If it’s been hard to nail riders and their “doctors” for doping because they’ve often been one step ahead of the testers, constantly refining techniques to avoid detection, one area where people might slip up is the money. Shady riders, teams and doctors might be good at cycling or doping but they are probably so pro when it comes to money laundering. In this instance, it’s quite possible that experienced investigators have a substantial edge on those involved.
I don’t know where to start, but Philippe Gilbert is surely the most impressive rider of the spring. Cancellara was strong but couldn’t deliver a win; Nuyens and Goss were clever. But for raw power uphill, Gilbert is looking invincible. I wasn’t sure if he could win the Flèche Wallonne but he looked fresh as the bunch tackled the penultimate climb, with riders like Alberto Contador grimacing.
There were doubts in the Flemish classics earlier. He took the Montepaschi Strade Bianche but then seemed a little bit off the pace although that’s relative given he was on the attack over the Bosberg. Some were asking if he was going to miss out on his spring classics campaign.
For a mid-week race on Wednesday, the Flèche Wallonne is one of many highlights of the year for me.
The finish is cruel, a fast blast down the valley in 53×12 before suddenly turning right and hitting the Mur de Huy, a vicious climb of just 1.3km with an average gradient of 9.8% that maxxes at 20%.
I just wanted to make the observation that we’ve seen the likes of Johan Vansummeren, Matthew Goss and Philippe Gilbert winning big so far this year. So what? Well both Vansummeren and Goss belong to squads with a big anti-doping ethic and “Phil” has long been a supporter of clean cycling, ready to denounce those cheating.
With all the talk of doping investigations in Italy, with the ongoing Contador-CAS saga and more, it’s almost gone unnoticed that teams and riders reputed to be the strictest supports of anti-doping measures are winning.
I covered the subject of the nut spread known as Nutella a while back. The paste is popular with cyclists but loaded with calories. It’s pretty Euro too and as such it was the first topic in my series of about “Eurofoods”, the food products you’ll find in Europe which have a link to the … Read more
Lampre have been in the sport for years and years, first when Maurizio Fondriest emerged as the most powerful one day rider of the day back in 1993 and I’ve written before about just how little the kit has changed over the years. But for all the years in the sport, can you tell me what Lampre is, do you own or use any Lampre products or services? Well, they make pre-coated steel, or in plain English the white metal that encases washing machines and refrigerators. It’s also found on other things like air conditioning units, coffee machines and so on.
Some readers might be old enough to the days when, living in America or Australia, they waited for the airmail to deliver cycling magazines. Some race results might not arrive for months. These days you can get live images via the internet and instant results via twitter. I like to keep an eye on what’s … Read more
Imagine a fancy hotel where you return from a ride or race to hand your bike over to mechanic. You could mention a creaking bottom bracket or you maybe you want a different cassette on the back for tomorrow. It’s done, not only that but the bike gets cleaned and even the bar tape looks new. Well that’s exactly what a pro rider gets. Obviously they have a duty to ride the bike to exhaustion and beyond but they can always count on getting the bike fixed.
As you might see on the top right of the screen, Strada Wheels are advertising here in April. I’ve been discreet for the month, preferring not to ram the message home. But since we’re halfway through the month, check them out! Sorry if that was a bit overt but I am wondering if any of … Read more
Cycling is often a very visual sport. It lends itself to superb photography thanks to fine landscapes and changing urban settings. I normally ride with a helmet and sunglasses but part of me longs for the days of old when you could see the whites of a riders’ eyes, today us cyclists are hidden a little bit behind all this protection, but for obvious reasons.
But visit a bike race and you will return with more than just images in your mind or on a memory card. The photos go a long way to capturing the action but the bunch is dynamic, noisy and at times smelly. Here are some of the sounds and smells I find accompany a big bike race.