Does anyone know where I can get Live Coverage of Cyclocross Worlds?  Cycling.tv doesn't have US coverage.  Universal Sports doesn't have any coverage, they're really into the Olympics and skiing though.  Is cyclingfans my best option?  I know there are savvy internet users on the PdC that can help me out.  It should be a fun race to watch, unfortunately I'm on the West Coast so it'll be an early race to watch.  Thanks.

ASO has decided to ban race radios for two stages of  this year's Tour de France, July 14 and 17.  The first day is Bastille Day and a likely sprint stage, while the second has five categorized climbs.

Many director sportifs believe the ban makes racing more dangerous for their riders.  Johan Bruyneel says (Via Twitter), “I absolutely disagree, what’s the benefit of returning to the prehistory?”

But the "Badger", aka Bernard Hinault says, "It is just a ‘Game Boy’ that has a gigolo attached at the end telling the racer when to take a piss. With (Cyril) Guimard, we studied the map and the wind the morning before the stage.”  We can always count on the "Badger" for a good quote, take note Johan.

Interestingly, the professional riders association has given approval but would like to see the issue discussed post-Tour.

We've seen in the past, director sportifs don't make the race, the riders do.  This ban reminds me of Devolder's 1st RVV win.  Either way, July 17th will make for some good racing and July 14th will be an interesting precursor.

Here's the Velonews article:  

http://www.velonews.com/article/93957/team-directors-oppose-the-tour-s-two-day-radio-ban

Check out this photo I found on Pezcyclingnews.com of some of the contenders for the Giro.  I found it so hilarious, I had to share.  Di Luca really looks like "The Killer" and I hope Basso sports those aviators in the Giro, at least for the Time Trials.  Not quite the romantic gondola ride we all imagine.

To make 75 words:  How many Tifosi would give their right leg to jump in that boat and sail away?

Stage 4
1 Roman Kreuziger (Cze) Liquigas                       4.11.44 (37.587 km/h)
2 Rein Taaramae (Est) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne             
3 Vladimir Karpets (Rus) Team Katusha                     0.07
4 Fredrik Kessiakoff (Swe) Fuji-Servetto                  0.17
5 Mikel Astarloza (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi               0.45
6 Rémy Di Gregorio (Fra) Française Des Jeux               0.51
7 Dario Cataldo (Ita) Quick Step                              
8 Mathias Frank (Swi) BMC Racing Team                         
9 Alejandro Valverde (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne                   
10 Cadel Evans (Aus) Silence-Lotto          


Current GC
1 Roman Kreuziger (Cze) Liquigas                              10.50.25
2 Vladimir Karpets (Rus) Team Katusha                        0.18
3 Rein Taaramae (Est) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne          0.25
4 Alejandro Valverde (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne                 0.46
5 Rigoberto Uran (Col) Caisse d'Epargne                       0.48
6 Lars Ytting Bak (Den) Team Saxo Bank                      1.01 
7 Cadel Evans (Aus) Silence-Lotto                                 1.07
8 Tony Martin (Ger) Team Columbia - Highroad             1.08
9 Fredrik Kessiakoff (Swe) Fuji-Servetto                        1.16
10 Kanstantsin Siutsou (Blr) Team Columbia - Highroad    1.21



For some good picks and live report, check out Willj's Race Report.

It's been while since we've had a poll after a race.  There seemed to be a bunch after stages of P-N and T-A, and maybe some after the cobbles too.  So here's a Liege-Bastogne-Liege poll. 

Since I need 75 words, I enjoyed it thoroughly and am very grateful to Andy for helping out my VDS team, hopefully I'm near the top 100.  But that might be asking a lot since I don't have HH or Bert.

The title says it all, except that it's a rider profile.  Chris' poll of potential winners was so generous to exclude Mr. Hushovd based on his previous results in RVV and P-R.  But on the same poll other riders, with lesser classics' results were included.  Chris wasn't too far off since Unibet gives him 30:1 odds, similiar to Kroon, Klier and Langeveld.  In this post I'm going to try to evaluate his actual chance of winning the next Monument.

Continue reading this post »

After the start of stage 1 of the ToC, Davis Bike Club (DBC) will host a junior crit.  There are three races starting soon after the peloton heads out of town.  (I expect they won't start on time, like most races.) 

The race is a ~.5 mi. four-corner loop around Central Park, the same place the pros leave from. 

The best race will probably be the 15-18 men's race at 1:15 pm. I expect to see a heated battle between some local junior teams, including DBC and Specialized Juniors.

Come out and cheer for the future of the sport.

I've attached a link to the race flyer.

Gav's note: I'm sticking this on the front page to make sure it gets noticed. If you are going to be anywhere near the finish in Davis, definitely stick around for the Junior crit. There's really nothing more fun than watching a bunch of frothing groms on a crit course. Support the kids!

I'll put the results on the flip in case you are going to watch it later or something.  Sounds like it was a super fast course, more like a dirt crit than a cross race.  But at least there wasn't a bunch sprint (16+ riders) for second like the under-23 race.

Maybe they should have gotten out the firehoses and wet down the course before hand.  Sorta like they do at the ski resorts with the fake snow.  Fake cross conditions.

Continue reading this post »

So cyclocross world championships is upon us this weekend and I was just wondering who everyone favored to win the Elite Men's event? 

I'm fairly certain Katie Compton will take the women's event, assuming she gets the muddy technical conditions she was hoping for. 

But I can't figure out who's the favorite for the Men's race.  Albert, Nys, Boom, and Vervecken all come to mind.  There a couple others that could do it too, Stybar and Wellens to name two. 

So what do you all think?

[Chris] Your humble editor chimes in -- I can't do a big preview any justice, but the races (men's and women's) will both be live on Cycling.TV and on-demand at Universalsports.com.

p.s.- I added a couple of links to some previews and info that others had already included in the comments.  Thanks to everyone for compiling all this info, teamwork is great.

Cancellara may ride Amstel Gold Race and Fleche Wallone this year, after focusing on Flanders.  Apparently, he wants to win all five Monuments (MSR, Flanders, P-R, L-B-L, Lombardia) during the course of his career.  Has he realized neither AGR or F-W are Monuments? 

He thinks he can be competitive by losing a few kilos, much like he did at the Olympic RR this year.  If his Olympic performance is any indicator, his goal may not be so far-fetched.

Will he aim for winning a Grand Tour next, a la Francesco Moser?  Maybe the Swiss Tour will pacify their course enough so he can win it but I doubt ASO and RCS will be on his side.

Another exciting cyclocross weekend in the Low Countries, unfortunately, I was in California, so I had to watch football instead.  There was a World Cup race on Saturday in Koksijde, Belguim, known for long plentiful sandy sections.  Sunday was a Superprestige race in Gieten, Netherlands, held in typical muddy conditions.

But first I'll recap from the previous weekend with a GVA-Trofee race in Hasselt, Belguim and a Superprestige in Hamme-Zogge, Belguim.  The NACT also rapped up in the Hamptons.

Continue reading this post »

Lots of exciting racing and injuries over the weekend, in both the U.S. and Belguim. 

First off, a Superprestige race in Gravere, Belguim on Sunday; better than church.  The Elite men's race, was won by some Belguim guy that wins a lot of those types of races, I think his name is Nijs or Nys.  He was on the podium with his old rival, Bart Wellens and Klaas Vantornout.  Finally, those young guns (Boom and Albert) have had a schooling by the old guard.  But in all fairness Albert was schooled by the course, not the old guard, since he went down in practice on Saturday and tore his spleen in the crash.   This may be karma for his claims about winning Tours without doping being impossible.

Jonathan Page continued to have bad luck finishing 16th, after crashing, breaking a rear deraileur, and puncturing, but he's confident he'll be on the podium again.

Continue reading this post »

I've compiled a list of the top 21 riders that are the best deal based on the ratio of their VDS points scored to VDS cost.  Before I show you the list, there are a few disclaimers.

-I didn't include riders costing less than 4 points because at 1 and 2 points, they're all good deals.  At this level it becomes a shot in the dark approach to selection.

-I ranked the top 20 but there was a tie for 13th place, hence 21 riders.

-I included dopers because Virtual Directors scored points from them and unfortunately, one is the headliner of this list.

Take a look at the list and I'll add a little more insight, but not much, into what I found. 

Continue reading this post »

I almost did.  Igor Astarloa got canned for irregular blood values early in the season.  Surprising, considering he hasn't won anything since '03, except Milan-Turin.  It sucks to dope and still be a poor rider.

Then along came the Frank Schleck debacle, still pretty minor.  If I were Riis, I would make sure there was a serious violation before I let him go too.

Finally, Bernhard Kohl got busted.  Looking back it makes sense, he was with T-Mob before they jumped ship, and riding well at that.  Then a year of nothing.  Then 3rd in the Tour!?! 

If you did survive the whole season without a violation, you deserve an award for sniffing out the clean ones.