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Doug Report Daily Cycling News Archive

Alonso confirms team will not materialize in 2015.

Fernando Alonso has confirmed that his hopes of forming a professional cycling team will not materialize in 2015 but insisted that he still has plans to establish a team at some point in the future. The Formula 1 driver was speaking on Wednesday at an event organized by one of his sponsors in Mexico City. (cyclingnews.com)

Cycling is now deemed ‘cool’ says Bradley Wiggins.

Bradley Wiggins believes British success in recent years has helped turn cycling into a brand, with the sport’s market now worth £1.39bn to the UK.
In an interview with Marketing Week, the world time trial champion insists that cycling is no longer a niche sport, with his Tour de France and Olympic glory in 2012 helping to bring the sport to national prominence.
“The transformation [in cycling] is quite phenomenal,” Wiggins said.
“The growth was already huge but [the Tour and Olympics] helped bring a whole new audience to the sport and it really captured people’s imagination.” (cyclingweekly.co.uk)

News shorts: Froome to ride Tour and Vuelta?

Cavendish trains on track in Italy, curtain comes down on Curacao, Trek sponsors UK women’s pro team. (cyclingnews.com)

Pinto and Parra win first stage of La Ruta de los Conquistadores.

Luis Leao Pinto (Scotiabank) of Portugal won the first of three stages at the 22nd edition of La Ruta de los Conquistadores Thursday. Colombian Angela Parra took the women’s lead.
The stage was 93 kilometers long and went from the coastal town of Jacó on Costa Rica’s Pacific coast, to the Universidad Técnica Nacional in Atenas in Alajuela. (velonews.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...

Team Colombia in 2015: First the Giro then the Tour selection.

Team Colombia has the 2015 Tour de France in mind, but first it wants to return to the Giro d’Italia for a third time to try to win a stage.
“The race organizers have a good understanding and consider us after three years in Europe,” general manager Claudio Corti said Thursday morning.
“Clearly, my goal is to see team Colombia in the Giro d’Italia again. If we receive two grand tour invitations, then even better. The Vuelta a España and Tour de France organizers know that we want to race.”...

Lucas Euser goes off-road to race La Ruta.

You probably know Lucas Euser from his time as a well-rounded rider on UnitedHealthcare. You may know him for that immaculate whip of hair that points toward the sky and always seems to be at the utmost attention.
You do not know him for mountain bike racing through the jungle of Costa Rica, which is exactly what he’s about to be doing. (velonews.com)

NRS team feature: African Wildlife Safaris.

African Wildlife Safaris have only been around since the 2012 season but in its short existence, the Melbourne-based team have consistently shown it belongs at the top end of the National Road Series (NRS). 2014 saw the team race under a Continental license allowing them to enter the Jayco Herald Sun Tour, finishing eight on the team classification. (cyclingnews.com)

Stephen Roche on Sportives (Gran Fondos).

Sportives/Gran Fondos have grown massively over the last decade. Now a new trend for multi-day events, such as the Dragon Tour, is starting to take hold with riders wanting to get closer to the pro tour experience.
We chat to event ambassador – and cycling legend – Stephen Roche about the ever-broadening sportive scene, the draw of multi-day events and why he’s looking forward to the Dragon Tour in 2015. Winner of the 1987 Giro d’Italia, Tour de France and world championships, Roche reflects on the astounding growth of sportives over the last few years. (bikeradar.com)

News shorts: Lampre-Merida extend with Mori.

Didi the Devil retires, SEG Racing add Bokeloh and Leemans, Santambrogio says doping had little to do with his performances in 2013. (cyclingnews.com)

Wes Sulzberger signs for Navitas-Satalyst.

Between 2009 and 2013, Tasmanian Wes Sulzberger was racing at the highest level of the sport but stepped down to the Pro-Continental level with Drapac to race this year alongside his brother Bernie.
An "ok" season didn't yield the results and performances that Sulzberger wanted and a contract wasn't forthcoming from the Australian team, leaving the 28-year-old without a contract for 2015. (cyclingnews.com)

Sponsor ends Horner's time at Lampre-Merida.

Analysis: Why cycling needs to improve its TV product.

Here is cycling’s great paradox as it moves deeper into the new millennium: relevance to the TV audience.
Perhaps there is no sport in the world that’s as exciting to participate in yet is as boring to watch on television as bike racing.
Sometimes that’s hard to comprehend. Anyone who’s raced, or stood on the side of the road to watch a race, can attest to cycling’s passion, speed, and thrills. In many ways, the sport has all the ingredients to be one of the most compelling TV sports in the world, yet it is not. Why? In part because television broadcasting product has remained static for 20 years. (velonews.com)

Highlights of 2014 – Part IV.

Seeing the day’s breakaway get reeled in and beaten resmebles a nature documentary where the predator inevitably catches and consumes its prey. Only this day was different as a carnivorous Contador joined with the breakaway riders to help escape those in his pursuit. (inrng.com)

Mauro Santambrogio: I’ve learned not to cheat.

Italian Mauro Santambrogio “learned not to cheat” after a 2013 Giro d’Italia doping positive and subsequent suspension. His cooperation with cycling’s reform commission brought a reduced ban that enabled him to sign a two-year contract this week with third division team Amore & Vita.
“Cycling’s controlled more than any other sport and I’ve learned that there’s no use in trying to cheat,” he told Italy’s Tutto Bici website. “Anyway, I’m convinced that a donkey can’t become a thoroughbred with doping.” (cyclingweekly.co.uk)

Bertine: With the right will, week-long women’s Tour is achievable by 2015.

Kathryn Bertine, one of the core individuals behind the push for a women’s Tour de France, has said that she and others will continue working toward a multi-stage event, saying that more than just a single day race during the Grand Tours is needed.
She was responding to the recent news that another ASO event, the Vuelta a España, would also hold a one-day race for women in 2015. (cyclingtips.com.au)

2014 a season to forget for Stannard.

Having claimed the biggest win of his career at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad in March, Ian Stannard appeared on the cusp of a breakout season with Team Sky. A crash at Ghent-Wevelgem later that month resulted in a fractured vertebrae and a four-month spell on the sidelines, derailing his season.
The 27-year-old made a comeback at the Commonwealth Games in August which proved to be a false dawn as an opening day crash at the Tour of Britain in early-September resulted in a fractured scaphoid, ending his season all together. (cyclingnews.com)

How to lose weight like a pro cyclist.

Many pros carefully count calories and weigh food to ensure they're only taking in the fuel they need to perform well in training and race. One typical daily pattern is to eat a balanced breakfast, ride through lunch using energy products and then have an early main meal.
Wiggins, on the other hand, trained hard before breakfast to speed up his metabolism for the day. He also avoided gluten for two months, and abstained from alcohol completely. (bikeradar.com)

3T launches “Custom Color” cockpit components.

Working with one of Italy’s top bike painters, 3t is offering their stems, bars and seat posts with Blue, Orange, Pink, Green, Light Blue and Yellow accents. The colors are applied using a specially formulated modern and durable paint to produce dense, saturated colors the add to the already striking high gloss finish of the parts. (bikeworldnews.com)

Millar and Yates top bill at Rayner dinner.

While most of the credit for Great Britain's emergence as one of cycling's dominant powers rightly goes to lottery funding and British Cycling's performance plans, a significant amount is also due to the Dave Rayner Fund. Set up in January 1995 just weeks after the tragic death of Yorkshire pro Dave Rayner, over the past two decades the fund has provided financial support to around 200 riders, many of whom have gone to emulate Rayner by reaching the pro ranks. (cyclingnews.com)

The world's best bike bell?

“This is the only bell I’d not be embarrassed to run on my road bike,” said BikeRadar technical writer and resident bike nerd Matthew Allen. What was he talking about? This nifty new bell from US firm Spurcycle.
Dubbed ‘a bell for any bike’, Spurcycle’s creation took off in a spectacular way when it was presented on Kickstarter. It raised US$331,938 from more than 5,800 backers. (bikeradar.com)

Smith hopes to woo women riders with new Overtake.

This November, Smith Optics is releasing their first road helmet, the Overtake, which boasts a unique, lightweight design. With the Overtake and the coordinating Pivlock sunglass line, Smith is hoping to appeal not only to men but also to the growing number of women who are passionate about road cycling.
Though the Overtake is not specifically a women’s product, Smith has designed their new flagship helmet with women in mind. The Overtake is offered in 12 color choices, so there is something to fit every rider’s style. The Overtake also includes a dial fit system that is easy to adjust and works similarly to most helmets on the market. And yes, the Overtake’s fit system does include an opening for a ponytail. (velonews.com)

Armstrong says his life is still a mess after doping confession.

“Andy Schleck was my biggest rival” says Alberto Contador.

Switch to Tinkoff gives Sagan ‘chance to restart’.

PEZ: EuroTrash TTT Thursday!

Didi The Devil set to retire.

Having been a regular fixture at the roadside during the past two decades of the Tour de France and Giro d’Italia, Dieter ‘Didi The Devil’ Senft looks set to hang up his trident.
Senft’s distinctive red costume, bushy beard and decorated trident have appeared in the Tour on numerous occasions, usually during a key mountain stage. But now, the 62-year-old German has decided that enough is enough after recent poor health and lack of sponsorship. (cyclingweekly.co.uk)

“There’s genuine contrition on Lance’s part; he’s matured and learned.”

Almost six months on from the publication on her book on Lance Armstrong, Irish soigneur Emma O’Reilly said she believes the American is sorry for what he did and has matured and learned from falling from grace.
She said the reaction to the book had been “really, really positive, there’s been very little negativity”.
She believed most people appreciated the book because it was nuanced and did not seek to present events or the decisions of key people in the Armstrong doping ring as black and white. (stickybottle.com)

Optum announces women’s roster for 2015.

Optum-Kelly Benefit Strategies announced its complete 10-woman roster for the 2015 road season on Thursday. Optum will keep much of 2014 squad, while adding few riders under the new directorship of Patrick McCarty.
Canadian road race, time trial, and criterium champion Leah Kirchmann, veteran racer Janel Holcomb, and young stars Annie Ewart, Brianna Walle, and Maura Kinsella all return to Optum for 2015. New signings to Optum include, Ally Stacher, Lex Albrecht, Alison Tetrick, Jasmin Glaesser, and Ariane Horbach. (velonews.com)

BMC signs 'new Philippe Gilbert.'

Next season Loic Vliegen will continue at the BMC Development Team but in July, he will make the jump to the WorldTour team. According to Sudpresse, The Belgian rider has signed a two-and-a-half-year contract until 2017 with the BMC Racing Team. (cyclingquotes.com)

Chris Butler.

Chris Butler went from a novice Cat. 5 racer as a college student in 2007 to a WorldTour pro with BMC. Since then he has had solid rides with Champion System and Hincapie Development team, for 2015 he is joining Team SmartStop. (pezcyclingnews.com)

Tinkoff-Saxo's trek up Kilimanjaro.

Tinkoff-Saxo have completed their much-publicized climb of Mount Kilimanjaro. The group, which included 80 riders and staff, reached the top of the African mountain on Wednesday morning after setting off on their initial trek on Saturday. Only two members failed to complete the challenge – plus two camera men – and were forced to turn back before the final day’s ascent, meaning a 97.5 per cent success rate for the – significantly better than the target of 90. (cyclingnews.com)

Continental license and new sponsor for Satalyst-Giant in 2015.

Western Australian National Road Series (NRS) team Satalyst-Giant will be known as Navitas-Satalyst from 2015 and will race under a UCI Continental license allowing them to take part in 1.1 and 2.1 races.
The team has acquired the sponsorship of Navitas, a global education provider, for next season allowing them race in Asian races along with the Jayco Herald Sun Tour and Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race in February to complement a full NRS calendar. The team has also signed former FDJ and Orica-GreenEdge rider Wes Sulzberger for 2015. (cyclingnews.com)

In the Final Hour, MFG Brings UCI Racing Back to the Northwest.

Last week, the UCI race in Bend, which has become a cornerstone race on the American calendar, announced that it was unable to continue for the 2014-15 season. Although the Deutsches Brewery has provided the race with a great venue, the race promoter cited that the lack of a title sponsor made holding the race infeasible. (cxmagazine.com)

Waves For Water to replace cancelled Deschutes Cup on Pro CX calendar.

In the wake of the cancellation of the Deschutes Brewery Cup, a UCI-backed Pro CX event that was to be held December 6-7 in Bend, Oregon, Low Pressure Promotions and Waves For Water will host the Waves For Water Cyclo-cross Collaboration, a two-day UCI-sanctioned Pro CX event in Tacoma and Lakewood, Washington, December 6-7.
“When we heard the news of the Deschutes Brewery Cup cancellation, we wanted to see if it was possible to bring that level of racing to Washington,” said Zac Daab, co-founder of Low Pressure Promotions. “We have a history of producing UCI races and appreciated the support and trust the UCI and USAC has in us to make this UCI weekend happen. (velonews.com)

PRO Professional Hardcase Toolbox.

BikeRadar verdict: 3 out of 5 stars. "A strong selection of sturdy, good value tools." (bikeradar.com)