Cycling

This Saturday sees the return of Merseyside's oldest bike race, the Eddie Soens Memorial Trophy, after it was cancelled in 2021 due to COVID. It is the 60th edition of the race, which takes place around the Aintree motor racing circuit in Liverpool.

Eddie Merckx, arguably the greatest road cyclist of all time, has compared two-time Tour de France winner Tadej Pogačar to himself after the Slovenian soloed to victory at Strade Bianche. Pogačar showed his credentials for the coming season with a fantastic solo victory at Strade Bianche on Saturday.

The 2021 road season has only just come to a close but cycling's wheels never stop spinning and next year’s Giro d’Italia route has been announced by organisers RCS Sport. Beginning on May 6, the race will take place over 21 stages in just over three weeks, then culminate in a 17.1km individual time trial around Verona.

British Cycling has this week laid out plans for the safe return of grassroots cycling in the UK as lockdown restrictions ease. The national federation has set out ‘The Way Forward’ - a framework detailing when all levels of cycling activity can resume, from club rides to elite racing.

Today is International Women’s Day and Merseyside has produced many great sportswomen over the years who deserve to be celebrated! So we've drawn up our own ‘Super Six’ who have done the region proud and become role models for the next generation of great sportswomen.

After the news that the 2021 race will not go ahead, we look back at the history of the Eddie Soens Memorial Trophy.

Liverpool youngster Callum Finch is embarking on a 1,000-mile virtual sponsored cycle from Land’s End to John O’Groats. The ten-year old from Toxteth has geared up to pedal the length of the UK - a total of 1084 - to help raise money for The National Deaf Children’s Society.

The organisers of the Eddie Soens Memorial Trophy have confirmed to Mersey Sport Live that the race will not go ahead in 2021, though they remain hopeful for a return in 2022.

Retired professional cyclist Steve Cummings has joined the INEOS Grenadiers team as a development sport director and coach. Cummings, who is from Clatterbridge, Wirral, retired at the end of 2019 but is rejoining the sport in 2021. 

The Coronavirus pandemic has left many professional sports players and athletes having to make big changes in their day to day lives. Liverpool student Elizabeth 'Lizzie' Rigley has been cycling for seven years.