<br>
      <br>
      <br>
Doug Report Daily Cycling News Archive

Rumor police: Where will Chris Horner land?

Where will Chris Horner, the 2013 Vuelta a España champion, land?
For now, mum is the word.
“We are waiting on one team in Europe for a decision. If that does not come to fruition we have some options in the States,” read an email from Horner’s agent and former professional rider, Baden Cooke, sent on Tuesday afternoon. (velonews.com)

Lampre-Merida confirms parting ways with Horner.

Even though Christopher Horner had hoped to stay at Lampre-Merida for another year, it wasn’t to happen, as the Italian squad officially confirmed that the 43-year old American won’t be a part of their team for 2015 season and thanked him for the times he spent in the fuchsia and blue outfit in the official press release. (cyclingquotes.com)

Report: IAM to join the WorldTour in 2015.

The Swiss IAM Cycling team is almost certain to be part of the UCI WorldTour in 2015, after agreeing to step up from its current Professional Continental status to ensure there are 18 teams in the 2015 WorldTour.
The UCI is currently completing the registration process for next season and IAM Cycling has confirmed that it is officially eligible for WorldTour status after beefing up its initial Professional Continental license application for 2015. A spokesman for IAM Cycling told Cyclingnews that a final decision will not be made until the License Commission meets later in the month (November 19-21). (cyclingnews.com)

2014 Races & Results.

Santos Tour Down Under 2015 - Jan 18-25 (Stages),

Giro d'Italia 2015 - May 9-31 (Stages),

Tour de France 2015 - July 4-26 (Stages),

Tour of Beijing 2015 - Oct 10-14 (Results),

Paris - Tours Elite 2015 - Oct 12 (Results),

Il Lombardia 2014 - Oct 5 (Results),

UCI Road World Championship 2014 - Sept 20-27 (Results),

Vuelta a España 2014 - Aug 23-Sept 14 (Results),

Tour de France 2014  - July 5-27 (Results),

Giro d'Italia 2014 - May 9 - June 1 (Results),

More...

Lauren Hall.

"Ladies racing is on the up with more top races, teams and sponsors. One of the US’s unsung hero’s was this year’s Gent-Wevelgem winner; Lauren Hill. When Ed Hood was offered the chance of an interview with the Optum rider he jumped at the chance to get the inside line on life in the woman’s peloton." (pezcyclingnews.com)

Cyclo-cross shorts: Denuwelaere disqualified for Koppenbergcross interference.

Video: Compton on Cincy3, Pro CX standings. Van Aert and Pauwels victorious in Belgium; double seconds for Nys. De Boer wins in Oudenaarde; Cant tops podium in Zonhoven. Powers back to winning on home soil. New courses challenge the elite racers at Cycle-Smart International. (cyclingnews.com)

Notes From the Sand Pit Desk.

It was billed as probably the funnest weekend outside of Christmas Week, a showcase of Cyclocross in all its diverse glory. All because November 1 happened to fall on a Saturday. You see, Article 1.1 of the Belgian constitution stipulates that the Koppenbergcross must be raced on All Saints Day, regardless of where in the week November 1 occurs. When it's a Saturday, that still leaves Sunday to fill... and nothing among the big early-season races fills that spot better than Zonhoven. (podiumcafe.com)

Review: Serfas Thunderbolt.

The Serfas Thunderbolt became one of our favorite lights last year with its small, rechargeable package and serious Lumen power. It’s an LED array that is visible from a very wide viewing angle, making it a perfect ‘to be seen’ commuter light.
This year, the Thunderbolt evolves with a matching tail light and a clear housing for both headlight and tail light versions. The clear housing for the lights transmits the light through the housing, giving extra brightness and more degree angles of visibility. (roadbikereview.com)

Gilbert and Absalon to race Red Bull Velodux.

On November eight, the inaugural Red Bull Velodux, a relay cyclo-cross event, will take place in the Swiss town of Estavayer-Le-Lac with former road race World Champion Philippe Gilbert and current cross country World Champion Julien Absalon taking part. (cyclingnews.com)

Tinkoff-Saxo climbs Kilimanjaro.

The Tinkoff-Saxo off-season team building exercises rose to new heights this week when the entire team and staff assembled in Tanzania to tackle the goal of climbing Mount Kilimanjaro.
The group made it to day three, the Barranco camp at 4,000 meters, with the summit scheduled to be reached on Wednesday. (cyclingnews.com)

Talented Danish youngster hopes to become the next Sagan.

Tinkoff-Saxo’s Michael Valgren has had an impressive season. The neo-pro was crowned Danish national champion in late June and won Tour of Denmark in August. In total, the 22-year old Dane has had ten top-5 results during 2014 and finished off the season with a 4th place in the final sprint of Japan Cup after a year of dedicated work for the team. (cyclingquotes.com)

The Seven Cycles Airheart.

"Every now and then you get one of those phone calls that seems beyond unlikely. Robot works at Seven Cycles, which gives us a fair excuse to get on the phone, though we don’t take advantage of that nearly enough, and just talk about one of our favorite things ever. We’d been talking about bikes and travel and I’d made the observation that Seven ought to have a dedicated travel model to really promote just how good they are with S&S couplers and how traveling with some variety of coupled bike is the only smart way to go, in my opinion. Then one day he called and suggested that Seven and RKP work together to create the ultimate travel bike." (redkiteprayer.com)

Pozzovivo targets Grand Tour podium and Liège-Bastogne-Liège in 2015.

Bradley Wiggins to attempt hour record in Majorca.

Ochowicz supports Worlds team time trial in Richmond.

Out Of Time.

What would Miguel Indurain have done? The Spaniard won the Tour de France five times in a row as well the Giro twice and more. He built his wins in the time trials and now that foundation has crumbled, no more so than next summer’s Tour de France with its meager 13km opening stage.
Picking a race an random the 1992 Tour de France had three solo time trials: an 8km prologue, Stage 9 was 65km, Stage 19 was 64km. 10 times more than 2015, unthinkable today?

La Gazzetta claims Pantani’s body could be exhumed after tissue samples were disposed of.

Using language that will fuel conspiracy theories about the death of Marco Pantani, La Gazzetta dello Sport has claimed that there is a possibility that the late rider’s body could be exhumed as part of the re-examination about his passing.
The Italian newspaper has reported that the current enquiry into claims that he was murdered by persons unknown who forced him to consume toxic levels of cocaine has been frustrated by the destruction of tissue samples taken during his autopsy and preserved afterwards. (cyclingtips.com.au)

Contador rules out triple Grand Tour bid in 2015.

Alberto Contador has confirmed that he will not be taking part in the 2015 Vuelta a España and so will not go for the triple Grand Tour challenge, and will instead focus on the Giro d’Italia and Tour de France double in 2015. (cyclingnews.com)

De Kort interview: Backing Kittel and Degenkolb in cycling’s biggest races.

"He’s a fast finisher in his own right, but Dutchman Koen de Kort has built his career around helping others. In recent years he’s dedicated himself to ensuring fellow Giant Shimano riders Marcel Kittel and John Degenkolb take as many wins as possible, and has been part of some considerable successes. He talks about that role, about Kittel’s personality and likely career trajectory, and explains why he believes it might yet be too early to expect the German to take the green jersey in 2015." (cyclingtips.com.au)

Moser: I don't know what's wrong.

Moreno Moser was once regarded as one of the brightest cycling talents but in 2013 and 2014 he has gone through lots of hardships. The Italian has no explanation for his travails and now hopes that he will rediscover his former self at his new team. (cyclingquotes.com)

Froome to race Stan Siejka Classic.

The 2013 Tour de France champion Chris Froome and teammate Richie Porte will both race the Stan Siejka Classic in Launceston, Tasmania, over the weekend of December 6-7. A women's race will also be held with Orica-AIS and Wiggle-Honda both confirmed for the event.
The Stan Siejka Classic is the centrepiece in Tasmania's Christmas criterium racing series that take place in December. (cyclingnews.com)

Faster, by Michael Hutchinson.

An autobiographical self-help manual of sorts for cyclists who want to go faster.
Spoonfuls of anecdotal sugar help the science bits go down.
Hutchinson does tend to come across as a bit of a whiney "Why wasn't I an Olympian" moaner. (podiumcafe.com)

News shorts: New sponsor for Giro d'Italia white jersey, Evans secures TV coverage.

BigMat-Auber93's roster complete, Lampre signs Estrada. (cyclingnews.com)

Reviewed: Poc Do Blade sunglasses.

"I have a conundrum. With contact lenses in both eyes (toric as well, if you’re really curious), I need good eye protection. I’ve lost contacts on fast descents. That’s no fun.
But I can’t just wear ski goggles. Because I sweat. A lot.
Poc’s Do Blade sunglasses come pretty close to offering me the protection and ventilation I need." (velonews.com)

Steels: Moving World Team Time Trial could damage it.

Omega Pharma-QuickStep directeur sportif Tom Steels believes that separating the World Team Time Trial Championships from the main competition next year could have a negative impact on the event. The team time trial, for trade teams, was brought in for the 2012 Worlds, with Omega Pharma-QuickStep winning the opening two editions of the event. BMC succeeded them as champions in Ponferrada, as they had to settle for bronze.
BMC manager Jim Ochowicz has already lended his support, saying that it should stay as it is. (cyclingnews.com)

AngryAsian: The ultimate creaky bottom bracket fix.

"Last year I wrote a column outlining some issues with creaky press-fit bottom brackets, and proposed a few tips and solutions to help fix the problem. As another year draws to a close – another year filled with rider complaints about seemingly endless press-fit ordeals – I'm revising my position. Crappy press-fit bottom brackets should not be the end buyers' problem; they are the manufacturers' problem, and it's high time we all send that message loud and clear. If your frame is out of tolerance and causing squeaking, the manufacturer should replace it." (bikeradar.com)

New brand offers modular handlebar mount for electronics.

Morsa Design, a new brand launching this month, will offer modular accessory handlebar mounts with optional adapters to accept action cameras, lights, GPS computers and more. Morsa mounts, made of a carbon nylon material, start with an arm that fits 31.8 bars and accepts one or two adapters for electronic devices, which mount to the arm positioned in front of the handlebars. (bicycleretailer.com)

Bettini says Fernando Alonso’s FACT team is ‘currently halted completely.

Tinkoff-Saxo confirms Julich, Healey, Yates and Vila.

Toolbox: Physical Fitness and Pain Tolerance.

UCI confirms that TTT worlds will happen in Richmond.

The UCI confirmed that the world team time trial championships will take place alongside the road race and time trial championships in Richmond, Virginia, September 19-27, 2015.
This news comes despite a Monday story in Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf suggesting that Limburg, Netherlands was cuing up for a chance to host the 2015 team event.
Sean Petty, a member of the USA Cycling board of directors and the UCI Road Commission, told VeloNews that the team time trial remains on the program for Richmond 2015. (velonews.com)

The dog ate my homework: Uncertainty and anti-doping tests.

Positive doping tests or “adverse analytical findings” in professional cycling can be highly uncertain and controversial, and can lead to months or years of costly wrangling and disputes, both in the legal system and in the court of public opinion — often without any satisfactory or consensus outcome.
While the sport has upped its effort to discover and expose drug cheats, many observers believe that some racers are still getting away with the use of various undetected performance-enhancing drugs. What often attracts less attention is the case where it appears that clean riders are being unfairly accused.
It is important to realize that while rapidly advancing analytical technology has unquestionably improved the precision and accuracy of drug testing, it’s not perfect; there will always be some inherent error in the process.
And this means that we may occasionally punish the wrong person. (velonews.com)

Fränk Schleck: Andy needs time for emotional scars to heal.

Fränk Schleck has admitted that his brother Andy still needs time to come to terms with his retirement from cycling but added that the former Tour de France winner hopes to remain in the sport.
Andy Schleck was forced to call time on his career due a knee injury, and announced the news at a press conference convened in his home country of Luxembourg, in October. The news ended months of speculation after Schleck damaged the cartilage in his right knee in a crash at the Tour de France. Despite an extended rehabilitation period, medical advice forced the rider into a rather premature retirement at the age of 29. (cyclingnews.com)

Agent: Sanchez deserves to be in a big team.

Samuel Sanchez will remain professional in 2015. That's the hope of his agent Joona Laukka who acknowledges that "the economic situation is difficult" and admits that it is complicated to find a team at the level that the Spaniard deserves. The Finnnish agent is looking for spot at an elite WorldTeam and hopes to find an opening. (cyclingquotes.com)

Wankmeister: Helping The Newbies.

"On the Donut Ride last Saturday there was a new face. He was a bigger guy, very smooth on the bike, wearing a nondescript kit. Smasher and Ollie were off the front, and gradually the chase group got smaller and smaller.
We hit the bottom of the Switchbacks and after a while it was just me, Newbie, and Toothdoc. Toothdoc is working on a Ph.D. in dentistry at USC and only rides once a week, thank dog. He’s small, fit, a very good climber, and always rides away from me with ease." (pelotonmagazine.com)

Lab Test: Flats versus clipless pedals on the road.

Flats versus clipless pedals? This is typically a debate reserved for the mountain biking world. On the road, of course you are more efficient when you can push — and pull — on the pedals, right? That is the question being addressed by the gang from the Global Cycling Network who went into the lab to find out if being clipped in really increases pedaling efficiency. Check out the video. The results may surprise you. (roadbikereview.com)

Sanchis and Roberts extend with Wiggle-Honda.

Wiggle-Honda has continued to finalize its 2015 roster with the announcement that Anna Sanchis and Amy Roberts have both agreed to one-year extensions.
Roberts has been with the team since its inception in 2013 and the youngest rider on the roster is considered key personnel by team manager Rochelle Gilmore. (cyclingnews.com)

For Alex Howes, 2014 ‘a little confirmation’.

On this offseason morning in Boulder, Colorado, Alex Howes, 26, drinks a coffee slow, and talks even slower. It’s quiet now after the season has exhaled, and it’s time for riders to unwind and try to reset before another season of bikes, flights, baggage … in order to do this, Howes decides he’ll run a marathon’s distance pretty much unplanned and unannounced. He also hit the Austin City Limits Festival, and played best man in a friend’s wedding. (velonews.com)

Aftermarket cranks, chainrings, and bottom brackets 

Wheels Manufacturing’s new EBB eccentric bottom bracket allows the user to convert a PF30 or BB30 frame to a singlespeed or fixed-gear drivetrain with any 24mm integrated-spindle crank, including SRAM GXP 24/22mm spindles. CNC machined in Colorado, it fits PF30 or BB30 bottom bracket shell widths from 68mm to 73mm. Its Enduro ABEC-5 angular-contact sealed bearings have a two-year warranty. (velonews.com)

Four $3,000 Full-Suspension 29ers We'd Tell Our Friends to Buy.

Those who love to tune and tinker will appreciate the adjustable suspension that lets you change geometry and suspension leverage ratio in minutes. The speedy Conti tires measure at a skinnier 2.05 inches, and hook up in a variety of conditions (but had a greater tendency to flat in rocky terrain than higher-volume tires). (bicycling.com)

PEZ: EuroTrash Hour Record Monday!

Will the UCI shorten the Giro and Vuelta?