The Inner Ring - Part 214

The Tour de France’s TV Guarantee

Thursday, 12 February 2015Tuesday, 10 February 2015

There’s been talk that the Tour de France could be up for sale, various journalists have published pieces saying the Amaury family have held discussions with potential buyers, often concluding that a sale seems unlikely.

The Tour de France is a very valuable asset but not the money-spinner some might take it for. A little-known government decree prevents the owners from maxxing out on the TV rights. However the changing media landscape could see the race become more valuable as more channels hunt for an audience.

The Bike of The Future

Monday, 9 February 2015Monday, 9 February 2015

Wireless gear shifting and disc brakes are here whether as prototypes or esoteric options for a bike-build. We can see these trends and extrapolate from them to see the bike of the future.

Roads to Ride: Plateau de Beille

Thursday, 25 February 2021Saturday, 7 February 2015

A new edition to the Tour de France in recent years, this Pyrenean this climb features again in July. It’s a tough challenge but a dead end and outside of the Tour de France, a peaceful road that seems be used by cyclists and few others.

The Power of Music

Friday, 6 February 2015Friday, 6 February 2015

Jack Bobridge’s UCI Hour Record attempt had him riding to a chosen soundtrack with a series of selected songs. Twitter found some of the songs amusing but there’s a performance aspect as music can make you go faster. Many riders, like Mike Teunissen above, use it during a warm-up.

The velodrome is unique because a rider can have music played to them during competition. Should Rohan Dennis compile a playlist?

In Praise of the MPCC

Thursday, 5 February 2015

The Mouvement Pour Un Cyclisme Crédible or MPCC is sometimes the butt of jokes but what if we celebrated its achievements and laughed at those who try to mock the sport?

This group of teams has grown and led the way on anti-doping policies, often seeing the UCI copy the rules later on and taking a stance to safeguard rider health too.

A Tale of Two Races

Thursday, 5 February 2015Wednesday, 4 February 2015

The Dubai Tour starts today and so does the Etoile de Bessèges. Both offer several days of racing in the early season but the comparisons stop there as the Emirati race outbids its rivals on almost every scale. The Etoile long been an essential part of the early season in France but will it survive much longer?

Paris-Nice Route

Tuesday, 3 February 2015Tuesday, 3 February 2015

ASO have announced the route for the Paris-Nice. After last year’s hilly route without time trials the 2015 race looks traditional with an opening prologue, a “summit finish” and the conclusive Col d’Eze time trial.

Monday Shorts

Wednesday, 4 February 2015Monday, 2 February 2015

Mathieu van der Poel looks built for the road. When you look at riders like Lars Boom or Zdeněk Štybar you can see a crunched ball of muscle suited to shorter, explosive efforts but “VDP” is a different shape with limbs like spatulas and maybe he will cross to the road in time with great success?

The On-board Camera Guide

Sunday, 1 February 2015Sunday, 1 February 2015

Many saw my videos from the on-board cameras during the Tour Down Under and I’m grateful for it. Now I’ll explain how it was done, writes Jérémy Roy of FDJ.

This is the translation of a piece on Roy’s informative website jeremyroy.fr and he has approved its use here.

An Hour in the Limelight

Friday, 30 January 2015Friday, 30 January 2015

Jack Bobridge is the next to have a go at cycling’s Hour Record. Once the record was very prestigous but today it seems to be a record cherished within cycling rather than beyond it. However it is the ultimate chance to define and redefine a career.

+ More