Bicycle Racing News and Opinion,
Sunday, April 12, 2026
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I went to a restaurant that serves 'breakfast at any time'. So I ordered French Toast during the Renaissance. - Steven Wright
Bill & Carol McGann’s book The Story of the 2024 Tour de France: The Happy Warrior Triumphs is available print, Kindle eBook and audiobook versions. To get your copy, just click on the link on the right.
Current racing:
- April 12: Paris-Roubaix
Upcoming racing:
- April 14 - 18: O Gran Camiño
- April 15 - 19: Tour of Hainan
Latest completed racing:
- April 6 - 11: Itzulia Basque Country (Tour of the Basque Country)
- April 7 - 10: Région Pays de la Loire Tour
- April 8: Scheldeprijs
- April 5: Ronde van Vlaanderen
- April 4: GP Miguel Indurain
- April 4: NXT Classic
- April 3: Classic Adélie de Vitré
- April 1: Dwars door Vlaanderen
- March 31: Paris-Camembert
- March 23 - 29: Volta a Catalunya
- March 25 - 29: Settimana Internazionale Coppi e Bartali
- March 29: Gent-Wevelgem
We posted the report from the race organizer with the results.
Here's the report from stage winner AJ August's Team INEOS Grenadiers:
AJ August executed a superb breakaway victory on a soaking wet final stage of Itzulia Basque Country.
The young American claimed his first win at the WorldTour level in style, attacking on the final climb of the stage following a day in a large breakaway group.
AJ August wins Tour of the Basque Country stage six.
August put in the confident acceleration with 12.3 kilometres to go, with only Raul Garcia (Movistar) able to follow before AJ kicked again with 10km to go. Cresting the final climb with a slender advantage, AJ made no mistakes on the treacherous descent, coming home to win by 16 seconds.
August had been joined in the group by Brandon Rivera for much of the day, with Peter Øxenberg also hitting out as part of a select lead group on a final day of climbing. The Dane would eventually slip back but would redeploy in support of Kevin Vauquelin.
Vauquelin was part of a thinned out GC group, which eventually split on the final climb, with the Grenadier holding on for 10th place overall.
Paul Seixas (Decathlon CMA CGM) secured overall victory in the Basque Country. The young Frenchman was forced to attack heading into the closing stages, with the break appearing to threaten his overall lead.
Here's the report from GC winner Paul Seixas' Team Decathlon CMA CGM:
Paul Seixas:
“It was an epic stage, in terrible weather conditions. I decided to break away on the climb so I could tackle the descent alone and avoid taking any risks. I thought the other leaders would catch up quickly, but that didn’t happen; I had to push pretty hard, but I felt good. I’m ending this week with three stage wins and the overall title—it’s incredible. I’ve achieved one of my goals for the season. I know it’s been 19 years since a French rider last did this. I was barely a year old. I’m very proud that it’s me, but others came close, like Bardet or Pinot. I also realized this week that you need a really solid team to win, and I was lucky to have guys by my side who gave it their all. A staff that had really studied everything meticulously. This victory is theirs too.”
Paul Seixas descending in stage two.
Cyril Dessel:
“This was a race we’d been looking forward to for several weeks; we knew it was a major event for Paul. The result is extraordinary—three stage wins and the overall classification—along with flawless teamwork. The entire team positioned Paul so he could attack and make his move; they supported him in the best possible way this week. This final stage was stressful, but we managed to control it to secure the overall victory. It’s been a fantastic week for the team, with Paul as the leader and an exemplary team effort. For him, this is a major milestone: he was expected to be the sole leader and rose to the occasion at the highest international level. A milestone that will mark the beginning of his career.
The news:
A new record for early blooming
By winning the overall classification at the Itzulia Basque Country, Paul, at 19 years, 6 months, and 17 days old, became the youngest rider win this race, as well as the youngest winner of a WorldTour stage race since the category’s inception, edging out a certain Remco Evenepoel.
Key number: 795
That’s how many kilometers Paul Seixas spent at the top of the general classification of Tour the Basque Country. After winning the opening time trial, Paul donned the yellow leader’s jersey, which he held onto until the finish line of the final stage. He also won three of the six stages, the King of the Mountains jersey, the Best Young Rider jersey, and the points classification: a total domination.
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Here's the Basque Country Race report from GC second-place Florian Lipowitz's Team Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe:
The 2026 Itzulia Basque Country came to a close with a short but demanding final stage from Goizper-Antzuola to Bergara. Over 135 kilometres and six climbs, and in persistent rain, the final day produced a constantly changing race and a tense fight for the general classification.
For Red Bull – BORA – hansgrohe, the outcome was a place on the final podium, with Florian Lipowitz securing second overall after a tightly contested final stage.
The stage began aggressively, with an early breakaway forming before a larger chasing group of around 30 riders established itself behind. Among them were riders targeting the general classification, including Tobias Halland Johannessen. Despite the stage’s short distance, the gap to the front grew to over four minutes.
As the race continued to unfold, the key moves among the favourites began on the climbs. On the second ascent to Gorla, attacks in the peloton prompted a response from the main contenders, with Lipowitz among those reacting and putting pressure on the race leader. Later, with around 60 kilometres remaining, a decisive selection formed on a climb, including Lipowitz, Paul Seixas and Ion Izagirre, while Primož Roglič was not part of that move and was eventually unable to return to the front group.
Florian Lipowitz after 2025 Tour de France stage 14. Sirotti photo
From there, the race fragmented into multiple groups. Seixas briefly went clear alone before dropping back, while the breakaway continued to contest the stage at the front. Behind, Lipowitz remained focused on the general classification as Johannessen, present in the breakaway, posed a threat to his second place overall.
On the final climb to Asentzio, the stage was decided from the front group, where August attacked and went on to take a solo victory in Bergara. Behind, the general classification battle remained finely balanced. Johannessen fought for every second, but Lipowitz ultimately retained second place overall by a margin of just three seconds, finishing the stage alongside Seixas in the pouring rain.
After six demanding days in the Basque Country, Lipowitz’s consistency across the week secured him a podium place in the general classification, behind overall winner Paul Seixas.
“A tough week comes to an end. It was a really hard stage. I’m glad that we were still able to secure second place, even if in the end it came down to just three seconds. Overall, I’m really happy with the way we rode as a team. A big thank you goes to the whole group, both riders and staff. I think we can be satisfied. Now it’s definitely time to take a few days to recover and then prepare for the next goals.” - Florian Lipowitz
Team Soudal Quick-Step posted this Itzulia Basque Country race report:
Our team was again present in the breakaway on the challenging last day of the race.
Txirimiri, the persistent rain so typical to Euskadi, accompanied the riders from the opening kilometers of the final stage, which travelled from Goisper-Antzuola to Bergara, a small town located in the Gipuzkoa province, where the peloton arrived for the first time this century.
Soudal Quick-Step’s Steff Cras was among those to attack and brave the weather and the low temperatures to go in the breakaway, the largest of the week, numbering more than 30 riders. The experienced Belgian, racing Itzulia Basque Country for the fifth consecutive year, put in a really strong effort in the breakaway, and even after losing contact with some of the riders who attacked to form a small leading group, he continued to tap out a good rhythm, joining the yellow jersey reduced bunch and staying there until inside 20 kilometers to go.
Steff Cras having at good day at stage one of the 2025 Vuelta a Asturias
The 30-year-old was the team’s first rider home at the end of this brutal stage won by Andrew August (Ineos Grenadiers), and also the best-placed Soudal Quick-Step rider on the general classification of this 65th edition of the prestigious World Tour race.
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Here's the report from stage six third-place Frank van den Broek's Team Picnic-PostNL:
The final day of racing at Itzulia Basque Country saw the peloton faced with a climb-packed 135 kilometre route from Goizper-Antzuola to Bergara. It wasn’t just the terrain the bunch would have to battle, as heavy rain throughout the race made for an incredibly attritional and challenging day in the saddle. From the start the pace was on with lots of attacks as there was a sense in the peloton that the right move could go all the way to the finish.
Some good teamwork and some strong legs saw Frank van den Broek well positioned when the peloton split and a group of around 30 riders went clear. The pace remained on throughout the day as the rain continued to fall, but for Team Picnic PostNL and Van den Broek it was about conserving as much energy as possible and biding their time, while allowing those with GC interests to set the pace.
Frank van den Broek winning stage six of the 2024 Tour of Turkey.
As the climbs ticked down, all of the groups that were spread throughout the course thinned down too, and coming onto the last ascent there were just about 15 riders left at the head of the race. Eventual stage winner August put in a strong attack and wouldn’t be seen again until the finish once he went solo, but behind Van den Broek rode a measured effort and crested the climb in a duo that was battling for the final podium spot. Giving it everything and going full-gas to the line, Van den Broek produced a good sprint to take third place on the day; rounding out the week with a nice podium.
Van den Broek said: “I felt great from the start of the stage, and had a good feeling riding in the chasing group for most of the day. It was very cold with the rain, but so was everybody else. Hats off to August, he was clearly the strongest on that last climb. I then just dug deep in the wheel of Glivar over the top and I’m happy I could win the sprint for third.”
Team Picnic PostNL coach Phil West added: “All week it was a super big fight every day to get in the break and after five days of getting in the moves to try and get some space, it worked out for us today. We did a good job overall this week, with some things to learn and some mistakes were made but today it worked out well; and Frank was able to get in there. Then it was about being patient, letting the race unfold a bit. In that period we just tried to conserve, stay warm and remind Frank to eat and drink, then make our attempts in the late final. Frank did a a good job, he was focused all day and was able to make the move and go over the last climb in a good spot and take a stage podium. The motivation and effort from the guys was good today, despite the conditions, so we can take that with us into the next races.”
And here's the Tour of the Basque Country stage six report from Guillaume Martin-Guyonnet's Team Groupama-FDJ United:
Despite three breakaways over the previous three stages and dreadful weather this Saturday, Guillaume Martin-Guyonnet once again went on the attack in the final stage of the Tour of the Basque Country. The Norman climber got himself to the front of the race yet again on the road to Bergara, and after a grueling day, was rewarded with another stage top 10 (10th) and a nice rise in the overall standings (11th). A week defined by perseverance.
Just 135 kilometers remained this Saturday to wrap up a monstrous edition of the Tour of the Basque Country. However, there were still 3,000 metres of elevation gain to digest on this final day, all under relentless rain and significantly colder temperatures than in previous days. Everything pointed to a brutal stage, and that scenario was reinforced when a breakaway of around thirty riders went clear after twenty kilometres. True to himself, and apparently not tired of it after three consecutive breakaways, Guillaume Martin-Guyonnet was once again part of the move.
“We didn’t really believe in the break yesterday, as it was the hardest stage of the week, but we felt the break could go far today, and Guillaume was still motivated,” explained Benoît Vaugrenard. “On top of that, the stage took place in torrential rain, and Guillaume enjoys those kinds of conditions. We also knew we needed some guys to have teammates up front to make it to the finish, because on the final day, riders fight hard for a top 10 overall. Luckily, things worked out well since Uno-X had five riders and they rode flat out for Johannessen. For us, it was ideal. It was exactly the scenario we had imagined.”
Within this large breakaway, which also chased for a long time behind a group of five, then three riders, Guillaume Martin-Guyonnet logically stayed discreet. “The idea was for him to hang on in that group as long as possible, and then let the legs do the talking in the final.” As the climbs and descents went by, the breakaway group thinned out throughout the afternoon. After the penultimate climb, the earlier attackers were caught, and only nineteen riders remained at the front, including the French climber. Behind them, the favorites, battling for nearly an hour, were more than two minutes back.
With fifteen kilometres to go, the final climb of the week appeared, and on the steepest gradients, Andrew August broke away solo while everyone else was left to fend for themselves. “The final was tough for Guillaume, who suffered from the cold,” Benoît added. “We practically lost twenty degrees compared to yesterday! I saw he was really affected, but as usual he was extremely brave and flawless.” Fighting all the way to the line, the Groupama-FDJ United rider secured tenth place, 1’33 behind the winner and nearly three minutes ahead of the favorites. In the GC, this fourth consecutive breakaway also allowed him to climb six places to finish 11th overall.
Groupama FDJ United rider Maxime Decomble (shown racing in the 2025 Etoile de Besseges) finished 57th in the Vuelta a Pais Vasco GC. Sirotti photo
“Guillaume was in the three breakaways that made it to the finish this week, and he achieved three top 10s,” Benoît recalled. “Strategically, we raced well. He also needed to regain confidence after a difficult Volta a Catalunya, and this Tour of the Basque Country really puts him back on track for what’s next. We know it’s hard nowadays to fight for the general classification if it comes down to legs only, so he raced aggressively, just as he likes to. He was just missing a little something for an even better result, but overall I’m happy with the week. We were present whenever we needed to be. We knew there would be opportunities after the second day, and we didn’t miss them. We’re still lacking a little something to go for the win, but at least we were active. We also weren’t spared from bad luck with crashes and illnesses, but I’m really very satisfied with the team.”
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Here's the news from Bilbao's Team Bahrain Victorious:
Pello Bilbao has announced that he will retire from professional cycling at the end of the 2026 season. The Basque rider confirmed the news on Stage 6 of the Itzulia Basque Country, making the announcement in front of home crowds.
Now 36, Bilbao turned professional in 2011 with local team Euskaltel-Euskadi and has enjoyed a long and successful career at the highest level of the sport. Since joining Bahrain Victorious in 2020, he has become a cornerstone of the team and will complete seven seasons with the team by the end of this year, playing an integral role both on and off the bike.
Pello Bilbao finishing 2025 Tour of Poland stage seven.
With several months of racing still ahead before he hangs up his cleats, Bilbao leaves behind an impressive palmarès. His victories include two stage wins at the Giro d’Italia and a memorable stage win at the Tour de France. Beyond stage success, he has been one of the most consistent general classification riders of his generation, regularly featuring on the podium at the UAE Tour and securing top-ten finishes at both the Giro d’Italia and Tour de France on multiple occasions.
Bilbao also built a reputation as a reliable and intelligent rider, contributing to team success across Grand Tours and one-day races, while mentoring younger teammates throughout his career.
Speaking about his decision, Bilbao reflected on his journey while remaining motivated for the challenges that lie ahead in his final season:
“When I look back on my career, I would say that, first of all, I was really lucky to be born in the Basque Country, in a place where cycling is so special. There is a deep cycling culture, with so many people involved in schools and races, all helping to create opportunities. That environment made it easier to enjoy the sport, to perform, and to show what I was capable of. In many ways, it gave me a smoother path to becoming a professional than most riders in the peloton.
“For me, it always felt like a game at the beginning. I was just playing at being a cyclist with my friends, and suddenly I found myself turning professional almost without noticing. Everything came very fast. Of course, I needed time to adapt to the professional lifestyle—it wasn’t easy at the start, especially balancing it with my studies—but I have never regretted any decision I made along the way.
“Each year, I was able to take a step forward. I went from being an unknown rider, someone who didn’t even believe he could last long in professional cycling, to achieving big results in the biggest races. Winning at the Tour de France was something every cyclist dreams of. That moment showed me how intense and emotional this sport can be. In fact, during the Grand Départ in 2023, some of my worst and best memories came together. It was a difficult time, but from that difficulty came one of the most beautiful victories and memories of my career.
“Reaching that point gave me a sense of fulfilment. I’ve never seen myself as someone obsessed with results or palmarès. What I truly love about cycling is its creative side—the ability to create something, to put on a show. Of course, results matter, especially for the team, but I will always value moments like the one I shared with Damiano Caruso at the Giro d’Italia—attacking together, fighting for victory, and in the end helping him achieve something special. These are the moments I will never forget.
“What I will miss most are the emotions, especially the ones we share. Cycling is not just an individual sport—it’s about creating something together. Sharing those emotions with teammates makes everything more meaningful. And beyond the team, it’s also about the people close to me—my family and friends. Seeing how much they supported me, how they enjoyed the victories and suffered during the difficult moments, made everything even more special.
“Coming into my final season, everything feels different. In some races, I’ve even felt more nervous than usual, knowing it could be the last time I experience them. Every race, every moment feels more significant. I just want to show people what I am capable of, one last time.
“It’s going to be a special season. I want to finish it in the best possible way—whether that means achieving a special result or simply doing my job well and helping to create great racing, like we did in that Giro.
“It has truly been a pleasure, and at the end of this season, it’s time to say goodbye. I know I will miss cycling in many ways, but I also understand how demanding it is to keep performing at the highest level year after year. It takes a huge amount of energy, and the new generation is coming through stronger than ever.
“For me, cycling is something you should do 100%. And when you can no longer give 100%, it’s time to move on and start a new chapter.”
Milan Eržen commented: “Pello has been a fantastic rider for us over many years, consistently delivering strong performances and achieving great results for the team. We know he is still capable of delivering at the highest level even now, and we are excited to see what he can do in his final races. We hope he enjoys every moment in the peloton and continues to create great memories, while also looking ahead to continued success beyond his cycling career.”
Here's the team post:
Forget longer days, blossoming plants and warmer weather. The real highlight of Spring has arrived – the Queen of the Classics, Paris-Roubaix.
Dust clings to sweaty faces, contorted in a grimace as they rush by at speeds in excess of 50kmh. The rattle of bike and bone as rider and machine traverse what should be unraceable terrain. There is a reason that so many cycling fans make the pilgrimage to the pavé of Roubaix – to fill their senses with the incomparable chaos of the Hell of the North. Those watching at home eschew all other plans to pour their focus into the spectacle unfolding on television. Paris-Roubaix is completely bonkers. And that’s why we love it.
Into this chaos, Lidl-Trek arrives on all fronts. A change for 2026 sees all four races (Men, Women, U23, U19) take place on a single Sunday in Hell, with the team represented across each one.
After a remarkable recovery from a broken collarbone and wrist sustained in February, Mads Pedersen has shown he has the form (4th at Milano-Sanremo, 5th at Ronde van Vlaanderen) to aim for the top spot in Roubaix. The former world champion has been knocking on the door for years and finished on the podium in the previous two editions. Driven by his quest to win one of cycling’s monuments, the Dane has done everything in his power to make this year the one where his dreams come true. The latest episode of All Access charts Pedersen’s comeback from injury to cobble-ready, and is perfect pre-Roubaix hype material.
Mads Pedersen & Remco Evenepoel on the Old Kwaremont climb in the 2026 Tour of Flanders.
“I would say Roubaix is the monument that fits me the best, even with the biggest stars of cycling starting then it’s still a race where I can dream of winning. It’s so ruthless, so tough, and maybe that’s also something that attracts me to it. It’s so stupid, it makes absolutely no sense. And sometimes I like what’s stupid and what’s not normal. So, I would definitely say it’s just because it’s a ridiculous race – in a good way – and that’s why it fits me.” – Mads Pedersen
Pedersen isn’t the only former world champion dreaming of victory in the velodrome. Elisa Balsamo, runner up in 2024, has come to love the brutality of the Hell of the North and is intent on bringing home the cobblestone trophy. A series of crashes in recent seasons have made the road here harder than it should have been, but through every setback her determination and resilience have shone through – and on the unforgiving northern pavé, those qualities count for as much as legs.
“So, I need to say now, that in a really deep part of myself, I like Paris-Roubaix. It took some years to arrive at this point because, yes, if I think about Roubaix, I think only about what a really hard race it is, but then, I don’t know, once you are here, you realize that there is something special in this race.
“In the first years, I couldn’t really find this something special, but now, I feel it. I think when I was second, I realized that maybe I could win this race one day and I think something also changed in my perspective about the race. Even though I know that tomorrow, once I’m going to be on the sectors, I’m not going to like it, but then, maybe the day after, if I think back on it, then I will be happy that I raced.” – Elisa Balsamo
Lidl-Trek’s development squad, Future Racing, have a perfect record in Roubaix, having claimed victory in both editions since the team’s inception (Teutenberg – 2024, Philipsen – 2025). The young guns return on the hunt for a third successive success with a strong lineup, including Spaniard Héctor Álvarez, who has impressed in his races so far this season.
“It is a special race, for myself as a former rider and now as a DS. We won the last two editions and we are really motivated with a strong team here. We’ve prepared really well, we have a good setup and we’re all healthy, but we know it’s a special race in which anything can happen – mechanicals, punctures, crashes. The goal is clear: to win again.” – Markel Irizar
On Sunday afternoon, Lidl-Trek’s riders will arrive, exhausted, in the historic Roubaix Velodrome, their day in Hell complete for another year. Friendly faces will be there to greet them in the track center, handing them a cool drink and offering a momentary reprieve from the pain of their raw, numb hands before exhaustion gives way to relief. Whilst the television cameras focus on the fight for the crown, each rider that arrives in this sacred arena brings a story of their efforts on the cobbles. And we will tell them.