Sam Bennett continues to prove, as he did last year, that he is the most successful sprinter in the peloton as of 2021. The fastest man in cycling today, wearing the green jersey he won at last year's Tour de France, is the first pure sprinter since Mark Cavendish in 2011 to appear on the cover of the June issue of Procycling magazine (opens in new tab).

The Irishman from Dečuninck-Quick-Step has now won stages in all three Grand Tours, and with seven victories this year, he enters July's Tour as one of the favorites for the most stage wins. But why does Bennett, interviewed by Sophie Harcombe, need to shout about his prowess?

He said: "A lot of times in cycling you spend hours with them on the road. Cycling is different from other sports in that we don't have to provoke each other. I have confidence. I just don't have to say it out loud."

Another rider who has found success in the 2020 Grand Tour is Enric Mas, who finished fifth overall in both the Tour and the Vuelta a España. Now 26 years old, the Spanish rider has been touted as one of his country's best stage race prospects over the past few years, but off the bike he has a mysterious air about him. In an interview with Alasdair Fotheringham, he explained how his results in the two Grand Tours provoked different reactions.

Mas explained that after the Tour, his glass was "not half full, not half empty, but completely full." But he continued: "The last week of the Vuelta was really tough, it was November, we were in the second half of the season, and I wanted to stop riding the bike rather than continue racing."

While the Giro d'Italia is in its second week, one of the most important warm-up races in recent years has been the Tour de Alps. This year, Simon Yates won the five-stage race in dominating fashion, but as Steven Farrand writes, this mountain race has its own identity. The Tour de Alps has its own history and raison d'etre. The Tour de Alps has its own history and raison d'être, a concentric circle of local, regional, and international significance.

Week-long stage races such as the Tour de Alps constitute the backbone of the cycling calendar, even though they do not necessarily have the prestige of the Grand Tour. However, these races are hardly training grounds for the big races. Edward Pickering analyzes the results of the last few years to find out which riders perform best during the week.

The latest in our "State of the Nation" series is an in-depth look at Spain, a country that has produced multiple Grand Tour champions but few Classic winners. Alasdair Fotheringham writes about the different nature of cycling in the Iberian peninsula." As far as professional cycling is concerned, its unusual political and economic imbalances may help to explain the radically different effects the sport has had in different regions."

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Also included is an interview with German star Lisa Brennauer. In an interview with Adam Beckett, she discussed her goals for the Olympics, in which she will compete on the track and on the road. She also talked about taking time to focus and achieve results.

Australian Jack Hague appears to be at peace with himself. The Bahrain Victorious rider spoke about settling into his new team and how he is finding a balance between ambition and fulfillment in the sport. He said: "I truly believe that if you have a happy career, the results will come naturally. You don't need to set goals to get results. What is more important is to be happy and keep learning. It's not a very catchy word, but I think it's important for me."

Two of Haig's compatriots are Amanda Spratt and Grace Brown, both members of Team Bike Exchange. The two, who have stepped up as team leaders since Annemieke van Fruten moved to Movistar this year, spoke to Edward Pickering about being an Aussie on an Aussie team and how they got into the sport.

Elsewhere, there is an interview with Mary Wittenberg, who as president of EF Education Nippo is currently the most senior female executive on the men's World Tour. She talks to Procycling about her path to cycling, her background as an elite runner, and her plans to make cycling bigger. Meanwhile, Kate Wagner explores the boom in e-racing that many discovered during last year's shutdown. She writes about how it works and how it differs from real-world racing.

Also, Mercier's retro feature, Q&A with Alexander Kristof, and a full lineup of regulars, including dialists Kevin Reza, Brody Chapman, Charlie Quarterman, and Dan Martin and columnist Lawrence ten Dam.

Procycling magazine (opens in new tab): the best writing and photos from inside the world's toughest sport. Pick up a copy at your local newsstand or supermarket today, or subscribe to Procycling (opens in new tab).