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Doug Report Daily Cycling News Archive

Sanne Cant Wins at Scheldecross Antwerp.

Sanne Cant accumulated another win at the 2014 Scheldecross Antwerp to add to this season’s stellar performance, making it her fifth top podium placing in a row.

Cant dominated nearly the entire race, passing the early leader Ellen Van Loy after she became hung up in the course barrier in a tight right-hand turn.

Van der Poel wins solo in Scheldecross.

Mathieu Van der Poel confirmed his prodigious talent yet again at the Scheldecross in Antwerpen on Saturday, winning alone after a controlled performance on the sandy course overlooking the Schlede river.

Van der Poel carved out his lead during the 55 minutes of racing to beat Laurens Sweeck by 40 seconds. Tom Meeusen was third at 53 seconds.

Sven Nys: I'm only human.

Sven Nys will not race in Belgium this weekend, preferring to spend time in Mallorca, licking his wounds and training hard after a slump in his cyclo-cross form and results.

The 38 year-old is considered one of the greats of cyclo-cross but has struggled to compete against the emerging new generation of young and talented cross riders. He was only fourth in the Bpost race in Hasselt last Saturday and then he abandoned the Druivencross race in Overijse. He has since undergone a string of medical checks to check for any physical problems but is struggling to understand why he is no longer the king of Belgian cyclo-cross.

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 ...

The ISSUL Performance Criteria.

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

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.

Jered Gruber: A Week In Provence.

"Over a two-day period in late April I nearly died, nearly killed someone, and saw another perhaps die. I’m not embellishing for the sake of a story here - it was the most messed-up 48 hours I’ve ever had."

(pelotonmagazine.com)

Kenyan Riders maintain Tour de France dream despite death of leader.

"The only time I saw John Njoroge in the flesh he was shuffling towards the start of the Commonwealth Games cycling road race, his Kenya jersey absorbing water like a towel. As the rain pogoed off the Glasgow streets, and an icy northerly scythed through the peloton, I swear I saw him gaze towards the heavens.

Njoroge was the star of the Kenyan Riders, whose dizzying mission statement is to become the first black African team in the Tour de France. His personal story deserved telling too. Until four years ago he had been a courier, riding 30-50km a day on a rickety bike to deliver 50kg of milk to shops. Having been successful in African races, he desperately wanted to show his talent alongside Team Sky’s Geraint Thomas and Peter Kennaugh.

Two months later Njoroge was dead."

Lotto-Soudal reacts to Astana license.

The decision of the International Cycling Union (UCI) to grant Astana a WorldTour license is still being discussed in the cycling world. Lotto-Soudal manager Marc Sergeant is among the ones to have reservations about the UCI decision. "Bigger issues than just the fact must have played a role at the UCI," he tells Sporza.

In recent weeks, Astana has been in the negative spotlight for doping. "Therefore I had expected the UCI to deny them a license on the basis of what has happened," Sergeant says. "Then Astana could have gone to CAS to receive a license."

"It is difficult to judge another team, but there are simply facts. These riders have not tested positive for insignificant products but for EPO. And it is also about young riders. That concerns me the most. There is something wrong with the education and culture of these people. They should do something about it urgently."

French Army team to race at Continental level in 2015.

The Tinkoff-Saxo team hit the headlines when they revealed a new camouflage training kit but they won't be the only team to wear camo next season. The French army team will race in a camouflage kit in 2015 after obtaining a special Continental license from the French Cycling Federation.

According to a report in the Parisien newspaper, the l'Armée de Terre team will step up a level next season and be registered as a “Continental non professional” team. Their riders remain members of the French army but are allowed to ride in professional races alongside the other French professional teams.

Tech Roundup: Rapha, Pinarello, Mavic, Seven, Indigo, 7mesh, Tacx and more.

New Rapha Pro Team Softshell jacket, Pinarello's F8 wins design award, special Mavic 125th Seven bicycle up for auction and lots more.

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

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

Steve Tilford: Doing Planks.

Hinault: I am against the WorldTour.

After Astana were granted a WorldTour license for 2015, one of cycling’s greats, Bernard Hinault, has spoken out against cycling’s top division.

ASO, Tour de France race organizer, can no longer prevent Astana from attending their races, as they did in 2000 when Astana was excluded from the ProTour.

“I’m against the WorldTour, quite simply because it’s money that’s prioritized over everything else and there’s no opportunity for the race organizers to punish cheats,” Hinault said. “If organizers had that possibility, there would be a lot fewer people out there doing stupid things. That’s what they need to change because in my opinion it’s not good at all for cycling.”

Angus Morton makes a successful return to UCI racing.

Taking part in his first UCI race since the 2010 Halle-Ingooigem, Australia’s Angus Morton showed off some impressive form to finish third the in opening stage of Jelajah Malaysia.

Tunisian national champion Rafaâ Chtioui and Moroccan national champion Adil Jelloul, both from Skydive Dubai and fresh from competing in the Tour of Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates, made a one-two on the finishing line.

Morton’s unexpected result under the colors of St-George Merida Cycling Club followed the news that he’d return to international racing with Jelly Belly in the US next year alongside his younger brother Lachlan, who's decided to step down from the WorldTour next year after two seasons with Garmin-Sharp.

Poll: Tour de France picked as stage race of the year.

Vincenzo Nibali's dominant victory at the 2014 Tour de France, including his dramatic ride over the cobbles on stage five, drove the three-week French race to the top of the 2014 Cyclingnews Reader Poll as the best stage race of the year. The Grand Tours ruled the day in the poll, with only the UCI 2.HC Tour of California slipping onto the podium in third place.

Genesis Zero .1.

BikeRadar verdict: 4 out of 5 stars. "Superb frameset, adequately kitted but with mouthwatering upgrade potential."

SoCal First-Year Racer Wins the Grand Prize of the KHS Contest.

Yesterday, Southern California racer Jason Quan won the KHS Contest, landing him a CX300, complete with Shimano R685 hydraulic STI 11-speed levers and RS785 hydraulic disc brakes.

This was his first season racing cyclocross, although he’s wanted to try it for longer. He spent the year racing in the SoCal Series, and can be seen weekend after weekend in the shots by one of our race contributors and famed SoCal cyclocross photographer, Phil Beckman at PBCreative.com.

Steve Tilford: F#%€ the UCI.