Gearing in the 1949 Tour de France

As the Tour de France moves into the second Pyrenean stage tomorrow, featuring five cols including Peyresourde, let's take a look at the gearing and other component changes used by Fausto Coppi to win the 1949 Tour de France. Also note that the total distance for the 21 stages in 1949 was 4808 km, 2,987 miles; this year's Tour is 3404 km, 2,115 miles. The 1949 Tour was won with an average speed of 32.121 km/h, 19.9 mph.

Parigi - Reims Km. 182
47/50 15-16-17-19-22

Reims - Bruxelles Km. 273
47/50 15-16-17-19-21

Bruxelles - Boulogne Km. 211
47/50 15-16-17-19-21

Boulogne - Ruen Km. 185
47/50 15-16-17-19-21

Ruen - San Malò Km. 293
47/50 15-16-17-19-21

San Malò - Le Sables Km. 305
47/50 15-16-17-19-21

Le Sables - La Rochelle km. 92
47/50 15-16-17-18-19 ( time trial)

La Rochelle - San Sebastian Km. 228
47/50 15-16-17-19-21

San Sebastian - Paù Km. 191
47/50 15-16-17-19-21 (Col d'Ispegy)

Paù - Luchon Km. 193
47/50 15-17-20-23-24 (Colli Aubisque-Tourmalet-Aspin-Peyresourde;180mm cranks, wood rims)

Luchon - Tolosa Km. 134
47/50 15-16-17-19-21

Tolosa - Nimes Km. 289
47/50 15-16-17-19-21

Nimes - Marsiglia Km. 199
47/50 15-16-17-19-21

Marsiglia - Cannes Km. 215
47/50 15-16-17-19-21

Cannes - Briancon Km. 274
47/50 15-17-20-23-24 (Colli d'Allos-Izorad-Vars;175mm cranks, wood rims)

Briancon - Aosta Km. 257
47/50 15-17-20-23-24 (Colli Monginevro-Moncenisio-Iseran-small s.Bernardo;175mm cranks, wood rims)

Aosta - Losanna Km. 265
47/50 15-17-20-23-24 (Colli Gran s.Bernardo-Des Mosses;175mm cranks, wood rims)

Losanna - Colmar Km. 280
47/50 15-16-17-19-21 (Colli La Vue des Alpes-Bonhomme;175mm cranks, wood rims)

Colmar - Nancy Km. 137
47/50 15-16-17-18-20 (time trial)

Nancy - Parigi km. 340
47/50 15-16-17-19-21

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Why There Isn't a Women's Tour de France

This film project, Half The Road: The Passion, Pitfalls & Power of Women's Professional Cycling, will be addressing this question and inequality that modern-day female riders face. The project has raised $37,500 of a needed $65,000 to proceed. There are 10 days left in the fundraising effort (please consider re-tweeting this story).

There has bee a women's Tour de France (Tour Cycliste Féminin) in the past, beginning in 1984 with the last in 2009. According to wiki, "The organizers had to scramble for sponsorship nearly every year and were forced to schedule stages in cities which contributed money, regardless of their location. As a result, there were long transfers between the finish of one stage and the start of the next. Another problem in the mid-1990s involved the name. Until 1997, it was the Tour Cycliste Féminin, billed as the Women's Tour de France or the Women's Tour. The organizers of the men's Tour de France said it was a breach of trademark and in 1998 the name changed.

In 2004, the race could not be held because of organisational difficulties. It returned, smaller, in 2005 and 2006. The previous tours were 10 to 15 stages; later ones had five and stayed in one region. The race was also rated lower by the UCI, and had a reduced field. In 2008, the race was six days and seven stages. However, in 2009 the race was only four days long with only 66 riders, after a planned race start and three stages in Britain fell through, leading winner Emma Pooley to joke that the race was "more of a Petite Boucle than Grande." The race was discontinued after 2009. After the subsequent termination of the 10-stage Tour de l'Aude Cycliste Féminin after 2010, the major women's stage race in France would have become the Route de France Féminine -- except that it was also canceled for 2011, leaving France without a major women's stage race for the first time since the mid-1980s".

The women's Giro d'Italia, now "Giro Rosa" and before that "Giro Donne", has in the last couple of years struggled with financing but beginning this year the event is owned for the next four years, 2013-2016, by the Italian national cycling federation Federazione Ciclistica Italiana (FCI). The FCI has in turn turned over the managment of the race to race director Giuseppe Rivolta and his new firm "4 Erre". The first race was in 1988 and has been held continuously with the exception of 1991 and 1992.

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Italy to Host Tour de France Start in Next Few Years

In February of this year we wrote about Tour de France Director Christian Prudhomme's visit to the Veneto to discuss a proposal for a start, between 2015 and 2017, in Piazza San Marco in Venice and a stage to mark the Tour de France victories of Ottavio Bottecchia. If the Tour starts in Italy in 2015 it would mark the 90th anniversary of the 1925 Tour de France victory of Ottavio Bottecchia (he first won the race in 1924). Read more here about Prudhomme's visit.

So, it was was interest that I read this story yesterday:

PARIS (AFP) — The Tour de France will continue to spread its wings, race director Christian Prudhomme has said, with traditional cycling powerhouse Italy high on the list of contenders to host the Grand Départ in the next few years.

The Tour has visited several countries in recent years for its overall start, including Ireland, Great Britain, Belgium, The Netherlands, and Spain, but Italy has never enjoyed the honor. This year, the 100th edition will start from the French Mediterranean island of Corsica.

Prudhomme said that, given the depth and history of Italian cycling, it was unusual that Italy had never hosted the start of the race that has visited the country on several occasions.

“What has been evident in the last few years is the number of times Italy has put up a candidate and that is something that we will have to put right one day soon,” he said.

Florence, which will hold the UCI Elite Road World Championships in September, put in a bid to host the start of next year’s race, but it went instead to the Yorkshire city of Leeds, England. Venice has also been mentioned as a possible host to the Tour’s kickoff.

Prudhomme, who took over as race director from Jean-Marie Leblanc 10 years ago, would not divulge which cities had expressed an interest in hosting the start. But he singled out Belgium, The Netherlands, Denmark, and “naturally” Great Britain — a country where he said cycling had made spectacular progress on the back of last year’s successes of the Sky team and Bradley Wiggins.

This year’s Tour comes at a time when cycling is once again up against negative press, following the sensational doping admissions made by seven-time winner Lance Armstrong and the 1997 champion Jan Ullrich, and Monday’s news from L’Equipe that retroactive tests had revealed EPO use by former French champion Laurent Jalabert at the 1998 Tour. But Prudhomme said he believes that, despite all the adverse publicity, the sport still enjoys great affection among the general public.

“It’s true that cycling, more than ever, needs to be loved, and it is,” he said. “Not for one second has there been any sign of public disaffection. On the contrary, we see a phenomenal passion in the French regions and abroad.

“On my recent trips to Australia, England, Belgium, and The Netherlands I have witnessed a real enthusiasm for the Tour.”

On doping, Prudhomme said that while it remained a major problem for cycling, progress was being made.

“I really believe that in that area, great advances have been made in the last few years, especially as regards the introduction of the biological passport,” he said, referring to the program implemented by cycling’s world governing body, the UCI, in 2008. “At the same time, it’s true we do not live in a perfect world; that does not exist.”


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Venice Seeking Tour de France Start

L-R: Christian Prudhomme and Mayor Giorgio Orsoni

Today, Mayor Giorgio Orsoni of Venice met with Christian Prudhomme, Director of the Tour de France to discuss the possibility of a "Le Grand Depart" from piazza San Marco in Venice between 2015 and 2017. 2015 would mark the 90th anniversary of the 1925 Tour de France victory of Ottavio Bottecchia (he first won the race in 1924).

The proposal discussed includes starting with a time trial in Venice before one or two days of racing in the Veneto region from which Ottavio Bottecchia was from.The proposal was formalized by the President of VeneTour, Eleonora Bottecchia, a descendant of Ottavio. Also present at the meeting was Cyruille Tricart, responsible for planning of the grand depart, and other Italian officials.

After the morning meeting in Venice there was a meeting in Conegliano (Treviso) which could host a stage.

Christian Prudhomme and Eleonora Bottecchia in Conegliano

Ottavio Bottecchia

Related story in ICJ:
Ottavio Bottecchia

Note: The 2014 Tour de France will start in Leeds, England.

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Stories for the Italian Cycling Journal about rides, granfondos, touring, having a good time cycling in Italy, Italian cycling history, racing, etc. are always welcome. Contact me at veronaman@gmail.com.  There are now more than 2,700 stories in this blog. The search feature to the right works best for finding subjects in the blog. There is also a translate button at the bottom so you can translate each page.

The Giro d'Italia....in July?

Chatter on the channels:
The toughest race in world's most beautiful place ("La corsa più dura del mondo nel Paese più bello del mondo”), the Giro d'Italia, is considering, or having, discussions with the UCI to alternate Tour de France and the Giro d'Italia each year during the months of May and July. That is, the Tour would be held in July one year, the Tour in May the following year as the Giro takes its place in July, etc.

The Giro d'Italia is increasingly facing the problem of attracting the top riders to the May event. This year, only four of the top twenty riders in the UCI's WorldTour ranking participated. Mauro Vegni, who represents RCS Sport (organizer of the Giro) at the UCI, is quoted as saying, "Cycling should take care of its most important races, we'll ask the UCI to protect the Giro." And, about alternating with the Tour, "Why not? Think of a stage like Alpe di Pampeago or Passo dello Stelvio during vacation time! Can you imagine how many people would be on our roads?".

It seems to me a proposition that the ASO/Tour de France would never accept.

It does leave open the question as to how to make the Giro d'Italia more relevant in the future and stop it's gradual slide in importance compared to the Tour de France.

Related story:  The Future of Tirreno-Adriatico, Milan-Sanremo and Il Lombardia

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Stories for the Italian Cycling Journal about rides, granfondos, touring, having a good time cycling in Italy, Italian cycling history, etc. are always welcome. Contact me at veronaman@gmail.com. There are more than 2,500 stories in this blog. The search feature to the right works best for finding subjects in the blog. There is also a translate button at the bottom so you can translate each page .  

Veneto Region Seeks Tour de France Stage

The Veneto has a dream painted yellow. It's called the Tour de France and could materialize in the coming years. The organizing committee of the initiative is VeneTour, a group of young and enterprising trevigiani (persons from Treviso), united by their passion for cycling and their land.

On March 8, VeneTour officially submitted their candidacy to host a future Tour de France stage. The project has already obtained the patronage of the Regione Veneto. It would be the first time the Tour would visit the Veneto.

Veneto is made up of seven provinces: Province of Belluno, Province of Padova, Province of Rovigo, Province of Treviso, Province of Verona, Province of Vicenza and the Province of Venezia.

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Stories for the Italian Cycling Journal about rides, granfondos, having a good time cycling in Italy, Italian cycling history, etc. are always welcome. Contact me at veronaman@gmail.com. There are more than 1,800 stories in this blog. The search feature to the right works best for finding subjects in the blog. There is also a translate button at the bottom so you can translate each page.

Detour: "Tour de France" Bicycles

Every once in awhile we detour from Italian cycling to another subject area...

I read earlier this year that the Tour de France organization had contracted with a U.S. company, Cycle Force Group, to market and provide Tour de France logo'd bicycle computers, helmets, water bottles, and those sorts of things. The Force Group is an Ames, Iowa, USA, based importer of bicycles (can you say Smith&Wesson, Nascar, Polaris branded bicycles as examples), parts, and accessories.

However, the announcement that I received today that the Cycle Force Group would be supplying "Tour de France" branded bicycles surprised me. I am sure it must be a very interesting story as to how the world’s most recognized bicycle race has teamed up with an Ames, Iowa company to launch a Tour de France bicycle brand.

However, the biggest surprise are the bicycles. Let's just say that they don't bring to mind any bicycle that you would actually see being raced at the Tour de France; see the catalog.

I have wondered if Director of the Tour de France Christian Prudhomme has seen any in person? Or, what does Bernard Hinault think about them?

At least the Giro d'Italia went to Cervelo for a "Giro d'Italia" (admittedly, it was a special edition for the 100th anniversary).
ICJ Reader contribution contest will run 1 January to 15 February, 2011. Details here.

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Stories for the Italian Cycling Journal about rides, granfondos, having a good time cycling in Italy, Italian cycling history, etc. are very welcome. Contact me at veronaman@gmail.com. There are more than 1,600 stories in this blog. The search feature to the right works best for finding subjects in the blog. There is also an Italian weather widget along the right side and a translate button at the bottom so you can translate each page. What I'm riding.

www.eros-poli.com

My good friend Eros Poli has a newly designed website, http://www.eros-poli.com/, detailing his tours for 2010. If you haven't been reading this blog you should know that Eros, a resident of Verona, is an Olympic Gold Medalist (1984 Los Angeles), World Champion, Italian National Champion, ex-professional rider and hero/winner of the Mont Ventoux stage of the 1994 Tour de France. In fact, his new website has a wonderful video of his winning the Mont Ventoux stage, definitely worth watching.

The website is in the process of becoming bi-lingual, for the moment it is only in Italian. To contact Eros regarding his tours email: info@eros-poli.com.

Of particular interest is the "Special Tour de France" tour although the "Special Giro d'Italia" tour shouldn't be overlooked as it will finish in Verona next year. For Europeans not too far from Italy the Mont Ventoux 2010 3 day weekend tours, offered on 3 weekends, would also be a nice opportunity to climb Mont Ventoux with "Monsieur Mont Ventoux" as Eros is known in France.

Following are rough translations of the Special Tour de France; the definitive translations will be posted on his website. Note (n.b.): for the Tour de France and Giro d'Italia tours you only have to bring your pedals and saddle. Pinarello bicycles will be provided.

Special Tour de France
Saturday July 10, 2010 to Monday, July 19, 2010
This is a tour includes the Tour de France and racing in the Gran Fondo Pinarello in Treviso, Italy

Saturday, July 10th: arrival at the airport of Geneva: we welcome you at the airport and then take you to the hotel where we will stay for 2 nights.

Sunday, July 11th Stage 8: Rousses-Morzine-Avoriaz.In the morning we leave by bicycle from the hotel to reach the arrival of the eighth stage to Avoriaz.(80 km of riding)

Monday, July 12th: on the Tour rest day we move to the little village of "la Bathiè" near Albertville and then we will start a fantastic ride, climbing le "Col de la Madeleine". After reaching the summit we take a break for a picnic and then descend to St. Jean de Maurienne then ride along the Maurienne valley until we reach our hotel in Modanne. (96 km)

Tuesday, July 13th, 9th stage: Morzine Avoriaz - Saint Jean de Maurienne. Last and hardest Alpes stage for the Tour de France riders, but not for us....today another mythical mountain to climb. From the hotel by bike up to Saint Jean de Maurienne, where he will begin to climb the Col de la Croix de Fer. At the summit we will take a break at the refuge for a coffee, then back to await the arrival of the ninth stage in St.Jean de Maurienne. (95 km)


Wednesday, July 14th, 10th stage: Chambery-Gap. Today we face another legendary climb: le Col du Galibier. From the hotel we travel by bus to reach Valloire. After preparing our bikes and after drinking a good coffee we start the climb of the Col du Galibier. We will take photos at the summit of the legendary mountain and then descend towards Monetier les Bains where we will stop for a light lunch at chez Madame Colette where you can also take a shower. In the arly afternoon we arrive in our bus in Gap to watch the final sprint. (40 km)

Thursday, July 15th, stage 11: Sisteron-Bourg-lès Valence. Today we will be at the "village depart" and visit the "bus equippes" zone, allowing us to closely watch the protagonists of this great event. After enjoying the start of the race we leave the Tour to continue our journey. Now we will conquer the last climb of our own Tour de France, the most legendary of climbs in the history of the Tour .... the mythic Mont Ventoux. "The Ventoux is a god of Evil, to which sacrifices must be made. It never forgives weakness and extracts an unfair tribute of suffering." - Roland Barthes, French philosopher (53 km)

Friday, July 16th, departure for Treviso, Italy.Today is a rest day as we transfer to Treviso. Half way during the trip we will stop for lunch in Finalborgo, an ancient Roman village. The name derives from Burgum Finarii, a border town during Roman times, and administrative center of the marquisate of the Del Carretto family between the 14th and 16th centuries.

Saturday, July 17th: An exploratory ride through the streets in Treviso for coffee or a "Prosecco" aperitif, then we we will pickup up our La Pinarello Cycling Marathon (formerly Granfondo Pinarello) race packets and visit the expo area.

Sunday, July 18: La Pinarello Cycling Marathon. The big day has arrived, today you will be a protagonist in one of the most spectacular and exciting granfondos of the cycling season. We will celebrate our race day and conclusion of our tour with special "arrivederci" dinner in a typical "osteria" in Treviso.

Monday, July 19th: Departure: Guests will be assisted to the Venice airport for their return home


Trip Details:

Duration: 10 days (9 nights)
Dates: Saturday 10 th July to Monday 19th July
Start:Geneva
Finish:Treviso/Venice

Accomodation:Selected quality 3 and 4 star hotels

Group Size:Maximum 20 people

Note: To enter the LA PINARELLO CYCLING MARATHON you require a medical certificate from a doctor

The Trip will include:

Twin share accomodation in selected quality 3 and 4 star hotels. Single travellers will be assigned a similar roommate.

Breaksfasts (all)
Dinners,
(all)

Picnic on Monday

Lunch on Wednesday at chez Colette and Friday in Finalborgo

Aperitif in Treviso

Assistance by our equipped van

Eros Poli as your guide

Complimentary backpack "Montventoux Bike Emotions"

Cycling jeresy and shorts "MontVentoux BikeEmotions"

Entry to the LA PINARELLO CYCLING MARATHON

Transport from Geneva Airport to the hotel

Transport to Venice airport from the hotel

Pinarello bike (FP3, FP7, Prince or Dogma)

What the trip does not include:

Wines when not provided on the menu.

Cost: € 3,000; twin share accomodation. Single travellers will be assigned a similar roommate (€ 600,00 extra for single accomodation)

Deposit: € 1,000

Balance: 60 day before starting the tour.

Photos: Mont Ventoux, Poli on the way to winning the TdF Mont Ventoux stage in 1994

Stories for the Italian Cycling Journal welcome, contact me at veronaman@gmail.com. There are more than 1,000 stories in this blog, the search feature to the right works best for finding subjects in the blog.

2010 Tour de France Routes

Giro d'Italia director Angelo Zomegnan has praised the design of the 2010 Tour de France saying, "It is a more complicated course than the past, and more demanding. There's the Tourmalet, the celebration of 100 years since its introduction into the Tour de France." It will be the second time since 1974 that a stage will finish on the Col du Tourmalet.


Rider Octave Lapize is noted for looking at Tour officials on the climb of the Col du Tourmalet in the 1910 Tour de France and yelling, "Vous êtes des assassins! Oui, des assassins!' (French for 'You are murderers! Yes, murderers!')".


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Training for Endurance

Thomson Bike Tours published the following article on training for endurance to prepare for a European tour in the mountains. Good advice if you want to enjoy yourself and not suffer so much.



Training for Endurance:



Pick a target event. Let's assume for the sake of discussion your trip is in mid-July. You'll want to begin doing weekly long rides (50-60 miles or so) sometime round about mid-April. If you already have a good base (i.e., you put in a lot of endurance mileage the previous year but have been off the bike all winter), then you can start with some confidence that your base mileage will come easily and with little risk of injury. If, however, your fairly new to longer rides over challenging terrain, then you'll want to start with somewhat shorter rides, so that come May through June you'll be ready to increase the distance and time on the bike.


A caveat: be patient with building the base, lest you incur injury or mental fatigue by doing too much too soon. 60 miles should be a good starting point (50 perhaps if you're a little behind the curve due to harsh winter conditions or a heavy work schedule). Increase your ride time/distance by 10-15% each week. By June you should be fairly "comfortable" doing 90 plus miles (I say comfortable, but what I really mean is that you shouldn't feel excessively challenged by the effort).


In early to mid-June you should implement some back-to-back long rides (2 x 90 + miles). This should prepare you well for the effort of multiple day endurance efforts. If time allows you can even do three rides in a row (e.g. 90, 90, and 75+) in the final three weeks before your event/trip, though you'll want to be sure to allow a week or so for some recovery from your endurance workouts in the 7-10 days before Day 1 of your trip.


Remember, recovery from endurance workouts takes a bit longer than it does when training more specifically for speed, strength or power, so you'll want to keep this in mind as your event approaches. Since we're speaking of training for endurance and not for "speed", your most important ride will be your week long ride(s). It is important not to mix your weekly endurance ride(s) with speed, strength and power workouts. Avoid the local group ride on these days.


Find a friend who likes to ride slowly (i.e., conversationally — yes, even uphill and on your favorite town-line sprints! ), and avoid those friends who insist on half-wheeling you). Here the idea is to train not only your muscles and your cardiovascular system (both of which likewise receive benefits from strength, speed and power workouts), but also to train your digestive system and your ability to use energy efficiently.


One can be the fastest cyclist in town for 50 miles, but if one's muscles can't make efficient use of efficient fuels (which is to say, fat), then one is likely to run out of gas before then end of the ride. This is doubly true for two day endurance efforts, and triply true for three day efforts, etc. By preparing your plan of attack systematically, you will not only increase your chances for success physiologically, but psychologically as well.


The key is to build up the miles slowly and consistently!


Photo: Col du Tourmalet to be used in the 2010 Tour de France in the last week


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A Day for Fireworks at the Tour de France

There should be some real fireworks today and through the end of the Tour after the events of yesterday on stage 14 which kept Noncentini in the yellow jersey, for the eight day, by 5 seconds over George Hincapie.

Hincapie, in 14th Tour de France, had been the virtual yellow jersey for most of the 199 Km stage and appeared to have a lead large enough to take the yellow jersey. However, teams Astana (Hincapie was a teammate of Armstrong's in all of his 7 TdF victories) and Garmin-Slipstream did the pacemaking at the front of the peloton to reel back the breakaway in which Hincapie was in. Silence-Lotto was also in the front for a period. To worsen matters Hincapie's own team took some seconds away from him as Columbia-HTC sprinted to the finish line to get Cavendish sprint points.

The result was that Hincapie was out of the yellow jersey by 5 seconds. After the stage, he was too disappointed to speak to reporters. Instead, he called his brother Rich Hincapie to share his frustration.

“He’s certainly super-upset because I think we all saw what went down,” said Rich Hincapie. “I think he’s just kind of hurt over the whole thing because the situation didn’t make any sense.
Anyone involved in pulling back the break, besides AG2R, shouldn’t have been there,” Rich Hincapie said, referring to AG2R La Mondiale, the team defending Rinaldo Nocentini’s overall lead.

Hincapie, who is not in contention for the overall victory because climbing is not his forte, has close friends on Astana and Garmin-Slipstream and those friends knew what wearing the yellow jersey — even for a day — would mean to him, Rich Hincapie said.

The beneficiary of all this was Nocentini who put on his 8th yellow jersey. "It was normal for my team not to work at the beginning. With 25 k's to go, it was a difficult moment; the peloton stopped chasing, but then Columbia started helping out. I don’t know why, but they certainly helped a lot. I also don’t know why the Garmin team helped out; we didn’t speak with them at all. But three riders [from the Garmin team] came up to help in the last 10, 15 kilometres, and that certainly helped out and worked for us."

Top GC after stage 14:

1 Rinaldo Nocentini (Ita) AG2R

La Mondiale 58:13:52
2 George Hincapie (USA) Team Columbia - HTC 0:00:05
3 Alberto Contador Velasco (Spa) Astana 0:00:06
4 Lance Armstrong (USA) Astana 0:00:08
5 Christophe Le Mevel (Fra) Française des Jeux 0:00:43
6 Bradley Wiggins (GBr) Garmin - Slipstream 0:00:46
7 Andreas Klöden (Ger) Astana 0:00:54
8 Tony Martin (Ger) Team Columbia - HTC 0:01:00
9 Vande Velde (USA) Garmin - Slipstream 0:01:24
10 Andy Schleck (Lux) Team Saxo Bank 0:01:49

Photo: Nocentini's reaction after realizing he would keep the yellow jersey for another day

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Franco Pellizotti in Polka Dots

Franco Pellizotti (Liquigas) has two goals for this year's Tour de France, "I've got two aims in this race, to win a mountain stage - preferably at Mont Ventoux (on stage 20) - and to win the polka dot jersey." Today he took over the climber's "pois" jersey after chipping away at rival Egoi Martínez. Pellizotti now leads Martínez by a slim 3 points, 98 to 95.

Meanwhile, Nocentini had no real difficulties on today's five-climb stage to Colmar and retained the yellow jersey for the 7th day. Sunday will be another story......

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Tour de France: Another Day in Yellow for Nocentini

The inclusion of two historic Tour climbs en route did nothing for those eyeing the Paris podium, the climbs of the Col d'Aspin and Tourmalet on Stage 9 were neutralized due to their distance from the finish. In fact, only 34 seconds separated the supposed mountain stage from turning into a bunch sprint. Rabobank's Oscar Freire led a 75-strong group home for third place.

Once again, the leader board remained at status quo, leaving Italy's Rinaldo Nocentini of AG2R La Mondiale to also enjoy his rest day tomorrow in yellow, with the Astana trio of Alberto Contador, Lance Armstrong and Levi Leipheimer breathing down his neck 6, 8 and 39 seconds behind.

"The next few days are good for me, and I have a great team with me to help out, so I hope to keep it as long as possible," said Nocentini. "It would be a dream to get to Verbier (Stage 15) in yellow."

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Tour de France: Nocentini Continues in Yellow

It might not be accurate to say that Rinaldo Nocentini (AG2R) enjoyed his first day in the yellow jersey of Tour de France leader, but he was relieved, at the end of it, to have kept it.

At one point, as Andy Schleck (Saxo Bank) thinned out the main group on the climb of the Col d'Agnes by launching a series of attacks, Nocentini seemed to be in major trouble. But as Schleck gave up on his efforts to break clear, and the Astana-led group slowed, Nocentini was paced back by his veteran teammate Stéphane Goubert, and yellow was saved.

Now he believes he can keep it until Monday's rest day, and then "as far as possible."

Yesterday was a really tough day after my breakaway the day before," said the Italian. "It was probably the toughest day to be in the yellow jersey. Today there's the Col du Tourmalet, [which is] a very difficult climb, but it's very far from the finish. I hope there will be a breakaway, and they can fight it out, and I'll be able to keep yellow until the rest day and as far as possible."

AG2R played a shrewd hand by placing Vladimir Efimkin in the break. They gave themselves a reason not to work on the front, as the team defending the yellow jersey would ordinarily be expected to do.

Johan Bruyneel, the Astana director, explained that he wanted the yellow jersey to return to the group on the Agnes, though he admitted that it didn't make much difference in the end, with Astana having to assume the responsibility that should have been AG2R's.

"They didn't do a lot today," said Bruyneel. "They rode smart."

"We spoke before the start," said Nocentini, "we knew it was a difficult first climb and that eventually a breakaway would take off with Efimkin or Goubert. And Efimkin was there, meaning that the team didn't have to work, and Astana had to do most of the work.

"I knew Schleck or [Cadel] Evans would eventually attack on the climb," he continued. "I can't follow those guys, so I remained clam. I had Goubert with me, helping me out, and we caught up before the top of the climb."

Text source: www.cyclingnews.comStories, including cycling trip stories, for the Italian Cycling Journal welcome; contact veronaman@gmail.com

Tour de France: Rinaldo Nocentini in Yellow

ARCALIS (Andorra), 10 July 2009 - Rinaldo came, he climbed and he conquered. Rinaldo has the yellow jersey. Rinaldo Nocentini, 31, born in the Arezzo town of Montevarchi, but living in nearby Alberoro, leads the Tour de France. Ahead of Alberto Contador, ahead of Lance Armstrong, ahead of 173 other riders; ahead of everyone. First: Nocentini. You need to say it, read it, and repeat it: so that you believe it. Otherwise it might just seem like a very sweet dream. He is the first Italian to take the leader's yellow jersey since Alberto Elli in 2000. Elli took the lead in Tours and kept it for four days, when Lance Armstrong took over.

BREAKAWAY OF NINE - Nocentini broke away from the peloton 35 km into the race, with 189 more to go to the finish line. Another eight keen riders went with him: the Spaniards Martinez and Gutierrez, the Frenchmen Riblon (a teammate of Nocentini's), Pineau, Kern and Feillu (Brice, a year younger than Romain), the German Frohlinger (his name literally means "he who is serene" or "he who gives serenity") and the Belarusian Kuchynski. It was the longest stage, 224 km, with five mountains (which in order were: category four, three, one, three and off the scale); the final one was tax-free in the Principality of Andorra, 10.6 km long, with a 7.1 per cent gradient, and a climb of 751 metres in altitude. It ran from commercial areas up to the ski fields. The breakaway riders' lead was as large as 14'20", reduced to 7' when they started the final climb. After a series of short-lived breaks, it was Feillu who made the decisive move: still just 23, in his fist year as a professional, on his first Tour, it was his first mountain stage and his first win.

DAY OF GLORY - Behind him, Nocentini was no longer fighting for the stage, but for the overall lead. "I had started with the intention of having a day of glory, but when our lead had become larger than we could have imagined, I began to think that I could go all the way. My teammate Kern sacrificed himself for me. I owe this jersey to him too." Meanwhile the group including the top riders was travelling at a pace controlled by Astana's train. Until two kilometres from the finish line when Contador took off. Despite Armstrong, his teammate and rival, who was 18" ahead of him overall, and at that moment, a chance for the yellow jersey. Despite Evans and Sastre, Andy and Frank Schleck, all the tactics and strategies, his team's orders and the overall standings, and the psychological pressure. Alberto didn't get too far ahead: 21". But that was enough to move past Lance and spark a cycling world war.

FIRST TOUR - "Noce", as he is known, is a winner. In the youth age groups, as an amateur, and as a professional. His honours include a Giro di Toscana, a Giro dell’Appennino, the legendary Subida a Urkiola, the equally prestigious stage of the Paris-Nice race that finishes on Mont Faron. "The yellow jersey is the greatest prize a rider can get, even an Italian rider. And I still can't believe it. At the bottom of the last climb, when we were still 7' ahead, I told myself it was possible. Later, when they told me that Contador had thrown down the gauntlet, I shuddered. This is my first Tour: when I started I was in a small team that didn't get invited, now I've been in a French team for three years - the first two I got put on the Giro and the Vuelta, but this time I asked if I could ride here."

FEILLU - Brice Feillu is a 1.88 m, 67 kg beanpole. "I consider myslef to be a good 'rouleur' and a good 'grimpeur'," he explained at the start of the season, "and I hope to ride some good races." He earned his salary today. "I did something like this last year, as an amateur, on the Ballon d'Alsace," he said today, "and I hope there's more to come." In the meantime, while he was there, he also won the polka dot jersey for the best climber so far in the mountain stages. His brother Romain was not the first to hug him, as he arrived with the small group of sprinters almost half an hour later. But he was the most emotional: "As soon as they told me via radio that Brice had won, I burst into tears of joy. And I cried all the way to the finish line." A year ago it was Romain wearing the yellow jersey: just for a day, but the memory will last forever.

Photos (by Roberto Bettini): Nocentini savors his victory

Stories, including cycling trip stories, for the Italian Cycling Journal welcome; contact veronaman@gmail.com

Tour de France, Monaco

The Tour de France has even invaded the Principality of Monaco. At 6.15pm, July 2nd, a quarter of an hour behind schedule and greeted by Eddy Merckx and Bernard Hinault on the specially built stage at Port Hercule, Prince Albert surrendered himself to the world of cycling. Greeting, thanking, celebrating, officiating. In two days' time the ninety-sixth Tour begins, but the Principality welcomed it two days beforehand, practically a week beforehand, and sentimentally a year ago when it participated in and promoted "le grand depart" during the race that started from Brest, in Brittany.

GRANDEUR - Monaco received, welcomed and hosted the Tour in style. The stage projected out over the port, and facing it was a stand holding 6,500 people, who leaped to attention when Merckx and Hinault arrived, and when Prince Albert arrived in a blue car with the number plate Monaco 1, they broke into applause. But there were people everywhere: on balconies, on terraces, on overbridges, on yachts moored at the quays. This was how Monte Carlo, with its mazes of skyscrapers, celebrated the two-wheelers, according them the glamour that seems the antithesis of the effort, the sacrifice, the sweat - of the road to be conquered with the power of the legs and heart. A peaceful invasion of bikes and jerseys, posters and displays, champions and glory.

AMBITIOUS PIPPO - Right down to the parade of the teams, who were introduced in heroic tones and an American style. The first team, obviously, was French: Bbox Bouygues Telecom. Then came Katusha, with the much-loved Pippo Pozzato, who is at home here both in terms of his place of residence and his vanity. "I want to win a stage," he declared, "to show my tri-colour jersey." In all, 20 teams, 180 riders, 40 team managers. A litany of brilliant careers, a list of victorious dreams, a collection of endless hopes. And the last was first: the last to be introduced was the winner of the 2008 Tour, the Spaniard Carlos Sastre.

TIME TRIAL TODAY - Between first and last, between last and first, there is room for the half-Tunisian Daid Haddou, the Basque Mikel Astarloza, the Sicilian Danilo Napolitano, the Etruscan Daniele Righi, for the favourite Alberto Contador, for the eternal Lance Armstrong. All stars - for a moment the most modest, for three weeks the strongest. Tomorrow the riders will be able to study the course for the first stage, a 15.5 km time trial. On Saturday it begins. And as is the case every time the Tour begins, so does summer, the party, the ritual of cycling.

Photo: Prince Albert, Felice Gimondi and Eddy Merckx, at the start of a charity ride in Monaco

Story by Marco Pastonesi. Stories, including cycling trip stories, for the Italian Cycling Journal welcome; contact veronaman@gmail.com

MapMyRide Tour de France Contest

With the Tour de France going into Italy this year we can make a slight detour to mention that MapMyRide has created the "Le Tour Challenge" contest for 2009. Among the prizes: trip for two to Paris, a Parlee Team bike, and numerous other prizes totalling more than $50,000. Details at: http://www.mapmyride.com/tdf/

Stage 16 will begin in Switzerland then passes through Italy before finishing in France. It should be quite a good stage, coming after a rest day, with passes seldom used in the Tour de France: Col du Grand St Bernard (last used 43 years ago it is a more than 30 km climb which rises to 2,469 m above sea level.) and Col du Petit Saint Bernard (Colle del Piccolo San Bernardo).

Stories, including cycling trip stories, for the Italian Cycling Journal welcome; contact veronaman@gmail.com

Lance Armstrong: "I'm Looking Forward to the Giro"

Lance Armstrong talks in this video about his healing process, looking forward to participating in the Giro d'Italia, and the recent allegations by the French "Agence Française de Lutte contre le Dopage" (AFLD), the French anti-doping agency, of irregularities in his last control which might lead to his not being able to participate in the Tour de France:

http://www.livestrong.com/lance-armstrong/video/5345-update-lances-injury-response-drug/5345/




Stories, including cycling trip stories, for the Italian Cycling Journal welcome; contact veronaman@gmail.com

Five Years Without Marco Pantani

February 14, 2009, five years without Marco Pantani.

Photos: Gazzetta dello Sport: 1998 TdF, 1999 Giro d' Italia, 2000 TdF on Mont Ventoux, 2003 Giro

Stories for the Italian Cycling Journal welcome; contact veronaman@gmail.com

Ride L'Etape and Mont Ventoux with Eros Poli

My good friend Eros Poli has hooked up with "La Fuga" (http://www.lafuga.cc/), a luxury cycling tour company, for a one week preparation tour for L'Etape and Mont Ventoux.

L'Etape, or L'Etape du Tour, is a mass start start event like a gran fondo, which allows cyclists to ride one stage of the Tour de France. This year the L'Etape will folllow the route of the penultimate stage of the Tour de France and finish atop Mont Ventoux.

Details of the La Fuga tour "Eros Poli Preparation Week", 18 April — 25 April 2009, are as follows:

PERFECT ETAPE PREPARATION WITH MR VENTOUX

GUARANTEED ETAPE ENTRY*

Want the inside knowledge on the challenge of Mount Ventoux? Who better than Eros Poli, winner of legendary stage 15 of the 1994 Tour de France stage where the former Olympic team time trial champion went on a 106 mile solo attack holding off Pantani and Virenque to win in Carpentras. Eros is so affectionately linked with the iconic mountain that he is dubbed "Monsieur Ventoux" by French cycling fans.

Eros will spend the week riding with us, passing on his knowledge gained from an eight year professional career and sharing his stories from inside the peloton. Eros will be available to answer all your questions and maybe even let you into a few pro secrets. He will also share his love of food and wine as we visit local restaurants and sample the best of Provencal cuisine and drink.

With this year's l'Etape taking place over the beautiful roads of Provence and finishing at the summit of the iconic Mount Ventoux, it was an easy choice of location for our sportive preparation week. Provence's challenging terrain, beautiful scenery and world famous cuisine make it the perfect location to fine tune your Etape preparations.

Our preparation week gives you everything you need to maximise your performance at your big event. And because it's a La Fuga tour, it won't be all hard work; we'll sample the best of local cuisine and enjoy a glass or two of Cote du Ventoux.

Highlights of the week include:
Evening seminars on nutrition and training
In depth reconnaissance of the Etape course from Montelimar to the summit of Mount Ventoux
On the bike advice on riding technique, bike fit and race day tactics
Group rides tailored to your fitness level with following car support
Full mechanical backup
Complimentary sports drinks, bars and gels.

What's Included?

Four star accommodation (single occupancy double room)

All breakfasts and evening meals at the hotel and restaurants

Airport / station transfer

Experienced guides and dedicated support car on each ride

Complimentary Energy Drink and Bars

Cyclefilm L'Etape du Tour 2009 Reconnaissance DVD

La Fuga Welcome Pack

What's Not?

Flights / train travel

Travel insurance

Alcoholic drinks

Incidental expense

*Etape entry guaranteed for bookings received before 31 January with payment of applicable entry fee

The Knowledge
Accommodation: 7 nights at 4 star hotel (single occupancy double room)
Enjoy: Provencal cuisine and Cote du Ventoux wine
Travel: Fly to Marseille / Eurostar direct from London St Pancras to Avignon (not included)
Price: £1650 (double occupancy £1265)

Photo: Eros suffers on Mont Ventoux on the way to stage victory when it was 37C (98.6F), a view towards the summit, Eros on the slopes of the "Giant of Provence"

Stories for the Italian Cycling Journal welcome; contact veronaman@gmail.com