“Look mum, I’m on TV!”: Rogue amateur cycling next to João Almeida at Itzulia Basque Country goes viral, as fans spark ‘I’m Spartacus’ moment; Barcelona manager “delighted to get away from football” to watch Paris-Roubaix + more on the live blog

EF Education-EasyPost’s Ben Healy has won the fifth stage of Itzulia Basque Country with an astonishing 55km solo ride from the breakaway, crossing the finish line almost two minutes before Ineos Grenadiers’ Axel Laurance.

Ben Healy owns Stage 5 of Itzulia Basque Country 🔥 pic.twitter.com/Ri0gf7D9U0

— Cycling on TNT Sports (@cyclingontnt) April 11, 2025

“I had good legs today and glad I could finish it off in the end like I did,” the Irishman said after the race. “We had two guys in the breakaway and it was a strong group, and we didn't want to risk it, so I went in the tailwind, had good legs today, keep a gap and made it stick to the line.”

There were no changes in the overall general classification today, with João Almeida still in the lead ahead of Soudal Quick-Step’s Max Schachmann.

For city cyclists dodging traffic and potholes on a daily basis, the benefits of bike commuting often speak for themselves: no gridlock, a breeze in your face, and a mini workout before your morning coffee.

Now, a new study from the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health confirms what many of us already suspected: cycling to work actually makes you healthier, more productive, and takes a real chunk out of sick days — but on the flip side, they are also at an added risk of getting caught in collisions while commuting.

Researchers Jenni Ervasti and Essi Kalliolahti followed municipal employees to measure the effects of commuting habits on health and job performance. The findings? Riders who regularly cycled to work took significantly fewer sick days and reported feeling healthier and more capable in their roles.

The numbers are pretty striking: those who pedalled to work most often chalked up 531 fewer sick days per 100 person-years compared to their non-cycling colleagues. That’s a serious case for swapping the driver’s seat for a saddle.

The study did show that regular, year-round cyclists face a slightly higher risk of commuting accidents, particularly in winter and on longer rides. But those risks are mostly short-term, and Kalliolahti says the long-term health gains still outweigh the crash risk.

“Commuting by bike, especially regularly and over longer distances, significantly improves work ability and overall health,” she said. “Even when we factor in the increased accident risk, the advantages are clear.”

Occasional bike commuting didn’t offer the same benefits—riders saw the biggest boost when cycling became a consistent routine, not just a fair-weather option. The research also makes a strong case for cities and employers to do more to support active travel. More protected bike lanes, better infrastructure, and workplace facilities like safe bike storage, changing rooms, or even mileage incentives could all help.

“Providing safe bike storage, change rooms, or even mileage incentives could go a long way,” said Kalliolahti. “But above all, we need to prioritise safety—bike helmets, proper lighting, and studded tyres in winter can help reduce the risk of accidents.”

The findings echo a previous study published in BMJ Public Health, which found that regular cycle commuters had a 47 per cent lower risk of all-cause mortality than those using cars or public transport.

So if you’re already a year-round rider, pat yourself on the back! And if not? Maybe it’s time to give the daily ride a go — for your health, your headspace, and your city.

The UCI has confirmed a change of venue for the 2025 Gravel World Championships, with the race now set to take place in the Zuid-Limburg region of the Netherlands on 11-12 October—one week earlier than originally planned.

Originally scheduled for Nice, France, the fourth edition of the rapidly growing off-road discipline will instead unfold across the hilly terrain of southern Limburg, with support from the municipalities of Maastricht, Beek, and Beekdaelen.

The event will again be organised by Golazo, the Belgian-based events group behind previous editions and a host of other high-profile races.

Matej Mohorič at the 2023 gravel world championships (Thomas Maheux/SWPix.com)

Zuid-Limburg isn’t new to top-level racing. The region, steeped in Dutch cycling heritage, has hosted five editions of the UCI Road World Championships and earned UCI Bike Region status back in 2016. Most recently, Valkenburg—just up the road—hosted Marly Grav, a UCI Gravel World Series event and likely taste of what’s to come in October.

Dutch riders currently hold both rainbow jerseys: Mathieu van der Poel in the Elite Men’s and Marianne Vos in the Elite Women’s category.

> UCI president David Lappartient vows to stand up to Donald Trump in pitch for top Olympic job

 

 

 

 

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UCI President David Lappartient, recently in the news after his unsuccessful Olympic presidency bid, said: “I’m delighted that the South-Limburg region, in the province of Limburg, will be involved in the organisation of the 2025 UCI Gravel World Championships and would like to thank them for submitting their bid after the city of Nice withdrew.

“By hosting the UCI Gravel World Championships, the province of Limburg has further enhanced its standing as a leading cycling region at international level, while contributing to the development of gravel, a discipline that is still quite new and has considerable potential for growth.”

> “Next level appalling”: Driver blasts horn at cyclist and child as Ronnie Pickering-style passenger tells him he “shouldn’t be in the middle of the bloody road”

American Olympic champion Kristen Faulkner came with some jokes on her recent Strava post — a training ride in Spain in which she climbed 3,500 metres.

One person commented under the post: “Are you descending faster than the S&P 500?” to which she replied: “I’ll let you know tomorrow!”

Isaac del Toro (UAE Team Emirates – XRG) continued to show why he’s one of the breakout stars of cycling with a gutsy second-place finish on stage four of the Itzulia Basque Country — a performance that came despite the lingering effects of two recent crashes.

The 21-year-old Mexican crossed the line 28 seconds behind teammate João Almeida, who launched a late solo move to take both the stage win and the overall race lead.

“It was a great effort from the team,” Del Toro said post-race. “These stages are very difficult because of the work and very nerve-wracking, but João Almeida is in great shape and knew how to fight until the end and win. Hats off to the team for winning.”

Del Toro, who recently won Milano-Torino, isn’t in contention for the general classification this week, largely due to crashes that have taken a toll.

“I’m recovering from the crash at the GP Miguel Indurain. I’m feeling better from those knocks, but I also crashed on Tuesday during the second stage, and my right side is bruised. I have to sleep upright, face up; I can barely move,” he said.

The young rider’s form has been undeniable, but his physical condition is still acting as a limiting factor. Nonetheless, he’s proving to be a key asset in the mountains – and may play a vital role in helping Almeida hold on to the yellow jersey which the Spanish will be wearing today.