VeloResults

Skil Shimano Team Launch (0)

Rotterdam is readying itself for the Tour de France start this summer, and the Skil – Shimano team used it’s 2010 presentation last weekend in the city to recce the route which will be used for Stage 1.

The team is largely the same as last season, but has been bolstered by the addition of six riders; Dutchmen Job Vissers and Robin Chaigneau, Frenchmen Alexandre Geniez and Yann Huguet, Belgian Dominique Cornu, and Norwegian Frederik Wilmann.

Team Sky’s ‘Marginal Gains’ – Worthwhile, or Simply Hype? (1)

It’s great to see cycling breaking main stream – a double page colour spread in the Times.

It’s almost as if the guys that bank rolls the team, owns the newspaper.

He does? Oh!

We’re treated to nine examples of marginal gains…

What’s With the Lack of Humanity? (12)

We’ve all had them. Moments when you’re out enjoying your bike for the sake of it, or training, or simply commuting to work, when suddenly you’re reminded of just how vulnerable you are: someone driving a car – or bigger – either accidentally or deliberately gets you reaching for the brake levers.

What a Waste of a Great Career (1)

Fourth in the Worlds Elite TT, second only to Zabriskie in the US TT champs and with a Garmin contract neatly signed.

But scratch all of the above and file under, “Another one bites the dust!” albeit the ‘B’ sample might just be ‘clean.’

We asked Paul Coats, who’s a lecturer at Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy & Biomedical Sciences, for an expert view.

Raleigh – Back in the Game (0)

The all-new British-based Team Raleigh was launched recently. Our pal Dan Fleeman – who together with Tom Barras will lead the squad – kindly sent us some pics from the team’s presentation which took place at the Eastwood Hall Conference Centre and Hotel in Nottingham, home of the legendary marque.

Earlier in the day, the riders had visited the Raleigh factory to collect their new bikes, and kit.

Endura Racing Team Presentation (0)

Endura Racing 2010 was today unveiled to the UK press, media and special guests at the Porsche Human Performance centre at Silverstone.

The launch followed months of hard work and dedication from the whole of the Endura Racing set-up, and culminated with many of the attendees leaving with a sense that this team are on the cusp of a great season in 2010.

Thinking about Jason (2)

It’s two years since we lost Jason MacIntyre.

We thought it might be appropriate to remember one of his greatest triumphs, here’s what he had to say to us after he won his first British ‘25′ title back in June, 2006.

Bradley Wiggins – Sky Leader at the Team Launch (3)

The alarm clocked stirred me from my slumber at the ungodly hour of 5am. Why would I be getting up on a freezing Monday morning at yon time?

Well, its not every day you get to witness cycling history in the making – I was off to London, not to see the Queen, but as some would have you believe, the King! Bradley Wiggins no less, and the Sky team launch at the Milltower Bank was my destination.

James Spragg – Right in the Mix (2)

Viktor calls; ‘there’s an English boy – James Spragg – riding the Three days of West Flanders – he rode the Samyn too – you should find out about him.’

For sure, Vik!

Rab Wardell’s Super Six – Round One, Gifford (1)

The first Super Six of the year was held at Gifford on Saturday, to our shame, VeloResults were not in attendance. But we’ve tried to make amends by interviewing third placed Rab Wardell – read on.

Endura; the View From the Top (1)

“Goodie bag!” I’m not used to “freebies;” by the time Dave or Martin and I stumble into the press room, all the goodies have gone – but we have the best sun tans.

However, when Jim McFarlane mentioned “goodie bag” I was out to Livingston like a ferret.

It seemed like a shame to waste a trip to Endura and not interview the main man. The timing was perfect, Jim was just back from seeing his boys in action at Haut Var.

Ross Creber – Looking forward to Murcia (0)

Two years ago, Ross Creber was a mountain biker, last year he won the Scottish road race championship.

And this year he’s part of Endura Racing’s continental adventure; he rode the savage Tour of the Mediterranean, sat out Haut Var but will back behind the oars, ankle chains and all, for the Tour of Murcia.

However, when we spoke to him, he was just back from a three hour coffee run from Nice to Monaco and back – beats the snow, ice, cross winds and F des J stamping on the 53 x 11’s.

Traksel takes Kuurne Brussels Kuurne – best Belge in 8th place (0)

“Opgave door storm” says the headline, of Tom Boonen – ‘gave up during the storm’; I don’t ever remember seeing that headline about Eddy Merckx.

For the last four years, Kuurne Brussels Kuurne is where QuickStep have pulled the fat out of the fire on the Sunday, after a disastrous Het Volk on the Saturday.

Not on Sunday, the best QuickStep could muster was Wouter Weylandt in 12th place at 6:41 – I wouldn’t want to be a QuickStep rider today, when old Lefevre calls; ‘tell him I’m no’ in hen!’

Het Nieuwsblad 2010 goes to Flecha (1)

It was a difficult phone call to make, he picked up on the tone of my voice at once; ‘no, don’t tell me, please!’

But it was best he heard it from me; ‘Flecha, he won it well, Viktor, sorry!’

‘That’s it, I’m finished with Pro Cycling, for good!’

Team SKY’s first classic win didn’t go down well with Vik – for that matter, it didn’t go down well with our fellow tele watchers in that bar near Brakel, either.

Copenhagen Six Day – Day Six (0)

Wednesday morning in the camper van, long straights of grey motorway tarmac through a flat, snow blanketed landscape, minus three, no sunshine, just more grey above us; in all the times I’ve worked at this six, I don’t think I’ve ever seen the sun.

The boys did it, I didn’t think they would, but they did – it was wonderful to be a part of it…

Copenhagen Six Day – Day Five (0)

There I was, sitting track side getting my Pez copy up to date and the BlackBerry rings – Viktor.

“I’ve just seen the stage from Qatar; Boasson Hagen punctured and the rest of them are nowhere to be seen!”

Eight kilometre TTT’s don’t cut much ice with Vik – best not tell him about that nice SKY notebook Gregor brought me back from the team launch.

Monday means two things at Copenhagen – the last washing of the race; and the handicap madison…

The Scottish Hill Climb Championships (1)

On the cold windswept shoulder of Fife’s East Lomond, Arthur Doyle (Dooleys RT) moved up one podium position from last season to claim the Scottish Hill Climb Championship on Sunday morning.

Fastest woman Mari Todd (Sandy Wallace Cycles) took the single gear choice, using 39 x 21, to easily secure first place and lead her team to a clean sweep of the podium, making the Women’s team Championships an easy calculation.

The Tour des Trossachs Time Trial (0)

Arthur Doyle (Dooleys) underlined his superiority as Scotland’s short distance TT king, around the Trossachs on a glorious Sunday afternoon with a 96 second margin over Phil Brown (Velo Ecosse) to add the Scottish Olympic TT title to the 10 and 25 crowns which he already wears, and completing a second successful Trossachs campaign to follow last year’s decisive win.

Meanwhile, Callum Wilkinson (Endura) hammered his road machine through it’s first time test of the year to the bronze medal.

Super 6 – Round 6, Wanlockhead (0)

Nationals apart, Gary Hand (Endura) has dominated the Scottish domestic scene in 2009; he continued that superiority with another win in the Super Six Series in the Tour of the Lowther today, on tough roads around Britain’s highest village – Wanlockhead.

VeloResults couldn’t attend – Martin was shopping for a new kitchen; I was on my way down from a drookit holiday to Ullapool and Gregor was schmoozing at Eurobike (more from there later.)

The Scottish Road Race Championships (1)

Ross Creber (Endura) added a top flight ‘en ligne’ result to his VTT and ‘cross palmares with a fine win in the Scottish road race championships over a technical, challenging and windy – but beautifully sunny – 81 miles at Hawick on Saturday afternoon.

Creber lead the men in red and white to a clean sweep of the medals with Callum Wilkinson taking silver – distanced by Creber in the sprint – and James McCallum having to be content with bronze after a late race puncture when it looked like it was his day.