Improving TUEs and Installing Health Tests

In the wake of last week’s report from the UK parliament plenty readers have emailed in to ask for a reaction. Only it’s hard to have much of a response there’s not much new apart from seeing it printed on parliamentary headed paper and getting front page coverage in the UK media rather than back page or cycling-specific coverage. Whatever the British parliament does, the story is set to rumble on and on and it’s been hard to add to past pieces (here and here). Instead a quick look at TUEs where things have already changed but there’s room for improvement.

Read more

The Moment Paris-Nice Was Won

Are you sitting comfortably? On Sunday morning Marc Soler was sat comfortably in sixth place overall, wearing the white jersey of the best young rider under his rain jacket and had taken a strong second place in the Saint Etienne time trial earlier in the week. He’s a promising rider and was already in a very satisfactory position. Only it wasn’t enough for him and he took off on the steep climb to Peille with 47km to go and won the race overall.

Read more

Paris-Nice Stage 7 Preview

The Queen Stage and a long climb to the fiish, a 45 minute uphill effort is beaucoup for early March and should tease out the overall contenders who remain huddled together. If you’ve been watching during the week note the earlier finish time.

Read more

Paris-Nice Stage 6 Preview

Hopefully two races for the price of one with a breakaway making it and behind the GC contenders exploiting the tricky finish including a surprisingly nasty penultimate climb.

Read more

Paris-Nice Stage 4 Preview

After three skirmishes for time bonuses and stage wins, the first big chance to shape the overall classification. The course is harder than the profile suggests with a steady opening climb and then a sharp spike nearer the finish.

Read more

Paris-Nice Stage 3 Preview

Some low-rated climbs and an inevitable sprint finish? The map is not the territory and the last climb should be too much for most sprinters.

Read more

Paris-Nice Stage 2 Preview

A near-certain sprint finish. Paris-Nice doesn’t offer the sprinters many chances and today’s stage is their day so all their teams will work for this scenario. We’ll see who is the fastest between Elia Viviani and Dylan Groenewegen and it’s a test for their teams because the finish will see see who can fight for space and the right to position their leader. Will the uphill finish tilt it to Arnaud Démare?

Read more