BIKE Magazine

30 January, 2026

Welcome to our February issue, the month that sits right on the fault line between winter grit and the first real stirrings of a new cycling season. There’s a particular energy to February. It’s when the legs are still heavy from base miles, the weather is still capable of biting back, and yet the calendar is suddenly full of promise. From the mud and roar of the Cyclo-cross Worlds to sun-splashed Mediterranean racing and the first nervous glances towards the cobbles, this is where anticipation turns into action. In this issue, we lean into that sense of momentum. Our comprehensive guide to February’s racing gives you a front-row seat to a stacked month across three continents, from Iberian stage races and Gulf showdowns to Opening Weekend in Belgium. Whether you’re tracking form, fantasy teams, or just looking for an excuse to park yourself on the sofa with a coffee and a race stream, it’s all here. But BIKE has always been about more than watching. We’re equally invested in the rides that happen far from TV cameras. Our feature on Markus Stitz’s Norwegian winter expedition is a powerful reminder that the so-called “off-season” is only off-season if you let it be. Snow, short days and sub-zero temperatures aren’t barriers, they’re different terrain, demanding different skills, and offering a different kind of reward. It’s a story about preparation, resilience and the quiet magic of riding when most people have put their bikes away. Elsewhere, we travel from the Alps to New Zealand, from gravel through olive groves to island-hopping adventures, and from big-mountain gran fondos in Piedmont to bucket-list trail riding at the other end of the world. The common thread? A reminder that cycling, at its best, is a passport, to places, to people, and to versions of ourselves that only show up when there’s a ride on the horizon. As we look ahead to spring, February is your launchpad. It’s the month to sharpen fitness, finalise plans, and start saying “yes” to the rides you’ve been putting off. Whether that’s lining up for your first event of the year, plotting a summer trip, or simply committing to riding through winter’s last stand, this issue is here to light the fuse. Thank you, as always, for riding with us. See you on the road, Nick Branxton Editor, BIKE Magazine