Cycling Weekly – 26 February 2026 – Cycling Weekly (1)

ŔşƹħÝƏƴƝƹĭ´ĻĭŔĔƴŵşĭŔƹƴĭƝƴ ƏŊƝƹƏşŔĔƌƝƴ’ŵŵ’ƏÝŔƹƴĽ’´ĻƴşúƴƏÝŊşƏƝÝƴ ’ŔÍƴƝĭŔ´ÝƏĭƹDZżƴ.ƝƴħÝƴƏݒĽĽDZƴƝşƏƏDZƴúşƏƴƹħÝƴ ÍşŵĭŔĔÆƴƹħÝƴĽDZĭŔĔÆƴƹħÝƴŊ’ŔĭŵǓĽ’ƹĭşŔƄƴ Ɖ.ƴǫ’Ɲƴ’ƴ¥ǓĽĽDZÆƊƴħÝƴ’ÍŊĭƹƹÝÍƴĭŔƴƹħ’ƹƴ ǎǼŪDŽƴOprahƴĭŔƹÝƏǪĭÝǫżƴƉ.ƴǫ’Ɲƴ’ƴ¥ǓĽĽDZƴ ĭŔƴƹħÝƴƝÝŔƝÝƴƹħ’ƹƴ.ƴƹƏĭÝÍƴƹşƴ´şŔƹƏşĽƴƹħÝƴ narrative… [and order others to] L to r: with Ullrich; riding with Sir Cav; recording The Move podcast Far left : with tennis star Serena Williams Left: ŵƏşī’ŊƴĔşĽĆŔĔ Above: Enjoying basketball Below: with Matthew McConaughey (l) With The Move co-host J.B. Hagar (left) at a charity bike giveaway ● Chris Marshall-Bell is a cycling journalist and creator of the Ghost in the M’´ħĭŔÝ podcast series Ɲ’DZƴƹħ’ƹƌƝƴ’ƴĽĭÝÆƴƹħÝDZƌƏÝƴĽĭ’ƏƝżƊƴƝĻÝÍƴĭúƴ ĭƹƌƝƴĭŔƴħĭƝƴŔ’ƹǓƏÝƴƹşƴĔşƴşŔƴƹħÝƴ’ƹƹ’´ĻÆƴ ħÝƴƏÝƝŵşŔÍÝÍÅƴƉMDZƴÝŔƹĭƏÝƴĽĭúÝƴ¬ĭƹƴħ’Ɲƴ ¥ÝÝŔ®żƊƴ.ƹƴĭƝƴÍĭþ´ǓĽƹƴƹşƴĸǓÍĔÝƴǫħÝƹħÝƏƴ he even wants to be viewed as repentant or reformed, regardless of ŵÝşŵĽÝƌƝƴǫĭĽĽĭŔĔŔÝƝƝƴƹşƴúşƏĔĭǪÝż %ݒƏĽÝƝƝƴ’ŔÍƴÝǰƹƏşǪÝƏƹÝÍÆƴ ƏŊƝƹƏşŔĔƴƝÝÝŊƝƴ´şŔƹÝŔƹƴƹşƴƏÝŊ’ĭŔƴ ƹħÝƴƝŵşƏƹƌƝƴ’ŔƹĭīħÝƏşÆƴħşĽÍĭŔĔƴú’Ɲƹƴ to a notoriety that keeps him close ƹşƴƹħÝƴ´ÝŔƹƏÝƴşúƴ’ƹƹÝŔƹĭşŔżƴ.ŔƴƹÝƏŊƝƴ şúƴǪĭƝĭ¥ĭĽĭƹDZÆƴħÝƴƏÝŊ’ĭŔƝƴ’ƴ¥ĭĔƴĆƝħƴĭŔƴ ƹħÝƴƏÝĽ’ƹĭǪÝĽDZƴƝŊ’ĽĽƴŵşşĽƴşúƴŊÝƏĭ´’Ŕƴ ´DZ´ĽĭŔĔżƴNşŔÝƴşúƴƹħÝƴwkƌƝƴ´ǓƏƏÝŔƹƴ ƒşƏĽÍqşǓƏƴƝƹ’ƏƝƴ´şŊÝƝƴ´ĽşƝÝƴƹşƴ Ŋ’ƹ´ħĭŔĔƴħĭƝƴŵƏşĆĽÝżƴ.Ŕƴƹħ’ƹƴƝÝŔƝÝÆƴħÝƴ ĆĽĽƝƴ’Ŕƴ’ƹƹÝŔƹĭşŔƴǪ’´ǓǓŊÆƴƝǓƝƹ’ĭŔÝÍƴ by nostalgia and a public fascination ǫĭƹħƴ´şŔƹƏşǪÝƏƝĭ’ĽƴĆĔǓƏÝƝżƴƉH’Ŕ´ÝƴĭƝƴ the topic in cycling that nobody ever ĔÝƹƝƴƝĭ´ĻƴşúÆƊƴM’ƏƹĭŔƴƝ’DZƝżƴƉ,ÝƌƝƴ’ƴŵƏÝƹƹDZƴ magnetic person just to be around.”

.Ŕƴ´DZ´ĽĭŔĔÆƴ’ƝƴĭŔƴ ŵşĽĭƹĭ´ƝÆƴƹħÝƴwŔĭƹÝÍƴ kƹ’ƹÝƝƴ’ŵŵݒƏƝƴƹşƴ ¥ÝƴƝǓüÝƏĭŔĔƴúşƏƴ the lack of an untainted hero. kĭŔ´ÝƴƏŊƝƹƏşŔĔƌƝƴ fall, the recurring question has been ǫħÝƹħÝƏƴŊÝƏĭ´’Ŕƴ cycling will ever regain the cultural prominence ĭƹƴşŔ´ÝƴÝŔĸşDZÝÍƴÍǓƏĭŔĔƴƹħÝƴwkƴ _şƝƹ’ĽƴÝƏ’żƴ%şƏƴ‚’ǓĔħƹÝƏƝÆƴƹħÝƴ answer lies not in personalities but in structures. Without fundamental changes – more domestic racing, stronger grassroots pathways and greater investment – the ƝŵşƏƹƌƝƴĭŔƹÝƏŔ’ƹĭşŔ’ĽƴŵƏşƝŵÝ´ƹƝƴ ǫĭĽĽƴƏÝŊ’ĭŔƴĽĭŊĭƹÝÍżƴƉqħÝƴŔǓŊ¥ÝƏƴşúƴ ´şŊŵÝƹĭƹĭşŔƝƴĭŔƴƹħÝƴwŔĭƹÝÍƴkƹ’ƹÝƝƴĭƝƴ ƹħÝƴĽşǫÝƝƹƴ.ƌǪÝƴÝǪÝƏƴƝÝÝŔÆƴ’ŔÍƴƹħ’ƹƌƝƴ the foundation of the problem,” he Ɲ’DZƝżƴƉ.ƴÍşŔƌƹƴƹħĭŔĻƴH’Ŕ´ÝƴĭƝƴħÝĽŵĭŔĔƴşƏƴ hurting that.” .ŔƴƹħÝƴ’¥ƝÝŔ´ÝƴşúƴƝǓ´ħƴƏÝŔÝǫ’ĽÆƴ ƏŊƝƹƏşŔĔƌƝƴƝħ’Íşǫƴ´şŔƹĭŔǓÝƝƴƹşƴĽşşŊƴ large, not because of any formal role, but because no alternative narrative ħ’ƝƴƹƏǓĽDZƴƏÝŵĽ’´ÝÍƴħĭŊżƴ,ĭƝƴĭŔČǓÝŔ´Ýƴ ŔşǫƴĭƝƴĽÝƝƝƴĭŔƝƹĭƹǓƹĭşŔ’Ľƴƹħ’ŔƴƝDZŊ¥şĽĭ´Åƴ ’ƴƏÝŊĭŔÍÝƏƴşúƴ’ƴŵÝƏĭşÍƴǫħÝŔƴŊÝƏĭ´’Ŕƴ ´DZ´ĽĭŔĔƴ¥ƏĭÝČDZƴÍşŊĭŔ’ƹÝÍƴƹħÝƴǫşƏĽÍÆƴ and of how that dominance collapsed.

Ɖ,ÝƴǫşǓĽÍŔƌƹƴƝ’DZƴĭƹƌƝƴ’ƴƏÝÍÝŊŵƹĭşŔƴ ŵ’ƹħÆƊƴM’ƏƹĭŔƴ´şŔ´ĽǓÍÝƝÆƴƉ¥Ǔƹƴ.ƴÍşƴƹħĭŔĻƴ he wants to be recognised by the sport ’ƝƴƝşŊÝşŔÝƴǫħşƴǫşŔƴƝÝǪÝŔƴqşǓƏƝƴ and had a big impact, especially on ŊÝƏĭ´’Ŕƴ´DZ´ĽĭŔĔżƴ.ƹƌƝƴĭŊŵşƏƹ’Ŕƹƴƹşƴ him not just to be remembered, but to be acknowledged.” Above: Enjoying F1 racing in Austin with ex-wife Kristin Above: At The New York Times DealBook Summit in 2024 He set a VO2max record that still stands today, won a Worlds TT… then quit cycling. Tom Davidson catches up with him _ħşƹşƝƴĽ’ŊDZÆƴ&ÝƹƹDZƴ.Ŋ’ĔÝƝÆƴħƏĭƝƹşüÝƏƴBÝĽĽǓŊ hen Oskar Svendsen’s friends dragged him to a science lab on his stag do last spring, they ǫÝƏÝƴ’ŊǓƝÝÍƴƹşƴ ĆŔÍƴƹħÝƴŵÝƏúÝ´ƹƴ set dressing for their escapade: his name was literally on the wall.

The Oslo lab’s poster – a list of all the highest VO2max scores ever recorded – laid it bare. At the top was Svendsen, beside ƹħÝƴDZݒƏƴǎǼŪǎÆƴǫĭƹħƴ’ƴŔǓŊ¥ÝƏƴƹħ’ƹƴƝƹĭĽĽƴ ħ’ƝŔƌƹƴ¥ÝÝŔƴƝǓƏŵ’ƝƝÝÍÅƴřƦżĈŊĽưĻĔư ŊĭŔżƴƉqħÝƴĔǓDZƴǫħşƴÍşÝƝƴƹħÝƴƹÝƝƹƝƴƝ’ĭÍÆƴ ƋkÝƏĭşǓƝĽDZÆƴĭƝƴƹħ’ƹƴħĭŊƄƌƊƴkǪÝŔÍƝÝŔƴ Ľ’ǓĔħƝÆƴƏÝ´şǓŔƹĭŔĔƴƹħÝƴƝƹşƏDZżƴNşƹƴşŔĽDZƴ was it him, he was back for a retest – ŵǓŔĭƝħŊÝŔƹƴúşƏƴƹħÝƴƝƹ’Ĕż For the past 14 years since that record-breaking test, Svendsen has been a mythic character. His tale is ǫÝĽĽīƹşĽÍÆƴ¥ǓƹƴĽĭƹƹĽÝƴǓŔÍÝƏƝƹşşÍÅƴƹħÝƴ ƹÝÝŔ’ĔÝƴ´DZ´ĽĭƝƹƴǫħşƴƏÝÍÝĆŔÝÍƴƹħÝƴ ĽĭŊĭƹƝƴşúƴħǓŊ’ŔƴŵħDZƝĭşĽşĔDZÆƴ’ŔÍƴƹħÝŔÆƴ two years later, vanished altogether. ‚TǎŊ’ǰƴĭƝƴƹħÝƴŊ’ǰĭŊǓŊƴƏ’ƹÝƴ’ƹƴǫħĭ´ħƴ DZşǓƏƴ¥şÍDZƴ´’Ŕƴ´şŔƝǓŊÝƴ’ŔÍƴǓƝÝƴ şǰDZĔÝŔÆƴ’ƴ¥DZǫşƏÍƴúşƏƴ´’ƏÍĭşǪ’Ɲ´ǓĽ’Əƴ ĆƹŔÝƝƝÆƴ’ŔÍƴkǪÝŔÍƝÝŔƴƝƹĭĽĽƴħşĽÍƝƴƹħÝƴ record. Chris Froome once tested at 88, &ƏÝĔƴHÝMşŔÍƴřǎżĈÆƴǫħĭĽÝƴq’ÍÝĸƴ_şĔ’¹’Əƴ ĭƝƴƹħşǓĔħƹƴƹşƴ¥Ýƴ’ƏşǓŔÍƴƹħÝƴřƬƴŊ’ƏĻżƴƝƴ the poster showed, nobody has beaten ƹħÝƴDZşǓŔĔƴNşƏǫÝĔĭ’ŔƌƝƴřƦżĈżƴƒħDZÆƴ ƹħÝŔÆƴ’ƹƴĸǓƝƹƴǎǼƴ’ŔÍƴ’ƴĸǓŔĭşƏƴqqƴǫşƏĽÍƴ ´ħ’ŊŵĭşŔÆƴÍĭÍƴħÝƴĔĭǪÝƴǓŵƴħĭƝƴ´DZ´ĽĭŔĔƴ ´’ƏÝÝƏƄƴŔÍƴǫħÝƏÝƴÍĭÍƴħÝƴĔşƄƴ Cycling has seen no trace of Svendsen for more than a decade.

through Loulé in the Algarve during stage five of the Volta ao Algarve. The Frenchman finished 28th on the day and 22nd overall after spending 96km in the breakaway. In Focus Photo: Getty Images ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● Sunnies on The sun is a bit of an issue for the peloton at the Clásica de Almeria, raced in Andalusia. The women’s ProTour race was won by Federica Venturelli of UAE Team ADQ on her professional racing debut.

● ● Big push Emma Finucane gets two helping hands from coach Scott Pollock in qualifying for the women’s sprint at the National Track Champs. The Welshwoman won every competition she took part in over the weekend. ● ● ● Picture postcard The peloton passes through Villefranche-sur- Mer during the Tour des Alpes Maritimes et du Var. The one-day race was won by Paul Lapeira (Decathlon CMA CGM), who clipped off the front in the final.

● ● ● ● Small or far away Connor Swift of Ineos Grenadiers passes in front of the Abu Dhabi skyline during the ITT at the UAE Tour. The building with the gap at the top is the HQ of ADNOC, one of the world’s biggest oil companies. Photos: Getty Images, SWpix.com 8 Photos: SWpix.com Britain’s sprint king and queen Richardson and Finucane reign supreme with three golds apiece, reports Tom Davidson in Manchester National Track Champs I t was a mantelpiece photo opportunity too good to refuse: Matthew Richardson and Emma Finucane, trackside in matching British champion’s jerseys, each with three gold medals around their necks.

The pair swept the sprint competitions inside the Manchester Velodrome last week, both winning the sprint, team sprint and keirin. For Finucane, it was ’ƴƏÝƏǓŔƴşúƴƹħÝƴúݒƹƴƝħÝƴĆƏƝƹƴ achieved in 2023, then only 20 years old, while Richardson repeated last year’s victories and remains undefeated since swapping nationality from Australia in 2024. “I don’t come here to get second. I don’t go anywhere to get second,” said Richardson, who also won two European titles earlier this month.

“These last four days were like my training for the week.” One onlooker compared Richardson’s dominance to Eusebio’s at the 1966 World Cup, when the Portuguese footballer scored four second-half goals against North Korea. While Eusebio shone for 45 minutes, though, Richardson did it for four days straight, at times sprinting for half a lap, and then coasting to the line. The golden duo ruled the boards once again Finucane blazed to victory in the individual sprint “SHE COULD CLOSE HER EYES AND STILL BE TWO SECONDS AHEAD OF ME” Rocket ship There was daylight, too, between Finucane and her rivals.

“It was like trying to race a rocket ship,” said Kathryn Hinton, a University of Exeter PhD student Finucane dispatched in the last 16 of the individual sprint.

This is a short excerpt from the opening of “” by Unknown, quoted for review and introduction purposes. All rights belong to the copyright holders.

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