Take on the cycling challenge
Rapha the high-end cycling retailer responded with magnanimity, when one of his employees spotted resemblance between Short Sleeve Pro Team Baselayer and Aldi’s cheaper Crane Men’s Pink Mesh Baselayer.
Contador is confident about winning the 102nd edition of the Tour de France. He said that he likes the Tour and considers it to be harder than last year’s. He said that he needs to recover well after Giro d’Italia and he is confident about preparing himself in a thorough manner.
Bjarne Riis, the manager of Tinkoff-Saxo team, to which Contador belongs, has said that the course is favourable for them and he also called the tour tough and spectacular.
The opening stages of the race will be in Belgium and Northern France. Regarding that, Contador said that they’d have to be strong in the two uphill finishes because that can potentially make much more difference than long climbs. Contador also recognizes the importance of having a team that is strong enough to protect him, more importantly on the cobblestone stage which he regards to be difficult.
Contador said that the race requires a participant to be fresh and in good shape because it is very exhausting. He previously won the race in 2007 and 2009.
A team time trial event spanning 28 km concludes the first part of the Tour de France. Contador considers having a team that is fit and has all its members ready for the event to be crucial.
Contador considers that for the first part, it is crucial to go out without having to lose time because of the course being so much physically demanding because of so many uphill finishes.
An important issue in the course is recovery. Contador considers that in the case of defending a lead, things might get complicated. But in case a rider needs to attack, it might prove to be tactically advantageous.
Riis is hopeful of his team performing well in the Team Time Trial. He also said that he likes the course and further added that the course demands a team to be strong and having a short time trial is also good for them. He said that the Tour needs not always be same.
The racing season of Chris Horner, American veteran rider as well as member of Lampre-Merida came to an end on Sunday at the finale of World Tour, Grand Prix Cycliste de Montreal. He has not signed any contract for the upcoming year. Horner told the Cyclingnews that nothing has been done for 2015. He has not signed anything. He further added that it is stressful if you do not have anything lined up at his age.
By winning at Vuelta a Espana, the 2013 season ended with a good note for Horner. But, the 42-year old racer had a very stormy 2014 which started with a serious accident in April which occurred during his training in Italy. He was hospitalized for many weeks and took a long time to recover. It was followed by bronchitis and tendonitis. These situations can raise question to any racer’s return to the main circuit again. But, he never lost his confidence and believed that he can race for at least a couple of more seasons at the optimum level.
He said that he wishes to race for one year or if possible two seasons. It is his firm belief that his age is the main reason he does not have a contract now for 2015. It has nothing to do with his capabilities. Horner said that it is very obvious that no team would like to go for an older racer. He has passed the expiry date of a racer and has been in the circuit for extra six or seven years. He further added that for him age is never a factor but for others it is. This is the main reason that only a few teams are willing to sign him up in spite of being a Grand Tour Winner.
When he was asked if Lampre-Merida does not renew the contract, which teams will be interested to sign him, he gave a diplomatic answer. He said that it is the job of his agent to know all this and he tries not to fret over them.
Keeping in mind the recent cycling accidents that have taken place in Kings Cross, Transport for London (Tfl) came out with certain road designs which would create safer conditions for cyclists. However, many cyclists have protested against these designs and want Tfl to produce more effective road layouts.
On 12th August, 2014 many cycling campaigners got together in London to put forward their objection to Tfl’s road designs and claimed that the changes propounded by Tfl are not going to improve the safety of the cyclists.
According to James Gower (cycling campaigner and organizer who could not attend the campaign on Tuesday due to some illness), Tfl is trying to bring about these changes to Kings Cross to prove that things have been done to improve cycling conditions.
Gower maintains that Tfl is upholding the interest of the minority of the motor car owners and purposely ignoring the security of pedestrians as well as cyclists. Tfl has failed to provide dedicated road lanes for cycling enthusiasts in the new designs.
The main fault of the new road designs is that certain motor lanes appear to be protected as cycle lanes but then at some junctions those protected lanes tend to vanish. It is at these junctions that navigation becomes slow for the cyclists because of motor traffic (buses and construction lorries).
Many protestors said that they deliberately avoid using Kings Cross roads because they are not sure about the safety of the roads and thus they prefer taking longer routes.
Road Space Management’s Director at Tfl- Alan Bristow said that the road designs will be implemented this year and in around 6 months the work on Kings Cross will be completed. In the meantime they will continue to find out ways in which pedestrians, cyclists, motor car owners etc can use the road network safely.
Much to the delight of mountain bikers at Idaho, a new fun trail has opened around recently to ensure a pleasant riding amidst a wonderfully picturesque backdrop. Located at Bogus, the new trail is called “Around The Mountain”.
ATM, as it is popularly known as, the new mountain biking trail was finished last fall & only a handful of bikers had the opportunity to experience it before winter struck. But now, the trail is all-ready for every willing mountain biker.
ATM is surely one among the most beautifully structured trails featuring quite an edgy trail design. It’s a blend of conventional trail where narrow tread sharply scratched into dirt & modern theme displaying sharp gentle curves.
Besides, there are rock & wooden bridges to add a better dimension to the scenic trail. With a trail length is around 9-12 miles & ATM can be said to a nice intermediate trail. However, it won’t demand huge technical skills as such.
The new Idaho trail commences with quite a steep climb towards Deer-Point trail, close to Deer-Point lift before Simplot Lodge. The biker would have to ride around a mile till the intersection with ATM. The trailhead close to Simplot Lodge bore the name “ATM” signifying the new trail.
The 1st half of the trail features steepest of ascents & descents & the descent covers nicest bermed edges one could get on any of the local trails here. The 2nd half feels is more of climbing rather than descending – it’s basically some shorter climbs & descents till one wind round to front part of Bogus & take final climb till Pioneer Lodge.
According to mountain biking experts, the new Idaho trail is sure to make mark as a marquee trail on Bogus Basin.
Bradley Wiggins has reportedly expressed his desire to compete in 2014 Tour France with his old squad Team Sky. The 33-year-old cycling hero has declared to take up any role offered to him by Sky to take part in Tour France.
The 2012 Tour France was the first Brit ever to claim the coveted champion jersey at the most prestigious cycling event of the world. He followed up the heroic feat with a time trial gold medal at London Olympics.
However, last year was frustrating for Wiggins given his serious chest infection that compelled him to withdraw his name from Giro. Besides, it was his bad knee injury that barred him from defending his Tour France title last year that went to the rider’s Sky mate Chris Froome.
Froome’s win at the Tour de France last year led to a bad dispute over the role of leadership in Sky and even resulted in a tension between the two riders who were the best of mates once.
However, Wiggins has lately confirmed that he is ready to ride along Froome, in Tour France, regardless of the role offered to him. The 2014 Tour de France is scheduled to commence from Yorkshire this July
“I wish to get back at Tour France, to get back to my squad, irrespective of the capacity conferred on to me by Sky. I want to ride along the defending champ Chris”, stated Wiggins. “2 Brit winners at the championship starting in UK seems to bring quite an amazing experience for all of us.”
Wiggins is also enthusiastic to take part in California Tour that will start before Tour France, in May.
“I am looking forward to perform really well this season”, added in the former Tour de France champion.
Mark Cavendish is all set to start the season of 2014 with a bang and hopes to be in the leader’s jersey in the Tour de France which will be starting in July at Yorkshire. Cavendish is super excited about this year because it will be his home town and with the kind of support he normally gets it would be really a plus point for him.
This is the second time that he will be in front of his home crowd. Last time it was in United Kingdom in the year 2007. At that time cycling was not that popular as it is now and the number of people who watched cycling at that time was also quite less. Naturally with the support of the crowd Cavendish will be looking to make this year his most successful year ahead. The first stage of the Tour de France will end in Harrogate, the home town of Cavendish’s mother. From childhood Cavendish always had the dream of cycling in front of his home crowd and to get that opportunity twice in a career is something that is really rare.
Mark Cavendish will be backed by Mark Renshaw and this is a very big news both for Cavendish and also for the whole team. When asked about Renshaw, Cavendish said that Renshaw is a great friend of his and he is delighted to get him back. He is also one of the most gifted people that anyone will ever get in the field of cycling. Patrick Lefevre, the manager of the team said that he is really hopeful this year and thinks that the pair will be good enough for all the other teams and they will emerge victorious at the end of the year.
Great news for English female cyclists- Brit Cycling is reportedly on a mission to bring in 1 million more female cyclists on track by the year 2020.
The British Cycling is working to hard to develop female cycling in the country that was witnessed by its launch of Women’s Cycling Strategy in march 2013, post London Olympics. As per the newly launched Strategy, nearly 106,000 female cyclists have signed up for the programs this time.
“Women here have a true appetite to take part in racing or getting into personal challenge riding”, stated Ian Drake, the CEO of British Cycling body. “Post the launching of our strategy we have witnesses huge progress within 6 months only & it’s our goal to bring in 1 million more women in cycling by the coming 7 years. So far, 24,000 women expressed interest in participating for the Brit Cycling sportives in 2013 & our women member base shows a 19 percent enhancement post the Strategy launch.”
The English Secretary for media, culture & sport, Maria Miller, cited the examples of star female Brit cyclists like Laura Trott & Becky James while stressing on the high momentum of female cycling in England. “With star role models like Becky James and Laura Trott, an increment in women’s races, the announcement of Women’s Tour & increasing number of female coaches- it seems that cycling here is in grand momentum here”, our sources quoted Miller. The Women’s Britain Tour, which would be launched in 2014, achieved the same dignified status as men’s race this year in October
According to reports from British Cycling scene, around 37,000 female riders have participated in 2013 traffic-free cycling. Shanaze Reeded, the 30time Brit BMX Champion of the world remarked-“the sport of cycling has always been usual with men for long. Now, we have started to end the gender gap.”
Eneco Tour is memorable for Alessandro Petacchi. This tour has witnessed his return after the retirement news. There are many fans of this two-wheeler action and Petacchi has done all this for his fans only. He started his professional cycling career in 1996 and holds the credit of winning 48 grand tour stages. After Paris-Roubaix, he has not participated in any race of cycling and this Eneco tour has witnessed his comeback after retirement. Though people were nervous for his participation yet he has shown self confidence and did it well. He was very excited for this race as he already been for other championships.
He has said that every cycling game is like a first day at school for him which maintains the thrill in him. For this race he was feeling good too. He has participated in this tour to show that he is still able to fight with his competitors. His first day of tour was awesome as he explained in an interview. However, he has regrets of losing the game but he is not disappointed. He will come back with better preparation next time. Even during this tournament he was among the top 10 cyclists of the contest.
However, he wants to achieve more and moving ahead on the same path of winning. He admits that now its not a big deal what position he holds in a championship. He just enjoys racing with the cyclists. This is the spirit of participating in a game. One should enjoy it. He is really hopeful to move ahead with the same team because he finds it extraordinary. He is feeling privileged to be a part of this team. He was also welcomed with great advice and tips which he found useful for the game. It didn’t take much time for him to be part of this team.
Sir Bradley Wiggins, the Olympic champ, thinks that gaining a stone in weight would improve his scopes in World Championships in Florence next month. Earlier, the 33 year old rider missed Tour de France because of a knee injury. But, later he made a really impressive return with a win in the thirty-seven kilometers time trial at Tour of Poland.
Bradley Wiggins told that carrying extra weight is real hard, but if one gets in a time trial and he won by a minute, it really pays off. Sir Bradley is taking part in the 56.8 kilo-meter time trial on 25th September on Tuesday. Continue reading “Wiggins set for World Championships”