An open letter to Rabobank

Lense Koopmans is the supervisory director of Rabobank's Supervisory Board, a body that "supervises the policy of the Executive Board of Rabobank Nederland and the general conduct affairs at Rabobank Group and its affiliated entities. In addition, the Supervisory Board advises the Executive Board and is responsible for the appointment and remuneration of the members of the Executive Board." 

I have emailed a copy to Rabobank - if you agree that the Rabobank women's team should not suffer from the possible withdrawal of Rabobank's sponsorship due to doping in men's cycling, please feel free to copy the letter and send it under your own name. One email won't make much of a difference, but if enough women's cycling fans ask Rabobank to make the right decision we might be able to help ensure their future support.


Dear Mr. Koopmans,

First off, please allow me to apologise for contacting you in this manner - I have no doubt that, as the supervisory director of Rabobank, you are a very busy man. However, I am writing to you in order to share some thoughts on a matter involving your company and which is of very great importance to myself and to an ever-increasing number of people around the world, and reading this letter will take only a few moments of your time. I hope you will spare me those few moments.

You've probably already guessed that I'm talking about Rabobank's recent decision to withdraw from professional cycling sponsorship. I fully understand the reasons for this decision: like all cycling fans, I had hoped that doping was finally coming to an end in the sport and I am deeply upset at the recent USADA revelations that show it has remained a far greater problem than we thought. If I was the director of a company such as yours, I too would feel reluctant to continue associating my company with cycling now that doping is in the spotlight once again. I'd like to add at this point that the decision to honour contracts, now that it would be too late for the riders to find new teams, is admirable proof that Rabobank has a heart, rather than being simply another inhuman, uncaring giant corporation. Proficiat for that!

One of the reasons I admire Rabobank (the company and the cycling team) is your fantastic support of women's cycling. While I'm sure that part of the company's decision to become involved in women's cycling is that there were and still are very few "big name" sponsors, allowing Rabobank to gain greater public awareness from it than would be possible in men's cycling which benefits from numerous very famous sponsors, I've always believed there was something more to it, something related to the altruistic ideals upon which Rabobank was first established: a desire to help female cyclists get the recognition and equality that they deserve. The salaries you pay to those riders and the money you've put into promoting them is a shining example of fairness in a sport where many receive no salary at all and compete for prizes that are a tiny fraction of those on offer to the men. I like to think also that Rabobank was the first company to realise that the women's sport is not a less exciting version of cycle racing and that the riders are not weaker and less interesting than their male counterparts; that in actual fact women's racing is always every bit as interesting and competitive as men's and, sometimes, more so.

Women's cycling has never suffered from the same image problems caused by doping that men's cycling has experienced; yet the riders are subject to the same tests with the same regularity. The only conclusion, therefore, is that doping is far less prevalent in women's cycling. Imagine how women's cycling would benefit if Rabobank were to decide that the support it had given in the past would continue and that the reason was because so few female riders resort to cheating. Men's cycling will take a knock from the current scandal, then continue just as it did after Tom Simpson died and in the wake of the Festina Affair and Operacion Puerto - it might even benefit from the scar left by the withdrawal of Rabobank, which would serve as a reminder that when riders dope everybody loses. But if Rabobank stayed with women's cycling, the benefits would be enormous - it would be seen by the media to be the far cleaner, fairer form of cycling that evidence suggests it really is. With women's cycling currently more popular than ever before in the wake of the Olympics and Marianne Vos' superb victory at the World Championships, the news that Rabobank had decided to remain a part of it could do more good than all the money you've provided and then some.

I also understand that a final decision has not yet been made on the future of the Rabobank women's team (and I'm pleased to hear that you will continue sponsoring Vos, who is a hero to so many of us). I hope, therefore, that the points above will be considered - Rabobank has an opportunity to do women's cycling an enormous favour, and the increased exposure for the sport and the riders would surely make financial sense.

Many thanks for your time.

No surgery for Vos, will race Giro Donne

Marianne Vos will not need surgery to repair the broken collarbone she suffered at the Parkhotel Valkenberg and has already returned to training, her Rabobank team have revealed.

The Dutchwoman, who finished the race in second place despite obvious pain, was fortunate enough to sustain a "good break," with a simple fracture that will heal rapidly on it own, doctors at the Meander Medisch Centrum in Amersfoort said last Friday; a prognosis since confirmed by the Centre's Dr. van Olden after further tests were carried out.

Image credit: Rabosport

Vos, who celebrated her 25th birthday two weeks ago and is widely considered the best rider of her generation, also revealed that she will make her comeback at the Giro Donne - the last Grand Tour of women's cycling and due to start on the 29th of July, fans had worried she might miss it in order to concentrate on the Olympics. "My participation in London is in no doubt whatsoever," she said , "but it now looks like I'll be able to ride at the Giro Donne too. It's my next planned race and an excellent course with a view to the Olympics. In the Giro, I can gain hardness and rate rhythm. There you go - that what I'll now be focusing on."

Meanwhile, she does not plan to defend her National Road Race Championship title as the race will be held on the 23rd of June. "That's a little bit too soon," she explained. When you're Marianne Vos, missing out on a National Championship isn't a problem - you can always win it next year instead.

Cycling Evening News 05.05.12

Rabo revelation is no surprise, nor worthy of note - Giro d'Italia - Two Days of Bedford - Lotto Cup Knokke-Bredene - Tour of the Gila - Nuyens still hurting - Railways team wins Pakistan Women's Nats, Afghan women impress - NetApp bus burglary - Other News - Cycling

Racing
Doping tolerated pre-'07 at Rabo "revelation"
According to the "revelation" of Theo de Rooij in Dutch newspaper Volkskrant, doping was tolerated in the Rabobank team between 1996 (when the team was formed from Novell Software-Decca) to 2007 - including between 2003 and 2007, when de Rooij was general manager.

Cycling is not the sport that it was before 2007, nor is
Rabobank the team that it then was

No! Really? There was doping in cycling during the Festina Affair-Operacion Puerto era? A lot of fans seem to be distinctly underwhelmed by the news, which is to be expected really. If anyone can exclusively reveal that there was a major team that wasn't involved in doping at that time, we'll all be a lot more surprised. Rabobank have said they see no reason to investigate the claims. "Since 2007, we've had a new Board and new leadership," a spokesperson told Het Nieuwsblad. "We wish to stress that there is a zero-tolerance policy in today's team."

Fair play to them. It may have taken several deaths and a pair of scandals that very nearly killed the entire sport to finally wake cycling in general up to the fact that something - many things, actually - needed to be done about doping but, since then, Rabobank has been at the vanguard of those teams that stopped talking about it and got on with actually fighting. What happened when de Rooij was in charge and before his tenure no longer matters, there has been a sea change in cycling over the last half-decade and we are now in a different age. That chapter is over, dead, buried, done. What matters is what's happening now, and Rabobank set a shining example.


Giro d'Italia

If you didn't know that the Giro d'Italia started today, you're probably some sort of hermit. Stage 1 was an 8.7km individual time trial on what looked set to be quite a tricky little parcours around the Danish city Herning, following the long tradition of the Grand Tours paying visits to nations other than their own.

The start line is right in the centre of the city (56° 8'14.19"N  8°58'1.99"E) and the riders immediately head for the first of fourteen tight corners - there's an especially compact series after 1.11km to keep the attentive. The last part along Dronningen's Boulevard and Holsterbrovej is a very different sort of route with long, fast straights to the final corner and a final half-kilometre sprint along H.P Hansens Vej to the finish line (56° 8'41.20"N 8°56'56.45"E).

Top Ten
1. Taylor Phinney (BMC) 10'26"

2. Geraint Thomas (Sky) +9"
3. Alex Rasmussen (Garmin-Barracuda) +13"
4. Manuele Boaro (SaoBank) +15"
5. Gustav Erik Larsson (Vacansoleil-DCM) +22"
6. Ramunas Navardauskas (Garmin-Barracuda) ST
7. Brett Lancaster (Orica-GreenEDGE) +23"
8. Marco Pinotti (BMC) +24"
9. Jesse Sergeant (RadioShack-Nissan) +26"
10. Nelson Oliveira (RadioShack-Nissan) +27"


While an individual TT doesn't give a perfect indication of form, partially due to the riding positions being very different and partially because a certain percentage of an individual rider's form can only be seen in the way he integrates with his team mates. It's also impossible to say with any certainty who might be in with a chance of winning because the finish line is three weeks and three-and-a-half-thousand kilometres away. Nevertheless, today we got our first look at the riders. Here are some initial thoughts...

Alessandro Ballan

Theo Bos (Rabobank) probably won't make it onto many lists of potential winners, but he's looking good to grab more than his fair share of points. For such a stocky man, he rode smoothly today and his legs have that "elasticated" look that indicates large reserves of stored power. He'll certainly give Cav a run for his money.
Geraint Thomas (Sky) is going to win a Grand Tour this year. Last year, for a short while at the Tour after Bradley Wiggins had gone home with a broken collar bone, it looked as though that victory would come sooner rather than later - which is why many people will have watched him carefully today. His TT form was exquisite, but that Grand Tour's not coming this year.
A lot of people are tipping Roman Kreuziger (Astana) this year, but I don't see it myself - chiefly for the same reason as Thomas; ie at his age he still lacks that certain "GC contender" quality that only the most exceptional have (Merckx had it at 25, so did Contador - Andy Schleck still hasn't). In two years, things will be very different.
Alessandro Ballan (BMC) is known primarily as a Classics rider and the majority of his stage race success has been in the shorter events. However, he can occasionally surprise in the later stages of a long race; as was the case at the 2010 Tour de France when he came second on Stage 15. Ballan has always been somewhat on the skinny side, but today he resembled an anatomical model of the human muscles. Is he perhaps hoping to do well on the mountains, like he did that day in the Tour? Ballan's another one who won't make it onto every list of likely lads, but he's worth keeping an eye on (unless you're trying to uncover who ate all the pies - he can definitely be ruled out of that investigation).
Frank Schleck (RadioShack-Nissan), who only found out he was coming to the Giro a few days ago, appears to have better form than many people might have expected. His season thus far has been a little underwhelming, but he's got the loose-limbed legginess of a climber. Don't write Frank off just yet, because he may surprise us in the mountains - his time trialing hasn't improved at all over the winter, however, inspiring at least one Twitterer to wonder if the police might want to breathalyse him as he wobbled around the course.
Joaquim Rodriguez (Katusha) is in good shape, as always, and his rivals do not allow themselves to forget that he's a rider with a near-unique combination of abilities: he has Classics toughness, he can climb and he can hold his own in a sprint. A potential winner? Maybe. Top five? Certainly.
Filippo Pozzato looks good around the legs, but seems to have a little trace of belly fat at the moment - which was unexpected, because he didn't have it at the Ronde van Vlaanderen (or maybe it was just the new Farnese Vini-Selle Italia strip; because nobody could look good in that monstrosity). Having said that, it really was the merest suggestion of belly fat, nothing that he won't have burned off long before the mountains.

Ivan Basso

Ivan Basso (Liquigas-Cannondale) is looking good, no trace of excess fat and the right balance between all-rounder muscle and the stringy limbs of a climber. Barring accident, he'll do well in this edition.
Damiano Cunego (Lampre-ISD) is another rider who, like Rodriguez, has a rare combination of three abilities; though in his case it's time trialing, sprinting and climbing. When Cunego shows up at the start of a stage race, he is immediately a GC contender. That's as true this year as ever.
Finally, Michele Scarponi, the man who finished in second place last year but wore pink today after the disqualification and suspension of Alberto Contador. His form is visibly good, his legs look springy, everything is as it ought to be. More importantly, pink suits him very well. Now he's had a taste, he'll want to show the world that he can take first place purely on his own merit.

Sunday brings the first road race stage, a 206km loop from Herning up to the Limfjorden north of Holsterbro, then south along the western coastline including a ride along the 13.2km Thorsminde causeway separating Nissumfjord from the North Sea. Having travelled as far as Ringkobingfjord, they head inland again for a straight 50km run back to Herning. This being Denmark, the parcours is flat all the way - expect to see the likes of Mark Cavendish and Theo Bos showing what they're capable of doing at the end of the stage.

Stages 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8 / 9 / 10 / 11 / 12 / 13 / 14 / 15 / 16 / 17 / 18 / 19 / 20 / 21

Two Days of Bedford
Giro got you in the mood for some hardcore bike action? Craving the sweet scent of chain oil and the thrill of lycra flashing past your face at 45kph? Can't quite stretch to filling up the tanks on the Gulfstream IV for a jolly down to Italy? Well then - if you live anywhere in the British South-East or southern part of the Midlands, you might be interested to know about the Two Days of Bedford.

The long-running event consists of four stages over two days (6th and 7th of May) with a 7.4km team time trial followed by an 80km road race on the Sunday, then a 6.4km individual time trial and an 85km race made up of nine laps of the Milbrook Vehicle Testing Facility. Over the years, it's grown to become one of the premier events on the British women's cycling calendar and now attracts some of the top names in the international sport, including the legendary paralympian Sarah Storey and, riding for the world-famous Matrix Fitness-Prendas team, Hannah Walker (National Derny Champion 2011), Annie Simpson (winner, 2011 Oldham Johnson HealthTech GP), Hannah Rich (Commonwealth Games contender, 2010), Penny Rowson (bronze, National Junior Cyclo Cross Championships), Jessie Walker (winner, Women's Track League 2011) and Sarah Reynolds (Team GB). Matrix Fitness won the 2011 Johnson HealthTech GP Series and is home to European Team Pursuit Champion Dani King, National Pursuit Champion Jo Rowsell and six-time National Cyclo Cross Champion Helen Wyman - an indication of the high level of competition in this race.

Believe me, you will not get more excitement for what it'll cost you to get to this race anywhere in the country (and you won't even have to change your pounds for krone). (More information here)

Lotto Cup Knokke-Bredene
Over on the other side of the North Sea, another women's race in the shape of the Knokke-Bredene took place on Saturday afternoon with one 47.6km main section followed by eight laps of a 7.8km circuit to make a total of 110km.

The race forms part of the Lotto Cycling Cup, a series that aims to bring the best cyclists in the world to Belgium in order to increase the profile of the sport. Among the top names on the start list this year: Irene van der Broek, Laura van der Kamp and Elena Tchalykh (Dolans-Boels); Evelyn Arys and Grace Verbeke (Kleo); Vera Koedooder (Sengers); Christine Majerus (GSD Gestion); Linda Ringlever (NWV Groningen); Nathalie van Gogh and Laura Trott (Ibis); Thalita de Jongh, Iris Slappendel, Roxanne Knetemann, Liesbet de Vocht and Tatiana Antoshina (Rabobank).

Video credit: @Velowijf

It became evident soon after the race began that, barring just about anything short of alien invasion and/or zombie apocalypse, somebody from Rabobank was going to win - just 30km into proceedings they had four riders at the front and never let up from that point onwards, keeping control all the way. Once the race began to near the finish line de Vocht, Knetemann, Else Belmans and Maaike Polspoel (Topsport Vlaanderen-Ridley) attacked, escaping the peloton and forcing speeds upward to tire the pack - and it worked splendidly: in the final 500m, de Vocht put her foot down and launched herself towards the line. Belmans and team mate Maaike Polspoel went after her and managed to hang onto her back wheel all the way, but neither could get ahead.

Top Ten
  1.  Liesbeth De Vocht Rabobank 2h45'01"
  2.  Else Belmans Topsport Vlaanderen-Ridley 2012 ST
  3.  Maaike Polspoel Topsport Vlaanderen-Ridley 2012 ST
  4.  Roxane Knetemann Rabobank +05"
  5.  Sarah Düster Rabobank +19"
  6.  Latoya Brulee Topsport Vlaanderen-Ridley 2012 ST
  7.  Lauren Kitchen Rabobank ST
  8.  Martina Zwick ST
  9.  Kelly Druyts Topsport Vlaanderen-Ridley 2012 ST
  10.  Evelyn Arys Kleo ST
(Full result)

Tour of the Gila

Carmen Small is riding fantastically well
jut to stay anywhere near Kristin
Armstrong, who has perhaps the best
form of any procyclist this season

The Stage 3 individual time trials took place on a 26.6km parcours with two testing climbs - the first, a Category 4, began 2km into the race and involved around 600m of climbing to a summit 1,949, above sea level, though the maximum gradient was not especially challenging. The second is the same mountain, approached from the opposite side on the return journey. It's much steeper when approached from that angle, hence an uprade to Cat 3. The start and finish line was located in Tyrone, a ghost town.

Kristin Armstrong (Exergy Twenty12) apparently plans to win this race by the simple-if-hard-to-achieve method of "completely and utterly dominating the field in every stage," and as a result she won for the third time in a row - and what a win it was: the 38-year-old Tennessean smashed Clara Hughes' time on the same parcours in 2011 by a whole two minutes. What matters more, of course, is she also beat the competition; crossing the line 2'05" faster than Alison Powers (Now and Novartis). Her advantage in the General Classification now stands at 5'01" over second place Carmen Small.

Top Ten
  1.  Kristin Armstrong Exergy Twenty12 37'13"
  2.  Alison Powers Now and Novartis for MS +2'05"
  3.  Carmen Small Optum p/b Kelly Benefit +2'11"
  4.  Tara Whitten Team TIBCO +2'46"
  5.  Jasmin Glaisser Colavita-ESPNW +2'48"
  6.  Anne Samplonius Now and Novartis for MS +3'18"
  7.  Jade Wilcoxson Optum p/b Kelly Benefit +3'28"
  8.  Alison Tetrick Exergy Twenty12 +3'29"
  9.  Calle Williams Colombia NT +3'38"
  10.  Olivia Dillon Now and Novartis for MS +3'50"
(Full results and GC)

Rory Sutherland

Catching Armstrong looks increasingly like an impossible task, but the eventual outcome seems far less certain among the men where Rory Sutherland (UnitedHealthcare Presented By Maxxis) leads the GC by only 26", an advantage that could very easily be lost on the last two stages. Evan Huffman, who has been trying to improve his TT performances, was experimenting with a different bike position and has apparently found one that works because he was the fastest man on the parcours with a finishing time 3" faster than Sutherland. "I think I can call myself a time trialist now," he said after the race.

Top Ten
  1.  Evan Huffman  California Giant     34'23"
  2.  Rory Sutherland UnitedHealthcare Presented By Maxxis +3"
  3.  Joe Dombrowski Bontrager Livestrong +17"
  4.  Jeremy Vennell Bissel Pro +24"
  5.  Lawson Craddock Bontrager Livestrong +38"
  6.  Francisco Mancebo Competitive Cyclist +45"
  7.  Nathaniel English Kenda/5-Hour Energy +50"
  8.  Ian Burnett Competitive Cyclist +52"
  9.  Benjamin Day UnitedHealthcare Presented By Maxxis +56"
  10.  Marc De Maar UnitedHealthcare Presented By Maxxis ST
(Full results and GC)

Tour of the Gila Stage 4

Stage 4 is an urban criterium race around a 1.74km square Silver City parcours with three bonus sprints and course hazards that include, according to the race bible, "rough pavement and errant pedestrians." The Pro Women will complete 25 laps to make a total of 43.5km, the Pro Men 40 laps for 69.5km.

Nick Nuyens still suffering
SaxoBank's Nick Nuyens was left disappointed after his Four Days of Dunkirk comeback, the injured hip he sustained in Paris-Nice two months ago making it impossible for him to ride as well as he'd hoped.

"I saw the fugitives still pulling away, but I couldn't respond," he told Het Niuewslad. "My hip still hurts, much more than I had expected after the training. The muscles around the hip are still weak, so I was uncomfortable on the bike. This was no fluke - I hope it'll improve given time."

Railways wins Pakistan Women's Nationals

Afghan Women's Team in training

Pakistan Railways won overall at the Pakistan Women's Championships on Thursday night, accumulating a total of 177 points at the Lahore velodrome during the event. Education High Commission took second with 160 points while Punjab was third with 86. The real stars of the Championships, however, have been the Afghan Women's team - despite hailing from a nation where until not too long ago any woman caught doing anything even remotely resembling a competitive sport would be publicly beheaded and although there are no races to speak of in Afghanistan, they won a number of medals and took fourth place overall with 68 points.

The Afghan women, the first foreign team to be invited to the race, impressed sufficiently for organisers to say they'll look into the possiblity of inviting teams from other Central Asian nations in future. Their performance was also a great encouragement for the athletes themselves - "I know that it will take time to win at an international level," says rider Karishma Ibadi, "but as sports grow we will be able to produce good players who will win abroad."

Other News
Team NetApp, competing in the Giro on a wildcard invitation this year, have had their first bout of misfortune - their bus was broken into and damaged on Friday night. Thieves got away with the vehicle's GPS system and items of the riders' clothing and shoes. So, if you happen to be in Herning and somebody offers you a cheap jersey that looks like the one on the left (probably without Reto Hollenstein in it), don't buy it and notify the police.

Peter Stetina (Garmin-Barracuda) escaped injury when he was hit by a car during a training ride yesterday. The incident was reported as a hit-and-run but, the rider - who has been given the go-ahead to start the Giro - praises the driver, telling Wielerland that he/she "was attentive and the car just came in contact with my rear wheel."

"Latecomer Schleck finds Giro course to his liking" (The Independent)

Heather Moyse had already made
her name in both bobsleigh and
rugby before coming to cycling

"Canadian gold medalist Heather Moyse becomes triple-threat with cycling success" (Calgary Herald)

"They just don't come any tougher than cycling's double world champion Laura Trott" (Daily Telegraph)

"Reasons to get excited about cycling this summer" (The Guardian)

"Reviving a cycling legend" (That's Greg Lemond, btw. SFGate, USA)

"Reta Trotman graduates in style at Nationals" (NZHerald)

"Pursuit squad thrilled with Kiwi made super sleek racer" (NZHerald)

"High school league fills niche" (PE, California)

Cycling
Newswire
Britain
"As far as oiling the wheels of big City deals goes, cycling is the new golf" (Daily Telegraph)

"Urban cycling: top 10 safety tips" (The Guardian)

"Cyclist badly hurt by deer" (Diss Express)

Worldwide
"Packs of cyclists need to obey traffic laws" (Times Colonist, Canada)

Cycling Evening News 01.05.12

Concerns over GreenEDGE's new sponsor - New women's race - Tour of the Gila - Iglinsky wants a Tour stage - Rabo and Astana at the Giro - Dehaes out for three weeks - No Giro for Dekker - Colorado velodrome closes - BBC Radio to broadcast Beryl Burton play - Other News - London mayor angers cyclists - Newswire

Racing
GreenEDGE's new sponsor is far from Green
GreenEDGE's new sponsor has been revealed to be Orica, a chemicals company with an international presence as the world's largest producer of mining explosives - and an unenviable environmental track record that has seen the organisation widely criticised since 2011 for its apparent reluctance to notify the New South Wales Environmental Protection Agency whenever an accident occurs (for example, the six serious incidents between August and December last year; including the release of 1kg of carcinogenic hexavalent chromium into the environment at Kooragang Island on the 8th of August last year, a leak that affected 70 households and which Orica failed to report to the authorities for 16 hours - the people living in those 70 households didn't get to hear about it for three days; or the arsenic leaked into the Hunter River during the hexavalent chromium clean-up operation; or the 900kg of ammonia leaked into the atmosphere from the Kooragang Island plant, ironically one hour before the EPA announced it was going to take Orica to court over the hexavalent chromium leak; or the mercury leak in December 2011 at a Port Botany plant that drove airborne sample readings to 245% the legal limit, which Orica kept quiet about until the 17th of January 2011).

The deal was questioned as soon as it was announced, chiefly for the reasons outlined above. Many people have since pointed out that 1t4i didn't come under attack when they revealed their own sponsorship deal with the Argos North Sea Group, a Rotterdam-based oil company. However, they're missing the point - it's not what Orica do, but the way they go about it. The oil industry has much to answer for, but Argos have never been charged with the sort of cavalier attitudes and apparent total disregard for the environment and public safety that Orica have displayed in the past (Argos also trade in biodiesel - which isn't entirely "environmentally friendly" but is a damn sight better than standard diesel - and operate "green energy" supplier HummelEnergy, incidentally).

We all know that top-level cycle racing isn't quite as environmentally-sound as we'd like it to be - all those official cars and motorbikes chuck out some serious pollution, as do the helicopters at the major races and the airliners that take the teams to the races. Also, with the world economy in the state it's in, teams can't afford to be too choosy about whose buck they take - chances are one or two others wouldn't hold up too well under close examination, either. It's also possible that Orica have cleaned up their act after some bad years and are now a fine example of how a chemical company ought to behave, and that they want to get involved in cycling as an expression of their new, green policies; but the fact remains that as far as the public are concerned Orica are evil. GreenEDGE's decision to link itself with a company that, in the eyes of many, is the Australian version of Monty Burns' nuclear power plant might prove an unwise one if it results in difficulties attracting sponsors in the future due to loss of current popularity. After all,  we judge people by the company they keep, which is a concept that will be very familiar those GreenEDGE rides who spent 2011 with HTC-Highroad - a team that did more than most to stamp out doping, yet died because sponsors didn't wish to be associated with a sport that they believed was tainted by a bad image.

It would be a very great pity if a team that has already done so much for cycling - including women's cycling, which they have no more obligation to take part in than the various other Pro Teams that do not - turned out to have shot itself in the foot during their very first season.

New women's race
News about women's cycling is, these days, all too often depressing - as has been the case in recent weeks with the demise of two races and shortening of another as organisers have struggled to find the financial backing they need to continue their events.

Very welcome, therefore, is news of a new race: after sixteen years as a men's race, the Baby-Dump Kempenklassement in the Netherlands is to be joined by a women's class that will be named the Kempenklassement voor Vrouwen.

Tour of the Gila

Leah Goldstein won the Tour of the Gila in 2008

The SRAM Tour of the Gila starts on Wednesday at Silver City in New Mexico. Since it began in 1987, the race has been dominated by American riders - American men have won eighteen editions, American women the same number - but changes to the UCI classification have brought ever-increasing numbers of top riders from elsewhere, as was the case last year when the men's race was won by the Spaniard Francisco Mancebo and the women's race by the Canadian Clara Hughes. Champion System - the first Asian ProTour team in cycling - will be making their American race debut at the event

There are some tough climbs along the way: Stage 2 reaches 2,278m above sea level, with the men and the women taking in the climb. Good quality maps and altitude profiles can be downloaded from the official race website, as can the complete "race bible."

Iglinsky wants a Tour stage

Maxim Iglinsky

"The next race I will participate in is theTour of Belgium," Astana's 31-year-old Maxim Iglinsky told press at a team conference. "Then I will ride in the Critérium du Dauphiné and I will compete to win, and then I will fight to win a Tour de France stage. I have always dreamed of winning a Tour de France stage."

Iglinsky denied rumours that his hotel room was searched prior to his unexpected winner of Liège-Bastogne-Liège earlier this year, then said he also has his sights set on the World Championships: "All cyclists want to win the World Championship. The one who wins earns the right to put on the rainbow jersey and can then ride in it for the whole year - it is very prestigious. Yes, I've thought about that, too; I will be training for the Championships."

Moser wins in Germany
Moreno Moser won Germany's biggest one-day race the Rund um den Finanzplatz Eschborn-Frankfurt after attacking the lead group in the final kilometre. The race was especially notable as the first since being injured during a training ride for the the current World Time Trial Champion Tony Martin, who split the peloton with an attack at the 44km to go point.

Moser's team mate Dominik Nerz was 5" behind him as he crossed the line, hotly pursued by Sergei Firsanov who took the same time.

Top Five
  1.  Moreno Moser Liquigas-Cannondale 4h54'16"
  2.  Dominik Nerz Liquigas -Cannondale +5"
  3.  Sergey Firsanov RusVelo ST
  4.  Tony Martin Omega Pharma-QuickStep ST
  5.  Andre Greipel Lotto-Belisol 24"
Full results (when available)

Rabo and Astana at the Giro
Two more teams have revealed their Giro line-ups. Unsurprisingly, following his two stage wins at the Tour of Turkey, Theo Bos is team leader for Rabobank with Graeme Brown and Mark Renshaw onboard to pick up sprint points while Stef Clement looks after time trials and Juan Manuel Gárate takes care of the mountains. Protecting them and ferrying the bidons are Tom Leezer, Grischa Niermann, Tom-Jelte Slagter and Dennis van Winden.

Astana are sending Roman Kreuziger as leader, backed up by a more all-rounder squad consisting of Alexandr Dyachenko, Enrico Gasparotto, Simone Ponzi, Kevin Seeldraeyers and Andrey Zeits. Tanel Kangert, Evgeny Petrov and Paolo Tiralongo will be the men for the mountains points. The team comes as something of a surprise as the squad was widely expected to include Alexandre Vinokourov.

Three weeks off for Dehaes
Lotto-Belisol's Kenny Dehaes injured his elbow more severely than was initially believed in a crash at the Tour de Romandie - X-rays have since revealed a fracture, and he has been told to rest for three weeks.

Kenny Dehaes ‏ @Kennydehaes
Took x ray from elbow and showed fracture... F*ck!!! 3 weeks out!! #damn.

Thomas Dekker

No Giro for Dekker
Thomas Dekker (Garmin-Barracuda) is pinning his hopes on the Tour de France after doctors told him to stay away from the Giro due to a knee injury sustained at Liège-Bastogne-Liège. "Starting the race would just be too risky - I could be forced to abandon after a couple of days. There's no point starting a Grand Tour unless you're 100%," the Dutch 27-year-old said.

Colorado loses one of its two velodromes
Days after the great news that Cleveland in Ohio is about to get a new velodrome - one that will be free for under-18s to ride - comes more depressing news that one of only two velodromes in Colorado will close after only three years. The Boulder track, housed in a converted warehouse alongside an indoor mountain biking course, has attracted far fewer riders than predicted - "The single biggest factor was the seasonality," said Bruce McPherson, president of the facility's management team. "We had riders for essentially four months of the year. We had a core group that rode all year long, but it wasn't enough."

BBC R4 to broadcast Burton play

Beryl Burton will be played by author
Maxine Peake

A dramatisation of Beryl Burton's life will be broadcast by BBC Radio 4 towards the end of this year. Titled La Yorkshire Dame a Bicyclette, the play will star Maxine Peake - who also wrote the script, her first - as Burton, who won numerous titles and set world records during the 1950s and 60s.

"Despite beating men and women in championships across the globe, Beryl received no support, training or sponsorship and in fact, very little acclaim in the UK and Maxine wanted to dramatise her story," says producer Justine Potter. No date has yet been set for the broadcast, but it is likely to go out in the station's 45-minute Afternoon Drama (formerly and popularly Afternoon Play) slot.

Radio 4 is available worldwide on the Internet.

Other News
"The Afghanistan women cycling team will compete in Pakistan for the first time in the National Cycling Championship" (Herald Tribune)

"South Korean Pro Cyclists Killed in Road Accident" (Bicycling)

"There’s absolutely no room for complacency, we have got to keep working hard" - Joanna Rowsell on the Olympics (British Cycling)

"Italian women turned away from Box Hill" (Cycling Weekly)

"Sky look ahead to Giro's team time trial" (Cycling Weekly)

"Women’s Cycling: The Winning Formula Continues" (Irishcycling.com)

Kristin Armstrong makes name for herself as Olympic champ (USA Today)

"74-year-old cycling enthusiast had a heart attack while competing in a 60-kilometre club race" (The Press, New Zealand)

"Tacks cause havoc at cycling event Tour of the South" (Herald Sun, Australia)

"Cyclists in inspired return to Trinidad & Tobago" (Guardian Media)


"Goss the key to Giro cycling success" (SBS Australia)

"Paula Radcliffe vows to campaign for tougher bans for drug cheats" (The Independent)

"Tour de France 2012 Videogames Confirmed for PAL Release" (ElectrinicTheatre)


Cycling
Boris' big gob bothers bikers

Boris - a bit of an idiot at times

Boris Johnson has based a large part of his London mayoral campaign on his own cycling credentials and the fine work he says he's done for the capital's cyclists during his time a mayor over the last five years - so it seems rather strange that he risked annoying the very people he's been courting for so long with some ill-advised comments yesterday at a hustings designed to highlight the candidates' commitment to cycling and cyclists' safety.

After showing up on his bike - points there, Boris - the tousel-headed Old Eonian scamp started to dig himself a hole. "I can humbly say to you, I may not conform to your idea of a stereotypical cyclist. I do not have whippet-thin brown legs or dreadlocks, I do not charge around in Lycra, I do not jump lights - and nor are you, but I ask you to recognise that I have cycling in my heart. I love cycling. I think it is wonderful and I will continue to invest in cycling," he told his audience, adding: "We have got to move away from the idea that - and I am sorry to say this, you can lynch me now - that cyclists are somehow morally superior to other road users" before the four main candidates went about trying to pick holes in one another's doubtless expertly massaged figures.

However, Johnson did promise that if re-elected he'll appoint a Cycling Commissioner (or cycling czar, as the newspapers have for some reason decided such a figure should be called) - something that many cyclists will be happy to hear. Provided, of course, that it's somebody capable of independent thought and with a genuine interest in cycling, not one of his jolly chums from school.

According to Londoners on Bikes, a biking advocacy group, he "has lost the bike vote."

Newswire
Britain
"Kingston women's cycling pioneer in line for award" (Your Local Guardian)

"New Cycle Surgery Store Opens Along Popular London Biking Route" (MarketWatch)

"Sky Ride Local group spawns beginner friendly Tees Valley Sportive" (British Cycling)

Worldwide
"Cyclists will take to the roads in a silent procession at 7 p.m. May 16 to remember those who have been killed or injured by a motorist while cycling on public roadways" (Argus Press, Michigan)

Cycling News from around the World 16.04.12

Last Gelderland threat - Merckx on new biographies and doping - Provisional ban for Galimzyanov creates Katusha doubts - Sportive to honour Robert Millar - Gasparotto thanks Paolini - AA Drink-Leontien.nl launch English language website - New bike security system launched in Australia

Last Gelderland?

Vos' huge public profile is a good thing for women's cycling,
but if you blame her for your race's failings you run the risk
of sounding like a spoiled child who declares Christmas
ruined when there's no X-Box under the tree.

Organisers of the Ronde van Gelderland are threatening to make the 2012 edition - which took place yesterday - the last  due to their anger that some of the top names in the sport chose not to take part. "We conceived this race to be the top competition for women, a premium race for the top riders," they say. "But how do you sell it as the number one women's cycling event when Dutch champion Marianne Vos isn't here here for the third year in a row? Also Annemiek van Vleuten was not here, so the race becomes less interesting."

Jeroen Blijlevens, manager of Vos and van Vleuten's Rabobank team, responded: "Everyone always wants Marianne, but with the Olympics and the Worlds in Limburg we have had to make different choices. For the media and public, she is such an important part of the sport it becomes a problem for organisers if she's not in their race - but she can't enter every race, and she's training in preparation for la Fleche Wallonne. Annemiek van Vleuten, meanwhile, is recovering from major surgery and simply can't be overburdened."

Blijlevens is right - Vos, arguably the most successful rider in cycling for at least two decades, has a public profile of which most female riders can only dream and a fan base at least equal to that of the top male riders. However, if they're concerned that their race is boring, organisers would presumably be better off looking at what they can do to improve matters rather than simply laying blame at the feet of one team and two of its riders. (More from Wielerland)

Merckx speaks out on new biographies and doping
Eddy Merckx, winner of 525 races in the course of his uniquely successful career, seems unimpressed by recent biographies of his own life and career: "If they’re writing a book about me, maybe they should talk to me, no?" However, in one of the books ("Eddy Merckx - The Cannibal," Ebury Press) author Daniel Friebe states that he requested an interview with the retired Belgian rider and was refused, the rider and his wife Claudine explaining that they are "contractually obliged to their own, official project."

Merckx, who tested positive three times (one in extremely questionable circumstances) still insists that he was not a doper. "I was clean, I know that," he says, also stating that he believes cycling is now 95% clean and insists that the only reason he can't say 100% - despite "doping controls day to day" - is because "no sport is clean." He goes on to defend seven-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong, whom he believes is also innocent. "I don’t think people that have cancer like he did would ever do something so silly. I think that it would be crazy," he says, adding that in his opinion the reason Armstrong has faced so many accusations is because "when you are at the top, people are jealous of you and that’s a big part of this also." (More from the Evening Standard)

Provisional ban as Galimzyanov tests positive for EPO

Denis Galimzyanov

Katusha's Denis Galimzyanov has been provisionally suspended from competition after a sample he provided tested positive for EPO. The UCI released a press statement this morning saying that they reached the decision to ban him after a WADA-accredited laboratory in Cologne carried out the test.

"The provisional suspension of Mr Galimzyanov remains in force until a hearing panel convened by the Russian Cycling Federation determines whether he has committed an anti-doping rule violation under Article 21 of the UCI Anti-Doping Rules," the statement says. "Mr Galimzyanov has the right to request and attend the analysis of his B sample. Under the World Anti-Doping Code and the UCI Anti-Doping Rules, the UCI is unable to provide any additional information at this time."

Galmizyanov's ban will raise awkward questions for Katusha, which has already faced attacks over its record on doping despite new manager Hans-Michael Holczer's much-vaunted zero-tolerance policy. Chief doctor, Andrei Mikhailov, received a suspended prison sentence for doping offences in 1998; while another team medic Massimo Besnati was prosecuted for illegal possession of steroids in the wake of the notorious Le Blitz du Giro in 2001 when police raided team hotels. The team was again raided by Italian police in 2011.

New Scottish sportive to honour Robert Millar
"I'm sure if you stopped most people in the street and asked them who Robert Millar is, most Glaswegians wouldn't know," says David Lang, captain of Millar's old club the Glasgow Wheelers. With help from Endura Racing manager Bill Smith and Billy Bilsland, who coached Millar in the early days, he hopes to change that with a new sportive named in honour of the man he calls "definitely the best stage rider that Britain has ever produced." Millar has been approached in the past for permission for his name to be used in conjunction with cycling races but, an extremely private man who has all but withdrawn from the media world, has in the past refused. The sportive will offer two routes, one of 45 miles and one of 90 miles (72.5km and 145km), running through the Trossachs National Park and the Campsie Fells mountains north of Millar's native Glasgow. (More from BBC Sport)

Other Racing News
"I still can't believe it!"
...says Astana's Enrico Gasparotto after his surprise Amstel Gold Race victory against some of the best one-day racersin the world. The 30-year-old, National Champion in 2005 and Points competition winner at the 2009 Tour de Suisse, attributes his triumph to close friend Luca Paolini of Katusha - "He taught me how to race," he says. (More from La Gazzetta dello Sport)

AA Drink-Leontien.nl launch English language website
The website of legendary women's team AA Drink-Leontien.nl - home to British riders Emma Pooley, Lizzie Armitstead and Sharon Laws - is now available in English as well as Dutch. Keep up with the squad's latest news and victories here.

Cycling
New Australian bike security system

QR codes have become very familiar
since the introduction of smart
phones able to read them

Police in Victoria, Australia, have given their backing to a new bike security device that works by reading a QR code affixed to the frame - and which can also give access to information on the rider's blood type and other information, making the system useful to paramedics too.

"As police, if we find a bike they all look the same to us," says crime prevention officer Craig McDonald. "The first time people see it they think it is just a sticker. After three days you can only burn them off or then grind them off," he adds. For Aus$30 a year, the bike's owner is supplied with three of the stickers which can then be read by a QR scanner to gain access to a webpage with information on the bike, its registered owner and so on. At present, police nor paramedics are equipped with the scanners, but many smartphones have the capability.

The system, called mybikerego, is due to be improved with the addition of a GPS chip that can be hidden in the bike's frame and which will send SMS messages to the owner's mobile phone if the bike is moved. (More from The Register)

Daily News Roundup

Emma Johansson sustained two
broken collarbones on the 14th of January
(image credit: Eriohm CC BY 3.0)

Emma Johansson - the 28-year-old rider who sustained two broken collar bones during a training ride when she was involved in a collision with a car a month and a half ago - has recovered in time to compete in the upcoming Omloop van 't Hageland, her Hitec Products-Mistral Home team has confirmed. She had hoped to be able to ride in the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, originally planned as the start of her season, but was aware doing so would be unlikely. The race takes place this Sunday the 4th of March at Tielt-Winge.

Marianne Vos

Meanwhile, following a short break after the cyclo cross season (which saw her yet again become World Champion) the Dutch superstar Marianne Vos will begin her season at the Acht van Dwingeloo on the 8th of March, which she won last year at the beginning of a spectacular season which confirmed her status as one of the most successful professional cyclists of all time. Now backed by a Rabobank team constructed around her and with the intention of driving her towards even more victories, her opponents will be keeping close watch to see just what they're up against this year.

The Tour of the Basque Country and the Clasica San Sebastian have been saved from financial oblivion, for this year at least. Both races had warned that they lacked the money to go ahead this year. causing alarm in the cycling-obsessed Basque Country and among Basque cycling's many fans abroad. Bilbao newspaper Deia reports that the Basque government has agreed to put €200,000 towards the events - €160,000 less than in the last three years, but sufficient for the races to be held. Recent news that average salaries paid to ProTeam cyclists have risen from €190,000 to €264,000 over the same period - and widespread back-slapping over professional cycling's supposed financial health - have led to calls that the UCI should provide more money towards races that find themselves in difficulty.

Alberto Contador, the three-time Tour de France winner who was recently (and controversially) banned for two years after the CAS found him guilty of doping, might not return to Saxobank when the backdated ban expires on the 6th of August, says Danish site sporten.dk. The team has relied on the rider to a large extent and, as a result, its ProTeam licence was earned partly due to his results and he is not happy with this according to an "anonymous source."

Rabo Women Number 1 in the world

Vos has had a perfect CX season - and now her team is
ranked the best in the world as the start of the road season
draws nearer
(image credit: Rabosport)

Hot on the heels of the Vos to race men story is news that the new Stichting-Rabobank Women team, which was constructed around her, is at the top of the UCI rankings in the run-up to the start of the 2012 season and with the Tour of Qatar, which will be the team's first race, beginning on the 1st of February and the Ronde van Drenthe - the first round of the Women's World Cup - less than two months away.

Specialized-Lululemon are in second place, followed by AA Drink-Leontien.nl in third - but with AA Drink recently confirming it has signed Emma Pooley and other riders from the ill-fated Garmin-Cervelo, there's every likelihood that the team will move up and possibly even challenge the mighty Rabobank.

The UCI say that the 35 women's teams signed up to race internationally in the coming year is a record - by our calculations, there were 37 in 2008 but the number then decreased over the coming years to 2010 when there were 27, then a slight increase to 28 in 2011. Seven extra teams is fantastic news, hopefully an indication that women's cycling is not in straits quite as dire as we had feared, and a sure sign that 2012 is going to be a vintage year for fans of the sport.

Marianne Vos to race men?

Marianne Vos has been winning so
many races she's getting bored
(© Eddy Fever CC2.0)

As we all know, Marianne Vos won just about everything she entered in 2011; which is the sort of year that any cyclist dreams of having even though the Worlds slipped out of her grasp once more. The trouble is, 2010 was much the same. So was 2009, as were several years before that - and Marianne, while doubtless loving the victories, isn't only in racing for the glory: she loves the competition, as is made plainly obvious by the grin plastered across her face in all the races she enters.

Thus, she's getting bored. "It will not be a problem for Marianne to motivate for the 2012 Olympic Games and World Championships in Limburg, but I am worried about the subsequent period," says Rabobank manager Jeroen Blijlevens, winner of eleven Grand Tour stages during the 1990s. "It's not like Marianne, after the national cyclocross championships, to say that she was having no fun, so we have to be careful that she doesn’t lose her motivation."

But Marianne's at the top of her game - she's arguably already the most successful female cyclist of all time as she approaches her 25th birthday, indisputably the strongest and most successful of the current generation, so where does she go from here? She's standing on the highest rung of the ladder, wanting to go higher... but the ladder ends here. Actually, there is one place she could go; a place where the competition is stiffer and where her opponents would be stronger. Men's races.

"Riding in some smaller men’s races could make her stay motivated on the one hand," Blijlevens adds, "but could also make her continue to make progress, because I think she can get much better - the men could ride her to the next level."

Vos' progress aside, what would be the likely outcome, other than quite a few of the boys revealing how they react when they get whupped by a girl? One initial opinion among Twitterers is it'd be disastrous for women's cycling, the fear being that the top 10% of the women's peloton could be creamed off to ride in some future mixed racing series and thus leave the women's sport without its greatest - headline grabbing - stars. That would not be a good thing. But, what are the chances of that happening? Not much, it seems. For a start, there's the simple fact that apart from Vos, who is an exceptionally talented rider, very few women would want to race against the men for the simple reason that, while Pat McQuaid was entirely wrong when he said women's racing isn't as developed as men's, the vast majority wouldn't remain competitive. Secondly, how likely is it that the UCI would permit mixed competition in anything other than one or two races?

Vos is very good, but she's not unbeatable. That's the best
argument against anyone who would claim the prospect of
her competing against men is indication that women's
cycling
(image credit: Mogens Engelund CC BY-SA 3.0)

What we're talking about is primarily a stunt and it's one that will get noticed, especially if Vos wins a men's race (and there's every indication that she would). A high percentage of the cycling press ignores women's cycling entirely, or at the very least relegates it to page-filler, but which of them could resist a headline like  "Marianne Vos victorious against male rivals!" That'll apply to readers too; perhaps even make those who fall for attitudes like those of McQuaid, those who heard the (male) commentators at the Worlds describing the Elite Women's road race as boring and haven't ever bothered to take a look for themselves, start thinking to themselves that if Vos is so good she can ride against the men then women's cycling must be pretty good after all. Then, perhaps, they might make the time to have a look and new fans is precisely what the sport needs if it's going to bring in new sponsors and new revenue, the first step to getting the athletes the equal pay and prize money that they deserve.

There will of course be those who say that if a cyclist such as Vos needs to look elsewhere, women's cycling can't be very good. The best comeback to that is her failure to win the World Championships over the last five years, and that - if it happens - she won't be leaving women's cycling entirely and only racing men. This is proof that there are other female cyclists who can beat her, that there are other female cyclists who are as good as her.

There's a risk, just as there is with everything, but the potential benefits are vast.