the Inner Ring blog
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News, chatter and interaction from The Inner Ring cycling blog.
or this by 1984 Vuelta winner Eric Caritoux who makes Ventoux AOC wine these days (not my pic, and yet to taste any)
January 6, 2026 at 7:36 PM
or this by 1984 Vuelta winner Eric Caritoux who makes Ventoux AOC wine these days (not my pic, and yet to taste any)
Getting ready to tackle the Stelvio
January 6, 2026 at 7:01 PM
Getting ready to tackle the Stelvio
Pogačar wins L'Equipe newspaper's "Champion of champions" trophy ahead of Duplantis and Alcaraz. Only the second cyclist to win it after Greg LeMond in 1989
December 29, 2025 at 8:04 AM
Pogačar wins L'Equipe newspaper's "Champion of champions" trophy ahead of Duplantis and Alcaraz. Only the second cyclist to win it after Greg LeMond in 1989
...BTW the pig's name is Herta, which it shares with a popular French brand found in supermarkets 🐷 🥓
December 24, 2025 at 12:09 PM
...BTW the pig's name is Herta, which it shares with a popular French brand found in supermarkets 🐷 🥓
Two page interview with Mathys Rondel (Tudor) in L'Equipe after a promising first full season. He's moved to the Pyrenees with his family (sister Léa is pro too) to find better training roads. They've renovated a house where he has a Thibaut Pinot-style animal collection with rabbits, a pet pig...
December 24, 2025 at 11:37 AM
Two page interview with Mathys Rondel (Tudor) in L'Equipe after a promising first full season. He's moved to the Pyrenees with his family (sister Léa is pro too) to find better training roads. They've renovated a house where he has a Thibaut Pinot-style animal collection with rabbits, a pet pig...
Oscar Onley will ride for Ineos, it's official. Picnic PostNL say they had several offers from other teams "all of which were initially declined" then "a very late but appealing offer was made in recent days" by Ineos
December 23, 2025 at 6:03 PM
Oscar Onley will ride for Ineos, it's official. Picnic PostNL say they had several offers from other teams "all of which were initially declined" then "a very late but appealing offer was made in recent days" by Ineos
RIP Michele Dancelli who has died at the age of 83. He dropped out of school to become a construction labourer, buying a bike to get to work. One thing led to another and "the daydreaming nomad" won Milan-Sanremo, the Italian champs, 11 Giro stages, a wardrobe of maglie rosa, a Tour stage & more.
December 18, 2025 at 10:16 PM
RIP Michele Dancelli who has died at the age of 83. He dropped out of school to become a construction labourer, buying a bike to get to work. One thing led to another and "the daydreaming nomad" won Milan-Sanremo, the Italian champs, 11 Giro stages, a wardrobe of maglie rosa, a Tour stage & more.
...but losses continued in 2024 with -€600k & more debt taken on. Cropped screengrab from 2024 accounts shows borrowings going from €2.9m in 2023 to €3.8m. Without knowing what's happened this year the team had been overspending & racking up debt. This presumably made the Lotto merger essential.
December 17, 2025 at 7:13 PM
...but losses continued in 2024 with -€600k & more debt taken on. Cropped screengrab from 2024 accounts shows borrowings going from €2.9m in 2023 to €3.8m. Without knowing what's happened this year the team had been overspending & racking up debt. This presumably made the Lotto merger essential.
of all the grand tours it's the one that doesn't tour as much. The 2025 route was sort of the opposite
December 17, 2025 at 6:54 PM
of all the grand tours it's the one that doesn't tour as much. The 2025 route was sort of the opposite
Vuelta a España 2026 route. 2 time trials and plenty of mountains, "one of the most difficult editions in the history of La Vuelta" says course designer Fernando Escartin. The finish will be at the Alhambra in Granada
December 17, 2025 at 6:45 PM
Vuelta a España 2026 route. 2 time trials and plenty of mountains, "one of the most difficult editions in the history of La Vuelta" says course designer Fernando Escartin. The finish will be at the Alhambra in Granada
2026 Paris-Nice route. Includes 23.5km TTT. Steep climb of the Signal d'Uchon the day later +two more hilly climbs to Colombier-le-Vieux and Apt. Then weekend with Auron ski station summit finish on Saturday. Final stage around Nice but with a different route to recent years
December 17, 2025 at 10:49 AM
2026 Paris-Nice route. Includes 23.5km TTT. Steep climb of the Signal d'Uchon the day later +two more hilly climbs to Colombier-le-Vieux and Apt. Then weekend with Auron ski station summit finish on Saturday. Final stage around Nice but with a different route to recent years
Hinault and Lemond pose for the camera, picture from L'Equipe's front page on the day the 1985 Tour de France started
December 16, 2025 at 12:21 PM
Hinault and Lemond pose for the camera, picture from L'Equipe's front page on the day the 1985 Tour de France started
"We need a show of unity from our two leaders at the Tour"
"Put them in the same jersey"
"They already wear the same team jersey"
"Put them in the same jersey"
"Put them in the same jersey"
"They already wear the same team jersey"
"Put them in the same jersey"
December 16, 2025 at 12:14 PM
"We need a show of unity from our two leaders at the Tour"
"Put them in the same jersey"
"They already wear the same team jersey"
"Put them in the same jersey"
"Put them in the same jersey"
"They already wear the same team jersey"
"Put them in the same jersey"
2026 Tudor team kit, very similar to previous season but no longer Assos 🇨🇭 but now made by Sportful 🇮🇹
December 15, 2025 at 4:56 PM
2026 Tudor team kit, very similar to previous season but no longer Assos 🇨🇭 but now made by Sportful 🇮🇹
Pedro Delgado presumably relieved to have nailed the prononciation of Cian Uijtdebroeks. Movistar's new Belgian signing says he's keen to target the Tour of the Basque Country and Ardennes before aiming for the Tour de France
December 11, 2025 at 5:48 PM
Pedro Delgado presumably relieved to have nailed the prononciation of Cian Uijtdebroeks. Movistar's new Belgian signing says he's keen to target the Tour of the Basque Country and Ardennes before aiming for the Tour de France
...similar to the special kit they had for the 2022 Vuelta
December 11, 2025 at 5:34 PM
...similar to the special kit they had for the 2022 Vuelta
Movistar kit for 2026, includes small Eastern Pacific Shipping logo low on the jersey, the company bought a 40% stake in the team earlier this year
December 11, 2025 at 5:32 PM
Movistar kit for 2026, includes small Eastern Pacific Shipping logo low on the jersey, the company bought a 40% stake in the team earlier this year
There are 14 Women's World Tour teams for 2026-2028 but the UCI has said it will allow an extra team to become the 15th World Tour team for 2027-2028. Current Pro Teams eligible here:
December 11, 2025 at 4:34 PM
There are 14 Women's World Tour teams for 2026-2028 but the UCI has said it will allow an extra team to become the 15th World Tour team for 2027-2028. Current Pro Teams eligible here:
Lidl-Trek kit for 2026
December 11, 2025 at 12:14 PM
Lidl-Trek kit for 2026
4th story on the Flemish TV news tonight
December 10, 2025 at 6:22 PM
4th story on the Flemish TV news tonight
Swiss insurance companies Baloise and Helvetia have merged. Baloise sponsors the Trek cyclo-cross team and so possible that Thibau Nys's jersey changes soon and the Helvetia logo makes a comeback after stopping in 1992
December 9, 2025 at 3:58 PM
Swiss insurance companies Baloise and Helvetia have merged. Baloise sponsors the Trek cyclo-cross team and so possible that Thibau Nys's jersey changes soon and the Helvetia logo makes a comeback after stopping in 1992
NSN team kit for 2026
December 9, 2025 at 11:54 AM
NSN team kit for 2026
... 🔎 and confirmation that the team is relegated from the World Tour, suggests no last minute reprieve because another team was rejected during World Tour licence review
December 7, 2025 at 7:18 PM
... 🔎 and confirmation that the team is relegated from the World Tour, suggests no last minute reprieve because another team was rejected during World Tour licence review