What follows is a random collection of points but following the abrupt withdrawal of the team, I wish I was at the team’s press conference this afternoon to put these points: Why did Brett Lancaster start tweeting about house hunting in Girona in late July? Did he fancy moving to a country where he doesn’t … Read more
Certain subtle changes in the rules that govern pro cycling, have established a trend towards bigger budgets to ensure participation in all the big races, and this is not something with which we are comfortable. We were okay with the significant commitment we originally made to the team, but to increase it is not prudent. … Read more
It started after the Tour de France when Brett Lancaster said on Twitter that he was house-hunting in Girona. The lead out specialist seemed suited to life in Italy, having been in Tuscany for a long time and riding for Italian squads in the past. Why up sticks to Spain when you don’t speak the … Read more
Is it just me or does nobody care too much for the Vuelta? I wonder if this is personal bias. I live in France but near the Italian border, Spain feels like it’s a long way away and my grasp of Spanish isn’t too hot. Yet maybe it’s not just me, the media interest before … Read more
I don’t like lists and rankings, the ordered ranking of riders never expresses the full excitement of a season’s racing. In some sports the rankings matter but in cycling the UCI rankings haven’t taken off as a measure of performance across the season. Yet the rankings matter. As we’ve already seen, nations need riders with … Read more
There’s an interesting article from InstoreMarketer.org that reviews the Radioshack sponsorship deal with Lance Armstrong’s cycling team, brought to my attention via Twitter’s FestinaGirl. Back in March, I commented that the electronics retailer was sponsoring a team without mentioning it. For me, it looks like the deal is clearly about associating with Lance, the campaign … Read more
Never let it be said that cycling is a tough sport when it comes to picking winners and losers. If you fail, a second chance seems a birthright and those that make further mistakes can usually get an audience again and again. I’m all for second chances in life but many jobs in the world … Read more
Italy can be a vibrant country where even small conversations are animated with big hand gestures and proud boasts. Yet by contrast Italian press releases are in a world of their own. Riders make announcements to the world that seem only to express a state of total tranquillity and calm. For example, speaking after winning … Read more
An interesting article from New Scientist, sent in by a reader, points out some research into muscle gain. If you’re interested in training and in particular, bigger legs, then take a read. But one thing stands out from the piece: Anabolic steroids are thought to work by increasing the number of muscle cell nuclei. “If … Read more
When will J-R Bernaudeau speak?What’s going on with the BBox-Bouygues Télécom cycling team? The team has been hunting for a replacement sponsor for some time but as yet, nothing has been announced. There are rumours but there’s still some confusion. Riders have apparently been briefed that Bouygues (a media, TV and telecoms conglomerate) will back … Read more