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Doug Report Daily Cycling News Archive

Tour de France winner Vincenzo Nibali faces further questions after Astana Continental rider tests positive.

Tour de France winner Vincenzo Nibali suffered further embarrassment on Wednesday when the Kazakhstan-back Astana cycling program, of which his team form the elite end, suffered a fourth positive drugs test in the space of just a few months.
Victor Okishev, a 20 year-old who rides for the Astana's Continental team, returned an an adverse analytical finding for Anabolic Androgenic Steroids. He has been provisionally suspended by the UCI, cycling's world governing body, but has the right to request and attend the analysis of the B sample. (telegraph.co.uk)

Martin: The Hour Record is on my agenda.

After losing his rainbow jersey in Ponferrada, Tony Martin goes into the 2015 season with the goal of taking back the coveted tunic and taking the yellow jersey in the Tour de France. The German also has the Hour Record on his agenda and may make an attempt already in 2015. (cyclingquotes.com)

Henderson on life in the fast lane: ‘I still love it’.

It’s hard to go slow when you’re paid to ride fast. Veteran sprinter and ace leadout man Greg Henderson had to learn to slip into the slow lane in 2014 to recover from three minor surgeries. Those proved to be little more than speed bumps, and the 38-year-old Henderson was right back in the mix, picking up a win at the Ster ZLM Toer and slotting into his role as part of Lotto’s formidable leadout train.
VeloNews recently caught up with Henderson from his European home base in Girona, Spain, to talk sprints, André Greipel, and how to beat Marcel Kittel. (velonews.com)

Guagliardo Doubles up, Teaters and Feehery Split Wins at Chicago Cyclocross Cup’s Indian Lakes Race Weekend.

While many made the annual pilgrimage to Mount Krumpit for Jingle Cross this past weekend, about 500 racers convened at Hilton’s Indian Lakes Resort to tear up a golf course and test the bunkers in The South Chicago Wheelmen’s revered double race weekend. With The Chicago Cylocross Cup’s (CCC) only Saturday race in the series this year, many chose to stay at the hotel adjacent to the course and enjoy the amenities: a heated indoor pool, jacuzzi, spa, two restaurants and three bars – including The Cave Bar, made famous among local racers by the Chicago Cuttin’ Crew. (It actually looks like a cave). Despite the venue being only 45 minutes outside of Chicago, the weekend becomes a social affair and it’s a treat for racers to wake up on Sunday, have breakfast and be steps away from the course. (cxmagazine.com)

Bishop and Kelley Dominate Eighth and Final Cross Crusade at Barton Park.

Serena Bishop took her second straight win of the 2014 Cross Crusade Sunday at Barton Park and secured her fourth series overall win in as many years, while Josh Kelley took the elite men’s win Sunday and tied Chris Jones for second overall with 104 points each. (cxmagazine.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...

Adam Myerson's Inside Dirt: Superprestige Gavere analysis.

"Asper-Gavere is a cyclo-cross classic; a course set apart for its difficulty, in the category of Koksijde and the Koppenbergcross, or old legends like Wetzikon. Set in an orchard on the side of what is more or less a cliff, on a military base with a castle perched at the top of the hill. Imagine the muddiest tractor paths you’ve ever seen, set at a 45 degree angle, and none of them straight; a slippery game of Chutes and Ladders with only two rideable flat sections, one along the start/finish stretch, the other along the canal at the bottom of the descent. Any other flat piece requires running, including the five back and forth sections that come early on the course." (cyclingnews.com)

Pared-down Optum Pro Cycling for 2015.

Optum Pro Cycling presented by Kelly Benefit Strategies today announced its 14-rider team for the 2015 season, naming U23 Pan American cyclo-cross champion Curtis White as its latest signing.
Guillaume Boivin joins Phil Gaimon from Garmin-Sharp in stepping back from the WorldTour ranks, while Canadians Pierrick Naud and Michael Woods are the other new additions to the team. (cyclingnews.com)

Home Wrench: put a hex in your hand.

Excluding your mind, hands and perhaps bottle opener, nothing in the bicycle workshop is likely to get more use than hex wrenches (AKA hex keys, Allen keys). So why is that so many of us will invest in other bicycle-specific tools, but make do with cheap L-shaped wrenches or worse, a multi-tool?
Taking a peek in a well equipped workshop or pro-mechanics tool box will reveal that the experts don’t often agree on what type of hex wrench is best – and, more importantly, they rarely make-do with just a single style. On top of this, you’ll just about always find a torque wrench or two. (bikeradar.com)

Mark Cavendish makes strong start to historic Ghent Six-Day race at iconic Belgian velodrome.

2014 Report Card: Movistar.

Cassani: Nibali is an atypical champion.

Brems and Gritters Post Fast Times at SLOCross, Shriver and Brandt Take Day Two.

Museeuw: There is no successor to Boonen and Gilbert.

Tonight the Kristallen Fiets will be awarded to the best Belgian rider. For Johan Museeuw, Philippe Gilbert and Greg Van Avermaet are the top favorites. Museeuw who has been entitled to vote explains why he chose Gilbert and speaks about Tom Boonen's future in an interview with Sporza. (cyclingquotes.com)

Powers eyes top 10 in Koksijde World Cup.

Jeremy Powers’ first race overseas proved to be a success with a ninth-place finish at the opening World Cup in Valkenburg, and after a short return home to the US, he is ready to head back over for the second round held on November 22, on the sandy shores of Koksijde in Belgium, where he is aiming to cross the finish line inside the top 10 again. (cyclingnews.com)

Mark Cavendish and Iljo Keisse fourth after Ghent Six opening night.

Mark Cavendish and Iljo Keisse are in fourth spot behind leaders Jasper De Buyst and Kenny De Ketele after the opening night of the 2014 Ghent Six-Day in Belgium.
Cavendish and Keisse put in a solid performance on Tuesday night, placing second in the Madison, team elimination and points race. (cyclingweekly.co.uk)

Gilbert ready to return to the cobbles.

Philippe Gilbert has said that he yearns to return to the cobbled Classics of Flanders, even if it were to impact on his performance at the Ardennes races.
In the past, Gilbert has ridden both but the cobbled Classics were removed from his race calendar for 2014, as the BMC team looked to regain the Belgian’s form of 2011. After a year away from the pave, the Belgian is keen to make a return in 2015. (cyclingnews.com)

Bono faces long recovery after bike crash.

Today.com reports that U2 frontman Bono faces a long road to recovery after crashing on a bike ride in New York City’s Central Park on Sunday.
The singer attempted to avoid another rider and was involved in what doctors have called a “high energy bicycle accident.” Bono was rushed to New York Presbyterian Weill Cornell Medical Center’s Emergency Department and underwent “multiple X-rays and CAT scans” followed by five hours of surgery. (velonews.com)

2014 Report Card: Lampre-Merida.

Lampre-Merida team manager Giuseppe Saronni recently gave his team a score of 6.5 out of 10 for the 2014 season, claiming the team had done well but insisting his boys could have done a lot better. He is right, with a stark contrast of success and failure, some promising young riders and the demise of an older generation creating a season of contrasts. The team won 27 races but many of those were minor; 2014 could have been so much better. (cyclingnews.com)

How Energy Drinks Can Hurt Your Sleep.

If you’re looking for an extra push before your next big race, you might want to be careful about what you’re chugging to get it. Drinking caffeinated energy drinks before riding can make your sleep suffer later on, new research from Spain suggests. (bicycling.com)

Cyclocross Mud Contest: the Answer.

There was some heavy mud, but pine needles and wood were mixed in with the soil, and they are relatively light in weight. The bike carried 1040 g (2.3 lb) of mud. The bike’s overall weight, mud-free, is 10.0 kg (22.0 lb), so the mud added 10.4% to the bike’s weight. That’s quite a bit of mud weighing the bike down, and makes me wonder about using superlight parts on a ‘cross bike! (janheine.wordpress.com)

Raced and Reviewed: Raleigh RXC Pro Disc.

Raleigh’s top-of-the-line cyclocross race bike was redesigned in 2015 with input from Raleigh-Clement Pro team riders like Ben Berden. Raleigh lowered the bottom bracket— from 55mm on the size 53cm 2014 model, to 65mm on the 2015 size 54cm—which added stability to the ride, but at the cost of pedal clearance when you really lay the bike over. This is a minor quibble, but it’s there nonetheless. Thru-axles replace standard quick releases at both ends. This adds some rigidity to the wheel connection and helped immensely to keep rotor noise from the Shimano R785 brakes at bay. (bicycling.com)

New team for Horner.

Twisted Spoke: Sky’s Nathan Earle. A touchy-feely calendar.

Astana Continental rider Okishev tests positive for steroids.

The UCI has confirmed that Astana Continental rider Victor Okishev has been suspended after he returned an adverse analytical finding for Anabolic Androgenic Steroids. The positive test comes from the Asian Championships in May of this season, where Okishev won the under-23 time trial. The 20-year-old has been part of the team since August of 2013. (cyclingnews.com)

Samuel Sanchez, retirement or alternative offer?

Samuel Sanchez, not retained by BMC Racing Team, is without a contract for next season. Georges Luchinger, the spokesman of the Spanish rider said that the rider  took himself the decision not to run in 2015 for the US team. “Samuel decided to not stay and we respect this,” he explained. (cyclingquotes.com)

Richie Porte ready to turn page on uneven 2014 .

Richie Porte is hoping to put his annus horribilis behind him, and ride into 2015 with a roar.
Illnesses derailed much of Porte’s season, forcing him to miss the Giro d’Italia. Later, at the Tour de France, he was poised to step up, following the unexpected exit of defending champion Chris Froome, but he suffered in the mountains. Speaking on Team Sky’s website, Porte admitted it was a year of hard knocks. (velonews.com)

News shorts: Cat on the track at Gent Six, New Het Nieuwsblad route.

ASO confirm Tour of Qatar and Oman teams, La Pomme to ride KTM Bikes, New name and bike sponsor for La Pomme Marseille. (cyclingnews.com)

SRAM To Co-Sponsor Velocio Sports Women’s Professional Cycling Team.

Since July, the fate of the Specialized lululemon women's professional cycling team has been up in the air. After a valiant crowd-sourcing effort, Specialized revealing its move to Boels-Dolmans, and riders like Carmen Small and Evie Stevens announcing their departure from the squad, it seemed that the continuation of the team was unlikely.  Now, the team is moving forward as Velocio-SRAM aboard Cervélo bikes. (bicycling.com)

Safeway to sponsor continental team.

American grocer Safeway recently stepped into the pro cycling arena, announcing its sponsorship of a UCI continental team, to be called the Airgas-Safeway Cycling Team. The team will be made up of 16 riders — the roster is not yet finalized — and focus on development, though it does not bill itself as a development team. (velonews.com)

Shimano CM-1000 Sport Camera.

"Weighing in at a scant 86g (claimed), and just barely larger than two stacked matchboxes, this action camera is one of the smallest on the market. The CM-1000 can be mounted to your bike or your body using any GoPro®-compatible camera mounting system. Included with the camera is a helmet mounting strap—but I opted for a K-Edge combination camera/GPS mount, to keep my bike cockpit looking tidy." (bicycling.com)

Notes From the Seattle Desk.

Yawn... winter. In the season of cycling, anyway. It's not technically winter here (though it might as well be), and for one pretty good slice of our audience (g'day y'all!) it's not even slightly winter. But if winter is the incubation period for the Earth's annual cycle of rebirth, then for the cycling season that's where we are. In fact, winter is well underway, even about to wind down. It won't be long now before we see the first little shoots of Cycling Spring, in the form of team training "camps" intermingled with flashy media launches. (podiumcafe.com)

Mo’ Money, Mo’ Fast: Firestrike 404 Carbon Clincher.

"It’s always fascinating to watch a brand tell us the product they designed only a few seasons ago is now slow, heavy and flimsy compared to the new product and all its technological wizardry. We expected to hear this when Zipp announced the 404 Firestrike, but instead we heard something quite different." (pelotonmagazine.com)

Toolbox: Fighting Flu Season.