I won’t be doing a preview every day but today’s stage is on roads I know and two regions that I appreciate.
The riders will have pockets stuffed with energy bars and gels because today is the longest stage of the Giro at 244km. But the route passes through some great places for food and whether by design or accident is a tribute to the giants of Italian agribusiness.
A short thing, no big deal but I missed Eugenio Capodacqua’s interview with Vincenzo Nibali in La Repubblica from last September. The journalist brings up the subject of doping and Nibali explains the influence of his family. His father would drive him around Italy to take part in races, often sleeping overnight in their small car … Read more
If you’re waiting to see who gets to wear the pink jersey today… look no further than northern France. Here a 22 year old German rider from Skil-Shimano has won the first three stages of the Four Days of Dunkirk and is wearing the leaders jersey… which is pink. La vie en rose He’s also … Read more
I feel like a bit of a party-pooper but for all that the Giro promises, what if it doesn’t deliver? There are two main concerns for me: first that 2010 was so good it’ll be hard to beat. The random, ever changing race was thrilling. Second, and maybe it’s my problem and not yours, is the presence of Alberto Contador. He could dominate the race… and there’s also the possibility of the results being rewritten by the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
No this isn’t retail, this is corporate deal making. In more business news UK online retailer Wiggle could be up for sale with a price tag of 200 million pounds (€225m / $325m) according to one business blogger. That’s one very big shopping basket.
A bit of a technical item coming up, that involves legal intricacies. Read the full piece for all the information or just skip to the summary below if you’re in a hurry or not to excited by legal details.
…and will Hein Verbruggen sue Google next?
Remember Floyd Landis? Chances are many cycling fans have almost forgotten about him, except for a few on Twitter who follow the exploits of his lawyers, his dog and various other online alter egos.
For non-cyclists he became famous a Tour de France winner, became infamous after testing positive during that Tour de France and then saw his prospects flushed down the great pan of life. He’s lost big time.
If you’ve got a good invention in the cycle trade, don’t be surprised to get a call from someone at SRAM to meet up one day. Whether it’s over lunch or dinner a takeover deal might be on the menu. That’s what’s happened to Quarq, SRAM have just announced a deal to buy the US power meter company. It’s the latest in a line of deals by SRAM, from Sachs to Zipp.
The UCI can move swiftly. Yesterday it was announced that any form of injection is now effectively banned and punishable. Up to know, infusions, from pouches with a drip for example, were banned but there was nothing to stop the use of injections, where obviously several injections can amount to the same volume as a drip.
Several teams put the idea to the UCI, it was reviewed and within two months the ban has appeared. Who says teams and the UCI can’t co-operate?
A message of thanks to Strada Wheels for supporting the blog. The British wheel builder is advertising during May. If you wonder what they’re up to, they build bespoke wheels with alloy and carbon rims, what ever you want from clinchers and tubs to spoke count or hub choice. They’ve just started working with US … Read more