Crisis Averted

Well, for everyone that matters anyway.

In an emergency meeting called by the riders, the organisers of the three grand tours and the UCI met to hammer out a tentative agreement to get through this season. The ASO, RCS, and Unipublic have agreed to allow all but Unibet and Astana into their races for the year. Meanwhile, it has been agreed that these two recent additions to the pro tour will be looked upon "favorably" when considering wild card slots.
So after all the name calling and posturing, we basically end up in the same place we started. Philippe Gilbert from Française des Jeux, spoke with Vers l'Avenir before this resolution was made. "They are not even concerned to know the thoughts of the cyclists; no one has asked us and our voice is lost." The clever irony over this statement is that the issue that has arisen with Unibet is based on French law regulating against advertisements for gambling. VeloNews added, "Oddly enough, the French law in question is a 19th century regulation that bans the promotion of gambling, including "lotteries," which could conceivably ban participation by two long-time pro teams, Française des Jeux and Predictor-Lotto."
So what does Philippe Gilbert care about Unibet.com now that he can ride. I would guess not much. Obviously, Unibet's management was not at all pleased with the outcome, arguing again that after paying the necessary funds to acquire a pro tour license they are still not guaranteed the full schedule of races. Speaking with the Dutch news agency ANP, Jacques Hanegraaff, the team's manager responded, "This is unacceptable. We are now going to start judicial proceedings against the organizers and the UCI to make the most of our rights."
Maybe Astana and Unibet should have saved a little money to pay the grand tour organizers. It might have gotten them a little further toward a secure season.

God Speed Joseph Schils

Joseph Schils, a great Belgian Champion, left this earth at the age of 75. Schils, whose career spanned from 1951 to 1965, burst onto the scene by taking the Belgian National Championship at only 20 years old. He never looked back earning 108 victories through the duration of his cycling career.

God Speed Cyclists

As reported in Cyclingnews.com...

Two cyclists were killed this week on New Zealand roads during a national cycling awareness week. Hilary Evelyn Howard, 57, of Hvelock North was killed instantly on Saturday in Taupo while riding with her husband according to the New Zealand Herald. An elderly cyclist from Matamata was killed Friday night.
"Both crashes occurred during what was otherwise a very successful Nationwide Bike Wise Week," says Cycling Advocates´ Network (CAN) spokesperson Stephen McKernon. "We cannot imagine how distressed the motorists concerned must feel. It is a great tragedy that a few seconds of inattention by motorists can lead to two cyclists deaths." Three other cyclists were injured in different accidents.
"The two of these cyclists were struck from behind in Taupo, during the week of a local campaign to educate motorists about sharing the road safely with cyclists. Another was struck from behind in Matamata,” says Mr. McKernon. "The problem is that motorists can forget roads are for everybody. Most motorists understand this and are treating cyclists with respect, as about a third of motorists are also cyclists. We can only hope that motorists and cyclists nationwide appreciate the tragedy and are reminded to share the road in safety.”
The New Zealand Rode Code reminds motorists that many vehicles are smaller and slower than today’s cars. It calls for special care around cyclists, who will always come off worse in a crash, and instructs motorists to leave a minimum gap of 1.5 metres when overtaking cyclists, and more on the open road. It also emphasises that if a cyclist can’t be overtaken safely, the motorist must wait behind until it is safe to do so, just as with any other slower vehicle.

The Storm is Approaching

Well, if it is a surprise to anyone by now that the UCI and the grand tour organizers don't exactly see eye to eye on certain matters, they probably are the same people who were caught off guard by the sun rising this morning. There has been a long, heated debate going on to try and wrangle the power from each other, that for the most part has been nothing more than a stalemate. This time it seems to have come to a head.
While the teams and riders enjoy the gleeful distance that the Tour of California can provide from the quagmire of European racing, the muck is getting deeper. The UCI sent a letter on Wednesday to all of the Pro Tour teams that for the sake of Unibet.com no one will be competing in Paris-Nice. The "Race To The Sun" has for many been the unofficial start to the new season, but it seems likely that this year will pass by without it unless something drastic changes soon.
This will be a true test to the UCI teams, challenging the strength of their union. Will the French teams whose sponsors rely on these races stay out, can the major squads like CSC, QuickStep-Innergetic, Discovery who look to post big results in big races let one go, are the teams willing to pass on all the races organized by the ASO, RCS, and Unipublic just to stand up for Unibet.com of all teams? Can anyone even name two or three riders from Unibet.com? Because it seems that the organizers certainly have a strong union, and if the trend holds, and the sides don't agree, then what? Is the season opener, The Tour of Flanders? Certainly the Belgian Classics are a mainstay in the cycling world, but will anyone argue that Gent - Wevelgem is worth more than Milan-San Remo?
Well, we will enjoy the rest of the week in California with our heads blissfully in the sand. March will come soon enough.

God Speed Félix Lévitan

Sunday, February 18th, Lévitan passed away in Cannes, the same place he was born, 95 years ago.
Lévitan, who directed the Tour from 1962-1987, got his start as a sports journalist before working his way up to head of the sports section of the Parisien Libéré newspaper in the 60s.

A New Season of Racing

Sunday came with a breeze of anticipation, revealing speed, controversy, teams in search of sponsorship, with newfish and vets looking to test themselves in a new season of competition. Of course, I'm speaking of the Amgen Tour of California. I don't know, someone else said there was some other race on Sunday, but apparently their marketing plan must of fell below the radar.
For The Carbon Post anyway, the TOC, marks the beginning of a new season and it couldn't have come too soon. With the lose ends of the Puerto Investigation and the Landis-Tour controversy not being resolved before the end of the off season, the cycling world is ready for some highlights.
But in fairness to all, we will reluctantly start with updates on those two lingering subjects. First is Puerto, which really ended up doing little more than smear athletes’ names and create a massive dark cloud over the sport. What we needed was closure. Sure we know that there are some who will cheat and they should be held accountable, but the manner in which this investigation was held is truly criminal. And after almost all the tarnished riders have found their way back to the peleton (keep your chin up Ulle, you'll make it), the National Institute of Toxicology in Madrid, which analyzed the blood, found the "existing amounts (of EPO) in the bags would not be sufficient to cause detrimental effects and the doses used in patients who need it therapeutically are much greater." So it would seem that there won't even be evidence to convict the charged of the general accusation of "Crimes against public health."
Secondly, the Floyd vs. Pereiro vs. the Tour de France. Understanding how serious it is for the athletes to be able to have a legitimate and legally binding way to protect their rights, reputations, and livelihood against the circumstances of a false positive, I must say that I find the title 'Floyd Fairness Fund' just laughable. Are we really that childish? Well, looking at the name calling and bickering between Landis and McQuaid, I guess I am expecting too much. At least the arbitrators have been finally named for his hearing against the US Anti-Doping Agency. If July roles around this year still with no decision, you might as well close the show. What satisfaction is there in taking a victory from fools who can't be held to a responsible level of accountability? Meanwhile, poor little Pereiro, is being the patient and good sport about this whole issue by taking the high road and staying out of things. February 18th, hundreds of protestors came out into the streets of Vigo, Galicia in Spain to pressure the UCI to name Oscar Pereiro the winner of the 2006 Tour de France. Everyone showed up wearing a yellow jersey to surround Oscar and show support. Again, being the consummate good sportsman that he is, respecting the scoreboard, Pereiro did not wear yellow. After leading the mob on bicycles through the streets of town, they will be launching a massive petition to the UCI governing body. Now there is a man who could teach us all about how to lose gracefully.
And finally we are brought back to the start of this year at the start of the TOC. What a race this has become in only its second year. The level of competition is superb and the involvement of the sponsors has been great. Amgen, a producer of the banned substance EPO, remained the sponsor for the second year, though I wonder who they are marketing to, the athletes or the fans. Oh, but the organizers can say they did run a perfectly clean race last year, with no positive test for any banned substances. But then again, there is one little thing that ought to be pointed out, you see, coincidentally they never did include a screen for EPO in the athletes drug test. Excuse me while I have flashbacks of Thank You For Smoking. We certainly wouldn't want any bad press for the race or the sponsor in the inaugural race that was touted to become the new "Tour de France" for the cycling world.
Well, this year things should be better. We can put all that behind us and look forward to a clean slate with teams leading the fight for clean sport, like CSC and Slipstream. Congrat's to Discovery's Leipheimer for taking the prologue. Equal props to the young upstart, Neo-Pro Jason Donald of Slipstream, for his finish of second place on the tough course by one second. Now we sit back and watch eagerly to see history be made this year. Enjoy!

God Speed Isaac Gálvez López

Tuesday, Gálvez was laid to rest in Vilanova i la Geltrú, Spain, the town of his birth. Almost 2,000 people came out to pay their respects in a viewing that lasted five hours, before the funeral service was able to start.

In memoriam of a cyclist
Isaac Gálvez López (May 20, 1975 - November 26, 2006)
RESULTS
1999 - Gold Medal/World Champion - UCI Track World Championships - Madison
2000 - Almeria Classic
2001 - One stage - Grand Prix of Portugal; One stage - Tour of Alentejo
2002 - One stage - Challenge de Majorque
2003 - Two stages - Balearic Islands Challenge
2004 - One stage - Catalan Week; One stage - Tour of Catalonia
2005 - One stage - Criterium international
2006 - Gold Medal/World Champion - UCI Track World Championships - Madison; Mallorca Trophy; Alcudia Trophy; One stage - Four Days of Dunkerque

Tour de Georgia Posts Route

Organizers of the Tour de Georgia have announced the route and host cities for the 2007 ride to begin April 16th. In an effort to continue to build the T de G as the premier American professional racing event and the great American warm up for the European Grand Tours, they have added a mountain top time-trial at Lookout Mountain to the venerable climbing stage to the top of Brasstown Bald. The tour also grows by a day to begin on Monday and run for seven days now.
One point to note is the change in sponsorship again this year. With difficult times falling on American automakers and cycling still holding just a niche market in the sports landscape, the tour has lost the original sponsor Dodge as well as last year's sponsor Ford. Now, owned and sponsored by the state of Georgia, we hope for a more a little more consistency.
Other than that, teams and riders will be announced around January to join Discovery Channel and Predictor-Lotto who have already given their intention to ride.