Over the past week, several significant events have unfolded in the world of cycling:
Tour de France Updates:
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Stage 5 Victory: On July 8, Dutch rider Olav Kooij secured his first Tour de France stage win in Pau, outpacing German Max Kanter and Belgian Tim Merlier in a sprint finish. (washingtonpost.com)
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Stage 9 Shortened: Due to an intense heatwave in the Corrèze region, Stage 9 was shortened from 185.5 km to 155.5 km. Temperatures were forecasted to exceed 40°C, prompting race organizers to prioritize rider safety. (cyclingweekly.com)
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Rider Withdrawals: As of July 10, eight riders have withdrawn from the Tour. Notably, Torstein Træen (Uno-X Mobility) suffered multiple fractured ribs after a crash on Col du Tourmalet during Stage 6 and retired before Stage 7. (cyclingweekly.com)
UCI Gravel World Series:
- The 2026 GravelKing UCI Gravel World Series serves as a global qualifying platform for the UCI Gravel World Championships, set for October 10-11 in Nannup, Western Australia. The series began on October 19, 2025, in Belgium and includes events across continents, with the final qualifying event scheduled for September 26 in France. (cyclingnews.com)
Gastown Grand Prix:
- At the 2026 Global Relay Gastown Grand Prix in Vancouver, Skylar Schneider of L39ION of Los Angeles claimed her second career victory in the women’s race, repeating her success from 2024. In the men’s race, Marcos Mendez of Foundation Cycling New York made history as the first South American to win the prestigious Canadian criterium. (cyclingnews.com)
Highlights:
- Tour de France stage nine shortened due to ‘exceptionally intense’ heatwave, Published on Saturday, July 11
- UCI Gravel World Series 2026, Published on Sunday, July 05
- ‘A-game’ pays off for L39ION of Los Angeles as Skylar Schneider secures second career victory at Gastown Grand Prix, Published on Thursday, July 09
