One of the unwelcome side effects of following pro cycling for a while is all the side lessons. Come for the roads, races, landscapes, stories and personalities, then spend lunch breaks informing yourself about things you hadn’t envisaged, like haematocrit, off-scores, and even unapproved experimental substances.

Today’s novelty is tizanidine, a muscle-relaxing medicine. According to a scientific paper traces of it have been discovered in samples from three cyclists competing in “international three week cyclist race in France”.

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Some more notes on the Tour de France route…

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The route of the 2022 Tour de France has been unveiled, here’s a closer look at what promises to be an intense course with cobbles, Alpe d’Huez, the return of old climbs and a new one too.

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The first Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift route was revealed in Paris. Here’s a closer look at the eight stages and more.

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Dan Martin’s done his last race. A likeable rider with a palmarès everyone can celebrate, there’s one win that’s worth citing again as his Liège-Bastogne-Liège victory had a catalytic effect among other riders of his generation.

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Tadej Pogačar and Fausto Masnada come into the final straight together and surely nobody knew who was going to win. It was only when Pogačar wound up the sprint very late and Masnada couldn’t respond that the race was won.

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The same but different. The course changes every year but the race remains the same, a long distance test across the plains, valleys and climbs of Lombardia, a scenic race for viewers and a technical challenge for participants with double-digit gradient climbs and numerous twisty descents.

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Bernard Tapie has died aged 78. An businessman, a showman and briefly a politician, he was also a crook jailed for fraud and spent the last years of his life battling cancer and court cases. On his way up to the top in France he ran a major cycling team and helped bring about big technical changes in the sport, from pedals to salaries.

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Paris Roubaix is back. If the race didn’t exist they’d have to invent it, and if they invented it today the race would be banned. It’s a wild ride on a dry day thanks to the rough cobbles which are unlike anything else in pro cycling only now the forecast is for rain in the morning.

We’ll see how the race develops. Winning moves are going from far out these days and the wet cobbles, including the images from yesterday’s racing, will only encourage more to get out in front as early as possible.

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Local newspaper La Voix du Nord promises enfer météorologique this weekend. It’s going to be wet for Paris-Roubaix and this is novel, none of the starters have ridden a wet Paris-Roubaix before. A few thoughts on the matter…

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