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 STAGE 19, PENULTIMATE DAY OF ACTION IN THE MOUNTAINS.   Tomorrow’s Queen Stage of this year’s Giro d’Italia will take in three challenging climbs, including the partially unpaved Colle delle Finestre (Cima Coppi), before a final haul up the insanely steep Monte Jafferau. A day for the happy few who can ride uphill, and a chance for a pure climber to take the stage. The 184-kilometer stage 19 takes in 3,500 vertical meters over four climbs. Two of the climbs, Colle del Lys and Colle Sestriere, are not to fear, but they are compensated by the ferociousness of both the Finestre and the Jafferau.   The first real demanding climb is the Colle delle Finestre, which comes after 92 kilometers of racing. The killer on the Finestre is its steadiness combined with its sheer length – an 18.5 kilometer climb with an average gradient of 9.4% and steepest sector of 14%, with asphalt giving way to a dirt road for the final 9 kilometers before the summit, and close to 60 hairpins along the way.     At an elevation of 2,178 meters above sea level, the Finestre is the Cima Coppi, the highest point of the Giro d’Italia. Each ...

––– THE CONTEST HAS FINISHED – The winners can be found here below  ––– This week we’re bringing you a photo contest in honor of Paris-Roubaix, the last of the cobbled classics. Dust, mud, manure, crashes and bonkers fans make ‘Hell of the North’ the most brilliant and unpredictable one-day cycling race on the calendar. Luck can play just as big a part as form and strength of teams in attaining the victory. Castelli celebrates the “Queen of the Classics” with a photo competition that gives you the chance to win a pair of Free Aero Race Bibshorts, the same shorts used by Team Sky. All you have to do to enter the competition is to upload your best cycling photo. Engage your friends and get your friends t like your photo. The two photos with the most likes win. Good luck !! ––– CONTEST WINNERS ––– The votes are in! Congratulations to MichalDrapac, AitoralTuna0 and our bonus random winner, Mike.  Thanks to everyone who participated in the photo contest and helped make it a success!

Between Tour of Flanders and Scheldeprijs, teams have been busy with reconnaissance and fine-tuning of their equipment for Sunday. We tagged along on a course recon as Team Sky riders took a closer look at the challenging “Queen of the Classics”. Enjoy the video and don’t forget to leave in the comments below the name of your favorite Paris-Roubaix Pavè sector !!   SECTORS OF PAVE IN THE 2018 PARIS-ROUBAIX 29 – Troisvilles (km 93.5 – 2.2 km) *** 28 – Briastre (km 100 – 3 km) *** 27 – Saint-Python (km 109 – 1.5 km) *** 26 – Quiévy (km 111.5 – 3.7 km) **** 25 – Saint-Vaast (km 119 – 1.5 km) *** 24 – Verchain-Maugré (km 130 – 1.2 km) ** 23 – Quérénaing (km 134.5 – 1.6 km) *** 22 – Maing (km 137.5 – 2.5 km) *** 21 – Monchaux-sur-Ecaillon (km 140.5 – 1.6 km) *** 20 – Haveluy (km 153.5 – 2.5 km) **** 19 – Trouée d’Arenberg (km 162 – 2.4 km) ***** 18 – Hélesmes (km 168 – 1.6 km) *** 17 – Wandignies (km 174.5 – 3.7 km) **** 16 – Brillon (km 182 – 2.4 km) *** 15 – Sars-et-Rosières (km ...

The white gravel roads of Tuscany and the grueling ups and downs of the route make it sapping next to the northern Classics despite its shorter distance. The one-day race is perhaps one of the most evocative races in world cycling and being relatively new to the calendar has quickly become a fans’ favorite. The 2018 edition had added drama with it. However, the course was turned into a mud bath by the rain, snow, and cold in the days up to the race. Two times winner of the race, Michal Kwiatkowski said that the race was “one of the toughest races I’ve ever done” after riding 184km of treacherous terrain with variable weather conditions throughout. And it was not to be Team Sky’s day as Tiesj Benoot (Lotto Soudal) was the first rider to enter Piazza del Campo crossing the line covered in dirt and wearing a haggard expression that epitomized why this race is so well loved. Enjoy the stunning pictures from a freezing cold and muddy Strade Bianche 2018 edition that will live long in the memory. Photos by Jered and Ashley Gruber

This weekend will see the start of the cobbled semi-classic races when the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and the Kuurne-Bruxelles-Kuurne take place on Saturday and Sunday respectively. Both of these Belgian classics, just like all the others, are renowned for their harsh racing conditions: cold wet weather, wind, small roads, cobbled climbs and a big bunch. The opening cobbled Classic of the year is a moment of great excitement for cycling fans. The Belgian fans will be out in force as the strongmen gauge their form ahead of a key part of the season. To celebrate, we have decided to give away one pair of Omloop Thermal Bibshorts to 3 lucky owners of a Perfetto or Gabba Jersey.   HOW TO PARTICIPATE Upload your best on-bike photo to Facebook or Instagram wearing a Castelli Perfetto or Gabba product and include #omloopthermalshort or #omloopbibshort to show us you’re a true cyclist! We’ll feature the winning entries in our Instagram or Facebook feed on March 1st, 2018. CONTEST RULES 1. Follow @castellicycling on Instagram and Facebook 2. Post a NEW on-bike photo or REGRAM an old one showing us how much you like your Perfetto or Gabba jersey. 3. Use the hashtag #omloopthermalshort or #omloopbibshort 4. Tag @castellicycling in the photo 5. This contest begins at 12:00 a.m. Central European ...