June 1/11 22:24 pm - Cycling (in the) News

Posted by Editoress on 06/1/11
 

I thought of that while riding my bike. -Albert Einstein, on the theory of relativity


Armstrong's lawyers want apology from '60 Minutes'
Attorneys for Lance Armstrong have demanded an on-air apology from "60 Minutes" after the head of Switzerland's anti-doping laboratory denied allegations he tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs at the 2001 Tour de Suisse.

In a letter sent on Wednesday to CBS News Chairman and "60 Minutes" executive producer Jeff Fager, lawyer Elliot Peters said the May 22 segment about Armstrong was built on a series of falsehoods, and he accused the reputable CBS show of sloppy journalism.
Read more: Associated Press


Love him or hate him, Contador the best
If we learned one thing from the Giro d'Italia it was that Alberto Contador is, in fact, the best Grand Tour racer in the world. Well, we already knew that, but his victory - the sixth GT win of his career - solidified this statement.

But not everyone is on the Spaniard's side.
Read more: Univeral Sports


Frustrated Evans "mystified" by Contador delays
Tour de France contender Cadel Evans is mystified as to why Alberto Contador's doping case is taking so long to resolve and is hoping for a final decision sooner rather than later.

Three-times winner Contador was cleared to ride in the July 2-24 Tour de France Tuesday after the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) said its ruling over a positive test for a banned anabolic agent would be postponed until August.
Read more: Reuters


Riding to fight heart disease
Olympic medallist Curt Harnett will be leading a pack of 13,000 cyclists on Sunday in the 24th annual Becel Heart & Stroke Ride for Heart.

The 46-year-old Toronto father of three - who won three Olympic medals from 1984 to 1996 - has been riding the 75-kilometre route for years to raise money for cutting-edge scientific research for the Heart & Stroke Foundation of Canada.

“It’s critical we continue to invest in life-saving research in heart disease and stroke. The money we raise is having a profound impact on the lives of many Canadians,” Harnett said, adding it’s one of Canada’s largest cycling fundraisers.
Read more: Toronto Sun


Toronto streets most dangerous in Canada to cycle, walk
Toronto’s streets are the most dangerous in the country to cycle or walk, according to a new study.

A report released Thursday by the city’s Traffic Safety Unit revealed Toronto had the highest rate of vehicles colliding with cyclists and pedestrians in the first nine months of last year.

For every 100,000 people, there were 42 vehicle-bike crashes in Toronto, while the second and third spots went to Montreal with 38 and Vancouver with 33.

In Toronto, police recorded 78 vehicle-pedestrian collisions, ahead of Montreal’s 71 and Edmonton's 50.
Read more: City News


Team Algoma Bicycle Company
To mark its fourth year in business Algoma Bicycle Company, located at 360 Queen Street East, is pleased to introduce its first racing team. Team Algoma Bicycle Company has begun its inaugural year strongly with over 13 riders. This Ontario Cycling Association licensed team will compete in road, mountain, triathlon and cyclocross races throughout Ontario and Michigan.

All of the team members are licensed with the Union Cycliste Internationale (a.k.a. the UCI) and are proud to be longstanding members of the Sault Cycling Club.
Read more: Local2


A tribute to Isabelle
"She was a really effervescent, very friendly person who cared for kids and camaraderie. When she'd come into the transition tent at 2 a.m. I'd giver a little push as she got back on her bike. She used to love it."

That's how Crazy Larry Melnik remembers Isabelle Dubé, smiling at him under the spotlights as she churned her legs and headed out into the night on another lap of the 24 Hours of Adrenaline
Read more: Banff Crag and Canyon


City hands out biking awards
The city handed out its annual Bruce Timmermans Cycling awards Tuesday for outstanding contributions to the encouragement of cycling. Kathleen Wilker, a founder of Hintonburg Cycling Champions, which promotes safe cycling events for children, won in the individual category.
Read more: Ottawa Citizen


Cycling to Kandahar
Canadian Forces Base Kingston personnel (l-r) Capt. Ian MacLennan and Maj. Ian Barnes, give Capt. Andrew Champion a little help on a stationary bike as they prepare to symbolically cycle to Kandahar. For the second year in a row Providence Care staff and Canadian Forces Base Kingston personnel are supporting a Canadian Forces Base Kingston fundraiser, the Kingston 2 Kandahar (K2K) 24-Hour Spin-A-Thon Saturday and Sunday, June 4-5 at the K-Rock Centre.
Read more: Kingston This Week


Cyclists cross Vancouver Island in continuing battle against diabetes
A group of cyclists who are warning children of the dangers of Type 2 diabetes stopped in Nanaimo Tuesday to bring their message to students at Mountainview Elementary School.

Seven riders are participating in the Kiwanis Cycles Kilometres for Diabetes tour of Vancouver Island.

Rider, race organizer and co-ordinator Robin Nadigi, from Port Alberni, said this year is the ninth annual ride.
Read more: Canada.com


To run or go riding? That is the question
Going for a run is a lot like eating cauliflower. I don’t mind it, but I would never go out of my way to do it.

Cycling is so much more than a solo effort on a saddle above two wheels and a simple mechanical system. Everything that running can never be, cycling will always be.

What makes cycling so different from running, and in my view so much more satisfying, is how interactive it is.
Read more: Vancouver Courier


Torontonians begin to embrace Bike Month, but is it enough?
Countries across the globe have embraced the bicycle and recognized its benefits, while Canada appears to be lagging behind in this area. Approximately one-third of Denmark’s workforce cycles to work; with countries such as Spain, China and the Netherlands topping the list for frequent bicycle usage. So why is it that in a country such as Canada – which seems to have an environmentally and health-conscious society – and, specifically, in a city like Toronto – which is becoming increasingly congested with traffic – that so few people actually use bicycles to get to work?

Currently, there may not be a correct answer to that question. However, this is a definite reason for Canadian organizations to start thinking about incorporating bicycling into their Corporate Social Responsibility strategies.
Read more: Canadian Business


One-metre law great news for Halifax bikers, but more to be done: cycling coalition
Biking through most busy cities is like a game of chicken, but as local governments make a push to cut down on pollution they have to make roads safer for cyclists.

A new law in Nova Scotia protecting bike riders from passing cars was the highlight of Bike Week in Halifax, running from May 27 – June 5.
Read more: Global


Gran Fondo USA Acquired by Star Production SARL
Star Production SARL, a Monaco based company owning the Star Events and StarTour labels, has purchased Gran Fondo USA which established the Granfondo Colnago series beginning in 2009.

“Star Events is committed to delivering high-quality sports events, accessible to all levels of competition, and we are very excited about this entrance into the American Market,” says Georg Hochegger, CEO of Star Production SARL. ”Gran Fondo USA is the leading company in mass cycling events in the US market, and offers an ideal platform to develop our cycling division, expanding the current focus of our company.”
Read more: Gran Fondo Online


Shouldn’t you be wearing a helmet right now? (commentary)
Our nation’s capital has a problem. As of a couple of weeks ago, people there can rent a Bixi-brand bicycle from one of 10 automated stations scattered around the tourist areas in Ottawa and Hull, ride it to any other station, park it, and go on about their days. Bixi’s long-term financial viability in its hometown, Montreal - to say nothing of Toronto and Ottawa, where it has only recently launched - remains a question mark. But for now, it’s a pretty neat way to tourist oneself about, and for residents, assuming it’s convenient, a great alternative to public transit. It’s reasonably priced - $5 for 24 hours or $12 for 72 hours, which includes any number of 30-minute rides, and way cheaper if you subscribe by the month or year. And it’s easy: Swipe your credit card, and away you go.
Read more: National Post


Young athletes use fewer drugs, but more alcohol
Teens who exercise and play team sports are less likely to be smokers or use marijuana and other drugs than their peers, but they do drink more alcohol, a study said.

While the findings, published in “Addiction,” don’t prove cause and effect, they could have important implications for preventing drug and alcohol abuse in young adults, the study’s authors said.
Read more: Ottawa Citizen

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