Right then, Muckers. Pull up a chair, grab a coffee (or a cold recovery shake if you’ve just rolled off the trainer), because the professional cycling world has hit boiling point, both literally and figuratively.

Between a scorching Tour de France headliner, a dust-kicking mountain bike showdown in Andorra, and our own upcoming battle on the legendary slopes of the Galibier, there’s plenty to get stuck into. Let’s ride.

Tour de France: The Rest Day, Van der Poel’s Heatwave Win, and Calendar Debates

Today, July 13, marks the first rest day of the 2026 Tour de France, and the peloton is currently catching its breath in the Cantal region. And boy, do they need it. The opening week has been dominated by a brutal European heatwave, with temperatures consistently soaring into the mid-30s.

The extreme weather forced organizers to shorten Stage 9 by 30km to protect rider safety. That didn’t stop Mathieu van der Poel from showing his class, taking a spectacular stage victory in the blistering heat. Meanwhile, Visma-Lease a Bike’s early team time trial victory in Barcelona has set the tone, keeping Jonas Vingegaard right at the front of the GC conversation.

But the real talking point is the heat itself. Tadej Pogačar has publicly called for a radical overhaul of the professional cycling calendar, questioning whether racing through the peak of July and August remains sustainable. Here at Muckers HQ, we agree—though we’re thankful we can just point a couple of Lasko fans directly at our faces and keep pedaling.

Andorra Altitude: Rissveds and Boichis Triumph at Pal Arinsal

Over in the Pyrenees, the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series served up some spectacular cross-country racing at Pal Arinsal, Andorra (July 10-12). Perched high in the mountains, the high-altitude, rocky course pushed the world’s best to their absolute limits.

In the Elite Women’s XCO, Jenny Rissveds put on a masterclass, finishing in 1:18:47, holding off a fierce chase from Martina Berta and Sina Frei. On the Men’s side, Adrien Boichis took a superb victory in 1:14:48, leading a French one-two ahead of Mathis Azzaro, with Germany’s Luca Schwarzbauer rounding out the podium.

The short, punchy laps and technical rock gardens of Pal Arinsal continue to show why modern XCO is some of the most exciting spectating in the sport. If you missed it, head over to Red Bull TV for the replays.

The Muckers Lineup: Volcanic Rollers and the Galibier Giant

We’ve got a massive week of virtual racing lined up on Rouvy, matching the pro drama turn-for-turn.

On Tuesday, we’re warming up on the volcanic roads of Lanzarote (Club La Santa) before tackling the fast, rolling Tour de Suisse roads of Bad Ragaz. Thursday brings the July Championship Race 3 on the epic switchbacks of the Oberalp Pass in Sedrun, Switzerland.

And on Sunday, we finish with the big one: the double-header climb of the Col du Télégraphe and the Col du Galibier. It’s 22 miles and a massive 6,864 ft of climbing.

As always, it doesn’t matter if you’re a seasoned Mucker or have never joined a virtual group ride before—you are very welcome to jump into the peloton and suffer with us.

• Tuesday: Lanzarote & Bad Ragaz (TDS Stage 3)
• Thursday: Oberalp Pass (July Championship R3)
• Sunday: Col du Télégraphe & Col du Galibier (AM / PM sessions)

Find all the race links and join the banter here:

• Strava: https://www.strava.com/clubs/1111926/discussion
• Discord: https://discord.com/channels/1094614789784866937/1094614789784866942
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61553713102419

Final Thought

Whether it’s pro riders debating the climate in France, mountain bikers flying over rocks in Andorra, or Muckers sweating through their t-shirts on virtual alpine passes, the spirit is the same. We ride, we push, and we do it together.

Keep those fans on high, Muckers!