The Tour de France is such a big event that you’d think cycling is a big sport in France. Perhaps but it’s a long way from other sports. Here’s a scan across the airwaves, news stands and servers.
For new readers
In my absence this week I have queued up a few articles but for today I’m raking up the past.
The number of readers seems to go up and up so chances are that many of you have missed a few past pieces, especially from the early days of the blog. Much content is related to the news and results but there are some pieces that are still relevant today.
Padania, the flag and the tour
I am away so it’s time to reprise and old item from October 2010 but relevant to the sport today…
Followers of cycling will note that the finish of a race often sees many flags and banners being waved. My favourite is the “Dirk Hoffman Motorhomes” board, a common sight in Belgian classics. It’s inevitable, the finish line is filmed in detail and the images are repeated on news broadcasts. In other words, it’s valuable airtime.
I’ve written before about the Lion of Flanders flags and how these are often openly political symbols. Well the same is true in Italy too. Anyone watching the arrival of the Tour of Lombardy can’t have missed the giant Padania flags waving over the finish line.
When two become one
The news that Radioshack and Leopard-Trek are “merging” confirms Flavio Becca’s interest in cycling is not on the same level as Swiss billionaire Andy Rihs, although that’s been clear from the start, just not so obvious.
Luxembourg’s Becca has decided to invest in pro cycling and wants to have a team with sponsors paying the wage bill and operating expenses rather than funding things from his bank account.
It’s been easy to snipe at Leopard this year as a nearly team. Legendary cycling manager Cyrille Guimard said it took him three to five years to make a team start working; Team Sky needed a season to learn the ropes. So it feels impatient to shake things up so suddenly, you wonder if the newly merged squad goes back to the beginning again.
Champagne celebrations
You’ve the riders spraying champagne on the podium sometimes. In case you didn’t notice, it’s a symbolic gesture that some have linked to, err, male ejaculation.
On tour
I’m away for the next few days on holiday so the blog will be a bit quieter. But I’ve lined up some articles to read so be sure to drop by each day as if you like the daily mix of news, analysis and Euro-rubbish then you’re sure to find something.
Tour de l’Avenir preview
There are many prestigious stage races for amateurs to win during the year. The Giro Bio, the Ronde de l’Isard and the Giro Della Valle d’Aosta come to mind. But the Tour de l’Avenir is probably a level above. It starts on Sunday.
Avenir is French for “future” and so this is the Tour of the Future. Rather than a decent stage race in its own right the Tour de l’Avenir is purposely named as a race that unveil’s tomorrow’s stars – note the graphic above – and it’s a staging post for those heading onto bigger things plus a chance for followers of the sport to identify potential talent.
It’s also different in that pros ride, this is a race for riders aged under 25 although it’s for tomorrow’s stars, riders on World Tour teams like Taylor Phinney or Peter Sagan can’t steal the show. It’s run by ASO, organisers of the Tour de France and many other races in France and beyond.
It’s also used by ASO to test new roads and even ideas. The Tour de France race director Jean-François Pescheux has described the U-25 race as a “laboratory” where he can measure the effects of new climbs and ideas as finally the organisers realise that the Alps and Pyrenees are about more than the Galibier and Tourmalet. Note the route of some of the stages because the 2012 Tour de France could well look similar.
Tom Boonen’s delicate (t)issue
Injury can rob a champion of their aura. We can attribute superhuman abilities, high pain tolerance and unparalleled handing skills to a top rider, But when someone announces they’ve got a saddle sore a bit of dignity is lost.
Right now Tom Boonen is soldiering on in the Vuelta with a saddle sore and normally you’d cheer at his brave riding but talk of “a kind of diaper” has made a few fans laugh and others feel sorry for him. Cyclingews.com have picked up a Het Nieuwsblad piece.
Thanks to Competitive Cyclist
US retailer Competitive Cyclist is kindly supporting the blog. I’m grateful for the support and want to say thanks in public.
Happy New Year
The year begins on 1 January for many but that’s not the case for plenty of people around the world, including the cycle trade. For many in the business of selling bikes, it’s 2012 already with the advent of new products and the trade shows Eurobike and Interbike. Maybe your local bike shop is having a sale to clear out “last year’s” models in time for fresh stock?