Innehållsförteckning för May 3, 2018 från Cycling Weekly

A Grand Tour just wouldn’t be a Grand Tour if it wasn’t for a little tinge of controversy. This year the Giro’s got a double whammy — one political hot potato of its own making, another that’s been forced upon it. RCS’s €10m Israeli start and the implicit support of a historically controversial state is a topic far out of the scope of a cycling magazine and one I don’t mind admitting to being out of my depth on. The allegation of ‘sports-washing’ may hang over RCS for some time, but as far as a bike race goes, a Grand Depart is quickly forgotten once a race hits the mountains. The discussions will then move on to controversial subject number two — Chris Froome’s participation. Despite a possible sanction hanging…

1 FRIDAY MAY 4 JERUSALEM > JERUSALEM 9.7 KM — FLAT This short, undulating jaunt around the Holy City is too short for the time trial specialists to really shine but the puncheurs will be keen to have a shot at riding in pink the next day. 2 SATURDAY MAY 5 HAIFA > TEL AVIV 167 KM — FLAT A fourth-category hump around halfway through the stage will barely break the sprinters’ stride as they speed north on flat coastal roads towards an inevitable bunch finish in Tel Aviv. 3 SUNDAY MAY 6 BE’ER SHEVA > EILAT 229 KM — HILLY This final stage in Israel is expected to also end in a bunch sprint but it’s far from featureless. There’s a cat-four climb around halfway and the stage runs…

£2,600 | 9.19kg “This bike is like all the best bits of riding a bike as a kid” With a total makeover, can the new Specialized Diverge become your most unexpected N+1? Specialized has stepped away from cyclo-cross style geometry, lowering the BB by 10mm and lengthening the wheelbase. The US brand says these geometry changes make it much more stable and confidence-inspiring, pitching it at the sort of gravel or adventure riding that many riders are increasingly moving towards on both sides of the Atlantic. The frame is constructed using Specialized’s FACT 9r carbon, which is a grade or two down from what you find on the range-topping S-Works model. As with the Roubaix and Ruby, the Diverge Comp includes Future Shock technology, although with a slightly different spring…

WHILE OFF THE BIKE… After two weeks: Strength is maintained, but blood volume falling and VO2max may have dropped one or two per cent; this can be recouped in two to three weeks of training. After one month: Strength is declining as muscle atrophy sets in. VO2max has declined by six to 12 per cent. Reduced flexibility. Muscle capillarisation, energy-producing mitochondria and blood volume are further reduced, and muscle metabolism is changing, making energy access more difficult. After three months: Heart wall up to 25 per cent thinner, reducing capacity to pump blood to muscle. Mitochondria up to 45 per cent less efficient at producing energy. After six months: De-training effect has stabilised; losses have slowed. Exercise now places greater stresses on the body than when you were fit, meaning…

As you may recall, I was planning to be unfaithful to cycling and run the Virgin Money London Marathon. Well, it went splendidly, up to a point. That point was the 15-mile banner, where every tendon in my right hip gave up simultaneously, and everything turned to soup. As I hobbled along trying to find a way through the crowd barriers and off the course, people kept saying, “Don’t give up mate, you can do it.” While well meant, when you’re not the kind of fool who might try to hop 11 miles this is actually very annoying. So it was almost a relief when I was reunited with my phone and discovered a long series of messages from my friend Bernard, who I was quickly able to surmise had…

I’m on my way to see my friend Fiona. You’ve met her in this column previously, where she has been both celebrated and shamed for having no bikes. Celebrated because my attachment to her means there’s a segment in my Pie Chart of Life that isn’t to do with cycling. Shamed because this is a cycling magazine and we must convert all whom we can. Tonight we’re not just catching up about our favourite podcasts (Fiona’s is Invisibilia and mine Freakonomics) and cute stuff we saw on Instagram. Tonight is far bigger than that. Tonight, we are going to see Hamilton! One person reading this is squealing with envy and wondering how we got tickets. If that’s not you, I’ll let Wikipedia explain: Hamilton “is a sung-and rapped-through musical about…

From Holland to Spain? I was racing for a club team in Holland in 2017 so moving to a UCI team was a step up. The team’s racing calendar, location and the different style of racing were what attracted me. Is Spain better? Holland was pan-flat so being from Cumbria it wasn’t so good and hard to get motivated. Here the roads are much hillier and you can get more volume off them. The weather is better, too. Having taps on the side of the roads to stay hydrated is a big plus! What’s the racing like? I’ve only ridden two Spanish Cup races so far but they’re more aggressive and they break up on the hills which suits me. For me to win a race I need to be…

After Lance Armstrong settled his near $100m federal lawsuit for $5m last month, his former boss Johan Bruyneel is now set to become the focus of the action. Bruyneel was found to be in “default” — a US legal term for not complying with the court’s requirements — over a year ago. Floyd Landis’s lawyer Paul Scott, told CW: “It’s too early to say how that discussion will go; we’ll take the next steps now. I would estimate within a few weeks we should have an idea of where we’re heading.” As Bruyneel is a Belgian national living outside the US, it will be difficult to recover any money from him if he is found liable. Scott said the settlement reached with Armstrong had “sent a clear message” that doping…

There have been many instances of foreign riders having to ride the gauntlet of the tifosi at the Giro d’Italia, going right back to the inter-war years. What was undoubtedly the most infamous instance, though, occurred in 1987, when Ireland’s Stephen Roche lined up with the Italian Carrera team as co-leader alongside defending champion and crowd favourite Roberto Visentini. The pair both held the lead, Visentini seemingly taking a decisive grip on it when he crushed Roche and the rest of the field in a long time trial at San Marino. Yet, two days later, Roche struck back, defying team orders and the unwritten laws of cycling with a solo attack that saw Visentini crumble and the Irishman back in the maglia rosa. Now Roche had a very different enemy…

1 A NEW COLOMBIAN SENSATION The Giro has proven to be a great breeding ground for the influx of youthful Colombian talent that has boomed in the peloton recently, with Rigoberto Uran, Carlos Betancur and Nairo Quintana all winning the young rider classification over the past seven years. Look out for Miguel Angel Lopez to follow in their footsteps. The 24-year-old Astana rider has shown flashes of his immense potential as a climber, most notably in winning the 2016 Tour de Suisse and placing ahead of Chris Froome at the Tour of the Alps last week. He’s capable of wreaking havoc in the mountains, and could be the revelation of the race if he can last three weeks. 2 RIDERS ANIMATING BREAKAWAYS Every Grand Tour throws up new cult heroes…

WHAT Road helmets went through a period where the number and size of the vents increased until there was hardly anything left of the helmet — and what was left was very unaerodynamic. Now the manufacturers have filled in the holes and replaced them with drag-reducing smooth shapes and replaced gaping vents with strategically placed intakes that channel air over the top of the head. Each brand takes a different approach to solving the problem of how to make a helmet aerodynamically efficient at 40kph-plus yet still cool enough to allow its wearer to climb long, slow mountain passes in midsummer. WHY With aerodynamics now top of the pro teams’ equipment agenda, every major helmet brand has come up with a slippery, wind-cheating design. A well designed helmet really can…

What was the hardest part of your recovery? I had to completely relearn all physical movement patterns accrued over two years. This involved a lot of discipline, following a strict mobility regime four times per day. Mentally, staying motivated when the process was so long was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. What advice would you give others making a comeback? Remain as patient and open-minded as possible. From outside, recovery can look like a constant upward curve, but this isn’t the case. Be prepared for setbacks, which are all part of the process and make you stronger in the long run. Were there positives to draw from your comeback? My injury and the recovery process has been one of the best things that’s happened to me. I…

News editor I was cynical about how successful the now exclusively under-23 Team Wiggins would be this year, despite the precocious talent of Tom Pidcock — our rider of the year in 2017 — on the roster. However, you can’t help but be impressed with the early months of the season. The form shown in stage wins in Portugal in March, courtesy of Gabriel Cullaigh, has been translated into two wins in the biggest domestic races against more seasoned racers. Cullaigh and Pidock, the front-men of those successes, will now move onto racing the Tour de Yorkshire for the GB squad. But this rich run of form casts the decision not to invite Team Wiggins to that race in a dim light. “WIGGINS HAS SHOWN THE ABILITY TO COMPETE ON…

May 3-6 Rhône-Alpes Isère Tour One of the most prestigious UCI 2.2 events on the calendar, the four-stage French race is typically contested by Pro Continental teams and emerging young riders. May 4-6 Vuelta Comunidad de Madrid At the age of 41, Oscar Sevilla (Medellin) is aiming to win this three-stage Spanish race for the second successive season, having shocked all before him to beat Raul Alarcon (W52/FC Porto) to the title in 2017. May 6 Flèche Ardennaise The 53rd edition of this one-day race includes nine significant ascents, and is targeted mainly by U23 riders. Brit Stephen Wiliams finished second last year, and James Shaw third in 2016. May 8-13 Four Days of Dunkirk This year’s Four Days of Dunkirk returns with six stages yet again. The flatlands of…

How would you rate your last race? I’ve had a good start to the season so I was confident going into the Tour du Loir. But knowing that I knew I could do well actually put more pressure on myself. I finished second on stage two and won the final stage. To win that stage was a big relief for me because it had been my goal and going into the last day I was starting to get nervous. How do you deal with pressure? I do my own thing, listen to chilled out music – I don’t want to get overhyped with dance music – and try to relax, not over-analyse the situation. What’s been the highlight of your year so far? Winning a stage of the New Zealand…

Contador bemoans Froome case delays Recently retired Alberto Contador would like to see the Chris Froome salbutamol case expedited instead of dragging on further into 2018. “If the authorities that rule over this sport allow him to race then it’s normal that Froome is competing,” Contador told Spain’s AS. “What is a pity is that it is taking so much time for this case.” Bernie Eisel undergoes successful brain surgery Bernie Eisel, Dimension Data rider and Mark Cavendish’s long-time lead-out man, is recovering after successful brain surgery last week. Eisel crashed on stage five of Tirreno-Adriatico on March 11. Doctors rushed the 37-year-old cyclist into surgery as an MRI scan last week indicated an increase in blood pressure in his brain. 38 years since French coach saw a Worlds course as…

I was very interested to read in your editor's notes, in the April 19 issue, your experiences of riding on the A5. I too was at Bangor University in the early 1990s and similar to you, that section of road is indelibly etched in my mind. While at university I joined a local cycling club and often on the Sunday rides we would head over the Llanberis pass and ride down to Betws-y-Coed. That seemed fine in principle, until you started the long slog back to Bangor. The scenery was fantastic, but in the depths of winter when the wind was howling through the valley, there were often times when I felt like getting off the bike and throwing it into the lake. It’s one of the most scenic rides,…

TOM DUMOULIN SUNWEB NETHERLANDS Days racing in 2018: 11 Best Giro finish: 1st (2017) The image of an exasperated Tom Dumoulin impotently hurling his bike away after yet another mechanical problem at the Abu Dhabi Tour in February pretty much sums up his season so far. Since then his luck has gone from bad to worse, picking up a cold heading into Tirreno-Adriatico, which he was then forced to abandon following several crashes. All this lies in stark contrast to last spring, when the Dutchman enjoyed a smooth run-in prior to winning the overall at the Giro d’Italia on what was only the second time he had targeted the GC at a Grand Tour. For his third attempt, the 27-year-old faces a new set of stiffer challenges: can he reach…

Pink: the iconic ‘maglia rosa’ awarded to the winner of the overall classification. Purple: the points classification for the most consistently high-finishing riders, usually the reserve of sprinters but sometimes won by climbers on particularly mountainous routes. Blue: the mountains classification, the prize for the climber who picks up the most points over the race’s many categorised summits. White: the young rider classification, for the rider aged 25 or under who finishes with the best time.…

British brand Le Col’s ‘HC’ products belong, as the name and the price suggest, to its premium range. These women’s shorts are designed to be the most comfortable available, according to Le Col, and are the result of thousands of hours in the saddle, incorporating all of Le Col’s experience and innovation. The HCs are mostly made from Italian 220g Lycra, which is luxuriously rich rather than racing-snake skinny. However, if it’s snake you’re after, there are blue hexagon-printed panels of silicone on the outsides of the legs, called ‘gummy grippers’ to keep the shorts in place, and snakeskin patterned bib straps. The Dolomiti Gel chamois provides extra support while there’s a special thread and stitch shape down the outside edge to reduce chafing. Le Col’s trademark leg grippers have…

Don’t rush. It will take time, so let your body dictate the schedule. Get support — whether a coach, training group or friends/family or online, such as Facebook group ‘The Injured Athletes Club’ for some much-needed solidarity. Accept recovery as part of a long cycling life. Don’t panic! You’ll come back sooner by taking it easy at first. Do other activities — some exercise is better than none. Use rest and recovery to your advantage — embrace the time off as an opportunity to enjoy other things. Look after your mental health — working with a psychologist may help you. Stay social — cycling can and should remain part of your social scene. Go to watch events or meet up with friends at the cafe stop or after a club…

Cycling Weekly: How long have you been with the club? Pete Hooper: Three or four years. CW: What encouraged you to join? PH: It’s a big local club with lots of good riders, and a good time trialling scene — it’s good to be part of the evening series. CW: And you had a good result in the US last year? PH I’ve always done a lot of endurance cycling, such as 12-hour TTs and Land’s End to John o’ Groats non-stop. I won my age group and came second overall at an event in Borrego Springs, California — covering 258 miles over 12 hours. CW: Has the club been supportive of your racing? PH: Yes, there’s a lot of moral support and the club has a lot of in-club…

ROAD RACING SUNDAY, APRIL 29 East Cleveland Klondike Grand Prix (Spring Cup Series round two, North Yorkshire): E, 1, 2: 1. Tom Pidcock (Team Wiggins) 100 miles in 3:57.43; 2. T. Moses (JLT-Condor) same time; 3. J. McEvoy (Madison-Genesis) +0.22; 4. S. Lampier (Saint Piran) +1.11; 5. G. Cullaigh (Team Wiggins)+1.34; 6. K. Domagalski (One Pro Cycling); 7. W. Harper (Saint Piran); 8. E. Bradbury (JLT-Condor) all st; 9. J. Gullen (JLT-Condor) +1.38; 10. G. Pym (Madison-Genesis) +1.41. KoM: Erick Rowsell (Madison-Genesis). Under-23: Tom Pidcock (Team Wiggins) Spring Cup Series overall (after round two): 1. Jonathan McEvoy (Madison-Genesis) 54 pts; 2. K. Domagalski (One Pro Cycling) 50; 3. S. Lampier (Saint Piran) 46; 4. T. Pidcock (Team Wiggins) 40; 5. G. Cullaigh (Team Wiggins) 30; 6. M. Stedman (Canyon-Eisberg) 30.…

The career of a veteran rider passes through several distinct phases, which you will fall into whether you like it or not. The first is denial, accompanied by no noticeable change in performance, weight, svelteness of appearance, attitude or bravery. This will last for as long as several days after turning 40. The second is also denial, accompanied by a drop in power output, some weight gain, and a surprising new interest in your personal safety. However, at this point all of these changes will be sufficiently small that you will be able to ignore them, even if others repeatedly point them out. The third is still denial, along with a fall-off in performance that you can’t really ignore. This dissonance will also produce anger, and a sudden interest in…

At the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow 2014, I was walking through the Athlete’s Village one evening with one of the Games volunteers. It was the day before the road races. Coming the other way, I saw Mark Cavendish. We stopped for a few minutes — I wanted to know if he was, as rumoured, acting as DS for the Isle of Man team the following day (he was still injured from his crash in Harrogate at the Tour de France). The volunteer spent the few minutes while we chatted fiddling with her phone. As we walked off again, I said, “Sorry about that, I should have introduced you. But you were checking your messages.” “It was only my sister taking the mick,” she said. “She wanted to know if I’d…