I walked into a bike shop in June for some spares and noticed a display on the sales counter for Power Balance bracelets. I instantly took them for nonsense, they are made from silicone and neoprene bands and are supposed to “work with your body’s natural energy field“. Yeah, right. Only come July I saw … Read more
Belgian burger bar Quick has now issued a formal denial that it will sponsor the Schleck Brothers’ new team in 2011, following on from French supermarket chain Auchan. I for one find it odd that companies are rushing to say “no, we’re not sponsoring a cycling team” and wonder if it’s because they are getting … Read more
Anglo-Irish rider Dan Martin took a fine win in the hilly fifth stage of the Tour of Poland, winning the yellow jersey too. It’s his first Pro Tour win. For me at least, Martin is one of the most intriguing riders in the bunch. His performances have at times been erratic but it helps to … Read more
The Tour de France might be over but the race organisers are busy finalising the route of the 2011 edition. If you didn’t see the Giro d’Italia earlier this season then you need to get hold of the highlights, whether it’s the official DVD or check out cyclingtorrents.nl for downloadable content. One thing that stands … Read more
No comment needed Read the revelations from Hans-Michael Holczer and it seems clear that both the UCI and Holczer believed Levi Leipheimer was doping. Sadly “Ex-US Postal rider caught in doping scandal” is barely a headline these days. So what follows is more about the UCI and the stance taken by a manager. Let’s note … Read more
Whilst all eyes are on the Contador-Riis-Saxo announcement, let’s not forget the Schleck brothers. They are supposed to be starting their team for 2011 and if all this sounds a bit distant, maybe you’re thinking about next July and the Tour, it’s actually a very current matter. Riders need to be recruited, no mean feat … Read more
Dutch bank Rabobank has published a report on the internationalisation of cycling. It’s worth a read and I agree with a lot of what it says. In summary, it says that the sport has been opened up to new countries and where success occurs in these newcomers, it can be built on to develop the … Read more
Was this year’s Giro d’Italia one of the best editions in living memory? Certainly it was for me, especially once the race returned to home soil we saw some impressive racing. The epic stage on the strade bianche, the numerous summit finishes including the near-insane Zoncolan climb. I can remember other moments, the giant breakaway … Read more
Often we see team sponsors without knowing who or what they are about. One thing I try to do on this blog is to look at the business of cycling and the sponsors behind it. You might be familiar with Team Sky, it’s backed by Sky, the media group with TV channels in many countries, … Read more
How do you say “chickens come home to roost” in Spanish? With main sponsor Caisse d’Epargne pulling out at the end of the year, team manager Eusebio Unzue (pictured with Valverde above) is struggling to keep the team together. Having initially announced some replacement sponsorship during the Tour de France, it turns out that he’s … Read more