. For this reason alone, aero jerseys are one of the most valuable performance upgrades available to riders seeking to reduce their aerodynamic drag. But aerodynamics is a complex business. What can be fast at one speed might actually be slower at another. With the market being flooded with aero garments used by the WorldTour, how can we determine what is right for us? Fortunately, there are a few inherent aero…

If burnout is becoming more common in cycling, it’s not because riders are weaker. It’s because the demands have changed – and because we’re finally talking about it. So how can we protect riders at all levels from burnout? For teams: provide mental health support as standard, not only in an emergency; create proactive cultures where honesty is rewarded, not punished; celebrate resilience and growth as well as results. For coaches: recognise signs of demotivation early; avoid over-glorifying sacrifice; build rest into plans; focus on autonomy, purpose and living in harmony with a rider’s values, not only achieving the best performance. For riders: stay connected; know your why - or be willing to find a new one; don’t wait until you feel broken to ask for help; try new ways…

Firle Beacon Hill-Climb When: Saturday 11 October Where: East Sussex The seventh and last East Sussex Cycling Association event of the season is a mile-long hill-climb up Firle Beacon in East Sussex, which has an average gradient of 9.7%, although it kicks up to 13.6% at points. Entry is £9. Lincoln CC Cyclo-cross Race When: Sunday 5 October Where: Lincoln Round three of the Lincolnshire Cyclo-Cross Association’s 2025/26 season takes place at the Cinder Plot on the Doddington Estate. There are all categories from under-nines to masters, and a novice race too, for those new to CX. Entry is £19.…

Dear Doc – I was unlucky enough to crash a few weeks ago on a wet corner. I was quite beaten up, and a mate took me to A&E. Finally, I was seen. The doctor said, “What happened to you?” I was lying there in full bike kit with my helmet on the trolley, so it seemed like a stupid question. I replied, “I was windsurfing.” “So let me guess,” said the doctor, “you were windsurfing three abreast, chatting to your mates and holding up a supertanker when the captain ran out of patience and ran you off the sea? I hope you were wearing a lifejacket.” I didn’t really like the stereotyping, but I also accept that I asked for it.…

It was fantastic to see Tom Pidcock on the podium of the Vuelta a España. Watching his most successful GC campaign to date unfold got me thinking about team environments. It is clear to see that Tom is happier now with Q36.5 than in his latter Ineos days. I worked with Tom when he was 14-16 and he is a uniquely gifted character. As a talent development coach working with road and track riders at the time I didn’t often get sent photos of riders doing gap jumps on downhill bikes, so it was clear to me when Tom did that his programme needed to look different to keep him challenged and engaged. Riders all have different needs; I see it with my team-mates too. I have a couple who…

British elite club Raptor Factory Racing have announced their aim to step up a tier to UCI Continental level in 2026, in a bid to gain higher-level racing opportunities and help rebuild the domestic scene. This season marked the first since 2004 that there were no British men’s Continental teams, following the collapses of Trinity Racing and Saint Piran. Founded at the start of the year, and supported by London-based brand Raptor Bikes, the team have been among the key animators of the UK’s National Road Series, winning a round in last month’s Beaumont Trophy. The team shared a call-out on Instagram earlier this week, seeking applications from riders, as they look to double their squad size to 15 in preparation for reaching Continental status. Speaking to Cycling Weekly, Tony…

I disagree that it’s shameful that there won’t be a GB elite women’s squad in Rwanda. I really can’t think of a current female British elite rider with a realistic chance of a medal, even an outside one, on a course like this. Rwanda is a long way away, and the logistics are pretty hellish - it makes more sense to focus on races where there’s a realistic chance of a result. Where BC didn’t send a full squad to the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham - that was shocking. This seems quite reasonable.…

For a young Geraint Thomas, there was one weekly “ritual” he would never miss: “Every Thursday as soon as it came out, I’d get Cycling Weekly. It was massive back then. To see my name in the back where the results were, or even a little article or picture, that was big, a massive buzz. When you’ve got a physical magazine or newspaper in your hands, and you see your name written down, it’s different to seeing it digitally or on a phone where it’s gone with the swipe of a finger.” As with many young cyclists down the decades, Thomas would cut out CW posters and stick them on his wall. “I had one of Jan Ullrich, he was my hero. I also had a Shimano poster with Lance…

I don’t often compare myself to Joseph Stalin, but occasionally I feel I must. In 1928 Stalin instituted the first five-year plan for developing the Soviet economy. He set tractor production targets and launched a propaganda offensive to encourage the workers. The five-year plan was completed in four years. It was at a considerable human cost, but very little of that was to Uncle Joe himself. Every subsequent five-year plan had to be completed in four years, or he literally had people shot. I have a regular two-hour training ride. It takes about an hour and 50 minutes. I might not have myself shot if it took two hours to do it, but I’d certainly be a little ashamed of myself. I was reminded of things like this when a…