Dan Challis

Freelance writer

Dan is a freelance cycling journalist who has written for Cyclingnews since 2023 alongside other work with Cycling Weekly, Rouleur and Escape Collective. Dan focuses much of his work on professional cycling beyond its traditional European heartlands and writes a regular Substack called Global Peloton.

Latest articles by Dan Challis

Team Visma-Lease a Bike's Dutch cyclist Olav Kooij celebrates as he crosses the finish line to win the 1st stage of the Paris-Nice cycling race, 158 km between Les Mureaux and Les Mureaux, on March 3, 2024. (Photo by Thomas SAMSON / AFP)
Paris-Nice: Olav Kooij pips Mads Pedersen on uphill sprint to win opening stage

By Dan Challis Published

Results Laurence Pithie finishes third in tight bunch finish

Results
2024 Strade Bianche elite men's winner Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates)
A Monumental Day in Tuscany - Strade Bianche Gallery

By Dan Challis Published

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The best photos as Tadej Pogacar and Lotte Kopecky took victory on the white roads around Siena

Gallery
SIENA, ITALY - MARCH 02: Thomas Pidcock of The United Kingdom and Team INEOS Grenadiers competes during the 18th Strade Bianche 2024, Men's Elite a 215km one day race from Siena to Siena 320m / #UCIWT / on March 02, 2024 in Siena, Italy. (Photo by Luc Claessen/Getty Images)
'WTF? It felt like we were in the gruppetto' - Tom Pidcock stunned by Pogacar's Strade Bianche attack

By Dan Challis Published

News Ineos Grenadiers leader says he was going well on his way to fourth, but Pogacar was too good

News
SIENA ITALY MARCH 02 Tadej Pogacar of Slovenia and UAE Team Emirates celebrates at finish line as race winner during the 18th Strade Bianche 2024 Mens Elite a 215km one day race from Siena to Siena 320m UCIWT on March 02 2024 in Siena Italy Photo by Tim de WaeleGetty Images
Tadej Pogacar dominates Strade Bianche with long-range assault to Siena

By Stephen Farrand Published

Results Skujins grabs second ahead of Van Maxim well behind Slovenian, who attacked on Monte Sante Marie for solo victory in season debut

Results
SIENA, ITALY - MARCH 02: Elisa Longo Borghini of Italy and Team Lidl-Trek crosses the finish line as second place winner during the 10th Strade Bianche 2024, Women's Elite a 137km one day race from Siena to Siena 320m / #UCIWWT / on March 02, 2024 in Siena, Italy. (Photo by Luc Claessen/Getty Images)
'You always have to go for the win' - Longo Borghini falls short at Strade Bianche

By Dan Challis Published

News Italian escaped in tactical final kilometres with Lotte Kopecky, but 'legs a bit empty' in the Piazza del Campo

News
Belgian Lotte Kopecky of SD Worx pictured at the Paterberg during the women's race of the 'Ronde van Vlaanderen/ Tour des Flandres/ Tour of Flanders' one day cycling event, 158km with start and finish in Oudenaarde, Sunday 02 April 2023. BELGA PHOTO DAVID PINTENS (Photo by DAVID PINTENS / BELGA MAG / Belga via AFP) (Photo by DAVID PINTENS/BELGA MAG/AFP via Getty Images)
Paterberg may be out of Tour of Flanders and E3 Saxo Classic following landslides

By Dan Challis Published

News Road works threaten to take out the only road approaching key climb of Spring Classics

News
Slovakia's Peter Sagan takes part in the men's elite mountain bike cross-country short track race at the Cycling World Championships in Glentress Forest, Scotland on August 10, 2023.
Peter Sagan to undergo heart procedure

By Dan Challis Published

News Slovakian had abnormal tachycardic episode during MTB race in Spain, with heart-rate exceeding 200bpm

News
Madis Mihkels and Gerben Thijssen were withdrawn from the Tour of Guangxi on Wednesday
Thijssen and Mihkels face a final disciplinary measure for racist gesture

By Dan Challis Published

News Intermarché-Wanty ask riders to make financial contribution to the Ardent Group Cycling Academy

News
Rosita Reijnhout (Visma-Lease A Bike) wins Deakin University Elite Womens Road Race 2024 ahead of Dominika Wlodarczyk (UAE Team ADQ) and Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig (FDJ-Suez)
Rosita Reijnhout holds off chase group to win Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race

By Dan Challis Published

Results Dutch rider claims first pro victory ahead of Dominka Wlodarczyk and Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig in Geelong

Results
Riders take on stage two at the Tour Down Under 2024
Changing of the Seasons - Tour Down Under gallery

By Dan Challis Published

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As the first race of the men's WorldTour, the TDU offered an insightful and stunning curtain-raiser to the season

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Sarah Gigante (AG Insurance-Soudal) dominates on Willunga Hill to win third stage and the overall
Gigante blasts up Willunga Hill and wins overall title at Women's Tour Down Under

By Dan Challis Published

Results Australian dominated on final climb to win stage 3, Nienke Vinke takes second and Neve Bradbury, third

Results
Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig (FDJ-Suez) wins stage 2 from reduced bunch sprint
Women's Tour Down Under: Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig wins stage 2 and takes over lead

By Dan Challis Published

Results Top 25 overall separated by just 10 seconds ahead of deciding Willunga Hill stage

Results
Ally Wollaston (AG Insurance Soudal) wins stage 1
Women's Tour Down Under: Ally Wollaston sprints to stage 1 victory

By Dan Challis Published

Results New Zealander claims first Women's WorldTour win. Georgia Baker second and Sofia Bertizzolo third on a very hot day

Results
Lotte Kopecky wears the yellow jersey at the Tour de France Femmes
Should women’s cycling have three-week Grand Tours?

By Dan Challis Published

In-depth Race organisers are open to lengthening events, but teams are concerned that budgets and infrastructure are not yet sufficient

In-depth
STIRLING SCOTLAND AUGUST 10 LR Silver medalist Isabel Sharp of The United Kingdom and gold medalist Felicity WilsonHaffenden of Australia pose on the podium during the medal ceremony after the Women Junior Individual Time Trial a 134km race from Stirling to Stirling at the 96th UCI Cycling World Championships Glasgow 2023 Day 8 UCIWT on August 10 2023 in Stirling Scotland Photo by Dario BelingheriGetty Images
'A whole different ball game' - Teutenberg sculpts Lidl-Trek future with young talent

By Dan Challis Published

Insight Team director discusses art of developing five new 18 year old riders while steering clear of expectations that 'crack them with the pressure'

Insight
Uzbekistan National Champion Yanina Kuskova takes part in the elite women's road race at the 2023 World Championships
The surprise wildcard - Uzbekistan team in running for 2024 Tour de France Femmes

By Dan Challis Published

Features Rival teams dispute UCI points tally as Tashkent City Women’s PCT hits wildcard places, focus on key WorldTour races and Olympic Games

Features
Max Poole attacks at the 2023 Vuelta a España
Inside a Grand Tour debut - Three riders and a coming of age at the Vuelta a Espana

By Dan Challis Published

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Max Poole, Finn Fisher-Black and Felix Engelhardt on what went right, what went wrong and the biggest lessons learned

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Picture by Simon Wilkinson/SWpix.com 10/07/2018 - Cycling Tour de France 2018 - Stage 4 - La Baule to Sarzeau Doug Ryder Team Dimension Data
Starting from scratch, building business and raising African cycling – Doug Ryder on Q36.5

By Dan Challis Published

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Team Principal talks about World Tour ambitions, improving the team and his plans for African development

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Silver medalist Shirin Van Anrooij, gold medalist Blanka Vas Kata, and bronze medalist Anna Shackley celebrate on the podium during the U23 women's medal ceremony after the combined U23-elite women's road race at the World Championships in Glasgow 2023
'From winning as a junior to struggling to finish' – Why women’s cycling needs an under-23 category

By Dan Challis Published

Analysis As the inaugural Tour de l’Avenir Femmes takes place, Anna Shackley, Kaia Schmid and Natascha den Ouden tell Cyclingnews why a bridge between junior and elite is so vital

Analysis
Anna Shackley competing for Great Britain at the Tokyo Olympic Games
Anna Shackley - A World Championships on home roads

By Dan Challis Published

Interview Glasgow pro shares early memories of the Worlds course, overcoming injury and future GC ambitions

Interview
GLASGOW, SCOTLAND - AUGUST 03: A cyclist rides through a puddle during the Men's Cycling Road Race during day eleven of the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games on August 3, 2014 in Glasgow, United Kingdom. (Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)
The Pro Cyclist's Guide to the 2023 World Championship Road Race

By Dan Challis Published

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Horse's heads, ancient castles and a rollercoaster finishing circuit. Get to know the World Championship road race routes with the help of Scottish pros Anna Shackley and Sean Flynn.

Features
Ashleigh Moolman Pasio on Team AG Insurance–Soudal–Quick-Step
Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio: Racing the Tour de France Femmes for Africa

By Dan Challis Published

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The South African talks about empowering African women, being in her best-ever shape for the Tour and why SD Worx was a bad fit

Teams & Riders
Ashleigh Moolman winx at Setmana Ciclista Volta Comunitat Valenciana Femines 2023
Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio extends with AG Insurance-Soudal-QuickStep

By Dan Challis Published

News Experienced South African 'still improving' commits to another year after a strong first few months with the Belgian team

News
Maude Le Roux from South Africa and Selam Amha Gerefiel from Ethiopia racing for the WCC Team in 2023
Breaking barriers: 16 women leading the way for Africans in pro cycling

By Dan Challis Published

Features 16 remarkable women from seven different nations transforming cycling's landscape at the highest level

Features
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