
Tour de France 2026 preview: the contenders, sprinters and stage-hunters to watch
From four-time champion Tadej Pogačar to 19-year-old debutant Paul Seixas, a 3,333km route from Barcelona to Paris sets the stage. Here's who to watch across G…

Laura from the Peloton Brief lays her bets at the velodrome in Kyoto and goes behind the scenes for the money shot
Gentlemen, to your positions
The crowd is sparse. Online betting has all but killed off live spectating
Track entry is roughly 35p
Checking the odds
“We were about 20 years younger than anyone else there,” says Laura
Riders are led by a human pacer, unlike the motorised European version
Even with padding removed, the racers resemble rugby players more than road cyclists
Please remove your footwear
A little pre-race balance practice…
…and some limbering-up
Roller routine
Bikes are pleasingly low-tech. Steel frames and spoked wheels are compulsory
Final ‘adjustments’
And they’re off
No luck this time… Discarded betting slips
The post Kyoto Keirin: The colourful world of Japanese track racing appeared first on The world's finest cycling magazine.
Join today for daily race updates, exclusive content and access to new collection launches.
Le Tour de France: a race defined by colour, passion and history, whose drama and romance continue to shape the identity of cycling’s greatest stage.


Le Tour de France: a race defined by colour, passion and history, whose drama and romance continue to shape the identity of cycling’s greatest stage.
Le Tour de France: a race defined by colour, passion and history, whose drama and romance continue to shape the identity of cycling’s greatest stage.


Le Tour de France: a race defined by colour, passion and history, whose drama and romance continue to shape the identity of cycling’s greatest stage.