SB Nation User Blog: gavia

Eight Ball Goes to the Tour

gavia — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 16:27:07 -0000

Quick-View: Christopher Thompson's Tour de France

gavia — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 19:34:37 -0000

Christopher S. Thompson, The Tour de France: A Cultural History, Updated Ed., Los Angeles: University of California Press, 2008.

Last winter, during those dark days when there is no bike racing, I decided to read and review The Tour de France: A Cultural History, by Christopher S. Thompson. I bought the book, always a good first step. I even read it, and scribbled nonsense all over the pages, as I have the habit of doing. Then, I started writing a draft review, a review that I never got around to finishing it. There was a doping scandal or a bike race, or well, who knows why. Months dragged on, races happened, no review.

This book deserves to be reviewed at length. This is not that review, but instead a short overview - call it a quick-view - of Thompson’s history. This book is filled fascinating material, and I don’t really do it justice here. But I did want to bring the book to the Cafe party, because I do think many of you would enjoy reading it.

Below the flip, then, Gav’s Quick-View.

One note before we get started: The new edition includes a preface, which covers the Landis case and other relatively current issues. I’d advise reading it as an epilogue rather than a preface. But that’s just me.

Thompson, an Associate Professor of History at Ball State University, sets out in this book to trace the relationship between the Tour de France and French culture over time. His account begins in the 1890s, and he swiftly lays out the cultural landscape of France during a time period of significant economic, social, and political change. The late 19th century marked the emergence of an increasingly educated middle class, who had the time and means to pursue leisure activities. They read newspapers and magazines, shopped in the new department stores, and travelled as tourists to different regions of France. They also attended the World’s Fairs, which showcased the new technological marvels of the age, among them the bicycle. The Tour’s conception comes at the intersection of these changes, and Thompson neatly and concisely explains how the Henri Desgranges’ invention is a product of its time and place.

Politically, this period also marked a period of rebuilding for France after the defeat by Germany in 1871. The history students in the audience will recall that the Franco-Prussian War ended with humiliation as the Germans declared their newly-unified state from the halls of France’s Versailles castle. L’ouch. Thompson explains how the Tour mapped a geographical representation of French identity and served as a vehicle to celebrate French national unity. Thompson has done his homework and his analysis of school textbooks helps to demonstrate the importance of the Tour in imagining the French nation.

Thompson is at his best when he shows how the Tour represents competing ideals and how it becomes a space for arguments over wider cultural norms. At its outset, the Desgranges set out to create a Cult of Heroism around the Tour. This idea emphasized the human nature of the competitors and celebrated their extreme suffering. The cult of heroism sought to challenge the mechanized technology of the industrial society of the time. In short, to suffer was to be human. Thompson analyzes the early coverage of the Tour and finds that it emphasizes the human traits necessary for victory. Determination, ambition, will-power: these characteristics allowed the successful rider to overcome the Tour’s monstrous difficulties.

Yet, this Cult of Heroism did not go unchallenged, and over time, critics of the Tour used it to raise questions about cultural norms and assumptions. For example, Thompson devotes a chapter to examining the conflicting ideas about gender that the Tour evoked. In the main, the Tour in its early years reinforced traditional gender roles for women. Thompson highlights the efforts of Tour organizers to portray winning racers as models of masculinity. The podium presentations, for example, involved women - podium girls - in a role designed to show the winners as desirable and attractive. The author links these ideals to the fate of women's’ racing in France, which enjoyed little, if any support.

Thompson also includes fascinating analysis of the relationship between the Tour and debates about labor. He places the debates over doping controls into this context. Thompson does not entirely explain the shift in attitudes from acceptance of doping to opposition, though he hints that it is related to a wider cultural shift in the 1960s in which many perceived drug use as the purview of the counter-culture. At the same time, Thompson’s analysis usefully contextualizes events such as Bjarne Riis’s advocacy of a hematocrit limit as a protection of worker safety.

The book also makes a great deal of sense out of the Armstrong story. Thompson finds links between the portrayal of Armstrong’s 1999 victory and the themes of suffering and resistance at the heart of the Tour’s Cult of Heroism. During Armstrong’s later years, the press in France turned against him, deriding him as "le robot," and suggesting that he had relied on doping, rather than human qualities to triumph. To be a robot was to lose the human qualities that made for true heroics, according to the traditional narrative of the Tour that Thompson lays out.

With this book, Thompson has written a deeply researched and insightful study of the Tour’s importance in French culture and the ways in which the race both reflected, challenged, and communicated French identity. The research is prodigious and Thompson has burrowed deeply into the historical record.

Two areas are curiously absent from the book. First, the riders themselves are largely silent players in this account. We learn a great deal about Desgranges and his successor Goddet, but considerably less about the riders’ views of the race. Few stories from the race make it into this account. To some degree, it is unfair to demand this, since it is clear that Thompson is writing about the interaction between the Tour and French society not about the race itself. Still, greater attention to the riders and their exploits would add more depth to this valuable study.

Second, Thompson devotes surprisingly little attention to the relationship between the Tour and the French state. The absence of the state is particularly striking when Thompson turns his attention to the doping issue. He briefly lays out the main developments of the 1998 Festina Affair, writing that the authorities decided to crack down on doping. Thompson also alludes to changing attitudes in French society about drug use. Drug use of all kinds became associated with the social upheavals and revolutionary fervor of the late 1960s, a symbol for lawlessness and challenges to the social order. Were there political changes that led the French government to place the Tour under greater scrutiny? Why did the government choose to crack down the race and its riders in 1998? Thompson does not entirely answer these questions.

But these criticisms do not detract significantly from the value of Thompson’s study. Most cycling fans understand intuitively that the Tour de France is more than a bike race. Thompson helps us to understand why and to understand the deep connection between the Tour and French national identity. The essential French-ness of the race has often befuddled foreign observers, who at times can not understand the decisions the race organizers make or the attitudes found in the press. Thompson has made a great deal of sense out of this complicated story. This book should be essential reading for fans of the Tour.

Update on the Boonen Case

gavia — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 18:07:29 -0000

A court in Nanterre will hear the case between Tom Boonen and the Tour de France tomorrow. According to Boonen's lawyers, they will produce a document in which the ASO agreed to accept the UCI's position on Boonen's participation in this year's Tour de France. In short, they claim the ASO agreed to allow Boonen to ride. The document, a letter from the UCI to Patrick Lefevre, reportedly confirms the ASO's position to allow Boonen's participation.

Then, as we know, the ASO announced that they would not welcome the QuickStep sprinter on the grounds that his presence would "damage" the image of the race. The ASO used this same argument to exclude the Fuji-Servetto team, an argument that the sports arbitration court in Lausanne chose to uphold. L'Équipe confirms that the ASO's decision to exclude Boonen came as a consequence of the intervention of the French Sports Minister, Bernard Laporte. During the Critérium Dauphiné Libéré, Laporte announced that Boonen was not welcome at the Tour, nevermind that Boonen was then racing in France at the Dauphiné. Reportedly, Laporte had no idea the Belgian sprinter was riding the French race at the time.

Boonen's lawyers claim that the existence of the document confirming the ASO's initial willingness to allow Boonen to ride makes the organization's current position untenable. If they were willing to welcome him to this year's race, how could he now be viewed as "damaging to the race image?" So, the lawyers' argument goes, at least. It is unclear just yet whether they will win their case, of course. But if the document exists and it matches their claims, the Boonen team may have a powerful weapon to overturn his exclusion from the July party.

One more twist to the story. Bernard Laporte, the former coach of the French national rugby team, left his post as Minister of Sport today. Laporte has held the position since 2007, after supporting Sarkozy's presidential campaign. Rama Yade, a former Secretary for Human Rights in the French Foreign Ministry, has taken his place. The move is interpreted by some as a demontion for Yade, after falling out of favor with Sarkozy over her unwillingness to stand for elections to the European Union parliament.

— Source, L'Équipe.fr.

The Five Names: Bio-passport Case

gavia — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 14:58:52 -0000

The UCI has announced that five riders will be sanctioned as a result of apparent violations found in their bio-passport data. The five are:

• Igor Astarloa Ascasibar of Amica Chips
• Pietro Caucchioli of Lampre-Ngc
• Francesco De Bonis of Diquigiovanni Androni
• Ruben Lobato Elvira, a Spanish rider who is not currently under contract
• Ricardo Serrano Gonzalez of Fuji-Servetto

The UCI will begin the proceedings shortly, though they have offered no specific time-line. The decision to open cases comes on the recommendation of independent experts the UCI has asked to interpret the passport data.

According to the press release, the UCI has conducted tests on 840 riders in the passport program. "An assessment of the first year of the bio-passport would not be complete without mentioning the fact that the overall analysis shows... that a very large majority of their profiles do not display any anomalies," claims the UCI. While these numbers sound like good news, the positive tests returned by several riders in the last year suggest the limits of the passport's reach.

The press release concludes by extolling the merits of the passport program and declaring that "today's announcement is a very important step in the battle against doping." "The UCI is proud, once more, to be the pioneering international federation in this field. After the introduction of blood tests in 1997 and the EPO detection test in 2001, it is now through the biological passport that the UCI is confronting the scourge of doping." Apparently, this announcement also marks the "dawn of a new future." Ahem.

No reaction has yet surfaced from the teams or riders involved, but two of the riders involved have previously come under suspicion. Astarloa has previously come under doping suspicions, and Milram cancelled a contract with the former World Champion and withdrew him from the 2008 Giro d'Italia. Francesco De Bonis met a similar fate at Gerolsteiner last season. The 27 year old Italian raced through May with the German team, who hired him on the recommendation of Davide Rebellin. Gerolsteiner quietly put him on the inactive list and he disappeared from sight, until he received a contract for this year from Diquigiovanni-Androni.

Source, The UCI Press Service.

Update: Lampre-Ngc has suspended Pietro Caucchioli as a consequence of the UCI's announcement today. The team doctor Carlo Guardascione has confirmed that the team has received the information from the UCI. The potential violation dates from September 2008, before Caucchioli rode for Lampre-Ngc, and results from a blood test taken before the Tour of Poland. "For 2009, considering the information we have in our possession, we have not seen any anamolies and the behavior maintained by the rider has a normal health profile," explained Guardascione. — Source, Tuttobiciweb.it.

Update: Diquigiovanni-Androni has issued a statement in relation to Francesco De Bonis. The team has suspended the rider pending the outcome of disciplinary proceedings. Similarly to the Caucchioli case, the Diquigiovanni-Androni statement notes that the possible violation ocurred during the 2008 season, according to the information they have received from the UCI. The team confirms that De Bonis has not recorded any anamolous test results during the 2009 season. —Source, Tuttobiciweb.it.

Piccola Polemica: Cunego Speaks His Mind

gavia — Fri, 15 May 2009 00:40:18 -0000

A bit of polemica arose today on the Giro post-race show over an interview Damiano Cunego gave to Gazzetta dello Sport after Wednesday's stage finish at Alpe di Siusi. Cunego suffered a "giorno no," conceding over 2 minutes in the general classification. Not exactly the start he would have liked.

During Thursday's post-race show, the assembled journalists did not let him off easy. Gigi Sgarbozza, a former pro, complimented the 2004 Giro winner on his talent, calling him fuoriclasse, and wondering what had happened since 2004. Cunego's answer was philosophical: "you win, you lose, that's bike racing. I haven't lost my passion." Sgarbozza thinks Cunego should turn full time to the classics, including Milano-Sanremo. Cunego's answer, a simple No. He did not look at all pleased with the suggestion. Davide Cassani suggested that the problems were in Cunego's head, that perhaps he loses his confidence. Cunego said he was simply tired, and the stage didn't go well. He also said he is hoping to chase a stage win when the Giro heads into the Appenino.

Nothing too controversial there, until Bulbarelli, the commentator for RAI, read back a portion of Cunego's interview with Gazzetta dello Sport, in which the Lampre rider said that certain results "should be rewritten." Cunego looked distinctly uncomfortable at this, but also said that he did not intend to accuse anyone specific of doping.

So what did Cunego say to Gazzetta? Below the fold, my friends, below the fold.

Here is my translation of the interview in Gazzetta dello Sport.

Let's start with the Headline, just for fun:
"Cunego Disappointed: But I did what I could"
"I lost, but I already know that the classification will be rewritten after the fact."

Ahem.

The interview begins by asking if Cunego is disappointed to lose time.

"No. If I become disappointed every time that it does not go well... The life of a rider is like this: moments of great joy and moments more delicate. I must be strong to deal with this situation: not let myself go too much when I win, and not too much when I lose. Today, I lost. The rythm was too high for my possiblities. I could not do it, I was outside the race, I had to ride a lower tempo."

"At 6 kilometers to go, I continued with my climb: I rode at 19th or 20th, who knows how many others. And I want to thank Bruseghin, who gave me a hand. I tried to go well, I was curious to see how the others would go and how I would, maybe I paid a little, because the previous night I did not sleep well, but I am not looking for excuses: I did not have the strength to stay with those at the front. I did everything that I could, gave what I had. And I accept the results, even the negatives."

"There exists physical limits. My principle is this: To do what I can in the way that I should. With a conscience. The people who know you, understand you, appreciate you, esteem you, and respect you. There is a finishing order on the day, which this time has penalized me, and there is a finishing order in life, where everyone must protect himself. I am not the only one to do what I can the way I should. Therefore I keep doing it. And already I know there are certain classifications, that must be rewritten, to finished competitions, and this remains painful to me."

"After L'Alpe di Siusi, the situation is changed, my Giro is not compromised, but I must invent something. If I have the right occasion, I will try again."

Giro del Trentino Highlights on Now!

gavia — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 18:57:00 -0000

Linky at steephill.tv!

Amstel Gold Race: Pre-Race with Cunego and Friends

gavia — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 22:41:16 -0000

At the Lampre-Ngc camp they are busily preparing for tomorrow's big race day. Well, actually, they are probably all asleep by now. But anyways...

Damiano Cunego had this to say about tomorrow's race:

I have prepared very well and also in recent races I have felt good sensations that I hope to find again tomorrow during the race. I would like to show well at Amstel, taking into account, though, the subsequent appointments at Flèche-Wallone and above all Liège-Bastogne-Liège."

Do you think Cunego wants to win Liège? I do.

For the gearheads, here is what Cunego will ride in terms of bike, wheels, gearing, and whatnot. Especially the whatnot. He's riding a Wilier Cento1 frameset. If it's dry, the Italian will ride deep dish carbon wheels with 700x23c tubies. (They don't say what brand, by the way.) If it's wet, Cunego will swap out the carbon wheels in favor of alumninum rims. He'll also go to 700x25c tires with a rainy day tread pattern. Gearing? Cunego rocks a 53-35 on the front and a 11-25 for the Amstel Gold Race.

Davide Rebellin of Diquigiovanni-Androni, meanwhile, is worried about tomorrow's race. He says that he has good form, but hasn't race since early April at the Settimana Coppi e Bartali. He fears the lack of racing has left him a bit underdone for this week's adventures.

Over at Silence-Lotto, Thomas Dekker has suffered a rough early season. In particular, he cites crashes at Settimana Coppi e Bartali and Vuelta a País Vasco as the cause for his lack of results and spotty form. He is hoping to show himself in the Ardennes. "Amstel is the race where I'd like to show myself, but above all, I dream of Liège-Bastogne-Liège. I know that it will be difficult, but the team is well-armed for this week," he said. "I am leaving a difficult period, after that, I hope to show my new jersey well, and return the confidence that Silence-Lotto has placed in me," he concluded.

Dekker's Silence-Lotto team-mate, Philippe Gilbert admitted that he suffered several days of illness after Ronde van Vlaanderen. Of the Amstel Gold Race, he said, "I know the roads by heart; I come often to train during the winter here, because it is always 3 or 4 degrees warmer than where I live. The côtes resemble those of the Ronde and the Cauberg, where the finish lies, should allow me to take advantage of my explosiveness, and yet, I have never done anything there." Gilbert considers the Mur du Huy too difficult for him, and expects to support Cadel Evans or Thomas Dekker during Wednesday's Flèche-Wallone.

Seen any other pre-race comments?

Rock Racing Fires Creed: Interview by NY Velocity

gavia — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 15:58:08 -0000

The kids at NY Velocity have done up another good interview, this time with Mike Creed, who Friday received notice that Rock Racing has ended his contract. Creed tells us that the team has a strong emphasis on results. No results, no contract. The money quote: "Just because a crazy guy offers you a crazy good deal doesn't mean it's not going to fall through. Just because there's a piece of paper doesn't mean it's not going to fall through. So while I'd love to throw my hands up and play complete victim, I can't." Ps, Can you send us back your bike and helmet?

Schmalz and Creed also talk doping. Creed admits he may wear rose-colored glasses, but he doesn't see much doping in U.S. racing. Rather, he'd like to see more testing of foreign riders who come to the U.S. to race. He also has some less than diplomatic things to say about local amateur racers. You could never accuse Creed of holding back.

What I thought was most interesting is the psychology at work here. Is Creed convincing us or himself that there is no doping going on in U.S. racing? I've seen in this dynamic in other interviews also, and while a cynical view would dismiss the "doping, what doping?" attitude as delusional or flat-out lies, I think there's more to it.

To race bikes, it is frequently necessary to tell oneself little lies. I can win, if I train hard enough. I can get faster. My day in the sun will come. If you admit that the deck is stacked against you, that the riders you are racing have an unfair advantage, where do you find the motivation to continue? No, it's better to believe, to believe the others are clean and that the doping controls work. That the world is fair, and if you work hard, you can succeed.

For me, this is the most interesting aspect of the interview - Creed's determination to believe that there isn't doping in U.S. racing.

Er, not sure any of that made sense. It's early. Anyway, go read the whole thing, NY Velocity Creed Feed.

Sharing the Love: Amstel Preview at Steephill

gavia — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 14:49:58 -0000

Just a quick note from the Gossip World Headquarters!

I am contributing some race previews to Steephill.tv. Just you know, sharing the love and all. The first one is up now covering the Amstel Gold Race. Stop by and give it a read, if you like.

Usual postings and trouble-making will continue here, natch.

XOXOXO,
Gav.

Financial Difficulties for Team Astana

gavia — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 15:11:37 -0000

Vice President of the Kazakh Federation Nikolai Proskurin announced in a press conference yesterday that Team Astana faces serious financial difficulties. According to Proskurin, the team will need a new sponsor to continue. In his statement he explained, "The team has been facing serious financial problems over the last two months, and we do not rule out the arrival of a new sponsor: In that case, the team would have to change its name, and would race under a different banner."

So far, only Air Astana, the Kazakh airline, has officially withdrawn its support, but Proskurin confirmed that the team may not prove able to honor its contract obligations without a fresh infusion of cash. The team's problems derive from the widespread problems currently gripping the world economy. Said Proskurin, "Kazakhstan is not in any case among the nations most responsible for the crisis and we have a moral obligation to do everything possible so that the strongest team in the world can continue to ride in our colors."

The statement implies that the team needs not just a sponsor, but a new title sponsor. With the contract burden the team carries, it will need a sponsor with very deep pockets indeed. Riders like Alberto Contador do not come cheap. So far, the team has not issued any statement on the issue. Certainly, it adds a further twist to already convoluted Astana story.

Source, tuttobiciweb.it.

Update: According to the Associated Press, the team has not paid salaries "for around a month." Proskurin announced on Thursday that the management had received payment from sponsors and would forward the money to the team. The sponsors reportedly were late in paying their share of the team budget. Samruk-Kazyna, who provides the bulk of the team's funding, has also pledged to continue its support. — Source, AP, via USA Today.