Olé! First was Mario Cipollini, the suave, macho rider who was also a top media operator. The Tuscan rider featured on hit Italian TV show Ballando con Le Stelle, or Dancing With The Stars, a prime time TV hit featuring celebrities learning to dance, accompanied by dance professionals. You’ve probably seen it where you live, … Read more
Moi, controversial? Caisse d’Epargne might be withdrawing from pro team sponsorship but the French savings bank has not had its last word. Team manager Eusebio Unzue wanted to sign Ricardo Ricco, on release from Flaminia, but the sponsor blocked the deal. “Unzue wanted me but not the French sponsor” explains Ricco in the Gazzetta dello … Read more
It’s quite common for sons to copy their father’s career path and cycling is no exception. Yesterday saw Cofidis’s Tony Gallopin take the lead in the Tour de l’Ain and the young rider is the son of RadioShack directeur sportif Alain Gallopin. Meanwhile in the junior worlds, the sixth fastest finisher in the pursuit was … Read more
Time to step away from the spotlight Jan Ullrich’s stopping all public appearances. The cake-eating race champion who saw his reputation crumble when he was busted in Operation Puerto is nevertheless still a popular figure on the celebrity circuit in Germany, where he’s been doing charity work and taking part in some motor racing, as … Read more
Tax. The mere word can put some into furious debate and yet send others into quiet slumber. Either way taxes are inevitable, even in sport. Tax matters in pro cycling. If you’ve ever wondered why French teams don’t buy in some of the best riders from outside France to showcase a sponsor in the Tour, … Read more
Pat Jonker’s an Aussie-Dutch rider who’s recently come out in support of Lance Armstrong, telling FoxSports.com.au about doping at US Postal: “I didn’t see anything. If I was subpoenaed to go to court and put my hand on the Bible, I’d go.” Nice. But I’d make two remarks. First, the image below is a screen … Read more
It’s a first: the UCI has published online its financial report and audited accounts for the year ending 31 December 2009. These are available online at uci.ch, go to the publications page. You might come to The Inner Ring for more juicy news and to escape dull numbers so I’ll try to liven up the … Read more
Perception vs. reality You might have seen the Euro Cycling Rules on the internet. It’s amusing but like many internet successes, it has a grain of truth. We might mock the obsession with riding with tubs and obligatory white shoes but ultimately, who wouldn’t want to have shiny kit and the finest wheels money can … Read more
No, not those warrants. Not yet. Instead, these are warrants to buy stock relating to the stockmarket flotation of the business that owns the Livestrong brand. Normally the stockmarket float of a company wouldn’t appear on this kind of website. But the filing for Demand Media Inc. to sell its shares to investors on Wall … Read more
Does Greipel feel lucky? André Greipel’s finally announced he’s on his way to Belgian squad Omega Pharma – Lotto. It’s one of those logical deals. Greipel has been feeling the squeeze on his team, he’s a top sprinter but has to play understudy to Mark Cavendish, only getting an invite to the races where the … Read more