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

In search of the perfect day: Katie Compton takes another run at ‘cross worlds.

The track was slick with mud, but she felt her leg pains — she’s adjusted her training, like she was floating on air. The course was lined with fans, but she heard nothing. Her bike, body, and mind — everything was firing in unison. Knowing she wouldn’t likely beat Marianne Vos in a two-up sprint, American Katie Compton attacked, opened a gap, and held it to the finish, to win alone, 24 seconds ahead of the world champion.
It was the Rome World Cup, held January 5, and American Katie Compton was on a perfect day. (velonews.com)

World Cup Preview: Vos Returns to Cyclocross in Koksijde, Can Van der Haar and Compton Repeat.

This weekend marks the second round of the World Cup for the 2014-15 season as we head to Koksijde in Belgium, often described as the sand dune race of cyclocross. Last month, Valkenburg held the first race, with Katie Compton pulling an astonishing come-from-behind victory after an unfortunate mechanical and Lars van der Haar found room for a solo victory after early attacks. (cxmagazine.com)

CX Week: Wecome to Duinencross!

There may be some (pointless) debate about what the best 'Cross race track in the world is, but there's little debate as to which is the world's most famous place. That would be Koksijde, home to two world championships, one recurring World Cup race, and a whole lotta sand. And not that inland sand, but real dune stuff.
Oh, and something like 60,000 fans, which is an utterly massive amount. (podiumcafe.com)

News shorts: Van Avermaet wins Kristallen Fiets.

Giro d'Italia Gran Fondo and Australian NRS transfers. Taryn Heather joins Bicycle Superstore. Jennelle Crooks signs for Specialized Securitor. (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...

Martin confirms interest in breaking hour record.

What started as a trickle is now a flood. Tony Martin is the latest rider to confirm he will try to take on an hour record attempt, perhaps sometime in 2015.
Speaking to the German website RadSport, the three-time world time trial champion said he would like to tackle the hour record, but only if it fits in with his road racing priorities. (velonews.com)

Porte looking forward to Tasmanian adventures with Froome.

As anticipation builds for the arrival of Chris Froome in Australia, one thing Richie Porte says locals will not see of the British 2013 Tour de France champion during his stay – that is, him cycling with Porte on one of his famed off-season marathon training rides. (cyclingnews.com)

Albert opens door for possible comeback.

Even though there is no lack of excitement in the cross season, Niels Albert is still dearly missed. As sports director of the Vastgoedservice-Golden Palace team, he still has his place in the cucling world but after a remarkable statement, a comeback may again be a possibility. (cyclingquotes.com)

Blazin' Saddles: Australia celebrates a century in the Tour.

This year, Australia will celebrate their personal 100th anniversary in the Tour de France – a century after Donald 'Don' Kirkman and Iddo 'Snowy' Munro became the first Australians to take part in 1914. (uk.eurosport.yahoo.com)

Canyon Endurace CF 9.0 SL.

BikeRadar verdict: 4.5 out of 5 stars. "If you’re looking to hit your peak in 2015 and batter your personal bests, the Endurace is heartily recommended." (bikeradar.com)

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

A Two Week Tour de France?

A two week Tour de France? Non. Or to use the phrase beloved of many a French hotelier, c’est pas possible. Still it’s good to question established ideas and tenets. There’s no rule that says the Tour de France must be three weeks long and if there were, we should question that too.
It’s a current topic since UCI President Brian Cookson was in Madrid to award Spain and Movistar their UCI World Tour prizes. He spoke to the media when asked about a shorter Vuelta and Tour de France implied nothing was off the table. Let’s explore why an abbreviated Tour won’t suit anyone. (inrng.com)

Nicole Cooke video interview part II: “Women’s cycling was at its height in the 1990s.”

As a former world and Olympic champion, double World Cup winner and victor in races such as the Giro d’Italia Femminile, La Flèche Wallonne, the women’s Tour of Flanders and the Amstel Gold Race, Nicole Cooke is one of the best female riders of all time.
She walked away from the sport in early 2013 and since then has had minimal involvement, bar some intelligent interviews which expressed her views on anti-doping, women’s cycling and minimum pay. She also released an fine autobiography this year, entitled “The Breakaway.” (cyclingtips.com.au)

Stevens takes time off, then looks ahead.

She finished up the world championships, went to Cape Cod, got engaged, and took three weeks off the bike.
And now, Evelyn Stevens is at it again. She’s in Boulder, Colorado this week getting back up to speed, staying with Connie Carpenter and Davis Phinney. “It’s always a nice time of year,” she said. “I’ve been training for a few weeks already. I go to my first training camp in December.” (velonews.com)

MTN-Qhubeka secures Professional Continental license for 2015.

The MTN-Qhubeka team has confirmed it has obtained a Professional Continental license for the 2015 season from the UCI as it looks targets a wild card invitation to the Tour de France following the signings of Edvald Boasson Hagen, Theo Bos, Tyler Farrar, Stephen Cummings and Matthew Goss.
The UCI has yet to confirm the full list of WorldTour and Professional Continental teams registered for 2015 but the team will gather in the Western Cape of South Africa for a weeklong get together between November 23-30. (cyclingnews.com)

2014 Report Card: Lotto Belisol.

Before anyone says André Greipel is washed up in the sprints, let's consider that the German champion won 16 races this year, and that was over the course of a season interrupted by a shoulder injury, sustained in a Gent-Wevelgem crash, that required surgery to repair. He leads the peloton in the overall number of victories, even if Marcel Kittel and Alexander Kristoff won more Grand Tour stages. (cyclingnews.com)

Ciolek: I’ve forgotten the suffering in the Tour…I’d be glad to go back.

Speaking about a possible return to a race he hasn’t competed in since 2011, former Milan-Sanremo winner Gerald Ciolek has said riding the Tour de France again is a major objective for him in 2015.
The German sprinter’s MTN-Qhubeka team has met with Tour organizers ASO and is awaiting confirmation about whether or not it will be given a wildcard invite to next year’s race. This week it was handed participation slots in two of ASO’s early season events, the Tours of Qatar and Oman. (cyclingtips.com.au)

10 foods to supercharge your cycling.

In their quest for the ultimate performance nutrition, cyclists and sports scientists will turn their tastebuds to anything from a cousin of cannabis to the afterburn effects of a curry.
We take a look at the secret superfoods you should be eating, and why. (bikeradar.com)

Boardman AiR TT 9.2.

Chris Boardman is perhaps best known for his time trialling prowess and an obsession with detail. With the second generation of his bike company's TT bikes, there's been an opportunity to tweak designs for even more aero gains. (bikeradar.com)

Museeuw: There is no successor to Boonen and Gilbert.

Powers eyes top 10 in Koksijde World Cup.

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

PEZ: EuroTrash Panzerwagen Thursday!

Lack of anti-doping testing in Tenerife under spotlight.

Anti-doping tests in Tenerife have again come under the spotlight after two of the world's biggest teams confirmed that none of their athletes were tested during several training camps on the Spanish island, but the UCI claims that its anti-doping affiliate, the CADF, carried out controls on "top tier teams" on the island this season. (cyclingnews.com)

Nibali on Astana positives: “Risking and cheating today is for stupid people.”

Tour de France champion Vincenzo Nibali has repeated his previous assertions that the Astana team does not have a systematic doping problem, dismissing any suggestions that a spate of positive tests linked to the team could reflect a coordinated policy.
Speaking to the Guardian, Nibali was commenting after brothers Valentin and Maxim Iglinskiy tested positive for EPO and another Kazakhstani rider, the national road race champion Ilya Davidenok, had a positive A sample for anabolic androgenic steroids. (cyclingtips.com.au)

Former Giro d’Italia boss Michele Acquarone ‘used as a scapegoat’.

Italy’s Michele Acquarone, former RCS Sport manager in charge of the Giro d’Italia, stands firm one year after the media company fired him over €13m in missing funds.
“It’s not RCS versus a former employee. Here it’s RCS protecting itself keeping the scandal far from the heart of the company,” Acquarone said in a letter this month. “In real life big fishes eat small fishes. Always.” (cyclingweekly.co.uk)

BRECK EPIC introduces Zero Tolerance for dopers!

Mike McCormack, organizer of the BRECK-EPIC MTB stage race in Colorado, one of the premier events in North America, today tweeted that his race will no longer accept as an entrant any rider that is serving or has ever served a USADA or WADA suspension. (crankpunk.com)

Taiwan KOM Challenge: The View From The Other Side.

From rider to journalist to organizer – Lee Rodgers has seen all sides of the majestically beautiful yet spectacularly cruel race that is the Taiwan KOM Challenge. Today he looks back at his experiences from this truly unique climbing race which is gaining every year in stature and prestige. (pezcyclingnews.com)

Riis has high expectations for Sagan, Contador in 2015.

Although he won his third straight points classification in the Tour de France this season, Peter Sagan lacked the volume of victories of his previous seasons, but his new Tinkoff-Saxo team manager Bjarne Riis has high hopes that the Slovakian champion will turn his luck around in 2015. (cyclingnews.com)

Sutton expects Wiggins to step up for Olympic team pursuit.

Shane Sutton, the technical director of the British Cycling team, has hinted that Bradley Wiggins needs to step up and improve his team pursuit speed if he is to secure a place in the final quartet for the Rio Olympic Games in 2016. (cyclingnews.com)