SBNation.com User Blog: Monty.

Gracia - Orlova - in Video

Monty. — Thu, 02 May 2013 20:22:39 -0000

Gracia - Orlova - in Video

Forty minutes of highlights from the Czech Republic

Race Preview - Gracia Orlová

Monty. — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 12:35:11 -0000

Orlová is one of those areas that are perfectly placed to hold bike races. The town sits on the edge of the flattish plains just to the north of the Carpathians - head north for flat races and south for the mountains. And luckily for us, north doesn't seem to be in the race organisers' vocabulary. Or if it once was, it was on the same page as flat, and that page got lost somewhere along the way. A couple of years back one stage had to be rearranged at the last moment after a heavy snowstorm blocked the intended route. That's how close this race runs to the edge. Time to bring out those climbing legs. And what other race has a page on their website specifically listing the phone number for all local hospitals.

Things start off easily enough with a 2.2.km evening prologue time-trial on Wednesday around the park in Havířov (a real Cheryomushki sort of new town), but that's just a tease. This race uses time-trials the way a matador uses his red cape; there's usually something nasty hidden right behind.

On stage 1 that something is a bit of a false pass, heading into the foothills of the Carpathians to a maximum of 500m above sea level (which isn't so much, as the whole area is around 200m high anyway) and 105km of road.

But that just prepares you for Friday 26th, so called because it's twice as nasty as Friday 13th. In the morning there's stage 2, a 26km flattish time trial out and back along a main road. For most of the peloton that is no problem, but if you're here to win then you expect to dig deep, and 26km is at the longer end of individual time trials in the women's calendar. And then after lunch there's another of those oh so crucial for GC contenders sort of stages with the 58km climb from Orlova to the mountain top finish at Visalaje. OK, it's not really a 58km climb. The first 28km are flat. Well not really flat but lumpy. The last 30km however are uphill all the way.

So then you wake up Saturday morning thinking that the weekend starts here. And it starts with one climb to 1000m two to over 800m and a host of other little bumps on the 122km circuit starting and ending in Lichnov but heading into the deep south. Anyone who thought that they had done enough on Friday to win the race could easily lose it all today.

Sunday at last is a day for the sprinters. Well any sprinters who bothered to turn up in the first place. And didn't miss the time cut somewhere along the way. Six laps of a flattish circuit through the centre of Orlová for 100km total race distance. Although there's always some bastard ready to drop in a last minute obstacle.

I think that's what you call real "road furniture"....parked car and speed bump at 100m to go ;) #GraciaOrlova twitter.com/BethDuryea/sta…
— Beth Duryea (@BethDuryea) April 29, 2012

It's very much a climbers' race. Gracia-Orlová is classified 2.2 on the UCI calendar which tends to mean some big teams turn up and stomp all over the more numerous local ones. There's a start list up, (which I believe lists those who have actually turned up, rather than who was planning to three months ago) but the big battle is likely between Fabiana Luperini of Faren-Let's Go Finland, Specialised lululemon's Evie Stevens taking her new teeth for a test drive, and Bigla's is-she-a-doctor-yet, Emma Pooley. Will we be learning any new hand gestures along the way?

In the past we've had excellent video coverage from here (as in a half hour of highlights every day), even if we had to wait a week or so, but last year that was cut down to just a few short news reports. I'm hoping that the old way will return, but time (and some careful Googling) will tell. There are a couple of other English previews courtesy of Cyclopunk and Velofocus, and one in French from Le Derailleur, plus lots of stuff seems to be appearing on Twitter under the #graciaorlova hashtag. If you find anything else good then please add it to the comments.

Giro Bio cancelled

Monty. — Sun, 14 Apr 2013 08:41:54 -0000

Giro Bio cancelled

After losing most of its sponsors, the last hope the Giro Bio had for continuation was through soliciting money from the participating teams. They collectively refused.

GP de Dottignies - and other nice links

Monty. — Sun, 31 Mar 2013 20:35:27 -0000

There are a couple of English previews that are so good that I'm just saying to read Cyclopunk and Velofocus, and bookmark them for further reference this season. The head over to the official site to see the massive start list. That's the other notable thing about Dottignies, the fact that they try to get as close as possible to the UCI 200 rider limit. I'm not going to say that yesterday was the equivalent of touch rugby, more that today is a bit like the annual staff v teachers match. When your Maths teacher was a one-time British Lion.

Lots of literal pushing shoving and shouting on the paddestraat women's cycling seems to be more of a contact sport than AFL
— Kelvin (@crazycyclefan) March 31, 2013

There may be a bit of video from the roadside, but to follow the race live watch out for tweets from the usual suspects, plus Breast Cancer Care Cycling Team were active race tweeters during their previous life as For Viored, so keep an eye on @BCC_CT.

Elsewhere it is round 2 of the Coupe de France Capdet-Raynal in Pujols, so anyone interested should follow Gwena. And Sportissimo have put their one hour video from the Trofeo Binda on line. Where else can you get a race introduced over the sounds of the National Anthem played by a band of crack Italian snipers. With feathers in their hats. And if you've got time to kill, then that You Tube is a great one to explore. Enjoy for example Fabiana Luperini and Tibco boss Linda Jackson getting their pink jersies from a pair of matching himbos in the 1998 Giro Donne. With dignity.

And if you have any interesting and vaguely relevant links then add them below.

Living The Cup - Trofeo Binda and other news from the women's peloton

Monty. — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 00:02:25 -0000

The last five years have given us three Marianne Vos wins and two for Emma Pooley, and with the latter off somewhere finding other excuses to not finish her PhD, Vos is the overwhelming favourite. But challenging her surely will be Evelyn Stevens who took herself out of contention with a move that I've only ever seen Denis Menchov manage before - overcooking a hairpin bend while going uphill. There are lots of other possibilities in the 29 team, 174 rider start list including Orica's Emma Johansson and Tiffany Cromwell, Hitec's Elisa Longo Borghini and Rossella Ratto, and Pasta Zara's Giada Borgato and Rossella Callovi, plus a couple of "whatever happened to" names in Bizkaia's Joanne Hogan and Slovenia's Polona Batagelj, and one "thank heavens she's still alive" in first year senior Eva Mottet, last seen being carried off in an ambulance during last year's junior Worlds Road Race.

There are a couple of more detailed previews (with maps, profiles, statistics and all sorts of other useful stuff) in English at Velofocus and Les Deesses de la Route, so take a look. There is also masses of stuff on the official race site, if you have a day or two to kill. They can also be found at @TrofeoBinda which is likely top be a good starting point for live race information on Sunday. And there seem to be no less than four TV channels providing some sort of coverage. The main one will be one hour's coverage on RaiSport2 at 18:05 CET Sunday evening (give or take an hour or so, as anyone familiar with Rai's scheduling will know) but Solo Bici, Sport and Sport, and Sportissimo also intend showing something according to the schedule at the bottom of this page.

The Trofeo Binda is probably the most innovative race on the calendar. The winner not only gets the usual array of prizes, but also a painting by local artist Mariano Salerno (although probably not the one that might get you in trouble if you open that page at work). And as a prelude to the main race there is also a junior race scheduled at 9:30 from Laveno Mombello to Cittiglio. Those of you already planning your 2015 FSA-DS team might like this photo gallery of teams Valcar PBM and Eurotarget recceing the roads. (And if you're really that far ahead of the rest of us then you might already know that the self proclaimed Lucy Garners sister showed that she's just as capable as her big sis of winning in Belgium.)

Binda's not the only race on Sunday however, as we also get the women's version of Gent-Wevelgem, preceded on Saturday by the Think Pink charity rides. And not a single mention of Kay Thompson. Last year's winner Lizzie Armitstead will be riding in Italy, so it's a wide open race this time. Or to put it another way, I've not seen a start list and don't have a clue who's riding.

Elsewhere, today saw the second running of the women's Dwars door Vlaanderen, which sounds like a total Argos Shimano walkover, according to the report from, ahem, the Argos Shimano press people. Kirsten Wild won, ahead of Jolien d'Hoore of Lotto Belisol and Cyclelive's Monique van de Ree. There's a full result sheet here, and a photo gallery (including shots of the unfortunate, champagne stained donkey) on the official race site.

In other news, Alessia Piccolo, President of Mcipollini-Giordana-Galassia, but whose companies also support two amateur teams in Palazzago Fenice, and Fantini D'Angelo e Antenucci, two professional teams, Fantini Vini, and Bardiani CSF, and the junior Cipollini Assali Stefen, has suggested that from next year the Giro Donne might be run alongside the Giro Bio in order to share some of the expenses. An interesting idea, but I'm not sure how the timing would work with regard to both races getting a fair share of tv motos. At least accommodation wouldn't be a problem, since the Giro Bio riders have all been locked up together in one big dormitory in recent years to try and keep them off the sweeties, so the women would at least get first dibs there.

And if you've missed anything in the past week or so, Sarah has a nice round up over at totalwomenscycling.com.

OPQS Team Presentation and Mini 6 Day - LIVE

Monty. — Tue, 15 Jan 2013 18:57:45 -0000

Can you cope with three hours of cheesy music?

http://www.omegapharma-quickstep.com/streaming2013/

Say it ain't so - Joop Zijlaard retires

Monty. — Fri, 11 Jan 2013 09:13:49 -0000

Say it ain't so - Joop Zijlaard retires

This year's Rotterdam 6 was the last time the legendary figure of Joop Zijlaard will be seen putt putting around the velodrome on his derny. And just to make it final, said derny was auctioned for charity and raised 12,500 Euro.

Australian Nats Live (on Twitter)

Monty. — Tue, 08 Jan 2013 23:37:49 -0000

Today/tonight is the start of the Australian Natioanl champs, and anyone who wants to follow can do so via the official twitter feed @CyclingAusRoad or the hashtag #roadnats The U23s are on the road right now, and the day continues thus

9:30am: U23 Men’s Time Trial (29.2kms)
12:00pm: Elite & U23 Women’s Time Trial (29.2kms)
2:30pm: Elite Men’s Time Trial (37kms)

Women's News on 13th December

Monty. — Thu, 13 Dec 2012 23:21:27 -0000

The good news comes on the team front. And it's called stability. And long term plans. Because we know for sure that at least two teams will be around in their current form right until the next Olympics. Now if we can just find another two then we have enough to keep Giorgia Bronzini going until then.

Firstly the ex-Rabobank team will continue to be the Rabobank team. The Rabobank Liv/Giant Team to be precise, run by a foundation set up by Marianne Vos herself with funding guaranteed until 2016, but coming slightly indirectly from Rabobank. No sign of a jersey yet, so fans of teeny vegetables still have plenty of lobbying time. And if rainbow jersies and gold medals on road, track and weren't enough, the lady is planning to dabble a little bit in MTB, just to see if perhaps she might be competitive there too in 2016. Me, I'll remain unimpressed until she masters juggling on a unicycle wearing baggy pants and a red nose.

Then today Rochelle Gilmore announced that the title sponsor for the next three years for her team (because we are trying very hard here not to call it Brad's team) will be on-line bike retailer Wiggle, thus making the official name Wiggle Honda Pro Cycling. OK technically it's a three year deal, but I would be very surprised to see them drop out at the start of an Olympic year, so I'm calling it four. And hitting the ground running, they've got a nice websitewith loads of content, so go and have a little explore.

Not a new team this time, but an old favourite get a new sponsor and enter a brand new era of pronunciability. If you've ever looked at the word MCipollini, and mentally had a couple of practice runs in your head before saying it out loud, then you're not alone. To celebrate the arrival of third sponsor Galassia, that stray M has gone and henceforth they will be Cipollini – Giordana – Galassia. The fluorescent kit, however, is here to stay.

And finally, looking to Belgium, Topsport Vlaanderen also have a new sponsor in the form of insurance company Baloise, and will become Topsport Vlaanderen-Baloise, accompanied by a sharp change of team colour from black to white and blue.

There's been little transfer news to tell. Matrix Fitness announced the last of their 2013 roster, with 'crosser Gabby Day returning to the fold, Penny Rowson moving on in the hope of finding a few hillier races in a European team, and Melissa Lowther being taken on as the team junior rider. And in the first leak of the 2013 Vanderkitten line-up, Kiwi junior star Sophie Williamson will be spending the next few weeks swotting up on Bridie's 2012 Twitter timeline in an effort to be ready for whatever she may face in six months on the road. I think that bring your own pillow came up quite a lot.

That's the good news. The bad comes when you look at the calendar. Loss number one, the Tour of NZ has been cancelled after a decision of the UCI to step up testing and to do more in house. The consequence of this would have been a bill of $60,000 NZ, and since that couldn't be found the women's race was sacrificed, the contracts for which were easier to get out of.

Loss number two, the Tour de Free State has been suspended by the SA federation after some bills from 2012 remain unpaid. A real shame this, because what other race gave us such spectacular scenery, photo-ops with lion cubs and feather earrings.

Maybe not a cancellation, but another warning sign comes from the Netherlands where the Brainwash chain of hairdressers seems to be cutting back on their cycling sponsorship. They will no longer support the new Rabobank team, nor be title sponsor for the Holland Ladies Tour. We should all for one day wear Daphny van den Brand style braids in mourning/thanks for theor past support.

In Belgium, what was this year the Lotto Decca Tour will in 2013 be the Lotto Belisol Tour. I don't know whether this means anything more significant.

And no news yet on whether this will be a loss or not, but I'm sad to see the end of the Settimane Tricolore, the week long event where all Italian national road cycling titles were determined, men, women, junior and the various para-cycling events. In 2013 the junior and senior women's titles will take place in Varese on the 23rd June, but that festival feeling will be missing.

Let's at least celebrate that the proposed replacement for the much lamented Tour de l'Aude, the Tour Languedoc Roussillon, is still on next year's calendar.

And for a few more last minute Christmas gift ideas, Specialised lululemon still have a couple of jersies up for auction in another of their secret charity auctions. Current prices are $1.80 and $5.50, so if those seem like bargains to you then head here and offer more. At least push it into double figures, after all every cent goes to Right To Play.

Or for those who spend Christmas day having beachside Barbies, Rochelle Gilmore is auctioning her kit from the recent Amy Gillett Foundation Share the Road ride and all money goes to the foundation of the same name. See here

And for that really special gift, a certain Tim Williams, otherwise known as Emma Pooley's coach is running a couple of training camps in March in Mallorca, which are advertised as a chance to Train with Emma Pooley. Now considering that she is meant to be finishing her PhD, not skiving around in the sun on her bike, I don't know how much you'll be sharing the road with the Evil Pixie, but at five hundred quid for a week (plus whatever Ryanair wring out of you), that looks to be a pretty good bargain.

Women's Transfer News as of 30th November

Monty. — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 23:01:07 -0000

Big news of the week is that Mara Abbott will be back next year riding for Exergy 2012 (who are presumably going to rename themselves to sound a little less so last year in 2013). Mara had a couple of really great years back in 2009 and 2010, coming 2nd in the 2009 Giro after her team captain Judith Arndt crashed out late, then winning it and getting 2nd in l'Aude in a couple of memorable mountain head to heads with Emma Pooley. But after a truly horrible 2011 where the most notable thing that happened to her was being found unconscious by the side of the road a couple of weeks before the start of the Giro without knowing what happened, she left the sport. She explains her motivation to return at length in an interview with Velonews. As far as I can tell it all boils down to "I felt like it, and if you don't like that then screw you." Let's hope she finds her top form again.

After all sorts of behind the scenes rumours (aka no-one told me), we finally got to hear about one time Red Sun manager Heidi van De Vijver's new team. It will be called CyclelivePlus-Zannata, in part sponsored by Belgian cycling magazine Cyclelive who presumably get first dibs on scoops in return for their cash. Their star rider will be another who missed much of 2012, 2010 Ronde van Vlaanderen winner Grace Verbeke, and supported among others Death Race 2012 star, Carla Ryan, Lieselot Decroix, and Monique van de Ree.

Alessandre d'Ettore, who was squeezed out of the national team this year by the rise of the wannabe Norwegians, will be with Team Vaiano next year. It was at the Vaiano organised GP Valbisenzio a couple of years back that some of us first noticed Elisa Longo Borghini, so I'm sure there's some sort of squaring the circle going on there. Maybe.

And for the really obsessive, I'm still trying to keep my transfer list up to date. If you can help fill in the gaps, please leave a comment. It all feeds through to next year's FSA-DS, and goes towards not making it such a last minute rush.

The thief who stole the bikes from Team TIBCO during this year's Exergy Tour was last week sentenced to 14 years in jail. Which according to other reports also could be one or three years.

Remember Marina Romoli? RAI are broadcasting a ten-minute update on how she's getting on this Saturday lunchtime:

Il servizio su Marina Romoli andrà in onda su DRIBBLING il 1 dicembre ore 13.20 RAI2 dieci minuti per una storia che non dovete dimenticare
— AlessandraDe Stefano (@adestefanoRai) November 22, 2012

And Marina herself is now on Twitter as @MarinaRomoli1, if you want to send a message of support (it's too early to say if she's got that chronic Italian retransmission syndrome, so don't blame me).

A pretty meagre few weeks for news, but if like the rest of us your thoughts are turning to mince pies, melomakarona, and panettone, Sarah is putting together a list of Christmassy sorts of presents with a cycling theme here. Think of that team jersey as the equivalent of buying a season ticket for a football team. Every penny goes to a great cause.

Womens News round-up 31st October

Monty. — Wed, 31 Oct 2012 21:02:22 -0000

ASPTT Dijon - Bourgogne announced that in 2013 they will be known as Bourgogne ProDialog, and will have a squad of nine riders, seven of whom are new arrivals and five of those are new to our FSA-DS database. Watch out for junior French champion Iris Sachet, Mexican Svein-Tuft-alike Rocky Islas Garcia (if that's too much for you, she's also done Box Hill. And she's fitted in a bit of rowing too along the way) and Melanie Pette star of this rather odd film:

Romy Kasper who rode much of the Giro Donne alone when the rest of her RusVelo teammates dropped out will be hoping that Dolman Ladies prove to have a bit more stamina next year.

With the passing of the closing date for registration of UCI women's teams, news of who will be back next year and who won't is slowly starting to trickle out from the various national authorities who deal with said registrations. It looks like the only British team, Ibis Cycles, is going, although no announcement seems to have been made. They were originally set up to give Scottish women a chance to get some experience riding in Europe in the run up to the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh, so it seems an odd time to quit. If anyone can shed any light then let us all know.

In contrast the Netherlands will have a fourth UCI team, in addition to not-Rabobank, Argos Shimano and Dolmans-Boels. All we know so far is that they are provisionally called Team Polaris. By coincidence a company called Polaris last week launched a new bicycle. I suspect they won't be riding those.

Ruiter Dakkapellen also considered registering with the UCI this year, but decided not to. In 2013 they will be riding as Parkhotel Valkenburg powered by Math Salden. There is no truth to the rumours that they considered a partnership with Italian team Giocattoli Androni, not even to benefit from their jersey designing expertise. The Parkhotel is the one at the top of the Cauberg which has been the sponsor of the Parkhotel Classic, aka the women's Amstel, for the last couple of years, so it's good to see they believe they get value for their sponsorship Euros.

We're still waiting in news from the two Emmas, but Ms Pooley gave us a reminder of what the cycling world will be missing if no team can find a place for her in 2013. When Lance Armstrong hung up his bike for the first time and took to marathon running, he finished the New York Marathon in 2:59:36. Last week Emma Pooley came second in Lucerne in a time of 2:55.35. Not only that, but she did it in a blizzard. That's some ice-cold chicking.

R.I.P. Fiorenzo Magni

Monty. — Fri, 19 Oct 2012 07:30:49 -0000

R.I.P. Fiorenzo Magni

The third man of the classic age of Italian cycling, winner of the Giro d'Italia in 1948. 1951 and 1955, died today at the age of 91.

Dr Ferrari, 20 Teams, Money Laundering and more names

Monty. — Thu, 18 Oct 2012 10:38:23 -0000

Dr Ferrari, 20 Teams, Money Laundering and more names

The story gets even better. Gazzetta have got hold of some more of the Italian police case files on Ferrari. Teams said to be involved with Schumi between 2008 and 2011 are Liquigas, Lampre, Colnago, Geox, Androni, Katusha, Quick Step, Cnf-Inox, Farnese Vini, Acqua & Sapone, Astana, RadioShack, Vacansoleil, Isd, Csf, Lpr, Diquigiovanni, Tinkoff, Rabobank, Gerolsteiner, Milram. Payments were concealed via a system of dual contracts for image rights via a Monaco agency, T&F Sport Management. Other athletes named are Scarponi, Menchov, Kolobnev, Gusev, Karpets, Ignatiev, Petrov and Ongarato. Do I get to bring out the old "It's curtains for Karpets" line again?

Sara Wackermann wins Cesano Maderno-Ghisallo

Monty. — Tue, 16 Oct 2012 19:38:40 -0000

Sara Wackermann wins Cesano Maderno-Ghisallo

OK, it's a juniors race, but Sara won this race last Saturday for the second successive year, and as the Italian interviewer says in the attached video, the last person to do that was Rossella Ratto. So if you want a head start on planning your 2015 FSA-DS team ....

Lizzie Armitstead to Dolmans-Boels - Transfer Season Begins

Monty. — Fri, 28 Sep 2012 16:29:14 -0000

Abus Nutrixxion (UCI)
	Leaving:
	Marlen Jöhrend (Argos Shimano)
	Rachel Neylan (Hitec Products)
	Anna Bianca Schnitzmeier (DTPC Honda Pro Cycling)
Alriksson Go:Green (UCI)
	Joining:
	Hanna Helamb - Twitter
	Alexandra Nessmar
	Madelene Olsson - Twitter (AA Drink - leontien.nl Cycling Team)
	Martina Thomasson (Team Ibis Cycles)
Argos Shimano (was Skil Argos) (UCI)
	Staying:
	Kelly Marcus
	Amy Pieters
	Esra Tromp
	Joining:
	Charlotte Becker (Specialised - Lululemon)
	Lucy Garner - Twitter
	Marlen Jöhrend (Abus Nutrixxion)
	Kirsten Wild - Twitter (AA Drink - leontien.nl Cycling Team)
	Leaving:
	Suzanne de Goede (retiring)
	Monique van de Ree (CyclelivePlus - Zannata)
	Adrie Visser (Boels Dolmans Cycling Team)
Axman Team Taiwan (UCI)
BePink (UCI)
	Staying:
	Alice Algisi
	Alena Amialyusik
	Noemi Cantele
	Chiara Favaron Bissoli
	Simona Frapporti
	Rimma Luchshenko
	Dalia Muccioli
	Silvia Valsecchi
	Petra Zrimsek
	Joining:
	Giulia Donato (Diadora - Pasta Zara)
	Ilaria Sanguineti - Twitter
	Doris Schweizer (Fassa Bortolo - Servetto)
	Malgorzata Wojtyra
	Leaving:
	Evelyn Garcia (Pasta Zara - Cogeas - Manhattan)
Bigla Cycling Team
	Joining:
	Emilie Aubry (GSD Gestion)
	Caroline Baur
	Isabelle Beckers
	Stefanie Bochsler
	Larissa Brühwiler
	Verena Eberhardt
	Désirée Ehrler - Twitter
	Andrea Graus (Vienne Futuroscope)
	Nicole Hanselmann
	Katarina Hranaiova
	Rita Imstepf
	Nathalie Lamborelle (Kleo Ladies Team)
	Emma Pooley - Twitter (AA Drink - leontien.nl Cycling Team)
	Martina Weiss
	Sandra Weiss
BigMat Auber93
Bizkaia-Durango (UCI)
	Staying:
	Joanne Hogan
Blue Water Ladies
Boels Dolmans Cycling Team (was Dolmans - Boels Cycling Team) (UCI)
	Staying:
	Martine Bras - Twitter
	Nina Kessler
	Pauliena Rooijakkers - Twitter
	Emma Trott - Twitter
	Joining:
	Elizabeth Armitstead - Twitter (AA Drink - leontien.nl Cycling Team)
	Jessie Daams - Twitter (AA Drink - leontien.nl Cycling Team)
	Kim de Baat (Wimi Games CT Ladies Team)
	Romy Kasper (RusVelo)
	Lucy Martin - Twitter (AA Drink - leontien.nl Cycling Team)
	Marieke van Wanroij (AA Drink - leontien.nl Cycling Team)
	Adrie Visser - Twitter (Skil Argos)
	Leaving:
	Lieselot Decroix (CyclelivePlus - Zannata)
	Karen Elzing (Team Polaris)
	Alie Gercama (Team Polaris)
	Anouska Koster (Team Polaris)
	Marissa Otten (CyclelivePlus - Zannata)
	Mascha Pijnenborg (Team Polaris)
	Laura van der Kamp (Team Polaris)
Bourgogne Pro Dialog (was ASPTT Dijon - Bourgogne) (UCI)
	Staying:
	Oriane Niay
	Alexandra Tondeur
	Joining:
	Marion Azam (Vienne Futuroscope)
	Laurie Berthon - Twitter
	Elise Delzenne
	Roxana Islas Garcia - Twitter
	Lucie Pader (GSD Gestion)
	Melanie Pette
	Iris Sachet - Twitter
	Marion Sicot
China Chongming - Giant Pro Cycling (UCI)
Cipollini - Giordana - Galassia (was MCipollini Giambenini) (UCI)
	Staying:
	Monia Baccaille
	Valentina Carretta
	Tatiana Guderzo
	Malgorzata Jasinska
	Marta Tagliaferro
	Joining:
	Tatiana Antoshina (Rabo Women Cycling Team)
	Sara Grifi (S.C. Michela Fanini Rox)
	Sylwia Kapusta (Hitec Products - Mistral Home)
	Michela Pavin
	Valentina Scandolara (S.C. Michela Fanini Rox)
	Anna Zita Maria Stricker - Twitter
	Leaving:
	Marta Bastianelli (Faren - Let's Go Finland)
	Elena Cecchini (Faren - Let's Go Finland)
	Elena Valentini (Fassa Bortolo)
	Susanna Zorzi (Faren - Let's Go Finland)
CSM Epinay-sur-Seine
CyclelivePlus - Zannata (UCI)
	Joining:
	Latoya Brulee (Topsport Vlaanderen - Ridley 2012)
	Lieselot Decroix - Twitter (Dolmans - Boels Cycling Team)
	Daisy Depoorter
	Annelies Dom
	Marissa Otten - Twitter (Dolmans - Boels Cycling Team)
	Carla Ryan - Twitter (AA Drink - leontien.nl Cycling Team)
	Monique van de Ree - Twitter (Skil Argos)
	Annelies Van Doorslaer (Kleo Ladies Team)
	Grace Verbeke (Kleo Ladies Team)
De Sprinters Malderen
Debabarrena - Gipuzkoa (UCI)
DTPC Honda Pro Cycling (UCI)
	Joining:
	Elinor Barker - Twitter
	Beatrice Bartelloni - Twitter
	Giorgia Bronzini (Diadora - Pasta Zara)
	Emily Collins (Vanderkitten - Focus)
	Rochelle Gilmore - Twitter (Faren Honda Team)
	Mayuko Hagiwara
	Danielle King - Twitter (Matrix Fitness - Prendas)
	Lauren Kitchen - Twitter (Rabo Women Cycling Team)
	Amy Roberts - Twitter
	Joanna Rowsell - Twitter (Matrix Fitness - Prendas)
	Anna Bianca Schnitzmeier - Twitter (Abus Nutrixxion)
	Laura Trott (Team Ibis Cycles)
Dura Vermeer Cycling Team
	Leaving:
	Inge Klep (Parkhotel Valkenburg powered by Math Salden)
Equipe DN Bretagne
	Staying:
	Aude Biannic
Exergy2016 (was Exergy TWENTY12)
	Staying:
	Kaitlin Antonneau
	Theresa Cliff-Ryan - Twitter
	Jaquelyn Crowell
	Andrea Dvorak
	Kristin McGrath
	Greta Neimanas
	Coryn Rivera - Twitter
	Lauren Tamayo - Twitter
	Alison Tetrick - Twitter
	Joining:
	Mara Abbott
	Leaving:
	Kristin Armstrong (retiring)
	Rhae-Christie Shaw (Vanderkitten)
	Tayler Wiles (Specialised - Lululemon)
Faren - Let's Go Finland (was Faren Honda Team) (UCI)
	Staying:
	Maria Confalonieri
	Fabiana Luperini
	Joining:
	Alice Arzuffi - Twitter
	Marta Bastianelli (MCipollini Giambenini)
	Elena Cecchini (MCipollini Giambenini)
	Christel Ferrier-Bruneau (Hitec Products - Mistral Home)
	Sara Mustonen (Hitec Products - Mistral Home)
	Jutta Nieminen
	Sari Saarelainen - Twitter (Forno d'Asolo - Colavita)
	Patricia Schwager - Twitter (GSD Gestion)
	Ashlynn Van Baarle (Restore Cycling Ladies)
	Susanna Zorzi - Twitter (MCipollini Giambenini)
	Leaving:
	Gracie Elvin (Orica - AIS)
	Myfanwy Galloway (retiring)
	Rochelle Gilmore (DTPC Honda Pro Cycling)
	Jennifer Hohl (retiring)
Fassa Bortolo (was Fassa Bortolo - Servetto) (UCI)
	Staying:
	Elena Berlato
	Irene Bitto
	Francesca Cauz
	Jennifer Fiori
	Joining:
	Silvia Cecchini
	Asja Paladin
	Chiara Pierobon
	Francesca Stefani (Diadora - Pasta Zara)
	Elena Valentini (MCipollini Giambenini)
	Leaving:
	Erika Cecchel (retiring)
	Viviana Gatto (retiring)
	Barbara Guarischi (Vaiano Tepso)
	Soraya Paladin (retiring)
	Doris Schweizer (BePink)
For Viored Racing Team
Forno d'Asolo - Colavita (UCI)
	Leaving:
	Sari Saarelainen (Faren - Let's Go Finland)
GSD Gestion (UCI)
	Leaving:
	Emilie Aubry (Bigla Cycling Team)
	Oriane Chaumet (Vienne Futuroscope)
	Siobhan Horgan (retiring)
	Christine Majerus (Sengers Ladies Cycling Team)
	Lucie Pader (Bourgogne Pro Dialog)
	Patricia Schwager (Faren - Let's Go Finland)
Hitec Products (was Hitec Products - Mistral Home) (UCI)
	Staying:
	Tone Hatteland
	Elisa Longo Borghini - Twitter
	Emilie Moberg - Twitter
	Lise Nöstvold - Twitter
	Thea Thorsen - Twitter
	Joining:
	Miriam Bjornsrud - Twitter
	Emilia Fahlin - Twitter (Specialised - Lululemon)
	Chloe Hosking - Twitter (Specialised - Lululemon)
	Cecilie Johnsen
	Siri Minge - Twitter
	Rachel Neylan - Twitter (Abus Nutrixxion)
	Rossella Ratto (Verinlegno - Fabiani)
	Leaving:
	Christel Ferrier-Bruneau (Faren - Let's Go Finland)
	Cecilie S. Johansen (retiring)
	Emma Johansson (Orica - AIS)
	Sylwia Kapusta (Cipollini - Giordana - Galassia)
	Sara Mustonen (Faren - Let's Go Finland)
	Marie Voreland (retiring)
Jayco - Australian Institute of Sport
Juvederm - Specialized (UCI)
Keukens Redant
LKS Atom Boxmet Dzierzoniów
Lointek (UCI)
	Leaving:
	Mireia Epelde Bikendi (S.C. Michela Fanini Rox)
	Eneritz Iturriagaechevarria (retiring)
Lotto Belisol Ladies (UCI)
	Staying:
	Ashleigh Moolman - Twitter
	Joining:
	Jolien D'Hoore - Twitter (Topsport Vlaanderen - Ridley 2012)
	Marijn de Vries - Twitter (AA Drink - leontien.nl Cycling Team)
	Sharon Laws (AA Drink - leontien.nl Cycling Team)
	Marion Rousse (Vienne Futuroscope)
	Carlee Taylor - Twitter (Vienne Futuroscope)
	Celine Van Severen (Sengers Ladies Cycling Team)
	Leaving:
	Sofie De Vuyst (Sengers Ladies Cycling Team)
	Ludivine Henrion (retiring)
	Cherise Taylor (retiring)
Matrix Fitness (was Matrix Fitness - Prendas)
	Staying:
	Penny Rowson
	Hannah Walker
	Jessie Walker - Twitter
	Joining:
	Gabriella Day - Twitter
	Emma Grant - Twitter (Team Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies)
	Corrine Hall - Twitter
	Melissa Lowther - Twitter
	Harriet Owen
	Jo Tindley - Twitter
	Leaving:
	Danielle King (DTPC Honda Pro Cycling)
	Joanna Rowsell (DTPC Honda Pro Cycling)
Moving Ladies
NOW and Novartis for MS
Nutswerk - Cube Ladies Team
Optum Pro Cycling p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies (was Team Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies) (UCI)
	Staying:
	Annie Ewart
	Janel Holcomb
	Leah Kirchman
	Courteney Lowe - Twitter
	Joelle Numainville
	Denise Ramsden - Twitter
	Jade Wilcoxson - Twitter
	Joining:
	Grace Alexander
	Amber Gaffney
	Lauren Hall - Twitter (Tibco - To The Top)
	Brianna Walle
	Leaving:
	Anna Barensfeld (Tibco - To The Top)
	Emma Grant (Matrix Fitness)
	Carmen McNellis Small (Specialised - Lululemon)
Orica - AIS (was GreenEDGE-AIS) (UCI)
	Staying:
	Tiffany Cromwell - Twitter
	Shara Gillow - Twitter
	Loes Gunnewijk - Twitter
	Melissa Hoskins - Twitter
	Jessie Maclean
	Amanda Spratt - Twitter
	Joining:
	Annette Edmondson - Twitter
	Gracie Elvin - Twitter (Faren Honda Team)
	Sungeun Gu
	Emma Johansson - Twitter (Hitec Products - Mistral Home)
	Leaving:
	Judith Arndt (retiring)
	Rowena Fry (retiring)
	Claudia Häusler (Tibco - To The Top)
	Alexis Rhodes (retiring)
	Linda Melanie Villumsen (retiring)
Parkhotel Valkenburg powered by Math Salden (was Ruiter Dakkapellen)
	Staying:
	Ilona Hoeksma
	Hannah Welter
	Joining:
	Inge Klep (Dura Vermeer Cycling Team)
	Rozanne Slik
	Bianca van den Hoek (SRAM - W.V. Eemland)
	Leaving:
	Julia Soek (Sengers Ladies Cycling Team)
Pasta Zara - Cogeas - Manhattan (was Diadora - Pasta Zara) (UCI)
	Staying:
	Giada Borgato
	Rossella Callovi
	Inga Cilvinaite
	Edita Janeliunaite
	Amber Rais - Twitter
	Agne Silinyte
	Joining:
	Evelyn Garcia (BePink)
	Amber Neben - Twitter (Specialised - Lululemon)
	Leaving:
	Alona Andruk (retiring)
	Giorgia Bronzini (DTPC Honda Pro Cycling)
	Alessandra D'Ettorre (Vaiano Tepso)
	Giulia Donato (BePink)
	Francesca Stefani (Fassa Bortolo)
Primal - MapMyRide
	Leaving:
	Liza Rachetto (Vanderkitten)
Rabo Women Cycling Team (UCI)
	Staying:
	Thalita de Jong
	Liesbet De Vocht
	Pauline Ferrand-Prevot - Twitter
	Roxane Knetemann - Twitter
	Iris Slappendel
	Rebecca Talen
	Annemiek van Vleuten - Twitter
	Marianne Vos - Twitter
	Joining:
	Lucinda Brand (AA Drink - leontien.nl Cycling Team)
	Megan Guarnier - Twitter (Tibco - To The Top)
	Jolanda Neff - Twitter
	Sabrina Stultiëns - Twitter
	Sanne van Paassen - Twitter
	Leaving:
	Tatiana Antoshina (Cipollini - Giordana - Galassia)
	Sarah Düster (retiring)
	Lauren Kitchen (DTPC Honda Pro Cycling)
RC Jan van Arckel
Restore Cycling Ladies
	Leaving:
	Ashlynn Van Baarle (Faren - Let's Go Finland)
RusVelo (UCI)
	Joining:
	Alexandra Burchenkova (S.C. Michela Fanini Rox)
	Larisa Pankova
	Leaving:
	Romy Kasper (Boels Dolmans Cycling Team)
S.C. Michela Fanini Rox (UCI)
	Staying:
	Silvia Marsala
	Grete Treier
	Joining:
	Gloria Boldrini - Twitter
	Carlotta Brui
	Mireia Epelde Bikendi (Lointek)
	Lisa Gamba
	Edwige Pitel (Vienne Futuroscope)
	Liisi Rist
	Lara Vieceli (Verinlegno - Fabiani)
	Leaving:
	Alexandra Burchenkova (RusVelo)
	Sara Grifi (Cipollini - Giordana - Galassia)
	Valentina Scandolara (Cipollini - Giordana - Galassia)
Scappa Speed Kueens (UCI)
Sengers Ladies Cycling Team (UCI)
	Staying:
	Kimberly Buyl
	Vera Koedooder
	Birgit Lavrijssen - Twitter
	Inge Roggeman
	Geerike Schreurs
	Anna van der Breggen
	Karen Verhestraeten
	Joining:
	Evelyn Arys (Kleo Ladies Team)
	Sanne Bamelis (Wimi Games CT Ladies Team)
	Sofie De Vuyst (Lotto Belisol Ladies)
	Gabriele Jankute
	Christine Majerus (GSD Gestion)
	Maaike Polspoel (Topsport Vlaanderen - Ridley 2012)
	Julia Soek (Ruiter Dakkapellen)
	Leaving:
	Eline De Roover (Topsport Vlaanderen - Ridley 2012)
	Emma Silversides (retiring)
	Celine Van Severen (Lotto Belisol Ladies)
Servetto - Footon (UCI)
	Joining:
	Alessia Aimone Secat
	Simona Bortolotti
	Veronica Cornolti
	Cristina Nisi
	Corinna Defilé
	Isabella Ferrari
	Marta Manitto
	Marina Lari
	Giorgia Nanni
	Roberta Tasca
Specialised - Lululemon (UCI)
	Staying:
	Lisa Brennauer
	Katie Colclough
	Lauren Rowney - Twitter
	Ally Stacher - Twitter
	Evelyn Stevens - Twitter
	Ina Teutenberg - Twitter
	Ellen van Dijk - Twitter
	Trixi Worrack
	Joining:
	Gillian Carleton
	Carmen McNellis Small (Team Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies)
	Tayler Wiles (Exergy TWENTY12)
	Leaving:
	Charlotte Becker (Argos Shimano)
	Emilia Fahlin (Hitec Products)
	Chloe Hosking (Hitec Products)
	Amber Neben (Pasta Zara - Cogeas - Manhattan)
Team Bizhub - FCF (UCI)
Team PCW
Team Polaris (UCI)
	Joining:
	Danielle Bekkering - Twitter
	Karen Elzing - Twitter (Dolmans - Boels Cycling Team)
	Alie Gercama (Dolmans - Boels Cycling Team)
	Sarah-Lena Hofmann
	Anouska Koster (Dolmans - Boels Cycling Team)
	Mascha Pijnenborg - Twitter (Dolmans - Boels Cycling Team)
	Stephanie Pohl
	Laura van der Kamp - Twitter (Dolmans - Boels Cycling Team)
	Janine van der Meer
	Aurore Verhoeven - Twitter
	Mirthe Wagenaar
Team Vita Classica
Tibco - To The Top (UCI)
	Staying:
	Joanne Kiesanowski
	Amanda Miller - Twitter
	Meredith Miller
	Lindsey Myers
	Samantha Schneider
	Joining:
	Anna Barensfeld (Team Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies)
	Chantal Blaak - Twitter (AA Drink - leontien.nl Cycling Team)
	Rushlee Buchanan - Twitter
	Jasmin Glaesser
	Claudia Häusler (GreenEDGE-AIS)
	Nicole Justice
	Shelley Olds - Twitter (AA Drink - leontien.nl Cycling Team)
	Leaving:
	Megan Guarnier (Rabo Women Cycling Team)
	Lauren Hall (Optum Pro Cycling p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies)
Topsport Vlaanderen - Ridley 2012 (UCI)
	Staying:
	Else Belmans
	Ine Beyen
	Gilke Croket
	Jessy Druyts
	Kelly Druyts - Twitter
	Anisha Vekemans
	Joining:
	Nel De Crits - Twitter
	Stephanie De Croock
	Eline De Roover (Sengers Ladies Cycling Team)
	Leaving:
	Latoya Brulee (CyclelivePlus - Zannata)
	Jolien D'Hoore (Lotto Belisol Ladies)
	Maaike Polspoel (Sengers Ladies Cycling Team)
Vaiano Tepso (UCI)
	Joining:
	Alessandra D'Ettorre (Diadora - Pasta Zara)
	Barbara Guarischi - Twitter (Fassa Bortolo - Servetto)
	Chiara Vannucci
	Leaving:
	Urte Juodvalkyte (retiring)
Vanderkitten (was Vanderkitten - Focus)
	Staying:
	Kate Chilcott
	Katheryn Curi Matthews
	Jennifer Reither - Twitter
	Starla Teddergreen - Twitter
	Ruth Winder
	Joining:
	Elle Anderson - Twitter
	Amy Charity
	Jessica Cutler - Twitter
	Emily Kachorek - Twitter
	Jeannie Kuhajec
	Liza Rachetto (Primal - MapMyRide)
	Rhae-Christie Shaw (Exergy TWENTY12)
	Sophie Williamson - Twitter
	Leaving:
	Emily Collins (DTPC Honda Pro Cycling)
Vienne Futuroscope (UCI)
	Staying:
	Sandrine Bideau
	Karol-Ann Canuel
	Audrey Cordon
	Pascale Jeuland
	Jenifer Letue
	Emmanuelle Merlot
	Amelie Rivat
	Manon Souyris
	Joining:
	Jessica Allen
	Oriane Chaumet (GSD Gestion)
	Emmeline Ragot
	Leaving:
	Marion Azam (Bourgogne Pro Dialog)
	Andrea Graus (Bigla Cycling Team)
	Edwige Pitel (S.C. Michela Fanini Rox)
	Marion Rousse (Lotto Belisol Ladies)
	Carlee Taylor (Lotto Belisol Ladies)
Wimi Games CT Ladies Team
	Leaving:
	Sanne Bamelis (Sengers Ladies Cycling Team)
	Kim de Baat (Boels Dolmans Cycling Team)
Team Ibis Cycles - Stopping
	Leaving:
	Hannah Barnes
	Jane Barr
	Aafke Eshuis
	Anne Ewing
	Pippa Handley (retiring)
	Britt Jansen
	Julie Leth
	Esther Olthuis
	Berdienke Paus
	Eileen Roe
	Martina Thomasson (Alriksson Go:Green)
	Laura Trott (DTPC Honda Pro Cycling)
	Nathalie van Gogh
FCS - Rouse - Stopping
	Leaving:
	Kathryn Donovan
Verinlegno - Fabiani - Stopping
	Leaving:
	Veronica Alessio
	Odette Bertolin
	Angela Bravin
	Rossella Ratto (Hitec Products)
	Francesca Tognali
	Chiara Vanni
	Barbara Venerito
	Lara Vieceli (S.C. Michela Fanini Rox)
Kleo Ladies Team - Stopping
	Leaving:
	Anne Arnouts
	Evelyn Arys (Sengers Ladies Cycling Team)
	Martina Corazza
	Annalisa Cucinotta
	Petra Dijkman
	Nathalie Lamborelle (Bigla Cycling Team)
	Marie Lindberg
	Annelies Van Doorslaer (CyclelivePlus - Zannata)
	Grace Verbeke (CyclelivePlus - Zannata)
AA Drink - leontien.nl Cycling Team - Stopping
	Leaving:
	Elizabeth Armitstead (Boels Dolmans Cycling Team)
	Chantal Blaak (Tibco - To The Top)
	Lucinda Brand (Rabo Women Cycling Team)
	Jessie Daams (Boels Dolmans Cycling Team)
	Marijn de Vries (Lotto Belisol Ladies)
	Willy Kanis (retiring)
	Sharon Laws (Lotto Belisol Ladies)
	Lucy Martin (Boels Dolmans Cycling Team)
	Shelley Olds (Tibco - To The Top)
	Madelene Olsson (Alriksson Go:Green)
	Emma Pooley (Bigla Cycling Team)
	Carla Ryan (CyclelivePlus - Zannata)
	Isabelle Söderberg
	Marieke van Nek
	Marieke van Wanroij (Boels Dolmans Cycling Team)
	Kirsten Wild (Argos Shimano)
SRAM - W.V. Eemland - Stopping
	Leaving:
	Andrea Bosman
	Sanne Fictoor
	Jessica Glasbergen
	Maaike Hoek
	Laura Turpijn
	Bianca van den Hoek (Parkhotel Valkenburg powered by Math Salden)
	Daisy van der Aa
	Sandra van Veghel
	Josien van Wingerden
	Juliette Wigbold
Retiring
	Alona Andruk (Diadora - Pasta Zara)
	Kristin Armstrong (Exergy TWENTY12)
	Judith Arndt (GreenEDGE-AIS)
	Erika Cecchel (Fassa Bortolo - Servetto)
	Sarah Düster (Rabo Women Cycling Team)
	Suzanne de Goede (Skil Argos)
	Irene Falorni
	Rowena Fry (GreenEDGE-AIS)
	Myfanwy Galloway (Faren Honda Team)
	Viviana Gatto (Fassa Bortolo - Servetto)
	Pippa Handley (Team Ibis Cycles)
	Ludivine Henrion (Lotto Belisol Ladies)
	Jennifer Hohl (Faren Honda Team)
	Siobhan Horgan (GSD Gestion)
	Eneritz Iturriagaechevarria (Lointek)
	Cecilie S. Johansen (Hitec Products - Mistral Home)
	Urte Juodvalkyte (Vaiano Tepso)
	Willy Kanis (AA Drink - leontien.nl Cycling Team)
	Soraya Paladin (Fassa Bortolo - Servetto)
	Alexis Rhodes (GreenEDGE-AIS)
	Emma Silversides (Sengers Ladies Cycling Team)
	Cherise Taylor (Lotto Belisol Ladies)
	Linda Melanie Villumsen (GreenEDGE-AIS)
	Marie Voreland (Hitec Products - Mistral Home)

Volodymyr Bileka speaks - In English

Monty. — Fri, 12 Oct 2012 22:27:57 -0000

I've known Yaroslav Popovych since I was a child, since we were born and grew up in the same village in Ukraine. We began our cycling careers together right back to the junior and student levels, first in Ukrainian teams, then in the 1999-2000 season we went up to the amateur U23s with the Italian team Gravellona Toce which was based in the town of that name. Upon arrival in Italy my and Popovych's paths separated since he joined the Ukraine National track team which actually trained in Italia, in Covo in Lombardia. However with me in the Gravellona Toce team there were other Ukrainian lads that arrived around that time, four of us to be precise. I rode in that team for a year and a half, and then I moved to Societa Vellutex, where Popovych had already been for a year. Vellutex was directed by Olivano Locatelli and had two team houses, one at Carate Brianza and one at Olmi di Quarrata, and we continually moved between these two places according to where there were races. I stayed with Popovych at Vellutex up to 2003 when we both turned professional with Lambowcredit Colnago.

We both stayed with that team for three years then moved together in 2005 to the US team Discovery Channel. Our procuratore Fabio Perego took care of our engagement. I would like to say that as far as I am concerned I never had anything to do with doping before I joined Colnago. I would like to say that since it was my destiny to always be bound to what Popovych was worth, since the teams that employed me did so thaks to him and on his request, I started to feel uncomfortable in that I wanted to show that I too could prove my worth given that up to the point we left Ukraine I had always been the stronger of the two of us, and I should not thus be thought of just as Popovych's friend. Over time this feeling grew worse in me, because during the first two team camps, in December 2005 in Austin Texas, where team captain Lance Armestrong lived, and in January, once more in the United States, but this time in California, at Solvank if I recall rightly, I saw that the team was riding very strongly. I therefore decided at that time to ask Popovych how I could manage to ride equally strongly and if he knew anyone who could help me. I would like to say that at this time I already suspected that Popovych was making use of the services of Michele Ferrari, even if I had no proof of it, since we had an agreement between ourselves to not ask questions, but to wait until the matters came to be spoken of at a time of the other's choosing. Finally, after several tries, he persuaded himself to speak to me about Ferrari, saying that the two of them had already discussed me. He told me that the doctor was hesitant to take me into his care, since he was not convinced of my value to him, either sportingly or financially since he had been told by Yaroslav how much my contract was worth, and at the time I earned only 50,000 dollars a year. He had however agreed to assess me with a test and to then decide. The first time he made me go to his house in Ferrara, I don't remember the address, Popovych told me how to get there. I remember that it was a villa just outside the town, surrounded by farmland, and that if you drove past quickly you could easily miss it. As far as I remember this happened I the interval between the two team camps I previously spoke about, probably towards the end of December 2005. He tested me in a garage in the basement, where he had fitted out a small gymnasium with a fitting to attach a bicycle which was itself attached to a roller which took measurements more or less like a SRM. On that occasion he also weighed me and measured my body fat. To tell the truth he had a really strange fixation with fat, and the first time he saw me he looked at me a little strangely. Perhaps I was a bit too fat. I remember that he took notes on a piece of card in his hand. We spoke a bit about my characteristics as a rider, and he took care to learn about my way of life in general, where I lived etc. In particular he asked me to confirm how much I earned. Finally he told me that he would have to study the results of the tests and that he would let me know via Popovych. The first time I didn't give him money. The first time he didn't give me a phone number to contact him.

During the second camp, in California, I asked Popovych if he had any news from Ferrari but he answered no. Meanwhile during that second camp we were given our racing calendar for the season. After returning to Italy Popovych told me that I had to go back to Ferrari to retake the test, adding that it was probable that being recalled was a good sign that he had accepted me. He also told me that I should take my racing programme with me. After a short time, about a month from the first appointment, I thus returned to Ferrara. I don't remember if I went alone or with Popovych. The doctor invited me once more inside the very house in which he lived, repeated the test on me, measuring my weight and body fat to see if I had made an effort to lose weight. Then he looked at the programme of races that I was to do and told me that in his opinion I was not bad and that I could become a good rider, but that in order to continue to work with him, in view of my salary, would cost 10,000 Euro a year. I tried at first to ask him if he could come down a bit because I couldn't afford it. He said that he could help me a bit since I was a friend of Popovych, but that if I paid less then he would spend less time with me. Also during this second meeting Dr Ferrari nade no mention of any banned treatment, limiting himself to evaluating the parameters of the test, and explaining those test values to me as physical efforts and thresholds. Based upon these results, Ferrari produced for me a training table, giving me instructions on how to eat to lose weight. The table was for a period of fifteen days, one month before a race in the Algarve, Portugal, at the end of February 2006.

I don't remember if Popovych took part in that event, and for me the race wasn't particularly brilliant, since I fatigued on the climbs and passed the race in the service of my team. Then followed a few races in preparation for the Belgian classics, and I think I went back to Dr Ferrari some time after having taken part in a few of these during March. Also at this third meeting took place once more at his home in Ferrara. Dr Ferrari subjected me once more to tests, explained the results, and prepared another training plan. I remember however that he was satisfied with the improvement, and I certainly felt much better, bearing in mind also that I was climbing with more agility, and in training I was more precise regarding the effort and the watts to produce. I have to say that for the first two years Ferrari continued to work on training plans. I remember that he advised me to go to training camps, usually at altitude, and particularly, during the winter at Teide in the Canary Islands, on the Volcano, where we always slept at the Hotel Parador in Teide, 2,200 metres above sea level. In the hotter weather however, these camps took place at Livigno. Usually during these times the doctor would make his appearance, often without prior announcement. Popovych took part in these camps with me. At other times there were other cyclists with us, both professional, and on occasion amateur. I remember meeting Pellizzotti, Gasparotto, often Bertolini, and at least once Leonardo Bertagnolli, Filippo Pozzato, in the last year Garzelli and the three Masciarelli brothers, Roman Kreuziger. Luis Leon Sanchez and another Spaniard from Casse d'Epargne whose name I can't remember right now, a tall, strong man who we met at St Moritz when we rode to meet him at his hotel near the Athletics track where many athletes were training. At St Moritz I also met Morris Possoni. I'd like to make it clear that when we were in the Canaries, all the riders slept at the Parador, so it was easier to see who was there. At Livigno we happened to meet while out and about in the town or on the roads where we trained. I would also like to add that at Teide the doctor was right in the hotel where he could move around without trouble, and he had a room reserved to meet athletes. Michele Ferrari never spoke to two cyclists at the same time. That was also true of me and Popovych - when he worked with one of us the other always had to wait outside. His road tests of course could be carried out on more riders simultaneously, as happened to me with Popovych, Possoni, and Gasparotto. And so it's impossible for me to say what happened with each one of his clients beyond this part of the test. When the training camp was at Livigno he never came across the border to meet cyclists; meetings always happened on the Swiss side. For me personally he always arranged appointments along the climbs that you can find in a radius of around 30 km from St Moritz. On just two occasions he asked me to go to an apartment near St Moritz. I remember that you got there via Silvaplana, then turned left over the bridge that crossed the lake. The house itself, I don't know if he owned it, was in a small village after the bridge about 800 metres up the hill, then turn left. When I went to the house in Switzerland I was always alone. Of his family, I met his wife at Ferrara but we never spoke, while Michele was accompanied several times at Teide by his son Stefano. The amateur cyclists that we happened across didn't know him. I can only talk of one occasion at Teide where there was an Englishman that I knew was a sponsor from a supplement company - gels and bars - I don't remember if they sponsored Astana or CSC. Another time, again at Teide, I remember there was an amateur cyclist from Ferrara, maybe Antonio but I'm not sure, I remember that he was short, skinny, in his fifties. All I can say is that the amateurs usually were taken care of by his son Stefano. Michele told me that his son did not live with him in Ferrara but was permanently abroad, usually in Monte Carlo. Several times his daughter Sara took part in the camps at Teide, giving massages to those such as the amateurs who didn't have their own masseuse with them.

I believe that Ferrari had a deeper relationship with Vinokourov because he was always present at all the training camps in Teide, and I met him at times in Livigno too. Together with him I saw Kloden, Kachechkin, and another German from Astana, Kessler, who was found positive for testosterone. I never saw Kloden and Kessler speak with Ferrari. Both at Teide and at Livigno I saw on many occasions Vladimir Gusev. As I've said, during those first two years Michele Ferrari didn't say much to me, and I asked Popovych about it, especially considering that others were riding much more strongly, leading me to doubt that I was receiving the same treatment. In 2007 things took a turn on the occasion of the umpteenth test that I took near Bologna, around Rioveggio. I remember that I left the autostrada at Casello di Rioveggio, passed under the bridge then turned left and headed uphill towards Monzuno for several kilometres. I'll make it clear that it was not the first time that I went to this area for the test, which Ferrari only carried out at home when it was too cold and he was not on a training camp. He habitually used the region of the Appennines above Bologna at other times, when time and temperature permitted it. This time the appointment was at an agriturismo run by a family that Ferrari trusted. I got out of the car and began the test on a climb while he followed in a grey station wagon, maybe an Audi but I'm not sure. After the test he showered in a room in the agriturismo, then we spoke in the same room. Michele Ferrari saw my race programme then began to make calculations and mutter to himself. Then using a pencil but without writing anything, just pointing, he showed several race periods on the calendar, and periods between one race and the next, and expressly said to me that if I wanted to rider better I would have to take "E", making clear upon my questioning but always in a low voice that he was talking about EPO. He asked me if I knew how to get hold of it for myself, but never offered to get it himself for me. I said that I could sort it out, which I then did, getting it in Ukraine in the form of a bottle labelled Eretrostin, at least that's what it said in Cyrillic, that you can find in the supplement shops that bodybuilders frequent. I used EPO in that form according to the instructions given me by Michele Ferrari from 2007 up to spring 2008 when after a surprise drug test at my home in Quarrata I tested positive for said EPO. I believe that they could only get me that way since among the instructions given to me by Ferrari were included periods to stop taking the drug before races and thus avoid tsting positive. With regard to payment, the tariff always remained 10,000 Euro a year and because I had money troubles I always paid very late. I believe that this was the cause of the low attantion that the doctor paid to me. I always paid cash and never received any sort of receipt. I admit that I was always aware that to frequent Dr Ferrari was risky, but I decided nevertheless to run that risk for the reasons that I have said at the beginning, and because I could get an improvement in my financial situation with a better contract that would have allowed me to live better and to send a bit of cash home to my parents.

I would finally like to tell you that this morning, after learning from you that the judicial authorities were interested to hear my statement, I discussed with my wife Sara that it would be right to speak of this with my friend Yaroslav Popovych, to whom I am linked like a brother, because I'm aware that telling the truth would mean bringing in his name, and that would be very uncomfortable for me. Together with my wife I decided to call him on his phone number 3473424300, using my wife Sara's mobile phone, number 349/2806891. We did this at 11:35, deciding to ask him for a meeting because it didn't seem to us that it was appropriate to discuss it on the telephone. We used the idea of suggesting a meeting tomorrow at Milan Malpensa airport, where I have to go to leave for China, flying via Moscow, at 12:10. After the 11:35 phone call made by my wife, I received on my mobile phone 3293875795 barely a few minutes later a call from Popovych, in which he seemed to be much changed in my opinion, since he hadn't accepted the fact that my wife had offered to give some clothes to his son Jason, given the fact that he had been separated from his wife for about a year. At that point, speaking in Ukrainian, he asked me directly if there were any other problems, and in answer I replied with deliberate hesitation, clearly, and still in Ukrainian, that I wanted to make him a present of a few model Ferrari cars, believing that at that point he would be able to understand what the real reason for the call was. Popovych stayed silent for a few seconds, then I believe he understood the problem and asked me if they had been asking questions about him too. At this point, rather sharply, and with a hasty word or two of the "see you tomorrow" type I ended the conversation. My wife had listened in on the call because she understands Ukrainian a little. At 11:50 Popovych called me again on my mobile phone, suggesting that we meet the next morning on the autostrada, and to ring him around nine to confirm the meeting place. I have nothing else to add. I confirm that from now onwards I am available to conform my statements anywhere.

Bertagnolli speaks - In English

Monty. — Fri, 12 Oct 2012 15:29:48 -0000

I began as an amateur in 2000 with Bruno Leali. In 2001 I moved to Team San Pellegrino, run by Secondo Volpi, and in 2002 I turned professional, riding for three years at Saeco, when they also employed Simoni, Di Luca and Celestino. Following that, from 2005 I was employed by Cofidis, in 2007 and 2008 I was at Liquigas alongside Pellizzotti, Pozzato, Nibali and Di Luca. In 2009 I moved to Amica Chips, run by Mori Simone (which collapsed in mid 2009), then from May 2009 I moved to Gianni Savio's Androni Giocattoli. At the start of 2011 I moved to Lampre ISD.

I got to know Michele Ferrari during the first years of my professional career when I rode for Saeco. I don't remember who, but someone gave me the Doctor's number, and I booked an appointment to take just one test at his home in Ferrara. I believe it was in 2002, but I don't recall precisely the year. On that occasion he said nothing to me about taking drugs, nor advised me on banned practices. I went back to Ferrari at the end of 2006, when I had a contract with Liquigas for the next year.

I have suffered from a thyroid problem from 1997, when I was still a boy and what I was an amateur cyclist.

At the end of 2006 when I had thyroid troubles I thought to go back to Dr Ferrari to resolve the problems that were coming from my thyroid dysfunction. I asked the Liquigas personnel (Amadio, Corsetti) for permission to visit Ferrari to take care of my problems, and no-one opposed my decision. I telephoned Ferrari at his home and made an appointment. During the first appointment I set out my health problems to Ferrari and asked if he could help me. Ferrari replied that given that he knew that I rode for Liquigas there were no problems in me using him. In that situation he said to me that the preparatore "must know the athlete and adjust his aim". It was a clear observation and I understood at once its meaning. I state that from then I went periodically to Ferrari also because in 2007 I had the endorsement from Liquigas. During that meeting with Ferrari we agreed a payment of 12.000 Euro a year for his services, payable in instalments. Of those instalments I paid only a fraction of around 3,000 Euro (I don't remember exactly), since in March I had some sort of viral problem with my heart and I stayed inactive until July 2007. I state however that from the beginning of 2007 I presented myself at Monzuno to take the tests, making contact via his Swiss number, which he gave me at the first meeting at the end of 2006. In the camper where we met to do the tests, Ferrari had a haemoglobin meter to test haemoglobin. Every time in the tests done on subsequent occasions he tested my haemoglobin. At the time of the tests he drew me up a training chart, weighed me, and made an assessment of my overall health.

When I returned to training after my heart problems, I went to Ferrari at St Moritz together with Bertolini, Francesco Moser's cycling nephew, Gasparotto, Pellizzotti, Chicchi and several others from other teams. Many of them came from Livigno. I state that in 2006 I went to Livigno of my own accord for training, and there I saw Ferrari with a group of cyclists, among whom was Vinokourov. On the occasion of July 2007, after my sickness, I went as stated to St Moritz and spoke with Ferrari about taking EPO. Ferrari told me to take it in small doses, 1000 UI per day intravenously. "With 1000 you go up, with 500 it's stable," he said. I stayed at St Moritz for 10 days and for 10 days I took EPO as I had been shown by Ferrari. I did as Ferrari advised me, taking Eprex and stopping two or three days before a race. I don't remember exactly for how many days I took EPO, but certainly no less than 7. For sure I had seen Ferrari even before I went to St Moritz, and for sure he advised me on how to take EPO that I [preventivamente mi] had obtained through a one-time amateur cyclist from Brescia by the name of Manuel Bresciani, who I know at San Pellegrino in 2001. I started to take EPO following the advice of Filippo Manelli in 2003, and he showed me to take it sub-cutaneously on the stomach, stopping one week before the race. Ferrari didn't start me on EPO, but simply showed me a different way of taking it with regard to Manelli. So when I went to Ferrari I already knew the substance, that it was forbidden, and what its effects were. I remember that effectively my haematocrit changed 4-5 percentage points. Endocrinologists I have heard explained to me that the effect of this changes would be due to my thyroid dysfunction, since even in that period where I was taking nothing I continued to have changes in haematocrit.

In contrast to what Filippo Manelli had said, Michele Ferrari explained better to me th eway of taking EPO to not be caught positive. While Manelli had told me to take it in the stomach area, subcutaneously, and advised me to stop a week before the race, Michele Ferrari and his method of taking precise measured doses intravenously gave the possibility of taking it up to two or three days before the race, and benefiting from a greater period of effect.

In 2007 I won at San Sebastian and at other small races, and took some good placings.

Following this I suppose that I went back again to Ferrari, given that he lived near me. I remember that at on time in 2007 I saw Popovych and Bileka at Ferrari's house. I state that speaking with other members of the Liquigas team I learned that Pellizzotti went to Ferrari at Monzano. I know that many of my colleagues from Liquigas went to Ferrari because we spoke of it among ourselves, and the team itself was aware: Pellizzotti, Kreuziger, Gasparotto, Chicchi. Doing Ferrari's tests alongside me I sometimes saw Pellizzotti, Gasparotto and Possoni. At the end of his test, we went into his camper one at a time and the examinations were done personally, without the others present.

Between 2007 and 2008 we turn to talk of other things. In 2007 the whereabouts requirements (Adams protocol) came out, and thus there was a chance of being found positive for EPO, hence Dr Ferrari advised me to transfuse my own blood, the "in and out" that we speak about in the interception dated 27-08-2010. Before Ferrari's advice I had never done a blood transfusion. I don't recall exactly where Ferrari explained to me for the first time how to transfuse. I remember that he explained the details of the method, saying to get hold of the special bags via veterinary channels. I got the first ones from Manuel Bresciani. He told me to withdraw between 350 and 500cc, depending on recovery time and my objectives. He told me to knot the bag and to weigh it on scales so that I would know the weight, and hence the amount withdrawn. Before inserting the needle he told me to make a knot in the tube and after that to begin the withdrawal. When the right quantity was reached the tube would be blocked by the clips and the knot would tighten. I did it two or three time because I was afraid that it would get infected. Once the bag was filled he advised to keep it in a Liebherr fridge (a hospital fridge) at a controlled temperature of between 2 and 4 degrees. Ferrari showed me the type of fridge to buy, pointing it out on a leaflet. I myself took care of finding a supplier and bought the fridge in the province of Ravenna, It was Ferrari also who showed me the temperature for preservation of the blood.

Ferrari also advised me as to the timing of blood transfusions, saying to draw the blood before going to altitude and to reinfuse it upon my return, hence to better explain the phase shifts of the parameters, haematocrit, reticulocytes, etc.

Before this meeting with Ferrari I had never done blood transfusions. It was he who showed me the way as I have said above, and even so the first time I was afraid of doing it.

I began that practice in 2008 and did it just one time in the summer because in that time Liquigas forbade me from going to Ferrari, in a change of attitude to their previous tolerance of the visits.

The first time that I withdrew blood and put it back according to the methodology that Ferrari had shown was in August 2008 for the races that month. I reinfused the blood about 20 days after I had withdrawn it. Ferrari told me that the blood should be reinfused after approximately 20 days and after a period at altitude.

In 2009 I did one bag before the Giro del Trentino. That year I won a stage at the Giro d'Italia. I did a couple of bags in the summer of 2009 in preparation for the final part of the season. In 2010 I did my first bag before the Trittico Lombardo, the second before the Gran Premi odi Camaiore (as reported in the interception daterd 27-08-2010) and the third before the Giro di Lombardia.

I saw Michele Ferrari at the end of the 2010 season. Knowing of the investigation into Popovych, he told me to throw everything away because there was a risk of searches. The last time I saw Ferrari he advised me that as an alternative to the traditional bags I should use PP (polypropylene) bags that are hard to find in transfusion centres, or to decant the blood into a glass phial that had just been emptied. I remember that at that meeting in November 2010 I advised him that that situation seemed to me to be extremely dangerous with the possibility of contaminating the blood and a risk of clots.

It was Ferrari who first told me that you could find the bags easily through veterinary channels because they weren't controlled and the product was the same.

Filippo Manelli advised me on taking GH, in particular Geref which I only took a few times on account of its incompatibility with my thyroid problems. Manelli knew about my thyroid problems when I saw him between 2003 and 2006. Nevertheless he advised me to use GH (I don't remember the brand) and other hormones. I only took th ehormones that Manelli advised me to a few times on account of its incompatibility with my condition. Manelli advised me on drugs in his private studio in Gavardo. I paid Manelli for both the consultations and the drugs.

I began to take Testis della Guna in August 2010 on the advice of Michele Ferrari. I took it as he advised me "half a phial on the shoulder". In his camper Ferrari sometimes gave me also an unlabelled phial of a substance that he didn't tell me what it was, telling me to put it on my shoulder, that it wasn't dope, and that it wouldn't harm me. He never revealed to me what was in that phial for which I paid 80 Euro cash.

In 2010 I paid Ferrari around 3000 Euro in cash. In 2009 I paid little because I rode for Simone Mori's Amica Chips, which collapsed and didn't pay my salary.

I have nothing else to add.

Some in, Some out, Some shuffling, Some biting the dust - Another Day in Transferland

Monty. — Tue, 09 Oct 2012 20:42:22 -0000

Team Argos-Shimano will have a team of ten riders next year. So far they have signed contracts with seven: Amy Pieters, Kelly Markus and Esra Tromp will return from this year's team, and will be joined by Kirsten Wild, nominally on AA Drink in 2012 although mostly absent preparing to ride the track in this year's Olympics, Charlotte Becker, another departure from Specialised-lululemon, two-time Junior World Champion Lucy Garner and Marlen Jöhrend who shows that whatever problems Abus Nutrixxion may have had this year, their successes weren't unnoticed. Negotiations are continuing with regard to the final three places.

Barbara Guarischi, promising young sprinter, winner of the silver medal at last year's European Championships, and pool princess, will be riding for Vaiano Tepso in 2013.

Aude Biannic, whose10th place in the Olympic Road Race is but one of the highlights of a year spent racing for local team Equipe DN Bretagne, looks to move up by signing for Vienne Futuroscope. SO the rumour goes anyway. Rabobank are apparently interested, but she would prefer to ride for a French team.

Those hoping to see her develop a partnership there with French champion Marion Rousse will however be disappointed as she has packed her bag and headed across the border to join Lotto Belisol. That's quite a collection of National Champions that they are gathering.

To make room for all the signings we've heard about so far, a couple of 2012 Lotto riders are moving on. On Saturday ex Belgian champion Ludivine Henrion went out in style (and no, fix is not the word you are looking for), outsprinting Marianne Vos in her home town of Corswarem. Of course the writing was on the cards from the day all the camel pictures vanished from the website she shares with boyfriend Olivier Kaisen.

And 25 year old Belgian lawyer Sofie De Vuyst will be wearing the blue and white of Sengers in 2013.

Three-time Swiss Champion Jennifer Hohl is hanging up her bike, swapping it for a Yorkie bar. Or to be more precise, at the age of just 26, she is giving up competitive cycling to take over the family transport business.

Her last year as a full-time pro may have been more than a little frustrating, Emma Silversides seems to have greatly enjoyed her time with Sengers, and looks likely to continue to stay in touch with the cycling world in some as yet unspecified way. She also sounds to be very busy right now, so anyone who is looking to give a bit of cycling related artwork to their loved ones for Christmas is advised to get in there quickly.

Following news of the end of AA Drink, it has been announced that Team Specialized DPD SRAM will not be continuing in next year. The team grew out of club team WV Eemlandp, and picked up a group of sponsors when the team that they supported moved to Scotland to become Team Ibis Cycles. There is perhaps grounds for a glimmer of optimism in that manager Andrea Bosman doesn't sound as if she's finished with the sport yet.

Another race bits the dust. Next year there will be no GP Stad Roeselare as the town has decided instead to focus all its efforts on the Natourcriterium Roeselare, a recent addition to the post Tour de France criterium circuit. No news yet on whether they will include a women's race as part of the festivities.

Elisa Longo Borghini wins in Norway - Video

Monty. — Tue, 02 Oct 2012 20:51:53 -0000

Elisa Longo Borghini wins in Norway - Video

Here's the latest programme in what looks to be e regular series on Norwegian TV (aka I don't understand Norwegian). At 4:00 there's a short English interview with ELB, followed by one in Norwegian with Worlds Junior Silver Medal Winner Elsie Brusted. The Junior women's race begins at 16:00, followed at 17:45 by the seniors, and the cameras are there for Elisa's winning move when she drops back 20 metres or so before flying past the small group she was previously riding with. (Thanks to Karl Lima)

Hitec take over the Worlds - Rachel Neylan and Rossella Ratto sign up for 2013

Monty. — Mon, 01 Oct 2012 19:34:20 -0000

Neylan has had what is politely called an interesting path to the top. A late starter in cycling, she came to Europe in 2010 courtesy of a scholarship with the Amy Gillett Foundation, got herself sufficiently noticed to score a contract with Diadora - Pasta Zara in 2011, then spent a year alternating great results and breaking bones. On the men's side of the sport you can shrug off one bad season, but for the women you end up right at the bottom again. At least the way up is a bit more familiar second time around. Some great results both with Abus Nutrixxion, and then in a few end of season mixed squads (as both the increased race schedule in the build up to the Olympics and the sharp increase in the price of fuel seemed to lead to more than a few teams shutting up early as they ran out of money) led to a recall to the Olympic team. Then when the nominal Australian leaders failed to follow Marianne Vos across to the break ahead, Rachel showed that she had more than enough power left in her tank to make it to the end.

Ratto should by all rights be a total unknown. A first year senior, possibly the youngest rider in the race (she doesn't even turn nineteen until later this month), but Café regulars will have read plenty about her. She's been dominating her age group for years. Every year Italian broadcaster RAI and Cycling Magazine Tuttobici get together to present what they call their cycling Oscars, and for the past four or five years, Ratto has won in her particular category. She won the Silver medal at the Junior Worlds back in 2010 behind one Pauline Ferrand Prevot, and just missed out in 2011 when she was caught a few hundred metres from the finish line. This year she has gained an impressive number of top 10 places including at races as prestigious as the Giro del Trentino and the Giro Donne, at the head of a Verinlegno-Fabiani squad very much built around her.

And Hitec continue to impress. What started out after the 2008 as a back of the envelope plan to improve the Norwegian women's cycling team in time for the 2012 Olylmpics has just grown and grown in ambition and ambit, yet somehow never lost that Norwegian focus. For the past two years Emma Johansson has been the force driving them on. Elisa Longo Borghini arrived from Italy just last year and seems to have found a place that suits her well. The omens look good for Neylan and Ratto.

8.1 w/kg - The ultimate price of a Worlds silver medal

Monty. — Mon, 01 Oct 2012 18:00:54 -0000

8.1 w/kg - The ultimate price of a Worlds silver medal

You never see any of the men being this open nowadays, but Rachel Neylan has published her full power file from her ride in the Worlds.That 8.1 watts figure is how hard it was just to follow Vos on the final climb of the Cauberg.

Rossella Ratto discusses the Worlds and her 2012 season with BiciTV

Monty. — Thu, 27 Sep 2012 21:41:32 -0000

Rossella Ratto discusses the Worlds and her 2012 season with BiciTV

BiciBG.it have more videos both on their website and on Vimeo, mostly covering cycle races in the Bergamo region of Italy. Each video on Vimeo has a short written summary on its page, but unfortunately that isn't carried up to the page listing all videos. Lots of gems if you are patient, and coverage from many smaller races.

Is it May yet? I promise not to scratch the hero's armour.

Monty. — Mon, 24 Sep 2012 08:52:26 -0000

Is it May yet? I promise not to scratch the hero's armour.

Limburg Worlds - Junior Mens race in video

Monty. — Sun, 23 Sep 2012 17:03:20 -0000

Limburg Worlds - Junior Mens race in video

Would you ride a Chinarello?

Monty. — Fri, 21 Sep 2012 19:47:26 -0000

Would you ride a Chinarello?

A look at building a bike from a no-name chinese carbon-fibre frame

Women's racing is Smarter- The Juniors prove it scientifically

Monty. — Thu, 20 Sep 2012 21:33:10 -0000

A couple of days ago, the Inner Ring ran an interesting piece on how junior men riders develop when they hit the seniors, titled Do Junior World Champions Succeed in the Pro Ranks. The conclusion that they came to was that the time trial was a far greater predictor of later success than the road race, and they speculated that it was because the former was a test of pure physiology, while the latter was far more of a lottery.

Now I did something similar last year before the European Junior champs (which was meant to be before the Worlds, but hey, anyone can mix these things up), or rather I listed the top three from the road race in the previous six years and pointed out who had gone on to greater things. Which turned out to be most of them. So I thought it would be interesting to do the same for the time trial as well, to go back a bit further (well as far as I could actually, 1997-2004 come from various parts of Wikipedia, while the full results from 2005 onwards are available on the UCI website). So head over the page for the tables.

Time Trial

	Gold	Silver	Bronze

1997	Olga Zabelinskaya	Sylvia Hubscher	Maria Mercedes Cagigas
1998	Trixi Worrack	Olga Zabelinskaya	Geneviève Jeanson
1999	Genevieve Jeanson	Juliette Vandekerkove	Trixi Worrack
2000	Juliette Vandekerkove	Katherine Bates	Bertine Spijkerman
2001	Nicole Cooke	Natalia Bojarskaja	Diana Elmentaite
2002	Anna Zugno	Tatiana Guderzo	Claudia Hecht
2003	Bianca Knöpfle	Loes Markerink	Iris Slappendel
2004	Tereza Hurikova	Rebecca Much	Amanda Spratt
2005	Lisa Brennauer	Tereza Hurikova	Mie Bekker Lacota
2006	Rebecca Spencer	Lesya Kalitovskya	Mie Bekker Lacota
2007	Jose Tomic	Valeriya Kolonenko	Jerika Hutchinson
2008	Maria Grandt Petersen	Valeriya Kolonenko	Laura Dittmann
2009	Hanna Solovei	Pauline Ferrand Prevot	Elizavetta Oshurkova
2010	Hanna Solovei	Pauline Ferrand Prevot	Amy Cure
2011	Jessica Allen	Elinor Barker	Mieke Kröger
2012	Elinor Barker	Cecille Ludvig	Demi de Jong

Taking the fourteen years from 1997 to 2010, there are 42 names in total. Nine of those are duplicates in that the rider won a medal in both years they were eligible to participate, so that leaves 33 different girls. We always say that the women's peloton is cleaner, so it's sad to have to point out that two have been subsequently banned for doping, namely Geneviève Jeanson and Hanna Solovei, so that leaves 31 that you may or may not have heard of. And of those I reckon that I've heard of around a dozen through their cycling achievements. Let's call it a third.

Road Race

	Gold	Silver	Bronze

1997	Mirella van Melis	Nicole Brändli	Sofie Andersson
1998	Tina Liebig	Olga Zabelinskaya	Nathalie Bates
1999	Genevieve Jeanson	Trixi Worrack	Noemi Cantele
2000	Nicole Cooke	Magdalena Sadlecka	Clare Hall-Patch
2001	Nicole Cooke	Pleuni Mohlmann	Maja Włoszczowska
2002	Suzanne De Goede	Claudia Stumpf	Monica Holler
2003	Loes Markerink	Irina Tolmacheva	Sabine Fischer
2004	Marianne Vos	Marta Bastianelli	Ellen van Dijk
2005	Mie Bekker Lacota	Marianne Vos	Rasa Leleivyte
2006	Rasa Leleivyte	Marina Romoli	Eleonora Patuzzo
2007	Eleonora Patuzzo	Cherise Taylor	Valentina Scandolara
2008	Jolien d'Hoore	Rossella Callovi	Hanna Amend
2009	Rossella Callovi	Pauline Ferrand Prevot	Susanna Zorzi
2010	Pauline Ferrand Prevot	Rossella Ratto	Coryn Rivera
2011	Lucy Garner	Jessy Druyts	Christina Siggaard

Again 42 names in total. Take away the six that appear twice plus Jeanson (but leaving in Rasa Leleivyte who tested positive for EPO earlier this year, six years after she won her gold medal), leaves 35 different riders. Of those 35, and using the really not very scientific selection method of "do I remember them doing something in a race?", I say yes about two dozen times.

So there's a funny thing. Even though the road race can be a bit of a lottery for the boys, among the girls it's a pretty good predictor of future success. DSs in the pro peloton may be able to take the male Neanderthals and harness that "talent", but if you've got a good racing brain when you're a kid then it helps to be a women. Or to put it even more simply, women's racing is brainier. That's a scientific fact. OK the numbers are a bit rough, but one-third versus two-thirds recognition is a pretty notable difference. SO remember that when you watch (well not actually watch, thanks NOS) Misses Garner, Druyts, Siggaard, Stricker, Mottet and Albershardt, that brain power will beat brute strength any day, and you're seeing the brainier hlaf of the Juniors in action.

Pauline Ferrand Prevot, France 3, and 2012 in video

Monty. — Thu, 20 Sep 2012 12:33:34 -0000

Pauline Ferrand Prevot, France 3, and 2012 in video

"Vous serez le leader de l'equipe de la France. Quel honneur." France 3 have put together a nice single page summary of PFP's 2012 season. Show your appreciation by watching it.

L1 Limburg report on women's TT day.

Monty. — Tue, 18 Sep 2012 18:22:06 -0000

L1 Limburg report on women's TT day.

OK it's pretty concentrated on the Dutch riders, but there are a couple of minutes from the Juniors race including a shot of Elinor Barker crossing the line.

Anna Zita Maria Stricker (SC Vecchia Fontana) won the 3rd Trofeo Bottanuco in Rosa on Saturday,...

Monty. — Mon, 17 Sep 2012 21:52:15 -0000

Anna Zita Maria Stricker (SC Vecchia Fontana) won the 3rd Trofeo Bottanuco in Rosa on Saturday, while Alice Arzuffi (Team Valcar) was the best local finisher. Look out for both this week in the Italian Junior Women's road team.

Worlds Opening Ceremony Live

Monty. — Sat, 15 Sep 2012 08:03:43 -0000

OK, it's probably not going to be on the scale of the Olympics with a cast of thousands of factory owners and hospital beds, and it probably won't have a giant statue at the centre, but the World Road Cycling Championships does have an opening ceremony, and local TV station L1.nl are going to be broadcasting parts of it live from Maastricht tonight. And they stream on line for anyone to watch. The programme begins at half eight local time tonight (which in Dutch oddly is half nine, which actually sounds like they are saying "half naked" - it's a European thing, I guess). You can get a preview by watching yesterday's sports news even if you don't understand Dutch.

L1have been out a lot in the build up to the Worlds. The most Englishy report is that from the 13th which includes a longish look at Kathryn Bertine's preparations, but you can get quite a bit from earlier shows even just looking at the pictures.

They are planning lots more coverage of the Worlds. They've got a schedule here and although they probably don't have the rights to show the main races, they may be the only chance we get to see anything from the U23 and Juniors

SBNation.com User Blog: Monty.

Gracia - Orlova - in Video

Race Preview - Gracia Orlová

Giro Bio cancelled

GP de Dottignies - and other nice links

Living The Cup - Trofeo Binda and other news from the women's peloton

OPQS Team Presentation and Mini 6 Day - LIVE

Say it ain't so - Joop Zijlaard retires

Australian Nats Live (on Twitter)

Women's News on 13th December

Women's Transfer News as of 30th November

Womens News round-up 31st October

R.I.P. Fiorenzo Magni

Dr Ferrari, 20 Teams, Money Laundering and more names

Sara Wackermann wins Cesano Maderno-Ghisallo

Lizzie Armitstead to Dolmans-Boels - Transfer Season Begins

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