We endured the new money-making tours (Dubai, Oman, etc.), watched with anticipation and excitement the Spring Classics, but what we really like are the Grand Tours. The Giro d’Italia is upon us with a 9.8km ITT prologue in Apeldoorn, Holland. TV coverage in the UK (Eurosport) starts on 13:30 (BST) and we will eagerly await…
Yesterday, Chris Froome (SKY) won the Dauphiné. This 8 stage race is considered by many as the mini-Tour. Most punters believe that lately it has been showing the year’s Tour de France winner. Looking at the results, you can’t really argue. I know that in this year’s race there were some absentees (notably Alberto Contador),…
The Flanders classics have started. Omloop het Nieuwsblad on Saturday, Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne on Sunday. For the British riders it started well. And what a fantastic finish was that, eh? I have to admit that I was feeling sorry for Ian Stannard on the closing kilometres. I thought “Three Ettix riders, two of them non-other than Boonen and…
The details are still a bit sketchy but the information is that the UCI after looking into some evidence submitted by the Italian authorities, decided to revoke Astana Pro Team’s licence. From what I understand, Astana have been co-operating by giving all information required about procedures etc. The Italian investigation, though, seems to show that, in…
Breaking News: Astana is given a “probationary” licence, Europcar not. Unfortunately, I don’t really have the time for a full article but it turns out that if you have 5 doped riders you are getting your “probationary” WorldTour licence. Funnily enough I don’t think there is such a think as a probationary licence. It seems that…