Fotoreporter Sirotti
Interesting cycling items from across the Internet, October 5, 2011
Seen any cool links we missed? Share ’em in a comment below!
Fotoreporter Sirotti
Interesting cycling items from across the Internet, October 4, 2011
Seen any cool links we missed? Share ’em in a comment below!
Episode 2 in this season’s Behind the Barriers – enjoy!
Interesting cycling items from across the Internet, October 3, 2011
Seen any cool links we missed? Share ’em in a comment below!
Photo by Luc Claessen/ISPA
Here’s this week’s (mini) Monday Musette:
1. With next Sunday’s Paris-Tours looming on the horizon, several sprinters used this past weekend to put the finishing touches on their fitness. Radio Shack’s Robbie McEwen won two stages and the overall at the Circuit Franco-Belge (aka, the Tour de Wallone-Picarde), while Skil-Shimano’s Marcel Kittel took his 15th of the win of the season at Germany’s Munsterland Giro.
McEwen heads to Paris next weekend (Kittel’s not on the preliminary start list) as an outside contender for the victory, but he’ll face much tougher competition to win the autumn classic—including new world champion Mark Cavendish. My money’s on John Degenkolb—Kittel’s future teammate at Project 1t4i-Shimano. Look for a full race preview later this week.
2. Speaking of Cavendish, a bit of a stir was created when rumors surfaced of the Brit’s transfer to Omega Pharma-Quick Step. Apparently Cav likes his Venge, and wants his new team to provide them. (The Inner Ring provides a great rundown of the situation.) Frankly, I’m tired of Cavendish and his antics. If he wanted to ride a Specialized so badly, why not do more to help Bob Stapleton secure a new sponsor at HTC-HighRoad?
3. We’re putting the final touches on a new web store where we’ll be selling caps and socks. We also have a few sets of kit left (jersey and bibs), email shop@pavepavepave.com if you’re interested in picking some up.
4. Special thanks go to Competitive Cyclist who despite moving to Salt Lake City, Utah has graciously offered to support our cyclocross coverage. If you have a spare minute, click on through to check out their latest offerings. We’re proud to be one of only a handful of independent blogs that pays for permission to post photos from some of the sport’s finest professional photographers—like Luc Claessen this upcoming CX season. The support we receive helps us make those ends meet. You can help our help our supporters justify their investment with a click and a purchase.
5. There was a funeral for the Muur over the weekend. (I’m still too upset to talk about it.)
6. Last but not least, 3 bikes were stolen during this weekend’s events in Gloucester: a Trek XO1 with SRAM Red, a Focus Mares with SRAM Force, and a Stevens Carbon Cross. If you happen to see anyone riding and or selling one these who shouldn’t be, drop us a line and we’ll put you in touch with the right people.
That’s it for us–what’s on your mind this week?
Share your comments below.
Photo courtesy of Tim Van Wichelen
It’s hard to believe it’s October already. It seems like just yesterday we were talking about what may happen this upcoming cross season. This past weekend was another action-packed weekend throughout the cross world. In Europe, all eyes were on Kalmthout, which brought all of the top Europeans together for one last tune up before their season begins in earnest with next weekend’s Superprestige race.
Cyclo-cross Interternational Podbrezova (C2) and Trofeo Rigoni di Asiago (C2)
We continued our trend of incorrectly picking the winners of races nobody knows about this past weekend. The race in Podbrezova, Czech Republic was won by Slovokian Robert Gavenda. Our pick, Martin Zlamalik, made an unexpected start in Klamthout, where he finished a disappointing 28th. In Asiago, Italy Enrico Franzoi finished second to Cristian Cominelli in a four-man sprint.
Vlaamse Industrieprijs Bosduin (C1)
One week before the Superprestige series kicks-off, it was the Belgian national champion, Niels Albert, who soloed to victory a head of Bart Wellens and Tom Meeusen. Meeusen, a young up-and-comer with several wins to his name in 2010, outsprinted Frenchmen Francis Mourey for that final podium spot. Mourey showed his good form, finishing in all too familiar fourth place, while Sven Nys, who will go for his 11th Supreprestige title this season, finished 6th, well off the pace following a last-lap tangle with young rival Kevin Pauwels. Pauwels clipped a tree on one of Kalmthout’s twisting, off-camber hairpin turns while Nys was right behind him, while Wellens slipped by to resume the chase of Albert. Wellens finished a mere thirteen second behind Albert, showing that his North American trip was clearly worth it.Â
The big news over the weekend were some inappropriate remarks made by Blegian road and cross legend Roger De Vlaeminck towards Niels Albert at the Suprestige presentation on Thursday. The 64-year-old former cyclo-cross world champion and quadruple winner of Paris-Roubaix was quick to praise Sven Nys, but proceeded to call Albert unprofessional. After a bizarre exchange of champagne and mixed messages, the two left the presentation leaving everyone a bit confused.
The bottom line is that De Vlaeminck feels that Albert and Jurgen Van den Broeck (whom he also made negative remarks toward) aren’t respectful of their elders, including de Vlaemnick. There’s appears to be some sort of personal grudge De Vlaeminck is carrying against some of the sports young top-tier riders. Meanwhile, the rest of the cross world, including Nys, have Albert’s back. Reactions indicated that they were pretty much disgusted by the whole thing. Albert definitely got the last word with his victory in Kalmthout. Hopefully that’s the end of this little soap opera.