Archives
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Wednesday, October 18, 2006
2006 Vuelta photos now in our gallery
Sergio Paulinho (Astana)
(Copyright ©
2006 Christine Grein)
Sergio Paulinho won a stage of the 2006 Vuelta a Espana.
He will ride for Discovery Channel in 2007.
You'll find more 2006 Vuelta photos by contributing photographer
Christine Grein in our
photo gallery
. And you'll also find much more, including a super
photo database of riders at Christine's own site:
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Missouri officials yesterday announced the inaugural Tour
of Missouri professional bike race to be held September 11-16, 2007.
Following the Tour of California and the Tour de Georgia,
the Tour of Missouri will give the U.S. a third big stage race on the
pro calendar.
"Missouri is known as the Show-Me State, and we look forward
to showing our state
to spectators around the world through the Tour of Missouri,"
Missouri Gov. Matt Blunt
said. "This event has great potential to bring economic benefits
to our state and is an
opportunity for us to join these world class cyclists to
spread the message of the positive
benefits of an active and healthy lifestyle."
For more, check out the Tour of Missouri official website:
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Monday, October 16, 2006
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From Power Meters to PowerPoint*
- The world of cycling follows Floyd's lead
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Monday, October 16, 2006
Note: Our Monday Special Edition Cycling News*
editor has the week off. Warning: another attempt at humor
below.
Microsoft PowerPoint was definitely the hot software
tool of the week in the world of professional cycling. It started
off with portions of the Floyd Landis defense being posted on
the Tour champion's website. To those who have been paying attention,
it comes as no surprise that France's national anti-doping lab, the
Laboratoire National de Dépistage du Dopage (LNDD),
appears once again to have violated protocol during the testing process.
Sample slide from Landis PowerPoint presentation
Beyond lab errors, including sample mislabeling,
Landis claims, via a slick PowerPoint presentation, that the criteria
for a positive doping test was not met to begin with, there was specimen
contamination, and the testing is unreliable.
Pat McQuaid, spokesman, er, president of the Union
Cycliste Internationale (UCI), was not impressed with the information
posted on the Landis website and said, "It is easy to make up a PowerPoint
presentation and put what you want on it."
We were skeptical at first that McQuaid himself had any
experience with PowerPoint. However, thanks to a leak at the
UCI (sorry, we cannot reveal our source), cyclingfans.com has obtained
a series of four of the UCI's own internal PowerPoint slides regarding
doping. The slides offer a rare look at the UCI's thinking on this
subject. We point out that Hein Verbruggen,
whom McQuaid "replaced" as president in September, 2005, still serves
as a vice president on the UCI's management committee while nonetheless
devoting much of his time to the organization of the 2008 Beijing Olympic
Games. Verbruggen is also, like World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA)
head Dick Pound, a voting member on the International
Olympic Committee (IOC) , whose president is currently Jacques
Rogge.
We have also obtained a PowerPoint slide from the Tyler
Hamilton camp (again, via leak and again, sorry we cannot
reveal our source). Indeed, Floyd Landis seems to have started
a trend. From cyclists recovering from surgery and looking to
defend themselves against doping allegations to cyclists hoping to return
from doping suspensions to suits working at their desks, PowerPoint (and
not power meters) is the tool of choice. Interestingly, everyone
seems to even be following Floyd's color scheme and layout for their own
presentations.
*Inspired by actual events, news, personalities and/or
quotes in the world of pro cycling.
Copyright
© 2006 www.cyclingfans.com
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Saturday, October 14, 2006
New wallpaper:
"Breakaway"
"Breakaway": 2006 Paris-Tours
Whether you ride seriously yourself or just like following
this beautiful sport, perhaps you have imagined being in a breakaway
in one of the big races in France, Italy, Spain or Belgium. Perhaps
you have seen the cycling film, "Breaking Away"...
How many other sports involve athletes who are competing
against one another actually working together, at least temporarily?
Our latest wallpaper, "Breakaway," depicts the first breakaway
of the last big race in France of the 2006 season, last Sunday's fall
classic, Paris-Tours. Most breakaways don't succeed, and this
one didn't, but when Lars Michaelson (CSC), Olaf Pollack (T-Mobile),
Sebastian Lang (Gerolsteiner) and Juan Jose Cobo Acebo (Saunier Duval)
took off early last Sunday, four of the top teams in professional cycling
had played early cards in the hope of eventually grabbing late-season
glory. As it turned out, CSC would place two of its riders on the
final podium but it would be a Frenchman, Frederic Guesdon of Française
des Jeux who would win the race.
As the 2006 pro season comes to a close with today's Tour
of Lombardy, and it was a season that was difficult for cycling
fans everywhere, for obvious reasons, perhaps "Breakaway" reminds
us of some of the reasons we love this sport to begin with.
Things are going to get ugly in the weeks and months ahead
as some of the anti-doping zealots, for whom the ends justify the means,
for whom anything goes in the "war on doping" (at least in cycling),
will find themselves increasingly put on the spot. The Union Cycliste
International (UCI), World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), Amaury Sport
Organization (A.S.O.), the governments of France and Spain, and some
in the media are not being honest with us about this supposed war on
doping. It's past time for transparency from all sides.
More than two years after the "Cofidis affair" broke,
this case is finally going to trial next month. This is the
same case in which Damien Ressiot and Dominique Issartel of L'Equipe
are under indictment for breaking the law. This is the same case
for which a French policeman, Richard Deydier, was already given a
mere slap on the wrist for forging evidence.
With the pro season ending today, we'll resume our shining
of the spotlight on these organizations this next week, including
wrapping up our look at L'Equipe vs. Lance.
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2006 Tour of Lombardy
October 14, Italy, ProTour
(Tour de Lombardie)
(Giro di Lombardia)
Live video streaming:
(Available everywhere?)
Live audio streaming:
Live tickers:
News and photos:
(cycling news)
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Monday, October 9, 2006
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Monday Special Edition* Cycling News
- A summary (or not) of top news items from
the past week -
Monday, October 9, 2006
Landis announces anti-doping technician scholarship
Paris (cyclingfans.com) -- Embattled 2006 Tour
de France champion Floyd Landis has announced a scholarship program
intended to improve the quality of lab work done at France's national
anti-doping laboratory, the controversial Laboratoire
National de Dépistage du Dopage (LNDD) at Chatenay-Malabry
outside Paris.
"Technicians at LNDD do not follow instructions,"
said Landis. "They made mistakes in filling out my test reports
and failed to follow WADA protocol for making the necessary corrections."
According to
USA Today
, Landis said that the report from LNDD will be posted on
his website this week.
"There is evidence that LNDD lab technicians play
tic-tac-toe on their test reports. They also doodle when
they are supposed to be following detailed protocol worthy of a
WADA-accredited laboratory. We brought in the experts from
the Louvre charged with restoring the Mona Lisa. They found
the evidence of tic-tac-toe games under layers of correction fluid."
For these reasons, the Floyd Landis Anti-Doping
Technician Scholarship will provide an opportunity for
one lucky LNDD technician each year to return to Anti-Doping School.
Room, board and separate notepads for tic-tac-toe will be provided.
Meanwhile, the rumor in Paris has it that Tom Hanks
will star in the upcoming Ron Howard film, "The Landis Code."
Pound apologizes to IAMG
World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) head Dick Pound has
apologized for
comments he made
last week at the national convention of the Association
for Applied Sport Psychology. The controversial anti-doping
crusader, concerned about the future possibility of genetic manipulation
in sport, said that sports could "degenerate into an extreme and
violent collection of mutant gladiators." The comment elicited
a quick response from Dr. Ima Munster, president of the
International Association of Mutant Gladiators (IAMG):
"We will not tolerate being singled out by Dick Pound. Mutant
gladiators have feelings too. We are currently considering our
legal options and may sue Mr. Pound and anyone who agrees with his conclusions.
And if that doesn't work, we will crush you with our pinkies."
Pound quickly apologized for his comments and said
it was all a misunderstanding. He vowed to get back on track
going after skinny bike riders in spandex.
OLN changes name to Versus
They once were called the Outdoor Life Network
(and known to some as the Only Lance Network). Then it was
just OLN. And then, before Only Landis Network or Only Leipheimer
Network could take hold, they changed to Versus on September 25.
In an earlier press release, the network had stated: "The new
moniker, a culmination of a two-year network evolution, was chosen not
only for its bold nature, but because it universally evokes competition.
Versus will focus squarely on competition and every aspect of the competitive
world. Whether it is Man vs. Man, Man vs. Beast or Team vs. Team,
the channel will celebrate sports at its best, where athletes and sportsmen
compete at their highest levels with the greatest passion."
Hmm, man vs. beast? If Versus doesn't have a
problem with mutant gladiators, then why should we?
Versus, also known simply as "vs.," released their
broadcast programme for 2007 and it includes some compelling
programming indeed:
- February: Floyd Landis vs. United
States Anti-Doping Agency
- March: Floyd Landis vs. Union
Cycliste International
- April: Floyd Landis vs. Dick
Pound
- May: Floyd Landis vs. The Nazi
Frogmen (special thanks to Dick Pound for this one)
- June: Floyd Landis vs. Amaury
Sport Organization (organizers of the Tour de France)
- July: Floyd Landis vs. Jan Ullrich
vs. Ivan Basso in the 2007 Tour (subject
to change)
- August: Patrice Clerc (ASO) vs.
Pat McQuaid (UCI) vs. Dick Pound (WADA)
vs. Jean-François Lamour (French Ministry of Youth
and Sport) Bull Riding Competition (Category: "Bulls doped
to the gills") Better start doing your push-ups, guys.
So, OLN is now Versus. Thrilling isn't it? Maybe
Dick Pound should change his name too.
Armstrong in dispute with neighbors over Dead Man's Hole
Three years ago, Lance Armstrong wanted to create a
recreational pond and watering hole for animals on his ranch in the
Texas Hill Country. A contractor was found and work begun.
Now, according to Lisa Falkenberg of the
Houston Chronicle
, "The water (at nearby Dead Man's Hole) has turned from
glassy green to pea soup and Armstrong is in hot water with his neighbors."
Armstrong says he is prepared to do whatever it takes
to solve the problem. But apparently there is no quick solution
to returning the emerald pool to its previous state.
You knew it was coming: this may be a job for
The Nazi Frogmen ...
Pound has hip surgery
Floyd Landis isn't the only one to have recently undergone
hip surgery. WADA head Dick Pound, known for his "shoot
from the hip" approach to fighting doping in sport, accidentally
shot himself in the foot recently and has decided to have his guns
permanently attached to his left and right hips. But these aren't
just ordinary guns. They use a special cyclist-seeking missile
system financed by the world's governments. "This is great,"
Pound said. "I can fire away from both sides while playing canasta
online with the lab technicians at the Chatenay-Malabry lab in Paris."
*Inspired by actual events, news, personalities and/or
quotes in the world of pro cycling.
Copyright
© 2006 www.cyclingfans.com
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Sunday, October 8, 2006
2006 Paris-Tours
wallpaper
The race isn't over yet but we've got 2006 Paris-Tours
wallpaper up. The pixels aren't even dry!
Also, here are a few more pics from today's race in progress:
Jean-Marie Leblanc speaks to Phonak team manager John
Lelangue before the start of the 2006 Paris-Tours.
This is Leblanc's last race as a race director; he
leaves his position at A.S.O. in December. Lelangue, previously
employed for many years at A.S.O., has been offered another position
there as Phonak is withdrawing from cycling after numerous doping scandals.
Erik Zabel before the start this morning
The Saunier Duval team signs in, 2006 Paris-Tours
Lars Michaelson (CSC), Olaf Pollack (T-Mobile), Sebastian
Lang (Gerolsteiner) and Juan Jose Cobo Acebo (Saunier Duval) comprise
the first breakaway of the day.
The peloton in pursuit of the breakaway
( Photos Copyright
© 2006 Pete Geyer)
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2006 Paris-Tours
October 8, France, ProTour
Live video streaming:
(Unavailable)
Live audio streaming:
Live tickers:
News and photos:
(cycling news)
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Monday, October 2, 2006
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Monday Special Edition* Cycling News
- A summary (or not) of top news items from
the past week -
Monday, October 2, 2006
UCI to reduce Tour to three days
Paris (cyclingfans.com) -- International Cycling
Union (UCI) president Pat McQuaid has announced that starting
in 2007 the Tour de France will be reduced in duration from three
weeks to three days as a way to reduce rider temptation to dope.
"This will send a strong signal," McQuaid said. "Besides,
three weeks is too long for A.S.O. to have control of anything,"
he added, referring to race organizer Amaury Sport Organization.
"With just three days, the Tour will start with a sprint stage,
followed by a mountain stage and then a final stage individual time
trial. That is long enough to see who is the best."
When it was pointed out that the 2007 Tour,
which starts in London, would barely even make it into France,
McQuaid responded "Did I mention this will send a strong signal?"
A.S.O. to increase Tour to 365 days
A.S.O. president Patrice Clerc scoffed at the
UCI's announcement. "Bof," he said dismissively. "We
have our own announcement. We have decided that starting
in 2007 the Tour de France will be run every day of the year.
365 stages, no rest days. The Tour is meant to be a
tough event and tough it will be! Riders won't be tempted
to dope because they won't even be able to get on their bikes after
a month. But sponsors in the publicity caravan, bless them,
will continue year-round to bean spectators on the head with little
sausages and packs of gummi bears. It's brilliant."
Five-time Tour winner and French great Bernard
Hinault, who now works in public relations for A.S.O., echoed
Clerc's sentiment. "When I was a kid, I had to ride over the
Galibier Pass, in the snow, every morning to get to school. Today's
riders are wusses. This will teach them."
French sports daily L'Equipe added, "We
have proof Lance Armstrong rode bikes with George Bush!"
Race organizers demand own calendar
In related news, top race organizers, led by
A.S.O., have demanded that the UCI let them have their own race
calendar. "Naturally we want the month of July," said ASO
chief Patrice Clerc. "Tour director Christian Prudhomme,
Richard Virenque and I will appear in the July calendar photo wearing
our bathing suits. I cannot say this often enough, it is important
to send a strong signal: NO DOPING!"
Armstrong seen taking subway in NYC, WADA considering
action
With news reports that Lance Armstrong, who
is training to compete in the NY Marathon, was seen boarding
a subway train in the Big Apple, World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA)
head Dick Pound was quick to issue a statement:
"We take these reports seriously. If this
isn't evidence that Armstrong plans to cheat during the New
York Marathon, I don't know what is. We will ask the city
of New York to shut down its public transportation for the next
month."
French sports daily L'Equipe added, "We
have proof Lance Armstrong rode bikes with George Bush!"
T-Mobile Team to ban wives, girlfriends
Continuing to demonstrate leadership in the
fight against doping, the T-Mobile team has announced that
riders on the team will not be permitted to have wives or girlfriends.
"Wives and girlfriends are performance enhancing," said new
team manager Bob Stapleton. "This was naturally a tough decision
but the ends justify the means in the war on doping." Stapleton
added that Jan Ullrich's recent marriage guaranteed that the 1997
Tour champion had no future with the team.
Discovery Channel will no longer focus on Tour in post-Armstrong
era
- "We have to look for different goals" -
Not surprisingly, the Discovery Channel pro cycling
team had a tough 2006 Tour de France without 7-time winner Lance
Armstrong. And with seemingly no one on the team ready to
contend for Tour victory next season, team manager Johan Bruyneel
said "We have to look for different goals, we won't focus the whole
season on one race." Bruyneel hesitated when asked what exactly
those different goals would be before saying, "Okay, you might as
well hear it from me. Starting in 2007, the Discovery Channel
team will be participating in African safari tours instead of bike races.
This is what the sponsor wants for the Animal Planet channel and
we have no choice. But as you saw, 11 riders have already left the
team because of this. The rest of us are trying to keep an open mind
and look forward to receiving our new team kits and safari hats."
French sports daily L'Equipe added, "We
have proof Lance Armstrong rode bikes with George Bush!"
*Inspired by actual events, news, personalities and/or
quotes in the world of pro cycling.
Copyright
© 2006 www.cyclingfans.com
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Sunday, October 1, 2006
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2006 Championship of
Zurich
October 1, ProTour
Switzerland
(Züri Metzgete)
Live video streaming:
(We will look for freely
available
video streams once European
TV
broadcasts have begun)
Live audio streaming:
Live tickers:
News and photos:
(cycling news)
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Sunday, September 24, 2006
Book "week" at cyclingfans.com
Pick today's
World Championships winner and win a free book! Details
below.
Very few free copies left.
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Boonen, Valverde, Vinokourov, Bettini, Zabel,
Di Luca, Hushovd, O'Grady, Gilbert, Schleck, Sanchez,
Schumacher, Ballan, McEwen, Flecha, Cancellara, Popovych,
Horner, Rodriguez et al. Lots of big name talents
competing in today's World Championships. Who will win
the coveted rainbow jersey of world champion?
Cycling fans like to read books about racing
and the peloton, right? Well it's book "week"
at cyclingfans.com. We already began telling
you last week about a book by L'Equipe's editor-in-chief
(Part II of our report still to come) that raises some questions
about L'Equipe's pursuit of Lance Armstrong. In the meantime,
the paperback edition of a book, "Lance Armstrong's War" by
Daniel Coyle, first published in 2005, is now out with a new
Afterword covering Armstrong's final season. This book
is a New York Times Bestseller! And.....in collaboration
with
HarperCollins
and
AuthorsOnTheWeb.com
, cyclingfans.com
is giving away free copies!
cyclingfans.com panorama bookmarks
Book giveaway winners will also receive a set
of our exclusive bookmarks, made from photographic
panoramas shot at the races, including Paris-Nice and
the Tour de France.
Winners will receive
Daniel Coyle's paperback edition of "Lance Armstrong's
War" directly from HarperCollins. You can of
course opt to have the book sent to someone else of your
choosing.
So, how can you win?
For today's Elite Men's World Championships race,
it's simple: Just
email the editor
with the name of
today's winner. There is no cutoff time but
the first one in with the correct answer wins even if submitted
after the race is over! One entry per person per
day please. All decisions final.
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2006 UCI Road World Championships
September 20-24
Salzburg, Austria
Today's event:
- Elite Men's Road Race
Live video streaming:
(may not work with Firefox)
(We continue to look
for
alternative, freely
available
video streams)
Live audio streaming:
Live tickers:
News and photos:
(cycling news)
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Saturday, September 23, 2006
UCI World Championships events this weekend:
Saturday:
- U23 Men's Road
Race
- Elite women's
Road Race
Sunday:
- Elite men's
Road Race
Fabian Cancellara wallpaper
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David Zabriskie wallpaper
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Fabian Cancellara won Thursday's
elite men's time trial ahead of Dave Zabriskie and Alexandre
Vinokourov.
Cancellara won the 2004 Tour
de France prologue, then immediately began talking about
one day perhaps winning the entire race. He got the attention
of USPS team manager Johan Bruyneel and there was some talk
of Cancellara possibly riding for the American team. But
he had a modest 2005 season after transferring to Team CSC from
Fassa Bortolo.
In 2006, prior to Paris-Roubaix,
Tom Boonen said he feared Cancellara the most in that
race. With good reason as it turned out because Cancellara,
not afraid to take on Boonen, went out and won the race. Cancellara
now is also world time trial champion and has already said
his next big goal will be the 2007 Tour of Flanders, in the
heart of Boonen territory. Fabian "Boonen Buster" Cancellara
has a lot of wins ahead of him. And apparently a real
rivalry with the great Boonen himself.
Zabriskie was disappointed
to fail in his bid to become time trial world champion
but it does mean he will be wearing his newly acquired stars
and stripes jersey in time trial events next season. (A win at
world's would have meant he'd wear the rainbow jersey and never
the stars and stripes.)
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2006 UCI Road World Championships
September 20-24
Salzburg, Austria
Today's events:
- U23 Men's Road Race
- Elite women's Road Race
Live video streaming:
(may not work with Firefox)
(We continue to look
for
alternative, freely
available
video streams)
Live audio streaming:
Live tickers:
(No Eurosport tickers today)
News and photos:
(cycling news)
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Thursday, September 21, 2006
Battle for time trial rainbow
jersey
Rogers goes for four in a row
Michael Rogers (Australia)
2004 Grand Prix des Nations
(Copyright ©
2004 Pete Geyer)
Notes: Michael Rogers of Australia
already holds the record with three consecutive
world championship titles in the individual time trial.
Can he make it four in a row? The competition
should be fierce with David Millar (who won in 2003 ahead of
Rogers only to have the title stripped when he admitted, in 2004,
to doping), Fabian Cancellara, world hour record holder Ondrej
Sosenka, Andreas Kloden, David Zabriskie, Laszlo Bodrogi, José
Ivan Gutierrez and Sebastian Lang, among others. And
though recent Vuelta winner Alexandre Vinokourov is surely more
interested in Sunday's road race, he can never be counted out
after being prevented from competing in the Tour de France in
July. A host of other riders have a shot today. Who
wants it the most, who is prepared to hurt the most?
Some of today's top competitors:
Michael Rogers
(Australia)
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Fabian Cancellara
(Switzerland)
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David Millar
(Great Britain)
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José Ivan Gutierrez
(Spain)
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David Zabriskie
(United States)
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Andreas Kloden
(Germany)
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Laszlo Bodrogi
(Hungary) |
Vladimir Gusev
(Russia)
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Andrey Kashechkin
(Kazakhstan)
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Alexandre Vinokourov
(Kazakhstan)
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Photos Copyright ©
2003-2006 Pete Geyer
In yesterday's Elite Women's time trial, American
Kristin Armstrong put in a fantastic ride to become
2006 world champion, taking the rainbow jersey and
gold medal ahead of two-time defending champion Karin
Thürig of Switzerland and Christine Thorburn of the United
States. In fourth was Priska Doppmann, followed by Nicole
Cooke, Zulfiya Zabirova, Judith Arndt, Lada Kozlikova, and Trixi
Worrack. Amber Neben of the U.S. rounded out the top-10
in an extremely successful day for Team U.S.A.
Dominique Cornu (Belgium)
2004 Grand Prix des Nations
(Copyright ©
2006 Pete Geyer)
The under 23 men's individual
time trial was won by Dominique Cornu of Belgium ahead
of Mikhail Ignatiev (Russian Federation) and Jerome Coppel
(France).
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2006 UCI Road World Championships
September 20-24
Salzburg, Austria
Live video streaming:
(may not work with Firefox)
(We continue to look
for
alternative, freely
available
video streams)
Live audio streaming:
Live tickers:
News and photos:
(cycling news)
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Wednesday, September 20, 2006
LIVE
video flash:
World Championships live video streaming
now in our race programme
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Jeannie Longo
(Copyright ©
2005 Pete Geyer)
The incomparable
Jeannie Longo
, who will be 48 next
month, is competing in today's UCI World Championships
women's time trial and Saturday's road race. Longo
first competed in the world championships in 1979; most
of the competitors she faces today were not even born!
With 971 (!) career victories,
38 world records, an Olympic title, 100 medals (Olympics,
World Championships, National Championships), three women's
Tours de France, 13 world championships and 53 (!) National
titles (her web site doesn't yet even include her recent national
title on the track), Longo simply has the richest palmares in
the history of cycling.
Jeannie Longo pedals
back to her car
2003 Grand Prix des Nations
(Copyright ©
2003 Pete Geyer)
Karin Thurig of Switzerland
is two-time defending champion in the time trial discipline
and is focusing solely on this event. Last year's
runner-up, Joane Somarriba Arrola (Spain) has retired. 2005
bronze medalist, Kristin Armstrong (U.S.A.) is back for
both the time trial and road race.
Steven Cozza, 2003 Grand
Prix des Nations
(Copyright ©
2003 Pete Geyer)
Steven Cozza is among
the U23 riders competing for the U.S. this afternoon.
The Juniors category
competition is no longer run with the other events.
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2006 UCI Road World Championships
September 20-24
Salzburg, Austria
Live video streaming:
(may not work with Firefox)
(We continue to look
for
alternative, freely available
video streams)
Live audio streaming:
Live tickers:
News and photos:
(cycling news)
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