A duel between Alberto Contador and Philippe Gilbert on some of the most beautiful roads of Europe? The scenery is guaranteed but we could have a wider cast fighting for the win. An exceptionally hard course with difficult conditions forecast means this race is going to test condition, handling skills and the mind.
Here is a preview of the route, the contenders, with TV times and details of a free stream, the weather forecast and more.
Today sees the return of Milano-Torino, the one day Italian race. The term “classic” gets abused these days, races with no history appropriate the label, for example the World Ports Classic whose inaugural edition took place a few weeks ago. But Milano-Torino was first run in 1876, making it the oldest race on the Italian calendar and one of the oldest races in the world.
Today’s race, tomorrow’s Gran Piemonte and Saturday’s Il Lombardia all have deep roots in the past but they are also a guide to the future.
With a lull in the world championships allowing the inhabitants of Valkenburg a chance to drive to the supermarket, the next two days see the UCI getting down to official business including the announcement of the 2013 calendar as well as some potential structural changes to the sport, like a salary cap.
As well as the governing body there is also news about next year from Cannondale and the Giro d’Italia which announces a visit to France for a mountain stage with a difference. There is also the guarantee of additional doping headlines in 2013 as the dates for the trial of Spain’s Operation Puerto have just been set.
And I’ve also got an exclusive update on the plans for a breakaway league. Here’s a peek into 2013.
Ke BUFFONATA….
— Filippo Pozzato (@PippoPozzato) September 11, 2012
Che buffonata, what a farce. In two words Filippo Pozzato sums up the last three months and more.
Today saw the hearing of cyclist at the Italian National Olympic Commission (CONI) after he was charged with consulting Michele Ferrari, the infamous sports scientist. The case is both a farce and a serious issue.
We’ve had news this week of the NASA mission to send a vehicle to the red planet. It turns out the frame is a Litespeed, something spotted by Bill Strickland on Twitter. The US company is obviously more famous for its bikes than its exploratory vehicles, Robbie McEwen won the green jersey in the Tour de France on a Litespeed back in 2002. But the company’s expertise in the design and manufacture of tubing seems to be transferable to other domains.
Several riders are being sucked into a sporting and judicial vortex after police investigations claim links them the infamous Doctor Ferrari. In his defence Filippo Pozzato claimed he did work with Ferrari from 2005 to 2009 but it was an innocent deal where he just paid for training plans. La Repubblica says he paid €40,000-€50,000 a year for the service.
If possible, try to stop the laughs and give Pozzato the benefit of the doubt. Let’s actually imagine he and others have been paying €50,000 for training plans because this still involves big risks.
Let’s play a word association. If say “Pippo Pozzato” and “Ferrari” then you might associate the flamboyant Italian cyclist with the Ferrari sports cars. It would be a good answer as Pozzato drives a red F430. But Italy’s second newspaper La Repubblica published an article alleging that Pozzato is associated with another type of Ferrari: Michele Ferrari, the infamous sports “doctor”.
In a series of food linked to cycling, some things are more obvious than others. Pasta in Italy links local produce with an important source of fuel for the cyclist; coffee is both a stimulant, a source of warmth in the winter and part of the culture in many countries. Ice cream might not seem so related to cycling but it is widely available in Italy and during the summer months can almost replace the espresso as a pick-up.
Pedalare! Pedalare! A History of Italian Cycling by John Foot
How important is cycling to you? You might enjoy riding and following the pro races but what if cycling prevented a civil war? What if two cyclists formed the greatest sporting rivalry of all time? What if cycling was inseparable from politics, religion, the economy and society? Welcome to Italy, at least to various points in Italian history when these claims have been made.
You might have heard of Piaggio, the Italian scooter manufacturer and its “Vespa” model. Two wheeled transport is very popular in Italy, especially with smaller 50 and 125cc engines. The countryside is often hilly, towns and villages are never far away, and frequent good weather all combine to make this mode of transport very practical and suitable.
If vespa is Italian for wasp, then note ape means bee, you say “ah-pay”. It’s this that gives its name to the Piaggio Ape, a three wheeled scooter with a flatbed at the back that’s part utility vehicle, part tuk-tuk. These are quintessentially Italian and should you ride in Italy you’ll see one of these buzzing along the roads.