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
Wiggo Jackpot I already wrote that Jonathan Vaughter’s crafty sale of Bradley Wiggins to Sky was a master stroke. Faced with a team desperate for success and flush with cash, Vaughters sold Wiggo at the top of the market. A pity Wiggins never lived up to the expectations attached after his excellent ride in the … Read more
2.15.120 A transfer period extends from 1 August to 20 October According to the UCI rules, rider transfers should only be announced during the 80 day window from 1 August onwards. In addition, actual recruitment, such as the signing of contracts is also meant to take place during the same period. A team or rider … Read more
Heads we win, tails you lose The Feillu brothers are nice guys in our sport. But they took a gamble by moving to Vacansoleil and it didn’t pay off: no ride in the Tour de France. Worse, the were able to manipulate the odds on the bet, given they were supposed to impress ASO in … Read more
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
Greg Henderson’s win in Paris-Nice yesterday was a real result for Team Sky. Looking at their roster in the past I thought the one thing missing was a sprinter. Edwald Boasson Hagen is much more than sprinter. For me Henderson seems to come from the Kiwi factory of lead out specialists, just like Hayden Roulston … Read more
The 2010 season is barely underway but there’s already speculation about riders moving teams for 2011. La Gazzetta Dello Sport has the rumour mill in full flow already. Here’s the lowdown: Schleck BrosThe Schleck brothers are looking at a new team for 2011 and La Gazzetta says they are working with Marc Biver, the dual … Read more