tour d'afrique bike

Tour d'Afrique

From the pyramids of giza to table mountain, explore africa from top to bottom.

  TDA Global Cycling

The original of the TDA Global Cycling epics, the Tour d'Afrique stretches over 11,000 km. From the Pyramids of Giza to Table Mountain, explore Africa from top to bottom on TDA’s flagship cycling expedition.

You can ride for the complete tour or join one or more of the stages.

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Tour d’ Afrique

Cycling expeditions around the globe: tour d’ afrique.

By Beth Simmons

If you’ve ever wanted to take a really, really long bike ride then Tour d’ Afrique may be for you. However, leisurely bike riders need not apply because these tours take the “long bike ride” to a new level by hosting cycling tours throughout Europe, Asia, South America, North America, and all the way down the long continent of Africa.

Keeping their name from their 2003 flagship bike tour that crosses Africa from Cairo to Cape Town each year, Tour d’ Afrique now has multiple tours around the world. Experienced and aspiring riders can register online to join their upcoming expeditions. Riders from ages 18 to 80 have participated in the past and tour groups range from 20 to 65 people depending on popularity and available professional support.

The tours vary in price but the services are all the same –riders will have all of their accommodations and food taken care of on route. Tour Director, Paul McManus explains, “On every tour we have a tour director like myself and depending on the size we’ll have one or two assistants, chefs, and mechanics for extra support. On large tours there’s usually twelve staff while small tours have four to five staff. Medics and mechanics are really important in Africa because it’s so remote.”

Up for the Challenge

Make no mistake; some of these routes require a test of your mental, physical, and bike strength. The varied terrain and mileage speak for themselves, with Africa’s epic tour including rocky, muddy, and sandy surfaces with a grand total of 7,500 miles in length. There are shorter, more comfortable tours available for amateur cyclists such as the European tour with the majority of its roads paved and wifi access along the way.

Still, know that whichever tour you sign up for it’s not going to be a breeze. These expeditions are long enough to require a time commitment ranging from ten days to a number of months. It will be a test of endurance but with the right training and determination, anyone can do it.

Tour d’ Afrique recommends that riders train beforehand, especially on the bike they plan to ride during the tour. It’s also important to increase intensity and distance each week leading up to the excursion for better stamina. Visit Tour d’ Afrique’s “Training to Ride and Race” page for more detailed exercise advice.

Preparation and Navigation

All bike routes are carefully mapped out ahead of time. So riders won’t be stopping for directions, saving cyclists from getting lost and stopping to check the map hundreds of times. Tour d’ Afrique works hard to create these courses to include what McManus says is “a mix of physical challenges and a little off the beaten path. We stay in places that represent the areas that we’re in.”

McManus explains this detailed planning process, “One of us will have an idea or our clients will on Dream Tours and from there it’s a lot of emails and arguing in the office over where to start and where to finish, should it be epic or easier? What’s the focus? Is it site seeing or physical challenge? After our informal debate we pull out maps and then another person will look for accommodations along the routes.”

Global Friendships

Sometimes it’s less about the route and more about the good company. This is the case for McManus who says, “The people make the tour. It’s pretty unique and we become family.” Tour d’ Afrique’s international tours reach people from all over the world who come together for the adventure but find they leave with a new circle of friends crossing countries, continents, and even oceans.

New Horizons

Experienced cyclist, Lani Schultz of Canada first heard about Tour d’ Afrique from a friend during Tour de Canada, a cross Canada bike tour. 59-year-old Schultz took on and conquered the challenge of the Tour d’ Afrique’s legendary route from Cairo to Cape Town.

Besides great physical challenges and friendships, expedition bike tours like Tour d’ Afrique’s is a great way for people to come in close contact with nature. While abroad this foreign contact can be a really eye-opening experience, whether it is with locals, landscapes, or animals.

Among the great sights and adventures, Schultz recalls a favorite memory in northern Namibia, “a pair of zebras galloped along the fence as I was going downhill on a dirt road. It was so beautiful to see them in their own habitat, and being alone in the huge field makes you feel insignificant. They were not at all bothered by my presence, crisscrossing the road, jumping over the barrier fence and disappearing to the mountains beyond.”

After conquering Africa, Schultz continued to ride with Tour d’ Afrique, completing the Silk Route that begins in Istanbul, Turkey and ends 2,572 miles east in Samarqand, Uzbekistan. The Amber Route followed, beginning at the historic Winter Palace in St. Petersburg and ending at the Doge’s Palace in Venice.

Schultz’s next cycling adventure will be the Indian Tour beginning in January 2011, where she and other cyclists will ride from Agra in northern India to Kanyakumari in the south. She’s also got her fingers crossed for a proposed Dream Tour to come true. What are Dream Tours? It’s a chance for riders to propose ideas for new routes, comment on others’, vote for favorites, and ultimately make dream tours come true.

An Experience of a Lifetime

Fellow Tour d’ Afrique cyclist, Jim Pearce of New Zealand might be 62 years old and retired, but that doesn’t stop him from conquering difficult routes such as the Orient Express that totals 2,485 miles, stretching from Paris to Istanbul, and includes challenging mountainous regions such as Romania’s Transylvania. He’s also participated in other routes outside of Tour d’ Afrique’s within the United Kingdom and Australia.

Pearce already has his spot booked on the Tour d’ Afrique’s 2011 North American Epic Tour alongside his two sons, Craig and Brett. This tour is the company’s most recent addition and is strongly anticipated by riders. Starting out in San Francisco and ending in Newfoundland, this tour stretches the North American continent from coast to coast, adding up to a total of 4,971 miles.

Riders will cycle along the California coastline, Joshua Tree National Park, the Grand Canyon, up the Rockies, and through the American plains, all the way to Canada and finally Newfoundland. Again, this tour and all the rest require days, weeks, and months of your time, so be prepared to take that leave of absence from work you’ve been dreaming about in exchange for adventures on the open road.

If this sounds too daunting to you it’s because it probably is, but also don’t fret because this tour and all the rest offer condensed routes within the full tours. Meaning, cyclists can do a portion instead of the entire duration.

Looking back on his past cycling tours, Pearce reflects, “sharing exotic places or tough experiences with like minded people. They are as keen, determined, successful and as stupid as me!”

Pearce’s special memories include, “sharing my 61st birthday with friends from Canada in a roof top restaurant in Istanbul after 49 days cycling together, climbing to 2,200 meters in the Carpathian Mountains in Romania, sharing a beer and a red wine in Bucharest after a hard days riding –for rehydration of course!”

Grab a friend or do it alone, however you choose to embark on your cycling adventure, be prepared for challenges, new experiences, fun, and new friends!

Tour d’ Afrique: Cairo, Egypt to Cape Town, South Africa Start peddling along the ancient pyramids, ride along the Nile, push yourself through the heat of the Sahara desert, and through the sand dunes of Fish River Canyon, until you reach the Atlantic Ocean in South Africa.

Orient Express: Paris, France to Istanbul, Turkey Begin with a guided bike tour of the City of Lights, peddle through medieval towns, ride along the Danube River, through beautiful Eastern European countries, until reaching exotic Istanbul.

Silk Route: Istanbul, Turkey to Samarqand, Uzbekistan Experience the history of the ancient trading route, the Silk Road from your bicycle, peddle across deserts and through mountains, until reaching Uzbekistan of Central Asia.

Vuelta Sudamericana: Buenos Aires, Argentina to Lima, Peru Start in Buenos Aires and head northwest towards Chile’s countless beaches along the Pacific, through the white salt plains of the dry Atacama Desert, to ancient Machu Picchu, and finish in Peru’s capital.

Amber Route: St. Petersburg, Russia to Venice, Italy From Russia’s beautiful Winter Palace to Doge’s Palace of Italy, ride through picturesque Eastern European countries all the way to Italy’s floating city.

An Indian Adventure: Agra, India to Kanyakumari, India The adventure begins outside of the infamous Taj Mahal, then peddle through desert cities and gorgeous beaches to get an up close look at South Asia’s beloved India.

North American Epic: San Francisco, California to St. John’s, Newfoundland Begin at the Golden Gate Bridge, ride along the Pacific coastline, then head west through North America’s diverse landscapes including deserts, the Grand Canyon, the Rocky Mountains, national forests, Canada, and Nova Scotia until reaching Newfoundland.

Spotlight on Turkey: Ankara, Turkey to Istanbul, Turkey Starting in Turkey’s capital city take a tour of the country, seeing its many ancient ruins, through the Taurus Mountains, along the coasts of the Mediterranean and Aegean Seas, and finish in the country’s largest city.

Spotlight on Namibia (North): Windhoek, Namibia to Windhoek, Namibia Start in the capital of Namibia and come full circle after peddling through deserts and mountain ranges, and national parks.

Spotlight on Namibia (South): Windhoek, Namibia to Luderitz, Namibia Begin in the capital of Namibia and head west through mountain passes, gorgeous rock formations, then head south through the desert and national parks, until finishing at the rocky Atlantic coastline.

Samba Tango: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil to Buenos Aires, Argentina Start off in Brazil’s capital and ride through South America’s natural landscapes including rain forests, sandy beaches, and mountain ranges until reaching Argentina’s capital city.

Further Information:

Visit Tour d’ Afrique’s website for more details and to sign up for upcoming tours!

Beth Simmons is an editorial assistant with GoNOMAD and attends the University of Massachusetts in Amherst, Massachusetts. She writes the Travel Reader Blog .

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Tour d’Afrique: the bike after 12,000km

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The man who cycled across Africa

Or the art of cycling across Africa (and why you should “just do it”).

In today’s interview I am very pleased to introduce you to Henry Gold , the man behind the famous cycling Africa tour: the “Tour d’Afrique”. Henry is also the founder and director of TDA Global Cycling .

Henry, it’s an honour to get to know you.

For starters, tell us a little about your background. Where are you originally from, and how did you start your professional career?

I was born in Czechoslovakia in the part that is now Eastern Slovakia. I grew up in a large village, essentially on a small farm with a few animals; chickens, geese, dog, cat and even a cow, large garden and an orchard.

As all kids who grow up in rural areas, it was a carefree existence, roaming around on a bike in every direction, though having responsibilities such as taking the cow to pasture on my summer holidays and so on.

I moved to Canada when I was 15 and graduated from McGill University with a degree in Electrical Engineering. My first three “career” jobs I worked as an engineer, but I worked many jobs from the time I was 13.

If you had to describe yourself in one word, what would it be and why?

What comes to mind is Frank Sinatra’s song ‘I did it my way’. But that is 5 words so maybe ‘maverick’.

It seems we are both “Africa Freaks” at heart. What do you find so special about the African continent? Also, what was your first contact with the region? I believe you initially travelled to Africa in 1984, correct? I don’t want to sound disrespectful, quite the contrary, but I was just one year old at the time! I guess I may have to call you a “*Mzee” from now on… 😉 (*Mzee = Swahili title of respect to anyone older than oneself)

Yes, I am an Africa Freak. Actually many riders that cycle Africa with us call themselves Freaks.

I think my fascination with Africa started with the famous Ethiopian marathoner Abebe Bikila who won the 1960 Rome Olympics, the 1st African winning an Olympic medal, breaking the record in the process and on top running barefoot. He was a sensation that came from nowhere.

I was a kid obsessed with sports, and a year later – I was nine years old at the time – Bikila came to run the oldest marathon in Europe that happens every year in Eastern Slovakia. My older brother got us tickets to the stadium when Bikila won the Kosice Peace Marathon by over three minutes. It was an awesome performance that I remember to this day. But it was not until 1984 that I came to work in Africa.

For me Africa has a feeling of coming home, after all this is where humanity evolved. So perhaps it is my own power of suggestion but each time I land in Africa, it feels very welcoming. I love Africans: their spontaneity, generosity, their joie de vivre. The majority of Africans have a very difficult life but that doesn’t stop them from enjoying what comes their way. Maybe, the quote by the British explorer Wilfred Thesiger is right on; “the harder the life, the finer the type”.

Joking aside, it is also in the early 1980s that your vision of the now famous “Tour d’Afrique” (Africa Tour) began to take root. Share with us your initial idea to produce cheap mountain bikes in Africa, and how it gave place to the original cycling concept. Has cycling always been a part of your life?

Ever since I can remember I was pedaling but simply for fun and later as means to get around. My motivation for creating what has become the iconic Cairo to Cape Town Tour d’Afrique has origin in the desire to help Africa with transportation challenges.

When I was working in Ethiopia I often would see prematurely old women carrying heavy loads on their backs. The whole rural economy for probably 95% of the people was limited to what they could put on their backs or a mule. It was also the time when Mountain Bikes became popular. And knowing the role of bikes in India and China, I kept saying that someone should start manufacturing rugged, cheap bikes in Africa for the African market.

Eventually I managed to get someone interested in doing a feasibility study and raised some funds and it looked like the concept was feasible. We created a business plan and even found a Kenyan investor. At that point we started thinking about marketing and having a limited budget, thought we needed to do something crazy that would have everyone talking about us. So the idea came to me to have a cycling race from Cairo to Cape Town using our bikes.

Moving forward, 2003 was a big turning point. It must’ve been such a thrill to take part in the world’s longest and most challenging cycling race across Africa? Four months from Giza (Egypt) to Cape Town (South Africa), what an achievement! Not to mention you established the Guinness World Record for the fastest human powered crossing of Africa.

For sure a hell of a thrill, I mean we had no idea if this was doable. As far as we could tell no one has ever cycled every inch of the way. There was a huge part of the route that we did not even scout and we were crossing areas where only convoys with military vehicles in front and back were allowed. Yet we managed to obtain permissions with one vehicle in the front and participants cycling at their own speed spread for kilometres.

We had no idea how individuals would survive the physical and the mental stress; we were worried about food, water, infections and so on. The roads were rough, about 40% was unpaved, in places such as Sudan hundreds of kilometres of sandy roads, in Tanzania due to rains hundreds kilometres more of muddy roads. So each day when I arrived at camp – usually among the last ones coming in – was a celebration.

Take us on a typical “Tour d’Afrique”. What’s on offer? How long does it last? What’s the itinerary (and distance covered), and generally speaking, what is there to expect? Can anyone take part in such an expedition, or is it only for the “epic” adventurer?

Tour d’Afrique is a 4 month, 12,000 km cycling journey that covers 10 African nations. The typical participant is someone interested in a big life challenge – to be taken out of their comfort zone and immersed in foreign cultures. The participants come from over 15 countries throughout the English speaking world including US, Canada, UK, Australia, NZ,  South Africa but also from other parts of the world such as Germany, Scandinavia and other. They range in age from 18 to 75, males and females.

It is open to all able bodied adults. We encourage anyone to take up the challenge. They are often surprised what they are capable of. They should expect every type of road surface from rutted tracks to smooth tarmac. They should be prepared to cycle in the rain and cold, and in the searing desert heat.

Do you provide bicycles for clients, or do they have to bring their own? Also, how does one pick the perfect bike for one of your trips? I suppose durability must be the number one criteria…?

Everyone must bring his or her own bike. It is a long trip from top to bottom of Africa and you need to be comfortable with your bike. The perfect bike is the one you choose. We recommend a light steel bike that can take wider tires, preferably a hard tail mountain bike, but a cyclocross bike or a touring bike will do as well. It depends on your style and desire for comfort. After all you will spend a lot of time on your bike.

For reference read ‘ Choosing a Bike for Long Distance Touring ’.

If you had to summarise your Tour d’Afrique in numbers, what would they be? Total number of participants for instance, number of flat tyres, couples that met on the trip (and who are still happily married today), amount of dust “ingested” (or inhaled), potholes, “zebra crossings”, etc. 🙂

121 days, 12,076 km, 363 meals, and 70,000 meters climbing Longest stage 207 km

Cycling is a great way to connect with nature and local culture. Are there any unusual wildlife encounters you might want to share? Or any other funny anecdotes worth mentioning…

Africa is a great place to witness wild animals and there is no greater joy if you are an animal lover than to see wild animals run in front or beside you while you are on a bike. On our trips to Africa that happens often. We also have unexpected events such as coming across a snake while camping. These are great experiences and are usually harmless.

But I think what you want to hear is about my run in with a wild elephant while I was on a bike. That did not happen in Africa but rather in India. You can read about it both in a blog I wrote few days after the accident and an article I published in the Globe and Mail .

I am truly very fortunate to simply be alive. But a day after I left hospital still patched up and looking a mess I was on Indian television defending the elephant as the problem was not him but rather humanity encroaching on his/her territory, and I happened to be there when he or she were spooked by a passing car who honked at him/her.

Besides being a successful businessman and avid adventurer, you also produce documentary films and are actively involved in various charitable endeavors. What can you tell us about “Burden on the Land” for instance, or the “Plant a Tree in Africa” concept?

Burden on The Land documentary resulted from my frustrations to explain to people I knew and others who were interested why and how famine happened, and what works and what doesn’t when it comes to development projects in Africa. We put a lot of time into this project and filmed in eight African countries. It was also a great learning experience for me. I watched the film again recently after 25 years and I think it explains the challenges of Africa and other places very well.

The Plant a Tree in Africa was a fundraiser to plant trees in Africa. It worked very well and the NGO I was running used that for many years after I was gone. The NGO used the money and money from other sources to plant over 60 million trees mainly in Ethiopia but in other countries as well. Planting trees of course is the best way to sink carbon dioxide and neutralize climate warming.

Today, what once seemed a mere dream has now come to reality. Your company is growing by leaps and bounds, and your transcontinental cycling expeditions not only operate in Africa, but also – and this is a world first – on 5 other continents (and in over 60 countries in total). What other tours do you run, and what do you believe is key to your success?

We now run tours on every continent, some like the South American Epic and the Silk Route are even longer and perhaps even tougher than the Tour d’Afrique, some are shorter and easier, such as the North American Epic, the Trans Europa, Trans Oceania and the Bamboo Route.

We also offer shorter trips from 5 weeks to 9 weeks such as La Ruta Maya, The 8th Continent (Madagascar) and the Orient Express. Our newest tour is The Last Degree, an 18 days cycle on the Antarctic continent.

I think the key to our success has been simply in providing a way to allow average individuals to have life changing adventures. I believe all we do is enable individual cyclists do something that they simply would never undertake by themselves. We provide the structure for them to cycle and enjoy the world, interact with locals in an unscripted way and explore.

Ultimately, what’s the next step for TDA Global Cycling in the near future?

We keep adding wonderful new tours. For example in 2017 we are adding a new tour in Europe, which will start in Athens and end in Amsterdam. We call it the Olympic Route because we will be cycling across many cities that have hosted summer and winter Olympics.

We are also planning another trip in Africa in 2018 that will start in Dakar and end in Cape Town. And there are many other ideas in the air. I think there are many opportunities for cycling as a sport and adventure.

Any final thoughts for readers who might be inspired to start their own venture?

I am a firm believer that if you have an idea and the desire then just go for it. Do not be afraid. On a recent South American Tour one of the participants – a very successful individual – while we were having a drink in a bar said to me: “Henry, I figured out what is the secret of your success.” I was eager to hear it as I told him that I had no idea. He said simply “you are not afraid to fail”. I laughed but later on I thought about it and I think he just may be right, though I would not have put it that way.

I think everything you do in life has a value and I think we all learn more from things that do not work out than from things that work out. I just do not think one should look at anything as a failure but rather as: OK, so this did not work so what I will do next that will work the way I would like it to work. So bottom line, just go for it and if you did not get the result you wanted move on. It is called living. (My actual motto before Nike started using it was Just Do It .)

Fabulous, there’s actually another motto along the same lines that I particularly like, and it’s “impossible is nothing” (from Adidas). Because in “impossible” there’s “I’m possible”! 😉

Thank you so much for your time, it was a real pleasure to learn from your rich life experience! and keep up the fabulous work! 🙂

For more info on Henry Gold or to join one of his epic tours, visit the TDA Global Cycling website.

Also feel free to like their page on Facebook, or follow their latest tweets .

About The Author

Michael Theys

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6,600 miles in africa on the tour d’afrique.

Prior to becoming a full-time race organiser, Canadian De Jong, 38, made his living as an inventor: Cyclists will probably know him for best for his Air Sound rechargeable bike horn. The idea of a bike tour of Africa first occurred to him and fellow organiser Henry Gold over ten years ago:

“We first thought of a race from Kenya to Tanzania but we thought that wouldn’t really ring a bell with anyone – it’s been done, nothing exciting – but how about a race from Cairo to Cape Town! It seemed like the craziest idea (and I like crazy ideas) so I decided, let’s do it. That was in ’93 and it took us about 10 years of thinking about it before we actually committed last year to start organising the first Tour.”

In that first Tour, 33 riders covered the Cairo to Cape Town route, riding a daily average of 115km for the 100 riding days (20 additional rest days were included at intervals) and camping along the way. The participants ranged from 21-year-olds to a 63-year-old man and his ever-so-slightly younger wife:

“When we announced the tour a lot of people said ‘I could never do that’ but we had everything from elite racers to recreational cyclists. We even had a woman of 52 who had never cycled until she heard about the Tour: She thought that this would be the best way to see Africa.”

The Tour bills itself as not just a bike race but also as a “soul-enriching experience”. The idea is the Tour should have a strong ecological message, raising awareness and providing funds for sustainable transportation on the African continent. De Jong believes that incidences of famine in Africa have been exacerbated by the lack of a bicycle culture there:

“In China … the historical background is that everything was bicycle based, hence you see very few famines. You see poor people, but because of the bike they have an excellent transportation system – similarly in India. In Africa they never really had a bike culture so it pretty well went from walking straight to cars. And cars are not very numerous, so they [Africans] are far behind in terms of transportation and use of bikes… It’s mostly to do with politics. For instance in South Africa the townships were prohibited from using bikes and they deliberately didn’t build any bike lanes so the people in the townships couldn’t access white cities. In parts of Africa where they didn’t have apartheid it was not a policy but it was an unwritten rule that it is better to have cars and leave the people that are poor, poor.”

In 2004 the Tour will pass through 10 countries on its journey from Cairo to Cape Town. One of de Jong’s dreams is to have riders from each of those countries take part in the race. This year riders from each country were able to join the tour only within their own borders:

“In each country we arranged with the national cycling federation for local riders to join us. In Egypt we had the Egyptian team. In Sudan there really isn’t a team but we did have some people join us. In Kenya we had a blind rider on a tandem join us. One of our dreams for the Tour d’Afrique is to have at least representation of each country we pass through to do the whole tour, which would mean 10 riders additionally. Unfortunately income levels are low so we’re always looking at sponsorship to help people facilitate this dream because I think many people want to but they just can’t afford it.”

Speaking of money, the Tour costs a whopping $8,000 (US) for each competitor. For that price you get food, water and someone to carry your bags from campsite to campsite. You also get some technical backup, which is useful:

“We had one frame crack. This particular fellow had a steel frame so it was repaired in the local welders shop. We had a few broken wheels but we supply parts to riders at cost prices and we have a mechanic so things can be rebuilt.”

We’re not sure if the technical backup goes as far as replacing false teeth, a problem faced by one Belgian rider who lost his teeth while rattling along ‘Mountains of the moon’, a particularly gruelling section of lava rock road in Kenya.

If all this sounds like your thing, but you don’t have 120 days going spare, you can also complete individual sections of the Tour taking between 9 and 21 days. There’s already 28 riders signed up for next year and de Jong expects at least double that number lining up on the start on January 17th. To find out more about the Tour and how to get involved check out their website .

And if your appetite requires further whetting see below for more photos from this year’s Tour.

Blue Nile Gorge again

Arriving at the Cape

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Tour d’Afrique!

You may have read my most recent post about how awesome it was to putter around a national park in Kenya on a crappy hired bicycle. Sure, most of you don’t get to bike with zebras and all so maybe that sounded cool, but compared to the crazy/awesome cyclists on the Tour d’Afrique right now my little safari looks mighty lame (and I take back any complaints about searing sun or a sore arse too).

The annual Tour d’Afrique bike race just finished its second week, and the 25 cyclists have covered over 2000 km from Egypt through Sudan so far. The 9,400 km route from Cairo to Cape Town passes through 10 countries over four months – you can follow the epic journey  here , which in my opinion clownshoe’s the Tour de France , a paltry 3,479 km. I bet neither Lance nor Alberto nor Floyd ever had to watch out for camels either.

They’ll be transecting Tanzania at some point but from the map it doesn’t look like Dar es Salaam is on the itinerary (sadly). I’ll be cheering you guys on from over here on the East Coast!

Photos courtesy of Tour d’Afrique .

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Bike JC’s Ward Tour returns to where it began and honors late tour founder

• Published: May. 30, 2024, 1:00 p.m.

Bike JC's 13th annual Jersey City Ward Tour takes place on Sunday, June 2, 2024, at 11 a.m. Previous editions of the event have drawn over 3,000 riders. Eric Harvey Brown, Honey and Moon Photography

• David Mosca | The Jersey Journal

Thousands of cyclists lined up as far as the eye can see will hit the streets at 11 a.m. Sunday for the 13th annual Jersey City Ward Tour with local cycling advocacy group Bike JC.

Bike JC is a citizen-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit advocacy organization that focuses on making the streets welcoming for cyclists by promoting bike-friendly policies such as protected bike lanes and bicycle education.

The Ward Tour takes riders on a 16-mile ride through all six Jersey City’s wards, with this year’s ride starting and ending at Exchange Place, where the very first Ward Tour took place in 2010. The Bike JC Ward Tour also continues its tradition of finishing next to the main stages of the Jersey City Jazz Festival on its last day. Previous editions of the event have drawn more than 3,000 riders.

“The Ward Tour is, first and foremost, a chance for the whole community to have fun on two wheels,” said Ayla Schermer, president of Bike JC. “But we never forget that it’s also a show of support for all the things we fight for to make biking better in Jersey City every other day of the year, from protected bike lanes to secure bike parking, to safer streets in general. We’ve come a long way there, but still have a long way to go.”

The tour will be protected by rolling street closures implemented by the Jersey City Police Department. Riders will circle Jersey City at a pace of 10 mph at the front, with several breaks throughout the event.

Riders will finish between 2 and 3 p.m. and the Jazz Festival — which will feature live music, food and drinks — will continue until 6 p.m. at the Exchange Place Plaza, All ages are welcome to attend the festival.

This year’s Ward Tour will be dedicated to the memory of the late Christopher Englese, a Bike JC president, trustee and tour founder who died in November.

“I worked with Chris in Bike JC for many years,” said Vice President Tony Borelli. “This event, our organization, the local bike community, none of them would be what they are today without his years of dedicated and inspired service.”

At the front of the tour will be a contingent of Englese’s family and friends riding together to honor his memory.

Registration for the tour is required and is $10 while seniors ride for $5 and anyone under 18 rides for free. You can register online at bikejc.regfox.com . There will also be in-person registration on Sunday morning starting at 9 a.m.

Every one must wear helmets. Younger children may be carried securely on an adult’s bike, trailer, etc. The tour will take place rain or shine.

The 2024 Tour is presented by the Exchange Place Alliance, with major sponsorships from Vaccaro Law, Citi Bike and the Jersey City Economic Development Corporation, and with the help of numerous Jersey City and Hudson County departments and agencies.

Best vantage points for the tour include the following:

• Montgomery Street, East end (start area).
• Lincoln Park at JFK Blvd. and the end of Belmont Ave., where the tour will roll out again around 12:30 p.m. and 1 p.m. onto JFK after the halfway break.
• Exchange Place Plaza, site of the JC Jazz Festival, next door to the start/finish line of the event.

The map of the bike route can be found online at ridewithgps.com .

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Jonas Vingegaard 'the big favourite' for the Tour de France says UAE team manager

Visma-Lease a Bike leader with the advantage due to altitude training, Tadej Pogačar 'tired after the Giro' says Joxean Matxin

With an inaugural Giro d’Italia victory less than a week in the rear view mirror and Tadej Pogačar now switching focus to a third Tour de France win, UAE Team Emirates team manager Joxean Matxin has labelled rival Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike) as the favourite to win the Yellow Jersey in July. 

The Danish two-time Tour winner is on the path to recovery after a major crash at the Tour of the Basque Country in April left him with a lung injury and several broken bones. 

Matxin reflected on the 2023 season, when Pogačar had been the one to have a severe spring crash, breaking his wrist at Liege-Bastogne-Liege.

"That Vingegaard crashed heavily in the Tour of the Basque Country? Last year, Tadej crashed 3 weeks further in April and was in Vingegaard's slipstream until the Tour time trial (stage 16)," Matxin said, as reported by Sporza .

"Vingegaard has been training at altitude for weeks, he is the big favourite," he added.

The Spaniard seemed keen to take the pressure off Pogačar during his historic Giro-Tour double attempt, pointing out the energy the Slovenian expended during his triumph in Italy.

“Of course Tadej was also tired after the Giro…Tadej has had days when he burned 8,000 calories, his wattages were also very high."

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Although Pogačar won the race by almost ten minutes ahead of Bora-Hansgrohe’s Daniel Martinez, Matxin assured that tactically the aim in Italy was to race as “economically” as possible with one eye on July.

"He didn't pull off an 80km solo like he did in Strade Bianche. And Tadej never had to fight for his position in the peloton thanks to the perfect work of his teammates," Matxin said.

Having beaten Pogačar in the last two Tours de France, Vingegaard is the opponent that UAE Team Emirates appear most concerned about, but Matxin also named Remco Evenepoel (Soudal - Quick-Step), Primoz Roglic and Alexandr Vlasov (both Bora-Hansgrohe) as leading favourites for the Tour de France. 

All three are set to compete in the Critérium du Dauphiné as preparation for the Tour, with Evenepoel and Roglic on their own comeback trails after falling victim to the same crash as Vingegaard in April. Meanwhile Pogačar is resting before heading to an altitude camp in the French Alps to fine tune his form.

Vingegaard has already been training at altitude but will not be on the start line to race the Dauphiné. Visma - Lease a Bike have taken a flexible and conservative approach to the reigning Tour de France champion’s recovery.

Vingegaard’s coach, Tim Heemskerk, told the Radio Cycling podcast that “the plan for the next four weeks is decided on a day-by-day process. What he’s doing today will make tomorrow’s training. If I see he’s improving, he can do a bit more tomorrow, respecting the recovery of course. We are not forcing anything.”

Grand Tour Treble

If Tadej Pogačar were to win the Tour de France in seven weeks’ time, he would become the first rider to complete the Giro-Tour double since Marco Pantani in 1998.

The World Championships in Switzerland later on in the season is another big ambition of Pogačar's, bit for a rider with a seemingly endless appetite for winning the temptation would surely be too much to prevent him from going for an unprecedented grand tour treble. No rider has ever won the Giro d’Italia, Tour de France and Vuelta a España in the same season.

Although this achievement would eclipse everything that has preceded it in Pogačar’s  illustrious career so far, Matxin denied the possibility.

"Winning the three Grand Tours in the same year is great for the history books, but that is not the case this year…the Vuelta was never on Pogačar's schedule."

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Julian Alaphilippe requests contract talks with Patrick Lefevere after successful Giro d'Italia

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Bike-A-Thon 2024: Nearly 2,000 people will ride from Philly to Ventnor this weekend

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- This Sunday, nearly 2,000 people will ride from the Ben Franklin Bridge to Ventnor, New Jersey for the American Cancer Society's 52nd annual Bike-A-Thon.

It's not just a fundraiser, but a time to honor and remember those touched by cancer.

Rick Williams has more.

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A rip current statement in effect for coastal broward and coastal miami dade regions, jennifer lopez cancels summer tour: 'i am completely heartsick and devastated'.

Maria Sherman

Associated Press

NEW YORK – Jennifer Lopez has canceled her 2024 North American tour, representatives for Live Nation confirmed to The Associated Press.

“Jennifer is taking time off to be with her children, family and close friends,” they said in a statement.

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The tour was to be her first in five years, in support of her first solo album in a decade, “This Is Me... Now" and its companion film .

The tour was scheduled to kick off on June 26 in Orlando, Florida, and conclude in Houston on Aug. 31. Live Nation shared that attendees who purchased tickets through Ticketmaster will be automatically refunded.

Lopez offered her own statement to fans on her OntheJLo website and newsletter, writing, “I am completely heartsick and devastated about letting you down. Please know that I wouldn’t do this if I didn’t feel that it was absolutely necessary."

She continued: “I promise I will make it up to you and we will all be together again. I love you all so much. Until next time…”

“This Is Me... Now” was released early this year, 20 years after her hit album, “This Is Me... Then.” Lopez told the AP that the new album was a “miracle” and “a second chance. And I’d love to capture this moment in time the way that album captured that moment in time.”

Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

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Golf fans encouraged to ride bikes to pga tour champions tournament in iowa, share this article.

DES MOINES, Iowa — The 2024 Principal Charity Classic is adding a new way for spectators to get to the course and enjoy some free perks. The golf tournament is launching a new Pedal to the PCC bike ride for championship Sunday.

The event is free, but registration is required . Registered participants will receive free admission to the Principal Charity Classic on Sunday, a map of the recommended route, free bike valet at the tournament, a free drink coupon to be used on-course and a water bottle. Participants will also be entered to win a free bike donated by Bike World.

Tournament organizers said in a news release that the ride starts at a parking ramp in downtown Des Moines and eventually ends Wakonda Club, the host venue for the Principal Chairty Classic.

The Principal Charity Classic is an annual PGA Tour Champions event held at the Wakonda Club in Des Moines, the 12th event on a 28-event schedule in 2024.

In 2023, the Principal Charity Classic raised $8 million for charity, making the tournament’s giving total more than $50 million since 2007. Tournament funds benefit organizations that provide support to kids in Iowa in terms of education and culture, financial security and stability, and health and wellness.

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Voronezh Oblast, Russia

The capital city of Voronezh oblast: Voronezh .

Voronezh Oblast - Overview

Voronezh Oblast is a federal subject of Russia, part of the Central Federal District. Voronezh is the capital city of the region.

The population of Voronezh Oblast is about 2,288,000 (2022), the area - 52,216 sq. km.

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Voronezh oblast map, Russia

Voronezh oblast latest news and posts from our blog:.

9 September, 2015 / Kalacheevskaya Cave - the longest cave in Voronezh region .

10 May, 2010 / Voronezh oblast palace of the princess photos .

History of Voronezh Oblast

The first people began to settle in the territory of the present Voronezh region in the Paleolithic age, about 30 thousand years ago. In the Iron Age, this region became part of Scythia. Then the Sarmatians came to replace the Scythians. It is assumed that they gave the name to the Don River.

In the early Middle Ages, the Alans, the descendants of the Sarmatians, moved on to a settled way of life, mastered the skills of urban culture and entered into a complex symbiosis with nomads (the Bulgars and the Khazars). In the 7th century, the steppe part of the region became the territory of the Khazar Kaganate.

In the 9th-10th centuries, the Slavs began to settle in the north of the region. Central and southern areas were controlled by nomadic tribes. In the first half of the 13th century, during the Mongol invasion, the ancient Russian settlements were destroyed, and Voronezh land for several centuries turned into a so-called “wild field” crossed by the main Tatar roads - Nogai and Kalmius roads.

In the 15th century, several districts up to the Khopyor River, the Vorona River and the mouth of the Voronezh River were part of the Ryazan principality, but the Russian settlements here were few in number. Between the Russian territory and the Tatar nomads lay a vast, devastated by nomadic raids, neutral buffer land.

More historical facts…

In 1521, the Ryazan principality became part of the Moscow state, which opened the way for the beginning of the Russian colonization of these territories. The Cossacks began to form from the Christian population of the region that assimilated certain elements of the culture of nomads.

In 1585, in place of the Cossack village, Voronezh was founded as a fortress of the Moscow state on the border of the Wild Field. For more than 50 years Voronezh was the only town on the territory of the present Voronezh region. Up to the 17th century, the Tatar raids on the Voronezh land continued.

In 1696, by decision and with the personal participation of Peter I, a shipyard was built on Voronezh land for the construction of the first Russian fleet - the foothold for the development of the Black Sea region. From here the Azov campaigns of Peter I began. The centers of Russian colonization in the east of the region were the towns of Borisoglebsk (1698) and Novokhopersk (1716).

In 1711, (after the loss of Azov), Voronezh became a provincial town, the administrative center of the Azov gubernia (province). In the 18th century, the development of the entire territory of the region began. In 1725, the province received the name of Voronezh.

Voronezh Governorate became one of the main bread baskets of the Russian Empire. In the 1860-1870s, railways passed through the territory of the region and connected Central Russia with South Ukraine, the North Caucasus and the Trans-Volga. The region’s economy remained largely agrarian.

In 1934, Voronezh Oblast was established. In 1937, Tambov Oblast was singled out of the Voronezh region. During the Second World War, it became the scene of fierce battles. The city of Voronezh was almost completely destroyed. In 1954, large western and northern territories were transferred to Belgorod and Lipetsk oblasts. In 1957, the boundaries of Voronezh Oblast took the current form.

In the mid-1960s, the Novovoronezh nuclear power plant was built, the Stavropol-Moscow gas pipeline passed through the territory of the region. Voronezh became a major center of the country’s military-industrial complex. In 1972, the Voronezh reservoir was created.

Nature of Voronezh Oblast

Birches in the middle of the field in the Voronezh region

Author: Stepygin Evgeny

Golden autumn in Voronezh Oblast

Author: Constantin Silkin

Cows in the Voronezh region

Author: Galina Linn

Voronezh Oblast - Features

Voronezh Oblast is located in the south-west of the European part of Russia. The length of the region from north to south is 277.5 km, from west to east - 352 km. In the south it borders on the Lugansk region of Ukraine.

The climate is moderately continental. The average temperature in January is minus 10 degrees Celsius, in July - plus 20 degrees Celsius.

The largest cities and towns of Voronezh Oblast are Voronezh (1,048,700), Rossosh (61,800), Borisoglebsk (57,200), Liski (52,000).

The most important resource of Voronezh Oblast is its fertile black soil rich in humus (chernozem), which occupy most of the territory. The largest rivers are the Don, Voronezh, Khopyor, Bityug.

Voronezh Oblast has rich deposits of non-metallic raw materials, mainly building materials (sands, clays, chalk, granites, cement raw materials, ocher, limestone, sandstone). Also there are deposits of phosphorites, nickel, copper, and platinum.

The local economy is an industrial-agrarian one. The main industries are mechanical engineering, electric power industry, chemical industry, and processing of agricultural products. This region is a major supplier of agricultural products: wheat, sugar beet, sunflower, potatoes, and vegetables. There is a nuclear power plant on the territory of Voronezh oblast - Novovoronezh Nuclear Power Plant.

Two federal highways pass through the territory of the Voronezh region: E 115 - M4 “Moscow-Novorossiysk” and E 119 - M6 “Moscow-Astrakhan”.

Attractions of Voronezh Oblast

Voronezh Oblast has a significant recreational and tourist potential. There are 7 historical towns in the region (Bobrov, Boguchar, Borisoglebsk, Voronezh, Novokhopersk, Ostrogozhsk, Pavlovsk), about 2,700 historical and cultural monuments, 20 museums and 3 reserves.

Pine forests and oak groves in the valley of the Voronezh River are known for their favorable effect on human health. There are a lot of summer and winter tourist bases and sanatoriums.

The main sights of the Voronezh region:

• Natural Architectural-Archaeological Museum-Reserve Divnogorye in Liskinsky district - one of the most popular and recognizable sights of the Voronezh region. One of the main attractions is a church built by monks inside a chalk cliff;
• Archeological Museum-Reserve “Kostyonki” in the village of Kostyonki in the Khokholsky district;
• Museum-Estate of D. V. Venevitinov in the village of Novozhivotinoye in Ramonsky district - a complex of residential and park buildings that belonged to the old Russian noble family in the second half of the 17th - early 20th centuries;
• Castle of the Princess of Oldenburg in Ramon - a picturesque manor house built in the style of brick neo-Gothic in the late 19th century;
• Voronezh Biosphere Reserve with the world’s only experimental beaver cattery;
• “Village of the 17th-19th centuries” - a museum in the open air in the town of Ertil;
• Khrenovskaya and Chesma stud farms;
• Museums and memorial places in Voronezh.

Voronezh oblast of Russia photos

Churches in the voronezh region.

Country life in Voronezh Oblast

Church in the Voronezh region

Author: Lantsov Dmitriy

Orthodox cathedral in Voronezh Oblast

Author: Feliks Radev

Voronezh Oblast scenery

Lonely locomotive in the Voronezh region

Author: Gribanov D.

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Richmond rounds up bikes and volunteers for annual Bike Rodeo

The annual event, put on by the Richmond Police Department, ensures that local children learn how to safely ride their bikes and that they get a tune up for safe operation.

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RICHMOND — As spring turns to summer, the Richmond Police Department is gearing up for its annual Bike Rodeo.

For three hours on Sunday, children from across Richmond will be able to show off their riding skills, get their bikes tuned up and have a shot at bringing home a new bicycle. 

This Bike Rodeo teaches kids bicycle safety, safe operation, the rules of the road, and the importance of maintaining bicycles in good repair, but it also has another purpose.

“The Bike Rodeo allows the police department to have interactions with the community and families, showing that we are just like other people,” Richmond police Chief James Donnell said.

The event is made possible entirely by donations from organizations and the work of volunteers, including staff from the Richmond Police and Fire departments, as well as people like Sam and Jeff Moore, who cook for the event and provide refreshments, and Mark Wheeler.

Wheeler, who works part-time at Bath Cycle & Ski in Woolwich, has volunteered his time over the past several years to check all the bikes and ensure they are safe to ride. Advertisement

“I was called because I can fix bikes, but I’m not an expert. I help to make sure the bikes are safe for the kids to ride,” Wheeler said.

RICHMOND, ME – MAY 29: Richmond Police Chief James Donnell demonstrates the Òweb shooterÓ on a Spiderman childrenÕs bike seen Wednesday May 29, 2024 at Richmond Police Department. When one flips the blue switch on handlebars, a red web drops down. (Staff photo by Joe Phelan/Staff Photographer) Joe Phelan/Kennebec Journal

While Wheeler tunes up the bikes, he also checks the air pressure in the tires and inspects the chains and brakes. These are the most common repairs, and they are what parents should keep an eye on. He recommends annual checkups to make sure bikes are in good repair. 

Generally, Wheeler repairs about 25 bikes a year, depending on how many kids turn out. Most bring their own bikes, many of which have never been tuned up before. According to Wheeler, annual maintenance is important to ride a bike safely. 

Just as important as the tuneups are the skills tests. The parking lot behind the police station at 26 Gardiner St. becomes a riding course, consisting of a rotary, stop signs, crosswalks, wood boards that act as speed bumps, and a radar speed trailer so the kids can see how fast they are going. 

“They learn skills going through the course, but they also learn the importance of helmets and upkeep,” Wheeler said. He notes that there is a lot to learn to ride safely, like riding with traffic, using hand signals, and not hesitating to get off the bike and walk across the street at crosswalks. 

The Bike Rodeo has been instrumental in teaching some children to ride bikes and making others more confident in their abilities. Advertisement

Richmond police Chief James Donnell stands with some of the bikes that will be given away during Sunday’s bike rodeo. The event teaches kids to ride safely and is a chance to get a free tune up. Joe Phelan/Kennebec Journal

“Kids who can barely ride show up, we teach them in the course,” Donnell said, “and they ride  through it about 40 to 50 times. We not only see kids riding bikes after they were not able to, but they are also applying the rules they learned on the course.”

In some instances, he said, kids who arrive with training wheels have them removed so they can ride faster on the course.  

The Bike Rodeo is capped off with a raffle of the donated bicycles. Each child is given a raffle ticket, and they can drop it into the bags hanging on the handlebars of whatever bikes they like. Donnell said every child went home with a bike last year.  

Donations for the event include bike helmets to ensure young riders have an appropriately sized helmet.

“Throughout the year, we track down kids who may not have helmets and give them spares we have left over from the Bike Rodeo,” Donnell said.  

So far this year, the police department has received 20 bikes and is currently still taking donations. Money is also donated, which is either used to buy more bikes or put toward any supplies needed for the event.

Along with the bike course, there will also be a bounce house and the Darling’s Ice Cream for a Cause truck. The Richmond Fire Department will hold equipment demonstrations. A Maine State Police truck will be on hand and a Sagadahoc County Dispatch table will show 911 operations.  

The Bike Rodeo will be held from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday in the Richmond Police Department parking lot.

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Pogacar wins the Giro d’Italia by a big margin and will now aim for a 3rd Tour de France title

Tour of Italy winner Slovenia’s Tadej Pogacar holds the trophy during the podium ceremony at the end of the 21st and last stage of the Giro D’Italia, cycling race, in Rome, Sunday, May 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

Slovenia’s Tadej Pogacar, wearing the pink jersey overall leader, crosses the finish line of the 21st and last stage of the Giro D’Italia, tour of Italy cycling race, in Rome, Sunday, May 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

Cyclists are cheered by fans as they ride past the ancient Colosseum during the final stage of the Giro d’Italia cycling race in Rome, Sunday, May 26, 2024. (Gian Mattia D’Alberto/LaPresse via AP)

Slovenia’s Tadej Pogacar, wearing the pink jersey overall leader, flashes the victory sign after crossing the finish line of the 21st and last stage of the Giro D’Italia, tour of Italy cycling race, in Rome, Sunday, May 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

Cyclists, including the pink jersey overall leader Slovenia’s Tadej Pogacar, ride past the ancient Colosseum during the final stage of the Giro d’Italia cycling race in Rome, Sunday, May 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

From left, second classified Colombia’s Daniel Felipe Martinez, first classified Slovenia’s Tadej Pogacar and third classified Britain’s Geraint Thomas celebrate during the podium ceremony at the end of the 21st and last stage of the Giro D’Italia, tour of Italy cycling race, in Rome, Sunday, May 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

Third classified Britain’s Geraint Thomas celebrates during the podium ceremony at the end of the 21st and last stage of the Giro D’Italia, tour of Italy cycling race, in Rome, Sunday, May 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

Slovenia’s Tadej Pogacar, wearing the pink jersey of the race overall leader, is lifted in celebration by teammates ahead of the start of the final stage of the Giro d’Italia cycling race, in front of the Palazzo della Civilta’ Italiana, also known as Colosseo Quadrato (Square Colosseum) in Rome, Sunday, May 26, 2024. (Marco Alpozzi/LaPresse via AP)

Belgium’s Tim Merlier celebrates winning the final stage of the Giro d’Italia cycling race in Rome, Sunday, May 26, 2024. (Gian Mattia D’Alberto/LaPresse via AP)

Cyclists ride past the ancient Colosseum during the final stage of the Giro d’Italia cycling race in Rome, Sunday, May 26, 2024. (Massimo Paolone/LaPresse via AP)

Slovenia’s Tadej Pogacar, 2nd right, wearing the pink jersey of the race overall leader, poses as he waits for the start of the final stage of the Giro d’Italia cycling race, in front of the Palazzo della Civilta’ Italiana, also known as Colosseo Quadrato (Square Colosseum) in Rome, Sunday, May 26, 2024. (Marco Alpozzi/LaPresse via AP)

Cyclists ride past the ancient Colosseum during the final stage of the Giro d’Italia cycling race in Rome, Sunday, May 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

Cyclists ride past the Unknown Soldier monument during the final stage of the Giro d’Italia cycling race, in Rome, Sunday, May 26, 2024. (Fabio Ferrari/LaPresse via AP)

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ROME (AP) — Tadej Pogacar won the Giro d’Italia on Sunday with the race’s biggest margin of victory in nearly six decades — earning a third Grand Tour trophy to go with his two Tour de France titles.

Pogacar, riding a pink bike to go with his pink jersey, shorts and helmet, crossed safely in the main pack to conclude the mostly ceremonial final stage of the three-week race in Rome, ending with an advantage of 9 minutes, 56 seconds over runner-up Daniel Martinez.

Geraint Thomas finished third overall, 10:24 behind.

The last time there was a bigger margin of victory in the Giro came in 1965, when Vittorio Adorni won by 11:26.

Pogacar, a Slovenian with UAE Team Emirates, also won six stages in the race, the most since Eddy Merckx also won six in 1973.

“Winning any bike race is important but winning the Giro, especially like this, is really incredible,” Pogacar said.

Now Pogacar will attempt to rest and recover in time to make an attempt at winning his third Tour title, with cycling’s biggest race starting on June 29 with four stages in Italy.

Pogacar will be attempting to become the first rider to win the Giro and the Tour in the same year since Marco Pantani in 1998.

“This was the big goal for the first part of the season. Now finally I’ll have a bit of rest before the second part, which could be the more important part,” Pogacar said. “We’ll see.”

Belgian rider Tim Merlier won the final stage in a sprint ahead of Jonathan Milan by the Colosseum. It was Merlier’s fourth career win at the Giro and third this year.

Milan, the Italian sprinter who also won three stages in the race, had a mechanical issue and needed to change his bike at the start of the last lap. He then managed to catch up with the main pack and almost grabbed another victory.

The 125-kilometer (78-mile) mostly flat final stage finished with a circuit through the center of the capital that was completed eight times, taking riders past the Baths of Caracalla, the Roman Forum, the Tiber River and the Circus Maximus before the finish on cobblestones near the Arch of Constantine.

Pogacar entered the Giro for the first time this year and made an immediate impact. He finished second in the opening stage in Turin and gained time on almost all of his direct rivals. Then he won the second stage, grabbed the leader’s pink jersey and kept on increasing his advantage day after day.

Pogacar won the Tour in 2020 and 2021 and then finished second behind Jonas Vingegaard in 2022 and 2023.

Vingegaard is hoping to defend his Tour title despite a crash in April that left him with several broken ribs and a collapsed lung.

AP cycling: https://apnews.com/hub/cycling