Sunday, February 13, 2011

Emmanuele Sella back on track

Emmanuele Sella is back on track for another good showing in what is set to be an Italian tour for climbers.Three years after his epic ride at the Giro d'Italia where he won three stages and the king of the mountains title followed by a positive test for EPO in July that year.   

His recent third place overall at Le Tour de Langkawi in Malaysia, combined with the win for his neo professional team-mate Yonathan Monsalve, has pleased Androni Gioccatoli team manager Gianni Savio who has picked Sella as a potential successor of Michele Scarponi.

"Le Tour de Langkawi was a great experience for my debut with my new team," Sella told Cyclingnews. "I didn't have my best form yet as I hadn't trained much for this race, unlike Monsalve, who rode under warm conditions in Venezuela.

"I would have liked to know Genting Highlands before climbing it but I'm very satisfied anyway. I felt very good within this team and I want to repay Gianni for the confidence he put in me."

Savio hired Sella from the defunct Continental oufit CarmioOro that didn't receive an invitation to the Giro last year. Sella, 30, only served a one-year ban because he co-operated with investigators but race organiser Angelo Zomegnan wasn't keen to welcome back a rider who had failed a dope test so recently.

However, this year is another story. Sella, Riccardo Riccó and Danilo Di Luca are eligible again while Davide Rebellin remains likely to come back on time and Franco Pellizotti still awaits a final decision from the Court of Arbitration for Sport in his battle against the UCI concerning his biological passport.

One year after the successful returns of Ivan Basso and Scarponi, controversy will be once again in the air at the start in Turin in early May.

"I care a lot about the Giro," Sella said. "I want to do well at other races too but it's at the Giro that I want to demonstrate my real value. I want to win something important after the transition year I've had last season. I've been patient."

Sella joined Androni Gioccatoli as a result of Scarponi's departure to Lampre-ISD. The rider implicated in Operacion Puerto won the queen stage to Aprica and finished fourth overall in last year's Giro. "It would be nice to do as well as him," Sella commented. "But we have different stories and we are different types of rider."

Savio insisted that he's keen to give former dopers a second chance under the condition that they admit their mistakes and re-start their career with a new approach. His legendary low budget also imposes constraints on him to recruit riders whose market value has decreased.

After the departure of Scarponi and Leonardo Bertagnolli however, he has put together an interesting team of climbers for a Giro d'Italia set to suit them. Colombia's José Serpa, who finished second at the Giro di Reggio Calabria one week ago, is still on board while Androni has a phenomenal duo of Venezuelan climbers with the return of José Rujano - who came third in the corsa rosa in 2006 - and the arrival of neo-pro Monsalve, who just won Le Tour de Langkawi.

"We're people who make spectacle in the climbs," Sella noted. Without being a ProTeam, Androni Gioccatoli has already secured a start at this year's Giro after winning the Italian cup last year.

View the original article here

Saturday, February 12, 2011

Clif Bar more than an energy bar

Thankfully for on-the-bike eating needs there's more choice than ever now and today's offerings are a damn sight more palatable and digestible than those original bars. Energy bars have come on in leaps and bounds since the earliest incarnations some 25 years ago, which at first bite had more in common with packing board than food.  

Which brings us neatly onto Clif Bars. They've actually been around since 1992 when a bike and climbing enthusiast, Gary Erickson, thought that there must be a better alternative to the lacklustre choice at his disposal, and set about making his own. The rest, as they say, is history. Clif Bars have not had the most solid distribution track record in the UK, until recently making getting hold of them tricky, but now that 2Pure are handling matters, they've rapidly become a common sight in most bicycle shops.

What's unique about Clif Bars is just how tasty they are. They're also made from 70 per cent organic ingredients, including such things as rolled oats, organic roasted soybeans, organic milled flaxseed, organic soy flour and other wholemeal ingredients depending on the flavour, with a boost of some 23 vitamins and minerals to ensure your body is getting the nutrition it craves.

We've been munching quite happily on the Oatmeal Raisin Walnut, a bar made from flaxseed, walnut and whole grains. Each Clif Bar Oatmeal Raisin Walnut bar contains 31.6 grams of carbohydrate, to provide sustained energy to keep your legs working, yet contain only .7g of saturated fat. So you don't have to worry about your waistline.

Organic ingredients and enjoyable flavours aside, perhaps Clif Bar's best quality is just how easy they are to eat. They feature a soft chewy texture that is easy on the mouth and equally so for the digestive system, and are extremely nourishing. They don't firm up in the cold like some too.

View the original article here

Friday, February 11, 2011

Lars Boom victory in the Tour of Qatar's opening prologue

While Team Sky's Alex Dowsett registered an impressive fifth place finish on his professional debut,dutchman Lars Boom forced four-time world time trial champion into second with victory in the Tour of Qatar's opening prologue.


Rabobank rider Boom, a former cyclo-cross world champion, clocked 3:07.39 minutes on the 2.5km course, with Leopard Trek's Cancellara four seconds back and Skil-Shimano's Tom Veelers a further second adrift.
 
Race rules meant riders had to use regular road machines, rather than time trial bikes, but the windy and cobbled Doha circuit, with 11 corners, ranked bike handling alongside raw speed.

Team Sky's Juan Antonio finished fourth despite being forced to ride over two barriers which fell ahead of him.

And European under-23 time trial champion and Commonwealth Games silver medallist Dowsett's ride earnt the Brit the young rider's jersey.

Mark Cavendish's tough start to the season continued, with the HTC-Highroad rider hitting the deck close to the finish and subsequently finishing last.

1. Lars Boom (NED) Rabobank in 3:07.39 minutes
2. Fabian Cancellara (SWI -Leopard-Trek) +4 seconds
3. Tom Veelers (NED - Skil-Shimano) +5
---
4. Juan Antonio Flecha (SPA - Team Sky) +5
5. Alex Dowsett (GBR - Team Sky) +6
6. Gert Steegmans (BEL - Quick Step) +6
7. Tom Boonen (BEL - Quick Step) +6
8. Maarten Wynants (BEL - Rabobank) +8
9. Tomas Vaitkus (LIT - Astana) +8
10. Matt Brammeier (IRL - HTC-Highroad) +9

Talkback: Lars Boom wins Tour of Qatar prologue

View the original article here

Thursday, February 10, 2011

Steve Bauer new recruitment program

Directeur Sportif Steve Bauer, a former hockey player himself, introduced his 17-man roster and announced a new recruitment program that will scout cycling talent from the nation's junior hockey league.
In the Hockey Hall of Fame's Molson Theatre, Bauer opened his presentation in memory of his first yellow jersey earned, and wore for five stages, at the 1988 Tour de France. He went on to wear the yellow jersey again at the 1990 Tour where he lead the race for nine consecutive stages. The story was symbolic of his drive to develop Canada's professional cyclists into future Tour de France contenders.

"We've continued our progress in recruiting the best Canadian talent and that has always been our main mandate to provide opportunities for Canadians," said Bauer who started the team four years ago as Planet Energy.

"And why shouldn't we? At least at the level we are now, I feel comfortable going forward with the group of guys that we have and giving them every chance to make progress in their careers and potentially make ProTour in the future," he added.

The 2011 roster includes Svein Tuft, who won the silver medal at the 2008 UCI World Time Trial Championships, Guillaume Boivin, bronze medallist at the 2010 UCI World Road Championships and Zach Bell, silver medallist at the 2009 UCI Track World-Cup. The rest of the team includes Canadian National Champion Will Routley, Mark Batty, Bruno Langlois, François Parisien, Lucas Euser, Ryan Anderson, Hugo Houle, Pat McCarty, Martin Gilbert, Keven Lacombe, Andrew Randell, Ryan Roth, David Boily and Flavio
De Luna.

"There are men on our team that have been on the ProTour like Svein, McCarty and Euser," Bauer said. "A guy like Boiley and Boivin will certainly get to the ProTour eventually, either with us or with another team. We have guys in our group that will make the grade, no question, and eventually, through time, we want more Canadians to join in."

"If the team progresses quickly we have to ensure that it is competitive and will have to bring in international talent," he added. "Right now, we feel comfortable going forward to the next level with the team we have now."

SpiderTech p/b C10 will kick off its season at several European stage races to prepare its riders for the Amgen Tour of California in May. "It is the number one focus for the first half of the season," Bauer said.
"It's in our market and it draws the most attention to all of the enthusiasts who follow the team because it is close to home and it has a great reputation. The competition is at a very high level and it has all the elements for us to focus on it as our number one goal."

Bauer outlined his partnership and alliances between Canada's top leading corporations that are on board to help bring SpiderTech p/b C10 to the highest level of professional racing. Those companies include Blackberry, NRS Brakes, Pinetree Capital, Planet Energy and Saputo, among others.

"C10 is our Canadian alliance of corporate sponsorship and we are going to position it as strength in the alliance and building the base of financial foundation," Bauer said. "That is why we call it C10 and that is why we now named the team powered by C10."

Following the team presentation, guests of the evening mingled in the Hockey Hall of Fame's Great Hall, an old bank restored as a showcase for the Stanley Cup, Hart Memorial Trophy and many of the National Hockey League (NHL) silverware.

Tapping into Canadian hockey talent

As the evening proceeded, Bauer announced a new recruitment program for his two junior development programs SpiderTech p/b PowerWatts in Quebec and Planet Energy p/b SpiderTech in Ontario. The program will scout potential cyclists from the nation's 5000 member junior A, AA and AAA hockey program.
"Obviously Canada is hockey and hockey is Canada, but the amount that are going to make the NHL are few," Bauer said. "We want to turn them on to cycling, even for cross training in the summer months because it's perfect to keep in shape for the start of the hockey season."

"A lot of our best guys on this team come from playing hockey," he added.

"I played hockey and so did Boivin, Lacombe and others. We are going to invite these players to test, recruit and make some noise that we have our next Tour de France team right here in Canada."

Bauer will start recruiting athletes from the junior hockey league this summer. Athletes will be invited to undergo fitness testing at the PowerWatts clinic in Montreal along with several other designated clinics across the country.

"They will take a 20 minute time trial test, because with cycling you can test real performance over a period of time," Bauer said. "It's not that difficult to identify guys with horsepower and the next step is to turn them onto the sport. It's not an easy task."

"The goal would be to recruit several athletes a year that we can put into our development cycling program," he added. "If we have five good ones, who knows maybe we have a future gem."

View the original article here

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Mountain Bike Marin Hawk Hill

With 17 models that range from dirt jump dirtbag to cross-country race whippet.Mountain Bike Iconic Californian brand Marin’s hardtail range is nothing if not comprehensive, The Hawk Hill occupies a position one rung above bottom in the Hydro HT range.

It aims to take some of the design cues from the race bikes, inject a little practicality and end up being a bike that’s just right for most riders, most of the time. With its easy-going handling and (mostly) decent spec, it ticks most of the right boxes. But there are lighter, better specced and more inspiring bikes at this price.

Ride & handling: Easy to get on with; competent in most areas without excelling

The Hawk Hill counters its decidedly average all-up weight (13.25kg/29.1lb without pedals) with the spot-on geometry and ride manners we’ve come to expect from Marin. It’s an easy bike to get on and ride, delivering just the right combination of stability and manoeuvrability to keep both newbies and experienced riders happy.

The stem’s a tiny bit too long for our tastes and tends to give the front end a rather ponderous feel. More importantly, the Hawk Hill feels like it's missing something. Conservative tubing wall thicknesses and small touches like the budget SRAM derailleurs mean it lacks the overall sparkle of the best of the competition. It’s okay, but that’s not really enough at  this price.

Frame: Good attention to detail, but could do with more mud clearance 


Lurking underneath the Hawk Hill’s unassuming grey paint is a frame that positively bristles with tweaked, shaped and pro?led tubes. The subtly curved top tube features triple butting to save weight and a hydroformed ridge at the head tube joint, presumably for extra strength and rigidity in this critical area.
The down tube also gets the triple butting treatment, but arcs far more obviously into the head tube.

Flamboyantly curly chainstays plug into elegantly cut away dropouts, which in turn lead to a pair of surprisingly straight-laced seatstays with, it has to be said, rather miserly tyre clearance. Rack mounts add some real word practicality, and there’s a pair of bottle bosses too. 

Equipment: Average spec and weight dull the riding experience

The Marin’s stop and go bits are about par for the course, although SRAM’s X5 derailleurs are no match for Shimano’s budget offerings in the looks department and, in our experience, don’t stand up to hard use quite so well either. It’s nice to see Marin opt for a good-looking FSA crankset instead of the Shimano Alivio found on many bikes at this price.

The Hawk Hill's Suntour Raidon coil fork is among the better ones we’ve seen. It offers a useful 100mm of trail-taming travel with adjustable lockout and, unusually for this price, adjustable rebound too. The wiper seals are rather ineffective, though, and soon leave a trail of grey gunge all over the stanchions. This doesn't bode well for long-term durability.


View the original article here

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

Core Bike 2011 with a Merida's full range

Core Bike 2011 has a Merida's full range which makes it too large to be able to fit in where he was in the UK's Core Bike show, however there was room for the news.Naturally the World Championship-winning O.Nine hardtail and Multivan-Merida's full-suspension choice, the Ninety-Six, were on display, but they're little changed for 2011. The One-Twenty Carbon trail bike and Reacto road racer, on the other hand, are new for this year.
One-Twenty

The key new model in the mountain bike range is the One-Twenty Carbon, Merida's latest entry in the 120mm full-suspension category, which bulges with strong contenders. The One-Twenty Carbon uses the same carbon fibre construction as the O.Nine and Ninety-Six, and at a claimed 1,830g (4lb, plus shock) for the frame it's only 160g heavier than the latter.

The rocker link is carbon too, and the gear cables are routed internally through the front triangle. Three models are available, with the 5000-D (DT Swiss fork, Shimano XTR) being the scary-money option at £5,699.99. The 3000 is a couple of grand cheaper with an FSA SL-K chainset, Shimano XT transmission and Avid Elixir R brakes.

The entry-level 800-D is something of a value highlight. £2,699 is still a fair bit of money, but for a full-carbon frame, Fox F32 FRL fork and most of an XT transmission (the chainset is a cheaper Shimano model) it's pretty decent – especially considering that the One-Twenty Carbon frame alone is £2,249.

The aluminium One-Twenty HFS bikes have been updated with a new, cleaner-looking front triangle that includes a tapered head tube. As well as the stiffness benefits of a tapered steerer, the new frame is said to be significantly lighter than the 2010 model. The range starts with the Shimano Deore-equipped One-Twenty 300 at £1,349.99.

Reacto

On the road side, Merida have done a similar technology cross-breeding job with the new Reacto. The Reacto takes features and design ideas from the Time Warp time trial bike and construction tech from the ultralight Scultura Evo to deliver an aero road frame at under 1kg. It's a striking-looking bike, especially in the Dura-Ace equipped 909 version.

While the seat looks like it's mounted on an integral mast, it's actually a fully-adjustable aero seatpost – the graphics tie it all in visually. Despite the deep-section tubes, Merida claim that the carbon layup used delivers “Evo levels of vibration damping”. The top-line Reacto 909 comes in at £5,599.99, but the 907 – using the same frame, a slightly heavier fork and Shimano Ultegra parts – is a more accessible £2,999.99. Or get the £1,849.99 frameset and roll your own.

View the original article here

Monday, February 7, 2011

Take a bike tour this summer to the French Alps and live your dream

You've probably dreamed of many times in your life to see a live tour de france and observe the mythical climbs in the Alps and the magnificent sprint final step in both deliciao.Well, and if i say that you can live your dream by taking a bike tour this summer to the French Alps? True,there is one bike tour company that offers these types of trips is In Situ Travel. They run European bike tours, including one in July to watch France’s Pro Tour. “We’re pleased to offer what we feel is one of the best alternatives for fans to watch the race unfold in the Alps.”, states Jace Gifford, In Situ’s founder.




Gifford quickly points out what distinguishes In Situ Travel’s bike tours from other tour companies’ trips: keeping the groups small. “Our trip in July is limited to only 14 guests. We don’t try to pack in as many guests as possible, like many of the competitors.” He’s got a point since it’s not uncommon for some of the other European bike tour companies to have trips where the guest count exceeds 40 people. Instead In Situ believes that guests will have a more “local” experience, by having a smaller group for their trip.

Additionally, staying true to In Situ’s core principles, there are not van transfers during the week. The entire week is spent at one hotel, located right on the race route. As In Situ iterates, this equates to more time riding and less time sitting in a van. Especially during an event as large as this, where there will be an enormous amount of fans trying to drive to and from the race, not having to deal a vehicle is a real benefit to this type of tour.

Gifford also notes, “We’ve also taken great care in choosing where our trips stay. Not only are we along the race route, but we are in easy riding distance to many of the epic alpine climbs: the Col du Glandon, the Col du Telegraphe, Alpe d’Huez, the Col d’Izoard, les Deux Alpes and more.” If your goal is to ride many of these famous routes, this itinerary might be for you.

How does a guest go about deciding on the right bike tour to see the race in France this July? It can be challenging since it’s not always clear what the benefits of one tour operator are over another. When speaking with In Situ, they believe they have found a unique niche in the market. “We feel that we offer the best value for our guests, in a smaller more personal environment to that of our competitors.”, claims Gifford. Maybe they do, but regardless of whether you choose this or another tour company, it’s clear that guests have a greater selection of tour operators than ever before.

Learn more about France’s Pro Tour. Stop by In Situ Travel’s site where you can find out all about their other Bike Tours in France and what they can offer you.

View the original article here

Saturday, February 5, 2011

MSA Endurance team caught USA Cycling’s attention in their inaugural year

Miller School of Albemarle (MSA) Endurance team caught USA Cycling’s attention in their inaugural year. The high school established road and mountain bike teams separate of the growing national league.
The Miller School is an international day and boarding school that is situated in Charlottesville, Virginia, which is has a burgeoning scene of professional and amateur cyclists. The city is also a potential host one of the national sport governing body’s annual regional development camps.

“They run a program independently and it was successful,” Andrea Smith, of USA Cycling, told BikeRadar. “They do a great job and we are hoping to add them as a regional development camp as an entry to our Development Pathway. We are trying to bring them in as one of our camps and potentially speak about how to unify high school cycling.”

The team includes 15 riders and is expected to expand to 20 over the next three years with help from a cycling scholarship fund. Peter Hufnagel, the program’s founder and MSA believe they’ve created the ideal place for junior riders to attend school while striving to meet their training and racing goals.

“The school wants to grow the program into the premier cycling team in the country, and we are actively seeking junior racers who want to incorporate their passion for cycling with an outstanding prep school education,” Hufnagel said.

The program received coaching assistance from local professional cyclists Andy Guptill (Jamis-Sutter Home) and Andrea Dvorak (Colavita Forno D’Asolo). US Pro Road Champion Ben King (RadioShack) recently donated funds to the program in honor of his coach, USA Cycling’s Vice President of Athletics Jim Miller.
“Having the leaders of the school behind the program has been absolutely key to the program's inception and quick growth,” Hufnagel said. “Ben King has taken an active role in the program and has help to establish a relationship with USA Cycling which we plan to grow over the next few years.”

Hufnagel started the junior road and mountain bike program last winter at the request of the international day and boarding high school’s athletic director Scott Willard and the MSA administration. The school funds roughly 25 percent of the cost of running the cycling team and the remaining 75 percent comes from community and industry donations and gifts-in-kind.


The Miller School's campus offers space for off-road training and racing

The riders have the run of the high school’s 1,600-acre campus that includes an abundance of off-road terrain. Off campus, Albemarle County’s trail and road system is situated in the foothills of the scenic Blue Ridge Mountains.

All student-cyclists are enrolled in an advanced bicycle mechanics class held at new on-campus bike shop renovated from an historical building. Students learn to build their own bike before training and racing school issued bike.

“Having athletes understand advanced bicycle mechanics has been a big selling point of the program,”

Hufnagel said. “We can do all repairs and builds on campus. Before an athlete races one of the custom road bikes, he or she has to know how to build it up, including everything from installing the crankset to cables and housing. MSA athletes can pretty much repair anything that could go wrong on a bike.”

Industry supporters of MSA include Kazane Bikes owned by Stratton Delaney, who made the team fully custom road bikes and equipped them with SRAM Rival build kits. Other supporters include TREK, Bontrager, Kona and Park Tool. Athletes are also outfitted with kits, helmets, shoes and an individual training program.

Hufnagel would like to take high school bike racing in Virginia to the next level and form a state wide cycling league. For now, he is working with the Virginia Off-Road Series in addition to hosting races with other Virginia high schools.

Virginia is not a member of the National Interscholastic Cycling Association (NICA), a national governing body for mountain biking in grades 9-12. The association currently includes leagues in California, Texas, Washington and Colorado.

“We’ve had a number of inquiries from the Virginia area as well as North Carolina, Maryland and Washington DC and we would love to talk to anyone out there that is interested in starting a high school mountain bike league,” said NICA Executive Director Matt Fritzinger. “In 2012 we will have band width for more leagues. There are a lot of states that are interested and we have a lot to offer them.”

View the original article here

Friday, February 4, 2011

Allan Davis in his second year with the Astana

The Australian sprinter Allan Davis, in his second year with the Astana team, turned 30 last year and after nine years in the pro ranks he hopes his maturity and experience will help him win one of cycling's big classics.

"I think the next five years will be the best of my whole career," Davis told Cyclingnews at the official Astana team presentation in Monaco last week. "I'm not getting any faster, but I'm getting stronger, both mentally and physically. I'm getting stronger on the climbs."

The Australian has finished second and fourth in Milano-Sanremo and the 'Classicissima' remains his big objective for the first part of the 2011 season - even if he has other goals. "Milano-San Remo, Gent-Wevelgem and the Tour of Flanders, those are the races I think I have room to improve in," he said. "The older I get, the more I think I can win these sort of races. I'm getting to know the roads a lot better."

Despite more than 30 victories, Davis still lacks that one big win that would consecrate his whole career. But he feels confident that one day, luck will be on his side and his experience will pay off. "I've had several top finishes in big races, so I know if I can do that, then I can also win one," he commented. "So hopefully this year, I'll score not only one, but a few big wins."

"Experience counts a lot, especially in the Belgian races. It's something that you don't get straight away, it comes over time. I've only really learned all the roads in the last three or four years and now, I have this experience which makes me more confident."

The Astana sprinter said that he felt on track for Milan-Sanremo on March 19. He started the year well with ninth overall at the Tour Down Under, which he had won in 2009. "For me it was a good start to the season," he said. "The Tour Down Under is a good guide of how you've looked after yourself in the winter, and the preparation I have done turned out well. I'm happy with my condition."

Davis feels that he has excellent support at Astana to help him achieve his goals. "We have quite a strong team for the sprints, also considering the newcomers. Mirko Lorenzetto is quite fast, and Tomas Vaitkus as well."

Another big objective for Davis will be this year's World Championships in Copenhagen. "I've seen the course on paper, and I'm planning to recon it some time during the year. But I've spoken to guys who have raced around it and it sounds like a good course to me," he concluded.

View the original article here

First look at the teams invited to the sixth Tour of California

Sources close to the Tour of California  race have provided us with a first look at the teams invited to the sixth edition of the event, which gets underway in South Lake Tahoe on May 15.

Included in the ProTeams is BMC Racing, which had previously ridden the event as a ProConti team in 2010. Despite losing defending champion Michael Rogers to Team Sky, perennial performers HTC-Highroad will return, as will Rabobank, Saxo Bank-Sungard and RadioShack.

Rogers' new squad gets the nod as does the super team of Leopard-Trek and the renamed-for-2011 Liquigas-Cannondale.

Local ProConti squads are well-represented, with two American, one Canadian and one German outfit attending, as Unitedhealthcare Pro Cycling and Team Type 1 - Sanofi Aventis represent, along with Steve Bauer's Team Spidertech Powered By C10 and Team NetApp.

There are also five Continental squads with an American base, including Bissel Cycling, Jamis - Sutter Home, Jelly Belly Presented by Kenda, Kelly Benefit Strategies - Optum Health and Kenda Presented By Gear Grinder. These teams often provide some extra spark to the racing and there's no indication 2011 will be any different.

Teams lineup for 2011 Amgen Tour of California:
UCI ProTeam: BMC Racing Team (USA), HTC-Highroad (USA), Leopard Trek (Lux), Liquigas-Cannondale (Ita), Rabobank Cycling Team (Ned), Saxo Bank Sungard (Den), Sky Procycling (GBr), Team Garmin-Cervelo (USA), Team Radioshack (USA)

UCI Professional Continental: Team NetApp (Ger), Team Spidertech Powered By C10 (Can), Team Type 1 - Sanofi Aventis (USA), Unitedhealthcare Pro Cycling (USA)

UCI Continental: Bissel Cycling (USA), Jamis - Sutter Home (USA), Jelly Belly Presented by Kenda (USA), Kelly Benefit Strategies - Optum Health (USA), Kenda Presented By Gear Grinder (USA)

View the original article here

With a good pair of cycling glasses

While cycling, our eyes are exposed to the high-speed air flow, and harmful UV ray, which will bring harm to our eyes. With a good pair of cycling glasses, we don’t need to worry about this problem any more. But as for how to choose the good pair of cycling eyewear, the following may give you some ideas.

When we choose cycling eyewear, which should be the most important factor we should consider first, looks or function? Of course, function should be considered first. We must ensure our cycling glasses can give us enough protection they should have, also help us to see clearly, and prevent us from fatigue after long distance cycling as well. Therefore, it is important to find the pair of cycling eyewear with the above functions, instead of considering style and looks only.

And which kind of frames will be better for cycling eyewear? It is advised to have the pair with a wrap frame, which can give us additional protection against wind and flying debris. So this kind of frame can offer us more protection compared with ordinary frame.

For cyclers, it is common to sweat. And for ordinary eyewear, after sweating, it will be easy to fall from our nose bridge. In order to avoid this problem, we are wise to choose the snug fitting cycling eyewear, which can ensure the glasses at its very place while cycling. But this does not mean the tighter the glasses, the better, or else, our blood flow will be blocked.

As you can not make sure you cycle only under sunny days. Under days with fog, the fog will prevent our eyesight. Therefore, it is recommended to choose the pair with vents to prevent fogging.

As we all know, there are several harmful rays from the sun, such as UVA, UVB, UVC and blue rays, which will bring harm to our eye health. Therefore, people should make sure to choose the pair resistant to these harmful rays.

In fact, cycling eyewear can not only give us some protection and clearer vision, but also can add to our appearance. The glass color plays a role in it. When we choose the glass color, we can try to choose the one fit us. And do you know some colors have the function of reducing fatigue and glare? Research shows brown and amber color can avoid high glare. So when we choose the glass color, we should consider this point.
If you want to know more about sunglasses, then feel free to visit http://blog.firmoo.com/sunglasses
Firmoo.com is the fastest growing online community selling affordable yet high quality prescription eyeglasses, prescription sunglasses online and other eyewear. Firmoo’s return and refund policy makes your purchase with Firmoo risk-free. Be sure to get your online eyeglasses ready.

View the original article here

Scott Scale 29 RC Review

During testing it proved itself to be an equally confident trail ride,with its sub-949g frame weight, Scott's Scale 29 RC carbon 29er hardtail is clearly aimed at racers.In fact, it gave us some of the most fun we've had on any mountain bike in ages. Hey, Scott, come over here and try to take it back – we dare you!

Ride & handling: Fast and fun, with a sublime ride quality
Scott claim just 4.6mm of vertical movement is built into the back end of the Scale 29 RC but in practice it behaves like more. Coupled with the inherent vibration damping characteristics of good carbon fiber construction, that tiny bit of movement yields the smooth and sublime ride quality you'd expect on gentler terrain.

What you might not expect is the way it also mellows things out overall by rounding off the violent spikes that come with bigger trail features to which your arms and legs just can't react quickly enough. Add in the associated traction benefits and the overall 'monstertruckability' of 29in wheels shod with relatively fat tires, and the result is one of the most glued-to-the-ground feelings we've experienced on any hardtail.


Not to mention a ridiculous amount of speed – this sucker is seriously fast. It's not just a race bike, though. Over the past six weeks our test rides took the Scale 29 RC across all of our usual Colorado stomping grounds. Given the off-season timeframe of our testing, it didn't include any racing so we treated it as we would any other trail bike and this carbon wündermachine surprised us there, too.

We had perhaps our most enjoyable descent ever down the tricky front side of Hall Ranch, complete with a few little drop-offs and lots of tricky granite fields that conspire to swallow standard 26in wheels. We happily clawed our way up the annoyingly loose 'connector trail' leading from town up to Betasso Preserve, and we confidently launched off the roots coming down the Enchanted Forest section of Chimney Gulch.

We rocketed through the incessantly rock-strewn Wild Turkey slight downhill section of Heil Ranch, happily flicking our way over/through/around everything in our path and pedaling like mad, all while barely touching the brakes throughout. We even got into the habit of launching the Scale 29 RC off of whatever (moderately sized!) hits we found on the trail, relishing in the remarkably composed behavior upon landing.

Frame: Stiff yet super-light chassis provides point-and-shoot handling
Scott haven't tempered any of the usual hardtail attributes, either; in fact, the Scale 29 RC chassis ups the ante. It's wonderfully rigid everywhere it should be and yet still very entertaining in the right environment and the hands of a skilled rider. Without the filter of true suspension to water things down, reflexes are still 'right now' quick, which comes in handy at higher speeds when you need those fast reaction times – after all, you're still on a hardtail and can't just plow through things.

Tube sections are enormous in the front triangle, aided by the tapered 1-1/8 to 1-1/2in head tube/press-fit 89.5mm-wide bottom bracket combo, both of which afford more real estate for the adjoining tubes and the concurrent extra lateral and torsional stiffness that comes with them. The seat tube flares radically outwards just below the front derailleur mount and the top tube is wide and relatively thin.

The down tube is gargantuan. The asymmetrical chainstays are fat as well, but the seatstays are shockingly slender and flattened, much like the road-going CR1 that shares the pseudo-flex stay design philosophy. Hey, guess what – we've now ridden both machines extensively and the idea works in both arenas so it's not just marketing hype.

Not surprisingly, pedaling response is superb. Push down, rocket forward – no questions asked. Despite what the relatively slack (especially for a 29er) 69.5° head tube angle might suggest, handling is remarkably nimble and natural feeling, with no evidence of wheel flop or languishing in switchbacks.  Credit here likely goes to the extra-rigid front end that loses little in translation from input to output, the short 438mm chainstays, just-right 60mm bottom bracket drop, generously wide bar and flickable 90mm stem.

The Scale 29 RC is also really light. Actual weight for the complete bike as pictured (but without pedals) is just 9.7kg (21.38lb), while the medium-sized all-carbon frame (there is no aluminum in the bottom bracket, head tube or even the internal housing stops) is just 990g including the rear derailleur hanger, bottom bracket cable guide and chunky quick-release seatpost collar – well within Scott's 949g claim.



Equipment: Perfect parts pick – well, almost
When it comes to the equipment spec, Scott's product manager deserves a lot of credit. While the Scale 29 RC could easily be lighter in several areas, the company have instead opted for a balanced mix of weight savings and function, with almost no compromises in overall performance made as a result. Bolted onto the Scale 29 RC is a premium mix of parts befitting its flagship status in the company's range.

This includes custom DT Swiss alloy clincher wheels, a Fox F29 RLC fork, a mix of carbon and aluminum cockpit components from Ritchey, a lightweight Selle Italia SLR saddle, impressively fast-yet-grippy Schwalbe Rocket Ron tires and a complete SRAM XX group. Shifting was crisp and precise (especially up front thanks to the ultra-stiff chainrings and clever X-Glide tooth profiles), the drivetrain was reasonably quiet and the brakes provided ample stopping with excellent control, especially with the 185mm rotor up front. 
We did have two XX-related hiccups, though: a bent rear cog during a particularly ham-fisted uphill shift (that was easily repaired, thankfully) and rear brake pistons that eventually decided they didn't want to retract fully anymore. According to Avid product manager Paul Kantor, the company have seen this before (though mostly with more heavily used brakes with worn-down pads) and current production brakes have an additional spring in the master cylinder assembly to aid in pad retraction, so hopefully this is a moot issue.
Our experience with FIT cartridge-equipped Fox forks has been mixed in recent months but the 32 F29 FIT RL 15QR bolted to the front of our Scale 29 RC was flawless. The 100mm of travel was smooth, suitably progressive and extremely well controlled, with none of the irritating stiction we've occasionally suffered before, and the handy lockout was easy to set up and effortless to use. Major kudos to Scott's product manager for selecting a 15mm through-axle fork, too.

We were initially a little disappointed with the stock wheels – they're not all that light – given the bike's hefty price tag but all things considered, they've done the job quite nicely. They come up to speed quickly enough on the trail, have held up to the aforementioned abuse with nary a quarter turn on the alloy nipples, and as always, the star ratchet rear hub internals have been faultless. However, potential buyers could shave a couple hundred grams right from the get-go by switching to some Stan's NoTubes hoops.

Scott's pick for tires, however, is spot-on. The Schwalbe Rocket Ron's open tread design grabs well on a wide range of soil types – and even bare rock – and the generous 2.25in casing provides extra float to supplement the Scale's built-in flex. The high-rebound base in the triple-compound rubber rolls with remarkable speed, and the Rocket Rons are also light at just 520g apiece (claimed). Our test wheels came with tubes but production bikes will come with rim strips pre-installed and valve stems should they decide to do the easy conversion on the tubeless-ready tires and rims – just add sealant.

The rest of the finishing kit is similarly well chosen, including the usefully wide (in cross-country racing terms) 660mm Ritchey WCS carbon flat bar, light and reasonably rigid Ritchey WCS 4-Axis 44 forged aluminum stem, and matching (very) oversized WCS carbon post. We took a bit of issue with the Selle Italia SLR Team Edition saddle, though. While it's normally one of our favorites, the stiff hull was a bit much after several hours on the trail.

As for that seatpost, our initial view was that Scott could have gotten an even cushier ride by selecting a smaller 27.2mm diameter instead of their usual 34.9mm variety. "Unlike a conventional hardtail that relies on seatpost or seatmast flex for compliance, we've engineered compliance in the SDS stays," Scott's US marketing director, Adrian Montgomery, told us. "Our Scott-Swisspower riders found they wanted compliance even while standing.

"This bike was made with direct input from Florian [Vogel] and Nino [Schurter], two of the most capable cross-country riders on the planet, and Swiss Cup winners aboard the 29er. We feel that our oversize seat tube in conjunction with the IMP process produces a superior structure than those with smaller diameter tubes. They'll last longer and they have to be stiffer than the compliant zones in order for them to function properly."

If you're vertically challenged, it's worth noting that sizing only goes down to 'medium' and it runs big, too. Scott won't confirm the addition of a small size next season but have suggested it's a possibility. Cross your fingers. Otherwise, the lone remaining issue (as always) is cost. Few riders will be willing and able to shell out well over US$6,000 for a hardtail, no matter how good it is. That being said, this is one of the best we've ridden and if you're capable of adding one to your stable, consider yourself very, very lucky.

View the original article here

Thursday, February 3, 2011

Dan Atherton horrific crash

Following a horrific crash resulting in a broken neck last July,British mountain biker Dan Atherton has been given the all-clear to race again   

Atherton broke the C1 disc in his neck while practicing on dirt jumps near his home in North Wales. It's taken him six months of rehabilitation to regain his strength. But on 20 January, a CT scan revealed that the injury has healed.

Dan's personal trainer, Red Bull's Darren Roberts, said: "The fractures have all healed and the tiny fragments of bone which are loose will be absorbed by the body over time, there was a slim possibility that an operation was required to remove these - but thankfully that op is not needed. More importantly Dr Bray said the words we've been waiting to hear since July 2010, 'you're good to go Dan, totally healed - get back on your bike and get riding hard. Try not to break it again'."

According to his Animal Commencal team, Dan Atherton is aiming to regain full fitness in time for the second round of the mountain bike world cup in Fort William, Scotland.

View the original article here

Look Keo Blade titanium-axle pedals are among the lightest around

At 185g the titanium-axle pedals are among the lightest around, but at a pricey £274.99.Look's Keo Blade pedals are well regarded for the light weight and easy entry and exit that comes from the clever use of a carbon leaf spring instead of a regular steel spring.

With a chromoly axle, this new version drops to a slightly less scary £179.99 – and with a bit of shopping around you can find them for £20 or so less than that. They’re still impressively light at 227g (plus 74g for cleats) and retain the other virtues of the Keo Blade, including a pleasingly snappy and distinct action because of the carbon leaf spring.

Compared with previous Keo pedals, the Blades have a larger contact surface for the cleat and support your shoes firmly with no rock or wiggle. It’s a really solid attachment and we had no problem with hot spots or flex. Look offer two versions with different spring weights. The 12Nm spring makes them especially easy to release, and there’s a 16Nm model for riders who want to be more securely attached.

Neither is adjustable so you need to pick one and stick with it, although Look dealers can swap the blades if they have the necessary tool. Look include a set of Keo cleat covers so you can walk to the coffee counter in them, and throw in both standard and Keo Grip cleats in grey 4.5° float.

Red 9° float and black 0° are also available. We’d prefer two sets (preferably Grips) in red and grey for a choice of float angles. That aside, the chromoly axled versions are the best Keos yet. While they’re still not cheap, they offer all the advantages of the Blade design without requiring you to sell either of your kidneys.

View the original article here

Marianne Vos jostled for position with American Katie

The 23-year-old Dutch rider Marianne Vos, who also claimed gold in 2006, jostled for position with American Katie Compton going into the final lap of the 2.8km course in the world cyclo-cross title in Sankt Wendel,Germany on Sunday.

But Vos, 2008 Olympic points champion on the track and 2006 world road race champion, broke free of her rival, crossing the line 17 seconds ahead of Compton, with the Czech Republic's Katerina Nash a further three seconds back.

Helen Wyman was Great Britain's best finisher in 12th, while Nikki Harris was 15th and Gabby Day 23rd.
Czech rider Zdenek Stybar also successfully defended his men's title, with Sven Nys (Belgium) finishing 18 seconds back to take silver, while compatriot Kevin Pauwels outsprinted Frenchman Francis Mourey to claim bronze.

Ian Field finished two laps down on Stybar as Great Britain's top finisher, with Jody Crawforth and national champion Paul Oldham four and five laps down respectively.


View the original article here

Team Cystic Fibrosis focused on the National Ultra Endurance Mountain Bike Series

2010 was a banner year for the small, but elite Team Cystic Fibrosis (Team CF), which focused heavily on the National Ultra Endurance Mountain Bike Series (NUE) and other endurance events.

Last year, the squad's Harlan Price, Cheryl Sornson and Christian Tanguy won many individual NUE events and each placed second overall in their respective professional categories of singlespeed, open women's and open men's. Additionally, Sornson took first place in the Michaux Endurance Series. Selene Yeager won the open women's category of the Trans-Sylvania Epic; she also won the Mid-Atlantic Super Series endurance series. Tanguy dominated the Michigan cross country scene, taking first in seven races.

"Our elite cyclists had outstanding success in 2010 in many different disciplines," said Team Director Jim Wilson. "Their results helped raise the visibility of the Team and awareness of our mission which is to encourage physical fitness through cycling in those living with CF and to raise awareness of this disease and money to support CF research."

All the familiar faces will be returning in 2011, along with newcomers Chris Beck, Brandon Draugelis and Carolyn Popovic. This group will focus on national and international marathon, cross country and stage races.
Price, Sornson, Tanguy and Beck will strive to win national championships in the NUE series in their respective categories. Yeager will focus on stage races including the 2011 Cape Epic in South Africa in a duo category with Sornson, the Trans-Sylvania Epic, and the Breck Epic. Sornson, Tanguy and Beck will also test their abilities in stage racing with Beck competing in the Trans-Sylvania Epic, Tanguy competing in the Breck Epic and Sornson competing in the Pisgah Stage Race.

Draugelis and Popovic will compete in the US Pro XCT series with the goal of qualifying for the World Cup events in Canada and the USA.

On the cyclo-cross side, Popovic will join Nikki Theimann and Kristin Gavin who collectively will compete in 25 races next year in the USA. In 2010, Theimann and Gavin finished the season ranked 40th and 56th in the world and 13th and 23rd in the USA, respectively.

New year, new bike
Specialized replaces Trek as the team's bike sponsor for 2011.
"Joining with Team CF gives us a great opportunity to not only achieve great race results, but also reach out to a broader community of committed cyclists," said Ian Dewar, Specialized Partnership Manager of the new sponsorship.

"Team CF will offer us a strong East Coast mountain bike presence, and increase our commitment to working with programs that care about more than just professional race results. The commitment of Team CF to raising awareness and money to support CF research is commendable and we are proud to be of assistance."

Grassroots racing support
The other objective of Team CF in its inaugural year was to establish a national team of cyclists with CF and their family, friends and caregivers. This aspect of the team, which currently comprises 100 cyclists from 25 states including 20 living with CF, will be organized into regional teams in anticipation of substantial growth in 2011.

Team CF will sponsor a number of competitive events such as a Super D series in Pennsylvania and is partnering with the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation to conduct a nationwide program of cycling benefits rides called "Cycle for Life" to raise money for CF research.

"CF remains an incurable disease although tremendous progress is being made towards the development of more effective treatments," said Wilson. "With the support of the cycling community and our generous sponsors including the exciting collaboration with Specialized, Team CF aggressively will advance its mission to improve the health of those living with CF."

The team is also partnered with or sponsored by Chris Eatough Coaching, Verge Sport, SRAM, Brandywine Cyclery, Hill-Rom, and Infinit Nutrition.

View the original article here

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Back to basics this winter

The weather, while arguably as cold as on the previous attempt, was looking more kindly on the ride. Several dry, breezy days immediately prior meant that the roads were, for the most part, dry rather than slick with half-melted black ice.

The breeze, however, was coming steadily from the north-west, and was very cold. Not that we noticed while heading south on the traditional route via Newdigate, Rusper and Mannings Heath. Bright sunshine created enough warmth to hint at the imminent arrival of spring and, propelled by that chuff wind, we reached Steyning in just over 1hr40'.

There are plenty of small rises on the way there, enough to keep things interesting, but veterans of the Clog know that the real action starts with Stomping Hill, better known as Steyning Bostal. This savage climb acquired its more apt soubriquet on the first running of the ride way back in the late '80s when Rob Jefferies and I, fresh from winning prizes in a criterium on Worthing sea front, rode down to the town to redeem the vouchers awarded. For inner tubes, if I remember correctly.

That year, before reaching Worthing we climbed the Bostal and descended to the village of Sompting, its name hinting at the only practicable way of getting over the hill. Rob hadn't ridden the Clog since but had decided to turn up for this one. His groan of recognition as we left Steyning with the awful sight of Stomping Hill ahead was worth the ride down...

Regrouping at the top, we were surprised to see rugby player Danny Hutton make the summit. A Clog alumnus but short this time around of road miles, Danny had intimated that he would wait for us at the cafe in Steyning while we did the loop around Coombes and Botolphs. Seems he "overshot" the cafe and had to ride the hill. Sensibly, he rode back down and headed for the lunch stop near Billingshurst while we rode the loop.

It is lumpy in an innocent kind of way and is very popular with cyclists, who passed going the opposite way in considerable numbers. Following on from the Bostal and the subsequent climb to Sompting Abbots, however, this little leg always does a lot of damage. The first to look a little sluggish was DA, who hasn't had the best January ever. Leaving Steyning we found ourselves presented with a surprisingly stiff headwind; finding himself on the front for the first time, triathlete Tristram Bishop put in a generous turn and immediately had DA in trouble.

Shiny Boy, however, knows how to dig deep and did so, hanging on despite finding himself at the back of what he described as a four-up TTT to Billingshurst and lunch, where we found Danny about to order his usual Olympic Breakfast. Just the one this year.

From here on, distance and the biting headwind began to take their toll. The pace gradually slowed with no one particularly keen to push on the front. Tootling up Weare Street, we got to the northern end to find a police cordon with several patrol cars just beyond and a policeman marking the road. Here was the aftermath of some sort of unpleasant RTA, no doubt. I ducked the cordon tape and got a yell from the copper, wanting to know if I had seen it.  I had, and told him so, adding that we had just ridden five miles along a road with no turn-offs and that, had there been a warning at the other end, we would not have set off down it.

Faced with this kind of logic he had little choice but to let us through. As we waited for Danny, a member of the Norwood Paragon rode straight through from the other direction, on receipt of the yell simply stating that he had been told by another copper to go through. The look on the face of "ours" as Paragon man blithely ignored his instructions was beautiful to see.

The final scenes of the day were written by Shiny Boy, who now found new strength from nowhere. Noticing that Rob was suddenly nailed to the road, he attacked hard out of Newdigate, shelling Tristram and regaining a lot of confidence if his happy demeanour back at Ryka's cafe could be believed. It had been a fine edition. Leaving our companions to drive home, DA and I set off for south London and our first 100 of the year, DA managing a total of 198km by the time he got home. Not bad for someone who has had to go back to basics this winter.

View the original article here

Bradley Wiggins concentrating on his road career

Bradley Wiggins,who finished fourth in the 2009 Tour de France ,has been concentrating on his road career since winning individual pursuit and team pursuit gold at the Beijing Olympics three years ago.

But the Team Sky rider is one of eight Olympic champions, including four-time Olympic gold medallist Sir Chris Hoy, Victoria Pendleton and Rebecca Romero, to be named in the squad.  Two-time Paralympic gold medallist Sarah Storey and current world BMX champion Shanaze Reade will also ride in Manchester.

Wiggins and Romero will be unable to defend their individual pursuit titles at London 2010 after the event was dropped from the Olympic schedule and both are expected to contest the team pursuit in Manchester.

British Cycling's performance manager Shane Sutton said: "We have selected the strongest squad possible for the final round of the World Cup season and we are looking to score as many qualification points as possible before we go to the World Championships next month.

"The Academy riders did us all proud out in Beijing and we're all happy with how we are performing at this stage in the Olympic cycle. The Manchester World Cup is an event that the riders really enjoy and the support of a sell-out home crowd is always appreciated."

Men's Sprint
Matt Crampton
Ross Edgar
Sir Chris Hoy
Jason Kenny

Men's Endurance
Steven Burke
Ed Clancy
Sam Harrison
Peter Kennaugh
Jason Queally
Luke Rowe
Ben Swift
Andrew Tennant
Geraint Thomas
Bradley Wiggins

Women's Sprint
Becky James
Victoria Pendleton
Shanaze Reade
Jess Varnish

Women's Endurance
Lizzie Armitstead
Katie Colclough
Claire Galloway
Wendy Houvenaghel
Dani King
Rebecca Romero
Joanna Rowsell
Sarah Storey
Laura Trott

Talkback: Bradley Wiggins returns to track for Manchester World Cup

View the original article here

Riding on my Bike

This time around, the weather, while arguably as cold as on the previous attempt, was looking more kindly on the ride. Several dry, breezy days immediately prior meant that the roads were, for the most part, dry rather than slick with half-melted black ice.

The breeze, however, was coming steadily from the north-west, and was very cold. Not that we noticed while heading south on the traditional route via Newdigate, Rusper and Mannings Heath. Bright sunshine created enough warmth to hint at the imminent arrival of spring and, propelled by that chuff wind, we reached Steyning in just over 1hr40'.

There are plenty of small rises on the way there, enough to keep things interesting, but veterans of the Clog know that the real action starts with Stomping Hill, better known as Steyning Bostal. This savage climb acquired its more apt soubriquet on the first running of the ride way back in the late '80s when Rob Jefferies and I, fresh from winning prizes in a criterium on Worthing sea front, rode down to the town to redeem the vouchers awarded. For inner tubes, if I remember correctly.

That year, before reaching Worthing we climbed the Bostal and descended to the village of Sompting, its name hinting at the only practicable way of getting over the hill. Rob hadn't ridden the Clog since but had decided to turn up for this one. His groan of recognition as we left Steyning with the awful sight of Stomping Hill ahead was worth the ride down...

Regrouping at the top, we were surprised to see rugby player Danny Hutton make the summit. A Clog alumnus but short this time around of road miles, Danny had intimated that he would wait for us at the cafe in Steyning while we did the loop around Coombes and Botolphs. Seems he "overshot" the cafe and had to ride the hill. Sensibly, he rode back down and headed for the lunch stop near Billingshurst while we rode the loop.
It is lumpy in an innocent kind of way and is very popular with cyclists, who passed going the opposite way in considerable numbers. Following on from the Bostal and the subsequent climb to Sompting Abbots, however, this little leg always does a lot of damage. The first to look a little sluggish was DA, who hasn't had the best January ever. Leaving Steyning we found ourselves presented with a surprisingly stiff headwind; finding himself on the front for the first time, triathlete Tristram Bishop put in a generous turn and immediately had DA in trouble.

Shiny Boy, however, knows how to dig deep and did so, hanging on despite finding himself at the back of what he described as a four-up TTT to Billingshurst and lunch, where we found Danny about to order his usual Olympic Breakfast. Just the one this year.

From here on, distance and the biting headwind began to take their toll. The pace gradually slowed with no one particularly keen to push on the front. Tootling up Weare Street, we got to the northern end to find a police cordon with several patrol cars just beyond and a policeman marking the road. Here was the aftermath of some sort of unpleasant RTA, no doubt. I ducked the cordon tape and got a yell from the copper, wanting to know if I had seen it.  I had, and told him so, adding that we had just ridden five miles along a road with no turn-offs and that, had there been a warning at the other end, we would not have set off down it.

Faced with this kind of logic he had little choice but to let us through. As we waited for Danny, a member of the Norwood Paragon rode straight through from the other direction, on receipt of the yell simply stating that he had been told by another copper to go through. The look on the face of "ours" as Paragon man blithely ignored his instructions was beautiful to see.

The final scenes of the day were written by Shiny Boy, who now found new strength from nowhere. Noticing that Rob was suddenly nailed to the road, he attacked hard out of Newdigate, shelling Tristram and regaining a lot of confidence if his happy demeanour back at Ryka's cafe could be believed. It had been a fine edition.

Leaving our companions to drive home, DA and I set off for south London and our first 100 of the year, DA managing a total of 198km by the time he got home. Not bad for someone who has had to go back to basics this winter.

View the original article here

Running to celebrate the birth of www.tom-staniford.co.uk

I’m running to celebrate the birth of www.tom-staniford.co.uk , my reaching 5000 posts on the RCUK forum, and the return of the delusional grimpeur. Prizes very generously provided by High5 and Rapha. Taking the form of a caption competition, hop on over to my website to read more and see the picture in question. Entries submitted to the RCUK forum thread attached to this blog.

With that off my chest; onto the blog proper.

I don’t know about the weather where you are but over the last few days in Exeter we’ve had a return to the freezing cold temperatures of mid to late December, and it’s at times like this that your mettle is surely tested.
With winter equinox over and the days now getting longer it’s easy to get complacent and think ‘oh, well…
from here on the way is surely up’. This is true, to an extent, and a great comfort if you’re not enjoying your riding much at the time. But when the weather takes a turn for the worse again and you’re battered with heavy rains or frostier climes, it can play havoc with the shrewdly-calculated ascent to cycling superstardom and summer invincibility that you’ve mapped out in your head.

The vast majority of cyclists - whether pro, recreational or merely occasional- can stick to a plan. Well, for a time. It’s fairly easy. In general we like rules, we like boundaries, we like simplicity. The issues arise, however, when there is a potential issue/development which threatens to derail us from the straight and narrow of our chugging locomotive desire. I mean our desires which chug along. Relentless. Like a locomotive. Yes, like that. I’m not advocating car-love. Not that there’s anything wrong with that. Well, in most countries. But I’m not here to judge, do what you will. However, I digress.

So… Persistence, perseverance, commitment, dedication. Call it whatever you will- this is the quality that above all, for me, personifies the attitude of the true champion. It’s a desire to keep going, whatever the odds. Whether that be on a daily basis, (the grind of regular toil, training and the balance of life/family/work) a session basis (gritting your teeth and really driving on for that last interval), or an event basis (really pushing for that Gold finishing time at the sportive you’ve been dreaming of completing all year).

Because, you see, champions walk amongst us. If you’ve met one, you’ve probably been struck by how commonplace and down to earth they are. That’s because they are, in many ways, identical to us. They have had to struggle, to balance commitments, to have off/bad days and deal with temporary issues. The only real difference between us and them (thankfully the day is still many years off before I start classing myself as one of ‘them’ or referring to myself in the 3rd person) is in how they approach their business.

Consider, then, how many of these champions started. They may have been one of the lucky few to win their first race. Local chipper or youth event, go out (probably with inferior kit and/or experience) blow away their contemporaries. Come back, do it again. Glittering stardom beckons, a dizzying ascent to the heights of the sport. And yet… how many have then gone straight on to be World Champions in their discipline, or to have confirmed their place as one of the greatest of all time? (I must at this point insist that you’re not allowed to mention Chrissie Wellington, an athlete I hold in incredibly high regard. She’s ruining my argument, so I’ll just pretend to ignore her.)

Obviously there are not that many World Champions around. Certainly far less in existence than the gifted individuals who won their first race or showed such terrific early promise. So where have they all gone? How many of you know or have known bright young things with incredible early talent, who then (for whatever reason) fall out of love or practice with the sport, and slip quite contentedly into a life of anonymity and malnourished potential?

The kind of adaptations, developments, and strengths required to ascend the very peaks of performance (in any endeavour) cannot be gifted or earned in the space of an afternoon or a few frantic weeks of activity. It takes years. Granted, some of your contemporaries may have been genetically blessed with long thigh muscles, or a particularly high VO2, or any number of other physical advantages. Yet those advantages alone never ensure success. They are very rarely a ticket to immediate success, and in the long run will surely be trumped by consistent persistent and dedicated commitment (bit of a tautology just to labour the point).
So to conclude this slightly long-winded and circumlocutory pondering… Keep at it.

Whatever it is you do, do it. Lots. And keep doing it. Because it may not always feel like it (especially in this weather) but every single extra minute you spend on that bike, or with your family, or addressing a work project or whatever- will make its benefits known at some point.

Discomfort is inevitable in every walk of life. For everyone; even if sometimes it seems like others neatly avoid all forms of negativity.

Pain isn’t an option, then. Suffering, however, is. I would much rather ENDURE something than suffer through it. There’s a fundamental mental difference in approach there.

And what’s at the end? Well, eventually there’s a breakthrough. The sun shines brightly one day; in the middle of a week of torrential downpours. Or you get a terrific tailwind. Or someone realises what an essential cog you are to the whirring of the company you are and promotes you. Sometimes it’s not even a positive change, but just an end to the discomfort you’ve been enduring.

Summarising this quite succinctly is Aristotle (the old boy is always good to touch for a quote):
“Excellence is an art won by training and habituation. We do not act rightly because
we have virtue or excellence, but we rather have those because we have acted rightly.

We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit”
And I don’t know about you, but quitting just isn’t my style, really…

View the original article here

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Mavic Propane one of the toastiest cycling jackets we've ever used

While the somewhat Mavic Propane jacket puffy appearance may not be as trim looking as some other high-end cycling outerwear – especially the Italian stuff – that extra bulk encapsulates a highly effective layer of Primaloft insulation throughout and the result is one of the toastiest cycling jackets we've ever used.

It's so warm, in fact, that we'd only recommend using it on the coldest of days when other cyclists are far more likely to sit on a trainer. One memorable test ride took us out on an overcast day with a high temperature of -4°C (25°F) and we were remarkably cozy with just a long-sleeved jersey beneath. Not a smidgeon of Arctic air managed to punch through, nor did we feel the need to work just that little bit harder just to generate body heat. In the event of precipitation, there's also a DWR coating to ward off light rain and road spray.

If it's really cold, the slightly loose fit leaves enough room for another layer or two and you can even crack out the built-in balaclava that's cleverly tucked inside the upper back of the Propane. Mavic have done a good job of sealing all the entry points, too, with a close-fitting collar, a slick double asymmetrical cuff that extends just enough over your gloves, and a half-elasticized lower hem that provides adequate coverage for your rear end without bunching up around your stomach. There's no protective flap behind the partially offset full front zipper but we never felt a draft coming through.

Too much of a good thing?
In fact, we were almost too warm. While the Propane is insanely capable of retaining heat, it can be tough to shed the extra when the efforts levels climb.  Mavic have fitted the Propane with zippered vents at the upper, outer chest and forearms but ultimately, we discovered those vents to be most useful only when moving reasonably quickly. Even with them all the way open we still had to open the front zipper all the way while climbing a modest seven percent grade at tempo pace.

Given that you're most likely to need to shed heat when climbing, we'd like to see Mavic add another set of vents at the back of the jacket to get some more effective pass-through ventilation – or at least makes the existing chest vents much longer. The Propane's loose-fitting shell also makes opening or closing the forearm vents a requisite two-handed affair.

Ample storage comes courtesy of a big zippered pocket out back, which opens up to reveal a trio of smaller elasticized pockets to help keep things separated. The main compartment offers up plenty of space – easily enough for a traditional long-sleeved jersey – but the sub-pockets are simply too small and deep to be useful. We were never able to fit more than three fingers in per pocket and it was impossible to grab smaller items like mini-tools, CO2 cartridges or keys without first pulling off our gloves. Like with the forearm vents, opening or closing the pocket zipper also requires two hands.

Minor issues aside, if warmth is your top priority for a cycling jacket, the Propane fits the bill. It's certainly not cheap but if you've previously backed out of going on a ride purely because of the temperature, this just might make things bearable.


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Ivan Basso,Ted King,Peter Sagan and Eros Capecchi in Brescia to perfect their positions on their new time trial bikes

Ivan Basso, Ted King, Peter Sagan and Eros Capecchi, have spent a day on the covered track in Brescia to perfect their positions on their new time trial bikes.

The riders had already undergone biomechanical studies and worked on their positions during the team’s training camps in Sardinia but the controlled conditions of the track allowed team coach Paolo Slongo, team doctor Roberto Corsetti and directeur sportif Stefano Zanatta to further tweak the riders' positions.

Paolo Longo Borghini was the first on track at 9:30 in the morning, followed by Ivan Basso and Peter Sagan. Eros Capecchi, Damiano Caruso, Davide Cimolai, Ted King, Paolo Longo Borghini, Alan Marangoni, Maciej Paterski, Simone Ponzi, Juraj Sagan, Cristiano Salerno, Elia Viviani and Cameron Wurf were all scheduled for time on the boards during a long day of testing.

The Liquigas-Cannondale team knows a good result in team time trials is vital for success in major stage races, while a perfect time trial position could help riders like Sagan in prologue time trials. He finished fifth in last year’s Paris-Nice prologue, just ten seconds slower than winner Lars Boom.

“The testing was an important test for the new riders and helped the others perfect their position,” Slongo said. “The theoretical and the practical changes have given us some useful feedback and will help us during the season.”

The riders covered laps of the Italian track at a set pace and then compared power outputs after making changes to their position and equipment. Basso tested a new Rudy Project helmet, making sure it fitted well while he was in his tucked aero position.

“The test confirmed that the position that I’ve got is pretty good. It’s aerodynamic and allows me get to get everything out. We’ve got a new helmet that works really well but I didn’t change my position because it works for me,” Basso told Gazzetta dello Sport.

The 13 riders will travel to Tenerife on Thursday for a 12-day high-altitude training camp.


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The Astana squad revealed its 27-rider roster

In the presence of Kairat Kelimbetov, CEO of the sponsoring, state-owned National Wealth Fund Samruk-Kazyna and Kazakh cycling federation president, the squad revealed its 27-rider roster, of whom 10 are new signings.

Its most prominent addition, Czech stage race specialist Roman Kreuziger, will lead the outfit together with driving force and national hero Alexander Vinokourov, as motivated as ever for what might be his final season as a professional cyclist.

As the riders entered the stage - presented by none less that breakaway legend Jacky Durand - it became apparent that the new team manager Giuseppe Martinelli had taken great care in assembling a squad encompassing two generations of riders: one young, talent-laden with the likes of Krueziger, eager to prove the expectations laid upon him at the Giro d'Italia this year, and the other of more confirmed, highly experienced men such as Vinokourov.

"We have combined the old generation with the one that is coming up for a team that has big, long-term goals," commented Kelimbetov, who supplied Martinelli with an annual budget of 15 million Euro in order to do so.

With the team's prestigious mentor Vinokourov celebrating his 38th birthday this year, the choice of a replacement leader fell on Kreuziger, who wants to confirm his Grand Tour talent at the age of 24. "We are very confident in him," said Vinokourov. "He is still very young, but it's already his sixth year as a pro. He has a huge potential. Even if a three-week race is different from a one-week event, I'm certain that he will be able to do a beautiful Giro."

The Czech rider, victorious in the Tour de Suisse and Tour de Romandie in the past, now looks to improve his Grand Tour top ten placings by going for the overall victory at the Giro - as the team's sole leader. "I've come to a stage in my career where I feel I can take up responibilities. I will go to the Giro to win it," stated Kreuziger, happy about his position in the new outfit after leaving Liquigas, his employer for the past five years.

"I'm very happy in this team, I've already gotten used to everyone. I need new input to motivate myself again. To grow, this team was the best solution. I was often told that I wait too much for the others to move in races, and Vino will guide me now on how to attack at the best moment to become an actor in races."

The Kazakh star, who will thus skip the Giro to fully focus on the Tour, revealed that he was possibly looking at his last season in the pro ranks - even though he has said so in the beginning of 2010, too. "I will concentrate on the Tour, Paris-Nice, the Classics. At 37 years, I can't do both the Giro and the Tour and be compeititve. It's hard to say whether I'll continue beyond this year, because when you still have results and you're still motivated to do well... I have the pink jersey and a golden one already at home, so all I lack now is a yellow one!"

The team will thus support Kreuziger at the Giro, Vinokourov at the Tour - and possibly Kreuziger at the Vuelta again, but this is yet to be decided. As for the Classics, 'Vino' is eager to add Fleche Wallonne to his palmares, which already include Amstel Gold and Liege-Bastogne-Liege two times. "I would love to win a race like Milano-San Remo but it's not suited to me," he shrugged. Fortunately, Astana also has a top sprinter in its ranks who is already fully concentrated on the 'Classicissima': Allan Davis.

"We will be competitive in all races of the calendar," said Martinelli, highly satisfied with the revamped team.

"We have two big leaders, but many more cards to play. The team is much more open now that it was in the past."

Amongst the newcomers are Australian Simon Clarke, French climber Remy Di Gregorio, Estonian time trilalist Tanel Kangert, Swede Frederik Kessiakoff, Croatian Robert Kiserlovski (who finished tenth in last year's Giro), fast Italian Mirco Lorenzetto, Russian veteran Evgeni Petrov and Lithuanian powerhouse Tomas Vaitkus. With 14 nationalities on board and an average rider age of 28 years, Astana's fifth season in pro cycling is likely to be another successful one.

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