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

The ISSUL Performance Criteria.

What’s the good news of this week? One improvement is the new audit of the Astana team by the Institute of Sport Sciences of the University of Lausanne (ISSUL) imposed by the UCI as a condition of its license. As well as the investigation audit which will be finished by February, the team has to sign up for a wide-ranging set of “operational requirements” for the whole year.

The ISSUL guidelines imposed on Astana aren’t just a mechanism to save the team’s license. Instead they’re set to become a core part of the proposed UCI cycling reforms, compulsory for all teams in a few years. They cover a lot of territory from job insecurity to coaching with the twin themes of doping and money.

Vincenzo Nibali's coach: The media ruin my image.

The coach Paolo Slongo defends the Italian rider Vincenzo Nibali. He called the alleged links between the Tour de France winner and Michele Ferrari “nonsense”. He says that journalists are not telling the truth and that their claims are based on nothing.

"I saw the articles, the one in La Repubblica. It’s not a serious thing, but something that someone has invented. It ruins my image. If you don’t know someone, you can be misled to thinking it’s true. La Repubblica‘s journalists have been sued, so we’ll see how they respond."

Westra: I have not lost any sleep.

Astana has secured themselves a WorldTour license for 2015. Lieuwe Westra is delighted with the news. "I am glad that the UCI has only looked at the doping cases of the Iglinsky brothers. In principle, the rest of our team has nothing to do with the other cases", the Dutchman tells WielerFlits.

Two days ago, the UCI License Commission made a decision about a number of licenses. Team Europcar will drop out of the elite division as they did not live up to the financial requirements.

The big drama was about Astana and their chance to keep the license. Recently, the team of Tour de France winner Vincenzo Nibali has been in the spotlight due to five doping cases within the team, including three from the continental squad. In addition, a large number of (former) Astana riders were on the list of 38 names from the Padova investigaton that was published by La Gazzetta dello Sport two days ago.

“Nico wasn’t at ease with decisions at Tinkoff-Saxo. He had to get out.”

Stephen Roche has said Team Sky will bring about further improvement in his son Nicolas’s career.

Roche junior is currently in Majorca with the Dave Brailsford-led team on their first official training camp which runs until next Thursday.

“They had a team meeting last month in London and now they’re all back together training, the serious stuff starts now,” said Roche Sr.

“There was a lot of politics going on there with Tinkoff and he wasn’t 100 per at ease with Tinkoff decisions. I think he was at the end of his journey there."

UVEX recalls 47,000 helmets in US over chin strap concerns.

According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, a broken chinstrap can cause the helmets to slide off the head, posing a head injury hazard. The helmets also do not comply with the impact requirements of the CPSC's safety standards for bicycle helmets. According to the CPSC, there have been no reports of injuries or incidents because of the problem.

The recall involves seven models of UVEX helmets. The helmets come in a variety of colors with different colored chin straps.

Outback trip leads Morton brothers to Jelly Belly.

At first glance, the news that Lachlan Morton and his older brother Angus signed for 2015 with the US Continental team Jelly Belly-Maxxis may be surprising.

Lachlan, 22, rode for Garmin-Sharp the past two seasons and has long been viewed as one of the most promising young riders in cycling, while Angus, 25, hasn't raced professionally in four years. The seemingly unorthodox move to Jelly Belly is just the latest leg of a journey the Australian brothers began last winter with a 2,500km bike trip across the Australian outback.

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 ...

Skylar Schneider and David Lombardo Navigate a Sandy Montrose Harbor to Win Final Race of the Chicago Cyclocross Cup (CCC) Series.

The final stop of The Chicago Cyclocross Cup is Montrose Harbor on the frozen shore of Lake Michigan. Ten27 Cycling Club and Spidermonkey Cycling co-host this series finale which also doubles as the Illinois State CX Championship race. While some racers are ramping up towards regionals and nationals others line-up at Montrose to leave everything out on the course and call it a season. Either way, everyone is racing hungry on this wide open power course that conjures up correlations of Koksijde with it’s vast sandy dunes.

Perfect Prep for the 2015 World Championships: Havlikova Aims for Gold at Czech Republic Nationals.

A mainstay in the Belgium cyclocross scene, 31 year old Pavla Havlikova, heads back to Czech Republic to battle for the national title to be held this Saturday in Milovice.  With USA-based Katerina Nash not taking the start, Havlikova enters at pre-race favorite, only with 21 year old Martina Mikulaskova nipping at her heels.

Reviewed: Enve SES Aero flared road bar.

Narrow is aero. But a wide handlebar is sometimes preferable for control and comfort. The SES Aero has both covered.

A clever 25-mm flair built into Enve’s carbon fiber SES Aero handlebar allows racers to get narrow up top while retaining the control afforded by a wider bar while riding the drops during sprints or descents.

The SES Aero is available in three widths: 44cm, 42cm, and 40cm. Those widths are measured at the flared-out drops, and correspond to 39cm, 37cm, and 35cm hood widths, respectively. At 251 grams for a 42cm bar (which has a hood width of 37cm), the SES Aero is not particularly light. And at $400, it’s also one of the most expensive bars available today. But the essential design could easily be translated into cheaper options, and it should be. Even those who will never toe a start line, and don’t give a hoot about aerodynamics, will love the ergonomics of the flared drop.

Padova police follow the money to dig up Dr. Ferrari links.

Michele Ferrari issues new denial of involvement with riders in Padova investigation.

Hincapie Racing Team announces 2015 roster.

Eleven new signings bolster new WorldTour team IAM Cycling, squad launched in Switzerland.

Gerrans welcomes leadership role in Orica-GreenEdge’s youth movement.

UCI chief Cookson: ‘Vinokourov needs to open up’.

Brian Cookson sent team Astana a warning: speak up or else. He explained that general manager Alexandre Vinokourov needs to meet with the Cycling Independent Reform Commission (CIRC) about his doping past, a move that could help with Astana’s WorldTour license.

“Do I think ‘Vino’ deserves a place in cycling? Alexandre Vinokourov needs to speak to the reform commission, he needs to make sure that he demonstrates that the team he manages is fully living up to its responsibilities,” Cookson told VeloNews.

“There are seriously questions marks over that situation. He and the rest of those connected with the team need to bear that in mind that they are in a very, very serious situation right now.”

Emma O’Reilly interview: People are amazed I forgave Lance, but I think he had to forgive me too.

Forgiveness plays a large role in Emma O’Reilly’s story, but not just from Lance Armstrong’s side.

For the disgraced cyclist’s former soigneur it was just as important that Armstrong forgave her for breaking cycling’s code of secrecy around doping, Omertà, as it was for her to forgive Armstrong’s lies.

O’Reilly worked as a masseuse on Armstrong’s US Postal team at the start of his dominant reign over the Tour de France, before leaving the team in 2000 after his second win.

2015 Tour of California women’s TT granted UCI 1.1 ranking.

As the Amgen Tour of California continues to expand its annual women’s race, it has secured a UCI 1.1 ranking for its women’s time trial, race promoter AEG Sports announced Friday.

The 1.1 ranking is the highest classification for a non-World Cup single-day race on the UCI’s calendar. This makes the California event the highest-ranked UCI women’s race in the U.S., behind the World Cup scheduled for July 6 at the Parx Casino Philly Cycling Classic.

Pro cyclists and their shoes: A never-ending love affair.

While the shoes of runners, footballers, tennis players and a whole host of other sports get pounded in the mud and dirt, the same can’t really be said of cyclists’ footwear. That’s not to say that cycling shoes aren’t important – as a contact point between rider and bike, they serve a vital function. But there’s a new function that pro cyclists’ shoes have grown to serve in the past few years: self expression.

Most of a pro rider’s kit is strictly dictated by the team, but shoes are one area where it seems pretty much anything goes. Riders can use their shoes to exclaim their nationality, celebrate past success, send a message, be individual or just have a bit of fun.

Interview: Marino Lejarreta, the real king of the grand tours.

There’s been a lot of media attention given to Adam Hansen and his remarkable grand tour streak, now at 10.

The Australian has tied a historical mark of starting and finishing 10 consecutive grand tours, an impressive run that is a testament to his durability and tenacity. Two stage victories during that run are his just reward.

Should Hansen start and finish the 2015 Giro d’Italia, he will make cycling history. And who is the man he would beat? Marino Lejarreta, a spindly Basque climber who raced during the 1980s and 1990s.

News shorts: Hondo to coach Swiss Cycling U23 squad, Landa struck by cytomegalovirus.

Ag2r-La Mondiale name Tour Down Under and Tour de San Luis teams, Bardiani riders train in Fiuggi.

Half-Baked: Digital broadcast for bike races.

A quick show of hands: how many North American readers out there are cycling broadcast pirates?

While our European counterparts enjoy regular televized cycling coverage, many American fans scour sites like Steephill.tv or Cyclingfans.com for sketchy, illegal feeds.

But as we all know, the pirate’s life sucks. The illegal feeds fill our computers with ads for porn and blackjack sites. The video quality is grainy and regularly craps out when the action heats up. How many times have you frantically clicked on a Flemish feed because the English one died?

Tyler Wren leaves Jamis-Hagens Berman after 12 seasons.

Jamis-Hagens Berman’s long-time rider Tyler Wren plans to transition from a decade-long career in professional bike racing at the end of his contract in December. Although he is stepping away from the competitive side of the sport, he will remain a staple in the American cycling scene by focusing on building community-driven cycling events through his business, Wrenegade Sports.

Injury prevention: Foot pain.

Every useful watt of power you generate while cycling is transferred to your bike through the bottom of your feet. Foot pain, in particular arch pain, is common, and heel soreness can be caused by ill-fitting footwear or incorrect cleat position; equally, it may be the result of an underlying foot condition such as plantar fasciitis or a biomechanical issue.

This week's best new bike gear.

Friday in the BikeRadar office means one thing: new stuff! This week we've taken delivery of a couple of two-wheeled stunners, more SRAM kit than you can shake a dropper post at, some last minute handy last-minute stocking fillers, Bikes, MTB wheels, pumps, gifts and more.

Renault or Bugatti?

To North Americans, it may seem odd that the most advanced classic bikes – the ones that have inspired our “real-world” bikes – came from France. When I was growing up, Italian bikes ruled. British bikes came second. A tier or two below these dream machines were French bikes.

If you wanted the best, you chose an Italian bike: Cinelli, Masi, Colnago, Bianchi were names that cyclist revered. You bought a Peugeot, Gitane and Motobecane if your budget was limited: You got a bike with a full Reynolds 531 frame for half the price of a Cinelli.

Steve Tilford: F#%€ the UCI.

Promises, Promises: Is Brian Cookson on track?

By the end of Pat McQuaid’s presidency at the UCI, there was a thick malaise hanging over the governance of professional cycling.

Trust was low. The incumbent president had to run on the dubious, perhaps illegal, backing of two countries not his own in order to even stand for a vote.

At 2013 UCI world road championships in Florence, Italy, the UCI Congress could hardly decide if a vote could even take place. It crystalized the dysfunction and favoritism many had long accused the UCI of, notably after the Lance Armstrong scandal.

Enter candidate Brian Cookson.

Cookson called for a vote then and there in Italy, even though he had everything to gain from McQuaid being shot down before a single ballot was cast. Was this — this bold candidate who demanded a vote with everything to lose — the president the sport would get?

One year later, the short answer is: maybe.

Hinault: WorldTour prioritizes money over everything.

Following the confirmation of Astana’s WorldTour registration for 2015 – and, by extension, their place in the Tour de France – Bernard Hinault has called for organizers to be given greater say over which teams are allowed to participate in their races.

Astana has received a license despite a recent glut of positive doping tests and while Brian Cookson has warned that their status is provisional and pending an early-season audit, the reality is that it would be extremely difficult from a legal standpoint to withdraw the team’s WorldTour berth at this juncture.

Europcar riders free to leave after WorldTour exit.

Although there was widespread indignation that Europcar and not Astana failed to secure a renewal of its WorldTour licene, team manager Jean-René Bernaudeau was not among those roused to anger. Speaking to L’Équipe following the UCI’s announcement that the French team will no longer be part of the sport’s elite hierarchy, Bernaudeau admitted he’d been left “very tired” by the application process and confirmed that any of his riders could leave if they were able to.

“Yes, if any of them have got offers, what do you want me to tell them?” said the Europcar boss when asked if the team’s relegation from the WorldTour to likely Pro Continental status had left his riders free to pursue other options that would guarantee them a start in all of the biggest races. However, with the new season just weeks away, it seems unlikely any of Europcar’s stars will depart.

Kittel asks for protection of clean riders.

The revelations in La Gazzetta dello Sport about the Padova investigation and the controversial decision of the UCI to give Astana  a WorldTour license, has provoked many reactions in the peloton. Marcel Kittel made ​​his position clear in a series of tweets.

"I hope that the recent changes to the UCI and the new trust in Brian Cookson pay off after all the bad doping news of the last days," he writes.

"I also hope that they will show strength with a decision that protects clean riders & underlines our call for a credible antidoping fight."

Sutherland ready to work in new Movistar role.

Rory Sutherland is ready to buckle up and go for the ride of his lifetime.

In fact, the adventure has already started as the 32-year-old Australian is settling in with his new team Movistar in what should be a season packed with thrills every minute.

“On this team, we’re thinking on the same lines. I’ve put my personal aspirations aside to do a specific job,” Sutherland said. “The expectation is not to win races. If I come 100th in every race, that’s fine, because [Alejandro] Valverde is on the team to win races. Nairo [Quintana] is here to win stage races. My job is to support Nairo and Valverde, and it’s something I am good at.”

Poll: Tour de France cobbled stage voted moment of the year.

For once, the reality outstripped the hype. In the months leading up to the Tour de France, speculation mounted as to the impact stage 5 across the cobbles might have on the general classification picture but nobody could have anticipated just how pivotal it would prove to be.

Received wisdom said that the stage wasn’t going to tell us who would win the Tour, but it might very well tell us who wouldn’t. In the end, it did both, as Chris Froome’s defense ground to an abrupt halt and Vincenzo Nibali gained what ultimately proved to be a decisive advantage in the race for overall honours.

Julian Kyer Journal: I see you.

"I know what you’re thinking. It’s 10 a.m. on a warm, sunny day. A handful of us are lounging outside the coffee shop. You see us here a lot, $10,000 bikes leaned neatly against each other, their owners laughing and joking.

What a bunch of privileged 20-somethings, who get to spend their days sleeping in, sipping coffee, and playing outside.

That moment you see is our golden hour, the ritual filling of a motivation well. It is what keeps us chasing the scooter for hours on end and stomping up thousands of meters of climbing. It bonds us together, and like your shot of espresso, it is more than just an indulgence; it is the small reward of immense heat, pressure, and the careful handling of simple ingredients."

Bkool Pro Trainer + Simulator.

BikeRadar verdict: 3.5 out of 5 stars. "Not best in class, but decent value for the money; resistance isn't perfectly accurate, but ramps up smoothly."

Heads-up display from Recon Jet.

At the cutting edge of wearable cycling tech is the Recon Jet glasses with their heads up display. If you like gadgets, Top Gun and cycling, this is going to be the product for you.

ANT+ will allow you to connect power meters, cadence sensors and heart rate monitors so that you can view your training data right before you eyes. The Canadian makers claim that it is like watching a 30in plasma screen at 7ft away, just below your right eye.

Rolf Ares 4CX wheels.

"More and more bikes these days are coming equipped with disc brakes. That's not a big deal for new riders who are just starting to build their wheel collections, but for the hard-core 'cross racers who have made the switch to discs, there's no getting around the fact that they have to update their quiver of wheels to accommodate them. And let’s face it, even with the inroads that tubeless systems are making, tubulars still rule the roost when it comes to reliability, ride feel, and the ability to ride to the pit if you do flat. We’ve been testing the Rolf Ares 4CX carbon tubular wheels since September, and we’re impressed."

Riders refute, downplay Ferrari links in wake of doping reports.