2012 Pro-cycling season thread

Valverde - a bit of a stain on the sport, but at the same time he looks so classy on the bike. Hope Gerrans wins the TDU though.

More info here http://cyclingiq.com/2012/01/11/is-tour-of-australia-needed-for-down-unders-rise/

Wouldn't you know it, Italy are almost double the second nation on the doping charts too..
http://dopeology.org/statistics/people/

Greipel winning again and now targeting MSR.

Schlecks doing remedial cornering practice:

http://www.radioshacknissantrek.com/news/bike-handling-class-riders-mallorca

You have to laugh.

Thanks GreenEdge for putting me in the lead although that cheeky BossanHaagenDaazParticle taking the sprint jersey was annoying.

^ I think it's a good thing. Just because you're a pro doesn't mean you can't learn anything new. And lets face it, they need to sharpen up on this skill.

Mind you they do look like a bunch of twats

Schlecks doing remedial cornering practice:

http://www.radioshacknissantrek.com/news/bike-handling-class-riders-mallorca

You have to laugh.

Polo?

Polo?
That's what I thought, just need mallets, anyone fancy doing a potatochop?

Stefan Schumacher is in second place in the Tour De San Luis.

When did this serial cheat slither back into the peleton? I'd sincerely hoped I'd seen the last of the Mekon in the GC of a race.
I is disapoint.

Ask him.. http://www.stefan-schumacher.com/en/

Not 2012, but interesting anyway : http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/cycling/16749106.stm

Any chance of this being a success? I don't know London well, but can't imagine a 'classic' being held anywhere near it. Nore like a big crit, maybe.

Are they going to buy decades of history for it is as well? You can't just set up a classic.

You can't just set up a classic.

Why not? Fox's did it and I bought in from the start.

http://www.thelondonclassic.org/

A London 'Cycle Classic' is to a monument what those biscuits are to an Empire Biscuit.

^I could do them, with a pint of tea, right now.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2012/jan/26/bradley-wiggins-london-2012-tour-defrance

Seems from this article like Wiggins is going to lead for the Tour and Cavendish will be focussed on winning the Olympic road race. Does that ring true?

It makes sense. Cav might forgive Wiggo for that madison.. :)

are there any british riders at the uci world cyclocross championships?

Yes three. http://www.uci.ch/Modules/BUILTIN/getObject.asp?MenuId=MTI1OTk&ObjTypeCode=FILE&type=FILE&id=NzUxODM&LangId=1

It's a battle between Belgians at the moment. Albert has a 39sec lead over Pauwels and Nys and remaining 4 Belgians behind them. 4 laps to go.

belgians are totally dominating - riding through that sand looks pretty hard

• not seen any british riders
  

7 strong belgian team take places 1-7 in race - ha!

Are they going to buy decades of history for it is as well? You can't just set up a classic.

Yes you can:

[ame]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montepaschi_Strade_Bianche[/ame]

and on smaller scale but growing right here in the UK: http://www.dengiemarshestour.com/

I've been waiting on the UKs London Marathon for cyclists for ever, hope this is what this turns about to be. The organisers would do well to look a the model set by the Vattenfall Cyclassics and the Berlin Velothon....in fact they shlould just consider hiring them to fulfil the event!