Our breakdown of the latest cycling news, including analysis of the rather oddly routed 2026 Vuelta a España — plus we review two dominant cyclocross performances and look ahead to next year’s racing, teams and kits. Happy Holidays! TOP STORY:  Vuelta Route Analysis: Doubling Down on Vert (and Temps) RACE NEWS Van der Poel Dominates, […]

Bookshelf: In her introduction to the Second Edition of Michael Blann’s book of mountain photographs, Susannah Osborne writes: “It is impossible to talk about cycling without talking about mountains. For cyclists and fans of cycling, mountains are fundamental to understanding the nuances of the sport. Mont Ventoux, the Passo dello Stelvio, the Alpe d’Huez—these famous […]

Ed Track-Side: In December 2022, Ed Hood made his return to the boards of the Ahoy Stadium in Rotterdam for his first ‘working holiday’ at a ‘6 Days’ since covid put everything on hold. Live through the final days of the Rotterdam six and the career of Niki Terpstra trackside with Ed. In January we […]

Special photo gallery: Photographer John Thomson has had a full 2025 at the road-side and next to the cat-walk, so here is his fifth ‘2025 Photo Gallery’. *** ‘Part 1’ HERE, ‘Part 2’ HERE, ‘Part 3 HERE and ‘Part 4 HERE’. You can see more of John Thomson’s photo galleries HERE. *** John Thomson: “This […]

Well, Pez Fans, this is it. Gift Guide #4 is here. You’ve got 6 shopping days left. Socks are always a favorite, and winter demands Darn Tough wool socks to stay dry and warm. We’ve got a curated gift list from KOM Cycling. Chuck sorted through the extensive iGPSPORT offerings, and selected some gems for […]

As professional cycling hurtles toward another pivotal season, the forces shaping the sport extend far beyond the peloton itself. In this edition of AIRmail, The Outer Line examines the evolving political, economic, and media dynamics influencing cycling within the broader global sports landscape. From renewed scrutiny of sportswashing by both state and private sponsors, to […]

Polarized training has been a key endurance training idea over the past two decades. The idea originated from analyzing the training intensity distribution of elite Nordic ski athletes. Has it become the de facto training method of elite cyclists? Polarized training has entered the training lexicon over the past 15 years, popularized by sport scientist […]

Mountain biking is not just a sport, it is an experience that blends adventure, skill, endurance, and a deep connection with the outdoors. Whether you are introducing a young rider to trail riding or building a dependable setup for weekend family adventures, having the right mountain bike and essential accessories from Cabela’s is what transforms […]

After years of hearing how good this ride is, I finally got the chance to cycle the Maratona dles Dolomiti in Corvara, Italy. It’s a climbers’ gran fondo, with 7 big climbs and 4000+ meters of elevation for the 138 long route. I opted for the 106km medio route – with 6 climbs and 3000+ […]

Your summary of cycling news, both on- and off-road, as dual-threat van der Poel returns to the cyclocross course and again wins, though appears far from dominant. Elsewhere, Pogačar announces his 2026 plan, Matthew Brennan re-ups with Visma, the World Champ commits to TDU — and a much bigger star than Pogi, MVDP or any […]

Happily for us Wikipedia offers a list of films about bicycles and cycling wherein our favourite mechanical device is key to the plot.  The majority are documentaries and the few fictional ones are dramas–notably “Bicycle Thieves” from 1948.  Even then, very few are about bicycle racing per se, such as “American Flyers” or “La Petite […]

Ed Track-Side: Back in 2022 Ed Hood was spectating at the ‘Six Days’ of Gent, next he was on the other side of the boards working in the track centre in Rotterdam. Here Ed tells us all about his first three nights at the Dutch ‘6 Days’. In January we lost our friend and colleague […]

Pas Normal Studios Autumn/Winter 2025 T.K.O. Collection: The cold weather has hit the East coast of Spain, but don’t worry, our man Alastair Hamilton has some new kit from Pas Normal Studios: Their TKO collection for autumn and winter, along with a Mid long sleeve base layer and Logo transition gloves. This kit should get […]

Gift Guide #3 is here…and again we are bringing you more options to stuff your stockings, and in one case fulfill your sugar plum dreams of n+1. Leading out, We’ve got a review of the current season Pas Normal Studios Mechanism Long Sleeve thermal jersey, and it’s good. Chuck reviews the new Wahoo TRACKR. Also, […]

From seismic shifts in global sports media to major rider transfers and a newly unveiled Giro d’Italia route, this week’s AIRmail covers the fast-evolving forces reshaping professional cycling and the broader sports economy. As uncertainty swirls around the Warner Bros.–Discovery sale and its potential impact on cycling’s broadcast future, Strava’s annual report highlights both warning […]

E-sport cycling combines athletic precision with the structured logic of digital competition. Rapidly evolving, with instant feedback and visually transparent race progress, it is both physically demanding and undeniably similar to gaming. This post analyses the factors behind this phenomenon and looks back at the 2025 UCI Virtual Cycling World Championships in Abu Dhabi. The […]

TOOLBOX: The holidays, cold weather, and shorter days make the off-season a natural time for cyclists to ease off the gas—but how much fitness do you actually lose when you take a real break? In this Toolbox, we explore what detraining looks like physiologically, why strategic rest is essential for long-term performance, and what a […]

As part of my stay at the Hotel Residence Esplanade in Viareggio, I was perfectly located to see three stages of the Giro d’Italia – including the Stage 9 finish in Siena.  I found a spot at 600 meters to go on the final climb into town – the climb itself is about 600-700m long […]

A couple of weeks ago, eTrashMike rode the star-studded Tour de Tucson for the third year in a row — and for the third time, he enjoyed the very fast ride, despite spending much of it completely frightened. His conclusion: El Tour is getting too big. Check out the Tour de Tucson — or “El […]

Our heading-into-winter cycling news roundup, checking in on the cyclocross season as it lurches towards an inflection point: Mathieu van der Poel starting his first race. We also share the Women’s Giro course description, tell you just how much Pogačar’s bike sold for, and offer key team updates, including Ineos’s maintain-the-status-quo strategy. TOP STORY:  Yet […]

In 2022 we reviewed Andy McGrath’s biography of Frank Vandenbroucke here. That was the harrowing tale of a brilliant talent brought down by his  own self-destructive nature.  A talent that never reached its full potential.  Now this same author’s latest book is one about cycling’s current superstar Tadej Pogačar.  It is difficult to conceive of […]

Here we are, Gear Break Gift Guide #2. The Christmas shopping season is in full swing, and for those who haven’t yet finished their shopping, we have a few more suggestions to help get you ready for gift-giving. We’ve got a handlebar bag from Handlestash in a bold colorway, some sturdy TPU tubes from Pirelli, […]

TOP STORY:  Comment: Giro ’26 Route RACE NEWS Eschborn-Frankfurt Raises the Bar for 2026 AlUla Tour Added to ProSeries Calendar RIDER, TEAM AND CYCLING NEWS Girmay Is NSN’s First Big Signing Le Court, Girmay Voted African Cyclists of the Year Juanpe Lopez Heads to Movistar Team Portuguese Cycling Guru Poeira Retires Campagnolo Cuts Staff by […]

From a controversial budget-cap proposal that has baffled teams, to Formula 1’s soaring franchise valuations, to pro cycling’s continued dependence on wealthy patrons rather than investors, this week’s AIRmail unpacks the structural forces shaping the sport’s uncertain economic future. We also examine cycling’s deepening sportswashing entanglements with Saudi Arabia and the UAE, and track the […]

Navigating holiday eating can be challenging for athletes and active people, especially when winter weight gain, lost routines, and sugary seasonal treats start to creep in. As a dietitian, Alex Winnicki sees this every year—clients fall into all-or-nothing thinking, “burn it to earn it” habits, impulsive eating, and crash-dieting that backfires by January. But the […]