Indholdsfortegnelse for October 10, 2024 i Cycling Weekly

Week two of our Travel Month takes us to two countries I’ve never been to before, with or without a bike. Slovenia and Albania have been on our wishlist for some time; Slovenia for its green climbs and abundance of Grand Tour-winning riders, and Albania as more and more people have praised its untapped potential. Neither country is flush with big, all-inclusive hotels featuring bike storage and plentiful buffets, but they do have lots of places to stay, and more importantly, many quiet, scenic roads. And if there is anything better in cycling than finding and riding a beautiful new road, I’m yet to discover it. In our third feature, Dave Bradford (somewhat reluctantly) went to his first-ever luxury hotel, and while riding a top-of-the-range Factor O2 hire bike around…

A great warrior and an excellent ambassador for the sport. A deserved award for a man who has worked incredibly hard over an extended period. To achieve the [Tour stage win] record was the icing on the cake. Rick Newman Thank you for everything you have done for cycling, and encouraging people to get back on the bike. You’re proof you can do it. David Bensley Bet he never thought this would happen back in 2003 when he was crying by the side of the road when he couldn’t keep up with the rest of the Academy riders on a wet ride in the Peaks. His determination to win is a force of nature. Joy Keaning Too many sports people get knighted, and worse still, when they’re still competing. But…

As I battled along brambly footpaths and unmade suburban roads, chased out of Tirana by street dogs, I had my doubts about this trip. I’d arrived with the sinking realisation that I’d forgotten to pack my multitool and had to scour Tirana’s bike shops to find one, and then my route failed to download on my Garmin. It was early afternoon before I’d picked up the right road and found a cafe with a satisfying view back to the capital. When the waiter said my proposed route to Elbasan was “not possible”, I panicked, only to realise he just meant it would be easier on a motorbike. The road would turn out to be not only possible but quiet, smooth and scenic. The only hazard was crossing tortoises, varying in…

What I liked best about Tadej Pogačar’s World Champs win was the confusion it generated. Everyone expected it but was still surprised when it happened. The way the race unfolded was just weird. Even afterwards, we couldn’t agree on very much about it, other than that it had been astonishing. The question was not one of his physical ability, but of his tactics. In one corner, there have been several commentators who have paid homage to the brilliance and unpredictability, the seizing of a decisive moment, and the way the Slovenian toyed with the chasers in the closing stages by letting the gap come down to a dangerous margin, then extending again. Others have written about the ‘state of flow’ of a great athlete, and how instinct allows them to…

It’s that time of year when riders are signing off for their end-of-season breaks. As a rider who had a break mid-season for illness, I still have enthusiasm left for the back end of the season. This is a good thing, as this time next week I’ll be out in China racing the last WorldTour races of the year. It has been odd watching the riders I coach sign off for the year, with no end in sight to my own season. In these circumstances I find it’s good to surround yourself with those still motivated, and one group of people who are right in the thick of their season are the hill-climbers. I have a love/hate relationship with climbs. I need them to get rid of the pure sprinters,…

Emma Finucane (Great Britain) “I feel like she’s going to win loads of world titles,” Victoria Pendleton told CW of Emma Finucane at this year’s Olympics. She’s probably right; the 21-year-old from Carmarthen has made a hobby of medal hunting, becoming the first British woman in 60 years to win three at a single Olympics this summer. CW rating Harrie Lavreysen (Netherlands) The Dutchman is considered the greatest track sprinter of all time, and he’s only 27. A former BMX rider, Lavreysen counts 13 track world titles and five Olympic gold medals, three of which he won in Paris. He’ll miss his biggest rival in Denmark, with Matthew Richardson ineligible for selection following his nationality swap to British from Australian. CW rating Jennifer Valente (USA) With a calm head and…

I completed the Big Ride Challenge Maxi, 2,500 mile challenge today [2 October]. Thanks for adding different distances, as although I did complete the 5,000 mile challenge a couple of years ago it meant slogging away on the turbo to complete it. This year I’ve done all but 300 miles outdoors, most with cycling friends, two lovely weeks in Majorca and on the Hebridean Way. It’s been a much more positive experience that’s kept me riding more than usual. I’ve been enjoying the monthly challenges and being able to fit in the rest of life as well! Nicola Simpson Ed - we’re glad to hear the new distances added to the Big Ride Challenge this year have given you more options, Nicola. The fact you’re enjoying your riding means it’s…

April might be the cruellest month if you’re a maudlin poet, but for sunstarved British cyclists, that title belongs to March. By mid-March – recall at your peril – the cold and wind had lingered so long it felt like spring would never arrive. Morale was low, work was busy as I adjusted to a new role, and the thought of gearing up in winter kit to brave the aggro drivers and potholes of south-east England seemed barely worth the hassle. Then I remembered an intriguing email that had landed in my inbox a few weeks earlier. Would I like a complimentary stay, it asked, “at a boutique hotel offering premium bike rentals and guided cycling trips in Cyprus?” At first, I dismissed it as too good to be true,…

“One of the most important days of my life was when I learned to ride a bicycle.” Not my words, dear reader, but those of Micheal Palin. And few people are better travelled than the cofounder of Monty Python’s Flying Circus. We’re not suggesting you saddle up and cycle Full Circle, pedal Pole to Pole or ride around the world in 80 days, but to honour our travel month, we do want to get you in the best possible shape for the two-wheeled tour of your choosing, be it an intercounty autumnal amble here in the UK, a long weekend a-wheel on the Continent, or maybe even some significant mileage taking in the delights of farther-flung shores. Training for the tour Start training at least eight weeks before your departure…

Rapha Muddy Hell When: Saturday 2 November Where: Herne Hill Velodrome, South London Muddy Hell returns to Herne Hill this winter with cyclo-cross racing for all age categories. Entrants are encouraged to come to the event in seasonal (read: Halloween) fancy dress. Full details on the BC website. Entries by 31 October. Yorkshire Cyclo-cross Championships Round 4 When: Sunday 3 November Where: Barnsley Organised by Barnsley RC, round four of the Yorkshire league, ‘The Stack’, takes place on the Black Diamond course. Enter in advance online by 30 October.…

Max Poole of DSM-Firmenich PostNL took his first ever professional win at the Tour de Langkawi last week, winning stage three in the process. The 21-year-old from Scunthorpe said: “I am really happy! Getting my first professional win earlier this week and now also taking the GC win is a really nice moment for me and the team. I am proud of how the boys rode.” In Europe, Brandon McNulty (UAE Team Emirates) won the Cro Race, taking the lead on stage three, soloing to the finish from 40km out. The American was joined on the podium by Tobias Lund Andresen (DSM-Firmenich PostNL) and Fred Wright (Bahrain Victorious), who achieved his highest-ever GC finish in the process. Christophe Laporte of Visma-Lease a Bike sprinted to victory at Paris-Tours, beating Mathias…

Rowe leaves Ineos Luke Rowe is to join Decathlon-AG2R as a sports director, ending 13 years at Ineos Grenadiers. The 34-year-old said that the team was the one for him because of its “future project” and “long-term vision”. Eurosport on Instagram Cycling’s version of a guard of honour for Simon Geschke is the perfect way to start his final race 14,210 The number of kilometres that Lachlan Morton rode in just 30 days, 9hrs, 45min, during his ‘Lap record’ of Australia that finished at the weekend. He rode 420km every day during the record ride. Alpe d’Huez and Ventoux for Tour ‘25? The iconic climbs of Alpe d’Huez and Mont Ventoux are rumoured to feature in the Tour de France route for 2025. The two ascents are expected to come…

The great thing about cycling in Slovenia is that in less than one week you see a bit of everything,” says my guide Kristijan Koren as we descend the spectacular Vršič Pass and cross the first of many stone bridges over the impossibly emerald blue River Soča. “You start with the high mountains of the Julian Alps, pass Alpine lakes, go up and over rolling green hills, come in and out of forests, pass vineyards, and finish on flat roads by the coast.” Little wonder, then, that in his 18 years as a pro, Koren never once lived outside of Slovenia. “I didn’t need to,” he smiles. “I had everything I could want here.” This tiny country sandwiched between northern, southern, western and eastern Europe, the first to vote for…

If you intend to ride your bike on foreign soil you’ll have to get it there first, ideally with minimal hassle and no damage. Flying is the usual option, and taking a bike is fairly straightforward these days. Costs range from free to £60 and weight limits from 23kg to 32kg. Bikes should be packed in protective boxes or bags to meet airline regulations. There are many options on the market, ranging from large bags with a bit of padding to solid boxes with internal frames and castor wheels. Hard boxes provide excellent protection and are therefore the best option for lightweight carbon bikes. Some require minimal bike disassembly, which is always welcome in the age of integrated handlebars and internal cable routing. Bike bags are lighter, simpler to store,…

Dear Doc – back in the 1980s, my dad discovered that my uncle didn’t repair punctured inner tubes, he just discarded them. So Dad offered to take them off his hands, and repair them for his own use. This arrangement continued until very recently when my uncle stopped riding. What he never knew was that whenever he visited, my dad used to sneak into his shed and let down a tyre on his training bike. My uncle would assume he’d got a slow puncture, replace the tube, and put the old tube aside to give to my dad. Dad didn’t buy an inner tube in 20 years.…