Even blogs get their off-season and it’s time to swap the keyboard for the surfboard; reading a palmarès for snoozing under a palm tree and where the only tweets will be from real birds. But stay tuned as a few pieces have been cued up to go online during the next 10 days.
As well as ten riders for 2017, ten neo-pros were picked in January as ones to look out for this season. How did they fare?
Cold out there? For readers in the northern hemisphere this feels like the season to wear caps so a punctual reminder that you can get some gear and support this blog at the same time. There are t-shirts, jerseys and socks and the caps are back in stock.
At the start of the year 10 riders were picked to follow during the season. These were not necessarily the best riders – why didn’t you pick Sagan was a refrain in the comments – but more those with a point to prove, a story to tell or some other interest. How did they get on?
Movistar announced a men’s squad of 25 riders for 2018, down from the 28 rider squad they had this year. BMC Racing go from 28 riders down to 24. The peloton is getting smaller and the men’s World Tour peloton will shrink by 16 riders, not as much as initially feared but still a trend across most teams.
The calendar for 2018 is out and there are new races added to the calendar although the World Tour is unchanged. Here’s a closer look at the World Tour events for 2018 to see which are the busiest months and which countries get the most racing.
Remember 1989? If so maybe you can help as this is a request for info and documents about the 1989 Tour de France, especially for articles and analysis leading up to the race. Many say the 1989 edition was the best ever, a subjective claim but it does seem to have been a vintage edition with plenty of action along the way and suspense that lasted until the end.
On of the novelties of the 2018 Tour de France route is the use of back-road climbs, smaller routes that have long been overlooked by the race. The Col du Pré is one of these, a side way to reach the majestic Cormet de Roselend but worth the detour because it’s a gem of a climb.
The on-stage antics and the exhibition criterium get all the attention but what if the real story was the huge crowds? Cycling is big in Japan and there’s an army of loyal fans. The only thing missing is a prime local road race.
Much is made of ASO’s dominant position in the sport but how much money does the Parisian race owner make? Here’s a closer look at the finances of Amaury Sport Organisation.