JACQUES ANQUETIL
Monday, May 18, 2009

I remember year 1964 when I was just beginning to watch my older brother racing on his bike. In the daily sporting paper “Sportske Novosti” there were pictures of one French cyclist who was winning most professional bike races at that time. His name was Jacques Anquetil.

Cycling retro

Source: Italian Cycling Journal

More Gino Bartali Secrets Revealed
Gino Bartali’s participation in the resistance during World War II was only revealed after his death in May, 2000. On April 25, 2005, he was posthumously conferred the “Medaglia d’Oro al Merito Civile” by the President of the Italian Republic.

Retro Cycling

By Edmond Hood
 
Tour de France through the Decades:
Ed Hood moves us on into the 80s today with his Tour de France through the decades series. Let’s take a look back at the riders that defined the decade at the Tour de France and wonder for a moment: Who did shoot JR Ewing; Cliff Barnes? Nah! Kristin Shepard. Don’t worry if you had to Google that.

Retro Cycling

By Edmond Hood

Tour de France through the Decades:
Sunday July 20th 1969; that’s 42 years ago now but I remember it clearly as the day that I first became aware of professional bicycle racing – I was 14 years-old. I walked in to the living room of our little flat in Kirkcaldy, Scotland and glanced at the black and white TV in the corner; the evening news had just begun and the picture was of a cycling track with the stands crammed to capacity.

Tales from the peloton

By: Zdenko Kahlina
Remembering what happened last year: Brajkovic takes stage and overall lead at the Critérium
Millar second, Contador has a bad day and slips to fourth overall. David Millar (Garmin-Transitions) put in a strong effort to move into second overall.

Edmonton Cycling

By Zdenko Kahlina
 
How windy was Velocity stage race?
Strong fields and flatland racing with horrendous cross winds ever experienced during the bike race (70+ km/hr), characterized this past weekend’s Velocity Stage Race held in and around Edmonton, Alberta. Approximately 180 riders competed in four men’s and two women’s categories. With this race cycling season is now officially open in Edmonton.

Sporting legends

Contributed By Phil Gale

Europe, get ready for the Canadian invasion!
The world of cycling has historically been dominated by the Europeans. Belgium, France, Italy and Spain are countries that are most engrossed with cycling’s past. There are times in that history when new countries have broken into the fore, with their refreshing and often radical ideas.

Edmonton Cycling

By Jill Barker

Spring cycling can be fraught with pebbles, potholes and the mental cobwebs of winter
Spring is in the air, and as cooler climates begin warming up for the spring and summer, interesting business concepts that cater to spring activities and interests take on a whole new appeal.

Spring is (almost) here

By: Zdenko Kahlina

Finally it’s that time of the year and let’s get out there and ride.
This morning at the Sherwood Park Tim Horton’s there weren’t too many riders showing up for the first road ride of the year. I’m guessing it’s because not everybody is used to have first ride this early in the season. Well, not here in Alberta, anyway.

Edmonton cycling scene

By: Zdenko Kahlina
New location!
One of the oldest bicycle shops in Edmonton moved this year to its new location. After more than 30 years residing on 101 Avenue, at the east end of the city, current shop’s owner Calvin Berube moved the shop further south at Argyll Road, as part of the growing process when they needed more show room space. 

Season opener in Croatia

By: Zdenko Kahlina

International cycling race
An international cycling race “Istarsko Proljeće” (Istrian Spring), is a staged and road race in the duration of several days, which will be held eight years in a row from 17 to 20 March.

Cycling talent

By Paula Findlay 
 
Winning Ways
Tara Whitten, ’07 bsc, winner of a gold and three bronze medals at the 2010 commonwealth games in India, takes a break from training for the 2011 track cycling world cup to talk with third-year student and fellow athlete Paula Findlay.

A Photo gallery from the team’s training camp

By: Team Sky on Facebook

Beginning your preparation for the new season?
While here in Edmonton we are still shoveling snow on our driveways as the best preparation for the new cycling season, somewhere in other parts of the world, cyclists are beginning their preparation with the road rides in the warm climates.

Flashbacks from the peloton

By: Paul Kimmage
 
American tells his story of doping to Kimmage
Paul Kimmage interviewed Floyd Landis a few days before Thanksgiving of ’10.

Flashbacks from the peloton

By Zdenko Kahlina
 
The popular Italian racer and Paris-Roubaix specialist was killed last year in a racecar crash.
If the measure of a man is the pit of grief that remains when he is gone, the 48 hours after Franco Ballerini’s trafgic death in a rally car accident on 7^th of February, 2010 were a worthy homage to one of pro cycling’s undisputed nice guys.

Cycling in Edmonton

By: Andrew Hanon

Middle-aged men in lycra taking to Edmonton streets
Peter Heppleston hasn’t been able to ride his bike since June 13, when he crashed on a mountain road in Jasper. The wipeout, at about 60 kmh, put the 65-year-old in hospital with a broken collar bone, damaged hip and countless scrapes and bruises. He’s itching to get back in the saddle.

Tales from the peloton

The greatest Italian duo ever? The legacy of Fausto Coppi and Gino Bartali…

Retro fabulous

By: Zdenko Kahlina
The end of the track
The Velodromo Communale Vigorelli – the Vigorelli, for short – has perhaps the richest history of any cycle track in the world. Built in 1935, for the first 30 years of its life the Vigorelli was the beating heart of world track cycling.

Middle-Aged Men In Lycra

By: Dominic Casciani

The following story appeared in the BBC’s News Magazine. The story begins with a photo of the author riding in an unidentified location. But, we know it’s the Dolomites. 

Cycling Edmonton

By: Zdenko Kahlina
To close the 2010 season – Harvest ride
Is there a better time to ride a bike than at the end of September?

Cycling Edmonton

From Velocity Cycle

Harvest Ride – Sept. 26, 2010, 10:00 AM, Ardrossan Hall 

The Harvest Ride was conceived of by Roger Tetrault in 2001 while he and Laura were out riding on an autumn day in Strathcona County. All the leaves were turning and the farmers were out in the fields cutting.

Grand Fondo

From: BiciVeneto.it

Needless to say, don’t even think of entering a gran fondo if you lack the proper training and fitness (at least 2000 km/1200 miles), if you hate climbs, are afraid of technical descents with hairpin curves, or are uncomfortable riding in a crowd.

Cycling Legend

Former Tour de France winner loses fight against cancer
(12 August 1960 – 31 August 2010)

A tear in my eye for the man I’ve never met

This morning I was shocked to hear that Laurent Fignon passed away. A tear came to my eye for the man I have never met.

World Cycling

From: Italian Cycling Journal, posted by Angelo Senza
Remember Claudio Chiappucchi? This is a short story about him and what he is doing these days.

Traveling Canada

By: Zdenko Kahlina

 During my recent visit to a friend who lives in Mississauga (Ontario), I wanted to explore the area local cyclists are using for their training rides. I asked my friend (an excellent cyclist) for advice and he suggested I should go towards hamlet of Belfountain and beautiful surrounding Caledon hills, just north of the city.