Our biking — and cyclocross worlds — roundup, main off with Holland’s maintain on Hulst with wins by van der Poel and Model. And as ‘cross winds down, we get to start out questioning: Will Remco threaten Tadej’s management of the peloton? Will EF discover a new sponsor? Will the Dauphiné’s new title stick? Can we sustain with races taking place on three continents? You’ve gotten questions; PEZ has solutions!
TOP STORY
- No Drama, All Domination: van der Poel Coolly Instructions ‘Cross Worlds
RACE NEWS
- It’s Model After All: Girls’s Cyclocross Worlds Report
- And We’re Off! Evenepoel Begins New Section with Two Triumphs
- TDF Group Checklist Introduced: Caja Rural & Q36.5 In, Unibet Rose Rockets Out
- Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes (fka Critérium du Dauphiné) Unveils 2026 Route
- International Spherical-Up: 4 Race Studies from Three Continents
TEAM, RIDER AND CYCLING NEWS
No Drama, All Domination: van der Poel Coolly Instructions ‘Cross Worlds
All of it went as scripted: On a course rumored to have been designed by his father, in his dwelling nation of The Netherlands, Mathieu van der Poel gained a record-breaking eighth World Cyclocross Championships, using superior health, technical near-perfection — and a chill have an effect on all through.
Whereas younger compatriot Tibor Del Grosso seized an preliminary lead, with Belgium’s Thibau Nys hanging intently to the main Dutch duo, van der Poel quickly edged away: No stomping assault this time, simply regular wattage superiority and clear execution on each one of many course’s tough options, together with a pointy, muddy rise that troubled each rider within the discipline — besides van der Poel (a minimum of till the ultimate lap, when the consequence was cinched).
From there it was a race for lesser locations: Van der Poel rode easily, exacting a wider margin with each lap, whereas Del Grosso and Nys traded blows behind, and a chasing group of greater than ten dreamed fruitlessly a couple of podium spot. When van der Poel caught a little bit of air off of an increase that some riders struggled simply to ascend, his victory appeared inevitable.
Nys drew out a small margin forward of Del Grosso on the penultimate lap, however — as has been the case so many instances this season — fell sufferer to technical bobbles and first misplaced the lead, after which misplaced any alternative to vie for the ultimate dash. Del Grosso’s second-place end meant a 1-2 consequence for the Netherlands, and for Alpecin-Premier Tech. Behind, Spaniard (and eTrashMike fave) Felipe Orts Lloret made a go at distancing the chasers, however was in the end caught and completed in seventh place.
So: the place to from right here for van der Poel? He has urged that with a file eighth Worlds win in his palmarès, he would retire from cyclocross. Perhaps go all-in on spring classics and cracking Pogačar’s maintain on Flanders and Liège? Chase the Inexperienced Jersey — and even Grand Tour GC rivalry? Lastly win a world-class mountain bike race? Work on the golf sport?
Judging by the submit under, for now, van der Poel is simply having fun with his standing because the GCROAT — the Best Cyclocross Racer Of All Time.
Ultimate Outcomes
RACE NEWS
It’s Model After All: Girls’s Cyclocross Worlds Report
This season in ladies’s cyclocross traced an arc: Early, constant dominance by Lucinda Model, then chinks showing in her armor as she did not win — and even to podium — in late-season races, all resulting in suspense within the run-up to the World Championships in Model’s native Holland: would fatigue or frustration hold her from the highest step?
In the long run, the suspense was for nought: Model rode a strong and technically superior race, navigating the Hulst course’s challenges imperfectly, however much more easily than her rivals.
The Dutch champion claimed her third elite world title, exorcising any doubts about her late-season kind with a commanding efficiency on dwelling soil. Model’s expertise and tactical acumen proved decisive on the demanding circuit, the place technical precision separated podium finishers from also-rans.
Dutch compatriot Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado, who mustered late-season success by constantly displaying late-race velocity, gave Model her strongest check, at one level overtaking her after a lap-seven spill. However Model reclaimed the lead and constructed a margin vast sufficient to cease and hoist her bike overhead on the end. Puck Pieterse accomplished an all-Netherlands podium, having initially led the race and showing very sturdy, solely to fall very closely on a muddy bend.
Alvarado fought to remain shut.
Actually, the race noticed many mishaps, together with tumbles from each Model and Pieterse, a barriers-bumble from Manon Bakker, and even a dustup between two riders: Late within the race, Marion Norbert Riberolle and Kristýna Zemanová crashed collectively in a slippery nook. As they acquired up, Zemanová moved to retrieve her bike, and Norbert Riberolle turned away from her personal bike and used each arms to shove Zemanová in the midst of the course. Upon listening to that she had been disqualified, Norbert Riberolle dismounted, sat on the bottom, and cried.
The victory provides one other rainbow jersey to Model’s palmarès and confirms her standing within the cyclocross pantheon. In the meantime, throughout the elite males’s races, Dutch riders earned 5 of the six podium spots — of their dwelling nation.
Let’s hope that Wout van Aert continues to heal rapidly, and enjoys a profitable classics season, as a result of Belgian biking followers are not glad…
And We’re Off! Evenepoel Begins New Section with Two Triumphs
…besides: one other Belgian biking savior might have re-arrived: Remco Evenepoel christened his first season with Pink Bull-BORA-hansgrohe in emphatic — if certified — vogue, claiming back-to-back victories on the Problem Mallorca. The Belgian first led his new workforce to victory in Thursday’s Trofeo Ses Salines workforce time trial earlier than delivering a commanding solo efficiency over a diluted discipline at Friday’s Trofeo Serra Tramuntana.
Within the 26-kilometer workforce time trial, Pink Bull-BORA-hansgrohe executed their technique cleanly, overcoming a two-second deficit on the midway level to defeat Movistar by simply 4 seconds. Evenepoel and his teammates carried out “fairly near perfection,” making their decisive transfer on the headwind-affected return leg.
The next day, the world time trial champion unleashed a classic efficiency at Serra Tramuntana, attacking with 55 kilometers remaining and soloing to victory by over 90 seconds. The double Olympic champion struck on the Coll de Soller climb earlier than constructing a two-minute benefit by way of his distinctive time-trialing talents.
Notably, the Serra Tramuntana discipline lacked top-tier competitors, with no different Tour de France contenders — and even probably stage win contenders — current. Nonetheless, securing his 68th profession win at simply 26 demonstrates that Evenepoel is on monitor forward of February’s UAE Tour — and judging from his end line and interview demeanor, Remco will gladly take the Ws.
TDF Group Checklist Introduced: Caja Rural & Q36.5 In, Unibet Rose Rockets Out
Tour de France organizer ASO has introduced the 23 groups that may compete within the 2026 version of biking’s most prestigious race on Friday morning. The lineup consists of all 18 WorldTour groups plus 5 ProTeams.
The three top-performing ProTeams from 2025—Cofidis, Tudor, and Pinarello-Q36.5—earned computerized qualification primarily based on UCI factors. ASO awarded the remaining two wildcard invites to Spain’s Caja Rural Seguros RGA and France’s TotalEnergies.
The announcement marks a historic second for Caja Rural, which can make its Tour de France debut when the race begins in Barcelona on July 4. The Spanish squad’s inclusion provides the race a second Spanish workforce alongside Movistar.
Pinarello-Q36.5’s choice means British star Tom Pidcock is predicted to return to the Tour after lacking the 2025 version. The workforce’s common supervisor, Doug Ryder, stated being on the Tour for the primary time represents “a second of nice pleasure for everybody concerned within the challenge.”
Tudor’s presence on the beginning listing suggests former world champion Julian Alaphilippe may even return to compete on the French Grand Tour.
Essentially the most notable omission from the workforce listing is Unibet Rose Rockets, which had been extensively tipped to obtain a wildcard invitation. Group founder Bas Tietema acknowledged the frustration however remained optimistic in a video message to followers: “The Tour de France is and can all the time be our dream race. So please, hold dreaming with us.”
Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes (fka Critérium du Dauphiné) Unveils 2026 Route
The newly rebranded Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, previously the Critérium du Dauphiné, will sort out 1,200 kilometers throughout its host area from June 7-14, 2026. Beginning in Vizille and concluding atop Plateau de Solaison, the eight-stage race gives numerous terrain that may check riders throughout sprints, time trials, and demanding mountain finishes.
The opening stage between Vizille and Saint-Ismier honors French biking legends Thierry Claveyrolat and Bernard Thévenet, that includes the difficult Côte de Saint-Jean-le-Vieux (5.6km at 8.7%). Stage two stretches 237.3 kilometers to Le Puy-en-Velay, whereas sprinters will goal victories in Montrond-les-Bains and Villars-les-Dombes.
An important 28.4-kilometer workforce time trial in Perreux serves as preparation for the Tour de France’s Grand Départ in Barcelona, using the format examined at Paris-Good the place groups race collectively however instances depend individually.
The race’s decisive moments arrive throughout three summit finishes. Riders face new climbs at Saint-Héry d’Ugine and Crest-Voland earlier than conquering the Grand Colombier by way of the brutal Virieu-le-Petit slope (8.4km at 10.2%). The ultimate stage delivers a spectacular end at Plateau de Solaison (11.3km at 9.1%), the identical climb that may host a Tour de France stage simply weeks later.
International Spherical-Up: 4 Race Studies from Three Continents
Earlier than we attain true Classics season with Omloop on February 28, riders are scattered throughout the globe, racing in “1.1” races and different buildup occasions. Right here’s a rundown from 4 such races final week:
AlUla Tour
Jan Christen delivered a shocking late assault on the ultimate stage to assert his first-ever common classification victory on the AlUla Tour in Saudi Arabia; with considered one of its “lesser” riders already successful, this season is shaping as much as be one other profitable one for UAE Group Emirates-XRG. The 21-year-old Swiss rider began the ultimate stage 14th general, 33 seconds behind race chief Yannis Voisard, however attacked shortly after the summit of Harrat Uwayrid and soloed to victory. Christen gained the general title by 15 seconds over Sergio Higuita with Igor Arrieta finishing the rostrum in third. The audacious transfer within the last 10 kilometers sealed each the stage win and general classification.
Grand Prix Cycliste de Marseille La Marseillaise
It was nice to see sprinter-of-the-past Bryan Coquard atop the rostrum as soon as once more, after successful this French opener. With a much less selective course that favored sprinters, Cofidis teammates Clément Izquierdo and Alexis Renard led out Coquard completely for the dash end on Boulevard Michelet. Driving in his dwelling nation, Coquard edged out Steffen De Schuyteneer of Lotto-Intermarché and Alex Molenaar of Caja Rural-Seguros RGA. The victory marked Coquard’s 54th profession win and his first at La Marseillaise.
Trofeo Palma
Pink Bull-BORA-hansgrohe capped off a dominant week on the Problem Mallorca with Arne Marit successful the Trofeo Palma dash, the workforce’s fourth victory in 5 races. The Belgian rider, competing in his first race for his new workforce after three seasons with Intermarché, outsprinted Max Kanter and teammate Alessio Magagnotti. A crash within the last nook modified the dash dynamics, permitting Marit to make a fast tactical determination and launch his effort 300 meters from the end. The win was solely the second of the 27-year-old’s profession, ending a five-year victory drought.
Cadel Evans Nice Ocean Race
2026 has a revelation already: Tobias Lund Andresen outsprinted Matthew Brennan —final 12 months’s rider-on-the-rise — to win the Cadel Evans Nice Ocean Street Race. From a decreased group after 183 kilometers round Geelong, the 23-year-old Dane ran down Brennan within the last stretch alongside Geelong’s Esplanade, with Australia’s Brady Gilmore taking third. Brennan had launched his dash with 300 meters remaining, however Andresen timed his effort completely to catch and move the British rider. The victory capped a profitable Australian marketing campaign for Andresen, who had additionally gained a stage on the Tour Down Beneath.
TEAM, RIDER AND CYCLING NEWS
EF Professional Biking Seeks Title Associate to Broaden Sources
EF Professional Biking has introduced it’s opening a title partnership place for the primary time in its historical past. Schooling First (EF) will preserve its position as workforce proprietor and anchor accomplice with unchanged funding ranges, whereas the brand new title accomplice would offer extra sources to assist the workforce compete with biking’s largest budgets.
The workforce has outlined bold targets together with successful the Tour de France Femmes inside three years and capturing each males’s and ladies’s Excursions de France inside a decade utilizing riders developed by way of its system.
Group CEO Jonathan Vaughters famous the association is unusual in skilled biking, with EF persevering with its long-term dedication whereas inviting a further main accomplice purely to strengthen the workforce’s aggressive place.
Since EF’s 2017 acquisition, the workforce has maintained constant efficiency on the bike whereas constructing considered one of skilled biking’s most engaged digital platforms. In line with Nielsen Analytics, the workforce ranks among the many sport’s leaders in social media engagement and delivers sturdy return on funding for title companions.
Key riders together with Ben Healy, World Street Race Champion Magdeleine Vallieres, double-Olympic gold medal winner Kristen Faulkner, Richard Carapaz, and Neilson Powless have signed long-term contract extensions. The workforce, based in 2003, has gained monuments, Olympic medals, world championships, and a grand tour.
British Biking Publicizes 2026 Elite Growth Groups
As a part of its ongoing effort to develop new generations of world-class cyclists, British Biking has named its 2026 Growth Groups.
In line with British Biking, “These groups proceed to play an important position in nurturing younger expertise and growing the subsequent technology {of professional} riders. By means of devoted assist, structured race programmes, and revolutionary improvement initiatives, these groups present the proper platform for riders to develop, compete, and succeed on the nationwide and worldwide stage.”
First launched in 2021, this system’s Elite Growth Group standing bridges the hole from membership groups to UCI Continental degree. Every workforce is assured eight rider entries into all Nationwide Street Collection and Nationwide Circuit Collection races, supplied promotion of their social media channels and workforce web sites on the British Biking web site, and obtain assist within the type of training and coaching workshops.
The Elite Growth program consists of eight males’s groups, and 4 ladies’s squads.
Canada Opens World-Class Velodrome in Edmonton
The Alberta Velodrome at Coronation Park formally opened January 27, 2026, changing into Canada’s latest UCI-certified indoor monitor and considered one of North America’s most superior biking amenities. Situated inside Edmonton’s 16,600-square-metre Coronation Park Sports activities and Recreation Centre, the velodrome will host the 2026 Canadian Observe Championships and strengthen Canada’s high-performance athletic pathway.
“This represents a transformational funding in Canadian biking,” stated Biking Canada CEO Mathieu Boucher, emphasizing the ability’s position from grassroots participation to elite competitors.
The placing elliptical advanced, designed by FaulknerBrowns with hcma and Dub Architects, has earned worldwide recognition together with a WAF Future Initiatives Award. Positioned above floor degree, the monitor gives dramatic views of cyclists reaching 80 km/h.
Olympic medalist Kelsey Mitchell praised the ability as “an enormous step” for biking and future athletes. The velodrome expands year-round Western Canadian entry whereas remaining open to neighborhood riders, golf equipment, and colleges.
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Simply in time for the highway season — let’s look again at Richard’s first-look evaluate of the newest in Pinarello’s F-Collection.
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