RACE REPORT: Tadej Pogačar stamped his authority on cycling’s cobbled heartland once more, riding clear on the final ascent of the Oude Kwaremont to claim his third victory at the Tour of Flanders. To many fans of pro cycling, there is no more important one day race than the Tour of Flanders – de Ronde […]

Book Review: Belgium: it’s an odd place. A country put together from pieces other nations didn’t really want, it seems resigned to an eternal identity crisis. But beyond this historic and political mess, there is a remarkable sporting story – cycling and the Flemish, described by author Harry Pearson as “a grand romance.” “The Beast, […]

Flanders Interview: He lives on the course, he’s raced on it and driven the team car there – former pro rider and team director Allan Peiper has the T-shirt and more when it comes to the Ronde van Vlaanderen. Ed Hood got the low-down from the man on the route a few years ago. In […]

As the season shifts, the Gear Break April Showers edition delivers a heavy downpour of high-performance tech to wash away the winter cobwebs. While we don’t have any rain gear or fenders for you, we do have a deluge of race-ready rubber from Pirelli, high-contrast vision from Smith, and a clever, Bluetooth-monitored “rack that sucks” […]

Fancy yourself a hard man in the truest sense – the ‘Flemish’ sense?  Then Flanders is waiting. On the brutal cobbled “bergs” of the Tour of Flanders, legends are made—and amateurs are quickly reintroduced to reality. From the deceptively fast Eikenberg to the wheel-spinning chaos of the Koppenberg and the leg-breaking ramps of the Paterberg, […]

This cycling news roundup asks just who will hang onto Tadej Pogacar at this weekend’s Tour of Flanders — and answers: No one! Together we also relive some breathless racing at Dwars Van Vlaanderen, begin looking ahead to the Tour de France’s launch in Barcelona, and wonder at the value of Pogačar’s MSR skinsuit — […]

Flanders has long been defined by its brutal cobbles, steep bergs, and Spring Classics history—but there’s a new rhythm emerging beneath the stones. As gravel riding explodes across Europe, Belgium’s cycling heartland is evolving, blending its iconic climbs with a growing network of dirt roads, forest tracks, and bikepacking routes. The result? A fresh way […]

In 2004 I made my first trip to Belgium to discover the riding, racing and culture of cycling’s cobbled heartland.  I was in Belgium for the first time, as part of my journey to experience pro cycling’s Holy Week, including riding the de Ronde race course route as part of the Tour of Flanders Cyclosportif. […]

A John Thomson Classic Photo Gallery: The biggest one-day Classic of the season (especially if you are Flemish) is this weekend – De Ronde van Vlaanderen or Tour of Flanders. Photographer John Thomson is celebrating the 10th anniversary of Peter Sagan’s De Ronde win in 2016 with an other varied photo gallery. *** You can […]

Here at PEZ, we’re all about the superbike: The Italian dazzlers ridden by Pogačar and Pidcock — or at least the German machines that Mathieu van der Poel has ridden to so many victories, both on and off-road. Our Readers’ Rigs tend towards the flashy and the carbon — or the skinny-tubed steel kind, built […]

Mathieu van der Poel is on fire for the Classics and Jonas Vingegaard quietly dismantled rivals in Catalunya, pro cycling’s established stars are reasserting their grip just as the stakes rise. But beneath the results, something else is shifting: the peloton is getting smarter, long-range attacks are no longer a guaranteed path to victory, and […]

TOOLBOX: Every rider has their weather Kryptonite—the conditions that turn a good ride into a sufferfest. But beyond personal preference, is there actually an ideal temperature for performance? And does your body respond differently depending on whether you’re riding in the cold or the heat? In today’s Toolbox, we examine the science of ambient temperature […]

Mathieu van der Poel spent the weekend doing everyone’s work for them — winning E3 solo on Friday, then towing Wout van Aert around Flanders on Sunday — only to hand the victory gift-wrapped to his own teammate. Jasper Philipsen, who had the good sense to stay in the bunch and save his legs, duly […]

Jasper Philipsen took a dramatic victory at Gent-Wevelgem (now re-named as In Flanders Fields), but only after the race’s two biggest stars—Mathieu van der Poel and Wout van Aert—were hauled back in the final kilometer after spending much of the finale off the front. It looked like a dream duel. It ended in a drag […]

When winter fades and the roads come back to life, cycling fans know what’s next—the Spring Classics. Brutal, beautiful, and steeped in history, races like Paris-Roubaix, Tour of Flanders, and Milan–San Remo define the soul of the sport. In The Spring Classics: Cycling’s Greatest One-Day Races, a collection of legendary writers and photographers brings these […]

In 2005, Nico Mattan grabbed victory in one of the most controversial editions of Gent – Wevelgem ever held. The newspapers ran and ran with it, but Sean Kelly saw, “no problems” with the result. Ed Hood caught-up with the charismatic Belgian to hear Mattan’s version of that still-debated day. In January 2025 we lost […]

Gear Break is springing forth with some exciting gear and kit, and a new bike, to get you ready for the coming season. New sunnies from Tifosi, with a lightweight, wide-angle rimless design gets it started. SCICON has dropped a new version of its venerable Saddlebag 098 with an integrated taillight, you can have your […]

For many cyclists, Shimanami Kaido is the reason to visit Japan—but it’s only the beginning. Set in Ehime, this iconic island-hopping route opens the door to one of the most diverse cycling regions anywhere: coastal roads tracing the Seto Inland Sea, high-altitude climbs like the legendary UFO Line, rugged peninsulas, and quiet backroads linking historic […]

The Kemmelberg is the defining obstacle in Gent-Wevelgem, often turning what looks like a sprinter’s race into a brutal selection. What makes the Kemmelberg so decisive isn’t just its steepness—it’s the combination of narrow roads, uneven cobbles, and positioning chaos. Riders hit it at high speed after exposed, wind-battered roads, and the climb instantly splits […]

This cycling news roundup runs the gamut from the Evenepoel-Vingegaard 1-2 punch that almost was to Godon’s emergence, Groenewegen’s re-emergence, and Laurance’s arrival. All that, plus a look back at Paris-Roubaix past, a lap around the gravel roads of Davis, California — and a check on…mustaches? TOP STORY Volta a Catalunya: Evenepoel’s Audacity Foiled by […]

Rudy Project Nytron helmet and Astral Sphere glasses: The days are getting longer and warmer (in the northern hemisphere), so now is the best time for some new kit for the summer. First up are two articles we need and that’s a helmet and sunglasses: Rudy Project’s Nytron aero helmet and Astral Sphere sunglasses. Just […]

TRAVEL: Cycling in France is the dream—and for Chris Selden, it’s a life built on two wheels. After falling in love with the country through the Tour de France and eventually discovering the Hérault Valley, Selden has turned that passion into something you can experience for yourself. His beautifully restored “Hidden House” gîte in the […]

Here at PEZ, we’re all about the superbike: The Italian gems ridden by Pogačar and Pidcock — or at least the German machines that Mathieu van der Poel has ridden to so many victories, both on and off-road. Our Readers’ Rigs tend towards the flashy and the carbon — or the skinny-tubed steel kind, built […]

If there was any doubt about Tadej Pogačar’s place in cycling’s all-time hierarchy, his stunning victory at Milan–San Remo may have just settled it. Crashing before the Cipressa, chasing back, and then detonating the race anyway, Pogačar delivered a performance that was equal parts chaos, control, and cold precision. But beyond the headline win, the […]

Every cyclist has a “bonk” story — that moment when the legs go empty and the ride goes sideways. Mine came on a fast group ride back in 2016, when I discovered the hard way that fitness alone isn’t enough if you don’t fuel the work. In this month’s Toolbox, I dig into the real […]