UCI WorldTour and other pro cycling nonsense 2011

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

they were rather good, but only just seen this, ouch:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sD5UK-qt9HY

That crash was the cause of the hideous injury which I've twice tried to post of photo of. Third time lucky:
http://sports.yahoo.com/sc/photo?slug=88a6aa1e66cf794395b92628606c8720-getty-cycling-world_cup-track&utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

he crossed the line then fainted! chapeau

awang lives in melbourne! as do the malaysian road squad.

anna meares has teh best haircut.

What it looks like after being pulled out

http://road.cc/sites/default/files/images/Awang

ahhhh a nice relaxing hour of Paris-Nice before the trauma and worry of the match at Anfield starts. The Eurosport boys are right - the new Europcar kit is rather nice.

Philippe Gilbert rode at least part of that Eroica race with a tubie around his shoulders, old tymey style:

http://www.cyclingnews.com/races/strade-bianche-1-1/photos/161691

oops, wrong photo:

http://www.cyclingnews.com/races/strade-bianche-1-1/photos/161690

btw dudes watched a torrent of the strade bianche last night....seemed like a pretty nice race

"DeGrogorio always looks so odd when he gets out of the saddle, it's as if he's going to bang his head on the bars.... like some demented tortoise"

-David Harmon, stage 7, Paris-Nice

That was one of the greatest final 10km I've watched in a long time. Hopefully it will make it on youtube.

Amazing recovery after he nearly went over with about 1km left

Also - good to see Wiggins still hanging in there

Bobke really sucks as an announcer. Nothing insightful, mis-speaks constantly.

Voeckler thoroughly badass today

Fucking hell: just seen Gilbert's stage win in Tirreno-Adriatico - incredible stuff.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_sWCGR8ZR50

so baller

http://cdn2.media.cyclingnews.futurecdn.net//2011/03/14/1/bettiniphoto_0073671_1_full_600.jpg

Still not happy

Tireno Adriatico trophy has to be one of the best in sport

http://cdn2.media.cyclingnews.futurecdn.net//2011/03/15/2/bettiniphoto_0073949_1_full_600.jpg
http://cdn2.media.cyclingnews.futurecdn.net//2011/03/15/2/bettiniphoto_0073950_1_full_600.jpg

aw look at cuddles wif his new toy

he'll have someone's eye out with that

What is Cadel's body fat %, dude is incredibly lean right now. The way he made zipping up those 19% ramps yesterday look so damn easy was really unbelievable.

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1NPIYRtrIjI/TXqWZNjs6XI/AAAAAAAACSA/KE6giBmW2Og/s320/petacchi.jpg

What is up with the dudes from down under?

HAEMATOCRITS

Clen tainted 'roo meat.

Anybody else watching what Fabian just did / is doing at the E3 today? Yow! Start engraving his name on the RVV and PR trophies now.

something very relaxing about watching Gent - Wevelghem live with Vlaamse commentary.