Highlights of 2025 – Part V

As ever choosing five highlights means leaving all the races out. The final pick is Stage 21 of the Tour de France, Montmartre course pips Paris-Roubaix in an end-of-year photofinish, with the hipster choice of the Tour of the Alps a bike length behind and there’s a short list of other races.

Read more

Michele Dancelli Obituary

Michele Dancelli has died at the age of 83. Famous for his solo triumph in Milan-Sanremo, he could climb, sprint and enjoyed many a breakaway too. This brought him wins from the classics to grand tour stages, and all during an era crowded with champions.

Read more

2026 Paris-Nice Route

It’s winter in Europe but from now on the sun sets later each day. If you want another cue that spring is getting closer then the 2026 Paris-Nice route is out today.

No surprises for the start outside Paris and the finish in Nice. But like a sandwich it’s the filling that counts. This looks promising with some novelties including a revised final stage.

It’ll run between Sunday 8 March and Sunday 15 March. Here’s a closer look at the eight days…

Read more

Highlights of 2025 – Part IV

The fourth pick isn’t a moment or a day but a whole week. Paris-Nice had a lively final stage which has been a regular pick in years past by itself. This time it’s the way all the stages threaded together that is highlighted.

Read more

Highlights of 2025 – Part III

The third pick of the year is a place and a day where many stories came together. Stage 11 of the Tour de France was a breathless watch and for that alone it was a thrill and memorable.

In a race where the big names and teams often dominate, it also gave an underdog story with collarbone calcification and depicted the World Tour promotion-relegation battle too.

Read more

Never Say Never Cycling Team

Gerry Ryan has long been a benefactor of Australian sport and likes to joke he’s busy spending his children’s inheritance. Sponsoring the Jayco team since its inception in 2012 has cost him tens of millions of dollars. It might be fun but owning a pro cycling team is not lucrative.

So the arrival of Never Say Never and Stoneweg as partners to take over the Israel-Premiertech team looks unusual. They’re financial investors but how do they plan on getting a return? Maybe they don’t and it’s all for fun but that still makes it an interesting project as a World Tour team because if they don’t have pressing commercial imperative there’s space for rebranding and new ways to promote a team.

Read more