Riccardo Ricco’s move to Vacansoleil is not without its controversy. The Dutch team wants to step up a level to enter the ProTour, it also wants to take part in the big races like the Tour de France. Is signing Ricco a good way to go about this?YesRicco has proven he can win and he’s … Read more
Hands up if you’re an embarrassment Someone should keep a blog just to monitor the ramblings of UCI President Pat McQuaid and to rebut his misleading public statements. Now he has done the sport a service when it comes to internationalising races. The idea of the ProTour was a good one (although I think it … Read more
Two contrasting races start today. ENECO TourThe ENECO Tour is the former Benelux Tour, taking in Holland, Belgium and normally Luxembourg, and today named after race sponsor ENECO, a Dutch energy company. It’s a race that favours sprinters, although the stages include the Mur de Huy and there’s a tough final time trial to settle … Read more
2.15.120 A transfer period extends from 1 August to 20 October According to the UCI rules, rider transfers should only be announced during the 80 day window from 1 August onwards. In addition, actual recruitment, such as the signing of contracts is also meant to take place during the same period. A team or rider … Read more
Swiss director Marcel Ophüls produced “The Sorry and The Pity”, a two-part documentary in 1969. The film was banned for many years in France because it touched on the raw subject of French collaboration with the Nazis during the period of occupation in the Second World War. The film centres on Clermont-Ferrand, an industrial city … Read more
With the Vattenfall Cyclassics done, the UCI’s world rankings will be updated shortly. Normally you can see who’s up and who’s down and that’s it. But this time, there’s an extra element for the national rankings determine who is going to the world championships in Geelong, Australia. Whilst Andreas Kloeden might have been railing on … Read more
You might have read my earlier comments on Johan Bruyneel’s clothing range, I didn’t think much of the range of clothing and its design. There have been t-shirts with cobbles, tarmac and yellow jerseys. But now there’s a new one. Presumably this t-shirt allows fans to celebrate the latest chapter in Bruyneel’s glorious career, the … Read more
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