UPDATE added below at 18:00 CET I read about the scheme for UCI approval of bikes soon after it was announced and my first thought was that it sounded like an excessive procedure, that a governing body doesn’t need to validate equipment. After all, manufacturers can face prodigious law suits from customers if the product … Read more
I’ve covered the political splits in Belgium before. So time for a quick update: Belgium is still without a government. This makes it Europe’s longest post-war political crisis, beating the 209 days it took to form a government in The Netherlands in 1977. If it goes on to the end of March then the Belgians … Read more
No country for old men Several riders have got caught up in a public debate over the Australian championships. Here’s what John Craven, organiser of the Nationals had to say about Robbie McEwen: I’m a big fan of Robbie McEwen … but maybe it’s time that he just rode off into the sunset and let … Read more
Teams that are supposed to reflect glory upon their home countries can struggle. Astana quickly got to the point where Tour de France boss Christian Prudhomme said “they cannot be trusted“. Several changes of management later and today we see the team still overshadowed by scandal thanks to Contador’s ongoing. Kazakhstan suffers from an image … Read more
Slowly but surely the gran fondo scene is spreading from Italy to the US. There’s a thriving scene in Britain although this is hamstrung by local laws preventing riders from racing and it’s beginning to take of in Australia with the Alpine Classic and races like Grafton – Inverell being open to all. Gran fondo … Read more
The number-one ranked team in the sport was launched yesterday and was done on a scale so far unseen in the sport. It didn’t start like this. The morning press gathering underwhelmed a bit. The name was confirmed as Leopard-Trek. Some were frustrated not to see the jersey revealed – although it leaked to … Read more
Last year’s Tour Down Under saw some fans pick an obscure rider and give him the support normally reserved for a star, chanting his name and daubing paint all over the roads. It was FDJ’s Arthur Vichot, a neo-pro who went on to have a half-decent season. The campaign started on the internet and quickly … Read more
Frozen skies It’s been an exceptional winter in many European countries with December being one of the coldest months on record in several countries. There’s been an uncommon amount of snow in Britain and the thermometer has been stuck below freezing from Belgium to Italy. Will this have an effect on the training of some … Read more
“Can you explain the rules to me?”; “Si, Senor” As a follow-up to the news on Contador and the rules relating to the case, some are wondering if he will be able to defend his title next July. For example Cycling Weekly have said that the Spaniard is going to be listed as a Saxo-Sungard … Read more
Date Prisa is “hurry up” in Spanish. Whilst the investigation into Contador’s case requires detailed examination, there are rules to ensure this does not drag on for too long. These state that the Spanish Federation has to keep the UCI updated on what is happening and above all, that the case “must be completed within … Read more