Cycling 2010

[Dodge]

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/deig...news_headlines

Deignan talking to 3 teams (1 protour) and expects a deal to be signed next week. No indicators apart from saying Sky wasn't one of them.

[Grey Boy]

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/deig...news_headlines

Deignan talking to 3 teams (1 protour) and expects a deal to be signed next week. No indicators apart from saying Sky wasn't one of them.

Thats great to hear. Can see him going to AG2R what with Roche being the main man now.

[Bluebeard]

Relieved it looks like he has got a ride and that it isn't Sky. Is it wrong to be kind of pleased that they are generally doing poorly?

[Dodge]

No, I'm delighted. Brailsford came across as ridiculously smug that his track methods would work wonders with the road boys and turn Wiggins into a Tour de France winner almost overnight. They'd be nothing without Boasson Hagan

[Billsthoughts]

it was lotto and radioshack he was talking to according to kelly one day on the commentary on eurosport.

[Dodge]

Official results have missed Roche and Schleck again!

Looks like Velits and Nibali gained a few seconds too

[Billsthoughts]

roche punctured at some stage according to the eurosport feed then they dont mention it again!

[Stuttgart88]

No, I'm delighted. Brailsford came across as ridiculously smug that his track methods would work wonders with the road boys and turn Wiggins into a Tour de France winner almost overnight. They'd be nothing without Boasson Hagan

By all accounts they were hugely unpopular at the Tour, driving Jaguars as team cars and cutting off the team bus from public view, both big no no's according to tradition. Also, Wiggins' training & weight managment regime looks to have backfired.

The Garmin approach that Wiggins smugly derided upon moving to SKY mustn't have been so bad after all.

[Bluebeard]

I particularly like the fact that their best results from a Brit rider this year came from Russell Downing, who they really pulled awful faces about signing because he wasn't a big name, and only raced in Britain. He must be disappointed that he only signed for them. Looks like Sky was Wigan, not Man U, after all...

Roche gained some seconds on Schleck and Sastre, and topped Danielson today. Tomorrow could be a massive day in his career. Fingers crossed it is.

[Bluebeard]

Ah well, 7th isn't the worst result ever. Shame about Tondo getting back in contact, and worse about Velits mystery TT the other day, but 7th is the best Irish result in a GT since Kelly won the Vuelta in 88, building, so to speak, on Deignan's 9th last year. Some great performances in the mountains from Roche, including today, in one of the toughest and most competitive Vueltas in recent years. I think Schleck should thank him personally, as it was Nic's wheel he sat on for most of the Vuelta.

Speaking of Saxo - I see Riis has released Cancellara - another moment of Riis rashness, I suspect. Given the staff they have had, and compared with how many Grand Tours they won, is Riis the single worst GT manager in the sport?

[Macy]

I particularly like the fact that their best results from a Brit rider this year came from Russell Downing, who they really pulled awful faces about signing because he wasn't a big name, and only raced in Britain. He must be disappointed that he only signed for them. Looks like Sky was Wigan, not Man U, after all...

They're more like Newcastle - paying inflated grand tour challenger money for one off performers... Biggest problem for them is Brailsfords two hats - someone like Thomas should be concentrating on the road, and more particularly lightening up for the mountains - he'll lose three years double jobbing for the track ahead of the olympics. Good call on Downing - interesting he's not rushing to sign for another year...

A great result for Roche imo. Time Trailling is something that can be improved through specific training and wind tunnels etc, whereas you can't learn to climb mountains. Hopefully it'll be enough to ensure full backing of his team mates for next year - goal must be top 10 in the tour now?

[Dodge]

A top 10 in the tour and some effing wins! He's established his credentials now as a fine rider but he needs to geta couple of big wins to keep moving up the ladder.

Interested to read he doesn't have a time trail bike to train on. He's already said this is his number one priority. I think the fact he lost no more than a minute on any stage to some real mountain goats bodes very well. he didn't crack once. A huge breakthrough

[Dodge]

In the newly published world rankings, Roche has climbed to 32nd with Dan martin slipping to 48th. Ireland remains in 17th place.

Importantly for Roche his Ag2R team climb to 17th place (which means automatic qualification for the grand tours next year). Cervelo are still ahead of them but every point counts.

Only the Tour of Lombardy is left this season (for ranking points). Dan Martin has targeted a good result here

[Stuttgart88]

Not having a TT bike is unbelievable really.

[Dodge]

Contador tests positive for Clenbuterol at le tour

http://www.velonation.com/News/ID/58...amination.aspx

UCI say needs further investigation

http://www.velonation.com/News/ID/58...stigation.aspx

We'll see how it plays out. The level is certainly bannable but looks like Contadors whole management team are completely on the ball and coming out first, with facts and scientific studies to back them up, shows they're trying to control the situation

[Dodge]

Reports now that Mosquera and David Garcia failed tests at the Vuelta.

Going to be a long, long, long weekend for any cycling fans


Of course the Mosquera and Contador cases aren't related bu in the eye of the media, they'll be seen as further proof of each other

[Spudulika]

I know it's innocent until proven guilty, but contaminated food is a bit much. While I'd like to think that at least some cyclists are drug free, it just looks less and less likely. As Paul Kimmage said - a clean tour would mean slower times, sprints and therefore less interest.

[Dodge]

This year's times were significantly slower than in previous years. One climb, lead by Contador, was 7 minutes slower than when pantani rode it in 98. 7 minutes over a 40 minute ride...

There's also been studies done to show that european beef had high levels of Clenbuterol.

He'll need fairly hard evidence to back his claim up though, so we're looking at another "great" champion dethroned

[Dodge]

http://www.sportsscientists.com/2010...-positive.html

Pretty informative article

[Bluebeard]

I note that Beppu (I think) at Radioshack has also had a similar positive this year, but was able to plead the contaminated food line too. According to Don Caitlin there was a case in 2008 with the swimmer Jessica Hardy where it was found to be in supplements. I'll be interested to see how this will be reported generally. It was a headline on US Sports reporting as of yesterday. I suspect this case will be one to watch for a while though, coming as the Federal investigation into US Postal is starting to probe slowly towards the heart of the team.

The news about Mosquera is a genuine surprise to me - I had thought that he looked vulnerable on occasion at the Vuelta. Heart breaking for Pino, who has been trying to do things right, and has been having trouble getting a sponsor for next year. Bad news for Vacansoliel. Funnily enough there is also word of suspicious substances being found at Riccó's house who just signed for them. Looks like it is time for him to cut another close personal associate loose again.

With the world championships also comes some restoration of the ranks of world cycling. Cancellara wins with Miller second and Martin (Tony, obviously) third. David McCann finished 25th, 4m52 down. For comparison, the best Slovakian placed 8s down on him, in 27th. A certain Peter Velits, time-trial wonderkid finished 32nd at 5m26. Maybe some more test results from the Vuelta still have to be processed...