Visit the websites of Cofidis, Ag2r-La Mondiale, FDJ.com and Bbox-Bouygues Télécom and none of them have links to Facebook or Twitter. Given the whole reason to back a pro cycling team is to get publicity for your brand, why aren’t these teams using all the media available to them? A Twitter account is free after … Read more
I can’t be sure if it hasn’t happened yet but one thing to watch out for this season is the growing presence of street furniture in the Alps and Pyrenees in France. Each time I visit France I’ve always been struck by the landscaped roundabouts that wouldn’t look out of place in the Chelsea Flower … Read more
Look closely at the above image, click on it to zoom in. It was taken from the latest version of the excellent Vélo Magazine. It’s Brad Wiggins in profile during his pro career. Notice anything? Check out the head tube on his bikes, he is going from riding a frame the size of a farm … Read more
Whilst other teams give their riders iPhones and Blackberrys (Sky and Garmin respectively), not to mention Columbia-HTC having their own phones, here’s an interesting anecdote. Cofidis makes its riders buy a fax machine. Riders can email the team coach but a lot of employment-related stuff still comes by fax. Just in case you forgot, the … Read more
From Oman to France, many bike races are about promoting the area to tourists and business alike. Belgian races give images of muddy farm tracks, ugly brick buildings and foul weather. It’s hardly an advert for the county. For what it’s worth, Belgium is a wealthy country, not without its political problems but on average … Read more