What happened to the riders of Team Geox-TMC?

What happened to the riders of Team Geox-TMC?: "What happened to the 23 riders who were part of Geox-TMC, the procontinental team that would almost certainly have promoted to WorldTour-status in 2012 if Geox hadn’t withdrawn as main sponsor?

WorldTour (5) Juanjo Cobo (Team Movistar). Denis Menchov and Xavier Florencio (Katusha). Daniel Ratto (Liquigas). Rafael Valls (Vacansoleil-DCM). Procontinental [...]

(Via Tour De José.)

Velocast says...

6 riders out of the squad either don't have a team or retired. Sad story and further proof (if any were needed) that the funding model needs attention

Book review: Merckx, Half Man Half Bike

Book review: Merckx, Half Man Half Bike:

Merckx: Half Man, Half Bike by William Fotheringham

The book takes a chronological path through Merckx’s life, beginning with a brief tale of murder and collaboration during the Nazi occupation of Belgium that went on to touch on Merckx’s career. There is plenty on his young life and family environment. We learn of his nervous father, the time when a young Merckx divided his time between school, his parents’ shop and riding his bike.

(Via Inner Ring.)

Velocast says...

WANT!!! That is all. Thank you for your attention.

Cavendish: ‘It’s as simple as one wheel’

Cavendish: ‘It’s as simple as one wheel’:

World champion Mark Cavendish met difficulty again on Sunday, losing contact with the peloton 35km from the finish of Ghent-Wevelgem. Cavendish (Sky) said afterward he felt good and was positioned well when the rider in front of him lost contact with the group.

‘I was isolated before the Monteberg,’ said Cavendish after the finish. ‘It’s as simple as one wheel; someone loses the wheel in front of you, and you’re gapped.’

(Via Velo News.)

Velocast says...

Sky seem to have a bigger problem than Cav being slightly off form. It's not that the team don't have a plan B; it's Edvald Boassen Hagen. The problem is they don't make up their mind up quickly enough when plan A starts to falter.

Sagan laments marking Cancellara, looks ahead to Flanders

Sagan laments marking Cancellara, looks ahead to Flanders:

WEVELGEM, Belgium (VN) — Peter Sagan is on fire ahead of the Tour of Flanders, proving again Sunday at Ghent-Wevelgem that he can’t be discounted for a win.

Tom Boonen (Omega Pharma-Quick Step) won in Wevelgem, but even he is eyeing Sagan (Liquigas-Cannondale). Boonen said after the race, ‘He’s one of the biggest talents around right now.’

‘Boonen was so much stronger in the sprint, he put a bike’s length on me. We started off side-by-side almost, I looked at the video, but he just had that much more kick,’ Sagan told VeloNews. ‘Maybe my error was to mark [Fabian] Cancellara so much after the Monteberg climb. That little bit of energy there could’ve served me in the final.’

(Via Velo News.)

Velocast says...

Before the race, my head said Boonen, my heart said Sagan. I don't think he has the build to be a serious contender at Roubaix, but Flanders? Again, back to the head and heart.

New UCI rules on bikes, equipment and clothing

New UCI rules on bikes, equipment and clothing:

The sport’s governing body, the UCI, is moving towards greater regulation of equipment, both the bike and clothing. Whilst rules about the bio passport or race radios might seem abstract, there’s a high chance these ones will affect you.

I can see the logic in all this but let us not forget the cycle trade has backed teams since the dawn of the sport as a means to publicise products. If a century ago Cycles Alcyon found the Tour de France was not the place to show off its best products, there would have been no Alcyon team. The risk now is that the likes of Cannondale and Specialized might prefer triathlon as a shop window… or they get behind a less restrictive breakaway league.

(Via Inner Ring.)

Velocast says...

An excellent analysis, as ever, from Inner Ring. There is logic in what the UCI are doing; logical in that way that only the UCI can. But, as usual, they're treading a precarious line.

Longo in French plans for London 2012 Olympics

Longo in French plans for London 2012 Olympics:

Doping controversy hasn't prevented pre-selection

(Via Cycling News.)

Velocast says...

Why do I get the feeling that, when she arrives in London for the Games in July, Jeannie Longo might be about as welcome as a bacon sandwich at a kibbutz!

Dean collides with parked car at Catalunya, breaks leg

Dean collides with parked car at Catalunya, breaks leg:

GreenEdge 'especially distraught' for Kiwi, says Stephens

(Via Cycling News.)

Velocast says...

Owner also 'especially distraught' for dented Fiat Punto. It's not quite Spring yet and the roads are still greasy in certain places. Radioshack-Nissan's, Jakob Fuglsang, also suffered a broken hand today

Team GB kit for London 2012 Olympics unveiled

Team GB kit for London 2012 Olympics unveiled:

Stella McCartney and Adidas team up for the design

(Via Cycling News.)

Velocast says...

I really don't know why people are getting so worked up about this; Sure, it'll look better when they put the logo on but I think this new Team Sky kit looks nice......What's that? It isn't? Team GB, you say? Oh......

Bad habits in the Benelux – the wayward learning of Andy Schleck | Chasing Wheels cycling blog

Bad habits in the Benelux – the wayward learning of Andy Schleck | Chasing Wheels cycling blog: "Andy Schleck is 26, an age at which Fignon had two Tours de France to his name and, but for an errant helicopter,  should have also had a Giro d’Italia. "

Velocast says...

Alex Murray nails it. Andy Schleck needs to stop deeming himself worthy of a Tour De France win and discover how to win, regardless of the race.