Cycling

Two-time champion Annemiek van Vleuten took the overall La Vuelta Femenina lead with one stage remaining after finishing second in Larado. Italy’s Gaia Realini, 21, beat the 40-year-old Netherlands rider in a sprint finish for her maiden tour-stage win. But Van Vleuten opened a lead of one minute 11 seconds in the general standings. Demi

Remco Evenepoel underlined his status as a favourite for the Giro d’Italia by winning the opening time trial on stage one. The Soudal-Quick Step rider took the leader’s maglia rosa jersey with a time of 21 minutes 18 seconds, 22 seconds quicker than Filippo Ganna. Primoz Roglic, seen as Belgian Evenepoel’s main challenger for overall

Britain’s former world track champion Tony Doyle has died from pancreatic cancer at the age of 64. Doyle won individual pursuit world gold in 1980 and 1986, in addition to winning four European pursuit titles and 23 six-day races. After retiring in 1995 because of injury, he later served as president of British Cycling and

Demi Vollering held off two-time world road race champion Annemiek van Vleuten on an uphill finish to win stage five of La Vuelta Femenina. The SD Worx rider, 26, beat her Dutch compatriot to the finish line by three seconds and now leads the overall standings by five seconds. Overnight leader Marianne Vos slipped back

Eddy Merckx, the great Belgian rider, once said to be a champion cyclist was not just about ability but possessing a “talent for suffering”. Geraint Thomas has certainly had his fair share of pain and misfortune, especially at the Giro d’Italia. There is unfinished business for the Welshman in this particular Grand Tour after freak

Tao Geoghegan Hart knows more than most how unpredictable the Giro d’Italia can be. When this year’s race begins on Saturday, it will be the first time Geoghegan Hart has been on the Giro start line since. Once again, the 28-year-old Londoner might not be the out-and-out favourite – but he has every reason to

The UCI is to “re-open consultation” around transgender women competing in elite female cycling events. British Cycling is also considering banning transgender women from elite female competition. The issue has also been discussed by the UCI’s management committee in Italy this week. Cycling’s global governing body released a statement on Thursday saying that it is

Geraint Thomas has begun talks with Ineos Grenadiers over a new contract after brushing off retirement thoughts. The Tour de France winner and Olympic gold medallist is in the second year of a two-year extension signed in 2021. But the Welshman insisted he is fuelled by the “buzz” of competition as he prepares for the

Dutch rider Marianne Vos won stage three of La Vuelta Femenina to strengthen her hold on the red jersey. Vos, 35, beat compatriot and stage two winner Charlotte Kool in a sprint finish to widen her lead to 13 seconds. American Chloe Dygert remains second overall after finishing third on the 158km stage between Elche

British Cycling is considering banning transgender women from elite female competition. A new transgender eligibility policy is set to be announced later in May following a review and consultation. It comes after Austin Killips became the first male-to-female transgender athlete to win a UCI women’s stage race at the Tour of the Gila on Sunday.

Team DSM rider Charlotte Kool won stage two of La Vuelta Femenina with an impressive sprint to the line. Dutchwoman Kool pipped compatriot and Jumbo-Visma rider Marianne Vos to the line, with Canyon-Sram’s Chloe Dygert finishing in third place. The second stage was a 105.8km ride from Orihuela to Pilar de la Horadada. Vos’ second

Austin Killips has become the first transgender athlete to win a UCI women’s stage race at the Tour of the Gila in New Mexico. The 27-year-old American won stage five on Sunday to clinch the overall title, plus the ‘Queen of the Mountains’ jersey for best climber. She thanked fellow riders for their support after

British rider Anna Henderson will take the La Vuelta Femenina’s red jersey into day two after Team Jumbo-Visma won the first stage in Torrevieja. The Dutch side completed the 14.5km team time trial in 18 minutes and three seconds. Henderson crossed the line first for Jumbo-Visma, taking the lead in the general classification standings. “We

Former Tour de France winner Geraint Thomas is “super excited” to be returning to the Giro d’Italia, which starts on Saturday, 6 May. Thomas, 36, has been named in the Ineos Grenadiers team for the three-week race alongside Ben Swift and Tao Geoghegan Hart. Former Giro winner Geoghegan Hart won April’s Tour of the Alps,

Britain’s Adam Yates finished safely in the bunch on the final stage to clinch victory in the Tour de Romandie. It is the first overall title for the 30-year-old since his move to UAE Team Emirates this season. Yates took the yellow jersey after a win in Saturday’s fourth stage in the Swiss Alps and

Adam Yates became the third British rider in four days to claim a stage victory at the Tour de Romandie as he also assumed the overall lead. The 30-year-old won Saturday’s stage four in the Swiss Alps by seven seconds from France’s Thibaut Pinot to take the yellow jersey from Spain’s Juan Ayuso. Yates has

Spain’s Juan Ayuso won the third stage of the Tour de Romandie in Chatel-Saint-Denis to take the yellow jersey. The UAE Team Emirates rider took the 18.8km time trial by five seconds from America’s Matteo Jorgenson. Great Britain’s Adam Yates finished third, 17 seconds behind team-mate Ayuso to move fifth in the general classification. Ethan

Antonio Tiberi and Trek-Segafredo have parted ways after he shot dead a minister’s cat in San Marino. The 21-year-old Italian reportedly said he was trying out an air rifle and pointed it at a cat that belonged to San Marino’s tourism and posts minister Federico Pedini Amati. He was fined €4,000 (£3,500) by a court