Classics

Gilbert vs. the rest

Gilbert Huy

I don’t know where to start, but Philippe Gilbert is surely the most impressive rider of the spring. Cancellara was strong but couldn’t deliver a win; Nuyens and Goss were clever. But for raw power uphill, Gilbert is looking invincible. I wasn’t sure if he could win the Flèche Wallonne but he looked fresh as the bunch tackled the penultimate climb, with riders like Alberto Contador grimacing.

There were doubts in the Flemish classics earlier. He took the Montepaschi Strade Bianche but then seemed a little bit off the pace although that’s relative given he was on the attack over the Bosberg. Some were asking if he was going to miss out on his spring classics campaign.

Read more

No more cobbles

Pavé

The mania for medieval roads is over. There might be one or stretches to come in the weeks and months, but gone are the races where cobbled climbs and farm tracks are the strategic points. Now the races begin to head to the hills and by the end of the month, the mountains. This isn’t to say we’ve not had hilly races, more that the focus of the sport has been on the Belgian classics instead of races like the Tour of the Basque country or Giro dell’Appennino. This is now about to change. The climbs are coming.

Read more

How to watch a race

Going to watch a bike race is not as simple as you might think. Get it wrong and all you’ll catch is a cold, not the action. There are some hints, tips and skills that can substantially improve the experience. Given the classics season is now upon us, it’s time to share some of these. … Read more

Race radios, what next?

The weekend saw two races held without race radios. Here’s a quick review of the issues. Tactics It matters more than ever in Belgium as positioning and tactics are vital, riders dropping back to the team car to pick up food or fix a mechanical can’t alert their team. As a result, team riders use … Read more

Het nieuwsblad: a test for all

I could write a big preview for Het Nieuwsblad but the guys over at Pavé will probably do a better job. The opening race of the Belgian classics season is always interesting given the manic racing, the cobbles and yes, the foul weather that is expected. The route The 2011 edition is 203km long and … Read more

Milan – Sanremo unchanged

The 2011 Milan-Sanremo race will be unchanged from 2010, despite trouble finding a spot for the finish line. Traditionally the race finished on the Via Roma, the main street in the centre of Sanremo. But in 2008 the finish moved to the Lungomare, the coastal road. Building works prompted the move and since then local … Read more

QuickStep floored?

Happier days Once upon a time QuickStep and its predecessor Mapei was a Belgian superteam with an Italian flavour. The team rhymed with April and it was often impossible to beat in Paris-Roubaix or the Tour of Flanders. In the rest of the season the wins would flow, whether in Grand Tours or smaller one … Read more

The Last Clásica San Sebastián?

Vamos a la playa, oh o-o-o-oh There’s something I really like about the Clásica San Sebastián. It’s a one day race in the Basque country and the way it comes so soon after the Tour de France means you get an interesting mix of Tour de France heroes and one day specialists in the mix. … Read more

New Protour?

Cyclismag has picked up on the apparent scoop by Spanish website velofutur.es, where details of the revised UCI Pro Tour appear to have been leaked. Who leaked them and what’s their agenda? That’s for another day. Since my French is better than my Spanish, what follows is derived from cyclismag.com. The TeamsNo more four year … Read more

"You’re just jealous"

Alexander Vinokourov’s win on Sunday has left some scratching their heads, and some were even shaking them. This includes the media following the race. The post-race press conference in Liège was dominated by Vino’s past, journalists kept asking about his suspension, his attitude to doping and other related topics. They see me rollin’, they hatin’ … Read more

+ More