thecyclingdane

Wout van Aert missing the Tour de France isn’t just a team change—it’s a disruption to the entire script of the race.

In this episode, we react to the news that injury has ruled Van Aert out of the Tour and unpack what that actually removes from Visma–Lease a Bike’s toolkit. This isn’t just a domestique or stage hunter being taken away—it’s one of the most adaptable riders in modern cycling, a rider who can shift a stage, control a breakaway, win on multiple terrains, and reshape entire days of racing.

We dig into how Visma now reshuffle around Jonas Vingegaard, what gaps suddenly open in their Tour strategy, and who within the squad is forced to step into roles they weren’t originally built for. Beyond that, we explore how this changes the rhythm of the race itself—because Van Aert’s presence always forces other teams to react, even before the first mountain stage arrives.

There’s also the bigger picture: what this means for Van Aert’s season, how teams absorb late injury losses at this level, and whether the Tour de France becomes more open—or simply more chaotic—without him.

A raw reaction to one of the most influential withdrawals before the race has even begun.

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Isaac Del Toro delivered another huge statement ahead of the Tour de France, capturing overall victory at the 2026 Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes (formerly the Critérium du Dauphiné). The Mexican star showed exactly why many believe he is the future of stage racing, producing a brilliant mountain performance to take a crucial stage win before sealing his third WorldTour stage-race victory of the season. After already winning the UAE Tour and Tirreno-Adriatico, Del Toro continues to build one of the most impressive campaigns in modern cycling.

Elsewhere, Jasper Philipsen returned to winning ways at the Copenhagen Sprint. In a chaotic and rain-soaked race filled with crashes, late drama and a stubborn breakaway that was only caught in the final few hundred metres, the Belgian sprint star kept himself out of trouble before powering past Tobias Lund Andresen to take victory in the Danish capital. It was the perfect confidence boost as Tour de France season rapidly approaches.

The weekend also brought concern for French cycling's newest superstar, Paul Seixas. The 19-year-old crashed heavily during Stage 7 of the Dauphiné, suffering significant injuries to his hands and forcing a remarkable chase back to the favourites group. Although he bravely finished the stage and initially hoped to continue, Seixas ultimately abandoned the race the following day. With his Tour de France debut just weeks away, the crash has cast doubt over how close to full strength he will be when the Grand Départ arrives, creating a nervous wait for French fans dreaming of a home contender.

In today's show, we break down Del Toro's latest triumph, analyse what Philipsen's Copenhagen Sprint victory means for the Tour de France sprint battles, and discuss whether Seixas can recover in time to challenge the sport's biggest names in July.

The road to the Tour de France continues at the Tour de Suisse, the final major stage race before cycling's biggest event. With a challenging route packed full of mountain stages, time gaps can appear quickly as some of the world's best riders battle for one of the most prestigious week-long races on the calendar.

In this preview show, we break down every stage, analyse the key contenders, and discuss whether Tadej Pogačar can add yet another Swiss stage race victory to his incredible palmarès. Can anyone challenge the Slovenian superstar, or is he set to continue his dominance ahead of July?

Join us as we look at the route, the favourites, the dark horses, and the biggest storylines heading into the 2026 Tour de Suisse.

Cycling Transfer Talks, we break down the latest reports linking Felix Gall with a move to Lidl-Trek, examine the growing speculation surrounding Primož Roglič and a potential switch to Bahrain Victorious, and discuss the extraordinary rumours that could see company-owned Ineos attempt to secure the biggest signing in cycling by targeting Jonas Vingegaard.

We analyse what these transfers could mean for the balance of power in the peloton, how each rider would fit into their potential new team, and whether these blockbuster moves are realistic or simply transfer-season speculation. From Grand Tour ambitions to team strategy and sponsor influence, we cover all the biggest stories currently circulating in the cycling world.

Join us for another deep dive into the latest transfer rumours, contract situations, and the moves that could shape professional cycling in 2027.

Can Paul Seixas make history at the 2026 Critérium du Dauphiné? The French sensation arrives in the form of his life and has the chance to become the race's youngest-ever winner while ending France's long wait for a home champion, with the last French victory coming back in 2007. But standing in his way are some of the sport's biggest names, including UAE Team Emirates-XRG leader Isaac del Toro, who has already won the UAE Tour and Tirreno–Adriatico this season, while Juan Ayuso leads a strong Lidl-Trek squad looking to add another major stage race to his palmarès. We break down the route, the key contenders, and who has the best chance of taking overall victory in the Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes 2026.

On the queen stage of the Giro d'Italia it was an action packed day with Ciccone and riders in the lower end of the top 10 of the GC forcing the action while Visma Lease A Bike shifted focus to let Sepp Kuss in the breakaway and Jonas Vingegaard on marking duties.

Stage 18 of the Giro d’Italia 2026 looked straightforward for the GC contenders — until the brutal slopes of the Muro di Ca’ del Poggio nearly turned into a tactical disaster for Jonas Vingegaard and Visma-Lease a Bike. Poor positioning, late reactions, and aggressive attacks on the steep final climb briefly left the Giro leader exposed as rivals sensed an opportunity ahead of the decisive mountain stages.

In this episode, we break down the chaotic finale into Pieve di Soligo, the aggressive racing on the Poggio, why Visma almost made a costly mistake, and how the GC battle is beginning to heat up before the final weekend in the Dolomites. We also discuss the sprinters who somehow survived the climb, the reduced bunch sprint, and the rider who perfectly timed his move to take a stunning Stage 18 victory — Paul Magnier.

Michael Valgren finally claimed his long-awaited first Grand Tour stage win with a perfectly-timed attack on stage 17 of the Giro d’Italia after an explosive 202km breakaway battle to Andalo. We break down the relentless tactical racing, Valgren’s emotional comeback story after his career-threatening crash, and another controlled GC day for race leader Jonas Vingegaard as the Giro heads towards its decisive final mountain stages.

After a rest day comes the moment every Grand Tour contender fears… the first brutal mountain test of the final week. On Stage 16 of the 2026 Giro d’Italia, Jonas Vingegaard and Visma Lease a Bike faced a short but savage Swiss Alpine showdown to Carì, with relentless climbing, heat, and mounting fatigue threatening to crack the race apart.

In this episode, we break down how Visma controlled the stage from start to finish, why Vingegaard’s attack looked so devastating, and what the performance means for the overall Giro battle heading into the decisive final mountains. We also discuss Felix Gall’s impressive ride, the growing gaps in the GC, and whether anyone still has the legs to challenge the maglia rosa in the final week.

Jonas Vingegaard heads into the final rest day of the 2026 Giro d’Italia in complete control, but is the race already over? In this debrief, we break down Visma-Lease a Bike’s domination, Vingegaard’s crushing stage 14 attack to take the maglia rosa, the fading hopes of Afonso Eulálio and the remaining challengers, plus whether anyone can realistically stop the Dane in the brutal final week. We also discuss the key GC standings, surprise performers, tactical battles still to come, and if Vingegaard is now riding towards his first Giro d’Italia title.