Innehållsförteckning för August 6, 2020 från Cycling Weekly

Racing is back, and it’s going to take me a while to come to terms with its new look. On TV it all looks the same as before, but dig around for more pictures and stories from the races and it’s all very different. Podium shots with face masks, socially distanced interviews and reduced or no access to the team buses at the starts and finishes (where journalists usually have to battle past fans to ask a few questions) all bring home just how much things have changed. Masks especially bring mixed emotions. It looks plain weird to see riders wearing them on podiums or doing interviews, but then look at the picture over the page of Wout van Aert attacking in Strade Bianche and it’s worrying to see spectators…

As the warm summer days continue we’re tailoring our August challenges toward long days in the saddle and bigger mileage. And for the first time we’re stipulating that you can’t combine the two challenges in one ride. Both need to be done on separate days as we look to help you increase your miles and get closer to the 5,000-mile total. Five winners will be selected and all will receive one of the 100 CW5000 pin badges. To be in with a chance of winning you must sign up for the challenges on the Cycling Weekly website. Complete a 100-mile ride Completing a century ride, as it is often called, has always been a common goal for riders. There’s something about a round number that gives an added sense of…

As I write this, it’s about 5.30am on Monday morning and I’m sat at Heathrow airport. I’m waiting to get on a connecting flight that will eventually take me to Bilbao, Spain, so I can start the Vuelta a Burgos. It has been such a long time since I last got to pin a number on my jersey, or race suit, and I think the attitude of everyone in my world now is that we will do everything we possibly can to get this race season going. That doesn’t make it easy though. The UK government announced on Saturday that people coming to the UK from Spain would need to quarantine for 14 days upon arrival. Not ideal timing after all this waiting around, as it’ll make coming home a…

THE RACE NEWBURY VELO ROAD RACE The British club hosts some of the longest road races on the platform. This 70km single loop on the Bigfoot Hills circuit in Watopia includes 640m of elevation and usually takes around two hours. The 3.7km Volcano climb is the stiffest test on the route. Sun, 9 August 10:05am EASY RIDERS PACK 1.5 CHAMPS ELYSEES A gentle ride aimed at beginners with 45 minutes ridden at just 1.5 W/kg. While you’re doing so you can enjoy the new Champs-Elysées circuit recently added for the Virtual Tour de France. Sat, 8 August 9:30am MULTI-STAGE RIDE 7 DAYS OF TARMAC S L7 Multiple stages on various courses for a variety of riders to launch the new Specialized Tarmac SL7. 10-11 August, various times…

After reading about diversity in cycling, I would like to give my experiences of the 1960s as a Chinese cyclist in the Bristol area. The cycling scene was very vibrant in Bristol at that time, with notable riders including Lew Gardner, Stew Cottle, Rusty Morris, John Pierce, Derek Green, Gary Crewe, and Phil and Mark Edwards; I do not recall any non-white cyclists. I started as a schoolboy racing on Whitchurch airfield and went on to ride as a junior. At no time did I ever have any racial remarks or prejudice directed at me. This was not the same in other parts of my life at that time. I was a member of the Severn Road Club and later the Velo Club Bristol. During this period I was welcomed…

British unless stated 2001 Matt Wells* 2000 Russell Downing 1999 Chris Walker 1998 Chris Newton 1997 Rob Hayles 1996 Wayne Randle 1995 Julian Ramsbottom 1994 No event 1993 Wayne Randle 1992 Robert Power (Ire) 1991 Mark Gornall 1990 Steve Farrell 1989 Ben Luckwell 1988 Paul Curran 1987 Paul Curran 1986 John Cavanagh 1985 Alan Gornall 1984 Pete Longbottom 1983 Mark Bell 1982 Steve Joughin 1981 Nigel Bloor 1980 Steve Joughin 1979 John Herety 1978 Frits Pirard (Ned) 1977 Graham Jones 1976 Toine van der Bunder (Ned) 1975 Gerry van Gerwen (Ned) 1974 Keith Ratcliff 1973 Phil Corley 1972 Phil Edwards 1971 Phil Carnall 1970 Peter Smith 1969 Ray Barker 1968 John Bettinson 1967 Hugh Porter 1966 Dave Nie 1965 Wes Mason 1964 Wes Mason 1963 Wes Mason 1962 Warwick Dalton…

ONE UP Defy Advanced Pro 3, £2,899 Jump up to the Advanced Pro 3 and you actually drop down a groupset level to Shimano 105. What you do get, and potentially is the biggest advantage, is Giant’s integrated stem system to tidy up that terrible cable routing. A change to Giant’s carbon SLR-1 wheelset offers a performance boost. ONE DOWN Defy Advanced 2, £1,949 Barring the obvious colour change, the main difference is in the groupset specced for the Defy Advanced 2. Saving £250 and opting for the Advanced 2 gets you a Shimano 105 11-speed groupset complete with hydraulic brakes. The frame remains the same in terms of construction and it shares the same tubeless wheel set-up.…

1 In the first column, jot down all the cycling fears you have, big or small. Anything that makes your stomach churn with nerves when you think about it should go on here. 2 Take each fear one at a time and in the middle column look at all the actions you can take to prevent that fear coming to fruition. The only action which is banned is avoidance. Everything else, whether it makes it less likely to happen through practice, less daunting through equipment improvements or easier to cope with through mental toughness training, is welcome. 3 In the final column, look at what you will do, in the moment, if that fear raises its ugly head while you are riding. How will you carry on and override it?…

■ When coming back from injury, seek as much help as you possibly can to make yourself as good as you can be again – find the medical professionals best qualified to help. ■ No matter how hard cycling seems, it’s nothing compared to when you’re coming back from injury. Overcoming the pain makes you stronger mentally. ■ If you’re doing a session and it seems hard, see that as a privilege – because it means you’re still able to perform at that level. Make the most of it.…

What’s the difference between a physio, an osteopath and a chiropractor? And who should I see about my back pain? In my opinion, the difference between them isn’t huge. All three professions require extensive training to degree level, which bestows a high level of understanding of how the body works. All three professions are regulated by governing bodies, and students need to have shown clinical competence before graduating; likewise, all have to undertake continued professional development to keep their knowledge and skills up to date. Chiropractors are known for their joint manipulation, osteopaths for joint articulation, and physiotherapists for exercise prescription, but these methods are not mutually exclusive. Some physios use manipulation, and some chiropractors use joint articulation. No matter what methods they use, all three will do their best…

You’ve mentioned Strava segments a couple of times recently. A lad from our club recently attacked a short, sprinty sort of a segment. The first couple of times he missed it by just a few seconds. The third time he had an idea – perhaps caused by lack of blood to the brain. He took his GPS unit off the bars as he approached the finish, and hurled it over the ‘line’. It bounced on the road, into a ditch, and he couldn’t find it. He’s certain he got the segment, but now he can’t prove it. It’s hard to feel a huge amount of sympathy. Jon F, email…

▪ Colle di Nava A languid unclassified climb that will have to stand in for the Capi trio of climbs on this occasion. Its gentle rise of 440m over nearly 30km appears unlikely to trouble to pro peloton though, nor does the descent on the main road. ▪ Cipressa Its 5.6km at 4% are rarely enough for riders to get a big enough gap to last until the finish. Reliably someone will try though, and if they make it to the base of the Poggio then we can dare to hope. ▪ Poggio The climb of 3.7km at 3.7% usually defines the race. You might not win it here but if you’re not in the right place at the bottom of the twisty descent off it, which is equally as…

CW5000 riders have been reaching the goal since April. Here is a list of everyone who has completed the challenge so far. Ross Duncan Elaine Scott Simon Hickman Corrine Black Giles Cudmore Alastair Flood Ali Mclean Andy Singleton Peter Harrison John Lunt Fergus Black Paul Willcox Marko Baloh Stephen Milner Lincoln Allen Dave Baxter Richard Reynolds Ian Ransom Gavin Stewart Barrie Morris Richard Aspinall Tom Portsmouth Alan Steele John Walkden Luke Holmes Paul Watkins William Taylor Justin Howe Stephen Copeland Stuart Almedia David Swait Richard Ellis Ryan McGlen Andy Bell Adrian Lauchlan Gary Barnes Jonathan Douglass John Richardson Richard Maplethorpe Russell Carson Matthew Grant Mike Edge Colin Harris Nick Mannerings Andras Vigh Mark Fairhead Stephen Moore Mark Skinner If you’ve completed the challenge email proof to cycling@futurenet.com and we’ll add…

How long have you been with the club? It would probably be since early autumn, 1976. At the time most of the club riders were older guys dressed in plus-fours, alpaca jackets and were riding old steel bikes with big saddlebags. Most of them had been top riders from the 1930s and 40s. It was like being thrust into a bygone age but we were absolutely fascinated with the amazing stories these guys used to tell of 150-mile club runs, riding down to Bath to ride a 100-mile time trial, sleeping in a hedge and then riding home afterwards. How has the club handled the return to group riding? The Q&A section on the Cycling UK website has been really helpful. We have two Sunday club runs (an all-day and…

Unpacking my bike on Halstead’s Market Hill and looking down the road, I almost did a double take. “Wow, that is a lot steeper than I expected, that’s a proper hill. Must have really stung the legs.” From 1964, this testing little ramp through the heart of town was the finishing straight of one of the great British bike races, the Grand Prix of Essex. On event day it would be lined five deep with spectators, with more peering through and hanging out of the windows of the shops and pubs to catch sight of the action. Although the race was already 10 years old, with early editions being run further south around the Romford and Southend area, it’s the town of Halstead with which it will forever be associated.…

Russ Downing’s win in 2000 very nearly never happened; he was meant to be in Italy riding for a new pro team but it all fell through at the last minute. Desperate to race the Essex, he got in touch with the organisers and persuaded them to let him start. In fact on the day he actually signed on as his brother Dean, who was sick, and took his race number, so maybe the record books should show Dean as the winner? We’ll let the brothers sort that one out.…

Former national TT champion Hayley Simmonds, pro with UCI women’s team Ciclotel, had to deal with fear after coming back from injury “I think talking to someone can really help, whether it’s a psychologist or another rider. I’ve learnt to reach out for help and support because otherwise the anxiety can overwhelming. Just getting some input to look at a situation more logically can make a massive difference. “It took me a long time to find my feet again after breaking my elbow [in 2018]. I had three surgeries and afterwards I was quite nervous for a while in the bunch and on any wet or very technical descents. I really didn’t want another injury, and that manifested as a lot of nerves. My team-mates were great on camp in…

TT champ turned coach Matt Bottrill (mattbottrillperformancecoaching.com) pays tribute to his colleague’s tenacity. “I’ve been working with Simon since 2014, and we’ve always had a great relationship – so good that when we started to expand our coaching company, we brought him in. “What I love about Simon is his ability to always want to improve and push himself. He’s willing to try new things out to improve his athletes’ performance and is always searching for answers to problems. He’s become a great friend in this time too. “I could relate to Simon’s recovery process, as I had been knocked off my bike the year before. So we put a plan in place to bring him back to recovery. Now we’re on a mission to fight back to racing form.…

In a development almost as improbable as the recent outbreaks of actual bike racing we’ve seen, we seem to have a UK government that is actually at least half-serious about encouraging people to take up cycling. I’m aware that literally no one reading this isn’t a rider already, but we’ve got a propaganda campaign to run here, so we need to get our messaging right. The reasons people offer you for not wanting to start riding a bike are pretty extraordinary. For every excuse we have for going for a ride (a mate once arrived three hours late for a family wedding because “I needed to try my new wheel bearings”), non-riders have a sillier one for not riding. “What if it rains?” might be the most common. My reply…

It was clear that racing’s break and the absence of familiarity had confused Team Ineos’s Christian Knees, who almost started one stage with team-mate Filippo Ganna’s bike. “But it works! I could ride it!” the German laughed. Jumbo-Visma’s George Bennett, who finished fifth, was seen carefully making his way down the podium steps after one presentation and trying to avoid touching the hand railing. “We’re being responsible and doing everything we can, including a few small changes like masks that don’t affect our day-to-day lives,” he said. “The biggest thing is how we interact with the public.” Teams had made changes, too. Some asked journalists to attach their phones to selfie sticks to record interviews, while in hotels, teams were separated by floors and in the dining rooms to avoid…

Julian Alaphilippe (Deceuninck-Quick Step) Something of a surprise winner last year when this climber won in a small group sprint, we doubt he’ll be able to take anyone by surprise this time and will be closely marked. CW rating ★★★★ Philippe Gilbert (Lotto-Soudal) He wants this one badly. It would complete a career set of Monuments for him. But at 38 the odds are against him. CW rating ★★★ Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Fenix) Automatically a favourite for every race he starts these days, van der Poel may struggle with the distance – he exploded spectacularly in the closing stages of the Worlds last year. But if he’s in that final selection he’ll be very dangerous. CW rating ★★★ Caleb Ewan (Lotto-Soudal) He’ll have the advantage of being able to…

Dennis dispute with Bahrain discarded The UCI has thrown out the dispute between TT world champion Rohan Dennis and his former team Bahrain-McLaren. Dennis walked out of the team midway through last year’s Tour de France due to a disagreement over equipment and claimed they should have paid him to the end of the year. Dennis left the team and now rides for Ineos. ▪ Froome on form Chris Froome has said he is on the right trajectory for the Tour de France, which starts at the end of August. Speaking to Cyclingnews at the Route d’Occitanie, the four-time champion said: “There’s still a bit of work to do, but that’s all part of the build-up. The delay to major races has helped me take the next step to being…

Cervélo’s new endurance Caledonia came to life through direct influence by the staff based in the brand’s Canadian headquarters. They wanted a fast bike that was still tough and stable enough to deal with Toronto’s notorious rough and broken tarmac. The Caledonia is around 5-10mm longer than Cervélo’s R-series bike and it has a lower bottom bracket, too. It has a longer head tube that’s a degree slacker than its stablemate’s and an increase in fork trail aimed at slowing down the bike’s handling. There are still a few aerodynamic flourishes. However, although aerodynamic in shape the tubing had to enhance the bike’s comfort; this machine is as stiff as the Aspero gravel bike, and less stiff than the R and S-Series bikes. Of course, the key deliverer of comfort…

James Bracey, tech writer After what seemed to be a lifetime of testing gravel bikes during lockdown, jumping on the Defy felt like the perfect gateway bike to explore the local roads and lanes on long rides. It’s taken on my local Hampshire test loops and has even been used for a little bit of further touring and dare I say it, gravel riding, to test its versatility. I’ve come to love the relaxed yet speedy personality of the Defy and am now considering using it as the basis for a fast-travelling road tourer for some long-distance adventures in the near future.…

“Thirty-two years is a long time as a police officer,” states Simon Beldon’s profile on the Matt Bottrill Performance Coaching website, “especially in the world of murder investigation and organised crime, where the stakes are high when it comes to risk to the public.” That long service had come to an end in 2018 when, aged 48, Beldon retired from West Yorkshire Police, where he had worked his way up to the high-stakes rank of detective superintendent. Freed from chasing murderers to instead help cyclists chase PBs, he could have been forgiven for expecting a commensurate decrease in the risk to his personal safety. No such luck. “I was out on a bog-standard training ride. It was a clear, sunny day and I was riding along a straight road,” Beldon…

Despite the warm, sunny evening, no fewer than 106 riders braved the lumpy London course for CW’s Club 10 virtual TT last Wednesday (29 July). The winner was 48-year-old Gavin Lancaster, who averaged 425 watts to finish in 24 minutes exactly, four seconds faster than second-placed Mark Holton. Climbing specialist Jason Roberts completed the podium, in 24.13. “Over lockdown I’ve been working on my 20- and 60-minute power,” Lancaster told CW. “My intention [in the Club 10] was to go as hard as I could for as long as I could, knowing that Box Hill was going to hurt at the end.” The cat-two racer, who rides for Swindon club Steele Davis Via Roma, added: “I was really happy with my numbers – my 20min power is up 4.5 per…

Sometimes, in one’s cycling life, it becomes necessary to say something complimentary to one of your fellow riders. This is always a stressful occasion. The cycling compliment is very closely related to the cycling excuse. Despite its overt generosity, the aim is really to level things up a little. Hence the classic compliment, “Hey, mate, that was a really good ride, for you.” There are other variants designed to give with one hand and take away with the other. Ideally the recipient will have already begun to acknowledge your kindness of spirit before you yank the rug. “Hey, mate, great, great effort on the hill today… I remember a couple of years ago when you were a fat little lump and you couldn’t have got near that… you must be…