Just Cycling News, Hacks and Tips

July is finally here, which means our Sunday club runs are suddenly full of riders pushing just a bit too hard on the local climbs, and our afternoons are spent glued to the television. The 2026 Tour de France kicked off with a spectacular Grand Départ in Barcelona, and the opening stages have already delivered exactly what we love about the sport: fierce rivalries, inspiring grit, and enough new bike tech to make our bank balances nervous. Let’s dive into the biggest talking points from the opening week. The Ultimate GC Battle: Vingegaard vs. Pogačar The general classification rivalry is already operating at boiling point. Just two years after a horrifying, life-threatening crash, Jonas Vingegaard has delivered a true masterclass in resilience. Visma-Lease a Bike absolutely dismantled the opening team time trial in Barcelona, putting the Dane right back into the yellow jersey. It is an extraordinary comeback story that reminds us all why we respect the sheer toughness of profession...

A Frozen Moment That Changed Everything. Imagine it is 1927. You are climbing the Croce d’Aune in the frozen Dolomites during a professional race . .   Your fingers are so numb they feel like blocks of ice, and your bike is caked in mountain grit . .   You need to change your wheel to tackle the descent, but the wing nuts are frozen solid . .   This was the exact moment of frustration that hit Tullio Campagnolo . .   His struggle didn't just lead to a swear word in the cold, it led to the invention of the quick-release lever, a tool that changed professional cycling forever. From Jewellery to Jargon. For decades, Campagnolo wasn't just a brand; it was the gold standard . .   Legends like Eddy Merckx rode to victory on these Italian-crafted parts.   . If you are of a certain age, you likely remember the first time you heard the crisp, mechanical "click" of their shifters, it felt less like a bike part and more like a piece of ...