Road
Nice short film about Paris-Roubaix
This video from www.bike-tube.com shows the build-up to the start of Paris-Roubaix at the velodrome where the race finishes. It shows the work that's involved from early morning, and the arrival of fans and team buses as the atmosphere builds. The stands and terraces gradually fill where the spectators can watch the action unfold on big screens, culminating in the...
Question marks over Marcel Kittel’s absence from Scheldeprijs
Marcel Kittel, the triple winner of the Scheldeprijs was notable by his absence yesterday from the race, despite not being injured. When asked about it, his Directeur Sportif Rudi Kemna said that "It's up and down with him. "I can't say that it's going well for him, otherwise he would have been here. Sometimes he trains well, but then again...
Watch the last kilometres of Stage 3 of the Tour of the Basque Country
Yesterday's third stage of the Tour of the Basque Country was 170.7km from Vitoria-Gasteiz to Zumarraga with climbs over the Azazeta (cat 2), Iturrieta (cat 1), Urbasa (cat 1), Urkilaga (cat 2), Gabiria (cat 3), Antigua (cat 3, twice), Atagoiti (cat 3) and the Antiguako (cat 2). Joaquim Rodriguez (Team Katusha) won the stage in a three man sprint ahead...
Team Announcement: Irish Teams in U23 Nations Cup
Cycling Ireland has named riders for the teams in the upcoming U23 Nations Cup events, which take place in Belgium, France and the Netherlands between 11th April and the 18th April. These events are important ones for the team to ride as they go towards securing places for Ireland at the U23 Road World Championships. Team for Tour of...
Riders upset over Tour of the Basque Country crash (VIDEO)
There was a massive crash at the end of the first stage of the Tour of the Basque Country, after riders hit a metal pole in the finishing straight. According to El Diario Vasco , four riders were taken to hospital after riders hit a series of metal poles as they entered the finishing straight at high speed and...
Stig Broeckx climbs the Koppenberg in the Tour of Flanders
Ever wondered what it is like to attempt one of the most brutal climbs in cycling? Get an incredible inside view of an ascent of the Koppenberg with Stig Broeckx of Team Lotto-Belisol. The 600m long climb has an average gradient of 11.6% with a maximum gradient of 22%. Broeckx finished the race in 109th position.
Sam Bennett in the running for Scheldeprijs
Sam Bennett (Bora-Argon 18) can be expected to be in the hunt for the win at tomorrow's Scheldeprijs. However, he will be up against it as many big-name sprinters are also due to take part. The UCI 1.HC race starts in Antwerp with the finish 200 kilometres later in Schoten. The race usually ends in a sprint finish, with Marcel...
Richie Porte continues to lead World Tour rankings while Cannondale-Garmin struggle
Following on from the Tour of Flanders, the Cannondale-Garmin team remain in last position in the World Tour rankings. So far, just Jack Bauer and Dan Martin have scored points for the team. Team Sky continue to lead the rankings, ahead of Etixx-Quick Step and Team Katusha. In the individual rankings, Flanders winner Alexander Kristoff (Team Katusha) now moves up...
Onboard footage from the Tour of Flanders
Alexander Kristoff (Katusha) won yesterday's Tour of Flanders after outsprinting his breakaway companion Niki Terpstra (Etixx-QuickStep). Greg Van Avermaet (BMC Racing) took third place ahead of Peter Sagan (Tinkoff-Saxo). Kristoff and Terpstra had gone clear after the ascent of the Kruisberg, and despite Van Avermaet and Sagan putting in a spirited chase, they weren't to be caught. The leading two...
Neutral service car causes terrible crash at the Tour of Flanders
The driver of one of the Shimano neutral service cars at the Tour of Flanders has collided with Jesse Sergent (Trek Factory Racing), when trying to overtake the rider. Sergent had been a member of the lead group when he was hit by the car, throwing him to the ground. The rider from New Zealand had been in good form this...
Great Irish win at the Tour of Flanders as Matt Brammeier wins his weight in beer.
We posted earlier that Matt Brammeier (MTN-Qhubeka) was focused on winning a particular prize at the Tour of Flanders today. It had been announced that the first rider to pass through the village of Sint Eloois Winkel after 34kms would win his weight in beer. Brammeier had shown his intent by placing a label on his handlebars with the...
Tour of Flanders map, climbs and startlist
STARTLIST Trek Factory Racing 1. DEVOLDER Stijn 2. IRIZAR Markel 3. POPOVYCH Yaroslav 4. RAST Gregory 5. ROULSTON Hayden 6. SERGENT Jesse 7. STUYVEN Jasper 8. BEPPU Fumiyuki Etixx - Quick Step 11. TERPSTRA Niki 12. KEISSE Iljo 13. LAMPAERT Yves 14. MAES Nikolas 15. ŠTYBAR Zdeněk 16. TRENTIN Matteo 17. VAN KEIRSBULCK Guillaume 18. VANDENBERGH Stijn Lotto Soudal 21. ROELANDTS Jurgen 22. BAK Lars Ytting 23. BENOOT Tiesj 24. DE BIE Sean 25. BROECKX Stig 26. DEBUSSCHERE Jens 27. GREIPEL André 28. SIEBERG...
Looks like Matt Brammeier is keen to win his weight in beer
In today's Tour of Flanders, the first rider to pass through the village of Sint Eloois Winkel after 34kms will win a decent enough prize. The vilage is home to the Steene Molen brewery, and they have announced that the first rider to pass through the village will win his weight in beer. It seems that Matt Brammeier (MTN-Qhubeka) is particularly...
Pinarello launch a new bike for cobbles
Team Sky will ride the Tour of Flanders on Sunday on a 'game changing' new bike which has been co-engineered by Jaguar and Pinarello. The DOGMA K8-S has been designed especially for the challenging terrain of the cobbled classics, and features a new lightweight suspension system (DSS 1.0, Dogma Suspension System) and flexible flat carbon chain stays (FLEXSTAYS™) to create...
Are Saxo Bank set to cease sponsorship?
According to L'Équipe, Saxo Bank is set to cease sponsorship of the Tinkoff-Saxo team after this season. The Danish investment bank has been linked to the team since 2008. The departure of Bjarne Riis from the team is said to have been a major factor in the decision. The presence of the Danish manager was an important factor for the...
The cyclist who got drunk and won the Tour of Flanders (Book extract)
In 1919, a young Flemish cyclist named Henri “Ritte” van Lerberghe had just finished service with the Belgian Army when he arrived at the start line of the Tour of Flanders without a bike. At the start in Ghent, he managed to borrow a bicycle. He told the other riders that he would ride them all off his wheel, and...