UCI WorldTour and other pro cycling nonsense 2011

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5217/5388133952_8ffb37d4bf_z.jpg

GET INVOLVED

Haitch, you guys really lucked out, what an incredible summer of racing. I hope you got to see some of that action up close.

Some people hate on circuit racing but I think it's awesome for spectating.

wow, what a clown show

http://velonews.competitor.com/2011/01/news/contador-decision-could-be-tomorrow-could-be-in-the-coming-hours-official-says_157185

I could have sworn somebody had already posted this to ilx, but the search function is letting me down:

http://nyvelocity.com/content/interviews/2011/landiskimmage

A very, very long read, but well worth it.

i posted it in the Floyd Landis thread on ILE.

Rather gripping but long read.

In other news, Chris Boardman's superman 4km IP record was broken yesterday by young Aussie Jacky Bobby Bobridge. London 2012 will be a showdown for the ages.

Hoping I get tickets for velodrome in 2012

woulda loved to see him v phinney, too bad they canned it.

London 2012 will be a showdown for the ages.

Would be if they hadn't got rid of the individual pursuit.

oh shit, that's right! nm then... those bastards!

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/bassons-wont-judge-landis-and-armstrong

oooh look who's too well-adjusted to dope. jk, guy sounds cool

he won't judge Landis or Armstrong but it sure as hell sounds like he's judging their parents.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/pooley-calls-for-more-tv-coverage-in-womens-cycling

from a few days back but I'd like to see more televised women's cycling. Women's road race at the worlds was great.

I agree (about more women's cycling, not about this year's World's road race, which I can't remember anything about). When Nichole Cooke won in 2008 that was one of the most exciting final five minutes or so I can remember: just endless attacks and counter-attacks. I'd have liked to have seen Pooley winning the Fleche Wallone last season.

woah @ j Bobridge's pursuit record btw

Poor Geox TMC, they managed to resolve my major issue with Footon servetto and still can't get a TdF invite

http://cdn0.media.cyclingnews.futurecdn.net/2011/02/07/1/bettiniphoto_0068143_1_full_600.jpg

Michael 'bling' Matthews; closet raver?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BDAc-AvaB5w&sns=em

http://cyclingnews.posterous.com/michael-matthews-with-a-dash-of-bling

and he's getting rainbow stripes on the back tattoo!!

He's got a lot of waist line ink which is almost as reprehensible as his Playboy brand skivvies.

RT @dwuori: I'm very disappointed that Geox-TMC didn't retain the fleshy Footon kit. Had been hoping for addition of nipples and back hair. #cycling

Tomorrow's edition of Marca (spanish sports magazine) claims that Contador tested positive 4x during the TdF:
http://estaticos01.marca.com/imagenes/2011/02/08/g0802.jpg

#1: tainted steak
#2: tainted chicken
#3: tained seafood or something, idk
#4: ???

lol @ the entire rest of the front page given over to madrid stanning

cycling news says that the 4 tests count as one incident.

jesus that matthews interview yes possibly rolling

the front cover quote of Ronaldo as the new Di Stefano is a kneejerk reaction to the manager of Atletico Madrid hailing Messi as the new Di Stefano after he scored a hat-trick against his side. Marca being virtually the RM in-house paper.

so i read this...

http://velonews.competitor.com/2011/02/news/riccardo-ricco-hospitalized-with-fever-apparent-kidney-failure_159118#disqus_thread

and thought "poor guy, but i hope...", then:

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/italian-police-investigate-ricco-for-blood-doping

welp

smoke then fire eh?

find out which cycling professional hopes that ricco "becomes somebody's bitch in prison" after a full recovery...next, on sick sad world.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/video-cavendish-aldag-and-kelly-react-to-ricco-doping-news

In actual racing news, I really hope Mark Renshaw wins the GC at the ToQ, I feel like he deserves it.

Meh... he sat up way too early today and Benatti (sp?) almost pipped him, was kinda hoping for it. Reminded me of that link going around yesterday:
http://www.cyclingfans.com/node/1566

man when will dudes learn to stop doing that

am watching a bit of the ToQ right now, teams are just practicing and running drills aren't they? Sky's turn at the front was pretty pointless otherwise as they'd blown out their sprinters.

Oh Renshawpaws, that moment of panic was priceless.

after that first time they do it?

xpost

Yeah, looked like Wiggo (and Boom) went with 4km to go but then sat up about 1km later going into the roundabout. Boom was all "WTF" at Wiggo.

good thing early celebration never happens in a monument

http://velonews.competitor.com/files/archive/images/5740.7135.jpg

yessss

good analysis of the mucky mess that's been the ToQ finishing mayhem:
http://www.pavepavepave.com/2011/02/09/early-season-sprinting/

i watched some of the video no audio of the cyclocosm thing, will catch in full later.

watching those, its worth mentioning that once contact is made, it's very "sticky," even when unintentional. that is, ime it's actually hard to get off of someone because your body's center of gravity shifts toward the other person, and then your bike subtly steers into the person, and the same on the other side. its like, the safest tihng to do once youre into someone is to just keep going and ride it out. going through a corner with full contact from shoulder to hip is unnerving, but trying to do too much to get apart can be worse (e.g. the "death swoop").

otoh, those guys are generally so good at what they do, maybe its a different game.

Not sure if this should go here or on the LOLs thread but Mr Classy Mark Cavendish has apparently got himself his very own Page 3 Stunnah:

http://bikesnobnyc.blogspot.com/2011/02/cycling-where-elite-meet-defeat.html

insert your own manx missile joke here (oh wait I already did)

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/confirmed-alberto-contador-cleared-of-clenbuterol-charges

?!?

poor Li Fuyu...

smdh

hahahahahahha:

Verbruggen, McQuaid threaten Landis with lawsuit for saying UCI protects riders:
http://nyvelocity.com/content/features/2011/uci-verbruggen-mcquaid-sue-landis

err
http://nyvelocity.com/content/features/2011/uci-verbruggen-mcquaid-threaten-landis

Sky may relax ‘zero tolerance’ doping policy:

http://velonews.competitor.com/2011/02/news/cycling-sky-may-relax-zero-tolerance-doping-policy_159909

UCI asks "who is Fuyu Li again?"
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/carpani-says-uci-pleased-with-spanish-federations-handling-of-contador-case

Prentice Steffen, SF sports MD and frequent team doc who initially gained attn in cycling world when he blew whistle on Ty Hamilton and called Lance Armstrong "an unpleasant doper" (in French! to L'Equipe!) in the 2005, is the current team med for GarVelo. He was later called to apologize to LA in writing here.

Kinda went under the radar but I found this internal leak Garvelo leak fascinating:

8 Jun 2008 06:08:01 -0700, "Prentice Steffen"

Riders and Staff,

There have been some questions and confusion about access to data
generated by the ACE testing. I'd like to clarify how this works and
then answer any questions that you may have.

First, the people who have access to the data are ACE, JV, and all
members of the team's medical/science staff. As part of our
transparency policy, we have offered to make data available to
journalists upon formal request... a couple of you have already been
involved in that process. That is a very limited and controlled
process, so don't worry that journalist have free access to the
numbers.

Second, please understand that this is about perception rather than
reality. Of course we all know the "perception is reality" thing, so
know too that while we trust everyone this issue is quite important.

The ACE data is not available to you directly because a major
criticism leveled against ACE is that it is a system put in place to
insure none of you test positive and is really a system that "aids
and abets" doping. ACE does sort of walk a fine line when you think
about it like that. If we gave you real time access to the data,
then it could of course actually be used in that manner which is
obviously not our desire or intent. So obviously much of this has to
do with perceptions outsiders may have.

It's worth pointing out here that you do have full access to your
quarterly UCI testing which I'll gladly provide to you in .pdf
format. That data is ostensibly for your health and is really quite
good in that regard.

All that said, JV and I don't have a problem if asked to look at your
ACE data and tell you whether or not all looks good. We might go as
far as to tell you some specific results to reassure you that all is
well from a lab numbers perspective. So there will be some degree of
discretion involved, but this will be our general approach/philosophy.

Sorry to be a bit of a downer after that last mass email that went
out. Nice work and thanks to all who are making that happen!!!

Questions?

Prentice

http://d.yimg.com/a/p/sp/getty/13/fullj.88a6aa1e66cf794395b92628606c8720/88a6aa1e66cf794395b92628606c8720

Don't know why it's not showing that photo. Anyway - OUCH!
http://d.yimg.com/a/p/sp/getty/13/fullj.88a6aa1e66cf794395b92628606c8720/88a6aa1e66cf794395b92628606c8720
Story here:
http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/latest/516770/awang-needs-surgery-to-remove-huge-splinter.html

UK mens team pursuit team were pretty awesome today - Also Anna Mears

^ That was good