VeloVeritas

An Open Letter to Mr. Pat McQuaid (3)

Dear Mr. McQuaid, I’m so glad you’ve decided on VinoKolGate that: “Yes, there are rules about that. It is clear, if there is evidence, there could be penalties after an investigation on our part.”

I’m sure that you’re aware that there have been arrests in the UK for the hacking of mobile phones and email accounts, and that there’s not a court in Europe which would accept evidence obtained by hacking, but I realise that these are mere bagatelles to the might of the UCI and those Eastern riders have to be sorted out.

World Road Champs – Cavendish Celebrates (0)

Cavendish and the whole team were brilliant, full stop.

There can be no ‘buts’ or ‘maybes’ – his team took the race on from what we thought was way too early, controlled it to the end and deserve unreserved praise.

World Road Champs – Roundup (0)

The Danish Press did Cav proud; having Peta on his arm doesn’t hurt as far as the photo opportunities go.

And being the saddo I am, the first thing I did when I got home was to buy the British papers.

All of the quality dailies ‘done him proud’ – The Independent gives him pride of place on their sports section and Alasdair Fotheringham’s prose is perfect.

Arbitrary Decisions (3)

‘Senna,’ is a powerful film; the man was fast, brave, committed, and ruthless behind the wheel, but religious, handsome, humble, funny, and devoted to his family, very fond of the ladies and an inspiration to a whole nation.

And all of Brazil grieved for him when he died in that horrific crash at Imola in 1994.

As well as a portrait of an amazing sportsman the film gives us a rare look at the machinations of the men – or rather man – who run the sport at the highest levels.

Dan Fleeman – Moving from Racing to Coaching (0)

‘There’s a time to come and a time to go,’ the words of Danny Stam when he announced that he would retire at the end of this winter season, the Dutchman is 39 years-old.

But whilst the former British under 23 road race champion, twice British hill climb champion and Tour of the Pyrenees winner, Dan Fleeman is 10 years younger than the six day man, he’s arrived at the same conclusion.

A Breather. Sort of. (0)

Today is an interesting stage. It’s too hard to be a sprint, too easy over the final 40km to cause any concern to the GC lads, and so is a difficult, and likely stressful in-between day where nothing much changes, other than everyone’s a day tireder and one bloke has picked up a big victory.

(Just) Desserts And Grace (0)

Great food pun. Well, an ok food pun. I’m sure there are some unemployed former News Of The World staffers who could come up with something better… Enough of unimportant stuff though! Onto the cycling.

Last night was a very tough stage – Voeckler’s team did indeed keep things quite close to ensure he retained the yellow jersey, and Gilbert hit out hard to try and shake the sprinters prior to the finale.

Stage 11 of the Giro 2010 – Redux (0)

Apologies for not updating the site for a little while folks – we’ve both been very busy with our day jobs.

Ed has been clearing the decks before heading over to Italy to cover the Giro d’Italia shortly, and so to get us in the mood we thought you’d enjoy revisiting one of our diary articles from Stage 11 of last year’s race, a 262km haul from Lucera to L’Aquila, when a break of over 50 riders threatened to overturn the race completely…

Zürich Four Days 2011 – Days Three & Four (0)

It’s 11:29 on Sunday, somewhere on an autobahn in Bavaria. The race finished at 02:30 but it was around 03:45 before we got away from the track. We parked up at 05:00 at a motorway services and rose at 10:15; we’re en route Düsseldorf, which will take us the best part of the day.

It’s all part of the game.

Zürich Four Days 2011 – Day Two (0)

The hotel is nice, a double bed, en-suite shower and beautiful breakfast spread – but it’s a logistical pain. Kris has to ‘make massage’ with Jesper at lunchtime, but I don’t want to hang around the hotel all morning – there’s work to do at the track.

I had to scrounge a lift – always a pain.

Zürich Four Days 2011 – Day One (0)

From the chaos emerged a track centre bar and restaurant, cabins for us, work space for the mechanics – and something to race on. I can’t say too much about the track – or Pete will slap me, but it obviously can’t be as smooth as a permanent one.

The stadium restaurant is good; we get one meal each day – last year it was two. Maybe they figure that since it’s only four days we don’t need fed as much?

Zürich Four Days 2011 – Getting Ready (0)

Monday passed in a trice – a motorway is motorway and a Formule 1 hotel is a Formule 1 hotel.

Now it’s 14:15pm on Tuesday and hard to imagine the building site I’m sitting in the midst of will be hosting the Four Days of Zürich in a little over 24 hours. But it has to – first and foremost, the sixes are a business proposition.

Ian Steel – Part One: Peace Race WInner (2)

During the entire history of the Peace Race from 1948 to 1989 there were few Western winners, and no English speaker ever won – except one that is, in 1952: Ian Steel of Scotland.

The story that the East European propaganda machine circulated after that edition of the Peace Race, 60 years ago, was that the “Westerner” winner Steel had been approached by his country’s intelligence agency before he travelled to the race and was asked to; ‘keep his eyes open’ whilst behind the Iron Curtain – to spy, in other words.

The rider declined and received a telegram from his employer on the day he won, firing him from his job. All nonsense, of course.

Jérémy Roy – Looking Forward to the Show (0)

Last July, Jérémy Roy (FDJ) was becoming well known to followers of the Tour de France, his attacking style gathering him lots of attention and admiration in this, his fourth participation, despite the big win in the biggest race eluding him thus far.

In his ninth year as a Pro, but not a regular winner, Jérémy was one of the heroes of Friday’s Stage 12 from Cugneaux to Luz Ardiden, having been in the break of six riders which escaped soon after the start and remained in front most of the day.

Steve Cummings – the Pro’s Pro (3)

When Steve Cummings rode for Discovery Channel in 2007, he was in the service of Alberto Contador. ‘Bert’ told the Disco mechanic Allan Butler; “when you ask Cummings to ride on the front – he rides, I’d have him on my team any time!” Praise doesn’t come much higher.

We caught up with Steve just before he jetted off to the Far East for the new Beijing WorldTour race, to talk Cav, his move from Sky to BMC and – Liverpool FC.

James McCallum – Winner of the David Bell Memorial 2011 (2)

Rapha Condor Sharp’s James McCallum has been at it again; winning, that is – the 46th edition of the Davie Bell Memorial, this time.

VeloVeritas unfortunately couldn’t make it down to one of our favourite races, but we were on the phone to ‘Jamesy’ and organiser Chris Johnson, soon after the dust had settled.

Brad wins the British Road Championships 2011 (2)

On a balmy Sunday afternoon in quaint Stamfordham, Sky did ‘what England expected’ and grabbed the first four places in the British elite road race championship over 197 hard Northumbrian kilometres; and the skeletal Bradley Wiggins will start the Tour in the white British champion’s jersey after jumping his team mates on the run in; defending champion Geraint Thomas took silver, Peter Kennaugh was third and Ian Stannard fourth.

We were on the scene early – in time to catch the end of the ladies’ championship…

The Peebles Criterium 2011 (2)

Enjoying the evening sunshine and large crowds around the town centre circuit, young Pedal Power\Endura rider Robbie Hassan rode an intelligent and strong race to win the inaugural Peebles Criterium, part of the Tweedlove Festival, fending off a strong challenge from Director’s Choice’s Allan Clark and Endura Racing professional Callum Wilkinson.

These three, together with Scott McRae from Team Leslie Bikes had managed to detach themselves from the much-reduced bunch with seven laps of the tight and fast left-turning circuit remaining, and after 45 minutes of hard racing the four held off the remaining chasers by a handful of seconds.

The Scottish 25 Mile Time Trial Championships (2)

On a benign morning amid the lush greenery of the Kingdom of Fife, Endura pro Evan Oliphant proved too fit for the specialist testers, taking the Scottish 25 mile time trial championship by 1:17 from far travelled Carlos Riise (Shetland) with defending champion Arthur Doyle (Dooleys RT) a further 19 seconds back in the bronze medal position.

Fife was looking at its best when we arrived at the start line as the first of the ladies rolled down the “gift” first mile of Station Brae (aka Freuchie Brae)…

Scottish 10 Mile TT Championships (1)

On a cold Sunday morning of stinging squalls, along the dual carriageway south of Laurencekirk, Dooley’s Arthur Doyle successfully defended his Scottish ten mile time trial championship crown in 20:41 from Endura’s Evan Oliphant with 20:59 and Velo Ecosse surprise, Rob Wilkins in 21:02.

Once I discovered Tay FM’s ‘Classics Sunday morning’ the trip up became less of a pain; The Proclaimers, Kraftwerk – can’t be bad…