News in Marca and La Vanguardia that Contador has tested positive four times for Clenbuterol seems to make his case worse. But that’s not the case. The reducing quantity of the banned substance discovered each day, except for a pick up on the final Sunday, suggests this was simply the Clenbuterol leaving his body. As … Read more
High profile President, low profile organisation Just a quick observation but does anyone know the website for the AIGCP? The Association Internationale des Groupes Cyclistes Professionels is the organisation that lobbies the UCI and others on behalf of the big teams. Its President is Jonathan Vaughters. Right now the AIGCP is behind the protests over … Read more
You might remember the suggestions on The Inner Ring that new Aussie team Green Edge Cycling might have been resorting to the use of secret pre-contracts with riders. Time for an update. I’ve been in contact with the team’s backers and this has been denied in clear terms. But in public the riders linked to … Read more
If you’ve ever wondered what the house of a Belgian champion looks like, now is your chance to find out. Peter Van Petergem and his wife Angelique Segaert have opened a bed and breakfast guesthouse near Sint Maria Horebeke, bang in the middle of the Brussels, Kortrijk and Gent triangle. It’s 10km from Geraardsbergen. The … Read more
Just a quick post in case you missed it on Twitter. Responding to the news of the rider protest in Majorca, Jonathan Vaughters tweeted two messages. To be clear, radio ban protests are not only about the radio ban. Teams and riders must have greater participation in governance of cycling……Our licensing fees and bio-pass contributions … Read more
The smile gets wiped off Who won today’s opening stage of the Tour of Majorca, the Trofeo Palma de Mallorca? The answer: nobody. The riders took the start, completed the race and Tyler Farrar was the first to cross the finish line. But the race has been declared void since many of the riders were … Read more
Horner riding around the block again Whereas some sports see participants fade once they pass the age of 30, cycling is a sport where a certain maturity helps. The lack of impact saves the body but tactical awareness helps deliver results too. That’s why the average age of a World Tour rider is 29. The … Read more
Deserted About this time last year I can remember watching a questionable internet stream of the Tour of Qatar. The race crossed the desert and there was little to see except the tarmac and the riders. Maybe you’d get a junction every half hour or perhaps a section of roadworks. If you were lucky you’d … Read more
News that the UCI’s scheme to approve frame designs and oblige racers from the Pro Tour to the village kermesse to ride on a UCI-approved bike is set to go ahead. Only the reports say the costs of licencing have been reduced substantially, in some cases from 12,000 Swiss Francs down to 5,000. I can … Read more
Even Inspektor Derrick can’t catch the dopers You probably don’t watch much German TV. Here in France we’re treated to mid-afternoon re-runs of Derrick, a 1980s detective programme and not much else. But if German TV shows don’t export themselves, it’s worth remembering that the country is Europe’s largest and most wealthy country. It’s against … Read more