Entries Tagged 'procycling' ↓

Nicole Cooke, takes Olympic Gold

In the pouring rain, Nicole Cooke of GB, won an exciting sprint finish to win the women’s world race title.

There is a good video of last 2 minutes of race at BBC website

Riding a new Chris Boardman bike and wearing a skin suit rather than traditional jersey, Nicole Cooke was one of the favourites, but, it is always difficult to predict a winner in the road race because there are so many variables.

On the last corner, Nicole seemed to slip and lose contact with the lead group of 5. But, she managed to get back on and timed her final sprint to perfection.

A Worthy Champion

I admire Nicole as a cyclist. She has an evident passion for the sport and also ability and desire to train very hard. Of course, she has undoubted natural talent, but, also has the enthusiasm to make the most of it.

• Nicole Cooke

Men’s Road Race

In the men’s road race, the unfancied Samuel Sanchez (Spain) proved to be the strongest. In a 250km race of attrition Sanchez proved the strongest in a race that included 77km of climbing.

Photo Source: BBC Photos

Doping is almost as old as professional cycling itself. When Henri Desgrange had the brain wave of instituting a tour around France, he wanted to create an event which required ’superhuman effort’. Those intrepid cyclists who entered early editions had to pay a 5 Franc entrance fee and were also told they must supply their own dope – which in those days included alcohol, cocaine and chlorofoam.

The Tour did not take a completely blind eye to cheating, in 1906 3 riders were expelled for taking a train. Compared to the skull dugdery of poisoning rivals, and throwing nails on the road surface, dope taking hardly seemed a priority. The early organisers were most keen to encourage the superhuman feats which helped sell papers. It is perhaps from this perspective that we can better understand why doping became such an intrinsic part of cycling’s culture.

List of Important Doping Scandals

1924, Henri and Charles Pélissier admitted the use of Strychnine, cocaine, chloroform, aspirin, “horse ointment” and others drugs to keep going. The story was published in ‘Le Petit Parisien’ under the ‘The Convicts of the Road’. It led to no doping regulation though.

1949 – Fausto Coppi admitted using ‘’la Bomba’ – amphetamines during races. Coppi later joked that he only ever took dope when necessary – which was nearly always.

1955 Jean Malléjac of France collapsed on Mont Ventoux during the 1955 Tour de France. Drug use was widely suspected, though he pleaded his innocence from drug taking.

1959 Charles Gaul. The great climber was implicated when French customs found pills destined from him.

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I enjoyed following this years Tour. Congratulations to Carlos Sastre. There is quite a good article here at the Guardian. ‘Mr Clean leads way in race to redemption‘

This is one of the worst articles I’ve ever seen on cycling “Bored by the Tour de France: No doping, no drama - No fun in watching cyclists rely on their natural talents”

When it comes to cycling, you expect to see low standards of journalism. One thinks of Matthew Paris’ tirade against cyclists. But, this article in the Houstan Chronicle has to rank as one of the feeblest articles ever written. I wonder whether newspaper editors actually tell their journalists to write purposefully rubbish articles in the hope they may get a bit of adverse publicity?

No Doping = No Drama

The journalist says he has been watching the 2008 Tour de France and finds it completely boring, but, maybe he has been watching an old edition on DVD by mistake. This year, 2008 has been an exciting race. Several riders have remained in contention throughout the 3 week long race, the lead has changed several times. Perhaps one or two longer time trial stages and the result would have been different.

“Just let them all Take Dope”

If all riders take dope, how will that make the race more attractive? Supposing all riders take dope, the average speed of the race may increase from 40 to say 42Kmph, but, a higher average speeds doesn’t change whether the race is exciting. Most spectators wouldn’t notice the difference. It will only give an unfair advantage to those athletes whose bodies respond better to doping.

Report on Cycling Not Doping

As a cycling enthusiast, I want to see the reports about the cycling, not about doping scandals. The real drama unfolds on the slopes of Alpe d’Huez not in the testing laboratories. If people think the best thing about sport is drug busts, they would be better off watching police dramas.

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photo Maurice Koop

There are many magnificent climbs on the Tour - Col du Galibier, Col de Telegraph, the fearsome Mont Ventoux. But, when it comes to mountain climbs in the Tour de France, the first on most people’s mind is Alpe d’Huez.

It first came to the tour in 1952 (won by the legendary Fausto Coppi) but, surprisingly didn’t return for 20 years. Since, 1972 the Tour has visited Alpe d’Huez, at least every other year. And despite a relatively short time period, it has firmly become part of tour folklore - often being won by the eventual winner or a great climber.

The 2008 stage finishing at Alpe d’Huez was a marvellous stage. Carlos Sastre, often criticised in the past for lacking  flair, attacked on the lower slopes and was able to take over 2 minutes from the yellow jersey group. It was not a decisive knock out, but left 3 or 4 with a possible chance of victory in Paris. (you tube video of Sastre’s climb with awful soundtrack)

Record For Alpe d’Huez Climb

According to the local tourist office, the record for the climb is 37 minutes 35 seconds set by Marco Pantani in 1995. However, other sources such as CyclingNews suggest the record was set in 1994 when Pantani climbed it in 36′40″.

Alpe D’Huez Time Trial

Alpe d’Huez 2003 - Armstrong, Beloki, Tyler Hamilton and Zubeldia (stage won by Iban Mayo)
Photo Matt Knoth

In 2004, Alpe D’Huez was run as a time trial stage. It was won by Lance Armstrong in a time of 37′ 36.

If you want to get an official time, the local authority have a time trial every Monday evening.

• In 1986, America’s first Tour winner, Greg Lemond and five times winner Frenchman Bernard Hinault rode side by side up the last part of the climb and crossed the line together. Both Lemond and Hinault were on the same team, there had been uncertainty over who was the team leader.
• Alpe d’Huez is often called the ‘Dutch Mountain’ because of the exploits of many great Dutch climbers such as Joop Zoetemelk and Hennie Kuiper. The Dutch come to watch the tour in great numbers and are highly visible on Alpe d’Huez, dressed in Orange their national colours.
• So many spectators come to watch the Tour at Alpe d’Huez that after the race there is usually a huge traffic jam as cars, lorries and camper vans descend the climb.
• The climb has 21 hairpins.
• The steepest part of the climb includes a section of 13% towards the bottom; the climb gets less steep further up.
• The climb starts just outside Bourg d’Oisans taking the D211 signposted

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Many of those caught taking EPO like David Millar, Richard Virenque et al. never actually failed a drugs test. They were simply found with the EPO on them. Others like Bjanne Riis have since admitted to taking EPO, even though they never failed a drugs test But, with 3 failed EPO test in the Tour already, it seems that testing for micro use of EPO has improved.

The case of Riccardo Riccò is interesting. According the Saunier Duval website…

“In spite of his superb performance (Riccardo Ricco), it wasn´t easy for him to make his pro cycling debut because several blood tests revealed his hematocrit levels exceeded the accepted ones. Further exhaustive tests by the UCI confirmed Riccò´s hematocrit level was normally high.”

Riccardo Ricci at Saunier Duval. Maybe the ‘abnormally high Hematocrit levels weren’t so ‘natural’ after all

Also he used the same doctor / trainer as Marco Pantani. Pantani, had a hematocrit level of upto 60%, which is frankly ridiculous and suggested abuse of EPO.

I always feel that you can tell alot by the trainers that cyclists use. If you really wanted to be a new generation clean rider, you wouldn’t goto see a doctor with a history of dealing with athletes who take dope.

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For several years, I watched large sections of the tour on Europsport. Last year, 2007, was the first year that I stopped ‘wasting time’ watching hours of the Tour on telly. This year I have made a pact not to get Eurosport as well. (Alas, watching the Tour on telly, doesn’t get you fit… )

Despite not watching the Tour, I really hope it can regain the confidence and support of the general public. I think everyone is hoping for a tour free from drug scandals and a worthy winner. The sport desperately needs new champions and new heroes - riders not tarnished with doping infractions. Whatever it’s problems, the Tour remains one of the greatest sporting spectacles. It is a fieresome sporting challenge and provides 3 weeks of drama, beautiful scenary and the capacity to inspire even the non cycling public.

In way this tour could make for an exciting race, because there is no dominant rider. There are several contenders.

Leading contender for the Tour

There is an absence of any really strong favourite. Many of the great challengers of recent years have disappeared under a cloud of doping investigations. Ullrich, Basso, Rasmussen, Tyler Hamilton, Flloyd Landis… (last years winner A.Contador because of Astana’s exclusion - it should be pointed out Contador is not under suspicion himself) the list could go on. But, who does it leave? It leaves a field wide open. These are some of the strong contenders.

ALEJANDRO VALVERDE
Age: 28
Country: Spain
Team: Caisse d’Epargne

A strong rider who has won numerous one day classics and importantly this years Dauphine Libere.

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Paul Kimmage writing in the Times produces some devastating statistics about doping in the peloton, collected by the journalist Ballester:

“Would you believe that 85% of the winners since 1968 have, at one point or other, contravened the antidoping rules? Would you believe that 72.5% of those who stood on the podium have cheated? What about the top-tens? Sixty per cent sound right? The damage to the credibility of the race has been irreparable “

A recent survey (of a thousand French citizens) on their attitudes to the Tour show levels of cynicism are rife:

• Doping has destroyed everything, I feel betrayed: 90%
• Because of doping, I no longer believe in the results of the Tour de France: 85%
• All top-level cyclists are doped: 69%

Source: Times - doping

The last figure: All top-level cyclists are doped: 69% is perhaps the most depressing. I really feel there are top-level cyclists who are not taking dope, but, a wary public has stopped trusting. The cheats have hurt the image of everyone; it must be hard for the riders who are trying to be clean

The last decade has produced an unending stream of drug scandals. They have proved the allegations of the early ‘whilsteblowers’ were absolutely true. Unfortunately people within the cycling authorities were generally dismissive of people like Paul Kimmage, when they made their relevations. Yet, it seems things are just as bad as many knew, but, were reluctant to admit.

A Fresh Start for Cycling?

I am always wary of ‘fresh starts’ for cycling. We seem to have had a ‘fresh start’ almost every year since the Festina scandal of 1998. The truth is that the Festina scandal was an eyeopener to the extent of doping in the peleton, but, it led to no effective action. - even the worst perpetrators like Richard Virenque were back racing after only the most punitive sanctions of a 12 month ban. It was almost as if the only mistake of Festina was to get caught. Top riders still went to see the notorious doctors with a long history of helping riders to dop. At the time, too many were happy to believe that the top pros were paying 200,000 euros just to learn how to get the optimal pedalling cadence. When people spoke up about the level of doping they were pressured into leaving the sport. If there was one thing Pro cycling couldn’t stand it was the ‘whistle blower’ who spoke about doping. But, maybe now things are really starting to change?

Why I Am Optimistic About the Future of Professional Cycling

Despite many reasons to be pessimistic about pro cyling, I am actually guardedly optimistic.

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The Keirin is a type of track race made popular in Japan and integrated into the Cycling World Championships in 1980.
A typical race involves 6 to 9 riders who set off, initially behind a motorised rider in front. With 2 laps to go, the motorbike peels off the track leaving the riders alone on the track. The race is then a simple sprint to the line. The idea is that the motorbike starts off slowly at 25Kmph and then builds up speed upto about 50Km per hour. In the men’s races the finishing speeds can be up to 70Kmph or 45 mph.

This is a video from the Women’s World Championship in 2007 with Victoria Pendleton winning Gold.

Chris Hoy (Britain) won the men’s event in 2007. Giving Britain a double Olympic Gold.

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Yesterday was another very impressive day for the British track Cycling Squad. The most impressive result was the new world record set by the 4000Km team track pursuit squad. On the relaid Manchester Boards, they set a new World Record of 3min 56.322sec The team in the Four man squad was:

• Starter Ed Clancy
• Geraint Thomas
• Bradley Wiggins
• Paul Manning

Rebecca Romero won Gold in the 3,000 Km pursuit. Rebecca has now completed a remarkable transition from rowing, where only a couple of years ago she won a world title in the very different sport.

The Women’s track sprint duo of Victoria Pendleton and Shanaze Reade successfully defended their 2up sprint. (The 2up sprint is a two lap 500 metre burst of speed.). In a week where Victoria Pendleton has received much interest from her recent newspaper portraits  she will be glad to prove her athletic prowess go together with the glamour of being a fashion model (btw: Victoria Pendleton is currently the most popular search on cyclinginfo.co.uk - beating even the search term ‘puncture resistant tyres‘)

Earlier in the week, Bradley Wiggins defended his 4,000Km pursuit title, leaving Britain in a great position to pass their medal tally of last week.

The only dark cloud for British cycling is the fact Rob Hayles was forced to leave the competition after record a hemocrit level of over 50%. This does not prove use of drugs, but, people who take EPO use it to raise their hemocrit levels. However, it is worth pointing out that quite a few athletes have naturally recorded levels above 50%, Charly Wigelius for example as a licence which enables him to race above 50%. There is a strong anti drug stance within British cycling and my feeling is that in this case it is a misfortunate anomaly.

Paris Nice is supposed to be the traditional start of the professional cycling season. In theory, it should offer grounds for optimism as symbolically riders race away from the cold north towards the mediteranean sun. However, this year there appears to be little in the way of optimism and good cheer as professional cycling faces a very serious split. Basically, the UCI is very unhappy ASO the organisers of the race (and the Tour de France) have decided to exclude a team (astana) that under UCI regulations should be allowed to compete.

The UCI are threatening to sanction all 19 teams who compete in this year’s Paris Nice. Riders could be banned from the Olympics and World Championships. Despite these threats all the teams decided to start the race. Only a few riders such as Britain’s Bradley Wiggins pulled out (he is focusing on the Olympics this year and cannot afford a ban)

However, it remains to be seen how effective the UCI threat’s will be. ASO control some of the most prestigious, profitable and high profile events such as the Tour de France. It is inconceivable that the UCI would be able to prevent the Tour de France attracting the best names in cycling.

Away from all the politics. Thor Hushovd won the opening prologue time trial, putting himself into the yellow jersey. Britain’s David Miller finished 12th at 11 secs back