October 21, 2013

The Truth and Complication Commission

The new UCI President Brian Cookson made a number of campaign promises as part of his election manifesto. One of these was the establishment of some sort of process to determine the truth about the doping problem within the sport, primarily so that a figurative line could be drawn demarcating the ushering in of a new era.

Presumably this would result in a deluge of doping related scandal with no repercussions for those participating. After this process, punishments for doping offenders would be more severe and the drip feeding of doping stories which has been occurring since the Festina affair rocked cycling in 1998 would be at an end. ~ Continue reading ~

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September 13, 2013

The Most Versatile Classics Rider in Cycling

So which rider is the most versatile classics rider in the current peloton? Who has what it takes across all five of cycling’s hardest one day races, the monument classics?

If we are to judge simply on the number of wins in these five races, it has been a ding dong battle for supremacy for the last few years between Fabian Cancellara and Tom Boonen. Boonen has four Paris-Roubaixs and three Tours of Flanders, both records. While Cancellara’s total of six victories are spread between those two same races along with a single win in Milan San Remo. ~ Continue reading ~

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September 4, 2013

The Blurred Lines of Morality

‘Financial doping’ is a term that was popularised by the Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger. He used the term a number of years ago in reference to Chelsea as the Frenchman watched his Premier League rivals sign player after player for millions of pounds as they took advantage of the relatively limitless funds at the disposal of owner Roman Abramovich. Rather than seek to gain a competitive advantage by doping their players. Chelsea, Wenger accused, were gaining an advantage by ‘doping’ their bank account. ~ Continue reading ~

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July 21, 2013

Cycling’s Newest Conundrum

Cycling is changing. It’s becoming more and more popular and judging by the evidence we’ve seen during this year’s Tour de France, it is not dealing with its growing popularity very well.

For the most part, cycling fans have a few riders that they enjoy watching with which they may or may not share a nationality. Unlike football fans, up until now at least, the cycling equivalent don’t tend to support a team through thick and thin. One of the major reasons being the nature of the financial structure of cycling teams – the teams themselves don’t tend to stick around for very long for fans to develop any sort of rapport. ~ Continue reading ~

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June 9, 2013

The Pat McQuaid File

Statement Regarding Cycling Ireland’s EGM of 15th June 2013:

Concerning the nomination of Mr. Pat McQuaid for election as President of the UCI for a third term, five Cycling Ireland members release their rationale for a No vote.

31 May 2013 – (Full Document: The Pat McQuaid File)

We are five cyclists embedded in the Irish cycling scene with a deep passion for the sport. Our strong commitment to cycling has been expressed over decades through various means. Our frustration with those at the top of the UCI led us to each other. We first united to persuade the Board of Cycling Ireland (CI) to put the nomination of Pat McQuaid for a third term as UCI President to the members of CI at an EGM, which Cycling Ireland respectfully agreed to. On the 15th of June, Cycling Ireland Club Delegates will have the opportunity to vote on whether the Irish cycling federation should endorse Pat McQuaid’s nomination for President in the upcoming UCI elections. ~ Continue reading ~

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May 24, 2013

1976 – The year a stage of the Rás finished in…Carlow

This article is the fifth in a series which will be published daily throughout the 2013 edition of the Rás. I’ve taken the finish town of each day’s stage and looked back through the history books to a time when the Rás previously raced into the same town. Other stage towns in the series are:

Longford – 1962
Nenagh – 1958
Listowel – 1993
Healy Pass – 1984

Today it’s Carlow in 1976…

The Stage

1976 Rás Tailteann – 18th June – Stage 7 – Mitchelstown, Cahir, Clonmel, Callan, Kilkenny, Paulstown, Leighlinbridge, Carlow (135km)

What was going on in Irish cycling?

Sean Kelly, Pat McQuaid and his brother Kieron were all handed seven month bans by the Irish cycling federation. The trio, along with two Scotsmen, travelled incognito to South Africa to take part in the Rapport Tour. At the time, due to Apartheid, there were various sporting bans being placed on South Africa. Taking part in a cycling race in South Africa was prohibited. But the five riders assumed fake names and took part anyway, seeing the race as an ideal way to get in some extra racing miles over the winter. ~ Continue reading ~

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