So…Vincenzo Nibali seems like a barrel of laughs, doesn’t he? Cycling journalists usually refer to him as “the proud Sicilian.” This is code. It means he’s moody, and evasive, and paranoid. The […]
The Proud Sicilian
La Vuelta 2017 Stage 19: A very British Spaniard
The Vuelta Espana of 2017 – now 19 Stages in and two to go – is ready to visit that Spanish climb with the reputation more fearsome than any other; the Alto […]
La Vuelta 2017 Stage 12: Stuff happens
During his seven Tour de France wins that he didn’t win, Lance Armstrong famously avoided trouble. Trouble in the form of punctures, mechanical issues, and crashes, that is. Trouble in the form […]
La Vuelta 2017 Stage 6: Vamos Alberto!
Yesterday, I unfurled my vast knowledge of statistics, and produced a devastating insight; that, on any given calendar day, there is a 50% chance that somewhere in the world Thomas de Gendt […]
Alberto Contador retires and I reveal the truth about ‘old snake hips’
If you are a pro cycling fan, you’ll be aware that a number of big names have recently hung up their shoes, stopped shaving their legs, and started saying ‘yes’ to dessert. […]
Not shy, and not retiring
I’ve noticed a theme this year in the world of pro-cycling. I’m not talking about motorbikes colliding with riders or the general and universal love for Peter Sagan. I’m talking about retirement. […]
How to master the work-life-bike balance
Most of us are aware of the complications brought on by the work-life balance – it’s a much used phrase these days. Add into the mix a minor obsession with all things bike […]
Corporate team building for cyclists (or, the power of play)
There are three words that strike fear and panic into the heart of anyone who has ever spent any time working in an office (no, not ‘coffee machine broken’, it’s worse than […]
High stakes, dodgy metaphors and Oleg Tinkoff
If you’re a fan of pro-cycling you will have become increasingly aware of Oleg Tinkoff, the wealthy Russian financier and boss of Alberto Contador’s Tinkoff-Saxo team. He is, shall we say, no […]
La Vuelta Espana 2014: Froome’s elbows, the pipsqueak and the pantomime villain
Pro-cycling as a spectator sport lends itself to contemplation. During an average stage of a race like the Vuelta Espana, for example, it’s not uncommon for a lull in proceedings to settle […]
Promoting a Picturesque Peloton
Professional cycling is a tough sport, of that there is no doubt, but it’s also very pretty. Think of the Tour de France, with some of the worlds fittest athletes dancing gracefully […]
The World According to Tinkoff
So…that Oleg Tinkoff is a character eh? At a press conference at Google HQ in London on 2nd December 2013, the Russian businessman announced his purchase of the Saxo-Tinkoff pro cycling team […]
Tour de France 2014 – Cols, Cobbles and Contador
When the announcement of the route for the Tour de France 2014 took place on 23nd October it was accompanied by largely predictable responses from all involved; Contador and Riis installed Froome […]
Who loves the Vuelta?
The Vuelta Espana is one of the three Grand Tours – the jewels in the crown of world cycling – but it has always been seen as the third most prestigious of […]
Nibali v Froome
As rivalries go Nibali v Froome is a slow burner. Nibali won the 2013 Giro d’Italia convincingly – a display of strength and control in the wind, rain, snow and fog, which […]
