While leaves pilling up in the corners of your favorite down-hill stretch of tarmac can cause some anxiety or even a mishap on the road, a blanket of red, yellow, and orange lying across a stretch of gravel is picturesque and a sought-after experience. This weekend’s UCI Gravel World Championships has inspired us to spend a few chilly mornings chasing rays of sun through the local forest. We’ll drop some Haribo in the bar bag and be home in time to watch some race replays.

wheels we’re following

kit we’re eyeing

where we’re riding

café-stop reading

As lamented by the Dutch press, one person who did not race in the Gravel World Championships this weekend is Annemiek van Vleuten. A foot injury kept her out of Saturday’s Elite Women’s race. Her retirement from the pro-peloton will be keeping her out of many future races. Read about her historic career in Rouleur Magazine.

off the back of the newsletter

Astana is getting the band back together for Cavendish. Toddlers racing bikes. Decathlon’s top-of-the-line Van Rysel bikes will sponsor AG2R Citroën. Listen to the story of the rise and fall of CyclingTips (it started small like us). Watch Matt Stephens and Phoebe Sneddon go on a gravel ride.