Procycling

Procycling is the monthly magazine that takes readers inside the world’s toughest sport – professional road racing. From the mud and rain of the spring Classics through to annual summer spectacular of the Tour de France, the magazine combines thoughtful, probing sports journalism and insightful interviews with incredible sports photography. The rich, often scandalous history of cycle sport and its high tech future also feature in a magazine that’s a must for every follower of the grand tours and the peloton.

PREFACE • ISSUE 281 / MAY 2021

GALLERY • THE WORLD’S BEST CYCLING PHOTOGRAPHY

Crisis? What crisis?

RACIAL ABUSE REARS AGAIN

COMMUNIQUÉ • NEWS • GOSSIP • CHATTER

CLARA KOPPENBURG • The German all-rounder on baking and having fun as a teenager

MARIJN VAN DEN BERG • The young Dutch classics prospect on going French and following the family path

COACH’S CORNER

OBJECTS OF DESIRE • THIS MONTH’S ESSENTIAL GEAR

TOBIAS LUDVIGSSON • Groupama-FDJ’s Swedish rouleur on his love of skiing and the mental stress of cycling

RACE HEAVEN IN DEVON • ZSOLT SCHULLER WHY THE TOUR OF BRITAIN KEEPS COMING BACK TO THE WEST COUNTRY

DAN MARTIN • ISRAEL START-UP NATION

‘11 DAN’S LIFE IN CYCLING

BRODIE CHAPMAN • FDJ NOUVELLE-AQUITAINE

KÉVIN RÉZA • B&B HOTELS P/B KTM

CHARLIE QUARTERMAN • TREK - SEGAFREDO

PROMISED LAND • When he won the 2019 Tour de France aged just 22, Egan Bernal had thc cycling world at his feet. But he looked jaded as injury ruined his 2020 title defence. Where better than Italy, he tells Procycling, where he spent his first years as a pro, to rediscover the joy of racing

EGAN BERNAL BIGGEST WINS, YEAR BY YEAR

COUNTERPOINT THE EGAN OF THE CANAVESE • Before Ineos, Egan Bernal spent two seasons with the ProConti Androni team. Procycling looks back at his two years in Italy

A UNIQUE TRIPLE OF STAGE RACES

COLOMBIA’S TOP GT PERFORMERS

CHAMPIONS OF YOUTH • The youngest grand tour winners of the last 20 years

BERNAL’S CAREER RESULTS

MAKING UP FOR LOST TIME • After enduring a torrid period blighted by injuries, Giacomo Nizzolo was back to his best in 2020, winning the European and Italian Championships. The sprinter tells Procycling about rebuilding his form and his aim of finally winning a stage at the Giro

NIZZOLO’S BEST RESULTS

BEAUTIFULLY BRUTAL • GIRO D’ITALIA 2021 RACE PREVIEW

STAGE-BYSTAGE

THE URBAN GIRO • The Giro is often presented through its epic mountain scenery and iconic climbs. But the corsa rosa also has an intimate and important relationship with the cities, towns and urban centres of the bel paese. Procycling looks at the geography, culture and racing history of the 2021 route’s population centres

THE WAIT OF A NATION • France invented the modern sport and have won more Tour titles than any other country. Yet their last yellow jersey triumph was 36 years ago, and cycling struggles to capture the attention of young fans. Procycling looks at how French cycling has thrived in the past and how it has recently embraced modern methods

FRENCH HEROES • In spite of a relative dearth of absolutely dominant riders now, Julian Alaphilippe aside, French riders have been hugely successful over the years, with many multiple Tour de France winners

FRANCE’S BESTRANKED RIDERS

BEST RESULTS IN THE BIG NINE

WINS BY YEAR • International wins ranked .1 and above by French riders, WorldTour era. (Women: .2 and above)

ALWAYS PUSHING • Audrey Cordon-Ragot is Breton through and through, and became the French national champion last summer at the 12th time of trying. Trek-Segafredo’s road captain talks to...