Rouleur #140

Welcome to Rouleur 140 As winter closes in, we’re taking some time to reflect here at Rouleur. The days are shorter, colder and darker which provides ample opportunity to slow down, stay in and look back at the year we’ve just had – and what could come next. From how to make a more diverse and sustainable sport through the globalisation of bike racing and more eco-friendly working practices, to professional riders who are learning from previous races to shape their next steps, Issue 140 of Rouleur highlights the importance of reflection in a world which never stops moving forwards.

WHAT’S IN THE MAG? ARTICLE SUMMARIES

Rwanda, redemption and riders who believe

This year, the first UCI World Championships were hosted in Africa and it was a golden opportunity to showcase progress in Rwanda and beyond. Xylon van Eyck was on the ground and celebrated the chance Africa had to show it can organise events on a world stage, but he also saw that there was still so much more to be done.

Mattias Skjelmose: Underdog

No one expected Lidl-Trek’s Mattias Skjelmose to get the better of Tadej Pogačar in a head-to-head sprint at the end of the Amstel Gold Race in one of the biggest upsets of the 2025 season. The Danish rider tells Rachel Jary about how he beat the world champion at his own game using a combination of skill, race craft and exemplary tactics. He discusses how his upbringing has taught him that even if the odds are stacked against you, self-belief is the most powerful tool of them all.

Alternative Paris

While it may sometimes feel like cycling is becoming little else than how many grams of carbs we’re eating per hour, power numbers and expensive kit, Sophie Stuber highlights how local communities in Paris are galvanising to create a more welcoming and inclusive place to ride a bike. The French city might be known as a fashion capital, but there is also a strong cycling counterculture movement – eschewing the serious side of cycling and focusing on community, adventure, and good vibes.

Sliding scales

This year’s edition of the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift ended not only with a historic yellow jersey for Pauline Ferrand-Prévot, but also a conversation about the prevalence of weight-related problems within cycling. Why is this conversation happening now? Is it fair that Ferrand-Prévot was asked about this topic after the biggest win of her career? And is professional cycling’s focus on weight a cause for concern? Chris Marshall-Bell investigates…

In my Father’s Wheeltracks

In 1978, Phineas Rueckert’s father set off from Vienna on a purple Reynolds 531 touring bike with his eyes set on Greece. 47 years later, Rueckert decided to retrace his path, beginning in Paris and traversing through Vienna, Budapest, Split, Dubrovnik and Saranda before finally ending up in Corfu. He takes us on a journey of discovery and self-reflection, meeting people and seeing places through a lens that can only be used when exploring on two wheels.