The Androni – Diquigiovanni team were crowned champions of Italy recently, largely thanks to Michele Scarponi’s massive points haul and the team’s persistent focus on the Italian calendar. Scarponi may be heading to Lampre for 2011 but he leaves behind a pleasant surprise for the team: qualification for the Tour de France. Under an agreement … Read more
Followers of cycling will note that the finish of a race often sees many flags being waved. My favourite is the “Dirk Hoffman Motorhomes” board, a common sight in Belgian classics. It’s inevitable, the finish line is filmed in detail and the images are repeated on news broadcasts. In other words, it’s valuable airtime. I’ve … Read more
“Where’s the beef?” was a marketing phrase from a chain of US burger bars, mocking the small hamburgers offered by rivals. In time its meaning has widened to mean where’s the substance. And it’s a very appropriate phrase for the Alberto Contador story, given the bovine connection and the total lack of information related to … Read more
If Saturday’s Tour of Lombardy marked the end of the season for many, the Chrono des Herbiers on Sunday was surely the last moment pro riders could be seen in action? Well no. Next weekend sees the Japan Cup one day race in Utsunomiya, 100km north of Tokyo. The Herald Sun Tour in Australia is … Read more
Cyclists often like to compare their rides. Almost every amateur with a powermeter will check their wattages against those of a pro and many holiday makers to the mountains like to know how they did compared to the time a race went over a nearby pass. But comparisons aren’t always easy. It’s hard to get … Read more
I’ve started a series this week on European foods, not the finer stuff but more the quirky products that many a cyclist will devour. You can read the first part here. But The Inner Ring also has some other series: – It Was Acceptable in the 80s – Podcast Reviews– Out of Competition – What’s … Read more
There’s a new trial scheme in Switzerland for those given a doping ban. Unfortunately titled “Windop”* the idea is to counsel those who are given bans for doping offences. Just as many convicted criminals get advice on rehabilitation, the idea is to re-educate someone caught doping. The idea has been started by a psychologist working … Read more
Danish TV ran with some powerful allegations last night. TV2’s “Lige På og Sport” claimed to have seen a document resulting from disgraced Austrian sports manager Stefan Matschiner. Matschiner’s been linked to Bernhard Kohl but rumours put him with Michael Rasmussen. And last night Denmark’s TV2 accused Rasmussen of a further blood doping offence, storing … Read more
“The lady doth protest too much, methinks.”Hamlet, Act III So wrote Shakespeare and today the phrase has entered common use as an example of someone over-compensating to make up for a mistake. Rid us of this troublesome prosecutor! A good example will be this Saturday when the riders on the start line of the Tour … Read more
He’s the red hot favourite for Saturday’s Giro di Lombardia. But cycling is a very open sport where favourites only find the odds mildly in their favour. As we saw in the World Championships, you can be the strongest but not get a result: Gilbert tried but ultimately tried too hard. But give the Belgian … Read more