Rides worth doing: The Tour Rides

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

2010 Le Tour de Femmes: Babes on Bicycles

Babe on a bike

I came across this site today – COED Magazine – and thought, “Why not share it?!” As I’ve described on my About section, this blog has to do with all that is bicycles. And that is what I’ve done here. So for all the guys out there, enjoy! And for the ladies, well, just turn to all the cycling news sites around the world and enjoy!

Bianchi Babes

Fishnet babe

Orbea babe (for those eagle eyed readers, she's holding an Orbea Orca)

Victoria Pendleton

Beach babe

Swimsuit babe

Well, if you want to see more, make sure you head over to COED Magazine and see the masses of babes on bikes that Pez Cycling News’ Daily Distractions would be very proud of.

Chasing Legends

The past few weeks on Twitter I’ve noticed mentions of this new cycling film called Chasing Legends. I didn’t pay it much attention due to my work load and constant travelling around the UK. So this morning I’m reading through the excellent blog from Simon Lamb – La Gazzetta Della Bici – and came across a trailer for this film or documentary as I have found out.

The documentary has been put together by Gripped Films, documenting the 2009 Tour de France through the eyes of the Columbia HTC professional cycling team and the “legends of the sport”.

The world premier of the film was yesterday, the 15th March. Its timing could not have been better, especially after the epic stage in yesterday’s Giro d’Italia, which saw world road race champion Cadel Evans take the stage. As Simon Lab says in his blog:

“For a brief moment today cycling returned to a pre-war era of brave men and true spirit. Cycling is so beautiful because it breaths with the earth it is raced on and nowhere was that more apparent than on the ‘brutale ma meraviglioso’ farm tracks today. GIRO è VITA.”

A fitting stage for what seems to be a documentary that details exactly what this sport is all about – the true heroic spirit of cycling. Make sure to check it out!

Graham Jones on what makes a great racing circuit

One of our best ever - Graham Jones

It’s been a while since I last posted to my blog. The new job is definitely taking all of my time – but it’s a dream job so am not compaining about it at all.

Anyway, I decided to listen to a podcast from our Tour Series event and was very impressed with it. Now I’d like to share it with you.

Do you want to know what makes The Tour Series so successful? Well, besides the management team behind the event, it also takes finding some great circuits that will demand the most from the riders, yet deliver top quality entertainment for the crowd. And knowing what makes a great circuit comes only from experience at the highest level in the sport.

Now I have the great honour of working with Graham Jones, five-times rider of the Tour de France and one of only a handful of British riders that placed within the top 20 of this magnificent race. A very humble man about his achievments, but having spent many years on the professional circuit, he is well placed to know what will challenge the boys on their bikes.

To listen to Graham tell us what makes a superb racing circuit, then click here.

I’ll have more updates in the days to come. Remember, The Tour of Britain is taking place from 12 – 19 September. If you’re in the vacinity, why not stop by and come watch the best cycle racing to hit British soil.

Astana to be tainted by the doping brush thanks to Kloeden

Astana's Andreas Kloeden

A report to come out on Monday from German publication, Der Spiegel, is set to implicate German riders Andreas Kloeden and Matthias Kessler in illegal blood transfusions, citing the findings of an independent commission investigating doping.

The commission spent two years looking into doping allegations against two doctors who allegedly put a doping system into place at Freiburg University Clinic between 1995 and 2006 for the former Team Telekom, later known as T-Mobile.

Doctors Lothar Heinrich and Andreas Schmid, fired by the university in 2007, have admitted providing and administering doping material until 1999. But the commission concluded they continued until at least 2006, Der Spiegel reported.

Kloeden who now rides for Astana and has always denied doping. Kessler is currently serving a doping ban.

Astana have just managed to get some good press on Lance being allowed to ride the Tour de France and now this little bombshell is going to hit them hard. It will be interesting to see how the team responds to it and what the future wll hold for Kloeden within the team. I’m hesitant to speculate just yet, so won’t 🙂

Team Sky – new professional British road cycling team

BSkyB has announced the creation of a professional British road cycling team, Team Sky, to be managed by Great Britain’s Olympic performance director Dave Brailsford CBE.

Team Sky will build on the principles that make British riders a consistent success on the track and will support Sky’s work as Principal Partner of British Cycling, fuelling the sport from grass roots to elite level.

And the team will expect results. Team Sky wants to create the first British winner of the Tour de France, within five years. It also aims to inspire people of all ages and abilities to get on their bikes, through the team’s positive profile, attitude and success, and add further support to competitive cycling in Great Britain.

Team Sky will have a core of British riders, coaches and support staff and its HQ will be in Manchester, home to the GB cycling team. It will compete from the start of 2010, throughout the calendar, with the objective of gaining an invitation to the Tour de France. The race schedule will include the Tour of Britain, a chance to showcase the team on home ground.

An initial squad of around 25 riders will be recruited during the 2009 calendar year. They will be supported by a team of coaches, technicians and support staff from across the cycling world, many of whom work throughout the year with British elite and developing riders. Team Sky will now start to recruit key personnel and approach commercial partners to support the new team.

Since becoming Principal Partner of British Cycling last summer Sky has used its relationship with millions of homes to encourage families to get out and ride in order to help their health, their fitness and the environment. The Sky Sports London Freewheel in September brought more than 50,000 recreational riders together to ride traffic-free streets in the heart of London.

Sky is also working with British Cycling to develop a range of inspiring events, to make cycling fun, easy and accessible to all, which will be announced in the spring.

Does this mean that Mar Cavendish (Columbia-Highroad) , Bradley Wiggins (Garmin-Slipstream), and David Millar (also Garmin-Slipstream) will be bought out of their current team contracts to join this new team?

Memories of the ’92 Tour

This past weekend I had to clear up my study to make space for a guest that will be staying with us in the very near future. So as I was cleaning out the room, I came across an old box of photos. Mostly of the family, but there were a few from my racing days as a youngster. The one’s that brought back the most memories were those of my first visit to France (at the age of 13) and my first experience of the Tour De France.

So, here are some pics of what I saw there and of the guys we like to watch and aspire to be like. Enjoy!

One of the most remarkable stages of modern history of the Tour. Claudio Chiappucci took off before the race left France and soloed to a glorious victory at Sestriere high in the Italian Alps. We were standing a few meters short of the 3km mark

Miguel Indurain is second rider up Sestriere. Miguel took the yellow jersey away from Pascal Lino on this stage. He went on to take overall honours in the Tour

One of my favourite pics - Laurent Fignon climbing his way up Sestriere and there I am cheering him on (2nd from the right in the white t-shirt)

Standing at the monument to Henri Desgrange, instigator and first director of the Tour de France, near the summit of the Col du Galibier

Spectators lining the road up Alp d'Huez

Andy Hamspten making his way to taking the stage win on Alp d'Huez

Followed in hot pursuit by Indurain and Chiappucci

World Road Champion Gianni Bugno being paced by team mate. (Not much space on the road going up for bicycles, cars and people)

All time favourite Laurent Jalabert

Former green jersey winner, Sean Kelly

At the stage finish in Tours. Thierry Marie took the stage win that day. Miguel on his way to receive another yellow jersey

Claudio Chiappucci following the finish in Tours

A glimpse of Laurent Jalabert at the Tours stage finish

Best picture! Me and Laurent Jalabert

Well, that’s all for now. I’d be happy to see more pics from the ’92 Tour. So if you have any, please let me know where I can go and see them.

I took Robert Hunter on

Track results from 1993

Last night I was sorting out my book of cycling achivements (my mother started this book when I started cycling competitively wherein she kept all my achievements.) About two years ago she gave the book to me during her visit to the UK as my family and I had relocated to the UK back in 2001.

So there I was sitting on the floor seperating out all the pictures, newsletters and newspaper clippings. Low and behold I found the one you see above. Boy – did one HUGE proud grin appear on my face. Back in 1993 on a Sunday afternoon (unfortunately my mother didn’t keep the exact date on which it took place), in my first year racing in the under-17 category, I was taking part in the weekly track cycling league event at Hector Norris Park (the highest cycling track in South Africa – 1704m above sea level). In the 3km event, I was racing against none other than Robert Hunter.  And I beat him 🙂

I know it sounds like I’m bragging. But who wouldn’t, especially when the guy you beat is South Africa’s best and a stage winner in the 2007 Tour de France. At the very least, I can say I had the opportunity to race against Robbie.

Hey! You never know – perhaps it was that particular race that he decided to concentrate on his sprinting…?

Is the writing on the wall for Rock Racing?

Rock Racing

Well, I certainly hope not! Not too long ago there were rumours that the American cycling team was in a spot of bother, following the impact of the financial crisis on the world. The team down-played these rumours and things then went quiet.

Until now that is. Today an article appeared in VeloNews where Baden Cooke, a Tour de France stage winner who raced for Barloworld last year, spills the beans on Rock Racing not fulfilling their promises. Although it’s Baden’s word against that of team boss Michael Ball, it’s not a good sign for Rock Racing.

Michael Ball had the following to say in a statement:

“Rumors of Rock Racing’s untimely demise have been greatly exaggerated. The team is proceeding with a full racing schedule of domestic racing in 2009 and is actively pursuing any and all opportunities related to racing outside the United States. I am committed to my team and my riders are committed to making Rock Racing one of the most exciting teams in the pro peloton. Our key riders will all be returning and will be ready to compete against the world’s best. We thank our fans for their continued support of Rock Racing.”

I certainly hope that the team doesn’t suffer from the crisis and disappear from the professional cycling world. We’ve had too many companies leave the sport in the past year. Rock Racing has brought some glamour back to the world of cycling, namely its striking outfits and its very own groupies, the sexy Rock Racing Girls. Only time will reveal the real impact of it all.

The Rock Racing Girls

Cycling’s Bad Blood

Don’t you love books that make you analyse the subject, whilst stirring emtions and evoking various conflicting thoughts within you? Well, that’s exactly what I got when I read this book.

What the book did do was allow me to recall my achievements, and disappointments, as a young competitive cyclist back in 1990-1996. All the trophies, the medals, the winner jerseys and provincial colours for excelling in a sport I love. This is something that would make any child, or person for that matter, want more. Who wouldn’t? And you would do what it took to make sure you kept getting it all, if not more than before. Now i’m not saying it meant we would take drugs, but what I do mean is that it would make you train harder and longer than your nearest competitor.

I have to say I am lucky in that I was never involved in or took any drugs to help me progress further in the sport I love. But my racing years were, as indicated in the book, at the time when drug use in the professional ranks of the sport was starting to increase dramatically. I remember back then reading US cycling magazine, Winning, in which there was an article on this newly developed form of EPO that was completely undetectable. Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on how you look at it), this drug could only be afforded by those professional teams that had the cash to splash as the costs to administer it were so extremely high.

However, I did have a friend who raced in two age groups above mine. He was a track racer and was undoubtedly the best sprinter we had in South Africa. Built like a brick shithouse, he could snap a steel frame in two (no jokes!). But he was also one of the nicest guys you could ever meet. Now, he always openly admitted using testosterone in the off-season. I never saw him use the stuff and always wondered if it was just mucho speak at the track to try and instill fear into his rivals. I suppose I will never know.

Anyway, back to the book. It’s a very interesting book. Well, I say that because as a person who has never had access to the professional world of cycling (but did come into contact with it), this book scratches below the surface of it all and brings further insight into it. Now I’m not talking about the nitty gritty of what training they do, who talks to who, but more along the lines of what happens behind closed doors, and how small and close the community of professional cycling really is.

The blurb on the back of the book says:

We all want to believe in our heroes. That’s why Jeremy got into cycling. But what happens when you can’t? When you’ve seen too many positive dope tests, when you’ve been lied to too many times, when your sport is destroying itself from within?

Bad Blood is the story of Jeremy Whittle’s journey from unquestioning fan to Tour De France insider and confirmed sceptic. It’s about broken friendships and a sport divided; about having to choose sides in a war against doping; about how galloping greed and corporate opportunism have led the Tour De France to the brink of destruction. Part memoir, part devastating espose of a sport torn apart by drugs and scandal, Bad Blood is a cautionary tale, a love letter to one man’s past, and a warning to professional sport’s future.

This blurb gives a very good summary of this extremely well writen 234-page book, which includes references about Philippe Gaumont, David Millar, Lance Armstronga and Operation Puerto, to name but a few. More importantly, the book draws attention to the Omerta that has reigned within this sport and shows the downfalls of those who challenged it. After reading this book you can truly understand why Jeremy feels the way he does and why he has lost his faith in this spectacular sport with men that have superhuman capabilities.

This book is very much needed, if anything, to help us understand what people will do to try and achieve at the highest levels in the most demanding sport in the world. More importantly, it will also help the sport on its way to cleaning up its image and ridding itself of all the drugs and scandals. In order to fight it, we need to understand it.

In writing this book Jeremy is challenging the Omerta. I think it’s time we all do!

On a side note, as much as Jeremy’s vision of heroes has been tarnished by the cheats and scandals that have rocked this sport, I can’t help but feel sorry for the guy. I’m holding on tight to my dream of heroes, legends and untold glory. I know this book carries some truth to it, if not all of it. However, I lost my way with cycling back in ’96. Eight years ago, I discovered the love for it again and I’m not about to give up on it now.