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Cycle Chat. 28.11.09 [Read More ...]Jon Locke will be leaving his work at CLC at Christmas to start his new career with his new team Rapha Condor. Jon's program has come through which is very intensive with many races in France where he used to race with the UV Aube team including the Tour of Normandy.Jeremy Hunt has been to Switzerland for the Cervélo Team get together last week. Following their auspicious debut season Cervélo TestTeam's men and women's riders, Sports Directors and management along with the TestTeam Partners gathered to makes plans for the upcoming 2010 season. More news about Yanto Barker and his link up with Pendragon Sports. The team has grown from the current Pendragon Kalas squad which finished 6th in the national team rankings for 2009. The team will be led by Dave Clarke and new signing, former GB International Yanto Barker. This duo will make quite a pairing in next season's races, "I'm looking forward to having Yanto and the new guys in the team and together with our existing riders we can get stuck into the races next year and really mix it up." says Clarke. Yanto is also showing his commitment to the team by becoming one of the title sponsors with his Le Col clothing brand. "I returned to racing in 2009 and fell in love with the sport again," says Yanto. "I'm training for a full season on the road next year and wanted to put something back into the sport and the Pendragon Sports / Le Col / Colnago team is the perfect vehicle for this." The Team will be led by Dave Clarke and Chris Opie who returns from several season's racing in Holland with a cluster of UCI points and podium places to his name including a win in the prestigious Ronde De Antwerp. Australian Casey Munro also joins from the UCI Continental Konica Minolta team in South Africa, forming a formidable core of riders for the year ahead. Pendragon Sports / Le Col / Colnago Cycling Team 2010 Jack Adams Elite Yanto Barker Elite David Clarke Elite Kieran Frend First Steve Lampier Elite Rhys Lloyd Elite Casey Munro Elite Chris Opie Elite George Richardson First Richard Tanguy Elite James Williams Elite Director Sportive: Brian Johnson & Graeme Lackford Team Principle: Nick Bourne Mechanic: Bennet Wright Official team product suppliers: FSA (Stem, bars, crank) Vision (Wheels) Oakley (Sunglasses) Bont (Shoes) Bell (Helmets) Accelerade (Sports nutrition) Continental (Tyres) Official team service provider: Medical services (blood testing and healthcare services): Circle healthcare Until next week, Bob. |
Cycle Chat. 21.11.09 [Read More ...]Sorry I have been out of print for the last 3 weeks but just returned from a working holiday in the Philippines!!Back to earth again I can now catch up with the Cycling news that has passed. First the BIG news for CLC employee Jon Locke is that he has been approached Rapha Condor and offered a contract with them. Jon signed!! Britain’s No. 1 ranked team retain the services of National Road Race Champion Kristian House, Elite Circuit Race Series winner Dean Downing, Olympic bronze medalist Chris Newton, Darren Lapthorne, Tom Southam, African Champion Dan Craven, Ben Greenwood and Matt Cronshaw. New arrivals for 2010 are Britain’s Graham Briggs (who rode for the team in 2008) and recently turned pro Jonathan Tiernan Locke, who will look to flourish in a very strong team. Also joining the squad are two Australians, Zak Dempster and Dean Windsor. The strength of this new look roster will ensure Rapha Condor are competitive on all fronts – Internationally and at Premier Calendar events. With strong crit racer Graham Briggs back in the mix plus the acquisition of Dean Windsor, who is one of the top Australian Criterium riders, the team will be unstoppable at Criterium races this coming season. The continental calendar will start with the Tour de Vaucluse in France followed by the Tour of Taiwan, Tour of Normandie, and the Tour of Bretagne amongst others. The first British Premier Calendar races will be the Tour of the Reservoir, Tour of Doonhame (formerly the Girvan) and the UCI 1.2 East Midlands Classic. Jon will be able to concentrate more on the Tours rather than the Criteriums which were not among his favourites!! Meanwhile Yanto Barker (Pendragon LeCol Colnago) with whom Jon was going to ride next season has found further sponsorship with Pendragon (UK's Leading Automotive Retail Network) and has also started to form his team. More news as we receive it!! Jeremy Hunt had to interrupt his winter training in Australia this week for a Cervélo Test Team Meeting in Switzerland. This brings up to date with the our local riders, See you next week, Bob. |
Cycle Chat. 16.10.09 [Read More ...]Jeremy Hunt (Cervélo Test Team) just like a swallow has migrated again but unlike a swallow his destination is Australia not South Africa. After a great season where he slotted into the Cervélo Team so well there will be some R&R followed by training for 2010!!My very first bike was a Raleigh with rod brakes and a Sturmey Archer 3 speed. So pleased to hear that Raleigh Bikes of Nottingham are to launch Team Raleigh, a new professional road team poised to make an impact in the UK and European road racing arena in 2010. Team Raleigh aim to re-establish themselves at the very height of professional road racing again, 30 years after Joop Zoetemelk won the Tour de France for TI Raleigh in 1980, with an ambitious 5 year plan. This plan will take the team, its sponsors and the Raleigh brand on a journey from a year 1 UK based team onto the continent at the very highest level within 5 years. Team Raleigh have registered an application for UCI Continental status and will be targeting the UK Premier Calendar (British Cycling series). The intention of securing an invitation to the Tours of Britain and Ireland in their first year all of which now have increased exposure on TV and taking racing to the heart of the British consumer. Mark Cavendish threw down the gauntlet on Wednesday in Paris, aiming to win every stage possible and claim the green jersey at next year's Tour de France. The Columbia-HTC rider was among an elite band of riders at the presentation and counted five possible stage wins for himself and his sprint rivals. He allowed his wins may number as many as eight, if circumstances go his way. There are five sprint stages and most of them are in the first week. At a stretch, there are possibly eight altogether, but Mark will have to survive the last two weeks if he is to maintain the green jersey challenge. Sitting in the auditorium at the Tour de France presentation in Paris yesterday was Sky's team director Dave Brailsford. It was Brailsford’s first appearance at an unveiling of a Tour route but the man who guided Britain to success on the track at the Beijing Olympics was excited about the prospect of commanding a team towards the biggest race in the world. Sky are yet to secure a place in cycling's biggest race and will have to wait until April before a decision on team 'wildcards' is decided by ASO. In order to meet the blurry requirements, Brailsford, and more importantly his riders, will need to hit the ground running when they begin racing at the Tour Down Under in January. Until next week, Bob. |
Cycle Chat. 10.10.09 [Read More ...]Roger Hammond of the Cervélo Test Team is finishing his season off in great form after a third overall in the Circuit Franco-Belge he had a forth in the Paris-Bourges.Cervélo TestTeam (Jeremy Hunt was a non starter) was active throughout today's race. After 40 km Dominique Rollin was in a breakaway that stayed ahead for almost 120 km. The group had a maximum gap of 2 minutes but the Peleton chased the group back with 11 km to go. In the finale the team prepared to set up the sprint for Martin Reimer. Roger Hammond tried to bring him into the right position but Martin lost Roger's wheel and so Roger ended up in the sprint on his own, finishing fourth. Martin Reimer ended in 8th position. We now have Yanto Barker’s LeCol clothing in stock and will shortly be available on our web shop. Further info please ring 01803-553095. Yanto has personally designed all the range which goes from Head Bands through socks to jerseys and has 8 dealers signed up including Colin Lewis Cycles and Harrods!! Below is Yanto’s short description of the Winter Jacket and the Long Sleeved team Jersey which we enclose a photo of. The Winter Jacket. Your first line of defence against the elements. It is my job and livelihood to train in harsh conditions, but the price is high for mistakes. I wear a full winter training jacket as my outer layer, with high collar to stop cold wind down my chest, fleece inside to give me that warmth I need and wind stopper down length of my arm and over front portion of body to protect and insulate me from my environment. Combined with a good base layer I have the confidence to embark on these epic rides wearing this jacket as I am safe in the knowledge it will not let me down! Priced at £159.99. Long Sleeved Team Jersey. See photo. Made from synthetic material customary with cycling clothing. Incorporates the look and feel of the Le Col brand with Le Col and Colnago logos on varying coloured backgrounds. Cut and style tailored for a classic European look. Priced at £129.99. Check it out!! Until next week, Bob. |
Cycle Chat. 03.10.09 [Read More ...]British Cycling boss David Brailsford insists GB will challenge for a world road title in the next two years despite their disappointment this week.Great Britain returns from the World Championships without a single medal. Sprinter Mark Cavendish was ill, while top hopes Bradley Wiggins, Nicole Cooke and David Millar, the team leader in Sunday's men's road race, pulled out after injuring his knee but Mark Cavendish is expected to lead the team in the next two years. This is the first time that Team GB has had 9 riders and the goal was to ride as a team!! David Millar crashed early on and hurt his knee. That was really unfortunate because the team was doing a good job. The team can take this forward with Melbourne in 2010 and Copenhagen in 2011 coming up, the flatter course suits Mark Cavendish. Although Great Britain's best finisher was Steven Cummings in 52nd spot, GB coaches had said before the event that their focus was on "Project Rainbow Jersey" to win the title in the coming years. However Nichole Cooke, who went into the event as defending world and Olympic champion, was unable to match her form of last year, after a season affected by illness. Bradley Wiggins, who had chosen to concentrate on Thursday's time trial, suffered a mechanical problem while in the hunt for a podium place. Dave Brailsford was impressed by the showing of the under-23 men's squad, with Alex Dowsett finishing seventh in the time trial and Peter Kennaugh fourth in the road race. All in all the results could have been much better after all the “Green Shoots” of the season but never the less a base has been put down for Team GB to be built on next year and the years to come. It will take a change in the British mind set for cycling ever be as successful and as popular as on the Continent. But it is a start; the same as all those oak trees we see around us!! The Circuit Franco-Belge is on at the moment with an 8th from Roger Hammond. Jeremy Hunt is some 2mins behind in 162 spot. Until next week, Bob. |
Cycle Chat. 26.09.09 [Read More ...]Trow Hill at Sidmouth wasn't quite as crowded as an alpine climb in the TdF but we Brits certainly turned out to cheer on the riders in the Tour of Britain last Friday. It was a lead of 4 mins by Brit Kristian House (RCR Rapha Condor) and Stian Remme, (TMB Joker Bianchi) that greeted us up what the commentator said was the steepest hill of the Tour.Also caught a waving glimpse of Simon and Jonathan from CLCycles in the Sram Neutral Service cars as they went by who were enjoying their day being in the thick of the action!! The leading duo was soon caught and the eventual winner was another Brit Ben Swift (KAT Team Katusha) at Yeovil. The eventual winner in London on Saturday was Edvald Boasson Hagen (Team Columbia-HTC) and top Brit was Russell Downing (Candi-TV-Marshalls Pasta) in 5th just 39 secs down. It was good to see veteran Malcolm Elliott (Candi-TV-Marshalls Pasta) who is well up in his 40s finish in 16th spot. It was a good day and always interesting to see the whole parade pass by with the Police bikes racing each other up the Hill. It was very well organized and as a spectator it showed how much work has to be put in just to get the event started let alone the work put in on the actual Tour. The cycling season is now slowing up to its eventual winter break with the World Championships going on at the moment and also the inevitable scramble for teams for 2010. On the local front we can confirm that Jeremy Hunt has signed up for another 2 years with the Cervélo Test Team. He was in the shop this week and was very pleased saying that Cervélo were a well organized outfit to ride for with a good camaraderie amongst the team. Sports Beans is finishing their sponsorship of cycling at the end of the season leaving Jon Locke looking for a ride for next year. He will be teaming up with our other rider Yanto Barker (LeCol) and both are looking to join up with another team. Watch this space!! With the World Championships in Switzerland on this week the second day in the Time Trial saw a full day of racing for the Elite men with Great Britain having two accomplished Time Trialists racing for their country, Bradley Wiggins and Chris Froome. Bradley Wiggins was fanning the flames with yet another awesome ride when disaster struck. With the finish line less than a lap away and the Bronze medal in sight, a freak mechanical saw Bradley slip down the finishing order to end the race in 21st position after being in 4th at the final split. GB's other rider; Chris Froome made a great debut at senior level in the Time Trial finishing in 18th place. The week peaks at the weekend with Nichole Cooke riding on Saturday and the Men's Road race on Sunday with the men having a full team of 9 riders but sadly no Mark Cavendish. It's a hilly course and without also Bradley Wiggins they will have to work hard to get success. There is full coverage on Eurosport!! Until next week, Bob. |
Cycle Chat. 19.09.09 [Read More ...]Just about to leave for home to go to Sidmouth to watch the Tour of Britain as it goes up the very steep Trow Hill. This hill will sort out the leaders as up to now there General Classification has been very close with just 1 minute separating the first 50 riders.Edvald Boasson Hagen is making a determined bid to out-do his remarkable 2008 Tour of Britain feats with an even more dominant performance in the 2009 edition of the race. A cracking break on Stage 6, with a good sprinkling of the best young Brits kept everyone on tenterhooks almost to the end, but when they were finally swept up in sight of the finish in Bideford, the question on everyone's lips was, could Boasson Hagen make it four in a row? And the answer was yes! He's simply in a class of his own in a sprint finish - much as team-mate Mark Cavendish was in the Tour de France - and for the other riders there's a horrible inevitability about his ability to sprint longer and harder than they can. Well done Somerset as the biggest crowds of the trace waved the Tour of from Frome under a clear blue sky and also at Bideford for the finish. Best Brit so far is Russell Downing at 5th 35 secs down followed closely by Geraint Thomas 6th another second behind with all to go for today (Friday) with the hilly nature of the stage. British rider Bradley Wiggins has withdrawn from his home Tour, with the Garmin-Slipstream rider adopting a cautious approach leading in to this month’s International Cycling Union (UCI) World Road Championships. Bradley endured a big day in the saddle on the Tour of Britain’s stage four, with the rider playing a key part in pulling back a threatening breakaway. Until next week, Bob. |
Cycle Chat. 12.09.09 [Read More ...]We have decided that Jeremy Hunt (Cervélo Test team) can’t be in two places at the same time so from that Jeremy won’t be competing in next week’s tour of Britain. Jeremy was in the provisional start list!!Jeremy is presently taking part in the Tour of Missouri putting in time for his team leader Thor Hushovd who is presently 2nd after being leader by beating Mark Cavendish in the sprint!! Mark has had to withdraw through sickness. Jeremy is presently in 104th spot 2.45 down. But back to the Tour of Britain which looks like its going to be a close event but Bradley Wiggins of course being everyone’s favourite. The route passes within 1 mile of our house with on of the sprints so there is no excuse not to watch!! Our boss at CLCycles Simon will be joining up for the day the Tour is in the West Country with Scram Neutral Service car and putting his servicing skills to work. The race starts in Scunthorpe on Saturday 12th September and travels northward to York as the riders begin an anti-clockwise route around Britain travelling over the border to Scotland before travelling down for two stages in the South West via stages in Blackpool and Stoke on Trent. You can expect to see the big team buses in the car parks this year with a number of gruelling stage transfers to cover before the race finishes with a spectacular criterium in the City of London - up and down along the Thames from Westminster to Whitehall on Saturday 19th. Highlights of each day will be on ITV4 at 1900hrs. I though that the new Sky Cycling Team was for British riders only. Apparently not as young Norwegian star Edvald Boasson Hagen and Australian Simon Gerrans are among 10 foreign riders who will join new British squad next season. They will join up with the 6 Brits already signed:- Steve Cummings - 28, from Birkenhead; part of pursuit teams that won gold at 2005 World Championships and 2006 Commonwealth Games and silver at the 2004 Olympics. Peter Kennaugh, currently riding the Tour de l'Avenir for the Great Britain Academy team, gets the opportunity to turn professional at the age of 20. Russell Downing - 31, from Rotherham; winner of 2009 Tour of Ireland; one of the most successful ever GB-based professionals. Chris Froome - 24, born in Nairobi, Kenya; became British-registered in 2008; has completed two Tours de France. Ian Stannard - 22, from Chelmsford; came third in 2008 Tour of Britain and rode 2009 Giro d'Italia. Geraint Thomas - 23, from Cardiff; youngest rider in 2007 Tour de France; won gold in team pursuit at Beijing Olympics. More riders are expected to be announced with details of the remainder of the 25-man squad being released as and when it suits the riders. Likewise, many of the 33-strong backroom staff will not be named until later in the year. Until next week, Bob |
Cycle Chat. 05.09.09 [Read More ...]We have a Giant sale starting shortly at Colin Lewis Cycles. Giant in the meaning of Giant bikes!! Bikes have been hard to get hold of recently but Simon after a visit to a recent Giant Trade Show has procured 30 and they have just started to arrive at the shop in Paignton. Prices range from £250 to £2800 so take your pick!!The Mid Devon Young Lions are off to Vire this weekend in NW France with much determination to win. Our boss at CLCycles, Simon will be shepherding them along with our employee Jake Durrant who has had a great season finishing off with a 1st at the Paignton regatta race. Also going is Jeremy Hunt’s brother Josh who had a recent win in Belgium along with Matthew Hill, Andrew Hitchens, Robert Smail and Ashley Watts. Roger Hammond (Cervélo Test Team) has been going very well in the ongoing Tour of Spain. After a 7th and a 3rd Roger is now lying in 12th spot just 40 secs down on leader André Greipel. Nicole Cooke has revealed she will close down her professional women's cycling team unless a sponsor can be found before the end of the season. The Olympic and world champion formed Vision 1 less than 12 months ago. But despite seven race victories, the team has struggled financially this season; forcing Welsh star Cooke to use her own money to keep it going. Nichole finds it very difficult to manage a team and also cycle at the same time. Vision 1 is still going despite the fact that the squad's calendar for the rest of the 2009 campaign was scrapped at the start of August. 26-year-old Nichole decided to compete in Team GB colours from that point on but was already taking on a greater role in the business side of Vision 1 following the departure of team manager Stefan Wyman, who quit in May. She blamed the stress of running the team for the illness which forced her withdrawal from a race in Thuringen-Rundfahrt in July. The team is still alive and I hope with new funds we can write a new chapter for next season Nichole, who will defend her world road race title in Mendrisio on 23 September, remains confident a team sponsor can be found. Until next week, Bob. |
Cycle Chat. 29.08.09 [Read More ...]Last weeks Richmond G.P. saw our employee Jon Locke grab a 2nd and King of the Mountain but he was still disappointed. These are his comments:-Where did it go wrong for me today -- I felt strong in that early break and maybe I did too much, but I get frustrated when I miss out on these big races. Today I thought this course suits me and I’m going to go on the attack and stay on the attack. When I picked up the points for the King of the Mountains, I thought well I’ve got that in the bag. When Alex Dowsett attacked the first time, I went with him; we did a couple of rotations and then got brought back." "Then he went a second time, I followed but he was over to the left of the road and had me in the gutter. I wasn’t going to sit in the wind or gutter behind him, so I sat up and went back to the group. I thought he’s got over 25 miles to do on his own, we have a group of seven, let him go. That was the wrong decision. The guys didn’t want to work, I tried to organise them but you know what it’s like, people missing turns, the gap increasing and pretty soon it was 1 minute 30 seconds. I thought well maybe I can still do something at the finish without dragging everyone back up to Dowsett, I got 2nd and I’m really pleased with that, good for our team.” Jeremy Hunt (Cervélo) scored two top-ten this season in France this week. The first stage of the Tour du Poitou Charentes et de la Vienne was won from a break by Agritubel’s Anthony Ravard with Jeremy heading the bunch gallop ten seconds in arrears. Jeremy’s lead out man on stage 2 was sprints TdF winner Thor Hushovd and this got Jeremy a 2nd spot and 6th overall. He lost time in the following Time Trial on a very windy day and finished 49th overall Roger Hammond (Cervélo) will start his first ever Grand Tour this weekend at the Vuelta a España. The team has done a great job in its inaugural year on all aspects of the team’s mandate: equipment testing, fan access, and of course race performance. The team is still hungry, and they’re prepared to work hard to achieve top results in the next couple of months until the end of the season.” The Vuelta starts in the Netherlands in Assen on Saturday (August 29) and concludes three weeks later in Madrid (September 20). Full coverage on Eurosport!! Three-time Olympic champion Bradley Wiggins will compete in next month's Tour of Britain. The 29-year-old, who finished fourth at this year's Tour de France, will ride with his Garmin Slipstream team in the British event. The race starts in Scunthorpe on 12 September and finishes on Whitehall in London seven days later. Cervélo Test Team is also competing with the likes of Jeremy Hunt and Roger Hammond. Until next week, Bob. Thanks to www.britishcycling.org.uk for the photo |
Cycle Chat. 22.08.09 [Read More ...]It was a 1-2 for Colin Lewis Cycles a week ago at the Paignton Regatta Races on the sea front.The First was by CLC employee Jake Durant who with another of our other shop employee Jon Locke planned out before the race before hand with Jon doing the brunt of the work taking Jake on to a well deserved win. It worked!! The Second came in the shape of the boss’s son Jonathan who grabbed his 2nd spot in the Junior Race. Well Colin Lewis Cycles!! A Winning Team!! (Not just for cycling prowess but also for service, price, reliability and choice!!) While the Tour of Ireland has been reduced from five days to three this year, the line-up for the 2009 race has shaped to be the best yet in the three-year history of the re-launched event. Ten-time Tour de France stage winner Mark Cavendish (Columbia HTC), seven-time Tour champion Lance Armstrong (Astana) and a host of other big names will this week compete in the Irish event, which appears to be punching well above its ranking as a 2.1 national tour. The Cervélo Test Team will be there with Jeremy Hunt riding. Great Britain's cycling prowess has been recognised by the award of a maximum nine places at the UCI Road World Championships next month. Bradley Wiggins finished fourth in the Tour de France last month, while Mark Cavendish picked up six stage wins. As a result, Britain will be able to choose nine riders to participate in the World Championships road race in Mendrisio, Switzerland next month. This places Britain alongside top cycling nations like Spain and Italy. The race takes place on 27 September over a hilly 262km (163 mile) course, conditions far more likely to suit Wiggins than sprint specialist Cavendish. That’s it for this week, Bob. |
Cycle Chat. 15.08.09 [Read More ...]Our shop employee Jon Locke’s team Sport Beans-Wilier are to lose their title sponsor for 2010 as Best Imports, distributors of Jelly Belly products in the UK, withdraw after two years of backing the team.A press release issued by the backers read: “After two amazing years it is with great sadness that Best Imports (Sport Beans UK importer) announce that 2009 will be our last season of funding and sponsoring the team. Despite being one of the smallest teams in the country the Sport Beans-Wilier team have achieved some wonderful results and great exposure on the UK cycling scene - we are proud to have provided a springboard for some fine athletes.” Team line-ups are starting to take shape for the forthcoming Tour of Ireland (August 21-23), and there are a host of European-based British pros making the journey. Topping the bill alongside Lance Armstrong is sprinter supreme Mark Cavendish. His Columbia-HTC team will be looking to control the peloton to set up the Tour de France star for a stage win. The Cervélo Test Team line-up has a decidedly British feel to it. Former national champions Roger Hammond and Jeremy Hunt will be men to watch after impressing at the Tour of Denmark, while Dan Fleeman and Daniel Lloyd are aiming to get back on track after injury setbacks. Who should ride for Great Britain in the road race at the World Championships in Switzerland next month? Britain will have nine riders in the elite men’s road race in Mendrisio on September 27. It’s the biggest GB team since 12 riders lined up in Ronse, Belgium, in 1988. But who should be in the team? This week 13 riders have travelled to Mendrisio for a two-day training camp with British Cycling coach Rod Ellingworth. Bradley Wiggins is also in the frame but he was unable to travel because of other commitments. It could be that he prioritises the time trial over the road race this year anyway. A long list of 11 will be selected on August 17, with the final nine chosen around ten days before the Worlds. The road race is 265km long and features almost 4,600 metres of climbing. Who would be in your Great Britain World Championship team? We list the 14 riders in contention. THE LONG LIST These 14 riders are in the frame for the team. Only nine can ride. Who would you select? JONNY BELLIS Saxo Bank Age: 21 MARK CAVENDISH Columbia-HTC Age: 24 STEVE CUMMINGS Barloworld Age: 28 RUSSELL DOWNING CandiTV-Marshalls Pasta Age: 31 DAN FLEEMAN Cervélo Test Team Age: 27 ROGER HAMMOND Cervélo Test Team Age: 35 JEREMY HUNT Cervélo Test Team Age: 35 DAN LLOYD Cervélo Test Team Age: 29 DAVID MILLAR Garmin-Slipstream Age: 32 CHRIS FROOME Barloworld Age: 24 IAN STANNARD ISD Age: 22 BEN SWIFT Katusha Age: 21 GERAINT THOMAS Barloworld Age: 23 BRADLEY WIGGINS Garmin-Slipstream Age: 29 ‘Till next week, Bob. |
Cycle Chat. 08.08.09 [Read More ...]Last Saturday Jeremy Hunt (Cervélo TestTeam) won the fourth stage of the Danish Tour today. Jeremy was part of a four-man breakaway that survived to the finish line with a 1:30 advantage over the Peleton. The break also included Test Team’s Roger Hammond, who finished thirdEarly in the race, there was a breakaway of 14 riders, but that group never got a large enough gap from the Peleton and were brought back quickly. After about an hour of racing, four riders got away including Roger Hammond and Jeremy Hunt. The four riders quickly built up a lead of four minutes on the Peleton. When the race reached 30 km to go, Team CSF Navigare and Team Saxo Bank tried to chase the break, but when the lead was still over 2 minutes with only 10 km to go it became clear that the breakaway would survive. The four riders in the lead group sprinted for the stage victory, and Jeremy Hunt was the strongest, taking his first win of the season and 24th of his career. Well done Jeremy!! You deserve it after all the season’s hard work!! Also in the news is Jeremy’s brother Joshua Hunt who at 18 is following in big brother’s tyre tracks. Josh visited Belgium this last week end and won!! The UK enjoyed unprecedented glory at this year’s Tour de France, but just how well does Bradley Wiggins' fourth place stand up to Britain’s performances throughout the race’s history? Below is an interesting table was closer to the winner by quite a distance:- 1956 and 1959 Brian Robinson — 14th and 19th at 1-12-11 1962 Tom Simpson — 4th at 17-09 to Anquetil. 1981 Graham Jones — 20th at 41-06 to Hinault. 1984 Robert Millar — 4th at 14-42 to Fignon. 1996 Chris Boardman — 39th at 1-27-44 to Riis. 2003 David Millar — 55th at 1-54-38 to Armstrong. 2009 Bradley Wiggins — 4th at 6-01 to Contador. Bike racing returns to Paignton sea front on Friday 14th August. Excellent Police cooperation enables us to close down the seafront and the road around the Green to give a traffic free environment. Entertainment will be provided by "mc Parker" on the microphone Racing starts from 1800 with the youth events split into the various age categories. Until next week, Bob. |
Cycle Chat. 01.08.09 [Read More ...]I have being writing this column “Cycle Chat” for some 9 years now and all that time you could see the cycling talent in the UK that was emerging.On the European Continent cycling is more predominant but here cycling takes a back seat to other sports. But over the last few years there has been a resurgence starting mainly on the track and now transferring itself to the road and at the same time helping cycling in general to become a more popular sport as well as increasing leisure activity. I don’t believe we have seen the peak by far yet. The best is yet to come!! The latest upsurge has just been in the last Tour de France which finished last Sunday. We were represented by 4 Brits; Mark Cavendish, Bradley Wiggins, David Millar and Charles Wegelius. All made a wonderful impression especially Mark and Bradley. David Millar in the same team as Bradley supported him 100% and nearly won a stage after he broke away to be pipped on the line. Charles was a workhorse for his team and finished 59th. But both Mark and Bradley have produced absolutely stunning rides in cycling’s most iconic event, showing that British riders really are now up there with the best in the World. Mark is clearly now the fastest road sprinter in the world by some margin with his 6 stage wins, and we can look forward to him winning many, many more races over a career that has really only just begun. His win on the Champs Elysees by such a huge margin was an absolute demonstration of his sheer talent. Bradley has astonished us all with a 4th overall - after watching his form develop in major road races like Paris-Roubaix and the Giro d'Italia, I think we knew he was capable of a high overall placing in the Tour. But over the last three weeks he revealed a new level of guts and determination that showed he can be a real contender for the overall victory in future years. We at Colin Lewis Cycles would like to congratulate both riders, their teams, and the people who have helped them on their way to these remarkable achievements that will stay in our minds for years to come. On to other news!! The name remains the same but in the new Ultegra 6700 Shimano have carried out the biggest and most dramatic overhaul of the groupset since the introduction of 10-speed in 2005 and we have it in stock at CLCycles. The most immediate and obvious change to Ultegra is its appearance. Carbon brake levers, hidden cables and the bolt-free face of the hollow outer chainring are the biggest changes. Each refinement contributes to an altogether cleaner appearance. Call in the shop or ring us on 01803 553095 for more details. One of the Brits we always follow is the evergreen Jeremy Hunt (Cervélo Test Team) who has been one of the leading Brits riding on the Continent for many years!! Jeremy is having a scorcher in the Tour of Denmark. At present after 2 stages he is 4th overall. That’s it, until next week, Bob. |
Cycle Chat. 25.07.09 [Read More ...]There were questions from last week’s Cycle Chat that remained unanswered. Mark Cavendish?? Bradley Wiggins?? Lance Armstrong??Well Mark has not achieved his ambition of a Green when he reaches Paris barring a big calamity to Thor Hushovd. A win on the Champs-Élysées would make it 5 wins and some satisfaction. It was a penalty against Mark for cutting off Thor that cost him the Green but Thor has always been the stronger when it comes to climbs but as Thor admits Mark is the fastest. There are 3 things you ride with your legs, your heart and your brains!! I am sure Mark will work on these for next year!! Bradley Wiggins has been the man and shown he can beat Lance but after missing the break on Wednesday when Lance caught him looking the other way. Bradley went from 3rd to 6th and has fought a good fight. Yesterday he was sixth in the Annecy time trial after a headwind slowed him in the final section of the stage but he still has a great chance of finishing on the final podium in Paris. Bradley warmed down with a towel covering his head and was initially angry and disappointed with his result until he realised that all the late starters lost time on the final section of the course due to the change in wind. He moved past Frank Schleck and Andreas Kloden to fourth overall after the time trial. He is 4-11 behind Alberto Contador (Astana) and 1-25 behind Andy Schleck (Saxo Bank) but he is only 11 seconds behind Lance Armstrong (Astana), who has suffered on the climbs more than Bradley during the Tour de France. He knows that the final battle for third will be decided on the slopes of Mount Ventoux on Saturday. As for Lance, Alberto Contador showed him who was the best and again barring accidents will take the top of the podium in Paris. The battle now will between Bradley and Lance for the 3rd spot but there are many just behind ready to take advantage of any mistake made. Lance chose the wrong team to ride in with; to many chiefs although after a 4 year lapse has done very well. Next year in seems he will have his own team Team RadioShack!! All in all this has been a very exciting TdF and of course having 2 Brits in contention is the icing on the cake!! Until next week with the final results, Bob. |
Cycle Chat. 18.07.09 [Read More ...]I said in last week’s Cycle Chat that all would be revealed last Friday as the Tour of France went into the mountains for the first time up to Andorra.Maybe it was and yet maybe it wasn’t?? Alberto Contador certainly won the first mountain stage up to Andorra but Lance Armstrong either couldn’t or wouldn’t because of team instructions challenge and is now 3rd in the General Classification behind Alberto who is 2nd. This Friday they return to the mountains but the big test will be when the Alps come. Will Lance crack?? It is still any bodies Tour being very open and many just behind ready to step into any weakness that is seen. Brit Bradley Wiggins (Garmin-Slipstream) has been a revelation and is at the moment in 5th position 44 secs down. He has lost about a stone in weight since his success in the Olympics and has been able to attack the mountains. With the Alps to come and another time trial on the penultimate day who knows?? Watch this space!! Another success story is mark Cavendish with 4 stage wins so far which have put him into the sprinters green jersey. He is closely challenged by Thor Hushovd who has the advantage over Mark when it comes to hills and has picked up his points on the stage interim sprints. With all the mountains to come it will be an interesting contest. Again watch this space!! Meanwhile in the Tour of Austria Jeremy Hunt (Cervélo Test Team) finished the Tour with a 10th in the Time Trial after his after his 2nd on Stage 5. Not such good positions in GC but there are some mountains in Austria!! Until next week, Bob. |
Cycle Chat. 10.07.09 [Read More ...]Yanto Barker (LeCol-Colnago) kept up his recent good form with a fine 3rd spot in the Tour of Blackpool last Sunday. These are Yanto’s comments latter:- "Third place, yes I'm happy with that. Good result when you are up against big teams with lots of riders and I'm on my own. I've been doing this for a few years so I know pretty much when to put the effort in and who to follow. The final few km was into a headwind, it was hard to get a gap and maintain it. Myself and James Williamson did try to get away in the finale, but both got brought back. Matt Cronshaw got the jump and caught us all out. There were no 3km or 1km signs which is a bit unusual, I wasn't sure we'd reached the finish area. But Matt is a good sprinter and he deserved that win" Note on the enclosed photo the Colin Lewis Cycles logo on his sleeve!! Yanto’s socks LeCol socks are not on the website yet but are now available and selling well. Give us a ring on 01803 553095 and we will get some to you!! Jeremy Hunt (Cervélo Test Team) is at present in the Tour of Austria. Mountains are not really made for sprinters but on the 5th stage Jeremy got away and got a 2nd spot!! Jen Zemke, Cervélo TT Sports Director comments were:- "With 30 km to go there was a 3 rider breakaway Jeremy Hunt escaped in the decent together with Jan Barta (KTM – Junkers) (the winner of yesterday's stage), and closed the gap very quickly to the breakaway. With 15 km to go, Dries Devenyns (Quick Step) attacked out of a group of five and made it to the finish line. Jeremy attacked in the last kilometre, and came very close but finished 10 seconds later in second place. Jeremy wanted to win this stage, but Devenyes was stronger. We are trying to ride offensively here with the team and I think we're doing very well. With Reimer in the first stage, Pujol in the second stage, yesterday with Novoa and today with Hunt, we have made our presence felt with some successful attacks. We will continue like this throughout the rest of the Tour.” The Tour of France looks great in HD on Eurosport and with the skilled attention of all the camera men in is like a tourist guide to the particular area!! I write this on Friday morning and this afternoon will be the first crunch, the mountains up to Andorra. Can Lance do his stuff or will he burn himself out?? The big question?? All will be revealed. Until next week, Bob. |
Cycle Chat. 04.07.09 [Read More ...]Many congratulations to the Mid Devon CC on the organization of the Dartmoor Classic last weekend. It was a credit to you all!! It was professional and a totally enjoyable day for the 2000 participants. Well done!!Out of the riders we follow the best result came from Jeremy Hunt (Cervélo Test Team) in the Road Race national Championship last Sunday with a 10th. Jeremy’s Team did well with a Daniel Lloyd 2nd and Roger Hammond 5th. The rest of our boys were all up there at the front and worked hard but the results were missing!! World and Olympic Champion, Nicole Cooke, celebrates her 10th British title after outsprinting Lizzie Armitstead and Emma Pooley. Lance Armstrong and Mark Cavendish are among the star names who will be hoping to make the headlines when the Tour de France begins in Monaco on Saturday. Mark won four stages last year and goes into his third Tour as a contender to become the first British rider to win the green jersey as best sprinter. Seven-time champion Armstrong has come out of retirement to ride again. But Armstrong's Astana team-mate Alberto Contador is favourite to top the podium in Paris on 26 July. Reigning champion Carlos Sastre is back, now at the helm of the Cervelo Test Team. And Luxembourg's Andy Schleck, Australian Cadel Evans and Giro d'Italia winner Denis Menchov of Russia are also contenders for overall victory. Starting with the 9.6-mile prologue time trial in Monaco, the event will cover 2,150 miles, in 21 stages, stopping off in Spain, Andorra, Switzerland and Italy as well as France. For Britain we will have riding Mark Cavendish, Bradley Wiggins and David Millar and Charles Wegelius. Mark Cavendish’s main aim this year his main aim this year is to finish the race for the first time, although he believes there are "six or seven" stages that could suit him. Four of those come in the first week, with a visit to Barcelona before the race moves into the Pyrenees, and more come in week two, before the riders reach the Alps. Mark who struggles in the mountains, will have to deal with seven mountain stages if he is to reach Paris with the toughest of them all will be the climb of Mont Ventoux in Provence, when the Tour has a mountain finish on its penultimate stage for the first time, in its 96th running. Until next week, Bob. |
Cycle Chat. 26.06.09 [Read More ...]Many thanks to all who turned up to the jointly run Wilier Demo Evening last Wednesday. The rain cleared just in time and the Wiliers caused quite a buzz!!We at Colin Lewis Cycles will be watching with a great deal of interest to the news from Abergavenny, Wales this weekend as the British Road Championships take place. In the Junior race will be one of shop employees Jake Durrant (Mid Devon) along with Jeremy Hunts’ brother Josh. In the Senior race our eyes will be on Jeremy Hunt (Cervélo Test Team), Yanto Barker (Le Col-Colnago) and Jon Locke (Sports Beans) The tough climb of the Tumble awaits them in the county of Monmouth. The three-mile long Alpine style ascent will be the toughest challenge for the star studded field with a record 191 entries. Looks good for Jon Locke away from the Criteriums but others will have their eyes on this hill!! The list of continental professionals is very impressive. Bradley Wiggins and David Millar (Team Garmin Slipstream), Chris Froome, Geraint Thomas and Steve Cummings (Barloworld), Dan Fleeman, Dan Lloyd, Jeremy Hunt and Roger Hammond, (Cervélo Test Team), Ben Swift (Team Katusha), Jonathan Bellis (Team Saxo Bank), Mark Cavendish (Team Columbia- High Road). British Cycling coach Shane Sutton says he expects four of Great Britain's leading riders to join Team Sky. The new cycling team will launch next year with the aim of creating a British winner of the Tour de France by 2014. Sutton revealed that he expects David Millar, Bradley Wiggins, Steve Cummings and Geraint Thomas to form the core of an initial 25-rider roster. Thomas and Cummings currently both ride for Team Barloworld, while Millar and Wiggins are team-mates at Team Garmin-Slipstream. Sutton also revealed that they one day hope to entice Mark Cavendish to join the new British-based team once his current deal expires. Cavendish, who won four stages of the 2008 Tour de France, is contracted with the American-owned Colombia Highroad team until 2010. Team Sky, to be funded by media organisation BSkyB, will be managed by the sport's Olympic performance director Dave Brailsford. The team will initially contain 25 riders, this number due to rise to 30. It will have a British core of riders and management, but also include international cyclists. It is not April 1st but it would be great if it could be done but all the riders are previously contracted and I don’t think that Sky can get their own way on this one!! Until next week, Bob. |
Cycle Chat. 20.06.09 [Read More ...]CLC shop owner Simon returned back to England on Sunday after competing in the Castelli 24 Hour Criterium in Feltre, northern Italy with a very credit worthy 15th place out of 93 teams that entered. Simon was riding for the Castelli Team.The location was great, the circuit perfect for the event and the racing was just brilliant. The format was simple: Twelve riders per team, with one rider racing at any one time. The schedule was down to the team to set. Most teams stuck to a similar format; splitting the team in to groups of three who rotated in a three - four hour shifts, typically riding for between 20-30 minutes throughout. Once the shift was done, it was back to the hotel for a shower, food and some sleep. If we wanted to hang around you could just relaxed in the Castelli marquee where free food and drink were available almost throughout the event. The amazing thing was that it was full-on racing every time you got out on to the circuit. With 93 teams in the event (although realistically only around 40-50 were up to consistently racing at the front) there were always some fresh legs on the circuit ready to give it some beans. With no let up on the 1.8km circuit riders really were subjected to 24 hours of criterium style racing - something that normally goes on for no longer than an hour. In fact, it got faster towards the end as the top teams brought in their ringers (each team was allowed to bring in three pro riders to guest for them. Jeremy Hunt (Cervélo Teast Team had a 5th overall in the recent 3 day Delta Tour Zeeland held in Holland. There was no King of the Mountains Competition!! Mark Cavendish now joins Chris Boardman as the most successful British rider of all time with 41 career stage wins. The British sprint king won his second stage of the Tour of Switzerland on Thursday. Mark, who won the third stage on Monday, sealed victory in the sixth stage from Oberriet to Bad Zurzach. British media group Sky announced the start of Skyride, a five-year program designed to encourage Britons to spend more time on their bikes, in Regents Park, London, today. The plan will begin this summer with Sky supporting a range of events across the United Kingdom. Those behind the Skyride program have set the ambitious goal of seeing the number of regular bicycle users increased by one million within five years and they want to get as many people as possible to pick up their bikes again this summer; for fun, for fitness, with friends or with family. Until next week, Bob. |
Cycle Chat. 13.06.09 [Read More ...]Colin Lewis Cycles and the Mid Devon CC are promoting a Wilier Bike Demo evening on Wednesday 16th March.Available to test ride from Abbrook Park Kingsteignton at 1830 will be the cream of Italian bikes ridden to a World Championship win by Alessandro Ballan For further information please contact Simon at Colin Lewis Cycles on 01803 553095. Simon is on yet another “Jolly” this weekend with an invitation to join the Castelli Team in Italy for the Castelli 24 Hour Race. The Castelli 24 hour race is packed with action, competition, passion, friendship and non-stop excitement. With 100 teams consisting of 12 riders, the Castelli24H is being staged in the old town of Feltre in the north-east part of Italy. The event kicking off with fashion show and team presentation before the main endurance event begins at 10pm, with the goal being to complete as many laps as possible within 24 hours. Its a classic style criterium race that has it all; the course is approximately 2 kilometers (1.3 miles) beginning with a steady climb on 400m before descending through some technical corners followed by a 500m stretch of flat road going into the old town of Feltre and the famous cobblestone section. More news next week!! Had news this week about Yanto Barker and his new cycle clothing company called Le Col. As you will have seen if you have watched Yanto cycling he wears a very smart black jersey to his own design. (Though at the moment he is riding for the Sigma Team and is in their colours.) These are now being manufactured and will be on sale in September this year. Colin Lewis Cycles will of course be a dealer!! Mark Cavendish hopes to banish the disappointment of withdrawing from the last year's Tour de France by targeting the green jersey in this year's event. If successful, Mark would become only the second Briton, after Robert Millar in 1984 to win a Tour jersey Mark is widely acknowledged as the world's fastest sprinter and he has utilised his week off after withdrawing from the Giro d'Italia late last month where he won three stages. Afterwards he rode 700 km in training, many of them in hills to prepare for the final stage to take place on the slopes of Le Mont Ventoux. Until next week, Bob. |
Cycle Chat. 05.06.09 [Read More ...]The Cervélo Test team came to the end of the Tour of Italy looking rather jaded but triumphant after a punishing Tour. They had fought well and brought their Team Leader Carlos Sastre home in 4th place.Jeremy Hunt was in 150th after a 200% support of Carlos. The Cervélo Pro Cycling TestTeam is now ranked as the top team in the world. The team jumped up two spots and gained 120 points as a result of their great riding in the Giro. The Swiss squad have now a total of 608 points, which puts them 37 points ahead of Caisse d’Epargne. Quick Step, who dominated the rankings throughout the April Classics, has slid to third with 558. This is what Cervélo TestTeam sports director Jean-Paul Van Poppel said. "This is an exceptional team! I told the boys at the beginning of the Giro that maybe they don't realize that they think it is a normal situation but the more experienced riders know this is an exception that there is something magic in this team. It is really beautiful. "It was great to see young riders along with long time professionals perform so well on this team. It is a fantastic group and we work well as a team getting extremely good results from that team work. It makes us really successful. "Not only the riders, also the staff, no exceptions. We have everything the best, the best material, the best staff on board, the best clothes. "I have not enough words for it. It is really fantastic, four stage wins, fourth in the GC." The rest of our boys finished as follows:- 36. Chris Froome 71. Bradley Wiggins 105. Charles Wegelius 114. Daniel Lloyd 132. Ben Swift 150. Jeremy Hunt 160. Ian Stannard In the World Rankings they are as follows:- 11. Mark Cavendish 93. Bradley Wiggins 99. Ben Swift 137. Jeremy Hunt 171. David Millar Britain is 10 in the nations table ahead of France and USA in 11th and 12th!! After a great battle all the way Denis Menchov (Rabobank) was the winner followed by Danilo Di Luca (LPR Brakes - Farnese Vini) some 41 secs behind. Yanto Barker (Sigma Sport Cycling Team) secured a 9th in the very successful Tour Series at Woking and an 11th at Peterborough. Our shop employee Jon Locke (Sports Bean/Wilier) was 28th at Peterborough. Until next week, Bob. |
Cycle Chat. 30.05.09 [Read More ...]"Three days to go," said Ted King Jeremy Hunt’s team-mate talking about the Tour of Italy My legs are hurting and mind is going a bit numb, but at this point, I’m super excited to be as far as I am and Rome is just around the corner!"I think all the guys did a great job today. A few were suffering, and it was the first time in three weeks that I’ve really seen these guys suffers. The big guys who have raced hard and been riding in the wind for Carlos Sastre (who is in 5th spot) for three weeks are starting to feel it now. But with only three days left, we're one of only a few teams with 2 stage wins, and we have Carlos in the top 5 of the GC, so I'm very happy with the results. Yes it’s been a very tough Giro with what all seems to be mountain stages. (Very pretty to view on Eurosport but I don’t think that that was the riders priority.) Mark Cavendish was withdrawn after his 2 stage wins and mountains ahead but the rest of the Brits are as follows:- 33. Chris Froome 64. Bradley Wiggins 96. Charlie Wegelius 121. Daniel Lloyd 128. Ben Swift 156. Jeremy Hunt 158. Ian Stannard David Millar has also dropped out. It was a big day in Exeter on Thursday night when the Tour Series came to town. Finding a superlative to describe this round of the Tour Series is not easy because it really was a fantastic event and that description probably doesn't do it justice. All credit to the people of Exeter for coming out to support the race and lining the barriers three or four deep -- perhaps more in places. With a win for Dean Downing (Rapha Condor) the boys we follow Yanto Barker (Sigma Sport) and Jon Locke (Sports Beans/Wilier) had a 5th and a 12 respectively. Both were the first ones home in their particular teams. Well done Exeter. The event is being shown on Friday night ITV4 at 19.00 and all the subsequent rounds will be also be televised. Yanto also got another first last Sunday riding in the Kings of Wessex at Somerton. Until next week, Bob. |
Cycle Chat. 23.05.09 [Read More ...]Well done Jon Locke (CLC employee) on his big win in the 2009 Blackdown Grand Prix and what a day for it. Living in the on the slopes of the Blackdown Hills the start was fine but at about 11.30 it started to bucket down.The course was just made for Jon with a long dragging hill steeper in places and 7 laps of it. This is how Jon’s team-mate Will Bjergfelt describes the last 3 laps with thanks to Sports Beans website: - “With 3 laps to go the pace started to tell and Lee cracked leaving just 4 in the break. On the final lap I attacked on the descent and got a gap - Dave then chased for about 20 seconds before Jon attacked again and within a short space of time Jon joined me and then went over the top as I was by now starting to blow my lights out. Jon then rode the final climb like a man possessed before descending down to take a very well deserved 1st win of the season for the Team (and for himself) as well as the KOM prize. I was caught by Dave Clarke on the final climb and hard as I tried, had no answer to the pace Dave was setting and the elastic snapped allowing Dave to nab 2nd with me hanging on for 3rd. Behind, the Peleton was no more; it had split asunder and came in dribs and drabs on this tough circuit. Ben was chasing hard as he thought he maybe able to catch the break and although he didn’t quite manage it he wasn’t far behind taking 4th with Mark taking 6th and Grant 7th.” Meanwhile back in the Tour of Italy which seems to be all hills (mountains!!) Mark Cavendish has secured to great wins and the rest of the Brits read as follows:- 29. Christopher Froome 33. Bradley Wiggins 77. Charles Wegelius 109. David Millar 111. Ben Swift 130. Daniel Lloyd 145. Mark Cavendish 164. Ian Stannard 181 Jeremy Hunt All 9 still there but some of them will be waiting for flatter stages!! Jeremy Hunt’s team-mate Carlos Sastre is in 5th spot some 2.52. This is what Daniel Lloyd fellow Brit had to say about it:- "Yeah, pretty good. Long and hot. But it all went to plan," said Dan Lloyd. "I was in the front group, we made it over the climb, and Jeremy was keeping Carlos out of the wind, and I was hanging close to Carlos wheel. Then Jeremy was gone and I was in front of Carlos in the wind.” Until next week, Bob. |
Cycle Chat. 16.5.09 [Read More ...]The route for the Tour of Britain is out and we are being blessed again in the West Country. The Tour is from the 12th to the 19th of September starting at Scunthorpe and finishing in London.Stage 6 is from Frome, Somerset to Bideford, Devon and stage 7 is from Hatherleigh, Devon up to Yeovil. More details latter. Mark Cavendish spell in the maglia rosa in the Tour of Italy made history - it's an achievement we can all celebrate Let's not dwell on the disappointment of Mark missing out on a sprint win on stage three of the Giro. The Manxman made history last weekend as the first Brit to ever wear the pink leader's jersey and we should all savour that. It's taken until the 100th edition of the Tour of Italy for a rider from the UK to manage the feat and now, thanks to Mark this country has led every Grand Tour for at least a couple of days. Winning the opening team time trial was the perfect start for him and his Columbia team but that was as good as it got for Mark, who finished the first day in pink in a less than happy mood after being outwitted by Alessandro Petacchi in the final metres. The good news is that Mark never makes the same mistake twice, so Monday afternoon Mark was ready to exact revenge. Then with just 10km to go, half the bunch hit the ground and Mark's and our afternoon was spoilt, if only for a little while!! After 6 stages and still in the mountains the top 3 are 1 Danilo Di Luca (LPR Brakes) 2 Thomas Lövkvist Team (Columbia – Highroad) 3 Michael Rogers (Team Columbia – Highroad). The 9 Brits are as follows:- 27. Bradley Wiggins 4.37 35. Christopher Froome 5.42 47. Charles Wegelius 9.05 123. David Millar 41.56 148 Daniel Lloyd 52.23 149 Mark Cavendish 53.36 161. Ian Stannard 56.17 185. Jeremy Hunt 1.03.21 Jon Locke got a well earned 9th in the Lincoln GP last weekend after being in the top few for most of the race. Jon is beginning to make a name for his self and was the top Sports Bean rider. 'Till next week, Bob. |
Cycle Chat 21.03.09 [Read More ...]Hats off for Jonathan Aske (the boss’s son!!) for a great win last Saturday in the 1st Chard Wheelers Spring Circuit Racing held at Ilton, Somerset. After 5 quiet laps in the Under 16s Race Jonathan took the race by the horns and led for the last 4 laps securing a fine win. Well done Jonathan!!Mark your diary for Friday 17th April this year for a very special Open Evening at Colin Lewis Cycles at Paignton, Devon. This is something that Jonathan’s dad Simon has had on his mind for a while with the Special Quest being fresh from the Paris-Roubaix, Jeremy Hunt. Come and meet him. Jeremy will be there representing Cervélo and along with the Cervélo rep will be bringing a selection of Cervélo bikes including they hope the new P4 Time Trial bike!! But that’s not all!! We will also have with us for the evening former pro Yanto Barker who after a lay of for a few years is now back in the saddle and doing well and now starting in business with his own brand of cycle wear Le Col/Colnago which is also the name of his new team!! But that’s not all!! To finish off the evening we have our former CLC employee and now racing with Plowman Craven Madison Professional Cycling Team and starting to make a name for himself!! Yes that’s all on offer FREE admission and refreshments provided!! Come and meet the Pros!! For more details please give us a ring on 01803 553095. Mark Cavendish has won the final stage of the week-long Tirreno-Adriatico race in Italy. The Columbia team rider beat America's Tyler Farrar and Australia's Baden Cooke in a sprint finish after racing around San Benedetto del Tronto. The Tirreno-Adriatico is a warm-up for the season's first single-day classic, the 185-mile Milan-San Remo race which takes place on Saturday. Mark is set to take part as well as Jeremy |Hunt and Roger Hammond, but is placing no expectations on himself, particularly as he knows he will struggle over the famed Cipressa and Poggio hills near the finish. Seven-times Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong will also compete in Europe for the first time since coming out of retirement when he takes part in the event. Until next week, Bob. |
Cycle Chat 13.03.09 [Read More ...]Our Cycle Club the Mid Devon is in for a busy time for the Dartmoor Classic Sportive. Due to an unprecedented rapid flow of entries, the organisers of the Dartmoor Classic sportive made more entries available for its June 28th event. All 1,500 of the planned spots were filled with three months to go."This gives the Mid-Devon Cycling Club enough time to make all the arrangements necessary to ensure everything is in place to cater for an increased number of riders," said chief organiser Ken Robertson. "However, it would really help our revised plans if those wanting to take up additional places do so fairly soon, so that everybody's parking and feeding station needs are properly catered for." So maybe if you have not got your entry in yet there is still the opportunity of an entry!! The Cervélo test team had a win in the Paris-nice on Stage 2 with Heinrich Haussler being well led out by his team. Our lad Jeremy Hunt spent a considerable time at the front setting the pace and is at present 45th spot some 4 mins down. Having missed some of the breaks the team has now decided to do the rest of the Tour easily to test the riders for Milan San Remo to see how their legs are going!! Yanto Barker Le Col/Colnago S.T. secured a third in the Jock Wadley Memorial Road Race at Colchester over last weekend. Jon Locke Plowman Craven/Madison was 8th 1'46" down after taking his team-mate to a win. Looks like Yanto is starting again from where he left of a few years ago!! So the season is just started but warming up very nicely, thank you. There looks to be much to report on this year on the home front keeping an eye on our local riders and teams. Until next week, Bob. |
Cycle Chat 28.02.09 [Read More ...]The Plowman Craven-Madison pro cycling team were justifiably proud last week after spending 5 days racing against some of the worlds top Pro-Tour Teams.In their first race of the year the 11 man team found themselves rubbing shoulders with riders such as Samuel Sanchez[Olympic Road Champion], Alessandro Valverde, Robbie McEwen, Oscar Pereiro and Gert Steegmans. The 5 stage race is unique as each stage is a separate race but riders finishing all stages count for overall prizes. This benefits a smaller team such as Plowman Craven-Madison by allowing some riders the chance to rest on some stages although some of the major teams fielded 23 man teams (although only 10 could compete at any time). Stage 1, a fast flat circuit race around Palma, saw the boys in pink and blue at the front on several occasions and may well have finished higher up the field if their star sprinter Tony Gibb had not crashed with 1 kilometre to go. The second, an undulating race saw Jon Mozely fight his way up to 39th in the mass sprint of 200 riders into Cala Bona. Stage 3 saw a slightly dented Gibb feature in a 110 km breakaway with a Frenchman and a Columbian rider, gaining a 10min lead at one point. Gibb won an intermediate sprint and took 3rd on the long and painful Soller climb. The escapees were only caught with 30km to go. The last two stages through the islands mountains saw fine performances from Evan Oliphant and Tom Murray, both finishing in the top third of the race, which featured many Tour stage winners. The climbing star of the team, though was Jon Tiernan-Locke who was spectacular and showed no respect for reputations by out-climbing many Pro-Tour names such as Karpets, Doumolin, Quinziato, Tosatto and Nick Nuyens. As a result of the aggressive riding the team has been invited back to race on the continent in April in the Cinturon Ciclista Mallorca. The team stayed on to complete a further weeks training on the island before returning home for the UK season knowing that they had been noticed and were certainly not just making up the numbers! Eddie White and Cherie Pridham [Director Sportif and Team Director] were delighted that the team had put in such a good performance and have now received several other invitations to compete in Europe. Team owner Simon Barnes was over the moon "I cannot express how delighted and proud I am, of the riders, of course but also the dedication and hard work that Cherie and Eddie put in, I am sure we will surprise a few people this year." A new cycling team is to be set up with the aim of creating a British winner of the Tour de France by 2014. Team Sky, to be funded by media organisation BSkyB, will be managed by the sport's Olympic performance director Dave Brailsford. "The target is a British winner of the Tour within five years - achievable but very ambitious," said Brailsford. "But reach for the stars and you get the moon - that's what we want to strive towards." The team will initially contain 25 riders rising to 30. It will have a British core of riders and management, but also include international cyclists. 606: DEBATE What do you think of Brailsford's aim? Brailsford added: "The reason we got excited about developing this project is that it will improve our chances at the Olympics. "Our key endurance riders are now all at different professional teams with obligations to their club. Hopefully in the future the core will be at Team Sky." The outfit plan to start racing in 2010, although they will need a wildcard invitation in order to gain entry to that year's Tour de France. Olympian Mark Cavendish became the first Briton last year to win four stages at one Tour and plans to compete again in this year's event. He will be joined by Beijing double gold medallist Bradley Wiggins, who will be racing for Garmin-Chipotle, and his team-mate David Millar. |
Cycle Chat 27.02.09 [Read More ...]The second of Mid-Devon CC’s Springtime Pursuits was abandoned on lap two of the three circuits after an accident in the race. A touch of wheels in a fast moving group led to several riders crashing and amongst the injured was Mike Parker of the promoting club.Mike, an experienced rider and mainstay of the club, faces an operation to pin his femur and a long road to recovery. On the advice of the emergency services the event was abandoned. This Saturday’s race will see round three of the popular series with another full field of entrants demonstrating cycling’s surge in popularity. The promoters are expecting some exciting racing with a bumper prize list on offer with the money from the cancelled event carried forward. We wish all those who crashed a speedy recovery. The Plowman Craven-Madison pro cycling team were justifiably proud last week after spending 5 days racing against some of the worlds top Pro-Tour Teams. In their first race of the year the 11 man team found themselves rubbing shoulders with riders such as Samuel Sanchez[Olympic Road Champion], Alessandro Valverde, Robbie McEwen, Oscar Pereiro and Gert Steegmans. The last two stages through the islands mountains saw fine performances from Evan Oliphant and Tom Murray, both finishing in the top third of the race, which featured many Tour stage winners. The climbing star of the team though was our own CLC employee Jon Locke who was spectacular and showed no respect for reputations by out-climbing many Pro-Tour names such as Karpets, Doumolin, Quinziato, Tosatto and Nick Nuyens. As a result of the aggressive riding the team has been invited back to race on the continent in April in the Cinturon Ciclista Mallorca. The team stayed on to complete a further weeks training on the island before returning home for the UK season knowing that they had been noticed and were certainly not just making up the numbers! A new cycling team is to be set up with the aim of creating a British winner of the Tour de France by 2014. Team Sky, to be funded by media organisation BSkyB, will be managed by the sport's Olympic performance director Dave Brailsford. The team will initially contain 25 riders rising to 30. It will have a British core of riders and management, but also include international cyclists. The outfit plan to start racing in 2010, although they will need a wildcard invitation in order to gain entry to that year's Tour de France. Until next week, Bob. |
Cycle Chat 20.02.09 [Read More ...]I am sure our regulars will remember Yanto Barker and his association with the Mid Devon CC. Well Yanto has put back on his cycle clips and is racing again. He has formed his own team called Lecol-Colnagno and racing under that name he had a 19th in the Perfs Pedal Road Race held last Sunday at Rowland’s Castle, Hampshire.The latest on Yanto is that he has formed his own company producing cycling clothing and has started the team to promoter his gear!! We will keep you informed as to his progress. Jon Locke of the Plowman Craven Madison Professional Cycling Team has just completed the Tour of Majorca and competed in 4 of the 5 races with a 112th, 64th, 36th, and finished with a 58th. It has been a tough one for him and the team who have raced against some the top proTour riders. I would say that the experience the team has gained has been worth much more than the results show. Jon’s results were the best of the team showing his developing talent!! Once again the Mid Devon kicks off the road racing season in the South West with the popular series of pursuit races. Riders of all categories can take part with groups of similar abilities starting at timed intervals so usually all the groups tend to finish the race together as one large pack. This gives everyone a chance to find their racing legs at the beginning of the new season and for beginners to get a real taste of moving in Peleton. This year’s races are on the 14th, 21st and 28th of February. Mark Cavendish came to Qatar last week and conquered via two stage wins against some of the world's best sprinters. The Columbia-High Road rider leaves the Tour of Qatar and readies for the next objective, the Tour of California. Mark Cavendish (Columbia-High Road) went to the Tour of Qatar, February 1 to 6, to prepare for the Tour of California. The trip paid off via two stage wins up against some of the same rivals he will face all year, like Tom Boonen and Danilo Napolitano. The team will chance slightly for California; the team will build his lead-out train with fresh riders. The success in the final stage of Qatar will encourage Mark on to more wins. Mark will join their seven other team-mates in California. During the stage race, February 15 to 22 where he will rely on riders like Mark Renshaw and Adam Hanson for the sprint work for the lead out for the sprints. ‘Till next week, Bob. |
Cycle Chat 13.02.09 [Read More ...]The opening race of the Mid Devon CC Spring Pursuit Series 2008 was won by Chris Opie from Cornwall en route to Belgium and Holland for a season's racing there. He came past Yanto Barker, Le Col-Colnago, in the final yards to snatch victory from the Mid-Devon Cycling Club/Colin Lewis Cycles Team's honorary member.Yanto as we mentioned last week now based in North Bovey, was making a comeback after two years out of racing and with only 10 weeks training behind him. He made the first move amongst the leading riders on the uphill approach to the finish line but his legs failed him just before the chequered flag. One of our shop employees Jake Durrant was 4th with Jeremy Hunt’s 17 year old brother Josh Hunt 8th. Big Brother Jeremy (Cervélo Test Team) is at present participating in the Tour of Portugal which if I remember correctly was where he had a great stage win whilst riding for Banesto. His team has started well bringing in Heinrich Haussler for a win on the first stage whilst Roger Hammond and Jeremy where 25th and 27th respectively. Cervélo Boss Jens Zemke said "Another perfect day. After a nice attack from six riders at the start, the whole bunch came together in the last 10 km. The group had a maximum lead of eight minutes before being captured. The Cervélo TestTeam started a lead-out-train with eight kilometres to go. That worked until the last kilometre where our sprinter Heinrich Haussler was alone but in a good position and fresh." On Stage 2 Heinrich was 4th making him 2nd in the General Classification. Mark Cavendish secured his second consecutive stage win in the Tour of California as he once again beat Belgian's Tom Boonen in a sprint. After just edging Tom Boonen on Thursday, Mark won stage five by a bike length as he raced himself to the line. Levi Leipheimer retains the overall lead with Lance Armstrong in fourth. Australian Michael Rogers and American David Zabriskie separate the two Astana riders in the overall standings. Mark remains over 29 minutes off Leipheimer in the overall standings but as a sprinter the Isle of Man rider is only interested in stage victories and Wednesday went perfectly to plan. Incidentally it’s great to see Eurosport showing the Tour from the USA LIVE each evening!! So until next week, Bob. |
Cycle Chat 06.02.09 [Read More ...]Excuse me doing some flag waving this week!!Jon Locke our former employee and now with the Plowman Craven Team called in the shop this week on the way with his team to Majorca. Jon has a big challenge ahead of him for this will be his first opportunity to race against the “Big Boys” riders when he will rub shoulders with of the best in the world at the five-day Tour. Look in next week to see how he did. The British team has secured an invitation to the five-day race on the Balearic island (February 8-12), and will compete against nine ProTour teams. Among the field for the race will be the current Olympic road race champion, Samuel Sanchez (Euskaltel), the world time trial champion Bert Grabsch (Columbia-High Road) and a former Tour de France winner, Oscar Pereiro (Caisse d'Epargne). Alejandro Valverde, Stijn Devolder, Robbie McEwen, Gert Steegmans, Daniele Bennati and Sylvain Chavanel will also take part. So watch out in the sprint Robbie, Jon is on your tail!! All was going very well for Jeremy Hunt’s team Cervélo Test Team when at breakfast on the Thursday morning they heard the tragic news that Frederiek Nolf of the Topsport Vlaanderen-Mercator team had died during the night. The stage for that day was cancelled. Up unto that point the Cervélo Test Team were on a flyer with a competitive 6th in the Team Time Trial followed by a win for Roger Hammond on Stage 2 putting him in Yellow. This is the report for Stage 3 from the Cervélo website-: "We started with an extremely strong side wind! It was clear to everybody that the bunch would split at the first kilometer. At the start all the riders were very nervous and we could hear them scream and shout in car number one. The bunch split into several groups, but after a section with a strong backwind all riders came to the first group again. The important part of the stage came after 85 km, also with a crosswind. Our boys did a great job again and we had all (!) in the first group. There were a lot of teams who had none in this group. Like yesterday, we had to attack Boonen, Cavendish, Napolitano and Co. We started our first attack 6km to go. Jeremy Hunt gave 100%, than Martin Reimer was on the row, they caught him with 2km to go, so the sprint started. Heinrich finished 4th, behind Boonen, Napolitano and Roelandts. Now we have Boonen in front of Hammond and Haussler (still in the jersey for the best young rider). We lead the team competition…of course. Our material was great today. It is a big advantage to know, that we ride the fastest machines. Congrats to our staff, no problems after a tough day for the material." Stage 4 was another tough one with a strong wind which left the team standings as follows-: 1st Tom Boonen 10.19.07 2nd Roger Hammond +0.10 3rd Heinrich Haussler +0.12 4th Daniel Lloyd +0.25 5th Andreas Klier +0.27 6th Xavier Florencio +0.28 8th Gabriel Rasch +1.43 11st Martin Reimer +2.35 14th Jeremy Hunt +3.19 Guess whose winning the Team Classification!! Just as a bonus Bradley Wiggins’s Team won the Time Trail and Mark Cavendish has won 2 stages!! “Come on you Brits!!” Till next week, Bob. |
Cycle Chat 30.01.09 [Read More ...]We have been getting many bike sales recently through the Cyclescheme. This scheme is working with a network of independent bike shops to supply the nation with quality tax free bikes and equipment for work.We have a wealth of experience organising no-hassle tax free bikes for employees. Hundreds of companies of all sizes have already benefited from our easy-to-follow system! The limit under the scheme is £1000 but you can always add to it. The local Police are taking an interest with several purchases!! So watch out!! For more details of the scheme visit: www.cyclescheme.co.uk or else phone us on 01803 553095 Mark Cavendish returns to racing after a four-month break over the off-season. The 23-year-old from the Isle of Man will lead Team Columbia-High Road in the sprinter-friendly Tour of Qatar, February 1 to 6. Mark when he last raced and won three stages in the Tour of Missouri and said he was feeling in good shape. The 8th Tour of Qatar consists of an opening team time trial and five stages that are suited for sprinters. The Tour of Qatar will host 17 teams of eight riders. Team Columbia will send a team to keep Mark fresh for the sprint: Michael Barry, Marcus Burghardt, Bert Grabsch, Gregory Henderson, Frantisek Rabon, Vicente Reynes and Marcel Sieberg. New Zealander Henderson will be the last lead-out man for Cavendish. Brit Mark Renshaw will have that role sometimes in 2009 but has just come out of racing the Tour Down Under and the team didn't want him to take on Qatar as well before doing the Tour of California, which is one of our team's biggest goals for 2009. The opening six-kilometre time trial will provide a chance for Mark to take the early overall race lead and set the tone for his rivals, like Tom Boonen. Boonen won the race overall in 2008 and 2006. Here’s some news for our locals in South Devon. South West Talent Team coach Stuart MacDonald is pleased to announce plans for a Regional School of Racing session which will be held at Stover Caravan Park, near Newton Abbot, Devon on 1st March. So if you are looking to improve your technical skills before the race season kicks off, this could be the session for you. The session will take place on the 1st March and will start promptly at 10am, and will finish at 12 midday. Riders are expected to use their own road bike, and come suitably dressed for the conditions on the day - Rain will not stop play!! The cost of the session will be covered by British Cycling and all you have to do to reserve your place is email Stuart at stuartmacdonald@britishcycling.org.uk giving him your name, date of birth and club. Places are limited to 40 riders so book early to avoid disappointment. Registration will close one week before so make sure you register before the 22nd February. Until next week, Bob. |
Cycle Chat 24.01.09 [Read More ...]Simon, Colin Lewis Cycles’ owner is off next week to Majorca for the Cervélo Dealers Trip. Sounds like a bit ofa Jolly but from what he tells me it will be hard work and back to the class room (as well as a bit of Cervelo Cycling!!). Their will be seminars on the Cervélo Philosophy as well as the special build of their bikes of Carbon and its aerodynamic properties. Cervélo TestTeam (which has riding in our old friend Jeremy Hunt and Roger Hammond) formed in the past few months as a new concept, even though the idea of a team supported by a bike company instead of an external title sponsor looks like a throwback to the great teams of the 1940’s and 50’s. The Team brings together the best of the bike industry, focusing on more than racing alone. Phil White, co-founder of Cervélo sums up the reasoning behind the development of the team. “We did it because we feel that professional cycling is of extreme importance to the bike industry. Rather than just criticize on the sidelines as a sponsor, we decided we should put our money where our mouth is and be proactive. We think it is time the industry doesn’t just fund teams they have no control over, but that it also takes an active role and responsibility for how these teams are run, and how they promote bikes & cycling in general.” Gerard Vroomen, co-founder of Cervélo, expanded on that, stating, “While race exposure is great, we need more than that. Our company is based on creating the best products, and to continue to offer that to our customers, we need assistance and feedback from pro riders during product development. The best way to ensure the team is focused on providing this feedback is to own the team. We had a great experience in 2008 with the women's team he runs, so to take that team, add a men's side, and turn it into a bike industry team made a lot of sense to us.” The concept also made sense to Cervélo’s friends in the industry. They too were looking to be part of a team project that involved more than just racing. With the help of some of the bike industry’s thought leaders such as Zipp, Speedplay, Vittoria, 3T, Fi’zi:k, Castelli and Rotor, and the support of some outside partners, the budget quickly took shape. I don't think that a new team has ever started its first year with the Tour de France winner on its roster. Next up, Roger Hammond was interested, then Thor Hushovd, then another rider, and another. Just like many in the bike industry were looking for such a project, so were many riders. And we found the same enthusiasm with staff, with sports directors, race organizers, with everybody that we approached really.” Besides veterans like Sastre and Hushovd and Hunt the team has attracted many up and coming riders, like Simon Gerrans, Ted King, Dominique Rollin and Hayden Roulston as well as new pros Marcel Wyss and Martin Reimer. The women’s TestTeam is equally strong, headed by Olympic Gold Medal winner Kristin Armstrong, Carla Ryan and Christiane Soeder as well as newcomers like Sandra Dietel, Regina Bruins and Liselot LaCroix. At the moment the team is at their training camp will continue to January 26, when both the men and women’s team head to their first race, the Tour of Qatar in early February. Cervélo TestTeam Partners include: Cervélo, Skoda cars, Zipvit energy bars, Zipp wheels, 3T components, Rotor cranks, Swiss Olympic CrossKlinik, Castelli race apparel, Fi’zi:k saddles, Vittoria tires, Speedplay pedals, Reporter clothing, 2XU compression apparel, Quarq power meters, atlike helmets, Bicycling magazine, Morgan Blue lubricants, Elite, Nokon and Sportsbalm. Another team that will also be using Cervélo bikes is the Team our former CLC employee Jon Locke who has just joined the Plowman Craven Madison Team. Riders will use the early season Tour of Mallorca to test their winter preparation for the 2009 domestic season. The team will stay on in Mallorca for 10 days after the tour for an intensive training camp. So the new season is underway in what looks to be like an interesting season after the Olympic triumph for the Brits. Until next week, Bob. |
Cycle Chat 16.01.09 [Read More ...]After the Cervelo team met up in Switzerland last week for fitness testing and all that involves the team have now moved a warmer place Portugal.The men and women of Cervélo TestTeam will start their first training camp together at the Robinson Club Quinta da Ria in the Algarve. The club, located along the beautiful east coast of the Algarve, offers the ideal conditions for optimal training for the teams to prepare for the upcoming cycling season. As well as the training camp, the unique team of 25 men and 12 women will be presented to the public for the first time. On Saturday, January 17 the media will have the opportunity to cover the training and interview the riders. On Sunday, the event will continue with the official Cervélo TestTeam Launch at 11.00h with all the athletes including last year’s Tour de France winner Carlos Sastre (ESP), the top sprinter Thor Hushovd (NOR) and the Olympic Time Trial Champion Kristin Armstrong (USA) and of course ex Mid Devoner Jeremy Hunt 2 times British champion.!! Another former British Champion Roger Hammond is also in the team. The entire squad comprises 25 men and 12 women. The women's team has already been around for a few years, but the men's team has just been formed. Australian cycling fans have only got one man on their mind this week: Lance Armstrong. The American is making his return to professional cycling at next week's Tour Down Under, but the seven-time Tour de France winner's early arrival in Australia's fifth largest city - Adelaide, South Australia – has local media and race fans alike in a flutter. Despite tough talk from local authorities of a four-vehicle Police escort for training rides, on Armstrong's first training ride he was flanked only by other big-name riders like Stuart O'Grady and Pat Jonker. It's something that has proven a pleasant surprise amongst local enthusiasts, who have found themselves riding in a bunch with the cycling legend on their morning ride. While the first test of Armstrong's fitness is a topic of interest, there's also a race to be had and chances are Armstrong is not going to be in the running for that title. After becoming the discovery of last year's event and cycling season, Team Columbia's André Greipel will return to defend his title. The Tour is from January 18th to the 25th. Highlights will be on Sky Sports 2 each night next week at 1830hrs. Until next week, Bob. |
Cycle Chat 09.01.09 [Read More ...]We heard from Jeremy Hunt this week who is at the moment in Australia riding the Jayco Bay Cycling Classic.Jeremy has worked well with team O2 Reflections Group who is a member of the newly formed Cervelo which is now Jeremy’s new team. On Stage 1 a Cervelo rider Simon Gerrans notched up a first win for Cervelo. Jeremy’s best place was a 6th on the final stage which resulted in a 16th overall. O2 Reflections Group easily won the Team Competition and Simon Gerrans finished 6th overall. Jeremy is returning to England this weekend and then it’s of to Switzerland next for a get together with the Cervelo Team and a Training Camp. "Cocky", "brash", "arrogant" – you can say what you like about Mark Cavendish, but the statistics don't lie, and those statistics back up the Manxman's repeated assertions that he's merely stating a fact when he calls himself the fastest man in road racing. Mark won more major races than anyone else in 2008, no fewer than 17. The 23-year-old now begins the 2009 season with arguably the strongest team in the sport at his behest, time very much in his favour and the road to yet more success laid invitingly before him. Mark’s sprint rivals needed no more ominous warning than Bouygues Telecom manager Jean-René Bernaudeau's recent prediction that the Team Columbia man is "set to win everything in [the sprinting] department for the next five years." Colin Lewis Cycles is going from strength to strength. Recession?? What recession?? They beat there target for turnover in 2008 and the hard working staff received an extra bonus for Christmas!! 2009 has started well. Maybe it is the service they give?? One comment from the EBay recently said, “Great service. Purchased 2nd Jan 15.00hrs arrived 3rd 09.00am. Excellent product.” Product purchased was a Rudy Project Rydon - Graphite Multilaser Red. Another one says “Extremely fast delivery (at no charge), excellent price, fantastic service.” Item bought was Sole Custom Footbeds Insoles - heat moulded. So we thank you our readers and all customers for the successful year you gave us. Thank you!! Until next week, Bob. |
Colin Lewis Cycles Limited, 17 Dartmouth Road, Paignton, TQ4 5AD. Telephone: 01803 553095. Registered company number: 4095543.