Book Review: The Road Book

The Road Book, edited by Ned Boulting

This is a yearbook of the 2018 pro cycling season which contains the results of every race, listings of all the teams, their riders and more including some essays from guest writers and statistical and data nuggets. It’s an analogue effort in a digital age, a luxury good even.

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Highlights of 2018: Part III

Is this cycling’s sixth Monument? No but just asking the question is a clue to this race’s sudden prestige and beauty. The established list of five classics can stay as it is but the Strade Bianche has become a compelling race and the 2018 was a glorious vintage.

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Ranking the Rankings

Who is the best rider in the UCI World Tour? Peter Sagan, Chris Froome, Alejandro Valverde… it’s Simon Yates according to the UCI rankings. The point here is any ranking is subjective but it’s especially so in cycling where, unlike other sports, the notion of a league table or a points-based ranking is almost redundant. It might even be having an effect on the racing.

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Wednesday Shorts

Are your socks the right length? The UCI used to regulate sock length but the rule vanished. Now it’s back for 2019 and the handy image above sets out the maximum permitted length in graphic terms rather than the dry text of UCI Rule 1.3.033 bis. We’ll see if commissaires are running after riders with tape measures…

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Highlights of 2018: Part I

Time to look back at the 2018 season, to select a few highlights for review the moment with added hindsight. First, the final stage of Paris-Nice, a cliffhanger on the corniche where the result was uncertain until the very end.

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2018 Team Victory Rankings

With the season finished it’s time to look back at the wins and also take a deeper look at the stats. Which teams had the most podium places but the fewest wins? Which teams are the most reliant on one rider?

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Roads to Ride: Colle San Carlo

A challenging climb that’s part scenic detour, part gymnasium. Off the radar for years, it’s on the route of the 2019 Giro and a rival to the likes of the Mortirolo and Mont du Chat thanks to its relentless gradient and length.

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2019 Giro d’Italia Route

The Giro route is out and a quick glance shows the usual route with a loop towards the south and then the passage through the Alps before the finish. Look more closely and the route is more intriguing with new climbs, an unmentioned gravel road plus a record amount of vertical metres and three time trials stages to compensate.

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