Author Archives: Whit

About Whit

My experiences might easily fit many cycling fans' definitions of “living the dream.” Since getting hooked on the sport watching Lance Armstrong win the 1993 U.S. Pro Championship, I've raced as an amateur on Belgian cobbles, traveled Europe to help build a European pro team, and piloted that team from Malaysia to Mont Ventoux. As a former assistant director sportif with Mercury-Viatel, I've also seen the less dreamy side of the sport – the side rife with broken contracts, infighting, and positive dope tests. These days, I live with my lovely wife in Pennsylvania and share my experiences and views on the sport at Bicycling Magazine, the Embrocation Cycling Journal, and at my own site, Pavé.

Monday Musette – Kit, Bikes, Press Conferences, & Kudos

Posted on January 3, 2011 by

Here’s this week’s Monday Musette: 1. It’s now 2011, which means teams and riders can finally—and officially—unveil their new kits and sponsors without fear of breaking old contracts.  While we’ve done our best to keep you up to date as photos of new kits and bikes are announced, several have seemed to slip through the … Continue reading →

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2010 Team-By-Team Season Review: #1

Posted on December 30, 2010 by

#1 – Team Saxo Bank (Preview Ranking: #1) What We Said: And last, but certainly not least, Saxo Bank earns the title as Pavé’s #1 Team for 2010. With several riders capable of winning multiple classics, stage races, and Grand Tours, there’s really no better choice. Skipping over Paris-Nice and Tirreno-Adriatico—races Saxo certainly has riders … Continue reading →

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2010 Team-By-Team Season Review: #2

Posted on December 29, 2010 by

#2 Liquigas – (Preview Ranking: #4) What We Said: Liquigas has perhaps the youngest and deepest grand tour squad in the sport, led by the Four Horsemen of the Green-pocalypse (yes, I made that up myself): Ivan Basso, Franco Pellizotti, Roman Kreuziger, and Vincenzo Nibali. In a way, Liquigas finds itself in a siutution akin … Continue reading →

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2010 Team-By-Team Season Review: #3

Posted on December 28, 2010 by

#3 – Team HTC-Columbia (Preview Ranking: #3) What We Said: HTC suffered several key losses after a fantastic 2009 season. Marcus Burghardt, George Hincapie, Edvald Boassen Hagen, Thomas Lokvist, and Kim Kirchen all left for other teams—taking the bulk of HTC’s wins from 2008 and 2009 with them. But all is not lost, as two … Continue reading →

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Letters from Abroad: Valentin Scherz

Posted on December 27, 2010 by

For the past two seasons, Valentin Scherz, a 20-year-old elite cyclocross racer from Switzerland, has come to the US to compete in races as part of the Philadelphia Cyclocross School program. This season he was captain of their 2010 Cyfac-Champion Systems p/b Revolution Wheelworks Team.  In 2010, Scherz successfully defended his Mid Atlantic Cyclocross Series … Continue reading →

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2010 Team-By-Team Season Review: #4

Posted on December 23, 2010 by

#4 – Astana – (Preview Ranking: #7) What We Said: Another team that benefits largely from the presence of one man is Astana with Alberto Contador.  Like compatriot Alejandro Valverde, Contador is a favorite in any race he enters—particularly if it has at least one summit finish, and one mid-length time trial.  Like Valverde, Contador’s … Continue reading →

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