Author: Alex
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Is Bradley Wiggins going to ride Liege-Bastogne-Liege?
No. Turns out he’s not bothering. Although the Monument was one of his stated targets for the season, he’s going to ride the four-day Giro del Trentino instead as he looks to build fitness ahead of next month’s Giro d’Italia. The Giro del Trentino offers pretty good preparation for the Giro as it takes place…
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Ardennes Week – welcome respite for the perineums of the peloton
Barse pain subsides and thigh pain increases as we roll off the cobbles and up the short, steep climbs which characterise the Ardennes Classics. The Belgians may name their races after motorways which have since changed their name or towns which the race doesn’t actually visit, but the Dutch name their major day race after…
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The lonely life of Fabian Cancellara
Cycling is a solitary sport. The peloton may be large and teamwork may decide races, but these elements are but fleeting conveniences. At the end of the day, cycling is about getting away from everyone and everything and striking out alone. It is a sport which attracts people who will happily risk frostbite if it…
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What is Paris-Roubaix like?
It’s Paris-Roubaix on Sunday, but what’s it like? Why is this race different from any other? Here’s Dutchman Theo De Rooy interviewed on the finish line in 1985: “It’s bollocks this race. You’re working like an animal. You don’t have time to piss. You wet your pants. You’re riding in mud like this, you’re slipping—it’s…
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Fabian Cancellara has a little extra wattage at Ronde van Vlaanderen
As expected, the closing stages of Ronde van Vlaanderen did indeed give us the latest chapter in the rivalry between Fabian Cancellara and Peter Sagan. It was an unambiguous chapter written in very plain English. What happened? The penultimate climb of Ronde van Vlaanderen is the Oude Kwaremont, which is a cobbled climb 2.2km long…
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Geraint Thomas is in form for the Tour of Flanders tomorrow
In pro cycling, there are races almost every day. Sometimes there are several taking place simultaneously. It’s important to remember that most are mere staging posts en route to major targets. The riders race seriously, but a race isn’t always an accurate measure of who’s best, because the competitors may have differing levels of form.…
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The Schlecks aren’t dead but what of Cadel Evans?
Cadel Evans won the 2011 Tour de France. Andy Schleck came second. Frank Schleck came third. That seems an awfully long time ago. None of these riders has had a particularly good time since and last weekend’s Criterium Internationale brought few signs that will be changing any time soon. The Schlecks Frank Schleck is currently…
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Cancellara-Sagan rivalry rolls onto the cobbles
If you hear someone saying that this site doesn’t have narrative themes, feel free to box their ears or perhaps deliver a more contemporary reprimand, such as a happy slap. Does happy slapping still exist? You don’t hear so much about it any more. Maybe the recession is dulling our buoyancy and the pastime has…
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It’s all about cobbles this weekend
If any pro cyclists are wondering what’s next after they froze their nuts off at Milan-San Remo. Great news! You now get to cycle over shitloads of cobbles. You’re not missing those nuts quite so much now, eh? E3 Harelbeke Friday sees a stack of burly Belgians and a few wannabe burly Belgians tackling E3…
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Sagan-Cancellara tiff helps decide Milan-San Remo
I think it’s fair to say that. Here’s why. The history Fabian Cancellara is still pissed off with Peter Sagan after the goofy Slovak sat passively on his wheel before sprinting to victory in stage one of last year’s Tour. I don’t mean Sagan literally sat on Cancellara’s wheel, you understand, because you don’t win…