civetta
May 10, 2009 Jun 01, 2012 28 10449
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Nibali burns a bridge or two...
Not that I've actually seen the original Gazzetta article, but Vincenzo Nibali is widely quoted (in this Cycling News item and elsewhere) heavily criticizing his Liquigas-Cannondale team in today's edition for not giving him a say in his racing programme. Following advice from national team selector Paolo Bettini, Nibali would like to start the Vuelta as preparation for the Worlds. The team plan to send him to Colorado and Utah instead. If - following Basso's disappointing Giro performance - Liquigas were hoping to keep Nibali as their main GC threat, it seems they may have a bit of a job on their hands.
It's also being reported that Bettini is planning to select Nibali for the Olympic timetrial rather than Giro Milan TT stage winner Marco Pinotti. Pinotti had been targeting the Olympic TT during his comeback from serious injury, having also missed out four years ago in Beijing.
A 'shameless' plug for women's cycling (& PdC)...
It's preaching to the converted (since PdC gets a mention, plus one or two individuals we know well round here...) but here's Bridie O'Donnell's eloquent plea for us (plus eminent male cyclists, their fans & bloggers) to spread the word about women's cycling in Olympic year. There's a fair few useful links - including one or two you might recognize ;-) - throughout the piece.
17 days ago
civetta
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That Cooke-Armitstead dispute in full...
The slight disagreement between Nicole Cooke and other members of the British women's cycling team which has been smouldering since, oh, the 2010 National Championships at least has erupted with comments made by Lizzie Armitstead to Cycling Weekly.
In her usual forthright manner, Armitstead claims Cooke rode only for herself at the Copenhagen Worlds, where the Welsh rider finished fourth. Armitstead, who was the team leader, came in seventh having been delayed by a crash.
According to Cycling Weekly, Armitstead took on her team mate in a post-worlds meeting, claiming "I'm really happy I did, because it's been an unspoken situation for too long."
None of this is exactly a surprise. Whether defending champion Cooke or Armitstead - who's shown better form the last couple of seasons - should lead the team at London 2012 was always going to be contentious. Armitstead's recent decision not to put herself forward to ride the Omnium on the track at the Olympics has brought the road leadership issue back into focus.
EDIT: see the link posted by ant1 below for further news from Cycling Weekly that Simon Cope, manager of the GB women's team and former women's academy boss (when GB had a women's academy), was laid off at the beginning of November. In his interview Cope is rather scathing to say the least about British Cycling's commitment to women's cycling.
RE-EDIT That article now seems to have been taken down.
A day in the country: British National Championships race report
by civetta on Jun 27, 2011 5:42 PM EDT
on Podium Cafe
This year's National Road Race Championships took place in and around the Northumberland village of Stamfordham, far enough from Newcastle to be a pain to get to but near enough the footballers' enclave of Ponteland to be the sort of place where you're unsurprised to see several Ferraris in an afternoon.
Before the start Bradley Wiggins was most people's clear favourite, not just for his Dauphiné form but also because he gave the domestic riders a bit of a lesson in winning the Beaumont Trophy over the same circuit a couple of years ago.
As the riders lined up for the start along the village's main street, the nine Team Sky riders were to the fore:
More after the jump.
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Tour of Britain route announced
by civetta on Apr 19, 2011 7:26 PM EDT
on Podium Cafe
For some (ok, not many) the most important race of the year, Tour of Britain route was launched earlier today at the London Transport Museum in a presentation which, if photos posted on twitter are to be believed, eschewed video with swanky graphics for the sophistication of maps mounted on foamboard.
The race begins in Peebles, Scotland on 11 September and ends in London the following Sunday. Chief innovation this year is a split stage on the final day, with a 10k time trial in the morning followed by a criterium round Whitehall in the afternoon. A time trial hasn't featured in the Tour of Britain since serious issues with timing equipment six years ago. Its reintroduction should favour home riders such as Bradley Wiggins, Alex Dowsett and Geraint Thomas if they ride.
Gesink out of Lombardia
Following his dad's injury in a serious mountain bike crash, Giro dell'Emilia winner Gesink has returned home.
Adam Blythe wins stages 1 & 3 - & update! the overall - at Circuit Franco Belge.
Adam Blythe, who (most important fact in the whole story, this) grew up 10 minutes down the road from me, got his first pro win in Mouscron today, ahead of Gerald Ciolek & Kristof Goddaert. Still, sheer naked campanilismo aside, it's a bit more cheery news on a rather gloomy day.
UPDATE! Now with added stage 3 winningness!
UPDATE! Wouter Weylandt wins stage 4 but Blythe, who punctured inside 10k to go, makes it back to the peloton thanks to teammate Oliver Kaisen & claims the overall.
Final GC (thanks Majope):
1. Blythe
2. Van Marcke
3. Fuglsang
4. Guarnieri
5. Marcato
And we have a winner! VDS Doughnut League
Just in case people have missed it in the Plouay thread, with Mauro Santambrogio's 5th place in the GP Ouest-France today mpw5's The English Apple Season becomes the first VDS team to have every rider score. Well done.
a few (rather belated) Giro 2009 photos
by civetta on May 7, 2010 8:13 PM EDT
on Podium Cafe
So one afternoon last year at the end of May, I was sitting around daydreaming of sunnier climes and booking my biannual trip to Venice, when it suddenly occurred to me that it was perfectly possibly to be in Rome on Sunday en route. And when Sunday came, there I was. So here, hours before last year's Giro is finally consigned to history, is a pic or two.
via lh4.ggpht.com
Behind the scenes at the Trofeo Alfredo Binda with Lotto Ladies team, in another of Veronica Andreasson's charming if rather random videos. Includes about a second & a half of footage of the finish followed by rather more coverage of the UCI chaperones. Source.
Copenhagen Track Worlds Day 1
by civetta on Mar 24, 2010 3:48 PM EDT
on Podium Cafe
First day of the track worlds from Copenhagen. Already a bit of a dent to British Cycling's pride when "Sir" Chris Hoy & team only made the team sprint bronze medal race behind France and Germany, who will contest the gold medal race. Anna Meares won the 500m time trial and as I type, her fellow Australian Cam Meyer is absolutely killing the points race ahead of a field including Kluge, Schep, Riblon etc. Meyer's currently an amazing 37 - yes 37! - points ahead.
Jonny Bellis to leave hospital
Six months after a scooter crash in Quarrata, Tuscany that resulted in life-threatening head injuries, Jonny Bellis is expected to leave hospital this weekend. While he clearly has a way to go to a full recovery, it's really good to hear this news of his progress.
Nicole Cooke to ride for British National Team in 2010
by civetta on Feb 5, 2010 12:26 PM EST
on Podium Cafe
British Cycling have announced that Nicole Cooke will ride for the British National Team this season following the collapse of the former Team Nürnberger with which Cooke signed in the summer. After discussions with Dave Brailsford (in his capacity as Performance Director of British Cycling), the Olympic and former world road race champion has agreed a programme of races and will join the British squad for a training camp in Mallorca on 3 March.
According to a quote on the British Cycling website, Cooke received confirmation on Tuesday from Team Nürnberger manager Alexander Oppelt's lawyer that the team with which she has a "valid uncancelled two year contract" no longer exists. Where that leaves other riders seems unclear. The team ran into difficulties after a new sponsorship deal with Skyter, a charter yacht company, fell through.
The British Cycling piece ends with a nice bit of editorializing from website editor Larry Hickmott, who suggests that the UCI are failing in their responsibility towards women's cycling and should perhaps enforce greater integration between men's and women's teams. That's particularly interesting when you consider that Brailsford is now once again running a de facto team for Cooke, when not a few people thought that a women's team should have been part of the Team Sky project all along (and for a drop in the ocean of their budget).
Davide Viganò confirmed for Sky (update: plus Barry, Pauwels, Sutton)
No, I won't dredge up that photo, but according to Tuttobiciweb, Davide Viganò has finally confirmed that he's signed a contract with Team Sky for next year. Whether it's just for next season or stretches beyond that is unclear. Viganò's the second Italian to sign for Sky (whose sponsors have major media interests in Italy) following Morris Possoni from Columbia. On the other hand, Viganò's current Fuji-Servetto team mate and seemingly inseparable best buddy Eros Capecchi, who had also been strongly rumoured for Sky, now appears to be sticking with the newly re-packaged Footon-Servetto squad.
Update: Serge Pauwels (from Cervélo), Michael Barry (Columbia) and Chris Sutton (Garmin & nephew of British Cycling/Team Sky coach Shane Sutton) are also now confirmed, according to Lionel Birnie on Twitter (thanks Jens). All heavily trailed so no surprises anywhere, except perhaps the length of time it's taken to make them official. That brings Sky up to twenty confirmed riders on the roster.
Jonny Bellis update
Now breathing unaided and beginning to emerge from a medically-induced coma but still in intensive care in Florence, following his scooter accident in Quarrata, Tuscany, on 19 September.
British Worlds Team
by civetta on Sep 21, 2009 5:45 AM EDT
on Podium Cafe
From British Cycling's website. Still a ten-man squad for the men's road race, presumably because they're waiting to see if Cavendish will be fit after his illness at the Tour of Missouri. A decision will be made by Thursday, so they're cutting it fine in the hope of getting him in there, it appears.
Updated: British Cycling have confirmed that Cavendish will not ride. As expected, the place goes to Ian Stannard instead.
Time machine: Tour of Britain Stage 2 all over again
by civetta on Sep 18, 2009 9:04 PM EDT
on Podium Cafe
Ok, so it's a pretty rubbish time machine if last Sunday's as far back as it goes but, having finally finished an exhibition installation from hell and in desperate need of distraction, I finally got round to putting up a photo or two.
So come with me, if you will, back to last weekend in lovely Darlo...
Tour of Britain Stage 7
by civetta on Sep 18, 2009 7:57 AM EDT
on Podium Cafe
159.7 km from Hatherleigh to Yeovil, as the peloton travel back from Devon to Somerset. There appears not to be an inch of flat on this stage, and the finish itself is uphill, but, frankly, whether anything can stop a fearsome Columbia and Edvald Boasson Hagen seems somewhat unlikely at this point. Map and profile.
Since it's last chance saloon, there have already been multiple attempted breaks, mostly policed by Columbia or brought straight back. Currently British national champ & Albertina's fave Kristian House of Rapha Condor and Stian Remme of Joker Bianchi have about a 4 min 38 lead 95km into the stage.
ToB twitter (sounding increasingly desperate for attacks) here. Rapha Condor and Joker Bianchi are even better sources than yesterday, given that it's their riders in the break.
Update: In a glorious victory for hair gel, Pippo Pozzato led out Katusha team mate Ben Swift to beat Edvald Boasson Hagen in the inevitable sprint.
Boasson Hagen's third place gives him enough bonus seconds to extend his lead over stage 2 winner Kai Reus (7th on the stage) to 23 secs. Kristian House gained 3 bonus seconds during his long escape with Stian Remme and then finished with the peloton to move up to tenth overall. EBH also leads the points competition from Chris Sutton. Assuming he finishes tomorrow, Thomas de Gendt will take home both the sprints & KOM jerseys.
Tour of Britain Stage 6
by civetta on Sep 17, 2009 6:37 AM EDT
on Podium Cafe
At 183.7km from Frome to Bideford, this is the longest and toughest stage of this year's race, starting in the Mendips in Somerset and travelling over the Quantocks, before crossing Exmoor into Devon. Map and profile. (Some clown from The Guardian's travel section attempts to ride it without sensible clothing here. He's surprised, though pleased, to find rural areas actually have taxis.)
Frankly, after yesterday's possibly slightly disappointing stage (notwithstanding the magnificence of Boasson Hagen and the Columbia train), if this doesn't sort them out a bit nothing will, but hopefully the last climb on Exmoor should be late enough and hard enough to stop the peloton regrouping.
Currently a five man break comprising probable future team mates Serge Pauwels (Cervelo), Ian Stannard (ISD), Ben Swift (Katusha) and Geraint Thomas (Barloworld), together with incorrigible serial escapee Thomas de Gendt (Topsport), doubtless out to defend his KOM jersey (& probably the sprints jersey too), has a lead of around 2 mins or so.
Edvald Boasson Hagen leads overall by 9 secs from previous leader Kai Reus. Of the riders currently in the break, Thomas, Pauwels and Stannard are all 35 secs back.
ToB tracker and twitter as ever.
Update: Wishful thinking on my part. The inevitable happened, the indomitable Columbia team controlled the race and brought it all neatly back together 2k out for their man Edvald Boasson Hagen, who duly won the sprint from Martin Reimer and Russell Downing. With time bonuses EBH is now 19 secs ahead of stage 2 winner Kai Reus overall; he also leads the points competition. Thomas de Gendt is ahead in both the sprints and KOM (ha ha) competions by what look like unassailable margins (but I haven't done the maths so, erm, I don't know).
Stage 6 results (in full here)
1. Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor) Columbia-HTC in 4-05-20
2. Martin Reimer (Ger) Cervelo
3. Russell Downing (GB) CandiTV-Marshalls Pasta
4. Koldo Fernandez (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi
5. Peirpaolo De Negri (Ita) ISD-Neri
6. Michel Merlo (Ita) Barloworld
7. Chris Sutton (Aus) Garmin-Slipstream
8. Reinier Honig (Ned) Vacansoleil
9. Alan Marangoni (Ita) CSF Navigare
10. Davide Appoilonio (Ita) Cervelo all same time.
General classification (in full here)
1. Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor) Columbia-HTC in 22-17-17
2. Kai Reus (Ned) Rabobank at 19sec
3. Martin Reimer (Ger) Cervelo at 21sec
4. Chris Sutton (Aus) Garmin-Slipstream at 24sec
5. Russell Downing (GB) CandiTV-Marshalls Pasta at 35sec
6. Geraint Thomas (GB) Barloworld at 36sec
7. Geoffroy Lequatre (Fra) Agritubel at 40sec
8. Simon Clarke (Aus) ISD-Neri at 40sec
9. Reinier Honig (Ned) Vacansoleil at 42sec
10. Serge Pauwels (Bel) Cervelo at 42sec
Tour of Britain Stage 5
by civetta on Sep 16, 2009 8:36 AM EDT
on Podium Cafe
Stoke-Leek-Stoke, basically, over 134 lumpy kilometres, and though the route mainly avoids the seriously bleak moorland up above Leek by turning back to Stoke, the hills may well break the peloton up a bit today. Map and profile.
ToB twitter. Helsy is at the finish, possibly leading the massed crowds in a rendition of Delilah (except, of course, the Vale fans). Or possibly not...
Edvald Boasson Hagen brilliantly won last year's stage into Stoke on a different route but over similar terrain; in this year's race, after two stage wins in two days he is one second behind race leader Kai Reus.
There's currently a break of four: Marangoni (CSF Navigare), local lad Dan Fleeman (Cervelo), Lapthorne (Rapha Condor) and, after some shenanigans, it seems, Nicolas Vogondy (Agritubel).
Update: EBH wins sprint from Pozzato & Downing, moving into overall lead over previous leader Kai Reus by 9 seconds. He also has the points jersey ahead of Sutton (Garmin). Thomas de Gendt (Topsport) leads both the sprints & king of the small hills competitions.
Stage five results (in full here, thanks to Albertina)
1. Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor) Columbia-HTC in 3-15-57
2. Filippo Pozzato (Ita) Katusha
3. Russell Downing (GB) CandiTV-Marshalls Pasta
4. Aitor Galdos (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi
5. Simon Clarke (Aus) ISD-Neri
6. Reinier Honig (Ned) Vacansoleil
7. Pierpaolo De Negri (Ita) ISD-Neri
8. Carlo Sconamiglio (Ita) Barloworld
9. Chris Sutton (Aus) Garmin-Slipstream
10. Mauro Finetto (Ita) CSF Navigare all same time.
GC after stage 5 (in full here)
1. Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor) Columbia-HTC in 18-12-07
2. Kai Reus (Ned) Rabobank at 9sec
3. Chris Sutton (Aus) Garmin-Slipstream at 14sec
4. Martin Reimer (Ger) Cervelo at 17sec
5. Russell Downing (GB) CandiTV-Marshalls Pasta at 29sec
6. Simon Clarke (Aus) ISD-Neri at 30sec
7. Geoffroy Lequatre (Fra) Agritubel at 30sec
8. Reinier Honig (Ned) Vacansoleil at 32sec
9. Rob Ruygh (Ned) Vacansoleil at 32sec
10. Federico Canuti (Ita) CSF Navigare at 34sec
Team Sky - at last! (sort of...)
Well, shortly, anyway. So says Orla Chennaoui of Sky News.
Update! Chris here... I started a second post, but better to just merge. The skinny:
I fully don't get why we have to wait for the names to be unveiled... dramatic effect? Probably just the vagueries of contracts. In any event, the new British squad announced a half-dozen names, all kinda sorta locals, including some talented kids:
Steve Cummings
Chris Froome
Geraint Thomas
Ian Stannard
Russell Downing
Peter Kennaugh
Froome, Kennaugh, Stannard and Thomas are all shy of 25. Stannard survived a classics season with Landbouwkrediet, while Kennaugh took an impressive third at the Baby Giro. More at Cycling Weekly. Keep staying tuned, I guess.
Update II Now added:
Edvald Boasson Hagen
Lars Petter Nordhaug
Kurt Asle Arvesen
Thomas Lövkvist
Juan Antonio Flecha
Kjell Carlström
Morris Possoni
Greg Henderson
John-Lee Augustyn
Simon Gerrans
Provisional Tour of Britain startlist
Not bad looking... I see Roger Hammond is meant to be in two places at once though.
British TT Championships Sunday 6 September: Pooley & Wiggins win
by civetta on Sep 3, 2009 5:28 PM EDT
on Podium Cafe
Far away from sunny Spain, the British National TT Championships take place round the Claydons in deepest darkest Buckinghamshire this Sunday. (For the geographically-minded, draw a line from Birmingham to London and stick a cross roughly in the middle.) The course is a 10.8 mile loop along "rolling" country lanes, 2 laps (20.8 miles taking into account the start/finish, apparently) for women and espoirs, and three (31.5 miles) for men (yes miles, this is the CTT here). Map, and course photos showing mild inclines and dubious road surfaces at the bottom of this page. As ever, the roads will not be closed.
Nibali staying at Liquigas for 2010
After persistent rumours linking him with Team Sky, Vincenzo Nibali has told Cycling Weekly that he's seeing out his contract with the Italian team, despite "some problems at Liquigas because there are a lot of stage race leaders". He has, however, been talking to Max Sciandri and may reconsider a move in 2011 once his current contract expires.
In the same interview, Nibali confirms his intention to take legal action against Fanini & Repubblica over allegations he had beenworking with Michele Ferrari near Livigno.
Wiggins speaks...
... no, not just semi-drunkenly on Twitter, but to Donald McRae of The Guardian.
I wonder if he will go to Sky. For those who haven't been following the British Cycling track thingy & fondly imagine Team Sky will be some kind of Mk II Katusha, this is a pretty good corrective. That said, I found it an infuriating article (very nearly put Infuriating Interview with Wiggins as the title, but then thought that would be editorializing slightly too much...).
Nicole Cooke's Vision 1 team cancels rest of season's race programme
Latest setback for Cooke's team, after manager Stefan Wyman (whose team it originally was) jumped ship in May. Cooke withdrew from the Thuringen Rundfahrt due to illness, and will race in GB colours once she's fit.
The team are apparently hoping to continue and are looking for sponsors for next year. In the current climate, that won't be an easy task, and again raises the question of why a women's team was never part of the Team Sky project, especially since Brailsford et al used Cooke's Halfords set up last year as a bit of a proving ground for their team organising skills. Even at that modest level it wasn't continued. Why? As Cooke has already said, "Ask Dave Brailsford"...
moan moan moan
Riders discuss what they hate about the Tour. Jens! especially entertaining but then, you'd expect no less.
(Juliet Macur does good stuff. Probably the best coverage from a mainstream paper anywhere? & possibly more interesting than a far amount of the cycling media too.).
French court cannot rule on Boonen
From L'Equipe. The judge has declared that the court cannot make a ruling in the case, because the agreement between ASO & the teams states that disputes should be settled by the court of arbitration of the French Olympic committee (CSNOF). Surely Quickstep should have known that??
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