Your Monday Briefing

Adagio, the European aparthotel brand, has become a major partner of FDJ-SUEZ. Starting 25 June, Adagio’s logo will be displayed on the front and back of the team’s jersey.

Karin Soderqvist will be joining Team Coop-Repsol. Her first race will be the Volta a Portugal Femenina ,which runs from 2 to 6 July. The Swedish rider was drawn to the Norwegian team due to, as she says, its fearless racing style and strong support within the group which would allow her to take the next step in her cycling career. The young rider has already made a mark with strong performances so far this season. During Gracia Orlová, she took fourth place on the first stage, and also claimed an impressive eighth place in the GP Féminin de Chambéry in April. Söderqvist joins from the Spanish team Massi Baix Ter Women’s Team, and has previously raced for the British continental team Lifeplus Wahoo, as well as the Watersley R&D Cycling Team.

Stating in 2026, all riders will be required to use handlebars that are at least 40cm wide. The regulation, introduced by the UCI in collaboration with SafeR, aims to standardise equipment for improved control and crash prevention. However, the change is already drawing criticism, particularly from within the women’s peloton. Many female riders typically ride with narrower handlebars that better suit their body size and riding position. The new rule could compromise comfort, efficiency, and even safety by forcing riders into unnatural and potentially harmful positions.

Recent changes introduced by the UCI have shifted the start of the Giro d’Italia Women from July to late May next year. In the past, the race often overlapped with the Tour de France, which diminished its visibility. However, the new date, scheduled to follow the conclusion of the men’s Giro, offers the women’s event greater prominence on the cycling calendar. May 2026 is set to be a packed month, featuring several major races including La Vuelta Femenina, Itzulia Women, and the Vuelta a Burgos Feminas.

The Afghanistan Women’s Road Race Championships will be held for the first time since 2022. This year, the event will be hosted in France and organised by the French Cycling Federation, taking place during the French Elite Road Championships from 26 to 28 June. Fariba Hashimi (CERATIZIT Pro Cycling Team), the reigning Afghan national champion, will be among those competing. Afghan riders will race alongside the French peloton, with a “race within a race” format used to determine the Afghan champion.

Santos Ltd, the title sponsor of the Tour Down Under in Australia, recently issued a statement to the Australian Stock Exchange, informing investors of a conditional takeover proposal from a consortium led by XRG. If the deal proceeds, it could have implications for the future of the race, which traditionally opens the UCI Women’s WorldTour calendar. However, XRG has already signalled a strong interest in professional cycling, having become a co-title sponsor of UAE Team Emirates XRG earlier this year. At this stage many details still need to be resolved before the long-term future of Santos, and by extension, sponsorship of the Tour Down Under, is clarified. What is certain for now is that planning for the 2026 edition is already well underway. Race routes will be revealed and dates confirmed in the coming weeks.

New points changes set to come into effect on 20 October will aim to bring greater parity between women’s and men’s cycling. Under the revised system, Women’s WorldTour events will now be divided into five tiers based on prestige and difficulty. At the base level, 12 races will continue to award 400 points to the winner. The next tier includes nine events, comprising a mix of Classics and key stage races. which will offer 500 points for first place. Above that are the newly designated women’s Monuments, each awarding 800 UCI points to the winner. In the second-highest tier are the Giro d’Italia Women and La Vuelta Femenina, with 1,100 points available for the overall victor. At the top of the pyramid sits the sport’s most prestigious women’s race, the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift, which will now award 1,300 points to the winner.