RACING
Updates, stories and opinions from inside the world's greatest sport, written and captured by Rouleur journalists
Top Banana: stage 13 – Alberto Contador
Rather than rolling back the years, Alberto Contador found a new way to race. He remains a rider of relevance, one who can still excite and...
Coryn Rivera: Living the Dream
In her first full season, Coryn Rivera has made a real splash in the WomensTour. Still, with the World Championships on the horizon, she’s not...
Top Banana: stage 12 – Steve Cummings and his one-man tribute
The British champion goes it alone over the Port de Balès in memory of Tom Simpson. We enjoyed it immensely
Gallery: Tour de France stage 11 – Kittel takes five
A wing and a prayer: five stages for Kittel and three Hail Marys for any other sprinters hoping to land a win before Paris
Top Banana: Tour de France stage 11 – Maciej Bodnar
Pole vaulted after a valiant effort: with more insipid tactics from everyone but Quick Step, breakaway hot rod Bodnar deserves all the kudos
Nacer Bouhanni: A ‘Rough’ Guide
Fined and penalised for throwing a punch on stage 10. Wasn’t Sagan disqualified for a lesser infringement?
Gallery: Tour de France stage 10 – Kittel’s quartet
Four stages wins and counting for the dominant sprinter of this Tour – Marcel Kittel
Top Banana: Tour de France stage 10 – Julien Vermote
He’s done over 800 kilometres on the front of the Tour bunch already and has great hair. Here’s to Quick Step’s breakaway buster extraordinaire Julien...
Tour de France: Caravan of Love
The Tour can wait. There’s a carnival procession to be witnessed and freebies to be had. We join the publicity caravan, Henri Desgrange’s 1930 marketing...
Gallery: Men at work: Cannondale-Drapac mechanics
Rest day for the riders, but the mechanics are hard at it as usual. Bike prepping with the Cannondale crew
Tour de France Week 1 – vital statistics, knowns and unknowns
Digging deeper to uncover the digits that other publications just can’t find: it’s the Tour de France Week 1 Alternative Facts
Gallery: Tour de France stage 9 – disaster for Porte, brilliance from Uran
Brilliance from Barguil, single-speed sprinting by Uran, sickening crash for Porte – stage 9 had everything and more
Top Banana: Tour de France stage 9 – Dan Martin
The Irishman has ridden a strong and smart first week at the Tour. Today’s crash was a setback, but he is still in contention
Top Banana: Tour de France stage 8 – Lilian Calmejane
No competition today. The excellent Lilian Calmejane rode brilliantly in a stage of non-stop action and constant attacking
Rouleur Cover Stories: issue 17.5 – Tom Simpson
A bon vivant who liked to drive fast and laugh hard, Simpson crammed many adventures and memorable moments into his 29 and a half years
Gallery: Tour de France stage 7 – Kittel by a whisker
Just six millimetres separated Marcel Kittel from Edvard Boasson Hagen in Nuits-Saint-Georges, apparently. Wafer thin.
Top Banana: Tour de France stage 7 – Reinardt Janse van Rensburg
With Cavendish out, Dimension Data should have been reduced to also-ran status in the sprints. Janse van Rensburg showed their train is still on the...
Tour de France: Matt Seaton on hopes, dreams and breakaways
The breakaway: natural home of cycling’s dreamers and romantics. Matt Seaton considers what it takes to succeed in the sport’s most kamikaze of spectacles.
A letter from the Editor
ITV4 has a new guest expert in the studio next week. Meet Philippa York
Top Banana: Tour de France stage 6 – Frederik Backaert
Today’s scorching temperatures limited the break to only the hardiest of souls. Here’s to the young farmer who is no stranger to long days in the sun
Krasna Lipa: the Czech Republic’s long-running women’s race
The Tour de Feminin, based on the small Czech town of Krasna Lipa, celebrates its 30th edition this week. Our editor was on soigneur duties...
Gallery: Tour de France stage 5 – Aru conquers the mountain
Aru takes the stage, Quintana loses time, Thomas loses yellow, Froome takes the biscuit
Top Banana: Tour de France stage 5 – Stefan Küng
While Porte was ponderous on La Planche des Belles Filles, here’s to the BMC youngster who kept the breakaway of Voeckler, Gilbert and company in check
Got the minerals: Vittel, the peloton’s drink of choice
Vittel serves as the host of today’s Tour de France stage roll-out. But the little French spa town has a long history with the Tour...
The Peter Saga: A Rough Guide to the Stage 4 ‘Incident’
Peter Sagan: expelled from the Tour. Mark Cavendish: out with a broken shoulder. Arnaud Démare: in the green jersey. We try to make sense of...
Top Banana: Tour de France stage 4 – Guillaume Van Keirsbulck
Guillame Van Keirsbulck’s road to the Tour de France has been a long one. Now that he’s finally made it, he seems determined to enjoy every...
Gallery: Tour de France stage 3 – Super Sagan takes Longwy
Complete control from Peter Sagan, Dan Martin close, Michael Matthews closer
Chute! A brief history of crash photography
Heavy rain and anxious riders made for a nervy beginning to this year’s Tour de France, with several big-name contenders hitting the deck. Duncan Forbes gives us...
Top Banana: Tour de France stage 3 – Juraj Sagan
So often overshadowed by his younger brother, or cropped out of shot altogether, Juraj Sagan deserves more than a little of the limelight for today’s...
Gallery: Tour de France stage 2 – Standard Liège and Kittel’s Comeback
Teeming rain, the break caught within sight of the line and a sprinters’ battle royale: Düsseldorf to Liège had it all
MEMBERSHIPS
JOIN TODAY
Independent journalism, award winning content, exclusive perks. Continue your Rouleur journey with a subscription starting from only $3/month.