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 • I SSUE 285 / SEPTEMBER 2021

HIGH LIGHTS

GALLERY • THE WORLD’S BEST CYCLING PHOTOGRAPHY

PROLOGUE • PROCYCLING: AT THE HEART OF THE PELOTON

ANSWERING THE HARD QUESTIONS

COMMUNIQUÉ • NEWS • GOSSIP • CHATTER

ETHAN HAYTER • Ineos’s young British track and road talent on his Playstation habit and winning a toy donkey

TOBIAS JOHANNESSEN • The Norwegian who is the latest prodigy to come from mountain biking

COACH’S CORNER

EUGENIA BUJAK • The Slovenian road and TT champion on growing up in Poland and finding a home at Alé

DAN MARTIN • ISRAEL START-UP NATION

BRODIE CHAPMAN • FDJ NOUVELLE-AQUITAINE

KÉVIN RÉZA • B&B HOTELS P/B KTM

CHARLIE QUARTERMAN • TREK-SEGAFREDO

THE RETURN OF THEKING • Tour de France champion Tadej Pogačar picked up where he left off at the end of the 2020 race, dominating his rivals, showing little weakness and avoiding the bad luck that put several key riders out of the running. Procycling contemplates the beginning of the Pogačar era

THE YOUTH OF TADEJ • Tadej Pogačar crushed the opposition to win his second Tour de France at the age of 22. Procycling looks at the inexorable rise of the young Slovenian and the likelihood of a long period of domination

PRO STAGE RACE GC RESULTS

MAJOR RESULTS

THE LONG WAIT • With crowds back at the Tour, Kate Wagner joined those on the roadside

ON THE EDGE • The Tour de France’s grand départ took place in Brittany and saw the return of large-scale crowds to the race, for better and for worse. Procycling looks back at a chaotic four days in France’s cycling heartland

STAGE 1

STAGE 2

CHANGING COURSE • With the Tour Femmes coming in 2022, La Course 2021 may have been the last. Procycling speaks to Leah Kirchmann and Chantal van den Broek-Blaak, the two riders who raced every edition, about how the race changed over the years

STAGE 3

STAGE 4

BREAKING WITH TRADITION • How a breathless stage 7 showcased the Tour’s more chaotic new style

ALWAYS CRASHING IN THE SAME RACE • This year’s Tour de France started with a bang, literally, as many riders were involved in multiple crashes over the opening days. Procycling takes a look back at what happened, and asks why so many crashes occured during the first week

STAGE 5

STAGE 6

DESTINY’S CHILD • Mathieu van der Poel won a stage and wore the yellow jersey on his Tour debut. Procycling looks at his huge impact on the race, and what sets him apart

STAGE 7

STAGE 8

STAGE 9

WHEN THE TOUR STOPS • Daniel Friebe was present as Nicholas Dlamini toiled up to Tignes on stage 9

QUIET ACHIEVER • Charly Mottet, one of France’s greatest ever cyclists, was born in Valence, which hosted stage 10 of the 2021 Tour. Procycling looks back at his career of a rider whose reputation never quite caught up with his palmarès

STAGE 10

STAGE 11

THE BOLD MOUNTAIN • The biggest innovation of the 2021 Tour was a double ascent of Mont Ventoux on stage 11. Procycling was there to witness a day where Jumbo-Visma tamed the Giant of Provence

STAGE 12

STAGE 13

PART OF THE TOUR...