Racing

“Ben taking yellow gives you belief that it’s not just a dream”: Darren Rafferty says teammate Ben Healy’s “special” stint leading Tour de France has inspired Irish cycling and “given me a real spark”

“This is the biggest race in the world and to be leading it at the halfway point is no easy feat,” the EF Education-EasyPost rider said

“People, stop giving him sh*t!” Tadej Pogačar calls for calm after Uno-X rider left “terrified” by social media “hate” following world champion’s Tour de France crash

Tobias Halland Johannessen admitted the online reaction to the crash was “very scary”, though Pogačar later dismissed it as a “racing incident” (only for his teammate to tell the Norwegian to “keep the line!”)

Extinction Rebellion protester disrupts Tour de France sprint finish wearing “Israel out of the Tour” shirt

After Tadej Pogačar crashed inside final 5km, the stage eleven finale descended into chaos as a protester opposing Israel-Premier Tech’s participation in the Tour ran on the road as Jonas Abrahamsen and Mauro Schmid were sprinting for victory

“They’re trying to compete with us”: Pro Cycling Stats forced to cover up “cult icon” Tour de France roadside campervan after organisers threaten legal action

PCS’ head claimed that the organisers didn’t want them at the race because ASO was trying to “do as much stats as possible” and the cycling database’s popularity was “bothering” them

“They do this a lot, like they’re the only ones getting bottles”: Fuming Tadej Pogačar tells Visma-Lease a Bike to “pay respect to everybody” after pushing Matteo Jorgenson in Tour de France feed zone clash

Tensions are rising between the Tour’s big two… Where’s Netflix when you need it?

“Cycling is close to its Ayrton Senna moment”: Dan Bigham says “we will have blood on our hands if Pogačar or Van der Poel have a life-changing injury”, branding UCI gear restriction trial a distraction

The Red Bull-Bora head of engineering claims restricting gears will have no impact on race speeds, while calling for race-relevant helmet standards and real safety changes

Knife-wielding man shot and arrested at Tour de France stage finish after suspect stabbed police officer

Prosecutor's statement says police officer uninjured "thanks to his chest protector" and the suspect was "slightly injured" having been shot in the leg and detained

“We narrowly avoided disaster”: Police recover remaining bikes stolen from Cofidis at Tour de France, after team staff found five “dumped in woodland”

French team thanks Tour organisation and police "who did everything possible to find them", after £125,000 worth of Look bikes were stolen from a mechanics' truck during an overnight break in

Two spectators airlifted to hospital after track cyclists crash into crowd at 60km/h during German national championships

Meeting abandoned as 12 people injured, including the two track riders who "flew over the guardrail" during race

Molly Weaver sets new outright British circumnavigation world record, cycling entire 7,700km coastline in 21 days

Previous record beaten by 17 hours as former professional cyclist averages around 350km-a-day and climbs equivalent of eight Everests

Thieves steal 11 Cofidis bikes worth £125,000 at the Tour de France

Value of stolen bikes estimated at around £125,000 as Look reveals King of the Mountains leader Benjamin Thomas was unable to ride a polka dot-decorated 795 Blade RS due to the theft

Chaos as Tour de France riders crash while lunging for King of the Mountains point

Sprint for the line ends in disaster as Cofidis pro takes the single point on offer, but crashes and takes down rival in the process

“£30 to watch adverts… absolute joke”: Cycling fans furious as TNT Sports scraps advert-free feed for Tour de France

Broadcaster inundated with complaints online as UK fans paying £30.99-a-month only given option of main feed with adverts or multi-screen without

“I’d rather not watch than pay £31 for 21 days”: Just 18% of road.cc readers to watch Tour de France on TNT Sports, as UK fans say farewell to ITV’s free-to-air coverage

After 2025 the Tour de France will be broadcast in the UK exclusively on TNT Sports, requiring a £30.99-a-month subscription and ending the summer tradition of free coverage and highlights on ITV

UCI claims riders’ own mistakes are “most common cause” of crashes and outlines plan to trial gear ratio limit, but remains silent on controversial 40cm handlebar proposal

Visma-Lease a Bike boss was one of the few who criticised the UCI’s latest press release, which claimed rider mistakes, attributing to 29% of the reasons for crashes, as the “main contributing factor”

“You’re playing with lives!” Visma-Lease a Bike pro “hit hard” by driver during training ride

Cian Uijtdebroeks, who was planning to make his comeback to racing at the Belgian championships this weekend, suffered no fractures in the crash but warned motorists to “pay attention to vulnerable road users”

UCI issues “further clarification” on new tech rules including controversial 40cm handlebar width… by printing the same changes again, with some diagrams

The governing body says the changes were made following “extensive consultation” with riders, teams, and organisers, and claims the unpopular 40cm bar rule will allow “all athletes” to compete on “high-performance and safe” equipment

Cycling club cleared of liability over time trial collision as High Court judge rules negligent driver solely at fault

Judge rules Ferryhill Wheelers met its duty of care, after driver who seriously injured cyclist in 20mph collision accused club of negligent risk assessment and insufficient signs and marshals

“Cycling faces a crucial turning point”: Thousands sign petition urging UCI to rethink unpopular new 40cm bar rule

Critics argue limiting all riders to 40cm bars "does not account for variety in body types" and may "inadvertently place riders at risk of injury"

Will the UCI be forced into an embarrassing U-turn on narrow handlebar rule? Governing body’s “crazy” one-size-fits-all approach doesn’t make sense, riders say

Let’s be honest – has the UCI stuffed this one up?

“Road racing is more dangerous than mountain biking,” says Tom Pidcock – as fans say “that’s common sense!”

“In mountain biking, you’re more in control of yourself. Whereas on the road, you’ve got 150 blokes you’re relying on not to make you crash,” the double Olympic champion said

Wild unreleased Factor aero bike spotted at Critérium du Dauphiné: mysterious track-inspired bike features huge fork legs and seatstays plus V-shaped stem

Israel–Premier Tech's Jake Stewart rode the unreleased bike to victory on stage five of the Dauphiné. It's unique, it has a prototype sticker, and it's certainly a radical departure from the brand's existing aero road model

Sir Dave Brailsford to step back from Manchester United role to renew focus on cycling, as Geraint Thomas poised to take “senior leadership position” at Ineos Grenadiers

Brailsford is reportedly returning to his previous director of sport role at Ineos as part of Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s latest managerial reshuffle

Simon Yates wins Giro d’Italia after stunning Colle delle Finestre raid

Redemption as British climber adds a second Grand Tour to his palmares, poetically claiming the maglia rosa in the exact way he lost the 2018 Giro, with a long-range attack on the Colle delle Finestre

“Every one of them stolen”: Lance Armstrong poses alongside Tour de France yellow jersey collection for non-alcoholic beer ad – after investing in AI toilet camera start-up (yes, really)

He just can’t help himself, can he?

No more smoke on the peloton? Cycling fan petitions government to ban sale of non-emergency flares, slamming “people choking cyclists with nasty polluting stuff”

“They are polluting, not environmentally friendly, and cyclists who are already on their limits have to inhale the toxic smoke they make,” the fan behind the petition said

Mathieu van der Poel’s Tour de France in doubt after suffering broken wrist and ligament damage in double crash at mountain bike World Cup

Van der Poel’s Alpecin-Deceuninck team have confirmed the former world champion will not take part in an upcoming altitude training camp, while tests later this week will determine whether he will be able to race the Critérium du Dauphiné

All-out aero and a lot of Mars Bars: the bike, tech and nutrition used by Sarah Ruggins to smash the John o’ Groats to Land’s End-and back cycling record

Not many people can claim to have achieved so much on their first ever road bike — here's how Sarah Ruggins broke the 2,700km JOGLEJOG record in a little over five days, with the help of aero overshoes, 100g of carbs an hour and a fair few Mars Bars

Anti-Israel activist charged with assault after “insane” Giro d’Italia protest

According to the local press, a 67-year-old man was arrested and charged with assault and resisting a public official following the protest, which appears to have been directed towards Israel-Premier Tech’s involvement in the race

“What on earth is happening?” Suspected protesters run into Giro d’Italia peloton and attempt to block road during chaotic, crash-marred Naples stage

Two ‘protesters’, who attempted to stretch tape across the road as the race passed before waving a banner, were thwarted by other fans, at the end of a stage previously marred by a mass crash on slippery roads and a brief neutralisation