Indholdsfortegnelse for November 5, 2020 i Cycling Weekly

It’s been a year like no other, of that there is no doubt. And while we’d never wish for a repeat of 2020’s decimation of the racing calendar, both professional and amateur, the racing we did get was as exhilarating as anything we’ve seen in years – all three Grand Tours going down to the wire and some great one-day racing in between. We’ve also seen some inspirational efforts from people taking to two wheels to raise money, volunteers who make local races happen continuing to work behind the scenes, and clubs ingeniously adapting what they do for their members. So now it’s over to you to vote. From page 24 you can read about the people shortlisted for a 2020 CW award. The categories that need your input are…

More and more riders are completing the challenge and ordering their finisher’s medal. If you haven’t signed up you can still do so. Go to www.cyclingweekly.com/cw5000 ■ Howard Smith ■ Gary Williams ■ Dean Rollings ■ Ricky Yuen ■ Chris Henderson ■ Nick O’Connell ■ Timothy Rand ■ Stephen Rowe ■ Marcin Figlus ■ Paul Todd ■ Geoff Carter ■ Gary Boothroyd ■ Paul McCormack ■ Alistair Johnston ■ Ian Miller ■ Helen Collard ■ Simon Trace ■ Gavin Vest ■ Chris Goddard ■ Phil Hatton ■ Peter Sanderson ■ Brian Foster ■ Ian Nelson ■ Debbie Henderson ■ John Coates ■ Philip Parsley ■ Peter Aldred ■ Katherine Stalham ■ Jan & Malcolm Craven ■ Steven E. Hornstein ■ Lesley McCondach ■ Paul Snow ■ Matthew Blaxall ■ Scott…

We’ve never seen a year like 2020, and in all honesty we’re hoping we never see one again. You only truly miss something when you lose it and that was true of bike racing this year. What we’ve previously taken for granted became life-affirming when it returned. Bike riding and racing is at the very centre of our lives and of all the lessons we learnt this year one of the most important was to enjoy and celebrate the successes when they come. With no Olympics and a reduced calender, it wasn’t a full year of racing, but what we got was as intense and entertaining as anything we’ve seen for years. This is one of the reasons why, despite everything, we felt running this year’s awards was more important…

A continuous stream of top-drawer performances compressed into the most intense few months ever seen in international bike racing doesn’t make it any easier to pick a winner – but thankfully that’s your job, not ours. Tadej Pogačar’s breakthrough Tour de France victory following a racelong battle and three stage wins was a wild ride for bike racing fans and makes it easy to overlook his third at Liege-Bastogne-Liege and second at the UAE Tour. But then there is Wout van Aert’s constant string of fine performances in, well, everything – from stage wins and great mountain riding in the Tour, to his wins in Strade Bianche and Milan-San Remo. Annemiek van Vleuten gave van Aert a run for his money in terms of dominance. She has finished on the…

We are currently testing the Theragun Pro (below, £549) and the Pulseroll gun (right, £224.99) on a long-term basis. Pending a more detailed review, which will be published online, we have found quite a difference in the effectiveness and ease of use between these two products. The Theragun Pro is clearly top of the pile on build quality, support and ease of use. At half the price, the Pulseroll – understandably – doesn’t match the Theragun Pro in any regard. The Theragun’s ease of use, Bluetooth connectivity (app controlled), online support, wireless recharging, education, battery power, quietness and adjustability means that it leads the field in percussion/massage therapy. Admittedly, it comes at a high price. That said, Theragun offers cheaper models, using similar technology and build quality. Massage guns can…

Last week’s Club 10 virtual TT (28 October) took place on the London course, finishing atop the 2.8km Box Hill climb – and favouring power-to-weight over outright brawn. Reigning 30-mile competition record holder Rachael Elliott clocked a stunning 24.16 to win the women’s category by nearly 2.5 minutes as well as taking second overall – beating even CW’s Dr Hutch. Second-placed woman was Jamielee Wright, in 26.45, 1.21 faster than third-placed Gail Phillips. “I realised that multiple British TT champion Michael Hutchinson had entered, which was all the motivation I needed,” said Elliott. The 42-year-old from Berkshire became a Zwifting and tandem specialist after a stroke in 2018 left her severely sight-impaired. “A deterioration in my sight means I’ve had to take a step back from Zwift but time trialling…

Next year’s edition of the Tour de France will be the first to feature a double ascent of Mont Ventoux. The race will use two different ascents of the Giant of Provence on stage 11. The first will start in Sault and is slightly more gentle averaging five per cent but very long at 24km, while the second is the better known ascent from Bedoin which averages just under nine per cent and is 15.7km long. Then the riders will also have to show their descending skills as they drop to the finish in Malaucene. There will also be a double ascent of the Mûr de Bretagne early in the race to help establish a pecking order. The race, which will start in Brittany on 26 June before heading down…

Any young rider who wins their first Grand Tour will find that the week following it is something of a whirlwind. For Hackney’s latest star, Tao Geoghegan Hart, it’s been no different. The Londoner did a round of TV interviews on the Monday morning speaking to both the BBC and Good Morning Britain about his win in Milan. He told the ITV show he had been in “perpetual motion” since the end of the Giro. “I’ll do my very best to do what I’ve always done… I’ll definitely try and kick on, of course I want this to be only the start,” he said. Then, exempt from quarantine restrictions as a professional athlete, the Londoner returned to his home town where he’s spent time seeing his family, who he hasn’t…

Phil Wright Herne Hill velodrome is one of the success stories of British cycling. The only facility still in use from the 1948 Olympics, the London scene was close to losing it a few years back. Now it has a new surface, new fencing, floodlights and a fancy new clubhouse. It’s also become a conveyer belt of talent over the years as the likes of Laura Kenny, Leo and Ethan Hayter and many others developed from there. This is the work of many people, but one was nominated by his peers this year – Phil Wright. Phil has been at the centre of the magic that takes place in this corner of south London. Mhairi Laffoley Mhairi went to her first bike race when she was one week old; 54…

We’ll be announcing the third winner of this prestigious award in our video, released on 17 December. Following on from Brian Robinson and Sean Kelly, we’ll be recognising the achievements and contributions of another legend of the sport, someone whose lifetime involvement in cycling deserves recognition at every level. In association with CLUB OF THE YEAR This year has been especially difficult for clubs, but the disruption forced many to rethink what they do and look for new avenues. From virtual events to turning delivery service for those in their community who were in need, and simply supporting their members and bringing people together; there were some incredible initiatives. Entry was so strong that just whittling them down for the judges to choose their top four was a difficult task.…

The UCI and its stakeholders packed an entire season into three months amid the COVID-19 pandemic and to the relief of the industry. However, sources have predicted the pandemic and ongoing global reaction to it may have consequences on contracts and competition next year. Tour Down Under organisers still hope to host the first WorldTour event on the calendar in south Australia in January, but are yet to announce stage routes as they consider revised logistics and quarantine precautions that teams will have to undertake. “Ultimately there is a bigger picture outside of sport, that the companies that title sponsor these teams have had a significant hit with Covid-19,” says Altus Sports Management director Gary McQuaid. “It’s not unreasonable to think any title sponsor is going to have a lean…

Most of us enjoy a good rub-down – but, as our headline implies, there may be a difference between wanting a massage and actually needing one. Most cyclists have manual therapy from time to time, either to ease aches or just for maintenance. We’re told that shaving our legs enhances the experience, and there are all kinds of massage-related products claiming to further boost the benefits. But are there really any proven gains from a massage, or does it simply feel good? As a physiotherapist treating countless cyclists every year, I have a personal interest in finding out. There is no clear scientific consensus as to whether massage has a significant effect beyond alleviating stress and anxiety. There’s no question, it helps us relax. But most of us go for…

The week: 1-7 October 2020 Location: Doncaster, South Yorkshire Training for: 2020/21 cyclo-cross season CW was alerted to the good form of young cyclo-cross rider Ben Turner when he took part in our Club 10 virtual TT on Zwift (7 October) and averaged 462 watts. Unfortunately, by the time we caught up with him for a chat, he’d had a crash in training and fractured his collarbone — temporarily halting his race preparation. The 21-year-old assured us he’ll be back in full swing soon, and is looking forward to the 2020/21 CX season with his new team Trinity. You’ve just signed for Trinity. How did that come about in such a disrupted season? We’d been in contact with Trinity for quite a while, and yeah, everything’s gone well. And there…

I will admit over time my memories of racing seasons tend to bleed into each other a little bit. I’m always impressed by my colleagues who can spontaneously rank the last 20 Tours de France in order of excitement, then start arguments with other colleagues who rank them differently. “Only three stars for 2007? But what about the stage 15 climb of Hautacam when Marco Pantani thought he had a slow puncture but didn’t?” they cry, or something like it, while I try in vain to remember what the hell team I was racing for in 2007. In my head, all the seasons form a sort of a mishmash. I can remember big events, with a clear recollection of the stupider end of the spectrum. Shamefully I’m much better on,…

National champion Steve Douce (Banana Raleigh) leads Barrie Clarke (Wembley RC) up one of the many banks of the Eastway circuit. Cycling Weekly picture editor Simon Scarsbrook was also in the race (he finished around 30th place) and informs us that this climb is where the Olympic rings stand at the Stratford Olympic Park. The circuit, which also had a road course, was used for the last time in 2006, before it was bulldozed as part of the Olympic Park makeover. Most cross and circuit races were moved, eventually, to Hog Hill in Redbridge, where a new asphalt circuit was built. There is still an asphalt circuit at Lee Valley which is used for racing, but it’s fair to say it hasn’t engendered the same warm feelings local riders have…

RideLondon has no future in Surrey after 2021 Surrey County Council will withdraw its support for RideLondon after 2021, following complaints from residents of the disruption caused by the event. The 2021 event has already been significantly scaled back, with no 100-mile sportive or men’s WorldTour race. Instead, the council said it would focus on “smaller, community-led events that encourage a greater variety of participants while minimising disruption for residents.” Tour Down Under cancelled The 2021 Tour Down Under has been cancelled due to Covid-19 and WorldTour racing won’t now get under way until February at the earliest. “It is with regret we announce that the Santos Tour Down Under will not go ahead in 2021. Cycling will, however, still be ever-present in the streets of Adelaide and regional South…

I would like to thank you for your article on back pain (CW, 8 Oct). I am a female cyclist who was signed to a sponsored (non-pro) team, but back pain has kept me off the bike for three to six months each year for the last seven years, and now I have been off the bike for the last year with multiple disc issues. As you can imagine, this has been very distressing for me and I have often felt that while the rest of the world has injuries and recovers, I am constantly in pain (and usually people only have issues with one disc). I have seen multiple surgeons, physios and everyone else I can think of and no one really seems able to help me. I am…

Rob Wainwright Charity: My Name’5 Doddie Foundation Approx amount raised: L160,000 Last February former Scottish rugby player Rob set off from Twickenham Stadium with a rugby ball strapped to his bike. Riding with 11 others in his core team (others joined them for parts of the route) he had 48 hours to get to Murrayfield Stadium in Edinburgh, 500 miles away, to deliver that ball for kick-off in the Calcutta Cup match between England and Scotland. Thanks to the generosity of hundreds of people along the way, they made it and raised a huge amount of money. Marcia Roberts Charity: Solent Mind Approx amount raised: L12,000 Not only did Marcia raise thousands for her local mental health charity, she set a world record on the way. She rode Land’s End…

In your view, how does massage work? My approach is very evidence-based, and I understand that the research into massage is pretty minimal. As a massage therapist, I’m not trying to fix someone; my job is to explain and use a hands-on approach to inform and reassure. Massage doesn’t dissipate toxins, probably doesn’t help to increase blood flow, and doesn’t release tissue. What it does is help give the tissues flexibility and alter the neuromuscular response – the way the nervous system reacts. If we calm down the nervous system, we can help reduce pain in the tissue, which in turn helps with the strength-and-conditioning part of rehab. Why do riders use massage after races? It’s their downtime – time to get onto the table and air frustrations or rant…

Alan Murchison’s TORTILLA OMELETTE WITH SMOKED HAM Murchison says: “This is a complete meal, ticking all the boxes – a quick and easy post-ride refuel. If you’re vegetarian, you can omit the ham and replace with any leftover cooked veggies. Serve with a green salad if you’re feeling virtuous… also works well with some BBQ sauce.” Method 1) Whisk together the eggs, add the diced ham, and season well. 2) Add a touch of oil to a non-stick pan, add the egg mix and cook over a medium heatfor 30 seconds. 3) Add the wrap and cook for a further minute or two. Simple! Serves 1 ■ 3 eggs■ 30g smoked ham, diced■ 1 tortilla wrap■ 1-2 tsp olive oil■ Green salad to serve Alan Murchison’s latest book, The Cycling…

The latest exciting tyre and wheel technology is tubeless. Mountain bikers have been doing this for years, and if a mountain biker can get the hang of it, so can you. Setting up a tubeless tyre and rim isn’t difficult. There are many, many instructional videos online, so go and find one of them. Here we are concerned with the more important aspects of being a tubeless cyclist. No, the thing you really need to practice is being the sort of person who runs tubeless. You are an early adopter of this technology and there is no point in being an early adopter if you’re not going to tell people about it. Whenever a friend gets a puncture, tell them that such a thing would never have happened to them…