March 2016

We take on the most brutal climb of the Tour of Flanders. 
Subscribe to GCN: 


Get exclusive GCN gear in the GCN store! 

It's steep, cobbled and mythical in nature. The Koppenberg has gained notoriety among the pro ranks and amateur cyclists alike. Matt, Tom and Simon ventured into deepest Flanders to find out why this 600m stretch of road is so special.

Riding the cobbles with Johan Museeuw ▶︎ 

Get ready for the Koppenberg  - how to train for short, steep climbs ▶︎ 

Buy GCN winter kit, casual wear and accessories in the GCN Shop: 

Music: 
Basement Freaks- The Calling
Lee Groves - Like Dis
Tom Linden- B Killerz

The Global Cycling Network puts you in the centre of the action: from the iconic climbs of Alpe D’Huez and Mont Ventoux to the cobbles of Flanders, everywhere there is road or pavé, world-class racing and pro riders, we will be there bringing you action, analysis and unparalleled access every week, every month, and every year. We show you how to be a better cyclist with our bike maintenance videos, tips for improving your cycling, cycling top tens, and not forgetting the weekly GCN Show. Join us on YouTube’s biggest and best cycling channel to get closer to the action and improve your riding!

Welcome to the Global Cycling Network | Inside cycling

The Koppenberg | GCN's Epic Climbs

An Announcement From GCN.

It's the 100th edition of the Tour of Flanders! Here's our preview of one of cycling's great events.

The Tour of Flanders is the second monument of the cycling season. Also known as the 'Belgian Worlds', the race sees hundreds of thousands of fans line the roads, especially around the 'hellingen' – the short, steep, cobbled climbs that dot the route and define the race.

What about favourites? Fabian Cancellara, Peter Sagan, Tom Boonen, Alexander Kristoff and more are in with a shout. Let us know your favourites and whether you'll be tuning in down in the comments.

Watch more on GCN...
The art of riding cobbled climbs with Belgian cycling legend Johan Museeuw ▶︎ 


GCN's top 10 riders to watch at the Tour of Flanders ▶︎ 

Music:
Lushlife - Another Word for Paradise (Instrumental): 


Stanton Warriors - Out Of My Head Ft. Ruby Goe: 

GCN Previews The 100th Tour Of Flanders – De Ronde Van Vlaanderen Race Preview

Here are 10 things that we think every cyclist should know...

Cycling is a complex sport, with many ways to get an edge and ride even faster, and, equally, many different things that can go wrong. So, we've put together ten things that we think every cyclist should know. From beginners through to experts, there are always ways to improve.

Music:
Kevin Leavy- Booty Grinder
Matthew Corbett, Mike Wilkie - Phat Funker: 


Andrew Britton, David Goldsmith - Chic Junk: 

10 Things Every Cyclist Should Know

Our countdown to the 100th edition of 'De Ronde' starts with 10 riders who could take the win.
Subscribe to GCN: 

The cobbled monuments are coming in quick succession, and this weekend sees the best classics riders showdown in Belgium on the brutal Flandrian climbs like the Koppenberg, the Oude Kwaremont and the Pateberg.

Two heroes of the sport, Tom Boonen and Fabian Cancellara, will do battle in this race in what could be the final time, while Alexander Kristoff will hope for a repeat performance after last year's win.

Watch more on GCN...
Boonen vs. Cancellara ▶︎ 

Music:
Bobina - Rocket Ride
Pause - Put Me In The Game (Instrumental)

Top 10 Riders To Watch: Tour Of Flanders 2016

In association with SiS.
Energy gels are the best ways to get a quick carbohydrate fix on the road. Here's how to make them work for you.

Getting enough fuel while you're riding or racing isn't that easy. Firstly, carrying enough food can be difficult, next, consuming it at the right time isn't always easy, and, finally training your gut to take the fuel on board needs a bit of, well, training.

Based on our racing careers and training, energy gels answer a lot of these questions; they're compact, give a quick hit of carbs and, isotonic gels are easy on your gut too. 

Here's our guide to making energy gels work for you – don't forget to SHARE this one with your friends if you find the advice useful.

Watch more on GCN...
Sportive advice ▶︎ 

Music:
Jason Tarver - Moments To Remember: 

How To Make Energy Gels Work For You – Fuel Like A Pro Cyclist

Following the tragic events of the past weekend, we're wondering how professional cycling can be made safer.

Our thoughts today are very much with the family, friends, and teammates of Antoine Demoitie and Daan Myngheer.

Dan and Simon mention two opinion pieces on the tragic events at Gent Wevelgem, both of which are worth reading. Neal Rogers writes for CyclingTips: 

 Marcel Kittel penned an open letter on his Facebook page, which our friends at CyclingTips have published in full: 

It goes without saying that you'll all have some thoughts on safety in pro cycling. Keep it respectful down in the comments overnight and we'll chime in too.

Despite being over-shadowed by other events, the racing over the last week has been very, very interesting. Nairo Quintana won the Volta Catalunya against a stacked field of Tour de France favourites, Thibaut Pinot beat the incredibly promising Pierre-Roger Latour at the Criterium International, Michal Kwiatkowski outsprinted Peter Sagan at E3 Harlebeke, Chantal Blaak dropped a #wattagebazooka or two at the women's Gent Wevelgem and soloed to victory, and, Sagan got that sought after first victory in the rainbow stripes.

We haven't forgotten all your usual favourites this week. Hack of the week is simply incredible, Campagnolo have launched a seriously cool new app, and SRAM have a 12 speed mountain bike groupset. You could eat your dinner off the largest cog.

Watch more on GCN...
Fabian Cancellara vs Tom Boonen ▶︎ 


A day in the life of a bike designer ▶︎ 

Music:
PNFA - Climb Fight
Alcendor - Androids
Labyrinth Ear - Humble Bones
Internationally Trained Bunnies - Melodie
Arnold Steck - Sporting Occasion
Pause - Put Me In The Game (Instrumental)
The Sea - Just Can't Get Enough
The Talks - Tune In (Instrumental)

How Can We Make Pro Cycling Safer? | The GCN Show Ep. 168

Bikes can be expensive to replace. Maximise your bike's lifespan with these tips.
Subscribe to GCN: 

Fundamental to any bike's longevity is keeping it clean and well lubricated. Excess dirt will wear away at your drivetrain, and you'll have to replace components more frequently.

If you've got a carbon road bike, it can certainly pay dividends to invest in a torque wrench. Over-tightening bolts can potentially damage carbon components, which are certainly not cheap to replace. Making sure you store your bike in a cool, dry, secure place will further lengthen the lifespan of your bike.

When to replace your chain and chainrings ▶︎ 

Music:
Aroop Roy - Told Me (Lay-Far remix)

How To Make Your Road Bike Last Longer - Bike Maintenance Tips

Getting motivated, how to come back from injury and more cycling questions answered. Comment below with yours!

We've had some more awesome questions submitted to Ask GCN this week. Keep them coming through in the comments and using #TorqueBack on social media. Check out the videos Matt mentions via the links below!


How to manage your cycling comeback after an injury ▶︎ 


How to train for mountains when you don't live near any ▶︎ 


How to get more aero on your road bike ▶︎ 


Top 10 facts about the cobbled classics ▶︎ 

Ask GCN Anything About Cycling – How Can I Stay Motivated?!

Dan takes a look at Alex Dowsett's very aero Canyon Aeroad CF SLX.

Check out the video and detailed bike specs below and let us know your thoughts on Dowsett's stunning Canyon down in the comments!

Frame and forks: Canyon Aeroad CF SLX
Wheels: Campagnolo Bora
Tyres: Continental Competition Pro Ltd (measure 27mm)
Handlebars/stem: Canyon Integrated, 40cm bars
Seatpost: Canyon
Saddle: fi'zi:k Arione
Shifters: Campagnolo Super Record EPS
Brakes: Campagnolo dual mount
Front Mech: Campagnolo Super Record EPS
Rear Mech: Campagnolo Super Record EPS
Chainset: Campagnolo
Chainring size: 53/39T
Pedals: Look Keo
Powermeter: Power2max

Crank length: 170mm
Weight: 7.445kg
Saddle Height: 82cm
Reach: 60cm

Watch more on GCN...
Our 2016 pro bike playlist ▶︎
The latest GCN Show ▶︎

Alex Dowsett's Canyon Aeroad CF SLX

How are the bikes and components that you ride every day designed and tested? We teamed up with Canyon to find out...

We all ride bikes, we probably all do varying degrees of maintenance jobs on our bikes. But, the fact is that the background design and testing process is a mystery to pretty much all of us. Except for the bike designers.

Simon caught up with Sebastian Hofer, Product Engineer and Composite Specialist at Canyon, to find out how long products take to go from an idea to production, and what the testing and design process involves.

Watch more on GCN...
Inside the Movistar team truck ▶︎ 


Check out Simon's Canyon Aeroad CF SLX ▶︎ 

A Day In The Life Of A Bike Designer – How Are Road Bikes Designed & Tested?

Tom Boonen and Fabian Cancellara are, without a doubt, two of the greatest classics riders of their generation, if not ever. But, who is the greatest? Let us know your thoughts down in the comments.

Have your say down in the comments: TOM or FABIAN...

Cancellara and Boonen have dominated the cobbled classics for the last decade or so. Even when they haven't won the races, they've still been central to the action, or a least central to the media build up. But, they're not just good at cobbled classics. Both have world titles, national titles and Grand Tour stage wins. Plus, a fan club or two.

Watch more on GCN...
Cipollini vs Cavendish ▶︎ 


Our top 10 facts about the cobbled classics ▶︎ 

Music: 
Sunharbour feat. Junior - Wisdom (Science Frontiers Remix): 

March 2016

Subscribe to the GCN Newsletter