Cycling News

Race, illness, injury, repeat - REDs and why men are suffering in silence

British long-distance runner Jake Smith was enduring a relentless pattern of race, illness, injury, repeat - he had no idea he had REDs and was under-fuelling.

· 2 min read
Originally reported by BBC Sport
Race, illness, injury, repeat - REDs and why men are suffering in silence
Photo: BBC Sport

Jake Smith: What Happened

BBC Sport reported on Tuesday, October 20, 2026 in a story involving REDs, Jake Smith, British. Here is how the report opens:

British long-distance runner Jake Smith was enduring a relentless pattern of race, illness, injury, repeat - he had no idea he had REDs and was under-fuelling.

— BBC Sport
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Photos: BBC Sport

It is one of many Cycling stories we are following today. Below are the key takeaways, how the story is being reported across the sport, background on Tour de France and what to watch next.

Key Takeaways

  • The story: Race, illness, injury, repeat - REDs and why men are suffering in silence
  • Who’s involved: REDs, Jake Smith and British
  • League: Cycling
  • First reported: Tuesday, October 20, 2026 by BBC Sport

Background: Tour de France

The Tour de France (pronounced [tuʁ də fʁɑ̃s]; lit. 'Tour of France') is an annual men's multiple-stage road cycling race held primarily in France. It is the oldest and most prestigious of the three Grand Tours, which include the Giro d'Italia and the Vuelta a España.

The race was first organized in 1903 to increase sales for the newspaper L'Auto (which was an ancestor of L'Équipe) and has been held annually since, except from 1915 to 1918 and 1940 to 1946 due to the two World Wars. As the Tour gained prominence and popularity, the race was lengthened and gained more international participation.

Text from Wikipedia’s Tour de France article, CC BY-SA 4.0.

What’s Next for Jake Smith

For fans following Jake Smith, the next things to watch are the results, schedule, rankings and standings. Stories like this one tend to move quickly, so check back for follow-up reports and reaction as more outlets pick it up.

Frequently Asked Questions

What happened with Jake Smith?

British long-distance runner Jake Smith was enduring a relentless pattern of race, illness, injury, repeat - he had no idea he had REDs and was under-fuelling. BBC Sport reported the story on Tuesday, October 20, 2026.

Who reported this CYC story?

BBC Sport first reported it on Tuesday, October 20, 2026. ForTheFans summarizes it here with background and related Cycling news.

Where can I get the latest Cycling news today?

The ForTheFans Cycling page collects every CYC headline as it breaks, including results, schedule and rankings, with live scores on our scores page.

Summarized by ForTheFans from reporting by BBC Sport. Headlines, quoted text and photos belong to their publishers. How we report

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