From Graphjam.
Saturday 18 June 2011
Route du Sud Stage 3 results
Anthony Charteau couldn't repeat the success he had yesterday, but Davide Rebellin rode extremely well and took another third place. Not bad at all for a man his age!
1 Jurgen Van Goolen (Veranda's Willems-Accent) 2 Peter Kennaugh (Team Sky + 1'36" 3 Davide Rebellin (Miche-Guerciotti 4 Sébastien Joly (Saur-Sojasun) 5 Arnold Jeannesson (FDJ) 6 Thomas DeGand (Veranda's Willems-Accent) 7 José Herrada Lopez (Caja Rujal) 8 Sandy Casar (FDJ) 9 Benoît Vaugrenard (FDJ) 10 Maxime Mederel (BigMat-Auber93) 11 Vasil Kiryenka (Movistar) 12 Sergio Pardilla (Movistar) 13 John Gadret (AG2R-La Mondiale) Overall classification 1 Vasil Kiryenka (Movistar) 2 Davide Rebellin (Miche-Guerciotti + 43" 3 Peter Kennaugh (Team Sky + 45" 4 Sébastien Joly (Saur-Sojasun + 51" 5 Thomas Degand (Veranda's Willems-Accent) 6 José Herrada Lopez (Caja Rujal) 7 Sandy Casar (FDJ) 8 Maxime Mederel (BigMat-Auber93) 9 Jean-Marc Marino (Saur-Sojasun) 10 Anthony Charteau (Team Europcar)
Tour de Suisse Stage 8 results
A remarkable day of racing today which saw Jaroslaw Marycz, Luca Paolini, Jan Barta and Francisco Ventoso mount an early challenge when, just a few kilometres into the route (right where we predicted it, incidentally), they broke away from the pack in the pouring rain and kept the pace almost to the end of the day. The peloton kept trying to reel them back in and although they did eventually manage to do, it took a lot of time. Barta came off at one point and was incredibly lucky not to hit a metal crown barrier, working heroically to catch up afterwards. It wasn't long though until he'd given all he had to give and the breakaway group divided into two when Ventoso fell back with him, leaving Marycz and Paolini to lead all the way to the Category 3 climb at Haullerberg.
HTC-Highroad and Team Sky moved up to the front at this point, looking purposeful and like they had plans to hand out some pain. In the end, it was Sky who proved they can really dish it out: HTC ended without a single rider in the top ten, even Cavendish whom the stage seemed to suit so well, whereas the British team managed two - namely 3rd place Ben Swift who, aged 23, is emerging as Britain's next hero and Essex boy Ian Stannard in 8th. We said this morning that we hoped to see Swift in the top ten but doubted it would happen - we're seriously impressed with what he did today and we hope he is too.
Andy Schleck, winner of the King of the Mountains title yesterday, showed what he can do and why barring mechanical problems he'll be on the Parisian podium next month. He was first up Haullerberg and so gets to keep the jersey. With a total 42 points picked up in the climbs, he's seven points ahead of Laurens ten Dam in the climber's competition and with tomorrow's stage being a time trial the jersey's his for good.
Peter Sagan won the stage, his second in this Tour, which puts him way out in front as far as the points contest is concerned - he has a 36 point lead on second place Jose Joaquin Rojas who was declared fifth place by his Movistar team of Twitter but in fact took sixth. Matthew Harley Goss took the second position, Koldo Fernandez fourth and Thor Hushovd fifth - the Norwegian looked set for a higher place but seemed to have trouble holding his position in the jostle for the finish line. Luckily, it dried up after a soaking start and the rain forecast for this afternoon in Schaffhausen never materialised so the road was dry and not slippery, other we might well have seen a pile-up with just metres to go.
Results in full:
Stage 8
 |
| Ben Swift was born on the 5th of Nove- mber and rides like he's got a firework up his downtube (if you know what we mean). Give him three years and he's going to be world-class. |
HTC-Highroad and Team Sky moved up to the front at this point, looking purposeful and like they had plans to hand out some pain. In the end, it was Sky who proved they can really dish it out: HTC ended without a single rider in the top ten, even Cavendish whom the stage seemed to suit so well, whereas the British team managed two - namely 3rd place Ben Swift who, aged 23, is emerging as Britain's next hero and Essex boy Ian Stannard in 8th. We said this morning that we hoped to see Swift in the top ten but doubted it would happen - we're seriously impressed with what he did today and we hope he is too.
Andy Schleck, winner of the King of the Mountains title yesterday, showed what he can do and why barring mechanical problems he'll be on the Parisian podium next month. He was first up Haullerberg and so gets to keep the jersey. With a total 42 points picked up in the climbs, he's seven points ahead of Laurens ten Dam in the climber's competition and with tomorrow's stage being a time trial the jersey's his for good.
Peter Sagan won the stage, his second in this Tour, which puts him way out in front as far as the points contest is concerned - he has a 36 point lead on second place Jose Joaquin Rojas who was declared fifth place by his Movistar team of Twitter but in fact took sixth. Matthew Harley Goss took the second position, Koldo Fernandez fourth and Thor Hushovd fifth - the Norwegian looked set for a higher place but seemed to have trouble holding his position in the jostle for the finish line. Luckily, it dried up after a soaking start and the rain forecast for this afternoon in Schaffhausen never materialised so the road was dry and not slippery, other we might well have seen a pile-up with just metres to go.
Results in full:
Stage 8
1 Peter Sagan
2 Matthew Harley Goss
3 Ben Swift
4 Koldo Fernandez
5 Thor Hushovd
6 Jose Joaquin Rojas
7 Gerald Ciolek
8 Ian Stannard
9 Simon Clarke
10 Tejay Van Garderen
Overall and other results available at the Tour de Suisse website.
Early breakaway in the Tour de Suisse
Dammit, wish I could predict stage winners as accurately as I predicted the first breakaway. I said earlier that we might see a breakaway in the early parts of today's Stage 8 of the Tour de Suisse in the flat section before Romanshorn - and you can bugger me with an angry tomcat if that isn't exactly what happened when Marycz, Paolini, Barta and Ventoso decided they'd all had more than enough of plodding along in the rain and that they'd try to up the pace a bit. The four of them shot off in front and are now doing the business some 6'23" ahead of the peloton. It can't last, however - the gap's gradually being reduced as the main group reel them back in.
Now, if I can just apply the same prediction skill to stage and race winners and set up a few spread bets, I ought to be watching the Tour from my personal helicopter before dining on pate de dinosaur and gold at my Alpine mansion. Wonder of Kate Winslet would like to join me...?
Now, if I can just apply the same prediction skill to stage and race winners and set up a few spread bets, I ought to be watching the Tour from my personal helicopter before dining on pate de dinosaur and gold at my Alpine mansion. Wonder of Kate Winslet would like to join me...?
Route du Sud
With the Dauphine just finished, the Tour de Suisse in its penultimate stage and the Tour de France just around the corner it's easy to forget there are other races in progress at this time of the year. That's a pity because it can mean missing out of the Route du Sud which since inauguration in 1977 has seen some top quality racing in the Pyrenees and across Southern France, often offering a glimpse at what weaponry the teams will be touting when the Tour de France hits town two weeks later.
This year is no different with four days of racing, 720km total distance and guest appearances by those popular cycling stars Col d'Aspin and big, bad Col du Tourmalet in Stage 2. Port de Bales, as featured in the 2007 and 2010 Tours is also a feature and at 1755m will test the mettle of those who take it on in today's Stage 3.
Stage 1 took in 203km of rolling terrain between Castres, where the houses along the Agout river surpass anything Venice has to offer for old world charm, and Samatan where the stage was won this year by Dutchman Stefan van Dijk riding for Veranda's Willems-Accent . Stage 2 wound its way into the mountains with 150 of its 177km in the Haute Pyrenees, A few tasty climbs of a couple of hundred metres or so blew away the cobwebs before the riders found themselves with 1489m Col d'Aspin, a road that has formed part of 66 Tours de France - almost as respectable as its neighbour Tourmalet, which has been in 75, and which at 2115m is both the highest point in this Route and the highest road in the entire Pyrenees. Near the summit stands a statue of Jacques Goddet who directed the Tour for 41 years until 1987. Anthony Charteau of Europcar was both first over the top and first across the finish line this year, just keeping ahead of Movistar's Vasil Kiriyienka but not without some extreme effort.
Today's Stage 3 is far less mountainous with little fluctuation in altitude before Col du Mente and an ascent not far short of 1000m. As the road to the top of Port de Bales begins at a higher point, the ascent is once again around 1000m, but being so much higher than Col du Mente the effects of altitude are greater and make it a harder climb. Charteau may prove to be the right man for the job once again in this section, but Kiriyienka won't give him an easy time of it. Davide Rebellin, back from his suspension after failing a dope test and rapidly approaching 40 years of age, took third place yesterday and there's every reason for him to do the same today.
Stage 4 is a different matter entirely, being downhill almost all the way of its 143km to Pau, declared by poet Alphonse de Lamartine to have "the world's most beautiful view of the Earth." The sprinters will seize their chance to shake up the overall standings over this stage, which makes it very difficult to even guess who might be declared the race's eventual winner.
This year is no different with four days of racing, 720km total distance and guest appearances by those popular cycling stars Col d'Aspin and big, bad Col du Tourmalet in Stage 2. Port de Bales, as featured in the 2007 and 2010 Tours is also a feature and at 1755m will test the mettle of those who take it on in today's Stage 3.
 |
| Houses along the Agout. Lovely, but I bet rats are a problem |
Today's Stage 3 is far less mountainous with little fluctuation in altitude before Col du Mente and an ascent not far short of 1000m. As the road to the top of Port de Bales begins at a higher point, the ascent is once again around 1000m, but being so much higher than Col du Mente the effects of altitude are greater and make it a harder climb. Charteau may prove to be the right man for the job once again in this section, but Kiriyienka won't give him an easy time of it. Davide Rebellin, back from his suspension after failing a dope test and rapidly approaching 40 years of age, took third place yesterday and there's every reason for him to do the same today.
Stage 4 is a different matter entirely, being downhill almost all the way of its 143km to Pau, declared by poet Alphonse de Lamartine to have "the world's most beautiful view of the Earth." The sprinters will seize their chance to shake up the overall standings over this stage, which makes it very difficult to even guess who might be declared the race's eventual winner.
Tour de Suisse Stage 8
It's the penultimate day of what has been a great Tour de Suisse - we honestly can't see why this race doesn't get the attention the Vuelta and Giro do - and the sprinters will be glad that Stage 8 is completely different to Stage 8 and its vast climbs. Today is all about speed with long, flat sections around 400m above sea level, a couple of uncategorised 200m ascents and one C4 and a manageable C3 towards the end of the 167km parcour.
Mark Cavendish comments sarcastically about the rain in Tübach but is chipper on Twitter, saying "Lovely day for a bike race! Upside, should be a bunch sprint." British fans will be hoping to see the Manx Missile demonstrate the capability that earned him his nickname today and the flat finish at Schaffhausen should be to his liking. However, he's got to deal with those hills first and they're just big enough to spoil the fun.
The first climb comes just 1.8km after the start and though not huge, with an ascent of 196m in under 5km the mountain specialists and all-rounders will take up the lead for a while. Once topped, it's a long downhill run over 32.2km which should spread out the pack a bit. It's still early days at this point, but anyone who feels up to it may start putting on the pressure with a breakaway attempt before reaching the second respectable uncategorised climb of 200m up to Romanshorn on the banks of Lake Constance. Then there's a quick bit of descending and, but for a brief blip at Altnau where remains of a Neolithic culture dating to 5500 years old have been discovered, it's a flat run all the way to the food station at 94.2km.
It's much the same all the way for the next 32km until the first of the day's visits to Schaffhausen, but with a few hazards in the form of level crossings, narrow roads and an undefined hazard at 105.2km it's not a section to be taken lightly - especially when traveling at the high rate the Tourists will be maintaining. Schaffhausen was an independent city state during the Medieval period and despite accidental bombing by the USAF on April Fool's Day 1944 (oh, how the locals laughed) has retained many very fine old buildings in the traditional Swiss Alpine style. If you're watching on television, make the most of any local interest to catch the cameraman's eye because they'll be concentrating on the rider at the front next time the Tour hits town.
More flatlands, narrow roads and another hazard bring us up to sharp bend into Rheinfall, the largest waterfall in Europe and quite possibly the most spectacular too, which brings holidaymakers and their wallets in droves to the area. Then it's a short climb followed by a couple of fast sprints (at 132.7km and 142.3km) before the first proper climb of the day, the 177m Category 3 Oberhallau. An equally steep descent affords little let-up before Cat 4 Siblingerhöh at 560m. The actual ascent is just 89m, but after spending so much of the last 154km trying to keep up with the sprinters few of the climbers will make it to the top without at least minor suffering. Once back down, the real sprinting will start - it's flat all the way over the final 11.7km back to Schaffhausen on a road with few complications other than a tight bend 0.4km from the finish line. This is where we may see Cavendish prove why he's got such a formidable reputation and, with a bit of luck, take the stage winner honours. However, the thunderstorms forecast for this afternoon in the region may mess things up a bit.
The weather looks set to be fairly horrible for most of the day, with heavy rain in Tübach and thunderstorms likely to leave the roads slippery around Schaffhausen even if they've died out by the latter part of the afternoon.
Predictions: we were even less accurate yesterday than the day before, but it's that unpredictability that keeps stage racing interesting. We thought the top five would be Cunego, Kruijswijk, Frank Schleck, Mollema and finally ten Dam in fifth. As it turned out, none of them were even in the top ten; somewhat surprisingly as each of them is a strong climber who should have performed well on a course dominated by the vast Flüelapass - we did at least have a Schleck in there, though - the high altitude horror brought the expert mountain man Andy Schleck out of hiding and he took an opportunity to show everyone what Contador will have to contend with in the Tour de France.
Now, this is just a hunch and may be down to wishful patriotic thinking rather than studious examination of form, but we think Mark Cavendish will shine today, and we think that as a result he's going to be the first over the line. We'll hope for Ben Swift of Team Sky to make a top ten appearance too, but this is less likely. Second place is a difficult one to describe because so many riders will be after it. Oscar Freire may be one of the older riders, but he managed second in Stage 5 which was, broadly, a similar one to today; but Peter Sagan, Tejay Van Garderen, Jose Joaquin Rojas and Marco Marcato (3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th in Stage 5) are all going to be jostling for a piece of the action too. Then again, at this late stage in the Tour, some of the sprinters further down the ranks might be wanting to have a go on the podium too. Oh well - we'll have a stab at it: Cavendish for 1st, Marcato for 2nd, Freire for 3rd, Linus Gerdemann for 4th (perhaps encouraged by team mate Schleck's success) and Van Garderen for fifth.
We were correct in our guess that yesterday would see abandonments: Daniel Sesma, Mirco Lorenzetto, Danilo Di Luca, Jeffry Louder and Philip Deignan all fell by the wayside. Provided there's no accidents or illness today, there's every chance that everyone who sets out will make it to the end today.
Mark Cavendish comments sarcastically about the rain in Tübach but is chipper on Twitter, saying "Lovely day for a bike race! Upside, should be a bunch sprint." British fans will be hoping to see the Manx Missile demonstrate the capability that earned him his nickname today and the flat finish at Schaffhausen should be to his liking. However, he's got to deal with those hills first and they're just big enough to spoil the fun.
 |
| Romanshorn, despite lying at an altitude of more than 400m in a landlocked country, as the feel of a seaside town due to the docks on Lake Constance where fishing vessels provide an important source of food and income. |
It's much the same all the way for the next 32km until the first of the day's visits to Schaffhausen, but with a few hazards in the form of level crossings, narrow roads and an undefined hazard at 105.2km it's not a section to be taken lightly - especially when traveling at the high rate the Tourists will be maintaining. Schaffhausen was an independent city state during the Medieval period and despite accidental bombing by the USAF on April Fool's Day 1944 (oh, how the locals laughed) has retained many very fine old buildings in the traditional Swiss Alpine style. If you're watching on television, make the most of any local interest to catch the cameraman's eye because they'll be concentrating on the rider at the front next time the Tour hits town.
 |
| Schaffhausen |
 |
| On average, 700 cubic metres of water flow over the Rheinfall every second in summer. |
Predictions: we were even less accurate yesterday than the day before, but it's that unpredictability that keeps stage racing interesting. We thought the top five would be Cunego, Kruijswijk, Frank Schleck, Mollema and finally ten Dam in fifth. As it turned out, none of them were even in the top ten; somewhat surprisingly as each of them is a strong climber who should have performed well on a course dominated by the vast Flüelapass - we did at least have a Schleck in there, though - the high altitude horror brought the expert mountain man Andy Schleck out of hiding and he took an opportunity to show everyone what Contador will have to contend with in the Tour de France.
 |
| Will Cavendish show us why he's called the Missile today? |
We were correct in our guess that yesterday would see abandonments: Daniel Sesma, Mirco Lorenzetto, Danilo Di Luca, Jeffry Louder and Philip Deignan all fell by the wayside. Provided there's no accidents or illness today, there's every chance that everyone who sets out will make it to the end today.
Got a huge amount of Daddy's money to spend on a bike?
...then the Karl Lagerfeld-designed Chanel bike might be just what you need for nipping down to Sloane Square when you can't take the Range Rover because the leather seats don't match your Manolo Blahniks. Or hey, why not just buy another Range Rover with seats that do match, dahling?
Do not assume this is all about style over substance, however. The bike, of which just 50 have been made so that stinking-rich owners can use exclusivity as a substitute for the individuality that the rest of us have instead, comes fully equipped with such vital and useful features as quilted leather handlebar grips, matching panniers in the same material designed to harmonise with the company's handbags and - most useful of all - a jewelry roll located beneath the saddle where we mere mortals keep a Ginster's pastie and a bit of flapjack. We'll bet that more than one owner has been stupid enough to actually use it and then forgotten to remove it when leaving the bike blocking the pavement outside Harvey Nicks - and we'll bet that everyone this happened to was named either Jemima or Fiona, too. Even the supplied pump comes covered in dead cow, but the chances of owners ever using it are probably less than zero.
Launched as part of Chanel's spring/summer 2008 collection, the bikes retailed at £6,200 when new but second hand models are being bought by collectors for as much as £17,300. Which just goes to show how stupid some people are. You can read an online discussion about the bike here, but it'll make you despair for the human race.
 |
| Wondering how a completely normal bike with a bit of leather stuck on it can sell for six thousand quid? Because a lot of people are very rich, very shallow and very stupid, that's how. |
Launched as part of Chanel's spring/summer 2008 collection, the bikes retailed at £6,200 when new but second hand models are being bought by collectors for as much as £17,300. Which just goes to show how stupid some people are. You can read an online discussion about the bike here, but it'll make you despair for the human race.
Like bikes? Like laughing? The you might like Phil Kay
Scottish stand-up comedian Phil Kay plans to warm up the crowd at his gig during the E4 Udderbelly event at London's Southback Centre on Monday using an unconventional method - the Perrier nominee and British Comedy Award winner will take them on a 38 minute bike tour of the area. "We'll try and cycle as closely together as possible. It will be like the Tour de France," he says, "Or more like the Tour Difference, get it?"
Kay, who has appeared on QI (last truly funny programme on British TV) and Russell Howard's Good News and has a string of respectable writing credits to pad out his curriculum vitae, says he expects a small turn-out for the tour but promises a bike striptease to conclude the gig which is called Freewheelin' Mirth Pedaler. Tickets can be had from the Southbank Centre website for a mere £12.50. Incidentally, we rate him highly - but his beard gets top marks.
Kay, who has appeared on QI (last truly funny programme on British TV) and Russell Howard's Good News and has a string of respectable writing credits to pad out his curriculum vitae, says he expects a small turn-out for the tour but promises a bike striptease to conclude the gig which is called Freewheelin' Mirth Pedaler. Tickets can be had from the Southbank Centre website for a mere £12.50. Incidentally, we rate him highly - but his beard gets top marks.
Mauricio Soler update 2
Movistar doctor Alfredo Zuniga says that Mauricio Soler's condition is "being favourable" but that the next 48 hours are crucial following the crash on Thursday which has left him in hospital with severe brain injuries.
"The news today is good... the cerebral edema [fluid on the brain], which is the most worrying thing, has gone through a slight improvement and that's why we have to stay optimistic, even though we have to keep reservations because recovery in such processes is unpredictable," he added. The 28-year-old Columbian, one of the best climbers in the world, remains in an induced coma in hospital in St. Gallen, Switzerland.
According to The Independent newspaper, police are not yet able to say if they'll be involved in the inquest to come. However, there have been calls for the professional cycling world to improve rider safety following the death of Wouter Weylandt in a high speed crash during last month's Giro d'Italia; suggesting that should any indication of negligence be found, a criminal investigation will begin. This would be welcomed - although cycling is a very dangerous sport and nobody reaches professional level without being well aware of that, the high speeds attained by today's riders requires the UCI and other organisers to constantly strive towards improving the safety of riders and fans. There is no indication that this has not been the case and a majority would agree that their performance is admirable in this area - as demonstrated by their repeated attempts to make helmets mandatory in racing, despite vociferous opposition from the riders themselves - and prosecution would be highly unlikely, but if it turned up hitherto overlooked areas in which improvements could be made then it would be worthwhile.
Meanwhile, SaxoBank-Sungard's Baden Cooke has described the crash, which he saw taking place. "All of a sudden there was a footpath with a 5cm edge dropping down to the road level, he had no time to brake at all," says the Australian, 32. Soler then struck a spectator before hitting a metal fence. "The fence did not move at all, so Soler took the full impact." The spectator got away with "superficial" injuries.
"The progress of his pneumothorax has been good," explains Zuniga. "He also has multiple injuries and fractures, but the thing the doctors are more focused on now is the edema."
"The news today is good... the cerebral edema [fluid on the brain], which is the most worrying thing, has gone through a slight improvement and that's why we have to stay optimistic, even though we have to keep reservations because recovery in such processes is unpredictable," he added. The 28-year-old Columbian, one of the best climbers in the world, remains in an induced coma in hospital in St. Gallen, Switzerland.
 |
| Leopard-Trek's Wouter Weylandt died while descending the Passo del Bocco on the Giro d'Italia. |
According to The Independent newspaper, police are not yet able to say if they'll be involved in the inquest to come. However, there have been calls for the professional cycling world to improve rider safety following the death of Wouter Weylandt in a high speed crash during last month's Giro d'Italia; suggesting that should any indication of negligence be found, a criminal investigation will begin. This would be welcomed - although cycling is a very dangerous sport and nobody reaches professional level without being well aware of that, the high speeds attained by today's riders requires the UCI and other organisers to constantly strive towards improving the safety of riders and fans. There is no indication that this has not been the case and a majority would agree that their performance is admirable in this area - as demonstrated by their repeated attempts to make helmets mandatory in racing, despite vociferous opposition from the riders themselves - and prosecution would be highly unlikely, but if it turned up hitherto overlooked areas in which improvements could be made then it would be worthwhile.
Meanwhile, SaxoBank-Sungard's Baden Cooke has described the crash, which he saw taking place. "All of a sudden there was a footpath with a 5cm edge dropping down to the road level, he had no time to brake at all," says the Australian, 32. Soler then struck a spectator before hitting a metal fence. "The fence did not move at all, so Soler took the full impact." The spectator got away with "superficial" injuries.
"The progress of his pneumothorax has been good," explains Zuniga. "He also has multiple injuries and fractures, but the thing the doctors are more focused on now is the edema."
Friday 17 June 2011
Essex lad convicted for bike theft
A 16-year-old boy who, due to his age, can't be named received a six month conditional discharge and was ordered to pay £30 costs by Harlow Youth Court after he admitted stealing a bike.
Having had a number of bikes stolen over the years, my experience has been that the police rarely bother to follow up reports so it's good to see at least one little bike-thieving scrote has had a warning. With a bit of luck, it's just what he needs to stop him becoming a big bike-thieving scrot.
Having had a number of bikes stolen over the years, my experience has been that the police rarely bother to follow up reports so it's good to see at least one little bike-thieving scrote has had a warning. With a bit of luck, it's just what he needs to stop him becoming a big bike-thieving scrot.
Cheap, light, strong - looks like you can choose all three after all
 |
| Crank Bros. split skewers, RRP £49.99, selling at £25? Sounds good to us! |
Tour de Suisse Stage 7 results
What a stage! Today had everything a cycling fan could want - the kind of scenery only Switzerland and Austria can provide, a few bits for the sprinters, a few pointy bits for the climbers and a massive great mountain slap bang in the middle to let everyone know who's the boss.
A rather unexpected boss emerged: who should come riding up from the back of the pack where he's been all week since breaking his chain in the prologue...? Andy Schleck! He was first over the Flüelapass, which must have got Alberto Contador worried; it's been looking like next month's Tour de France was as good as his so far, but with Andy back in the zone he'll know he's going to have to work even harder than he did last year. So, was Schleck the Younger sandbagging in the hope of lulling Bertie into a false sense of security or has he genuinely been lacking good form? Only time will tell; but he got up the hill quicker than a fat bloke gets to Greg's when the pasties are BOGOF, so we're guessin' he was bluffin'. Or maybe he was just sulkin' - after all, chains have cost him a lot in the past.
He either couldn't or didn't want to win the stage, though, coming in a close second behind Thomas de Gendt who rode like a mountain-munching grimpeur today - honestly, how do the Benelux countries repeatedly turn out climbers of this calibre? Asked if he'd been aware it was Schleck chasing him up the last hill, he replied: "I was thinking he was going to catch me in the end." Another indication that ol' Schlecky knows what he's about, and more encouragement for Bertie to train hard over the next two weeks.
Third place went to Jose Joaquin Rojas, fourth to Christian Vande Velde, fifth to Alberto Losada, sixth to Sergey Lagutin, seventh to Jan "Pitbull" Bakelants who seems to have spent most of this Tour attacking anything that comes near him, eighth to to that little Italian munchkin Marco Marcato, a very impressive ninth to veteran George Hincapie who turns 38 at the end of this month and tenth to Manuele Boaro who as a result may now get a Wikipedia page written about him. Andy took a very well deserved green jersey for King of the Mountains, and that counts for a lot on a stage like this one.
Overall leadership stays much the same with Damiano Cunego, Bauke Mollema and Steven Kruijswijk holding onto first, second and third. The next couple of stages, apart from a few lumps, are going to see the controls handed back to the sprinters so this arrangement probably won't change dramatically before the race ends on Sunday and it's looking increasingly like Cunego's our man.
 |
| Andy Schleck pulled his finger out today and was the first man up the Flüelapass |
He either couldn't or didn't want to win the stage, though, coming in a close second behind Thomas de Gendt who rode like a mountain-munching grimpeur today - honestly, how do the Benelux countries repeatedly turn out climbers of this calibre? Asked if he'd been aware it was Schleck chasing him up the last hill, he replied: "I was thinking he was going to catch me in the end." Another indication that ol' Schlecky knows what he's about, and more encouragement for Bertie to train hard over the next two weeks.
Third place went to Jose Joaquin Rojas, fourth to Christian Vande Velde, fifth to Alberto Losada, sixth to Sergey Lagutin, seventh to Jan "Pitbull" Bakelants who seems to have spent most of this Tour attacking anything that comes near him, eighth to to that little Italian munchkin Marco Marcato, a very impressive ninth to veteran George Hincapie who turns 38 at the end of this month and tenth to Manuele Boaro who as a result may now get a Wikipedia page written about him. Andy took a very well deserved green jersey for King of the Mountains, and that counts for a lot on a stage like this one.
 |
| Thomas de Gendt was first over the finish, and he earned it. Mrs. Cyclopunk says he's cute. |
Tour de Suisse Stage 7 results
1 Thomas de Gendt
2 Andy Schleck
3 Jose Joaquin Rojas
4 Christian Vandevelde
5 Alberto Losada
6 Sergey Lagutin
7 Jan Bakelants
8 Marco Marcato
9 George Hincapie
10 Manuele Boaro
Overall Leadership
1 Damiano Cunego
2 Bauke Mollema
3 Steven Kruijswijk
4 Frank Schleck
5 Levi Leipheimer
6 Jakob Fuglsang
7 Mathias Frank
8 Laurens ten Dam
9 Giampaolo Caruso
10 Tejay Garderen
2 Andy Schleck
3 Jose Joaquin Rojas
4 Christian Vandevelde
5 Alberto Losada
6 Sergey Lagutin
7 Jan Bakelants
8 Marco Marcato
9 George Hincapie
10 Manuele Boaro
Overall Leadership
1 Damiano Cunego
2 Bauke Mollema
3 Steven Kruijswijk
4 Frank Schleck
5 Levi Leipheimer
6 Jakob Fuglsang
7 Mathias Frank
8 Laurens ten Dam
9 Giampaolo Caruso
10 Tejay Garderen
Bianchi's new Impulso looks good, but that might be all that's going for it
The new Impulso long-distance racer is set to be the only new-for-2012 road bike from the world's oldest bicycle manufacturer, but it ought to get noticed. It is, to put it mildly, stunning - the triple hydroforming process used on the top and head tubes gives it a unique appearance among alloy bikes, the effect being that this is a much more expensive bike than it actually is.
The process involves hydroforming the tubes to begin with, then welding them together in the conventional way, then hydroforming them again. This has allowed Bianchi to create a ridge running from the top tube, around the head tube and back down the other side of the top tube. Not only does this look spectacular, with the resulting smooth welds helping to produce an overall resemblance to a particularly stylish carbon fibre frame, it also adds to the strength and stiffness - by as much as 10%, according to Bianchi themselves.
The price is expected to be somewhere in the region of £1300, which places it slap-bang in the middle of a hotly-contested section of the market and whether or not it can hold its own in the bikeshop against bikes at a similar price point but which, by using more conventional tubes, can be fitted with better parts remains to be seen. BikeRadar's Jamie Wilkins, one of the very few journalists to have been allowed to have a go, suggests much the same - while he's impressed by the stiffness, he notes that the bike feels heavy and puts this down to heavy wheels and Campagnolo Veloce kit. However, the fact that it is so eye-catching and looks like a £2300 bike are going to help it sell - even if more experienced riders see beneath the beauty.
Overview: the Impulso is going to be a nice bike - Bianchi don't make anything else - and the hydroforming trickery has given them a frame that's very pretty to look at. However, the added cost of doing it means they've had to cut costs in other areas. This is a bike which is going to sell best to those new to the sport who don't yet have the knowledge that prevents an old hand from being dazzled by gumpf, which is a shame because had Bianchi have opted for a more conventional frame they could have built a very nice bike; which is what noobies need if they're going to get the bug and stick around. There are much better choices out there at this price range, even if they're not as sexy. Don't buy one on impulse!
The process involves hydroforming the tubes to begin with, then welding them together in the conventional way, then hydroforming them again. This has allowed Bianchi to create a ridge running from the top tube, around the head tube and back down the other side of the top tube. Not only does this look spectacular, with the resulting smooth welds helping to produce an overall resemblance to a particularly stylish carbon fibre frame, it also adds to the strength and stiffness - by as much as 10%, according to Bianchi themselves.
The price is expected to be somewhere in the region of £1300, which places it slap-bang in the middle of a hotly-contested section of the market and whether or not it can hold its own in the bikeshop against bikes at a similar price point but which, by using more conventional tubes, can be fitted with better parts remains to be seen. BikeRadar's Jamie Wilkins, one of the very few journalists to have been allowed to have a go, suggests much the same - while he's impressed by the stiffness, he notes that the bike feels heavy and puts this down to heavy wheels and Campagnolo Veloce kit. However, the fact that it is so eye-catching and looks like a £2300 bike are going to help it sell - even if more experienced riders see beneath the beauty.
Overview: the Impulso is going to be a nice bike - Bianchi don't make anything else - and the hydroforming trickery has given them a frame that's very pretty to look at. However, the added cost of doing it means they've had to cut costs in other areas. This is a bike which is going to sell best to those new to the sport who don't yet have the knowledge that prevents an old hand from being dazzled by gumpf, which is a shame because had Bianchi have opted for a more conventional frame they could have built a very nice bike; which is what noobies need if they're going to get the bug and stick around. There are much better choices out there at this price range, even if they're not as sexy. Don't buy one on impulse!
Tour de Suisse Stage 7
Stage 6 may have considerately allowed the sprinters a chance to strut their funky stuff yesterday, but Stage 7 is just going to hurt them because it's gradients all the way in a parcours du combattant that will punish all but the very fittest of the mountain specialists and which looks set to be the toughest stage of this year's event.
Extending over 223km in the decidedly spiky east of the nation, the route takes in the Flüelapass (46°45′01″N 9°56′52″E - worth a look on Google Earth) which, with an elevation of 2383m, is the fifth highest pass in Switzerland. Unlike the rolling terrain to the first climb in Stage 6, there's no easy build-up today either - it's uphill all the way for the first 65km from the start at Vaduz in Liechtenstein. Then it gets tough.
75-95km sees the first real climbing of the day: though uncategorised, this short section ascends 701m from Thusis at 720m and Wiesen at 1421m. There's then a relatively flat section, but when you're one-and-a-half thousand metres up riding on pancake-flat terrain is still tiring - this is, after all, higher than the highest point in the British Isles - so the food station positioned at 105km is going to be a welcome sight. They're going to need an extra energy bar or two in the musettes too, because from here it's 10km to Flüelapass and a steep 841m climb up to the top which will sort out the superhumans from the merely super fit. And there's still almost 100km to go!
There's no let-up even after the teams crest the mountain because although the following 50km are downhill all (well, most) of the way, another climb is waiting in the shape of Catgory 2 Norbertshöhe with an average gradient of 6.4%. There's then another 30km of knee relief down to under 1000m prior to the day's final climb, Category 1 Serfaus which like yesterday marks another finish point outside Switzerland, this time in the Austrian Tyrol. The village of Serfaus is notable in being entirely car-free, made possible by its diminutive subway system in which a single train runs on a cushion of air rather like an underground hovercraft. The riders won't be afforded that sort of comfort, however, because they need to climb 477m over 5km to get there.
Weather: Vaduz will reach highs of around 26C, creating the possibility of thunderstorms and at least a 60% chance of rain. There's every possibility that this won't happen until after the stage is well under way, but ominous clouds on the horizon (or around the mountaintops, you don't get to see the horizon very often in Liechtenstein) will remind the riders that there are other ominous natural phenomena ahead and do nothing at all to raise spirits. Arrival in Serfaus doesn't look much better with a 70% chance of rain.
Predictions: How wrong were we yesterday? Very, basically. We didn't even include stage winner Steven Kruijswijk, a complete oversight on our behalf because the Dutch grimpeur was an obvious contender. Nor did we rate Levi Leipheimer who, with second place, showed us all that being 37 years old doesn't necessarily mean a rider no longer has what it takes. Not if that rider is Leipheimer at any rate - but then, like all professional cyclists, what applies to mere mortals doesn't apply to him. We raised doubts that Little Prince Damiano Cunego had the physical strength required to do battle with the likes of Frank Schleck and Laurens ten Dam on Triesenberg: in fact, he beat them both and hangs onto his top place in the overall classification with a lead of 1'23" after he was 4th over the line. We did put Bauke Mollema in the top five and got that one right as he achieved fourth, whereas we'd never even heard of Katusha's Giampaolo Caruso until he crossed in fifth place on Mollema's back wheel. We reckoned Frank Schleck would take his first stage win, but in reality he finished in 6th. Ten Dam, our choice for 2nd, managed 8th. We were right about the overall classification, predicting a shake-up, but we really wish we hadn't been - the horrific crash which has left 3rd place Mauricio Soler in intensive care sees the other riders move up one place.
Today, we expect Cunego to deliver the goods and at this point in the proceedings we're also going to mark him as favourite for overall victory on Sunday when the race ends. We're going for Kruijswijk in 2nd, and since we're still gunning for the older Schleck brother we hope to see him take 3rd. We think Mollema will repeat his placing of yesterday and manage another 4th, followed by ten Dam in 5th. Let's just hope there's no further injuries, but we won't be surprised if anyone drops out and abandons the race today - this is a stage as hard as anything in the Grand Tours.
Extending over 223km in the decidedly spiky east of the nation, the route takes in the Flüelapass (46°45′01″N 9°56′52″E - worth a look on Google Earth) which, with an elevation of 2383m, is the fifth highest pass in Switzerland. Unlike the rolling terrain to the first climb in Stage 6, there's no easy build-up today either - it's uphill all the way for the first 65km from the start at Vaduz in Liechtenstein. Then it gets tough.
 |
| Flüelapass. At 2383m, riders are going to suffer. |
There's no let-up even after the teams crest the mountain because although the following 50km are downhill all (well, most) of the way, another climb is waiting in the shape of Catgory 2 Norbertshöhe with an average gradient of 6.4%. There's then another 30km of knee relief down to under 1000m prior to the day's final climb, Category 1 Serfaus which like yesterday marks another finish point outside Switzerland, this time in the Austrian Tyrol. The village of Serfaus is notable in being entirely car-free, made possible by its diminutive subway system in which a single train runs on a cushion of air rather like an underground hovercraft. The riders won't be afforded that sort of comfort, however, because they need to climb 477m over 5km to get there.
 |
| Serfaus, proving how pretty a town can look if it bans cars. If only everywhere else had underground hovercrafts and a network of ski lifts to rely on for local transport too! Looks a nice spot for a holiday - unless you happen to be Jewish. |
Predictions: How wrong were we yesterday? Very, basically. We didn't even include stage winner Steven Kruijswijk, a complete oversight on our behalf because the Dutch grimpeur was an obvious contender. Nor did we rate Levi Leipheimer who, with second place, showed us all that being 37 years old doesn't necessarily mean a rider no longer has what it takes. Not if that rider is Leipheimer at any rate - but then, like all professional cyclists, what applies to mere mortals doesn't apply to him. We raised doubts that Little Prince Damiano Cunego had the physical strength required to do battle with the likes of Frank Schleck and Laurens ten Dam on Triesenberg: in fact, he beat them both and hangs onto his top place in the overall classification with a lead of 1'23" after he was 4th over the line. We did put Bauke Mollema in the top five and got that one right as he achieved fourth, whereas we'd never even heard of Katusha's Giampaolo Caruso until he crossed in fifth place on Mollema's back wheel. We reckoned Frank Schleck would take his first stage win, but in reality he finished in 6th. Ten Dam, our choice for 2nd, managed 8th. We were right about the overall classification, predicting a shake-up, but we really wish we hadn't been - the horrific crash which has left 3rd place Mauricio Soler in intensive care sees the other riders move up one place.
Today, we expect Cunego to deliver the goods and at this point in the proceedings we're also going to mark him as favourite for overall victory on Sunday when the race ends. We're going for Kruijswijk in 2nd, and since we're still gunning for the older Schleck brother we hope to see him take 3rd. We think Mollema will repeat his placing of yesterday and manage another 4th, followed by ten Dam in 5th. Let's just hope there's no further injuries, but we won't be surprised if anyone drops out and abandons the race today - this is a stage as hard as anything in the Grand Tours.
Mauricio Soler update
Mauricio Soler is described as being in a stable but serious condition in hospital today following the horrific crash 11km into yesterday's Tour de Suisse Stage 6, in which he is believed to have lost control after hitting a kerb, coming over the handlebars and hitting street furniture. A spectator, hit by either Soler or his bike, is also believed to have been injured.
The 28-year-old Columbian, who dedicated his Stage 2 win last Sunday to team mate Xavier Tondo who was killed earlier this year in a tragic accident when he became trapped between his car and automatic garage door, had been tipped for a good result in this year's Tour de France after series of injuries which have prevented him from taking part in his first full tour since 2007, when he came 11th overall and won the King of the Mountains competition. He was forced to miss last year's event due to a knee injury sustained in the Critérium du Dauphiné.
Soler, a respected mountain stage specialist, was in the running for victory yesterday in a stage featuring the fearsome 1000m ascent of Triesenberg. Doctors say that it is at present impossible to comment on his chances of a full recovery due to the severity of his injuries which include multiple fractures, haematomas and bleeding of the brain. This is the second serious accident in professional cycling so far this year following the horrific crash on the Passo del Bocco in last month's Giro d'Italia which caused the death of promising QuickStep rider Wouter Weylandt, bringing demands for safety regulations to be tightened up in the sport.
 |
| Soler, an excellent climber, had been tipped for a successful season in 2011. A series of injuries have prevented the promising talent from achieving his potential so far. |
Soler, a respected mountain stage specialist, was in the running for victory yesterday in a stage featuring the fearsome 1000m ascent of Triesenberg. Doctors say that it is at present impossible to comment on his chances of a full recovery due to the severity of his injuries which include multiple fractures, haematomas and bleeding of the brain. This is the second serious accident in professional cycling so far this year following the horrific crash on the Passo del Bocco in last month's Giro d'Italia which caused the death of promising QuickStep rider Wouter Weylandt, bringing demands for safety regulations to be tightened up in the sport.
Thursday 16 June 2011
Soler's down, says so long
Scratch Mauricio Soler from our Stage 6 predictions - he's abandoned and on his way to hospital in a helicopter following a nasty crash involving spectators. He was in with a good chance today with Triesenberg being the sort of thing at which he excels and must be feeling gutted.Our condolences, Mozza - get well soon matey, we hope to see you in Vendée next month.
Update: fractured skull. He won't be in the Tour de France.
Manx Missile to join Team Sky?
Ace sprinter Mark Cavendish, winner of an incredible five flat stages in last year's Tour de France, may be about to sign up to Team Sky according to various reports.
His contract with HTC-Highroad expires at the end of the season, and though nothing is yet confirmed there's every reason to assume Sky would want to take him aboard - with Cav riding alongside Bradley Wiggins and Geraint Thomas they'd have the basic building blocks of what would undoubtedly be a dream team in professional cycling and the strongest British team ever seen in the sport. Wiggins rode with Cavendish in Team Columbia back in 2008 but left after saying he didn't want to be a part of what he called "the Cav show." Since then, having gained fourth place overall in the 2009 Tour and winning this year's Dauphine, he's got a high enough profile to ensure equal footing in what would be the "Cav and Wiggo show."
This would be a great moment for British cycling - let's hope it happens!
|
| Cavendish is widely believed to be the fastest cyclist in the sport today. |
This would be a great moment for British cycling - let's hope it happens!
Tour de Suisse Stage 6
It's the last chance for the sprinters to show their stuff today, and they'll no doubt want to make the most of the first rolling 90 of today's total 158km in order to collect a few points while the opportunity's still there. However, a few points is all they'll be getting because after that comes a couple of tasty Category 3s and then, once they're feeling the burn, Triesenberg - 14.4km at an average gradient of 8.6%, which translates to a vertical kilometre.
The stage begins at Tobel-Tägerschen where, following a brief climb, the riders can look forward to a short downhill cruise before coming to a couple of small lumpy bits with the biggest climb in the first half being just 91m over 15km, an incline so gentle the sprinters will still be at play. It's then downhill all the way to the food station at the 80km point where the climbers are going to want to hit the energy gel hard in preparation for their chance to shine later on.
5km on from the food station comes the day's first categorised climb, the C3 Kerenzerberg Pass. Although the altitude is relatively low at 743m and the total climb a manageable 311m, it's a steep one with a maximum gradient of 10% and the sprinters, realising the game's up for them for the next couple of days, may well wish they were allowed to use the A3 Autobahn tunnel that passes under the mountain instead. The route back down again is about the same gradient, so expect high speeds.
Freire and friends get one last chance in the coming 35km, a gentle uphill incline rising less than 100m, and then the reins are handed over to the riders with the scary thigh muscles at the start of the St. Luzisteig Pass where the road climbs 198m in around 2km - an average gradient of 9.9% and a maximum gradient of 12% - and where the riders will pass an 18th Century fort still in use by the Swiss Army. If any sprinters have over-egged it today, there's a chance of someone abandoning here. Once again, the road back down is just as steep and wise riders will use it to build up some speed in an attempt to carry them through the 5km section between Luzisteig and Triesenberg during which they'll cross the border into the tiny and stupendously wealthy Principality of Liechtenstein - only Qatar has a higher GDP.
If nobody abandons on Luzisteig, expect at least one of two on Horse-Categorie Triesenberg which is the harshest, hardest climb of this year's Tour. Pay attention because the form displayed by the grimpeurs will be extremely helpful in making predictions for next month's Tour de France which this year will favour the climbers even more than ever. Contador isn't here, but you can be certain he's going to be watching to see how Andy Schleck handles the last 15km - and we should too, because if he looks like he's in trouble you might as well go out and put a bet on Bertie because it'll mean he's a definite for first place in the overall Tour de France classification. On the other hand, if Schleck looks good, Contador needs to start praying to god of snapped chains.
Predictions - the overall classification, unchanged for the last few stages, will look very different by the end of today as those who have been on top drop away down the list. We don't think Andy Schleck will win today because following his problems in Stage 1 he's just too far down the chart for it to be worth the effort - instead, he'll concentrate on honing his technique and making sure his bike is able to cope with the hard time he'll be giving it in just over two weeks' time - but older brother Frank will probably want to give it a go, which is why he's our tip for first over the line. Then there's Laurens ten Dam, the Dutch climber with a string of Mountain Classification including in the 2009 Swiss Tour de Romandie - second place for today, we reckon. Damiano Cunego, in first place overall, will undoubtedly represent himself well but we wonder of il Piccolo Principe ("the Little Prince") has the strength to go into combat with Schleck and ten Dam. Mauricio Soler on the other hand is a big strapping lad and cut his teeth on the Andes of his native Columbia, where the mountains are higher and harsher than anything the Swiss Alps have to offer - he took King of the Mountains in the 2009 Tour de France too. Bauke Mollema is in the running too, another example of the powerful climbers that the Dutch trainers seem to be able to turn out these days in even greater quantities than the Dutch hippies can roll spliffs. That's five highly capable grimpeurs, all of them in the top ten overall and all in with a chance of taking Stage 6, so expect some close and aggressive racing on the mountain.
The weather's looking good around Tobel-Tägerschen, temperatures staying reasonable until later on (by which time the riders will be long gone) when highs of 27 C are forecast. It's not looking so good for Triesenberg, however - the rain's predicted to remain light until this evening when it'll turn heavy; but we all know how quickly weather changes, invariably for the worse, in the mountains. For anyone who doesn't really want to be there, this won't improve matters at all.
The stage begins at Tobel-Tägerschen where, following a brief climb, the riders can look forward to a short downhill cruise before coming to a couple of small lumpy bits with the biggest climb in the first half being just 91m over 15km, an incline so gentle the sprinters will still be at play. It's then downhill all the way to the food station at the 80km point where the climbers are going to want to hit the energy gel hard in preparation for their chance to shine later on.
 |
| Freire fans will be seeing the last of the great sprinter today, because the race is all about climbing for the next couple of stages. |
Freire and friends get one last chance in the coming 35km, a gentle uphill incline rising less than 100m, and then the reins are handed over to the riders with the scary thigh muscles at the start of the St. Luzisteig Pass where the road climbs 198m in around 2km - an average gradient of 9.9% and a maximum gradient of 12% - and where the riders will pass an 18th Century fort still in use by the Swiss Army. If any sprinters have over-egged it today, there's a chance of someone abandoning here. Once again, the road back down is just as steep and wise riders will use it to build up some speed in an attempt to carry them through the 5km section between Luzisteig and Triesenberg during which they'll cross the border into the tiny and stupendously wealthy Principality of Liechtenstein - only Qatar has a higher GDP.
If nobody abandons on Luzisteig, expect at least one of two on Horse-Categorie Triesenberg which is the harshest, hardest climb of this year's Tour. Pay attention because the form displayed by the grimpeurs will be extremely helpful in making predictions for next month's Tour de France which this year will favour the climbers even more than ever. Contador isn't here, but you can be certain he's going to be watching to see how Andy Schleck handles the last 15km - and we should too, because if he looks like he's in trouble you might as well go out and put a bet on Bertie because it'll mean he's a definite for first place in the overall Tour de France classification. On the other hand, if Schleck looks good, Contador needs to start praying to god of snapped chains.
 |
| A village as pretty as Malbun would be a welcome sight to any traveler, let alone who has just ridden up a 1km high mountain in the rain. |
The weather's looking good around Tobel-Tägerschen, temperatures staying reasonable until later on (by which time the riders will be long gone) when highs of 27 C are forecast. It's not looking so good for Triesenberg, however - the rain's predicted to remain light until this evening when it'll turn heavy; but we all know how quickly weather changes, invariably for the worse, in the mountains. For anyone who doesn't really want to be there, this won't improve matters at all.
Tour de Suisse Stage 5 results (make benefit glorious nation Slovenia)
(Originally published 15th of June 2011)
Oooh, we were close with our race tips today! While we didn't give an actual prediction, we reckoned that Thor Hushovd, Peter Sagan, Marco Marcato and Oscar Freire would be battling to be first over the finish and in all likelhood coming in in very quick succession.
We were close, too. The actual sequence was Borut Bozic in first (OK, we didn't see him coming), Freire in second, Sagan third, Tejay van Garderen in fourth, Jose Joaquin Rojas Gil fifth and Marcato sixth with so little space between them that they all recorded the same time. Not bad, we reckon - and to make it even sweeter, Team Sky's Tom Swift came in in tenth place which is the best result for a British rider in the Tour so far.
We also said that the top ten overall leadership would most likely remain little changed, as has proved to be the case with Damiano Cunego retaining the top spot, followed by Juan Mauricio Soler with +54" and then Bauke Mollema with +16" on him.
Tomorrow will be different. Following a reasonably flat first 145km, punctuated only by a couple of Category 3 climbs and a smattering of uncategorised hills, the riders will have to contend with the enormous Triesenberg just over the border in Liechtenstein for the final 15km, climbing a vertical kilometre to reach the stage finish at Malbun. The sprinters may have their fun in the earlier part of the day, but Stage 6 will be all about the climbers.
Oooh, we were close with our race tips today! While we didn't give an actual prediction, we reckoned that Thor Hushovd, Peter Sagan, Marco Marcato and Oscar Freire would be battling to be first over the finish and in all likelhood coming in in very quick succession.
We were close, too. The actual sequence was Borut Bozic in first (OK, we didn't see him coming), Freire in second, Sagan third, Tejay van Garderen in fourth, Jose Joaquin Rojas Gil fifth and Marcato sixth with so little space between them that they all recorded the same time. Not bad, we reckon - and to make it even sweeter, Team Sky's Tom Swift came in in tenth place which is the best result for a British rider in the Tour so far.
 |
| Borut Bozic takes Stage 5. Very nice! |
Tomorrow will be different. Following a reasonably flat first 145km, punctuated only by a couple of Category 3 climbs and a smattering of uncategorised hills, the riders will have to contend with the enormous Triesenberg just over the border in Liechtenstein for the final 15km, climbing a vertical kilometre to reach the stage finish at Malbun. The sprinters may have their fun in the earlier part of the day, but Stage 6 will be all about the climbers.
Brit woman wins Tour Series
You think cycling is ignored by British TV? Well, how about women's cycling? Did you even know that there are professional female cyclists? Many people don't, because the women's cycling world gets even less attention that men's cycling, despite the fact that there's a number of British women who are among the best cyclists in the world. But then, when even the undoubtedly TV-friendly face of Victoria Pendleton can't get the sport the exposure it deserves, what hope does sheer skill and ability have of getting it on the box?
One of those women is Helen Wyman, professional rider for the Kona Factory Racing team and rides in both road racing and cyclocross, holding the British Champion title for the last five years. Wyman's cabinet is groaning under the weight of at least 34 other trophies, which is a damn sight more than any British male rider can claim, and she's just added another in the shape of the Women's GP tour series after beating challenger Lucy Garner (who doesn't even have a Wikipedia page) who trailed Wyman by a mere three points in the overall classification despite Garner beating her across the finish line in the final stage of the event which took place in Woking.
Is she going to be on the news tonight like Bradley Wiggins was when he won the Critérium du Dauphiné the other day? With 99.9% certainty, no. Why? She's a hero!
 |
| Professional Kona rider Helen Wyman adds another trophy to her collection - will she be on the news tonight? |
Is she going to be on the news tonight like Bradley Wiggins was when he won the Critérium du Dauphiné the other day? With 99.9% certainty, no. Why? She's a hero!
Longer lorries in cities concerns
The Cambridge Cycling Campaign (with which this blog is not affiliated, by the way) has raised concerns over government plans to permit lorries as long as 15.5m in length to use city streets, including the already crowded roads of Cambridge, replacing the current limit of 13.5m. Articulated vehicles of any length swing out into the road when negotiating bends and corners, with the amount increased greatly for every metre of total length. In addition, drivers of long vehicles have numerous blind spots and may clip kerbs when turning - a factor that accounts for more than a few deaths among cyclists who get trapped between the lorry and the kerb, sometimes falling under the rear wheels before they can either hop up the kerb or leap out of the way and abandon their bike to a grisly end. Elderly cyclists are particularly at risk.
This is bad enough in modern towns and cities, but in a place like Cambridge where large parts were laid out during Medieval times - Medieval town planners being somewhat negligent in not predicting the future development of huge lorries - it's so dangerous as to approach lunacy. With a number of large stores in the City Centre (Sainsbury, Marks and Spencer, Next and the various Bland Arcade "attractions"), there's every chance that the area will become even more dangerous for cyclists than it already is. Add to this the standard of cycling and awareness demonstrated by some cyclists around town and it'll only be a matter of time before the first messy death.
The plan's aim is to reduce the total number of vehicles required to visit a store each week - 2m added to a lorry's total length allows a lot more cargo to be put onboard. That's admirable, because lorries create an enormous amount of pollution - however, big lorries are completely unsuitable for city use for all of the reasons given above. One solution would be the establishment of a system similar to the park and ride buses in which lorries above a certain length (or, ideally, any length) would be required to stop at an out-of-town depot and their cargo be offloaded into smaller electric vans and lorries which could then ferry it to destinations in the city. It'd be expensive to set up but would only need to run between set times covering busy periods - perhaps 8am to 7pm -and once in place costs could be largely offset by charging those companies relying upon the system to pay towards it. You want to trade in our vibrant, profitable city? Well, you'll have to help us keep it a pleasant place. It'd create jobs, too.
In the meantime, what should a cyclist do to keep himself or herself safe around juggernauts? The best option by far is maintain as great distance between you and it as it's possible to do - just because you can see it doesn't mean the driver can see you (and assume there's a reasonable chance he or she isn't paying much attention anyway), and he or she might not be aware that when the trailer rounds the corner the back wheels are going to roll up onto the kerb. If you find yourself behind a lorry and have any reason to believe it's going to turn (they don't always indicate!), hang back and wait until the driver's intentions are clear. You'll probably get a faceful of diesel fumes, but it's better than a faceful of tyre with 50 tons resting on it. If you find yourself waiting at traffic lights before a lefthand corner with a lorry behind you, sit upright so the driver can see you and, if necessary, edge forward because they can't always see anything right in front of the cab. Jump the lights slightly if need be (and if it's safe to do so) so you can be round the corner before the lorry even gets going and remain in the middle of the lane so they can't push you into the gutter. Once there's more room, move to the kerbside and let it pass. If it's a righthand corner, the same applies - jump the lights if it's safe, don't be afraid to take the middle of the lane and make sure the driver sees you. Or, once again, hang back and keep out of the way.
When you're waiting to turn right at a crossroad, a lorry driver behind you who wishes to turn left may try to squeeze past you as the lights change - this is when you need to watch out for the trailer swinging out into your space. Keep right, crossing the central line if there's no oncoming traffic and if safe to do so jump the lights. Just hope there isn't a bored copper lurking a few cars back in the queue!
This is bad enough in modern towns and cities, but in a place like Cambridge where large parts were laid out during Medieval times - Medieval town planners being somewhat negligent in not predicting the future development of huge lorries - it's so dangerous as to approach lunacy. With a number of large stores in the City Centre (Sainsbury, Marks and Spencer, Next and the various Bland Arcade "attractions"), there's every chance that the area will become even more dangerous for cyclists than it already is. Add to this the standard of cycling and awareness demonstrated by some cyclists around town and it'll only be a matter of time before the first messy death.
The plan's aim is to reduce the total number of vehicles required to visit a store each week - 2m added to a lorry's total length allows a lot more cargo to be put onboard. That's admirable, because lorries create an enormous amount of pollution - however, big lorries are completely unsuitable for city use for all of the reasons given above. One solution would be the establishment of a system similar to the park and ride buses in which lorries above a certain length (or, ideally, any length) would be required to stop at an out-of-town depot and their cargo be offloaded into smaller electric vans and lorries which could then ferry it to destinations in the city. It'd be expensive to set up but would only need to run between set times covering busy periods - perhaps 8am to 7pm -and once in place costs could be largely offset by charging those companies relying upon the system to pay towards it. You want to trade in our vibrant, profitable city? Well, you'll have to help us keep it a pleasant place. It'd create jobs, too.
 |
| When an articulated lorry negotiates a tight turn, the cab and trailer can swing out into traffic posing a potentially lethal hazard for cyclists. |
 |
| Alternatively, it might clip the corner to avoid swinging out - so you don't want to be down that side either. |
When you're waiting to turn right at a crossroad, a lorry driver behind you who wishes to turn left may try to squeeze past you as the lights change - this is when you need to watch out for the trailer swinging out into your space. Keep right, crossing the central line if there's no oncoming traffic and if safe to do so jump the lights. Just hope there isn't a bored copper lurking a few cars back in the queue!
Cambridge Guided Busway cyclepath to be 100% tarmac
Cambridgeshire County Council has announced that it has successfully secured £150,000 from Sustrans which will be used to tarmac the Guided Busway cyclepath between Swavesey and St. Ives, a section of about 5.5km, which was going to be left with a much rougher crushed limestone surface due to lack of funding. This means, according to the estimates of one Cambridgeshire cyclist, that it will be possible to travel from St. Ives to the city's Milton Road in around 30 minutes which will hopefully encourage a few more people to use their bikes and leave their cars at home.
The Busway itself is supposedly going to open on August the 7th, but the date has been set back so many times that few residents expect it to actually happen. Meanwhile, the cyclepath is almost completed already with the majority open to the public.
 |
| The cyclepath has been a long time coming, but determined cyclists have put bus tracks to good use in the meantime. |
Path Profiler app
Ever thought how handy it'd be if you could have one of those route profiles like you get to show the climbs, altitudes and descents on each stage of a bike race? Well, you can provided you have the relevant Ordnance Survey map, a pencil and the know-how.
But what if you haven't got any of those or are riding further afield, perhaps somewhere where OS maps aren't available, such as Foreign? The answer is here - a very useful little application that uses Google Maps, allowing you to select a start, several checkpoints and a finish, and then - as if by magic but probably actually using algorithms or sumfink, draws the desired profile for you. What's more, you can have it in Imperial or metric too. This can then be used alongside a gradient calculator, such as the one here.
The page is ugly, but it works and that's what matters!
 |
| Example: Cambridge - Haverhill - Great Thurlow - Bury St. Edmunds - Newmarket - Cambridge, 100km following the A roads. (Click to see it full-size, which makes it look a lot better) |
Tour de Suisse Stage 5
(Originally published Wednesday 15th of June 2011)
It's another day for the sprinters today with a long, flat(ish) course of 204km. However, this being Switzerland, even the flat stages are peppered with a few respectable climbs to make sure the rider's knees take the abuse that all cyclists know and love and Stage 5 is no different - there's a Category 3 and three Category 4 climbs lurking out there today ready to catch those who expend too much energy of maintaining a high pace as well as four uncategorised climbs of reasonable size. One, in fact, is very nearly as high as the Cat 3 and with just 20km from summit to summit will no doubt catch a few people out. Like yesterday the stage finishes with a circuit, looping for 40km or so around Tobel-Tägerschen but at least keeping to a steady altitude rather than the climbs and descents that must have tortured the leaders fighting for the finish in Stage 4.
Starting where yesterday left off at Huttwil, the route travels downhill for 25km before a small climb at the 35km mark then 10km on the flat before reaching the first proper climb in the form of the Cat 3 Staffelegg Pass at an altitude of 621m and featuring a dangerous intersection at the summit, scene of many accidents when the Pass is open to traffic. There'll only be bike traffic as the Tour passes through, of course, but even the terrifyingly efficient Swiss clean-up crews can't be guaranteed to get every spot of oil and broken glass.
Next comes a fast descent into the village of Hornussen, designated in its entirety a Swiss Heritage Site and not to be confused with the peculiar Swiss sport of the same name which resembles a cross between golf and baseball and which takes its name not from the village but from the noise made by the puck which, traveling at up to 300kmph after being hit with a wooden bat, creates a buzzing sound said to sound like a hornuss (hornet). It no doubt stings like one too if you don't get out of the way fast enough. The route then takes in an uncategorised climb of around 133m (bigger than both of the upcoming Cat 4s) up to Mönthal, site of a Bronze Age fortress and a few still-standing Middle Ages houses dating from the 14th Century. There follows a reasonably flat section of some 50km, with the day's first Cat 4 - a short but steep climb of 103m thrown in for good measure. There's a couple of climbs up to almost the same altitude later on but with much gentler gradients, so this ought to be where the same sprinters who made the most of Stage 4 can shine once they've picked up bidons and musettes at the 100km mark. There's an Hors-Categorie climb of 803m in the last 25km of tomorrow's Stage 6 and then the 2383m Flüela Pass to contend with on Friday, so they may as well grab whatever glory they can right now!
A Cat 4 climb of 153m marks Freudenberg before the riders hit Tobel-Tägerschen for the first time and embark on a 40km circuit taking in a very steep Cat 4 climb at Eschlikon, a plateau at 600m around Balterwil and the final 15km back to Tobel-Tägerschen.
The weather for Huttwil looks set to be bright, sunny and warm at 20 C with light wind, Tobel-Tägerschen later on this afternoon ought to be much the same with a little more cloud, but little chance of rain. The forecast is thunder and rain tomorrow which, when combined with that killer of an HC climb at the end of the stage, ought to make it a truly horrible experience for the riders. So that's a must-watch then.
Predictions for today? Sprinters again. We suspect the overall classification will change little, but the stage winners' board may get shaken up a bit. Thor Hushovd will no doubt fancy another go at victory, but whether or not he can beat Peter Sagan for the second day in a row is hard to say. Marco Marcato will fancy another good result but when you have Óscar Freire, at 35 still one of the world's most feared sprinters, right behind you (Marcato and Freire finished in a group yesterday, thus recording the same time with Marcato just crossing the line first) you really need to work hard.
It's another day for the sprinters today with a long, flat(ish) course of 204km. However, this being Switzerland, even the flat stages are peppered with a few respectable climbs to make sure the rider's knees take the abuse that all cyclists know and love and Stage 5 is no different - there's a Category 3 and three Category 4 climbs lurking out there today ready to catch those who expend too much energy of maintaining a high pace as well as four uncategorised climbs of reasonable size. One, in fact, is very nearly as high as the Cat 3 and with just 20km from summit to summit will no doubt catch a few people out. Like yesterday the stage finishes with a circuit, looping for 40km or so around Tobel-Tägerschen but at least keeping to a steady altitude rather than the climbs and descents that must have tortured the leaders fighting for the finish in Stage 4.
 |
| Staffelegg Pass - doesn't look like much, does it? That sign reads 621m, though! |
Next comes a fast descent into the village of Hornussen, designated in its entirety a Swiss Heritage Site and not to be confused with the peculiar Swiss sport of the same name which resembles a cross between golf and baseball and which takes its name not from the village but from the noise made by the puck which, traveling at up to 300kmph after being hit with a wooden bat, creates a buzzing sound said to sound like a hornuss (hornet). It no doubt stings like one too if you don't get out of the way fast enough. The route then takes in an uncategorised climb of around 133m (bigger than both of the upcoming Cat 4s) up to Mönthal, site of a Bronze Age fortress and a few still-standing Middle Ages houses dating from the 14th Century. There follows a reasonably flat section of some 50km, with the day's first Cat 4 - a short but steep climb of 103m thrown in for good measure. There's a couple of climbs up to almost the same altitude later on but with much gentler gradients, so this ought to be where the same sprinters who made the most of Stage 4 can shine once they've picked up bidons and musettes at the 100km mark. There's an Hors-Categorie climb of 803m in the last 25km of tomorrow's Stage 6 and then the 2383m Flüela Pass to contend with on Friday, so they may as well grab whatever glory they can right now!
 |
| Hornusson in winter. |
The weather for Huttwil looks set to be bright, sunny and warm at 20 C with light wind, Tobel-Tägerschen later on this afternoon ought to be much the same with a little more cloud, but little chance of rain. The forecast is thunder and rain tomorrow which, when combined with that killer of an HC climb at the end of the stage, ought to make it a truly horrible experience for the riders. So that's a must-watch then.
 |
| There's a high probability we'll see a Hushovd v. Sagan battle again today. |
Tour de Suisse Stage 4 results
(Originally published Tuesday 14th of June 2011)
Peter Sagan, our prediction for today's stage winner, looked set to win but managed second place as Thor Hushovd, the Norwegian Garmin-Cervélo rider who won both the UCI Road Race World Championship and the Norwegian national Road Race Champion title last year gained the lead just 50m before the finish and achieved his first win of the 2011 season with a time of 4h 46' 05". Thor, somewhat predictably nicknamed the God of Thunder by his fans, has given top sprinter Mark Cavendish a run for his money several times in the past and it looks like he will do again on the flat sections of next month's Tour. Vacansoleil-DCM's Marco Marcato took third, crossing the line a mere 2" after Sagan.
The overall classification remains the same: 1. Cunego. 2. Soler. 3. Mollema. 4. Ten Dam. 5. van Garderen. 6. F. Schleck. 7. Fuglsang. 8. Di Luca. 9. Kruijswijk. 10. Leipheimer. Still no signs of Andy Schleck!
Peter Sagan, our prediction for today's stage winner, looked set to win but managed second place as Thor Hushovd, the Norwegian Garmin-Cervélo rider who won both the UCI Road Race World Championship and the Norwegian national Road Race Champion title last year gained the lead just 50m before the finish and achieved his first win of the 2011 season with a time of 4h 46' 05". Thor, somewhat predictably nicknamed the God of Thunder by his fans, has given top sprinter Mark Cavendish a run for his money several times in the past and it looks like he will do again on the flat sections of next month's Tour. Vacansoleil-DCM's Marco Marcato took third, crossing the line a mere 2" after Sagan.
 |
| Hushovd won the Tour de France prologue back in 2006. |
Contador confirms
Alberto Contador, the winner of last year's Tour de France who looked set to miss the race this year after failing a dope test in which a "very small" amount of the banned bronchodilator Clenbuterol was found to be present in his sample, has confirmed that he will be taking part this year.
A German laboratory discovered the trace on the 21st of June 2010, towards the end of the Tour, leading to a suspension pending further investigation by the UCI as the testing procedure used is not recognised by the World Anti-Doping Agency and the amount found some 40 times lower than would usually be considered cause for concern. However, the Spaniard proclaimed his innocence and, following the publication of expert opinion that the food contamination explanation he gave was likely to be correct, was allowed to keep his title - his third Tour victory in four years. A one-year ban proposed by the Spanish cycling federation was dropped in January, leaving him free to take part in the Volta ao Algarve in which he took fourth place, crossing the line 41" after winner Tony Martin.
Andy Schleck, the Luxembourgish Leopard Trek rider who seemed to spend most of the 2010 Tour hanging onto Contador's back wheel with an expression that seemed to say "I can't quite get you this year, but next year I'll be stronger" ready every time he looked over his shoulder, says his rival's return comes as no surprise.
"Honestly, I'm happy," he told L'Equipe. "I want to beat him on the road and that's what I've prepared for. I've studied the stages and I love the route."
The 2011 route looks set to favour climbers and punish sprinters, which means anyone who wants to challenge Contador's supremacy is in for a harsh time: the wiry 28-year-old is a spectacular climber - his 2009 ascent of the Hors-Categorie Verbier is recorded as the fastest climb in Tour de France history (and which led, unsurprisingly, to more allegations of skullduggery - most notably from Greg LeMond); but if we go on Schleck's performance last year when it looked for a while (until his chain broke during a dramatic Stage 15 attack and Contador gained a controversial 39" lead) like he might just take the race, he's the man most likely to succeed. He seems to be holding back a bit in the Tour de Suisse at the moment, allowing older brother Frank to beat him, but whether this is due to a lack of form or simply because he's taking things easy is impossible to say: another chain incident in the Stage 1 time trial saw him finish in 147th place and he may just not consider the effort and risk of riding as hard as would be necessary to make up that kind of gap worthwhile with the Tour less than three weeks away. He certainly seems confident and there's every chance that Contador is more worried than he is.
A German laboratory discovered the trace on the 21st of June 2010, towards the end of the Tour, leading to a suspension pending further investigation by the UCI as the testing procedure used is not recognised by the World Anti-Doping Agency and the amount found some 40 times lower than would usually be considered cause for concern. However, the Spaniard proclaimed his innocence and, following the publication of expert opinion that the food contamination explanation he gave was likely to be correct, was allowed to keep his title - his third Tour victory in four years. A one-year ban proposed by the Spanish cycling federation was dropped in January, leaving him free to take part in the Volta ao Algarve in which he took fourth place, crossing the line 41" after winner Tony Martin.
 |
| Schleck (in yellow) doubtless utters a few naughty words as his chain snaps in the 2010 Tour de France. Controversially, Contador (just behind him) didn't wait for the 39 seconds it took for the problem to be fixed - the exact same time by which he eventually won the overall classification. |
"Honestly, I'm happy," he told L'Equipe. "I want to beat him on the road and that's what I've prepared for. I've studied the stages and I love the route."
The 2011 route looks set to favour climbers and punish sprinters, which means anyone who wants to challenge Contador's supremacy is in for a harsh time: the wiry 28-year-old is a spectacular climber - his 2009 ascent of the Hors-Categorie Verbier is recorded as the fastest climb in Tour de France history (and which led, unsurprisingly, to more allegations of skullduggery - most notably from Greg LeMond); but if we go on Schleck's performance last year when it looked for a while (until his chain broke during a dramatic Stage 15 attack and Contador gained a controversial 39" lead) like he might just take the race, he's the man most likely to succeed. He seems to be holding back a bit in the Tour de Suisse at the moment, allowing older brother Frank to beat him, but whether this is due to a lack of form or simply because he's taking things easy is impossible to say: another chain incident in the Stage 1 time trial saw him finish in 147th place and he may just not consider the effort and risk of riding as hard as would be necessary to make up that kind of gap worthwhile with the Tour less than three weeks away. He certainly seems confident and there's every chance that Contador is more worried than he is.
Doping in Cycling
Depending on who one talks to, doping (the use of drugs to have an effect upon peformance) is either the biggest problem to face cycling or one of the more amusing and interesting aspects of the sport. Doping allegations have been a part of the Grand Tours since the inaugural Tour de France in 1903 when riders used alcohol and ether to deaden the pain felt during and after the phenomenally long stages. The use of performance enhancing drugs dates to even earlier days, having been a part of the sport before the Tour began. Health concerns - as opposed to allegations of cheating - didn't appear until the years following World War 2 and began in earnest following the death of British rider Tom Simpson from heart failure brought on by amphetamines, alcohol and sheer exhaustion on the slopes of Mont Ventoux in 1967, though concerns had been raised earlier including in 1960 when Frenchman Roger Rivière plunged into a ravine and broke his neck, choosing to blame a mechanic for leaving oil on the wheel rims. Doctors who treated Rivière later stated that their patient had such high levels of drugs in his body that, in their opinion, he would have been either unable to judge when to brake or physically incapable of doing so. Rivière later admitted this and confessed to having a drug addiction and swallowing thousands of tablets each year.
 |
| Tom Simpson brought doping to the public's attention after he died as a result of heart failure brought on by amphetamine use in 1967. A memorial erected where he fell on Mont Ventoux has become a site of pilgrimage for cyclists from around the world. |
Since the criminalisation of doping in 1965, the UCI and race organisers have introduced ever more sophisticated measures designed to prevent doping, whereas those riders willing to risk it have strived to keep one step ahead - as one observer put it, "The Tour, in fact, is only possible because - not despite the fact - there is doping." Mandatory testing in French events began in 1966, revealing that a third of the riders subjected to tests at that year's Tour returned positive results.
Tests for other drugs became available in the 1970s including for Pemoline, a drug which has a similar effect to amphetamines and saw Eddy Merckx (considered by many to be one of the greatest cyclists in history) caught out in 1977. Steroid and corticoid use became so prevalent during that decade that it was said that only the high cost of obtaining them in the sort of quantities cyclists got through limited their use; when Jan-Luc van den Broucke tested positive in 1978 he went on record saying, "There was a mass of steroids used in the Tour, everyone will admit that. How can we stay at the top otherwise?"
EPO, erythropoietin, was a revolution in cycling on a par with the invention of derailleur gears and had a correspondingly enormous impact on the sport. Not only did the drug boost the production of red blood cells, thus allowing the muscles to receive more oxygen and nutrients for a longer period, it was also impossible to distinguish it from the testosterone naturally produced in the body. Organisers were forced to adopt a system whereby any rider tested and discovered to have a haematocrit level (red cell count) in excess of 50% (45% in men and 40% in women is considered normal in healthy adults) would be required to "rest" from a race for a given period. However, since cyclists frequently use high-altitude training to boost red cell counts, this system could lead to false accusations and was far from ideal.
 |
| Richard Virenque confessed to using EPO, a drug that became so prevalent in cycling that the term was almost synonymous with doping. |
EPO use became so prevalent that estimates of how many riders were using it in the Tours between the late 1980s and 2000, when a test was finally developed, and the term became almost synonymous with doping. To this day, messages still appear painted on the roads of the Tour accusing riders disliked by those respinsible of "l'EPO." Matters came to a head in 1998 when the Festina team soigneur Willy Voet was arrested as he attempted to enter France with a bag full of banned drugs including EPO, testosterone amphetamines and an assortment of various growth hormones and narcotics - now, even those with no interest in cycling became aware that drug use was rife within the sport and there were even calls for all cycling events to be axed from the Olympics for fear of giving out the message to young sports fans that drugs could be used to enhance performance. Such has been the furore surrounding the matter since that accusations of doping, even when based on no evidence, are now used as an underhand tactic designed to undermine an opponent's credibility and tire him out with the rigourous testing to which anyone under suspicion will be subject - and testing can be rigourous indeed; as Lance Armstrong, himself the target of several doping allegations based either on nothing or his association with Michele Ferrari, who was convicted of supplying drugs to athletes, reveals in his autobiographies the UCI testers can strike at any time, anywhere and any attempt to escape them is liable to result in increased suspicion. They can even show up at a rider's private home and demand a test there and then - and a positive test isn't the only way to get a ban, failure or refusal to give a sample can also be viewed as legitimate reason.
The 2006 Tour looked set to become farce when Operation Puerto carried out by the Spanish police revealed yet more widespread drug use. Five members of the Astana team were banned, leaving an insufficient number to start the race, along with two members of T-Mobile and one each from CSC and AG2R-Prevoyance. Floyd Landis of Phonak tested positive for suspiciously high testosterone after Stage 17 and was later banned from the sport for two years.
 |
| 2006 was possibly the worst ever year for doping in the Tour de France with one team unable to start after five members received bans. A number of other riders were also later caught out. |
The Tour in 2007 began with suspicions flying all over the place - even Alessandro Pettachi, an asthmatic, was suspended after he tested positive for salbutmol, a very common anti-asthma drug. The suspension was later overturned after further tests revealed that the drug was present only in quantities confirming to standard therapeutic usage but too late, he'd already had to miss the Tour. Two German television companies abandoned their plans to film and televise the event and Astana abandoned the race after Kazakh Alexander Vinokourov tested positive following the second time trial, subsequently retiring from the sport (though he has since returned and raced in the 2011 Critérium du Dauphiné. Then following Stage 16 and a positive result supplied by Christian Moreni, Team Confidis also abandoned and Michael Rasmussen was ordered to leave the event by his team Rabobank for failing to provide a sample when required to do so during two consecutive days a fortnight before the Tour.
A list of riders convicted, sanctioned or suspected (with some grounds) to have doped is virtually indistinguishable from a list of the great names in the sport: Jacques Anquetil, Tour winner in 1957, 1961, 1962, 1963 and 1964 who managed to achieve detection whilst active, confessed to doping following his retirement; Eddy Merckx, five time Tour winner and one of the most successful cyclists in history, provided four positive samples and was banned from one Giro d'Italia; Stephen Roche, tour winner in 1987, was believed to have used EPO in 1993 but never supplied a suspicious haematocrit; Jan Ullrich, Tour winner in 1997, banned for apparently recreational amphetamine use; Marco Pantani, received a six month ban following the discovery of insulin in his hotal room; Alberto Contador, involved in the Operation Puerto case and later banned in a 2010 unrelated test; Bjarn Riis, Tour winner in 1996 and current owner of Saxobank Sungard, later admitted to have won with the help of performance enhancing drugs; Pedro Delgado, Tour winner in 1988, tested positive for a questionable substance but escaped sanctions as it was not yet banned by the UCI; Laurent Fignon, Tour winner in 1983 and 1984, positive test results after two separate events in 1989; Joop Zoetemelk, tested positive in three different Tours de France; Bernard Thévenet, confessed to doping (but wasn't caught) in the 1975 and 1977 - but not, coincidentally, in the 1976 Tour which he won; Lucien Aimar, Tour winner in 1966, banned from the Vuelta the same year after a positive test... In the last half decade, a mere nine have never tested positive for doping - Carlos Sastre in 2008, Lance Armstrong (tested positive for non-prescribed drug hormone, but result believed to be false and caused by the large number of drugs used during his cancer recovery) with his unprecedented seven wins, Greg LeMond, Bernard Hinault, Lucien van Impe, Luis Ocaña, Jan Janssen, Roger Pingeon and Felice Gimondi. Were they truly innocent or were they lucky enough to escape detection? Unless any confess, we'll never know.
 |
| What would professional cycling be like without doping? Bernard Hinault, winner of five Tours de France and the only man to have won all three Grand Tours more than once, is apparent proof that results can still be achieved - he's never given a positive test. |
So what will the 2011 Tour bring? The madness of 2006 and 2007 has long since died down and some commentators are willing to suggest that anti-doping tests are now so effective that the problem has been brought into check, but past history suggests it never will be and it's only a matter of time before the latest doping methods emerge into the daylight. 2010 was an unusually dope controversy-free year: French newspaper l'Equipe published a leaked document listing all the riders and the level of suspicion they were under, from 0 (no suspicion) to 10 (extreme suspicion), with examples likely to give rise to suspicion including:
1. sudden drop in hemoglobin one month before the summer of 2010 which could point to an important loss of blood possibly destined to be re-injected during the Tour
2. suspicion of EPO use during the 2009 Giro
3. hematocrit, hemoglobin or stimulation index superior to 2010 values, which could have led to a start ban before the UCI rules were changed
4. low parameters off-race
1. sudden drop in hemoglobin one month before the summer of 2010 which could point to an important loss of blood possibly destined to be re-injected during the Tour
2. suspicion of EPO use during the 2009 Giro
3. hematocrit, hemoglobin or stimulation index superior to 2010 values, which could have led to a start ban before the UCI rules were changed
4. low parameters off-race
...which revealed that the vast majority of riders were rated less then 4 - winner Contador, who returned a positive test for the banned bronchodilator Clenbuterol during the race but was not banned after successfully claiming that contaminated food was the cause, was rated at five. At present, there's no way of knowing but the riders can be sure of scrutiny this year as cycling attempts to show the world it's cleaned up its act.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)