Sweltering heat, 30 stages and big mountains: Inside Vietnam's HTV Cup, the first post-coronavirus race

The race has previously featured a massive 30 stages and crossed into both Laos and Cambodia

There was finally some good news last week when it was announced bike racing would be returning to the road and to our screens, albeit from a rather unexpected source.

The HTV Cup is Vietnam's biggest and oldest bike race, with the 32nd edition starting on Tuesday May 19 and held over 18, yes you read that right, 18 stages. It's basically a Grand Tour. Actually, two years ago they had 30 stages and passed through Laos and Cambodia, so scratch that, this is bigger than a Grand Tour.

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Jonny was Cycling Weekly's Weekend Editor until 2022.

I like writing offbeat features and eating too much bread when working out on the road at bike races.

Before joining Cycling Weekly I worked at The Tab and I've also written for Vice, Time Out, and worked freelance for The Telegraph (I know, but I needed the money at the time so let me live).

I also worked for ITV Cycling between 2011-2018 on their Tour de France and Vuelta a España coverage. Sometimes I'd be helping the producers make the programme and other times I'd be getting the lunches. Just in case you were wondering - Phil Liggett and Paul Sherwen had the same ham sandwich every day, it was great.