There’s a new event coming on the same weekend as the Heck and Hell of the North–it’s called the Hero of the North. On May 25, another edition of Heck goes down, with the next day seeing Hell. The spring Hell of the North road/gravel race, covers 90 km from Ballantrae, Ontario, through challenging dirt and off-road sections in the greater Toronto area. A milder alternative, the Heck of the North, at 70 km, runs the day before, omitting the tougher off-road segments. The history of Hell The Hell event, renowned for its gravel roads and notorious 10 km “trench,” has a rich history dating back to ..read more

Enduro is one of the fastest-growing disciplines of mountain bike racing. For 2024, there are more chances than ever for Canadians to get in on the action. Here’s five enduro series, from grassroots to national level, to try out. Whether it’s your first time on a start line, or you want to be first at the end of the day, there’s a series out there for you. In addition to the series events, there are numerous one-off events, like last weekend’s Squamish Enduro, or women’s races like Hot On Your Heels, Liv Bombshell Enduro or the Murderhorn Maiden on Vancouver Island . Ontario Enduro Series With ..read more

They say opinions are like saddles, everybody has one, and they all stink. Well good news, folks, former pro Roger De Vlaeminck, who is known to be outspoken, has gone in on the current state of affairs on pro road racing. De Vlaeminck, is, to be fair, a Belgian cycling legend, who dominated the sport during the 1970s. Renowned for his versatility, he excelled in both road and cyclo-cross disciplines. Throughout his career, De Vlaeminck amassed an impressive record of victories, including four Paris-Roubaix titles and three wins at the Giro d’Italia. His prowess on rough terrain and in adverse ..read more

Hot on the heels of UCI announcing a World Cup cyclocross calendar completely devoid of North American racing, the USCX series announced a few big changes. With a more condensed calendar and a big new sponsor, the U.S.-based series is ensuring there’s still a venue for pro cyclocross racing in North America this year. 2024 Trek USCX Series: New sponsor, new venue The big news is that Trek is stepping in, and stepping up as the new titles sponsor for the USCX series. With that move, and with Waterloo dropping off the World Cup calendar, comes a new venue. Trek CX Cup will return to Wisconsin ag ..read more

Getting good, regular sleep is important for training and performing your best for the day of your local group ride or race . But if you’re is it possible to “bank” sleep before the race to make up for lost zzzs? The answer is not as simple as yes or no. While some research has shown that it may be possible to mitigate the effects of lost sleep by getting extra rest leading up to a race, our bodies do not fully function on a “sleep debt” system. In other words, a few extra hours of sleep over a couple of nights won’t completely make up for lost sleep that comes later; and there is evidence tha ..read more

What do when you want to add shoes to the long list of bikes and apparel you make, but have never made shoes before? Why not ask one of the best in the business? When YT wanted to expand into footwear, it tagged Skate and BMX icons Van to help out. That collaboration, a set of flat pedal shoes and some post-ride sandals, is out now. YT x Vans YT got its start in dirt jumping, with the DirtLove frame. Vans has a storied history in BMX and, of course, skateboarding. If there’s a ground for the two to meet, it makes sense that its the feet. There’s two parts to this “co-branded collection.” The ..read more

Ineos Grenadiers is doing everything it can to try and help Geraint Thomas beat the seemingly unbeatable Tadej Pogačar at the Giro. The former Tour de France winner is the clear leader for the British squad, eager to win the race that he narrowly lost on the final time trial in 2023. Thomas, 37, will lead a seasoned squad through the 21-stage event covering 3,400 km of racing, which begins in Turin on Saturday, May 4, and concluding in Rome on Sunday, May 26. Riley Pickrell, Mike Woods to ride Giro d’Italia In 2023, the Welshman rode well throughout the event, wearing the Maglia Rosa until ..read more

SUBSCRIBE Apple Podcasts | Google Play | Android | Stitcher | TuneIn | Spotify | RSS Stephen Roche has accomplished what only one other rider has done: won the Giro d’Italia, Tour de France and the road world championships in one year. (The other is Eddy Merckx.) This season, it seems Tadej Pogačar could match the Irish rider’s feat from 1987. In this episode, Roche looks back at the challenges he faced during that historic season: the tumultuous Giro with the split within his team and the Italian public seemingly out to get him; the Tour, which was not only a physical contest but a psycholog ..read more

In the world of professional cycling, managing bathroom breaks mid-race is a crucial skill that riders must master. Pier-André Côté and Lex Albrecht share their insights on handling this challenge efficiently. There are two options for male cyclists–stopping at the side of the road, or going on the fly. With female cyclists, it is the former…mostly. For Côté , timing is crucial if you are stopping. “When’s the best time? I’d say there’s the obvious one: when the teams control the race or just letting the breakaway go. You obviously don’t wanna go before the breakaway goes,” he says. And then a ..read more

With winter rapidly disappearing in the mountains, Whistler Bike Park is targeting an early opening date for the 2024 season. The iconic Canadian bike park is aiming to have the first chairs spinning for May 17. Fitzsimmons Express returns Opening Day will see the return of Fitzsimmons Express to the park’s chairs. The central village chair recieved a major overhaul that saw it closed for much of the 2023 summer bike park season. WBP is aiming to get five rider and five bikes up the hill on each chair with the new lift, which would be a significant upgrade in capacity over the old chair. While ..read more