The Inner Ring - Part 349

The Kolobnev case

Wednesday, 26 October 2011Wednesday, 26 October 2011

Flashback to July and Alexander Kolobnev tested positive in the Tour de France. It was the only doping scandal of the 2011 race and the media besieged the Château de Salles, the Katusha team’s overnight accommodation. Some riders and team staff went to police station, adding to the tension.

Except now the verdict has fallen and it’s far less dramatic: a warning and a fine of 1,500 Swiss Francs (US$1,700). We will get further details of the case in two weeks when the Russian authorities publish their verdict in full. But this is the lightest option possible, a small fine and no suspension. This suggests Kolobnev presented satisfactory evidence to prove he accidentally ingested the banned substance. But the case highlights a lot more.

Demand and supply for women’s racing

Tuesday, 25 October 2011

Most of content on the Inner Ring is about men’s pro road racing but I follow the women’s side of the sport too. Right now we’re seeing teams disappearing and in 2011 some of the big races on the calendar have gone, a point made in an articulate interview by Australian rider Bridie O’Donnell on SBS.

There are calls to improve the women’s side of the sport with ideas like compulsory women’s teams for every World Tour squad or for big race organisers to put on a women’s race too, with Gerard Vroomen making some great arguments. I like these ideas… but maybe there’s more to be done?

The off season

Monday, 24 October 2011Monday, 24 October 2011

A professional cyclist’s work is seasonal and from now until early 2012, the rhythm of work changes given that the racing season is over. What happens in the off-season?

Thanks

Sunday, 23 October 2011

A quick note of thanks to you, the reader. This blog is what it is in large part thanks to the comments, emails and twitter that go with it.

Five of the best

Saturday, 22 October 2011Saturday, 22 October 2011

Past Vélo d’Or winner Alberto Contador

With the pro road race season finished, now is the time to look back and reflect on the past season. I don’t want to spend winter doing endless retrospectives and lists of the best this and that. But hindsight does allow us the chance to review things.

Soon Vélo Magazine will publish the winner of the Vélo d’Or award (“golden bike). In football the Ballon d’Or prize is one of the most prestigious awards and this sister prize too must be one of the best awards in cycling. They ask cycling journalists around the world for their best five riders of the season and add up all the contributions to see who has come out on top. It is hard to pick five riders from a cast of thousands but for the fun of it I thought I’d see who I’d rate right now.

UCI and Tour de France considering smaller teams

Friday, 21 October 2011

The opening week of the Tour de France was marked by several crashes that took out many riders including several favourites for a podium spot. Nobody wants this, even TV producers who might get a thrill from the carnage realise that decimating the cast of contenders isn’t good for their viewing figures over three weeks. A formal review from the UCI has suggested reducing size as a solution.

Geox team future in doubt (updated)

Thursday, 20 October 2011Thursday, 20 October 2011

The Geox-TMC team looks set to stop at the end of the year after its main sponsor pulled out at the eleventh hour. The squad’s management have been filing paperwork with the UCI as part of the registration process to ride in 2012 but when the matter of depositing the bank guarantee for the 2012 season arose the sponsor Geox refused to provide the necessary funding. Without this the team cannot continue.

Bringing the Tour to your city… or village

Thursday, 20 October 2011

Regional newspapers are big in France, selling more than the national dailies. Open a local newspaper and you don’t have to turn many pages before you find the latest on the grape-picking harvest or minor traffic accidents. It reinforces the pleasant idea that not much happens in rural France, there just isn’t enough bad news to report.

For many places in France the passage of the Tour de France is the highlight of the year or even the decade. In a great piece Le Monde today reports on the importance of a stage visiting French towns. There are 36,000 mayors, from Paris down to tiny villages, and most of them would love to see the race visit their corner of France.

What is Holczer doing?

Wednesday, 19 October 2011

Imagine the scenario. You run one of the biggest budget teams in the sport but sadly the results haven’t followed. Some riders have done well but in general things haven’t gone to plan. Maybe it’s time to change managers, who do you call?

Relegation tales

Wednesday, 19 October 2011

Ag2r-La Mondiale are in the UCI World Tour. This status guarantees the French team entry to all the big races. But this position is under review given their low rankings.

To summarise, any team sitting in 14-18th place in the UCI’s internal rankings sees the position in the top flight under review. Right now Ag2r, the new Lotto-Ridley team, Katusha and Geox sit in this “relegation zone”. Dropping down to Pro Continental status is not automatic, simply the position reviewed and set against the arrival of new applicants.

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