The ANC was on about 32 percent of the vote after almost half of the votes were counted in municipal elections.
Published On 5 Nov 20265 Nov 2026
South Africa’s early municipal election results have shown the African National Congress (ANC) with a sharply reduced vote share, weakening the long-dominant party’s control of key cities such as Johannesburg.
The ANC was on about 32 percent of the vote, with the Democratic Alliance (DA) in second place at 25 percent, after more than 60 percent of the votes had been counted in this week’s municipal elections, data from the election commission showed late on Thursday.
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Meanwhile, former President Jacob Zuma’s breakaway opposition uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) party was in third place with 8.5 percent, below levels suggested by opinion polls.
About 15.9 million of 29.2 million registered voters cast ballots, the electoral commission said, putting turnout at an estimated 54.5 percent, up from 46 percent in the pandemic-hit 2021 local elections.
The ANC, which has been South Africa’s largest party since it led the country out of apartheid in 1994, has tended to do worse in municipal elections than nationally and has acknowledged its failures in local governance.
From nearly 70 percent of the national vote in 2004, the ANC fell below 50 percent for the first time in the 2021 municipal elections, winning 46 percent.
At the 2024 national elections, it managed just more than 40 percent and was forced to accept a unity government with nine other parties, including the DA.
The party, now led by President Cyril Ramaphosa, has borne the brunt of criticism about years of municipal mismanagement that have left South Africans grappling with failing water supplies, persistent power cuts and crumbling public services.
It has also faced corruption allegations, while splinter parties have eaten away at its support base.
The results of this week’s local ballot will offer a key measure of voters’ sentiment ahead of the 2029 general election.
Control of the country’s eight major metropolitan municipalities is up for grabs, alongside dozens of district and local councils.
The MK party had been tipped as one of the few parties capable of securing an outright majority in the eastern port city of Durban.
But projections by the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), a state-funded research body, put its support there at 32 percent.
The DA, meanwhile, was forecast to retain control of tourist magnet Cape Town with 56 percent of the vote, with its leader, Geordin Hill-Lewis, already declaring victory.
The party was also leading with 34 percent in Johannesburg, the country’s financial capital, after running a spirited campaign spearheaded by its former leader, Helen Zille, 75, according to CSIR projections.
With outright majorities far from assured in several major cities, the results could usher in another round of complex coalition negotiations, with parties bargaining to assemble the alliances needed to govern.
UCLA coach Bob Chesney and the Bruins are ranked No. 8 in the first College Football Playoff rankings, a remarkable turnaround for a program that recorded three wins last season.
Chesney has led a revival in his first season that has the Bruins on track to host a playoff game if they can navigate formidable games at Minnesota on Saturday, at home against Illinois on Nov. 13, at Michigan on Nov. 21 and at home against crosstown-rival USC on Nov. 28.
USC has a bye this week before playing at No. 4 Indiana on Nov. 14, against Maryland on Nov. 21 and then the UCLA showdown. If the Trojans sweep those games, they likely would be in the mix for a spot in the 12-team playoff.
Miami was ranked No. 1 in the poll, followed by No. 2 Georgia, No. 3 Utah and No. 4 Indiana.
Boise State was ranked No. 25 and the only Group of Six team included, putting the Broncos on track to succeed Chesney’s former James Madison squad as the small conference representative in the playoff.
The College Football Playoff rankings will be released every Tuesday until the final rankings and 12-team playoff bracket are revealed on Sunday, Dec. 6, at 9 a.m. PST. The selection committee voting on the rankings includes six current athletic directors, four former head coaches, two former All-American football players and one former sportswriter.
Juan Atkins, the Detroit club music producer who pioneered techno as a genre, has died. He was 64.
Atkins’ death was confirmed in a social media post by his management firm Greensmith Artists. The post did not include a cause of death, though Greensmith said in a statement to Resident Advisor that he was found unresponsive in his hotel room in Mexico City prior to a planned performance. Atkins had suffered from diabetes-related complications in recent years.
Atkins, raised by a concert-promoter father in the shadow of Motown, formed his taste on the progressive Black-owned radio station WGPR-FM. As an artist, he rose to prominence as a teen in the early ’80s with the duo Cybotron, with Richard “3070” Davis. The pair, infatuated with Kraftwerk, Afro-futurism and acid-fried psych rock, retrofitted Detroit funk in the post-disco era with rigorous synthesizers and science-fiction themes on tracks like 1981’s “Alleys of Your Mind.”
They carved a new style of club music that echoed their city’s industrial legacy, and captivated the city’s Black teenage middle class. They scored a major underground hit with “Clear,” famously sampled by Missy Elliott and others.
After leaving Cybotron, Atkins also conjured a new alias, Model 500, for his solo records in 1985. The same year, he founded his longtime record label Metroplex, which released scores of his singles like “No UFO’s” along with 1995’s LP “Deep Space,” 1999’s “Mind and Body” and 2015’s “Digital Solutions.”
Atkins formed deep friendships with two other proto-techno producers, Derrick May and Kevin Saunderson, who became locally known as the Belleville Three (named for the small Michigan town where Atkins had moved to). The trio honed an aesthetic distinct from neighboring Chicago’s emerging style of house music, stripping out vintage soul for chillier, futuristic productions. While house was music was based on samples, designed to call a dance floor together, techno was meant to be challenging, alien and fundamentally new.
His music, including his other production projects like Infiniti and Borderland, was formally radical, and Atkins stressed that this strain of club music could “make social statements,” as he told the Guardian in 2024. Tracks like Cybotron’s “Industrial Lies” — “You buy the missile, buy the laser, buy the tank … Evict the widow, put the money in the bank” — worked as social critique and floor-filler alike. “My lyrics are supposed to make you think about something other than shaking your booty on the dance floor and falling in love.” he said. “I feel like artists have an obligation to say something meaningful.”
In the wake of Atkins’ inventions — as noted on his track “Techno Music” — a new class of acts like Jeff Mills, Drexciya, Robert Hood and Underground Resistance would go on to formalize techno as rooted in a Black, Midwestern subculture with a distinct instrumental virtuosity. While the genre has had a cross-border dialog with Germany since its inception, Atkins was confident that he and his scene got there first.
“I put it this way,” Atkins said. “I know I’m the first one to apply the word ‘techno’ to electronic music. I can’t claim to be the inventor or originator of electronic music, but I can definitely say that I got that.”
Atkins continued to tour and play prominent festivals like Detroit’s Movement and Amsterdam’s Dekmantel, often with his daughter, the musician Milan Ariel Atkins.
Detroit Mayor Mary Sheffield said in a public statement that Atkins “opened doors for generations of Detroit artists who followed him.”
“Today, millions of people dance to music that traces back to him and to our city,” Sheffield continued. “That is a Detroit story: genius, grit, and invention, from neighborhoods the world too often overlooked.”
Great Britain’s Kadeena Cox set a new world record as she won C4 1km gold at the Para Cycling Track World Championships in the Netherlands.
The 35-year-old crossed the line in 1 minute 9.545 seconds to win her seventh world title.
Cox faced a nervous wait as Tara Neyland took to the track afterwards in pursuit of a medal, but her Australian rival could not eclipse the Briton’s time.
Cox, who is a five-time Paralympic gold medallist, was draped in a British flag by her team following victory as she joyously celebrated her first world title since 2024.
In the men’s tandem B 1km time-trial, Britain’s James Ball defended his title as he won gold alongside new partner Aaron Pope.
The pair dominated in the final, crossing the line in 59.563 seconds as Ball secured his eighth world title, with Pope winning his first.
In the women’s pursuit final, Britain’s Sophie Unwin alongside Jenny Holl won silver behind New Zealand’s gold medallists Emma Foy and Jessie Hodges.
Unwin and Holl had earlier set a new world record of 4:30.262 in qualifying, before it was broken by Foy and Hodges’ time of 4:29.672.
In the men’s C4 final, Britain’s Archie Atkinson won bronze, while compatriot Fin Graham also took bronze in the C3 1km time-trial.
You have until 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 3, to cast your vote in California’s general election. The Times has answers to last-minute questions about the voting process.
Here’s what you need to know:
What are the key races to watch?
The California governor’s race has narrowed down from six contenders to two top candidates: Xavier Becerra, a Democrat who has a long résumé in California electoral politics and received an endorsement from outgoing Gov. Gavin Newsom. Steve Hilton is a Republican immigrant, an ally of President Trump and a former senior advisor to British Prime Minister David Cameron. Your guide to the race for California governor can be found here.
In the Los Angeles mayoral race, incumbent Karen Bass faces a reelection challenge from Councilmember Nithya Raman, who was, until recently, a close ally of the mayor. In October during the only televised debate between the candidates, Bass portrayed Raman as someone who wasn’t ready to lead the city; Raman continues to allege the mayor is “missing in action” and that a vote for Bass would put the city in a position of further decline. Your guide to the L.A. mayor’s race can be found here.
What is on the ballot?
There are several races, ballot measures, local district seats and statewide races that Southern Californians must decide on.
Most of the attention will be on the races for California governor and mayor of Los Angeles.
Residents of the city of Los Angeles have several other items to consider, including:
Los Angeles County residents will be asked to vote on:
On the ballot are 14 statewide propositions including:
Voters will decide on six local congressional district seats and other statewide races including:
Six state congressional district seats are on the ballot including:
Is it too late to vote by mail?
No. You can return your vote-by-mail ballot by:
Dropping it off in the return envelope at a secure official drop box now through the close of polls on Nov. 3.
Dropping it off in person at a polling place, vote center or county elections office by 8 p.m. on Nov. 3.
Dropping it off at the post office. To ensure your ballot is postmarked by election day, mail it at least by Thursday — five days before Tuesday’s election. If mailing on election day, get a hand-stamped postmark from a postal employee at a United States post office.
What is the deadline to return a vote-by-mail ballot?
To be counted, vote-by-mail ballots must be postmarked on or before election day, Nov. 3, and received by your county elections office by Nov. 10.
How do I check if I’m registered to vote?
To find out if you’re registered to vote, visit the secretary of state’s website. You’ll need to enter a California driver’s license or identification number or the last four digits of your Social Security number.
How do I register to vote? Can I register on election day?
Eligible citizens who need to register or re-register to vote within 14 days of an election can complete this process at county elections offices, polling places or vote centers and fill out their ballot the same day.
To find an early voting location, use the secretary of state search tool here. You can find your local polling places here.
Your submitted ballot will be processed and counted once the county elections office has completed the voter registration verification process.
Where is the closest drop box?
Secure ballot drop-off locations opened Oct. 5. You can visit the Los Angeles County Office of the Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk’s website here to find a ballot box near you.
Australia edged to a 36-22 victory in a pulsating match against Fiji to book their place in the Rugby League World Cup semi-finals.
Having lost their previous five meetings against Australia by an aggregate score of 246-16, a stunned Brisbane crowd watched Fiji enjoy territorial advantage in the first half and take a 16-12 lead after the break.
However, the momentum switched back to Kevin Walters’ side in a crucial 60-second spell.
Solomone Saukuru raced in to seemingly put Fiji 20-12 ahead – but when it was ruled out for obstruction, Australia immediately went up the other end and Tom Trbojevic scored to bring the teams level.
Trbojevic, who looked vulnerable in defence, crossed twice more for Australia and Jacob Preston added a further try after Semi Valemei had completed his hat-trick for Fiji.
“There are definitely some areas to improve on,” Trbojevic told Premier Sports. “We didn’t start as we wanted to and couldn’t get a flow. We just needed to play our style of footy.
“We weren’t at our best but we came away with two points. We need to improve. We’ve got to enjoy a win but we’ve got to be our harshest critics too.”
Brisbane Broncos centre Kotoni Staggs had opened the scoring for Australia on his home ground, while Sam Walker capped his debut with a try and 12 points with the boot.
But the manner in which their pack were outmuscled – and in which they allowed Taane Milne and Valemei to score – will be a concern for Walters, whose team head into the last four despite delivering two unconvincing performances in beating New Zealand and Fiji.
New Zealand will take on Fiji in a make-or-break final pool game on Saturday, 31 October (04:30 GMT), having overcome an early scare themselves in their 82-16 victory over the Cook Islands in Christchurch.
Speeding effortlessly towards the slopes by train, you might wonder why you ever flew to a ski resort. On paper, it seems a short hop by plane; in reality, airport queues, cramped flights and long transfers can mean the journey eats up a whole day.
Measured door-to-door, daytime rail travel from London can be as fast as flying, while taking a sleeper train gets you extra time on the slopes. And with Alpine glaciers suffering significant loss of snow cover as global temperatures rise, rail travel constitutes the biggest emissions saving a skier can make.
An exciting recent development is the arrival of a dedicated sleeper train for skiers, the Travelski Night Express (TNE), launched last winter and with an additional new route for the coming one. Each carriage has couchette berths, but the train’s crowning glory is its large, speakeasy-cafe-bar-restaurant, with retro decor, soft lighting and music – you get the romance of overnight rail travel with the potential for two extra days’ skiing thrown in.
The TNE has two routes: one from Paris, the other from Amsterdam and Brussels, going out on Fridays and returning on Saturdays. Both routes access Moûtiers, Aime-la-Plagne and Bourg-Saint-Maurice – stations in the popular Tarentaise region of the French Alps. UK-based skiers can connect to the TNE by Eurostar to Paris or Brussels.
Overnight journeys to Austria are also possible, with a Eurostar to Paris or Brussels and then a Nightjet sleeper train to the Salzburgerland region; or, for Innsbruck and the Tirol, a Nightjet from Amsterdam and Cologne.
An array of resorts in France and beyond can be reached every day of the week by taking the Eurostar to Paris Nord, getting a taxi or the RER for the short transfer to Gare de Lyon, and from there catching a fast TGV train south.
The most direct daytime option is Eurostar’s flagship ski service, Eurostar Snow, which carries snowboards and skis free of charge on top of the usual luggage allowance. Skiers take it from London to Lille, then switch to an adjacent platform for the onward train to Bourg-Saint-Maurice.
Unfortunately, the final outbound departure for this coming season is on 20 February, leaving the ski industry frustrated. Eurostar’s explanation is that it needs to “deploy rolling stock to where it best meets customer demand. Historically, March has not always been the strongest period for Eurostar Snow.”
Iain Martin, founder of sustainable ski-travel campaign Ski Flight Free, says: “It’s ridiculous for Eurostar to curtail their flagship service and blame lack of demand. If Eurostar worked effectively with the ski industry and ski tour operators to market the train, they could sell it out many times over.”
Ski tour operators are certainly hungry for more train seats. “We’re keen on promoting rail travel to the French Alps and we know clients want this,” says Alison Willis, managing director of French ski specialist Peak Retreats. “While changing in Paris is straightforward, we know that direct services are an even more compelling alternative for those who usually fly. March ski holidays, with longer days and excellent conditions, are really popular. So, we’d welcome more direct rail options across as much of the ski season as possible.”
It’s a view echoed by ski tour operator Inghams, which has increased its range of rail-inclusive packages to include 75% of its French destinations, as well as some in Switzerland, Italy and Austria. “There’s a genuine appetite among skiers to travel to the mountains by train,” says head of sustainability Krissy Roe.
Here are 12 resorts you can reach easily by rail.
St Anton am Arlberg, Austria
Photograph: Roger Cracknell Photography/Getty Images
“The cradle of skiing”, St Anton is consistently ranked among the best resorts in the world. While its slopes are known for being challenging and exhilarating (the mighty Valluga being the pinnacle), there are plenty of gentler areas, too. St Anton isn’t just about skiing, either: this delightful village offers a host of activities, including swimming, bowling, indoor rock climbing and some of the best toboggan runs in the Alps. Completing its ski-hard, party-hard image, the resort is renowned for its après-ski, with a long list of celebrated terraces where visitors can dance to live music while knocking back schnapps.
By train: 10h 30min
Depart London St Pancras on the 07.31 Eurostar to Paris Gare du Nord; transfer to Paris Gare de Lyon and take the 12.22 TGV to Zurich; then the 16.40 Railjet to St Anton, arriving at 19.01.
Where to stay
Ski Solutions offers seven nights at the Hotel Post from £1,870pp half-board, including return rail travel.
Alpbach, Austria
Photograph: Ski Juwel
Comprising antique, chocolate-box chalets, Alpbach is perhaps the prettiest village on this list, with fantastic skiing to boot. Despite its low altitude, the resort’s north-facing slopes protect fresh powder, with the best off-piste and snowboarding terrain being on the far side of the Wiedersbergerhorn. Alpbach has gone to great lengths to preserve its rustic character. The main lifts are a short shuttle ride away from the village, and you’ll find gorgeous Tyrolean dishes at mountain hut restaurants such as Böglalm, torchlit walking trails, horse-drawn carriage rides and an Alpine coaster. Pick up a free Alpbachtal Card for access to local activities.
By train: 16h 49min
Depart London St Pancras on the 15.04 Eurostar to Brussels-Midi; then catch the 18.25 ICE to Cologne; get on the 21.45 Nightjet to Jenbach, arriving at 08.53. From there, it’s 20 minutes by bus or taxi.
Where to stay
STC Ski offers the four-star Hotel Alphof, with doubles from £955pp for seven nights’ half-board.
Sainte-Foy-Tarentaise, France
Sainte-Foy, the smallest resort on this list, is highly regarded among ski writers as a “hidden gem”. Just 25 minutes from Bourg-Saint-Maurice station, it has retained its cosy, quiet ambience, thanks to bigger nearby names drawing the crowds. Yet Sainte-Foy has truly excellent skiing: powder that lasts on its untracked, north-facing slopes, and fantastic provisions for children and beginners. Despite some development, the village has remained rustic, with traditional dishes served in 16th-century farmhouses and glasses of local rosé downed on sunny terraces. The quiet pine woods are perfect for snowshoeing, while adrenaline junkies can try their hand at paragliding high above the Tarentaise.
By train: 7h 58min
Eurostar Snow departs London St Pancras at 09.01 to Lille Europe; switch to the 11.35 Eurostar Snow continental train to Bourg-Saint-Maurice, arriving at 17.45. From there, it’s 25 minutes by bus or taxi.
Where to stay
Premiere Neige offers seven nights’ self-catering in the three-bedroom Panorama apartment from €600pp, based on six people sharing.
La Rosière, France
Photograph: Real Image/Alamy
Commanding spectacular views of the Tarentaise valley, La Rosière is as beautiful as it is convenient. Its position on the Franco-Italian border allows skiers to choose between south- and north-facing slopes (in neighbouring La Thuile), while its two core villages are relaxed and compact, in classic chalet style. La Rosière has kept up an excellent pace of development, exemplified by the new high-speed Petit-Bois chair, ensuring a high-quality experience all-round. Sledging is popular, including the new sunset toboggan run from the top of the Les Eucherts lift. While fairly quiet, you’ll find some decent après-ski and DJ sets at Le Comptoir, too.
By train: 7h 44min
Eurostar Snow departs London St Pancras at 09.01 to Lille Europe; switch to the 11.35 Eurostar Snow continental train to Bourg-Saint-Maurice, arriving at 17.45. From there, it’s 40 minutes by bus or taxi to the resort centre.
Where to stay
Traditional chalet-hotel L’Accroche-Cœur has double rooms from €240 a night B&B.
Part of the famous Three Valleys, Les Menuires is one of the best value-for-money resorts in the Alps: 600km of piste but without the high price tag of Méribel or Courchevel. Unsurprisingly, it’s very popular with families who love the resort’s early-access ski patrol lessons with ESF Club Piou-Piou. Dining is similarly family-oriented: expect hearty, locally sourced Savoyard meals at restaurants such as Chez Pépé Nicolas. Finally, in March, Les Menuires hosts a seasonal silly slalom, Complètement à la Masse, open to all ages.
By train: 13h 5min
Depart London St Pancras on the 17.31 Eurostar to Paris Gare du Nord; transfer to Paris Gare de Lyon and take the 22.52 Travelski Night Express to Moûtiers, arriving at 07.36. From there it’s 45 minutes by bus or taxi.
Where to stay
Travelski offers seven nights at Hôtel Les Menuires Les Bruyères from £1,356pp B&B, including rail travel from Paris, transfers and seven-day ski pass. The Eurostar to Paris needs to be booked independently.
Montgenèvre, France
Photograph: Michele D’Ottavio/Alamy
France’s oldest ski resort, Montgenèvre was the stomping ground of the Parisian set before British skiers started arriving in the 90s, attracted by its bargain prices and easy access to Italy. Pleasantly old world and fully pedestrianised, “Monty” is the ideal family resort, with an extensive beginners’ zone and affordable accommodation. Intermediates will enjoy the network of red and blue runs, while experts can plough through off-piste powder in the Gondrans bowl and off the Col de l’Alpet. Over the past year, the resort has extensively redeveloped its lift system to dramatically improve speed and ease – in time for hosting the 2030 Winter Olympics.
Depart London St Pancras on the 08.01 Eurostar to Paris Gare du Nord; transfer to Paris Gare de Lyon and take the 12.46 TGV to arrive at Oulx at 17.21. From there it’s 35 minutes by bus or taxi.
Where to stay
Peak Retreats offers seven nights B&B in a suite in Hôtel Anova from £1,046pp, including rail travel, based on four sharing.
Peisey-Vallandry, France
Peisey-Vallandry offers a wealth of activities, including skijoring – skiers being pulled across the snow by a horse.
Peisey-Vallandry occupies a prime position between Les Arcs and La Plagne, connecting to both via the immense Paradiski domain. Its sunny, west-facing piste offers something for everyone: a high-altitude beginners’ area, picturesque intermediate tree runs to the Chapelle Notre-Dame, and two challenging blacks (plus some fairly gnarly freeriding and all 425km of Paradiski). Thanks to its golden child, Olympic champion Éric Perrot, the resort has a strong reputation for cross-country, including a new Nordic centre, shooting range and 43km of high-quality trails (open for ages 3+). For something more unusual, try Summit Bike’s electric snow-biking sessions or skijoring (putting on skis and being pulled across the snow by a horse).
By train: 7h 47min
Eurostar Snow departs London St Pancras at 09.01 to Lille Europe; switch to the 11.35 Eurostar Snow continental train to Landry, arriving at 17.34. From there, it’s 25-35 minutes by bus or taxi.
Where to stay
The ski-in-ski-out, fully renovated Hotel Émeraude has doubles from €130 B&B.
Saint-Gervais-les-Bains, France
Le Topo, a climbing facility in Saint-Gervais-les-Bains. Photograph: Arthur Delicque
Saint-Gervais has been a popular tourist destination since the middle ages, owing to its natural hot springs. Today, the resort’s state-of-the-art thermal baths are still a huge draw for skiers seeking the ultimate wellness holiday. Combined with more than 455km of quiet piste and the best views of Mont Blanc in France, Saint-Gervais is a must-visit. In 2022, the resort opened a world-class indoor climbing facility, Le Topo. Dining, meanwhile, remains suitably traditional, including Savoyard platters, fondue and local craft beer. It’s also perfect for holidaying by rail, with a station-to-village gondola, Le Valléen, plus the Mont-Blanc tramway, one of the highest in Europe.
By train: 8h 45min
Depart London St Pancras on the 09.31 Eurostar to Paris Gare du Nord; transfer to Paris Gare de Lyon and take the 14.18 TGV to Bellegarde; then the 17.15 TER to Saint-Gervais-les-Bains, arriving at 19.16. From there, it’s five minutes by the Valléen gondola to the village centre.
Where to stay
Seven nights’ self-catering in a two-bedroom apartment in Les Sources de Canopée in Saint-Gervais, with Peak Retreats, costs from £645pp, including rail travel, based on four sharing.
Val Cenis, France
Photograph: Sebastien Tachet
Val Cenis recently invested €25m in sustainable development and infrastructure, and the results are showing. The resort has successfully created a second “recycled” chairlift, Combe de l’Ours, using secondhand seats, pylons and cables to reduce new materials tenfold. A new panoramic treetop walkway and energy-efficient gondola will greet guests this winter, giving easy access to its 125km of high-quality, north-facing piste. As a year-round working community, the resort comprises several well-stocked villages with a wide variety of shops, restaurants and bars, as well as a bowling alley. Off-piste snowshoeing in the spectacular Vanoise national park is a popular activity; locals Thierry Bardagi and Hélène Degano offer a combined snowshoeing and mountain refuge package, with a cooked breakfast overlooking the mountain sunrise.
By train: 7h 47min
Depart London St Pancras on the 08.01 Eurostar to Paris Gare du Nord; change to Paris Gare de Lyon and take the 12.46 TGV to arrive at Modane at 16.48. From there, it’s 30 minutes by bus or taxi.
Where to stay
Erna Low offers seven nights’ self-catering in a one-bedroom apartment in Les Balcons de Val Cenis Village, from £132pp, based on four sharing, travel not included.
Villars-sur-Ollon, Switzerland
Les Bains de Villars in Villars-sur-Ollon. Photograph: Riton/Henri-Ravise Noel
Villars is one of French-speaking Switzerland’s quieter and (relatively) affordable resorts, perfect for an active holiday. Its respectable 130km of piste spreads across neighbouring Les Diablerets and Gryon, providing something for all ages and abilities, as well as cross-country, touring and toboggan trails. Plus, there’s a spectacular 1,500-metre off-piste descent from Les Diablerets glacier to the village. After a long day’s skiing, book in for a spa massage at Les Bains de Villars or a dip in the hot springs at Lavey, before a night of music and malt whisky in the bar at Les Mazots du Clos.
By train: 8h 49min
Depart London St Pancras on the 09.31 Eurostar to Paris Gare du Nord; transfer to Paris Gare de Lyon and take the 14.18 TGV to Geneva; then the 18.05 InterRegio train to Aigle, arriving at 19.20. From there, it’s 20 minutes by bus or taxi.
Andorra’s duty-free status makes Grandvalira particularly attractive to visitors looking for shopping and high-quality, low-cost accommodation. Spread across three high-altitude villages, the resort is by far the largest in the Pyrenees, with 215km of piste best suited to intermediates. The village of Pas de la Casa has garnered a reputation for its après-ski, while further along, Soldeu is home to some swanky four- and five-star hotels. The ace up Grandvalira’s sleeve, however, is its unique Catalan cuisine, quite unlike traditional Alpine fare, with an emphasis on flame-grilled meats and hearty vegetable stews.
By train: 15h 12min
Depart London St Pancras on the 17.31 Eurostar to Paris Gare du Nord; transfer to Paris Gare d’Austerlitz and take the 22.14 Intercités de Nuit to Andorre-L’Hospitalet, arriving at 09.43. From there, it’s 35-55 minutes by bus or taxi.
Where to stay
Alpine Answers offers seven nights in a double room (with balcony) at the four-star Sport Hotel Village, from £1,030pp B&B.
Sestriere, Italy
Photograph: Michele D’Ottavio/Alamy
Europe’s first purpose-built ski resort remains cheap and cheerful, catering best to families and young adults on a budget. Sestriere’s slopes are some of the best in the Via Lattea domain (which includes France’s Montgenèvre and neighbouring Sauze d’Oulx), ranging from sprawling nursery meadows to the steep Col de Sises Olympic giant slalom. Local amenities are well-organised and non-ski activities abundant, including a sizable leisure centre and swimming pool, open-air ice rink and dog-sledding. Après-ski is also surprisingly lively for a family-focused resort, with several popular pubs in the centre of town, alongside a good, old-fashioned discoteca, Tabata.
By train: 8h 20min
Depart London St Pancras on the 08.01 Eurostar to Paris Gare du Nord; transfer to Paris Gare de Lyon and take the 12.46 TGV to arrive at Oulx at 17.21. From there, it’s 35 minutes by bus or taxi.
Where to stay
Inghams offers seven nights at Grand Hotel Sestriere, from £1,134pp, including rail travel and transfers.
Accommodation prices are for the 2026/27 season and were correct at the time of publication
The track is built on former marshland and that has made it difficult for organisers to keep it in good condition, but the four-time champion rejected that as a reason not to try to solve the issue.
“You can use the excuse that the soil is the problem but then you should have known that and you need to make sure that you reinforce it more,” Verstappen said.
“Last year, for example, you pull around 5-6G in a corner, but I had some impacts, vertical load, which was over 9G on my spine, which I can tell you is really not fun, and especially the older you get, you think about that more and more.”
Verstappen said the problem was likely to be exacerbated this year because although the cars from 2022-25 had lower ride-heights overall, the way the cars are run under the latest regulations means they are running lower in corners than last season.
That’s because of the switch between having the front and rear wings open in drag-reduction mode on the straights and closing in corners means the cars drop down towards the ground when they brake.
“You bottom out way harder, because when the wings close and the ride-height comes down, under braking is actually a very stressful moment, and I know around here in some places, it’s very bumpy under braking,” he said.
“Especially when it’s like these kind of awkward bumps, not just bumps from the track getting older, but the surface underneath the soil just moving up and down, sometimes (it’s) very hard to expect, or if you’re like a tiny bit offline, you don’t know what is there, because no-one really drives here sometimes.
“I can tell you from the checks that I’ve done from my spine, the bottom end doesn’t look that great.
“I know that’s part of racing. I know that can be part of sport, but it’s also further damage from the cars that we had the last few years.
“And now if we continue with finding this acceptable to drive on, then you are going to suffer with that much more.”
Emma Finucane said she will “come back fighting” for gold medals after narrowly missing out on the top step of the podium for the third time at the Track Cycling World Championships, external in Shanghai.
Finucane, 23, was forced to settle for bronze in Sunday’s keirin after being pipped to the finish line by neutral athlete Alina Lysenko and Lea Friedrich of Germany after leading into the home straight.
She finished just 14 thousandths of a second off top spot, with her bronze adding to silver medals won in the team sprint and individual sprint – both won by Chinese cyclists.
Finucane was part of Great Britain’s team sprint gold medal-winning trio at the Paris Olympics in 2024 and Finucane says retaining that title in Los Angleles is the big aim.
She told BBC Sport: “To medal in all three races at the world champs, I’d never done that before.
“The confidence I have gained this week and the way I’ve been riding my bike, I can take that into the years to come.
“I’m actually really proud. I am frustrated not to be on the top step but I’ll come back fighting. You can beat yourself up about races but I am learning all the time.
“Ultimately we are learning for the Olympics, that’s a huge goal. I put myself in winning positions in every race and that’s something I am proud of.”
Finucane, who took bronze in both the individual sprint and keirin in Paris, won Britain’s first Olympic gold in the women’s team sprint alongside Katy Marchant and Sophie Capewell.
In Shanghai, Rhianna Parris-Smith replaced the newly-retired Marchant in the team which was beaten by Chinese trio Jiang Yulu, Tong Mengqi and Yuan Liying.
Finucane says the strength in depth inside the British team will drive them to success at the LA Games in 2028.
She said: “We won the team sprint in Paris which is one of the best moments of my life and there are 10 girls back at home fighting to be in the team. That’s how we progress, and we will build on the momentum of this silver medal.
“Internal competition is how we win bike races. World records keep falling, we are pushing each other and it’s really exciting.”
Great Britain’s Millie Couzens beats her compatriot Josie Knight in the final of the women’s individual pursuit at the Track Cycling World Championships in Shanghai.
Great Britain’s Joe Truman said team-mate Matt Richardson’s withdrawal was “not ideal” and they had started “on the back foot” as they exited in the first round of the men’s team sprint at the World Track Cycling Championships.
The 27-year-old, who had also been expected to contend for medals in the individual sprint and keirin, said he would co-operate with a British Cycling investigation into the allegations.
His withdrawal overshadowed preparations for the event in Shanghai, though Britain’s women did secure silver in the team sprint.
Emma Finucane, who is Richardson’s partner, Sophie Capewell and Rhianna Parris-Smith finished fastest in qualifying, and beat France but lost to hosts China in the gold-medal race.
The men’s team – Truman, Ed Lowe and Harry Ledingham-Horn – finished fifth in the qualifying stage but were beaten by fourth-placed Australia in the opening round of head-to-head races.
“We came with a bit of a last-minute change, obviously,” said Truman. “We all said this morning we’re here just to ride our bikes.
“We’re on the back foot a bit but let’s just put our best foot forward, put a time on the board at the start of Olympic quali and we got a time to be proud of.
“None of us are riding in ideal circumstances but we’re professional athletes and so it’s what we train to do – we train to race when it’s not perfect – so I think we did OK. We’re looking ahead to the next couple of years and think we’re in a great spot.”
Elsewhere on day one, Britain’s women and men progressed as first and second fastest respectively in qualifying for the team pursuit events.
Meanwhile, Abigail Miller finished 17th of 24 riders in the women’s scratch race.
Olympic and defending world champions will be competing at the Shanghai Velodrome for the 2026 Track World Championships this week, and you can watch it on the BBC.
There are 22 titles at stake and this is the first track cycling qualifying event for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics.
The championships, taking place between 14 and 18 October, will see riders compete for the coveted rainbow jerseys in a range of disciplines, with events split between endurance and sprint.
Great Britain finished second in 2025 with the Netherlands taking top spot with nine gold medals. Harrie Lavreysen was once again the dominant force for the Dutch team, winning an incredible four gold medals in the Keirin, Sprint, 1km Time Trial and the Team Sprint.
