Having completed the Giro d’Italia with a stage win in Milan, David Millar is now touring the media in Britain to promote a book, “Racing Through The Dark“. Millar’s tale is perhaps a mirror for the whole sport itself. He comes from outside of the traditional European cycling nations, wins with ease at a young age before succumbing to doping and then getting mired in police investigations, a lengthy ban and plenty of soul-searching. Then there’s a come back, he joins the same squad as Riccardo Riccò and then moves on to help build the squad that is today Garmin-Cervélo. The full circle.
Having said in the first part of the preview that the prologue was for specialists and that Monday’s stage finish in the Chartreuse massif was “the sort of terrain where Thomas Voeckler, Alexander Vinokourov, Cadel Evans and many others might want to have a try before the likes of Boasson-Hagen eye up the sprint”, the following stages are actually a touch easier to predict.
It’s a small detail but watching the TV coverage of the Dauphiné yesterday the excitement around the performances of French riders was very noticeable. It’s understandable given four Frenchmen made the top-10 in a French race broadcast live on French TV. But there’s more to it than that.
I wrote a quick piece last summer about Ag2r La Mondiale’s use of ice baths. Many teams use these for recovery, the basic idea is that the cold water helps reduce swelling in muscle tissue. But there are varying degrees of sophistication. You’ll find some teams using Oscar-The-Grouch technique, a trash bin half filled with water and then topped up with ice. A couple of teams use the same bins but have special machinery to cool and pump the water, saving the soigneurs from freezing 20 litres at a time.
But Ag2r are using far more sophisticated means. Forget climbing into icy water, they simply walk into a “cryo sauna” booth as depicted above. This is transported on a team truck. Operated by trained personnel, it allows the athlete to momentarily experience temperatures of -170°C (-270°F). Instead of the gradual cooling via icy water, this is meant to be a faster and more direct method. Dressed in cotton shorts, as well as gloves and socks to cover the extremities they climb into the booth, close the door and stand upright. The super cold air is quickly channelled inside.
Seven stages and a prologue, this is a week long stage with something for everyone. Sprinters, climbers, breakaway riders and time trial specialists all get their chance. But by the end of the week I’d expect to see a strong GC rider take the win, one who can perhaps climb better than he can time trial.
I’ve got a lot of US readers these days and one difference between Europe and the US is the popularity of soccer. It’s the biggest sport in Europe and by some way. The other day I scanned the front page of Italian sports daily La Gazzetta Dello Sport and the front page story was the possible transfer of a player called Andrea Pirlo from one club to another. A stage win by Contador in the Giro didn’t merit as much attention, despite the race being owned by the newspaper. In short, the potential recruitment of one player was deemed more newsworthy than a crucial stage of the country’s biggest bike race.
Blatter doesn’t like the sunlight
Soccer, or as it’s known here, football, is governed by FIFA. The international body is based in Switzerland, the same country is also home to the International Olympic Committee, as well as the Court of Arbitration for Sport and of course, cycling’s UCI. FIFA has long had, shall we say, a louche reputation. Despite millions and millions of European fans, many of whom live for the sport with a tribal fervour, the governing body has often appeared like a club run for the benefit of its executives who cite “globalisation” and bringing the sport to a wider audience as their noble goal. Sounds a bit familiar, eh?
“One can only regret the time lag between the sports and media, and that of justice”
Those are the words of Tour de France organiser Christian Prudhomme, discussing the almost never-ending series of delays and postponments to the saga that is Alberto Contador’s positive test for Clenbuterol. Reading the Velonation article, Prudhomme says he “won’t block Contador” but he is frustrated with the delays and rightly so given the uncertainties, question marks and apparent inability of the sport to sort out this matter.
In the piece, I saw a timeline of events mentioned. I think it might be worth going in to greater detail here, to explore why this is taking so long, and to revisit the basic rules in the light of these delays, in case we forget what it’s all about.
The Italian cycling federation has announced it will prevent riders with a doping conviction from participating in the upcoming national championships, including those who have already served a full ban and are allowed to race elsewhere.
It’ll be controversial given a rider is supposedly clear to ride again after completing their ban but a race organiser often retains the right to invite who they like. Note this is not new, for example British rider David Millar is banned from the Olympic Games by his home federation and other races have said “no” to certain riders.
I found the Giro a mixed race, for me the death of Wouter Weylandt clouded everything and wish his family, friends and team mates well. Other moments of the race saw a dominant Contador and I know many are impressed but me, well I prefer more of a scrap between the contenders. Anyway, with the Giro d’Italia over, focus now turns to upcoming races.
Many races in June share a common theme, the results are there to be viewed against the backdrop of the Tour de France. Can form in the Critérium du Dauphiné stage race starting this weekend last into the back of July? Can riders dominant in Europe’s fourth longest race, the Tour de Suisse also stay fresh for Le Tour?
