Innehållsförteckning för January 2, 2026 från Cycling Weekly

We might be two days into 2026 and still feeling the after-effects of some Christmas excess, but that doesn’t mean 2025 has been completely forgotten. In many ways it was a pivotal year for the sport as behind-the-scenes decisions were made that will shape the sport in future years. Out on the road, however, it was a case of more of the same from the sport’s biggest names. The question is, how much can you remember? Test your 2025 cycling knowledge with our quiz. If you need some help, cast your mind back two weeks to our review of the year issue. For the answers, turn the page. 1 When was the Tour de France first aired on ITV? 2 Which race did UNO-X’s Søren Wærenskjold boycott? 3 At what…

Someone invent the dropper post of stems so a rider can adjust the length in real-time. Wait, did I just invent it? Robert Ashton I’ve got a 120mm stem. Never had an issue, even going down the hill at Nürburgring at ridiculous speeds. Anything more than 120mm and you should get a bigger frame. Simon Tuck We have been using long stems in road racing for many, many years. Most old-school cyclists I know who raced in the ’90s or early 2000s, the first thing they do with a new bike is to fit a 12 or 13cm stem. Sergio Ibañez Rodriguez Pro riders quite often use the smallest frame size possible, thus requiring a long stem. John Chun Everyone wants to be like the pros. They run massive stems…

As cyclists, we all search for every possible way to maximise performance. Aero gains, short cranks, 120g/hr of carbs, all of these have been pursued with the aim of boosting performance by professionals and amateurs alike. But in recent years, a new variable has come into focus. I’m talking about pedal stack height. What is pedal stack and why does it matter? Pedal stack is the height from the centre of the pedal spindle to your foot. This combines the pedal spindle itself, the pedal body, cleat, sole of the shoe, and your insole. All of these together make the total stack height for the pedal system. The brand Q36.5, which has teamed up with SRM to create a low-stack shoe, pedal and cleat combo, states that the ‘latest studies…

Britain’s Maurice Burton chats with fellow racers at the Texas Instruments Grand Prix in Copenhagen, Denmark, in 1978. The image shows (l-r) Paul Medhurst, Cees Stam, Burton, Wilfried Peffgen and Patrick Sercu as they wait for the start of the race. Burton, who became Britain’s first black cycling champion in 1974 when he won the national 20km track title, has talked extensively about the racism he was subjected to during his career. In fact he was booed on the very occasion of that first championship win. But he has picked out Belgian star Sercu as one of the riders who “saw me as another human being, a bike rider, not a black man”. Burton, now 70, continues to work in cycling, having been the owner of De Ver Cycles in…

Internet breaking Ineos Grenadiers’ new kit is bold, with orange and white on the jersey, but it’s the ‘light grey’ shorts that everyone is talking about. The Classics could be interesting, if they’re wet and muddy. Israel no more NSN Cycling, the team formerly known as Israel-Premier Tech, has a new name, new bikes in Scott, and a new kit. The light blue and orange number is striking, but could blend in too. Lights up Canyon-SRAM zondacrypto have a habit of producing stand-out kits, and their jersey for 2026 is no different. It’s called Luminous, and goes from purple to blue, via pink and red. Tidal power Former world champion Lotte Kopecky is back in trade team kit in 2026, and fortunately, SD Worx-Protime have produced a good-looking jersey. Here,…

So it’s that time of year again, the first proper training camp. And for me, the first training camp with my new team, which means there are lots of new faces and names to remember. As a new rider, everyone knows my name, but that makes it even more awkward as I have to keep asking, ‘So who are you again?’ I’ve got all the riders’ names down now, but that’s not too difficult as I’ve raced with most of them at some point. However, there were still a few staff members I struggled to remember. There are five Brits on the team, two Aussies, two Irish guys, plus a Canadian. That’s more English speakers than I’m used to, which makes it easier to settle in. It almost felt like…

Dry January? Not a chance. While the country’s lightweights are swearing off booze for the new year, the Thinking Drinkers – Ben McFarland and Tom Sandham – are doubling down on their mission to save the British pub. Over the summer they rode the length of the country on a tandem, relying solely on pubs for shelter, sustenance and of course beverages. Here, they explain why bikes and beer belong together – and why Britain’s beleaguered boozers urgently need our support. Why cyclists should go to the pub Since 2000, the UK has lost a quarter of its ‘locals’ and, facing a host of economic headwinds and hardships, the number of British boozers continues to shrink quicker than a crisp packet in a roaring open fire. The costs of running…

Scribe has launched a new range of high-spec Élan Ultras, with a total system weight of just 1,289g for the 65mm model and 1,100g for the 50mm model. Alongside the Élan Ultras, Scribe is also launching a more affordable Ultra Core range with aero steel spokes, but the same profiles and rim architecture. The Ultra range delivers in two popular rim depths: 50mm and 65mm. While both wheelsets are impressively light, the Élan Ultra 5 comes in at a staggeringly low 1,149g - the Élan Ultra 6 tips the scales at 1,289g. Both use a new OSL8 carbon spoke featuring a new wavy design. The new spoke measures 5.7mm wide and oscillates left to right, hence the name ‘OSL8’. Scribe’s wind tunnel testing suggests these are the fastest bladed spokes…

The days are short, the temperatures low and the skies more often grey than blue – but winter riding doesn’t have to be a grind. With the right approach, the coldest months can become some of the most rewarding, and the training you bank now will set up every mile of your spring and summer riding. Cycling Weekly spoke to five current and former pros who have spent countless winters toughing it out on UK roads. Their tips, tricks and hard-earned habits will help you turn winter riding from something to suffer through into something you genuinely enjoy. Pessimism pays off – layer up We’ve all done it: stepped out on a chilly morning wearing less than we should because the forecast promised warmer hours ahead. More often than not,…

By the early 1980s, Motobécane was one of France’s old guard. Like its compatriots Peugeot, Gitane, and Mercier, its bikes were still winning numerous races, but its glory days were numbered. None of these iconic brands survived the decade, driven to extinction by overseas competition and the incoming tide of new-fangled carbon-fibre. French component manufacturers Simplex, Huret, Mafac and Maillard suffered a similar fate, heralding the end of a grand French era for cycling brands. Fortunately, such strife was too distant in the future to trouble Jean-Luc Vandenbroucke, as he won prologue after prologue for La Redoute–Motobécane between 1980 and 1983. This large yet lithe beauty, a size 60cm 1981 model, was his ride midway through his stint with the team. “It’s so wonderfully Gallic,” says current owner Richard Hoddinott…

Agroup of 29 young British cyclists - 27 men and two women-have been chosen for Rayner Foundation funding for 2026. The charity, now in its 31st year, supports young Brits hoping to forge a racing career abroad, and is named after the late Dave Rayner. Many former recipients have gone on to have professional racing careers and win the biggest bike races, from David Millar to Matthew Brennan. The riders will mostly ride for club teams in France, while others are in Belgium, Germany, Spain and Italy. Some are on WorldTour development squads, such as Mattie Dodd at Ineos Grenadiers Racing Academy, and Awen Roberts at Canyon//SRAM zondacrypto Development. “27 MEN AND TWO WOMEN HAVE BEEN CHOSEN” However, the point remains the same: Rayner funding helps these riders live and…

For the first time in a decade, Lizzie Holden is beginning the year not as a professional cyclist, after a fear of crashing ended her career late last season. The Manx rider, who rode for UAE Team ADQ for the past three seasons, suffered a frustrating 2025 season that was beset by illnesses and injuries, and she came to the conclusion in the autumn that her racing days were over. National time trial champion in 2023, the 28-year-old spent all of her career working as a loyal domestique, having made her initial breakthrough with Drops in 2017. She spent four years with the British team, as well as two with Spanish team Bizkaia Durango. “I had glandular fever at the start of 2024 and it was taking a really long…

At the top end, Britain has never been better represented: in 2025, 50 riders – 32 men and 18 women – raced for WorldTour teams. On the men’s side, a further 20 riders competed at second-division ProTeam level. The British riders often forgotten, though, are those racing at far below the WorldTour – without TV cameras, crowds or salaries – in UCI Continental and elite club teams. Why, you might ask, do they do it? The racing is taken no less seriously at this level; just like their WorldTour counterparts, the riders train 20-plus hours a week, turn themselves inside-out to get faster, and travel long distances to UCI races – despite earning absolutely nothing. There is no prize money to speak of, no coverage, barely even a results sheet…

Ribble has forged a reputation for producing quality gravel bikes. Since the AL was released in 2021, refinements have been, made and now the British marque provides rough-riding steeds for the Ribble Outliers team, whose roster includes Sophie Wright and Jenson Young – both big hitters in the international gravel scene. While the pros ply their trade on the highly race-focused UltraGrit, I was given the opportunity to try the AllGrit Ti X at the National Gravel Championships in Dalby Forest this year, where I rode both the time trial and the 120km race. I’ve also taken the bike out for a 100-mile spin on the road, given it a workout on Salisbury Plain and loaded it up with a full complement of cycling luggage. The term jack of all…

Until the 1968 Olympics took place in Mexico City, at over 2,000m altitude, cycling hadn’t paid very much attention to the whole idea of elevation other than to note that long, steep climbs are very difficult and the further up you go, the harder it gets. Essentially, until 1968, no one had really done a flat, timed race up a mountain. I mean, why would they? In Mexico City, on the track the kilo and individual pursuit records were demolished. On the road, the 100km team time trial was rattled off at an unprecedented pace, even if there was no actual record for it. Runners and swimmers might have struggled in the thin air, but for cyclists it was an exciting new frontier in free speed. Ole Ritter broke the…