This article was first published in Rouleur Issue 141
Nostalgia
While our journalists have a keen eye for the latest stories and developments in modern cycling, Rouleur has always been about having an appreciation for the past and what has come before us too. We featured this image of Hennie Kuiper by Offside/L’Équipe in issue 58 when we enjoyed lunch with the four-time Monument winner and 1972 Olympic road race champion at his home in the Netherlands. The photo on the left is by photojournalist Henri Cartier-Bresson, taken in 1957 in a series of diary-like images which showcased the Vélodrome d'hiver in Paris. Tim Krabbé’s quote on the right was featured in the first ever issue of Rouleur – it was taken from his book The Rider, an instant cult classic which is a passionate tribute to the art of bicycle road racing.
“After the finish all the suffering turns to memories of pleasure, and the greater the suffering, the greater the pleasure. That is Nature’s payback to the riders for the homage they pay her by suffering”
– Tim Krabbé, Rouleur Issue 1
(Image: Offside / L'Équipe)
(Image: Henri Cartier-Bresson)
(Image: Offside / L'Équipe)
A spotlight for women’s cycling
We are proud to have been at the forefront when it comes to coverage of women’s cycling during a period in which the sport has experienced unprecedented growth. Issue 101, our first issue dedicated entirely to the women’s side of the sport and guest edited by Orla Chennaoui, broke sales records and proved there is a huge need to give a bigger platform to the many great female voices in our sport. We followed that up with issue 121 in 2023 which was led by an editorial panel including former world champion Lizzie Deignan. It was all about closing the gap between male and female participation in sport, from a grassroots level upwards. Since the inception of the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift, we have committed to equal coverage of the men’s and women’s Tours for the last three years and will continue to spotlight the incredible stories from within women’s cycling.
“I genuinely felt like the moment was bigger than me. I really felt like I was part of history. I said afterwards that I had felt the power of generations of women”
– Lizzie Deignan, Rouleur Issue 121
(Image: Jojo Harper)
(Image: Conor Courtney)
(Image: Thomas Maheux)
(Image: Lian van Leeuwen)
(Image: Anouk Flesch)
The art of portraits
Alongside our written journalism, stunning photography has always been at the forefront of storytelling at Rouleur. Over the last 20 years, we’ve captured the faces of both the biggest names in our sport and up-and-coming stars, as well as ensuring representation across different groups in cycling.
“A good portrait is first of all about the emotion it gives to the viewer,” explains Véronique Rolland, Rouleur’s photo editor. “I’m drawn to portraits built on an effortless balance of composition, light, and mood: images that feel considered but never overworked. A portrait should go beyond likeness and reveal something deeper about the subject and the moment.
It’s about the relationship the photographer establishes with her sitter before and during the sitting; a connection that allows for an unselfconscious presence, where something genuine, timeless, and universal can emerge. Ultimately, it’s about a unique combination of light, composition, patience, and emotion, catching that fleeting moment of truth.”
“Eddy is cycling. He is the epitome of the sport. Everyone’s got a story about him. He is the greatest, most stylish. The benchmark for the Hour record, how to conduct yourself”
– Bradley Wiggins, Rouleur Issue 102
(Image: Sean Hardy)
(Image: Panos Pictures)
(Image: James Cannon)
(Image: Kari Medig)
Exploring landscapes
Cycling takes place in the greatest stadium of all: the open landscapes of the world. We feel strongly about this at Rouleur, even dedicating issue 130 entirely to the world around us. Our Explore section is all about travelling the globe, finding a sense of discovery, adventure and freedom along the way – whether that's in the dizzying heights of the Alps and the Mediterranean coastline, or the relative flatlands of Flanders.
“The voluptuous pleasure that cycling can give you is delicate, intimate and ephemeral”
– Jean Bobet, Rouleur Issue 12
(Image: Lorenzo Scarpellini)
(Image: Benedict Campbell)
20 YEARS OF COVERS
by Enric Adell, Art director of Rouleur
Throughout our 20 years of history we have been lucky to work with talented graphic designers in our team. Luke Scheybeler, Ben Aquilina and Jonathan Bacon were involved in the early issues of the project, and Rob Johnston took over on issue 26, cementing the Rouleur graphic identity. Following a redesign in 2019 by Studio Kunze, I have been lucky to helm the art department since then.
Perhaps one of the visual elements that better represents the idiosyncrasy of our magazine is the cover image. Except for the period from issues 40 to 94 – when headlines were added to the news-stand front cover – we have always relied on a single image approach. Often leaning towards the artistic, poetic and evocative, we aim to intrigue and invite the reader into our world of cycling culture.
Photography has been the preferred medium often sourced from the imagery used in the features. However, in recent years we have also worked on more conceptual and graphic solutions by commissioning illustrators – like our 2022, 2023 and 2024 Tour de France covers – but also shooting them in-house. A fine example of this is our issue 135 cover. The bicycle-shaped pasta on a pink background was a cute representation of the Italian race and was voted as the favourite cover of our whole collection by the visitors at Rouleur Live 2025.
