Source http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/cyclingnews/news/~3/Rm9fIdHB4Gs/peloton-faces-higher-fines-for-tossing-empty-bidons-away
Throwing an empty bidon away just anywhere this weekend in Belgium could be an expensive proposition. UCI rules now call for fines of 200 to 500 Swiss francs and, in certain circumstances, up to 1000 Swiss francs.
UCI Jury Commissioner for the 'opening weekend' races of Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne, Philippe Marien, told Belgian newspaper Het Nieuwsblad: "Dropping a water bottle into the canal or leaving trash on the road is no longer acceptable in this day and age.
"We have to stop those riders who leave their garbage everywhere. We have to stop those who, just after they ride next to the team car, immediately throw their bottle in the air.
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"WorldTour pros have an exemplary function. With higher fines, we want set standards and head in a responsible, ecological way. Waste zones are provided, shortly before the feed zone and just after. In addition, waste can be dumped in a planned waste zone some 20 kilometres from the finish."
The highest fines are for throwing a bidon into the public "in a dangerous manner". It is not forbidden to give empty bidons to fans, but it needs to be done differently, according to Marien.
"You can gently move towards the audience, or hand it over to the team car, of course. A rider who throws a half-full or empty bidon into the audience full of adrenaline, that is life-threatening. We do not want to see that anymore."
You can read more at Cyclingnews.com
Source https://www.velonews.com/2019/02/news/gilbert-ready-for-another-classics-run-at-age-36_483730
The Belgian will kick off the classics season at Saturday's Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, which takes place in the Flanders region of his home country.
Read the full article at Gilbert ready for another classics run at age 36 on VeloNews.com.
Source http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/cyclingnews/news/~3/m36ZVlxosDs/rotor-releases-1x13-hydraulic-groupset
This article first appeared on BikeRadar.
Rotor has today announced the full prices, specs, weights and availability for all four versions of its 1x13 13-speed hydraulic groupset.
It has also opened up pre-orders for the groupset, with shipping expected to start in April this year.
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The highly modular groupset is adaptable for road, mountain, cyclocross and gravel riding, though only drop-bar compatible build kits have been announced so far. The mountain bike version is due to be released in the summer.
As a reminder, please note that the groupset is simply called ‘1x13’ — no catchy names here!
Rotor’s all-new 1x13 hydraulic-actuated groupset is priced at €2,599 / £2,299 / $2,800 for the cheapest groupset rising to €4,499 / £3,999 / $4,900 for the top-end version.
You can read more at Cyclingnews.com
Source https://www.velonews.com/2019/02/news/first-ride-specialized-s-works-exos-shoes_483653
The superlight Specialized S-Works Exos shoe is a dream for gram-shaving climbers. It also happens to be very comfortable.
Read the full article at First Ride: Specialized S-Works Exos Shoes on VeloNews.com.
Source http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/cyclingnews/news/~3/je8nxlj7bnY/valgren-has-homework-done-ahead-of-opening-weekend
Opening Weekend is around the corner and Michael Valgren, it seems, is ready. The Dane caught the eye at the Volta ao Algarve with a strong showing on the summit finish at Alto da Fóia on stage 2, though he preferred to focus on the training and racing miles logged through the winter months.
"I just know that I did my homework in December and January – and in February too – so I know I’ve trained enough. I just need to find the freshness in the legs and be lucky. I know I’m pretty good," Valgren told Cyclingnews in Faro.
"But last year, I wasn’t feeling great in Ruta del Sol and then the next week I won on the Opening Weekend, so I don’t really compare too closely from year to year, because sensations can change in a week."
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A year ago, Valgren’s triumph at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad heralded the beginning of a break-out Spring campaign. He would go on to win Amstel Gold Race and his wide body of work also included fourth place at the Tour of Flanders and a competitive display at Liège-Bastogne-Liège, a race he won twice as an under-23. Seventh place on the demanding Innsbruck World Championships circuit in September was a further indication of his dexterity.
Valgren will repeat the same formula this season, his first in the colours of Dimension Data, lining out in every Classic bar Paris-Roubaix, from Omloop this coming Saturday to La Doyenne in late April. It’s an exacting schedule but, rather than peak for any one Classic, the 27-year-old aims to be ready for every given Sunday.
"Hopefully I will have top shape next weekend and keep it until April 28, that’s what I’ve been training for," Valgren said. "I’ve trained like a maniac, to be honest, so I can have good form from Opening Weekend. I should be in as a good form as possible on Saturday and then I’ll try to maintain it until Liège. I did a lot of work before coming here."
After the demise of the World Cup in 2004, the Classics seemed to become an ever more specialised affair, with few riders minded to target events in both Flanders and the Ardennes, to the extent that Valgren was something of an outlier when he added the cobbled Classics to his programme during his first season at Astana in 2017.
The alteration to the finale of Liège-Bastogne-Liège has contributed to an altered landscape in 2019, with Peter Sagan and Greg Van Avermaet among those likely to extend their Spring campaigns as far as La Doyenne. Valgren does not envisage, however, that this will in any way diminish their focus on the cobbled Classics.
"I don’t think so, I’m sure there’s plenty of guys who can do the same as me," he said. "It’s more that sometimes mentally it can be hard to force yourself to go deep every weekend. Some people might need a break in the head, but for sure Van Avermaet and these guys can also do it. We’ll see how it goes this year, but it will be good for all the races."
Valgren’s race programme in 2019 is familiar – he started his campaign at the Tour Down Under for the fifth time in six years – but his environment is a new one. He was Dimension Data’s marquee signing for 2019, and with a new team comes a new role. At Astana, Valgren had some freedom; at Dimension Data carries the responsibility of outright leadership in the Classics.
"I enjoy it, but it’s still a new role," Valgren said. "At Astana, I was a leader but not the big leader. We still had three or four captains and some politics within the team, but here I’m more like the lone captain, or else together with Edvald [Boasson Hagen]. I like it. I try to take the responsibility on my shoulders, talk to the directors and mechanics after the race and all that stuff. I try to take that role on my shoulders and make it a better team."
In winning two Classics last year, Valgren has set a dauntingly high bar for himself in 2019, though he notes that victory will not be the sole measure of a successful campaign this time out. The Tour of Flanders may be the race he covets above all others, but consistency across the next six weeks is something to aim at.
"Of course, I’d like to say if I could win Flanders, everything would be nice, but it’s so hard to win these Classics," Valgren said. "I think I will have a happy Classics campaign if I go top 10 in three or four of them. Being stable and being up there in every race, that’s probably still big for me. I know the team want to win and I also want to win, but it’s still pretty new to me.
"It’s only my third year doing the cobbles. I’ve learned that I’m able to be up there with the best in these races, and hopefully I can fight for the win in one of them."
You can read more at Cyclingnews.com
Source https://www.velonews.com/2019/02/race-report/uae-tour-valverde-captures-first-win-in-rainbow-jersey_483734
Alejandro Valverde wins the third stage of the UAE Tour, which culminated with a 10km climb up Jebel Hafeet.
Read the full article at UAE Tour: Valverde captures first win in rainbow jersey on VeloNews.com.
Source https://www.velonews.com/2019/02/race-report/algarve-stage-5-stybar-breaks-drought-pogacar-calm-under-fire_483706
Young Slovenian star Tadej Pogacar defends lead to win overall on hectic final day. Zdenek Stybar wins stage 5 at Volta ao Algarve.
Read the full article at Algarve stage 5: Stybar breaks drought; Pogacar calm under fire on VeloNews.com.
Source https://www.velonews.com/2019/02/road/legally-speaking-why-3-feet-to-pass-laws-must-be-enforced_483648
Attempts have room, although laws requiring drivers to give sufficient space to bikers are a step in the right path.
Read the entire post at Legally Speaking: Why ‘3 feet to pass on ’ legislation have to be enforced on VeloNews.com.
Source https://www.velonews.com/2019/02/road/the-agony-of-an-early-season-team-time-trial_483695
Some riders are nearing peak form. Others are still building. Plus, there are new transfers for 2019. All this adds up to make the UAE Tour TTT a vexing puzzle.
Read the full article at The agony of an early season team time trial on VeloNews.com.
Source http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/cyclingnews/news/~3/rTGlKTFWAGU/mark-cavendish-i-dont-remember-what-its-like-to-feel-normal-anymore
After two seasons blighted by illness and injury, Mark Cavendish said that he’s forgotten what it feels like to be normal but the Manxman is happy to be racing again.
After starting his 2019 season at the Vuelta a San Juan, Cavendish is continuing his comeback with Dimension Data this week at the UAE Tour. Prior to San Juan, Cavendish had not raced since the RideLondon Surrey-Classic at the end of July, following further problems with Epstein Barr virus. The Manxman was been forced to miss much of the opening part of the 2017 season due to the virus. He also affected by crashes at three consecutive races at the start of last season - which also left him with a concussion, then the Epstein Barr virus forced him to take further time away.
Cavendish said that the multiple setbacks had been frustrating and suggested that a misdiagnosis by doctors had added to his woes.
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“I don’t really remember what it's like to feel normal any more after misdiagnoses of being sick for two years,” Cavendish said at the team presentation for the UAE Tour in Abu Dhabi.
“I can just try, that’s all I do, the UAE Tour gives a perfect opportunity for a week-long race and it just happens to be in a place that I love being. At least I can do it and if things are bad I’m still happy.
“Your health is the most important thing. My family is healthy at home and I can just try and get back on it. It’s frustrating because it’s not my fault. It was a mess-up with the doctors, who should have known better, but what can you do?”
You can read more at Cyclingnews.com
Source https://www.velonews.com/2019/02/road/uae-ttt-jumbo-visma-take-first-ever-stage-at-new-worldtour-race_483696
Roglic takes leader's jersey with Dumoulin and Nibali within striking distance.
Read the full article at UAE TTT: Jumbo-Visma take first ever stage at new WorldTour race on VeloNews.com.
Source https://www.velonews.com/2019/02/road/ruta-del-sol-simon-yates-solos-to-stage-4-win-in-the-sierra-nevada_483685
From defending champion Wellens from Ruta's big climbing test fuglsang takes the overall.
Read the full post at Ruta del Sol: Simon Yates solos to stage 4 triumph in the Sierra Nevada on VeloNews.com.
Source https://www.velonews.com/2019/02/news/stetina-has-fresh-motivation-after-considering-end-to-career_483615
The 31-year-old American endured two tough seasons but is primed and ready for a better 2019.
Read the full article at Stetina has ‘fresh motivation’ after considering end to career on VeloNews.com.
