Indholdsfortegnelse for August 22, 2019 i Cycling Weekly

Is it just me or does it feel strange that there won’t be a British Grand Tour winner this year? Yes, I know winning all three last year with Chris Froome, Geraint Thomas and Simon Yates was never going to be repeated, but I can’t help feeling a little hard done by this year. Just think, there’s probably a whole generation of young cycling fans who have grown up knowing nothing other than British riders winning the Tour. There have, however, been lots of good performances elsewhere for us to cheer. In the last week the British under-23 riders have been winning at the Tour de l’Avenir — the best guide for who is about to step up to the WorldTour — while the British team won eight medals at…

I’m back on the track and very happy about it, but not going very well and a bit sad about that. Both are things I instinctively want to lie about. I talk about velodromes enough that you’d assume I was on there at least most weeks… what have I been doing if I’ve not done been on the track? And I’m never sure if it’s polite to say you aren’t on form. I hate to hear it from other people. You’re not going well? To always be going well would mean never going really well — stop complaining. How self-indulgent, to be sad about being slow. But I am currently quite slow and it’s made me quite sad. I’ve been riding a lot in Zone 2 and lifting in the…

Anna Turvey (Drag2Zero) The reigning 10-mile champion was third at the 25-mile distance last year. She’s been consistently in the top 10 of races this year too. She skipped the National 50 this year in favour of her first crack at a the National 100 but the shorter distances remain her strength. CW rating ★★★★ Alice Lethbridge (Drag2Zero) While Lethbridge is something of a long-distance specialist, she’s quite capable of knocking out a strong 25. She just missed out on being the fastest woman at the Welsh Championships in May. CW rating ★★★ Matt Langworthy (Saint Piran) Last year’s second placed rider, Langworthy has only lost two TTs this year. One of those was the National U23 time trial where he was a very credible fourth. CW rating ★★★★ Brett…

There are up to eight stages in this year’s Vuelta in which it might be reasonable to assume there’ll be a bunch finish. The fastest men in the race are likely to be Fernando Gaviria (UAE-Emirates) and Sam Bennett (Bora-Hansgrohe). Both have had limited opportunities to shine this year. Gaviria was forced to go home early from the Giro d’Italia after a knee injury flared up, which also kept him out of the Tour de France. He was awarded a stage win in the Giro, but only after Elia Viviani, who was first across the line on stage three, was relegated for deviating off his line. Bennett, the winner of 11 races so far this year, will finally get his first Grand Tour outing of 2019 after being overlooked for…

Infection: My swelling was never accompanied by infection. Chamois cream and washing controls infection risk, but there is a genetic component too. Everyone’s skin has a coating of good bacteria fighting off the bad; if you get more infections, it may be (ironically) because you’re killing too many of the good bacteria. Don’t put plasters on infections, don’t overuse antibiotics, and take some rest. If it’s not visible externally, it’s probably not an infection. Swelling: Female anatomy is especially good at responding to trauma (blame childbirth!), which means tissues can overreact and swell more than necessary. Necrotic fat: In response to chronic impact, the body often creates a protective fat-cushion (medical name: necrotic fat) under the skin. It occurs in people with Type 1 diabetes who inject themselves with insulin…

“Our message of equality between men and women in sport, including access to major races, is universal. The Tour de France being such an international event, it seemed important for us to involve women of various nationalities — to spread our message beyond French borders. Helen and her team-mates have been great ambassadors around the world for the Donnons des Elles au Vélo J-1 project. “After five editions, the results are very positive. We have raised awareness among cyclists, the public, the media and race organisers, making the case for a women’s stage race worthy of the Tour. ASO’s setting up of a working group to investigate creating a women’s equivalent of the Tour de France is a great step forward. We’ll keep campaigning until it happens.”…

There are three sorts of holiday. There is the cycling holiday. There is the sort of holiday which isn’t a cycling holiday, but where you can nonetheless take a bike and find an hour or two each day or so to go for a ride. And there is the sort of holiday where fitting in some cycling is really, really difficult. I went on holiday recently. It was on a boat. This is very much a ‘type-three’ holiday, and in general such trips should be avoided. The last time I took a bike on a boating trip, I unpacked it, assembled it, and then discovered that in its completed form it was too big to go back out through the cabin door. This time I didn’t even try to take…

In the mid-1990s average speeds in professional cycling started to rise very rapidly. Now we know that widespread organised use of EPO was mostly responsible but a clever invention by Italian component brand Cinelli had a similar effect until it was banned, ironically a very long time before the most prolific dopers were. The Spinaci bars – vaguely resembling spinach in their shape and a good excuse for Cinelli’s art team to draw Popeye with a Cinelli winged ‘C’ tattooed on his bulging forearm riding a set – were extensions that bolted to the handlebar, adding just 220g of “full strength vitamin-packed alloy”. Spinacis allowed riders to adopt a more aerodynamic position with their hands out front and Cinelli also claimed that their dual-pivot system, with its infinite adjustability in…

Derbyshire is littered with short, punchy little climbs, many of which are well-known across the British race scene. The county has hosted the UK’s National Hill-Climb Championships on numerous occasions as climbs like Winnats Pass, Bank Road and the Riber have become synonymous with the late-season, lung-busting specialist event. This route was designed as a tour of these places, as a homage to the hill-climb — a very British event which allows you to pit yourself against some of the best riders the UK has ever produced. Taking in these climbs as part of a big ride means you’ll have to pace yourself, but it’s still worth checking your times from bottom to top to see just how fast the best riders can go. Reasons to ride 1 Climbing perfection…

Ladies Tour of Norway (August 22-25) The four-day race has been won by Marianne Vos in each of the last two editions. Typically a closely-fought race, the Women’s WorldTour race features stages that are likely to end in sprints and others that look certain to be decided by attacking moves. Cyclassics Hamburg (August 25) Elia Viviani is aiming for a hat-trick of wins in the German port city, although the Deceuninck-Quick Step rider will have to beat previous winner Alexander Kristoff (UAE-Team Emirates) and Dylan Groenewegen (Jumbo-Visma). Schaal Sels Merksem (August 25) Dating back to 1921, the race is a 10-lap kermesse that usually ends with a rider winning from a late attack. Last year, however, Timothy Dupont (Wanty-Gobert) won in a bunch sprint. Canyon-dhb p/b Bloor Homes are racing.…

The first Italian to win all three Grand Tours, Felice Gimondi, was a nation’s talisman in the era of true greats. He won his debut Tour de France at the age of 22 after getting a late call up to start the 1965 edition when a team-mate withdrew. Three years later and he’d won the Giro d’Italia and the Vuelta a España — the second rider to win all three after Jacques Anquetil and one of only seven to ever do so. Victories in Paris-Roubaix, Il Lombardia and Milan-San Remo followed, and ‘The Phoenix’ finally landed the world title in 1973. Born on September 24, 1942 in Sedrina, Bergamo, northern Italy, Gimondi grew up in Italian cycling’s heartland. Little is written about his amateur days, with his first listed win…

Dumoulin signs with Jumbo-Visma Tom Dumoulin has made the much anticipated move to Jumbo-Visma, the team announced on Monday — the same morning that Sunweb revealed it had let the Dutch star out of his contract two years early. “After the disappointment of missing the Tour, I started to consider that a new environment could be refreshing. There were great offers and I felt like it was the right time to take this one,” the 28-year-old said. Martin joins Israel Cycling Academy In a surprise move, Dan Martin is to leave UAE Team Emirates and the WorldTour to join Pro Continental team Israel Cycling Academy on a two-year contract. Martin will take an undisputed GC leader position and aid the team’s quest to step up to WorldTour level. “I feel…

Recently I had the misfortune to fall off my bike and land in the middle of the road, unhurt fortunately. Within seconds three motorists stopped and asked whether I was OK. A fourth pulled up behind and offered to take me home, without asking how far away I lived. He seemed rather upset when I told him I was fine and could ride home. I thanked all the drivers profusely for their concern and went on my way. I was overwhelmed by their kindness and reflected on the fact that there are still caring people around, who are still prepared to help an ‘old man’ in distress. Doug Collins, Hampton Ed — Glad to hear you’re OK and were able to get back on your bike, Doug. It’s always hard…

PRIMOŽ ROGLIČ Jumbo-Visma | Svn Days racing in 2019: 42 Wins in 2019: 9 Podiums in 2019: 8 Up until about the third weekend of the Giro d’Italia, Slovenian Primož Roglič’s 2019 stage race record was impeccable. He’d taken overall wins in every stage race he’d started in the early season — the UAE Tour, Tirreno-Adriatico and Tour de Romandie — and had kicked off the Italian tour with a win in the opening time trial. Several nonchalant days in pink were followed with another victory in the stage nine time trial. Although Roglič had tactically surrendered the lead to a couple of placeholders, he was looking untouchable. But then, as the race hit the mountains, a series of misjudgements by him and his support team saw the race slip…

Overall leader Based on cumulative racing time, minus any time bonuses. 10, 6 and 4 seconds are awarded to first three over the finish line on each stage, with 3, 2 and 1 seconds at each stage’s intermediate sprint. Points leader Based on accumulation of points awarded daily at each day’s stage finish and intermediate sprint. 1st to 15th place at the finish are respectively awarded: 25, 20, 16, 14, 12, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. The first three riders in an intermediate sprint are respectively awarded the following points: 4, 2, 1. Mountains leader Based on accumulation of points awarded on each classified climb. Points are awarded to either the first five or three riders over a summit as follows: Special category - 15,…

WHAT With a GPS (global positioning system) computer you can track time, speed and distance without attaching a sensor to your fork blade and magnet to the spokes. Afterwards you can either upload and analyse your ride data and route via your computer manufacturer’s own app or use a third-party app, the most popular of which is Strava. That’s the basics. At the sub-£200 price point what else you get depends on the device and the market it’s aiming at. Fitness-focused units will pair with sensors such as power meters and heart rate monitors via wireless protocols ANT+ or Bluetooth (or both) at the expense of navigational features, while others may favour enhanced route finding over sensor connectivity. We’re seeing more button-operated devices again and we say this is a…

ROAD RACING SUNDAY, AUGUST 18 Ryedale Grasscrete Grand Prix (National Road Series, North Yorkshire): Men E, 1, 2 (round 10): 1. James Shaw (SwiftCarbon Pro Cycling) 150km in 3:54.25; 2. J. Scott (SwiftCarbon Pro Cycling) same time; 3. S. Lampier (Saint Piran) +0.23; 4. E. Christensen (Canyon-dhb p/b Bloor Homes) +1.57; 5. T. Robbins (SwiftCarbon Pro Cycling) st; 6. Z. Kyffn (Ribble Pro Cycling) +2.00; 7. J. Jenkins (Richardsons-Trek); 8. M. Holmes (Madison-Genesis); 9. S. Culverwell (Team Estera) all st; 10. D. Clayton (Ribble Pro Cycling) +2.02. National Road Series (Final Overall): 1. Matthew Holmes (Madison-Genesis) 193 pts; 2. J. Scott (SwiftCarbon Pro Cycling) 164; 3. J. Shaw (SwiftCarbon Pro Cycling) 162; 4. S. Lampier (Saint Piran) 136; 5. M. Stedman (Canyon-dhb) 127; 6. M. Christian (Team Wiggins) 120. Team…

This route was created to push boundaries, to test your riding abilities on some of the toughest roads the UK has to offer. Some of the climbs featured here are enough to have even the fittest riders slow to a crawl or zig-zag across the tarmac just to keep going. But don’t let that scare you — this route features some inspiring climbs that are nothing short of legendary on the British scene. The slopes of Rosedale Chimney might have blown apart the Milk Race peloton, but get the right gearing on your bike and they can also be enjoyed. The North York Moors National Park is a place of breathtaking beauty that’s best enjoyed on two wheels. With countless places to visit and plenty of places to stay, this…

There comes a time in every committed cyclist’s life when it’s time for a reboot. You’ve been riding the same training routes for eons and now you’re ready to change things up. Once you’ve got yourself inspired, it’s time to make those changes happen. And for that, you need a good route planning and navigation tool. Komoot combines planning and navigation into one convenient platform which you can use on iOS, Android or your desktop. Start by entering your fitness level, sport type, and start and end points, and komoot will join the dots to form a route perfect for the road cycling you want to do. To personalise the route even more, you can opt to display additional information on the map, such as recommended Highlights from local cyclists…

The longest of our five recommended routes, there’s a bit of everything on this South Wales loop. Although it’s long, it only features a moderate amount of climbing so this isn’t as arduous as some of our other routes. There is some climbing, you’re in or skirting round the Brecon Beacons after all, but we’re confident it’s a route manageable by anyone with a good level of fitness. The highlight for us is the ominously named Black Mountain Pass as you head south to the coast. Touching on 513m altitude, it’s by far the highest point on the route. It’s a devious route though, as the effort is back-loaded in the last half and specifically on the roads between Glynneath and Ebbw Vale. Reasons to ride 1 Pro training ground…

It’s notable that the three riders that have so far made the step up in 2019 are all from teams that race a heavily European calendar. It begs the question: Is the British scene good at developing riders? “I think it does develop riders alright, but it doesn’t put them in a place where they’re going to get seen by other teams and signed,” said Tim Elverson, manager of Canyon-dhb. “The British scene is very competitive and anyone who comes down gets a shock about how hard it is,” he added. “James Shaw (Swift-Carbon) got fourth in TdY, which is great, but probably won’t go up because it’s just one result. For example, take Lotto-Soudal, Jumbo-Visma, Corendon-Circus, Israel Cycling Academy, Sport Vlaanderen and Wanty-Gobert, we probably race them every single…

Still enjoying Spain? It feels like my second home and I’m comfortable with the team and the town I live in. What’s the biggest thing you’ve learned? That big improvements can be found off the bike. You can’t be in 100 percent condition all year. It’s important to take time to do other things. Same team yet again? It’s my third year here and I stayed because the calendar got even better. Last summer I was getting top 10s and top 20s and I wanted to capitalise on that. How’s the season been? A disappointment. At the end of February, four days before my first race of the year, I had a crash in training. I was injured for almost a month and every time I’ve tried to return something…

After a strong showing in the Giro d’Italia, Hugh Carthy will be looking to underline his Grand Tour potential once again. Alongside the Briton and Urán, EF Education First also field Tejay van Garderen and young Colombian talent Sergio Higita. Bora-Hansgrohe present another small pool of outsiders with Rafał Majka and Davide Formolo. Rarely are either consistent enough to endure a full GC campaign, but they often become dangerous stage chasing disruptors. Esteban Chaves (Mitchelton-Scott) marked an emotional comeback from Epstein-Barr virus when he won a stage at the Giro. Whether he’s ready to contend the overall remains to be seen.…

The rider in need of a result Fabio Aru (UAE-Emirates) really hasn’t got a lot to show for himself since winning the Vuelta in 2015. Last year he fell off and embarrassed his sponsors by swearing about his bike. But 14th place at the Tour shows there’s still hope for him. The youngster Tadej Pogačar (UAE-Emirates) is exactly the kind of rider queuing up to knock the likes of Aru off his leadership perch. Wins in this year’s Tours of Algarve and California very much point to a Grand Tour contesting future for the 20-year-old. The breakaway specialist Everyone loves a bit of Thomas de Gendt (Lotto-Soudal) in the breakaway. Will the Belgian wait for a sprint like he did in the 2017 Vuelta or just, you know, hold off…

Want to take the bike away but haven’t managed to/can’t be bothered to work out which roof rack you need? Florida-based designer and manufacturer of ‘kick-ass car racks’ (among other sports attachments) might have the answer. The Mini Bomber uses vacuum mounts — not suction cups, there’s a big difference — to secure two bikes directly to the car roof. Yes, it sounds a bit scary but each SeaSucker vacuum mount is pull-rated at 210lb and the rack can take two bikes weighing up to 45lb each. The suckers will stick to metal, glass or fibreglass and the HDPE body flexes to fit to the curves of your vehicle. You pump the air out of each sucker with a thumb-sized piston and there is an indicator to let you know…

“I’ma total amateur,” says Helen Bridgman, modestly. “I’m a third cat and I’ve been racing for a couple of years; I enjoy it, but I’m not very good.” Last year, an unusual video by Škoda caught the self-deprecating rider’s attention. #ThisIsOurTime was a special campaign appealing for applications for the Donnons des Elles au Vélo, a French women’s team which since 2015 has ridden the course of the Tour de France one day ahead of the race to draw attention to the fact that women’s racing still has no equivalent. “It was bittersweet, knowing that pro women don’t get to experience that” As Bridgman was mulling over taking the leap and applying, she heard about the InternationElles, a 10-strong, all-amateur, English-speaking women’s team who were setting out to follow the…

Binck Bank Tour (August 12-18) Laurens De Plus’s third place on the seventh and final stage moved him up from the last to the top step on the podium, the Jumbo-Visma man denying Tim Wellens the overall victory. Irish sprinter Sam Bennett won the first three stages. Tour of Utah (August 12-18) Ben Hermans maintained his career-best run of form, winning stages three and four and the general classification. The Belgian 33-year-old, who rides for Israel Cycling Academy, won the Tour of Austria last month and finished second at the Adriatica Ionica Race. Arctic Race of Norway (August 15-18) Pre-race favourite Alexey Lutsenko scored his second GC triumph of the season, the Astana rider finishing third on both the last two stages to ensure his success. Home riders Odd Christian…

An email arrives: “Dr. Hutch, I’ve got a riding mate who swears by the performance-enhancing effects of caffeine. But he’s always hated coffee and says tablets give him indigestion. He depends on coffee yoghurt — he eats two, an hour before an event. “Recently he forgot to take any and asked me if I’d pick some up for him on my way to the same race. Looking at the small print on the pot I noticed in the ingredients: “coffee flavouring (does not contain caffeine)”. “The question is: Do I tell him?” Yours, Anon. I’d suggest you don’t, Anon. Keep it to yourself. Until that moment when the sudden revelation will do the most damage. You’ll know this moment when it arrives.…

This Snowdonian route features three hidden climbs that are some of the longest, and most secretive, in the UK. If you haven’t heard of them, that’s because they’re effectively private, dead-end roads taking you to hidden lakes that feed small hydroelectric power stations below. The climbs themselves are epic, each one steep enough in places to force you into your lowest gear. They’re long too, with the final climb of Marchlyn Mawr taking you to over 600m in altitude. We were guided round this route by multiple hill-climb champion Dan Evans, who’d been wanting for some time to devise a loop that took in all three of these climbs. Our challenge to him was all the inspiration he needed, and he came up trumps. Enjoy. Reasons to ride 1 Local…

The highest point in the south of England, Surrey’s Leith Hill has many well-ridden roads — so many in fact that a route has been devised with eight climbs up its wooded slopes. From the seven-kilometre Coldharbour Lane that starts as a drag, steepens, drops down and then kicks up again at the end, to the steep, rutted 1.9km Tanhurst Lane, Leith Hill has it all. The whole route only has 1,800m of vertical ascent, but that’s packed into 103km and is all done on one hill. Pretty impressive. All the climbs that crisscross this part of the North Downs, a designated area outstanding natural beauty, are equally attractive and testing, but it’s Leith Hill that is perhaps the most popular. Reasons to ride 1 A route like no other…