Indholdsfortegnelse for December 14, 2023 i Cycling Weekly

What will you remember most about 2023? Working on a weekly magazine means at any moment in time I’m thinking about what has happened in the last few days. Anything before has already been covered, and it’s old news to me. I’ve moved on. Events in April seem like a lifetime ago. And that’s why creating our review of the year issue is such a joy. It takes me back to those moments I’d long since forgotten and brings them back to life. Tadej Pogačar riding away from the best Classics riders of a generation on the Kwaremont? Only last April. The non-stop action in Glasgow? Just a few weeks ago. Looking back on a year’s worth of news and racing once the dust has settled and putting it all…

Ineos Grenadiers have a new look for 2024. No, not the fresh jersey that Egan Bernal unwittingly leaked last week, but a management shake-up, one which they and their bosses at Ineos Sport hope will return them to the top of cycling’s pecking order, a place which they occupied for much of the 2010s. Three weeks ago, it emerged that Rod Ellingworth had resigned as deputy team principal, leaving the squad effectively without a leader. Last Wednesday’s announcement puts a new structure in place, one that will report to Sir Dave Brailsford and Ineos Sport CEO Jean-Claude Blanc. John Allert, previously managing director, is now CEO of Ineos Grenadiers, the person in overall charge of the cycling team. Reporting to him will be the new director of racing, Steve Cummings,…

Great Britain rider Ben Chilton showed his form by winning the penultimate round of the National Trophy Series in Kent on Saturday, while third was enough for fellow GB rider Thomas Mein to win the overall series with a round to spare. Chilton (Ribble Collective) crossed a muddy finish line at the Cyclopark in Gravesend 47 seconds ahead of Toby Barnes (Ribble-Verge Sport), while Mein (Hope Factory Racing) was another 54 seconds back in third. Meanwhile, in the elite women’s race Xan Crees (Team Spectra Cannondale) took her first win in three National Trophy rides, just 12 seconds ahead of team-mate Elena Day whose performance gave her enough points to wrap up the overall National Trophy Series victory. Elsewhere in round nine of the North East League near Ponteland Scotland-based…

With British Cycling seemingly on a downward spiral, the future of the Tour of Britain should be a key issue. I think the way forward with the Tour of Britain – although it would be like turning back the hands of time – is for British Cycling to work with the UCI and focus on the future. They could make the ToB an under-23 event, attracting national and regional teams plus some U23 development teams. Make it part of the UCI Nations Cup, running alongside the Baby Giro and Tour de l’Avenir. British Cycling does not host an U23 event, this would be that chance. The Milk Race was mainly U23 riders, and some went on to greater things. Worth thinking about. Mick Furn, email Ed – It’s an interesting…

Life on the road sounds terribly romantic, right? And it can be – after all, what cycling journo, or fan, wouldn’t want to trip around France or Italy for three weeks, following the world’s biggest races? But naturally, there are going to be glitches, unexpected bumps and hurdles. In a way that’s all part of the fun – and it also makes for a good story afterwards. %@&$! It’s not easy being an environmental protester, as news and features editor Vern Pitt found out when he tried to interview a member of Extinction Rebellion at the National Track Championships in January. Their conversation was interrupted by the partner of one of the riders, who as the protester was unfurling a banner, stopped by just to call them something we can’t…

DUTCH DELIGHT AT CX WORLDS Twenty-year-old Fem van Empel led the Dutch dominance almost from the start in the women’s race at the cyclo-cross Worlds. The home nation took a 1-2-3 in Hoogerheide. Van Empel raced just 21 days on the road this year, but finished in the top 10 on 13 occasions. She clearly has a huge future ahead of her. BIKE SALES DROP A report by the Bicycle Association revealed bike sales to be at their lowest level in 20 years in the UK. Gravel bikes were a “rare, standout performer”, up 59% on 2019. TOUR SERIES AXED Britain’s largest annual racing series, the Tour Series, was put on hiatus for 2023. The organisers cited “economic challenges” in their rationale, explaining “it has proved impossible to compile a…

35,000 BIKES GO TO AUCTION Following the demise of longstanding British distributor Moore Large, £35 million worth of stock and assets went under the gavel. This included around 35,000 bikes and thousands of accessories, such as clothing, shoes and helmets. A WEEK-LONG GRAND TOUR Ultra-endurance athlete Matthieu Bonne set a new world record for the distance ridden on a bike in a week. The Belgian nudged the benchmark out to 3,619km, longer than the Tour de France, and dethroned British rider Leigh Timmis by 31km. ELLEN VAN DIJK EXPECTING An Instagram post of a rainbow-striped bike trailer was how Ellen van Dijk announced her pregnancy. The Trek-Segafredo rider continued training through the summer and gave birth to her son Faas in October. GEORGI LANDS FIRST PRO VICTORY Having spent three…

After multiple controversies enveloped British Cycling in 2022, the national governing body urgently needed to move forward this year and begin a rebuilding process with the Paris Olympics drawing ever closer. That process began with the appointment of Jon Dutton as CEO in April, which followed on from Brian Facer’s tumultuous near two years in post. Dutton’s leadership seems to have steadied the ship, leading it through the Glasgow World Championships as it looks to regain the trust and support of members. Reflecting on his first few months in post, the former Rugby League World Cup head told Cycling Weekly that the organisation was full of optimism and inspiration moving into the year ahead. “It’s been a whirlwind, and at times breathless, year,” Dutton said. “But I’ve loved every minute…

BC BLOCKS TRANS WOMEN British Cycling announced its highly anticipated transgender policy, effectively banning trans women from competing in women’s races. Instead, the governing body said they would be able to race in an ‘open’ category, alongside men. 10-MILE RECORD TUMBLES George Fox set a new fastest time in the 10-mile road bike time trial, beating the previous record by seven seconds with a time of 18:41. The 29-year-old averaged 51kph in his effort. VAN VLEUTEN WINS VUELTA World champion Annemiek van Vleuten led Demi Vollering by over a minute going into the final day of the Vuelta Femenina. She cracked slightly on Lagos de Covadonga, but held on to win by just nine seconds through the fog. IN THE FIRING LINE IN OXFORDSHIRE Two British cyclists stumbled upon a…

NETFLIX AND CHILL Cycling hit the streaming platforms with a first-of-its-kind documentary series on Netflix. Tour de France: Unchained told the story of the 2022 Tour, and painted a story of controversy at the heart of Jumbo-Visma, with supposed tension between Wout van Aert and Jonas Vingegaard. RENSHAW AND CAV REUNITE Former leadout man Mark Renshaw joined Astana-Qazaqstan as a consultant in a bid to help his old team-mate Mark Cavendish. The appointment heightened the expectation of Cavendish getting his 35th stage win. BOSSUYT TESTS POSITIVE Belgian cyclist Shari Bossuyt pleaded her innocence after testing positive for banned substance Letrozole in an anti-doping control. Lotte Kopecky’s Madison partner missed the World Championships and could miss next year’s Olympics too. NEW WINNERS AT UNBOUND The biggest gravel race on the planet…

There is scarcely a one-day race that Tadej Pogačar doesn’t believe he can win. Every time the Slovenian lines up for a Classic, whether in Belgium, Italy, or the Netherlands, you know he is a favourite, no matter the terrain or the time of year. In the 14 one-day races that the UAE Team Emirates rider took part in this year, he never finished lower than fifth in a completed event, finished on the podium 10 times, and won six. The one time he didn’t finish in the top five, at Liege-Bastogne-Liege, it was because he fractured his wrist. It is a level of consistency that has rarely been achieved, let alone by someone we expect to see winning at the Tour in July. Those wins included the Tour of…

COOS SELL OUT The UCI’s cuddly ‘coo’ toys sold like hot cakes at the World Championships in Glasgow. Priced at £25, the merchandising team flogged all 5,000 units, and had to order in 3,000 more to match demand from the fans. HOT AND COLD PURSUIT It was a story of highs and lows for Great Britain in the team pursuit at the World Championships on the track. While the women’s squad won gold for the first time in nine years, the men’s quartet – on target for a fast time – crashed out in qualifying, and couldn’t defend their rainbow jerseys. PIDCOCK VICTORIOUS Tom Pidcock overcame mechanical issues in the closing moments of the cross-country mountain bike race to win the world title. The multi-talented Briton is now the current…

ONE MORE YEAR FOR CAVENDISH “It’s not over yet,” said Mark Cavendish, when he revealed he had extended his contract at Astana-Qazaqstan for another year. Will he grab Tour de France win number 35 next summer? Noting the attention the Manxman received at the Tour before crashing out, the team are going all in for 2024 and have hired leadout man Michael Mørkøv and coach Vasilis Anastopoulos from Soudal-Quick Step. The dream lives on. WIGGLE-CRC ENTERS ADMINISTRATION Online retailer Wiggle Chain Reaction Cycles entered administration following a period of financial turmoil for its parent company. As the business was being prepared for sale, 105 members of staff were made redundant. BUSSI BEATS THE HOUR Italian Vittoria Bussi crowdfunded her way to a new world Hour Record in Aguascalientes, Mexico, becoming…

ARCHIBALD CLINCHES TCL Katie Archibald secured the overall women’s endurance league at the UCI Track Champions League, repeating her feat from 2021. Canada’s Dylan Bibic, New Zealand’s Ellesse Andrews and Harrie Lavreysen of the Netherlands also won titles. GCN + AXED Global Cycling Network announced the closure of its app and streaming platform, which revolutionised the way cycling fans watched racing. The decision came as parent company Warner Bros Discovery looked to consolidate its platforms. NEW BORIS BIKE RECORD Cameron Jeffers set a new Boris bike Hour Record, riding 32.8km around London’s Regent’s Park. The racer detailed the feat in a YouTube video, where he revealed he taped his feet to the pedals. DOPING WORMS A “well-known cyclist” was reported by L’Équipe to have approached a lugworm specialist about potential…

Christmas, it’s that time of year when the days are short, the weather is questionable and free time is at a premium. As it often feels like riding takes a back seat come December, we’re bringing you a special cycling rewrite of the 18th-century Christmas carol, ‘The 12 Days of Christmas’. Our version provides you not with an accumulation of pointless and frankly bizarre gifts, but a dozen baubles of inspiring advice, pro rider insights and things to do to keep you motivated over Yuletide. Yes, we’ve gone pun-crazy – or maybe outright crazy – for this one. In doing so, we prioritised usefulness over pun quality, so cut us some slack on the latter – it’s Christmas, after all! We’re not demanding that you carry out these 12 suggestions…

CYCLO-CROSS SAT-SUN, 9-10 DEC National Trophy Series round five (Cyclopark, Gravesend, Kent): Elite Men: 1. Ben Chilton (Ribble Collective) 1:09.35; 2. T. Barnes (Ribble-Verge Sport) +0.47; 3. T. Mein (Hope Factory Racing) +1.41; 4. J. Blackmore (Team Inspired) +4.09; 5. S. Wyllie (Team Spectra Cannondale) +4.35; 6. W. Vervoort (unattached) +4.48; 7. J. Beckingsale (Montezuma’s Race Team) +5.38; 8. S. Fisher (Hope Tech Factory Racing) +6.15; 9. T. Couzens (Montezuma’s Race Team) +6.22; 10. S. James (Hope Factory Racing) +7.46. Elite Women: 1. Xan Crees (Team Spectra Cannondale) 52.53; 2. E. Day (Team Spectra Cannondale) +0.12; 3. I. Short (Ghost Factory Racing) +0.28; 4. M. Couzens (Fenix-Deceuninck) +0.54; 5. K. Eyeington (Derwentside CC) +1.39; 6. K. Eedy (Team Empella) +1.48; 7. R. James (Hope Factory Racing) +2.09; 8. H. Inglis…

Last week I got the opportunity to be part of the EF Education-EasyPost training camp, as the team invited external coaches for the first time. While traditionally December camps are a little more relaxed due to their distance from the race season, there is also a lot of additional stress to cover with bike set-up, medicals, nutrition talks, and race calendar meetings. So there is limited time for riders like James Shaw to improve his absolute axe chop of a swing at the glamorous golf resort we were staying at outside Girona, Spain. In my still somewhat limited experience of WorldTour pro cycling or national governing body experience, there can certainly be an air of intimidation. There will be talk of friendly culture, but the atmosphere can still be a…

Hot young Belgian talent Cian Uijtdebroeks became the subject of a tug of war between two of the sport’s biggest teams, Bora-Hansgrohe and Jumbo-Visma, at the weekend. The 20-year-old won the Tour de l’Avenir in 2022, and finished eighth at the Vuelta a España this year. While he has not won a race as a professional yet, he is one of the most sought-after talents around. He signed for Bora-Hansgrohe in 2022. On Saturday evening, Jumbo-Visma put out a statement that they had signed the 20-year-old on a four-year contract from 2024. Jumbo sports director Merijn Zeeman said: “When the opportunity arose to sign Cian as of 1 December, we didn’t hesitate. Cian is a perfect fit for our team. He wants to develop in all areas. We are happy…

Groupama-FDJ to ride Wilier bikes in 2024 Groupama-FDJ riders are to climb aboard Wilier Triestina bikes from 2024, after the French team ended its 22-year-long partnership with Lapierre. How the bikes will look will be unveiled on 1 January, potentially alongside the squad’s new kit, but FDJ will ride the Wilier Filante SLR, already ridden by Astana-Qazaqstan in the WorldTour, alongside the Wilier Turbine SLR for time trials. Shimano components made by ‘modern slaves’ Shimano has allegedly sold components produced by ‘modern slaves’ following the Covid pandemic, reports the Telegraph. Workers from Nepal at the Kwang Li Industry factory say that they have been subject to physical abuse and threats, unlawful salary deductions and recruitment fees, and unpaid suspension. Shimano has launched an investigation and told the Telegraph that it…

KIT BRANDS GO UNDER British cycling clothing company Milltag was one of a number of companies to collapse in a bad start to the year for clothing brands. Bristol-based Presca followed suit, while women’s clothing maker VeloVixen was saved from liquidation at the last minute by the owners of Stolen Goat. STRAVA HIKES ITS PRICES Confusion reigned among Strava subscribers after the exercise-tracking app raised its prices. The hike saw users in different territories pay varying amounts, with UK customers facing a 28% increase, up to £8.99 a month. A GIANT LEAP FOR TYRES A NASA-affiliated company developed a new category of tyre, made from airless wire mesh, that promised to end punctures forever. The materials were originally invented for space exploration but could work just as well on a…

The unpredictable nature of cycle racing makes in-depth preparation for the biggest races absolutely paramount, particularly if you’re aiming to cross the finish line with your hands in the air and a smile on your face. Tom Pidcock did just that at Strade Bianche in March. The Yorkshireman punched the air and grinned like a Cheshire cat as he crossed the line in Siena’s grand Piazza del Campo to celebrate what his coach, Kurt Bogaerts, describes as the perfect execution of a well-oiled plan to achieve victory. Reflecting on his rider’s win, Bogaerts tells Cycling Weekly that the frenetic nature of the semi-Classic meant that he needed to ensure Pidcock didn’t just solely focus on physical preparation in the build-up. “We knew we needed to have Tom in good condition……

4 Riders who have completed the ‘Ardennes Triple’ of the Amstel Gold Race, Fleche Wallonne and Liege-Bastogne-Liege in one season. Demi Vollering was the latest to join the club 8 YEARS Since there was another non-Dutch pair of female road world champions. Lotte Kopecky of Belgium and Chloe Dygert of the US broke the Netherlands’ stranglehold on the rainbow jersey 4 Times that Wout van Aert and Mathieu van der Poel shared the podium of a one-day road race this season, with the latter winning at Milan-San Remo, Paris-Roubaix and the World Championships 90 YEARS The age of the oldest ever rider to complete Land’s End to John o’ Groats. Peter Langford, a retired vicar, achieved the feat in September Swiss francs which Thomas Voeckler was fined after his part in an…

PRESSURE TECH EMERGES Wireless tyre pressure control systems were all the rage at Paris-Roubaix. Members of both Team DSM and Jumbo-Visma used the new technology at the race. WRIST WOES FOR POGAČAR After an unstoppable start to the year, Tadej Pogačar’s winning streak came to an end at Liege-Bastogne-Liege when he crashed and fractured his wrist. He underwent successful surgery and returned to action in June, winning the Slovenian road and time trial championships. CTT ROLLS OUT ROAD BIKE CLASSIFICATION With entries in decline and aero tech getting ever more expense, the time trial governing body brought in road bike categories for all open events. “It’s about improving accessibility,” CTT chair Andrea Parish said. SPANISH TEAM ZAAF FALLS APART Spanish-registered women’s team Zaaf collapsed after riders revealed they were not…

As a rider so used to winning, it would be unsurprising if the whole aspect of crossing the line first had started to feel routine for Mark Cavendish. Going into the Giro d’Italia in May, the Manxman had 161 career wins to his name. Three weeks later, he completed the race with the 162nd under his belt after storming to victory in Rome thanks to a perfectly executed lead-out from close friend and former team-mate Geraint Thomas. The roar Cavendish let out as he crossed the finish line first with the British national champion’s jersey on his back proved that the winning feeling was far from fading. “It’s beautiful, what a way to end my Giro d’Italia,” Cavendish said as he basked in yet another Grand Tour stage win. “My…

TO MERGE OR NOT TO MERGE? A proposed merger between Jumbo-Visma and Soudal-Quick Step fell apart in a whirlwind period of confusion. Riders were kept in the dark about the plans, with Remco Evenepoel saying: “We just don’t know anything.” TARLING ON THE TOP STEP Following his TT bronze at the Glasgow Worlds, 19-year-old Josh Tarling stepped on to the top step of the podium at the Euro Champs in Emmen, the Netherlands. GB’s Anna Henderson took silver in the women’s race. GB SUPER-TALENT JOINS MOVISTAR Seventeen-year-old Cat Ferguson, winner of the junior Tour of Flanders and silver medallist at the World Championships, penned a deal with Movistar. The Brit will become one of the youngest riders on the WorldTour when she joins the team in August 2024. BRIGHT’S 212…

“The UCI regulations assert the primacy of man over machine.” These words are among the opening lines of the governing body’s extensive guidelines for racing equipment. In general, the UCI rules are designed to put safety first, outlining that equipment should not “constitute any danger to [the rider] or to others”. Referring specifically to steering, the current regulations state: “The bicycle should have handlebars which allow it to be ridden and manoeuvred in any circumstances and in complete safety.” There are strict rules already in place surrounding the width of road racing handlebars. Measured from each outside extremity, the minimum overall width is limited to 35cm. By tilting their hoods inwards, some riders have managed to narrow their set-up to under 30cm, and are said to have compromised their ability…

A recent study which looked at how factors such as age, gender and body weight affect the glucose levels of healthy individuals during exercise found that 26% of women experienced sustained low glucose levels after exercise compared with 21% of men. The study, by scientists from the University of Toronto, Canada, also found that people aged 20-39 had more instances of very low glucose levels compared to both younger (under 20) and older (over 65) cohorts. Glucose is the human body’s primary energy source for high intensity aerobic exercise, and low glucose levels can result in lethargy, weakness and irritability or confusion. For individuals who don’t have diabetes, low glucose levels are simple enough to rectify. Taking on 15 grams of fast-acting sugars can give you an immediate boost –…

Perhaps we should have seen it coming. Mathieu van der Poel’s 2023 season was one which was carefully crafted around a specific set of objectives, and there was no space for excessive race days, riding things outside his curated programme. There were to be no extra distractions in 2023. This time, everything would go right. Van der Poel had one of the all-time great years. That might seem hyperbolic, but it is justified. The 28-year-old became the first ever rider to win the cyclo-cross and road World Championships in the same year, and this was in the same season as winning both Milan-San Remo and Paris-Roubaix, a feat only managed on three other occasions. Van der Poel’s year is as special as Eddy Merck’s in 1974, or Stephen Roche’s in…

At the end of 2022 shockwaves ripped through the British domestic racing scene as Ribble-Weldtite, one of the most successful teams in the country, collapsed due to funding and sponsorship issues. There were now just three UCI Continental teams left in the country. Throughout the cycling community, people were left hoping that lightning wouldn’t strike twice. We couldn’t lose another team. Sadly it wasn’t long before we did. In early March, Cycling Weekly revealed that AT85 had also collapsed due to financial issues. The Hampshire-based team had been the most successful domestic Continental team for years. Who would replace them at the top of the pyramid in 2023? The answer was the boys in black from Cornwall, Saint Piran. Speaking to Cycling Weekly, Saint Piran’s Harry Birchill recalls the moment…

Primož Roglič glides in on his time trial bike, midway through stage 20 of the Giro d’Italia. His bike change looks rehearsed to within an inch, with the Slovenian calmly unclipping off one bike, getting onto his lighter road bike, and being pushed off. It takes about eight seconds. A minute later, Geraint Thomas repeats the process. The Welshman glides in, unclips, but takes time to change his helmet – something Rogliž did not do – and steadily gets on his road bike, and is pushed off. It takes about 16 seconds. “Rogliž’s bike change was outstanding, whereas the Ineos one was pedestrian in comparison, he lost so much time,” Aerocoach founder and TT expert Xavier Disley tells Cycling Weekly. At the end of the stage, the penultimate day, the…

ALLEZ LAURENT GINA Mysterious signs were spotted at the roadside of the Tour de France cheering on Laurent Gina, a rider whose name was not on the start list. CW revealed the signs to be a marketing ploy by soft drink brand Orangina. SAINT PIRAN LOCKOUT Cornwall-based Saint Piran put in a commanding display at the Lancaster GP, winning with Zeb Kyffin and locking out the podium. The next closest rider in fourth crossed the line over five minutes later. AU REVOIR PINOT Fans paid tribute to Thibaut Pinot as he raced through his home region at the Tour de France. The Frenchman’s faithful gathered in their thousands at the ‘Virage Pinot’ (Pinot Bend) on the Petit Ballon and were delighted to see their hero come through first. VAN VLEUTEN…

A monarch’s reign can end in two ways: death or abdication. In the latter, a king or queen renounces their status, and passes on the crown to their heir, typically in an elaborate ceremony. The last British monarch to abdicate was Edward VIII in 1936. However, in the Netherlands, it has become a de facto tradition, dating back two centuries. In fact, only two Dutch kings have ever died on the throne. This August, cycling fans watched in admiration as the latest Dutch monarch abdicated on the streets of Glasgow. Annemiek van Vleuten bowed out in her final World Championships, relinquishing her rainbow jersey, and ceding it to her successor, the Belgian Lotte Kopecky. The final lap around the city was a celebratory one for the 40-year-old. She waved joyfully,…

Fin Graham’s big aim was the C3 individual pursuit, the final of which he fought against his Team GB friend Jaco van Gass. “As I came in for the final, I knew my parents were in the crowd, and I was messaging them going, ‘Where are you? Because when I win, I want to know where to pick the flag up from,’” he says. “I think that was just my way of settling the nerves. You have to look at it and picture the success.” Graham’s confidence was not misplaced. He won by over five seconds, taking his first of two world titles, the other coming in the C3 road race. His spoils helped GB’s para-cycling team top the table with 44 medals. “There were probably only a handful of…

Peter Sagan. Thibaut Pinot. Greg Van Avermaet. Annemiek van Vleuten. These are just some of the weightier names who will not be swinging a leg over their top tubes next season; there are many more who have just slipped away, never to be seen in a professional race again. While there are some stubborn old-timers who refuse to exit stage left – the British trio of Geraint Thomas, Mark Cavendish and Chris Froome to name but three – this feels like the end of the long 2010s, as some of the biggest stars of the past decade move on. Not just the best bike riders, either, but stars whose appeal extended beyond their impressive palmarès, such as Sagan and Pinot. Sagan, a three-time world champion, Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix…

Gino Mäder (1997-2023) Giro d’Italia stage winner Mäder was also a keen environmentalist who cared deeply for the future of the planet and raised thousands of euros for tree-planting charity Justdiggit. Tijl De Decker (2001-2023) The Belgian rider won the under-23 Paris-Roubaix earlier this year. He was due to step up to Lotto-Dstny’s senior team next season. Magnus White (2005-2023) White was a rising star in the US CX and mtb scenes, having raced at national level from the age of 10. Tony Doyle (1958-2023) Former individual pursuit world champion Doyle went on to become race director of the Tour of Britain, and was inducted into the British Cycling Hall of Fame in 2009. Charlie Burton (1929-2023) A devoted husband, Charlie introduced his wife Beryl to cycling, and dedicated his…

NEW KIT FOR INEOS Egan Bernal inadvertently leaked Ineos Grenadiers’s 2024 jersey on his Instagram account, revealing a new commercial partnership with Spanish kit maker GoBik. Bernal swiftly deleted the post, but the damage was done. Ineos went silent while Bioracer – Ineos’s outgoing kit supplier – were more grown-up about the whole affair and told us that it had scaled back its commitments so would no longer work with the team. STRAVA INTRODUCES MESSAGING You can now slide into someone’s DMs on Strava as the fitness app launched a new messaging service for its users. “The introduction of Messaging marks an exciting milestone for Strava,” it said. The service can only be used to message users that follow your individual profile. MORE JOBS AXED AT WIGGLE Wiggle Chain Reaction…

Here at Cycling Weekly we are in the privileged position of getting our hands on the latest and greatest cycling products. Every year, our testers scrutinise hundreds of products when they’re out riding. From former national champions to ex-pros they have decades of experience behind them and test products on roads all around the UK and in Portland, USA. They score products based on form, function, performance and value, but our Gear of the Year – featured over the next 10 pages – goes beyond a star rating. These are the products that we have fallen in love with in 2023 and now can’t do without. Whether they saved us from the freezing cold weather, or have just made us want to ride our bikes more, these are our picks…

Could Sean have excelled at gravel racing? Jesse: Absolutely. He is sadistic – I’ve never met anyone who can go to the extremes that he can. With his performance level, he’d win everything. Sean: I definitely think so. I love extreme events, and I would have been suited to these massive off-road endurance events. How will Sean do in next April’s Traka 360, a world-famous gravel race in Girona, Spain? J: He’ll complete it in over 24 hours. He’ll get some rest at 260km, and crawl to the finish. He needs to learn to drink regularly, though! S: Well, I guarantee no one else with permanent atrioventricular canal defect [a hole in the wall separating the heart’s chambers] will be on the start line! I’ll make sure I get through…

My colleague Anita Bean wrote a piece for the Cycling Weekly website a couple of weeks ago about genetic testing, and how it might help one become a better athlete. She sent a sample of her DNA to a test lab, and got a report back that laid out some of her genetic traits and how they might relate to her ability and potential. Anita discovered that she’s better suited to strength sports than endurance. (With the caveat that while endurance ability was not her strong suit, she would still respond well to endurance training.) She would be expected to build muscle mass relatively easily, and the report noted that she metabolises caffeine faster than average, meaning it would probably help produce better performances. Right now, this sort of testing…

Word has reached me, via an anonymous informant who is sufficiently closely related (by blood) to the star of the story that frankly I’d have been repressing it, not sending it to me. However, the tale is of a rider who read an excellent magazine article about the merits of shorter cranks. Disinclined to actually pay for a pair of shorter cranks, he instead put a pair in his bench vice, and sawed 15mm off each of them. Then he re-drilled a sort-of hole. (It included a bit of the old hole as well, so it was a bit like an '8'.) Then he threaded the hole, and screwed his pedals in. It was a modification that worked perfectly, right up till the moment he attempted to use them.…