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Doug Report Daily Cycling News Archive

Time running out for Mark Cavendish’s Olympic track dream, says Shane Sutton.

Mark Cavendish needs to return to international track racing as soon as possible if he wants to make the British team for Rio 2016, admits GB technical director Shane Sutton.

Cavendish has to amass qualification points to have any chance of competing on the track at the Olympics – for the second time in his career – in just two years’ time.

The Quick Step sprinter earned some during at the low-key International Belgian Open in Ghent last September, but Sutton said the Manxman needs to pick more up before this summer if his Olympic dream is to continue.

Neil van der Ploeg wins as Porte and Froome abandon.

Neil van der Ploeg recovered from two falls to take a spectacular win in slippery Tasmanian conditions, powering ahead of Steele Von Hoff to claim the Stan Siejka Launceston Cycling Classic crown.

With Team Sky duo Richie Porte and Chris Froome withdrawing from the race, all eyes turned Caleb Ewan, winner of last year’s race and U23 silver medallist at the World Championships. Yet the Orica-GreenEDGE sprinter crashed in the latter stages of the race, opening up the field for van der Ploeg to surge home after two-man breakaway was caught on the final lap.

Jamey Driscoll, Rachel Lloyd win Waves for Water kickoff in Tacoma.

Jamey Driscoll and Rachel Lloyd took the flowers on Saturday during day one of the Waves for Water Cyclocross Collaboration near Tacoma, Washington.

Lloyd took the hole shot at the Marymount Event Center and got away with Amanda Miller and Courtenay McFadden.

The trio stayed together for three laps, and then Lloyd went it alone to win by eight seconds over Miller with McFadden third.

Anthony Pulls Away at NBX Gran Prix, White Played It Wise for Win.

Rain fell on bayside Goddard Park in Warwick, RI today as racers took to the course for the first day of the NBX Gran Prix, the seventh round of the Verge New England Cyclocross Series presented by Stan’s NoTubes and Cycle-Smart. As the penultimate round of the 2014 Verge NECX Series, races in each of the fourteen Series categories were especially hard-fought. New England is the premier region for American cyclocross, with top-notch races nearly every weekend; however, NBX is an adored favorite for racers and fans alike. Challenging, rooty trails through wooded sections lead into long beach runs and fast, sandy turns, giving the race character that makes it as fun to race as to spectate.

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 ...

Broken collarbone for Absalon after cyclo-cross crash.

Olympic mountain bike champion Julien Absalon has broken his collarbone after a crashing during a cyclo-cross race.

The five time world champion took a nasty fall during a regional cyclo-cross championship and suffered a broken collarbone and a rib hematoma.

The Frenchman was using cyclo-cross as a means of off-season training, with Sunday's race to be the final one of his season. Last month he competed in the inaugural Red Bull Velodux cyclo-cross race in Switzerland where he and partner Ralf Naf finished third overall.

Watch Froome and Porte race in Tasmania LIVE on SBS.

Pauwels victorious in Hasselt.

UCI president concerned by Astana drug tests as license decision looms.

The UCI president, Brian Cookson, has said that he is unhappy with the spate of five positive drugs tests for the two teams within the Astana structure, but stressed that a decision is expected this coming week on whether the Astana team of Vincenzo Nibali, the Tour de France winner, will receive a WorldTour license for 2015.

“We’re waiting for the license commission to make their report, then we’ll decide, based on what they recommend, what action will be taken,” Cookson told the Observer of the Kazakhstan-based team, adding: “I think you will appreciate my view is extremely dim of that situation and I know that the Kaz fed [Kazakh federation] are extremely disappointed.”

Meeusen breaks Nys’ dominance in Overijse.

After his third place in yesterday’s race in Hasselt, Tom Meeusen returned to the top step of the podium when he won today’s Druivenkoers Overijse. While Sven Nys abandoned the race and saw his streak of four wins in a row come to an end, the Telenet-Fidea rider beat Klaas Vantornout, Mathieu van der Poel and Philipp Walsleben in a four-rider sprint.

Tom Meeusen broke the dominance of Sven Nys in the Druivenkoers Overijse when he won one of the first real muddy races of the year. Having shown good form in yesterday’s race in Hasselt, he excelled in the difficult conditions to take a hugely deserved victory in the race which is not part of one of the major race series.

Cant victorious in Vlaamse Druivencross.

Road world champion Ferrand-Prévot second and De Boer third.

Pantani Roadside Reload: Chasing le Tour 1998.

"A recent autopsy review has indicated that the death of Marco Pantani was due to a heart attack brought on by a lethal overdose of cocaine mixed with anti-depressant medication. In 1998, Il Pirata was at the top – winning a Giro/Tour double. Ale Federico headed off on his new moto from Genoa to see the Tour for himself, this is his personal diary."

Breschel: Peter Sagan is the biggest talent in cycling.

Matti Breschel believes that Peter Sagan can inspire Tinkoff-Saxo to ride at another level in the 2015 Spring Classics. Sagan has joined the Russian registered team after several years at Cannondale and will spearhead the team from January onwards. The most significant signing of the season joins a team that has lacked an out-and-out Classics star since Fabian Cancellara.

Gold for world champion Cure in London.

Reigning points race world champion Amy Cure claimed the first gold of the London World Cup for Australia on Saturday.

While Cure was victorious in the points race, Alexander Edmondson and Callum Scotson narrowly missed a medal in the Madison finishing fourth, with Anna Meares finishing sixth in the sprint.

Four-year Ferrari investigation handed over to CONI.

CyclingFans: 2014-2015 UCI Track Cycling World Cup Videos.

UCI to publish doping report in full as cycling sets an example for FIFA to follow.

World Cycling will show FIFA the way when it comes to transparency around a major inquiry when their doping investigation reports in February.

FIFA continues to prevaricate on how much of Michael Garcia’s probe into World Cup bid corruption will ever be made public because of confidentiality issues despite a global demand that it is seen in full.

But Brian Cookson, British president of UCI — cycling’s ruling body — has promised their own investigation into cycling’s chronic drug problem will be published in full.

Dan Martin dominant talent, personality in amalgamated team.

With one glance at the composition of Dan Martin’s new Cannondale-Garmin team for next season it becomes apparent the Irishman is the stand out rider in the squad.

And aside from Giro d’Italia winner Ryder Hesjedal, he is the most successful.

The 27-rider roster is thin on the ground in terms of established names, though there are a number in the squad perhaps just a season or two away from real greatness.

And a focus on development has always been a central theme for team principal Jonathan Vaughters, hence the myriad new faces.

2014-2015 UCI Track Cycling World Cup LIVE - London.

There will be live streaming for the final day, Sunday, December 7, starting at 4:50pm CET (10:50am U.S. Eastern).

Roads to Ride: The Col de Turini.

The Col de la Madone is the climb used by many Monaco-based pros to test their form. If the top of the climb can be a finish line, it’s also a gateway, once over the pass a range of riding options open up. When riders want a longer and more Alpine style climb the Col de Turini is often the default choice.

Made famous by motorsport and picked by TV pundits Top Gear as one of the top-10 roads in the world it is also a superb place for cyclists.

Index of team training camps: 2014-2015.

Keep informed about all information related to professional cycling team training camps as teams prepare for the 2015 road season. Check back often for the latest feature articles, news, interviews, tech, video and photographs related to teams' pre-season activities.

The Fact Burning Zone - fat burning myths busted.

"A couple of weeks ago I’d have worn out the batteries in my Face Palmer if I had one. Another online article that on face value appeared to make perfect sense, referencing a research paper no less, related to ‘fat-burning’ rides. The reality however was that the interpretation was erroneous, condemning numerous cyclists to riding along at 14 mph to ‘burn fat’.

The only think that grates with me more than the use or even consideration of the use of the term ‘anaerobic threshold’, is the utter confusion that surrounds the term ‘fat-burning zone’."

Giant Defy 0.

BikeRadar verdict: 4.5 out of 5 stars. "Some of the 2015 tweaks make little difference, but knocking down the price of a bike this good is only going to make us like it even more."

Steve Tilford: Hands Going Numb Riding.

Kreuziger: A four year ban would be bullshit.

How to climb cycling’s most legendary mountains.