Brad leading the peloton at Legoland
The team at Lego have decided to honour Bradley Wiggins‘ win at this year’s Tour de France by creating a special cycling display. The company let Brad know what they were doing through Twitter. The display, which appears at Miniland in Windsor, sees Bradley in Legoman format leading the peloton in his maillot jaune. A handy reason to take the kids back to Legoland.
The Official Tour de France Game for Android and Blackberry
The Official Game of the Tour de France: The global standard for cycling games, is now available to all Android and Blackberry users!
According to the description on the Android Market:
Become the team manager for your favorite team and then become a legend as you lead your team to victory!
Manage the peloton and deal with breakaways, climbs, accidents, loss of form, and more. TAKE CONTROL and take part in the most realistic virtual Tour de France ever seen! Choose the correct racing strategy and the best tactical plans. Expose the weaknesses of your competitors, and attack with your team in full force!
Tour de France 2011 – The Official Game: The best way to experience the race!
Game features include:
Main screen with plenty of options to choose from
The 2011 Tour de France kicked off this weekend to a great start. Unfortunately not all of us get to work from home during the week and watch it live on TV. So, to make do we use the internet and anything else that can help bring us closer to the race. And this is something the Tour de France organisers, along with sponsor SKODA, have cottoned onto. They have launched the Official Tour de France Application powered by ŠKODA.
According to the Google Android App Store:
Team Garmin-Cervélo lightens up with a new Tour de France kit
Slipstream Sports, today unveiled its limited edition team kit for the 2011 Tour de France, created by its innovative Italian clothing partner, Castelli.
The new jersey and shorts retain the distinctive Garmin and Cervélo logos, but reverse white with black on the jersey. The signature Slipstream Sports argyle is prominently displayed.
“We’re really excited about the Tour de France kit,” said Jonathan Vaughters, CEO of Slipstream Sports and Director Sportif, Team Garmin-Cervélo. “The lighter color is perfect for hot weather and our signature argyle is more prominent.”
This is the third time Castelli have introduced new clothing at the Tour de France. “We consider the Tour de France a very special event that deserves a special design,” said Steve Smith, Castelli Brand Manager.
“This team is rider-centric, and Castelli has done its part to make sure the riders have the most comfortable and technically advanced clothing for this big event. Racing in hot weather is physically demanding, that’s a given, and despite the fact that Castelli makes some of the lightest and coolest fabrics in existence, wearing a lighter colour will make a big difference, both psychologically and physically, to a rider’s well being,” explained Steve Smith.
The limited edition Tour de France kit will be available in early July at Castelli dealers and from the team store.
In addition to the new color, the Castelli Speed Research Unit has been busy making sure it’s the fastest gear in the peloton. With new innovative thinking, fifteen rounds of sampling and numerous tests later, the Castelli Speed Research Unit and has invented the first skinsuit for road racing.
And, working with Robby Ketchell, Director of Sport Science for Slipstream Sports, Castelli created a nearly seamless Body Paint TT Speedsuit to cut through the wind better than almost any other suit ever created. For the mountain stages, the riders will be supplied with an unbelievably lightweight jersey that virtually absorb no moisture so the weight savings multiply in the most extreme conditions.
Rydon's from Rudy Project
Walking through AW Cycles about two months ago, I bump into this familiar looking girl. When she spoke, the South African accent gave it away and I knew immediately who it was. Gila Joffe. The last time the two of us met was on a trip to France in July 1992. We went there to race our bikes and to see the Tour de France. On our last day in France, Gila, myself and a few other of the guys spent over eight hours on the Champs-Élysées waiting for the riders to come in for the final stage of the Tour. If my mind serves me correctly, it was Olaf Ludwig that took the stage that day. That was over 18 years ago. And now the two of us meet up again, and in a different country. We spoke for a while and scheduled to meet up for coffee a few days later.
So when we meet up Gila and I had a good catch up on the old times and also told me of her new ventures here in the UK. The first being iRudyProject and the second ICE ID.
After our meeting Gila gave me a pair of Rudy Project Rydon’s with ImpactX photochromatic clear lens to wear when I go out riding. I’ve tried them out a few times and will be posting another blog piece on here of my experience with it. Make sure to look out for it.
Some more from the 2010 London Cycle Show. This time it’s from Eddy Merckx and his top of the range, EMX-5. These two machines on show came direct from the Tour de France, from the Quick Step team.
One show was the combo yellow/green EMX-5 from stage winner, as well as Yellow Jersey and Green Jersey winner, Sylvain Chavanell. Add to this was the polka dot coloured EMX-5 won by King of the Mountains jersey winner from the same stage, Jerome Pineau.
Here are their frames for you to admire:
Quick Step's Sylvain Chavanell's yellow/green Eddy Merckx
Jerome Pineau
Just had to get a picture of the new Eddy Merckx logo
This year’s London Cycle Show also showcased the new Pinarello Graal that will be used by Team Sky in 2011. An awesome looking machine to say the least. The extended/integrated stem with its own unique handlebars; the one-piece fork and headtube; the front brake housed behind the fork; and the hideaway section on the rear chainstay for the Di2 battery pack (if you choose to ride with the Di2, of course).
However, the best looking part of the entire bike is the downtube. It has sections that look like raised ‘shark fin’ profiles. Whether it enhances the rider’s performance is yet to be established, but it does look quite cool. I’m sure when the 2011 season kicks off, we’ll soon be able to tell if does help when the Team Sky riders edge their way up the GC. Maybe we’ll even see Bradley put in a sterling performance at the Tour de France.
Team Sky Pinarello Graal
Super skinny
Looks alien-like from the front (ever seen Men in Black?)
The aero downtube
A close up shows the shark fin ripples on the downtube
The battery pack for the Di2 nicely tucked awy within the chain stay
A chunky but much needed integrated stem and unique handlebars
Front brakes sitting behind the forks
Team Sky Pinarello Graal
By Peter Hodges
Vacansoleil win again, as Michael Albasini enters final stage with a minutes lead over rivals, while ‘Tour de France’ style crowds great The Tour of Britain in Suffolk and Essex
Borut Bozic (Vacansoleil) taking stage 7 honours
The Vacansoleil team took their second stage win of The Tour of Britain, as Borut Bozic sprinted to victory on East Hill in Colchester, as the gradient took its toll ensuring just Greg Henderson could stay with the Slovenian rider as they reached the line.
With the drag to the line causing splits in the field, Bozic and Henderson came in three seconds up on third placed man Richie Porte, with the leading trio all collecting time bonuses to add to their advantage over race leader Michael Albasini, who came in 20th in a group 11 seconds down on the winner.
That means that Albasini now holds the Yellow Jersey presented by Bikeability by 1 minute and 5 seconds from Bozic, with Porte a further nine seconds back and Henderson two more in arrears.
The Swiss rider, who won Stage Three into Swansea on Monday, spoke after the stage of his relief at having safely negotiated the final road stage of The Tour, with just London’s circuit race remaining.
“I was always looking forward to this moment, normally in the last stage not so much happens and it should be a bunch sprint. I am happy to still have the Yellow Jersey. Three days ago I wasn’t so sure to bring it this far when we had just four riders in the race.
“It’s perfect now with three stage wins and hopefully also the yellow at the end in London.”
The 29-year-old though isn’t going to celebrate early, saying, “The last stage is always hard, you have to keep the concentration and it’s only over when it’s over.”
Friday’s stage was characterised by a long breakaway containing Sigma Sport – Specialized’s Tom Murray and Pieter Jacobs, which went away after 21 miles of racing. For the second day running in the East of England massive crowds turned out to welcome The Tour of Britain to Suffolk and Essex, with sunshine and good weather greeting the riders for the start in Bury St Edmunds.
The peloton making its wat through Sudbury
With Team Sky a constant presence at the front of the peloton, the break’s lead only just rose above three minutes at its greatest, before steadily being slashed as The Tour reached Essex just after passing through Sudbury and climbing Ballingdon Hill, both described as being the scene of ‘Tour de France style crowds’, by experienced cycling journalists after the race.
With 25 kilometres of racing to go, Murray had no response when Jacobs sensed him slowing and attacked, leaving the British to be swallowed up by the peloton. Ahead the Topsport Vlaanderen – Mercator rider persevered on alone, before being caught with five kilometres remaining on the outskirts of Colchester. But with an uphill drag to the line awaiting it wasn’t going to be conventional bunch gallop, as Bozic and Henderson crested the rise ahead, with the Slovenian coming through to take the win, much to his and his teammates joy.
Speaking afterwards, former Vuelta a Espana stage winner Borut Bozic said, “For me this is a big victory because there are a lot of good riders here. It doesn’t matter where it is; every race is hard to win.”
Bozic also commented on his team, who have featured prominently throughout The Tour, saying, “We are a good team and we help each other a lot. There is also, as you can see, a good team spirit.”
Teammate Johnny Hoogerland sealed the overall King of the Mountains and now just has to finish Stage Eight to claim the polka dot jersey, and spoke afterwards of his happiness to take a jersey, although his overall aspirations have not come to fruition.
“Yesterday I was pretty sure of the jersey”, said the Dutchman, “But with today it could have happened that 15 riders had gone with Richie (Porte) and stolen the points, so you never know.
“During the last few stages I have been taking the most points, but it was on the fourth stage when I took the jersey that it was good for me. I’m very happy to bring it home.
Hoogerland also praised The Tour of Britain’s route, saying, “You always have hilly and flat stages so I think it’s normal. They could have stayed in the South West the whole week, but I think that’s not fair for the sprinters! For me, two extra stages in the South West would probably have been better, and then maybe Albasini wouldn’t have got his jersey still.
“Some teams are probably less motivated because it is only a 2.1 category race, but for us they are all big races. I looked at the programme for September and I said ‘I want to do The Tour of Britain’, because I think it’s a beautiful race.”
The Vacansoleil rider also praised Suffolk and Essex for their role in hosting Stage Seven of the race, explaining, “There are a lot of people! It was actually more beautiful than I expected, because in every village there are fans, I think all the schools are empty for the race, and it’s lovely to be here.”
The peloton going through Suffolk
The final stage of The Tour of Britain takes place in Newham, London’s Olympic and Paralympic Borough, with a 96 kilometre circuit race around the historic Royal Dockyards and London’s ExCeL Centre.
Before the racing gets underway and the winner of the 2010 Tour of Britain is crowned amateur cyclists will have the chance to take part in the second of this year’s Prostate Cancer Charity Tour Rides, offering the unique opportunity to ride an official stage of The Tour in London.
The Tour of Britain is in the second year of its successful partnership with The Prostate Cancer Charity, who are sponsoring the coveted blue Points Jersey, currently worn by Team Sky’s Greg Henderson.
Mark Bishop, Director of Fundraising at the Charity, said: “By turning the Points Jersey blue, we are demonstrating the commitment of each party to this partnership which has proved hugely beneficial.
“Our first of three events this month went exceptionally well last weekend, in the South West. We believe the unique proposition of riding in the tracks of the pros has added something fresh and credible to the sportive calendar.
“Through the partnership, we have been able not only to raise awareness of prostate cancer in the men we are trying to reach – but given all cyclists something challenging and active to do to support the cause.”
Cyclists get a further chance to ride a Tour of Britain stage on Sunday 26th September, when The Prostate Cancer Charity Tour Ride takes place at Stoke-on-Trent over the tough of Stage Two of The Tour. To find out more visit www.tourride.co.uk
Stage Seven Results
1) Borut Bozic Vacansoleil Pro Cycling 3h 24m 15s
2) Greg Henderson Sky Professional Cycling Team @ same time
3) Richie Porte Team Saxo Bank @ 3s
Honda Combativity Award Winner: Pieter Jacobs Topsport Vlaanderen – Mercator
General Classification standings (after seven stages)
1) Michael Albasini Team HTC – Columbia 27h 26m 40s
2) Borut Bozic Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team @ 1m 05s
3) Richie Porte Team Saxo Bank @ 1m 14s
The Prostate Cancer Charity Points Jersey standings (after seven stages)
1) Greg Henderson Sky Professional Cycling Team 62pts
2) Borut Bozic Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team 57pts
3) Koen de Kort Skil – Shimano 50pts
The King of the Mountains Jersey standings (after seven stages)
1) Johnny Hoogerland Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team 56pts
2) Richie Porte Team Saxo Bank 45pts
3) Wout Poels Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team 31pts
The Sprints Jersey standings (after seven stages)
1) Michal Golas Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team 31pts
2) Richie Porte Team Saxo Bank 20pts
3) Johnny Hoogerland Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team 16pts
The Tour of Britain is proud to be partnered with The Prostate Cancer Charity. Don’t forget this September your chance to follow in the wheel tracks of the professionals and ride three stages from The Tour of Britain. Go to www.tourride.co.uk to find out more!
Jens Voigt descends the Peyresourde Pass on a loaner bike after a crash shattered his own (Robin Wilmott)
On stage 16 of this year’s Tour de France, Jens Voigt showed us what legends are made of. About 2km’s into the descent of Peyresourde Pass, he blew his front tyre and he went down. This crashed almost forced him out of the Tour for a second year in a row.
To make matters worse, the first team car was behind Andy Schleck, and the second had decided to go up ahead to hand out water bottles at the foot of the next climb. As a result Jens had no bike as his was shattered from the front wheel blow out.
According to Jens:
So then the broom wagon pulled up and was like, “Do you want to just get in?” And I said, “Oh no, I don’t need YOU!” But there I am with blood spurting out my left elbow and no bike. Finally, the race organizers got me a bike, but it was this little yellow junior bike. It was way too small for me and even had old-fashioned toe-clip pedals. But that is the only way I could get down the mountain, so I had to ride it for like 15-20 kilometers until I finally got to a team car with my bike.
Then, I still had to get up to the grupetto. All I can say is that that desperate times need desperate measures, but I got up there. And once I did it was grupetto all day long.
Needless to say, I had plenty of time to come up with a fitting book of the day. It’s from the Disk World series by Terry Pratchett. In it, the protagonist is Conan the Barbarian, who is a 70-year-old who has just survived everything. At one point he, and his other old warrior friends capture this village, but then they find that they are surrounded by an army of tens of thousands, and his only reaction is, “Oh man, it’s going to take days to kill all these people!” And that’s the way I was today when I was lying on the ground. I just thought, “Oh no, I’m going to Paris this year, I’m going to Paris. There’s just no way you are going to get me out of this race for the second year in a row!”
This just goes to show what a legend the man is becoming! No matter what bike he was riding, no matter what his circumstances were, he decided not to give up. You have to admire that?!
For those of who have been keeping tabs on this blog would have seen that The Prostate Cancer Charity in the UK are trying to become the charity name behind cycling. Just the same as running is for breast cancer, they would like to make cycling the sport for prostate cancer. A natural association if you like.
Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men and as a result, one man dies every hour from this horrid disease, not to mention the 35000 men that are diagnosed with it every year. So it’s not something to shy away from. But rather a disease that we need to fight against.
With that, the Charity has teamed up with The Tour of Britain to offer cyclists of all abilities the chance to ride a stage of The Tour, in The Tour Rides. Taking place in September, cyclists can try out the same routes that the pro’s get to race on in the Tour.
The same attention to detail and event planning is put into delivering a Tour Ride as staging The Tour of Britain. With extensive route signage, marshals, motorcycle support, official cars on route and neutral service, the Tour Rides offer a unique full-support experience.
Plus, there are carefully located and well stocked feed and drink stations along the route as well as hot drinks and sandwiches. I’ve been informed that this year’s Tour Rides will also incorporate timing splits and timed King of the Mountains sections (Pro Tour Ride).
The neutral service is being provided by the team at Saddleback Ltd who bring to the UK market those awesome racing machines, FELT – as currently used by the Garmin Transitions cycling team the Tour de France, as well as Lance’s groupset of choice, SRAM.
So on Tuesday 22 June, I was lucky enough to be invited by the Charity to go and try out the Stoke route of the Tour Ride. This route forms as Stage 2 of The 2010 Tour of Britain. It was a clear hot day – 22 degrees celcius. A perfect day to go out for the ride – as you will see from the pictures below. I had been looking forward to doing the ride for a whole week running up to it, especially as it was time out of the hectic schedule we were on for The Tour Series, plus I got to have my last ride on the Felt FC.
As it was a media ride, we weren’t going to do the full day’s worth of riding (ie. Pro Ride). We were only aiming to do 60+ km’s. However, we were going to take in the hilliest part of the route. Our day started off in Rocester, the home of JCB. From there we made our way to Leek taking in the stunning views of the Staffordshire Moorlands. On the ride we took a short break in the village of Longnor, where we were welcomed with open arms by the owner of the local coffee shop called Cobbles. A true cycling fan, he offered us teas, coffees and sandwiches on the house. How could we say no to that? So if you ever in the village, make sure you stop by Cobbles.
From Longnor we made our way towards Leek, not before taking in plenty of 10% climbs and the well known, Gun Hill. I felt great at the start of the ride but the climbs were relentless and they began taking their toll. I have to say that Gun Hill was not easy at all and I can see why people gather along it when the Tour races over. There were some great downhills too (not too many of these unfortunately), but did manage to get up to speeds of 80km/h.
It was a great day out and I thoroughly enjoyed myself. If you’re on the fence about whether to take part, I would urge you to go for it. Sign up for The Tour Rides, you will not be sorry. And feel good in knowing that you are also putting money to a good cause.
I would also like to say a HUGE thanks to Andrew and team at Saddleback for providing me with the Felt FC to use on the ride! I loved riding it so much, I am now looking to buy it.
And last but not least, below are pictures taken on the day of our ride. These were taken by Joolze Dymond who is also the official photographer for The Tour of Britain and The Tour Series. If you get a chance, make sure you check out her website: www.joolzedymond.com
Remember, there are three routes to choose from and three rides at each, for the exception of London, which offers only one ride. For more details on all the Rides on offer (dates, distances, etc) in The Tour Rides, check out my previous posting on The Tour Rides.
Enjoy the pics and sign up!
Starting out in Rocester where our ride began
A beautiful day to be out riding the bike
Making the most of my last day on the Felt FC
The start of many many climbs to come
Easy for some, others not
The scenery was just spectacular
Riding on roads that were virtually clear of traffic. Made for a superb day out
You can almost see the heat come off the road
Some more uphills
Working the Felt. Plus, enjoyed the SRAM groupset. Definitely a convert to its style
How can you say no to that?
Peter and Liz helping us out on the ride, a day after the Chester round of The Tour Series
Some more ups
Peter trying the typical 'fan with water bottle' you see in the Tour de France
He was loving it
...and the fact that I was getting wet
Mind you, afterwards it did feel quite refreshing
Then just for the camera decided to do a typical rider 'response' to getting wet
Maybe over doing it a little 
Watch out for the BIG hand! Getting a fresh bottle from Liz
Seriously enjoying my day out on the Felt. I think I should keep it!!
And there were some downhills too
But what goes down must go up
Liz and Peter enjoying their day out of the office
Quiet roads
Coffee stop in the village of Longnor. Check out Cobbles if you are ever there
Making our way towards Gun Hill
But before we get there, a few more clims to negotiate
Boy it was hot out there
There were loads of these too - 10 per cent climbs
Doing some close ups for the Charity
Taking the mick out of Joolze who's sitting in the boot of the CRV
Suffering on the first killer section of Gun Hill
Really thankful that Paul was there to encourage me along
My legs were hurting big time
Finished the second killer section
Enjoying the fact that Gun Hill levels out towards the top
Almost there
Joolze making us sprint for the top. She loves to see us suffer
Freewheeling into Leek
Enjoying the post ride chat with Paul...
...and laugh
