Cycling legends

Source: Italian Cycling Journal

A Talk with Felice Gimondi, “Il Campionissimo”
By Valeria Paoletti
Setting up an appointment with the great Felice Gimondi, Italy’s last Campionissimo (champion of champions), was not very easy. This very distinguished man was the last truly complete Italian rider capable of winning all the important races, which at that time required beating Eddy Merckx. Today he works for Bianchi and runs an insurance business. His work for Bianchi involves traveling not only all over Italy, but also out of his home country, such is his international prestige.

Race Tech

Story and photos by: James Huang
This article was originally published on BikeRadar

A look at the WorldTour support network.
Inside the team buses at pro race Paris-Roubaix in 2012. Paris-Roubaix is fought over by the riders on the road but there’s also a tremendous support network in place to keep the massive machine that is WorldTour-level bicycle racing rolling along. From team buses and trucks to mechanics, soigneurs and fans, check out our image gallery for a look at what goes on behind the scenes at the world’s greatest one-day road race.

Edmonton cycling

By: Zdenko Kahlina
You can’t get companionship like this when riding solo.
Finally! Halfway the month of April and it’s our first group ride of the season. On this mild Sunday, spring is unmistakably in the air. But the nights are still cold, close to freezing point. So the start of my bike ride at 10 AM was pretty chilly.

Retro cycling

By: Daniel Friebe

Exclusive extract from Daniel Friebe’s book.
Forty-five years ago this week, in the spring of 1967, Eddy Merckx was already a two-time Milan-San Remo winner, already a flat-track bully of some repute, but also just one of several would-be kings of the cycling world.

Coaches corner

By: Zdenko Kahlina

Let me introduce you to ‘wheel sucking’ from a cycling perspective.
It was a Friday, and after a long and difficult week at work I donned some Lycra cycling clothing, drove my car east of Edmonton to the Sherwood Park, mounted my Jota-Moreno bike and headed into the rural area of Strathcona County. The goal was to clear the tension from my legs and the metaphysical residue of the week in the office from my head.

Coaches corner – Edmonton Cycling

By: Zdenko Kahlina

Tune up and start slowly after a long winter off the roads
It’s been a long winter, the sun is out, and your thoughts turn to cycling with your buddies (you don’t want to be embarrassed about your performance), maybe a summer cycling adventure you have been planning, or maybe that century ride “personal best”.

The original Swedish sensation

Tales from the peloton, November 15, 2009

Gösta Pettersson was the first cyclist born north of the Rhine to win the Giro d’Italia when he passed the finish line on the Swedish pine boards of the Vigorello velodrome in Milan on June 10, 1971. It was and is Sweden’s first and only Grand Tour victory. Cyclingnews’ Tomas Nilsson brings Pettersson’s story to the internet age. 

Bike Review

By: Zdenko Kahlina

First Babici Jota-Moreno bike gets into Canada
Although I always take bike with me when traveling, on my last trip to Australia I left my Marinoni race bike at home, so that I can save some money I would normally pay for air transport (these days this can be significant amount of money!).

Flashback

Source: Pro Cycling magazine

The Rise and Fall of Marco Pantani: Pantani crashes in the 1995 Milano – Torino one-day race
Three years before he won the Tpour de France, Marco Pantani’s career hovered on the brink when he crashed into a Jeep during Milano – Torino on October 18, 1995.

Adventure

By: Dr. Samuel Johnson

Monte Pasubio, the hero’s road across the Sacred Area of Italy
The Strada delle Gallerie [Road of Tunnels] is a mountain path cut into Monte Pasubio. It was built in 1916 by Italian mountain troops and teams of miners. The Strada was started in March 1917 and finished by the end of the year.

Coach suggestions

By Bicycling Magazine

Bicycling’s 50 Golden Rules
Cyclists are innovators, constantly hunting for an edge. Over the last half-century, we’ve tried thousands of methods to become stronger, faster, and smarter on a bike—many of which have been discarded through the years. These have endured.

Retro Cycling legends

By: Zdenko Kahlina

Paulo Ongaro is coming from a cycling family
Everybody in Edmonton knows Paulo, he is very popular cyclist: sprinter and a track rider. Paulo is also successful business man. His biggest competitors are his own brothers; that’s where his pedigree is coming from.

Edmonton cycling

By: Zdenko Kahlina

Edmonton Master Cycling Club (EMCC) celebrates!
In the spirit of the 25th Anniversary Celebration of the Edmonton Master Cycling Club (EMCC), I am presenting you this month with the review of the club activities and its history.

Retro Cycling legends

By Zdenko Kahlina

‘Edmonton’s Italian Mafia’

Once upon a time there was a group of cyclists in Edmonton which was called ‘Edmonton’s Italian Mafia’, or sometimes they would be called ‘Nino, Gino, Rino, Lino and Jim’s group’. Later in the 80’s and 90’s  Rino Ongaro and his four sons Rudy, Ross, Alex and Paolo, used to be called ‘Ongaro’s clan’… but no matter how they were called, one of them was always member of each of these groups. His name is Rino Ongaro.

Retro Cycling legends

By: Neal Pollack

The greatest bike racer in history won’t stop motivating me.
One Monday morning last month I went to my friendly neighborhood in Austin, Texas, and discovered that it had been transformed into a Lance Armstrong shrine.

Bike Technology

Source: Cyclingnews.com, by James Huang

This article originally appeared on BikeRadar.
Most companies have a ‘halo’ bike, but only a handful can afford them. We’ve all seen or read about them at this point, and some have even been lucky enough to ride (or better yet, own) one: those ultra-premium ‘halo’ bikes that are cycling’s equivalent of that old Lamborghini Countach poster on your childhood wall.

Cycling retro

From Italian Cycling Journal

If you could have only one bicycle…
What would it be? Most of us have a couple of different bicycles. So if you could only have only one, what type of bike would it be? I’m not sure what I’d choose, but I’ve been thinking about it lately, and that’s why I’m asking the question…

How to Use Rollers for training

By: Zdenko Kahlina
 
Going for a spinning class?
It’s winter and it’s cold. It was -20C this morning here in Edmonton. Very often I get asked (at work) what do we cyclist do in the winter time to stay in shape. The answer is simple: we ride rollers! Some people these days would better understand if I said: “I am going for a spinning class” – that’s how it’s called these days.

RIDER BIOGRAPHIES

By Zdenko Kahlina
 
King of the Classics
Rik Van Looy was born on December 20, 1933. Nicknamed the “King of the Classics” or “Emperor of Herentals” (because he lived in the small Belgian city near the Dutch border), Rik Van Looy won just about every one-day race worth mentioning.

Visiting Tour de France

By Zdenko Kahlina

Zdenko visits France Alps and climbs Col du Lautaret and Galibier!
My summer trip to France and Tour de France race exceeded my wildest expectations and remains one of the most significant experiences I’ve had in my life! Thanks to my friend Ivan who planned and organized this trip!

Closing the 2011 season in Edmonton

By Zdenko Kahlina

Is there a better time to ride a bike than at the end of September?
It’s perhaps the best time to get out and just ride for the pure pleasure of it. This year September had actually been better than all the previous months in the summer.

Sporting legends

By: Zdenko Kahlina

IN MEMORIAM – One year anniversary JURE ROBIC (1965 – 2010)
Ultra-endurance competitions produced physical exhaustion, imaginary assailants.

UCI World Cycling Tour

By Zdenko Kahlina
Photo Alain Buyck

New road world champions crowned in Stavelot (Belgium)
After many years in trying, my old friend Bojan Ropret (Slovenia) finally made it in Belgium this September. He was third in the road race where several different veteran categories raced together

French Alps – Summer 2011

By Zdenko Kahlina

My ride up the Alpe d’Huez climb the day before Tour arrived.
Alpe d’Huez (in French Alps) is the most famous climb of the most famous cycling race in the world “Tour de France”. With its 14.4 km long road up the mountain and its 21 hairpin bends, at an average gradient of 8.45% it is not an easy task to conquer on the bicycle. But we did it… just as thousands of other cyclists did on the same day. The day before the big Tour has arrived!

Tales from the peloton

Source: Cyclingnews.com
 
The Giro’s first superstar
Alfredo Binda was the first multiple Giro d’Italia champion, securing five victories between 1925 and 1933 that redefined the way stage races were ridden. As the Giro celebrates its centenary edition Cyclingnews’ Les Clarke takes a look at Binda’s impressive record of overall triumphs that wasn’t broken for 20 years.