2012 highlights

Yes, it is that time of the year and I'm a bit late. But, what better way to end 2012 but to take a look at the very best moments, at least from my point of view.

Readers of this blog will recognize as I say that this is difficult to do as cycling, as any sport, is so connected to emotions. But, where is the fun if one cannot have an opinion, right?

I've divided the year into certain categories, to be a bit systematic in my approach:

Best attack
Tom Boonen's attack during Paris-Roubaix - With some 60 kilometers to go, Tommeke takes off and doesn't look back. I remember his DS saying in a video "Amazing, he's still going over 50 km/h!" Now this number could be all talk but anyway Boonen walked the walk and made the Belgians sing and dance his techno song once more.

Boonen breaks away

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Honourable mention: De Gendt's long-distance haul on the penultimate stage of the giro, he almost pipped Hesjedal for pink.

Most emotional win
Matteo Rabattini's stage 15 of the giro - arguably the most heroic stage win of the year. What cycling is all about really, an attack just 18 km into the 169 km stage and held off, even as Rodriguez joined him just 400 meters to go.

Best teammate
Edvald Boasson Hagen - Yes, I'm biased but I know I'm not alone as Velonews also awarded him the price. To selflessly put his own ambitions aside and work for Wiggo and Sky like he did during the tour was amazing. Of course, many members of the Sky-train did the same, and deserve a mention as Sky brought some stars to France. EBH dropped Basso and other top notch climbers from his back wheel, not once, not twice but several times in the mountains. Still his palmares in July had of a couple of podium spots. That's what true champions do; when they are not allowed to win, they set themselves new goals and deliver the goods.

Best team

Team Sky and Omega-Pharma Quickstep. Not only referring to the rankings as pictured, but also to other criteria. As mentioned Sky's domination at the tour, and the fact that many different riders did win on OPQS are some of the key elements in my opinion.

Also worth a mention is the total destruction of Radioshack during the tour, which mysteriously gave them the best team award. Anyone watching the last couple of days witnessed teammates not cooperating. Of course you can always blame the UCI point system as always but still.

Best race
The Olympic Road Race for women produced some of the best racing I've seen all year. Hopefully they get the recognition they deserve in 2013.

Best cycling media outlet
1. Velonews - This was a tight race. I have to say it's just the last couple of years I've followed Velonews closely, mostly due to the fact that they traditionally have been more oriented towards the American audience. However, Velonews has taken huge steps the last year, clearly the crew is doing something right.

2. Velonation - this crew has a slightly different approach than Velonews, as Velonation has a more in-depth style, going further and deeper than any other outlet. Perhaps not first with the last but very well connected in the different aspects of the pro cycling world and I do enjoy the interviews.

3. Bikeradar - tech style. I'm not that into tech myself, I want my equipment to function. That said I do care about detail, style and quality. So, James Huang et al - here is to you guys.

Best blogger
Inner Ring - not much to say really. Balancing news, in-depth analysis of everything from races, climbs and teams to the financial elements and UCI rule book, he's on it with an objective point of view.  Funny or sad, depending on your preferences, is that he is seldom mention in #FFs. Probably because everybody is following him anyway. If you don't already, get your head out of the sand.

Worst team
Astana, Katusha - Ethics, finances. Hiring old school dopers, firing old-school dopers whilst being catched for doping yourself, the list goes on. Dodgy as few, they should attend Branding 101. Radioshack's top manager Johan Bruyneel deserves a mention too, dragging a team down. There is a "t" in team, and there are some 70-90 people involved in a team so the responsibility is huge. Sadly, the riders and other staffers suffer, that's how the cycling environment of today. Nuf said.

Best marketing
The RCS and OPQS - Open, friendly, fan-oriented, available and innovative.

Worst downfall
Lance Armstrong - you all know the story and my point of view. I unfollowed Big Tex recently, he's not worth it.

Nice guys
NYvelocity and Cyclismas for setting up the Paul Kimmage fund.

Most embarrassing moment
Phillip Hindes' deliberate crash and the British journalists who defended him - one of the top Olympic controversies during the London Olympics, the place where good sportsmanship should reign took a beating. BC sprint coach Jan van Eijden said, rather blunt and/or arrogantly, that "something must have been lost in translation as Hindes just recently moved to England." Really, on national TV Mr. Eijden, please reconsider before you tell everybody watching that they are fools. To take advantage of the existing rulebook like that was not good, nor was the "national Olympic googles" some of the British journalists had during the Games. Hopefully it will be long until we see this happen again (at least four years).

Hindes on the downside

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Man of the year
Travis Tygart - without a doubt. He went where very few had dared to go, he did it with integrity, objectivity and with no intention to back down for the immense pressure he and his crew were exposed to. He changed cycling for life, as of now, we are just learning what will happen. This case will tear through cycling for years to come on every level.


Bring on 2013!

Thoughts on teamwork and the tour

Almost there

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Let me start by apologize for the few posts I've written during the tour. Blame work, and partly that I have enjoyed watching cycling all day and evening. Instead, I have tweeted more, microblogging so to say.

Today we witnessed Bradley Wiggins and Team Sky winning the 2012 Tour de France. I feel a bit uncomfortable saying it out loud, because the race continues for two more days, three if you count the parade in to Paris. Freak accidents and mechanical breakdowns could happen. We've seen Michael Rasmussen loose a podium some years ago during the last TT, crashing twice and throwing the bike into the woods wearing the climbers jersey. But by the looks of things, Team Sky have this one under control, the same control they have had of the tour.

Some have critisized the tour of being boring and predictable, and that Team Sky "ruined" the excitement by being so strong. I think the reason is not just one, but several.

• First of all the route sort of favors the TT specialists, that we've known since the route was unveiled last October, everybody understood that.
• Secondly, the crash at stage 6 injured many riders and some even left the race. Crashes the first week is nothing new but difficult to avoid as nervousness and inattention haven't let go yet.
• Our expectations to the tour. Fans want to see dancing pedals and furious attacks around every corner as well remembering this tour as the best ever. Preservation of team's goals once its in within reach as well as UCI point system and physical limitations, are some of the reasons our expectations weren't met.
• Total domination by Sky is another reason as they are just too strong to combat.

Oiled maschinery in action - "We've trained for this."

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Ambitions aside
I have previous written about this issue and all of you who follow professional cycling are aware of this. Sometimes it be painful to watch, as riders setting their personal ambitions, dreams and aspirations aside for the team's decision. Sky have done that this year to the fullest. The tour is one of the very few races, if not the only one in cycling, where 2nd and 3rd are not the first losers.

Today we all witnessed the climbing skills of Chris Froome, he is, in my eyes anyway, the best climber of all the riders in this year's tour. It is hard to watch Froome not getting another stage as "payment" as almost all had wanted that to happen. It's easy to have this perspective, at least when we are not certain of the communication between the two riders in question and the team car. Wiggins said after the stage that he had given Froome the "go" to get the stage win but Froome chose to stay with him. I have yet to see any comments by the DS.
People have speculated if Froome can win a tour himself in the future, and I have no doubt he will, if he's got the same support as Wiggins. It's also important to remember that Froome knew what he signed up for, he's newly renewned his contract, and is paid to help Bradley win. This is the objective perspective of course. Froome will be a giant in the years to come, he's been struggling with sickness the last couple of years but is back now. Imagine where he will be in two years of solid training by Kerrison in Sky?

I have written about Wiggins and Froome earier this tour, you can read that here.

Edvald Boasson Hagen who was free to go during two stages early in the tour, after that he has set his own ambitions aside selflessly. Towing an insanely amount of kilometres at the front, today he even pulled the main group to the bottom of the last climb, loosing several climbers in the making. What could he have done if he was not destined to work for Wiggins? Froome said in an interview today that he though EBH could win the yellow jersey one day and that he was totally blown away by EBH's capacity.

Same goes with Mark Cavendish, the reigning WC, the best sprinter of them all, reduced to a mere shadow of himself (or his capacity). Seeing carrying water bottles and being supportive of Wiggins is fine and he's got one stage so far.
It is easy to say that "yes, this is what they all should do." That is correct, but these guys are not just anybody. It takes a certain mindset to be a professional cyclist, and it takes a certain mindset to be as good as these guys are.

It is a bit ironic that Radioshack-Nissan lead the team competition. Today we saw Klöden riding past Zubeldia without helping him, Zubeldia being #5 GC prior to today's stage but dropping quicker than the US interest rate. So much for that, team competition is obviously more important. So Radioshack-Nissan is on track to win the best team competition for being a bunch of individuals. Lovely.

Danish dynamite
Who else but Chris Anker Sørensen? Trying hard for almost the entire tour to succeed in a brake, today he tried to fetch a newspaper out of his spokes in-flight, cutting three spokes in the process. The result was visible for all. Florence Pommerie, one of the tour docs, changed his dressings three times, claiming CAS "didn't have any pain, it just bled much." As of now, it's uncertain whether CAS will begin tomorrows stage as he undergoes surgery as we speak. Riis was quoted saying that CAS didn't have much flesh on two of his fingers left.

Danish dynamite

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Swede Kessiakoff deserves a mention too, fighting for the KOM jersey for two weeks, only to be bypassed by the clever Voeckler the last two days. Today's KOM battle was almost more interesting than the GC.

Summary
One could say the 2012 tour de France is over, but we've got a couple of stages left. The design of the very tour, incidents and injuries during the tour, the fans' expectations and the Team Sky domination are some of reasons this year's tour have been quite predictable.

Always nice but at the same time frustrating to see good riders giving up their own ambitions to meet a "higher" goal set by the team. Payback will come and hopefully everyone will be happy. After all, this is teamsport.

The tour de France is soon over. But fear not, the Olympics are soon here as well as Il Lombardia and the Worlds.

Stage 3 - cobble sightings and Amstel Gold Race

This year's classic stage.

Stage three of this year's tour deserves a mention. Not only because it will involve the possibility to get a sighting of cobbles, but in addition to this, the finish can arguably be described as similar to the Amstel Gold Race. Two classics in one, that must be worth a mention, don't you think?

The race returns to France and departs the city of Orchies, a city well known to the riders competing in Paris-Roubaix. The fact that this edition of the tour contains a few kilometres of cobbles frighten some while others see this a blessing and a possibility. Remember the havoc back in 2010? Personally I welcome cobbles, I believe any tour is more than cols and climbing, the tour winner should be able to perform over any surface. Perhaps a bit old-fashioned and romantic, I know, but that's how I feel.

Handling cobbles could be crucial not only to win stages but also to not loose the tour. The team leaders whip their team mates hard to stay near the front, and we all know the difficulties that can present. However, the surface of today's stage will be rather smooth, as Prudhomme for some reason has exluded the bigger cobbles this year. Next year then.

Climbs too
As mentioned, some think of the finish in Amstel when they see the finish in Boulogne-sur-Mer. The finish is what makes this stage similar to a classic. The tour returns to Boulogne-sur-Mer for a forth time, last in 2001. There are six pretty tough climbs, whereas four of them in the last 16 kilometres of the stage. Be aware of the wind as the tour sweeps by the English Channel. Cross winds can easily split the peloton.

• Km 181.0 - Côte de Herquelingue (125 MASL) 1.7 kilometre-long climb at 5.8% - category 4
• Km 185.0 - Côte de Quéhen (109 MASL) 1.4 kilometre-long climb at 5.9% - category 4
• Km 190.5 - Côte du Mont Lambert (150 MASL)1.3 kilometre-long climb at 8.4% - category 3
• Km 197.0 - Boulogne-sur-Mer 0.7 kilometre-long climb at 7.4% - category 4

Last kilometres

Potential winners

No one should exclude Sagan, as he showed great form so far in the tour, he climbs well and has a finish anyone envy. Edvald Boasson Hagen is the man Sky will ride for tomorrow, based on the show the last days, perhaps it's more fair to say "that guy who's not riding for Brad-day". Good news is that not many teams will have that many riders strong enough to cope with the climbs so not much support will be there for anyone. Chavanel won the French championship on similar grounds a mere year ago, while Cancellara has shown his strength before, while Goss is getting closer by the days. A punchy rider like Gilbert or Valverde could also bring the stage home. 

Bring on the classic stage. 

Sources: Letour.fr and "Røff guide til Tour de France 2012" - book by Johan Kaggestad, famous Norwegian commentator and coach. 

Saganism - get used to it

Next stage please....

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I know I'm very late in commenting on the wonderboy from yesterday but I feel I have to. Was caught in real life yesterday and couldn't post but still, I am very impressed by Sagan. So impressed I can only imagine his potential. Anyway, embrace yourself for Saganism this year's tour.

Yesterday we witnessed a perfect final by "new" phenomenon Sagan, beating Cancellara and Edvald Boasson Hagen for the win. In many ways it was perfect. Not only because the result but because many, including me, have enormous expectations for what Sagan can achieve in the weeks and years to come.

The young man is just amazing, his DS, Stefano Zanatta, compared Sagan to Lance Armstrong and said that "Sagan can be just as big rider as Armstrong was". The comparison is of course said in euphoria since Sagan and Armstrong are two very different riders. The thing is, Sagan is still young and has the most exciting career in the business. If I'm not mistaken, he is the youngest in the whole peloton after Thibaut Pinot and the youngest after mentioned Armstrong to win a stage in the tour after Armstrong did so in 1993.
It was really nice to see two of the most exciting riders in the peloton fight yesterday, when Edvald Boasson Hagen caught up with Cancellara and Sagan. I'm not going all in with the details about Sagan, mostly is probably known to many, but what impress me the most is this mix of talent and race brain. Some got talent, some got the tactically mastermind but having the most promising talent in the business as well as being smart as a rider? Just amazing. Where will he stop?

Strangely, some people criticised Sagan on twitter for sitting on Cancellara's wheel yesterday and not taking any pulls. It is important to remember that this is racing, this is sport. Fairness and gentlemen does not mix last two km's of a race.  Well, one must have blind not to see history repeating itself. This is what Cancellara does every time, if someone is fast enough to get his wheel, you'd know it's a free ride to town. Sagan was aware of this as well as he knew the potential danger coming from behind, Edvald Boasson Hagen. Sagan just sat there and watched as Cancellara (who Sagan can outsprint easily) and Edvald tear themselves to pieces before he launched his sprint. Very impressive by the 22-year old.

So, was this just the beginning or will we witness more? We'll find out tomorrow as the same three riders who were key in yesterday's final will play a huge role on the cobbled roads of northern France.    

The Glava of Norway

Today the Glava Tour of Norway begins, a five stage tour around the Eastern part of Norway. The race builds on Ringerike GP, a UCI race several big stars have entered over the years, usually in the beginning of their pro career.

Glava - the main sponsor
Many of you are probably familiar woth much of the work being layed down to organise such an event. Many sponsors contribute in different ways, local corporate organisations use the event to marketing themselves both locally and perhaps trying to be recognised internationally as well. So what kind of company is Glava?

Glava is a Norwegian industrial company who "developes and produce market insulation materials and other products."  Using the slogan "Good insulation is envirmonmental protection”, GLAVA ® have a broad range of products for building insulation. The main product is glasswool which is widely recognised as the leading insulation in the world. Almost every house in Norway has these materials, yellow matts are roled out in the walls and on ceilings.The company also have other materials and experiments with differents foams.

GLAVA ® insulation for houses

Glava is one of the companies that supports cross country skiing and cycling the recent years, something marketing manager Øystein Kvam highlighted recently. The race director of Glava tour of Norway is Birger Hungerholdt. Ring a bell? Hungerholdt is Edvald Boasson Hagen's manager and he has been a key player in making the Glava tour what is is. As Edvald Boasson Hagen said to the local newspaper in Lillehammer today, "I'm not sure if stage 4 is buildt spesificly to me, but I guess Birger had me in his thoughts". But as Edvald discovered during his recon of the climbs, they are tougher than he expected. Although the race pass by Edvald's childhood home, not once but twice.

Read more about Glava on their website here.

Summary
The Glava tour is a huge race for Norway and is a leap in the right direction for cycling in Norway. The sport has been through a remarkable development with pros like Arvesen, Hushovd and now Boasson Hagen and Kristoff too are leading the way.
Hopefully you know what kind of company Glava is, tune in to watch the game, nothing is written in stone and I expect a fight all the way for the overall win.

Glava Tour of Norway's official website is here. 

Birger Hungerholdt - race director and EBH's manager.

 

Why change a winning coach?

Science - the solution to all problems?

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Yesterday we learned that Edvald Boasson Hagen (EBH) ends his professional relationship with his personal coach over many years, Fredrik Mohn.

Earlier today, a gentleman named Peter, asked me on twitter if I could comment on the importance of coaching, something I can try to do now.


Relationship
Fredrik Mohn and EBH have been working together for a long time, the last seven years, Mohn has been working closely with Edvald.
Back in the day EBH was recognised as a talent quite early. Like many other talented riders, he was good while being young, something that can easily tip both ways as the years go by.
At the age of 17 he was a part of the junior national team, trained by Gino Oudenhove, now team manager of Joker-Merida. He was still improving, but suddenly the results didn't came as easily as before and EBH felt sick. Several riders rode him straight off their back wheel; something was not right. Gino Oudenhove had a good impression of Mohn already back then. Mohn wasn't carrying a degree in physiology, he didn't even had a career as a top athlete he relied on, but still brought out the best in many young riders from different clubs. Mohn is actually educated as a goldsmith, something people have joked respectfully with over the years, as Mohn indeed has turned some riders into gold.

Oudenhove felt EBH needed new impulses and gave Mohn the job of bringing young EBH back into shape. Mohn, who is known to be thorough and very methodological in his work, changed some of Boasson Hagen's program and EBH began to respond to training once again. "It got a lot to do with communication. I tell the riders to write detailed training diaries I, in return I read everything and give them feedback", Mohn says in this article in the newspaper Nettavisen. In addition to this, Mohn surrounds himself with the right people with background from physiology, nutrition, and medicine.

Later EBH joined Oudenhove at Joker-Bianchi (now Joker-Merida), the season before T-mobile bought him was special, as he really made himself a name by winning many races internationally.

This stage he timed the sprint perfectly...

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Change is (almost) always good
In addition to be a slogan for paid-by-the-hour consultants, this has also been the foundation for all physical training the recent years. Always shock/surprise your body, always vary your intensity etc, you know the drill.

On top of this it is no surprise a team like Sky, or any other team for that matter, want more control over the training. After all, the team have paid millions of € and want to have ROI. Will it work? That is the million dollar question and one that only time will tell. EBH is surrounded by some of the best coaches in the business, Sky is known for combining science and training. Their focus on detail, which perhaps was too much their first year, seems to be more relaxed these days yet still very high on a positive note.

According to procycling.no, EBH will be working with Tim Kerrison, who is known for his outstanding job with Wiggo the last couple of years. Also in the coaching team is Kurt Asle Arvesen, fellow Norwegian, who bring experience and perhaps some mental coaching to the table.

Will it be another success story? It all depends on if the rider himself believes in the concept and if the communication is present. It worked for Wiggo, Julich works fine with Froome and Nordhaug, but chemistry is mighty important in sports. Either have a very good chemistry with your coach, or an extremely good sense of professionalism, coping with bad chemistry but still believing in the concept. Oudenhove says it right, if a rider need new stimuli, it is the right time for a change.

Summary
Team Sky want more control over their assets and their ROI, but changing a coach can go both ways. It all depends on whether the rider believes in the concept. To have the upper hand a rider need to continue develop him or herself, making sure the opponents are left behind. Maybe a change of coach from time to time is good? Either within the existing team, or on a brand new one.

Paris-Roubaix - a preview

This post originally appeared on Cyclismas

The Arenberg

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The third monument of the season is over us, the famous Paris-Roubaix. This race sets a dot to the hardest week of the whole calendar, with de Ronde at the beginning of the week.
The two races are almost equal in terms of length, around 260 km each. So, what is the difference?

The basics
The cobbles in Paris-Roubaix are totally different than those at Flanders. The cobbles in Flanders are smaller and more squared, they are also located on a smooth surface with some sort of systematic plan behind them. They rattle your handlebars pretty bad still, coming into them at 60 km/h. The main difference though, is the space between the cobbles. While the cobbles in Flanders are pretty neat lined up, the cobbles in Paris-Roubaix seems like something kicked randomly out of the back of a truck (something they are). The distance between the cobbles combined the the sheer size of them, makes the difference. That, and the fact that this year's edition of Paris-Roubaix gives you total 51,5km of cobbled sections. Although the cobbles hit you after a solid 97,5km of cycling, they don't give you any chance of recuperating once they start. There are about five to six stones per meter, the vibrations shoots right through the legs, spine, arms, neck and shoulders so hard and so fast that blood does not circulate as freely as before, adding to the fatigue.

The cobbles are classified into based on difficulty by the race director. Two of the most famous cobbled sections, Trouée d'Arenberg and le Carrefour de l'Arbre, are both ranked highest difficulty.
It's not easy sitting on someone's wheel through the cobbled sections, at least not over those with the highest difficulty. You have to balance eyesight to drag and if there is one place you really need to watch your step, it is over these cobbles. If someone asked me to describe Paris-Roubaix with one word it would be brutal.

The fight
As you all know, the positioning before the cobbles is crucial, making the pace incredible fast the last 10km or so approaching the cobbles. Every captain will want to be at the front so the race is on with swearing, snorting and elbows several kilometres prior to the cobbles.

The margins

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Favorites
Five stars: Tom Boonen, Pippo and Ballan - all performed very well last week at Flanders with Tommeke as the obvious fav. However, Paris-Roubaix doesn't care for favs so anything can happen.
Four stars: EBH, Thor Hushovd - Edvald Boasson Hagen performed well at Flanders and is even better at the flat cobbled race. Hushovd's has been struggling with disease but says his form is coming.
Three stars: Paolini, Sep Vanmarcke - Paolini is a strong rider in the classics, often not labeled a fav but has performed well lately. Sep is Garmin's hope, one of the few who has out sprinted Boonen (something Boonen is very aware of me thinks) and he has several good placings in semi-classics, making him a clear outsider to this year's Paris-Roubaix.

Normally, Cancellara, Leukemans, Breschel and Sagan would have been additional contenders but they are all out.

Summary
One of the season's absolute highlights is over us, several top contenders is out but who cares. This is the most brutal race of the season, totally unforgiving. And, one factor I haven't mentioned yet is the weather which can turn this race upside down. I say; bring it on.

Milan-Sanremo - Eggs, baskets and tactics

Team Sky ready to roll at Milan-Sanremo

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Last Saturday we witnessed the first monument of the season unfold, la classica di Primavera. Just taste the word for a while, it carries memories from a past and promises to the future. It is a magnificent race and as the longest of the calendar as well as being a monument, it is a prestigious race to win.

Much have been written about Mark Cavendish, Team Sky's primary hope, since he got dropped 90 kilometers from the finish line. Almost too bad since I feel we all should write about Simon Gerrans and his brilliant win. His win was nothing short of impressive, Gerrans win proved he was the smartest rider, smartness triumphs strength any day.

Questions to ask

Over the years I have learned that "one never questions decisions taken in the heat of battle". One can bring them up when the timing is adequate, to study and to learn, but since we didn't have the shoes on at the time, who are we to judge?

However, the things we can question are tactics and strategy. Those are made prior to the race, making is easier for the roadcaptains and riders to act and react without always checking with the team car. Act upon intention, if you like.

Tactics are meant to maximize the team's strength and possibilities while at the same time reduce risk. Giving the riders and staff the comfort of having the upper hand is crucial. Tactics and planning should identify key terrain, address the team's advantages and make a systematic approach to gather and present the information surrounding a race. Another important issue is war-gaming or what-if's. Take a look what Petter Northug, x-country WC and Olympic champion said after winning the Worlds:

When the start signal goes, I feel prepared because I have done those 50 kms several hundred times before, going through every scenario possible in my mind.

Sessions like these are important to athletes. Being mentally prepared can make the difference between success and failure. Knowledge of training, nutrition and technology have been researched thoroughly over the recent years and information about these matters and training methods are merely a click away. One could say that this has levelled the battlefield for the riders, and the main difference that remains, is mental coaching.

Team Sky Saturday 17th of March

Two favourites for the race, how plan and create tactics to match both? As Steven De Jongh said to procycling.no after the race, the team was supposed to ride primarily for Cav, if there was a minute or less gap at the Le Manie, the team would drop back and help Cav getting back to the bunch again. To me this is a strange tactic. Yes, the MSR was one of Cavendish' main goals for the season. Yes, Cav is lighter than last year and has shown good shape, but tactics are supposed to exploit possibilities, not minimizing them.

Eisel and Cav at ToQ  -  Cav, the season's long with many possibilities

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EBH, Sky's second favourite, was left with Löfquist, who did a good job bringing EBH to the front over the Cipressa and near the front on the Poggio. But still just one man in support.

To order the whole team back to help a rider showing weakness with seven more climbs 90 kilometers left, kind of limits your options, doesn't it?

I'm not in any position to say things would have been different if EBH got more support, I usually refrain from if’s and maybe’s, but I think it's a strange tactic by Team Sky. Eisel, Cav’s wingman explained what the team tried to do when bringing Cav to the peloton failed (via Velonation):

“After speaking to him it was me who originally made the call for the guys to stop riding on the front of that chase group,” he said. “But then we changed our mind because if we got back on then it meant some of us could work for Edvald instead, so that's what we tried to do.”

One would expect Sky to learn from last tdf where the whole team was set up to bring Wiggo to the podium. We all know what happened to Wiggo, who unfortunately broke his collar but Team Sky had a great tdf without him. This shows the potential in this team. EBH nabbed two stages, G in white for days (losing it when the whole team waited for Wiggo), Uran in white for days too.

Cav was humble enough to let the team know he wasn't feeling too good on stage 3 of the Tirreno-Adriatico, giving EBH the chance to sprint for the win, so I believe Cav has a clear understanding of his capabilities and he has shown leadership before, taking care of his teammates.

Question is, to what extent do the management provide sufficient resources to other riders? Team Sky is a British team, with roots all the way back to BC and track. Is it more difficult to divide resources to others when you have the reigning WC onboard? As far as we know, Cav felt good right upon the beginning of the race, but tactics need to cover all aspects and be known in advance. 

Norwegian cycling experts have questioned on procycling.no how much influence Brailsford and Ellingsworth had on Saturday's tactic. Of course, one could say Norwegians are biased in this matter as nationality goes, but questions like these do have a rightful place.

Summary

I hope to see a different set of tactics later in the season. Team Sky has such a strong roster that they have many cards to play. If a rider is given a protective status, perhaps it is better to have more than just one man in support. How will Team Sky solve tour de France?

There is nothing wrong in having options, to have the eggs in different baskets, you never know when you'll need them.

Milan-Sanremo - preparations meet tactics meet luck



La classica di Primavera

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On Saturday the 103rd edition of the Milan-Sanremo will take place, a race often referred to as "la classica di Primavera". I wrote a post last year including some of the race history, you can find that here. 

Shorts
As the Italian name suggests, Spring is finally here, at least in countries close to the Mediterranean. At 298 kilometres long, Milan-Sanremo is the longest race in the season, normally the longest races don't cap 280 kilometres, like the worlds. Some have criticized the race for being boring with the action only taking place the last 20 kilometres with the Cipressa and Poggio as the ultimate pinnacles the riders deal with. I see this as a beautiful race going through a nice part of Italy. However, I can relate to the fact that the race is on fire the last 30 kms.


One for the sprinters?
The race is also called sprinters' classic but I find the race as not always living up to this name. It is difficult to pinpoint one single reason for this but 298 kilometres is very demanding any day of the week, not to mention this early in the season. The distance makes even the smallest climb difficult, which is why the Cipressa and/or Poggio often determine the winner or at least define the decisive break. Normally, the fastest sprinters doesn't win. Actually I don't like this term, as the fastest guy is the one to cross the finish line first, right? The ones who have prepared the best as well as being lucky, will be there in the final. Often those two go hand in hand, just read what Roald Amundsen, the Norwegian explorer, said about luck:

"Victory awaits him who has everything in order — luck, people call it. Defeat is certain for him who has neglected to take the necessary precautions in time; this is called bad luck."


Wide open for the opportunists
As I often repeat it is impossible to predict the future and guessing the winner is difficult. It is easy to name ten-fifteen riders who can be among the winners on a given day, but that does not impress anyone right? So let me just name some of the riders I expect to rock the race, and quite frankly, I see them all up there. But remember, this is racing and anything can happen. Last year Hushovd was in great shape but found himself caught behind a crash just before the Cipressa. I guess he won't be that far back on Saturday.

Ready for the long haul?

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I have narrowed it down to these five riders. There are many more, but what fun is it to mention they all? The list is based on form, capacity and former achievements. Of course, choice of tactic play a part here too.

Peter Sagan
Edvald Boasson Hagen
Oscar Freire
Fabian Cancellara
Tom Boonen


Tactics and strategy
How do you control all the different outcomes in a 298 km long race?

Normally a break takes off early, often gaining a significant lead. One thing is certain though, the ones in that breakaway will never make it to the finish line first. This Monument in cycling is so prestiguos to win that teams have brought their very best hoping to win, making sure a breakaway will not survive. The ones in this breakaway will be riders from teams getting a wildcard, who will honour the sponsors as well as the race itself by being in the front. Teams with a favourite might also sneak in a rider or two as well, for two reasons. 1) having an exuse not to use strength rallying the break in later 2) the possibility of having a rider up there who can provide cover if the lead man comes up or just to be a free asset.

The last 30 kms - who will be the strongest?

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Watch closely 10-15 kilometres or so prior to the Cipressa, riders slip backwards to get bottles and food from team cars, as well as receiving final advice/orders from the DSs. Some riders will try to help their leaders to the front in hope to avoid any chaos that might occure in the peloton. The sprinters will fight for their lives to stay near the front, to avoid sliding too far back on the climb. All this while the riders who picked up fluids and food try to make their way to the front to support to their leaders with some crucial food or drinks. The pro teams have own nutrition experts, like Team Sky's Nigel Mitchell, who have sorted a menu suited to each rider on every step of the way.
We'll have the usual attack on the Cipressa or the Poggio by Nibali and Garzelli or other punchy riders. In addition to this, the Italians will try to snatch a win on home soil. Count among them Pettachi, Viviani (evil tongues will say Sagan will ride him in like Nibali if he can) and Sacha Modolo, remember his 4th place last year?

Radioshack-Nissan could use Italian star Bennati or Fabian for a late attack whilst BMC could do the same with GVA or Gilbert.

Summary
The first of cycling's five monuments is here, and the strong men will battle it out. I'm excited to see how the different teams play their tactics. Having just one egg in the basket can bring a devostating result as the peloton is tired, teams not all that organised this early and everybody wants to secure a place in the spotlight. We will see if Roald Amundsen's words is valid still on Saturday.

Let's have a look at the frenzy in the last kilometres Milan-Sanremo 2011 where Matt Goss won.

Dopers redemption - what does it take?

It's August and silly season is "officially" all over us. Everybody knows the talking has taken place during the season and especially during the tour, nowadays it's all about the formalisation itself, aka the signature. Some riders have been assigned as stagiares and are new to the pro peloton, while others are not to be found in the pro ranks next season due to lack of performance, old age or other reasons. Among those who are returning to the pro or conti peloton are riders having spend a year or two outside for doping conviction. What to say about this? The ones who have failed to live up to the expectations of fans, teams and public, who fooled not only themselves but others who trusted them? What makes their return ok?


The idea of this post has been on my mind for a long time, or perhaps the right way of putting it is; many times have this subject crossed my mind. As you all know, doping has been a part of cycling as in every other professional endurance sport for many years. I have mixed feelings bringing it up too, sometimes I'm quite tired of hearing about it, feeling that too much emphasis is being put on those who cheats instead of those who don't. But, with this post I hope to learn more about why some rider are forgiven, while others not.

There are examples of riders who doped who are being welcomed back into the sport and now are ambassadors/spokesmen against dopers, David Millar is one. Why are some riders, convicted or currently under investigation, treated differently than others?
Contador's racing in the Giro and the Tour seemed to make more people forgive/forget the Damocles sword of doping hanging over his head.
How important is the scale of offence? If a rider's caught being 32, is it plausible to suspect him of doping his/her entire career? Are all dopers the same, if not, how do we measure that?

Everybody won't get a second chance
I read an article in procycling.no where Thomas Dekker's return was covered. I found that very interesting and I got new earned respect for Vaughters, not that I didn't have it before, but the article made me think. Dekker's tests from 2007 was retested, proving postive for EPO, and the following years were hard on him. After many conversations and discussions with Vaughters, Dekker went through intensive testing prior to be selected to ride for Chipotle, Garmin's farmer team. Dekker had to prove for Vaughters that he was capable of being a rider on a certain level without doping and according to procycling.no, Dekker had to cooperate with WADA. Dekker himself said he "feels a responsibility to inform young riders about the dangers of doping."

People deserve a second chance, right? Nobody's perfect and mistakes are being made by everyone. I know from earlier debates on twitter that some do not agree with me on this, but that is how I feel. I feel there is a huge difference between now and before. Ok, money's on the table and riders need a job, but times are changing. It is not the same like back in the 90's, even though judging by today's races and stages, it sometimes seems difficult to understand that. It is possible to get an exciting race climbing over only one HC mountain instead of riding over three HC in a stage.

I still get just as upset when a new positive test are being revealed. I find this whole debate difficult since feelings are involved too. As a result, a person's attitude or opinions towards a sport is not entirely rational, making argumentation often agitated.
I must say I don't view riders I've admired the same way after they have been caught, I think no one does. A large chunk of respect of that individual will always be gone, and I will always wonder if they still dope. Like it or not, that is my view.

Done their time
Some riders and fans say that since riders have done their time, it is ok to welcome them back, just as any other criminal are/should be in our society. But is it that simple?
I read on twitter today that what we as fans feel about riders prior to the offence is more important than people will admit. One matter many have mentioned is the doper's willingness to admit their sins in public. This will over time improve the rider's image. I guess it something about stepping up and take responsibility that makes us more able to forgive. Like in ethics and moral, honesty is important for how we judge people. The riders have people surrounding them, family and friends, having disappointed someone close to you, who trusted you, must be awful.

The super human performances is not as visible as before. I take this as a good sign. When somebody is performing well, I will from now on say that "well, someone has to be best". I choose to keep my faith, because there are some signs that we are witnessing an increasingly clearer peloton. I will put my scepticism and cynicism behind me, after all, with riders like Sagan, Kittel, Pinot, Degenkolb, EBH and G, the future has never looked so bright.

Brailsford's tough call

The Sky is the limit?

Photo by Laurent Cipriani , downloaded here.

This afternoon, the media got informed of Edvald Boasson Hagen's rash. Seems a bit strange that a rash would get so much attention but I found myself gutted, as well as thousands of other cycling fans.

Herpes-zoster or shingles, is something everyone who has had chickenpox, can get. The virus remains dormant in the nerve roots, awaken when it decides to. So now, it was EBH's turn, again so to speak.

Injuries are a normal part of any athlete's life. Edvald has had his share the recent years. Two years ago he got an achilles problem, keeping him out on the entire classics season. This season, it was his attempt to floor a tree, using his own body, which led to broken ribs. Having returned, in great shape, one can start to wonder, why him? This incredible talent, stepping up when cycling is in desperate need for new, fresh blood and again he's stopped.

As mentioned, I'm gutted. Not only because he's Norwegian, but also because he could do so well this year. He is in great shape, won the Norwegian TT again, destroyed the likes of Ivan Basso in the Dauphine uphill(!) and sprinting very good lately.

Luckily, EBH is a pro cyclist. This means he's trying to stay positive and keeping his edge. After all, no reason to think and rethink why this happened.
Let's hope that the medication work. I've heard people get well in six days, the normal period is from what I've heard six-twelve.

Like Twisted Spoke wrote today, Bradley Wiggins, apparently in super form, is probably not interested in having an infectious rider living closely with him. I don't think Brailsford can or will take that chance. Shingles is very contagious and precaution has to be made.

This will be a race against the clock, and time is not on EBH's side.

Tour of Oman v.1.2

Flowers to the people

Tomorrow the Tour of Oman 2011 begins. Last year Team Sky did what they could to influence the race with Edvald Boasson Hagen leading cycling's brand new hot-shot team to a podium, knocking out Fabian himself on the TT on the 5th stage.

As a pretty new pro, Boasson Hagen also made a mistake in the race. Having the overall lead, he stopped on a "natural break" some 50 kilometres from the finish on stage 4. Two Cervelo riders increased the tempo significantly, causing the other teams to respond, leaving Boasson Hagen way behind struggling in the crosswind, losing the lead jersey. Some says it was a way of saying "get back in line" from other teams, because Team Sky allegedly have pedalled hard through the feeding zone earlier that day, causing stress and anger from other teams.

Road.cc later described this incident as a "controlled experiment" and that it came as research to "aggregation to marginal gains". Apparently, Team Sky was working with a Professor Primo del Mese, to see how Team Sky could benefit from a proposed two-way radio ban by the UCI. Read more here.

Eddy Merckx deemed Boasson Hagen favourite for this year's race, but I think there are many more who can make it exciting. The race is different this year, far hillier than last year. A hilltop-finish on stage 4 will be hard to master for the sprinters and could indicate changes on the overall podium. Gesink, Rodriguez, Pozzato, Boonen and Taylor Phinney are all contesters for the overall lead.

I hope that the battle for "marginal gains" continue, but that any pee breaks will be respected according to the unwritten laws. That said, it is allowed to carefully examine when the proper time and place is for a break as well.

It seems like the written rules struggle these days, just more reason to follow the unwritten ones.

Cycling's rising stars

Off season is inevitably moving towards the end, riders have dusted old dust off their bikes and spent hours on those long, slow rides that builds basic endurance. Important work, laying the foundation to be able to sustain those endless hours on the bike racing endlessly around Europe in just some months time. Muscles who haven't felt a bike for weeks suddenly find themselves without the much needed efficiency they had before, the pedal stroke feels completely without the well known fluidity. The extra pounds in body weight gained makes the riders feel like the wind's holding them back on every acceleration, forcing them to a halt. Luckily, the only comfort the riders have is that they know or hope that every rider in the world feels the exact same way.

Off season has actually been made shorter every year, the PROs starts TDU in just three weeks. Who will make claim the season 2011 of the "new" pros? With the term new is this context I don't mean the absolutely newcomers, those who went through the grades being continental or even stagiaires making their first contract now. I am talking about those who took us by storm this year, those few who came from nothing and despite that earning respect by the peloton.

I will leave the obvious battles of the giants at le tour or the giro for now, those will be discussed much later.

Peter Sagan

The soon to be 21-year old Slovak who took the cycling world by storm last spring, will probably have a  season just as strong as last year. After winning the points jersey at Paris-Nice along with two stages, he disappeared. Rumours has it that Liquigas-Doimo has done so in order to protect their new star, making sure he get the appropriate amount of time to grow. What kind of rider is he? Some says he'll be a classics rider, some says he can be a top sprinter like Cavendish, others that he can be a GC rider if he drops some pounds. Big engine evolved from his time in MTB, he surprised many being so strong at that age last year. I personally believes he can be a new Gilbert. Aggressive, strong in climbs, not afraid to go into breakaways combined with his superb finish. Do not be surprised if you see Sagan first over Cipressa in 2011.

Picture taken by Chris Graythen

Richie Porte


Being the last man standing in Saxo 25-year old Porte could be Riis' only hope. The talented Tasmanian surprised with a strong 7th in his GT debut in the Giro including winning the young rider jersey. He also held the Maglia Rosa for three solid days, he lost it when he got sick due to food poisoning. Like many good GC contenders he is also good in TT, just missing the podium at Geelong this year. His background as a triathlete made it easy to find his place on the TT bike I guess. Porte started cycling for real only in 2006 so he truly have some good years ahead of him. With his superb season this year I believe he can really make a difference next year, at least if he is the only GC rider Riis has left.

Picture taken by Robert Prezioso

Taylor Phinney


The American wonderboy with the great genes could very well be making it next season, although much points towards a season of learning and adapting. Probably worse teams to be in when it comes to learning, bet Evans, Hincapie and Ballan takes him under their wing. His transfer to BMC surprised some, who had foreseen a transfer within the line going from Trek-Livestrong to Radioshack.
Despite his young age, he has already won U23 Paris-Roubaix two times as well as two U23 World TT Champion titles. Add a super strong track career to the equation and you'll have a rising star.

Picture taken by Quinn Rooney

Edvald Boasson Hagen


The quiet Norwegian has been predicted an astonishing career and this season was supposed to be his. An uncooperative achilles put an effective stop to his own and everybody else's ambitions. Hagen did a superb start of the season, winning in the points jersey in Oman, along with a solo stage win. Stage wins in Tirreno-Adriatico and critérium du Dauphiné and two podiums in le Tour speaks for itself. Who knows what the outcome would have been if he didn't get injured. Boasson Hagen is a man for the classics although he hasn't proved himself during the longest classics yet. The upcoming season will be exciting, Boasson Hagen has been training well so far this winter, riding hard on MTB and skiing with fellow Team Sky riders Kurt Asle Arvesen and Lars-Petter Nordhaug in the forest surrounding Oslo.

Own picture 2010

In Norway there is an expression that says "the new wine", referring to the newcomers who threatens the established silverbacks. These above mentioned riders are cycling's new wine- hopefully not the beaujolais noveau that causes big commotion and fuss, then suddenly they are gone. They are some of the new, the untouched ones for the time being, not affected by any of what has been haunting cycling the recent years. To me, these riders are some of the many who bring hope to the sport. Lets hope for a wonderful next year, hopefully one or more of these above mentioned riders will rise to the occasion.