Plenty of questions and few answers in Vuelta's first setpiece GC battle

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The Vuelta a España's first summit finish on Wednesday has seen Miguel Angel Lopez and his Astana team regain the upper hand in the GC battle, but it is far too soon and his lead is far too precarious for the Colombian to be called the definitive favourite.

So much has happened since the Vuelta a España kicked off that it feels far longer than five days since the riders rolled down the opening team time trial ramp in Torrevieja's salt mountains last Saturday.

But in fact, there are still seven of the race's eight summit finishes left to come, plus a major time trial. And even on rolling stages like Sunday's stage 2, which could have – maybe – ended in a reduced-bunch sprint, there was far more GC action than anticipated.

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After five stages and a rasping attack on the race's summit finish of Javalambre, Lopez holds the red jersey by a slender margin of 14 seconds over Primoz Roglic (Jumbo-Visma).

Perhaps more importantly, his margin of 12 seconds on Roglic and Spanish veteran Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) gained in four kilometres on Javalambre was, by his admission, "not much" – particularly for an out-and-out climber like the Colombian on what was, in theory, very favourable terrain.

The GC pendulum could, in other words, swing back easily in favour of Roglic or the other overall contenders, and even if Thursday's grinding final third-category ascent to Ares de Maestrat hardly looks like an opportunity to ambush Lopez, the relentlessly difficult terrain through the sierras of Teruel and Valencia that precedes it could see some serious challenges or ambushes emerge.

You can read more at Cyclingnews.com

via Cyclingnews Latest Interviews and Features http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/plenty-of-questions-and-few-answers-in-vueltas-first-setpiece-gc-battle

Technical TTT kicks off 2019 Vuelta a Espana - Preview

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The 2019 Vuelta a España’s opening team time trial in Torrevieja is only 13.4 kilometres long, but with technical sections, possible coastal crosswinds and a ‘hidden’ uphill segment, there are plenty of challenges for the race’s 22 squads.

The Vuelta has started its recent opening time trials on a beach, outside an art museum and even on a giant batea - a raft in Galicia for growing oysters - so it’s possibly no surprise that Saturday’s start location is equally unusual: the edge of a salt lagoon.

A quarter of Spain’s salt comes from Torrevieja, the start town, and one of the stranger features of its 800-year-old industry is that the lagoons where the salt evaporates shine pink and blue because of the minerals they contain.

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The Vuelta’s opening team time trial rapidly moves away from a lagoon, however (for the record this one shines pink) and gets down to cycling business as usual after crossing under a busy A-road on a flat and fairly straight access road leading away from the salt-processing buildings.

After about a kilometre, the course turns left at a crossroads into the town itself for the rest of a completely urban route that snakes through Torrevieja in a shape similar, barring a couple of wiggles at the beginning and end, to a stretched out, upside-down letter ‘U’.

The first segment of the ‘U’, heads north through the more modern areas of Torrevieja and is about seven kilometres long on fairly broad, well-surfaced road.

There are two sharp right-angle turns on this opening section as it rolls past an unremarkable, never ending stream of small shops and other businesses. The first takes the course hard left after two kilometres onto a wider avenue. However, the first big landmark of the TTT comes before the road angles back right and broadens out onto a lengthy, steady climb.

Cross-wind battles

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Viviani: I'm convinced I can repeat the same results at Cofidis

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Elia Viviani never seems to stop. The newly crowned European champion’s road campaign may be winding down at the EuroEyes Cyclassics in Hamburg and the Bretagne Classic over the next two weekends, but the curtain won't fall on his 2019 season until November at the earliest. The demands of qualifying to defend his omnium title at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics have it so.

It has ever been thus. One season can easily bleed into the next for a man who toggles between road and track, but Viviani appears to know no other way of existing.

He has already had a busy August. A week after completing the Tour de France, he landed the RideLondon Classic. Seven days after that, he claimed victory in the European Championships in Alkmaar. In between, he confirmed his imminent transfer to Cofidis. All in a month’s work, and there are still miles to ride and promises to keep before he finishes his tenure at Deceuninck-QuickStep.

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"I’m trying to hang tough now and keep my Tour condition going for these last two races," Viviani tells Cyclingnews. "Then after a short rest, I’ll be focusing on the track."

Whatever happens in the coming two weeks, Viviani’s road season is already a success thanks to that European title and the maiden Tour stage victory that preceded it. For a sustained spell in May and June, however, Viviani’s year wore a different mien. If it was one thing to start the Giro d’Italia with fewer wins under his belt than at the same point in 2018, it was quite another to come away from this year’s corsa rosa with no victories at all.

In public, he wore his dissatisfaction with as much good grace as he could muster, keeping his counsel when the commissaires stripped him of victory in Orbetello, and then praising the speed of Arnaud Démare and Pascal Ackermann when he fell short thereafter. In private, his disappointment was more acute. Viviani was in the process of negotiating his 2020 contract and, suddenly, there was no guarantee that he would even make Deceuninck-QuickStep’s Tour de France squad.

Moving to Cofidis

The road to Tokyo

You can read more at Cyclingnews.com

via Cyclingnews Latest Interviews and Features http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/viviani-im-convinced-i-can-repeat-the-same-results-at-cofidis

The Musette: retro kit, tan sidewalls and more

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The Musette is Cyclingnews’ weekly look at some of the world’s best cycling gear. We’ll take a look at pro-level equipment, bikes and components, alongside some of the most desirable clothing and newest accessories in the sport.

Scroll down for this week’s look at dhb's affordable carbon fibre road shoes, a retro jersey that honours the 30th anniversary of Greg LeMond's 1989 Tour de France victory, a new pair of tan-walled performance tyres from Hutchinson and a simple way to keep your dirty bike away from your clean carpets.

dhb Dorica carbon road shoes

The dhb Dorica shoes might be an mid-level offering in the dhb shoe range - a step up from their entry level nylon-soled Dorica - but they have an undeniable high-end look and feel about them thanks to their classically styled, lace-up construction and minimalist design.

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Hundreds of small ventilation holes run the length of the synthetic upper, across the tongue, and on either side of the ankle, and there are a further three mesh-covered vents built into the sole.

The sole itself is made from carbon fibre which is stiff, yet pliant enough to accommodate those with delicate feet. The full carbon 3K weave also really helps to complement the Dorica's premium aesthetics.

• The best road cycling shoes available today

 

ADR / Agrigel / Bottecchia replica jersey

• The best road cycling jerseys available today

Hutchinson Fusion 5 Performance 11Storm tyres

• The best road tyres available today

 

Velosock indoor bike cover

 

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10 riders to watch at the 2019 Vuelta a Espana

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With just one day to go until the 2019 Vuelta a España gets under way in Salinas de Torrevieja, Cyclingnews takes a look at ten riders to watch at this year's race.

We've already ranked the biggest favourites for the overall victory, but with 176 riders taking the start on Saturday, there will be far more than just the general classification to track over the next three weeks. From sprinters and stage hunters, to climbing specialists and a number of promising young riders, there are plenty of intriguing names to follow. Here are ten of them to keep an eye on at the final Grand Tour of 2019. 

Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates)

There should be no real pressure or expectation on a 20-year-old starting his first Grand Tour. And yet… so good has Tadej Pogačar been in his neo-pro season, it's difficult not to get a little excited.

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After winning the Tour de l'Avenir last year, the Slovenian has made the jump to WorldTour level seem like the smallest of baby steps. A stage win and the overall title at the Volta ao Algarve in February was followed in May by a stage and the overall at the Tour of California in May, while his sixth-place finish at the Tour of the Basque Country, widely regarded as one of the hardest week-long stage races, was a remarkable result in its own right.

The Tour de l'Avenir title comes with a degree of expectation and attention, but that has now been taken to new levels. As such, it's only natural to wonder if the usual Grand Tour debutant's mantra of being 'there to learn' applies to Pogačar. Fabio Aru is the nominal team leader at UAE, but it's still not clear if he's back to his old self after his artery surgery, and Pogačar could emerge as something more than a mere understudy, and we could learn more about his potential as a Grand Tour rider than anticipated.

UAE's own team manager Joxean 'Matxin' Fernandez summed it up neatly recently: "The choice was also made that the talented Tadej Pogačar would make his debut after proving this year that he is not only a contender for the future, but for the present, too."

Sam Bennett (Bora-Hansgrohe)

Daniel Martínez (EF Education First)

Tao Geoghegan Hart (Team Ineos)

Alejandro Valverde (Movistar)

Óscar Rodríguez (Euskadi Basque Country-Murias)

Pierre Latour (AG2R La Mondiale)

Louis Meintjes (Dimension Data)

Sepp Kuss (Jumbo-Visma)

Thomas De Gendt (Lotto Soudal)

You can read more at Cyclingnews.com

via Cyclingnews Latest Interviews and Features http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/10-riders-to-watch-at-the-2019-vuelta-a-espana

Dygert-Owen: Aiming for the next six Olympic Games

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Chloe Dygert-Owen (Sho-Air Twenty20) has fully recovered from a concussion and knee injury that sidelined her from competition for almost a year. In an interview with Cyclingnews, the multi-discipline athlete said she's feeling better than ever after winning performances in the time trial and team pursuit at the Pan American Games. She proved as much, once again, winning the opening stage at the Colorado Classic on Thursday. She is also thinking longterm about her career and aiming to attempt selection to the next six Olympic Games.

"It was good for me to go to Pan Ams, even just for the track, because I haven't raced in a long time," Dygert-Owen said in a phone interview with Cyclingnews ahead of the Colorado Classic. "Being on the track again gave me a lot of motivation. Having a good ride in the time trial gave me some confidence, too. It gets harder and harder to come back from injuries. This was the longest recovery that I've ever had to deal with, but I think I'm finally getting there. It's looking positive."

Dygert-Owen has a degenerative back injury that she said causes the vertebrae of her spine to feel like they are grinding. She said there is nothing she can do to fix the problem other than to make sure that she's as comfortable as possible on her bike. She also has ongoing hip and knee pain. She suffered a serious concussion at the Tour of California last year after being involved in a crash, which took her nearly a year to recover from.

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"The knee issue and the concussion were what kept me from going to Worlds last year, and I missed the entire track season," Dygert-Owen said. "My effort at the Pan Am Games has probably been one of the best efforts that I've had since before the concussion.

"It's safe to say that, it's been over a year, but with the track training for Pan Ams, my strength is finally coming back. I'm not 100 per cent, but it was really exciting to be able to look at it and say, 'Wow, my body is actually recovering, and I'm doing what I should be doing again.' For a long time it was really frustrating looking down at my calendar and being so many watts off, so it's satisfying to see all the training coming together."

Dygert-Owen secured double world titles in the junior time trial and road race at the World Championships in Richmond in 2015. In the elite ranks, she was fourth in the time trial at the World Championships in Bergen in 2017. On the track, Dygert-Owen has won five gold medals in combined Individual Pursuit and Team Pursuit events at the World Championships, and a silver medal in the Team Pursuit at the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro in 2016.

Racing for Kelly Catlin

Yorkshire Worlds and Tokyo Olympics

You can read more at Cyclingnews.com

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Once Upon a Time in the West: Inga Thompson's South American adventure

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Although there remains a lot of work to be done in providing women's racing with the same opportunities as the men, the sport has come a long way in equality from its early days, when an openly chauvinistic attitude toward female athletes saw women riders treated as a novelty or shunned from participation completely. While that attitude still exists in some quarters of the sport, momentum is building among the voices trying to quash it.

For women racing in the 1980s and early 1990s, however, competing in the boys' club could be like stepping into a '70s spaghetti western, where rules were fluid, deals were never certain, alliances changed quickly, and friends of the moment could be hard to find when things got rough.

That's the world that American and three-time Olympian Inga Thompson found herself in when she ventured to Argentina in 1991 with a teammate, their sketchy Russian director, and too much competitiveness for a local race promoter's comfort.

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Same as it ever was

To say the structure of cycling and race schedules was a tad bit looser in the early 1990s would be an understatement of epic proportions; opportunities for women could be almost non-existent at times on the calendar. So Thompson and teammate Marion Clignet travelled far afield looking for competition that would allow them to keep their fitness high and hone their pack skills.

That's how they found themselves in South America in the winter of 1991, racing with large fields in men's races that challenged their racing abilities and nerve – and not just on the bike. Everyday was an adventure, and sometimes the racing was interesting, too.

Thompson and Clignet got a taste of how fast things could go sideways during one trip while travelling through Argentina from one race to another.  A simple border crossing quickly turned complicated when the pair were stopped by a group of border patrol officers who promptly put them in a sod jail and demanded ransom.

And you may find yourself...

Letting the days go by

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via Cyclingnews Latest Interviews and Features http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/once-upon-a-time-in-the-west-inga-thompsons-south-american-adventure

Colorado Classic 2019 - Start List

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Vuelta a Espana 2019: 5 key stages

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Anything can happen on any given day at the Vuelta a España, making it the most unpredictable and so often most dramatic of the three Grand Tours.

This year, there is ample room for invention on the long road that links the opening team time trial in Torrevieja on Saturday with the concluding procession in Madrid on September 15.

Ahead of the Vuelta, Cyclingnews casts an eye over five stages that might weigh particularly heavily on the final result. 

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Stage 5: L'Eliana - Observatorio Astrofísico de Javalambre, 170.7km

Unlike the Giro d’Italia or the Tour de France, the Vuelta a España tends to start off with a rather nebulous list of favourites. By this point of the season, riders of lofty reputation and ability can understandably fall prey to deficits of motivation and freshness, allowing room for some rather left-field contenders – and winners – to emerge.

Thus, while the Vuelta organisation has invited a selection of favourites to its 'top rider' press conference on Thursday – for the record: Alejandro Valverde, Richard Carapaz, Nairo Quintana (Movistar), Esteban Chaves (Mitchelton-Scott), Primož Roglič, Steven Kruijswijk (Jumbo-Visma), Miguel Ángel López and Jakob Fuglsang (Astana Pro Team) – there are no guarantees that all of this octet will be competitive across the three weeks of the Vuelta. And that adds an interesting twist to the race.

Wednesday’s first summit finish at the Observatorio Astrofísico de Javalambre is where the fog should begin to dissipate. A mountain stage this early in the Vuelta may well catch out any riders who arrive in Spain still lacking in condition.

Stage 9: Andorra la Vella - Cortals d'Encamp, 94.4km

Stage 10, Jurançon - Pau, 36.2km Individual time trial

Stage 13, Bilbao - Los Machucos, 166.4km

Stage 18, Colmenar Viejo - Becerril de la Sierra, 177.5km

You can read more at Cyclingnews.com

via Cyclingnews Latest Interviews and Features http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/vuelta-a-espana-2019-5-key-stages

2019 Tour of Denmark start list

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Best road bike deals for August 2019

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Searching for a good road bike deal can be a long and laborious internet-trawling process. New deals appear all the time and stock is generally limited, so by the time you're ready to make a purchase, there's every chance your chosen deal is out of stock, leaving you to start the whole process over again.

Luckily, at this time of year, as the Northern Hemisphere's summer begins to come to an end and bike manufacturers ready themselves to launch their latest range of road bikes, good road bike deals are relatively easy to come by. The industry's pressure on strict pricing is relaxed, and retailers launch their end-of-summer sales.

If your heart is set on a particular road bike, then the multitude of online price comparison tools will have no doubt guided you towards the best deal. A few clicks or a phone call later, you could have that bike on its way to your door, or ready for a test ride at your local bike shop.

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However, that doesn't necessarily mean you're getting the best road bike deal out there. More often than not, a good way to find the very best deal on your new road bike is to be open to suggestion. Of course, factors such as size must remain unchanged, but a little flexibility in your chosen brand, model or spec will open up options that would have otherwise been missed.

To save you the effort of browsing every cycling retailer's sale section, we've done the legwork for you. We've collated the best road bike deals we can find and listed them below. Take a look – hopefully our efforts will help you find your next road bike and save you some money in the process.

The first important question is: what sort of road bike are you looking for? Below, we have segmented our road bike deals into a few categories: race-ready lightweight road bikes, endurance-focussed road bikes, and aero-minded road bikes.

Road race bike deals

For men

 

For women

 

Endurance road bike deals

For men

 

For women

 

Aero road bike deals

For men

 

For women

 

Road bike deals by retailer

Still unsure on the best road bike for you? 

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Connor Swift: Arkea-Samsic are still learning where my strengths lie

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It’s been a whirlwind few months for Connor Swift, who couldn’t have imagined at the start of the year where he’d be now. The 23-year-old received a call from Arkéa-Samsic a few months into the season and, in the blink of an eye, he was a pro rider.

It was a step he’d hoped to make at the start of the year, but no pro contract came his way in the off-season, despite the British national road race champion’s jersey on his back and a decent stint as a stagiaire with Dimension Data. As such, when Arkéa came knocking, he jumped at the opportunity and hasn’t looked back.

Three months on, he found himself at the Arctic Race of Norway, racking up his 35th day of racing in Arkéa colours. Cyclingnews caught up with Swift – cousin of Team Ineos rider, and current British national champion Ben Swift – at the race to hear how things were going.

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Cyclingnews: Firstly, how’s life as a fully-fledged pro treating you?

Connor Swift: Good. The race programme has been pretty full gas from the start, but it’s where I want to be and what I want to be doing. It’s been good to just come into the team and be accepted by all the riders and staff. There’s a really friendly atmosphere and I’m really enjoying it so far.

CN: What was the integration process like, being a mid-season transfer and a French team?

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Form ranking: Vuelta a Espana 2019 favourites

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The start of the 2019 Vuelta a España is just three days away, and Cyclingnews has taken a look at 10 of the major contenders to gauge their form ahead of the race, which starts in Salinas de Torrevieja in south-east Spain on Saturday, August 24.

1. Primož Roglič (Jumbo-Visma)

Overview: From the end of February until the start of May, Roglič won the overall classification of every race he entered: the UAE Tour, Tirreno-Adriatico and the Tour de Romandie.

He then wasn't able to win the Giro d'Italia, having started as one of the favourites, but he gave it a very good crack, winning the opening time trial and holding the pink leader's jersey for the next five days. He also won the second individual time trial on stage 9, and remained in second place overall until an untimely mechanical problem and subsequent crash on a teammate's borrowed bike on stage 15 effectively put him out of contention for the maglia rosa.

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Nevertheless, be battled bravely on in what was only his fourth Grand Tour, eventually securing a podium spot – third – in Verona. After fourth place at the 2018 Tour de France, and that third at this year's Giro, Roglič could easily step up again – figuratively and literally – at this Vuelta. (EB)

Highlight: His continued rise and rise, winning the overall at the UAE Tour, Tirreno-Adriatico, the Tour de Romandie and two time trials at the Giro.

Lowlight: His bid for Giro victory effectively ended after a mechanical and crash on stage 15.

2. Richard Carapaz (Movistar)

3. Steven Kruijswijk (Jumbo-Visma)

4. Nairo Quintana (Movistar)

5. Esteban Chaves (Mitchelton-Scott)

6. Rafał Majka (Bora-Hansgrohe)

7. Miguel Ángel López (Astana)

8. Rigoberto Urán (EF Education First)

9. Fabio Aru (UAE Team Emirates)

10. Wilco Kelderman (Sunweb)

You can read more at Cyclingnews.com

via Cyclingnews Latest Interviews and Features http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/form-ranking-vuelta-a-espana-2019-favourites

Best arm warmers for autumn 2019

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Arm warmers are one of the most versatile ways to protect yourself in cold or changeable conditions. They come in plenty of different shapes and sizes, from heavy-duty thermal construction with windproof panels protecting your joints, to lightweight materials designed to fend off UV rays.

They can be worn with just about any jersey, then peeled off and stuffed in a rear pocket when the sun comes out, making them a quick and easy way to protect yourself from variable temperatures.

The use case options for arm warmers is a list as long as your arm itself. The humble arm warmers can serve as a backup option stuffed into your pocket on those warm-but-cloudy days, they can be paired with a short sleeve jersey to form a versatile replacement for your long sleeved option, they can be pulled on at the top of a long Alpine descent at the height of summer. They can even form a second (or third) sleeve on the coldest of winter days, where a winter jacket and waterproof layer still don't cut it. 

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Here is some advice on how to choose a good quality, well-fitting pair of arm warmers, with our pick of some of the best available to buy.

What to look for in a pair of arm warmers

1. Size and cut

Like most cycling gear, getting the right size warmers is paramount: too loose and they'll fall down; too tight and at best, they'll cause discomfort, but could lead to affected circulation and numb hands. The same applies when it comes to length: if they are too short, there will be an awkward, chill inducing gap below your sleeve; on the other hand, too much material will make for an uncomfortable bunch of fabric around your wrists.

When trying on warmers watch out for folds in the bend of the elbow. While some warmers are just a tube of fabric, others are articulated to accommodate bent elbows. The skin in this area is surprisingly sensitive, and over time bunched fabric can chafe, and will only get worse as sweat and/or rain is introduced. Watch out for warmers with lots of crisscrossing seams, as these are less pliable than the surrounding fabric and can often cause bind points.

2. Fabric

3. Grippers

4. DWR

Best arm warmers you can buy today

1. Pearl Izumi Elite Thermal Arm Warmer

• £30 / $35 / AU$60
• DWR treatment: Yes
• Gripper: Yes

2. Castelli Nanoflex +

• £35 / $50 / AU$65
• DWR treatment: Yes
• Gripper: Dual side

 

3. DHB Merino

• £22 / $30 / AU$22
• DWR treatment: No
• Gripper: Yes

 

4. Sportful NoRain

• £27 / $40 / AU$49
• DWR treatment: Yes
• Gripper: Yes

 

5. Assos armWarmer_evo7

• £35 / $50 / AU$80
• DWR treatment: No
• Gripper: Yes

 

6. Endura Thermolite

• £20 / $30 / AU$21
• DWR treatment: Yes
• Gripper: Yes

 

7. Rapha Classic Thermal

• £40 / $55 / AU$70
• DWR treatment: No
• Gripper: Yes

• Buy Rapha Classic Thermal arm warmers in the UK
  
• Buy Rapha Classic Thermal arm warmers in the US
  
• Buy Rapha Classic Thermal arm warmers in AUS

8. Giro Chrono

• £40 / $55 / AU$70
• DWR treatment: No
• Gripper: Yes

 

9. Gore Bike Wear Thermo

• £30 / $40 / AU$60
• DWR treatment: No
• Gripper: Yes

 

10. GripGrab Light Midseason

 

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via Cyclingnews Latest Interviews and Features http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/best-arm-warmers-for-autumn-2019

Lizzie Deignan: I plan to retire after the Tokyo Olympic Games

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Great Britain's Lizzie Deignan (Trek-Segafredo) will retire from professional cycling at the end of 2020.

In an interview with Cyclingnews, Deignan said that she returned from maternity leave with a strict two-year window to compete in her sport at the highest level. She is giving herself one final opportunity to secure a second world title in Yorkshire and to win a gold medal at the Tokyo Olympic Games.

"That's been the plan," Deignan told Cyclingnews in a phone interview. "I'm open-minded to the fact that we are a year and a half out, and that will come around quickly. Perhaps I've prematurely set the date. But, yes, that is the plan. Of course, it's not 100 per cent, and things could change, but for the moment that's the plan."

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Deignan announced in March of 2017 that she was expecting her first baby. During her pregnancy, she decided to leave her long-time team Boels Dolmans, and several months later, accept a new contract with the newly launched Trek-Segafredo.

Deignan said that Trek-Segafredo agreed to a two-year term with full knowledge that she would have a primary focus on the 2019 UCI Road World Championships and the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. They are also aware that she intends to retire after the Olympics.

"I have a contract through the end of 2020," Deignan said.

Support from Trek-Segafredo

Olympic Games: The course suits me

There are no guarantees in cycling

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via Cyclingnews Latest Interviews and Features http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/lizzie-deignan-i-plan-to-retire-after-the-tokyo-olympic-games

Best road e-bikes for 2019

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E-bikes or pedelec electric bikes have exploded in popularity over the past couple of years, and we are seeing everything from slick commuters and long-travel enduro e-MTBs to haul-everything assisted cargo bikes — and now e-road bikes.

These skinny-tyre pedal-assisted rides are the newest addition to one of the fastest-growing segments of bicycles. They range from bulbous looking frames with bolted-on motors and batteries to integrated units that are nearly indistinguishable from their non-assisted counterparts.

Many are quick to dismiss e-bikes as cheating but that notion usually disappears when people swing a leg over an e-bike for the first time. There is no such thing as a free lunch, and you still have to pedal to make any of these bikes go.

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Regional restrictions

Most e-bikes use one of three e-bike systems, however, depending where you live, the level of assistance as well as whether you need a license and insurance will vary.

1. UK

The UK adopted a lot of the EU's regulations regarding e-bikes but with Brexit still up in the air, it's hard to say if that may change over the coming months.

All of the bikes featured here fall under 'The Electrically Assisted Pedal Cycle (EPAC) Amendment Regulations' mandates; electric assistance can only provide 250-watts of aid and must cut out at 25kph. It also stipulates the rider must be in motion for the motor to kick in and be at least 14-years-old.

2. US

3. Australia

E-road bikes explained

1. Drive system

2. Battery

Best e-road bikes you can buy today

Giant Road E+ 1 Pro

• Drive system: Yamaha SyncDrive
• Battery: Yamaha EnergyPak 500Wh
• Price: £3,499 / $4,650 / AU$ N/A

 

Colnago E64

• Drive system: Ebikemotion
• Battery: Ebikemotion 250Wh
• Price: £5,200 / $TBC / AU$TBC

 

Trek Domane +

• Drive system: Bosch Performance
• Battery: Bosch PowerTube 500Wh
• Price: £5,250 / $7,000 / AU$NA

 

Ribble Endurance SL e

• Drive system: Ebikemotion
• Battery: Ebikemotion 250Wh
• Price: £2,999 / $NA / AU$NA

 

Bianchi Aria E-Road

• Drive system: Ebikemotion
• Battery: Panasonic 250Wh
• Price: £4,500 / $6,500 / AU$ 8,499

 

Cannondale Synapse Neo 2

• Drive system: Bosch Active Line Plus Motor
• Battery: Bosch PowerTube 500Wh
• Price: £3,499 / $4,725 / AU$ 6,999

 

Focus Paralane2 9.7

• Drive system: Fauza
• Battery: Fauza 250 Wh
• Price: £5,499 / $TBC / AU$8,999

 

Pinarello Nytro

• Drive system: Fauza
• Battery: 250Wh
• Price: £5,999 / $TBC / AU$11,999

 

Specialized Turbo Creo Expert

• Drive system: Specialized SL 1.1
• Battery: Specialized 480Wh
• Price: £7,499 / $9,000 / AU$12,000

 

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You can read more at Cyclingnews.com

via Cyclingnews Latest Interviews and Features http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/best-road-e-bikes-for-2019

Vuelta a España: Jumbo-Visma attempt third Grand Tour opening stage win out of three

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Jumbo-Visma are aiming to hit the ground running at the Vuelta a España on Saturday, attempting to clinch a full house of victories on the opening stages of all three 2019 Grand Tours, says Dutch team member Robert Gesink.

"We're heading out with a really strong team, just as in the other two Grand Tours where we managed to be up there from the start – that's what we want to do in Spain," Gesink told Cyclingnews earlier this month.

"Primož [Roglič] won the prologue at the Giro d'Italia, Mike [Teunissen] won the first bunch sprint at the Tour de France, and of course there's a team time trial at the [start of the] Vuelta. So we'll start off straight away at full gas, and I'm looking forward to that," Gesink said.

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Jumbo-Visma also won the TTT at the Tour de France this year, but the team is looking longer term in the race, too, as it has already placed both Roglič and Steven Kruijswijk on the podium of Grand Tours this year, and so they go into the Vuelta with strong GC hopes.

Kruijswijk has gone close in Spain before, too, just missing out on the Vuelta podium last year in the course of building up a series of steadily improving Grand Tour GC results: ninth overall at the Vuelta in 2017, fifth at the 2018 Tour, fourth at last year's Vuelta and then third at this year's Tour.

A return to Grand Tour racing

Putting things in perspective

You can read more at Cyclingnews.com

via Cyclingnews Latest Interviews and Features http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/vuelta-a-espaa-jumbo-visma-attempt-third-grand-tour-opening-stage-win-out-of-three

Best aero road bikes 2019

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The popularity of aero road bikes has been on a consistent upward trajectory over the past decade. The fascination with going faster by using less energy has long been considered the holy-grail in cycling, and this need for speed, particularly in the pro peloton, has led to vast investment from manufacturers, which has resulted in radically faster, more compliant and lighter-weight aero bikes, thanks to advances in aerodynamic understanding, computational fluid dynamics testing, and improved carbon-fibre layering techniques.

Truncated aerofoil tube profiles, component integration and deep section aero wheels have become the order of the day as bike manufacturers attempt to out-do each other in a bid for the fastest aero road bike crown.

While significantly lighter than the time trial bikes from which they draw inspiration, the modern aero road bike is designed to save you watts by cutting through the air like a samurai sword. There's a lot of science involved but even the casual weekend rider will find it difficult to dispute the speed gains of the aero road bike - both from a visceral and physical sense.

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However, it's not just speed, watt savings and reduced drag coefficients but also all-round comfort that has become an important factor to consider when choosing an aero road bike. Early examples of aero road bikes were known for their unforgiving ride qualities, but that's not the case anymore. It appears as though the recipe has been mastered with all modern examples offering a well-balanced combination of speed, lightness and compliance.

Aero road bikes explained

The more-easily a moving object cuts through the air, the less energy it needs to keep it moving - it's simple physics really. What this means is that if the playing fields were equal and every cyclist possessed the exact same functional threshold power (FTP), the rider with the most aerodynamic bike would win the race - every time.

The speed at which the benefits of improved aerodynamics become greater than that of saving weight is around 15kph, which, depending on fitness, is likely to be at a gradient of around six per cent. Therefore, in all but the steepest of mountain days, it's not necessarily the lightest bike that wins the race, but the one that is best suited to the topography.

1. Aerofoil tubing

2. Integration

3. Wheels

Best aero road bikes you can buy today

Cannondale SystemSix

• Brake: Disc
• Frame: Hi-Mod Carbon, Carbon
• Sizes (cm): 47, 51, 54, 56, 58, 60, 62 (men)
• Weight: 7.8kg (Ultegra 54)

• Cannondale SystemSix Hi-MOD Dura-Ace Di2
• Cannondale SystemSix Hi-MOD Red eTap AXS
• Cannondale SystemSix Carbon Ultegra Di2
• Cannondale SystemSix Carbon Ultegra
• Cannondale SystemSix Women's Carbon Ultegra Di2

 

Pinarello Dogma F12

• Brake: Disc, rim
• Frame: Carbon
• Sizes (cm): 42, 44, 46.5, 47, 50, 51.5, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57.5, 59.5, 62
• Weight: 840g (Frame only)

• Pinarello Dogma F12 Disc Red eTap AXS
• Pinarello Dogma F12 Disc Dura-Ace Di2
• Pinarello Dogma F12 Disc Dura-Ace
• Pinarello Dogma F12 Disc Campagnolo Super Record EPS
• Pinarello Dogma F12 Disc Campagnolo Super Record
• Pinarello Dogma F12 Campagnolo Super Record EPS
• Pinarello Dogma F12 Campagnolo Super Record
• Pinarello Dogma F12 Dura-Ace Di2
• Pinarello Dogma F12 Dura-Ace

 

Bianchi Aria

• Brake: Disc/rim
• Frame: Carbon
• Sizes (cm): 44, 47, 50, 53, 55, 57, 59, 61 (unisex)
• Weight: 8.38kg (Ultegra disc 53cm)

• Bianchi Aria Ultegra Disc
• Bianchi Aria 105 Disc
• Bianchi Aria Ultegra Di2 Disc
• Bianchi Aria Ultegra Di2
• Bianchi Aria Ultegra
• Bianchi Aria Triathon Ultegra
• Bianchi Aria 105

 

Canyon Aeroad

• Brake: Disc/rim
• Frame: Carbon
• Sizes: 2XS, XS, S, M, L, XL, 2XL (Men), 2XS, XS, S, M (Women)
• Weight: 7.6kg (Aeroad CF SL 7.0)

• Canyon Aeroad CF SLX Disc 9.0 SL
• Canyon Aeroad CF SLX Disc 9.0 Di2
• Canyon Aeroad CF SLX 9.0 SL
• Canyon Aeroad CF SLX 9.0 Di2
• Canyon Aeroad CF SL Disc 8.0
• Canyon Aeroad CF SL 8.0
• Canyon Aeroad CF SL Disc 7.0
• Canyon Aeroad CF SL 7.0

Scott Foil

• Brake: Disc, rim
• Frame: Carbon
• Sizes (cm): 47, 49, 52, 54, 56, 58, 61
• Weight: 7.3kg (Foil Premium Disc 54cm)

• Scott Foil Ultimate Disc
• Scott Foil Premium Disc
• Scott Foil RC Disc
• Scott Foil 10 Disc
• Scott Foil 20 Disc
• Scott Foil 10
• Scott Foil 20
• Scott Foil 30

 

Cervelo S3

• Brake: Disc, rim
• Frame: Carbon
• Sizes (cm): 48, 51, 54, 56, 58, 61
• Weight: 8.15kg (S3 Ultegra Disc 54cm)

• Cervelo S3 Ultegra Di2 Disc
• Cervelo S3 Ultegra Disc
• Cervelo S3 Ultegra Di2
• Cervelo S3 Ultegra

Specialized Venge

• Brake: Disc
• Frame: Carbon
• Sizes (cm): 49, 52, 54, 56, 58, 61 (men)
• Weight: 7.42kg (Venge Pro 56cm)

• Specialized S-Works Venge eTap
• Specialized S-Works Venge
• Specialized Venge Pro eTap
• Specialized Venge Pro

 

Giant Propel Advanced

• Brake: Disc, rim
• Frame: Carbon
• Sizes: S, M, ML, L
• Weight: 8kg (Propel Advanced Pro Disc Medium)

• Giant Propel Advanced SL Disc
• Giant Propel Advanced Pro Disc
• Giant Propel Advanced Disc
• Giant Propel Advanced Pro
• Giant Propel Advanced

 

Trek Madone

• Brake: Disc/rim
• Frame: Carbon
• Sizes (cm): 50, 52, 54, 56, 58, 60, 62 (men); 47, 50, 52, 54, 56 (women)
• Weight: 7.81kg (Madone SLR 8 Disc 56cm)

• Trek Madone SLR 9 Disc eTap
• Trek Madone SLR 9 Disc
• Trek Madone SLR 9
• Trek Madone SLR 8 Disc
• Trek Madone SLR 8
• Trek Madone SLR 7 Disc eTap
• Trek Madone SLR 7 Disc
• Trek Madone SLR 6 Disc
• Trek Madone SLR 6 Disc Speed
• Trek Madone SLR 6
• Trek Madone SL 6

 

Merida Reacto

• Brake: Disc
• Frame: Carbon
• Sizes: XS, S, S/M, M/L, L, XL
• Weight: 7.78kg (Reacto Disc 8000-E medium)

• Merida Reacto Disc Team-E
• Merida Reacto Team-E
• Merida Reacto Disc 8000-E
• Merida Reacto 8000-E
• Merida Reacto Disc 7000-E
• Merida Reacto 7000-E
• Merida Reacto 6000
• Merida Reacto Disc 5000
• Merida Reacto 5000
• Merida Reacto Disc 4000
• Merida Reacto 4000
• Merida Reacto 500
• Merida Reacto 400
• Merida Reacto 300

 

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You can read more at Cyclingnews.com

via Cyclingnews Latest Interviews and Features http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/best-aero-road-bikes-2019

Ben Hermans' De Rosa Protos for the Tour of Utah

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Ben Hermans, the 33-year-old Belgian currently riding for Israel Cycling Academy, has just taken his second general classification win of the season at the Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah, improving upon his 2018 runner up result, beating James Piccoli into second place by 50 seconds.

For 2019, Hermans, who stands at 1.86m tall, has been riding a 55cm rim brake-equipped De Rosa Protos, an aerodynamically sympathetic allrounder that is suitable for professionals and amateurs alike. Hermans' required reach is achieved with the use of a 130mm FSA OS-99 carbon fibre stem, which is paired with 42cm FSA K-Force handlebars. Both of these feature extra FSA logo stickers for greater exposure for the component brand.

There are a couple of less-common additions to Hermans' bike in the form of what look to be lucky charms. One of which is affixed to the stem and the other is placed securely underneath his Selle Italia Flite Team Edition Flow saddle. There is also a super-lightweight carbon fibre number holder, made by Berk Composites.

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Hermans is using the Metron 40 tubular wheelset from the team's wheel sponsor Vision. These have been fitted with Maxxis High Road tubular tyres, and although not tubeless, Hermans is using Orange Seal tubeless sealant as an extra preventative against untimely punctures.

Power is measured using FSA's own Powerbox power meter, which spins on a C-Bear ceramic bottom bracket. Data is collected by a Lezyne computer, which is fitted directly on top of Hermans' stem rather than to an out-front mount. The bike is fitted with the range-topping Dura-Ace R9150 Di2 groupset from Shimano. A 53/38 chainring combination is paired with an 11-30 cassette, and Hermans has opted for a gold KMC X11 SL chain. Upfront, the R9150 shift/brake levers are paired with sprint shifters, which provide easy access shifting when in the drops – useful both in sprints, as intended, as well as when tackling technical descents.

Click through the gallery above for a closer look at Hermans' De Rosa Protos

Hermans' De Rosa Protos full bike specifications

 

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You can read more at Cyclingnews.com

via Cyclingnews Latest Interviews and Features http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/ben-hermans-de-rosa-protos-for-the-tour-of-utah

James Piccoli's KHS Flite 900 for the Tour of Utah

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James Piccoli (Elevate-KHS) is currently sitting second overall at the Tour of Utah, after winning the opening prologue and finished second on stage 2 to Powder Mountain.

The 27-year-old Canadian is riding aboard a 54cm team-issue KHS Team Flight 900. At 178cm, the frame might be considered small, but as is common among pros, he opts for a smaller frame with a longer stem, in this case using a 140mm FSA SL-K to provide the reach.

Affixed to this stem is an addition that is a much less common sight in the pro peloton, a lucky charm that, according to Piccoli, stems from Italy and reminds him of family.

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“The charm is from a climb in Italy called the Madonna della Ghisallo, and the Medallion is supposed to protect cyclists during training and racing. My mom got it for me while she was visiting Italy, and so it makes me think of my family and all of the support I have back home while I’m racing and training. It makes the hard days a little bit easier. Thinking of the people that love and support me always makes it easy to push,” he explained.

Piccoli’s power is measured by provided by a 4iiii power meter and data is collected by a Pioneer SGX CA500. He tells Cyclingnews that on Powder Mountain, he was pushing approximately 6w/kg for 40 minutes. At his current race weight of 64kg, that’s an impressive 380+ watts, especially given the altitude. His best power stat, however, was recorded on the Camilien Houde near his home in Montreal, where he recorded 570 watts for 3.5 minutes.

Although Piccoli is a student of mechanical engineering and a dab hand with carbon fibre, with which he has created his own coffee cup, time trial helmet and lightweight shoes, for the Tour of Utah, he is wearing team-issue Bont Helix shoes, and a choice of Kali's Phenom or Tava helmets.

Piccoli's KHS Flite 900 full bike specifications

James Piccoli’s kit specifications

 

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You can read more at Cyclingnews.com

via Cyclingnews Latest Interviews and Features http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/james-piccolis-khs-flite-900-for-the-tour-of-utah