January 11, 2010

One Hit Wonders of the Tour

There are many many musicians out there who practiced their instrument for years, slogged away in shady pubs playing in front of a dozen people hoping against hope that one day they’d hit the big time. One day they finally get lucky and a record executive happens upon them one night and likes what he hears. The musician is signed up to a major record label. The first album gets made and sells very little, the second album gets made and sells even less. Then an amazing thing happens, out of the blue, a hit single. The musician has a song on the top of the charts, it’s incredible, everything they ever wished for. They get recognised on the street, they sign autographs, they ride they wave of publicity and it feels great. Inevitably, the third album gets made, doesn’t sell. The record company grow impatient and give the musician one last chance. A fourth album. Still no luck. The musician fades away, consigned to the annals of history to be forever referred to as a one hit wonder.

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January 4, 2010

Riders breaking contracts

In the wake of Bradley Wiggins’ and Ben Swift’s moves to Team Sky recently, the subject of rider’s contracts has come to the fore. Should the British pair have been allowed to leave their former teams to link up with the new Dave Brailsford-led ‘super team’? My personal opinion is no, they shouldn’t have been allowed to move. Wiggins secured the move he craved by threatening a barrage of legal action against Jonathan Vaughters at Garmin. Vaughters succumbed to this threat, not wanting to face a protracted legal battle against the might of a host of Rupert Murdoch’s lawyers. Swift eventually made his move to Team Sky after taking it upon himself to go on an unofficial strike at Katusha.

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January 3, 2010

The Irish Renaissance

It’s been a great year for Irish cycling. There are three up and coming professionals at top teams who are getting stronger every year. Nicolas Roche at AG2R La Mondiale, Philip Deignan at Cervélo and Dan Martin at Garmin-Transitions can all look forward to racing in 2010 knowing that they’ve all played a part in the best year for Irish cycling professionals since the days of Sean Kelly, Stephen Roche and Martin Earley.

There was an Irish rider in all three Grand Tours for the first time since 1987. Deignan completed both the Giro and Vuelta finishing a fantastic 9th in the latter taking a memorable stage win along the way. Roche was Ireland’s sole representative at the Tour de France finishing 2nd on one stage and taking a handful of other top 10 placings, he also finished 5th in the young rider competition. Dan Martin was unfortunate at times last year with illness, as such he was unable to make his Tour de France début. He did however make his Grand Tour bow at the Vuelta as a domestique for Tom Danielson. Martin also showed he is more than capable in one day races managing an 8th place in the Tour of Lombardy, Ireland’s first top 10 placing in a monument classic since Sean Kelly won Milan San Remo 18 years ago. Martin also finished 5th in the one day Pro Tour race the GP Ouest-France. In addition to his good performances in one day races and the Vuelta, Martin hinted at his potential in one week stage races in the Volta a Catalunya where he put on a great performance to finish 2nd behind Alejandro Valverde.

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