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Doug Report Daily Cycling News Archive

Chris Froome Rethinks 2015 Tour de France.

Former Tour de France champion Chris Froome hinted on Tuesday that he may elect to compete in next year's race after previously suggesting he was considering sitting it out.
The mountainous route for the 2015 Tour de France does not favor Froome, who won the race in 2013, and he said last month that he could decide to skip it and focus instead on the Giro d'Italia and the Vuelta a Espana.
But in an interview published on Team Sky's official website, the 29-year-old revealed that he was still motivated by the thought of wearing the race's famous yellow jersey. (bicycling.com)

Utah’s favorite son: Tanner Putt aims for the WorldTour.

He’s built a bit like Peter Sagan, or Greg van Avermaet. Thick, stocky, like a small grizzly bear.
He’s won two under-23 national road race championships, in consecutive years.
He’s a familiar name to some, with breakthrough performances in Europe, including ninth at the U23 Liège-Bastogne-Liège in 2013, and he’s only going to get more famous as time goes on.
Tanner Putt, 22, has been racing bikes for over a decade, and he shows no signs of slowing down. “Right now, I just want to focus on getting better, getting stronger, slowly start to lose a bit more weight — I really like climbing — and not forget about sprinting, but just focus on going uphill a little bit more,” the Utah native said. (velonews.com)

Franco Pellizotti.

Franco Pellizotti may be 36 years old and no longer riding in the WorldTour. However, the Italian is still highly motivated and feels that he has lots to give to his Androni-Venezuela team.
Due to his biological passport case, Pellizotti has had a turbulent career. Before he served a suspension, he finished third in the Giro d'Italia and won the mountains jersey at the Tour de France and he was widely regarded as one of the best grand tour riders in the world.
November 11, 2014

Bicycles of World War I.

On the late morning of 28 June, 1914, the 12th Tour de France began in Paris. The riders likely would not have known that 1,836km away, in the Bosnian city of Sarajevo, the heir of the Austrian Empire has just been assassinated, precipitating the start of World War 1. The race, like much of life in Europe on that warm summer morning, went on. (bikeradar.com)

Thomas Dekker to attempt Hour Record.

Thomas Dekker has announced plans to tackle the Hour Record next spring. Currently held by Mattias Brändle, who recently broke Jens Voigt's record with a ride of 51.850 kilometres, Dekker announced the plans in an interview with Algemeen Dagblad. The news comes as it emerged that Garmin-Sharp would not be extending Dekker's contract for 2015, leaving the Dutch rider without a WorldTour team for the first time since his return from a two-year ban for doping. (cyclingnews.com)

2014 Report Card: Astana Pro Team.

Where to begin with Astana’s 2014 season – the good, the bad or the ugly? Well, considering general manager Alexandre Vinokourov’s respect for quality timepieces, perhaps it’s best to approach the year in strictly chronological order, and start with the bad.
Astana claimed just four victories before May, with Lieuwe Westra’s stage win at the Volta a Catalunya the lone WorldTour success of the spring. Vincenzo Nibali’s unusually low-key start to the campaign, in particular, was viewed with considerable concern, and such was the dissatisfaction emanating from Kazakhstan that the entire roster – and not Nibali alone, as initially claimed – received a reportedly terse email of encouragement from Vinokourov in late April. (cyclingnews.com)

2014-15 Races & Results.

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

Dubai Tour 2015 - Feb 4-7 (Stages),

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

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

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...

Elle Anderson: Riding Out the Sick Days in Belgium.

Elle Anderson has had a phenomenal start in Europe, with plenty of top five victories, including one at the World Cup in Valkenburg which qualifies her to represent the United States in the Cyclocross World Championships in 2015. If you were hunting for her last weekend at the Superprestige in Ruddervoorde, you looked to no avail. After battling a cold for the last while, she opted to play it smart and return stronger another day.
These are her thoughts from the weekend, watching the races play out from home. (cxmagazine.com)

Tour de France champion Nibali confirms plans to begin 2015 season with Dubai Tour.

Although he won the Tour de France in 2014, taking the biggest victory of his pro career, Vincenzo Nibali has decided to change his race program slightly and will begin next season in the Dubai Tour.
Nibali rode the race earlier this season but did the Tour de San Luis beforehand; this time round, he will forgo the Argentinean event, with event organizers RCS Sport confirming that he will instead debut in Dubai. (cyclingtips.com.au)

The end of local bike shop mechanics?

Local bike shops have taken a beating in recent years as cheap, readily available stock delivered direct to your door has emanated from the web. Super hubs like Wiggle and Chain Reaction have chipped away at what was once core business for bike shops, parts and accessories.
But what was once an impenetrable final frontier, that of the workshop, may now also be under threat. Sydney entrepreneurs Thomas Treloar and Cameron Harrison are more than 12 months into an ambitious project to change the way riders deal with mechanical help. (sbs.com.au)

Will cycling see the return of the solid tire?

A Korean company has come up with a solid bike tire that it claims will compete with the regular pneumatic variety. After being launched three years ago in Asia, Tannus Tires are hitting the UK market.
Using a newly developed compound polymer called Aither, they offer the prospect of punctureless riding with a rider-friendly level of comfort and rolling resistance.
Solid tires are nothing new. They’ve been around as long as the bicycle itself but were quickly superseded when Dunlop made the first practical pneumatic bike tire in 1887. Typically heavy and giving an uncompromising ride, solid tires have trailed in their wake ever since. (cyclingweekly.co.uk)

Lizzie Armitstead hopes female-only bike shop will get more women cycling.

Commonwealth champion Lizzie Armitstead believes more women would get into cycling if the clothes are more ‘fashionable’, according to the London Evening Standard.
Armitstead has put her support behind Surbiton-based cycle shop Bella Velo, which exclusively stocks bikes, clothing and equipment designed for women.
“Ultimately that there is a place for such a shop also reflects just how many more women are cycling now, which is great – certainly so many more than when I started,” she said.
“I hope to see a chain of women’s cycling shops and plenty more women taking up the sport.” (cyclingweekly.co.uk)

Bradley Wiggins will set unbeatable Hour Record, says former holder.

This Week in Cross: Niel, Asper-Gavere... One of Which Is Awesome.

Meeusen unsurprised by Ruddervoorde victory.

Cross Crusade Seven: Cameron and Bishop Fly at Portland International Raceway – Race Reports.

Wells wins final day at Ruta; Parra and Leao claim overall.

Interview: Vincenzo Nibali.

Vincenzo Nibali looks like any other European tourist as he spends time with his wife Rachele and baby daughter Emma in Dubai. He is one of the biggest names in professional cycling after winning the Tour de France, yet among the ostentatious wealth and consumerism of Dubai, he remains modest, friendly and amiable. He will turn 30 on Friday and is one of only six riders to have won all three Grand Tours but he remains refreshingly down to earth.
He gives the impression that his Tour de France victory was not the culmination of his career or a consequence of massive self-sacrifice. It is just the latest chapter of his life and career, naturally following on from those that saw him fall in love with cycling as a boy in Sicily and move to Tuscany as a teenager to pursue his dreams of becoming a professional. (cyclingnews.com)

Dominant Nys crushes the opposition in Niel.

After several near-misses, Sven Nys finally returned to his winning ways when he took a hugely dominant win in the Jaarmarktcross in Niel. The Belgian champion accelerated already in the first lap and after dropping Corne van Kessel in the second lap, he constantly increased his advantage to win the race by more than a minute over Wout van Aert and Kevin Pauwels who completed the podium. (cyclingquotes.com)

Battle on Armistice Day: Niel CX.

This has to be the most horrifying course in the sport. Not horrifying as in "I can't wait to watch!" but horrifying as in "why would anyone want to ride that?" The annual, stand-alone event in Niel, held on Armistice Day along with the once-a-year market day, isn't the biggest deal around, but Tuesday is a good day for a stand-alone. And as for why anyone would want to ride it, the answer is money. Well, and a good workout. The course is a smorgasbord of bad 'Cross surfaces: asphalt, farmers' field mud, farmers' field grass, nasty off-cambers, and a parking lot with tractors moving around. (podiumcafe.com)

Wankmeister: Cross Face.

"It’s always a good idea to pre-ride the course if you can. I sneaked onto the dirt climb and liked it. It was long and not too steep, sure to wear people out who had to do six laps around the 1.7-mile circuit. I came to a whoopty, and rolled down and up the far side with no problem. Then there came a second whoopty, deeper and steeper. “No problem,” I confidently grinned to myself just as the front wheel smashed against the far side and came within inches of pitching me head-first into the wall." (pelotonmagazine.com)

Factory Tour: Wellgo and its 10 million pedals.

Wellgo's Taichung, Taiwan factory is a hive of stamping, cutting, pressing, lathing, and assembling. The company is the source of about 10 percent of the global pedal market, producing 20 million pairs between this Taiwanese factory and another in China. (velonews.com)

News shorts: Kohler wants freedom to chase wins in 2015.

Kruopis to An Post, Sporza journalist to attempt hour record, Jai Crawford to Kinan Pro Cycling. (cyclingnews.com)

Shimano SuperCrit showcases star studded field and $30,000 in prize money.

One of Australia’s richest one-day bike races is returning in 2014 with international cycling’s biggest stars on Sunday 14th December. The Shimano Super Criterium will see some of the best national and international professional cyclists compete for $30,000.
Leading Orica GreenEdge rider and recent Liège-Bastogne-Liège winner Simon Gerrans will again lead a long list of professional riders and NRS Team riders. (cyclingtips.com.au)

Nicole Cooke and le crankpunk visit the Lezyne factory.

"i’m not a sycophant – well maybe for Ma CrankPunk (yes she gets caps), because She Is The Greatest – but when Nicole Cooke rocks into town even i get a little starstruck.
World & Olympic champ, winner of the Giro, the Tour, Flanders and on and on, there at Taichung train station i strolled up to shake hands with one of the greatest riders of all time, period.
and not only that, she did it all clean and against some serious odds." (crankpunk.com)

Power meters: Everything you need to know.

Cycling is a great sport for gadget lovers. Heart-rate monitors, GPS, smartphone training apps and power meters are all there for the taking. But among them power stands out as the ‘future’ best friend for any cyclist that wishes to train to their full potential.
As such, power, or more specifically the mighty ‘watt’ has become common currency for riding and training discussions among the growing percentage of cyclists who have invested their ‘hard-earned’ in a power measuring device. (cyclingtips.com.au)

Age no barrier on solo trans-Canada bicycle tour.

Don’t tell Howard Dietzman that he’s too old to ride his bike. The 81-year-old grandfather from New Jersey completed a solo bicycle tour across Canada earlier this fall.
It was his second bike trip across Canada. He’s completed three rides across the US, in addition to a bike tour from New York to Alaska. "I guess it proves that if you have decent health, you’re never too old to ride a bike." (bikingbis.com)

Lake Raven 0.3 Insoles.

"If I could change one thing about most shoes I review, it wouldn’t be their width. It wouldn’t be the volume of their toe box. It wouldn’t be the closure style or placement of the straps or the type of cleat they accept, though adjustments to any of those details could improve many shoes, relative to my needs. However, the one change that would work for nearly every rider, that would improve shoes at each price point, is the quality of the insole." (redkiteprayer.com)

Urbanist Cycling Padded Brigitte.

road.cc verdict: 4 out of 5 stars. "Turns normal clothing into cycling gear with more style than anything comparable on the market." (road.cc)

Dan Martin Interview: Lessons in success.

Toolbox: The Coach-Athlete Connection.

News shorts: Germany could jail dopers.

Petacchi considering three options, King on the mend, Sutterlin extends. Oroz turns DS after retirement. (cyclingnews.com)

Rodriguez to skip San Luis to focus on the Tour de France.

In 2013 and 2014, Joaquim Rodriguez started his season in the Tour de San Luis. However, the Spaniard wants to focus on the Tour de France in 2015 and so he is likely to start his season a bit later.
After reports that Peter Sagan will skip the race, the Tour de San Luis may lose another main rider, Rodriguez. Vincenzo Nibali's participation is still uncertain. On the other hand, Ciclismo Internacional reports that both Mark Cavendish and Michal Kwiatkowski are in advanced negotiations with the organizers of the Tour de San Luis that will take place from January 19 to 25. (cyclingquotes.com)

War, What is it Good For?

Think of the First World War and you might conjure up black and white images of trench warfare from Northern France. This year has seen centennial commemorations for the anniversary of the outbreak of war in Europe. We saw the Tour de France take part with a route that passed memorials and battlefields. The dutiful ceremonies across much of Europe are important and remind us of the devastation. (inrng.com)

Le Mevel announces retirement.

Christophe Le Mevel has decided to put an end to his active career. The 34-year-old Frenchman, who has ridden for Cofidis since 2013, said that he would stay involved in the sport.
“Full of emotion, and after reflecting upon it for a long time, I today announce the end of my career after 14 years as a professional.” (cyclingnews.com)

Be Your Personal Best.

"Fifth Street 'Cross, my favorite small grassroots 'cross race, has—and has always had—but one (somewhat off-color, but highly important and appropriate) rule: Don’t be a d*ck.
Yeah, it’s kind of an offensive phrase. And sorry if anyone is offended. But some events over the weekend at another, larger race this Sunday had me thinking that maybe that rule should be plastered at the start line of every race as a not-so-gentle reminder for people who need some not-so-gentle reminders." (bicycling.com)

The Road Less Taken, by Kathryn Bertine.

A collection of essays and articles about Kathryn Bertine's attempts to make it in the pro peloton, and to the London Olympics. Bertine can be quite funny, and has some important things to say about the state of women's cycling today. (podiumcafe.com)

Froome weds Cound in South Africa.

Chris Froome added a personal highlight to his 2014 season, tying the knot at the weekend with longtime partner Michelle Cound at a ceremony in South Africa.
The pair became an item in 2011 after they were introduced by fellow South African Daryl Impey who now rides for Australian team Orica-GreenEDGE. (sbs.com.au)

Majka looking to improve in 2015.

Victories are like busses, you wait for one and suddenly five come along at the same time. Rafal Majka had to wait four years for his first professional win, but he can look back on this season with a smile after securing five of them in 2014. After a ground-breaking year for the Pole, he is looking to go even better in 2015. (cyclingnews.com)

Best cycling apps for iPhone and Android.

Cyclists have never been shy of embracing new technology, and there are now a whole host of useful cycling applications (apps) that have been designed to add an extra dimension to your riding.
We’re keeping a running list of the most useful cycling apps on this page, and we’d like you to contribute your own recommendations or comment on the ones we’ve already listed.
The more supported platforms the better: iPhone and iPad (iOS), Android, Windows, or whatever. (cyclingweekly.co.uk)

Cube Peloton Pro.

BikeRadar verdict: 4 out of 5 stars. "Great value and a lovely ride if you value comfort over all-out speed." (bikeradar.com)

Azione Questo II.

When the style and clichéd ‘passion’ of Italy are thrown together with the engineering know-how of Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, a brand is created that could be very different from your average bike company.
This is Azione, a British brand with more than a touch of Italian style. They’re a group of keen racers, mechanics and designers, building bikes for customers looking for something unique. (cyclingweekly.co.uk)

BOTW: Timeless Baum Corretto.

"This Baum was built up with a Campagnolo Super Record EPS group using the new cranks and the brand new for 2015 Campagnolo Bora wheels. The older generation Bora’s are one of our favorites and Campagnolo did a great job improving on these. Keep an eye out for our thoughts as we’ve already mounted a pair to the shop Argonaut and have been riding them for a week now." (abovecategorycycling.com)

PEZ: EuroTrash Curaçao Monday!

The Pantani investigations going nowhere, says biographer Rendell.

Matt Cooke Interview: ‘You would never know their names if they had never taken drugs’.