Cycling 2014

[Macy]

Unless they're being "cycled" to peak at the Tour...

They're normally advanced enough coming into the Dauphine, and they were pretty rubbish from what I saw/ heard/ read - I doubt Henao busting his kneecap was part of the programme either!

[Mr A]

Martin misses Le Tour- no surprise there really. On the bright side it'll add interest to the Vuelta which I generally enjoy a lot more anyway. http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/dan-...tour-de-france

National championships this weekend, no Roche but Martin will take part there. Bennett will be there but of course Brammeier will win.

[Mr A]

Netapp have announced their Tour team- Bennett does not feature. Disappointing.

http://www.netapp-endura.com/en/news...-france-debut/

A bit more explanation here: http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/tour...s-gc-ambitions

"Our approach with Sam is much more long-term orientated. We want to build him up carefully and step-by-step. Compared to his last season, Sam has raced a very intense program already and he did it very successfully. So after the Nationals, we’ll give him a break so he can build-up a proper form for the second half of the season. Starting with the RideLondon Classic (August 10), we strongly believe that Sam will add even more wins to his and the Team’s account.”

[Mr A]

Kreuziger in bother over bio-passport values, out of the Tour: http://velonews.competitor.com/2014/...inquiry_333747

Bennett interview : http://cyclingtips.com.au/2014/06/be...nuck-a-podium/

Nice use of the word snuck.

[Mr A]

Ryan Mullen takes both the TT and Road Race champion's jersey's. http://www.lakesidewheelers.ie/news/...adracechampion

Serious talent- more to come in future for sure.

[Mr A]

Kelly's Trophy room:

[Mr A]

Long Kimmage interview with Froome. In two parts. Pretty interesting.

http://www.independent.ie/sport/othe...-30391816.html
http://www.independent.ie/sport/othe...-30394950.html

[Real ale Madrid]

Long Kimmage interview with Froome. In two parts. Pretty interesting.

http://www.independent.ie/sport/othe...-30391816.html
http://www.independent.ie/sport/othe...-30394950.html

It's an interview with Froome and his Girlfriend Michelle Cound. Thats pretty important - he obviously can't be left alone to speak for himself.

[Mr A]

Indeed yes- she seems to be a very domineering lady while he seems quite naive and almost childish at times.

[Stuttgart88]

I think RaM's point was a bit more sinister than that. Froome might say something incriminating without her mindful media savvy eye watching over him.

Anyway, regardless of Froome, Team SKY's halo is being exposed. And I don't buy this Sir Dave having a rubbish memory. I'm very sceptical of him. Is he a visionary genius or just a quite good manager-cum-sports scientist who benefitted from a British Olympic Committee decision to massively increase funding to cycling? It's well known that they singled out cycling as a sport that funding would benefit, and which poorer countries won't allocate funding to. Easy medals.

[Real ale Madrid]

I think RaM's point was a bit more sinister than that. Froome might say something incriminating without her mindful media savvy eye watching over him.

I think that ship sailed though - head over to Cyclingnews forums - there's a list of contradictions on that interview thats as long as your arm.

I'm still not sure what gives with the whole interview - Its not like Kimmage to let Sky control the narrative like that - classsic Lance tactics back in the day - yet maybe Kimmage thought - lets interview him, be gentle and let his own words get him into trouble. It would be interesting to see a Kimmage follow up piece - that will surely follow on Sunday as Le Tour De Fraud kicks off.

[Stuttgart88]

I'd say Kimmage is trying to build up a profile, get closer to the guy. So far his judgments and suspicions have been from afar.

Walsh is really putting his money where is mouth is, so to speak. Cassandra-in-chief for Armstrong: much kudos. Paid ghost writer: will undo all his good work and reputation if he has been duped.

[Mr A]

Netapp-Endura to have new named sponsors from next year as both the current ones are stopping: http://www.netapp-endura.com/en/news...rting-in-2015/

5 year deal, that's a nice level of stability.

[Real ale Madrid]

Walsh is really putting his money where is mouth is, so to speak. Cassandra-in-chief for Armstrong: much kudos. Paid ghost writer: will undo all his good work and reputation if he has been duped.

Walsh doesn't give a crap about cycling - he got lucky with Armstrong. Big Ego - got the high profile case - couldn't be bothered with the rest.

[Mr A]

As far as Kimmage goes, it's better to go and actually talk to the guy than just throw digs from afar as Stuttgart says. After all he did want to interview Armstrong as far as I recall. At least he got to ask some good questions and got them answered. As for Cound, I agree that she's there to keep Froome in line.

It's hard to know with Froome in some ways. His story is pretty unbelievable, but I'm not as convinced he's doping as some of the other guys in the peloton.

Incidentally- does it bug anyone else that Kimmage so often starts his pieces with little stories about himself? I find it tiresome at this stage.

[gastric]

Interesting article on Armstrong and Emma O'Reilly. She has reconciled with him, but is no Walsh fan.

http://www.irishtimes.com/sport/othe...1854582?page=3

[passinginterest]

Roche doing his diaries again this year. Always makes for an interesting read. Sounds like absolue carnage yesterday. http://www.independent.ie/sport/othe...-30420691.html

[Dodge]

Was a brilliant stage to watch. They got a little unlucky with the heavy rain. I'm happy to see a cobbled stage in it every year

[DannyInvincible]

This was first broadcast on BBC Four on the 6th of July:

Documentary telling the intimate but explosive story about the man behind the greatest fraud in recent sporting history, a portrait of a man who stopped at nothing in pursuit of money, fame and success.

It reveals how Lance Armstrong duped the world with his story of a miraculous recovery from cancer to become a sporting icon and a beacon of hope for cancer sufferers around the world. The film maps how Armstrong's cheating and bullying became more extreme and how a few brave souls fought back, until eventually their voices were heard.

Director Alex Holmes tracks down some of his former friends and team members who reveal how his cheating was the centre of a grand conspiracy in which Armstrong and his backers sought to steal the Tour de France. Friends and fellow riders were brought into a dirty pact that no-one could betray, lest the horrifying extent of complicity be revealed. But the former friends whose lives he destroyed would prove to be his nemesis, and help uncover one of the dirtiest scandals in sports history.

The Lance Armstrong Story - Stop at Nothing (Part One)

Some of you might already have seen it, but it's worth a watch.

[DannyInvincible]

The Lance Armstrong Story - Stop at Nothing (Part Two)