VeloResults

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.

Evan Oliphant’s Haut Var(1)

Down in the South of France it was AG2R and F des J reminding us that the French teams work hard in the winter, too.

Long term 2009 Tour yellow jersey wearer, Rinaldo Nocentini took stage one and the man with the lucky four leaf clovers on his tricot, Christophe Le Mevel took stage two and the GC.

Endura could have done with some of the luck from those F des J clovers; Evan Oliphant was there to witness the punctures and crashes that blighted the second race of the Scottish team’s continental adventure.

Evan Oliphant’s Tour of the Med, Part Two(0)

Stages one and two were a whirlwind of snow, wind, attacks from the gun, echelons and pain – but the inner chain rings enjoyed the rest!

Were days three, four and five any easier?

VeloResults’ man in the peloton, Endura Racing’s Evan Oliphant was there ’til the bitter end.

Evan Oliphant’s Tour of the Med, Part One(0)

The Tour of the Mediterranean; a nice way to ease into the season; a big bunch floating along under early sunshine with a bunch sprint at the end? Not quite!

How about 95 K in 1:45 with the peloton ripped apart from the gun and conditions so cold that the contents of your bottle are frozen solid in five minutes?

Endura Racing’s Evan Oliphant is no stranger to hard races; he rode with DFL in Belgium – when he says it’s ‘tough,’ you best believe it! We caught up with him after a frozen second stage…

Adam Hansen – 20 Quick Questions(0)

For once, Adam Hansen isn’t burning up the tar at the Aussie champs, he’s off shore in the Med, getting ready to try and help HTC-Columbia top a remarkable 2009 season.

Worried that he may be getting bored, VeloResults flashed him 20 questions – here’s what the big man had to say…

James McCallum – Racing Is My Job Now!(0)

Ex-British Criterium Champion and Commonwealth Games track medalist James McCallum has recently returned from a few months racing and resting in the antipodes, and is looking forward to getting stuck into the new season with his re-vamped Endura Racing team.

We met James for a good old chinwag this week over lunch: he turned up at the restaurant looking hungry, and with a huge Endura team bag over his shoulder…

Jack Bauer – New Zealand’s new Elite Road Champion(0)

It was Vik (who else?) first spotted the man; ‘there’s a New Zealand rider winning a lot of races for Kingsnorth Wheelers in Flanders just now, you should get hold of him!’ he told me, last summer.

We duly tracked down Jack Bauer and have been keeping an eye on him and talking to him, ever since.

The season total was eight wins in Flanders; then we picked up on his good ride in the Southland Tour in New Zealand – but by the time we got hold of him, he’d even topped that.

John Lee Augustyn – Getting Good Guidance from the Right People(2)

John Lee Augustyn is probably best known outside of the African continent for his head-first lunge down the scree slopes of the Col de la Bonette-Restefond descent to Jausiers in the Tour de France a couple of years ago, and this after leading the race over it’s summit in glorious solitude – only Frederico Bahamontes and Robert Millar share that particular accolade.

Last season was difficult for John Lee, but now though, things look like they’re going to change for the 23 year old, and we recently chatted to him to find out more…

Deno Davie – from Manchester Wheeler to Carrera Pro(2)

Back in the day, when I started racing in the mid to late 80’s, two riders dominated British road racing; Deno Davie and Paul Curran.

Both raced for the mighty Manchester Wheelers and I was lucky enough to get to know both later on in my life.

Alex Coutts – Back to Giant Asia for 2010(0)

Viktor calls; “That home page on the site hasn’t changed for days. There’s a Scottish pro out training in Spain, trying to get ready for the season, why aren’t you talking to him?”

Just one of the things that bugs about Vik, is that he’s actually right a lot of the time!

Dan Fleeman – About his Biological Passport(1)

Oh no! Not another drugs article!

Yes, but this one is positive – ah, no, not that kind of a ‘positive!’

Dan Fleeman texted me the other day to tell me that he’ll be getting a bit of an airing on the Bike Pure site, due to his decision to continue with UCI Biological Passport level blood testing with Raleigh – at his own expense.

‘Why do you want to do that?’ I asked. His answer was enlightening.

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.

Joe Papp – Still Atoning for His Doping(1)

A few weeks ago, Pez ran an interview with Joe Papp one of the very few riders to admit, face up to and openly discuss the fact he failed a drugs test.

Like most folks, we’re sick of the drugs scandals, but then the Tom Zirbel situation pops up and we to have accept that it’s still a problem and we need to understand it better.

Here’s what Joe had to say – and it’s scary!

Dan Fleeman – New Captain of Team Raleigh(0)

Last year at this time, life was ice cream and fairies for Dan Fleeman; he’d won the Tour of the Pyrenees; Cervelo Test Team had snapped him up and a start in a Grand Tour looked like a formality.

But pro cycling is an unforgiving sport, and 2009 didn’t go according to the script for the likeable man from Lichfield.

But don’t worry; there is a happy ending.

Kenta Gallagher – the New Scottish Cyclocross Champion, at 17!(0)

We didn’t make the Scottish cyclo cross champs, this year; new house for Martin; major drive to accumulate Brownie points for me – those pictures of Big Wendy from Gent make it hard to plead; ‘it was hell out there!’

Anyway, congratulations to new champion, 17 year-old junior, Kenta Gallagher (Scott UK) who took the senior title; we thought the man deserved to be interviewed.

Peter Jacques – I Did Everything I Wanted To(0)

Peter Jacques used to be the track judges nitemare; but he’s mellowed with age and is now easing open – rather than breaking down – the door on a management and promotion career.

We heard there were a few commisars went for a celebratory beer when you quit, Pete?

“It might have been a relief for one or two, yes!”

Jim McFarlane, Endura MD – It’s about Cycling, and only Cycling(0)

He started making shorts on the kitchen table, his suppliers used to manufacture his products inside out; but he’s just recruited double world champion, ‘Big Bob’ Hayles to ride for and manage his UCI Continental team – things have come a long way for Jim McFarlane!

It’s November, and even though they’ve had plenty of wins this season, Jim’s Scottish-based Endura Racing team is putting this year behind them, and making plans for next term. We thought it was about time that we found out a bit more about the team plans, and its title sponsor.

Iljo Keisse – Putting the Worst Time of His Life Behind Him(0)

The cheer from the cabin next door to ours – below the Grenoble velodrome – told us that the result Flanders had been holding it’s breath for, had arrived. Belgium’s number one six day man, Iljo Keisse’s ‘positif’ in the 2008 Gent six day race has been dismissed on the grounds of ‘insufficient evidence.’

“Cathine was not found in the ‘B’ sample and HCT was there in quantities so small as to have no effect on performance.”

VeloResults was granted the first face to face interview with Iljo, after the result was announced.