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Bicycle Racing News and Opinion,

Saturday, May 16, 2026

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Some cause happiness wherever they go; others whenever they go. - Oscar Wilde

Les Woodland's book Cycling's World Championships: The Inside Story is available in print, Kindle eBook & audiobook versions. To get your copy, just click on the Amazon link on the right.

Current racing

• May 8 - 31: Giro d'Italia
• May 16: Tour du Finistère

Upcoming racing:

• May 17: Rund um Köln

Latest completed racing:

• May 10: Tro-Bro Léon
• April 26 - May 3: Tour of Turkey
• April 28 - May 3: Tour de Romandie
• May 1: Eschborn-Frankfurt
• April 26: Giro dell'Appennino
• April 23 - 26: Vuelta Asturias
• April 26: Liège-Bastogne-Liège
• April 20 - 24: Tour of the Alps
• April 22: La Flèche Wallonne
• April 19: Amstel Gold Race
• April 15 - 19: Tour of Hainan
• April 14 - 18: O Gran Camiño
• April 17: De Brabantse Pijl
• April 19: Tour du Doubs race cancelled
• April 12: Paris-Roubaix
• April 6 - 11: Itzulia Basque Country (Tour of the Basque Country)
• April 7 - 10: Région Pays de la Loire Tour

We posted the report from stage winner Jonas Vingegaard's Team Visma | Lease a Bike with the results.

Here's the Giro d'Italia report from points classification leader Paul Magnier's Team Soudal Quick-Step:

Blockhaus has a special place in the history book of the Corsa Rosa, being the place where Eddy Merckx took his maiden Grand Tour stage victory after a spectacular attack two kilometers from the line. On Friday, this legendary climb returned on the course, this time as the first summit finish of the 109th edition at the end of the race’s longest stage.

A five-man breakaway formed early, but it became clear their chances were minimal, especially as the final climb averaged a gruelling 8.4% over 13.6 kilometers. The last riders still at the front from that group were quickly reeled in, making way to the general classification men. After an attack with five kilometers to go, Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike) took the victory, while Filippo Zana came home as the best placed Soudal Quick-Step rider.

Paul Magnier came home some minutes later and took to the podium where he received another cyclamen jersey, becoming the youngest rider this century to top the points classification for seven consecutive days.

Paul Magnier in purple with Jan Christen before the start of stage five. Sirotti photo

On Saturday, the race goes to Fermo, a town in the Marche region, for a finish where both climbers and puncheurs could be in contention, especially as the average gradient in the last kilometer reaches almost 9%.

Here's the Giro news from Team Groupama-FDJ United:

One week after the “Grande Partenza” in Bulgaria, the Giro d’Italia is finally about to open the chapter of the GC contenders. Two summit finishes are indeed on the agenda this weekend: Friday at Blockhaus, and Sunday at Corno alle Scale. Before these two key appointments, Josh Kench remains on the same time as the main GC favourites after completing the demanding fourth and fifth stages alongside them. In Naples this Thursday, however, Paul Penhoët (16th) was unable to sprint for a top position.

Paul Penhoet wins the 2023 Tour du Finistère.

An unusual route awaited the riders on Tuesday as racing resumed on Italian soil. From Catanzaro to Cosenza, in Calabria, the stage was short (138 kilometres), but spiced up by the ascent of Cozzo Tunno (14 km at 6%) with 60 kilometres to go. As a result, there was some uncertainty about how the day would unfold. “The goal was to get into the breakaway because it was unclear who would control the race,” explained William Green. “Johan managed to make it, but unfortunately he ended up there with Rafferty, who was too close on GC for the peloton to allow them much time. We knew Paul would probably struggle on the climb, but we still didn’t expect the pace to be so high. In the end, Josh was our only rider to finish in the front group, which shows how hard the ascent was. Axel tested himself for the first time on a long climb, but after twenty minutes it became too hard.” At the finish, Jhonatan Narvaez won a sprint from a group of barely forty riders, while Josh Kench claimed 23rd place on the day.

On Wednesday, the New Zealander once again stayed with the favourites on the way to Potenza during a stage featuring 3,700 metres of climbing, though under completely different circumstances. “It was without doubt one of the worst days on the bike I’ve ever witnessed,” said William. “There was rain, cold, and even hail at one point. On top of that, there were quite a few climbs. Rémy tried to go early on the first one, then the breakaway formed, and it became difficult for us to be there. We tried to manage the riders’ clothing as best we could, which we did quite well. Before the final climb, Axel and Johan did a great job positioning Josh, and then he did his thing. He wasn’t feeling great, but he managed to hang on.”

At the end of this epic stage, the 25-year-old rider sat 26th overall, before a less exhausting day towards Naples awaited the peloton on Thursday. After 141 kilometres, the expected bunch sprint took shape, but it did not unfold as Paul Penhoët and his teammates had hoped. “Rémi Cavagna did a great job,” added William. “Johan took over shortly afterwards, and we were in a pretty good position up until two kilometres to go. Unfortunately, we weren’t able to move back up after that. We’re really disappointed, and not because of the crash in the final corner, because the reality is that we weren’t well positioned enough to fight for the win.”

While Davide Ballerini emerged victorious from a chaotic final kilometre, Paul Penhoët had to settle for 16th place. Three hilly stages now await before the rest day. “The weekend looks exciting,” concluded William. “We’re really looking forward to Josh’s first true mountain test tomorrow, and it will tell us more about the team’s next two weeks at the Giro. He has definitely taken a major step forward moving from the Asia Tour to the WorldTour, and even to his first Grand Tour. We expected he might lose some time in the opening stages, and we didn’t want to take any risks. In the end, with no pressure on him, he hasn’t lost any time at all. The general classification is not a priority for now; there are still many unknowns, and he’ll already get the chance to measure himself against the very best on Blockhaus. Saturday’s eighth stage has a very interesting profile that could suit several riders on the team. On Sunday, we’ll have another summit finish, which on paper suits Josh’s characteristics even better. In any case, everyone has recovered well from the crash and is ready to give 110% to seize every opportunity. Rémi Cavagna is feeling better and better every day and already has his sights set on the time trial.”