Cycling Art Blog (Free subscription) | 11/02/2009
Climbing away! In 1969, at just only 24 years old, Eddy Merckx had already amassed a list of palmares that was superstar status. So young and dominating his wins were an envy of many. He won prestigious races: Paris-Roubaix, Tour of Flanders, Milan SanRemo, Giro d’Italia & a World Championship title. On June 2nd he left the Giro under a cloud of suspicion. He was disqualified for a drug test....
Cycling Art Blog (Free subscription) | 10/26/2009
1971... The toreador gave Merckx something to think about! Luis Ocana was a true toreador. An aggressive hero in every sense with courage to wrestle with Eddy Merckx. Nineteen seventy-one was the ring for the toreador to enter and Merckx as his bull to wrestle with. Ocana will don the yellow jersey after he wins the stage into Orcieres-Merlette! At the 1971 Dauphine Libere, Merckx already felt the...
Podium Cafe (Free subscription) | 10/24/2009
I know I have often said there is no next Eddy Merckx. I have also said on more than one occasion that Edvald Boasson Hagen is, in fact, the next Eddy Merckx. Both of these statements can't be true. So which one is? Let's look for some data to help us decide. Eddy Merckx finished 12th in the 1964 Olympics, at age 19. Edvald finished 71st in the Beijing Olympics at age 21. But that doesn't really count,...
CYCLING WEAPON OF MASS DESTRUCTION (Free subscription) | 10/20/2009
Taken out back of the Eddy Merckx factory:
Podium Cafe (Free subscription) | 10/16/2009
The signature climb of this weekend's Giro di Lombardia is the climb from Bellagio to the chapel of the Madonna del Ghisallo, designated by Pope Pius XII in 1949 as the patron saint of cycling. The climb itself lacks the mythical status of the Gavia or the Stelvio, but it's a challenging and breathtakingly beautiful ride. More importantly, it is a pilgrimage, to a shrine both religious and secular,...
gordo's world of zoom (Free subscription) | 10/15/2009
A couple of days ago, my friend Brian was round and we were talking of my forthcoming trip to Cherbourg, curtosey of £10 ferry offer from Brittany Ferries. I mentioned that there was a velodrome there that I had to tick off my list. 'You don't actually have a list, do you?' He said, so I rummaged round and produced my list, which is as follows: Cashot, Newport, Palmer Park (Reading), Mountbatten...
Cycling Art Blog (Free subscription) | 10/15/2009
Castelli always with the champions. Greg LeMond in 1984. Rumors have it that the origin of the iconic scorpion logo by the Italian cycling apparel company Castelli involved a mistress born under the sign of Scorpio. We can’t be sure but it leaves a captivating mystery. Louison Bobet on his way to winning Ventoux, 1955 Tour. His world champion jersey was custom made by Castelli. I felt the sting...
Euro Peloton - Pro Cycling News (Free subscription) | 10/14/2009
The debate on whether race radios should be banned in professional cycling continues to rage on, especially now that the UCI has made clear that they are planning on fazing out the use of race radios completely in the coming years. There are those who would rather see a compromise reached, while many old schoolers insists that banning radios is the right decision for cycling and fans alike. Below follows...
The Guardian (Free subscription) | 10/14/2009
• Route features range of tough natural challenges • Tour director: 'This is going to be a big fight' Alberto Contador will have to contend with treacherous cobblestones and blustery North Sea winds before reaching next year's Tour de France mountain stages. But the newly unveiled route for 2010 also gives the Spaniard, Tour champion in 2007 and 2009 and arguably the best climber in the...
The Independent (Free subscription) | 10/14/2009
Frank Vandenbroucke, the Belgian rider once tipped to succeed cycling's all-time great Eddy Merckx, was found dead in a hotel room in Senegal on Monday. He was 34. The circumstances surrounding Vandenbroucke's demise while on holiday in Africa were almost as hazy as the last 10 years of his chaotic, drug-tainted life.
The Guardian (Free subscription) | 10/13/2009
The news of the blond bombshell's death did not surprise – his career followed a depressingly familiar pattern The great and the good of professional cycling will gather tomorrow morning in Paris for the annual jamboree that marks the launch of the 2010 Tour de France route with an abrupt reminder of the dark side of the sport: late last night, Frank Vandenbroucke, once tipped as a possible...
Cycling Art Blog (Free subscription) | 10/03/2009
The classic Colnago Master X Light Molteni. Eddy on his Colnago. He knew back then! Like all of us, we've seen countless images of Eddy Merckx riding his Molteni Colnago to his well published victories. After many years his exploits on his Molteni has turned into hero worship. I'm on to that. In fact, I like the new look of Colnago's Master X Light Molteni. It's beautiful signature orange is ... WOW!...
cyclingnews.com (Free subscription) | 10/02/2009
Eddy Merckx has said that the death of former team-mate Vic Van Schil is liking losing "a family member". The Belgian cycling great admitted to being shocked at the news that Van Schil had committed suicide on Tuesday. According to reports in the Belgian press, Van Schil was found dead in the garage by his wife at their home in Nijlen, near Antwerp. Contacted by La Dernière Heure,...
cyclingnews.com (Free subscription) | 09/30/2009
Victor "Vic" Van Schil, a long-time teammate with Eddy Merckx in the 1970s, passed away Wednesday at the age of 69. His death was reportedly a suicide. During his career, Van Schil won two stages of the Vuelta a Espana, finished second in the 1966 Liège - Bastogne - Liège, and took fourth in the 1965 Paris-Roubaix. Van Schil was a teammate of Merckx, first with Faema (1968-70),...
The Guardian (Free subscription) | 09/25/2009
The Kim Clijsters and Justine Henin comebacks could inspire a whole world of sporting revisionism Kim Clijsters has started a bit of a fashion in her native land. No sooner had I got used to being able once again to point to the TV screen and gabble, "Her father was Belgian Footballer of the Year in 1988, you know" to an empty room, than the US Open champion's compatriot Justine Henin has...
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