Indholdsfortegnelse for Issue 70 i Cyclist Australia

Just recently, Thomas could only watch while Pogačar crushed the field by almost 10 minutes at the Giro d’Italia, even as the veteran finished third overall. Then again in July when Pogačar snared six Tour de France stages, taking yellow, while Thomas was almost three hours off the pace. But at age 38, it’s testament to Thomas’s resilience that he’s still able to make the podium at the biggest races and against some of the greatest racers ever to turn a pedal. How many of today’s wunderkinds will still be challenging for the top spot 17 years after their Grand Tour debuts? Riders may be reaching their peak younger these days, but will they also burn out sooner? Especially as teams are now constantly searching for the next teenage superstar.…

The third-generation Liv Langma has hit the road in Australia with improvements across its range, most notably in the top-of-the line Advanced SL 0, the bike of Liv AlUla Jayco Women’s WorldTour team. While earlier iterations had the Langma pitched as a climbing bike, it has been reborn as an all-rounder in 2024 to provide lighter, more efficient models that suit everyone, from racy to reccy. Exploring the range With a huge 12 models internationally, Australia will be seeing six – that’s two in each of the three series. The Advanced SL 0 at the top is all about race-winning thoroughbreds, light enough for the mountains, aero enough for the winds. The Advanced Pro in the middle suits a wide range of riding styles, and the Advanced provides some great…

This incredible new timepiece from Tudor is specifically engineered for professional cyclists. The innovative chronograph combines lightweight carbon composite construction with robust titanium elements, making it ideal for the demanding conditions of riding in the pros. It includes a tachymeter scale calibrated for cycling speeds, wrapped around the dial in a spiral for easy reading during rides. The matt black dial with red accents echoes the Tudor Pro Cycling Team colours, while luminescent ceramic composite markers ensure visibility in all conditions. Riders will appreciate the watch’s durability, lightweight design and functional features. The single piece fabric strap, woven in France, offers comfort and robustness for long rides. Meanwhile, powered by the high-performance Manufacture Calibre MT5813, this chronograph boasts a 70-hour power reserve and COSC certification, ensuring reliability and precision. It…

Last issue my esteemed colleague, James Spender, penned an opinion piece entitled ‘Weight matters’. And, of course, he’s right. Weight matters a lot if, say, you are deciding who should go at the top of a human pyramid. But when it comes to bicycles, weight doesn’t matter nearly as much as we think it does. I’m not suggesting it is irrelevant – plainly a one-tonne bicycle would be a nightmare to ride compared to a 10kg bicycle – but weight is given far too much importance when it comes to how we assess the quality and suitability of the bikes we choose to ride. Whenever a manufacturer releases a new version of its top-tier road bike, it will be lighter than before. Brands make a big fuss about the percentage…

What were you doing at 15 years old? Perhaps studying hard at high school, or being refused entry to your local night club because of your dodgy fake ID? ‘That was when I took up my first job as a mechanic,’ says Helder Gomes. ‘It was with Continental team Barbot Gondomar in my home country of Portugal. That was 28 years ago. I’ve been with EF for the past eight years. I don’t like change.’ Unlike the sport he’s been married to for nearly three decades. ‘This sport has evolved hugely,’ Gomes says, reflecting on his career. ‘It used to be cables, cables, cables. Now we have technology like electronic wireless. In our team, that’s Shimano Di2. In many ways, that has made the job simpler, especially with the software…

Geraint Thomas’s professional career started in 2007, just four years after helmet wearing was made mandatory. Nearly two decades on, with the 2024 Grand Tour season underway, it’s testament to his longevity that he’s still seen as a podium contender in every race he starts. Resilience, durability, strength of character – these are the traits that are now associated with him. When it comes to commitment to the Ineos Grenadiers cause, there’s no doubting Thomas. Right now though, he’s warming to his theme of ‘those pesky kids’… ‘I don’t want to sound like this old guy that’s berating the younger guys all the time,’ the 2018 Tour de France winner says as he relaxes one evening midway through the Tour of the Alps and before the start of the Giro…

Bicycles may seem like simple machines, but their design is changing constantly. New tube profiles, frame materials and levels of integration appear at a staggering pace and, while that’s all well and good, it is often the less glamorous elements of innovation that can have the biggest impact on the bikes that we ride. While most of us will have a cursory knowledge of a bottom bracket and how it functions, it’s easy to disregard as a realm for nerds and mechanics, so we thought it was time to demystify the humble BB and explain what all the fuss is about. The primary function of a bottom bracket is to facilitate the rotation of the cranks, which transfers power from your pedals to your drivetrain. To that end, bearings are…

Since its release in 2014, the Z1 has spearheaded Lazer’s all-rounder helmet category. It was ostensibly designed to compete with the weight and airiness of the Giro Aeon (sub-200g, remember that guy?). Now in its third generation, such design goals are still at the forefront, but the headline here is how Lazer has tried to balance them better with safety through the use of its own technology, dubbed KinetiCore. Where the second-generation Z1 was essentially the original Z1 with a Mips slip-plane liner attached inside, the new Z1 has been completely redesigned, with dozens of small EPS blocks moulded into the helmet’s inside. ‘The blocks are constructed in such a way that they can deform or break during impact, both in the horizontal and vertical direction,’ says Lazer product manager…

Shimano’s 12-speed GRX gravel groupset has gone electric – although GRX Di2 currently only applies to the 2x version of the groupset. With patent applications surfacing that hint at 13-speed cassettes and/or fully wireless shifting, it’s reasonable to expect that when GRX Di2 1x does finally surface it will be a seismic change, but for the moment this update offers up relatively few surprises. As expected, the brakes and drivetrain options (a sub-compact 48/31 chainset plus 11-34t and 11-36t cassettes) are carried over from mechanical 12-speed GRX. Meanwhile, the bits that shift the chain around are basically a more rugged version of Shimano’s semi-wireless road format (wireless shifters talking to derailleurs that are wired to a seatpost-mounted battery). The rear derailleur carries over previous GRX’s clutch mechanism, and the shifters’…

The DVR80 is an intriguing new entrant in the rear-facing bike camera market, offering cyclists a compelling alternative to established options. This compact device combines an 80-lumen rear light with a full HD camera capable of recording at 1080p and 30 or 60 fps. The standout feature is its impressive battery life, with up to 9.5 hours of continuous recording without the light activated. And with a 128GB microSD card, it can store over 40 hours of footage. Installing is simple, with included mounts for both round and aero seatposts. The camera’s 105° field of view captures most road incidents, while its IPX5 water resistance rating provides peace of mind in inclement weather. Early user reports suggest solid build quality and reliable performance. While long-term durability remains to be seen,…

It was in October 1985 that the organisers of the Tour de France announced that the 1987 race start would take place in West Berlin. Still divided by its famous wall at the time, Berlin would be marking the 750th anniversary of its official founding that year and the western part of the city wanted the Grand Départ as part of the celebrations. Felix Levitan, then co-director of the race, said he hoped the move would encourage teams from the Eastern Bloc to enter the Tour and promote ‘understanding between peoples’, although it turned out that no such teams made it to the 1987 start line. Among the teams that did make the start was the Carrera squad of Stephen Roche. Just weeks earlier the Irishman had won the Giro…

We all want to get faster and ride for longer, and that means more than just hours on the bike. Being able to hold a strong position allows you to be more aerodynamic, to transfer power more efficiently and protect from aches and pains. And that comes from having solid foundations in the form of your core, the abdominal and back muscles that support the spine and connect your upper and lower body. ‘Core training helps strengthen and stabilise the muscle groups that support your legs so you can ride more comfortably for longer,’ says coach Ric Stern (cyclecoach.com). ‘Strength exercises have been shown to increase cycling performance, particularly FTP and sprint power, and core training increases the strength and mineral density of your bones, which protects against osteoporosis, an…

Need a clue as to the Vallter 2000’s location? Say it like a long-pole track and field athlete. Still struggling? You will definitely get there if you’re a fan of the first Spanish WorldTour race of the season. Only don’t call this climb Spanish. Sure, it’s in Spain, but to anyone local the Vallter is categorically in Catalunya. Its name is Catalan for ‘valley’ after all. Said valley is in fact the Parc Natural de les Capçaleres del Ter i el Freser – obviously – and as a landscape it is gallery worthy. But this isn’t the Catalunya of Dalí or Picasso. Set high in the Pyrenees less than a mile from the French frontier, here is the work of a pair of creatives that spans millennia, the rivers Ter…

Standing under the torrent of water, I can taste the salt that’s running off my forehead as I wash sweat, sunscreen and grime from around my neck. I peel off my jersey to wring it out and pull off of my cycling shorts to scrub the chamois clean. Then I hear a sharp intake of breath. ‘Have you seen your backside?’ A small crowd gathers behind me in this communal washroom to tut and shake their heads in disbelief. ‘It’s just one massive bruise,’ says an onlooker, clearly delighted. I am almost 700km into Paris-Brest-Paris (PBP), and this news comes as no surprise. Stepping out into the afternoon sun, my kit dries in about the time it takes to locate my bike – the obvious cause of my affliction. I…

There is a type of man to whom time and lifestyle bestows a certain kind of hair. Matt has this hair, a wonderful snowy bulb offset by the deep tan of a life spent outdoors. Matt hands my bike up to Dave, who stands on top of the Ford Excursion. Dave is square-jawed, ex-military and easily 6ft 5in. The Excursion is a true American also, with seats like sofas and wheels like a tractor. At 4:30am Matt’s sun-visor seems comically redundant, his easy smile in stark contrast to my stinging eyes. The duo work for Rim Tours, Matt as owner, Dave as guide, and our objective in being up so early and starting this ride not on our bikes but in the truck is to reach the canyons in time…

In any sort of analysis, the ability to compare across points of focus is ideal. And while the Australian Tax Office might not agree that my purchasing of bikes with varying iterations of Sram wireless shifting is enough to justify any recognition in the form of tax concessions, I know the discerning audience of Cyclist magazine feels differently. So, with both an eTap 11sp groupset and AXS Sram Force sitting on two of my bikes, who better to take a hold of the latest offering from Sram, the updated Red AXS E1 groupset. What’s new? Put simply, this question (often with a tinge of suspicion) is the one most commonly asked of any update. Understandably. Upon last release, Red AXS went 12-speed, hydraulic disc brakes became the mainstay, a new…

While it may look similar to its pre-existing Utopia Y aero helmet, Kask says the new Nirvana has been designed from scratch and it’s even faster. That is mainly thanks to increased coverage at the lower edge of the helmet shell. This has been designed to shield the rider’s ears, which must surely be one of the most unaerodynamic small body parts, given that their sole job is to stick out and catch sound waves. While the larger, smoother shell makes it easy to see how it might be faster – a full 35% faster than its nearest competitor, Kask claims, although it remains tight-lipped about which helmet that is – Kask also says the design is significantly cooler. ‘The Nirvana boasts a 19% increase in ventilation over its rivals,…

We can all appreciate Garmin as being at the forefront of the bike computer market, and it has levelled up with its latest flagship model, the Edge 1050. One of the first elements Garmin spruiks with the Edge 1050 is its improved GroupRide connectivity. This feature allows you to message your riding friends, send live locations and incident notifications. It also provides post-ride leaderboards like ‘Speed Racer’ for the rider with the top max speed for the day and ‘Worker Bee’ for the rider who pedals the most, as well as a host of other fun alerts to help maintain healthy banter among your riding friends. Some other features include the capacity to use Garmin Pay, a built-in speaker (not just a beeper) that includes a loud bell button, and…

Some companies just nail what they do with every product release. Evoc is one of them. The brand is known for its quality and durability across a range of gear for bike and snow, producing dozens of products from backpacks to bike bags. And its latest range of waterproof bike packs are first-class. They are made from waterproof, dirt-repellent and abrasion-resistant material, and have welded seams and waterproof zips. These bags will keep your gear dry whatever adventure they travel on. The Seat Pack and Handlebar Pack use Boa dials to ensure a strong fit and fast release, and each product comes with clear stickers to wrap around the bike to protect it from any rubbing from the bags. Pictured here is just a selection of the range that Cyclist…

Cyclist: After working for others for many years, this year you’re focusing more on your own goals. Was this a key factor when you moved from UAE Team Emirates to Israel-Premier Tech? George Bennett: It was something I was seeking out. I like working for people but I definitely get a better version of myself going for results. I like the balance. Like this year I’ve spent a lot of time riding for other people already, but I’ve had Abruzzo [Giro d’Abruzzo, where he came third] and I’ll get other chances. It took me a while to learn how to ride for other people when Roglič came along [Bennett was at Jumbo-Visma with Primož Roglič until 2022]. It’s not that I don’t like it. Riding for a guy like Stevie Williams…

A couple of hours north west of Brisbane you’ll find Queensland’s golden triangle of gravel staked out between the towns of Kilcoy, Nanango and Kenilworth. This is an area rich in vitamin G, embracing the 165km Brisbane Valley Rail Trail, national parks, proper-sized mountains, waterfalls, quaint towns and cattle stations – all of it traversed by hundreds of kilometres of finely brushed and gloriously deserted dirt roads. Nestled in the Sunshine Coast hinterland, the old dairying town of Kenilworth succumbs weekly to massive inflows of tourists looking to park up at the famous bakery, while a non-stop supply of grey nomads make use of the excellent camping at the local showgrounds. Once a year, the town gallantly withstands an odd armada of lycraclad gravelistas who rock up at 6am, smash…

‘Ask me how I train for hills,’ says Rikke Laursen. ‘My husband is 90kg; he hangs onto my saddle and I have to pull him up the short climbs we do have.’ It’s an unorthodox method, but it clearly works. Rikke was 2019 Masters World Champion, beating off high-altitude rivals despite living in the eighth flattest country on Earth: Denmark, average elevation 34 metres. (Trivia buffs: the Maldives is the flattest country on the planet, just 1.5 metres above sea level.) Along with being a highly accomplished cyclist, Rikke runs a coaching company, a coffee-cum-bike shop, a PR agency and various race teams, and from time to time commentates on Danish TV and radio. Obviously, some people just don’t need to sleep, otherwise how else has Rikke found time to…

If you asked me to narrow my bike collection down to one, I’d ditch the roadies, farewell the mountain bike, get rid of the cargo rig and send off the commuter until all I had left was my gravel bike. It does it all. A gravel bike gives me the chance to ride on the tarmac without being too sluggish and the opportunity to get off-road and have some fun on singletrack, fire trail or even the occasional bush bash. If I had to choose one gravel bike, you ask? The new Áspero would be right up there on the list of wants. It gives you that road bike feeling without being constrained to the pavement. There are lots of bikes that do this, but few come in such a…

At the cafe, you order an almond flat while I go with a long black. You put your helmet on the table and a cap on your head. I ruffle my hair with my fingers and blow my nose instead. I unfold a paper map while you check your phone. I’m in no hurry but you want to get home. I can think of no other explanation for the way that you ride. This is meant to be a social outing yet you’re making it hard. It’s all heavy panting so we’ve resorted to shouting. I could call it arrogance, testosterone or simple naivety. You’re probably not even aware you’re doing it, but if you were you’d call it youthful exuberance. Even though you’re older than me. It reminds me…