London’s The Independent has an interesting idea today, namely that corporate sponsors are taking out insurance policies to protect themselves against sponsorship deal going sour. Big brands associate with sports champions for obvious reasons but all too often the brands link up with an idealised vision of of the champion, an almost mythical status. Whereas … Read more
Winter in Europe and North America is arriving and as bad weather and darkness sets in, what better way to keep fit than riding indoors? To help readers I’ve decided to review every indoor / turbo trainer on the market. It didn’t take me long to reach a conclusion. They are all crap. Yes, every … Read more
That’s French rider Clément Lhotellerie in the King of the Mountains jersey from the 2008 Paris-Nice. He won the jersey and finished 11th overall, days after his 22nd birthday. Other impressive results meant he joined Vacansoleil in 2009 and was labelled as the team’s leader for stage races. Only it didn’t work out. He was … Read more
Cycling imposes enormous demands from a physical point of view. It’s necessary to have a serious review in to the length of the grand tours. So says Spanish sports minister Jaime Lissavetzky, who also sits on the executive committee of WADA, in an interview with Marca. The underlying idea here is that the duration and … Read more
In an article on Spanish sports website AS.com, spotted by cyclismactu.net, the agricultural authorities in the Basque Country are annoyed with Contador’s claims of contaminated meat. Foodchain-gate The hypothesis of some beef purchased in Irun is Contador’s escape clause but it comes at the expense of Spanish beef farmers, suggestions of contaminated meat are strong … Read more
Hispanic insurance and financial planning outfit Liberty Seguros announced recently that it was to withdraw from cycling sponsorship. The company is a subsidiary of Boston-based Liberty Mutual. We can almost salute this company’s persistence. It was the sponsor of Manolo Saiz’s team when the Puerto scandal erupted and promptly several riders were suspended from the … Read more
There are some foods that are particularly European. Maybe people think of fine wine, truffles, baguettes and ravioli. But for cyclists there are some particular foods that stand out. As part of a series about food in Europe for riding, here’s the fourth: coffee. Product description This doesn’t need much explanation. If you have to … Read more
Franz Kafka wrote some amusing but tortuous novels. His short story Die Verwandlung (The Metamorphosis) recounts the tale of a salesman who awakes one day to find he’s become a large insect. Der Process (The Trial) is about a man who finds himself on trial for a crime that is never mentioned, the court prosecutes … Read more
As I predicted, the WADA observer report on the UCI’s doping controls in last summer’s Tour de France has turned into a story about night time tests. Mark Cavendish says yes, the association of French pros, the UNCP lead by ex-pro Pascal Chanteur, says non. Most riders haven’t gone public but the vibe is that … Read more
Now that Alberto Contador’s career hangs in the balance of the Spanish Federation it is time to get a move on. The UCI rules stipulate a month, although Spanish cycling boss Juan Castaño has said it could take longer. 280. The proceedings before the hearing panel of the License-Holder’s National Federation must be completed within … Read more