Saturday, 29 January 2011
Omega Pharma Lotto.
There's something I really like about the Team, even before Gilbert joined them, and I'm not sure why exactly. I tend to root for them more than the other teams from the Benelux. So here's a few films to get you in the mood. I'm hoping that the duels between Cav and Griepel live up to the expected and I'd really like Gilbert to win Flanders, the first Walloon for longer than I can remember.
Friday, 28 January 2011
Roubaix Training …
It was a great way to end the week, and a great pre birthday treat. Sore legs have never felt so good.
Thursday, 27 January 2011
Castelli Aero Rain Jacket
Castelli used the Test Team to great effect to help design and develope product. This product one day will see the light of day and then we will all be able to enjoy the fullness of the two years spent working on this project, happy days.
Wednesday, 26 January 2011
Flanders, and how to dress your bike.
Flanders is a big day out in the Sportive calendar with over 17,000 people riding it every year. I'll be giving it a miss this year as I'm going to have a crack at Roubaix (although I need to sort the logistics out, anyone going and got a spare place give me a shout on twitter) but as I've done it a few times I want to pass on what I have learnt over the previous rides.
Bike: stick to what you know, there's no need for a special frame for this. I've ridden Carbon frames every time I've done it, no issues at all.
Tyres: I've run Pave's and last year Vredesteins. Zero punctures on both brands. The 24mm of the pave offers more comfort, but if you don't like Vittorias try a brand you know and like and go for a 25mm tyre. The extra volume it provides aids comfort and allows extra purchase on the cobbles, especially if they are wet. Run the pressure lower than you would usually, try 10-20 psi as this helps the tyre deform more and grip the surface while adding comfort. As many of Belgiums roads are pretty crap it won't detract from the long flat sections too much.
Handlebar Tape: I've tried different options over the years and I'm still not 100% certain which option is best. Either double taping (with normal thickness tape) or Gel Pads with Regular tape seems to have worked best. So much of the comfort will depend on the gloves chosen to do the job. Castelli gloves seem to be pretty good over the pave.
Wheels: I've used Mavic Kysrium Elites and Handbuilts. The Kysrium wheels where mighty strong but you lose a little comfort, particularly over the long flat sections of pave. The Handbuilts offered more comfort due to rim flex/spoke count.
Bottle Cages: switch them out for alloy rather than carbon, save those for Liege Bastogne Liege later in the year. You can bend an alloy cage if you need to if the bottle is looking for some flying lessons. Some Teams have taken to using a plastic/resin cage but have added skateboard grip tape on the inside to hold the bottle secure.
As far as the bike goes that's all I have ever done. Small changes but they make a huge difference over the stones. For those going, have a great time, and remember beers on the Saturday night no not the Friday.
The Bikes of Garmin Cervelo
So the big change for Garmin is the new bikes, complete with a Sram groupo. This in itself doesn't look that strange to see the riders who we have become accustomed to seeing on the Felt's in recent years. There is lots of pressure on the Team this year with, on paper, one of the strongest Classics squads. It'll be tough to make the selection for Flanders or Roubaix.
The bikes look strange, and I think it's down to the wheels. Not that there is anything wrong with a Mavic wheel (I am a big fan of their product), but I think that we have just grown used to seeing the Zipp label in this area. Currently there isn't really a Mavic Classic's wheel to go head to head with the 303, but maybe Mavic have something up their sleeve. Last year riders had a special tubular version of the Cosmic Carbone SLR which riders used at Flanders. For Roubaix riders switched back to a traditional box section rim, it itself nothing wrong with it, just a little heavy compared to the Zipp product. It will be indeed interesting to see if Mavic pull anything out of the famous SSC programme to aid their riders and give them a competitive edge. 
Sunday, 23 January 2011
Merckx at Sainsburys
This one was built by Falcon Cycles, the exact history of how they got this gig I don't know, but I reckon a fair amount of the really old bikes probably came out of this factory.
Check out this cyclingnews.com story
Dear Readers of my humble little blog I think you might like this cyclingnews.com article - Garmin-Cervelo dismiss Matt White.
I really take my hat off to JV by standing by the Team code. It will put them in a slight position as he's been proven to be a good DS. Is there some smoke screen being cast over to make his departure to this new Team a lot easier, who knows.
As mentioned in the article JV will step in for the interim period, but where does that leave them long term. As Slipstream seems to want to only employ people for the DS role with less than dubious pasts, the search in itself could be a challenge & the interim period may last more than a few weeks.
I shed a tear on the inside
The route to his gravestone is marked so not to get lost in the churchyard. The church clock chimed as we reached it, the sound of the bell stopping us to think about his life.
His win in the 1999 Liégé Bastogne Liégé is often held up as his best result, maybe because he announced to the world were he'd attack (& then did, & go onto win). But his two second places in the Ronde van Vlannderen ('99 & '03) really deserve a strong mention as the competition was tough, many of them at the top of their game, so to finish on the podium shows great class.
A cyclist dying, no matter the circumstances, means a loss for the world wide cycling family. One day I hope that it is by old age that these competitors hang up their jersey for the last time, not through a life cut short.
Saturday, 22 January 2011
Canyon Bikes, new Team colours
I picked up the bike and I don't think I've felt a bike that feels so balanced for weight front to back. According to the folks on the Canyon stand this bike is more comfortable than the CF SLX (which in it's own right is a pretty looking bike) due to the addition of volcanic ash used in the carbon lay up on the forks & seatpost. Cyclingnews reported that Gilbert will use it for the Cobbled Classics as well as the Ardennes.
Aero road frames have come along a long way since it's first appearance over the last 1/2 a decade. Currently I think that this is the best execution of the theory of beating the wind. I'm sure that this will be a great weapon for the whole Team to use, not just Gilbert.
Canyon Bikes, new Team colours
I picked up the bike and I don't think I've felt a bike that feels so balanced for weight front to back. According to the folks on the Canyon stand this bike is more comfortable than the CF SLX (which in it's own right is a pretty looking bike) due to the addition of volcanic ash used in the carbon lay up on the forks & seatpost. Cyclingnews reported that Gilbert will use it for the Cobbled Classics as well as the Ardennes.
Aero road frames have come along a long way since it's first appearance over the last 1/2 a decade. Currently I think that this is the best execution of the theory of beating the wind. I'm sure that this will be a great weapon for the whole Team to use, not just Gilbert.
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