The Cycling Thread

[Rick Danger]

CyclingNews.com

US Postal investigation at an advanced stage after European meetings
Armstrong spokesman decries “money-wasting” trip to Europe

By Barry Ryan
Published November 20, 11:51, updated November 20, 12:28
First Edition Cycling News, Sunday, November 21, 2010

The American investigation into accusations of systematic doping in the U.S. Postal Service team is at an advanced stage, according to European participants in talks involving the U.S. delegation at Interpol headquarters in Lyon, France, during the week.

Special agent Jeff Novitzky of the FDA is leading the American investigation and sources have intimated to AP that his delegation was not in Europe looking to gather new evidence, but rather was seeking to obtain specific information to support what it had already uncovered in the United States.

“He [Novitzky] is going through all of Europe’s trash cans. And sometimes you find things in a trash can,” one police officer told AP. “They need supplemental proof to back up everything they have gathered. As we say in our jargon, they have some marbles to play with.”

Another participant underlined the seriousness of the American delegation. “This is no joke,” he said. “This is serious, this is hard-nose. It was not a sightseeing trip.”

At least six American officials were present in Lyon this week, including Novitzky, U.S. federal prosecutor Doug Miller, U.S. Anti-Doping Agency CEO Travis Tygart and FBI special agent Olivier Faraole.

The U.S. party is understood to have met with officials from Italy, France and Belgium. Novitzky and his colleagues were in Lyon for two days and are believed to have met with each European delegation separately. Similar meetings had been held in late July.

Public prosecutor Benedetto Roberti led the four-man Italian delegation, and he confirmed that he met with the Americans to discuss the coordination of their investigations into doping.

“We realized that we have reciprocal interest in this fight, and hopefully time will confirm that,” Roberti told AP. “We need to exchange information, because this phenomenon can’t be beaten alone. Everyone needs to contribute. This battle can’t be won in the media.”

Roberti also confirmed to AP that the raid of Yaroslav Popovych’s home in Tuscany last week was carried out under his orders. The RadioShack rider had already testified before a grand jury in Los Angeles on November 3 as part of a United States investigation into doping in cycling, centred on the U.S. Postal Service team.

Armstrong camp decries “money-wasting” trip

Lance Armstrong’s spokesman Mark Fabiani responded to news of the U.S. investigators' talks with their Italian and French counterparts by denouncing their presence in Europe as a waste of money.

“American taxpayer money is being squandered on a European trip for FDA investigators to dredge up old allegations that have already been thoroughly examined and completely discredited,” Fabiani said. “All of Lance’s samples were clean when they were first provided and tested, and no amount of tax-money-wasting European meetings can change that fundamental fact.”

Armstrong was among the riders named by Floyd Landis in his accusations of systematic doping at the U.S. Postal Service team. The allegations were made public when Landis confessed to doping in May of this year.

However, a former federal prosecutor with extensive knowledge of grand jury procedure has said that the nature of the U.S. delegation’s trip to France is indicative of the seriousness with which the United States government is treating the matter.

“The Justice Department would not ordinarily spend the type of time and money without an extreme seriousness of purpose,” Mathew Rosengart told AP. “It just shows they’re turning over every rock looking for every piece of evidence.”

[dbailey]

I ride a Whyte PRST1 like in this clip

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GBQeC5SuzqM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FyqVpVsMk1o

Mine has been with me since 2001 and has done about 2000 miles and still on the same chain.

I average about 9mph off road and I do my own sevicing.

Thanks to Rick for the Finishline service shedule posted earlier. I do use Finishline products incluing Ecotech 2000 solvent degreaser. After I have degreased my chain I steam clean it at 130 celcius using 4 bar presure dry steam until it is good and hot and then I re-lube it starting with a spray of GT85 followed up by finshline wet or finsihline dry chain lube depending on season.

I also look after two Marin Alpine Trails, a 2002 and a 2004 and a Canondale which belong to my family.

Riding off road avoids being hit by cars but I have had two bad falls, one resulted in broken ribs and the other destroyed my front wheel and I needed 3 months physiotherapy on my left knee.

These days I just ride for a bit of fresh air, to look at the trees and hills and generally just bowl along with squirrels bouncing off my helmet.....

Edit:

Steam cleaner is like this one

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bStno0iTPGo

[Rick Danger]

Steam clean ? What a brilliant idea................

Everyday there's something new to learn.

P.S. - I LOVE the bike.

[Rick Danger]

Benjamin King (born March 22, 1989) is an American racing cyclist who rides for the Trek-Livestrong team. In 2010 he won the Elite United States National Road Race Championships.



After Ben won the Elite championship it was announced that he would be riding for Team RadioShack, the team of Lance Armstrong, for 2011.

Career results

2007 1st, United States Junior National Time Trial Championship
2007 1st, United States Junior National Road Race Championship

2008 2nd, Stage 11 International Cycling Classic, Hartford (USA)
2008 1st, Page Valley Road Race (USA)

2009 3rd, United States National Road Race Championship, Under 23, Bend, OR (USA)

2010 9th, Pan American Championships, Road, ITT, Elite, Aguascalientes
2010 10th, Pan American Championships, Road, Elite, Aguascalientes
2010 5th, Paris - Roubaix Espoirs (FRA)
2010 9th, Stage 2 Coupe des nations Ville Saguenay, Under 23, La Baie (CAN)
2010 3rd, General Classification Coupe des nations Ville Saguenay, U23, Chicoutimi (CAN)
2010 4th, Stage 5 Tour de l'Avenir, Loriol-sur-Drôme (FRA)
2010 1st, United States National Road Race Championship, Under 23, Bend, OR (USA)
2010 1st, United States National Criterium Championship, Under 23
2010 1st, United States National Elite Road Race Championship, Greenville, SC (USA)

sources: wikipedia.org, cyclingarchives.com

"Heavy is the head that wears the crown"..... especially when he wears three !

[Rick Danger]

Look 695 and Look 695 Mondrian - Pushing the limits of integration.

Like the 596 time trial bike it features a hugely oversized bottom bracket, dubbed "BB65", using 65mm roller bearings, which can only be used with Look's ZED2 single piece integrated crankset. The ZED crankset is supplied as part of the i-Pack, LOOK's full chassis package. The frame's down and saddle tubes and stays wrap around the bottom bracket casing and extend without a break in shape.

The front end features Look's C-STEM carbon stem with a proprietary tightening system that allows the stem to be inclined from -9° to +13° without the use of spacers. The headseat is the Head Fit 3, which is also proprietary. It's design allows for the changing of the stem's height without upsetting the headset’s adjustment. The fork is The HSC 7 fork, single-piece carbon, weighing only 295 grams.

A special lengthened seatpost allows a height adjustment of three additional centimeters. It can thus adapt to multiple lengths of pedal cranks and saddle heights. It is insulated from the frame by elastomers which help to dampen vibration.

The frame is claimed to weigh just 900 grams and in like-for-like comparisons with competitor's frames also fitted with post, stem and cranks, LOOK says the 695 is lighter than all but the Scott Addict R1.

The 695 is available in two stiffness options. The 695SR is extra-stiff for professional level racing and the regular 695 has 15% greater compliance for a smoother ride.

The Look color scheme on the Mondrian was rolled out in honor of Bastille Day.

[Rick Danger]

Cycling News.com

Contador expected to keep a low profile at Saxo Bank camp
By: Stephen Farrand
November 27, 19:09

Alberto Contador is expected to travel to Fuertaventura in the Spanish Canary Islands on Sunday to meet up with his new Saxo Bank-SunGard teammates but team owner Bjarne Riis has made it clear the press will not be welcome as the team works behind closed doors in preparation for the 2011 season.

“The hotel will not be a fortress closed to everyone outside the team,” Riis reportedly told Spanish newspaper El Pais. “It won’t a public event but a private gathering for internal team purposes, with a huge series of different activities that will keep us all very busy. Rider will not have time to speak to journalists and of course there will be no press conference.”

The two-week camp at the Playitas resort will be the first time the riders come together since Contador’s positive test for Clenbuterol was confirmed at the end of September. Many of the riders and staff in this year’s Saxo Bank team have moved to the new Luxembourg Cycling Project and Riis has been forced to rebuild his squad, while Contador fights to clear his name.

Contador submitted his defence documents to the Competition Committee of the Spanish Cycling Federation on Friday morning and gave an interview to Spanish television. He again said he may quit the sport if he is given a two-year ban but hoped the disciplinary process in Spain may be over by the New Year. However, the case could take much longer if it then goes to appeal at the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

According to Spanish newspaper El Pais, Riis is in regular contact with Contador but admitted it is impossible to draw up Contador’s race programme because he does not know if the three-time Tour de France winner will allowed to race in 2011.

"I speak regularly with Contador. He seems okay, relaxed and is training. Everything seems normal, but of course, if we try to draw up a calendar of events for next year, it is impossible," Riis reportedly told El Pais.

[Rick Danger]

Cycling News.com

Landis suggests that Clenbuterol is common in peloton
Reiterates doping charges against Armstrong, claims UCI protects riders

By: Susan Westemeyer
November 28, 14:44

Floyd Landis has given his first major European television interview, reiterating his doping charges against Lance Armstrong and giving credence to the doping charges against Alberto Contador. He also claimed that the International Cycling Union (UCI) protects certain riders.

Interviewed on the German state television channel ARD for the Sportschau show to be broadcast Sunday evening, Landis cast doubts on Contador, saying, “I know that riders have taken Clenbuterol. I think that the risk of taking Clenbuterol is higher now than it was earlier, when there weren't any training controls. Nevertheless, there is still the risk of being caught, even if it is rather small now, since the product has usually degraded when the control takes place.”

"You don't know what risks people will take to win a race," Landis said.

The Contador positive was not made public for two months and Landis said he wasn't surprised that the UCI was hesitant in making the announcement. “It is known in the peloton that Pat McQuaid, Hein Verbruggen or others responsible at the UCI over the last 20 years have protected some people and not others. That is the way they manipulate results and create stars.”

He added, ""as far as the UCI is concerned, nothing about a cover up or taking a bribe or some kind of race results manipulation would surprise me."

The UCI did not respond to the ARD's request for a comment but has always denied accusations of favouritism and manipulation.

[dill99]

My girlfriend and I were out on a warm up ride for CRITICAL MASS and got some nice shots of SF.

[Greenman]

Were you aware that Tour de France rider and Olympic champion Mark Cavendish has been picked in this years BBC Sports Personality of the Year Award-watch to see where he gets to on Sunday 19th December, BBC1.

[Rick Danger]

CyclingNews.com

Millar has high hopes for 2011
Hushovd on team a "dream scenario"

By: Peter Hymas
Published: December 3, 22:47

David Millar is approaching the 2011 season with a sense of calm befitting both a seasoned professional and the locale of 2011 ProTeam Garmin-Cervelo's first offical gathering - the Caribbean island of Grand Cayman.

Millar eased into the new season with his first ever trip to the Cayman Islands to take part in Garmin-Cervelo's five-day camp, November 29-December 3. The 33-year-old Scot is coming off of an extended and well deserved period of rest following the conclusion of the 2010 season. Millar closed out the year on quite a high note with a silver medal in the time trial world championship, a gold medal in the Commonwealth Games time trial and a victory plus a new course record in France's Chrono des Nations.

"I suppose I was a little surprised at how good I was at the end [of the season]," Millar told Cyclingnews. "I don't think I've ever felt so good at time trialing and that was very good for morale. I've been doing nothing since, I just took completely off the bike which I kind of needed. It was the first time I've finished so late so good, so I though I should take it easy as long as I can."

The team's Grand Cayman camp is primarily concerned with team bonding opportunities for nearly the entire 2011 roster, including a contingent from the now defunct Cervelo TestTeam featuring riders such as world champion Thor Hushovd and Heinrich Haussler.

"It's been great and a lot of fun," said Millar of his time in the Caymans. "With the new guys obviously we needed to all get together. We didn't do this last year, but I think it's worked out really well, better than we could have expected.

"We have such a relaxed atmosphere as it is and we're embracing that even more now that we're in the Caribbean. I don't think very many teams get to do something like this, it's really quite different. It's not a military or survival camp, but it works in its own way.

"I think it would be great if we could do this every year, although I don't think it would be quite as important as it is this year. It's just good for us to hang out and spend time with each other when we're relaxed and not having to train, you really get to kick back."

Having the reiging world champion on board for 2011 is a "dream scenario", according to Millar. "Thor's a great guy anyway, but to have him as world champion raises the profile of the team even more. We have a good bunch of guys who are a good team, but I think we have the potential next year to be a great team. Three years ago if you said this is what we'd be now you'd say 'Really? I want to sign on the dotted line right now'.

"Thor's consistent, he doesn't really have bad years. He always manages to grab a stage in a Grand Tour somewhere, he won the points jersey at the Tour de France and in the Classics he's just getting better and better. I see no reason why he couldn't be better than he's ever been next year."

Millar had yet to confirm his 2011 race schedule when he spoke to Cycingnews, but he anticipates having a season similarly structured to the year's.

"I'd like to be good in the Classics again for Flanders, maybe Amstel this time as well," said Millar. "Basically I'd like to follow a similar pattern [as 2010], so peak then and be good for the early part of the year, then take a rest. I don't know if I'm going to do the Giro, but the Tour de France as ever and then the Worlds, to give them a go again."

While Millar hasn't put any kind of definitive endpoint to his career, he's fully appreciative of the opportunity to seek new challenges while he's still on top of his game. "We've seen lately that you can go on into your late 30s and still be racing at the highest level. It's normally the head that goes first, but I'm pretty lucky as having my ban it kind of gave me an appreciation of what life's going to be like after. I'm really going to work hard to be at my best over the next few years, I don't want to waste it."

One such opportunity is a return to the Tour of Flanders next season.

"I loved Flanders this year. I had such a great time there. It was such a shock. It was brilliant, I never thought I'd be at the front in the final.

"That's one of the things that's helped keep it fresh these past few years, trying different things. I'm not going to get stuck doing the same program with the same goals. The Tour's the Tour, the Worlds are the Worlds, but the Classics are kind of a new thing for me."

For each of the previous two seasons Millar has started each of the three Grand Tours, finished two each year, and went deep into the third. With the powerhouse roster Garmin-Cervelo has lined up for 2011, Millar is appreciative that a repeat next year is unlikely.

"With so many riders now I don't think it's necessary. Before we were a little bit imbalanced as a team in that we had a lot of young guys so we had a small, hardcore crew that ended up doing so many races. I enjoyed it, but I think it's quite nice now that I don't have to do that."