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 Ian Stannard took on
three riders from a rival team, cracking them one by one on the road to
Gent before it was Niki
Terpstra’s time to get done over in the sprint.
The locals call triumphing in a race overwinning, a term that ought to be used in English to describe Stannard’s success. February
28, 2015 (inrng.com)
 Ian Stannard
retained his title in Omloop Het Nieuwsblad with an incredible ride
against the might of Etixx-QuickStep.
The British rider beat Niki Terptra in a two-up sprint in a gripping race after taking apart a three-pronged attack from the Belgian team that also included Tom Boonen and Stijn Vandenbergh. February
28,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 In
the tenth edition of Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, Anna van der Breggen
beat out Ellen van Dijk
in a two-up sprint to win the first European race of the season. Lizzie Armitstead
led home the chasers in Ghent to round out the podium.
The race winning move escaped from an elite front group of approximately 30 riders on the Molenberg, the eighth and final climb of the day. The duo extended their advantage over the cobbled sections that followed, holding off the dwindling chase group to the line. February
28,
2015 (cyclingtips.com.au)
 Eduardo Sepulveda confirmed
his huge potential when he took his first professional victory at the
Classic Sud-Ardeche.
The Argentinean made it into a strong group, bridged across to lone attacker Julien Loubet and finally beat the Frenchman in a sprint to open his account in one of the hardest French one-day races. February
28,
2015 (cyclingquotes.com)
 Regardless
of what he achieves on the 200-kilometer loop from Ghent and back on
Saturday afternoon, Omloop Het Nieuwsblad is likely to mark Philippe Gilbert’s
sole appearance in a cobbled classic this year.
For the third successive season, the Belgian focuses his attention on the Ardennes Classics, while Greg Van Avermaet will lead the line for BMC at the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix. It hasn’t always been thus, of course. Gilbert finished on the podium of the Tour of Flanders in successive years before breaking his Ardennes duck at Amstel Gold Race in 2010, and by the time he landed the hat-trick of Ardennes Classics victories during his annus mirabilis of 2011, many wondered whether Gilbert might become the next man – after Messrs. Merckx, De Vlaeminck and Van Looy – to win all five of the Monument Classics. February
28,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
2014-15
Races
& Results.
Omloop Het Nieuwsblad Elite - Feb 28 (Start List), Kuurne-Bruxelles-Kuurne - Mar 1 (Start List), Paris Nice - Mar 8-15 (Stages), Giro d'Italia 2015 - May 9-31 (Stages), Tour de France 2015 - July 4-26 (Stages), Vuelta a España 2015 - Aug 22-Sept 13 (Stages), UCI Road World Championship 2015 - Sept 20-27 (Stages), Volta ao Algarve - Feb 19-23 (Results), UCI Track World Championships - Feb 18-22 (Results), Tour of Oman 2015 - Feb 17-22 (Results), Vuelta a Andalucia - Feb 18-22 (Results), Women's Tour of New Zealand - Feb 18-22 (Results), UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships - Jan 31-Feb 1 (Results). The
cobbled classics start this weekend with Saturday’s Omloop Het
Nieuwsblad, a 200km introduction to Flanders with all the classic
ingredients from bad weather to great fans.
Some races are held to promote tourism but this is so grim the images must put people off visiting Belgium but the rough conditions make the race all the better. Omloop-what? Omloop is Dutch for a loop, a circuit race. February
27,
2015 (inrng.com)
|  Greg Van Avermaet
will face the doping committee of the Belgian cycling federation next
month as part of the investigation of Dr. Chris Mertens,
according to press reports.
Van Avermaet’s team said it was conducting an internal inquiry and that it had yet to unearth any rule violations. In a press release, management wrote: “The team is aware that Van Avermaet was treated by Dr. Mertens, but is unaware of any treatments that would be in violation of any rules. Based on the information available to the team at the present time, no decision has been made to remove Van Avermaet from active status.” Speaking before the start of Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, Van Avermaet — who finished second here last year and is hoping for big things on the cobbles this year — denied wrongdoing. February
28,
2015 (velonews.com)
 Organizers
of the 2015 Vuelta Mexico, which was scheduled to start on Tuesday,
announced late Friday night that the UCI 2.2 race has been cancelled
this year.
"I regret to inform you that despite invested much time and effort, 'Vuelta Mexico 2015,' to be held on 3 to 8 March 2015, has been canceled," organizers said in a statement sent to teams that had planned to attend. "The present financial situation of the country is very serious and administrative problems we face are not proportional to the effort and energy that the Mexican Cycling Federation AC and CONADE have invested so that it could carry out in a timely manner. February
28,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 As Sarah Storey makes
her attempt on the Hour Record today, Australian cyclist Jack Bobridge has
given an insight into the extraordinary physical challenge, describing
it as ‘the closest you can come to death without dying'.
Bobridge missed out on breaking the men’s Hour record in January, falling three laps short of the record which was at that point held by Austria’s Matthias Brändle, but which has since been broken by Bobridge’s countryman, Rohan Dennis. February
28,
2015 (road.cc)
 Sunday's Race starts
at 12:00pm CET (6:00am U.S. Eastern)
Finish at around 4:40pm CET (10:40am U.S. Eastern) Live video from 2:30pm CET (8:30am U.S. Eastern, 5:30am Pacific). February
28,
2015 (cyclingfans.com)
 There's
growing momentum for wider tires being regarded as faster than
conventional narrow tires. TOUR magazine conducted an interesting
comparison test, where they took a selection of 23, 25 and 28mm tires,
and they concluded that the 28mm tire was fastest with the lowest level
of rolling resistance.
The difference between the fastest and slowest tires was as much a 9 watts. Now, that might not sound like much, but after 250km of racing, it could be the pivotal difference. February
28,2015 (road.cc)
Astana
talking with lawyers after UCI request license withdrawal.
February
27,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
| February
28, 2015
 British
rider Sarah Storey
came up short in her bid to beat Leontien
Van Moorsel’s twelve year world hour record, covering a
distance of 45.502 kilometres in Lee Valley VeloPark in London on
Saturday and missing out by fractionally over half a kilometer.
Riding courageously, the multiple British Paralympic gold medallist dug in as deep as possible but taking on the pace set by one of the most successful female riders of all time proved to be too much. February
28,
2015 (cyclingtips.com.au)
 Here’s
a look at Ian Stannard,
who on Saturday won his second consecutive Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, and
why the first British winner of that race is a remarkable rider.
February
28,
2015 (pelotonmagazine.com)
 Former
Tour de France points and mountains classification winner, Laurent Jalabert has
been linked to the banned doctor Michele
Ferrari in an interview with Jacques Mombet.
During an interview with the journalist Pierre Ballester, the former French rugby doctor once went to Dr. Ferrari in search of advice and in discussing his reasons he named Jalabert as one of his clients, according to a transcript published in Le Monde. February
28,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 In
the last cyclocross race of the year, a time trial that Mathieu van der Poel
eventually won, Sven Nys
was caught up in a crash after colliding head on with a crossing
spectator, breaking his Trek in half. Nys and the
spectator, Jean-Pierre
Decoene of 64 years of age, both came away with injuries,
with Nys
retiring to his camper with a headache and Decoene being taken
to the Red Cross.
In other news, the pending investigation against Laurens Sweeck and Tom Meeusen, which almost saw both competitors left out of the 2015 Cyclocross World Championships, resumed with the potential penalty of a two-year suspension from the sport. February
28,
2015 (cxmagazine.com)
 "We
received the following letter from LAPD Officer John (Rusty) Redican
regarding a a ring of high end bicycle thieves that were
arrested a few years back, who may or may not be at it again.
There is some good information in his letter that is worth reading and sharing with your fellow cyclists." February 28,2015 (socalcycling.com)
 Last
year Shimano introduced an E-bike system on the European markets called
STePS, as direct competition to the similar Bosch crank-based motor.
Now a year later Shimano is taking it a step further and integrating the STePS drive motor with its Di2 internally geared hubs to offer a system with full automatic shifting. Shimano has rated the updated E-bike systems for “Light Off Road” use, which generally means trekking on gravel and forest roads but not actual mounting biking. February
28,
2015 (bikerumor.com)
Although Lance Armstrong recently gave the impression that he was fully cooperative with the Cycling Independent Reform Commission, telling the BBC that he gave full details in two meetings with the independent body, it appears that version of events may be misleading. “I have met them twice, they have asked me not to go into details, but everybody knows I have met with them, so that is not a secret,” he told the BBC in a long interview broadcast at the end of January. “I think it’s safe for me to say that whatever questions they asked, I told. A lot of it is out there. So I don’t know if there’s a whole lot out there left, but I was totally honest, and I was totally transparent.” However CyclingTips understands that the impression given is a misleading one. February
27,
2015 (cyclingtips.com.au)
|
 The
cobbled classics start this weekend with Saturday’s Omloop Het
Nieuwsblad, a 200km introduction to Flanders with all the classic
ingredients from bad weather to great fans.
Some races are held to promote tourism but this is so grim the images must put people off visiting Belgium but the rough conditions make the race all the better. Omloop-what? Omloop is Dutch for a loop, a circuit race. The race was created in 1945 and was named the Omloop Het Volk but the Het Volk newspaper was merged into Het Nieuwsblad. Het Nieuwsblad is a newspaper whose name literally translates as The News Sheet. February
27,
2015 (inrng.com)
 Omloop
het Nieuwsblad marks the start of the women’s road season in Europe.
The Australian summer of racing followed by the Tour of Qatar provided a glimpse of what we might expect to see over the cobbles and climbs of Flanders. The race on Saturday is the first of the spring classics, a series of mostly one-day races in Belgium and Holland. These races typically take place on historic courses that have been used for decades. The spring classics are well-known for bad weather and tough road conditions that combine to make some of the most challenging races of the season. February
27,
2015 (cyclingtips.com.au)
 Greg Van Avermaet is
hoping to hit the replay button on the 2014 season, but change those
oh-so-close podium places for outright victories.
Last year was a breakthrough season for the 29-year-old Belgian on many levels. For the first time in his career, BMC gave him outright leadership duties in the northern classics, and he delivered some incredible rides. Second places at Ronde van Vlaanderen (Tour of Flanders) and the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad don’t quite haunt him; instead they are evidence that he’s on the right track, and he’s intent on stepping up even higher on the podium this spring. Saturday’s Omloop will see Van Avermaet return to form in the race where he announced his arrival with aggressive racing, only to be out-dueled by Ian Stannard in the finale. February
27,
2015 (velonews.com)
 AEG,
the organizers of the Tour of California, announced today that retired
racer Jens Voigt
has been brought on as an ambassador for the race, allowing him to
continue his involvement in the sport after having competed in all nine
previous editions of the race.
Voigt will be a member of the race's management team, providing input into the race operations, as well as acting as an on-air analyst for the live coverage of the race on NBC Sports. He will also have a daily segment on the live Tour Tracker and take part in the events prior to the start of the race in Sacramento and in the awards ceremonies after the stages. February
27,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 The
UCI announced Friday that several modifications have been made to the
2015 world road championship courses. The under-23 and junior races
will now face the 23rd Street climb, which will also be a selective
feature in the men’s and women’s elite races.
Additionally, a slight modification has been made to the road race course in downtown Richmond. Racers will now turn left at Main and Belvidere streets to head to Broad Street before returning to Main Street at 2nd Street. The start venue has been changed for the team time trial, from Rocketts Landing in Henrico County, near Richmond’s downtown, to Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden in Henrico County, just north of Richmond. The shift showcases one of Richmond’s iconic landmarks, along with the Richmond National Battlefield Park, already featured in the original course. February
27,
2015 (velonews.com)
 Race
starts Saturday
at 11:35am CET (5:35am U.S. Eastern)
Finish at around 4:38pm CET (10:38am U.S. Eastern) Live video from 1:30pm CET (7:30am U.S. Eastern, 4:30am Pacific). February
27,
2015 (cyclingfans.com)
2014-15
Races
& Results.
Omloop Het Nieuwsblad Elite - Feb 28 (Start List), Kuurne-Bruxelles-Kuurne - Mar 1 (Start List), Paris Nice - Mar 8-15 (Stages), Giro d'Italia 2015 - May 9-31 (Stages), Tour de France 2015 - July 4-26 (Stages), Vuelta a España 2015 - Aug 22-Sept 13 (Stages), UCI Road World Championship 2015 - Sept 20-27 (Stages), Volta ao Algarve - Feb 19-23 (Results), UCI Track World Championships - Feb 18-22 (Results), Tour of Oman 2015 - Feb 17-22 (Results), Vuelta a Andalucia - Feb 18-22 (Results), Women's Tour of New Zealand - Feb 18-22 (Results), UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships - Jan 31-Feb 1 (Results).  Chad Haga plays
piano in the evening, between stages at the Dubai Tour, tinkling away
in the lobby until the staff asks him to stop. The piano is not
actually for playing, they say.
He has a degree in mechanical engineering from Texas A&M. He’s a vocal proponent of the Oxford comma. He’s shy, as so many grammar aficionados are, preferring to train alone with his thoughts or a podcast. Freakonomics and the TED Radio Hour are just the ticket, he says, for a long spin through foothills of the Pyrenees. Haga is not a typical professional bike racer. February
27,
2015 (velonews.com)
 While
most of the cycling world will have its eyes firmly on the cobbles in
Belgium, another group of riders will be preparing themselves for the
upcoming stage races and the Ardennes classics in a pair of French
one-day races.
The Classic Sud-Ardeche and the Drome Classic offer the riders a perfect chance to test themselves on hilly courses that make them very similar to the later one-day races and provide some of the key contenders with a chance to gauge their form ahead of Paris-Nice and Tirreno-Adriatico. February
27,
2015 (cyclingquotes.com)
Rohan
Dennis said watching Dekker’s hour record attempt was nerve racking.
February
26,
2015 (cyclingtips.com.au)
|  The
Astana WorldTour team are now in talks with their lawyers after the UCI
issued a statement today recommending that their license be revoked.
The UCI’s recommendation still needs to be applied by the License Commission - who awarded Astana their license in December - but if they agree with the report then it could see the team excluded from the WorldTour in the next two weeks. “We are fully mindful of this and were informed of the decision late yesterday. We have been consulting with our lawyers and we will issue a full statement later this afternoon,” the team said when contacted by Cyclingnews. The team added that they will work with the relevant authorities in the coming days. February
27,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 The
Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) announced Friday that, “after
careful review of an extensive report produced by the Institute of
Sport Sciences of the University of Lausanne (ISSUL) on the Astana Pro
Team,” the international federation strongly believes that the audit
“contains compelling grounds” to refer the matter to the License
Commission and request that Astana’s Pro Team license, which is
required to be considered a WorldTour team, be withdrawn.
The audit of Astana’s anti-doping culture, policies, structures, and management systems was one of the conditions attached to the controversial registration of the team in the 2015 UCI WorldTour, announced in December. The ISSUL audit sought to determine whether, and to what extent, Astana team management was responsible in doping cases concerning its riders Maxim and Valentin Iglinskiy (EPO) and Ilya Davidenok (anabolic steroids), the latter a trainee with Astana since August 1, 2014. February
27,
2015 (velonews.com)
 The
weather in Stockholm is terrible for a bike ride.
Wet, heavy snow is melting on the ground and the air is cold and humid. But that is of no concern to Fredrik Kessiakoff. He lives in Monaco, but he’s here for job meetings, and to visit his parents. He doesn’t own a road bike and hasn’t touched one since last October, when he quit. When he was at his peak, the 34-year-old Swede could compete with the very best. Kessiakoff won a time trial in the Vuelta ahead of Alberto Contador and Chris Froome, dueled with Thomas Voeckler over the polka dot jersey in the Tour de France, and beat Fabian Cancellara in a Tour de Suisse time trial. That was in 2012. The two years since have been all struggle and no results. It is not until now, when he is no longer under contract with the Astana team, that he reveals exactly how hard it has been. February
27,
2015 (velonews.com)
 The
team’s sponsor, a group of Kazakhstan businesses that took the name
Astana after their nation’s capital, joined in at the behest of home
cyclist Alexandre
Vinokourov and Dr
Daniel Akmetov the former president of the Kazakh Cycling
Federation.
Vinokourov convinced Astana to take over sponsorship of his Spanish Liberty Seguros team after they were implicated in Operación Puerto doping investigation mid-way through 2006. February
27,
2015 (cyclingweekly.co.uk)
 "I
get asked a lot of questions as a professional cyclist. One of the most
common is why do I ride?
Today — more than 10 years after I first jumped on a bike to ride around the roads of Canberra with my Dad and after having raced professionally in Europe for six years — the answer I give is definitely different from when I was 12, 18 or even 22. Yes, I ride my bike because I love to win bike races, but in a sport where you’re lucky to win more than five races a year (I won three in 2014) there has to be more that keeps you driven and loving riding your bike." February
27,
2015 (cyclingtips.com.au)
 Like
most females, my relationship with my body has not always been
positive.
Growing up, I was never a waif, but more of a “sturdy” girl, even a bit chubby. In high school, I grew into my body and more importantly, a bit more comfortable in my own skin. I was still on the heavy side, but I had found field hockey, and ran track. I was a good athlete, fast on the field, and a reliable assist or scorer on the front line. I rode my bike everywhere. Life was good. I got vigilant about what I ate - or more accurately didn’t eat. My weight dipped close to 100 pounds. My hair started falling out. My teeth were corroding Then I almost died. February
27,
2015 (bicycling.com)
 "One
of my favorite rides in recent memory, and possibly ever – was a loop
from Bellagio, up the Madonna del Ghisallo, then the Colma di Sormano,
and back along the shores of lake Como to my base at Il Perlo Panorama.
Like most Top Rides, a few factors converged between the roughly three hours it took us to ride the 52.1km loop, gain almost 1900 meters of elevation, and lose around 800m of it in one scenic but nailbiting descent to the lake: • a new route – discovering new terrain is always a good way to spend time on the bike • gorgeous terrain with the right amount of challenge • a good crew – riding with people I’ve never met means the chance to make some new friends." February
27,
2015 (pezcyclingnews.com)
Sunday's Race starts
at 12:00pm CET (6:00am U.S. Eastern)
Finish at around 4:40pm CET (10:40am U.S. Eastern) Live video from 2:30pm CET (8:30am U.S. Eastern, 5:30am Pacific). February
27,
2015 (cyclingfans.com)
 Stuff
from SRAM, Birzman, Osprey, Castelli, CrankTip, Kitsbow and more.
February
27,
2015 (bikeradar.com)
|  Although
Lance Armstrong
recently gave the impression that he was fully cooperative with the
Cycling Independent Reform Commission, telling the BBC that he gave
full details in two meetings with the independent body, it appears that
version of events may be misleading.
“I have met them twice, they have asked me not to go into details, but everybody knows I have met with them, so that is not a secret,” he told the BBC in a long interview broadcast at the end of January. “I think it’s safe for me to say that whatever questions they asked, I told. A lot of it is out there. So I don’t know if there’s a whole lot out there left, but I was totally honest, and I was totally transparent.” However CyclingTips understands that the impression given is a misleading one. According to multiple sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity, Armstrong’s lawyers imposed strict controls on the questions that CIRC was able to put to the Texan. February
27,
2015 (cyclingtips.com.au)
February 27,
2015
 Het Nieuwsblad
reports that Belgian cyclocross star Tom Meeusen is
suspected of taking injections of Vaminolact, an infant medication.
According to reports, doping investigators found the infusion materiel in his camper. Like fellow countryman Laurens Sweeck, Meeusen would face a two-year ban if the allegations are confirmed. Although Vaminolact is not a banned substance, injections are. On Thursday, Meeusen’s lawyer, Stijn Debaene, denied that his client had taken infusions. Meeusen is also linked to Dr. Chris Mertens, who is being investigated in Belgium for allegedly providing ozone therapy to top athletes. February
27,
2015 (velonews.com)
 Alessandro Ballan
has had his two-year ban, for the use of ozone therapy, reduced by five
months by the Court of Arbitration for sport, according to the Italian
website Tutobiciweb.
The decision allows Ballan to return to racing by August 17 this year, should he find a team. While he refused to discuss the ruling, he said that he had been in talks with teams as he looks to make his comeback. “I do not yet know parts of the judgment, also because my lawyer Fabio Pavone is involved in hearing,” Ballan told the website. “I will reserve the right to comment at a later time on the CAS decision. I can confirm, instead, that I have the will to return, although in August it will not be easy. I'm still in touch with some teams and I never stopped training because I have always believed in a return." February
27,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 New
organizers of the Philadelphia International Cycling Classic, G4
Productions, are putting the final touches on the newly upgraded
women's World Cup and the men’s UCI 1.2 events that will be held on
June 7 in Pennsylvania.
Robin Morton, the event’s technical director and a founder of G4 Productions, noted that some of the changes to the this year’s races included lengthening the women’s race and shortening the men’s race. The races will follow the same course design as it has during the previous two years with the start-finish line at the top of the circuit’s main climb on the Manayunk Wall, and follow a 19.2km circuit that includes climbs over Lemon Hill, Strawberry Mansion and flat sections along Kelly Drive. February
27,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 Yvonne McGregor is
in an expansive mood. She’s off on a yoga retreat, she has just run her
first 5km in forever without her lungs collapsing and her sports
therapy business keeps her flat out.
But we have finally found the time to talk about one of the defining achievements of her glorious, if brief, career: the Hour record. This Saturday, Sarah Storey, Britain’s most successful female Paralympian, will make her own attempt on that fabled record, using it as part of her preparation for the Paracycling track worlds at the end of March. Storey is competing in the race as she was invited by the organizers. Why did McGregor do it? “It was after I won the Commonwealth Games points race in 1994,” she says. “It was one of my first defining moments as a cyclist and at the end of that season I really looked at myself as world class.” She laughs and adds in her rich Yorkshire burr: “I was a little kid from Bradford, how did that happen?!” February
27,
2015 (theguardian.com)
 The
hilly GP Lugano is like a typical Italian one-day race and should see a
big fight between the strongest climbers and the fast finishers who can
survive the many climbs on the course.
Switzerland has a rich cycling history and the country has always hosted some of the biggest races on the calendar. The Tour de Suisse and the Tour de Romandie are among the best stage race and for several years, the Meisterschaft von Zürich was part of the World Cup. However, the latter race has now disappeared from the calendar, meaning that there are very few major one-day races left in the Alpine country. February
27,
2015 (cyclingquotes.com)
 Sound
Probionics is a new brand founded by two endurance multi-sport
athletes, whose first product is a probiotic designed to help endurance
athletes stay healthy during heavy training and competition.
The product contains eight probiotic strains designed to target the needs of those who train and/or race regularly. It also includes Beta-Glucan, a "prebiotic," said to work as a catalyst with the other strains to increase their effectiveness. February
27,
2015 (bicycleretailer.com)
 "The
Fix It Sticks Replaceable Edition has become a team favorite.
Because we are often on the road with new bikes that were quickly fitted, having the ability to make small adjustments on the fly makes life that much easier. But more than that, at least one editor has added the Replaceable Edition to their personal saddle bag (usually preloaded with the 3, 4, 5MM Hex plus the Torx-25). Having that extra bit of torque can really make the difference between ending a ride early and making sure you get to go the distance." February
27,
2015 (aerogeeks.com)
|
 Coverage
of pro cycling in the U.S. is a patchwork of different networks that
hold broadcast rights for a variety of events.
Here’s an overview of what television stations will broadcast which major races in 2015. Dates indicate the day(s) the event will be aired on that network, not necessarily the date the race is held. February
26,
2015 (velonews.com)
 World
hour record holder Rohan
Dennis has admitted that he found watching Thomas Dekker’s
attempt to set a new mark on Wednesday as being ‘nerve-racking,’ with
some tense moments being followed by eventual relief that he still held
top slot.
The Australian rider set a mark of 52.491 kilometers in Switzerland on February 8. Decker went to altitude to gain an edge and went close to breaking that record, finishing just 251 metres behind. Dennis said that he viewed the bid while in an airport and was on the edge of his seat at times. February
26,
2015 (cyclingtips.com.au)
 Frenchman
Nacer Bouhanni
is building his Cofidis team around him ahead of his upcoming goals,
including Sunday’s Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne, next month’s Milano-Sanremo,
and the Tour de France in July.
Over the last month, cycling’s emerging sprinter has raced in Spain, Qatar, and Oman, and worked with the same group of six or seven men that will lead him out in 2015’s big races. He has not won yet — scoring a handful of top-5 results — but he has created a team spirit he hopes will carry him through the year. “Nacer has the legs to win, but we are here to set up something as a team,” Bouhanni’s Canadian teammate Dominique Rollin said in Oman last week. “He’s willing to not go by himself in the final 2 kilometers of the sprint and to lose some races by trusting us, by making sure that we come along together first. If it works, it works. If it doesn’t, it doesn’t.” February
26,
2015 (velonews.com)
 It’s
a mark that has remained static for over a decade, but Sarah Storey’s
decision to post a new chapter in women’s hour record history will
secure herself a place alongside some of the world’s top female names
if she succeeds in London on Saturday.
The 37 year old rider is taking on the athletic efforts of some of the greatest names in women’s cycling, with former women’s Tour de France winners among those in the prestigious list. February
26,
2015 (cyclingtips.com.au)
2014-15
Races
& Results.
Omloop Het Nieuwsblad Elite - Feb 28 (Start List), Kuurne-Bruxelles-Kuurne - Mar 1 (Start List), Paris Nice - Mar 8-15 (Stages), Giro d'Italia 2015 - May 9-31 (Stages), Tour de France 2015 - July 4-26 (Stages), Vuelta a España 2015 - Aug 22-Sept 13 (Stages), UCI Road World Championship 2015 - Sept 20-27 (Stages), Volta ao Algarve - Feb 19-23 (Results), UCI Track World Championships - Feb 18-22 (Results), Tour of Oman 2015 - Feb 17-22 (Results), Vuelta a Andalucia - Feb 18-22 (Results), Women's Tour of New Zealand - Feb 18-22 (Results), UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships - Jan 31-Feb 1 (Results).  At
17, Adrien Costa
is the American junior time trial champion and silver medallist in the
same discipline at the World Championships last year.
Unlike most people his age, he’s firmly focused on chasing his dream job of becoming a professional cyclist and hoping it will become a reality in the next few years. His upward trajectory thus far indicates that he might be following in the footsteps of previous US junior time trial medallists such as Lawson Craddock and Ian Boswell. USA cycling has enjoyed a rich crop of talent coming through in recent years through Taylor Phinney, Tejay van Garderen and Andrew Talansky to name but a few. February
26,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 Away
from the races, the quiet roads of Flanders don't look like much, but
it is here that some of the biggest races are won or lost, the
reputations of heroes are cemented, and myths and legends are made.
Full of history, these are the sites of the most intense, excitement-filled metres in the entire cycling season. February
26,
2015 (cyclingweekly.co.uk)
 Bontrager
has revamped its carbon wheel lineup, offering wider rims, select
disc-brake versions, and tubeless options across the range.
Bontrager claims it keeps the same “D3” shape with the new wheels, while increasing the inner tire bead width by 2mm. We spotted a prototype version of the Aeolus 5 tubulars on Jens Voigt’s one-off Madone at the USA Pro Challenge last summer. Bontrager has been making disc-brake wheels for its elite cyclocross athletes for some time, but will now offer disc-brake versions of the 30mm-deep Aeolus 3 and 50mm-deep Aeolus 5. Like all of the offerings in the lineup, the disc models will be available in tubular or clincher/tubeless models. February
26,
2015 (velonews.com)
|  The
highway was wide, straight, and predictable. It was early in stage 3 of
the Tour Down Under, before the break had formed, and attacks were
still launching off the front.
The gas was on, 180 heads bowed down to stems, as Lawson Craddock tried to move up the side of the peloton. He has one distinct memory of the crash that followed: upside down, hanging in the air, thinking, “This isn’t going to end well.” February
26,
2015 (velonews.com)
 Tyler Farrar is
hoping to deliver big results this spring for his new employer,
MTN-Qhubeka.
The veteran American has been knocking on the door the past few seasons, with second places last year at Dwars door Vlaanderen and GP Scheldeprijs, a race he won in 2010. “The classics are the first big goal of the season,” Farrar told VeloNews. “I’ve always loved the classics, and I’ve been close to a big win, so I’d love for it to happen this season.” Farrar, 30, is certainly no stranger to the roads that splay across the undulating landscape of northern Belgium. Since turning pro with Cofidis a decade ago, Farrar has been living and training in Gent, a bustling college town set near the roads featured in the Belgian classics. February
26,
2015 (velonews.com)
 American
Molly Shaffer Van
Houweling took to the track in Aguascalientes, Mexico,
just hours after Thomas
Dekker’s unsuccessful run at the men’s hour record, and
set a new best mark for U.S. and pan-American women, riding 45.637km on
Wednesday.
"When I learned that Thomas Dekker would be making a UCI hour record attempt in Aguascalientes, I figured it might be a chance for me to set a world masters record for 40-44 women. My December U.S. elite record (44.173km) was well beyond the world masters mark (40.711km), but it wasn’t official because it was officiated by USA Cycling, not the UCI." February
26, 2015 (velonews.com)
 Thomas Dekker has
described his attempt at the Hour Record in Aguascalientes as the worst
time of his life. Dekker
missed Rohan Dennis)
benchmark by just over a lap, setting a distance of 52.221 compared to Dennis’ 52.491.
While he admitted that losing out by such a small margin was disappointing, the Dutchman was pleased with his effort. “It was the worst hour of my life." Dekker told Dutch television NOS after completing his attempt. "I got to a very high level and for three months I have given everything, then the sourness that you did not make it… I've proven myself that an hour can be very hard cycling. I think I can be proud of this achievement.” February
26,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 If
you’re a spin fanatic and haven’t heard of Peloton, you might be
missing out.
Peloton is a home-based spin class, complete with a state-of-the-art spin bike. For $1,999, you can purchase a completely adjustable spin bike with a screen that allows you to stream spin classes on-demand and display your metrics for an additional $39 a month. Peloton has now launched a partnership with the Cannondale-Garmin pro cycling team to bring classes created and led by the riders to the Peloton platform. Alex Howes and Tom Danielson pioneered this program; both taught sold-out live training sessions in New York City in 2014. Since then, more than 2,000 people have accessed their classes from around the world via Peloton’s streaming program. February
26,
2015 (bicycling.com)
Sunday's Race starts
at 12:00pm CET (6:00am U.S. Eastern)
Finish at around 4:40pm CET (10:40am U.S. Eastern) Live video from 2:30pm CET (8:30am U.S. Eastern, 5:30am Pacific). February
26,
2015 (cyclingfans.com)
 You
see all kinds of mad things here, and in 15 years out in Asia I can
honestly say that I have never been bored on a bike ride.
The landscape is fascinating, you have the jungle and the mountains, crazy drivers, and of course you see some weird stuff on a daily basis. Today’s ride (in shorts and jersey with not even so much as an undershirt) took me up the hills near Taichung into the Taiping area, with about 800m elevation gain in a 45km ride. It took me past my favorite temple out here, ‘The Temple of the Incestuous Dragons’ (as I call it), on past the local Bat Cave (no joke) and on up through the lovely, quiet hills. February
26,
2015 (crankpunk.com)
| February
26, 2015
 If
you pick up the sports section of mainstream American newspapers at
this time of year, perhaps The New York Times, there’ll likely be
several pages devoted to major league baseball - even though the season
doesn’t start until April.
Right now, it’s all about spring training. And the coverage will increase through the 162-game regular season, culminating in the World Series next fall. In a broad sense, professional cycling has many commonalities with baseball—the athletes report to warm-weather training camps in the winter, they each have long demanding seasons, and the final major events take place in late-October. February
26,
2015 (pelotonmagazine.com)
 All
roads lead to Belgium.
No other country embraces cycling in the same way, the fervor is extensive and comprehensive. There are billboard ads in the streets and at bus stops to promote races – including that one for the E3. The local press are full of reports for this weekend’s double of the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne and last night’s TV had reports on the route recon by teams. Gossip magazines put cyclists on the front page. There was even a live stream for the great Claude Criquelion’s funeral yesterday. The pedal revolution is televized. February
26,
2015 (inrng.com)
 Figuring
out precisely when and where the cycling season truly begins is a
subjective matter in the modern era, but when the peloton lines up in
Ghent's Sint-Pietersplein for the start of Omloop Het Nieuwsblad on the
last Saturday in February, one can't help but guess that this must be
the place.
Those who labored in sunnier climes over the past six weeks will understandably disagree – Alejandro Valverde compared one afternoon of echelons at the Tour of Qatar to five ascents of the Tourmalet, for instance – but there is a sense that everything up to now was mere pre-season fare. The serious business begins with Belgium's opening weekend of Het Nieuwsblad and Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne. February
26,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 Tour
of Oman winner Rafael
Valls admits that he nearly called an end to his
career after illness and injury plagued his career.
Valls beat Tejay van Garderen by nine seconds after taking victory on the Queen stage, his first in five years. “It has been five years that I've badly suffered with crashes and injuries and could never prove my worth. Finally this year I could make a longer winter than normal and the team has also given me more peace,” Valls told the Marca sports daily. February
26,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 Brent Bookwalter
turned pro in 2006 with a much smaller BMC set-up than the present
incarnation, he has a list of National titles, but more importantly the
30 year-old is a solid and trusted team rider.
After two years with Garmin, Peter Stetina joined BMC in 2014 and, like Bookwalter, has become a solid rider to back up any of his leaders. We sat down to get their thoughts on many subjects: Team leaders, cobbles, the Tour de France, Cadel Evans and life in the BMC team. February
26,
2015 (pezcyclingnews.com)
 Michael Woods'
fifth-place finish on the Queen Stage of the Volta ao Algarve last
week, behind stage winner Richie
Porte World Champion Michal
Kwiatkowski, Jon
Izzagire and Geraint
Thomas, signalled his quick ascent through cycling's ranks.
Woods, 28, only started racing his bike at an elite level three years ago. But while his rise to a world-class level has been quick, his journey to get there has been long and filled with heartbreak. The Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies rider started his athletic career as a middle-distance runner in his hometown of Ottawa, Canada, where he established himself as one of the best up-and-coming milers in the world. But a recurring stress fracture in his left foot brought his dreams crashing down. February
26,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
Race
starts Saturday
at 11:35am CET (5:35am U.S. Eastern)
Finish at around 4:38pm CET (10:38am U.S. Eastern) Live video from 1:30pm CET (7:30am U.S. Eastern, 4:30am Pacific). February
26,
2015 (cyclingfans.com)
|
 Dutchman
Thomas Dekker
misses out on the record by just 270m after completing 209 full laps of
the Aguascalientes velodrome in Mexico
Dekker who is without a professional team in 2015, began strongly, lapping in the mid 17s, and seemed to pick up his speed around the 35-minute mark. But Dekker could not maintain the pace or his line around the track as the clock ticked past 45 minutes. Not known for his expertise on the track, Dekker struggled to ride close to the track’s black line – something that Australian Rohan Dennis excelled at in his successful attempt earlier in February. February
25,
2015 (cyclingweekly.co.uk)
 This
year is the year of the Hour Record. By the end of 2015 there will be a
new name next to the longest distance ridden by a cyclist in 60 minutes
on a track.
Interest in the Hour Record has rocketed since the UCI revised its rules to allow the use of modern track pursuit bikes, rather than the confusing old-fashioned machines previously specified. Jens Voigt was the first to set a new mark under the revised rules on September 18 2014 in Switzerland. Media and fan interest in the event was huge, revitalising the feat that had lain dormant for a decade. February
25,
2015 (cyclingweekly.co.uk)
 On
February 8, Australian Rohan
Dennis set a new and existing world hour record of
52.491km at the Velodrome Suisse in Grenchen, Switzerland.
In the high altitude of Aguascalientes in Mexico on Wednesday night (local), Dutchman Thomas Dekker will attempt to break Dennis' mark. Whatever happens, Dennis will forever be known as a world hour record holder, but as he told Rupert Guinness while Dekker prepared for his attempt, the BMC rider has not ruled out another attempt later in his career. February
25,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 Former
Astana rider Evan Huffman
scored his first win of 2015 for Team SmartStop Tuesday at the Vuelta
Independencia Nacional Republica in the Dominican Republic.
Huffman soloed to the stage 3 finish 29 seconds ahead of the field sprint led by Team Ecuador's Byron Guama and EPM-UNE's Jaime Castaneda. SmartStop's Travis McCabe was fourth. February
25,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 In
her first update since being dethroned at the cyclocross World
Championships, Marianne
Vos expresses uncertainty about when she’ll jump back into
competition.
The Dutchwoman has been nursing a hamstring injury since December, which resulted in some sub-par performances (compared to her usual dominating-self) and an earlier end to her cyclocross season. In a blog post on the RabLiv website, Vos revealed that she has taken some time off the bike and, with a new mountain and road season looming, is first and foremost focused on recovery. “Full recovery from this injury takes a while, so I have to be patient,” she writes, and expresses uncertainty about when she might start her season. February
25,
2015 (cyclingtips.com.au)
 Belgium's
Johan Vansummeren
made the switch from the American team Garmin-Sharp, where he spent six
seasons, to the French team Ag2r-La Mondiale with no regrets.
The former Paris-Roubaix winner said there were few differences between the two teams, and that he has a similar program that focuses once again on strong performances in the Spring Classics. "I changed teams this year and had a few good training camps, I'm happy, I'm a happy man," Vansummeren told Cycingnews. February
25,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 Cyclists
have always placed their feet on top of the pedals, above the axles,
which accentuates the length of the cranks at the top of the pedal
stroke rather than the bottom.
Since the leverage of a crank arm depends upon its length, there has always been a possibility that the efficiency of pedalling could be improved by re-positioning the pedal. Lowering the pedal axis is not a new idea. The first dropped pedal, the Ramsey Swinging Pedal, was invented in 1898 and the North American company promised an immediate improvement in efficiency or a full refund. There have been other dropped pedal designs since then—Sansax, Hi-E, CycleBinding, Power Pedals, and most recent, Side Mount pedals—yet none of these designs have ever been widely adopted. February
25,
2015 (cyclingtips.com.au)
2014-15
Races
& Results.
Omloop Het Nieuwsblad Elite - Feb 28 (Start List), Kuurne-Bruxelles-Kuurne - Mar 1 (Start List), Paris Nice - Mar 8-15 (Stages), Giro d'Italia 2015 - May 9-31 (Stages), Tour de France 2015 - July 4-26 (Stages), Vuelta a España 2015 - Aug 22-Sept 13 (Stages), UCI Road World Championship 2015 - Sept 20-27 (Stages), Volta ao Algarve - Feb 19-23 (Results), UCI Track World Championships - Feb 18-22 (Results), Tour of Oman 2015 - Feb 17-22 (Results), Vuelta a Andalucia - Feb 18-22 (Results), Women's Tour of New Zealand - Feb 18-22 (Results), UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships - Jan 31-Feb 1 (Results).  "The
RAHT RACER™ is a power biking vehicle that uses state of the art
pedal-electric hybrid technology to amplify pedal power, enabling the
rider’s legs to propel the vehicle up to highway speeds.
Safer than a motorcycle, or bicycle on a busy street, the Raht has an integrated roll cage, reinforced carbon fiber body and automotive safety features like headlights, tail lights, seat belts & air bag. What you see here is our first prototype. Its top speed is roughly 70 mph. Our goal is to begin development of our actual production model this year. It will have a top speed of about 100 mph." February
25,
2015 (kickstarter.com)
 BikeRadar
verdict: 4 out
of 5 stars. "For Speedplay fanatics – and probably
sceptics too – the Pave edition of the Zero does not disappoint."
February
25,
2015 (bikeradar.com)
No
UCI announcement on Independent Commission doping report before mid
March.
February
24,
2015 (cyclingtips.com.au)
Possible
Paris-Nice return for Schleck following Ruta del Sol crash.
February
24,
2015 (velonews.com)
Geist's
bronze medal at Worlds caps eight-year recovery from near-fatal
accident.
February
24,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
|  Het Nieusblad
reports that Laurens
Sweeck, the reigning Belgian under-23 national cyclocross
champion, may be suspended for two years following revelations that he
purchased five doses of Vaminolact, a medicine for infants that
contains amino acids.
The controversy surrounding Sweeck, who finished second at U-23 worlds in Tabor in February, is rooted in how the medicine is administered. Although Vaminolact is not a prohibited substance, Sweeck would run afoul of Belgian anti-doping rules if he had injected the medicine. He claims he only took it orally. Sweeck has also been linked to Dr. Chris Mertens, who is currently under investigation in Belgium for allegedly administering ozone therapy to top athletes. February
25,
2015 (velonews.com)
 Etixx-Quickstep
have signed Fernando
Gaviria for 2016 and some have asked if this means trouble
for Mark Cavendish.
No, in fact it’s potentially a good move for the team and even helpful for Mark Cavendish. Several teams have multiple sprinting options while some stay out of this crowded contest. Gaviria certainly looks exciting. But let’s not forget he was heading for peak form to impress at the Tour de San Luis and then the track world championships so beating Mark Cavendish and Sacha Modolo was great for him but it’d be another thing to do it in the European summer when the stars sprinters are shining. February
25,
2015 (janheine.wordpress.com)
 Racing
returns to Belgium this weekend, and here's what you need to know about
the first semi-classics of the year.
This weekend marks the return of road racing to Northern Europe, with the traditional season openers Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and Kuurne Brussels Kuurne getting the show started. The weather is usually grim, the riders all get muddy and the fans will likely be frozen to the core – but that’s what these early spring races are all about. If you’re not familiar with this weekend’s Belgian semi-classics, then here are a few things you should know about the two races. February
25,
2015 (cyclingweekly.co.uk)
 Amaury
Sport Organisation (ASO), the organizer of Paris-Roubaix, announced the
final line-up of teams for the 2015 race.
Twenty-five cycling teams have been selected to take part to the 113th edition of Paris-Roubaix which will take place on April 12. The 253-kilometer race will offer 52.7km of cobblestones, including the three sectors slated for this year’s Tour de France. February
25,
2015 (velonews.com)
 "It
was a classic style training day in Belgium.
Wait what? I mean Girona. (You’ll forgive my confusion when I explain) We’ve all had those days. The ones where you look down at your Garmin and think: “Oh dear God. I’m not even one hour in to this ride…and I still have a very, very long way to go before I’m sipping on coffee back home.” Yup, this past weekend produced one of those days – two times over but for completely different reasons." February
25,
2015 (cyclingtips.com.au)
 Eddy Merckx wants to
see the Tour of Oman renewed through 2021, which could be harder after
a rider protest during the race on Saturday.
“I don’t know what decision the city will take,” Merckx told VeloNews. “Will the race continue? I don’t know. We have to wait and see what happens. The protest could cause problems. They are very angry with a few riders and some teams may not be invited back.” High winds and temperatures caused headaches on Saturday for Merckx, who co-owns and organizes the Tour of Oman along with the Tour of Qatar. February
25,
2015 (velonews.com)
 Alberto Contador
will win both the Giro d’Italia and the Tour de France, and his rivals
including Chris Froome
“are afraid”, according to Tinkoff-Saxo team owner Oleg Tinkov.
“I’m convinced he’s going to win unless something bad happens like in 2014 with a crash or a tactical mistake,” Tinkov explained. “Everyone knows he can win, that’s why they are afraid of him and that’s why they don’t want to go to the Giro.” February
25,
2015 (cyclingweekly.co.uk)
 New
Ridley X-Night SL Disc cyclocross bikes, Rapide disc gravel bike
prototype, new Madison saddles and Thule bags and racks, and much more.
February
25,
2015 (road.cc)
 BikeRadar
verdict: 4 out of 5
stars. "A sporty endurance bike that offers a high-value build on a
quality frame.
The size choices won’t suit all, but if it fits you this is a super solid choice." February
25,
2015 (bikeradar.com)
 Cycling
is simply a case of speeding from point A to point B and the fastest
guy wins, right?
But how on earth can Marcel Kittel win five Tour de France stages but be 167th overall? What a nonsense sport. Cycling is a sport that few understand and we, as riders, have had enough. We take a quick rattle through 10 of the worst things about being bike riders. February
25,
2015 (stickybottle.com)
| February
25, 2015
 The
Synergy Baku Cycling Project announced that it has suspended Alexandr Pliuschin.
The Moldovan rider returned a non-negative test for Salbutamol at the
Sharjah Tour in Dubai while riding for the Skydive Dubai Cycling Team
in November 2014.
Pliuschin has been suspended from the team in accordance with the team’s policies and strong approach to anti-doping at any level. He will remain suspended until the case is resolved. “The team makes no exception for any rider with an adverse finding. It is our policy and we cannot deviate from it,” said team manager David McQuaid. February
25,
2015 (cyclingquotes.com)
 As
cycling braces itself for the findings of the Cycling Independent
Reform Commission (CIRC), UCI president Brian Cookson has
stressed his belief that the notion of collective responsibility is
central to the future of the fight against doping in the sport.
He envisages a model which involves all stakeholders in the anti-doping effort, with everyone held accountable and clear about where they stand. February
25,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 "Remember
IDRD-Bogota Humana-San Mateo-Solgar? They were the virtually unknown
women’s team who provoked instant social media fauxrage last year with
their supposedly “nude” strip.
The response was a curious blend of isms - driven on the one hand by a pruriently sexist attitude to objectifying and demeaning women’s bodies, on the other by the feminist idea that women’s bodies should not be exploited in this way. The opprobrium went right to the top, with Brian Cookson, president of the UCI, tweeting that the kit was “unacceptable”. So what to make of the publicity for this year’s E3 Harelbeke with its tagline, “Who squeezes them in Harelbeke?” They have previous for this kind of thing, featuring women’s naked, objectified bodies in 2011 and 2014. This year’s campaign plays on the infamous moment when Peter Sagan decided to grope podium girl Maja Leye’s bottom as she planted the obligatory winner’s kiss on Fabian Cancellara’s cheek at the Tour of Flanders in 2013. He later presented her with flowers, because flowers make everything alright after a sexual assault, don’t they?" February
25,
2015 (thegaurdian.com)
 The
first races of 2015 have already whetted appetites and provided an
amuse-bouche of the season in store.
The real feast, though, is being prepared for Paris-Nice and will be served by some of the biggest names in cycling: Porte, Wiggins, Kwiatkowski, Van Garderen, Péraud, Bardet, Talansky, Majka, Barguil and Aru will all be on the start-line in Maurepas, and all vying to succeed the winner of the 2014 Race to the Sun, Carlos Betancur. While the route unveiled by Christian Prudhomme in February gave at least a vague outline of what kind of racing to expect over eight days and 1,137 kilometers between the Parisian suburbs and the Côte d’Azur, sifting the pretenders from the contenders promises to be a much trickier undertaking. February
25,
2015 (pelotonmagazine.com)
 Kevin Pauwels has
ended the 2014-2015 cyclo-cross season as the top-ranked rider in the
UCI individual standings.
The Belgian leapfrogged over compatriot Wout Van Aert thanks to the UCI's complicated 12-month rolling points tally. Pauwels ended the season with 1905 points to Van Aert's 1840. Lars van der Haar was third, with 1640 points, while world champion Mathieu van der Poel was fourth. February
25,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 Ruud Cremers
sustained a head injury Monday after crashing hard during the Vuelta
Independencia Nacional in the Dominican Republic.
According to a team release, Cremers went down during stage 2 of the eight-day race. The 23-year-old abandoned and was taken to the hospital, and is now in stable condition. February
25,
2015 (velonews.com)
Race
starts Saturday
at 11:35am CET (5:35am U.S. Eastern)
Finish at around 4:38pm CET (10:38am U.S. Eastern) Live video from 1:30pm CET (7:30am U.S. Eastern, 4:30am Pacific). February
25,
2015 (cyclingfans.com)
Sunday's Race starts
at 12:00pm CET (6:00am U.S. Eastern)
Finish at around 4:40pm CET (10:40am U.S. Eastern) Live video from 2:30pm CET (8:30am U.S. Eastern, 5:30am Pacific). February
25,
2015 (cyclingfans.com)
February
24, 2015
|
 Although
the Cycling Independent Reform Commission (CIRC)’s inquiry into the Lance Armstrong/US
Postal Service affair, the UCI’s conduct around that time and doping in
general is scheduled to be completed by the end of this month, the UCI
has confirmed that the final outcome of that will not be disclosed for
some time yet.
The governing body indicated to CyclingTips Tuesday that it would make an announcement on the matter in the middle of March, meaning that there will be a further two to three week wait from this point in time. Speaking last week to the Guardian and Press Association, UCI president Brian Cookson warned that the report could make for uncomfortable reading. February
24,
2015 (cyclingtips.com.au)
 Despite
his defeat to Chris
Froome at the Vuelta a Andalucia, Alberto Contador has
declared himself pleased with his early season condition and confirmed
that he will stick to his planned race program as he builds towards an
attempt at the Giro d’Italia-Tour de France double.
Contador will ride just two more races before the Giro, Tirreno-Adriatico (March 11-17) and the Volta a Catalunya (March 23-29), meaning that he will go 40 days without racing ahead of the Grande Partenza in Sanremo on May 9. He admitted that the route of Paris-Nice was more to his liking than Tirreno-Adriatico, but confirmed that he will return to Italy to defend his title. February
24,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 Fränk Schleck, who
suffered a high-speed crash in the opening stage of Ruta del Sol last
week, is a long shot to challenge for Paris-Nice next month.
Trek Factory Racing officials confirmed that Schleck, 34, is healing “slowly but steadily” from a hematoma in his thigh, but he still has been unable to train on his bike. “It’s healing slowly, but steadily, so that’s relatively good news,” a Trek official wrote to VeloNews in an e-mail. “It’s still unclear what this means for his race program, except that we have to be fair, and admit that Paris-Nice cannot be a real goal for him anymore.” There is still an outside chance Schleck might be able to start Paris-Nice (March 8-15), but officials admitted he won’t be in condition to seriously challenge for the podium. February
24,
2015 (velonews.com)
 US
national team rider Kim
Geist’s journey to the bronze medal in the points race at
the UCI Track World Championships is nothing short of inspirational.
She was left severely injured after a collision with a tractor trailer while riding her bike near her hometown of Emmaus, Pennsylvania eight years ago. Last week, she completed her recovery with her first international medal since before the accident. Her world-class track-racing endeavors will continue as she aims to build toward securing a spot on the women’s team pursuit squad at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. February
24,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
2014-15
Races
& Results.
Omloop Het Nieuwsblad Elite - Feb 28 (Start List), Kuurne-Bruxelles-Kuurne - Mar 1 (Start List), Paris Nice - Mar 8-15 (Stages), Giro d'Italia 2015 - May 9-31 (Stages), Tour de France 2015 - July 4-26 (Stages), Vuelta a España 2015 - Aug 22-Sept 13 (Stages), UCI Road World Championship 2015 - Sept 20-27 (Stages), Volta ao Algarve - Feb 19-23 (Results), UCI Track World Championships - Feb 18-22 (Results), Tour of Oman 2015 - Feb 17-22 (Results), Vuelta a Andalucia - Feb 18-22 (Results), Women's Tour of New Zealand - Feb 18-22 (Results), UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships - Jan 31-Feb 1 (Results). Race
starts Saturday
at 11:35am CET (5:35am U.S. Eastern)
Finish at around 4:38pm CET (10:38am U.S. Eastern) Live video from 1:30pm CET (7:30am U.S. Eastern, 4:30am Pacific). February
24,
2015 (cyclingfans.com)
 Aero
is everything…until it’s not.
On a flat road, aerodynamic drag is your biggest obstacle. You use about 80 percent of your power output to overcome wind resistance when you’re hammering down the road. Using aerobars and dropping your torso toward your top tube shrinks your frontal surface area, making it easier to slip through the wind and go faster. But as a new study points out, there’s a point of diminishing returns, because it’s harder to take full deep breaths and to push the pedals to produce maximum power when you’re all hunched over. February
24,
2015 (bicycling.com)
 The
request was a simple one; for Armstrong
to wear one of the charity’s T-shirts and take a photo of himself in it.
The plan, in so much as there was one, was for Barry Rice, founder of a charity cycle for Ataxia Ireland – Cycle Ataxia, to then use the photo in his drive to publicize his event. Armstrong told Rice on twitter to contact his manager and have the T-shirt sent to him. And within days the American had done the deed and emailed the photo back to the Dubliner. February
24,
2015 (stickybottle.com)
 "You
know a product is a good one when we dread sending it back at the end
of the review cycle.
Fortunately, we typically get at least a few good months with a product before we have to give it back. However, sometimes a product is only available to us for a short timeframe, which means we’re boxing it back up before we know it. Unfortunately our time with the Wahoo KICKR falls under the later description. While it was at the AG office for just a few weeks, we know that Wahoo has a winner on its hands." February
24,
2015 (aerogeeks.com)
 The
Holy Grail, the brass ring, cycling’s Sasquatch.
A wheel that rides as well as a tubular but does it without the hassle. A number of recent developments have been getting us closer – wide rims, lightweight carbon and tubeless technology. The peloton has been collectively holding its breath, waiting for these three elements to come together and create a package that can rival the tubular in every regard. We’ve been getting close, notably the Easton EC90 Aero 55 Tubeless clincher. Now Bontrager, long tooting the tubeless horn with its excellent TLR line of alloy clinchers, is bringing tubeless to its Aeolus D3 carbon clincher line and it may be time for us all to take a deep breath. February
24,
2015 (pelotonmagazine.com)
|
 A
sense of life beyond cycling brought him off the beaten track to Mexico
and Colombia over the winter.
He began his season in Argentina, will spend most of his year based in Tuscany and aims to return to the Tour de France this July. But in 2015, all roads lead home to Virginia for Ben King. September’s World Championships in Richmond are the first in the United States since Moreno Argentin’s triumph in Colorado Springs in 1986, and for King – who grew up in nearby Charlottesville – the event has particular resonance. February
24,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 He’s
now 37 years of age and last season had a noticeably quieter year than
before.
However Ivan Basso’s move to the Tinkoff-Saxo team appears to have boosted his morale and performances, and he has now been named the team’s top protected rider for the GP Lugano on Sunday. Announcing the lineup today, Tinkoff-Saxo said that he will take the start with seven others from the team and would have a special role. He added that others may also have a chance, depending on how the race plays out. “We look forward to GP Lugano with expectations, as we want to play a dominant role in this race,” stated directeur sportif Bruno Cenghialta. February
24,
2015 (cyclingtips.com.au)
 It’s
a quiet week before the weekend storm of cobbles starting with Omloop
Het Nieuwsblad on Saturday.
This micro break gives a moment to look at the team victory rankings and see who’s had a good start to the season. If you think it’s too early to count, think again. There have been 68 days of racing so this year meaning we’re one ninth of the way through the season already. February
24,
2015 (inrng.com)
 Joaquím Rodríguez discovered
last week in the Tour of Oman that he is behind for his upcoming goals
in the Ardennes Classics and the grand tours.
“I won before on Green Mountain, that was a surprise, but it was also a surprise to not be able to stay with that front group of 20,” Rodríguez told VeloNews. “I need to continue, but also see if I’ve made a mistake in my preparation. I need to continue to work and find my form.” February
24,
2015 (velonews.com)
 Pieters to Omloop
Het Nieuwsblad, Cunego
ready for Amstel Gold Race.
February
24,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 The
winter months aren’t very conducive to maintaining a solid level of
fitness and keeping in shape.
Come spring, many of us clamber back on the bike feeling despondent and bulging around the midriff. Not this year! For once, let’s get off to a flyer — and begin spring 2015 as we mean to go on. February
24,
2015 (cyclingweekly.co.uk)
 Etixx-QuikStep
skip Het Nieuwsblad recon, Synergy Baku presentation, MTN-Qhubeka to
Amstel Gold.
February
24,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
Sunday's Race starts
at 12:00pm CET (6:00am U.S. Eastern)
Finish at around 4:40pm CET (10:40am U.S. Eastern) Live video from 2:30pm CET (8:30am U.S. Eastern, 5:30am Pacific). February
24,
2015 (cyclingfans.com)
 The
stiff carbon-fiber sole on Diadora's top-tier cycling shoe, the Vortex
Pro, is tough.
So tough, in fact, that it withstood the rigors of my most recent adventure: an "I'm not really lost I'm just exploring" hike-a-bike up a dry streambed on a California mountainside. But of course, the Vortex is a road-cycling shoe - which was proven by how well it performed on pavement, too. February
24,
2015 (bicycling.com)
 BikeRadar
verdict: 4 out of 5
stars. "Excellent endurance machine, fun to ride and subtly tweaked for
the better."
February
24,
2015 (bikeradar.com)
 Drinking
a lot of water during exercise could be more dangerous than not
drinking enough, according to a collection of research published in the
Wall Street Journal.
It’s a commonly heard opinion that dehydration affects performance levels, but now experts are warning that ‘waterlogging’ the body is more harmful. In 2007, sports scientist Kate Mori fell ill and became delirious during running the London Marathon after drinking a reported 3.5 litres of liquid in small amounts – significantly more than she required. “I’d always been taught you had to ‘stay ahead’ of thirst and that being thirsty was a sign you were already dehydrated.” February
24,
2015 (cyclingweekly.co.uk)
|
February
24, 2015
 Speaking
out against the still-legal use of powerful painkillers in the pro
peloton, Lotto-Soudal doctor Jan
Mathieu has said that more needs to be done to try to
stamp out the use of tramadol in the sport.
Mathieu’s team is part of the MPCC anti-doping organization. It has regulations against the use of tramadol, with teams committing on a voluntary basis not to use the substance. While it is less than certain if all the teams do follow through on that commitment – WADA tests for it, but doesn’t currently ban it, and so ‘positives’ are not declared – the collective stance of the MPCC makes it more likely that the painkiller will eventually be blocked. February
24,
2015 (cyclingtips.com.au)
 Classics
season is upon us. The true hard men and women of the peloton will
again shine. It's a celebration of grit and history against the
elements.
And again, one race has chosen, above all else, to promote itself with the use of gratuitously sexualized imagery. It's time for the cycling community to say, enough is enough. In 2011, E3 Harelbeke has used an image of black silhouettes of cyclists riding on the back of a naked woman, and in 2014 it was one woman 'riding' a 'bike' made of three other women as a means for 'promotion'. Now it's "Who will pinch them in Harelbeke?" The shot is of a podium girl's skirt, a breeze exposing her derriere, and a cycling glove-clad hand ready to go in for the grab. February
24,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 Etixx-QuickStep
has confirmed the signing of newly-crowned Omnium world champion Fernando Gaviria,
who so impressed in winning two stages at the Tour de San Luis last
month.
Gaviria and his fellow Colombian Rodrigo Contreras have each signed two-year agreements with Etixx-QuickStep, beginning from next season, after they underwent testing at the Bakala Academy in Leuven, Belgium on Tuesday morning. Both riders are currently with the Coldeportes-Claro Continental outfit. Etixx-QuickStep manager Patrick Lefevere confirmed that the 20-year-old Gaviria will be able to combine his road duties with his track career in 2016, when he will target gold in the Omnium at the Olympic Games in Rio. February
24,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 "I’m
currently seated on a small sofa at an apartment in Vilamoura,
Portugal, and my teammates/roommates are trying to figure out where the
purring sound is coming from.
They have a problem with stray cats around here, and we think there might be one inside the apartment. This is partly because I lured a cat into Ryan Anderson’s room the other day with some “Mountain Berry” Clif Blocks (non-caf) as a prank, and maybe someone put a cat in the cupboard as joke? It’s like a cat opera at night, with all the purring. Someone needs to translate reruns of “The Price is Right,” because Bob Barker will solve this. Will anyone get that joke?" February
24,
2015 (velonews.com)
 Nairo Quintana is
confirmed to return to Europe next month to race Tirreno-Adriatico,
setting the stage for the season’s first showdown between the top Tour
de France favorites.
Movistar officials confirmed to VeloNews that Quintana will return to Europe “three or four days” before the start of Tirreno-Adriatico (March 11-17). Quintana was sidelined from the Ruta del Sol last week following a finish-line crash at the Colombian national championship in early February. February
24,
2015 (velonews.com)
 Bradley Wiggins will
ride Omloop Het Nieuwsblad on Saturday to kick off his cobbled Classics
campaign ahead of his tilt at Paris-Roubaix in April.
The 2012 Tour de France champion, enjoying his final few months with Team Sky before he joins his new WIGGINS outfit, will head up a eight-man team at the 70th edition of the race, which takes place across 200.2km in the Flanders region of Belgium. Also in the line-up is Ian Stannard, who won last year’s race after out-sprinting Greg Van Avermaet in miserable conditions. February
24,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 Eddy Merckx became a
peacemaker under a motorway bridge in Oman, while the relatively
unknown Sam Bennett
made a name for himself in Qatar.
Here are some things we learned about the early-season desert races. For example: The glue on tubular tires melts at 40 degrees That’s the technical way to describe the fact that it was really bloody hot in Oman last week. So hot, in fact, that race organizers came to their senses and just gave up on stage five and neutralized the race. February
24,
2015 (cyclingweekly.co.uk)
 Starting
up a small wheel brand appears to be a simple matter for any
entrepreneur.
After all, there are plenty of manufacturers offering cheap wheels and wheel parts online that can sourced by virtually anyone. CTech editor Matt Wikstrom recently interviewed a few small wheel brands to get some insight. February
24,
2015 (cyclingtips.com.au)
 Live streaming for Wednesday's hour
record attempt by Thomas
Dekker will get underway at 12:15pm local (1:15pm U.S.
Eastern, 7:15pm CET, 4:15pm Pacific).
February
24,
2015 (cyclingfans.com)
 For
those not familiar with Lauf, this Icelandic company creates full
carbon forks that use carbon leafs springs to provide suspension. The
Carbonara is Lauf's first fat bike suspension fork.
The Carbonara has a claimed weight of 1,050g and provides 60mm of undamped travel. Axle spacing is the same as the RockShox Bluto at 150mm, as is the rake, at 51mm. February
24,
2015 (bikeradar.com)
|
 Five
teams have been awarded the final wildcard slots for the Amstel Gold
race, which will take place April 19, the race organization announced
Monday.
MTN-Qhubeka, CCC Polkowice Sprandi, Nippo-Vini Fantini, Cult Energy, and Bardiani-CSF will join previously-announced wildcards Team Roompot, Wanty-Groupe Gobert, and Topsort Vlaanderen-Baloise as well as the 17 UCI ProTeams at the start line in Maastricht. The wildcard invites hold three former Amstel winners in their ranks. Damiano Cunego of Nippo-Vini Fantini won in 2008, while CCC’s Davide Rebellin and Stefan Schumacher won in 2004 and 2007, respectively, before both riders failed doping tests at the 2008 Summer Olympics and served two-year bans. Cult Energy will back Fabian Wegmann, according to its sport director Michael Skelde. February
23,
2015 (velonews.com)
 Speaking
in the wake of the rider protests which eventually led to the
neutralization of the penultimate stage of the Tour of Oman, Eddy Merckx said
that some teams involved could see their invitations revoked in next
year’s edition.
On Saturday sandstorms caused the start of the 151 stage from Al Sawadi Beach to the Ministry of Housing to be cancelled, with the riders being transported to a new point prior to the flag being dropped. However strong winds continued to make things nervous and when extreme heat caused some teams’ tires to explode, the riders wheeled to a halt under the shade of a large bridge and said they would not race. February
23,
2015 (cyclingtips.com.au)
 One
of Geraint Thomas’
aims coming into the season was to develop his skillset as a week-long
stage race rider and two months into the campaign his target received a
welcome boost with the Welshman taking a stage and the overall victory
in the Volta ao Algarve.
Thomas entered the race as a potential foil for teammate Richie Porte but on stage 2, the Commonwealth Games road race champion jumped clear to win in Monchique. February
23,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 The
Vuelta a Andalucia over and Chris
Froome stands triumphant, but with Alberto Contador
seconds off the pace, the stage is set for a thrilling rivalry between
the two as both riders hone their form for the European Spring.
The race ended overnight with Froome defending the lead he earnt the stage previous, and Contador settling for second overall at two seconds. The performances of the two Tour rivals however stands out the tightness of the contest, a paper thin margin separating them, and indeed in strength of their glowing early-season form. Contador won in the mountains, and took the racing to Froome, but the Brit punched back with his own superlative performance toward the race's close. Both men mean business. February
23,
2015 (sbs.com.au)
2014-15
Races
& Results.
Kuurne-Bruxelles-Kuurne - Mar 1 (Start List), Omloop Het Nieuwsblad Elite - Feb 28 (Start List), Giro d'Italia 2015 - May 9-31 (Stages), Tour de France 2015 - July 4-26 (Stages), Vuelta a España 2015 - Aug 22-Sept 13 (Stages), UCI Road World Championship 2015 - Sept 20-27 (Stages), Volta ao Algarve - Feb 19-23 (Results), UCI Track World Championships - Feb 18-22 (Results), Tour of Oman 2015 - Feb 17-22 (Results), Vuelta a Andalucia - Feb 18-22 (Results), Women's Tour of New Zealand - Feb 18-22 (Results), UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships - Jan 31-Feb 1 (Results).  WTB
revamped its extensive saddle line for 2015, with an update to the
look, and reorganization of the models, sizes and rail material.
Nine models exist covering every discipline from recreational riding to racing, and most are available in three widths and a variety of rail materials. The models are divided into Carbon, Team, Pro, Race and Comp, with the levels based on rail material and type of shell and padding material. The Volt and Silverado models are at the top of the heap for cyclocross, with the Volt available in each of the five levels and the Silverado only in the top three levels. February
23,
2015 (cxmagazine.com)
 Salsa
Cycles was one of the first companies to embrace North America’s
burgeoning gravel race scene when it introduced the Warbird in 2012.
As the popularity of riding back roads has grown, so too have the number of companies offering purpose-built gravel or 'all-road' models. For 2015, Salsa has updated the Warbird with a number of features intended to give the bike, and more importantly, the rider, a competitive edge. February
23,
2015 (bikeradar.com)
 For
every pedestrian and cyclist who’s had your journey interrupted by an
impassable mound of snow, we bring you this story from Boston.
Earlier this month, Beantown resident Ari Goldberger found his journey to the Wellington Station T stop impeded by a ”15-foot mountain of snow.” He registered his complaint to the powers that be, but he got the run-around. “Rather than waiting on hold for a million years calling the MBTA, I posted the picture online and said, ‘If nothing is done about this, it’s going to take months to melt.’” So Goldberger and his friends took matters into their own hands, and after a long, beer-fueled digging session, tunneled their way through. February
23,
2015 (streetsblog.org)
 Sleep
helps you build muscle, recover from training, and even maintain a
healthy weight, but most of us don’t get enough of it.
While people generally equate "good sleep" with getting eight consecutive hours, a University of California–San Diego paper on sleep research and aging reviewed data from 1.1 million people and determined that there is no statistically significant reason to sleep longer than six and a half hours per night. In fact, the people in the research who slept six and a half hours a night lived longer than the ones who slept eight! February
23,
2015 (bicycling.com)
 Spanish
climbing specialist Rafael
Valls experienced the greatest moment of his
career in winning the Tour of Oman on Sunday as Matthias Brandle clinched
the sixth and final stage.
Valls, who seized control after winning the feature stage of the race, the climb to Green Mountain on Friday, finished with a nine-second advantage over American Tejay van Garderen, while Alejandro Valverde was third overall, 19 seconds adrift. Tour de France champion Vincenzo Nibali finished in the top 20, more than three minutes off the pace. February
22,
2015 (velonews.com)
|
 Roman Kreuziger
questioned the objectivity of journalists and the UCI, and said he
hopes the CAS will act appropriately when it rules on his ongoing
biological passport case.
The case and Kreuziger’s past involvement with doping doctor Michele Ferrari, however, have created a controversial image for Tinkoff-Saxo’s Czech cyclist. “Very few believe in the UCI, that’s the problem,” Kreuziger told VeloNews, “but I hope that the CAS is objective.” Kreuziger finished 12th Sunday at the Tour of Oman, his first race of what he hopes is a full season. Last year, ahead of the 2014 Tour de France, the UCI forced him to a stop for suspect biological passport readings. February
23,
2015 (velonews.com)
 Brent Bookwalter was
there when mud-caked glasses and silt-filled eyes dropped visibility to
zero on Kebler Pass at the USA Pro Challenge last August. He was at the
Giro d’Italia, too, where the rain seemed endless until it turned to
snow, and controversy, atop the Stelvio.
It’s easy, sitting as we do behind computer screens and television sets, to forget just how unsympathetic and how utterly heartless cycling can be to the men and women who put on the show. It’s a sport that revels in stoicism, puts the hardman on a pedestal, and has always fought through wind, rain, sleet, and snow. We applaud a grimace, cheer for pain, and beg for suffering. It’s what makes the sport unique — and beautiful. February
23,
2015 (velonews.com)
 American
Tayler Wiles
was untroubled on the final day of racing in the Women's Tour of New
Zealand, closing out a dominant performance from her USA National Team
team-mates, to win the Women's Tour of New Zealand.
USA won four of five stages, and led the race from start to finish, Katrin Garfoot, who collected the race's third stage, the only rider able to break USA's dominance at the Oceania women's event. The Women's Tour of New Zealand is the only UCI categorized race in Oceania, and after a two year absence returned to the international calendar this year. It's been run intermittently since 2005, and boasts Kristin Armstrong, Judith Arndt and Evelyn Stevens as former winners, among others. February
23,
2015 (sbs.com.au)
 Just
over a bike length. That’s the distance that separated Greg Van Avermaet
from victory in two of the biggest one-day races in world last year but
such are the minute margins for error that the East Flandrian was left
ruing his sprint finishes in both Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and the Tour of
Flanders.
Out-shone by Ian Stannard in the former, out-foxed, andn out-thought by Fabian Cancellara in the latter, Van Avermaet was the nearly man of last spring. February
23,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 Grégory Baugé has
only just been crowned World Champion but already his sights are set on
bigger and better things.
The Frenchman rode to his fourth sprint world title on home soil in Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, but insisted that it’s the prospect of an Olympic gold medal that really spurs him on. “[My obsession] has always been the Olympics,” he told L’Equipe. “I shouldn’t say that, with these World Championships but you want to be Olympic Champion and that’s what you work for. February
23,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 Tony Martin says
that he is “open” to attempting a campaign at the cobbled Classics in
the next few years, but admits that it might be difficult to find a
place for him an Etixx – Quick-Step team filled with Classics
specialists.
Though he’s never ridden the likes of Paris-Roubaix or the Tour of Flanders, Martin impressed with his performance on the cobbles during stage five of the 2014 Tour de France, and it was that experience (despite crashing) that helped curb the ‘reservations’ he had about the cobbles. Moreover, the German seemingly has the power and ability akin to other time trial and Classics specialists such as Fabian Cancellara and Niki Terpstra, that could allow him to succeed on the pavé. February
23,
2015 (cyclingweekly.co.uk)
 Phil Gaimon's move
to Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies this year meant another new
bicycle in the rider's stable, including the team issue Diamondback
Podium Equipe frameset decked out with SRAM Red 22 components.
Gaimon got his first chance to compete on the new machine last week at the Volta ao Algarve, where he played a crucial role in setting up teammate Michael Woods' fifth-place finish on the Queen Stage and 12th-place overall finish. February
23,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 After
falling victim to a massive crash in the opening stage of the Vuelta a
Andalucia last week, Trek Factory Racing rider Fränk Schleck is
doubtful he can be on top form for Paris-Nice next month.
The Luxembourg champion was part of a pile-up near the finale of stage 1a when a Team Sky lead-out man swung off and took out Blel Kadri. Kadri was only the headpin, and when he fell, almost the entire peloton came tumbling to the ground as a result. February
23,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 BikeRadar
verdict: 4 out of 5 stars.
"Expensive, but a dramatic XC speed/responsiveness boost with
outstanding user-friendly toughness ."
February
23,
2015 (bikeradar.com)
|
February
23, 2015
 Picture
cycling as a scale. On one side sit multi-national corporations, race
organizations full of lawyers and revenue projections and daily
budgets.
On the other, 180 or so loosely organized but mostly factionalized men in twenty different colors of lycra, tasked with putting on a show. It’s not difficult to imagine which side is heftier. Or which side wins most disputes. Michele Acquarone, former head of the Giro d’Italia race organization, RCS Sport, believes the scale should be tipped in the riders’ favor. “Today race organizers have too much power. It must be regulated, at least in [WorldTour] races,” he told VeloNews. Acquarone, who is currently fighting his dismissal from RCS in an Italian employment tribunal, and denies he perpetrated the fraud RCS accuses him of, has been on the commercial side of the scale for most of his career. February
23,
2015 (velonews.com)
 Big
week for the Astana team.
The UCI will next week release details of the University of Lausanne’s report in to Astana and from that update its position on the Kazakh team’s license. In December, Astana received his World Tour license under the condition of being independently assessed by the department of sports science of the University of Lausanne. “We have had the report from ISSUL.” UCI President Brian Cookson confirmed on Friday. “That report has gone back to the license commission and we are looking at that at the moment. We expect to be in a position to make an announcement about that in the next few days”, according to Cycling Weekly. February
23,
2015 (cyclingquotes.com)
 For
the past eight years, Bernard
Hinault has acted as ambassador for the Tropicale Amissa
Bongo event in Gabon and admits that over that period he has witnessed
a rapid rise in the level of competition at what is Africa's biggest
stage race.
In the wake of a second victory in a row by an African rider, with Tunisia's Rafaa Chtioui succeeding Eritrea's Natnael Berhane, Hinault believes African riders are getting ever closer to capturing the biggest titles on the calendar, including the Tour de France. In an interview with Ouest France conducted during the 10th edition of the race, which concluded at the weekend, Hinault suggests that the day when an African or a Chinese rider wins the Tour is not too far away. February
23,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 Brian Vandborg
retired at the end of 2013 after a career that saw him compete for CSC
(twice), Discovery Channel, GLS, Liquigas-Doimo, SpiderTech and
Cannondale.
Two teams folded and a season was ruined due to mononucleosis, but he was a strong team rider to the end. February
23,
2015 (pezcyclingnews.com)
 The
organizer of the E3 Harelbeke classic has courted controversy with its
advertizement for the 2015 race, which attempts to poke fun at Peter Sagan’s podium
antics from the 2013 editon of that race and at the Tour of Flanders in
the same year.
Having finished runner-up to Fabian Cancellara in both instances, the Slovakian, then riding for Cannondale, mimed patting the podium girl on the backside as she congratulated the E3 winner, before pinching podium girl Maja Leye while on stage in Flanders. February
23,
2015 (cyclingweekly.co.uk)
 Descending
is obviously full of risks but when done correctly with good technique
it will make your ride downhill much more safe.
Remember out on the open road there are many variables that you have no control over and I’ve seen far too many serious accidents on descents that should never have occurred. February
23,
2015 (cyclingtips.com.au)
 Amid
all the media fuss about Alberto
Contador and Chris
Froome at the Vuelta a Andalucia, other top stage
racers such as Romain
Bardet have been flying under.
Sixth in the Tour de France last year, in Andalucia’s hilly stage on Saturday the 24-year-old finished a strong eighth despite an untimely puncture at the foot of the final, very difficult, climb to Allanadas. How well Bardet would have done without having to waste energy by fighting to get back on after his puncture therefore will remain an incognito but Bardet’s strong third place behind Contador and Froome at 1:39 on the ultra-hard Hazallanas climb the day before suggests that he could have done very well. February
23,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 Like
Bike is a little different from most bike shows, in that it celebrates
the most luxurious and expensive bikes on the market – and that it
takes place in Monte Carlo.
February
23,
2015 (bikeradar.com)
 It's
been a couple months since we've heard from The Secret Pro as an
intense early-season race program have kept him rather busy.
In this instalment, he speaks about how the riders feel about racing in the Middle East, the Hour Record, disc brakes, Lance Armstrong, Oleg Tinkoff and tells some of the young cowboys in today's peloton where they stand. February
22,
2015 (cyclingtips.com.au)
February
22, 2015
|
Spanish
climbing specialist Rafael
Valls experienced the greatest moment of his
career in winning the Tour of Oman on Sunday as Matthias Brandle clinched
the sixth and final stage.
Valls, who seized control after winning the feature stage of the race, the climb to Green Mountain on Friday, finished with a nine-second advantage over American Tejay van Garderen, while Alejandro Valverde was third overall, 19 seconds adrift. Tour de France champion Vincenzo Nibali finished in the top 20, more than three minutes off the pace. February
22,
2015 (velonews.com)
 Tejay van Garderen
wanted to race stage 5 of the Tour of Oman on Saturday despite the
peloton’s protest over extreme temperatures.
Canceling the stage deprived him of precious training miles and his chance to win the overall classification, he said. “What’s safe to ride in and what’s not safe to ride in. … There definitely needs to be some sort of standard,” Van Garderen told VeloNews. “We’ve ridden though some gnarly stuff in the past. Whether or not yesterday. … Well, I won’t go there. I’m trying to be politically correct.” February
22,
2015 (velonews.com)
 Yauheni Hutarovich underlined
his status as the fastest sprinter in the Tropicale Amissa Bongo when
he took his third win in three days on the final stage of the race.
It was even a 1-2 for the Bretagne team as his teammate Daniel McLay was second ahead of Morgan Lamoisson while Rafaa Chtioui won the race overall after having taken the lead with a solo win on the opening day. February
22,
2015 (cyclingquotes.com)
 Wout van Aert
finished off his season with a solo victory at the 2015 Internationale
Sluitingsprijs Oostmalle, a day after winning at the Clay Cross Lebbeke.
Van Aert crossed the line with time to spare, hoisting his Colnago in the air after a tough day’s racing, having clawed his way back from a crash early on, apparently breaking several spokes which could have ended the day right there. Kevin Pauwels finished second, dragging it out to the line with newcomer to the Elites, Laurens Sweeck, who put in an impressive show. February
22,
2015 (cxmagazine.com)
 Belgian
beats Dutchmen Van Der
Heijden, Groot
and Wolsink.
February
22,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
2014-15
Races
& Results.
UCI Track World Championships - Feb 18-22 (Stages & Results), Volta ao Algarve - Feb 19-23 (Stages), Giro d'Italia 2015 - May 9-31 (Stages), Tour de France 2015 - July 4-26 (Stages), Vuelta a España 2015 - Aug 22-Sept 13 (Stages), UCI Road World Championship 2015 - Sept 20-27 (Stages), Tour of Oman 2015 - Feb 17-22 (Results), Vuelta a Andalucia - Feb 18-22 (Results), Women's Tour of New Zealand - Feb 18-22 (Results), UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships - Jan 31-Feb 1 (Results), 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).  "TOUR tested the
tires’ rolling resistance. They found significant differences, but
downplayed them by saying that the difference would “only” amount to
138 seconds in a 40 km time trial.
That got me thinking: First of all, more than 2 minutes in a time trial is a huge difference. When I raced, 10 seconds over 10 km made the difference between first and fifth place. Could the faster tires have made me a consistent winner?" February
22,
2015 (janheine.wordpress.com)
Extreme
conditions and rider safety concerns cause neutralization of Tour of
Oman stage.
February
21,
2015 (cyclingtips.com.au)
|
 Juan José Lobato won
the final stage of the Vuelta a Andalucia with a powerful sprint finish
on the slightly uphill finale at Alhaurín de la Torre.
The Spaniard ripped away with 400 metres remaining to overhaul late attacker Edward Theuns and he comfortably held off John Degenkolb to claim an impressive victory, his second stage win of the race. Chris Froome finished near the front of the splintered bunch and so successfully defended his two-second GC lead over Alberto Contador to claim final overall victory. February
22,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 Chris Froome won
the Ruta del Sol on Sunday as Juan
Jose Lobato claimed his second stage victory of the week.
Froome held a two-second advantage over Alberto Contador and ensured he was in no danger by edging towards the front of the peloton during the sprint finish that ended the 169.8km ride from Montilla to Alhaurin de la Torre. Froome clinched his victory by finishing sixth on the day in the same time as Contador, who crossed ninth. Benat Intxausti took third overall at 2:38. “It couldn’t have gone any better for us out here, and this win is special as it’s my first race of the season,” said Froome. February
22,
2015 (velonews.com)
 Lotto
Soudal’s André Greipel
took his first win of the season in the stage 5 bunch sprint to close
out the 2015 Volta al Algarve on Sunday.
He crossed the finish line in the Portuguese town of Vilamoura ahead of Tom van Asbroeck and Raymond Kreder. Geraint Thomas finished in the main field and sealed his overall win at this year’s edition of the race ahead of world champion Michal Kwiatkowski by 27 seconds and Tiago Machado by 1:11 minutes. February
22,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 American
rider Tayler Wiles,
racing for the US national team, won the overall title at the Women's
Tour of New Zealand upon the stage 5 conclusion on Sunday.
Her teammates enjoyed the fruits of their efforts after a tough week of racing by sweeping the overall podium with Megan Guarnier taking second and former winner of the event, Evelyn Stevens, taking third. February
22,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 On
the strength of a runner-up finish in Sunday's final stage, BMC Racing
Team's Philippe Gilbert
placed runner-up overall to Ben
Gastauer at the Tour du Haut Var.
Gilbert followed up his third place in Saturday's rain-soaked stage with second place behind Luka Mezgec in the 194.7-kilometer race that was run under sunny skies and warmer temperatures. He also took home the points classification title of the two-day race. . February
22,
2015 (cyclingquotes.com)
 Danish
team Cult Energy were forced to abandon Haut Var today after thieves
broke in to their truck overnight and took everything. Fabian Wegmann had
finished fourth on yesterday’s first stage in the south of France.
In a statement on their website the team confirmed Wegmann wouldn’t be taking the start of today’s 195km stage that starts and finishes in Draguignan. February
22,
2015 (cyclingweekly.co.uk)
Once
shunned, Greg LeMond returns to biking world and road to success.
February
21,
2015 (latimes.com)
|
It's
been a couple months since we've heard from The Secret Pro as an
intense early-season race program have kept him rather busy.
In this instalment, he speaks about how the riders feel about racing in the Middle East, the Hour Record, disc brakes, Lance Armstrong, Oleg Tinkoff and tells some of the young cowboys in today's peloton where they stand. February
22,
2015 (cyclingtips.com.au)
February
22, 2015
 Almost
eight months have passed since Roman
Kreuziger was pulled from Tinkoff-Saxo’s race program when
the UCI notified him that he was under investigation for anomalies in
his biological passport.
While he’s been able to race since September, when he was cleared by his native Czech Olympic Committee (CAC), he must compete with the uncertainty of an appeal hanging over his head. February
22,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 Bratwurst
and black forest cake. It wasn’t that long ago that riders showed up
overweight and unfit for the early season races in southern Europe.
Jan Ullrich got mocked for burying his face in a Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte rather than chewing the handlebars over winter. The German had plenty of company as he huffed and puffed his way around the likes of Andalucia and Murcia. These days Chris Froome and Alberto Contador turn up lean and mean for their very first race of the season, a fierce battle that picked up from last year and promises more for the coming weeks and months. It’s not just the story of the riders, the recent Vuelta a Andalucia included two summit finishes that would have been unheard of a decade ago, marking the evolution of early season races as they compete for attention. February
22,
2015 (inrng.com)
 Australia’s
Annette Edmondson
secured the world title in the women’s omnium at the UCI Track World
Championships on Sunday in Paris. The all-rounder won three of the six
rounds and accumulated 192 points, beating Great Britain’s Laura Trott by 16
points and the Netherland's Kirsten
Wild by 17 points.
France secured five gold medals, the most of any of the participating countries, during this year’s Track World Championships. Bryan Coquard and Morgan Kneisky contributed to that tally after winning the madison world title with 21 points, one point more than Italy’s Liam Bertazzo and Elia Viviani, and six points more than Belgium’s Jasper De Buyst and Otto Vergaerde. February
22,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 Australian
sprint queen Anna Meares
has become the most prolific women's track cycling world champion in
history by claiming her 11th gold medal at the UCI Track World
Championships in Paris.
The 31-year-old Australia won gold in the keirin on Sunday at France's new national velodrome. Dutch rider Shanne Braspennincx took the silver and Cuba's Lisandra Guerra was third. Meares went to the front of the group of five with a lap to go and was simply too strong for her rivals. February
22,
2015 (sbs.com.au)
 Colombia's
Fernando Gaviria
secured the world title in the men’s omnium upon its conclusion in the
points race during Day 4 at the UCI Track World Championships in Paris
on Saturday. The 20-year-old secured a total of 205 points to win the
title over the six rounds, beating Australia’s Glenn O’Shea by 15
points and Italy’s Elia
Viviani by 24 points.
Dutch rider Kirsten Wild won the world title in the women’s scratch race beating Australia’s Amy Cure and Canada’s Allison Beveridge. The race wasn’t without controversy as French rider Pascale Jeuland was relegated to last place for moving into another rider’s lane during the final sprint. February
22,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 The
aging process is something none of us can avoid, but with the help of Joe Friel and his
book ‘Faster After 50′ we might be able to fight off the degeneration
or at least understand the process.
There is good news; Friel advises on strength training to stop age-related loss of muscle mass, overtraining, advanced training and the importance of rest and recovery. February
22,
2015 (pezcyclingnews.com)
|
 Sandstorms,
extreme temperatures and high winds combined Saturday to cause
difficult conditions for the riders at the Tour of Oman and, after
protests from the teams, to the eventual neutralization of what was to
be the penultimate stage.
The 151 kilometer leg was due to travel from Al Sawadi Beach to the Ministry of Housing, but was affected at the start by a big sandstorm. That prompted the organizers to shorten the stage, with the modified parcours set to cover three laps of 29.5 kilometers plus the original finishing circuit. February
21,
2015 (cyclingtips.com.au)
 A
sandstorm and a riders’ protest forced the cancellation of Saturday’s
fifth stage of the Tour of Oman.
Organizers took the decision after the riders came to a halt shortly after the start of the stage, which had already been shortened to 100km from 151.5km because of bad weather. At first, organizers decided to drop one of the four ascents of the Bousher al Amerat, shifting the start to Al Wazarat. The finish was to be as planned in front of the Ministry of Housing. But following discussion among the UCI, ASO, organizer Eddy Merckx, and the teams and riders, they decided to drop the entire stage. February
21,
2015 (velonews.com)
 Tayler Wiles won
stage 4 of the Women's Tour of New Zealand from a breakaway that
succeeded to the final climb in Admiral Hill.
It is the third stage win for the US National team, having already won the opening team time trial and the second stage. Wiles won the race to the top of the hill ahead of Lauren Kitchen by one second and Joanne Hogan by five seconds. The win pushed Wiles up into the overall race lead ahead of the event's previous race leader and her own teammate Megan Guarnier. Guarnier is now sitting in second place six seconds back and teammate Evelyn Stevens is in third overall nine seconds back. February
21,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 Team
Sky’s Richie Porte
took a solo win during the fourth stage, the queen stage, of the Volta
ao Algarve on a hilltop finish in Malhão.
He crossed the finish line three seconds ahead of current world champion Michal Kwiatkowski and nine seconds ahead of Ion Izagirre. Porte’s teammate Geraint Thomas maintained his lead in the overall classification and is now sitting 27 seconds ahead of Kwiatkowski and 1:11 minutes ahead of Tiago Machado. February
21,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 Mathieu van der Poel followed
up his Men’s Elite win at the 2014 Boels Classic Heerlen with another
today, this one while wearing the rainbow jersey of the World Champion.
The young rider spent most of the race battling with fellow World’s
podium racer Lars van
der Haar, which proved to be one of the most vicious
battles of the day.
Sanne Cant won the Boels Classic Heerlen with more than enough time to zip up her kit and pose for the crowd as she finished across the line eight seconds ahead of second place. On the podium, she was joined by Nikki Harris and Ellen Van Loy, the latter who was 50 seconds behind the leader. February
21,
2015 (cxmagazine.com)
2014-15
Races
& Results.
Tour of Oman 2015 - Feb 17-22 (Stages & Results), Vuelta a Andalucia - Feb 18-22 (Stages & Results), Women's Tour of New Zealand - Feb 18-22 (Stages & Results), UCI Track World Championships - Feb 18-22 (Stages & Results), Volta ao Algarve - Feb 19-23 (Stages), Giro d'Italia 2015 - May 9-31 (Stages), Tour de France 2015 - July 4-26 (Stages), Vuelta a España 2015 - Aug 22-Sept 13 (Stages), UCI Road World Championship 2015 - Sept 20-27 (Stages), UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships - Jan 31-Feb 1 (Results), 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).  Sunday's Tour of
Oman Stage 6 departs Oman Air at 10:40am local (7:40am CET, 1:40am U.S.
Eastern) and is expected at the finish at Matrah Corniche at around
2:01pm local (11:01am CET, 5:01am U.S. Eastern).
Tour of Oman live video streaming is possible. February 21,
2015 (steephill.tv)
 After
getting a first look of the new Mares at the 2014 Sea Otter Classic, it
was immediately obvious that Focus has addressed one of our concerns. Jeremy Powers and
cyclocross legend Mike
Kluge walked us through the changes.
Head tubes got taller, thankfully, and the center of gravity also moved up, as the low bottom bracket moved up from a 7cm drop to a 6.5cm drop. The bike also lost weight, added thru axles on disc models and added a huge metal plate to prevent and protect against chain drops. Powers pointed out that the bikes got longer. The geometry, even at a first glance, reveals that the Mares got way longer, and the size Large now has a 1.5cm longer top tube. February
21,
2015 (cxmagazine.com)
 BikeRadar
verdict: 2 out of 5
stars. "Pedals don't come much burlier than this, but sadly grip issues
mean these aren't quite a knockout."
February
21,
2015 (bikeradar.com)
 Lance Armstrong is
getting back on his bike, this time to raise money for the charity he
founded and was later pressured to leave.
Armstrong has set up a fundraising team for the Livestrong Challenge ride in Austin in October. It will be his first return to the event since 2012. Armstrong registered for the charity ride and made a $6,420 donation on Feb 2. He also set up a "Lance & Friends" team that has drawn several longtime Livestrong ride participants and has surpassed $10,000 in total funds raised. February
20,
2015 (sbs.com.au)
|
Greg LeMond,
America's original superstar cyclist, is back.
After years of being shunned by the cycling world for asserting in 2001 that Lance Armstrong was using performance enhancing drugs, the now-vindicated three-time Tor de France winner (1986, '89 and '90) is on a roll. He hosts two Tour-related telecasts; founded and sold LeMond Fitness, maker of several top-ranked home exercise products; is rebuilding his long-shuttered brand of high-end road, mountain and adventure bikes; and has co-written "The Science of Fitness" with biologist Mark Hom. The book focuses on mitochondria, the tiny motors in each cell that power muscular movement. The topic is close to LeMond's heart, as he was forced to retire early because his own mitochondria was (and still is) being poisoned by 35 lead pellets that were embedded in his heart lining and liver during a 1987 hunting accident. February
21,
2015 (latimes.com)
 Chris Froome claimed
victory on stage 4 of the Vuelta a Andalucia atop the Alto de Allanadas
to move into the overall lead and strike an important blow in what is
set to be a season-long duel with Alberto
Contador.
Froome was soundly beaten by Contador on the summit finish at the Hazallanas on Friday afternoon, but he responded in kind on the penultimate stage, launching a ferocious attack with a little under two kilometers remaining after solid work from teammates Nicolas Roche, Peter Kennaugh and Mikel Nieve. February
21,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 The
mood around the Team Sky bus on a gloomy, cloudy morning was hard to
read.
Chris Froome had ceded time to Alberto Contador in Friday’s showdown, and everyone was putting his best face forward. “What happens now doesn’t decide who is going to win the Tour de France,” Nicholas Roche told VeloNews just minutes before the start of the uphill finale in stage 4. “Chris is on track, and he’s not worried.” Five hours later, Froome delivered a stunning counter-punch on the steep slopes of the mountains of southern Spain, winning the stage at Alto de Allanadas, and taking back enough time to claim the leader’s jersey by just two seconds. What happens in February does indeed count. February
21,
2015 (velonews.com)
After
a difficult start to the race, Yauheni
Hutarovich has finally got the ball rolling at the
Tropicale Amissa Bongo.
24 hours after his first win in Africa’s biggest win, he doubled his tally when he won the bunch sprint in today’s seventh stage ahead of Andrea Palini and Yohann Gene while Rafaa Chtioui tested his legs before rolling to the finish with the main peloton to defend his overall lead. February
21,
2015 (cyclingquotes.com)
 Tinkoff-Saxo
directeur sportif Sean
Yates is confident that Rafal Majka will go
on to lead the team at the Tour de France in the near future.
Majka, who has already won two stages of the race and achieved two top ten overall placings at the Giro d’Italia, will perform a domestique role for Alberto Contador at this year’s Tour but Yates believes that he will soon be able to make the step up. February
21,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 Etixx
- Quick-Step manager, Patrick
Lefevere, has warned Mark
Cavendish that big wins are needed ahead of his next
contract.
The British rider is in the final year of a three-year deal, but while he has already picked up five wins this season, Lefevere says his value will be decided by his performance in bigger races. Lefevere told Cyclingnews that contract negotiations wouldn’t begin until later in the season. February
21,
2015 (road.cc)
 Sunday's Vuelta a Andalucia/Ruta del Sol Stage 5 departs Montilla at 11:00am CET (5:00am U.S. Eastern) and is expected at the finish at Alhaurin de la Torre at around 3:02pm CET (9:02am U.S. Eastern). Ruta del Sol live streaming video should get underway at around 2:00pm CET (8:00am U.S. Eastern). February
21,
2015 (cyclingfans.com)
 BikeRadar
verdict: 4.5 out of 5
stars. "Fantastic alloy road racer that can go
head-to-head with carbon."
February
21,
2015 (bikeradar.com)
All
bikes tend to look alike at first. But a closer look reveals some
clever design innovations this year that give world-class triathletes,
gonzo mountain bikers, traveling tandem aficionados and raw rookie road
riders alike exactly what they want: a little more speed, a lot more
versatility, way more practicality and even an economical deal that
might leave you enough to buy a nice pair of bike shorts.
February
21,
2015 (latimes.com)
Vinokourov
resigns from ambassador role in Almaty 2022 Olympic bid.
February
20,
2015 (cyclingweekly.co.uk)
Horner's
Airgas-Safeway teammates motivated by veteran's presence.
February
20,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
Contador
and Froome set for battle on Vuelta a Andalucia's first mountain finish.
February
20,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
|
February
21, 2015
 Cycling
must prepare itself for some "uncomfortable reading" when an
independent panel's report into doping in the sport is published.
The three-man panel, established by International Cycling Union (UCI) president Brian Cookson last year, could release its report next week. Its investigation has included interviews with disgraced former cyclist Lance Armstrong. "When you open a can of worms, you find a lot of worms," said Cookson. "There'll be a lot of uncomfortable reading," he added, "I think we should all prepare ourselves for that." February
21,
2015 (bbc,com)
 "I
was hoping he'd apologize.
Friday before last I walked into my office between classes at Houston Baptist University. The red light was waiting for me. You know, the one on my phone telling me I have voicemail, which is always the equivalent of the "no-subject" email — you never know what is coming. Could be anything — or anyone. To my surprise, it was Lance Armstrong — giving me a call. I don't get messages from internationally known athletes every day. Well, actually, never. He had a message for me. He wanted to tell me that he was sorry." February
21,
2015 (houstonchronicle.com)
 Fernando Gaviria
looks set to become one of the hottest properties in cycling after
winning the men’s omnium title at the UCI Track Cycling World
Championships on Saturday.
The 20-year-old Colombian overcame three former champions to take the victory in the six-discipline event at the national velodrome in Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, near Paris. Gaviria is already a known quantity in the professional peloton, having last month beaten 2012 road world champion Mark Cavendish in two sprint finishes at the Tour de San Luis. Cavendish’s own Etixx-Quick-Step team had the opportunity to sign Gaviria last year but passed it up, something team manager Patrick Lefevere described as a “mistake” after seeing the Colombian beat his own star sprinter at San Luis. February
21,
2015 (velonews.com)
 Ben Gastauer took
the biggest win of his career when he emerged as the strongest in the
hilly first stage of the Tour du Haut Var.
Having been part of a 5-rider breakaway, they strong Luxembourger attacked on the Mur de Montauroux to distance his companions and narrowly managed to hold off the peloton to take both the stage win and the first leader’s jersey in the race. 2014 was a breakthrough year for Gastauer who had mostly been known as a loyal domestique when he lined up for the Tour de France. Those three weeks on French soil made him famous for his excellent climbing skills as he was the key support rider for Jean-Christophe Peraud and Romain Bardet and played a key role in securing Ag2r’s win in the teams classification. February
21,
2015 (cyclingquotes.com)
 Gaviria and Viviani battle in
Omnium, Pervis
wins another gold.
February
21,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 The
2015 UCI Track Cycling World Championships, at
Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, France, are being held February
18-22.
Day 4 live video starts at 6:50pm CET (12:50pm U.S. Eastern). February
21,
2015 (cyclingfans.com)
 "The
queen stage of the 2015 Tour of California will be a ball buster of
epic proportions, climbing 11,600 feet over just 80 miles from Ontario
to the top of Mt. Baldy.
rode the stage a couple years back as part of the L’Etape du California sportif ride, and can assure you this would be at home in any Grand Tour. Sometimes the ride I set out to do ends up a complete disaster, while the whole event ends up being an experience I wouldn’t trade for anything. My day riding the L’Etape du California in April of 2012 along the ATOC’s 8th stage route produced more personal on-bike suffering than I care to remember, but was a weekend well worth the effort. The same stage features again in the 2015 edition, and it’s a killer… one for the climbers… and one that makes the most of California’s stunning Angeles National Forest mountains." February
21,
2015 (pezcyclingnews.com)
 The
2015 Tour du Haut Var is being held February 21-22.
Stage 1 starts at 12:30pm CET (6:30am U.S. Eastern). Finish at around 4:56pm CET (10:56am U.S. Eastern, 7:56am Pacific). Live video from 12:30pm CET(6:30am U.S. Eastern). February
21,
2015
 Every
week it seems like there's a new story with the headline "Cycling Is
The New Golf."
While golf "still commands the highest portion of participants with household incomes above $100,000 among popular sports," according to Reuters, its popularity is waning, and the number of courses has been on the decline in the US the past eight years. The Economist says "golf's appeal has become its undoing. Its meditative quality does not suit the frenetic pace of modern life." February
21,
2015 (businessinsider.com)
|
Lance Armstrong is
getting back on his bike, this time to raise money for the charity he
founded and was later pressured to leave.
Armstrong has set up a fundraising team for the Livestrong Challenge ride in Austin in October. It will be his first return to the event since 2012. Armstrong registered for the charity ride and made a $6,420 donation on Feb 2. He also set up a "Lance & Friends" team that has drawn several longtime Livestrong ride participants and has surpassed $10,000 in total funds raised. February
20,
2015 (sbs.com.au)
 Rafael Valls claimed
victory atop Green Mountain on stage four of the Tour of Oman, to take
the leader’s jersey along with his first professional win in five
years. He also took the race leader's red jersey.
The Spaniard got the better of some high-calibre climbers, including Tejay van Garderen and Rafal Majka who were second and third respectively. It was Valls' first win since taking the tough stage to Mirador de los Funes at the Tour de San Luis in 2010. February
20,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
For
the second consecutive year, Tejay
van Garderen found himself as the runner up on the Green
Mountain stage of the Tour of Oman.
The American looked despondent as he crossed the line just moments behind Rafael Valls after the Spaniard attacked him inside the final kilometer to take the win and the race lead. After ridding himself of the race favorites, van Garderen thought that he was home and dry and admits that he didn’t consider Valls as a real challenger. “I was hoping for the victory. I was feeling good all day and my team was superb on the last climb,” he said at the top of Green Mountain. February
20,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 Former
World road champion Claude
Criquielion lost his last battle and passed away on
Wednesday morning at only 58 years old.
There was so much more to Claudy than that crash in Ronse. The death of Claude Criquielion was announced in a simple text message from Ian Whitehead who lives in Gent; ‘Claudy has died.’ During the night of 15/16 February 2015, Criquielion suffered a stroke and was hospitalized in critical condition; he died at 9:00 am on 18 February 2015 in the hospital in Aalst, Belgium of a severe brain hemorrhage. February
20,
2015 (pezcyclingnews.com)
2014-15
Races
& Results.
Tour of Oman 2015 - Feb 17-22 (Stages & Results), Vuelta a Andalucia - Feb 18-22 (Stages & Results), Women's Tour of New Zealand - Feb 18-22 (Stages & Results), UCI Track World Championships - Feb 18-22 (Stages & Results), Volta ao Algarve - Feb 19-23 (Stages), Giro d'Italia 2015 - May 9-31 (Stages), Tour de France 2015 - July 4-26 (Stages), Vuelta a España 2015 - Aug 22-Sept 13 (Stages), UCI Road World Championship 2015 - Sept 20-27 (Stages), UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships - Jan 31-Feb 1 (Results), 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).  Meintjes claims
white jersey in Oman, Woods
shines for Optum at Algarve.
February
20,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 Lizzie Armitstead
and Marianne Vos
will come head to head at the inaugural Strade Bianche as organizers
announce a preliminary list of starters
Strade Bianche organizer RCS Sport has announced an impressive list of starters for the inaugural women’s elite race on March 7. The race will depart just hours before the men’s race and will see rivals Lizzie Armitstead and Marianne Vos come head to head in the one-day race. February
20,
2015 (cyclingweekly.co.uk)
 Saturday's Tour of
Oman Stage 5 departs Al Sawadi Beach at 11:35am local (8:35am CET,
2:35am U.S. Eastern) and is expected at the finish at Ministry of
Housing at around 3:27pm local (12:27pm CET, 6:27am U.S. Eastern).
Tour of Oman live video streaming is possible. February 20,
2015 (steephill.tv)
 XEP,
Inc. is introducing a skin patch designed to deliver a natural caffeine
boost to athletes.
The Clean Energy Patch contains homeopathic ingredients that the company said "create a balanced 'hum' that many find preferable to the 'spike' or 'buzz' delivered by energy drinks and energy shots." The company said the patch is a solution for athletes who have difficulty ingesting caffeine during intense workouts, due to cramps, jitters and nausea. To use, the athlete applies the adhesive patch just like kinesiology tape and wears it for up to eight hours. Removal of the patch gives immediate control over the process. February
20,
2015 (bicycleretailer.com)
Still
work to do before Milan-San Remo defense, says Kristoff.
February
19,
2015 (cyclingweekly.co.uk)
|
 Alexander Vinokourov
has resigned from his role in Almaty’s 2022 Winter Olympics bid,
according to reports.
The London 2012 gold medallist and Astana team manager was listed as an ambassador on the bid’s website, but has since been removed, with a spokesperson telling insidethegames that he was only part of the application phase. Almaty 2022 bid vice-chairman Andrey Kryukov told the website earlier this week that Vinokourov, who served a doping ban after testing positive in 2007, had served his punishment and that they believe in second chances. Vinokourov’s second chance seems not to have lasted long, however, with his role in the process – a role that was never properly established – coming to an end. February
20,
2015 (cyclingweekly.co.uk)
 For months, the
cycling world has been looking forward to the
Vuelta a Andalucia which was expected to be the scene of the first big
battle between Chris Froome and Alberto Contador.
Today the highly anticipated duel finally took place and no one was left disappointed by the show. Alberto Contador dealt Chris Froome an important moral blow when he won the highly anticipated first mountains battle between the two grand tour stars. The Spaniard attack with 8km to go of the Alto de Hazallanas after a perfect acceleration by new teammate Ivan Basso and even though Froome gradually got going after a poor start, the Brit had to settle for second, losing 19 seconds to the race leader. February
20,
2015 (cyclingquotes.com)
 Tony Martin edged
out Adriano Malori
by the narrowest of margins to clinch a first time trial win of the
season on stage three of the Volta ao Algarve.
The German took 21:51:071 seconds to complete the 19km course from Vila do Bispo to Sagres, beating the Italian by just four tenths of a second. February
20,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 While
his British cycling peers have grabbed the limelight, Geraint Thomas has
been quietly building up an enviable set of results in the past decade.
Not only has he built up a respectful personal palmares, he has also contributed heavily to other riders’ results: the Welshman is the consummate team player, willing to sacrifice his glory for the good of the team. Bradley Wiggins and Mark Cavendish have reached household name status, Thomas is – perhaps barring his native Wales – still largely and bafflingly unknown outside of cycling. The double Olympic champion has remained down to earth and his sense of humour is enjoyably intact, as his many self-made video diaries will confirm. February
20,
2015 (cyclingweekly.co.uk)
 While
Chris Horner
has grabbed all the headlines and been the focus of most of the talk
surrounding the Airgas-Safeway team this year, his young teammates have
been preparing for their own 2015 campaigns with the second-year
Continental team that began as the D3devo development program.
The addition of Bart Bowen as a full-time director will provide two experienced hands to guide the young riders through this season, when they hope to transition from being satisfied with making the major breakaways to putting themselves on podiums at some of the big US races. Horner's presence on the team this year appears to have genuinely lifted the morale and the envisioned opportunities for the entire program, and Horner has fit right in with the team, despite being old enough to have children who are closer to them in age than he is. February
20,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 Alberto Contador, Chris Froome and
other top stage racers are set to tackle the Vuelta a Andalucía’s most
difficult climb, the Hazallanas, today in stage 3 of the race
- on what is by far the hardest ascent of the early part of the 2015
season.
Fortunately - and contradicting earlier forecasts - the weather is unexpectedly good in Andalucia today, sunny and clear and with almost no wind. But that will not make the 16.9 kilometre Hazallanas ascent, last tackled in the Vuelta a España 2013, with segments of 22 per cent and an average gradient of 12 per cent, any easier. February
20,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 Just
hours after 24-year-old Australian Rohan
Dennis stood atop the podium to claim the general
classification title at the Santos Tour Down Under (TDU) in Adelaide,
Australia last month, his former Garmin-Sharp teammate Nathan Haas told VeloNews Dennis had
contemplated walking away from the sport while on a phone call with the
fellow Aussie just a year earlier while both still rode for Garmin.
According to Haas, who now rides for the merged Cannondale-Garmin team and was a heavy pre-race favorite at this year’s TDU after finishing fifth in 2014, the conversation took place a day or so after Dennis crashed out of the Australian road nationals in the men’s elite individual time trial after he was swept off the bike by a sudden crosswind. The crash left Dennis both physically and mentally bruised and battered. February
20,
2015 (velonews.com)
 Saturday's Vuelta a
Andalucia/Ruta del Sol Stage 4 departs Maracena at 11:00am CET (5:00am
U.S. Eastern) and is expected at the finish at Alto de Las Allanadas
(La Guardia de Jaen) at around 3:45pm CET (9:45am U.S. Eastern).
Ruta del Sol live streaming video should get underway at around 2:15pm CET (8:15am U.S. Eastern, 5:15am Pacific). February
20,
2015 (cyclingfans.com)
 A bevy
of box-fresh gear from Norco, POC, Azonic, Fizik and Clarks as well as
clever kit from Shimano, Lusso, Juin Tech, Compressport and No Such
Thing.
February
20,
2015 (bikeradar.com)
Trott’s
four-year unbeaten team pursuit run comes to an end.
February
19,
2015 (cyclingweekly.co.uk)
|
 Years
of scepticism towards scientific and technological innovation have been
wiped out recently as cycling has been recovering from major drugs
scandals, according to former professional rider and now team manager Jonathan Vaughters.
"The skepticism regarding technological developments has eroded because in old cycling, in the end someone would say we can gain five watts in the wind tunnel if we exact your position and use the perfect skinsuit and use this special material or whatever... and then the team doctor says, yeah, but we can gain 50 by doping," Vaughters said. February
20,
2015 (sbs.com.au)
February
20, 2015
 The
UCI have confirmed that they have passed their investigation into Dr. Mario Zorzoli to
the Cycling Independent Reform Commission (CIRC) for review.
The doctor was suspended from his position as the Scientific Advisor and UCI doctor after allegations arose from the anti-doping investigation into Dr. Geert Leinders, who was handed a lifetime ban by a group of recognized anti-doping organizations for his role in systematic doping at the Rabobank team. After confirming the suspension, the UCI stated that they would conduct their own investigation, run by their own internal legal team. However they did not specify how long Zorzoli would be suspended. February
20,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 Katrin Garfoot
continued her return to form after a knee injury derailed the start of
the season winning stage three of the Women's Tour of New Zealand from
a eight rider front group.
First leader of the race, Megan Guarnier, was second to continue Team USA's success at the race while Lauren Stephens was third. Garfoot took out the women's Oceania time trial title last week which she followed up by placing third in the sprint for the road race and currently sits in third place overall with two stages to come. February
20,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
The
2015 UCI Track Cycling World Championships, at
Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, France, are being held February
18-22.
Day 3 live video starts at 6:50pm CET (12:50pm U.S. Eastern). February
20,
2015 (cyclingfans.com)
 The
first female hour record attempt in many, many years will be free to
view by audiences throughout the globe, with the UCI confirming
worldwide coverage of Sarah
Storey’s ride on its tv.uci.ch site and YouTube channel.
The governing body had already confirmed to CyclingTips that it would show the February 28 bid but clarified that situation in a statement issued today. “We owe it to cycling fans worldwide to provide live coverage of Sarah Storey’s attempt on the UCI Hour Record,” stated UCI president Brian Cookson. “She is an inspiring paralympic athlete, a valued member of the UCI Para-cycling Commission, and the first woman to go after this record since we modernised the rules in May last year.” February
20,
2015 (cyclingtips.com.au)
 Fernando Gaviria
will undergo tests at the Bakala Academy next week as Etixx-QuickStep’s
Patrick Lefevere
steps up his pursuit of the Colombian sprinter.
Gaviria won two stages at the Tour de San Luis last month, beating Mark Cavendish in the process. A number of WorldTour teams immediately enquired about the future of the 20-year-old. Lefevere’s team were installed as the early favorites to sign the rider and the transfer has moved a step closer. February
20,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 Ever
heard of VO2 max but wondered what it was?
Everyone wants bigger lungs, right? Well, there’s good news and bad news, as Gary Mckeegan, physiologist and lecturer in sports science and coach with Dig Deep Coaching, explains. “For adults, lung capacity is actually pretty static, but we can train to increase the efficiency of our capacity, as not all of the oxygen we inhale is actually absorbed by the body,” he says. “The term ‘VO2 max’ refers to the maximal volume of oxygen that can be inhaled and absorbed by a body.” February
20,
2015 (cyclingweekly.co.uk)
The
2015 Tour du Haut Var is being held February 21-22.
Full live coverage guide to come, with live streams, start times, etc. and photos and videos post-race. February
20,
2015
|
 For
all the unprecedented scandal and controversy that has tortured cycling
and its fans since 1999, we have also been treated to some spectacular
sporting drama.
Here, Procycling's writers select and relive 10 of their favorite moments from the first 200 issues of the magazine. February
19,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 Organizers
unveiled the 10th edition of the Amgen Tour of California route on
Thursday, which will feature 724 miles of racing over familiar roads
and some places that are new to the eight-day race in May.
The women’s race route was also announced, and it will cover 158 miles over three days (May 8-10). There will also be a 15-mile time trial at Big Bear Lake on May 15. The men’s event is scheduled for May 10-17 and will start with a 127-mile stage that begins and ends in Sacramento, California’s state capital. From there, the race will include ascents of the familiar Mount Hamilton and Mount Baldy, and will feature a 15-mile time trial at Big Bear Lake that will be fast and flat. The race concludes with a circuit race around Los Angeles that finishes at the Rose Bowl in nearby Pasadena. February
19,
2015 (velonews.com)
 Norway’s
Alexander Kristoff,
who picked up three stage wins last week at the Tour of Qatar, came out
on top in a bunch sprint in Thursday’s Tour of Oman third stage.
The Katusha rider was followed home by Italian duo Andrea Guardini and Matteo Pelucchi at the end of the 158.5-kilometer ride around Al Mussanah Sports City. “The team is good, our ‘work rhythm’ is working well and that gives me a lot of confidence,” Kristoff said. February
19,
2015 (velonews.com)
 Katusha’s
Alexander Kristoff
says he still has work to do ahead of the classics despite winning
stage three of the Tour of Oman on Wednesday, his fifth victory of 2015
to date.
Kristoff only started his sprint in Al Mussanah with 100 meters remaining, but still managed to overcome stage one winner Andrea Guardini in the race for the line. February
19,
2015 (cyclingweekly.co.uk)
 Tejay van Garderen
was the second best rider in last year's edition of the Tour of Oman,
accepting a supremacy of Chris
Froome, but results obtained in the latter part of the
season didn't exactly confirm that he deserves being placed so high in
climbers' hierarchy.
The 26-year old American believes, though, that improving on his runner-up spot from previous edition of the Omani race is within his reach and gets himself ready for the decisive battle on the Green Mountain. February
19,
2015 (cyclingquotes.com)
 Since
making it into the break on the opening stage of the Tour of Oman, Patrick Konrad has
been sitting at the top of the young rider’s classification and third
overall, just five seconds behind race leader Fabian Cancellara.
It is lofty company for the promising 23-year-old, who only turned professional with NetApp-Endura last season. The Austrian finished safely in the bunch on stage three to maintain his lead in the white jersey competition but there was a tinge of disappointment as the team’s sprinter Sam Bennett ended up out of position and was unable to contest the sprint. February
19,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 Fabian Cancellara,
who won the second stage at the Tour of Oman, hopes to shine this
spring. The Trek Factory Racing leader is honing his preparation. He is
talking about his biggest goals, the fast approaching spring Classics
like Paris-Roubaix or Tour of Flanders.
"It won’t be a surprise for anybody if I say my main goals in 2015 are the Classics again. According to me, I haven’t won enough last year, so I really have to focus on what’s the most important to me. The spring was good in 2014, but the summer and autumn were not good enough. I didn’t finish four stage races and that is something I am not happy about", the Swiss man explained according to the Trek Factory Racing website. "The only ambition I have now when I start a race is to win, and I’ll do anything for that. If I feel that I can win a stage here or there, I will go for it. Of course, everything can happen whether it’s a technical problem or a crash, but we always try to deal with these risks." February
19,
2015 (cyclingquotes.com)
 Astana
may have lost any chance of overall victory at the Tour of Oman with Vincenzo Nibali but
the team still has hopes for the general classification.
Jakob Fuglsang and Andrei Grivko both made it into the front group, keeping alive their hopes of a solid overall finish with three stages still remaining. Thanks to his climbing pedigree, Fuglsang will be the favorite to lead the team to a good overall result but with one rider already out of contention they won’t put all their eggs into one basket. February
19,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
2014-15
Races
& Results.
Tour of Oman 2015 - Feb 17-22 (Stages & Results), Vuelta a Andalucia - Feb 18-22 (Stages & Results), Women's Tour of New Zealand - Feb 18-22 (Stages & Results), UCI Track World Championships - Feb 18-22 (Stages & Results), Volta ao Algarve - Feb 19-23 (Stages), Giro d'Italia 2015 - May 9-31 (Stages), Tour de France 2015 - July 4-26 (Stages), Vuelta a España 2015 - Aug 22-Sept 13 (Stages), UCI Road World Championship 2015 - Sept 20-27 (Stages), UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships - Jan 31-Feb 1 (Results), 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).  Cycling
is well known for its slightly bizarre sponsorship deals, none more so
than the famous Molteni – who manufactured cold meats – and Faema – an
espresso machine maker.
In another odd move, Europcar rider and perenial gurner Thomas Voeckler became the face of Akena conservatories earlier this week. Here we look at six of the weirder sponsorship deals of past and present, starting with a Russian team blatantly cashing in on an expensive product. February
19,
2015 (cyclingweekly.co.uk)
 Friday's Tour of
Oman Stage 4 departs Sultan Qaboos Grande Mosque at 10:30am local
(7:30am CET, 1:30am U.S. Eastern) and is expected at the finish at
Jabal Al Akhdhar (Green Mountain) at around 3:17pm local (12:17pm CET,
6:17am U.S. Eastern).
Tour of Oman live video streaming is possible. February
19,
2015 (steephill.tv)
 As
an entry-level action shooter, the Cube isn't so much trying to give
GoPro a run for its high-octane, extreme-sports money as it is trying
to introduce a versatile new way to make quick lifestyle videos.
And it definitely succeeds on that level. It's well-designed and undeniably fun-looking, with an '80s retro vibe lent by its rainbow stripe, and a miniature size—like the Rubik's Cube's younger brother—that makes it easy to tuck into a pocket. It also has a magnetic panel that allows it to stick to any flat, non-aluminum metal surface. February
19,
2015 (bicycling.com)
Geraint
Thomas, Ben Swift and Andy Fenn in Tour of the Algarve.
February
18,
2015 (cyclingweekly.co.uk)
|
 Australia
win the women's team pursuit title for only the second time, but do so
in world record time and put to an end Great Britain's winning streak.
Laura Trott and her British team mates had to get used to the unfamiliar taste of defeat tonight, losing their team pursuit world title to Australia and along with it their world record. February
19,
2015 (cyclingweekly.co.uk)
 Professional
bike racing is just that, a profession.
While there many rules on workplace safety for factories and offices, there are few when it comes to racing down a mountain at 100km/h. Now efforts are underway to make racing safer in extreme weather. The UCI’s Road Commission, prompted by the rider union CPA, is exploring this. Cyclingnews.com explains more. About time or is the peloton turning soft? Maybe it’s not so binary because the interesting part will be seeing how they might write rules and protocols for something so subjective as when tough conditions become dangerous. February
19,
2015 (inrng.com)
 Juanjo Lobato dusted
off his bruises from yesterday’s crash to win the second stage of the
Vuelta a Andalcuía with a well-executed long-range sprint.
The Andalucían-born rider fell heavily in a pile-up on stage 1a but today recovered to steal a march on John Degenkolb, who was second by some distance. February
19,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 Rui Costa insists
there is no curse that comes with the world champion’s rainbow jersey,
but admits the responsibility that comes with the stripes wore him down
last season.
The Portuguese had the honor of wearing the jersey for the 2014 season after beating out Joaquim Rodriguez in Florence in 2013 but his sole victory came in the Tour de Suisse. Fourth place on the UCI World Tour rankings showed Costa’s consistency through the season, but the 28-year-old says his media commitments distracted him from his cycling. February
19,
2015 (cyclingweekly.co.uk)
 While
most riders are finalizing their preparation for the big events in the
Belgian opening weekend and the month of March at the major stage races
in Oman, Spain and Portugal, France offers an alternative path that
appeals to the classics riders.
The two-day Tour du Haut Var is a race made up of two hilly classics that make it the perfect preparation for the biggest one-day races and it is no wonder that some of the best riders in this specialty use the race to fine-tune their condition for their big objectives. The third week of February has built a reputation as one of the most important weeks of the early season. With no less than four stage races, it is the a crucial time for most riders to get in the important racing kilometers that set them up for a successful classics season or spring stage race campaign. . February
19,
2015 (cyclingquotes.com)
 A
day for the sprinters? There’s a tricky climb with 10% slopes just
before the finish. After yesterday’s maxi-crash many riders are left
licking their wounds and this could be a more open stage but Movistar
and Giant-Alpecin have every reason to try for they stage win they
expected yesterday.
Stage 1a Wrap A surprise result with Pim Ligthart winning. He’s already won the French opener with a long sprint, this time a late attack saw him jump with 1.7km to go. No sooner did he go clear than a Lotto-Soudal team mate went off the front of the group too, not in pursuit but to ensure any counter-attacks would be mopped up, a basic but effective tactic. February
19,
2015 (inrng.com)
 Tyler Farrar has
started a significant new chapter of his professional career with
MTN-Qhubeka but one objective, targeting the cobbled Classics, remains
unchanged for the 30-year-old American.
After seven years with the Garmin team, Farrar’s switch to the relatively new African squad has gone smoothly. The 30 year-old American is riding the Vuelta a Andalucia Ruta Ciclista del Sol to lay down further race miles. February
19,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 This
year marked the first time that each Superprestige event had its own
race for the Elite Women.
From Gieten to Noordzeecross Middelkerke, Sanne Cant put on a performance for the ages, absolutely dominating the races all season long, which typically were held between the Junior and U23 races. Unfortunately, beyond the winner of the individual events, her name will receive no further accolades for an overall series victory, and apart from her separate race winnings, she took nothing home from the event as the women have no overall series standing, unlike the three other categories that compete. For 2015-16, all of that is going to change. February
19,
2015 (cxmagazine.com)
 The
MPCC anti-doping movement has continued to gain strength and has
announced that it now includes every Pro Continental squad in the
peloton after the CCC Sprandi Polkowice squad was accepted as a new
member.
The body, whose members voluntarily accept stricter anti-doping rules than others, now features 19 Pro Continental teams. It also includes 11 out of the current 17 World Tour teams, with Sky, BMC Racing Team, Trek Factory Racing, Etixx-QuickStep, Movistar and Tinkoff-Saxo the teams who have thus far not joined. The membership also includes 32 Continental teams plus eight women’s squads. February
19,
2015 (cyclingtips.com.au)
 Friday's Vuelta a
Andalucia/Ruta del Sol Stage 3 departs Motril at 11:30am CET (5:30am
U.S. Eastern) and is expected at the finish at Alto de Hazas LLanas at
around 3:38pm CET (9:38am U.S. Eastern).
Ruta del Sol live streaming video should get underway at around 2:00pm CET (8:00am U.S. Eastern, 5:00am Pacific). February
19,
2015 (cyclingfans.com)
 This race has been broadcast live in previous years but not last year. Check back for 2015 live coverage options. February
17,
2015 (steephill.tv)
|
 Overnight
leader Megan Guarnier
relinquished her lead in the General Classification (GC) to American
team mate Lauren Hall
after the second stage of the Women’s Tour of New Zealand.
Team USA controlled the 125km stage from Masterton to Martinborough right from the start and increased the speed in the final five kilometres of the race to set up Hall for the stage win out of a 50-rider bunch sprint. February
19,
2015 (sbs.com.au)
February
19, 2015
 Tour
de France Organizer ASO wants to continue pushing cycling globally,
stream onboard cameras, and move on from Lance Armstrong.
Broadcasting cycling’s biggest race around the world, said race director Christian Prudhomme, will help the goals. February
19,
2015 (velonews.com)
 Davide Cimolai won
the Trofeo Laigueglia race, giving the Lampre-Merida team its third
consecutive victory in the Italian one-day race after victories by Filippo Pozzato in
2013 and Jose Serpa
in 2014.
Cimolai is considered one of Italy's most talented young sprinters and he used his speed to beat Francesco Gavazzi and Alexey Tsatevich. The USA's Brent Bookwalter was seventh in the high-speed sprint. February
19,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 Team
Sky's Geraint Thomas
showed impressive early season form by soloing to the stage victory and
race lead on a lumpy finish on stage 2 of the Volta ao Algarve in
Portugal.
Thomas attacked on the final climb to catch an earlier solo escapee, Rein Taaramae and then left the Estonian behind to solo to his first victory since he won the Commonwealth Games road race last August. February
19,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 Tom Boonen is a hero
in Belgium, a great champion and also a nice guy to talk to. ‘Tommeke’
was training in Calpe, Spain (again) last month, so when the Etixx –
Quick-Step team invited PEZ
to come and talk we jumped at the chance to hear what the Tornado has
in mind for 2015.
Four times winner of Paris-Roubaix, three times Tour of Flanders, five wins in the E3 Harelbeke, three in Gent-Wevelgem and Kuurne, World champion, Belgian champion, Tour de France points jersey with stages in the Tour and Vuelta… the list goes on. Without doubt Tom Boonen is a star, but things are changing in the World of professional cycling, the young guys are on the way up and Tom became the father of twins; Valentine and Jacqueline on January the 18th. One thing that never changes; it’s January and Tom Boonen is in Calpe. February
19,
2015 (pezcyclingnews.com)
The
2015 UCI Track Cycling World Championships, at
Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, France, are being held February
18-22.
Day 2 live video starts at 6:50pm CET (12:50pm U.S. Eastern, 9:50am Pacific). February
19,
2015 (cyclingfans.com)
 As
François Pervis
prepares to defend three titles at this week’s World Track
Championships in Paris, the Frenchman has been talking about his love
of racing away from the boards.
In an interview with L’Équipe, the world’s fastest man has revealed that he showed promise in cyclo-cross as a junior and once dreamed of riding the one-day Classics, particularly the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix. The defending world champion in the keirin, sprint and kilo, Pervis confesses that his first love was for the Classics. Hailing from the Mayenne region in western France, Pervis first emerged on the road, where his local rivals included Ag2r-La Mondiale pros Sébastien Turgot and Damien Gaudin, and Europcar’s Vincent Jérôme. “When it came to winning it was either them or me,” he says. “Knowing that they turned pro and that at the time I was training less than them, I could perhaps have turned pro myself as well.” February
19,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 The
Team pursuit sees four riders cover a distance of four kilomenters, 16
laps, riding as a cohesive unit to give each other shelter when they
are not the rider on the front.
A team will pursue another team that starts on the opposite side of the track, except for qualifying rounds when a team rides alone to set a time. The race is between the two teams on the track with the winning team is the one that posts the fastest time. February
19,
2015 (cyclingweekly.co.uk)
 There
was a logjam at sign-on ahead of the start of stage 2 at the Ruta del
Sol.
All at once, featherweight mountain goats swarmed the podium area from BH, Caja Rural and Team Colombia. Standing tall like a lighthouse in the fog was Bob Jungels, the 6-foot-3 Luxembourger who came oh-so-close to taking the leader’s jersey Wednesday at the Ruta del Sol. How close? Jungels just winced when he was asked the difference between him Alberto Contador. “Ohhh, it was very small,” Jungels said with a laugh. “Point-zero three seconds.” February
19,
2015 (velonews.com)
 The
latest wind-cheating lids are a common sight in the pro peloton - but
does the everyday rider need one?
Until Mark Cavendish swept to victory in the 2011 World Championship road race wearing a skinsuit and adapted Specialized helmet that had its vents covered with transparent plastic, aerodynamics had been something talked about in hushed tones by nerdy time triallists. Suddenly aero-nerdiness was all the rage, and for good reason. Yes, drafting behind another rider requires approximately 30 per cent less power than riding out in the wind, but what if you could increase that to 36 per cent by judicious application of knowledge gained in the wind tunnel? February
19,
2015 (cyclingweekly.co.uk)
|
 Fabian Cancellara claimed
stage 2 of the Tour of Oman from Al Hazm Castle to Al Bustan, in a
close sprint ahead of Alejandro
Valverde and Greg
Van Avermaet on Wednesday.
It was the first win of the season for the Trek Factory Racing leader on a day that saw him divest previous race leader Andrea Guardini of the red jersey. February
18,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 Gianni Meersman won
the opening stage of the Volta ao Algarve.
The Belgian edged Ben Swift for his second win of the season after a victory in the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race in January. Paul Martens was third. Meersman dons the first leader's jersey of the race for his efforts. It's the 10th win of the year for Etixx-Quickstep, following on the success of Niki Terpstra in Tour of Qatar, and Mark Cavendish in Dubai. February
18,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 Team
Sky fields British trio Geraint
Thomas, Ben
Swift and Andy
Fenn in the 2015 Volta ao Algarve, starting today
(Wednesday February 18) in Portugal.
Sky is backing team leader Richie Porte, who won the race in 2012. Porte has already claimed the Australian time trial title and the key climbers’ stage of the Tour Down Under so looks in good shape to tackle the five-stage Volta ao Algarve, which includes a 19-kilometer time trial on Friday. February
18,
2015 (cyclingweekly.co.uk)
2014-15
Races
& Results.
Tour of Oman 2015 - Feb 17-22 (Stages & Results), Vuelta a Andalucia - Feb 18-22 (Stages & Results), Women's Tour of New Zealand - Feb 18-22 (Stages & Results), UCI Track World Championships - Feb 18-22 (Stages & Results), Volta ao Algarve - Feb 19-23 (Stages), Giro d'Italia 2015 - May 9-31 (Stages), Tour de France 2015 - July 4-26 (Stages), Vuelta a España 2015 - Aug 22-Sept 13 (Stages), UCI Road World Championship 2015 - Sept 20-27 (Stages), UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships - Jan 31-Feb 1 (Results), 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).  The
Canadian women’s team pursuit squad arrived in
Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, France, for the start of the UCI Track World
Championships on Wednesday with hopes of winning a medal. In the
qualifying round, the team placed third fastest, earning them a chance
to race for the medals in the first and final rounds.
The team includes Jasmin Glaesser, Stephanie Roorda, Kirsty Lay, Alison Beveridge and Annie Foreman-MacKey. Glaesser will also race in the individual pursuit and Beveridge will also compete in the scratch race. Also, USA women start Tour of New Zealand with a win; Kitchen wins Garfoot Oceania Continental Championships; more... February
18,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 Thursday's Tour of
Oman Stage 3 departs Al Mussanah Sports City at 11:40am local (8:40am
CET, 2:40am U.S. Eastern) and is expected at the finish at Al Mussanah
Sports City at around 3:31pm local (12:31pm CET, 6:31am U.S. Eastern).
Tour of Oman live video streaming is possible. February
18,
2015 (steephill.tv)
 "A
little while ago, I wrote about how new scientific research has allowed
us to design wide, supple tires that offer the speed of narrow,
high-end racing tires.
The key finding is that above a certain threshold, increasing tire pressure no longer results in lower rolling resistance. For most riders, the take-home message is simply this: As long as you inflate your tires enough that they are safe to ride, tire pressure doesn’t matter much. Find a pressure that feels good when cornering, and ride your tires at that pressure. When in doubt, let out some air – you’ll be more comfortable and have better cornering grip. (If you ride narrow tires, beware of pinch flats, though!)." February
18,
2015 (janheine.wordpress.com)
 This
shortened saddle seems to offer similar design aspects to the
increasingly popular ISM saddle brand, which first took off within the
triathlon market.
This isn’t a first for Specialized – the triathlon-specific Sitero already uses a similar approach. If we’d seen this saddle off the bike, we would have assumed it was a triathlon model. However, given it's been put to use in a WorldTour road environment, it does seem set for the general road market. February
18,
2015 (bikeradar.com)
 Selle
Royal is introducing two new saddles this season that are padded with
Slow Fit Foam, a memory foam with slow recovery properties that molds
to the rider's body.
The company says the visco-elastic material improves weight distribution, handling shocks and vibrations better than traditional foam padding while increasing blood circulation and promoting pressure relief for immediate comfort. The Slow Fit Foam is combined with a specific foam matrix to create the right kind of support for riding. Selle Royal developed the material with its sister company, Technogel, a maker of high-end mattresses and pillows. February
18,
2015 (bicycleretailer.com)
 We
first saw the new Ritte Ace at Core Bike last month, but took the
opportunity to get a bit more up close and personal with the new model.
In terms of design there’s nothing outlandish about the Ace.
The frame has a classical look about it, with boxy but rounded tube shapes finished with neat internal cable routing that creates one of the best looking bikes we’ve seen in a while. February
18,
2015 (cyclingweekly.co.uk)
|
 Javier
Moreno became a hugely surprising winner of the short 8.2km time trial
that was held in the afternoon after the crash-marred opener in the
Vuelta a Andalucia.
Riding on home soil, he covered the technical course in a time of 9.51 which was 2 seconds faster than Wilco Kelderman and 4 seconds faster than Jerome Coppel while Alberto Contador finished fourth and took the overall lead. February
18,
2015 (cyclingquotes.com)
 The
US national team won the opening team time trial at the UCI Women's
Tour of New Zealand on Wednesday in Masterton.
They won the 15km event in 18:49, beating Australia and Team TIbco-SVB. American rider Megan Guarnier took the first leader's jersey heading into stage 2's 125km road race also in Masterton. February
18,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 Pim Ligthart emerged
from a crash-marred finale to claim victory on the opening split stage
of the Vuelta a Andalucia and take the overall lead ahead of the
afternoon time trial.
The consensus beforehand was that John Degenkolb would be the man to beat on the slightly uphill finishing straight but Ligthart had the nous to take advantage of the confusion in the closing two kilometers in Hinojos. February
18,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 The
Ruta del Sol starts today with the added interest of Alberto Contador and
Chris Froome.
Between now and Sunday the race has it all with sprint stages, a time
trial and two summit finishes.
Plus it’s live on TV. Each day there will be a quick snap preview for the stage ahead. Today you get two because it’s a split stage with a sprint stage in the morning and a time trial later on. February
18,
2015 (inrng.com)
 Following
his strong win in the uphill finish at the Tour of Dubai, John Degenkolb is
aiming to kick off his 2015 European stage racing season with a bang at
the Vuelta a Andalucia, with his eye firmly fixed on today’s
(Wednesday’s) stage and this morning’s short, flat first sector.
Degenkolb is one of the favorites for the 118.3km opening sector of stage one from La Rábida to Hinojos in the flatlands of western Andalucia, together with Tyler Farrar and Juan Jose Lobato. February
18,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 Stephen Roche
doesn’t believe it is time to write off Peter Sagan just
yet, despite the Slovak’s winless start to the season, but doesn’t
expect him to win many bunch sprints this year.
Writing in his skysports.com blog, the Irishman says Sagan can’t match the likes of Mark Cavendish, Marcel Kittel or Alexander Kristoff – who won three stages at the Tour of Qatar – in terms of pure speed. But the 1987 world champion also cites Sagan’s lack of lead-out as an issue for the three-time Tour de France green jersey winner, with his team more focussed on GC success. February
18,
2015 (cyclingweekly.co.uk)
 Team
Sky’s Chris Froome
is positioning Wout Poels
to become his Tour de France mountain helper, starting with an intimate
South African altitude training camp where monkeys attacked their base.
The animals entered the lodging of the 2013 Tour de France winner and his new Dutch team-mate, overturned the rooms and ran away with energy gels and food. “They’re running everywhere and you have to be careful,” Poels told Cycling Weekly. “We had a gate in front of the door, but they found a way in. I think someone left a window open. “When we got back, it was a big mess. All the energy gels were gone, the bananas and everything.” February
18,
2015 (cyclingweekly.co.uk)
 Many
people are aware of - and often pay far too much attention to - certain
rules that surround road riding.
With our blend of scientific research and common-sense advice, you can enjoy riding and get the most out of your events, training, and nutrition. Ever questioned the wisdom of your riding pals, or suspected they were just regurgitating hand-me-down advice? Ever wondered if the truisms of road riding really do hold water in the 21st century? Our new rules of road riding are one part science, one part considered opinion, but 100 per cent applicable to every ride you do. February
18,
2015 (cyclingweekly.co.uk)
 Thursday's Vuelta a
Andalucia/Ruta del Sol Stage 2 departs Utrera at 11:00am CET (5:00am
U.S. Eastern) and is expected at the finish at Lucena at around 3:33pm
CET (9:33am U.S. Eastern).
Ruta del Sol live streaming video should get underway at around 1:30pm CET (7:30am U.S. Eastern, 4:30am Pacific). February
18,
2015 (cyclingfans.com)
 The
Trofeo Laigueglia is
Thursday - thre race
starts at 11:00am CET (5:00am U.S. Eastern).
Finish at around 3:40pm CET (9:40am U.S. Eastern). Live video from 2:40pm CET (8:40am U.S. Eastern, 5:40am Pacific). February
18,
2015 (cyclingfans.com)
|
Not
long after Lance
Armstrong's unprecedented seven Tour de France titles were
stripped in 2012, the cyclist tweeted a defiant photo.
Armstrong reclined on a couch in a dimly lighted room, appearing unworried about the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency's exhaustive report that accused him of cheating by taking performance-enhancing drugs to fuel his history-making feats. The framed yellow jerseys from his Tour de France wins hung on the wall behind him. The message was clear: The punishment didn't faze Armstrong. February
18,
2015 (latimes.com)
February
17, 2015
 An
American medal in the 25km women’s points race and a reversal of the
men’s team sprint final results marked the opening day of the UCI track
world championships in Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, a 45-minute drive
from the heart of Paris, on Wednesday.
Chinese pair Gong Jinjie and Zhong Tianshi won the women’s team sprint title in a new world record time. A precise read of the team sprint regulations, and a fortuitious overhead camera at the finish line, handed the French men the team sprint gold ahead of a faster New Zealand squad, which was disqualified. February
18,
2015 (velonews.com)
 The
UCI said it is working with its key stakeholders to develop protocols
for handling extreme weather situations in professional races, but it
did not specifically state whether it would be considering the proposal
submitted by the new Association of North American Pro Road Cyclists
(ANAPRC) earlier this month.
"The UCI considers the safety of riders as an absolute priority and is therefore taking this issue very seriously," a UCI spokesman told Cyclingnews. February
18,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 Hoping
for a solid performance in the race after netting a solid ninth in the
Trofeo Serra de Tramuntana last month, Frank Schleck
instead was forced to drop out of the first stage of the Vuelta a
Andalucía due to a big crash.
The Trek Factory Racing rider was one of the worst affected in a fall towards the end of the opening 121.3 kilometer race from La Rábida/Palos de la Fra to Hinojos. He finished 138th, seven minutes 35 seconds back, but was unable to continue in the afternoon stage 1b time trial due to his injuries. “Frank came down in the second big crash inside the final ten kilometers,” explained team press officer Tim Vanderjeugd to CyclingTips. “It was the one where the Sky and Ag2r riders collided. It was like a tsunami in the bunch…so many riders came down. February
18,
2015 (cyclingtips.com.au)
 Former
world champion Claude
Criquielion, 58, has died after a suffering a stroke and a
brain haemorrhage. The Belgian was taken to hospital in Aalst, Belgium
on Sunday and remained in a critical condition until his death on
Wednesday morning.
The hospital confirmed the passing of the 1984 world champion had occurred at 9:00am this morning, with the family deciding not to add any further comment at this stage. February
18,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
The
2015 UCI Track Cycling World Championships, at
Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, France, are being held February
18-22.
Day 1 live video starts at 7:50pm CET (1:50pm U.S. Eastern, 10:50am PST). Day 2 info and links to come early Thursday. February
18,
2015 (cyclingfans.com)
 Tejay van Garderen’s
season began in the Tour of Oman with confidence after a fifth place in
the 2014 Tour de France, but he knows that he needs to work on his
weaknesses to forget some bittersweet memories.
“My fifth in the Tour was bittersweet,” BMC Racing’s American captain told VeloNews. “I look back and see that I had bad luck, some bad moments, poor preparation, and with the opportunity that I had, having two big contenders fall out … It’s going to be hard to get that opportunity back, but that definitely motivates me for the future, and it helped me this winter with training.” Overall favorites Chris Froome and Alberto Contador crashed and abandoned the 2014 Tour. Italian Vincenzo Nibali won and van Garderen finished 11:24 behind, in fifth. Van Garderen wanted more, especially since Froome and Contador went home early. However, a crash and broken hip in the Tour de Romandie led to a “bad” Critérium du Dauphiné and an imperfect Tour lead-up. “It sent the team into a panic,” he explained. February
18,
2015 (velonews.com)
 Power2Max
is a German company with a background in the automotive industry.
The company started developing power meters for cycling around 2008 and after testing different approaches, settled on a crank-based system. The company unveiled its first power meter at Eurobike in 2010 and started shipping their first production units by the end of the year. Power2Max promises that the Type S power meter is “simple2use” because it has a built-in cadence sensor, an automatic zero function, and is compatible with any ANT+ enabled device. February
18,
2015 (cyclingtips.com.au)
 "I
literally rode the thing up a 2km hill and then down the other side so
this is hardly a review, but here’s what I gleamed from my brief affair
with the Sram Rival bedecked steed.
It was good. I don’t like the after-thoughtish paint job, well the white details around the headtube and seat tube specifically, but other than that it was comfortable and tight in the corners and while not quite setting my heart on fire, I would have been fine either tootling around on it all day or putting it through its paces on a hammer ride with some pals – which is kinda exactly what it was designed for." February
18, 2015 (crankpunk.com)
|
 New
professional cyclist Caleb
Ewan has been flagged as one "to watch" as a contender for
Australia's list of highest paid sports stars by the Fairfax Media site
BRW.com.au
('Business Review Weekly') in its Top 50 sports earners for last year.
In the latest list, the only cyclist who made the top 50 was 2011 Tour de France champion Cadel Evans who retired at age 37 after placing fifth in the his eponymous Great Ocean Road Race at Geelong, Victoria in Australia on February 1. Evans, estimated as having earned AUD 2.5 million last year, was the only cyclist in the top 50. February
17,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 Andrea Guardini took
his first victory of the 2015 season at the Tour of Oman, beating Tom Boonen and Matteo Pelucchi on
the slightly uphill sprint in Al Wutayyah near the capital Muscat.
Alexander Kristoff was fifth, with Peter Sagan seventh and Sam Bennett eighth. February
17,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 Tom Boonen was
visibly frustrated after seeing victory slip from his grasp after a
mistimed sprint on stage one of the Tour of Oman.
The discussions with his Etixx-QuickStep teammates were animated as they dissected the race minutes after crossing the finish line, trying to establish what had gone wrong. Boonen led the sprint but was forced to concede defeat to Astana’s Andrea Guardini, who overhauled him in the last 50 metres after Boonen faded. “I'm disappointed because we did a lot of work in the final, but my feelings are really good," said Boonen at the finish after taking some time to compose his thoughts before he spoke to the media. “We had done good work in the previous five kilometers for the sprint and I was strong.” February
17,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 After
knocking on the door throughout the Dubai Tour and the Tour of Qatar, Andrea Guardini
finally broke it down at the Tour of Oman to take his first win of the
season and one that could yet prove to be crucial.
At the end of this season, Guardini will be looking to pen a new deal with Astana for 2016 and he hopes that the win will help when it comes to negotiations with the team. "My contract is expiring at the end of the year, so this is good. In the first two years I won little so it's important to show myself," Guardini said at the finish of stage one. "It's the result that I was hoping for already in Qatar, it means more to me than the others, after the second places it shows that I'm in good form." February
17,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 Carter Jones began
his first season in the top ranks Tuesday at the Tour of Oman, where he
will help Giant-Alpecin teammate Warren
Barguil and race alongside Tour de France winner Vincenzo Nibali.
“I’m nervous,” Jones told VeloNews while changing next to the Bayt Al Naman’s castle. “I haven’t raced since September, at the Bucks County Classic in the U.S., and now it hits me that every race I do this year is going to be at the same level as the biggest races I did last year, if not higher. This is the biggest race of my life so far, and it’s only February.” Jones won the Tour of the Gila and placed eighth in the Amgen Tour of California to earn a spot on the German WorldTeam. Besides stars Barguil, Marcel Kittel, and John Degenkolb, he joined Americans Caleb Fairly, Chad Haga, and Lawson Craddock. February
17,
2015 (velonews.com)
 Airgas-Safeway's
Chris Horner
told Cyclingnews
last week that he'd like to compete in some cyclo-cross races next fall
now that he is racing domestically in the US.
"I'm working it out with Marin Bikes right now to set up some 'cross stuff, and we'll see how much Airgas-Safeway as a whole, because I think there are a few kids who do it, too, wants to get involved,” Horner said. February
17,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 Men’s
bike racing has been a part of the Summer Olympic Games since the 1896
Summer Olympics, at which a road race and several track events were
held.
Women’s cycling events however weren’t added until the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles, California, USA, where there was a single road race, won by American Connie Carpenter. Women’s track racing events were added in 1988. Men’s and women’s mountain bike and BMX racing were added only fairly recently, in 1996 and 2008 respectively. Fun fact: the 2012 Summer Olympics in London marked the first Games with an equal number of cycling events for men and women. February
17,
2015 (cyclingtips.com.au)
2014-15
Races
& Results.
Tour of Oman 2015 - Feb 17-22 (Stages), Vuelta a Andalucia Ruta Ciclista Del Sol - Feb 18-22 (Stages), Women's Tour of New Zealand - Feb 18-22 (Stages), Volta ao Algarve - Feb 19-23 (Stages), Giro d'Italia 2015 - May 9-31 (Stages), Tour de France 2015 - July 4-26 (Stages), Vuelta a España 2015 - Aug 22-Sept 13 (Stages), UCI Road World Championship 2015 - Sept 20-27 (Stages), Tour of Qatar 2015 - Feb 8-13 (Results), Dubai Tour 2015 - Feb 4-7 (Results), UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships - Jan 31-Feb 1 (Results), 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). The
early part of the Italian season may no longer be as rich as it once
was but one big event has survived and is growing.
The Trofeo Laigueglia has always been an important early event on the Italian calendar and with an upgraded UCI category, a stellar field and initial plans for TV coverage on Italian television, the 2015 edition seems to be bigger than ever. February
17,
2015 (cyclingquotes.com)
 Elia Viviani will
try to bridge an 18-year gap for Italian cycling when he lines up in
the omnium at this week’s UCI Track World Championships at
Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines on the outskirts of Paris, though he faces
stiff opposition from a number of contenders, including Fernando Gaviria.
Remarkably, Italy has not claimed a men’s world title on the track since 1997, when Silvio Martinello won the points race and the azzurri won the team pursuit in Perth. February
17,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 Wednesday's
Tour of Oman Stage 2 departs Al Hazm Castle at 10:35am local (7:35am
CET, 1:35am U.S. Eastern) and is expected at the finish at Al Bustan at
around 3:31pm local (12:31pm CET, 6:31am U.S. Eastern).
Tour of Oman live video streaming is possible. February
17,
2015 (steephill.tv)
 "We quickly moved beyond the introductory
chatter to discuss our hopes
and our dreams and our fears.
We shared our stories, connected easily because of our common passion. Together we pushed boundaries and redefined limits. As the kilometers ticked by, friendships deepened." February
17,
2015 (cyclingtips.com.au)
|
 Lance Armstrong once
told me that it would take maybe six months to a year for him to
rebuild his reputation after he admitted lying to the world about his
drug use.
He said his plan was to keep a low profile and quietly earn back public trust, partly by apologizing to the people he had stepped on or, in some cases, tried to destroy. Armstrong, who in 2012 was stripped of his seven Tour de France titles for doping, seemed proud of his blueprint to restore his image. He said it would show that he was a good person who had been forced to dope because everyone else was doing it. The plan might have worked — if he had bothered to follow it. February
17,
2015 (nytimes.com)
 It’s
hard to know where to look this week with racing on so many fronts.
Almost all the stars of the pro peloton will be visible this week whether in Oman, Andalucia or the Algarve plus more racing in Italy and France too. There’s a regular refrain that the season only starts with the Het Nieuwsblad, Tirreno-Adriatico or Paris-Nice. Reality, snobbism or just different viewpoints? The obvious answer is that the season starts in January with the Tour Down Under and the Tour of San Luis. But it’s not so simple because only a proportion of the pro peloton gets going in January. There are 474 riders on World Tour teams but only 119 started the Tour Down Under so if the season had started, many had not started their season. February
17,
2015 (inrng.com)
 A
column of lactate-filled echelons sandblasts across a massive highway,
each diagonal strip of color bursting against shades of beige.
It’s brutal, windy, and mostly flat, with few fans and fewer climbs. The Dubai Tour and its Gulf-region siblings, the Tour of Qatar and Tour of Oman, have in short order become staples of the winter season, bridging the gap between the WorldTour opener in Australia and the first major European races. They are incongruous contests in incongruous places; no more organic to cycling than these gleaming host cities are to the pale deserts they’ve sprung out of. And yet the riders come. Why? For the sun. February
17,
2015 (velonews.com)
 Optum-Kelly
Benefit Strategies begins an six-week European swing battling against
the big boys in the five-day Volta ao Algarve starting Wednesday.
The American Continental team will also be hitting some other races in Portugal throughout March, capping their latest European foray with the Volta ao Alentejo on March 25-29. The team has been competitive in previous trips to Portugal, but they know they will be facing stiff competition at the Algarve tour that includes eight WorldTour-level teams. “We know we can be competitive in the [UCI categorized] .2 races on our schedule,” said performance director Jonas Carney in a team release. “However, the Volta ao Algarve is a different level. We will be up against roughly eight World Tour teams. We’ll approach it much the way we approach the tours of California, Colorado, Utah, or Alberta. It’s important for the team to work together, be aggressive, take chances, and seize opportunities.” February
17,
2015 (velonews.com)
 After
two years of winning his debut race of the season in the Tour of Oman,
Team Sky's Chris Froome
has decided to change his routine and instead start 2015 at the Vuelta
a Andalucia on Wednesday.
He was in a decidedly upbeat mood prior to tackling his first event of the year, to the point where he did not rule out going for the top spot overall. Froome last raced the Vuelta a Andalucia in 2011, finishing 50th, but with so many races in the interim he couldn't recall any details of how he performed then, “It’s all blurred into one,” he said. His victories in Oman in 2013 and 2014, though, are much fresher in his mind, as are his reasons for changing to Andalucia, which runs concurrently with Oman, as his debut race for 2015. February
17,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 This
race has been broadcast live in previous years but not last year.
Check back for 2015 live coverage options. February
17,
2015 (steephill.tv)
 Ivan Basso will make
his Tinkoff-Saxo debut this week at the Vuelta a Andalucía Ruta
Ciclista Del Sol riding in support of Alberto Contador.
The 37-year-old, who's last race was the Gran Premio Bruno Beghelli on October 12, returns to the Ruta del Sol for just the second time in his career and 13 years after making his debut. "Since the moment I joined Tinkoff-Saxo, my ambition has been to reach the start of the season with all forces available to provide my best for the team," Basso said. "I'm very happy to kick off the season by the side of our extraordinary captain, Alberto Contador. February
17,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 Wednesday's Vuelta a
Andalucia/Ruta del Sol Stage 1b, an 8.2km Individual Time Trial at
Coria del Rio, gets underway at 4:30pm CET (10:30am U.S. Eastern) with
the departure of the first rider.
Ruta del Sol live streaming video should get underway at around 4:30pm CET (10:30am U.S. Eastern, 7:30am PST). February
17,
2015 (cyclingfans.com)
 Thomas Dekker will
become the third rider to attempt the Hour Record this year on February
25 in Aguascalientes, Mexico.
Former teammate Rohan Dennis broke the record of 51.852 kilometers set by Matthias Brändle on February 8 when he rode a distance of 52.491 kilometers in sixty minutes in Switzerland. Dekker, who is without a contract for 2015, is hoping the advantage of attempting the record at altitude in Mexico will help him set a new record. Eddy Merckx set the Hour Record benchmark of 49.431km in Mexico in 1972. February
17,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 BikeRadar
verdict: 3 out of 5 stars.
"An appealing and flexible ride that's annoyingly marred by poor
attention to detail."
February
17,
2015 (bikeradar.com)
 The
Powerfly FS+ uses a Bosch pedal assist system, paired to a 120mm
travel, 27.5in-wheeled frame.
The Powerfly will be offered in three build levels. Where the Powerfly differs from other full suspension e-bikes is that the motor has a custom mount and case, which allow the use of shorter chainstays and a lower shock mounting. This gives what Trek believes is class-leading handling. February
17,
2015 (bikeradar.com)
Racing
for WorldTour points creates chaos where there should be order.
February
16,
2015 (velonews.com)
|
February
17, 2015
 It’s
been a full eight months since WADA announced that it would appeal to
the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in an attempt to secure longer
bans from cycling for former US Postal manager Johan Bruyneel and
two team staff. A date has now been set for that legal battle.
CAS released a list on Tuesday updating the dates of pending cases across a number of sports, and has named March 2 as the start point for three related appeals. The first two are attempts by Johan Bruyneel and José ‘Pepe’ Martí to have their bans reduced. The third is a bid by WADA to have those bans increased, and also to have an eight year ban handed down to former team doctor Pedro Celaya lengthened. February
17,
2015 (cyclingtips.com.au)
 Eddy Merckx believes
that Bradley Wiggins
would be a complete champion should the British Tour de France winner
secure titles in Paris-Roubaix and the Hour Record.
Wiggins is targeting the Classics this spring before ending his WorldTour career with Team Sky. Paris-Roubaix forms the cornerstone of his cobbled ambitions as he looks to step down from the top of professional road racing with a Monument win. February
17,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 At
33 years old Fabian
Cancellara is aware that time is running out in his
cycling career.
"The young ones are still writing the first chapters of their book. My book is almost finished. This pressure, to write history, is my personal pressure and motivation." Despite having a palmares to make most riders envious with seven Monuments, seven Tour de France stages and four world titles, the Swiss rider is still chasing more. “According to me, I haven’t won enough last year, so I really have to focus on what’s the most important to me,” Cancellara told Trekfactoryracing.com. “The only ambition I have now when I start a race is to win, and I’ll do anything for that. If I feel that I can win a stage here or there, I will go for it. Of course, everything can happen whether it’s a technical problem or a crash, but we always try to deal with these risks.” February
17,
2015 (sbs.com.au)
 With
his debut in the Tour de France on the horizon, Giant-Alpecin’s rising
grand tour star Warren
Barguil is starting the Tour of Oman for the first time.
“It’s been a really long wait until now,” Barguil said ahead of stage 1. “Some people can be really strong during the winter, train well and be really good in the first race, but I need to see. I have no comparison, so I don’t know where I am.” The 23-year-old Frenchman showed his capacities in the grand tours in the last two years in the Vuelta a España. In 2013, he won the Castelldefels and Formigal stages, the second a mountaintop finish ahead of Rigoberto Urán. Though he failed to win a stage in 2014, he placed eighth overall. February
17,
2015 (velonews.com)
 Marcel Kittel will
not ride Milan-San Remo (March 22) this year so that John Degenkolb can
lead team Giant-Alpecin.
Kittel was the 2014 Tour de France’s most successful sprinter with four stage wins but has never raced in Milan-San Remo, which has a reputation of favoring sprinters. When asked whether he’d take part in the Italian classic, Kittel said: “Not Milan-San Remo because mainly John is the leader for the race, that’s how the team decision is. I don’t know if I can win, I’ve never done it.” February
17,
2015 (cyclingweekly.co.uk)
 David McKenzie put
the Linda McCartney team firmly on the map with a stage win in the 2000
Giro d’Italia, life was looking good for the team and for the man from
Ballarat.
With the promise of a bigger and better McCartney team in 2001 all was rosy… then reality. No sponsors and no money. The man who gave the team it’s greatest success, with a Giro stage win was Australian Mckenzie, but nowadays he’s on the Media side of the fence as a broadcaster with Australian TV. February
17,
2015 (pezcyclingnews.com)
 “What’s
old is new again” is not a cliché that applies to the Santa Cruz
Stigmata CC. Well, except for its name.
“Naming bikes is a process. Seriously, it takes months of circular emails being sent. It’s so much easier to name a new bike after an old one,” said Santa Cruz’s COO, Joe Graney. The new Santa Cruz Stigmata CC, is a rekindled name for the California brand, and it’s in the same genre of bikes, though when the Stigmata cyclocross bike was cut from the Santa Cruz line-up in 2012, it had Easton EA6X aluminum tubes, handmade in Portland, Oregon, and was only available with cantilever brakes. It was on the verge of being an obsolete bike, with carbon ’cross bikes becoming commonplace, and the debate over discs reaching a head. February
17,
2015 (velonews.com)
 "I
refuse to ride inside. Spinning away on a trainer while
watching TV? Please.
When I ride a bike I do it outside, when I watch TV I do it on the couch with a beer. If you’re going to do something, do it right. Of course, this being February in New York, conditions can often be more conducive to watching TV on the couch than to riding outside, so when I see a decent weather window I jump right through it like I just dropped LSD and I’m convinced I can fly." February
17,
2015 (brooksengland.com)
 The
2015 UCI Track Cycling World Championships, at
Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, France, are being held February
18-22.
There will be live streams. Details to come. February
17,
2015 (cyclingfans.com)
 There
was certainly plenty to see at the London Bike Show last weekend.
Here's the first part of our look at some of the best bikes on show. February
17,
2015 (cyclingweekly.co.uk)
February
16, 2015
|
 It
was hours after stage 4 of the Santos Tour Down Under, and most riders
had finished dinner and gone to bed to rest up for the following day’s
battle.
Outside the media pressroom, two Katusha riders were poaching the wifi signal and intensely studying the website ProCyclingStats. They were scouring deep into the day’s results, to see how many, if any, UCI points they had earned. In professional cycling, the devil is in the details. In what is one of the sport’s grayest of gray areas, every race is a battle on two dimensions: The first race is for the victory, and the second, for UCI points. It’s a contradiction that shapes everything that happens inside the broiling, stampeding herd that is the professional peloton. February
16,
2015 (velonews.com)
Chris Horner dropped
a bomb on US domestic cycling earlier this year when, after a long and
fruitful career in Europe, he signed with the fledgling Continental
team Airgas-Safeway for the 2015 season.
The 43-year-old winner of the 2013 Vuelta a España is a father of four - his children are 17, 15, 13 and two months; the youngest was born on Christmas Day last year - and many observers wondered why he would want to return to cycling's third division to compete in races he left behind at least a decade previously. February
16,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 Tuscany’s
famed L’Eroica vintage bike ride will be coming to the United States
for the first time this spring.
The L’Eroica event requires participants to use bikes built before 1988; many participants use bikes built prior to World War II and dress in vintage styles as well. The Eroica California will be held April 10-12, with the start and finish in Paso Robles, Calif. The weekend will include a Classic Bike Concours and a Vintage Market. The California event will be limited to 1,000 riders. There will be three route options, of 43-, 65- or 123 miles. Each route includes sections of gravel roads. February
16,
2015 (bicycleretailer.com)
 Crashing
last weekend with what looked like a painful shoulder injury appears to
have little effect on Sanne
Cant’s racing performance, who took both wins this
weekend, Saturday at Superprestige Middelkerke, and Sunday at G.P.
Eeklo.
Cant is out to bookmark her 2014-15 season with a dominating performance in the early season and again at the last month. Wout van Aert, who was the rider to look out for in 2014, has struggled to find wins under the shadow of Mathieu van der Poel in 2015. Both of his victories (G.P. Sven Nys and Kasteelcross Zonnebeke) have come when his primary rival wasn’t present at the race. He was able to buck this trend yesterday at G.P. Eeklo as he stood atop a podium over Kevin Pauwels and U23 World Champion Michael Vanthourenhout. February
16,
2015 (cxmagazine.com)
 Nacer Bouhanni says
his Cofidis team is working hard on getting its sprint train organized
as he goes into the Tour of Oman on Tuesday looking for his first win
of the season.
The French sprinter admits his new team struggled to get him in the right position to contend with the likes of Alexander Kristoff at the Tour of Qatar last week and reckons it will take a couple of races for Cofidis to get things right. Bouhanni, who was Cofidis’ marquee signing going into this season, tells L’Équipe he was surprised by the general level of form in Qatar. “You don’t see anyone toiling any more. You have to be ready, if not you really pay for it,” says the Frenchman, whose third place on the final stage in Qatar was his best result of a season that began with the Challenge Mallorca. February
16,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
2014-15
Races
& Results.
Tour of Oman 2015 - Feb 17-22 (Stages), Vuelta a Andalucia Ruta Ciclista Del Sol - Feb 18-22 (Stages), Volta ao Algarve - Feb 19-23 (Stages), Giro d'Italia 2015 - May 9-31 (Stages), Tour de France 2015 - July 4-26 (Stages), Vuelta a España 2015 - Aug 22-Sept 13 (Stages), UCI Road World Championship 2015 - Sept 20-27 (Stages), Tour of Qatar 2015 - Feb 8-13 (Results), Dubai Tour 2015 - Feb 4-7 (Results), UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships - Jan 31-Feb 1 (Results), 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).  The
1984 world champion Claude
Criquielion is in critical condition after suffering a
stroke. The 58-year-old Belgian is being treated in a hospital in Aalst.
Criquielion was one of the top racers in the world in the 1980s, winning the road world championships in Barcelona, La Flèche Wallonne twice (1985, 1989), and the Tour of Flanders in 1987. He was fifth in the Tour de France in 1986. February
16,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 Tannus
Tires is a Korean company and it has just launched the new Aither 1.1
solid tire which it claims only has 2% higher rolling resistance than a
regular tire, lasts at least 6,000 miles.
Specifications: Weights start at 380 grams for the 700c x 23mm model. One “inflation” rate of 100psi. Four sizes – 700c x 23 (10 colors), 700c x 28 (black), 700c x 32 (black) and 26″ x 1.75″ (black). Aither 1.1 – US $185 / £119.80 a pair. February
16,
2015 (road.cc)
Wednesday's Vuelta a
Andalucia/Ruta del Sol Stage 1b, an 8.2km Individual Time Trial at
Coria del Rio, gets underway at 4:30pm CET (10:30am U.S. Eastern) with
the departure of the first rider.
Ruta del Sol live streaming video should get underway at around 4:30pm CET (10:30am U.S. Eastern, 7:30am PST). February
16,
2015 (cyclingfans.com)
The
2015 UCI Track Cycling World Championships, at
Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, France, are being held February
18-22.
There will be live streams. Details to come. February
16,
2015 (cyclingfans.com)
|
 The
attorneys for SCA Promotions have issued a petition to a Texas district
court to confirm the $10 million award decided by an arbitration panel
against Lance Armstrong,
one that if accepted would compel Armstrong
to pay.
In the petition, they write that "Mr. Armstrong has indicated that he will refuse to comply with the Award", but Armstrong's lawyer Tim Herman said in a statement that Armstrong had already offered to pay SCA Promotions the $10 million, but they refused to accept it. February
16,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 In
the latest development in a long and bitterly-fought legal battle, Lance Armstrong has
been ordered to pay ten million dollars to the SCA Promotions company
by a Texas arbitration panel.
The company has confirmed to CyclingTips that the arbitrators’ written ruling has found that Armstrong engaged in “an unparalleled pageant of international perjury, fraud and conspiracy.” That panel also found that he had “used perjury and other wrongful conduct to secure millions of dollars of benefits” from SCA Promotions, which was the insurance company contracted to cover bonus payments due to him for winning the Tour de France. February
16,
2015 (cyclingtips.com.au)
 Bradley Wiggins
started his season at the Tour of Qatar where he kicked off his
build-up for his final race as a Sky rider at Paris-Roubaix.
Later he will focus on the Hour Record and the track disciplines. For this, he has created his own team, Team Wiggins. The Brit believes that the sport has taken steps in the "right direction" but admits that there is still more to do. And he doesn’t like the outcome of the Astana discusson. "Some people should not be in this sport, and we all know the names." February
16,
2015 (cyclingquotes.com)
 He’s
been runner-up this season and a couple of readers have been asking if Sagan is in trouble.
Surely not, he’s only done one race this season and Qatar wasn’t the big goal: fans of Peter Sagan need not worry. Forecasts can be foolish but let’s predict Peter Sagan is going to win Stage 2 of the Tour of Oman on Wednesday. The finish suits him perfectly with the difficult climb of Al Jissah just before the fast descent to the finish outside the Al Bustan hotel. He’s won here before. The Gulf races are for training. It’s all about the spring classics campaign but he won’t have it easy. Alexander Kristoff looks set to become his nemesis. The two were sprinting in Qatar and there paths are going to cross several times between now and Paris-Roubaix. February
16,
2015 (inrng.com)
 Tour
de France champion Vincenzo
Nibali arrived for the Tour of Oman at 7:30 local
time on Monday slightly under-prepared.
“I tried to train well, but in the last days I had cold weather, rain, a little bit of snow [in Lugano], and I wasn’t able to train in the best way,” the Italian told Cycling Weekly. “Others who have raced in Argentina, Australia or Qatar, they’ll have an advantage,” he added. February
16,
2015 (cyclingweekly.co.uk)
 After
five seasons at Team Sky, Edvald
Boasson Hagen has now begun a new chapter at team
MTN-Qhubeka.
The Norwegian has changed his training regime as well as changing teams, and put on weight under the guidance of his former trainer as he aims for the 2015 Spring Classics. When asked how many kilograms he has put on, the quiet 27 year old said: “Quite a lot. A few. Hopefully it’s more power. We’ll see. I’m not a climber anyway. I’ve tried to be more skinny and it doesn’t really work. Now, I’ll try to have more muscles.” February
16,
2015 (cyclingweekly.co.uk)
 Spain’s
two-time Tour de France winner Alberto
Contador hinted at retiring after the 2016 season during a
Monday press conference.
“After 2016, what I can say for now, is that I don’t see myself racing,” the 32-year-old said. “This year, I am sure to be there, but next year I can’t guarantee… That may be my last year.” Contador won the Tour de France in 2007 and 2009, the Giro d’Italia in 2008, and the Vuelta a Espana in 2008, 2012, and 2014. “It is hard to set a date when you love what you do. Physically I feel very well but it is true that the years are going by and you have to set a date. I would like to retire on top of a podium,” he said. February
16,
2015 (velonews.com)
 A
new kind of steel that could topple titanium as the ultimate choice for
bike frames has been invented. The team claims it is stronger and as
lighter, crucially, could cost one tenth of the price.
Most steels are cheap compared to titanium but they are usually weaker and heavier. On the other hand, titanium is nowhere near as stiff as steel, is expensive to make and can break more easily. The game-changing new metal is said to combine the best qualities of both steel and titanium without any of the downsides. So, stronger, light, high end frames could be made at a fraction of the price. February
16,
2015 (cyclingweekly.co.uk)
 Kurt 'Tarzan' Searvogel,
the American contender in the race to break Tommy Godwin's
record for the most miles ridden in a year, gave himself a special
Valentine's Day present on Saturday when he logged the longest day of
the challengers so far, with a 263-mile ride.
On February 14, Searvogel took part in the Bike Sebring 12-Hour at Florida's Sebring International Raceway, taking just over 12 hours to bring his year-to-date total to 7219.2 miles. He banged out another 200 the following day and is aiming for the same today. February
16,
2015 (road.cc)
|
February
16, 2015
 Roman Kreuziger will
begin his 2015 season Tuesday in the Tour of Oman despite an upcoming
biological passport case at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
The six-day Tour of Oman starts at Bayt al Naman Castle. Its lineup contains several top stars, including reigning Tour de France winner Vincenzo Nibali, and sets cyclists up for the remainder of the season. Already next month, the top WorldTour races continue with Paris-Nice and Tirreno-Adriatico. Kreuziger’s schedule beyond Oman has not yet been announced. Much of his season — and career — will hinge on the result of his biological passport case. February
16,
2015 (velonews.com)
 The
vice-chairman of Almaty’s bidding committee for the 2022 Winter
Olympics has defended the Kazakhstani city’s use of Astana general
manager Alexandre
Vinokourov as an ambassador despite his positive test for
blood doping in 2007 and the recent spate of positive tests on his team.
The Inside the Games website reports that Andrey Kryukov said that there was no evidence that Vinokourov was currently involved in doping and that his association with the bid was a positive one. "His title is Olympic champion in London," Kryukov said. February
16,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 Once
upon a time, on a continent not far away, things were relatively
simple.
If you were a French cycling team, you got to ride the Tour de France. If you were a team sponsored by Vivi, Metauro Mobili or Sammontana ice cream, with a budget smaller than a credit card limit, you were still guaranteed a slot in the Giro d’Italia, and the same went for domestic sponsors in Spain. Teams were looked after in their home countries, rode their national races and Tours and everyone was happy. However, those less complicated days are long gone. Italian firms sponsored 13 out of the 18 participating teams in the 1983 Giro; 30 years later, only five out of the 23 teams were Italian-registered. February
16,
2015 (cyclingweekly.co.uk)
 Scott
is recalling select Vanish EVO helmets, the company announced Monday.
The recall includes both the CE (sold mostly in Europe) and CPSC (sold mostly in the U.S.) versions of the helmet. The 2015 Vanish does not comply with CPSC safety standards, and failed the impact test required by CE standards, according to a statement from Scott. Riders should stop using the helmets immediately. Any helmet covered by the recall will be refunded fully if brought to an official Scott dealer. February
16,
2015 (velonews.com)
 Bradley Wiggins will
ride the UCI Hour record in London in June.
The venue was announced in a press release from Rapha revealing details of a global joint venture that will initially see the London-based cycling clothing firm supply the kit for the team being launched by the four-time Olympic champion. Since 2013, Rapha has supplied Team Sky’s kit, and the 2012 Tour de France winner will ride his final race for them at Paris-Roubaix in April before joining Team Wiggins as he begins his preparations for Rio 2016 where he is aiming to ride the team pursuit. February
16,
2015 (road.cc)
 Another
batch of shiny new bikes and products from the 2015 London Bike Show.
February
16,
2015 (road.cc)
 Loaded
with SRAM’s Hydro S series (and Red 10), Zipp’s 30 wheels and Cockpit
and Conti Gator Skins, Lynskey’s silver series Viale’ is handled by the
same builders as frames costing 2-3 times the price.
So most people know that Lynskey were the Family that created Lightspeed. Lots of folks know that they’re making their own line of bikes (as well as making a few other brands top end Titanium frames). What might have escaped you though is the fact that Lynskey decided to produce a line of more affordable bikes that have all the features you would expect from higher-end US Ti producers but are much more affordable as they’re produced in stock sizes and larger production runs. February
16,
2015 (pezcyclingnews.com)
 Looks
like there will be some live Tour of Oman (February 17-22) video coverage.
We'll see
whether it is more than just the finish.
Tuesday's Stage 1 starts at 11:30am local (8:30am CET) (2:30am U.S. Eastern). Finish at around 3:36pm local (12:36pm CET) (6:36am U.S. Eastern). Live video from (check back) -- local (-- CET) (-- U.S. Eastern). February
16,
2015 (steephill.tv)
 BH
has been producing its Ultralight frameset for a few years following
its unveiling in 2011.
From the outset, BH was intent on producing a very light frameset that was equally stiff. The first iteration weighed around 750g and was actually stiffer than its other road frame design at the time, the G5. One aspect of the Ultralight that helped BH achieve is design goals was the development of a new bottom bracket standard in collaboration with FSA. The result, BB386EVO, combined the axle and bearing dimensions of BB30 with the shell width of BB86. The oversized bottom bracket allowed larger, lighter and stiffer tubing profiles to be used when compared to other bottom bracket standards. February
16,
2015 (cyclingtips.com.au)
February
15, 2015
|
 Mark Cavendish continued
his run of early season success by winning the Clasica de Almeria
one-day race in Spain.
The Manxman yet again got excellent support from his teammates, who chased down the break of the day and controlled the attacks in the hilly first half of the race and the finale. After a late crash took out some of their rivals, Mark Renshaw gave Cavendish a perfect lead out, allowing him to beat Juan Jose Lobato, with Renshaw finishing third. February
15,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 Wout van Aert has
takes his third victory in 2015.
The Vastgoedservice rider was the best in Eeklo when he beat Kevin Pauwels in a two-rider sprint. U23 world champion Michael Vanthournhout completed the podium while Mathieu van der Poel could only manage fifth. February
15,
2015 (cyclingquotes.com)
 New
Zealand's Taylor Gunman
has continued his purple patch of form with a solo victory at the elite
men's Oceania Road Championships, while Lauren Kitchen
collected top honors in the women's race in a tight sprint.
Gunman, riding with the Avanti Racing Team, added the Oceania title to his growing resume, which also includes the 2014 New Zealand time trial national crown. In the women's race, Port Macquarie's Lauren Kitchen was crowned elite women's Oceania Road Cycling Championship after an impressive display of power throughout the 107 kilometer road race. February
15,
2015 (sbs.com.au)
 Etixx
- Quick-Step rider Zdenek
Stybar made his 2015 road debut at 198.1 Vuelta Ciclista a
Murcia on Saturday, and the Czech rider already rode his way to a
podium placing.
After a two-rider breakaway was neutralized at kilometer 146, in an up-and-down race with four categorized climbs and a Cat. 3 summit finish, Rein Taaramäe went solo. He had a 2'20" advantage all the way into the final 5 kilometers. He held his advantage to the finish line for the victory, but only by 10 seconds over the peloton behind him. Bauke Mollema was 2nd, and Stybar arrived in 3rd. February
15,
2015 (cyclingquotes.com)
2014-15
Races
& Results.
Tour of Oman 2015 - Feb 17-22 (Stages), Giro d'Italia 2015 - May 9-31 (Stages), Tour de France 2015 - July 4-26 (Stages), Vuelta a España 2015 - Aug 22-Sept 13 (Stages), UCI Road World Championship 2015 - Sept 20-27 (Stages), Tour of Qatar 2015 - Feb 8-13 (Results), Dubai Tour 2015 - Feb 4-7 (Results), UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships - Jan 31-Feb 1 (Results), 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).  Romain Zingle cannot
immediately think of a comeback in the peloton. The Cofidis rider has
gotten a little more clarity about his heart problem; a virus might be
the culprit. Rest is the only solution for recovery.
In late January, Zingle announced on Twitter that he could not yet start his season. Zingle was struggling with an inflammation of the heart chamber and could not participate in competitions.” February
15,
2015 (cyclingquotes.com)
 Sunday
proved to be a long day on the front for Etixx-QuickStep, which brought
sprinter Mark Cavendish
to victory at the Clasica de Almeria, his fourth win of the young 2015
season.
The 183km Spanish race from Salida to Meta included three categorized climbs but ended with a long downhill run into the finish. An early escape of five riders brought Cavendish's team to the front, and when Movistar and Katusha threw riders into the chase, the catch was imminent. “Yesterday I didn't really feel good during the race at Vuelta Ciclista a Murcia, but today the team was really motivated,” Cavendish said following his win at Almeria. “We started riding from kilometer zero. We were always in front, in the first 10 positions of the group the entire race. February
15,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
Wednesday's Vuelta a
Andalucia/Ruta del Sol Stage 1b, an 8.2km Individual Time Trial at
Coria del Rio, gets underway at 4:30pm CET (10:30am U.S. Eastern) with
the departure of the first rider.
Ruta del Sol live streaming video should get underway at around 4:30pm CET (10:30am U.S. Eastern, 7:30am PST). February
15,
2015 (cyclingfans.com)
This
race has been broadcast live in previous years but not last year.
Check back for 2015 live coverage options. February
15,
2015 (steephill.tv)
|
 Fabian Cancellara
was not satisfied with his 2014 season. It started out well with his
third Tour of Flanders victory, but went downhill from there.
And, he has admitted, he is still learning how to be a good team leader at Trek Factory Racing. Cancellara is unhappy that he didn’t finish any of the summer stage races he rode in 2014 as he prepared for the world road race championships, where he finished a disappointing eleventh in the road race after struggling in the wet conditions. “Going into a race knowing that I will leave it early – that is not good. It is not good for my motivation, not good for my image,” he told Nzz.ch in a revealing interview from the Tour of Qatar. “And it is not good for the team. It is not a good signal when the leader abandons, even when there is a reason.” February
15,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 Contador opens his
season this coming Wednesday at the Vuelta a Andalucia.
He is just coming off a three-week training camp on Tenerife, where he lost only 1.8 kilos. "Less than I would have liked. And very little considering the number of hours of work." Contador, 32, will start his 2015 season at the Ruta del Sol (February 18-22), in southern Spain this week, where he will face off against Chris Froome. The two are expected to clash with other Grand Tour rivals Nairo Quintana and Vincenzo Nibali at Tirreno-Adriatico (March 11-17). February
15,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 Alberto Contador of
Tinkoff-Saxo has confirmed that he is going to ride the Giro-Tour
double in 2015, as well as suggesting that if he does sign a new
contract, it will be only for one more season.
In the past week, his team manager Bjarne Riis and Tinkoff-Saxo owner Oleg Tinkov have weighed in on his future and contractual situation, with there even being suggestions he may retire at the end of this year. The Spaniard finally had his say in the interview. “My career is in its final stretch,” he said. “I have this season left here at Tinkoff-Saxo, and there are discussions to continue here, or with other teams, but right now, I’d probably stay here. It all depends how the season winds up. I don’t see myself making more than a one-year contract.” February
15,
2015 (cyclingquotes.com)
 Luis Lemus is hoping
his switch to Airgas-Safeway in the off season will bring the wins he
has come close to over the past three seasons on Jelly Belly-Maxxis.
The two-time Mexican national champion is ready to move from team player to team leader for the 2015 season. “The last years I've been saying that I want to learn, I want to help the team, but I think this is the year that I want to prove myself,” the 22-year-old told Cyclingnews at the Airgas-Safeway team presentation last week. “I want to win races. I want to win an NRC race. I've won UCI races before, so I want to keep doing that.” February
15,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 "Didn't
make it to the London Bike Show 2015?
You missed a good show, but in case you couldn't make it, we've picked some of our highlights of the bikes that grabbed our attention as we wondered around the ExCeL Center." February
15,
2015 (road.cc)
 In
the run-up to the classics Lotto Soudal is racing in the southern part
of Europe. While a team of seven will ride the Ruta del Sol, eight
others will take part in the Volta ao Algarve from Wednesday 18th until
Sunday 22nd February.
The Algarve is a region in the south of Portugal. There are two sprint opportunities in the Volta ao Algarve: the first and final stage. Apart from that there are two tougher stages and a time trial. That time trial, nineteen kilometres long, is scheduled on Friday. The last five kilometers are slightly uphill. “We aim for a stage win and a good overall classification," sports director Herman Frison said. "Tony Gallopin is our man for the GC. In the Etoile de Bessèges Tony proved that he had a good winter, just like the others, so he can set a good result in Algarve as well." February
15,
2015 (cyclingquotes.com)
 Kwiatkowski says he
enjoyed a good winter break to recover from a dream season, which saw
him go from future challenger in the Ardennes to one of the stars of
the current peloton.
“As always I had my five weeks break and I chose this time to be available to the media and to use this time to show what we achieved this season. I started my training on the 10th of November, as normal, but maybe faster than last year with more kilometers, so everything has gone well and I’m healthy, that’s important and I’m happy with what I have done this winter up to now.” He explained his calendar for the season and that he has swpped Tirreno-Adriatico for Paris-Nice to help him be fitter for Milan-Sanremo, where he aims to help Mark Cavendish or ride for himself, like Zdenek Stybar was able to do last year. February
15,
2015 (cyclingquotes.com)
The
2015 UCI Track Cycling World Championships, at
Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, France, are being held February
18-22.
There will be live streams. Details to come. February
15,
2015 (cyclingfans.com)
Report:
Pantani was killed by a mix of cocaine and anti-depressants.
February
14,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
|
February
15, 2015
 Admit
it. You’ve wondered how you would compare when stacked up against the
pros.
Most of us will never have the chance to find out, but the hour record offers up a unique opportunity for the bold and the brave to see how they compare to those at the top-level of the sport. The beautiful thing about the hour record is that it’s a race of truth with a controlled set of variables affecting the outcome. Cycling is unlike most other sports in that you can visually see the talent at work, and the hour record is one of the most torturous challenges to that talent. Eddy Merckx famously described his world hour record: “It’s very, very hard. I couldn’t walk for a few days after I did it. That’s how hard it is.” February
15,
2015 (cyclingtips.com.au)
 Mark Cavendish became
the first British rider to win the Clasica Almeria today as he out
sprinted Juan Jose Lobato
to take the win.
MTN-Qhubeka p/b Samsung had an unfortunate day with a late crash ruining the chances of a result. Things were looking good for Farrar but unfortunately with 2km to go there was a big crash in the lead group which Farrar was caught behind. This disruption caused the American to lose positions rapidly as the pace was on right at the front, also meaning he could not contest the finale. February
15,
2015 (cyclingquotes.com)
 Canada’s
Dominique Rollin
returned to action again last week in the Tour of Qatar after sitting
out 2014 without a contract.
Thanks to Nacer Bouhanni’s request, he will help Cofidis’s red train this year in the sprints. “Nacer wanted people he could trust around him, that brought about the idea of having me back because we had a good thing going on in 2013, winning some good races at the WorldTour and French level,” Rollin told VeloNews. “It’s a good opportunity to come back. It gives me a goal, a purpose to be at the races and have a job, a focus. It brings me motivation.” February
15,
2015 (velonews.com)
 Cycling
on a turbo trainer, albeit a motorized bike, can help a stroke
patients’ brain and motor skills recovery.
A small study of 17 stroke survivors by the Cleveland Clinic, Ohio, showed how those who completed cycling exercises made greater improvement in the recovery of motor skills. Research has frequently found that aerobic exercise helps the brains to learn new information and similar studies have noted how stationary cycling has helped Parkinson’s disease recovery. February
15,
2015 (cyclingweekly.co.uk)
 US
trackman Bobby Lea
will soon be on the boards of Paris fighting for the World pursuit gold
medal.
With over twenty Elite titles to his name, there’s a good chance of adding a Rainbow jersey to that total in the French capital. The USA team has a realistic contender for a medal in Lea who took bronze in the London World Cup omnium and has recently been polishing his form on the six day tracks. Originally Bobby was to be riding the omnium; a combination of the flying lap, 40 K points, the kilometer, pursuit, elimination and scratch race. But as there is now a clash between the pursuit and the omnium he has opted to go for just the pursuit race. The 2015 track Worlds will be staged in France’s new National Velodrome in South West Paris, between 18 – 22 February. February
15,
2015 (pezcyclingnews.com)
 Etixx-Quick
Step have shown that despite the name change this offseason, they are
still going to be the team to beat in the Classics, after leading Niki Terpstra to a
second consecutive GC win at the tour of Qatar, the team’s eighth win
in 14 editions overall.
And once more, they have all the other team running scared. “That’s always the team that everyone looks at,” Sky sports director Servais Knaven told VeloNews. “They are specialists in races like the Tour of Qatar and in the classics. Every other team has two or three riders who can do the same, but they have probably eight.” February
15,
2015 (cyclingquotes.com)
 California
will become the first state in the US to require adult cyclists to wear
cycle helmets if a bill introduced by a state senator, which would also
require all riders to wear reflective clothing at night, becomes law.
Currently, 21 states as well as the District of Columbia have laws requiring children to wear helmets while riding a bike. The upper age limit varies by jurisdiction, but in California, currently bike riders aged under 18 have been required to wear one. February
15,
2015 (road.cc)
 Michele Ferrero, one
of Italy’s biggest supporters of cycling – and its richest man – has
died at the age of 89 at his home in Monaco following a long illness.
The Piedmont-based businessman helped build the family confectionery empire begun by his father that is the company behind brands such as Nutella, Ferrero Rocher, Kinder and TicTac. The company sponsors the Italian national team, and presented the country’s riders including Dario Cataldo with personalized jars of Nutella ahead of last year’s world championships. February
15,
2015 (road.cc)
|
 Mountain
biking pioneer Ned
Overend, 59, added another national championship to his
lengthy palmares Saturday with a win at USA Cycling's first-ever Fat
Bike National Championships in Ogden, Utah.
Overend won the Men's Pro Open event in front of Brad Bingham and Travis Brown on a snow-covered 30km course at Powder Mountain Resort. Overend's results date back to the early 1980s. He won the Mountain Biking World Championship in 1990 and was a six-time winner of the NORBA Mountain Bike National Championships. Overend has also been the XTERRA World Champion twice, and most recently he was the UCI Masters 55-59 Cyclo-cross champion in 2012. February
14,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 Kevin Pauwels took
the win at the eighth round of the 2014-2015 Superprestige series in
Middelkerke, but it was Mathieu
Van der Poel who claimed the series win in a
race that was characterized by numerous technical sections and a
constant jockeying for position.
With the top three general classification leaders, Van der Poel, Pauwels and Lars van der Haar separated by a mere five points going into the final race, everything was on the line. February
14,
2015 (cxmagazine.com)
 Sanne Cant
continued her winning ways with another victory at the windy North Sea
cross in Middelkerke on Saturday afternoon.
UCI leader, European and Belgian champion Cant won solo ahead of British champion Helen Wyman and young Femke van den Driessche. The victory in the final Superprestige round was Cant's 22nd victory of the season. February
14,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 Swiss
Rider Johan Jacobs
won the eighth and final round of the Superprestige at Middelkerke.
Eli Iserbyt, the current Belgian Junior national champion and runner up at the 2015 Cyclocross World Championship in Tabor, was already guaranteed the overall victory of the Superprestige series with an incredible performance of seven wins in a row this season. An eighth win would have sealed a perfect showing in the series, but Jacobs once again proved himself as a capable underdog. February
14,
2015 (cxmagazine.com)
 Alexander Kristoff
won three stages and the points jersey at the Tour of Qatar, but he was
unable to snatch overall victory from Niki Terpstra in the
final sprint.
The Norwegian rider had come into the final stage 11 seconds down, and need to do well in the final intermediate sprints and take bonus seconds in the final sprint to take overall vcitory. Kristoff placed second in the first intermediate sprint to pick up two seconds and give him a chance in the final sprint but he and the Katusha team were shut out in the decisive sprint for victory won by Sam Bennett. Kristoff was only 19th on the stage. February
14,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
2014-15
Races
& Results.
Tour of Oman 2015 - Feb 17-22 (Stages), Giro d'Italia 2015 - May 9-31 (Stages), Tour de France 2015 - July 4-26 (Stages), Vuelta a España 2015 - Aug 22-Sept 13 (Stages), UCI Road World Championship 2015 - Sept 20-27 (Stages), Tour of Qatar 2015 - Feb 8-13 (Results), Dubai Tour 2015 - Feb 4-7 (Results), UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships - Jan 31-Feb 1 (Results), 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). |
 On
the 11th anniversary of the death of Marco Pantani, the
Gazzetta dello
Sport sports newspaper has suggested that former Giro
d'Italia and Tour de France winner died due to the toxic combination of
a large dose of cocaine and his anti-depressant medication.
During the summer Gazzetta dello Sport suggested that Pantani could have been murdered and openly supported the private investigation funded by Pantani's parents and aggressively pursued by their lawyer Antonio De Rensis. This lead to the Rimini police opening a new investigation and the ordering of a review of the autopsy carried out on Pantani's body after his death in 2004. February
14,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 Eddy Merckx’s rule
has shifted from the roads of Europe to Qatar, where he created a stage
race across the petroleum-rich state in 2002. Yesterday, Dutchman Niki Terpstra won
the 14th edition in a close bonus-second battle under the king’s
watchful eye.
“I’d say this is more than a classics preparation race,” Merckx said with pride. “Look at how they raced. You see that guys are racing all out to win the overall. It’s a good preparation, but also a nice race win to have on your palmarès.” February
14,
2015 (cyclingweekly.co.uk)
 Greg LeMond is no
stranger to completing Giro d’Italia and Tour de France doubles, but
the American insists Alberto
Contador will face a stiffer challenge to win both this
season than riders did in the eighties.
While LeMond never claimed victory in the Italian race, he started both the Giro and Tour five times in his career, with top-five finishes in both on two occasions. Speaking to Cycling Weekly at the London Bike Show, the three-time Tour winner admitted the Giro organisers have made their race a lot more difficult since his era, but says Contador’s experience of winning both races individually will give him an advantage in his quest for the double. February
14,
2015 (cyclingweekly.co.uk)
 Alberto Contador reconfirmed
that he will race both the Giro d’Italia and Tour de France this year,
but said the Vuelta a España is not on his radar.
“I believe I’ve made it plain that racing the Giro and Tour is our project this season,” Contador said on Radio MARCA. “I have the Giro in mind, and I’ve said it since October, and I don’t have any doubt about that at all.” Contador’s comments came in reaction to quotes from Sky’s David López, who cast doubts on Contador’s intentions of racing the Giro-Tour double. Earlier this week, López told MARCA: “Here at Sky, we don’t believe Contador will race the Giro. In the end, he can change his mind. It won’t be the first time that he’s said one thing and done something else.” February
14,
2015 (velonews.com)
 Sagan and Majka will lead
Tinkoff in Oman, MTN-Qhubeka sweeps African championships podium.
February
14,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
|
February
14, 2015
Forget
tee time. These days, you’re more likely to hear business deals
discussed over the handlebars of a high-end bicycle than on the
fairway, and fund managers are catching on.
As cycling becomes the hobby of choice among wealthy professionals, portfolio managers from firms such as Wasatch, Vanguard and Franklin Templeton have been moving into the shares of companies behind bicycle and bike-component brands such as Cannondale, Specialized, and Trek, whose highest-price models can cost more than $10,000. February
14,
2015 (reuters.com)
 Rein Taaramäe kicked
off his 2015 season and his time with the Astana team with an
aggressive solo victory at the one-day Vuelta a Murcia race in Spain.
The Estonian rider won alone on the uphill finish after being going across to a mid-race attack. While his breakaway companions all faded on the hilly race route, he powered clear alone to another attack, opened a two-minute gap and held off the peloton on the climb to the finish at Alto Fortaleza del Sol. Bauke Mollema finished ten seconds behind Taaramäe, with Zdenek Stybar third in the same time. February
14,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 The
Cannondale-Garmin team has shared their Valentine’s Day messages in a
light-hearted video from their Mallorca training camp, with the riders
sending messages in different languages to their loved ones, family,
friends and supporters.
Dan Martin, Nathan Haas, Alan Marangoni, Ted King, Ben King, Sebastian Langeveld, André Cardoso and Joe Dombrowski took turns wishing the best to their loved ones – girlfriends, wives, moms and even “all the beautiful women in the world.” February
14,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 It's
time for one of the most important build-up weeks of the cycling
season, with the next few days offering no less than four stage races
that will form a key part of the preparation that shall see classics
and stage race riders hit peak condition for the months of March and
April.
One of the options for the world's best cyclists is to head to Andalusia for the Ruta del Sol which offers five days of mountainous racing under usually sunny conditions and for its 61st edition, the organizers have attracted an incredible line-up that is led by grand tour stars Alberto Contador and Chris Froome. February
14,
2015 (cyclingquotes.com)
 The
King of the Alps. Europe’s highest mountain pass is more regal still
thanks to the views and its length.
At 48km it is France’s longest climb. Used sparingly by the Tour de France, it’s a big high altitude test in two parts, a busy traffic artery before the calm upper slopes. February
14,
2015 (inrng.com)
 Tinkoff-Saxo
joins the clash between grand tour favorites and classics riders at
Tour of Oman, the third and final Middle Eastern race of the early
season covering six stages.
Proven climber and stage-race talent Rafal Majka will lead the team’s efforts in the general classification, while Peter Sagan, will aim for stage wins coming straight off the back of Tour of Qatar. The prominent squad is completed by Daniele Bennati, Matti Breschel, Roman Kreuziger, Edward Beltran, Ivan Rovny and Pawel Poljanski. February
14,
2015 (cyclingquotes.com)
|
 Sam Bennett claimed
the finest win of his young career while Niki Terpstra sealed
overall victory as the Tour of Qatar drew a close with a breathless
finale on Doha’s Corniche on Friday afternoon.
Terpstra began the day with a lead of 6 seconds over Maciej Bodnar and, more pressingly, just 11 seconds over Alexander Kristoff, already the winner of three sprint stages. Surprisingly, however, Kristoff was nowhere to be seen in a keenly-contested bunch finish, and for the second successive year the overall spoils fell to Terpstra. February
13,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 Ireland’s
Sam Bennett
described his victory in today’s final Tour of Qatar stage as the
biggest of his fledgling career to date.
The 24-year-old Bora-Argon 18 rider comfortably got the better of Astana’s Andrea Guardini, a former winner on the Doha Corniche where this afternoon’s race culminated, Nacer Bouhanni and Peter Sagan. February
13,
2015 (cyclingweekly.co.uk)
 Reguigui sprints to
5th in Doha, Lampre look to Tour of Oman after subpar Tour of Qatar.
February
13,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 Lars Boom will not
finish the Tour of Qatar. The Astana rider finished the fifth stage,
but did not start in the sixth and final leg.
The organizers have announced that he has been disqualified for drafting behind a car. The Dutchman was frustrated. "It's shit. I am still sick and without strength in my legs," he told Biciciclismo just after crossing the finish line on a day when he had suffered in the echelons. February
13,
2015 (cyclingquotes.com)
 The
Tour of Oman (February 17-22) affords Grand Tour hopefuls a chance to
stretch their legs as they build towards the season’s bigger goals.
With last year’s winner Chris Froome electing to skip the race, the way is clear for a new rider to occupy the top step of the podium. No time trial stage and a stiff climbing test on stage four of the race to Green Mountain means that the race should allow the climbers to prevail. Here we pick out some of the front runners and rate their chances. February
13,
2015 (cyclingweekly.co.uk)
2014-15
Races
& Results.
Tour of Oman 2015 - Feb 17-22 (Stages), Giro d'Italia 2015 - May 9-31 (Stages), Tour de France 2015 - July 4-26 (Stages), Vuelta a España 2015 - Aug 22-Sept 13 (Stages), UCI Road World Championship 2015 - Sept 20-27 (Stages), Tour of Qatar 2015 - Feb 8-13 (Results), Dubai Tour 2015 - Feb 4-7 (Results), UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships - Jan 31-Feb 1 (Results), 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).  Livestreams Saturday
get underway at 3:45pm CET (9:45am U.S. Eastern, 6:45 PST) with the
Elite Men race starting at 4:30pm CET (10:30am U.S. Eastern).
February
13,
2015 (cyclingfans.com)
 Plans
for the proposed women’s one-day race held in conjunction with the
final stage of the Vuelta a España appear to be moving ahead after the
UCI made a verbal agreement with the Royal Spanish Cycling Federation
(RFEC) to add it back onto the calendar, according to the Spanish
newspaper AS.
Last February, Vuelta a España director Javier Guillén was keen on hosting a one-day women’s event ahead of the finish of the men’s Grand Tour, after the Amaury Sport Organisation (ASO) announced its plans to host La Course by Le Tour de France. February
13,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 In
terms of concept, it’s one of the most simple in sport. In terms of
effort, it’s one of the most brutal.
Cycling’s world hour record requires riders to ride as hard, and as far as possible, in one hour on a track. No tactics, other than pacing strategy. No direct competition, other than the clock. But when physical effort is factored in, the scale of the task becomes clear. Riders have to go deeper than at any other point in their careers. February
13,
2015 (cyclingtips.com.au)
|
 Swiss
Fabian Cancellara
“lost motivation” to attempt the hour record with the new rules and
other targets on the horizon
“The rules changed, and I lost the motivation, let’s be honest,” Cancellara told VeloNews. “When Bradley will do it and set a record, it’s going to be hard for someone to do it and catch that. His ability on the track is like no one else. He’s fluid.” The 33-year-old would not rule out an attempt on the hour record, currently set at 52.491 kilometers by Australian Rohan Dennis, but would not put it on his schedule. February
13,
2015 (velonews.com)
 Airgas-Safeway
finished a week of training in Marin County Thursday night by rolling
out its 2015 roster during the official team presentation in San
Francisco.
Although 2013 Vuelta a Espana winner Chris Horner was the star of the show, the theme of the night focused on the second-year US Continental team's development mission and its younger riders. Former pro cyclist John Eustice was the master of ceremonies for the event, which took place at the Palace of Fine Arts Theater, part of the iconic Bay Area landmark that dates back to the 1915 Panama-Pacific Exhibition that celebrated the opening of the Panama Canal. February
13,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 Nairo Quintana,
banged up after crashing heavily in the Colombian national
championships last weekend, will not race the Ruta del Sol as scheduled
next week in Spain.
Movistar officials announced Friday that Quintana will return to Europe in March to race Tirreno-Adriatico, and will miss a chance to compete against Alberto Contador and Chris Froome at the Ruta del Sol from February 18-22. According to media reports in Colombia, Quintana hit the deck about 50 meters from the finish, banging up his back and right arm. Initial medical reports suggest the crash did not affect his right shoulder, which was operated on after crashing out of the Vuelta a España last year. February
13,
2015 (velonews.com)
 Yesterday
the organizers of the Tour of Flanders announced the 8 wildcard teams
for the 2015 edition of the race. Team MTN-Qhubeka p/b Samsung are
delighted to have received an invitation for a second year in
succession.
The 264.2km monument, known as the Ronde van Vlaanderen, is the darling race of the Belgian classics. Team MTN-Qhubeka p/b Samsung rider, Tyler Farrar, is particularly excited at the teams inclusion in the race. February
13,
2015 (cyclingtips.com.au)
 Bradley Wiggins has
won the Tour de France and Olympic gold medals, but said winning his
last big road race, Paris-Roubaix on April 12, could be as hard as
moonwalking.
“I’d love to win Roubaix, and a lot of people are saying it’s a fairy tale ending, but it’s so unpredictable,” the Englishman explained. “I’d love to moonwalk as well, but sometimes you have to accept you can’t do certain things in life, and I may never win Roubaix. It won’t be for the lack of trying, same as if I took lessons to try to moonwalk, which I’ll never do to the extent of Michael Jackson.” February
13,
2015 (velonews.com)
 Riding
for one of the world's top teams can be a double-edged sword for a
young rider like Ian
Boswell, the 24-year-old American who is in his third year
with Team Sky.
On one hand, Boswell benefits from the top-notch organization and support that the team provides, and he's also in a position to soak up the advice and example of some of the best riders in the peloton. But it can also prove difficult to find his own opportunities to post the results that will make a name for himself on the WorldTour. February
13,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
Bradley Wiggins has
a long way to go if he’s to reach top form for Paris-Roubaix, according
to Stephen Roche,
who says the Brit’s time trial performance was of particular concern.
In Qatar, as the bikes were being packed onto a trailer for their trip back to Europe, Sky Sports Director Servais Knaven gave his thoughts on a hard-fought race, and the end result. He added: “Brad is where he need to be. He’s looking strong and has been doing a lot of extra work out here before and after the racing. “It’s been a good training block for him and he’s grown in stature as the race has gone on. This was a big step in terms of his preparations for the Classics, and we’re only two weeks away now. “He’ll continue to build up his training over the next fortnight and we’ll do some reconnaissance work to make sure he’s ready for the races.” February
13,
2015 (cyclingquotes.com)
 Remember
the Belgian man attempting to reinvent the wheel? Well, that man is Jan Deckx and Cycling Weekly
managed to catch-up with him at the London Bike Show to talk about his
innovative free hub system and see it for ourselves.
Deckx, from Antwerp, likes to design, invent and build things in his workshop to fit with his passion for cycling. He’s invented and patented the ‘D-Fix’ rear hub system, an innovation which attaches the cassette to the wheel and means that the wheel can be removed separately, leaving the cassette behind. The inventor highlights several advantages that he believes his free hub design provides over current systems, though he continues to tweak and improve it. February
13,
2015 (cyclingweekly.co.uk)
|
February
13, 2015
 Former
Discovery Channel and Team Sky sporting director Sean Yates tells BBC South East Today
that disgraced cyclist and former team-mate Lance Armstrong has
been unfairly treated.
American Armstrong, 43, was stripped of his record seven Tour de France titles and banned from sport for life by the United States Anti-Doping Agency (Usada) in August 2012 following a doping scandal. Yates says Armstrong was "a stand-out figure" who was "hunted down" and "took the brunt of the blame" in the drugs scandal of 2012. February
13,
2015 (bbc.com)
 "Over
a lifetime of cycling the roads of our sport, a few stand out: the fun
ones, the beautiful ones, and the brutal ones – where you suffer like
you never knew possible.
Riding your bike up the Mortirolo in Northern Italy is all three, and ranks up there with the Stelvio and Gavia as epic climbs one must do. I’ve ridden this beast twice up the traditional Giro side from Mazzo, and driven it once up a different route from the same side. The descent down to Edolo is almost as tough as the climb up (especially in the rain), and the Mortirolo will feature again in the 2015 Giro d’Italia, using a new route that’s being paved just for the occasion. And yes, it’s supposed to be just as tough with 10+km at over 10% average grade. As one of the toughest climbs I’ve ever drone, it’s also one of the few that I’d go do agaiin." February
13,
2015 (pezcyclingnews.com)
 Tour
de France's second stage finalized, IAM to Oman, Boom busted.
February
13,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 Whether
Gert Steegmans
proves to be a successful signing for the Classics remains to be seen
but the Belgian’s controversial move from QuickStep to Trek Factory
Racing could be one of the most interesting sub-plots of this year’s
campaign.
Steegmans fell out with QuickStep during last year’s national championships when his trade team decided to chase down a late move he was involved with in order to set up a sprint for Tom Boonen. The tactic spectacularly back-fired as Boonen missed out and Steegmans angrily lamented his team’s decision afterwards. February
13,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 The
UCI will stream live footage from onboard cameras during select events
at next week’s track world championships in Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines,
France, the governing body announced Friday.
The event will mark the UCI’s first attempt at live streaming onboard footage, and is born of a partnership with Infront/HBS, a broadcast organization. In order to ensure fairness, every rider’s bike will be equipped with the same camera and transmission equipment, in the events selected for live streaming. The cameras will be fixed under racers’ saddles, capturing footage pointing backward. February
13,
2015 (velonews.com)
 A
generation ago, the peloton’s best sprinters were still winning big
races in their mid-30s, including classics, stages of grand tours and
world titles.
Mario Cipollini had his best year at age 35 when he won Milan-San Remo and the rainbow jersey. Oscar Freire was 34 when he won at San Remo for the third time. Robbie McEwen took Paris-Brussels and Hamburg’s Vattenfall Cyclassics at 36. And Erik Zabel was 35 when he won his final classic, Paris-Tours. That’s not the case anymore. When, at age 25, Marcel Kittel broke through at the Tour de France two years ago, the pundits started writing about the demise of Mark Cavendish. Cav was 28 at the time, hardly a geriatric. At that same Tour, Peter Sagan won the sprinters’ green jersey at age 23—and repeated last year (but without winning a single stage). February
13,
2015 (pelotonmagazine.com)
 San
Francisco cyclist and yoga instructor Pat Bailey
frequently can be found snapping selfies as she twists like a pretzel
in surprising places, often with a bike.
Those eye-catching poses have inspired a devoted and sizeable Instagram following—70K and counting—and helped Bailey, who pedals her road, mountain, and cruiser bikes all over the Bay Area, realize that yoga is a lot like cycling. "When you're climbing slowly, breathing in that sweet pine air, and you're focused on watching the trail and being on your bike," she says, "that's yoga." Who knew the two had so much in common? February
13,
2015 (bicycling.com)
 This
week's selection includes Giordana, Easton, POC, Maya and more
. February
13,
2015 (bikeradar.com)
|
 Team
boss discusses Hesjedal's silence and CIRC meeting.
Garmin’s merger with Cannondale this winter meant that some changes were inevitable, but even without the new name and the fresh colors, a process of rejuvenation was already in effect. The infusion of young talent from the old Cannondale team has helped to drop the squad’s average age further, of course, and it is now the lowest in the WorldTour. Even at this early juncture, manager Jonathan Vaughters feels this merger is set to be a rather more convivial affair than the hastily-arranged nuptials between Garmin and Cervélo TestTeam in 2011. February
12,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 Alexander Kristoff
took his third stage victory at the Tour of Qatar, beating Peter Sagan in
yet another close sprint finish.
The Norwegian again started his sprint early but had the strength and speed to hold off Sagan, who jumped from his wheel in sight of the line. Nikias Arndt was third, with Tom Boonen fourth and Adam Blythe was fifth. Niki Terpstra managed to fight his way back to the front group and finish in the same time as Kristoff, to retain his overall race lead. February
12,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 Niki Terpstra will
have to fight with Alexander
Kristoff for every second available during the
final stage on Friday if he is to depend his overall lead in the Tour
of Qatar, after the Norwegian won stage five and moved to within 11
seconds of the overall lead.
Kristoff won his third stage of the race ahead of Peter Sagan and Nikias Arndt and even dropped the race leader in the closing kilometers of the stage, forcing Terpstra and his Etixx-QuickStep team on the defensive. February
12,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 Concerns
that Theo Bos
might have suffered serious injury in a crash during Thursday’s fifth
stage of the Tour of Qatar proved unfounded, with medical scans showing
that the Dutchman had not fractured any bones.
Bos fell 85 kilometers after the start at Al Zabara Fort and was forced to abandon the race. “It was a bad day for us today and we are not happy with the result,” said directeur sportif J.P Heynderickx, speaking soon after the Norwegian rider Alexander Kristoff nabbed his third stage win of the race. February
12,
2015 (cyclingtips.com.au)
 Although
Matthew Hayman
is entering the final year of his current deal with Orica-GreenEdge he
has no plans on retiring any time soon and at the age of 36, hopes to
carry on racing for the foreseeable future.
Hayman is currently racing at the Tour of Qatar and has been in two significant breaks in the first five days. On Thursday’s stage 5 he slipped clear with four other riders and even held the overall lead on the road until the move was shut down in the closing kilometers. February
12,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
2014-15
Races
& Results.
Tour of Qatar 2015 - Feb 8-13 (Stages & Results), Giro d'Italia 2015 - May 9-31 (Stages), Tour de France 2015 - July 4-26 (Stages), Vuelta a España 2015 - Aug 22-Sept 13 (Stages), UCI Road World Championship 2015 - Sept 20-27 (Stages), Dubai Tour 2015 - Feb 4-7 (Results), Ladies Tour of Qatar 2015 - Feb 3-6 (Results), UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships - Jan 31-Feb 1 (Results), 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).  Friday's
Tour of Qatar Stage 6 departs Sealine Beach Resort at 1:15pm local
(11:15am CET, 5:15am U.S. Eastern) and is expected at the finish at
Doha Corniche at around 4:02pm local (2:02pm CET, 8:02am U.S.
Eastern).
Tour of Qatar live video streaming is expected to begin at around 3:30pm local (1:30pm CET, 7:30am U.S. Eastern, 4:30am PST). February
12,
2015 (steephill.tv)
 Ask
Mark Cavendish
if 2014 was the most challenging year of his career and you’ll more
than likely get the same defiant answer.
“I won 11 races last year,” he snaps, as we sit down for our interview, “with six weeks out with injury, it’s not bad you know.” We’re at a hotel in the Spanish coastal town of Calpe. As well as being a tranquil haven for expats who’ve escaped their grey northern European winters in search of constant sunshine, it’s an ideal location for cycling teams to hold their winter training camps, thanks to the varied mountainous terrain that skirts the edges of the town and its relative calm in the winter months. February
12,
2015 (cyclingweekly.co.uk)
 David John Brailsford has been
one of the most prominent figures in British Cycling over the past
decade and as I look at the sea of admiring cycling enthusiasts
desperate to chat to him, it becomes apparent just how inspirational
his work has been.
Five years ago the 50-year-old claimed that he would see a British person win the Tour de France and two years later he oversaw Bradley Wiggins’ and Chris Froome’s victories in the 2012 and 2013 races. February
12,
2015 (telegraph.co.uk)
 Cycling
is a beautiful sport. We hear it all the time.
We experience it when we ride and race. For the ever-increasing number of us that have caught the cycling bug, we know how happy cycling makes us. But what is it that makes us love cycling so much? Why are we so compulsively drawn to it? Why does cycling make us happy in a way that perhaps tennis, or swimming, or footy can’t? February
12,
2015 (cyclingtips.com.au)
 Mike Cotty, global
ambassador for Cannondale and Mavic is a mountain and endurance cycling
specialist.
Having completed a 1,000km non-stop journey across the Dolomites, Eastern Alps and Swiss Alps in 2014, he knows a few things about how to reach the summit with a smile on your face. As with most things, correct technique is crucial. “On longer ascents try staying in the saddle to get into a rhythm while pedalling at a higher cadence, around 90rpm”, Cotty says. “This will help keep your legs supple and use your aerobic capacity more efficiently as opposed to relying on leg strength alone.” February
12,
2015 (cyclingweekly.co.uk)
Tour
of Qatar news shorts: Sagan comes up short, Sky loses ground.
February
11,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
|
 With
the conclusion of the criminal case against Eufemiano Fuentes in
the long-running Operación Puerto doping case, the Spanish courts are
set to destroy the evidence collected from the Madrid clinic in 2006.
211 bags of stored blood and plasma, currently being stored in Barcelona, are facing imminent destruction unless appeals by the Spanish minister of sport, together with the UCI and World Anti-doping Agency are accepted. Even with the new UCI rules incorporating an extended statute of limitations, any anti-doping rule violations must be prosecuted by June, 2016 - and meeting that deadline is currently being blocked by the Spanish courts. February
12,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 Age
was the deciding factor in Chris
Horner’s future with Lampre-Merida. Despite a bumpy 2014
campaign with the Italian team that included a heavy crash and his
untimely departure from the Vuelta a España, it was Horner’s birth
certificate that ultimately proved his undoing with the WorldTour team.
Speaking to VeloNews, Lampre general manager Brent Copeland confirmed there was no consensus within the team to keep the 43-year-old on board for another season. “The main reason came down to his age,” Copeland told VeloNews by telephone. “It was difficult to convince everyone within the team to keep him. There are only places for 25 riders on the team, and it’s not always easy to keep everyone happy. It’s unfortunate, because Chris is a fantastic rider and person, but his age was the deciding factor.” February
12,
2015 (velonews.com)
 In
recent years, the Tour of Oman has become the first major meeting
between the major general classification riders.
The climbs of the Green Mountain and Bousher al Amerat possess that crucial combination of difficulty and warm weather that is so rare this early in the season. Chris Froome has won the past two editions, using the race to start his season with a bang and lay down a marker for his rivals. In 2013 he went on to dominate the season, culminating in overall victory at the Tour de France, although last year, as we know, didn’t progress quite so smoothly. February
12,
2015 (cyclingweekly.co.uk)
 Verita
Stewart was one of 20 women to successfully complete the
mass-everesting challenge undertaken this past Saturday.
To earn her coveted grey stripe from Hells 500, Verita climbed eight laps of Mt Donna Buang to gain 8,848 metres of vertical gain – the height of Mt. Everest – over 250 kilometres of riding. February
12,
2015 (cyclingtips.com.au)
 La
Course by La Vuelta looks set to get the go-ahead reports AS today, all
that’s missing is the written permission from the UCI.
The race was uncertain because the proposed date, timed to coincide with the Vuelta’s arrival in Madrid, meant a clash with several other women’s races and initially the UCI didn’t want this. The clash remains although the Belgium Tour has shifted by a week. It’s hard not to see this as ASO getting its way, a new race is added to the calendar because it’s got the backing of a big business while smaller races get bumped and will probably see few star riders part. February
12,
2015 (inrng.com)
 The
organizers of the Tour of Flanders has announced the eight wild-card
invitations for the 2015 race.
The Professional Continental teams will join the 17 WorldTour teams, making a total of 25 teams in the race to be held April 5. MTN-Qhubeka, Bora-Argon18, Androni-Giocattoli and Team Roompot all got the nod, as did the two French teams Cofidis and Europcar. They will be joined by the two Belgian ProConti teams, Wanty-Groupe Gobert and Topsport Vlaanderen-Baloise. February
12,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 "After
a few rides, I started calling the Mercurio "Black Beauty" because the
bike's flowing lines and gleaming carbon-fiber frame captivated
cyclists and nonriders alike everywhere I took it.
Many marveled at the disc brakes and some astute observers appreciated the Think2 modular internal cable routing system, which accepts mechanical or electronic drivetrains. Plus nearly everyone I encountered seemed shocked that a bike this striking, from a revered Italian brand, cost less than two grand." February
12,
2015 (bicycling.com)
 There
are a few tools every cyclist should own.
A decent set of Allen keys, ideally a torque wrench – and a track pump. Yes, you could get away with a smaller frame-mounted or mini pump, but nothing gets a tire up to pressure like their bigger brother. Bikes are at their best when tires are running at their ideal pressure, which will help them roll smoothly and keep punctures to a minimum – though sadly there’s nothing you can do to prevent punctures altogether. And if you’re taking your bike to a race or sportive, having a track pump with you before the event will help your pre-ride routine. We've tested many pumps this year, and these five are our picks of the bunch. February
12,
2015 (bikeradar.com)
 Drop-bar
bikes with disc brakes are far from a new idea.
Cyclo-cross riders have had them for some time, and for 2015 most major bike brands will have at least one disc-specific road model range, such as Giant’s Defy Advanced, or Specialized’s new Diverge line-up. But with caliper brakes always improving, do road riders really need the compromises that come with a disc brake system? To begin, let’s look at the three main benefits of disc brakes: power, modulation and all-weather efficiency. February
12,
2015 (cyclingweekly.co.uk)
 Zipp
has identified a technical issue with respect to a production range of
Zipp wheels manufactured with the Zipp 88 front hub. We have begun the
process with the CPSC for a complete recall.
The root of this recall is spoke retention, a concern only with first generation front hubs. Specifically, the first generation 88 hubs could incur retaining ring failure that might result in an ejection of all the wheel’s spokes. This may result in wheel failure. February
12,
2015 (cxmagazine.com)
Schleck
takes up Trek role, preserves his link with the sport .
February
11,
2015 (cyclingtips.com.au)
|
 The
MPCC has responded to a statement by Diego Ulissi’s
Lampre-Merida team this week saying that he will return to competition
with the squad in the Vuelta al Pais Vasco, with the anti-doping body
saying that it is seeking clarification from the squad.
In a communication issued today, the MPCC noted that all of its members have thus far accepted the rules of the association. It pointed out in particular an agreement that any member team should not hire a rider who has been suspended for six months or more. February
12,
2015 (cyclingtips.com.au)
 David Millar hasn’t
cycled once since his retirement last September. But that’s not to say
his life has slowed down – far from it.
The success and controversy that punctuated his 17 years as a professional road racer continues to follow in his slipstream. There’s a new book coming out later this year – the “antithesis” of 2011 bestseller Racing Through the Dark, the spill-all account of Millar’s doping disgrace more than a decade ago – and he is also starting a one-man revolution in the fashion industry. All that alongside other filmic projects and spending more time with his wife, Nicole, and their two young sons, three-year-old Archibald and Harvey, born in May 2013. February
12,
2015 (telegraph.co.uk)
 World
professional road champion at 24 isn’t too shabby, but when you look at
the young Michal
Kwiatkowski’s build up to his Rainbow ride it is not so
surprising.
Kwiatkowski was double European champion (road race 2007, time trial 2008), Polish National road champion in the under-23 category before he turned professional. After a year with Caja Rural he joined RadioShack, and placed third overall in the Driedaagse van West-Vlaanderen, the Three Days of De Panne and the Tour du Poitou-Charentes. In 2012 he was snapped up by the Omega Pharma – Quick-Step squad and carried on with a load of top class results including being part of the World team time trial gold medal winning selection in 2013. That same year he also showed his class with top ten placings in Tirreno–Adriatico, Amstel Gold Race, La Flèche Wallonne and Grand Prix de Wallonie with 11th Overall in the Tour de France. But it was in 2014 that the young Pole consolidated his rise with his World title to go with another national title and wins in: Volta ao Algarve, Trofeo Serra de Tramuntana and Strade Bianche, with top five spots in the Tour of the Basque Country, Tour of Britain, La Flèche Wallonne, Liège–Bastogne–Liège and Amstel Gold Race. February
12,
2015 (pezcyclingnews.com)
 Switzerland’s
Fabian Cancellara will
aim at a record fourth Ronde van Vlaanderen (Tour of Flanders) win and
other spring classics before deciding his future.
“I’m happy. I’m enjoying myself and trying to reach 100 percent in less than two months’ time,” he said. “That’s what I’m doing.” The 33-year-old has been racing over the flat and often windy countryside in the Tour of Qatar this week to prepare for the monuments ahead. After the fourth stage and a shower, his hair gelled back and beard closely trimmed, he met with a handful of international journalists. Cancellara clarified his schedule. After Oman, he will race in Italy — Strade Bianche, the Tirreno-Adriatico stage race, and Milano-Sanremo — and in northern Europe — E3 Harelbeke, Gent-Wevelgem, the Tour of Flanders, and Paris-Roubaix. February
12,
2015 (velonews.com)
 Thor Hushovd has
revealed he advised Edvald
Boasson Hagen not to join Tinkoff-Saxo for the 2015
season, convincing him that the MTN-Qhubeka team would be the best
option to restart his career after a lean final year at Team Sky.
“I said: Edvald, you shouldn't sign for Tinkoff. I think it is the wrong choice. If you do, then I'll give you a slap,” Hushovd revealed to TV2 Norway. The reason for his opposition to the idea? “With the image of Bjarne Riis and the team, in addition Peter Sagan had signed for them, Edvald wouldn't evolve into the rider he was in his best years at Sky,” Hushovd argued. February
12,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 A
good cycling shoe is meant to be something that isn’t felt or noticed.
It’s easy to think about your shoes during a ride when there’s discomfort, and even easier to forget about them when they fit perfectly and do the job they’re meant to. Shoes are a highly individual piece of kit and as the saying goes, one size doesn’t fit all. I’m fortunate that I can enjoy many different types of shoes and am not overly particular. However, some the most fussy cyclists I know all wear Shimano shoes. February
12,
2015 (cyclingtips.com.au)
 Zingle sidelined
with virus, Carlsen
retires from pro bike racing.
February
12,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 Building
your core can greatly benefit your cycling, and doing core-strength
exercises on unstable surfaces has been billed to increase balance,
coordination, flexibility, and muscular endurance.
However, all that unsteadiness may not benfit you any more than if you performed the exercises on stable surfaces, according to research published in BMC Sports Science, Medicine, and Rehabilitation. Researchers had teens do a basic core-strengthening workout twice a week for six weeks. The workout was a 30-minute circuit session, rotating among three key exercises: cross curl-ups, side bridges, and bird dogs. Half of the teens did the exercises in the conventional manner on a stable surface. The other half of the teens did the same exercises, but on unstable surfaces. February
12,
2015 (bicycling.com)
February
11, 2015
|
 In
the absence of cross winds, attacks and echelons, the sprinters
dominated the fourth stage of the Tour of Qatar with Alexander Kristoff
taking his second stage win at this year's race with a perfectly timed
surge to the line.
Kristoff beat Peter Sagan and Nkilas Arndt third, Adam Blythe fourth, with the other sprinters filling out the top ten. Race leader Niki Terpstra finished safely in the peloton and so kept his gold leader's jersey. February
11,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 Crashes
may have brought five of their squad to the sandy tarmac on stage four,
but IAM Cycling remain confident of finishing the Tour of Qatar
relatively unscathed.
Organizers were clearly worried about the wind, and the possibility of sandstorms, bringing the start time forward by over an hour, but the conditions were still hairy enough to bring a few jitters to the peloton. IAM’s Australian national champion Heinrich Haussler was one of the riders to crash in the final stages, but recovered to finish sixth behind Alexander Kristoff in the final sprint. February
11,
2015 (cyclingweekly.co.uk)
 Venter in the stage
4 break, Bardiani-CSF mixes it up in the sprint.
February
11,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 Under
pressure to deliver on his potential and notch up what his team owner Oleg Tinkov has laid
out as a goal, namely two or more Classics, Peter Sagan went
close to taking his first victory with the Tinkoff-Saxo team on
Wednesday.
The Slovakian rider finished just behind Katusha’s sprinter Alexander Kristoff at the end of the fourth stage, coming out of his rival’s slipstream but running out of road. He lost out by approximately a wheel. Sagan was earlier fourth on stages one and two, with the flurry of results coming in what is his first race of the season. February
11,
2015 (cyclingtips.com.au)
 Diego Ulissi returns
to racing in April following a controversial case that saw him escape a
possible two-year ban after testing positive for nearly double the
allowed limit for Salbutamol last year.
The Swiss cycling federation ruled that Ulissi was negligent in use of Ventolin during last year’s Giro d’Italia, but stopped short of calling it outright doping. Ulissi was allowed to use an inhaler to treat asthma during the race. That was a critically important distinction for the 25-year-old Italian, who lives in Lugano, Switzerland. With the full backing of his team, Ulissi is scheduled to return to the Vuelta al País Vasco (Tour of the Basque Country) in April, just days after the conclusion of his backdated, nine-month ban. February
11,
2015 (velonews.com)
 With
stars like Mark Cavendish,
Tom Boonen
and Niki Terpstra,
followers of the Etixx-QuickStep team rarely notice Matteo Trentin
unless he wins a stage of the Tour de France – which has done in the
last two editions.
Despite racing often as a helper in the Belgian WorldTour outfit, he explained that he is happy in the squad. “It’s a contract year for me, but I want to stay with the team,” the Italian told Cycling Weekly. “I like it. It’s one of the best classics teams and I like the classics, I want to improve, so this is the place for me.” February
11,
2015 (cyclingweekly.co.uk)
 Each
spring, the long black and blue train that pulled Sky to two successive
Tour de France victories has cracked, crumbled, and ultimately
evaporated, smashed into Northern Europe’s cobbles like so much fine
china.
An undeniable and impressive ability to control stage races has rarely transferred to the chaos of the classics. Ian Stannard’s win at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad last year marks the team’s foremost classics victory. It stands in stark contrast to success elsewhere. February
11,
2015 (velonews.com)
2014-15
Races
& Results.
Tour of Qatar 2015 - Feb 8-13 (Stages & Results), Giro d'Italia 2015 - May 9-31 (Stages), Tour de France 2015 - July 4-26 (Stages), Vuelta a España 2015 - Aug 22-Sept 13 (Stages), UCI Road World Championship 2015 - Sept 20-27 (Stages), Dubai Tour 2015 - Feb 4-7 (Results), Ladies Tour of Qatar 2015 - Feb 3-6 (Results), UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships - Jan 31-Feb 1 (Results), 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). Stage 5 start time: Thursday 13:00 AST
(2:00 AM PST);
Earliest live video: 15:15 AST (4:15 AM PST); Estimated finish: 16:29 AST (5:29 AM PST). February
11,
2015 (steephill.tv)
 Trek
Factory Racing’s Matthew
Busche is sidelined with an injury after a crash on
January 31 at the Mallorca Challenge’s Trofeo Serra de Tramuntana.
Busche, 29, injured his left hand in a crash, and the diagnosis was a scaphoid fracture of the wrist. He underwent surgery last Friday in Basel, Switzerland. Doctors administered a screw and bone transplant to address the fracture, and he will be in a cast for six weeks. “Well this isn’t exactly the start to 2015 that I was hoping for: 2 broken bones in my hand. I’ll be back though!” Busche tweeted after the crash. February
11,
2015 (velonews.com)
 "Athlete
Sergio Escutia
joined the KHS-Maxxis-JLVelo team for half of the 2014 season and has
begun his first official season with the team.
He and the team raced their second criterium of the year in Brea, CA and we were able to sit down with him and ask him a few questions about the season and how the race played out." February
11,
2015 (cyclingillustrated.com)
|
 Four
months after he announced his retirement from the sport, the first
mechanism of Andy
Schleck’s declared intention to remain in cycling has been
made more clear with a company linked to his final team announcing a
new role for him.
Trek Travel, an offshoot of the Trek bicycle company, has said that Schleck will be joining up with it on a number of cycling vacations in 2015. The former pro rider has inked an agreement to ride on the Etape du Tour trip in July plus the Mallorca Ride Camp in May. February
11,
2015 (cyclingtips.com.au)
 In
just a matter of months Bradley
Wiggins will hang up his jersey at Team Sky and start a
new chapter of his career at his WIGGINS squad.
The 2012 Tour de France winner's career has spanned over a decade and seen him ride for the likes of FDJ, Cofidis and Garmin. At the Tour of Qatar, Wiggins sat down with Cyclingnews to share his personal experiences from each squad. From Jacky Durand going MIA the night before Het Volk; the secret meet with Dave Brailsford at the Tour in 2009; the Garmin party bus, and the story behind his non-participation at the Tour last year. February
11,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 Having
suggested in the past that he is likely to retire after the end of the
2016 season, Fabian
Cancellara has once again stated that his career is
inching towards a conclusion.
Speaking to Sporza, the Swiss Trek Factory Racing rider said that he can feel his age on the bike but does what he can to retain an edge on his younger rivals. “You try to somehow turn back time. I now enjoy it much more. As much as 100 times more than three years ago,” he said, referring to the sport. “I have more fun, but I feel even more that I have an appointment with history. February
11,
2015 (cyclingtips.com.au)
 Sarah Storey has
been nominated for the Laureus World Sportsperson of the Year with a
Disability Award after a standout 2014 season.
Storey’s dominant career was put on hold in 2013 as she gave birth to her daughter Louisa in June that year, but she returned to win four world titles across road and track last year. With the para-cycling world championships coming up at the end of March in Apeldoorn, Storey will prepare for her title defences with a crack at the women’s Hour Record in London on February 28. .. February
11,
2015 (cyclingweekly.co.uk)
 Alé-Cipollini
surprise in Qatar, Women's Tour host cities, Moolman wins South
African titles, Cant
and Van Loy
in cyclo-cross.
February
11,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
"I
worked for two summers as an engineering intern, so I feel qualified to
say that the corporate world lacks any imminent sense of danger.
My workplace today, however, offers danger at every moment from a wide range of sources. To keep coming back day after day may indicate that something is wrong with me. While I’ve proven myself to be good at pedaling, I have also developed the well-practiced skills of risk mitigation and denial of statistical probabilities." February
11,
2015 (velonews.com)
 As
the 2014/15 cyclo-cross season is about to wind up, Ed Hood quizzes the
British National cyclo-cross champion, Ian Field, on his
season and the state of the muddy winter sport.
This past season has been one of the best with the emergence of a new young guard and Ian gives us the inside line on everything cross. There was a seismic shift in the ‘cross world last weekend in Tabor as the ‘new wave’ of riders swept the board at the UCi Elite World Cyclo-Cross Championships; the precocious Dutchman with the best possible genes – Adrie van der Poel as his dad and Raymond Poulidor as his granddad – Mathieu van der Poel took gold from Belgiums’s Wout Van Aert with another man from the land of polders, Laars van der Haar in third spot. The gold and silver medal winners could both have ridden the under-23 race while van der Haar is only one year out of that category. February
11,
2015 (pezcyclingnews.com)
 "When
my former boss signed off on my attendance at Milan-Sanremo and a team
training camp last March, I reached out to Valentina Scandolara
to see if I might be able to head out to Italy a day or two early and
spend some time with her family in Tregnago.
My bucket list included “visiting riders on their home turf” and I considered this the perfect opportunity to tick the first box encompassed in that goal.' February
11,
2015 (cyclingtips.com.au)
 One
Pro Cycling made their racing debut last weekend with a commanding
performance at the Perfs Pedal Race, taking all three podium spots and
with all but one of their riders finishing in the top 10.
Team owner Matt Prior was in attendance at the Hampshire race, which is now a traditional opener to the domestic racing season, to see his team make it’s first move into racing. And while the England international cricketer was pleased with his team’s performance which saw Yanto Barker take the victory, he realises it’s a small step on the way to long-term success. February
11,
2015 (cyclingweekly.co.uk)
 Moynat
is a Parisian trunk-maker which has been
producing exclusive bags and boxes since 1849. It’s therefore no
surprise that most of the bike’s value in fact lies in the basket in
front of the handlebars.
Actually, to call it a basket is a little unfair. Moynat prefers the term “picnic trunk”, and it comes complete with white ceramic plates, silverware, and napkins, while small drawers and compartments provide the perfect storage space for a couple of small jars of caviar or paté, for example. February
11,
2015 (cyclingweekly.co.uk)
|
February
11, 2015
 The
U.S. anti-doping chief Wednesday dismissed accusations of a “witch
hunt” against Lance
Armstrong and said he was delighted with reforms aimed at
cleaning up cycling.
Travis Tygart, chief executive of the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA), hit back at comments from former UCI president Pat McQuaid. “It is easy for Pat McQuaid or others to say soundbites like he said,” Tygart told reporters at the sidelines of an anti-doping intelligence seminar in Singapore. “[But] the evidence is telling. There have been roughly 26 athletes, coaches, team doctors who have been held accountable. Several of them have gotten lifetime bans as well.” February
11,
2015 (velonews.com)
 German
sprinter Marcel Kittel
remains sour over the UCI granting team Astana a WorldTeam licence
despite its recent doping cases.
Cycling’s governing body, the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI), renewed Astana’s WorldTeam license in December after an extended review. With the license, the team in turquoise that includes 2014 Tour de France winner Vincenzo Nibali, is able to take part in all the top races automatically. “It’s a very unfortunate situation for everyone and definitely not satisfying how things went,” team Giant-Alpecin’s Kittel said when asked about his comments on team Astana in December. February
11,
2015 (cyclingweekly.co.uk)
 Notoriously
eccentric Russian billionaire Oleg
Tinkov has resorted to the classic, I’ve got some big news
but don’t want to tell you what it is to make you think it’s even
bigger than it is, but it’s still probably quite big, PR move, and
while we at Cycling
Central could pretend to ignore it and move on with our
lives - let’s face it, he’s got us hook line and sinker.
And it got us thinking, seriously, what it could it be? This guy is known for his bigger than Ben Hur gestures so when he promises something big, it’s got to be big, right? February
11,
2015 (sbs.com.au)
 Marcel Kittel has
revealed that he will not ride Milan-San Remo but will get a taste of
cobbles at Paris-Roubaix and is set to go head to head with Mark Cavendish in
the sprints at Tirreno-Adriatico.
The German showed was the fastest sprinter in the peloton in 2014, winning 13 races, including four stages at the Tour de France. He won the criterium before the Tour Down Under but did not win a stage in Australia and has yet to fight for victory in the Tour of Qatar after struggling in the echelons. February
11,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 Sky’s
Ian Stannard
is back on track for the classics after a 2014 season derailed by
crashes, one which broke his back.
The Englishman made it into the winning moves in the Tour of Qatar, placed fifth in yesterday’s time trial and moved to third overall. “I missed a hell of a lot of training and racing, I don’t know the precise amount,” Stannard told Cycling Weekly. “It’s been hard getting the racing legs, I’ve started early in the Tour Down Under though and it’s coming on well now.” February
11,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 Velo
Enterprise Co has introduced a new saddle selection system to help
consumers navigate the growing number of saddle
categories and offerings produced by the company, which claims to be
the world's largest manufacturer of saddles for sale.
The selection system takes into account type of bike; frequency of riding; speed; skill; and distance. Each of these is ranked on a scale of 1-5, with the results averaged to produce a number that correlates to saddle category assignments within the Velo line. February
11,
2015 (bicycleretailer.com)
 The
Androni Giocattoli team of Gianni
Savio announced today the arrival of Italian sprinter Francesco Chicchi to
the squad. The 34-year-old signed for one year.
Chicchi, a former U23 world champion, spent the last two seasons with the Vini Fantini team, during which he scored a handful of victories in races like the Vuelta a Venezuela and Tour de Langkawi. Prior to that he enjoyed wins in Nokere Koerse, Tour of Qatar, Tour of California and Tour Down Under during his time in the WorldTour with Liquigas and QuickStep. February
11,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 The
former Festina trainer Antoine
Vayer has never been shy of a sweeping statement in his
second life as a media pundit, nor has he ever made any secret of his
admiration for Dan Martin.
Just this week, in fact, he told the Be-Celt website that he hopes the Irishman wins the 2015 Tour de France because “he is the best of the pure ones.” In the 1990s, for instance, such a reputation did few favors for Martin’s fellow Tour of Lombardy winner Gilles Delion, who took a vocal stance on doping at a time when it was neither popular nor profitable to do so, and retired disillusioned at just 30 years of age. February
11,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 In
response to dealer requests, Specialized is offering a custom program
called S-Build—the first of its kind from the California-based brand.
S-Works Tarmac, Tarmac Disc, Epic and Epic WC framesets will be offered in various custom color schemes. The color schemes are the brainchild of in-house Specialized designer Ron Jones and carry names such as Mean and Lean. Select components can also be chosen for the build. Unlike some custom programs that can be done online, S-Build can only be experienced one-on-one with the dealer. For now, the S-Build program is available through any S-Works level Specialized dealer in the USA. February
11,
2015 (bicycling.com)
 The
promise of the Silque: stability and comfort without compromising speed
and snap.
A key contributor to the Silque's smooth ride is Trek's IsoSpeed decoupler, a joint that allows the seat tube to move independently from the top tube—acting like a suspension system to quiet road noise. The Silque replaced Trek's endurance-minded women's Domane, which was discontinued for 2015. In terms of fit, the Silque has the same stack and reach as the outgoing Domane of the same size. But the company also gave the Silque shorter chainstays and a higher bottom bracket, in an effort to make the handling more lively. February
11,
2015 (bicycling.com)
|
 Niki Terpstra
combined his excellent form and time trial skills to easily beat
bigger-name favorites Fabian
Cancellara and Bradley Wiggins in
the 10.9km individual time trial at the Tour of Qatar.
Terpstra set a time of 14:03 on the out and back course affected by strong winds, beating Cancellara by eight seconds and Wiggins by nine seconds. Maciej Bodnar finished fourth and Ian Stannard was fifth, both in a time of 14:13. February
10,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 It
was being touted as the battle between Bradley Wiggins and Fabian Cancellara,
but in the end Niki
Terpstra bettered all to win the 10-kilometer time trial,
and with it take the overall lead.
Cancellara finished in second place, eight seconds behind Terpstra, while Wiggins rounded out the top three, just a shade over one second off Cancellara’s pace. "It was still a little bit of a surprising gap, actually. That is almost one second per kilometer. But in the end, that’s racing; that’s the time trial. I did my best, I gave all I could, and when I do that I can say I am happy.” February
10,
2015 (cyclingquotes.com)
 After
a solid ride on stage 3 of the Tour of Qatar Luke Rowe has moved
into the white jersey as the best young rider but the Team Sky rider
has greater ambitions in the race and believes that he and his team can
take on Etixx-Quickstep and end the team’s dominance in the race.
Rowe finished the 10.9 kilometer time trial in 11th place, 31 seconds down on stage winner and new race leader Niki Terpstra of Etixx-QuickStep. Ian Stannard had a strong performance for Team Sky too and he now sits third in the overall, twelve seconds off Terpstra's lead, with Rowe in 5th, 33 seconds down. February
10,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
2014-15
Races
& Results.
Tour of Qatar 2015 - Feb 8-13 (Stages & Results), Giro d'Italia 2015 - May 9-31 (Stages), Tour de France 2015 - July 4-26 (Stages), Vuelta a España 2015 - Aug 22-Sept 13 (Stages), UCI Road World Championship 2015 - Sept 20-27 (Stages), Dubai Tour 2015 - Feb 4-7 (Results), Ladies Tour of Qatar 2015 - Feb 3-6 (Results), UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships - Jan 31-Feb 1 (Results), 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). Wednesday's Tour of
Qatar Stage 4 departs Al Thakhira at 12:40pm local (10:40am CET, 4:40am
U.S. Eastern) and is expected at the finish at Mesaieed at around
4:31pm local (2:31pm CET, 8:31am U.S. Eastern).
Tour of Qatar live video streaming is expected to begin at around 3:30pm local (1:30pm CET, 7:30am U.S. Eastern. 4:30am PST). February
10,
2015 (steephill.tv)
 It
was an exciting showdown between the current Japanese national
champion, Ayako Toyooka,
and the 2013 champion, Sakiko
Miyauchi.
After a few smart choices between her and her pit crew, Toyooka pulled off a tricky pass in the final sand section and finished ahead of Miyauchi for a last minute win. The way the race played out between the two Japanese national champions was actually very similar to the year before. One big difference, however, is that in 2014 they had had three very strong Americans to mix it up with: Katie Compton, Wendy Simms and Lyne Bessette. February
10,
2015 (cxmagazine.com)
 Shane Sutton is not
holding out any hope of Mark
Cavendish returning to the track for next year’s Olympic
Games, with the Manxman seemingly having made up his mind to focus
fully on the road.
British Cycling’s technical director said that Cavendish had been seriously mulling over a shot at making the Rio 2016 track team. “He is one of those born with the gift. He can do anything technically, he has been world champion on the track and the greatest road sprinter of all time. But unfortunately I think it is the end of the road for Cav. I think he has made his decision not to entertain it. February
10,
2015 (cyclingweekly.co.uk)
 Jean-Christophe Péraud admits
the media attention that came with being the best Frenchman in the Tour
de France in more than a decade has cost him.
In an interview released by his team Tuesday, the veteran Frenchman said media obligations over the winter have left him short of form coming into his 2015 season debut. “My winter training was not perfect. Because of my second place in Le Tour, I have been busier with some media. I also had two minor surgeries,” Péraud said. “I am not in top shape.” Second overall in last year’s Tour, Péraud makes his 2015 season debut at the Clásica de Almería on Sunday before racing the five-day Ruta del Sol next week in southern Spain. February
10,
2015 (velonews.com)
 After
two top ten finishes in the opening two days of the Tour of Qatar, Adam Blythe could be
forgiven for putting any of his pre-race nerves to one side.
The race marks Blythe's first event for a WorldTour team since he left BMC at the end of 2013 but the GreenEdge sprinter has hit the ground running on his return to the top of the sport with 7th place in two sprint finishes. Last season the 25-year-old was forced to drop from the WorldTour and ride for the NFTO domestic squad in the United Kingdom. The signing was certainly a coup for the team but it was also a backward step for Blythe, who has impressed in a number of the Classics in previous years. February
10,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
|
 A
laboratory in Barcelona still holds 211 bags of blood and plasma, the
frozen remnants of the Operación Puerto investigation into the doping
ring of Eufemiano Fuentes.
But the evidence against dozens of unnamed athletes hangs in the balance as a Spanish judge's order to destroy the material is merely delayed by appeals. Meanwhile, guilty riders continue to compete without punishment, and potentially innocent athletes named early in the reports of the operation have been unable to clear their names and have seen their careers destroyed. February
10,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 Spanish
TV signs two-year deal for live Giro coverage, changes for E3 Harelbeke
and Kuurne Brussel Kuurne.
February
10,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 There’s
been talk that the Tour de France could be up for sale, various
journalists have published pieces saying the Amaury family have
held discussions with potential buyers, often concluding that a sale
seems unlikely.
The Tour de France is a very valuable asset but not the money-spinner some might take it for. A little-known government decree prevents the owners from maxxing out on the TV rights. However the changing media landscape could see the race become more valuable as more channels hunt for an audience. The decree is the “Décret n°2004-1392 du 22 décembre 2004” and enshrines in the law the requirement for the Tour de France to be screened on a TV channel that is free-to-air. February
10,
2015 (inrng.com)
 Chris Froome will
have his work cut out to win the Tour de France, according to Greg LeMond, but the
American says Froome
will still go into the race as the favorite.
LeMond, who became the first non-European winner of the Tour in 1986, told the Telegraph’s Oliver Pickup that Colombian Nairo Quintana will be Froome’s main challenger on a route which contains 11 mountain stages. “Well Froome is obviously going to be favorite for the Tour de France, after winning the 2013 edition, and he will be keen to make amends after crashing out last year,” he said. “And I think Spaniard Alberto Contador, even though he is 32, will still be in with a shout. February
10,
2015 (cyclingweekly.co.uk)
 Bradley Wiggins’
debut ride in the world champion’s rainbow jersey Tuesday was without a
win, but team Sky’s ‘Sir’ has other opportunities after the Tour of
Qatar.
“Yeah, of course, it’s a dream [to win in the rainbow jersey], but there’s still a process with time trialling, whether you’re world champion or not,” Wiggins said next to the Lusail Moto GP race track. “I’ve got Paris-Nice, and I think De Panne, so there’s a few more opportunities yet before you start writing about the curse of the rainbow jersey. Wiggins rode 14:12 over 10.9 kilometers in Lusail City north of Doha. He knocked former world hour record holder, Matthias Brändle off the top spot, but could not top Fabian Cancellara and Niki Terpstra. February
10,
2015 (velonews.com)
 The
Lampre-Merida team has announced that Diego Ulissi will
return to racing at the Tour of the Basque Country in early April
before riding the Ardennes Classics, the Tour de Romandie and the Giro
d'Italia.
The Italian rider was banned for ninth months by the Swiss Olympic Committee after testing positive for the banned substance Salbutamol during the 2014 Giro d'Italia. His ban ends on March 28, with the Tour of the Basque Country begins on April 6. February
10,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 Coach
Justin Grace
may have mixed emotions when the sprinters line up to fight for the
rainbow jersey at the UCI Track World Championships in Paris next week.
The New Zealander, a former masters world champion himself, is the British Cycling sprint coach, a position that came by way of roles with the New Zealand and French cycling federations. Grace was the mastermind behind the New Zealand sprint program that went from zero to hero in a few short years. February
10,
2015 (sbs.com.au)
 WorldTour
rider Cameron Meyer
of Orica-GreenEdge is the latest victor of Australia's longest running
cycling stage race – the 62nd edition of the Jayco Herald Sun Tour.
He joins Stuart O'Grady and Simon Gerrans in the exclusive club of riders who've won both this race and the Tour Down Under. So what did it take the multiple-times track world champion to win this year's Jayco Herald Sun Tour? Well, Meyer's coach, Ben Day of DaybyDay Coaching, has sent BikeRadar the 27-year-old's SRM power files from the decisive stages one and four for review. Here we get a glimpse of the power numbers WorldTour riders produce. February
10,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
|
February
10, 2015
 "It
was really difficult for the pro-cyclists in the last decade, and
leading up to Armstrong’s
revelation – every question was like an investigation.
Had they doped, did they know people who had? I had to avoid being around for years because the first question for me was always about doping. I didn’t like the way Armstrong extorted people – no other cyclist had ever done that. Riders were caught up in his system. Because of my stance I was constantly linked with Armstrong, and was basically threatened with a $20 million lawsuit, so I had to keep quiet. I originally thought: “Screw it, I’m not going to be imprisoned and blackmailed and extorted.” But I did, I got shut up for six years … money talks." February
10, 2015 (telegraph.co.uk)
 The
highly anticipated report from the UCI’s review of the EPO era is on
track to be released within the coming weeks.
UCI officials confirmed to VeloNews that the Cycling Independent Reform Commission (CIRC) will deliver its report by “early in March at the latest,” if not by late February as scheduled. Officials also confirmed the UCI would “publish the report in full” soon after an official announcement. They have also said there will no interviews or public comment before the official release of the report, but speculation is growing about just what the CIRC report will reveal. February
10,
2015 (velonews.com)
 A
new season brings some new faces to the Pro peloton, so Gordan Cameron has
had a look at the form of the 2015 neo-pros and puts together his list
of ‘Top Ten’ men to watch.
The first year for a professional can be a steep learning curve, but these guys could be on the podium sooner than most. It’s a complete lottery, trying to make it to the top level in sport. The biggest, toughest, fastest strongest, most talented … sometimes it just doesn’t work out for them. You also need guts, tenacity, luck, the right breaks. So how do you sift the ‘likely’ successes from the ‘maybes’? .. February
10,
2015 (pezcyclingnews.com)
 Spain’s
dominance across the international peloton is on borrowed time. Riders
such as Alberto Contador,
Alejandro Valverde,
Samuel Sánchez,
and Joaquim Rodríguez
are all well into their 30s, and each promises not to overstay his
welcome.
Between the “cuatro galácticos,” they’ve won grand tours, one-day classics, and Olympic medals, and notched world championship podiums. Thanks to their reliability, Spain has enjoyed an incredible ride over the past decade.. February
10,
2015 (velonews.com)
 Andrea Guardini will
headline the Astana team for his fifth appearance at the Tour de
Langkawi with the aim of adding to his record 14 stage wins.
The Italian sprinter won five stages on his debut at the race in 2011 then went one better to claim six wins in 2012. The 25-year-old has won at least won stage on each occasion he has entered the race and while he is yet to open his 2015 account, Guardini came close at the Dubai Tour. February
10,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 Getting
a new bike can certainly boost motivation, and there’s certainly a ‘kid
in a candy shop’ feeling about heading into a bike shop and seeing the
beautiful machines on display.
But making the most of your miles in the saddle, be it while training in winter or enjoying the longer hours at your disposal in summer, does not have to make a dent in your wallet. While routine maintenance should never be overlooked, often a little extra TLC can go a long way in giving your loyal steed a new lease of life when it’s looking a little tired and in need of a recovery day. February
10,
2015 (roadcyclinguk.com)
 For
utility purposes, an e-bike offers an attractive set of features.
Because you can ride farther, faster, with less effort, they’re great
for commuting, especially in situations where arriving to the office
sweaty is not an option.
They also make replacing car trips more viable for a variety of errands, since with a power assist you can haul heavy items more easily. E-bike technology is progressing rapidly. Smaller, lighter batteries and motors still produce impressive power, while refined drivetrain systems like pedal assist integrate the motor’s power with your own far more smoothly than traditional throttle-based systems. February
10,
2015 (bicycling.com)
 Marin
Mountain Bikes is recalling 450 kids’ bikes because the handlebars can
loosen or separate.
The recall involves Marin 2014 MBX 50 and Tiny Trail boys and girls bikes with 16-inch knobby tires. On its website Marin said a limited number of handlebar stems on these models are out of manufacturing tolerance. “In an abundance of caution, we have initiated a recall with the CPSC.” February
10, 2015 (bicycleretailer.com)
February
9, 2015
|
 Norwegian
Alexander Kristoff won
the second stage of the Tour of Qatar on Monday, and also took the gold
jersey as race leader, after a 187.5-kilometer ride from Al Wakra to Al
Khor Corniche.
The 27-year-old from Oslo won a bunch sprint, after a high-tempo stage, as he held off Italian Andrea Guardini and Greg Van Avermaet of Belgium. February
9,
2015 (velonews.com)
However
predictable it might have been, the sight of Tom Boonen and his
Etixx-QuickStep team hitting the front at the start of stage 2 of the
Tour of Qatar still sent the majority of the peloton running for cover.
With the wind up, Belgium’s premier force split the race in the opening kilometers with a volley of accelerations that saw only thirty riders make the initial front group. After an hour of racing, the peloton finally re-grouped but the early skirmishes through the barren sandstorms of Qatar were merely a taste of what was still to come. After Movistar had resumed their position at the front of the field in support of race leader José Joaquin Rojas, Etixx were on the march once more. February
9,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
Stage 3 start time: Tuesday 13:40 AST
(2:40 AM PST);
Earliest live video: 3:30pm local (1:30pm CET, 7:30am U.S. Eastern, 4:30am PST); Estimated finish: 16:16 AST (5:16 AM PST). February
9,
2015 (steephill.tv)
 Fabian Cancellara was
one of the main victims to lose time on stage 2 of the Tour of Qatar
after the race split on several occasions in the crosswinds.
Alexander Kristoff won the stage, sprinting clear from a 15-man front group to win his first race of the season, after Etixx-QuickStep had launched a series of race-splitting moves. “It was a pretty chaotic and nervous. They went full gas that’s how it is in Qatar. If you miss a split then you’re out.” February
9,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 Tinkoff-Saxo’s
Peter Sagan
rode through a desert sandstorm on Monday to position himself for a run
at the GC lead in the Tour of Qatar.
The race serves up a 10.9km individual time trial on Tuesday, which may be the opportunity Sagan needs to seize the yellow jersey. The Slovak now sits seventh overall, 10 seconds back, wearing the white jersey of best young rider after finishing fourth on stage 2, a day that saw the peloton lashed by a sandstorm and heavy crosswinds. February
9,
2015 (velonews.com)
 Battaglin crashes
out; Van Avermaet
looks ahead to TT; Start order for stage 3.
February
9,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
2014-15
Races
& Results.
Tour of Qatar 2015 - Feb 8-13 (Stages & Results), Giro d'Italia 2015 - May 9-31 (Stages), Tour de France 2015 - July 4-26 (Stages), Vuelta a España 2015 - Aug 22-Sept 13 (Stages), UCI Road World Championship 2015 - Sept 20-27 (Stages), Dubai Tour 2015 - Feb 4-7 (Results), Ladies Tour of Qatar 2015 - Feb 3-6 (Results), UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships - Jan 31-Feb 1 (Results), 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).  Cyclocross
Tokyo champion for the second straight year, Zach McDonald summed
up the event: “I love coming to this race. This course is awesome! The
short laps are fun.
It’s a little demoralizing halfway through the race because you see ‘seven to go’ but the course is awesome and the fans are amazing. Even though it was cold and raining; there’s a ton of people out here.” Heavy rain that began late morning continued to pour through the Women’s and Men’s Elite races and didn’t let up until the racing was almost over. February
9,
2015 (cxmagazine.com)
 t
was like the Champs-Élysées in 2009 or 2011: Mark Cavendish
sitting on the end of a slick, fast and committed lead-out train,
delivered to the final 200 meters, then unleashing his sprint and
winning.
Okay, so the Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Boulevard is not the Champs-Élysées. But there were signs at the Dubai Tour, which finished on Saturday with Cavendish claiming two stages and overall victory, that for the first time in a couple of years, and a couple of teams, the sprinter might have the kind of support he needs. February
9,
2015 (cyclingweekly.co.uk)
 In
2014 Drapac Professional Cycling made the long-awaited step up from the
Continental ranks to become Australia's only Professional Continental
team.
With the promotion came significant challenges and despite some good results, the team's opening season at ProConti level didn't deliver the success it was looking for. February
9,
2015 (cyclingtips.com.au)
|
 After
the UCI redrafted the regulations on the use of time trial bikes for
the Hour Record last year, Ondřej Sosenka’s 2005 mark of 49.7
kilometers suddenly seemed like rather low-hanging fruit and the
successful attempts of Jens
Voigt and Matthias
Brändle, who shifted the target to 51.852 kilometers in
October, hardly altered that perception.
Jack Bobridge fell short of Brändle’s distance last week, however, and his disappointment put the Austrian’s effort – and the Hour Record itself – in its proper context. Riding alone for sixty minutes without dropping below a speed of over 32 miles per hour is, quite simply, beyond the capabilities of the vast majority of riders in the professional peloton. February
9,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
Tinkoff-Saxo
owner Oleg Tinkov
has indicated that 2015 could be Alberto
Contador’s final season as a professional rider.
The Spaniard, who is out of contract at the end of the current season, is targeting the Giro d’Italia and Tour de France double but has been on the fence as regards to his long-term future. Tinkoff stressed that he would want the 32-year-old to re-sign with the Russian team for at least another year but told Cyclingnews that he would not pressure Contador into making a decision. “It’s his decision. If he wants to continue then we’ll be more than happy to have him with our team but I don’t know if he’s decided to continue. We’ve not discussed it yet. This might be his last season, I don’t know. It could be...’ February
9,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 Wireless
gear shifting and disc brakes are here whether as prototypes or
esoteric options for a bike-build. We can see these trends and
extrapolate from them to see the bike of the future.
Electronic shifting has been around for some time but, like a roofrack mounted on a sports car, it can still feel like an unwelcome accessory. Manufacturers are beginning to address this with more integration as cables and battery packs can be placed inside the frame now but we still see the CPU unit attached to the stem with a cable tie. If it has to dangle in the open air you’d hope there would be a more elegant solution like a proprietary clip based on a headset spacer but better still, imagine a stem cap containing a USB port that connects to a CPU unit hidden in the stem or fork steerer so that the battery can be charged anywhere. Our bike of the future will probably have wireless shifting too. Maybe this won’t be as liberating as we might imagine because it could mean four separate items to charge. February
9,
2015 (inrng.com)
 Filippo Pozzato
wants to bounce back after a quiet 2014 season, return to his best and
prove to his team that he is not simply a “prima donna.”
“I’m fit, yes. I’m skinnier, yes. It’s so I can look good on the beach!” Pozzato told Cycling Weekly. “I’m joking! I didn’t change my training, but I changed my diet. I also made sure to begin my season in Argentina and make sure I race in February, when last year I was in a training camp.” The 33-year old Italian said that he wanted to race more in the early season to be ready for the big one-day races, starting with Milan-San Remo on March 22. February
9,
2015 (cyclingweekly.co.uk)
 Wind,
echelons and splits could define the 2016 World Championships in Doha,
the first in the Middle East, explained Eddy Merckx.
“I don’t make the weather, but you have much more wind here in Qatar than you’d find in Europe,” Merckx said. “The 2002 Zolder Worlds had nothing, no wind, no climb, nothing. But if you have wind in Qatar… ha! You saw what happened with the women’s race on stage two with splits and echelons, and last year, the Tour of Qatar had stages with averages of more than 50km an hour.” February
9,
2015 (cyclingweekly.co.uk)
 t’s
not the oldest race on the calendar, but the Dubai Tour already
attracts some of the top names.
The pan-flat landscape makes it a sprinter’s paradise, while a stifflingly steep hill made for great watching on stage three. Here’s a few things we learned as the Middle East racing season kicked off in style. February
9,
2015 (cyclingweekly.co.uk)
 American
Chris Horner
joined his new Airgas-Safeway team in Northern California this week for
the squad's training camp and team presentation, which takes place in
San Francisco on February 12.
Horner, 43, joined the young Continental team this season in order to remain closer to home with his family, and together with former Mexican National Champion Luis Lemus will act as a mentor to the team's young riders, like D1 Collegiate National Champion Griffin Easter. February
9,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 The
$170 Garmin Vivosmart grabs attention, and rightfully so. It’s an
activity tracker with smart-watch features that tracks steps, calories
burned, distance traveled, and sleep, and also shows
notifications—texts, Facebook and Twitter alerts, and incoming
calls—from your Bluetooth-enabled device.
This simple band syncs with Garmin Connect, which I already use with my Garmin cycling computer to track my rides. Lucky for me, this means one less app to download and learn how to navigate. The Vivosmart tracks calories burned by measuring heart rate, although it won’t measure mileage, elevation gain, or any other ride data. February
9,
2015 (bicycling.com)
|
February
9, 2015
 Does
all this talk about electronic drivetrains, power meters and GPS
uploads make you feel a tad, well, old?
Cycling is growing and new riders are popping up every day, which is all fine and good. It’s a beautiful sport, and there’s room for everyone (just not in our paceline, thanks). But within the continuum of newbies to, ahem, veterans, how do you know when you have crossed the line to become, in fact, an old school cyclist? February
9,
2015 (bikeradar.com)
 Russian
billionaire Oleg Tinkov
brushed off concerns that the economic troubles at home could force him
to abandon his Tinkoff-Saxo team with stars Alberto Contador and
Peter Sagan.
“Why would I suffer? What you see in the news is propaganda, don’t forget,” Tinkov said. “Russia suffers but not the way that the West would like to see it suffer. I know you’d like us to suffer more, the British and Americans like to push the Russians, it’s geo-political, it’s normal. You have been doing that for ages, but don’t worry, we won’t suffer like you want us to suffer. We are still OK.” February
9,
2015 (velonews.com)
 Frustration
for Kristoff
and Pinot.
February
9,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 Former
Tour de France winner and world time trial champion Bradley Wiggins is
enjoying his final days as a road racer, as the ongoing Tour of Qatar
serves as a warmup for a final crack at the Paris-Roubaix.
The cycling icon, who became the first British rider to win the Tour de France in 2012, the same year he won time trial gold at the London Olympics, showed no signs of nostalgia as he winds down his road career with the Sky team. “I’m happy, it feels a good time to go on to other things. I’ve done everything. I’ve had a lot of my success with this team. And to go out quite high on the top, and world champion.” February
9,
2015 (velonews.com)
 Pro
cycling SUPERSTAR! and world renowned author Phil Gaimon was
spotted strolling along New York’s East River in the midst of a casual
tryst with cyclist girlfriend Jen
Whalen.
The high VO2 max couple swooned as they sauntered down the esplanade, keeping it easy at a Zone 1 cadence. Phil—always the gentleman—took a moment to console a distraught little girl who then quickly fell under his spell into a trance-like state that fans are calling “The Gaimon Gaze.” February
9,
2015 (manualforspeed.com)
 "An
eager advisor lies waiting around every switchback in Bike World.
The first time you bought a tube or joined a group ride, I suspect that a line of Bike Bros may have been trampling one another to gain your audience. I do hope you at least let them talk – for the Bike Bro is a fragile creature. Beneath his passion and encyclopedic knowledge, he remains very aware of his colored tights and skinny arms. It is polite to help him feel important – but take what he says with a grain of salt. After your first cycling victory, the advisors may have emerged anew as prophets, eager to shepherd your sure path to greatness. Remember that despite their great intentions, neither the Bike Bros nor the prophets truly know you personally. While their wisdom is admirable, alas there is no cookie-cutter pathway to the podium that can be studied or prescribed." February
9,
2015 (cyclingtips.com.au)
 With
more and more power monitors appearing on the market each year, the
options for cyclists continue to expand.
One of the newer players in the market is Power2Max from Germany. We test it and find a system that is superb in its accuracy coupled with ease of maintenance and use. February
9,
2015 (pezcyclingnews.com)
 The
UCI World Cycling Centre (WCC) has gained considerable attention in
recent years for the role it played in helping Chris Froome on the
road into the professional ranks of the sport. Now the WCC has signed a
deal with Wattbike to help it identify the best new talent from the
less well-established cycling nations.
The deal will see Wattbike’s stationery trainers located across the globe at the WCC’s satellite centres to provide scientific testing to identify talented riders from countries without a history in cycling. Bikes will also be located at the UCI headquarters in Aigle, Switzerland where they will be used to provide structured training and improve the pedalling technique of riders based at the facility. February
9,
2015 (cyclingweekly.co.uk)
 You
can have any color as long as it’s black. Henry Ford was
talking about cars and not cycling jerseys but, over one hundred years
on from that famous quote, it appears that some cycling teams are
taking things literally.
Consider the multitude of black and dark team kits in evidence this season. Sky and Pro Continental squad Colombia have retained their colors from last season, remaining predominantly noir. The latter has added a touch more yellow but the kit is very similar to that of 2014. February
9,
2015 (cyclingtips.com.au)
|
 José Joaquin Rojas
won the opening stage of the Tour of Qatar with a well-timed sprint at
Sealine Beach Resort that saw him fend off the challenges of Tom Boonen and Arnaud Démare.
February
8,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 Tom Boonen survived
a scare on stage 1 of the Tour of Qatar after crashing with rival Peter Sagan. The
Belgian was unhurt and managed to finish second to José Joaquin Rojas in
a chaotic sprint on a day that was marked by consistent headwinds and
fraught nerves.
“It was a messy day with the headwind and everyone had the nerves even though they knew the headwind conditions would keep it together,” Boonen told Cyclingnews at the finish. February
8,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 Stage
and GC for Luxembourg rider.
February
8,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 Alberto Contador may
be out of contract at the end of the season but Tinkoff-Saxo manager Bjarne Riis has no
intention of letting his star pupil go as the pair plot their course
for the Giro d’Italia–Tour de France double, with the Dane calling Contador the ‘best
rider he has ever seen.’
Contador is currently building up to his season debut, which will take place later this month at the Ruta del Sol. From there he will tackle Tirreno-Adriatico before lining up at the Giro d’Italia. “He’s training well and he’s doing well. The preparation has been great and he’ll be ready to race at Ruta,” Riis told Cyclingnews at the Tour of Qatar, where he is currently directing his other star rider, Peter Sagan. February
8,
2015 (velonews.com)
2014-15
Races
& Results.
Tour of Qatar 2015 - Feb 8-13 (Stages & Results), Giro d'Italia 2015 - May 9-31 (Stages), Tour de France 2015 - July 4-26 (Stages), Vuelta a España 2015 - Aug 22-Sept 13 (Stages), UCI Road World Championship 2015 - Sept 20-27 (Stages), Dubai Tour 2015 - Feb 4-7 (Results), Ladies Tour of Qatar 2015 - Feb 3-6 (Results), UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships - Jan 31-Feb 1 (Results), 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).  The
organizers of the Dubai Tour have confirmed that they would like to see
the race in the UCI WorldTour in 2017, when the major reforms to the
race calendars are due to be introduced. The Dubai Tour could fill a
gap in the WorldTour calendar between the Tour Down Under in January
and Paris-Nice.
Dubai has the wealth to cover the cost of the race, with the prize money for a golf or tennis tournament enough to pay for the whole race. Dubai uses the race to promote cycling as a sport and a form of transport and to promote Dubai globally as a holiday and business destination. February
8,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 Stage 2 start time: Monday 11:25 AST
(12:25 AM PST);
Earliest live video: 15:15 AST (4:15 AM PST); Estimated finish: 16:13 AST (5:13:00 AM PST). February
8,
2015 (steephill.tv)
 Mark Cavendish won
the Dubai Tour after outsprinting his rivals to claim Saturday’s fourth
and final stage.
John Degenkolb took the overall lead from the 29-year-old Isle of Man rider on Friday, leaving him four seconds down. But Cavendish bounced back to seal the victory after beating Elia Viviani and Juan Jose Lobato in the closing 128km stage for his second stage win of the week. Before they could fight it out at the finish Etixx and Giant had to chase down a five-man break, which they overhauled 10km from the line. February
7,
2015 (velonews.com)
Viviani
disappointed not to win on his birthday at the Dubai Tour.
February
7,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
|
 Rohan Dennis has
set a new Hour Record of 52.491 kilometres after he comfortably
overhauled Matthias
Brändle’s existing mark by more than 600 meters.
Brändle’s record stood at 51.85 kilometers before Dennis started but it was immediately clear that he had designs not only on beating the Austrian but on establishing a mark that could withstand the attempts of Bradley Wiggins et al later in the year. February
8,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 Matthias Brändle saw
his hour record surpassed by Rohan
Dennis Sunday, but his mark and reign changed his career.
“I’m looking the stage finish of the Tour of Qatar. If I get back in time from stage 1, I’ll watch it live on the internet, otherwise, I’ll re-watch a recording,” Brändle told VeloNews. “I’m happy that I’ve been able to keep hold of the record for three months now. It gave me a lot of publicity, and continues to do so. It helped me make a name for myself around the world and gained me respect in the peloton.” The 25-year-old Austrian arrived in Qatar’s capital city of Doha on Friday to begin his 2015 season. The 2014 season ended in Aigle, Switzerland, at cycling’s headquarters where he rode 51.852km in 60 minutes. February
8,
2015 (velonews.com)
 Bradley Wiggins says
he will not underestimate the magnitude of attempting the Hour Record
after learning of Rohan
Dennis’ successful ride on Sunday.
Dennis set a record of 52.491 kilometres at the Grenchen velodrome in Switzerland, surpassing the previous best of 51.852 kilometres set by Mattias Brändle last year. Wiggins has set a date in June to attempt the Hour Record but is under no illusions how hard the effort will be. February
8,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 Manuel Belletti got
his career as a Southeast rider off to the best possible start when he
won his first race in his new colors, the GP Costa degli Etruschi.
In the Italian season opener, he survived the two passages of the Torre Sagalari climb before he beat Davide Vigano and Niccolo Bonifazio in a sprint from a 30-rider group. February
8,
2015 (cyclingquotes.com)
 “Why
do we go to Tabor, why do all those Belgian fans bother to go there?
They are just not worth it. What I’m saying is maybe hard, but I’m
really frustrated after this World Championship.”
This is what Roland Liboton had to say to Het Nieuwsblad last Monday on the performance of the Belgian squad in Tabor. Liboton, one of the most successful cyclocross riders of the 1980’s and a member of the Belgian Cycling Federation (he approved courses for the federation), had even more pointed and detailed complaints of his country’s showing at the 2015 World Championships. The Belgian Cycling Federation took action on his unabashed comments, mostly due to the heavy critique of Nys’ performance. According to Het Nieuwsblad, Liboton was first given a message through email then by phone: he needed to publicly apologize to Nys. Liboton refused. February
8,
2015 (cxmagazine.com)
 There
is drama and intrigue to be found throughout the Tour de France, and
this book opens our eyes to the end of the race that is often ignored:
the cameras are rarely there, and the commentators are focussed on the
battle for the lead.
It "flips the Tour de France on its head and examines what these stories tell us about ourselves, the 99% who don't win the trophy, and forces us to re-examine the meaning of success, failure, and the very nature of sport." Although someone has always finished last in the Tour de France, the author's research shows that the name Lanterne Rouge was not used until 1919 – which also happens to be the first year that the Yellow Jersey was used. The term is derived from the red lantern that was hung on the back of a train to confirm that all carriages were present and connected. February
8,
2015 (road.cc)
Mathieu
van der Poel, Sanne Cant win Bpost Bank Trofee finale in Lille.
February
7,
2015 (velonews.com)
|
February
8, 2015
 Cameron Meyer has
successfully defended his overall lead in the 2015 Jayco Herald Sun
Tour, finishing second on the hill-top finish to Arthurs Seat on the
final day of the race.
Patrick Bevin won the stage ahead of Meyer and his teammate Simon Clarke, the winner of last year’s race. The result sees Bevin finish second overall, 11 seconds behind Meyer and eight seconds ahead of Joe Cooper, Bevin’s teammate and fellow New Zealander.. February
8,
2015 (cyclingtips.com.au)
 Sanne Cant dominated
the penultimate round of the Superprestige cyclo-cross series in
Hoogstraten, Belgium. Cant
won ahead of British champion Helen
Wyman and Jolien
Verschueren. It was the 21st win for Cant this season.
“Never before I had so many wins. Also the Superprestige went great. Only in Franchorchamps I wasn’t able to win and in Diegem I was ill. In all other rounds I won,” Cant said. February
8,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 Mathieu van der Poel won
the penultimate round of the 2014-15 Superprestige series at
Hoogstraten in Belgium.
The freshly anointed world champion got off to his usual swift start, chased by Kevin Pauwels and Lars van der Haar. Van der Poel began the day with a one-point edge over Pauwels and two over van der Haar, and he set about defending his series lead from the front, quickly building an advantage on the very first lap. Sven Nys had something of a rough start to the day, crashing on a muddy straight but quickly remounting. February
8,
2015 (velonews.com)
 Rigoberto Uran
claimed his first ever professional win in his home country when he
landed the Colombian time trial title in Rionegro in his home
department of Antioquia on Saturday afternoon.
Uran’s last medal in the Colombian time trial championships dated all the way back to April 2007, when – then at Unibet – he took silver behind Santiago Botero in Neiva. February
8,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 Peter Sagan began
racing with new team Tinkoff-Saxo today in the Tour of Qatar with
expectations high in the upcoming classics.
“We have high expectations this year, but we will see because we are talking about races, cycling, and he’s a human being,” Russian team owner Oleg Tinkov said. “I hope he’s going to win two or three classics. If he doesn’t, I’ll be very disappointed, but I’m not going to kill him!” Tinkov laughed, but since he is paying Sagan €4m a year then he might want something in return. He signed Sagan over the winter from team Cannondale, which was closing its doors, for three years. February
8,
2015 (cyclingweekly.co.uk)
 It
is said that Tour de France cyclists consume quantities of food during
the event second only to sumo wrestlers in training: 11,000 calories
per day for the former, 14,000 for the latter.
But while sumos are famous for their vats of greasy soup, an innovative new book suggests that pro cyclists are in reality a pretty sophisticated bunch when it comes to noshing. 2015 marks the appearance of a new German UCI Pro Continental team, BORA-Argon 18. With new name sponsors it is actually the successor to the NetApp-Endura squad and like its predecessor has received a wild card invitation to the Tour de France, hoping in 2015 to match the results of last year when the team showed it deserved to be included among the elite of the sport. February
8,
2015 (pezcyclingnews.com)
February
7, 2015
 Caleb Ewan has
secured his second consecutive stage win in the 2015 Jayco Herald Sun
Tour, sprinting to victory in Nagambie on stage 3 ahead of Tyler Farrar and Steele von Hoff.
Ewan came into the final corner (the same finishing corner as yesterday’s stage) further from the front than he did 24 hours earlier, but the 20-year-old was still about to get the result he was after. February
7,
2015 (cyclingtips.com.au)
|
Mark Cavendish won
the Dubai Tour after outsprinting his rivals to claim Saturday’s fourth
and final stage.
John Degenkolb took the overall lead from the 29-year-old Isle of Man rider on Friday, leaving him four seconds down. But Cavendish bounced back to seal the victory after beating Elia Viviani and Juan Jose Lobato in the closing 128km stage for his second stage win of the week. Before they could fight it out at the finish Etixx and Giant had to chase down a five-man break, which they overhauled 10km from the line. February
7,
2015 (velonews.com)
 Elia Viviani was
hoping to celebrate his 26th birthday with a second stage victory at
the Dubai Tour but could only watch from behind as Mark Cavendish and
his Etixx-Quick-Step lead-out man Mark
Renshaw dominated the finale of the fourth stage in the
shadows of the Burj Khalifa skyscraper.
Renshaw and Fabio Sabatini piloted Cavendish through the final right corner with a kilometer to go and then the Australian dragged his teammate away from the peloton, leaving everyone else scrambling to make up lost ground. February
7,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 Dominique Rollin has
criticized the mentality and approach of the management at his former
team FDJ, describing them as “former cyclists who want to be around
races.”
Rollin spent three years at FDJ but found himself without a spot on the roster at the end of 2013. The Canadian was unable to secure a contract with a WorldTour team and spent last season out of the sport. However he remained in Girona, Spain for long periods of time, and trained throughout the year. When Cofidis were putting together new signing Nacer Bouhanni’s lead-out train they approached Rollin and the Quebec-born rider jumped at the opportunity to re-join the professional peloton February
7,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
2014-15
Races
& Results.
Tour of Qatar 2015 - Feb 8-13 (Stages), Giro d'Italia 2015 - May 9-31 (Stages), Tour de France 2015 - July 4-26 (Stages), Vuelta a España 2015 - Aug 22-Sept 13 (Stages), UCI Road World Championship 2015 - Sept 20-27 (Stages), Dubai Tour 2015 - Feb 4-7 (Results), Ladies Tour of Qatar 2015 - Feb 3-6 (Results), UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships - Jan 31-Feb 1 (Results), 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).  Marcel Kittel will
make his Tour of Qatar debut on Sunday but the German is keen to feel
his way into the race instead of predicting how many stages he can
potentially target.
The race is typically decided by crosswinds and bunch sprints, and with a 10.9-kilometer time trial thrown in this year, Kittel is seen as a genuine contender for the overall. February
7,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 Four-time
Tour of Qatar champion Tom
Boonen believes Bradley
Wiggins will be the biggest threat to Etixx-Quick Step’s
chances of overall victory in the six-day race that begins in Dukhan
tomorrow.
Boonen last won the race in 2012, but Etixx has won the two editions since with Mark Cavendish and Niki Terpstra. But with a 10-kilometre, flat time trial at Lusail included in this year’s race on day three, four-time Paris-Roubaix champion Boonen has singled out the Team Sky rider as the team’s main rival. February
7,
2015 (cyclingweekly.co.uk)
Sunday's Tour of
Qatar Stage 1 departs Dukhan at 1:15pm local (11:15am CET, 5:15am U.S.
Eastern) and is expected at the finish at Sealine Beach at around
4:26pm local (2:26pm CET, 8:26am U.S. Eastern).
Tour of Qatar live video streaming is expected to begin at around 3:15pm local (1:15pm CET, 7:15am U.S. Eastern). February
7,
2015 (steephill.tv)
 Rohan Dennis takes a
shot at the hour record.
Tune in on Sunday
February 8 (1.50pm local time, GMT +1).
Live coverage for Sunday's hour record attempt by Rohan Dennis is scheduled to begin at 1:50pm CET (7:50am U.S. Eastern). February
7,
2015 (cyclingfans.com)
 The
SPY Belgian Waffle Ride is everything that most cycling events are not.
Its course is over-the-top hard and chocked full of dirt sections best suited for a mountain bike. It’s way too many miles, 139 to be exact. Climbing? Yeah, there’s a bit of climbing too. 11,000 feet of vertical in last year’s event, which is said to be “easier” than the 2015 route. And it’s because of all those things that BWR has grown from an invite-only club event, to its current form as one of the most anticipated non-sanctioned events on the calendar in just a few years time. BWR is San Diego’s version of the Tour of Flanders, Paris Roubaix, and Liege-Bastogne-Liege all rolled into one. February
7,
2015 (roadbikeaction.com)
Amanda
Nauman: The North American World Cup Selections from the View of an
Elite Racer.
February
6,
2015 (cxmagazine.com)
|
 Tony Gallopin won
the penultimate stage of the Étoile de Bessèges with a rasping sprint
that saw him overpower Christophe
Laporte and Edward
Theuns on the testing uphill finale at Laudun.
February
7,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 Newly
crowned world champion Mathieu
van der Poel won the eighth and final round of
the Bpost Bank Trofee series in Lille on Saturday.
Wout Van Aert finished second with Sven Nys third. In women’s racing, Sanne Cant took the victory ahead of Ellen Van Loy and British champion Helen Wyman. Cant said the win helped erase the frustration of losing the world championships in Tabor. February
7,
2015 (velonews.com)
 Jacobs Attacks Early
and Holds Off Chasers for Junior Win:
Johan Jacobs of Switzerland has already seen his fair
share of ups and downs in 2015. He took the win on New Year’s Day at
the G.P. Sven Nys, and then he finished 19th at Tabor, a race that must
have been disappointing considering he was a favorite and one of the
few riders who beat Eli
Iserbyt during the season.
Sweeck Increases His BPost Lead at Krawatencross: With a series dictated on total time rather than points, Sweeck came into today only needing to defend his 28 second lead on Michael Vanthournhout. He did that and more as he took another win with Toon Aerts following in second and Vanthournhout coming in third. February
7,
2015 (cxmagazine.com)
 Ian Boswell has
spent his first two years as a pro at Team Sky, where he has fulfilled
the role of domestique to several of the team’s leaders. Now the
American wants to lead the team at the Tour of California in May.
“It’s a race where I can put my hand up and say I want to have some opportunity there,” the young American told VeloNews, while tucked into a small patch of shade prior to Wednesday’s start of the Dubai Tour. “Especially being my third year on the team, and an American race, [California] is something I want to target,” Boswell said. “[Bradley] Wiggins isn’t going to be there, or [Chris] Froome, or Richie [Porte]. If the opportunity is there, I’d love to go for a stage, if not ride GC.” February
7,
2015 (cyclingquotes.com)
 Bradley Wiggins will
line up for his first competitive outing of the season at the Tour of
Qatar on Sunda
The British World time trial champion was in relaxed spirits as he talked to the media on the eve of the race. However, he stressed that his build-up to the Classics started in Qatar and that he would be racing in the Gulf with one eye on a strong general classification performance. February
7,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 Current
Hour Record holder Matthias
Brändle says he won’t be upset if Australian Rohan Dennis takes
the title away from him in Switzerland tomorrow.
BMC rider Dennis will attempt to break Brändle’s benchmark of 51.852km in Grenchen at 1pm UK time on Sunday. And the IAM Cycling rider, who set his benchmark on October 30 last year, admitted to CW that he was not worried ahead of Jack Bobridge’s unsuccessful ride last week, nor Dennis’ tomorrow. February
7,
2015 (cyclingweekly.co.uk)
 Milan-San
Remo has rediscovered its perfect recipe for 2015 with the Cipressa,
the Poggio and the Via Roma, says 1981 winner Fons De Wolf.
“The return to Via Roma, the classics parcours, is good,” De Wolf told Cycling Weekly. “Eddy Merckx won there seven times. I won there. It’s special. Milan-San Remo is known as the Via Roma, that uncertainty, whether it will be a sprint or not.” The one-day monument, this year on March 22, has only had two classic finishes in its time: on Corso Cavallotti and Via Roma. February
7,
2015 (cyclingweekly.co.uk)
Sunday:
Superprestige Cyclocross at Hoogstraten, Belgium. Details to
come.
February
7,
2015 (cyclingfans.com)
 The
debate around the benefits and limitations of mountain bike wheel sizes
has been raging for several years, but what are the real-world
differences between 26in,
27.5in
and 29in
wheels?
Every wheel size has its fans and detractors. For example, 29ers have become dominant within cross-country racing, due to their perceived speed and efficiency benefits But Hurst points out that these claims are mostly based on anecdotal evidence. February
7,
2015 (bikeradar.com)
Pinotti
on Dennis’ hour record bid: “The record is within his possibilities.”
February
6,
2015 (cyclingtips.com.au)
|
February
7, 2015
Caleb Ewan has
secured his second consecutive stage win in the 2015 Jayco Herald Sun
Tour, sprinting to victory in Nagambie on stage 3 ahead of Tyler Farrar and Steele von Hoff.
Ewan came into the final corner (the same finishing corner as yesterday’s stage) further from the front than he did 24 hours earlier, but the 20-year-old was still about to get the result he was after. February
7,
2015 (cyclingtips.com.au)
 While
Orica-GreenEdge were celebrating Caleb
Ewan's second straight stage win, Cam Meyer was
finishing safely in the bunch after a nervous day on the bike to retain
his overall lead ahead of the Jayco Herald Sun Tour's queen stage to
Arthurs Seat.
A nervy peloton resulted in several crashes during the 146km third stage of the race with defending champion and key teammate for Meyer, Simon Clarke one of the riders to hit the deck. February
7,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 The
2016 Road World Championships in Doha, which runs from October 9 to 16,
will make history for being the first in the Middle East, and will suit
sprinters and classics riders with its flat and windy parcours.
“It’s one for the sprinters and classics riders,” said Eddy Merckx, who presented the Worlds course on Saturday in Doha. “It is flat like in Copenhagen and Zolder, but there will likely be wind and could be rain, and the race could split into echelons.” February
7,
2015 (cyclingweekly.co.uk)
 Christian Vandevelde,
he of le dopage Americain, is to be the president of the new
Association of North American Professional Road Cyclists (ANAPRC).
At the time he received his suspension (6 months, bless, received for ‘admitting’ he doped on US EPOstal), he whimpered: “I’m very sorry for the mistakes I made in my past and I know that forgiveness is a lot to ask for. I know that I have to earn it and I will try, every day, to deserve it – as I have, every day, since making the choice to compete clean. I will never give up on this sport, and I will never stop fighting for its future.” Vandevelde’s so special he gets his own page on Dopeology. February
7, 2015 (crankpunk.com)
 Shelley Olds ended
the Ladies Tour of Qatar without a win Friday, but thanks to team
Bigla, she leaves the Middle East with new motivation for the 2015
season.
“She’s in really good condition,” sports director Manel Lacambra told VeloNews. “Of course, we need more races, that final intensity, but she’s really strong right now.” The Swiss team reshuffled its management for 2015 and signed several new riders, including Olds, from Alé-Cipollini. The 34-year-old from Massachusetts, who will lead the team, counts wins in the Giro d’Italia and the Chongming Island World Cup. February
7,
2015 (velonews.com)
 A
new edition to the Tour de France in recent years, this Pyrenean this
climb will feature again in July.
It’s a tough challenge but a dead end and away from the Tour de France, a peaceful road that seems to be used by cyclists and a few others. The D522 starts in the village of Les Cabannes, 10km south-east of Tarascon-sur-Ariège in the Ariege department of France. It is 15.8km long for an average gradient of 7.9%. February
7,
2015 (inrng.com)
 Police
in California have recovered two irreplaceable bikes stolen in a
burglary at Specialized’s headquarters in California last weekend – one
the S-Works that Michal
Kwiatkowski rode to win the world championship in
Ponferrada last September, the other a limited edition McLaren Tarmac,
numbered 001, belonging to the company’s founder, Mike Sinyard.
“I don’t think they had any idea when they took them exactly what they had gotten, but they got some pretty amazing products, sadly for us – but in the end we got them back and thank you to the police for doing that.” February
7,
2015 (road.cc)
 Lauded
Australian talent Caleb
Ewan is gaining in confidence ahead of his eagerly
anticipated rookie pro debut in Europe claiming a second consecutive
stage victory at the Herald Sun Tour today.
It was a case of deja vu for the 20-year-old who bested Tyler Farrar and Steele von Hoff in a bunch sprint at the end of stage three, which featured the same finish as that of the previous day in Nagambie, Victoria. February
7,
2015 (cyclingweekly.co.uk)
 "As
part of our stay with Garda Bike Hotel for the Pez 10th Anniversary, we
signed up to ride the GF Damiano Cunego in nearby Verona. Our
hosts Nicola
& Alberto
know the region, the people, and handled all the details for our stay
in Lake Garda, which left nothing for us to do except enjoy the
ride.
Like most things in Italy, what you get is not always what is promised. But that leaves the door open for the Italians to over-deliver like nobody else. We figured our final ride at the GF Damiano Cunego would be another fine day on the bike with some buds, but in the end it was more than any of us expected." February
7,
2015 (pezcyclingnews.com)
February
6, 2015
|
 Marcel Kittel was
never the wistful kid that sat roadside, waiting for a bidon or to ask
a cycling star for an autograph or photo.
“I was not a crazy cycling fan,” Kittel told Cycling Central. “I was not a generation (Jan) Ullrich that followed him at the Tour de France, definitely not. When I started cycling I was just curious about the sport in general. February
6,
2015 (sbs.com.au)
 As
he collapsed on the tarmac gasping for breath, it was clear that John Degenkolb had
given it everything on the final 17 per cent climb towards the Hatta
Dam. The German struck out at the foot of the 300-metre ascent and
raced his way into the leader’s jersey.
Alejandro Valverde made his move a fraction after Degenkolb but it was too late to bring him back, and had to settle for second. February
6,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 Elvin shows
attacking spirit, Hosking
makes Boels Dolmans work for it.
February
6,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
2014-15
Races
& Results.
Dubai Tour 2015 - Feb 4-7 (Stages & Results), Tour of Qatar 2015 - Feb 8-13 (Stages), Giro d'Italia 2015 - May 9-31 (Stages), Tour de France 2015 - July 4-26 (Stages), Vuelta a España 2015 - Aug 22-Sept 13 (Stages), UCI Road World Championship 2015 - Sept 20-27 (Stages), Ladies Tour of Qatar 2015 - Feb 3-6 (Results), UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships - Jan 31-Feb 1 (Results), Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race - Feb 1 (Results), Santos Tour Down Under 2015 - Jan 18-25 (Results), 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).  “The
UCI mandates that each federation’s current top eight Elite men and
women UCI points scorers, if ranked in the top 50 overall, must be
allowed to start each World Cup if they choose to.
If any of the top eight USA riders ranked inside the top 50 UCI overall choose not to start a World Cup, we are NOT allowed to fill those unused spots with additional riders. If the USA does not have eight riders ranked inside the top 50 UCI overall then we may add additional riders to the start list." February
6,
2015 (cxmagazine.com)
 Friday's
Dubai Tour Stage 3 (the Dubai Silicon Oasis Authority stage) departs
Dubai at 10:20am local (7:20am CET, 1:20am U.S. Eastern) and is
expected at the finish at Hatta Dam at around 3:30pm local (12:30pm
CET, 6:30am U.S. Eastern). Dubai Tour live video streaming
is expected to begin at around 1:30pm local (10:30am CET, 4:30am U.S.
Eastern).
February
6,
2015 (cyclingfans.com)
 Sunday's Tour of
Qatar Stage 1 departs Dukhan at 1:15pm local (11:15am CET, 5:15am U.S.
Eastern) and is expected at the finish at Sealine Beach at around
4:26pm local (2:26pm CET, 8:26am U.S. Eastern).
Tour of Qatar live video streaming is expected to begin at around 3:15pm local (1:15pm CET, 7:15am U.S. Eastern). February
6,
2015 (steephill.tv)
Rohan Dennis takes a
shot at the hour record.
Tune in on Sunday
February 8 (1.50pm local time, GMT +1).
Live coverage for Sunday's hour record attempt by Rohan Dennis is scheduled to begin at 1:50pm CET (7:50am U.S. Eastern). February
6,
2015 (cyclingfans.com)
Lefevere
impressed with Cavendish's sprinting anger at the Dubai Tour.
February
5,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
World
Cup Winners Cant, Pauwels Win at Parkcross Maldegem. Cant’s Season
“Cake Without the Icing.”
February
5,
2015 (cxmagazine.com)
|
 Speaking
prior to Rohan Dennis’
big bid on Sunday to take the UCI world hour record, BMC Racing Team
trainer Marco Pinotti
has detailed the preparations for the Australian’s attack on the mark
and spoken about the obstacles to be overcome.
The former professional began the final block of work with Dennis on Saturday after the latter flew back to Europe following his overall victory in the Santos Tour Down Under. That stage race success showed his form is very strong, but Pinotti said that there was a complication that has to be completely negated in order for Dennis to be in the right position to attack the hour record mark. February
6,
2015 (cyclingtips.com.au)
 Lizzie Armitstead
won the final stage of the Ladies Tour of Qatar, securing her position
as the overall race winner ahead of Chloe
Hosking.
February
6,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 Theuns takes over
race lead.
February
6,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 Jack Bobridge’s UCI
Hour Record attempt had him riding to a chosen soundtrack with a series
of selected songs.
Twitter found some of the songs amusing but there’s a performance aspect as music can make you go faster. Many riders, like Mike Teunissen, use it during a warm-up. The velodrome is unique because a rider can have music played to them during competition. Should Rohan Dennis compile a playlist? February
6,
2015 (inrng.com)
 Two-time
world champion Giorgia
Bronzini has told Cyclingnews
that more should be done in order to lessen the gulf between men’s and
women’s prize money at races.
The Italian, who rides for Wiggle Honda, praised the work that has gone into improving the structure of the women’s sport in recent years but stressed that the discrepancies in prize funds still needed addressing. Bronzini pointed to the Giro d’Italia and Giro Rosa as an example. In 2014 the men’s race held a prize fund purse totalling 1,378,000 Euro. Each stage win was worth 11,000 Euro and a day in the pink jersey was worth 1000 Euro. The final overall winner received 200,000 Euro. In comparison the Giro Rosa held a purse of 17,666 Euro with the eventual winner taking him just over 500 Euro. February
6,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 Derek Hunt was born
a star bike rider: Top UK schoolboy and junior and then straight off to
Holland to crack the very hard Euro road and ‘6 Day’ scene.
He seamlessly stepped up to the pro ranks for some solid results and then… Ed Hood’s in-depth interview discovers life on the road in the 70’s and 80’s. His road performances, notably a fine overall win in the 1980 Tour de la Province de Liege gained him a contract with the Boston professional team alongside Tour de France winner Lucien Van Impe for 1981. Three second places in stages of the Ruta Del Sol, a solid ride in Milan-Sanremo, 25th in the Amstel Gold race and 14th in Liege-Bastogne-Liege boded very well for the future. But crashes and teams folding took their toll; so Hunt headed off to catch some waves ‘Down Under’ before his immense potential was ever realized. . February
6,
2015 (pezcyclingnews.com)
Livestreams
Saturday
get underway at 2:45pm CET (8:45am U.S. Eastern) with the Elite Men
race starting at 3:00pm CET (9:00am U.S. Eastern).
February
6,
2015 (cyclingfans.com)
McGrane
on McQuaid: “Doping by amateurs was reason I wanted change.”
February
5,
2015 (stickybottle.com)
|
February
6, 2015
 "Dear
Brian,
It’s hard to be the boss. Believe me, I know. And to be in charge on a worldwide stage? To be subject to the armchair quarterbacking of any idiot with an iPhone and an opinion? I can’t even imagine. But I’m writing today because I need you. We need you. You see, I love pro cycling. Everything about it captivates me: the drama, the personalities, the technology. But more than anything else, what draws me to cycling, as both a rider and a fan, is that every day is a chance to redefine what’s possible." February
6,
2015 (velonews.com)
 Orica-GreenEdge's
approach to Caleb Ewan
in his first season as a professional is about building his confidence
before heading over to Europe.
Three straight Bay Crits wins and second place at the Australian national road race championships had people asking whether the team should have reconsidered its decision to leave him out of the Tour Down Under squad but they firmly backed their plan. February
6,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 Drapac's
Brenton Jones
crosses the finish line on his back at the Herald Sun Tour, but claims
fifth place because he was technically still attached to his bike.
February
6,
2015 (cyclingweekly.co.uk)
 The
race for the hour continues to heat up, with two more attempts on the
horizon.
Just days after Jack Bobridge failed in an emotional effort to set a new mark, Rohan Dennis and Thomas Dekker are targeting attempts in the coming weeks. Up first is Dennis, who will make his attempt Sunday at the Granges velodrome built by his BMC Racing boss Andy Rihs in Switzerland. Hot off his overall victory at the Santos Tour Down Under, the 24-year-old Australian will be aiming to better the mark set October 30 by Matthias Brändle of 51.852km. February
6,
2015 (velonews.com)
 It’s
two sleeps now until Rohan
Dennis turns himself inside out in pursuit of the UCI
World Hour Record. The mark to beat 51.852km, held by Matthias Brandle,
cannot be underestimated after Jack
Bobridge’s recent near miss.
But there’s little sign of increased anxiety, or nerve from Dennis speaking to him. Sitting in his hotel room in Grenchen, Dennis is relaxed, seemingly buoyed by confidence after his recent success at the Santos Tour Down Under, and almost unfazed by what’s ahead of him Sunday. The work has been done, you see, it’s all behind him, and now come only the finishing touches. February
6,
2015 (sbs.com.au)
 Impey and Moolman Pasio defend
South African titles, Petacchi
ill, Bollé
teams up with SmartStop.
February
6,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 "Cross-training
in the off-season can have huge benefits for your riding when spring
rolls around—if you do it properly.
You may think you have your off-bike workouts as dialed in as your favorite trainer intervals, so you do squats, pushups, and other staples with no concern over form. But a few key tweaks will maximize results and have you flying on the road." February
6,
2015 (bicycling.com)
February
5, 2015
WADA
President Reedie: More governments need to make doping illegal.
February
5,
2015 (cyclingtips.com.au)
|
 Mark Cavendish was
pipped for victory in the second stage of the Dubai Tour by Elia Viviani on
Thursday but kept the race leader’s jersey.
The Briton was second on the 185-kilometer run from Dubai International Marine Club to Palm Jumeirah, but the bonus seconds he took in winning Wednesday’s opening stage ensured he remained in the leader’s blue jersey. Sky’s Viviani, who was third on Wednesday, is now just two seconds behind after clawing back four of the six seconds he lost to Cavendish on the opening stage. February
5,
2015 (velonews.com)
 Mark Cavendish was
disappointed to lose the sprint that decided stage two of Dubai Tour
but sportingly shook Elia
Viviani's hand before climbing onto the podium to
pull on the race leader's jersey for another day.
Cavendish, Viviani and Andrea Guardini swapped places on the podium compared to stage one, with Viviani winning for Team Sky, Cavendish taking second and Guardini finishing third. “I'd have liked to win and I'm disappointed with second but we can take a lot of positive points from today: the power I put out and how Etixx-QuickStep rode,” Cavendish told the media in Dubai at the post-race press conference. February
5,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 Etixx-QuickStep
team manager Patrick
Lefevere watches Mark
Cavendish win stage one at the Dubai Tour from the
roadside and liked what he saw.
The experienced Belgian manager has built a large part of his team around Cavendish and expects results in return. The Manxman had a difficult 2014 season due to illness and his crash at the end of the opening stage of the Tour de France but Lefevere saw first hand that he is still hungry for success, and has started the 2015 season with impressive form and finishing speed. February
5,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 The
first ever African to wear the Tour de France yellow jersey Daryl Impey won the
South African time-trial for a fourth time on Thursday.
The 30-year-old Orica rider, who also won the event in 2011, 2013 and 2014, was a full 51 seconds faster than second placed Reinhardt Janse van Rensburg over the 42.7km route. During the 2013 Tour de France, Impey became Africa’s first overall leader of the world’s most famous race, donning the yellow jersey for two stages. February
5,
2015 (pelotonmagazine.com)
2014-15
Races
& Results.
Ladies Tour of Qatar 2015 - Feb 3-6 (Stages & Results), Dubai Tour 2015 - Feb 4-7 (Stages & Results), Tour of Qatar 2015 - Feb 8-13 (Stages), Giro d'Italia 2015 - May 9-31 (Stages), Tour de France 2015 - July 4-26 (Stages), Vuelta a España 2015 - Aug 22-Sept 13 (Stages), UCI Road World Championship 2015 - Sept 20-27 (Stages), UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships - Jan 31-Feb 1 (Results), Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race - Feb 1 (Results), Santos Tour Down Under 2015 - Jan 18-25 (Results), 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).  Kevin Pauwels took
an exciting win Wednesday with a narrow lead over six other riders at
Parkcross Maldegem, with U23 World Championship runner-up Laurens Sweeck taking
second, and Gianni
Vermeersch finishing third.
Wout van Aert finished fifth after crashing early in the race and being forced to spend the rest of the laps pursuing the leaders. The other overall World Cup winner Sanne Cant won the first-ever Women’s Elite Race at Parkcross Maldegem. Unlike Pauwels, she would not wait until the closing lap to contest victory, and she took a solo win over Sanne van Paassen and Loes Sels. February
5,
2015 (cxmagazine.com)
 "Watching
the World Championships play out this weekend, I started to feel old.
Obviously, the junior and U23 winners were just kids, and looked like chilly teenagers on the podium. But when the elite men’s podium all looked like they’d be carded heading into a bar for a victory party, well, that threw me a bit. And the women’s race was won—after six years of dominance—by 22-year-old Pauline Ferrand-Prevot instead of perpetual favorite Marianne Vos." February
5,
2015 (bicycling.com)
 "When
you think of the world's great cycling destinations, India isn't a
country that necessarily springs to mind. And yet, when you venture
beyond the bustling city streets, India has a wealth of opportunities
on offer for the intrepid cyclist.
Andy Rogers and Caz Whitehead recently ventured to the Indian state of Karnataka with Exodus Travels to begin a two-week-long journey along the country's south-western coastline. This is the second and final part of a series about that journey. We pick up the story with Caz and Andy about to tackle the long, tough climb to the town of Ooty." February
5,
2015 (cyclingtips.com.au)
Thursday's Dubai
Tour Stage 2 (the Nakheel stage) departs Dubai at 10:55am local (7:55am
CET, 1:55am U.S. Eastern) and is expected at the finish at Palm
Jumeirah at around 3:30pm local (12:30pm CET, 6:30am U.S.
Eastern). Dubai Tour live
video streaming is expected to begin at around 1:30pm
local (10:30am CET, 4:30am U.S. Eastern).
February
5,
2015 (cyclingfans.com)
A
look ahead to the 2015 Tour of Qatar (February 8-13): race info,
stages, teams and more.
February
5,
2015 (steephill.tv)
Rohan Dennis takes a
shot at the hour record.
Tune in on Sunday
February 8 (1.50pm local time, GMT +1).
February
5,
2015 (cyclingfans.com)
|
 Cycling
Ireland doctor Conor
McGrane has said the continued doping problem facing young
Irish riders abroad was the biggest reason he opposed the Irish
federation nominating Pat
McQuaid to run for a third term as UCI president.
Responding to McQuaid’s assertion that Irish begrudgery was the motivation of many who opposed his re-election, McGrane he said he has no regrets about being one of his most vocal opponents. “My main motivation was knowing that underage lads going over to the continent were being exposed to doping,” he said. Since the election, Cookson has been in power for over a year. Thus far McGrane feels his tenure has been disappointing. “To be perfectly honest, I don’t think he has been much of an improvement,” he said. “I personally would have preferred somebody like Tracey Gaudry to go for it,” he said of the Australian vice president of the UCI. February
5,
2015 (stickybottle.com)
 Lizzie Armitstead is
on her way to winning the Ladies Tour of Qatar, but she wants more.
Team Boels-Dolmans’ Brit wants to dominate the world by winning the
Ronde van Vlaanderen (Tour of Flanders) and the world road
championships in 2015.
“They are career-defining races,” Armitstead said after putting on the race leader’s golden jersey in Qatar. “If you win Flanders and the world championships then you can retire a happy lady.” February
5,
2015 (velonews.com)
 Lizzie Armitstead took
the reins from her teammate Ellen
Van Dijk in Qatar on Thursday, winning stage 3, and
slipping into the overall race lead. Van Dijk started
Thursday in the lead after winning Wednesday’s stage.
The Briton, 26, claimed her first win of the season in a field sprint to Al Khor Corniche, after a 93.5km day that began in Souq Waqif. Second place went to American Shelly Olds; Lucinda Brand rounded out the podium in third. The final sprint was contested by about 35 riders after the peloton split early in the day, thanks in part to the efforts of the Boels-Dolmans team. February
5,
2015 (velonews.com)
 Elisa Longo Borghini was
taken to a local hospital with a suspected concussion after crashing on
stage 3 of the Ladies Tour of Qatar on Thursday.
The Italian was lying sixth overall heading into the stage but crashed mid-way through. According to her team manager, Rochelle Gilmore, the rider was responsive and willing to finish the stage. “I’m pretty sure she won’t race tomorrow. I’ll be going to the hospital and I’ll strongly advise her not to race.” February
5,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 Optum-Kelly
Benefit Strategies is recovering after a “brutal” start to the Ladies
Tour of Qatar this week, where one rider failed to start with food
poisoning and another was carried away on a stretcher.
“It was brutal,” sport director Patrick McCarty told VeloNews. McCarty leaned on his silver car packed near Doha’s Souq Waqif as his remaining four cyclists prepared for stage 3 under 86-degree heat. In the same capital city, but not at the start, Maura Kinsella remains in the hospital with two broken ribs, while Annie Ewart sits in the Sheraton Hotel recovering. “Annie fell sick with food poisoning and couldn’t start. It’s tough because a race like this you have to commit and it’s tough to make last-minute decisions,” McCarty continued. February
5,
2015 (velonews.com)
 Greg Van Avermaet
has come so close to the big win in the cobbled Classics, will this be
his year?
We caught up with the non-beer drinking Belgian at the BMC training camp to talk Classics, cobbles, Tour, beer and Yorkshire! Van Avermaet has had some good wins in his 10 year professional career and he has a sack full of top ten placings, apart from his win in Paris-Tours there isn’t that big Classic win. He wants to be King of the Flanders cobbles, but the man from Lokeren can turn his hand to just about any of the one day races. .. February
5,
2015 (pezcyclingnews.com)
 The
long, green-tinted shadow of his father may forever tail him, but Rick Zabel does not
dream of Champs-Elyseés sprints or perfect leadouts, but of rough
cobbles, steep bergs, and the hardest one-day races.
Zabel the younger fancies himself a classics man, and this year, his second in the professional ranks, he hopes to take on the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix for the first time. Despite his pedigree, Zabel has no delusions of youthful triumph. Should he line up in Brugge and Compiegne this season, his duties will be strictly obedient. But two or three years down the line, following a few trial runs and plenty of tutelage from experienced teammates, the young German thinks he can mix it up at the front of the premier classics. February
5,
2015 (velonews.com)
 Thursday's Stage 3
starts at 2:00pm local (12:00pm CET) (6:00am U.S. Eastern).
Finish at around 4:17pm local (2:17pm CET) (8:17am U.S. Eastern). Live video from -- local (-- CET) (-- U.S. Eastern). February
5,
2015 (cyclingfans.com)
 After
the retirement of Eddy
Merckx in the late 1970s, the cycling world waited almost
30 years for his replacement.
When it did arrive, it was Dutch … oh yeah, and it was a woman. Actually, it’s much more complicated than that. Nicknames like “Cannibal” and “Female Merckx” are aimed at Marianne Vos from all sides, but there is far more to her than simply being a 25-year-old winning machine from the nearly-unpronounceable town of ‘s-Hertogenbosch, in the south of the Netherlands. February
5,
2015 (pelotonmagazine.com)
 Tao Geoghegan Hart
needs to take his development steadily and not rush to the professional
ranks, explained team Axeon General Manager Axel Merckx.
Geoghegan Hart celebrated his 19th birthday in March, but rode strongly against riders sometimes three-times his age in the Under 23 ranks in 2014. Last year, he placed third in the Under 23 Liège-Bastogne-Liège, 10th in the Tour de L’Aviner and 15th in the Tour of Britain. February
5,
2015 (cyclingweekly.co.uk)
|
February
5, 2015
 Once
again, I'm waiting for Lance
Armstrong to say that he's sorry.
Police reports show that he hit two parked cars, apparently after he'd been drinking, then let his girlfriend take the blame. So far he hasn't said anything. But I think I know how this will go. Last time I wanted Armstrong to apologize, it was for the doping. But in 2013, when he confessed his sins to Oprah Winfrey, the secular priestess of wayward celebrities, I couldn't help but wonder for what exactly he was apologizing. February
5,
2015 (houstonchronicle.com)
 The
president of the World Anti Doping Agency, Craig Reedie, has
called on more governments to criminalize doping, saying that acting in
this way will play a vital part in helping prevent the current problems
escalating and spilling over into everyday society.
“Sport is now a hugely lucrative industry, and there is a real area of concern with drugs being counterfeited, illegally produced, trafficked and distributed – and ultimately these drugs get in the hands of elite athletes and, increasingly, members of the public,” he said in a WADA statement, requesting an escalation of preventative measures. February
5,
2015 (cyclingtips.com.au)
 Roy Jans confirmed
his potential as a future top sprinter when he won today’s second stage
of Etoile de Besseges in a bunch sprint.
On a controversial day when the peloton stopped four times to protest against cold conditions, he held off Alexandre Blain and Bob Jungels while Kris Boeckmans defended his lead despite a crash in the sprint. February
5,
2015 (cyclingquotes.com))
 A
late attack from a select group group that formed on the first climb of
the day saw Cam Meyer trump
New Zealand national champion Joe
Cooper to move into the overall race lead after
the 146km stage.
Pat Bevin won the sprint for third place ahead of defending champion Simon Clarke with the riders riders occupy the top of the GC in stage order. February
5,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 With
stage one of the Jayco Herald Sun Tour heading straight up a category
one climb, it was an intimidating affair for the majority of the 89
riders who started in Mt Macedon but not so for Rob Power.
The 19-year-old, taking part in the race on the Australian U23 team, skipped away from Brendan Canty in the final 20m of the climb, which featured gradients between 10-12%, to claim the first KOM points of the day, showcasing his climbing talents. He then took maximum points on the second climb of the day up Mt Alexander to move to 48 points, 20 ahead of Canty. February
5,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 The
Mouvement Pour Un Cyclisme Crédible or MPCC is sometimes the butt of
jokes but what if we celebrated its achievements and laughed at those
who try to mock the sport?
This group of teams has grown and led the way on anti-doping policies, often seeing the UCI copy the rules later on and taking a stance to safeguard rider health too. The MPCC was founded during the 2007 Tour de France by seven teams wanting to create a tighter set of rules than the UCI or WADA Code when it came to anti-doping and ethics. It’s a voluntary, self-regulatory body. Members sign up and agree to stick to rules which go beyond the UCI’s standard. February
5,
2015 (inrng.com)
 This
season will start with another period of adjustment for Phil Gaimon, the
former Jelly Belly, 5-hour Energy and Bissell rider who earned his way
to the WorldTour last year with Garmin-Sharp, only to see himself slip
off the roster when the team merged with Cannondale in the off-season.
But any questions about whether Gaimon would fit in and feel at home with another new team were answered quickly at the Optum Pro Cycling training camp when he walked out of the team house for a media interview in his bare feet, pajama bottoms and a bathrobe, joking with his teammates, staff and anyone else within earshot along the way. The only thing lacking from this picture of domestic bliss was a dog to fetch his slippers and newspaper. February
5,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 Will
Peter Sagan
stand and deliver a monumental victory this season?
That will be one of the major storylines of 2015 as the precocious Slovak makes his Tinkoff-Saxo debut at the Tour of Qatar (2.HC) on Sunday in what will be a highly anticipated start with huge expectations on his shoulders this season. Whether he shrugs off that pressure and knocks it out of the park remains to be seen. February
5,
2015 (velonews.com)
 "Assuming
you are not buying an expensive bike case, which can be costly, here is
the smart, safe way to package up your bike.
Along with some useful pics we took with our friends at Evans Cycles, here are some tips to reduce the cost of your delivery and ensure your bike arrives in tip-top condition. All you need is a good box, some packing materials, strong tape, a set of allen keys, an adjustable wrench and half an hour." February
5,
2015 (parcelhero.com)
 When
one thinks of a helmet, “versatile” might not be the first adjective
that comes to mind. But that’s exactly what the Lazer Z1 is. Thanks to
its aftermarket Aeroshell, the Z1 can transform from a lightweight and
airy summer helmet to a windproof lid, perfect for winter riding.
The Z1 is a top-of-the-line helmet through and through. Its weight — at 276 grams for a size large — is within grams of Giro’s Synthe and Smith’s Overtake. It is also attractive. Ventilation is superb, and the Z1’s price backs all of this up. At $270 the Z1 is $20 more expensive than the Synthe and Overtake. Its price is comparable to the Poc Octal, but the Lazer Aeroshell will set you back an additional $20. If you live anywhere in North America, you’ll get use out of this add-on at some point, though it likely won’t be in an attempt to make yourself more aerodynamic. February
5,
2015 (velonews.com)
|
 Former
world champion Mark
Cavendish took the overall lead at the Dubai Tour
after winning Wednesday’s opening stage in a sprint finish.
The Briton held off Italians Andrea Guardini and Elia Viviani following the 145-kilometer route from the Dubai International Marine Club to Union House Flag. Cavendish, the 2011 road world champion, launched his sprint finish a touch too early after his sprint train, with Australian Mark Renshaw as last leadout man, broke up in the final run-in. As he approached the line, Cavendish was nearly caught by Guardini. A photo finish confirmed the Etixx-Quick-Step rider had won. February
4,
2015 (velonews.com)
 Mark Cavendish
admitted he can't remember exactly how many races he has now won during
his career - 121 according to the Procycling
stats website, but his victory on the opening stage at the Dubai Tour
was a clear message to his rivals and rivals and detractors: He still
loves winning and is still ambitious and hungry for success.
Indeed, Cavendish hopes that Etixx-Quick-Step can again be the most successful team in the peloton and wants to win as many of the team's total as he can. February
4,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
2014-15
Races
& Results.
Ladies Tour of Qatar 2015 - Feb 3-6 (Stages & Results), Dubai Tour 2015 - Feb 4-7 (Stages & Results), Tour of Qatar 2015 - Feb 8-13 (Stages), Giro d'Italia 2015 - May 9-31 (Stages), Tour de France 2015 - July 4-26 (Stages), Vuelta a España 2015 - Aug 22-Sept 13 (Stages), UCI Road World Championship 2015 - Sept 20-27 (Stages), UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships - Jan 31-Feb 1 (Results), Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race - Feb 1 (Results), Santos Tour Down Under 2015 - Jan 18-25 (Results), 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). Wednesday's (February
4) Dubai Tour Stage 1 (the Westin Dubai stage) departs Dubai at 11:55am
local (8:55am CET, 2:55am U.S. Eastern) and is expected at the finish
at Dubai Union House Flag at around 3:30pm local (12:30pm CET, 6:30am
U.S. Eastern).
Dubai Tour live video streaming is expected to begin at around 2:00pm local (11:00am CET, 5:00am U.S. Eastern). February
3,
2015 (cyclingfans.com)
Bardiani-CSF's
Simion
in the white jersey, Valls
represents Lampre-Merida in the day's breakaway.
February
4,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 The
clock is ticking and Peter
Sagan’s time with the Tinkoff-Saxo team is officially
moving into a new phase.
The Slovakian rider transferred to the team from previous squad Cannondale over the winter and, after training hard and getting to know his new team-mates, will finally affix a race number and make his competitive debut on Sunday. “I raced in Qatar four years ago and that was the start of a great season,” said the three-time Tour de France green jersey winner, who hopes to make a Classics breakthrough this season. “I think it’s the right race for my official start in the Tinkoff-Saxo jersey. I look forward to start racing there.” February
4,
2015 (cyclingtips.com.au)
 By
far and away, Shimano pedals were the choice of the top 16, with 62.5%
of confirmed riders sporting them on their bikes.
Because riders tend to be a little more selective about their pedals, and wouldn’t likely change them over with the new year, we could safely say that 81.25% of the riders are actually using Shimano pedals. February
4,
2015 (cxmagazine.com)
 Tour
de France hero Brian
Robinson helped youngsters at a Holmfirth school come top
of the class.
Brian, 84, of Mirfield, was chosen as one of the four inspirational figures to be honored at Netherthong Primary School. Brian, the first Briton to win a stage of the Tour in 1958, was one, along with Marsden poet Simon Armitage, whose wife Sue was a previous chairman of governors; former Netherthong pupil and author Annabel Pitcher; and Leeds-based Olympic and Commonwealth gold medal-winning boxer Nicola Adams. February
4,
2015 (examiner.co.uk)
 If
there were a manual on how to become a professional cyclist, “don’t be
female” would be an apt opener.
The scale of the women’s professional cycling industry means there are precious few opportunities for talented riders to progress to the top level of the sport. The Australian women’s European Development Program that had been implemented to address the problem has been closed down until further notice. The decision has been debated and viewed as anything from a sensible solution to a malicious abandonment. With women’s cycling seemingly exploding with visible signs of growth, this was a significant moment of perhaps unexpected calamity for the elite end of the sport in Australia. But what does it mean? February
3,
2015 (cyclingtips.com.au)
|
 Ellen
van Dijk moved into the overall lead at the
Ladies Tour
of Qatar after powering to victory at Madinat Al Shamal on stage 2.
The Dutchwoman forced her way clear of the winning six-woman group in the final to win by three seconds. Trixi Worrack swept up second place, just ahead of Van Dijk’s teammate Lizzi Armitstead. Chloe Hosking and Elisa Longo Borghini and Emma Johansson rounded out the lead group, which finished almost two minutes clear of the peloton and will surely decide final overall victory among them. February
4,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 The
American Optum p/b Kelly Benefit team endured a nightmare start to this
year’s Ladies Tour of Qatar, losing two of its six riders after
Tuesday’s opening stage.
Canadian Annie Ewart couldn’t start the race as she was suffering with a fever, and then American Maura Kinsella departed stage one in an ambulance after a crash caused by riders hitting sizeable cat’s eyes in the road. February
4,
2015 (cyclingweekly.co.uk)
 "It's
safe to say that Wednesday's second stage, from Al Zubarah Fort to
Madinat Al Shamal will end up being the toughest as well as the longest
of the race.
Today’s stage was hard. Really hard. I don’t think many riders expected it to be as difficult as it turned out to be today, and that was all because of the crosswinds. The leading group went almost straight away after the neutralized zone, and to give you an idea what it’s like in those conditions, I didn’t even realize the leaders had gone clear. I was riding head down, fighting for position, trying to keep on the wheel in front and attempting to stay sheltered." February
4,
2015 (cyclingweekly.co.uk)
 Pieters powers on, Johansson not giving
up.
February
4,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 Sharon Laws has been
forced out of the Ladies Tour of Qatar after breaking her left
collarbone in a crash on stage one.
The British rider was able to finish the stage, despite her heavy fall, but x-rays have revealed the break. It’s not known whether the Bigla rider will undergo surgery as she plans her recovery. February
4,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 After
a very exciting World cyclo-cross championships battle at the weekend
and the start of the Ladies Tour of Qatar yesterday (Tuesday), Gordan Cameron has
taken a look at the ‘Top Ten’ women for the 2015 season. Marianne Vos is not
at the top of his list, so you might be surprised with the line-up.
Not that long ago, some would argue, the ability gap between the top women’s riders, especially between Marianne Vos and the rest, was so vast that it was best measured using zip codes. Vos is still, arguably, the best all-round rider there is, but now the margins are narrowing. As the Tour of Qatar begins, here’s a personal and arbitrary look at the top women’s performers of 2014, and a few pointers about what to expect this season. February
4,
2015 (pezcyclingnews.com)
 Having
finished third at last year's Jayco Herald Sun Tour prologue, a new
shorter 2.1-km course along Melbourne's Southbank proved beneficial to Will Clarke as
he won his first race of the year in front of over 20,000 spectators on
a balmy evening in the Victorian capital.
Clarke's teammate Brenton Jones had earlier set the fastest time only to be unseated by Caleb Ewan. Out on course, Clarke set the fastest time at the half-way point and when he crossed the line with a time of 2:35.53 minutes, he has taken the race lead by a single second. February
4,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 A
dropped chain early in the elite world cyclocross championship race may
have derailed Wout Van
Aert’s chance to ride for a rainbow jersey on Saturday.
On Wednesday at the Park Cross race in Maldegem, Belgium, the 20-year-old Belgian told Sporza, “There is nothing wrong with my bike.” Despite having switched to a SRAM CX1 single-chainring drivetrain only a few weeks before worlds, Van Aert said, “I had really bad luck and that’s the last say on that bike.” February
4,
2015 (velonews.com)
Armour:
Lance Armstrong's latest incident shouldn't surprise anyone.
February
3,
2015 (usatoday.com)
Merckx:
Bradley Wiggins ‘cannot afford to fail’ in Hour Record ride.
February
3,
2015 (cyclingweekly.co.uk)
|
February
4, 2015
 On
a warm evening along Melbourne’s Southbank, Will Clarke claimed
victory in the Jayco Herald Sun Tour prologue to pull on the first
leader’s jersey of the race.
Having placed third last year, Clarke posted the fastest time at the half-way check and crossed the line still holding the fastest time of 2:35.53 minutes. Clarke disposed Caleb Ewan from the hot seat who in turn had knocked Clarke's teammate Brenton Jones off the porch. February
4,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 Belgian
beats Theuns
and Coledan.
February
4,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 The
Dubai Tour starts today and so does the Etoile de Bessèges.
Both offer several days of racing in the early season but the comparisons stop there as the Emirati race outbids its rivals on almost every scale. The Etoile long been an essential part of the early season in France but will it survive much longer? There’s nothing explicit to say the Etoile is struggling but the implicit signs are there, it’s not on TV and its website is basic. The Dubai Tour is on TV – Eurosport among others – while the Etoile will hope for a clip on the evening news bulletin on a regional news channel, (follow it in French via directvelo.com). February
4,
2015 (inrng.com)
 The
Tour of the Mediterranean, initially scheduled for February 12-15, will
not take place due to an ongoing financial dispute with the French
National Cycling League (LNC).
The French National Olympic Committee (CNOSF) convened on Wednesday to try to reach an agreement, but it could not, and the race has been cancelled for 2015. The issue stems from unpaid prize money due from last season’s race. If it is paid by June the race may be able to return in 2016 “The race, however, may take place next year if the situation is resolved by June for inclusion on the calendar,” said LNC president Marc Madiot. February
4,
2015 (velonews.com)
 BMC
rider Brent Bookwalter
says the newly created ANAPRC (Association of North American
Professional Road Cyclists) wants to be pro-active rather than
confrontational in the way it interacts with the UCI, teams and race
organisers, as it tries defend the interests of the riders in the
peloton.
One of ANAPRC's first goals is to help with the introduction of an Extreme Weather Protocol, where clear rules decide if and how races should be held in extreme heat or cold. February
4,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 Following
two seasons of service to the big names at Sky, Ian Boswell wants to
take a crack at the Amgen Tour of California.
“It’s a race where I can put my hand up and say I want to have some opportunity there,” the young American told VeloNews, while tucked into a small patch of shade prior to Wednesday’s start of the Dubai Tour. Boswell has performed well on home soil before, and in races of similar size. The chance to lead has rarely presented itself since he signed with the British outfit, but in 2012 he rode to fifth overall in a mountainous Tour of Utah, riding for Axel Merckx’s Trek-Livestrong program, now known as Axeon Cycling. A top-10 result at the Route du Sud last year confirmed his ability to mix it up at the front of the UCI World Tour. February
4,
2015 (velonews.com)
 Jan Bakelants is
ready to put 2014 behind him.
He’s ready to put mononucleosis and the flu behind him. And now, having left a one-year deal with Omega Pharma-Quick Step, he’s ready to find success with his new team, Ag2r La Mondiale. On the day after his 29th birthday, Jan Bakelants will make his 2015 debut with Ag2r at the Clasica de Almeria. Bakelants signed with the French outfit at the conclusion of the 2014 season. Over the course of his year with Omega Pharma-Quick Step, he played a variety of roles on a variety of terrains, both in support of his teammates and as a featured rider. February
4,
2015 (velonews.com)
 "Small
chips and scrapes in the paint are usually okay, but avoid rusty frames
and those with dents or cracks on the tubes, says Nick Martin, owner
of The Pro's Closet, which sells secondhand cycling gear on eBay.
Look closely underneath the bottom bracket and around the frame joints, where cracks are more likely to form." February
4,
2015 (bicycling.com)
February
3, 2015
|
If
there were a manual on how to become a professional cyclist, “don’t be
female” would be an apt opener.
The scale of the women’s professional cycling industry means there are precious few opportunities for talented riders to progress to the top level of the sport. The Australian women’s European Development Program that had been implemented to address the problem has been closed down until further notice. The decision has been debated and viewed as anything from a sensible solution to a malicious abandonment. With women’s cycling seemingly exploding with visible signs of growth, this was a significant moment of perhaps unexpected calamity for the elite end of the sport in Australia. But what does it mean? February
3,
2015 (cyclingtips.com.au)
 The
women’s 2015 season is reaching full speed with the Tour of Qatar this
week in the Middle East, where two-time world champion, Italian Giorgia Bronzini sat
down to forecast winners of the stage race, cycling’s newest talents,
and the direction of her sport.
Personal aims: “It’s an important year for me ahead of the 2016 Rio Olympics. My goals are in the in the Giro d’Italia Femminile, where I’d like to come away with a few stage wins, and in a few of the World Cups like China, Philadelphia, and Germany. And why not also add on a third title in the world championship road race in America?! It’s going to be a demanding season with different goals during the year, but I’ll try to be in form for those dates.” February
3,
2015 (velonews.com)
 Annalisa Cucinotta won
the opening stage of the Ladies Tour of Qatar, beating Giorgia Bronzini and
Marta Tagliaferro in
the bunch sprint at Dukhan Beach.
The stage was animated by a lone attack by Xiu Jie Jiang, who went clear shortly after the first intermediate sprint, which was won by Shelley Olds ahead of Chloe Hosking and Lizzie Armitstead. Jiang stretched her lead out to a minute after 55 kilometres but the pace remained a brisk 43kph in the peloton, with several teams keen to ensure a sprint finish. February
3,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 Shelly Olds is
starting the 2015 season with a bang in the Middle East by sprinting
for bonus seconds and trying to win the overall in the Tour of Qatar
“Qatar is always a big goal of mine,” she told VeloNews on Tuesday. “It’s a [UCI] 2.1-ranked stage race; it’s the first race of the season; it’s a race for sprinters. It’s a hard race with all the best teams. I’m trying to win the overall. I’d like to start the year off with something positive.” Olds placed fifth behind winner Annalisa Cucinotta in Dukhan, a small but oil-rich village on Qatar’s west coast, after 98.5 kilometers. Heading toward the finish line on the empty, wind-swept road, she placed herself on the heels of Alé-Cipollini’s train for the sprint. She accelerated too early and was unable to hold off her rivals. The bonus seconds gained through the stages will help determine the general classification, in which Olds sits third February
3,
2015 (velonews.com)
 "So
that’s my first ever Ladies Tour of Qatar stage finished and, thanks to
the lack of wind, it was pretty normal. It wasn’t really that hot,
either.
It was a bit hectic in the opening few kilometres, and there were a few crashes that were caused by some huge cateyes in the middle of the road. That was a little bit ridiculous. We had to go over a series of speedbumps a bit further into the stage, too, but thankfully a number of riders shouted loudly to make sure nobody went flying over the top of them." February
3,
2015 (cyclingweekly.co.uk)
 Minimum
wages, equal prize money and the growth and prosperity of the sport
have been fundamental issues within women’s cycling. Yet despite the
hard work that lies ahead, the sport has seen shoots of promise and
growth in the last twelve months. The women’s field is as competitive
ever; new sponsors are joining and improved television coverage is set
to change the landscape.
On the eve of the Ladies Tour of Qatar, Cyclingnews sat down with five of the most prominent figures in women’s cycling: Rochelle Gilmore, Giorgia Bronzini, Tiffany Cromwell, Chloe Hosking and Gracie Elvin to talk about the development of the sport, the UCI’s role and how female athletes are trying to make a difference. February
3,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
2014-15
Races
& Results.
Ladies Tour of Qatar 2015 - Feb 3-6 (Stages & Results), Dubai Tour 2015 - Feb 4-7 (Stages), Tour of Qatar 2015 - Feb 8-13 (Stages), Giro d'Italia 2015 - May 9-31 (Stages), Tour de France 2015 - July 4-26 (Stages), Vuelta a España 2015 - Aug 22-Sept 13 (Stages), UCI Road World Championship 2015 - Sept 20-27 (Stages), UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships - Jan 31-Feb 1 (Results), Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race - Feb 1 (Results), Santos Tour Down Under 2015 - Jan 18-25 (Results), 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).  Speaking
one day before the start of the 2015 Dubai Tour, five of the top riders
in the lineup have outlined their goals for the early season event.
Tour de France winner Vincenzo Nibali is seeking to clock up his first win since taking his yellow jersey on to the Champs Elysees last July, and while he admits not being certain where his form is at, he feels its possible he could contend, “It’s important for me to be here,” he said, speaking about his season debut. “We have two good sprinters in [Lars] Boom and [Andrea] Guardini. February
3,
2015 (cyclingtips.com.au)
Wednesday's (February
4) Dubai Tour Stage 1 (the Westin Dubai stage) departs Dubai at 11:55am
local (8:55am CET, 2:55am U.S. Eastern) and is expected at the finish
at Dubai Union House Flag at around 3:30pm local (12:30pm CET, 6:30am
U.S. Eastern).
Dubai Tour live video streaming is expected to begin at around 2:00pm local (11:00am CET, 5:00am U.S. Eastern). February
3,
2015 (cyclingfans.com)
|
 Once
a cheater, always a cheater.
The news Tuesday that Lance Armstrong tried to pin the blame on his girlfriend for hitting two cars after a night of partying should come as a surprise to no one. He built a career and a lucrative cult of personality out of lies, seeing the truth as something only suckers would champion. February
3,
2015 (usatoday.com)
 Bradley Wiggins must
beat the Hour Record if he attempts it this summer because failure
would tarnish his palmarès, says Eddy
Merckx.
“If you’re nobody and you don’t beat it, there’s no problem, but if Wiggins attacks the Hour Record, he has to beat it,” Merckx told Cycling Weekly. “It was the same way with me because I’d already won the Tour de France two or three times, the Tour of Italy, the classics and things like that. The journalists in Mexico thought I couldn’t beat it. I knew that I had to if I went for it. I also felt that my career wouldn’t be complete if I didn’t break the Hour Record.” February
3,
2015 (cyclingweekly.co.uk)
 North
American riders have announced the creation of an association that will
defend their interests and represent riders in attempts to develop and
improve professional cycling.
The ANAPRC (Association of North American Professional Road Cyclists) was formally created in October 2014 and in November became a member of the CPA (Cyclistes Professionels Associés), the global riders' association headed by Gianni Bugno. As the 2015 season gets underway, the North American riders have revealed their plans and the CPA has welcomed them as the eighth national association under the CPA umbrella. Membership is open to retired and active riders from the top divisions of men's road cycling – WorldTour, ProContinental, and Continental. February
3,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 Chris Froome is
finding new motivation from the setbacks he suffered during 2014 as he
prepares for a run at a second yellow jersey this season.
Last July, instead of repeating as Tour de France champion, he crashed out within the first week. And when he bounced back for the Vuelta a España, he ran headlong into a stubborn and ultimately stronger Alberto Contador. Froome, now training in South Africa before a return to Europe next week, only looks at taking the positive out of last year’s bumpy ride instead of dwelling on the negative. February
3,
2015 (velonews.com)
 Edvald Boassan Hagen
has made Paris-Roubaix his main aim for the season, and though he
admits it is a ‘lofty goal,’ he says it could be the defining victory
of his career.
The Norweigian left Team Sky at the end of 2014 to join African outfit MTN-Qhubeka in order to gain further leadership opportunities, and will now proceed with a full classics campaign as well as looking ahead to the Tour de France in July. “The first objective is Paris-Roubaix,” he told Biciclismo. “I know it’s a lofty goal. It is the classic I like most because it is very hard, for both the course and the competition. February
3,
2015 (cyclingweekly.co.uk)
 UHC
send teams to Dubai and Sun Tour, Giro del Trentino adds Monte Velo to
queen stage.
February
3,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 Filling
your grocery cart with organic vegetables and whole grains is a smart
way to stay fit and healthy.
Yet for some cyclists, a dedication to eating right can cross a line into a disorder called orthorexia. Alternative medicine physician Steven Bratman, MD, himself an orthorexia sufferer, coined the term in 1997 to refer to an extreme fixation on health food. Unlike anorexia, an eating disorder characterized by consuming too few calories, orthorexia is a preoccupation with the quality of food, rather than the quantity, and the condition can have severe mental and physical repercussions leading to a drastic impact on performance. The disorder often begins with a real desire to improve health, says Maria Rago, PhD., vice president of the National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders (ANAD). February
3,
2015 (bicycling.com)
 Rabo
Liv and Harris
talk 'cross Worlds, five gravel sectors in Strade Biache, UCI Women’s
Teams Seminar, IOC awards Mulholland
and Galpin
for contributions to cycling.
February
3,
2015
Anto
Moran on Pat McQuaid: “It wasn’t begrudgery; we acted for the love of
cycling.”
February
2,
2015 (stickybottle.com)
The Ladies Tour of Qatar kicks off a series of stage races this month in the Middle East that cumulates with the Tour de France stars in Oman. The men, including reigning Tour de France winner Vincenzo Nibali, race Wednesday in the Dubai Tour. Bradley Wiggins, Peter Sagan, Fabian Cancellara, and others land in Doha for the Tour of Qatar February 8. Ladies first, however. February
2,
2015 (velonews.com)
|
February
3, 2015
 Astana
general manager Alexandre
Vinokourov has defended his squad’s stance on doping by
highlighting the absence of a number of other high-profile teams from
the Movement for Credible Cycling.
In accordance with MPCC regulations, Astana suspended itself from racing and missed the Tour of Beijing last October following Maxim Iglinskiy’s positive test for EPO, the team’s second such case at WorldTour level in 2014. “It’s too easy that many people just point at us,” Vinokourov told De Telegraaf. “I have discussed this with Roger Legeay, the president of the MPCC. We are affiliated to the MPCC and we really do everything to prevent our riders from doping. Teams like BMC and Team Sky talk about doping but they refuse to join the MPCC. How harmful is that for the image of cycling? February
3,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 The
sign of a great manager is his ability to get the best out of his
athletes and to ensure that individual potential is channelled into the
ultimate aim of team glory.
That’s the acute challenge facing Koos Moerenhout at the Rabo Liv Women Cycling Team this season as he juggles the aspirations of Marianne Vos and Pauline Ferrand-Prevot to name but two. At the Ladies Tour of Qatar, Moerenhout is without arguably his two most successful leaders but the Dutch team is still stacked with talent and the former Rabobank rider believes that managing individual expectations and team aims is a luxurious but challenging position. February
3,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 ASO
has announced the route for the Paris-Nice. After last year’s hilly
route without time trials the 2015 race looks traditional with an
opening prologue, a “summit finish” and the conclusive Col d’Eze time
trial.
As usual it doesn’t start in Paris but the Yveslines area to the west is the next best thing and a Mecca for Parisian cyclists who flee the capital for some sharp climbs and peaceful woodland roads. At 6.7km the prologue is long enough to put some gaps in the GC. February
3,
2015 (inrng.com)
 France
From Inside Tours specializes in cycling holidays in southern France,
and one of their most popular trips is the epic Conquer the Pyrenees:
12 days riding 1000 miles from the Atlantic to the Mediterranean and
back, climbing over 100,000 feet.
The company owner and lead guide, Allan Reeves, explains why this trip is so popular, it’s back for the 9th year. February
3,
2015 (pezcyclingnews.com)
 After
a largely successful debut season that saw him take home three
victories, Sam Bennett is
about to embark on his second year as a professional.
The 24-year-old made his name back in 2013 with a stage win at the Tour of Britain, and was quickly snapped up by the German Pro Continental team NetApp-Endura. With a year of experience at Pro Continental level, Bennett is ready to advance to the next level. “I just want to make another step and having a season under my belt makes me that much stronger,” he told Cyclingnews at his team’s recent training camp in Mallorca. “As a sprinter, you’re always trying to get the results, whether you’re feeling bad or good. February
3,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 "Before
I begin, I would like to thank the race organization for putting on
such a great event, Hugo
and Carlos
for providing the team with everything we needed, Barbara Bialokoz and
Curtis Cramblett
for fixing me up enough to race despite an injured hamstring (they’re
both amazing so if you need some physiotherapy or bike fitting check
out their contact info on my sponsors page), and of course to all the
TIBCO SVB sponsors and staff without whom it would not be possible for
us to live the dream."
February
3,
2015 (anikatodd.com)
 With
multiple US and Japanese patents filed for power-meter designs, Shimano
appears close to having a power meter of its own.
Jay Prasuhn of Lava Magazine recently posted photos of what appears to be a Shimano power meter prototype from a BMC triathlete camp. BikeRadar went digging through Shimano's various power-meter patents to research what could soon be a consumer product. We detail that information, plus highlight the features we would like to see on a product that will likely recast the power-meter landscape. February
3,
2015 (bikeradar.com)
February
2, 2015
Vinokourov:
“We want our credibility back as a matter of urgency.”
February
2,
2015 (cyclingtips.com.au)
Bobridge
won't attempt Hour Record again until after Rio, says Decker.
February
2,
2015 (sbs.com.au)
|
 Mathieu van der Poel
looks built for the road. When you look at riders like Lars Boom or Zdeněk Štybar you
can see a crunched ball of muscle suited to shorter, explosive efforts
but “VDP” is a different shape with limbs like spatulas and maybe he
will cross to the road in time with great success?
Van der Poel is linked to a contract with BKCP until 2017 so any return to the road will be provisional. It’s rare to see long contracts but arch rival Wout Van Aert is locked-up until 2018. Such longevity is great but you wonder if they’re locked into U23 pay deals for years? February
2,
2015 (inrng.com)
 "In
January, the UCI and Rio 2016 organizing committee confirmed the 2016
Olympic road race and time trial courses, which means the road to the
Olympic glory has started.
Yes, we know it’s still a year-and-a-half out, but many riders will be racing this season with one ultimate goal in mind: to be selected for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. Riders will start earning Olympic points this summer, and national and regional championships will surely be hotly contested. The 2015 season will be the chance for riders to prove themselves and start vying for those limited team spots." February
2,
2015 (cyclingtips.com.au)
 On
Saturday morning the entire Belgian team had a doping control. A normal
procedure but in the evening Tom
Meeusen was again tested.
"Only Laurens Sweeck (also mentioned in the ozone case, ed.) and I had to pee again at 21.30," said Meeusen at the finish. "The fact that we had to turn up just made me so mad that I did not sleep all night. That's no excuse but I have had two weeks of doping accusations and now this..." Meeusen still started strongly. "In the first lap, I tried to push the pace and catch Mathieu van der Poel, but he was too fast. It was a shame that van Aert dropped his chain. Otherwise he would have stayed with van der Poel and the pace would have gone down. February
2,
2015 (cyclingquotes.com)
 US-based professional continental outfit UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling is hoping that a change of strategy will lead to success in this year’s Jayco Herald Sun Tour. The team, which is no stranger to the event having been regular participants in recent seasons, comes to Melbourne with an all-American line-up for the first time, despite having numerous Australians on their roster. "The UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team is looking forward to an awesome race in and around Melbourne,” explained sports director Hendrik Redant. February
2,
2015 (sbs.com.au)
 For
Daniel Teklehaimanot,
the path through professional cycling has been tricky and, at times,
hugely frustrating.
A former African road and time trial champion, there was a lot of excitement around his signing with Orica-GreenEdge in 2012. However, the relationship was doomed to fail with visa problems blighting much of Teklehaimanot’s time at the team. After a season with the MTN-Qhubeka team, Teklehaimanot is feeling positive about the year ahead and takes confidence from a good finish at Vuelta a España last season. February
2,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
2014-15
Races
& Results.
Ladies Tour of Qatar 2015 - Feb 3-6 (Stages), Dubai Tour 2015 - Feb 4-7 (Stages), Tour of Qatar 2015 - Feb 8-13 (Stages), Giro d'Italia 2015 - May 9-31 (Stages), Tour de France 2015 - July 4-26 (Stages), Vuelta a España 2015 - Aug 22-Sept 13 (Stages), UCI Road World Championship 2015 - Sept 20-27 (Stages), UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships - Jan 31-Feb 1 (Results), Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race - Feb 1 (Results), Santos Tour Down Under 2015 - Jan 18-25 (Results), 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). Wednesday's (February
4) Dubai Tour Stage 1 (the Westin Dubai stage) departs Dubai at 11:55am
local (8:55am CET, 2:55am U.S. Eastern) and is expected at the finish
at Dubai Union House Flag at around 3:30pm local (12:30pm CET, 6:30am
U.S. Eastern).
Dubai Tour live video streaming is expected to begin at around 2:00pm local (11:00am CET, 5:00am U.S. Eastern). February
2,
2015 (cyclingfans.com)
Van
der Poel unflappable en route to elite World Championship victory.
February
1,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
|
 Responding
to claims by former UCI president Pat
McQuaid that Irish begrudgery was the reason why he lost
the Cycling Ireland nomination for the 2013 elections, Anto Moran has
categorically denied this was any part of his motivation in declining
his backing.
Moran was Cycling Ireland vice-president and a board member in the run up to the election. In April 2013 the board held a vote to decide if it would nominate McQuaid to enable him contest the UCI election for a third term. There was some debate beforehand due to a number of factors, including the Lance Armstrong-US Postal Service affair. They ultimately opted not to do so, voting 91-74 against backing him. February
2,
2015 (stickybottle.com)
 After
the doping cases of last year, the Kazakh Cycling Federation considered
to close the Astana WorldTour team of Tour de France champion Vincenzo Nibali.
At the official team presentation in Dubai, the President of the national federation, Darkhan Kaletayev, revealed the considerations. "I can not deny that we considered to pull the plug on this whole project," said the president. "We have stopped the continental team and also looked at the image of the professional team. But it was clear that the Astana team is an incredibly successful project for Kazakhstan." February
2,
2015 (cyclingquotes.com)
 The
Ladies Tour of Qatar kicks off a series of stage races this month in
the Middle East that cumulates with the Tour de France stars in Oman.
The men, including reigning Tour de France winner Vincenzo Nibali, race Wednesday in the Dubai Tour. Bradley Wiggins, Peter Sagan, Fabian Cancellara, and others land in Doha for the Tour of Qatar February 8. Ladies first, however. February
2,
2015 (velonews.com)
 With
Kirsten Wild
concentrating on the track Amy
Pieters lines up at the Ladies Tour of Qatar as
the only rider to have won a stage in last year’s race.
The 23-year-old Dutch rider had a breakthrough season in 2014 with a stage win in Qatar [ed she went on to finish second overall] and victory in Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, and she returns to Qatar this week with hopes of repeating her success from twelve months ago. Last season she claimed stage two of the race with Wild dominating all three other stages and running away with the overall win. February
2,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 In
December, Sven Nys,
38, the biggest star in the history of cyclocross, walked off a muddy
hillside in Overijse, laid down his bike, and told his fans he didn’t
know when he would pedal again.
He returned, weeks later, a shadow of the man who has so dominated cyclocross for more than a decade. Just under a year earlier, two-time world champion Niels Albert announced his surprise retirement. Diagnosed with a life-threatening heart condition, racing was out of the question. Bart Wellens, 36, a two-time world champion and a former star of his own cyclocross-themed reality show in Belgium, cracked the top 10 in a major series race just three times this season, and never reached the podium anywhere. But on Sunday, at the world championships in Tabor, the future looked awfully bright. February
2,
2015 (velonews.com)
 A
great Australian cycling summer will be brought to an end later this
week when a strong field takes to the start of the Jayco Herald Sun
Tour.
The oldest Australian stage race may no longer be the biggest cycling event in the country and may only have one WorldTour team at the start but it is an excellent and very prestigious event that allows the local riders to gain a bit of confidence and achieve some results before they head back to Europe for the most important part of the season. At the same time, it is one of the highlights for the local continental teams who will do their utmost to surprise the professional teams. February
2,
2015 (cyclingquotes.com)
Gianni
Meersman wins the inaugural Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race.
February
1,
2015 (cyclingtips.com.au)
|
February
2, 2015
 Scott Mercier was
one of the few elite American riders of his generation who refused to
engage in the doping practices of the time.
He left the sport in 1997. He told the BBC he believes that Lance Armstrong was the clear winner of seven Tour de France titles and can still be a force for good. He is a polarizing figure and always will be, but I believe he can be a catalyst for good, not just for cycling, but especially for those who suffer from cancer. "This drug usage did not start with the Americans, it was part of the culture long before the Yankees invaded. February
2,
2015 (sbs.com.au)
 Reputation
damaged by a total of five positive tests from the Astana WorldTour and
Continental teams in the latter half of 2014, Alexandre Vinokourov
has said that regaining people’s trust is a major priority for the
setup.
“We want to get our credibility back as a matter of urgency,” the WorldTour team’s general manager said at the team presentation held prior to the Dubai Tour, according to Sporza. February
2,
2015 (cyclingtips.com.au)
 Jack Bobridge's next
potential cycling hour world record attempt will come after the Rio
Olympics and certainly not in the next week.
Scot Graeme Obree, who set the hour record twice during the 1990s, has urged the Australian to back up quickly with another attempt. Bobridge rode 51.3km on Saturday night in Melbourne, falling short of the 51.852km world mark that Austrian Matthias Brandle set last October. February
2,
2015 (sbs.com.au)
 Filippo Pozzato's
low-key classics campaign last year released the usual welter of
criticism in the Italian press though there was a degree of surprise,
perhaps, that some of the most bracing public censure came from within
his own Lampre-Merida team.
Immediately after the cobbled campaign, where 17th at the Tour of Flanders was Pozzato's best result, team manager Brent Copeland made no secret of his reservations about how the man from Sandrigo had prepared for the season. February
2,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 "It’s
noon and I am parked on the couch, wearing a hat, down vest, a
sweatshirt, and a scarf. Two mugs sit on the table before me, one full
of coffee that has long since cooled after my first nap of the day, the
other full of yet another batch of double-brewed hippie tea meant to
strengthen my immune system.
I was supposed to be on a 6 a.m. flight to team camp this morning, but when my thermometer told me I had a 102-degree fever in the middle of the night, I knew I wasn’t going anywhere. While immensely frustrating, it should come as no surprise; when you train 4-5 hours a day during flu season, something is bound to hit you sooner or later." February
2,
2015 (velonews.com)
 Mother
Nature did not bid Australia’s most successful road cyclist a fond
farewell at the inaugural Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race (CEGORR),
named after the retiring 2009 road world champion and 2011 Tour de
France winner, but the estimated 75,000 supporters lining the wet and
windy Victorian roads near his home in Barwon Heads certainly did on
Sunday.
It marked the final time Australian fans could “Yell for Cadel,” as Cadel Evans now rides off into the sunset after finishing fifth in the debut classics-style, 174-kilometer race that bears his name. “To end one phase of my life and to begin another, it is just fantastic,” the 37-year-old Evans said post-race. “I have dedicated my life to this sport, I discovered the passion for cycling as a 14-year-old in the ’90s, and I have been a full-time professional for 20 years. February
2,
2015 (velonews.com)
|
 Mathieu van der Poel emerged
mud-spattered but victorious as the undisputed winner of the elite
men's race at the 2015 UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships, soloing
from the second lap of the Tabor, Czech Republic course.
Wout Van Aert saved Belgium's hopes, denying Lars van der Haar a Dutch 1-2 by catching and out-sprinting him in a close-fought finale. February
1,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 Mathieu van der Poel
dominated the UCI Cyclo-cross World Championship race in Bohemian town
Tábor from start to finish to become the youngest elite 'cross World
Champion in history, taking over that distinction from Erik De Vlaeminck,
who was almost 21 when he won in 1966.
Having only turned 20 just two weeks ago, the Dutchman was younger even than the men's U23 winner Michael Vanthourenhout, and together with Wout Van Aert, who turned 20 in September and Lars van der Haar, 23, represents the future of cyclo-cross. February
1,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 Michael Vanthourenhout
led a one-two Belgian finish in the under-23 category on Sunday at the
UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships in Tabor.
Vanthourenhout took the victory by 10 seconds over compatriot Laurens Sweeck with Stan Godrie of the Netherlands third. The big names spent a quiet first lap before Vanthourenhout, Sweeck, Godrie, Joris Nieuwenhuis, and Vojtech Nipl moved forward. “I had a bad start, I was seventh, eighth place, and then I took another bike with softer tires and that was better,” said Vanthourenhout. “So I could go to the front, so my problem was solved.” February
1,
2015 (velonews.com)
2014-15
Races
& Results.
UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships - Jan 31-Feb 1 (Results), Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race - Feb 1 (Results), Ladies Tour of Qatar 2015 - Feb 3-6 (Stages), Dubai Tour 2015 - Feb 4-7 (Stages), Tour of Qatar 2015 - Feb 8-13 (Stages), Giro d'Italia 2015 - May 9-31 (Stages), Tour de France 2015 - July 4-26 (Stages), Vuelta a España 2015 - Aug 22-Sept 13 (Stages), UCI Road World Championship 2015 - Sept 20-27 (Stages), Santos Tour Down Under 2015 - Jan 18-25 (Results), 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). Wednesday's (February
4) Dubai Tour Stage 1 (the Westin Dubai stage) departs Dubai at 11:55am
local (8:55am CET, 2:55am U.S. Eastern) and is expected at the finish
at Dubai Union House Flag at around 3:30pm local (12:30pm CET, 6:30am
U.S. Eastern).
Dubai Tour live video streaming is expected to begin at around 2:00pm local (11:00am CET, 5:00am U.S. Eastern). February
1,
2015 (cyclingfans.com)
 Stage
1 start time: Tuesday
11:55 GST (11:55:00 PM PST);
Earliest live video: 14:00 GST (2:00:00 AM PST); Estimated finish: 16:00 GST (4:00:00 AM PST). January
31,2015 (steephill.tv)
|
 Gianni Meersman
(Etixx-Quick-Step) has won the inaugural Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road
race, sprinting to victory in Geelong at the head of a nine-rider
group. Simon Clarke finished
second while Cannondale-Garmin's Nathan
Haas was third.
The final selection of the action-packed race was made in the third and final circuit around Geelong when several smaller groups came together, aided in part by Cadel Evans himself. Evans, in his final race as a professional cyclist, finished fifth, just behind Team Sky's Luke Rowe. February
1,
2015 (cyclingtips.com.au)
 Several
crashes overshadowed an active ride of team MTN-Qhubeka p/b Samsung at
the inaugural Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race.
Strong winds and rain caused several crashes. An early group of three was able to establish a lead over the peloton, when the first crashes occurred. Unfortunately Songezo Jim hit the deck after 80 km of racing. Just a couple of kilometers later Serge Pauwels and Matt Brammeier were forced to get on their bikes again. After 175 kilometers of racing Tyler Farrar was the best MTN-Qhubeka p/b Samsung finisher in 37th place. February
1,
2015 (cyclingquotes.com)
 Prior
to winning the inaugural Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race, Gianni Meersman had
only ever claimed victory in a single one-day race despite having 14
victories to his name.
The 29-year-old has preferred to rack up victories at stage races and on four occasions has won multiple stages at the same race. February
1,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 It
was a good start to the inaugural 174-kilometer Cadel Evans Great Ocean
Road Race for Trek Factory Racing, but what began well did not end well
– at least for Laurent
Didier.
Didier wasted no time in jumping in the early escape to join four other ambitious riders, but after 50 kilometers his day, unfortunately, was over. While grabbing a bottle from the team car, on the opposite side than what he was used to (this being a southern hemisphere race), he lost control on the wet road. Didier broke a metacarpal bone in his left hand and is scheduled for surgery upon his return to Europe. February
1,
2015 (cyclingquotes.com)
 Alejandro Valverde opened
his account for 2015 on Saturday by soloing to victory at the Trofeo
Serra de Tramuntana, the third leg of the Challenge Mallorca, and the
34-year-old quipped afterwards that he is improving with age.
Part of an early break of 26 riders, Valverde set off alone with over 30 kilometres of Saturday’s race remaining and he cruised home to victory some 1:23 clear of Tim Wellens, while Sky’s Leopold Konig took third. February
1,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 Tennessee
Titanium specialists Lynskey have completely overhauled their 2015
range, with a new look and a simplification of the model lineup that
should make it easier to pick the right bike for your requirements and
style of riding.
"The new bikes were unveiled in the UK for the first time at the annual Core Bike show earlier this week, so here are some of the highlights from the new range." February
1,
2015 (road.cc)
 When
you think of the world's great cycling destinations, India isn't a
country that necessarily springs to mind. And yet, when you venture
beyond the bustling city streets, India has a wealth of opportunities
on offer for the intrepid cyclist.
Andy Rogers and Caz Whitehead recently ventured to the Indian state of Karnataka with Exodus Travels to begin a two-week-long journey along the country's south-western coastline. This is the first in a two-part series about that journey. February
1,
2015 (cyclingtips.com.au)
|
February
1, 2015
 Matteo Pelucchi
confirmed his status as the fastest rider in the Challenge Mallorca
when he won the second of the two sprint races in the four-day race
series.
After a fast race in wet and windy conditions, he held off André Greipel and Ben Swift to make it a clean sweep in his first two races of the 2015 season. February
1,
2015 (cyclingquotes.com)
 Pim Ligthart claimed
victory at the Grand Prix La Marseillaise with a well-timed sprint that
saw him finish ahead of last year’s winner Kennerth Vanbilsen
and Antoine Demoitié.
Thibaut Pinot and Romain Bardet were among the starters for the traditional curtain-raiser to the French season, which took the peloton on a 140-kilometer loop around the hinterland of Marseille, with five categorized climbs on the agenda. February
1,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 Cadel Evans walked
away from the peloton in a brilliant way by creating a competitive
event that appears as a very useful legacy to the sport of cycling. In
a few years' time, the first Tour de France winner, who came from
mountain biking and from the Southern Hemisphere, might as well be
remembered as the opener of a new era: the post-Lance Armstrong
period marred by excessive doping. Interestingly, he has hardly spoken
about that. History shows that he was right to do so.
February
1,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 "Many
saw my videos from the on-board cameras during the Tour Down Under and
I’m grateful for it. Now I’ll explain how it was done," writes Jérémy Roy of FDJ.
This piece is the translation of a piece on Roy’s informative website jeremyroy.fr and he has approved its use on here. February
1,
2015 (inrng.com)
 "The
success of a season of competitions depends on a good autumn and
winter. High quality training and continuity is important for both Kenneth and me.
A solid winter gives top motivation and self-confidence, and a good basis for top results in the upcoming season. Three great weeks of successful training on Gran Canaria are now at an end." February
1,
2015 (cyclingnews.com)
 Our
Toolbox training expert, John
Howard, has turned his hand to a bit of book reviewing
with a look at one of the greatest and fastest men who ever raced.
Major Taylor was a champion on the track, but as an African-American he was up against the prejudice of the time. Andrew Ritchie’s updated biography is work of art and a historic record. February
1,
2015 (pezcyclingnews.com)
January
31, 2015
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