February 6/08 4:28 am - Cycling in the news

Posted by Editoress on 02/6/08
 

Cycling in the news headlines in the past 24 hours

Pat McQuaid Threatens Tour Organizers

Tour de France organisers must include the Astana team in this year's race despite the doping scandals of 2007, International Cycling Union (UCI) president Pat McQuaid said on Wednesday.

"There is no reason why Astana should not be invited to the Tour de France," McQuaid told Cycling Weekly magazine.

"I know that the Tour de France has been damaged by the actions of certain teams but this year, after the summit that was held in Paris in October and the announcement of the biological passport, we've increased the number of anti-doping tests from 1,000 to 8,000," he added.

For the full article go to Herald Truibunen


Police and ICBC fail to investigate hit and run that injured cyclist

A B.C. hit-and-run victim is shocked and upset because the Vancouver police and the Insurance Corporation of B.C. have failed to find the driver responsible, despite evidence that could have identified him months ago.

For the full article go to CBC


'Speeding' bicyclists anger homeowners

Homeowners and bicyclists are squaring off in a gated community on Scottsdale's border with Fountain Hills.

Homeowners in Hidden Hills complain that cyclists are using 145th Way, a steep private street at the end of Via Linda, as a training ground where they speed down the long, curving hill en masse and invite accidents.

Cyclists say homeowners are exaggerating problems with a minority of riders and reneging on their subdivision's 2000 agreement with Scottsdale to allow a non-motorized connection to Fountain Hills.

For the full article go to azcentral


New York City Wins the Bicycle Friendly Community (BFC) Award from the League of American Bicyclists

The award recognizes New York's commitment to improving conditions for bicycling and its investment in bicycling programs and facilities. The number of cyclists in New York has grown by an estimated 75 percent since 2000 and New York is in the midst of an ambitious plan to make all five boroughs more bike friendly.

For the full article go to Newswire


BRAIN Recognizes Green Efforts

Bicycle Retailer and Industry News recently handed out its BRAINy awards with a first-ever emphasis on companies making a concerted effort to go green.

"We want to encourage companies to consider taking small steps toward lessening their environmental footprint," said Megan Tompkins, the magazine‚s editor.

For the full article go to Bicycle Retailer


Going for Pan Am gold

A Golden Horseshoe effort to host the 2015 Pan American Games is edging closer to reality following an encouraging meeting with a top Games official in Mexico. Boosters of a possible Canadian bid met late last month with Mario Vazquez Rana, head of the Pan American Sports Organization, and came away encouraged to proceed.

For the full article go to The Toronto Star


Sheldon Brown, Web's Cycling Guru, Dies

Brown championed fixed gear bikes for years before they became essential fashion items for hip kids in New York and San Francisco and had a nearly encyclopedic knowledge of obscure bike parts, odd tire sizes and non-standard gear ratios. He was known for his generosity in helping DIY bike builders with their projects, for his love of weird old bikes, and his passion for cycling.

For the full article go to Wired


Cyclist Stephen Alfred banned for life for refusing drug test

Cyclist Stephen Alfred has been banned for life from USA Cycling-sanctioned events after refusing to take an out-of-competition doping control test.

For the full article go to The Canadian Press


Bike levy 'idiotic'

Macarthur Bicycle Users Group leader Ken Hall says Macarthur MP Pat Farmer's new proposal is "the most idiotic thing I've ever heard".

Mr Farmer wants to introduce bike levies and on-road costs for cyclists. He wants every rider on the roads to pay a registration fee.

For the full article go to Camden


Fahey to follow Pound's style in drugs fight

New World Anti-Doping Agency president John Fahey has vowed to take the same hard-line stance as his predecessor, Canadian Dick Pound, in the fight against drug cheats in sport.

Fresh from his first European excursion as the head of the anti-doping campaign, the former federal finance minister denied speculation that he would be weaker than long-time anti-doping crusader Pound in enforcing the anti-doping code.

For the full article go to The Australian


Cadel Evans' build-up to the Tour

Today, after spending the Australian summer based in his Barwon Heads home, Cadel Evans, equipped with one bike, a Tibetan prayer bowl and as many motor magazines as he can fit into his luggage, will quietly slip out of the country.

In 10 days he will ride his first race of the year - the five-day Ruta del Sol in Spain. There, after months of mostly solo work on his bike, the 2007 Tour de France runner-up will gauge how his "off-season" (one that has seen him clock up about 35 hours pedalling each week) has him placed. There will be many keeping close note.
On the eve of his departure the question of whether Evans thinks he can make history this July by becoming the first Australian to win the world‚s most famous bike race, or whether he expects to, halts an otherwise relaxed and upbeat conversation.

For the full article go to The Age

Meares' slim Olympic prospects brighten

National track cycling coach Martin Barras is growing more confident that injured sprinter Anna Meares will qualify for the Beijing Olympics.

But he has described the likely margin of her qualification chances as being as slim as "an onion peel".

For the full article go to The Daily


Adventure Cycling Names Ten Top Touring Areas in North America

Adventure Cyclist magazine has your next cycling destination. Ten of them, in fact. In its inaugural "Ten Top Touring Areas" feature, Adventure Cyclist (Adventure Cycling Association's bicycle travel publication) highlights ten of the finest cycling destinations in North America.

From the well known (Blue Ridge Parkway) to the undiscovered (Yukon's Canol Road), these top bike travel areas were selected for their spectacular scenery and abundance of world-class cycling opportunities.

For the full article go to Adventure Cycling (PDF)


Athletes reaching their limits

Athletes are so close to reaching the absolute limits of the human body that just 20 years from now, dramatic improvement in world records can be ruled out in half of the classic disciplines, French scientists report.

For the full article go to The Daily Telegraph


Tech toys are great. It's the people who don't know when to put them away that suck.

For the full article go to Outside


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