Samara Maxwell (Decathlon Ford Racing) wins the XCO at the Pal Arinsal-Andorra round of the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series 2025 (Image credit: WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series)

There was plenty of reason for Samara Maxwell (Decathlon Ford Racing) to despair during the cross-country Olympic (XCO) race at Pal Arinsal, with two crashes and a puncture, but instead of succumbing to defeat the determined rider from New Zealand launched a spectacular fight back that put her back on the top step at the Andorra round of the Whoop UCI Mountain Bike World Series.

«I had a flat and two crashes all within what felt like five seconds,» said Maxwell in a release from race organisers. «I thought ‘it’s going to be one of those days’ where I panic and drop down the rankings. I told myself ‘just because I had the thought doesn’t make it a fact’. I’m a fighter and just re-set and chipped them [her rivals] off one by one.»

The overall series leader had been out the front with Ronja Blöchlinger (LIV Factory Racing) early before falling away as she lost 47 seconds after needing a change for a rear wheel puncture,

“I don’t know where I flatted, I just came round the corner, and it felt a bit squirely and I looked down and my tyre was flat just as I passed the tech zone. It was a bit of chaos, but I tried to stay calm,» said Maxwell.

She then went on to chase back to the front, with a crash on the way, but once she made the junction to the leading group of four in the second last lap of seven it wasn’t all smooth sailing then either. The high altitude course in the Pyrenees with energy-sapping climbs kept serving up the challenges and Maxwell kept rising to meet them.

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«It was all out in the last lap. I felt strong but kept making silly mistakes in the downhills,» said Maxwell. «I just realised I needed a bit of room for myself to take my own lines.

«I waited until the climb, but afterwards my whole body was screaming. It’s hard. People think what I did on the last lap was hard. It’s not. What is hard is having setbacks and feeling out of control.»

Maxwell crossed the line nine seconds ahead of Alessandra Keller (Thomus Maxon) while Jenny Rissveds was next, 15 seconds back. On the other hand Puck Pieterse (Alpecin-Deceuninck), who had led the race early, fell back through the field after crashing and finished in 10th place.

Maxwell, who won her debut elite XCO round in Brazil, has now stretched her lead in the overall series with 1535 points while second placed Nicole Keller (Ghost Factory Racing) has 1090 points.

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(Image credit: WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series)

Tom Pidcock (Q36.5 Pro Cycling) lost no time in hitting his stride on his mountain bike, winning the UCI Cross-country Olympic World Cup competition in Pal Arinsal-Andorra on Sunday.

The reigning Olympic Champion in the XCO discipline made a splash in his season debut on dirt, working his way from a fourth-row start to take a solo lead by the bell lap.

The British rider, who lives at high altitude in Andorra, used wide passing lines, punchy climbs and technical descents to seal the victory, coasting across the finish 21 seconds ahead of Luca Martin and another 31 seconds to compatriot Charlie Aldridge, both riders with Cannondale Factory Racing.

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It was the first time in three tries in Andorra that Pidcock scored a victory in the XCO race, having finished third two times before. This was his first mountain bike race with his new team, Q36.5 Pro Cycling, competing in a white and gold skinsuit to pay tribute to his Olympic title.

“My start was pretty OK; I went a bit hard midway through the race. It’s hard for everyone racing this high [at altitude], it’s not like you can find more oxygen anywhere,» Pidcock told organisers after his win.

“My tyres were a little bit hard in the end, due to a lack of experience in the races this year. It did play into my favour as I didn’t puncture or have any problems. I was nervous about getting a good launch at the start. If I’d have gone backwards from the fourth row, then I would have been really far back.»

After the first of eight laps, the 25-year-old worked his way to 14th position. He kept on the gas and on the second lap caught the leading group of six riders, which included French national champion Martin, who had won the Cross-country Short Track race on Friday. Pidcock and Martin stole away with nearly 30 seconds in hand by the mid-point of the race.

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On the sixth circuit, Pidcock had carved out a small advantage to Martin, who lost a chunk of time when he had to swap wheels after a puncture and then had a mechanical. The Frenchman made up a small amount of time on lap seven but could never reconnect with Pidcock.

XCO World Cup points leader Christopher Blevins (Specialized Factory Racing) finished more than 4 minutes back in 29th position, but held onto his overall lead of 313 points going into the seventh round August 28-31 at Les Gets in the Haute-Savoie region of France.

Asked if he would find a spot on his calendar to race another MTB World Cup event this summer, Pidcock only referred to ‘next year’ for a return to XCO racing.

“I don’t think this year. Next year I want to do a few more races,» he told organisers.

“It’s super-nice to finally win here, kind of at home, after a few years. It’s not an easy place to race, that is for sure,» he added.

Last year he competed at the Mountain Bike World Championships, going third at Pal Arinsal, and defended his gold medal at the Paris Olympic Games. His last World Cup race was last year in Crans-Montana and he won both the XCC and XCO events.

He returns to road competition for Q36.5, having most recently scored four top 10s on stages at the Giro d’Italia.

Pidcock hasn’t raced MTB since last September (Image credit: Getty Images)

Olympic champion Tom Pidcock (Q36.5) is set to make his 2025 mountain biking debut this weekend, as he lines up in the cross-country Olympic (XCO) race at the World Cup in Pal Arinsal, Andorra.

Pidcock hasn’t ridden a cross-country race since the World Championships in 2024 – also at Pal Arinsal in Andorra – where he came third just a few weeks after taking Olympic gold. He also hasn’t raced MTB since his off-season move to Q36.5 from Ineos Grenadiers.

Instead, the Yorkshire-born rider’s 2025 so far has been largely focused on the road, racing a busy Spring Classics campaign before taking on the Giro d’Italia, where he finished 16th overall in Q36.5’s maiden Grand Tour appearance.

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However, with the ProTeam not invited to the Tour de France, Pidcock’s July was relatively free, and he’s taking the opportunity to return to mountain biking, confirmed by the Mountain Bike World Series organisers on Tuesday.

He will line up only in the XCO race on Sunday, as his current UCI mountain biking ranking is not high enough for him to earn a spot in Friday’s short track (XCC) race.

The last time he rode in a World Cup event was Crans-Montana last June, where he won both the XCO and XCC races.

Despite some understanding that Pidcock’s move from WorldTour to ProTeam level was to have more freedom to race different disciplines, this is the first time he’s racing off-road in 2025. However, he’s clear that that doesn’t mean he’s solely focused on the road going forward.

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«[Mountain biking] hasn’t been set aside, but I’ve joined this team, we’re building it together, and that means I need to race on the road, we need to get into the biggest races,» Pidcock recently explained on Red Bull’s Just Ride podcast. «So that’s where my mind is at. It’s not that I’m sacrificing the others for it, it’s just that that’s what I’m trying to focus on.»

In terms of equipment, Pidcock will continue to ride the Pinarello Dogma XC that he and Pauline Ferrand-Prévot helped to develop whilst at Ineos, rather than a Scott mountain bike, the brand Q36.5 uses on the road. This agreement was confirmed at the end of 2024.

«That was important to me, changing teams, that I could stay with Pinarello,» Pidcock said on Just Ride. «The [cyclo-]cross bike and the mountain bike were both built for me, so I have massive respect for them that they could do that and did do that. And they’re my bikes, you know?»

Pidcock has not laid out his plans for the rest of the season or his future in mountain biking, but his expected participation in the Vuelta a España makes it unlikely he’ll be in action at the World Championships, as the cross-country events take place on the final weekend of the Vuelta.

He has, however, stated his hopes to race XCO at the LA Olympics in 2028 and target a third successive gold medal, so he is expected to continue to balance mountain biking with road racing.

The Tour circus will descend on the UK in 2027 (Image credit: Getty Images) Jump to:

• Today at the Tour
• Free coverage
• Watch from anywhere
• UK
• US
• Canada
• Australia
• Full list of broadcasters
• Storylines

The 2025 Tour de France is upon is, and Cyclingnews is here with all the information you could possibly need on TV coverage and live streams so you can watch the Tour de France in all its glory.

In a nutshell

► Dates: July 5-27, 2025

► UK: ITV4/ITVX or TNT Sports/Discovery+

► US: NBC/Peacock

► Canada: Flobikes

► Australia: SBS/SBS On Demand

► Free: ITV (UK), SBS (Australia)

► Watch from anywhere: NordVPN mega-deal

The 2025 Tour de France kicks off on July 5 in Lille and finishes on July 27 in Paris, with 3,339 kilometres of racing over 21 stages. Tadej Pogačar and Jonas Vingegaard renew their rivalry after sharing the past five yellow jerseys between them, with the world’s best riders all in attendance.

The Tour de France is one of the biggest sporting spectacles in the world, and every single minute of every single stage will be broadcast live, which adds up to almost 110 hours of viewing pleasure. The Tour de France is shown in 190 countries across 100 channels – 60 of them live – and that all adds up to more than a billion hours worth of viewing across the total audience.

Wondering where and how you can tune in? We have you covered right here in this guide, which explains Tour de France viewing options in the UK, US, Canada, and Australia, as well as how you can watch for free, and how you can get your usual coverage from anywhere with a VPN.

Tour de France on TV today

Today, Thursday July 3, sees the pre-race teams presentation in Lille, which will be broadcast and live streamed around the world.

You can watch the teams presentation for free via the live stream on the Tour de France website. Alternatively, many rights-holding broadcasters will show it on their streaming platforms, including Discovery+ (UK), Peacock (US), Flobikes (Canada) and SBS On Demand (Australia).

Teams presentation timings: Starts 18:30 CET / 17:30 BST / 12:30 ET / 02:30 AEST (Fri)

Can I watch the Tour de France for free?

You can watch the Tour de France for free in numerous European countries, including the UK and Australia.

• UK: ITV4 and ITVX
• Ireland: TG4
• France: France Télévisions
• Italy: RAI
• Spain: RTVE
• Belgium: VRT/Sporza (Flemish) and RTBF/Auvio (French)
• Germany: ARD
• Switzerland: SRGR
• Portugal: RTP

Watch the Tour de France from anywhere

Away from home during the Tour de France? A VPN will ensure you don’t miss a moment.

Virtual Private Networks are internet security software that effectively alter your device’s location, meaning you can bypass the geo-restrictions you get on most streaming platforms and enjoy your usual coverage no matter where you are. VPNs are great for staying safe online, especially when using unfamiliar WiFi or data connections, and they can also offer better playback speeds.

NordVPN is the best VPN provider out there, according to our office-mates at TechRadar, who love its compatibility, top-notch security, and seamless streaming unblocking.

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To take advantage while it lasts, head to the deal, sign up to a qualifying two-year NordVPN plan, and you’ll see the four months added to the discount. Once you’ve reached the end of the free trial period, after 30 days, your Amazon voucher will land in your inbox.

Where to watch the Tour de France in the UK

Fans in the UK have a choice for watching the Tour de France: ITV or TNT Sports / Discovery+.

The 2025 Tour represents an end of an era – the last to be broadcast on free-to-air television. From 2026, the Tour will disappear from the public screen but this July viewers will be able to enjoy full coverage from ITV before they bow out. Alternatively, you can watch the Tour de France on TNT Sports and Discovery+, who will have the exclusive rights from 2026.

Watch the Tour de France on ITV

Traditional TV viewers will find each and every stage live, from start to finish, on ITV4. For those watching online, a simulcast is on the ITVX free streaming platform.

• Pros: It’s free!
• Cons: Adverts

ITV’s Tour de France team

ITV’s coverage of the 2025 Tour de France is hosted by the veteran Gary Imlach, who has been broadcasting at the Tour since 1990 and is a hit with fans for his cool demeanour. In the commentary booth the broadcaster and writer Ned Boulting leads the way alongside David Millar, one of Britain’s most famous ex-riders. On-the-ground reporting comes from Daniel Friebe and Matt Rendell.

► What’s happening to cycling on TV in the UK? Explaining the Eurosport closure, TNT Sports, pricing, and how to watch

Watch the Tour de France on TNT Sports

All stages are live in full on one of TNT Sports’ main TV channels, but most often TNT Sports 1. You can get TNT Sports on a pay-TV package but also more simply via the Discovery+ streaming platform, which in some cases has extra coverage and bonus feeds such as ‘quad-screen’.

• Pros: Bonus coverage on Discovery+, and no ads
• Cons: Cost (£30.99/month for Discovery+)

TNT Sports’ Tour de France team

TNT Sports’ coverage of the 2025 Tour de France is hosted by Orla Chennaoui, who presents all the network’s major cycling coverage. Studio analysis comes from former British pro Adam Blythe, Australian former sprinter Robbie McEwen, and other guests One notable addition is the recently-retired Romain Bardet, twice a podium finisher at the Tour, who’ll be reporting from inside the race on a motorbike. TNT Sports use two lead commentators, Carlton Kirby and Rob Hatch, with the legendary co-commentary of Sean Kelly once again to be heard. Reporting comes from Matt Stephens and Hannah Walker.

Where to watch the Tour de France in the US

Broadcasting giant NBC has long held the exclusive rights to the Tour de France, and fans in the USA will once again be able to watch the Tour de France on NBC and Peacock.

How to watch the Tour de France on NBC and Peacock: NBC comes on most cable TV plans, while its online platform Peacock will have live streams of all 21 Tour de France stages. Plans start from $7.99 per month, or you can strip out ads for $13.99 per month.

NBC’s 2025 Tour de France team

Paul Burmeister presents NBC’s coverage of the 2025 Tour de France, with former US pros Brent Bookwalter and Tejay van Garderen on hand for studio analysis. In the commentary booth are the veteran Phil Liggett – who has called more than 50 Tours – and Bob Roll. Former Tour de France contender Christian Vande Velde provides insights, often from inside the race on the motorbike, while further reporting comes from Steve Porino.

Where to watch the Tour de France in Canada

In Canada, cycling streaming service FloBikes has the rights to the Tour de France. Flobikes is a familiar port of call for Canadian cycling fans, with almost the whole road calendar on offer.

How to watch the Tour de France on FloBikes: A one-month subscription to Flobikes will cover you for the Tour and will set you back $39.99 per month. However, you’ll save big long-term on an annual plan, which costs $203.88. Flobikes is online-only but you can get the FloBikes app on most smart TV and casting platforms.

Flobikes’ 2025 Tour de France team

Flobikes picks up the English-language ‘world feed’, so that means commentary comes from veteran cycling commentator and speaker Anthony McCrossan and Irish former pro Nicolas Roche. On-the-ground reporting and analysis comes from Gregor Brown.

Where to watch the Tour de France in Australia

In Australia, public broadcaster SBS holds the rights to the 2025 Tour de France, providing free-to-air coverage on TV and online.

How to watch the Tour de France on SBS: Fans can watch all Tour de France stages on the main SBS TV channel as well as the free streaming service, SBS On Demand.

SBS’ 2025 Tour de France team

SBS’ cycling coverage is led by lead commentator Matthew Keenan, who’s voicing his 19th Tour de France. Keenan is joined by a host of Australian former pros offering their insights, including Simon Gerrans, Grace Brown, Mitch Docker, Gracie Elvin, David McKenzie, Bridie O’Donnell, and Matilta Raynolds.

Tour de France 2025: Full list of broadcasters

• ITV — United Kingdom
• TNT Sports / Discovery+ — United Kingdom
• NBC Sports — United States
• FloBikes — Canada
• SBS — Australia
• France Télévisions — France
• Eurosport France — France
• Max — Italy — Netherlands — Germany — Scandinavia
• Eurosport — Europe — South East Asia
• ARD — Germany
• RTBF — Belgium
• VRT — Belgium
• TV2 — Denmark
• RTVE — Spain
• RAI — Italy
• TG4 — Ireland
• RTL — Luxemburg
• TV2 — Norway
• NOS — Netherlands
• S4C — Wales
• EiTB — Pays Basque
• Česká Televize — Czech Republic
• RTP — Portugal
• RTVS — Slovakia
• RTV SLO — Slovenia
• SRG-SSR — Switzerland
• ESPN — Latin America & Caribbean
• CaracolTV — Colombia
• Supersport — South Africa
• Eurosport — South East Asia
• CCTV — China
• Zhibo TV — China
• J Sports — Japan
• Sky Sport — New Zealand
• RCN — Colombia
• Abu Dhabi Media — Middle East and North Africa
• Servus TV — Austria

2025 Tour de France: Key storylines to follow

• Jonas Vingegaard’s approach to Pogacar problem
• Geraint Thomas’ final Tour de France
• Thibau Nys’ first Tour de France
• Dave Brailsford’s return to new-look Ineos
• The cost of Tour de France bikes
• Remco Evenepoel’s realism
• The Australians flying the flag

Disclaimer

We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example: 1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service). 2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad. We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.

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UCI President David Lappartient will serve for a third term in cycling’s top job (Image credit: Getty Images)

UCI President David Lappartient will continue in the role for another four-year period as cycling’s governing body confirmed that there will be no other applicants for the role for the 2025-2029 period.

The next UCI elections are coming up at the end of the season during the yearly UCI Congress, which will be held in Kigali, Rwanda, at the Road World Championships. Candidates for the UCI Management Committee will also be elected for the same time period.

Lappartient will face no competition in the election for UCI president, however. He was elected to the role in 2017, beating Brian Cookson by 37 votes to 8 in Bergen, Norway.

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The 52-year-old Frenchman had previously served as president of the European Cycling Union and held the post of UCI vice-president alongside Cookson. Alongside his UCI presidency, he has served as president of the Morbihan departmental council and as the Mayor of the Breton town of Sarzeau.

«With regard to the presidency, only David Lappartient, current UCI president, submitted a candidacy for the position. In accordance with Article 40, paragraph 3 of the UCI Constitution, his election for a third four-year term will be confirmed without a vote,» the UCI announced on Friday.

This year’s UCI Congress will mark the second time Lappartient has run for the presidency unopposed. Four years ago, he won re-election in Leuven, Belgium.

«Every day when I wake up, I want to find some new ideas. Our goal here is to enlarge cycling, to bring dreams to young riders and kids, to give the opportunity to see some wonderful events worldwide for all the disciplines across the five continents,» Lappartient said upon his re-election.

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«This sport is not coming from nowhere. We have a very strong history and solid routes, more specifically on the track and road, but with the new disciplines coming in, we have so many opportunities. Cycling is becoming a real big sport worldwide.»

Lappartient has not been shy about his ambitions for higher office beyond the UCI. Last September, he announced his candidacy to replace outgoing president Thomas Bach at the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

The election, held at the 144th IOC Session in Greece back in March, saw Zimbabwean former swimmer Kirsty Coventry come out on top after one round of voting. She beat Juan Antonio Samaranch, son of the former IOC president, by 49 votes to 28, while Lappartient finished joint-fourth on four votes.

In addition to the UCI presidential election, elections for the UCI Management Committee will also be held. One candidate for each of Africa, America, Asia, and Oceania will be elected, along with seven candidates for Europe, including at least two representatives of each gender.

10 candidates, including President of the UCI Integrity Commission Anne Gripper, are in the running for the four roles across Africa, America, Asia, and Oceania. A further 10 are up for the European places, including Belgian Cycling Federation Director Tom Van Damme, French Cycling Federation President Michel Callot, and President of the UCI Athletes’ Commission Kateřina Nash.

Jack Ward (Team Brennan p/b TP32) wins stage 4 of the Tour of Tasmania 2025, the third round of the ProVelo Super League (Image credit: Con Chronis/ProVelo Super League)

When Australian Jack Ward launched into the opening stage of the Tour of Bright in December of 2024 and duly clung to WorldTour rider Luke Plapp’s wheel on the climb of Tawonga Gap before sprinting to the stage 1 win, a path began to unfold that has now led to the 20-year-old mountain biker signing with development team, Lidl-Trek Future, through to the end of 2027.

It was that performance in Victoria’s high country – with the rider ultimately taking second overall at the three-stage event behind Jayco-AlUla rider Plapp – that helped the young domestic rider from the discontinuing Team Bridgelane men’s team to secure a 2025 spot as the supported team leader in the new Team Brennan p/b TP32 at the six-event ProVelo Super League (PSL). Ward then made the most of that opportunity, claiming the win at the inaugural edition of the series

That ProVelo victory not only delivered the guarantee of a 2025 stagiaire role with Jayco-AlUla – a much sought-after winner’s prize – but his performances through the events once again highlighted his combined climbing prowess and sprint power, raising the interest levels of a number of international teams, including Lidl-Trek Future. That meant in the end Ward didn’t need the next step of that stagiaire role to begin carving out his pathway to an international racing career.

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“Thanks to my family and all those in my corner for getting me to this point,” said Ward on social media, pointing to Team Brennan, his agent Annette Edmondson of Paradigm Shift Sports and his coach Alex Quirk

“I’d like to take this moment to also thank both ProVelo and Team Jayco-AlUla for the opportunity to take on a stagiaire position this year, which was the prize for winning the ProVelo Super League,” said Ward. “It was a great opportunity but ultimately I feel that joining Lidl-Trek Future Racing on a 2.5 year contract is the best step for me on my journey. See you on the road!”

The Gerry Ryan backed ProVelo Super League, designed as a pathway to the WorldTour for Australian riders, welcomed the announcement of Ward’s jump to an international team.

“Supporting rising talent and creating a genuine pathway to the world stage has always been at the heart of PSL’s vision. Jack’s success is a powerful reflection of that promise in action,” said the league on Instagram.

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“This is a monumental achievement and a proud moment for Jack and everyone at PSL. We look forward to following Jack’s journey.”

The Victorian debuted the Lidl-Trek Future racing jersey at the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series held in Val di Sole, Italy, coming tenth in his first race with the team – the men’s U23 short-track on Friday.

Martin Vidaurre (Specialized Racing) wins in WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series — Val di Sole 2025 (Image credit: WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series) Jump to:

• Results

Martin Vidaurre (Specialized Factory Racing) and Puck Pieterse (Alpecin-Deceuninck) were victorious in the elite cross-country races at the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series held in Val di Sole, Italy on Sunday.

Vidaurre, from Chile, made history with his first-ever career victory at the highest level and the first for his nation in the elite XCO World Cup.

The former under-23 world champion attacked on the sixth lap, bridging across to France’s Mathis Azzaro (Origine Racing Division). He passed Azzaro on the penultimate lap and went on to secure a solo win, with Azzaro taking second and Fabio Püntener third.

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• ‘I was waiting for a long time for this’ – Ondřej Cink claims MTB World Cup XCO win in muddy Leogang as Puck Pieterse doubles up
• UCI MTB World Series Nové Město: Puck Pieterse, Christopher Blevins claim short track titles
• Puck Pieterse and Christopher Blevins continue short track winning streak at UCI MTB World Series in Leogang

“I love racing in Italy, the energy was incredible. This win is huge — for me and for my country. I knew I had the legs, and I just went all-in,» Vidaurre said.

“I have such good memories from 2021 when I became U23 World Champion. The whole race, I said to myself, ‘you can do it’. I just pushed through the bike, the Specialized was amazing over the roots, it’s incredible how fast I can go.

“I found my flow, kept it easy at the beginning and then just took energy from the crowd. I needed this win, I’m more than happy. It has been a long way to be here, it’s my third year as an elite, and to win a World Cup is all that I wanted. This is for my people and for my country.

“I’ve watched Christopher [Blevins] win seven World Cups and Victor [Koretzky] win a bunch. Finally, it is my turn. It’s the team spirit to push and support each other.”

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Chris Blevins (Specialized Factory Racing) finished eighth and retains the leader’s jersey in the overall standings with 1,282 points, ahead of teammates Vidaurre with 952 and Victor Koretzky with 866.

Puck Pieterse (Alpecin-Deceuninck) wins in WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series — Val di Sole 2025 (Image credit: WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series)

In the women’s race, reigning world champion Pieterse backed up her short track triumph with another commanding performance, solidifying her place among the sport’s most dominant athletes.

“It’s quite cool,” Pieterse said about winning back-to-back XCO and XCC races.

The Dutch rider set a fast pace on the opening lap, and while Jenny Rissveds (Canyon CLLCTV XCO) tried to match that speed, she ultimately fell off pace.

Samara Maxwell (Decathlon Ford Racing Team) took a more conservative approach, working her way through the field and finishing on the podium in second place, 26 seconds behind Pieterse.

Laura Stigger (Specialized Factory Racing) completed the podium after a tight contest with Rissveds and Nicole Koller (Ghost Factory).

“I already knew from the XCC that she [Jenny Rissveds] was strong, she went out hard and I decided to follow a bit and not go as long [attack so early] as in Leogang. I noticed a few spots where I was a bit quicker, and I tried to make the best of it. I got a gap and had to go for it,» said Pieterse, who crashed in the rock garden on the fourth of seven laps and had to regain her rhythm.

“It took a lot today, especially when I heard that they were coming closer and closer. I heard that Samara [Maxwell] attacked and went all in, especially the climb on the back (of the course), it was almost undoable.”

Maxwell remains the overall World Cup leader with 1,253 points, ahead of Koller with 912 and Pieterse with 850.

Results

Results powered by FirstCycling

(Image credit: Shimano)

Shimano recently rejoined the world of electronic MTB shifting after a long hiatus with the release of its latest XTR Di2 groupset. The long overdue release sparked excitement through the MTB community as Di2 finally went fully wireless, although for most riders it was a tantalizing look into the future as they set to wait for the tech to reach Shimano’s other MTB groupsets.

When Shimano first launched electronic shifting back when 11sp was cutting edge, it offered Di2 in both XTR and XT levels, so it was a safe bet that they would eventually do the same with the new wireless 12sp Di2.

Considering the XTR Di2 release marked almost a decade since Shimano last offered an electronic groupset, it was unclear how quickly we would see Di2 trickle down to other tiers.

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We didn’t need to wait long, though, as Shimano has officially announced the release of two new MTB groupsets, Deore XT M8200 Di2 and Deore M6200 Di2.

While it’s not a surprise to see XT receive the Di2 treatment, this is the first time Shimano has offered Di2 shifting technology on a fifth-tier groupset, skipping SLX and going straight to Deore. While there is a significant hike in price compared to the mechanical Deore derailleur, the release of a Deore-level Di2 means Shimano’s electronic shifting should be more attainable for riders, as well as the possibility of Deore Di2 being specced as OEM components on new bikes.

Deore Di2 sees only the derailleur and shifter getting updated (Image credit: Shimano)

Shimano’s most affordable Di2 drivetrain

It appears that Shimano will only offer Deore M6200 Di2 as individual components rather than a full groupset, unlike XTR, which saw the whole groupset get overhauled. Unlike Shimano’s best road bike groupsets, the Deore M6200 Di2 derailleur uses the same wireless design as the XTR Di2, which features a removable and rechargeable battery housed within the derailleur.

The result is that the form is very similar to the XTR derailleur with a low-profile Shadow ES design aimed at reducing the risk of rock strikes and the new chain stabilising system that uses a dual spring mechanism. The Deore derailleur also features an Automatic impact recovery function, which helps deflect impacts before resetting to the gear you were in before the impact.

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Unlike the XTR model, which comes with a long cage 10-51t cassette option or a new mid cage 9-45t cassette setup, the Deore M6200 only comes with a long Steel cage and uses the existing Deore M6100 12-Speed Micro Spline MTB cassette.

The Deore Di2 Shift Switch has two paddles to change gears (single shift or hold to shift multiple gears), plus a third programmable button for added customization like controlling your bike computer or controlling eMTB shift functions through the E-TUBE app.

Programmable accessory buttons are now featured across many road groupsets, but are new in MTBing. It was the first thing that caught my eye with the new XTR Di2 groupset, so it’s great to see this tech get included across all of Shimano’s MTB groupsets, rather than just a premium feature.

Shimano Deore XT M8200 Di2 sees a complete groupset overhaul (Image credit: Shimano)

Shimano Deore XT gets a full Di2 update

While Deore is only available as a shifter and derailleur, the Deore XT M8200 Di2 groupset has been treated to a full update similar to XTR. That means you get the option of a 10-51t cassette with a long cage or the new 9-45t cassette with a mid-cage for increased derailleur clearance. While the XTR uses carbon and the Deore reduces costs with steel, the XT cage is made from alloy. The shifter uses the same three-button setup but has a three-way multi-axis paddle adjustment so you can fine-tune your cockpit ergonomics.

Finishing off the drivetrain is a new XT crankset that Shimano says balances rigidity and weight for XC to enduro riding. Cranks are available in lengths between 160mm to 175mm and chainrings between 28t and 36t.

Braking also sees an update with a new inline XT lever featuring an updated pivot point called Ergo Flow that can be paired with either a dual-diameter four-piston for enduro and trail or a lightweight two-piston design (post and flat mount) for XC. Flowing through the hoses is Shimano’s new low-viscosity oil that Shimano claims improves stability over a wider temperature range.

Shimano also offers an e-bike-specific derailleur that can be hardwired to your eMTB system for power for both XT and Deore. Both derailleurs feature Auto Shift and Free Shift technology and are available in 12sp Hyperglide+ and 11sp Linkglide options.

Brake levers have a new design which sits the resevoir closer to the handlebar (Image credit: Shimano)

The future of Shimano’s mechanical groupsets

If electronic shifting is not your thing, Shimano will still offer mechanical versions of its XTR, XT and Deore groupsets, although currently there is no information regarding whether these cable-actuated groupsets will also be receiving an update.

Although XTR, XT and Deore have all received an exciting Di2 update, poor SLX seems to have been left out. Shimano’s third-tier MTB groupset will continue in its mechanical iteration, it’s unclear whether it will receive a Di2 version in the future, but it could be a sign that Shimano is beginning to phase it out.

Pidcock flew down the descent in Germany (Image credit: Bartek Wolinski / Red Bull Content Pool)

Multidisciplinary star and famed descender Tom Pidcock has recorded speeds of up to 95kph flying down a descent in Germany, with the masterclass ride all filmed by a Dakar Rally champion in a new video.

Starring in a new social film for Red Bull – who sponsor Pidcock – the Briton took on six kilometres of the Rossfeld Panoramastraße descent in Germany, showing off his renowned descending skills to drop down the twisty roads at breathtaking speeds. The descent appears to have been closed to traffic so that Pidcock could use all the road for his high-speed display.

The video features just the ‘Sound of Tarmac’, as Red Bull describes it, recording the sound of Pidcock’s wheels and pedals, with on-screen graphics showing his watts and speed.

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The speedometer ticks up to an eye-watering 95kph at one point during the descent, frequently pushing 80kph in other parts. The video shows Pidcock on the top half of the Panoramastraße, which features slopes of 9-10%.

To film the white-knuckle descent, Red Bull had to call in special assistance, and Pidcock was followed by 2018 Dakar Rally champion Mathias Walkner, taking on the high speeds and tight turns on his motorbike in a feat almost as impressive as Pidcock’s, as well as offering some encouragement along the way. A video camera was attached to the motorbike, with drones also used to shoot the video.

Pidcock, the two-time mountain bike Olympic champion as well as a road rider, has made a name for himself as one of the peloton’s best-ever descenders, most famously using his skills to win stage 12 of the 2022 Tour de France after an extremely fast descent of the Col du Galibier.

He’s also starred in other close-up descending videos, including descending Tuna Canyon in California with YouTuber and fellow keen descender Safa Brian. In that video, Pidcock reached speeds of 86.7kph.

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Watch the full video from Red Bull below:

World’s BEST Descender? (Tom Pidcock) — YouTube Watch On