The Inner Ring - Part 212

UCI Wants to Remove Astana’s Licence

Friday, 27 February 2015Friday, 27 February 2015

Coffee, croissant, L’Equipe. It’s such a pleasant routine during the cycling season but if Alexandr Vinokourov emerges from his Monaco apartment this morning in search of the newspapers he’s in for a scolding surprise. L’Equipe reports that the UCI has asked its Licence Commission to withdraw the Astana team’s licence and the UCI has confirmed this with a press release.

It’s a giant move, to ban any team is serious but to exclude the reigning Tour de France champion and a team that is a flag carrier for a large country is a bombshell.

Thursday Shorts

Thursday, 26 February 2015Thursday, 26 February 2015

All roads lead to Belgium. No other country embraces cycling in the same way, the fervour is extensive and comprehensive. There are billboard ads in the streets and at bus stops to promote races – including that one for the E3. The local press are full of reports for this weekend’s double of the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne and last night’s TV had reports on the route recon by teams. Gossip magazines put cyclists on the front page. There was even a live stream for the great Claude Criquelion’s funeral yesterday. The pedal revolution is televised.

To Sprint or Not to Sprint?

Wednesday, 25 February 2015Wednesday, 25 February 2015

Etixx-Quickstep have signed Fernando Gaviria for 2016 and some have asked if this means trouble for Mark Cavendish. No, in fact it’s potentially a good move for the team and even helpful for Mark Cavendish. Several teams have multiple sprinting options while some stay out of this crowded contest.

Team Victory Rankings

Tuesday, 24 February 2015Tuesday, 24 February 2015

It’s a quiet week before the weekend storm of cobbles starting with Omloop Het Nieuwsblad on Saturday. This micro break gives a moment to look at the team victory rankings and see who’s had a good start to the season.

If you think it’s too early to count, think again. There have been 68 days of racing so this year meaning we’re one ninth of the way through the season already.

Chris Froome vs. Alberto Contador

Sunday, 22 February 2015Sunday, 22 February 2015

Bratwurst and black forest cake. It wasn’t that long ago that riders showed up overweight and unfit for the early season races in southern Europe. Jan Ullrich got mocked for burying his face in a Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte rather than chewing the handlebars over winter. The German had plenty of company as he huffed and puffed his way around the likes of Andalucia and Murcia.

These days Chris Froome and Alberto Contador turn up lean and mean for their very first race of the season, a fierce battle that picked up from last year and promises more for the coming weeks and months.

It’s not just the story of the riders, the recent Vuelta a Andalucia included two summit finishes that would have been unheard of a decade ago, marking the evolution of early season races as they compete for attention.

Vuelta a Andalucia Stage 5 Preview

Sunday, 22 February 2015Sunday, 22 February 2015

One day to go and a flatter stage but with just two seconds between Chris Froome and Alberto Contador the stage is set for regicide rather than coronation. Contador can try but it’s hard to imagine him surprising Team Sky. Don’t miss the earlier finish time if you’re planning to watch on TV.

Vuelta a Andalucia Stage 4 Preview

Saturday, 21 February 2015

Alberto Contador took yesterday’s stage and it looks like the race for the red jersey is over. The climbing isn’t and today presents a sharp summit finish. Revenge for Chris Froome, confirmation for Contador or the chance for a new name to emerge.

Vuelta a Andalucia Stage 3 Preview

Friday, 20 February 2015Friday, 20 February 2015

So much for taking it easy, Alberto Contador even tried a late attack yesterday to pre-empt the sprinters. Today brings the Queen Stage and a vicious summit finish. A Contador-Froome duel awaits but as it’s so early neither are at the top of their form and we should see others push them.

Extreme Weather Protocol

Thursday, 19 February 2015Thursday, 19 February 2015

Professional bike racing is just that, a profession. While there many rules on workplace safety for factories and offices, there are few when it comes to racing down a mountain at 100km/h. Now efforts are underway to make racing safer in extreme weather. The UCI’s Road Commission, prompted by the rider union CPA, is exploring this. Cyclingnews.com explains more.

About time or is the peloton turning soft? Maybe it’s not so binary because the interesting part will be seeing how they might write rules and protocols for something so subjective as when tough conditions become dangerous.

Vuelta a Andalucia Stage 2 Preview

Thursday, 19 February 2015Thursday, 19 February 2015

A day for the sprinters? There’s a tricky climb with 10% slopes just before the finish. After yesterday’s maxi-crash many riders are left licking their wounds and this could be a more open stage but Movistar and Giant-Alpecin have every reason to try for they stage win they expected yesterday.

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