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Doug Report Daily Cycling News Archive

Reactions to minimum wage and contract violations.

Responding to a recent feature by CyclingTips which documented cases where riders had been required to either race for free or for a price less than the minimum wage, the riders’ association CPA, the teams’ association AIGCP and the governing body UCI have given their reactions to the situation.
Riders and agents told CyclingTips earlier this month that the UCI’s minimum wage requirements for WorldTour and Pro Continental teams are, in some cases, circumvented in ways that break regulations.
These practices could also in theory constitute tax fraud. (cyclingtips.com.au)

2014 Report Card: Europcar.

When it comes to no-shows and hissy fits in cycling, Thomas Voeckler's failure to climb off the Europcar team bus and attend the podium ceremonies at the finish of Paris-Tours this October was surely one of the highest profile of them all in 2014. But both for Voeckler - and probably for Europcar in general in 2014 - Voecker's finishing a narrowly beaten second in Paris-Tours must have felt like one frustrating near-miss too many. (cyclingnews.com)

Gerrans takes out Australian cycling's top gong.

Simon Gerrans has capped his stellar season by winning Cycling Australia's highest honor.
The 34-year-old was awarded the Sir Hubert Opperman medal, or "Oppy" as Australian cyclist of the year. It is the first time Gerrans has won the award. (sbs.com.au)

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...

De Buyst and De Ketele retain Gent lead.

Mark Cavendish and Iljo Keisse edged closer to the overall lead at the Gent Six during the third night of racing on Thursday but remain 45 points behind Jasper De Buyst and Kenny De Ketele. (cyclingnews.com)

New Caja Rural rider assualted during training ride.

Yesterday Carlos Barbero ended his training ride at the police station after having been assaulted. The Euskadi rider who will ride for Caja Rural in 2015, complained about being given "two or three punches in the face" and asked the police to intervene. (cyclingquotes.com)

Valverde: We are not like Froome and Wiggins.

Alejandro Valverde supports the decision to ride both the Tour de France and the Vuelta a Espana with Nairo Quintana. The Spanish veteran will probably play a vital supporting role for the Colombian in the very mountainous Tour de France. (cyclingquotes.com)

News shorts: Quintana and Valverde to join forces at 2015 Tour and Vuelta.

Reus to Verandas Willems, Gasparotto heads to Wanty, Revolution Series heads to Manchester. (cyclingnews.com)

Week in Tech: Velocio-SRAM, Bontrager 29+, power meter updates, and children’s bikes.

"Here’s your Week in Tech — all the gear news, tips, and announcements you need and none of the marketing gibberish you don’t." (velonews.com)

In the News: Moab BLM bans electric bikes on non-motorized trails.

MTBR.com reports that the Moab field office of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has posted updated guidelines to their website putting electric-powered bicycles in the same category as gas-powered vehicles, effectively banning them from numerous trails in and around the Utah mountain bike mecca. (velonews.com)

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

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

Rwanda aims to become a hub for African cyclists.

Three years ago, Janvier Hadi pedaled a singlespeed bicycle taxi. This week, he won the prologue of the Tour of Rwanda, a success mirroring the growth of cycling in his country.
Born into a family of modest farmers, the 23-year-old took up the sport seriously after taking part in a race in the south Rwandan town of Butare.
“I heard there was a race for a singlespeed bike.It was like a test, and I won; I got first place,” he told AFP. (velonews.com)

The definition of epic: Tackling a rain-soaked Taiwan KOM Challenge.

"For me, Taiwan isn’t one of those places that springs to mind when picking out ideal cycling destinations. Due to sheer ignorance or stupidity on my behalf I’d always imagined Taiwan as a land jam-packed with industrial estates and high-rise buildings. This was until last year when fellow CyclingTipper Andy covered the Taiwan KOM Challenge, an event that captured my imagination and put Taiwan on my must-do list of places to ride a bike." (cyclingtips.com.au)

FDJ's new 2015 team colors.

The FDJ team has revealed its new jersey for the 2015 season, opting for a mix of red, white and blue for the new season. In the 2014 the team raced in a blue strip, after using an all white kit in the past. Team leader Thibaut Pinot modeled the brightly-colored jersey and white shorts in official images issued by the team. (cyclingnews.com)

Van Hummel ends career.

Kenny van Hummel has ended his career as a professional cyclist. The 32-year old rider has not been able to find a new team for 2015 after his contract with Androni-Giocattoli.
“Unfortunately I have to conclude that I have not been able to find a team, at a respectable level, who is willing to offer me a contract for the 2015 season”, the sprinter told NuSport. (cyclingquotes.com)

Will Routley interview: “We are all part of this sport and we need people to believe in it again”.

Will Routley, cracking fella, was fortunate enough to entice him over to Taiwan for the KOM Challenge just recently.
Will has been a pro since 2008 and just enjoyed his best year with Optum-Kelly Benefit Strategies with a win on Stage 4 and the overall KOM in the 2014 Tour of Califiornia. (crankpunk.com)

Erica Zaveta hits her stride with the Amy D. Foundation.

Erica Zaveta has steadily been working her way to the top of the sport.
The Erwinna, Pennsylvania native had applied for the Amy D. Foundation’s first racing scholarship, a program intended to help promising young female riders progress to the top of the sport.
Dan Dombroski established the foundation days after his 26-year-old sister, Amy, was killed on a training ride in Belgium in October 2013. (velonews.com)

Astana announces new sponsor for women’s team.

Olympic time trial champion and former world time trial champion Zulfia Zabirova will join forces with Maurizio Fabretto to launch Astana’s new women’s cycling team in 2015. The team will field a roster of about 15 riders, mostly young athletes that it hopes to develop into seasoned pros.
The team will be officially named Astana-Acca Due O, and it will be registered in Kazakhstan. Many of the riders will come from Eastern Europe, but the team will also have strong Italian flavor. It will have a headquarters in Cornuda, Veneto, and sponsor Acca Due O is an Italian water treatment company. (velonews.com)

Five-a-side: This week's best bike gear.

Featuring BH, Speedplay, Litespeed, Shimano and more. (bikeradar.com)

A Two Week Tour de France?

Video: The Week in Bike #45 – TWIBmas is All Around.

Roads to Ride: The Ghent Velodrome.

Not a road but a track and not a place to ride but a venue to visit. Still this series is about exploring legendary locations so here is the chance to look at the most famous of six day races. Or alternatively one of the last few surviving winter track contests. (inrng.com)

Nibali reacts angrily to Astana doping cases.

Tour de France winner Vincenzo Nibali has reacted angrily to the news of a fourth doping case within the Astana teams, saying he hopes that whoever governs cycling makes them pay a high price.
“If someone links me to these cases, they don't understand a thing. They're four imbeciles that have nothing to do with me,” Gazzetta dello Sport reported Nibali as saying. (cyclingnews.com)

Cycling Australia announces Tour de France team of the century.

Cycling Australia has announced its Tour de France team of the century at the Jayco Cyclist of the Year Awards held in Melbourne.
The team, comprising of nine riders, was selected by a panel of judges that included Orica GreenEdge’s general manager Shayne Bannan, and cycling journalist and Cyclingnews correspondent Rupert Guinness. (cyclingnews.com)

Van der Haar out of Koksijde World Cup.

Lars van der Haar will unfortunately miss the second round of the cyclo-cross World Cup tomorrow in Koksijde, Belgium due to gastroenteritis. Van der Haar fell sick on Thursday night, and following an assessment with the team medical experts on Friday morning the decision was made that van der Haar would not start on Saturday, and his start at Sunday’s Superprestige race at Spa Francorchamps would be decided depending on his recovery. (cyclingquotes.com)

Embrocation Dos and Don'ts.

Leg-warming oils and creams can be indispensable on a chilly day - here's how to make sure it's a good burn. (bicycling.com)

2014′s best distractions, by Tim de Waele.

Tour de France Sherlock Holmes. Elementary, my dear British cycling fan. The Tour de France's popularity in England was no mystery, with two British champions in the last two years prior to 2014. (velonews.com)

Test: Fly6 Camera.

"For the last three months I’ve been testing a prototype of what is possibly my favorite product of the year – and in any case, certainly the most useful – the Fly6 safety camera/light. Now that the prototype testing is finished and the new version 2, Fly6 camera has been released to the public this week I can finally talk about the product and start publishing some of my videos from the last few months." (pezcyclingnews.com)

Ever wanted to get your hands on a pro’s bike? Here’s how.

“It seemed too good to be true,” explained Royal Leamington Spa Cycling Club member Gary Hibbert. “A full Canyon Aeroad CF carbon-fibre bike, with Dura-Ace Di2 and Mavic Cosmic Carbone wheels for just over £3,200.” (cyclingweekly.co.uk)

PEZ: EuroTrash Panzerwagen Thursday!