They say a picture says a thousand words and I think this one from cyclingnews.com says plenty.
We have Alberto Contador in a yellow jersey branded with the Discovery channel, UCI President Pat McQuaid holding a gun, Danilo Di Luca winner and the man in the grey suit is Jan Jannsen, the first Dutchman to win the Tour de France.
In the series of European foods with a link to cycling, next up is the Speculoos biscuit. Speculaas in Dutch but speculoos in French and Flemish some might know this as Biscoff, a brand name.
Five moments from 2011. They are a personal choice like any list sometimes you omit more than you include but I’ll explain each moment. They’re presented in no particular order.
What does it feel like to win a big race? Well the video clip above gives you a clue. It is the Tour of Flanders and Nick Nuyens wins for Saxo Bank. The race itself was great to watch, a battle that provide surprises all the way to the finish.
But one addition was the use of cameras inside the team cars. A small innovation, you’d think video footage of a man driving a car would be dull and normally you’d be right. But the cameras caught the action from the Saxo Bank team car with Bjarne Riis and Tristan Hoffman momentarily going beserk with joy.
This blog covers topics in cycling that go beyond race results, I often try to look at the business behind the sport. An inspiration for this was the book by Benjo Maso “Zweet der Goden”, originally in Dutch and since translated by Michiel Horn for Mousehold Press and better known as “The Sweat of Gods”.
Cycling is full of myth and exaggeration, perhaps more than other sports. Tales from past races have become legend and Maso, a Dutch sociologist, explores the history of cycling to unpick myths, exposing the commercial pressures behind the sport. The basic premise is that business has driven the sport. Whether it is manufacturers trying to sell bicycles or newspapers selling copy, commercial conspiracy turned races from mere competitive rides into gladiatorial conquests of dramatic proportions.
You might have seen the Euro Cycling Rules on the internet. It’s amusing and like many internet successes it has a grain of truth along with some humour. We might mock the obsession with riding with tubs and obligatory white shoes but ultimately, who wouldn’t want to have shiny kit and the finest wheels money can buy?
I’ve ridden in several English-speaking countries and found the image of Euro-cycling was especially strong in Australia where, anecdotally, many riders fantasised about riding in Europe. Some would return from trips a little downbeat, although usually very satisfied with the whole thing.
The reason for the disappointment? They discovered that whilst the Alps, Tuscany or the Italian lakes can offer fine riding, the local riders themselves are not as elegant. Put simply, the Europeans just aren’t what many anglophones call “Euro”, a concept associated with The Rules.
A brief note to say thanks to readers who have emailed in recent days. Technical problems have prevented me from replying but I’ll get back to you in a couple of weeks’ time (I’m away, see previous post).
A fine racing bicycle was once a blend of art and craft but most of today’s bikes are the product of assembly lines and supply chains. Look at a team issue bike and perhaps the only remaining parts requiring a human touch are the wheels. But even this is dying out. Here’s a look at why factory wheels are increasingly dominating the market.
I’m going to pick five moments from 2011. They are a personal choice like any list sometimes you omit more than you include but I’ll explain each moment. They’re presented in no particular order.
First up is Stage 13 of the Tour de France from Pau to Lourdes. Allow me to set the scene. We had Thomas Voeckler in yellow and a relatively short stage across the Pyrenees dominated by the hors catégorie Col d’Aubisque. Revisiting my preview of the stage I called things quite well predicting a breakaway and pointing out the descent would suit risk takers. But few thought Thor Hushovd was going to win.
I’m going away for the next two weeks. But the blog won’t be hibernating, instead I’ve gone through my to-do list of pieces and cued up pieces for a fortnight. There will be something on here almost every day with pieces on rider wages, the art of wheelbuilding, Belgian food, book reviews, competition giveaways, some … Read more
Having agonised over the difficulty of giving the totally impartial review, I find the more I think about things the only possibility is to emphasise the personal experience. So with this in mind here is my take on the Hincapie George Signature jacket.
As reminder, I’ve been on a quest for a jacket that fits tight, that does not balloon up when riding. After all, rain is not a freak event and putting a shell jacket on shouldn’t mean you look like the Michelin Man just because it’s wet outside or you’re descending a long mountain pass.